South Africa: Vote counting enters Day Two

Vote counting in the 2019 National and Provincial Elections is nearing the final stretch this morning.

By 7am, about 17 208 of 22 925 of the voting districts or 75.06% had declared their results.

The tallies up on the large leader board at the IECs national results centre in Pretoria, place the African National Congress (ANC) in the lead with 57.21% of the votes, the Democratic Alliance (DA) at 21.84% of the votes and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at 10.08%.

These are, so far, the leading three parties in the race for the national government.

They are followed by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which is currently standing at 2.89%, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) at 2.48%, African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) with 0.92% of the votes and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) at 0.53%.

Over 26 million voters were registered to vote in Wednesdays elections, but the Electoral Commission count thus far puts the voter turnout at 65.44%.

Political parties went into the polls with different targets. The ANC wanted to stay in power with over 60% of the voters support; the DA wanted to grow its party support, while the EFF was hoping to double their support. However, so far the biggest surprise in these elections is the performance of the VF Plus which has gained more voters in the provinces.

Provincial results

Looking at the results thus far from the provinces, the Eastern Cape, North West, Western Cape and the Northern Cape have captured more than 90% of their voting districts.

In the Western Cape, where 94.43% of the districts were captured, data shows that the DA is standing on 54.71%, the ANC on 29.22 % and the EFF on 4.04% while the new party on the block, GOOD, stands on 3.03%.

In North West, 94.29% of the voting districts have been captured. The ANC is at 62.39%, followed by the EFF at 18.48%, then the DA at 10.87% and the VF Plus at 10.87%.

About 91.34% of the districts have been captured in the Eastern Cape. Their tallies puts the ANC in the lead with 68.48%, the DA at 15.99%, the EFF at 7.78% while the UDM is at 2.63 % of the votes.

In the hotly contested Gauteng province, only 55.83% of voting districts have been captured, where the ANC seems to be skating on thin ice by gaining 50.62% of the votes, the DA is at 27.27%, the EFF at 14.18%, the VF Plus at 3.82% and the IFP at 3.82%.

About 62.93% of the voting districts have been captured in KwaZulu-Natal, which was another province eyed by the political parties. The Electoral Commission count thus far shows that the ANC is sitting at 52.88%, the IFP at 16.98%, the DA at 16.98%, the EFF at 8.79% and the NFP at 1.35% votes.

Similar trends are seen in the Free State - where 65.66% of the districts have captured their votes. The ANC leads with 62.61% of the votes, the DA follows with 17.05%, the EFF closely follows with 11.63% and VF Plus is on 3.97%. The surprise in this province is the new party, the ATM, which stands 3.97%.

In Limpopo, 60.6% of the districts have declared their votes which shows that the ANC has gained 75.45% of the votes, followed by the EFF on 75.45%, the DA on 5.46%.

Mpumalanga has captured 87.81% of their total voting districts, where data puts the ANC in the lead with 69.88%, the EFF at 13.01%, the DA is at 9.98 %, the VF Plus at 2.53 %, BRA at 0.80 % and ATM at 0.62%.

About 97.45% voting districts have been captured in the Northern Cape. Tallies show that the ANC will remain in power with 57.25%, then the DA with 57.25%, the EFF with 9.57%, VF Plus with 9.57% and COPE with 0.87% of the vote.

These tallies are set to change as voting continues today. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-05-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Nelson Mandela Foundation commends IEC

Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO Sello Hatang has commended the Electoral Commission (IEC) and its executive team for a sterling job on the voting process.

It is an honour to be part of democracy in action. You gave us an opportunity to look into a world that is complex and difficult, it is demanding of us to be understanding, Hatang said on Friday at the Results Operations Centre in Pretoria.

Hatang was releasing the preliminary report of their observation of special votes and Election Day.

The foundation participated as an observer in the 6th National and Provincial Elections, exclusively in Gauteng and deployed observers to a minimum of 45 voting stations.

He said overall the 2019 General Election was secure, however the election process had areas of vulnerability.

These included amongst others, insufficient scanners in some voting stations and accessibility of stations for disabled people.

While South Africa has seen marginal improvement in voter turn-out, he said the National Mandela Foundation yearns to bring back the long queues of the first democratic elections in 1994.

This is an important thing that we need to be observing - those long queues of 1994 should be something that we yearn to bring back. Those long queues tell us that people havent lost hope in democracy and that democracy has not been captured and it is still serving the poor and the vulnerable, said Hatang.

Moving forward, he said, work needs to be done to make the system more robust.

There is no doubt that we need more technology to beef it up, and we will be making recommendations to the Electoral Commission in this regard, Hatang said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-05-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
On the same day, PM Chan O-cha said he sent a list of 250 senators to the King for approval.

* The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development has cooperated with the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies to hold a high-level dialogue on human rights in ASEAN, assessing the decade-long operation of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

* The UN Command has approved a plan to open two additional peace trails in the Inter-Korean Demilitarised Zone, the border area between the two Korean nations.

* President of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in has expressed his desire to soon hold a dialogue with opposition parties in the country about food aid for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Meanwhile, the Blue House said that it is continuing to closely monitor the evolution of the current security situation, after the recent launch of DPRKs flying objects.

* UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that he will commit the whole agency to work to end the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

* The Mexican government has confirmed that the country does not apply for Title III of the Helms-Burton Act that the US enforces on Cuba, and claims it will protect domestic companies that may be affected.

* 159 US senators, both Democrats and Republicans, have proposed that Larry Kudlow, director of the US National Economic Council, recommend to President Donald Trump not to raise taxes on imported cars and car parts.

* British Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to submit an agreement on Brexit for the House of Commons to vote for the fourth time, hoping to break the deadlock before the European Parliament election.

* The British Green Party has officially launched a campaign for the European Parliament election, with a pledge to oppose the UK's Brexit and support efforts to combat climate change.

* Russia's Foreign Ministry has called on countries not to intervene in Venezuela. It also announced that Russia is building a constructive agenda for Venezuelas issues.

* The Japanese House of Councillors has adopted the Acquisition and Cross-servicing Agreement (ACSA), which allows Japanese Self-Defense Forces and French and Canadian troops to supply ammunition and food to each other.

* The Palestinian authority has accused the US of putting pressure on Palestinian people to accept Washington's proposed peace plan.

* The Electoral Commission of South Africa has announced the preliminary results of the countrys general election, showing that the African National Congress (ANC) is taking the lead, followed by the Democratic Alliance, with a difference of 26% of votes.

* After talks with Prime Minister of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, who is on a visit to France, President Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed support for GNA.

* Within the framework of a visit to the UK, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that Washington wishes countries to receive citizens who joined the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Syria.

* The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO) has said that more than 50 million people in the Middle East and North Africa are malnourished. Most of them are in countries with ongoing conflicts.


By Jung Da-min



The two projectiles North Korea launched Thursday were short-range missiles, the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Friday, but added it is still analyzing if they were ballistic missiles.



Quoting a statement by Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn, foreign media have reported they were ballistic missiles.



But the South Korean military said the U.S. government's official stance was the same as the South Korean government's that it has yet to confirm if they were ballistic missiles, noting the alliance is still on track for thorough analysis on the specifics about the launches.





North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) Friday revealed photos of the missile launches and testing of other self-propelled guns, which experts identified later as 240-millimeter and 152-millimeter multiple rocket launchers (MRLs).



The KCNA did not say the missiles were its "new tactical guided weapon" but instead said the launch was a part of the North's Korean People's Army's (KPA) strike drill of "various long-range strike means."



The JCS admitted Friday that there was another test firing of MRLs following the missile tests but sees it as an ordinary military drill for North Korea, which was why it did not report it initially. The explanation came after reports following a briefing at the National Assembly by Rep. Ahn Gyu-back, chairman of the Assembly defense committee, in which Ahn mentioned the self-propelled guns test.



"Given the revealed information by the South Korean military that the two missiles flew about 270 kilometers and 420 kilometers, respectively, both at an altitude around 50 kilometers, it is speculated that they could be modified versions of a Russian Iskander which usually reaches 50 kilometers in altitude and flies as far as 500 kilometers," said Shin Jong-woo, a senior analyst at the Korea Defense and Security Forum. "The launches seem to be made in different trajectories."



On Thursday, North Korea fired two short-range missiles at around 4:29 p.m. and 4:49 p.m. in the vicinity of Kusong in North Pyongan Province. Both reached an altitude of around 50 kilometers, landing in the sea off the North's east coast, according to the JCS.



The latest provocations by the North came five days after its launch of multiple projectiles including what the North claimed was its new tactical guided weapon, widely suspected to be a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) which bears similarities with a Russian Iskander missile.



The JCS said it is also reviewing if the North's weapon test on May 4 involved the same missiles seen from the latest test. North Korea used a tracked transporter erector launcher (TEL) for the May 9 missile tests, while it used a wheeled TEL for the tactical guided weapon firing on May 4, the JCS said.



A tracked transporter is slower than a wheeled one but it is capable of moving missiles around rough terrain.




Foreign tourists dine in the dining section of a train in North Korea in this photo revealed by North Korea's tourism website DPRKorea Tour, run by the North's National Tourism Administration. DPRKorea Tour-Yonhap



By Jung Da-min



While North Korea has staged military tests involving missiles and rockets, the country's leadership seems to be focusing on bolstering its economy, especially boosting construction projects for tourism.



The Minju Choson, an organ for North Korea's Cabinit and the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) Presidium, has been publishing articles on tourist attractions and construction projects in different regions in recent days.



The most frequently highlighted project is in Samjiyon County, the site of the large-scale construction of what the North's leader Kim Jong-un has described as a "socialist utopia" with new apartments, hotels, a ski resort and commercial, cultural and medical facilities, set for completion in October 2020.






The entrance to Insein Prison in Yangon / Korea Times file



By Jung Min-ho



Two Korean men have arrived in Seoul after being released on bail from the notorious Insein Prison in Yangon over alleged theft  an accusation their families claim was a "trap."



"After spending 76 days in the prison, he was released and reunited with his family in Korea on May 1," Ha Hee-bong, a lawyer and a son-in-law of one of the two, told The Korea Times. "It was a moment of big relief, but our fight in court has just begun."



Ha's father-in-law, surnamed Choi, 59, a director-level official at a Korean builder (B), was a manager for a major construction project in Yangon, according to a contract between a Korean developer (A) and his company last year.



"It all started with a conflict between A and its Myanmar-based subcontractor Z, which asked for money in advance. After Z's repeated requests, the developer terminated a contract with it on Nov. 23," Ha claimed.



Angered by the decision, Z deliberately did not take back its construction material from the site and, when B sold the material after repeated notifications, Z told police that B stole its property, he added.



Just two days after the report, police began an investigation and arrested B's safety manager (a Myanmar national) on Jan. 30 and the two Koreans on (Feb. 7).



Z claims the suspects were responsible for stealing and selling eight tons of its reinforcing bars without permission, but Ha argues that B, as contracted, told Z to take back all its material, if there was any, before selling four tons of leftover material to a junk dealer in the afternoon.



Ha claimed he had evidence showing that a truck belonging to Z dumped about four tons of construction material on the sold material at the junk dealer's yard at night.



"That's how they set him up for theft," Ha said.



While Choi was in prison, his family had many sleepless nights. A Myanmar court rejected his application for bail three times and his family almost lost hope. When the court accepted his request on the fourth attempt, they were elated and grateful.



His story came into the spotlight after his daughter posted a petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website on April 15 calling on the presidential office for help. In just three weeks, the petition garnered more than 40,000 signatures.



After his return, his daughter wrote on her blog to thank everyone who paid attention to his story.



"My father will return to Myanmar for trial  It is expected to take more than a year, but he will continue to fight (for truth) and, for that, we need your support. Thank you very much," she said.


Social media has lit up following nearly a dozen arrests during a demonstration Thursday night in Bridgeport.

The demonstration marked the second anniversary of an officer-involved shooting in Bridgeport that killed 15-year-old Jayson Negron.

A total of 11 people were arrested and a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter was detained near the site of the shooting on Fairfield Avenue.

Ten of those arrested were charged with inciting a riot, interfering with police and second-degree breach of peace. They were released after posting bond.

Activist Kerry Ellington posted a Facebook live video as police were making the arrests.

Tara ONeill, a Bridgeport police reporter, was detained as she was observing from the sidewalk on Fairfield Avenue as a line of police officers ordered everyone off the street.

ONeill, who identified herself as a journalist, was handcuffed and taken in the back of a police cruiser to headquarters.

After being detained for about 30 minutes, she was released without being charged.

O'Neill had been live tweeting during the event and she continued to report even as she was handcuffed.

ONeill was released about a half hour later and said the Bridgeport police officer who arrested her apologized and said he did not know she was a member of the media.

Others have since taken to social media in support of ONeill and those who were charged Thursday night.
Five years ago, Ryan Meserole opened a high-quality, hand-crafted mens suit store on Railroad Place.

Suited.co seemed well-suited to the times and the spot. Commuters headed to or from work could stop in for a perfect fit, or theyd book a weekend appointment.

Either way, theyd look great on the train and at work in the city.

Suited.co has since been rebranded as Quentin Row. Later this month, Meserole will close his shop. Hes shifting his focus to online sales, and also buying a 22-foot mobile trailer, for local festivals and events.

There are several reasons for his move, some specific to Railroad Place. But others  including a dwindling number of commuters, and Goldman Sachs recent decision to loosen its dress code  speak to the changing nature of work.

Since the 1940s  when World War II ended, suburbia boomed, and the railroad became an important morning-and-evening link between Westport and New York  this has been a commuting town. Advertising and publishing executives, stockbrokers and Wall Street financiers, IBM and Procter & Gamble men and many more moved to the rhythm of the rails.

The railroad remained vital to Westport for decades. Beginning in the 1970s, women joined men on the daily trek to and from the city. They, too, worked in advertising and publishing, on Wall Street and in big business. The hourlong commute was not easy, but it was part of the price that was paid to live and raise a family in Westport.

Changes in the way we work have accelerated lately. Metro-Norths new timetable  increasing the length of a Grand Central trip by up to 15 minutes  is one reason for the drop in commuters that led Meserole to leave Railroad Place, but shifts have been taking place for years.

Starting in the 1980s, Westport became a place to come to work, not just leave from. Office buildings sprouted all along the Post Road and Riverside Avenue, as well as less likely spots: Wright Street, Gorham Island, Weston Road, the Sherwood Island Connector and Greens Farms Road.

For a while, thanks to Procter & Gamble spin-offs like the Marketing Corporation of America, we were the marketing capital of the world.

Those firms have moved on, but new businesses sprang up. New tenants moved in. I saw a statistic that more people now commute into Westport each day than commute out. I dont know if its true, but anyone who drives on Long Lots, Greens Farms or the Post Road at 8:30 on a weekday morning would not argue.

Plenty of Westporters leave town for work, of course, but the destination is not always New York. More and more its Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk or other Fairfield County towns. Big office complexes have been built there too. Although in theory some are reachable by train, the reality is that most employees drive there. Anyone using I-95 or the Merritt any weekday morning knows what I mean.

The good news is plenty of Westporters no longer work five days a week in one location. Technology has untethered many of todays workers from an office and desk. A home office  once limited to a few doctors and lawyers  is now just as much a part of a Realtors pitch as a killer kitchen or four-car garage. His-and-her offices are even better.

Yet working at home is not always the answer. Men (and women) are social animals. So  although we are perfectly capable of brewing our own coffee  we spend hours working at various Starbucks establishments, the tables at Mystic Market, Garelick & Herbs and Aux Delices, or dozens of other places.

If we want someplace more like a real office (including the coffee pot), we can choose from a variety of co-working spaces. B:Hive, in the old mill building on the Southport line, is the funkiest and most fun. Symphony on Greens Farms Road and Innovation Hub on Ketchum Street are the oldest. Another great shared space  though for writers only  is the Fairfield County Story Lab, at 21 Charles St. in Saugatuck.

Theres one more recent working trend: From restaurants like Granola Bar to stores like Savvy + Grace and Indulge by Mersene, Westport has seen a surge in women-owned businesses.

Some of those factors  as well as, of course, the rise of online shopping  contributed to Meseroles decision to close his Quentin Row store. Some are simply indicative of the way Westport is changing.

But one thing is clear: The days of Gregory Peck filming The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit  the longtime symbol of Westport at work  on the train station platform across from Railroad Place are gone forever.

Dan Woog is a Westport writer, and his Woogs World appears each Friday. He can be reached at dwoog@optonline.net. His personal blog is danwoog06880.com.




By Dong Sun-hwa







Police are investigating allegations that retired racehorses are being cruelly slaughtered on Jeju Island.







According to Jeju District Prosecutors' Office Thursday, animal activist groups  the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Voice 4 Animals  filed a complaint accusing the Jeju National Livestock Cooperative Federation and five unnamed people of violating the animal protection law.







PETA also disclosed a YouTube video allegedly showing how racehorses have been abused and killed during the past 10 months.











The video shows workers beating horses to force them into slaughterhouses.







The law bans the slaughter of an animal in front of other animals and prohibits injuring animals without justifiable cause. People who violate the law can be fined 20 million won ($17,000) or jailed for up to two years.







The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs will conduct its own probe into 149 slaughterhouses in Korea, while the Korea Racing Authority (KRA) says it will introduce a management program for retired racehorses.


BMW Korea Chairman Kim Hyo-joon apologizes upon his arrival at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul, Friday to face questioning over allegations the company covered up manufacturing defects in its vehicles that cause dozens of the engine fires last year. / Yonhap



By Kim Jae-heun



Police summoned BMW Korea Chairman Kim Hyo-joon for questioning Friday over allegations the company covered up manufacturing defects in its vehicles that caused dozens of engine fires last year.



"I am truly sorry to have caused people concern," Kim said as he arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.



The chairman is suspected of being complicit in violations of the Automobile Management Act.



"With the cooperation of our customers, our recalls have nearly been completed, and we are making every effort to prevent any more accidents from taking place," Kim said, adding that he would fully cooperate with any investigation.



However, the chairman would not comment on whether the German carmaker intentionally hid the defects or whether he personally accepted responsibility.



The global auto giant is suspected of covering up possible defects after dozens of its vehicles here caught fire, following similar incidents reported in Europe since 2016. BMW acknowledged this last July saying that it had found a defect in the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system.



Since last August, the carmaker has recalled about 106,000 vehicles to replace their EGR modules, with 102,468, or 96 percent, being repaired.



The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport launched a fact-finding team comprised of experts to investigate the case, and at the end of last year it concluded BMW had known about the fault since 2015, but continued selling the vehicles in Korea.



The ministry fined BMW 11.2 billion won ($9.5 million) for not reporting the problem or recalling any vehicles until the engines started to catch fire.



Separate from the ministry's investigation, some BMW car owners sued the head office, its Korean branch and relevant officials including Kim for violating the Automobile Management Act.



Police searched BMW Korea Group and its research center, as well as the EGR module supplier in Seoul three times last year. So far, they have booked 18 BMW officials here and abroad, including BMW Chairman Harald Kruger, BMW vice president for quality management Johann Ebenbichler and Kim.



Police said they have not decided whether to seek an arrest warrant for Kim, but added they suspect he played a "certain role" in concealing the defect.


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.
Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn speaks during a meeting with citizens in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Hwang, who has embarked on a nationwide tour on Tuesday to protest the government, said he is against President Moon Jae-in's idea of having a meeting with him and other political parties over giving food assistance to North Korea. Yonhap





By Park Ji-won







The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Friday it will begin discussions with party leaders regarding the provision of food aid to North Korea, after President Moon Jae-in continued to push the plan despite repeated missile launches by Pyongyang.







The DPK said it welcomed President Moon's idea of sending food to the impoverished North to build mutual trust.







"We should build more trust between the Koreas by giving immediate humanitarian assistance to the North. The North's military acts are against peace building on the peninsula. But food assistance should be regarded as separate from the missile launches," DPK floor leader Rep. Lee In-young told reporters after a party meeting. Lee also said it was desirable to form a standing council among the political parties to discuss state affairs.







DPK spokesman Lee Hae-shik said Moon's interview with a local broadcaster to celebrate the second anniversary of his inauguration, showed his authenticity and leadership and "won the people's trust."







In 2017, the unification ministry approved using $8 million for humanitarian assistance, but did not spend the money after the North conducted a nuclear and missile tests that year.







President Moon asked the political parties to reach a consensus on providing humanitarian aid to the North.







The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) lashed out at President Moon's desire to give food assistance to the North and called for further sanctions on the regime.







In response to Moon asking for a consensus, LKP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn told reporters: "There is no point meeting with President Moon and other political parties only to discuss the food assistant issue. I am willing to accept Moon's request to have meetings if he wants to talk about overall issues such as the fast-tracking of reform bills."







Several hours before Moon's interview, North Korea launched two short-range missiles, its second set of launches following those on May 4. They occurred around 4:30 p.m. (KST) at the North's Sino-ri missile base, which is believed to house Rodong short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.







Hwang embarked on a one-month-long nationwide tour Tuesday to protest the government's "dictatorship regime" and "poor performance" in the economic and security sectors.







"Generally speaking, it is desirable to help North Korea. But it is dependent on the situation," Hwang said, claiming the North is now focusing on developing nuclear weapons. "For now, strict sanctions are needed on the North."







Meanwhile, the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party (BMP) sided with the LKP's criticism of Moon's North Korea policy, criticizing him for not changing his stance despite the recent missile launches.







"Moon is busy defending the North. It doesn't change even when the North has launched missiles. Moon is unilaterally pushing his income-driven policy that is endangering the economy," party officials said.


Unionized bus drivers plan to stage a strike May 15 if their employers fail to raise their pay before the 52-workhour week is implemented in July. Drivers are expected to lose up to 1 million won ($850) per month due to the new regulations. Yonhap



By Kim Hyun-bin



Bus drivers are set to stage a nationwide strike May 15 unless companies promise to protect their livelihoods, as they claim their wages will be reduced significantly when the 52-hour workweek system is applied to them starting July.



However, company owners are calling on the central and local governments to make up for any shortfall in wages, but as they have yet to get a response, the possibility of a walkout is increasing.



According to the Korean Automobile and Transport Workers' Federation, 32,000 drivers from nine out of 11 cities and provinces held a vote on the strike, Wednesday and Thursday, with 96.6 percent in favor of it.



Drivers in Incheon and South Gyeongsang Province are planning to hold a vote in the near future.



The Moon Jae-in administration introduced the 52-hour workweek to stimulate consumption and generate growth. It was implemented for companies with more than 300 employees in July 2018, but the bus industry was given a one-year grace period.



Starting July, the maximum weekly hours for bus drivers will be reduced from 68 hours to 52, which could slash their income by over 1 million won ($850) per month due to a reduction in overtime pay. As a result, they are demanding pay hikes.



Bus companies have repeatedly asked the local and central governments to allow them to increase fares and for other financial support, claiming they cannot afford to cover labor costs and hire more bus drivers.



In Seoul, 89.3 percent of the 16,034 unionized drivers at 61 companies voted for the strike Thursday, while in Busan, 97 percent of 5,387 drivers at 33 companies approved of the strike Wednesday.



Drivers in Gyeonggi Province voted 96.2 percent in favor of the strike followed by Gwangju and South Chungcheong Province with 95 percent each, Ulsan with 87.7 percent and South Jeolla Province, 87.3 percent,.



As the support for a strike has prevailed, labor and management are required by law to hold further negotiations by Tuesday, with the unions plan to walkout Wednesday if their terms aren't met.



The unionized bus drivers are under the Korea Automobile and Transport Workers' Federation (KATWF), which held an emergency meeting Friday to discuss whether to hold a sympathy strike among other related issues.



The federation asked the government to take a more sincere stance on the bus industry dispute.



"The central government needs to act now to reduce work hours, improve bus transport safety and create more quality jobs," an official at the KATWF said.






South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday (May 9) that North Korea's latest missile launch was probably a subdued protest against the United States after a failed summit of the two countries' leaders in Hanoi in February.

North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday, according to South Korea's military, days after its leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of multiple rockets and a missile.

"North Korea seemed to be discontented it could not reach a deal in Hanoi," Moon said in an interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS.

Moon, who has strongly advocated engagement with North Korea, said that even if the missiles were short-range, they could still violate U.N. resolutions barring North Korea from developing ballistic missiles. (Reuters)





President Moon Jae-in during a special interview with KBS at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, on May 9, 2019. Photo by Presidential Photo Office







President Moon Jae-in during a special interview with KBS at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, on May 9, 2019. Photo by Presidential Photo Office







President Moon Jae-in during a special interview with KBS at the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, on May 9, 2019. Photo by Presidential Photo Office






North Korea should no longer resort to brinksmanship



North Korea's escalation of tensions with military provocations is a typical case of its signature brinksmanship tactics. The Kim Jong-un regime appears to have gone back to such tactics since Kim's second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in Hanoi in late February.



On Thursday, the North launched two short-range missiles from its northwestern region into the East Sea. They are said to be similar to Russia's Iskander missiles. One flew 420 kilometers and the other 270 kilometers. The test-firing followed the May 4 launch of similar projectiles identified as "tactical guided weapons." These provocations came after the North test-fired what it claimed were short-range tactical weapons April 17.



The show of force was apparently aimed at putting pressure on the U.S. to accept Pyongyang's demands for sanctions relief in return for partial denuclearization steps. In fact, the Kim regime has already issued a virtual ultimatum for the U.S. to change course. However, the Trump administration has reaffirmed that sanctions will remain until the North denuclearizes completely.



It is against this backdrop that Pyongyang has made a series of missile launches to extract concessions from Washington. Even though it argued the test-firings were part of "routine" and "self-defensive" drills, the North cannot avoid accusations that the tests were provocations apparently intended to vent Pyongyang's frustrations at the summit failure and the punishing sanctions.



It is important to note a U.S. media report that the Thursday launches were of ballistic missiles. If the report is true, the Kim regime cannot help but face condemnation that it has violated multiple U.N. resolutions banning ballistic missile technology. The North's actions could also run counter to a military agreement signed with South Korea last September to end inter-Korean hostility.



However, Pyongyang does not appear to have crossed the "red line" to go back to the 2017 confrontation with the U.S. in which fire and fury prevailed. Still, no one can rule out the possibility of the North engaging in further provocations with a higher level of intensity.



What is certain is that the North can gain nothing from its repeated military provocations and brinksmanship. Kim should realize that his irrational and extreme behavior will only lose him what he earned from his diplomatic offensives that started with the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.



Concern is growing about the North's saber-rattling because it came a day after the Seoul government formally proposed providing food aid to Pyongyang. More worrisome, the Kim regime test-fired the missiles when U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun was visiting South Korea to discuss the aid offer and how to break the deadlock over the stalled nuclear talks.



Pyongyang has virtually scoffed at the humanitarian offer -- implying that the North has no intention of returning to dialogue until the U.S. accommodates its call for sanctions relief. The North can only risk losing trust from the international community. Its provocation also deepens skepticism that the Kim regime will never give up its nuclear arsenal.














Though India is the second most populous country in the world, work by modern Indian artists is all too rarely seen in Canadian galleries.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Though India is the second most populous country in the world, work by modern Indian artists is all too rarely seen in Canadian galleries.

Art preview Click to Expand Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada Winnipeg Art Gallery

Free public opening Saturday, May 11, 7 p.m.

Runs to Sept. 8

The Winnipeg Art Gallerys Vision Exchange: Perspectives From India to Canada aims to redress that wrong with a bold exhibition that challenges western views and perceptions about Indias past and its present.

"Its a chance to understand India," Stephen Borys, director and CEO of the WAG, says, "its histories, its geographies, the politics, the diaspora and even the pre- and post-colonial conversations, to learn from the perspective of Indian artists, to understand better how they see themselves, how they see their country, whether theyre living in Canada or India or London.

"The same way we are championing art as a voice for the Inuit Art Centre, the strongest and the only voice here is the voice of the people who are connected to this country."

Sunil Gupta's photographic diptychs (left wall)

The show, which originated as part of the NGC@AGA exhibition series, a collaboration between the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa and the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton, was at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto in March. After its Winnipeg Art Gallery stop, which runs to Sept. 8, it moves to the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina and then the National Gallery. Curated by Catherine Crowston of the Art Gallery of Alberta and Jonathan Shaughnessy at the National Gallery of Canada, it features more than 150 works by 20 artists in about 6,000 square feet of gallery space.

The exhibitions title, Vision Exchange, comes from the name of an artistic workshop founded by Indian painter Akbar Padamsee between 1969 and 1972. The Vision Exchange Workshop, or VIEW, aimed to bring together painters, sculptors, writers, filmmakers and photographers from across the country.

The gallery has re-created Padamsees studio apartment in Bombay (now Mumbai), where these artists from many disciplines met to talk about contemporary and avant garde art in India, which, at just two decades after the bitter events of Partition in 1947, was in a state of disruption.

Thukral & Tagras Farmer is a wrestler (detail), 2018, is a work addressing the crisis among farmers in the Punjab, where at least 7,000 have committed suicide in the last 15 years. (Carolyn B. Heller)

The exhibition moves on to encompass Padamsees vision, including modern work from photographers, video artists, painters, multimedia artists and more.

"Weve tried to maintain the organization not by chronology but by theme; however, it intersects and it overlaps," Borys says of the exhibitions three main ideas: histories, land and borders and diasporas.

Thukral & Tagras Farmer is a wrestler incorporates visions of domesticity and the land  wall sconces are arranged in the shape of the River Beas in the Punjab  around a piece that represents the desperate struggle of agricultural workers, showing men engaged in a traditional form of wrestling.

Sunil Guptas photographic diptychs, from his series Homelands, are moving, meaningful juxtapositions of scenes from places the HIV-positive artist has lived  Delhi, New York, Montreal and Toronto  which reflect different parts of his life and history. The viewer sees worlds that exist within a single man: cosmopolitan, ancient, modern and traditional.

Guptas work is in some ways representative of much of the exhibition, which addresses conflict, both inner and outer, in clear artistic language.

"Ive never seen such a proficient way, through art, to deal with issues that have been misunderstood or improperly told," Borys says, adding that if theres an esthetic trait binding the work together, its an innovative graphic and photographic element.

"Heres a perfect example," Borys continues, gesturing at Sarindar Dhaliwals striking The cartographers mistake: the Radcliffe Line, a vivid marigold map of the Indian subcontinent created by the Punjab-born artist, who now lives in Toronto.

Sarindar Dhaliwal's work entitled The Cartographer's Mistake: the Radcliffe Line.

"We know the division between India and Pakistan," Borys says, referring to the drawing of borders in 1947, after the passing of the Indian Independence Act, in a way that would leave as many Hindus and Sikhs in India and Muslims in Pakistan as possible. The task was left to British lawyer Cyril Radcliffe, who had never visited India.

"But when you read the text or understand how the artist was able to talk about this quite frankly  that a non-Indian person decided where that line would be  but then to use an Indian flower, its a beautiful work but its laden with serious politics."

Much of the work is similarly didactic, with a point of view thats often understandable without needing to read the accompanying placard. But that doesnt mean its lacking in whimsy or humour.

Take Winnipeg artist Divya Mehras monumental work, titled Afterlife of Colonialism, a reimagining of Power: Its possible that the Sun has set on your Empire OR Why your voice does not matter: Portrait of an Imbalanced, and yet contemporary diasporic India vis-a-vis Colonial Red, Curry Sauce Yellow, and Paradise Green, placed neatly beneath these revived medieval forms: The Challenges of entering a predominately White space (Can you get this in the gift shop?) where all Women and Magical Elephants may know this work, here in your Winnipeg, among all my Peers. (Mehra intentionally uses the strike-through in the title.)

A reimagining of the Taj Mahal  the 17th century marble mausoleum in Agra  as a green, inflatable bouncy castle, the 4.5-metre tall structure has been installed in the WAGs historical salon amid gilt-framed paintings by mostly white European male artists.

Divya Mehras Afterlife of Colonialism, a reimagining of Power turns the Taj Mahal into a bouncy castle. (Supplied)

By reducing this grand achievement in Indo-Islamic architecture to the equivalent of an Instagram-friendly fun-house attraction, Mehra comments on the way tourism and commercialization diminish iconic sites, which have become reproduced on keychains and in snow globes until their historic meaning is lost.

Less grand in scale, but equally provocative, are Mumbai artist Shilpa Guptas framed works of white thread on white paper. Each filament outlines the shape of a different tree  mango, pecan, olive  but the simple beauty of the pieces is undercut with the artists note that the threads length is in ratio to the length of different border fences in the areas where those trees grow.

Borys believes the work in Vision Exchange and the way it addresses such issues as colonialism and forced migration will resonate with audiences who might not expect such a bold approach.

"What are peoples perceptions of what is Indian art today?" he asks. "Is it the 18th-century watercolours? Is it the Nepalese bronzes?

"This is all contemporary art and I think it will be an eye-opener, even for some in our Indian community."

jill.wilson@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @dedaumier

If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more.

Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Boots Rileys debut feature film, Sorry to Bother You, was hailed as a revolutionary, thoroughly original piece of work upon its 2018 release.

Audacious, provocative and hilarious, it wrapped its anti-capitalist, pro-union message in a wild mix of magical realism and absurdity so you barely felt the gut-punch.

The plot follows Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield), whos flat broke and living in his uncles garage in Oakland, Calif., when he applies for a job as a telemarketer.

At the suggestion of a co-worker (union activist/actor Danny Glover in a sly bit of casting), he puts on a "white voice" (David Cross in voice-over) and finds himself amazingly successful  so much so that hes promoted out of the ranks, just as they go on strike for better pay and benefits.

Cassius finds himself in conflict, not just with the strikers and his artist/activist girlfriend Detroit (Tessa Thompson), but with his own moral compass.

Writer-director Riley, 48, could likely expound at length on any number of topics  hes also the frontman for hip-hop group the Coup  but his Winnipeg lecture, sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, will focus on the intersectionality of class, race and resistance in an austerity-driven 21st-century capitalist economy.

A longtime labour activist and former teamster, Riley spoke to the Free Press from his Oakland home:

Jill Wilson So youre in town as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike. Its a big deal for us here, but Im curious as to how much about this event, which was really momentous, is known outside Canada among labour activists.

Boots Riley Im sure there are people that know about it, but for someone like me, who is interested in general strikes, I have to admit to not knowing about it. But that could be my own ignorance. But that tells you that other folks, who arent as interested as me, probably dont know about it  and thats not due to the lack of its significance, thats due to the U.S. history of keeping things like general strikes out of the public education. The last general strike in the United States was in 1948 in Oakland. Its not spoken about at all in school; I didnt learn about it until 20 years after.

Jill It saw 30,000 local workers go on strike; some were part of unions, others joined in sympathy strikes, not just in Winnipeg but across the country. That seems like something thats completely unlikely in the current labour climate.

Boots I think its where we need to go now. We keep talking about people having power in being part of a democracy, but we dont talk about people having power from the point of where the fulcrum point of capitalism is, which revolves around people working and there being a profit made off those people  that means the ability to withhold labour is democracy in action. Power is actually people having direct control over the economy.

Jill Wilson Do you see that kind of future as a possibility? There seems to be a lot of anti-union sentiment from working people.

Boots Riley I see it happening in the sectors of the workforce that havent traditionally been unionized. In the U.S., only seven per cent of the workforce is unionized. Since the 50s and a little before, radicals have not been in the labour movement in full force. The directions that it has taken were sometimes ones that conceded too much and asked for too little. There are people that are in unions in the U.S. that dont even understand it as a struggle. They just think of it as a thing you have to join to get a job. That lack of radical struggle has confused some workers. That cynicism is sometimes not as easy to explain on a right-to-left spectrum. But what can solve that is movements being more militant in their approach, because then they become more effective. Today in the U.S., you see grad students are organizing and going on strike. Uber and Lyft drivers just did something yesterday. Just a few years ago, fast-food workers were riled up and ready to go. Now its interesting that you bring up sympathy strikes or solidarity strikes  those were made illegal in the U.S. in the 40s. They ripped a lot of the teeth out of unions, because, lets say youre going to organize Burger King, youre only going to win if you can take it to the corporate level, not just with the franchise owner, and youre only going to do that with solidarity strikes.

Jill Do you have any faith in the political system as a force for change?

Boots Its not about faith. Its that what we need in order to actually be able to control our future is a mass, militant, radical labour movement that is able to collectively withhold labour as a tactic to fight for social-justice movements. Every four years, when we put all our energy into getting someone elected, it destroys that momentum. When (Barack) Obama got elected, that had to do with a giant grassroots movement; my whole family was involved in that. People were like, "This is different, because after this, were going to have this network weve created that will still be here." Of course, just like every other election, it was gone right away, because you tell people, "Your life is about to be changed," and they wait for that exhale moment, and it doesnt come.

Jill Wilson You refer to yourself as a communist, which isnt a label a lot of people use these days. Why is that an important distinction for you? Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.
LANGLEY, B.C. - Curious bird lovers can now get a glimpse of the youngest member of one of the most endangered creatures in Canada.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Northern spotted owl chicks are seen in this undated handout photo. Curious bird lovers can now get a glimpse of the youngest member of one of the most endangered creatures in Canada. A webcam has been set up above the nest of a pair of northern spotted owls, just days after a newly hatched chick was placed inside. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program *MANDATORY CREDIT*

LANGLEY, B.C. - Curious bird lovers can now get a glimpse of the youngest member of one of the most endangered creatures in Canada.

A webcam has been set up above the nest of a pair of northern spotted owls, just days after a newly hatched chick was placed inside.

Fewer than 10 northern spotted owls are left in the wild in Canada so a breeding program in Langley, B.C., takes a fertile egg from a captive pair, incubates and hatches it and then transfers the chick to foster parents.

It's hoped the parents will then produce their own eggs in the next breeding season.

A chick, dubbed Chick F, was placed in the nest of a newly bonded pair on Tuesday and the webcam was turned on, revealing the female owl, Skalula, has adapted to her unexpected motherhood with ease.

A news release from the breeding program says there are Five bonded pairs and 10 other birds in captivity and Chick F is one of three hatched in April with several more chicks expected this breeding season.

"This is leading up to a record breaking year in the number of chicks produced by the program," the release says.

All of the chicks are from eggs provided by a bonded pair, but the eggs were removed, incubated and the chick was fed for 10 days before being returned, either to the original nest or to a foster pair in an effort to kick-start their bonding and breeding.

The eggs are removed because they are very delicate and the program doesn't want to risk the loss of a single chick, owl specialist Jasmine McCulligh said in a recent interview.

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.

Robotic eggs are left in their place while the real egg is out of the nest and when it's returned, the owl resumes parenting as if nothing had occurred, McCulligh said.

The centre aims to house a total of 10 bonded, breeding pairs before it begins releasing as many as 20 juvenile owls every year, with the goal of restoring B.C.'s wild population to more than 200 adults over the next 10 to 15 years.

"If all goes well with breeding this year, owls will be released into 300,000 hectares of protected old forests starting as early as next spring," the release said.

Northern spotted owls once thrived throughout old-growth forests ranging from B.C.'s southern Interior to California. The B.C. Forest Ministry said at one time there were up to 1,000 owls in the province, but habitat loss and competition from the barred owl have reduced the population to less than a dozen.

The breeding centre, launched in 2007, is working with The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, a partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C., Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations, and public stakeholders to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in watersheds impacted by BC Hydro dams.

To see the owl chick: fwcp.ca/owlwebcam
In 2017-18, Manitoba registered a youth incarceration rate higher than any other province or territory in the country.
Signs of journalisms economic maladies abound. The biggest newspaper in New Orleans, 182 years old, laid off all of its staff last week. The biggest newspaper chain in the United States by circulation, Gannett, is trying to stave off a hostile bid by a hedge fund with a track record of aggressive cuts. Canadas national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, announced a voluntary severance program in an effort to cut $10 million annually from its operating budget.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Signs of journalisms economic maladies abound. The biggest newspaper in New Orleans, 182 years old, laid off all of its staff last week. The biggest newspaper chain in the United States by circulation, Gannett, is trying to stave off a hostile bid by a hedge fund with a track record of aggressive cuts. Canadas national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, announced a voluntary severance program in an effort to cut $10 million annually from its operating budget.

Warren Buffett, a bullish newspaper investor for decades who owns about 30 today, said recently that virtually all such publications are "toast." Even some of the most promising online-only outlets have laid off workers this year.

In the midst of the fallout, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced in March that the tech giant was leaning into the news business by launching a news service, Apple News+, offering monthly subscriptions beginning at US$9.99 a month.

On the list of 300-some publications that partnered with Apple on the service are dozens of titles that have struggled financially in recent years, among them Newsweek, Time, the Toronto Star and the Los Angeles Times. One of the publications Apple said it was offering, ESPN The Magazine, announced it was closing a month after the launch of Apples new service.

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.

It isnt likely to be the last, which means an ongoing crisis for the journalism profession in North America. From 2008 to 2017, newsroom employment dropped 23 per cent. Public relations jobs now outnumber reporters six to one.

The rise of tech outfits from Facebook to Craigslist has played no small part in the industrys demise, which has led industry experts to wonder what Apples effect might be. Apple, a US$930-billion company, is not proposing to actually hire any journalists; rather, it has reportedly offered publications a 50-50 revenue split to distribute their content and sell subscriptions.

In an interview, Cook spoke about his renovation of the District of Columbias Carnegie Library into an Apple Store, a project pegged at more than US$30 million  or nearly half the cost of the Boston Globe when it sold a few years ago.

When asked about the future of journalism and partnerships between media outlets and Apple News, Cook said hed like to ensure those publications are still around 10 years from now.

"We are putting our full force and weight behind trying to prevent that from happening," Cook said. "And we are certainly not the sole answer for it, but we want to play a very key role in that, because we know that democracy only exists when there is a free and open media, so we really want to play a key role in helping the media."

 Washington Post
OTTAWA - Canada's labour market delivered a surprise Friday with its biggest one-month employment gain since the government started collecting comparable data in 1976.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A worker walks on a construction site in Hamilton, Ont., on November 14, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Lynett

OTTAWA - Canada's labour market delivered a surprise Friday with its biggest one-month employment gain since the government started collecting comparable data in 1976.

The country added 106,500 net jobs in April, the bulk of which were full time, Statistics Canada said in its latest labour force survey.

The rush of new jobs far surpassed market forecasts and helped drop the unemployment rate to 5.7 per cent, down from 5.8 per cent in March.

The labour market has seen strong numbers since mid-2016 and has remained a bright spot for an economy that has struggled in other areas. Economic growth, for instance, almost stalled over the winter.

"Wow. This was by and large a solid report. Nearly every indicator of quality came in strong this month," TD senior economist Brian DePratto wrote in a research note.

"Chalk this one up as a solid message that employers still have faith in the Canadian economy."

Overall, compared with March, employment in April was up 0.6 per cent, which was the highest proportional monthly expansion since 1994 when it reached 0.7 per cent.

A closer look at April reveals the overall gain was driven by the creation of 73,000 full-time jobs and 83,800 positions in the private sector.

The gains were spread across many industries, with both the services and factory sectors seeing gains. Employment rose by 32,400 in wholesale and retail trade positions, while the construction sector added 29,200 jobs.

A rush of 66,400 part-time positions for workers aged 15 to 24 years old helped lower the youth unemployment rate last month to 10.3 per cent, down from 10.7 per cent, the survey said.

By region, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and Prince Edward Island all saw net job gains last month.

Desjardins senior economist Helene Begin said in a report that nearly 80 per cent of the overall gain was concentrated in Ontario, which added 47,100 jobs in April, and in Quebec, which saw its jobless rate fall to 4.9 per cent for its lowest level since the survey's creation in 1976.

Year-over-year average hourly wage growth for all employees in April was 2.5 per cent, up from a reading of 2.4 per cent in March. Wage growth is a key indicator monitored by the Bank of Canada ahead of its interest-rate decisions.

Robert Kavcic, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, said that overall the strong numbers suggest the economy has been rebuilding momentum in the second quarter following a sharp winter slowdown.

The Bank of Canada has blamed the deceleration on temporary factors and is predicting the economy to pick up its pace as 2019 progresses.

While the monthly jobs figures are often volatile, over the longer-term Canada has been on a solid employment run.

Compared with a year earlier, the economy added 426,400 jobs for a proportional increase of 2.3 per cent. The labour market has created an average of 36,000 jobs per month over the past year.

The numbers have remained strong even though more and more people have been looking for work in Canada. The ranks of workers have grown in recent years thanks in large part to a big immigration boost.

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 good news here is that despite the fact we've seen such a huge increase in labour-force growth the jobless rate has come down," Kavcic said.

"The labour market in Canada is doing pretty well at absorbing that influx of labour right now."

The April increase put Canada back on the job-creation path following a one-month interruption in March.

Overall employment dropped by 7,200 net jobs in March, the first monthly decrease after six consecutive months of rising employment between September and February.

Economists had expected a gain of 10,000 jobs for the month and the unemployment rate to remain at 5.8 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon.

Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter
The push is on to get more Canadian companies to go global.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

The push is on to get more Canadian companies to go global.

Those efforts now have an additional $1.1 billion in resources from the last federal budget to get more Canadian businesses "export-ready."

Some of those resources were deployed Thursday in Winnipeg at the first stop of a seven-city Canadian Export Challenge tour.

The federal governments Department of International Trade Diversification has a goal of increasing Canadas overseas exports by 50 per cent by 2025.

The Canadian Export Challenge is an attempt to encourage the startup crowd to think about going global.

Its not unreasonable that some additional resources would be needed to make that happen.

Startup entrepreneurs usually have a lot on their minds, like paying the rent and putting food on the table.

Finding customers for whatever it is they have developed is certainly one thing, but exploring potential foreign markets is likely not top of mind for most of them.

But events like the one at the RBC Convention Centre on Thursday are an effort to start changing that dynamic. Organized and run by an Ottawa-based organization called Startup Canada, it was sponsored by a host of federal government agencies and Crown corporations whose business is to assist Canadian exporting companies including Export Development Canada and the Trade Commissioners Service.

UPS, the global logistics company, was also a sponsor  it, too, wants to encourage more companies to ship product overseas.

It included a startup-pitch competition with a bias toward ones that look like they will be export-ready.

The whole exercise includes a certain amount of cheerleading because of the obvious barriers small businesses face in attempting to wade into international markets that can be complex and scary.

"Exporting is one of those challenging words that the Canadian small-business community struggles with sometimes," said Rachelle DeSorcy, Startup Canadas operations manager.

"Sometimes, it seems like a really big step for companies who may think they are not ready to go global. But really, they should think about going global from Day 1."

There is plenty of statistical evidence that shows exporting companies have better financial outcomes in almost every metric.

Marney Stapley, vice-president of North Forge Technology Exchange, said, "It is a challenge, and thats why this event is being held. But if we are working with a startup and they are at the stage to go global, we have resources able to help them do so."

In a panel discussion, Jason Myers, one of the founders of Bold Commerce, said his company was in the international markets from Day 1.

But his business had the good fortune of producing software services for a platform, Shopify, that has a global customer base.

On the other hand, Pina Romolo of Piccola Cucina said she has to deal with all sorts of regulatory issues just to get her almond-based gourmet macaroons and other products across the border into the U.S.

Bryce North, a Winnipeg serial entrepreneur, is convinced selling into the international market, even if its just the U.S., can make the difference for the entire Winnipeg startup ecosystem.

"We need more deal flow in Winnipeg," he said.

"Ive talked to plenty of U.S. angel investors who say they want to invest in Canada, but wont come to Winnipeg because there are not enough companies that are ready for them to meet with."

North, whose last company, called TrapTap, made a device that reminds drivers to slow down for nearby speed traps, school zones and red-light cameras, had customers in 40 countries.

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.

"To increase the deal flow in Winnipeg, we need more companies that are market-ready and to do that, they need to focus on bigger markets like the U.S.," he said.

"It will allow more companies to get ready faster. It takes the same amount of time to reach an executive in the U.S. as one in Canada and they are more likely to say yes."

Riverton, Man.-based ECBVerdyol, which makes erosion-control products with bio-fibres and natural inputs, won the $2,500 Canadian Export Challenge pitch competition on Thursday.

It will represent Winnipeg in a national pitch competition in Toronto for the chance to win $25,000 and another $100,000 in in-kind support services.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
WASHINGTON - One of the founding members of the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees has been charged in a campaign finance conspiracy that took place during the 2012 presidential election, the Justice Department said Friday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this April 12, 1997, file photo, Prakazrel "Pras" Michel, part of the group the Fugees, sings on stage during a concert in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A lawyer for one of the founding members of the 1990s hip hop group the Fugees says his client is facing charges related to 2012 campaign contributions. Defense lawyer Barry Pollack said Friday, May 10, 2019, that Michel is innocent and looks forward to having the case heard by a jury.(AP Photo/Daniel Morel, File)

WASHINGTON - One of the founding members of the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees has been charged in a campaign finance conspiracy that took place during the 2012 presidential election, the Justice Department said Friday.

A four-count indictment accuses Prakazrel "Pras" Michel of conspiring with fugitive Malaysian financer Low Taek Jho, usually known as Jho Low, to make and conceal foreign campaign contributions. He is alleged to have used straw donors to give campaign contributions to a U.S. presidential candidate, who is identified in the indictment only as Candidate A.

Low has gained attention in the last several years after U.S. officials accused him of masterminding a money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions from the Malaysian state investment fund known as 1MDB. He's been charged separately by both U.S. and Malaysian officials in connection with that alleged fraud but remains at large.

Prosecutors allege that from June to November 2012, Low directed more than $21.6 million to be moved from foreign entities to Michel's accounts in order to funnel money into the 2012 presidential election. They say Michel then paid about 20 straw donors and conduits so they could make the donations in their names and conceal where the money actually came from, according to the indictment.

More than $1 million was also sent to an independent expenditure committee, prosecutors said.

"Mr. Michel is extremely disappointed that so many years after the fact the government would bring charges related to 2012 campaign contributions," said defence lawyer Barry Pollack. "Mr. Michel is innocent of these charges and looks forward to having the case heard by a jury."

Representatives for Low said in a statement that he is innocent and the allegations against him "have no basis in fact."

"Mr. Low has never made any campaign contributions directly or indirectly in the U.S. and he unequivocally denies any involvement in or knowledge of the alleged activities," the statement said.

Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21, a non-profit campaign finance watchdog group, said that his organization and another one filed a complaint against Michel to both the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department.

"It's pretty unusual to get the government to bring criminal campaign finance cases," he said. "On the other hand, we thought this was a clear case where enforcement was called for."

Michel faces a separate civil forfeiture complaint accusing him in a scheme to try to get the department to drop an investigation into embezzlement from a Malaysian investment fund. Michel has denied wrongdoing in that case.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The embezzlement from the fund, known as 1MDB , became a political scandal in Malaysia. Looted money paid for jewelry and luxury art and helped finance "The Wolf of Wall Street" and other Hollywood productions films. The Justice Department last year announced charges against Jho Low and two former Goldman Sachs bankers in a money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered money from the fund, created to spur economic development projects in that country.

One of those bankers, Roger Ng, was extradited from Malaysia earlier this month to face charges in New York.

___

Associated Press writer Desmond Butler contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to show Ng was extradited earlier this month, not several years ago.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit filed by the United Auto Workers against General Motors over the closing of three plants should be heard in Ohio.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit filed by the United Auto Workers against General Motors over the closing of three plants should be heard in Ohio.

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 Warren Tribune Chronicle reports U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson in Youngstown, Ohio, on Thursday dismissed GM's arguments that the case should be moved to a federal court in Detroit for convenience. The headquarters for GM and the UAW are in Detroit.

A GM spokesman declined to comment Friday about the ruling.

The UAW sued GM in February over a breach of contract claim while trying to stop it from closing northeast Ohio's Lordstown assembly plant and transmission plants in White Marsh, Maryland and Warren, Michigan.

Only the Michigan plant remains open.

___

Information from: The Tribune Chronicle, http://www.tribtoday.com
LOS ANGELES - The U.S. government moved Thursday toward allowing new oil and gas drilling on wide swaths of federal land in California that has been off-limits since environmentalists sued in 2013.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This June 12, 2017 photo shows pumpjacks operating in the western edge of California's Central Valley northwest of Bakersfield. The federal government wants to reopen over 1.7 million acres (690,000 hectacres) in California to oil and gas drilling that includes fracking on land that has been off-limits since environmentalists sued in 2013. The Bureau of Land Management issued final plans Thursday, May 9, 2019 for oil and gas leases on 800,000 acres (324,000 hectacres) of federal land mainly between the Central Coast and Central Valley. (AP Photo/Brian Melley)

LOS ANGELES - The U.S. government moved Thursday toward allowing new oil and gas drilling on wide swaths of federal land in California that has been off-limits since environmentalists sued in 2013.

The Bureau of Land Management issued final plans for oil and gas leases on about 800,000 acres (323,755 hectares) in Central California. That comes less than a month after the agency issued a draft plan to allow drilling on more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) surrounding the Bakersfield area.

The move is part of the Trump administration's broader goal to dramatically expand oil and gas development nationwide and make the U.S. energy independent. The effort, decried as a giveaway to industry and a desecration of public lands, has been frequently stalled by local opposition and court challenges.

Environmentalists who blocked the Obama administration's previous efforts to allow new drilling by challenging its failure to account for the impact of hydraulic fracturing  or fracking  immediately criticized efforts to revive the plans.

"Trump's new plan aims to stab oil derricks and fracking rigs into some of California's most beautiful landscapes," attorney Clare Lakewood of the Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement. "From Monterey to the Bay Area, the president wants to let oil companies drill and spill their way across our beloved public lands and wildlife habitat."

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.

Lawsuits by the centre and Sierra Club forced the Bureau of Land Management to take a hard look at the environmental effects of fracking, which they said occurs in 90 per cent of new wells. The technique, which blasts water, chemicals and sand underground to fracture rock to release oil and gas, has been criticized for causing seismic activity and harming water supplies.

The Bureau of Land Management said it expects that the two plans could lead to about 75 new wells drilled over the next 20 years and only a small number would involve fracking, spokeswoman Serena Baker said. Most of the areas that would be drilled are already used for oil production.

Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance, an association of independent oil and gas companies, said it was pleased the process was finally nearing an end. "The Trump Administration has complied with the court orders to analyze the impacts of fracking to fix the deficiencies of the Obama plans," she said in a statement.

The Center for Biological Diversity said the number of acres on which drilling would be open in the Bureau of Land Management's Central Coast region nearly doubled Thursday from a draft plan by the Obama administration.

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, a presidential candidate who recently packaged a group of congressional bills that would protect over 1 million acres of federal lands in California  including part of the Bureau of Land Management's territory  also criticized the plan.

"This administration's misguided plan to expand oil and gas drilling along California's Central Coast is a direct threat to the health of the state's environment and our fight against climate change," Harris said in a statement. "We should be protecting our public lands and boosting the outdoor economy."
This April 25 photo shows the thumbs up Like logo on a sign at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes says it's time to break up the social media behemoth. He says in a New York Times opinion piece that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has allowed a relentless focus on growth that crushed competitors "to sacrifice security and civility for clicks." AP



Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes says it's time to break up the social media behemoth.



In a New York Times opinion piece published Thursday, Hughes said CEO Mark Zuckerberg has turned Facebook into an innovation-suffocating monopoly.



Hughes called Zuckerberg's power ''unprecedented and un-American'' and said his co-founder's focus on growth ''led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks.''



Hughes roomed with Zuckerberg at Harvard and left Facebook in 2007 to campaign for Barack Obama. Hughes said he no longer has any ownership in Facebook or any other social media company.



''I feel a sense of anger and responsibility,'' he wrote, lamenting the company's ''slow response to Russian agents, violent rhetoric and fake news.''



Facebook has been under fire for an ever-expanding list of privacy and security lapses and for endangering democracy by failing to effectively combat the proliferation of misinformation and hate speech by extremist groups .



Facebook's chief spokesman, Nick Clegg, responded to Hughes' criticisms with a statement saying, ''you don't enforce accountability by calling for the breakup of a successful American company. Accountability of tech companies can only be achieved through the painstaking introduction of new rules for the internet. That is exactly what Mark Zuckerberg has called for.''



Zuckerberg has been vague, however, on exactly what kind of regulation he favors.



Critics including Hughes believe Facebook has acquired too much power to continue intact. Hughes' call echoes a proposal by Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, who also wants to splinter Amazon and Google into separate companies.



In the opinion piece, Hughes called Facebook a monopoly that should be forced to spin off WhatsApp and Instagram, with future acquisitions banned for several years.



Hughes also called for a new federal agency to regulate tech companies whose ''first mandate is to protect privacy.''



Debate has begun on a federal privacy protection bill. California has a law that takes effect in January and European Union privacy rules are now a year old.



Meanwhile, Facebook faces a fine of as much as $5 billion from the Federal Trade Commission over privacy violations. But critics say the amount is but a slap on the wrist for a company that had $55.8 billion in revenue last year.



Hughes says he liquidated his Facebook shares in 2012, the year he became publisher of The New Republic. He said he does not invest in any social media companies.



Last year, Hughes published a book advocating a universal basic income. In 2017, Forbes put his net worth at more than $400 million. (AP)


Kelsey's Original Roadhouse will launch a plant-based burger from a Canadian manufacturer next month as its parent company Recipe Unlimited Corp. looks to capitalize on the alternative protein trend.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Recipe Unlimited Corp. logo is seen in this undated handout photo. Recipe Unlimited Corp. says its core first-quarter earnings and same-store sales decreased despite a 12.5 per cent growth in system-wide sales. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Recipe Unlimited Corp. *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Kelsey's Original Roadhouse will launch a plant-based burger from a Canadian manufacturer next month as its parent company Recipe Unlimited Corp. looks to capitalize on the alternative protein trend.

"There's been a lot of hype around some other U.S. plant-based products," said Frank Hennessey, Recipe's CEO, during a conference call with analysts Friday  the morning after the company released its first-quarter financial results.

A&W Food Services Of Canada Inc. started selling American-based Beyond Meat plant-based burgers last year and breakfast sandwich patties a few months ago. Executives attribute the addition as being partly responsible for the company's strong financial performance. When the chain first added the burger to its menu, it temporarily ran out of stock.

Kelsey's will start to serve a competitor's product, the Lightlife burger, at 70 locations starting June 3, Hennessey said. Maple Leaf Foods Inc. owns the Lightlife brand, which will produce Kelsey's bourbon BBQ meatless burger.

The product will be made in Canada from all Canadian plant-based protein, Hennessey said, adding it has superior taste to those of competitors.

"All in all, a better product."

The company expects to learn a lot from how the launch goes at Kelsey's and may expand the burger to other chains it operates later on.

"My guess is you'll see that down the road at Harvey's," said Hennessey.

The company also started testing a new concept called Chalet market at a Toronto-based corporate-owned Swiss Chalet about a week ago. It is an unlimited salad bar that can be added to any entree or purchased as its own entree. The test is getting positive feedback from employees and guests, said Hennessey.

The news came the day after Recipe reported its first-quarter earnings and same-store sales decreased despite a 12.5 per cent growth in system-wide sales.

The company formerly known as Cara Operations earned $22.7 million or 35 cents per diluted share for the period ended March 31, compared with $21.5 million or 35 cents per share a year earlier.

Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Excluding one-time items, adjusted or core profits fell 14 per cent to $17.7 million or 28 cents per share. That compared with $20.6 million or 33 cents per share in the first quarter of 2018.

The company said system-wide sales rose to $850.7 million from $755.9 million, primarily due to the addition of The Keg and increases in the retail and catering segment from Swiss Chalet branded products and increases in frozen pot pie sales.

However, same-store sales  a key retail metric  decreased 1.6 per cent.

The Toronto-based company said its new pie production line added in the third quarter has helped to meet increased demand for St-Hubert and Swiss Chalet frozen pie products.

Follow @AleksSagan on Twitter

Companies in this story: (TSX:RECP)
SANTA FE, N.M. - Billionaire Richard Branson is moving Virgin Galactic's winged passenger rocket and more than 100 employees from California to a remote commercial launch and landing facility in southern New Mexico, bringing his space-tourism dream a step closer to reality.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2011, file photo a crowd gathers outside Spaceport America for a dedication ceremony as Virgin Galactic's mothership WhiteKnightTwo sits on the tarmac near Upham, N.M. British billionaire Richard Branson is taking another concrete step toward offering rides into the close reaches of space for paying passengers. Branson announced Friday, May 10, 2019, that Virgin Galactic will immediately begin shifting operations from California to a spaceport and specialized runway in the New Mexico desert in final preparations for commercial flights. He says Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move, which will continue through the summer. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)

SANTA FE, N.M. - Billionaire Richard Branson is moving Virgin Galactic's winged passenger rocket and more than 100 employees from California to a remote commercial launch and landing facility in southern New Mexico, bringing his space-tourism dream a step closer to reality.

Branson said Friday at a news conference that Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move to the custom-tailored hangar and runway at the taxpayer-financed Spaceport America facility near the town of Truth or Consequences.

Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides said a small number of flight tests are pending. He declined to set a specific deadline for the first commercial flight.

An interior cabin for the company's space rocket is being tested, and pilots and engineers are among the employees relocating from California to New Mexico. The move to New Mexico puts the company in the "home stretch," Whitesides said.

The manufacturing of the space vehicles by a sister enterprise, The Spaceship Company, will remain based in the community of Mojave, California.

Taxpayers invested over $200 million in Spaceport America after Branson and then-Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, pitched the plan for the facility, with Virgin Galactic as the anchor tenant.

FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2011 file photo, guests stand outside the new Spaceport America hangar in Upham, N.M. British billionaire Richard Branson is taking another concrete step toward offering rides into the close reaches of space for paying passengers. Branson announced Friday, May 10, 2019, that Virgin Galactic will immediately begin shifting operations from California to the spaceport and specialized runway in the New Mexico desert in final preparations for commercial flights. He says Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move, which will continue through the summer. AP Photo/Matt York, File)

Virgin Galactic's spaceship development has taken far longer than expected and had a major setback when the company's first experimental craft broke apart during a 2014 test flight, killing the co-pilot.

Branson thanked New Mexico politicians and residents for their patience over the past decade. He said he believes space tourism  once aloft  is likely to bring about profound change.

"Our future success as a species rests on the planetary perspective," Branson said. "The perspective that we know comes sharply into focus when that planet is viewed from the black sky of space."

Branson described a vision of hotels in space and a network of spaceports allowing supersonic, transcontinental travel anywhere on earth within a few hours. He indicated, however, that building financial viability comes first.

"We need the financial impetus to be able to do all that," he said. "If the space program is successful as I think ... then the sky is the limit."

In February, a new version of Virgin Galactic's winged craft SpaceShipTwo soared at three times the speed of sound to an altitude of nearly 56 miles (99 kilometres) in a test flight over Southern California, as a crew member soaked in the experience.

On Friday, that crew member, Beth Moses, recounted her voyage into weightlessness and the visual spectacle of pitch-black space and the earth below.

FILE - This Dec. 9, 2014, file photo shows the taxiway leading to the hangar at Spaceport America in Upham, N.M. British billionaire Richard Branson is taking another concrete step toward offering rides into the close reaches of space for paying passengers. Branson announced Friday, May 10, 2019, that Virgin Galactic will immediately begin shifting operations from California to the spaceport and specialized runway in the New Mexico desert in final preparations for commercial flights. He says Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move, which will continue through the summer. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, file)

"Everything is silent and still and you can unstrap and float about the cabin," she said. "Pictures do not do the view from space justice. ... I will be able to see it forever."

The company's current spaceship doesn't launch from the ground. It is carried under a special plane to an altitude of about 50,000 feet (15,240 metres) before detaching and igniting its rocket engine.

"Release is like freefall at an amusement park, except it keeps going," Moses said. "And then the rocket motor lights. Before you know it, you're supersonic."

The craft coasts to the top of its climb before gradually descending to earth, stabilized by "feathering" technology in which twin tails rotate upward to increase drag on the way to a runway landing.

Branson previously has said he would like to make his first suborbital flight this year as one of the venture's first passengers on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20. But he made no mention of timelines on Friday.

Pressed on the timeframe, Whitesides said he anticipates the first commercial flight within a year.

Three people with future space-flight reservations were in the audience.

"They've been patient too," Branson said. "Space is hard."

Hundreds of potential customers have committed as much as $250,000 up front for rides in Virgin's six-passenger rocket, which is about the size of an executive jet.

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.

Space tourism has not been a complete novelty since millionaire U.S. engineer Dennis Tito in 2001 paid $20 million to join a Russian space mission to the International Space Station. Branson's goal has been to "democratize" space by opening travel up to more and more people.

The endeavour began in 2004 when Branson announced the founding of Virgin Galactic in the heady days after the flights of SpaceShipOne, the first privately financed manned spacecraft that made three flights into space.

Space sector analyst Adam Jonas, a managing director of equity research at Morgan Stanley, said Branson's venture could have an outsized impact in the age of social media on how the public visualizes space as a domain for scientific and commercial exploration.

"You bring them back to earth and they explain what they saw  that's a story, put through the velocity of social media, people want to hear," he said. "Sometimes you need some distance to gain a perspective, seeing the earth from space, seeing how thin that layer of atmosphere is that protects us."

Branson's plans have gradually advanced amid a broader surge in private investment in space technology with cost-saving innovations in reusable rockets and microsatellite technology.

Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos announced Thursday that his space company Blue Origin will send a robotic spaceship to the moon with aspirations for another ship that could bring people there along the same timeframe as NASA's proposed 2024 return. Bezos has provided no details about launch dates.
SANTA FE, N.M. - The Latest on advances toward space tourism by Virgin Galactic (all times local):

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2011 file photo, guests stand outside the new Spaceport America hangar in Upham, N.M. British billionaire Richard Branson is taking another concrete step toward offering rides into the close reaches of space for paying passengers. Branson announced Friday, May 10, 2019, that Virgin Galactic will immediately begin shifting operations from California to the spaceport and specialized runway in the New Mexico desert in final preparations for commercial flights. He says Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move, which will continue through the summer. AP Photo/Matt York, File)

SANTA FE, N.M. - The Latest on advances toward space tourism by Virgin Galactic (all times local):

12:20 p.m.

Virgin Galactic is not setting a launch date yet for its first commercial space tourism flight as it begins moving 100 personnel, a rocket ship and launch-support vehicle to a spaceport facility in New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides said Friday that an interior cabin is being tested for commercial operations and that a small, undisclosed number of test flights are pending.

Pilots are among the personnel moving from California to begin acclimating to flying conditions above the high desert in southern New Mexico.

Whitesides says the company is in the "home stretch" toward its first commercial space flight and declined to specify deadlines.

He joined Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson in thanking New Mexico politicians and residents for their patience and taxpayer investments in the Spaceport America hangar and launch facility.

Branson envisions a future with hotels in space and near-space transcontinental flights but cautioned that "we need the financial impetus to do all that."

___

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.

9:30 a.m.

British billionaire Richard Branson is taking another concrete step toward offering rides into the close reaches of space for paying passengers.

Branson announced Friday that Virgin Galactic will immediately begin shifting operations from California to a spaceport and specialized runway in the New Mexico desert in final preparations for commercial flights.

He says Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move, which will continue through the summer.

In February, a new version of Virgin Galactic's winged craft SpaceShipTwo soared at three times the speed of sound to an altitude of nearly 56 miles (99 kilometres) in a test flight over Southern California.

New Mexico has been anticipating the arrival of space tourism for more than a decade. Taxpayers have invested over $200 million in Spaceport America's specialized launch and landing facilities.
WASHINGTON - After U.S.-China trade talks broke off, President Donald Trump said that "conversations into the future will continue" but that new tariffs the U.S. imposed Friday on $200 billion in Chinese imports would remain despite Beijing's vow to retaliate.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

President Donald Trump speaks during a event on medical billing, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON - After U.S.-China trade talks broke off, President Donald Trump said that "conversations into the future will continue" but that new tariffs the U.S. imposed Friday on $200 billion in Chinese imports would remain despite Beijing's vow to retaliate.

Trump said in an afternoon tweet that the tariffs "may or may not be removed" depending on the future negotiations.

Earlier, in a series of blustering morning tweets, Trump claimed the new tariffs will help rather than hurt the U.S. and bring "FAR MORE wealth." He offered a proposal he said would ease any negative impact on U.S. farmers from lost sales to China.

U.S. and Chinese negotiators concluded two days of talks Friday without resolving the standoff after the United States raised tariffs on Chinese imports, escalating tensions between the world's two biggest economies and rattling stock markets around the world.

"Tariffs will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker. Just sit back and watch!" Trump tweeted.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, center, waves to members of the media as he arrives at the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington, Friday, May 10, 2019 for trade talks between the United States and China. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

But investors worry about the impact of a full-blown trade war because it would raise costs for companies importing Chinese goods, could make doing business in China more difficult and would generally threaten to slow the global economy.

The talks in Washington were thrown into disarray this week after top U.S. trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin accused the Chinese of reneging on commitments they'd made earlier.

"China should not renegotiate deals with the U.S. at the last minute," Trump tweeted. "There is no need to rush through negotiations because 'massive payments' the Chinese are now paying "go directly into the Treasury of the U.S."

Actually, the burden of tariffs falls on U.S. consumers and businesses that buy imports. By the end of last year, those consumers and companies were paying $3 billion a month in higher taxes and absorbing $1.4 billion a month in lost efficiency, according to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Columbia and Princeton universities.

Money is indeed going into the federal treasury, but it's mostly, if not entirely, coming from the tariffs  taxes  on U.S. businesses and consumers, not China, and it's not a driver of economic growth but rather a risk to it.

Some lawmakers have recently expressed concern about the effect of the tariffs on farmers, which Trump referenced in his tweets.

He suggested that money from the additional tariffs would allow the U.S. to buy more agricultural goods from American farmers and ship the produce to "poor & starving" countries.

Trump tweeted that if the U.S. bought $15 billion in agriculture from farmers it would be far more than China buys now. He also said the U.S. would have more than $85 billion left over for new American infrastructure, health care or other programs.

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.

It was unclear what numbers Trump was using to make his point. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, China bought $9.2 billion in U.S. agricultural exports in 2018.

"Our Farmers will do better, faster, and starving nations can now be helped," Trump tweeted. He provided no detail about what he meant. "Waivers on some products will be granted, or go to a new source!"

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Beijing is hoping the Trump administration will meet China "halfway" in the dispute over trade.The spokesman, Geng Shuang, spoke just hours after the U.S. raised tariffs Friday on $200 billion in imports from China to 25% from 10%.

China said it would take unspecified countermeasures.

___

Associated Press Global Markets Editor Paul Harloff in New York contributed to this report.
OTTAWA - China is detaining two Canadians in harsh conditions and U.S. lawmakers won't rest until they are freed, says a powerful Republican senator.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Michael Kovrig (left) and Michael Spavor, the two Canadians detained in China, are shown in these 2018 images taken from video. A powerful Republican senator and Trump ally says China is detaining two Canadians in harsh conditions and U.S. lawmakers won't rest until they are freed. Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, who chairs the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tells The Canadian Press that Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are being treated worse than Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who is out on bail in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP

OTTAWA - China is detaining two Canadians in harsh conditions and U.S. lawmakers won't rest until they are freed, says a powerful Republican senator.

The full-throated American support for Canadian ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor came as the China-U.S. trade war reached new extremes Friday, with $200 billion in new U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports.

"I  and many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle  am very concerned about both Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor. We will not forget about them until their release," Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, chair of the U.S. Senate foreign-relations committee, told The Canadian Press.

The former state prosecutor took over leadership of the powerful body from the now-retired Sen. Bob Corker, one of President Donald Trump's most vocal Republican critics. Risch is seen as a Trump ally.

He introduced a resolution of support for Canada in the U.S. Senate earlier this week that won rare unanimous support. It praises Canada for upholding the rule of law in arresting Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in December on an American warrant. The U.S. wants to extradite Meng and prosecute her for allegedly lying to banks to avoid U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Kovrig and Spavor were imprisoned in China on allegations they had violated China's national security, nine days after Meng's arrest, plunging Ottawa's relations with Beijing to a new low.

Risch took umbrage at a spokesman for China's foreign ministry demanding earlier this week that Canada release Meng so she can return to China "safe and sound."

"Ms. Meng is living in her home and has full access to a functioning legal system that is handling her case. Canada's citizens remain detained in harsh conditions and without access to lawyers and consular officials," Risch said in an emailed response to questions.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland met Risch's committee in a private session earlier this winter, courting support among Canada's allies in its ongoing dispute with China.

"Foreign Minister Freeland raised the issue with me, and I felt it was important to lead an effort showing the Senate's support for Canada's action in response to the U.S. request," said Risch. "I believe in supporting our allies and friends, and Canada is among our strongest."

Risch's comments coincided with Thursday's telephone call between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Trump  the first of two in two days  in which they discussed the ongoing efforts to win the release of Kovrig and Spavor.

Trudeau also continued to push for the removal of Trump's controversial tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, which remain in place despite the two countries having successfully negotiated a new North American free-trade agreement with Mexico.

Trump and Trudeau discussed the progress toward ratifying the new trade pact  a process that appears stalled on all fronts as the president has become consumed with his trade war with China.

Trump fired another major blast at the People's Republic on Friday. The U.S. imposed tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, sparking a vow of retaliation from Beijing, and sending stock markets plummeting.

Trump vowed more to come. The U.S. has threatened to extend tariffs to another to $325 billion worth of goods, which would account for virtually everything China sells the United States.

For his part, Trudeau backed the U.S. Friday, saying in a public appearance in Edmonton that the decision by Beijing to ban Canadian canola exports is linked to the U.S. trade war.

Canadian canola is "unimpeachable in terms of its quality" and China is using concerns over it "as an excuse to prolong what is fundamentally a conflict, not even with Canada, but between the two largest economies in the world," Trudeau said in Edmonton.

Trudeau said Canada would continue to engage with China to "lower the temperature" while trying to win the release of the detained Canadians.

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.

Then Trudeau and Trump talked again, according to the Prime Minister's Office. A spokesman sent out a brief note late Friday saying the two leaders "discussed latest developments on relations with China" and agreed to keep in touch.

Geng Shuang, the spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, tried to sound a conciliatory note in his daily briefing Friday, saying he hoped the U.S. could meet China "halfway."

That contrasted with Geng's tough talk a day earlier. He blasted Ottawa and Washington over the Meng case, saying the "U.S. and Canada abused their bilateral extradition treaty and took compulsive measures against a Chinese citizen without cause."

Risch said Canada and the U.S. remain united in their shared support of the rule of law.

"It's worth highlighting this shared strength and commitment. Canada gave Ms. Meng access to a lawyer of her choice and other rights we believe all people should have.

"These are rights that the Chinese government denies to its own citizens."
Three former patients of a Winnipeg doctor have testified he sexually assaulted them at his Elmwood walk-in clinic.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three former patients of a Winnipeg doctor have testified he sexually assaulted them at his Elmwood walk-in clinic.

Dr. Amir Ravesh, 53, is standing trial in Winnipeg's Court of Queen's Bench after 11 women accused him of sexual assault. The three women who have detailed their allegations in court this week said Ravesh violated them with inappropriate vaginal and rectal exams as far back as 2013.

Dr Amir Houshang Mazhariravesh.

Ravesh, whose full name is Amir Houshang Mazhariravesh, has pleaded not guilty to the allegations and is being represented by defence lawyer Martin Minuk. Ravesh is on bail and has been barred from practising medicine.

As the scheduled five-week trial continues with a strong focus on the former patients' visits to the You Medical Centre on Johnson Avenue, an independent lawyer has been appointed by Manitoba Justice to guard the complainants' privacy.

Jennifer Gaba is representing the women's interests when their medical records are discussed in court. Lawyers have to obtain judicial approval before any of those records can be referenced in a public courtroom, which has led to many legal stops and starts in the trial.

Related Items Click to Expand Articles May 7, 2019: Woman testifies against doctor accused of sexual assaults at Elmwood clinic Ashley Prest

GOOGLE EARTH You Medical Centres walk in clinic on Johnson Ave in Elmwood in 2014.

The women who have testified so far told court Ravesh was well-spoken and attentive  he made them feel comfortable before he allegedly started behaving inappropriately and asking personal questions about their sex lives, court heard.

"In the beginning, it was very nice, comforting," a 39-year-old woman testified. She said Ravesh was her walk-in clinic doctor from 2012 until 2016  when an alleged sexual assault by him made her resolve never again to see a male doctor.

She testified Ravesh would prescribe her medications that caused yeast infections as a side-effect, and then would want to examine her vagina.

"I didn't always feel as if they (the exams) were warranted," she said.

She said he also told her she needed "treatment" that consisted of anal probing and caused her to bleed. She testified he leaned in to kiss her during another appointment, and suggested she stay with him in a hotel room at a medical conference out of town. When questioned by Minuk, she said she couldn't remember specific dates.

On her final visit in April 2016, she said she was concerned about lasting pain from a surgery she underwent two years earlier. Ravesh insisted on conducting an internal vaginal examination in order to feel a scar on her lower abdomen. When she realized what he was doing and tried to get up from the examination table, she testified Ravesh put her hand on his erect penis and groped her breast.

On Thursday, the woman was repeatedly questioned by the defence lawyer about her decision to keep going back to Ravesh even after the initial vaginal and rectal exams that made her uncomfortable. The courtroom was silent as she considered her reply.

"Finding a doctor is really difficult," she said after long pauses, saying she didn't have a family doctor at the time. "There was no direction for where to go when this situation happens."

Minuk's cross-examination of the 39-year-old woman revealed no one followed up when she initially voiced her concerns about Ravesh  a detail the defence may use to suggest the alleged assaults didn't happen.

Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

After her final visit in April 2016, the woman called Manitoba's family doctor-finder phone line and spoke about her doctor's alleged bad behaviour. "I said that he was very inappropriate, that's why I was looking for a new, female physician," she testified.

The person on the phone line told her they were sorry and would help her find a new doctor, she said. The following month, she said she told her new doctor about Ravesh's examinations.

She didn't go to police until after she saw a news article that detailed other allegations against Ravesh.

The allegations haven't been proven and the trial continues.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
OTTAWA  The Trudeau government is pushing to get infrastructure projects under construction in time for the looming construction season  and the federal election campaign.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The Trudeau government is pushing to get infrastructure projects under construction in time for the looming construction season  and the federal election campaign.

"We must work together, quicker," said Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne. "As Canadians, we don't want to let ourselves miss out."

Three months after taking the Manitoba government to task over untapped federal funding allocations, the Liberals are taking a softer tone with the provinces, though both blame each other for the slow rollout of Ottawa's massive infrastructure program.

The Liberals say as of Thursday, they've allocated $42 billion of their $118-billion plan, which spans a decade ending in 2026  though many of the funded projects still don't have shovels in the ground.

Almost all the funding requires provinces to select projects and prioritize them for federal funds. Champagne admitted to "my own frustrations" at the pace of these projects.

"We are dependent on provinces, obviously, to speed up their own intake processes," he told reporters.

Conservative MPs have said the Liberals' introduction of separate funding streams for things such as green infrastructure and trade-related transport may be gumming up funding allocations. The Liberals argue these tiers help them keep track of how money the is spent.

On March 1, Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr raised the alarm about untapped cash, asking Manitoba's construction industry to lobby Premier Brian Pallister to get projects green-lighted.

The province shot back it had projects waiting for approval for months, some of which it had raised with Ottawa before signing the bilateral agreement last June.

"Fighting is not the way I would describe it," Champagne said, adding both governments have been "working very diligently," suggesting more progress had been made in the past two months. "I always say to my colleagues: politics has no place in infrastructure."

Pallister's spokesman also suggested Manitoba is making progress in accessing its $3-billion share.

"We continue to work productively with the federal government," wrote David von Meyenfeldt, adding "the need to streamline and accelerate federal approval processes remains a focus of our efforts."

In March, the Liberals doubled this year's municipal revenue from a longstanding gas tax, which should give their MPs ribbons to cut this summer ahead of October's federal election.

Winnipeg will received an extra $40 million this year, which city council will likely use for repairing and upgrading roads and bike lanes.

Champagne is trying to make sure cities are able to get projects underway without any holdups at the provincial level, such as through permits.

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.

"It would be disingenuous for anyone to delay that, because this would frustrate the purpose for which this was done," he said.

Meanwhile, Pallister is closely watching the Lake St. Martin-Lake Manitoba flood outlet channels project, for which Ottawa committed a quarter-billion dollars last summer. A federal assessment agency has flagged the project for a review involving communities far downstream, to the premier's chagrin.

"History has shown the stakes are too high for lengthy and unnecessary delays," wrote his spokesman, saying the project "must move forward as soon as possible."

Champagne said he's "keeping an eye" on the project, but said the federal spending shows commitment to seeing it through.

"The best way to build things is to do it through a rigorous process," he said. "While we are committed to move it forward as quickly as possible, it needs to respect the laws and the regulations that apply to the review of projects, which I think is sound."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Some refugee claimants who came to Winnipeg from the United States are getting nervous about reports of border agents rounding up community members and deporting them to Somalia  a place Canadians are told to avoid.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Some refugee claimants who came to Winnipeg from the United States are getting nervous about reports of border agents rounding up community members and deporting them to Somalia  a place Canadians are told to avoid.

"Its like sending someone to the gallows," said Abdikheir Ahmed, director of Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, who was born in Somalia and came to Canada as a refugee. "In the last year, Ive seen that there have been a lot more deportations."

So far in 2019, 15 men have been deported to Somalia from Winnipeg without proper travel documents, Yahya Hashim, Somali Community Centres program manager, said in an interview Thursday prior to a protest held in Central Park.

Refugee claimants who grew up in the U.S. and got in trouble with the law in that country are being removed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)  even if theyve been law-abiding taxpayers for years, Hashim said.

With no direct flights to lawless, violent Somalia from Canada or the U.S., deportees are flown to Kenya by way of Europe, then put on a flight to the capital, Mogadishu, Hashim said.

The "scary part" is what happens to the westernized deportees when they arrive in Somalia, where they havent lived for decades and no longer have ties, he said.

A man deported from the U.S. in January was killed in a bombing in Mogadishu, Hashim said.

The Canadian government, which has no presence in Somalia, warns on its website of "anti-western sentiment" and westerners being targeted by Al-Shabaab terrorists.

"When a passenger is dropped at the airport, its not like the government is welcoming them," Hashim said.

"The chance of you not surviving is very high," Ahmed said. "Theres a real danger if youre speaking English and from a western country."

One local man going public with his concern is Abdirahman Ahmed. The 39-year-old faces deportation and doesnt like his odds of survival in the country that he left at age seven, when his family found refuge in the U.S.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Abdirahman Ahmed speaks to reporters at a rally against deportation of Somalis in Winnipeg on Thursday.

He said he has a criminal conviction that resulted from fights 20 years ago, but hasnt been in trouble since.

"I changed," said Ahmed, who came to Canada in 2017 after the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. He asked for refugee protection, but was rejected.

Since arriving in Winnipeg, hes worked pumping gas and is looking for another job  while looking over his shoulder to see if the CBSA is about to swoop down. On Thursday, Ahmed decided not to lay low, and attended the downtown demonstration with about a dozen protesters.

"Im here so I can speak out about people getting shipped out," he said in front of newspaper and TV cameras.

Somalias capital and other parts of the failed state are so dangerous, theyre on the federal governments administrative deferral of removals list of "situations of humanitarian crisis." They are deemed too dangerous to send rejected refugee claimants  unless they have a criminal record in the U.S. that couldve netted them a stiff sentence, no matter the actual sentence or recent good behaviour.

"I dont consider that an appropriate exclusion," Winnipeg human rights and immigration lawyer David Matas said.

Refugee claimants who are considered dangerous are jailed until theyre removed to Somalia. Thats fair because the danger to them being taken to Somalia is balanced by the danger they pose to Canada, "but even people that dont pose a danger to Canada at all, they become removable," Matas said. "Its an arbitrary form of removal."

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.

Ahmed of Immigration Partnership Winnipeg said the federal government isnt specifically targeting Somalis for removal. There just happens to be a high percentage of Somali refugee claimants in Winnipeg because its close to Minneapolis, which is home to the largest Somali community in the U.S.

The Canadian Council for Refugees said the CBSA budget for removals was increased, and it is seeing an overall increase in people being called for removal.

"Although Canada doesnt generally deport to most areas of Somalia due to the extreme insecurity, that suspension does not apply to people with even minor criminality," said Janet Dench, executive director of the advocacy group based in Montreal.

"This leads to people being deported, even though what they did was quite minor, or happened a long time ago, and even though the risk to their lives may be very great."

According to an email statement from a CBSA spokesman: "The decision to remove someone from Canada is not taken lightly... Prior to removal, individuals may seek leave for judicial review, as well as administrative review procedures that assess the potential risk to the person of returning to the country of origin. Pre-removal risk assessment is one of the safeguards in place to ensure people in need of protection are not removed."

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Brett Ronald Overbys murder conviction was still resonating the day after the verdict with relatives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) and their supporters, well beyond Christine Woods immediate family.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brett Ronald Overbys murder conviction was still resonating the day after the verdict with relatives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) and their supporters, well beyond Christine Woods immediate family.

For some, the guilty verdict renewed hope for justice. Others were reminded that Indigenous women and girls are four times more likely to go missing or be murdered compared to other Canadian women.

Winnipeg police handout Brett Ronald Overby was found guilty Wednesday of second-degree murder in the 2016 death of 21-year-old Christine Wood.

"You heard George Wood come out of the courthouse. The family, of course, was happy with the verdict, that it was second-degree and (not) just manslaughter. They felt that they got justice. As did the other people in the community," said Bernadette Smith, whose sister Claudette Osbornes disappearance in 2008 is still unsolved. "Of course, as a family member of one of the missing, youre always thinking about your loved one."

Smith, now an NDP MLA for Point Douglas, spent years shining a public spotlight on her sisters disappearance as part of the MMIWG issue in Canada and she also started Drag the Red, where volunteers in boats search for traces of the missing in the murky waters of the Red River. Drag the Red volunteers start training again in three weeks for this summer.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Women and Girls in Canada has described the province as "ground zero" for the deaths and disappearances, and it was 15-year-old Tina Fontaines murder, in 2014, that reignited calls for the national inquiry.

By comparison, Raymond Cormiers 2018 acquittal on second-degree murder in Fontaines death brought out hundreds in protest against the verdict.

"When we look at Cormiers case and Tina Fontaine and him being found not guilty, and being released, people certainly felt that justice hadnt been served and that this little girl who was 15 and really galvanized Canada had no justice," Smith said.

In another high-profile trial, Shawn Lamb was sentenced to 20 years in 2013 after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the deaths of Carolyn Sinclair and Lorna Blacksmith, but he denied killing a third woman in whose death he was initially charged. The family of Tanya Nepinak is still looking for justice, Smith said.

"All the families go through that over and over and over again, every time someone goes missing or theyre murdered and somebody is brought to trial," Smith said.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee singled out police and the Crown for praise after the swift jury decision Wednesday that found Overby guilty in the 2016 murder of 21-year-old Wood.

"The Winnipeg police conducted a thorough investigation and the Crown prosecutors presented substantial evidence that led to a conviction," the grand chief said.

"The journey for justice has been a difficult one... "Christine was from a remote, isolated community and had relocated to Winnipeg to pursue her educational goals. Christine did not deserve to die," Settee said.

The Wood family is from Oxford House in Bunibonibee Cree Nation, a fly-in community located 575 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

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.

Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, the manager of the MKOs MMIWG liaison office and the co-chair for the Manitoba Missing and Murdered Women and Girls Coalition, drew attention to the financial burden families take on to attend trials hundreds of kilometres from their northern homes.

MKO was still trying to raise $10,000 through crowdsourcing to cover off accommodation, travel expenses and lost wages for Woods parents, George and Belinda Wood, and other family.

The Wood family will be back for the Overbys sentencing, scheduled for July 2.

"Its important to have family and support around them, the parents; the sons, daughters, whoever it may be, for healing... and to have a sense of closure," Anderson-Pyrz said.

An estimated 200 women from Manitoba are listed by the RCMP among the nearly 1,200 across Canada who have been killed or gone missing between 1980 and 2012.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
Manitobas criminal justice system is locking up youth and adults at rates that far outstrip other provinces, according to new data from Statistics Canada.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobas criminal justice system is locking up youth and adults at rates that far outstrip other provinces, according to new data from Statistics Canada.

On top of that infamous distinction, Manitoba is also imprisoning Indigenous men and women in increasing numbers at the same time national incarceration rates are falling.

The data released Thursday is just the latest confirmation of the issues that have plagued Manitobas criminal justice system for decades, human rights lawyer Corey Shefman told the Free Press.

"The government has put its hands over its eyes and fingers over its ears, and is continuing to plow forward and ignoring the Indigenous lives that are being destroyed, ruined and, in some cases, lost because its not convenient for them to address these problems," Shefman said.

"Theres nothing about Manitoba that makes it more likely to commit criminal offences. This isnt a problem with the people of Manitoba. Its not a problem with the Indigenous people of Manitoba. Its a problem with the government of Manitoba."

In 2017-18, Manitoba registered a youth incarceration rate of 19 per 10,000 children  higher than any other province or territory in the country. For comparison, eight of 10 provinces had youth incarceration rates of less than five per 10,000 children.

Among adults, the situation wasnt much better, the Stats Can data says.

The national incarceration rate for provinces and territories came in at 83 per 100,000 adults in 2017-18. Manitoba registered a rate of 231 per 100,000 adults.

Of all the inmates serving time in the province  be it federal, provincial, or community-based sentences  75 per cent were Indigenous. From 2007 to 2018, the number of Indigenous men and women entering custody in Manitoba rose by 60 per cent and 139 per cent, respectively.

"If you ever needed proof that the system is inherently racist, youve got it right there. Indigenous people are not committing crimes at a rate of 10 times that of non-Indigenous people," Shefman said.

The management of correctional services is a responsibility divided between the federal and provincial or territorial governments. While the federal government handles adult offenders serving sentences of two years or more, lesser sentences or cases involving youth offenders fall under the purview of the provinces and territories.

A spokeswoman for Manitoba Justice told the Free Press the government recognizes the issues, but said improvements are being made through the criminal justice system modernization strategy launched by the province last year.

"The number of youth in custody has declined over the last year by approximately 14 per cent, but further improvements can be made. We have launched a review of the youth justice system to address the overlaps between it and the child-welfare system," the spokeswoman said in a written statement.

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 have also recognized that Indigenous people are over-represented in our justice system as offenders and as victims."

The provinces modernization strategy will aim to reduce the justice systems reliance on custody, increase the use of restorative justice and diversion programs and building stronger reintegration supports for offenders, the spokeswoman said.

However, Shefman countered while Manitoba has made positive strides by implementing drug and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder courts, the provinces current modernization strategy is big on promises and light on details.

"It's a bunch of government speak that accomplishes a whole lot of nothing. The solutions arent rocket science and theyre not novel. Manitoba needs to address a problem that is quickly becoming the new residential school," Shefman said.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe
Along with Moscow, the parade also took place in nearly 30 oblasts and cities across Russia. More than 13,000 military personnel, 132 pieces of military equipment and 74 aircraft of all types and branches of the Russian armed forces, took part in the military parade on Red Square. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces Oleg Salyukov is commanding the parade.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also participated in the march (TASS)

On the same day, many other activities to commemorate the Victory Day also took place in most squares and public places across Russia, such as performing outdoor concerts and screening documentary films. In Moscow, the descendants of Russian veterans, who fought in World War II take part in the Immortal Regiment march. Russian President Vladimir Putin also participated in the march.

* On May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed that Russia would continue enhancing its defense capabilities and keep strengthening its armed forces. In addition, the President said that Russia is open to cooperation with all countries, and is ready to participate in activities against terrorism and extremism in the world.

* On this occasion, the Russian President Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent greetings to veterans of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War and the Ukrainian people.The President also expressed his deep gratitude to all the brave veterans who fought to defend the country.

* On May 9, the anniversary of the Victory Day was held in many countries of the former Soviet Union. In Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko led the national delegation to offer flower at the Victory Monument and congratulated the Belarusian people on the Victory Day.

In Ukraine, Ukainian people lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Kiev and in some other cities on Victory Day. The main celebration activity in Ukraine is the Immortal Regiment march in Kiev and the major cities. Some activities were also held in Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
An LNG carrier built by Samsung Heavy Industries / Courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries



By Nam Hyun-woo



Competition is heating up among Korean shipbuilders to win 60 anticipated orders from Qatar, which would expedite the domestic shipbuilding industry's rebound from a long slump, industry analysts said Friday.



They said a key point will be about how many empty shipbuilding slots each company can secure before commencing construction.



According to industry officials, last month the state-run Qatar Petroleum sent invitations to tender reserve shipbuilding capacity for LNG carriers to major shipbuilders across the world, including Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and Samsung Heavy Industries.



An official at one of three shipbuilders, who declined to be named, said they were anticipating the oil firm will begin reserving slots as early as September and then sign actual contracts at the end of this year.



The move comes after Qatar's energy minister, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, who is also CEO of Qatar Petroleum, said the company plans to order 60 new LNG carriers, during a visit to Cheong Wa Dae in January.



Recently, the energy minister said the company's "LNG shipbuilding acquisitions are expected to initially number 60 LNG carriers in support of planned production expansion, with a potential to exceed 100 new carriers over the next decade."



This is in line with the company's plan to increase its LNG output from the current 77 million tons a year to 110 million by 2024 to meet increasing demand.



Domestic shipbuilders are confident about winning orders, citing they won 61 LNG carrier orders last year, which accounts for 86 percent of the world's total.



"Global shippers' demand for Korean LNG carriers is increasing, especially after the LNG carrier CESI Gladstone built by a Chinese firm broke down and was scrapped just two years after going into operation," Industrial Bank of Korea analyst Jeon Joon-mo said.



"There is no doubt that Korean shipbuilders have advanced technology and expertise in building LNG carriers, and they have history of building LNG vessels for Qatar Petroleum from 2004 to 2007" another shipbuilding firm official said. "The question is when will be the deadline of delivery for the new orders."



Currently, most dockyards for LNG carriers in Korea are fully booked up to 2021 as domestic firms almost swept global orders whose deadlines are between 2021 and 2022 over the past several years



Citing this, some industry analysts question whether the domestic shipbuilders can secure enough slots for Qatari orders.



The official said deadlines are confidential, but shipbuilders don't believe the booked reservations will cause a huge problem. "Qatar Petroleum will likely set deadlines after 2022, because it is well aware of domestic shipbuilders' backlog. Also, the demand for new ships will start from 2024 when the petroleum firm starts shipping its increased volume."


Manitoba's justice minister hopes that a greater emphasis in dealing with less-serious criminal matters outside the court system will help to reverse the trend of rising incarceration rates for Indigenous people in the province.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba's justice minister hopes that a greater emphasis in dealing with less-serious criminal matters outside the court system will help to reverse the trend of rising incarceration rates for Indigenous people in the province.

Cliff Cullen was reacting to a Statistics Canada report Thursday that says Manitoba is imprisoning Indigenous men and women in increasing numbers at the same time that national incarceration rates are falling.

"We recognize there's challenges," he said, referring to Manitoba's high rates of youth and Indigenous incarceration.

He said the province is looking to boost the capacity of the restorative justice process to keep more people out of jail. Last year, about 5,000 matters were diverted to restorative justice or other measures, the minister told a news conference called to update Manitobans on the province's criminal justice system modernization strategy.

"We know that once people get into the criminal justice system (they) quite often reoffend," he said. "So we're working diligently in terms of our restorative justice program... to increase capacity across the province to deal with (matters by) this means."

Cullen noted that the province recently announced that the Justice and Families departments are working together to tackle the issue of youth recidivism.

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 the government realizes there is "a link involved" between child and family services and the criminal justice system. "That's why we've undertaken a review to see how we're dealing with people that are involved in both those systems to make sure that people aren't falling through the cracks," he said.

Meanwhile, Cullen said Manitoba is making progress in reducing court backlogs to ensure the province meets timelines established by the Supreme Court of Canada. Meeting those timelines is critical to ensuring individuals accused of serious, violent crimes never escape justice because their cases were not heard in a reasonable time, he said.

Manitoba has seen the average annual time to resolve a matter in provincial court drop by 11 per cent, from 180 days in in 2016-17 to 160 days in 2018-19. Average annual time to disposition in the Court of Queen's Bench has fallen 19 per cent, to 803 days in 2018-19 from 988 days in 2016-17.

The government also released statistics Friday showing declines in the numbers of adults and youth in custody last fiscal year compared with the year prior.

The average population of adults in custody for the year ended March 31, 2019 was 2,105 in Manitoba compared with 2,400 the previous year. The average youth custody population dropped to 146 from 183, the government said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA  A Winnipegger whose dangerous crossing into Canada caught national attention is urging the Trudeau government to cancel plans that would have blocked him from making an asylum claim.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  A Winnipegger whose dangerous crossing into Canada caught national attention is urging the Trudeau government to cancel plans that would have blocked him from making an asylum claim.

"This will end up hurting those who are most vulnerable and are in need of Canada's protection," Seidu Mohammed told the House finance committee Thursday. "This is an unjust law."

Mohammed entered Manitoba from the United States on Christmas Eve 2016, losing all of his fingers to frostbite. He was among the first of thousands who have breached Canadian laws in order to claim refugee status.

He entered Canada after unsuccessfully claiming asylum in the U.S., which he left after the election of President Donald Trump. He was granted asylum in Canada in 2017.

JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Seidu Mohammed's refugee claim accepted in 2017.

In March, the Liberals put forward a change in their budget bill that would block asylum-seekers who had already made claims in countries such as the U.S. from having a regular hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Instead, those claimants will have an expedited hearing on whether they can be safely deported back home, through a process that has fewer checks and balances. Those who can't go back home would be allowed to stay in Canada.

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.

Mohammed told MPs he couldnt sleep when Winnipeg lawyer Bashir Khan explained how the new process would work.

"I was shocked and saddened and very much disturbed at what he told me," Mohammed testified.

He was particularly concerned by the far lower amount of funding Legal Aid Manitoba could provide for removal hearings, compared with normal IRB hearings that have a thorough appeal process.

"The people of Canada saved my life from death by lynching, homophobic mobs in Ghana," he said. Mohammed previously unsuccessfully claimed asylum in the U.S., where he said officials detained him for 10 months and did not provide a lawyer.

"The United States doesn't care about refugees; they've turned a blind eye and they don't know what's going on," he told the Free Press.

"They see us as criminals, not as refugees who want to start a better life," he testified.

The Liberals say their change will free up resources to process existing claimants, and deter people who have a low chance of gaining asylum from making claims.

Yet, refugee advocates have questioned whether the change is constitutional. The Conservatives, who have been sharply critical of the border policy, say the changes likely wouldnt withstand a court challenge.

The Liberals "should listen to the litany of people who are speaking out and saying it will only create more confusion," wrote Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire, who sits on the immigration committee. "They are rushing it through and trying to limit any political fallout."

MATT GOERZEN/BRANDON SUN FILES Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire

The policys attracted enough scrutiny the party ended up emailing its own MPs with talking points, claiming journalists had made "significant omissions and inaccuracies" in their reporting.

Earlier this week, bureaucrats testified the policy would have applied to roughly 3,500 people who have made claims in the past two years  including those who entered Canada legally, as well as the 40,000 irregular claimants.

NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said such a low number of people doesnt make sense when Ottawa has a backlog of 71,000 refugee hearings.

JUSTIN TANG / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan

"The Liberals want to be seen as tough on refugees, to take the conservative direction, to move to the right and send a message on the eve of an election," she said. "They are placing politics and their political needs ahead of humanity."

She and Maguire believe the policy might add to the backlog, because of the need to hire more adjudicators.

The change was buried in the omnibus budget bill the Liberals introduced in March, despite the party pledging in the last election not to overload budget legislation.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
There isnt a bigger environmental politics story in the world right now than the extraordinary results by the Green Party in the recent elections in Canada.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

There isnt a bigger environmental politics story in the world right now than the extraordinary results by the Green Party in the recent elections in Canada.

First, there was last months outcome in Prince Edward Island. For some observers, the eight seats nabbed by Peter Bevan-Bakers party were unsurprising. The Greens led in most pre-election polls. Bevan-Baker has consistently been ranked the provinces most popular politician.

Dont let these facts distract from the partys singular achievement in becoming Her Majestys Loyal Opposition. Its P.E.I. breakthrough built on waves of recent Green Party wins across Canada.

And then the Green Party won again in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith federal byelection, where Paul Manly received 37.1 per cent of the vote.

The results foreshadow the partys serious prospects at the federal level this fall.

Why Green Party candidates face an uphill battle

Parties like the Greens arent supposed to do well in countries like Canada, which has a first-past-the-post electoral system where a candidate only needs to receive more votes than any other to win their seat.

Many political scientists think countries with plurality systems cant sustain more than two viable political parties. This idea is often described as Duvergers law, after the French sociologist who first investigated the links between plurality voting systems and political party number in the mid-20th century.

The empirical credibility of Duvergers law is up for debate. Canada has never conformed well to its predictions. For instance, many federal ridings are contested as three-way races between Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats.

But political scientists are right to highlight the challenges that small parties face in plurality systems. Voters may support the party, but if they dont think it can win, theyll vote for a second-choice party that can. This is the much-discussed problem of strategic voting.

As a result, Green Party candidates have a doubly difficult task. Like other candidates, they must persuade voters that their party will best serve Canadians. But unlike other candidates, they also have to persuade voters that enough other Canadians share this same set of preferences.

In political science, we call this a problem of "second-order beliefs." First-order beliefs are the things individuals think. Second-order beliefs are the beliefs we hold about other peoples beliefs.

Most people underestimate how common pro-environment opinions are within their communities. Even people who personally want climate action think the public is less green than is actually the case.

The Green Partys political agenda is popular among Canadians. For example, we know that a majority of Canadians in every riding are concerned about climate change. Creating a shared social expectation that voting for the Green Party could elect Green politicians is a whole different story. Yet, the partys remarkable ability to reshape Canadians second-order beliefs is behind this weeks breakthrough.

How Greens have reshaped public expectations

The earliest Green victories grew from the power of "star" candidates such as Elizabeth May and Andrew Weaver. These individuals received outsized local media attention during election campaigns. And they were party leaders, which can make it easier for voters to coordinate their belief that a local candidate is viable.

Winning the role of the official Opposition in P.E.I. is a different story altogether. It required voters to believe that the party as a whole was electable, not simply a popular local leader. And this required a series of intensifying green waves across the country.

Beachhead elections by party leaders in British Columbia helped leaders in other provinces persuade voters that Green victories were possible. Suddenly, leaders like Bevan-Baker (P.E.I.), David Coon (New Brunswick) and Mike Schreiner (Ontario) won seats in their legislatures. Weaver, Coon and now Bevan-Baker used this position to grow their caucus in subsequent elections.

In turn, these victories will help federal Green candidates engage Canadians who want social and environmental change.

If P.E.I. can elect a Green opposition, voters may rethink their local Green candidates chances. The good showing in Nanaimo could set the stage for competitive Green candidates across the country this fall.

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 unique success at the global scale

Each wave of Green success reshapes Canadians understanding of the possible distribution of electoral outcomes. Each win coordinates more and more sympathetic voters. It gives voters permission to express their true preferences instead of their strategic preferences.

Greens havent achieved this type of success in any other plurality system around the world.

Of course, Green Party candidates have done well in proportional representation systems  where seats are given out based on popular vote performance. For example, Green Party leader Winfried Kretschmann currently leads the government in the German province of Baden-Wurttemberg, which has a system of mixed-member proportional representation.

By contrast, plurality systems have never seen anything like the performance by the P.E.I. Greens. Canadian Greens are writing a whole new story. Bit by bit, they are reshaping Canadians sense of what is electorally possible. They have been carving out space for themselves in a political landscape that is supposed to be barren for small parties. Green-minded voters around the world will be watching carefully amid the environmental crises that batter our planet today.

Matto Mildenberger is an assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
It is curious that it was not until the early part of the 20th century that a woman by the name of Anna Jarvis created a day that honours and officially acknowledges the importance of mothers. Mothers Day will be celebrated this year on Sunday, May 12.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

It is curious that it was not until the early part of the 20th century that a woman by the name of Anna Jarvis created a day that honours and officially acknowledges the importance of mothers. Mothers Day will be celebrated this year on Sunday, May 12.

But the times, they are a changin, and what may have applied in her time doesnt go far enough in our present society. A distinction should be made between the mother and the act of "mothering"  one is a noun, the other a verb.

For much of recorded history, the role of mothering had been primarily fulfilled by the biological mother. However, in the 21st century this role is now often carried out by a variety of active participants in parenting, such as fathers, grandparents, paid caregivers or adoptive, foster or step-parents.

A poll released in May 2013 by the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada showed that 76 per cent of Canadians believe it is best for children under six to be at home with at least one parent. These results were consistent regardless of income, gender or working arrangements and, to a lesser extent, regional lines. If parents cannot be home, the preferred options are closest to the home environment, starting with relatives, then a neighbourhood home daycare, followed by other arrangements, if necessary. The last choice for their children is centre-based daycare.

Child psychoanalyst and social worker Selma Fraiberg was farsighted when she wrote in 1977 that "mothering is the nurturing of the human potential of every baby to love, to trust and to bind to human partnerships in a lifetime of love." The evidence from various sources converges in the consensus that the human capacity to love is formed in infancy and this bond should not only be considered a "gift" of love to the baby, but a right  "a birthright for every child."

Unfortunately, the recognition and awareness of the crucial role of mothering in a childs healthy development, and consequently to future generations, is gradually being eroded. It is often seen as a secondary role in the scheme of our busy lives. It was 42 years ago that Fraiberg wrote about a devaluation of parental nurturing and commitment to babies and young children, which may affect the quality and stability of the childs human attachments in ways that could not yet be predicted.

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.

She warned deprivation of a mother or mother substitute would diminish the childs capacity for life. The validity of her cautionary notice is eerily apparent in the ever-growing numbers of young children and troubled youth, as reflected in mental-health issues and criminal behaviours.

For example, a report in Canadian Bullying Statistics (2012) discovered that 47 per cent of Canadian parents had a child who had been a victim of bullying; Canada has the ninth-highest rate of bullying in the 13-year-old category on a scale of 35 countries; and at least one in three adolescents reports having being bullied.

The basic needs of children have not changed  our values have. Our priorities have been rearranged as advertisers shape our wants into needs. We did not invent childhood  we are only discovering what has likely existed since the beginning of time. Psychologist Louis Cozolino notes there is "a causal link between interpersonal experiences and biological growth." These links are of particular interest in their impact on early caretaking relationships when the neural infrastructure of the social brain is forming.

A world of providers and nurturers often take on the loving and arduous tasks of mothering, with all the pleasures and perils of parenting. To those who are fortunate to still have mothers in their lives, be thankful, and let her know how much she is cherished. For those who dont, treasure the memories that have become even more precious.

And for those who are mothers, you have undertaken the most difficult but important task of life, with all its joys and sorrows. You have taken on the most valuable contribution to society and its future, as well. So, to mothers and to those who "mother," we honour you today and every day.

Libby Simon is a Winnipeg writer.
When Innocence Canada recently urged Manitoba to undertake an inquiry into the legacy of former Crown prosecutor George Dangerfield, it was greeted in Manitoba with a deafening silence and apparent indifference by the Progressive Conservative government and the opposition New Democrats and Liberals.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Innocence Canada recently urged Manitoba to undertake an inquiry into the legacy of former Crown prosecutor George Dangerfield, it was greeted in Manitoba with a deafening silence and apparent indifference by the Progressive Conservative government and the opposition New Democrats and Liberals.

Given Mr. Dangerfields legacy, thats a rather disturbing response.

Long since retired, Mr. Dangerfield has been the author of four confirmed cases of wrongful conviction. Three other Dangerfield cases are at various stages of review by the federal Justice Department. Innocence Canada believes these other three cases will also end up as confirmed wrongful convictions.

A review of all seven cases suggests a consistent pattern of professional misconduct that has repeatedly resulted in perversions of justice.

Former Crown prosecutor George Dangerfield has been behind four confirmed cases of wrongful conviction, while another three cases are being reviewed by the federal Justice Department. (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Evidence was either misrepresented or withheld. Unsavoury Crown witnesses and jailhouse informants were given secret compensation. Systemic post-conviction efforts were made to frustrate efforts to reopen the cases. And when new evidence was finally unearthed, Mr. Dangerfield and Manitoba Justice continued to argue against the bids of the accused to seek exoneration.

All these seemingly deliberate efforts to undermine justice  from the original wrongful prosecutions to the efforts to stop the cases from being reopened  have manifested in multimillion-dollar settlements. A recent settlement with Kyle Unger, who spent 14 years in prison for a 1992 murder, was not disclosed publicly. But the taxpayers tab for Mr. Dangerfields wrongful convictions of James Driskell and Thomas Sophonow is about $7 million. A fourth case, involving Frank Ostrowski, will almost certainly end in yet another cash settlement.

With a record like this, how have Manitobas three political parties reacted?

In response to Innocence Canadas demand, the Tory government indicated the current system  which requires applicants to get pro bono legal representation to fight years for a federal review of their claims of innocence  is working fine. No need for an inquiry of any kind.

Manitobas opposition parties were similarly nonplussed.

Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Kyle Unger spent 14 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

NDP Leader Wab Kinew and Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont refused Free Press requests to comment on Mr. Ungers settlement or Mr. Dangerfields rapidly growing tab with taxpayers.

By ignoring Innocence Canada and refusing to publicly comment on Mr. Dangerfields cases, Manitobas three main political parties are only confirming the victims of wrongful convictions are, in most instances, political pariahs.

Politicians seem most concerned supporting a victim of wrongful conviction will be conflated with being soft on crime. This confusion is aided in no small part by the fact that even after compelling evidence of a miscarriage of justice has come to light, police and prosecutors often continue to use taxpayer resources to argue against exoneration, both in courts of law and the court of public opinion.

Whatever the cause, Manitobas politicians seem to believe supporting calls for an inquiry into the career of a Crown prosecutor whose professional misdeeds ruined the lives of seven Manitobans somehow runs counter to the principles of justice and public safety.

On the contrary. It is impossible to claim a commitment to either justice or public safety if you are repeatedly turning a blind eye to confirmed cases in which innocent citizens have been incarcerated for crimes they did not commit.

Politicians of all stripes in Manitoba should end their shameful silence, secure in the knowledge their willingness to ignore Mr. Dangerfields deeply troubling legacy is, in itself, a continuing injustice.
TUNIS, Tunisia - As many as 70 migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya drowned Friday when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, and at least 16 other people from the boat were rescued, according to U.N. migration officials and Tunisia's state news agency.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TUNIS, Tunisia - As many as 70 migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya drowned Friday when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, and at least 16 other people from the boat were rescued, according to U.N. migration officials and Tunisia's state news agency.

The International Organization for Migration called it the deadliest migrant boat sinking since January. The drownings happened as migrant arrivals to Europe are decreasing.

The smuggling boat left Libya on Thursday and sent a distress signal in international waters early Friday off the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax, according to an IOM official in Tunisia and a statement from Tunisia's Defence Ministry. Between 60 and 70 people drowned, said the official, who wasn't authorized to give details about the emergency and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Three bodies have been recovered, the Defence Ministry said.

Tunisian state news agency TAP said 70 people drowned as the boat sank and that fishing boats rescued 16 others.

The survivors of the sinking are now being questioned and cared for by Tunisian authorities, the IOM official said. She said they included people from Bangladesh and Morocco, among other nationalities.

Joel Millman, an IOM spokesman in Geneva, said the reported death toll is the largest number of migrants killed since a Jan. 19 sinking in which 117 people were reported missing and presumed dead.

So far this year, 17,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea, about 30 per cent fewer than the 24,000 arriving during the same period last year, according to the IOM. It said 443 people have reportedly died on dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossings so far this year, compared to 620 deaths for the same period in 2018.

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.

Libya's navy said Friday it rescued 213 Europe-bound African and Arab migrants off the Mediterranean coast this week. It said they were handed over to Libyan police after having received humanitarian and medical aid.

Lawless Libya in North Africa became a major conduit for African migrants and refugees fleeing to Europe after an uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Libyan authorities have stepped up efforts to stem the flow of migrants, with European assistance.

But human rights groups have strongly criticized Libya for its detention centres, saying migrants being sent back to Libya faced hunger, beatings, torture, rapes and a lack of medical care.

In addition, the head of the self-styled Libyan National Army launched an offensive against the government in the Libyan capital of Tripoli last month. The U.N. health agency says 443 people have died, 2,110 have been wounded and nearly 60,000 have been displaced by the violence.

___

Angela Charlton in Paris and David Rising in Berlin contributed.
Emily Kurash Casey recently announce she has accepted a position with the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) as the rural program coordinator. Through this position, she will be working with Minnesotas network and designated Main Street Communities, including Winona, to provide training, workshops, events and program support, and to foster partnerships with prospective Main Street Communities statewide.

It has been such a privilege to work with the Winona Main Street Program for the past 2 years, Kurash Casey said. It is truly because of the work and positive momentum in Winona that I have found an enthusiasm for Main Street, and Im looking forward to serving not only Winona, but all the Main Street Programs in Minnesota.

While this means that she will be leaving her position as Winona Main Street Program manager, Kurash Casey will remain in Winona and work remotely with the state PAM Office. She will continue to support the Winona Main Street Program, and is thrilled to be able to further the work of PAM and Minnesota Main Street in greater Minnesota.

While we will certainly miss Emilys daily guiding presence to Winona Main Street, we are excited for her and this new opportunity, Chamber President Della Schmidt said. Fortunately for Winona, Emily will remain active within our local Main Street efforts. It is a great testament to the efforts that have happened in downtown Winona already, led by the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce as well as the City of Winona, that the work happening in Winona can be used as an example for greater development and awareness of downtowns statewide.

The position of Winona Main Street Program manager is open for applications by submitting a resume to the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce. The job description may be found online at www.winonachamber.com.

For additional information regarding the Winona Main Street Program website at www.winonamainstreet.com, follow Winona Main Street on Facebook, or contact Emily Kurash Casey, Winona Main Street program manager by calling 507-452-2272 or emailing ekurash@winonachamber.com.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Editors note: This story appeared in the May 10, 1972 edition of the Winona Daily News.

Antiwar demonstrators occupied Winona City Hall this afternoon in the midst of protests that saw one of Winonas three colleges closed.

The local demonstrations took place as growing protests swirled on city streets and college campuses across the nation as antiwar demonstrators by the thousands denounced President Nixons decision to mine North Vietnamese harbors.

It was the most turbulent outburst since the 1970 protests over the U.S invasion of Cambodia.

The Winona City Hall occupation occurred after demonstrators succeeded in closing Winona State College, blocked the intersection of West Broadway and Main Street for about an hour and marched on the Winona Selective Service office at Fourth and Center streets.

Winona police officials said all city police officers had been placed on alert, but they took no action when marchers stormed into City Hall and occupied all but the police station wing of the building.

About 200 demonstrators occupied the two upper floors of the building, halting all city business amid the din of antiwar slogans.

Winona State College officials ordered the campus closed at noon today after a telephoned bomb threat was received.

College officials said the anonymous call came at 10:28 a.m. through the campus switchboard, saying only that a bomb was in one of the buildings and was set to go off between 1 and 4 p.m.

A short time later, college president R.A. DuFresne ordered all academic buildings on campus closed.

Meanwhile, shouting demonstrators stormed through several buildings, setting off fire alarms in an attempt to gain support for a general student strike.

Dormitories remained open while police and fire department officials searched the other buildings for a possible bomb. They reportedly found nothing.

Dr. DuFresnes memo said the college would reopen at 8 a.m. Thursday, but demonstrators pledged to keep the college closed until the recent escalation of the Indochina War is withdrawn.

Marchers pledged to halt all business as usual throughout the city until the administrations war policy is changed. Meanwhile, officials at the College of Saint Teresa said that campus was quiet at noon. St. Marys College has completed the spring term and is closed. After succeeding in closing Winona State, about 150 demonstrators marched to West Broadway and Main Street and blocked the intersection for about an hour.

Marchers expected to meet with a police effort to clear the street, but no confrontation arose. Two full shifts of officers waited in City Hall, while the third was placed on alert.

Officers were under orders to use restraint and to avoid any incidents.

Most traffic at the intersection was able to turn around and leave the area, but five tractor-semitrailers were trapped when they found themselves unable to turn or proceed.

Fiery debate arose among demonstrators at the intersection about whether or not to permit the truckers to proceed. The debate then changed to whether or not marchers should stay at the intersection or move on to the Selective Service office or City Hall.

Occupation of City Hall outpolled the others and the marchers moved on, but they stopped for about 10 minutes at the Exchange Building, location of the Army and Navy recruiting offices as well as the Selective Service office. About half the marchers blocked the intersection at Fourth and Center streets while the rest stormed inside. The halls of the Exchange Building rang with chanted slogans as the demonstrators swarmed inside, passed the locked recruiting offices and upstairs to the draft office. That office was hurriedly locked and marchers soon returned outside for the trip to City Hall.

Police stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the entrance to the police-jail wing of the building, while demonstrators took over the rest. At City Hall, officials ordered offices closed and locked, and protesters sat in the hallways and on the stairs, chanting antiwar slogans and singing.

DuFresne arrived at City Hall about 1:30 p.m. and spoke to the group, made up primarily of WSC students. Most of the demonstrators moved out of the city building to hear DuFresne.

I just returned from Moorhead yesterday, DuFresne said, where I met with the State College Board and all of the state college presidents except President J. F. Nickerson of Mankato State College.

The group that met shared the same feeling that some of the demonstrators have  we want peace and we have war, he said.

Demonstrating is good if it is done in good faith against the war, and someday it will have an impact.

Demonstration is good providing there is no violence, DuFresne said; promising to march with the protesters.

An American flag; in front of City Hall was lowered to half mast, just before the college president spoke.

DuFresne said he would march with the demonstrators if they would relinquish City Hall and march somewhere else.

This morning, protesters staged a sit-in on the steps of Somsen Hall, the colleges administration building, but did not forcibly prevent anyone from entering or leaving the building.

Marchers later stormed through a number of the campus buildings, gaining support for a general student strike. An unconfirmed report indicated that there, was a minor scuffle while demonstrators were marching through the cafeteria in the student union, but no injuries were reported there.

There were no other reports of physical confrontations at any time during the day, and no injuries had been reported by 2 p.m.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ROCHESTER  Winona State University-Rochester student Hannah Ringler began her search for a nursing job two months before her graduation. The 22-year-old had a job locked up a week later.

It all happened so fast, Ringler said. I applied on Monday, had an in-person interview on Friday, then got hired on Monday.

On Thursday, Ringler was among 47 WSU-Rochester registered nursing students to participate in a pinning ceremony at Rochester Community and Technical College. The ceremony is a symbolic welcoming into the profession underscored by a robust job market.

Like Ringler, many new registered nurses are finding that employers cant wait to hire them. Several said they had jobs lined up weeks, if not months, before Thursdays ceremony. As many as one-third to one-half of Thursdays graduates have confirmed start dates, officials said.

We can barely keep up, said Jeanine Gangeness, WSU-Rochester associate vice president for academic affairs. I would say the thing we hear the most from employers is. We really like yours. Do you have some more for us?

WSU-Rochester student Mikayla Eischen began her job search last January and landed a job a month later. She will be working at Ascension in Milwaukee.

Eischen said she has wanted to be a nurse ever since she was a freshman in high school. She was 14 when she underwent a procedure to fix a racing heart condition. What she recalls about that time were the Mayo Clinic nurses and their efforts to make her feel comfortable the day of the procedure.

I just want to be able to give back to people the way those nurses treated me, Eischen said. Thats really what drove home my desire to be a nurse.

Thursdays ceremony is one of four WSU will host this spring. Nursing graduates often prefer the smaller, more intimate setting to a traditional graduation because its confined to the classmates they got to know through the program.

We all know each other very well, Eischen said. We spent a lot of time together, so its nice to be able to have one ceremony with just the 40 some of us.

Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 15% from 2016 to 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau Labor of Statistics, much faster than the average for most occupations. The median annual salary for nurses is more than $71,000.

The demand for nurses is being driven by an aging Baby Boom population that is now entering the Medicare rolls at a rate of two to three million people each year. People are living longer and needing more medical care. More people are suffering from chronic conditions, such as obesity and diabetes. Turnover in the profession is also fueling the rampant need for nurses

Yet, experts note that the nursing shortage, while a national phenomenon, might not exist in every locality. Competition for jobs is likely to be more intense in metropolitan areas than in rural ones.

Ringler said she and a roommate tried to get jobs in the Twin Cities, but the process was slower than at Mayo. She wasnt exactly sure why, but suspected that Twin Cities nursing students who did their clinicals at Twin Cities hospitals are given priority over others.

Having a network of contacts helps. Alexandria Van Gilder, a WSU-Rochester student who took part in the pinning ceremony, said she learned of a job opening through a professor, who connected her to a Mayo placement coordinator. She will begin working in the thoracic post-surgery unit at Mayo.

Gangeness said the demand for nurses has been going strong for the past five years, and she expects it to continue.

We dont anticipate that were going to see any drop in the need for nurses any time soon, Gangeness said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Recently, Chris Rogers wrote detailed article titled Winonans urge Senator Miller at town hall published in the May 1 edition of the Winona Post. Very apt title. Winonans did urge Senator Miller on several topics at the packed, 60-minute meeting with standing-room only for late comers. The article very thoroughly covered all topics discussed at the meeting  with the exception of one very important topic. Not a paragraph, not a sentence, not even a single word was devoted to this topic, even though it was discussed at length for at least 10 to 15 minutes and 90% of the individuals attending stated they were in favor of it. What was the topic? Gun safety legislation.

I kept rereading the article, thinking that I had missed it. No, it wasnt there. Why? Why would one important discussion topic be so obviously left out of the article? Youll need to determine that for yourself. But there are a few things that you need to know first regarding the important gun safety legislation currently in front of the Minnesota legislature.

The Minnesota House has passed two bills: one, closes background check loopholes and the other establishes a court procedure to temporarily remove guns from individuals who demonstrate a danger to themselves or others. The two bills do not take away any rights for responsible, law-abiding individuals. They only help ensure that guns do not fall into the hands of those who may harm themselves or others. The two bills also have the support of our law enforcement. Apparently, though, Sen. Miller has thus far not allowed the Minnesota Senate to entertain discussion on this important legislation to protect our children, schools, churches, and public buildings  places where the public gathers.

Contact Sen. Miller and Sen. Maj. Leader Paul Gazelka. Urge them to take immediate action to pass these two bills as part of the Public Safety omnibus bill so that Minnesotans can be safer across the state.

Diane V. Petz, Winona

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, second from left, and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, third from left, press a button during a completion ceremony for Lotte Chemical's ethylene manufacturing plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Thursday (local time). From left are Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, Lee, Shin, U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris, Deputy White House Policy Coordinator Sylvia May Davis and Westlake Chemical CEO Albert Chao. Courtesy of Lotte Chemical



Korean PM, Trump applaud plant as proof of Korea-US alliance



By Nam Hyun-woo



Lotte Chemical has completed a $3.1 billion ethylene manufacturing plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana, becoming the first Korean chemical firm to operate a massive petrochemical complex in the United States.



During a completion ceremony Thursday (local time), Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon celebrated the landmark investment, saying, "If the completion of the plant is a testament to the Korea-U.S. alliance, advances made here will be proof of the advancement of the alliance."



President Donald Trump also sent a congratulatory message noting the plant was the biggest inward-bound investment so far under his administration and proof of the ironclad alliance between Korea and the U.S.



According to Lotte Chemical, the complex, occupying 1.02 square kilometers of land, can produce up to 1 million tons of ethylene and 700,000 tons of ethylene glycol annually. Both are core components in petrochemical products. The output will raise Lotte Chemical's annual ethylene output to 4.5 million tons, the seventh largest in the world.



The $3.1 billion spent on the project is the second-largest investment made by a single Korean firm in the U.S.



The complex is comprised of an ethane cracker center (ECC) and an ethylene glycol facility. Lotte Chemical has an 88 percent stake in the ECC, while the remainder is held by the U.S.-based Westlake Chemical. Lotte Chemical wholly owns the ethylene glycol facility.



It projects the complex will create more than 2,500 jobs.



Lotte Chemical said the complex was of extra significance because it would produce ethylene by using shale gas from the U.S., helping the company lower its reliance on imported naphtha.



Compared to producing ethylene by cracking naphtha, using shale gas is relatively cheaper and there is a stable supply, which lowers raw material costs and reduces uncertainties stemming from volatile oil prices.



The company said it aims to generate 50 trillion won ($42.44 billion) in petrochemical sales by 2030, becoming the world's No. 7 petrochemical firm.



"We are proud to be the first Korean petrochemical firm running a world-class facility in the U.S.," said Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin. "Along with the growth of the firm, we will strive to play a key role in the future of the Korean petrochemical industry."



Industry analysts are also predicting a rosy future for the complex.



"The ECC's sales and profits will be reflected in the company's second-quarter earnings," said Hana Financial Investment analyst Yoon Jae-sung.



"The company is expecting 800 billion won to 900 billion won in sales and an operating margin higher than 20 percent.

Compared to its rivals in the U.S., the plant will improve Lotte Chemical's corporate value by 10 percent of its current market cap."


The Drivers Licenses For All Bill in the Minnesota state Legislature is a great example of what bipartisan agreements can look like. The Minnesota State Chamber of Commerce supports the bill because it is a workforce issue. There are county sheriffs and attorneys who support the bill because it is a public safety issue. There are farmers who support the bill because of their workers. There are clergy who support this bill because everyone is sacred. Everyone is a son and daughter of God.
Sen. Miller,

On Saturday, April 27 you saw a town hall filled with people who wanted your support for the proposed gun laws in Minnesota. Ironically, that very day there was a deadly shooting at a Jewish Synagogue. Then, at a deadly shooting at a university. A deadly traffic shooting across the border in Iowa. Yesterday  at a school in Colorado. More death. More young people taken from our country.

I asked you, as a voice of the children of Minnesota, to support SF802 with the two gun safety measures included. As an elected politician, it is on you to help protect Minnesotans from death and injury from gun violence. These measures would be another step to help. Children should not have to go to school afraid. I just saw a young child watching YouTube with tears in her eyes. She was watching a video interview of a student who survived the shooting last week. My niece asked for new shoes because a shooter would see her light-up shoes. I asked you to support these measures as the voice of the children of Minnesota. I ask you again  after hearing from your constituents (the one man who spoke in opposition was not a constituent, but a Gun Owner Caucus spokesperson from Blaine  not one of your constituents), please hear our request.

These two additional gun safety measures do not ban guns. They continue to allow gun ownership in alignment with the 2nd Amendment. They simply provide safer gun ownership. They expand criminal background check requirements for several types of gun transactions and allow authorities to temporarily keep guns away from people deemed a risk to themselves or others. These arent bold or innovative approaches, they are common sense.

As a trauma/critical care nurse I will cry every single time I have to care for someone because of gun violence. The lucky ones made it to my care, some never even made it to the hospital. Those victims are all someones child. As a state, lets work to making Minnesota the safest state with the fewest gun incidences.

Susan Zeller, Winona

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Thank you for supporting the Lions Club Dear Editor: Merry Christmas to everyone from the Winterset Lions! We wanted to take this time to tell you how excited we were to see SO MANY of you folks...

Julian B. Garrett State Senator The Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) met Dec. 13 to give us its latest estimate of what state revenues we can expect over the rest of the current fiscal...

Cindy Axne Over the past year, Ive been hard at work fighting for the policies and investments that Iowa needs to grow and succeed in the future  and Im proud of...
Set in 1943, Number the Stars delivers powerful messages about ordinary people being brave and selfless in a time of crisis. The true story of the rescue of Danish Jews is so remarkable it begs to be told, Eldred-Kujawa said. It is a story where good triumphs over evil during a tragic time in human history, a story where a few committed people doing the right thing made a huge difference.

Lowry has summarized the books themes by saying doing the right thing is often hard, sometimes dangerous and frequently unpopular. The directors said the storys message is relevant not only to the prejudice and persecution that persists around the world, but to the judgments and slights students face every day.

It has a profound and timeless message that we felt was appropriate for the world these young people are growing up in, Eldred-Kujawa said. I know we try to teach our kids about kindness, respect for others and accepting the differences among people in our society. But there are so many negative influences. Between bullying and social media and television, it is a real challenge.
Facing a dwindling and aging membership, service club leaders are asking themselves two questions: What happened? And whats next?

Communities across the region boast many busy civic organizations  Masons, Elks, Kiwanis and more  that build parks, fund scholarships and support Little League teams. But with membership declining nationally, and local clubs struggling to attract and retain millennials  people age 25 to 40  their long-term ability to carry out their missions is uncertain.

Whats going to happen in 10 years at our club? asked Nancy Schaper of the Portage Lions Club, whose roster of 15-20 members has remained steady over the past decade. I think we all trudge along, trying to get by.

Nationwide, Optimist Clubs have seen membership nearly cut in half from 97,000 to 49,000 over the past 20 years. Rotary membership has dipped from 386,000 in 2004 to 316,000 today.

John Breitwisch, president of the Beaver Dam Lions, said membership has dropped from 80 to 45 since he joined in the 1970s. He has seen the average age rise.

Weve had only limited success attracting younger members, he said. The families are busy, its hard to get young families with children.

New groups

The formation of new groups in south-central Wisconsin speaks to the challenges service clubs face. A consortium of organizations united to create the Portage Service Club Association, designed to spearhead communitywide projects and recruit members.

Thats the reason behind forming that, because there was concern, said George Beasley, a Portage Rotarian.

In Baraboo and Portage, millennials have formed groups of their own and in Beaver Dam, the chamber of commerce has launched efforts to form a young professionals group called Catalysts.

The Baraboo Young Professionals organization was founded in 2017 to help people under 40 network and socialize. The group is stimulating nightlife with periodic Night Markets that have developed a regional draw.

Theyre doing something different, Baraboo Rotary President Karen Kothbauer said.

Baraboo Young Professionals President Mike Johnsen, 37, said he attended service club lunch meetings and left unsure what the organizations were about and what his role might be. He also noticed he was the youngest person in the room by decades.

Its hard for a millennial to join that group and feel like he or she is contributing and getting something back, Johnsen said. Theres such an age gap.

Johnsen said hes more interested in building community than rubbing elbows, and said its critical to give new members specific tasks that make them feel that they belong and are needed.

Service club leaders have taken notice. Beasley said Rotary clubs must demonstrate theyre doing more than having lunch. They must highlight their many community projects. I think sometimes you have to get somebody involved in something, he said.

Kothbauer said some younger members have been attracted to Rotary efforts such as its student exchange program and its anti-polio campaign. The Baraboo club holds evening socials each month so members can get to know one another.

We need to change with the times, she said. Were trying to catch that younger group.

Whats next?

There is no doubt service clubs play vital roles in their communities. In Baraboo, the Kiwanis Club has partnered with the city to develop a scenic Riverwalk. The Portage Service Club Association built a splash pad at Goodyear Park.

Breitwisch of the Beaver Dam Lions said its roster of 45 is a strong 45 that rolls up its sleeves. Everyone is involved, doing something, he said, whether it is running a fundraiser or leading meetings and club activities.

But there is doubt about the long-term future of the traditional service club model. Some leaders said todays young professionals arent interested in serving, at least not the way their parents and grandparents did.

Service clubs arent the only institutions struggling to fill their ranks with younger members. Gallup finds the percentage of Americans who report belonging to a church, synagogue or mosque at an all-time low, averaging 50% in 2018. A 2014 study commissioned by the National Club Association found that country club membership was down 20 percent from 1990.

This generation right now, they are not joiners, said Schaper of the Portage Lions. Some of them are eager to help if you ask them, but they arent interested in joining your club.

Johnsen said those set to age out of the Baraboo Young Professionals are talking about what to do next. Instead of joining established service clubs, he predicted theyll take on one of their own. The trappings of typical club meetings  reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, tossing happy bucks into the kitty  dont appeal to many in his generation. Its really traditional, he said.

Breitwisch said service clubs could get a boost from Generation X  people age 40 to 55  over the next decade or two. People are retiring earlier, and when they retire they look for a service club, he said.

But what about the longer term? With her clubs youngest members in their 40s and the oldest in their 80s, Schaper said the Portage Lions future is unclear.

You wonder, Schaper said. Its kind of scary.

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.
Some clarity on how far state lawmakers can go in drawing oddly shaped districts to thwart the will of the people would be nice. But the ultimate solution isnt for one partisan side or the other to rig the maps. Gerrymandering is wrong no matter if its Republicans in Wisconsin using computers and voting data to skew the lines so they can cling to power, or if its Democrats doing the same thing in Illinois.

The real answer is to take the politics out of redistricting, so voters of all stripes are treated fairly and can hold their elected officials accountable  without getting stiffed for millions of dollars in legal fees.

Thats the Iowa model, which Wisconsin and other states should emulate.

In Iowa, a neutral state agency draws the lines after each major census to account for population changes. The agency does so under guidelines requiring compact districts that respect communities of interest, rather than protecting incumbents.

Walker says he opposes putting redistricting in the hands of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. But thats not what the Iowa model does. In Iowa, the Legislature still gets to approve the maps or seek revisions. They just cant monkey with the lines for partisan advantage.
Dake-Jones said spectators are welcome and the show has a family-friendly atmosphere.

This is a great opportunity to research different breeds and speak to the dog handlers about their dogs, she said. However, its up to the individual owner to allow their dog to be petted.

Ask before you touch, she cautioned.

Conformation will take place in the youth building, while other buildings on the fairgrounds will be home to other competitions. All events will be held indoors.

The show is Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public can attend any events throughout the day.

Admission is free, as is parking. Spectators are asked to leave their dogs at home as only dogs entered to compete are allowed on the event grounds.

The Dodge County Canine Club has approximately 20 members that put in quite a few hours to make the show a reality.

All our members volunteer in one way or another, Dake-Jones said. If theyre unable to be at the show, they may have helped get silent auction items together.
UW-Madison selected College of Letters and Science dean John Karl Scholz to serve as its next provost, a pick that drew scrutiny from some for his handling of a past sexual harassment case.

Scholz, who will be the chief academic officer of the university and the second-ranking deputy under Chancellor Rebecca Blank, said in a campus announcement that he is grateful and honored to be selected.

Scholz declined an interview request Friday, instead providing a statement that said: In every leadership role I have held, my goal has always been to foster an environment where every member of our community feels respected and safe. Sexual harassment is unacceptable. The College and I have responded quickly to and followed the appropriate policies in every case of misconduct that we have learned of.

Two women who say they endured sexual harassment in an academic department within the college Scholz oversaw showed up at his finalist presentation last week to question him.




Australia's central bank has taken responsibility for typos on 46 million bank notes after a radio station posted an image of the microscopic error on social media.







Triple M radio posted on Instagram on Thursday a magnified photograph of a 50 Australian dollar ($35) note showing the misspelling of ''responsibility.'' The word appears three times on the note and the third ''i'' is omitted every time.







The Reserve Bank of Australia said the spelling error will be corrected at the next print run later this year. The latest version of the notes was released in October.







Australia's high-tech polymer notes are among the most difficult in the world to counterfeit due to their extraordinary level of detail. The technology has been exported to other countries.







The AU$50 note is known colloquially as a pineapple because of its yellow hues and bares an image of the first woman elected to an Australian parliament, Edith Cowan.







The misspelling appears in an extract from her first speech to the Western Australia state Parliament in 1921. (AP)


Portage manufacturers that recently announced expansions include Dawns Foods, which expects to add 30 jobs, Wieser Concrete, which expects to add five to 10 jobs and Encapsys, which expects to add five jobs.

Portage staffing agencies have at times been critical in helping local manufacturers find their workers, Sobiek said, and he sees 1st Choice as another resource for them to streamline their applicant screening process.

Both Sobiek and Edwards said any company with extensive hiring needs would be smart to reach out to multiple staffing agencies instead of just one.

In the big picture, Portage seems to be keeping more young people in the city compared with its neighbors, which should bode well for businesses if the positive trend holds, Sobiek said. According to a recent study from Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the median age among the residents of Portage is 36.7, whereas the median age in Baraboo is 38.9 and in Beaver Dam its 38.86.

Portage might also get good news in transportation.

We already have the 24-hour taxi service, which a lot of cities dont have, Sobiek said, but I think well see another transportation provider arriving in 2019.
1+ days ago

What Should You Invest in During the New Year? Investing Strategies for 2022

Going into the new year, you may wonder what you should invest in: artificial intelligence, cyclical stocks, health care? A combination of these or something else entirely? It's a great question.

Read Article
 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.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom.

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..
CAE Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and supplies simulation equipment and training solutions to defense and security markets, commercial airlines, business aircraft operators, helicopter operators, aircraft manufacturers, and healthcare education and service providers worldwide. The company's Civil Aviation Training Solutions segment provides training solutions for flight, cabin, maintenance, and ground personnel in commercial, business, and helicopter aviation; flight simulation training devices; and ab initio pilot training and crew sourcing services, as well as end to end digitally-enabled crew management, training operations solutions, and optimization software. Its Defence and Security segment offers training and mission support solutions for defense forces across multi-domain operations, and for government organizations responsible for public safety. The company's Healthcare segment provides integrated education and training solutions, including surgical and imaging simulations, curriculum, audiovisual and centre management platforms, and patient simulators to healthcare students and clinical professionals. The company was formerly known as CAE Industries Ltd. and changed its name to CAE Inc. in June 1993. CAE Inc. was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Saint-Laurent, Canada.

Read More
Exchange Income Corporation engages in aerospace and aviation services and equipment, and manufacturing businesses worldwide. It operates through two segments, Aerospace & Aviation, and Manufacturing. The Aerospace & Aviation segment offers scheduled airline and charter services, and emergency medical services to communities located in Manitoba, Ontario, and Nunavut, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It also provides after-market aircraft, engines, and component parts to regional airline operators; designs, modifies, maintains, and operates custom sensor equipped aircraft; and offers maritime surveillance and support services in Canada, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. In addition, this segment provides pilot flight training services. The Manufacturing segment manufactures window wall systems primarily used in high-rise multi-family residential projects; stainless steel tanks, vessels, and processing equipment; heavy duty pressure washing and steam systems, commercial water recycling systems, and custom tanks for the transportation of oil, gasoline, and water products; precision parts and components primarily used in the aerospace and defense sector; electrical and control systems integrator focused on the agricultural material handling; and precision sheet metal and tubular products. This segment also focuses on the engineering, design, manufacture, and construction of communication infrastructure, as well as provision of technical services. Exchange Income Corporation is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada.

Read More
Experian plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a technology company. The company operates through two segments, Business-to-Business and Consumer Services. It provides data services to identify and understand their customers, as well as to manage the risks related with lending. The company also offers analytical and decision tools that enhance businesses to manage their customers, minimize the risk of fraud, comply with legal requirements, and automate decisions and processes. In addition, it provides financial education, free access to Experian credit reports and scores, online educational tools, and applications to manage their financial position, access credit offers, and protect themselves from identity fraud. The company serves customers in financial service, direct-to-consumer, health, retail, automotive, software and professional services, telecommunications and utility, insurance, media and technology, government and public, and other sectors. It operates in North America, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. Experian plc was formerly known as Experian Group Limited and changed its name to Experian plc in July 2008. Experian plc was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Read More
GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft engages in the development and production of systems and components for the food processing industry worldwide. It operates in five divisions, Separation and Flow Technologies, Liquid and Power Technologies, Food and Health Technologies, Farm Technologies, and Refrigeration Technologies. The company provides separators, decanters, valves, homogenizers, valves, pumps, and process related components and machineries; and process solutions for dairy, food, beverage, chemical, and other industries. It also offers solutions for food processing and pharmaceutical industries, which includes marinating, processing of meat, poultry, seafood, vegan products, pasta and confectionery, baking, slicing, packaging, frozen food processing, granulators, and tablet presses. In addition, the company provides integrated customer solutions for milk production and livestock farming, such as automatic milking, feeding systems, conventional milking solutions, manure handling, and digital herd management tools; and sustainable energy solutions in the field of industrial refrigeration and heating. It has a strategic partnership with SAP SE. The company was formerly known as mg technologies ag and changed its name to GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft in 2005. GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1881 and is headquartered in DAsseldorf, Germany.

Read More
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited provides various banking products and services in China and internationally. It operates through Corporate Banking, Personal Banking, and Treasury Operations segments. The Corporate Banking segment offers financial products and services to corporations, government agencies, and financial institutions. This segment's products and services include corporate loans, trade financing, deposit-taking activities, corporate wealth management services, custody activities, various corporate intermediary services, etc. The Personal Banking segment provides personal loans and cards, deposits, personal wealth management, and personal intermediary services to individual customers. The Treasury Operations segment is involved in the money market transactions, investment securities, and foreign exchange transactions, as well as holding of derivative positions. The company also offers e-banking services, including Internet, telephone, and mobile banking services; and investment banking, fund and asset management, trust, financial leasing, broker dealer, insurance, and other financial services. It operates approximately 16,197 domestic institutions and 426 overseas institutions. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China.

Read More
iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF's stock was trading at $73.54 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IWS shares have increased by 63.3% and is now trading at $120.11.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
McDermott International, Inc. provides engineering, procurement, construction and installation, and technology solutions to the energy industry worldwide. It operates through five segments: North, Central and South America; Europe, Africa, Russia and Caspian; the Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Technology. It designs, engineers, and constructs upstream offshore oil and gas facilities, downstream oil and gas facilities, gas-fired power plants, liquefied natural gas import and export terminals, atmospheric and refrigerated storage vessels and terminals, water storage and treatment facilities, pipe and module fabrication, hydrocarbon processing facilities, pipe fabrication and manufacturing, and refining and petrochemical facilities. The company also provides gas processing, refining, petrochemical and coal gasification technologies, as well as a supplies catalysts, equipment, and related engineering services. It serves national, integrated, and other oil and gas companies, as well as producers of petrochemicals and electric power. McDermott International, Inc. was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Read More
Petrus Resources Ltd., an energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and exploitation of oil and gas development assets in western Canada. It primarily explores for natural gas, natural gas liquids, and crude oil and condensate. The company primarily holds an average 51% working interest in the Ferrier/Strachan area comprise 43,159 net acres, which include 29,219 net acres of undeveloped and 13,940 net acres of developed land located in west central Alberta near the town of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. It also has an average of 64% working interest in the Thorsby/Pembina area consisting of 69,042 net acres of land covering 22,135 net acres of undeveloped land and 46,907 net acres of developed land located in the southwest of Edmonton, Alberta; and an average of 50% working interest in the Foothills area that consists of 30,748 net acres of undeveloped land and 6,687 net acres of developed land located northwest of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. Petrus Resources Ltd. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Read More
Algoma Central Corporation owns and operates a fleet of dry and liquid bulk carriers on the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Waterway in Canada. The company operates in six segments: Domestic Dry-Bulk, Product Tankers, Ocean Self-Unloaders, Global Short Sea Shipping, Investment Properties, and Corporate. It operates 12 self-unloading bulk carriers and 8 gearless bulk carriers; and owns and manages eight double-hull product tankers for the transportation of liquid petroleum products throughout the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence waterway, and the Atlantic Canada regions. The company also owns eight ocean-going self-unloading vessels that carry coal for power generation, crushed aggregates for construction, gypsum for wallboard manufacturing, iron ore for the steel industry, and salt for winter road safety. In addition, it provides management services to third parties, as well as owns a shopping center and an apartment building located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It serves iron and steel, aggregate, cement and building material, and salt producers; agricultural product distributors; oil refiners, wholesale distributors and large consumers of petroleum products. The company was formerly known as Algoma Central Railway and changed its name to Algoma Central Corporation in 1990. Algoma Central Corporation was incorporated in 1899 and is headquartered in St. Catharines, Canada.

Read More
Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust's stock was trading at $90.68 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, FXY stock has decreased by 9.6% and is now trading at $82.01.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF's stock was trading at $158.09 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IWF stock has increased by 92.9% and is now trading at $304.95.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
TC Energy Corporation operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates through Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines, U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines, Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines, Liquids Pipelines, and Power and Storage segments. The company builds and operates 93,400 km network of natural gas pipelines, which transports natural gas from supply basins to local distribution companies, power generation plants, industrial facilities, interconnecting pipelines, LNG export terminals, and other businesses. It also has regulated natural gas storage facilities with a total working gas capacity of 535 billion cubic feet. In addition, it has approximately 4,900 km liquids pipeline system that connects Alberta crude oil supplies to refining markets in Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Further, the company owns or has interests in seven power generation facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 4,200 megawatts that are powered by natural gas and nuclear fuel sources located in Alberta, Ontario, QuAbec, and New Brunswick; and owns and operates approximately 118 billion cubic feet of non-regulated natural gas storage capacity in Alberta. The company was formerly known as TransCanada Corporation and changed its name to TC Energy Corporation in May 2019. TC Energy Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Read More
UniFirst Corp. engages in the design, manufacture, personalization, rental, cleaning, delivery, and sale of a range of uniforms and protective clothing. It operates through following segments: U.S. Rental and Cleaning, Canadian Rental and Cleaning, Manufacturing, Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning, First Aid, and Corporate. The U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning segment purchases, rents, cleans, delivers and sells uniforms and protective clothing and non-garment items in the United States and Canada. The Manufacturing segment designs and manufactures uniforms and non-garment items primarily for the purpose of providing these goods to the U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning reporting segment. The Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning segment sells specialty garments and non-garment items primarily for nuclear and cleanroom applications and provides cleanroom cleaning services at limited customer locations. The First Aid segment provides first aid cabinet services and other safety supplies as well as maintains wholesale distribution and pill packaging operations. The Corporate segment consists of costs associated with its distribution center, sales and marketing, informatio

Read More
ROME, N.Y. -- A two-car crash in Rome sent a couple to the hospital Thursday evening.

The Oneida County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened on Oswego Road just after 5 p.m. Thursday.

They say 24-year-old Dillon Meagher of Ilion, was driving east when he dropped a water bottle under his feet. When he reached for it, he veered out of his lane and hit a car driven by 70-year-old Thomas Foster.

Foster and his wife Paula Foster, 62, were taken to Rome Memorial Hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening.

Meagher's condition is unknown at this point.

Both vehicles had to be towed from the scene because of extensive damage.
Never walk alone is the message Connor Gage's mom is working to spread.

Gage, from Little Falls, was a freshman at the University of Vermont when he was found dead after a night out with friends.

He was walking home alone when he passed out.

Friends and family cycled across Burlington in his honor. They wore t-shirts with the message "never walk alone.

Its a message his mom plans to spread through talks with high school and college students.

"Sticking together, leaving with the people you came with, not separating, as menial as that may seem, it's a very important thing, said Dorothy Connor, Gaget mother.

On every bike was a ribbon to represent Little Falls, and a ribbon to represent the new life he started at UVM.
UTICA, N.Y. -- The community salutes nine women Thursday. Women who didn't ask to be honored, and certainly didn't expect to be  but all very deserving.

The YWCA of the Mohawk Valley held it's annual "Salute to Outstanding Women" luncheon Thursday  welcoming the class of 2019.

A panel of judges reviewed nominations for nine categories including education, healthcare, and social justice. The Y shined a spotlight on this year's recipients and their contributions to the community.

And a special congratulations to Joleen Ferris daughter, Brooke. The 17-year-old Whitesboro student is this year's recipient in the outstanding youth category  and we couldn't agree more!

If I could give the young women of the mohawk valley one piece of advice. It would be stay true to you. don't get caught up in the opinions of those around you. you can take away the power of bullies and naysayers in an instant by simply refusing to listen to them, Brooke said.

Those honored were:

Education, the honoree is Maria Lindsay, Principal at Little Falls Middle School.

Entrepreneur, the honoree is Christina Buschmann, Owner of Yoga Hot Spot.

Healthcare, the honoree is Dianne DiMeo, Training and Staff Development Coordinator at Regional Primary Care Network.

Human and Public Service, the honoree is Gail Miskowiec, Chief Operations Officer at The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter.

Outstanding Youth, the honoree is Brooke Riscica, Senior at Whitesboro High School.

Professions/Business and Industry, the honoree is Kristen Szarek, Director of Customer Care Center at Defense Finance Accounting Service Rome.

Social Justice, the honoree is Olivia Paul, Financial Compliance Officer at The Hartford.

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math), the honoree is Lisa Davis, Coordinator of Westmoreland Central Schools' Maker Space.

Unsung Heroine, the honoree is Sister Lois Paciello, Community Outreach and Bereavement Director at Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
UTICA, N.Y. - The four candidates vying for the open seat on the Utica City School District school board participated in a debate Thursday night.

Voters and community members filled the Oneida County History Center to watch Robert Cardillo, Braedon Nanna, James Paul, and William True debate a number of topics from school safety to teacher diversity to creating better transparency between the school board and parents.

Each candidate was given 90 seconds to answer each question and a 30 second follow-up response time if needed. The candidates were also given two minutes to introduce themselves before the debate, and talk about why they want to take the seat on the school board.

Cardillo has been teaching as an adjunct professor at Mohawk Valley Community College.

"I believe that I understand education because I am an educator, a business professional, and I really have a great passion for these young people I work with each and every day," Cardillo said.

Nanna is a recent graduate of Proctor High School.

"I'm running for a position on the Utica City School District Board of Education because I want to make the board in the district work better for our students and for our teachers," Nanna said. "I believe our students deserve to know that the board is working for them and I believe the community has a right to know what is going on in our school district."

Paul is a parent of a child currently in the school district.

"I believe that our kids deserve a quality education," Paul said. "We really have to push our kids, we really have to give them opportunities to be far better than what they think they can be."

True has worked as an Oneida County Department of Social Services office clerk since 1987.

"Together, you and I, can bring justice to the school system, by that I mean we can give our students, our parents, and our teachers what they truly deserve," True said. "That is why I'm running for a seat on the Utica City School District's Board of Education, to help our children receive a well-rounded education."

The candidates agreed on many of the topics, including needing to receive foundation aid that is owed to the district from the state.

One of the questions asked was what is one of the biggest issues facing the school district that the board can address.

Nanna said accountability issues as well as transparency.

"Make the parents, the teachers, and the students feel like they can actually approach the board," Nanna said. "Far too often they are dismissed."

Paul agreed with the transparency issue.

"I truly believe that this district needs to be more transparent," Paul said. "Far too often, the community feels that something is being hidden from them, far too often they feel as if things are happening without their knowledge."

Another topic discussed was mental health in the district. A question was also asked about what the candidates thoughts were on patrol officers in the schools.

"Many of these unfortunate school shootings have been from people with mental health issues so how do we deal with that," Caridllo said. "If you don't have security, it's going to be a problem, it's problematic. We need to have these young people respect them [officers] and understand that they're there to protect them and I think parents want that protection as well."

True agreed that it is necessary to have patrol officers to protect the students and teachers.

"When I was growing up you were always taught that your police officer is your friend and he's there to help you," True said.

A coordinator of this event says it is important for the candidates as well as the voters to be able to participate in a debate for an election that she says is often overlooked.

"Often times school board elections aren't very highly regarded, I mean people don't much notice of that but every election is important so this gives the candidates who are fully qualified and fully desirous of being on the school board an opportunity for them to meet the public and the public to meet them," Karen McBride said.

The debate was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the Oneida County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Mohawk Valley Latino Association.

Luke Perry, a professor from Utica College, was the moderator of the debate.

The election is May 21.
It helps me clean. Where I can clean my trailer real good. Keep my mind off my son.

Linda Sue Mays admits to using meth, but she says she would never use it around her grandchildren.

I wish to God that I never would have been in introduced to it. I didnt think it would ever be something like this.

But Mays, along with grandfather, Russell Mays, and mother and father, Lindsey Browning and Christopher Mays, are accused of criminal abuse because deputies say a 7-month-old baby boy ingested meth.

Theres something bad going on that residence for sure, for the child to actually ingest, says Laurel County Deputy Gilbert Acciardo. How could the child actually come in contact with it?

Sadly, pediatricians in Laurel County say this can be a common problem.

Yes, unfortunately, yes, we do see it occasionally, says Dr. Indira Moodumane, with Parkway Pediatrics. I would love to say no, but we do see, on a regular basis, quite a few.

The baby is at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UK Med Center. If he recovers, doctors say the child faces a long road to recovery.

It could be chemical burns, inability to sleep, disturbances, learning disabilities.

Linda Sue Mays says, I just want to add that I would never hurt my grandson. Never in my life any of my grandkids. I love them all.

The child remains in the hospital. His current condition is unknown.
SEOUL, May 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's presidential Blue House on Thursday expressed worry about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s launch of projectiles earlier in the day, which were believed to be short-range missiles.

Ko Min-jung, Blue House spokesperson, said in a statement that the projectile firings would be of no help for efforts to improve inter-Korean relations and defuse military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea was "very worried" about the firings, the Blue House spokesperson said.

The DPRK fired off two unidentified projectiles, presumed to be short-range missiles, from an area in North Pyongan province, north of Pyongyang, at about 4:29 p.m. (0729 GMT) and 4:49 p.m. local time (0749 GMT) each.

The projectiles flew about 420 km and 270 km, respectively, in the direction of the east, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). They traveled at an altitude of about 50 km.

The JCS said the South Korean military intensified surveillance and defense readiness in preparation for the possibly additional projectile launches, noting that it maintained a full readiness in close cooperation with the United States.

The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States were precisely analyzing the projectiles for further information.

It came just five days after the DPRK fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast Saturday.

The South Korean military believed that the short-range projectiles were fired from 240-mm and 300-mm multiple rocket launchers and a new type of tactical guided weapons.

The short-range projectiles traveled between 70 km and 240 km at an altitude of some 60 km.

Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, closely monitored situations at the national crisis management center through video conference with the defense ministry and the JCS, the presidential Blue House said.

The DPRK's projectile firings came a day before the second anniversary of Moon's inauguration as the South Korean president on Friday.

Moon was scheduled to appear in a talk show of local broadcaster KBS Thursday night to address the nation about various issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

The denuclearization negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington have been stalled since the second summit between top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump ended with no agreement.

During the phone dialogue with Moon on Tuesday, Trump expressed support for Seoul's humanitarian food aid for DPRK people, saying it would be very timely and positive, according to the Blue House. Enditem
Update: Oakland High Schoolers made $600 from the carwash fundraiser hosted Saturday afternoon. They cleaned nearly 20 cars.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  An Oakland High School senior chose to use his senior project to give back to students.

Tommy Banales is hosting a student-led carwash fundraiser at 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 11 at Oakland High School Located at 1100 Elizabeth St., Lafayette, IN 47904.

These kids, they don't get love at home sometimes and maybe this, this is love to them you know, an opportunity to tell them, you know, I got them, said Banales.

Tommy is graduating from Oakland High School on May 31. To earn his final class credit, he chose to do something that would benefit his classmates.

It was optional, and I decided to do a community project, said Banales. The community project was to help students balance their lunch accounts.

Although the original plan was to raise money for Oakland student lunch accounts through the carwash, Lafayette School Corporation regulations require the money go to all eligible students under LSC.

That money is not going to amount to all the kids that are in one school corporation so what we plan on doing is fundraising for student council, said Banales.

The money will go into an Oakland student council fund to help provide needs such as a food pantry and learning tools like backpacks, pencils, and calculators.

We are the non-traditional high school in the corporation, said Oakland Science Teacher Kathryn Parthun. We have about 60 students so we have kids here who are teen parents, we've got kids who've been bullied, we've got kids, who, anxiety-wise can't handle being in a school with 2,000 other kids. 

Despite these challenges, Parthun, who has helped lead Tommy through this fundraiser said these kids are bright.

You see that these kids who maybe don't have the best of luck still want to give back and they still want to do something positive, said Parthun.

The carwash is a free will fundraiser so any amount helps.
Abraham Lincoln said; discourage litigation, persuade your neighbours to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the normal winner is often a loser in fees, expense, cost and time.

Mediation as a mechanism of 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' can be very effectively used. The litigation proceedings in respect of matters like family, divorce, maintenance and alimony or custody, the trial of Juvenile Offenders or any other matrimonial cause are seen in legal terms. They need to be viewed as a social issue requiring therapeutic approach. Winning or losing is not the prima facie concern in these cases. The important part here is an amicable settlement between people who are/were bound by family. Professional assistance in this area will help them to deal with their issues and resolve their differences. The activity of mediation appeared in very ancient times. The practice developed in Ancient Greece (which knew the non-marital mediator as a proxenetas), then in Roman civilization. (Roman law, starting from Justinian's Digest of 530533 CE) recognized mediation. The concept of amicable settlement of disputes is not new to India. In olden days, the disputes were used to be resolved by Panchayat where elder people used to resolve the dispute. In tales of Maryada Ramanna people used go to a gentleman, who heard their disputes and settled amicably by applying common sense. The traditional 'Justice Delivery System' all over the world has come over burdened, due to explosion of litigation which necessitated again to search for 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' System. There are several reasons for this, such as urbanization and waning of non-judicial traditional dispute resolution institutions. This has resulted delay in disposal of cases. Mediation is a remedial supplementary process for amicable resolution of disputes between disputants within reasonable time with no additional costs. 'Alternative Dispute Resolution', began in industrial relations in Australia long before the arrival of the modern ADR movement. One of the first statutes passed by the Commonwealth Parliament was the Conciliation & Arbitration Act, 1904. This allowed the Federal Government to pass laws on conciliation and arbitration for the prevention and settlement of industrial disputes extending beyond the limits of any one State. Since the early 1980s a number of institutions in South Africa have championed mediation. The Independent Mediation Service of South Africa (IMSSA) was established in 1984. In Canada, Codes of Conduct for mediators are set by professional organizations. In France, professional mediators have created an organization to develop a rational approach to conflict resolution. This approach is based on a "scientific" definition of a person and a conflict. In Germany, due to the Mediation Act of 2012, mediation as a process and the responsibilities of a mediator are legally defined. Within the United States, the laws governing mediation vary by State. LEGAL RECOGNITION OF MEDIATION IN INDIA Arbitration, as a dispute resolution process was recognized as early as 1879 and also found a place in the Civil Procedure Code of 1908.

The concept of mediation received legislative recognition in India for the first time in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The conciliators appointed under Section 4 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 are "charged with the duty of mediating in and promoting the settlement of Industrial disputes. Detailed procedures were prescribed for conciliation proceedings under the Act.

There are several provisions in the legislation that provides for conciliation and settlement before litigating in the Court.

Section 89 of Civil Procedure of Code, 1908 and Order XXXII-A of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 focuses on judge's role in attempting a reconciliation. provides for 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' mechanism to be followed in the cases where there is a possibility of a settlement. Mediation is one of such techniques prescribed in Section 89 for reaching an amicable solution. However, under this section consent of both parties is necessary and many times in matrimonial disputes one party is unwilling to go for mediation.

In Section 23 (2) and 23 (3) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Court is directed to try reconciliation between the divorce-seeking parties, depending upon the nature and circumstance of a case. Same is laid down in Section 34 (3) and 34 (4) of the Special Marriage Act, 1954 making reconciliation as the option to be opted by Court at first instance in divorce cases.

Family Courts Act, 1984 obliged the Courts to try and bring about a settlement in the family disputes if possible.

The Indian Legislature made headway by enacting 'The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987' by constituting the National Legal Services Authority as a Central Authority with the Honb'le Chief Justice of India as its Patron-in-Chief. The Indian Parliament enacted the Arbitration & Conciliation Act in 1996, making elaborate provisions for conciliation of disputes arising out of legal relationship, whether contractual or not, and to all proceedings relating thereto. In 1999, the Indian Parliament passed the CPC Amendment Act of 1999 inserting Section 89 in the Code of Civil Procedure 1908, providing for reference of cases pending in the Courts to ADR which included mediation. The Amendment was brought into force with effect from 1st July, 2002. Section 89 provides for Arbitration, Conciliation, Judicial Settlement through Lok Adalat and Mediation. These methods help in quick disposal of the cases and less expensive, time-saving and reduces the burden of the Courts. On the basis of the report submitted by the Hon'ble Justice Jagannath Rao Committee (which was issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court after Salem Advocates Case No.1, 2002), wherein, the Honble Supreme Court of India stated the modalities to be followed.

Matrimonial mediation

In India, a family is considered as the basic unit of society and marriage as the most important relationships within family influencing morality and civilization.

Problems in Matrimonial Disputes

In matrimonial disputes, what are the real problems that confront a divorcing couple? Begin with the definition of divorce. Black Law Dictionary defines divorce as a complete legal dissolution of a marriage. Interestingly, however, marriage has a much broader definition. Brittanica  Webster defines marriage as the institution whereby a man and a woman are joined in a special social and legal relationship for the purpose of making a home and raising a family.

Thus, it is interesting to see that marriage is viewed as a legal and social union of two people, however, divorce is merely viewed as the legal termination of said marriage. These definitions in and of themselves highlight one of the basic problems that occur when a couple chooses to divorce. Namely, although the legal system is equipped to deal with the legal problems to divorce. Namely, although the legal system is equipped to deal with the legal problems that the couple faces when divorcing, it does not address nor it is equipped to deal with the social and emotional issues that confront the couple.

Once the emotional or social issues are dealt with, it makes the resolution of the legal issues much easier. Taking it a step further, what most people are arguing about is not legal or financial issues, but rather arguments fuelled by their desire to get some form of revenge for a perceived wrong by the other spouse. Mediation cuts the price and the long process of litigation. It is a confidential and ethical process and does not harm the sentiments of either party.

Mediation in Divorce Cases

Marriage holds a very sacred concept and is an ideal pre-requisite to bringing a family into its existence. Also, Marriage is a child-centric heterosexual institution in our society. However, if marriage as a unit breaks down, then adjustment of various relations is required rupturing the usual structure and peace of the family. So, the family laws and Courts mostly encourage in matrimonial disputes for reconciliation and settlement by amicable agreement instead of litigating in Courts. [G. V Rao v L. H. V. Prasad, (2000) 3 SCC 693]

Now comes the question What is mediation?

Mediation is a settlement process in which either parties or Courts appoint a mediator who helps both the parties on reaching an amicable solution or agreement. Mediator is a neutral third person who helps parties to compromise by facilitating discussion between the parties: directly, by helping them in communication, by assisting parties in identifying issues, reducing misunderstandings, clarifying priorities, exploring areas of compromise, generating options to solve the dispute and emphasizing that it is the parties own responsibility for making decision which affects them; without imposing any terms of settlement on either party. [The Civil Procedure Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Rules, 2003]

The same functions Court asked to follow if Mediator is someone who after the parties play a major role in settling the dispute. Therefore, in a whole mediation process, the role of a mediator is of great significance. The basic difference among the Police, the Judge and the mediator is that, the Police is trained to frame or prove a charge, a Judge is to focus his attention on right or wrong doing but a mediator / counselor is to focus on restoration of equilibrium and remain non-judgmental all through. The mediator remains on guard against his temptation to belittle or give lift to one or other party.

India is a common law country that follows an adversarial system of justice. In recent years, the role of the judiciary has expanded and has become more complex in nature. The increasing role of the judiciary has resulted in huge expenditures and undue delays in delivering justice to the seeker of justice. The number of courts has increased the recent years, but the problem still exists because of the likewise increase in the number of cases.

One of the methods to deal with the problem of increasing number of cases is, resolving disputes through the method of arbitration. 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' shows the importance of Article 21 of Constitution of India, which stands for right to life, includes right to have a speedy trial. By adopting arbitration methods, one can have an efficient and timely disposal of his dispute.

Effectiveness of mediation proceedings

The growing cost of civil litigation and the excessive delays in dispensing judgments is causing a huge backlog of cases in courts. Mediation, as an alternative remedy has proven to be successful and effective in many situations. Currently, mediation has grown up to be the most preferred way of alternative dispute resolution, especially amongst foreign entities. The reasons include less expenditure and informal and flexible rules. Mediation is often used as the first step to resolve any dispute and failing any resolution under mediation, parties agree that disputes will be referred to arbitration. Now most commercial contracts first refer the dispute to mediation, and if the proceedings are not successful, then the matter is referred to arbitration.

In words of Justice Markanday Katju, [B. S. Krishna Murthy & Anr. Vs B. S. Nagaraj & Ors., S. L. P (Civil) No. (s) 2896 of 2010], In our opinion, the lawyers should advise their clients to try for mediation for resolving the disputes, especially where relationships, like family, business, are involved. Otherwise, the litigation drags on for years and decades often ruining both the parties. Hence, the lawyers as well as litigants should follow Mahatma Gandhis advice in the matter and try for arbitration/mediation. This is also the purpose of Section 89 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The dispute in the case was between brothers, and they were directed to appear before Bangalore Mediation Centre for resolution of the dispute. In a very recent case titled Aviral Bhatla Vs Bhavana Bhatla, 2009 (3) SCC 448, the Supreme Court has upheld the settlement of the case through the Delhi mediation centre, appreciating the effective manner in which the mediation centre of the Delhi High Court helped the parties to arrive at a settlement.

In 2013, Supreme Court in the case of K. Srinivas Rao V D. A. Deepa, AIR 2013 SC 2176 opined that even in criminal non-compoundable cases where parties want to settle should be sent for mediation, making it necessary for divorce cases to have mediation if there is a scope of the settlement between parties. It also ordered all mediation centres to have pre-litigation disks/clinics and publicise it amongst the masses so that matrimonial disputes can be solved without reaching the stage of the litigation.

In the case of Gaurav Nagpal vs Sumedha Nagpal;, AIR 2009 SC 557, the Honble Supreme Court observed: It is a very disturbing phenomenon that large numbers of cases are flooding the courts relating to divorce or judicial separation. The provisions relating to divorce in HMA categorise situations in which a decree for divorce can be sought for. Merely because such a course is available to be adopted, should not normally provide incentive to persons to seek divorce, unless the marriage has irretrievably broken. Efforts should be to bring about conciliation to bridge the communication gap which lead to such undesirable proceedings. People rushing to courts for breaking up of marriages should come as a last resort, and unless it has an inevitable result, courts should try to bring about conciliation. The emphasis should be on saving of marriage and not breaking it. As noted above it is more important in cases where the children bear the brunt of dissolution of marriage.

With the changing scenario, a number of cases involving matrimonial disputes are coming forward. The number of petitions involving such disputes leads to a judicial backlog. 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' provides for a legal structure for resolving issues involving private parties. Matrimonial litigation is disproportionately burdensome to our Courts. Marriage in India is considered as a sacrament and not a contract. Mediation is a mere facilitator that helps the parties to reach for a settlement in dispute. Here parties get more flexible because of the friendly environment unlike courts, which are not so friendly in nature, it is free from complex procedures, easy to understand and, therefore, parties cooperate pleasantly. Mediation serves as very helpful dispute mechanism in the case where, divorce is due to cruelty, unsound mind, some communicable or dangerous diseases etc. in cases like these, such matter can be communicated and confessed easily and effectively because their confessions will not go outside the room. It is a private and confidential mechanism, unlike Courts which are open to the public. Mediation provides the best platform in divorce cases as it helps parties in arriving at a settlement peacefully.

Divorce is a potential minefield in terms of the impact it can have on the parties, their children and their extended families. Getting divorced is one of the most painful events in ones life, and if not handled carefully and sensitively, it could lead to severe distress. For children, the divorce of their parents can be devastating, particularly if the intensity and duration of parental conflict is high. The legal system should aim to minimize the possibly traumatic fallout of a divorce. When parties approach the courts in matrimonial matters, their emotional scars are often deepened by the adversarial process; parties are unable to voice their emotional grievances and there is not much scope for empathy. Lawyers need to highlight the other sides faults, leading to a rupture in communication between parties and hardening of 2 parties and their families could end up enduring high levels of stress and hostility for considerable periods. Healing the scars As a couple faces the rupture of their most intimate relationship, the appropriate dispute resolution mechanism would re-open their channels of communication, explore their misunderstandings, investigate if there is any life left in the marriage and examine if the divorce petition is merely a ploy to teach the other spouse a lesson. Where vows have been taken until death do us part and sacred knots have been tied, and unforeseen circumstances occurred leading to divorce, the couple faces a number of complex decisions. How can lifestyles be sustained and how are assets divided? How best can the children be cared for? An adversarial setting could be counter-productive for exploring such issues. Mediation can help explore the core interests and concerns of the parties and find creative options that maximize the welfare of both the parties and their children. We are too hung up on being right that we don't realize the true goal in resolving conflict. Being the winner of a fight isn't going to help the relationship at all. Coming to even ground and understand the other person's point of view can help the two of you figure out how to correctly solve whatever the issue is. The goal of resolving conflict in a relationship is not victory or defeat. It's reaching understanding and letting go of our need to be right.



Join LAWyersClubIndia's network for daily News Updates, Judgment Summaries, Articles, Forum Threads, Online Law Courses, and MUCH MORE!!"





Join our Telegram group

Join our Whatsapp group

"Loved reading this piece by Dinesh Singh Chauhan Join LAWyersClubIndia's network for daily News Updates, Judgment Summaries, Articles, Forum Threads, Online Law Courses, and MUCH MORE!!"

Tags : Others
Glenn Armstrong, left, stands before a judge in Uxbridge District Court in 2017, where he was arraigned on one count of murder in connection with the death of his father.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Ernest A. Brown photo

Capt. Ed Cunanan, organizer of the Woonsocket Police Departments annual C.O.P.S. Walk, now in its 19th year, far right, embraces an emotional Robert Shaw, father of the late Providence Police Officer Steven Shaw, killed in the line of duty 25 years ago. Shaw was presented with a C.O.P.S. Walk shirt designed in his sons memory by Officer Michael Martinson, center, during a ceremony outside Woonsocket Police headquarters Thursday morning.
Switzerland is known for its high altitude railways that zig-zag their way through the mountainous terrain of the Swiss Alps. They connect tourist destinations in the country with each other. Jungfrau Railway is the highest railway in Switzerland as well as in all of Europe.

The Highest Railway Systems of Switzerland

1. Jungfrau Railway

Jungfrau Railway is a 1,000 mm meter gauge railway track that runs for 9 km almost entirely through the Jungfrau Tunnel but into the mountains. The railway line runs between the Kleine Scheidegg mountain pass at 2,061 m to Jungfraujoch at 3,454 m. The Jungfrau Tunnel has two stations at its middle where passengers can disembark to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery outside through windows built into the mountain. The Jungfrau railway was opened in 1912 and is currently owned by Jungfraubahn AG.

2. Gornergrat Railway

Europes second highest railway station, the Gornergrat railway station, is located at an altitude of 3,090 m on the summit of the Gornergrat mountain. It is served by the Gornergrat mountain rack railway that links it to the Zermatt resort village at 1,604 m. The Gornergrat Railway is the continents tallest open-air railway. The railway runs for around 9 km. It was opened in 1898 and is currently owned by BVZ Holding. Tourists are the main passengers of the Gornergrat Railway. The Gornergrat mountain is a starting point for many hikes. It is surrounded by many lofty Alpine peaks and numerous glaciers.

3. Bernina Railway

Switzerlands third highest railway, the Bernina Railway, is a single-track, 1,000 mm meter gauge railway line. It runs between the St. Moritz spa resort in the Swiss Canton of Graubunden and the Italian town of Tirano. On its way, it traverses the Bernina Pass. The railway has a maximum elevation of 2,253 m above sea level. It is one the worlds steepest railways and Europes highest railway crossing. In 2008, the Bernina Railway became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the third highest in Switzerland, it is Europe's 5th highest railway, passed by Germany's Zugspitze (2,650 m) and France's Mont Blanc (2,372 m).

4. Brienz Rothorn Railway

The Brienz Rothorn Railway is Switzerland fourth highest railway. It is a tourist rack railway that links the municipality of Brienz on the northern shores of Lake Brienz with the Brienzer Rothorn mountains summit at an elevation of 2,244 m. Interestingly, this railway runs on only steam which acts as a major attraction for tourists.

Swiss Trains Tours

Switzerland is an extremely popular tourist destination in Europe and Swiss train tours are a major attraction for visitors to the country. Such tours include scenic journeys across the Alpine mountain landscape and the thrill of adventure associated with the steep inclines of the rail routes. Thus, many travel companies operating in the country offer train tours as part of their itinerary.
Iceland is an island country in the North Atlantic, located south of the Arctic Circle. It is approximately 290 kilometers off south of Greenland, 860 kilometers from Scotland, and about 4,200 kilometers from New York. Although the country comprises numerous islands, the main island covers 98.8% of the countrys total area (101,826 square kilometers of the 103,000 square kilometers). The main island is Europes second-largest and the worlds 18th largest island. Iceland has a coastline of about 4,970 kilometers.

Map of Iceland showing major glaciers, water bodies, islands, etc.

Contents:

Climate

The climate of Iceland can be described as subpolar oceanic and sub-arctic climates. The subpolar climate dominates the southern coastal areas, while the sub-arctic climate is common in highland areas. The countrys climate is influenced by the North Atlantic Current, which makes the conditions much warmer than other places on the same latitude. However, the countrys weather is unpredictable and varies with location and topography. The north coast is colder, drier, and less winder than the south coast, while central highlands are the countrys coldest areas. The northern lowland areas are the driest.

Aerial image of Reykjavik the capital of Iceland after heavy snowfall in winter.

Icelands climate is characterized by cool, damp summers and mild, windy winters. Winters are generally mild due to the maritime and warm ocean current influence. Winter temperatures average 14 degrees Fahrenheit in the north, with the lowest ever recorded temperatures being -39.5 degrees Fahrenheit. During summers, temperature averages 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit in the southern parts. However, temperatures can reach 77 degrees Fahrenheit on warmer summer days. Thunderstorms are rare across the islands, with less than five storms annually. The storms result from air masses originating from Europe.

Islands

Panorama of Heimaey Island and city at Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, Iceland.

Iceland comprises one big island, at least 30 smaller islands, and numerous rock formations. However, the sizes of these islands vary from time to time due to sea action and volcanic activities. Besides the main island, only four islands are inhabited, while the rest are tourist or birds nesting spots. The four inhabited islands are Heimaey, Flatey, Hrisey, and Grimsey. The main island covers about 99% of the countrys total land area (101,826 sq. km of 103,000 sq. km).

At 13.4 square kilometers, Heimaey is the largest island off the main islands coast and Vestmannaeyjars largest island, hosting some 4,200 people. Hrisey is approximately 8 square kilometers but hosts less than 200 people. Grimsey, located 40 kilometers off the main islands north, covers 5.3 square kilometers and is home to about 76 people. Flatey is the largest of the West Iceland islands, which comprises over 40 small islands and islets. It is home to about five people. Other Icelandic islands are Hjorsey, Brokey, and Popey.

Mountains

Scenic view of Iceland's mountains.

Iceland has mountains and volcanoes of all sizes and shapes. In Westfjords, mountains have table-like tops with fjords, while in the east, the mountains are generally rugged. The Westfjords mountains date back 10-16 million years and were shaped by glacial activities. The younger mountains were mainly formed when the Eurasian and American plates collided. Several mountains can be seen from the capital, Reykjavik, including Snfellsjokull, Esjan, and Akrafjall.

Ten Icelandic mountains are at least 1,500 meters tall, of which two rises above 2,000 meters. Orfajokull, an active volcano, is Icelands highest volcano. Hvannadalshnukur, one of the volcanos peaks, is the countrys highest mountain at 2110 meters. Bararbunga is the second-highest peak, at 2009 meters. Other major mountains are Kverkfjoll, Snfell, and Hofsjokull.

Rank Highest Mountains in Iceland Elevation 1 Hvannadalshnjukur 2,110 meters 2 Baroarbunga 2,000 meters 3 Kverkfjoll 1,920 meters 4 Snaefell 1,833 meters 5 Hofsjokull 1,765 meters 6 Heroubreio 1,682 meters 7 Eiriksjokull 1,675 meters 8 Eyjafjallajokull 1,666 meters 9 Tungnafellsjokull 1,540 meters 10 Kerling 1,538 meters

Volcanoes

Lava Flows from Mount Fagradalsfjall, Iceland.

Iceland is one of the Earths youngest landmasses located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Iceland hotspot. The location and age make the island a geologically active region with frequent volcanoes and earthquakes. The island itself formed from a large crack on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the American and Eurasia plates meet. Today, Icelands land area is growing at a rate of 5 cm annually.

Iceland is characterized by frequent volcanoes, including Eldfell, Hekla, Herubrei, and Eldgja. Eyjafjallajokull erupted in 2010, causing transportation delays, especially European air traffic. Grimsvotn erupted in 2011, while Holuhraun is the latest volcano to erupt, erupting continuously for seven months between August 2014 and February 2015. The 1.4 cubic kilometers of lava produced by the erupting volcano covered about 85 square kilometers, Icelands largest lava field since 1783.

Orfajokull is Icelands largest volcano and the countrys highest peak, at 2119 meters above sea level. This active, ice-covered volcano is located in the Vatnajokull National Park. Orfajokull last erupted in 1728, with increased earthquake activities recorded in 2017 and 2018. Other large volcanoes are Bararbunga, Kverkfjoll, and Hofsjokull.

Rank Name Elevation (m) 1 Orfajokull 2119 2 Bararbunga 2005 3 Kverkfjoll 1920 4 Hofsjokull 1782 5 Esjufjoll 1760 6 Grimsvotn 1725 7 Laki 1725 8 Herubrei 1682 9 Eyjafjallajokull 1666 10 Loki-Fogrufjoll 1570

Glaciers

Skaftafell glacier, Vatnajokull National Park, Iceland.

Although Iceland lies close to the Arctic Circle, glacier covers only 11% of its total land area, about 11,400 square kilometers. The island is home to about 269 glaciers of all kinds, including ice caps, mountain glaciers, outlet glaciers, alpine cirque glaciers, piedmonts, and ice streams. Glaciers are Icelands major tourist attractions, with glacier tours popular throughout the country. However, climate change is increasingly leading to ice loss, a concern to the government and conservation societies.

Icelands ice caps cover less than 50,000 square kilometers and are common in highland areas, including summits of volcanoes such as Grimsvotn and Bararbunga. The Bararbunga ice cap covers about 60 square kilometers, while Grimsvotn is 100 square kilometers. However, Vatnajokull is the countrys largest and Europes second-largest ice cap by area, spanning 7,900 square kilometers, about 8% of the countrys total area. It is Europes largest ice cap by volume, at 3,000 cubic kilometers. The ice has an average thickness of 380 meters. There are numerous volcanoes under the ice cap, some of which continue to erupt, leading to flooding incidences.

Rank Glacier or Ice Cap Area km 1 Vatnajokull 8,300 2 Langjokull 953 3 Hofsjokull 925 4 Myrdalsjokull 596 5 Drangajokull 160 6 Eyjafjallajokull 78 7 Tungnafellsjokull 48 8 orisjokull 32 9 Eiriksjokull 22 10 randarjokull 22

Lakes

Lake Myvatn in Iceland.

There are numerous lakes in Iceland which formed from different geological and geographical processes. Some lakes like orisvatn and ingvallavatn are of tectonic origin, while Skorradalsvatn and Logurinn resulted from the valley deepening by glacial erosion or lava flow. Lakes like Grnalon were dug by glaciers and occasionally empty beneath the glacier, causing jokulhlaups to form. Although Iceland receives about 2,000 mm of rainfall annually, some lakes are filled by the melting glacier.

20 Icelandic lakes have a surface area of more than 10 square kilometers, and 40 other lakes are between 2.5 and 10 square kilometers. ingvallavatn is the countrys largest lake, at 84 square kilometers, followed by orisvatn, at 83-86 square kilometers. However, orisvatn is the largest lake by volume, at 330 gigaliters, while Lake Oskjuvatn is Icelands deepest lake, at 217 meters.

Rank Name Of The Lake Area Occupied By The Lake (in km) 1 orisvatn 8386 2 ingvallavatn 84 3 Halslon 57 4 Blondulon 57 5 Lagarfljot (Logurinn) 53 6 Hagongulon 37 7 Myvatn 37 8 Hop 2944 9 Hvitarvatn 30 10 Langisjor 26

Waterfalls

Waterfall in Iceland.

Due to the impact of glaciers, Iceland hosts some incredible waterfalls on Earth. The waterfalls are surrounded by nature and scattered throughout the country. They contain some of the pure glacier water that carves through rocks to create fascinating shapes. The glaciers result from the frequent snow and rains and the countrys location near the Arctic. Some of the famous waterfalls in the Iceland area Dettifoss, Gulfoss, Haifoss, Skogafoss, and Selfoss.

Dettifoss is Icelands most powerful waterfall located in Vatnajokull National Park. It is considered Europes second most powerful waterfall after Rhine Fall. Dettifoss is 100 meters wide 44 meters wide, with a water flow of 193 cubic meters per second. Morsarfoss, also located in the national park, is Icelands tallest waterfall, with a height of 240 meters.

National Parks

Ice Cave in Vatnajokull, Iceland.

Before 2008, Iceland had four national parks. However, two of the national parks, Skaftafell and Jokulsargljufur, were merged and became part of the Vatnajokull National Park. The other two national parks are Snfellsjokull and ingvellir. Vatnajokull National Park is Icelands largest national park, spanning over 14,141 square kilometers. It is located in South-East Iceland and has varieties of features, including volcanoes, rivers, and the Vatnajokull glacier, Europes largest glacier. The glacier has a surface area of about 7,900 square kilometers and a thickness of 400-600 meters. The glacier is surrounded by high plateaus, broad wetlands, and high mountain ridges. It was declared a World Heritage Site in July 2019.

Snfellsjokull is located in West Iceland and covers about 170 square kilometers. The parks main attraction is the 700 thousand-year-old ice-capped stratovolcano known as Snfellsjokull. The national park was established in 2001. ingvellir is a national park in Southwest Iceland used as Icelands annual parliament site (Aling) between 930 CE and 1998 CE. The park is about 40 kilometers off Reykjaviks northeast. It is an important cultural, geological, and historical park.

Natural Resources

Fishing ships in Husavik Harbour, Iceland, Europe.

Iceland has three major natural resources that have contributed significantly to its economic growth over the years. These major resources are fisheries, water, and renewable energy. Fishing has been one of the countrys major economic activities since ancient times. Fisheries were so important to Iceland that they fought the UK over fishing limits. Today, Icelands exclusive economic zone is approximately 751,345 square kilometers. Fish accounts for about 40% of the countrys export value. In 2011, the sector contributed 27% of the GDP. According to the labor department, fisheries employ over 5% of the total workforce.

Geothermal power plant located at Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland.

Iceland has vast amounts of geothermal and hydroelectric power due to its location. The country generates almost all its energy from clean sources, making it the worlds largest renewable energy user. About 90% of homeowners use geothermal power to heat their homes. The government has constructed geothermal plants throughout the country, including Krafla and Nesjavellir.

Although Iceland is surrounded by the saline Atlantic Ocean, it has plenty of pure water. It is one of the major exporters of bottled water, with its water becoming more popular globally. Water remains an essential natural resource in Iceland because of its industrial and home use. Up to 70% of the countrys electricity is hydropower, while other industries also rely on water for production.
Comoros is an island country in the Indian Ocean situated in the northern end of the Mozambique Channel. The country comprises of three main islands in the Comoros Archipelago and several other minor islands. The archipelago is located between the African coast and Madagascar, with no land border between the two. Comoros covers a total area of approximately 785 square miles, making it one of the smallest countries in the world. It also claims 120 square miles of the territorial sea. The capital city is Moroni, located on the Ngazidja, the largest island of the Comoros Archipelago. Comoros has a population of 850,680 people, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The country is heavily reliant on the fishing and tourism industries.

Economy of Comoros

Comoros is one of the poorest countries in the world with very few natural resources. The country has an estimated GDP per capita income of $700 and a very high unemployment rate of 14.3%. Agriculture is the leading sector in the economy, accounting for 38.4% of the workforce in Comoros. The current priorities for the government are poverty reduction and economic growth. The high population density and growth, especially in the agricultural zone has affected agricultural production since agricultural land is being converted to settlements. The fiscal policies are continuously constrained by the high civil service wage bill, erratic fiscal revenue, and external debts. Industrial activities such as manufacturing and processing do not contribute much to the economy. The principal industries involve those processing cash crops for export. Other industries are mainly geared towards meeting domestic demand. Here are some of the notable industries in Comoros.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the leading economic activity in Comoros, involving over 80% of the population and accounts for about 40% of the total GDP. It is the source of almost all the countrys foreign revenue. About 76% of the land of Comoros is under cultivation, the most of any country in the world. There are two agricultural zones in the country; the highland area where crops for consumption such as rice, bananas, cassava, and sweet potatoes are cultivated, and the coastal area which supports mainly the cash crops such as cloves, ylang-ylang, and vanilla. Comoros is one of the major producers of ylang-ylang essence, derived from flowers of a tree originally obtained from Indonesia. This essence is used in the manufacture of soaps and perfumes. Comoros is also one of the largest producers of vanilla and cloves. The production of the three cash crops fluctuates considerably in response to changes in the global market and natural disasters. This industry is also the major source of raw material for other industries such as manufacturing and food processing industries.

Fishing

Fishing is the second most important economic activity after agriculture, accounting for 8% of the total GDP and 10% of the total workforce. The share of the fishing sector in the GDP decreased from 10% in 2010 to 8% in 2013, indicating how subsistence and informal the sector is and its vulnerability to shocks. The fishing sector was prioritized in the governments growth strategy for 2010-2014. The sector can be divided into three sub-sectors; artisanal, traditional, and semi-industrial. Traditional fishing involves the use of dugout canoes, locally known as ngalawas. Traditional fishing activities are confined to inshore waters within the reef ecosystem. Artisanal fishing involves the use of motorized fishing crafts such as planked, locally known as fedewas, and fiberglass boats. This equipment mainly targets medium-sized pelagic fish. Semi-industrial fishing involves the use of modern and longer fiberglass boats and is part of the integrated fisheries development project that is being promoted by the National Fishing Company. Industrial fishing in Comoros exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is conducted almost entirely by foreign tuna fleet. The entire domestic fish production is mainly sold in the local market as either fresh or dried fish. Although fish exporting is almost non-existent, Comoros is working at exporting fishery products, especially to the EU market.

Forestry

The Comoros islands located in the Madagascar Channel between East Africa and Madagascar are unique ecoregions containing rich wildlife and forests. The forests of Comoros are similar to the neighboring Madagascar forests, although they contain 500 more endemic plants. In 2000, forests in Comoros covered an area of approximately 8,000 hectares. However, with the high population growth rate, parts of the forests have been cleared to give way for settlements. The forests consist of numerous fruit trees and tropical hardwood. These forests have been sources of timber mainly for local use. The timbers are mainly used in the construction and manufacture of papers. However, the contribution if this industry is very minimal to the economy of Comoros that it accounts for less than 1% of the GDP. The government has encouraged sustainable timber harvesting but still has to deal with illegal lumbering.

Tourism

The tourism industry in Comoros developed from the penetration of the Comorian economy by South Africa during Ahmed Abdallahs regime. Although the investors from South Africa constructed or renovated several hotels on the islands in the 1980s, only a few hotels are still operating. Political instability and competition from other venues have inhabited the growth of tourism. The tourism industry in Comoros is not as strong as its neighbors but the contribution to the economy is still significant. The country has several natural resources such as beautiful beaches and the marine environment that are capable of attracting tourists. Tourists who visit Comoros are mainly wealthy Europeans and Americans. The countrys major attractions are the beaches, mountain sceneries, underwater fishing, and unique bird species.

Other Notable Industries

Comoros does not have many industries like some of its neighbors. Apart from the above industries, others include the processing industry which is mainly involved in processing agricultural produce for local use and export. Vanilla processing and distilling of ylang-ylang for export are the major components of this industry. The construction industry is also coming up, with the demand and importation of construction material on the rise. The manufacturing industry is not well developed and involves mainly artisans and those involved in handcrafts.
Djibouti is a small country on the Horn of Africa bordering Ethiopia in the east and north, Eritrea in the south, Somali in the northwest, and the Gulf of Eden and the Red Sea at the west. The country is strategically situated near some of the largest shipping lanes, controlling access to the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Djibouti is a key maritime port for both imports and exports to Ethiopia.

Economy of Djibouti

The economy of Djibouti has largely been promoted by its strategic location on the Red Sea. Being a barren country with little agriculture and industrial activities, the economy has largely concentrated on the service sector. Djibouti has a harsh climate, limited natural resources, and unskilled labor. The growth has also been slowed down by the civil war experienced in the country between 1991 and 1994 which had devastating effects on the economy. However, the country has witnessed improvement in macroeconomic stability, with annual GDP improving at an average of 3% from 2003. Despite the promising growth, Djibouti still faces several economic challenges including unemployment and poverty. The rate of unemployment is at 43% and is the main cause of poverty in the country. The high unemployment rate is a result of the lack of well-developed industries that can offer employment. The available industries have low production capacity and can only offer few jobs. Here are some of the industries in Djibouti.

Service Industry (Port Services)

Djibouti has recorded very little development in the agricultural and industrial sectors, partly due to its barrenness and lack of sufficient skilled labor. However, its strategic location connecting the Gulf of Eden and the Red Sea is probably its main economic asset. Djibouti is a port country with a state-of-the-art port complex which is one of the most sophisticated in the world. The port provides services as both a transit port and an international transshipment and refueling center. The service sector, which is largely port services accounts for about 79.7% of the GDP and about half of the total formal workforce. The facilities of Port of Djibouti is used by several landlocked countries to re-export their goods. Thus, the county earns harbor fees and transit taxes from these trades, forming the bulk of government revenue. The container terminal at the port handles the bulk of the countrys trade. Trade through the port is expected to grow in parallel with the expanding economy of Ethiopia (main trading partner). The major threat to the port services is the pirates patrolling the Gulf of Eden with the intention of capturing cargo ships. To deal with this threat, large nations such as the US, Japan, and France have embedded military camps from where they can defend their freight.

Fishing

Djibouti has 1,883 square miles of territorial water and an Exclusive Economic Zone extending for some 2,700 square miles and the total surface area of water under its control is about 38,610 square miles. Because of such a large water resource, Djiboutis fishery industry is evolving into a major sector (only behind foreign investment and port activities). Compared to other sectors of agriculture, the fisheries sector is the only sector not affected by climatic changes. However, its potential remains largely untapped. The fishery sector is still underdeveloped and its contribution to the GDP is still very low. The country has no large scale industrial fisheries. Fishing is mainly done on a small-scale and by use of basic equipment. Although the current fish production is approximately 2,500 metric tons per year, the country has the potential to sustain 35,000 metric tons per year. The huge difference between the potential and actual production is as a result of lack of enough fishing crafts, processing and storage facilities, and inadequate distribution networks. In Djibouti, the fishing industry has permanently employed 3,000 people. The marine water has enough fish stock to make Djibouti self-sufficient in fish. The country is also a fishing port which benefits fishers in several ways including access to production credit and protection from pirates. Djibouti mainly exports its fish to the European Union market.

Tourism

The tourism sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Djibouti, with about 70,000 arrivals every year, generating US$ 21 billion. Almost half of the visitors come from France and another 20% arriving from other European countries. Most of the tourists visiting the country are friends and families of the soldier stationed at the military base. The tourism industry in Djibouti is regulated by the Ministry of Tourism and Commerce. The country has numerous attractions consisting of national parks, historic sites, mountain ranges, and beaches. The darkened steep cliffs near the western end of the Gulf of Tadjoura is one of the most popular sites in the country. Another popular site is the Day Forest National Park which conserves the rare trees on Mount Goda. However, the principal tourist destination is Djibouti City. The development of the tourism industry has been slowed by the poor infrastructure which makes it difficult for tourists to travel independently and the high cost of private tours.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a country located in Central Africa. Its capital city is Kinshasa. DRC is the second largest country in Africa after Algeria with a total land area of 905,568 square kilometers. It is bordered by South Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Angola, Zambia and the Central African Republic. The country has a population of about 91 million people.

It is believed that the net worth of the DRC in terms of mineral resources is US$24.5 trillion. Some of these minerals include copper, cobalt, silver, gold, diamonds, zinc, uranium, tin, manganese, tungsten and cadmium. DRC is popular worldwide for being the largest producer of copper and cobalt. It is also the worlds second largest producer of diamonds. DRC also has hydrocarbon reserves estimated to be around 1.6 billion barrels of oil and 90 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The minerals found in DRC have been underexploited for several reasons such as frequent civil wars, political instability, lack of proper infrastructure, as well as corruption and mismanagement of public funds. Nonetheless, the mineral resources have contributed greatly to the economy of the county. The GDP of the DRC as of 2018 was around US$77.486 billion.

The Mining Industry

The rich deposits of minerals in the DRC have attracted a lot of foreign investments to the mining industry. Consequently, several mining companies have been set up and operate across the country. The Kinsevere mine, located in the north of Lubumbashi in the Katanga province, is one of the largest copper mines in the world. In 2017, the company led the mining of 80,186 tonnes of copper resulting in three consecutive years of producing over 80,000 tonnes of the mineral. The mining sector accounted for an estimated 11.5% of the GDP of the DRC in 2012. The top mineral exports as at 2017 were refined copper (US$1.9 billion), copper ore (US$960 million), cobalt oxides and hydroxides (USD$721 million), and cobalt ore (US$512 million).

Agriculture Sector

The agricultural industry is a major sector in the economy of DRC as it contributes about 21.6% of the value of the countrys GDP. The agricultural sector also employs about 70% of the countrys population. The country has the second largest rainforest in the world covering very fertile lands. Over 80 million hectares of DRCs land is arable with about 4 million under irrigation. The major cash crops grown in DRC are cocoa, coffee, cotton, palm oil, tea, rubber, sugar cane, corn, peanuts, and cinchona tree. On the other hand, the crops cultivated for local consumption include maize, rice, potatoes, cassava, plantains, and cashew nuts. Agriculture is a fast-growing industry which is responsible for the mass production of food consumed by the citizens of DRC. Due to its significance to the economy of the country, the government of DRC has launched a program focusing on the training of farmers, storage of farm produce, and the marketing of agricultural produce. It also collaborates with other non-governmental organizations to educate farmers on modern farming methods in order to increase crop production.

Fishing Sector

Many rivers and lakes are used for fishing purposes. Fishing in the DRC is divided into two: marine and inland fishing. The country has a very small coastline meaning that marine fishing is only practiced by the artisanal fishermen. Marine fishing contributes to around 4% of the total national fish harvest. Fishing in the lakes and rivers within the country form the inland fishing. Some of these lakes are Lake Tanganyika, Lake Kivu, Lake Edward, Lake Albert, the Congo River Basin, Lake Tumba, and Lake Mai Ndombe. Marine, lake, and river fishing, as well as aquaculture, contributes 12% of the GDP of DRC. The total fish production is estimated to be more than 240,000 metric tonnes per annum. The inland fishing contributes 96% of the annual fish caught. According to the Food and Agricultural Organizations (FAO) report of 2009, 39.6% of the total animal protein consumed in DRC came from fish. The fishing sector has also created over 700,000 jobs either directly or indirectly.

Manufacturing Industry

The manufacturing industry in DRC is not very well developed. However, most of the factories in the country are located in urban centers. The manufacturing industries mostly deal with agricultural products such as sugar, flour, and beverages. Other industries manufacture beer, textile, and clothing, footwear, processing of wood and paper, industrial manufacture of chemicals, cigarettes, glassware, nails, and variety of metal furniture, cement, bricks, and petroleum refining.
Uganda is an East African country with its capital city in Kampala. It covers about 236,040 km2 of dry land and about 36,330 km2 of water. The country has a population of about 44 million people. Uganda is a landlocked country bordered by Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Rwanda. The countrys GDP as of 2017 was USD 25.89 billion which represents about 0.04% of the worlds economy. The major contributors to the economy of Uganda are discussed below:

Tourism Industry

Tourism and travel industry is a fast-growing industry in Uganda. It contributes to about 9-10% of the countrys GDP. The sector has employed over 600,000 people working either as tour guides, drivers, secretaries, translators, and security personnel among other jobs. It has also improved the livelihoods of the locals who sell beautifully hand-made African jewelry, clothes, hats, bags, and many other items. The warmth and hospitality of the people of Uganda have promoted the tourism industry.

Uganda has several tourist attraction sites such as the magnificent scenery of the plains, highlands, mountains and lakes, natural parks and game reserves with a variety of wildlife, and flora and fauna. Statistics indicate that the number of tourists has increased in the past six years from about 1.1 million in 2012 to 1.8 million in 2018. More specifically, the tourist destinations in Uganda include Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Park for game watching, Mount Ruwenzori which is popular for mountaineering, and River Nile (for bird watching, water rafting, and kayaking). Other tourist sites are Lake Victoria and Lake Albert for sport fishing and boat riding, as well as game viewing of mountain gorillas at Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks.

Transport Industry

Transport promotes local, regional and international trade. Thus, a good transport network in a country facilitates the growth of the economy resulting in the generation of revenue for government expenditure and investments. The road is the major form of transport used in Uganda as it has a total road network of about 140,000 kilometers long. The roads not only connect major towns and trading centers in Uganda but also link the country to her East African neighbors, promoting regional trade. Another form of transport used in Uganda is rail transport which is about 1,260 kilometers long. However, according to the 2015 reports from the Ministry of Works and Transport in Uganda, only about 705 kilometers of rail transport is operational. The railways are largely used in the transport of large cargo across the country.

Air transport in Uganda has also contributed immensely to the economy, especially the tourism industry. In the year 2007, there was an upgrade of the Entebbe International Airport to meet the international standards. As a result, the number of tourists and cargo capacity has increased leading to improved regional and international trade. The airport is situated 34 kilometers from the countrys capital of Kampala. Uganda has no port. It only relies on the inland water transport system which covers navigable lakes and rivers. Transport on these water bodies takes place by use of water vessels such as boats, ferries, and canoes. They transport people and goods to trading centers. Lake Victoria links Uganda to Kenya and Tanzania. On the other hand, Lake Albert is shared between DRC and Uganda. In conclusion, motorcycles dominate the transport system of Uganda forming about 50% of all the transport services followed by passenger vehicles (buses, minibuses, and cars) at 30%, light good vehicles at 12%, heavy commercial vehicles at 6%, and agricultural tractors and the rest at 2%.

Fishing Industry

The fishing industry has been very significant to the economy of Uganda. It is the second highest foreign exchange earner in the country after the tourism industry. The fishing sector employs over 700,000 people in fish related activities such as local and industrial fish processing, research and development, sale of fishing gears and equipment, builders of boats, weavers of fishing nets, and the actual traders involved in the fishing business. Water bodies in Uganda cover 18% of its total surface area. The two main sources of fish in the country are lakes and rivers which account for approximately 461,000 tons of fish per year. Fishing practice by aquaculture produces about 111,000 tons of fish.

The presence of many freshwater lakes such as Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake Edward, and Lake George has boosted the fishing sector. There are also a variety of fish species totaling to 350 and ready markets for the fish both locally and internationally. The most common fish species are Nile perch and Tilapia which form 46% and 38% of exports respectively. Other fish types include clarias, silverfish, lungfish, catfish, sprat, eels and Singidia tilapia which are mostly sold and consumed locally.

Manufacturing Industry

The manufacturing industry accounts for about 21% of the GDP and has created job opportunities for almost 7% of Ugandas labor force. Most of the manufacturing industries are foreign. Some factors that influence the location of these industries include; raw materials, fuel, and power, labor, markets, land, water, government influence, and transport. A good number of these industries require raw materials from agricultural products such as coffee, tea, nuts, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables.

Oil And Mining Industry

Uganda has valuable minerals like tin, copper, gold, iron, cobalt, and even cement. These minerals are exploited for their economic value. A gold processing unit was established in Kampala in 2017 to ensure maximization of the profits earned from mining to improve the economic growth of the city. The initiative was also meant to attract investors to trade in the mineral and its associated products in the region. Another important natural resource in Uganda is oil. Oil was discovered in the country in 2006. However, there have been delays in its exploitation due to various logistical issues. The exploitation of the Ugandan oil is now scheduled to start by 2020. About 6.5 billion barrels of oil have been reported. In preparation for the oil extraction, Uganda signed an agreement with Tanzania that will see the construction of crude oil pipelines from Hoima in Uganda through Bukoba to Tanga in Tanzania. A lot of job opportunities will be created but again the manufacturing industry will benefit in proving some of the equipment and tools for the construction of the oil pipelines.
A semi-presidential system of government represents a republic ruled by an elected president, a prime minister, and a cabinet. The president is usually elected and is meant to serve for the fixed term specified by the constitution. Lately, semi-presidential governments have become popular, especially in Western countries. This system of governance has taken various forms in different countries. In some countries, the president and prime minister have equal powers. However, in other countries, either the prime minister or the president exhibits more executive powers than the other. Another form is where the president and the parliament share powers so that the prime minister answers to both the president and the legislature. Examples of countries that practice a semi-presidential system of governance are Ireland, Poland, Slovenia, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Mongolia, South Korea, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Finland, Russia, Lithuania, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Namibia, and Guyana.

Features Of A Semi-presidential Governance

Semi-presidential governments will either be president-parliamentary or premier-presidential. President-parliamentary republics are closer than pure presidentialism. In this case, the president is elected by the electorates. When they assume office, they choose the parliament and the cabinet who are accountable to both the legislature and the president. The prime minister can be removed by parliaments vote of no confidence or a dismissal by the president. Countries with president-parliamentary governance include Mozambique, Taiwan, Senegal, and Portugal.

On the other hand, the premier-presidential style of governance entails which resembles pure parliamentarism. In such a case, the prime minister and cabinet are selected by the members of parliament and they are exclusively responsible to the legislature. Besides, it is the sole prerogative of parliament to dismiss the cabinet and prime minister through a vote of no confidence. The president is not involved in the selection and dismissal of these two executive arms of government. Examples of such republics are Niger, Cape Verde, Mali, East Timor, and Lithuania.

Significance Of Embracing Semi-Presidential Governance

Most governments resorted to semi-presidential governments to guard their nations against presidential dictatorship witnessed in many countries across the world such as Libya, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Cambodia. It is a means of achieving political stability as well as providing additional checks and balances to the seat of the president. Secondly, the share of power between the prime minister, president, cabinet, and legislature provide effective leadership of the country practicing semi-presidential governance. In spite of these benefits, one disadvantage of semi-presidential governance is the confusion as to the specific roles of the prime minister and the president.
The city of Taiyuan serves as the provincial capital of Shanxi province. The city is situated at the center of the roughly rectangular shaped province. Taiyuan lies along the strategic north-south route through Shanxi Province and is among China's major industrial cities. The city also controls vital natural communication lines that go through the mountains to the Shaanxi province to the west and the Hebei Province to the east. The city's strategic role is enhanced by the rail lines to Hebei and Henan provinces as well as expressways to Datong, Shijiazhuang, and Yuncheng.

Shanxi Province

The Shanxi province is bordered by Henan province to the south and southeast, by Hebei to the east, by Shaanxi to the west, and by Inner Mongolia to the north. The term Shanxi translates to "West of the Mountains which testifies to the territorys rugged terrain on the Taihang Mountains. In the past, the province played a crucial role as the buffer between the country and the Mongolian and Central Asian Steppes. It also served as a strategic gateway to fertile lands in Henan and Hebei. The province is home to Heng Shan mountain, one of the five Sacred Mountains of China as well as several of China's UNESCO World Heritage sites.

History of Taiyuan

Taiyuan was initially the location of Jinyang which was a strategic center used by the ancient states of Zhao and Jin. It later became the seat of the Commandery of Taiyuan in 221 BCE after the conquest Zhao and the neighboring states, a position it held throughout the Han dynasty (206 BCE  220 CE). During the Dong Han Period (25-220 CE), Taiyuan became the provincial capital of Bing. In the 6th century, it became a secondary capital to the Dong Wei, Bei, and Qi states making it a large city and the center of Buddhism. The city served as an important base for the founder of the Tang dynasty in his conquest of the empire. When China was reunified in 960, Taiyuan continued its resistance and was destroyed in 979 as a result. In 982, the new Taiyuan city was established at the banks of the Fen River. The city became the capital of Hedong in 1107 and retained the role with several changes in its status and name until the Yuan period came to an end in 1368. The city was renamed to Taiyuan Fu at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty and retained the name until 1912. The city also served as the capital of Shanxi during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1644 -1912). The city was renamed to Yangqu under the Republic and retained the name until 1927.

The Contemporary City

Taiyuan has experienced dramatic industrial growth since 1949. The city sits close to considerable iron and coal deposits that have fueled the city's industrial growth. Several industrial districts have been created in the city's outskirts that have large chemical complexes, machine making shops, and iron and steel making industries.

Tourist Attractions

Some of the notable tourist attractions in the city include the Jinci Temple whose beauty is only rivaled by The Twin-Pagoda Temple's unique architectural design. Anyone visiting the city should also consider visiting the Tainong Shan stone caves that date back to the Tang dynasty and taking part in the Shanxi Taiyuan International Folk Arts Festival.
The term white flight was commonly used in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It referred to the mass movement of white people from racially mixed areas to the exurban and suburban regions that were more racially homogeneous. For example, 15.5% of white homeowners in Cook County (Chicago), Illinois, 20% in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio, and 25% of the Detroit white population moved away from their homes to new neighborhoods due to racial integration. The most white flight took place when people of color, such as African Americans, moved from the southern United States to cities such as New York, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Detroit.

Factors That Led to White Flight

The primary driving factor behind white flight was fear and racism. White homeowners were afraid of increased crime rates in their neighborhoods. They believed the settlement of African Americans were prone to engage in theft, murder, and other crimes. Secondly, white homeowners feared that the value of property in the racially mixed areas would drop significantly. At the time, even when only one African American moved into an all-white neighborhood, prices of the property would plummet.

In some instances, white flight was a direct demonstration of racism by some white Americans who felt they could not share their neighborhoods with people of color. When the courts ruled that racial segregation was unconstitutional, most white homeowners still decided to move away from areas that African Americans lived in. Such rulings came during the Civil Rights Era where African Americans experienced segregation in workplaces, schools, and buses.

Forms of White Flight Outside the United States

At the end of Apartheid in South Africa in the 1990s, there was a mass migration of white residents from the country back to their home countries. A similar situation happened in Zimbabwe.

Effects of White Flight

The first effect of white flight was a decline in population in city centers and therefore a decline in tax revenue. Secondly, there was de facto segregation in schools. Quality of life declined for many people who lived in urban areas, and many cities saw an increase in urban blight.

Gentrification

Years later, some white Americans returned to the cities from where they migrated for various reasons. One reason is that the younger generation got tired of the long commutes to work and resorted to living near their workplaces. This process of return of white residents to the cities that they had fled from due to white flight is known as gentrification.
Georgia is the 24thlargest state of the United States covering an area of 59,425 square miles and is found in the southeastern part of the country. Georgia is ranked the 8th state out of the 50 states with the highest population standing in excess of 10.5 million people as of 2018. The capital of the state is Atlanta, which apart from hosting more than 55% of the state population is also the major administrative, cultural, and business center. The former Province of Georgia joined the United States in 1788 when it ratified the constitution of the new United States as the 4th state.

History

Before the European occupation of North America, Georgia was home to the mound-building cultures. The British established the colony of Georgia in 1733 and named it after King George II. The king issued a charter to Trustees through whom the colony was governed. The Trustees envisaged a community of free farmers and were opposed to slavery. The Trustees handed over control of the colony to the British Crown in 1752. The colony, therefore, turned in to a crown colony that was now administered by a governor appointed by the king. The Province of Georgia was among the thirteen British colonies that participated in the American Revolution which culminated in the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Georgia ratified its first state constitution in 1777 and became the 10th state to sign the Articles of Confederation in 1778. On January 2nd, 1788, the state of Georgia ratified the Constitution of the US becoming the 4th state of the new United States. There was a discovery of Gold in 1829 that led to the Georgia Gold Rush and the building of a federal mint in the state. Due to the high inflow of white settlers, the state and federal governments felt pressured to take land from Native Americans and sending them to reserved areas. This displacement led to the forced relocation of Native Americans using federal troops which caused the death of more than 4,000 Cherokees and came to be known as the Trail of Tears.

Civil War

Georgia joined the Confederate states in early 1861 for the civil war. The state went on to become a major theatre for the Civil War with several major battles taking place within the state. Large patches of land were destroyed between Savannah and Atlanta in the war, and more than 18,000 Georgian soldiers died in the war. Georgia was the last state to be restored to the Union in 1870 after the civil war.

Postwar Georgia

After the Civil War, white Democrats gained power in the state legislature and enacted laws and policies that disenfranchised minority groups and poor residents. For instance, a poll tax enacted in 1877 and a white primary enacted in 1908 frustrated many poor residents and led to the migration of many minorities. Black males were constantly at risk from the law and also from lynching by white radicals. As of 1900, African Americans made up 46.7% of the population of Georgia, but after the majority migrated to the north, they only made up only 28% of the population. This inequality led to the rise of strong civil rights activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King.
The Baloch or Baluch are the people who mainly inhabit the Balochistan region of the southeastern-most edge of the Iranian plateau in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Peninsula. Majority of Balochi people speak the Balochi language, which belongs to the northwestern group of Iranian languages. Other languages commonly spoken by the Baloch people are local languages including Jadgal, Urdu, Brahui, Persian, and Arabic. Its tribes are identified based on their language, race, and culture. The origin of the name "Baloch" is not known though some writers said that it came from the word "Sanskrit" meaning strength. Significant numbers of Baloch people are found in the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia.

Baloch People In Different Countries

Pakistan

Pakistan is a country in South Asia, and it hosts a Baloch population of about 6,800,000. Balochistan is considered as the largest population with the highest poverty rate, illiteracy, infant mortality rate, and maternal mortality rate in the country; this is because most of the population lack adequate amenities, leaving the region underdeveloped. There are numerous languages spoken by Balochi people in Pakistan. Balochi is the most spoken language of Balochistan constituting 54.8%, followed by Pashto, Sindhi, Punjabi, Saraiki, Urdu, English, and others. The Balochi people in Pakistan have different religions whereby the majority of them are Muslims comprising of 98.75% followed by Hindus and Christians. Other religions include Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.

Iran

Iran is a country in Western Asia comprising of about 2,000,000 Iranian Balochi population who majorly reside in the Sistan and Baluchestan provinces. Balochi people in Iran occupy the region considered as the poorest and most underdeveloped region of the country. Iranian Balochis mainly speak Rakhshani Balochi and Persian. A large number of them are Muslims; the majority belong to Sunni Islam and minority belongs to Shia Islam.

United Arab Emirates

The population of Baloch in the United Arab Emirates is about 468,000, which is 5.08% of the UAEs population. Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi are the regions with significant Baloch populations. The majority of UAEs Baloch people speak Balochi. Other languages that some of them speak include Arabic, Persian, Sindhi, and Saraiki.

Balochi Culture

Baloch people have a number of cultural activities since they live in different countries.

Balochi women cover their heads with scarfs. They use thick red color clothes called Burga to cover their faces. On the other hand, men usually wear long shirts with loose pants accompanied by a hat on their heads. In addition, women have powerful skills in embroidery and they decorate their attires with different colors and different designs. Womens tradition wear includes gold ornaments such as heavy earrings, jewelry, bracelets, and necklaces. Women make weave rugs for their own use and for sale.

Marrying from another community is strongly prohibited in the Baloch community. Divorce is allowed when a woman is barren and a widow goes back to her home when her husband dies; she is free to get married again if her family accepts. Property inheritance goes from the father to son.
Cars / Yachts

With yachts from Asia in global demand, Yacht Style looks at the productivity and innovation of the continents top builders, starting in China.

May 10, 2019 | By John Higginson

Aquilas impact at the 2019 Miami International Boat Show was the latest chapter in a modern-day example of the proficiency and quality of boats made in China, one of Asias leading yacht-building nations.

Built at a Sino Eagle shipyard in Hangzhou, southwest of Shanghai, Aquilas power catamarans are becoming increasingly popular around the world and not just the US market that initiated the creation of the brand and the purpose-built facility in 2012.

In Miami, Aquila staged the world premiere of its 32, which earned a lot of attention for its aft platform that wraps around the back of two Mercury outboards. As if that wasnt clever enough, the platform is also available in a hydraulic lifting version, technology usually seen on much larger luxury motor yachts and superyachts.

The innovation didnt stop there. The company also debuted its revolutionary Aquila Hydro-Glide (AHG) Foil System, designed to pick up 40 per cent of the weight of the boat and offer up to 35 per cent in fuel savings, according to Lex Raas, the company founder and President, Aquila at MarineMax.

Production at the yard is increasing rapidly, due to the models growing popularity and also an increasing demand in new markets, a strategy headed by Hong Kong-based Yvan Eymieu since his appointment as International Sales and Distribution Manager in 2017. Simpson Marine has since been appointed Aquilas representative in Southeast Asia, while Yacht World in Korea is among other dealers in Asia, ordering two units of the 44.

The Hangzhou facility now employs 275 staff and has scaled up production significantly to 95 units a year, a huge growth considering it took five years to build the first 100, albeit with slightly bigger models on average.

Today, the non-US market accounts for 25 per cent of sales, up from less than five per cent in earlier years. And you can now see Aquila at major boat shows around the world.

In January, Aquila displayed a 44 at the Thailand Yacht Show and RendezVous in Phuket and had a booth at Boot Dusseldorf before showcasing a full selection of their models in Miami in February.

Working with its growing dealer network, Aquila went on to exhibit a 36 at the Singapore Yacht Show and a 44 at both the International Multihull Boat Show at La Grande Motte in France and the Palma International Boat Show in Spain.

In fact, the brand exhibits at most major boat shows in the US, Australia and Europe, and plans to show the 32, 36 and 44 at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

Elsewhere in China, Kingship Marine in Zhongshan, north of Macau, is keeping busy with a range of projects including the Grand Voyager 144, a sub-500GT steel-hulled motoryacht with a plumb bow, long waterline and fast displacement hull.

Founded in 2004 by Roger Liang, Kingship is also developing a range of KingCat power catamarans, along with its commercial vessels and refit work. The first KingCat 80, a 24m aluminium build designed by Ivan Erdevicki, is nearing completion and is Kingships first yacht built for CCS (China Classification Society) certification and flagged in China.

We anticipate we will have more clients asking for this type of registration for the tax advantage over imports and easy access to Chinese waters, said Jeffrey Liang, son of the founder and one of the companys Directors.

The shipyard, which has about 50 staff, is also building a KingCat 50 in GRP, scheduled for completion this year and to be offered with full electric propulsion, while it also has a design for a 150ft version based on the Incat wave-piercing hull and with styling by Dutch studio Vripack.

CATAMARAN THEME CONTINUES

The catamaran theme continues at McConaghy, which has been operating at its current facility in Pingsha, west of Macau, since 2006, having started building in Dongguan a year earlier.

Founded by John McConaghy in Australia in 1967, the company has been headed by Mark Evans since 2000 and built more winners and podium finishers in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race than any other manufacturer, along with Americas Cup and Volvo Ocean Race boats.

With about 220 staff in China and 45 in Australia, McConaghy still continues its prolific production of Waszp one-design foilers (1,000 hulls) and Moth Mach 2 dinghies (1,500 hulls), but moved into a new era in 2016 with the launch of its first high-performance cruising catamaran, the MC50, which was joined by the MC60 last year.

Pioneers of the yards new Multihulls range, the MC50 exhibited at La Grande Motte and the Palma International Boat Show before the MC60 was displayed at Cannes, opening up the McConaghy name to a new audience.

The yard is currently building the second and third hulls of the MC60, as well as the second MC50 on spec and the first MC55. Its also working on a custom-built 90ft cruising catamaran and keeping busy with refit and repair on monohulls and catamarans.

The McConaghy Multihulls range is really taking off, while our refit and repair capacity has grown massively, said James Kinloch, the companys Hong Kong-based Sales Director.

Further north of Pingsha is Jiangmen, home of Heysea, Chinas leading superyacht builder and ranked 16th on the 2018 Global Order Book (of 80ft-plus yachts). Chairman Allen Leng, also a co-founder, heads a 400-strong company that produces a range of models led by the Asteria range of superyachts (96-139ft) and Zoom series (58-76ft).

Hudson Yacht Group, founded in 2009 by CEO Hudson Huang (HH), has a strong production facility in Xiamen of about 300 staff and had a booth at Boot Dusseldorf this year.

The yard, which last year appointed a new President, Chris Doscher, builds a range of models including the Hudson Powercat series designed by Bill Dixon and HH Catamarans, which started in 2014 and last year added a new Oceans Series line.

Pride Mega Yachts made headlines last year when it launched the 88.5m Illusion Plus  the biggest yacht ever built in Asia  at its shipyard in northern Shandong province.

After the company exhibited at the Dubai International Boat Show and Singapore Yacht Show, the yacht itself was on display at the Monaco Yacht Show in September and in March was still for sale with an asking price of US$145 million.

The full article appeared in Yacht Style magazine, Issue 46

Email subscribe@lux-inc.com for print subscription enquiries or subscribe to the Magzter version at:



www.magzter.com/SG/Lux-Inc-Media/Yacht-Style/Fashion/
Ott Tanak led WRC title rivals Sebastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville after a fascinating opening morning at Copec Rally Chile on Friday.

Stage info: SS2/3 SS2: El Puma 1, 30.72km

El Puma is the longest stage of the rally and extremely technical. It opens on a wide hard-packed clay surface with long corners and crests, before descending over the next 7km to meet the Carampangue river. It follows the river on a medium speed road before turning away uphill on a track full of sharp and narrow bends and under a thick canopy of trees. The test becomes wider and faster as it descends towards the finish. SS3: Espigardo 1, 22.26km

Another forest stage but less flowing and with fewer trees than the previous tests. Its generally narrow, but fast, on a firm surface and peaks at almost 730 metres above sea level, featuring spectacular views of the Biobio region. A steep uphill section will work the cars hard.

Difficult driving conditions provided a severe test through the opening three speed tests south of host city Concepcion, but Tanak took charge to head Ogier by 6.1sec with Neuville half a second behind in third.

Wet forest roads, equally slippery polished tracks, sunshine penetrating a dense tree canopy to provide a strobe-like effect in the shadows and new pace notes made in fog for the WRCs first visit to Chile left drivers battling to adapt.

Tanak conceded a handful of seconds in the opening El Pinar special stage after overshooting a corner at a slippery bridge in his Toyota Yaris. He recovered to win El Puma and claim third in Espigado after modifying his cars set-up to find a better balance.

Its going well so far but its tough, the roads are challenging. They are fast, slow, constantly changing and the visibility was tough with the sun and the shadows. First time in Chile is a big job, said the Estonian, who promised better pace note for the afternoon.

Ogier made an identical mistake to Tanak, but was happier with his Citroen C3s performance than in Argentina, following significant changes in the intervening two weeks by the French manufacturer.

Neuvilles push was interrupted when his run through El Puma was halted by a red flag issued for safety reasons. The stage was quickly restarted for others, but the Belgian was awarded a notional time after driving his Hyundai i20 slowly to the finish.

With the benefit of less worn tyres, Neuville then won Espigado, returning to service hot on the heels of Ogier.

Jari-Matti Latvala was fourth in another Yaris, 6.3sec behind Neuville. The Finn was tied for the lead after the opening stage but held his hands up to several mistakes, returning to Concepcion almost 15sec to the good over team-mate Kris Meeke.

After sharing fastest time with Latvala in the opener, Meeke dropped back. Ive been struggling with the notes and it doesnt feel nice in the car. Im hesitating. Its a combination of everything. Notes, new stages, shafts of light through the trees, he said.

Elfyn Evans was sixth in his Ford Fiesta, 1.8sec behind Meeke and almost 10sec clear of Sebastien Loebs i20.

A despondent Andreas Mikkelsen was eighth, the Norwegian happy on tight and twisty sections but lacking confidence and commitment on faster roads. He was more than half a minute adrift of Loeb, while Teemu Suninen and Esapekka Lappi completed the leaderboard.

Head to WRC+ to watch All Live from Copec Rally Chile, including every stage broadcast live, breaking service park news and expert studio analysis.

VIDEO

More News
Properties

May 10, 2019 | By LUXUO

Invest and Get Your Moneys Worth: Global Real Estate Market Overview

Real estate in Singapore, Madrid, and Tokyo has increased in price by more than 10 percent and

demand keeps rising. In the meantime, prices for real estate in Dubai and London are tumbling as demand slips. Kseniia Korzun, general manager of the International Luxury Property Expo (ILPE) shared the high-end property market forecast for 2019:

What are the best countries to invest in upscale real estate in 2019, and why?

Investors are primarily interested in countries where real estate has steadily increased in value over recent years. Prices for high-end real estate in Singapore have soared by 11.5 percent, while in Tokyo prices have risen by 9.4 percent and in Beijing, real estate values have risen by 7.3 percent. Prices have skyrocketed by 10.3 percent in Madrid.

Germany remains the most attractive destination in Europe for upmarket real estate investment. Its popularity can be credited to its stable economy and a transparent taxation system. In 2018, prices for luxury properties in Berlin rose by 8.5 percent  only 2 percent lower than in Madrid. Real estate in the German capital will continue to rise in price until at least 2020, ILPE experts say. The German real estate market received 57.5 billion in investment over the previous year alone. Based on the number of enquiries, real estate in Germany ranked 1 st among the EU countries at ILPE events.

In what countries are home prices rising? Which markets are sliding?

Prices for upscale real estate will continue to grow through 2019. Madrid, Paris, and Berlin are expected to lead with sex percent growth rate. Real estate in Canada and the USA will continue to increase in value as well, whereas activity in Singapore is likely to slow, and luxury real estate prices in Hong Kong may drop by as much as 10 percent.

The most expensive homes can now be found in Monaco, where homes fetch US$62.5 per square meter. On average, prices for high-end real estate in the EU have grown by 6 percent. Western Europe remains the most coveted investment destination for asset protection. Political uncertainty has taken its toll on real estate elsewhere: In London prices declined by 1.8 percent, and in Istanbul by 2.4 percent, while the market in Vancouver, Canada has plummeted, losing 6.2 percent of its value. High-end real estate in the French capital did not live up to analysts expectations, with Parisian properties increasing in value by just six percent compared with the predicted nine percent increase. Notwithstanding, Paris is forecast to stay among the worlds top five hottest luxury real estate markets in 2019.

Several years ago, investors massively favoured the UAE, but now, with prices dropping an average six percent a year, investors need to use caution when selecting property. However, the

transaction volume still remains quite high and the market is expected to recover and prices to rise by 2020, thanks to World Expo 2020, to be held in Dubai. 2018 was also a good year for the American upscale real estate market. In New York, prices remained stable while in Los Angeles real estate became 7.8 percent more expensive.

Investors were also found to favour real estate in San Francisco, where the sale of homes valued at US$2 million or more grew by 16 percent during 2018. San Mateo County, part of the Silicon Valley, received the largest increase in the number of transactions. As for the secondary real estate market, New Mexicos Santa Fe took the lead with a 16 percent increase in the number of transactions. Canada also displayed a significant increase in property deals: Victoria, British Columbia headed the list of most active markets with a 26 percent increase in home sales being registered.



Which segment of the luxury real estate market is getting the most attention?

In 2018, the worlds wealthiest individuals spent US$46 on travel, resulting in an upsurge in hospitality real estate yield and triggering more transaction involving hospoitality properties. Presently, the total volume of the global high-end hospitality real estate market exceeds US$83 billion of which US$22 billion is accounted for by the EU.

ILPE experts foresee four percent market growth in the next year. During Q3 2018 alone, the market increased by three percent. Despite Brexit, in 2018 investments in hospitality real estate in Great Britain reached 6.8 billion, up 15 percent over 2017 and accounted to 30 percent of all investments in European hotels. Spain ranked second investment-wise. In 2018, this country received 4.8 billion, up 23 percent over 2017. Germany takes third spot on the list, transactions involving hospitality real estate amounting to 4.09 billion, down 20 percent compared with 2017.

In 2018, the profitability rate of managed and freely owned hotels in five major German cities dropped by 25 percent. In 2019, the EU hospitality real estate market will grow by another four percent. This trend will be observed not only in popular tourist destinations, but in Croatia, Slovenia, and Romania. Hospitality property investments in these countries may account for 20 percent to 80 percent of all real estate investment.

For more information:

International Luxury Property Expo (ILPE) is a series of B2C exhibitions

dedicated to high-end real estate that have been held around the world, including in Cannes,

Shanghai, Mumbai, Moscow, Bangkok, and other cities. The ILPE events draw HNWIs from across the globe.

The large-scale Monaco International Luxury Property Expo 2019 will be held 15-16 May in

Monacos Grimaldi Forum. It will bring together 200 developers and 1,000 individual investors from 80 countries. The ILPE team works with private investors directly and eyes the real estate market worldwide.

The above figures were provided by the ILPE analytical services.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is promoting xenophobia by crudely misusing a work of art. In Berlin, the party has hung large-format election posters with the slogan Prevent Europe from becoming Eurabia! The term Eurabia was used by the right-wing extremist Andreas Breivik to justify his mass murder in Norway; the Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant used similar language to warn against the alleged impending takeover of white states by Muslims.

The AfD has titled the series to which the poster belongs: Learn from Europes History. It is shamelessly exploiting a 19th-century painting to whip up fear of Muslims and create a pogrom-type mood against foreigners.

The poster features a central section of the 1866 painting The Slave Market (Le marche d esclaves) by the French historical painter Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904). It shows a petite, naked woman surrounded by bearded, turban-wearing men who are apparently measuring up her value at market. Her lower body is obscured by the words Europeans vote AfD.

The Slave Market, 1866, Jean-Leon Gerome

The use of this image and its interpretation by the AfD is an amalgam of historical falsification, outright lies and racist agitation, which can quite rightly be compared with the techniques used by the Nazis.

The AfD uses the cliche of Middle Eastern men who abuse white women, a cliche employed after the Cologne New Years Eve frame-up in 2015 to undermine the broadly positive reception of foreigners in Germany (its welcoming culture) and incite xenophobia. The same cliches were used by the Nazis to vilify Jews prior to their mass murder.

The term Eurabia stems from the British conspiracy theorist Gisele Littman. It assumes that in future Europe will be under Islamic rule following the immigration of Muslims into the continent. All of this has nothing to do with the origin, historical background and content of the picture.

The painting dates back to an epoch when the West was engaged in conquering the Eastnot the other way around. The outrageous nature of the AfDs historical revisionism is evident from the partys selection of a painting from a period when European colonialism assumed increasingly brutal forms and the four-year American Civil War ended slavery in the United States just a year earlier. The consequences of the bloody suppression of large parts of Africa and the Middle East continue to plague these countries today and are among the main causes of the current movement of refugees.

The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts, which owns the painting, has called upon the AfD to stop using the picture to advance its political agenda: We strongly condemn the use of the painting to advance AfDs political stance and have written to them insisting that they cease and desist.

We did not provide this picture to the AfD, Clark Art Institutes director, Olivier Meslay, clarified. However, there is no copyright that allow us to control how it is used. Therefore, he could only appeal to the decency of the AfD, Meslay wrote in a letter to the AfD.

This appeal, however, has fallen on deaf ears. Berlin AfD deputy Ronald Glaser said: Actually, they should be grateful to us for making this picture, which is very beautiful, better known than it already is. On its Facebook page, the state association of the AfD trumpets: Definitely an eye-catcher.

It is most likely that the picture was created entirely from the imagination of the painter who created it in his studio. The depicted woman was meant to be an Abyssinian woman rather than a European. Gerome had toured Turkey and Egypt and made character studies, but there is no evidence to suggest he actually experienced a scene as shown in the picture. The website of the museum describes the disturbing scene on a courtyard market, which is intended to point to the Middle East. There are no clues in the picture as to the exact geographical location of the slave market.

Gerome painted similar scenes with a very different historical background. One of his paintings shows a slave market in ancient Rome. White Roman men make bids for a naked woman; an old man has ripped off her robe. Young girls and a mother with her children are also offered up for sale. Another picture depicts a Turkish bath in which a half-naked African woman washes a curvaceous white woman.

Gerome was regarded as a bitter opponent of Impressionist painting, the modern style of his time. He favoured instead the widespread European style of Orientalism, which was very popular in art and literature in the 18th and early 19th centuries and sought to depict in romantic fashion all that was mysterious, sensual and strange. Following the efforts of European powers to extend their rule over the Islamic world, such romantically distorted depictions of the Orient took on an ambivalent character.

With his Egypt campaign (1798-1801), Napoleon sought to transform Egypt into a French colony, end British supremacy in the Mediterranean and secure France a dominant role in Levantine trade. He was accompanied in his campaign by a group of scientists, engineers and artists who laid the foundation for Egyptology, the scientific exploration of Egyptian culture.

Geromes painting, composed 65 years later, allowed viewers to condemn the inhuman practice of the slave trade while enabling the viewer, at a time of bourgeois sexual prudery, to admire the naked women as does the potential buyer.

It should be noted that the slave trade at that time was by no means limited to the Orient. In its cruellest form, it was practiced from the 16th to the 19th century by European traders who supplied plantation owners on the American continent with slaves from Africa. Almost all of the European powers were involved in such trading in one form or another.

Scientific studies today estimate that between 1519 and 1867 over 11 million Africans were abducted and sent as slaves to America, of which 3.9 million were sent to Brazil. The number of those who died during transport across the Atlantic is estimated at up to 1.5 million.

Today, African refugees trying to escape the war and misery in their homeland are being enslaved and sold off by the Libyan Coast Guard and other militias armed by the European Union. At the same time, there has been a revival of colonialism in Africa by the rival great powers of Europe and the United States.

Recently, the German chancellor travelled once again to a number of African countries and offered their despots weapons, military support and the training of the police in order to strengthen German influence on the resource-rich continent and forcibly prevent refugees from heading towards Europe. The governments policy is entirely in line with that of the AfD.

The grand coalition is doing all it can to promote the far-right agenda of the AfD, which increasingly resembles the racist propaganda and ideology of the Nazis. This is widely rejected, however, by the vast majority of the population, which has learnt from history that racial hatred, police states, militarism and rearmament lead to disaster.

The struggle against such developments requires a socialist perspective. Only an independent international movement of the working class, fighting for the overthrow of the capitalist profit system, can halt the return of fascism, colonialism and war.
Cellphone video footage from Sandra Blands 2015 traffic stop was made public this week, showing from her point of view the incident that led to her arrest and death in a jail cell. The video renews attention to her death in police custody and raises questions over the way it has been withheld for nearly four years.

Local police released their dash-cam video after Blands death, but the cellphone video was never released to the public. The Texas Department of Public Safety claimed that the video was available to investigators and lawyers involved in the Bland case and that it was referenced during the investigative report. The video was only released to a reporter for WFAA, a Texas television station, in response to a public records request.

Since the release of the video, Blands family has called for the case to be reopened and claimed that the footage was purposely withheld during a civil trial. Contrary to claims by Texas officials, Cannon Lambert, a lawyer who represents the Bland family, said in an interview with WFAA that he had not seen the video until it was made public earlier this week. He said that the withholding of the video confirms the Bland familys claims that the prosecutor did not ensure a fair case.

The 39-second video documents the encounter with State Trooper Brian Encinia from the front seat of Blands car, showing the policeman, far from being fearful for his life as he claimed, points a taser at Bland and threatens I will light you up!

For the remainder of the video, Bland calmly asks why she is being apprehended, but still complies with Encinias demands, while he shouts in anger at her, undercutting the claim in the arrest warrant that she was combative and uncooperative.

In fact, Encinia claimed that his safety was in jeopardy at more than one time in interviews with Department of Public Safety officials, a claim directly contradicted by the newly released footage, which shows a furious Encinia opening Blands car door and drawing his weapon to point it at her. That video shows that [Encinia] is not in fear of his safety and that she is not reaching for anything, Lambert said in an interview with WFAA. [Her cell phone] is already in her hand and she is recording him.

Bland was arrested in July 2015 by Encinia during a traffic stop over a failure to use a turn signal for a lane change, where she was on her way to start a new job at Prairie View A&M University in Texas. She was apparently arrested because she questioned why the policeman had stopped her. Bland was found dead in her cell three days later and her death was officially ruled a suicide, although the details remain unclear.

The new footage adds to the evidence of the already released dash-cam footage and a bystanders cellphone video, which show Encinia removing Bland from her vehicle and directing her out of range of his dash-cam to begin brutally attacking her, slamming her to the ground.

Bland was a vocal opponent of police violence and may have participated in protests. It is likely that after Encinia checked Blands license, he learned of her political activity and decided to arrest her. In fact, in the dash-cam footage, Encinia does begin to take a more aggressive tone after checking her license.

No one was convicted of any crime relating to Blands death. Instead, Encinia was charged with perjury for lying about his reason for removing her from her vehicle. In September 2016, Blands family reached a $1.9-million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit against Waller County. The following year, the perjury charges against Encinia were dropped, although he lost his job.

Lambert criticized the prosecutors decision not to pursue charges against Encnia for perjury. In an interview with the New York Times, he said, so if the video showed that he had no basis of being in fear of his safety, and he lied about that, then you would think they would be using that video.

The entire case of Sandra Bland gives a picture of the real, everyday functioning of police repression in the United States. The arrest, subsequent death, and cover-up by police and government officials allows the police to continue without hesitation in their work of defending capitalist wealth and property and terrorizing the working class.
The authoritarian regime of Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama last week banned two May Day protests and arrested over 30 workers and trade union officials, accusing them of breaches of public order.

The majority of those arrested were protesting workers who had earlier been locked out by the Fiji Water Authority (FWA). More than 2,000 FWA workers, most of whom were deemed to be temporary, had their contracts suddenly terminated and were told to reapply for their jobs. Some 800 workers filed grievance claims against the company for unlawful termination and for their collective agreement to be enforced.

Police quickly moved to arrest locked-out FWA workers who gathered outside the utilitys depots on April 30 and May 1. The Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) said the police removed people from land owned by the National Union of Workers (NUW) and also stopped workers from congregating, even on their own land. Fiji Village reported the authority was working with police to deal with the workers.

Organised by the FTUC, the May Day events included a planned nationwide protest on May 3, followed by a march through Nadi on May 4. The FTUC had applied for permits to hold the protests over the national minimum wage, labour law reforms and the right to strike, but cancelled them after permits were denied.

The protests were also timed to coincide with the 52nd annual conference of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which was being hosted by a Pacific island country for the first time. Nearly 3,000 international delegates, including finance ministers, central bank governors and business representatives, met in Nadi over five days, supposedly to discuss issues such as poverty, inequality and climate change.

The government deployed more than 400 police for the duration of the conference. A police spokesman declared they would ensure the meetings would be held without any major incidents. Fijian Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum warned people not to use the ADB meeting to undermine Fijis reputation.

The Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) had earlier received a letter from the secretary of education instructing teachers not to join the protests. FTA president Netani Druavesi said teachers rights were protected under the constitution and the letter was illegal and a threat to the countrys educators. Eight FTA executive members were questioned by police about the proposed protests.

Police then conducted a number of arrests on May 1. Those detained included FTUC general secretary Felix Anthony, the secretaries of the FTA and nurses union and an officer of the NUW. Acting police chief Bitukula Waqanui told the Fiji Times the union officials were detained for alleged breaches of the law. The following day, police raided the FTUC headquarters.

After being jailed overnight, the union officials were released without charge. However, 28 FWA workers were detained and appeared in the Lautoka Magistrates Court on May 3, charged with unlawful assembly. A police spokesman told media the group unlawfully gathered on a piece of land in Lautoka  and refused to disperse when directed to by police.

The workers were granted bail under tight restrictions, including a 6pm to 6am curfew, and are required to report to the police station every day. They were ordered to surrender their passports, and provide a cash bail bond of $100 each. The workers are due to reappear in court on 24 May for a plea hearing.

The NUW has taken the FWA employment dispute to a tribunal hearing. While the FTUC said it would not rule out further protests, the unions are not organizing any industrial action to defend the arrested workers or oppose the layoffs at the authority.

Immediately before the arrests, the FTUC had been in tripartite discussions with the government and business representatives to implement labour reforms to meet the requirements of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The government claims it has met all but one of the ILOs rules, underlining that such measures have nothing to do with defending the rights of the working class.

An ILO spokesman told Radio NZ on May 8 that his organisation was instrumental in negotiating with the Fiji government, in coordination with the rest of the UN system, to have Anthony and other union officials released from gaol. The ILO has not however intervened on behalf of the FWA workers.

The sacking and persecution of the FWA workers and ban on the protests again underlines the dictatorial nature of the regime, which rests directly on the military.

The Fiji First Party (FFP) of former coup leader Bainimarama has been in power since 2014, following eight years of military rule. In the 2018 elections, the FFP retained office in a sham contest between two parties run by former military strongmen. The main opposition SODELPA party is led by Sitiveni Rabuka, the instigator of two military coups in 1987.

Worsening social inequality and misery28 percent of the population lives below the poverty lineas a result of the austerity policies of successive regimes has been accompanied by intimidation of opposition parties, repressive laws and rampant violence by the police and military.

Last month, three New Zealand journalists were arrested as they investigated environmental degradation by a Chinese property developer building a new resort on Malolo Island. The journalists were later released, with the police commissioner claiming that they had been arrested by a small group of rogue officers.

The day before the arrests, however, the Fiji Parliamentary Reporters Handbook was published, affirming constitutional impediments to a free press, in the interests of national security, public safety, public order, public morality, public health or the orderly conduct of elections.

The regional imperialist powers, Australia and New Zealand, are supporting the anti-democratic actions of the Bainimarama government as they seek to counter the rise of China in the Pacific, which they regard as their own backyard.

In a visit to Suva in March, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that NZ will provide Fijis military with an upgraded package of support, including training with the NZ military, and an enhanced partnership between the NZ Police and the Fiji Police Force. These measures will inevitably be used against the working class.

The author also recommends:

Fiji airport workers return after month-long lockout

[26 January 2018]
In recent years, the poverty report of the Joint Welfare Association and other studies have revealed the extent of the gulf between rich and poor in Germany. A new study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), which is close to the Social Democratic Party (SPD), shows another aspect of this: grave regional differences.

On behalf of the FES, experts from the Institute for Regional and Urban Development Research (ILS) in Dortmund investigated the extent of the unequal living conditions in Germanys 402 districts and district-free cities. The study, presented at the end of April, bears the title: Unequal GermanySocio-Economic Disparities Report 2019.

In contrast to other studies, which mostly examine only one or two criteria, numerous indicators have been used as a basis: How high are the municipalities in debt? What are the incomes and rents? How many old people and children live on social assistance? What are the conditions of the infrastructure, medical care and other services?

On this basis, Germany was divided into five regions:

* Dynamic large and medium-sized cities with a risk of exclusion (22.7 million inhabitants), in which particular groups are prevented from participating fully and equally in economic life. The study cites cities such as Munich and Hamburg, as well as Gera and Frankfurt on the Oder.

* Strong surrounding region (13.7 million inhabitants), which includes the surrounding areas of Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main and Stuttgart.

* Solid middle (32.8 million inhabitants). The study includes a large part of West Germany outside the big cities. Typical examples listed are the Odenwald, the Sauerland and Gottingen.

* Rural areas in permanent structural crisis (8.1 million inhabitants). The rural areas in eastern Germany are particularly affected.

* Cities in permanent structural change (5.4 million inhabitants). These include many cities in the Ruhr area such as Duisburg, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, the Saarland and cities in Rhineland-Palatinate.

A key finding of the comprehensive study is that social and economic inequality has consolidated despite economic growth and employment growth in recent years.

And this economic growth is just about to dry up, with forecasts being revised downwards several times in recent months. The intensification of the capitalist economic crisis, the uncertainties associated with Brexit, worsening trade war and technological upheaval are threatening tens of thousands of jobs. The announcement of massive job cuts at Ford, VW, Bayer, Siemens and other corporations are just the beginning.

The FES study notes that more than 13.5 million people in Germany live in regions with severe structural problems. But even in the dynamic boom regions the gulf between poor and rich is growing. Here, middle-income people, families with children and pensioners are threatened with poverty. Many are driven out because they can no longer afford the rising rents and cost of living in the growing cities.

The situation has been further aggravated in that since 2017, almost one in five households in receipt of Hartz IV welfare payments do not have their full housing costs recognised and so are virtually pushed below the actual subsistence level.

Furthermore, the study states: The causes of the structural problems are different. While urbanised regions in the west of the country have to deal with the loss of important old industrial sectors (e.g., mining and heavy industry), the aftermath of German reunification and the subsequent collapse of entire economic sectors and labour markets in the GDR [former East Germany] are felt in the predominantly rural regions of eastern Germany.

This is a sugar-coated description of the wiping out of the formerly nationalised industry in the GDR by Western capitalist corporations with the help of the Treuhand privatisation agency and the former Stalinist bureaucracy. They destroyed millions of jobs, while enriching themselves obscenely.

The study notes that child poverty is a problem in almost all major cities and their surrounding areas. Very high values of 25 to nearly 40 percent in the Ruhr area, Bremen, Berlin and in some East German cities indicate that here large parts of the population experience poverty and also encounter further social disadvantages during their lives, the report states.

Elsewhere, the report notes: For example, the risk of poverty for children and older citizens is a general problem in large cities. The extreme values between the dynamic large and medium cities with risk of exclusion and the urban regions in the ongoing structural change are not far apart (child poverty: Halle on the Saale with 31.9 percent; and Gelsenkirchen with 39.5 percent; poverty in old age: Frankfurt am Main with 8.8 percent; and Offenbach am Main with 8.9 percent).

The FES study also provides empirical data on life expectancy, health, education and other areas. But it says nothing about the causes of this development and the intensification of social inequality: the capitalist profit system.

As with a similar study from 2015, this studys authors want to submit policy suggestions for equal living conditions in Germany, an objective that is also in the federal government coalition agreement, concluded by the Christian Democrats and SPD.

One of their proposals is that federal and state governments finance highly indebted municipalities with debt cuts, subject to strict conditions. Yet, it is precisely this policy that has led to the catastrophic financial situation in many over-indebted communities.

It recalls the EUs austerity policy in Greece, where billions in credits were used to rescue the banks, with German banks benefiting in particular. Millions of workers paid for it with the loss of their jobs, massive cuts in wages and pensions, and the destruction of the health system. A social catastrophe was unleashed that had never been seen outside wartime, and this catastrophe continues.

The extent of the concentration of wealth and poverty in Germany is clear from a study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW). According to this, the 45 richest households in Germany possess as much wealth as some 20 million households of the poorer half of the population. The figures on which this study is based date from 2014. Social polarisation has continued to increase since that time.

This development is the result of a dramatic redistribution of social wealth from the bottom upwardsitself an international phenomenon. This did not simply fall from the sky, but is the result of the policies pursued by all governments over the last decades.

In Germany, with the introduction of Hartz IV, the SPD-Green Party government created a huge low-wage sector with insecure jobs, which has contributed significantly to the widening social polarisation. The subsequent governments under Angela Merkel have followed suit, and now the grand coalition is preparing further sharp attacks on the working class to finance the rapid rearmament of the German military.
At a campaign rally Wednesday in Panama City, Florida, thousands of Trump supporters laughed and cheered wildly when an audience member shouted that the US should shoot immigrants attempting to cross the US-Mexico border.

The interruption came as Trump lamented that the US could not let [soldiers and border patrol] use weapons against immigrants at the border. When the supporter shouted shoot them! Trump paused and threw his head back in laughter. Thats only in the Panhandle you can get away with that statement, he said in reference to the northwestern part of Florida.

Minutes earlier, Trump made a demagogic appeal to anti-immigrant sentiment in words crafted by his fascistic adviser Stephen Miller:

Democrats say they care about the poor, but their open border policies drive down wages, drain social services and hurt the poorest Americans more than anybody else, he said, lying about the fact that his administration has slashed billions from social programs to boost the profits of American corporations. Immigrants are rough people who are invading the US, Trump said. They bring in crime and commit acts worse than rape.

This episode went almost without mention in the corporate media, with no reference in the New York Times. Those publications who did reference the comment downplayed it as a joke. In reality, the unnamed Trump supporter who called for executing immigrants was only repeating the presidents statement on November 1, 2018 that the military should shoot members of the migrant caravan if they attempt to cross the border.

At the Panama City rally, Trump also said he could stay in office for 10 or 14 years, echoing his Sunday tweet asserting the possibility he may cancel the 2020 election and extend his term another two years. The press also presented this serious threat against American democracy as a joke.

Trumps efforts to encourage the development of a far-right movement against immigrants are a critical element of this extra-constitutional, authoritarian strategy.

Trump is mobilizing networks of outright fascists. Young Turks released police reports revealing the political views of those in the over 200 groups of vigilante border militias. Armand Delgado Gonzalez, a 52-year-old war veteran and militiaman, arrested a group of immigrants and said, Why are we just apprehending them and not lining them up and shooting them? We have to go back to Hitler days and put them all in a gas chamber.

Such elements not only work outside of the government, but within it. The immigrant rights non-profit RAICES filed a lawsuit this week showing that the government is blocking detained immigrants from visiting their lawyers at the detention center in Karnes, Texas. At the US-Mexico border, agents arrested an immigrant as well as the volunteer who accompanied the immigrant to the border to apply for asylum. When the volunteer told the border agents to call her lawyer, the agent said, Tell your lawyer to come down here. Well arrest him too.

The Democratic Party has remained silent on these horrors. In fact, Democrats were unable to advance even a moderate bill protecting immigrants brought to the US as children out of a Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee. The measure, which would have certainly failed in the Republican-controlled Senate, was voted down by Democratic committee members and could not reach the House for a full vote.

Politico wrote that the Democrats blamed the delay in part on the panels focus on special counsel Robert Muellers report. Maryland Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin said, Well were busy. Were trying to restore law-and-order in America.

These statements expose the right-wing impact of the Democratic Partys obsessive focus on allegations of Trumps ties to Russia. The anti-Russia campaign, which appeals to the same xenophobic fears as Trumps immigrant bashing, drowns out all issues that impact the lives of millions of workers, immigrant and non-immigrant alike. Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi even told a Washington Post forum Wednesday that Trumps border wall is part of the immigration conversation.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is appealing to Congress for billions in emergency funds to expand the number of beds at immigration detention facilities, citing a crisis at the southern border.

The real crisis is the one from which millions of Central American and Mexican workers are desperately seeking to escape. This crisis is the product of extreme inequality, war and dictatorial regimes imposed on the impoverished workers and peasants by American imperialism.

The explosive social tensions building up across Latin America are exemplified in Honduras, where mass strikes and demonstrations by students, teachers and nurses have spread across the country in recent weeks. When tens of thousands of workers protested earlier this month against the International Monetary Funds plan to privatize public education and healthcare, President Juan Orlando Hernandez deployed US-trained riot police who fired live rounds at protestors and injured dozens in a brutal crackdown. Hernandez is the chosen successor of Porfirio Lobo Sosa, who was put in office after the 2009 coup detat orchestrated by the Obama administration.

Workers who are beaten and detained by the government at home then travel through Mexico to face the prospect of detention and violence by the US government.

But conditions are so desperate that masses of people still make the dangerous trek north. Recent figures show the US arrested 100,000 immigrants at the US-Mexico border in April. This figure is the highest monthly arrest total since 2007, and the government is on pace to arrest over 1 million immigrants in 2019.

The percentage of children and family apprehensions has skyrocketed. According to the Washington Office on Latin America, 60,000 of the 100,000 arrestees in April 2019 were traveling in families and another 10,000 were children traveling alone. In previous decades, 90 to 95 percent of those apprehended were adult men traveling alone.

This change shows that while immigrants in the earlier period may have been traveling in search of work, most are now traveling because they fear death or torture at the hands of US-backed death squads or transnational drug cartels. Some 40 years after the US-instigated civil wars in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, the region has been utterly devastated by American capitalism.
Israel ended its weekend bombardment of Gaza, the most ferocious flareup since the 2014 war, after agreeing to yet another Egyptian-brokered ceasefire reached on Monday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to facilitate Qatars transfer of funds to Gaza and to ease Israels blockade in return for a distancing of Gazas protests from the border and an end to nightly riots and the launching of incendiary balloons into southern Israel. This was essentially the same terms it had agreed just six weeks ago. It was Israels failure to deliver that had led to this latest clash. But three days after the ceasefire, Ha  aretz was warning that Gaza was still waiting for Israel to implement measures to ease the blockade.

Netanyahu authorised the massive assault on Gaza in response to rockets launched from Gaza that killed two Israelis, following Israels tightening of restrictions on Gazas fishing limits. His decision came just days after being sworn into Israels new parliament following the victory of his far-right bloc in last months elections. It was the necessary down-payment to ensure that his about-to-be formed ultra-nationalist coalition will protect him from corruption charges and a hefty prison sentence.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the most powerful military in the region, launched more than 150 aerial strikes and shelled at least 200 sites in the tiny Palestinian enclave, targeting multi-storey residential buildings, mosques, shops and media institutions. Turkeys Anadolu news agency was in one of the buildings destroyed.

Israel sealed off access to Gazas territorial waters and closed all its land entrances to prevent anyone from leaving or entering Gaza, only allowing in fuel for the territorys sole power plant.

According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, the 27 Palestinians killed in the shortest and most violent attack in recent years included at least 14 civilians, with the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirming that two pregnant women and three infants were killed by Israeli strikes. Another 154 Palestinians were wounded.

Israel, for its part, suffered the loss of four civilians, the first casualties since 2014, as more than 700 rockets were launched from Gaza. While some of the rockets were intercepted by Israels Iron Dome system, most landed without causing damage or injury.

Netanyahu boasted, In the past two days, weve renewed the policy of assassinating senior terrorists, referring to the targeted assassination of Hamed Ahmad Abed al-Khoudari on Sunday, the first such killing in four years. Weve killed dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists and we toppled terror towers, he added, referring to the IDFs destruction of entire apartment buildings that destroyed or damaged more than 830 homes and left more than 350 Palestinians homeless.

The campaign is not over and requires patience and judgment. We are preparing to continue, he threatened, indicating that a resumption of aerial bombing, if not an outright invasion, might resume at any time.

Netanyahu came under ferocious attack from his right-wing coalition partners who were virulently opposed to the ceasefire. Bezalel Smotrich, a member of the Union of Right-Wing Parties who is angling to become Israels next minister of justice, said, We should have killed 700 terroristsone for every rocket fired from Gaza.

This was from a man whose party agreed to an electoral alliance, brokered by Netanyahu, with the fascist and anti-Arab terrorist Jewish Power, comprised of followers of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, who advocated the transfer of Palestinians to neighbouring Arab countries and a ban on intermarriage between Jews and Arabs. The precursor to Jewish Power, Kahanes Kach Party, was banned as a terrorist organization.

Benny Gantz, the former chief of staff and head of the Blue and White coalition that sought to unseat Netanyahu as prime minister, excoriated the ceasefire as another surrender to the blackmail of Hamas and terrorist organizations.

Gantz had launched his campaign with a video boasting about how many Palestinians had been killed under his command during the 2012 and 2014 wars against Gaza. This merchant of death faces a civil lawsuit for killing six Gazan residents on July 20, 2014.

Netanyahu also came under fire from a rival within his own Likud Party, Gideon Saar, who said, Timed intervals between rounds of violence directed at Israel and its citizens are getting shorter, while Gazas terror organizations are getting stronger. The round of fighting has been delayed rather than prevented.

Netanyahu, for his part, was determined to bring the hostilities to an end before the events held May 8 and 9 to mark Israels Memorial Day, Independence Day, which Palestinians mark as the Nakba (Catastrophe), and the Eurovision Song Contest, which Tel Aviv is hosting May 14-18. The latter is already proving to be a commercial disaster, with tickets sales and hotel bookings down on forecasts, despite heavy promotion and subsidies.

According to the daily Ha  aretz, Israeli military officials had warned politicians that if significant steps are not taken to implement understandings with Hamas [to ease the blockade], the group controlling the Gaza Strip will struggle to prevent other organizations in the coastal enclave from acting against Israel, a reference to Islamic Jihad. Yet despite the warnings, there has not been an increase in aid or goods going into the Strip.

The IDF has been discussing a broader military campaign in Gaza in the coming months that would have devastating consequences.

A 2017 document, published by Israels Institute for National Security Studies, also warned that without a significant change to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Hamas, the bourgeois clerical group that emerged out of Egypts Muslim Brotherhood and controls Gaza after winning the 2006 elections, was in danger of being outmanoeuvred by more extreme forces. Last March, Hamas faced down protesters angry over new taxes and their abysmal living conditions in the Strip, which will soon become uninhabitable.

Israel confronts, not only the consequences of Gazas economic and social collapse, but also the crisis engulfing President Mahmoud Abbass Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA). This stems in large part from Netanyahus decision to stop the transfer of Palestinian tax revenues because of its stipends to the families of those accused of terrorist activities against Israel, a cut of some $138 million. Abbas is responding by refusing all tax monies owed to the PA, $100 million a month, in order to precipitate a crisis and secure international aid. As a result, he has been unable to pay PA workers their full salaries.

A further factor in Abbas's calculations is the expected launching of US President Donald Trumps deal of the century, to be announced in June, that will provoke a furious backlash from Palestinian workers. Extensive leaks make clear that what the US envisages is not a Palestinian state alongside Israel but some sort of autonomous rule in disconnected bits of PA territory to be funded by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf petro-monarchs.

Without substantial economic aid, the PA is staring into the abyss. Unable to fund its institutions, Abbas faces the prospect of mass protests by workers whose livelihoods depend upon the PA and who reject the US plan. While Qatar has agreed to send $300 million to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and $150 million to the besieged Gaza Strip, after the ceasefire was announced on Monday, this is a drop in the ocean.

Two weeks ago, Nikolay Mladenov, the UNs envoy to the Middle East, stated that without measures to resolve the PAs economic crisis, the situation could escalate into major violence threatening the existence of the PA and the stability of the entire Middle East.
Amid much fanfare, this week General Motors and the Unifor union in Canada announced deals to maintain token operations at the companys Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant that is slated to close later this year, throwing 2,600 out of work. Simultaneously GM revealed that it is planning to sell its Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant that it shuttered in March. The move was hailed by President Trump.

The Oshawa and Lordstown closures are part of a restructuring plan announced last December that included the closure of five GM factories in North America and the elimination of some 14,000 salaried and production jobs.

The deal to continue production at the Oshawa facility involves turning it into a parts manufacturing operation employing about 300 workers as well as an expansion of its Canadian Technical Centre. It also contains certain money for retraining and buyouts. At its peak, the facility employed over 20,000 production workers.

At a joint press conference, Unifor President Jerry Dias gave his blessing to the deal, in effect formally dropping any pretense of fighting to save the jobs of the remaining workers threatened with layoff. The Unifor head had engaged in demagogic tub thumping over the Oshawa closure, including launching a multimillion-dollar ad campaign denouncing GM management, along with a filthy chauvinist campaign blaming Mexican workers for taking Canadian jobs.

In a cynical and groveling statement, Dias declared, By maintaining a footprint in Oshawa, and keeping the plant intact, we save hundreds of jobs and this gives us the ability to build and create new jobs in the future. We are in a much better position than we were five months ago when the plant was closing.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also praised the announcement.

Also, on Wednesday, GM announced plans to sell its Lordstown plant to electric truck manufacturer Workhorse. What, if any, jobs the venture will create is open to speculation, especially given that the company has no experience in manufacturing operations, currently employs fewer than 100 people and reported $36.5 million in losses for 2018.

This did not stop Trump from hailing the announcement. In a tweet he boasted, I have been working nicely with GM to get this done. With all the car companies coming back, and much more. The USA is booming!

Earlier this month GM closed its Baltimore powertrain plant, axing some 300 jobs. Fiat Chrysler, meanwhile, has carried out the permanent layoff of 1,400 workers at its Belvidere, Illinois assembly plant and scheduled the elimination of a shift in September at its Windsor, Ontario plant.

Workers at both the Lordstown and Oshawa plants were quick to denounce the deals. At a mass meeting called by Unifor Thursday to explain details of the agreement, many workers walked out. We should burn the plant down and piss on it, one angry Oshawa worker told CityNews.

A young summer worker at Oshawa told local media, I have family that work here; its a struggle. To be swept under the rug with only 300 jobs, it sucks.

Mike, a veteran worker from the Lordstown plant told the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter, This was all planned. They want to scare the older workers out and come back with another company paying one half the wages with no pensions or benefits.

They would not sell the plant to a competitor. I am sure GM has a stake in it. They will get tax abatements and get contracts from the post office and Amazon for building electric vehicles.

He said the sale of the plant meant that workers who had turned down transfers with the hope of still being recalled if the Lordstown plant reopened were being thrown under the bus.

The UAW issued a perfunctory criticism of the plan to sell the Lordstown plant and says it will still to seek press GM to keep the Lordstown plant open in the 2019 national contract negotiations. In 2010, however, the UAW sought to blackmail workers at GMs Indianapolis Stamping Plant into accepting a 50 percent pay cut in order to lure a new owner to buy the plant.

Mike said he suspected that the UAW was in on the Lordstown plan and would be willing to unionize the lower-paid workers under a new owner. They are only worried about one thing: collecting dues. They are not giving people justice.

He pointed out that workers who decline involuntary transfers to other plants lose their health care and other benefits and any further transfer rights.

Another laid off Lordstown worker said, "I don't know what will happen. I don't want to move, my whole life has been here, my family is here. I have enough years to retire, but I'm not old enough. I need to have health care.

"This was the last good job in the area. Everything else is just low-pay; people can't live on this. The whole system has to be changedall they care about is the rich."

Mike continued, GM is disrupting everyones lives. They send you a letter telling you to take a transfer or your benefits will be cut off. If there are family issues, parents with cancer, they dont care about that. You have x number of days to respond, or you are done. All they are worried about is their bottom line.

According to a recent report in the Detroit Free Press, 1,500 GM workers at the affected US plants have not been relocated to other jobs. About 1,300 had been sent to other plants including 593 workers from the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, 670 from Lordstown and another 42 from transmission operations. Some had been transferred to plants as far away as Arlington, Texas and Wentzville, Missouri.

According to the report, GM sent out 490 involuntary requests for the Wentzville plant and got 150 workers from Lordstown to take the transfers.

In addition to the hardship imposed on GM workers, the plant closures will have a wide economic impact. A study by the Center for Economic Development at Cleveland State University estimated the closure of the Lordstown plant would cause the loss of some 8,000 jobs and lower overall economic activity by $8 billion in the regional economy.

The city of Hamtramck, Michigan anticipates the loss of $800,000 from its annual budget and $115,000 from its School Aid Fund, not taking into account the impact on businesses and falling home values.

GMs claim that its plans for Oshawa will save 300 jobs is also dubious. The company says it will convert the Oshawa plant to operations focused on stamping, related sub-assembly, and other miscellaneous activities for GM and other auto industry customers. Some of the supposedly saved jobs are tied to operations at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, which is slated to close next January.

Workers in the US and Canada should reject the crumbs offered by GM and launch a united fight to defend jobs and oppose all concession demands. This requires waging a struggle independent of Unifor and the UAW through the building of rank-and-file factory committees. It requires a rejection of the anti-Mexican and anti-Chinese demagogy of the UAW and Unifor and forging a joint strategy of workers in the US, Canada, Mexico and internationally against the transnational auto companies.

Autoworkers must reach out to other sections of the working class coming into struggle, including teachers, hospital workers and other service workers as well as workers in telecommunications, manufacturing and transport. This means rejecting the phony claims of big-business politicians from Trudeau to Trump, defenders of the rich, that they are concerned with workers jobs. Workers must carry out an independent political struggle, mobilizing the broadest sections of workers, the youth and unemployed behind their fight.

Workers must insist that workers jobs and livelihood take precedence over the profit requirements of the billionaires. This means a challenge to the capitalist profit system and the dominance over society by a super-wealthy ruling elite and the reorganization of production on a rational basis to meet human needs, in other words the fight for socialism.
On Saturday, May 4, the International Committee of the Fourth International held the 2019 International May Day Online Rally, the sixth annual online May Day Rally held by the ICFI, the world Trotskyist movement. The rally heard speeches on different aspects of the world crisis of capitalism, and the struggles of the international working class, from 12 leading members of the world party, and its sections and sympathizing organizations around the world.

On successive days, the World Socialist Web Site is publishing the texts of the speeches delivered at the rally. Below is the speech delivered by WSWS Latin American editor Bill Van Auken. On Monday, the WSWS published the opening report to the rally, given by David North, the chairman of the international editorial board of the WSWS and national chairman of the Socialist Equality Party (US).

As we mark May Day 2019, the resurgence of the class struggle and the growing support for socialism in the working class are developing the world over, in inseparable conflict with the turn by capitalist ruling elites toward war and fascist reaction.

Nowhere is this truer than in Latin America, where some 650 million people confront the deepest social inequality on the planet.

The regions governments, both the increasing number controlled by the extreme right and those still posturing as left nationalistthe dwindling remnants of the so-called pink tidehave placed the full burden of the continents economic and social crises onto the backs of the working class.

The struggle against war and reaction is posed with the greatest urgency by the mounting threat of a direct US military intervention in Venezuela.

The Trump administration has sharply escalated its regime change operation with this weeks abortive coup attempt by Juan Guaido, the right-wing and US-financed political non-entity, who serves as the puppet of US intervention.

Guaidos call for the military to rise up and overthrow the Maduro government proved an abject failure. It neither provoked a split in the armed forces nor elicited any significant popular support. Nonetheless, the threats of new and even bloodier provocations, as well as a direct US military attack, only grow stronger by the day.

Yesterday, the head of the US Southern Command, Adm. Craig Faller, flew to Washington to brief top administration officials on US military options in Venezuela. There are reports that at least one aircraft carrier battle group is being sent to the waters off its shores.

A noose is being steadily tightened around the country, with the imposition of economic sanctions on a scale tantamount to war. According to one recent estimate, the blockade of Venezuela has caused as many as 40,000 excess deaths by cutting off supplies of food and medicine. To add insult to injury, in February, Washington attempted to use trucks, bearing a pittance of food, as a kind of modern day Trojan Horse, to provoke a military confrontation on the Venezuela-Colombia border.

In its brazenness and criminality, the assault on Venezuela recalls the darkest chapters of US imperialisms prolonged history of military aggression, exploitation and police state repression in Latin America.

Bolton and others in the Trump administration have bragged that they are dusting off the Monroe Doctrine. This nearly two-century-old canon of US foreign policy was issued originally to warn the reactionary imperialist powers of Europe not to attempt a re-colonization of the Americas. With the rise of US imperialism, however, it became an all-purpose justification for military interventions and occupations to defend the interests of US-based banks and corporations.

Under the filthy flag of the Monroe Doctrine, Washington has launched no less than 50 direct US military interventions in the hemisphere.

Today, this doctrine has been resurrected in an even more sinister form. It has been invoked by Washington to blame Russia, China and Cuba for stalling the Venezuela regime change operation by providing loans and aid. Top officials have demanded that these countries get out of Venezuela, imposing harsh new sanctions against Cuba and even threatening military action against Russia. One Florida Republican congressman went so far as to suggest that Moscow had deployed nuclear weapons in Venezuela, comparing it to the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

US officials have made no bones about the fact that their aim is to assert direct control by US energy conglomerates over Venezuelas oil reserves, the largest on the planet, and to roll back the substantial economic influence in the country, and the wider region, of Washingtons so-called great power rivals, China and Russia. This threatens to turn Latin America into a battlefield in a nuclear third world war.

At the same time, the revival of the discredited doctrine, reviled throughout Latin America, is the response of a US imperialism in decline, confronting the fact that, even in its own backyard, it has been replaced by China as the principal source of foreign investment.

The threadbare pretense advanced as a cover for this exercise in criminality and plunder is that Washington is supporting democracy in Venezuela, a claim that is echoed by a servile corporate media as well as by Trumps supposed Democratic opponents who, from Biden to Sanders, have all lined up behind the regime change operation.

There is nothing new in this. Fifty-five years ago, when Brazils military overthrew the countrys elected president Joao Goulart, the New York Times responded as follows:

If a single motivation could be detected in the coup, which was engineered jointly by a group of civilian state governorsall of them, incidentally, elected officials in their own rightand of military commanders, it was their concern to maintain the democratic framework in Brazil.

The framework established in the 1964 coup was that of a military dictatorship, which ruled the country with an iron fist for the next two decades and helped spread fascist military regimes that murdered, tortured and imprisoned hundreds of thousands of workers and youth throughout the hemisphere.

Who can believe that the Trump administration is concerned about democracy and the freedom of workers in Latin America? It shows its attitude toward these workers every single day on the southern border, in the relentless hounding of refugees fleeing conditions created by US wars and Washington-backed dictatorships in Central America. These workers have been hunted down by fascist-minded border agents, thrown into concentration camps, and had their children ripped from their arms.

There is, of course, a domestic component to the waving of the sullied flag of the Monroe Doctrine. It is inseparably linked to the Trump administrations attempt to make the centerpiece of its 2020 reelection drive a fascistic campaign against socialism, which it attempts to blame for the social deprivation in Venezuela, created by the world capitalist crisis, punishing US sanctions and the pro-capitalist policies of the bourgeois government of Maduro.

The struggle against the attempts of the US ruling elite to promote a fascistic movement against the growth of socialist opposition within the working class, finds its most immediate ally in the battle of Latin American workers against their own right-wing governments, from the fascistic former army captain Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil to Lenin Moreno, who proved his allegiance to imperialism by throwing open the doors of Ecuadors embassy in London to a British police snatch squad, acting on Washingtons demands for the rendition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

As the recent strike wave of tens of thousands of Mexican workers in the maquiladoras in Matamoros demonstrated so powerfully, the working class, objectively joined in a common process of production across national boundaries, can find a way forward only through the conscious unification of US and Latin American workers in struggle to defeat their common enemies, the transnational banks and corporations, US imperialism and the regions national ruling oligarchies.

Only such a unified struggle, based upon the program of socialist internationalism, can defeat the threat of war on Venezuela, with its catastrophic implications for the entire continent and, indeed, the whole world.

This struggle must be prepared and led.

We appeal to our comrades in Latin America, those participating in this online rally, those who read the World Socialist Web Site and all those workers and youth seeking a revolutionary path: take up a serious study of the program and perspective of the International Committee of the Fourth International and of the long history of struggle waged by Trotskyism against revisionism in Latin America, and, on this principled foundation, build sections of the ICFI in every country.
On Saturday, May 4, the International Committee of the Fourth International held the 2019 International May Day Online Rally, the sixth annual online May Day Rally held by the ICFI, the world Trotskyist movement. The rally heard speeches on different aspects of the world crisis of capitalism, and the struggles of the international working class, from 12 leading members of the world party, and its sections and sympathizing organizations around the world.

On successive days, the World Socialist Web Site is publishing the texts of the speeches delivered at the rally. Below is the speech delivered by Keith Jones, national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (Canada). On Monday, the WSWS published the opening report to the rally, given by David North, the chairman of the international editorial board of the WSWS and national chairman of the Socialist Equality Party (US).

Central to the perspective and revolutionary strategy of the International Committee of the Fourth International is the recognition that the same systemic global capitalist breakdown that is impelling the imperialist powers to aggression and war is fueling social revolution.

In the Middle East and North Africa this combined process is palpable.

No part of the world has been more ravaged by the wars that US imperialism has led and fomented, since George W. Bush first proclaimed that Washington was establishing a new world order in the wake of the Stalinist bureaucracys dissolution of the Soviet Union.

There is not the time to catalogue all the horrors US imperialism has perpetrated in the Middle East and North Africa over the past three decades, in the name of human rights and the war on terror. But given Washingtons vendetta against Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, it is appropriate to note that the people of the Middle Eastand above all Iraqwere the victims of many of the most important and chilling of the Pentagon and CIA crimes exposed by WikiLeaks.

Through its endless aggression and wars, US imperialism has torn asunder complex societies and razed entire states in the Middle East and North Africathink Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, and I could go onresulting in millions of deaths and rendering tens of millions homeless and stateless. The expenditure of vast amounts of blood and treasure, to use Obamas expression, in establishing unbridled US domination over the worlds principal oil-exporting regions, is also bound up with social devastation in America.

Yet these wars have manifestly failed to arrest the erosion of US economic and global power.

Nonetheless, US imperialismconcentrating within itself all the decadence, parasitism and criminality of an outmoded social ordercant help itself. It is preparing for new and expanded wars in the Middle East, although it well recognizes that the next crap shot threatens to ignite a regional or even world war.

US imperialism is intensifying its campaign, through illegal unilateral sanctions, to crash the Iranian economy and precipitate regime change; it is lavishing arms on Saudi Arabia and providing crucial logistical and military support to Riyadhs assault on Yemen; it is fanning Israeli aggression, giving legal recognition to Israels annexation of the Golan Heights; and US military forces continue to control large swathes of eastern Syria, including its major oil fields, so as to strangle Syria economically and prepare fresh aggression.

The European imperialist powers are no less predatory. They too are patrons of the House of Saud and the bloody Sisi dictatorship in Egypt, and they too defend the Zionist states brutal subjugation of the Palestinian people to the hilt. Their differences with Washingtonthe Europeans have, for example, argued for a more aggressive western imperialist intervention in Syria, while opposing Washingtons economic war on Iranare the differences of rival gangsters over the division of the spoils.

But the Middle East and North Africa are not just ravaged by imperialist war aggression. They are also being convulsed by the resurgence of global class struggle. The working class is striving to assert its interests in a region that is characterized by massive social inequality and brutal state violenceand this is true of Israel as much as of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The 2011 NATO war on Libya, and the deployment by the US of Al Qaeda aligned Islamists against the Syrian regime, were imperialisms responseor a key element in its responseto the Arab Spring: to the initial upsurge in class struggle engendered by the 2008 global economic crisis, above all, the working class-led uprisings that chased from power the imperialist clients, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Ben Ali in Tunisia.

Since 2018, there has been a fresh wave of working class struggle across the region. This includes strikes and mass protests in Iran, public sector strikes in Israel, mass teacher strikes in Tunisia and Morocco, and months of mass protests in Sudan, which caused the army, fearing revolution, to oust the dictator al-Bashir, who had himself seized power in a 1989 military coup.

Of especial significance are the developments in Algeria, where a venal imperialist-backed regime, which has for decades looted the countrys wealth, is attempting a cosmetic makeover by retiring the long-term president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the face of mass working class-led unrest.

The upsurge of the working class in Algeria and across the region raises crucial questions of revolutionary perspective and strategyabove all the necessity of politically arming the working class with the program of Permanent Revolution. The democratic and social aspirations of the massesfrom the eradication of landlordism, and the establishment of genuine equality, among working people of all ethnicities and religions, to freedom from imperialism, will only be realized through socialist revolution. The working class in every country must forge its political independence, rally the toilers behind it in struggle against imperialism and all factions of the national bourgeoisie, and for workers power, and unite and coordinate its struggle with those of workers across the region and around the world.

Here the lessons of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution are pivotal. It was the working class that drove Mubarak from power. But the revolution was subsequently derailed. Forces like the pseudo-left Revolutionary Socialists worked systematically to tie the working class to the Egyptian bourgeoisie and its state, by urging support for a democratic transition, led first by the purportedly progressive section of the military, then Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, and finally the Tamarod, which boosted Sisi as a democrat, thereby blazing the path for the militarys return to power.

Similarly, in Algeria today, pseudo-left groups like the Pabloite Socialist Workers Party (PST) are seeking to forestall revolution and subordinate the working class to the bourgeoisie and imperialism by championing the call for a Constituent Assembly, that is, a reshuffling of the personnel of the current regime under cover of flowery constitutional promises.

To prevent this trap from being sprung, the most class conscious workers and youth must fight for the building of Workers Committees of Action, independent of the government and its allied trade unions, to coordinate opposition to military-police repression and austerity, and as the future organs of workers state power, which will, above all, build a revolutionary Marxist party that will guide the struggle for the political independence of the working class and for socialism.

Invariably, those political forces that demand, in the name of democracy, that the working class be subordinated to the bourgeoisie and petty bourgeoisie are tied politically and materially to imperialism.

Take the example of Turkey, where the comrades of the Sosyalist Esitlik are fighting to found a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International. In the name of defending democracy against Erdogans Islamist authoritarian regime, the Turkish pseudo-left is supporting right-wing capitalist parties, oriented to NATO and the European Unionthe Republican Peoples Party and the Peoples Democratic Party. The former is the party of the traditional Kemalist capitalist ruling elite and is complicit in all its crimes, including bloody coups directed against the working class and the Turkish bourgeoisies brutal 35-year counter-insurgency war against the Kurdish people. The latter is the political front of the Kurdish nationalist PKK, which, in the 1980s, launched armed struggle in the name of socialism. But, since 1991, it has oriented to imperialism, like such bourgeois national movements around the world. The PKK supported the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG, has served for the past four years as Washingtons principal proxy army in Syria.

The travails of the people of the Middle East over the past century demonstrate that there can be no struggle for democracy outside the struggle against imperialism, the principal bastion of reaction in the Middle East; and there can be no struggle against imperialism outside the mobilization of the working class in the struggle for socialism.

In conclusion, workers around the world must oppose the US regime-change offensive against Iran and all of imperialisms predations in the Middle East and North Africa, and actively support the struggle of their class brothers and sisters across the region. The workers of North America and Europe have a special responsibility. In opposing war and developing the class struggle they will be striking a blow for the liberation of the masses of the Middle Eastjust as when the workers of Algeria rebel against that countrys venal national bourgeois regime, they are striking blows against Macron and Trump.

This objective unity of the working class animates the perspective of the International Committee of the Fourth International and must find expression, in the coming period, in the development of sections of the Fourth International across the Middle East and North Africa.
The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in the US held a series of meetings last month on the topic, Materialism versus Postmodernism: A Marxist critique of irrationalism and identity politics.

The meetings were held at the University of California (UC), Berkeley; UC Los Angeles; and Portland State Universitythree college campuses where both postmodernism and identity politics exercise a strong influence. There was a very positive response from students at all the meetings, with over 125 attending the three meetings.

UCLA

The presentations were given by Gabriel Black, a member of the IYSSE national committee. Black reviewed the theoretical and ideological background of postmodernism and its contemporary influence. He explained that postmodernism has its roots not in Marxism, as is often falsely claimed, but rather its philosophical opponent: subjective idealism.

Black reviewed certain common conceptions in the theories of subjective idealists, such as Fredrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) and Martin Heidegger (1889-1976); the theoreticians of the Frankfurt School; and modern postmodernistsrejection of science and the Enlightenment; opposition to the concept of objective truth; and skepticism of or outright hostility to the working class.

The presentation showed that both Nietzsche and Heideggers rejection of the Enlightenment was bound up with hatred of and hostility toward the working class and socialism. Nietzsche, for example, wrote in 1888, Whom do I hate most among the rabble of today? The socialist rabble, the chandala apostles, who undermine the instinct, the pleasure, the workers sense of satisfaction with his small existencewho make him envious, who teach him revenge. The source of wrong is never unequal rights but the claim of equal rights.

Drawing on the book, The Frankfurt School, Postmodernism and the Politics of the Pseudo-Left, by David North, Black examined how a layer of left intellectuals associated with the Frankfurt School, including Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer, blamed Enlightenment thought and science for the horrors of World War II.

The lecture traced opposition to a belief in objective truth and reason through the thinking of Foucault to modern postmodernists like Jean-Francois Lyotard, who proclaimed in 1979 that postmodernism means incredulity to all meta-narrativesabove all, Marxism. He reviewed the thinking of French philosopher Michel Foucault (19261984), as well as Ernesto LaClau (19352004) and Chantal Mouffe (1943).

LaClau and Mouffes Hegemony and Socialist Strategy, published in 1985, was based, Black explained, on the rejection of what the authors called the ontological centrality of the working class, in favor of racial, gender and nationalist politics.

Black ended by referring to the work of Jorg Baberowski, a historian at Humboldt University in Germany. An ex-Maoist and admirer of Foucault, Baberowski has refashioned postmodern conceptions, declaring that there exists no reality apart from the consciousness that produces it. Baberowskis opposition to objective truth has been used to justify the most right-wing positions, including the rehabilitation of the work of Ernst Nolte, the Nazi-apologist historian.

The Grievance Studies Hoax, the work of three professors to expose the irrational and absurd character of postmodern left academia was also raised. Black explained that the obsession with sex, racial and gender identity is a mechanism by which sections of the upper-middle class compete with each other for positions in academia, corporate and non-profit boards, the art world, and public office.

The presentation provoked significant discussion. Many students expressed relief, surprise and excitement to hear a genuine left-wing critique of political tendencies that are palmed-off on college campuses as left-wing, and even Marxist.

The discussion at UCLA was marked by two individuals from a Maoist group disrupting the meeting and yelling expletives. One of their members exclaimed, Class is just another identity!

Black rejected this effort to reduce class to just one of a number of identities. Capitalisms fundamental feature is not the oppression of one race or gender by another, but rather the exploitation of the working class as whole. The vast majority of humans, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, nationality, or sexual identity, own nothing and must sell their labor power to the capitalist class to survive. In contrast, a tiny parasitic elite control almost all of societys wealth.

For Marxists, the foundation of society is the material process of production, which gives rise to class relations and objective class interests. Quoting Marx and Engels The Holy Family (1845), Black explained, It is not a question of what this or that proletarian, or even the whole proletariat, at the moment regards as its aim. It is a question of what the proletariat is, and what, in accordance with this being, it will historically be compelled to do.

The vast numerical superiority of the working class over the ruling class encourages the ruling class to divide workers along national lines, racial lines and sexual lines. It is the role of the Marxist movement to oppose this and unify the working class in opposition to capitalism.

Students at all three locations responded strongly to the presentations, with dozens expressing interest in getting involved with the IYSSE and coming to future meetings.

Portland Meeting

Jane, a philosophy student at Portland State University, told the WSWS, It was a very interesting talk. I have tended towards subjectivism and idealism lately, but my ideas have been challenged. I like how these ideas were made accessible to people who dont have a background in it. I will definitely be back to future meetings.

Peggy, a retired health care worker, said, I like your perspective on equality and the differentiation from the other forms of socialism and the pseudo-left. The historical summary was great, and the quotes shared were very poignant. Id like to reflect more on many of them.

Peter, a freelance writer and editor, said, I liked the point about the collective part of society being this broader 90 percent, rather than the 99 percent. This describes the group of people who have more in common than anyone may realize, based on their affiliations with either the left [Democrats] or the right [Republicans].
The trial that opened in Paris on Monday of seven former France Telecom executives on the spate of worker suicides at the company sheds a stark light on the brutality of the capitalist system.

Beginning in 2005, France Telecom (now Orange) management secretly implemented a policy of psychological torture. It transferred workers to branches in cities far from their children or ailing parents; set unachievable performance targets; or held repeated meetings to ritualistically denounce and humiliate staff. This was aimed at getting rid of 22,000 workers who were legally protected from sacking, or almost one fifth of the workforce, by pushing them to quit or commit suicide.

CEO Didier Lombard said management would get workers out one way or another, by the door or through the window.

The nightmare they created plunged hundreds of workers into anxiety and depression; 57 workers committed suicide from 2008 to 2010 alone, with dozens more attempting suicide. Some took their own lives at work, in offices and parking lots, as their colleagues looked on in horror. Others left notes behind to their love ones, blaming management for their deaths.

Out of hundreds of cases, 39 victims have been included in the prosecution, including 19 suicide victims, and 12 who attempted suicide.

The seven executives standing trial are: Lombard, the former CEO; his number two, Louis-Pierre Wenes; and the former director of human resources, Olivier Barberot; and four others accused of complicity in their actions.

They are only charged, however, with moral harassment. This carries a maximum sentence of a 15,000 euro ($US16,900) fineor 789 euros per workers suicide in the trialand a year in jail.

Whatever the outcome of the trial, therefore, it will confirm that in 21st century France, class justice prevails. Having walked free for a decade, executives who consciously and sadistically destroyed the lives of workers and their families to boost France Telecoms profits and the portfolios of its shareholders will walk away with minimal penalties, or quite possibly none at all.

Testifying on Tuesday, Lombard brazenly defended all his actions as CEO from 2005 to 2010. That the social transformations were not agreeable, its like that, he declared. I couldnt help it. If I wasnt there, someone else would have done the same, or worse.

Denying all responsibility for workers deaths, he asserted that these events were not a social crisis, but a media crisis.  The newspapers said their company was awful, and that broke their morale. Asked by the prosecutor whether he regretted any of his actions, Lombard replied: I will not answer this question. His statements reportedly provoked gasps of outrage among relatives and supporters of the workers in the courtroom.

But Lombards role is well documented. In 2005 the company adopted business strategies, entitled ACT and NeXT, to raise productivity by 15 percent in three years and slash 22,000 jobsin order, in the words of the plan, to prepare France Telecom to become a global internet provider.

Though the Socialist Party had privatized the company in the 1990s, two-thirds of the workforce were still classified as public servants. To slash a workforce legally protected from sacking, executives adopted a covert policy of psychological torture designed to coerce workers to quit or commit suicide. They coldly mapped out a complex, six-stage process of growing mental anguish (incomprehension, revolt, despair, depression, nostalgia and so on) that they hoped workers would experience before taking drastic action.

In 2010, Le Parisien published an internal summary of the October 2006 directors meeting at which Lombard, Wenes and Barberot discussed their plan. According to the newspaper, company officials later ordered the summary destroyed, but a secretary preserved a copy in her garage.

We have to get away from this position of a mother hen, Lombard had said. It will be a bit more authoritarian than in the past. Its our only chance to do the 22,000 In 2007, I will get the departures one way or another, through the door or through the window.

One of the workers who committed suicide, Nicolas Grenoville, was 28 years old. On August 10, 2009, he hung himself in his home in Besancon using a France Telecom cable. My job makes me suffer, he said in his suicide note. I cannot stand this job, and France Telecom doesnt care.

Nicolas brother, Vincent, told Le Parisien, For him, every day had become a hell to go to work. When you are alone, when no one helps you, when the hierarchy laughs at you

Vincent bitterly added that he does not expect the trial to result in justice for his brother: These people who are untouchable, who went to school with the leaders of this country, are going to take a fine and make an appeal My brother, he will not come back.

On September 9, 2009, Yonelle Dervin, a technician, who had just learned that his position was being changed, stood up in the middle of a meeting, apologized to his colleagues, took out a knife, and stabbed himself in the stomach.

Two days later, on September 11, 2009, 32-year-old Stephanie threw herself out of the window at a France Telecom office. The day before, she sent a note to her father: My boss of course has not been warned, but I will be the 23rd employee to commit suicide. I cannot accept the new reorganization of services I would prefer to die.

On April 26, 2011, 56-year-old Remy Louvradoux set himself on fire in a France Telecom branch parking lot, after having worked there since 1979. He left behind a wife and four children.

The more he was overcome by the troubles of his work, the more we were overcome with him, his wife said, according to Le Parisien. He killed himself to put an end to the infernal cycle that he was caught in and from which he saw no way outbut also to denounce the practices at the company he had given his life for.

The family had sought to press charges for involuntary homicide. Remys thirty-year-old son stated: We believe that the judicial response, in addition to its slow pace, is not proportionate to the horror and the gravity of the acts. It comforts those responsible for what happened with impunity. Their mass plan aimed to push people to the edge. They knew that they could kill.

These crimes are an indictment not only of France Telecom management and the Socialist Party, but of the unions at the company. As in every industry and every country, the union bureaucracy functioned as an arm of corporate management, isolating the workers and smothering resistance. Workers who committed suicide saw no way to fight the companys reign of terror due above all to the role of these corporatized and corrupt bureaucracies, which did nothing to stop the companys ruthless offensive.

Events like the victimization of France Telecom workers have taken place, to varying extents, at countless workplaces internationally over the past 40 years, as the ruling elites have overseen a social counterrevolution against the social gains won by workers throughout the 20th century. All such workers are the victims of capitalism, that is, the subordination of society to the maniacal pursuit of profit by the financial elite.

The author also recommends:

France Telecom employee immolates himself

[29 April 2011]
The Trump administration today carried out its threat to raise tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent. It also again indicated that more is to come, signalling the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on another $325 billion worth.

The hike went into effect one minute after midnight Friday, US time, just five days after Trump first issued the threat in tweets last Sunday. The new tariffs were imposed following the first session of discussions yesterday between the US negotiators, led by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and Chinese vice premier and chief trade negotiator Liu He.

The talks are scheduled to continue today but whether any progress will be made is very much a moot point.

However, the higher tariffs will only affect goods leaving China today, not goods already in transit to the US. This leaves a period of three to four weeks before they come into effect, during which time the US will continue to press for the concessions it has demanded from China.

Yesterday, in an effort to prevent a stock market plunge, with Wall Street opening more than 200 points down on the Dow, Trump said he had received a beautiful letter from Chinas President Xi Jinping, and he expected to have a phone call with Xi, thus holding out the prospect of a deal.

The trade talks would proceed, Trump said, but in an expression of the improvised ad hoc character of the administrations decision-making, he added: I have no idea whats going to happen.

Until Trumps tweets, the negotiators had been expected to announce an agreement ready for signing by the two presidents. The breakdown came after the US accused China of backtracking on commitments to enshrine agreements in Chinese law. The US has so far failed to specify on which agreements China reneged.

A Reuters report published on Wednesday, principally attributed to three US government sources, said China had been on the brink of surrender but then tried to wriggle out at the last minute. The report said the seven-chapter draft agreement had included binding legal language that China change its laws covering intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers, competition policy, currency manipulation and access to financial services.

The Chinese side has strenuously denied the charge of backtracking. At a press conference on Thursday, Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng rejected Washingtons claim and said Beijing had been seeking to resolve the disputes with the US.

Lots of [broken] promises have been foisted on China, he said. China is committed and has kept its promises, and this has never changed.

Gao warned there were no winners in trade wars and called for the US to solve problems through dialogue rather than unilateral measures. At the same time, China is well prepared, determined and capable of safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, he said.

It is not clear what measures China could enact in retaliation, given that a considerable portion of US exports have already been hit by earlier tit-for-tat tariffs. Retaliatory measures could include increased regulations directed at US goods, which would slow access to Chinese markets.

Beijing does have a more powerful weapon at its disposal. It holds $1.3 trillion of US Treasury bonds and could threaten to sell them offa move that would cause significant turbulence in financial markets. But a resort to this nuclear option would have a major impact on China itself because of the increased integration of its financial system into global markets.

On the issue of changes to Chinese law, Gao said China did not legally mandate foreign companies to transfer technology to Chinese partners. Beijing has repeatedly insisted that if such transfers do take place, these are commercial arrangements.

The newly passed foreign investment law further stipulates that government departments and officials shall not use administrative means to engage in the forced transfer of technology, further enhancing legal protection for foreign enterprises, he said.

But these laws are regarded as inadequate by the US and too easily by-passed. In effect, it is demanding that Washington be able to dictate Chinese legislation. This is regarded by Beijing as an unacceptable infringement on Chinas national sovereignty.

At same time, the US is continually stepping up the pressure on all fronts, not only from the Trump administration.

On Monday, the US-China Economic and Security Review Committee, a body established by Congress in 2000 as China was moving to gain entry to the World Trade Organisation, released a report entitled How Chinese Companies Facilitate Technology Transfer from the United States.

The report pointed to the essential driving force of the conflict, which is not trade as such, but Chinas efforts to enhance its industrial and technological development, regarded by Washington as a threat to US dominance, both economically and militarily.

The committee said China used a variety of methods, many of them covert or coercive, often at the direction of, and with assistance from, the government, as part of Beijings larger effort to develop its domestic market and become a global leader in a wide range of technologies.

These issues have been at the centre of the conflict, which began last May when the Trump administration set out its base position, essentially demanding that China end its efforts to develop hi-tech industries and assume a semi-colonial status with regard to the US.

Shi Yinhong, an adviser to Chinas State Council, told the South China Morning Post the US had pressed China to make changes on structural issues such as subsidies for state-owned industries. Beijing it found difficult to accept these demands but did not reject them outright.

China wanted to offer some smaller concessions, hoping the US would accept, Shi said. But Trump would not allow it.

The newspaper cited an unnamed professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also a senior adviser to the Chinese leadership, who said some of the US demands, especially those on cancelling subsidies, would be suicidal.

It means that China has to give up its development pattern, he said. China would rather accept the US raising the tariffs to 25 percent. China will not give up its bottom line just for the sake of reaching a deal. China could bear the consequences and was prepared for failure.
Washington has stepped up threats of military intervention in Venezuela following moves by the Maduro government to arrest a group of right-wing politicians in the National Assembly who participated actively in the abortive April 30 coup called by the US puppet and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido.

On Wednesday night, agents of Venezuelas SEBIN internal security agency arrested the vice president of the National Assembly, Edgar Zambrano. Zambrano is the leader of the right-wing Democratic Action (AD) party, whose last elected president, Carlos Andres Perez, directed the repression that led to as many as 3,000 deaths during the 1989 popular uprising known as the caracazo and was subsequently impeached for corruption. Zambrano was leaving a meeting at the AD headquarters when he was surrounded by security agents.

After he refused orders to get out of his car, the police brought in a tow truck which towed him and his car to jail. He reportedly had US $9,000 on his person at the time of his arrest.

He and several other National Assembly deputies have been charged by the countrys Supreme Court with treason, conspiracy, civil rebellion and other crimes in connection with the April 30 events, which were initiated by Guaido, who posted a video of himself and the leader of his far-right, US-funded Voluntad Popular party, Leopoldo Lopez, who had escaped house arrest, and a few dozen armed men in uniform.

On April 30, Guaido and Lopez appealed to the Venezuelan military to rise up and overthrow the government of President Nicolas Maduro. In the course of the day, it became clear that the coup had no significant support either within the military or the civilian population. Soldiers who had been brought to the event under false pretenses turned themselves in, and an appeal by Guaido to the population to storm the La Carlota air base in eastern Caracas failed miserably, while provoking violent clashes in which five people lost their lives.

Zambrano and others were photographed and filmed at the site where the coup leaders sought to gather support, a highway overpass in the Altamira section of the capital. They are seen trying to persuade soldiers to join in an attack on the base and standing with civilians who mounted heavy machine guns on the overpass, apparently preparing for a massacre.

Others named by the court have sought to flee. Richard Blanco of the Alianza Bravo Pueblo, a minor right-wing party that split from the AD, sought refuge in the residency of the Argentine ambassador in Caracas. Two other deputies charged in relation to the coup, Mariela Magallanes and Americo De Grazia, entered the Italian embassy seeking protection from arrest.

Meanwhile, Maduro has announced the dismissal of dozens of Venezuelan military personnel who had been involved in the coup attempt. The most senior among them was the chief of the SEBIN internal security force, Gen. Manuel Figuera. Five lieutenant colonels, four majors, four captains, six lieutenants and 35 sergeants were also arrested.

Some 25 of these military personnel sought refuge in the embassy of Brazil, whose fascistic president, former army captain Jair Bolsonaro, has provided enthusiastic support for Washingtons regime-change operation.

Leopoldo Lopez, who was convicted for inciting violence in the so-called La Salida (Exit) demonstrations which were launched in 2014 in an attempt to force out the government after the right-wing opposition had lost both presidential and municipal elections, has been granted protection by the Spanish embassy, which has allowed him to continue issuing calls for Maduros overthrow.

The initial attempts by the Maduro government and its judicial system to hold accountable those responsible for the attempted coup of April 30 have evoked howls of protest from Washington, the European Union and the United Nations.

Washington issued a statement in the name of its virtual embassy in Venezuela, denouncing the detention of Zambrano as illegal and inexcusable and warning that there would be consequences, without specifying what form they would take.

The European Union called the arrest another flagrant violation of Venezuelas constitution and a politically motivated action aimed at silencing the National Assembly.

And the United Nations human rights office demanded the immediate release of Zambrano and demanded that the Maduro government cease the attacks on the National Assembly and its members.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called attention to the grotesque hypocrisy of these denunciations, declaring that those who were leaping to the defense of the coup organizers were complicit in the coup. He pointed out that in the countries whose governments were condemning Caracas, sedition and military rebellion also constitute grave crimes.

Arreaza in particular blasted the UN human rights office for failing to condemn the attempted coup of April 30 and defending the impunity of its organizers. Is it the case that military coups are organized in defense of human rights? he asked.

What would be the reaction of the US government if a group of politicians and a handful of soldiers called for an assault on Andrews Air Base outside of Washington and set up machinegun positions on a Highway 495 overpass? One can safely assume that such an incident would produce far more bloodshed than the clashes in Caracas, and that the perpetrators would have been prosecuted on treason, sedition and terrorism charges.

Meanwhile both Washington and Guaidowhom the Maduro government has yet to charge, no doubt fearing his arrest could provoke a US attackare continuing to encourage a revolt by the military to topple the Venezuelan president.

US Vice President Mike Pence, in a speech delivered on Tuesday to the annual Conference of the Americas held by the US State Department made a point of announcing that sanctions imposed just three months earlier on the now renegade commander of SEBIN, General Figuera, had been lifted in recognition of his recent actions in support of democracy and the rule of law and urged others follow the example set by Figuera.

Figuera, a veteran commander of Venezuelas National Guard, a unit used in the repression of struggles of the working class in Venezuela, is an unlikely champion of democracy.

Pences speech included preposterous claims that the Maduro government had entered a pact with Iran to bring Hezbollah terrorists into Venezuela and from there dispatch them throughout the hemisphere. The claim seemed aimed at joining the two major arenas of US threats of war into one, justifying attacks on both Iran and Venezuela. The vice president likewise denounced Russia for using its trade and political ties with Venezuela to gain a foothold in this hemisphere.

Pence summed up by declaring: The United States of America will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition of democracy in Venezuela. But to those who continue to oppress the good people of Venezuela, know this: All options are on the table.

The only military option that he announced in the speech was the US Navys deployment next month of the USNS Comfort, a hospital ship, to countries bordering Venezuela next month, ostensibly to provide aid to Venezuelan migrants.

Discussions are underway within the Trump administration on far more aggressive forms of US military intervention. These reportedly include dispatching US military units, including special forces troops, to neighboring countries, first and foremost Colombia, and the deployment of a naval armada off the Venezuelan coast in a show of force.

US Senator Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, issued a call on Wednesday for the US to mount a naval blockade of Cuba to enforce the sanctions against the export of Venezuelan oil decreed by the Trump administration. Scott called last week for the US to send troops to Colombia to break through barriers on the Venezuelan border to force through humanitarian aid.

All of these proposals, which pose the threat of a bloodbath and a potential confrontation between the US and nuclear-armed Russia, express the mounting frustration in Washington over the failure of the regime-change operation centered upon Guaido to produce the desired results. The Venezuelan military has thus far failed to turn against Maduro, and the broader masses of Venezuelans, however much they are hostile to the Maduro government, see in the right-wing CIA-trained opposition an enemy in service of US imperialism and the countrys traditional ruling oligarchy.

Under these conditions, the threat of a direct US military intervention to assert Washingtons control over Venezuela and its oil reserves, the largest on the planet, only continues to grow.
Written and Directed by Madeleine Olnek

I like Truthit is a free Democracy, Emily Dickinson, in a letter.

Emily Dickinson (18301886), who spent her entire life in Amherst, Massachusetts, was one of the greatest English-language poets of the 19th century. Barely (and anonymously) published in her lifetime, Dickinson produced some 1,800 elliptical, allusive and elusive verses that still startle and illuminate.

Poster

Wild Nights with Emily, directed by Madeleine Olnek, purports to be a humorous yet bold reappraisal of Dickinson. In fact, it is a largely degrading work that obliterates or trivializes history, demeaning not only Dickinson, but also, in passing, the remarkable abolitionist and literary figure Thomas Wentworth Higginson.

By concentrating almost exclusively on Dickinsons supposed sexual relationship with her sister-in-law, Susan Gilbert Dickinson, Olnek and her collaborators recreate the poet in their own petty, self-absorbed image. This is postmodern-feminist mythologizing at some of its worst so far .

The problem, to be clear, is not simply that the filmmakers invest Dickinson with a particular sexual orientation, overconfidently brushing aside all ambiguities and uncertainties in that regard, but that they render this brilliant, witty and insightful artists life and work essentially puerile and detach both life and work from their turbulent, revolutionary times.

Daguerreotype of Emily Dickinson, December 1846 or early 1847

Emily Dickinson disdained convention in her way of life and her manner of composition. She did without traditional rhyming or punctuation, producing intensely compressed responses (the longest poem occupies less than two printed pages) to what she considered the great questions of existence. Although she still formally and structurally displayed the Puritan discipline of restraint (in a biographers phrase) inherited from New Englands past, Dickinsons work bursts out with almost unbearable emotion.

A few of her first linesshe also avoided titlesgive some indication: After great pain, a formal feeling comes, Banish Air from Air, Before I got my eye put out, Fame is the one that does not stay, I felt a Funeral, in my Brain, Hope is the thing with feathers, Because I could not stop for Death.

She could write, characteristically, in defense of her oblique but lacerating approach:

Tell all the truth but tell it slant Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truths superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind

An essay in the Literary History of the United States (1957) argues that in Dickinsons half-rhymes, her irregularity of speech and rhythm, her spasmodic quality, she mirrored the incongruities and frustrations of human experience; the awkwardness in her poetry became a metaphor of life itself. The essay suggests further that from one point of view, Emily Dickinson is a realist examining, as she says, each splinter in the groove of the brain; a witty piquant perceptress on all the common life about her, and also on its divine origins.

Her great cultural influences included prominently the Bible, Protestant hymns, Shakespeare, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters and George Eliot. Dickinson, notes literary historian Brenda Wineapple in White Heat: The Friendship of Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higginson, was firmly ensconced in her prodigious reading, which included, in addition to the figures already mentioned, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the beloved Elizabeth Barrett Browning  Tennyson, [the early 17th century English poet] George Herbert, Robert Burns, Keats, popular novels.

White Heat- The Friendship of Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higginson

In the face of all that, we are presented with Wild Nights with Emily.

In her film, as noted, Madeleine Olnek takes one portion of the poets life, her connection to her sister-in-law Susan, wife of her older brother Austinwhich is memorialized in various letters and poemsand transforms it into the central experience and driving force of the poets artistic and emotional life. Although Wild nights is the first line of one of Dickinsons poems, from around 1861, the films title and poster, which shows two women in bed, are intended to outline a specific and narrow agenda.

The opening sequence sets the tone: Emily (Molly Shannon) and Susan (Susan Ziegler) greet one another before quickly embracing and having sex behind the living room couch in the Dickinson family home. The absurdities continue. Susanmarried to Austin (Kevin Seal)and Emily pursue a full-blown romantic relationship and Susans children deliver countless notes back and forth between the lovers. A recently widowed Kate Scott Turner (Allison Lane) comes to stay with Susan, but ends up sleeping with Emily. Susan becomes jealous because Emily makes Kate a pair of garters!

Enter the self-important, condescending Thomas Wentworth Higginson (Brett Gelman), who in a brief scene tells Emily her poems are not ready for publication and presumes to rearrange one. The Civil War, the titanic event that in one way or another shaped the lives of all the historic figures represented in this foolish work, receives its two minutes or so of attention when a few black soldiers aggressively and skeptically demand to know Higginsons military credentials. (Higginson was, in fact, colonel of the First South Carolina Volunteers, the first authorized regiment recruited from freedmen for Union military service.)

Brett Gelman and Molly Shannon in Wild Nights with Emily

Decades later, Mabel Todd (Amy Seimetz), who has a lengthy affair with Austin and helps edit and publish Emilys work after the latters death, condescendingly lectures about the poet to crowds of respectable middle class women. (What should not go without mention: Emilys well-known reclusiveness is comically explained by the filmmakers as an act of self-confinement due to Austin and Mables frequent and obtrusive sexual escapades in the parlor!) Meanwhile, philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson (Robert McCaskill ) is shown mumbling incoherently at a party.

Wild Nights with Emily is crude and amateurish for the most part, and not amusing. One feels for the talented comedic actress Shannon, who is out of her depth here. She mugs and plays for relatively cheap laughs; her character is physically and intellectually the near opposite of the poet. The secondary personalities dont fare much better in the films historical mash-up and obsession with identity politics.

Olnek boasts in a directors statement that the film features a strong female-centered and LGBTQ narrative and has a cast and crew that is predominantly made up of women. She claims some sort of historical authority based on Harvard University Press having permitted her access to Dickinsons letters and poems, which she distorts and subordinates to her ideological ends. Olnek transforms Emerson and particularly Higginson into foppish or repressive cartoons, while Austin is a weasel engaged in presumably disgusting, adulterous sex. The filmmaker picks and chooses the relationships about which she moralizes.

Olneks method and outlook are thoroughly subjective, promoting a historical view, or a pseudo-historical view, in which anything goes.

Thomas Wentworth Higginson, during the Civil War era

No one knows, frankly, the precise nature of Dickinsons relationship with her sister-in-law. Susan was not the only female correspondent to whom Emily wrote effusively and even adoringly. (One commentator: Her words are the declarations of a lover, but such language is not unique to the letters to Gilbert. It appears in the correspondence with [girlhood friends Emily] Fowler and [Jane] Humphrey.) By all accounts, the poet also had infatuations or stronger feelings for several men. One hopes, in fact, that Dickinson was able to experience a physical relationship with someone, female or male. But knowing what one does about mid-19th century New England society and its self-restrictedness, one tends to doubt she ever had the opportunity.

Wineapple, in her remarkable White Heat (about which more below), writes that at present Sue Gilbert is considered the prime recipient of Dickinsons erotic outpourings, but there were doubtless other loves as well, female and male, most of whom we do not know. She also observes that Dickinsons early notes and letters to Sue, churning with unmistakable passion, ripened in later years but were not less affectionate, admiring, or pointed; Sue was, as Dickinson characterized her, the sister a hedge away (Susan and Emilys brother lived next door to Emily in Amherst).

All forms of oppression of people are based on myths, Olnek writes. No, oppression is rooted in socio-economic relationships and interests. In any case, the filmmakers comment implies that one should counter oppressive myths with liberating myths. Presumably, this is how she sees her film and justifies interpreting facts and inventing entire episodes in the most self-serving fashion.

The critics have predictably rallied around the film. In the New York Times review, Teo Bugbee writes: In Madeleine Olneks Wild Nights With Emily, the life and work of Emily Dickinson are subject to a delightfully drolleven gayreinterpretation. The Hollywood Reporter enthuses that [d]ebates over Emily Dickinsons personal life are a staple not just among literary scholars and poetry lovers but with assemblers of LGBT histories eager to add another gay genius to the pantheon.

In the obligatory identity politics jargon, Pat Brown of Slant pens: Olneks comedy does two favors to Dickinson: First, it reclaims one of few women poets firmly in the literary canon as a distinctly queer voice, and second, it revitalizes a corpus of poems familiar to every American schoolchild. The film contextualizes Dickinsons works within the life of a woman secretly devoted to another woman.

Introduced here, Higginson will prove to be one of the antagonists in Emily Dickinsons life, characterized as a self-styled woke bro who offers her patronizing advice instead of taking her work seriously. Hes one of several men the film ridicules for preventing Dickinsons recognition before her death. Brown adds that Austin is a mediocre bourgeois outmatched by the clever women around him.

Dickinson will survive this mess intact. The smearing of the lesser known Higginson, who conducted a near-quarter-century correspondence with Dickinson and co-edited the first two collections of her poems, is perhaps more damaging.

The Emily Dickinson Museum website notes that Higginson was a man of astonishingly varied talents and accomplishments. A lifelong radical, he was an outspoken abolitionist, advocate of womens rights, and founder of the Intercollegiate Socialist Society [in 1905]. During the Civil War, he served as commander of the first Union regiment of freed African American soldiers. An ordained Unitarian minister, Higginson was also a prolific writer; his most highly regarded work was a memoir of his war years, Army Life in a Black Regiment . In regard to his Union army command of former slaves, the abolitionist Sojourner Truth declared that Higginson had been appointed by God. Literary critic Edmund Wilson described Army Life as an excellent book, as simple and precise as General Ulysses S. Grants memoirs.

Army Life in a Black Regiment

In fact, Higginson was more than an outspoken abolitionist, he was one of the most radical in the anti-slavery movement. An advocate of the violent struggle for freedom, who wrote about the slave revolts of Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner for the Atlantic magazine, Higginson belonged to a minority among the abolitionists, the ultras, as they were insultingly termed by their opponents.

When John Brown came to Massachusetts to raise funds for his anti-slavery activities, he met with Higginson. The latter joined the clandestine group, known ultimately as the Secret Six, who helped support and finance Browns plan in 1859 to ignite an insurrection that would eradicate slavery once and for all. (Wineapple, White Heat )

Wineapple writes, Of the Secret Six, Higginson alone would remain loyal to Browns plan, for good or ill, and was the one who never let fear for his own safety interfere with what he believed to be right.  The world has always more respect for those who are unwisely zealous, he noted, than for those who are fastidiously inactive. As it began in blood, he said of slavery, so to end. After Brown and his comrades were executed, Wineapple adds, Higginson stood fast. John Brown is now beyond our reach, he declared, but the oppressed for whom he died still live.

Higginsons relationship with Dickinson was complicated and intense. Wineapples White Heat, a fascinating account of their friendship, was published in 2008. Wikipedia points out that the book was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, a winner of the Marfield Prize for Arts Writing, and a New York Times Notable Book. It was named one of the Best Books of 2008 by The Times Literary Supplement, The Washington Post, The Economist, The Christian Science Monitor, The Providence Journal, and The Kansas City Star, among other publications.

In other words, when she set out to direct a film about Dickinson and Higginson, Olnek could not possibly have been unaware of the meticulously researched book, which refuted in advance many of her films contentions. Wild Nights with Emily, from that point of view, is a deliberate intellectual provocation.

There are many questions discussed in Wineapples book. We will merely point to two.

Wild Nights with Emily largely ignores the Civil War and American social life as a whole. Far from repudiating conventional views of Dickinson, Olneks film, in the most revealing sense, confirms the principal existing commonplace: that the poet was someone cut off from the broader world, solely concerned with her immediate relationships (gay or otherwise) and her own mental state.

Wineapple, to her credit, disputes the notion: That Dickinson seldom mentioned the war directly inspired literary critics for many years to assume she inhabited only a supernal realm of poetry, far removed from the miserable squabbles of petty men. That can hardly be the case.

Dickinson first wrote and sent poems to Higginson in April 1862, inquiring whether her verses breathed. She was responding immediately to a piece Higginson had written for the Atlantic, Letter to a Young Contributor. But Wineapple asks the more profound question: Why write to Thomas Wentworth Higginson, of all people, when she could have contacted any number of the luminaries she admired ? The Dickinson household was relatively conservative in its views, while as stalwart hero or fanatic or both, Higginson was a staple of New England newspapers, his sermons reprinted or quoted, especially his enraged requiem of the Burns affair [an effort to rescue a slave from being returned to captivity]. Had Emily Dickinson read those accountsor the sermon? Doubtless both had been discussed at the Dickinson dining table. Did she know of him, too, from Amherst gossip?

(Suggestively, Wineapple points out that according to the poet Susan Howe, one of Dickinsons most intuitive readers, Higginsons Nat Turner essay may well have inspired the poets unforgettable My Life had stooda Loaded Gun. What a line/title!)

Loss is a powerful and recurring theme in Dickinsons poetry. Wineapple refers to the futile quest to rake over Dickinsons life, hunting for the concrete experiences that might account for her obsession with it, particularly during her most prolific years. She identifies several incidents in the writers personal life, then wonders out loud, Or was it the war? Certainly the world outside the Homestead [the Dickinson home] was besieged by narrative: each day villagers listened at the telegraph office for the ominous clicks and scanned the newspapers for names of the wounded and dead. Sorrow seems more general than it did and not the estate of a few persons, since the war began, Dickinson sadly observed. They dropped like Flakes, she wrote in a poem Higginson later called The Battle-Field.

The entire poem:

They dropped like Flakes They dropped like stars Like Petals from a Rose When suddenly across the June A Wind with fingersgoes They perished in the seamless Grass No eye could find the place But God can summon every face On his RepeallessList.

Numerous critics and biographers merely report the fact, without offering an explanation (and of course this is of no interest whatsoever to Olnek and company), that Dickinsons poetry writing reached a fever-pitch in the years immediately preceding the Civil War and especially the war years themselves.

The Dickinson Museum website, for example, writes that although her calling as a poet began in her teen years, she came into her own as an artist during a short but intense period of creativity that resulted in her composing, revising, and saving hundreds of poems. That period, which scholars identify as 18581865, overlaps with the most significant event of American nineteenth-century history, the Civil War. The four years 186265 alone account for more than half of Dickinsons known poetic output.

No doubt, the spirit of an epoch works imperceptibly and independently of the subjective will, and finds reflection in the work of artists who accept it and who embody it, as well as in those who hopelessly struggle against it, in Leon Trotskys words. But the record suggests that Dickinson, in her own distinctive manner, accepted and embodied the spirit of her epoch far more than she has been given credit for. The impulses set off by earthshaking events must affect even the most reclusive soul, if his or her antennae are properly aligned.

The final point concerns Higginsons supposed overbearing attitude toward Dickinsons poetry during her lifetime and his editorial heavy-handedness when organizing it, along with Mabel Todd, after her death. After his first encounter with Dickinson and her poetry, Higginson admitted to being overwhelmed and bewildered by her work, as well as entranced. A man of limits, to be sure, Higginson was gifted enough to sense what lay beyond him, Wineapple writes.

Wineapple explains that Todd and Higginson were both eventually pilloried for bowdlerizing the poets work. But they did not suppress or occlude it; rather, they presented it to an audience like them that, after many years of saccharine poetasting and propaganda, hungrily devoured the fresh, intricate, and dramatically novel verse. The volumes of Dickinsons poetry whose production they oversaw were enormously successful with the public in the 1890s. Higginson and Todd were hardly alone in their effort to correct or improve Dickinsons work. The first scholarly publication of her poetry, whose goal was to present the pieces as the poet had left them in her manuscripts, did not come until 1955.

One can leave the final word on their friendship to the poet herself. In White Heat, Wineapple refers to a letter from Dickinson to Higginson in June 1869. Of our greatest acts we are ignorant, she told him and then recollected, in Wineapples words, what his attention, his courtesy, his comprehension offered her during their first months of correspondence, before adding, You were not aware that you saved my Life.

Olneks Wild Nights with Emily exists in a different moral and intellectual universe.
Africa

Workers defy South African unions attempt to call off municipal workers unofficial strike

South African workers are defying attempts by the unions to end their wildcat strike in eThekwini municipality. After meeting with management on Tuesday, the unions, who refused to support the strike from the outset, now declare the strike over.

The action begun April 30 at the Water and Sanitation Unit and Durban Solid Waste departments was over privileged pay for recently employed ex-military personnel. Veterans are promoted to pay scale 10, more than double their previous R9,000 wage, while long standing workers remain on scale 4.

The South African Municipal Workers (SAMWU) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union members blocked roads with rubbish. Electricians and garbage collectors also joined the action.

The Durban city officialdom say domestic premises and hotel accommodation, in the tourist and conference season, could be without water and electricity.

The South African Police Force arrested over thirty protesters while scabbing on the strike. Online news reporter Times Live said, Durban metro police have become street sweepers, waste collectors and refuse truck drivers. Coupled with cleaning the streets, the cops have also undertaken duties of collecting waste, putting out fires and even driving water tankers to supply residents who have had no water.

Police killed one striker, according to SAMWU.

The central and provincial governments are threatening to deploy the South African National Defence Force if strikers do not return to work.

Striking South African cell phone workers dismissed

Workers on unofficial strike at the South African Cell C phone company have been suspended and are threatened with dismissal. The 1,300 Information Communications and Technology Union (ICTU) members went on strike last week over unpaid bonuses. Management has paid itself bonuses of R100 million since the beginning of this year.

Despite their strike being declared illegal by the labour court, strikers joined a solidarity picket of striking Tiso Blackstar Group journalists last week.

Tiso Blackstar has a 40 percent stake in Cell C and owns as a part of its portfolio, Business Day, Sunday Times, Financial Mail and The Sowetan newspapers. Cell C has acquired junk status by Standard & Poors. Online news reporter fin24 reported that Tiso Blackstar is in financial difficulties and has planned a restructuring programme involving redundancies.

An all out strike by ITCU members at Cell C was to start Monday and a demonstration at the company on Tuesday, but there have been no further reports.

South African health workers and paramedics demonstrate over long hours and dangerous conditions

South African paramedics and health workers demonstrated May 2 through the centre of Cape Town over long hours and dangerous working conditions.

Although their contract is a 45-hour week, they often work 60. They can be sent out without a security guard. Paramedics are sometimes robbed and even murdered at work.

The National Public Service Workers Union members handed in a memorandum to the Acting Director of Labour Relations at the Western Cape Health Department in Cape Town.

Health workers who are seconded to NGOs are paid below the minimum wage. They are demanding to be employed by the Western Cape Health Department.

South African building workers strike over training fund

South African building workers went on strike at the construction site of the new Noninzi Luzipho Primary School in KwaNobuhle Township this week. They are demanding the funding set aside for training be used as such.

A local worker said, We fought hard to have this school, but now they are fighting for certificates. He was concerned that when the project is complete the workers will come away without recognised skills and no prospect for further employment.

Strikers claim that the R600,000 training fund is being used to make pay rates up to an hourly rate of R22, R2 above the minimum wage introduced last year.

Union cancels strike threat by South African election workers

The strike threat by election workers overseeing South Africas May 8 general election was called off by the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union.

The workers are demanding that recommendations made three years ago on salary categories and pay arrangements be implemented. They also want transport provided to and from polling stations to drop off and pick up vote collecting boxes.

The Independent Electoral Commission officials said they will resolve workers grievances in September.

Nigerian university staff demonstrate to recover cut allowances

University staff demonstrated Monday at Nigerias University of Ilorin over cutbacks. They locked the entrance gates after new management refused to discuss their grievances.

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the Non-Academic Staff Union and some Academic Staff Union of Universities members are demanding allowances be reinstated.

Allowances for field trips and organizational responsibility have been cut since the beginning of the year. Provisions of a bag of rice per person have been reduced to one bag between two.

Sudan flour company workers strike over wages and conditions

Sudanese workers at the government owned flour company in the Port Sudan area are continuing their strike begun May 2. They are demanding a pay rise and improved conditions.

The strike halted production at the Gulf Factory subsidiary. The action is part of the mass opposition against the austerity of the previous al-Bashir regime and the current military rulers.

Europe

Uber drivers in UK cities join worldwide strikes

UK drivers working for the ride-share company Uber held a strike on Wednesday, refusing to respond to requests on the Uber app. Protests by Uber drivers in America and internationally took place the same day.

The boycott was between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Drivers in Glasgow, Birmingham, Nottingham and London took part. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain members are demanding an increase in fares from 1.25 a mile to 2 a mile and a reduction in Ubers commission from 25 percent to 15 percent.

Despite UK court rulings that Uber drivers are entitled to rights such as the minimum wage and holiday pay, the company insists they work on a self-employed basis. Uber is due to launch a $90 billion initial public offering on the stock exchange today making its investors extremely rich.

In a separate dispute, licensed taxi drivers in Birmingham have been holding go-slow protests each day this week with plans to continue next week. This is in response to Birmingham City Councils clean air zone charges that will hit taxi drivers earnings. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members are demanding the council re-open talks over the issue.

Wildcat action by post office workers in two UK towns

UK post office workers at two Royal Mail offices staged unofficial walkouts last week. The Communications Workers Union (CWU) members walked out of the Medway mail facility in Kent and from a delivery office in the Scottish town of Paisley. According to the CWU, the Medway strike was in response to unacceptable behaviour.

Underground rail maintenance staff in UK capital to strike

Around 1,000 UK maintenance and engineering workers at the London Underground rail system are to strike from Friday, May 17, until Monday, May 20. They are opposing London Undergrounds plans to cut the number of routine inspections of rolling stock. This would impact on safety and jobs.

Workers, members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, voted by a 90 percent majority to strike. They will also work to rule regarding risk assessments at work.

Strike by West Thames College lecturers in UK

UK lecturers at the West Thames College in London went on strike Tuesday and Wednesday. The action was backed unanimously in a recent ballot.

University and College Union (UCU) members were protesting against pay restraint, which over the last decade has left them 25 percent worse off in real terms. College lecturers earn around 7,000 less than school teachers.

According to a recent Further Education and Workforce Data report, lecturers median pay has fallen as the percentage of lecturers employed on a casual basis has increasedfrom 7.4 to 9.9 percent over the last year for which figures are available. The number of zero-hours contracts increased from 3,323 to 3,501 over the same period.

Last week lecturers at Lambeth College and New City College in London struck over the shortfall in pay.

UCU members across the UK have taken action over recent months. Lecturers at 13 colleges walked out in January, while those at nine colleges walked out last month. Last year, after 14 days of industrial action, the national strike of 50,000 university lecturers, librarians, administration staff and technicians to defend their pensions and conditions was betrayed by the UCU.

Union accepts voluntary redundancies at northwest UK oil refinery

UK workers at the Essar oil refinery site at Ellesmere Port voted by a 98 percent majority to strike to oppose 155 job losses out of a workforce of 500.

After negotiations between the Unite union and management, the job cuts will be imposed through voluntary redundancy and redeployment.

Strike of outsourced workers at UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office premises

Workers at outsourcing company Interserve in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) building in King Charles Street London held two days of strikes last week. The Public and Commercial Services union members are opposing plans by Interserve to change their payment day from the 28th of each month to the 11th. They are also opposing threatened redundancies and contractual changes. The workers provide cleaning, portering, maintenance and other services at the FCO building.

Strike at UK West Midlands Sandwell council called off

Proposed industrial action by 14 UK council workers at Sandwell in the West Midlands due today was called off. The strike threat was in response to a botched job revaluation exercise that workers said failed to take into account the demanding nature of their duties. The council have offered the Unite union members a 4,000 per year pay increase and two extra days leave.

Outsourced library staff at London council strike consideration

Library staff at Bromley council in southeast London are being balloted over a pay dispute. The 45 Unite union members employed by outsourcing company Greenwich Leisure Limited are seeking a six percent pay rise.

Greenwich Leisure has contracts to run services in 16 London borough councils.

Workers at Irish Coca-Cola plant to be balloted for strike

It was announced Tuesday that workers at the Coca-Cola manufacturing plant in Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland, are to be balloted for strike action. The plant employs around 400 workers. The Services, Industrial Professional and Technical Union members are seeking collective bargaining rights.

Coca Cola have not conceded to two Labour Court rulings in favour of the workers rights to collective bargaining.

May Day protests in Germany

Tens of thousands of German workers joined May Day marches on May 1. The chairman of the German Trade Union Confederation promoted illusions in the European Union, claiming it stood for peace and prosperity. Addressing demonstrators at a rally in Leipzig, he urged them to vote in the upcoming European elections.

Middle East

Turkish workers commemorate May Day

Turkish workers took part in May Day rallies throughout the country. Authorities refused permission for a rally in Istanbuls Taksim Square.

Instead, tens of thousands rallied in a market space in the Bakrkoy district, organised by the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions among others. Members of the largest trade union confederation, Turk-Is, held a rally in the northwest province of Kocaeli. Protesters held banners opposing the Turkish governments plans to change redundancy payment legislation.

Strike of Tunisian fuel distribution workers

Fuel distribution drivers in Tunisia began a three-day strike on May 2. On May 3, the government ordered army drivers to deliver fuel as the strike began to hit fuel service stations. The drivers are seeking a $100 a month pay raise.

Further demonstrations in Algeria

Thousands of Algerian students congregated around the postal office in central Algiers on Tuesday, the first day of Ramadan. Students held rallies in other cities across the country, continuing the protests against the military dictatorship.

Iranian workers celebrate May Day

Iranian workers, teachers, pensioners and students took part in a May Day rally outside the Iranian parliament on May 1. It was organized by four trade unions. The government state security staff responded by arresting large numbers of those taking part.

Lebanese bank workers strike suspended

Lebanese central bank workers began an indefinite strike on May 3. This Tuesday the strike was suspended for three days.

The strike was to protest austerity measures by the government including slashing the benefits of central bank workers. The government is introducing austerity to qualify for international loans.

On Monday, the Beirut stock exchange was forced to close.

May Day march in Moroccan capital

Members of around a dozen trade unions and rights organisations took part in a May Day rally in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. They marched to Parliament where they rallied until 3 p.m. Some teachers organised by the Cell 9 Coordination continued their protest before being broken up by riot police.
Kochi : The Kerala High Court on Friday refused to interfere in the case of ban against Techikottukavu Ramachandran from participating in the Thrissur pooram, the largest cultural festival in Kerala.

The court said that the final call on the matter will be taken by the authorized authorities headed by District collector.

Meanwhile Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendan said that the government will take a final decision soon.
BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official has called on the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to give full play to their functions of maintaining stability in and garrisoning the country's border areas.

You Quan, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a four-day inspection and research tour to northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which ended Thursday.

Speaking highly of the achievements the corps have made in recent years, You asked them to further understand and grasp the responsibilities and missions of the corps in the new era and improve their emergency system in maintaining stability.

He called for consistent efforts to deepen the reform of the corps and more efforts to improve the vitality of development and administrative efficacy to push forward the reform with breakthroughs in key areas.

You also asked for more support to the corps in their work, and mobilize cadres and common people to develop, construct and stabilize southern Xinjiang.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom 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
Trade Negotiation in Jeopardy After China Reneged its Commitment

Summary

The odds of trade war escalation rises after Trump sent a pair of tweets threatening to increase tariffs to Chinese goods.

If there is no deal by this Friday, the tariffs to Chinese goods will rise to 25% from 10% on $300 billion. Additional $325 billion of Chinese goods will also get 25% tariff.

The rapid deterioration is due to the reversal of Chinas commitment to address the U.S. core complaints.

U.S companies with huge presence and sales in China, like Apple, can suffer if theres trade war escalation.

Elliott Wave Analysis on Apple suggests another major correction can happen.

Over the weekend, President Trump sent a pair of tweets threatening to increase tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion of Chinese goods. This increase will happen on Friday this week. In addition, Trump also said he will implement 25% tariff on $325 billion additional Chinese goods.

Trump sent a pair of tweets again today provoking China by saying hes very happy with the additional tariffs

These tweets left no room for the U.S. to back down. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer also made it clear that additional tariffs will apply this Friday despite the ongoing talk. Lighthizer is one of China hawks in Trump administration. He has pushed for an enforcement mechanism

News start to surface that the U.S. lose their patience after China backtracks their commitments to address U.S. complaints. Beijing returned a draft agreement to Washington late on Friday night with reversal to concessions on core U.S demands. The U.S. complaints center on the areas of intellectual property and forced technology transfer. There are several other areas such as market access for cloud computing firm and also currency manipulation. China has apparently gone back on all the major concessions it had made during the negotiation.

Chinese negotiators said they could not change the domestic laws, as such changes will be major and cant be done quickly. They also accuse the U.S demands becoming harsher as the negotiations drag on. Although Vice Premier Liu He will still visit Washington on Thursday, the odds that the two sides can reconcile after this event seems to be slim at this stage.

For months, investors and market seem to believe that the two largest economies are close to making a deal. The markets are trading at near high or all-time high when President Trump sent the tweet on Sunday. The news immediately sent the stock market and commodities into free fall on Monday open. The sell-off can continue if theres no deal by Friday.

$AAPL Apple Elliott Wave Daily Chart

Apple has a lot of stake if the U.S and China trade war escalates. China is one of the companys biggest markets. Revenue from Greater China market made up 20% of Apples total revenue of $229.2 billion. In terms of operating profit, Greater China accounted for 21.9% of Apples total operating profit in the last financial year. China is also one of the manufacturing base for Apples products, such as iPhone, iPad, and Macbook.

Apple had a big 39% drop from October 3, 2018 high last year. It has recovered nicely after bottoming on January 3, 2019 low. However, its now at the area where it can end the cycle from January 3, 2019 low and turn lower in 3 waves at least. If the U.S. escalates the trade war this week, the stock can start to turn lower and at least pullback in 3 waves to correct cycle from January 3, 2019 low.

Conclusion

The months long trade negotiation between China and U.S. is wrapping up this week. Recent deterioration of the talk due to Chinas reversal of its commitment is a cause of concern for investors. The rising odds of escalation this week sent the stock market and commodities tumbling. The selloff can potentially continue if theres no agreement by this week. U.S. companies with significant stake in China, such as Apple, can suffer in the case of a trade war escalation.

To see the latest count in U.S stocks and Indices, forex, and commodities, feel free to join with the 14 days FREE Trial.

By EWFHendra

https://elliottwave-forecast.com

ElliottWave-Forecast has built its reputation on accurate technical analysis and a winning attitude. By successfully incorporating the Elliott Wave Theory with Market Correlation, Cycles, Proprietary Pivot System, we provide precise forecasts with up-to-date analysis for 52 instruments including Forex majors & crosses, Commodities and a number of Equity Indices from around the World. Our clients also have immediate access to our proprietary Actionable Trade Setups, Market Overview, 1 Hour, 4 Hour, Daily & Weekly Wave Counts. Weekend Webinar, Live Screen Sharing Sessions, Daily Technical Videos, Elliott Wave Setup .

Copyright  2019 ElliottWave-Forecast - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Man facing five felonies in Cheyenne chase

Man facing five felonies in Cheyenne chase

CHEYENNE (WNE)  The man who shot at law enforcement while leading them on a high-speed chase through Cheyenne on Friday is facing multiple charges, including five felonies.

Dominique Childers was arrested Friday after leading the Cheyenne Police Department and Wyoming Highway Patrol on a high-speed chase that went through downtown Cheyenne. Childers is also accused of firing multiple shots at the pursuing officers while trying to evade capture.

At the time, Childers and his passenger, Chastity Jacobs, were allegedly in a stolen 2016 Toyota Camry.

On Friday, CPD Sgt. Dan Long confirmed the suspect had two gunshot wounds and was taken to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center for treatment. There was no information on Childers condition as of press time Wednesday night.

According to court documents, Childers currently is facing nine charges, including two counts of felony assault and battery, threatening with a weapon, one count of felony theft related to the stolen car, and two counts of felony property destruction in relation to damage done to Cheyenne Police Department and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center property.

Hes also facing four misdemeanors, including possession of methamphetamine, eluding and reckless endangering for driving at excessive speed in Cheyenne while discharging a firearm.

The maximum sentence for the nine charges Childers is facing is about 53 years.

Friday night, Long told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle the chase began on Interstate 25 north of town when Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers tried to stop a stolen vehicle, described on police radio as a black Toyota Camry.

Winding its way through downtown at speeds close to 65 mph, the chase included multiple shots fired at pursuing officers.



First gentleman Nichols takes Montana job

LARAMIE (WNE)  The University of Montana announced Wednesday afternoon Tim Nichols, husband of outgoing University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols, will become the dean of the University of Montanas honors college in July.

Tim Nichols has been teaching honors courses at UW during his wifes presidency.

Laurie Nichols told the Laramie Boomerang in an email she doesnt yet have plans to take a job in Missoula, Montana.

I am still moving toward returning to the faculty at UW for at least a year, Nichols said.

When legislators discussed UW at an Efficiency Commission meeting last week, Senate President Drew Perkins, R-Casper, said hes glad Nichols isnt making a quick departure from the Cowboy State.

Were glad shes still here, Perkins said. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Laurie.

Tim Nichols led the honors college at South Dakota State University from 2008-2016, during which time his wife served as provost of SDSU.

He was named to the new dean position after what UM said was a competitive national search.

Dr. Nichols presented a compelling vision for the future of public honors education during the interview process, University of Montana Provost Jon Harbor said in a statement. I am confident that the Davidson Honors College will flourish under Dr. Nichols direction and that the DHC will continue to contribute significantly to the outstanding reputation of the University of Montana.



Alleged hospital shooter pleads not guilty

CASPER (WNE)  A Casper man accused of breaking into Wyoming Medical Center and shooting at two staff members pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning to four charges related to the early March incident.

Mitchell D. Taylor, 20, was formally arraigned in Natrona County District Court on two counts of aggravated assault for threatening to use a drawn, deadly weapon; one count of property damage; and one count of possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent.

Taylor faces 10-year maximum sentences for each aggravated assault charge and for the property damage charge. The possession of a deadly weapon charge carries a five-year maximum penalty.

Taylor has been in custody since he was arrested in the early hours of March 4, when he allegedly entered Wyoming Medical Center through an unlocked back door, according to previous testimony and court documents. Taylor was allegedly high on LSD at the time, and he had driven to the hospital to seek help because he felt suicidal. He allegedly had a Springfield 9 mm handgun. Its unclear how long he was in the hospital before a housekeeper discovered him at roughly 1 a.m., according to court proceedings.

Taylor allegedly asked the housekeeper what she was looking at before she turned and ran and he fired three shots. He then allegedly was met by a physician who was exiting a nearby doctors lounge. The doctor fled after seeing Taylor, according to court proceedings, and Taylor fired four more shots after him.

The hospital was placed on a lockdown, and police responded to the scene. They found and arrested Taylor in a tunnel beneath the facility, subduing him with a Taser in the process.



Wyoming blockchain company certified by USDA

SUNDANCE (WNE)  BeefChain, a Wyoming-based blockchain company, has now been certified by the United States Department of Agricultures Process Verified Program. Software created by BeefChain is now sanctioned by the USDA and provides the highest level of assurance for cattle buyers globally that their Wyoming beef is premium.

BeefChain uses blockchain technology to provide immutable proof of source, age and health of individual cattle. The software creates a digital trail of records that are tamper-proof and transparent all the way through the supply chain, creating a digital identity for each animal and all participants and aiming to guarantee proof of value-added attributes, ownership and change of ownership.

This is all about giving the best Wyoming beef producers the tools to better market their

Wyoming beef, said Rep. Tyler Lindholm, R-Sundance, BeefChains program manager. Customer demand for naturally-raised beef has never been higher and now producers can market their cattle with this USDA-certified program.

Lindholm said BeefChain is the first company in the State of Wyoming and the first blockchain company in the world to receive USDA certification.

This is a big deal, Lindholm said. The USDA recognizes that our products are sound. This means that Wyoming cattle producers can provide proof to buyers all over the world about where the cattle was born, how they were raised, where they were raised, and the overall health of the cattle.



Hearing for man charged in Rock Springs shooting postponed

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE)  A preliminary hearing for an accused shooter was postponed Wednesday.

Rock Springs resident Joaquin Leon-Guzman, 33, is accused of shooting a man outside the Bareback Saloon.

His hearing was rescheduled to 3:30 p.m. May 29 after the defense made a motion to change the date, according to the Sweetwater County Circuit Court.

Leon-Guzman faces three counts of alleged reckless endangering and aggravated assault and battery, causing or attempting to cause serious bodily injury.

If he is found guilty of all the charges, Leon-Guzman can face a maximum of 13 years in prison and a $12,250 fine.

At around 1:30 a.m. May 5, he was reportedly thrown out of the Bareback Saloon. He later entered his car, drove up in front of the club and fired rounds out of a .22 caliber rifle injuring Kory White in the leg.

He also allegedly knowingly fired shots in the direction of Jose G. Rodriguez, Stormie Olson and Jacob Olson.

Leon-Guzman currently remains inside the Sweetwater County Detention Center with bond set at $750,000 cash or surety.

Two killed in crash near Kemmerer

KEMMERER (WNE)  Two people were killed in a head-on collision involving two trucks in southwest Wyoming.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol says the crash occurred about 2:50 a.m. Monday on U.S. 30 east of Kemmerer when a westbound 2004 Volvo Conventional crossed into the eastbound lane, where it collided with a 2017 Freightliner.

The driver of the Volvo has been identified as 63-year-old Portland, Oregon, resident Volodymyr V. Boyko. Boyko was not wearing his seatbelt and died at the scene.

The driver of the Freightliner has been identified as 40-year-old Bessemer, Alabama, resident Candi L. Guy, who also died at the scene.

A passenger in Guys truck was taken to a hospital.

The patrol says driver inattention or fatigue on the part of Boyko is being investigated as a contributing factor.



Tribe cuts work week to save money

RIVERTON (WNE)  To address a projected deficit of $5 million, the Northern Arapaho Tribal government has adopted a 32-hour work week for all employees.

The new, shorter hours began last week.

Shortening the work week was not an easy decision for the council, said Northern Arapaho Business Council chairman Lee Spoonhunter.

Councilman Stephen Fast Horse added, "This is very tough news to have to be given to all of you."

This move will save $72,000 a week, which is $1.3 million saved a year. "But we are looking for a way to return to 40 hours," Spoonhunter said.

There is also a hiring freeze for tribal programs.

The change does not affect the staff or hours of the Wind River Casino, which is not a tribal government institution.

"We are right now against a brick wall," said Spoonhunter, noting that the business council also will adopt the shorter work week.

Tribal offices will remain open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The council charged the program directors to figure out how to balance that with the reduced worker hours.

"We don't have the resources to pull from this year like last year," said Spoonhunter, referring to the changed price of oil and natural gas. "We expanded services years ago because our revenue went through the roof. This cycle happens every few years. We are an energy state and an energy tribe. We ride the boom and bust."



Dry conditions predicted for Bighorn Mountains

BUFFALO (WNE)  Below-normal precipitation in the Bighorn Mountains in March and April and slightly above-normal temperatures at higher elevations have forecasters projecting an earlier-than-normal spring meltout in the Powder River Basin.

As of Monday, the Powder River Basin had 78% of normal snow-water equivalent for this time of year, according to numbers released this week by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The last time the snow-water equivalent in the basin was below normal this week of the year was 2015, when there was only 65% of normal snowpack.

Despite a wetter-than-usual April in Buffalo, the Bighorn Mountains did not receive as much precipitation as is typical during March and April, which are traditionally the two biggest months for snowfall in the Bighorns.

Unfortunately, that portion of the state has been sort of our drier spot, especially the Bighorn

Mountains," said Chris Nicholson, director of the Water Resources Data System and Wyoming State Climate Office.

Nicholson said that using the drought index, the Bighorn Mountains are rated as D1, meaning the area is experiencing moderate drought conditions.

"Drought has been progressing getting worse in the Bighorns," he said. "It's not looking good into the spring."

For most of the winter December through February the Bighorn Mountains snowpack was just slightly below normal, but without adequate snowfall in March, the snowpack did not build.

"We're past what we would normally consider peak," Nicholson said. "We're on the declining side of when we'd be building snowpack."



Men sentenced for hunting Yellowstone mountain lion

POWELL (WNE)  Three Montana men have been sentenced in federal court for illegally hunting a mountain lion in the northern part of Yellowstone National Park in December.

Austin Peterson, 20, Trey Juhnke, 20, and Corbin Simmons 19, all of Livingston, reportedly crossed Yellowstones marked boundary to hunt mountain lions on Dec. 12.

Each hunter admitted to shooting the lion and transporting the carcass back to their vehicle, court documents say. However, Simmons falsely claimed to have harvested the animal north of the park boundary in Montana. This affected the states quota system by denying a legal hunter the opportunity to legally harvest a lion.

Authorities say the men actually killed the lion north of the Yellowstone River and inside the park. They ultimately pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act, a federal law that prohibits hunting in the park.

On Friday, Peterson was ordered to pay approximately $1,700 in restitution and fees and to serve three years of unsupervised probation. During that time hes banned from hunting, fishing, or trapping worldwide. Juhnke and Simmons received similar sentences at hearings in April.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, law enforcement officers at Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Services Investigative Services Branch and the U.S. Attorneys Office in Wyoming all had a hand in the case.

Their thorough work spotlighted this egregious act and the consequences incurred for hunting illegally in Yellowstone National Park, said Pete Webster, the parks chief ranger.
Stock Market Shake-Out Continues  Where Is The Bottom?

Smart traders are already asking themselves where is the bottom for this move. Theyve likely been through these types of rotations in market price before and understand the fundamentals of the US economy are strong enough to support further upside price activity in the near future. The current US/China trade worries could result in a pricing disruption of 4 to 8%, seen as rotation, yet the US Fed is continuing to leave rates unchanged and most US economic numbers are still posting strong levels.

So, smart traders want to know where the bottom in the market is likely to be found and when they should start to accumulate new long positions  which is understandable. Were here to help.

Our proprietary Fibonacci price modeling system is one of the unique modeling tools we use to hone into any market move. The reason for this is because it shows us so much data that we can read into our analysis/research. The other reason is that it is an adaptive learning model  which means it continues to learn from price data and adapt its analysis of that data.

Lets start with the Weekly YM chart. The GREEN highlighted box on this chart shows where the past two Bullish Fibonacci price trigger levels were generated. These, obviously, become key support levels going forward. The narrow ORANGE box near the current peak is the resistance channel we highlighted many weeks ago that suggested a volatility rotation peak may be setting up. We have also drawn an oblique/circle on the chart in BLUE that highlights upside Fibonacci target price levels.

It is our opinion that a further downside leg, possibly to levels below $25,000, are possible as this Shake-Out continues and as the global markets continue to revalue expectations. We are watching the currencies very closely as the Chinese Yuan has devalued extensively over the past few days. This US Dollar strength will keep metals fairly flat while prompting some extra stability in the US stock market over time.

This next chart, the NQ Weekly, shows a similar chart format to that of the YM. Clear resistance can be seen near the recent highs and support is found near the $6600 level from previous Fibonacci Bullish Price Trigger Levels. The NQ, being very heavily weighted in Technology and Internet stocks, may have the ability to fall the furthest within this price rotation  possibly as much as -700 to -800 pts before finding support. Currently, a support level near $7400 is the first level we are watching. If the NQ breaks below this level, then we could see a much bigger move to the downside unfold fairly quickly.

Lastly, the Transportation Index (TRAN) is showing us that the downside price move may have already reached a level that may prompt intermediate price support  or a potential base formation. The $10,400 to $10,500 level, which was already reached, appears to be the initial support level for the TRAN. It would make sense that the TRAN may begin to base near this level over the next few days/weeks while the US stock market attempts to hammer out a bottom.

Ultimately, the $10,000 level has proven to be very strong historical support for the TRAN. So any breakdown in this index would immediately prompt a target level of $10,000 for the next support level. Again, pay attention to the US Dollar and Gold as this movement continues. Any real fear will translate into a weaker US Dollar and increasing prices in precious metals.

In closing, we believe the early signs of a potential price bottom are setting up right now. This may not be the ultimate bottom, but the clear support level in the TRAN is a very good sign that the markets are setting up a support base that may prompt some sideways trading over the next few weeks as the market continues to digest all this global trade news. A deeper washout-low price formation may set up in the INDU or the NQ over the next few days which means we may see a deeper price rotation before the downtrend actually ends.

Right now, pay attention to our continued research and well help you find the bottom when it forms. Our current expectations are for a continued downside price move that will establish a washout-low formation over the next 3 to 10 trading days. Were not out of the woods yet, but we are starting to see the early signs of price support  which means a bottom may not be too far off.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY ONLY IN MAY

On May 1st we talked about the old saying goes, Sell in May and Go Away! and that is excactly what is happening now right on queue. In fact, we closed out our SDS position today for a quick 3.9% profit and our other new trade started today is up already 10%.

Second, my birthday is only a few days away and I think its time I open the doors for a once a year opportunity for everyone to get a gift that could have some considerable value in the future.

Right now I am going to give away and shipping out silver rounds to anyone who buys a 1-year, or 2-year subscription to my Wealth Trading Newsletter. I only have 13 left as they are going fast so be sure to upgrade your membership to a longer-term subscription or if you are new, join one of these two plans, and you will receive:

1-Year Subscription Gets One 1oz Silver Round FREE (Could be worth hundreds of dollars)

2-Year Subscription Gets TWO 1oz Silver Rounds FREE (Could be worth a lot in the future)

I only have 13 more silver rounds Im giving away so upgrade or join now before its too late!

SUBSCRIBE TO MY TRADE ALERTS AND GET YOUR FREE SILVER ROUNDS!

Happy May Everyone!

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Black Friday Sales Go Live on Xbox Store, With Huge Discounts on Tons of Titles
As leading Christian Democrats all but take Fideszs departure from the European Peoples Party for granted, a left-wing analyst wonders if distancing himself from his old allies will prove profitable for PM Orban.

CDU chair and potential Merkel successor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told Reuters that she expected Fidesz to quit the EPP after PM Orban withdrew support for the blocs candidate to head the European Commission. EPP Chairman Joseph Daul told the press that Mr Orban will be expelled from the EPP or will leave voluntarily, unless he changes his attitude.

In 168 ora, Zoltan Lakner finds it peculiar that in the run up for the European Parliamentary elections, PM Orban is campaigning against his own party family.

He is supposedly doing so in an effort to make the EPP change course and ally itself with right-wing forces rather than with European Socialists, but he stands alone with that ambition, with not one single Christian Democrat leader supporting him.

On the contrary, Lakner continues, while Mr Orban is getting ever nearer to rightist parties that Lakner defines as extreme right-wing, the distance that separates him from his former conservative allies is increasing.

The left-wing analyst is not yet sure whether that strategy will bear more fruit for Mr Orban than what he loses by turning against Europes Christian Democrat leaders.

This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.

Click here to Share Your Story
Marking the week of Hungarian national parks, visitors have the opportunity to get a deeper insight into the colorful flora and fauna of Kiskunsag National Park (122 km southeast of Budapest) and admire the rich biodiversity of orchids at nearby Lake Kolon on May 25, says a press release.

The English-language guided tour offers comprehensive information on the history of the landscape, the work of the national park, and nature protection activities.

The tour is almost 8 km long. Participation requires prior registration at kolonvilag@kolon-to.com, or via phone on + 36 70 411 8445.

From the spring to early summer, you can admire the rich world of Orchids at the meadows in the southern part of Lake Kolon.

In large numbers, the Jersey orchid, the Early Marsh-orchid, the Military orchid and the Bug Orchid occur.

In addition to orchids, you can get to know the life of the Lake Kolon, its landscape history, the work of the National Park and nature conservation activities, etc.

Meeting point:

Cultural House

6075, Pahi, Vasut street 2.

Tickets:

The tour on each days costs HUF 900 for adults, and HUF 600 for students and pensioners. A family ticket costs HUF 2,000, the press release says.

Photo courtesy of the organiser
Ambassador Anunciada Fernandez de Cordova arrived in Budapest this Spring, and presented her credentials on June 25. She has a Law degree, she's also a poet, and an enthusiastic bicycle rider.

She started her diplomatic career in the Embassy of Spain in Ghana. She has served in different positions in the public (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Interior) and private sectors.

In 1993 she was admitted to the staff of His Majesty the Kings Office, where she remained until 1999, when she accepted the post of Director General of the UNI2 Foundation.

In 2006 back at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she was promoted to Director General for Iberoamerican Multilateral Organizations, and in 2009 she was appointed as Ambassador of Spain to Slovenia.

In 2015 she returned to Spain as Vice-Counsellor of Culture and Tourism of the Community of Madrid. From 2017 until her appointment as Ambassador to Hungary, she worked as Chief Advisor for Central Europe for the Director General for Europe in the Spanish MFA.

Besides her official activities, Ambassador Fernandez de Cordova is a known author of poems and narrative with numerous publications in Spain, Her poems have been translated into Slovenian, member of the jury of the Queen Sofia Prize for Iberoamerican Poetry, and in general consumer and admirer of all cultural genres.

She graduated from the Diplomatic School and in 1983 she got admitted to the Spanish Diplomatic Service.



1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?

I arrived on May 15th, posted as Ambassador of Spain to Hungary. May 15th is Madrids patron Saints day, San Isidro. I felt like that was a good omen.



2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?

Yes. I am a diplomat, and a daughter of a diplomat, so I have lived in several countries from my early childhood. I learned to speak Spanish in Chile, where my father was posted, and I had a lovely Chilean accent as a little girl. I have lived in Chile, France, Morocco, Ireland, United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, Slovenia I always was the new student at school.



3. What surprised you most about Hungary?

I was in charge of Hungary back at the Foreign Ministry, but I was surprised by the solid presence of Spanish companies in Hungary.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?

My favourite area in Pest is from the Parliament to St Stephens basilica: beautiful buildings, cafes, restaurants, terraces I also find it very pleasant to take a boat trip on the Danube, which is such a protagonist of Budapest, to have a global sight of the city, both Buda and Pest. And of course the Castle, the Central Market, Vorosmarty sq. area



5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?

Duck and duck liver.



6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?

Cheese.



7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?

Jo napot.



8. What do you miss the most from home?

Madrids unique clear blue sky.



9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?

Being a writer. Up until now, I have been able to combine diplomacy and writing.



10. Whats a job you would definitely never want?

Being a politician.



11. Where did you spend your last vacation?

In Ruiloba, a tiny village in Cantabria, in the North of Spain.



12. Where do you hope to spend your next one?

In Ruiloba. I have a house there, which is a family gathering point, and have good friends around.



13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?

I loved dancing, climbing trees, listening to The Beatles, the movie Sting. Paul Newman and Robert Redford were my favourite actors.



14. Apart of temptation what can't you resist?

Dancing when I listen to some music I like. Cheese.



15. Red wine or white?

Red.



16. Book or movie?

Book



17. Morning person or night person?

I used to be a night person, but I have become a morning person.



18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?

Womens rights.



19. Buda side or Pest side?

Pest, lively Budapest is in Pest.



20. What would you say is your personal motto?

If you want to collect, you have to sow.


A trio of Florida radio stations have announced they will each be broadcasting two minute snippets of Trump speeches every hour of every day until the end of the 2020 presidential race, with the first broadcasts to begin Friday.Gulf Coast Media Inc., which owns 105.1, WASJ, HANK FM, 103.5 WKNK and Classic Rock 95.9 WRBA in Bay County Florida, announced the news in a press release Friday morning.Gulf Coast Media, Inc. senior management acknowledged that broadcasting the Presidents speeches may not be consistent with conventional commercial FM radio, but we have taken this approach to show the communitys sincere appreciation for President Donald Trumps work in Panama City and Bay County, the station said.Also Read: Fox News' Andrew Napolitano Loses Airtime But No Clout Since Turning on TrumpOn Wednesday, President Trump spoke in Panama City Beach, Florida, and announced that he would dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional relief funds to assist residents still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. The Category 5 storm slammed into the Panhandle in October 2018, wreaking significant damage.I pledged to you unwavering support and the support of our nation until you have fully recovered and rebuilt, and we will never, ever leave your side, Trump told rally attendees. Weve already given you billions of dollars, and theres a lot more coming as you do it.Samuel Rogatinsky, a spokesman for Gulf Coast Media, said so far the reaction from listeners has been positive.The community really embraces Donald Trump and we are giving them what they want, he told TheWrap, adding that residents were grateful for the promises of increased assistance. The hurricane was a real disaster and many people have not recovered.To avoid running afoul of Federal Communications Commission equal time guidelines, Gulf Coast Media will be required to offer similar airtime to other presidential candidates if they request it  something Rogatinsky said the company would be happy to do.If anybody requests it, it wont be an issue, he said. If Bernie Sanders wants equal time then were going to comply with the law.Read original story 3 Florida Radio Stations to Air 2-Minute Trump Speeches Every Hour Through 2020 Election At TheWrap

A trio of Florida radio stations have announced they will each be broadcasting two minute snippets of Trump speeches every hour of every day until the end of the 2020 presidential race, with the first broadcasts to begin Friday.

Gulf Coast Media Inc., which owns 105.1, WASJ, HANK FM, 103.5 WKNK and Classic Rock 95.9 WRBA in Bay County Florida, announced the news in a press release Friday morning.

Gulf Coast Media, Inc. senior management acknowledged that broadcasting the Presidents speeches may not be consistent with conventional commercial FM radio, but we have taken this approach to show the communitys sincere appreciation for President Donald Trumps work in Panama City and Bay County, the station said.

Also Read: Fox News' Andrew Napolitano Loses Airtime But No Clout Since Turning on Trump

On Wednesday, President Trump spoke in Panama City Beach, Florida, and announced that he would dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional relief funds to assist residents still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. The Category 5 storm slammed into the Panhandle in October 2018, wreaking significant damage.

I pledged to you unwavering support and the support of our nation until you have fully recovered and rebuilt, and we will never, ever leave your side, Trump told rally attendees. Weve already given you billions of dollars, and theres a lot more coming as you do it.

Samuel Rogatinsky, a spokesman for Gulf Coast Media, said so far the reaction from listeners has been positive.

The community really embraces Donald Trump and we are giving them what they want, he told TheWrap, adding that residents were grateful for the promises of increased assistance. The hurricane was a real disaster and many people have not recovered.

To avoid running afoul of Federal Communications Commission equal time guidelines, Gulf Coast Media will be required to offer similar airtime to other presidential candidates if they request it  something Rogatinsky said the company would be happy to do.

If anybody requests it, it wont be an issue, he said. If Bernie Sanders wants equal time then were going to comply with the law.

Read original story 3 Florida Radio Stations to Air 2-Minute Trump Speeches Every Hour Through 2020 Election At TheWrap
On the 1 May demonstration in Warsaw, the presence of the Czerwony Front (Red Front) was marked by our banner, slogans and red flags. On that same day, we also released our first booklet, Marxism and Anarchism by Alan Woods. The reception was enthusiastic, as proven by the sale of our whole stock during the first hour of the demonstration. This confirms that, in Poland as in the rest of the world, there is a thirst for the only ideas that are able to guide the working class to victory: the ideas of Marxism.

Read in Polish |

The day ended with an open discussion on the centenary of the founding of the Communist International, attended by members of the Red Front and other left-wing organisations. Comrade Jakub opened the discussion, explaining the merits of the first four congresses of the Third International and the historical lessons that can be learned from its bureaucratic Stalinist degeneration. After the introduction, a discussion took place on the lessons that can be drawn from the history of our movement, from Marx and Engelss First International to the Fourth International, led by Leon Trotsky. The betrayal and errors of the social democratic and Stalinist leaderships leave us with the task of rebuilding the revolutionary tradition of Marxism.

On 2 May 2019, the National Congress of the Red Front was officially launched in Warsaw. It was attended by about 20 Marxists from Warsaw, Poznan, Gdansk, Cracow and other cities.

Discussion about the Communist International, whose founding took place 100 years ago / Image: Czerwony Front

The congress discussion was kicked off by a representative of the International Marxist Tendency (IMT), Francesco Merli, who presented a report on the world situation, and prospects and tasks for the world revolution. The situation in Venezuela, the yellow vests movement in France, the political crisis in the United Kingdom, the trade war between the US and China and many more points were discussed. There is no country in the world that is not seriously affected by the deep, organic crisis of capitalism.

The following session was led off by comrade Filip, who explained the situation in Poland. Despite the economic growth following the restoration of capitalism, class struggle is now back on the agenda. The recent, important movements around women's rights, the youth climate strike and the teachers strike have transformed the consciousness of millions of workers and young people. In particular, the defeat of the teachers strike stressed the need to build a revolutionary leadership, able to overcome the PiS governments anti-working class attacks and the great monopolies and capitalists they represent politically.

Comrade Marta introduced the session on organisation, in which the Marxist method of organisation was debated, demonstrated to date most correctly by the Bolshevik Party of Lenin and Trotsky. Without revolutionary theory, there cannot be a revolutionary organisation. Following the example of the genius, heroism and dedication of past revolutionaries, we can create an organisation that will fulfil its historical task of winning power for the workers.

Part of the library of the Red Front was available at the congress / Image: Czerwony Front

The comrades from the IMT then described the work that the tendency currently carries out in every continent. From Canada to Venezuela, from Nigeria to Italy, from Great Britain to Indonesia, the IMTs fast growth over the last period confirms the correctness of the true, undistorted methods of Marxism and proletarian organisation. Particularly inspiring is the activity of the comrades in Pakistan, who in the last period were particularly targeted by state repression, risking their lives for the proletarian revolution.

Then, comrades Tomasz, Piotr and Filip led discussions on organisational questions. In the last year, we experienced a great professionalisation of our organisation, which was expressed by the success of our first booklet and the growth of our branch in Poznan. In the near future, the opening of the online store, the production of more printed materials, as well as regular publications, will help us win and train a generation of future revolutionaries. The session was completed by discussing further organisational plans in different regions.

Before the comrades parted to return to their cities, the enthusiasm of the congress was emphasised by the loud singing of the most famous revolutionary song: The Internationale. The best congress of our organisation so far reflects a year of great steps forward  the next year will be a milestone for us. We are guided by the desire to overthrow the capitalist system, which has exhausted its historical role and does not offer anything but misery and despair.

In order to change the world, however, we must first understand it, and this can be achieved only by adopting the revolutionary method of scientific socialism, i.e. Marxism.

Join us today to fight for the revolution!
If youre craving a mix of Indiana Jones-esque action and adventure with two attractive sassy people teaming up for a globe-trotting quest, Blood and Treasure might be the CBS summer series youre looking for.

The official description of the series, from CBS:

Related stories

'The Good Fight' Creators Threatened to Quit the CBS All Access Show Over Censored Scene

'Blood and Treasure' Trailer: CBS Promises Fun 'Indiana Jones'-esque Action This Summer

Blood & Treasure is a globe-trotting action-adventure drama about a brilliant antiquities expert and a cunning art thief who team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure. Danny McNamara is a former FBI agent specializing in stolen art and antiquities. Lexi Vaziri is a resourceful art thief who is haunted by the tragic loss of her father, which she blames on Danny. When terrorist Karim Farouk absconds with a priceless artifact and kidnaps Dannys mentor Dr. Anna Castillo, Danny recruits Lexi to help him bring Farouk to justice and rescue Anna As they crisscross the world hunting their target, Danny and Lexi unexpectedly find themselves at the center of a 2,000-year-old battle for the cradle of civilization.

In this exclusive clip, Danny (Matt Barr) and Lexi (Sofia Pernas) have some questions to ask Shaw (Michael James Shaw), an arms dealer who might be able to help them track down not just the kidnapped Dr. Castillo, but also the treasures that were stolen from an archeological dig. Of course, getting an arms dealer to cooperate isnt the easiest thing  though Lexi does have some solutions up her sleeve when it comes to making him talk.

The series also stars Oded Fehr, Katia Winter, James Callis, Alicia Coppola and Mark Gagliardi. Blood and Treasure premieres Tuesday, May 21 on CBS with the two-part episode The Curse of Cleopatra. Check out the clip from the first episode below:

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Peter Mayhew received a stunning honor by NASA astronauts residing in the International Space Station on Wednesday.

Astronaut Nick Hague shared a photo of Mayhew in his Chewbacca costume within the space station and Earth shining behind it, tweeting, Honoring Peter Mayhew (also known as Chewbacca) up here on @Space_Station.

He added, Thank you Peter for inspiring generations of explorers.

Mayhews Star Wars costar Mark Hamill retweeted it, writing, To infinity and beyond, my friend. No ones ever really gone when theyre in our hearts forever. #ThankYouPeter #AlwaysWithUs.

Mayhew died on April 30 in Texas at the age of 74. His family released a statement earlier this month announcing his death, writing he had fought his way back from being wheelchair-bound to stand tall and portray Chewbacca once more for 2015s Star Wars: Episode VII  The Force Awakens.

To infinity and beyond, my friend. No one's ever really gone when they're in our hearts forever.  #ThankYouPeter#AlwaysWithUs https://t.co/xfDhCrzMjj  Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) May 9, 2019

The actor originally played the beloved Wookiee in George Lucas original Star Wars trilogy, as well as Star Wars: Episode III  Revenge of the Sith.

Mayhew also consulted on The Last Jedi, his family said, putting his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films from his knock-kneed running, firing his bowcaster from the hip, his bright blue eyes, down to each subtle movement of his head and mouth.

But to him, the Star Wars family meant so much more to him than a role in a film, they added.

Story continues

Peter Mayhew | Anthony Harvey/Getty

Shortly after news of his death broke, Hamill, 67, paid tribute to Mayhew, whom he described as the gentlest of giants.

A big man with an even bigger heart who never failed to make me smile & a loyal friend who I loved dearly-Im grateful for the memories we shared & Im a better man for just having known him. Thanks Pete, Hamill tweeted.

In 2015, Mayhew, who was 73, told PEOPLE he enjoyed returning to his iconic role for The Force Awakens saying, Its been really, really fabulous.

RELATED: Peter Mayhew, Actor Who Portrayed Chewbacca in Star Wars, Dies at 74

He also opened up about returning to his famous rapport with his onscreen buddy Harrison Ford, saying, We were in our trailers in England, and there was a knock on the door. Its Harrison, [saying], Hey buddy. How are you doing? Youve got to get back in the old suit again, have you?

And a great big hug and everything was back to normal, Mayhew added.

Mayhew is survived by his wife Angie and their three children. A memorial service will be held for him on June 29, as well as a memorial service in early December in Los Angeles for fans.

Rather than gifts and flowers, the actors family asks fans to consider donating to the Peter Mayhew Foundation.
While family and friends continue to mourn the loss of 37-year-old mom of four Lauren Accurso who died during childbirth on April 29, they also hope that her newborn, Matthew Jr., pulls through.

People are praying. There are so many people praying, the couples pastor, Matt McCloghry, told TODAY. We need to pray and ask God to do a miracle. He can heal this baby. I believe Matthew is going to go home with a clean bill of health.

According to the St. Johns Medical Examiners Office, her cause and manner of death has yet to be determined.

While there are many unknowns because of the immense trauma when he was born, said McCloghry, the St. Augustine, Florida community is sticking together.

A GoFundMe page was created for the family and has since raised over $155,000 to benefit her husband Matthew, newborn Matthew Jr., and their three daughters Ali Rose, 8, Naomi Belle, 5, and Layne Louise, 2.

The outpouring of love and concern for Lauren, Matt, baby Matthew and family from around the world has encouraged and brought such comfort to Matt and his family during this time of grieving and loss, says the GoFundMe page.

GoFundMe

McCloghrys wife, Jill, who is also a lead pastor at Colonial Church STA, told TODAY that Accurso sent her 25 blue emoji hearts when she found out she was going to be giving her three daughters a baby brother.

She would have loved another girl, but I think having a boy was a kiss of heaven on their lives, she said, adding that her son is wearing the outfits that Accurso picked out for him. Every time I look at Matthew, I see Lauren. In the middle of devastation, there is hope.

Accurso also leaves behind her high school sweetheart, Matthew, who she married in 2004, according to her obituary.

Lauren and Matt grew up in the same town, McCloghry told TODAY. She was the only woman he ever dated, and they had this incredible, healthy marriage.

Go Fund Me

He told the news outlet that people from the entire community are coming forward to help with meal trains, groceries and donations.

Story continues

If Lauren heard that someone at church was having a tough time, she would check in with them, he added. Im hearing stories now of people that would get text messages from her out of the blue. Lauren lived through the heart.

According to her obituary, Accurso was an accomplished entrepreneur as the founder of Cre8 Design. Her mission was to help bring order out of chaos in peoples homes and hearts. She willingly laid this aside to pursue what she considered to be her calling in life  a wife and mother.

Her faith touched every aspect of her life, they continued to write. The people who loved her most would describe her as loyal, compassionate, eclectically creative, deep thinker, full of wisdom, joyous, fun loving, and full of grace.

A celebration of her life will be held at Crescent Beach Baptist Church on Saturday at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Colonial Church building fund or directly to the Accurso family via GoFundMe.
For many lovers of Shakespeare, Kenneth Branagh is the modern conduit for the Bard  the man most dedicated to interpreting and honoring the works of the playwright from Stratford-upon-Avon.

Its not hard to see why  over the last 30 years, Branagh has directed six feature films inspired by Shakespeare, in addition to starring in even more and taking on numerous stage projects. His latest project, All Is True, which he both directs and stars in, offers him the opportunity to literally step into Wills shoes, portraying Shakespeare in the final years of his life after he retires and returns to Stratford.

The film joyfully plays with Shakespeares biography, sprinkling in a mix of facts and winking suppositions, alongside an all-star cast who know their way around a Shakespeare play, including Judi Dench and Ian McKellen. It was making a connection between the man and the work. A desire to find the human being in Shakespeare, Branagh previously told EW. It was to find Shakespeare the man behind Shakespeare the work.

Its arguably a task Branagh has been working on his entire life. In honor of the May 10 release of All Is True, my fellow Shakespeare nerd here at EW, Devan Coggan, and I have ranked all of Branaghs cinematic Shakespearean efforts  for claritys sake, weve stuck to projects he directed that are strictly movies (so, no Othello and no live broadcasts of theatrical productions).

So without further ado (which would frankly be much ado about nothing), here is our definitive ranking of Branaghs takes on the Bard.

6. As You Like It (2006)

Everett Collection

For his most recent and most forgettable adaptation of Shakespeares work, Branagh transports the Bards whimsical Forest of Arden to 19th-century Japan. Its an intriguing idea, but one that falls flat: Branaghs Japan is almost entirely populated by non-Japanese actors, which begs the question why he even bothered to shift the setting. Sure, Bryce Dallas Howard and David Oyelowo are charming as the lovers Rosalind and Orlando, but the film itself is missing the plays zippy charm and wit. Devan Coggan

Story continues

5. Loves Labours Lost (2000)

Everett Collection

One of Shakespeares earliest comedies, Loves Labours Lost lacks the precision of later plays like Twelfth Night, As You Like It, and Much Ado  something any production has to come up against. Branagh does an admirable job of tackling a lesser play. He makes the baffling, yet mostly delightful, choice of turning it into a 1940s-set musical. Interspersed among the soliloquies and verse are standards from the likes of Cole Porter, the Gershwins, and Irving Berlin. Dance numbers pay tribute to Golden Age musicals, with clear nods to Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and more  albeit with a far less fleet-footed cast. They are an eclectic assortment, featuring Branagh himself as one of the young lovers, as well as Nathan Lane as a vaudeville worthy clown, and Alicia Silverstone of all people as the Princess of France (its very disconcerting expecting an As if! to punctuate the cadences of iambic pentameter at any moment). This is the only film adaptation of this particular Shakespeare play, but its still far from Branaghs best  if only because its charms lie more in the musical numbers than the text itself, divorcing the proceedings from the very Shakespeare-ness of it all. Its a mildly enchanting attempt to replicate a classic musical  but in this case, a rose by any other name does not smell as sweet. Maureen Lee Lenker

4. Henry V (1989)

Renaissance/Bbc/Curzon/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

Before Branagh, the best-known Henry V was Laurence Oliviers sunny 1944 film. If Oliviers film is all style, glory, and rah-rah patriotism, Branagh prefers to get down in the mud, showing the horrors and losses of battle as realistically as possible. Branagh stars in his directorial debut as the young king, who invades France and leads his men to an improbable victory. His bloody, chaotic portrayal of the battle of Agincourt would be a triumph for any director, let alone a first-timer who had previously only worked on the stage. The starry cast includes Ian Holm, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane, Brian Blessed, and a teenage Christian Bale, but Branaghs smartest casting choice is Derek Jacobi as the Chorus, narrating the action as a modern-dressed spectator looking back on history.

Perhaps the celebrated moment of Branaghs Henry V is his rousing St. Crispins Day speech, as he addresses his few, his happy few, his band of brothers. The music, from frequent Branagh collaborator Patrick Doyle, can be a bit heavy-handed throughout the film, but it swells under Branaghs speech to stirring effect. Another standout moment is the final scene, where the tone shifts wildly to romantic comedy, as Branaghs Henry clumsily attempts to woo the French-speaking princess Catherine (Emma Thompson). Its a slightly jarring move after the blood and drama of Agincourt, but Branagh and Thompsons playful sparring is a delight, and it foreshadows their starring performance four years later in Much Ado About Nothing. DC

3. All Is True (2019)

Robert Youngson/Sony Pictures Classics

Making a Shakespeare biopic is no easy task  and its even harder to strike the right balance of whimsy and respect. You want to honor the man and his work without falling prey to putting him on an infallible pedestal. With All Is True, Branagh manages to do mostly all of those things. For anyone who loves the Bard (if youre not, how have you got this far in this article?), its a winking tribute to the handful of facts we have about his life, with plenty of nods to theories people have developed based on the largest body of evidence  his plays. Branagh treats Shakespeare like Shakespeare treats historical figures  using the loose facts of their lives to paint a more sweeping story that gets at grander themes. In this case, its the nature of genius and what it means to lead an ordinary life, as well as themes of loss, redemption, and family strife. Its boosted by appearances from deft Shakespearean actors like Judi Dench and Ian McKellen. As Henry Wriothesley, McKellen gets the best scene in the film  one that hits on everything from Shakespeares rivals to his rumored sexuality to the authorship question before beautifully summing up why the plays have endured across the centuries. Here, Branagh becomes the literal author of his own success. In a sense, All Is True allows him the chance to both have a sense of humor about his body of work while re-asserting the value of its existence. MLL

2. Hamlet (1996)

Everett Collection

Every Shakespeare nerd has a personal favorite Hamlet, but Branaghs sprawling 1996 production consistently ranks as one of the most beloved. Branagh presents the unabridged play for the first time on screen, but even clocking in at a whopping four hours, this Hamlet is remarkably accessible, exploring the Bards most tragic hero and all his faults in depth. Lavish sets and a 19th-century setting give this Hamlet a sense of grandeur, with appearances by Julie Christie, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslet, Charlton Heston, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, and more. At the center of it all is Branaghs performance, tackling one of the theaters most notorious roles with introspection, whirling between mania and quiet contemplation.

Branagh may have been more eager to experiment with some of his other adaptations, changing up lines and settings, but his Hamlet is a devoted love letter to the Bards most masterful work. DC

1. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Everett Collection

Much Ado About Nothing is not just the greatest Kenneth Branagh Shakespeare film, its perhaps the greatest cinematic Shakespeare adaptation ever. Its got a killer cast  from then-real-life couple Branagh and Thompson as sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick to Denzel Washington as a prince to Michael Keaton as Shakespeares most hysterical clown, Dogberry, to Keanu Reeves in what is simultaneously one of his most perplexing, hilarious, and entertaining performances. Kate Beckinsale made her feature film debut as ingenue Hero. Much Ado is clever and charming from start to finish, capturing the effervescence at the heart of Shakespeares best comedies, while also leaving room for the very real melancholy underneath. Theres a reason why, decades after their split, people still obsess over Thompson and Branagh as a celebrity couple  and this movie is it. Their chemistry as Beatrice and Benedick is the chefs kiss of romantic pairings. Much Ado captures the best of their humor, wit, and ability to make Shakespeares language feel accessible, anchoring the various story lines swirling around them. Watching them trade barbs is a breathless experience, and you instantly get the feeling youre watching the two smartest people in the room (which, given their combined associations with Austen and Shakespeare, isnt far off from a literary standpoint). Shot on location in Italy, the entire film feels like a joyous, sunny holiday you want to go on again and again. Even for those who love Shakespeare, his language can occasionally be a slog  and when its required reading in school, its hard for many not to view his plays as homework. In contrast, Much Ado is a house party  one where youre invited to enjoy the good company and good wine as long as you want. MLL

Related content:
A fire destroyed the New York set of a new series starring Mark Ruffalo early Thursday morning.

The HBO miniseries is filming in Ellenville, New York, when a fire broke out at a car dealership that was being used as a set for I Know This Much Is True, according to a press release by the Ellenville Police Department on Facebook.

A spokesperson for HBO did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

The fire broke out sometime after midnight on Thursday where firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control, according to the release.

The building was totally destroyed along with about 20 vintage cars and multiple pieces of film equipment that were being used by a production company filming a movie for HBO, the release continued.

Three families living in the area were displaced, while 15 fire departments offered their assistance at the scene.

There were no injuries reported, according to the release.

The show filmed there on Wednesday, and was set to film on Thursday and also on May 23, according to a press release by the fire department on Tuesday warning residents of road closures due to filming.

Chris Busby, the general manager of the dealership, 613 Automotive Group, told the Poughkeepsie Journal the business was a total loss.

RELATED VIDEO: Robert Downey Jr. Hilariously Battles with Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo Over Their Facial Hair

Theres nothing left, he said. Its a huge loss for us and HBO. They are just as heartbroken over this as we are.

The miniseries is executive produced by Ruffalo and also stars Melissa Leo, Juliette Lewis, Rosie ODonnell, Archie Panjabi, Imogen Poots and Tom Stratford.

I Know This Much Is True is an adaptation of a 1998 Wally Lamb novel of the same name. The story follows Dominick Birdsey (Ruffalo) as he recounts his troubled relationship with his paranoid schizophrenic twin brother, Thomas, and Dominicks efforts to get him released from an asylum.
Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla - Getty Images

From Esquire

Mike Pence had an idea to float before the Federalist Society about how to improve the federal judiciary. I will give you all a few seconds to find crash helmets, firesuits, and flights to a desert island where you can be safe. We might want to dig up John Marshall and spirit his remains off to an undisclosed location. From CBS News:

District court judges have previously issued injunctions on several administration initiatives, such as an injunction on the ban on individuals from majority-Muslim countries entering the U.S. in 2017, and one on a rule to bar organizations that provide abortion referrals from receiving federal funding last month. "A Supreme Court Justice has to convince four of his colleagues to uphold a nationwide injunction -- but a single district court judge can issue one, effectively preventing the duly-elected President of the United States from fulfilling his constitutional duties," Pence said in his speech, according to prepared remarks.

"Although we received some good news last night, that the 9th Circuit stayed an injunction to allow our administration to continue our "remain in Mexico" policy -- our administration has been unfairly hit with more nationwide injunctions than the first 40 American presidents -- combined," Pence said, acknowledging the 9th Circuit ruling. "The Supreme Court of the United States must clarify that district judges can decide no more than the cases before them," Pence argued. "In the days ahead, our administration will seek opportunities to put this question before the Supreme Court."

"Unfairly"? Have the people seeking the injunctions bribed the judges? Have they arranged for the administration*'s lawyers to be told the wrong courthouse in which to appear? Have they hidden Noel Francisco's briefcase and cancelled his Starbucks card? If this "unfairly" is merely a synonym with "hit with an unprecedented number of injunctions," it might be that your administration* has promulgated an unprecedented number of fcked-in-the-head policies. "Unfairly"? Jeebus, can these people ever not whine?

Story continues

Pence, because he is not the fastest squirrel in the tree, went on to argue for judicial tyranny as long as it's a court he can count on, thereby giving away the entire game.

He said the administration will seek opportunities to put this question before the Supreme Court to ensure that decisions affecting every American are made either by those elected to represent the American people or by the highest court in the land.

Ball's in your court, Brett.

Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here.

('You Might Also Like',)
N.C. Mom Accused of Throwing 7-Week-Old Baby Daughter Into 75-Foot Ravine Mom Accused of Tossing Newborn Down Rocky Ravine

On Friday, police in North Carolina announced the arrest of a 35-year-old mother who allegedly threw her infant daughter down a rocky, 75-foot embankment before allegedly claiming she and the baby had been kidnapped, PEOPLE confirms.

The seven-week-old baby, named Shaylie, survived being tossed into the ravine, the Henderson County Sheriffs Office and Asheville Police told reporters Friday.

The infants mother, Krista Noelle Madden, has been charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder.

RELATED: Newborn Stabbed to Death in N.J., Mother Charged

According to an arrest warrant furnished to PEOPLE, the baby was still strapped to a car seat when she was thrown down the embankment.

The charge comes a day after Madden allegedly reported the baby missing.

Krista Madden | Courtesy Henderson County

Authorities said Friday that additional charges could be forthcoming as the investigation into the matter progresses.

Police contend that Madden allegedly told them both she and her baby had been kidnapped. She allegedly told them she managed to escape her captors, but had to leave the baby behind.

RELATED: Texas Mom Accused of Murdering Baby Daughter Allegedly Blamed Death on Son

The false report triggered a search by the Asheville Police Department that lasted hours.

The baby was eventually found by someone who heard her cries.

The baby, largely unharmed, managed to get out of the car seat, and was crawling around a wooded area located at the base of the embankment when she was discovered.

Madden is being held on $750,000 bond.

 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.

She did not enter a plea Friday when she appeared in court.

PEOPLE was unable to determine if she has an attorney who could comment on her behalf.
Andi Mack star Peyton Elizabeth Lee has landed the lead role in Secret Society of Second Born Royals, an original movie for Disney+, Disney announced Thursday. The film is set to go into production in Toronto later this month.Per the films logline, Secret Society of Second Born Royals stars Lee as Sam, a rebellious princess second in line to the throne of the kingdom of Illyria. Just as Sams disinterest in the royal way of life is at an all-time high, she is stunned to learn that she has superpowers and belongs to a secret society with a longstanding tradition of covertly keeping the peace throughout the kingdom. The movie follows Sams adventures at a top-secret training program for a new class of second born royals tasked with saving the world.The film will also feature Faly Rakotohavana as Prince Matteo, Isabella Blake Thomas as Princess January, Olivia Deeble as Princess Roxana and Niles Fitch (This is Us) as Prince Tuma. Also appearing are Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect) as James, Elodie Yung (Daredevil) as Queen Catherine, Ashley Liao as Princess Eleanor, and Noah Lomax as Mike.Also Read: Fox Beats Wall Street's Expectations in First Quarterly Earnings After Disney Sell-OffDirected by Anna Mastro (Marvels Runaways, The Bold Type), Secret Society of Second Born Royals was written by Alex Litvak (Masters of the Universe) and Andrew Green (Hannah Montana) and is based on an original story by Litvak, Green and Austin Winsberg. Its executive produced by Zanne Devine (I, Tonya, the Disney Channel Original Movie Kim Possible), Mike Karz (Valentines Day) and Winsberg (Gossip Girl) and produced by Juliana Janes (Butter).We are big fans of Peyton and are thrilled that she and the rest of the cast will bring this exciting world to life for Disney+, Agnes Chu, senior vice president of content for Disney+, said in a statement. We love the themes of self-discovery and empowerment inside Secret Society of Second Born Royals, and our partners at Disney Channel are the perfect team to deliver this movie with adventure, humor and heart.Lee was nominated for a 2019 Kids Choice Award for Andi Mack. Her other credits include ABCs Scandal and Showtimes Shameless.Read original story Peyton Elizabeth Lee to Star in Disney+ Film Secret Society of Second Born Royals At TheWrap

Andi Mack star Peyton Elizabeth Lee has landed the lead role in Secret Society of Second Born Royals, an original movie for Disney+, Disney announced Thursday. The film is set to go into production in Toronto later this month.

Per the films logline, Secret Society of Second Born Royals stars Lee as Sam, a rebellious princess second in line to the throne of the kingdom of Illyria. Just as Sams disinterest in the royal way of life is at an all-time high, she is stunned to learn that she has superpowers and belongs to a secret society with a longstanding tradition of covertly keeping the peace throughout the kingdom. The movie follows Sams adventures at a top-secret training program for a new class of second born royals tasked with saving the world.

The film will also feature Faly Rakotohavana as Prince Matteo, Isabella Blake Thomas as Princess January, Olivia Deeble as Princess Roxana and Niles Fitch (This is Us) as Prince Tuma. Also appearing are Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect) as James, Elodie Yung (Daredevil) as Queen Catherine, Ashley Liao as Princess Eleanor, and Noah Lomax as Mike.

Also Read: Fox Beats Wall Street's Expectations in First Quarterly Earnings After Disney Sell-Off

Directed by Anna Mastro (Marvels Runaways, The Bold Type), Secret Society of Second Born Royals was written by Alex Litvak (Masters of the Universe) and Andrew Green (Hannah Montana) and is based on an original story by Litvak, Green and Austin Winsberg. Its executive produced by Zanne Devine (I, Tonya, the Disney Channel Original Movie Kim Possible), Mike Karz (Valentines Day) and Winsberg (Gossip Girl) and produced by Juliana Janes (Butter).

We are big fans of Peyton and are thrilled that she and the rest of the cast will bring this exciting world to life for Disney+, Agnes Chu, senior vice president of content for Disney+, said in a statement. We love the themes of self-discovery and empowerment inside Secret Society of Second Born Royals, and our partners at Disney Channel are the perfect team to deliver this movie with adventure, humor and heart.

Lee was nominated for a 2019 Kids Choice Award for Andi Mack. Her other credits include ABCs Scandal and Showtimes Shameless.

Read original story Peyton Elizabeth Lee to Star in Disney+ Film Secret Society of Second Born Royals At TheWrap
Prince Harry's first public outing after the birth of his first son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was a short visit to The Hague for the launch of the 2020 Invictus Games. Started by the Duke of Sussex in 2014, the Invictus Games (akin to the Warrior Games in the United States) is a seven-day event in which wounded, injured, or sick veterans take part in a variety of sporting activities to help both aid in their recovery and bring awareness to veterans' issues.

While Prince Harry's visit to the Netherlands had to be cut short, he still managed to pack a ton of stuff into his day. He took time to meet potential competitors and their families, watched and participated in a few sporting activities, and gave a speech at the Sportcampus Zuiderpark where he was also surprised with the sweetest, most thoughtful welcome gift: an Invictus Games baby onesie for little Archie (or should we say Master Archie). We're not sure what's more adorable - the onesie or Prince Harry's hilarious (and varied) reactions to it.
Authorities have released the names of the two students killed Tuesday evening when a former student allegedly opened fire inside a classroom at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The schools chancellor, Philip Dubois, revealed the names of the victims on Wednesday morning.

Dubois said that the students killed were Ellis Parlier, 19, who lived in Midland, North Carolina, and Riley Howell, 21, of Waynesville, North Carolina.

Four other students injured by gunfire  Drew Pescaro, 19, and Sean Dehart, 20, both of Apex, North Carolina; Emily Houpt, 23, of Charlotte; and Rami Alramadhan, 20, of Saudi Arabia  are expected to fully recovery from Tuesdays deadly incident.

Authorities have yet to discuss a possible motive for the shooting.

RELATED: Shooting at University of North Carolina at Charlotte Leaves 2 Dead and 4 Injured

The shooting began shortly before 6 p.m., and the university was quickly put on lockdown.

Not long after the shooting, police arrested the alleged gunman, Trystan Andrew Terrell.

The 22-year-old has been charged with two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession of and discharge of a firearm on educational property.

At a press conference Tuesday night, campus police said they received reports of a suspect armed with a pistol that had shot several students and multiple officers before entering one of the campus buildings.

Police promptly disarmed the suspect before taking him into custody.

Later, as he was being led into a police station Tuesday night, a crush of reporters asked Terrell what happened at the school.

Smiling, he replied, I went into a classroom and shot some guys.

It was unclear Wednesday morning if Terrell had entered pleas to the charges or had an attorney of record who could comment on his behalf.

 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.

After news of the shooting broke, Mayor of Charlotte Vi Lyles released a statement on Twitter.

We are in shock to learn of an active shooter situation on the campus of UNC Charlotte. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, the entire UNCC community and the courageous first responders who sprang into action to help others, Lyles wrote.
Next week, the broadcast networks (and a slew of cable channels) will descend on New York City in an attempt to woo advertisers with their new programming, with splashy announcements of their upcoming fall schedules.But for the media buyers who will be packed into Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, what NBC decides to air after The Voice on Monday nights is probably the least important part of the week-long festivities, according to Chris Geraci, president of national video investment at media-buying agency OMD. Most of them dont even go through the nights of the week like they used to.Gibbs Haljun, Total Investment Lead, Mindshare U.S., noted that the landscape of the business has minimized the importance of the so-called Upfront Week. If Im waiting until next week to make decisions from an investment standpoint Ive already failed our clients, he said.Also Read: Upfronts 2019: How CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC and CW Rank by Ratings Ahead of Big TV Ad Sales PushFor many years, Upfront Week was dedicated to musing over time-slot battles like the ones between NBCs Must See Thursday and whatever the other networks would try to counter with. Back then, it really mattered what the night-to-night flow of a schedule looked like, particularly for local TV stations that relied on a strong lead-in at 10 p.m. for their local newscasts. And in the case of new series, where it was placed on the schedule  for example, airing after a fan favorite or sandwiched in between two high-rated shows  would signal a vote of confidence from the network.But with so much time shifted viewing, schedules are less relevant. Flow doesnt really matter, Haljun said. With all the networks going to a 52 week-programming schedule, were not going to get a full view.Haljun added that Upfront Week serves more as a culmination of months-long talks with both their clients and the network sales teams. This is really just sort of the last 5% for the other 95% thats been going on since the beginning of the year, he said.There is still value in Upfront Week, but, much like todays TV watchers viewing habits, that value has shifted.Also Read: How the WGA Crisis Has Rocked the TV Business: 'Best Staffing Season in Years' or 'Complete S- Show'Geraci, a long-time veteran of Upfront Week, likes that he gets to see the entirety of all the new programming in one, four-day binge. [Its] still a really good way to be able to cover this much ground in the course of a few days and become familiar with what the new content is going to look like, he said, adding that it gives them a window into how these major media owners are thinking about the marketplace.Those on the network side argue the schedule still holds weight. Mark Marshall, co-president of NBCUniversal advertising sales and partnerships, remembers when a few years they tried to do away with walking the audience through their night-to-night fall schedule. Instead, the company opted to showcase its entire portfolio  including cable networks like USA, Syfy and Bravo  by grouping them by genre. It was not well received.People lost their minds! Marshall said. Now, we have a little bit of a blend of both. We thought we were so cutting edge, but the marketplace was not ready for it yet.Also Read: Fall TV 2019: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered So Far (Updating)In a bit of a curve ball for buyers, this will be the first Upfronts following the two major media mergers of the past 12 months: Disneys purchase of most of 21st Century Fox and AT&Ts acquisition of Time Warner (now dubbed WarnerMedia). That is reflected in the upfront schedule itself. Rather than split ESPN and ABC into two presentations, which has been the case for many years, Disney is doing one combined event for its Fox-infused portfolio, while WarnerMedia has refashioned Turners upfront into its own portfolio-wide shindig.Weve got a bit of a new playing field in terms of the landscape, Geraci says.NBCU began grouping all of its cable networks into one upfront in 2014, but still held a separate one for NBC. Two years later, the company combined those into one giant NBCUniversal upfront. Its not easy in terms of doing this. Were six years into this and its a challenge of bringing this all together, Marshall said.Read original story Why TV Ad Buyers Find the Fall Schedules the Least Important Part of Upfront Week At TheWrap

Next week, the broadcast networks (and a slew of cable channels) will descend on New York City in an attempt to woo advertisers with their new programming, with splashy announcements of their upcoming fall schedules.

But for the media buyers who will be packed into Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, what NBC decides to air after The Voice on Monday nights is probably the least important part of the week-long festivities, according to Chris Geraci, president of national video investment at media-buying agency OMD. Most of them dont even go through the nights of the week like they used to.

Gibbs Haljun, Total Investment Lead, Mindshare U.S., noted that the landscape of the business has minimized the importance of the so-called Upfront Week. If Im waiting until next week to make decisions from an investment standpoint Ive already failed our clients, he said.

Also Read: Upfronts 2019: How CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC and CW Rank by Ratings Ahead of Big TV Ad Sales Push

For many years, Upfront Week was dedicated to musing over time-slot battles like the ones between NBCs Must See Thursday and whatever the other networks would try to counter with. Back then, it really mattered what the night-to-night flow of a schedule looked like, particularly for local TV stations that relied on a strong lead-in at 10 p.m. for their local newscasts. And in the case of new series, where it was placed on the schedule  for example, airing after a fan favorite or sandwiched in between two high-rated shows  would signal a vote of confidence from the network.

But with so much time shifted viewing, schedules are less relevant. Flow doesnt really matter, Haljun said. With all the networks going to a 52 week-programming schedule, were not going to get a full view.

Haljun added that Upfront Week serves more as a culmination of months-long talks with both their clients and the network sales teams. This is really just sort of the last 5% for the other 95% thats been going on since the beginning of the year, he said.

Story continues

There is still value in Upfront Week, but, much like todays TV watchers viewing habits, that value has shifted.

Also Read: How the WGA Crisis Has Rocked the TV Business: 'Best Staffing Season in Years' or 'Complete S- Show'

Geraci, a long-time veteran of Upfront Week, likes that he gets to see the entirety of all the new programming in one, four-day binge. [Its] still a really good way to be able to cover this much ground in the course of a few days and become familiar with what the new content is going to look like, he said, adding that it gives them a window into how these major media owners are thinking about the marketplace.

Those on the network side argue the schedule still holds weight. Mark Marshall, co-president of NBCUniversal advertising sales and partnerships, remembers when a few years they tried to do away with walking the audience through their night-to-night fall schedule. Instead, the company opted to showcase its entire portfolio  including cable networks like USA, Syfy and Bravo  by grouping them by genre. It was not well received.

People lost their minds! Marshall said. Now, we have a little bit of a blend of both. We thought we were so cutting edge, but the marketplace was not ready for it yet.

Also Read: Fall TV 2019: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered So Far (Updating)

In a bit of a curve ball for buyers, this will be the first Upfronts following the two major media mergers of the past 12 months: Disneys purchase of most of 21st Century Fox and AT&Ts acquisition of Time Warner (now dubbed WarnerMedia). That is reflected in the upfront schedule itself. Rather than split ESPN and ABC into two presentations, which has been the case for many years, Disney is doing one combined event for its Fox-infused portfolio, while WarnerMedia has refashioned Turners upfront into its own portfolio-wide shindig.

Weve got a bit of a new playing field in terms of the landscape, Geraci says.

NBCU began grouping all of its cable networks into one upfront in 2014, but still held a separate one for NBC. Two years later, the company combined those into one giant NBCUniversal upfront. Its not easy in terms of doing this. Were six years into this and its a challenge of bringing this all together, Marshall said.

Read original story Why TV Ad Buyers Find the Fall Schedules the Least Important Part of Upfront Week At TheWrap
Suspected kidnapping of baby was a hoax, mom arrested: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

A 35-year-old North Carolina mother has been charged with attempted first-degree murder of her baby daughter.

Asheville police in North Carolina received a 911 call Thursday saying Krista Noelle Madden and her baby, Shaylie, had been kidnapped. The call did not come from Madden, police said at a press conference Friday.

Authorities were able to trace Madden's cellphone to Henderson County and police officers were sent to the area where her phone had been tracked. They also received a call that an abandoned car was found on a "remote, gravel, private drive" near the location of the Madden's phone.

(MORE: Amber Alert for 4-year-old Texas girl Maleah Davis, allegedly abducted by 3 men: Cops)

Upon arriving at the scene, police found Madden, who said she had escaped a kidnapping. The abandoned car was identified as hers.

PHOTO: Krista Noelle Madden is pictured in this undated photo released by Henderson County Sheriff's Office. (Henderson County Sheriff's Office)

Police dogs found no trace of anyone else in the area except for Madden, Henderson police said at the press conference.

Later Thursday, police received another call just before 8 p.m., this time from a family in the area who said they found a baby who appeared to have been tossed into a ravine.

The 911 call was released by police Friday. The woman on the call sounded panicked after notifying police about the baby.

(MORE: Man fakes his own kidnapping to avoid paying $50,000 Super Bowl bet: Police)

The baby was found after a woman went to check her mailbox and thought she heard a baby crying and called her husband, Scott, for help.

"[The husband] arrives at the scene, descends about a 75-foot ravine to find the child alone with a car seat," Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin said.

Missing baby found safe in North Carolina; police investigating reported kidnapping. @SteveOsunsami reports. pic.twitter.com/p0yE2nbewP  Good Morning America (@GMA) May 10, 2019

In an interview with "Good Morning America," Scott Fowler said if the baby had ended up anywhere else in the rural area, she may not have been found.

Story continues

Shaylie, who was admitted to a local hospital, is believed to be in good condition, according to Griffin.

PHOTO: Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin addresses the media on May, 10, 2019. (WASH 12)

Police now say there is no indication a kidnapping took place, although it is possible the original 911 caller truly believed Madden and Shaylie had been kidnapped.

Police took Madden into custody Thursday night and served her with an arrest warrant.

Madden, who is being held on $750,000 bond, is due in court Friday.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a budget plan Thursday that proposes nearly doubling what the state currently spends on its homelessness epidemic.

Newsom, who took office in January, emphasized the states increasing cost of living  an issue linked to homelessness  in a statement accompanying the budget proposal.

This budget fortifies Californias fiscal position while making long-sighted investments to increase affordability for California families, he said. The affordability crisis families face in this state is very real, and thats why this budget tackles those challenges head-on by focusing on housing, health care, early childhood and higher education.

If approved, the state budget will set aside $1 billion to address homelessness, up from the around $500 million former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) submitted in his last budget.

Newsom details his homelessness spending on Thursday with a pie chart. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The bulk of the funding, $650 million, is slated for local governments to provide homelessness emergency aid. Another $400 million will go toward increasing grants for families in the CalWORKs program, a state welfare program for families in need.

Thursdays announcement comes weeks after a group of California mayors pushed Newsom, who hadnt planned big changes to Browns homeless spending, to increase funding for the crisis. The group included mayors from Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other large cities.

We havent been doing enough to support cities, Newsom said at a press conference in March after the meeting. The budget just changed. This was an important meeting. I did not just listen, I took notes, and Im taking direction. And its not just about more money, its about reprioritizing some of those investments.

Despite its wealth, California has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the U.S. On a single day in January 2018, more than 500,000 people were homeless nationwide, according to a recent report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development  and almost one-quarter of homeless people in the U.S. lived in California .

Story continues

Related Coverage

California Mayors Push For More Money To Fight Homelessness

Gavin Newsom Introduces Tax Breaks For Tampons, Diapers In Revised Budget

Gavin Newsom Proposes Big Funding Bump For Gun Violence Prevention

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Photo credit: Parker Bowie Larson

From ELLE Decor

Micromosaics are making a comeback, and we couldnt be more thrilled. For the uninitiated, the miniature versions of the antique mosaic craft of the Greeks and Roman became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries among pilgrims to the Eternal City who wanted a memento of their journey. Former editor and jeweler Elizabeth Locke has been collecting micromosaics for years, at first updating them in her own settings to sell, then adding them to her personal collection of more than 100 pieces. Tales were heard far and wide about her incredible assemblage, and after a compelling visit from Michael Taylor, chief curator of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, she decided to donate them to the institution. An exhibition of her collection, A Return to the Grand Tour: Micromosaic Jewels from the Collection of Elizabeth Locke, recently opened, and on the occasion Locke gives ED the inside track.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Elizabeth Locke

Tell us a little bit about what first drew you to micromosaics.

I first found them when I lived in Florence in the 1970s. There was a room at the Museo degli Argenti at the Pitti Palace that had dusty cases with these tiny mosaics displayed inside. I didnt know what they were or how they were made, but I was very attracted to them. I then found them many years later at the Portobello Market in London when I was searching for antique items to use in my jewelry designs.



How long have you been collecting them, and how many pieces do you have in total?

I have been actively collecting micromosaics for around 30 years. There are 92 pieces in the exhibit, and I probably have an additional 30 or so squirreled away here and there.

Photo credit: David Stover - Virginia Museum of Fine Arts



Do you have a favorite?

I am very partial to micromosaics depicting animals, so I would say that Mr. Parrot is my favorite.

Photo credit: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA)

Do you think that we have anything similar to micromosaics in our travels today?

Sadly, I do not. The vast majority of souvenirs today are mass-produced. A fine micromosaic could take over a year to produce in the 19th century. They were not made of precious materials, but the skill involved in creating them made them precious.

('You Might Also Like',)
"It is not just about underwear  it is about making companies more inclusive and embracing diversity."

Photo: Courtesy of Slick Chicks

"People ask me all the time if it is the larger things that trip me up when it comes to having a disability," says Shannon Dawn. "It really isn't. It is the smaller things, like tying shoes, putting on underwear  little things that you wouldn't expect."

That's where Slick Chicks comes in. The adaptive underwear line is pushing the boundaries of accessibility in the undergarment world and educating its customers along the way. The term "adaptive clothing" refers to garments designed with people with physical disabilities and limitations in mind; since not everyone is able to operate common closures like buttons and zippers, or possess the range of motion to self-dress, it is critical to have accessible options. The brand's adaptive underwear collection can be put on while laying down, sitting or standing, making it ideal for wheelchair users or anyone with limited mobility.

"They are really easy as far as putting them on as a wheelchair user; a lot of us have dexterity issues and can't actually pull on normal underwear," says Dawn. "With Slick Chicks, we don't have to worry about [if they are] going to come off or come down, or if they are in the wrong place  and they look good, too."

Helya Mohammadian, the CEO and founder of the brand, sought out to make something that was comfortable, durable and easily fastened on the side. The origin story is personal for her: After her sister's brutal cesarean section, Mohammadian saw the recovery process firsthand and realized immediately there was a better way. "She couldn't get dressed on her own," says Mohammadian, explaining that her sister needed the help of her husband throughout most of the recovery process. The idea for Slick Chicks came shortly thereafter, but what started as a line of panties for women in postpartum recovery quickly shifted into something else when Mohammadian saw the outpouring of messages from the disability community.

Story continues

Related Articles

Designing for Disabilities: How Parsons's Open Style Lab Is Helping to Make Fashion Accessible

Tommy Hilfiger Launches Spring 2018 Campaign for Its Adaptive Collection

Anna SUI Brought Color and Whimsy to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation's Third Annual Design for Disability Fashion Show

Mohammadian had a choice: Completely pivot her brand or stick with her original idea. "This was so much bigger than me, I didn't care how long how hard how expensive it was going to be," says Mohammadian. "It is not just about underwear  it is about making companies more inclusive and embracing diversity. It is more than just saying you are an inclusive company, it is living it."

Their first collection, which has somewhat of a cult following on social media, is comprised of three styles  a thong, a hipster and a brief  but they have even more exciting developments coming down the pipeline. In the coming months, Slick Chicks will be launching a unisex line, as well as releasing a new adaptive style that is even easier for customers with dexterity troubles. They will also expand sizing; eventually they hope to have a size range that spans from XS to 5XL. On top of the inclusivity initiatives, they are also launching some more colors and styles (including a high-waisted version).

The underwear sits at the intersection of function and fashion, which makes sense considering that Mohammadian's background is in design. An alum of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she spent the beginning of her career at Carolina Herrera and Bergdorf Goodman but still felt that something was missing. Now, Mohammadian has created a brand that combines great design with activism.

"When I came on, I was like, 'Okay, I'm just going to be a blogger,' but Helya actually asked me about product designs or what I think would work for other people in the community," says Dawn. "Asking for feedback from the disability community, that is really big if you want it to be a fully inclusive line."

Photo: Courtesy of Slick Chicks

Slick Chicks takes accessibility seriously. Their Instagram is a celebration of diverse bodies and of women, unfiltered and un-retouched. Scroll through their feed and you'll see artist and writer Erin Clark pole dancing in their adaptable briefs, read stories of what it is to model as a disabled women  as well as feeding tubes and catheters and ports.

"This is not a 'niche' market as so many companies think: 1 out of 5 people have a disability and 1 out of 3 people know someone with a disability," says Mohammadian. "It is time for companies to start addressing the needs of all people."

Slick Chicks even has a blog, led by Dawn, which dives into issues that matter to the disability community and fights back against the idea that people with disabilities are somehow sexless. Dawn writes openly and honestly about her marriage, her friendships and her struggles. Dawn, now 38 and a mom herself, is based in Florida, raising a 12- and 13-year-old while writing for Slick Chicks and doing local work with disability organizations. She has made the Slick Chicks website more than just a place to purchase products; it also serves as an educational resource and a community where people with disabilities have a say in the conversation.

"If you are not disabled, a lot of people assume we are children or we look like children," says Dawn, who has been living with cerebral palsy since she was two-years-old. "Having a product that promotes empowerment of women and diverse bodies really makes a woman feel like 'I can tap into my womanhood, this underwear makes me feel like a woman, I can stand in my power,' and that is huge."

Adaptable clothing is starting to have a bit of a moment in the mainstream fashion world: Tommy Hilfiger just put out an adaptive line, Zappos continues to expand their adaptive options and brands like Chromat have brought dazzling body diversity and disability activists to the NYFW runways. Mohammadian's project does more than just impact Slick Chick's direct customers; it moves the needle forward and forces larger brands to consider their impact. It educates its blog readers on issues in the community and continues to challenge the way our society strips women with disabilities of their sexuality and their agency.

Across the board, we have started to hold brands accountable for their environmental impact and their dedication to diversity. Now it is time to do the same with accessibility, whether that means making sure stores have handicap accessible ramps and elevators or designing a pair of underwear that makes every day a little easier.

Never miss the latest fashion industry news. Sign up for the Fashionista daily newsletter.
(Adds Pompeo comments, Labour response)

LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he was disgusted to see politicians in Britain, as well as in the United States, continue to support Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Responding to a reporter who asked about support for Venezuela's government by Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, Pompeo was blunt in his criticism.

"It is disgusting to see leaders in not only the United Kingdom but in the United States as well who continue to support the murderous dictator Maduro," Pompeo said at a news conference in London.

British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt, speaking at the same news conference, criticized Labour's second-most senior official, John McDonnell, for supporting Maduro.

A Labour spokeswoman said the party's position on Venezuela was to call for no foreign interference in the country.

"We oppose outside interference in Venezuela, whether from the U.S. or anywhere else: the future of Venezuela is a matter for the Venezuelans," she said.

The leftist Venezuelan president has faced pressure to quit since taking office for a second term. Opposition leader Juan Guaido, calling Maduro's 2018 re-election fraudulent, invoked the constitution in January to assume an interim presidency and has been recognized by the United States and most other Western nations as Venezuela's legitimate leader.

Pompeo renewed his criticisms of Labour later on Wednesday when he was asked in a television interview whether Washington was seeking to interfere in the Latin American country.

"Yes, well, providing food for starving children isn't interference. It's what we do. It's in our deepest traditions of humanitarian assistance," he told Sky News.

"The interference has taken place. The Cubans are there. They have interfered. So I hope Mr Corbyn will ask the Cubans to cease their interference in Venezuela." (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton Writing by William Schomberg Editing by Elisabeth O'Leary and Frances Kerry)
WASHINGTON (AP)  U.S. supporters of embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro who have stayed inside that country's embassy in Washington for a month on Thursday accused the Trump administration of breaking international law by shutting off power to the diplomatic compound.

Brian Becker, national director of ANSWER Coalition, said he saw the U.S. Secret Service and Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Wednesday evening surrounding workers from the utility company Pepco as they cut power outside the embassy.

"This is a brazen violation of international law and there will be undoubtedly a cascading effect," Becker told reporters. "If the United States does this to Venezuela, what prevents other countries to do it to the United States or to other countries?"

A spokesperson for utility company PEPCO told The Associated Press that it does not discuss the status of individual customer accounts or service to individual properties out of respect for customer privacy and public safety.

The Secret Service referred any request for comment to the State Department, which then referred it to Carlos Vecchio, the ambassador to Washington designated by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Francisco Marquez, a political adviser to Vecchio, told The Associated Press there is no conflict with international law because Vecchio is the ambassador recognized by Washington and he asked for the power to be cut.

"There is no doubt about the legitimacy of Vecchio nor the recognition from the host state," Marquez said. "The only ones without legal arguments to be inside the embassy are the activists."

Vecchio announced Wednesday evening on Twitter that the people inside the embassy will no longer have power.

"Next step: their exit," Vecchio wrote.

Ariel Gold, co-director of CODEPINK, said the power cut violates local tenancy laws because put the tenants in danger.

ANSWER Coalition and CODEPINK are among the organizations that moved into the embassy invited by Maduro as the United States and another 50 countries recognized Guaido as Venezuela's interim president and severed ties with his government.

Story continues

They see Maduro, whose government is recognized by the United Nations, as Venezuela's legitimate leader.

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK told reporters that 15 people remain inside the embassy and cannot cook because the only stove available is electric.

"They cannot cook the little bit of rice and beans they have left," Benjamin said.

But Becker, from Answer Coalition, said the activists inside are determined to stay despite of the lack of power and food supply.

"They are not giving up, they are not backing down," he said.

___

Luis Alonso Lugo on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/luisalonsolugo
Umm el Fahm (Israel) (AFP) - Thousands of Arabs rallied in Israel on Thursday to mark the 1948 Nakba, or "catastrophe", which left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the war accompanying the birth of the Jewish state.

As Israeli Jews celebrated Independence Day, Israeli Arabs and Palestinians from annexed east Jerusalem protested at the site of a Palestinian village that was demolished in the war.

Under the slogan "Your Independence Day is our Nakba", demonstrators gathered near the northern Israeli Arab town of Umm al-Fahm where they held Palestinian flags and sang the Palestinian anthem.

Israel celebrated its founding holiday on Thursday, in accordance with the Hebrew calendar.

By international reckoning the 1948 declaration of independence fell on May 14 that year.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were expelled in the fighting and millions of their descendants now scattered around the world demand the right to return to their historic homes.

Israel says such a demographic change would mean its end as the Jewish state.

Israeli Arabs, who make up around 17.5 percent of Israel's population, are Palestinians who remained on their land in 1948. They are largely supportive of the Palestinian cause.

"The commemoration of the Nakba has gained exceptional importance this year, with the need to confront and thwart the American deal of the century," said Ayman Odeh, an Arab member of Israel's parliament.

His comments at the rally referred to a much-touted peace plan from Washington, which Palestinians expect will fall far short of their key demands.

The Palestinian leadership has boycotted Washington over a series of moves -- including recognising the bitterly disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital -- and says it can no longer trust the United States as a broker.
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Automakers expect U.S. President Donald Trump to delay a decision due next week on whether to impose steep tariffs on imported cars and auto parts on national security grounds for up to six months as talks continue with the European Union and Japan.

In February, the Commerce Department submitted its "Section 232" national security report. Trump has until May 18 to act, but four auto executives who have spoken to administration officials say he is likely to extend that deadline by another 180 days. He may also announce a specific date to impose new duties if no deal is reached.

Administration officials say Trump could still opt to impose the tariffs by May 18, but believe that after a series of investment announcements by automakers - including one by General Motors Co on Wednesday of $700 million in three Ohio plants - he will likely delay the tariffs amid a trade battle with China.

The auto tariffs face wide opposition in Congress. The White House refuses to turn over the Commerce report to Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who has been demanding to see it.

On Wednesday, 159 House of Representatives members led by Ways and Means Committee Vice Chair Terri Sewell wrote White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow to urge him to advise Trump against "imposing trade restrictions that could harm the auto sector and the American economy."

The letter from 79 Democrats and 81 Republicans seen by Reuters warned that imposing tariffs on parts in cars "may overlap with motorcycles, recreational vehicles, construction equipment, heavy-duty trucks, farming equipment, powersports vehicles, and others."

The White House did not immediately comment.

Administration officials have said tariff threats on autos are a way to win concessions from Japan and the EU. Last year, Trump agreed not to impose tariffs as long as talks with the two trading partners were proceeding in a productive manner.

Story continues

The industry says tariffs of up to 25 percent on millions of imported cars and parts would add thousands of dollars to vehicle costs and potentially lead to hundreds of thousands of job losses throughout the U.S. economy.

Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group representing GM, Volkswagen AG, Toyota Motor Corp and others, said automakers adamantly opposed new tariffs.

"At the end of the day, you can either have tariffs or investments, but you can't have both," she said.

The Commerce Department started its investigation in May 2018 at Trumps request to determine the effects of imports on national security.

U.S. light-duty vehicle prices would increase by $2,750 on average, including U.S.-built vehicles, reducing annual U.S. sales by 1.3 million units and forcing many consumers to the used-car market, according to a think tank report released last year.

Major automaker groups said last year the cumulative effect for the United States would be an $83 billion annual price increase and argued there was no evidence auto imports posed a national security risk.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Peter Cooney)
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.
US actress and chat show host Busy Philipps has spoken about the abortion she had when she was 15.

The 39-year-old, who rose to fame in Dawsons Creek, chose to share her own experience while discussing her concerns about Georgias six-week abortion plan, announced earlier this week.

The new legislation effectively bans abortions after six weeks into a pregnancy, before some women are aware they are pregnant.

In the latest episode of her talk show Busy Tonight, the mother-of-two shared her own story by way of illustrating her apprehension about the new law.

US presenter Busy Phillipps talks about her abortion experience on her chat show 'Busy Tonight' [Photo: Instagram]

After revealing that one in four women will have an abortion before the age of 45, she went on to talk about her own experience.

I had an abortion when I was 15 years old, and Im telling you this because I am genuinely really scared for women and girls all over this country, she said. And I think that we all need to be talking more and sharing our stories more.

READ MORE: Busy Philipps hospitalised for sunburnt eyes: What is photokeratitis?

Philipps explained that she believes the new bill and others like it wont "stop anyone from making this incredibly personal choice," but they will "put more women at risk."

"I know that people feel very strongly about abortion, but let me just say this: Women and their doctors are in the best position to make informed decisions about what is best for them," Philipps told the audience. "Nobody else, nobody."

READ MORE: Couple's devastating decision to abort after unborn baby diagnosed with birth defect

After the show, Philipps took to social media to explain why she had chosen to share something so personal on television.

"I spoke about my abortion on my show tonight because I can not sit idly by while womens rights are stripped away," Philipps tweeted.

Story continues

I spoke about my abortion on my show tonight because I can not sit idly by while womens rights are stripped away. https://t.co/Vk4kh4ZBJq  Busy Philipps (@BusyPhilipps) May 8, 2019

This isn't the first time that Philipps has spoken out about abortion and women's rights.

In a previous Instagram post she has opened up about her experiences in a bid to highlight the importance of the support she received when going through her own decision making process at 15.

This is about funding that provides VITAL services that save women's lives. PAP smears, breast exams, std screening, birth control, pregnancy prevention and counselling, she wrote. Planned Parenthood was there for me at 15, the counsellor encouraged me to talk to my parents and I am proud to be here for them today.

Busy Philipps isnt the only one to speak out against Georgias abortion bill, Alyssa Milano has also up the pro-choice-rights cause.

The topic of abortion can spark a divisive response, as illustrated last month when a woman took to Reddit to share how she was dumped out of an Uber taxi after the driver figured she was on her way to an abortion clinic.
Yaounde (AFP) - Cameroon's main opposition party on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all political prisoners, during talks with Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute on resolving the country's regional conflict with anglophone separatists.

At the meeting in Bamenda, capital of the restive anglophone Northwest Region, Social Democratic Front (SDF) leader Ni John Fru Ndi also called for the appointment of a mediator for resolving the conflict

"Everyone must be listened to. The SDF is for inclusive political debate on the crisis...," said SDF official Jean Robert Wafo.

"We can listen to the secessionists without, however, agreeing to the principle," he said explaining that a "clear and unambiguous" against secession had to be taken.

During Friday's discussion the federalist SDF recommended four measures to resolve the crisis, according to a party statement received by AFP.

The federalist party called for "an immediate ceasefire" and the demobilisation of all separatist forces as well as "the immediate release of all political prisoners held as part of this crisis" as well as the naming of a mediator to prepare negotiations.

On Thursday, Dion Ngute arrived in Bamenda with the message that the government was ready for dialogue to resolve the regional conflict with separatists, while stressing that independence was not on the table.

He said President Paul Biya was "ready to organise a formal dialogue to resolve the socio-political crisis" while stressing that independence was not on the table.

Since 2017, fighting between government troops and anglophone separatists demanding independence in the Southwest and Northwest regions has killed hundreds and forced nearly 500,000 people from their homes.

English-speaking communities chafe at what they see as discrimination from the French-speaking majority. But the government rejects demands for autonomy and has dispatched thousands of troops in a crackdown.

Story continues

At the moment there are no channels for dialogue between the government and the rebels.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Monday that Cameroon authorities have regularly tortured and held incommunicado detainees arrested in the government's crackdown on the armed separatist movement.

In October 2017, radicals declared the creation of the "Republic of Ambazonia," covering the two English-speaking regions incorporated into francophone Cameroon in 1961.

The declaration went largely unnoticed outside Cameroon, and "Ambazonia" -- named after a bay at the mouth of the Douala River -- has been recognised by no-one.

Dion Ngute was also due to visit the other anglophone region -- the Southwest Region.

The separatist conflict has forced more than 530,000 people to flee their homes while 32,000 others have sought refuge in neighbouring Nigeria.

The UN Security Council will hold its first meeting this month to discuss the country's separatist conflict.
Beijing (AFP) - A Chinese court adjourned a hearing on a Canadian man's appeal against his death sentence for drug smuggling without a decision Thursday in a case that has deepened a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Ottawa.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, 36, was sentenced to death in January after a court deemed his previous 15-year prison sentence too lenient.

His appeal hearing came a day after a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, appeared in court in Canada to fight a US extradition bid that triggered the diplomatic storm.

The Liaoning High People's Court in northeast China said in a statement that "all procedural rights of appellant Schellenberg were guaranteed in accordance with the law".

The trial has adjourned and the court will "select a day or time to pronounce the sentence," it said without specifying.

His lawyer, Zhang Dongshuo, said it was "normal" for a sentence to be announced at a different date or time.

Schellenberg's case is seen as potential leverage for Meng, who was arrested on a US extradition request related to Iran sanctions violations -- a link that Beijing has repeatedly denied.

Following the Huawei executive's arrest in December, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, in what observers saw as retaliation.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that China had "chosen to arbitrarily" sentence Schellenberg to death. His government has pleaded for clemency.

Ottawa said Wednesday it was "extremely concerned that China has chosen to apply the death penalty, a cruel and inhumane punishment".

Canadian officials planned to attend Thursday's hearing. The Canadian embassy did not reply to a request for comment.

- Canadians detained -

Schellenberg was originally sentenced to 15 years in prison and a 150,000 yuan ($22,000) forfeiture in November.

But following an appeal, the high court in Liaoning ruled in December that the sentence was too lenient given the severity of his crimes.

Story continues

About a month later, his sentence was changed to capital punishment.

China has executed foreigners for drug-related crimes in the past, including a Japanese national in 2014, a Filipina in 2013, and a Briton in 2009.

Last week another Canadian, Fan Wei, was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in a separate case in southern China.

Kovrig and Spavor, meanwhile, have been denied access to lawyers and are allowed only monthly consular visits.

Days after Canada launched the extradition process against Meng in March, China announced it suspected Kovrig of spying and stealing state secrets. It alleged fellow Canadian Spavor had provided him with intelligence.

Meanwhile, Huawei's Meng was back in court in Vancouver on Wednesday, with her lawyers arguing that the US case was politically motivated.

Her firm says she is innocent.

Huawei is also in the US crosshairs as Washington seeks to convince Western nations to shun the telecom firm over security concerns.

The diplomatic row appears to have has spilled over into the economic arena: China has banned Canadian canola and pork shipments worth billions of dollars.

Ottawa has pressed Washington -- which is locked in a trade dispute with China -- to step up its pressure on behalf of the detained Canadians.
New York (AFP) - Chevron said Thursday it will not raise its bid for Anadarko Petroleum, ending a battle for choice US shale assets and clearing the way for an offer by Occidental Petroleum that is backed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

Chevron Chief Executive Michael Wirth, who had touted the deal with Anadarko last month, said it was now walking away because it did not want to overpay.

"Winning in any environment doesn't mean winning at any cost. Cost and capital discipline always matter, and we will not dilute our returns or erode value for our shareholders for the sake of doing a deal," Wirth said in a statement.

The announcement came three days after Anadarko characterized Occidental's bid as "superior" to Chevron's, putting the onus on Chevron to either pony up more money or raise a white flag and walk away.

Under their agreement last month, Anadarko is required to pay Chevron a $1 billion breakup fee. Chevron said it plans to use those funds for share repurchases.

Chevron shares rose 3.1 percent to $121.19 in mid-morning trading, while Anadarko fell 3.3 percent to $73.39 and Occidental sank 6.4 percent to $56.33.

Analysts have expressed concerns that the purchase would leave Occidental with too much debt.

The battle for Anadarko -- a midsized US oil company based in Houston -- officially began April 12, when Chevron unveiled a transaction valuing Anadarko at $65 a share.

However, barely two weeks later, Occidental announced a competing bid of $76 a share and released a letter from Chief Executive Vicki Hollub to the Anadarko questioning why Anadarko had refused to entertain her company's superior bids before announcing the Chevron deal.

The battle has centered on Anadarko's robust position in the Permian Basin, an oil-rich region in West Texas and New Mexico where Occidental and Chevron also have substantial holdings.

Both companies viewed the Anadarko assets as critical in allowing them to boost production while keeping costs in check through economies of scale.

Story continues

- No shareholder vote -

Occidental sweetened its bid by announcing it had received $10 billion in financing from Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

Then on Sunday night, Occidental announced a preliminary deal to sell Anadarko's Africa assets to French company Total for $8.8 billion, and adjusted the terms of its offer to increase the portion in cash and lower the payment in shares.

Hollub said the second offer removed the need for an Occidental shareholder vote on the takeover, and cleared up an issue Anadarko raised during the talks. Chevron's bid did not require a shareholder vote.

She said the Anadarko deal represented a "transformational" opportunity for Occidental, telling Wall Street analysts the company has "a tremendous asset base with a huge upside."

But the deal has not been popular with all shareholders. T. Rowe Price, which holds 2.8 percent of Occidental, has said it would oppose the Occidental board of directors at Friday's annual meeting because it won't hold a vote on the Anadarko transaction.

Moody's has placed Occidental under review for a possible credit rating downgrade due to high debt.

"We regard the extent of this over-leveraging as problematic, leaving the company with less flexibility to confront an environment of weak commodity prices, and significantly heightening the urgency of debt reduction," Moody's said in a research note on Wednesday.
Islamabad (AFP) - Their Uighur wives vanished in 2017, swept up in a Chinese dragnet tackling Islamic extremism, now they've been released -- but the Pakistani husbands left behind say freedom has come at a price: The women must prove their "adaptability to Chinese society", and publicly sacrifice their religious ideals.

The group of around 40 women -- all from the western Chinese province of Xinjiang and married to traders from neighbouring Pakistan -- were among some one million people believed to be held in a network of internment camps that authorities downplay as "vocational education centres".

But the men say their partners were forced into acts that are haram, or forbidden, to followers of Islam -- both in the camps and now they've been freed.

"She said they had to eat pork and drink alcohol, something she still has to do," one merchant, who recently visited his wife at her parents' house in Xinjiang told AFP, on condition of anonymity.

"She was told that she had to satisfy the authorities that she no longer possesses radical thoughts if she does not want to go back," he explained, adding that she had given up praying and the Quran had been replaced by books on China at his in-laws home.

Some of the traders, who traditionally leave their wives in Xinjiang for weeks or months at a time when they return home to conduct business, believe the women were taken to the camps because of their connection to Pakistan, which is an Islamic republic.

Former detainees have said they were held simply for following Islamic traditions, such as having a long beard or wearing a veil.

But with the detention centres, part of a security clampdown targeting Muslims including ethnic Uighurs, facing growing international condemnation and China pushing its economic relationship with Pakistan, authorities began slowly releasing the women two months ago.

Faiz Ullah Faraq, a spokesman for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Pakistani region which borders Xinjiang, confirmed the "majority" have now been released.

Story continues

- Surveillance and repercussions -

AFP interviewed nine of the women's husbands, who confirm their wives are free but cannot leave Xinjiang for three months, during which time they will be closely monitored.

"They will observe her adaptability to Chinese society and if they deem her to be unfit she will be sent back," a gemstone trader said of the rules of release.

Their initial joy at the release of much-loved wives and mothers has faded because the women who've returned are like strangers.

"My wife said she was forced to dance, wear revealing clothes, eat pork and drink alcohol in the camp," he revealed, adding that she now carries with her a book of guidelines, which features illustrations such as a mosque marked with a red cross, and a Chinese flag with a green tick.

"She used to pray regularly but now it's gone, and she has started occasionally drinking (alcohol) which she does in the restaurants," he explained, adding that he believed officials required such acts from the women.

He too declined to give his name for fear of repercussions from authorities, who make surprise visits to his wife's home in Xinjiang every week.

James Leibold, an expert on Chinese security at Australia's La Trobe University, told AFP that stepped-up surveillance policies in Xinjiang gave authorities "increased confidence" in their ability to closely monitor those released from the camps.

Since their release, the families of many of the women say they have become paranoid and fear of being reported on.

"The worst thing was her silence," the merchant explained, adding: "She suspects everyone, her parents, her family, even me."

The seven other traders interviewed by AFP, anonymously, have been in contact with their wives only by telephone and gave similar testimonies.

- 'Serious abuses' -

The Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing declined to comment on the releases, and a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman did not respond to requests.

In an interview with Pakistani TV channel HUM news, Lijian Zhao, deputy head of mission at the Chinese Embassy branded claims the government is forcing Muslims to eat pork and drink alcohol in Xinjiang as "propaganda from the west".

He said: "They are trying...to create differences between China and Pakistan and other Muslim countries."

Maya Wang, Human Rights Watch's senior researcher on China, said the activist group has heard stories of people being released from the camps and subjected to house arrests or severe restrictions on movement.

"These releases may indicate that the Chinese government is increasingly sensitive to heightening international pressure over its serious abuses in Xinjiang," she said.

Last month US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo renewed demands China end its widespread detention of Uighur Muslims as he met with Mihrigul Tursun, who claims to be a former detainee, and has spoken publicly about what she said was widespread torture in the camps.

Beijing "cannot afford international criticism of its policies in Xinjiang to spread throughout the Muslim world, especially in Pakistan", China security expert Leibold explained.

In recent years, China has strongly pushed its relationship with Pakistan, investing heavily in infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

For its part, Pakistan has been reluctant to publicly join global condemnation of Beijing's crackdown on Muslims in Xinjiang. When pressed on the subject in a recent interview with the Financial Times, Prime Minister Imran Khan said: "Frankly, I don't know much about that."

But for the merchant and the other traders, it is as though their wives are still lost.

He explained: "My wife, a practising Muslim, has been turned into someone I could not even imagine. She has given up her prayers, drinks and eats pork,"

He added: "I am afraid our marriage will not last long because she is a completely different person, someone whom I don't know."
Eat This, Not That!

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has surged worldwide in record timeit was only three weeks ago that the first case was identified in South Africa. Last week, it accounted for 73% of new COVID infections in the United States, according to the latest CDC data. It's highly contagiousscientists estimate it's twice as transmissible as the Delta variant, which itself was twice as transmissible as the original COIVD strainwhich calls for an abundance of caution. How do you know if you've been infect
Paris (AFP) - The French military had been tracking the gang of hostage-takers across the arid terrain of eastern Burkina Faso for days before deciding to launch the night-time rescue mission that would cost the lives of two commandos.

Since May 1, when two French tourists went missing in a wildlife park in neighbouring Benin, French soldiers and special forces from the regional Barkhane force had swung into action in the hunt for their kidnappers.

On May 7, a first special forces mission was launched inside Burkina Faso which returned vital information on the gang of six hostage-takers who were thought to be heading for lawless Mali to the northwest, French chief of staff Francois Lecointre said.

As the group travelled across the country -- in view of drones known to be operated by French and American forces in the area -- the French waited for them to stop and an opportunity to intervene.

In the meantime, specialised battlefield medical teams were flown from Paris to be moved in by helicopter when the final order came to launch an assault.

"It was an extremely complex operation, with extremely demanding timings," Lecointre told reporters in a detailed briefing on the operation in Paris with Defence Minister Florence Parly.

French military commanders judged that Thursday night's stop in northern Burkina by the gang was the last opportunity to intervene before the hostages were taken into Mali and transferred to an Islamist militant group there.

"It was the last opportunity to carry out an operation in Burkina Faso. If the hostages had been transferred to Mali, an operation like this would have been too risky," Parly said.

"It was important to act quickly. I continue to think it was the right decision to do it," she added.

- Surprise discovery -

French President Emmanuel Macron, who was in Romania for a meeting with fellow European leaders, was informed and approved the intervention on Thursday evening, making use of a recently-concluded military cooperation deal with Burkina Faso.

Story continues

Around 20 French commandos were then dropped by helicopter at distance from the camp where the hostage-takers and their victims were thought to be sleeping.

Approaching in silence under the cover of darkness, the teams got past a guard and to within a few metres of the four shelters where the hostages were being held before they were finally detected, Lecointre said.

"The commandos went inside the shelters without opening fire," he added, underlining the difficulty of hostage situations even for highly-trained special forces who have to be careful not to harm the people they are rescuing.

Two French soldiers died in shots fired at close range by the hostage-takers.

Four of the gang were killed in return fire and two escaped.

To their surprise, instead of finding just two French male tourists, the rescue teams discovered two women as well -- an American and a South Korean.

"No one was aware of their presence," Parly explained, while Lecointre said they had "apparently (been held) for 28 days".

"The contacts we have had in recent hours with the United States and South Korea indicate that these countries were probably not aware of the presence of their nationals on Burkina territory," Parly explained.

She thanked authorities in Benin and Burkina Faso for their help with the "complex operation", as well as the United States which provided intelligence and support.
By Aaron Saldanha and Medha Singh

(Reuters) - European shares rose on Wednesday from the previous session's more than one-month closing low on positive sentiment underpinned by easing fears over the path ahead for U.S.-China trade ties and strong results from some German firms.

Resolute earnings from Siemens and Wirecard aided sentiment, while the White House said China has indicated it wants to strike a trade deal.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2 percent, lifting off Thursday's more than one-month closing low. Germany's trade-sensitive DAX gained 0.7 percent, while French stocks tacked on 0.4 percent.

"All we need to know is how the next 48 hours unfold with China's vice premier in Washington for talks," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will travel to Washington on Thursday for two days of trade talks. As it currently stands, U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports will rise to 25 percent from 10 percent effective Friday, according to a notice posted to the Federal Register.

"I'm still under the belief that a deal is the default and that's what people are expecting," Oanda's Erlam said.

Siemens posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings and said it would spin off its faltering gas-turbines business.

Investors responded by sending the German firm's shares 4.6 percent higher, which helped industrial stocks tack on 0.7 percent.

Payments firm Wirecard raised its 2019 outlook, as it sought to shake off allegations of fraud and false accounting to post a 40.7 percent rise in core profits in the first quarter.

Wirecard shares climbed 4.9 percent to a more than three month closing peak after its chief executive said the payments firm is mulling over buying back shares with some of the proceeds of a 900 million euro convertible bond that Softbank Group Corp will buy.

Signs of Brexit-linked uncertainty capped sentiment towards London-traded stocks. The FTSE 100 index recovered from early losses to add 0.2 percent, amid a half-percent slide in the pound. Exporters on the benchmark broadly benefit from a softer pound which swells their overseas earnings' value.

Story continues

Bank stocks moved in the other direction, extending losses as they slipped 0.3 percent.

Travel and leisure stocks fell 1.3 percent as Deutsche Lufthansa AG traded ex-dividend, down 4.4 percent. Additionally, Berenberg cut its target price on the airline to 21.50 euros per share from 22 euros.

(Reporting by Aaron Saldanha and Medha Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Kiev (AFP) - A protest in Ukraine's capital Kiev on Friday marked the fifth anniversary of the arrest of Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov by Russian authorities.

Sentsov, who won the European Parliament's Sakharov human rights prize last year, is serving a 20-year sentence in a Russian penal colony north of the Arctic Circle following his 2015 conviction over claims of an arson plot in Crimea.

Dozens of protesters gathered outside several European embassies in Kiev on Friday, with their mouths taped shut, holding signs that said "Do you remember?" in an effort to push the West not to forget Sentsov's plight.

Other signs read "Artist, not a terrorist", referring to the charges for which Sentsov was jailed in a trial that Amnesty International likened to "Stalinist-era show trials."

The father-of-two was arrested at his home in the Crimean capital Simferopol on May 10, 2014 after taking part in protests against the peninsula's annexation by Moscow.

He then started a hunger strike in May last year to demand the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia.

His deteriorating health provoked an outcry from the international community and he called off the protest after 145 days to avoid being force-fed.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin wrote on Facebook on Friday that "we are fighting for each of ours," referring to political prisoners in Russian jails.

"The fight will not stop until all of us return home," he added.

The European Parliament called on Russia to immediately release the film-maker when it awarded him the Sakharov prize, which was accepted by Sentsov's cousin.

"Through his courage and determination, by putting his life in danger, the film-maker Oleg Sentsov has become a symbol of the struggle for the release of political prisoners held in Russia and around the world," European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said in October.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to free Sentsov despite a star-studded global campaign to secure his release.
When the dangerous, draconian "fetal heartbeat" abortion ban passed Georgia's state legislature in April, activists, corporations, and Hollywood legends united to warn the state about the consequences of enacting the ban. But on May 7, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp ignored their warnings and signed the bill anyway.

El gobernador de Georgia, Brian Kemp, promulga una propuesta de ley el martes 7 de mayo de 2019 en Atlanta, la cual prohibe que se realice un aborto una vez que se pueda detectar el latido fetal, que puede ocurrir a las seis semanas del embarazo. (Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Kemp signs HB 481 into law on May 7,2019. Photo courtesy Associated Press.

Any and all bans or restrictions on abortion are extreme, but HB 481 is arguably in a class of its own as a remarkable demonstration of ignorance and cruelty. The bill that will soon become law in Georgia bans abortion once embryonic cardiac activity first begins - typically at just six weeks. This is well before most women realize (or can even confirm) they're pregnant, effectively banning abortion after a pregnant woman's period is just two weeks late. But the bill somehow only gets more terrifying: women who violate the law could be subject to life in prison.

HB 481 exposes the anti-abortion movement's dystopic, anti-women endgame.

HB 481 is ironically called the LIFE (Living Infants Fairness and Equality) Act, despite how it would certainly cost Georgia women their lives; states with more restrictions on abortion have disproportionately higher maternal mortality rates. Effectively serving as an all-out abortion ban, HB 481 would be more restrictive than any other anti-abortion law in place anywhere in the United States, and would likely lead to a rise in unsafe, possibly fatal abortions. In this way, HB 481 exposes the anti-abortion movement's dystopic, anti-women endgame.

For all of HB 481 and the anti-abortion movement's warm, gentle rhetoric about protecting "life" and family values, they are motivated by something else entirely: punishing women, criminalizing their bodies, and depriving them of the autonomy and human rights they're due. Georgia's "fetal heartbeat" abortion ban would be oppressive and dangerous enough without the threat of life imprisonment. But incarcerated or not, without access to comprehensive reproductive health care, this law ensures that women are entrapped by the state within their own bodies.

Story continues

Still, the involvement of the carceral system in Georgia's new law raises the threat to a new level. Women could quite literally be jailed for miscarriage if they cannot disprove there was an attempted abortion or that their actions (for example, drug use) caused the miscarriage. We've already seen this before in two cases in the state of Indiana, and in light of Georgia lawmakers' demonstrated ignorance on the most basic facts about pregnancy, we'll almost certainly see it again once HB 481 takes effect.

Ultimately, anti-abortion lawmakers are more determined to punish women than they are determined to prevent abortions. The same week Gov. Kemp signed the fetal heartbeat ban into law, anti-abortion lawmakers in Ohio introduced a bill that, on top of prohibiting insurance coverage of abortion, would also effectively ban most forms of birth control. That's because the misguided, anti-science bill equates any "birth control that could act to stop a fertilized egg from implanting to the uterus" with abortion. Considering the reality that wider access to birth control is far more effective in lowering abortion rates than restricting abortion access, which seldom impacts abortion rates at all, the anti-abortion movement's real goals couldn't be clearer.

Georgia's HB 481 provides exceptions for pregnancies caused by incest and rape. Yet, this should only raise another question: how would any woman seeking abortion care safely prove she was raped in a state that doesn't believe women have the right to control their bodies in the first place? And in either case, the abortion "rape exception" has never mitigated the cruelty of anti-abortion legislation. Access to reproductive health care should always be unconditional.

In the context of today's judicial landscape, the heartbeat abortion ban is especially concerning. With Brett Kavanaugh solidifying the Supreme Court's conservative majority, President Trump's anti-abortion judicial nominees being sworn in at disturbing rates, and state legislatures pumping out their own iterations of the "fetal heartbeat" abortion ban each week, we can see clearly the direction the anti-abortion movement is heading. If a legal challenge to the heartbeat ban made it to the Supreme Court, Roe v. Wade, the precedent that made abortion legal in 1973, could be dismantled or reversed altogether.

Women and activists have been warning that we are headed toward a future of shuttered abortion access and the criminalization of women's bodies for years. HB 481 is all the evidence we need that this future has already arrived.
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Saturday urged his supporters to reject fear and maintain nationwide protests against President Nicolas Maduro, who has been ratcheting up pressure on the lawmaker since a failed military uprising.

Some 1,500 to 2,000 people filled a square in an opposition-friendly part of eastern Caracas to hear Guaido, but that was far fewer than the several thousands who took part in earlier protests.

Anti-Maduro rallies in other cities also appeared to be smaller than in previous weeks, based on photos and videos posted on social media.

The smaller turnouts were seen as a sign of possibly waning interest -- or simply exhaustion -- after months of protests climaxed in a failed uprising April 30, leaving six people dead.

"We are at a historic moment," Guaido told the crowd in Caracas, urging them not to give up their fight. "Either we are prisoners of fear, hopelessness and inaction... or else we continue to fill the streets with hope, with power, with confidence."

Melquiades Rosales, a 42-year-old Guaido supporter at the Caracas rally, said he had expected a bigger turnout but added, "We may all be afraid of repression, but we cannot stay home."

Guaido, who is recognized by more than 50 countries as Venezuela's interim president, has faced a series of setbacks.

His deputy Edgar Zambrano was arrested by Maduro's SEBIN intelligence service and stands accused of "treason, conspiracy and civil rebellion," the Supreme Court said. Three other lawmakers have sought refuge in diplomatic facilities in Caracas, while one fled to neighboring Colombia.

Guaido issued a call on Twitter late Friday for people to turn out Saturday and "take to the streets for our National Assembly... (and) for our brave lawmakers who are giving everything they have and for an entire nation that remains mobilized to win its freedom."

Against a backdrop of spiraling economic crisis and grave shortages of food and medicine, Guaido and Maduro have been battling each other since early this year when the 35-year-old lawmaker, the head of the National Assembly, declared himself acting president.

Story continues

Guaido, who says Maduro rigged his own re-election last year, has repeatedly led street demonstrations and called on the military to turn their backs on Maduro, who retains key support from China and Russia.

- CIA 'mole' -

So far, the armed forces have remained in Maduro's corner, except for about 30 military personnel who heeded Guaido's call for an uprising last month. The attempt to unseat Maduro, the political heir of the late Hugo Chavez, proved abortive.

On Friday, Maduro accused his sacked intelligence chief of being a CIA "mole" and the architect of the failed military uprising.

"He was captured by the CIA a year ago and was working as a traitor, mole and infiltrator," Maduro said of Cristopher Figuera, who has defected to the opposition.

Figuera and 55 other officers have been expelled from the Venezuelan armed forces.

Zambrano -- who is being held in a military prison -- is one of 10 opposition lawmakers charged with treason for participating in the April 30 movement.

One of the others, Luis Florido, announced in a video on Friday that he had fled to neighboring Colombia.

Three others -- Richard Blanco, Mariela Magallanes and Americo De Grazia -- have sought refuge in the residences of the Argentine and Italian ambassadors in Caracas.

Guaido said on Thursday the arrests were part of a bid by Maduro to dismantle the National Assembly legislature, Venezuela's sole opposition-controlled institution but one which had already been rendered powerless by the pro-Maduro Supreme Court.

"The National Assembly was elected by popular vote. (The government) cannot dissolve it by persecuting lawmakers," said one protester in Caracas, Alexander Mendoza.

- Uncertainty -

The United States and the European Union have condemned the Maduro government's actions against opposition lawmakers.

On Friday, Washington imposed sanctions on two shipping companies for delivering Venezuelan oil to ally Cuba.

US President Donald Trump has said all options remain on the table, implying the possibility of military action.

But in an interview with Portuguese television aired Saturday, Guaido said a foreign military intervention could happen only as a "last option."

He told the crowd in Caracas, nonetheless, that he had asked his representative in Washington, Carlos Vecchio, to contact Admiral Craig Faller, commander of the US Southern Command, and "establish direct relations on matters of cooperation."

Venezuela's navy on Friday denounced what it said was an incursion by a US Coast Guard vessel into its exclusive economic zone.

"This is not a request (and) I am not asking for a favor," Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said bluntly in a speech Saturday. "We demand that the American military authorities respect waters in our jurisdiction."
Vancouver (AFP) - A senior Chinese telecom executive whose Vancouver arrest on a US warrant triggered a diplomatic row between Ottawa and Beijing was to appear in court Wednesday to fight for her release.

Canada's justice department said the court will set the next key dates in an extradition process -- including the start of the formal hearing for Meng Wanzhou, which could take months or even years.

Meng herself is expected to make only a brief appearance before the judge to deal with matters described by officials as "administrative in nature."

Her lawyers are also likely to renew their objections to her arrest in December while seeking an easing of her bail conditions.

Relations between Ottawa and Beijing were thrown into crisis by the arrest of Meng, the chief financial officer of telecom giant Huawei and possible heir to her father's company.

Washington wants to put Meng on trial on fraud charges for allegedly violating Iran sanctions and lying about it to US banks, but the case has become a major irritant for Ottawa.

Following her arrest, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian businessman Michael Spavor in what observers saw as retaliation.

China later announced it suspected Kovrig of spying and stealing state secrets and alleged Spavor had provided him with intelligence.

Two other Canadians convicted of drug trafficking, meanwhile, were sentenced to death. And Beijing recently blocked Canadian shipments of canola and pork worth billions of dollars.

Canada has accused Beijing of arbitrarily detaining both Kovrig and Spavor, and called the death penalties for Canadians Fen Wei and Robert Schellenberg "cruel and inhumane."

It has also rallied the support of a dozen countries, including Britain, France, Germany and the US, as well as the EU, NATO and the G7, in its diplomatic feud with China.

- Caught between US, China -

Most recently, Ottawa has pressed Washington -- which is threatening a trade war with Beijing -- to step up its pressure on behalf of the detained Canadians.

Story continues

"Canadian lives are at stake," an unnamed Canadian official stressed to broadcaster CTV.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has insisted that Meng's case would be dealt with by the courts, and not politicized.

He sacked his ambassador to China in January for suggesting that Meng had a "strong case" against extradition, citing remarks by US President Donald Trump that he might seek to have the charges against Meng dropped in exchange for trade concessions from China.

Meng was released on bail mid-December in Vancouver, where she owns two residences, on a Can$10 million bond. She has also been ordered to wear an electronic anklet and hand over her passports.

She is now suing the Canadian government, alleging false imprisonment and a breach of her rights.

In court documents, Meng alleges that border officials and federal police delayed executing the US warrant by three hours during her stopover at the Vancouver airport in order to question her and search her luggage and electronic devices, hoping to glean evidence to be used against her at trial.

Huawei is also facing separate US charges for allegedly stealing American technology, and in recent months has faced a US campaign to blacklist it over espionage fears.

Canada has said it will decide before a federal election in October whether or not to join the US and other Five Eyes intelligence partners in banning Huawei from Canada's fifth generation wireless networks.
Vancouver (AFP) - A top Chinese telecom executive whose arrest in Canada on a US warrant triggered a bitter diplomatic row vowed Wednesday to vigorously fight extradition to the US.

Meng Wanzhou, 47, who faces charges related to Iran sanctions violations, was appearing at a Vancouver courthouse to set a timetable for her upcoming extradition hearing.

"The criminal case against Miss Meng is based on allegations that are simply untrue," her spokesman Benjamin Howes said outside, telling reporters she would apply for a stay of the proceedings.

He alleged that "political factors" were behind her arrest and said her rights had been violated.

Meng's appearance was initially intended to be brief but the defense spent several hours reprising their objections to her December arrest in Vancouver.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, indicated that they wanted to fast-track the case.

Haggling over the disclosure of evidence -- with the defense lamenting heavy redactions of 1,742 pages of documents released so far -- risks drawing out the process.

The next court date in the process, which could last years, was set for September 23, while the formal extradition hearings are expected to begin in January.

Relations between Ottawa and Beijing were thrown into crisis by the arrest of Meng, the chief financial officer of telecom giant Huawei and possible heir to her father's company.

Washington wants to put Meng on trial on fraud charges for allegedly violating Iran sanctions and lying about it to US banks, but the case has become a major irritant for Ottawa.

After her arrest, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor in what observers saw as retaliation.

China later announced it suspected Kovrig of spying and stealing state secrets and alleged that Spavor had provided him with intelligence.

Two other Canadians convicted of drug trafficking, meanwhile, were sentenced to death. And Beijing recently blocked Canadian shipments of canola and pork worth billions of dollars.

Story continues

Canada has accused Beijing of arbitrarily detaining both Kovrig and Spavor, and called the death penalties for Canadians Fen Wei and Robert Schellenberg "cruel and inhumane."

It has also rallied the support of a dozen countries, including Britain, France, Germany and the US, as well as the EU, NATO and the G7, in its diplomatic feud with China.

- Caught between US, China -

Most recently, Ottawa has pressed Washington -- which is threatening a trade war with Beijing -- to step up its pressure on behalf of the detained Canadians.

"Canadian lives are at stake," an unnamed Canadian official told broadcaster CTV.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has insisted that Meng's case would be dealt with by the courts, and not politicized.

He sacked his ambassador to China in January for suggesting that Meng had a "strong case" against extradition, citing remarks by US President Donald Trump that he might seek to have the charges against Meng dropped in exchange for trade concessions from China.

On Wednesday, Meng's lawyers raised Trump's comments as proof that the case was politically motivated, describing them as "intimidating and corrosive to the rule of law."

They also refuted the principal accusation that Meng misrepresented to US banks Huawei's business dealings in Iran.

Meng was released on bail in mid-December in Vancouver, where she owns two residences, on a Can$10 million bond. She has also been ordered to wear an electronic anklet and hand over her passports.

She is suing the Canadian government, alleging false imprisonment and other rights breaches.

Huawei is also facing separate US charges for allegedly stealing American technology, and in recent months has faced a US campaign to blacklist it over espionage fears.
Tehran (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday blamed the EU for the decline of Tehran's nuclear accord with world powers and insisted the bloc "should uphold" its obligations under the pact.

"EU statement today is why JCPOA is where it is: the US has bullied Europeand rest of worldfor a year and EU can only express 'regret'," Zarif tweeted in response to the European Union rejecting Tehran's threat to resume nuclear work.

"Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, EU should uphold obligations - including normalisation of economic ties."

The JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, is the landmark 2015 deal between Iran and world powers including the EU and the United States which offered sanctions relief to the Islamic republic for scaling back its nuclear program.

In May 2018 President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal and reinstated unilateral economic sanctions.

On Wednesday Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would no longer implement some parts of the deal and threatened to go further if the remaining sides of the pact failed to deliver sanctions relief to counterbalance Trump's renewed assault on the Iranian economy within 60 days.

EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini and France, Germany and Britain -- the three European signatories to the deal -- on Thursday denounced Iran's threat to restart nuclear work but vowed to save the deal.

"We strongly urge Iran to continue to implement its commitments under the JCPOA in full as it has done until now and to refrain from any escalatory steps," they said in a joint statement.

"We reject any ultimatums and we will assess Iran's compliance on the basis of Iran's performance regarding its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA."
When I scroll down my timeline on Twitter and see children standing outside of their schools, clinging onto their loved ones with tears in their eyes, the first thought that pops into my head is, not again. Unfortunately, the news was true: a school shooting did happen again. In fact, according to the Gun Violence Archive, the recent Colorado school shooting is marked as the 115th U.S. school shooting so far since the beginning of 2019.

On Tuesday, May 7, 2019, two students stormed through the classrooms at STEM School Highlands Ranch inflicting harm and fear upon young lives, ultimately injuring eight and killing one. Kendrick Castillo was in English class watching the Princess Bride when one of the gunmen walked in. And in a courageous effort to protect his fellow classmates, Castillo lunged forward to take down the armed attacker. His heroism gave other students time to disarm the gunman and get away, but resulted in the death of the 18-year-old, just a few days before his graduation.

The only child to John and Maria Castillo, Kendrick, who spoke English and Spanish, was described as a selfless individual, someone who was extraordinary. His classmate, Nui Giasolli, describes him as a gentle teenager fascinated by cars and engineering.

Fellow students and families held a vigil to honor Kendricks life and incredible fearlessness. Like students and members of the Highlands Ranch community, many around the nation have taken the time out to acknowledge Castillos bravery on Twitter. Many are raising awareness on the implications of gun violence and shedding light on the importance of enforcing stricter laws to help prevent tragedies like these from occurring again.

The face of an angel, the heart of a HERO. Kendrick Castillo, thank you for risking your life to save others. Im sorry you were ever put in that position in the first place. Im sorry this country, all of us, failed you. May you RIP #kendrickcastillo  pic.twitter.com/0yx8g6VIkU  Lana Parrilla (@LanaParrilla) May 10, 2019

Meet Kendrick Castillo.



Just 3 days from graduating high school, he was an award winning member of his robotics team.



In yet another school shooting, he bravely lunged at the shooter to save his classmates, & was shot & killed.



Shame on this nation for forcing kids to do this. pic.twitter.com/y9sk3Ha100  Shaun King (@shaunking) May 8, 2019

Kendrick Castillo, 18, was killed after lunging at one of the gunmen yesterday during the school shooting in Colorado.



Our children shouldnt have to stand up to gunmen because too many of our lawmakers are too afraid to stand up to gun lobbyists.



Text ACT to 644-33. pic.twitter.com/4BVDNj5GhB  Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) May 8, 2019

As the 20182019 school year comes to an end, the fight for protecting our youth from gun violence does not stop.
North Korea fired at least one unidentified projectile Thursday, South Korea said, an act of defiance that marks the countrys second test launch of weapons in less than a week.

North Korea launched the weapon from the countrys northwest Sino-ri missile base at around 4:30 p.m., South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The projectile flew 460 kilometers (260 miles) across the Korean Peninsula, local broadcaster KBS TV said, a distance that would be consistent with a short-range missile.

The test follows increasingly impatient demands for sanctions concessions from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the wake of his failed February nuclear summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. It came while the U.S.s top nuclear envoy, Stephen Biegun, was in Seoul to meet with South Korean officials.

On Saturday, Kim supervised the launch of various projectiles, including what non-proliferation experts believed was a short-range ballistic missile. The U.S. and its South Korean allies had played down last weekends provocation in an attempt to keep it from scuttling talks, even though such a test would represent a violation of United Nations sanctions.

While South Korean President Moon Jae-ins office said that he and Trump agreed in a telephone call that the approach was effective, non-proliferation experts said the strategy risked encouraging Kim to conduct more tests. The latest incident bolstered those concerns.

Since the U.S. response was low key, North Korea appears to think that this level of test would not cause problems and it can continue the tests, said Jina Kim, a research fellow at Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.

North Korea called the Saturday test a reasonable strike drill for its combat readiness, according to a report published Wednesday in the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

Thursdays launch occurred at 4:30 p.m from the Sino-ri missile base located about 210 kilometers north of the border with South Korea, South Korean military officials said. The projectile was fired from northwestern province of North Pyongan, which borders China, and flew east over the peninsula.

Japan said that the projectile posed no risk to its territory and didnt land in its nearby waters. Japans Kyodo News agency cited unnamed officials as saying North Korea fired more than one projectile.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies said in January that Sino-ri was one of about 20 undeclared missile operating bases in North Korea, which houses a regiment-sized unit equipped with medium range ballistic missiles.
Seoul (AFP) - US President Donald Trump said that "nobody's happy" after North Korea raised the pressure over the future of their deadlocked nuclear negotiations by launching two short-range missiles.

Trump's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in February broke up without an agreement or even a joint statement as the two failed to reach a deal on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for relief from sanctions imposed over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Since then Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith" and given it until the end of the year to change its approach.

In what South Korea President Moon Jae-in termed an "element of protest", the North "fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles" on Thursday, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.

They were launched from Kusong in North Pyongan province, it said, and flew eastwards for 270 and 420 kilometres (170 and 260 miles) across the North.

It was Pyongyang's second such move in less than a week, after having not launched a missile since November 2017, shortly before a rapid diplomatic thaw eased high tensions on the peninsula and paved the way for the historic first Kim-Trump summit in Singapore last June.

At a White House event, Trump said US authorities were looking "very seriously" at the launch of the "short-range missiles".

"Nobody's happy about it," he told reporters.

"We'll see what happens," he added. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they are ready to negotiate."

Thursday's launches came hours after the US Special Representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, arrived in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials, in his first visit since the Hanoi summit.

- 'Peace and security' -

Story continues

North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling party, devoted its entire front page and half of page two to the launch on Friday, with 16 pictures, the main one of Kim watching the launch from a camouflaged shelter.

It was a "long-range strike" drill, the official Korean Central News Agency said, without specifying what kind of weapon was fired and avoiding the words missile, rocket or projectile.

Thursday's missile firing came after North Korea carried out a military drill and fired multiple projectiles on Saturday, with at least one believed to be a short-range missile.

And in a potential indication of more launches to come, KCNA said that Kim "set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability of the defence units".

"The genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty," it cited him as saying.

The pictures of the two launches released by the North appeared similar, and experts said at least one short-range ballistic missile was involved on Saturday.

A report on the respected 38 North website said debris left by the launch suggested it was a "direct import" of a Russian-produced Iskander -- a single-stage, solid-fuel missile.

If North Korea had imported Iskanders from Russia, the report added, "it has an existing capacity to deliver warheads to targets in South Korea with great precision".

Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington had all refrained from explicitly calling Saturday's launch a missile -- the South used the term "projectile" -- which could jeopardise the ongoing diplomacy if it violated UN Security Council bans on ballistic technology as well as Kim's announcement of an end to long-range missile tests.

But Japanese defence minister Takeshi Iwaya said Friday that Tokyo had "reached the conclusion" the latest launches were short-range ballistic missiles.

"Launching of ballistic missiles is a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions," he told reporters.

- 'Highly displeased' -

Pyongyang's latest move "is a pressuring action to steer the nuclear talks in a direction it desires", South Korea's President Moon said in an interview marking his first two years in office.

"It appears the North is highly displeased that the Hanoi summit ended without agreement," he added, but warned that the launch "could make negotiations more difficult".

A summit between Moon and Kim a year ago was instrumental in lowering the temperature, but since the Hanoi summit, the North has blamed Seoul for siding with Washington, leaving inter-Korean relations in limbo.

In New York, federal authorities said the US had taken possession of a North Korean freighter seized a year ago by Indonesia on grounds of violating UN sanctions.

The officials said Wise Honest -- an 18,000-ton, single hull bulk carrier -- had exported high-grade coal and brought back machinery to the impoverished and reclusive country.

burs-slb/qan
North Korea fired a number of unidentified projectiles Thursday, the South's military said, as a US envoy visited Seoul for discussions on how to break the nuclear deadlock.

"North Korea fired unidentified projectiles eastward" from Sino-ri in North Pyongan province, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The launch came just days after North Korea carried out a military drill and fired multiple projectiles, with at least one believed to be a short-range missile.

It was also hours after the US Special Representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, arrived in Seoul late Wednesday for talks with South Korean officials on the allies' approach towards Pyongyang.

It is Biegun's first visit to Seoul since the Hanoi summit between US President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un collapsed without agreement.

"We are still analysing whether it is a single or multiple projectiles," JCS spokesman Kim Joon-rak told AFP.

Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington have refrained from calling Saturday's launch a missile, which could jeopardise the ongoing diplomacy by violating UN Security Council resolutions as well as Kim's promise of a freeze on long-range missile tests.

The North has said Saturday's drill involved multiple Pyongyang "long-range multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided weapons".

But experts say the North launched at least one short-range missile during the exercise, with a report on the respected 38 North website suggesting that it was a "direct import" of a Russian-produced Iskander.

"The debris generated by the launch in North Korea is a virtual match of a launch of Iskander conducted by Russia," it said.

If North Korea imported Iskanders from Russia, the report added, "it has an existing capacity to deliver warheads to targets in South Korea with great precision".

A summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the North's Kim Jong Un a year ago triggered a rapid diplomatic thaw on the peninsula, paving the way for a historic first meeting between Kim and Trump.

Story continues

But their second summit in Hanoi in February broke up without agreement on sanctions relief and what Pyongyang might offer in exchange, and the North has since blamed Seoul for siding with Washington, leaving inter-Korean relations in limbo.

A spokesman for the North's delegation for military talks with the South said earlier Thursday that Saturday's "routine drill" was conducted within its own waters and added the "flying objects" did not pose any threat to the US, South Korea and Japan.

"The firing of the intermediate- and long-range missile and the ICBM was not involved in it," he said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
By Devika Krishna Kumar and Jessica Resnick-Ault NEW YORK (Reuters) - Occidental Petroleum chief executive Vicki Hollub was caught off guard when U.S. oil giant Chevron swooped in last month with a $33 billion offer to buy Anadarko Petroleum, the oil and gas exploration and production firm she had been wooing for nearly two years. Chevron, nearly five times larger than Occidental, appeared to have out-maneuvered its smaller rival. But on Sunday Hollub showed the fight was not over. After a whirlwind few days to raise more cash, Hollub offered a sweetened deal. By Thursday, Chevron had bowed out. In edging out Chevron, Hollub leaned on global relationships and knowledge forged from 35 years in the oil industry, according to about a dozen people familiar with the talks leading up to the company's latest offer. Occidental had struggled to win over Anadarko because its first public $38 billion offer of 50 percent cash and 50 percent stock, as well as previous offers made privately, required the approval of Occidental shareholders, and Anadarko was not convinced they would go for the deal, two sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters. Hollub knew she needed to substantially increase the cash offer - thereby making shareholder approval unnecessary - and moved swiftly to secure it, the sources said. She was in Paris on April 26, just two weeks after Chevron's announcement, and struck an $8.8 billion deal with French major Total SA to sell Anadarko assets her company didn't yet own. Two days later she was in Omaha, Nebraska, securing $10 billion in financing from billionaire investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, who typically does not partner with companies pursuing unsolicited takeovers. Occidental declined to make Hollub available for an interview for this story. The company's shares are down 9 percent since making their offer public in late April. The combined company would establish Occidental as the largest operator in the Permian basin in west Texas and New Mexico, the heart of the U.S. shale revolution, where a boom in production has propelled the United States into becoming the world's largest oil producer. It would make Occidental the third-largest U.S. oil company with a market value of about $80 billion, dwarfed only by global giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron. "She's doing the boldest M&A thing that's happened since the '80s," said Amy Myers Jaffe, energy consultant and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. "You're having an atypical M&A battle in a very competitive space where (usually) the bigger you are, the more you're going to win." Hollub's challenge has stunned an industry where the last attempt to break up an agreed-upon deal between two U.S. oil companies was in 1984 when Texaco challenged Pennzoil's acquisition of Getty Oil. It has also angered some Occidental investors who say Hollub is overstretching the company's balance sheet in an ill-advised quest for size in a volatile industry. "Our concern is the willingness of the management team at Occidental to cut very favorable deals against the interests of shareholders on a longer-term basis," said John Linehan, portfolio manager at T. Rowe Price. T. Rowe, the sixth-largest holder of Occidental shares, announced it would vote against the board of directors on the annual shareholder meeting Friday. But such a move may be mostly symbolic. An Occidental spokesman declined to comment on the concerns but pointed to Hollub's defense of her strategy that it was better to raise cash than issue new debt. Hollub's background in the technical aspects of oil production contrasts with her predecessor, a banker and known dealmaker. She has been described as down to earth by former and current employees, differing from flamboyant energy CEOs. LONGTIME DISCUSSIONS Buying Anadarko was seen as the best way for Occidental to gain more acreage in the Permian shale basin, where it markets nearly a quarter of all barrels produced in the region. When Chevron announced a deal on April 12 to buy Anadarko, Hollub gathered the merger team. They were shocked that Anadarko had accepted a bid that was $11 per share below what Occidental had privately offered, three of the people familiar with the discussions said. "She thought, we're in it to win it. Let's make our offer public so their shareholders know what they passed up," one of the sources said. In a letter to Anadarko's board of directors on April 24, Occidental said they "were surprised and disappointed" that Anadarko had not agreed to their previous two offers in April. Anadarko executives, however, remained concerned that Occidental shareholders could scuttle the deal, leaving them without a buyer, two sources familiar with the situation said. The board of directors wanted to stick with Chevron. Just two days after sending the letter, Hollub was in Paris meeting with Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne to discuss Anadarko's African assets, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. The two already had a relationship stemming from the Dolphin Gas Project, a Middle East cross-border gas initiative where both companies have an equal share. Total had made it known to her that they coveted Anadarko's properties, including a liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique. "Vicki wanted to show that she could quickly put the cash on the table. In less than 10 days she had the cash ready," a Paris-based source said. Omaha, Nebraska was next. Buffett is known for moving quickly when a deal piques his interest, but he tends to avoid getting involved in hostile takeover bids. The meeting was set up by BofA CEO Brian Moynihan, whose bank was helping to provide financing for the Anadarko deal. Hollub later said Buffett was "warm and wonderful" in their meeting, a source familiar with the discussions said. Buffett, cash flush and on the hunt for new deals, agreed to provide $10 billion in financing in return for an 8 percent premium, a concern for dividend-focused shareholders who believe the terms are too pricey. The two deals enabled Hollub to submit a revised offer on Sunday, increasing the cash component from 50 percent to 78 percent. On Thursday, Chevron said it would collect its $1 billion termination fee and walk away from the negotiations. (For a graphic on 'Oxy-Anadarko would be third largest U.S. oil company' click https://tmsnrt.rs/2VSZ3hY) (Reporting By Devika Krishna Kumar and Jessica Resnick Ault; additional reporting by David Gaffen, Bate Felix, David J. French, Jennifer Hiller, Jennifer Ablan; Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Ross Colvin)
Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet President Vladimir Putin next week in Russia in the highest-level formal talks between the powers in 10 months, the State Department said Friday.

The top US diplomat will meet Putin on Tuesday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to "discuss the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges," the State Department said.

The United States and Russia are at loggerheads over a number of global issues including Venezuela, where Pompeo has led US calls to demand that Moscow stop backing President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist whom Washington is trying to oust.

The trip marks the most significant US interaction with Putin since July, when President Donald Trump met the Russian leader in Finland in an encounter that was widely criticized inside the United States.

Trump at a joint news conference appeared to take at face value Putin's insistence that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election -- despite findings of US intelligence as well as Putin's open statement in Helsinki that he favored Trump over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Pompeo's trip comes after the long-awaited release of a probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who found widespread efforts by Russia to meddle in the US election but did not find that the Trump campaign colluded -- a conclusion that has brought relief to the embattled White House.

Trump again raised eyebrows a week ago when he said that Putin told him in a lengthy phone call that he was "not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela" and wanted to "see something positive happen" in the crisis-torn country.

Russia earlier announced Pompeo's visit but it had been unclear whether he would meet Putin. He will also hold talks in Sochi with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov -- their second meeting in as many weeks after they met on the sidelines of an Arctic conference in Helsinki.

Pompeo will also visit Moscow, where he will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dedicated to Soviet troops killed in World War II -- an era when Moscow and Washington were allied.
Washington (AFP) - Patrick Shanahan -- a onetime Boeing engineer who spent the last two years at the Pentagon -- seemed set to lead the world's most powerful military, until a history of violent incidents in his family derailed his plans.

The 56-year-old Shanahan stepped down as acting defense secretary on Tuesday and withdrew his name from consideration to permanently fill the post to protect his children's "safety and well-being."

It was a surprising end to Shanahan's quick rise to the top spot at the Department of Defense in just two years.

At issue are two incidents: a 2010 altercation between Shanahan and his then-wife Kimberley at their home in Seattle that left him with a bloody nose and her in custody -- amid claims that he also hit her.

The second involves his son, who was arrested as a teen after brutally hitting his mother with a baseball bat in 2011, Shanahan himself revealed in an interview with The Washington Post.

"Bad things can happen to good families... and this is a tragedy, really," Shanahan told the newspaper in interviews conducted late Monday and Tuesday.

- Mr Fix-It -

Before joining the Pentagon, Shanahan -- an engineer by training -- spent 30 years at Boeing, holding management roles on multiple commercial jet programs as well as on missile defense systems.

The MIT graduate earned the nickname "Mr Fix-It" for having put the problem-saddled 787 Dreamliner program back on track.

Shanahan later was responsible for all US Army aviation programs with the aerospace giant -- experience that undoubtedly helped smooth his way into government service.

In mid-2017, then Pentagon chief Jim Mattis tapped Shanahan to help modernize the Pentagon's procedures for its trillion-dollar acquisition program.

But Shanahan quickly drew criticism that he had violated ethics rules with his support for Boeing as a Pentagon supplier while denigrating its competitors, notably Lockheed Martin.

Story continues

Once he was cleared of those allegations, and Mattis stepped down as Pentagon chief at the end of last year, President Donald Trump gave the nod to the business-savvy Shanahan.

Since taking over as acting defense secretary on January 1, Shanahan had maintained a low profile, notably avoiding clashes with the mercurial commander-in-chief.

He went along with Trump's demand for more Pentagon resources to help police the US border with Mexico, and to divert billions of dollars in the budget to finance building a wall on the frontier.

Yet that put Shanahan in the line of fire on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers were none too happy about the diversion of Pentagon funds, which could impact other military construction projects.

With his nomination pending before the Senate, and amid questions about his lack of soldiering experience, the divorced father of three ended the process, as details of his family's past travails re-emerged.

- 'Painful and deeply personal' -

The FBI's background check unearthed the troubling incidents in his family life, including the 2010 fight with his then-wife.

Kimberley Jordinson, as she is now known, maintains that Shanahan punched her, according to USA Today. But he says he "never laid a hand" on her, and that her blow to his face had him "seeing stars."

Jordinson was charged with assault -- but Shanahan says he dropped the charges to protect the family.

It appears that lawmakers were not fully aware of the incident when Shanahan was confirmed as deputy secretary of defense, and it could have become an issue at his confirmation hearing.

The following year, a fight between his then 17-year-old son William and Jordinson left her unconscious in a pool of blood, the Post reported, citing court records. Her skull was fractured.

Shanahan told the Post he wrote a memo saying his son had acted in self-defense, but later admitted he had written it before he knew how badly injured his ex-wife was, and that it was to prepare for court.

"I don't believe violence is appropriate ever, and certainly never any justification for attacking someone with a baseball bat," he said.

William Shanahan was eventually charged as an adult with aggravated battery, a felony.

He pleaded down to a lesser offense, and was sentenced to 18 months at a youth ranch for juvenile delinquents and four years' probation -- both eventually shortened.

On Tuesday, Shanahan said he was withdrawing from the confirmation process as reliving the "painful and deeply personal family situation from long ago" was too much for his children.

"Ultimately, their safety and well-being is my highest priority," he said.
By Mark Hosenball and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump Jr. is unlikely to comply with a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena to testify about his contacts with Russia, two congressional sources said on Thursday as the president publicly defended his eldest son. The sources said Trump Jr is expected to cite his Fifth Amendment constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination, a day after reports that the Republican-led panel had issued what is the first publicly known subpoena for a member of the president's family. Trump, who has blasted the investigations into him and Russia, defended his son, who runs the Trump Organization - a private business that the Republican president still owns. "I was very surprised," Trump said at a White House event intended to highlight healthcare. "My son's a very good person. Works very hard." Lawyers for Trump Jr. did not respond to requests for comment and a White House spokesman declined to comment. Discussions between the Republican-led panel and Trump Jr. about his possible testimony have been going on for months, according to the sources, who asked not to be named given the panel's ongoing probe. Lawmakers on the Republican-led committee, which is among several congressional panels investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, want to question Trump Jr. about his contacts with Moscow. Trump Jr. had appeared before the panel previously to answer questions from committee staff, according to congressional sources. The subpoena was issued now because Senators want to question him themselves, they said. The sources said the senators want to question Trump Jr. about testimony he gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2017 which was subsequently contradicted by Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer who started his prison sentence this week in part for lying to Congress. Led by Republican chairman Richard Burr, the intelligence panel is the only committee in the Republican-controlled Senate that has been conducting a bipartisan investigation into allegations of Russian interference in U.S. politics. The reported subpoena prompted sharp rebukes from some of Trump's staunchest defenders within the party as Republicans sought to move on from a two-year investigation by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose findings were released in part last month. Mueller's team of prosecutors said there was a "reasonable argument" that Trump Jr. had violated campaign finance laws but concluded they did not believe they could obtain a conviction. On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took to the Senate floor with a speech seeking to close the door on the investigations, declaring "case closed." It was not immediately clear when the panel issued the subpoena, which was first reported by Axios on Wednesday. In resisting the congressional subpoenas, Trump Jr. joins several Trump administration officials who are refusing to cooperate with congressional subpoenas, including Attorney General William Barr and former White House lawyer Don McGahn. The Trump administration is also refusing to turn over copies of the president's personal and business tax documents requested by House Democrats. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Mark Hosenball; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and James Dalgleish)
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump rushed to his son's defense on Thursday after a Senate panel ordered that Donald Trump Jr testify as part of its investigation into Russia election interference.

It was the first known legal summons issued by Congress to a member of the president's family to force testimony in the ongoing investigation.

"I was very surprised," Trump told reporters about the Senate Intelligence Committee's subpoena to the eldest of his five children.

The order by the Republican-run committee that is known for its bipartisanship comes after Special Counsel Robert Mueller decided there was insufficient evidence to charge Trump with any crime related to possible conspiracy to collude with the Russians.

"My son is a very good person, he works very hard. The last thing he needs is Washington DC. I think he'd rather not ever be involved," Trump said.

Trump Jr has already testified at length to the committee, and was "totally exonerated by Mueller," his father said.

"For my son, after being exonerated, to now get a subpoena to go again, to speak again after close to 20 hours after telling everybody that would listen about a nothing meeting? Yeah, I'm pretty surprised."

The 41-year-old Don Jr testified voluntarily in private once to the committee, and was peppered with questions about a June 9, 2016 meeting in Trump Tower in New York that he and other senior Trump campaign officials had with a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

It is also believed he was quizzed about his knowledge or involvement in a project to build a Trump Tower in Moscow that Trump pursued even as he ran for president in 2016.

In Senate Judiciary Committee testimony, Trump Jr said he was only "peripherally aware" of the potential deal.

But Mueller's report states that the chief handler of the project, Trump's now-jailed personal lawyer Michael Cohen, briefed Trump Jr about the project "on multiple occasions."

Story continues

The president said part of his surprise stemmed from seeing Republican Senator and intelligence committee chairman Richard Burr tell US media that there was no evidence of collusion between Russian operatives and Trump or his campaign to influence the 2016 election.

Burr has not spoken publicly about the latest subpoena, or whether Trump Jr might invoke his constitutional right to not testify.

Republican committee member Marco Rubio, when asked about Trump Jr, said the panel was "leaving nothing unchecked" in its investigation.

But Senator John Cornyn sounded unenthusiastic about hauling Trump Jr in for more questioning.

"We've been at this for about two years," he said. "I think we know pretty much everything we are going to learn, and I think we ought to wrap it up."
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Libya as a month-long offensive on the capital grinds on, diplomats said on Thursday.

Britain requested the Friday meeting so a UN aid official could brief representatives on the assault that has displaced 55,000 people and left more than 430 dead, the diplomats said on condition of anonymity.

Libyan commander Khalifa Hafter, whose forces hold the east of the country, launched the offensive on April 4 to seize Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognized government.

The council has been divided over how to respond to the crisis in Libya, forcing Britain to put on hold a draft resolution demanding a ceasefire.
Cairo (AFP) - American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln passed through the Suez Canal Thursday, Egyptian authorities said, as a US strike group heads towards the Gulf amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.

US President Donald Trump's national security advisor John Bolton on Sunday announced the deployment of an aircraft strike group and bomber task force in a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran that it would respond to any attack on the US or its allies.

To reach the Gulf, the carrier must pass through the strategically vital Suez Canal which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

General Ralph Groover, the US defence attache in Cairo, commended Egyptian authorities for ensuring the vessel's "complete safety" during its passage, according to a statement from the canal's Port Authority.

A senior official from the authority, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed to AFP that the carrier had passed through the canal "smoothly".

"We have nothing to do with (its) political dimensions," he said.

In his announcement Sunday, Bolton stopped short of saying Washington planned to enter into a direct conflict with Tehran.

But the deployment comes amid increasingly belligerent rhetoric following Washington's withdrawal last year from the multi-party 2015 deal over Iran's nuclear programme.

In recent weeks, Trump's administration has re-imposed stringent sanctions on Iran and blacklisted the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist group.

In response, Tehran said it would stop abiding by parts of the nuclear agreement.

Iran on Monday dismissed the naval deployment as "old news", saying Iranian forces had seen the vessel enter the Mediterranean three weeks earlier.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed to the Gulf on previous occasions, including during the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
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.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
We can easily assess the extent of fear and shock experienced by people who awake from their sleep to the sound of a siren indicating an imminent rocket attack by the sheer amount of injuries sustained during the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas; most injuries were sustained while running in terror to the bomb shelter.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Time and time again, sometimes even multiple times during one night, they are overwhelmed by the stress and anxiety, reminding them of the harsh reality in which they live and cannot escape, because they must always be alert for the next siren warning them of yet another ballistic danger to them and their loved ones.

Israelis ty to take cover during a rocket attack from Gaza (Photo: Reuters)

Now multiply that by the 200,000 children who did not go to school Sunday, and add to that an additional 200,000 adults  parents, the elderly, teachers, the disabled, new immigrants  and calculate how many more victims are added to the "circle of trauma" with each rocket fired from Gaza.

Everybody seems to be meticulously counting the amount of strikes, the death count and other figures. But who is counting all of those affected by the trauma? The same trauma experienced following each round of fighting and terror attack.

Soldiers escorting Israeli children in the south to school (Photo: Ittay Shickman)

The study was conducted in conjunction with the Social Security Institute, the Health Ministry, the Ministry of Welfare and the Israeli Trauma Coalition. It also found that 39% of adults suffer from feelings of chronic anxiety, 28.4% of them suffer from anger management issues, 35% suffer from insomnia and sleep issues and 30% have trouble concentrating.





The vehicle of an Israeli driver killed when it was hit by an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza (Photo: AFP)

As the rockets radius expands, the circle of trauma victims is enlarged. The overcrowded trauma centers established in the Gaza region will need to be replicated in cities and towns further north, with all their associated costs.

It is not enough for the security cabinet to meet behind closed doors, they must also go out and encourage the public with hope and the demonstration of true leadership. The residents need to feel acknowledged, publicly.

Acknowledgement of their plight is part of the war effort. And words are not enough. They ought to receive economic benefits in order to help ease their difficult plight and maintain national resilience in the face of adversity.
Gaza City is a noisy place: street vendors holler and drivers blare their horns incessantly, but at the citys port an unfamiliar sound can be heard -- the rumble, grind and clatter of skateboards.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The ramps and ledges a few hundred meters (yards) from the sea may not look like much, but they make up the first and only full skate park in the Palestinian enclave.

Photo: AFP

The young men that come most days say it provides them a rare opportunity for fun in Gaza, hemmed in physically by an Israeli blockade and mentally by a conservative culture.

On a recent evening, around a dozen young men were rattling forwards and back, perfecting new tricks.

Rajab Reefi, 23, appeared to be the team's leader. He is officially a builder, but there isn't much work around due to Gaza's stagnant economy.

Wearing a cap and looking more skater-bro than Muslim Brotherhood, he said the park is an oasis from the stresses of Gazan life.

"We love skateboarding but more than that we love to live," he told AFP.

"We don't just want to play here, we want to compete in international competitions to show the Western world that Palestinians, and us in Gaza, don't live just war and destruction."

"We live for freedom, even though we are under a blockade."

Closed off

Skateboarding is also growing in the West Bank, the other major part of the Palestinian territories, with a number of parks built with the support of SkatePal, a UK-based NGO.





Photo: AFP

But Gaza is largely cut off from the outside world, with Israel maintaining a blockade on the strip for more than a decade.

Egypt's border had also been mainly closed in recent years, though it reopened a year ago and has remained so most of the time since.

Israel says that the blockade is necessary to isolate Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas, with whom the Jewish state has fought three wars, and stop it from obtaining weapons or materials to make them.

Critics say it amounts to collective punishment for Gaza's two million residents.

Reefi said that even getting skateboards into the strip was tough, often resulting in two or three people having to share the same board. They rely heavily on YouTube videos to learn new tricks.

Gaza has also become more conservative since Hamas seized control in 2007 and many supposedly Western pursuits are banned or frowned upon.

To build the park, which was completed in January, the Italian Cultural Centre in Gaza jumped through Israeli administrative hoops to be able to bring in a few dozen skaters a year.

On each visit they stayed several weeks, building the park and also training young people.

Photo: AFP

"The coordination needed to get 30 people through Erez (Israeli checkpoint) is not easy, with all their applications etc.," Sami Abu Omar, from the cultural center, said.

Andre Lucat, an Italian who was part of a group which visited Gaza in January, said they worked all hours finishing the park.

He said that they were shocked by the conditions under which Palestinians in Gaza live and wanted to bring a bit of joy to the young people.

"(Skateboarding) can allow them to live children's lives, even for only a little bit. That's the most important lesson I learned over there."

Release

Yasser Massoud, 13, sold tea and coffee along Gaza's seafront for a few dollars a day until, one day, by chance he heard the skateboards rattling by.

He clambered down to join in and hasn't looked back since.

More than a year later, his family allowed him to stop working to focus on studies, and he now spends most of his free time at the park.

"I used to come down every day and play a bit and then it became more and more," he said. "But my dream is to leave Gaza."

A group of women in hijab Muslim head coverings leaned over a barrier from a nearby road to watch.

Conservative attitudes mean that the skate team is male only.

"Till now there are no girls but we try because we all should have the same life -- not merely me living and having fun and the girls not," Reefi told AFP.

"But (it should be) in the right way that we were raised with."

Lucat said that Hamas authorities had at times been sceptical of the project, seeing skateboarding as a Western concept, though such concerns have apparently eased.





Photo: AFP

The park, Reefi pointed out, is busiest on Friday afternoons when people are off school and work.

It provides bored young men an alternative to joining the weekly Hamas-backed protests along the Israeli border fence.

At least 265 Gazans have been killed by Israeli forces since the protests and clashes began in March 2018. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period.

Ezzedine Mashharawi, another underemployed member of the team, told AFP that skating was his only release.

"Here in Gaza you have a blockade, a lack of work -- psychological pressures on young people," said the 24-year-old.

"We get rid of all that negative energy through skateboarding."
The 48-hour military exchange between Israel and Gaza Strip-based armed factions exposed a deep diplomatic divide between the Israeli and Turkish governments, according to analysts.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



During the confrontation, Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched some 700 rockets into Israel, which responded by striking about 320 targets in the Palestinian enclave.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: AP)

Notably, one of the buildings hit house the local office of the Turkish media outlet Anatolia. According to the news agencys correspondent, Israeli forces destroyed the building with at least five missiles.

Turkeys Foreign Ministry released a statement strongly condemning the indiscriminate assaults on Gaza as well as the attack on the news agencys offices.

We urgently call on the international community to act and ease the escalation of tensions in the region because of the disproportionate Israeli actions, the statement read in part.

Moreover, the Turkish presidency strongly denounced the targeting of the outlet, while the Palestinian leadership described the move as an attempt to remove witnesses on the ground in preparation for Israeli massacres in Gaza.

Abd al-Lateef Qanou, a Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, said that the targeting of civilian installations showed Israels brutality. He added that Hamas had good relations with Turkey, as Gazas rulers back any party that supports the Palestinian cause and tells its story to the world.

Qanou also emphasized that Turkey provides a safe haven from which Hamas leaders operate.

Turkey supports the Muslim Brotherhood (of which Hamas is an offshoot), which employs religion to achieve political aims, he said.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have reached a nadir, in part because of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans support for Brotherhood-affiliated organizations and his belief in the merits of political Islam.

Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, a Turkey expert at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said that the backing of what many countries deem a terrorist group bent on Israels destruction has contributed to a deterioration in bilateral ties over the past decade.

IDF attacks over 300 targets in the Gaza Strip during recent flare-up (Photo: EPA)

At the end of the day, if you are supporting Hamas, your relationship with Israel will be problematic, he said.

Indeed, many trace the crisis in Israeli-Turkish relations to the 2010 Mavi Marmara episode, in which Israeli forces killed 10 Turks during clashes on a ship attempting to breach the Jewish states maritime blockade on Gaza.

Nevertheless, Yanarocak believes that the Anatolia affair will not lead to an escalation since Jerusalem gave prior notice before striking the building, which led to there being no casualties.

Hani al-Masri, a Palestinian political analyst, said that Israeli attacks on Gaza-based media were not a new phenomenon.

It (the Israeli military) targeted Palestine TV and the Maan news agency, as well as journalists and camera people, he said.

Recently, Israel completely destroyed the Hamas-affiliated al-Aqsa TV, al-Masri noted.

He stressed that Ankara nevertheless kept open channels of communication with most nations, including Israel.

Turkish (foreign) relations are based more on the countrys best interests, al-Masri said.

Yanarocak went a step further, linking Israel-Turkey relations to US-Turkey ties, which are not in great shape, in his estimation.

Turkey sees Israel as an extension of Washington. If they wanted better relations with the US, they would have improved their relationship with Israel, he concluded.

Article written by Charles Bybelezer, Dima Abumaria
Palestinian Foreign Minister Ryad al-Maliki said Friday that American officials sent him a message asking to hold talks with the Palestinian leadership ahead of the announcement of President Trump's peace plan.

Maliki said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat , an Arab language newspaper based in London, that there is absolutely no discourse between Washington and Ramallah.

"If the Americans think they'll tempt Palestinians to give up East Jerusalem and a Palestinian state with financial benefits, they are completely wrong," said the minister.
A key architect of the long-awaited U.S. plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace lashed out at the U.N.'s "anti-Israel bias" Thursday while urging support for the Trump administration's "vision" -- but the Palestinian foreign minister dismissed the U.S. peace effort, saying all indications are it will be "conditions for surrender."

The speeches by U.S. envoy for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt and top Palestinian diplomat Riad Malki at an informal Security Council meeting ended up focusing on much broader issues than the chosen topic -- Israeli settlements at the "core" of the "obstruction of peace."

Greenblatt said it was "surprising and unfair" that Indonesia, Kuwait and South Africa organized the council meeting and condemned Israel's behavior when it "was not even invited to speak at this session." He added that it was "inspiring" to see Israel celebrate the 71st anniversary of its independence on Thursday, calling it "a small brave country" that grew to a "thriving, diverse economically vibrant democracy," the only one in the Mideast.

He called the council's "obsessive" focus on Israeli settlements a "farce," saying settlements aren't keeping Israel and the Palestinians from negotiating peace, and said the council should instead condemn Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for recently firing hundreds of rockets into Israel from Gaza.

The council should also focus on the Palestinian practice of paying the families of "terrorists" rather than on how the United States could support the Palestinian Authority's budget, Greenblatt said. The Trump administration has drastically cut its support for the Palestinians to try to spur their return to negotiations.

The Palestinians pre-emptively rejected any peace proposal floated by the Trump administration amid concerns it would fall far below their hopes for an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem -- which they want as their capital -- and Gaza, lands captured by Israel in the Six Day War. Their demand for a two-state solution is supported by the U.N. and almost all of its 193 member-states.
Some one thousand Red Army veterans, along with a great crowd of family members and youth movements, march in the city of Haifa in honor of Victory day, commemorating the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Chinese technology giant Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her residence to attend a court hearing in Vancouver, Canada, May 8, 2019. Meng, who was arrested in Vancouver last December at the extradition request of the United States, attended a court hearing in Vancouver on Wednesday morning local time. (Xinhua/Liang Sen)

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang urged Canada on Thursday to immediately release Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou and the United States to revoke the arrest warrant and extradition request for her.

Meng attended a court hearing in Vancouver on Wednesday at which her lawyers claimed her detention is unlawful and that she intends to apply for a stay of the extradition proceedings.

Her lawyers claimed that the comments by US President Donald Trump, who said the charges could be dropped if that would help trade talks with China, showed the case was politically motivated.

"It is a severe political incident," the spokesman said, and he urged Canada to take China's position seriously and allow her to return to China.

Geng said the US and Canada are abusing their bilateral extradition treaty and are taking compulsory measures on a Chinese citizen without reason, abusing her legitimate rights and interests.

Meng was arrested on Dec 1 at Vancouver airport at the request of the US on fraud charges that are related to alleged violation of US sanctions on Iran. She has been released on bail and faces possible extradition.

Meng and Huawei have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

On Wednesday, Huawei said in a media statement that Meng's arrest, "ordered by the US, was an unlawful abuse of process"one guided by political considerations and tactics, not by the rule of law.

Huawei expressed confidence in Meng's innocence.

The criminal case against Meng is based on allegations that are simply not true, the statement said, adding that there is no evidence to prove that Meng committed acts of deceit, dishonesty, or other fraudulent means.

The actions against Meng led to serious and repeated violations of her rights, the statement said.

Her luggage was searched, her cellphone and other electronic devices were seized, and she was compelled to reveal her passwords, according to the statement.

Meng's arrest violated a core principle of the Canada-US extradition treaty and Canada's extradition law, because the allegation she faces is not a crime in Canada, the statement said.

Political factors at play during the extradition process may lead to a serious violation of justice, and Meng's legitimate rights may also be harmed, it said.

"We have trust in the Canadian judicial processand we look forward to seeing Ms Meng's freedom restored," the statement added.
A top commander in Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard said Friday that Tehran will not talk with the United States, an Iranian news agency reported -- a day after President Donald Trump said he'd like Iranian leaders to "call me."

The semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Gen. Yadollah Javani as saying that "there will be no negotiations with America."

The Iranian commander also claimed the U.S. would not dare take military action against Iran but did not elaborate.

The verbal exchange comes as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration sent the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber squadron to the region in response to unspecified threats by Iran against American interests.

And on Wednesday, Iran threatened to renew some nuclear enrichment that had been halted under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers -- a year after Trump pulled America from the accord, saying it does nothing to stop Iran from developing missiles or destabilizing the Middle East.

But in a softer approach, Trump told reporters on Thursday at the White House: "What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me."
U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through key Middle East waterways could be targeted by Iran in one of the threats to U.S. interests posed by Tehran, the U.S. Maritime Administration said in an advisory.

The U.S. military said this week that a number of B-52 bombers would be part of additional forces being sent to the Middle East to counter what the Trump administration calls "clear indications" of threats from Iran to U.S. forces there. The Islamic Republic has dismissed the U.S. contention of a threat as "fake intelligence".

In the advisory posted on Thursday, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) said that since early May there had been an increased possibility of Iran or its regional proxies taking action against U.S. and partner interests.

These included, MARAD said, oil production infrastructure, after Tehran threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz chokepoint through which about one third of the world's seaborne crude exports flow.

"Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or U.S. military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, or the Persian Gulf," MARAD said.

"Reporting indicates heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and interests."

Millions of barrels of oil pass daily through the various bottlenecks from Middle East oil producers to markets across the globe.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday Tehran would not negotiate with the United States and a senior cleric warned that a U.S. navy fleet could be "destroyed with one missile", as a U.S aircraft carrier headed towards the Gulf.

The comments by the Guards and by Ayatollah Yousef Tabatabai-Nejad, a hardliner, appeared partly aimed at discouraging President Hassan Rouhani and his moderate allies in Tehran from taking up an offer of talks from Washington.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran's leadership to sit down and talk with him about giving up their nuclear programme and said he could not rule out a military confrontation given the heightened tensions.

The carrier Abraham Lincoln, deployed by the Trump administration to the Middle East as a warning to Iran, passed through Egyptas Suez Canal on Thursday.
A Palestinian man was killed on Friday by Israeli fire during the March of Return protest along the Gaza border, according to the medical sources in the Hamas-ruled enclave.
IDF gunfire killed one Palestinian at a weekly demonstration along the Gaza-Israel border fence, Gaza officials said Friday, in the first escalation after a cease-fire deal ended a bloody bout of fighting and saw Israel reopening the fishing zone off the Gaza coast.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Last weekend's spate of violence, which killed four Israeli civilians and 25 Palestinians, including 10 militants, was the worst combat since a 2014 war between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers.

The Friday protests on the Gaza Strip's border (Photo: AFP)

Gaza's health ministry said that 24-year-old Abdullah Abed al-Al was killed and 30 Palestinians injured by Israeli fire in the border demonstration, including a medic who was moderately wounded by a gunshot to the head.

The Friday protests on the Gaza Strip's border (Photo: AFP)

Hamas has orchestrated the weekly protests since March 2018, primarily to draw international attention to the dire living conditions. A crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade was imposed on the territory, after Hamas seized control of Gaza twelve years ago.

The Friday protests on the Gaza Strip's border (Photo: AFP)

More than 200 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier have been killed during the yearlong marches. The protests have often devolved into cycles of cross-border conflicts quickly defused with short-lived truces mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.

The Friday protests on the Gaza Strip's border (Photo: AFP)

On May 15, protest organizers are calling for a massive border march to mark the 71st anniversary of what Palestinians call the "Nakba," or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were forced from their homes in the 1948 war that led to the establishment of Israel.

This year, Nakba day protests fall during the week of the hugely popular Eurovision Song Contest in Israel, putting Israeli officials on edge. The contest will draw thousands of foreign visitors to Tel Aviv.

The Gaza beach (Photo: AP)

The cease-fire deal is believed to loosen tight restrictions on goods and people coming in and out of Gaza, as well as provide economic aid and development programs to the territory, which has suffered for years from soaring unemployment and deepening poverty.
One more funeral, one less witness to the world's worst war.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Bernard Dargols lived almost long enough to join the celebrations next month marking 75 years since the D-Day, 75 years since he waded onto Omaha Beach as an American soldier to help liberate France from the Nazis who persecuted his Jewish family.





Veteran Bernard Dargols, 87, Raymond Mouquet (local mayor), Veteran Arnold Franco, 83 (file photo: AP)

Just shy of his 99th birthday, Dargols died last week. To the strains of his beloved American jazz, he was laid to rest Thursday at France's most famous cemetery, Pere Lachaise.

An ever-smaller number of veterans will stand on Normandy's shores on June 6 for D-Day's 75th anniversary. Many will salute fallen comrades from their wheelchairs. As each year passes, more firsthand witnesses to history are gone.

Four weeks from now, U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders will pay homage to the more than 2 million American, British, Canadian and other Allied forces involved in the D-Day operation on June 6, 1944, and the ensuing battle for Normandy that helped pave the way for Hitler's defeat.

Dargols outlived most of them, and knew the importance of sustaining their memory.

"I'm convinced that we have to talk about the war to children, so that they understand how much they need to preserve the peace," he wrote in a 2012 memoir.

Until the end, Dargols battled complacency, intolerance and Holocaust deniers who claim that D-Day was "just a movie."

A cemetery in Normandy, France, for D-day casualties (file photo) (Photo: Rachel Kedars)

In recent years, "seeing any type of violence, of anti-Semitism and racism, either in France in Europe or in the U.S." really upset him, granddaughter Caroline Jolivet said.

Normandy schoolteachers, veterans' families and military memorials are laboring against time to record survivors' stories for posterity.

In history's biggest amphibious invasion, on that fateful June 6, some 160,000 Allied forces came ashore to launch Operation Overlord to wrest Normandy from Nazi control. More than 4,000 Allied forces were killed on that day alone. Nearly half a million people were killed on both sides by the time the Allies liberated Paris in August 1944.

It's unclear exactly how many D-Day veterans are alive today. The survivors are now in their 90s or 100s.

Of the 73,000 Americans who took part, just 30 are currently scheduled to come to France for this year's anniversary. The U.S. Veterans Administration estimates that about 348 American World War II veterans die every day. All but three of the 177 French forces involved in D-Day are gone.

Every day, the names of the departed accumulate, tweeted by veterans groups, published in local newspapers.

Dargols wanted to be in Normandy this year, it meant a lot to him.

His story is both unusual and emblematic: Born in France, he left Paris in 1938 for New York to learn his father's sewing machine trade. He watched from afar, sickened, as the Nazis occupied his homeland. His Jewish relatives were sent to camps, or fled in fear.

Determined to fight back but skeptical of French General Charles de Gaulle's resistance force, he joined the U.S. Army instead.

With the 2nd Infantry Division, Dargols sailed from Britain on June 5 and only made it to Normandy on June 8, after three interminable days on choppy seas. The road he took inland from Omaha Beach now carries his name.

The battle to wrest Normandy from the Nazis took longer than the Allies thought, but for Dargols the prize at the end was invaluable. When he made it to Paris, he went to his childhood apartment and found his mother -- unexpectedly alive.

The coffin of late Jewish French-American World War II veteran, Bernard Dargols (photo: AP)

For four decades, he didn't talk much about the war. But as more and more survivors died, and at his granddaughter's urging, he realized the importance of speaking out and sharing his stories with schools and journalists.

Friends and family remembered him Thursday as shy but courageous, a lover of oysters and pastrami sandwiches, known for his mischievous smile.

Jolivet, his granddaughter, told the AP of his yearning for leaders who "bring people together, instead of divide them."

Dargols would have had a clear message for the D-Day anniversary, she said: "Never take democracy for granted. Dictatorship is always a bad solution. Violence is always a bad solution. Keep democracy alive. Fight for democracy, for freedom, for peace."

The cultural director at Normandy's World War II memorial in Caen, Isabelle Bournier, frets about this fading message, as she watches schoolchildren cycle through her museum every day.

"The parents and grandparents of 13-year-olds today didn't experience the war, so the family stories, the family history -- where helmets are brought out, where we spoke about what it was like -- has been lost," she said.

"They don't know the names of the landing beaches," she says. "Pupils spend less time studying World War II than they did 30 years ago, and so the role of D-Day has been reduced."

Dargols himself worried about the day when all the veterans will be gone.

"It could start again," he wrote in his memoir. "We must be vigilant, at all times."
BENEDICT -- Roar, Life is Wild, God is Good Vacation Bible School will be held June 10-13 at the Benedict Community Center from 8:30-11 a.m., for all children in preschool through sixth grade. If someone is interested in helping or registering their child, they can contact Chris at 402-366-4860.

Finding Our Way Back Home fellowship

YORK -- Compass Fellowship, Finding Our Way Back Home, is a fellowship for ladies struggling with addiction issues in the York area. Its not rehab- its a way to find a new identity outside of drugs or alcohol. Our meetings include fun, music, scripture, prayer, and fellowship. It will meet Thursday evenings beginning June 6 from 6:30 - 8 p.m. The meeting is at New Heights Assembly, 1522 S. Grant Avenue in York. For more information, call 402-710-2425 or 402-362-6357.

2nd Cup Cafe in Bradshaw

BRADSHAW -- The 2nd Cup Cafe community coffee is held at the Bradshaw United Methodist Church fellowship hall each Thursday morning from 8:30-10 a.m. Proceeds from the weekly coffee benefit the Green Beans Coffee Co. program Cup of Joe For a Joe, which provides coffee for service personnel overseas. Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy a cup of coffee and morning pastry.
YORK  The York County Commissioners took no action this week on the issue of whether they would attempt to bill the State of Nebraska for court costs and attorney fees related to the recent trial for Erica Jenkins who is serving a life sentence at the Nebraska Center for Women in York.

Jenkins, a convicted killer, was found guilty by a York County jury of attacking another inmate who was her cousin and a key witness in the case that led to Jenkins life sentence. Jenkins attacked the other inmate while they were assigned by prison officials to live together in the same cell at the prison in York.

The trial regarding assault by a confined person will cost York County thousands of dollars. The attorney fees (to pay for Jenkins defense) have already reached the $9,000 mark and there will also be other costs associated with the trial including paying the jury.

There could be further legal bills the county will have to pay as well, as there were indications during the sentencing proceedings that Jenkins will be appealing her latest conviction.

It is the countys responsibility to pay for these costs, because the prison is located in York County and the crime took place in York County.
Receive emails for Trending news. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Hughes calls come as Facebook faces yet another controversy after an AP investigation revealed that the platform automatically generates videos and pages that elevate extremist groups.

The op-ed painted a stark portrait of Facebooks dominance: The company is worth half a trillion dollars and its products are regularly used by billions of people. By Hughes estimates, Facebook commands more than 80 percent of the worlds social networking revenue.

Another major social networking platform hasnt been founded since 2011, and despite the movements like #deleteFacebook, its almost impossible to avoid, with many people eschewing the core platform in favor of Instagram or WhatsApp, not realizing they are Facebook subsidiaries. The apparent avalanche of disasters hasnt dented Facebooks finances; its earnings per share increased 40% last year, despite a torrent of public failures.

Because Facebook so dominates social networking, it faces no market-based accountability, Hughes wrote. This means that every time Facebook messes up, we repeat an exhausting pattern: first outrage, then disappointment, and finally, resignation.
MEMBERS OF the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority share a laugh during their Thursday afternoon meeting in the Bessemer City Hall. From left are Dustin Filippini, Cheryl Leskoviansky, Kara Bjorkquist (back turned) and city manager Charly Loper. They are looking at member Dave Osier, who is not shown.

By P.J. GLISSON

[email protected]

BESSEMER - The Downtown Development Authority in Bessemer voted Thursday afternoon to hire a filmmaker from Ontonagon County to create four videos to market Bessemer online.

Kristin Ojaniemi of Bruce Crossing was hired at a cost of $1,000 per video to record and produce vignettes of local residents while also showcasing local assets such as outdoor recreational options.

The DDA originally had hoped for six videos, but reduced the number to four to accommodate Ojaniemi's rates.

"I think they're of a higher quality," said city manager Charly Loper rega...
By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

BESSEMER  An Illinois man is facing local charges after he tried to escape from the custody of the Iron County Sheriffs Department in late April.

Devin Jacob Snow, 29, is charged with escape while awaiting trial for a felony in Gogebic County regarding his attempt to flee custody while at Aspirus Ironwood Hospital.

Even though Snow was arrested in Iron County prior to his escape attempt, Gogebic County Prosecutor Nick Jacobs said the fact the incident happened in Ironwood meant he has appropriate jurisdiction over (Snow).

The charge...
Selling points: Heavily positively geared investment returns of up to 12% and 13%, with the added bonus of steady 8-10% capital growth per annum on top of your rental return profit, makes it one of the most attractive investment regions in Australia.

Port Hedlands strategically-located export port makes it a vital artery for Australias exports (predominantly iron ore) and for its economy as a whole. This is why it is different from other mining areas within Australia that may be showing similar returns. The port gives security and confidence to property investors that the resource and mining projects are continuing here long term and the region is not just a mining boom area.

Most sought after properties: As our supply of available housing is extremely low, with vacancy rates below 1%, demand for all sales and rental housing is high.

New four by two or five by two houses are rare in the current market and always attract a premium rental price from executive tenants, while increasing in value especially well upon re-sale.

As with most suburbs around Australia, having a nice double garage with a bit of yard and high standard of finish in the building is always received well.

Most common properties: The suburb is predominantly filled with mid 70s and mid 80s brick veneer properties; a mixture of standard condition and partially to fully renovated versions with extras or pools added.

These are predominantly selling around the $799,000 to $840,000 range (with pools for around $900,000 plus), with a rental achievability of between $1,850 to $2,000 per week ($2,150 with pools).

Top amenities: Recently South Hedland has had around $380 million spent on it to re-develop the towns amenities as part of the state governments plan to expand the town by an additional 30,000 people in the next 10 to 12 years. The last 18 months have seen a brand new hospital built, which is the largest in the Pilbara region; a $35 Million state of the art recreational centre; community water park; and an upgrade of the youth centres and TAFE colleges to come. This is part of a plan to turn South Hedland into a Pilbara city of the North, which has support from the state government, Royalty for Regions programs and major resources companies such as BHP and Rio Tinto.

Local industry and business: The main industry driving the property market is the resources sector, mainly focused around iron ore, with Port Hedlands port being the largest export port in Australia. Once BHP construct and build their outer harbour expansion between 2013 and 2025, it will be the largest export tonnage port in the world. There are major operations in the works from BHP, Rio Tinto, FMG and Hancock Prospecting, to name a few. Further to iron ore, the area has salt exports, magnesium and copper, and an industrial tourism industry, which is expanding with growing interest from South East Asia. There are also 300 to 400 mid-level company employers based in the town.

Recent changes: As per the above information, there has been an injection of change and development in the last two years.

Best streets: The most executive streets in the suburb are Cockatoo Court, Arabella Street, Mystery Court, Stanley and Kennedy Street new estates, Daylesford Close and many more. New developments are seeing other areas upgrade their status quickly.

Public transport: Local public transport is mostly non-existent, with people having their own cars, due to the proximity of amenities and services to housing.

Main arteries: Main entry points in and out of South Hedland include the Great Northern Highway, which enters into South Hedland, then continues on towards Port Hedland and main roads through to Broome as well.
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - The Office of the Governor, Helios Education Foundation, Pima Community College Foundation, and the Arizona Community Foundation have jointly awarded a $1,350,000 grant to create the Arizona Center for Student Success at the ten community colleges in the state.

This newly created center will assist traditionally underserved students complete certificates and associate degree programs that move them directly into high-demand jobs or transfer programs into the university system.

The Arizona Center for Student Success (Center) joins the national Student Success Center Network, managed by JFF, a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American labor market through system disruption and innovation at scale. The Center is part of an emerging trend in the national college completion movement in states traditionally void of a strong centralized tradition of community college governance. Its role is to organize Arizonas ten community college districts around the common goal of improving student persistence and completion.

My administration has worked extensively with business and education leaders to advance the Achieve60AZ initiative to increase postsecondary attainment rates in the state, stated Governor Doug Ducey. The Arizona Center for Student Success will enhance this initiative by boosting community college completion rates and by extension will lead to a more robust and effective workforce.

Arizonas community colleges provide the most efficient pathways to a four-year college or university. More than 78 percent of students who transfer from an Arizona community college to a public university with an associates degree go on to graduate with a bachelors degree within six years. Arizonas community colleges are also the recognized leader for regional workforce development, serving nearly twice as many students as Arizona public universities and offering hundreds of career-ready certificates and associate degree programs.

The Arizona Center for Student Success will be instrumental in helping reach Arizonas postsecondary attainment goal. It directly aligns with the vision of Achieve60AZ, which is to have a diverse, well-educated, highly-skilled workforce in our state, said Vince Yanez, senior vice president, Arizona Community Engagement. Helios is pleased to help support the efforts to identify and implement proven strategies to increase student success and degree completion.

One reason students are drawn to community colleges is we prepare them to be career-ready quickly, stated Dr. Colleen A. Smith, president of Coconino Community College, and chair of the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council. After they graduate, they continue to bring economic vitality to our communities because more than 85 percent stay in Arizona and contribute $13 billion in added income. President Smith further stated that Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick and Central Arizona President Dr. Jackie Elliot were instrumental in obtaining funding and writing the proposal for this initiative which will benefits students all over the State of Arizona.

The Arizona Center for Student Success will build a cohesive approach to engagement, learning, and policy advocacy across the states community colleges. Arizonas community colleges have a history of reducing barriers to student success and ensuring equitable opportunities, stated Steve Seleznow, president & CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation. We are proud to be a partner in this collaborative approach that has the potential to help more students from diverse backgrounds succeed in postsecondary education.

The Arizona Center for Student Success will focus on helping Arizonas community colleges fundamentally redesign the way students chose, enter, navigate, and complete programs that prepare them for further education and careers. This will entail a guided pathway approach that replaces the cafeteria model that most colleges use for students to choose from a broad range of disconnected courses, programs, and support services.

Students often have difficulty navigating choices and end up making poor decisions about what program to enter, what courses to take, and when to seek help, stated Dr. Jackie Elliot, president and CEO of Central Arizona College. The Arizona Center for Student Success will help us implement guided pathways and give students what they need to make more informed choices.

JFF will aid in launching the new Center, continue to provide strategic guidance, and strengthen state-level capacity for data-informed decision making on efforts to increase community college completion rates. The Centers first convening, scheduled for June 10, 2019, will assist in developing program priorities for the upcoming year.

About Arizonas Community Colleges

Connected through shared goals of access and service, Arizonas ten community college districts assure high-quality education, open admissions, and affordable tuition. Together, Arizonas community colleges serve 293,940 students each year, nearly double the 162,324 students at Arizona public universities. Offering hundreds of work-ready certificates and programs, they provide the primary gateway to higher learning and a variety of educational opportunities serving todays diverse student body. Fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Arizonas community colleges are the major pipeline for job creation, the employability of Arizona citizens, and the economic prosperity of families and communities.

www.arizonacommunitycollege.org

About JFF

JFF is a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American workforce and education systems. For 35 years, JFF has led the way in designing innovative and scalable solutions that create access to economic advancement for all. Join us as we build a future that works.

www.jff.org
Latest News

Phoenix, Arizona - Today, Carlos Armando Duran, 31, who is a United States citizen, was deported back to the United States after his arrest in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico last night. A warrant was issued for Duran after failing to appear for his court hearings on charges of First Degree Murder and Misconduct Involving Weapons.

Thousands of fugitives wanted in Arizona and across the United States flee to Mexico to avoid prosecution, said U.S. Marshal David Gonzales. The U.S. Marshals Service works very closely with our Mexican criminal justice counterparts to track, arrest, and extradite or deport these fugitives to the U.S.



Durans case states that in September of 2017, Duran and two other men shot and killed the victim outside a local nightclub in Phoenix after a verbal argument. Duran was arrested in January of 2018 on these charges and his family put their homes on the line to meet the $500,000 bond which they posted in December of 2018. With disregard for the courts order to appear for his hearing and his family members homes at risk, Duran never appeared to face the charges in February of 2019. An arrest warrant was then issued for Duran based on his failure to appear in court. While Duran was out on bond, additional charges were also filed for committing crimes of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor.



The Phoenix Police Department believed that Duran fled from the Phoenix area and requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Arizona WANTED Violent Offenders Task Force to locate and arrest Duran. During the ongoing investigation of Durans location it appeared that Duran had not only ran from the Phoenix area, but he also left the United States and was hiding in Mexico. WANTED Task Force members turned to their U.S. Marshals Service International Investigations Branch Mexico Foreign Field Office (MFFO) to assist in locating and returning Duran back to the United States so that he would have his day in court. In the early morning hours of May 9, 2019, Duran was safely returned to the United States due to the efforts of MFFO and the District of Arizona Mexico Investigative Liaisons (MIL) hard work and determination in coordinating internationally and with the Phoenix Police Department to make this happen.



The Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals Service led multi-jurisdictional fugitive apprehension unit responsible for more than 1748 arrests last year. The task force is comprised of 22 agencies bringing together the resources of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the communitys most violent offenders and sexual predators.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - On Wednesday, May 15th, the Fraternal Order of Police, Yuma Lodge #24 will be hosting the Annual Peace Officer Memorial Day Services at the Colorado River State Historic Park (Quartermaster Depot), 201 North 4th Avenue.

This annual event is a special time to honor and remember our dedicated law enforcement professionals for their sacrifices in making the Yuma area a safer place to live.

The memorial service will start at 7:00 p.m. The one-hour program consists of remembering law enforcement professionals who have either been killed or died in the line of duty, as well as honoring those who still serve. The Yuma Police Departments Honor Guard Team, along with other local Honor Guard personnel, will post the United States Flag and conduct a 21-gun salute in remembrance of our fallen brothers and sisters.

The entire community is invited to help us remember and honor the 36 Law Enforcement Officers who gave their lives while serving the Yuma area communities.
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.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday ordered a probe into the communal clashes that broke out in Hailakandi district. CM Sonowal directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Assam government, Rajib Bora, to conduct an enquiry into the violent clashes. The clashes broke out between two groups during the afternoon prayers outside a mosque in Marwaripatti of the district.

Live TV

The infuriated mob torched several motorbikes and vehicles, vandalizing and ransacking several shops in the Hailakandi town. Massive stone pelting ensued between the two groups until the police resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitators, said Superintendent of Police (SP), Hailakandi district, Mohneesh Mishra.

According to Mishra, as many as seven persons were injured including three policemen. Besides a huge contingent of state police, a force from the Assam Rifles and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have also been deployed in the tensed area.

On Friday afternoon, Assam Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, ADG of Police, Mukesh Agarwal and Barak Valley Commissioner Anwar Hussain were rushed to the spot to contain the situation. Meanwhile, prohibitory orders have been issued in the district under section 144 CrPC. Curfew had been clamped from 1 pm of May 10 to 7 am on May 12.
New Delhi: Bhojpuri superstar Yash Kumar's 'Bitiya Chhathi Mai Ke' has released to houseful shows in Mumbai. The film has opened in theatres today and is receiving a great response. The film was initially released in Bihar and Jharkhand during Chaiti Chhath festival. The film is based on the auspicious festival of Chhath which is widely celebrated in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and the Northern belt of the country.

Fans in Mumbai have liked the movie and hailed it as the most religious and spiritual Bhojpuri film ever made. 'Bitiya Chhathi Mai Ke' has been directed by Sujeet Verma and has been appreciated for its content and performances of the actors. Yash Kumar and Anjana Singh play lead roles in the movie.

The storyline revolves around a central character played by Yash, who prays to Chhathi Mai (Chhathi goddess) and wishes to have a daughter. The goddess blesses him with a daughter, and then the screenplay moves towards showing how a poor man from a village manages to make sure that his daughter gets the best of everything. The hardships that he faces highlight the plight of a father.

Also, the movie focuses on Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao campaign.

'Bitiya Chhathi Mai Ke' has been liked much by the fans in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The movie which has now released in Mumbai will be appreciated by viewers there as well as it has a beautiful storyline and is spiritually inclined. The most revered Chhath festival forms the central plot of the film.
NEW DELHI: In a big relief for air travellers, the national carrier 'Air India' on Friday announced to offer hefty discounts on last-minute flight bookings.

According to a statement released by Air India official, the airline has decided to sell the very last minutes inventory within three hours of departure at a "hefty discount".

''The National carrier Air India has decided for the domestic sector that very last moment inventory i.e. available seats within 3 hours of departure would be sold at a hefty discount, normally exceeding 40% of the selling price,'' the airline said in the statement .

Live TV

The decision in this regard was taken at a commercial review meeting of the airline at its headquarters on Friday, the statement said.

A senior Air India official had earlier told PTI that the airline would soon offer a flat 50 per cent discount on last-minute flight bookings.

The decision is likely to come as a big respite for the last-minute traveller who generally travels due to an emergency and is often faced with very high ticket prices.

Now, the last-minute travellers, especially those travelling due to some emergency, can book tickets at a much cheaper rate, the airline added.

Tickets can be booked from its counters, on the website, on the mobile app, or through agents, the airline said.

The grounding of Jet Airways recently has also led to a steep rise in airfares and aggravated problems for the air travellers.
New Delhi: IT services major HCL Technologies Thursday posted a 14.3 percent rise in its consolidated net profit at Rs 2,550 crore for the March 2019 quarter and set an "aspirational" annual revenue target of more than USD 10-billion (about Rs 70,258 crore) in FY2019-20.

The company reported 21.3 percent growth in revenue to Rs 15,990 crore in the January-March quarter compared to Rs 13,178 crore in the January-March 2018 quarter, as per Ind-AS accounting norms.

For the full year, net profit rose by 16 percent to Rs 10,120 crore, while revenue grew 19.4 percent to Rs 60,427 crore (about USD 8.6 billion) from 2017-18.

In dollar terms, the net profit rose 5.9 percent to USD 364.3 million for the March 2019 quarter, while revenue was higher by 11.8 percent to USD 2.2 billion as compared to the year-ago period as per the US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The revenue for the full fiscal was up 10.1 percent.

HCL Technologies President and CEO C Vijayakumar termed the company's performance as "blockbuster" and said the revenue growth of 11.8 percent in constant currency terms was higher than its guided range of 9.5-11.5 percent for FY2018-19.

The Noida-based company has forecast its revenue to grow between 14-16 percent on constant currency basis this fiscal. This translates into a topline in the range of about USD 9.83-10.01 billion.

Speaking to reporters, Vijayakumar said the aspiration is to cross the USD 10-billion revenue mark during the ongoing fiscal.

He explained that of the guided range of 14-16 percent revenue growth, about 7-9 percent would be organic and the remaining would come from acquisitions made last year, including its USD 1.8 billion deal for IBM products.

Vijayakumar said HCL continued its strong deal win momentum in the March 2019 quarter, signing 17 transformational deals and a total of 78 transformational deals in FY2018-19.

"I believe FY'20 will be a good year for us. It is going to be a good year for the industry as well. The demand for technology services and products is definitely very high. It's very clear that every industry is getting re-imagined with a lot of tech solutions to deliver or re-imagine their businesses. So that is going to create a tailwind for the technology services as we go into FY'20," he added.

HCL Technologies' larger rivals - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys - have also posted strong growth in the March quarter and exuded confidence keeping the momentum going in the current fiscal as well. For FY2018-19, TCS' revenue was at USD 20.9 billion, while that of Infosys was at USD 11.7 billion. Wipro's revenues from IT services segment were at USD 8.12 billion.

Vijayakumar said the company would continue to scout for acquisitions in technology areas like digital services, cloud, Internet of Things and cybersecurity. Its Mode 2 and Mode 3 services - which includes digital and IP-led businesses - accounted for 28.3 percent of the revenue.

He added that Mode 2 and Mode 3 services contribution to revenues is expected to touch 35 percent by the end of 2019-20.

HCL Technologies board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 2 per share for 2018-19.

The company added 14,249 people (gross) during the quarter to take its total head count to 1,37,965 at the end of the March 2019 quarter. Attrition in the IT services business on the past 12-month basis was 17.7 percent. HCL Technologies, which follows July-June cycle for appraisals, is working out the details and will provide wage hikes that are at par with industry peers, it said.

The results were announced after trading hours. Shares of the company closed almost flat at Rs 1,132.10 apiece.
New Delhi: Lenders of Jaypee Infratech Thursday sought clarifications from NBCC on various relief measures and concession proposed by the state-owned firm in its revised bid to acquire the debt-ridden realty company, sources said.

The creditors' panel will meet again on May 14 to further discuss the revised bid of NBCC, they added.

The Committee of Creditors (CoC) met Thursday to discuss NBCC's revised offer after it rejected the bid of Mumbai-based Suraksha Realty on May 3 through a voting under the insolvency proceedings.

During the meeting, lenders and representatives of home buyers sought many clarifications from senior officials of NBCC. These queries were mainly related to relief measures and concession proposed by NBCC in its offer.

NBCC was also asked how it will fund the takeover of Jaypee Infratech, sources said adding that NBCC officials answered all the queries.

It was decided in the meeting that lenders will send a written query to NBCC by Friday and the public sector firm would reply by May 13.

Lenders and homebuyers would meet again on May 14 to continue the discussion.

On May 3, creditors had rejected the bid of Suraksha Realty, which was lone contender left after NBCC's offer was rejected on technical grounds like non-approval of government departments as well as non-binding terms and conditions.

After the rejection of its bid on April 26 by the CoC, NBCC received the necessary approvals from the government departments including the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Clarification has been sought in the backdrop of Jaypee Infratech's Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) Anuj Jain flagging to the lenders that NBCC's bid was conditional and non-binding.

Jain has written to the CoC that NBCC's revised bid is conditional as the state-owned firm has stated that the plan will not be binding on it unless key relief measures such as extinguishing of income tax liability and a dispensation from seeking consent of YEIDA for any business transfer is granted, sources had said.

NBCC has proposed infusion of Rs 200 crore equity capital, transfer of 950 acres of land worth Rs 5,000 crore to banks and completing construction of flats by July 2023 to settle an outstanding claim of Rs 23,723 crore of financial creditors.

However, NBCC has put several conditions for the implementation of its plan, including a demand to extinguish an estimated income-tax liability of Rs 33,000 crore over a period of 30 years arising out of the transfer of land parcels from Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) to Jaypee Group.

The IRP pointed out that the insolvency process approved by the CoC in December last year provided that the resolution plans from potential bidders should be binding and non-conditional.

The court-mandated deadline for completing the resolution plan for Japyee Infratech ended on May 6 and the CoC has sought an extension of the deadline.

The Allahabad bench of NCLT has posted the matter for hearing on May 21.

Meanwhile, Adani Group has also shown interest to acquire Jaypee Infratech and complete over 20,000 delayed flats in Noida.

Interestingly, Jaypee Group's promoters too have put in a bid to retain control of the company.

In 2017, Jaypee Infratech went into insolvency after NCLT admitted the application by an IDBI Bank-led consortium seeking resolution of the firm.

During the first round of insolvency proceedings, the Rs 7,350 crore bid of Lakshdeep, part of Suraksha Group was rejected by lenders as it was found to be substantially lower than the company's net worth and assets as well as the liquidation value of about Rs 14,000 crore.

In Octber 2018, the IRP started a fresh initiative to revive Jaypee Infratech on the NCLT direction.

Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) had submitted Rs 750 crore in the registry of the Supreme Court for the refund to buyers and the amount is lying with NCLT.
New Delhi: Estranged partners McDonald's and Vikram Bakshi Thursday announced an out-of-court settlement, ending their almost six-year-long dispute.

As part of the agreement, the US fast food chain will buy out for an undisclosed sum Vikram Bakshi and his entities' 50 per cet stake in Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd (CPRL) that operates McDonald's chain of quick service restaurants in northern and eastern India.

The company also announced appointment of Robert Hunghanfoo as Head of CPRL with immediate effect, who will be supported by McDonald's global leaders along with the CPRL team, to facilitate a smooth transition.

"CPRL is now wholly owned by MIPL and its affiliate MGM (McDonald's Global Markets LLC) following the completion of a settlement reached with former JV partner, Vikram Bakshi...," the company said in a statement.

It follows "the acquisition by MGM of 50 percent voting equity shares in CPRL, held since inception by Bakshi and his affiliated entity".

Commenting on the development, Hunghanfoo said: "Accomplishing a mutually agreed settlement in this matter means that our customers can now look forward to a reinvigorated, consistent and uniquely McDonald's experience when they visit us".

During the transition, MIPL will be focused on two key areas ? providing employees with clarity and confidence in their future at McDonald's and leveraging its global system expertise to fortify high operating standards for our local customers.

Ron Christianson, Global Head of Corporate Relations, International Developmental, Licensee Markets, McDonald's, said that the company is looking for partner to run the operation in north and east India.

"We are still actively progressing the search for an ideal partner for North and East India. That process is still ongoing but certainly rest assured once we do, the ownership will transition to whoever the individual is," Christianson said.

On Monday, the estranged partners McDonald's and Bakshi had told the NCLAT that they are working towards an out-of-court settlement to end their over five-year-old dispute.

McDonald's and Bakshi in 1995 had signed a partnership agreement to open outlets of the US fast food chain in India. It was for a period of 25 years.

The two partners had formed a 50:50 joint venture -- Connaught Plaza Restaurant Ltd (CPRL) -- which was responsible for outlets of the fast-food chain in the country's northern and eastern regions through the franchise route.

Tussle between them started after Bakshi was ousted as the managing director of CPRL in 2013, following which he approached the Company Law Board (CLB).

He was later reinstated as the MD of CPRL by National Company Law Tribunal (which had taken over CLB functions) on July 14, 2017 following which McDonald's approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

In 2017, McDonald's terminated CPRL's franchise agreement citing non-payment of royalties.

A long-winding legal tussle and battle for control of the business ensued afterwards with Bakshi keeping around 165 McDonald's branded outlets operational in northern and eastern regions of the country.

In southern and western regions, McDonald's outlets are run by Amit Jatia-led Westlife Development.

In August 2017, McDonald's had told the NCLAT that settlement of dispute with its estranged partner Bakshi was not possible.
Mumbai: Following an NCLAT order, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has withdrawn its circular asking banks and financial institutions to declare details of their exposure and provisions related to the crisis-hit IL&FS.

Last week, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had allowed banks to declare their defaulting accounts of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) and its group companies as non-performing assets.

"In view of the NCLAT order dated May 2, 2019...The instructions contained in (April 24) circular stand withdrawn," the RBI said Wednesday.

The circular had asked banks and financial institutions to disclosure their exposure to IL&FS and its group entities as the NCLAT verdict was pending.

The cash-strapped IL&FS group is sitting on a debt of about Rs 94,000 crore.

Several group companies have defaulted on the payment of interest payment on loans.
New Delhi: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Thursday announced it will acquire iconic British toy-maker Hamleys for 67.96 million pounds (around Rs 620 crore) in an all-cash deal.

Hamleys, a 259-year-old toy-maker, has struggled to generate profits in recent times. It reported a profit after tax of 2.44 million pounds in 2018 after suffering a loss of 11.24 million pounds in 2017.

It is currently owned by Chinese fashion conglomerate C Banner International, which had acquired it for 100 million pounds in 2015. C Banner also owns the Chinese units of marquee consumer retail brands such as Steve Madden and Sundance.

"Reliance Brands Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, and C Banner International Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed company, today signed a definitive agreement for Reliance Brands to acquire 100 per cent shares of Hamleys Global Holdings Ltd, the owner of Hamleys brand, from C Banner International," the company said in a statement.

Reliance Brands would acquire 100 per cent equity shares of "Hamleys Global Holdings Limited (HGHL) for a cash consideration of GBP 67.96 million", RIL said in a BSE filing.

Hamleys started with a single-store shop, Noah's Ark, in 1760. It now has 167 stores across 18 countries. Besides the UK, it has stores in China, Germany, Russia, India, South Africa and West Asia.

Reliance Retail, Ambani's flagship retailer, already has a pan-India franchise agreement with Hamleys to merchandise its famous toys.

This acquisition will catapult Reliance Brands to be a dominant player in the global toy retail industry, the company said in a statement.

In India, Reliance has the master franchise for Hamleys and presently operates 88 stores across 29 cities.

Reliance Brands President and CEO Darshan Mehta said the worldwide acquisition of the iconic Hamleys brand and business places Reliance on the front-line of global retail.

Personally, it is a dream come true, he added.

"Over the last few years, we have built a very significant and profitable business in toy retailing under the Hamleys brand in India. This 250-year-old English toy retailer pioneered the concept of experiential retailing, decades before the concept of creating unique experiences in brick and mortar retailing became the new global norm," Mehta said.

Hamleys was delisted from the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in 2003 when it was taken over by Icelandic investment firm Baugur Group for USD 68.8 million. In 2012, it was sold for USD 78.4 million to Groupe Ludendo of France.

Hamleys opened it flagship Regent Street London store in 1881. This flagship store is set over seven floors covering 54,000 sq ft, with over 50,000 lines of toys on sale. It is considered one of London's prominent tourist attractions, receiving over 5 million visitors each year.
New Delhi: Tata Motors Thursday denied reports that said the company is in the process of selling its British arm Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to French automotive major PSA Groupe.

The company's response came after various reports suggested that the sale process is already on.

"As a matter of policy, we do not comment on media speculation. But we can confirm there is no truth to these rumours," a Tata Motors spokesperson said in a statement when asked to comment on the matter.

The UK-based car giant, which was acquired by Tata Motors in 2008 from Ford, has been reeling under tough market conditions and uncertainty over Brexit issue.

As part of its plans to achieve 2.5 billion pounds (about Rs 22,750 crore) of investment, working capital and profit improvements by March 2020, the company announced in January that it would reduce its global workforce by 4,500 people.

This is expected to result in a one-time exceptional redundancy cost of around 200 million pounds (about Rs 1,820 crore).
In a case of grave negligence in a Gujarat hospital, two dead bodies got swapped on Friday when they were being handed over to their family. The incident took place in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run VS Hospital when the dead body of a Muslim pregnant woman was mistakenly handed over to the family of Mittal Jadav, who was murdered on Wednesday.

Live TV

The woman identified as Nasreen Bano hailed from Karnataka. Her body was brought to the hospital for post-mortem. Bano was being shifted from a private hospital to VS hospital when she died. Incidentally, the body of Mittal was brought there for post-mortem too. Mittal was stabbed to death by a boy, who apparently loved her, after getting rejected by her.

After getting the body of Bano, the Jadhav family even performed the last rites thinking it to be Mittal's body but Mittal's body is still in the hospital. Both the bodies were in the cold storage on Thursday night and on Friday morning the Yadav family was given Bano's body which they took and performed the funeral.

After that when Bano's family reached the hospital to take her body back to Karnataka for performing her last rites, the hospital authorities couldn't find her body in the hospital. The family of Bano created ruckus inside the hospital premises and Mittal's family also reached the hospital.

In a telephonic conversation with Zee Media, Mittal's sister, Mamata said that the body on which they performed the last rites was not of her sister. "The body on which we performed the last rites was not of my sister. my sister wasn't wearing any jewellery. However, the body we received had a nose pin," said Mamata.
New Delhi: A Hyderabad native who was working at a mall in a Tesco supermarket in London was reportedly hacked to death on Wednesday by an unidentified man.

Mohd Nadeemuddin had been living in London for the last six years. On Wednesday, he was stabbed to death in front of shoppers inside an underground car park in Slough. He was immediately rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead by doctors.

Thames Valley Police have registered a case and a murder investigation is currently underway.

The Daily Mail quoted the head of TVP's Major Crime Unit, Detective Superintendent Ian Hunter, saying, "This is a shocking incident in which a man has lost his life. Our task now is to find out what happened and bring the offender or offenders to justice."

"I understand that this incident will cause concern in the community but I want to reassure all residents that the Major Crime Unit has commenced an extensive investigation. We are already reviewing CCTV, taking witness statements and carrying out forensic examinations," he said.

Family members of the deceased have appealed to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to help them go to London.
New Delhi: Almost two months after it referred the Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for mediation, the Supreme Court will on Friday take the matter for hearing.

A notice in this regard was put up on the apex court website which said that the matter would be heard by a five-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer at 10:30 am on Friday.

The matter will come up for hearing for the first time today since the apex court in its March 8 order appointed former apex court judge FMI Kalifulla, spiritual guru and founder of the Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, a renowned mediator, as members of the mediation committee.

The apex court had said that the mediation process would commence within a week and the panel would submit the progress report within four weeks. The panel was asked by the apex court to hold on-camera proceedings and complete them within eight weeks.

The bench was told earlier by Hindu bodies, except for Nirmohi Akhara, and Uttar Pradesh government, that they oppose the court's suggestion for mediation. The Muslim bodies supported the proposal. While opposing the suggestion of mediation, Hindu bodies had argued that earlier attempts to reach a compromise have failed and provisions of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) require public notice to be issued before the start of the process.

The top court had directed that the mediation proceedings should be conducted with utmost confidentiality for ensuring its success and the views expressed by any of the parties including the mediators should be kept confidential and not be revealed to any other person.

It had also directed that mediation proceedings be held on-camera as per the norms applicable to conduct mediation proceedings.

Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On December 6, 1992, the Babri Masjid, constructed at the disputed site in the 16th century by Shia Muslim Mir Baqi, was demolished.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court granted the three-member mediator panel time till August 15 to find a solution in the Ayodhya land dispute case. The committee, which submitted its interim report on Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case in a sealed cover to the top court, had sought additional time.

We have received report from the mediation committee and additional time has been sought, said the top court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, adding, Chairperson of the committee has requested for additional time till August 15. We will allow the request. The bench also comprises of Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazir.

The SC on March 8 had constituted a three-member mediation committee to explore possibilities of an amicable settlement to the land dispute after noting the lack of consensus between the parties in the matter. The panel is headed by retired top court judge Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla, and comprises of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior Madras High Court advocate Sriram Panchu.

The bench had asked the panel to complete the mediation process in eight weeks. The committee's report was received on May 7, said the top court.

Fourteen appeals have been filed in the SC against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On March 6, the bench had reserved its order on the mediation issue, saying it was "looking at hearts, minds and healing if possible", and that a "negotiated settlement" was the "best way to restore peace".
NEW DELHI: In a major victory for farmers in Gujarat, American food and beverages giant PepsiCo India on Friday withdrew all cases filed against them.

PepsiCo India had earlier filed cases against the farmers in Gujarat accusing them of growing a special variety of potato for which the food and beverages giant claimed to have secured exclusive rights.

''PepsiCo has today unconditionally withdrawn the cases against farmers of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Aravalli districts. This is a victory of the farmers,'' Anand Yagnik, the lawyer of farmers, told news agency ANI.

Anand Yagnik, Lawyer of farmers: PepsiCo has today unconditionally withdrawn the case against farmers of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Aravalli districts. This is a victory of the farmers. pic.twitter.com/NXq87GvSR0  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

Live TV

However, the farmers' groups are still not happy with PepsiCo India withdrawing all cases against them and they are of the opinion that the ball is now in the government's court, which needs to do more to safeguard the rights of the Indian crop growers.

Reacting to the development, farmers' rights groups said that while PepsiCo India was ''taught a lesson'', it is now the "responsibility of the government to pro-actively take up measures to uphold farmers' rights".

The farmers' rights groups have also demanded an apology from PepsiCo India and Rs 1 compensation for all those farmers against whom legal lawsuits were filed.

They have threatened to further drag the case in the court if the company fails to tender an unconditional apology.

The farmers' groups have said that they were deeply hurt by the lawsuits filed against them by the US food and beverages giant and they want their dignity to be restored.

They have alleged that the farmers were labelled as ''thieves'' and samples were illegally taken from their fields by the PepsiCo India officials.

PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd had sought and obtained an early hearing in its cases against four Gujarat potato farmers in a Court of Ahmedabad and five farmers in district court of Modasa in North Gujarat.

However, the company on Friday said that it has withdrawn all legal suits against the farmers.

It may be recalled that the hundreds of farmers in Gujarat had launched a massive protest against the US food and beverages giant PepsiCo after it sued nine farmers in the state for allegedly illegally growing and selling a kind of potato exclusively registered by the company.

PepsiCo claimed that since it has sole rights to grow the particular variety of tubers for the manufacture of its popular 'Lay's brand of chips', the accused farmers can't grow the same.
A Georgian heavy cargo plane coming from Pakistani Air space on Friday was forced to land at Jaipur airport in Rajasthan after it violated air route rules. The plane, identified as Antonov An-12, after getting airborne for Delhi from Pakistan's Karachi deviated from it's scheduled flight path. The aircraft then entered the Indian air space from an unscheduled point in north Gujarat 3.15 pm with its IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) on.

Live TV

The aircraft did not follow the authorised Air Traffic Services (ATS) route and was not responding to radio calls from Indian agencies. Since ATS routes in the area were closed due to the current geopolitical situation, and the aircraft entered Indian air space from an unscheduled point, the Air Defence interceptor on operational readiness was scrambled and vectored towards the aircraft for investigation. The aircraft was successfully intercepted by highly alert defence IAF jets and forced to land at Jaipur airfield.

The aircraft neither responded on international distress frequency nor to visual signals during interception. However, when challenged, the aircraft responded and informed that it was a non-scheduled An-12 aircraft that had got airborne from Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi. The plane was flying at twenty-seven thousand feet.

The flight was scheduled but the route was wrong. The pilot is being questioned and the plane scanned. The police officials arrived at the airport and the CISF officials questioned. The plane was escorted by two Sukhoi fighters.

The aircraft was shadowed and forced to land at Jaipur for necessary investigation.
India's second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 is all set to be launched in July 2019, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a tweet. This comes 10 years after the space agency launched its first lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 in 2009.

"Take a look at the challenging #Chandrayaan2 mission, a sequel to the successful #Chandrayaan1. Stay tuned for more updates," tweeted ISRO.

We are ready for one of the most exciting missions, #Chandrayaan2. Launch window between July 9-16 & likely Moon-landing on Sept 6, 2019. #GSLVMKIII will carry 3 modules of this #lunarmission - Orbiter, Lander (Vikram), Rover (Pragyan), tweeted ISRO earlier.

#ISROMissions We are ready for one of the most exciting missions, #Chandrayaan2. Launch window between July 9-16 & likely Moon-landing on Sept 6, 2019. #GSLVMKIII will carry 3 modules of this #lunarmission - Orbiter, Lander (Vikram), Rover (Pragyan). More updates soon.  ISRO (@isro) May 1, 2019

The rover will roll out several scientific experiments including find water on the lunar surface and special minerals. The spacecraft will carry 11 payloads  six from India, three from Europe, two from USA. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV MKIII), which will be carrying house the moon lander, weighs 3.8 tonnes.

"The launch window is from July 9 to July 16 with an expected Moon landing on September 6," the ISRO had said in a previous update. The Orbiter and Lander modules will be interfaced mechanically and stacked together as an integrated module and accommodated inside the GSLV MK-III launch vehicle. The Rover is housed inside the Lander, it said in a statement. The integrated module will reach the moon orbit using Orbiter propulsion module after its launch into earthbound orbit by GSLV MK-III.

Following the failure of Israel's Beresheet spacecraft crashed during moon landing on April 11, ISRO has been overly cautious about Chandrayaan-2, its first mission to land on any celestial body. Earlier, it was scheduled for launch in between January-February 2019 but ISRO later deferred it to March-April.
New Delhi: In a big blow to the narcotics industry, Jammu and Kashmir police seized at least 30 kg of heroin from a hotel in Ramban during a raid.

"A bag was recovered from a hotel room during a checking, in which heroin was found. A case has been registered," Anita Sharma, SSP Ramban told news agency ANI.

Jammu & Kashmir: Police seize 30 kg heroin from a hotel in Ramban. Anita Sharma, SSP Ramban says, "A bag was recovered from a hotel room during checking, in which heroin was found. Case has been registered." (9.5.19) pic.twitter.com/9khcicfj1V  ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2019

Acting on reliable information regarding some illegal activity taking place near Banihal railway station, a police team led by SDPO Banihal, Sajjad Sarwa, rushed to the railway station site and started checking the parked vehicles and adjoining hotels.

'Nakas' were laid on all the link roads connecting the railway station as well as on the national highway.

During a search at Ramban's Hotel Chinar, the police team found an unattended bag lying inside one of the rooms, carrying 30 packets of heroin of equal size and quantity.

The police registered an FIR at Banihal Police Station under sections of 8, 21 and 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 Act.
New Delhi: A terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir during wee hours on Friday.

Following the encounter, police cordoned off the entire area and launched a search operation. One rifle and ammunition were recovered from his possession.

The slain militant has been identified as Ishfaq Sofi alias Abdullah Bhai and was reportedly linked to the Islamic State faction of Jammu and Kashmir. He hailed from Sopore area of Baramulla district. IANS quoted a police officer saying that Sofi had joined the militant ranks in 2015. A report said that Sofi was the lone commander of ISJK group active in Jammu and Kashmir.

As a precautionary measure, authorities have closed all educational institutions in Sopore on Friday.

Live TV

The development comes two days after unidentified gunmen on Wednesday shot and injured two people in the Zanapora area of Shopian. The injured were identified as Irfan Ahmad Lone, 28, son of Abdul Hameed Lone of Zainapora and Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, 30, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Zainapora. They were affiliated with the People's Democratic Party.

According to reports, the gunmen had abducted the PDP workers from a chemist shop in the Zanapora area of Shopian and later shot at them.

Earlier on May 5, three terrorists were killed after a brief exchange of fire with security forces in Shopian. Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the Adkhara area of Imam Sahib in the Shopian district following information about the presence of militants. Weapons and warlike stores were recovered from the possession of the terrorists.

The Indian Army has gunned down 41 terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir since Pulwama attack which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, said Indian Army Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon on Wednesday. Out of those killed, 25 terrorists belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammed and 13 of them were Pakistanis.
A SpiceJet flight on Friday, scheduled to depart from Bengaluru airport in Karnataka, was delayed by more than six hours. The aircraft carrying 180 passengers was slated to take off at 2 pm. The passengers are yet to get any satisfactory reply from the authorities

Live TV

The flight, SG 768, was scheduled to travel from Bengaluru to Patna in Bihar. While the display board shows Scheduled Time of Departure (STD) as 14.30 IST, the Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) has been updated to 21.30 IST.
NEW DELHI: Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda Thursday tried to brush off the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, sparking an intense row. "What is with 1984? Talk about what happened in five years. It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 hua toh hua)," said Pitroda while responding to Bharatiya Janata Party's tweet on Nanavati Commission that probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The BJP had tweeted, Its on record of Nanavati Commission that probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the biggest genocide of India in which the government killed its own citizens, that instructions to kill came directly from the then PM Rajiv Gandhis office. The country awaits justice for this karma.

Its on record of Nanavati Commission that probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the biggest genocide of India in which the government killed its own citizens, that instructions to kill came directly from the then PM Rajiv Gandhis office. The country awaits justice for this karma. pic.twitter.com/UouJo7Pq75  BJP (@BJP4India) May 9, 2019

Pritoda also refuted accusations of the Gandhi family using INS Viraat for their vacation saying, "It's a lie. Absolute lie. I'm sure responsible people in the military, Army, Navy will tell you the facts," he said. Senior BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Arun Jaitley had accused late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi of misusing India's Naval assets for personal vacations with family and in-laws.

Several leaders from BJP and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal lashed out at Pitroda for his statements on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, demanding an apology.

Agony of the entire Sikh community. Suffering of all those Sikh families killed by Congress leaders in 1984. Attack on Delhis secular ethos. All Summed up in these three words by Sam Pitroda - Hua To Hua. India will never forgive #MurdererCongress for its sins, tweeted BJP president Amit Shah.

Agony of the entire Sikh community. Suffering of all those Sikh families killed by Congress leaders in 1984. Attack on Delhis secular ethos. All Summed up in these three words by Sam Pitroda - Hua To Hua. India will never forgive #MurdererCongress for its sins. pic.twitter.com/ouYXeHJHlf  Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 9, 2019

Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi must apologise for Sam Pitrodas irresponsible statement that the 1984 Sikh genocide happened, so what (hua to hua) #MurdererCongress, said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi must apologise for Sam Pitrodas irresponsible statement that the 1984 Sikh genocide happened, so what (hua to hua) #MurdererCongress  Chowkidar Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) May 9, 2019

Union minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal also hit out at Pitroda over the comment. #Gandhi family's blue-eyed boy and Rajiv crony #SamPitroda has admitted his boss orchestrated the #1984SikhsGenocide with his statement justifying the anti-human act by saying so what it happened. Its a painful day for the #Sikh community. Gandhi family still unrepentant, she tweeted.

#Gandhi family's blue-eyed boy and Rajiv crony #SamPitroda has admitted his boss orchestrated the #1984SikhsGenocide with his statement justifying the anti-human act by saying so what it happened. Its a painful day for the #Sikh community. Gandhi family still unrepentant.  Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) May 9, 2019

@RahulGandhi's advisor @sampitroda cruelly mocked Sikh sentiments by saying the 1984 riots are a thing of the past. This proves beyond doubt that it was #RajivGandhi who ordered the massacre. Can @INCIndia still claim to be secular? questioned SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

.@RahulGandhi's advisor @sampitroda cruelly mocked Sikh sentiments by saying the 1984 riots are a thing of the past. This proves beyond doubt that it was #RajivGandhi who ordered the massacre. Can @INCIndia still claim to be secular?  Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) May 9, 2019

I wonder if @capt_amarinder would like to stick with the @INCIndia after @sampitroda's disgraceful comment on the #1984SikhGenocide. This is a chance for Amarinder to quit honourably before he faces a poll debacle.  Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) May 9, 2019

I wonder if @capt_amarinder would like to stick with the @INCIndia after @sampitroda's disgraceful comment on the #1984SikhGenocide. This is a chance for Amarinder to quit honourably before he faces a poll debacle, he added.
Congress leader Sam Pitroda had visited the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, in Amritsar on Wednesday (May 8), a day before is his 'hua toh hua' remark on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots which has led to a massive controversy. Pitroda visited the Golden Temple with his family and friends and tweeted the photos saying it was a "lifetime experience."

"Blessings at Golden Temple on May 8" and "Visit to Golden Temple was a divine lifetime experience and learning on the history of this great religion," read the captions of his two tweets.

Blessings at Golden temple on May 8th 2019. pic.twitter.com/rZFGcpmpUz  Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) May 10, 2019

Visit to Golden Temple was a divine life time experience and learning on the history of this great religion. pic.twitter.com/oEKW2cBbzS  Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) May 10, 2019

His Twitter posts are being seen as "damage control" for his controversial remark which he made on Thursday while responding to Bharatiya Janata Party's tweet on Nanavati Commission that probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Pitroda, who heads the Indian Overseas Congress had tried to brush off the BJP's suggestion that the riots took place on the orders of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and said, "What is with 1984? Talk about what happened in five years. It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 - hua toh hua)."

Soon, the BJP and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal lashed out at Pitroda for his statements and demanded an apology.

Agony of the entire Sikh community. The suffering of all those Sikh families killed by Congress leaders in 1984. Attack on Delhis secular ethos. All Summed up in these three words by Sam Pitroda - Hua To Hua. India will never forgive #MurdererCongress for its sins, tweeted BJP president Amit Shah.

Agony of the entire Sikh community. Suffering of all those Sikh families killed by Congress leaders in 1984. Attack on Delhis secular ethos. All Summed up in these three words by Sam Pitroda - Hua To Hua. India will never forgive #MurdererCongress for its sins. pic.twitter.com/ouYXeHJHlf  Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 9, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, while addressing a rally in Rohtak on Friday said that the remark reflects the "arrogance" of the Congress.

"Congress, which ruled for a maximum period, has been insensitive and that is reflected by the three words spoken yesterday...These words have not been spoken just like that, these words are character and mentality and intentions of the Congress," he said.

Live TV

"And which were these words, these were 'hua to hua'," PM Modi added.

Pitroda, however, claims that "truth is being distorted" and tweeted: "Truth is being distorted, lies are being amplified through social media and targeted People are systematically being intimidated. However, the truth will always prevail and lies will be exposed. It is just a matter of time. Have patience."
NEW DELHI: Expressing confidence that the BJP will better its 2014 Lok Sabha tally, its president Amit Shah predicted that the saffron party will win over 55 new seats, propelled by its focus on national security and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal across the country.

Shah also scorned Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for their criticism of PM Modi for attacking their father late Rajiv Gandhi, asserting that "they cannot run away from their past however much they try".

In an interview to PTI, Shah talked about various aspects of the high-stakes election, where a fragmented opposition is taking on the BJP-led NDA, which hopes to retain power, riding on its nationalism and development planks.

Live TV

The BJP had swept the 2014 Lok Sabha polls by winning 282 of 543 Lok Sabha seats.

Asserting that the BJP will get a majority on its own, 54-year-old Shah said he has succeeded in his plan to expand the BJP's base across coastal and eastern states, where it has been traditionally weak.

The party will win more than 23 seats in West Bengal and 13-15 seats in Odisha, he added. The BJP had won two and one seats in these two states respectively in 2014.

After taking over as BJP chief, Shah had also identified 120 seats spread across the country as ''potentially winnable''. The party had lost them in 2014.

"The BJP will win more than 55 of those constituencies," he added.

Asked if the BJP will be able to repeat 2014 feat when it had swept north and west India, he said some seats may go this way or that way but his party will get an overall majority.

With top Congress leaders slamming PM Modi for his sharp attack on Rajiv Gandhi, Shah questioned, "why he or Jawaharlal Nehru cannot be criticised simply because they are from the Gandhi family."

"Did the Bofors scam not happen under him (Rajiv Gandhi)? Did not the Bhopal gas tragedy accused escape when he was in power? Why should there not be a debate over these issues? Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra cannot run away from their past however much they try," he said.

PM Modi had dubbed the late prime minister as "bhrashtachari no 1", drawing ire of several top Congress leaders as well as other opposition parties.

The BJP president also mocked Rahul Gandhi over his claim that PM Modi should pack his bags, and said let May 23 come and "we will see who gets to pack his bags". The counting of votes for the seven-phase general elections, which will end on May 19, will be on May 23.

With national security being the central theme of the BJP's campaign, Shah said nationalism has been his party's inspiration since its inception.

He claimed that people were feeling safe and proud under PM Modi's leadership following surgical strikes and Balakot air strikes in Pakistan which, he added, has been waging a proxy war against India since 1990 through terrorism but India was "a little soft" in dealing with it.

"After 2014 surgical strikes and air strikes, people now feel safe and proud. They stand with the Modi government like a rock on this issue," he said.

Asked how much the national security issue is helping the BJP in the polls, he said it is benefitting his party and added that it is for political pundits to evaluate its real impact.

"For the BJP, nationalism, national security is not a matter of electoral loss and win but an issue of belief," Shah said.

He rejected the opposition's criticism that the BJP is politicising the valour of armed forces, saying his party has put before people the work of his government.

The Modi government took the decision and the armed forces carried out the action, he said.

To a question, if the BJP is looking at regional satraps like KC Rao and Naveen Patnaik, chief minister of Telangana and Odisha respectively, as potential allies after polls, Shah said they are welcome to join the ruling National Democratic Alliance but asserted that the saffron party will get a majority on its own.

With five phases of the general election over, he also reiterated his claim that the BJP will win more than 73 seats of the 80 in Uttar Pradesh it had won in 2014 along with its ally Apna Dal and not less.

Asked about the strong social arithmetic in the favour of Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in the largest state, Shah shot back, "You people look at arithmetic. I look at people's sentiments and they are with PM Modi."

To a question as to what issue was resonating most among the public, he said issues are different in different parts of the country but people everywhere are voting in the name of PM Modi.

Over 50 crore people believe that for the first time they have a prime minister who thinks about them and have improved their lives, he said.

They also feel that PM Modi has secured the country and ensured that its economy remained the fastest growing for five consecutive years, he said.

For the first time in three decades, Shah said, the price rise is not an issue in the opposition's campaign and that is a credit to the Modi government as it has kept inflation under control.
A day after Overseas Congress' head Sam Pitroda made a distasteful remark on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims, the Congress party on Friday distanced itself from the comment, warning its leaders to be "careful and sensitive" about the remarks they make. Pitroda is a close aide of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

Earlier on Thursday, Pitroda had brushed off the 1984 riots saying "happened in 1984, so what". Pitroda had said, "What about 1984? It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 ko hua toh hua. Ab kya hai 1984 ka? 1984 mein hua to hua)."

Live TV

In a statement released by the party, it asserted that it supports "justice and stern punishment for those found guilty", adding that "any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of the Congress party".

"Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Shri Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of the Congress party. We advise all leaders to be careful and sensitive," read the statement.

"Violence and riots are unacceptable and unpardonable in our society. Indian National Congress and its leadership have strived to ensure justice for 1984 riot victims. We continue to support the quest for justice and stern punishment for those found guilty in 1984 riots," further read the

statement.

"We abhor violence of any kind, against any person or a group of people based on their caste, colour, region or religion. This is the essence of India," added the statement.

The anti-Sikh riots took place after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. According to news agency ANI, citing official records, about 2,800 Sikhs were killed across India, including 2,100 in Delhi.
Kanthi/East Midnapore: While claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party will win all of West Bengal`s 42 Lok Sabha seats, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the pro-BJP wave has left Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee 'very tense'.

''Didi (sister, as Banerjee is called) is so tense due to the BJP wave that she doesn`t even pick up the phone of the Prime Minister. The whole country can sense that the BJP wave is spreading across Bengal and here the party will unfurl the victory flag in every Lok Sabha seat,'' Singh said at a rally in Kanthi that goes to the hustings on May 12 in the sixth phase of the polls.

Reminding the people how Mamata Banerjee had promised that if she becomes the Chief Minister, she will look after the security of 'Ma Maati Manush', he said, ''But I can see that none of the three is secure.''

HM Rajnath Singh in Mathurapur,WB: Bangal ki khaadi se BJP ka aisa tufaan utha hai ke hamari Mamata didi ghabra gayi hain. Aur itna zyada ghabra gayi ki, jab yahan pe #Fani tufaan aata hai aur humara PM baar baar unko telephone karte hain tabhi unka telephone nahi uthati hain. pic.twitter.com/Emf2sfdJW1  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

Live TV

Referring to Mamata Banerjee saying that she was being abused verbally when someone chanted 'Jai Shri Ram', the Home Minister said, ''Is there so much hatred towards the name of Lord Ram? People can say `Jai Shri Ram`, Jai Ma Kali or Jai Ma Durga`. The situation is so weird that the names of the deities seem to be abusive here.''

A video circulated on social media on May 4 showed the Chief Minister stepping out off her vehicle to confront a group of people chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', while on her way to a public rally in Ghatal.

Upon seeing Banerjee`s convoy stop, the people started fleeing but she dared them to come back and alleged some of them were using abusive language against her.

Terming Bengal is the land of eminent leaders who devoted their whole lives for the country, Rajnath Singh said, ''In this land, the Chief Minister is speaking in a way that is beyond the understanding of country`s citizens.''

Appealing to the people to be courageous while voting for the BJP, he said there is no need to worry.
MUMBAI: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra paid a visit to a famous temple in Mumbai on Friday where he was greeted with 'Modi, Modi' chants.

According to reports, Robert Vadra, who is under scanner over his alleged business dealings, offered prayers at the famous Mumbadevi Temple in Mumbai.

As soon as he arrived at the temple, a group of BJP supporters gathered outside the temple and started shouting, "Modi, Modi, Modi", "Modi Zindabad", "Bharat Mata Ki Jai."

Some even tried to heckle him, but Vadra was duly escorted to safety by the policemen on duty.

Live TV

Vadra, who is the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, was accorded tight police security and was escorted both inside and outside the temple during his short visit.

"I have come here only to seek the blessings of the Goddess. I don`t want any politics in the temple," Vadra later told the reporters waiting outside the temple.

In a Facebook post earlier on Friday, Vadra had lamented that "politics was at an all-time low."

"Politics at an all-time low. Desperate measures are visible. Hitting out at an assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to mislead the people of India," his post said.

"We the family will strive for his vision and the people of India will fight for his dignity and respect. It`s only time for a respectful change in our country," it added.
NEW DELHI: Under severe attack from the BJP and various Sikh bodies, Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday apologised for his controversial remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Pitroda, who heads the overseas wing of the Congress party, said that his statement was ''misrepresented and taken out of context''.

''The statement I made was completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi isn't good, what I meant was 'jo hua vo bura hua.' I couldn't translate 'bura' in my mind,'' Pitroda said.

''What I meant was move on. We have other issues to discuss as to what BJP government promised and what it delivered. I feel sorry that my remark was misrepresented, I apologise. This has been blown out of proportion,'' he added.

Sam Pitroda, Congress: What I meant was move on. We have other issues to discuss as to what BJP govt did and what it delivered. I feel sorry that my remark was misrepresented, I apologise. This has been blown out of proportion. https://t.co/PV5Im5hzce  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

Live TV

Pitroda's apology on 1984 riots case came shortly after the Congress party completely distanced itself from the controversy and said that it was his ''personal opinion''.

The Congress party also issued a statement in which it warned its leaders to be "careful and sensitive" about the remarks they make.

It may be recalled that Pitroda is believed to be very close to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

The party asserted that it supports "justice and stern punishment for those found guilty", adding that "any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of the Congress party".

"Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Shri Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of the Congress party. We advise all leaders to be careful and sensitive," the statement said.

"Violence and riots are unacceptable and unpardonable in our society. Indian National Congress and its leadership have strived to ensure justice for 1984 riot victims. We continue to support the quest for justice and stern punishment for those found guilty in the 1984 riots," it further said.

"We abhor violence of any kind, against any person or a group of people based on their caste, colour, region or religion. This is the essence of India," added the statement.

The anti-Sikh riots took place after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. According to news agency ANI, citing official records, about 2,800 Sikhs were killed across India, including 2,100 in Delhi.
The West Bengal State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Friday ordered the arrest of BJP candidate from Diamond Harbour constituency, Nilanjan Roy, within 24 hrs for allegedly molesting a minor girl. The polling in the Diamond Harbour constituency is scheduled to take place on May 19.

In a statement issued, the WBCPCR said, Taking cognizance following a complaint received by the commission in a POCSO case where the BJP candidate from the Diamond Harbour constituency in the ongoing Lok Sabha election, has been allegedly accused of sexually assaulting and outraging the modesty of a minor girl of 17 years under Falta police station, South 24 Parganas. The accused is yet to be arrested.

Live TV

The Commission further directed the Chief Electoral Officer, to take the necessary action as per rules within 24 hours and also directed the police to arrest the alleged accused immediately under the POCSO Act, 2012.

The incident came to light when the Shiv Sena candidate, Santosh Kumar from the same constituency wrote to the WBCPCR seeking immediate action against the alleged accused.

In his letter to the commission, Kumar stated, The father was asked to wait outside when the minor girl was made to meet Roy to discuss the issue that had transpired earlier with other BJP supporters. Upon meeting him, it appears that instead of helping the minor girl, Roy carried out a sexual assault and harassed the minor the girl.

The BJP candidate Roy, could not be reached for a comment over the phone.

Meanwhile, a complaint has been filed by the father of the minor girl at Falta police station. The charges under sections 354 Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 8 and 12 of the POCSO Act, 2012 have been slapped against Roy.
NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that his party will support anyone who promises statehood for Delhi except the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah-powered BJP.

The AAP convener also accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of playing spoilsport and helping the BJP in the national elections.

He alleged that Rahul Gandhi will be responsible if BJP seizes power once again.

The AAP chief made these remark while talking to news agency PTI.

Live TV

The Delhi Chief Minister alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "totally failed" in delivering anything in any of the key sectors and that is why he has been resorting to "fake nationalism".

"Modi ji's nationalism is fake. It dangerous for the country," Kejriwal said.

"He is using the armed forces to get votes as he does not have any work to show," he alleged.

The AAP national convenor, who along with Anna Hazare led a massive anti-graft agitation against UPA II between 2011 and 2013, said Manmohan Singh as prime minister was a thousand times better than Modi.

Kejriwal also exuded confidence that the BJP is not going to retain power for the second time in a row.

"Our only aim is to stop Modi and Shah from coming back to power. We will support anyone other than the duo," he added.

The AAP chief came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi and accused him of harming the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, the Left in Kerala, the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the Aam Aadmi Party in the national capital.

"Congress is harming SP-BSP alliance in UP, Left in Kerala, TMC in West Bengal, TDP in Andhra and AAP in Delhi. If Narendra Modi comes back to power, Rahul Gandhi will only be responsible," Kejriwal said.

The AAP national convenor made these sharp observations two days ahead of polling in Delhi, which is witnessing a three-cornered contest as talks for an alliance between the Congress and the AAP did not fructify.

"It is appearing as if the Congress is fighting the polls against opposition parties and not against the BJP. The Congress is acting as a spoilsport," he added.

Kejriwal appeared confident that his party will perform well in the national capital.

"A month back, I thought it will be a fierce fight. But the situation changed dramatically in the last 10 days. I am witnessing a situation similar to the atmosphere when we got 67 seats in 2015. I will not be surprised if we get all seven seats," he said.

Kejriwal said the BJP is seeking votes in the name of PM Modi but the AAP is banking on its work in the fields of education, health and water supply and lower electricity tariff.

"Modi ji cannot say I made schools, hospitals, brought down electricity tariff, ensured supply of drinking water. He failed in every sector. He has not delivered anything," the Delhi CM alleged.

On the issue of pamphlet war between his party candidate Atishi and BJP's Gautam Gambhir, he said Atishi is a highly educated and an accomplished woman.

''Her work has been great in the field of education which is being discussed worldwide. I don't understand why BJP can't tolerate achievements made by women,'' Kejriwal said.

''This is the mentality of BJP, even today, BJP leaders are saying the same things that were written in the pamphlet. They have filed defamation case against us after defaming us. We are sending defamation notice to Gautam Gambhir today. We will not leave this matter,'' he added.
Palghar: At least six people died and two others were seriously injured in a road accident on Friday evening on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway in Maharashtra's Palghar.

According to police, the mishap took place around 4:30 PM near Amboli village in Kasa police station limits in the district's Dahanu tehsil.

"Two cars and a motorcycle collided leaving six persons dead and two injured," a senior police official was quoted as saying by PTI.

Live TV

Two people, who sustained serious injuries, were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, the dead bodies have been sent for post-mortem.

''More details about the incident and the victims are being collected," Palghar Police PRO, Hemant Katkar, said.
Mumbai: It's been a year since actor Angad Bedi and Neha Dhupia got married. Angad took to social media on his anniversary on Friday to thank his wife and actress Neha for accepting him with all the imperfections.

Angad tweeted a video from their intimate wedding last year and captioned it: "Happy anniversary my gorgeous loved one. Neha Dhupia, thank you for accepting me with all my imperfections. I'll get there."

The "Tumhari Sulu" actress replied to Angad, saying: "You are perfect my love... even more so 'cause you have tolerated me for a year and have promised a lifetime."

The two are currently enjoying their anniversary in Mauritius.

Neha posted the same video and called it the "most special throwback" of her life.

The couple got married last year in an Anand Karaj ceremony attended by close family and friends in a Gurudwara in south Delhi.

Angad and Neha welcomed their first born, a daughter, last November.
Mumbai: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is currently busy with an erratic work schedule, says creative diversions should never rest.

The cine icon on Thursday took to Twitter to share an update about his work schedule.

"Back from work. Three different shoots. Two different photo-shoots and one prosthetic make-up test. All in a day. Creative diversion, never rests -- and should never."

The 76-year-old actor, who has sported prosthetics for films like "Paa" and "102 Not Out", described it as a "long and laborious" process on his blog.

"They are for the next film with Shoojit Sircar," said the actor, without divulging further details.

Amitabh will also be seen with actor Emraan Hashmi in a psychological thriller, which will be directed by Rumi Jaffrey.

"From tomorrow the one with Rumi Jafry -- a commitment made years and years ago. A gesture to give credence to a word given and made and as soon as that ends in July."

He will also be seen in the fantasy adventure movie "Brahmastra". It also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.
Mumbai: Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has teased a twist in the story of "Sacred Games" in its second season with his new look.

On Friday, the actor shared an image showing his new avatar on Twitter.

Nawazuddin, who essays the role of crime lord Ganesh Gaitonde in the Netflix series, is seen looking smart in a dark check suit with a red tie, as he looks right into the lens of the camera with intensity. One can also see mandala design in the backdrop.

"Pichli baar kya bola tha Ganesh bhai ko? Aukaaat! (What did you say to Ganesh bhai last time? Standard?)," he wrote, along with hashtag Ganesh Gaitonde 2.0.

In the first season, Gaitonde was mostly seen in kurta-pajamas or shirt and pant. The new image hints at his rise in the second season as the show follows his story after his death in the first episode of the first season.

The other posters feature Saif Ali Khan as inspector Sartaj Singh with a bandaged hand as his thumb was chopped off by Luke Kenny's character Malcolm Mourad in the last season.

Based on author Vikram Chandra's best-selling novel, the first season of the series received viewer appreciation and critical acclaim worldwide for its gritty plot and power-packed performances.

The series tells the tale of Sartaj, a seasoned and cynical Mumbai police officer who is summoned one morning by an anonymous tip which promises him an opportunity to capture the powerful Gaitonde.

Season 2 will be back with a new trail of betrayal, crime, passion and a thrilling chase through Mumbai's underbelly.

The second season picks up from Sartaj pursuing his relentless battle of saving the city and Gaitonde facing bigger challenges to retain his position as the legendary kingpin of Mumbai.

The intriguing Guruji (actor Pankaj Tripathi), introduced in season one as Gaitonde's 'third father', plays a pivotal role in unfolding a chain of events. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and Neeraj Ghaywan have directed the new season.
New Delhi: The Alwar gang-rape case will be probed by a Rajasthan government officer in the rank of Divisional Commissioner, an official said here on Friday.

The state government has decided to appoint Jaipur Divisional Commissioner K.C. Verma as the Investigation Officer (IO) in this case. He is required to submit a final report to the Home Department in the next 10 days, said the order signed by the Department Deputy Secretary Ravi Sharma.

As per the order, the report shall look into the negligence of police officials in discharging their duty in the case.

Meanwhile, the Alwar Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Govind Gupta said in a press conference on Friday that action will be taken against derelict officials after looking into the primary investigation report.

He also denied any kind of political influence behind the alleged delayed action by police in the case.

Police officials confirmed that discussions are on to see if a case can be registered against derelict police officials under Section 166 A (C) in case primary investigations prove the culpability of the concerned Superintendent of Police (SP), Station House Officer (SHO) and five other policemen.

Under this section, a police official can be booked if he or she fails to register a complaint on time, and can be sent behind bars for two years.

Following protests by the BJP, the matter has reached Congress President Rahul Gandhi who has sent Congress Scheduled Caste (SC) Department President Nitin Raut to Alwar to look into the issue. Raut will meet the victim and her family on Friday and then send a report to the Congress President.

Meanwhile, the Bhim Sena is staging a protest in Jaipur on Friday to demand strict action against the accused.

On Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protests demanding a CBI probe into the delayed action by police in the gangrape case and strict action against the accused.

Police on Thursday arrested all six accused, including Chhotelal, Hansraj, Mahesh, Ashok, Inderraj and Mukesh and assured they would be produced in court at the earliest to ensure the toughest punishments.

Soon after reports of police inaction in the matter, Alwar SP Rajeev Pachar was placed under Awaited Posting Orders (APO) status, while police station in-charge Sardar Singh was suspended.

Disciplinary action has also been taken against Assistant Sub-Inspectors Roopnarayan, Ramratan, Mahesh Kumar and Rajendra of Thanagazi police station.
Actor Dhanush K Raja, who made his own mark with his finesse performances and acting skills, has successfully completed 17 years in the film industry and says he is thankful to all his fans for all the support and love they have been rendering to him.

From Kollywood to Bollywood, and then Hollwyood, the actor has crossed the oceans and has impressed his fans time and again. He has proved what he is without any godfather in the industry and is now, the son-in-law of superstar Rajinikanth.

On the big day, Dhanush took to Twitter to share his feelings with his fans. Addressing them as My dear friends, Dhanush wrote, Thulluvadho Ilamai released on May 10, 2002, the day that would change my life forever. Has it really been 17 years? (sic)

He added that his career has been a roller coaster ride and that he is filled with the deepest sense of gratitude for the faith of his fans in him. He also wrote, I am not a perfect person, but your unconditional faith drives me to push myself harder.  (sic)

Also, the talented actor expressed his excitement on his fans wishing him on social media using different posters and videos.

He also added to the same note, Seeing the poster designs and videos wishing me on my 17 years has filled me with lot of encouragement and positivity. Lets always spread love, only love, and create a world where more of us dare to dream. (sic)

Dhanush will next be seen in Enai Noki Paayum Thota and Asuran, which are slated for release very soon.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested accused Mohammed Faruk in Trichy district, Tamil Nadu, in connection with the Ramalingam murder case. He will be produced before the special NIA Court in Chennai on Saturday. Faruk was summoned and interviewed and simultaneously search was also conducted at his residence on Thursday during which some digital evidence were seized.

Live TV

48-year-old Faruk, a resident of Therkutheru village in the district, and other accused had hatched a criminal conspiracy for committing a terrorist act pursuant to which they chopped off the hands of Ramalingam. He later succumbed to injuries on February 6. The Tamil Nadu Police had earlier arrested 10 accused in this case and six others are still absconding.

Ramalingam was a 42-year-old resident of Thanjavur district.

A case was registered at Thiruvidaimarudur police station in the district under section 341, 294(b) and 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) February 6. Later the case was taken over by the NIA. The NIA had already carried searches at 20 locations including the houses of accused persons in May and several incriminating materials had been seized.
The photo shows historical documents donated by the Needham Research Institute at Cambridge University to Zhejiang University. (Photo from Zhejiang University)

Mutual learning among civilizations benefits both China and the world, said Alistair Michie, Secretary General of the British East Asia Council in a recent interview with Peoples Daily.

Visiting China for times in the past three decades, Michie has left his footprints in 28 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities.

In 2012, he became the first British national to be invited to a seminar with foreign experts held by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. In the following year, he was granted the Chinese Government Friendship Award.

Michie will soon visit China again for the upcoming Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) which he said is a significant platform.

The conference was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 2015 Boao Forum for Asia. In his keynote speech, the Chinese President remarked that we should see the whole picture, follow the trend of the times, and jointly build a regional order that is more favorable to Asia and the world. We should, through efforts towards such a community for Asia, promote a community of common interest for all mankind.

Keen on Chinese culture and history, Michie has been trying to figure out the reasons behind Chinas rapid economic growth.

At the turn of the last century, he vigorously promoted cooperation between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Needham Research Institute at Cambridge University, as a result of which a documentary named the Dragons Ascent co-produced by the two organizations captured broad attention after being aired by the BBC.

The cooperation also deepened Michies understanding of China.

Needham Research Institute at Cambridge University donates historical documents to Zhejiang University, including letters exchanged between Joseph Needham and Zhu Kezhen, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo from Zhejiang University)

Joseph Needhams volumes of Science and Civilization in China have totally changed the secretary generals perception of civilization.

He introduced that he was stunned by a line in the book which goes no country in the world has done as much in scale and size in civil engineering  but very little of this long history is known to the world.

Thats why Michie believes that the CDAC will contribute to the inheritance and promotion of Asian and global civilizations and build a platform for mutual learning and common development for civilizations.

He said reform and opening up has brought impressive changes in China, but there were still many people in Europe who know little of Chinas astounding changes over the past 40 years.

The CDAC will offer a great opportunity to create fresh thinking and ideas about how to reform communications between Asia, China and Europe, he noted.

Hoping to introduce China to the western world in an all-round manner, Michie partnered with Ron Dennis, the UK Business Ambassador, and other UK business leaders to establish the British East Asia Council, an organization aiming to advance positive relations between China and UK at the highest levels.

Chinas reform and opening up is fueled by innovative thinking and policies, and Michie said he is expecting a round of reform and opening up of the exchange on civilizations that is also inspired by innovative thinking.

He believes that the achievements of the reform and opening up will be continuously recognized in history as one of the greatest ever gifts China gave to the peaceful and sustainable development of the world.

(Alistair Michie is Secretary General of British East Asia Council)
Children of all ages woke up this morning and ran over to see if Santa tasted the cookies they left for him on Christmas Eve.
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.
Photo taken on May 8, 2019 shows containers placed in an orderly manner at a port in Lianyungang, east Chinas Jiangsu Province. Photo by Peoples Daily Online

Chinas foreign trade saw steady development and its structure has been improved in the first four months of this year as the sector seeks high-quality growth.

The countrys foreign trade of goods grew 4.3 percent year on year during this period to 9.51 trillion yuan ($1.41 trillion), customs data showed.

Exports increased by 5.7 percent year on year to 5.06 trillion yuan during this period, while imports went up by 2.9 percent to 4.45 trillion yuan, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said. Trade surplus rose by 31.8 percent to 618.2 billion yuan.

In April, foreign trade of China expanded by 6.5 percent and reached 2.51 trillion yuan. Exports grew by 3.1 percent to 1.3 trillion yuan, while imports jumped by 10.3 percent to 1.21 trillion yuan. Trade surplus stood at 93.57 billion yuan in the month, shrinking by 43.8 percent year on year.

The volume of Chinas general foreign trade grew 6.6 percent to 5.68 trillion yuan in the first four months, accounting for 59.8 percent of foreign trade and up 1.3 percentage points from the same period last year.

The endogenous energy for foreign trade was further released. In the first four months, private enterprises imports and exports increased by 11 percent to 3.9 trillion yuan, accounting for 41 percent of China's total foreign trade and moving up 2.5 percentage points from the same period last year.

The private sector has become a major force boosting foreign trade growth, and is showing stronger willingness to take part in foreign trade.

Chinas foreign trading partners became diverse in the first four months. Trade between China and the European Union (EU), the ASEAN, and Japan all increased. Chinas trade with Belt and Road countries totaled 2.73 trillion yuan, up 9.1 percent year on year. The growth was 4.8 percentage points higher than the overall trade growth in the period, and the trade volume accounted for 28.7 percent of the countrys total foreign trade, up by 1.3 percentage points from a year ago.

The structure of foreign trade was further optimized. In the first four months, exports of mechanical and electrical products increased by 4.5 percent to 2.97 trillion yuan, accounting for 58.6 percent of total exports.

The export value of electromechanical products was 1.33 trillion yuan, an increase by 4.5 percent, and that of mechanical equipment was 890.56 billion yuan, up by 3.9 percent. Imports of crude oil and natural gas increased while that of soybeans dropped. The prices of imported bulky commodities reported both increases and drops.

Li Kuiwen, director of the GACs statistics and analysis department, attributed the steady growth of foreign trade in the January-April period to the stable growth of Chinas economy. The purchase managers index in the manufacturing sector in April was 50.1 percent and is still growing.

The overall health of the market has improved, despite a marginal fall in the growth of supply and demand, and external demand has kept increasing, Li said.

In addition, policies to stabilize foreign trade and foreign investment released since last year took further effects, continuing to create a sound foreign trade environment.

The steady growth of Chinas foreign trade in the first four months is expected to bolster global economic confidence and stabilize global trade, at a time when some international organizations projected slower growth of global economy and trade and some of Chinas surrounding economies experienced a fall in exports for months in a row.

In the first four months, Chinas trade with EU grew by 11.8 percent to 1.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 15.7 percent of the countrys foreign trade. Chinas trade with its second largest trading partner ASEAN increased by 9 percent to 1.28 trillion yuan, accounting for 13.4 percent of the countrys foreign trade. In the period, Chinas exports to the ASEAN grew by 13.4 percent to 714.35 billion yuan and its imports from the latter grew by 3.8 percent to 562.13 billion yuan.

The GAC is taking active measures to reduce the time to prepare for customs clearance. It has also slashed time for customs clearance and reduced burden for enterprises through carrying out pilot customs bonds insurance service nationwide and extending the function to other customs-related procedures such as taxation and guarantee.

The administration has also worked with the Ministry of Transport and the State Administration for Market Regulation to strengthen supervision on the implementation of the port charges list system so as to reduce costs related to imports and exports. Since April, port facility security fees and harbor dues at nationwide ports were cut by 20 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Customs departments across the country are earnestly implementing the national policy of stabilizing employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign capital, investment and expectation, Li introduced.

They are also taking constant efforts to improve port business environment, promote cross-border trade facilitation, consolidating the outcome of customs clearance time reduction, further reducing costs related to imports and exports, slashing the number of certificates needed in imports and exports, improving efficiency and reducing fees in order to deliver more sense of gain to enterprises and ensuring that foreign trade grows steadily and its quality is improved, he added.
Bucks County Recorder of Deeds reflects on her time in office
By By:

Dr. Francis R. Souder, 85, formerly of Telford, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 in the skilled nursing unit of Peter Becker Community, Franconia Township. He and his wife Marion R. (Parker) Souder celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in July.

Born in Souderton, he was a son of the late Elvin B. and Mary (Rittenhouse) Souder.

A 1938 graduate of Souderton High School, he received his undergraduate degree in 1941 from the University of Pennsylvania where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Souder went on to receive his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College in 1944 and completed his internship at Hahnemann Hospital from Oct. 1944  July, 1945.

He served with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps for 30 months in San Diego and Long Beach, Calif. during WW II and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant prior to his discharge. He entered his second tour of duty during the Korean War where he served in Panama City, Fla. as the medical officer for the Panama City Naval Air Station and the Tyndal Air Force Base.

Dr. Souder owned and operated his family practice on Main Street in Telford from 1947-1989. He served on the staff of Grand View Hospital, and as its president, and taught at the Grand View Hospital Nursing School. He was a member of the Pa. Medical Society, the Bucks County Medical Society, Diplomat American Academy of Family Practices, and served on the board of trustees at Grand View Hospital, Sellersville.

He was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Telford, where he sang in the church choir. He was also a member of the MacCalla Lodge #596 in Souderton, the Raja Shrine, and Lehigh Consistory.

In addition to his widow, he is survived by a son, Dr. Ronald L. Souder, and his wife Susan L. of Green Lane; a daughter, Susan J. Souder, and her husband Stephan Russo of New York, N.Y.; five grandchildren: Jennifer A. Souder of Philadelphia; Emily E. Souder of Philadelphia; Kathryn A. Souder of Washington, D.C.; Noah Russo of New York, N.Y., and Rebekah Russo of New York, N.Y., and two brothers: Attorney Elvin B. Souder of Souderton and Dr. Lawrence Souder of Souderton.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. in Trinity United Church of Christ, 101 S. Main St., Telford, with calling hours following the service.

Interment will be private in Trinity UCC Cemetery Telford.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grand View Hospital, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville, Pa. 18960.

Arrangements are by Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, Telford.
LONDON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition of traditional craft innovation of China's Zhejiang Province on Wednesday opened in London's Asia House, fusing Chinese traditional craft with the power of innovation.

Organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Zhejiang Traditional Craft Innovation exhibition is a part of the fifth London Crafts Week and will last for four days.

According to the organizer, the exhibition is based on the design and interpretation of five traditional materials, namely bamboo, wood, silk, copper and china. It presents designs which demonstrate the innovation and power of Chinese traditional craft, with the aim of deepening understanding of the local culture of eastern China's Zhejiang Province in Britain and Europe, as well as encouraging an exchange of creative and cultural ideas.

A fashion show is also staged at Asia House on Wednesday night, showing the audience the beauty of Chinese clothing techniques.

The clothes worn by the models combine traditional Chinese elements with modern fashion trends, redefining the charm of traditional Chinese costumes, integrating traditional art into modern life, and giving the classic culture a new radiance, which has won warm applause from the audience.

Wang Shenghong, designer of the show, said he believes art and culture is unbounded because the Internet has broken the boundary. "I feel that the Chinese and Western cultures will gradually merge in the future, and the integration will become more and more exciting, and more and more comfortable to all people," he said.

After watching the exhibition and show, Irish architect and designer Angela Brady told Xinhua she loves the designs and thinks the colour is the workmanship and fashion style. "I think it's quite unique and special and that's what makes this Chinese but also international and appeals people like me," she said.

Brady said collaboration between China and Ireland could be achieved through art and design craft. "I've worked in China as an architect on projects there and I've worked with Chinese people. And I can see we can come together in a very companionable way and I see this now through design craft."

The fifth London Craft Week opened Wednesday in London, ushering in a five-day celebration of global creativity. More than 240 makers, designers, brands, artists and galleries from 15 countries participated in the event, offering the public a packed program of exhibitions, hands-on workshops, talks, creative experiences, and one-off events.

According to the organizer, Zhejiang Province has always been committed to inheriting and developing excellent traditional craft and promoting the re-inheritance and re-design of traditional craft, which has the same goal with London Craft Week.
Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk!

You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details.
MERIDEN  Police announced Friday that they have an arrest warrant charging a city man in connection with a shooting last month, warning the public that the suspect is considered armed and dangerous.

The warrant charges Justin Diaz, 28, with first-degree assault, carrying a pistol without a permit, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and criminal use of a firearm in the April 19 shooting on South First Street. One person was seriously injured.

If encountered please maintain a safe distance and call the police, police said in a statement. Police also urged Diaz to turn himself in peacefully.

Police have not released the name or current condition of the shooting victim.

In the same statement, police asked that anyone with information on the rash of shootings since January contact Detective James Femia at 203-630-6219. Police are investigating eight incidents of gun violence, including a homicide in January.

Earlier this week, police announced Pedro Montalvo, 16, of 882 N. Colony Road, has been charged with first-degree assault, stealing a firearm, illegal discharge of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment, and violation of pistol permit requirements. The charges stem from a Feb. 11 incident outside his home in which, according to police, he shot another teenager.

Montalvos case was transferred to adult court.

msavino@record-journal.com

203-317-2266

Twitter: @reporter_savino
NORTH HAVEN  Police say two juveniles were arrested Thursday in connection with a suspicious fire on Warner Road last month.

The investigation revealed two juveniles from North Haven were responsible for causing the fire, police said in a Facebook post.

Both were arrested by warrant for reckless burning, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and criminal trespass, according to police. Both are scheduled to appear in juvenile court.

The April 5 fire started around 4:30 p.m. and caused heavy damage to an abandoned former distribution and office building at 95 Warner Rd. Warner Road is located off Middletown Avenue (Route 17).

Last month, Fire Chief Paul Januszewski said investigators found that the fire started in multiple points of the building and evidence was sent to labs to determine if accelerants were present.

Police had previously released photos of a vehicle that was seen at the 90 block of Warner Road shortly before the fire, asking the public to help identify the owner or operator. Police did not comment on whether there is any connection between the vehicle and the fire.

According to town land records, 95 Warner Rd. is owned by FPJ Investments, LLC. It was formerly owned by Lewis Borrelli and sold in 2013.

bwright@record-journal.com

203-317-2316

Twitter: @baileyfaywright
NORTH HAVEN  While staring out in excitement at their schools brand new playground, Ridge Road Elementary School students heard from lots of special guests during a visit Wednesday.

Town and school officials were there to introduce the students to their new accessible playground, which was made with the diversity of students in mind.

There's something on this playground for everyone, of every ability, so all students can learn and grow together, said PTA member Erin Lamb, who helped see the project through.

The playground is accessible for students who use wheelchairs or walkers with details like rubberized flooring, wide ramps climbing up to the second highest level, and musical instruments at heights someone in a chair could reach.

The playground was also made to incorporate different modes of play and sensory preferences. Lamb said there are activities for kids who like to spin, climb or slide, or prefer calmer activities than nonstop running.

Joining the celebration were Ridge Road PTA leaders, First Selectman Michael Freda, Superintendent of Schools and former Ridge Road Superintendent Patrick Stirk, newly inducted Quinnipiac University President Judy Olian and the schools mascot Cruiser, the Red-Tailed Hawk.

Olian said shes proud to be able to support projects like these, because playgrounds are places where the seed of what kids become later on starts to emerge, as their minds, personalities and teamwork skills develop.

For us educators, we know that this is where kids learn how to share, how to be creative, how to self-regulate, how to control impulses Olian said.

The newly inducted president said the university is committed to lifting up nearby communities and supporting future generations.

Quinnipiac University donated about $200,000 to the playground project as part of the universitys voluntary payment to the town last year.

Putting together the accessible playground started about two years ago, through the Ridge Road PTAs Play Together Committee and its vision of a place where every student can play.

The $278,000 project was fully funded through donations from families, foundations and corporations.

Supporters include Calare Properties, Rotary International, Fantarella Dental Group, North Haven Education Foundation, and Brescome Barton, Inc.

Design and installation for the project was done by Milone & MacBroom; Creative Recreation; GT Landscaping & Excavation LLC; and the Public Works Departments of the town and Board of Education.

Superintendent Patrick Stirk was principal at Ridge Road School when the project was first started. He expressed excitement for the students and local community to be able to enjoy the new playspace.

We finally have a playground that is truly inclusive and accessible to all students, Stirk said.

bwright@record-journal.com

203-317-2316

Twitter: @baileyfaywright
PLAINVILLE  The Town Council earlier this week unanimously approved a $100,000 reduction to the Board of Education budget.

The reduction brings the boards funding to $38.2 million, a $900,000 increase over the current years budget.

Voters narrowly rejected the $38.3 million school budget passed by the Town Council in a 384-372 vote on April 30. The $23.5 million municipal budget passed 409-354.

Democratic Councilor Rosemary Morante said she felt a substantial cut to school funding was not warranted due to the close margin of the vote.

"It was a very, very close vote. It was only rejected by 12 votes, I don't think it was a mandate," she said during the Monday public hearing before the council vote.

The revised budget will go before voters a second time on Tuesday. Polls will be open at Fire Department headquarters on West Main Street from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.

The $61.9 million school and town budget originally passed by the council would have raised the mill rate by 0.88 mills to 34.72 mills, meaning a $121 tax increase for the average home assessed at $137,227. A mill equals $1 in property tax per every $1,000 of a property's taxable value.

Councilors Ty Cox and Deborah Tompkins, both Republicans, said they came into the meeting leaning toward a $200,000 cut to the school budget, but were swayed by the number of residents at the meeting that supported a smaller reduction.

"After sitting through this public hearing tonight ... I think that it is unfair to punish the children in this town by the parents mistakes of not going to go vote," Cox said.

Many of those who spoke during the public hearing before the council vote were concerned about the impact cuts could have on special education programs and social studies courses at Plainville High School.

Resident John Kisluk said consecutive increases in local government funding are unsustainable.

"This is not sustainable, you can't keep increasing this budget $1 million a year. It's just ridiculous," he said.

dleithyessian@record-journal.com

203-317-2317

Twitter: @leith_yessian
BRIDGEPORT  Eleven people were arrested, and a news reporter detained following a demonstration Thursday night to mark the second anniversary of a police officer fatally shooting an unarmed 15-year-old boy.

Ten of those arrested were charged with inciting a riot, interfering with police and second-degree breach of peace.

They were released after posting bond.

Hearst Connecticut Media Reporter Tara ONeill was handcuffed and taken to the Police Department is a squad car while taking video of the scene from the sidewalk on Fairfield Avenue. She was later released without any charges.

In video of the scene ONeill is clearly heard identifying herself as a news reporter before she was taken into custody.

All 11 of us are home safe. Thank yall. I love yall. We love yall. I dont got much words but power to the people, Kerry Ellington, one of those arrested, later posted on Facebook. The system protects the local police collective bargaining agreement, the police union contracts, and the system values it over black and brown lives The system needs to be held accountable on a local, statewide and federal level. On all levels. State sanctioned violence must end. Its not okay.

Police Chief Armando Perez did not immediately return calls for comment.

Police on Friday afternoon released a summary of the incident report.

At approximately 8:10 pm the remaining protesters at Walgreens became increasingly agitated and threw a bottle at officers on scene, the report said. Officers stayed in position and looked for recognizable Bridgeport community members who could assist in a dialogue. No one was visible. Another glass object was thrown at an officer, and the crowd remained agitated and yelling obscenities at the police officers.

For public safety purposes, BPD informed the unruly protesters that they had five minutes to disperse due to the unruly assembly, the report continued. The crowd did not comply and continued to be unruly and grew louder. Officers moved in fairly quickly to maintain safety and detained 12 individuals. All of the individuals detained we arrested because they did not comply or disperse.

While at BPD headquarters, an arresting officer was advised that one of the detainees was a member of the press. The reporter wearing plain street clothes and no clearly visible identifying markers other than an ID name badge was released without a summons, as she was not part of the organizers, the summary continued.

Arrested were: Ellington, of New Haven, Thomas Bostian, of New Haven, Britney Brevard, of New Haven, Jenna Fu, of Bridgeport, Kiana McDavid, of Hartford, Sam Morbidelli, of New Haven, Kacey Perkins, of Fairfield, Sarah Pimenta, of Milford, Brenna Regan, of Fairfield, Maria Sandoval of New Haven and Michael Merli of Bridgeport.

The CDNA and its member papers across the state place its full support in Tara ONeill and CDNA Member, Hearst Connecticut Media, Chris VanDeHoef, executive director of the Connecticut Daily Newspapers Association. Arresting a reporter who is covering a public protest, on a public sidewalk, shows a blatant disregard for the First Amendment. The city of Bridgeport Police Department needs to evaluate how it trains its officers on interacting with a working reporter while on duty. Arresting a working reporter for covering police actions has a chilling effect on the First Amendment. We praise Ms. ONeill and her dogged reporting and hope the City of Bridgeport works harder to appreciate our nations First Amendment Rights.

Bruno Matarazzo, president of the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, issued the following statement in response to Bridgeport police arresting Connecticut Post reporter Tara ONeill while she covered a protest:

The fact that Bridgeport police found it appropriate to arrest a reporter is disturbing. Tara ONeill was reporting on Thursdays protest to write a news story. She was not a participant, and identified herself as a reporter when an officer handcuffed her. The fact that someone can be arrested in Bridgeport for the lawful exercise of a First Amendment right is chilling.

Negron was shot by Bridgeport Police Officer James Boulay on May 9, 2017, after a brief pursuit in a stolen vehicle, according to a report by Waterbury States Attorney Maureen Platt. She said Negron had turned the wrong way down a one-way street and put the vehicle in reverse as Boulay approached and pulled open the drivers side door. Platt said the door hit Boulay and he fired his gun into the vehicle, fatally shooting Negron and injuring his passenger. Boulay was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by Platt.

This article is republshed from the Connecticut Post with special permission from Hearst Connecticut Media. It was originally published at www.ctpost.com
The first school-by-school assessments of child immunization rates to be released by Connecticut show scores of schools with kindergarten immunization rates below the 95-percent threshold that the Centers for Disease Control say is necessary to provide herd immunity for a community.

The data sets posted Friday by the Department of Public Health reverses agency policy against publication, which was being challenged in a freedom-of-information complaint filed by state Rep. Josh Elliott, D-Hamden, and it comes amid a national measles outbreak and a legislative debate over whether to end the religious exemptions to vaccinations otherwise mandated.

The overall immunization rates of Connecticut school children is more than 98 percent, but the newly released data show some schools with high rates of unvaccinated children, some exempted for either medical or religious reasons and others unexplained. More than three dozen schools reported more than five percent of their students claimed exemptions, while the DPH identified nearly 100 schools where less than 95 percent of kindergarten students were vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella.

You have some schools where we saw medical exemptions as high as 20 percent and that statistically seems difficult to understand, said House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, who is married to a physician. We have pockets as bad as California was at the height of their outbreaks. So you have to take this sobering news and think about what you do next.

Locally, John Lyman School in Middlefield was the only public school to follow below the 95-percent threshold for vaccinations schoolwide. Herritage Baptist Academy in Wallingford, 93.5 percent, and Meloira Academy in Meriden, 81.5 percent, also fell below the threshold.

When narrowed down to just the 2017-18 kindergarten class, the most recently available, John Lyman School, at 94.3 percent, and Hatton Elementary School in Southington, 93.4 percent, fellow below the threshold for herd immunity. Rates were not disclosed for data sets with fewer than 30 students.

At the Six-Six Magnet School in Bridgeport, 15 percent of the entering kindergarten students claimed a religious exemption, as did 12.5 percent at Ryerson Elementary in Madison. At the public Glenville School in Greenwich, 11.8 percent were unvaccinated, mostly claiming medical exemptions.

The data has its inconsistencies: In some cases schools reported a low compliance rate, but no claims for religious or medical exemptions. For example, the Achievement First Hartford Academy reported that only 69.3 percent of its kindergarten students had received the MMR shot for measles, mumps and rubella, but no exemptions.

This data is startling and needs to be addressed, Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. This cannot become a public health crisis as we have seen in other states. Making sure all of our young students in Connecticut are safe is the number one priority.

Religious exemptions to vaccinations for students entering kindergarten remain relatively rare, but they have nearly quadrupled since the 2003-2004 school year, from 316 to 1,255.

At Greenwich Catholic School, 7.3 percent of the students had religious exemptions allowing them to enter school without vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella and other infectious diseases. The Catholic Church has no religious strictures against vaccination, as is the case every major religious denomination in the U.S.

The release comes as the United States is experiencing the worst outbreak of measles since it was eliminated in 2000. Almost 700 cases of measles have been confirmed in 22 states, including three in Connecticut.

Renee D. Coleman-Mitchell, the newly appointed public-health commissioner, announced earlier this week in a letter to school superintendents that the department would be posting the school-level detailed information to raise public awareness of immunization rates in local communities.

In the letter, she said that more awareness may lead to increased engagement and focus on increasing immunization rates to reduce the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Todays data from the state Department of Public Health bears out what many of us feared, said Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven. The immunization level is dangerously low in a significant number of schools and communities putting the publics health at risk. This is a matter of grave public health concern.

Ritter, the House leader, said he and his staff were trying to digest the data, which he says must be reviewed with public-health and education officials.

But there is no question the number is shocking, Ritter said.

Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, cautioned against an overreaction. There have been only three reported measles cases in Connecticut, and he has yet to see a rationale for the state to overrule parents who object to some or all childhood vaccinations. Despite a widespread medical consensus about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, some parents question their need or their safety.

Its about balancing the public health with the individual right to choose, Candelora said.

As Coleman-Mitchell explained in her letter to superintendents, a disease outbreak is less likely to occur in schools where high numbers of students have been immunized and herd immunity is established.

[W]hen almost all the children have immunity, a disease is much less likely to appear at the school and infect children who have not been vaccinated, she said in the letter. Herd immunity is achieved when the vaccination rate in a community is high enough to protect unvaccinated children.

She said that this is especially important for medically fragile children who cannot be safely vaccinated but are less able to fight off illness if they are infected.

Consequently, this information bears special importance to the parents or guardians of such children, who may wish to access information about their childs school vaccination rates for their childs protection.

Parents are now able to exempt their children from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. In addition, students with proof of immunity to certain diseases such as measles or mumps may be counted as vaccinated.

The data show that many of the schools with high rates of unvaccinated students are Christian academies and Montessori schools.

Ritter and Rep. Liz Linehan, D-Cheshire, the co-chair of the legislatures Committee on Children, were non-committal about pursuing legislation before the session ends on June. 5.

Its certainly not something that we can decide overnight, so I look forward to a continuing conversation, Linehan said. If we did decide to go ahead and eliminate the religious exemption, some of these schools would be hitting the herd immunity rate. We need to continue to look at that. Thats an important point.

This story originally appeared on the website of The Connecticut Mirror, www.ctmirror.org.

Schools with vaccine rates at or below 96 percent (herd immununity is 95 percent)

School Town Vaccine rate

Emma Hart Willard School Berlin 95.5 percent

John Lyman School Middlefield 94 percent

Heritage Baptist Academy Wallingford 93.5 percent

Meloira Academy Meriden 81.5 percent

ALTA at Pyne Center Southington 95.7 percent

Kindergarten classes with vaccine rates at or below 96 percent (herd immununity is 95 percent)

School Town Vaccine rate

John Lyman School Middlefield 94.3 percent

Hatton Elementary School Southington 93.4 percent

Evans C. Stevens School Wallingford 95.7 percent

Highland School Wallingford 96 percent

All figures for the 2017-18 school year.

Source: Department of Public Health
The artemisinin production line in Yuzhou Tianyuan Biotechnology Company in Central China's Henan Province. Photo: Courtesy of Institute of Process Engineering of Chinese Academy of Sciences

China has built the world's first large-scale production line for the anti-malaria drug artemisinin, and will introduce the production line to malaria-stricken African countries.

The production line adopted a new technology jointly developed by scientists from the Institute of Process Engineering of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Henan-based Yuzhou Tianyuan Biotechnology Company, has been successfully operated for a year in a plant of the company in Central China's Henan Province with an annual capacity of 60 tons.

Wang Hui, one of the key researchers of the technology from the institute, told the Global Times on Thursday that the new technology increased the annual capacity by up to four times comparing with traditional way of producing artemisinin.

Meanwhile, the new technology, based on recrystallization to extract pure artemisinin from herbs, increases the efficiency and purity and decreases energy consumption during production, while the traditional means are considered to be heavily polluting, according to the institute.

Down-stream products based on artemisinin have been sold to countries including India and Sudan, and the Tianyuan company has reached cooperation intention to help build a complete production line for artemisinin in Ghana, and guarantee the supply of raw materials of artemisinin, said Zhang Mei, one of the shareholders from the company, according to a press release the institute sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

Artemisinin, a high-efficient, safe and low toxic anti-malaria drug, has become the first choice for the international community in the treatment of malaria. The discovery of artemisinin won Chinese scientist Tu Youyou a Nobel Prize in 2015.

According to the latest World Malaria Report released by World Health Organization on November 19, 2018, an estimated 219 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide in 2017, and 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India carried almost 80 percent of the global malaria burden.

The institute plans to introduce the technology to more African countries to accelerate elimination of malaria in the world and greatly reduce deaths resulted from it, said Zhang Suojiang, director of the institute who led the research.

Zhang told the Global Times that the plan is also in line with the Belt and Road Initiative.
International

Iran will not hold talks with US: Deputy IRGC chief

Tehran, May 10 (IANS) | Publish Date: 5/10/2019 12:34:36 PM IST

Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the government in Tehran will not hold negotiations with the US after it imposed new sanctions on Tehran, targeting revenue from its exports of industrial metals, officials said on Friday. IRGCs deputy head of political affairs, Yadollah Javani, said that US President Donald Trump believed that after imposing the new sanctions, Iran would face a state of internal disarray and would eventually seek negotiations.

Javani warned the US against taking any military measures against the Islamic Republic, Tasnim news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Irans Foreign Minister Javad Zarif urged Europe to stand up to the pressure the US had put it under in order to salvage the nuclear deal brokered four years ago.

Zarif called on the European Union to fulfil its obligations to normalize economic relations with his country and said it was to blame for reaching this situation.

The US has bullied Europe - and rest of world - for a year and EU can only express regret, Zarif tweeted.

He referred to the EU Thursday statement in which it called on Iran to continue to comply with its commitments set out in the nuclear deal signed and lamented the US sanctions against Tehran.

Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, the EU should uphold obligations - including the normalization of economic ties, Zarif added.

European countries have taken a series of measures to counter US sanctions, including a special payment channel, but they have proved largely unsuccessful.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country was reducing its own commitments under the agreement and would no longer respect limits on its reserves of low-enriched uranium - currently limited to 300 kg - and heavy water, another chemical compound used in nuclear facilities.

In addition, Rouhani issued a 60-day moratorium for the rest of the signatories of the pact to fulfil Irans demands and save the countrys banking system and oil trade from international sanctions.

Hours after Rouhanis announcement, Trump imposed sanctions on Irans iron, steel, aluminium and copper sectors and said those industries account for 10 per cent of Iranian exports. Washington abandoned the nuclear agreement despite the support of the co-signatories and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) proving Irans commitment to the deal in 14 reports.

The nuclear deal limits Irans nuclear programme in exchange for lifting international sanctions but has been weakened after Washingtons exit.
Madhumitha Viswanath By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Adjoining Thiruverkadu, near Velappanchavadi around 100 private sewage lorries have been disposing of untreated sewage into the stormwater drains every day for nearly a decade now. Such instances of constant pollution to the Cooum river in and around Poonamallee and Maduravoyal are only increasing in frequency with no efforts taken by the authorities to stop it. One such location where sewage is dumped into the stormwater drains is Noombal Road near Maduravoyal bypass in Poonamallee. Due to constant dumping, sludge from the sewage has accumulated in the drains, blocking them. As a result, sewage overflows onto the road raising a stink, preventing pedestrians from walking on the sidewalks.

Though this activity has been going on without any interruption for 10 years now, residents are hesitant to approach the authorities. Locals said that they were apprehensive of seeking help from authorities concerned as these private lorries are part of a nexus backed by local politicians. Though the spot where they dump sewage is less than 200 metres from the Chennai-Vellore highway, these private tankers fear none. They continue doing this out in the open in broad daylight. Between 2 pm and 5 pm, I have seen 20 lorries, standing in a queue to dispose of sewage into the drain. Residents are scared to complain, said a resident of Noombal near Iyyappanthangal.

As a majority of houses in and around Poonamallee, Thiruverkadu, and Maduravoyal are not connected to the underground sewage system, sewage being dumped into stormwater drains is a common occurrence here. Four km away, along 200 ft Vanagaram-Ambattur Bypass road the same activity continues to happen uncurbed for five years now. Express previously reported this in September, 2018. Even though residents have complained to the Tiruvallur Collector, Block Development Officer and police officials, no action has been taken yet. We residents are fed up with trusting the authorities. We learnt that all officials are bribed, said JC Jeyachandran, a resident of KG Signature City.

When Express contacted Tiruvallur Collector Mageshwari Ravikumar, she said a special team consisting of municipal, police, RTO and block developmental officials will be formed to stop this menace. Three months ago, we caught a group of lorries, seized them and also levied a penalty of `1 lakh on the owners. But this continues to happen actively. We have compiled a list of such locations and stern action will be taken against the offenders, she added.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has beefed up security in parts of the national capital ahead of the May 12 polling and will deploy over 60,000 personnel, including the Home Guards and paramilitary forces, in total to ensure a smooth conduct of the election here.

Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik told PTI the force has chalked out a detailed plan according to the instructions of the Election Commission of India.

The deployment of force will be at polling booths and there will be patrolling by special reserve parties in vulnerable areas, the top cop said. "The model code of conduct will be strictly enforced. There will be special watch on border areas to foil any attempt to infiltrate by anti-social elements to cause disruption. There will be strict vigil to ensure malpractices like liquor peddling and movement of anti-social elements with a purpose to influence voters do not happen," Patnaik said.

ALSO READ| NHRC notice to Delhi government and police over death of manual scavengers

The emphasis will be on giving a prompt response to any complaint received, the Delhi police commissioner added. Anti-terror measures are also in place and special arrangements have been made to check sabotage of polling booths, including election rigging, Madhur Verma, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) and also the spokesperson of the force, said.

The officer added that extra picket teams have been deployed in border areas too. "Briefings were held with the polling staff on dispersal of EVMs and the routes to be taken to ensure no rigging of EVMs happens on the way. Night patrolling has been intensified to check use of muscle power and money to lure voters," Verma said.

Praveer Ranjan, special commissioner of police (election cell), said there are 441 critical polling booths in the national capital which include densely populated areas, some of which have mixed population and criminally sensitive areas.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Adequate security forces have been deployed at identified polling stations with Quick Reaction Teams deployed for congested areas across the district in case of emergency, another official added. Flying squads and static surveillance team will closely monitor activities, the official added.

A police official said there are three facets to the security apparatus - at places where Electronic Voting Machines are kept, border checking, and law and order arrangements for polling and counting days. The officer said police will be involved in enforcing a "Dry Day", which will come into effect from 5 PM on May 10, and liquor vends will be asked to down their shutters.

A close watch will be on vends near border areas until 6 PM on the day of voting, the officer added. Another official said 39,000 police personnel will be involved in ensuring the security of polling booths along with 13,000 Home Guards.

ALSO READ| AAP candidate Atishi breaks down over derogatory pamphlet, Gautam Gambhir blamed

They will be supplemented by police personnel from the Police Control Room and the traffic unit along with 47 companies of paramilitary personnel, the second official added. Each company comprises 100 personnel.
By ANI

HYDERABAD: A youngster from Hyderabad was stabbed to death in London on Wednesday by an unidentified man.

The deceased, identified as Mohd Nadeemuddin, was working at a mall in Tesco supermarket and was living abroad for the last six years.

Nadeemuddin was allegedly killed by an Asian, according to family friend Faheem Qureshi.

The incident came to light after family members of the deceased called the management to inform that Nadeemuddin did not return home after work. Later, after the management checked security, the youngster was found dead in the parking area.

The victim's family members have sought help from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and have urged her to help them travel to London.

More details are awaited.
CHANGCHUN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A seminar on China's human rights protection was held Thursday in Jilin University in northeast China's Jilin province.

About 100 experts and scholars on human rights issues as well as representatives from government departments attended the seminar.

They held in-depth discussions on themes such as theories on the Chinese path of human rights protection, China's development and achievement in the area, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Participants hailed China's achievements in protecting human rights and its new path of human rights protection based on the country's national conditions.

China has created successful experiences in safeguarding human rights under the socialist system, and helped promote the development of the human rights cause across the world, according to the participants.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted time till August 15 for the completion of the mediation process in the decades-old, politically sensitive Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. A three-member panel headed by ex-apex court judge F M Khalifullah, formed to find a possibility of an amicable solution to the case, had submitted its interim report on in a sealed cover on Thursday.

The extension was given on the basis of a request made by Justice F M Khalifullah. "If the mediators are optimistic about the result and are seeking time till August 15, what is the harm in granting time? This issue has been pending for years and years. Why should we not grant time," the bench said.

The matter came up for the first time on Friday since March 8 order of the top court which had referred the case for mediation to the panel.

The counsel appearing for both the Hindu and Muslim parties expressed confidence over the ongoing mediation proceedings and said they are fully cooperating with the process.

The matter was being heard by a five-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer.

One of the advocates appearing in the matter said the apex court had earlier given eight weeks time to the panel of mediators and now nine weeks have gone by.

"We had given eight weeks and the report has come. We are not inclined to tell you what is there in the report of the committee," the bench said.

One of the counsel told the bench that there are around 13,990 pages of documents in vernacular languages and said some wrong translations have been made which would be a problem.

"Objections, if any, on the translation may be placed on the record by written note by June 30," the bench said, adding, "Nobody will come in the way of mediation".

Spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, a renowned mediator, are the other two members of the panel of mediators.

READ HERE | Ayodhya dispute: All you need to know about the three mediators

The bench was told earlier by Hindu bodies, except for Nirmohi Akhara, and Uttar Pradesh government that they oppose the court's suggestion for mediation. The Muslim bodies supported the proposal.

While opposing the suggestion of mediation, Hindu bodies had argued that earlier attempts of reaching a compromise have failed and provisions of Civil Procedure Code (CPC) require public notice to be issued before the start of process.

The top court had directed that the mediation proceedings should be conducted with "utmost confidentiality" for ensuring its success and the views expressed by any of the parties including the mediators should be kept confidential and not be revealed to any other person.

However, it had refrained from passing any specific restraining order at this stage and instead empowered the mediators to pass necessary orders in writing, if so required, to restrain publication of the details of the mediation proceedings.

The top court had fixed the seat for mediation process in Faizabad of Uttar Pradesh, around 7 km from Ayodhya, and said that the adequate arrangements including the venue of the mediation, place of stay of the mediators, their security, travel should be forthwith arranged by the state government so that proceedings could commence immediately.

ALSO READ | We can resolve Ayodhya dispute in 24 hours if Supreme Court can't: Yogi Adityanath

It had also directed that the mediation proceedings be held in-camera as per the norms applicable to conduct the mediation proceedings.

Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On December 6, 1992, the Babri Masjid, constructed at the disputed site in the 16th century by Shia Muslim Mir Baqi, was demolished.

(With online desk inputs)
By Online Desk

PepsiCo India on Friday withdrew its lawsuits filed against potato farmers from Gujarat for allegedly growing a variety which the company claimed to have exclusive rights. However, farmers said that the final decision should be of the court which needs to enhance their efforts to protect their rights.

The food and beverage giant had got an early hearing in the case in an Ahmedabad court against four potato farmers and five farmers in a district court in North Gujarat. However, the company on Friday announced that it has withdrawn all its legal suits.

Farmers' rights groups welcomed the move saying that while the company was taught a lesson by alert citizens, the government must actively take measures to support the right of farmers.

PepsiCo had in April sued four farmers for cultivating a potato variety grown exclusively for its popular Lay's potato chips. The company's decision to sue farmers for allegedly growing a variety of the tuber for which it claims plant variety protection (PVP) rights, had led to a public outcry.

ALSO READ| Activists want PepsiCo to compensate farmers for 'harassment'

In a statement, PepsiCo India said it has agreed to withdraw cases against farmers after discussion with the government."We are relying on the said discussions to find a long term and an amicable resolution of all issues around seed protection," it said.

It filed cases against nine farmers from Sabarkantha and Aravalli districts in Gujarat for allegedly growing a variety of potatoes for which the company has claimed PVP rights and sought damages ranging from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore. "The company remains deeply committed to the thousands of farmers we work with across the country and towards ensuring adoption of best farming practices" the statement said.

Altogether 11 farmers of Gujarat have been sued by the company till now. Two other farmers of Banaskantha district were sued earlier by the company on similar grounds.

(With PTI inputs)


By PTI

AHMEDABAD: Fearing a backlash from a section of villagers, a Dalit groom Friday took out his wedding procession under police protection in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, said an official.

The groom's family members, residents of Sitvada under Prantij taluka, had decided to seek police protection after some non-Dalit residents objected to their plan to take out the procession through the village, said village leader Ranjitsinh Rathod.

READ MORE | Dalit farmer says he was assaulted and fed excreta; two arrested

According to the police, protection was provided to the Dalit groom's wedding procession and the event passed off peacefully.

"Scheduled Caste members of Sitvada had apprehension that something wrong would happen if they take out the procession through the village.

"That is why they called us to provide protection.

READ MORE | Uttarakhand: Dalit youth beaten to death for sitting and eating across upper caste people at wedding party

The wedding procession passed peacefully under police deployment in the village," said police inspector of Prantij, K S Brahmbhatt.

According to Rathod, some villagers had earlier asked the Dalit family not to take out the wedding procession.

"Some of the villagers had objected to the Dalit family's plan of taking out the wedding procession.

The matter was resolved amicably during a meeting last night.

"However, the family called the police today as they might be having some apprehension (about backlash)," said Rathod, the husband of village sarpanch Ramaba Rathod.

The development came just a day after a village in Mehsana district announced boycott of Dalits after a groom from the SC community decided to ride a horse on the occasion of his wedding.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: An An-12 aircraft of Georgia was intercepted by the Indian Air Force after it entered Indian air space from Pakistan, deviating from its flight path, official sources said.

The aircraft was forced to land at Jaipur airfield by air defence aircraft of the IAF, they said.

The aircraft entered Indian air space from an unscheduled point in North Gujarat. It was successfully intercepted by highly alert IAF Air Defence aircraft and was forced to land at Jaipur airfield, said a statement by the IAF.

#WATCH: Indian Air Force fighter jets force an Antonov AN-12 heavy cargo plane coming from Pakistani Air space to land at Jaipur airport. Questioning of pilots on. pic.twitter.com/esuGbtu9Tl  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

The IAF scrambled two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to intercept the cargo plane after radars detected the aircraft entering airspace.

The An-12 aircraft of Georgia, after getting airborne for Delhi from Karachi, deviated from its scheduled flight path and entered Indian air space from an unscheduled point in North Gujarat, the sources said.
By AFP

DUBLIN: Ireland's parliament has become the second after Britain's to declare a climate emergency, a decision hailed by Swedish teenage environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg as "great news".

An amendment to a parliamentary report declaring a "climate emergency" and calling on parliament "to examine how (the Irish government) can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss" was accepted without a vote late Thursday.

Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who moved the amendment, called the decision "historic".

Thunberg, the 16-year-old activist who has spearheaded protests across Europe and is becoming one of the most passionate voices of the green movement, urged more nations to follow suit.

ALSO READ | Teen climate warrior gets Nobel nod for inspiring school strikes

"Great news from Ireland!! Who is next?" Thunberg tweeted.

Out again today in Maynooth. Week 23. #Fridaysforfuture. Now we have a #ClimateEmergency we need action. No time for complacency.



**Join us at 12.30!**

(also at Leinster house 1pm) pic.twitter.com/go7O8yLprO  Lorna Gold - Climate Generation (@gold_lgold) May 10, 2019

Britain's parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, passing the largely symbolic motion on May 1.

The step followed 11 days of street protests in London by the Extinction Rebellion environmental campaign group.

Extinction Rebellion's ultimate goal is to slash global greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025 and to end biodiversity loss, steps that have won the backing of left-leaning politicians across the world.

The British government is currently eyeing a 2050 target date, which it says can be achieved without causing substantial economic damage and at a relatively low cost.
Somrita Ghosh By

Express News Service

SONIPAT: Until a few years ago, the khap panchayats (kangaroo courts) in Haryana often made it to the news for wrong reasons ranging from blaming noodles for rapes to honour killing. Khap ka zamana to aab gayaUnki kahin na chale hai, koi na sune hai (the era of Khaps are over, nobody listens to them), said Rajpal Dahiya, 63, of Sisana village.

Sisana at Sonipat is a bastion of Dahiya Jats  the most prominent gotra among the community. Dahiya Jats are predominantly into farming and cattle rearing. Over 10 men, aged between 24 and 78, sit at a chaupal (community gathering) discussing elections and smoking hookah. Jats are losing influence and significance. Both the state and the central governments fooled us. They didnt provide us reservation in Central jobs despite protests and repeated requests, said Azad Dahiya, 55.

ALSO READ | Can Hooda do an Amarinder for Congress in Haryana?

In 2016, the Haryana Assembly passed a Bill, to provide 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to Jats and five other castes. But, the Bill ran into the National Commission for Backward Classes, which asserted that the Jats do not qualify for the OBC quota.

We are tired of protesting... We hold dharnas and rallies, the leader assures our demand will be considered and the chapter closes again. However, if my community calls me to take part in a rally, I will go even now, Azad said.

READ HERE | Dynasty politics in Haryana: 8 grandchildren, great grand sons and sons of former CMs to test electoral waters

Sonipat will see three Jats in the fray  Congress Bhupendra Singh Hooda, Digvijay Singh Chautala of Jananayak Janata Party and INLDs Surendra Chhikra. BJP MP Ramesh Chander Kaushik is the sole non-Jat candidate.

In Bhainswal, another Jat village dominated by the Maliks, locals said apart from quashing their hopes of reservation, the government made false promises of agricultural schemes. Some months ago, officers forced us to sign on some farmer insurance scheme papers. They also took money ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on our size of plots. They didnt even explain which scheme it was, noted Kasi Ram Malik, a Bhainswal resident.

ALSO READ | Haryana minister takes veiled dig at Hooda, says people know who 'burnt' state in 2016

While the Jats prefer someone from their own to represent the constituency, the non-Jat villages are dead against it. Be it Hoodas or Chautalas, they all have been into politics for ages. Almost all the members from these two families are contesting. How long will we tolerate this? asked Rajveer Thakur from Bazidpur Saboli.

Non-Jats allege that the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government was selective in doling out support and ushering in infrastructural developments. Hooda is seeking votes on the basis of his earlier works as CM, but he only developed Rohtak. Sonipat changed partially since Hooda focused his work only on those villages which housed more Jats. It is only in the last five years that the non-Jat villages saw some improvement, asserted Kirsan Singh, of Seoli village.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE
Rahul Vatsa By

IANS

The ongoing Lok Sabha election in Bihar is unique in the sense that no previous election whether of the assembly or a general election can be taken as reference while analysing electoral prospects of the parties in the state. Let's get into the details and try to see why it is so.

To understand the current political scenario and why the historic electoral results may not be relevant for these elections in Bihar we need to go back a little - to 2013 - and analyse the politics of Bihar from then onwards. The Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which has been at the core of politics in Bihar in the last 23 years, has gone through several twists and turns in the last six years.

After leading a formidable alliance with the BJP for 17 years, it severed ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in June 2013, protesting against the decision of the BJP to declare Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. It needs to be noted that Modi was brought in by the BJP in order to rally Hindu nationalistic sentiment. Nitish Kumar was worried of losing his Muslim support base in Bihar and decided to part ways with the BJP. In a damage limitation exercise, the BJP got the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the newly formed Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) of Upendra Kushwaha into the NDA fold. In the 2014 polls, against the backdrop of the Modi wave and due to the strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the incumbent UPA government, the BJP-led alliance got unprecedented success, winning 31 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

The results were overwhelming for the BJP and its allies and shocking for Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad who considered themselves to be bigger political forces than the BJP in Bihar. After coming to power at the national level, the BJP continued to convincingly win most Assembly elections held in 2014 and 2015 - Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand. Worried, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad joined hands to contest the 2015 Bihar Assembly election along with the Congress party. By this time, Jitan Ram Manjhi had quit the JD-U, formed his own party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and joined the NDA.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

During the election campaign, Modi had tried to make it a Modi vs others contest. And here he had failed to understand the political dynamics of Bihar. His personal attacks on Nitish Kumar backfired for the NDA and the alliance got the complete of the Muslims, majority of the OBCs and EBCs. This gave a glimpse of the Lalu Prasad era in Bihar. The Mahagathbandhan swept the state and won 3/4th of the seats. One significant outcome of this election, was the revival of the Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar. But the JD-U-RJD alliance didn't last even two years for reasons well known to everyone and in 2017 Nitish Kumar finally returned to the NDA fold.

Before the 2019 general election, with so many parties in the NDA, and each having its own demands for seats to contest, it was not possible to keep everyone happy. To add to this, it was well known that Nitish Kumar was not on good terms with Kushwaha and Manjhi. Such a scenario made the RLSP, HAM and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) of Mukesh Sahni wary of their future in the NDA.

Meanwhile, in the absence of Lalu Prasad and under tremendous pressure to prove himself, Tejashwi Yadav was eager to welcome any party which wanted to quit the NDA and join the Bihar Mahagathbandhan. Eventually, the RLSP, HAM and VIP quit the NDA and joined the Mahagathbandhan.

So, there is now a bipolar contest in Bihar - the NDA comprising the BJP, JD(U) and hte LJP on the one side and the Mahagathbhandhan of RJD, the Congress party, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), VIP and HAM. Let's try to understand the current political dynamics in the state in the context of the ongoing general election 2019.

ALSO READ: Wives of two local don-turned-politicians fight for husbands in Bihar

To start with, let's try to find out what impact the new entrants from the NDA to the Mahagathbandhan may bring in this election. The RLSP had won all three seats had contested in 2014 but the credit for the victory had largely gone to the Modi wave. A year later, in the 2015 assembly election, the RLSP, and HAM could win only two of the 23 seats and one out of 21 seats it contested respectively. It has been four years since, and both parties - as also VIP - have increased in strength. However, the 2019 election is the first election which will measure the strength of these newly formed regional parties.

Any gain for these parties is a direct loss to the NDA but more to the JD-U, as in the last two decades Nitish Kumar had successfully connected a large section of the OBCs and EBCs with the JD-U. Hence, neither the 2014 general election nor the 2015 assembly election can be taken as reference points to predict the impact these parties may bring to this election - in terms of improving the chances of the Mahagathbandhan and causing damage to the NDA.

For the RJD, the biggest challenge in this election has been the absence of Lalu Prasad. It is contesting an election for the first time in his absence. There has been clear impact of his absence being felt, there is lot of dissidence in the RJD's first family, the party and the Mahagathbandhan. At many places, officially or unofficially, Mahagathbandhan leaders are contesting against the alliance's official candidate. Another big concern for Tejashwi Yadav has been the fact that he has not been able to maintain the legacy of Lalu Prasad as the only leader of the Yadavs in Bihar.

As for Nitish Kumar, the biggest is that the Muslims seem to be unhappy with him for returning to the NDA. There is a general feeling in the community that under the Narendra Modi regime, intolerance has increased in the country. And so, at least in this election, the Muslims in Bihar seem to have made up their mind to not vote for any candidate who will help the BJP return to power in Delhi.

ALSO READ: Vote for Vikas and not Vakbash, says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

There is another worry - the possibility of losing a sizable chunk of the OBC and EBC support to the Mahagathbandhan through caste-based smaller parties like the RLSP, the VIP and the HAM. Hence, the JD-U in 2019 may not have the same strength as in the previous elections.

For the BJP and the LJP, the core support base among the upper castes and the Paswans respectively has stayed almost firm. In recent years, both the BJP and the LJP have tried to broaden their support base, but to what extent they have been successful in doing so, and how much the recent alignments in the two fronts will impact such possibilities is getting tested afresh in this election. Many schemes launched by the union government have benefited people in rural areas. These are schemes like Ujjawala, the toilet scheme, rural housing scheme, rural electrification and rural road connectivity.

After discussing all this we can say that in the 2019 general election, the political situation in Bihar is very different from that in 2014, the 2015 Assembly election or any other election held earlier. If in 2014, there was a triangular contest, in 2015 there was an entirely different scenario where there was a consolidation of the majority of the OBCs, EBCs and Muslims in favour of the JD-U-RJD-Congress alliance. If we go further back in history, during the 17 years of the JD(U)-BJP rule, the NDA had strong backing of the upper castes, Kurmi, Kushwaha, and a larger section of EBC, SC castes and a section of the Muslims. Earlier to that, during the Lalu Prasad era, the RJD had support of almost all the OBCs, EBCs and SCs along with Muslims. Hence, for the 2019 general election none of the previous elections can be taken as reference.

In an election with such diverse possibilities and with so many facts and claims to be tested afresh; any precise prediction of results may just go wrong. But a minute study of the ground reality reveals a few facts, and based on these facts it looks like there is a close contest in quite a few Lok Sabha constituencies. Tejashwi Yadav has, overtime, been able to contain the dissidence within the family, party and the Mahagathbandhan. He has also been able to keep the Yadavs with him in a majority of the constituencies by successfully creating a sympathy for Lalu Prasad among the Yadavs and a feeling that the Yadavs need to stay together. The RLSP and VIP seem to have been able to mobilise voters on caste lines in many constituencies.

It can be stated that the 2019 general election in Bihar will not be as easy for the NDA as it was in 2014. The NDA and the Mahagathbandhan may be anywhere between 28-22 seats and 12-18 seats respectively. There can be some surprising results as well. In some seats which are being counted as safe for the NDA, there is actually a close contest.

The results on May 23 will not only give the actual numbers, but will as well indicate which way the politics of Bihar is heading for.

(The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the article belong solely to researcher Rahul Vatsa, and not necessarily to organization, committee or other group or individual.)
By IANS

CHANDIGARH: Taking strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attempt to link Rajiv Gandhi with the anti-Sikh 1984 riots, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday drew a comparison with the Godhra massacre, which took place under Modi was Gujarat Chief Minister.

It was wrong of Modi to connect Rajiv Gandhi with the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, Amarinder Singh told reporters here.

"What if someone starts linking Modi with Godhra?" he asked, adding that it did not behove the Prime Minister to stoop to such levels to win an election.

Expressing himself in total disagreement with Congress leader Sam Pitroda's controversial remarks "if the 1984 riots happened, they happened, so what", the Chief Minister said if Pitroda had actually said this, it was shocking.

ALSO READ: PM Modi has no moral right to seek votes from the state, says Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

"The 1984 riots were a big tragedy and justice had yet not been meted out to the victims. If some individual leaders were allegedly involved in the riots, they should be punished as per law," he said.

He said since the riots had happened, he had been saying that he had heard accusations about the involvement of Sajjan Kumar, H.K.L. Bhagat, Dharam Das Shastri, Lalit Maken and Arjun Das, and, till date, he stands by his statement.

However, he asserted the involvement of some individuals linked to the Congress did not mean Modi could try to implicate Rajiv Gandhi or the Congress party in the riots.

By the same yardstick, Modi should also have been implicated in the Godhra attack, he added, asking the Prime Minister to refrain from undermining the prestige of his position with such "crude and baseless statements".

ALSO READ| Punjab CM Amarinder Singh goes nostalgic with 1965 war hero

Modi should not forget that names of several BJP and RSS leaders had figured in the FIRs in the 1984 riots,the Chief Minister said, calling for action, as per the law, against all those found responsible for the mayhem unleashed on innocent Sikhs.

He said Modi was unnecessarily dragging Rajiv Gandhi's name to court controversies and divert attention, with his lies, from the real issues.

The Prime Minister had not uttered a single word on the work done by his government in the past five years, he pointed out, adding that Modi and his BJP had been totally exposed and were now grabbing at straws in their desperation to get back into the elections.

Responding to a question on the Balakot airstrikes, the Chief Minister said while all Punjabis appreciated the role of the defence forces, nobody in the state, which shares over 500 km of the international border with Pakistan, wants war.

Reiterating his happiness at the decision to open the Kartarpur Corridor, Amarinder Singh once again advised caution against the ISI and its intentions.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

The fact that Pakistan army General Javed Bajwa had told visiting Congress leader Navjot Sidhu about the opening of the corridor even before Imran Khan was sworn in as their Prime Minister clearly showed it was an ISI gameplan, he warned.

Both India and Punjab would have to be careful in handling the situation, he said, but reiterated that he would go to Kartarpur with the first 'jatha' to fulfil his long-cherished desire to visit the historic gurdwara where Sikhism founder, Guru Nanak, spent his last years.
By Online Desk

On the first Friday of the holy month of Ramazan, youth were seen pelting stones at the security forces who were on guard outside Srinagar's Jama Masjid.

Both the gates of the mosque had to be closed following the attack. The forces then had to resort to firing tear gas shells and pellet guns to disperse the mob. Some of the stone pelters received pellet injuries.

Many elders stuck inside the mosque feared getting injured in the crossfire and were against the stone pelting.

According to a report by Times Now, elderly worshippers who were stuck in the mosque for more than an hour thronged both the gates, appealing to the youth to stop pelting stones at the security forces.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: A letter by a poll officer in J&Ks Leh to the army following allegations of postal vote fixing prompted it to order a probe led by an officer in the rank of Major General.

It has been alleged that there are malpractices on part of various Commanding Officers of the Indian Army in the electronic postal ballot system. It is alleged that the Commanding Officers are telephonically asking soldiers for their voting preference, rather than supplying to them the ballot paper for casting their votes, Anvy Lavasa, the district election officer in Leh, said in the letter.

If true, the officers could attract strict legal action as the practice negates the secrecy factor of voting, she warned.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Two Independent candidates, Sajjad Hussain and Asgar Ali Karbalai, had filed the complaints based on what they learnt from some soldiers of Ladakh Scouts.

Armys public relations officer at Srinagar, Lt Col Rajesh Kalia said: Preliminary investigations indicate that the complaints are unfounded and appear to have been made to tarnish the image of the army. However, an in-depth investigation is on to ascertain the details, he said, adding: The Army remains apolitical.
South Africa: Vote counting expected to conclude at midnight

With 97.6% of the votes counted by 10pm on Friday, the Electoral Commission says it expects to complete vote counting by midnight.

This, as South Africans await the final results of the sixth General National and Provincial Elections.

Giving an update on the possible declaration of the final results on Friday night, IEC Deputy CEO Masego Shiburi said the commission has no intention to keep the country in suspense.

According to the Electoral Act, the CEO is responsible to conduct the elections and deliver the outcomes. The commissioners independently and as individual independent commissioners will then apply themselves and take into context all the various objections and complaints received.

We have not yet finalised that particular process but we intend without waste of any further time to discharge our responsibility as we are required by our laws. As matters stand the plans continue on those basis, he said.

Sample for an independent technical assurance process

In a bid to assure the country that the elections are free and fair, the Electoral Commission will receive a list of 1020 voting stations from the Statistician-General which will form the sample for an independent technical assurance process that looks at the s24A voting.

This list will be made available to political parties.

The Electoral Commission would like to express its gratitude to the Statistician-General for the assistance which it has agreed rapidly and without hesitation to provide.

Failed double voting attempts

Addressing concerns of alleged double voting by some members of the public, IEC Vice Chairperson Janet Love said while attempts were made, none were successful.

The Electoral Act states it is a crime to attempt to vote twice. Nobody arrested was able to actually have voted twice but the attempt to do it is punishable, said Love.

The Commission thanked the South African Police Services for their swift response in bringing alleged double voters to book. To date 22 persons have been arrested.

In KwaZulu-Natal, 17 people voted in one voting station and attempted to vote again in another voting station. All 17 have since been arrested.

In Gauteng, a female in Douglasdale was also arrested for her attempt to vote twice.

Observer missions

The Electoral Commission further welcomes the findings of a number of international and domestic observer missions that have endorsed the elections as free and fair and broadly reflective of the will of the people.

Political party cooperation commended

While the Commission expressed its gratitude to political parties for their cooperation during these elections, it expressed some disappointment.

The Commission is disappointed by the conduct of some parties which have breached the Code of Conduct and disrupted the orderly operations within the National Results Centre, said Love.

The Commission has written to the leaders of all the political parties expressing concern in this regard.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-05-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RUN!!

It is horror to see a picturesque city crumble away within seconds in a devastating natural disaster.

Yaan, a city of rare tea and the home to giant pandas nestled in southwest Chinas Sichuan, grieved this pain in 2013.

A huge 7-magnitude earthquake that lasted a minute left dozens dead and missing.

From the powerful Wenchuan quake in 2008 to the 6.9-magnitude quake in Yushu in 2010, there are many Chinese cities that have suffered from deadly earthquakes and other natural disasters over the years.

Over the past 20 years, the world has lost about 1.35 million lives to natural disasters, as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes claimed thousands of lives, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In partnership with China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange (CICETE), Beijing Normal University, and various Chinese non-governmental organizations, UNDP China now aims to enable cities like Yaan to be more resilient, namely, by facilitating resilient development models and promoting emergency management techniques to better cope with such disasters.

We hope to utilize the existing results and combine international experience and resources to help transform Yaan, which is currently disaster-prone, into a more resilient city, Devanand Ramiah, deputy resident representative of UNDP China, said on Thursday at a launching ceremony of a demonstration project on risk and resilience in Yaan.

The project, according to UNDP China, is designed to transform the results and experiences from the Yaan pilot project into a standardized disaster response, with criteria, tools, cases, and knowledge sharing on resilient cities in China and beyond.

Shan Chunchang, deputy director of the Expert Committee of the National Disaster Reduction Commission, added that the resilient city pilot in Yaan can be also applied to elevate dialogue shared by the world.

The systematic resilient city model drawn from Yaan may help enhance the innovative paradigm in combating disaster, as it can be not only shared with other Chinese disaster-prone areas but also corridor countries along the Belt and Road,  according to Zhang Yi, deputy director general of CICETE.

With the proposed urban public safety governance framework, the project has now progressed to the second phase, which is based on risk and resilience-directed methods.

The ongoing project is drawn on its first phase, which is more educational-based, leveraging the goal on resilience building and risk governance via the mechanism of innovation labs, technology, knowledge sharing, and multi-sectoral network learning.

To retrofit the disaster resilience, joint efforts nationwide in China have been scaling up, from governments to private sectors, not only mending the cracks and ruptures, but bringing cities back to life.

Immediately after the Yaan earthquake, Chinas Narada Foundation, for instance, initiated on-scene coordination and management and logistical and capacity building services to emergency response teams and volunteers, as well as needed services like food and other daily necessities to people in need in Yaan.

UNDP believes that resilience can be the central part of sustainable development, as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals also emphasizes the significance of disaster prevention and mitigation to reduce the impact of disaster and improve the resilience, Ramiah said.
By PTI

KOLKATA: The BJP will win all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, riding on a saffron wave sweeping across the state, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh claimed on Friday.

Singh said this has ruffled Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party, the Trinamool Congress, to the extent that she is not responding to calls of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Didi (Banerjee) is so tense because of the BJP wave that she doesn't even pick up the calls made by the prime minister," the senior BJP leader told a rally in Kanthi in East Midnapore district.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

"The whole country can sense that this wave is spreading across Bengal, and the party will unfurl the victory flag in every Lok Sabha seat in the state," he asserted. Kanthi will go to polls on May 12 in the sixth and penultimate phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

ALSO READ| Balakot biggest anti-terror operation in India's history: Rajnath Singh

Speaking at a recent election rally, BJP chief Amit Shah had said the party will win "more than 23 Lok Sabha seats" in West Bengal. Singh also alleged that Banerjee failed to keep the promises she had made before becoming the chief minister. "She had promised to look after the security of 'Ma, Maati Manush' (mother, land and the people). But, I can see that none of the three is secure here," he said.
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

HAJIPUR(BIHAR): If there is will,there is a way. Proving it true is the daughter of a toddy-trapper in Bihar who qualified the examination of Bihar police sub-inspector (SI) a fortnight ago.

Sudha Kumari (25) from Hajipur, which is situated about 21 km from Patna, was inspired by a senior IPS officer from the state Shobha Ohatker after which she decided to become a police officer a few years ago. "Ohatker ma'am was invited by my principal Dr Meera Singh at Hajipur Intermediate Women's College as chief guest to motivate us. When I saw her and heard her speech ,I felt an uncontrollable urge within myself to become a police officer .I worked as a private tutor and studied till graduation",she recalled speaking at a felicitation event organised by her alma mater on Friday.

She said that her father Mahesh Chaudhary still traps toddy and sells at Hajipur. "My brothers dropped out from primary education and started working to send me in college and study further. I used to take out old newspapers and magazines for preparing the exam",she said, adding that she had qualified the Preliminary examination of Bihar Public Service Commission.

Attributing her success to her father and principal Dr Meera Singh,she said they used to motivate her whenever she felt let down or needed help. In order to meet the expenses in study, she said that she never used cosmetics and never travelled anywhere by auto rickshaw. "Walking is my passion and it helped me to save money for study. I borrowed book and bought old newspapers from a shop on kg and used to go through each pages of dailies and prepared for the exam",she recalled.

Her success has become a talk in town here and students of her alma mater contributed from their pockets to principal to felicitate her with the title of "Daughter of Determination". Even the secretary of her college Niranjan Singh,who was sick, arrived to honour her with the principal, students and city's intellectuals.

She said that her ambition is to qualify the Indian Police Service (IPS) exam to become the 'second Shobha Ohatker of Bihar'. "To make my dream true, my father and brothers have started working with double enthusiasm',she said.
Karamatullah K Ghori By

It was, seemingly, nothing more than a routine phone chat between two leaders of neighbouring countries greeting each other on the commencement of the Holy month of Ramadana month-long period of piety and fasting for Muslims.

However, the May 5 phone chat between Pakistans PM Imran Khan and Afghanistans President Ashraf Ghani was given star billing in the Pakistani media for its content, especially for what Imran said to Ghani, articulating, ad nauseam, his favourite theme of the need for both countries to join hands in defeating the monster of terror long threatening their ties.

Imran also renewed his invitation to Ghani to visit Pakistan for substantive talks on their relationsan invitation which Ghani has been stalling and dragging his feet for sometime.

Ghani has been biding his time on honouring Imrans invitation largely because of Afghan reservations on two issues, both of which Pakistan insists are of domestic provenance and priority to it and Afghanistan has no locus standi on them.

One is the construction by Pakistan of a border fencenot a wallall along the nearly 1400 km long boundary with Afghanistan. The Pakistani defence establishment regards the fence as an essential asset to thwart the influx of terrorists from the Afghan side.

Only a couple of days before Imrans chat with Ghani, Pakistans defence spokesmen had proudly claimed that the fencing work along the border was nearly completed, with only a few dozen monitoring towers yet to be finished.

The second is the issue of a youth movement in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan sharing not only a historical border with Afghanistan but also ethnic and linguistic camaraderie going back to millennia.

What has for some time been hogging attention and opinion of social media activists in Pakistan, more than conventional press or media, is a movement of Pashtun youths known as PTM (Pashtun Tahafuz, or Protection, Movement) and led by a firebrand 26-year- old Pashtun going by the name of Manzoor Pashteen.

PTM came to prominence, and into the media limelight, in early 2018 after an aspiring young Pashtun male model in Karachi was killed in a contrived encounter with Sindh Police. PTM blamed the notorious deep state, the popular euphemism in Pakistan for the omnipotent military establishment for that cold-blooded murder.

However, the charge against the deep state was based on thin ice. Overwhelming evidence in that murder was against a notorious senior cop, Rao Anwar, who happened to be a trusted crony of Asif Zardari. All available evidence pointed the finger at Zardari for that extra-judicial killing because the aspiring model was a close friend of Zardaris son, Bilawal, Chairman of PPP ruling over Sindh. Rao Anwar is still being prosecuted for his alleged crime.

However, such is the popular, but suppressed, sentiment against the involvement of the powerful military establishment in the governance of Pakistanespecially among its intelligentsiathat PTMs tirade against the deep state found receptive ears across the spectrum of a socialist media that deems it its bounden duty to educate the people against the deep states shenanigans.

PTM has since been a thorn in the militarys side. The generals havent quite been helpful to themselves by being openly hostile to PTM, charging it with impunity for its alleged anti-state activities.

The most toxic of the military establishments accusation against PTM is that its in the service of foreign intelligence agencies inimical to the national interests of Pakistan. On April 29, less than a week before Imrans chat with Ghani, the militarys principal spokesman, ISPRs (Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate) General Asif Ghafoor held a long press conference and harangued against what he alleged were PTMs anti-state activities. He cited dates and venues where PTMs activists had met with agents of Indias R&AW and Afghanistans NDS (National Directorate of Security). Pouring scorn on their anti-Pakistan activities, the general dared PTMs henchmen to justify receiving funds from NDS and R&AW.

The military establishments public bickering with the likes of PTM, a movement of Pashtun youths, poses a serious dilemma to Imrans leadership. KPK, which PTM boasts as its cradle, has been ruled by Imrans political party, PTI, since 2013. Imrans populist support has its roots among the countrys youths who have long held its dynastic and traditional politicians guilty of mismanagement, corruption and plunder.

Nothing would be more important and welcome to Imran than being seen and hailed as Pakistans undisputed leader with his feet firmly planted in his youthful populist base.

But the deep states public monopoly of Pakistans security apparatus and the untamed zeal of its apparatchik to draw and dominate its agenda all by themselves clearly amounts to throwing a spanner in Imrans wheels. His hands are already full with the daunting task of fixing and reviving the countrys haemorrhaging economy. His corrupt political opponents are up in arms against him. The deep state is only compounding his woes.

Karamatullah K Ghori

Former Pakistani diplomat

Email: K_K_ghori@hotmail.com
By PTI

AMARAVATI: Invoking Hindu Mythology, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as demon king Mahishasura who, he said, has to be defeated by 'Bengal Durga' (West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) to bring peace to the country.

The remarks came on a day Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party chief, held a closed door discussion with Banerjee at Kharagpur on future plans of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) on Thursday. Reacting strongly, the BJP said Naidu is "suffering from mental illness" and he was making such statements out of fear of losing the elections.

The Telugu Desam Party in a tweet on Thursday night said "Naidu has deeply criticised PM Narendra Modi again, this time from West Bengal soil (at a public meeting at Kharagpur). He described Narendra Modi as Mahishasura and Mamata Banerjee as Bengal Durga. He said Bengal Durga has to defeat Mahishasura (Modi) in Delhi to bring peace and prosperity to the country."

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

In Hindu mythology, Mahishasura was ultimately killed by Goddess Durga. In an apparent dig at opposition leader and YSR Congress Party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, the TDP also quoted Naidu as saying the BJP was supporting an alleged economic offender. "Considering himself as an emperor and with an aim to control regional states, Narendra Modi and his soul Amit Shah are supporting an hardcore economic offender in AP," the tweet said.

ALSO READ| Mamata and Chandrababu Naidu hold closed-door meeting on Mahagathbandhan future course

Lashing out at Naidu, BJP's Andhra Pradesh president Kanna Lakshminarayana said people of Andhra Pradesh do not take him seriously. "He does not understand what he talks. None has taken up negative campaign against Modi as much as Naidu has done. He is making such comments out of fear of losing elections," Lakshminarayana told PTI.adding that Naidu is suffering from a 'mental illness.

The meeting between Banerjee and Naidu took place for over 15 minutes late Thursday evening, according to a well-placed source in the Trinamool Congress. The two leaders met and spoke about the future plans of the Mahagatbandhan. Naidu and Banerjee also discussed the TDP leaders meeting with Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi Wednesday, a senior TMC member said.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: With the electioneering din having died down now in Karnataka, the state government got down to business, reviewing the prevailing drought situation. And quite predictably, the state cabinet, which met on Thursday, pointed fingers at the Centre accusing it of not releasing funds for works taken up under the employment guarantee scheme in rural areas to prevent migration. The cabinet, which met for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections were announced, also expressed displeasure over the delay in releasing funds for compensation towards Kharif and Rabi season losses.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister Krishna Byre Gowda said, In 1,324 villages, drinking water is being supplied by tankers, 150 fodder banks have been opened where cattle fodder is made available at a nominal price of Rs 2 per kg, and 12 cow shelters have been opened.

While asserting that there is no shortage of funds for drought relief works, he said relief measures are being taken up on a war-footing. On May 15, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will hold a video-conference with Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Panchayats to review the drought relief works, the minister said.

The cabinet also expressed its dismay over the Centre not releasing funds which are due to the state, despite several requests. We are not asking for grants. It is a statutory payment that was supposed to have been done within 15 days. However, even after several months, the central government is yet to release Rs 1,697 crore which is due towards works taken up to provide employment to poor people. The state, however, is making payments from its own kitty so that people dont suffer, he said.

For losses during Kharif season, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 949 crore after state gave a memorandum in October last year, but the funds were released now. However, during the same period, the Centre released Rs 4,700 crore to Maharashtra, he pointed out. Losses during Rabi season was estimated at Rs 11,384 crore and a memorandum was given in the first week of February. So far, they have not even released a single paise. Not just that, they have not even taken a decision on our memorandum. Opposition BJP leaders should stop using drought for their political gains and use their good offices to get what is due to the state from the central government, he said.

Revenue Minister R V Deshpande said the cabinet directed the officials concerned to ensure that relief is provided to people.
Toby Antony By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans ongoing visit to the Netherlands will immensely help the heritage projects in Kerala as the Dutch National Archives houses substantial documents on the states heritage.

The Netherlands government is already cooperating with Kerala in developing Unesco-backed Spice Route project which traces the states trade links with 33 countries.

A few months ago, a team from Muziris Heritage Project visited Holland to know about their heritage conservation projects.The Chief Ministers visit to the Dutch National Archives is expected to bolster ties with the Netherlands, which in turn, will help in developing heritage sites in the state.

The National Archives has 135 maps of Kerala belonging to 16th and 17th century. There is a 12-feet-long map in which even the coastal villages are marked. The Dutch authorities have agreed to hand over these to us. We will use them at the Muziris and Alappuzha Heritage sites, said P M Noushad, Managing Director of Muziris Heritage project.

The Netherlands has expressed willingness to cooperate to develop Alappuzha and Muziris Heritage sites.

Dutch expertise in heritage conservation will help in setting up Port Museum in Alappuzha, which will have artefact from 33 countries.

Similarly, a team from the Netherlands also had submitted a report to the state government to manage the canals in Alappuzha city.The Netherland also had agreed for a knowledge exchange programme connecting researchers in Kerala with experts in Holland.

After the Chief Ministers visit, a delegation for the Netherlands will arrive in Kerala, said a Tourism Department official. The delegation will visit either Alappuzha or Muziris heritage sites. The delegation is likely to come in June or July, the official said.
By Express News Service

PALA: The Pala Judicial First Class Magistrate Court (JFMC), which was hearing the Kerala nuns rape complaint against Bishop Franco Mulakkal of the Jalandhar diocese, posted the matter for further hearing to June 7. A copy of the chargesheet and other documents were handed over to the accused. It also accepted Mullakal's request to extend his bail.

Bishop Franco Mulakkal appeared before the court on Friday, following the summons issued by the court after accepting the charge sheet submitted by the special investigation team (SIT).

The accused arrived at the court accompanied by a few priests from Pala at around 10:20 am. Bishop also spoke to a group of women, who came to the court from Alappuzha to meet him.

Before coming to the court, Bishop Franco visited St Alphonsa Pilgrim centre, Bharanganam at 9.30 am and offered special prayers at the tomb of St Alphonsa, presenting a dairy at the tomb, which is to be submitted at the court. According to him, the diary contains all the things he has to present before the judiciary. At the tomb, he also prayed for truth to prevail.

#Kerala Nun rape case accused #FrancoMulakkal offered special prayers at a church in Kottayam ahead of appearing before Pala court in the case.

Express video. pic.twitter.com/kIijVBrxKa  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 10, 2019

READ HERE | Protesting Kerala nuns accuse Bishop Mulakkal of interfering in Jalandhar diocese functioning

It is learnt that the JFMC will commit the case to the Principal Sessions Court, Kottayam, taking into account the nature and gravity of the crime. The trial will be conducted in the Principal Sessions Court and the accused will be sent another court summons before that.

The charge sheet submitted by the SIT runs to over 2000 pages and includes three volumes.

The bishop has been arraigned as an accused in the case under IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (2k) (rape on a woman incapable of giving consent), 376 (2n) (causing grievous bodily harm during rape), 376 (c) (a) 377 (unnatural offence), 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) IPC Sections). If proven guilty, the Bishop may get a punishment of life imprisonment or minimum imprisonment of not less than ten years.

READ HERE | A Christmas in solitude for Kerala nuns who protested against rape-accused Bishop

Along with the chargesheet, the SIT also submitted 101 documents before the court. It has listed about 83 witnesses including Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry, Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of Pala diocese, Bhagalpur Bishop Kurian Valiyakandathil and Bishop Sebastian Vadakkel of the diocese of Ujjain. The seven magistrates, who recorded the statements of witnesses, will also turn up as witnesses in the case.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has decided to seek legal opinion on the issue of parading the majestic but mischievous tusker Thechikottukavu Ramachandran at Thrissur Pooram, leaving the festival enthusiasts waiting. A final decision is expected on Friday.

The move came after the government held a ministerial-level meeting with the Kerala Elephant Owners Federation here on Thursday. The owners had said on Tuesday that they would not lease out jumbos for Pooram and all other festivals from Saturday if 54-year-old Ramachandran is not allowed to push open the south gate (famous Thekkottirakkam) of Vadakkumnathan Temple on May 13.

Ministers Kadakampally Surendran (Devaswom) and V S Sunilkumar (Agriculture) led the meeting, with K B Ganesh Kumar MLA representing the elephant owners body.

Surendran said: Were determined to make this years Pooram better than the previous ones. Discussions were made with an open mind to ensure it.

Well know more once we get the legal advice. Theres also the court order to wait for. The association has also raised the general issues theyre facing because of the new policies of the Forest Department in elephant rearing and criteria for their participation in processions and festivals. However, these are things that cant be discussed in one day and dont concern Pooram. So weve assured them that once the Chief Minister gets back (after European tour), a discussion will be held on the same in his presence, said Surendran. He also said it is the monitoring committee, with the collector as head, who holds sway in this matter.

Sunil Kumar, who ruled out parading Ramachandran extensively during Pooram, said: Were expecting a positive decision from the owners. Weve requested them to withdraw the decision to not give elephants for festivals and processions. In the case of Pooram, our concern is to ensure that the festival is conducted without much ado.

Vulnerable elephants to be kept out

The Thrissur Collector refused to comment on lifting the ban the tusker, saying the matter is under courts consideration

She said the jumbos on musth period and vulnerable to loud noises would be prohibited from entering the city from May 11-14
By IANS

NEW DELHI: The bulwark of Lashkar-e-Tayiba's ideology is to use political Islam as the tip of the spear in its hatred for India. Using Islamic fundamentalism as the instrumentality to lure disaffected educated and uneducated youth in jihad against India, LeT has spread its wings in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and as far away as Malaysia.

The LeT along with Jaish-e-Mohammad are the two principals in the proxy war against India, both have skin the terror game and in many ways is the mirror image of ISI C Wing which runs, controls and minds the military-jihadi complex in Pakistan.

The Lashkar, however, gets precedence as it is led with ruthlessness by a man who has a $10 million bounty on his head -- Hafiz Mohd. Saeed -- in the overarching hierarchical matrix. As co-founder and chief of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, he is followed by Zakiur Reham Lakhvi (supreme commander of operations in Kashmir and a key member of LeT's General Council), Azeem Cheema (training camps are supervised by Professor Azeem Cheema alias Babu, who used to be a teacher of Islamic studies at a government degree college in Faisalabad.

He is the same Azeem Cheema whom the Mumbai police chief identified as the person who trained Pakistan militants accused of triggering the Mumbai blasts) and Abdul Rehman Makki (second-in-command of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, a Pakistani Islamic welfare organization of Ahl-e-Hadith and the political arm of the UN-designated terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba).

In this mix can be added the shadowy figure of Muzzamil Bhat; architect of the India encirclement strategy and taking the war against India offshore to neighbouring countries.

'Washington Post' in the immediate aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings stated India, despite having the second-largest population of Muslims in the world, has seen only around 100 citizens fall for the magnetism of the Caliphate to fight alongside their Muslim brethren. But this is fewer than the number of such recruits from the Netherlands.

"Yet there are regions where the Islamic State has managed to draw adherents, including in the northern part of Kerala. The state has the highest literacy rates and development indicators in the country, as well as deep historical ties to the Middle East through migration and trade. In 2016, a group of five families left Kerala hoping to reach Islamic State territory via Afghanistan.

ALSO READ: How south India became terror central

"By the time their relatives realized they were missing, five families - some with small children - had left their comfortable bungalows and jobs as doctors and businessmen to make the perilous journey to Islamic State-held territory in Afghanistan. Authorities believe that 19 adults and three children are settled in Nangahar province, on the mountainous border with Pakistan. Their departure raised alarms about the Islamic State's reach in India as well as growing extremism in Kerala, a southern state with deep ties through migrant workers to the Persian Gulf.

"Two of the Keralites were killed by drones in Nangahar, including one on April 11 that year, family members said. Then, on April 13, US forces dropped a Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb on a cave complex where militant commanders were believed to be hiding."

An estimated 100 Indians have left to fight for the Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, according to Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi - a fraction of the number of foreign fighters who have taken up the cause in the past two years.

Over 20 Muslim youngsters have reportedly disappeared from Kerala and out of these, at least 11 were believed to have reached the IS terror camps in Syria. Firoz Khan, a 24-year-old from Trikaripur in Kerala's Kasargod district, was arrested by IB from Mumbai. He was nabbed from a hotel in Dongri in Mumbai. Firoz had left for Mumbai on June 22 on the pretext of going to Kerala's Kozhikode city. A phone call Firoz made to inform his family about his whereabouts is what trapped him. During the call, he said some others who went missing from his village have reached IS camps in Syria, stated a Manorama report.

The Middle East Institute writes: IS' main recruiter, Shafi Armar, who, based in Bhatkal, was believed to be operating in Syria, has been responsible for officially forming two major cells: the Janood-ul-Khalifa-e-Hind and Ansar ut-Tawhid fi Bilad al-Hind. However, over the past five years, these groups have not gained the traction they expected and have struggled to carry out any attack.

Simultaneously, IS only did marginally better in attracting Indians to its heartlands in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan as mentioned earlier.

The danger though is clear and present. Our vigil and guard cannot be lowered in this 24x7 war against terror. Nevertheless, over the past year, the Islamic State has seemingly tried to expand its presence. The January 2019 and December 2018 plots were not the only evidence of their activities. In September 2018, probe agencies disrupted another plot to break a top IS operative out of a jail in Tamil Nadu.

Moreover, in October 2018 Kerala police discovered that ten individuals had joined IS in Afghanistan. This is in addition to IS' persistent presence in Kashmir, where most recently, the mounted at least ten operations that produced 22 casualties. Furthermore, in the new issue of IS' magazine, Al Risalah, the group dedicated a few articles to political issues taking place in Kashmir.

Maintaining excellent ties with Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has meant that India has the intelligence edge in our eastern neighbourhood where the leader herself brooks no nonsense from terror outfits.

While the tony Holey Artisan Bakery attack by educated Bangladeshi youth exposed the underbelly, Sheikh Hasina's response was brutal. Jamaat Mujhaidheen terrorists were hunted down and retribution completed.

The United States says that a faction of the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) serves as the local branch of the Islamic State. It has designated the group as a terrorist organisation. "They talk like ISIS and behave like ISIS," said Tasneem Khalil, a Bangladeshi journalist who lives in Sweden and tracks militant groups.

Meanwhile, Islamic State propaganda channels targeting Bengali speakers - operating primarily on the messaging app Telegram - have become active again after a lull last year, he said. "Obviously they are regrouping and trying to excite their base."

The centrifuge in this is Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's security adviser who has effective control over the country's armed forces and intelligence agencies. General Siddique is considered one of the most influential members of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government and a very close personal ally; his brother is married to the Prime Minister's sister, Sheikh Rehana.

His niece is the UK Labour member of parliament, Tulip Siddique.

The seeds of Islamic militancy were sown by LeT's Muzzamil Bhat who used the HuJI, Bangladesh as a beach head, as it combined with the Jamaat to make inroads. In fact, very soon the LeT subsumed HuJI and even elements of Jamaat and became all pervasive as the paragon of Islamist ideology.

Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, Bangladesh is the Bangladeshi branch of the terrorist group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI). It is banned in Bangladesh. The founder of the group was Maulana Abdus Salam. Other well-known leaders include Shaikhul Hadith Allama and Azizul Haque, who was the chairman of the political party Islami Okiya Jote.

Muhammad Habibur Rahman (alias Bulbuli Huzur) was a leader of the HuJI and initially a leader of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish. The principal of Lalkhan Madrasa in Chittagong, Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury, was also a leader of the HuJI. Mufti Abdul Hanan is the current leader of the Bangladeshi branch of the HuJI. He is currently incarcerated, convicted of various terrorism charges and has been sentenced to death. He is charged in 25 criminal cases involving terrorism.

The Islami Chhatra Shibir or Shibir (student's wing of Jamaat-e-Islami) also began to owe allegiance to LeT. Its objectives are to struggle for changing the existing system of education on the basis of Islamic values, to inspire students to acquire Islamic knowledge and to prepare them to take part in the struggle for establishing Islamic way of life.

A significant aim of the outfit is to establish an Afghanistan-Taliban type Islamist regime in Bangladesh. Consequently, the outfit is opposed to forces of modernization, secularism and democracy. The ICS is one of the strongest student fronts in the universities of Chittagong, Dhaka, Rajshahi and Jahangirnagar.

It is also emerging as a dominant group in the Khulna and Sylhet universities. Within the vast madrassa (religious seminary) structure in Bangladesh, the ICS is reported to be a dominant and uncontested organisation.

The Indian deep state has understood the enemy outside Kashmir Valley and busted all the terror modules within the country and through active information sharing with neighbouring nations, plugged and played into the Islamist network in these countries.

Sheikh Hasina government's "zero-tolerance" policy is to counter violent extremism. She has also positioned the Awami League as a secular nationalist party, emphasising its prosecution and execution of hardline Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who were found guilty of war crimes during the Liberation war in 1971.

According to a US State Department's Country Report on Terrorism, 2017, since Gulshan's Holey Artisan attack, at least 79 suspected radicals have been killed and more than 150 others arrested in an aggressive anti-militancy crackdown. To support counter-terrorism, the Bangladesh government also enacted the country's first anti-terrorism law in 2009, which was amended in 2013.

Pakistan and its jihadi arms haven't given up on bringing her down. A sensational plot to assassinate Sheikh Hasina and her family members besides top leaders of the ruling Awami League ahead December 30, 2018 parliamentary polls was foiled. Lt. General Navid Moktar from ISI was believed to have played a pivotal role in the plot, where several ISI agents apart from some members of the Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard were involved.

ISI and LeT, in many ways have tried to facilitate the return of pro-Pakistan BNP and radical Jamaat-e-Islami to power, but unsuccessfully and this is a tribute to Indian agencies liaising with Dhaka effectively.

One of the biggest breakthroughs in this war against subterranean terror came in 2009 in south Asia and in main Bangladesh. In a big catch, intelligence sleuths captured Mohd Omar Madani, his links to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and also other terror strikes in the country proved to be a treasure trove of valuable information.

Perhaps the most important bit was his handling and knowledge of Bangladesh as conduit for Lashkar operatives. This was used with deadly impact over the next few years by RAW which communicated the coordinates of the entire cell and its managers to Dhaka.

Delhi police and the Intelligence Bureau grilled Madani after he revealed that he had links with Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief Hafiz Saeed, Abu Hamza, Sabahuddin and Fahim Ansari all of whom have were involved in the Mumbai attacks.

Madani has also told the police that he had states like Karnataka and Kerala on his radar and the Lashkar had plans to carry out deadly strikes in these states. He was a crucial piece in the jigsaw, for the probe and questioning revealed Madani was responsible for making Bangladesh a transit point for the Lashkar cadres waiting to cross over into India.

Police sources said he was in constant touch with Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi regarding recruitment in India. Madani was specifically directed to look for youth in the metros and coastal areas.
Hemant Kumar Rout By

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Time will pass and cyclone Fani will recede to the corner of the mind as a faint memory but the team of doctors, nurses and attendants at the Sick and New Born Care Unit (SNCU) of Capital Hospital will remain etched as symbol of hope, inspiration and the selfless spirit of humanity.

As Fani pounded Bhubaneswar, tearing the city apart, the unsung heroes formed a bulwark against its ferocious assault to save 23 newborn babies from the grip of death. It was around half past noon on the Black Friday, when the cyclone began to bring down the ceiling of the SNCU. But the 13-member team stood strong in resolve to let no harm come in the way of the babies.

As ceiling collapse became imminent, defying the danger to themselves, the nurses came together to make an umbrella formation and provide a protective shield over the babies. This helped the doctors to rescue the babies and shift them out safely.

We were holding babies on one hand and the collapsed ceiling portions on the other. The aluminum bars hurt us but that was the last thing in our mind. We had to save the babies at any cost, said staff nurse Ramarani Biswal. Ramarani was one among seven nurses who put their lives in danger to rescue the newborns from the SNCU.

Despite having spinal cord injury which was causing excruciating pain, the 30-year-old put all her efforts to shift the babies. For a moment the condition was so precarious that she felt she would collapse, but it did not deter her from accomplishing the mission.

Shifting the babies was more dangerous and terrifying. Rainwater flooded the floor and the fierce wind made every step difficult. The two doors of the unit were vibrating as if they would break into pieces anytime. We then decided to shift the babies to the ground floor. Their mothers were immediately called and provided with a chair each asking them to hold their babies till the arrangements are made for evacuation, said medical officer Dr Jyoti Prakash Mishra.

He somehow managed to come down to the ground floor through the inner stairs and located the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), which was better placed as neither wind nor rainwater was entering it. The team members formed a human chain and with the help of their parents successfully shifted the babies.

All babies were immediately provided oxygen from the portable cylinders. Later, 11 babies, who were in critical condition, were shifted to other hospitals.

It was a horrific experience. I am still unable to figure out whether I would be happy or cry. But one thing I realised that the unseen power was saving us from the near-death situation, said Dr Mishra. The mothers and parents of the babies could not thank the team enough for their feat.

The doctors and nurses are God for us. My daughter owes her life to them. I can never repay it, said a mother Sumitra Behera. Director of the hospital Dr Ashok Kumar Pattnaik said despite all odds, the hospital attended around 4,089 outdoor patients and 1400 indoor patients on May 3 and 4. Around 14 cesarean and 57 normal deliveries were also conducted in the two days, he added.
Visitors at the summit. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

The second Digital China Summit landed deals worth a total of 252 billion yuan ($37 billion) with 308 projects signed, according to official data.

The three-day summit displayed Chinas achievements in e-government, digital economy, digital life, digital ecology, and other innovative fields.

Several Chinese ministries and commissions, including the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Health Commission, launched a series of policies on industrial informatization and digital economic development at the summit.

At the same time, 63 Chinese self-developed and controllable core technologies and multiple smart products made their debut.

421 government officials and representatives of enterprises and organizations as well as 1,500 guests attended the summit.
By PTI

CHENNAI: Votes of elderly people getting cast by party agents and mock poll data not being cleared before commencement of election were among the factors for ordering repoll in 13 polling stations in Tamil Nadu on May 19, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said Thursday.

In as many as eight booths falling under the Dharmapuri Lok Sabha constituency, it was proved beyond doubt that the polling agents entered inside the voting compartment along with the voters on many occasions, he told reporters here, quoting the Dharmapuri district election officer.

"In some cases, the votes of elderly people were cast either by political party agents or the person who accompanied them. Since the voters have not cast their vote in a free and fair manner, the returning officers for Dharmapuri Lok Sabha and Pappireddipatti assembly constituencies recommended repoll in all the eight polling stations," Sahoo said.

ALSO READ | Actor Srikanth too allowed to cast vote without name in rolls: Tamil Nadu CEO

In a polling station falling under Tiruvallur (SC) Lok Sabha seat, polling started without clearing mock poll data which showed a variation of 38 votes and hence repoll was ordered there, he pointed out.

During the process of "candidates setting" (arranging the names of candidates in the EVM), there was an error which resulted in "the blue button being not open and visible," in respect of a candidate in a booth under Cuddalore Lok Sabha constituency and hence repoll was ordered there, he said.

In one booth falling under Andipatti assembly seat under Theni Lok Sabha constituency, though mock poll data was cleared from the Control Unit (EVM), VVPAT slips of the mock poll were not removed.

As regards another polling station in Theni Lok Sabha seat, under Periyakulam assembly segment, the "close result clear" protocol was not followed--CRC button was not pressed to reset in the allotted EVM--and subsequently the EVMs and VVPATs were changed without prior permission and intimation.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

It could not be ascertained whether all those who voted in the originally allotted EVM cast their vote in replaced EVM and hence repoll was recommended there, he said.

At a booth in Erode parliamentary seat, the presiding officer had conducted mock poll with 50 votes and not cleared the data before the commencement of the poll.

"During the closure of poll, it was confirmed that the difference between the Control Unit and 17 A (Register of Votes) was 41 votes instead of 50 votes. The reason for missing nine votes could not be traced," warranting a repoll.

On April 21, the CEO had said repolling was recommended in 10 booths, including eight in Dharmapuri, and one each in Tiruvallur and Cuddalore Parliamentary Constituencies.

Subsequently, some "mistakes," including holding polls without clearing mock poll data, either in EVMs or VVPATs or both as the case may be, were seen in 46 booths and the Election Commission ordered repoll in three of them, one in Erode and two in Theni.

As regards 43 other booths where polls were held without clearing mock poll data in EVMs but cleared in VVPATs, the Election Commission has ordered counting the VVPATs alone, Sahoo said.

"There is no chance of repolling anywhere else in the State and all factors were considered before recommending repolling," he said in response to a question.

He said EVMs and VVPATs were shifted to Theni and Erode anticipating possibility of repolls days ago.

Raising suspicion, the Opposition parties had objected to shifting of EVMs from Coimbatore to Theni and Erode though the CEO had clarified that it was 'normal', keeping in mind the requirements in case of a repolling.

"Again, only in the presence of political parties (EVMs and VVPATs in Erode and Theni), it will be checked and only then it will be used (for repolls)," he said.

The CEO Wednesday announced repolling on May 19 in 13 polling stations where polling was held on April 18.

The Election Commission had earlier announced that bypolls to four assembly segments of Tiruparrankundram, Aravakkurichi, Sulur, Ottapidaram would be held on May 19.
By PTI

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Friday said the government will continue to urge Governor Banwarilal Purohit to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The government was for the release of all the convicts, he said and recalled that as early as in 2014, when late J Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister, a decision was taken to release the seven convicts and the Centre was apprised of it.

ALSO READ| Confident that TN Governor won't release convicts: Rajiv Gandhi suicide bomb attack survivor

The Supreme Court has now dismissed a plea against the release of the seven convicts and the Governor could take a decision to release them, he said. "We will continue to urge Governor Banwarilal Purohit, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, to release the Rajiv case convicts," he told reporters here.

Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said the government was confident Purohit would take a good decision at the appropriate time. He said already pressure was exerted on Raj Bhavan over the matter and added, "We will continue to do that. We cannot however, force the Governor (to take a decision on their release)."

On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea against the release of the seven convicts. A bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said, "All aspects were covered in the earlier constitution bench verdict in the case and therefore nothing survives in the case".
By Express News Service

RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: Unable to bear harassment at the hands of her husband, a 22-year-old married woman Chevula Lavanya, alias Latha, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself. The incident occurred at Laxmipur in Thangallapalli mandal on Wednesday. Her husband, Rajam Ravinder, works as a

software engineer.

According to sources, Latha married Ravinder, who was her maternal uncles son, around 9 months ago. Reportedly, Ravinder was involved with another woman in New Zealand. He began harassing his wife in this regard.

The families tried solving their marital dispute, but in vain. Four days ago, Ravinder went back to New Zealand. Lathas father alleged that it was due to Ravinders harassment that she killed herself.
By IANS

TEHRAN: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the government in Tehran will not hold negotiations with the US after it imposed new sanctions on Tehran, targeting revenue from its exports of industrial metals, officials said on Friday.

IRGC's deputy head of political affairs, Yadollah Javani, said that US President Donald Trump believed that after imposing the new sanctions, Iran would face a state of internal disarray and would eventually seek negotiations.

Javani warned the US against taking any military measures against the Islamic Republic, Tasnim news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif urged Europe to stand up to the pressure the US had put it under in order to salvage the nuclear deal brokered four years ago.

Zarif called on the European Union to fulfil its obligations to normalize economic relations with his country and said it was to blame for reaching this situation.

ALSO READ | Iran threat: US B-52 bombers land in Qatar, aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln on way to Persian Gulf

"The US has bullied Europe - and rest of world - for a year and EU can only express 'regret'," Zarif tweeted.

He referred to the EU Thursday statement in which it called on Iran to continue to comply with its commitments set out in the nuclear deal signed and lamented the US sanctions against Tehran.

"Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, the EU should uphold obligations - including the normalization of economic ties," Zarif added.

European countries have taken a series of measures to counter US sanctions, including a special payment channel, but they have proved largely unsuccessful.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country was reducing its own commitments under the agreement and would no longer respect limits on its reserves of low-enriched uranium - currently limited to 300 kg - and heavy water, another chemical compound used in nuclear facilities.

In addition, Rouhani issued a 60-day moratorium for the rest of the signatories of the pact to fulfil Iran's demands and save the country's banking system and oil trade from international sanctions.

Hours after Rouhani's announcement, Trump imposed sanctions on Iran's iron, steel, aluminium and copper sectors and said those industries account for 10 per cent of Iranian exports.

Washington abandoned the nuclear agreement despite the support of the co-signatories and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) proving Iran's commitment to the deal in 14 reports.

The nuclear deal limits Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for lifting international sanctions but has been weakened after Washington's exit.
By ANI

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he received a "beautiful letter" from his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, adding that he would speak to him amid trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

"We were getting very close to a deal and then they started renegotiating the deal. It was their idea to come back. He just wrote me a beautiful letter. I just received it. I'll probably speak to him by phone," Trump was quoted by USAToday as saying while speaking to reporters at the White House.

Meanwhile, officials from China and the US are participating in the 11th round of high-level economic and trade consultations in a bid to chalk out a deal to stop the trade war between the two countries.

ALSO READ | 'Tariffs more preferable': Donald Trump says 'no need to rush' now on China trade talks

Despite the negotiations, Trump, at times, has threatened to increase tariffs on Chinese products. But, he has backed down his warning amid signs of progress towards finalising a new trade agreement.

However, Trump on Wednesday had alleged that China "broke the deal," escalating the threat of slapping a new round of tariffs on Beijing.

"You see the tariffs we're doing? Because they broke the deal! The (Chinese) Vice Premier (Liu He) is flying in tomorrow, good man, but they broke the deal. They can't do that...If we don't make the deal, nothing wrong with taking in over 100 billion a year. We never did that before," Trump had said during a rally.

In response, China threatened to take "necessary countermeasures" if the US increases tariffs on Chinese goods worth USD 200 billion from 10 per cent to 25 per cent from May 10, according to an official statement.

"China deeply regrets this, and will be forced to take necessary countermeasures if the US side puts the tariff measures into effect," Chinese state media quoted an official statement as saying. They further said that escalating trade frictions are against the interests of "the two peoples as well as people of the world."

Both the US and China are trying to negotiate a way out of the trade dispute which is ongoing since last year.

Trump met Xi on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina in December, where both the leaders agreed to hold talks and work towards a trade deal to end the tensions between the two nations. (ANI)
By PTI

LONDON: UK police has launched a murder investigation after an Indian-origin man was found stabbed in a supermarket car park near London.

The 24-year-old is yet to be named officially but has been identified locally as Mohammed Nadeemuddin from Hyderabad.

Thames Valley Police said he was rushed to the hospital from the car park of Tesco supermarket in Wellington Street in Slough, on the western suburbs of London, but died from his stab wounds on Wednesday.

"The victim's next of kin have now been made aware and are being supported by specially trained officers," Detective Superintendent Ian Hunter, Head of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said.

ALSO READ | Hyderabad youth stabbed to death in London, family seeks MEA's help

"I understand that this would have caused concern in the community, but I would like to offer some reassurance to the public that we do not believe this incident to be a random attack, and that the people involved in the incident are believed to be known to one another," he said.

The police said its officers were still in the early stages of the investigation and are working hard to establish the full circumstances and establish witnesses.

"We are still continuing in our attempts to locate and bring the offender or offenders to justice. There will be a continued police presence in the area conducting reassurance patrols," Hunter said.

He appealed for anyone with information relating to the incident to come forward and speak to the police.

The police also urged the public not to share images of the incident on social media, but instead to report these to the police.

The 'scene watch' which was in place at the scene of the attack has also now been lifted, and the covered car park at Tesco has been reopened.

According to media reports from India, the victim's India-based family members are looking into travelling to the UK and have sought the help of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
By IANS

BEIJING: The US on Friday has more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, in a sharp escalation of their damaging trade war, the Chinese government has confirmed.

"The US has raised the tariff on $200 billion of Chinese exports to the US from 10 per cent to 25 per cent," China's Commerce Ministry said on its website.

"It is hoped that the US and the Chinese side will work together... to resolve existing problems through cooperation and consultation."

Also read: Trade deal with China still 'possible,' says Donald Trump

China said it "deeply regrets" the move and will have to take "necessary counter-measures".

The move comes as high-level officials from both sides are attempting to salvage a trade deal in Washington.

Chinese stock markets were little changed after the deadline passed, with the Hang Seng index trading up 0.6 per cent and the Shanghai Composite 1.5 per cent higher.

The market took a beating earlier this week after US President Donald Trump flagged the tariff hike on Sunday.

ALSO READ | Donald Trump to hike tariffs on USD 200 billion of Chinese goods
A conference to seek methods towards boosting rice trade cooperation between Vietnam and China was held in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on May 9.

China is one of the biggest rice producers and rice import markets in the world, according to Phan Loi, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

An Giang exports over 400,000 tonnes of rice annually, he said, adding that the province is leading the country in building large-scale paddy fields and material areas.

It is able to meet the import criteria of countries, including China, he said.

With the assistance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the opportunity for An Giang rice to penetrate into the Chinese market is absolutely feasible.

The locality has big ambitions to export more rice to China and aims to ship more products besides rice to the market.

Liu Ying, Vice Chairman of Shanxi provinces food association and head of the Chinese business delegation, expressed high regard for the quality and price of rice in the Mekong Delta.

He advised Vietnamese exporters to obey Chinas regulations on quarantines and design, and participate more in brand promotion as China has limited imports through unofficial channels while imposing stricter requirements for imports.

Chinas modern population is increasingly busy, with little time to travel to markets to buy rice. Vietnamese businesses should pay attention to the production of suitably weighted rice bags for sale online to serve this segment, he recommended.

Tran Quoc Toan, deputy head of the Department of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said businesses participating in the conference are potential customers from the Shanxi food association.

These firms have been allowed by the Chinese Government to import 180,000 tonnes of rice, accounting for about 10 percent of Vietnams total rice exports to China.

The event also creates an opportunity for Chinese rice importers to study Vietnams rice production development plans and orientations to seek cooperation contracts with Vietnamese partners.

On this occasion, the An Giang Department of Industry and Trade and the Shanxi food association signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral trade cooperation.

Two local businesses inked five MoUs on trade cooperation with Chinese firms. VNA
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury James Lau visits fintech consultancy agency 11:FS in London.

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury James Lau continued his visit to London by attending the UK-Hong Kong Financial Dialogue 2019.

He co-chaired the "UK-Hong Kong Financial Services Government Dialogue", a session of the financial dialogue, with UK Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen.

Mr Lau said the bilateral government dialogue is an important step towards enhancing financial co-operation at the government and regulatory level between Hong Kong and the UK.

He hoped both sides could build on their strong foundation for deeper partnership to pave the way for future discussions on specific technical and regulatory co-operation covering different areas in financial services.

At the end of the Government Dialogue, the two sides issued an outcome statement, committing to significantly enhancing bilateral co-operation and agreeing to continue to discuss specific steps and measures to increase the breadth and depth of the partnership.

The statement also recognised ongoing reforms and initiatives in relation to areas including offshore renminbi business, capital markets and banking, asset and wealth management, insurance, green finance, financial technology and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and welcomed continued growth and enhancements for further developments of the financial services industry on both sides.

Mr Lau also met Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, to exchange views on further financial collaboration between Hong Kong and the UK.

Noting that London is a pioneer in green finance and environmental, social and governance and has a more mature green investment community, Mr Lau said he in particular looked forward to future collaboration with the UK to jointly promote green finance.

He also invited the UK to send a delegation to the Climate Business Forum to be held in Hong Kong in early 2020, co-hosted by Hong Kong with the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation.

Before concluding his visit, Mr Lau visited a Fintech consultancy agency, 11:FS and welcomed the agency to expand its business to Hong Kong to tap into the vast markets of Hong Kong, Mainland China and Asia.
The Medical Councils decision to exempt the internship arrangement of non-locally trained specialist doctors is a step forward so Hong Kong can now go ahead and attract more overseas-trained doctors, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today.

Speaking during the Chief Executives question and answer session, Mrs Lam said she was relieved to hear yesterdays Medical Council decision as the city is facing a serious shortage of healthcare manpower.

Mrs Lam outlined that there were several new initiatives within the healthcare portfolio, however, despite the Governments efforts to expand and build more public hospitals, as well as the increased number of medical students at the two medical schools, the problem cannot be drastically solved.

The Chief Executive said she was informed the manpower shortage stemmed from management issues at the Hospital Authority, such as a mismatch of resources which has resulted in grievances among doctors and low staff morale.

Mrs Lam said the Government will work at the institution level to make improvements, adding that it will work hard to provide the Hospital Authority with more resources, should it request them.

The Chief Executive also noted the first District Health Centre will be commissioned in Kwai Tsing soon and will be promoted to other districts to boost primary healthcare.
Among the sales taking place this weekend, newcomer Geneva Auctions & Arts will be offering something a little different with a fine selection of writing instruments by Caran dAche, Montblanc, Schaeffer and ST Dupont, along with luxury accessories by famous names and some collectible watches. Over 150 Swatches from the period of 1980-1990, including some rare models, are grouped into a number of different lots. The sale also includes two rare Patek Philippes with a reserve of just 80-120 Swiss francs. The price is explained by the unusual design, shape and colour of the product, not to mention its nature. The bottles of Coteau de Choully 1993 emblazoned with the prestigious watch brands name were offered to employees at the time. One to drink now or look after for the next generation?

 Geneva Auctions & Arts

Those looking for a more lasting and more pertinent symbol of the Patek Philippe legacy should head for the Christies sale, which features a sublime three-hand pocket watch in rose gold engraved with the name of the companys co-founder Jean-Adrien Philippe and the date of 5th January 1894. Jean-Adrien Philippes personal timepiece carries a reserve of 50,000-100,000 Swiss francs. The Christies sale also features a Rolex reference 3525 that was once owned by Andy Warhol (estimate: CHF 200,000-300,000) and the star lot: a Rolex reference 6062 Stelline triple calendar, which carries an estimate of between one and two million Swiss francs.

Patek Philippe watch owned by Mr Patek, and Rolex Ref. 3525 owned by Andy Warhol  Christie's

IWC fans should consider the Antiquorum sale where 86 lots from a Swiss collector cover the post-war history of the brand from the 1950s to the present day, including a rare Ref. 1868 Destriero Scafusia, the most complicated IWC ever produced (estimate CHF 70,000-90,000).

Highlights from the Sothebys sale include firm favourites from Patek Philippe and Rolex. The highlight for the former is an early model reference 2497 with an Emile Vichet case, distinguished by its flat case back and its claw lugs. Only 20 reference 2497s in rose-gold like this are thought to exist (estimate CHF 500,000  1 million). For the latter there is a coveted COMEX Sea-Dweller reference 16600 from 1998 worn by diver and brand ambassador Theo Mavrostomos (estimate CHF 80,000-120,000) and a very rare reference 6239 Daytona in yellow gold in excellent condition with box, papers and original receipt. Its owners thought they had lost in in a move, only to find it hidden in a cellar behind their wine collection (estimate CHF 100,000-150,000).

Patek Philippe Ref. 2497, Rolex Comex Sea-Dweller and Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239  Sotheby's

Sothebys will also be offering a glimpse of some of the lots from the Masterworks of Time collection that will come under the hammer in a series of auctions from July 2019 until October 2020. The timepieces on offer are among the most important in horological history and were collected with great dedication over half a century.

To prove that competition is as fierce among auction houses as it is among the buyers themselves, Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo also has a rare Rolex 6239 Cosmograph Daytona (estimate CHF 60,000  100,000), a Rolex reference 6062 Stelline (estimate CHF 400,000  800,000) plus a reference 8171 Padellone (estimate CHF 400,000  800,000). Their highlight is a Patek Philippe reference 5208P minute repeater, perpetual calendar, monopusher chronograph in platinum (estimate CHF 550,000  950,000).

Antiquorum (11-12 May)

Christies (13 May)

Geneva Auctions & Arts (10 May)

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo (11-12 May)

Sothebys (12 May)
The Monetary Authority has granted four more virtual banking licences to Ant SME Services, Infinium, Insight Fintech HK and Ping An OneConnect which take effect today.

The authority's Chief Executive Norman Chan said it is working closely with the eight virtual bank licensees to prepare for the launch of their business operations in accordance with their plans.

According to their business plans, newly licenced virtual banks will launch their services in around six to nine months.

The authority expects to be able to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the virtual banks' operations about one year after the first virtual bank has launched its service.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam (second right) meets CPC Zhuhai Municipal Committee Secretary Guo Yonghang (second left) at Government House.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam met CPC Zhuhai Municipal Committee Secretary Guo Yonghang at Government House today.

Mrs Lam welcomed Mr Guos visit to Hong Kong and said she toured cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area including Zhuhai last March.

The trips to the rapidly developing Hengqin and the Zhuhai section of the then yet-to-open Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge were the highlights, she said.

The Chief Executive noted the commissioning of the bridge has substantially reduced the travelling time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai, opening up more aspects for co-operation and creating extremely favourable conditions for the development of the bay area.

Enhancing the synergy between Hong Kong International Airport and Zhuhai Airport and strengthening their strategic co-operation in passenger and cargo traffic will be conducive to the development of a world-class airport cluster in the bay area, she added.

Mrs Lam encouraged Zhuhai to leverage Hong Kongs advantages in innovation and technology, higher education and healthcare services and deepen co-operation with Hong Kong to add new impetus to the bay areas development.
We have also extended marriage officers to include chiefs and other religious leaders, the Hindus, Moslems, Vapostori they are now allowed to solemnise marriages in their religious sectors and these marriages if there are more than one wife it will be regarded as customary marriage. We have also now included civil partnership; they are now recognised in this Act. What used to happen on dissolution of this partnership, the other partner was losing out; so it is now recognised as a marriage for purposes of dissolution of property when the partnership is dissolved, said Minister Ziyambi.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
In a change of heart, Gov. Mike Dunleavy made the conditional announcement Tuesday evening that he will not veto fully funded K-12 education as long as legislators include the funding in this sessions budget.

This announcement came on the heels of statements from state Attorney General Kevin Clarkson, who said that the Legislatures forward funding of K-12 education during last years session was unconstitutional and legislators must include education funding in the fiscal 2020 budget.

Dunleavy said he believes failing to fund education in the budget ignores the constitution and creates a situation where education will not be funded after June 30, 2019.

House Bill 287, passed and signed into law in 2018, approved funding for K-12 schools in 2019 and 2020. In February, Dunleavy introduced his amended operating budget which included a cut of $320 million from the state Department of Education and Early Development.

Now hes calling for lawmakers to put education funding in this years budget, promising he wont veto it.

We have said to legislators, Make sure you fund education, make sure its in the budget, because theres questions right now as to whether there is funding in the budget, were having those discussions, Gov. Dunleavy said.

Although we initially proposed reductions in education, we have said to legislative leadership put the funding in, make sure theres funding in the budget and we will not veto that funding in any form or fashion. We will let that funding go through, so we can have that conversation going into next year on what reforms we want to look at in education.

House and Senate leadership are not hearing it, however.

Senate President Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, told reporters Wednesday morning that the Senate plans to keep K-12 funding approved last session.

The majority is standing firm on our appropriation authority, Giessel said. We forward-funded last year for this year.

House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, echoed these sentiments in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

The governor is subjecting students, parents and teachers to an unnecessary legal and political fight, Edgmon said. We stand with the Senate and remain firm in our belief that the Legislature acted in a legal and appropriate fashion when it forward funded K-12 schools last year.

Forward funding for education has remained a popular method as it provides school districts with financial stability and the ability to formulate their individual budgets without worrying about whether that funding will be granted.

Fairbanks Democratic Rep. Grier Hopkins, a member of the House Education Committee, said this has been a practice in the past and it makes sense.

There have been no complications, so I dont think there are any constitutional questions, Grier told the News-Miner on Thursday. Neither the Senate nor the House have expressed any interest in changing that. Many of us believe that protecting full funding for education is critical and trying to change what weve promised school districts already is not particularly popular.

Hopkins said he would like to believe that after promising no veto, Dunleavy would keep his word, but the Legislature doesnt seem to have an interest in changing the funding approach, anyway.

If the governor and Legislature agreed to something in the budget and in negotiations, I believe both sides would stick to it. We have to believe the best in each other, Hopkins said. But theres just not much interest in changing the forward funding at this point.

The constitutionally limited 121-day session must be wrapped up by Thursday or risk a special session. Most lawmakers said they felt confident that can happen. The question is whether the Legislature will need to return to override any line-item budget vetoes levied by the governor. A 3/4 vote of 45 out of the 60 legislators is required to override a line-item veto.

Contact staff writer Erin McGroarty at 459-7544. Follow her on Twitter:@FDNMPolitics.
Egypt's interior ministry has killed an extremely dangerous terrorist in an exchange of fire on a Cairo-Suez highway, it said on Friday.

"In continuation of the intensive campaigns launched by the security services under the leadership of the Public Security Sector with the participation of the General Directorate for Drug Control and the Criminal Investigation Departments in the security of East Ismailia and Qalioubia, the Department of Security Forces and the Central Security Sector received information on a very dangerous element that had transferred their activity to the desert Cairo-Suez road, escaping intensive security strikes in the Magic and Beauty area, read a Friday ministry statement.

According to the statement, when the terrorist element saw forces approaching, he fired shots at them; as a result, he was killed."

A quantity of heroin was found with the deceased as well as night vision goggles, a mobile phone and EGP 34,000.

The public prosecution investigated the incident, the statement read.

The efforts of successive security campaigns in a geographic area the statement named as Magic and Beauty have resulted in the arrest of 199 criminal elements, 66 of whom possessed large quantities of narcotics and firearms, and the death of seven people who exchanged fire with troops.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The Borough Assembly funded a new grants writer, added some bus stops at the airport and doubled an allocation toward code enforcement cleanup in a $173 million fiscal 2019-20 budget passed in an 8-1 vote Thursday.

The budget comes with an expected areawide property tax rate increase of 0.346 mills to 1.2 mills, depending on multiple factors, namely state support for school bond debt payments, according to Bryce Ward, Fairbanks North Star Borough mayor.

In dollars, the low end of the potential tax increase would cost property owners $34 per $100,000 value of property. On the high end, property owners could see their tax bills go up by as much as $120 per $100,000 value of property.

The assembly is expected to set the final property tax rate June 13.

We will have more certainty here in a few weeks, said Matt Cooper, presiding officer.

The new budget takes effect July 1 and maintains current services at borough facilities such as libraries, parks, pools and the landfill, where the tipping fee was raised from $111 a ton to $115 a ton.

The boroughs largest annual allocation, its contribution to public education, will be $50 million, the same as was provided for the current school year and the amount the school board requested.

The same number of public employees on the borough payroll this time last year is proposed for the next fiscal year.

Several budget-impacting factors are still at play, Ward said.

One is a promise from the state to pay about $9 million in school bond debt. Another unknown is a final number for the net taxable value of the borough as a whole.

The assembly spent most of its time discussing the school bond debt.

The governor, the Alaska House of Representatives and the Alaska Senate all have differing views on how much to fund the program this year.

Multiple assembly members blamed the boroughs tax hike on Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who wants to strike the school debt payment from the state budget.

Local leaders are concerned that he will veto the money if the Legislature manages to get some or all of it back.

The $9 million payment is one of the biggest new expenses in the boroughs fiscal 2019-20 budget.

Assemblywoman Leah Berman Williams said the tax hike will be a consequence of the state going back on its promise.

Assemblywoman Liz Lyke also weighed in.

This was nowhere in our current governors campaign, she said.

Assemblyman Aaron Lojewski said he didnt think its was fair for the assembly to stick it to the taxpayers and blame the governor.

The assembly could have cut borough services instead, he said.

Ward said $9 million is about what is spent on the Parks and Recreation Department. He favors maintaining current programs.

Assemblyman Christopher Quist agreed.

There is a constituency for all of these expenditures, he said. Its not as if we are here trying to spend money for the heck of it.

Lojewski sponsored an amendment under which, if the borough must cover the school bond debt payment, a quarter of the money will come from borough reserves. The rest of the money will come from a property tax increase.

Another unknown factor affecting this years mill rate relates to the boroughs total taxable value. Ward built the budget this year using a different assumption than his predecessors, he said.

Instead of using a projected number for new construction, Wards budget assumes the same level of new construction this year as last year.

The mayor is waiting for final numbers on new construction from the assessor, he said. He is also waiting to see how tax appeals are resolved.

Several large taxpayers, including the owners of the Fort Knox Gold Mine, have appealed their tax values and several of those cases are expected to be heard this month.

Ward is anticipating a small addition to the boroughs net taxable value, which could lower the mill rate by as much as 0.2 mills, he said.

For weeks, borough leaders discussed a mill rate increase of 1.6 mills  the highest areawide property tax increase in 41 years.

They wound up reducing the tax increase through last-minute budget amendments.

Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7587. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMborough.
Fairbanks-area emergency responders unveiled a free mobile app Thursday that empowers community members to provide lifesaving aid to victims of sudden cardiac events.

The PulsePoint Respond app integrates with 911 to send out an emergency alert, informing users that someone in their vicinity is in need of CPR. If the victim is in a public place, the app pinpoints the location on a map and also gives the user the location of the closest automated external fibrillator device.

The app does not send public alerts if the victim is in a private place, such as their home, but does dispatch emergency responders. The PulsePoint app is open to anyone who is trained in CPR and wishes to opt-in to the program.

Doug Schrage, the chief of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Fire Department, described the importance of the app Thursday afternoon during a gathering at the Fairbanks Fire Department.

PulsePoint App Fairbanks City Firefighter David Naber receives a test notification of a cardiac arrest situation during the PulsePoint Respond app launch eve

PulsePoint is a system that works in the background of our 911 system, Schrage said. Many times people receive these cardiac arrest alerts even before the ambulance leaves the station. Communities around the country that have implemented PulsePoint have seen a dramatic improvement in their cardiac arrest survival rate.

Fairbanks news broadcaster J.R. Lewis and his wife, Leslie, have been vocal advocates of CPR training since their then-13-year-old son collapsed in 2013 at a jazz festival at UAF and was saved by a bystander. Both spoke Thursday about the importance of doing everything possible to shorten the response time for cardiac event victims.

Im as excited as all of the experts here to see this taking place, because we know firsthand that time is the key, J.R. Lewis said.

Leslie Lewis gave an impassioned endorsement of the PulsePoint app.

Bystander CPR gave us our son, Leslie Lewis said, noting that she couldnt think of anything that could make a bigger difference in a persons life than to have people who are ready, willing and able to respond.

PulsePoint just hits that so well, because its putting all of that technology that we have, all the fun that we have with it, all the ways we can reach people with this technology. Now we can really put it to work and save peoples lives, she said.

The PulsePoint app also sends out alerts about wildland fires, flooding, utility emergencies and other emergency events or threats.

The installation of the PulsePoint app was funded by a Rotary Club of Fairbanks grant and implemented in partnership with the Interior Fire Chiefs Association and Foundation Health Partners.

Contact staff writer Dorothy Chomicz at 459-7582. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMcrime.
South Korea's military says North Korea apparently fired two short-range missiles that flew a maximum of 420 kilometers and fell into the Sea of Japan.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff has announced that the North launched two projectiles in an easterly direction from a site near Kusong in North Phyongan Province on Thursday.

The South Korean military says the first one fired at around 4:29 p.m. flew more than 420 kilometers and the second launched 20 minutes later flew more than 270 kilometers.

South Korean media say both reached an altitude of more than 50 kilometers and came down in the Sea of Japan.

The South Korean military corrected its earlier analysis that at least one projectile was fired from Sino-ri where experts say there is a missile development stronghold. Kusong is about 40 kilometers northwest of Sino-ri.

On Saturday, Pyongyang fired more than 20 projectiles from the east coast city of Wonsan. Some of them are believed to have flown about 240 kilometers.

North Korea said it then fired a long-range rocket system and a tactical guided weapon as part of drills.

But some experts say the weapons launched on Saturday are likely to have included ballistic missiles. A ballistic missile launch by the North could violate UN Security Council resolutions.

The South Korean military has not said the latest launch involved ballistic missiles. It is analyzing with its US counterpart what were fired this time.
Facebook says it is collaborating with Co-Creation Hub (CCHub) to mentor and empower 12 startups in the Season 2 FbStart Accelerator P...

Facebook says it is collaborating with Co-Creation Hub (CCHub) to mentor and empower 12 startups in the Season 2 FbStart Accelerator Programme.









Kendra Nnachi, Facebook Startups and Developers Programme Manager said on Thursday in Lagos that the programme had been extended to startups in Ghana.









and empowering local innovators and upcoming entrepreneurs in realising their business goals. Nnachi said that the second edition of the programme was a renewal of Facebooks commitment to supportingand empoweringlocal innovators and upcoming entrepreneurs in realising their business goals.









The FbStart Accelerator is research and mentorship-driven six-months programme for innovative and visionary teams, daring to create solutions with advanced technologies.









She said that the accelerator programme provided the startups with the support they needed to build and optimise value driven products and match them with resources from Facebook and CcHUB.









According to her, Facebook and CcHUB have started accepting applications for Season 2 of the FbStart Accelerator and have opened the programme to Ghanian innovators as well.









We are delighted to be bringing back the FbStart Accelerator programme to Nigeria for the second year, and now expanding this to applicants from Ghana.









Given our passion for connecting people and helping developers and entrepreneurs to thrive, we cant wait to see how this years cohort develop and build solutions and technology to engage and empower people across Nigeria, Ghana and potentially the continent.









If you are building a solution that leverages advanced technologies  Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Data Science and Extended Reality  in Nigeria and Ghana, the accelerator is designed to help you grow, she said.









Nnachi said that season one of the programme saw 15 startup and student teams graduate on April 12, 2019.









She said that as at April 2019, the graduating teams had cumulatively raised over $400,000 in investments and grants.









FbStart Accelerator Season 2 will be made up of 12 startup teams receiving up to $20,000 in equity.









They will receive funding, one-on-one mentorship from Facebook and CcHUB, access to corporates, industry experts, $16,000 in product credits and more.









Interested teams can apply via www.cchubnigeria.com/fbstart, with applications, open until June 30, 2019, Nnachi said.













The Chief Executive Officer, CcHUB Bosun Tijani, said that the hub was delighted to be renewing its support to innovators who were building the future of Africa.









By renewing our partnership with Facebook, we will continue to deepen adoption of advanced technologies across Africa and inspire the next generation of innovators to compete globally, Tijani said.









One of the participants in the 2018 cohort, Moses Olafenwa, the CEO of DeepQuestAI, said that the FbStart Accelerator programme had incredibly transformed its team from aspiring innovators to world-class solution creators.









Our team has the best possible support from some of the most diligent tech facilitators, in addition to the immense financial and infrastructural support we got, Olafenwa said.









Like in 2018, Facebook, CcHUB and partner hubs would also hold roadshow events in 10 states across the country.








A certain Nigerian man has just allegedly lost a job offer because he supports and posted photos of his role models, Bobrisky and Tonto ...

A certain Nigerian man has just allegedly lost a job offer because he supports and posted photos of his role models, Bobrisky and Tonto Dikeh on his Instagram page.





According to the man, he was asked by his potential employer to make his Instagram page public, which he did by removing it from private.





Then he was scheduled for an interview which never came, instead he got a rebuff that he is not fit for the employment as a PA for having Bobrisky and Tonto as his role model.





Read their conversation below




Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Friday toured the El-Nakheel area at the end of the Mosheer Tantawy axis road, near Cairo's Nasr City, his spokesman said.

El-Sisi visited several National Roads Company projects which have been expanding roads, removing waste and providing services.

The projects aim to develop services and provide job opportunities.

El-Sisi also attended Friday prayers at the new El-Qayyum mosque in the area, Bassam Rady said.

The mosque can accommodate 400 worshippers.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Inibehe Effiong, Lagos based human rights lawyer, has filed a suit against President Muhammadu Buhari over his recent private visit to...





Inibehe Effiong, Lagos based human rights lawyer, has filed a suit against President Muhammadu Buhari over his recent private visit to the UK.





In the suit with number FHC/L/CS/763/2019 filed at the federal high court in Lagos on Thursday, Buhari and Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation are listed as the first and second defendants.





Femi Adesina, a presidential spokesman, has announced on April 25, that the president was leaving for the UK on a private visit.





In the originating summons made available to TheCable, Effiong asked that the president clarify whether, in view of the extant provisions of Section 145 (1) of the constitution, he can validly proceed on a vacation for any length of time without transmitting a written declaration to the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives.





Whether the 1st defendant in refusing to adhere to the clear and unambiguous provisions of Section 145 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) has not by the singular action violated his oath of office and the Provisions of the Constitution which he swore to uphold, the suit read.





Whether the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) or any other law for that matter, permits the 1st defendant to exercise presidential authority over the affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from any country outside the territorial jurisdiction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, save when he is out of the country on official diplomatic engagements.





The lawyer is seeking a declaration that Buharis visit to the UK is a gross violation of the law as he did not transmit any letter to the national assembly before proceeding on the vacation.





He is also seeking a court order restraining Buhari from going on vacations whether within or outside the country without transmitting a letter to the national assembly.





Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman, had however argued that it was unnecessary for the president to inform the national assembly of his private trip to the UK.





The president didnt make a mistake by taking off without writing a letter to the national assembly because it was unnecessary. In some of the leading democracies, its conventional that in fact, a prime minister can be asked to leave the public space for private time at least once in a month in some countries, he had said.





In 2017, Buhari spent 51 days in the European country on medical vacation during which Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo assumed the role of acting president.




The leadership of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has accused the former governor of Lago...





The leadership of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has accused the former governor of Lagos State and National leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu of planing to revoke all properties owned by Ndigbo in Lagos.





The group made this known in a statement signed by the National Director of information, Comrade Edeson Samuel in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital on Thursday.





The statement read in part: It is very clear that President Mohammadu Buhari and his Fulani cabals have perfected their plans to establish northern agenda, which has been their utmost aim to frustrate, destabilize and to crush the entire eastern region because of their hatred against Biafra.





The railway quarters in eastern region are death traps and some so called Igbo leaders will be shouting one Nigeria. All railways in the east have been taking over by grasses and arm bandits. MASSOB described those who claimed that they are our political leaders as failures.

MASSOB wishes to reminds Ndigbo of our think home agenda, Ndigbo must start relocating their industries, businesses and other investments back to Biafra land because a bird at hand worth more in the bush.





MASSOB remind our people that Nigeria will never like you because of the pathological hatred they have against Ndigbo.





All Igbo wealths in the northern region will one day be on fire in the name of religious crisis by this Islamic terrorist. Igbos who are still building who built mansions and shopping malls in Lagos should

also know that Bola Tinubu the godfather of Lagos state has perfected plans to revoke all properties own by Ndigbo in Lagos state through the new puppet he installed as governor of Lagos state.





MASSOB is urging Igbo business men especially the importers not to use Kaduna dry port unless Calabar, Onitsha and Port Harcourt see ports are rehabilitated and functional.





MASSOB advised that Ndigbo should use other neighboring countries sea ports because you cannot beat a child and at the same time stop him from crying. MASSOB advised Eastern governors to establish industries and mechanic villages in their respective States. They should also repair the abandoned ones by federal government to avoid kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal acts in Eastern region, the group
There are indications that the race for speakership  the prime leadership position in the incoming 9th Assembly is taking a new dimen...

There are indications that the race for speakership  the prime leadership position in the incoming 9th Assembly is taking a new dimension despite the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC adopted the current House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila as its consensus candidate.









Standing on a favorable lane in this new political leaning is one of the topmost contenders for the position of the speakership, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago.









There is an underground plot by some chieftains in the APC to back off Gbajabiamilas campaign and support a candidate of north-central extract.









According to feelers in the House of Representatives, majority of the returning lawmakers and a section of the APC have teamed up with Hon. Bago and are vehemently working against the combatant-like disposition of the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and National leader, Bola Tinubu in delivering the speakership position to Gbajabiamila.









A top chieftain of APC who spoke to this medium on condition of anonymity, said Gbajabiamila chances are threatened by fears in some quarters of the party that he [Gbajabiamila], a staunch loyalist of Tinubu may do the bidding of his Lagos godfather rather than that of the party.









There is a northern governor who leading talks with 14 other governors to ensure Gbajabiamilas bid is frustrated. Says source









Only recently, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai made an anti-godfather [An allusion directed to Tinubu] remark in Lagos State which was calculated by political analyst as a reflection of the in-fighting in the APC.









Advancing on his strength of building people-centric relationships, Bago who was adjudged by his supporters as highly relatable said his campaign will focus on the establishment of a functional and enduring relationship with his stakeholders.









Lawmakers who are supporting Bago are putting up a good debate on why the APC leadership should give north-central chance to get the speakership of the 9th assembly.









One of the points advanced Bagos supporters is federal character  they hold that the position of the speakership should be zoned to the North Central since the North-West has Mr. President, the South-West has the Vice President and the Senate President has been zoned to the North-East.









If APC is to go by popular support and equitable zoning formula, the 9th speakership will almost seem a perfect hard-earned right of the north-central.









The Senate presidency was zoned to the North-East, being the zone that contributed the highest number of votes after the North-West, as such the proponents in this line of thought believe the speakership position will naturally, go to the next in line  the North-Central zone  which produced the second largest votes after the North-East (2,465,599).









The Bagos camp is not only mounting pressure on the presidency but also lobbying with lawmakers from the North Central states to seek compensation for delivering the third largest votes to the second-term election of President Buhari on February 23.









Meanwhile, Gbajabiamila is not leaving any stone unturned  his camp is very active and they have toured almost the entire country soliciting support for his candidature.









Gbajabiamila has also resorted to play up the ethnic and religious sentiments to avoid missing the highly contested seat like he did in 2015. The Lagos lawmaker is today seen more at Islamic events or sometimes visiting highly revered Islamic clerics. He recently traveled to Saudi Arabia for a lesser hajj and was pictured leading an Islamic prayer in another session.









Critics have however alleged that Gbajabiamila is also an elder in a Pentecostal Church.








Music star, Davido, has expressed disappointment at the ruling of the Court of Appeal which declared Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the All P...

Music star, Davido, has expressed disappointment at the ruling of the Court of Appeal which declared Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress as the elected governor of Osun State.Davido took to his Instagram page to react to the court ruling which was not in favour of his uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke.He said, My people, we cannot hide our disappointment. This judgment of the Court of Appeal hurts; its extremely painful, but guess what, it is not the end; far from it.Everyone, remain calm. I want to urge all our supporters to remain calm at this time. As you all know, there is one last and important lap.It is time for the last lap and the God I know and serve is in control, he said.Davido added, We have won the first leg. We have lost the second leg but I am certain that the highest court in the land will rectify and restore all that has been stolen from us with this judgment.Everyone, stay calm and stay safe! See you at the Supreme court, he wrote.
A house of representatives panel says it has uncovered public funds outside the treasury single account (TSA) to the tune of $995.71 m...





A house of representatives panel says it has uncovered public funds outside the treasury single account (TSA) to the tune of $995.71 million.





The ad hoc committee on the need to ascertain the proceeds of the treasury single account made the submission in its report considered and adopted by the house on Thursday.





According to the committee chaired by Danduram Abubakar, federal government funds to the tune of billions of naira and hundreds of millions of dollars were operated outside the TSA by the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in collaboration with banks.





The report obtained by PUNCH read: After the meeting with Deposit Money Banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on August 15, 2017, the committee discovered that over $900m is still being held outside the TSA.





While some banks fully complied with the directive of the ad hoc committee by remitting these funds into the TSA, it is worthy of note that the sum of about $995.71m was still held outside the TSA by some other banks. This sum of $995.71m includes the principal deposit and the accrued interest on the deposit. Also discovered was an amount of N1.207bn and 23,704.01.





The committee also accused the NNPC of extra-budgetary spending. It said while (its) Brass LNG received an appropriation of $511.60m, the actual release was $461.54m during 2012-2017 fiscal years.





The lawmakers specifically indicted the corporation and an agency of the federal ministry of environment of violating the TSA policy.





They said the balance in the CBN joint venture account as reported by the NNPC, dated October 30, 2017, stood at $188,900,383.49, adding: These are the various accounts classified as accounts still not being moved to TSA by CBN, DMBs account.





The report further read: The committee discovered three accounts held by the NNPC in Aso Savings and Loans PLC and Unity Bank PLC. The accounts include two placement accounts called NNPC PFL Placement Deposit and the third account called NNPC Pension Fund account. The total balance in these accounts as of August 27, 2017, stood at N1, 079,444,746.49.





The committee also made another startling discovery of a fund held in another DMB by the Federal Ministry of Environment; Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Programme called FME HYPREP Account. The balance in this account as of September, 2018, stood at N1.1bn and $4.9m domiciled in Stanbic IBTC Bank.





The committee said some of the MDAs operating accounts outside the TSA claimed to have obtained a presidential exemption over their actions.





In the case of NNPC, the committee insisted to sight the purported exemption letter. However, to the dismay of committee, the letter was only conveying the approval of the President signed by an assistant director, it said.




The United Nations has appointed Muhammadu Sanusi II, emir of Kano, as a member of the new class of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)...





The United Nations has appointed Muhammadu Sanusi II, emir of Kano, as a member of the new class of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) advocates.





Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, made the announcement through Farhan Haq, his spokesman, at a news conference in New York on Thursday.





The SDG advocates are 17 influential public figures committed to raising awareness, inspiring greater ambition, and pushing for faster action on the SDGs.





Sanusi is one of the six new members of the group, which is co-chaired by President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Erna Solberg, prime minister of Norway.

The other five new members are Hindou Ibrahim of Chad, Dia Mirza of India, Edward Ndopu of South Africa, Nadia Murad of Iraq and Marta Vieira da Silva of Brazil.





Haq said the six new members will take over from the previous six who had been made SDG advocate alumni.





The Secretary-General looks forward to working with the group over the coming years to advance the SDGs, the spokesman said.





The emirs appointment is coming barely a day after Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano state, assented to a bill passed by the Kano house of assembly on the breaking up of the emirate in the state.





Sanusi reportedly opposed the re-election of Ganduje, who needed a disputed supplementary election to be returned to office in the March 2019 governorship election.





After Ganduje lost the poll heavily in Kano municipal, there were rumours that he would hunt the emir after the election.





To further strengthen the rumours, the governor had earlier vowed to give assent to the bill immediately it was transmitted to him.




The Acting Inspector-General of Police Ag.IGP Mohammed Adamu on Friday charged senior police officers from the rank of Commissioners of...

The Acting Inspector-General of Police Ag.IGP Mohammed Adamu on Friday charged senior police officers from the rank of Commissioners of Police and above to review their strategies in the on-going war against violent crimes particularly banditry and kidnapping prevalent in some parts of the country









He made the call in Abuja at the IGPs Conference Hall Louis Edet House Force Headquarters with senior police officers from the rank of DIG to that of Commissioner of Police in attendance.









The IGP charged the Police officers to ensure that they review their operational strategies in crime fighting as the nation is currently facing difficult times in terms of security.









He said that the threat of crimes and criminality particularly armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes are very alarming and worrisome to the Police hierarchy.









He charged the senior Police officers to review their operational strategies so that these crimes can be contained.









The IGP also hinted that the conference is to evaluate the extent of implementation of the Operation Puff Adder which was launched on April 5, 2019, as a Police strategy to address internal security threats within the country.









He added that the national crime profile of the country from April 1, 2018, to date indicates a significant increase in the arrest of offenders and recoveries of firearms by the Police.









While reviewing the performance of his personnel from various Police formations and number of arrests made, he said that there is significant increase in the number of persons arrested in connection with violent crimes across the country.








Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reiterated on Thursday the importance of making digital government services easily available at a suitable cost to institutions and citizens.

The remarks came during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the ministers of defence, military production, foreign affairs, planning, finance, the interior and ICT, in addition to the chairman of the Administrative Control Authority, the director of military intelligence, and the director of the militarys department of information systems.

The meeting dealt with efforts exerted to develop the capabilities of the state via a unified mechanism for digital transformation, El-Sisis spokesman Bassam Rady said.

The government has been making efforts to digitalise, by getting rid of paper documentation and introducing online systems, with the aim of saving time and money.

El-Sisi gave directives to continue coordination with the concerned state entities, in order to make these digital services easily available and affordable, Radi added.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypt has strongly condemned the bombing of a market in Baghdad on Thursday, which killed eight people and left 10 others wounded.

A foreign ministry statement extended condolences to the victims' families, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The statement asserted that Egypt's government and people stand by the Iraqi government and people to preserve the country's security and stability.

Cairo also reiterated its call for action to confront all forms of terrorism and extremism via eliminating funding for terror groups.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The Ministry of Education is taking measures to ensure grade 10 final exams, scheduled between 19 and 30 May, run smoothly.

This years grade 10 students have studied a revamped curriculum that places a greater stress on understanding rather than memorising and includes an electronic exam system which depends on tablets and the internet. Attempts earlier in the year to have students take their exams using their tablets were plagued with glitches.

Minister of Education Tarek Shawki announced in a press conference that the ministry has back-up plans should any technical problems appear during the exams though he gave no further details.

Shawki says education directorates will be obliged to coordinate with the ministry to ensure the examination process functions properly. Schools must check their students tablets are performing well so as to avoid any technological obstacles that might hinder pupils from sitting final exams, he said.

Reda Hegazi, head of the General Education Sector at the Ministry of Education, stresses that exams will be tailored to measure the outputs of education rather than the memorisation of materials the students are studying.

Students from public and private schools will sit for their final exams electronically. Public school students will be tested during the morning period which starts at 9am, while students of non-governmental schools will sit exams during the afternoon, starting at 1pm, said Hegazi.

Students in hospital or juvenile detention will sit exams according to the old system.

The 600,000 grade 10 students distributed among 2,500 schools will all be using tablets for their finals this year. Schools have been provided with high-speed Internet networks and every school has its own server should anything go wrong with the Internet.

Students will have the opportunity to access the Egyptian Knowledge Bank, a portal through which students, researchers and teachers have access to educational and scientific publications via their tablets.

Sitting exams via tablets is part of the overhauled education system which came into force this year for kindergarten, grade one and grade 10 students.

It will be rolled out gradually until it covers all primary, preparatory and secondary education. During the next academic year the new system will be applied in grade 11. It will reach preparatory stage pupils only after it has been rolled out to cover all secondary students.

Hegazi underlined the need to arrive on time since students will be disconnected from the Internet after a set period in order to prevent cheating.

Each school is required to prepare lists of students in every class and cross reference the serial number of their tablets with that of the students IDs.

Ministry of Education Spokesperson Amina Khairy says the ministry has distributed SIM cards charged with LE25 worth of Internet access among grade 10 students to be inserted in their tablets and used during the exams.

The SIM cards will enable students to avoid the Internet cutting problem which occurred last March during a test exam. The SIM cards will also solve problems at schools which are not yet properly equipped, said Khairy.

Officials responsible for technological development will be present on school premises during exams to help any student facing problems with the system.

Students will need a 50 per cent final grade to pass the exams and students who fail any subject will be given a chance to re-sit the exam, said Shawki.

Walaa Al-Sayed, mother of a grade 10 student, is worried from the new system.

Everything is vague. Neither parents nor children understand anything of the new system. I dont know what will happen. As parents we pray for our children, and pray that we will understand what is going on as well, said Al-Sayed.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Examined with tablets

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Iraq is one of the richest nations on earth, yet power outages still make life intolerable in summer heat

It is telling that some historical accounts have it that the worlds first electrochemical battery may had been invented in Babylon, and it has been suggested that the cells might have been used to electroplate metal or as an igniter.

The Babylon battery, a six-inch clay pot sealed with bitumen and containing a copper cylinder surrounding an iron rod, was supposedly discovered at a Mesopotamian archaeological dig near Baghdad dating back some 2,500 years.

Few archaeologists (possibly none) accept that the jar is a real battery, but the device demonstrates how civilisation flourished in the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley in antiquity and in the land now called Iraq.

Today, however, this country, known as the cradle of civilisation and also sitting on some of the worlds largest oil and gas fields, is suffering from endemic electricity shortages that have made life unbearable for millions of Iraqis.

The chronic power outages are the result of myriad factors, including the destruction of power plants in the US-led war on Iraq in 1991, the UN sanctions, the US-led invasion in 2003, civil struggle and corruption, and ultimately a dysfunctional government in Iraq that remains in a state of deadlock.

Before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Iraq had the capacity to produce 9,295 megawatts (MW) of power. By 2003, after American bombing and years of stringent international sanctions imposed after the invasion, it was half that.

The destruction of more power stations and the countrys electricity grid in the 2003 invasion and in the series of conflicts that followed it reduced production further even as Iraqs population nearly doubled.

The shortages have forced Iraqis to buy electricity from private entrepreneurs who run power generators that can be seen in most neighbourhoods across the country.

The crisis has generated much disillusionment and dissent, including protests that often spark violence. Last summer, protesters in the southern Iraqi city of Basra attacked or set fire to nearly every government building in the city.

Like all previous ones, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdel-Mahdis government, which came to power after last years elections, has promised to end the outages that have hobbled economic development and disrupted almost every aspect of daily life.

The Ministry of Electricity said it had plans to revamp production to some 18,000 MW this summer from its current 14,000.

Last week, Abdel-Mahdi travelled to Berlin to attend the signing of a framework agreement with German industrial conglomerate Siemens to upgrade the electricity grid of the power-strapped country.

Under the deal, Siemens will build one power plant, upgrade 40 gas turbines and install electricity substations and transformers across Iraq. This should increase electricity production in the country by around 50 per cent.

The deal, yet to be finalised, includes the addition of new and highly-efficient power generation capacity, the rehabilitation and upgrading of existing plants, and the expansion of transmission and distribution networks.

But it will put the Munich-based company at the top of a list of rivals vying to take on the bulk of orders for infrastructure projects, especially the US company General Electric (GE).

GE had revealed earlier that it had already secured a number of orders for Iraqs power needs, including a 750 MW order deliverable by the end of the year.

But GEs award now seems to be in doubt after Siemens succeeded in securing the $15 billion contract despite the US Trump administrations intervention on behalf of the US rival.

Further complications in the competition included the heavy pressure on Baghdad by Washington to stop Iranian gas supplies to Iraq in line with the US energy sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

If GE had won a large contract to sell power plants to Iraq that would burn gas from Iran, it could have caused a political furor in both the United States and Germany.

Iraq would likely have had to stop the Iranian gas supplies that Abdel-Mahdis government has considered to be non-negotiable, declaring that it wants to stay out of the dispute between Iran and the US.

In addition to its gas supplies to Iraqs power plants, Iran also exports 1,200 MW of electricity to its neighbour, making the Islamic Republic the sole foreign energy supplier to Iraq. Iran also hopes to become an energy hub and reach regional markets through Iraq.

There are further geopolitical dimensions to Iraqs electricity crisis, since many of the countrys neighbours are also offering to sell electricity to Baghdad, some at a discount, as part of efforts to curb the influence of Iran in Iraq.

But while the foreign struggles over Iraqs power grid escalate, many experts and international organisations have been questioning the management of Iraqs energy sector by successive governments since Saddams fall.

Iraq spent some $40 billion between 2003 and 2018 to rehabilitate its power sector, but inefficiency, waste and widespread corruption in the country have not led to the results that had been hoped for. The countrys Ministry of Electricity estimates that $35 billion will be necessary to rebuild the power system fully.

A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) issued last month found that Iraqs main problem lies in the weakness of the infrastructure distributing the electricity.

The report said that Iraq, one of the worlds biggest energy producers, could address its electricity shortfall and growing power needs through immediate action to relieve pressure on the system.

The report, Iraqs Energy Sector: A Roadmap to a Brighter Future, noted that Iraqs electricity network losses were among the highest in the world.

It said reducing these losses by half would help dramatically to improve the efficiency of supply and effectively increase capacity by a third.

Demand for electricity in Iraq is set to double between now and 2030, and the shortfall will likely widen as the countrys population grows by more than one million people each year, the report added.

Without changes to the current system of electricity supply and improvements to the network, domestic generation, imports and neighbourhood generation will need to double by 2030, the report concluded.

Though the problem of the power shortages in Iraq is multifaceted, government dysfunction and corruption remain the biggest challenges to solving it.

As the country struggles to cope with electricity shortages with little expectation that they will end soon, many Iraqis believe that some of the funds allocated for the power sector have been mismanaged or embezzled.

Successive electricity ministers have been sacked over corruption charges or forced to quit their jobs. Aiham Alsammarae, a US-Iraqi dual citizen and the first post-Saddam minister of electricity in Iraq, was jailed on corruption charges in 2005 before he fled to Chicago through the then US-policed Baghdad Airport.

Alsammaraes escape has served as an example to his successors in the ministry, which has remained one of the most corrupt even by Iraqs standards.

The Wall Street Journal reported on 19 November that a consultancy report prepared for GE on corruption allegations in Iraqs power sector had showed pervasive bribery.

The study, prepared for GE by corporate intelligence firm Hakluyt & Co and based on interviews with business people and officials working in the power sector, painted a portrait of widespread corruption and bribery in the sector.

Last week, Iraqi MP Alia Nussayif urged the countrys parliament to probe reports that current minister of electricity Luay Al-Khateeb had authorised a contract with a foreign consultancy firm that he set up before joining the government.

The Training and Energy Research Directorate of the ministry signed the contract with the London-based Iraq Energy Institute (IEI) covering energy research and technology collaboration, data and capacity building.

Under the agreement, IEI will focus on improving the accuracy of the IEA energy balance analysis for the Republic of Iraq, being the critical study mentioned above.

Nussayif accused Al-Khateeb of signing a contract with himself by alluding to his on-going relationship with the IEI, which according to its Website is a non-profit organisation providing broad categories of services.

It relies for funding on gifts and private donations from private businesses and individuals as well as grants from multilateral organisations and governmental and non-governmental organisations, its Website says.

With the start of the fasting month of Ramadan this week and rise of energy consumption, Iraqis hope their government will keep its promise to increase power supplies to help them cope with rising summer temperature.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Powerless Iraq

Search Keywords:

Short link:


What have been the reasons behind the failure of the Syrian opposition since the outbreak of the revolution in early 2011, asks Bassel Oudat in Damascus

Even if the emphasis is placed on the oppositions mistakes since the beginning of the Syrian Revolution in 2011, this does not mean that the regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is innocent or cannot be replaced.

Criticising the opposition also does not mean criticising the revolution, since the opposition and the revolution must be kept separate.

The Syrian opposition made the mistake of thinking that a regime that had ruled for five decades could be removed quickly and easily. Convinced that it would fall, it rushed forward without medium or long-term plans, relying on populist rhetoric rather than taking up the reins of power itself.

The revolutions that had taken place in some other Arab countries and promises from overseas helped to create an early atmosphere of euphoria, even as the traditional opposition remained outside events. Local communities were relied upon for coordination at the expense of national sentiment.

The opposition counted more on the outside than the inside, ignoring the possibility of strikes and civil disobedience. This detracted from the ability of those within to shape the revolution in the ways they wanted, rejoicing when the opposition took up arms and turned a blind eye to warlords who ignored the goal of the revolution to bring about a democratic civilian state.

It was forgotten that the Syrian people wanted to be rid of military rule, and too much was done to facilitate Political Islam, even though the Islamists did their best to transform revolution into jihad.

Too great an emphasis was placed on foreign funds, making the opposition indebted to other countries and hostage to their conditions. Independent decisions must be rooted in independent funding; politics cannot be about playing to all sides.

National values were too often ignored, and those with political experience, especially those who had defected from the regime, were marginalised.

The opposition did not do enough to reach out to the mass of the Syrian population, even as there was a crying need to close ranks, reject obsolete beliefs and ideologies, and emphasise the values of common citizenship. Too often, the opposition failed to embrace others or accommodate diverse views.

Some Syrians who opposed the regime refused to link to opposition figures, saying that its members were not a true alternative to the regime. The revolutions goal was never to hand over power to the opposition or appoint it as a replacement of the regime.

Instead, it was to achieve the rule of law, justice and good governance, and to remove an oppressive and corrupt regime.

On 1 September 2011, the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) was created in Istanbul, which included five political groups identified as its legitimate representatives.

The SNC earned global recognition with the support of more than 100 countries in the Friends of Syrian group at that years Tunis Conference.

However, the SNC became swamped in issues that were not part of its mandate, including relief and medical aid. The US, unhappy with the composition of the SNC, pushed for overhauling it and thus emerged the Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces at the Doha Conference on 11 November 2012.

But the coalition made similar mistakes and consumed its energy in activities outside Syria. The military path of the revolution veered further from the political track, especially after the emergence of other armed groups at the expense of the opposition Free Syria Army (FSA). After the Vienna II Conference, the coalition also lost power.

The countries involved in the Syria crisis then recognised the Higher Negotiations Commission (HNC) that emerged from the Riyadh Meeting on 8 December 2015.

This was expected to lead the negotiations with the regime on the Geneva track, but soon it came under pressure to expand and include neutral parties and others close to Moscow.

The HNCs positions became diluted, and it too lost the trust of the Syrian people.

The countries involved in the crisis then tried to make the Syrian conflict an international issue as a way of steering events. This led to deep rifts and the retreat of inclusive Syrian nationalism and the spread of subnational identities.

Opposition delegations began visiting Moscow, Tehran, Beijing and the Gulf capitals under the pretext of discussing opposition affairs. Conferences were held in Moscow, Astana, Vienna, Brussels, Istanbul and others on the Syrian crisis, but none produced anything positive for the Syrian opposition at a time when it was in dire need of genuine leadership.

The defeat of the revolution became expected when Russia and Iran sided with the regime even as the friends of the opposition abandoned it and hindered the delivery of effective weapons.

They created a climate in which most armed opposition factions were transformed into tribal or regional militias.

While the armed revolution has ended in Syria, the revolution itself is not over. The country is still ruled by a military regime that has no qualms about destroying cities, killing citizens, undermining coexistence, demolishing schools and hospitals, and using exploding barrel bombs.

It has learned nothing from the past and has made deals with allies who have commandeered military, political and economic decisions.

Yet, the idea of revolution in Syria, at least, will continue because of the scale of the regimes crimes. The Syrian people have stated their preconditions for peace, notably the need to respect their demands.

Transitional justice should hold criminals on all sides to account and create the foundations for a plural and democratic civilian state based on the principle of the rotation of power and eliminating the totalitarian and security state.

For the past eight years, the Syrian opposition has not had clear strategic goals. It let the street decide its tactics, and its leaders did not mobilise social and grassroots tools, causing the revolution to falter and blaming outside forces.

Following clear tactics that serve a clear strategy will require the formation of revolutionary leaders who can take an inventory of friends and foes. This is the first step that now must be taken if Syria is to become a modern state.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The failure of the Syrian Revolution

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The United Nations Security Council called on all parties to the Libya conflict on Friday to commit to a ceasefire and return to UN-led mediation, said Indonesian UN Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, president of the 15-member body for May.

The latest flare-up of violence in Libya, which has been gripped by anarchy since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011, began a month ago when Libyan National Army (LNA) forces led by commander Khalifa Haftar's advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli.

More than 440 people have died and tens of thousands have been displaced, according to the UN.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Russias recently announced long-term lease of the port of Tartus in Syria marks the beginning of its return to the Middle East after its ejection at the end of the Cold War

Russia seems set to secure a permanent perch on the Mediterranean for the next half century after Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov announced that Moscow was on the verge of finalising a 49-year lease on the Syrian port of Tartus following a visit to Damascus last week. Borisov said he expected the lease to be signed very soon.

The development came as no surprise to observers in the light of Russias role in safeguarding the regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad from collapse.

There had already been concrete harbingers of the development in 2017 when Moscow signed an agreement with Damascus approving the expansion of the technical support and logistics base that the Russians had established in Tartus.

The ramifications of the Russian lease extend well beyond closer Russian-Syrian relations. The presence of Russian forces in warm-water ports has historically been a gauge of the international balance of power and changes in the international order, and at the height of the Cold War in the 1970s Tartus served as a base for former Soviet Unions fifth fleet.

The Russian return to the Mediterranean port is a reflection of the currently shifting equations in the global order.

Russia calculated its steps carefully. On 28 December 2017, in a meeting with Russian military service personnel who had taken part in anti-terrorist operations in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that you have performed all the missions assigned to you... In Syria, two Russian bases  an air base in Khmeimim and a naval facility in the port of Tartus  will operate on a permanent basis. This is an important factor in defending our national interests as well as ensuring Russias security in one of the key strategic sectors.

Russia began to advance its strategy when its intervention in Syria began in 2015 and it established a strategic command centre at the Khmeimim airbase. This has been steadily reinforced with Russian-made aerial defence systems that vie with sophisticated international counterparts.

Russia also began to renovate the Tartus naval base in the framework of a military agreement with Damascus, after which it gradually stepped up its military presence.

In October 2016, Moscow announced that it had been renovating the base to furnish logistical support for counter-terrorist operations in Syria.

On 18 January 2017, the two countries signed an agreement to expand the technical and logistics support centre for the Russian fleet at Tartus and to allow Russian military vessels entry into Syrian territorial waters and ports.

In December 2018, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov told the Russian daily Kommersant that the Russian Defence Ministry and Ministry of Trade and Industry were working together to construct a shipyard in Tartus, indicating that Russia had already initiated plans to prepare the infrastructure for a more permanent stay.

The 49-year lease is significant for Russia in several ways, not least of which is that it is emblematic of its victory in the conflict in Syria.

The Russian press underscored this aspect when it observed that the agreement over the long-term lease of the base meant that the Russian military engagement in Syria had accomplished its strategic aims.

After all, the agreement was signed with a regime that Russia has successfully rescued from collapse.

Secondly, the lease signifies the enduring Russian presence in the region. In late December 2017, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu announced that the Russian Armed Forces had approved the structure and staffing of Russias main bases in Tartus and Khmeimim and was cited by the local media as saying that we have started to install permanent forces there.

The Tartus lease has important implications for the international balance of power. The 31-article agreement to lease the port and expand the technical and logistic support centre offers Russia numerous advantages, one of which is the possibility of keeping 11 large vessels, including some nuclear-powered ones, docked at the port.

Nothing could more tangibly demonstrate the fact that the Russian vision for the Tartus facility extends beyond its natural functions in the framework of the Russian mission in Syria to embrace the long-held Russian aspiration for anchorage in the Eastern Mediterranean in a sphere of influence otherwise belonging to the US Sixth Fleet.

Not only does the long-term lease of the port free Russia from the strategic constraints of its relatively narrow maritime window in the Baltic, it also promises Moscow considerable economic and trade advantages with its allies and commercial partners in the Middle East.

At the same time, its presence positions it to win a large share of reconstruction projects in Syria.

Damascus will have calculated that it also stood to gain from the lease, and it also has ramifications from the Syrian perspective. The agreement to lease the Tartus facility is as much a symbol of success for Damascus as it is for Moscow, since Damascus has also claimed victory in its battle with its adversaries.

Signing agreements such as this is proof of the sovereignty it has regained over the country.

At the same time, the regime feels the need to reward Russia for standing by its side, spending vast sums of money protecting it and helping it to survive as the government of the country. Russias continued presence in Syria offers the regime a guarantee of protection after the military operations are over.

The defeat of the regimes adversaries would not be sufficient to guarantee stability in the country and safeguard the ruling Alawi sect in the coastal area.

Politicians affiliated with the Syrian regime underscored the benefits of leasing the port. Former Syrian communications minister Amr Salem said that we concluded the agreement with a country that has the experience and the money to equip and manage [the Tartus port] in a manner conducive to its needs and ours... Thats all there is to it.

Regardless of the details of the agreement signed with Russia, it will certainly serve the interests of Syria and those of Russia as well... It is only natural that this deal should be concluded and that both countries should benefit from it, he said.

The lease might encourage other allies and supporters of the Syrian regime to compete for similar agreements. Iran may feel that it should be rewarded with a similar agreement, perhaps involving the lease of the Latakia port.

Some commentators foresee competition between Moscow and Tehran to win deals from Damascus, whereas others believe that the matter will be managed in a coordinated framework.

All agree that Tartus will not be the final reward Damascus has to offer after the conflict has ended and that both Russia and Iran regard themselves as powers owed favours by the Al-Assad regime.

A possible indicator of the direction this process might take was President Al-Assads recent visit to Iran, which according to the Russian media occurred without Russias knowledge.

The lease agreement may also stir up other problems. Other powers are likely to oppose an extended Russian stay at Tartus, including the US which sees the Mediterranean as part of its sphere of influence and of its allies in Europe, NATO and the Middle East.

The Russian presence in Syria also runs counter to Israeli interests.

At the same time, the agreement will impose restrictions on Russia. Moscow will be obliged to maintain close relations with Turkey, a NATO member which straddles the Bosphorus through which Russian ships must pass on their way from Sevastopol on the Black Sea to Tartus.

This may also present another challenge to the relationship between NATO and Turkey, already strained because of the Turkish deal to buy Russian S-400 missiles.

Russias long-term lease of the Tartus port is highly symbolic. It marks the beginning of Russias return to the Middle East in a manner reminiscent of the former Soviet Union before the collapse of the bipolar global order at the end of the Cold War.

It will therefore have strategic repercussions throughout the region in the context of transformations in the international order and the restructuring of the balance of power in the Middle East.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The Russian bear returns

Search Keywords:

Short link:


North Koreas latest missile launch violated United Nations resolutions calling for a halt to such ballistic weapons tests, a spokesman for Japans government said on Friday.

They were ballistic missiles and that puts it in contravention of UN resolutions, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kotaro Nogami said at a regular press briefing.

North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday, its second missile test in less than a week.

Japan, which is within striking distance of North Korean mid-range missiles, has been a strong advocate of tough resolutions to force Pyongyang to abandon its ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons programs.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The UKs Brexit nightmare is damaging the countrys political culture and bringing back the zombies of British politics, writes Manal Lotfy in London

After almost three years of conflict, deadlock and polarisation over the UKs decision to leave the European Union in the so-called Brexit, the country is becoming a shadow of its former self and a dystopic political nightmare.

One UK candidate for the elections to the European Parliament in May was asked by the police to stop offering free hamburgers and hotdogs at election rallies.

Another candidate refused to apologise after he said that he wouldnt even rape a female Labour Party MP who has faced online abuse because of her firm support for a second referendum on the UKs leaving the EU.

As if this was not bad enough, he also called a disabled young woman retarded, used the N word, and said he personally finds racist jokes funny.

Brexit has cost the UK its international status and prestige, paralysed the government and parliament, divided the countrys political parties, damaged its ability to attract foreign investment and affected relationships with its European allies.

However, none of these things is as bad as the damage Brexit has done to British political culture.

Brexit has managed to push Britain to the far-right and bought back the zombies of British politics, from Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), and Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative Party MP turned reality TV star, to George Galloway, who has left his Respect Party to become a candidate for Farages Brexit Party in an astonishing turn of events.

The Brexit stalemate has enabled some unsavoury figures to enter the mainstream of British politics, from Tommy Robinson, former leader of far-right group the English Defence League, to Carl Benjamin from UKIP, to the detriment of both the Labour and Conservative Parties.

Nigel Farage, the godfather of Brexit, now the leader of a new party, has come back from political retirement to continue the fight. Recent figures show that Farages Brexit Party has soared in the polls as it vows to bring down both the Labour and Conservative Parties.

One in six British people would likely vote for the Brexit Party in a general election to the UK parliament, a new poll has shown.

There are two electoral tests slated for the coming weeks, with local elections in the UK scheduled for 2-3 May and elections to the European Parliament scheduled between 23 and 26 May.

Farage is adamant that his party will do very well in the local elections and will come out top in the European ones.

A poll released by the polling company Opinium has shown Labour and the Brexit Party tied on 28 per cent for the European elections, with the Conservatives trailing far behind. In a UK general election, Farages party would win 17 per cent of the vote, with Labour on 33 per cent and the Conservatives on 26 per cent, it said.

Thus far, the Brexit Party has drained more support from the Conservatives than Labour. Prominent Conservative MP Nick Boles compared the top Brexiteer to the Night King in the popular series Game of Thrones, saying that they are both poised to inflict imminent extinction on the potentates holed up in Winterfell and Westminster.

He warned that if Labour and the Conservatives fail to come up with a compromise on Brexit before next June, the Brexit Party will grow in strength.

The deadlock over Brexit and anger over the failure of the government to handle pressing issues such as poverty, health services and the rising crime rate could cause one in five Conservative Party councillors to lose their seats in next weeks local elections, polling data has shown.

Analysis presented by Michael Thrasher of the University of Plymouth on the TV channel Sky News showed that in the worst-case scenario the Conservatives could lose more than 1,000 seats, about 20 per cent of the 5,521 they are defending, while Labour could gain 840 seats and the Liberal Democrats 170.

The Conservative Party is not the only party that is in turmoil over Brexit, however, as the Labour Party also has massive problems with the issue.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is under growing pressure over his partys position on a second referendum on leaving the EU after a leaked draft of a campaign leaflet included no mention of a second vote.

Corbyn faced an angry backlash over the flyer, with Labour MPs saying it had triggered complete meltdown in the party and left pro-EU MPs utterly furious.

As the row deepened, 75 MPs and 14 MEPs wrote to Labours governing body to demand that a clear commitment to another referendum be included in the partys manifesto for next months European elections.

In their letter to the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC), the MPs and MEPs said Labour had a clear opportunity to win these elections if it fully supported a peoples vote on the final Brexit deal.

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, they wrote.

Corbyns team is split on whether Labour should support a second referendum, with several senior shadow cabinet ministers saying they want the party to support a public vote on any Brexit deal passed by parliament. However, Corbyns inner circle say he only supports a referendum on the governments deal to avoid a no-deal outcome.

All eyes will be on Corbyn in the coming days when he decides on what should appear in the Labour Party manifesto.

Such bizarre scenes do not end with the two main political parties, as newcomers to the political mainstream are doing their best to ensure that the world is looking at the UK with disbelief.

Carl Benjamin, the UKIP member facing widespread condemnations over his declarations, has been criticised after a video was uncovered in which he made offensive remarks.

Benjamin, who is running as UKIPs South West candidate in the European elections, posted the video in 2015 in which he calls a young woman with Downs Syndrome a retard, a black man a N, and posts anti-Semitic pictures over an image of a Jewish man.

Asked about the remarks, Benjamin told Sky News that Im not really interested in discussing any of these comments because, you see, Ive had something like 400 million views on my YouTube channels. Ive got a huge audience. If people want to go to see them they can go to watch them on my channel and see the context of them for themselves. Personally, I find racist jokes funny, he added.

UKIP declined to comment on the video, but party leader Gerard Batten has previously defended the candidate on the grounds of free speech.

Labour MP David Lammy expressed the view of many in the UK when he tweeted that words cannot express how deeply sad it is that in Britain in 2019 we have people who use the word N running to be elected officials. This is an ideology of hate. It must be confronted and defeated.

The political debate became more surreal when the British police intervened to ask Tommy Robinson, the former English Defence leader, to stop serving free hamburgers and hot dogs to supporters at an election rally because it broke electoral laws and amounted to bribing voters.

Robinson, known for his xenophobic and Islamophobic views, was offering free hot dogs and hamburgers from a catering van as he is standing in next months European elections as an independent candidate.

Speaking in Manchester, Robinson told a crowd of about 300 supporters that he was engaging in a David versus Goliath battle to represent Englands betrayed working classes. He also said he would campaign across working-class communities in a bid to target Labour voters.

Labour MP Mike Kane said Robinson was not welcome to spread his xenophobic, Islamophobic, homophobic, racist vitriol in my community or in any other community, however.

Anti-extremism campaigners Hope Not Hate urged voters to oppose the far-right thug. Chief Executive Nick Lowles called Robinson a far-right thug who uses his platform to bully, abuse and stir up division, monetising his hatred to rake in donations from his fans.

The Brexit nightmare is dragging the UKs political culture to a new low.

Historically, far-right ideology has found it difficult to penetrate British society or the countrys political classes. Before Brexit, Britain was largely immune to the far-right groups that have spread in Germany, France and Italy, for example.

With Brexit changing the countrys political landscape, the UK may be immune no longer.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Counting the damage of Brexit

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Conflict forced more than 10 million people to flee their homes to live elsewhere within their own country last year, bringing the total number of people internally displaced by violence to a record high, monitors said Friday.

The new figure brings the total number of people currently living in internal displacement due to violence to 41.3 million, an all-time high, according to a report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

"It is really a mind-boggling figure," NRC chief Jan Egeland told reporters in Geneva.

"It takes extreme violence and fear of disasters to force a family out of their home, their land, their property, their community," he stressed.

Including those uprooted from their homes by natural disasters as well as conflicts, a total of 28 million people were displaced internally in 2018, the report said.

A full 10.8 million of new internally displaced people (IDPs) last year were fleeing conflict, with strife in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria, as well as intercommunal tensions in Ethiopia, Cameroon and Nigeria responsible for most of the displacements, the study said.

The number of people currently living as IDPs is far higher than the some 25 million who have fled across borders as refugees.

Countries with the most IDPs

Surprisingly perhaps, the report found that the highest number of new internal displacements last year was in Ethiopia, with a full 2.9 million people fleeing their homes inside the East African country, where communal clashes, typically sparked by land disputes, are common.

Strife-torn DRC came in second, with 1.8 million fresh IDPs in 2018, followed by Syria with 1.6 million new internal displacements.

But in total, Syria, ravaged by eight years of war, counts 6.1 million IDPs, in addition to around the same number of Syrians still living as refugees.

On top of those forced from their homes by violence, 17.2 million people were internally displaced by natural disasters last year, Friday's report found.

Tropical cyclones and monsoon floods forced nearly 10 million to flee inside the Philippines, China and India.

IDMC chief Alexandra Bilak told reporters that most of those displacements were linked to government-orchestrated evacuations ahead of natural disasters.

"This of course saves lives, but demonstrates that there are still too many people in those countries who are exposed to extreme events," she said.

Hundreds of thousands of people were also forced from their homes in California last year by the most destructive wildfires in the state's history.

Some 22,000 people remain displaced by those fires, Bilak said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Indefatigable (till now) scammer and courtroom style queen Anna Sorokin will go to prison. Of course, she's been on Ryker's island since October 2017 since being arrested for swindling hundreds of thousands of dollars out of NYC's biggest banks, hotels, restaurants and socialites.

Last week, a month after her trial began, she was found guilty of fraud, among other charges. Today, the results of her sentencing hearing are in: four to twelve years in prison, reports the New York Times.

In addition to prison time, our girl is being fined $24,000 and has been ordered to pay restitution of about $199,000. She was found guilty of nearly every offense levied against her, though she was notably acquitted of two: the most serious offense of faking records to acquire a $22 million bank loan, and stealing from her friend Rachel DeLoache Williams, a Vanity Fair writer, who has written about time Sorokin famously (successfully) tricked her into paying for a lavish $60,000 vacation in Morocco.

The sentence is a blow to her lawyer, Todd Spodek, who couldn't seem to make up his mind about whether Sorokin was a well-intentioned, entrepreneur or a wide-eyed American Dream-seeking pollyanna who was "seduced by glamour and glitz."

Prosecutor Kaegan Mays-Williams didn't buy either story, declaring, according to NYT, that Ms. Sorokin's real goal was to "put herself in the best position to take money" from the wealthy so that she could "live the fantasy of an extravagant lifestyle."

New York Judge Diane Kiesel said she was "stunned by the depth of the defendant's deception" (NBC).

It'll also disappoint Sorokin's fanatical following: those enchanted by her perplexing self-confidence and ruthless determination. Also many will be sorry to see the end of her courtroom style journey, which has singlehandedly brought back chokers.
Following the incredible success of her original Hot Lips collection, celebrity makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur Charlotte Tilbury has announced a Hot Lips 2 collection coming this June. The line is inspired by 11 modern icons, to be revealed at a later date. But if her first Hot Lips collection named after celebrities like Kim Kardashian West and Miranda Kerr is anything to go by, this could be equally major.



"When I created this range, I wanted to create a new color world for everyone  looking for gaps in the color spectrum and mixing the most nuanced, super flattering, super wearable shades," says Tilbury, emphasizing inclusion and diversity as an important part of the her new collection. "These shades have super powers, they look incredible on everyone! I always envision the color and texture, and how they complement each other to make the shade even more unique and incredible."



An integral part of her new line is her partnership with Women for Women International, an organization dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives.

The makeup mogul has served as a Global Ambassador for the non-profit since 2016, and further pledged more than $1.3 million in donations to help give more women the opportunity to enroll in the charity's year-long training program designed to rehabilitate the survivors' lives.

With the sizable donation, the charity is expected to be able to expand into key new areas of conflict in Iraq and Nigeria, while providing additional services for communities that are particularly at risk and vulnerable.



"I have seen the most incredible, heart-warming change from our work with the charity so far," Tilbury says. "To date, we have raised enough to fund over 350 women through Women for Women International's training programme. I hope that with this magical 1 million donation, we will reach even more women and change even more lives across the word."

Brita Fernandez Schmidt, senior vice president for Global Partnerships at Women for Women International, adds: "We will be sharing this news with the women we serve around the world  so they will know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, even if they can't currently see it. This generosity doesn't just have an impact on women who take part in our programme  the families and communities of the women we serve will also feel the ripple effects of change. With every woman that graduates from our training programme, Charlotte Tilbury is helping to change the world!"

To date, Tilbury has donated and raised over 190,526 ($248,000) funding for the charity. While we have to wait until June 20 to find out who the 11 mystery icons are, you can learn more about Women for Women International and their work here.

The Hot Lips 2 collection will launch June 20 on CharlotteTilbury.com and CharlotteTilbury Beauty Wonderlands. The collection will be available in all doors starting June 27th. To get on the wait list, click here.
Skincare has turned into the most lucrative business in the beauty realm and everyone wants in. But despite large claims, not every brand gets the complex science behind creating a product that'll actually work.



Dr. Barbara Sturm has emerged as an outlier in that sense with her years of aesthetic medical practice that is ultimately mirrored within her work and coveted range of products currently retailed at Net-A-Porter, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, among others.

Dr Barbara Sturm

From Kim Kardashian to Bella Hadid, everyone is a fan. She doesn't need expensive marketing to sell her products either; the results speak for themselves, or so her devoted customers claim.

What started with a "Kobe Procedure" (named after client Kobe Bryant) or now known as the Vampire Facial, has now elevated her into the ultimate game-changer in the skincare business.

Related | The Creator of Vampire Facials Wants to Banish Your Blemishes

She's now bringing her "molecular and science-based approach" to her first independent flagship store in New York.

Standing tall at the Zero Bond Street in the NoHo district of Manhattan, the store will act as "an interactive space that allows customers to browse products and have an in person retail experience with the brand."

Dr Barbara Sturm in New York

Along with stocking some of her most beloved products including the Glow Drops, Brightening Serum, Face Cream, and the Super Anti-Aging Serum, customers will also be able to try her range of "non surgical anti aging treatments" and facials otherwise only available at her Dusseldorf clinic. These include The Brightening Facial, Super Anti-Aging Treatment, Darker Skin Treatment, an Instant Glow Facial and even a Clarifying Facial that targets acne and blemishes.



"We offer all of my facials there and you can come in and get skin analysis and recommendation regarding your skin," explains Dr. Sturm. "We are very focused on education."

"My products are like my children; I created each of them for a reason and I don't pick favorites."

Does she have a favorite? "My products are like my children; I created each of them for a reason and I don't pick favorites," she explains. "My Hyaluronic Serum (and Super Anti-Aging Serum) are products I don't leave home without, and I am often saved by my Face Mask and Glow Drops."



Formerly an orthopedic surgeon, Sturm debuted her first product in 2003. Despite the steep price point, her products continue to be sold out across online channels. It's only natural that the celebrity 'it' doctor now wants to expand her business.

But as retail continues to adapt to a more digital model and brands call time on their physical presence, it seems a little risky to move into the brick and mortar space. Dr. Sturm, however, has a plan.



"Anti-Aging Body Cream" by Dr. Barbara Sturm

"In 2018, I did 17 pop-up spas around the world. This was geared towards my patients and VIPs during events like Cannes Film Festival, the Oscars, Art Basel, Met Ball, Paris Fashion Week," she explains. "These pop-ups created intense demand and I really wanted to make my facials, products, philosophy and education available to the public. And New York felt like the obvious place to launch my permanent Boutique and Spa concept."



The New York location will further welcome "people of all ages," meaning even babies and kids who can shop her "Mini Molecular collection" crafted without fragrance and harmful ingredients.

Designed by German architect and Dr. Sturm's brother Tobias Freytag, technology and innovation are at the heart of the new physical outpost, with a "discovery table" for customers to sample products they haven't tried before and interactive videos that display more information about the new lines. Consumers will also have the opportunity to interact with experts on-site to see what products are right for them and create a customized skincare routine of their themselves.



As for Dr. Sturm's own skincare routine, she says it's fairly simple: "I live my life on the go and my routine is simple by necessity. I use my foam Cleanser (enzyme cleanser twice a week), and follow it with my Hyaluronic Serum in the morning (Super Anti-Aging Serum for rejuvenation at night) and then my MC1 cream. I use my Face Mask quite religiously, and my Glow Drops to get some pop. I take all my supplements daily, and use Anti-Pollution Drops when I am in Asia, LA and urban areas."

The Dr. Barbara Sturm Boutique and Spa opens May 16th. To know more about the services or book an appointment, click here.


Los Angeles-based textile artist Uzumaki Cepeda has been grinding hard. So hard that Instagram took notice and came by her DTLA loft to photograph and feature her on their Instagram. So hard that a creative at Instagram decided Uzumaki should create her signature fuzzy, dream-like installations on site at their HQ in Menlo Park. "I was just like oh shit. We basically coordinated where my stuff is there and I'm going to reinstall for Pride," Cepeda explains. Her untitled installation at Instagram's offices opened on April 1, and it's a playful, cozy, think tank covered in soft purple and magenta fur with hanging plants. On June 1, Cepeda will transform that current installation project into a Pride-themed celebratory room.

Cepeda is a textile artist known for her blazingly loud color palette of bodegas, fresh acrylic nails, and the Caribbean colors of the Dominican Republic, where her family hails from. Born Julianna Cepeda, the artist borrowed the moniker Uzumaki from the Japanese manga horror series. Her signature medium is faux fur, which saturates her work with a soft surreal touch, but why fur? "It kind of brings art and fashion together in a weird way," Cepeda shares. "It's also nostalgic. It's one of those things that it doesn't age like a painting. It's something that's always going to stay tactile and it invites people to touch it. Anytime you touch it, it'll never look the same twice."

As an Afro-Latinx artist, Cepeda designs spaces for bodies of color  bodies like mine  and consistently places Black and Brown women front and center in her work. Cepeda grew up in a Latinx household in the Bronx, and understood the duality of her identity as a first-generation, Dominican-American, living in New York and surrounded by Dominican culture, "that we saw the Caribbean through this loud color palette, and the music. Like our culture is still here. That's how I felt, I felt like I was in a little DR kind of."

Cepeda and her two brothers were raised by their single mom, between the Bronx and Lawrence, Massachusetts, her father had been deported when she was one. Oftentimes old-school Latinx parents can't envision a creative career for their children. It's a feeling many first-generation Latinx kids encounter, convincing your parents you could live off your blog, your writing, your photography, or your art.

Cepeda reveals, "Being Dominican-American, I was privileged in the sense where I didn't have to go through the struggles my mom did growing up in a third-world country. I grew up hella privileged, even though kind of disadvantaged of course, but more privileged than my mom, so I have a better sense of how things move out here. Me being artist was very abstract. How are you going to make money? How are you going to live? I feel like America is a different space where you could go somewhere, it could happen for you."

Cepeda has found a way to thrive on her own terms. Her big break came in November 2016, when A$AP Rocky curated a pop-up store for his underground collective and released the Koraju app at the inaugural ComplexCon, and invited Cepeda to create a fuzzy, playful installation of primary colors. The soon-to-be 24-year-old artist has appeared in a steady stream of high-profile campaigns including; Champion, Nike (both the classic Cortez shoe and the debut ACG women's collection in 2017), modeling alongside Kyle MacLachlan and Kim Gordon in UGG's Fall 2017 campaign, and prop styling for UGG's Holiday 2017 collection too. In November 2018, Cepeda returned to ComplexCon, but solo this time, "It was just more of like a play space where people could do whatever they wanted. There were no boundaries. There were no rules."

In September 2018, Cepeda was among the artists tapped to create one of the selfie-friendly spaces for Refinery29's 29 Rooms experience in Brooklyn. Her "Teen Bedroom" installation featured a wild mix of 80s and 90s pop culture references including a David LaChapelle photograph of Lil' Kim in blonde pigtails, a working Nintendo 64 furry console, and a "Back to the Future" movie poster. Visitors frolicked around on a bright red bed, peeked inside an electric blue closet, primped in front of a yellow vanity set, and talked on a nostalgic hamburger phone.

A month later, she made her museum debut at the Craft & Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles with "Daydreaming," a "furred out" living room installation that showcases her New York and Dominican roots. "It was definitely influenced by that, because Dominicans, we're always gathering in a living room, so I definitely did my version, because I feel like I spent a lot of my childhood in a living room. It definitely resonates with me." In December 2018, for the L.A. version of 29 Rooms, she recreated "Teen Bedroom", a similar bedroom swagged out with bright soft fur. "The art itself wasn't too different, but the feeling was different because obviously I feel like New York is morethey show mad love to me."

Cepeda is navigating success and visibility completely solo, with no gallery, agent, or manager. She's real about her struggles, as a young WOC, independent artist, managing finances and opportunities. "Honestly, I'm going through that crisis right now, where there's no agency that manages young artists. So it's really hard juggling in between reading a contract, debating with these people, and then getting to the art. By the time you get to the art you're like fucking exhausted. So I've definitely been going through this phase where it's getting really, really tough on my own. I'm figuring out a way if I can find people to help me. There are no fucking organizations to like help young artists, to be like hey here's a PR, here's a manager, we'll be talking the contract while you do the art."



The native Bronxite turned Los Angeles transplant, likes that there are many opportunities here in her adoptive city, but feels like "more Black and Brown folks need to be chosen. They need to be given the platform, sometimes it's like 'you're giving out opportunities' but what's up with us?" On missing New York, "I miss the culture. I miss being around Dominican people, to be honest." Cepeda is a smart, savvy, and singular artist, a creative individual we've never seen the likes of. Are you ready for her?
New U.S. Sanctions On Iran Metals Target Jobs, Not Government Revenue

05/10/19

By Esfandyar Batmanghelidj (source: Bourse & Bazaar)

The Trump administration has announced a new wave of sanctions on Iran's steel, aluminum and copper industries. A statement from President Trump declares, "Today's action targets Iran's revenue from the export of industrial metals-10 percent of its export economy-and puts other nations on notice that allowing Iranian steel and other metals into your ports will no longer be tolerated."



Steel plant in Hormozgan, Iran

(2012 file phot by ISNA)

It is true that Iran's metals exports are an important source of foreign exchange revenue. But to put the overall value in perspective, Iran's finished metals industry accounts for the same share of exports as Iran's vegetable industry. The largest product group in metals exports, semi-finished iron (USD 503 million), earns Iran less than the largest product group in the food industry, nuts (USD 649 million).

Moreover, it is important to recognize that Iran is already struggling to repatriate foreign exchange revenues due to the severe sanctioned-related constrictions on international banking channels. So the notion that additional sanctions were necessary to constrain this particular source of foreign exchange is dubious at best. Had cutting access to foreign exchange been the specific aim, a waiver system like that formerly in place for oil exports, in which Iran's earnings would accrue in tightly controlled escrow accounts, would have sufficed.

So why is it so important for the Trump administration to target the metals and mining industry? The answer is that the metals and mining industry is perhaps the single most important employer in Iran's economy. Metals and mining companies directly employ over 600,000 workers. The country's automotive sector, the largest consumer of Iranian steel, directly employs a further 1 million workers. Combined, the two sectors account for 6 percent of the country's total labor force.



Workers at Iran Khodro plant in Tehran

(2012 file photo by ISNA)

The new sanctions will likely hit the earnings of Iran's major metals companies, such as Mobarakeh Steel or the National Iranian Copper Industries Company. But any impact on government revenues will be secondary. Foremost, a disruption to earnings will further deteriorate the balance sheets of Iran's heavily indebted metals and mining companies. Even if the government steps in to prevent bankruptcies, the likely disruptions to cash flow will lead to wages going unpaid and the prospect of layoffs. Furthermore, a disruption in steel output-whether through shortages or price increases-could also impact output within Iran's automotive sector, where production has told an audience of Iranian blue collar workers that they are on the "on the front line" of an economic war.

In April, Donya-e-Eqtesad, Iran's leading financial newspaper, ran an in depth report on prospects for Iran's steel exports. The report observed that already significant disruptions in exports were contributing to "the cessation of production and the unemployment of thousands."

Creating the conditions for mass unemployment-especially among the blue collar workers employed by state-owned enterprises who form the backbone of Iran's economy-is the likely aim of the Trump administration's latest round of sanctions. Last month, Mark Dubowitz, a principal advisor on the Trump administration's Iran policy,
Official Admits to "Defeated" Attempt to Move Iranians Over to State-Sponsored Messaging Apps

05/10/19

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

One year after Iran blocked access to the Telegram messaging app, used by a reported 40 million users, officials are admitting that the state's attempts to attract users to Iranian-made versions have failed.



Hamid Fatehi, A Deputy Minister

Ministry of Information and Communications Technology

"Today I can say with certainty that our domestic messengers have been defeated because they were not welcomed," said Hamid Fatehi, a deputy minister at the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Telecommunications Ministry), during a speech at a technology conference in Tehran on April 6, 2019.

"Perhaps the most important reason was that it coincided with filtering [blocking access to] Telegram and people got the impression that Telegram was filtered in order to attract them towards domestic messengers," he added.

Previously, Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi had speculated that Iranian-made messaging apps are unpopular due to their perceived lack of user security features.

"Unfortunately, because of the poisonous propaganda against domestic apps, they are not completely trusted," Azari Jahromi said in an interview on a state-funded television channel in April 2018. "People think their privacy will be compromised if they use them."

Iranian security agencies and state-sponsored hackers have a documented history of hacking into people's personal online accounts, including social media and emails, to monitor communications and crack down on organized dissent.

Iranians are accordingly wary of apps that keep their servers in Iran, where the government can easily access them.

The absence of watchdog institutions, lack of legal safeguards to protect users' private information, and the power security and intelligence agencies hold over the judiciary have added to the distrust.

Iranian Messaging Apps Fail to Gain Popularity Despite Government Support

The launch of Iran's National Information Network (NIN) internet service, which systematically filters keywords and phrases and sends users to sites that offer state-approved and sometimes fabricated content, was preceded by a push within the Rouhani government to support the growth of domestic companies focused on developing messaging apps that could replace non-Iranian versions.

As part of this push, the Supreme Cyberspace Council reduced the data costs of accessing them via mobile phones to that of a third of non-Iranian ones in January 2018.

Iranian officials have not released any figures on how many people have subscribed to domestic messaging apps since Telegram was banned in May 2018, but domestic media reports indicate a large number of state funds have gone into their development.

"So far, three Iranian messaging apps [Soroush, Bisphone, and Gap] have each received five billion tomans [$1.2 million USD] in [government] loans," the Iranian technology news site Digiato reported in April 2018.

On May 6, 2019, Member of Parliament Nasrollah Pejmanfar said President Hassan Rouhani's government had spent 400 billion tomans ($94.9 million USD) on Telegram Talaeii and Hotgram, two Iranian-made Telegram clone apps that have been flagged as unsafe by Telegram and Google.



Mostafa Anoushe, project manager of Talagram

(source: Shanbe Magazine)

Pejmanfar also confirmed reports that the apps were developed under the supervision of the Intelligence Ministry and the Telecommunications Ministry, which operate under President Hassan Rouhani.

"Telegram Talaeii and Hotgram were launched under the supervision of intelligence and telecommunications ministries and in addition to statements by the authorities, I have a lot of evidence that proves this relationship," he added.
PHOTOS: Fire Damages Historic Bazaar In Tabriz, Iran

05/10/19

Photos by Mehr News Agency & Islamic Republic News Agency

Fire started at the historical roofed bazaar in the capital city of East Azarbaijan Province, Tabriz, in early hours of Thursday. The fire has been fully put out, according to the head of the province's crisis management department. About 100 shops were damaged in the fire and 19 people were injured.









































Related News:

Regular restorations saved historic bazaar of Tabriz: Tourism Official

Source: Tehran Times

Historic bazaar of Tabriz in Iran's East Azarbaijan province could sustain a blaze, which erupted around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, a fortune that provincial tourism chief attributes to rounds of previous restoration work on the UNESCO-tagged marketplace.





"Fire inflicted the least damage to the historical bazaar of Tabriz thanks to regular restoration work on the marketplace over the past few years," CHTN quoted Morteza Abdar as saying on Thursday.



"It had no fatality but 29 people were slightly injured in the fire. Around 100 shops were seriously damaged and 50 ones suffered slight damage," the official said.



Iranian media say that firefighters managed to put out the blaze which took six hours to extinguish, according to IRNA.



The bazaar has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010 and was mentioned by Marco Polo when he travelled the Silk Road in the Middle Ages.

A labyrinth of interconnected covered passages that stretches for about 5 km, the bazaar has been a melting pot of cultural exchange since antiquity. It embraces countless shops, over 20 caravanserais and inns, some 20 vast domed halls, bathhouses, and mosques, as well as other brick structures and enclosed spaces for different functions. Its history dates back to over a millennium, however, majority of fine brick vaults that capture most visitor's eyes date from the 15th century.



Tabriz became the capital of the Mongol Il-Khan Mahmud Gazan (1295-1304) and his successor. Timur (Tamerlane), a Turkic conqueror, took it in 1392. Some decades later the Kara Koyunlu Turkmen made it their capital, it was when the famous Blue Mosque was built in Tabriz.



The ancient city retained its administrative status under the Safavid dynasty until 1548, when Shah Tahmasp I relocated his capital westward to Qazvin.



During the next two centuries, Tabriz changed hands several times between Persia and Ottoman Empire. During the World War I, the city was temporarily occupied by Turkish and then Soviet troops.
The Russian school affiliated with the Russian embassy in Cairo on Thursday celebrated the 74th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union in World War II.

The ceremony was attended by wife of the Russian ambassador to Egypt Natalia Kirpichenko, director of the Russian School in Cairo Olga Denisova, and Sherif Gad, president of the Egyptian Association of Russian and Soviet University Graduates and president of the Arab Union of Soviet and Russian Universities Graduates.

Denisova opened the ceremony with a speech in which she appealed to the younger generation not to forget the great sacrifices made by their forefathers, stressing that without this great victory, which saved humanity from destruction, where the world lost 50 million people, we would not enjoy peace and stability today.

She pointed out that half the victims of the war were citizens of the Soviet Union, estimated at 26 million people, and said that we will pass them on through generations.

The ceremony began with an artistic performance of some of the most famous national wartime songs. Then an archival documentary was screened showing details of the tragedy experienced by the peoples of the Soviet Union, including suffering, siege, destruction and hunger. The film also dealt with the strong will of the Red Army and the volunteers in repelling the German aggression.

For his part, Gad stressed the importance of transmitting this history and heroism to the younger generation, to turn historical facts into a torch to illuminate their future.

The celebration concluded with the march of immortality, in a touching scene where each child carried a portrait of a war hero. Some of them were killed outside the country and buried in Eastern Europe or Germany, while others lived long to see the fruits of the great victory.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


MINISTER OF Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has revealed how some lawyers and business owners who complain on social media about governments failure to provide certain public services are among the same people who refuse to pay their taxes.



According to him it was through taxes that government generates the revenues to meet those obligations.



Mr. Ofori-Atta was speaking on Friday, May 10, in Accra at an Economic Forum organized by the Danquah Institute (DI).



The forum held at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons focused on how to bridge the tax gap between the formal and informal sectors in order to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda.



It was under the theme: Bridging The Gap Between The Formal And Informal Economy: The Role Of Domestic Revenue Mobilization In An Era Of Ghana Beyond Aid.



The Minister indicated that even though such people have the needed resources to contribute to nation-building, they refuse to do so by not paying their taxes.



He added there are lawyers, big business owners in the country, yet they refuse to declare their income.



The Minister indicated that they have the resources and knowledge to make their fair contribution but simply refuse to pay their taxes.



He stated and yet, will shout the loudest on social media and any given forum about how government is failing in delivering public services.



He lamented that such men and women are all around us. Unfortunately, they sit on the front pews of the churches.



He indicated our founding fathers encouraged us to build a nation where every Ghanaian is free and empowered to have access to education, skills and job opportunities in an ever-expanding economy to contribute fully to nation-building and self-enactment in a free and progressive society.



According to him, it is what the ruling New Patriotic Party stands for and has captured in its motto: Development in Freedom, but it is important for all of us to recognise that development in freedom only works when there is equity and opportunity.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
It has become evidently clear to us that President Akufo-Addo in a bid to divert attention from the abysmal performance of his government and the suffering of the Ghanaian people has resorted to using the security services to harass and intimidate members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



The latest invitation to Honourable Ofosu Ampofo, the Chairman of the NDC, to answer questions in relation to the kidnappings and recent arson attacks is an insult to the leadership and members of the NDC.



In as much as we believe in the rule of law, having been the party that birthed democracy in Ghana, we will want to sound a note of caution to Akufo-Addo and his lousy and corrupt Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah that we will not sit by unconcerned whilst the future of this country is toyed with.



If Akufo Addo and his operatives engaged in arson attacks including the burning of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in the past, the NDC is not so unreasonable and unpatriotic to engage in such useless acts. We know who the real nation wreckers are; we know who imported mercenaries into this country to attack the foundations of power; we know who declared war on Gas and Ewes; and we know who, in his inordinate desire to become president, declared All Die Be Die!



Is it not amazing and mind-boggling that this same corrupt Tiwaa Addo who organized a press conference to tell the whole world that she knew of the whereabouts of the three kidnapped Takoradi girls now turns around to concoct a frivolous intelligence just to draw the National Chairman of the NDC into her evil scheme? If she is doing this to please the corrupt and clueless Akufo Addo in order to be given the soon-to-be vacant IGP positon, then she is joking. The NDC will not be cowed into submission!



We, the members of the Young Cadres Association (YCA) of the NDC, are disgusted by the actions of the clearly partisan Tiwaa Addo and we will want to tell Akufo Addo and his CID boss that we stand ready to defend, with our blood, every executive of the NDC.



We are by this release calling on the CID boss to as a matter of urgency withdraw that repulsive invitation to Chairman Ampofo. If our call is not heeded and the CID attempts to arrest him, we can assure Akufo Addo that he will not have it easy!



What Akufo Addo and his clueless and super-incompetent bootlicking CID boss fail to realize is that, a party borne out of a revolution cannot be tamed with threats and intimidations. We will make the country ungovernable if they so desire and let no one blame us if this happens. The sycophantic clergy and Civil Society groups that have suddenly gone quiet because their darling Akufo Addo is in power must know that being the conscience of the nation; they will be blamed if they sit by for Akufo Addo to plunge this country into chaos.







Long Live Ghana



Long Live the NDC



Long Live YCA







Signed:



1. Bright Botchway



General Secretary (YCA)



0249999145







2. Mark Takyi Banson



Deputy PRO (YCA)



0556532767













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 recent survey undertaken by the Alliance for Development and Industrialization, (ADI), depicts that the government could rake in close to GHC3billion if regulations and bylaws are enforced by the respective authorities in the country to check indiscipline.



The survey which was conducted in some 10 regional capitals of the country shows 67 percent of the respondents opined that drivers who wrongfully park and pick passengers should be arraigned before the law court together with the passengers who board the vehicle at unauthorized spots.



The regions that the survey was conducted include the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, Western, Volta, Ashanti, Bono East and West among others.



According to the survey, 72 percent of the respondents also concluded that drivers who normally use the shoulders of roads due to heavy vehicular traffic should be arrested and charged instantly.



Additionally, 58 percent of the respondents say drivers who violate road traffic regulations (that is jumping the traffic lights) should instantly be put before the law court and charged.



It is instructive to note that 61 percent of the respondents were of the view that unauthorized vehicles that use the siren illegally should also be arrested and fined instantly.



The ADI has also recommended that the government should enforce the sanitation bylaws as well as strengthening the sanitation courts throughout the country. The government should also establish a task force that would go round to arrest citizens who use the gutters indiscriminately as their refuse dump and charge them instantly.



According to the report the government should not focus on the Ghana Revenue Authority as the only institution for revenue generation. It said Law enforcement could be another source of revenue generation for the government.



To this end, ADI has asked the government to look beyond GRA for revenue generation for the country. The only way according to ADI to achieve this is to outsource the revenue collection to credible institutions as it would create a lot of jobs.



According to the ADI, if these regulations are well implemented it would go a long way to ensure some level of discipline in the country. This discipline , it said could translate into higher productivity that is improving productivity through discipline.



The government, the ADI noted could generate much needed revenue through this instant court when culprits are fined which is expected to narrow the fiscal deficit.



The ADI therefore urged the government to enforce the rules. The government should not think that if the rules are well implemented, they could lose the election it said.

Source: Francis Owusu









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 43-year-old Chinese woman who was arrested by the Tamale Regional Police Command for allegedly possessing large quantities of rosewood illegally appears to have jumped bail.



Helen Huang was granted bail by the police last Tuesday after she was arrested with two trucks carrying four containers of rosewood, which has been banned.



Northern Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Otuo Aceampong, confirmed that Helen Huang had defied an order to report to the police station.



According to him, the police have contacted the surety to produce the suspect before close of today or face prosecution.



Supt Acheampong hinted that if the suspect fails to report to the police station, the police will be forced to get a warrant for her arrest.



We have called on the surety to produce her so if he fails, we will take him to court for the court to take action against the surety and declare her wanted with her pictures, the police officer said.



Many people overexploit rosewood in the wild despite a 2010 moratorium on trade and illegal logging which continues in the country on a large scale.



In Ghana, the Ministry of lands and Natural Resources has banned the harvest of rosewood in line with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).



Helen Huang was arrested at a barrier at Vittin, a suburb of Tamale.



Upon her arrest, Helen Huang allegedly claimed ownership of the rosewood, adding that she had the right documents to cover the rosewood but failed to produce the documents.



The suspect was transporting the rosewood through the Northern Region to Tema in the Greater Accra Region.



There was drama at the Regional Police Command when Helen Huang accused the police at the barrier of demanding bribe from her to allow safe passage.



According to her, she was arrested because she refused to pay bribe demanded by the police and not because she does not have the right documents.



Another Chinese, Aisha Huang, who was deported last year, also engaged in widespread illegal mining for many years in the country until her arrest.



The two share similar surname and people are uncertain whether they are related.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Head of Ghanas Local Government Service, Hon. Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, has been conferred another Honorary Membership by the Institute of Directors Ghana, at a colorful ceremony in Accra.



The honour was conferred on him by the President of the Institute of Directors, Mr. Rockson Kwesi Dogbegah who was the guest speaker at the honorary ceremony.



It was in recognition of his distinguished leadership and innovation in the area of Local Governance and being an Expert in Development Planning in both the public and private sectors across the country and beyond.



The former Member of Parliament for KEEA and once Central Regional Minister was honored together with other eminent personalities including: Prof. Stephen Adei- the Chairman of NDPC, Prof. J.S.Y Kumah- Vice Chancellor of Umat, Mr. Alhassan Andani, Managing Director- Stanbic Bank, Nana Kwasi Agyekum Dwamena- the head of Civil Service, Mr. Henry Kerali- Country Director for World Bank, Ghana, Mr. Frank Adu Jnr.- Managing Director for Cal Bank Ltd and many more dignitaries were present.



The Institute of Directors Ghana is a professional organization committed to the professional practice of Corporate Directorship. The purpose is to champion director professionalism and development through good corporate governance for the benefit of organizations, stakeholders and the prosperity of Ghana.



The institution is committed to recognizing and unlocking member potential through the provision of world-class learning opportunities, knowledge sharing, networking, mentorship and promotion of world-class standards in Corporate Governance.



He is the Vice-President of the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) UK, and a member of the Chartered institute of Administrators and Management Consultants, CIAMC in Ghana, with aims of promoting excellence in the practice of professional administration and management consultancy by examining, chartering, regulating and ensuring professionalism in the practice of administration and management consultancy through life-long learning.



Hon. Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, who is currently, Head of the Local Government Service, was honoured not only for his hard work, but for his cordial relationship with his fellow workers and the media in the discharge of his duties.



According to Mr. Richmond Ababio, a Media Coordinator, the Honorable member gave an assurance that, Ghanaians should expect more transformation in the Local Government Service this year and beyond as a catalyst for the development of other sectors in government.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Greater Accra Regional Peace Council on Friday urged religious bodies and the Ga Traditional Leaders to adhere to the ban on noise making and drumming, which takes effect from Monday May 13th to June 13.



The Council urged all stakeholders to respect and observe the ban accordingly.

It also urged the traditional councils and the youth who enforced the ban not to take the laws in their hands, rather, they should employ peaceful means to observe the enforcement of the ban.



A statement signed by the Right Reverend Samuel K. Osabutey, Chairman of the Council and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, expressed concern that in the past, the enforcement of the ban by the Ga Traditional Councils had led to the seizure and destruction of musical instruments of some churches.



The statement said the violence that had characterized the enforcement of the ban was a source of concern to all well-meaning Ghanaians, including the Greater Accra Regional Peace Council.



It said the Nii Mei and Naa Mei have therefore opted for the Police and other national security officers to be in charge of enforcement instead of the use of force by traditional youth and at times criminals, who take advantage of the situation to inflame passions and threaten the peace in the Region.



The statement said a stakeholders meeting was held at the instance of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs on May 6 and in attendance was the Greater Accra Regional Peace Council, security agencies in the region and metropolitan and Municipal District Chief Executives and other stakeholders.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reaffirmed its commitment to improve the conditions of service of all security services including the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).



In view of President Akufo-Addos commitment the Minister of Finance has given the financial clearance for GNFS to purchase two new Hydraulic Platforms and Personal Protective Equipment, Mr Ambrose Derry, Minister of the Interior has disclosed in Accra.



He said; all these initiatives are geared towards building the capacity of our officers and men to deliver world class fire and resource services to Ghanaians.



Mr Derry stated during interaction with a delegation of the GNFS led by Mr. Edwin Ekow Blankson, Chief Fire Officer and the Maltese Ambassador to Ghana Mr. Jean Claude Malia Galea at the Interior Ministry.



The delegation formally introduced the first batch of 20 Assistant Divisional Officer Grade II officers, who are currently in their final preparation stage before embarking on an international training programme in the Republic of Malta, from May 12 to 19, 2019. The second batch of 20 officers is expected to leave in September.



The Interior Minister also entreated the delegation to go and put out their best to project the image of the Service and Ghana as a whole. Go and live descent lives.



Mr. Blankson revealed that the personnel had a three-week pre-departure training programme at the Fire Academy and Training School (FATS) and a rigid top up training programme at the Ghana Civil Aviation Fire Training Facility.



He said the annual overseas training package is a product of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Service and E & P Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Alberta Group of Malta.



The Chief Fire Officer said last year, 20 personnel from the service benefited from the 10-day training programme, stressing that, other overseas training packages were being planned as part of efforts of his administration to build a strong and formidable fire service.



In addition to external training opportunities, Mr Blankson said there was the urgent need for the service to improve on its capacity to conduct quality in-service career development training programmes for personnel.



Mr Blankson said the GNFS was in search of private partnership to assist it build a modern Fire Service College to serve the country and the sub-region while there was an agenda to upgrade facilities at the Fire Service Academy and Training School.



He said human resource capacity building was one of the core aims of his administration with the others being acquisition of modern equipment, personnel welfare, professionalism and occupational health and safety.



Mr. Galea in his remark pledged his commitment to the strengthening of the relationship between Malta and Ghana, which has resulted in GNFS personnel undertaking capacity training in Malta.



He said the GNFS had signed an MOU with a Maltese private sector, resulting in the second batch of personnel from the Service visiting Malta.



He said what you do today will lead you to what you plan for tomorrow, so I want you to take this opportunity and learn from Malta.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The French ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Anne Sophie AVE, has said she is flattered by President Nana Akufo-Addos consideration of French as a second language for Ghana.



In March this year, Ghanas Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said the decision by the anglophone West African country to use French as a second language was a major concern of the government of Ghana, in line with national priorities.



She reiterated plans by the Ghanaian government to include the promotion of the learning of French in basic schools and across all other levels of learning, as part of a general reform of Ghanas education sector.



Addressing the opening session of the 2019 La Francophonie week in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, themed: Say it in French...please, Ms Botchwey, at the time, said Ghana signed the Linguistic Pact with La Francophonie for improved technical support and capacity building for the teaching and learning of French in 2018.



A move, which, she said, marked the start of a historical process, aimed at improving regional integration through the development of the French language across the country.



We believe that the extensive teaching and learning of French will inure to the benefit of Ghana as we are bordered by three Francophone countries; namely, Togo, Burkina Faso and La Cote dIvoire, the Foreign Affairs Minister stressed.



She intimated that prioritising the French language in Ghana has become even more necessary now so as to further enhance relations for better cooperation at all levels with the countrys Francophone partners.



According to her, the governments strong participation in this years Francophonie week celebrations also lends credence to the continued desire of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for Ghana to become a full Member of La Francophonie, since becoming an Associate Member in 2006.



She recalled President Akufo-Addos bold commitment at the last Summit of the La Francophonie held in Erevan, Armenia, in October 2018 to the organisation.



To that end, the President has appointed a Senior Presidential Staffer and French scholar, Dr Stephen Adawen Syme, as the Focal Person for the coordination of La Francophonie activities in Ghana to ensure a seamless transition, Ms Botchwey told the gathering.



Speaking on Accra FM Thursday, 9 May 2019 about the move, the French ambassador said: [Nana Akufo-Addo] is the president, so, he can make the policy he wants. I can only say Im flattered and I think its great, and I can help. If he had made Spanish a second language, theres not much France could do about it, so, at least, well just accompany this policy and try and help as much as we can, sharing this national treasure that is French.



According to AVE, Ghanaians should view the presidents initiative as a way of putting them on a higher pedestal since the majority of countries in the West African sub-region are French-speaking countries.



In France, English is highly recommended, so, it is not completely compulsory, but if you dont speak English, it will be hard to get a job, if you do not have a second language, she said, adding: I dont think the Ghanaian should look at it as one more compulsory or constraint or something that they have to. Hes just bringing you on a tray an asset, a plus that will make you an even stronger country in the sub-region  that is the majority of the people in the sub-region are speaking French.



The ambassador also stated that the Ghanaian can only learn to speak French when they feel the need to learn to speak it.



The more French you listen to, through television, through the radio, the more interested you are, and then you feel like it. You dont teach something that people dont want to learn, so, if they want to, they need to feel the need for it.



Thats why Im trying hopelessly to learn some Twi, the French ambassador said, adding: Well, my Twi is awful. I want to learn to add that to my curriculum, Im trying because I want to be respectful to the people, to be able to say a few words in Twi, so, its definitely the need of it that motivates you.



Concerning her acclimatisation to Ghana, Ms AVE said her preferred Ghanaian dish is plantain and palava sauce.



I love Ghanaian dishes but I must say Im very keen on palava sauce. Its all about palava sauce and plantain. If you want to make me happy, ask my friend, shes Ghanaian, shes fantastic and she makes the most amazing dishes. She can cook French and she cooks Ghanaian but I love your stews but I think I really, I could die for palava sauce, she told host Nana Romeo.







Source: classfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Northern Regional Police Command has tendered an application before the Tamale High Court to get to the man who stood surety for Helena Huang to locate her.



This, according to Regional Crime Officer Supt. Kwabena Otuo Acheampong, is in line with Section 104 of Act 30 of the criminal procedures. He revealed that the suspect, Helena Huang, 43, a Chinese national, was granted police enquiry bail of Gh20,000 and was to report to the police station every day.



However, the suspect failed to report on Wednesday, May 8, Thursday, May 9 and today May 10; hence the need to pray the court to grant their request to get the msurety to produce the suspect. The application if granted gives the police the mandate to declare Helena Huang wanted.



Supt. Otuo Acheampong also informed the news team the four containers of lumber which was retrieved from the suspect have been handed over to the Forestry Commission for safe keeping. Helena Huang was arrested on Tuesday, May 7 for illegally logging rosewood.



She was subsequently granted bail after she made her statement to the police. The suspect was granted bail on condition that she will make herself available to the police on a daily basis, but three days after she was granted bail, she is yet to fulfill her bail condition.





Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Member of Parliament for South Dayi in the Volta Region, Hon. Rockson-Nelson E.K. Dafeamekpor has condemned in no uncertain terms, the arrest of an 80-year-old man and seven others of the Volta Separatist movement.



He said the arrest was needless.



The separatist movement also known as the Homeland Study Group Foundation [HSGF] claims the Volta Region [Western Togoland] was an independent state before being made to join Ghana in a plebiscite.



They are therefore campaigning for the creation of an independent state called Western Togoland.



Arrests . . . Granted Bail



An Accra High Court on Wednesday remanded into police custody seven members of the Foundation as part of a wave of arrests.



One other accused person, Charles Kormi Kudjordji, 85, said to be the leader of the group, had been picked up earlier on Sunday.



They were reportedly picked up by National Security operatives during one of their usual meetings on Sunday in the Volta Region for planning to declare the region an independent state in Ho.



A team of police and the military has also picked up 81 persons believed to be part of the campaign to declare the Volta Region independent from Ghana.



17 of the arrested individuals, were picked up in the house of the leader of the group (Charles Kudzordi) who lives close to the 66 artillery regiment barracks.



54 of the people were also arrested aboard a bus entering Ho and the remaining 10 arrested at other entry points in and around the Ho municipality.



Charles Kudjordji was granted bail to the tune of GH250,000 with two sureties. He was conveyed in a helicopter to face multiple charges.



All of the persons picked up by the police were on Wednesday slapped with the charges of treason felony, abetment of unlawful training, unlawful assembly and offensive conduct.



But speaking in an interview on Neat FM's "Ghana Montie" show, the South Dayi MP was emphatic that there is nothing treasonable with their Homeland Study Group Foundation [HSGF] activities.



Listen to interview





Foiled Plan



The secessionists had converged Wednesday morning at the residence of the Groups leader who was arrested on Sunday and flown to Accra.



The assembled members of the cell were preparing to hold a press conference before the security team swooped in.



Senior State Attorney Winifred Sarpong told the three-member panel of High Court Justices that the seriousness of the crimes allegedly committed by the individuals made a grant of remand necessary.



In 2017, leaders of the group were arrested and warned not to engage in activities against the state.



Campaign to secede



Multiple ethnicities live in the Volta Region which has a history of rule by three colonial European powers.



Britain seized much of what is today Ghana, and Germany grabbed neighbouring Togo.



After Germany's defeat in World War One, the land was split between British Togoland and French Togoland.



When Britain left its empire in Africa, British Togoland became part of eastern Ghana in 1956.



But separatists say the area has its own unique history and culture, and want a country of their own.







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Egypt and the Arab and Muslim world have lost a major thinker in the late Kamal Abul-Magd, a major contributor throughout his life to inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue

Egypt and the Arab and Muslim world, as well as humanity at large, recently lost an outstanding thinker who was a renowned authority on international and constitutional law and an equally famous proponent of modern interpretations of Islamic thought.

Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd also served in the first half of the 1970s as minister of youth and minister of information under late president Anwar Al-Sadat.

Many commentators have written about the different aspects of the life and thought of Abul-Magd, as well as his intellectual contributions and the important stands he took in public life to defend the values of peaceful coexistence, justice, tolerance, mutual understanding and respect.

I will confine myself in this article to addressing certain aspects of the global role he played in the area of the dialogue between religions, cultures and civilisations. I personally witnessed some of what Abul-Magd had to say.

In the last decade of the last century following the publication of US political scientist Samuel Huntingtons book The Clash of Civilisations in 1996, the world witnessed the proliferation of initiatives aimed at reinvigorating dialogue between religions and cultures.

Egypt was involved in some of these, particularly one on the Dialogue among Ancient Civilisations involving Greece, Iran and Italy as well as Egypt, and another on Western-Islamic Cultural Dialogue initiated by then German president Roman Hertzog.

Abul-Magd was called upon as one of the main contributors to these initiatives.

At the same time, the World Economic Forum, better known as the Davos Forum, often invited Abul-Magd as a main speaker at its annual January sessions in Switzerland.

In his speeches and other interventions, Abul-Magd elaborated on a number of themes that if they had been listened to could have saved humanity in general, and the Muslim world in particular, heavy costs, both human and material.

Abul-Magd addressed issues relating to inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue, but he also tried to help elaborate a new value system and set of criteria to govern the world order including tolerance, mutual respect and understanding.

He saw these things as forming the basis for a spirit of coexistence as well as for positive and constructive cooperation among a fraternal and united humanity.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the United States and what these entailed in terms of complications in the relationship between the Muslim world and the West, Abul-Magd played an even more active role on more than one front.

In addition to his continued participation in the Davos Forum, he was invited by then UN secretary-general Kofi Anan to take part in a group of world experts assigned the task of producing a report to be issued by the secretary-general on ways to overcome the global civilisational divide that had manifested itself in the 9/11 attacks.

This was because of Abul-Magds outstanding qualifications and accumulated experience, particularly in the areas of inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue. The report went out as planned and received worldwide praise and appreciation.

In April 2002, I had the pleasure of being a member of the Egyptian delegation to the launch and first round of the Japanese-Islamic Civilisational Dialogue held in Manama in Bahrain.

Abul-Magd chaired the Egyptian delegation, which was composed of myself and late professor Mohamed Al-Sayed Selim, then the director of the Centre for Asian Studies at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University.

The Manama round was the first of several, and it was expected to see the laying down of the foundations of this new initiative. The contributions made by Abul-Magd proved vital.

He provided much advice of both a general and a specific nature in order to make sure that the initiative would have a solid point of departure and would be appealing and beneficial to Japan as well as to its various partners in the Muslim world.

Eight years later, I had the opportunity to participate in another round of the Japanese-Islamic Civilisational Dialogue in Tokyo, where I discovered that the same roadmap laid down in the first round in Manama, largely thanks to the contributions of Abul-Magd, was still guiding the initiative and holding it together.

A few years later, Abul-Magd was invited by the Catholic Centre in Washington DC to a high-level international conference on inter-faith dialogue.

I had the opportunity to accompany him and to listen carefully to his valuable contributions that enriched the conference proceedings and reflected a perspective that would have been missing had he been absent from this eminent international gathering.

One important argument he developed that I will never forget was that the Muslim world is not in need of more people, as the number of Muslims is not what counts, but that it needs to pay more attention to the quality of those Muslims in terms of education, healthcare, living circumstances and intellectual capabilities and products.

I have tried in this short article to provide just a few examples of specific cases, some of which I personally witnessed, where the late Abul-Magd played a prominent role in elaborating and advancing the cause of inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue at the global level and particularly as far as Islam, Muslims and the Muslim world are concerned.

*The writer is a commentator.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Kamal Abul-Magd and inter-faith dialogue

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The National Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye aka Nana B and the Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Hon. Lydia Seyram Alhassan paid a courtesy call on the authorities of the university of Ghana to deliberate on measures to beef up security on the University campus



Their visit comes on the heels of recent attacks on some students by unknown assailants on the University campus.



As part of measures to beef up security, the MP for the Constituency, Hon. Lydia Seyram Alhassan made some donations to the university which included a car and two motor bikes.



The affable youth Organiser, Nana B commended the university for their efforts in resolving the security issues on the campus.



He assured the University authorities that the Akufo Addo's Government will continue to support them in protecting every life and property on campus and also ensure that the University continues to run in a peaceful and congenial atmosphere.



He also encouraged the University to continue to be the beacon of hope in producing quality human capital in all sectors of the economy to ensure the continuous growth and prosperity of the Nation.



Present at the meeting were the Vice Chancellor, Pof. Ebenzer Oduro Owusu and some other members of the University authority.



The Vice chancellor expressed gratitude on behalf of the university community for the kind gesture shown to them by the National youth organizer and the MP for Ayawaso west Wuogon.



He went on to advise against politicians becoming interested in the university only during elections. He admonished the politicians to become critical partners in the development and progress of the university not only in matters of security but in other areas that ensure good quality teaching and learning.









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
Embattled Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, will mostly likely honour the invitation of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service Friday dawn, few hours after declining the invitation.



Mr. Ampofo was expected Thursday afternoon at the CID headquarters in Accra to answer questions regarding incidences of kidnapping and market fires experienced in the country, but he failed to turn up.



Members of the party, including their flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, have variously condemned the invitation by the CID, describing it as frivolous and baseless.



The council of elders of the party have also asked Mr. Ampofo not to honour the invitation, daring the police to arrest him if they so wish.



Read:NDC Council of Elders dares CID to arrest Ofosu-Ampofo



It has however emerged in the late hours of Thursday that Mr. Ampofo has reneged on his earlier stance and has agreed to meet the CID on Friday morning to avoid the spectacle which usually characterises such party-affiliated encounters.



Meanwhile, counsel for Mr. Ampofo have described the CIDs invitation as being prejudicial to a criminal case their client is currently standing trial. They also accused the police of political victimization which they argue infringes on the fundamental human rights of their client.







Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has registered his displeasure at the defense put out by former President John Dramani Mahama to insulate his party National Chairman from crimes the police believe he could have had a hand in.



Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, stated that the former president had no point attacking the police during his recent tour.



Mr Mahama, during his coastal tour, said the NPP was setting a very bad precedent because the investigations that warranted Mr. Ampofos questioning were borne out of governments frustration over its failure to properly manage the economy.



Chairman for the National Democratic Congress, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has in the past months been invited to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to assist with police inquiry.



Mr. Ampofo was first invited by the CID for allegedly condoning political violence and urging threats against the lives of some personalities including the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission in a leaked audio.



The latest has to do with his alleged involvement in recent kidnappings and fire incidents in the country.



According to the CID, Mr. Ampofo has been identified as being part of a grand scheme to cause fear and panic in the country.



Rather than defending Mr. Ampofos action, Mr. Antwi-Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, noted that if he (Mr. Mahama), were to be in the shoes of parents whose children were recently kidnapped or been a victim of traders who lost their valuables through arson, he would have made room for no loose talks.



Ofosu Ampofo has been caught on tape plotting evil on this nation and we have Mahama who is only interested in political power so he sees everything wrong with the invitation from the police to his Chairman to assist them in investigation. If his daughter had been kidnapped, would he have spoken this way?" he quizzed.



"Ofosu Ampofo should have kidnapped Farida Mahama to teach Mahama some pain and discomfort. Innocent and poor parents are wailing day and night following the plot Ofosu Ampofo and his NDC guys hatched to make Nana Akufo-Addos government unpopular. Instead of Mahama demanding the whereabouts of the innocent girls from his party Chairman, he is shamelessly defending him- Christ have mercy on him! he added.



Chairman Wontumi went on to state that even the personal lawyer of President Donald Trump is going to prison for doing something negative against the state.



Better people like Bill Cosby and Mike Tyson were all made to face the law when they erred so why should Ofosu Ampofo be a free man after his crime? This is the time Mahama ought to reason up like a matured person. He should come out and name one country that would be happy to have kidnappers sabotaging the ruling government.



Lastly, Chairman Wontumi revealed that former President Mahama took exceptional delight in chartering a flight to Kumasi just to order his men to jail him when he refused to honour an invitation which was extended to him by the police and wonders why he doesnt want the same rule to be applied to Ofosu-Ampofo.



When Mahama wanted me jailed, he chartered an empty flight to Kumasi and ordered his people to ensure I am kept in cells. Is that demon Ofosu Ampofo better than me? I want his spokesperson Mahama to give me an answer, he ordered.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A member of the communication and legal teams of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba believes the Criminal Investigation Department [CID] of the Police Service wants to frustrate their National Chairman.



According to the CID, suspects connected to various kidnappings and arson are pointing fingers at Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo  however, he was invited to assist the police with investigations.



Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo has declined the invitation, insisting the position of the CID is just to shift the blame over the increasing inability of the security agencies to ensure safety of citizens.



Speaking on NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie, Lawyer Amaliba was of a view that the invitation was to harass and intimidate their client and Chairman.



They want to treat him like a criminal and we wont allow that, he said.



Listen to interview







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The police in the Upper West Region are on the hunt for some rogue elements who shot and killed the constituency chairman of the National Democratic Congress for Daffiama/Bussie/Issa on Wednesday night.



Richard Bayiiiella Poulabong, 45, was shot from close range in his Mercedes Benz car with registration number GN 3366 Y at about 11 p.m. when he was returning to his Wa residence from a funeral at Kojokperi on the Wa-Tumu trunk road.



The driver of the vehicle, Desmond Atingani, was also critically wounded by gun shots and was on admission at the Wa Government Hospital as of press time yesterday.



Mr Atingani, known to be a close associate of the late Poulabong for many years, was said to have attempted to flee the scene of the attack before he was also shot, causing him to crash the car.



3 escape unhurt



The Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Gideon Ohene Boateng, who confirmed the incident, said three other occupants of the vehicle escaped unhurt.



Inspector Boateng said the incident occurred when the five were returning from the funeral at a spot between Jang and Sagu, about 15 kilometres from Wa.



He said the body of the late Poulabong, affectionately called Chairman Water in political circles, had been deposited at the Wa Government Hospital pending autopsy.



According to him, no arrest had been made as of yesterday, but the police were still looking for clues to track down the killers.

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
The introduction of the free Senior High School (SHS) policy and other positive programmes will help the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to retain political power in 2020.



Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, who made the disclosure, stated that victory in 2020 is a done deal for the NPP.



According to him, the current Akufo-Addo administration has done enough in just two years to win the next general elections.



Wontumi was of the view that many Ghanaians would vote for the NPP in 2020 due to the implementation of the free SHS programme.



We shall not approach the 2020 elections with empty promises and blatant lies, as the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been doing lately.



The NPP will easily retain political power in 2020 and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos positive policies like the free SHS will be our trump card.



According to him, the Akufo-Addo administration has a lot of positive policies and programmes to campaign to win massive votes.



The presidents policies are visible and every Ghanaian can see and testify. We have the free SHS, which is the biggest of the positive policies and programmes so far.



We also have the One District, One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs. We have restored nursing and teacher trainee allowances and several other positive programmes.



Wontumi appealed to Ghanaians to renew the mandate of the NPP in 2020.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Audio Attachment: Listen to Ato Ahwoi in an interview on Peace FM's 6pm News Bulletin

A member of the Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Ato Ahwoi, has sounded a note of caution to the Nana Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) government warning the ruling party of severe repercussions if it tries to suppress the will of Ghanaians, especially members of the opposition party.



According to him, the NDC will resist any attempt by the NPP government to subject them to any form of intimidation and injustice with the active connivance of state agencies.



He was commenting on the invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department [CID] of the Police Service to the NDC's National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, to appear before the state security department on Thursday, May 9, 2019 to assist with investigations.



Speaking in an interview on Peace FM [email protected] on Thursday, the NDC stalwart was bewildered by the action of the Police Service to invite someone to assist in investigations when that same person is before court on "similar trumped up" charges.



"If you think you have fresh charges against him, go to court and amend the charges," a furious Ato Ahwoi stated.



Recounting how he was put before court 48 times in 2001, despite only two witnesses testifying against him, the usually calm Ato Ahwoi vowed in his personal capacity and that of the NDC, not to allow the same thing repeat itself.



"We know why the NPP is behaving like this and we will not allow them to oppress us . . . If he ( Prez Akufo-Addo) believes this country is governed by rule of law but he wants to violate or contravene the laws of the land, we will reply him in equal measure.



"The NPP is behaving like oppressors and by the dictates of the country's national anthem, we will continue to resist them until they stop. If they (NPP) do not want peace, we will also not give them Peace," he warned.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The National Youth Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B insists that the leaked tape of Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo is not doctored.



It is not doctored; it is his voice and he said it . . . the content is damning. It shouldn't be coming from a whole national Chairman who is an elder (of a church), he said on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'.



He made these remarks while speaking to an invitation that has been sent to the National Chairman of the NDC by the police CID asking him to respond to allegations of arson and kidnapping.



The NDC after the invitation has made it clear that Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo will not honour the invitation.



However, Nana B believes it is undemocratic for the NDC to say that they will not respond to the invitation and that if indeed they need Ofosu-Ampofo, they should go ahead to arrest him.



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
The National Youth Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, also known as Nana B has condemned the NDCs attempt to implicate President Akufo-Addo in the CIDs invitation to its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.



The CID has invited the NDC stalwart for questioning in connection with kidnappings and arson across the country.



The invitation letter to Mr Ampofo read in parts that: The Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service has commenced investigations into cases of kidnapping and fire outbreaks in various parts of the country. Intelligence gathered indicates that some of these kidnappings and fire outbreaks are being orchestrated by unidentified groups, persons and individuals. Some of the persons picked up for interrogation and investigation have mentioned your name as part of a grand scheme designed to cause fear and panic in the country.



The National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused President Akufo-Addo of using Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah to intimidate the party.



However, Nana B disagrees.



If you accuse Akufo-Addo of bringing the culture of silence, we can also refer you to Mahama . . . mentioning the name of the President in all of these will not help," he indicated on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'.





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
Member of the National Democratic Congress [NDC] communication team, Eric Adjei has described the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department [CID] of the Ghana Police Service, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah as a super incompetent Police Officer than anyone can think of.



According to him the CID boss has been contracted by her party in power to always create a scene.



The Director-General of the CID is being used as a redress approach to burnish any bad practices facing the NPP government. I say on authority that Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah is an epitome of corruption, even her doctored tape with A-Plus attest to that, he said.



Speaking on UTVs late news programme, the NDC Communicator indicated vividly that their party is no more in the state of be careful for the government of the day to dictate to them.



NPP should not take the laws of the land into their hands thinking they have the men, therefore, they will behave anyhow, because we also have the men and can oppose them on any move they take, he added.





Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/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
Two soldiers walk down a street in a flooded neighbourhood in Rigaud, Que. on Monday, April 29, 2019. Water levels are expected to rise again this weekend between Ottawa and Montreal, even as New Brunswick's floods are effectively over. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Cabin 24 RecordsWe don't know if has "Eleven" tracks on it or not, but Ingrid Michaelson has officially announced that she'll be releasing a new album called Stranger Songs, which is completely inspired by the hit Netflix series Stranger Things.

"Missing You" is a song about someone who is with one person, but is thinking of another person. "Im in his bed again feeling like a stranger/When hes kissing me Im missing you," Ingrid sings.

Ingrid tells ABC Radio that "Missing You" is a "love triangle song" written from the point of view of the Stranger Things character Nancy Wheeler, Mike's older sister. In the show, she was initially torn between popular guy Steve Harrington and Will's big brother, Jonathan Byers.

As for why Ingrid wrote a whole album about a sci-fi/horror series set in the 1980s, she says in a statement, "Theres something about Stranger Things thats really comforting, it brings me back to my childhood. Its the best kind of escapism and I find myself seeking that now more than ever."

She adds, "I took inspiration from the show and the characters and all these ideas started to come to me. Every song on the record includes a reference from the show, some more specific than others, but all of the themes are universal  these are feelings everyone has.

Ingrid tells ABC Radio, "It's one of my favorite records that I've ever written...it's been really fun."

There's no release date for the album as of yet. Ingrid is also writing the music for a stage version of Nicholas Sparks' book The Notebook.





Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Hong Kong, China -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/09/2019 --The digital revolution has transformed the way people shop, read and socialize. Enterprises are always looking for ways to spark connections with people's lifestyles, and one way to do this is through e-brochures. AnyFlip gives businesses the tools to design captivating digital brochures that can instantly generate consumers' interest. E-brochures are an ideal way for users to promote their business, products, and services to broader and more diverse audiences. The brochure maker from AnyFlip allows users to create live brochures with embedded videos, animations, and slideshows, among many other features.



"At AnyFlip, we empower users to design stunning e-brochures that will entice both potential and loyal consumers," said Anna Lee, Chief Designer of AnyFlip. "They will use the brochures to provide detailed information about their companies, brands, product offerings, business goals and more to their target customers. By emphasizing significant features of their brands and products, audiences will get in-depth knowledge that will compel them to purchase products and relate closely with their brands."



AnyFlip technology provides enterprises with a fun way of presenting their brands and products to the world through e-brochures. Brochures are good selling points, especially for businesses with product lines. Utilizing the easy to use, customizable and shareable features of the brochure maker such as pre-designed templates and themes, the page editor, the cloud platform and more can be an enticing way to lure audiences into purchasing products. With e-commerce integration, digital product brochures can help businesses showcase their products to prospects effectively.



"Our brochure maker helps users enrich their products with interactive descriptions and images of the products in diverse visions," continued Anna Lee. "By adding call-to-action buttons such as click to purchase function alongside their products, readers will be encouraged to take action. Our flip-like brochures are HTML5 compliant and can be viewed through any digital devices to give readers upscale engaging experiences. Since they are SEO-friendly, customers can easily find them and utilize embedded links to get and purchase products."



Brochures created at AnyFlip have an aura of professionalism that adds credibility to user's brands instantly. With visually appealing images, interactive videos and animations, the e-brochures can imbue high interest from readers to users' brands. Users can fill their brochures with unique information, images, color schemes, logos and more to ensure consistent business branding. The flexibility, convenience, and interactivity of e-brochures will make readers resonate with business brands and enhance adherence.



About AnyFlip

AnyFlip gives marketers, enterprises, and publishers the power to excel in e-commerce by using its software solutions for marketing purposes. The company has a wide range of publishing software to suit the needs of all industries. For more information, please visit AnyFlip official site.
Lancaster, PA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/10/2019 --Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar, a restaurant chain dedicated to healthy indulgence and sustainable resources, invites families to celebrate Mother's Day with special offerings at each of their locations on Saturday, May 11th and Sunday, May 12th. Celebrate Mother's Day this year with Harvest and enjoy special menu additions for the weekend, along with their usual health-conscious and locally-sourced Spring menu items.



With nine restaurants, stemming from the Philadelphia area through Central Pennsylvania and with one Florida restaurant, Harvest has room for plenty of guests this Mother's Day. At all locations, they have added two dinner specials: a Wagyu Sirloin Steak and Crab Cake dish and a Pan-Seared Halibut. At all but their Radnor location, they have added a special dish for Mother's Day brunch, offering a Vanilla Berry French Toast.



In lieu of the added brunch menu item at Harvest Seasonal Grill's Radnor location, they are hosting a brunch buffet in the morning. The buffet includes a complimentary Bloody Mary or mimosa for those of age. The Mother's Day brunch buffet features entrees and farm-fresh sides, farm-fresh eggs, a Belgian waffle bar, a dock-to-dish raw bar, a carving station, and a dessert station. Enjoy an extravagant brunch buffet for only $39 per person, or $14 for children 12 years and under.



Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar is excited to share its special Mother's Day menu items and its farm-fresh brunch buffet with those celebrating the holiday this year. A spokesperson from the restaurant, Erin B., commented "We are excited to welcome moms and all families this Mother's Day! We've worked hard on our special menu items and the buffet brunch, and we hope it provides a special treat for all the families who choose to celebrate with us."



About Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar prides itself on creating a locally-sourced, sustainably-produced, seasonal menu. Their menu changes with each season to provide the freshest, organically grown meals from local farmers. Harvest offers a progressive wine list in addition to its health conscious food menu, and maintains its green values in all endeavors.



Harvest Lancaster

1573 Fruitville Pike, Lancaster, PA 17601

(717) 740-5282

https://harvestseasonalgrill.com/
Stockholm, Sweden -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/10/2019 -- StockholmFreeTour.com has confirmed that it will be offering free walking tours in the city of Stockholm. The company notes that it will be availing a number of tour guides to take tourists to various breath taking spots in the city. The tours will be offered in four languages too including English, Spanish, German, and Italian.



StockholmFreeTour.com is announcing that it will be offering free tours around the city of Stockholm. The firm noted that there are so many great places to visit in the city and the free tours will give tourists a sneak peek of the beauty that the Swedish capital has to offer. StockholmFreeTour.com has also confirmed that there will still be a private custom tour package available for clients looking for a more personalized experience. The package will be paid but the cost is actually very affordable. The free tour Stockholm will be available in four major European languages including Italian, German, Spanish, and English.



Interested clients just need to book and they will get a tour guide during their visit. Stockholm is one of the most breath taking cities in Europe. There are literally millions of visitors who come here every year for business and pleasure. But even then, not many get to see the real hidden gems of Stockholm. This is the reason why tourists are often advised to get guides who are locally versed with the city and can take them to places you won't see on the Internet. This is exactly what StockholmFreeTour.com has been doing over the last few years. The firm has assembled a network of tour guides, most of whom are Stockholm natives, to give tourists a breath taking view of the city.



The fact that the company is now offering free walking tour Stockholm is a huge incentive. Clients who have always had the dream of visiting Stockholm and enjoying its entire splendor now have a chance to work with a leading tour guide in the city for free. StockholmFreeTour.com says that the aim of this free program is to simply give everyone a taste of the exciting sites that the city has to offer. In case clients feel they want to see more, a private package will be available at a very affordable price.



The package will then open up new horizons, taking visitors to places they have never seen before.



StockholmFreeTour.com has also added that it's constantly working to better its service in an effort to attract more visitors coming into the city. In case you are interested in the free tours or perhaps you just want to get the private more personalized package, you can get all the details at stockholmfreetour



About StockholmFreeTour.com

StockholmFreeTour.com is a leading travel firm based in the city of Stockholm. The firm provides an array of tours across the city giving visitors a great view of all the attractions available. StockholmFreeTour.com has been doing this for some time now and it has a network of great tour guides ready to help you discover Stockholm.



Just visit stockholmfreetour.com to learn more.



Contact Us :

John Mayer



Free Walking Tours Stockholm



info@stockholmfreetour.com



http://www.stockholmfreetour.com/



Stockholm



Sweden
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/09/2019 -- Global Visual Configuration Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2019-2025 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market, highlighting opportunities, risk side analysis, and leveraged with strategic and tactical decision-making support. The study provides information on market trends and development, drivers, capacities, technologies, and on the changing capital structure of the Global Visual Configuration Software Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Configit, KBMax, Axonom, Atlatl Software, ThreeKit, Infor & Marxent.



In 2018, the global Visual Configuration Software market size was xx million US$ and it is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.



This report focuses on the global Visual Configuration Software status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Visual Configuration Software development in United States, Europe and China.



Visual Configuration Software Market Overview:



If you are involved in the Visual Configuration Software industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. It's vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Large Enterprises & SMEs, , On-Premises & Cloud Based and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.



Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1831599-global-visual-configuration-software-market



Visual Configuration Software Market: Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2023



Research study is to define market sizes of various segments & countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next 5-8 years. The report is designed to comprise each qualitative and quantitative elements of the industry facts including: market share, market size (value and volume 2012-17, and forecast to 2023) with admire to each of the areas and countries concerned inside the examination. Furthermore, the report additionally caters the detailed statistics about the vital elements which includes drivers & restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market.



Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows:

Historical year  2013-2017

Base year  2018

Forecast period**  2018 to 2023 [** unless otherwise stated]



Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players.



The designated segments and sub-section of the market are explained below:



The Study is segmented by following Product Type: , On-Premises & Cloud Based



Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Large Enterprises & SMEs



Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are  Configit, KBMax, Axonom, Atlatl Software, ThreeKit, Infor & Marxent



You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1831599-global-visual-configuration-software-market



For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies. If opting for the Global version of Visual Configuration Software Market analysis is provided for major regions as follows:

- North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)

- Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)

- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)

- South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)

- Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)



Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1831599



Key Answers Captured in Study are

Which geography would have better demand for product/services?

What are the strategies adopted by big players in the regional market?

Which country would see the steep rise in CAGR & year-on-year (Y-O-Y) growth?

What is the current & expected market size in next five years?

What is the market feasibility for long term investment?

What opportunity the country would offer for existing and new players in the Visual Configuration Software market?

What is risk involved for suppliers in the geography?

What factors would drive the demand for the product/service in near future?

What is the impact analysis of various factors in the Global Visual Configuration Software market growth?

What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are?



Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1831599-global-visual-configuration-software-market



There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Visual Configuration Software market.

Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Visual Configuration Software market, Applications [Large Enterprises & SMEs], Market Segment by Regions United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America;

Chapter 2, objective of the study.

Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques.

Chapter 4 and 5, to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics;

Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition;

Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by regional segmentation[United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America ], comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis

Chapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencer's, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers;

Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behaviour, Marketing Channels and demand & supply.

Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning)

Chapter 15, deals with Global Visual Configuration Software Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.



Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia or Oceania [Australia and New Zealand].
Aqua Expeditions was started in 2007 by Francesco Galli Zugaro, a former VP of marketing and sales for Ocean Adventures, that operated cruises around the Galapagos Islands.

Galli Zugaros private company began cruising the Peruvian Amazon and expanded to Mekong River cruises in 2014.

HMS Beagle

Now he is expanding into Indonesia with the former Royal Navy brig-sloop HMS Beagle that he bought from an Italian family who were using it as a private yacht.

Extensively refurbished and renamed Aqua Blu, it will have 15 individually designed sea-facing suites, a sun deck, indoor lounge and bar, outdoor Jacuzzi, spa and top-of-the-line non-motorised watersports equipment such as diving and snorkelling gear, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. It will also be equipped with two high-powered tenders for sea excursions.

Year-round cruising

Aqua Blu will primarily operate seven-night cruises from three destinations in East Indonesia  Komodo, Spice Islands and Raja Ampat, occasionally making a 12-night Limited Cross Destination Voyage. It will sail year-round in the best months for each place.

Around 1.18m Australians went to Indonesia last year, with most heading for Bali and this is the market Galli Zugaro is going after.

Australias backyard

Bali is the backyard of Australia, he told Seatrade Cruise News, and there is so much more to experience in Indonesia.

Australia is currently the fourth largest source market for Aqua Expeditions, after the United States, South America and the UK, but I believe our Indonesian itineraries could push it up to No. 1.

To this end he has appointed a dedicated national business development manager for Australia, Jodie Weeks.
'The results of the first quarter 2019 strengthen our role as a leader, capable of quickly transforming the soft backlog into firm orders,' Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono said during the groups board meeting Thursday in Rome.

This gives Fincantieri a key role in Italy's economy, Bono said, with the orders for 11 cruise ships signed in these months translating into almost 27bn generated to the benefit of the territories where Fincantieri has operations.

Total backlog 34.3bn

Total backlog reached 34.3bn, covering approximately 6.3 times the 2018 revenues, Fincantieri GM Alberto Maestrini said during Friday's earnings call. He called this an 'extraordinary' result with 30.7bn (up from 21.8bn at March-end 2018) with 104 ships in the orderbook and a soft backlog of approximately 3.6bn (up from 5.9 billion at March-end 2018).

Revenue grew almost 13% to 1.4bn, up from 1.2bn in Q1 2018, and EBITDA was 90m, up from 89m. The EBITDA margin was 6.5%, compared to 7.3% a year ago.

Speaking about the cruise orders, Maestrini listed Oceania Cruises (two ships with expected delivery in 2022-2025), Regent Seven Seas Cruises (one ship for 2023), Viking Cruises (two ships in 2024-2025), MSC Cruises (four ships in 2023-2026) and Princess Cruises (two between 2023-2025), while Coral Expeditions ordered a vessel for 2020 delivery.

Of the 104 ships ordered, 50 are cruise vessels to be delivered up to 2027. Among the 13 units scheduled after 2023, seven were acquired in the recent quarter. Regarding the 2019-2023 period, Fincantieri is scheduled to deliver, respectively, eight, eight, nine, seven and seven ships per year. The orders acquired in Q1 add to 2022 deliveries (one of the seven ships) and 2023 (three of the seven ships).

Fincantieri group is handing over eight ships in 2019, with Costa Venezia and Viking Jupiter already delivered, to be followed by Sky Princess and Carnival Panorama in October. Vard has already delivered Le Boungainville to Ponant and Hanseatic Nature to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, both in April. Ponant's Le Dumont dUrville and Hapag-Lloyd's Hanseatic Inspiration are to come.

The soft backlog (options) amounts to 10 ships, including cruise and naval vessels.

The results in shipbuilding, offshore & specialized vessels and equipment systems & services include higher volumes for the production of cabins and public areas for cruise ships, and losses in the offshore & specialized vessels segment. The group has a new strategy to improve efficiency for higher productinon rates.

Change in Vard production model

Maestrini and Fincantieri CFO Giuseppe Dado also highlighted a significant change in the Vard production model.

With the acquisition of Vard, Fincantieri implemented a model where the Romanian shipyards are devoted to hull construction while the outfitting follows in the Norwegian yards. Although this model has significant benefit in the production timeline, there were sub-optimal cost benefits, they said.

Romanian yards to gear up for full cruise shipbuilding

As part of a wider plan where all the cruise business comes under Fincantieris merchant ship division, including the related activities of Vard, they unveiled that Vard yards will focus on offshore and special projects while the facilities in Romania are being enhanced to carry out the full building of cruise ships.

Sestri-Ponente to handle largest cruise newbuilds

At the same time, Fincantieri is working to increase the capabilities of its Italian shipyards. Among the main projects, the group and local institutions are finalizing a plan to improve Genoa-Sestri Ponente shipyard to build the largest cruise ships requested by the market.

'We hope to start with activities at the shipyard by September' as part of a multi-year, multimillion-euro upgrade project, Bono said this morning at a Genoa news conference.

Speaking about Fincantieris current and future growth plans, Bono cited strategic initiatives in the naval business area and in the development of an in-house center of excellence for engineering and information technology services.

Diversification strategy

Engineering diversification efforts continue. Bono cited the cooperation agreement recently signed with ENI and CDP and Terna.

Diversification also involves infrastructure, including a production plant inaugurated in the recent quarter and a steel-cutting ceremony for the new bridge to replace the collapsed Morandi viaduct in Genoa.

In sum, Fincantieri faces a challenging year with many projects, which Bono said will allow the group to show its 'excellent production and system integration capabilities.'

On a side note, Fincantieri's board is now split equally between men and women, a diversity that's beyond the regulatory requirements.
SIPG will have a 45% stake equity in the new jv, Cosco Shipping 20%, while National Railway Administration and China Railway Container Transport Corp Ltd will share the remaining 35% stake equity.

Yan Jun, president of SIPG, said that the sea-rail transport plays an important role in container shipping. Due to the insufficient railway network at Shanghai's major port areas at Waigaoqiao and Yangshan, the sea-rail transportation has developed slowly. We expect to expand the sea-rail transportation volume to 80,000 teu by the end of this year, and double the number to 200,000 teu in 2020.

Shanghai port posted a sea-rail cargp volume of 60,000 teu in 2018.

In April, a trial operation of a sea-rail transportation service between Suzhou to Shanghai Yangshan port was launched. The container cargos will arrive at Luchaogang container handling center and then be transported to Yangshan port and distributed to global destinations.

In an effort to improve local transportation environment, SIPG, Shanghai Customs, Cosco Shipping and Shanghai Customs Brokers Association also reached an agreement to jointly develop data platform for cross-boarder trading. The platform aims to provide digital support to shipping industry development in Shanghai.
The industry body formed in 2011 aims to eradicate corruption at all levels within the shipping industry and boasts over 100 members, including major shipowners such as tanker titan Frontline.

Were proud to be the first P&I Club to have been accepted as a member of MACN, said Andrew Cutler, ceo of Britannias managers Tindall Riley.

Britannia is often called for support whenever a Member resists unlawful demands and the liberty of the ship or crew is threatened. In this context, P&I Clubs play a vital role when their members stand up to corrupt demands.

The MACN has seen success in tackling corruption through country-specific actions in locations such as Nigeria, Indonesia, Egypt, and Argentina.

Britannias recognition of the problem, and their support for MACN, is an important step in our industry showing a united front against corrupt practices, said MACN director, Cecilia Muller Torbrand.
The MEPC 74 meeting will cover both issues facing the sulphur cap before it comes into force on 1 January 2020 and issues of how to reach planned Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions for 2030 and 2050.

MEPC 74 is the ultimate opportunity to ensure a safe, smooth and consistent implementation of the 2020 0.5% global sulphur regulation and to effectively address the many and severe challenges stemming from it, said Theodore Veniamis, UGS president This last opportunity must not become a lost opportunity, he declared.

In a statement 10 May, the UGS said: "With regard to the 2020 global sulphur mandate, there are a number of known and well-identified gaps in the regulation resulting in practical problems in its implementation and enforcement, as well as in some cases distortion of competition, and nobody can turn a blind eye to them anymore.

"The issues of availability of safe, complaint fuel worldwide; the adoption of the guidelines for consistent implementation with the inclusion of the operational constraints clause; the application of sound and practical measures to deal in a pragmatic way with cases of ships non-compliance due to reasons beyond its control; the environmental, operational, legal, enforcement and other uncertainties related to the use of the exhaust gas cleaning systems, are all major issues which entail the risk of seriously disrupting international trade, if they remain unsettled."

Read more: Shipping comes under pressure from diverse groups over climate change and emissions

Referring to GHGs, Veniamis said: There is a compelling need to ensure that the measures the UN IMO will adopt are attainable and suitable for the entirety of the shipping industry. Each sector should be allowed to select the most appropriate for its modus operandi and that should be respected by all.

Bulk / tramp shipping represents more than 84% of world seaborne trade and any adopted measures should not jeopardize its sustainability. For this sector in particular it is crucial that whatever measures are committed to, become commitments for ships charterers also."

Veniamis concluded: I am confident that the UN IMO will rise to the occasion and deliver on its unequivocal role as global regulator of the shipping industry. This global authority comes with great responsibility and this should be in the minds of all participating delegations to the imminent UN IMO MEPC proceedings.
The growth demonstrated the overall improvement in the Cypriot economy as the higher second half earnings represented 5% of the island's GDP, whereas the Central Bank of Cyprus reported the lower first half figure represented 5.1% of the first half's GDP. The bank explained the dip was due to a simultaneous increase in economic output in the second six months.

With shipping holding a cabinet position of its own in the Cypriot government since March 2018, headed by Deputy Minister for Shipping, Natasa Pilides, Cyprus believes there is significant potential to increase the contribution of the shipping sector overall to the Cyprus economy beyond the current annual 7% of GDP.

The result also demonstrated the expansion of the sector, primarily based in Limassol. In the second half German shipowners accounted for 44% of the shipmanagement revenue, down from 47% in the first half while in the second half the share from Singapore companies doubled to 6%. The Greek and Scandinavian presence is growing, with Norway's OSM the latest company to announce it would carry out full technical management in the country, with tankers and bulkers already on its books there.

In the meantime, Cyprus has prepared an emergency plan of action in the event of a hard Brexit even though it is being kept at low profile  at least at the political level. Cyprus technocrats, however, assure they are ready to push the button to implement this plan and this includes those at the Deputy Ministry of Shipping since Brexit means the UK will be considered a third country in accordance with EU rules and regulations.

Further, insiders at the Shipping Ministry have said emergency measures will be in place to counter the impact of Brexit on the islands shipping industry since EU authorities cannot undertake each and every member countrys specific responsibilities.
Pilot implementation of motorcycle taxi elates JV

REELECTIONIST Senator JV Ejercito, a modern public transport system advocate, on Friday cheered Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade's approval of the pilot implementation of the motorcycle taxi.

"This is a welcome development because we will find out whether a motorcycle taxi is a good idea, which I think it is. This is one innovation in public transport system that needs to be tried," he said in a statement.

As early as January this year, Ejercito already filed Senate Bill No. 2180, which sought to allow the use of motorcycles as public utility vehicles.

"With the current lack of available mass transportation, and given the severe traffic congestion in urban areas, including Metro Manila, motorcycles have been an alternative mode of transportation. Motorcycles are preferred as they offer mobility, and are more affordable than other vehicles," he said.

He said the pilot implementation in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu would allow the motorcycle ride-hailing Angkas application to serve passengers beginning this June.
Press Release

May 10, 2019 GORDON CHAGRINED BY MASSIVE VOTE BUYING IN OLONGAPO Following his warning against vote-buying nationwide, Senator Richard J, Gordon was further incensed upon getting reports of massive vote-buying by an alleged narco-politician in Olongapo City. Gordon has received reports that practically almost all the barangays in Olongapo City were invaded by people buying votes rampantly and scandalously-in Old Cabalan, Barretto, East Tapinac, Gordon Heights, Mabayuan, New Kalalake, Sta. Rita, and West Bajac-Bajac. It was also happening in Castillejos and other towns in Zambales. Reports said people of Congressman Jeffrey Khonghun and incumbent Mayor Rolen Paulino, the mayor out on bail for graft and corruption charges before the Sandiganbayan, were seen overseeing the operation of buying votes. "I am chagrined by the massive vote buying by an alleged narcopolitician and his corrupt cohorts in my hometown. Narco-politics has arrived in Olongapo City and we are going to cut off its head. It is very clear that all these money come from drugs. Not only are Congressman Khonghun, violating the Omnibus Election Code but also manifesting the power of drug money in shaping and killing our democracy. Huwag pabayaan na pasukin ng droga ang mga community. Hoy gising, Olongapo! Nananawagan ako sa lahat ng tao na labanan at supilin and threat ng droga sa pulitika at kabuhayan," he said. Gordon pointed out that they are desperate to put their families, kin and cohorts, thinking that this would ensure their protection from cases, just as other politicians have done and protection for their illegal operations. Four Khonghuns are running in the 2019 National and Local Elections: Jeffrey Khonghun for Congressman of the 1st District of Zambales, Jay Khonghun for Vice Governor of Zambales Province, Jonathan Khonghun for Mayor of Subic, Zambales, and Jamel Khonghun Escalona for city councilor of Olongapo. The Khonghuns are fighting a very costly battle against the Magsaysay clan, who is running Mitos Magsaysay for Congress. On the other hand, Paulino, who withdrew his candidacy for mayor because of his graft and corruption cases, substituted his son as candidate for mayor after he was charged of graft and corruption by the Ombudsman and after he was found guilty of grave misconduct and suspended for six months. Paulino also had his daughter run as councilor of Olongapo City. "What they're actually doing is undercutting democracy and exploiting the poverty of the people in Olongapo City. They have been able to do this in the past two elections. Do not take their money. It is drug money. We will not let our city and the province be filled with drugs. These people must be prosecuted, first, for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and, second, for committing vote buying, in violation of Section 261 (a) (1) of the Omnibus Election Code immediately before the elections. They must not be allowed to get away with it. I'm sure this is happening all over the Philippines by desperate politicians who do not want to lose the elections," Gordon stressed, adding that he has already initiated an investigation by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which he heads. Reports said the two camps invited people to certain houses and locations. They would ask the people to line-up outside, they would counter-check these peoples' names in the voters' list, and, once confirmed as voters, they give them P1,000.00 each and I.D. cards, told they are watchers of Congressman Jeffrey Khonghun, Atty. Rolen Paulino, Jr. (candidate for Mayor of Olongapo City), Atty. Noel Atienza (candidate for Vice Mayor), Jamiel Khonghun Escalona (candidate for city councilor) and other candidates for councilor of Olongapo City. Witnesses who, themselves, have received P1,000.00 from the people of Khonghun and Paulino, as well as others who saw persons being given P1,000.00 each and instructed to "vote straight" for the Khonghun-Paulino ticket gave sworn testimonies.
Villar makes sure more Pinoys will benefit from Build Program

Making sure that more Filipinos will benefit from the country's Build, Build, Build Program, re-electionist Senator Cynthia Villar brought construction training courses to the communities.

Through the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), Villar said ten mobile construction schools were deployed to different areas in the country to teach courses on masonry for men and painting for women.

"We want to help our kababayan to benefit from the construction boom para sila ang mabigyan ng trabaho kaya dinadala natin ang training program sa kanila," Villar said.

The Misis HanepBuhay of the Nacionalista Party said the mobile construction schools are in addition to five physical schools established in Cavite, Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo and Davao.

Under the program, the trainors were provided by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) while Villar SIPAG provides the training facilities and their job placements after one and a half months of training.

"Our trainees from Baseco are now deployed in one of our company's construction sites in Calamba. They stay in our on-site dormitories and were allowed to go home to their families on weekends after receiving their salaries," Villar said.

In her campaign sorties, Villar encouraged the public to avail of the free trainings and immediately get a job after training. She said in her family's home-building company alone, there is a need for 15,000 construction workers yearly.

"Isa ito sa mga programa namin na nakakapag-bigay ng hanapbuhay sa ating mga kababayan. Sana mas marami ang makapag-avail nito dahil marami talagang trabaho ngayon sa construction," Villar said.
OceanaGold has sought a mining permit over its Wharekirauponga discovery in the Coromandel Forest Park.

The deposit lies in the northern part of the 3,762 square-kilometre Hauraki exploration permit the company and its predecessors have worked since 2003. It is about 10 kilometres north of the firms Martha Pit in Waihi.

OceanaGold says the deposits location in the forest park rules out surface mining. But it believes there is potential to tunnel from outside the forest park and carry out any processing at Waihi.

This project presents opportunities for the region in addition to our operation at Waihi, sustaining an industry that is a significant long-term contributor to the region and the broader economy, says Kit Wilson, OceanaGolds senior community advisor.

After 15 years of exploration the next step is to apply for a mining permit and conduct technical, social, cultural and environmental studies that will tell us what that underground mine might look like and whether mining is going to be acceptable in that location.

The firms application, lodged with New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals, comes a week after Minister Eugenie Sage, who holds the conservation and lands portfolios, effectively blocked further expansion of OceanaGolds Waihi operation by stopping the company buying land for a future tailings dam.

The Labour-led government has also banned any new mining on Department of Conservation land.

ASX-listed OceanaGold believes its approach, by entering the area underground and from outside the conservation estate, should meet the objectives of the governments ban.

The company, which also operates the Macraes Mine near Dunedin, produced 83,500 ounces of gold at Waihi last year and is aiming for 60-70,000 this year.

It employs about 360 miners and contractors at Waihi, where the average mine salary is about $120,000. The town and its surrounding areas have a population of about 6,600, according to the district council.

In February, Oceana said drilling showed a high-grade mineral resource at Wharekirauponga. An indicated resource of 410,000 tonnes of ore in one vein may deliver 234,000 and 296,000 ounces of gold and silver respectively, the company said at the time.

Inferred resources could add another 1.05 million tonnes of ore containing 401,000 ounces of gold and 568,000 ounces of silver.

Oceana says the gold in the area lies in a quartz vein up to 9 metres wide at depths down to 450 metres. It says the deposit is typical of other high-grade resources discovered in Hauraki.

Wharekirauponga was previously mined late in the 19th century. Exploration resumed in the late 1970s. Oceana acquired its interest in the area when it purchased Waihi mine operator Newmont Mining in 2016.

Oceana said about $25.7 million has been spent on exploration in the area since 2010. Another $50 million could be spent in coming years investigating the potential for mining.

No mining can be undertaken without resource consent. Further studies will be required to test the feasibility of the proposal and they will also require consents.

Access to the conservation estate would remain at the discretion of the Department of Conservation, Oceana noted. The current access agreement covers 428 hectares.

An application for resource consents to mine at Wharekirauponga in the future would happen in close consultation with iwi and all affected communities under the Resource Management Act, Wilson said.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

24th December 2021 Morning Report

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


Synlait Milk says it is confident it can find a solution to the ownership problem now afflicting most of the land on which its new Pokeno factory stands because of an adverse Court of Appeal decision.

That ruling effectively means the factory was built in breach of covenants affecting Synlaits land.

When Synlait purchased the 28 hectares of land in February 2018 it was conditional on the seller, Stonehill Trustee, procuring the removal of the covenants on the land which restricted its use to grazing, lifestyle farming or forestry.

A High Court decision last November had removed the covenants but the owner of adjacent land, Ye Qing and his company New Zealand Industrial Park, has won an appeal against that decision, which was published late yesterday.

Synlait will continue to engage with all parties involved and is confident the covenants issue should be able to be resolved by the parties. The company remains committed to the location, Synlait chief executive Leon Clement says in his second statement today on the issue.

Synlait shares fell as much as 6 percent to $9.90 in morning trading but had recently recovered to $10.28.

The company says it has acted in accordance with legal advice at all times in respect to the land at Pokeno.

That land had been rezoned from rural to industrial, and other industrial developments, including another dairy plant, have been built on nearby land, it says.

The Yashili New Zealand Dairy Company has built a milk processing plant on land across the road from Synlaits land but which isnt subject to the same covenants affecting Synlaits land.

Another dairy company, Winston Nutritional, is planning to build a milk products factory on the other side of the Yashili property on land that is also not subject to such covenants.

Synlait says it had been confident that the land covenants were no longer relevant and that was confirmed by the High Court decision removing the covenants

It made sense that, as a result of zoning and proper planning that allowed for industrial zoning, that the land covenants would be removed by the court, which they were, Clement says.

Synlait had only taken legal title to the land after the High Court decision, he says. We intend to continue with our plans at Pokeno.

However, the judgment says that Synlait had started earthworks in March last year and started building the factory in May after gaining resource consents.

The Pokeno plant is due to be commissioned for the upcoming 2019/20 dairy season.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

24th December 2021 Morning Report

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


The New Zealand dollar was little changed as the market awaits further news on the US-China trade negotiations.

That was despite new tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed on Chinese imports into the US kicking in late in the New Zealand day.

The kiwi was trading at 65.87 US cents at 5pm in Wellington from 65.91 at 8am. The trade-weighted index was at 72.10 points from 72.15.

The tariffs on about US$200 billion of Chinese goods will increase to 25 percent from 10 percent.

Weve seen limited reaction to it for two reasons," said Mike Houlahan, a senior foreign exchange dealer at XE. "One is the trade talks are ongoing so theyre still trying to reach an agreement and, two, the increased tariffs only apply to goods that leave China from tomorrow onwards.

Anything thats already in transit, it wont affect, Houlahan says. By the time goods shipped tomorrow arrive in the US, the new tariffs may have been reversed. As well, the impact of the new tariffs had already been baked into market pricing since Trump tweeted about them last weekend.

A delegation led by Chinas Vice-Premier Liu He began a fresh round of talks last night, New Zealand time. Talks are set to resume tonight.

If they do reach an agreement, were probably going to see the Aussie dollar rebound and the kiwi dollar to a lesser extent, Houlahan says.

We live in a world where kicking the can down the road seems to be the main outcome of these negotiations.

On Thursday afternoon, Washington DC time, Trump vacillated between threatening China and suggesting a deal was still possible.

Trump said that Chinas President Xi Jinping had sent him a beautiful letter but that the alternative to a trade deal was an excellent one that would bring billions into the US government.

The New Zealand dollar was unchanged at 94.26 Australian cents and unchanged at 50.64 British pence. It was trading at 58.67 euro cents from 58.73, at 72.25 Japanese yen from 72.30, and at 4.4878 Chinese yuan from 4.4981.

The New Zealand two-year swap rate rose to 1.6085 percent from 1.6005 yesterday while the 10-year swap rate fell to 2.1225 percent from 2.1300.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

24th December 2021 Morning Report

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


Vital Healthcare Property Trusts manager says it wont proceed with the Healthscope purchase and the mangers chief executive, David Carr, has resigned.

Carr will be replaced by Miles Wentworth who had managed the NZX-listed Vital when it was called Calan Healthcare Properties Trust for 10 years until 2006.

It also appears that the manager, Canada-based NorthWest Healthcare Property Real Estate Investment Trust, wont charge Vital the $3 million fees it previously said it would keep if Vital didnt participate in the Healthscope purchase. Vital units rose 5.4 percent to $2.235.

These decisions vindicate the stance of three dissident institutional investors, ANZ Investment Funds, Mint Asset Management and ACC, who together own 10 percent of Vitals units.

These institutional investors were backed by many of Vitals retail investors at last Decembers annual meeting when NorthWest was accused of exploiting Vital as if it was its own piggybank.

In early February, NorthWest agreed to pay A$1.258 billion for 11 freehold hospital properties from ASX-listed Healthscope, conditional on fellow Canadian company Brookfields successfully taking over Healthscope.

Since the price NorthWest agreed to pay for the 11 properties represented a weighted average capitalisation rate of 5 percent, and Vitals cost of capital is about 6 percent, it always looked like a tall order for NorthWest to be able to say that participating in the purchase was in the best interests of Vitals non-NorthWest investors  NorthWest owns nearly 25 percent of Vitals units.

The already highly geared Vital would have also had to raise fresh capital if it was going to participate in the Healthscope purchase.

While clearly bad for the non-NorthWest investors, the purchase would have greatly boosted the fees NorthWest is able to extract from Vital, even under a proposed restructuring of the fees.

Unfortunately, despite the boards collective view earlier in calendar 2018 that the Healthscope real estate opportunity was in line with Vitals strategy, we were unable to see that the opportunity met all the overall investment objectives for the trust, say the two independent directors on the board of the NorthWest subsidiary that manages Vital, Graham Stuart and Andrew Evans, in a statement.

Further, management and directors have also listened carefully to a range of investor feedback over the last few weeks and it has factored heavily into our conclusion, they say.

Turning away from a quality and scale portfolio opportunity can be a difficult decision but, for Vital in this instance, we are satisfied it is the right decision at this time in light of the broadest range of applicable considerations, the two independent directors say.

The statement says that if the Healthscope purchase settles as expected, it has been agreed with NWH REIT that  fees and third party due diligence costs relating to the Healthscope real estate opportunity will not be borne by Vital.

Vital will still participate in 50 percent of NWH REITs derivative position in Healthscope shares, including the payment of associated fees.

NorthWest had borrowed the money from Vital to pay for the Healthscope derivative position, starting in May last year, although that borrowing wasnt revealed until August last year and by December it totalled A$81 million.

NorthWests stated entry cost into the derivative position was A$2.36 per share, or 14 cents per share below the A$2.50 per share Brookfields offer.

NorthWest provides figures in the statement showing that Vital has received $7.3 million in dividend income from the Healthscope position for the nine months ended March, has been paid $1.8 million in interest on the loan to NorthWest and that it has a $7.26 million unrealised capital gain on the Healthscope position.

With net costs of $10.9 million, Vitals net realised and unrealised gain was $1.8 million at March 31.

The statement says Vitals Dec. 31 accounts recorded capitalised costs of $9 million plus net charges through the income statement of $3.6 million.

It is forecast that Vitals financial statements to June 30, 2019 will show that the net expense from Dec. 31, 2018 will improve by approximately $1 million and there will be no costs remaining on the balance sheet, it says.

However, this information still leaves unanswered questions about the fees NorthWest charged Vital in the six months ended December. In aggregate, gross fees charged against income jumped nearly 75 percent to $22.1 million compared with $12.7 million in the same six months a year earlier.

About $12 million of those fees were for the managers base and incentive fees and $10.1 million were for other NorthWest fees and expenses.

If Vital is getting $3.6 million of that back, that leaves unexplained $6.5 million plus another $0.5 million of unexplained fees that were capitalised.

The latest information doesnt marry very well with what NorthWest previously said about the Healthscope fees it was charging Vital. Then, it said it had charged a total of $8.2 million related to that specific transaction and that it would refund $5.2 million of that if Vital didnt participate in the Healthscope acquisition.

Investors are likely to welcome Wentworth as the managers new chief executive because of how well Calan performed for investors under his management.

He went to Melbourne after his resignation and founded the then ASX-listed Generation Healthcare REIT and, after NorthWest took that over in conjunction with the Singapore governments investment arm, he became a director and advisor of NorthWest.

Bernard Crotty, president of NWH REIT, took over as chairman of the New Zealand subsidiary after Claire Higgins resigned at the beginning of April.

After 13 years of service, David (Carr) has decided that he would like to take a well-earned break and to look at new opportunities, Crotty says in todays statement.

Healthscopes investors will vote on May 22 on a scheme of arrangement to sell the company to Brookfields.

NorthWest says Vitals investors will get to vote on the proposed new fees structure at a meeting that will be held before the end of October. It also confirmed that it will not vote its units at that meeting.

In March this year, NorthWest was forced by Vitals trustee, Trustees Executors, to restate the results of voting at the December meeting because it had voted its units despite having a conflict of interest.

NorthWest has also said Vital will pay a third-quarter distribution of 2.1875 cents per unit, an increase of 2.9 percent on the previous third-quarter payout. It didn't say whether Vital will have to borrow to pay the increase - the trust, whose distributable income fell 18.7 percent, did have to borrow to cover the increased first half distributions.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

24th December 2021 Morning Report

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


New Delhi: State-run Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) will raise up to Rs 1,500 crore in tranches through private placement and public issues in domestic or overseas markets, IOB said on Thursday.

In a regulatory filing, the bank said its board has approved a proposal where the bank will issue up to Rs 300 crore equity shares by way of Follow on Public Offer and Rights Issue, with or without participation from the government.
Sify.com Movies Reviews Bollywood Chhota Bheem - Kung Fu Dhamaka

Chhota Bheem - Kung Fu Dhamaka: Could have been a whole lot more

Fatigue seems to be setting into the Chhota Bheem movie series

Source: SIFY By: Troy Ribeiro/IANS Critic's Rating: 2.5/5 Monday 13 May 2019

Movie Title Chhota Bheem - Kung Fu Dhamaka: Could have been a whole lot more Director Rajiv Chilaka, Binayak Das

Star Cast Sonal Kaushal, Rupa Bhimani, Jigna Bharadhwaj, Sabina Malik, Aditya Raj Sharma, Pawan Shuklaa, Nishka Raheja

There is an infectious appeal to Chhota Bheem and his numerous adventures. While the Chhota Bheem franchise, with its numerous editions have acquired iconic stature among the young Indian audience, this is the fourth film after The Throne of Bali, The Curse of Damyaan and Himalayan Adventure to get a theatrical release.

For those uninitiated into the series, Chhota Bheem and his friends Chutki, Raju, Kalia along with Dholu, Bholu and Jaggu the monkey are constant figures who accompany our saucer-eyed hero on his various expeditions.

Maharshi review: Predictable, leaves viewers unsatisfied | 100 review: A watchable cop action entertainer | Pokemon Detective Pikachu review: A disappointing fare for fans

This time, they are in China. Chhota Bheem and his friends are participating in the annual festivities in the court of Emperor Jiang. The last day of the festivities also coincides with Princess Kia's birthday and coronation. We are told that Princess Kia is a blessed child who has the patronage of a mystical dragon, who has the powers to rule the Universe.

Witnessing the festivities which include a Kung Fu Competition, are Princess Kia, her friend Ming and all the other courtiers.

The Emperor's nephew Zuhu, as an act of revenge for being banished from the kingdom and a part for his nefarious plans, mars the festivities by kidnapping Princess Kia.

The desperate Emperor promises huge rewards to anyone who would liberate his daughter from the clutches of his wicked nephew.

All the participants of the Kung Fu competition along with a courtier and his sons set out to rescue Princess Kia. How they fare in their endeavour, forms the crux of the tale.

What follows is predictable. Chhota Bheem, under the tutelage of a Kung Fu Master, learns new Kung Fu tricks along with a few life lessons. The story is simple and meanders aimlessly through a standard formulaic treatment, making the viewing, a not so exciting fare.

The plot and the screenplay, though laced with verbose exposition, is uncomplicated, smooth and direct with not much emphasis given to the finer nuances of Kung Fu. Nevertheless, the well-designed action sequences are crisp, relevant and lack the fun element that was noticed in the previous Chhota Bheem editions. The dialogues too sound bland and unimpressive.

Visually, the film is brilliantly mounted. Each frame is colourful and appealing and the voices of the ace cast are matched perfectly. The animation, along with the 3D effects, are spectacular with all characters faithfully created, appealing to look at and truly vivacious except for the wispy pink dragon which seems more out of place in this cinematic universe.

Overall, for a theatre released film, fatigue seems to be setting into this series.
Undeniably, Mahanati/Nadigaiyar Thilagam is a lifetime role for Keerthy Suresh. The first year anniversary of the film was celebrated by fans of Keerthy on social media with the hashtag #1yearofMahanati. Recalling the memorable moments from the film and thanking the entire unit, Keerthy wrote a long post on her Instagram page.





I fall short of words when I intend to talk about you. Thank you for leading me on board, being with me throughout the journey , showering me with your love and blessings. This would not have happened without you. Thank you #savitrima #vijayachamundeswarima @nag_ashwin The brain behind the cult , the man behind my confidence, the one who trusted me the most. What more could I have asked for Nagi ?! @swapnaduttchalasani @priyankacdutt you women cant get stronger than this , the two pillars who held everything together ! The tussles were all worth it isnt it ?! @dancinemaniac you made history on screen Dani!! @mickeyjmeyerofficial what more than a tribute like the #Mahanti song could you dedicate for her ?! I thank all my wonderful co-actors without whom this would be an incomplete classic! @samantharuthprabhuoffl @thedeverakonda @dqsalmaan #RajendraPrasad sir and to all the other artists #Animaster for making me do which I thought I cant do @styledbyindrakshi you styled and etched the history through the traditional sarees from @shahgaurang and Thank you @archanaraolabel Thanks to all the technicians and every one in each departments for making this possible ! I will be posting few favourites in memory of the journey today ! Thank you #mahanati #1year #1yearofmahanati", wrote Keerthy.




ABC/Paula LoboAfter sharing her own struggles with depression and anxiety, Taraji P. Henson has announced she's launching a two-day mental health summit via her Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, which she founded in 2018.

The foundation is named after Henson's father, a Vietnam veteran who struggled with mental health issues. The summit will take place June 7-9 in Washington, D.C., according to People, and will include an inaugural Can We Talk? conference and a benefit dinner.

Attendees can interact with mental health experts, policy-makers and thought leaders who are working towards finding ways to end the mental health stigma in at-risk communities.

Mental illness is a huge issue in the black community. The suicide rate of young people has doubled in the last 15 years, this is a national crisis, said Henson in a statement, according to People.

We are working to normalizing the conversation in our communities at a younger age to eradicate the stigma. We have to start somewhere  and I believe openly talking about it is a good place to start.

The summit will kick off on June 7 with a keynote address by Dr. Altha J. Stewart, the first African-American -- and first woman -- to be named President of the American Psychiatric Association.

In addition to providing urban schools with resources to address mental health, Henson and her foundation are hoping to raise $500,000 via the summit's benefit dinner. Proceeds will go to pay for therapy sessions for those who've never tried therapy before.

Additional guest speakers and performances will be announced in the coming weeks.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
In a tweet, the Congress chief claimed that PM's recent comments implied he was nervous about Lok Sabha results.

: Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was cracking under pressure, continuing the war of words that has been raging on ever since PM Modi said his father Rajiv Gandhi died as "corrupt number 1".

"Dear Mr Modi, your recent statements, interviews and videos are giving India the distinct feeling that you're cracking under pressure. You are, however, certainly right to be nervous about the results," he tweeted.

PM Modi has been attacking the Nehru-Gandhi legacy of the Congress over the last few weeks. He provoked a sharp reply from Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra when he challenged the party to contest the remaining two rounds of polls in the name of Rajiv Gandhi.

"A Delhi girl is openly challenging you. Contest the last two phases on notebandi, GST, women's safety and unfulfilled promises to the youth," she said on Wednesday.

PM Modi on Wednesday targeted the former Prime Minister again. At a rally in Delhi, he said Rajiv Gandhi and family were sent for a vacation on board the Navy's INS Virat, contending that it had compromised national security. The former Commanding Officer of INS Viraat, the ship, denied the allegations.

While Gandhi has responded to PM Modi's comments with "hugs" and "love", Priyanka Gandhi's retorts were hard-hitting as she compared him with "Duryodhan", the mythical villain in the epic Mahabharat.

Today, she called PM Modi coward. "I haven't seen a more coward and weaker PM than him in my life," she was quoted by news agency.
In Wall Street debut, Uber set to turn a corner



New York, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2019



Uber geared up Thursday for a massive share offering that is a milestone for the ride-hailing industry and the so-called "sharing economy," but which comes amid simmering concerns about its business model.

The initial public offering (IPO) was set to be launched at $45, according to a banking source familiar with the deal, which would translate to a market value up to $82 billion when accounting for all options and stock grants.

San Francisco-based Uber was set to begin trading Friday on the New York Stock Exchange in one of the largest initial public offerings in the tech sector.

Despite the eye-popping valuation, Uber dialed back some of its earlier ambitions for a value over $100 billion after a rocky start for US rideshare rival Lyft.

Analyst Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities said Uber has the potential to be a game-changing company and "is paving a similar road to what Amazon did to transform retail/ecommerce and Facebook did for social media."

Ives said Uber has the potential to grow as it morphs its ridesharing platform "into a broader consumer engine with Uber Eats, Uber Freight, and autonomous initiatives."



- Risks to new model -



But some of the risks surrounding Uber and its rivals were highlighted Wednesday as thousands of drivers turned off their apps in a US-wide strike over pay and working conditions.

The strikes targeting Uber and its US rival Lyft highlighted a dilemma for rideshare firms, which have faced challenges from regulators and traditional taxi operators for using a business model relying on independent contractors.

One group protested outside the New York Stock Exchange, where Uber is set to list its shares, with some signs reading "Invest in our lives -- Not their stocks."

Uber and Lyft did not immediately comment on the protests.

"While we aim to provide an earnings opportunity comparable to that available in retail, wholesale, or restaurant services or other similar work, we continue to experience dissatisfaction with our platform from a significant number of drivers," Uber said in a filing with securities regulators.

"In particular, as we aim to reduce driver incentives to improve our financial performance, we expect driver dissatisfaction will generally increase."

Rideshare companies maintain that drivers are able to thrive and maintain work flexibility, and that their business model would not work if drivers were treated as wage-based employees.

Uber said in a securities filing ahead of the IPO that it had set aside $132 million to settle claims from drivers but maintained it was sticking to its plans on how it classifies drivers.

"Our business would be adversely affected if drivers were classified as employees instead of independent contractors," the company said.

Uber will be raising up to $9 billion in the offering being underwritten by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch and other large banks.



- Lyft shares skid -



Uber's inauguration as a public company will follow a rocky market debut for Lyft, which has lost more than 15 percent of its value since its March offering.

Lyft's losses in the past quarter widened to $1.1 billion, according to its first financial report as a public company.

Revenue for California-based Lyft nearly doubled from a year earlier to $776 million and the number of active riders grew to over 20.5 million.

Lyft said its losses deepened as a result of $894 million in costs that included stock-based compensation and related tax expenses in connection with its IPO.

Uber envisions becoming the "Amazon of transportation" in a future where people share instead of owning vehicles.

If all goes to plan, commuters could ride an e-scooter to a transit station, take a train, then grab an e-bike or e-scooter to complete a journey using the Uber smartphone app.

Of course, shared car rides would be an option, eventually driven by computers instead of humans.

Uber is also taking to the sky with an Elevate project to have electric aircraft carry people between "skyports," taking off and landing vertically.

Uber's platform moves cargo as well as people, with a Freight service that connects truckers with shippers in a way similar to how drivers connect with people seeking rides.

Uber is also seeing growing success with an Eats service that pays drivers to deliver meals ordered from restaurants.
Uber's rocky road to global powerhouse



San Francisco, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2019



Uber, set to make its stock market debut in one of the largest technology share offerings, has become a disruptive force in local transportation and generated its share of controversies.

- A Paris idea -



The history offered by Uber is that the plan for app-based rides came about in Paris in December 2008, when founders Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp could not find a taxi and hatched the idea of summoning a ride with the push of a button.

They launched UberCab in July 2010, later shortening the name to Uber, with the first ride the following year in San Francisco.

By 2014, Uber was present in 100 cities and began its "Uber Pool," allowing customers to share rides.

Today it has operations in 700 cities in 65 countries, having booked more than 10 billion rides.

Kalanick was the chief executive until mid-2017 when he was forced out amid a series of scandals on workplace harassment, cutthroat business practices and other ethical lapses, which hurt the image of the company as it was preparing to go public.

Taking over, Dara Khosrowshahi from the travel website Expedia sought to clean up Uber's image, settling lawsuits including one accusing the company of stealing secrets on autonomous driving technology from former Google car unit Waymo.



- Bumps in the road -



Uber has faced protests in multiple countries by taxi drivers who claim its unregulated business model represents unfair competition.

Some regulators have limited or banned Uber as well. It has been banned in Bulgaria, Hungary and Denmark and earlier this year pulled out of the Catalonia region of Spain in the face of government restrictions.

Uber stopped some services in Paris in 2016 in the face of violent protests and is operating on a provisional license in London amid legal challenges.

In the United States, Uber has faced litigation and protests in New York and challenges from drivers seeking to be classified as employees with benefits instead of independent contractors. This week thousands of drivers turned off their apps in many cities, seeking improved revenue sharing and other changes.

The company suspended its self-driving car project in early 2018 when an autonomous vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona.



- Path to profits -



While Uber has become a large company, its path to profitability remains uncertain.

Its losses continue to pile up despite taking in some $11 billion in revenue last year.

But Uber sees a future beyond simple ridesharing. It wants to be an all-encompassing solution for transportation with autonomous cars, electric bikes and scooters to solve the "last mile" problem and help move consumers away from car ownership.

It also operates the Uber Eats food delivery service and Uber Freight, and is even looking at "flying taxis."

Uber claims it wants to be the "Amazon of transportation," evoking the model of the e-commerce firm which took many years to achieve consistent profitability and now dominates several sectors.
Paris climate deal architect 'disappointed' at EU summit



Brussels, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



EU leaders meeting in Romania missed an opportunity to act on growing public demand for stronger action against climate change, an architect of the Paris agreement said Friday.

Laurence Tubiana, who now heads the European Climate Foundation, said the lack of ambition on climate was all the more glaring at a summit touting efforts to tackle future challenges.

"I think it is a missed opportunity," Tubiana told journalists in Brussels following Thursday's summit in Sibiu. "I'm really disappointed with Sibiu."

Tubiana said Germany, the European Union's biggest economy, is "dragging its feet" on demands from other EU countries to ensure Europe moves to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Speaking in Sibiu on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stopped short of taking up the call by eight EU countries to meet the target.

"Because our targets for 2050 differ, I have not yet been able to fully support this initiative," Merkel told reporters.

She said the "first step" was for the EU to meet its pledge to reduce its carbon emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

The eight countries appealing for zero emissions are France, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, according to a copy seen by AFP.

At a Brussels summit in March, French President Emmanuel Macron complained fellow

leaders had failed to pursue the 2050 target in line with their pledges to the Paris

accord.

















Tubiana said there was a "dissonance" between the attitude of government officials and the demand from a public increasingly concerned about the impact of climate change.

However, she said there was a "shift in the centre of gravity" in the debate as mainstream political parties in Germany and elsewhere feel the need to forge positions on global warming.

She also said economic powerhouse China's push for new technologies like electric cars was putting competitive pressure on EU firms to do the same.

Tubiana hoped for a new opportunity for leaders to step up their climate ambition at the June summit in Brussels, following May's European Parliament elections.

As for the Paris climate deal she helped craft, Tubiana said "it sticks," adding there has been "no domino effect" since US President Donald Trump pulled out of the accord.

The 195-nation UN pact sealed in Paris calls for capping the rise in Earth's temperature at "well under" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and 1.5C if possible.
Luxembourg and US agree to deepen cooperation in space



Luxembourg, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



The tiny EU country of Luxembourg and the United States agreed on Friday to work more closely on projects in space, including research and exploration as well as defence and commerce.

In the last few years, the grand duchy of Luxembourg has moved to join the US at the forefront of what has been dubbed the new space race.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday to boost research, exploration, defence, and space commerce as well as tackle problems like regulatory reform and space debris.

"It covers the broadest possible range of space activities to be undertaken by the two countries as an important next wave of economic growth," US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said during a visit to Luxembourg to sign the deal.

Etienne Schneider, Luxembourg's deputy prime minister and economy minister, said the deal was "another important step forward" to enhance international space cooperation.

In 2015, the United States adopted the Space Act to allow for the exploration and commercial exploitation of space resources.

In 2017, Luxembourg introduced a law guaranteeing space companies ownership of resources acquired in space, the first country to do so in the 28-nation European Union.

Luxembourg has already signed space agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Japan and China as well as fellow EU countries Poland, the Czech Republic and Belgium.

In total, some 20 private firms involved in space work have established themselves in Luxembourg, officials said.

Schneider said the space field accounts for two percent of tiny Luxembourg's Gross Domestic Product.

cak-lc/dl
Economic model 'transformation' needed: UN climate envoy



Geneva, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



A dramatic transformation of the global economic model will be necessary if the world truly wants to tackle the problem of climate change, a top UN envoy told AFP Friday.

"We need bold actions," insisted Luis Alfonso de Alba, who was appointed late last year to prepare an ambitious climate summit in New York in September.

In an interview with AFP in Geneva Friday, he stressed that climate change should not be merely considered an environmental problem.

"We are talking about a transformation of the economic model that is going to be needed to achieve the results we need," he said.

The September 23 summit at the United Nations is billed as the first major stocktaking gathering of world leaders on climate change since the Paris agreement was reached in 2015.

The event follows a string of reports containing dire predictions about the future of the planet as carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise, pushing targets set out under the Paris accord further out of reach.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he wants the summit to be "action oriented", and he has asked countries to present "concrete, realistic plans" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade and to net zero by 2050.

De Alba said he was working to identify ambitious projects to showcase at the September meeting, as well as new models of cooperation and coordination between countries, organisations and public and private players.



- 'Drastic changes' -



"It is evident that private financing will be indispensable to move from the billions to the trillions that are going to be needed," he said.

Fighting climate change he said, "is an issue that requires a transformation of the way we consume, the way we produce."

"This is not a process in which we can aim at a gradual increase of the ambitions. We need some drastic changes."

Despite the huge challenges, de Alba said that he was "optimistic", pointing to the enthusiasm and commitment he was witnessing from governments and non-governmental groups alike.

He acknowledged though that not everyone was equally engaged in the process, including the host-country of the summit.

President Donald Trump's 2017 decision to pull the United States out of the Paris accord has cast a cloud over global efforts to rein in climate change.

But de Alba said the federal government in Washington was continuing to "work on a number of areas that are important to fight climate change," and that he hoped the US would participate in the September summit.

The UN climate envoy also hailed the work done by youth activists like Swedish teen Greta Thunberg, and said young people would have an important part to play at the meeting.

"We want them to be part of the solution, and not only take note of their very obviously... justified anger because of lack of action," he said.
Amazon's Bezos unveils lunar lander project 'Blue Moon'







Washington DC (AFP) May 09, 2019





Jeff Bezos, who heads both Amazon and space company Blue Origin, unveiled on Thursday a lunar lander that he said would be used to transport equipment, and possibly human beings, to the south pole of the Moon by 2024. "This is Blue Moon," he said at a presentation in Washington, as curtains lifted to show a mock-up of a huge vessel weighing many tons and able to carry four self-driving rovers. "It's an incredible vehicle, and it will go to the Moon," he declared. The vehicle has been u ... read more
Europe rejects Iran 'ultimatum' but stands by nuke deal



Sibiu, Romania, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2019



European powers Thursday denounced Tehran's threat to resume nuclear work, drawing a sharp response from the Iranian foreign minister who accused them of caving in to US bullying.

The three European signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal urged the Islamic republic to stick to its commitments after it said it would stop respecting some limits imposed by the agreement.

They rejected an ultimatum from President Hassan Rouhani, who threatened to go further if they fail to deliver sanctions relief within 60 days to counterbalance US President Donald Trump's assault on the Iranian economy.

EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini and France, Germany and Britain -- the three European nations in the deal -- voiced "great concern" over Rouhani's intervention, which came on the anniversary of Trump's withdrawal of the United States from the agreement negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama.

"We strongly urge Iran to continue to implement its commitments under the JCPOA in full as it has done until now and to refrain from any escalatory steps," they said in a joint statement, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the deal is known.

"We reject any ultimatums and we will assess Iran's compliance on the basis of Iran's performance regarding its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA."

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hit back on Twitter.

"EU statement today is why JCPOA is where it is: the US has bullied Europe -- and rest of world -- for a year and EU can only express 'regret'," Zarif tweeted.

"Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, EU should uphold obligations," he said, calling for the "normalization of economic ties."

- New US warnings -



Tensions have soared between Iran and the United States, which has announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to the region, saying it had information of Iranian-backed plots.

"The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against US interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive US response," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in the latest stern US warning.

But with Trump's Democratic rivals accusing him of pushing towards conflict on hyped-up intelligence, Pompeo also said, "We do not seek war."

And Trump -- who threatened to destroy North Korea before sitting down with its leader Kim Jong Un for two landmark summits -- said he was open to face-to-face negotiations.

"What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"We don't want them to have nuclear weapons -- not much to ask," he said.

Few observers expect any talks soon between Trump and Iran's leaders, for whom hostility toward the United States is a bedrock principle of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the pro-Western shah.

Trump, a close ally of Iran's rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel, has vowed "maximum pressure" to roll back Tehran's influence in the region. Trump on Wednesday moved to end all of Iran's steel and mining exports after already mobilizing to slap sanctions on all countries that buy its key money-maker of oil.



- EU shouldn't 'get jumpy' -



Europe has stressed the importance of the deal -- in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief -- for its own security, and EU leaders discussed the crisis at their summit in the Romanian town of Sibiu.

French President Emmanuel Macron appealed for calm, saying Europe must work to persuade Iran to stick with the deal.

"We must not get jumpy or fall into escalation," Macron said, warning that leaving the deal would "unstitch what we have achieved".

"That's why France is staying in, and will stay in and I profoundly hope Iran will stay in," Macron said as he arrived for an EU summit in Romania.

Russia, another signatory to the deal along with China, on Thursday denounced the latest US sanctions and said it understood why Iran had decided to suspend some of its commitments -- but urged Tehran not to go further.

Since the US pullout, Europe has sought to keep Iran in the deal by trying to maintain trade via a special mechanism called INSTEX to clear payments without falling foul of American sanctions.

The European statement reiterated its commitment to "enable the continuation of legitimate trade with Iran".

But few major European companies want to risk the wrath of US sanctions for the sake of the Iranian market and the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has dismissed the European efforts as a "bitter joke".
N.Korea says weapons test involved 'long-range' capability



Seoul, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2019



North Korea said Friday it had tested a long-range weapon, a claim that was likely to raise tensions on the peninsula and contradicted accounts from the South and in the US that Pyongyang had fired short-range missiles.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency said leader Kim Jong Un had overseen Thursday's weapons test, the second in less than a week amid tensions with the US over their fitful drive to reach an agreement under which North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief.

"At the command post, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill," KCNA said, adding that the drill was successful.

KCNA did not say what kind of weapon was fired. It avoided using the words missile, rocket or projectile.

The update came amid increasingly strained ties with the US as President Donald Trump said Thursday he thought Kim was not ready to negotiate denuclearisation.

In New York, federal authorities said a North Korean freighter had been seized on grounds of violating UN sanctions imposed over its nuclear program.

The officials said Wise Honest -- an 18,000-ton, single hull bulk carrier -- had exported high-grade coal and brought back machinery to the impoverished and reclusive country.

During an event at the White House, Trump said US authorities were looking at the latest projectile launches "very seriously."

"They were smaller missiles, short range missiles. Nobody's happy about it," Trump told reporters.

"The relationship continues. But we'll see what happens. I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they are ready to negotiate."

Two Trump-Kim summits, the most recent in Vietnam in February, have produced no tangible progress toward persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons.

Thursday's missile firing came after North Korea carried out a military drill and fired multiple projectiles on Saturday, with at least one believed to be a short-range missile.



- 'An element of protest' -



The North had not previously fired a missile since November 2017, shortly before a rapid diplomatic thaw eased high tensions on the peninsula and paved the way for a historic first meeting between Kim and Trump.

But the summit in Vietnam broke up without an agreement rolling back Pyongyang's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief or even a joint statement, leaving the North frustrated.

Thursday's launch came hours after the US Special Representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, arrived in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials, in his first visit since the Hanoi summit.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Pyongyang's latest move had "an element of protest and is a pressuring action to steer the nuclear talks in a direction it desires".

"It appears the North is highly displeased that the Hanoi summit ended without agreement," he said in an interview marking his first two years in office.

But he added: "Whatever North Korea's intentions might have been, we warn that it could make negotiations more difficult."

The North "fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles" from Kusong in North Pyongan province, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement, updating its earlier assessment that the launch was from Sino-ri in the same province.

The JCS added the missiles flew eastwards for 270 and 420 kilometres (170 and 260 miles) and the South Korean and US militaries were jointly analysing them.

Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington had all refrained from explicitly calling Saturday's launch a missile -- the South used the term "projectile" -- which could jeopardise the ongoing diplomacy if it violated UN Security Council resolutions against ballistic technology as well as Kim's announcement of an end to long-range missile tests.

Experts said at least one short-range ballistic missile was involved on Saturday, with a report on the respected 38 North website saying debris left by the launch suggested it was a "direct import" of a Russian-produced Iskander.

If North Korea had imported Iskanders from Russia, the report added, "it has an existing capacity to deliver warheads to targets in South Korea with great precision".

A summit between Moon and Kim a year ago was instrumental in lowering the temperature, but since the Hanoi summit the North has blamed Seoul for siding with Washington, leaving inter-Korean relations in limbo.
'Nobody's happy' about N. Korea missile launch, says Trump



Seoul, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



US President Donald Trump said that "nobody's happy" after North Korea raised the pressure over the future of their deadlocked nuclear negotiations by launching two short-range missiles.

Trump's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in February broke up without an agreement or even a joint statement as the two failed to reach a deal on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for relief from sanctions imposed over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Since then Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith" and given it until the end of the year to change its approach.

In what South Korea President Moon Jae-in termed an "element of protest", the North "fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles" on Thursday, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.

They were launched from Kusong in North Pyongan province it said, and flew eastwards for 270 and 420 kilometres (170 and 260 miles) across the North.

It was Pyongyang's second such move in less than a week, after having not launched a missile since November 2017, shortly before a rapid diplomatic thaw eased high tensions on the peninsula and paved the way for the historic first Kim-Trump summit in Singapore last June.

At a White House event, Trump said US authorities were looking "very seriously" at the launch of the "short-range missiles".

"Nobody's happy about it," he told reporters.

"We'll see what happens," he added. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they are ready to negotiate."

Thursday's launches came hours after the US Special Representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, arrived in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials, in his first visit since the Hanoi summit.



- 'Peace and security' -



North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling party, devoted its entire front page and half of page two to the launch on Friday, with 16 pictures, the main one of Kim watching the launch from a camouflaged shelter.

It was a "long-range strike" drill, the official Korean Central News Agency said, without specifying what kind of weapon was fired and avoiding the words missile, rocket or projectile.

Thursday's missile firing came after North Korea carried out a military drill and fired multiple projectiles on Saturday, with at least one believed to be a short-range missile.

And in a potential indication of more launches to come, KCNA said that Kim "set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability of the defence units".

"The genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty," it cited him as saying.

The pictures of the two launches released by the North appeared similar, and experts said at least one short-range ballistic missile was involved on Saturday.

A report on the respected 38 North website said debris left by the launch suggested it was a "direct import" of a Russian-produced Iskander -- a single-stage, solid-fuel missile.

If North Korea had imported Iskanders from Russia, the report added, "it has an existing capacity to deliver warheads to targets in South Korea with great precision".

Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington had all refrained from explicitly calling Saturday's launch a missile -- the South used the term "projectile" -- which could jeopardise the ongoing diplomacy if it violated UN Security Council resolutions against ballistic technology as well as Kim's announcement of an end to long-range missile tests.



- 'Highly displeased' -



If Thursday's launch proved to be a ballistic missile, South Korea's President Moon said, even if it was short-range, "it has a possibility of running foul of UN resolutions".

Pyongyang's latest move had "an element of protest and is a pressuring action to steer the nuclear talks in a direction it desires", he said in an interview marking his first two years in office.

"It appears the North is highly displeased that the Hanoi summit ended without agreement," he added, but warned that the launch "could make negotiations more difficult".

A summit between Moon and Kim a year ago was instrumental in lowering the temperature, but since the Hanoi summit the North has blamed Seoul for siding with Washington, leaving inter-Korean relations in limbo.

In New York, federal authorities said the US had taken possession of a North Korean freighter seized a year ago by Indonesia on grounds of violating UN sanctions.

The officials said Wise Honest -- an 18,000-ton, single hull bulk carrier -- had exported high-grade coal and brought back machinery to the impoverished and reclusive country.

burs-slb/qan
US says 13 suspected IS members killed in Somalia airstrike



Nairobi, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



US forces in Africa launched an airstrike against the Islamic State group in Somalia, killing 13 suspected militants, a military statement said Thursday.

The strike was carried out in the Golis Mountains in northern Somalia, where three IS militants were killed in April.

"At this time, it is assessed the airstrike on May 8 killed thirteen terrorists. Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike," said a statement from the US Africa Command, or Africom.

The Islamic State has a relatively small presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab.

But IS has been particularly active in the northern Puntland region, establishing training camps and depots for weapons coming mainly from nearby Yemen.

The Shebab, by far the largest radical Islamist group in Somalia, officially integrated into Al-Qaeda in 2012. But a small number of its members -- around 200 -- defected to the IS.

That group, based in semi-autonomous Puntland, is led by Abdulqadir Mumin, who in August 2016 was placed by the US State Department on a list of international terrorists.

IS in Somalia has been the target of previous airstrikes.

Africa Command said an April 14 strike in Somalia killed IS's second in command there, Abdulhakim Dhuqub, who was in charge of the group's attack planning and daily operations.

As of late 2018, Africom put the number of IS fighters in Somalia at between 75 and 250 -- compared to the estimated 3,000 to 7,000 Shebab members.
Yemen war: breaking point in EU arms sales to Gulf?



Paris, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



The Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen may have increased public pressure on EU governments to freeze arms sales to the kingdom but for now, it seems unlikely to spawn radical new policy changes.

The war in Yemen pits the military coalition headed by Saudi Arabia against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels in a conflict which has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians and triggered what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The public spotlight on the kingdom's behaviour has intensified since dissident Jamal Khashoggi was killed last year inside its consulate in Istanbul by a Saudi assassination squad, a crime Riyadh insists it had nothing to do with.

But in countries like Britain and France, arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia and its key partner the United Arab Emirates -- regarded as close allies -- are seen as critically important for keeping military influence and also preserving potentially thousands of jobs.

A new delivery of French arms to a Saudi ship, the Bahri Yanbu, was awaited in the French port of Le Havre. But the vessel will no longer dock there despite having anchored off the port for days, a source said Friday.

The change of plan came after protests but it was not immediately clear what had caused it or where the vessel would head next.



- 'Guarantees not enough' -



"Clearly, with the war in Yemen there has been a rupture," Aymeric Elluin of Amnesty International France said.

"There has been an awakening for a time in Germany, Belgium, Britain and Italy. In France, it's something very new."

Paris delivered some 1.38 billion euros ($1.5 billion) of weapons to Riyadh in 2017, making it France's second-biggest customer in the sector after Egypt.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday defended the arms sales, describing Riyadh and Abu Dhabi as allies in the fight against terror and saying Paris had received guarantees they would not be used against civilians.

But Elluin dismissed the assurances.

"It's not enough to say 'I have guarantees', we need to be shown them. And at the same time, we would like to be told clearly how Saudi Arabia is fighting against terror in Yemen."

Tony Fortin, a researcher at the Armaments Observatory NGO in France, said the current situation was the result of years of secrecy.

"What we are seeing today is that this lack of transparency is coming back to us and resulting in catastrophes like the one in Yemen," he said.

The current positions of key EU arms suppliers are as follows:

Germany



Defying opposition from its own EU allies, Berlin was the only key power to impose an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Khashoggi crisis.

In March, it announced a six-month extension of the ban to September 30.

France

French investigative news site Disclose leaked a classified military note last month detailing the use of French tanks and artillery in the Yemen war.

Defence Minister Florence Parly then confirmed the planned Le Havre shipment of arms to Saudi, provoking opposition anger by declaring there was "no proof" of casualties in Yemen caused by French weapons.



UK

Britain accounts for 23 percent of arms imports to Saudi Arabia and last year signed a multi-billion-pound preliminary order from Saudi for 48 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets.

It has licensed nearly pound5 billion ($6.5 billion) in weapons to Saudi Arabia since the bombing of Yemen began in 2015, according to government figures analysed by advocacy group Campaign against the Arms Trade (CAAT).

Spain

Spain exported 496 million euros ($557 million) worth of arms to Saudi Arabia in 2017 and the socialist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was last year criticised by its ultra-left ally Podemos for keeping in place an order of 400 laser-guided bombs to the kingdom.

Podemos has also pressured Sanchez over a 1.8 billion-euro ($2-billion) contract to build five warships for Saudi which the premier has defended.



- 'Push the line' -



"There is a growing worry concerning these questions and a lack of oversight" in the French parliament, said Jacques Maire, an MP for Macron's ruling party.

"And at the end of the day, in all the countries, the executive has the last word."

Denis Jacqmin, a researcher at the Group for Research and Information on Peace and Security (Grip) in Brussels, acknowledged that public opinion "tires quickly", saying it was "complicated to carry out a campaign based on Yemen".

Grip is pressing for the creation of a pan-European watchdog to regulate arms sales.

It says that a common position adopted by EU leaders in 2008 laid down "criteria" but "every state, unfortunately, has its interpretation and can push the line of what is acceptable ever further".
Ukraine demands release of navy sailors held by Russia



Berlin, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



Ukraine on Friday demanded the release of 24 sailors and three naval vessels seized by Russia last November, in a plea to an international tribunal set to rule on the incident.

The case focuses on the fate of the captured sailors, who were manning three Ukrainian vessels off Russian annexed Crimea when Russian ships fired on and seized their boats.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, in the German city of Hamburg, said it would announce its decision on May 25.

Moscow has said it does not recognise the court's jurisdiction.

Addressing the tribunal, Ukraine's deputy foreign minister Olena Zerkal called for the immediate release of the sailors.

"From the moment of the detentions, Ukraine has worked urgently to solve this matter," she said.

She described their detention as "an additional illustration of Russia's continued disrespect for international law".

"Each additional day of detentions, each interrogation, each court case aggravates the dispute between the parties," she said.

Russia has accused the sailors of violating its maritime borders.

Moscow did not send representatives to the hearing.

Outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has insisted the sailors are "prisoners of war" and described their detention as "blatant proof that Russia continues to show cynical disrespect for human rights".

"We expect that in a matter of weeks the Tribunal will oblige Russia to release our sailors and Ukrainian ships, and its actions will be considered illegitimate," Poroshenko said in a statement last month.

"Russia still has a chance to free our sailors and ships without waiting for the formal recognition of the international crime committed by the Kremlin."

The Ukrainian sailors face up to six years in prison for illegally crossing Russian borders, lawyers have said.

Critics of the Kremlin have accused Russia of preparing a show trial.

The capture of the Ukrainian ships was the most dangerous direct clash in years between the ex-Soviet neighbours.

They have been locked in a confrontation since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea and supported an insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

Some 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, according to the UN.
French special forces free 4 hostages in Burkina Faso



Paris, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



French special forces have freed two French hostages, an American and a South Korean in northern Burkina Faso in an overnight raid in which two soldiers died, authorities announced Friday.

The operation was launched to free two French tourists who had disappeared while on holiday in the remote Pendjari National Park in neighbouring Benin on May 1.

But during the raid, the French troops were surprised to discover two women also in captivity, with top officials saying they had been held for 28 days.

The French tourists were identified as Patrick Picque, 51, and Laurent Lassimouillas, 46, but the women's identities were not immediately clear.

"No one was aware of (the women's) presence," French Defence Minister Florence Parly told reporters, while French armed forces chief Francois Lecointre said.

"We know little about these other two hostages," Parly told reporters, saying that even Seoul and Washington did not appear to be aware the pair were in increasingly unstable Burkina Faso.

The raid was approved by French President Emmanuel Macron in what was seen as the last opportunity to stop the hostages being transferred to lawless territory in Mali to the north.

Parly said it was "too early to say" who had snatched the two French nationals from Benin, which has long been an island of stability in a region where Islamist militants are increasingly active.

"The message to terrorists and criminal gangs is clear: those who attack France and its nationals know that we will not spare any effort to track them down, find them and neutralise them," she said.

Four of the six kidnappers were killed in the raid.

French forces, helped by intelligence provided by the United States, had been tracking the kidnappers for several days as they travelled across the semi-desert terrain of eastern Burkina Faso from Benin to Mali.

They seized the opportunity to prevent "the transfer of the hostages to another terrorist organisation in Mali," Lecointre said, referring to the Macina Liberation Front (FLM).

The FLM is a jihadist group formed in 2015 and headed by a radical Malian preacher, Amadou Koufa. It is aligned with Al-Qaeda in the region.



- US intelligence support -



In a statement, Macron congratulated the special forces on the operation, in which he also expressed sorrow over the death of the two soldiers "who gave their lives to save those of our citizens".

And Parly thanked authorities in Benin and Burkina Faso for their help with the "complex operation", as well as the United States which provided intelligence and support.

The operation was also made possible by the presence of France's Operation Barkhane, which counts some 4,500 troops deployed in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad to help local forces battle jihadist groups.

American special forces and drones are also known to operate in the violence-wracked Sahel region, which France fears could become further destabilised as jihadist groups are pushed out of north Africa, Iraq and Syria.

Burkina Faso has suffered from increasingly frequent and deadly attacks attributed to a number of jihadist groups, including the Ansarul Islam group, the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.



- Relief and sadness -



The French tourists -- Patrick Picque who works in a Paris jewellery shop, and Laurent Lassimouillas a piano teacher, -- went missing with their guide on the last leg of their holiday in usually peaceful Benin.

The Pendjari wildlife reserve, which is famed for its elephants and lions, lies close to the porous border with Burkina Faso.

The badly disfigured body of their guide was found shortly after they disappeared, as well as their abandoned four-wheel Toyota truck.

The two freed men will be flown back to France on Saturday, alongside the South Korean woman, where they will be met on arrival by Macron and other top French officials.

Washington thanked the French forces for freeing the American hostage, with France saying she would likely be "repatriated independently" from the other three.

The two dead French soldiers were named as Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, decorated naval special forces members born in 1986 and 1991 respectively.

They were part of the prestigious Hubert commando unit of the French naval special forces which was deployed to the Sahel at the end of March.

A total of 24 French soldiers have died in the region since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. The last death was on April 2.

burs-hmw/adp/pvh
Pentagon assigns another $1.5 bn for border wall



Washington, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2019



The Pentagon said Friday it was diverting another $1.5 billion for new barriers to stop illegal immigrants on the US-Mexico border, following the authorization of $1 billion in March.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has agreed to take charge of the replacement of 78 miles (125 kilometers) of fencing on the southern frontier in Arizona and Texas, the defense department said in a statement.

"The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes and revised requirements," spokesman Tom Crosson said.

"This transfer of funds will not affect military preparedness, nor impact service member benefits."

Frustrated by Congress's refusal to provide the budget he wanted to build a wall, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on the border in February, asking to repurpose $6 billion from military funds.

In March Shanahan authorized $1 billion to construct 57 miles (92 kilometers) of 18-foot (5.5-meter) high barrier, improve roads and install lighting.

The Pentagon has been under pressure to show it is not diverting the funds from combat missions or other vital work.

Shanahan said some of the diverted money came from unspent funds in Afghanistan.

"We found ways to do this without having any impact on readiness," he said, adding that "I won't be reprogramming any more money for the border wall."
Leading the masses by fear puts them in a constant state of anxiety and this Fear-based leadership can often have origins traced back to a leader's own lack of self-confidence





by Zulkifli Nazim





Culture of fear (or climate of fear) is the concept that people may incite fear in the general public to achieve political or workplace goals through emotional bias. (American sociologist Barry Glassner)





Fear is in the air, and fear is surging. Sri Lankans are more afraid today than they have been in a long time. A majority of Sri Lankans, whatever their ethnicity may be, are worried about being victims of terrorism and crime, numbers that have surged over the past couple of years to highs not seen for more than a decade.





Every week seems to bring a new large or small-scale terrorist attack,





Mass attacks form a constant drumbeat and a sense of disorder is constant.





This is what that has been engineered by those whose lust for power and their confederates - Intense, insatiable desire to attain power and control, is unquenchable accompanied by mass destruction of life and property for personal gains.





They paint a fearful picture  Instilling pseudo fear and panic among every household in order that they may not send their children to school.





Shoppers are reluctant to enter markets, supermarkets, shopping centres because psychologically they have been brain-washed  They fear crime and terror; they are also disproportionately warned to be wary of foreign influence  causing further anxiety.





Even during the 30 Year war in spite of the heart-rending Kokilai  Nayaru attacks, The Central Bank, Pettah Bomb Blasts, Attacks on Dalada Maligawa and Mahabodi, by the LTTE together with The Kattankudy Mosque Massacre, including the massacre of women and children in both Kattankudy and Eravur, Orchestrated by Karuna Amman - Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan who was appointed to the post of Sri Lanka Deputy Minister by the Rajapaksa Government, and a host of other terrorist attacks involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians  the then government did not instil fear; but on the contrary inspired confidence in our security system and hence people went about with their normal activities.





Today insult upon insult is rained on the Security services by those craving to get back into the driving seat when our current Security and Intelligent Services have been doing a wonderful, superb and an excellent job in containing and controlling this organized terror, at the risk of their lives.





And we the people of Sri Lanka are indeed thankful and grateful for their altruistic and unselfish concern for the welfare of others.





We whole-heartedly salute them.





So, Instead of lavishly showering accolades, the power  hungry, clumsy politicians are strutting about ruffling their borrowed feathers and falsely accusing our own security forces of incompetency.





An investigation and analysis of all these brings us to the conclusion that we are being cornered into a Fear-based Leadership - Using Fear to Gain Power. And using this Fear and Panic to have a negative economic effect, globally.





Leading the masses by fear puts them in a constant state of anxiety and this Fear-based leadership can often have origins traced back to a leader's own lack of self-confidence.





When these people seek out public office this becomes a problem, because those who use power to assuage their own fear, also use fear against others to bolster and maintain their power, which certainly will have a negative, destructive effect.





The incumbent government was doing very well on the side of the economy:





The government initiated a Theme the Enterprise Sri Lanka. Under this theme government had planned its production economy in order to achieve the governments medium-term targets such as per capita income of USD 5,000, one million new jobs, doubling exports, more than five percent continuous GDP growth etc.





It also launched Gamperaliya - The Rapid Rural Development Project for the welfare of all concerned.





It is also pertinent to quote that almost 10 years after the end of its civil war, Sri Lanka was named the best country in the world to visit in 2019 by the internationally renowned Lonely Planet publisher of a large travel guide book.





However, Envious, covetous, greedy, acquisitive, avaricious power crazed, deranged politicians plotted to destroy the good name of Sri Lanka by hitting at the core of our economy  our Tourist Trade.





Some of those in power and those vying for power, consciously or unconsciously created fear in others by orchestrating and supporting terrorist organizations. At inception they did it by acts of sarcasm, shaming, bullying, physical intimidation, and culminating in perpetrating actual ethnic violence.





So we now have a budding totalitarian regime that keeps everyone in fear and working to avoid doing anything that would put oneself at risk. The people now fear that they could be taken into custody arbitrarily. Arrests of citizens can be unpredictable and capricious, and enough to encourage everyone to keep their heads down, their mouths shut, and willing to engage in or overlook otherwise inhumane or delusional behavior.  This is what Hitlers of the world are hoping for.





Generally speaking, times of social unrest have always been the feeding ground for Power hungry megalomaniacs. Periods of economic depression, political or social chaos give tyrants the opportunity to appear as saviours and, when conditions allow it, seize power by coup detat or other means. Their populist demagoguery can seduce broad swathes of the population.





They are extremely talented at inflaming the wish to believe. Their cries of patriotism and righteousness are just what the populace wants to hear. As expert manipulators, despotic dictators take advantage of this universal cognitive shortcut.





These are the Dictators who are also especially good at targeting socially and economically vulnerable people  those who are not always very well educated or informed and, as such, often feel confused and insecure. Dictators exploit the rage and frustration of this population through the psychological process of identification with the aggressor. Many of the disempowered see in the strong man or woman both a reflection of themselves and the promise of a victory over their downtrodden state.





They are caught in the allure of illusions and magical thinking. They become brainwashed.





Whatever the societal wrong, dictators are adept at inciting blame and scapegoating.





Those Dictators who lust for power quickly learn the value of indoctrination. To maintain their hold on power, they seek to control information, ideally by centralising all mainstream media. Positive news is attributed to them and negative news is ascribed to enemies of the state.





With the help of the propaganda machine, dictators become an integral part of everyones life.





They manipulate the final outcome of elections, by curtailing press freedom, limiting the oppositions ability to campaign and spreading misinformation  fake news.





Many past and contemporary dictators suffer from extraordinarily high levels of narcissism, psychopathy and paranoia. They have an inflated sense of self-importance and feel entitled to the admiration of others. An inherent lack of empathy, guilt or remorse allows the most malignant to commit unspeakable atrocities.





But while it is easy to vilify dictators, we should also realise that, in many ways, we (the people) are the ones enabling them. After all, a dictator cannot function without followers. Although we may not admit it out loud, its attractive to have others tell us whats right and whats wrong. But abdicating personal responsibility cripples freedom of expression and derails democratic processes. The good news is, however, that although we enable dictators, we can also disable them.





Concluding with Guidance in this Month of Wesak From Lord Buddha:





Being a ruler requires clear understanding: study the past and present, know when to be active and passive, temper force with mercy, be kind to ones subordinates, benefit the people, and give equally.





Change is never painful, only the resistance to change is painful.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is to make an official visit to China next week to attend the Dialogue of Asian Civilizations which will kick off in Beijing on May 15 and have a meeting with President Xi Jinping.





Speaking at a media conference in Beijing on Thursday, Xu Lin, Minister in the State Council Information Office announced that Heads of State from Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Greece, Singapore, Armenia and Mongolia, as well as heads of UNESCO and other international organizations, will attend the event spread over several days.





Speaking to the local media, a spokesman of the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat confirmed that Sirisena will be visiting China from May 14 to 16. The spokesperson also said that the President would be meeting his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.





On Wednesday President Sirisena had met foreign ambassadors in Colombo and assured them that the security situation in Sri Lanka has been brought under control.





He urged foreign governments to lift the travel adversaries issued in the wake of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings in Colombo and two other towns which claimed more than 250 lives including those of 44 foreigners.





On being asked if the Lankan President should leave the country at this juncture when it is still reeling under the impact of the April 21 blasts, a Chinese analyst said that Sirisena should attend the conference because it will show that Sri Lanka is returning to normal. The President had himself said that 95% of the persons behind the blasts had been arrested and that the rest of the conspirators would be nabbed soon.





Sirisena would be able to personally convey this to President Xi Jinping, the analyst added.





The other reason why Sirisena should go to Beijing is the theme of the conference which is a Dialogue on Asian Civilizations, a subject close to Sirisenas heart.





Since Sri Lanka is an ancient multi-cultural civilization and President Sirisena is attuned to the culture of his country, he will have a lot to contribute to the discussion on the subject of Asian civilizations, the analyst added.





However, tourism has undeniably suffered a serious setback in Sri Lanka. According to Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, the loss is of the order of US$ 1.5 billion. Three of the six targets of the Easter Sunday attacks were posh hotels.





One of them with 500 rooms, and with a normal occupancy of 300, is today down to ten guests, an informed source said.





Initially, outsiders were not allowed into the posh hotels except when they were specifically invited by a resident guest. But now they are allowed as the security situation has improved.





The public have been warned that a further attack is possible in the coming week. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and the US Ambassador, have all said that another attack is a distinct possibility.





Theme of Dialogue





The Dialogue of Asian Civilizations comes hot on the heels of the recently concluded Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and the 2019 International Horticultural Exhibition.





The dialogues theme is Exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations and a community with a shared future.





Over 2,000 distinguished persons, including officials from 47 Asian countries and well-known figures in the fields of culture, education, cinema and television, think tanks, media and tourism are to attend the opening ceremony and the many sub- forums.





The event will also feature a host of cultural and tourism related activities including an Asian civilization parade, food festivals, an Asian culture festival, an Asian culture and Tourism exhibition, an Asian film week and a joint exhibition of Asian civilizations.
The State should have acted more responsibly, at least after the extremist Islamist movements raised their head as one of the deadliest terrorist outfits on a global level





by Victor Ivan





Sri Lanka has been able to avoid physical attacks against the Muslim community in the aftermath of the deadliest bomb explosions on Easter Sunday. Nevertheless, the manner in which this crisis is being managed by the Sri Lankan State (except the incidents which happened at Kochchikade and Negombo) is not mature or satisfactory.





While it is natural to expect a great antagonism to emerge from society against the Muslim community in a violent backdrop like this, the way the crisis is being managed by the State appears to be more conducive to petrify society than integrate it and appease the protest of non-Muslim society against Muslim society.





The deadliest attacks on Easter Sunday caused great anger, protest and disgust among non-Muslim societies, viz. Sinhala and Tamil societies against Muslim community. Similarly, it caused shame and a sense of guilt in Muslim society as well, making it difficult for them to face non-Muslim society.





While the psychological difference created between these two groups is immense, the way certain electronic media reports search operations conducted by the security forces tends to widen this difference.





Similarly, the way the State acts on this issue is not mature. It looks irresponsible and imprudent. The State had lost the quality of security focus of the country and vulnerability alerts over a longer period. This can be considered an outcome of the overall process of the degeneration of the Sri Lanka State.





The J.R. Jayewardene regime failed to manage the crisis of 83 Black July discreetly. Despite there being several terrorist organisations operating in the north and the east which appeared for a separate state and for an armed struggle prior to the Black July incident, they didnt have wide or any public support.





But 83 Black July led to change the picture completely. As Narayan Swamy reported, the youth of the Northern and the Eastern Provinces began to rally round the militant groups operating in their areas in the hundreds in the aftermath of 83 Black July. They didnt consider who the leaders were of militant groups in joining them. They agitated, demanding weapons. They left their homes leaving a brief note of one or two lines informing their home people that they were joining the struggle for Eelam.





Are we, knowingly or unknowingly, trying to push Muslim society also into a similar deadly situation?





Blinding the eyes of surveillance





The State should have acted more responsibly, at least after the extremist Islamist movements raised their head as one of the deadliest terrorist outfits on a global level. The State in its diplomatic dealings with Muslim countries which support Islamist terrorist organisations appearing for extremist ideologies should have been careful not to allow them implement programs for dissemination of such ideologies in the Muslim community of Sri Lanka.





Sri Lanka had always considered any money bag more important than national security and the existence of the country. Consequently, the country (Sri Lanka) is in an ugly situation where it would permit any donor country to do any damn thing in our country according to their whims and fancies. In the end, Muslim countries that supported Sri Lanka financially have been able to initiate and nourish extremist Islamist ideologies in Sri Lanka, presumably with the assistance of the State.





The immediate attention of the leaders of the State and the security services should have been focused on this problem, no sooner it was revealed that a team of Sri Lankan Muslim youths had returned to Sri Lanka after having had terrorist training in the Middle East. But none of them took it seriously.





The authorities had the responsibility to focus their complete attention on the subsequent incidents that took place at Mawanella and the seizure of a considerable stock of weapons from Wanathavilluva.





Eventually, they failed miserably to act sensibly when the Indian intelligence services warned about an imminent threat of a planned attack. It was only after facing terrible carnage that all search operations and investigations began to activate their machinery. This state of affairs clearly reflects the poor level of sensibility and responsibility of the State and its leaders.





At least after this massive attack, serious attention of the leaders of the State and the political analysts should have been focused on the decline and deterioration of the political system. Nobody seems to have recognised the importance of restructuring the entire system more than anything else.





All of them want to avoid the pressing need for a complete transformation of this exploitative system that makes them rich. Instead, they try to focus the attention of people on future elections and to continue with the present system, which is extremely putrid and corrupt, to their advantage.





Understanding the need for restructuring the system





Following the end of the civil war, the need for an overall structural change in the entire system emerged intensely. Apart from writing profusely on this issue, I have tried to convince all the major leaders of the country about the deterioration of the State and the urgent need for a complete restructuring of the entire system to overcome the crisis the country has faced at the 25th anniversary of the Ravaya newspaper which was attended by the major political leaders of the country. But none of them, including the Head of State and the Leader of the Opposition who were present on this occasion, seemed to have realised the seriousness of the point that I tried to impress upon them.





Even earlier, in an article written on the victory of the war, soon after the internal war was over, I pointed out that though the victory of the internal war had made President Mahinda Rajapaksa the most acclaimed hero produced since independence, his name, too, was likely to be thrown into the waste-bin of history in the future unless the country was restructured and the anomaly of the political system was rectified. I also tried to explain him the necessity for restructuring. Unfortunately, he was not able to realise the gravity of the problem.





Utopian dreams





It was at a panel discussion held at the Center for Society and Religion, at Maradana, founded by Rev. Father Tissa Balasuriya, in which I too participated as a panellist, that I came to know, for the first time, about two formulas presented by the Movement for a Just Society  one for fielding a common candidate for the presidential election 2015 and the other for abolition of the presidential system and replacing it with a parliamentary system through a simple amendment to the Constitution.





Kumudu Kusum Kumara, Sumanasiri Liyanage and Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, three university lecturers, were also among the speakers at this meeting. Nirmal in his speech said that the Movement for a Just Society had decided to propose a common candidate for the forthcoming presidential election and the prospective candidate would be Venerable Sobitha Thero. He further stated that the presidential system would be abolished with a simple amendment to the Constitution and thereafter a parliamentary system of governance would be established. At this juncture, Dr. Jayampathi Wickramatunga who was seated in the audience stood up and affirmed that the necessary amendment to change the Constitution had already been drafted.





In my speech, I criticised the concept of the common candidate and the idea of abolishing the presidential system and changing over to a parliamentary system through a simple amendment to the Constitution and pointed out that usually an amendment to a constitution is made to add new clauses or to rectify any shortcomings of the existing constitution. Changing from one system of governance to a new system of governance ought to be effected only by adopting a new constitution and not by a simple constitutional amendment. I pointed out that it is an accepted principle of constitution making.





I also met Ven. Maduluvave Sobitha Thero and enlightened him on my ideas on this issue. I also expressed my opinion on these two issues, viz. fielding a common candidate for presidential election and the changing over of the presidential system of governance to a parliamentary system through a simple amendment to the Constitution, in writing.





I stressed that such an amendment to the Constitution would result in making the entire system of governance a disorderly and chaotic mess while pushing the country into a state of anarchy. It can be said that my prediction is now coming true in a larger measure than was expected. In this debate, even the Ravaya newspaper, despite it being a creation of mine, did not support my views, officially. Instead, it too, appeared on behalf of the agenda of the Movement for a Just Society which can be described as a utopian ideal which looked attractive on the surface.





The 30th anniversary of the Ravaya newspaper was held after the Yahapalana Government was elected to power. I suggested that the 30th anniversary should be made a platform to pursue the discussion on the need for restructuring the system, mooted at the 25th anniversary.





I was of the view that, apart from the leaders of the Yahapalana Government and the other leaders connected to that program, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa too should be involved in this dialogue. However, the Ravaya Board of Directors at that time vehemently opposed my idea. Accordingly, my suggestion to invite the former President was declined and the anniversary was held with the participation of the leaders of the Yahapalana Government only.





During the meeting, I tried to bring forward the issue on the need for restructuring the system. But all the leaders who attended the meeting followed a policy of ignoring it and they talked about other matters.





Paucity of vision





The general political literacy of the people, not only in common society, but even in educated circles, remains at a very low level. Consequently, more often than not, they are orbiting around the questions of least importance rather than concentrating on central issues.





Involvement of peoples representatives like presidents, ministers and MPs, who are at the helm of the political pyramid, in business deals with the Government can be considered the main problem of central importance which has caused the degeneration of the Sri Lankan State.





They are the temporary custodians of public property of the country. However, most of them, ignoring their responsibility to safeguard and foster public property, have tended to pursue a policy of exploiting them in various ways to amass personal wealth using public property assigned to them.





It is due to this practice that the corruption had become rampant and uncontrollable, the State administration is rendered inefficient and unsuccessful and the rule of law had declined and the country made a confused mess and a hapless chew.





It is absolutely against the law for the members elected to rule the country by public vote to obtain undue economic advantages from the State. It is completely contrary to the law for the members of Parliament to transact business with the Government, to buy properties of the Government or sell their properties to the Government.





In almost every democratic country, there are strict laws to control the conduct of politicians who are elected by the public vote. Even in Sri Lanka, a similar system was in operation up to 1977. Though these laws have not been revoked, J.R. Jayewardene during his regime prevented them being implemented.





Albert Silva who was elected to the Legislative Council from Galle electorate in 1977 was deprived of his parliamentary seat in 1979 by the Judiciary as he held a permit for distribution of kerosene oil in his name. Two decades later, Rajitha Senarathne MP was deprived of his parliamentary seat by the Judiciary for selling medical drugs to the Government through a company belonged to him. This shows that the law remains still valid despite it not being implemented appropriately.





Not only the general public, even the theoreticians who appear for constitutional reforms are not aware that the peoples representatives elected by public vote are not permitted to transact business with the government which they represent. The provisions for this were not included either in the 19th Amendment put forward by the Movement for a Just Society or in the 20th Amendment proposed by the JVP.





This is the root cause of corruption in Sri Lanka. It is unavoidable that a country becomes an extremely corrupt when the custodians of public property themselves resort to plunder public property in different ways. If the president, the prime minister or a minister of the government is bidding for a government tender, whatever the qualifications they have for it, there should be an opportunity for another bidder to obtain it.





In almost all countries where a democratic system of governance is in operation, strict laws are in operation to keep peoples representatives distanced from such transactions as it is considered an essential condition to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of state administration.





Under the democratic system, such offences are considered as unpardonable grave offences deserving serious punishments which include the deprivation of the parliament seat and civic rights of the wrongdoers and confiscation of wealth earned by them through undue means.





Plundering of State lands





President J.R. Jayewardene can be considered as the person who destroyed the legitimacy of the land policy of Sri Lanka which had been maintained up to then. He cannot be considered a person greedy of wealth. Nevertheless, he allowed the MPs of the ruling party to earn wealth by undue means in order keep them happy. If the MPs had any shame in exploiting public property, JR set a precedent by committing the sin by himself.





President Jayewardene setting an example exchanged a barren coconut land which he owned for a fertile land belonged to the Land Reforms Commission. This marked the beginning of the biggest plunder of lands in the history of Sri Lanka.





A system was introduced so that the MPs of the ruling party and their political henchmen could purchase, at a nominal price, not only the fertile lands that came under the Land Reforms Commission, but also the houses and other buildings standing thereon. While the stupid politicians purchased 50 acres of lands in their names, the shrewd ones purchased them in hundreds of acres against the names of hurriedly-set-up mushroom companies. In the end, the MPs of the ruling party became rich planters and landed proprietors.





Violation of rules was not confined to this. President JR allowed his MPs to become contractors supplying goods and services to the Government. The Government followed a policy of issuing licences to MPs of the ruling party to engage in businesses of timber, sand and rubble.





This unlawful practice initiated by President J.R. Jayewardene was pursued by the presidents who succeeded him by adding more elements into it. During the reign of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, MPs were granted liquor licences. The number of licences issued during her rule exceeded 1,000. With this, some MPs became tavern owners.





This unlawful system, which persists up to now, has become the most important and major factor that had impacted in distorting the nature of State rule and the deterioration of the State itself. This system has distorted the moral character of the peoples representatives completely. It has made the post of MP an important and easy way of amassing wealth and becoming rich instead of using it for fulfilling public service. This has led even presidents to become looters of public property under their custody. Thus, it has weakened the sovereignty of the law as well as the economy of the country and corrupted the election system and the system of political parties.





This degeneration is clearly manifested in every sector. This includes the lack of discipline in Parliament, Parliamentary debates and the Parliamentary Committee system. The MPs and the Ministers cannot be expected to have adequate time to fulfil their official responsibilities appropriately when making money through undue means has become the main object for the majority of them.





In fact, how many MPs are there in Parliament who do business with the Government in various ways as contractors, suppliers, license holders of timber, rubble sand and liquor? How many of them have purchased State lands? If this number is considerably high, doesnt it make the Parliament an unlawful institution by virtue of the fact that it has a large number of MPs who are legally disqualified to be in Parliament?





Isnt it the responsibility of the Speaker of the Parliament to investigate into this matter and expel the MPs who have done and are doing business with the Government which is contrary to the law of the country and also prohibit them doing business with the Government in order that the sanctity and the legitimacy of the Parliament are maintained?





Thus, the peoples representatives elected by public vote doing business with the Government can be considered as the root cause of rampant corruption of Sri Lanka. How can we be surprised to see that the country has fallen into a depth of wretchedness when the legislators themselves are openly transgressing the laws that they enact and the majority of them have become extremely corrupt and the law is not imposed on those transgressing the





law of the country?





What Sri Lanka needs at the moment is not a presidential or parliamentary election, but a comprehensive program aimed at making an in-depth structural change in this wicked and exploitative system which has led to the deterioration of the country.





The best approach for this would be to open the doors for making a participatory constitution or a peoples constitution with the consensus of the political parties. That is the only alternative available for an in-depth transformation and overcoming the present wretchedness of the country. It is important that the people and the peoples organisations assert their voice firmly to achieve this object.
by Yoram Schweitzer

The recent suicide attack in Sri Lanka, launched by a local group linked to the Islamic State, targeted the symbols of Christianity and Western tourists and businesspeople. The attack aimed to terrorize Sri Lankan citizens, drive a wedge between them and the government, and foment discord between the various ethnic groups. It demonstrated anew that the lack of effective cooperation and intelligence sharing between the intelligence, security, and enforcement agencies is a central factor in the success of terror groups to carry out their plans. The military defeat of the Islamic State does not herald the destruction of the organization or the end of its activity - quite the opposite. The Salafi jihadist ideology and the modus operandi represented by the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and their affiliates continue to inspire terrorists, whether they are directly or indirectly linked to them, or see them as a model for imitation. Details and the lessons of the Sri Lanka attack, if properly learned, will help prevent or obstruct future terror plans of the Islamic State and its supporters  plans that are expected to challenge many countries in the years to come.





On April 21, 2019, a local terror group in Sri Lanka linked to the Islamic State launched a multi-site suicide attack that killed over 250 people and wounded several hundred others. The targets included three hotels in the capital Colombo and three churches - in Colombo, Negombo, and Batticaloa. During attempts in the following days to arrest suspects in Colombo, two more suicide attacks took place, at a hostel and an apartment building. In one attack the wife of one of the attackers blew herself up and killed two of her children and three police officers. In a second incident, during a police raid on a site where terrorists were filmed taking responsibility for the attack - which turned out to have also served as the factory where the groups suicide belts were made - three terrorists blew themselves up, killing women and children who were in the building, along with police participating in the raid.





The common assumption that the attack was revenge for the attack on a mosque in New Zealand by an extreme rightwing Islamophobe, which killed 49 people, is questionable, since the preparations for the Sri Lanka attack began several months previously. However, it is certainly possible that the New Zealand attack advanced the date of the Sri Lanka attack.





The Islamic State took responsibility for the Sri Lanka attack in a video published by its news agency Amaq, showing eight perpetrators  all from Sri Lanka. Most of the suicide attackers were educated, middle class, and fairly well off; they had studied overseas, and included at least one who had spent time on the battlefield in Syria. The leader of the group, Hashim Zahran, who was also one of the suicide bombers, was known for some time before the attacks as an imam with radical views that he openly propounded. The security forces in Sri Lanka were given prior information about plans for attacks on churches and hotels, but due to the lack of any updates or cooperation on intelligence and operations, the information was not used to foil the attack. The island is currently still on high alert, since some of the groups activists are still at large and armed, and there are fears they could try to launch further attacks.





The information available so far paints a bleak picture of severe intelligence and security failures, where information submitted to the Sri Lanka authorities about planned attacks was ignored. This failure had horrific consequences, in spite of the fact that the country has experience in fighting terror and just a decade ago suffered a harsh civil war, including fatal terror attacks, arising from ethnic hostility between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority. The Tamil Tigers, among the worlds most prominent perpetrators of suicide attacks, were based on a secular, ethnic-nationalist ideology rather than on a distorted interpretation of Islam. Until this latest wave of terror, the Muslim minority in Sri Lanka had avoided such attacks, and limited its activity last year to destruction of statues of Buddha.





The current attack is clearly the result of the radicalization involving two local groups, National Thowheeth Janawath (NTJ) and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim (JMI), from whom the attackers broke away. Some of them had links to support groups from the Islamic State in Bangladesh and India. It was apparently these links that led to the decision to carry out suicide attacks, which are the trademark of the Salafi jihadist ideology embodied by the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and their affiliates. The fact that the terrorists came from well established families, and some had even studied in universities overseas, once again indicates that recruits for suicide missions are not drawn only from the uneducated and ignorant, with economic and mental problems.





An initial analysis of the attacks shows that:





a. The groups aims were to terrorize Sri Lankan citizens, drive a wedge between them and the government, foment discord between the various ethnic groups, and encourage Muslims to withdraw from the general society in view of the expected persecution following the attacks. Indeed, it already appears that frustrated citizens have attacked Muslim individuals.





b. The attacks targeted the symbols of Christianity and Western tourists and businesspeople in Sri Lanka, identified with the local authorities. The Islamic State spokesman, Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajer, declared recently that the Islamic State, its affiliates, and its loyalists will continue to carry out attacks against the heretics who are fighting it all over the world, and that all Muslims should join its ranks.





c. Once again it became clear that the lack of effective cooperation and intelligence sharing between the intelligence, security, and enforcement agencies is a central factor in the success of terror groups to carry out their plans. Indeed, the Sri Lankan President, who is engaged in political hostilities with the Prime Minister, has already announced the dismissal of the Defense Minister and the Chief of Colombo Police, for a series of failures that facilitated the attacks. The intelligence failure is likely to have further political impact.





d. The military defeat of the Islamic State does not herald its destruction or the end of its activity - quite the opposite. Today, in spite of losing its territorial hold and rule, dozens of terror and guerilla attacks in the name of the Islamic State are still taking place in towns, districts, and desert areas of Iraq and Syria, where it established the center of its caliphate, and elsewhere in the Middle East and beyond, such as Africa and Asia. The Islamic State affiliates who are continuing their attacks show that the organization has not abandoned the fight to achieve its objectives  even without the physical control of territory.





e. The potential of a pool of thousands of Islamic State fighters held by the Iraqi authorities and Kurdish forces in Syria is significant. These authorities are hard pressed to detain these operatives and investigate them in order to determine which of them are responsible for violent actions. This pool could breed ties and cooperation between the prisoners and create the foundation of future terror. This is what happened at the Camp Bucca facility in Iraq, from where the leaders of the Islamic State in Iraq emerged and established ISIS.





f. The war between the army of the former Soviet Union and the local mujahidin in Afghanistan, reinforced by thousands of Muslim volunteers from all over the world, produced the first and second generation Afghan alumni who carried out terror attacks worldwide, particularly in the West, after several years had passed. There has been an absence of intensive terror activity in Western cities until now. The relative quiet enjoyed in this initial stage following the military defeat of the Islamic State and its expulsion from territories it controlled in Syria and Iraq is no guarantee that terror from Syrian alumni will not return to the West.





g. The Salafi jihadist ideology and the modus operandi represented by the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and their affiliates continue to inspire terrorists, whether they are directly or indirectly linked to them, or see them as a model for imitation. The attack in Sri Lanka, a country from where only a few dozen individuals went to fight in Syria, sparks the fear that such incidents could and probably will occur almost anywhere in the world, even if only a minority of their citizens went to fight. A small group of experienced activists, together with local partners, are able to carry out the most murderous attacks, such as the one in Sri Lanka.





h.Notwithstanding the decline in global suicide terror bombings, the majority of which in recent years were the work of Salafi jihadist organizations, above all the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, it remains the most lethal type of operation. Thus in the first quarter of 2019 there were about 45 suicide bombings in 17 countries, killing about 478 people and wounding around 851 others. This represents a decline of about 50 percent relative to the same period last year. Over the years 2016-2018, there has been a steady drop in the number of suicide bombings: in 2016 there were about 470 bombings, in 2017 about 349, and in 2018 there were about 293 bombings ( read the full report)





i. It is vital to strengthen operational cooperation and intelligence sharing between and within countries. The publicly announced assistance currently provided by the secret services of the United States, Britain, India, Australia, and Morocco is almost certainly supported by assistance from other countries.





The outcomes of the local investigation in Sri Lanka and the international cooperation will reveal further details about the methods used by the group behind the attacks and their ties with the Islamic State and its supporters. These details and the lessons of this incident, if properly learned, will help prevent or obstruct future terror plans of the Islamic State and its supporters  plans that are expected to challenge many countries in the years to come.





Thanks to Dana Kanarik, intern in the INSS Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict Research Program, with responsible for the Asian sector, and to Aviad Mendelboim, research assistant in the program, for their help in preparing this paper.





About Author: Yoram Schweitzer, an expert on international terrorism and head of the INSS Program on Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict, has been a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), one of the top Islaatis think tanks on defence studies.




Under reforms to the Farming For a Better Climate (FFBC) programme, managed by SAC Consulting, a new group will be established to trial and develop ideas on farms which could provide practical, innovative solutions to help climate change mitigation.

Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon made the announcement while visiting Hugh Blacks farm in Forfar - one of the farmers participating in the group.

Ms Gougeon said:

As we face a climate emergency, it is more vital than ever that farmers and crofters move towards a low-carbon, environmentally sustainable future by adapting to the changing climate and securing their business viability for generations to come.

So while Farming For a Better Climate has been a success, it is now time to reform and encourage farmers to act collaboratively to ensure the future success of the industry. In line with the recommendations of our Agricultural Champions, I am confirming that FFBC will be refocused on soil regenerative agriculture, including soil, fertiliser, manure management, carbon sequestration and more.

As no two farms are the same, I am moving the system away from focussing on the individual to one of collective collaboration, maximising the opportunity for testing innovative solutions in a variety of situations. This is a really exciting initiative, which I look forward to seeing develop and prosper in the months ahead.

Rebecca Audsley from SAC Consulting, who heads up the FFBC programme, said:

A healthy and resilient soil can bring so many other benefits to the farm business, not just in terms of yields but can also help us to be more efficient with inputs, help farm biodiversity and lock carbon on to the farm. This is a great opportunity to work together as a group, share experience and test out different approaches to see what gives the best results
BEIJING -- China on Thursday urged the European Union to stop interfering in Hong Kong and Macao affairs.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang expressed China's strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition after the European Commission on Wednesday issued annual reports for 2018 on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Macao SAR.

The EU reports use human rights and freedom as a cover to wilfully comment on Hong Kong and Macao affairs, and make accusations against the implementation of "one country, two systems" in disregard of facts, grossly interfering in China's internal affairs as well as Hong Kong and Macao SAR affairs, Geng told a press briefing.

Since their return to the motherland, Hong Kong and Macao have remained prosperous and stable, and the principle of "one country, two systems" has been successfully implemented, Geng said, adding that residents in Hong Kong and Macao are enjoying unprecedented democratic rights and freedom of speech, press and assembly, which are undeniable facts.
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
A Class 150 001 leaving Wood End station on the North Warwickshire Line on a service to Stratford-upon- Avon in 2007. Photo: Fraser Pithe

To be or not to be, that is the question  a line from Hamlet and given to the world by Stratfords most famous son, William Shakespeare is a quote that would be apt in summarising events affecting Stratford-upon-Avon and its railway service and that came to a head 50 years ago between Easter and the beginning of May 1969.The story started around 1894 when the pressure and demand from businesses and the communities of Stratford-upon-Avon, Henley-in-Arden and Shirley led to the Birmingham and North Warwickshire & Stratford-upon-Avon Railway (BNW&SR) company being formed. This is why the railway between Stratford upon Avon and Birmingham via Henley in Arden is known as and called the North Warwickshire Line (NWL).

In 1900 the GWR absorbed the BNW&SR. The work of building a railway between Tyseley Junction and Bearley Junction was awarded to C J Mills, a Henley contractor who began construction in 1905. In effect, the GWR completed an even bigger project, a direct railway between Birmingham and Cheltenham, unlocking access between the Midlands, South Wales and the South West.

On 9th December 1907, the line opened for goods traffic with the first passenger service operating on 1st July 1908, a Wolverhampton  Birmingham Snow Hill  Stratford-upon-Avon  Penzance express. Stratford had been placed firmly on the railway map with a daily service between Penzance, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol as well as express services to and from Cardiff and Swansea.

In 1963 Dr Richard Beeching published his Reshaping British Railways report which presented a railway system reduced by over a third of its then 18,000 or so miles. The report suggested that over 1,900 stations be closed and added to some 435 stations already under threat. Dr Beeching did not list Stratford-upon- Avon or the NWL for closure  that said, the devil was in the detail. Consequently, it came as a tremendous shock to the communities along the NWL that on 13th May 1966, the British Railways Board formally published its intention to discontinue all passenger services between Birmingham Snow Hill  Birmingham Moor Street and Stratford upon Avon via Tyseley and Bearley West Junction. Notice was given that pending no objections being made train services would cease from 3rd October 1966. Twelve railway stations would be closed: Spring Road, which at the time was close to a large Lucas Automotive factory, Hall Green, Yardley Wood, Shirley, Whitlocks End, Wythall, Earlswood, The Lakes, Wood End, Danzey, Henley-in-Arden and Wootton Wawen.

The prospect of a severe diminution of train services with Birmingham now loomed. Many business people lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, South Warwickshire and along the route of the NWL. These people did not accept the case to close the line nor the suitability of the so-called alternative bus services. The North Warwickshire Line Defence Committee (NWLDC) was formed with Alderman Geoffrey Kohn of Henley and Derek Mayman, a Birmingham business owner and train user at Danzey both taking leading roles. Despite no less than 23 alternative bus services local rail passengers were determined to fight the closure proposal. Over 1,000 people objected at a Transport Users Consultative Committee (TUCC) Inquiry.

The result of this was announced in November 1966. The TUCC considered the lines closure would cause severe hardship. Objectors were jubilant as in some of the other cases across the UK where a TUCC had confirmed severe hardship the Minister of Transport had gone on to reprieve the railway line concerned. Eighteen months had gone by when the Minister of Transport, Richard Marsh, stunned everyone by consenting to the closure of the railway line between Bearley Junction and Tyseley. It was a hammer blow to the NWLDC and also a savage disappointment for the Stratford-upon- Avon Transport Action Committee (STAC) that had also been formed and had fought alongside the NWLDC. The secretary of STAC, Michael Brockington, said the decision was diabolical  the findings of the TUCC have been completely ignored.

The Herald reported in June 1968: An all-out battle is going to be waged to keep the North Warwickshire railway line. Substitute bus services will be rejected; an appeal may be made in the High Court that the Minister was misdirected, and the Ombudsman may be invoked. There was just one opportunity left. That was to object to the Traffic Commissioners who had to consider and approve planned alternative bus services by Midland Red.

An appeal hearing began in the autumn and went on to the end of 1968. Despite considerable concern that the alternative bus services would be unable to offer anywhere near the same level of service, speed or capacity, the Traffic Commissioners approved the bus services on 17th January 1969 but said not without some misgivings. It was just before Easter that a twist to what now looked to be the almost inevitable fate of the NWL happened. Its unique in all of the cases where a railway was proposed to be closed, and it all came down to the dedication and meticulous attention of one person. As well as being secretary of STAC, Michael Brockington was the accountant at the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald. In 1969 the Herald was published every Friday. In the week preceding Easter, this meant that the Herald was published a day earlier on a Thursday. Early in the week prior to Easter, the British Railways Board (BRB) reserved a large space in the public notices section for what would be the 3rd April edition. However, the BRB had not provided any copy for the space.

Michael Brockington at Stratford-upon-Avon Station. Photo: Fraser Pithe

Michael Brockington was alerted by the Heralds advertising staff, and he chased up British Rail for the copy so the paper could ensure that whatever BR wanted to appear could be typeset and make the 3rd April edition. After a third telephone call and an ultimatum, BR reluctantly sent the copy over. The copy was a schedule of the alternative bus services and formal confirmation that the NWL would close to passengers on Monday 5tth May 1969. The closure now seemed real. Michael Brockington knew that BR was trying to jump the gun and this was one of those times that called for rules to be broken. The NWDLCs solicitor was the late Douglas King of Wilmcote and who practised in Birmingham. Realising the importance of the issue Michael Brockington got the Heralds typesetters to pull out all the stops and produce the plate and print a copy of the embargoed public notice off.

Michael boarded a train at Stratford and took the copy direct to Douglas King in Birmingham enabling him to act. Of all the journeys made by passengers throughout the NWLs history, Michael Brockington's trip to Birmingham that day must rank as being the most critical for Stratford's railway service.

Douglas King argued that no appeal against the Traffic Commissioners' decision had been heard. Faced with no response from BR Douglas King knew he had to get before the High Court before the Easter Holiday as the High Court sessions in Birmingham were due to go into

recess for three weeks. If he waited until after the Easter recess it would be too late as the train service would have been withdrawn.

The High Court heard Kings case but dismissed it. However, there was Leave to Appeal. With the NWL due to close on Monday 5th May, the Court of Appeal sat on Friday 3rd May to hear Douglas King's appeal.

It was the final throw of the dice for the NWL campaign. The hearing was presided over by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Denning with Lord Justice Sachs and Lord Justice Phillimore and they lacerated BRs con-duct.

Lord Denning explained that although the Traffic Commissioners had approved the alternative bus services, they did so with a crucial qualification that stated: This decision will not be effective until the NWL is closed, and the time for appeal against this decision has expired.

Lord Denning said he considered this had not happened. Lord Justice Sachs stated that British Rails conduct since the Traffic Commissioners decision seems singularly unattractive. They knew not only that an appeal was likely but that it must have a reasonable chance of success. If one has to look at what their tactics were, they were clearly designed to frustrate the objectors right of appeal  and to deny the fruits of any success that appeal may have.

At this very last point, and in the very last hour possible on that Friday, 3rd May, the Court of Appeal upheld the North Warwickshire Line campaigns case. An injunction was placed on BRB preventing them from withdrawing rail passenger services between Tyseley via Shirley and Henley-in-Arden to and from Stratford upon Avon on the following Monday, 5th May 1969.

As news got out from the court, it wasnt long before boards were put out by station staff along the line stating Trains will now be running on 5th May, closure put off.

In 1997/98 the NWL attracted around one million passenger journeys, in 2017/18 it drew more than three million passenger journeys a year. If Michael Brockington had not intercepted the public notice before Easter 1969 and by his actions enabled Douglas King to go to court, there is little doubt Stratford-upon-Avon and the NWL would have been lost.

Its a unique story, a local newspaper that comprehensively covered the events about the proposed railway closure over a period of some three years ending up indirectly playing a critical part in saving the railway, albeit through its tenacious accountant.

Little can demonstrate more effectively the value and benefit of local newspapers and why all of us of every opinion need to support them.

This article has been written for the Herald by Fraser Pithie, rail campaigner and features writer for The Railway Magazine. A full-length and detailed feature charting the background and events surrounding the closure attempt is published in May edition of the magazine, which is out on 1st May.
The United States House of Representatives passed the "Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019" and House Resolution 273 reaffirming America's commitment to Taiwan and the implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act Tuesday. China firmly opposes these actions by the United States. They are another risky political move by the United States, an attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs and obstruct Chinas peaceful development. If the United States is determined to behave in this way, it will severely damage China-U.S. cooperation and threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

China and the U.S. officially established diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level on January 1, 1979 during the term of President Jimmy Carter. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of these ties, Carter published an article in the Washington Post warning that "At this sensitive moment, misperceptions, miscalculations and failure to follow carefully defined rules of engagement" will create "a worldwide catastrophe." American politicians must be clear that any move aimed at containing China using the Taiwan issue will reach a dead end, for the following three reasons.

First, it has undermined the foundation for the development of ties between China and the United States. There are guidelines and rules to follow when countries try to manage their relationships with each other. They are the basis for the continuation, stability, and improvement of bilateral ties.

Taipei skyline. /VCG Photo

The basis for Sino-American relations as stated in the three joint communique is that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China, with the government of the People's Republic of China as the only recognized legal government.

The U.S. House of Representatives has elevated the Taiwan Relations Act to an "assurance act" in an attempt to conduct the kind of military cooperation with Taiwan that is only accepted between sovereign states. This is a complete departure from the One China principle and a breach of basic international law and responsibility. Without this principle, how else can the development of China-U.S. ties be supported?

Second, the United States keeps trying to push China's limits on the Taiwan issue. Whenever there's a bump in the road of China-U.S. relations, the United States always brings the Taiwan issue to the table as a means to threaten, contain, and negotiate with China.

This has become the go-to trick for some American politicians. There's nothing wrong with politicians looking out for the best interests of their own countries and using their best efforts to bargain at the negotiating table, but the Taiwan issue never was, and never will be, a bargaining chip in China-U.S. relations.

Issues regarding Taiwan are China's internal affairs. They are part of China's core interests and the national identity of the 1.4 billion Chinese people. The United States will get nowhere by trying to test China's limits on the Taiwan issue.

Third, the U.S. has thrown the Taiwan Strait into turmoil and threatened regional peace and stability. Last year, the Democratic Progressive Party, which supports claims to Taiwan's so-called independence, came crashing down in the nine-in-one elections and faces bleak prospects in the 2020 election.

The United States played its Taiwan card at this sensitive moment and tried to extend an olive branch to Taiwan's separatist forces. American politicians should read former president Carter's article in the Washington Post. Carter wasn't scaremongering. If the United States mishandles the Taiwan issue, it could bring about conflict in the region, which would be a disaster for the world.

Last month, President Donald Trump made a phone call to former President Carter asking him for advice on how to deal with China. According to reports, one of Carter's suggestions was to avoid wars. If American politicians push China too far on the Taiwan issue and send warships to its waters, it will be China's cue for reunification.

President Xi Jinping has repeatedly said China is dedicated to pushing for further cooperation between the world's major countries, and hopes for mutual respect and peaceful coexistence without conflict. As one of the world's most important bilateral relationships, China-U.S. ties must move forward in a coordinated, cooperative, and stable way. This cannot and should not change. When it comes to the Taiwan issue, American politicians are warned not to underestimate the resolution of the Chinese people.

(The article is taken from the Chinese-language "Commentaries on International Affairs" published on May 9, 2019 on China Plus. This article reflects the author's view and not necessarily the view of China Military.)
On 10 May 1936 Manuel Azana (b. 10 January 1880, Madrid) was elected as president of Spain's Second Republic, amid growing political and social tension in the country, which would eventually lead to Civil War.

Azana had previously held the role of prime minister from 1931 until 1933, when his party, Accion Republicana, won elections following the resignation of dictator, Miguel Primo de Rivera. By 1930, Primo de Rivera had lost the support of the king (Alfonso XIII) and the armed forces and his dictatorship was failing.

During his first time in office, Azana brought about great social reform, including giving suffrage to women, introducing work accident insurance and allowing divorce. He defended the notion of "democratic equality of all citizens towards the law". However, he also began to strip the Roman Catholic church of much of its power and received heavy criticism over his agrarian and tax reforms, doing little to help the poor, which is what he had promised.

By 1933 he had alienated the far-left and angered the far-right, particularly over his attitude towards the Church, and his party lost the local elections that year. He was ordered to resign in November 1933 and elections that month were won by the right.

In 1934 Azana founded the Republican Left party, which was a fusion of his previous Accion Republicana and the Radical Socialist Republican Party. On 10 May 1936 he was elected this time as president of the Second Republic.

By then Civil War seemed inevitable, with increasing political violence and the burning of churches and religious imagery. In July 1936 the fascist Falange party was founded, which supported Franco and later formed part of his party.

Azana continued as president until 3 March 1939. He fled to France after Catalonia fell to Franco's troops at the beginning of that year. He remained there in exile until his death on 3 November 1940.

France's Vichy regime refused to allow Azana's coffin to be covered in the Spanish Republican flag and instead the Mexican flag was used as he had previously been granted Mexican citizenship and the position of honorary ambassador to give him diplomatic immunity.

His diaries, Diarios Completos; Monarquia, Republica, Guerra Civil, were published posthumously in Spanish in 2003.
Fuengirola. The word "legend" falls short when it comes to describing Bob Dylan. It was already insufficient 20 years ago when he first took to a stage in Malaga. The feeling that this might be the last chance to see this icon of popular culture perform on stage was present back then in the Malagueta bullring, and it was back last Saturday 4 May when Dylan appeared on the Marenostrum stage in Fuengirola. Thanks to Fox y Riff Producciones, his audience had another chance to experience that aura of an immortal musician whose secret nobody knows.

With his audience on their feet, Dylan went straight to the piano, an instrument he barely moved away from all night. Some 4,500 fans occupied the stands while numerous others followed the concert as best they could outside the venue.

But Bob Dylan is not ready to be a museum piece and neither does he need photos to share with his friends on social media. That's why he avoids the press, runs from photographers and strictly prohibits the use of mobile phones and cameras at his concerts. An announcement and dozens of signs warned the audience; and if anyone pretended they hadn't noticed, a huge security deployment controlled every flash.

Eccentricities aside, Dylan proved in Fuengirola on Saturday that he is a living artist who creates art live on stage, a musician capable of building sublime moments simply with the versatility of his phrasing, needing no special effects or fireworks.

Despite his shy character, his almost 78 years, and a voice less clear than it was in the sixties, this was still the same Bob Dylan.

You only had to look at the audience as he played the opening chords of a revamped Simple Twist of Fate on his harmonica to see that the Minnesota-born musician's hypnotic effect is the same as ever. Then came a special gesture for the local audience: he changed the lyric "she was born in spring" for "she was born in Spain".

Things Have Changed opened the night, as has become the norm in this Never Ending Tour, but sung with a totally different rhythm.

The concert followed the usual script. As expected, Dylan had no more words for his audience, just a couple of timid gestures of acknowledgment after the applause.

There were no more surprises - only the addition of Dignity, a rarity in his live performances that has appeared in this Spanish leg of the tour.

However to make up for the lack of changes to the setlist Dylan did introduce new arrangements that freshened up some of his classics.

It was hard to recognise It Ain't Me Babe at first but the result worked; and he triumphed with an eclectic Like a Rolling Stone, with some parts slowed down to the maximum as Tony Garnier played his double bass with a bow. This had the audience on their feet to join in the famous chorus, as Dylan played the piano.

The artist pleased his fans with a large number of the classics that have turned him into an eternal songwriter, as always supported by a band that followed his every step with precision: Charlie Sexton on guitar, Tony Garnier on bass, George Receli on drums and the multi-instrumentalist Donnie Herron, who played everything from the steel guitar to the violin.

With Don't Think Twice It's All Right, Dylan created a magical, almost intimate, moment, helped by the setting between the sea and the Sohail castle.

The dark Scarlet Town also brought memorable minutes, with Dylan in the centre of the stage tilting his mic stand and gesticulating more than usual.

Highway 61 Revisited was electrifying, and his audience loved his version of Early Roman Kings, the powerful Love Sick and the rock and roll charge brought through Thunder on the Mountain.

The setlist ended with Gotta Serve Somebody, before the encores, when Dylan came back with two classics: a beautiful Blowin' in the Wind with violin accompaniment, and It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.

Dylan's public listened attentively, as if they were at a mystical meeting where the only words that count are those of their leader.

Despite the security, some couldn't resist reaching for their mobiles to record the moment. The vast majority though settled for the image etched on their memory without the need of technology.
Last Sunday's rescue of a 34-year-old woman, along with her three daughters and two nieces, from the Rio Chillar in Nerja has once again brought to the fore the lack of control or safety measures at the popular beauty spot.

Swedish tourist, Daniela Cardenas, and the five girls aged between 11 and 15, are the latest in a long list of people who have been rescued from the river in the last 10 years as Nerja town hall and Andalucia's regional government, the Junta de Andalucia, continually fail to put in place any kind of control.

Cardenas and her family, who were on holiday in Nerja, set out at around 6pm on Saturday evening last week, having been told about the river by the woman's brother.

At around 9pm the group decided to head back as it was getting dark. However, they were unable to find the path they had taken and, wearing flip-flops, it became too difficult for them to walk.

Despite poor mobile phone coverage, Cardenas managed make contact with the emergency services who organised a search involving Guardia Civil, civil protection officers and Malaga's mountain rescue team. After spending the night on one side of the Chillar river, the group managed to attract the attention of the search and rescue helicopter.

They were guided back to the start of the river, where emergency vehicles were waiting for them. None of the group needed medical attention, although some of the girls had a few minor cuts and bruises.

A Guardia Civil officer took the opportunity to remind people planning to visit the area to wear suitable shoes.
Russia held its annual May 9 military parade in Moscow on Thursday to mark the 74th anniversary of the former Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, war veterans and guests, including the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, watched the parade on the central tribune in the Red Square.

In a keynote speech, Putin thanked those who had contributed to the former Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

"Happy Victory Day!" he said, adding that the victory makes all Russians feel proud.

Recalling the contributions and sacrifices made by Russians during the war, he said: "We became the liberator of Europe and the world. The victory belongs to all people."

Putin noted that Russians, both soldiers and civilians, had showcased their strength and "unparalleled courage" during the war, which have been "passed on to the next generation."

He stressed Russians should never forget this heritage, which he called "sacred."

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the Victory Day parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2019. /Reuters Photo

The Russian president also said the country is doing "everything possible" to ensure high battle readiness of its armed forces and keep its defense potential at the "most modern level." Meanwhile, "Russia is open to cooperation with all those who are ready indeed to confront terrorism, neo-Nazism and extremism," he said. Over 13,000 troops, 132 pieces of military equipment and 74 aircraft of all types and branches of the Russian armed forces took part in the event. It was also the first time that women marched with the honor guard. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reviewed the parade.
The city of Malaga has put a lot of effort recently into promoting its green credentials, encouraging visitor and residents to use eco-friendly transport.

However companies offering popular bicycle or Segway rentals and tours have been angered after the council-controlled Local Police called in to say that from last Monday they would be fining them for taking visitors into the old town.

The city recently ordered stricter controls on the latest fad of renting electric scooters, as many users were leaving them on pavements or against listed buildings. But the tougher approach has had a knock-on effect on the bike firms.

100 jobs affected

Twenty companies are affected, with some 100 employees, catering for 50,000 visitors a year.

These operators are angry as they believe they were encouraged to grow their businesses by the city only to face possible fines.

President of the local sustainable transport association, Enrique San Miguel, said last weekend that the council had given operators a week to get used to the rules and then face fines of 200 euros.

"It's OK for restrictions at peak times or in certain streets, but there aren't even any signs that say you can't ride in the area," he argued.

Telegraph report

A report last week by British newspaper The Daily Telegraph appears to have prompted the council to relax its stance.

Kay Farrell, the British-born owner of Malaga Bike Tours, a pioneer in the sector, told that paper, "I've been in business for 11 years, I work like a dog and it's only in the last few years that this business has been really good. It's a nightmare."

After a meeting between the council and operators' representatives on Tuesday, it was announced that the companies won't be fined, but warned instead by police to leave the reserved pedestrian areas.

The bike companies recognised that a 2013 by-law already prevents bike groups entering the old town, but it was agreed that certain areas could still be crossed. However, in narrow, congested areas, including by the cathedral, cyclists will need to dismount from now on. The companies will meet to discuss new routes in and outside the old town.
As Spain is still digesting the results of the recent general election, politicians are launching into another campaign this weekend. On Sunday 26 May voters in Spain are called to the polls again for the local council and the European Parliament elections. While in the general election voting is restricted to Spanish nationals, in the municipal ballot foreign residents who have registered to vote will also have a say in who runs their local town hall for the next four years.

IN CONTEXT 40,104 foreign residents of Malaga province have expressed their intention to vote in the council elections on 26 May. That is 49 per cent of the total of 81,763 foreign residents who have the right to vote. These include citizens of the 28 EU countries and 12 others which have agreements with Spain. Most of those who have registered and intend to use their vote are from the EU (39,636) and only 468 are from the other 12 countries.

Figures from the national institute of statistics (INE) show that 81,763 foreigners in Malaga province received notification from the electoral census office (OCE) last November informing them that they had the right to vote and that if they wished to do so they should register.

Almost half (49.03 per cent) did that, which means that 40,104 foreign residents in Malaga province will have the right to go to the polls on 26 May and vote in the council and EU elections.

Only people from EU countries can vote for the European Parliament, but in the case of Spanish council elections those from the 28 EU countries and another 12 nations with specific agreements with Spain have the right to vote for their mayors and councillors. Those non-EU countries are Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Ecuador, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.

Requirements for voting

However, among this group of 7,580 non-EU foreign residents with the right to vote, very few (468) have registered. The citizens of Paraguay seem most interested in voting, as 159 have registered, followed by Colombians (95), Bolivians (35) and Ecuadorians, but unusually not one person from New Zealand or Cape Verde has asked to exercise their right to vote, and only one person from Trinidad and Tobago has done so.

In order to be allowed to vote, citizens of these 12 countries must be legally resident in Spain, have lived here legally and uninterruptedly for at least five years before applying to be on the electoral roll, and be registered on the 'padron', the population register, at their local town hall.

The only exception is Norway, whose citizens only have to have lived legally in Spain for three consecutive years, instead of the usual five. Those in this group also need to register their wish to vote for every election, as their registration is not renewed automatically.

Residents from EU countries do not have to re-register if they already did so when they received the first notification from the OCE. However, this does not apply if cross-referencing of data between the INE and the town hall shows no administrative 'footprint' in the past three years. This applies in quite a few cases, and as a result the Electoral Census Office in Malaga has received 39,636 new applications to register.

More interest

"Europeans tend to be more active when it comes to voting," said Antonio Requena, the OCE's delegate in the province. He says it is positive that "around 50 per cent of foreign residents with the right to vote have asked to be registered, and it seems people are more interested in participating nowadays".

These figures make Malaga the third Spanish province with the highest number of non-Spanish EU residents registered for the council elections, behind Alicante (60,144) and Madrid (54,975).

Malaga is also third in terms of voters for the European Parliament (27,229), once again behind Alicante (47,810) and Madrid (43,579).

British top the list

Of the 28 member countries of the European Union whose citizens in Spain have asked to vote in the council elections for the first time (39,636 in total in Malaga), over 46 per cent (18,522) are British.

Uncertainty over Brexit led the Spanish government to consider wiping British residents from the electoral roll - in fact the OCE issued a directive to that effect - but an agreement signed between Spain and Britain in January lifted the veto. Both countries decided that British citizens who had registered to vote would be able to do so on 26 May, whether or not the UK had left the EU by that date. The agreement also meant that Spanish citizens living in the UK were also able to vote in the recent council elections there.

Although far behind the number of registered British voters, the second most active are German citizens (3,718), followed by Italians (3,182), French (2,175), Dutch (1,944), Swedish (1,738), Romanians (1,687) and Belgians (1,361.) At the other end of the scale, the EU countries whose citizens seem less interested in voting are Cyprus (1), Croatia (9) and Slovenia (10).

Candidates

In the council elections, not only are foreign residents allowed to vote, but they are also allowed to stand as candidates. A look at the lists submitted by the different political parties in towns and villages around the province shows a sprinkling of non-Spanish names, especially in places with a large foreign population.
A 21-year-old Brazilian woman was detained on arrival at Malaga Airport after police inspected her luggage and found four anoraks with around a kilo of a white powdery substance in the lining of each. Later tests showed positive for cocaine.

The woman, who arrived from her home country, had taken a flight via Zurich supposedly in order to avoid detection.
Spain's top courts have refused to block the candidacy for the Euro elections of three Catalan leaders who are in self-imposed exile to avoid facing trial on separatist charges.

Former Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, and his ex-regional ministers, Toni Comin and Clara Ponsati, can now stand in the 26 May vote.

Both the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court have said that, as they haven't been found guilty of anything, it is not up to them to stop the candidacies.
Thursday 9 May marked the annual Europe Day celebration across the EU. Under the shadow of Brexit and with European elections later this month, King Felipe made a speech reconfirming Spain's commitment to the EU.

The King was speaking at the Charles V European Award, given for contributions to European cultural integration and unification. Charles V was the Spanish monarch who also ruled over a big part of Europe in the sixteenth century.

In his speech, the King called for "a more united, stronger and more determined Europe, and also more effective at meeting the ambitions and hopes of its citizens."

"All of us help to build Europe, day by day," he said. "We are still committed, and will continue committed in the future, to achieving a true Europe by and for its citizens."

He added that, faced with "challenges", Europe should reflect on these calmly, in a reference to the character of Charles V.

The Charles V award this year went to the cross-border cultural routes of the Council of Europe.

Events and ceremonies were held across Spain, just as across the rest of the EU, to mark Europe Day, many of them involving children. In the EU's Eurobarometer surveys, Spain is normally rate as one of the most pro-Europe member states.
The former leader of the PSOE party, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, died on Friday in a Madrid hospital after suffering a stroke at his home on Wednesday. He was 67.

Rubalcaba led the party in opposition from 2012-2014, having previously served as minister in the Socialist governments of both Felipe Gonzalez and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

He was described on Friday by acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez as a "great statesman".

He has been praised for his role in bringing an end to the violence of Basque terrorist group ETA when he was minister under Rodriguez Zapatero.

He recently turned down the party's candidacy for Mayor of Madrid in this month's elections.

Perez Rubalcaba retired from the political frontline in 2014 when he returned to his job as a Chemistry lecturer at Madrid's Complutense University.
Pedro Sanchez may have been the victor in the recent general election but the 123 seats his PSOE party won in Congreso isn't an overall majority. The acting Prime Minister needs to pact, getting enough MPs of other parties to vote for his investiture as new PM, or at the very least get them to abstain.

This week, Sanchez held exploratory talks with the next three parties with most MPs. First in on Monday was Pablo Casado of the conservative Partido Popular. He committed to oppose the investiture, "as official opposition". But in a press conference afterwards, he urged centrist Ciudadanos (Cs) to abstain so that Sanchez didn't have to look for support from the small Catalan separatist parties.

The next morning it was the turn of Cs leader Albert Rivera, who later said he wouldn't be abstaining, preferring to look for a stronger alternative to Sanchez.

Last in was Pablo Iglesias, of left-wing Unidas Podemos, who offered a coalition government with PSOE.

Although a new Congreso is sworn in on 21 May, no deal will be done on the next PM until after the municipal and Euro elections on 26 May.
Any lover of Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi, knows that tuna is the traditional ingredient of choice, right? Wrong. The preferred fish always used to make sashimi, nigirizushi, hosomaki etc. was, until comparatively recently, white fish, more akin to the rosada and pez limon that we are accustomed to eating in Spain. The occasional hype in the media revolves around the outlandish prices paid for tuna at auctions in the Tsukiji (Tokyo) fish market are of comparatively recent making.

WINE OF THE WEEK Ribeira Sacra Lalama Galicia is known for its white wines, and only recently have its reds become known outside the region. From personal experience I can say the first ones were terrible, but they seem to have got the hang of it now, and this mainly Mencia grape product is excellent. Around 18 euros.

In fact tuna was hardly rated at all until it was found to be freezer-friendly and easy to transport by air. Owing to the large amount of fat in the meat, especially in the part now looked upon as the choice cut, the stomach (ventresca), no-one wanted to eat it. In most Mediterranean countries it was cat food.

Ask most Japanese how they got a taste for tuna and they will probably tell you that the fish is of better quality now than previously - hardly a plausible reason. Nor will they tell you that it is easier to obtain than ever. It is really Japan Airlines that deserve to get whatever credit is due. When Japanese-manufactured electrical goods, such as TVs and radios were exported worldwide, the cargo planes that took them to America, for example, flew back empty.

After looking around, some airline executives realised that the tuna caught by fishermen in the North Atlantic would make good return ballast, and suddenly Japan's sushi restaurants had a new source of raw material.

Tuna is currently imported into Japan from many countries, including Spain, but only premium specimens are acquired by the best restaurants. Farmed fish is of no interest to the perfectionists. Interestingly, tuna is always sold by auction and always frozen. In the long chain between source and final consumer, there are experts in freezing and experts in cutting up the fish. Apparently many of these can, by inserting a knife in the flesh, gauge the proportion of fat in the fish and what it may fetch at auction.
ABC/Randy HolmesThis week, Tool at last revealed an August 30 release date for the band's long-awaited new album. Of course, this being Tool, some fans weren't convinced that the reveal wasn't just an elaborate troll. However, frontman Maynard James Keenan has now assuaged those fears.

On his Twitter, Keenan posted a meme questioning whether the August 30 date is legit: It features a smiling and squinting Thor from the film Thor: Ragnarok asking, "Is it though?"

"Yes," Keenan wrote in response, along with the hashtag #YesItIs.

Since Tool's last album 10,000 Days was released in 2006, fans have endured a litany of fake-outs, unfulfilled promises and April Fool's jokes related to the long-awaited new record. So it's understandable if they're still a little skeptical about a concrete release date.

Tool is currently on tour in the U.S., during which they premiered the new songs "Descending" and "Invincible." The run continues Friday in Hampton, Virginia.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
BEIJING, May 10 (ChinaMil) -- On May 3, the US Department of Defense (DoD) issued the 2019 Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China (also known as the report on Chinese military power).

The Chinese military firmly opposes this "report" and lodges serious representations with the US, said Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC),in a statement Thursday night.

The report distorts the facts, confuses right and wrong, and deliberately misrepresents Chinas strategic intentions, makes improper comments on Chinas normal national defense and military development, and groundlessly criticizes Chinas legitimate behaviors of defending its national sovereignty and security interests.

As a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a guardian of international order in an unswerving way, China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and upholds a national defense policy which is defensive in nature.

China does not seek military expansion or sphere of influence. The Chinese military is committed to contributing more to international security, and its development means the growth of the force in favor of world peace, which is a plain fact.

Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. China's great cause of reunification must and will be realized. The Chinese side urges the US to abide by the One-China Principle and the spirit of the three China-US joint communiques, and carefully and properly manage any Taiwan-related questions.

The Chinese military has steadfast determination, full confidence and sufficient capacity to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

The Chinese side has maintained a consistent and clear stance on maritime issues. China has always sought to solve disputes through direct negotiations and peaceful consultation with related countries. Facts have proved that countries in the region have the confidence, wisdom and capacity to properly solve disputes, safeguard peace, and realize common prosperity.

However, look at the US, which has paid lip service to safeguarding peace and stability, continues to expand its military presence in the frontier, and frequently sends warships and aircraft for provocation in the South China Sea, seriously damaging the security interests of coastal countries and undermining regional peace and stability.

The US has issued the so-called report on Chinese military power for several consecutive years, which has harmed mutual trust between China and the US, and poisoned the atmosphere for the development of bilateral military relations. As an old saying goes, there are criteria to distinguish right from wrong, and justice naturally inhabits mans heart.

China urges the US side to objectively and rationally view Chinas national defense and military development, stop issuing such irresponsible reports, and promote the steady development of military-to-military and state-to-state relations between the two countries through practical actions.
Contaminated Ural crudes disrupt Russian exports

Reports surfaced a couple of weeks ago that Russian Urals crude flowing through the Druzhba pipeline was contaminated with organic chloride.

As a result, refiners in Germany, Poland, Belarus, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia all stopped accepting Russian Urals crude supplies. Official numbers were not released, but analysts estimated that at least 35 mill barrels of oil have been contaminated, Poten & Partners said in a comment. Landlocked, domestic refiners In Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have no alternative source of crude oil supply and tapped into their countries strategic petroleum reserves. In other countries, refiners scrambled to secure replacement barrels. Urals is a medium-heavy crude with a relatively high sulfur content. Sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, as well as lower output from Mexico, had already reduced worldwide availability of these types of crudes and oil prices have traded up as a result. Non-contaminated cargoes of Urals exported from the Baltic tanker terminal at Primorsk are in short supply and now command a significant premium. According to Russian officials, the contamination happened in the Volga region of Samara, which is about 1,000 km east of Moscow. The Druzhba system is one of the worlds biggest pipeline networks. It supplies about 1 mill barrels per day of Urals crude to 10 European refineries, some of which run exclusively on this crude. Urals crude also flows via this pipeline network to the export terminal at Ust-Luga, also in the Baltic. Over the last five years, seaborne exports from Ust-Luga have gradually increased from an average of 530,000 barrels per day in 2014 to 770,000 barrels per day in 2017. They are mostly exported to Europe with the Netherlands, Sweden, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and France being the largest receivers, Poten said. In 2018 and 2019 year-to-date, export volumes have dropped, as Russia participated in the OPEC+ production cuts. Before the contamination problems came to light, an estimated seven to 10 Aframax cargoes were already loaded at Ust-Luga and these cargoes were being marketed at a steep discount. As of last week, buyers were staying away from Ust-Luga cargoes, Poten claimed. One way to handle the contaminated cargoes is for traders or refiners to buy the heavily discounted crude and put it in storage, where it can be diluted with uncontaminated oil and eventually processed. How feasible this is will depend on the level of contamination. The contamination level will be different for each cargo. Organic chloride is a chemical compound that is generally not naturally present in oil but can end up in the crude stream when additives, cleaning solutions or chemicals for oil recovery are used. At high temperatures, chlorides can form hydrochloric acid, which can readily corrode equipment throughout the refining process. As a result, refineries typically do not accept crude oil that contains more than 5 ppm of organic chloride. Reportedly, Transneft (the Russian pipeline monopoly) allows no more than 10 ppm in the crude flowing to their system. However, the levels of organic chloride in the contaminated crude have been between 80 ppm and 330 ppm. Russian officials said that Ust-Luga should have received clean oil by 5th and 7th May and this should help restart seaborne exports from the Baltic port fairly quickly. Cleaning out the Druzhba pipeline is more complicated and will take longer to resolve, especially since Poland and Germany do not have sufficient storage space to keep the oil until it can be diluted. The implications for the tanker market are hard to gauge. Since the Atlantic Aframax market was well supplied, the impact on rates was fairly muted. Tanker rates have increased somewhat, but there has not been a rate spike. If this situation lasts longer than expected, this situation may change, as refiners will run out of inventory and need to source alternative (longer haul) supplies or (in the case of landlocked facilities) will start to cut runs, leading to more clean product imports and higher product tanker rates, Poten concluded.




Sea Tankers opts for containerised BWMS

Sea Tankers has chosen DESMI Ocean Guards CompactClean ballast water management system (BWMS) for its fleet.

The Cyprus-based company also appointed the BWMS supplier to undertake all of the required engineering for the retrofits. The first three vessels will be retrofitted with CompactClean BWMS this year, while the rest will follow subsequently. All the vessels will be fitted with a CompactClean-750 system installed in a container fitted on the vessels deck. This solution was chosen, as the tankers have submerged ballast pumps, and hence no pump room where an BWMS can be installed. Sea Tankers CompactClean BWMS are EX certified versions approved for the installation in hazardous areas on tankers. DESMI will supply the complete package, consisting of BWMS equipment in a containerised solution together with an engineering package, including manufacturing drawings of piping, pipe supports, foundations, etc, and a detailed installation manual for each vessel. Deputy managing director of Sea Tankers, Francis Laverriere, explained that the CompactClean system was chosen for a variety of reasons, some of them being: *The small footprint, which allows for the complete installation to be inside a 20 ft container. *Simplicity ofthe systems operation and the high level of automation. *Low opex. He added: We particularly appreciated the professionalism of the DESMI team, commercially and technically. We have the feeling that we realise the projects in partnership and not in a customer vs supplier relationship. DESMI was very responsive and found the necessary capabilities to adapt the system onto our parcel tankers in an EX environment. We chose DESMI for the retrofit of our fleet mainly for these reasons. The solution selected by Sea Tankers with a containerised deck installation of CompactClean BWMS is one we have already sold to several other customers with similar vessels, and we have good experience. We are therefore confident that the collaboration with Sea Tankers will be successful and we are already well underway with the work for the first vessel, explained Rasmus Fols, DESMI Ocean Guard CEO.




Teekay secures Norwegian financing

Teekay Offshore has secured long-term financing from the Norwegian Government for four new shuttle tankers being built at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI).

Each shuttle tanker will be equipped with a new technology developed by Wartsila in co-operation with Teekay, resulting in zero volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from the vessels. On behalf of the Norwegian Government, Export Credit Norway and GIEK have provided a loan and a guarantee of $165.5 mill. The financing is part of a larger syndicate involving several commercial banks and a foreign export credit agency. In addition, Enova, which contributes to Norways transition towards a low emission society, has granted subsidies of NOK133 mill to the four shuttle tankers. It is gratifying that this innovative new technology developed in Norway has led to trade. This project includes many Norwegian sub-contractors and contributes to the restructuring of the Norwegian economy, value creation as well as keeping employment in Norway, said Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Torbjrn Re Isaksen. The Norwegian Government imposed restrictions on VOC emissions in 2003. The new VOC recovery system developed by Wartsila reduces VOC emissions by up to 100%, converts the emissions into liquid gas, and feeds the gas into a VOC fuel tank as a secondary fuel for the vessels. This provides an annual fuel bunkering reduction of up to 3,000 tonnes of LNG, the company claimed. Combined with other energy efficiency features of the vessels, the total reduced bunkering requirement and CO2 reduction amounts to 50%, compared to the existing fleet. In addition, NOx and SOx emissions are reduced by more than 80% and 95%, respectively. The new tankers, scheduled for delivery from Samsung in 2019-20, will also be fitted with equipment from other Norwegian suppliers, such as Brunvoll, MacGregor Pusnes, Kongsberg, Jotun, Glamox and others. We are excited to have received long-term financing from the Norwegian Government for our latest generation of shuttle tankers. These vessels will be the most environmentally friendly shuttle tankers ever built. What makes me particularly proud is that bunkering requirements and CO2 emissions will be reduced by approximately 50%, thereby reducing the environmental footprint of our operations significantly, said Ingvild Saether, President & CEO, Teekay Offshore Group.




LNA fighters commanded by Haftar head out of Benghazi to reinforce troops in Tripoli [Esam Omran al-Fetori/Reuters]

By Liu Shiqi

The situation in Libya has once again become chaotic recently. The Libyan National Army (LNA), a military force in the east of the country, advanced on the capital Tripoli on April 4 and had heavy fighting against the Armed Forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA). This round of conflict has deteriorated the situation in Libya, and it is inseparable from the competition and game of external forces.

As a matter of fact, the seeds of conflict and turmoil in Libya were planted as early as eight years ago. In 2011, the Arab Spring swept across the Middle East and North Africa, and as a result, Libyas Gaddafi regime was overthrown by Western-backed opposition forces. Since then, Libya has been a country with two rival administrations and parliaments. Many militia groups emerged within its border and the country is falling apart. The two confronting sides in this resumed fighting are backed by different external forces, while each has their own agenda.

Khalifa Haftar, who controls Libyans eastern part, has extensive external support. Saudi Arabias King and Crown Prince met with Haftar in Riyadh before the LNA advanced on Tripoli. According to the Wall Street Journal, Haftar received Saudi Arabias very generous funding during his visit to the country, and used it as a financial support for his military offensive. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) sees Libya as a fortress against Islamists. As an important ally of Haftar, UAE invests heavily and provides air support for LNA. Egypt also has close ties with Haftar as Egypt has a focus on maintaining security and stability along its border with Libya, fostering friendly bilateral relations and curbing the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region. Therefore, Egypt has also provided military and diplomatic support to Haftar.

In addition to the Gulf countries, France and Russia have close relations with Haftar too. France sees Haftar as the key to stabilizing the situation in Libya, alleviating the influx of refugees into Europe and securing French oil interests in eastern Libya. Russia is interested in expanding its cooperation with Haftar in such areas as arms sales and oil and gas, and enhancing Russias influence in the Mediterranean coast. Previously, Haftar also visited Russia three times to seek political support.

The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), which confronts the LNA, occupies the capital city Tripoli and controls the western part of Libya. The GNA is supported by the US, Italy, Turkey, Qatar and other countries. Turkey and Qatar have been siding with the GNA and providing military and financial support in support of the Islamic regime. Italy once worked well with the GNA in controlling immigration and developing oil and gas resources in western Libya. Therefore, Italy also hopes to stabilize the situation in Libya by supporting the GNA and thus curb the refugee crisis. However, Italy and France have conflicts on the Libyan crisis, blaming each other for the crisis. This shows that the EUs position on Libya is not unified.

For its own sake, the US does not make a clear distinction between the two sides in the conflict. During the conflict, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) ordered the withdrawal of its combat troops in Libya, making US support for the GNA a controversial question. At the same time, the US is also supporting the LNA in order to combat the power of the Islamic State (IS) and ensure the security of Libyas oil reserves. For example, US President Donald Trump and Haftar spoke by phone on April 7 after the US announced the temporary withdrawal of some of its troops stationed in Libya. Trump endorsed Haftars efforts to fight terrorism and this shows that the US has been swaying from side to side in Libya.

It should be pointed out that the military offensive by Haftar, with the intervention of external forces, will further worsen the situation in Libya and the region. On the one hand, the conflict will lead to massive civilian casualties and greater displacement of the population. The World Health Organization said on May 2 that since the two sides engaged in the war in Tripoli, 392 people have been killed and more than 1,900 people have been injured. On the other hand, the chaotic situation in Libya has left a large security vacuum for extremist forces. The IS has taken this opportunity to cultivate power and grow stronger in the territory of Libya, once occupying the city of Sirte in the Mediterranean coast of northern Libya. At present, the IS has launched terrorist attacks in the Middle East, Africa and Europe in addition to the terrorist attacks in Libya.

The resumption of war in Libya has once again proved that the strong interference of the West under the banner of democracy has not brought prosperity and development to the country. The Western template for democracy has not been proved helpful in Libya, and instead, it brought damage to the original political and social ecology in Libya. In the long run, it is difficult for Libya to usher in real peace under the intervention of external forces. The Libyan issue can only be resolved peacefully through political dialogue and negotiations. There is no way out when resorting to military means.
By Feng Ying

In the early morning on May 6, Gaza militants have reached a ceasefire agreement with Israel as a result of the mediation of Egypt, assisted by Qatar and the United Nations. According to the agreement, Israel stopped bombing the Gaza Strip while the parties in the Gaza Strip stopped firing rockets into Israel when the agreement came into effect.

This is the worst combat since Palestinian-Israeli conflict since 2014. Although the situation is temporarily calm, the timing of the conflict is unusual and its impact on the regional situation cannot be neglected.

The conflict took place during a period when some major changes occurred in the Middle East. After US President Donald Trump took office, he treated Iran as his main opponent and tried to promote the regional cooperation between the Arab countries and Israel, as well as to establish a regional anti-Iran alliance. In addition, the US has recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital and moved its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The US also recognized the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, etc. All these indicate a new height of US partiality towards Israel.

Tian Wenlin, a researcher at the Institute of Middle East Studies of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), explained the Trump administrations favoritism toward Israel from three perspectives. From the perspective of geopolitics, the US supports Israel in the Middle East in order to play a check and balance role against the Arab countries. From the perspective of domestic politics, the Jewish power in the US is strong and has a great influence on the US Middle East policy. From the perspective of religious purposes, the US domestic religious forces regard Israel as the bridgehead of the Christian revival in the Middle East.

Tian pointed out that one of the long-term consequences brought by the drastic adjustment of the US Middle East policy is the gradual marginalization of the Palestinian issue, which also makes the Palestinians completely lose their trust in the US. As the Palestinian Disaster Day approaches on May 15, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS), which controls the Gaza Strip, has already started to make use of peoples tragic sentiments to attack Israel and consolidate its influence in the Gaza Strip.

According to experts, another background of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is related to the upcoming Donald Trumps much-derided plan for the Middle East, the so-called Deal of the Century.

Dong Manyuan, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, pointed out that Trump began to brew the so-called Deal of the Century for peace in the Middle East since he took office. Recently, he announced that the deal will be officially launched after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. However, since this agreement does not include the content of a return to the 1967 borders, which advocates Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and denies Palestine refugees the right to return to their homeland, the interests of Palestine have been seriously violated and therefore the deal is being strongly opposed by the Palestinians.

In addition, the right-wing forces won a majority in the latest parliamentary elections in Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu, who has always had a tough stance on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, is expected to be on his way to a fifth term as prime minister. As a result, the hope to solve the issue through negotiation is getting dim on the Palestinian side.

Most of the rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups were sporadic in the past. However this time, it is extremely unusual where a massive and intensive launch of rockets penetrated Israels advanced defense system and killed Israeli personnel. This also shows that the military strength of HAMAS has not been gravely weakened by the continuous Israeli attacks in last year.

Dong said that although the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has ended temporarily, the hostility between the two sides has not eased. While increasing its support for Israel, the US will continue to try to pressure Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and other countries to persuade Palestine into accepting the Deal of the Century.

Tian is also pessimistic about the prospects of the Palestinian-Israeli situation. He pointed out that May 9 marks Israels Independence Day and Prime Minister Netanyahu also faces tough negotiations to form a cabinet. Perhaps these are the reasons for Israel to timely stop. However, it is difficult for Palestine to accept the heavily biased Deal of the Century. The anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiments may further intensify. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not really stop in the foreseeable future; instead, it may become even more frequent and intense.

(The article was published on the PLA Daily on 10 May, 2019. It is translated from Chinese into English and edited by China Military Online.)
The American military arrived in the Middle East as European leaders denounced threats from Iran to stop curbing its nuclear program, a move that would breach a landmark global agreement.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein told VOA the swift military movement "sends a message that we can face any threat at a time and place of our choosing."

The bombers are now at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a defense official confirmed on condition of anonymity. The request for more military assets in the Middle East was "in direct response to a number of troubling and escalatory indicators and warnings" from Iran, CENTCOM commander Marine Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie Jr. said Wednesday in Washington.

The carrier strike group completed its transit Thursday through the Suez Canal, U.S. Central Command spokesman Navy Capt. William Urban told VOA. He said two B-52 bombers arrived in the region Thursday, while two others arrived Wednesday.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and four B-52 bombers have arrived in the Middle East in response to concerns Iran may be planning an attack against American targets.

Hours before new sanctions were imposed Wednesday by the United States, President Hassan Rouhani said Iran would enrich uranium beyond allowable limits if world powers didn't protect Iran from the sanctions within 60 days.

"We reject any ultimatums and we will assess Iran's compliance on the basis of Iran's performance regarding its nuclear-related commitments," the European Union and the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany said Thursday in a joint statement.

The European leaders also said they wanted to preserve the 2015 agreement, which requires Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the elimination of sanctions. The deal was signed by China, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the U.S. and the EU. The U.S. abandoned the agreement one year ago.

Despite the U.S. withdrawal, President Donald Trump introduced new sanctions Wednesday on Iranian metal exports, major sources of revenue for the country. The U.S. had previously slapped sanctions on Iranian oil, which have devastated its economy.

The sanctions have created a quandary for Washington's European allies, which have said they share concerns about Iran's behavior but believe Trump's strategy will most likely backfire.

The allied nations are also opposed to Trump's abandonment of the nuclear pact, contending it emboldens Iranian hard-liners and undermines pragmatists who want to ease the country's isolationist approach.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reacted to the European leaders on Twitter: "EU statement today is why JCPOA is where it is: the US has bullied Europe -- and rest of world -- for a year and EU can only express 'regret.' Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, EU should uphold obligations -- incl normalization of economic ties."

Earlier Thursday, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said Tehran's goal was to bring the agreement "back on track." But Tehran has also said it will leave the agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, unless it gets more economic support.
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun canceled a scheduled dinner with South Korean officials after North Korea lobbed another couple of missiles into the sea on Thursday.

Biegun is in South Korea for discussions on how to revive stalled nuclear talks with the North and earlier met with National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon.

They talked about North Korea's earlier missile launch on May 4, according to a source, but did not suspect that another one was just hours away.
Welcome You have created your account at EL TIEMPO. Know and customize your profile. Verification email will be sent Check your inbox, otherwise check in your spam folder. No, change email Yes, send We want you to find the news
The nine-year-old girl escaped from North Korea recently. Her parents had fled and settled down in South Korea earlier and had planned for her to follow them, but the regime got wind of the escape plan even though the child herself had not been told for fear that she might accidentally blurt it out.

In one instance, the regime tried to nab a trafficker who helps defectors flee the oppressive country by planting a GPS tracker in the doll of a child.

The North Korean regime is turning to advanced technology to track would-be defectors and nab their traffickers, according to testimony from defectors on Thursday.

But just before she crossed the border she was given a stuffed frog toy by a man who said, "This is a gift for you. Give it to your mom." She arrived in China with the doll in her arms.

But the trafficker in China became suspicious of the toy and phoned her parents to ask whether they had given it to her. When they said no he examined the toy more closely and found the tracking device with a USIM chip.

The broker left the device undisturbed for fear that North Korean agents or Chinese police might burst in on their safe house if he removed it.

In the past, the regime has planted old-fashioned spies among any would-be defectors. In one instance, a group of seven defectors, including a 10-year-old child, were suddenly captured by Chinese police in Shenyang because one of them was a spy.

Pastor Kim Seung-eun of Caleb Mission, who has supported defectors for more than two decades, said, "I heard before that the regime plants tracking devices in would-be defectors' baggage."

He added the regime is probably using the trackers to map the most common defection routes.
Shanghai ballet to shine on Moscow stage

By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2019-05-10 16:04

As one of the opening shows at the 14th Chekhov International Theatre Festival (CITF), the Chinese ballet drama Song of Everlasting Regret is to be presented to Russian audiences on May 15 and 16.

To mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia (the then Soviet Union) and the PRC, this years festival organizer has especially set up a Chinese Drama Festival" program to showcase Chinese dance.

A ballet adaptation of a narrative poem of the same title by Bai Juyi from the 9th century, Song of Everlasting Regret is jointly produced by the Shanghai Ballet Troupe and Shanghai Grand Theatre, with the German Patrick de Bana as the executive director. Debuted at Shanghai Grand Theater, the play has received widespread praise from both audiences and professional critics.

With a high-profile cast consisting of top Chinese dancers, the drama to be staged in Russia tells a Chinese story from one thousand years ago with appealing artistry.
Mobike to adopt new fees standard on Monday

From:Shine | 2019-05-09 20:29

Shared bike firm Mobike will apply a new charging standard for users in Shanghai from Monday, the company said in a statement on its app.

Users will be charged 1 yuan (14 US cents) for the first 15 minutes and 0.5 yuan for every 15 minutes after that  2.5 yuan for the first hour. This is an increase from 1 yuan per 30 minutes.

For those who bought a monthly or season pass, riding a Mobike is free within two hours. After that, they will be charged for 0.5 yuan every 15 minutes as well.

In April, Mobike first adjusted its charging standard in Beijing.

Many users of Mobike said they do not mind the price hike.

Fang Le, who rides Mobike on a daily basis, told Shanghai Daily he paid 18 yuan every month for the monthly pass.

I cant imagine me riding a bike for more than 2 hours, so the new rule is irrelevant to me, Fang said.

Chen Guangzhen, an accountant, said the rise of 0.5 yuan is no problem.

Previously you ride 30 minutes with 1 yuan, now 15 minutes with the same price, he said. Come to think of it, I finish most of my trips within 10 minutes, so it wont really bother me.

There are currently three shared-bike firms in Shanghai. Hellobike charges 1.5 yuan for every 30 minutes. Ofo is the cheapest  1 yuan per hour.
The Perspective

Atlanta, Georgia

May 10, 2019



April 14, 1979 - Monrovia, Liberia

The scars of the wrath of the 1979 rice price-hiked demonstration are still visible ubiquitously four decades later. Let that be our shepherd as we stumble toward the impending demonstration.

The nation is gripped with uncertainty and anxiousness about the oncoming tropical storm --- the looming June political demonstration. The experience of the 1979 deadly rice protest should be a strong moral compelling reason and impetus to engage the government and the advocates of the impending demonstration to ensure a peaceful exercise of constitutional rights.



Liberians at home are gearing up or laying the groundwork to exercise one of their basic fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution  the right of the people peaceably to assemble for the redress of grievances. The government should in no way attempt to thwart or contravene the peoples constitutional rights to peaceably assemble to petition for redress of concerns. It should only ensure that the assembly is peaceful and to protect lives and private property. Any effort to do the opposite will contravene Article 7 of the constitution: All persons, at all times, in an orderly and peaceable manner, shall have the right to assemble and consult upon the common good, to instruct their representatives, to petition the Government or other functionaries for the redress of grievances and to associate fully with others or refuse to associate in political parties, trade unions and other organizations.. The result would be a constitutional crisis, a crisis that is not fought with ideas (as in the West), but with blood in the streets. Remember the 1979 deadly rice riot.

Passing on the corruption legacy

The impending June demonstration is called for as a result of the Sirleaf and Weah government failure to live up to Article 17 of the Constitution: The Republic shall, consistent with the principles of individual freedom and social justice enshrined in this Constitution, manage the national economy and the natural resources of Liberia in such manner as shall ensure the maximum feasible participation of Liberian citizens under conditions of equality as to advance the general welfare of the Liberian people and the economic development of Liberia. Under the Weah government, the economic woes are fast moving from despair toward calamity and the government seems clueless as to what to do. The most imminent economic danger to the country is the fluctuation of commodity prices because it affects the poor directly.

Weahs cluelessness should not shock us. We were fully acquainted with his lack of political acumen, and yet we elected him democratically. His incompetence is not a violation of the constitution and ergo a call for his resignation is unconstitutional. This is the heavy price of democracy, e.g., Brexit and Donald Trump.

This letter is a plea to all Liberians, descendants of Liberians, and friends of Liberia in the Diasporas to talk to your brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and significant others to exercise their constitutional rights of PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY judiciously for the redress of economic despair and corruption. The demonstration should not be limited to street marches but should include a written MANIFESTO OF GRIEVANCES to be presented to the government, the people of Liberia and the world. To the students of history, April 14, 2019, was the 40th anniversary of the 1979 rice demonstration, a demonstration that will live in infamy. Let us use our leverage  remittances to influence our brothers and sisters to demonstrate PEACEFULLY. Moreover, we should speak to our friends in the government (Executive and Legislators) to act on the PEOPLEs MANIFESTO. Liberian economists at home and abroad should work to convene an economic conference to discuss a Liberian Economic GPS.

To the government of Liberia (the Executive and Legislature), you have a short window of opportunity to present to the people of Liberia an ECONOMIC AGENDA that will address Article 7 of the constitution, especially the commodity price fluctuation. Second, fire the Minister of Finance immediately. Third, the government needs to come clean about the missing millions of dollars that is fueling the impending demonstration. The Republic is at the edge of an abyss; do not squander this opportunity to constitutionally thwart the looming demonstration to save the Republic. This is a moral responsibility and duty of all Liberians. We cannot, and must not reprise 1979.

LET US ALL REMEMBER THE 1979 RICE PRICE HIKE DEMONSTRATION AND THE AFTERMATH: MILITARY COUP AND THE SUBSEQUENT CIVIL STRIFE.

About the Author: J. Patrick Flomo can be reached at: jpflomo@outlook.com and 614 707 3636




Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Cloudy with snow. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. High -6C. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 100%. About one inch of snow expected..

Tonight

Snow showers. Low -6C. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
MBABANE  Eswatini welcomed 101 973 international visitors in March 2019, reflecting an increase of 3.7 per cent when compared to March 2018.



The Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA) Research Departments Bongani Hlophe said this growth was largely influenced by an increase in arrivals from South Africa (18.9 per cent), which remains Eswatinis largest source market.



It was stated that during this period, notable growth of 3.2 per cent was also registered in visitations from Americans. However, the susceptibility of the tourism sector to exogenous factors was realised as visits from Mozambique and key European markets fell resulting from catastrophic natural disasters and economic uncertainties, respectively.



It was mentioned that the destructions caused by two consecutive tropical cyclones that struck Mozambique in March and April, and the uncertainties relating to the Brexit negatively affected outbound leisure visitations from these markets.

Arrivals from the Africa region reached 89 719 in March 2019, with a notable increase of 6.8 per cent in comparison to the same month in 2018, said Hlophe.

Key performing markets during this period include South Africa (18.9 per cent), Botswana (118.9 per cent), Tanzania (14.1 per cent) and Lesotho (14.0 per cent).



impact



On the adverse, demand for travel from Mozambique (-30.4 per cent) remained low as the impact of cyclones Idai and Kenneth resulted in loss of life and displacements, consequently dampening propensity for leisure travel.

Other notable markets within the region that recorded declines during the reference period comprised of Kenya (-7.9 per cent), Zambia (-29.3 per cent) and Malawi (-11.7 per cent), reported ETA.



The Middle East region continued to be depicted by an escalation in geopolitical tensions, therefore resulting in undesirable effects on both inbound and outbound tourism. As such, arrivals from the region fell by 50.1 per cent, with Eswatinis largest source market in the region, Israel (-66.4 per cent), also posting considerable declines in visitations.



performance



ETA reported the Americas region registered a noteworthy aggregate performance of 2.5 per cent during this period, with arrivals from USA (3.9 per cent) accounting for the largest share of visits from this region.



A weakened lilangeni against the US dollar eased the cost of travel for American travellers thus enhancing the appeal of Eswatini as a leisure destination. Conversely, arrivals from Brazil (-25.5 per cent) and Canada (-9.4 per cent) registered declines, added ETA.
Scientists to walk the red carpet

From:Shine | 2019-05-09 21:29

The citys annual science festival will be held from May 15 to 26 with more than 1,000 events on offer, allowing peopleto meet renowned scientists and explore the fruits of local innovation, the city government announced on Thursday.

The opening ceremony will be at the Shanghai Exhibition Center on May 15, said Ji Xiaoye, an official with the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission.

One of the eminent scientists attending the festival will be Dutch chemist and Nobel laureate Bernard Lucas Feringa, who has been granted permanent residence in Shanghai.

Other participants will include Wang Xiaoming, director of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, and Liu Zhongmin, director of Shanghai East Hospital  both of whom were honored with last years National Science and Technology Award for their efforts in spreading scientific knowledge to the public.

Winners of this years Shanghai Science and Technology Awards, which will be revealed on May 15, researchers from the Fortune 500 companies and the citys budding scientists will walk the red carpet at the opening ceremony.

We hope scientists can be todays idols, Ji said.

People who want to meet the scientists on the red carpet can sign up athttps://vip.coldro.net/app/index.php?i=29&c=entry&pid=29&do=index&m=jueqi_survey.

An international mini-film competition will be held, with the winners unveiled at this years Shanghai International Film Festival.

More than 300 science education venues at local universities and scientific research institutes, and more than 100 key labs and innovation centers, including those at Fortune 500 companies, will be open to the publicfree or at discounted prices.

Festival visitors will be able to climb to the 70-meter-high Tianma Telescope, Asias No. 1 radio telescope, design new drugs at the citys new drug invention center and explore the mystery of cells at local hospitals and research institutes. A calendar is available atthe commission'sWeChat account (sh_stcsm).

Forums and international salons will be held wherescientists will discuss hot topics, such as lunar probes, and reveal cutting-edge technologies.

The science festival is part of a series of scientific events this month, including the citys top scientific awards and the Pujiang Innovation Forum, to mark Shanghai's innovation month and celebrate the citys five-year development to be a world-class innovation center.

In May 2014, President Xi Jinping urged Shanghai to build a globally influential scientific and technological innovation center.
MBABANE  Tibiyo TakaNgwane revenue increased from E239 million in 2016 to E300 million in 2017.



The main contributing factor of the 26 per cent growth was an increase in dividends received from investee companies.

The companys annual report for the year 2017 reflected that dividends from investments were E162 million, an increase from the E118.5 million recorded in 2016.



Tibiyo said some of the investee companies, especially in the sugar industry, who adopted new strategies to counter the prolonged drought effects, were able to reap positive spinoffs, which saw them achieving budgeted profits, which was commendable.



The companys investee companies in the sugar industry are: Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation (RSSC) where they hold 50 per cent shares and Ubombo Sugar Limited where the entity owns a 40 per cent stake.



investments



Other Tibiyo investments include: Eswatini Development Finance Corporation (20 per cent shares), Tibiyo Properties, Swaziland Beverages Limited (40 per cent), Parmalat Swaziland (26 per cent), Swazi Spa Holdings Limited (36.69 per cent), Eswatini Empowerment Limited (5.41 per cent) and Simunye Plaza.

Managing Director Themba Dlamini reported that net income achieved increased from E145 million to E250 million, a 72 per cent increase. Total assets grew from E1.8 billion to E2 billion, signifying growth of nine per cent.



The MD noted that during 2017, the Eswatini economy was on the recovery path, following the severe drought suffered by the entire country in 2016 where Tibiyo TakaNgwane investee companies and subsidiaries were also affected.



monitor



As sugar accounts for a major portion of Tibiyos revenues, it is of paramount importance to monitor the performance of this industry and developments thereof, said Dlamini.



According to the Eswatini Sugar Association (SSA), in the reporting period, sugar production increased by 10.9 per cent from 586 085 tonnes to 650 126 tonnes, while sales revenue declined by 8.8 per cent from E4.6 billion to E4.2 billion in 2017. The decrease in revenues was mainly attributed to depressed market prices and lower sales volumes.



decreased



It was reported that actual sales decreased by 11 per cent from 621 024 tonnes to 552 135 tonnes. Sales to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) market decreased by 13.5 per cent while sales to the European Union (EU) decreased by 36 per cent.



Molasses production increased by 1.5 per cent from 239 337 tonnes to 242 889 tonnes. Yields (tonnes sucrose per hectare) increased from 13.97 to 14.01.

Dlamini said in terms of the short-term outlook for the industry, the evolving world market conditions, together with the erosion of value in what were historically preferential markets would remain a challenge.



While the country, as a signatory of the SADC-EU EPA, benefits from duty-free quota-free access into that market, there is very little value obtained from sales to that market due to the decrease in value attainable.



requiring



The EU has become a surplus producer and exporter of sugar, requiring less volumes of imported sugar. Alternative markets in the East and Southern African region are being actively pursued to divert sales from the EU market.



The restoration and maintenance of a significant level of protection of the SACU market through the tariff mechanism in place, was pertinent to enable the movement of sales into the SACU market.



Dlamini mentioned that the deficit regional market (SADC, COMESA and EAC) continues to present an opportunity for sales into this region.

He stated that ongoing expansions in the sugar producing countries in the region translated into a resistance in opening their markets for regional sugar imports.








LOZITHA  His Majesty King Mswati III has said the Kingdom of Eswatini cannot build a strong economy alone.



The King therefore pleaded with the countries across the world to assist the nation which he said was on its verge to build a strong economy as it strived for First World Status by 2022.



The King was speaking when receiving letters of credence from ambassadors and high commissioners of five countries.

They were the Kingdom of Netherlands, Republic of Finland, Republic of Philippines, Republic of Senegal, and the United Republic of Tanzania. The Monarch also received credentials from the United nation resident coordinator.



Blessing



The King said it was a blessing to have ambassadors and commissioners from across the world at a time when the country was on the verge of the building its economy.



He told the ambassadors and commissioners that being in the country meant that they would have opportunities to make research so that they could bring investors to improve the economy.



The King registered his optimism that the countrys relationship with the European Union would also be strengthened as there were representatives from the continent.



We hope to get assistance from your countries as we work towards making life better for all the people of Africa by 2063 and leave the legacy for the next generation, the King said. He added that the country valued the role played by the UN in addressing political and social issues in the world.



He made an example of the recent cyclones which affected Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe where the UN came to the rescue of the victims. He said there was no way to overcome challenges except through joining hands. In their brief remarks, the ambassadors emphasised on strengthening the bilateral relationships which existed with Eswatini.

They assured the King that they would work hand in hand with the countrys government in strengthening the economy. Han Peters, the Ambassador from the Netherlands, said his home country and Eswatini both had Monarchies which was important for identity.

He said his country was committed to finding solutions to problems the country was faced with. He made an example of water projects and energy.

The ambassadors also commended Eswatini for its tremendous efforts in the fight against malaria and HIV/AIDS.
BUHLENI  There was a verbal showdown between police officers and residents of the communities that have been targeted by an armed gang.



This was after the residents embarked on a manhunt for a man believed to be part of the gang that has been terrorising the communities.

Over 700 residents had gathered yesterday to search for the suspect, who is said to be a local citizen working with a South African crime syndicate.

The residents first assembled at Malibeni community before heading north, towards Buhleni, where the homestead of the suspect is located.



The name of the suspect is known to this publication but will not be revealed for ethical reasons.

According to the residents, the suspect was identified by one of the victims who were attacked by the armed gang on Tuesday night. One of the people who was beaten by the gang shared with us the facial description of the suspect and his name, said a resident.



While marching to the homestead of the suspect, the residents were blocked by a group of police officers who informed them that it was unlawful and dangerous for them to search for the suspect.



A verbal showdown reportedly ensued as some of the residents insisted that they be allowed to search for the suspect.

We blatantly told the police that we will not back down as we have been shown the homestead of the suspect, said a resident.

After almost two hours, police eventually backed down.



They reportedly allowed the residents to continue with the manhunt but only if they would be accompanied by the police.

According to the residents, police also proposed that not all the residents should be part of the manhunt.
MBABANE  Mhubhe High School was warned about the chaos which erupted at the school.

The commotion which took place at the school came after foretold report by the department of Guidance and Counselling under the Ministry of Education and Training. This department had requested the school to intervene before the matter worsened.



The report, which is dated March 15, 2019, was addressed to the schools office as a follow-up of professional misconduct cases of teacher-learner relationships.



Fast forward to two months, the mayhem eventually happened and saw irate pupils rioting and vandalising property in the school. The furious pupils were protesting against one of their teachers, suspected to be having sexual relationships with female pupils.



Police and firefighters were called to the school, as pupils had burnt down the staffroom.

According to the report, the school manager was requested to facilitate a speedy handling of the case. It stated that the teacher was alleged to have sexual relationships with a number of learners in the school.



The name of the teacher will not be revealed because the matter is still subject to investigation. It further stated that the matter was reported to the police since it was a criminal offence. It further cited that a report was compiled and sent to the schools managers office through the Manzini regional education officer for professional misconduct disciplinary hearing as per the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) Act of 1982.



However, it reiterated that the matter had still not been attended to since then, and the learners were threatening to burn down the school because it seemed that the ministry was not doing anything about it.



Request



We kindly request the schools manager to intervene before the matter gets out of control, reads part of the report.

Agrippa Dlamini, the head teacher of the school, referred this reporter to the Regional Education Officer (REO), Mlimi Mamba.



Can I please refer you to the REO. I respect journalists and their job, but I am not allowed to comment on this matter further, thank you, Dlamini said.

REO Mamba confirmed receipt of the letter but refused to elaborate on it further.



I know what has happened and where we are as far as this issue is concerned. However, I prefer to keep to myself some of these things, Mamba said.

He further stated that the matter was still under investigation since it was at a sensitive stage. Mamba said the issue should be sorted out amicably in the most mature way. He further maintained that there would be a meeting at the school on Tuesday, May 14 at 9am. Meanwhile, the school has been closed until further notice.
MATSAPHA  Talk about a daylight robbery! This best describes the daring armed robbery of Swaziland Building Society (SBS) by a single man which took place on Wednesday afternoon at Mahhala, Matsapha.



The robber, who had his head covered by a hooded jacket, single-handedly had a walk in the park when he walked into SBS at about 4pm where he found a 30-year-old lone female bank employee and made away with cash.



The bank, which is known as SBS Matsapha 2 Branch, is situated behind Pep Stores, between the Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC) offices and Philani Clinic. It is also opposite (about 13 metres away) an empty structure, which the owner of the complex, Tommy Kirk, offered to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) to use as a police post, but the latter never used it as they preferred to utilise the mobile office by the main road. The institution is also about 200m away from Mahhala Police Post.



An impeccable source alleged that the bank was about to close when the incident happened. He said when the teller was about to step out of the door, the robber, who was armed with a pistol and carrying a large square black duffel bag, pushed her back into the bank while pointing the pistol straight to her head.

In the meantime, the source disclosed that a terrified security guard stood still by the door and the armed robber warned him not to dare make a movement or sound.



Loaded



Thereafter, the source said the robber threw the bag to the helpless teller and ordered her to fill it with money. He said the teller went behind the counter, opened shelves and loaded cash into the duffel bag until it was full.



Afterwards, he said the robber ordered the woman to follow him with the bag full of cash towards the door, where the security guard was. As they approached the door, he said the robber grabbed the bag from the teller and again gave them orders not to dare try to follow him or make any form of noise.

The source, who spoke to this publication after watching the highly classified closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras footage, said the man was seen literally walking casually through the passages towards the public toilets and down towards Total Filling Station.



The footage shows him crossing the road near the traffic lights near the filling station towards Star Paint where a car was waiting for him. He got into the car (which could not be identified as it was far from the CCTV camera) and it drove away, the source said. He said the way the man casually walked with the bag, no one could suspect he was a robber as he did not act like one.



When this publication interviewed some staff members from the surrounding businesses, they said they were shocked when they suddenly saw the place being flooded by uniformed and plain clothes police officers.

We did not hear anyone shouting for help or signal that there was a robbery. We only learnt about it towards 5pm when the place was littered with police officers, they said.



An effort by this publication to get hold of either the security guard or the teller proved futile as it was said that they were busy inside the bank with senior staff members.



Deployed



It is worth noting that the bank was closed yesterday and an employee was deployed outside to direct customers to use the other branch, which is near Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).



Again, about 20 plain clothes police officers from Matsapha and Manzini were patrolling the complex and they included officers from the Serious Crimes Unit (Lukhozi) and Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The officers were led by Manzini Regional Crime Branch Officer (RCBO) Superintendent Clement Sihlongonyane and Manzini Serious Crime Units Bizzah Dlamini.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the matter. She said on Wednesday at around 4:10pm, a 30-year-old woman of Ngwane Park reported that she was robbed an undisclosed amount of money which belonged to SBS. She said the woman was robbed by a man who was armed with a pistol while at Mahhala Shopping Complex.

She said the police were still investigating the matter and no one had been arrested yet. On another note, she urged the robber to surrender himself because there was no way he could escape the long arm of the law forever.

On the same note, SBS Marketing Manager Veli Dlamini also confirmed that there was a robbery at their Matsapha branch. He said no one was injured during the robbery.

However, he said the matter was still under investigation and they were still awaiting a police report. As such, he said the bank was not in a position to discuss the matter any further.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran\s leadership to sit down and talk with him about giving up Tehran\s nuclear program and said he could not rule out a military confrontation given the heightened tensions between the two countries.

At an impromptu news conference at the White House, Trump declined to say what prompted him to deploy the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group to the region over what was described as unspecified threats.

"We have information that you don\t want to know about," said Trump. "They were very threatening and we have to have great security for this country and many other places."

Trump was asked whether there was a risk of military confrontation with the American military presence in the area.

"I guess you could say that always, right? I don\t want to say no, but hopefully that won\t happen. We have one of the most powerful ships in the world that is loaded up and we don\t want to do anything," he said.

Trump, who last year pulled Washington out of a 2015 nuclear deal between six world powers and Iran, has expressed a willingness to meet Iranian leaders in the past to no avail and renewed that appeal in talking to reporters.

"What they should be doing is calling me up, sitting down. We can make a deal, a fair deal, we just don\t want them to have nuclear weapons  not too much to ask. And we would help put them back to great shape."

He added: "They should call. If they do, we\re open to talk to them."

Asked about Trump\s comments, Iran\s ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi said Iran had been talking with the six powers, including the United States, within the framework of the nuclear deal.

"All of a sudden he decided to leave the negotiating table.  What is the guarantee that he will not renege again?" Takht Ravanchi said in an MSNBC interview.

He dismissed U.S. allegations of an Iranian threat as "fake intelligence" and said they were "being produced by the same people who in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq did the same."

Trump accused former Secretary of State John Kerry, who helped the negotiate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from, of breaking a federal law by having contacts with the Iranians.

Last September Kerry told the Hugh Hewitt radio program that he had met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif three or four times.

Trump said Kerry had violated the 1799 Logan Act, which makes it a crime for individual American citizens to negotiate with foreign governments that have a dispute with the United States.

"He\s talking to Iran and has many meetings and many phone calls and he\s telling them what to do. That is total violation of the Logan Act," said Trump.

A Kerry spokesman said Trump was wrong.

"He\s wrong about the facts, wrong about the law, and sadly he\s been wrong about how to use diplomacy to keep America safe," the spokesman said. "We\d hope the president would focus on solving foreign policy problems for America instead of attacking his predecessors for theater."

SOURCE: REUTERS
Donation boost for children's medical center

From:Shine | 2019-05-10 00:29

The Shanghai Charity Foundation received a donation of 5 million yuan (US$733,000) on Thursday to help sick children from poor families and sponsor medical research at Shanghai Childrens Medical Center.

Essential oil company doTERRA China said the fund will be used to help poor children with rare and complicated diseases receive treatment at the center and also help launch training for doctors in childrens autism diagnosis and treatment.

The donation will help the hospital introduce the most advanced diagnostic tool for childrens autism and set up database for autistic children, give regular education and courses to parents to improve their ability to communicate with their autistic children.

Officials from the medical center welcomed this "very meaningful" support to sponsor the treatment of poor children as well as improve its clinical capabilities.

Shanghai Children's Medical Center / Ti Gong

Essential oil company doTERRA China has donated 5 million yuan to support the treatment of poor children and medical research at Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
Fighting climate change, safeguarding the rule of law and finding a modern model for growth must be at the heart of the European Union, the bloc\s leaders agreed in Thursday talks meant to show unity despite the damage from Brexit.

However, their informal gathering in the Romanian town of Sibiu did not produce clear decisions on how to achieve the ambitious goals, underscoring divisions in the EU along multiple fault lines and setting up battles ahead.

The leaders of all members except Britain met on Europe Day in Sibiu, which has German and Hungarian roots, 15 years after the EU\s expansion east finally consigned to history the Iron Curtain that had divided Europe since World War Two.

Ahead of European Parliament elections on May 23-26, the 27 leaders also had a first look at assigning the bloc\s most powerful jobs later this year.

"In 15 days, some 400 million Europeans will choose between a project  to build Europe further or a project to destroy, deconstruct Europe and return to nationalism," Macron told the gathering.

"Climate, protection of borders and a model of growth, a social model is what I really want for the coming years."

On climate change, France and eight other EU countries proposed getting to "net-zero greenhouse gas emissions" by 2050 and the bloc will now fight about how to frame and finance any transition to more environmentally-friendly policies.

"Nothing has changed when it comes to divides and different opinions about it," said the chairman of the talks, European Council President Donald Tusk who used to be the prime minister of Poland, one of the biggest EU stallers on climate reforms.

"What is new is this very fresh and energetic pressure," he said of youth protests growing in Europe to demand radical action to safeguard the planet. "There is no future for politicians without this sensitivity and imagination."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, mindful of her country\s powerful car industry, refused to endorse the French-led proposal entirely but backed spending a quarter of the EU\s next joint budget for 2021-28 on climate and energy efficiency.

A report released on Thursday by the World Wide Fund (WWF) and Global Footprint Network sharply criticized the EU, saying its members consumed the Earth\s resources faster than they can be renewed.

The leaders pledged to protect the rule of law at a time when the governments in post-communist members Poland, Hungary and Romania stand accused of undercutting democracy.

Divided over issues ranging from democratic standards to migration, the EU is grappling with the prospect of Britain\s departure, a wave of populism, and external challenges from China to Russia to the United States.

It is also lagging behind in areas from artificial intelligence to cyber security, and is scrambling to keep alive a troubled nuclear deal with Iran.

But the leaders signed off on a declaration promising to "defend one Europe", "stay united, through thick and thin" and "always look for joint solutions" ahead.

TOP JOBS UP FOR GRABS

Tusk announced another summit on May 28, two days after the European Parliament vote, to let the national leaders agree on appointing new people to hold the EU\s top roles until 2024.

This will involve fierce horse-trading over names to head the European Council, which brings together national leaders, the executive European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Central Bank and the joint diplomatic service.

All five posts are up for grabs later this year and the outgoing European Parliament has already picked its favorites for the Commission job including a conservative German, Manfred Weber, and a Dutch socialist, Frans Timmermans.

Many national leaders, however, want to keep control of the opaque process to themselves.

Agreement on top roles took three summits the last time round but Tusk said he wanted the new leadership in place in July and was ready to go for a majority vote if unanimity was missing.

Hungary\s eurosceptic Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke against Weber.

He did, however, get the backing of Merkel and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Macron, the leaders of Luxembourg and Lithuania opposed the idea of following the parliament\s choice.

Other names in the hat include Brexit negotiator Frenchman Michel Barnier, or Margrethe Vestager, Denmark\s current commissioner who imposed hefty fines on global tech giants Google and Apple.

SOURCE: REUTERS
U.S. and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their sixth round of peace talks on Thursday with "some progress" made on a draft agreement for when foreign troops might withdraw from Afghanistan, a Taliban official said.

The talks, in which the United States has also sought assurances the Taliban will not allow militant groups to use Afghanistan to stage attacks, began on April 30 in Qatar\s capital Doha.

About 17,000 foreign troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a U.S.-led NATO mission to help local forces.

The United States has been pushing the Taliban to agree to a ceasefire and to talk with Afghanistan\s government, which the militant group considers a U.S. puppet regime.

"The 6th round of talks  ended, with some progress made on the draft agreement prepared in the last round of talks," tweeted Muhammad Sohail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban\s political office in Doha

"In general, this round was positive and constructive. Both sides listened to each other with care and patience," he added.

The negotiations included the Taliban\s political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and a U.S. team led by special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

Khalilzad, an Afghan-born veteran U.S. diplomat, had suggested that the warring sides should declare a ceasefire as part of an effort to end the nearly 18-year war.

But the Taliban rejected Khalilzad\s offer and have continued attacks on government buildings and offices of foreign organizations.

On Wednesday, a Taliban attack on a U.S.-based aid group in Kabul killed at least nine people as members of the hardline Islamist group set off a huge explosion and battled security forces for over six hours.

At least 20 civilians were wounded in the attack, which saw several Taliban gunmen storm the Counterpoint International office.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Dubai Exports, a unit of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) recently hosted a forum to promote trade and investment between Arab and African countries



The two-day Agri-Food Forum was attended by 40 companies from 15 African countries, witnessed over 200 business-to-business (B2B) meetings on building mutual relations and enhancing agri-food exports.



Organised under the umbrella of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program (AATB), the forum highlighted the potential that agri-foods have in promoting domestic productivity, in creating jobs in Arab and African countries, and in facilitating mutual trade and investment.



Mohammed Ali Al Kamali, deputy CEO of Dubai Exports, said the forum primarily sought to enhance relations between the private sector in Africa and the UAE so that they are well-positioned to take advantage of existing and emerging opportunities in both regions.



"A key element of the Dubai Exports strategy is to support and create platforms for buyers and suppliers to share information on new and emerging markets, Al Kamali said.



Africa is an outstanding opportunity, as is evident from the high growth and rising demand being witnessed across countries in the continent. Growing consumption, connectivity and vast prospects for exports and investment makes it particularly competitive for Arab companies to build relations with Africa. The Agri-Food Forum had 40 leading agri-food companies from Africa representing the increasingly diverse tastes and preferences in the South, East, West and Central Africa.



Al Kamali added that the companies that represented different African markets in the forum were chosen on the basis of the growth rate and income levels of individuals, products imported from other countries, export advantage of Arab countries, and the scale of potential opportunities and challenges in each market.



Agri-food companies from Mauritania, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Mozambique were among the participants in the forum.



Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO ITFC said: "ITFC's collaboration with Dubai Exports reflects our shared interest in driving economic development across the Mena region and beyond. Through this forum, the AATB has been able to provide a practical springboard for intra-regional trade and in doing so act as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth and skilled employment in both regions.



With the OIC's target to achieve 25 per cent of intra-OIC trade share by 2025, our collaboration with Dubai Exports is especially well-timed as we continue to work towards supporting private sector development and improved livelihoods in OIC member countries."



The forum was dedicated to B2B meetings thus enabling participants to engage face-to-face, sharing information and feedback on the demand and export modalities. An open discussion on customs facilities, existing trade agreements and the nature of African markets was the highlight of the opening day. Each participant was given a detailed trade report on all countries represented in the forum.  TradeArabia News Service
Kabul, May 10 (UNI) Nine civilians were killed while nine others sustained injuries in landmine explosions in two Afghan provinces, authorities said Friday.



In one incident on Friday morning, five civilians were killed and four others wounded after a vehicle carrying them touched off an improvised explosive device (IED) in Nawa Maish district of central Daykundi province, district chief Hajji Baal Khan said.



The wounded were shifted to the district hospital and the next-of-kin of the victims were notified, Xinhua quoted an official as saying.



In northern Faryab province, four children were killed and five others wounded in an IED blast in a village of Dawlat Abad district on Thursday evening, provincial police spokesman Abdul Karim Urash told Xinhua.



The children were returning after grazing their animals before the explosion.



The officials blamed enemies of peace, referring to the Taliban militant group, for planting the IEDs.



Taliban militants have been using IEDs to make roadside bombs and landmines for targeting security forces, but the lethal home-made weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.



The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 3,800 civilians were killed and over 7,180 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2018 in the war-torn country, according to the United Nations mission figures.

UNI XC JAL 1327
Meeting on Possible Further Work on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities

11 June 2019 (One day)

At its fifty-sixth session in February 2019, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space noted that the delegation of Switzerland would hold a one-day brainstorming session at the expert level with a view to making progress on finding common ground on possible further work on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities (A/AC.105/1202, para. 263).



This meeting was held on 11 June at the Vienna International Centre.

Location
UW Board of Trustees to Interview Three Candidates for Acting President

The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees will interview three candidates for the office of acting president of the university during an executive session Wednesday, May 15.

The candidates are Chris Boswell, UWs former vice president for governmental and community affairs (2012-18); Bill Mai, former vice president for finance and administration (2013-18); and Neil Theobald, current vice president for finance and administration (since July 1, 2018).

The interviews will take place starting at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday during the boards regular meeting at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. The interviews will be in executive session under Wyoming Statute 16-4-405(a)(ii), to consider the appointment of a public employee.

Representatives of UWs Faculty Senate and Staff Senate will be invited to attend the interviews.

We are delighted to have three very strong candidates willing to serve the state and the university in this important leadership role at a key time in UWs history, Board of Trustees Chairman Dave True says. Our intent is to select an acting president who will, among other things, maintain the positive momentum of the university and lay the groundwork for a long-term president.

Although the interviews of the candidates will not be open to the public, the board will accept public input on the selection. Those with comments on the candidates are asked to submit them by going online here by 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 14.

More information about each of the candidates may be found here, here and here.

Following the interviews, the board is scheduled to deliberate in executive session Wednesday morning -- and Friday morning, if necessary. Selection of the acting president would take place in a public vote during a subsequent special meeting of the board.

The acting president will assume the universitys top leadership position July 1, following the completion of current President Laurie Nichols contract. It is anticipated the term of the acting president will be approximately one year, or until a long-term president is on board.

The UW Board of Trustees has not discussed details of the search for a long-term president, but members have expressed support for an open, transparent search process that involves stakeholders across UWs constituencies, including Wyoming citizens. Details will be discussed in future open meetings of the board.
Chet Strange for The Washington Post via Getty Images(DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo.) -- In the wake of a deadly shooting at a Colorado school this week, ABC News has obtained a letter in which a school official detailed a warning called in to the school board in December, describing a troubled school and concerns of a "repeat of Columbine" on the campus.



The internal school letter sent to Penelope "Penny" Eucker, executive director of the Highlands Ranch STEM School, outlines a phone call made by an anonymous woman who said she was the parent of a senior at the school complaining of an "extremely high drug culture" and "student violence due to high pressure environment."



Wendy Vogel, education director of the Douglas County School District Board, received the phone call from the parent on Dec. 17 and made detailed notes of the conversation, according to the letter.



The letter, dated Dec. 19, was written by Daniel Winsor, director of Choice Programming for the school district, and addressed to Eucker. A copy of the letter has also been conveyed to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office.



Winsor wrote that the parent cautioned Vogel that a "perfect storm" was brewing at the school and that students were "susceptible to 'copy-catting'" of Colorado mass shootings, specifically the April 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton that left 12 students and a teacher dead, and the December 2013 shooting at Arapahoe High School in which a gunman fatally shot one student before killing himself.



"The individual expressed concern about a repeat of Columbine and Arapahoe," according to the letter sent to Eucker. "Many students are suicidal and violent in school. Several students have reported sexual assault in school and that nothing is being done."



The anonymous caller also complained of STEM School students "dealing and using cocaine, meth, marijuana, and LSD, including putting marijuana in drinks."



"Several students have gone to rehab," the caller told Vogel, according to the letter.



The caller also recounted an incident in which a student spread feces on the walls at the school, and said that a bomb threat had been made after "kids learned how to build a bomb in school."



"The executive director has ignored many complaints and issues that have been brought forward and told this individual, 'I know we have bullying and special needs students that cause problems, but those students will just leave,'" the letter states.



The letter, quoting the anonymous parent, states that the Douglas County Sheriff's Department had investigated several issues at the school and "they have expressed concerns about safety issues."



Winsor concluded the letter by writing that school district officials were requesting an investigation of the allegations "to determine their legitimacy and to take any remedial action that may be appropriate."



In a statement to ABC News on Thursday, STEM school officials said the allegations were investigated and found to be without merit.



"While STEM took the allegations seriously, our investigation revealed no evidence to support any of the allegations raised in the anonymous complaint," according to the statement.



Just before 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, a pair of gunmen, both allegedly students at the STEM School, opened fire on classmates. An 18-year-old student, identified as Kendrick Castillo, was shot to death when he and two other students charged one of the gunmen inside a classroom in an attempt to stop the shooting, police and witnesses said.



Joshua Jones, 18, one of the students who helped tackle alleged gunman Devon Erickson, spoke out about the incident on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday, explaining how Castillo pushed the gunman against a wall before he and student Brendan Bialy grabbed him and threw him to the ground.



"When it actually happened, I had to make that decision that nobody should really ever have to make, which was run toward the gunman or run away from him. I chose to run towards him," said Jones, who suffered two gunshot wounds to his left leg in the encounter.



Meanwhile, a court hearing scheduled Friday for Erickson and his alleged accomplice, a juvenile whose name has not been released, was postponed until May 15, while investigators continue to collect evidence in the case and determine a motive for the shooting.



The suspects allegedly obtained the handguns used in the attack by breaking into a locked gun cabinet belonging to one of their parents, law enforcement sources told ABC News.



The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is also investigating whether an armed security guard at the school, identified by his lawyer as Marine veteran Shamson Sundara, 29, mistakenly fired at least one shot in the direction of a responding deputy during the chaotic moments of the shooting, and whether a student was injured by his gunfire, law enforcement sources told ABC News.



Police and sheriff's deputies who responded to the shooting did not fire a single shot, sources said.



"He took every measure in his power to prevent further harm of students ... and I think he's a hero," Sundara's attorney, Robert Burk, told ABC News.



Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said that the actions Sundara took "saved lives."

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.


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.
The Steering Committee of the EU-WCO Programme for the Harmonized System (HS) in Africa held its first meeting on 2 May 2019 at the WCO headquarters in Brussels. Representatives of the EU, the WCO, the African Union as well as selected Regional Economic Communities and Customs administrations from Africa gathered to discuss and validate the overall strategy of the Programme and its approach to planning aspects of the Programme implementation.

The meeting was held in the margin of the WCO Conference on the future of the HS to allow the Steering Committee members to engage in discussions on strategic dimensions of the HS and have a better understanding of the key role that it plays in regional and continental integration, its value as a trade facilitation instrument and its prominence in the work of the WCO and its Members.

In his opening address, Mr. Liu Ping, Director of Tariff-and Trade Affairs at the WCO, expressed his confidence that the Programme has the adequate capacity and resources to reach its objectives, even if a great deal of work lies ahead so that beneficiaries may catch up with the rhythm of the HS amendments. He congratulated the Steering Committee on holding its first meeting and wished the Programme every success in moving forward.

Those remarks were echoed by Mrs. Brenda Mundia, Deputy Director of Capacity Building at the WCO, who chaired the meeting of the Committee. She welcomed the progress made in the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA ) stressing the fact that the HS would be indispensable for the AfCFTA to become fully functional. She pointed out that the Programme is a major step to support the implementation of the HS on the African continent emphasising the importance of ensuring synergies with other initiatives undertaken by the Capacity Building Directorate for targeted and efficient technical assistance.

The Steering Committee examined and discussed the Programme governance structure, the key objectives to be achieved, the strategic vision of the implementation phases and the overall planning process. The Committee approved the proposed way forward, and encouraged more African Regional Economic Communities and Customs administrations to join the Programme as beneficiaries.

For more information on this activity contact wcoHSAfrica@wcoomd.org
At the invitation of Mr. Pranab Kumar Das, Asia/Pacific Regional Vice-Chair and Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) of India, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya attended the 20th Asia/Pacific Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference held in Kochi, Kerala, India from 8 to 10 May 2019.

Chairman Das extended a warm welcome to delegates from 23 Members of the Region, and to representatives from the Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB) and the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO).

Secretary General Mikuriya highlighted the critical role played by technology in streamlining Customs procedures and outlined the key areas of work covered under the WCO theme for 2019 : SMART borders for seamless Trade, Travel and Transport.

He presented the WCOs key priorities captured in the new Strategic Plan, highlighting, among other things:

automation, data analytics, and the use of technology;

existing initiatives addressing emerging security threats;

performance measurement, including the work being carried out to ensure that the World Bank takes into account Customs' input when preparing the Doing Business" report;

the WCO Framework of Standards on cross-border e-commerce; and

the strategic review of key WCO instruments, such as the Harmonized System and the Revised Kyoto Convention.

The Conference listened to a progress report on implementation of the 2018-2020 Regional Strategic Plan, as well as activity reports by the Vice-Chair, ROCB and RILO. Delegates discussed a broad range of topics, including Trade Facilitation, Small Island Economies, Performance Measurement, Security and Cruise Ships. Directors General of Customs also held breakout sessions on the topic of e-Commerce to discuss ongoing and future work.

Secretary General Mikuriya joined with delegates to thank the Indian authorities for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to participants.

The Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference was preceded by a Trade Day held on 7 May. The event, attended by over 150 delegates representing Customs and the private sector, focused on trade facilitation as a driver of economic prosperity. Issues addressed included e-commerce, supply chain logistics, blockchain technology and trade partnerships.
The WCO organized a Risk Management (RM) Workshop in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, from 27 April to 1 May 2019 with financial support from the Customs Cooperation Fund of Japan (CCF/Japan). The event was attended by some 50 participants from different units of the Customs Administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRICA), based at Headquarters as well as at Customs houses in the field.

The Workshop was opened by Mr. Ali Baidei Mofradnia, IRICAs Deputy President for Planning and International Affairs, Mr. Hossein Kakhki, Director General of the International Cooperation Department, and the WCO representative. During the opening remarks, the importance of RM and intelligence in Customs daily work was highlighted. Emphasis was also placed on the relationship between risk-based selectivity and effective resource allocation, in addition to the implications for trade facilitation.

The Workshop began by focusing on certain RM elements at an organizational level, before covering risk assessment, profiling and targeting techniques alongside intelligence support for RM. Group assignments, practical exercises and case studies contributed to deepening the participants understanding of the topics covered. Each session was followed by a question and answer period on how to implement the theory and the methodology explained in the WCO Customs Risk Management Compendium. Essential elements of an effective RM system were then summarized during the final sessions.

A report was developed by the participants, comprising an assessment of the RM system in place together with policy recommendations incorporating references to the good practices highlighted during the Workshop.

During the closing session, the Director General of the International Cooperation Department, Mr. Kakhki, and the WCO representative congratulated the participants on their achievements, reminding them of the importance of having well-trained staff and of institutionalizing the lessons learned to ensure the success of an RM programme within an administration.

The Workshop proved a very good opportunity for IRICA to strengthen its existing RM processes and adopt new approaches as a solid foundation for future operations involving RM, profiling and targeting, including information exchange and intelligence.

IRICA expressed its appreciation to the WCO for its continued support with RM and with other areas of Customs.
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
By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 09, 2019 | 09:31 PM | PADUCAH

Carter, a twenty year veteran of education, fourteen of which have been spent as the Union County Deputy Superintendent, explained that his goal for McCracken County Schools is not just to be good, but great. He feels that the District has noteworthy achievements and that these should be celebrated.





He said, "the students are what it's all about." He went on to say, "we are going to focus on what we need to do for our kids and the future of McCracken County."





Carter said he believes in doing things right, but as Superintendent, is charged with doing things legally correct, and will do so. He mentioned that when adults need to be held accountable, honest conversation will take place. He also believes in being "brutally honest" and will deal with issues immediately.





His start date will be July 1st, and he said his most important first step will be to get everyone to focus on student achievement.



With a unanimous vote on Thursday evening, the McCracken County School Board hired Union County Deputy Superintendent Steve Carter, as the new McCracken County School Superintendent.
New Year's Eve still on in Times Square, but with smaller crowd
By The Associated Press May. 10, 2019 | 08:56 AM | FRANKFORT

The three leading Democrats running for Kentucky governor agree their state badly needs a new chief executive, and they've hit the Republican incumbent with a barrage of attacks. But they dial back the criticism when it comes to his most prominent backer, President Donald Trump.

Instead they turn to issues like gambling, solar energy and free community college to set themselves apart.

The top Democratic candidates on the May 21 primary ballot  Attorney General Andy Beshear, state House Minority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins and ex-state auditor Adam Edelen  are competing for the support of a Democratic base riled up by GOP Gov. Matt Bevin's combative style. Also running is frequent Democratic candidate Geoff Young.

Overshadowing it all is Trump's popularity in the bluegrass state, which could hamper the eventual Democratic nominee. Trump won Kentucky by a landslide in 2016. Bevin has tied his reelection hopes to Trump, claiming credit for Republicans for the state's job growth and low unemployment.

Beshear, long considered the Democratic front runner, casts himself as Bevin's main rival. He has challenged the governor's executive actions and sued him on pension and education issues. In the highest-profile case, Beshear filed the lawsuit that led the state Supreme Court to strike down a Bevin-backed pension law on procedural grounds last year.

"We have to beat Matt Bevin ... and I'm the guy with the track record for doing so," Beshear said.

Adkins, the top-ranking Democrat in the GOP-dominated Kentucky House, points to his experience in helping craft budgets and shape legislation. He was a member of the Democratic leadership team long before Republicans took control of the chamber in 2017.

"I've been in the trenches a long time, having to make tough decisions," Adkins said.

Edelen touts himself as best able to transform Kentucky's economy. He cites his own track record and his lead role in developing a massive solar power project on a former Appalachian coal mine.

"We've got to have a governor who has a sense of what the future looks like and knows how to build it," Edelen said.

Beshear started the race with one big advantage  his last name.

His father, Steve Beshear, was a popular two-term governor who guided the state through recession and expanded Kentucky's Medicaid program. His action brought health insurance to more than 400,000 new people.

Edelen was Steve Beshear's chief of staff during his first term as governor. But he expresses no misgivings about running against his ex-boss' son. Asked why, he said bluntly, "Because I dislike entitlement, period."

The Democratic campaign was mostly mild-mannered until a group supporting Edelen unleashed a TV ad attacking Andy Beshear.

Edelen followed with his own ad targeting Tim Longmeyer, Beshear's former top deputy in the attorney general's office. Longmeyer, who previously worked in Steve Beshear's administration, was sent to prison for orchestrating a kickback scheme. Federal authorities said neither Beshear was aware of Longmeyer's crimes.

All three leading Democrats oppose Bevin's efforts to require some Medicaid recipients to get a job, go to school or volunteer to keep their benefits. And they each support legalizing medical marijuana. They also defend the rights of teachers to use sick days to attend statehouse rallies.

Adkins breaks with the others on another hot-button issue. He has supported some bills to restrict abortion, while Edelen and Beshear tout their abortion-rights credentials.

"I am pro-life, and you express the views of your constituents that you represent in the legislature through your votes," Adkins said at a debate.

The three are vying to stand out through their policy goals. Beshear wants to expand gambling in Kentucky and use the proceeds to help fund the state's struggling public pension systems. Adkins touts free community college and job training for adults. Edelen backs decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use.

They all ridicule Bevin's job performance but tip-toe around Trump.

At a debate, Beshear called the governor a bully but wouldn't say the same of Trump, who has been criticized for hurling insults on his Twitter account. Asked about the Republican president's behavior, Beshear said: "Name calling is always wrong."

Adkins says the race should be about Bevin. Elliott County, where Adkins is from, voted for Trump in 2016, the first time it had voted for a Republican presidential candidate.

Edelen, who lost his reelection bid as state auditor in 2015 when Bevin won the governorship, calls Trump's election a "wake-up call" for Democrats.

"In rural Kentucky, people feel sold out," Edelen said. "And guess what? They were. It was our party that pushed free-trade deals that eliminated their jobs. It was our party that ignored making investments in these communities as a part of displacement."

Democrats, he said, failed to offer an alternative as Trump rose to power.

"We didn't speak to these folks," Edelen said. "It's not enough just to damn the other side, folks. We as a party have to look in the mirror."

Adkins, long known as a moderate, believes he is best positioned to win back Republican-leaning voters.

"I'm from rural Kentucky, where we've been losing a lot of Democratic voters," he said. "I think I am the type of Democrat that can bring Democrats back."
By The Associated Press May. 09, 2019 | 10:10 PM | FRANKFORT

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin's administration can push ahead with subpoenas sent to school districts as part of an investigation into teacher sickouts, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves denied a temporary restraining order sought by the state's attorney general to block the subpoenas. The case  escalating a feud between the state's governor and attorney general  stems from teacher protests at Kentucky's Capitol while the Republican-led legislature was in session this year. The sickouts forced some schools to close.

The protests over several education bills were part of a wave of teacher activism that began last year in West Virginia and spread to other states, including Oklahoma and Arizona.

The subpoenas in Kentucky seek the names of teachers who might have used sick days to attend the statehouse rallies. The state's Labor Cabinet has the authority to fine public employees for participating in illegal work stoppages.

Attorney General Andy Beshear on Thursday called the judge's ruling disappointing but said the case is "far from over." He added that "our teachers should be respected, not attacked."

State Labor Cabinet spokeswoman Haley Bradburn said the ruling "correctly recognized the harmful impact of the 'sickouts' on Kentucky students, parents, employers and taxpayers."

The ruling will allow the cabinet to "fulfill its statutory obligation to all Kentuckians," she said.

The case is wrapped up in election-year politics. Bevin, a Republican, is seeking reelection this year, and Beshear hopes to prevail in this month's Democratic primary to try to unseat him.

Bevin has ridiculed the lawsuit seeking to block the subpoenas as "an absolute stunt" and told reporters recently that Beshear was "ginning up things to try to help his campaign."

After the ruling, Beshear vowed to "continue to fight this governor's attempts to punish and fine our teachers $1,000 per day."

Beshear initially sued in state court to block the subpoenas sent to 10 school districts.

He claims the state's labor secretary exceeded his authority in issuing the subpoenas because the teachers were not involved in a strike or work stoppage. Bevin's legal team says students and parents were harmed by school closings and the labor investigation should continue.

The case was shifted to federal court recently after state Labor Cabinet attorneys filed a notice of removal from state court.

In his ruling, Reeves said most information sought in the subpoenas has been provided to labor officials. Education officials recently gave Bevin's administration the names of teachers possibly involved in sickouts after receiving a subpoena from the state.

During a recent hearing before Reeves, attorneys said the records handed over by education officials contained names and some other information, such as doctors' excuses, but not everything sought by the Labor Cabinet, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Reeves' ruling also said that refusing to block the subpoenas "protects third parties from harm and promotes the public interest." Bevin's attorneys have argued that sickouts that closed schools left parents scrambling for child care.

There's a public interest in the cabinet's ability to investigate sickouts, the judge said.

"The citizens of Kentucky pay the salaries of the school employees involved in the 'sickouts,'" Reeves wrote. "Public education is not free. And if teachers violate the law, the Labor Cabinet should be able to investigate. An injunction prohibiting the Labor Cabinet from doing its statutorily authorized duty ... jeopardizes the public perception of the government."

Some might think the lawsuit's claims "stand logic on its head  and they may be correct," the judge said.

"Students are expected to attend classes," he said. "If they fail to do so without a valid excuse, their absence is duly-noted and appropriate action is taken. But the teachers at the center of this controversy expect different treatment."

The judge added that he also denied the motion for a restraining order because plaintiffs "have not shown a likelihood of success on the merits of their claims."




A completed part of Nyangbon's ongoing project of a 1,000-meter-long thangka scroll that shows the development of Tibetan Buddhism and a spectrum of Tibetan culture. [For China Daily]

Since he started learning thangka painting at age 12, Nyangbon, now in his late 40s, and a generation of other artists have dedicated years to the revival of the ancient Buddhist art form.

Seeing the interest of young people in preserving thangka, Nyangbon, a master painter from NW China's Qinghai Province, says it's time to take the revitalization a step further.

Five years ago, Nyangbon launched an ambitious project to paint a 1,000-meter-long scroll that shows the development of Tibetan Buddhism and a wide spectrum of Tibetan culture.

Nyangbon, being the scroll's chief designer and lead painter, is working with dozens of senior thangka painters, and so far the team has completed some 500 meters of area.

Nyangbon displayed some 30 meters of completed parts at Buddhist Sublimity, an exhibition at the National Art Museum of China that ended on May 5. It also showed dozens of his other thangka paintings and preparatory drawings, some of which were made more than 20 years ago and loaned from private collectors for the exhibition.

Nyangbon says the ongoing project on the 1,000-meter-long scroll is to produce "an encyclopedia of Tibetan culture".

Nyangbon introduces his artworks to visitors in a recent exhibition at the National Art Museum of China. [For China Daily]

The lengthy painting seeks to trace the origins of Tibetan Buddhism. It will depict important temples and their surrounding landscape. It will also present the diversity of Tibetan culture to include the knowledge of astronomy, calendars, medicine  featuring diagrams of the human body and pictures of medical instruments  and folklore.

The opening section of the scroll, which was displayed at the Beijing exhibition, shows the Buddha, the 18 arhats and four gods. The meticulous strokes, refined layout and rich colors exemplify a regional style of thangka painting held dear by artists, including Nyangbon, who hail from villages along the Longwu River in Qinghai's Regong area.

Thangka and other arts practiced by monks and artists of Tibetan and Tu ethnic groups in the region are known collectively as the Regong arts  inscribed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.

An experienced thangka painter knows how the established measurements of Buddhist deities and teachers are to be drawn on an artwork. The artist has to strictly follow the instructions on drawing lines and figures, matching colors and pattern designs as provided in ancient texts on the art form.

Nyangbon says many young painters, however, can paint only a small number of the deities while knowing little about the drawing measurements of the rest, a reason for which is the demand in the art market for only certain figures such as an avatar of the Buddha and the goddess Tara, although traditionally, many were drawn.

"There are more than 70 bodhisattvas, and yet, thangka collectors today favor only four or five."

He says the production of the lengthy scroll will help to reintroduce to artists and collectors some Buddhist figures that are less visible. The step is an important part of preserving thangka art.

Nyangbon says all artists taking part in the time-consuming project have practiced the art form for at least a decade. They hope to complete the entire scroll in the next five years.
A model walks the runway during the Zhejiang Traditional Craft Innovation Exhibition at Asia House in London, Britain on May 8, 2019. Organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the exhibition is a part of the fifth London Crafts Week and will last for four days. [Xinhua/Han Yan]

An exhibition of traditional craft innovation of China's Zhejiang Province on Wednesday opened in London's Asia House, fusing Chinese traditional craft with the power of innovation.

Organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Zhejiang Traditional Craft Innovation exhibition is a part of the fifth London Crafts Week and will last for four days.

According to the organizer, the exhibition is based on the design and interpretation of five traditional materials, namely bamboo, wood, silk, copper and china. It presents designs which demonstrate the innovation and power of Chinese traditional craft, with the aim of deepening understanding of the local culture of eastern China's Zhejiang Province in Britain and Europe, as well as encouraging an exchange of creative and cultural ideas.

A fashion show is also staged at Asia House on Wednesday night, showing the audience the beauty of Chinese clothing techniques.

A model walks the runway during the Zhejiang Traditional Craft Innovation Exhibition at Asia House in London, Britain on May 8, 2019. Organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the exhibition is a part of the fifth London Crafts Week and will last for four days. [Xinhua/Han Yan]

The clothes worn by the models combine traditional Chinese elements with modern fashion trends, redefining the charm of traditional Chinese costumes, integrating traditional art into modern life, and giving the classic culture a new radiance, which has won warm applause from the audience.

Wang Shenghong, designer of the show, said he believes art and culture is unbounded because the Internet has broken the boundary. "I feel that the Chinese and Western cultures will gradually merge in the future, and the integration will become more and more exciting, and more and more comfortable to all people," he said.

After watching the exhibition and show, Irish architect and designer Angela Brady told Xinhua she loves the designs and thinks the colour is the workmanship and fashion style. "I think it's quite unique and special and that's what makes this Chinese but also international and appeals people like me," she said.

Brady said collaboration between China and Ireland could be achieved through art and design craft. "I've worked in China as an architect on projects there and I've worked with Chinese people. And I can see we can come together in a very companionable way and I see this now through design craft."

A child model walks the runway during the Zhejiang Traditional Craft Innovation Exhibition at Asia House in London, Britain on May 8, 2019. Organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the exhibition is a part of the fifth London Crafts Week and will last for four days. [Xinhua/Han Yan]

The fifth London Craft Week opened Wednesday in London, ushering in a five-day celebration of global creativity. More than 240 makers, designers, brands, artists and galleries from 15 countries participated in the event, offering the public a packed program of exhibitions, hands-on workshops, talks, creative experiences, and one-off events.

According to the organizer, Zhejiang Province has always been committed to inheriting and developing excellent traditional craft and promoting the re-inheritance and re-design of traditional craft, which has the same goal with London Craft Week.

(Source: Xinhua)
Nurse Li Qin of neonatology department feeds an infant at Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 19, 2018. [Xinhua/Tao Liang]

China will offer families support and guidance on infant care, according to a guideline on the care of infants under three released by the General Office of the State Council.

The country will guarantee maternity leave and encourage employers to enable employees who are parents of infants to work flexible hours, said the guideline.

The government will support stay-at-home parents in finding employment, providing related information, employment guidance and vocational skill training.

The guideline also called for early child development guidance for families as well as healthcare services for infants provided by the government.

(Source: Xinhua)
In China, protecting human rights is not a concept or slogan, it's protected by law and therefore must be enforced. [Tuchong]

China has made remarkable achievements in improving human rights protection over the past 70 years, notably in people's livelihoods and development rights, especially after respecting and protecting human rights were added to the Constitution, human rights experts said.

"In China, protecting human rights is not a concept or slogan, it's protected by law and therefore must be enforced," Xu Xianming, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and deputy head of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said on Thursday at a human rights forum.

In 1949, Chinese people's human rights were gravely threatened by poverty, poor health conditions and lack of education. In the early 1990s, the central government decided to prioritize improving basic livelihoods and development rights by promoting poverty alleviation as well as providing better healthcare and education, Xu said at the forum at Jilin University in Changchun, Jilin Province.

Furthermore, adding respect and protection of human rights to the Constitution in 2004 marked a new era for China's human rights protection. Also, it has made people more aware of their human rights, said Xu, who is also deputy head of the NPC's Supervision and Justice Committee.

"China sees improving people's livelihoods as key to improving their human rights. It has also been attaching great importance to promoting equality," said Qiangba Puncog, head of the society and former vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

Qiangba Puncog said China will step up efforts in helping other countries improve their human rights conditions by providing more aid and sharing the fruits of cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013.

Chinese businesses must fully respect the human rights of local employees and business partners when operating in countries taking part in the initiative so that it can be sustainable, said Xu Yawen, a law professor at Wuhan University, in Hubei Province.

More than 100 human rights experts took part in the forum.

"Chinese corporations need to carry out human rights risk assessments before launching any overseas projects and try to eliminate risks before they become reality, which can be very damaging to the corporation as well as the initiative," Xu Yawen said.

Many Chinese corporations have already set up offices to deal with social responsibility-related issues. Such offices can be upgraded to human rights responsibility departments. The heads of these departments can alert decision-makers about possible human rights violations when investing abroad, he added.
China has been playing a greater role in safeguarding and developing Cambodia's cultural heritage, Apsara National Authority's spokesman Long Kosal said.

Apsara National Authority is the management authority responsible for protecting and preserving the Historic Site of Angkor, a world heritage site, located in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap Province.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Kosal said China has helped restore ruined temples in the complex of Angkor since 1997 by renovating the Chau Say Tevoda temple and the Ta Keo temple.

The work on Chau Say Tevoda was concluded in 2008 and that on Ta Keo, which began in late 2010, was finished in 2018, he said.

"We're very satisfied with the results of renovation work conducted by the Chinese experts on the two temples," said Kosal, who is also the director of Apsara National Authority's communications department.

"Chinese experts' skills and expertise in renovating the two temples are very high and the results of their renovation work have been highly evaluated by the ICC-Angkor's technical committee," he said.

The ICC-Angkor stands for International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor.

"The Chinese experts receive admiration not only from the archaeologists, but also from local and foreign tourists for their excellent work in restoring the two temples to their original shapes," he said.

Kosal said he himself was also impressed with the Chinese experts' high skills and expertise in restoring the temples to their previous forms.

The spokesman said after decades of participation in the protection of Angkor, it was no doubt that the Chinese experts have grown up from followers into team leaders in the international arena of cultural heritage protection.

"I think that China has been playing a bigger role in safeguarding and developing cultural heritage of humanity in Cambodia and other countries," he said.

Kosal said Cambodia has three world heritage sites, namely the Historic Site of Angkor, the Preah Vihear Temple, and the Sambor Prei Kuk Archeological Site, and China has been involved in the restoration work on ruined temples in two sites.

"China has helped protect ancient temples in the Angkor and has also expanded her assistance to the Preah Vihear Temple," he said, adding that China is currently the co-chair of the ICC-Preah Vihear.

"This is a practical example of China's active support for the protection of world heritage sites," he said.

New Renovation Project Under China's Aid to Start

Kosal said last year, Cambodia entrusted China to renovate the Royal Palace of Angkor Thom in the Angkor complex, and the 11-year renovation work was expected to begin soon.

"We entrusted China to restore the former Royal Palace of Angkor Thom because we recognized China's role, effort, commitment and attention to safeguarding and developing the Historic Site of Angkor," he said. "We're totally confident in the Chinese experts' skills and expertise."

The spokesman said the renovation work on ancient temples is not like the renovation of modern structures. It needs high skills, expertise and commitment, and the Chinese experts are qualified enough to achieve this important mission.

"This project will contribute further to expanding long-standing cultural relations between our two countries," he said. "We hope that the Chinese experts will bring this ruined Royal Palace of Angkor Thom back to its previous glory."

China's Aid Vital to Capacity Building for Cambodia

Kosal said China's aid has not only greatly contributed to preserving ancient temples, but also helped train Cambodian experts on renovation and preservation work.

"Through these projects, our experts' capacity has been improved and some have become project leaders, technicians and consultants," he said. "This results from fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and China."

According to the spokesman, local experts have also learned Chinese language, taught by teachers sent from the Confucius Institute.

Meanwhile, Kosal praised some Chinese archeological experts who have helped save Cambodia's ancient temples, saying that their devotion to the cause of cultural heritage protection is "highly appreciated and honored."

Sharing his view about more young Chinese experts in temple renovation projects, he said young Chinese experts are also necessary to ensure work sustainability for a long run.

"Currently, technology has also played an important role in preserving ancient temples, so younger generation experts may bring new ideas, visions and technology in assisting to renovate and to preserve ancient temples," he said.

(Source: Xinhua)
Dispute which has stopped hundreds of patients in Wales from being treated at Countess looks to have been resolved

This article is old - Published: Friday, May 10th, 2019

A dispute which has prevented hundreds of patients in Wales from being treated at an English hospital looks to have been resolved.

Last month it was revealed the Countess of Chester Hospital would no longer take in outpatients from over the border after officials said they were not being paid sufficiently to look after them.

The move sparked widespread anger, particularly in Flintshire where a large number of people are affected, and the situation was branded unacceptable by Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething.

Mr Gething has issued a statement today confirming that a resolution has been agreed, he said: As explained in the statement I issued on 11 April, regarding the unilateral decision taken by the Countess of Chester Hospital (CoCH) in relation to Welsh patients, engagement has continued at both Ministerial and official level with the UK Government to resolve the issue in the best interest of patients.

I can now confirm that cross-border healthcare arrangements for 2019/20 have been agreed.

My expectation is that the CoCH will honour the agreement reached and reverse the decision not to accept new elective referrals for Welsh patients.

Mr Gething says he remains disappointed with the action taken by the CoCH whilst negotiations were ongoing.

This was wholly avoidable and a transparent breach of the agreed protocol on cross border healthcare, he added.

What is evident is that changes introduced to the tariff costs in England since 2017 have created a complex set of issues in relation to cross border arrangements. Wales will now have a seat on the Tariff Advisory Group.

My focus during the last month has been in resolving the issue and moving quickly to agree a solution in the best interest of patients. I am hopeful the agreement reached provides re- assurance to Welsh residents that depend on cross border healthcare arrangements.

Commenting on the news that North Wales cross-border healthcare arrangements have been resolved, acting Welsh Conservative Health spokesperson, Darren Millar AM, said: Although Im delighted to hear that the UK Government has stepped in to help the patients of North Wales, its a great shame that it came to this.

The Welsh Labour Government already received 1.20 to spend on patients for every 1 spent in England, but thanks to characteristic abysmal planning by the Health Minister, the correct rates were not paid for several years to the English hospitals propping up the Welsh NHS, and warnings to the government were ignored.

Now that even more money will need to be provided by the UK Government for this financial year, Welsh Conservatives will be keeping a close eye on how the Welsh Government moves forward with this situation, holding it to account and ensuring patients are not left to suffer again thanks to its disastrous inability to plan ahead with our healthcare system.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 01:02:39|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Police in Ethiopia's western regional state of Benishangul Gumuz has arrested 62 people in connection with recent deadly ethnic violence, an official said on Thursday.

Benishangul Gumuz Police Commissioner Mohammed Hamednil said the 62 were arrested together with hundreds of blunt weapons the suspects are believed to have used in recent ethnic violence.

Transportation services that had been suspended within areas in Benishangul Gumuz regional state and between Benishangul Gumuz regional state and the neighboring Amhara regional state have resumed, Hamednil said.

An investigation team consisting of federal and regional police officers have been deployed to unrest-affected areas to look into what caused the deadly unrest, he said.

On Friday, the Benishangul Gumuz Communication Office said 21 people were killed in ethnic violence in the region in April.

The violence involved members of the Gumuz ethnic group and the Amhara ethnic group, the office said in a statement.

Ethiopia follows an ethnic federalism model, which has been credited with giving self-governance rights to the more than 80 ethnic groups that make Ethiopia's population of about 105 million.

However, critics say the federalism model magnifies ethnic diversity at the expense of national unity, leading to occasional deadly ethnic clashes.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 01:47:52|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Oulu District Court in northern Finland sentenced a 20-year-old man to four years' imprisonment on Thursday for aggravated sexual abuse and brutal rape of a minor, local media reported.

The victim was a 13-year-old girl with cognitive and behavioral disorders, according to Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

The offender and the victim had contacted via social media and met for several times.

In addition to the prison sentence, the man of African background was also ordered to pay 22,000 euros (24,691 U.S. dollars) of compensation to the victim for pain, suffering and mental illness.

Eight suspects of foreign background were involved in the case, and accused of abusing the same girl over a period of five months in 2018. Five of them were suspected of aggravated rape, three were suspected of physical assault and four of buying sexual services from a minor.

The case was disclosed by the police in late summer last year. The trial began last month and the eight defendants are to stand trial separately.

The Oulu police reported earlier that they were investigating 29 criminal offenses suspected of serious sexual assault against minors in Oulu. Totaling 30 suspects and 21 victims were involved in the cases. Some of the suspects were Finnish citizens and others with foreign background.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 02:13:01|Editor: Liu

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Union on Thursday rejected a 60-day deadline for the signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal to address Iran's "rights" under the deal and urged Iran to remain committed to its obligations.

In a joint statement on Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Britain expressed "great concern" about Iran's recent suspension of some of its commitments under the accord -- officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- in reciprocation for Washington's withdrawal last year, according to Press TV.

On Wednesday, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani announced Tehran's withdrawal from complying with the restrictions posed by the JCPOA on the country's enriched uranium reserves and heavy water supplies.

Rouhani also set a 60-day deadline for the remaining parties to the deal to fulfill their obligations, particularly in preserving Iran's interests in the areas of banking and oil.

"We reject any ultimatums and we will assess Iran's compliance on the basis of Iran's performance regarding its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA and the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons)," the EU statement said.

"In this respect, we recall the key role of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) monitoring and verification of the implementation by Iran of its nuclear-related commitments," it added.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 02:18:03|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

VIENNA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Thursday rejected criticism from the United Nations (UN) over his country's migration policy, in comments made to the Austria Press Agency.

A newly-released UN report based on observations made by experts last October brought up numerous alleged issues such as a lack of legal aid for asylum seekers in Austria, as well as a focus on speeding up asylum procedures and deportations.

It said there was no mutual respect shown from Austrian authorities to migrants, but rather mistrust.

In response, Kurz said his government "takes all criticism seriously, but as chancellor I will not allow for Austria to be badmouthed."

He said in comparison to other European countries Austria has made an "excellent contribution" to tackling the migrant crisis.

In addition,Austria has granted asylum to the highest number of people on a per-capita basis, he said, and called on the UN to "also examine the remaining 27 EU countries."

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet would then "quickly learn that few countries in the world have such high human rights standards and that we have more than fulfilled our obligations in tackling the migrant crisis," Kurz said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 02:48:20|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday held phone conversations with his Brazilian counterpart on bilateral relationship and the Venezuela issue.

Pompeo and Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo reaffirmed bilateral partnership and their cooperation to address regional issues, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

The two top diplomats specifically discussed the situations in Venezuela, and reiterated their support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, according to the statement.

The United States, as well as Brazil, no longer acknowledges Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader, but recognizes Guaido who proclaimed himself interim president on Jan. 23.

Washington and Brasilia are upgrading their security relations. President Donald Trump on Wednesday formally notified U.S. Congress his intent to designate Brazil as a Major Non-NATO Ally, which would give Brazil preferential access to U.S. military assistance.

Trump announced his intention to upgrade the status of U.S.-Brazil security relationship during his meeting with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in March in Washington.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 03:23:34|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

STOCKHOLM, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Despite ambitious climate goals, Sweden's greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2018, according to preliminary statistics released on Thursday by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"It is worrying given the climate goals we have," Anna-Karin Nystrom, head of the Climate Objectives Unit at the EPA, told Swedish News SVT.

Emissions in Sweden totalled 53.1 million tonnes during 2018, an increase of 0.9 percent compared to 2017. The sector with the biggest increase was electricity and district heating, with the sector as a whole emitting 10 percent more greenhouse gases compared to the previous year.

"The development is in the wrong direction. If Sweden is to succeed in achieving its climate goals, emissions in all sectors need to be reduced," Nystrom said in a press release issued by the EPA on Thursday.

The EPA also pointed the finger at the industry and transport sectors.

Emissions from both sectors failed to change meaningfully in 2018 compared with the previous year, despite the fact that both, according to the EPA, have great potential to help the nation reduce its emissions.

The EPA underscored this failure in Thursday's press release about the nation's rising emissions, pointing out that large-scale adoption of energy-efficient and carbon-free vehicles are important measures for these sectors.

Including international transport, Sweden's national greenhouse gas emissions were 63.8 million tonnes in 2018, an increase of half a million tonnes compared to the previous year.

Sweden passed legislation in 2017 which legally binds the country to reach net-zero emissions by the year 2045.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 04:13:57|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TIRANA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from six Western Balkan countries met in this Albanian capital on Thursday, during which they called on the European Union (EU) to take into account also geopolitical reasons in the process of its enlargement to Western Balkan countries.

They met at the Summit of the Brdo-Brijuni Process, an initiative created by Croatia and Slovenia in 2012 with a view of pushing forward the region's accession into the EU. The first summit was held in Slovenia in 2013.

According to a joint declaration adopted at the summit, the full integration of Western Balkan countries with the European system of values would be important for Europe's overall stability.

Albanian President Ilir Meta co-chaired the Summit together with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Slovenian President Borut Pahor. Participants at the meeting were the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro.

EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Polish President Andrzej Duda attended the meeting as guests of honor.

Speaking at the meeting, Meta said Albania will continue to give its contribution to the peace of the Western Balkans region.

"We will continue to fulfill our enhanced responsibilities as a NATO member for a peaceful and secure neighborhood, including our determination to stay alongside allies in the global war on terrorism and violent extremism," Meta said.

"Our countries have a lot to learn from the founders of the EU and the philosophy of this historical project on what can be considered pioneering ideas, stimulating a new era of co-existence in our region," Meta said.

The participants welcomed the Prespa Agreement between North Macedonia and Greece and concluded that such an example opens the way for strengthening European and Euro-Atlantic ties with the Western Balkan region.

Moreover, they said the interconnection within the Western Balkans, as well as between the EU and the Western Balkans, with growing instruments in transport, energy and digital infrastructure, represents a strategic interest for all.

"We agreed on the need to further strengthen the processes of dialogue and reconciliation in the region, based on truth and confidence to all the agreements reached so far, and keeping in mind the maintenance of peace, security and prosperity in current and future generations," the declaration read.

The summit in Tirana came ahead to the EU leaders' summit scheduled for early June, where Albania and North Macedonia hope for a positive decision on the possible formal start of accession talks with the EU.

In her address at the summit, Grabar-Kitarovic said that she supported the launching of accession talks with the two countries, but noted that all EU candidates and potential candidates had to implement the necessary reforms and align their foreign and security policies with the EU's.

"The EU must not leave the countries of Southeast Europe alone and Croatia will continue to be their advocate in the EU," Grabar-Kitarovic stated.

The participants agreed that the next Brdo-Brijuni process summit will be held in Slovenia at the end of this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 06:30:01|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

PRAGUE, May 9 (Xinhua) -- About 30 overseas Chinese entrepreneurs on a business visit to the Czech Republic exchanged views here on Thursday with the local business community in a bid to explore business opportunities in the country.

"Czech Republic, with its special location as the center of Europe and its rapid development of bilateral relations with China, is considered a good place to do businesses," said Wang Qinxian, executive vice president of China Federation of Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs (CFOCE), at the exchange event.

"Business opportunities brought along with the Belt and Road construction are especially attractive for overseas Chinese entrepreneurs as we see China's willingness to cooperate with the whole world," Wang explained.

The CFOCE brought a 30-strong delegation to the Czech Republic after trips to Belarus and Poland. The ten-day visit along the Belt and Road countries is to help entrepreneurs better understand the investment environment of these countries for possible cooperation opportunities.

"It's not enough to make decision in just one visit. But after the visit, we know where to begin and who to look for if we want to invest," said Zhang Daqi, CEO of Sain and Qikun Group, a company engaged in biological health and intelligent service for the elderly.

Zhang added that the Czech Republic, with its beautiful environment and harmonious lifestyle, gave him a lot of new ideas for business.

Yang Guangmin, president of China Hovercraft Ltd., received hovercraft orders during the visit to Poland.

"I think we can also sell our hovercrafts in the Czech Republic, as the country has a lot of rivers, including the most famous one, the Vltava," he said.

The delegation will conclude their visit this Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 06:40:06|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said Thursday that Washington's upcoming Middle East peace plan does not qualify as such, but rather "conditions for surrender."

"We cannot afford not to engage with any peace efforts. But the U.S. administration's efforts cannot be characterized, nor can qualify as peace efforts, unfortunately," al-Maliki told an Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council.

"All indicates this far that this is not a peace plan, but rather conditions for surrender. And there's no amount of money that can make it acceptable," he said, referring to a peace plan that Washington has said it would unveil shortly.

"Some ask us: what if they surprise you? We tell them: (we) would have been more hopeful had they not been deaf to our appeals, blind to Israeli violations, and mute at best on the fundamentals of peace."

He noted that the United States, prior to announcing its plan, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and "pretended" it has no implication on peace. "It is not possible to have faith in such efforts. Every decision the U.S. administration has taken since has simply confirmed its disregard for Palestinian lives and for Palestinian rights and for the international consensus and for the law."

Al-Maliki said only a two-state solution could lead to a just and lasting peace.

An Arria-formula meeting is an informal meeting of the Security Council that can involve outsiders as briefers and the participation of states that are not members of the Security Council.

Thursday's meeting on Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory was chaired by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, whose country holds the Security Council presidency for the month of May.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 07:30:21|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

CHICAGO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Suburban Express, a bus company running in Champaign, the Midwestern U.S. state of Illinois, abruptly shut down after it was accused of discriminating against Asian customers by the Illinois attorney general, local media reported.

Chicago Tribune reported on Wednesday owner Dennis Toeppen announced his intention to cease all operations and take down all websites for Suburban Express and his associated businesses in a Tuesday federal court filing.

Toeppen could not be reached for comments. The company's website led to a dead page on Wednesday.

Toeppen reached a consent decree last month with the attorney general. Then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office sued Suburban Express last year after the company said in an email ad "Passengers like you. You won't feel like you're in China when you're on our buses."

The comment was referring to the sizable population of Chinese students at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Suburban Express provides bus services to students at six universities in the U.S. Midwest, primarily to and from the Chicago area.

Criticism ballooned when the company then followed with a statement titled "Apology," saying the original email ad was referring to a competitor that Toeppen claimed mostly served Chinese students.

The decree called for the company to make pay customer refunds, implement anti-discrimination training for employees and be monitored by the attorney general's office for three years. Current Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has accused Toeppen of violating the decree.

According to Toeppen's filing, Suburban Express will wind down its accounting over the next four to eight weeks and then be dissolved, "hopefully no later than July 31," Toeppen wrote.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 09:16:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

YAOUNDE, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute said Thursday that his government is willing to dialogue with armed separatist on all demands excluding separation.

"Apart from the indivisibility of Cameroon, the president of the republic is ready to organize a formal dialogue to resolve the socio-political crisis in Northwest and Southwest. The president is ready to dialogue with the separatists," Ngute told a press conference in Bamenda, the largest city in Cameroon's Anglophone regions.

Government forces will be withdrawn from the two English-speaking regions of the country and dialogue will commence as soon as separatist fighters drop their weapons and get reintegrated into society, he said.

"I have come here to listen to you and ask you to intervene and get our children (armed separatists) out of the bushes so that we can return to normal life. Children have suffered enough," Ngute said during his maiden peace mission to the troubled Northwest region.

On Tuesday, Cameroon's National Committee on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration said that in five months, 56 separatist fighters have "voluntarily" laid down their arms to "embrace normal life."

Cameroon is facing serious security challenges in the two Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest where separatists want to create an independent nation they called "Ambazonia."

According to the United Nations, more than 430,000 Cameroonians have been displaced internally and at least 30,000 others have fled to neighboring Nigeria since the conflict started in 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 10:11:44|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The leader of the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) Bill Shorten has accused media mogul Rupert Murdoch of running a political campaign against him.

Shorten told Fairfax Media on Friday that News Corp Australia, Murdoch's publishing company in his native country, has become a political party.

"Not everyone in News Corp is the same, but some days they should just put that they're a political party, they should put 'written and authorised' on their front page," he said.

Shorten publicly clashed with the Daily Telegraph, News Corp's Sydney newspaper, on Wednesday after it ran a story accusing the Labor leader of manipulating the story of his mother's life to suit his political campaign on its frontage with the headline "Mother of invention".

Responding to the Daily Telegraph's story on Wednesday, Shorten denounced it as a "new low", telling reporters that it was his mother's life that drove him into politics.

"I can't change what happened to my Mum. But I can change things for other people. And that's why I'm in politics. That's why I'm asking to be your prime minister," he said.

Shorten called for multinational corporations such as News Corp to face greater tax transparency in Australia.

"More transparency about what these companies pay will wake people up," Shorten said.

With the general election eight days away, local opinion polls showed that the ALP maintained a narrow lead over the incumbent Liberal-National Party coalition (LNP) on a two-party preferred basis.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 10:32:08|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

YANGON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar government has warned that there were linkages and incitement behind some riots that occurred in seven prisons in the country over the past two days, vowing that effective investigation will be made to bring out the truth behind these incidents.

According to a press release of the President's Office issued late Thursday, the riots took place in prisons at townships of Kalay, Hpa-an, Shwebo, Myitgyina, Dawei, Tharyawaddy and Pathein on Wednesday and Thursday, citing dissatisfaction with the current presidential amnesty as an excuse.

"During these riots, the prisoners made demands that are of the same vein and in some cases identical," the release said, adding that "In some prisons, the prisoners used mobile phones to stream live on social media."

The release clarified that "the recent presidential pardon was given to prisoners under the policy to provide clemency to prisoners who are aged, in poor health, women, youth and disabled."

On grounds of humanity and to contribute to the smooth process of the country's national reconciliation, the government started on April 17 to grant amnesty to prisoners in batches as a gesture to mark Myanmar's traditional new year, having unconditionally released a total of 23,019 prisoners including 16 foreigners in three batches as of Tuesday.

It was the second occasion that the presidential amnesty was granted after President U Win Myint assumed office on March 2018.

On the first occasion in previous new year day, 8,490 domestic and 51 foreign prisoners were released under the similar unconditional presidential amnesty order.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 10:32:10|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Jeff Bezos, founder of U.S. aerospace manufacturer Blue Origin and chairman of Amazon, unveiled on Thursday a lunar lander that may land on the Moon by 2024.

The billionaire revealed at an event here a spacecraft called "Blue Moon," which may access the resource-rich lunar surface.

Bezos said that the Moon is a good place to begin manufacturing in space since getting resources from the Moon "takes 24 times less energy to get it off the surface compared to the Earth."

Blue Moon is a flexible lander delivering a wide variety of small, medium and large payloads to the lunar surface, and it is able to provide precise and soft landings, which will eventually enable a sustained human presence on the Moon, according to Blue Origin.

"We must return to the Moon -- this time to stay. We're ready to support NASA (U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in getting there by 2024 with Blue Moon," the private space company said on social platform Twitter.

The announcement came after NASA's renewed schedule to land U.S. astronauts on the Moon by 2024. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence proposed considering commercial alternatives if NASA couldn't fulfill the task.

"I love Vice President Pence's 2024 lunar landing goal," said Bezos, revealing that Blue Origin can meet that timeline "because we started this three years ago."

The larger variant of Blue Moon, though not shown at the event, has been designed to land an ascent vehicle that will bring Americans back to the Moon by 2024, according to Blue Origin.

Blue Origin is also developing a heavy-lift launch vehicle called New Glenn which is expected to carry people and payloads routinely to Earth's orbit and beyond. It is slated for a launch in 2021.

Bezos also unveiled at the event the company's BE-7 rocket engine, scheduled to be test fired for the first time this summer.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 11:20:14|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

Visitors view the "Beyond Bruegel" immersive exhibition in Brussels, Belgium, May 9, 2019. To mark the 450th anniversary of the passing away of painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the exhibition "Beyond Bruegel" is held between April 2019 and January 2020. With sound and light show, the exhibition provides the audience with immersive experience to appreciate the works of Bruegel. Pieter Bruegel the Elder is considered one of the most significant artists of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting. He is known for his detailed landscapes, colorful comical views of peasant life and extraordinary visionary paintings. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 11:47:48|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

TOKYO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks advanced Friday morning as investors bought on dips after recent declines, but the market mood remained wary amid concerns over the outlook for the global economy.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 143.59 points, or 0.67 percent, from Thursday to 21,545.72.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, rose 12.31 points, or 0.79 percent, at 1,563.02.

Pharmaceutical, machinery, and oil and coal product-linked issues comprised those that gained the most by the morning break.
Philippine Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, also chief of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office, is interviewed by Xinhua News Agency at his office in Manila, Philippines, May 7, 2019. (Xinhua/Yuan Mengchen)

MANILA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines underscores the importance of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) that will take place in Beijing in May, and the conference will foster understanding among Asian countries in charting a shared future, a Philippine official has said.

"The conference will build our relations with different countries," Philippine Communications Secretary Martin Andanar told Xinhua in an interview, adding that China initiated the people-to-people, cultural exchanges for different countries to prosper and to give Asian countries the opportunity to grow together.

Andanar, also chief of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office, will attend the conference scheduled on May 15.

The CDAC focuses on the theme of exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations, as well as a community with a shared future for Asia and for humanity.

For Andanar, the major theme of the conference is about respect. "I believe that's the true meaning of this dialogue. It's about respecting each other's civilizations. So, I guess this is a testament to how China respects our different civilizations, our different cultures and traditions."

Andanar said the conference is timely. "As Asians we must seize the opportunity, the moment that we have been waiting for," he said, adding the time is right "for everybody to wear each other's cultures, traditions, peoples because before we can even change the entire civilization, or maybe contribute to the betterment of the human race, we, as Asians, must understand each other."

Exchanges between Asian civilizations date back to ancient times. Andanar said the ancient Silk Road trading routes that bind China to Asia has played a major role in the development of the different civilizations in the world, including the Philippines.

"We all have unique cultures, and we all have unique forms of running our own affairs but what is important to me is that this is the moment of Asia. We must seize the opportunity, the moment for us to shine the world stage, and when we shine in the world stage it is important for us to know each other or to revisit our civilizations, to be familiar with the civilization that has contributed to our growth," he said.

"For us to revisit the Silk Road or the introduction of the Belt and Road Initiatives is a must for us to be familiar with each other. And it is only when we are familiar with each other's civilizations that we can stand as one Asia, and have the same understanding, the commonality of improving the human race," Andanar said.

The warm relations that the Philippines and China are experiencing "have been very progressive and very active for the people and cultural exchanges," Andanar noted.

"We already had that strong bilateral relation, or trading relations, mercantile relations, and for some time when the Philippines was westernized we lost that very important part of our history. But when it's running in our veins and it's in our blood it's easy to genetically go back where we were and reintroduce our two cultures, our two civilizations," he said.

Andanar said the exchanges between Manila and Beijing in recent years have been "unprecedented."

"It has been inspiring for all of us especially that we are dealing with the second biggest economy in the world," Andanar said.

"Beginning the administration of President (Rodrigo) Duterte we have really seen the growth and the reintroduction (of Chinese culture and tradition) to our people," he said. "The cooperation has never been better."

For instance, he said the closer ties paved the way for more media exchanges leading to more first-hand experience about the Chinese culture and vice versa.

"There's so much geopolitics happening and we must set aside geopolitics to really understand China and its role in the Asian region and the world," Andanar added.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 13:23:23|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- An artificial intelligence (AI) industrial alliance dedicated to "resources matchmaking" has been formed in Shanghai as the city gears up to become a global pioneer in the AI practices, China Daily reported Friday.

Formed at the end of April, the 22-member bloc summons leading AI enterprises from both domestic Internet giants including Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, and international powerhouses from Microsoft Asia Research Center (Shanghai) to ABB, a Swiss industrial conglomerate specializing in robotics and automation technology.

It is designed to provide resources matchmaking for participating enterprises, an essential step to fostering AI's development given the rich application scenarios available in the city, according to the report, citing a local government official who oversees the AI unit.

The alliance also brings in core players in the telecom, financial and manufacturing sectors to create industrial synergies, offer specialized AI services and conduct overseas exchanges, said the report.

After the announcement of the alliance, Shanghai has unveiled the first batch of 12 AI pilot scenarios, where local authorities have been advocating to leverage AI to power various industries.

Shanghai is looking to become a global AI hub with plans to expand the scale of its industry to more than 100 billion yuan (14.7 billion U.S. dollars) by 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 13:23:25|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

HOUSTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Technology and innovation were highlighted at the just-concluded four-day Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) here, as Chinese participants hope to gain experiences and grow business.

At the OTC, product samples, multimedia displays and scale models were seen everywhere, used by companies to showcase their latest products and technologies to attract opportunities.

Zhou Jianliang, deputy general manager of China National Offshore Oil Corporation's Sci&Tech Development Dept., told Xinhua that his company is committed to strengthening international technological exchanges and cooperation to be more competitive in the global market.

"Through cooperation projects, we can develop oil and gas fields in China and abroad, and at the same time export our advanced technologies to the world," Zhou said.

"All technologies need to be integrated so that we can achieve what others cannot or perform better than others," he added.

Liu Guanghua, vice president of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Engineering & Technology Corporation Ltd., said the CNPC has been attending the OTC for decades, and that thanks to the OTC, the popularity of the CNPC has improved.

"On the one hand, it provides us with an opportunity to learn advanced technologies from others. On the other hand, it is a good platform to showcase our products. These are the two main goals for us to attend the OTC," he said.

Chinese enterprises believe that interacting with the world's leading companies is key to maintaining competitiveness in the energy industry.

Yu Ya, a senior executive of China International Marine Containers (Group) Ltd., said the industry is very international and that the global supply chain needs strong interactivity.

"Many of our industrial chain and innovation chain partners have been participating in the OTC. Only if we keep pace with the development of the industry and create interactivity with advanced companies can we transform from the follower to the leader," Yu said.

In addition to China's state-owned corporations, privately-owned companies together established seven China Pavilions at the OTC.

Showcasing its latest equipment of fracturing technology, Jereh Group, a private Chinese energy services company, hoped to attract more opportunities in the United States.

Wang Feng, the company's vice president, said China's private-owned companies such as Jereh should play as a "new force" and pioneers in the country's economic development.

Wang said Jereh's advantages lie in international markets, including the Middle East, Africa and Russia.

"For oil and gas, the United states is a high-end market. Its shale-gas market is bigger and more mature. I hope we can integrate the U.S. technology with the Chinese market, making our products more adaptable in the global market," he said.

The OTC was annually held in the Houston. This event this year on May 6-9 attracted nearly 60,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. Over 2,300 companies from 40-plus countries and regions showcased the future of offshore activities.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 13:43:40|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

by Federico Grandesso

BRUSSELS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The relations between the United States and Europe are now at a "very low" point as their problems are too complex to be solved soon, an Italian expert said after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent visit to Europe.

"At the moment, transatlantic relations are at a very low level. In the past we have had moments of disagreement, but in the past, there was always a way to find a compromise. The problem now is with the attitude," said Stefano Silvestri, former Italian Undersecretary of State for Defense, in an interview with Xinhua on Friday.

Concerning Pompeo's visit to London, Silvestri, now senior scientific adviser at the think tank of the Institute for International Affairs in Rome, stressed that Britain's position on foreign affairs seems very close to that of U.S. President Donald Trump, but in reality, London shares more in foreign policies with the EU than with the United States.

Regarding Pompeo's cancelation of his visit to Germany, Silvestri said tensions are very high as the U.S. Administration considers Germany as a major rival not only from a commercial point of view but also from the "ideo" perspective.

"(German) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel is strongly protecting a multilateral system that President Trump despises. The U.S. president is convinced that if he is able to dominate Germany, he will be able to dominate the whole of Europe. This crisis and rivalry is very bad for transatlantic relations and also weakens the entire EU," Silvestri said.

This scenario is creating a climate of uncertainty in Europe because the EU is used to living under a sort of "American umbrella", not only from a safety perspective but also for the sake of a multilateral system that the United States created but now rejects, Silvestri added.

"The role of EU countries could be the one of a sub-ally or one of 'almost' an adversary. If this situation continues, I think that the EU member states should accept that the geo-political picture has deeply changed and they should consider, for example, to increase the defense budget," said the expert.

For Silvestri, this evolution would be dangerous but Europe cannot swing the United States to embrace the multilateral system that Washington itself invented but abandoned.

"I think the lowest point would be a break and there are now big reasons to avoid that. The only country who now can destroy the transatlantic axis is the United States. I hope they will not take rash decisions," Silvestri said.

Speaking of the future of EU-U.S. relations, Silvestri said: "I think that President Trump simply doesn't want to break with the EU but he wants to land new agreements. This negotiating method was understood by everybody."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 14:18:51|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

SEOUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean military saw the projectiles fired by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday as short-range missiles, Newsis news agency reported Friday citing a defense ministry official.

The defense ministry official told local reporters that South Korea and the United States jointly saw the projectiles as short-range missiles "until now," saying the intelligence authorities of the two countries were precisely analyzing them.

The DPRK launched two unidentified projectiles from an area in its northwestern region Thursday afternoon. They traveled eastward about 420 km and 270 km at an altitude of 45-50 km.

It came five days after Pyongyang fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast. The projectiles flew between 70 km and 240 km at an altitude of some 60 km.

Denying media reports, an official at the South Korean presidential Blue House told reporters that the Blue House has not heard the United States seeing the DPRK projectiles as ballistic missiles.

Under the UN Security Council resolutions, the DPRK is banned from testing any ballistic missile. The past resolutions targeted mid- to long-range ballistic missiles.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Thursday night that the DPRK's recent projectile firings were partly aimed to call for the rapid resumption of the denuclearization dialogue.

The denuclearization negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington have been stalled since the second summit between top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump ended with no agreement in February at the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 14:59:27|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

KUNMING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Apparel makers from home and abroad have signed up for a fashion week to be held from June 13 to 19 in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, the organizer said Thursday.

More than 40 clothing enterprises will showcase ethnic costumes of nationalities including Yi, Miao and Dai. Yi's embroidering stunned the 2019 Shanghai Fashion Week early last month and will hit the stage at New York Fashion Week in September.

Well-known folk costume brands of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam along the Mekong River, the Chinese stretch of which is called the Lancang River, will also make an appearance during the upcoming fashion week.

Major events of the Kunming fashion week include design shows, clothing releases, investment promotions and cultural exchange activities, combining ethnic traditions with fashionable elements.

A forum and round-table conferences on the inheritance, innovation and development of folk costumes will be held.

Lead apparel makers in the country will pair up with ethnic costume enterprises in Yunnan to promote the industrialization of the latter.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 15:04:31|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SEOUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States held a working group meeting here on Friday, a day after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched projectiles, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

Lee Do-hoon, South Korean special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and U.S. special representative for DPRK affairs Stephen Biegun jointly presided over the meeting in Seoul.

The working group was launched last November to coordinate between Seoul and Washington on the Korean Peninsula issues such as denuclearization, sanctions and inter-Korean cooperation.

During the meeting, Lee and Biegun made in-depth discussions on ways to advance the complete denuclearization of and the settlement of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, sharing their assessment of recent situations, including the DPRK's projectile launches, the Seoul ministry said.

The working group meeting was attended by South Korean officials from the defense and unification ministries and the presidential Blue House, according to local media.

From the U.S. side, participants were Alex Wong, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for DPRK affairs, and Allison Hooker, director of the White House National Security Council for the DPRK.

The working group meeting came a day after the DPRK fired off two unidentified projectiles from its northwestern region. They traveled eastward about 420 km and 270 km at an altitude of 45 km to 50 km.

Five days earlier, Pyongyang fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast. The projectiles flew between 70 km and 240 km at an altitude of some 60 km.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 15:04:33|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

by Willey Penuela

CARACAS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- With a prescription in his hand, Francisco Gonzalez, a night watchman whose wife was suffering from cancer, walked out of a private pharmacy in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.

With the composure of someone who has become accustomed to the difficulties of finding medications, Gonzalez told Xinhua the medicines he needs "haven't been found for now."

Gonzalez is just one of the millions of Venezuelans who have found themselves impacted by the economic sanctions imposed by the United States on the country since 2014, which have been intensified recently.

"It is very difficult to find some of the medications ... It looks like the companies don't want to sell them to the country because if they do, the United States will punish them," he said.

He added that "previously the most important anti-cancer medications were given to us at the Social Security's high-cost pharmacies, but since the sanctions against the country intensified, the supply has been difficult to come by through this route."

West of Caracas, near the metro station Propatria, Lourdes Zapata stood in a long line to buy corn flour at a lower price than in the other stores.

The retired professor told Xinhua that she doesn't live in Caracas, but in Charallave, in the state of Miranda. But she travels regularly by train to run errands and buy a few food items that can be found at better prices in the capital.

She recounted her family's experience with the government's food supply program via the Local Supply and Production Committees (CLAP), which was created to provide food at subsidized prices to the Venezuelan people.

"At my home, CLAP arrives sometimes every three months, sometimes every two months. In the last few months it's been hard to get that box of food," said Zapata, referring to the supply which, according to the government, is supposed to be delivered every 15 days.

The cause of the delay, according to the retired professor, is that the country "still has not been able to develop with strength a productive economic system."

"To be clear, the country has not been allowed to freely purchase foodstuffs from any international provider, and the sanctions against the country prevent Venezuela from being able to freely buy the foodstuffs for CLAP," she added.

Her thoughts echoed the declarations made on May 7 by the national head of CLAP, Freddy Bernal, who said it is "very difficult" to deliver food every 15 days due to the economic blockade the United States imposed on the country.

"The criminal war has also affected the CLAP distribution by the shipping companies that brought food from Mexico. Of ten shipping companies ... eight have been sanctioned," Bernal said.

He added that payment for the food can no longer be made directly in U.S. dollars to Mexico, but has to be done through a third country, which makes the process difficult.

However, the difficulties seem to stimulate the creativity of Venezuelans, who have seen the need to look for new sources of supply of goods for businesses.

Guilmen Diaz of the state-run aluminum processing company Alucasa in Guacara told Xinhua that the company has gone through "difficulties as a result of the blockade and sanctions," but that hasn't stopped them from moving forward.

"60 percent of supplies we use in the process of transforming aluminum are imported, and the majority of the companies that supplied us are from the United States," the worker said. "The U.S. companies have not sent any more supplies, so we had to turn to the Asian market and develop new products."

He added that during a certain process, they need an oil supplied by the U.S. corporation ExxonMobil, which had also stopped providing them.

"We had to develop a substitution for imports ... With a by-product of PDVSA's oil refining process and a small local company, they studied the oil and were able to make one identical to the one supplied by Exxon," Guilmen said.

He lauded the fact that the situation has awoken the workers' creativity. However, he said that with the sanctions imposed on Venezuela, time and resources have been lost, which has affected the development of companies.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 15:39:52|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SEOUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean relations said on Friday that there was no change in its stance for humanitarian food aid to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Lee Eugene, deputy spokesperson of the unification ministry, told a press briefing that there was no change in the position that it would be necessary to provide the food assistance for the DPRK from the humanitarian and philanthropic perspectives.

Lee noted that the South Korean government would push for the food aid plan while sufficiently collecting opinion from the general public.

The comment came a day after the DPRK fired off two unidentified projectiles, presumed to be short-range missiles, from its northwestern region. They traveled eastward about 420 km and 270 km at an altitude of 45-50 km.

Days earlier, Pyongyang fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast. The projectiles flew between 70 km and 240 km at an altitude of some 60 km.

During the phone talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his support for Seoul's food aid plan, saying it would be very timely and positive, according to the presidential Blue House of South Korea.

The last South Korean food assistance to the DPRK happened in 2010 when 5,000 tons of rice was delivered to the DPRK.

The Moon government unveiled a plan in 2017 to provide 8 million U.S. dollars of humanitarian assistance to the DPRK through international organizations, but it had yet to be carried out amid international sanctions against Pyongyang.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 16:10:20|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

KUWAIT CITY, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah condemned a suicide bomb attack in Iraq, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) said on Friday.

In a condolence cable sent to Iraqi President Barham Salih, the emir expressed Kuwait's rejection and utter condemnation of the "dreadful terrorist act" which claimed the lives of innocent civilians.

Kuwait stands in support of Iraq in its measures taken to safeguard its security and stability, the emir noted.

Eight people were killed and 12 others injured on Thursday in a suicide bomb attack at a marketplace in Sadr City neighborhood in eastern Baghdad.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 16:15:24|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

CHONGQING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China's southwest municipality Chongqing has signed an agreement with the Hungarian Ministry of Innovation and Technology to further cooperation in the making of auto parts and electronics.

Both sides will build a factory in the Tongnan District of Chongqing, the Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau said.

The factory, with an investment of 50 million yuan (7 million U.S. dollars), will be used to design, develop and produce smart products such as auto parts, smartphones and touch keyboards.

It is designed to have an annual output of 1.5 billion yuan upon completion, the bureau said.

Chongqing has carried out scientific cooperation with Hungary in recent years. A technological transfer center between China and Hungary was set up in Chongqing in 2016. The center has helped nurture 43 projects.

Palkovics Laszlo, Hungarian minister of innovation and technology, said Hungary has over 700 auto and parts makers, producing about 28.7 percent of the country's industrial value.

Hungary is also the first EU member to join the Belt and Road Initiative. It has great potential to cooperate with Chongqing in the auto industry, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 16:15:28|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

KABUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan has called for more protection of civilians and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country, the office said in a statement on its website Friday.

On Wednesday, a Taliban-claimed suicide car bombing and ensuing shooting attack targeted a U.S.-funded NGO, leaving nine people, including four civilians dead, and injured 20 others, in a busy street in the Afghan capital Kabul.

"Such attacks or, indeed, any others that result in death or injury to civilians cannot be justified, and I call on parties to the conflict to protect and respect the safety of all civilians, especially during the holy month of Ramadan," United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer was quoted in the statement as saying.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) regretted over the incident, saying, "Ramadan has got off to a very bloody start with civilians in various parts of the country yet again bearing the brunt of violence perpetrated by parties to the conflict."

The Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of conflicts as more than 3,800 civilians were killed and over 7,180 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2018 in the war-torn country, according to the United Nations mission figures.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 16:57:49|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

Qin Shoucheng, Qin Tingting's father, picks her up after class in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on May 9, 2019. Qin Tingting, originally from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is a freshman of Harbin Engineering University. Suffering from Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS, also known as muscle weakness), she has to sit on a wheelchair and make much more effort than average people. After being diagnosed with CMS, Qin never gave up her dream that she wanted to get into university. She was admitted to the College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering of Harbin Engineering University in 2018. Qin said she wanted to become a physics teacher. Like Stephen Hawking, he had been through darkness but eventually he found the light, so would I, she said. (Xinhua/Wang Song)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 16:45:46|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, May 10 (Xinhua) -- About 683,436 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia in the first quarter of 2019, up 35.1 percent over the same period last year, said a report released by Cambodia's Tourism Ministry on Friday.

China remained the largest source of foreign tourists to the Southeast Asian country, accounting for 36.4 percent of the total foreign arrivals during the January-March period this year, the report said.

A total of 1.87 million international tourists traveled to Cambodia during the first three months of this year, up 9.7 percent over the same period last year, it said.

Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon told Xinhua that the country is expected to attract three million Chinese tourists in 2020 and five million in 2025.

"Thanks to our close ties, our attractive tourism sites, and increasing direct flights between our two countries. I believe that we can achieve these targets," he said.

Tourism is one of four sectors supporting Cambodia's economy.

Last year, the country received 6.2 million foreign tourists including 2 million Chinese, earning gross revenue of 4.35 billion U.S. dollars, the minister said, adding that tourism contributed 12.7 percent to the country's GDP (gross domestic product).

Cambodia is famous for three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor archeological park, the Preah Vihear temple, and the Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site.

Besides, it has a pristine coastline stretching 450 km in four southwestern provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 16:55:55|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The financial performances of China's listed companies for 2018 and the first quarter (Q1) of this year shed light on the resilience of the world's largest developing economy.

Almost all of the 3,000-plus listed companies have disclosed their financial reports of 2018 and Q1 2019, posting solid growth in revenue.

Companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange saw 11-percent growth in revenue last year while those on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange saw a 13.33-percent increase with a compound annual growth rate of 18.85 percent in past three years.

In 2018, companies in upstream industries such as steel, mining and chemical posted stellar progress. Companies listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange grew 35.09, 15.51 and 17.51 percent respectively.

High-tech firms in emerging industries stood out with the fastest pace of growth due to increased R&D input. Shanghai-listed companies spent 390 billion yuan, going up 21 percent, while Shenzhen-listed firms saw a 22.3 percent increase to reach 344.4 billion yuan.

Traditional sectors upgraded equipment and technology faster. Sany Heavy Industry Co., Ltd saw a 45.61 percent rise in revenue thanks to its heavy R&D spending on artificial intelligence and environmentally-friendly products.

Listed firms continued to report revenue increases in Q1 by raking in a total operating income of 11.34 trillion yuan (about 1.68 trillion U.S. dollars), 11.8 percent up year on year.

The net profit earning of 1.1 trillion yuan went up 10.3 percent from the same period last year, according to domestic financial information provider Wind.

In the first three months of this year, Shenzhen-listed firms reversed the downward trend seen in Q3 and Q4 last year. The cash flow of financing optimized with the amount of Q1 2019 is equal to 70 percent of that in 2018.

Revenues of real estate, construction material, catering and tourism companies continued to increase. High-tech companies such as those in the communications and IT sectors led the rise. The telecom industry turned from losses to profits in Q1 thanks to the development of 5G technology.

Performances of listed private enterprises also improved as the fall of their profits decelerated in Q1 thanks to a series of policies benefiting private and small- and medium-sized enterprises released since the second half of last year.

Proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy will provide more support to listed firms by optimizing the environment of economic development, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange said in a statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 17:01:00|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

SEOUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Olympic champion and world record holder Lee Sang-hwa announced her retirement, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported Friday.

The 30-year-old will hold a ceremony in Seoul on May 16 to end her career, according to the report.

Lee made her international debut at 14 in Canada. As one of the most high-profile South Korean athletes, she took 500m gold in 2010 and 2014 winter Olympics.

She also lowered the world record four times, bringing it to 36.36 seconds in Salt Lake City in 2013.

At PyeongChang 2018, Lee stood second behind Japan's Nao Kodaira. Since then, she has not competed.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 17:06:02|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

WINDHOEK, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Namibia will keep its 26 percent free duty quota of beef export to the United Kingdom (UK) after finalization of Brexit, the Meat Board of Namibia (MBN) said Thursday.

"Negotiations for exports are being done through the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) which Namibia belongs to and will most likely see us continue accessing the UK market," the MBN said in a statement.

According to the MBN, the UK market continues to be essential for Namibia's meat producers going forward.

MBN also called on farmers to sell their livestock to the abattoirs in time in line with precautions of losing quality through the drought that has recently hit the southern African country.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 17:16:12|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

LOS ANGELES, May 9 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 firearms were seized in a police operation from a residence in an upscale neighborhood in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said on Thursday.

The operation on Wednesday was jointly conducted with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), it said on the social platform Twitter.

"The LAPD & ATF received info that a person was selling & manufacturing illegal firearms, which led to a search warrant in a Holmby Hills residence," the police twitted.

"I had never seen so many weapons in my career of 31 years," police officer Chris Ramirez told reporters. "It is just beyond comprehension that somebody can have so many weapons in this type of neighborhood."

Ramirez said it is not illegal for someone to own a large collection of firearms, but it is illegal to sell weapons from one's home without going through the extensively regulated state and federal processes.

According to media reports, the guns seized by police included illegal weapons, among which were AR-15 rifles and Thompson submachine guns.

Girard Damien Saenz, 57, suspected of illegal manufacture, distribution or sale of assault weapons in the case, was arrested but released on Thursday morning after paying 50,000 U.S. dollars in bail, according to the jail records.

It is not clear how Saenz is connected to the house owner Cynthia Beck, who bought the 770-sq-m mansion for 2.6 million dollars in 2001.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 17:31:22|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

SALT LAKE CITY, the United States, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao here on Thursday commemorated thousands of early Chinese workers who helped build the first transcontinental railroad in the United States, prior to the 150th anniversary of its completion.

"The historic achievement of the transcontinental railroad belongs, in no small part, to those Chinese workers," Chao told an event in downtown Salt Lake City. "The Central Pacific Railroad needed industrious, tireless workers and the Chinese workers answered the call with great skill and dedication."

More than 12,000 Chinese workers were hired to construct the western part of the transcontinental railroad, which connected to the eastern segment at the Promontory Summit, northwest of Salt Lake City, on May 10, 1869.

The engineering feat reduced the time it took to cross the United States from months to about a week, while allowing goods to move more quickly and cheaply from coast to coast, as the nation and its economy recovered from the Civil War.

"The transcontinental railroad was transformative in the history of America, it helped link all of the states, territories and people coast-to-coast," Chao said. "It was the ultimate economic stimulus for all regions of the young nation."

During years of labor, the Chinese workers "faced challenges and overcame hardships that can hardly be imagined today," said the secretary. "By hand, black powder and sheer strength of will, they forged a path through and over the West's great mountain ranges. Solid granite couldn't stop their determination. But it was perilous work and many perished."

The contribution of the Chinese workers to the transcontinental road, Chao said, is "finally receiving just recognition."

"Their braver, work ethic and resilience in the face of obstacles, both manmade and Mother Nature, were heroic," she said.

Chao, the first Asian American woman ever appointed to a U.S. president's cabinet and the first American of Chinese heritage to the nation's transportation secretary, made the remarks ahead of a three-day celebration set to kick off on Friday at Promontory Summit, for the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental railroad's historic completion.

Up to 20,000 visitors are expected to show up on Friday for speeches, music and a historical re-enactment of year 1869's ceremonial driving of the original last spike, according to organizers.

The festivities will also feature full-size working replicas of the two steam engines seen facing each other, nose to nose, in an iconic photograph from that day.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 17:51:36|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writers Liu Yanan, Ma Qian

NEW YORK, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Amid rising protectionism in some major countries, China is well prepared and well positioned to ward off adverse impacts of external risks and shocks, including trade tensions, experts said to Xinhua in recent interviews.

This is because of China's effective control of capital accounts, hefty reserves of foreign exchange (forex), capacity to avoid overshooting in the banking system, resilient indigenous economy and significant progress made in deleveraging as well as ready policy tools at hand, they said.

NIMBLE GOVERNMENT & CONTROLLABLE DEBTS

"China has a high savings rate and its debt is predominantly domestical. And there's capital controls for outflows. So money does not just fly out like that in Russia or Brazil," said Tao Wang, chief China economist and head of Asia economic research with Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), on Wednesday.

The Chinese banking system is unlikely to overshoot in a financial crisis as it is strictly controlled and would not allow the situation getting worse like in the 2008 financial crisis, said Wang at a media panel discussion.

China has quite a nimble government which is improving the economy's adaptive capacity and China's leadership will continue to make course-corrections when needed, according to Amy Celico, a principal of the consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group.

Regarding the debt problem, Wang said that China has started to do deleveraging since 2016 and the share of debt to Chinese gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018 declined from the level around 2015 to 2016.

According to official data, the Chinese overall debt level in 2018 was 37 percent of GDP, for the third consecutive year less than the record of 38.9 percent in 2015.

China's debt ratio has long stayed lower than the 60-percent limit stipulated in the EU's Stability and Growth Pact and far below the 115.1-percent level for the Group of Seven developed economies.

Wang said China has done well in stabilizing growth and managing debts at the same time. "Today, the risk is substantially lower compared to 2016 because of what has already happened in China," she said.

Those deleveraging efforts mainly included tighter regulations on shadow banking, restructuring of bad debts, as well as a reduction of excess supply and excess capacity, according to the economist.

Tight control on capital account also helps China avoid a number of financial crises and China should not allow for free convertibility with a forex account, said Kai Lin, executive director of Emerging Market Asia Forex Trading at Standard Chartered Bank, recently.

Statistics show that China had 3.09 trillion U.S. dollars of forex reserves by the end of April 2019, with its holdings of forex remaining over 3 trillion dollars since 2011.

INCREASING HOME GROWTH MOMENTUM

Growth potentials and resilience of the Chinese economy stem from a mixed combination of effective fiscal and monetary policies, and the fact that the economy has become more consumption-oriented and less export-dependent, said Jorge O. Mariscal, chief investment officer for Emerging Markets at UBS Wealth Management.

Wang, the UBS economist, said she has noted the Chinese economic recovery since the start of this year, especially in the industrial and the property sector.

China's economy beat market expectations to advance 6.4 percent year on year in the first quarter, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

A slew of international research institutions have raised their forecasts on China's economic growth. The International Monetary Fund revised its expectation for China's 2019 growth to 6.3 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from its previous estimation in January.

UBS also adjusted up its forecast of Chinese GDP growth from 6 percent to 6.4 percent for 2019.

Wang pointed out that China's growth has been more associated with domestic elements. "Consumer sentiment is improving. Property is improving."

In addition, the Chinese government's policy composition was more focused on tax cuts and support for the private sector, "more of a domestic component," Wang noted.

Referring to current U.S.-China trade tension, Wang said, "If the (additional) tariff goes from 10 percent to 25 percent on 200 billion U.S. dollars of Chinese goods, ... China will still have a decent chance of getting growth above 6 percent this year."

China is expected to resort to fiscal and monetary policy, promoting infrastructure and other fronts if trade tensions escalate further and it's unlikely to see the growth fall very sharply, Wang said.

Celico said that her company's biggest practice is focused on China as "American, European and Asian companies and non-profit (organizations) want to participate in China because of the potential there."

She attributed China's growth potentials to its large population, improving productivity, technology innovation, infrastructure and education development as well as untapped private sector.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 17:56:38|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

WINDHOEK, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Farmers in Namibia who are hard hit by the drought have been given a relief in settling their loans to the government owned AgriBank following declaration of the state of emergency by president Hage Geingob, the bank said Friday.

AgriBank Chief Executive Officer Sakaria Nghikembua announced that Agribank will now offer relief to farmers as national drought emergency.

AgriBank is a state owned Namibian bank used to assist farmers with financing.

Part of the relief include giving clients up to two years to repay the remaining amount.

"We certainly wish we could do more but resources are limited. For the bank, our main source of funds is loan repayments by our clients."

"This means that total repayment relief is unfortunately not an option at this stage. But we believe we have done our best to assist our clients. We will maintain a flexible approach in our discussions with each client," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 17:56:40|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- An international medical forum will be held from May 26 to 29 in the port city of Fangchenggang in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to promote medical cooperation between member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), according to a press conference held in Beijing Friday.

Research and medical institutions as well as pharmaceutical manufacturers from 26 countries and international organizations, including member states, observer states and dialogue partners of the SCO, will participate in the forum, which focuses on medical innovation and cooperation.

The forum includes five sub-forums on health policy, public safety and emergency service, orthopaedics and smart healthcare as well as chronic disease prevention and control.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 18:32:01|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- "We have zero tolerance for abuse in infant care services, and anybody involved in infant abuse won't be qualified for the industry," said Yu Xuejun, deputy head of the National Health Commission Friday.

Yu made the remarks at a press briefing held by the State Council Information Office, focusing on a guideline on the care of infants under three released by the General Office of the State Council Thursday.

"It takes no administrative approval to set up infant care services at present, which doesn't mean the absence of supervision," said Yu.

Yu noted that the guideline requires local government and 17 departments of the central government to fulfill their duties in overseeing operation safety and improving related regulations.

The guideline also demands complete safety equipment and security personnel in infant care facilities to prevent accidents.

The credit information of infant care service institutions and their staff will be recorded in the national credit information system, according to the guideline, said Yu, adding that those who have bad credit records will be punished.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 18:32:02|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will make his first official visit to Cambodia on May 13-15 to further enhance bilateral ties, the Cambodian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.

During the visit, Oli will hold bilateral talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen before paying courtesy calls on Senate President Samdech Say Chhum and National Assembly President Samdech Heng Samrin, the statement said.

"The upcoming visit of the Nepalese Prime Minister to Cambodia will further strengthen the bonds of friendship and promote economic, trade, tourism and cultural cooperation between the two countries," it said.

Oli is expected to make a key note address at a Cambodia-Nepal Business Forum, the statement said, adding that he is also scheduled to visit some landmark places in the capital of Phnom Penh.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 18:37:06|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Dialogue among civilizations is an intellectual notion that avoids "zero-sum game" and leads to a better world of common good and shared future, a Lebanese expert has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Mahmoud Raya, a China observer in Lebanon, lauded the upcoming Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations scheduled for May in Beijing, China.

Under the theme of "exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations and a community with a shared future," the conference is expected to host more than 2,000 government officials and representatives of various circles from 47 Asian countries and other countries outside the region.

Raya pointed out that the dialogue of civilizations comes as an intellectual and civilized alternative to ideas based on the "clash of civilizations" which stems from the concept of the "zero-sum game."

A zero-sum game gives the winner everything and deprives the others of everything. Raya said such a game's winner must always be the global dominant power, and winning comes with brutality and aggression.

"We are proposing a very different concept today, that of common profit, understanding, dialogue, consensus and mutual respect, leading to a better world" based on the principle of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by China, he noted.

Raya stressed that the upcoming conference is a pioneering and brilliant idea, through which the Chinese leadership emphasizes the approach that governs its worldview -- comprising a vision that is based on dialogue, the search for common ideas and the pursuit of bridging differences through mutual understanding and mutual benefits.

Asia is the world's largest continent in terms of size and population. With its diverse culture, it is the cradle of most ancient civilizations, where the most important events governing the course of mankind for tens of centuries took place, Raya said.

The continent is also the birthplace of the most prominent prophets, wise men, intellectuals and reformers in history, he added.

"Hence, the dialogue that brings together its people is a dialogue between the leaders of thought and those of wisdom, understanding and awareness," he said.

Raya noted the result of the dialogue carries benefits "to all human beings without exception ... because it is diverse in its present and promising in its future."

"By advocating for this dialogue, China offers a great opportunity for people by securing for them a meeting space and a program rich in ideas that are worth to be discussed," Raya said, adding that the conference will spread hope for peace based on knowledge, wisdom and communication, and leave out estrangement, chaos and hegemony.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 18:37:08|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

Photo taken on May 10, 2019 shows a spotted seal to be released into the sea in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. Thirty-seven spotted seals were released into the sea on Friday in the coastal city of Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province. The 37 released seals were among 100 spotted baby seals that were illegally poached in Feb. 2019, according to local authorities. A total of 39 seals died, and the surviving 61 have been taken care of by animal experts and vets in local aquariums and the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute. The first batch of 24 seals was released in April. The seals released to the sea on Friday were all fully recovered and are healthy enough to survive in natural habitat waters, according to Lu Zhichuang, a researcher with the institute. Spotted seals are under Class One national protection in China. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

DALIAN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-seven spotted seals were released into the sea on Friday in the coastal city of Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The 37 released seals were among 100 spotted baby seals that were illegally poached in Feb. 2019, according to local authorities.

A total of 39 seals died, and the surviving 61 have been taken care of by animal experts and vets in local aquariums and the Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute.

The first batch of 24 seals was released in April.

The seals released to the sea on Friday were all fully recovered and are healthy enough to survive in natural habitat waters, according to Lu Zhichuang, a researcher with the institute.

Spotted seals are under Class One national protection in China.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 18:42:10|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

LUSAKA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Thursday launched a project to address climate change issues in the southern part of the country.

The five-year project "Operationalizing the Landscape Approach for Biodiversity Benefits: Policy, Practice and People" is part of the International Climate Initiative funded by the German government and supported by the knowledge-led multi-stakeholder Global Landscape Forum.

It aims to reduce emissions, protect biodiversity and alleviate poverty in Zambia's Southern Province, state-run news agency the Zambia News and Information Services quoted Southern Province Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liomba as saying.

"This project seeks to enhance the capacity of stakeholders to better identify trade-offs and synergies amongst competing land uses. It will address capacity challenges at the local level in terms of knowledge, conflicting interests and organizational aspects, thereby enhancing landscape sustainability by empowering marginalized groups to participate in decision-making dialogue more effectively," Liomba said at the launch event.

The Zambian government called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to mitigate the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, Liomba said.

According to Liomba, the project will contribute to filling knowledge gaps, informing policy alternatives and promoting more sustainable land uses to benefit both the biophysical and social elements in selected districts in the province.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 18:47:18|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

KABUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 Taliban militants have been killed in airstrikes launched by NATO-led coalition forces in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, the Afghan Ministry of Defense said on Friday.

"The Resolute Support forces launched airstrikes in coordination with Afghan security forces in Abdullah Khan village, Arghandab district of southern Kandahar province, killing nine Taliban terrorists," the ministry said in a statement.

Two militants were killed and their motorcycle was destroyed in a separate sortie also conducted by coalition forces in Andar district of eastern Ghazni province, the brief statement said.

The Afghan security forces, backed by the NATO-led coalition troops, have increased ground and air offensives against militants as spring and summer known as the fighting season is drawing near in the country.

The Taliban militant group has not made a comment on the report yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 18:47:20|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

NANJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Researchers have identified another five victims forced into sexual slavery by Japanese troops during WWII in central China's Hunan Province, bringing the total number of the survivors on the Chinese mainland to 18.

Since May, five "comfort women," including the oldest victim Liu Nianzhen, 102, were found, according to the Research Center for Comfort Women at Shanghai Normal University and the museum on the site of a "comfort women" station in Liji Lane, Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.

Liu, born in 1918, was brutally abused by the Japanese army during the war and as a result, became infertile. She still fears the Japanese and is reluctant to let anyone touch her, researchers said. Liu adopted a son from her younger brother, who now takes care of her.

Based on on-site visits of the once Japanese military garrisons and cross-examinations, the researchers confirmed the victims' experiences.

Early this month, two 99-year-old "comfort women," Wei Shaolan and Tang Genzhen, died one after another, arousing public concern over the victims of the wartime sex slavery.

Currently, Chinese researchers and institutions have been racing against time to search for surviving "comfort women."

Hunan has the largest number of confirmed surviving "comfort women" in China, as the Japanese army captured a large number of local women during the province's fierce fights against Japanese aggression during the WWII, said Su Zhiliang, director of the research center.

Women forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army before and during WWII were called "comfort women." Research shows some 400,000 women in Asia were forced to be "comfort women" for the Japanese army during World War II, nearly half of whom were Chinese.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:07:38|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TOKYO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Japan's upper house of parliament on Friday approved legislation to provide broader childcare support including making preschool education free as a means to address the nation's dire demographic crisis, which includes a declining birthrate.

"The financial burden of education and child-rearing weighs heavily on young people, becoming a bottleneck for them to give birth and raise children. That is why we are making education free," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a parliamentary session a day earlier.

The bill, which passed the lower house in April, is slated to cost 776.0 billion yen (7.1 billion U.S. dollars) a year and is part Abe's push to expand social security provisions.

It will be funded by revenue generated from a planned consumption tax hike in October, the government has said.

The legislation mandates that preschool education will be free from October for all children aged between three and five years old and day-care facilities will be free for low-income households for children up to two years old.

In the case, children are sent by their parents to preschools that operate outside of the local governments' program, subsidies will be offered to parents of children aged between three and five years old and for those with children aged two and younger, although free school meals will not be covered by the program.

The government is hoping that by proving such financial support to families with preschool-aged children, more families will feel that having children is less of a financial burden and the country's low birthrate will get a boost.

In 2017, the country's fertility rate stood at record low of 1.43, official figures showed.

Abe prioritizing the use of planned tax revenues for childcare support over addressing the nation's dire fiscal health, is aimed at broadly tackling the nation's demographic crisis involving a rapidly aging and shrinking population, hollowed out workforce and extremely tight labor market, and declining marriage and slumping birthrate.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:12:45|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

NATMAUK, Myanmar, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China handed over on Friday a renovated general hospital to the Myanmar government in Natmauk, Magway region where the national hero General Aung San was born.

The renovation project of the hospital in Natmauk town, which cost about 900,000 U.S. dollars, was conducted by the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar and Myanmar-China Exchange and Cooperation Association.

Thanking China for the hospital renovation, Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi stressed that the country is now in need of development in public health sector as well as in education and economic sectors and called for people's unity in cooperation for the all-round development of the country.

A new emergency patient ward was constructed along with the renovation project which took about five months since December last year.

Chinese Ambassador Hong Liang expressed his belief that the renovated hospital would represent a symbol of bilateral friendship between the two countries.

The renovated Natmauk General Hospital is the second China-Myanmar Friendship after Daw Khin Kyi Women Hospital in Yangon which was upgraded by China in 2017.

Founded in 1982, the Natmauk hospital was previously upgraded to 50-bedded hospital in 2015 and the hospital has been providing health care services to at least 300,000 local people since then.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:32:58|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

CAIRO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) condemned in a statement on Friday the military operations targeting the civilians in western Syrian in the past two days.

"The military operations that took place in western Syrian violate the international laws and don't serve the goals of bringing peace or stability to the war-torn country," the AL chief's spokesman Mahmoud Afifi said in the statement.

He expressed the AL's concerns over the repercussions of the military strikes, which started in northwestern Syria since last month and has been escalating in the past two days, on humanitarian situation in the country.

The strikes have destroyed several civilian buildings, including schools and hospitals.

He pointed out that anti-terrorism operations are welcomed as long as they do not target civilians or break the laws.

"Combating terrorist groups located in the middle of large numbers of civilians, such as in northern Hama and Idlib, should consider the high humanitarian costs due to the use of airstrikes," the statement reiterated.

On Thursday, the Syrian army advanced in the battles against the rebels in the central province of Hama.

More than 300,000 civilians fled their areas as a result of the battles between the army and the al-Qaida-linked militants in northern Hama countryside, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:38:00|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

VILNIUS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's presidential hopeful Gitanas Nauseda casted his vote on Friday in the country's presidential election and two referendums, claiming that he voted for a candidate who could ensure that Lithuania "chooses the right path".

"I feel responsible as regards Lithuania's efforts to regain dignity, respect, to ensure Lithuania's firm position whether in foreign or domestic policy. I voted for the candidate who can achieve this," Nauseda told reporters after casting his advance vote at Vilnius city municipality.

Nauseda, an economist, said he participated in both referendums held together with the election and voted in favor of dual citizenship, yet against downsizing of country's parliament.

Nauseda said that the initiative to reduce the number of members of the parliament was "populistic".

"We want to reduce the number of MPs yet do nothing to make those members of the parliament, whose work is unsatisfactory, take their responsibility and face corresponding sanctions," Nauseda underlined.

Early voting in Lithuania's municipalities takes place on May 6-10 if people cannot vote on the election day, or May 12.

Lithuanians will choose the new president from 9 candidates: Nauseda, former finance minister MP Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, European Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, philosopher Arvydas Juozaitis, MPs Mindaugas Puidokas and Naglis Puteikis, MEPs Valdemar Tomasevski and Valentinas Mazuronis.

The country's incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite, who will leave her office after two terms, casted her ballot earlier this week.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:48:03|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is set to sign bilateral labor agreements with three countries in the Middle East by the end of 2019, officials said on Friday.

Winnie Pertet, chairperson of Kenya National Employment Authority, told a media briefing in Nairobi that Nairobi has already signed similar agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"Kenya is currently in talks to sign bilateral labor agreements with three other Middle East countries in order to expand employment opportunities for Kenyans," Pertet said.

She noted that bilateral agreements formalize the labor agreements of Kenyans and help improve their employment terms and conditions.

According to the employment regulator, the agreements will also provide a better environment for the Kenyan embassies to take care of Kenyans facing difficulties in foreign countries.

Pertet said that there are approximately 500,000 Kenyans working in the Middle East with Saudi Arabia being the most popular destination.

She noted that most Kenyan workers in the gulf region are in the domestic and semi-skilled sectors.

"Our hope is that we can also place Kenyans in the skilled sectors which are more lucrative," she added.

Pertet added that only licensed employment agencies will be allowed to take Kenyans abroad for employment. She added that so far 100 agents have been licensed by the government.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:48:05|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the 2019 International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation (IFTC) in Beijing, capital of China, May 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to listen to and learn from reasonable suggestions given by partners in Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), to provide a broader space for deepening cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks Friday when attending the opening ceremony of the 2019 International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation (IFTC).

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the trilateral cooperation among China, Japan and the ROK, Wang said, adding that the cooperation is standing at a new historical starting point.

He said that over the past 20 years, the trilateral cooperation has made great progress and positive contributions in promoting the people's welfare, maintaining peace and stability in Asia and pushing forward development and prosperity of the world.

China is willing to work with Japan and the ROK to enhance regional integration and development, Wang said.

The IFTC is an annual forum that brings together eminent scholars and policymakers to share and offer new insights into the political climate, economic cooperation and social-cultural ties among China, Japan and the ROK. The theme of this year's forum is "Trilateral Cooperation 3.0 - Charting New Pathways to Shared Vision."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:53:11|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people in Iran's capital Tehran on Friday rallied in support of recent Iranian government's decision to suspend the implementation of some of its commitments under the nuclear deal in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the deal last year.

According to local media, similar rallies were held in other Iranian cities after the Friday prayers.

In Tehran, people chanted slogans and held placards in support of the Iranian government's decision.

The rallies also issued a statement warning the United States against "any further provocation against Iran."

The statement also called for a full suspension of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the nuclear deal, if European signatories fail to uphold Iran's interests under the deal.

On Wednesday, Iran withdrew from implementing part of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal and threatened to take more actions in case Tehran's interests under the pact cannot be guaranteed.

The move by Iran comes after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the nuclear deal in May last year and resumed energy and financial sanctions on the Islamic republic.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 19:53:12|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

MOGADISHU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan troops serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Thursday carried out medical checks for residents of Dhobley in southern Somalia as part of efforts to improve relations with the locals.

John Mnjalla, commandant of AMISOM Level II Hospital in Dhobley who led the team of military medics providing free health services to the community, said AMISOM "will do its best to bring relief to communities. We had a high turn up, and we recorded over 200 patients."

The contingent also handed over a consignment of drugs and medical consumables to the management of the Dhobley General Hospital, according to a statement from the AU mission issued on Friday.

Siyad Mohamed Hassan, Dhobley's administrator, requested AMISOM to extend health services to the people amid high disease burden and unfilled need for public health services.

Hassan cited the need to provide specialized inpatient services such as surgery, treatment of diseases like cancer, bone ailments and maternal health services.

"The community needs every form of health assistance. The need remains, and we request AMISOM to assist in whatever way," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:08:23|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writer Liu Hongxia

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) originated in China and, with proper implementation, could become an inclusive international platform that continuously benefits the world, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Jin Liqun said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Friday.

Jin's remarks came a day after AIIB priced its first-ever global bond in London.

The five-year bond raised 2.5 billion U.S. dollars and will drive AIIB's priorities of investing in sustainable infrastructure, developing cross-border connectivity and promoting Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing in Emerging Asia.

Noting AIIB's board of directors has approved up to 7.94 billion USD in investments for 39 projects in 15 countries, Jin acknowledged that some projects are located in B&R countries.

"But one thing is always clear," he said. "We never label projects with 'B&R' or non-'B&R,' and we will never do that."

AIIB has been strictly adhering to high standards of "Lean, Clean and Green," Jin said, adding that each and every project was deliberately chosen and examined.

"That's why AIIB has gained increasing attention and recognition, not only within Asia but from other parts of the world."

Jin stressed, as he did several times before, that "AIIB is initiated by China, but not owned by China."

Calling the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) a "great success," Jin said the BRI will enjoy a promising future.

The public has noticed that more world leaders joined the roundtable that was used in both BRFs.

"That being said, the BRI has been getting more attention as well as recognition," he said.

Jin, 70, had been China's vice finance minister and vice president of the Asian Development Bank before heading the AIIB in 2016.

He said the much-anticipated inaugural transaction in the debt capital markets demonstrates investor commitment to driving socio-economic development in Asia.

"We have triple-A ratings from Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch, which reflect the Bank's commitment to the highest standards of governance, enhanced transparency and accountability," he said, adding that the Bank never rushes to make any decision.

"We do it, and we do it step by step, making sure that every step is right."

Calling the pricing "a new start," Jin said the bank will introduce more measures to further catalyze sustainable infrastructure development, cross-border connectivity and ESG Investing Principles in Emerging Asia and beyond.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:08:24|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

WELLINGTON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Tourism and Culture Carnival Gala between New Zealand and China was held on Friday in the New Zealand National Museum with the theme of "West meets East".

The carnival, co-hosted by the China Cultural Center in New Zealand and the Wellington City Council, was part of the 2019 China Tourism & Culture Week and the China-New Zealand Year of Tourism.

Artists from southwestern China's Chongqing municipality presented the Wellington audience with fun hand-painted magic show "Sparkling Miracle", acrobatics "Ringing Ring", "Pulling Ball" and sand-drawing performances.

Responding to the oriental plate is a passionate Maori-style cabaret performance. New Zealand's well-known violinist Elena, who was present at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, specially brought the Chinese famous song "Jasmine" and German musician Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D Major" to the carnival event.

Guo Zongguang, director of the China Cultural Center in New Zealand, encouraged New Zealanders to join the "Once-in-a-Lifetime Tour" to west China's Xi'an, ancient capital of the Silk Road, in September. The tour organized by the China Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will allow 1,000 New Zealanders to attend the Grand Tang Dynasty Welcoming Ceremony in Xi'an, and visit the Terracotta Warriors among many other wonderful destinations.

"China Travel Service and the Wellington City Council have done a lot of work in the promotion and organization of this project, which has already attracted New Zealanders from all walks of life to register," said Guo.

"This is not the only time the China Cultural Center is collaborating with the Wellington City Council either. In June, we're launching a booklet in Mandarin together on tourism in the Wellington Region. It is another project that we hope will increase exchanges in the areas of culture and tourism between China and New Zealand," he said.

Justin Lester, the mayor of Wellington City, stressed that Chinese visitors are very important to Wellington and New Zealand's economic success, to which tourism makes a critical contribution. More than 4 million visitors stepped onto New Zealand shores last year while around 600,000 visits were exchanged between China and New Zealand. China remains the second largest overseas tourist market of New Zealand.

"China is massive, massive market to New Zealand. Fortunately for us, we have outstanding relationship with China for many, many decades," said the mayor.

The 2019 China Tourism & Culture Week focuses on promoting the integration of culture and tourism. Through a series of colorful tourism promotion and cultural exchange activities around the world, it outlines China's beauty and realizes its cultural and travel integration goals "to promote tourism quality through culture and promote cultural communication through tourism."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:13:27|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

LHASA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region held an exhibition Friday promoting local brands, as part of the efforts to boost sales of local products.

May 10 was designated as "Chinese Brand Day" by the State Council, China's cabinet in 2017.

More than 100 local Tibetan enterprises mostly in the food, pharmaceutical, tourism, and cultural industries, have signed up for the exhibition held at the Tibet Museum of Natural Science in Lhasa, capital of the region.

Local specialties such as yak jerky, highland barley biscuits, highland barley-brewed beer and yak dairy products will be on display until May 12.

Tibet is among China's fastest-growing provincial-level regions. The region's growth rates of per capita disposable income for rural and urban residents and consumer goods retail sales were the highest in China in 2018.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:13:30|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

SHANGHAI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 200 domestic exhibitors are showcasing their products Friday at the 2019 China Brand Day series held in Shanghai, which focuses on the exposition of indigenous brands.

Quality goods including the latest hydrogen FCVs, smart pianos with a recording function, and gel pens made of a degradable material are showcased in 13 experience zones of consumer goods at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.

The booth area for businesses covers more than 20,000 square meters, where visitors can participate in online and offline interactive activities such as live demonstrations, virtual images, live streaming, online shopping, and interacting with celebrities.

An official with the National Development and Reform Commission, one of the hosts of the event, said this year's China Brand Day plays an important role in the building of more brands and the forming of a strong domestic market.

The 2019 International Forum on China Brand Development and seven sub-forums will be held during the three-day event.

Established in 2017, the China Brand Day is marked on May 10 every year. The theme of this year is "China Brand, World Sharing."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:28:37|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, attends a national workshop on the work related to ethnic and religious affairs for provincial- and ministerial-level officials in Beijing, capital of China, May 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor on Friday stressed efforts to consolidate ethnic unity and promote religious harmony in a national workshop for provincial- and ministerial-level officials.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said work related to ethnic and religious affairs is a key issue that must be addressed well in the governance of China.

To improve the work, Wang stressed the need to enhance the common awareness of being members of the Chinese nation, increase support for the development of ethnic minority-populated areas, and use the law to safeguard ethnic unity.

He also called for efforts to guide the religious sector to work together with the Party and the government and explore the religious doctrines to find contents that are good for social harmony and progress and interpret them in ways that are compatible with China's needs for development and progress and fit the fine traditional Chinese culture.

Wang stressed the Party's centralized and unified leadership over the work related to ethnic and religious affairs.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:38:41|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday urged enterprises to carry forward the professional spirit and craftsman's spirit and strive for excellence to produce more internationally well-known Chinese name brands.

Li made the remarks in a written instruction to the third China Brand Day event, which will last from May 10 to 12 in Shanghai.

Reinforcing brand building and promoting the development of the country's advanced manufacturing industry as well as the modern service sector are important moves to unleash domestic consumption potential and promote high-quality growth, Li said.

In recent years, the awareness of brand construction has been continuously enhanced in the whole society, said the premier.

Li urged all local authorities and government departments to implement the innovation-driven development strategy, encourage mass entrepreneurship and innovation and guide enterprises to carry forward the professional spirit and craftsman's spirit, so as to nurture more China brands and provide better Chinese products and services.

Activities marking the "China Brand Day" began in Shanghai Friday.

State Councilor Wang Yong attended the event, stressing the importance of stepping up the development of Chinese brands.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:48:52|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

HANGZHOU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- East China's Zhejiang Province plans to launch an Internet-plus nursing program to offer convenient door-to-door services to patients, according to a guideline Friday.

The program is expected to cover 31 services including eldercare, rehabilitation nursing and long-term care, it said.

According to the guideline, the program will provide home-based health care to patients who have difficulty walking and will also establish an online nursing specialist clinic to offer nursing instruction and health consultation to those in need.

To protect the safety of door-to-door nurses, the guideline proposed a complete system for safety precautions with medical liability insurance for every nurse.

The program in Zhejiang is part of China's Internet-plus nursing program that is piloting from February to December.

Under the program, approved medical institutions can send nurses who have at least five years of clinical nursing experience to communities or homes to serve patients who are too old or restricted by their diseases to move.

Besides Zhejiang, six provincial-level regions across the country -- Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Guangdong -- have been chosen for the pilot program.

Need for home nursing care has rapidly increased in China. According to official figures, the population aged 60 or above in China has reached 250 million. Senior people with chronic diseases accounted for 65 percent of the total senior population.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:48:53|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng will attend the 12th Astana Economic Forum and the Second China-Kazakhstan Local Cooperation Forum held in Kazakhstan from May 14 to 16, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced here on Friday.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was invited by Kazakh government, the spokesperson said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:48:57|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

SHANGHAI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China will actively participate in Arctic affairs and strive to contribute its wisdom and strength to the sustainable development of the Arctic, Wang Hong, chief of the State Oceanic Administration, said Friday.

Attending the Arctic Circle China Forum held in Shanghai, Wang proposed to conduct joint scientific expeditions to the North Pole and share the observation data with other countries to promote the monitoring and assessment of climate and environmental change in the Arctic in order to deepen the exploration and understanding of the Arctic.

China would like to work with other countries to conduct scientific assessments of the impacts of global climate change and human activities on the Arctic ecosystem, and promote international cooperation in the protection of Arctic species and the natural restoration of the Arctic ecosystem, Wang said.

China hopes to consolidate and expand the partnership with countries along the Arctic Circle, promote cultural and economic exchanges and build a "Silk Road on Ice" for the better future for the Arctic, said Wang.

About 500 diplomats, scholars and entrepreneurs from countries and regions including China, Iceland, the United States, Canada, the European Union, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India, as well as representatives of Arctic aborigines, attended the forum themed "China and the Arctic."

At the initiative of Iceland, the Arctic Circle Assembly was founded in 2013, which is the largest international gathering concerning the Arctic. The assemblies are held every October in Iceland, and special Arctic Circle forums are held in other countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:53:59|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Cui Wei (C), the Chinese consul general in Istanbul, poses for a group photo with prize-winning students in Istanbul, Turkey, May 10, 2019. A total of 37 Turkish university students were awarded scholarships on Friday for their outstanding study of the Chinese language. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)

ISTANBUL, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 37 Turkish university students were awarded scholarships on Friday for their outstanding study of the Chinese language.

Cui Wei, the Chinese consul general in Istanbul, presented the prizes to the students from more than 10 universities and institutions at a ceremony.

Beyaz Nur Gurdur, a freshwoman from Okan University, spoke of the scholarships as a recognition of what the students have achieved in Chinese learning as well as an encouragement and spur in their future studies.

"As a learner of the Chinese language, I think I have a promising future," she said at the ceremony, referring to closer cooperation on economic and cultural exchanges among Turkey, China and other countries under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Meanwhile, 36 Chinese students studying at Turkish universities were also granted the scholarships set up by the Chinese consulate general in 2017.

Addressing the ceremony, Cui said Turkey and China have established a big platform for joint projects in a wide range of sectors, improving bilateral cooperation even further.

"There is a significant demand for Chinese-speaking Turkish people," he said, noting those who can speak Chinese become very advantageous on the platform.

For his part, Ismail Gultekin, a deputy governor of Istanbul, praised the courage of Turkish students in learning Chinese and voiced hope for their number to continue to increase in the future.

"What we need the most are people who have mastered both languages," he said, noting the demand is particularly high in the field of tourism as more and more Chinese tourists are visiting the country.

Gultekin also stressed that as China is a great civilization with a great culture, learning about the country should not be limited to its language alone.

Ebru Ural, the rector of Dogus University, said learning a country's language and its culture is essential to find solutions to global problems which require global cooperation.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:54:01|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-four Afghan army soldiers were killed and 11 others wounded after Taliban militants attacked defensive posts in the western province of Badghis on Friday, a local official confirmed.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 20:59:05|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

NANCHANG, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Next to dozens of brand-new, white houses in Huawu Village of eastern China's Jiangxi Province, several dark, dank hovels stand desolately.

"We kept these old ramshackle houses so that the young generation know it is important to cherish good days," said a villager.

According to the latest government figures, the average annual income per capita has risen from 2,230 yuan (329 U.S. dollars) to 11,300 yuan in the village. Local fruits and vegetables have become big industries, and red tourism and agricultural product processing are booming.

Huawu, or "village of people surnamed Hua" in English, is an epitome of the changes taking place in the city of Ruijin, a center of the early revolutionary activities of the Communist Party of China (CPC). In recent years, many once impoverished villagers have shaken off poverty as the anti-poverty campaign gains steam.

However, success did not come easy.

Years ago, villagers in Huawu lived in mud shacks usually less than 20 square meters each. What villager Hua Chongqi called home was little more than a windowless room with simple, old household items: a stove, rickety wooden table and a few oily bowls as well as a big, blurred heirloom mirror propped against the moldy wall.

Hua has four sons, but he only had two and half such houses. After his sons were grown, they took turns going back home to celebrate the traditional Spring Festival in the ramshackle houses.

Beginning in 2013, local officials persuaded villagers to transform their houses with the help of government subsidies. Soon, locals would move into better homes and enjoy better lives.

In the past few years, more than 1 million yuan of funds were allocated to the village to power the development of irrigation projects, roads and the health industry.

Today, Huawu has a standard clinic, and villagers no longer need to go to nearby towns to see a doctor. Two dams and an irrigation project have been put into place, defying the problem of irrigation in the drought season. Meanwhile, 19 hectares of vegetable and fruit greenhouses have been built, and agricultural experts were invited to the village to provide professional training to local farmers.

"I used to make money by working construction in more developed cities, and I even spent the Spring Festivals there," said villager Hua Shuilin.

In 2015, he returned to Huawu and contracted some vegetable greenhouses to build a career of his own. That year, he rid himself of poverty completely.

"I was among the first batch of people to shake off poverty in the village," he said.

Last year, all villagers in Huawu rose above the poverty line.

While living better lives, villagers are beginning to develop rural family inns as "red tours" have expanded in the city, and visitors are taken to places in Ruijin where revolutionary figures once lived and worked.

"The environment here is really good, and the villagers here are quite friendly," said tourist Wei Xiaomeng from Beijing. "In Huawu, I can feel the Red Army spirit being passed on."

In villager Hua Pi's bungalow, rooms are complete with all modern facilities for guests.

"There are three separate rooms on the second and third floor," Hua said. "I can make more than 1,000 yuan a month from tourists during peak season."

A tourism company is being considered to further bolster the tourism sector there.

"Our lives are sweeter than honey these days," said villager Hua Xiaoping.
Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Chelsea Manning, an anti-secrecy activist and former U.S. Army intelligence analyst, has been released from jail after a grand jury she refused to testify before expired, her attorneys said Thursday.



"Today marked the expiration of the term of the grand jury, and so, after 62 days of confinement, Chelsea was released from the Alexandria Detention Center earlier today," Mannings legal team wrote in a statement.



Upon release, however, Manning was subpoenaed to appear before a different grand jury, her legal team said.



"It is therefore conceivable that she will once again be held in contempt of court, and be returned to the custody of the Alexandria Detention Center, possibly as soon as next Thursday, May 16," her lawyers wrote.



In late January, Manning was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in a sealed case out of the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia -- the same district in which the government recently filed charges against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange.



When Manning refused to answer questions before the secret grand jury in March, U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton found her in contempt of court and she was taken into custody.



The judge said she would be held until she decided to testify or until the grand jury concluded its work. An attorney for Manning has called her incarceration "an act of tremendous cruelty."



Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison in 2013 for the unauthorized disclosure of classified materials made public by WikiLeaks in 2010, but her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama in 2017.



But in April, federal prosecutors in the United States unsealed a computer hacking indictment against Assange for his role Mannings disclosure of classified documents, which the government called "one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States."



"During the conspiracy, Manning and Assange engaged in real-time discussions regarding Mannings transmission of classified records to Assange," prosecutors said in a press release.



Assange is fighting extradition to the United States to face the charge.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:09:10|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

SANYA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Researchers have discovered several rare species of whales and dolphins in the South China Sea during a scientific investigation that ended Friday.

Researchers have found rare sperm whales and striped dolphins in the area after a 14-day investigation covering 2,500 km. Mother and baby sperm whales and beaked whales have been observed, which indicates a possible habitat.

The investigation was conducted in an area about 400 km long and 200 km wide offshore of south China's island province of Hainan.

Li Songhai, a researcher with the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the investigation aims to gain insight into the formation, distribution and living habits of the whales in this area.

The researchers spotted 27 groups of whales, including seven identified species of whales and dolphins, Li said. The other two species are yet to be identified.

Li said the investigation results show the biodiversity of the whales in the South China Sea, which is of great significance to the study and protection of whales.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:09:11|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Libyan navy on Friday said it rescued 213 illegal immigrants in two separate operations off the country's western coast.

According to the navy spokesman Ayob Qassem, a coast guards patrol rescued 107 illegal immigrants, including five children, on a rubber boat eight miles off the coast of Zliten city, some 150 km east of the capital Tripoli.

After receiving a distress call, another patrol rescued 106 illegal immigrants 63 miles off Zliten coast, the spokesman added.

All the rescued were taken to a reception center in Khoms city, some 120 km east of Tripoli, after receiving medical and humanitarian assistance, Qassem said.

Due to the insecurity and chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled the late leader Gaddafi's regime, Libya became a preferred point of departure for thousands of illegal immigrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean toward European shores.

Improved weather conditions increase flows of illegal immigrants from Libya to Europe, particularly off the country's western coast.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:14:16|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BANGKOK, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has submitted a list of 250 senators to King Maha Vajiralongkorn, said deputy government spokesperson Thaksada Sangkhachan on Friday.

The prime minister on Friday submitted the list of 250 senators, who had been selected by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order, to the monarch for approval, according to the deputy spokesperson.

The designated senators include 15 former members of the Prayut cabinet such as former deputy prime ministers Prajin Juntong and Chatchai Sarikulya and dozens of members of the National Legislative Assembly,

The Thai 2017 constitution specifies that the elected 500 MPs and 250 senators elect a new prime minister together.

The first meeting of the lower house of Thailand will be held soon, after which a new prime minister will be chosen by those MPs together with the 250 senators.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:24:24|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, meets with representatives of media outlets from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, who attended a media summit, in Beijing, capital of China, May 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Top political advisor Wang Yang Friday met with representatives of media outlets from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The trend of the times that the cross-Strait relations move forward in the new era cannot be obstructed by anyone or any forces, said Wang, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, while meeting with the representatives who attended a media summit in Beijing.

Media outlets across the Strait shoulder the social responsibility of maintaining and promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, said Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

He called on the media on both sides to continue giving voice to pushing forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advancing the process toward the peaceful reunification of the motherland and to make their contributions to realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:24:25|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

PARIS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Four people, including two French tourists, abducted in early May in Benin, have been freed in Burkina Faso during a military operation conducted by French special forces, President Emmanuel Macron's office announced here on Friday.

The rescue operation cost the life of two French soldiers.

Macron "welcomes the release of four hostages in the Sahel, including our two compatriots, Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, kidnapped on May 1 in Benin," a statement from the president's office said.

It said that the two other freed hostages were an American and a South Korean. All four were safe. The two French tourists will return home soon.

In a separate statement, the French Defense Ministry said that the country's special forces had carried out the operation overnight, backed by U.S. intelligence and troops from France's Operation Barkhane, an ongoing anti-insurgent operation in Africa's Sahel region.

"The precise and determined actions of French soldiers allowed us to take out the kidnappers, while protecting the lives of the hostages," the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:24:27|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

SALT LAKE CITY, the United States, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of Utah will hold a forum on trade and investment with China on Saturday in Salt Lake City with an aim to build stronger links with the world's second largest economy.

The Utah-China Trade and Investment Forum, the first of its kind, will draw some 200 participants from both countries in such areas as energy, investment, tourism, culture, agriculture, food and information industry. The forum will focus on how to further tap potentials for future cooperation between China and Utah.

Delegates from China's Liaoning, Jiangxi, Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces will join the forum to seek closer local cooperation with Utah, said Zhao Zhenge, General Representative of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in the United States, at a reception on Thursday.

Zhao told Xinhua that Utah, which has been left behind other American states over the past years, has great interest in expanding trade and investment cooperation with China.

The forum will help increase Utah's influence and popularity in China, and help Chinese business community to know more about the western U.S. state, he added.

"Utah expects to learn and understand China better, and hopes to see friendship and progress made," said Gregory Hughes, former member of the Utah House of Representatives.

Besides the forum, a series of events will kick off later this week to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad in the United States, to which the earliest Chinese immigrants have made great contribution.

"China is a land of opportunity," said Xu Xueyuan, minister of the Chinese Embassy in the United States. The Chinese government is committed to reform and opening up, and has stepped up efforts to offer a more favorable environment for foreign investment, she said.

Xu said Utah leads in many areas including hi-tech, tourism, outdoor sports, mining and education. In particular, Utah has the greatest percentage of Chinese speaking population than any other state in the United States.

She called on business circles of both nations to work closely to explore more opportunities for future cooperation.

"We are working to connect with China in many significant ways," said Howard Stephenson, former member of the Utah State Senate.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:29:30|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-four Afghan army soldiers were killed and 11 others wounded after Taliban militants attacked defensive posts in the western province of Badghis on Friday, a local official confirmed.

"Hundreds of militants armed with guns and rocket-propelled grenades stormed security posts in Jar-e-Assyia in Bala Murghab district at early Friday morning. The fighting lasted for five hours, leaving the casualties," district chief Fazil Seddiq Seddiqi told Xinhua.

Several militants were also killed or wounded during the gun battle, but the number was not immediately known.

The militants took control of two security posts before the arrival of reinforcement.

The injured were shifted to an army camp for treatment.

The Bala Murghab district, which connects northern and western provinces, has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and militants since early March.

In early April, more than 40 Afghan soldiers were killed and several others wounded after Taliban attacked Bala Murghab and overran several government offices for days.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:34:36|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BERLIN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The German minister for economic cooperation and development Gerd Mueller has called for an immediate ban on plastic bags in order to push forward in the global fight against plastic waste.

"The ban on plastic straws is not enough," Mueller told the German newspaper Augsburger Allgemeine on Friday, adding that "Germany should not wait for Europe and immediately ban disposable plastic bags".

The German minister also referred to the example of some African countries where plastic bags are already banned.

"What Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda can do, we must do," he said. "If we continue like this, we will sink under the garbage."

German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze recently called for an international ban on the export of unsorted plastic waste.

Almost one tenth of plastic waste produced in Germany is currently exported, with trade and industry accounting for the largest proportion, according to the German environment ministry.

Consumption of plastic bags in Germany has fallen to 29 bags per person per year in 2017 compared to 45 per person before many German companies introduced a fee for plastic bags in 2016, according to the society for packaging market research (GVM).
An exhibitor shows a synchronous simulation robot during the 6th China Robotop and Intelligent Economic Talents Summit in Yuyao City, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

MADRID, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish robotics industry is on the cutting edge of technology and produces high quality products, but China is a model which can help Spain continue advancing in the sector, an industry leader has told Xinhua.

Moreover, China is "a very interesting market for us and we want to be there at all costs. We have offices in Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai to help our robotics industry gain a foothold there", said Sonsoles Huidobro, head of Industrial Technology at the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX).

Huidobro analyzed the robotics sector during the Global Robot Expo 2019 which was held at the IFEMA exhibition center in Madrid on Wednesday and Thursday, attracting over 12,000 visitors over the two days.

"The robotics sector is a key area for Spain because it combines research and development and also provides our industry with added value," she told Xinhua.

According to the ICEX data consulted by Xinhua, Spain has installed more than 35,000 operational robots in different sectors.

The number of robots in Spain increased by 6 percent in the 2018 and there are already two robots per 1,000 workers in the Spanish economy.

The ICEX is an agency of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade serving Spanish companies to promote their exports and facilitate their international expansion.

According to Huidobro, 48 percent of robots operates in the automobile industry, where Spain is the ninth biggest producer in the world, manufacturing 2,819,565 vehicles last year.

Despite this impressive presence, there is still margin for growth. According to the figures of the Spanish Association of Robotics and Automation (AER), Spain is currently in a process of expansion, selling 3,900 robots abroad in 2018.

The figures for Spain are only beaten in Europe by Germany, Italy and France, although China is the undisputed world leader.

China's industrial robot industry has developed rapidly with sales last year increasing nearly 15 percent, latest statistics from a Chinese think tank showed.

A total of 156,400 industrial robots were sold in China in 2018, an increase of 14.97 percent year on year, making the country world's largest market for industrial robots for six consecutive years, according to GGII, a Chinese think tank on emerging industries.

Tremendous development of main user industries such as automobile, high-end equipment manufacturing, and electronic and electrical appliances has boosted the sales of industrial robots.

According to Huidobro, this means Spain can learn from Chinese know-how.

She also stressed that robotics can not only transform the economy and ways of working, but can have a positive effect on society.

"This sector has enormous possibilities of transforming society for the better by helping improve our quality of life," she observed.

Artificial intelligence and the application of robots were the two main themes of the Global Robot Expo.

"Society is very afraid that robots and artificial intelligence will take our place, but the reality is that they can help us a lot, especially in decision making," The Global Robot Expo's Marketing Manager, Patrick Cyrus told Xinhua.

In order to help develop the robotics industry, the Spanish government maintains the Center for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), which is a public institution created to finance projects in the sector.

"It is a sector that is under intensive development in this country and the government believes the CDTI is important to help the industry grow," Pilar Gonzalez, head of the Institutional Promotion Department of the CDTI, told Xinhua.

Gonzalez explained that Spain and China have close bilateral cooperation thanks to a joint program to finance the best robotics projects between the two countries.

"We meet periodically to analyze what we want to invest in. Our relations with China are fantastic," she said, before predicting a bright future for the sector.

"There are many universities that include robotics among their courses and that provides us with a lot of talent. We are seeing the birth of a generation of young companies whose vocation is to work in robotics and artificial intelligence," Gonzalez added.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:44:42|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China has laid out a specific timetable to meet the goal of removing all expressway toll booths at provincial borders by the end of this year, an official with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said Friday.

All expressway toll booths will be removed except for those at the entrances and the exits, said Dai Dongchang, vice minister of the MOT, at a press conference.

The move aims to solve the issue of expressway traffic congestion at provincial borders, according to the MOT.

To meet the target on schedule, the MOT will speed up the work on improving toll collecting system and promoting the application of non-stop electronic toll collection (ETC) system.

"Removing expressway toll booths does not mean canceling toll collection, but to realize fast and non-stop ETC through technological means," Dai said.

The time of passenger cars crossing the provincial borders is expected to be shortened to two seconds from former 15 seconds, while that of freight trucks will be cut down to three seconds from 29 seconds under normal circumstances, resolving the issue of traffic congestion and significantly conserving energy and reducing emissions.

By the end of 2018, China's expressway mileage hit 142,600 km, official data showed.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:44:45|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BRUSSELS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are set to mark the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership with a number of events in Brussels on May 13-14, said the European Commission on its website Friday.

The celebration would gather the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, with the participation of the six Eastern partner countries, EU Member States and stakeholders.

The EU launched the Eastern Partnership in 2009, in a bid to "promote economic integration and European values" in the six Eastern European countries.

Under the framework, leaders from the EU member states and the six Eastern Partner countries meet every other year in Eastern Partnership Summits. The previous summit was held in Brussels in 2017.

The EU has been walking a tightrope between wooing its eastern neighbors and avoiding rankling Moscow.

There are association agreements and free trade pacts between the EU and Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, which hope to join the bloc eventually. Citizens of these countries are allowed to travel to the Schengen Area with a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period.

However, the EU has stressed the Eastern Partnership initiative is not an EU accession process.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:44:49|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to register job seekers in order to reduce the unemployment rate in the country, officials said on Friday.

Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, Winnie Pertet, chairperson of Kenyan National Employment Authority (NEA) said that the country's unemployment rate currently stood at approximately 13 percent while the underemployment rate was at 23 percent.

"The online registry will help to connect job seekers to employers so that the level of unemployment in Kenya is reduced," Pertet said.

The chairperson noted that a key contributor of unemployment is lack of awareness of available job opportunities.

She added that Kenya plans to accelerate economic development by increasing opportunities for formal employment and self-employment.

The employment regulator plans to connect at least 14,000 job seekers to employers in 2019 and hopes to increase the figure gradually every year.

Pertet added that one of the drivers of high unemployment rate is the mismatch in skills in the labor market.

"The tertiary institutions are producing graduates with skills with little demand in the market, making employers find it difficult to fill job vacancies," she added.

The NEA noted that technology has both been a blessing and curse to the labor market.

"Technology has created jobs but it has also led to employee redundancy especially in the banking sector where proliferation of mobile platforms has led to job cuts," the chairperson said.

The employment regulator is also collecting labor demand statistics from employers in order to find out the sectors with undersupply and oversupply of labor.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 21:44:53|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

ABUJA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has captured 170 suspected highway kidnappers operating across the West African nation in recent operations carried out since April, a top officer said Friday.

The suspects are behind kidnapping and armed robbery cases across Nigeria, Mohammed Adamu, the country's police chief said at a meeting with top police officers in Abuja, the nation's capital.

Adamu said national crime profile of the country from April 1 to date indicated a significant increase in the arrest of offenders and recovery of firearms.

Kaduna state recorded the highest with 18 suspects, followed by Plateau with 17, he added, noting that 218 armed robbery suspects were arrested at various commands within the period, 57 were arrested in the first week of May.

According to him, 147 firearms of various makes were recovered in the month under review while 50 were recorded in the first week of May.

Statistics show that the police are winning the fight against crime and criminality in the country, the police chief added.

The police chief said the data also showed that the rate of arrest of offenders and recovery of firearms connected with crimes had been on steady increase.

He urged strategic security managers to build on the solid foundation already laid with the launch of "Operation Puff Adder" to strengthen security and crime management.

Adamu said the "Safer Highway Motorized" patrol scheme would be resuscitated to complement the efforts of various police commands.

He called on the police chiefs to return to their various commands with renewed vigor and to redouble their efforts toward tackling kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 22:00:02|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan (2nd R, front), also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a community health service center in Chaoyang District in Beijing, capital of China. Sun extended greetings to the country's over 4 million nurses as she visited the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and the community health service center in Beijing's Chaoyang District ahead of the International Nurses Day which falls on May 12. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan stressed the need for quality nursing services to improve people's health and well-being ahead of the International Nurses Day.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, extended greetings to the country's over 4 million nurses as she visited the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and a community health service center in Beijing's Chaoyang District.

Sun noted that China has made remarkable achievements in nursing services with an ever-increasing number of professional nurses.

Sun emphasized the need for innovating nursing services, deepening the integration of nursing services with the Internet and big data, and promoting online and intelligent nursing services.

The vice premier also called for efforts to address the shortage of nursing staff in the face of an aging population, adding vocational institutions should increase enrollment of students specialized in rehabilitation, nursing and elderly care this year.

The International Nurses Day falls on May 12.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 22:10:09|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Rio Olympic javelin silver medalist Julius Yego of Kenya will return to Shanghai Diamond League on May 18 to launch his season campaign after skipping last year's event.

Yego, who is the reigning Africa javelin champion, will be eyeing his first throw past the 80m mark since injuring his groin at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.

The former world champion has failed to live up to expectations with loss of form and injuries. His best throw last year was 80.91 in Nairobi against his best hurl of 92.72 in Beijing in 2015.

But as the 30-year-old returns to action in a week's time, he hopes to overcome his challenges and to dominate the throwing event, which of late had been left out to Germans.

"My groin and ankle have been troubling me. But they have since healed. I have really worked hard with the physiotherapist and I feel good. My training is going on well, and I need to regain my form," said Yego on Friday in Nairobi.

In Shanghai, Yego will be up against Germans world champion Johannes Vetter, Olympic winner Thomas Rohler and Commonwealth Games winner Neeraj Chopra and world silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic.

Last year at the Commonwealth Games, Yego attributed his loss to mistake of stepping over the white line and he has been keen to turn around his career.

"Mistakes makes those who believe in winning like me stronger," he said. "I said then that I was sorry for everyone who believed and counted on me to deliver. I was disappointed too, not have made to the finals coz of mistakes."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 22:20:19|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BERLIN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The suggestion by German Left party politician Bodo Ramelow that Germany needed a new national anthem has drawn criticism from several political corners, German media reported on Friday.

On Thursday, Ramelow, minister president of Thuringia, sparked a debate by calling for a new German national anthem 30 years after German reunification.

"Many east Germans do not sing along to the anthem and I wish we had a truly common national anthem," Ramelow told the German newspaper Rheinische Post.

Ramelow called for a new text "that is so catchy that everyone can identify with it and say: this is mine."

Saxony-Anhalt's Minister President Reiner Haseloff spoke out against Ramelow's proposal, saying on Thursday that "we should turn our attention to issues where there is an urgent need for action, such as the energy transformation or rental price developments."

"As an east German, I say that the content of the national anthem was a reason to join the Federal Republic," Haseloff said.

Mike Mohring, leader of the conservative CDU party in Thuringia, accused Ramelow of intolerable "political iconoclasm against a symbol of the Federal Republic of Germany."

Saarland's Minister President Tobias Hans (CDU) said that "with his proposal, he weakens the citizens' identification with our state instead of strengthening it."

Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller of the German Social Democrats (SPD) was also critical, telling the German press agency (dpa) that he was "convinced that our national anthem means something to many people."

"It offers identification and perhaps also a home. That is why it is played or sung on special occasions," said Mueller.

Support came from within Ramelow's own party. Andre Blechschmidt, leader of the Left party's parliamentary group, said that a debate about a new anthem was fundamentally "quite sensible."

"A joint new national anthem would have been necessary with a constitutional discussion at the time of reunification in 1990. But it did not take place," Brandenburg's Deputy Minister President Christian Goerke told the German newspaper Bild.

"That is why I like Ramelow's proposal and understand it," Goerke said.

Wolfgang Tiefensee, chairman of the Thuringian Social Democrats, also expressed support for Ramelow's proposal. He told the Thueringer Allgemeine that "I have never really liked the fact that we have a national anthem the first verses of which, with good reason, should no longer be sung."

"Das Lied der Deutschen", which was composed in 1841 by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben, was chosen as Germany's national anthem in 1922.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 22:40:31|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CHENGDU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Sichuan, a quake-prone province in southwest China, will provide its residents earthquake early warning services by the end of this year, according to the Sichuan Earthquake Administration.

The early warning services include alerting residents seconds before seismic waves arrive through multiple broadcasting systems, using the theory that radio waves travel faster than seismic waves.

Earthquake research has found that being aware of an earthquake three seconds beforehand can save 14 percent of casualties, 10 seconds can save 39 percent of casualties, and 20 seconds can save 63 percent of casualties.

The services will also offer residents brief information about the quake one to two minutes after a quake strikes, its magnitude two to five minutes later, and an assessment of the disaster within two hours.

China's capacity in earthquake monitoring and disaster relief has improved since 2008, when the Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan killed more than 69,000 people and left nearly 18,000 missing, said a report submitted to the country's top legislature last year.

A new generation of earthquake monitoring and warning systems have been installed along more than 20 high-speed railway lines spanning 6,642 km, said the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 22:55:39|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

JUBA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's main rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) on Friday denied it was carrying out fresh recruitment to beef up its strength.

Lam Paul Gabriel, spokesman of SPLA-IO said that the process of moving their troops to cantonment sites has been misconstrued for recruitment.

"The leadership of the SPLA-IO is busy directing its forces to vacate civilian centers and residences and move to cantonment sites to be registered, screened and sent for training. This is what has been misunderstood as recruitment," said Gabriel told journalists in Juba.

This came after South Sudan's President Salva Kiir accused SPLA-IO leader Riek Machar of carrying out fresh recruitment in the wake of the parties having agreed to extend the pre-transitional period for another six months.

"He (Machar) is now recruiting and this recruitment is prohibited in (peace) agreement and if it is a matter of recruitment, it does not cost me much to also recruit," said Kiir on Wednesday.

Gabriel said their senior commanders are involved in implementation and dissemination of provisions of the peace agreement signed in September 2018 in Ethiopia.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 22:55:43|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOGADISHU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States military said on Friday afternoon that it killed four Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in an air attack in Somalia's northern region of Puntland State on Thursday, a day after another strike killed 13 others.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement that the latest strike was conducted in cooperation with Somali government targeting the ISIS encampment in the Golis Mountains.

"This deliberate campaign is building on increased intelligence and understanding of ISIS training and recruitment activities in Puntland, and is the fourth precision airstrike against ISIS-Somalia since April 14," said the statement.

The U.S. military said no civilians were injured or killed in the latest airstrike, adding that a detailed post-strike analysis continues and more details may be released as appropriate.

Pro-IS militants split from al-Shabab in October 2015 and later occupied Qandala, a key location in Bari Region under Puntland State Administration in northern Somalia since 2016.
File Photo: A Palestinian argues with an Israeli soldier during a protest against a new Jewish settlement outpost near the West Bank City of Hebron, on July 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Mamoun Wazwaz)

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Thursday condemned Israeli settlements in occupied territory, saying Israel is turning temporary occupation into permanent annexation.

"Israel is violating all core principles (of the law of occupation) and does not hide anymore the true colonial nature of its occupation and its intention to annex Palestinian land," al-Maliki told an Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council.

"One of the main aims of the law of occupation is to prevent occupation from being a disguise for colonialism. If you look at the principles that lie at the heart of the law of occupation, you will find they all aim to prevent what should be temporary occupation from transforming into permanent annexation."

"Foremost among these principles is the inadmissibility of the acquisition of land by force, and that the occupant does not acquire sovereignty over the territory it occupies," he said.

At the inception, Israel had "a grand design and elaborate plan with a clear goal: seize maximum land with minimum Palestinian population," said al-Maliki.

The number of Israeli settlers has grown constantly during the last five decades, including in times characterized as times of peace, he said.

When the Oslo Accords were signed 25 years ago, there were 100,000 Israeli settlers. Today, there are more than 600,000 Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, he noted.

"For decades now, the Palestinian people have been the target of Israeli policies aiming at displacing and replacing them on their own land. Palestine refugees constitute the largest and the most protracted refugee situation in the world and the Palestinian people continue to endure the longest occupation in contemporary history."

Settlements and their associated regime have by design fragmented the Palestinian territory with major Palestinian population centers surrounded by settlements that control the land and the resources, he noted.

For Palestinians, the colonialism has disrupted their daily lives and is a constant infringement on the exercise of their inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination, he said.

Violence against Palestinians, coupled with a dual system of institutionalized discrimination, is reminiscent of apartheid, said al-Maliki.

"Some try to display outrage at our use of the word apartheid. Please be offended by the policy, not the word. Ask the leaders of the anti-apartheid movement and they will tell you that the apartheid they defeated in South Africa and in Namibia is today prevailing in Palestine and must be stopped."

There can be no justification for colonialism or apartheid -- not security, not religion, not historical alliances and common interests. History has settled this debate forever. And Israeli exceptionalism in this regard would be a terrible signal at the worst time, he said.

An Arria-formula meeting is an informal meeting of the Security Council that can involve outsiders as briefers and the participation of states that are not members of the Security Council.

Thursday's meeting on Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory was chaired by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, whose country holds the Security Council presidency for the month of May.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 23:05:49|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

GAZA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- At least three Palestinian demonstrators were shot and wounded on Friday afternoon during clashes with Israeli soldiers stationed on the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, medics said.

Hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators headed to the area between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel to demonstrate against the peace plan the United States will announce, better known as the "Deal of the Century."

The demonstrators joined the weekly anti-Israel protests, also called the "Great March of Return," being held since the end of March last year.

The demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, chanted slogans against the United States and Israel, and called for ending the tight Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007.

Local news reports and the Israeli media said that around 4,000 demonstrators gathered near the fence of the border with Israel, adding that several demonstrators tried to climb the fence and others launched arson balloons.

Israeli Radio reported that Israeli firefighters dealt with two large fires in southern Israel, close to the border with the Gaza Strip, adding that the fires were caused by arson balloons launched from Gaza into Israel.

The weekly protests are taking place while a senior Egyptian security intelligence delegation has been in Gaza since Thursday to follow up the implementation of a calm understanding that had been reached between Israel and Gaza factions.

Gaza Health Ministry said Friday that since the beginning of protests and rallies last year, the Israeli army has shot and killed 304 Palestinians and wounded by live ammunition 17,301 others.

The ministry added that among the injured referred to hospitals, there were 3,544 children and 1,168 women.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 23:15:57|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

SARAJEVO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- An agreement has been signed in Beijing on recording a remake of the 1969 movie "The Bridge" by the Sarajevo Film Center (SFC), Shanghai Huahua Culture Media Co. Ltd and Dandelion Productions Inc. of Serbia, SFC Director Jasmin Durakovic told Xinhua on Friday.

Directed by Hajrudin "Siba" Krvavac, "The Bridge" tells the story of partisans during World War II who send an elite team of explosive experts to blow up a strategically important bridge.

Durakovic emphasized that all movies directed by Krvavac are precious cultural assets in the Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) film archives.

He hopes that the remake of "The Bridge" -- and possibly also of "Walter Defends Sarajevo" -- will present the culture of BiH and the region through the global language of the film to today's audiences.

Durakovic said he was highly confident that the remake will attract audiences in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, in other European countries and even in the United States.

In a telephone interview with Xinhua, Huahua Chief Executive Officer Kefei Wang, said his company will use cutting-edge film technology to present this period of history and its heroes "so as to revitalize the classics and live up to the profound expectations of the people of China, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina for movies."

Production on the remake will begin in early 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 23:46:23|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The environment ministers of Germany's federal states have called on the German government to examine a carbon-dioxide (CO2) tax, according to a statement published by the ministers in Hamburg on Friday.

The German government should consider a CO2 tax "in the current legislative period" while "taking into account additional social and tax policy instruments to avoid social imbalances," the federal ministers stated.

They emphasized that the previous measures of the German government for climate protection had failed to have a "sufficient steering effect".

"I am particularly pleased that we have succeeded in taking unanimous decisions across parties on the controversial issue of CO2 pricing, which is very far-reaching," said Hamburg's senator for the environment and energy, Jens Kerstan.

The tax on petrol, heating oil or coal was, however, only a proposal for the German government, noted Kerstan.

In order to meet Germany's climate protection targets, "far-reaching climate neutrality" must be achieved by 2050, the ministers said in their statement. The German government should "stand up in the European Union for the goal of climate neutrality by 2050".

German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) has been in favor of a CO2 tax and is working on a plan within her ministry to be presented in July.

The leader of the CDU, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, has recently expressed her opposition to a tax on the climate-damaging greenhouse gas (GHG).

Kramp-Karrenbauer and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have instead spoken out in favor of expanding the already existing trade of emission certificates in the European Union (EU), which currently only covers the energy sector and parts of industry.

The German Ministry for the Environment has expressed doubts, however, that the EU emissions trading scheme could be extended to transport and buildings, for example.

German popular support for a carbon tax was relatively low, according to a YouGov survey published on Friday which found that only 32 percent of Germans supported a CO2 tax compared to the 49 percent who did not.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 23:51:26|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ABUJA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 894 children were released from a local vigilante movement involved in the fight against terror group Boko Haram in Nigeria's northeast region, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday.

The move was taken as part of a commitment to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts.

Some 106 girls were among the minors released from the ranks of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), formed six years ago to assist government forces in the fight against the terror group, said two officials of the UN agency in Nigeria.

The release followed an action plan committing the militia to put measures in place to end the act since September 2017.

Mohammed Fall, the UNICEF representative in Nigeria, said collaborative work is in progress between the UN agency, the Nigerian government and other local authorities to help reintegrate those released into the society.

"We cannot give up the fight for the children, as long as children are still affected by the fighting. We will continue until there is no child left in the ranks of all armed groups in Nigeria," the UNICEF official said.

More than 3,500 children were recruited between 2013 and 2017 for the conflict in the northern part of Nigeria. Out of the figure, 1,727 children have been released since CJTF signed the action plan in 2017 to end child recruitment.

The minors were mainly recruited and used as spies or sent on errands by the CJTF, according to Tokunbo Alabi, a local security analyst.

"The kids don't carry arms, theirs is to give information about suspected Boko Haram fighters and their whereabouts. It is a good development that they were released to live as innocent children that they are, to own their own lives," Alabi told Xinhua in an earlier interview.

On Oct. 18, 2018, at least 833 children were released from the same local vigilante movement in Nigeria, the first formal release of the minors since the signing by the CJTF.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 23:56:34|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAPE TOWN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Friday acknowledged the South African general elections as "peaceful, transparent, inclusive and credible."

The elections were conducted "in a calm, peaceful and orderly manner" and afforded the people of South Africa the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights of choosing their leaders, the AU Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) said in a statement posted on the AU official website.

The South African Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) prepared and conducted the elections "in a professional and transparent manner and in accordance with the relevant laws governing elections in South Africa," the AUEOM said.

This came as a coalition of 35 smaller political parties said they were unhappy with the running of the elections which they said were marred by "double voting."

They threatened to go to court and demanded an election rerun.

The parties called on the IEC to appoint an independent auditor, not affiliated with the government, to examine the results, which put the ruling African National Congress well ahead of all other political parties. Preliminary results showed that the ANC captured almost 58 percent of the votes, leaving far behind the second biggest party - the Democratic Alliance which garnerd more than 22 percent of the votes.

Despite concerns from some stakeholders about the competence of the IEC's ad hoc staff at the local level, the AUEOM said the elections "proceeded generally well and within a conducive environment that ensured citizens exercised their right to vote."

However, the mission said it had noted the existence of a few isolated incidents where voting was disrupted.

South Africans went to the polls on Wednesday to elect their representatives for the National and Provincial Legislative Assemblies. The elections will also determine who will be the next president.

This was the sixth consecutive election held since the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1994.

The AUEOM observed that arrangements put in place to ensure adequate security for the elections worked well.

However, it should be noted that the electoral process is ongoing and there are still important stages to be concluded before an overall and conclusive assessment can be provided, the AUEOM said.

"South African democracy is young compared to other countries in Africa. However, it is among the advanced democracies on the continent," the mission concluded.

The IEC is set to announce final results on Saturday.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-10 23:56:36|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

WUHAN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The opening and closing ceremonies of the 7th Military World Games will fully demonstrate the Chinese philosophy carried in its character of "Wu" or "military" to show the Chinese appreciation to the determination and desire for peace.

"Wu" could be split to two Chinese characters of "stop" and "axe", which convey traditional meaning of "military", that is, "to stop the use of weapons and avoid war is truly military", or "any effort and determination to stop wars should be appreciated".

Yang Xiaoyang, general director of the ceremonies, told a press conference here on Friday that his team will make use of the multi-dimensional stage of new and high technologies to fully reflect the old meaning of "military".

The opening and closing ceremonies will demonstrate Chinese pursuit for harmony, peace and civilization through the poetic presentation of the core ideology of "sharing friendship and building peace together" developed in Chinese history of over 5,000 years.

The 7th Military World Games, are slated for Oct. 18-27, 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province, with over 10,000 athletes and officials from 105 countries and regions to participate in.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:01:40|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BUDAPEST, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Hungary expects the European Union (EU) to open accession talks with Albania next month, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said Friday.

The EU's failure to do so would be "unacceptable" to Hungary, Szijjarto said at a joint press conference after talks with Gent Cakaj, Albania's acting minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Szijjarto reiterated Hungary's support for EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans and Albania's EU integration.

According to the Hungarian government, the stability in the Western Balkan region is a key factor in the stability of the whole European continent.

Tensions in the region would only provide new opportunities for terrorists and terrorist organizations to enter the territory of the EU, by taking advantage of migration waves, Szijjarto said.

According to him, the EU's General Affairs Council would have to decide on starting accession talks with Albania on June 18.

For his part, Cakaj said Albania fulfilled the conditions for his country's European accession, which the European Council also acknowledged.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:01:42|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MAPUTO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi said on Friday that a public project to install bank institutions in local districts is accelerating the country's fight against poverty.

"A wider access to finance services leads to market growth and creates business for those acquiring bank loans, consequently more jobs are created through entrepreneurship initiatives, (which helps) develop the economy and reduce poverty," said the president in a rally after the inauguration of a bank institution in Funhalouro district in the southern Inhambane province.

The project is part of the initiative "One District, One Bank" supported by the National Sustainable Development Fund, which aims to install a bank institution for each of 72 local districts nationwide in four years.

"We are proud to return to Inhambane where we announced this initiative (in 2016) and today the entire province is fully covered in terms of bank institutions," said the president.

Local teachers, nurses and other civil servants will also benefit from the bank institutions which are supposed to shorten the distance they were forced to travel before to collect their salaries.

Statistics indicates that only 9.3 percent of Mozambicans have bank accounts, and no more than 12 percent of them are using mobile financial services.

Located in the southern region of Mozambique, Inhambane is one of the poorest provinces with a population estimated at 1.4 million.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:11:48|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- German industrial giant Thyssenkrupp and its Indian competitor Tata Steel are assuming that the planned merger of their European steel activities "will not materialize", Thyssenkrupp announced on Friday.

Thyssenkrupp and Tata "expect the European Commission to block the planned steel joint venture" due to "continuing concerns", the German industrial company said in a statement.

The two companies had offered "significant further concessions" to the European Commission but they both felt that "further commitments or improvements would adversely affect the intended synergies of the merger", according to the German steel company.

The German steel company is also planning to cut around 6,000 jobs over the next three years, of which two-thirds would be in Germany, said Guido Kerkhoff, chief executive officer (CEO) of Thyssenkrupp.

Since these were "far-reaching cuts", redundancies for operational reasons could not be ruled out, said Oliver Burkhard, Thyssenkrupp's head of human resources, said Oliver Burkhard.

"For IG Metall, the joint venture has always been associated with risks for jobs," commented Knut Giesler, regional director of North Rhine-Westphalia at Germany's largest trade union IG Metall.

"This is why we have ensured that a collective agreement will provide employees with long-term security in the event of the joint venture coming into being. This long-term security is also needed under new conditions," added Giesler

The planned merger between Thsyssenkrupp and Tata Steel would have created the second largest steel producer in Europe after ArcelorMittal.

The European Commission began investigating the merger last October amid concerns that competition, particularly regarding steel supplies to the automotive industry, could be affected.

On Friday, the German steel giant also announced that it was no longer planning to split its own industrial operations into two parts, one for the company's industrial sectors and another for its materials businesses.

"Economic downturn and its effects on business development and the current capital market environment" had led the executive board to reassess the company's strategic options, the German industrial giant announced.

Thyssenkrupp said its executive board "will propose to the supervisory board to not go ahead with the planned separation into two independent companies".

Instead of the split, the German industrial giant wanted to "fundamentally realign itself" by increasing the flexibility of its portfolio approach as well as introducing "a leaner holding structure and a stronger performance orientation".

As a result of the reintegration of its European steel business, the German industrial giant announced it was expecting adjusted earnings (EBIT) of 1.1 to 1.2 billion euros (1.24 to 1.35 billion U.S. dollars) for the current fiscal year.

Thyssenkrupp's announcement was well received on the stock market, with company shares increasing by more than twenty percent on Friday.

On Wednesday, the German company's stock had fallen to its lowest level in 15 years.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:16:52|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Tensions have flared up in the eastern Mediterranean, as Turkey said it is ready to start drilling for energy in the disputed waters off Cyprus, a move which further deteriorates ties between Ankara and the Western countries.

On May 6, Turkey said its ships would continue to explore for oil and gas in the sea that Cyprus considers part of its Exclusive Economic Zone. The two countries have overlapping offshore claims in this region.

The Turkish drilling ship "Fatih," along with a second vessel, is expected to begin drilling wells soon, defying international arrest warrants issued for the crew of Faith by the Cypriot authorities, the Turkish press reported.

Meanwhile, the United States and the European Union also criticized Turkey for sending its ship to explore for energy in a zone that Cyprus and the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus dispute fiercely.

The dispute came amid worsening relations between the United States and Turkey, the NATO allies, over Ankara's persistence in purchasing and deploying Russian S-400 missile systems this summer despite Washington's warnings of sanctions.

The United States has economic interest and geopolitical considerations in the eastern Mediterranean, where the recent discovery of large hydrocarbon reserves has generated contention. Washington also wants Europe to reduce its dependency on Russian natural gas.

Experts argue that the complexity of the dispute and the need for new energy resources make things difficult and conflictual.

"The United States has relevant economic interest in the area as some of its companies have been exploring off the Cypriot coast for some time. The eastern Mediterranean has become the most strategic region of the world," Ugur Ozgoker, rector of the American University of Cyprus, told Xinhua.

In addition, Turkey and Greece, two NATO allies and neighbors, have unsolved territorial dispute in the Aegean Sea, adding to the complexity of the matter.

"There are very significant interests at stake in this region and Turkey has the right to defend its own interest according to and within international law," pointed out Ozgoker, an expert on international relations.

However, some experts believe a solution could be inspired to for the island despite rising tensions in the Mediterranean waters.

"There is no question that the best option for the Greek Cypriot government is to form a joint commission with the Turkish Cypriots to manage ongoing hydrocarbon activities off the island," Serkan Demirtas, a political analyst and journalist, told Xinhua.

According to Demirtas, such a move could diffuse the tension in the eastern Mediterranean between Turkey and Cyprus, allowing the latter to continue its oil and natural gas exploration around the island.

"A Greek Cypriot decision to abandon unilateralism when it comes to the oil and gas reserves of the island would likely open a new page between the two peoples," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:16:53|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (C, front) applauds during a parade commemorating the victory of World War II in Nis, Serbia, on May 10, 2019. Serbian infantry, paratroopers as well as motorized and airborne echelons marched in front of thousands of spectators, within the joint police and military parade staged in the city of Nis on Friday to commemorate the victory of World War II. (Xinhua/Nemanja Cabric)

NIS, Serbia, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Serbian infantry, paratroopers as well as motorized and airborne echelons marched in front of thousands of spectators, within the joint police and military parade staged in the city of Nis on Friday to commemorate the victory of World War II.

The parade "Defense of Liberty" started at 11 a.m. local time at the Nikola Tesla Boulevard in Nis with in front of Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, government members, army and police officers and guests.

Paratroopers of the Serbian army jumped from a helicopter at an altitude of 2,000 meters, carrying the national flag across the sky to mark the beginning of the demonstration.

In the next 1.5 hours, audience observed the march of some 4,000 soldiers and policemen, equipped with latest weapons and gadgets designed and produced in Serbia.

The parade included 300 vehicles and 40 aircraft, including Mig-29 airplanes, Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters, modernized T-72 tanks, aircraft "Lasta", "Supergaleb G4" and "Orao".

Other highlights included the armored vehicle "Lazar 3", rocket launcher system "Sumadija", howitzer "Nora B-52" and the surface-to-air missile "S-125 Neva".

Vucic, who is also the Supreme Commander of Serbian Armed Forces, said that army and police officers marked Victory Day in an impressive way and assessed today's performance with the highest mark.

"Serbia is a free country, and will not allow anyone to endanger its freedom. You make us proud, you are the pride of Serbia, and I assess your work, efforts, diligence, equipment and training with -- very good!" Vucic said in his brief statement to soldiers and officers after the parade.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:22:01|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

JUBA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan said on Friday that 546 million South Sudanese pounds (3.2 million U.S. dollars) have been approved for treatment of 281 soldiers wounded during the more than five years of conflict.

Michael Makuei Lueth, minister of information and broadcasting said the money would cater for wounded soldiers on medical referral who had been neglected due to lack of funds.

"These names have accumulated in the ministry of finance. The ministry of finance had not been paying them, so the defense minister requested the intervention and it was found out that wounded heroes must be treated," Makuei told journalists in Juba.

South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) have been battling the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by former First Vice President Riek Machar and other rebel groups since outbreak of conflict in December 2013.

"Because without them (soldiers) being treated we would be neglecting very important part of our society, army," said Makuei.

The warring parties last week agreed to extend the date for the formation of a transitional unity government by another six months and the peace deal signed in September 2018 is largely holding despite intermittent clashes in the Yei region.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:22:02|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BRUSSELS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is scheduled to meet the Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Ghassan Salame at NATO Headquarters Monday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said Friday in a statement.

During his visit to NATO, Salame will also attend a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, the statement said.

Salame is currently in a tour to European capitals to discuss ways to immediately stop the fighting and resume a political dialogue in Libya.

Conflict broke out in Libya over a month ago when forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, attacked Tripoli, seat of the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord.

Since April, eastern-based Libyan forces led by Haftar have been advancing in a push to seize Tripoli but troops loyal to Prime Minister Fayez Al-Serraj's internationally-recognized government have so far kept them at bay.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 400 people were killed and at least 2,000 wounded since early April, with 11 additional ambulances have been impacted or suffered collateral damage.

Since the ouster and killing of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libyan factions have been engaged in a civil war that escalated in 2014, resulting in splitting power between two rival governments in the northwestern city of Tripoli and the northeastern city of Tobruk respectively.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 00:42:13|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

GAZA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 22 Palestinian demonstrators were shot and wounded on Friday during clashes with Israeli soldiers stationed on the border between the eastern Gaza Strip and Israel.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Health Ministry in Gaza, told reporters that 22 demonstrators were shot and wounded by Israeli gunfire, including a field paramedic, who was shot in the head and is in moderate condition.

On Friday afternoon, hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators headed to the area between eastern Gaza and Israel in protest against the peace plan the United States will announce soon, better known as the "Deal of the Century."

The demonstrators joined the weekly anti-Israel rally, known as the Great March of Return, which has been going on since the end of March last year.

These rallies came upon the call of the Highest Commission of the Great March of Return, which comprises representatives of various factions in Gaza including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, chanted slogans against the United States and Israel and called for ending the tight Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007.

Local reports and the Israeli media said around 4,000 demonstrators gathered near the fence of the border with Israel, where several demonstrators tried to climb the fence while others launched burning balloons into southern Israel.

Israeli Radio reported that Israeli firefighters fought two large fires caused by such burning balloons in areas close to the border with the Gaza Strip.

It is worth noting that a senior Egyptian security intelligence delegation has been in Gaza since Thursday to follow up the implementation of a calm understanding reached between Israel and Gazan factions.

Earlier in the day, the Gaza Health Ministry said the Israeli army has killed 304 Palestinians and wounded 17,301 others including 3,544 children and 1,168 women, since the beginning of the weekly rally.

Earlier this week, military escalation between the Israeli army and Gazan militant groups reached its peak, when the militants fired 700 rockets and projectiles into Israel while the Israeli army harshly struck their posts in Gaza.

Efforts have been exerted by Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar to restore calm in the coastal enclave between Israel and the Hamas-led Palestinian factions.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 01:02:19|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, May 11 (Xinhua) -- An African swine fever (ASF) case was confirmed at a slaughterhouse in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and about 6,000 pigs would be culled, a health official of the SAR government said late Friday.

Sophia Chan, secretary for food and health of the HKSAR government, said it was confirmed Friday afternoon that ASF virus was found in a pig in the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse in the New Territories.

An inter-departmental meeting was held to discuss the response action and follow up work.

Chan said, in order to minimize the risk of ASF virus spreading from the slaughterhouse, all pigs in Sheung Shui slaughterhouse would be culled so that thorough cleansing and disinfection could be conducted.

"The operation of the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse will be suspended until the completion of the disinfection work," Chan said, adding that the SAR government would enhance the surveillance and testing of pigs.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 01:07:23|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

NICOSIA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus is set to give a concession to a Total of France and ENI of Italy consortium to drill for natural gas in yet another block of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), state-run Cyprus news Agency (CNA) reported on Friday.

The news came as Turkey is preparing to drill in an area closed to the west coast which is claimed by Cyprus, starting a flurry of international diplomacy to defuse a potential crisis.

On May 6, Turkey said its ships would continue to explore for oil and gas in the sea that Cyprus considers part of its exclusive economic zone. The two countries have overlapping offshore claims in this region.

The Turkish drilling ship "Fatih", along with a second vessel, is expected to begin drilling wells soon, defying international arrest warrants issued for the crew of Faith by the Cypriot authorities, Turkish media reported.

CNA quoted unnamed Cypriot government sources as saying that the two companies may also cooperate in other blocks in the Cypriot exclusive economic zone.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides told state television after returning from a visit to France, that news in relation to the energy program should be expected any day. In Paris, he had met with his French counterpart and a senior Total official.

The Ministry of Energy said in November, after inviting bids for drilling that it received a single application from joint venture Total E&P Cyprus B.V. / Eni Cyprus Limited, for a licence to carry out exploration for hydrocarbons in block 7 of Cyprus's EEZ.

The consortium is already licenced to explore in blocks 6 and 11, off the southwestern shores of Cyprus, while ENI also has concessions, alone or in association with South Korean KOGAS to drill in blocks 8, 9, 2 and 3, off the southeastern Cypriot coast.

Christodoulides, asked to comment on the discussion on the presence of a Turkish drillship in a part of the Cypriot exclusive economic zone at a European Union Council meeting in Sibiu, Romania, on Thursday, said the EU bloc stands behind Cyprus in full solidarity in its dispute with Turkey.

He said President Anastasiades explained the facts to his EU colleagues and asked for practical measures against Turkey.

Anastasiades himself said he was fully satisfied with the response of EU countries, but warned against expecting such measures soon.

"Currently, time must be given to diplomacy to act," Anastasiades said.

Despite warnings by the European Union to pull out of the Cypriot EEZ, Turkish officials seemed to be undisturbed and said a second drill ship will be sent in the eastern Mediterranean soon.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 01:17:29|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government of President Donald Trump dare not wage a war on Iran despite its threats, a senior Iranian commander said Friday.

"Negotiations with Americans will not take place, and Americans will not dare take a military action against us," Yadollah Javani, head of the political bureau of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, told Tasnim News Agency.

"Trump thought with the new sanctions on Iran after its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran would face internal turmoil and eventually negotiate with the United States, but in practice it did not happen," Javani said.

Western media reported that the United States has recently deployed an aircraft carrier to the Middle East region amid the rising tension with Iran.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 01:22:33|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

SARAJEVO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's Federal Administration of Civil Protection (FUCZ) issued an alert on Friday, warning citizens on possible floods in the following days, according to FUCZ's official social account.

More intensive rainfall is expected from May 12-17, during which 80 to 130 liters of rain is expected to fall in one-meter square, FUCZ said in a statement, adding that almost all levels of rivers in the Federation, one of the entities, are expected to rise.

Director of Federal Hydrometeorological Institute (FHMZ) Almir Bijedic said that, due to snow melting, a saturation of soil with water, and increased rainfall, the population can expect floods.

The highest water level increase is expected in the northwest and central area of the country, with numerous landslides and escarpments, according to the director of Geology Institute of BiH Ferid Skopljak who attended the meeting.

It was decided that all available personnel and techniques of the Public Safety Department will be on call duties as of Saturday and in standby ready for action.

BiH's Ministry of Security informed all institutions of protection and rescue in BiH and international partners, on rainfall that could cause floods in the country.

The notification is also addressed to country's Ministry of Defense and to Emergency Response Coordination Center of the European Commission.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 01:32:36|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TIRANA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- One police officer and four citizens were arrested in centre Albania late Thursday for allegedly trafficking illegal migrants, Albanian authorities said on Friday.

The special investigation was conducted by the Internal Affairs Service and Complaints Department (IASC) of the Interior Ministry.

Those arrested are suspected for assisting 19 foreign migrants, including Syrians, to cross the border illegally.

The 19 migrants were detained at the entrance of Pogradec city centre in Albania while they were being transported in the direction of the capital city Tirana in two vehicles driven by Albanian citizens. The illegal migrants entered the green border in Devoll area, south-eastern Albania, where two other Albanian citizens were waiting for them.

Authorities said they seized four vehicles, cell phones and an amount of 120,000 Albanian lek (about 1,093 U.S. dollars).

The police officer was suspected of playing the role of the road controller, authorities said.

The arrested will face the charges of "illegal border crossing assistance in cooperation".
Supporters of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani shout slogans at Mehrabad airport in Tehran, Iran, on Sept. 28, 2013. (Xinhua File photo)

TEHRAN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government of President Donald Trump dare not wage a war on Iran despite its threats, a senior Iranian commander said Friday.

"Negotiations with Americans will not take place, and Americans will not dare take a military action against us," Yadollah Javani, head of the political bureau of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, told Tasnim News Agency.

"Trump thought with the new sanctions on Iran after its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran would face internal turmoil and eventually negotiate with the United States, but in practice it did not happen," Javani said.

Western media reported that the United States has recently deployed an aircraft carrier to the Middle East region amid the rising tension with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event in honor of Military Mothers and Spouses in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO)

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday that it had imposed sanctions on two shipping companies that operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy, adding that individuals operating in Venezuelan defense and security sector might be subject to sanctions.

The designated targets of Friday's sanctions are two shipping companies and two vessels registered under them, which transported oil from Venezuela to Cuba, according to a statement issued by the Treasury Department.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement that "the U.S. will take further action if Cuba continues to receive Venezuelan oil in exchange for military support."

Mnuchin also warned that Venezuela's military and intelligence services would be met with "serious consequences" if they continue to support Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests in property of those sanctioned targets that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction will be blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, the statement noted.

File Photo: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures during a rally against U.S President Donald Trump in Caracas, Venezuela, August 14, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

The United States has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Venezuelan government in support of the opposition leader Juan Guaido.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday issued a warning to 25 magistrates of Venezuela's supreme court of potential sanctions.

Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) on Wednesday "categorically and forcefully" rejected Pence's threat.

In a statement read by TSJ President Maikel Moreno, the judicial body said that Pence "in a disrespectful and interfering manner seeks to subject the highest Venezuelan judicial authorities to threats that violate the principles of independence."

The U.S. government recognized Guaido as the nation's "interim president" on Jan. 23, days after Nicolas Maduro was inaugurated for a second term.

In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced that he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 05:34:39|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

SANAA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations said on Friday that Yemen's Houthi rebels have agreed to unilaterally redeploy forces out of three key ports in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah within four days beginning Saturday.

The UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) "will monitor and report on this unilateral redeployment, due to begin on Saturday, and be completed by Tuesday," said Michael Lollesgaard, head of the team of UN observers and monitors, in a UN statement.

This was "a first practical step on the ground" since the agreement reached between Yemeni warring parties in Stockholm in December 2018, Lollesgaard noted.

The Stockholm deal was considered the first breakthrough in the civil conflict in Yemen for the past four years.

According to the statement, the Houthi rebels agreed to withdraw from the Hodeidah main port, and the ports of Salif, which is used for importing grains, and Ras Issa, which is used for exporting crude oil.

"This unilateral redeployment should allow for establishing a UN-led role in supporting the Red Sea Ports Corporation in managing the ports, as well as for enhancing the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) in accordance with the Agreement," Lollesgaard added.

The statement gave no details on any government reaction in return.

The Stockholm Agreement, the first step toward a comprehensive political solution, focused on the port city of Hodeidah, the lifeline for Yemen's most commercial imports and humanitarian aid.

Both warring parties have largely obeyed the cease-fire deal, but failed to withdraw forces from the city.

Hodeidah has been the focus of clashes since 2017.

The government forces, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, have advanced to the southern outskirts of the port city, but the forces have halted a major offensive to recapture Hodeidah since June 2017 to pave the way for peace efforts.

The Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen's war in March 2015 to support internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country's north, including the capital Sanaa.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 05:39:43|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- While opinion research this week has indicated that the Finnish attitudes towards the European Union (EU) are more positive than ever, the ongoing European parliamentary election campaigns show growing polarization.

Laura Huhtasaari, the vice chairman of the populist Finns Party and its key candidate for the European Parliament, said in her debate on the national TV late Thursday that her party would not push for an exit of Finland from the EU, as "the EU would hit back badly". She promised nationalistic cooperation in the European Parliament towards giving member states more discretion.

On Friday, a poll by national broadcaster, Yle indicated the Finns Party became the largest party in Finland with 18.8 support, followed by the Social Democrats second at 17.8 percent. Also the Greens increased its support. The poll was not specifically designed for the EU election support though.

Yle analyst Matti Koivisto said the Finns Party could increase their seats in the European Parliament from two to three, and the Greens from one to two.

A survey by the think tank, EVA this week indicated a record 56 percent of the Finns have a positive attitude towards the EU and 29 percent are neutral. Negative attitudes got 13 percent.

Polarization on issues such as refugees is reflected in the match-me services that most media houses have released this week.

Alma-Media asked the candidates whether the EU has the duty to rescue from drowning all immigrants trying to cross the Mediterranean. No populist Finns Party candidate backed such mandatory rescue, whereas all respondents from the Left Alliance and the Greens wanted it. While 93 percent of the social democrats insisted on rescue, the backing among Centrists, conservatives and Christian Democrats ranged between 58 and 53.

Attitudes towards environmental reforms reflect the division seen in the parliamentary election campaign. The Greens are the most positive, and the Finns Party candidates the most negative. In the Yle service, all Green League and Left Alliance candidates support a ban on cars using only fossil fuel by 2030. A ban gets a narrow majority among Social Democrats, but majority of conservatives and Centrists are against it. A 55 percent majority of the candidates would accept a joint EU tax on flying.

Trade sanctions between neighboring Russia and the EU split candidate opinions. Sympathy towards Russia is widest in the populist Finns Party, but also seen in the Center Party. In the match-me service of Alma Media, the lifting of sanctions got backing from roughly a third in both of them. Understanding towards Russia was fairly high also among the Christian Democrats and the Left Alliance.

The Green candidates showed the toughest stand in favor of maintaining the sanctions. Also the Social Democrats and the conservative National Coalition Party candidates were clearly supporting continued sanctions.

In Finland, the whole country forms one constituency in the EU Parliamentary election. Observers say this favors people with national visibility and incumbent MEPs. The election takes place in Finland on May 26, and 13 MEPs will be elected.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 05:49:49|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ANKARA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK) said on Friday that it fined Facebook 1.65 million Turkish liras (280,000 U.S. dollars) in April over data breach.

According to a statement from Facebook last December, the company had discovered a photo API bug that allowed third-party applications to access the photos of Facebook users.

About 300,000 users in Turkey may have been affected by this data breach, KVKK said.

According to the Turkish watchdog, Facebook failed to timely intervene to take proper technical and administrative measures during the 12-day existence of the bug last September.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 06:09:56|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LAS VEGAS, the United States, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 U.S.-China Cultural Tourism Festival opened Friday in Las Vegas, the U.S. state of Nevada, aiming to expand cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries.

The three-day festival consists of various themes, including Chinese and American tourist cities, scenic spots, world heritage and intangible cultural heritage.

It has attracted the attendance of 145 exhibitors from Chinese and American cultural, tourism and handicraft industries, with 65 of them coming from China, according to Las Vegas Committee of Enterprise and Commerce United, organizer of the event.

"Tourism and travel is the vehicle served to promote the cultural exchanges among different countries," said Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Wang Donghua at the opening ceremony.

"Strengthening the cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism is very important for deepening the mutual understanding, trust and further expanding China-U.S. exchanges and cooperation," he noted, adding that the festival is of great significance especially when being held on the occasion of the four-decade milestone in U.S.-China diplomatic relations.

Richard Cherchio, a councilman in the City of North Las Vegas, told Xinhua that he expected the event would "draw the two cultures closer together, so we can complement one another and learn from each other."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-11 06:09:58|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

SALT LAKE CITY, the United States, May 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on Friday paid tribute to the contributions of railroad workers, especially those from China, in U.S. economic transformation through the transcontinental railroad 150 years ago.

"The transcontinental railroad was a tremendous feat of engineering, innovation and manpower that was key to the economic development of the United States, and today, we pay special tribute to the diverse workforce - especially 12,000 or more Chinese laborers - that built this seminal infrastructure project that transformed America," Chao said.

The conditions were merciless, dangerous and harsh, Chao said, noting that an estimated 500 to 1,000 Chinese workers lost their lives.

Chao made the speech at Promontory Summit in Salt Lake City, U.S. western state of Utah, at the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony, which marked the completion of the first American transcontinental railroad. The railroad shortened travel time between New York City and San Francisco from six months by wagon to about one week.

The ability to move people and goods across the continent more rapidly and at much lower cost led to rapid economic growth, bringing benefits not only to coastal cities, but communities in the interior regions, Chao said.

The Golden Spike was the final spike driven into the railtrack to join the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, creating the transcontinental railroad. It connected the eastern U.S. rail network with the San Francisco Bay.

Chao is the first American of Chinese ancestry to serve as U.S. secretary of transportation.
Drama care ii strica fericirea lui Denise Rifai de sarbatori: E dureros subiectul

Denise Rifai, una dintre cele mai populare prezentatoare TV in acest moment, a dezvaluit cu cine isi va petrece Craciunul anul acesta si cat de implinita se simte la sfarsit de an. Persoana draga pe care a pierdut-o Denise [citeste mai departe]
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- With nine infection cases confirmed on Thursday, Romania has reached 25 cases of SARS-CoV-2, Omicron variant, informs the Ministry of Health, in a press release sent to AGERPRES. "It is about six people (3 men and 3 women) aged between 19 and 84 in Bucharest, a 31-year-old man from Dambovita

- The incidence of COVID-19 cases cumulated in 14 days exceeds 3 per thousand inhabitants in six towns in Romania, with Curtici registering the highest, namely 4.01, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed on Thursday. The cities with the highest incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections are: *

- The European Commission on Thursday disbursed E1.8bln to Romania in pre-financing, equivalent to 13% of the countrys grant allocation under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), according to a press release. The pre-financing payment will help to kick-start the implementation of the investment

- The European Commission decided on Thursday to refer Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with EU rules to tackle industrial pollution and to adopt an air pollution control programme, according to a press release. The EU Commission explained that in the first case,

- Prime Minister-designate Nicolae Ciuca told Parliament's sitting on Thursday that the Government will ensure observance of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, and, externally, will have as strategic objective Romania's accession to the Schengen Area and consolidation the regional

- President Klaus Iohannis attended the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday in Brussels, reiterating Romania's request to become a member of the border-free Schengen Area as soon as possible. The main subjects of the meeting regarded the latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic,

- The chairman of PSD (Social Democratic Party) Marcel Ciolacu reiterated on Thursday that Romania is not entering an area of stability with a minority Government. "I maintain my opinion that Romania is not entering an area of stability with a minority Government. Especially with what we have

- Pe vremea cand era secretar de stat in Ministerul Culturii condus de Kelemen Hunor, Hegedus Csilla a respins de doua ori amplasarea bustului lui Avram Iancu la Sibiu cu motivatia stupefianta ca bustul lui Avram Iancu nu are expresie artistica! In aceeasi perioada insa, un parc din Sibiu a primit denumirea
The outcome of these elections could lead to a strengthening of the Kremlins role in Europe, a revision of anti-Russian sanctions, and weakening of the pro-Ukrainian lobby

Open source

We have to admit that Kremlin managed to achieve some success in its striving to define insiders and outsiders on the eve of the European parliamentary elections. The new European Parliament would have more Eurosceptics, and pan-European groups might lose about 70 seats. But, fortunately, the pro-Ukrainian majority will remain in Europe.

Less than three weeks before the appointed elections are left. The outcome of these elections could lead to a strengthening of the Kremlins role in Europe, a revision of anti-Russian sanctions, and weakening of the pro-Ukrainian lobby.

It is predicted that, by participating in this election campaign in a united front, Euroskeptics might increase their representation in the EP. Most of them are Kremlins political allies.

According to Estonian intelligence, the main targets of Moscow were the youth of Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, and France. The residents of these major EU member states would elect more than a third of the European Parliament. Unless, of course, the UK participate in the elections.

It is expected that the turnout in these elections will be at least 68%. And in Germany, for example, almost three-quarters of all voters (73%) intend to come to the polls. And, as evidenced by the study of the German Bertelsmann Foundation, every tenth voter in Europe is ready to support the right or populists.

Meanwhile, for Ukraine, this situation is unlikely to become critical. The leading pan-European parties are European People's Party (EPP), European Socialists Party (PES, S&D group), and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), according to all forecasts, are still able to preserve the majority.

How will the political palette of the European Parliament change after the May elections?

Currently, the EP consists of eight "traditional" political groups, among which the share of Euroskeptics is about 21%.

According to the latest forecast, made on the basis of sociological surveys in the EU countries at the end of April, the main and most numerous pan-European parties will lose 15-17% of seats in the EP in May.

So, despite some revival of interest in recent months to the EPP and PES factions, the S&D group, both political groups are likely to suffer significant electoral losses compared with the results of 2014. At the same time, according to the forecast of Europe Elects, the center-right might lose 41 places, and the left-centrists might get rid of some 30.

So, as we see, the largest and most powerful group of EPs is expected to be the EPP again, although its number may be reduced from 221 to 180 seats. The leader of this force is German politician Manfred Weber, who at the end of April was remembered by statements about his intention to stop the Russian project Nord Stream - 2. He is also the most likely candidate for the presidency of the European Commission.

PES, S & D group would likely remain the second largest political group, whose leader is Dutchman Frans Timmermans, the current First Vice President of the EP. According to the forecast, this party will receive 161 seats instead of 191 in the current composition of the EP.

ALDE could be the third largest political group. The leader of this party is the current European Commissioner for Competition, the Danish politician Margrethe Vestager.

According to Tobias Schminka, the head of the social service of Europe Elects, this party managed to win the support of voters mainly due to recent changes in the political situation in France and Romania.

The En Marche party (ed. - Forward, Republic!), which is expected to join the liberal ALDE, slowly rises in popularity ratings. Meanwhile, in Romania, voters turn to ALDE, because the rating of the ruling Social Democratic Party has been greatly shaken due to the corruption scandals.

Now it is predicted that the Liberal Democrats are able to increase their representation in the European Parliament by 37 seats, but on condition that the French En Marche supports this faction.

European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR group) now barely holds the fifth position. At the May elections, it might lose its position from the current 70 to 64 seats.

Its leader is the Czech politician Jan Zahradil, and the structure includes such serious political players in Europe as the Polish Law and Justice, the British Conservative Party, and the Czech Civic Democratic Party.

The party of the European Left, the so-called. The European United Left / Left Greens of the North (ed. - European United Left / Nordic Green Left - GUE / NGL) group will also slightly reduce its representation in the EP, from 52 to 49 deputy seats.

It is expected that its position will slightly improve the Greens - European Free Alliance (ed. - Greens / European Free Alliance - Greens / EFA). Although insignificant  for just one position.

All of the above parties are predominantly centrist, despite the differences on the basis of the left or right wing. But, unlike them, the extreme far-wing populists and Euroskeptics show the best dynamics in this election program.

According to the German Bertelsmann Foundation, supporters of Euro-skeptical parties are more mobilized than centrist parties. The Funds survey results also show an increased anti-European stance.

Many citizens no longer choose the party but vote against those parties that reject it the most. On average, only about 6 out of 100 voters (6.3%) have a positive attitude to one party. At the same time, almost every second respondent (about 49%) has a negative party identity, and therefore completely rejects one or even several parties, the report says.

Researchers claim that those voters who supported the main pro-European parties and now have become disillusioned with them, as a rule, use populist messages.

On the eve of the elections, the far-right from all over Europe united in the nationalist faction European Alliance of People and EAPN, the informal leader of which was the head of the Italian League of the North, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.

The group included representatives of the ECR group, Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy - EFDD and Europe of Nations and Freedoms (ed. - Europe of Nations and Freedom - ENF).

The creation of the new faction was supported by the French National Front Marine Le Pen, Austrian and Dutch Freedom Party, German Alternative for Germany, The Danish People's Party, and former True Finns party.

The cooperation of the new Alliance with the Hungarian Fidesz of Viktor Orban is not excluded, especially after their membership in the EPP was suspended in March of this year, the Polish party Law and Justice by Yaroslav Kaczynski, who quarreled with Brussels. According to April forecasts, EAPN might take fourth place and get about 85 seats.

These parties might have a more pragmatic approach to Russia  in other words, the desire to lift part of the sanctions and normalize relations with Moscow.

But for now, by simple arithmetic calculations, it is easy to establish only that centrist parties will continue to represent the majority in the European Parliament. And this will ensure the continuity of European politics. If the situation changes after the May elections, it is completely irrelevant. And the official foreign policy of Kyiv might not be taken into consideration at all.

According to international expert Roman Kostyuk, despite all the serious differences between the leading political players of the European Union in the social and economic spheres, they still occupy similar positions in the foreign policy field. This concerns, for example, solidarity in European foreign policy on security and defense.

Such solidarity is regularly demonstrated by the EPP and the PES, S & D group, and ALDE. In addition, an analysis of the voting of the last years in the European Parliament shows that the most diverse deputy groups, located both in the left, and in the centrist, and in the right parts of the EP take a rather tough and irreconcilable position on the policy of the Kremlin.

So, the European Green Party and the PES, S & D group see in Moscows actions a source of instability and a move towards an arms race.

European moderately left reproaches the Russian authorities for violating human rights and freedom of the press; almost all the ecology parties of the Old World and a significant number of social democratic parties also criticized the actions of the Russian Federation in the post-Soviet space.

Read the original text at 112.ua.
The enemys casualties are being specified

Russian occupants violated the ceasefire regime seven times in Donbas combat zone on May 10. The Joint Forces Operation (JFO) HQ reported this on Facebook.

Thus, in Donetsk region, the enemy fired at positions of the Joint Forces operation near Novomykhaylivka and Avdiivka settlements.

In Luhansk region, the occupant opened fire near Novozvanivka, Popasna and Novhorodske.

According to the report, Russia-backed militants shelled the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the 122 mm artillery systems, 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and heavy machine guns.

No casualties among the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been recordedThe enemys casualties are being specified yet, the report said.

As we reported earlier, on May 9, Russian occupants attacked the emplacements of Ukrainian government troops 14 times. Ukraine's Defense Ministry reported that, specifying that the enemy used Minsk-banned 120 mm mortars twice.

In Donetsk region, illegal armed gangs conducted 12 attacks. Pishchevik, Opytne, Avdiivka, Bohdanivka, Chermalyk, Novoselivka and Starohnativka came under fire.
Moscow is treating Ukraine and its newly elected president, Volodymyr Zelensky, with the same implacable hostility as it did during Petro Poroshenkos presidency. The Kremlin has not taken even a brief time-out that would have allowed it to assess Zelenskys first decisions and the staffing of his administration in the wake of the April 21 presidential election (see EDM, April 25).

Given the Kremlins demonization of Poroshenko and its anybody-but-Poroshenko line during Ukraines presidential election campaign, Moscow might have been expected to allow a respite at least as a tactical move in this long-term confrontation, perhaps to lure the inexperienced Ukrainian president into a dialogue on Moscows terms. Zelensky, after all, does not carry the baggage of the Maidan coup detat, fascist junta, and Donbas-suppressor, nor (by any stretch) that of Ukrainian nationalism.

Yet, instead of a wait-and-see pause, or at least maintaining the same level of confrontation, Moscow has actually escalated it. Mindful of Western admonitions against military escalation, it has escalated on the economic and political levels. The Kremlin initiated the escalation several days ahead of Ukraines election date, when Zelenskys landslide victory over Poroshenko was already a certainty.

The measures chosen are preemptive in their character and timing, designed to step up the various sources of pressure on the post-Poroshenko regime. Following the October parliamentary elections, there will also be a new government in Ukraine. But Russias latest measures are consistent with its long-term policy to thwart Ukraines economic growth, foment political instability, and manipulate the Donbas conflict with a view to obtaining Russian droits de regard over the country as such.

On April 18, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced a set of decisions by the Russian government to ban or restrict exports of vital energy products to Ukraine. Effective from that date, exports of Russian crude oil and a wide range of oil derivatives and petrochemicals to Ukraine are banned outright. Effective from June 1, exports of gasoline, diesel fuel, liquefied gases, hard coal, and coke shall only be possible by permission of Russias Ministry of Economy and other government agencies, through special licenses on a case-by-case basis. In the same move, Medvedev announced a ban on Russian imports on a wide range of Ukrainian products in the heavy and light industries (Kommersant, April 18, 19; TASS, April 24).

The export restrictions on liquid fuels and industrial coal should create wide scope for Russian manipulation and negotiating leverage. Supplies can be withheld, or, alternatively, be released in return for some Ukrainian concessions in other areas. With licenses to be approved on a case-by-case basis, Moscow could compel or tempt Ukrainian organizations, officials, or oligarch industrialists into bargaining to obtain the conditional release of supplies. Ukraine could resort to import substitution, first and foremost from Belarus for diesel and gasoline (unless Russia disrupts crude oil deliveries to Belarusian refineries). The re-routing of supplies from other directions will impose additional, transportation-related costs, and some new suppliers are likely to charge premium prices.

On April 24 and May 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued decrees on granting Russias citizenship en masse to residents of the Russian-controlled territories in Ukraines Donbas. This move (mass-passportization) negates the legal status of Donetsk and Luhansk as Ukrainian territories and of their residents as Ukrainian citizens (see EDM, May 1, 2).

Capping earlier moves to absorb this area de facto into Russia, the passportization represents a dramatic escalation of the conflict at the political level. Russia, in effect, annexes the population, still without acknowledging the territorial annexation, but cementing it. For the first time since the 2014 occupation, Russia creates a legal covernamely, the conferral of Russian citizenshipto justify Russias military presence and political protectorate over this part of Ukraine. This fait accompli, ahead of a peace settlement, intends to render any solution impossible except on Moscows interpretation of the Minsk agreements: reinserting this territory into Ukraine nominally, under a Moscow-supervised and -protected special status, and (henceforth) with its Russian citizenry. The intention is to create an insurmountable bloc of pro-Russia voters in Ukraines elections and balance-holding factor in its parliament, so as to derail the country from its westward course.

Moscow is thereby confronting the new Ukrainian presidentand, soon, a new governmentwith the dilemma of either protecting Ukraines sovereignty and refusing to negotiate on such a basis, or, alternatively, facing a protracted military stalemate and forfeiting the occupied territories. Either course of action would saddle the new Ukrainian president and government with heavy domestic and international costs.

Russia is still withholding an official acknowledgment of Zelenskys election as president. The Kremlin has not taken even the routine step of releasing a congratulatory telegram or equivalent gesture through a spokesperson. Instead, the Kremlin and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have taken notice of the elections results and will respect the choice of the people of Ukraine (Bloomberg, April 22)

This stance is a part of Moscows preparations to influence Ukraines parliamentary election campaign, which will start shortly after Zelenskys official inauguration as president. Russias hostile response to Zelenskys election, and attacks on him on state television channels, aim to draw a deep wedge between the presidents Servant of the People (which will contest the parliamentary elections) and the voters in Ukraines east and south. Zelensky won overwhelmingly there (as he did throughout Ukraine) in the presidential election.

Moscow, however, will try to reopen that fault line by mobilizing Ukraines east and south to vote for pro-Russia parties. Moscow is vested in the Opposition PlatformFor Life party, led by Yurii Boyko (third-placed in the presidential election just held, first-placed in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Donbas) and Viktor Medvedchuk (federalization proponent, and capitalizing on a personal relationship with Putin). The Kremlins goal in these elections is for this party to exploit the political fragmentation of the new Ukrainian parliament, bargain its way into a governing coalition and influence it from within.
President-elect of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Zoya Shu/112.ua

The president of Ukraine sits in his office, a glum look on his face. He has just been trounced in the election by a political outsider, and isnt taking it well. When his successor, Vasyl Holoborodko, tries to move into his office, the outgoing president shoots at him through the door with a shotgun, just missing his target. Hes refusing to leave until his demands are met, says an aide: he wants a litre of vodka, several packs of cigarettes and political asylum in Yugoslavia. But Yugoslavia doesnt even exist anymore, says Holoborodko. He knows, thats why he asked for the vodka, the aide replies.



The mix of slapstick and satire is typical of Servant of the People, a television show that has gripped Ukrainian audiences since 2015. In an astonishing example of life imitating art, Volodymyr Zelensky, the actor and comedian who plays Holoborodko, was elected this month as Ukraines president. Despite having no political experience whatsoever, he managed to defeat Petro Poroshenko, the incumbent of five years, with a whopping 73% of the vote. Poroshenko graciously accepted defeat and congratulated Zelensky.

Aleksey Kiryushchenko, the actor who plays Zelenskys on-screen opponent, is also the showrunner of Servant of the People, responsible for developing the storyline and producing and directing the show. But now that his star is too busy having meetings with foreign dignitaries and members of parliament, Kiryushchenko is saying goodbye. We cant have the show without its hero, he tells me matter of factly. We are sitting in the canteen of Kvartal 95, Zelenskys production company, which is housed in a converted Soviet apartment block in Kiev. There were three seasons, and the fourth is happening now before our eyes, Kiryushchenko tells me. It has become reality.

When Kiryushchenko was asked to work on Servant of the People four years ago, nobody on set seemed to think that the show would be renewed for a second season. Zelensky and his writers knew that the protagonist of their story would be an everyman-turned-politician, but they were struggling to put a fresh spin on a familiar archetype. For inspiration they watched House of Cards, Yes, Minister and Boss, starring Kelsey Grammer. In the end, they decided to set their story firmly in the 21st century: their hero, a Ukrainian schoolteacher, is elected president after his rant against the countrys corrupt establishment goes viral after being secretly filmed and uploaded to YouTube by a student. Zelenskys character, Vasyl Holoborodko, reluctantly moves into the presidential residence. He resolves to purge Ukraine of corruption but, almost immediately, everyone from his bank clerk to the countrys most powerful oligarchs seek to buy his favour. The question tugging at the minds of viewers is whether Holoborodko will resist the urge to use his office to enrich himself or succumb to it, like so many before him.

The show is an experiment, Kiryushchenko says. We see what happens when you drop an idealistic person into dirty politics, like a clean spoon full of honey into a barrel of tar. That experiment has been wildly successful. Servant of the People was a hit, and is the only Ukrainian programme ever bought by Netflix. Tired of their scandal-ridden politics (Ukraine is the most corrupt country in Europe after Russia according to Transparency International), Ukrainians found in Holoborodko a man who not only entertained them but who also promised to defend their interests against those who would ransack the country. Holoborodko gave his fans hope for a better future.

Enter Zelensky. He announced his candidacy on New Years Eve last year. Though Kiryushchenko is careful to say that Zelensky didnt consult him while he was thinking about a run for office, he does recall one conversation they had during that period.You are doing satire, I told him. Whats the goal? You want him [Poroshenko] to change? You want him to become better. You criticise him at first gently, then harder and harder, and he doesnt change. So are you going to do that into old age, barking at his feet like a little dog? Maybe change places and become him yourself.

Thats when the border between fact and fiction began to blur. The latest season of the show was broadcast during the election campaign. As viewers watched Holoborodko rooting out corruption on screen, they observed his real-life avatar, backed by a political party called Servant of the People, criticising Poroshenko and championing ideas first mooted by Holoborodko, such as getting rid of the presidential motorcade which Holoborodko thought frivolous. Zelensky even once addressed his social media audience while he was on set and in costume, and took to the stage on election night as the shows theme music played on the speakers.

Do you think Zelensky would have won if it wasnt for Holoborodko? Kiryushchenko asks rhetorically. People believe in Zelenskys character on the show and cant separate them.

Kiryushchenko claims that he, Zelensky and their team had no idea that their show would prove a highly effective means of mobilising voters. The show ended up being a new kind of political technology, he says, using a post-Soviet term for the techniques used to influence voters. For the world that was a really unexpected political shock. But we didnt plan that. I would love to say we did, that we have some sort of know-how in political technology. I would have a million offers on my desk from people asking me to do the same thing for them.

Part of Zelenskys appeal is that he is a political outsider, one who isnt in the pocket of the oligarchs, or so he claims. His opponents disagree. Servant of the People is aired on 1+1, a popular TV channel which provided favourable coverage of Zelensky during the campaign. Poroshenko has accused Zelensky of being the puppet of the owner of 1+1, an oligarch called Ihor Kolomoisky. Zelensky denies the claim.

Other concerns abound. Many Ukrainians worry about Zelenskys lack of experience. He may be able to act the part of a president but when the cameras are turned off and the real work begins, what then? He readily admits that his political views arent well developed; when a BBC journalist met him in January, the journalist described those views as still very much a work in progress. Zelensky has responded to reports that he came across as clueless in briefings with diplomats by promising to surround himself with eggheads. But at a particularly fraught time for the country, which is still at war with Russia, some may reasonably wonder whether Zelensky is fit for office.

Whatever happens with Zelenskys presidency, Servant of the People is on the verge of going global. Even before Zelensky was elected, media companies in over 15 countries, including Fox Studios in America, had bought the rights to remake the series, creating the possibility that copycats will try to launch their own political careers via the characters they play on screen. I opened Pandoras box, admits Kiryushchenko.

Read the original text here.
Urmas Reinsalu intends to offer anti-Russian sanctions for its simplified passportization in Crimea and Donbas

Open source

Foreign Minister of Estonia Urmas Reinsalu intends to impose extra sanctions against Russia due to its passportization in the simplified order for citizens of the occupied Donbas and Crimea as Festi Paevaleht reported.

Reinsalu plans to propose such an offer at the meeting of the Foreign Minister of the EU countries on May 13.

Russia is a nuclear country, which used force against the neighboring countries twice during the last decade. The support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state and relevant treatment of such acts of aggression meet the interests of Estonia, Reinsalu said.

Reinsalu added that he asked Foreign Ministry to analyze the possible restrictive measures, concerning the last steps of Russia, when it began to issue passports in Crimea and Donbas, violating Minsk Agreements.

On May 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting the right to a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship to certain categories of citizens of Ukraine.

On April 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree according to which the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is simplified. 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.

President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine will grant citizenship to representatives of all peoples suffering from authoritarian and corrupt regimes, and first of all to Russians.

Besides, he said that Russia should not spend their time in vain with their attempts to lure the citizens of Ukraine into getting Russian passports.

Current President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko stated that the order on the issuance of the Russian passports to the Ukrainian citizens on the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk is the attempt to justify and legitimize the military presence of Russia in Donbas.

Ukraine appealed to the UN Security Council after this decision and Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Volodymyr Yelchenko called it to be the daring step, which contradicts the Minsk Agreements.

Ukraines Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs reported that people who get Russian passports will lose their Ukrainian citizenship.
This is supposed to launch the process of nominating the next leaders of the leading European instituions after the election in the European Parliament

The urgent summit of the European Union will take place May 28. President of the European Council Donald Tusk reported that after an informal meeting of the EU member countries in Sibiu, Romania.

I call a special #EUCO on 28 May to start the process to nominate the next leaders of the EU institutions. This should be swift, effective and in accordance with our Treaties. If consensus proves difficult, I will not shy away from putting these decisions to a vote in June.  Donald Tusk @eucopresident 9  2019 .

The next elections to the European Parliament are expected to be held between 23 and 26 May 2019 and it is the 9th parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979. A total of 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) currently represent more than 512 million people from 28 member states.

Earlier, Tusk said he was looking forward to cooperation with Ukraine's president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky. The two talked on the phone, as Tusk assured Zelensky of the EU's steadfast support to Ukraine.
The court hearing in the case of captured Ukrainian sailors at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, slated for May 10 will take no longer than three hours. Olena Zerkal, the spokeswoman of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported that on Facebook.

'Russia has been playing semantics with every single word and every single statement, distorting their meaning. When reading documents, you may see how Russia exercises in the skills of swearing black is white, denying to recognize that white is white', she wrote. Thus, making decisions about procedures, creating documents and preparing for hearings take much more time than the session itself.

Covington & Burling LLP provide legal assistance for Ukraine in this particular case, Zerkal added.

In November 2018, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy attacked the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian ships were rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them.

All 24 sailors on board were captured and delivered to Moscow  21 of them were delivered to Lefortovo remand center, the rest came to the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison.

Facing an extension of the sentence term, Ukrainian POWs detained in the Kerch Strait refused to testify in Lefortovo court. Sailors were distributed into six groups, four people in each. On January 15, 2019, Moscow's Lefortovo district court decided to keep 20 Ukrainian sailors in remand until April 24. On January 16, the court extended the detention term for another 4 sailors.
About 180,000 Crimean Tatars were deported from their native land to Central Asia in May 1944

The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia has recognized the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 as the genocide as the Saeimas website reported.

On Thursday, May 9, the Saeima adopted the statement dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people and which supports the policy of the non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea, the message said.

At the same time, the Saeima added that the genocide is the most precise definition of the policy of the Soviet authority toward the Crimean Tatar people.

On May 18, Ukraine and the world recall the victims of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people out of Crimea in 1944. That day the first echelon with Crimean Tatars was sent to Central Asia. Totally, about 180,000 people were deported.

According to the regulation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, May 18 is announced as the Day of Remembrance of the victims of Crimean Tatars genocide.

A new challenge for the Crimean Tatars started after Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014. Some of them left the peninsula because of persecution, others suffering from raids, trials, and detentions. Some received a ban to the entry to Crimea, including the leaders of the Crimean Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov.
'We're not going to war with Russia', Mart Helme said, adding that Tallinn was ready to wait for the resolution of the dispute in the frameworks of the international law

Mart Helme, Estonian Interior Minister rus.err.ee

Russia still has not returned Estonia part of its territory, which is due to the current territorial dispute. It is about 5.2 percent of Estonia's entire area. Mart Helme, the country's Interior Minister reported as quoted by ERR.

According to the official, Moscow has no intentions of 'returning this area, or providing compensation for it, or discuss this issue at all'.

'We're not going to war with Russia', he claimed, adding that Tallinn was ready to wait for the resolution of the dispute in the frameworks of the international law.

The minister never specified what actual territories he referred to. However, Russia's TASS news agency quoted a diplomatic source in Russia, assuming that it could concern Ivangorod and part of Pechorsky District of the Russian Federation.

Helme mentioned the territorial dispute with Russia, replying to the question about Marine Le Pen's upcoming visit to Estonia. Le Pen, the famous far-right politician is known for her stance regarding the annexation of Crimea by Russia; she considers it a voluntary reunion, while the French government calls it annexation.
"Were not meddling in an election; were meddling in an investigation, which we have a right to do, Giuliani said

Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani plans to travel to Ukraine to push the country's leadership on several probes that may prove "very, very helpful" to President Trump, as Republicans continue looking to turn the tables on Democrats and prove that they were the party that improperly conspired with foreign actors. He said in a Thursday interview with the New York Times.

Mr. Giuliani said he planned to travel to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, in the coming days and wants to meet with the nations president-elect to urge him to pursue inquiries that allies of the White House contend could yield new information about two matters of intense interest to Mr. Trump  special counsels investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 election and the involvement of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.s son in a gas company owned by a Ukrainian oligarch.

Were not meddling in an election, were meddling in an investigation, which we have a right to do, Mr. Giuliani said in an interview on Thursday when asked about the parallel to the special counsels inquiry.

Theres nothing illegal about it, he said. Somebody could say its improper. And this isnt foreign policy  Im asking them to do an investigation that theyre doing already and that other people are telling them to stop. And Im going to give them reasons why they shouldnt stop it because that information will be very, very helpful to my client, and may turn out to be helpful to my government.

According to the NYT, Mr. Giulianis planned trip, which has not been previously reported, is part of a monthslong effort by the former New York mayor and a small group of Trump allies working to build interest in the Ukrainian inquiries. Their motivation is to try to discredit the special counsels investigation; undermine the case against Paul Manafort, Mr. Trumps imprisoned former campaign chairman; and potentially to damage Mr. Biden, the early front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

The investigations had been opened by Ukrainian prosecutors serving during the term of the countrys current president, Petro O. Poroshenko. He lost his re-election bid last month to Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian and political newcomer. Mr. Zelensky has said he would like to replace the prosecutor who oversaw some of the matters, Yuriy Lutsenko, who has met multiple times with Mr. Giuliani to discuss the issues.

Mr. Zelensky is set to take office before June 3, though the date of the inauguration is not set yet.
. :                        .             Covid-19,             .       28 ,...
The damage done to Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy is considerable, and it grows every day as the seamen remain in detention

Olena Zerkal at ITLOS hearing, May 2019 twitter.com

The Ukrainian delegation at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea urged the authority to oblige Russia to return the captured Ukrainian sailors and vessels. Olena Zerkal, Ukraine's envoy at the ITLOS and the spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry said that during her speech before the Tribunal in Hamburg May 10.

The full text is available on Zerkal's Facebook.

'Today, Ukraine asks the Tribunal to assign the temporary measures, which demand that Russia immediately release the naval military vessels of Ukraine and their crew members, and return them to Ukraine', Zerkal said.

She admitted that every day of detention, every new investigation action or interrogation, any further court hearing only sharpen the dispute between the sides.

'This Tribunal has previously marked that a warship is a manifestation of the sovereignty of its flag state. It also recognized that every next day of detention of a military vessel leads to material and irrecoverable damage to the legal and practical interests of the flag state', the official added.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea hosted the hearing on this case as scheduled, on May 10. The Ukrainian delegation also includes lawyer Nikolai Polozov and Ukraine's Deputy Navy Commander and the Navy HQ Chief Andriy Tarasov; Russia refused to participate.

In November 2018, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy attacked the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian ships were rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them.

All 24 sailors on board were captured and delivered to Moscow  21 of them were delivered to Lefortovo remand center, the rest came to the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison.
UN expert noted the role of a group of the churches, which actively worked to block the legislation aiming the defense of rights of LGBT people

Open source

The situation occurred in Ukraine, when the societal attitudes towards the rights of the LGBT people remain to be affected by stigma and representatives of the state authority think that the sexual orientation and gender identity should be studied and discussed. Victor Madrigal-Borloz, the UN Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity made such statement as UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner reported.

The LGBT people think that the concealment of their identity is the key to survival, Victor Madrigal-Borloz said.

According to him, the authority should be the example of the provision of the respect to the rights of all people by increasing awareness, education, dialogue, extension of rights and possibilities.

The expert said that while he received no indication or gross or massive acts of individual violence against LGBT people in Ukraine, he is however concerned about extreme right-wing groups using violence and promoting hatred against LGBT people, as well as officers promoting harmful stereotypes and discrimination.

I also regret the role of a group of churches that has actively worked to block legislation aimed at protecting the rights of LGBT people. To counter misinformation and to deconstruct harmful myths and stereotypes, the State should urgently undertake a nationwide educational campaign to foster understanding and tolerance instead of hate and prejudice, Madrigal-Borloz said.

The expert urged the Ukrainian authority to effectively fulfill the events provided by the National Human Rights Action Plan towards the sexual orientation and gender identity.

As we reported at Kreshchatyk, the downtown of Kyiv, a group of young people attacked an LGBT person with a knife.

Earlier the LGBT office was attacked in the Podilskiy valley in Kharkiv. According to the preliminary information, unknown in gas masks broke into the place, threw a smoke grenade, used the pepper spray and damaged the organization property.
The show's rating on IMDB made 9.5 points after the first episode

HBO TV channel presented a teaser of the second episode of mini-series Chernobyl, dedicated to Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The name of the episode is Please Remain Calm. It will be released on May 13.

The second episode will show the emergency evacuation of Prypyat residents, the first assessment of the disaster extent and decisions made by Soviet Union officials. In particular, it contains an odious statement of the Head of the Commission on Disaster Management Borys Shcherbyna: The states official position is this: global nuclear disaster is impossible in the Soviet Union.

The premiere of Chernobyl miniseries took place in May 2019.

The main cast includes Stellan Skarsgard, Emily Watson, Jared Harris and Jessie Buckley. Skarsgard plays Borys Shcherbyna, who headed the governmental commission on liquidation of the consequences of the accident at Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Watson played nuclear physicist Ulyana Khomyuk, who was ordered to sort out the reasons for the accident. Harris played Soviet scientist Valery Legasov, who participated in the investigation of the accident.

Johan Renck (The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad) became the director of the movie and Craig Mazin became the screenwriter of the drama.

As we reported a photo of Chornobyl exclusion zone became one of the favorites at wildlife photo contest held by London Natural History Museum.

Besides, 63,000 tourists arrived in the Chornobyl exclusion zone in 2018.
Read about Donbas conflict, Russian passports for Ukrainians, president-elect Zelensky, Ukrainian sailors, political prisoners in Russia and other important news of the week

About Donbas

OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Donbas recorded 20 Grad missile systems in the occupied area of Luhansk region; the vehicles were in the breach of the line of withdrawal, as the report of the Mission reads.

Ukrainian forces suffered several fatalities this week; one of the deceased men was Volodymyr Koval, warrant officer of the 79th Detached Airborne Assault Brigade.

***

Ukraine marks the Day of Memory and Reconciliation and Victory Day

Ukraine joined those observing the days of memory and reconciliation in Europe on May 8 and 9.

On May 9 Ukraine marked the Day of Victory over Nazism in the Second World War. About 700,000 people took place in 1,400 memorable events all over Ukraine.

President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky visited grave of his grandfather, who served during the Second World War, this day. He emphasized that the contribution to the victory by Ukrainian people is enormous and we should be grateful to them.

***

About president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky

This week, President-elect Zelensky met with the representatives of the international community.

On May 6, he had a meeting with the Ukrainian Rabbits Council. At the event, Zelensky shared his ideas about building a dialogue with the residents of the temporarily occupied territories in the east of Ukraine.

On May 7, Zelensky met with European Commissioner for EU Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn. The Commissioner congratulated Zelensky on his victory and offered full support of the EU in all reforms.

The President-elect also had time to met with the head of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Svyatoslav Shevchuk. Zelensky congratulated the Patriarch Svyatoslav on the occasion of his birthday and the head of the UGCC has congratulated Volodymyr Zelensky on his election win.

May 8, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary George Kent met with President-elect of Ukraine and stated that the U.S. was ready to continue supporting partnership with Ukraine for promotion of the political and economic reforms.

Later, Zelensky met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada Chrystia Freeland. They discussed the fight against corruption and Minsk format for resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

***

About issuance of Russian passports for Ukrainians

The office, which accepts documents for receiving of Russian passport opened in occupied Luhansk. Besides, authorities of self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic began to receive local residents' applications for Russian passports.

Ukrainian Prime Minister stated that Ukraine will not recognize Russian passports issued to Donbas citizens. Moreover, Ukraines government wants to sanction Russia for illegal issuance of its passports.

Meanwhile, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko discussed this issue with a number of foreign politicians, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau.

U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker emphasized that the U.S. may impose new anti-Russian sanctions due to the issuance of the passports. Besides, Estonia intends to impose sanctions against Russia due to the same reason.

***

About Ukrainian sailors

The session of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea took place in Hamburg on May 10; the jury considered the case of the Ukrainian sailors captured by Russian special service in the Sea of Azov in November 2018. Ukraine was represented by Olena Zerkal, lawyer Nikolai Polozov, Ukraine's Deputy Navy Commander and the Navy HQ Chief Andriy Tarasov; Russia refused to participate.

'Today, Ukraine asks the Tribunal to assign the temporary measures, which demand that Russia immediately release the naval military vessels of Ukraine and their crew members, and return them to Ukraine', Zerkal said.

The Tribunal ruled that the captured Ukrainian naval vessels were not involved in any military activity; there merely tried to return to their home port.

The authority will have its decision announced May 25.

***

About political prisoners

This week, Crimean so-called Supreme Court prolonged detention for Crimean Tatar blogger Nariman Memedeminov till June 15. The defence will appeal against the decision.

On May 8, it was reported that the representative of Ukraines Consulate to Russia was not let to visit the Ukrainian political prisoner Volodymyr Balukh. Russian Federal Penitentiary Service has informed that Balukh is a Russian citizen, which was the reason why the diplomat was not allowed to see him.

Speaking of Edem Bekirov, the results of three expertise concerning his case were passed to the court in annexed Crimea.

Mother of the Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov Lyudmyla told that she talks to her son once a month for 20 minutes. She also stated he felt fine, he always asks about his children.

***

About sanctions against Russia

Ukraine's diplomats discuss anti-Russian sanctions with American Senator from the Republican Party Suzanne Collins. They also discussed cooperation of Ukraine and the U.S. within counterwork of the construction of Nord Stream 2.

The special representative of the U.S. State Department on Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker does not rule out the possible implementation of the new package of sanctions by Washington against Russia due to Putins order of issuance passports to Donbas citizens.

Foreign Minister of Estonia Urmas Reinsalu also intends to impose extra sanctions against Russia due to its passportization in simplified order for citizens of occupied Donbas and Crimea.
It is expected that the IMF mission will come to Ukraine in the next few weeks

Open source

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintains communication with President-elect of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the IMF mission will come to Ukraine soon as IMF Spokesperson Gerry Rice reported during the briefing.

I can confirm that the Managing Director in fact has been in touch with Mr. Zelensky on his election as president of Ukraine and underscored that the IMF continues to stand ready to support Ukraine and to help it meet the challenges that lie ahead, Rice noted.

He also added that IMF Director-General Christine Lagard communicated with Petro Poroshenko thanking him for close cooperation during his presidency and expressing the hope and the expectation that progress under the economic program would continue.

According to Rice, there is no exact date of the arrival of the IMF mission to Ukraine; but it is expected that the visit will take place in the next few weeks. The IMF representatives plan to discuss the economic reforms and policy with new administration.

Earlier President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko had a phone conversation with Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, during which she expressed the concern concerning the courts decisions on the nationalization of the PrivatBank.

In December 2018, the IMF Directors Board approved the 14-months-long of cooperation with Ukraine within the stand-by program. The overall sum of loans makes 3.9 billion U.S. dollars, which makes 139 percent of the quote of Ukraine in the Fund.
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Open source

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea will announce the decision on the case of three ships of the Ukrainian Navy and 24 sailors approximately on May 25. The chair judge stated this before closing the hearing, as Ukrainian News agency reported.

The approximate date of judgment concerning this case is scheduled on Saturday, May 25, 2019. The parties will be informed about any changes to the date, the report said.

According to the report, Ukraine asked the International Tribunal, as a temporary preventive measure, to force Russia to release the captured vessels and the sailors immediately, to close the criminal proceedings against Ukrainians and not to open them anymore.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the foreign states cannot arrest, detain or subject to legal proceedings the navy vessels.

In November 2018, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy attacked the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian ships were rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them.

All 24 sailors on board were captured and delivered to Moscow  21 of them were delivered to Lefortovo remand center, the rest came to the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison.
Mother of the Ukrainian political prisoner Oleg Sentsov told that she talks to her son once a month for 20 minutes. Lyudmyla Sentsova said that in an interview for Hromadske.

According to her, the political prisoner mainly asks about his children, their studying and interests. When asked about his health condition, he always replies that everything is fine.

He is working out, he is doing better, takes vitamins and takes care of himself, no need to worry. So there is no need to ask. Speaking of the children, he asks about every single detail  their health, their studying, who Vlad (Olegs son) dates, who he is friends with. 20 minutes is not enough for us, Lyudmyla Sentsova said.

As we reported earlier, the information that the European Court of Human Rights had restored the priority status given to the case of Ukrainian political prisoners Oleg Sentsov and Oleksandr Kolchenko were premature.

Oleg Sentsov stopped the hunger strike on the 144th day. The Russian side officially announced the statement by Sentsov but did not name the reason. According to Sentsov's lawyer, the decision to end the hunger strike was made after Russian doctors and penitentiary facility workers issued an ultimatum to Sentsov, suggesting that he either voluntarily stop the hunger strike or agree to be force-fed.

Related: He feels normally, - lawyer about Sentsov

He announced a hunger strike in May 2018, demanding to release him and the rest of Ukrainian political prisoners illegally kept by the Kremlin. During the time of his hunger strike, Sentsov has survived four health crises.

The native of Crimea, film director, and political activist, Sentsov was illegally detained in Crimea in 2014, then taken to Russia. The Russian side has judged him and sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment at a high-security penal colony. The prosecutors charged Sentsov with preparing terrorist acts in occupied Crimea. Sentsov denies his guilt. Ukraine's government, its citizens, and the international society - politicians, artists, public figures - urge the Kremlin to release him.

Related video:
In particular, the parties have discussed the possibility of the release of the Ukrainian political prisoners

The current President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel Presidential Administration press office

The current President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko had a phone conversation with the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel. During this conversation, the parties discussed ways to enhance pressure on Russia, as the press office of the President reported.

In the context of the consideration by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg of the issue of the release of 24 Ukrainian sailors; particular attention was paid to further increase the pressure on Moscow with a view to accelerating the release of all Ukrainian hostages illegally detained by Russia. The parties also discussed the development of the situation in Donbas in light of Russia's latest provocative moves. Petro Poroshenko urged Berlin to support the strengthening of sanctions against Moscow in response to the so-called passport decrees, the message reads.

Angela Merkel expressed hope that the new authority in Ukraine will adhere to the principle of continuity in foreign policy primarily concerning the EU and the development of the strategic partnership between the countries. Germanys Chancellor also assured that Ukraine would stay in focus of the EU and Germany's policy.
Incumbent head of the state commented on the statement by President-Elect Volodymyr Zelensky, who recorded an appeal to the parliament, where he called on the MPs to appoint the date of the inauguration on May 19

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko respects the choice of Ukrainians and the positions of the highest legislative body. He will accept any date of inauguration, which the Verkhovna Rada will appoint, as this is within their authority. The press service of Presidential Administration told this to 112.ua.

Thus, the Administration commented on the video message of President-Elect Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he called MPs to appoint an inauguration on May 19.

"Ukraine is not a room at the Egyptian hotel, as it seems to Mr. Zelensky. The transfer of power is a complex and responsible procedure, and Petro Poroshenko tries to implement it in accordance with the European tradition, which is the norm in democratic countries. Therefore, he confirms his invitation of Volodymyr Zelensky, as he said on April 30, to meet and discuss the most important issues of the country's life without waiting for the inauguration, as well as any other issues related to the transfer of authority and responsibilities, the report said.

Therefore, in the team of Petro Poroshenko does not accept any claims regarding the alleged delay in the inauguration.

At the same time, they regard the fact that the elected President has finally violated Ihor Kolomoysky's monopoly on the public formation of the agenda of the new government and at least somehow demonstrated his own position as the positive one ... Possibly even without consulting their common lawyer, the report added.

Earlier, President-Elect Volodymyr Zelensky recorded an appeal to the parliament, where he called on the MPs to appoint the date of the inauguration on May 19 in order to cease the staff activity of the current President of Petro Poroshenko.
According to the lawyer Marney Cheek, they were trying to return to their port of registry

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Open source

Ukrainian naval vessels captured by the Russian special service in 2018 were not involved in military activity. They tried to return to their port, as lawyer Marney Cheek said in her speech at the International Tribunal on Ukrainian POWs, Twitter post of Ukraines MFA Press Secretary Kateryna Zelenko reads.

Ukrainian naval vessels were not involved in military activity, they tried to return to their port of registry, the lawyer noted.

She stated that the dispute at the Tribunal concerns the immunity of the naval vessels from Russian national jurisdiction, and not from military activity.

The capture of Ukraines naval vessels does not fall within the exception regarding the military activity under the article No. 298 (1)(b) of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In November 2018, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy attacked the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian ships were rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them.

All 24 sailors on board were captured and delivered to Moscow  21 of them were delivered to Lefortovo remand center, the rest came to the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison.

Related video:
Thank's for the fish. -- Douglas Adams

Come back again sometime. Thank you for visiting.
Runs through 05/18/2019.

Named after the wounded Fisher King of Arthurian Legend, A Prairie Fisher King espouses the notion of home as both a site of idealization and a locus for wounding. Drawing from memory, a narrative is woven in the form of photographs and text of the rural Iowa countryside where my family has lived for generations.

A Prairie Fisher King is an ongoing body of work reflecting on the nature of familial hardship and generational connection through the lens of place. An undertone of violence embodies the emotional distress accumulated with age as well as a looming threat posed upon the landscape.

Initially conceived as a bittersweet love letter to home, A Prairie Fisher King considers the various myths we construct in order to survive in the face of inevitable change. Through the accumulation of intimately described detail a search for reconciliation becomes palpable. I assume the role of reluctant hero and return to seek the damaged king, to seal old wounds and to salve the land.

__________________________________________

Chelsea Darter received her MFA at Columbia College Chicago in 2018 and her BFA from The University of Iowa in 2013. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and featured online by Light Leaked, Aint-Bad, and Fraction Magazine. Her personal work explores themes of place attachment, class, familial connection and local mythologies. She lives and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
dsmoulton/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- A Democratic lawmaker has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the National Rifle Association in light of ongoing allegations of financial mismanagement within the organization.



Rep. Brad Schneider, an Illinois Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig Thursday to strongly encourage you to investigate recent reports of possible wrongdoing by the National Rifle Association, and respectfully ask that you review whether the recent allegations against the NRA warrant reconsideration of the organizations tax-exempt status, in light of allegations of self-dealing first published by The New Yorker.



Schneider also raised concerns about the NRA during a Ways and Means Committee hearing on Thursday.



"It's incredibly disturbing to see these allegations and to think that NRA executives are possibly misappropriating their donors contributions and abusing their nonprofit status for personal gain," Schneider said.



The NRA could not be immediately reached for comment.



In late April, New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office was investigating the NRA, probing into the organization's finances and its status as a tax-exempt non-profit.



In the aftermath of James' notice, former NRA president, retired Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, announced he would not serve a second term as president of the organization after he said that he has lost support from the gun-right groups board following a dispute with longtime NRA chief executive and vice president, Wayne LaPierre.



The announcement followed a letter that LaPierre sent to NRA board members stating that North was trying to push him out by threatening to release "damaging" information about him to the board.



Schneider is not the first Democrat on Capitol Hill to call for investigations of the NRA. Last week, Sens. Ron Wyden, Sheldon Whitehouse and Bob Menendez sent a letter to NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, former NRA President Oliver North and longtime NRA advertising agency Ackerman McQueen, requesting information including the group's financial status, sexual harassment charges against a staff member and accusations of wardrobe expenses and excessive staff travel expenses.



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
16:35 | Machaca (Cusco region), May. 10.





"The Government is committed to reaching high areas, the ones it cannot reach adequately," the Cabinet chief expressed.





Likewise, he pointed out that for the first time all pneumonia vaccines will be delivered in May, so that children and seniors living in high altitude areas can be protected.





"Warm houses will be built this year, just like in recent years," Del Solar added.





According to the high-ranking official, this multi-annual plan against frost and cold spell is different from the ones previously implemented.





"For the first time, it is a plan of a three-year time horizon, not just one year. For the first time, the plan is not focused on one district, but on populated centers," he added.





In this sense, the Prime Minister claimed aid to low temperature affected areas is improving. However, there is still a lot of work to do.





Remarks were made during the launch of Operation Shelter in Machaca town in Cusco, before the cold weather sets in.





(END) FHG/DTK/RMB
I don't know how many young women come to this blog or how many are parents of teenage or young adult women, but here are some safety tips from Kelsey's Army:

T

I

P

S

1. Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong then something probably is wrong.2. Know your surroundings - know who and what is around you.3. Always have a plan for where you would go and what you would do if a situation arises.4. Be willing to make a scene in order to be noticed.5. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.Remember the acronym TIPS:ake Chargenform others of your whereaboutsrepare for any situationurvival Mentality (role play situations so you will respond should they happen)For more information, go to Kelsey's Army
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. The United States is ready to provide full support to the establishment and development of viable institutions aimed at strengthening the democratic achievements registered in Armenia, Armenias Ambassador to the US Varuzhan Nersesyan said in an interview to ARMENPRESS, introducing the results and agenda of the recent session of the Armenian-American Strategic Dialogue held in Yerevan. The Ambassador also talked about the Armenia-US relations during the interview.

-Mr. Ambassador, the session of the Armenia-US Strategic Dialogue was held in Yerevan recently with a new format. Can you, please, introduce the results and agenda of the session?

-You are right, the session of the Armenian-American intergovernmental commission this time was held with a new format, with a format of strategic dialogue, and this new format is in accordance with our relations that are developing and expanding in the past years.

The agenda was quite comprehensive. During the meeting the sides almost managed to completely cover all issues of the Armenian-American agenda, outline the cooperation expansion directions in political and economic sectors. Special attention was paid to the issue of the establishment and development of viable institutions aimed at strengthening the unprecedented democratic achievements registered in our country as a result of the velvet revolution. The United States is ready to provide full support on this matter. The discussion of cooperation prospects in the fields such as judicial and legal reforms, higher and professional education, energy, IT, environment, was also very important. I must state that we have a reliable and principled partner on all these matters in the person of the US.

Of course, the meeting also touched upon the cooperation in commercial and investment sectors.

Agreements were signed at the session according to which the US will provide up to 16 million USD support to boost economic growth and effective governance in Armenia. In addition, USAID announced a new three-year initiative, 6 million USD assistance will be provided for the democratic reforms, engagement of citizens in these processes and ensuring tangible results during the first year of this initiative.

Of course, regional and international issues of mutual interest were also discussed. In other words, the new format discussions were held in a quite broad agenda, covering almost all issues of mutual interest, including those of strategic importance.

I also would like to mention the fact that the US delegation included four deputy assistants secretary of state which talks about the fact that the US government attaches great importance to the constant deepening and strengthening of the relations with Armenia.

-In general, how would you assess the current level of the Armenian-American relations? What achievements will you mention in the Armenia-US diplomatic ties in the recent period?

-The Armenian-US relations have been and remain in the list of Armenias foreign policy priorities. We highly value the US constant engagement and role in our regional processes. I am happy that the Armenian-American partnering and friendly relations are developing dynamically.

The democratic developments launched in our country with the velvet revolution have been highly appreciated in the United States, by opening new opportunities for the constant development of the bilateral ties, discovery of new prospective areas and implementation of programs. During this period a high dynamics of meetings and mutual visits at different levels and formats was typical to the relations, but here I want to note that the best appreciation for our relations is the content, and the recent session is the vivid evidence of this. There are many joint programs and initiatives which were also thoroughly discussed at the session.

This year a progress has also been registered in the inter-parliamentary relations. In particular, the delegation of the House Democracy Partnership bipartisan commission visited Armenia which announced the launch of institutional relations between the commission and the Armenian Parliament.

-How do you assess the US efforts, as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country, for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

-We highly appreciate the constant efforts of the United States, together with the remaining Co-Chair countries, aimed at settling the NK conflict exclusively through peaceful means. We can state that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is one of the unique formats where we see such format cooperation between the Co-Chair countries.

-Recently during a reception in the Embassy you highlighted the importance of global humanitarian programs in conflict zones and the role of Armenians, who survived the Genocide, in raising awareness about them. In your opinion, what actions must be taken in this regard?

-Even with limited resources and opportunities, Armenia is making great efforts to raise awareness on and prevent the crime of genocide. I think, Armenias consistent actions on this direction are already vividly seen and positively assessed by the international community. Here we need to take into account that the prevention of genocides is first of all the common responsibility of the international community. This is the legal interpretation of the 1948 Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Therefore, Armenia first of all is making consistent efforts to strengthen the genocide prevention mechanisms in the UN and other international platforms. We have assumed the role of the leader in this process because we bear the moral responsibility that no one should ever face what has happened to our people, that never again is not just a slogan, but the concept under it should be enshrined forever.

We also should consider the holding of global forums on the prevention of genocides in Yerevan through which Armenia is presenting a consistent appeal on turning this forum into one more platform for prevention of genocides. And the global forum Against the Crime of Genocide, which was held in Yerevan last year in December, mainly emphasized the role of education in the prevention process.

-Mr. Ambassador, the new leadership of Armenia highlights the attraction of investments and the role of diplomatic structures in this process. Are there any actions for attracting the US investments to Armenia, as well as presenting our countrys economic opportunities? Are there any outlined programs, meetings? What prospects do you see for expanding the economic partnership between the two countries?

-The actions aimed at creating a respective environment for the economic revolution, that was announced by the Armenian government as a priority, relate to all of us. For us, the diplomats, ensuring a platform for boosting the economic ties, establishing ties between the economic sector representatives, informing about the ongoing reforms and programs, in addition to others, are priority issues. This is the focus of our activity in the economic sector, and we are conducting daily works on this direction.

Its obvious that the presence of favorable environment in Armenia is an attractive factor for investors. The presence of GSP+ trade regime with the EU and the GSP with the US is important for boosting the investments, which provide additional opportunities to the Armenian exporters to enter the EU markets with privileged terms, and Armenias membership to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) enables foreign exporters to have an access to the EU market worth 182 million via Armenia.

Although its still too early to talk about the concrete programs, but I can state that the IT and alternative energy are among the prospective sectors. The works continue, and I hope we will record tangible achievements in this regard.

-The active role of the US-Armenian community in several matters of the bilateral agenda is being emphasized. What actions do you see in this direction?

-Its difficult to sufficiently assess the great role the community plays and will play in the intensification of the bilateral relations. American-Armenians contribute to raising awareness about Armenia both in state, business and other circles, increasing the number of friends of Armenia and investment volumes. In addition, the Armenian community, comprising 1.6 million people, is one of the largest and politically active ethnic communities who also had a great contribution to the development of this country.

Currently an importance is attached to the development of decentralized cooperation with the separate US states which makes the work with the local congressmen and politicians more effective. While developing the relations with the US we must take into account that we are dealing with a large-scale and multilayer country where the work with separate states is as much important as that with the capital. This is especially important from the perspective of investments and trade-economic relations. For instance, the economy of California is 5th largest in the world. This is the reason that many countries have dozens of consulates in different US states, and we also should adopt the same strategy, especially given the fact that we have many compatriots who are exemplary citizens of the US and are ready to contribute to the intensification of the Armenian-American relations.

-Mr. Ambassador, what cultural projects have been implemented in the US recently?

-2018 was significant especially in terms of raising awareness on Armenia. A number of unprecedented cultural programs have been carried out. The year was important with a two major events which were presenting the Armenian history and culture in the US. The first one was Armenias participation to the Folklife festival organized by the Smithsonian institution in Washington D.C., which hosted over 700.000 visitors and had nearly 9 million viewers in various online platforms within two weeks. The next important event was the exhibition of Armenias civilizational heritage in New Yorks Metropolitan Museum, which hosted over 230.000 visitors.

We are working on maintaining and expanding the current dynamics. A number of major cultural events are also scheduled for 2020, the most important from which is the Armenian festival which will be held in cooperation with the PostClassical orchestra of the national cathedral of Washington D.C., during which the development of the Armenian music will be introduced. The list of events will also include a festival of Armenian films, exhibitions of works of Armenian artists and etc.

-The United States is one of the largest donors providing humanitarian and technical assistance to Armenia. Is it already clarified in what concrete directions assistance is possible for this year?

-The United States is among the leading countries providing foreign assistance to Armenia. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties the US government has provided nearly 2 billion USD humanitarian and technical assistance to Armenia. One of the goals of the US foreign assistance is to strengthen democratic institutions, improve free market economy, effective governance, rule of law, justice system and implement the formation of civil society in Armenia.

In this regard I must state that the United States has expressed its positive attitude towards the democratic processes launched in Armenia in 2018 and the governments achievements in this direction, and we expect that this will also be reflected with the growth of US assistance volumes. At the same time I want to note that although the assistance is very important, but the mutually beneficial cooperation and the passing from assistance to intensive commercial relations is more important for us.

I would like to highlight the assistance of the Congressional Armenian Caucus which contributes to the provision of annual foreign assistance to Armenia and Artsakh.

-Mr. Ambassador, what are the programs of the Embassy for this year? Are mutual visits possible in 2019?

-The first half of 2019 was marked by a number of important mutual visits. The first one was the visit of Armenias defense minister Davit Tonoyan to the US. The minister visited the US Kansas state on the occasion of over 15-year cooperation program between Armenia and the Kansas National Guard.

In April deputy prime minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan and president of the Central Bank Artur Javadyan visited Washington D.C. to take part in the spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during which they also met with their American partners.

Armenian Prime Ministers spouse, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of the City of Smile and My Step foundations, was in the United States from April 1 to 15. Although the visit mainly aimed at raising awareness about the activity of the foundations and organizing donations for assisting their programs, the agenda was quite busy with cognitive, political meetings during which the foundations activities were introduced. I would also highlight Mrs. Hakobyans meeting with a large number of US congressmen.

Interview by Anna Gziryan

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. In April of 2019 the two airports of the Republic of Armenia served 217 030 people in total, thus exceeding the indicator of the same month of 2018 by 2%, Armenia International Airports CJSC told Armenpress.

As compared to April 2018, a 2% increase in passenger flow was observed at Zvartnots International Airport of Yerevan in the 4th month of 2019. In April 2019 Zvartnots served 205419 passengers against 200 707of the past April.

As for Shirak Airport of Gyumri, this April it served 11 611 passengers, while this indicator was 12 070 in April 2018. Thus there has been a decrease of 4%.

Number of passengers in March 2018 Number of passengers in March 2019 Difference in %s Zvartnots 200,707 205,419 2 % Shirak 12,070 11,611 -4 % TOTAL 212,777 217,030 2%

Since the beginning of the year passenger flow at the two airports of Armenia has been795 605 people, which exceeds the indicator of the same period of the previous year by 7.8 %.

In January-April 2019, at Zvartnots and Shirak airports there has also been recorded an increase of 2.6 % in the number of takeoff-landings, as compared to the same period of the previous year.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan (pictured above) has reacted to Artsakh Security Council Secretary Vitaly Balasanyans recent statement regarding jailed ex-President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan.

Balasanyan had argued that the Armenian government shouldve respected President Bako Sahakyan and ex-President Arkady Ghukasyans petition on releasing Kocharyan from custody. Balasanyan made the comments during Victory Day celebrations in Stepanakert.

It is strange to hear these kind of statements from a high-ranking Artsakh official. A government official of this rank shouldve maintained the necessary restraint, I believe. Also, if Im not mistaken, in the last several years when Robert Kocharyan was free, he wasnt seen in victory parades at all. Perhaps this is connected with the fact that by being among the wealthy who he himself claims dont even make up 0,5% of the Armenian population, while according to some media reports even a billionaire, he hasnt made any investments in his homeland of Artsakh. Instead of promoting investments during these years, he is making unnecessary statements, Karapetyan said in response to Balasanyans statement.

On May 7, President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan and former President of the country Arkady Ghukasyan petitioned to Armenias Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan to release ex-President Robert Kocharyan ahead of May 9, the Victory Day and Shushi Liberation Day.

Armenias Prosecutor General responded shortly, noting that the petition is misaddressed and the prosecution has no authority on the matter since the case is already in court.

Then, at a press conference on May 8, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated the Prosecutor Generals response.

Robert Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing constitutional order during the 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan, Armenia when clashes between security forces and protesters left 10 people dead, including two security officers, during his final days as President of Armenia. Kocharyan is also charged with bribery and is currently jailed.

He vehemently denies wrongdoing.

Kocharyan was also President of Artsakh from 1994 to 1997.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Ten officers of the Armenian Rescue Service from the Ministry of Emergency Situations will undergo special trainings in Russia as part of cooperation with the Russian-Armenian Humanitarian Response Center.

The officers will attends the Mountainous Terrain Training Regional Search and Rescue program classes from May 13 to 30 in Sochi, Russia, the ministry said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian capital has a brand new park as the construction of the Yerevan 2800th Anniversary Park was inaugurated Friday morning with government officials in attendance. Beautiful trees, mesmerizing mosaic ground work, bronze statues, fountains and other art work make this wonderful new place a perfect place to spend time.

The construction of the park was funded by the Vartanian Family Charitable Foundation.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, other government officials, as well as philanthropists Michael Vartanian and Karen Vartanian from the fund inaugurated the park, which is located in downtown Yerevan, few hundred meters down the road from Republic Square.

This is a gift to the city from Michael and Karen Vartanians, Mayor Hayk Marutyan said. He said the park cost 5,300,000 dollars to built. He praised the highest-level result of the construction.

The philanthropists had only one pre-condition for giving the gift: the park remains the property of Yerevan and any kind of business activity is banned from taking place in the area.

The Vartanian Family Charitable Foundation will cover all maintenance expenses of the park for 99 years, starting from 2019.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia says it has arrested a high-ranking official from the food safety agency in suspicion of bribery.

The NSS did not identify the suspect by name, but said that the arrested is the Head of the Veterinary Inspectorate of the State Service of Food Safety of the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to the NSS, the suspect accepted a large amount of bribe from a businessman after granting the latter sheep export certificates to Qatar. The certificates concerned the export of thousands of the animals.

The NSS said they had intelligence reports and have carried out surveillance over the bribe transactions, and both the official and the businessman were caught red-handed. The bribe was handed over to the official in 2019 April and 2019 May. The suspect was arrested during the second transaction.

A criminal investigation is underway.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
South Africa: Northern Cape leads the pack in special votes

As vote counting enters the home stretch, a total 3.53% of the special votes have so far been recorded in the 2019 National and Provincial Elections.

As at 7:51am on Friday, the Northern Cape had the highest percentage of special votes at 10.62%.

A total 774 000 voters had applied and had been granted permission for special voting which took place on Monday and Tuesday.

In the Free State, special votes were at 6.12%, followed by the North West at 4.54 %. Limpopo was at 4.43%.

Mpumalanga accounted for 4.35% of the special votes cast, while the Western Cape accounted for 2.25% and the Eastern Cape for 4.25%.

Gauteng accounted for 2.17% of special votes cast while KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 2.25%.

The special voting process involved the use of a double envelope system, in which the marked ballot of the voter was placed in an unmarked envelope, which was then placed inside a second envelope that contains the voters ID.

The outer envelope was used to ensure an accurate register and verification of special votes and was removed when the envelope was opened at the close of voting on Election Day on Wednesday.

Among the prominent South Africans who cast a special vote in this years elections was Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

To date 76.33% of all the votes have been captured since South Africans headed to the polls. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-05-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Zach Gibson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday urged President Donald Trump "not to worry" after the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenaed the presidents eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.

"I know the president's upset about that, but I think he ought not to worry about it. The chairman of the Intelligence Committee has already said the committee, when it reports, will find no collusion," McConnell told WHAS-TV, a Kentucky radio station.

McConnells comments come one day after his GOP colleague  Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, faced political backlash from members of his own party over his decision to subpoena Trump Jr.

Trump said on Thursday that he was "surprised about the subpoena, adding that he "saw Richard Burr saying there was no collusion two or three weeks ago."

GOP Sen. Rand Paul took a major swipe at Burr, telling reporters that the subpoena is an overzealous persecution of the presidents family and that it couldnt have happened without Republicans being complicit in it.

"At some point this is not about finding facts, this smacks of politics," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a Senate Intelligence Committee member, told reporters Thursday morning. "And I think we have an important job to do to try to keep the intelligence committee out of politics..."

"I can understand his frustration at being asked to come back after having cooperated for such a long period of time, seeing now that the Mueller report has concluded, sort of wondering what the purpose of this is," Cornyn said of Trump Jr.

Cornyn later said he was speaking about the congressional investigations in general, and not about Burr's decision to subpoena Trump Jr., adding the "committees been doing important work thats been done on a bipartisan basis, and it really is about finding out what the facts are and what we need to do to prevent foreign interference in the future."

Burr remained tight-lipped on Capitol Hill, refusing to answer reporters questions on the decision to subpoena Trump Jr.

But McConnell defended the years-long work of the Intelligence Committee during his radio interview on Friday, commending the committees investigation into the 2016 election and Russian interference as bipartisan.

"This Intelligence Committee in the Senate, unlike the Intel Committee in the House, has not descended into partisan bickering. It's been a largely bipartisan effort. Chairman Burr has indicated that they'll be reporting very soon," McConnell said.

He added: "we ought to just take a deep breath and understand that this episode is coming to an end."

The top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., also came to Burrs defense.

Some of the criticisms out there are not the first time the chairman or I have received criticisms over this investigation, Warner told reporters Thursday.

I am proud of this committee because we're the only committee that is still bipartisan, still following the facts. And we're going to continue that process, he said.

Trump Jr. has previously met with three congressional committees, including the Senate Intelligence Committee in December of 2017, with whom he met for more than nine hours as part of their investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He met with the Senate Judiciary Committee in September of 2017 for more than five hours and with the House Intelligence Committee for more than eight hours in December of 2017.

It is unclear why the committee wants Trump's son to return to testify. He has not publicly responded to the subpoena.

A source close to Trump Jr. said there was an agreement between the presidents son and the committee that he would only have to come in and testify once as long as he was willing to stay for as long as theyd like, which the source said he did.

In a separate interview with Fox News Sean Hannity on Thursday night, McConnell predicted the Senate Intelligence Committees investigation is going to have a happy ending.

I understand the presidents frustration here. But I think that this is just a blip," he said. "I think that the case is closed. I think that the controversy has been concluded.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan tasked members of the Cabinet, heads of adjacent bodies to follow his example and collect 100 facts about new Armenia in their activity fields by the end of 2019.

On May 8 I held a press conference during which I presented 100 facts and tried to sum up the results of 1-year activity of our government. I attach great importance to that document because it clearly shows what we have done during this period, but I also want to state that a new accountability bar has been defined by that document, and we should apply and adopt such format of accountability. And I also want to set a task that during my press conference at the end of the year we together must have another 100 facts about new Armenia. I expect all Cabinet members must work with this criteria. We will not wait for December to collect and release the facts, the collection and creation of these facts should be our daily work. And based on that I will assess the work carried out by our government members and the adjacent bodies, Pashinyan said.

The PM said he expects working efficiency from the members of the Cabinet.

This one year was a very important period, I will continue to state that heated political elections were held. 5 elections of PM took place in 2018, the snap election of Yerevan Mayor, snap parliamentary elections were held, and our government has been formed as a result of these snap parliamentary elections, he said, urging the Cabinet members to make their activities more effective.

According to Pashinyan, the governments key task for the future is to organize the normal process of the expenditure part of the budget.

We must be able not only to ensure the expenditure part as envisaged by the budget, but also the 62 billion drams that is generated additionally as a state budget revenue for this year, we must be able to find concrete ways for effectively spending these sums. I have already given instructions, we, it seemed, have already made a decision over the 30 billion drams, but we must also plan additional expenditures for another 30 billion drams, we should do this quickly, but with serious discussions, the PM added.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian hosted the delegation of the leading French company Dassault Systemes, led by first Vice President Christian Nardin and Senior Director, Global Academia Programs, Xavier Fouge, who arrived in Armenia at the Presidents invitation, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The President said during the previous meetings with the company executives they have discussed the cooperation opportunities and possible directions. We should reveal what we can do together, Armen Sarkissian said, adding: First of all, to reveal the countrys education sector because we need to have a right educational system in order to operate in the field of high technologies. I am convinced that we have talented people surrounding us. We have inherited a very good education system from the Soviet Union, in particular, in the sphere of natural sciences.

Mr. Sarkissian said Armenia is a small country, but a global nation, Armenians are everywhere, and this as well is an important mission.

Christian Nardin thanked the President for the invitation and stated: Its a great honor to be here. During the visit we would like to understand the areas where we can work. People are the key of the future, everything starts from the people, therefore, we are so interested in discovering Armenias education system and see how we can contribute to the education of the new generation, which is, eventually, a great investment aimed at having better future. Future is an opportunity, not a threat. Technologies can be wonderful tools in the future if they are used correctly.

President Sarkissian expressed confidence that the time to be spent in Armenia will enable the company representatives to reveal the countrys opportunities, educational and scientific potential. All this will give you an overall vision and opportunity to plan what you can do here, the Armenian President said.

Dassault Systemes is a subsidiary of the Dassault Group created in 1981. It develops and markets PLM software and services that support industrial processes by providing a 3D vision of the entire lifecycle of products from conception to maintenance.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Dr. Karin Markides has been appointed new President of the American University of Armenia (AUA) and will assume office on July 1, 2019, the AUA told Armenpress.

With an impressive resume that includes lecturing at Stanford University as a guest professor, Dr. Markides completed her doctorate at Stockholm University in 1984, after which she started her research career at Brigham Young University in Utah as a postdoctoral fellow, then as a research assistant and associate director. In May 1990, she returned to Sweden as a Chair Professor and Dean of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Uppsala University. Fourteen years later, in May 2004, she became Vice Director General of Vinnova, the Swedish innovation agency. Subsequently, Dr. Markides was selected as President of Chalmers University of Technology and, since 2015, she serves as the Chair of the Scientific Council for Sustainable Development under the Swedish government.

Dr. Markidess fascination with Armenia grew deeper as she talked about its unique geopolitical location.

Armenias position  the intersection where East meets West  can be an asset if the bright brains from neighboring countries become increasingly attracted to Armenia as a nexus where cultures and minds meet. I think these meeting places can attract many people, whether from Europe, Russia, China, and elsewhere for planned and unplanned interactions and true impact, she said.

As far as her vision for AUA and its role in Armenia, Dr. Markides remarked that she would like to see AUA play an even larger role in the transformation of the country, inviting higher education, private and public sectors to enable transformative impact in areas of high potential and emerging challenges. In these sectors, AUA would develop peoples skills for transformative co-creation and connect the urban and rural areas of the country, also attracting greater attention from the international community. Her experience working with innovation and technologies is something she plans to bring to AUA.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. The Cabinet approved the agreement on abolishing visa requirements between Armenia and Chile for diplomatic and official passport holders.

According to FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the agreements purpose is to boost the development of political dialogue, and development in other sectors between the two countries.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government proposes to increase the fine for the damage caused by the hunting and killing of a Caucasian leopard by 97 million drams based on the legislative changes, Minister of nature protection Erik Grigoryan said during todays Cabinet meeting.

It is planned to set a fine of 100 million drams for the damage caused by the hunting or killing of the Caucasian leopard that is in critical condition, instead of the current 3 million AMD fine. The program, which is implemented by the ministry, and the Year of Caucasian Leopard declared by Armenia, is not a national program and aims at preserving this unique and extremely rare animal species in the entire European region, the minister said.

Erik Grigoryan said at present nearly 8-12 Caucasian leopards are registered.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Under the patronage of the Consulate General of Armenia, musical performance A Journey of Angels was presented at the Consulate Generals reception hall in Los Angeles on May 8, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

It was produced by an American creative team composed of book writer Brent Birman, composer and lyricist Kathi Chaplar, and director Kay Cole. The story is based on the novel My Mother's Voice by American-Armenian writer and filmmaker Kay Mouradian. The book tells a story of horrors of a 14-year-old Armenian girl during the period of Armenian Genocide.

By telling one familys story about the tragedy of the Armenian nation, the author emphasizes that the tragedies of the past such as the Armenian Genocide should never been forgotten for the sake of the future.

Consul General Armen Baibourtian highly commended the musical A Journey of Angels considering it to be very powerful and highlighting the role of culture in raising awareness about the Armenian Genocide among the American society at large.

Floras story is a symbol of hope. A young girls struggle to know her story and to witness her survival is to find hope in the struggle against all oppression and intolerance, said book-writer Brent Beerman. Her story, however, is more than a historical marker; it chronicles the life and journey of one Armenian village, focusing on one family, chronicling the persistence of one girls dream in the face of unspeakable atrocities. If we are to overcome future despots, then we must never forget what has happened to Flora, and the Armenian people through the horror of the genocide.

Mayor of Glendale Ara Najarian, members of the City Council, Glendale Unified School District board members, representatives of American cultural circles and Armenian-American community attended the performance.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. President of France Emmanuel Macron has sent a letter to President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian to reaffirm that starting from this year, France is annually, officially marking April the 24th as the National Commemoration Day of the Armenian Genocide.

In the letter, Macron said that France will continue struggling for justice and truth together with Armenia.

This is our duty before Armenia and the Armenian people, as well as the survivors and refugees whom France accepted with open arms and whose descendants shaped our countrys history. In order to be able to shape a joint fate it is necessary to be able to clearly look at the past, by bowing before the memory of the dead and respecting the memory of those who live. This is my conviction, and I know that Armenia shares it. We stand with you at time of remembrance, we stand with you also for Armenias future now when the new chapter of its history is being shaped, which must be a chapter of peace and prosperity, Macron told Sarkissian according to the Armenian President's Office.

Macron added that France and Armenia are shoulder to shoulder proud with their friendship and confident in the future.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today recapped the governments 1st-year activities during the Cabinet meeting and presented upcoming actions.

I would like to thank you for the joint work, he told Cabinet members. Of course, during this period changes in the Cabinets composition have taken place, while some of the incumbent Cabinet members are with us from the very beginning. I would like to thank all those with whom we have worked during this period.

PM Nikol Pashinyan reminded about his recent major press conference where he presented 100 reforms that have taken place during his 1 year in office, and told his ministers that this new accountability bar must be adopted further. And I would like to say this as an objective that in my year-end press conference we all together must have another 100 reforms to publish.

The PM said Cabinet members must collect on a daily basis their accomplishments.

Generally, with results of this year I can say for the record that it certainly was a very important period. Fervent political development took place during this period. Five elections of prime minister took place in 2018, early election of Yerevan Mayor took place, early elections took place in major cities, in Kapan, Etchmiatsin, Hrazdan, early elections of parliament took place, and our government was formed with the results of it. In the coming year I expect a higher pace of our work and efficiency. As you all know, the parliament has adopted the law on the governments new structure and soon the changes must come into force, but this process mustnt anyhow reduce the pace of our work, meaning nothing must change in our daily work, on the contrary, taking this occasion we must make our activities more productive, the PM said.

He noted that the government must find concrete ways for efficiently spending the 62,000,000,000 drams in additional tax revenues that was reported earlier. He tasked his deputy, Tigran Avinyan, to coordinate the work.

The PM also emphasized that major road construction projects will soon commence.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Vahe Enfiajyan on May 10 received the delegation led by Gudrun Kugler, head of the Austria-Armenia parliamentary friendship group of the Austrian National Council (lower house), the Armenian Parliament told Armenpress.

Welcoming the guests in Armenia, the Vice Speaker highlighted their visit in terms of strengthening the Armenian-Austrian traditional friendly ties, as well as boosting the inter-parliamentary cooperation. He said the Armenia-Austria parliamentary friendship group is ready to conduct deeper cooperation in the future.

Vahe Enfiajyan stated that Armenia specifically highlights the use of the parliamentary diplomacy tool for implementing new programs in foreign relations and various areas.

In his turn Gudrun Kugler said this is the first visit of the Austria-Armenia parliamentary friendship group to Armenia and expressed readiness to contribute to deepening and developing the bilateral ties.

The meeting participants also touched upon the necessity to intensify the mutual visits and further develop the mutual partnership.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
Photo: National Police Chief Colonel Valery Osipyan, left, and National Security Service Director Colonel Arthur Vanetsyan, right, at a Cabinet meeting

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. The May 10 Cabinet meeting featured some noteworthy debates regarding wildlife preservation, as the Government of Armenia approved to bring forward a proposal on enforcing a 100,000,000 dram fine for poaching of the endangered Caucasian leopard.

Moreover, National Security Service Director Arthur Vanetsyan, who was in attendance, suggested to enforce a 3-5 year total nationwide hunting ban.

Lets ban hunting for 3 to 5 years in Armenia in order for the wildlife population to be restored. I myself was a very active hunter in the past, but I havent hunted for already 6-7 years and I am speaking about this all the time. Lets introduce this initiative, lets ban hunting generally, and for the ban to be not only through these laws that we are adopting, but also, for example, by a temporary ban on hunting cartridges. Because they are doing irregular hunting, Vanetsyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tasked to deal with the matter, but to study the issue comprehensively.

We must do something like that because this idea is a very good and appropriate one. But we must look at this problem comprehensively. I suppose there are animals whose population is of no problem. Let us carry out an expert study, he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Anna Hakobyan, spouse of Armenias prime minister, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of City of Smile and My Step charity foundations, on May 10 visited the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic in Yerevan, her Office told Armenpress.

Accompanied by director of the Clinic Samvel Danielyan and pediatric oncologist Gevorg Tamamyan, Mrs. Hakobyan toured the medical center and talked to the children receiving treatment, their parents and treating doctors.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, 10 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 10 May, USD exchange rate is up by 0.21 drams to 482.17 drams. EUR exchange rate is up by 1.78 drams to 541.62 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is up by 0.01 drams to 7.40 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.45 drams to 627.50 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price is up by 84.61 drams to 19937.28 drams. Silver price is down by 0.06 drams to 229.74 drams. Platinum price is down by 304.16 drams to 13192.31 drams.
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan hopes that better conditions will be created for biking in the city and the country as a whole, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said in a live Facebook broadcast, biking from the Government to his house.

Today we opened the biking season. Yerevans traffic is not so convenient for biking, he said, hoping that they will be able to create better conditions for biking, underlining the importance of healthy lifestyle.

The PM asked all bicycle riders to wear helmets.

Pashinyan noted that going home from the Government by bike (4 km) is a great pleasure, but the job of the security officers becomes harder.

In the morning Pashinyan went to the Government on bike, from where he headed to Yerevan City Hall to participate in the opening of a garden dedicated to 2800th anniversary of Yerevan.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Instead, the irresponsibility and negligence of Mr ONeill have thwarted the purpose of the SWF - to help bring national economic growth and financial stability, to be the foundation of national savings in good times for use in bad times, and to provide for responsible expenditure on productive infrastructure.

If the SWF had been set up, as proposed by me in 2011 and legislated in 2012, an incoming government would have a powerful tool to help with the rebuilding necessary after seven years of economic and financial mismanagement by Mr ONeill.

No money has ever flowed into the proposed SWF  in fact it has not even been constituted and does not have a board of directors despite all the trumpeting by Mr ONeill and his accomplices. There is no SWF with any money or any assets  it is toktok tasol.

PORT MORESBY - Prime Minister Peter ONeills failure to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), leaving national revenue flows to be plundered and wasted, means any recovery plan by an incoming government will take years to implement because of a lack of money.

Sir Mek - "The riches that should have flowed into the SWF have just disappeared into thin air"

What should have gone into the SWF has been wasted on monuments to promote himself in Port Moresby such as roads to nowhere, showpiece buildings that are now standing empty and unused, and self-promotional events such as the K3 billion APEC party for his cronies and rich foreigners. (The Maseratis and Bentleys still have not been sold.)

Compare Mr ONeills miserable performance with that of tiny Kiribati, population 110,000. It has a SWF holding the equivalent of K2.5 billion. Timor Leste, population one million, has a fund worth K57 billion through wise use of its oil and gas revenue.

PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd, which is in effect a SWF, has saved K5 billion for the people of Western Province.

And instead of allowing PGSDP to get on with helping provide services and infrastructure for Western Province, Mr ONeill has wasted millions of kina of public money on legal challenges in attempts to get his hands on PNGSDPs money.

Mr ONeill has not even bothered to implement his own version of the 2012 SWF legislation, making recent boasting by him and his accomplices nothing but noise from empty drums.

As a result of not establishing a SWF, the gas revenue boom experienced between 2011 and the collapse of the oil price in late 2014 was not captured, nor was revenue from the construction of the K65 billion PNG LNG project.

The riches that should have flowed into the SWF and its associated Infrastructure Fund from the house of Kumul have just disappeared into thin air.

Mr ONeill, who is the sole shareholder of Kumul, must explain what he has done with all that money. For example, in 2016 Kumul Petroleum had revenue of K1.8 billion at todays exchange rate, and in 2017 it had revenue of K2.2 billion.

Not one toea has flowed into the SWF, as required by law. Revenue comes into Kumul and then mysteriously disappears, resulting in massive losses to national development.

There is an urgent need for another well planned and properly funded reform and reconstruction program, as in 1999 when I became prime minister and initiated the reforms that saved the nation from bankruptcy.

At that time I was able to repay the large national debt created by the recklessness of Mr ONeills PNC mentor, Bill Skate, by reallocating the scarce resources he left behind and with help from friendly countries and financial institutions.

But without a SWF, the nation has no financial reserve to call on today to repay Mr ONeills mountain of debt or to stop the budget from wild swings.

A new government should give high priority to the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund so that the foundation for sustainable growth and budget stability can be laid, and savings can be made for future generations.
Lobbying intensified over the weekend, with the opposed camps gathering at hotels on either side of Port Moresby, each announcing they had the numbers to secure a majority. Some 1,000 extra police are being deployed in the capital.

The 26 opposition parliamentarians or MPs have allied with two dozen MPs who quit ONeills coalition in the past two weeks and are offering to accommodate other government members. A successful vote in the 111-seat parliament will require the support of 56 MPs.

The Peoples National Congress-led government is disintegrating in the wake of a series of high-profile resignations.

AUCKLAND - Opposition MPs in Papua New Guinea are preparing to move a no-confidence motion in an attempt to remove prime minister Peter ONeill.

The government won a procedural vote on Tuesday, by 59 votes to 50, to adjourn parliament until 28 May, giving ONeill more time to consolidate support. The no-confidence motion has to be vetted by a parliamentary committee to check that it meets legal requirements before being tabled.

The opposition has named James Marape, a former ONeill ally, as their choice for prime minister. Marapes sudden resignation as finance minister last month, citing a lack of trust between the two, sparked the defections.

Shifting allegiances within the countrys unstable and corrupt political establishment are not unusual. Nevertheless, the current groundswell of desertions is the most significant in ONeills nearly eight years in office and takes place amid widespread popular hostility to all the parliamentary parties.

On 3 May, the latest tranche of nine MPs resigned from ONeills PNC. It included three cabinet ministers, Health Minister Puka Temu, Defence Minister Solan Mirisim and Forestry Minister Douglas Tomuriesa. Six other government MPs joined them in announcing their decision to resign.

This followed the resignations of eight PNC parliamentarians the previous week. Radio New Zealand reported that at a PNC caucus meeting ONeill was urged to resign but refused. Meanwhile, the PNCs main coalition partner, the Pangu Pati, has all but collapsed, with at least half its MPs opposed to party leader Sam Basil and defecting to the opposition.

ONeills government is widely regarded as illegitimate. In the 2017 election he won a second five-year term in an undemocratic and disputed poll, with a significantly decreased majority. The election was mired in bribery and corruption, ballot rigging and the wholesale omission of names from the electoral roll.

Ongoing turmoil is an expression of explosive social tensions produced by the governments austerity policies imposed in response to the countrys economic crisis, worsened by the collapse in global energy prices. Following protests by students and workers, the government has increasingly turned to police-state measures.

The current crisis has erupted over a new $US16 billion natural gas contract. Former prime minister Mekere Morauta has denounced the deal signed last month with French company Total, as a potential disaster for PNG.

Morauta contended that ONeill hijacked the approval process, putting government finances and landowner interests at risk. He claimed ONeill shut out the state negotiating team and the Department of Petroleum, meaning the gas agreement was largely the work of private companies.

Morauta said this risks royalties and development levies not being paid, as happened with the $US19 billion ExxonMobil LNG project. Further, billions of kina worth of concessions and exemptions were given away, he claimed, in line with the demands of project partners.

The deal also fails to meet laws on the supply of gas for the domestic market. The agreement provides for a maximum of 5% of gas from the project for domestic purposes but the governments Natural Gas and National Energy policies call for 15%, Morauta said.

There is deep popular dissatisfaction over the failure of the massive gas projects to produce any benefits for the population. Landowners in the Highlands have been waiting years for royalties, levies and dividends owed them.

In February 2017, more than 1,000 protesters gathered at the ExxonMobil site to demand overdue payments, estimated at over K1 billion. In response, the government intensified a police-military operation, involving 300 personnel, to protect the companys operations.

A 2018 report by Australian academic Paul Flanagan, Double or Nothing: the Broken Economic Promises of PNG LNG, declared the projects have been a disaster for PNGs people. The impoverished population would have been better off on almost every measure of economic welfare without the ExxonMobil deal, the report concluded.

The litany of economic failures included lower than expected GDP gains, which focused on the largely foreign-owned resource sector. Meagre government earnings from the project saw revenue, predicted to be around K1.4 billion per year in 2016 come in at less than K500 million.

Intensifying the political crisis, a court ruling in Singapore on 5 April dealt a blow to a challenge by ONeill to one of Morautas initiatives as prime minister. The court rejected legal action to wrest control of the Singapore-based PNG Sustainable Development Program (SDP), which holds an estimated K4.7 billion.

Earnings from the SDPs shareholding in the formerly BHP-owned Ok Tedi gold mine are meant to fund community development. ONeill wants more direct control over the SDPs billions. Claiming that the SDP is being run in a highly unsatisfactory manner and that it has failed to benefit local people, he has vowed to continue the legal fight.

The political infighting in ruling circles involves a sordid grab for the control of financial spoils. The only beneficiary of the exploitation of PNGs vast natural resources has been a layer of business leaders and politicians who operate in the interests of the mainly US- and Australian-based banks and corporations.

The decline in the living standards of ordinary people has been stark. A major recession hit the non-resource sector from 2015. By 2016, household incomes had fallen by 6%, employment by 27% and spending on government services, including education, health and infrastructure, by 32%.

The growing political instability is viewed with alarm by the regional powers, Australia and New Zealand, which have backed ONeill. PNG is of vital economic and strategic importance to both in their drive to dominate the South West Pacific and counter Chinas growing influence.
Weekend work would be required at times over the course of construction. Again, the numbers of workers and pieces of equipment in operation would be limited to those needed to complete the particular task at hand. For extended weekday and weekend work, the level of activity would be reduced from the normal workday. The typical weekend workday would be on a Saturday from 7 AM with worker arrival and site preparation to 5 PM for site cleanup. It is expected that weekend work may be required on one weekend day for approximately 50 percent of the weekends over the course of construction and, in exceptional circumstances, two weekend days would be required.

The DEIS provided conservative estimates of construction activities for a potential reasonable worst-case impact analysis. While the project sponsors would keep nighttime and weekend work to a minimum, some work, such as transit improvements and LIRR Vanderbilt Yard construction, would be necessary to meet safety and operational needs. This work, however, is likely to occur at a lower frequency than what was described in the DEIS. While not likely to result in any new predicted significant adverse impacts, a delay in the construction schedule would further extend the duration of impacts identified on the surrounding neighborhood. As described in Chapter 17, Construction Impacts, of the DEIS and in response to comments, many elements were incorporated into the construction of the program (e.g., utilization of Block 1129) to reduce the effect of construction on the community.

As described in the Chapters 15 and 17, the proposed project would result in significant increases in noise levels at these parks during construction. In the case of the parks, there is no feasible mitigation that would fully eliminate these project impacts.... Even with the measures incorporated into the proposed project to reduce noises, it is not likely that the predicted significant adverse noise impacts from construction at any of these parks can be fully mitigated; however, with respect to the Dean Playground, the noise impact would be partially mitigated by the provision of an amenity [a comfort station] to the park users.

Under the Extended Build-Out Scenario, weekend work would not be scheduled regularly, but may occur from time to time to make up for weather delays, unforeseen circumstances, or special activities such as erecting/dismantling tower cranes. In such cases, appropriate work permits from DOB would be obtained. Similar to an extended workday, the numbers of workers and pieces of equipment in operation would be limited to those needed to complete the particular task at hand. The duration of a typical weekend workday would be on a Saturday from approximately 7 AM to 5 PM. However, these hours could be extended to address special circumstances in limited instances

As discussed in the DEIS some weekend and evening work will be necessary. This is similar to other construction projects in New York City. In general, the intensity of this weekend and evening work will be less than typical weekday daytime construction activities and impacts during these time periods would also be less than during typical daytime construction time periods. Also as noted in the DEIS, the New York City Noise Control Code, as amended December 2005 and effective July 1, 2007, requires the adoption and implementation of a noise mitigation plan for each construction site, and this would be done for the proposed project.

At the meeting, resident Robert Puca pointed to noisy construction at 664 Pacific Street (aka 37 Sixth Avenue, a site just east of Sixth between Pacific and Dean Street), the site of a 26-story building with a middle-school at the base. It's B15 on the project map "They're doing the piling, at 7 o'clock sharp, they start, its ridiculous, every building [on the block nearby] shakes," he said. "Now they've got permits to do it six days a week. Now they're doing it on Saturdays.""We hear it as far as Bergen [Street] and St. Marks [Avenue], digging the pilings," another resident said. (The video below was shot yesterday.)"There's got to be some sort of mitigation they could put up," Puca added."A lot of it is because of the schools needs," commented Greenland USA's Scott Solish, apparentlybecause the school--as noted in the work permit --will have both a cellar and a sub-cellar.: I should have noted that a significant reason for building at that site in the first place was because the developer needed a staging area for simultaneous construction of the arena and four towers--a plan later abandoned as unrealistic.)Puca asked if there could be some mitigation: "Do they have to start at 7? Could there be some netting going up?""We made sure there are sound blankets on fences," Solish said. "The fences are like five feet high," Puca said."Eight feet high," countered Solish.Remember, the state required 16-foot high fences for construction more than one block away down Dean Street. Those stuck out into the street and severely constricted traffic, as shown at left. If they were added to the Dean and Sixth intersection, they likely would cause major construction."The pilings are 30 feet high," Puca said, referring to the drilling equipment. Actually, taller, as the photo below shows. And, as the video above shows, they hardly dampen the sound.Solish said it was up to the Department of Buildings.So that let me back to the official project documents issued by Empire State Development Corporation, now Empire State Development, or ESD. It turned out that relatively frequent weekend work was disclosed, though it also was sometimes fudged.From the Construction Impacts chapter of the 2006 Final Environmental Impact Statement:(Emphases added)Despite the statement that weekend work could be on a weekend day for about half the weekends, the Response to Comments chapter fudged the issue. After commenters warned that impacts "must be meaningfully mitigated or averted," the state responded:It's by no means clear that weekend work at 664 Pacific is needed "to meet safety and operational needs," but rather schedule needs, to get the building done by 2022. The delay in the building, which was unveiled in December 2015 , was a business decision by Greenland Forest City Partners, which has since sold the development rights to The Brodsky Organization.Others commented regarding construction noise in nearby park space. The state responded:In the 2014 Final Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement, ordered to assess the impacts of a delayed buildout, the Construction Overview chapter suggested relatively infrequent weekend work:It's by no means clear that the weekend work at the B15 site is aimed to "make up for weather delays, unforeseen circumstances, or special activities such as erecting/dismantling tower cranes."In the Response to Comments chapter , several commenters warned about the impacts of potential weekend work, especially given that the project could take 25 years of construction rather than the once projected ten years. The response:As shown in the video, the noise mitigation is, at best, only partial.
Troy Shafer, star of Nashville Flip, reportedly died in his sleep at the age of 38 in late April. (Photo: Instagram)

Troy Dean Shafer, one of the stars of US renovation show Nashville Flipped, has died at the age of 38, TMZ reports.

Troy's brother, Tim, told the outlet that the contractor unexpectedly passed away in his sleep, and that he had no known medical conditions.

According to TMZ, the "coroner's office in Erie, PA confirms an autopsy was not performed on Troy's body, but a toxicology report will be finalised in the coming weeks."

Troy, originally from Erie, died on Apr. 28, according to an obituary published in the Erie Times-News. He is survived by his parents, Timothy and Janey Shafer, his brother Tim, as well as a niece, cousins, aunts and uncles  and his wife, Becky, whom he married in 2014, although she is not mentioned in the obituary. His family held a small, private burial last week.

Troy, a Penn State University graduate, had initially moved to Nashville to pursue a career in singing, but ultimately utilised his construction skills and pitched a home renovation show based in Nashville, focusing on homes from the 1800s and early 1900s. The show, Nashville Flipped, also starring Rob Kuskin and Sean Roberge, premiered in 2016.

"Troy Dean Shafer, contractor and host of DIYs Nashville Flipped, has saved, restored and flipped dozens of historic homes in Nashville, Tennessee," DIY Network's website reads.

"Troy also specialises in creating beautiful era-specific custom pieces for clients who own historic properties."

A representative with DIY Network also sent Yahoo Lifestyle the following statement: "The DIY Network family is sorry to hear about the passing of Troy Dean Shafer, a dedicated, driven entrepreneur and restoration expert who was admired by everyone who worked on the series Nashville Flipped. We continue to extend our deepest condolences to Troys family and friends during this difficult time."

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.
Protesters thronged Algeria's capital for the first Friday mass rally of Ramadan, pressing their demands for reforms and the departure of key figures from ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika's regime. Demonstrators braved blazing sunshine to take to the streets en masse following the first weekly prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Many were draped in Algerian flags as they blocked the roads around the capital's main post office square, the epicentre of the protest movement which was launched in February and led to Bouteflika's fall on April 2. "It's really hot, it's hard to march when you can't drink water," said Samir Asla, 58, standing in the shade of a tree. But despite the hardships, demonstrators have vowed to keep up the pressure, particularly on army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah, a former Bouteflika loyalist and key powerbroker. "Algeria is a republic, not a barracks," protesters shouted on the 12th consecutive Friday of protests. "The army is our army and Gaid has betrayed us!" Demonstrators also called for the resignation of acting head of state Abdelkader Bensalah and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, both stalwarts of Bouteflika's regime. Witnesses also reported protests in Oran, Constantine and Annaba, the second, third and fourth cities of Algeria, and local media cited rallies in several other regions. - Tarnished by corruption - Gaid Salah has dug in against protesters' demands that key leaders quit and be replaced by transitional bodies, vowing to press ahead with presidential elections set for July 4. Demonstrators have been pressing for transitional bodies to be set up ahead of any election, arguing that their existing institutions -- and leaders -- are too tarnished by corruption to guarantee a legitimate vote. Last week, the army chief said any change to the constitution was the prerogative of the next president, not the military. Gaid Salah, a longtime Bouteflika ally whose change of heart marked the beginning of the end for the 82-year-old president, has been accused of trying to impose his vision for a post-Bouteflika transition. Rights groups condemned the arrest of the head of Algeria's Worker's Party, Louisa Hanoune, a three-time presidential candidate, who was detained Thursday on charges of involvement in "a plot against the army". The Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights said she had been detained after appearing as a witness at a military court. "This case of 'conspiracy against the army' seems like a good excuse for silencing all dissenting voices," the League said. Protesters, however, have welcomed the detention of Bouteflika's powerful brother Said and two former intelligence chiefs on charges including "conspiring" against the state. But many fear that the arrests are little more than a high-level purge and a power struggle between regime clans, rather than a genuine effort to reform the state. For the first time in a month state television did not broadcast live footage of Friday's protest. After the first protests erupted in February, journalists working for state media complained that their bosses had imposed a news blackout on the rallies against Bouteflika's bid to seek a fifth presidential term. But as they gained in momentum, the protests became headline news on both private and public television channels. Last week, however, an Algerian state television presenter was fired after slamming the media's role in supporting the Bouteflika regime, his colleagues said. Algerian protesters brave blazing sunshine to press their demands for reform on the first Friday mass rally of Ramadan in Algiers Algerian protesters want key leaders to quit ahead of presidential elections set for July 4
Could the Clark Street station in Brooklyn Heights be facing a year-long closure for repairs? The rumor has made headlines, though the MTA has yet to confirm. And now the Brooklyn Heights Association, along with elected officials, have sent a letter to NYC Transit President Andy Byford requesting that they "consider all possible options for making these repairs before deciding to close the station completely for a year or more."

What's the problem? The station's elevators are, as Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams declared last year, "a public safety threat." That's because the subway platform is only accessible via three rickety old elevators, which tend to break down. Since there are no stairs open to the public at this station, which serves the 2 and 3 line, this causes a problem. At best, the elevator ride is a short but terrifying experience as you hold your breath and hope your journey goes smoothly. Adams's comment came after 13 people were trapped in one of the elevators for over an hour in the fall of 2018. To make matters worse, the elevators are often overcrowded, and almost always stifling hot with very little air circulation"What do we do here? No door. Cant get out. Its hot. Everyone is sweating," one of the trapped passengers tweeted last year.

After the 2018 incident, MTA spokesperson Andrei Berman said, "All of the elevators at Clark Street are set to be replaced under the current capital program. Its a fully funded project and we are beginning replacement in the next several months."

Berman also noted that, "The work is extensive and includes the replacement of all existing elevators (including elevator cabs), the replacement of machine room equipment, new lighting, upgrades to communication systems and other improvements."

Beyond that, the MTA declined to give more details about the design phase, the process or the timeline. Now it appears they will be issuing an RFP this July for the work.



In 2018, following an elevator malfunction. (Gothamist)

The Brooklyn Eagle reported that concerned business owners within the street-level section of the station had first heard about the "potential long-term closure."

The station, served by the 2 and 3 train, is rumored to be on the list for closure to make repairs to three elevators that descend 10 stories underground. The agency hasnt confirmed a plan, but if the information leaked by NYC Transit employees to business owners within the station are true, some of the shops might have to fold. Many of them have operated out of the arcade at the St. George Tower at the corner of Henry and Clark streets for decades. While New York City Transit employees have been speculating out loud about the MTAs plans for a year-long shutdown to repair the stations three ailing elevators, the agency is not sharing this information with the businesses that depend on the stations subway commuters to make a living.

BP Adams recently released another statement regarding the station, saying, "For whatever reason, proactive transparency continues to be a challenge for the MTA. Repairs to the unreliable elevators at the Clark Street subway station are a health and safety imperative that cannot be deferred any longer, and commuters and small businesses need to know how to plan for the construction to come as early as possible. Even publicizing a timeline to finalizing a construction timeline would be appreciated at this point." Adams was not the only elected official demanding clarity on the station's fate.

State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, and City Councilmember Steve Levin, along with the Brooklyn Heights Association, penned a letter to Byford this week, which states, in part:

Upon inquiring about this plan, we were told that the MTA could not confirm or deny this information in advance of the release of the request for proposals. Given the impacts that a year-long closure would have on the surrounding community and the businesses located within the station, we are requesting clarity on this matter. In addition to the impact on its immediate businesses, a full station closure would also impact many small businesses along Clark and Henry Streets, as well as those residents whose mobility problems would make a walk to the Borough Hall or High Street stations difficult, if not impossible. We ask for a more transparent engagement process that includes elected officials and the local community.

According to the source of the rumor, an unnamed station clerk, the shutdown would be 24/7 and could happen in January 2020. We've reached out to the MTA for more insight, and will update if we hear back.

Should the closure occur, nearby stations will have to take on the displaced riders. The closest station is High Street (A/C), but riders hoping to take the 2/3 will have to walk to Borough Hall (which is around an 8 minute walk from the Clark Street station).
$50 note with Edith Cowan. (Image: RBA)

The Reserve Bank of Australia was facing questions on Thursday after a radio show found a spelling mistake on the new $50 note.

A keen-eyed listener to Triple M's Melbourne breakfast show pointed out the printed transcript of Edith Cowan's maiden speech to the Western Australia parliament says "responsibilty" rather than "responsibility".

Cowan, who in 1921 became the first woman elected to any Australian parliament, uses the word in the phrase "it is a great responsibility to be the only woman here".

The phrase is printed three times on the bank note, and is reportedly misspelled all three times.

Yahoo Finance has confirmed the existence of the error.

$50 note with "responsibility" misspelt. (Image: Yahoo)

The Reserve Bank told Yahoo Finance that it was aware of the mistake.

"The spelling will be corrected at the next print run," said a bank spokesperson.

The error is only found on the new $50 note, which was put into circulation on October 18 last year.

"The banknote also includes pictures of the gumnut brooch Cowan had made to symbolise that entry into Parliament was a tough nut to crack for women, and the King Edward Memorial Hospital, a womens and maternity hospital that she helped establish," the Reserve Bank stated at the launch.

The other side of the note features inventor David Unaipon, who was also Australia's first published indigenous author.

Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news.
Lawyers for convicted Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman have denounced his prison conditions and made several requests, including more water and fresh air and earplugs to allow him to sleep. The former Sinaloa cartel chief was found guilty on February 12 of smuggling tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June and faces the prospect of life in prison. The 62-year-old Guzman is currently being held in solitary confinement in a high-security prison in Lower Manhattan in conditions which his lawyers claimed violate the constitutional ban on "cruel and unusual punishment." "Mr. Guzman is confined to a small, windowless cell, of approximately 10 x 8 feet," they said in a letter to US District Court Judge Brian Cogan. "Mr. Guzman is permitted a single hour of solitary exercise from Monday through Friday in another indoor cell that contains one stationary bicycle," they said. "On the weekends, he is not permitted any exercise. "Mr. Guzman has been over two years now without any access to fresh air or natural sunlight," the letter said. "Furthermore, the light in his cell is always on, leading to serious issues of sleep deprivation." His lawyers asked that Guzman be allowed to have at least two hours of outdoor recreation a week, six water bottles a week and earplugs "in order to alleviate his ear pain, and to assist his ability to sleep." "Mr. Guzman has been using toilet paper as makeshift earplugs," his lawyers said, and the air conditioner system in his cell "is so loud, that he is unable to sleep through the night." Guzman's lawyers said his behavior during his 27 months in custody has been "exemplary" and he has "never been disrespectful, disruptive, or violent" towards prison staff at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. "Yet, his detention is far more onerous than that of detainees being punished for acts of violence within the prison," they said. "These conditions are excessively punitive." Lawyers for convicted Mexican drug baron Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman have denounced his prison conditions
French special forces have freed two French hostages, an American and a South Korean in northern Burkina Faso in an overnight raid in which two soldiers died, authorities announced Friday. The operation was launched to free two French tourists who had disappeared while on holiday in the remote Pendjari National Park in neighbouring Benin on May 1. But during the raid, the French troops were surprised to discover two women also in captivity, with top officials saying they had been held for 28 days. The French tourists were identified as Patrick Picque, 51, and Laurent Lassimouillas, 46, but the women's identities were not immediately clear. "No one was aware of (the women's) presence," French Defence Minister Florence Parly told reporters, while French armed forces chief Francois Lecointre said. "We know little about these other two hostages," Parly told reporters, saying that even Seoul and Washington did not appear to be aware the pair were in increasingly unstable Burkina Faso. The raid was approved by French President Emmanuel Macron in what was seen as the last opportunity to stop the hostages being transferred to lawless territory in Mali to the north. Parly said it was "too early to say" who had snatched the two French nationals from Benin, which has long been an island of stability in a region where Islamist militants are increasingly active. "The message to terrorists and criminal gangs is clear: those who attack France and its nationals know that we will not spare any effort to track them down, find them and neutralise them," she said. Four of the six kidnappers were killed in the raid. French forces, helped by intelligence provided by the United States, had been tracking the kidnappers for several days as they travelled across the semi-desert terrain of eastern Burkina Faso from Benin to Mali. They seized the opportunity to prevent "the transfer of the hostages to another terrorist organisation in Mali," Lecointre said, referring to the Macina Liberation Front (FLM). The FLM is a jihadist group formed in 2015 and headed by a radical Malian preacher, Amadou Koufa. It is aligned with Al-Qaeda in the region. - US intelligence support - In a statement, Macron congratulated the special forces on the operation, in which he also expressed sorrow over the death of the two soldiers "who gave their lives to save those of our citizens". And Parly thanked authorities in Benin and Burkina Faso for their help with the "complex operation", as well as the United States which provided intelligence and support. The operation was also made possible by the presence of France's Operation Barkhane, which counts some 4,500 troops deployed in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad to help local forces battle jihadist groups. American special forces and drones are also known to operate in the violence-wracked Sahel region, which France fears could become further destabilised as jihadist groups are pushed out of north Africa, Iraq and Syria. Burkina Faso has suffered from increasingly frequent and deadly attacks attributed to a number of jihadist groups, including the Ansarul Islam group, the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. - Relief and sadness - The French tourists -- Patrick Picque who works in a Paris jewellery shop, and Laurent Lassimouillas a piano teacher, -- went missing with their guide on the last leg of their holiday in usually peaceful Benin. The Pendjari wildlife reserve, which is famed for its elephants and lions, lies close to the porous border with Burkina Faso. The badly disfigured body of their guide was found shortly after they disappeared, as well as their abandoned four-wheel Toyota truck. The two freed men will be flown back to France on Saturday, alongside the South Korean woman, where they will be met on arrival by Macron and other top French officials. Washington thanked the French forces for freeing the American hostage, with France saying she would likely be "repatriated independently" from the other three. The two dead French soldiers were named as Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, decorated naval special forces members born in 1986 and 1991 respectively. They were part of the prestigious Hubert commando unit of the French naval special forces which was deployed to the Sahel at the end of March. A total of 24 French soldiers have died in the region since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. The last death was on April 2. burs-hmw/adp/pvh The French hostages disappeared while on holiday in the remote Pendjari National Park in Benin Map showing Burkina Faso and details about four hostages being freed by French special forces. Laurent Lassimouillas (L) and Patrick Picque are expected to travel back to France on Sunday The Pendjari wildlife reserve is known for its elephants and lions A total of 24 French soldiers from the Barkhane force have died in the region since 2013
With the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle at the centre, France and India on Friday stepped up their biggest naval exercises as the Indian Ocean's strategic shipping lanes draw ever more envious eyes. Without naming the Asian giant, India and France worry about China's growing economic clout and its territorial claims that have caused tensions in the South China Sea. "We think we can bring more stability to a region that is strategic, that has huge stakes, notably for international trade," said Rear Admiral Olivier Lebas, who commands the French fleet that includes its only aircraft carrier. The vast majority of trade between Asia and Europe and the Middle East -- particularly oil -- is carried across the ocean, while internet-communications cables straddle the seabed that is rich with its own oil and gas fields. The 42,000 tonne Charles de Gaulle is one of 12 warships and submarines -- six from each country -- taking part in the 17th annual exercises off the coast of the Indian resort state of Goa. French authorities say they are the biggest ever since the exercises started in 2001. And the presence of the aircraft carrier, which has just undergone an 18-month refit, is no accident. - Power games - Row after row of Rafale fighter jets were launched to deafening roars off the carrier's 261 metre (860 feet) runway. India's traditional dominance in the Indian Ocean faces a growing Chinese shadow with the deployment of warships and submarines along shipping lanes and the construction of a giant network of commercial infrastructure through its Belt and Road initiative, which India strongly opposes. "China is not an aggressive country" in the Indian Ocean, said Rear Admiral Didier Maleterre, the head of French maritime forces in the region. "What you see in the sea around China, the reclamation of land on islands in the Spratleys or Paracels, you do not see that in the Indian Ocean," he said. The top officer said President Xi Xinping's building of new Silk Road trade routes, which includes the Indian Ocean, "is a strategy being put in place that is mainly economic, with perhaps a dual purpose." Malterre did not specify what other purpose, but added that there are "scenarios" in the next 10 to 15 years, "certainly not as big as in the sea off China, but that clearly could lead to tensions." France annoyed China last month by sending a warship into the Taiwan Straits. The ship was intercepted by the Chinese navy and Beijing made an official protest, while France insisted it was exercising "freedom of navigation". French diplomats insist there is no link between that incident and the Indian Ocean exercises. The links between India and France "are certainly not a partnership aimed against any country in the region or any power in the world," said Alexandre Ziegler, French ambassador to India. The Charles de Gaulle is being used again as a projection of French power however. In March, it took part in international operations in the Mediterranean against the Islamic State group. From these exercises, the carrier is to go on to Singapore. The 42,000 tonne Charles de Gaulle was one of 12 warships and submarines taking part in the 17th annual exercises off the coast of the Indian resort state of Goa The "Charles de Gaulle" is France's only aircraft carrier Rafale fighter jets were launched off the carrier's 261 metre (860 feet) runway India's traditional dominance in the Indian Ocean faces a growing Chinese shadow
More people will die unless the Brisbane City Council bans electric scooters, the Pedestrian Council of Australia says.

Pedestrian Council chief Harold Scruby says the death of a man, who suffered traumatic head injuries after falling from a Lime scooter, shows how dangerous they are.

He says risks to riders and pedestrians can't be adequately managed and the city council should be banning scooters, not looking to issue a second company a licence to operate.

The 50-year-old man died in hospital on Thursday, a day after he fell at South Brisbane.

He suffered a head injury despite wearing a helmet and went into cardiac arrest.

Investigators are looking at whether a heart attack caused the fall.

After the incident, the ambulance service detailed the injury toll from e-scooters.

Over a two month period, 80 people were treated at two major hospitals, and 12 of them required surgery.

Mr Scruby says the council must impose a ban in the interests of public safety.

"I've been predicting this for quite some time," he told the ABC.

"What do they expect? Of course there's been a death, and there'll be many more to follow."

There have been calls to ban Lime scooters in Brisbane after a man's death. Source: AAP

Queensland Ambulance Service clinical director Tony Hucker says riders must be aware of the risks and make sure they're wearing helmets and watching their speed on footpaths.

He said it wasn't clear why the helmet failed to protect the man who suffered "traumatic" head injuries.

But he stopped short of backing a ban.

"We do know that people are getting hurt but if you are safe and careful it can be OK," he told reporters.

"They are unique in a way because they have really small wheels and they're more prone to catching in divets and holes ... so there's probably a higher risk, particularly at night."

The Brisbane City Council has expressed sympathy for the man's family and says it won't comment further, pending a police investigation into the death.

The Lime scooter company has also expressed its condolences and is cooperating with the probe.

Story continues

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.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet President Vladimir Putin next week in Russia in the highest-level formal talks between the powers in 10 months, the State Department said Friday. The top US diplomat will meet Putin on Tuesday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to "discuss the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges," the State Department said. The United States and Russia are at loggerheads over a number of global issues including Venezuela, where Pompeo has led US calls to demand that Moscow stop backing President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist whom Washington is trying to oust. The trip marks the most significant US interaction with Putin since July, when President Donald Trump met the Russian leader in Finland in an encounter that was widely criticized inside the United States. Trump at a joint news conference appeared to take at face value Putin's insistence that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election -- despite findings of US intelligence as well as Putin's open statement in Helsinki that he favored Trump over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Pompeo's trip comes after the long-awaited release of a probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who found widespread efforts by Russia to meddle in the US election but did not find that the Trump campaign colluded -- a conclusion that has brought relief to the embattled White House. Trump again raised eyebrows a week ago when he said that Putin told him in a lengthy phone call that he was "not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela" and wanted to "see something positive happen" in the crisis-torn country. Russia earlier announced Pompeo's visit but it had been unclear whether he would meet Putin. He will also hold talks in Sochi with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov -- their second meeting in as many weeks after they met on the sidelines of an Arctic conference in Helsinki. Pompeo will also visit Moscow, where he will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dedicated to Soviet troops killed in World War II -- an era when Moscow and Washington were allied. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pose for the press as they meet on the sidelines of an Arctic Council meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland
With high water levels impacting other Lake Ontario shoreline communities, Fair Haven Mayor Jim Basile is urging residents to prepare for flooding.

Lake Ontario was at 247.93 feet Thursday, nearly two feet higher than the historical average for this time of year. On the same day in 2017 when flooding occurred along the lake, the water level was 248.62 feet.

Basile, who owns a home on the waterfront, said the water is spilling over a seawall near his property.

"It's not good," he added.

The state has sent more than 80,000 sandbags, a sandbagging machine, pumps and other equipment to Fair Haven and northern Cayuga County. The sandbags are available at the village pavilion on Church Street in Fair Haven.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that 100 more New York National Guard members have been deployed to assist with flood preparations. There were already 100 National Guard members providing help in the eight counties along the lake.

Basile repeated his criticism of the International Joint Commission, which oversees the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board that manages water levels. He believes the flooding could have been avoided if the commission didn't adopt Plan 2014, which outlines how to manage lake levels.

The IJC maintains that high water levels aren't due to Plan 2014. Precipitation is the main culprit, according to the commission.

Basile spoke to an IJC representative this week. He said the official was "very knowledgeable" about Plan 2014 and how water levels are managed. But the conversation didn't alter his stance.

"This is preventable," he said. "The new plan is in effect and we've had nothing but issues."

Some residents started to place sandbags on their properties to protect against rising water, Basile said. He has received emails from constituents who informed him that their docks are submerged or close to being underwater.

Basile's advice for residents: Don't wait until the last minute.

"They should be taking steps to protect their property now and do what's right for their property," he said.

In other news:

 The National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory for the Lake Ontario shoreline.

The advisory is in effect until 5 a.m. Saturday.

West winds of 15 to 25 knots are expected with waves of 3 to 6 feet. The high winds will create hazardous conditions for small vessels, according to the advisory.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
Mayor Bill de Blasio is defending his plan to expand the list of crimes for which the city will turn immigrants over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), despite complaints by some advocates.

Under a local law, the police and jails will already cooperate with ICE if they've detained someone convicted of any these 170 violent crimes. De Blasio said its appropriate to add seven more to that list because of state legislation since the 2014 law went into effect.

These include crimes such as sex trafficking of a child or patronizing a child prostitute, de Blasio told WNYCs Brian Lehrer on Friday. These are serious, serious crimes.

An immigrant would need to have been convicted of one of these crimes for the NYPD or jails to turn them over to ICE after a detainer request. We do not cooperate, for example, on quality of life offenses, minor offenses de Blasio told WNYC. This policy is the reason New York is described as a sanctuary city.

However, Brooklyn City Councilman Carlos Menchaca issued a statement opposing the plan after it was reported by Politico on Thursday.

The proclaimed public safety benefits of this proposal do not outweigh its harms  namely the erosion of trust between our immigrant communities and government, he said. Menchaca chairs the councils immigration committee and also accused the mayor of playing politics as he considers a potential run for president.

The well being of New York Citys immigrant families should not be a tool to advance anyones political agenda.

De Blasio called that allegation ridiculous. He noted that the original bill was passed with the City Council in 2014, and that the seven new laws are being added through an administrative actionwithout Council approvalbecause theyre serious offenses that have since been added to state law.

It has nothing to do with anything political, it has to do with the fact these new laws were passed.

He said a person found guilty of sex trafficking of a child, for example, has committed a serious crime. And he said the city could cooperate with ICE in these rare examples while also remaining firm in its protection of immigrants.

Its so clear that this is a city that respects and embraces immigrants regardless of documentation status, he said, noting the city also funds legal services for immigrants. De Blasio said he still believes ICE is a broken agency.

When Lehrer asked if thats a reason for the city to stop cooperating with ICE completely, the mayor insisted, if someone is convicted through full due process of a violent crime thats different than being charged with a crime, or convicted of lesser offenses.

Make the Road New York has also criticized the mayors stand. Some immigrant advocates believe the city needs to take a stronger position against ICE because of the Trump administrations ramped up immigration enforcement, which has snagged many undocumented immigrants with no criminal backgrounds, or who were charged but not convicted of crimes.

Last fall, an appellate court found local police officers in New York state can't detain immigrants beyond their scheduled release date solely to turn them over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, without a judicial warrant.

Last month, New York States court system banned ICE agents from making arrests in its buildings without a judicial warrant.

Beth Fertig is a senior reporter covering courts and legal affairs at WNYC. You can follow her on Twitter at @bethfertig.
U.S. Rep. John Katko doesn't agree with Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on much, but they're allies on a bill to address student loan debt.

The proposed legislation, the Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act, would change federal law and allow student loan debt to be discharged through the bankruptcy process.

Under existing law, student loan debt can't be discharged in a vast majority of cases. Other forms of debt  credit cards and medical bills  can be discharged through bankruptcy.

Lawmakers supporting the bill explained that before 1976, student loan debt could be discharged through bankruptcy proceedings. Congress acted to limit the ability to discharge student loans, including a 1998 law that prevents student loans from being discharged until there's an "undue hardship."

In 2005, Congress passed legislation that prevents private student loans from being discharged in bankruptcy.

With the proposal, lawmakers hope to address student loan debt as it continues to rise. An estimated 44 million Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loans.

Katko, R-Camillus, joined U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, to introduce the House version of the bill. Warren and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, introduced the bill in the Senate.

"While Congress must continue to work to make college more affordable and accessible, Americans struggling financially should have the option to discharge their student loans during bankruptcy as a last resort," Katko said in a statement. "This bipartisan legislation makes that change."

A list of the House cosponsors wasn't immediately available, but it appears Katko is the lone Republican supporting the measure. In the Senate, the bill is backed by Warren and other Democratic presidential candidates, including U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders.

Warren said she fought proposals over the years that prevents borrowers from discharging student loans in bankruptcy.

"But over and over again, Congress chipped away at this critical protection for student loan borrowers," she said. "The Student Borrowers Bankruptcy Relief Act fully restores this protection, and I'm thrilled to work with Senator Durbin to fight for this legislation."

The bill is supported by several national organizations, including Consumer Reports, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and the National Student Legal Defense Network.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1

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.
AUBURN  When Will Jones walks out of his Washington, D.C, home, the first business he sees is a liquor store. The storefronts are covered in advertisements for alcoholic beverages.

Jones, a communications and outreach associate for Smart Approaches to Marijuana, worries that there will be similar promotional efforts if there is widespread legalization of marijuana.

"We've been down this road before with other products," said Jones, who spoke at Cayuga Community College in Auburn Thursday night. His presentation was organized by the Cayuga County Drug Free Community Coalition.

Smart Approaches to Marijuana, Jones explained, supports decriminalization of marijuana. But the group opposes marijuana legalization primarily due to the commercialization of the drug.

Ten states and the District of Columbia have legalized the adult use of marijuana. In New York, there are several proposals to allow adult-use cannabis. Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his own proposal in January.

Proponents of marijuana legalization argue that it's an important criminal justice reform, especially for communities of color that are disproportionately affected by drug-related arrests.

But Jones views the criminal justice claims as a cover for the real reason supporters want marijuana legalization. He believes there is a greater interest in legalizing marijuana for the financial benefits.

With marijuana legalization, he warned that there could be a repeat of what happened with Big Tobacco  products with kid-friendly labels and aggressive marketing practices.

"There are fascinating parallels between marijuana and tobacco," he said.

Jones also noted that there is a connection between some tobacco companies and the cannabis industry. He cited news reports on tobacco companies investing in marijuana as cigarette sales decline.

He downplayed the fiscal impact of marijuana legalization. In states that legalized marijuana, he said none have reported revenues accounting for more than 1% of their total budgets.

There are regulatory failures, Jones continued. In addition to the lack of potency caps, the black markets have continued to maintain a presence. There is also increased access for minors, he said.

That's why Jones and Smart Approaches to Marijuana view decriminalization as the best approach. He acknowledged that there is systemic racism and a need for criminal justice reform. But he questioned again whether marijuana legalization would deliver the reform advocates desire.

"Is it helping or not, or is it being used to introduce a new industry?" he said.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2

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 Auburn Unitarian Universalist Society will welcome the Rev. Chester Freeman, of Geneva, for a service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 12, at the society, 607 N. Seward Ave., Auburn.

Freeman's sermon, "We see in a mirror dimly!" will focus on a fictional book based on a real-life story in which a little girl poses theological questions to those around her, developing her own explanation for the nature and image of God. Music will be provided by Nancy Sheehe.

Freeman is the former religious advisor of Amherst College and chaplain at the University of Massachusetts, as well as the author of the children's book "Run Away Bear." In February, he was honored for his work to bring recognition to a slave named Austin Steward, which resulted in the placement of a historic marker on his grave.

For more information, call the society at (315) 253-9029.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
An Auburn man was charged Wednesday after allegedly violating a protection order in a case stemming from a domestic violence program, the Auburn Police Department said.

Auburn Deputy Police Chief Roger Anthony said Jorge L. Sanchez, 31, of 138 Cottage St., was charged after allegedly violating a protection order in March. Sanchez was convicted of second-degree criminal contempt in December 2018 for violating a protection order, Anthony said.

Anthony said the APD has a program in partnership with the not-for-profit Cayuga/Seneca Community Action Agency in which police officers hold follow-up investigations on domestic violence incidents. The APD held a follow-up interview in April 2019 with the victim of the order violation last year. Anthony said the woman told the APD that Sanchez violated the order again in March.

Sanchez was charged with aggravated family offense, a felony.

Anthony said the domestic violence program has been effective and has connected victims to the agency's resources. Anthony said the program, which is funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, is in its second year.

"This case is a great example of what the program is all about," he said.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

Love 1 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.
The California Department of Education on Wednesday approved what it called a new framework for health education in the states public schools, and as would be expected, the sections of the framework dealing with sex education drew protests and controversy, as the state decided that kids should be taught about gender identity starting in kindergarten, and in grades four through six should start learning about sexual feelings including masturbation, according to a Washington Post report on the boards public hearing held May 8.

The new educational framework also includes guidelines on teaching children about nutrition, exercise, smoking, drinking, and skin care. But it was the sex education guidelines that drew a crowd of about 200 protesters to the state Capitol in Sacramento on Wednesday, The Los Angeles Times reported.

"It's just scary what they are going to be teaching. It's pornography," The Times quoted Anaheim Hills resident Patricia Reyes as saying. "If this continues, I'm not sending them to school."

The protesters were not mollified by the boards decision to drop five books from its list of recommended learning materials, due to their explicit approach to sexual subject matter. The book S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties was dropped due to its frank discussions of anal sex, and the use of bondage in sexual activities.

The board also recommended dropping the book Changing You, for its artistic renderings of the human penis and vagina, as well as its description of what having sex is.

"It's important to know the board is not trying to ban books. We're not saying that the books are bad," board member Feliza I. Ortiz-Licon told The Times. "But the removal will help avoid the misunderstanding that California is mandating the use of these books."

Conservative groups had labeled the books offensive, reckless and immoral, according to a Fox News report.

But the new framework, while leaving specifics of the sex ed curriculum up to individual school districts, mandates that schools must recognize different sexual orientations and be inclusive of same-sex relationships in discussions; teach about gender, gender expression, gender identity and the harm of negative gender stereotypes; and teach the value of committed relationships such as marriagemuch of which is anathema to conservative religious teachings.

Parents remain free to hold their children out of sex education classes, however.

Photo via Sacramento Bee Video Screen Capture
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.Last week, both houses of the Florida legislature passed a new anti-crime bill targeting human trafficking, and while for the most part it makes no distinction between labor trafficking and sexual trafficking, the bill does several things: It establishes a framework for a "Statewide Council on Human Trafficking" to be run by a private nonprofit corporation; enacts tough new rules for anyone wishing to obtain a license to run a massage parlor, including mandatory education/training courses regarding "human trafficking awareness"; requires similar courses for hotel/motel owners and strip club owners (which clubs have been rebranded in the legislation as "adult theaters"); and in a move found nowhere else in the country, establishes a "Soliciting for Prostitution Public Database" which would list the names of anyone convicted of, or pleading guilty to, "soliciting, inducing, enticing, or procuring another to commit prostitution, lewdness, or assignation."

The database will include the offender's legal name, last known address, a color photograph of the offender, and the section of the Penal Code under which he or she was convicted. The person's name may be expunged from the database after five years if he/she hasn't committed an intervening prostitution-related offense, but if a second offense is committed within that five-year period, the person's name cannot be removedever.

The rationale for the new law is based in part on statistics from the anti-prostitution Polaris Project, whose web page states, "Polaris is a leader in the global fight to eradicate modern slavery. Named after the North Star that guided slaves to freedom in the U.S., Polaris systemically disrupts the human trafficking networks that rob human beings of their lives and their freedom."

The Senate version of the new bill, SB 540, includes a Bill Analysis And Fiscal Impact Statement, which quotes organizations such as Polaris, DoSomething.org and Sharedhope International that in 2017, there were 8,759 human trafficking cases in the U.S., with "sex trafficking" accounting for 6,244 of those cases. Moreover, it quotes the National Human Trafficking Hotline that "the state of Florida is ranked third nationally in human trafficking abuses" and that "From January through June of 2018, the Hotline had 367 human trafficking cases reported in Florida"again with no distinction between labor and sexual trafficking.

"The number of human trafficking cases listed in reports may not accurately reflect the number of actual cases of human trafficking due to the fact that many traffickers are prosecuted for other crimes," the Bill Analysis states, though it might have added that in cases such as the one involving New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, after an extensive police investigation, no sexually trafficked individuals were found at the several massage parlors targeted.

In fact, the bust that swept up Kraft seems to have galvanized the push for this legislation, since although it was introduced in January, Kraft was busted in late February, and the bill was being primarily discussed throughout March.

As with nearly all such anti-prostitution measures, the actual result is to make sex work less safe for its practitioners, making it more difficult for them to screen clients and find safe places in which to practice their trade.

Or as Sessi Kuwabara Blanchard of Filtermag.org put it, "While the legislations bipartisan authors consider it to be a step toward ending human trafficking, critics call it a means to publicly shame clients and others associated with people who do consensual sex work."

And since the new law makes no distinction between ordinary johns and ones who target sex workers for violence, anyone who gets caught up in its net may face dire and unwarranted consequences.

"Putting them on a registry and imposing a mandatory sentence of five days for a first offense could result in lost wages and lost jobs," wrote SWOP Behind Bars organizer Alex Andrews. "Public shaming of a consensual act could result in the breaking up of a family. A lost job could result in losing health insurance benefits. A lost job might mean they cant pay the rent or the mortgage or buy food. They may not be able to get another job because they are on this registry. It perpetuates poverty."

And it's not as if the database won't face some problems once it goes into effect on July 1. For instance, if the state decides to include on its rolls people who were busted for prostitution before the law took effect, such individuals would have a likely winning court challenge that the law was applied to them retroactivelya constitutional no-no. Also, if inclusion on the database is deemed to be a form of punishment rather than simply being a civil matter, that too could run afoul of existing laws against double jeopardy, as did the federal Sex Offender Registry in Colorado.

But "the odds of the Florida Supreme Court striking down the Database are not in sex work activists favor," wrote Blanchard, quoting attorney Rory Fleming, who observed, "The Florida Supreme Court is extremely conservative on criminal justice matters. It is nearly impossible FSC would rule this new registry unconstitutional on its face, and almost certain that it would uphold it as applied to basically anyone the statute applies to."

But that doesn't mean sex worker rights activists won't keep trying: "We will regroup and try to figure out the best way to educate the public, which drives these policies," said Andrews, "and hope some of those uninformed folks find it in their heart to take up bodily autonomy and right to privacy."

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
FOSTER CITY, Calif.Gilead Pharmaceuticals, the maker of the primary HIV-preventive drug Truvada, has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to donate roughly 200,000 doses of the drug per year to be distributed by the agency. The agreement will last at least until the end of 2025, and may be extended until the end of 2030.

Truvada is what is known as a "pre-exposure prophylactic" drug, or PrEP for short, and Gilead, which earns about $26 billion per year from its various HIV treatment and prevention drugs$3 billion on Truvada alonesells a month's supply (30 pills) of Truvada for between $1,600 and $2,000, depending on the recipient's insurance. In contrast, generic versions of the drug produced in India have been sold in Africa for $60 per year, and in fact, Gilead has developed a second-generation PrEP drug called Descovy, for which it is currently attempting to get approval, and if/when that happens, Gilead will substitute Descovy for Truvada under the government program. Though Descovy is expected to cost much less to produce than Truvada, and is more powerful, it will also sell on the open market for roughly $20,000 per year.

President Trump, most recently in this year's State of the Union speech, promised to end the spread of HIV in the U.S. by 2030, and the administration's agreement with Gilead would go a long way toward fulfilling that goal. However, according to a New York Times report, "Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, who led a team at Massachusetts General Hospital who analyzed the costs of the Obama administrations AIDS plan and has looked at the cost of the Trump plan, said the Gilead deal was 'a noble effortbut it covers less than 20 percent of the people who need it.'"

Indeed; though many insurance plans cover Truvada, the out-of-pocket costs even with insurance makes the drug prohibitively expensive for many Americans. Moreover, according to CDC research, as reported on TheBody.com, "a majority of black and Latino MSM [men who have sex with men] surveyed in 2014 were willing to take PrEP to prevent HIV. However, 17% of the men surveyed were willing to take PrEP but could not pay for it, 48% were willing to pay between $1 and $50 per month, and 27% were willing to pay more than $50 per month"figures that come nowhere near what Gilead charges for the drug.

Moreover, according to The Times, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether Gilead has stiffed the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention royalties for its work in developing the precursors of Truvada, and possibly even infringed the CDC's patents on its work.

UPDATE: The New York Times thought this development was worth editorializing about, so here are a few excerpts:

"[A]s drug policy experts regularly note, such donations have a long history of doing more for drug makers than for patients... The company is likely to receive a generous tax break for its latest donation. Drug policy researchers have speculated that if the value of that donation is set by Truvadas list price, rather than its manufacturing cost, Gilead could reduce its tax liability by about $1 billion. The donated drugs will cost the company less than $10 million to produce.

"A months supply of Truvada costs roughly $6 to make and sells for more than $1,600 in the United States, according to the PrEP4All Collaboration, an advocacy group... Owing partly to those prices, only about 18 percent of the million or so at-risk Americans who need the drug have access to it, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Gileads donation could double that percentage, but only if its reserved for patients who arent already receiving Truvada through the companys existing financial aid programs. The deal, which Mr. Trump is said to have negotiated himself, contains no such guarantee... No matter how Gileads donation turns out, a majority of patients who would benefit from Truvadaand whose tax dollars helped pay for its developmentstill wont be able to get the drug.

"As The Washington Post has reported, Truvada was developed largely with taxpayer dollars. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention holds a patent on the medication, and the Justice Department is investigating whether the company owes the federal government back royalties on that patent, which experts say could amount to as much as $1 billion. (Gilead has roughly $3 billion in annual global sales of Truvada.)

"Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services have resisted calls to sue the company for those royalties, saying that such a lawsuit would be expensive and time-consuming and would ultimately not make much of a dent in the drugs price. Theyre probably right. But the prospect of such a lawsuit should have given the government considerable leverage in its negotiations with Gilead."

Pictured: A model of the HIV virus
In April, the United States House of Representatives passed the Save the Internet Act, a new bill that would reinstate the net neutrality rules repealed last year by the Federal Communications Commission.

But the bill passed on a largely party-line vote, and in the Republican-controlled Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared the net neutrality legislation dead on arrival, despite the fact that polls show that among the public, net neutrality garners broad support to the tune of about 80 percent, with support high among Democrats, Republicans, and independent voters.

So on Tuesday, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, who chairs the Senate Appropriations General Government Subcommittee, created something of a landmark moment when he told FCC Chair Ajit Pai that he believed net neutrality to be hugely important, and that Congress must now act to put legislation in place to clarify the rules for maintaining an open internet, as The Daily Dot reported.

Pai, a Donald Trump appointee and former general in-house counsel for the telecommunications industry giant Verizon, is the principal architect of the FCCs move to eliminate Obama-era net neutrality regulations. He appeared to testify before the Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday.

While Kennedy expressed support for developing net neutrality legislation, he did not mention the House bill that passed last month, nor did he lay out any specific course for the legislation to take.

"We need to stop passing the buck and pass a net neutrality bill," Kennedy told Pai. So-called net neutrality is hugely important to the American people, and many reasonable people have different points of view on what we ought to do. ... We need to pick a course and stick to it because its very, very hard for people and consumers who rely upon net neutrality and have to comply with our rules. Its very hard when we have the policy bouncing around like a ping-pong ball.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons said that he could not agree more with Kennedys statement on net neutrality.

I think we've had a several-year-long fight back and forth. It's time for us to sort it out and legislate responsibly, the Delaware Senator said.

In May of last year, the Senate voted on a largely symbolic resolution to reinstate net neutrality rules. The resolution passed with support from all Senate Democrats and four Republicans, including Kennedy.

Photo By C-Span Screen Capture
While the focus for rent reform has mostly been on Albany, New York City residents will soon get a jump start in strengthened tenant protections after the City Council approved its own sweeping series of bills this week.

The legislation, voted on this Wednesday, was comprised of 17 bills altogether, ranging from increased reporting requirements on landlords to crackdowns on construction harassment. Inspired by a 2018 New York Times series that exposed a broken system of housing and landlord regulations, the measures come at what many see as a critical time in the city's affordable housing market, which has lost over 280,000 rent-stabilized units since 1993.

We are in an affordable housing crisis, and these bills will help, said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, in a press release.

The bills also focused attention on beefing up enforcement by the Department of Buildings, which many have criticized as being too lax.

Aaron Carr, the founder of Housing Rights Initiative, a tenant watchdog group whose analysis of building permit filings showed widespread lies by landlords about the number of rent-regulated tenants in their buildings, said the legislation "sends an important message to Mayor de Blasio and his enforcement agencies: You will be held accountable and you will do the job that taxpayers are paying you hundreds of millions of dollars to do.

Here are some highlights of the legislation:

Buyout disclosure

Landlords seeking to vacate units have long been suspected of negotiating unfair buyouts with tenants who may not know about their rights. Now, owners who enter a buyout with tenants must submit information about the terms of the agreement to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development within 90 days of its signing.

Rental history

Landlords will now have to hand over four years of an apartment's prior rental history to tenants. The measure is designed to inform tenants about the legal rent and prevent them from overpaying  or in cases where preferential rent is being charged, getting caught off-guard by sudden rent increases.

Policing landlords with excessive violations

The DOB will not be allowed to issue building permits to landlords with an average of at least three open and immediately hazardous housing or construction violations for buildings with less than 35 units and an average of at least two such violations for buildings with fewer than 35 units.

Additionally, landlords must provide copies of any violations to tenants, and the DOB has to create and distribute a pamphlet or flyer than describes the adjudication process for those violations.

Clamping down on landlords' lies and the 'Kushner loophole'

Landlords who submit false statements about occupied and rent-regulated units on a building permit application will now face an audit by the city. Going forward, the DOB will also have to audit 25% of buildings on the Department of Housing Development and Preservations speculation watch list as well as owners suspected of having high tenant turnover.

The proposed law would also require the DOB to report the false statements to the City Council and city agencies, and to refer the case to the appropriate District Attorney and the Attorney General for potential criminal prosecution.

The new regulations are targeted at closing the so-called Kushner loophole, referring to Jared Kushner, President Trumps son-in-law. In early 2018, an AP report revealed that his familys real estate company routinely filed false paperwork saying that it had no rent-regulated tenants when there were in fact hundreds.

New rules on tenant protection plans

In the past landlords were required to supply the DOB with tenant protection plans, a list of seven compliance categories designed to ensure the safety of occupants during construction work. Now, contractors working on construction projects will be required to prepare a tenant protection plan and include both information on the occupancy of the building and the scope of the work.

The bills must be signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio before they become law. Reached for comment, a spokesperson for the mayor's office emailed the following:



"From free access to legal services in housing court to the new Mayors Office to Protect Tenants, this administration has been fighting for tenants from day one. These bills will help bolster our efforts to protect all New Yorkers."

UPDATE: The story has been updated with a statement from the mayor's office.
BEND, Ore.Lora DiCarlo, the company dedicated to bringing human-like robotics to sex, announced today an additional $2 million in financing from both new and existing investors led by the Oregon Opportunity Zone Limited Partnership (OOZLP).

I am pleased and honored to have a group of investors that prioritize social responsibility along with profit, said Lora Haddock, founder and CEO of Lora DiCarlo. Our investors represent forward-thinking individuals and organizations that share our vision that the thoughtful application of technology can improve sexual health for millions. Additionally, our investors support our mission of promoting gender equity and making societal changes that benefit everyone.

Under the IRS program, an Opportunity Zone is an economically-distressed community where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. Lora DiCarlo investors recognize both the profit potential and tax benefits of investing in an Opportunity Zone and have decided to invest in the company through the Oregon Opportunity Zone fund.

I invested because Lora DiCarlo is positioned at the intersection of sexual health research and cutting-edge robotic technology creating new products that help everyone have more satisfying sexual interactions, said new Lora DiCarlo investor Richard Kado, President of Kado Family Inc. Additionally, Lora DiCarlos commitment to low-income and underserved communities demonstrates an exceptional level of corporate social responsibility while also providing meaningful tax advantages for investors.

Funds will go to the commercialization of Ose, the only product designed for hands-free blended orgasms. Using advanced patent-pending micro-robotics, Ose mimics the sensations of a human mouth, tongue, and fingers, for an experience that feels remarkably like a real partner.

Lora DiCarlo has prioritized its social mission adjacent to its profitability. The company has carefully chosen to locate in Opportunity Zones in both Corvallis and Bend, Oregon to spur economic development and job creation in these historically distressed communities. Lora DiCarlo has created 14 new full-time positions within these zones in the last year. The companys research and development lab is located near Oregon State Universitys College of Engineering in an Opportunity Zone in downtown Corvallis, while its headquarters are in an Opportunity Zone in Bend.

Lora DiCarlo has raised a total of $3.2 million to date. The latest funding round demonstrates that international investors see the profit potential for new technology at the intersection of sexual health wellness and thoughtfully engineered robotics.

Starting with Ose, Lora DiCarlo intends to disrupt this traditionally male-dominated industry, raising the bar to introduce the next level of pleasure tech.

For more, visit LoraDiCarlo.com.
PENNSAUKEN, N.J.Williams Trading University created a new e-learning course in support of the newly launched Cloud 9 Novelties Pleasure Pocket Stroker product line.

The new Cloud 9 Pleasure Stroker line is a fast seller with our retailers, now all stores can learn about all of the features and benefits of each individual stroker product line, said Charlotte L, sales rep for Cloud 9 Novelties.

The new e-learning courses includes the complete line of Strokers including the double end, single end and new Tro-Stroker kit.

Williams Trading University offers online courses available 24 hours/7 days per week accessed with a simple login account at www.wtulearn.com. Each course offers product benefits and features as well as a seminar that explains its importance to a customer, their needs, and well-being. To date, over 99,000-course certifications have been completed across the domestic U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Upon completing a course, the user takes a quiz certifying their new found knowledge and is rewarded with a downloadable certificate. Free premiums, samples, and special offers are being offered by select participating vendors. This feature is an added benefit to the retailer as their employees can try a product, become a consumer and ultimately recommend it to their customers.

The Cloud 9 Novelties product line is exclusively supported in the brick and mortar channel with the following distribution partners: Williams Trading Co and National Video Supply. Both distribution partners will also offer drop shop services for approved e-commerce dealers. The Cloud 9 Novelties Sex Machine Pro will be MAP retail pricing controlled for all e-commerce dealers.

Visit WTULearn.com to view the complete Cloud 9 Novelties range of 19 retail education e-learning courses.

For ordering info and wholesale pricing, contact:

National Video Supply

(800) 586-1915

[email protected]

NatVideo.com

Williams Trading Co.

(800) 423-8587

[email protected]

WilliamsTradingCo.com
When Ted Bundy died in the electric chair 30 years ago in Florida, a witness to the execution  a prosecutor in the case of a 12-year-old girl Bundy murdered  told the New York Times: "He probably could have done anything he set his mind to do, but something happened to him and we still don't know what it was."

Three decades later, we still don't, and the aptly named "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile" doesn't provide any new answers.

Instead, Joe Berlinger's film, starring an impressively scary Zac Efron, tries with mixed success to address a different issue, namely how Bundy not only used his good looks and boyish demeanor to fool those closest to him, especially his longtime girlfriend, but how he managed to seduce some in the media and public  to the point where, revoltingly, he had actual groupies at his murder trial.

Berlinger's film, based on Liz Kloepfer's memoir "The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy," happens to have coincided this year with his own docuseries on Bundy, also on Netflix. It's clear that the feature film benefits from a documentarian's eye; in fact it's the frequent snippets of real-life footage that give the movie some of its most interesting moments, and make for a chilling credits sequence in which we see Bundy in real-life scenes that we've just watched Efron perform.

By telling the story from the perspective of Kloepfer, who for years refused to believe that her handsome, law-student boyfriend could be a savage killer, Berlinger necessarily has to refrain from depicting Bundy's crimes, so that perhaps we can fall under the same spell she does. We don't witness his sickening violence until the film is nearly over.

The problem is that by then, the approach is distracting. We all know what Bundy did  he confessed to some 30 murders right before his death, blaming pornography for his demented fantasies, and is believed to have committed many more. Yes, Berlinger is interested in telling us more about Bundy the serial deceiver than Bundy the serial killer. But we don't learn much revealing about the deception, either. Except that women might be drawn to a guy who looks like, well, Zac Efron.

Speaking of Efron: The actor, with his ultra-clean "High School Musical" image still engraved in our pop-culture memories, might seem a counter-intuitive choice, but some of his later films in which he's pure abs and sexy smiles, in the frat house or on the beach, are more apt. The actor makes a fine career leap into the dark side here, acquitting himself nicely in a role that could have veered into caricature.

Lily Collins, too, gives a sensitive and sympathetic turn as Liz, the vulnerable single mom who fell in love with Bundy and almost married him. But the actor who steals the show here is the dry and witty John Malkovich as Judge Edward Cowart, who uttered the words "extremely wicked, shockingly evil and vile" in describing the crimes for which he was sentencing Bundy to death  but also was disturbingly friendly, calling him a "bright young man" and promising lawyer, and telling him to "take care of yourself."

By this time, the film has become a courtroom drama, and we've almost forgotten about Liz. But it starts out as the story of a lonely young woman who meets a flirtatious guy in a bar. She thinks he may run away when he sees she's got a toddler daughter, but he stays  and makes breakfast.

Meanwhile, news reports are surfacing of terrible crimes. We toggle between sweet and sexy domestic scenes and sobering news footage. As events close in on Bundy, we see him make not one but two dramatic escapes from jail. Then comes his famous murder trial in front of TV cameras. In just one of its bizarre moments, Bundy asks his friend Carole Ann to marry him right there in the courtroom as she's testifying on his behalf.

All these events are fascinating  but they're public record. Suddenly our narrative film seems to lose its original focus and turn into a documentary  polished and absorbing, but telling us nothing new.

Some have argued that the film glorifies its subject. It doesn't, really. But it doesn't explain him, either. And that leads to another question, which is, if there's nothing really new to say about Ted Bundy, need we be saying anything?

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
When Suzanne Chimera and Dean Riskin walk into work every day, they expect anywhere from 75 to 100 packages to arrive in the mail  each filled with ponytails.

Their small Roslyn Heights office has thousands of freshly cut hair donations from people around Long Island, the country and the world sorted in large storage bins around the space, ranging from brown hair and blond hair to curly hair and dreadlocks.

Those individually packaged ponytails in Ziploc bags will eventually become a free wig for children and adults experiencing medical hair loss, thanks to the LI-based nonprofit Hair We Share.

Normally, I am under ponytails, Riskin said from his office, with a bagged ponytail on his desk and a bin of others underneath. Not underwater, under hair.

Hair We Share says its the only Long Island nonprofit that collects donations at St. Baldricks Day events or places like colleges, school classrooms and salons, and processes them to become wigs for people in need. They gift the custom-designed wigs to children and adults who have dealt with cancer treatments, alopecia, burns and accidents, Chimera said.

The donations get sorted at the Roslyn Heights office and then are sent to a factory in China to be manufactured, she said. When the wigs return, they get customized for each client and are sorted in drawers by 22 color combinations, textures and sizes. It takes between six to nine ponytails to make one wig.

People are going through something so terrible, and youre there to kind of make them feel like themselves again, said Chimera, who co-founded Hair We Share with Riskin in July 2014.

It brings back self-esteem to individuals who are really struggling, Riskin added.

The nonprofit has designed more than 200 wigs for people since its inception, and currently has more than 10,000 ponytails sitting in the office waiting to be processed. In a storage room separate from the office, they have ponytails to the ceiling, Riskin said.

Chimera has been doing custom wig design and creating hair pieces while working for Riskin at Manny Roberts Hair Replacement since 1994, which still also runs out of the same office. She says she got the idea to start the nonprofit while her boss was away on vacation.

She had designed a wig for actress Georgia Van Cuylenburg, who appeared on ABCs 20/20 in 2013 to talk about her struggle with alopecia. The episode inspired the mother of a 13-year-old girl with alopecia in West Virginia to reach out to the actress to find out where she could get a wig for her daughter.

Chimera didnt want to charge the family for a custom-designed wig, so she solicited hair donations to make it, largely through social media. Within a week, she said 42 people send in hair from around the world, and seven of those donations were used to make that wig.

She knew then that running a nonprofit was what she was supposed to be doing, she said.

I didnt expect the sense of community, she added. These people from all different places came together and did something for one person.

For Patty Leahy, 48, of East Meadow, hair loss came out of nowhere. At 45, the mother of two was formally diagnosed with alopecia universalis, which caused her complete hair loss from head to toe.

It was very traumatic, Leahy said, adding that alopecia had also brought on psychological and emotional stress. Losing my hair was like losing my identity.

She tried medications and remedies to try to keep her hair, and experimented buying synthetic wigs  but not much helped, she said. The synthetic wigs knotted and snapped easily and didnt give her the natural look she wanted.

She learned about Hair We Share through mutual friends, and Chimera offered to make her a wig. Chimera examined photos of Leahy before she lost her red hair, and made her a wig.

I was just so happy to finally feel more like myself, and to have hair that I can manage better and feel more comfortable in, Leahy said.

But hair donations are not enough to make the wigs, Riskin said. It takes about $125 to process one ponytail donation for making a wig, he said.

People dont understand that if they donate their hair  they think its going to magically turn into a wig, he said. Theres so much work involved.

Instructions for how to donate can be found at hairweshare.org.

HOW ARE DONATED PONYTAILS TURNED INTO WIGS?

The process to make a wig from a donated ponytail is not instantaneous.

From the time that Hair We Share receives the hair donation to the time they have a complete wig is about four to six months, said co-founder Suzanne Chimera.

Once the hair is cut and sent to the Hair We Share office, it gets sorted and matched to other donations based on the curl, texture and color. The hair is then packaged together with similar donations and gets shipped to a factory in China, along with wig dimensions and specifications for each recipient.

At the factory, the hair is whipped through a hackle  a tool that looks like a bed of nails mounted on a table  to remove all of the broken and shorter pieces of hair. The back of the wig is sewn with a machine, but the front, top and sides of the wig around the face are sewn by hand to the lace wig cap, one strand of hair at a time. That gives a wig a natural appearance, Chimera said.

When the wigs return to Roslyn Heights, Hair We Share designs them to the recipients needs. The wigs could retail for hundreds of dollars, she said.

When someone donates hair to Hair We Share, they can also track their ponytail. With a $125 donation to cover the manufacturing expense to process the ponytail, the nonprofit logs it and corresponds with the donors to reveal which wig it contributed to.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
It has taken seven years of coursework at two different colleges for Mayra Baldenegro Pulido to receive her associate degree in pre-health careers, but this time frame has not dissuaded her from continuing her education.

Baldenegro will graduate from Coconino Community College this week as the first member in her family with a college degree. She has been accepted into the colleges nursing program, where she will start courses in the fall.

Baldenegro was born in Flagstaff and lived here until she was 16, when she moved to Douglas and became a certified nursing assistant (CNA).

I swore I would never go back to school, so I started working at a nursing home. I loved my residents, but it was such a hard job. My first day there, I got off and went straight to college to register because I thought, I cannot be a CNA my whole life. I can do more. I have to go back to school, she said.

When she started demonstrating the symptoms of anxiety and depression during her first semester back in school, though, her educational goal became more challenging and she knew she needed to approach her coursework differently than before.

To cope with this change, she registered with her schools disability resources programs, which assisted her with extended exam periods and quiet rooms, and developed coping strategies that she now uses every day.

I have a helpful quote in the back of my head at all times: One step at a time. Some people say One day at a time, but thats too much. Whenever Im overwhelmed, I ask myself, Whats the first step? Where are you right now? What do you need to do now? You cant think about what youre going to do later, because youre not there yet. You can do it one step at a time, Baldenegro said.

Baldenegro was only two courses away from her degree when she moved back to Flagstaff a few years after leaving. Her completed credits did not transfer to CCC directly, leaving her with seven classes to finish to secure her degree.

I was so bummed out, I wanted to change my major. But I couldnt change it because there wasnt anything else I wanted to do. I love caring for my patients and Ill keep going until I dont have any more obstacles, Baldenegro said.

Her relocation brought other challenges, too, when she left behind a job at a local hospital she loved. She feared she would not find an equally fulfilling position in Flagstaff.

To her surprise, though, Baldenegro discovered her niche in home health care. Through Nurses Network, Inc., a home health care agency serving residents of northern Arizona, she now gets to work with individual members of the community in the comfort of their own homes.

They say, Find a job that you would do for free. Thats my job now, she said. I think Ive always wanted that one-on-one connection. Its not even a job to me. Im hoping that, when I do become an RN, theres something I can do like that. I would love it.

She said she is looking forward to applying the health information she has learned so far to practical uses, like treatment, in the nursing program.

While attending CCC, Baldenegro has taken advantage of the colleges TRiO program, which provides resources for low-income and first-generation college students, as well as individuals with disabilities.

The program provided her with textbooks, tutors and an adviser.

Baldenegro said one of her favorite memories from CCC was when she was awarded her first TRiO scholarship, a $600 I will succeed award.

When they called me up there, I was bawling my eyes out. So many people probably thought I was being ridiculous, but it meant so much to me. Even though it was not a lot of money, it was the first thing given to me because they thought I was a good student. I felt so special, she said.

Baldenegros experiences at CCC have inspired her younger sister to attend college, as well, where she is now studying criminology.

Eleven family members will be in the audience to watch Baldenegro receive her degree on Friday, including her biggest supporter, her father, who found opportunities for growth in Flagstaff after moving from Mexico to the United States decades ago.

My dad has always helped me out financially and I always wonder how I can pay him back, but I know that when I become an RN, Ill pay him back that way because hell be so proud, Baldenegro said. People always say, Once youre out [of school], youll never go back. Thats not true. I had to take many breaks and a lot of them were unwanted. I used to beat myself up about my anxiety and depression, but now I know that each person is different and if breaks or quiet rooms are what you need to succeed, then do it. Place yourself where you will succeed.

Kaitlin Olson can be reached at the office at kolson@azdailysun.com or by phone at (928) 556-2253.

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.
Just Google it.

Carroll Onsae says its a joke among Hopi, who have broadband internet in only some pockets of the reservation. And even there it works slowly.

Our area is economically disadvantaged. Its a hardship for families to not have service to broadband services, said Onsae, the general manager of Hopi Telecommunications Inc.

Only about 29% of Hopi households have access to broadband, compared to 79% in Arizona and 78% nationwide, according to Census Bureau data.

The Hopi are not alone. Fewer than half the households on tribal lands in Arizona have access to broadband internet, and only one  the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe  exceeds the state average, according to the Census.

People take for granted when they live in urban or suburban areas that they can log on and take an online class, for example, said Darlene Burden, who has worked in tribal telecommunication since 2008. They take advantage of the fact that they can apply for a job. Of course for those things you have to have broadband access.

But advocates say broadband can mean so much more in tribal areas. On reservations with a high rate of doctor turnover, it can mean uninterrupted time with an online therapist or a video chat with a doctor. For students, it might mean access to different educational resources and for small businesses, a strong network could help put them on the map.

Access to high-speed internet is absolutely critical now more than ever, said Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix. We need to close that digital divide between urban and rural areas so people have access to the things they need.

Stanton last month amended the House bill restoring net neutrality to require that the Federal Communications Commission work more closely with tribal nations to assess their internet needs and to improve access and reliability. That bill passed the House, but is not expected to pass the Senate.

His amendment cited a Government Accountability Office report last year that said the FCC overstated availability of internet access on tribal lands and does not collect information about the quality or affordability of broadband service. That can affect commission decisions on which areas get funding to build and improve connection lines.

We need to make sure that as we advance, we dont leave other people in our own state behind, he said.

But challenges to broadband are significant on reservations. Besides having to cover large swaths of sparsely populated rural land, many reservations systems still operate with copper lines or weak fiber optics.

Doug Kitch, a consultant with Alexicon, which works to regulate rural telecom providers, said companies will not incur the necessary cost to provide service to those areas to deploy and maintain bandwidth.

They would rather get 20,000, 50,000 subscribers per square mile instead of one subscriber per square mile, a company might get on a reservation, he said.

With no private firms interested in the high-cost, low-density markets that are tribal areas, some tribes decided to step in and provide service themselves.

Kitch said major carriers wouldnt even come in and offer service to the majority of these reservations, so these tribes built their own telecommunications networks. Theyre going to do whats best for their community.

There are nine tribally owned and operated telecommunication companies in the U.S., five of which are in Arizona, according to the National Tribal Telecommunications Association. One of those is Hopi Telecommunications Inc., which the tribe started in 2004.

One of our goals is to provide affordable, reliable internet access, Onsae said. Not just telephone calls.

Affordable and reliable internet is no cheaper for tribal carriers than it is for larger companies  and tribes can face added layers of federal regulations, experts say.

The Hopi service relies on federal loans to expand its network. Last year, it got an Agriculture Department loan to bring internet access to another 650 homes on the reservation through a fiber-optic connection and let those on old-technology copper lines get faster internet access.

We are having to build our infrastructure so that those who do not have access will have access, but it is requiring a lot of capital and loans, Onsae said. Were doing OK, and being OK is driven by the number of customers who can afford to buy the service.

But access and reliability can be a delicate balancing act for providers in rural areas.

Onsae said his firm would have to take out more loans to make service more widely available  loans that would have to be paid back by customers who would be added to the expanding network. All of which comes at a cost.

So if they (customers) cant afford it, we cant pay back those loans to make it more available, he said.

Kitch said more needs to be done to help reservations improve infrastructure for broadband and to provide more opportunities to the households that need it.

Those areas have unique circumstances, they have cultural and environmental issues they have to address, Kitch said. These tribes need more funding  in order to deploy modern networks and get their communities up to standards around the nation.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
On Saturday, May 4, 2019, the Northern Arizona Flycasters (NAF) awarded two NAU students the Paul Weitz Memorial scholarships -- in the value of $500 each.

Paul Weitz was a U.S. naval fighter pilot in Vietnam and a NASA astronaut who flew into space twice and retired as the deputy director of the Houston Space Center. Paul Weitz, was an avid fisherman and active member of both NAF and Trout Unlimited. .

The first recipient is Solena Daniels, a junior at NAU majoring in forestry with a minor in biology and a certificate in wildlife ecology and management. She is a member of the NAU Forestry Club and the NAU chapter of the Wildlife Society. Her career goal is as a wildlife biologist. Solena will be doing an internship in forestry in Montana in the summer of 2019.

The second recipient is Chelsea Heitman a junior at NAU majoring in biology with a certificate in wildlife management. Chelsea is a member of the NAU chapter of the Wildlife Society. Chelsea has a summer internship with Arizona Game and Fish.

Selena and Chelsea have participated in several U.S. Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish projects. Selena and Chelsea are the first two students to receive the Paul Weitz Memorial Scholarship.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Konditor & Cook is rebranding to Konditor as it celebrates 25 years in business.

The business said it was removing the & Cook from its name to focus on its cake baking heritage as it looks to the future.

The name Konditor  meaning baker in German  aligns with to the companys mission of spreading joy through cake, it added.

The rebrand will include a new logo hand-written by founder Gerhard, and a new bright and vibrant image, as well as new social media handles, and a new URL.

Last month, the business extended is partnership with surplus food app Too Good To Go, making the service available at all five of its London stores.

Launched in 1993, Konditor operates six stores across London, a same-day cake delivery service and a cake school.
This is field trip season when fourth graders from across Nebraska come to visit their state capitol. I have really enjoyed meeting many young residents from District 30, their teachers and the brave parents who accompany them.

Last week, we had a group in the building from much farther away. The city of Lincoln, in cooperation with the U.S. State Department, brought several journalists from northern Africa and the Middle East to the Capitol to study freedom of the press. While here, they met with the Governor and Secretary of State. Then they spent some time observing our debate. As the host senator for the legislative part of their visit, I was able to greet them and welcome them to Nebraska.

Recently, the Legislature took up my motion to override the veto of LB 472. As you know, the bill would give counties the option to collect a sales tax for the express purpose of paying a federal judgment of $25 million or more, as long as property tax is also being collected for the payment, for just the time needed to make the payment.

For an override motion, each senator is allowed to speak as they would on any legislation. However, no amendments can be made and when debate is finished, a simple yes or no vote is taken. Thirty votes are required for an override, a greater number than the 25 needed to pass a bill.

The override vote for my bill was 41-8. I appreciate the support and understanding of my fellow senators in providing another tool that Gage County can use to pay off the judgement. This was not a vote against the governor, this was a vote for the bill.

And as I said in my statement on the floor, I pray this state never has a situation happen like the Beatrice 6 again. I pray no person ever has to go through what the Beatrice 6 went through. I pray a county never goes through anything like this again. This bill cannot correct all of those things. It can help pay off the judgment with something besides property taxes.

Two major committees sent out the results of several months work this week  the revenue package and the budget bill. Being a member of the Appropriations Committee, I can tell you that we have looked at every spending request and budget item before the Legislature. Balancing a budget of around $4.5 billion is no small task.

On the other hand, reforming our states tax structure is equally difficult for the Revenue Committee. I anticipate there will be a lot of changes in the revenue package before any final votes are taken. Obviously any proposed amendments regarding taxes will affect the state budget. So passage of these two major bills is a delicate balance and needs to be very deliberate.

What I want to see in any new tax package are safeguards that we will not end up in the same situation a few years down the road. I hope to see a more fair and equitable revenue system that meets the needs of the entire state, and one that is sustainable. We are scheduled to begin discussion on the revenue bill, LB 289, on Tuesday. We will begin debate on the budget the next day.

I mentioned the school students and international journalists who visited recently. It proves you are never too young or too old (or apparently, too far away) for a field trip to our state Capitol. Let me know if you are in the building, and please continue to contact me at mdorn@leg.ne.gov or 402-471-2620.

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.
One of the most prolific members of the online white supremacist community has been identified as a 30-year-old resident of Flushing and graduate of Queens College named Joseph Jordan, according to an investigation from the watchdog group Southern Poverty Law Center.

Published as part of the non-profit's Hatewatch initiative, the report found that Jordanoperating under the pseudonym Eric Strikerhas contributed close to 700 posts to the neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer and appeared on hundreds of hours of alt-right podcasts in recent years. His online persona is littered with hateful and threatening messages, including calls for Jews to be "driven out of America," violent fantasies about gay people, and racist bile.

"Few alt-right performers of the Trump era have produced as much propaganda in terms of raw megabytes as Jordan has under his Striker moniker," wrote SPLC's Michael Edison Hayden.

The group claims researchers were able to determine his identity through dozens of interviews with former classmates and members of the alt-right, who recognized photos of Jordan and identified his voice from the podcast "Strike and Mike," which he co-hosts with the well-known white supremacist Mike Peinovich. (Peinovich was also doxxed a few years ago, and suffered a reputational hit after it was revealed that he is married to a Jewish woman). In one video leaked to SPLC, the person identified as Jordan appears to be throwing up a Hitler salute during a book-burning hosted by Peinovich.



According to the non-profit's findings, Jordan organized with the neo-Nazi group Golden Dawn while studying history at Queens College. After graduating in 2013, he eventually linked up with Peinovich, who introduced him to other neo-Nazi leaders like Richard Spencer and Matthew Heimbach.

From there, Jordan followed a familiar path: joining the fringe social media site Gab, endorsing the discredited Pizzagate conspiracy theory, and participating in the deadly "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. He was also targeted by the internecine fighting that has characterized the far-right movement in recent years, with fellow reactionaries accusing him of being non-white.

Jordan's parents both have Latinx names, according to the report, and one neighbor told SPLC that his mother is an immigrant from South America. The family lives in Flushingwhere Jordan's address is listedamong one of the most diverse populations in the country.

"Beyond the fact that he appears to be directly linked to New York City's immigrant community himself, he knows very well that the things said about immigrants on The Daily Stormer [and alt-right podcasts] are insidious lies," Hayden told Gothamist. "New York City and in particular the borough of Queens is sustained by the ability of its residents to look past superficial differences, and yet Jordan sought fleeting internet fame by preaching hate."

Its unknown what Jordan does for work, or if hes currently residing in Flushing. Neighbors told Hayden that they have seen him in the neighborhood, though less so in recent months.

Jordan declined comment to SPLC, and Gothamist's efforts to reach him were not successful.


This week, the Legislature will debate the largest tax increase in Nebraska history. LB 289 raises the state sales tax rate by 9%, cuts property tax relief from the state in half, imposes new taxes on a variety of services (including car and home repair), raises the cigarette tax, and increases the tax on buying a house.

If youve read one of my recent columns, you may be surprised to hear that LB 289 is still under consideration. Nebraskans, from farmers to home builders, voiced overwhelming opposition to the bill when it was heard in front of the Revenue Committee less than two weeks ago. After the hearing, Senators tinkered around with the billand made it even worse!

In addition to the taxes mentioned above, the revised bill also now proposes new sales taxes on 20 services including: pet-related services, moving services, storage, hair care and hair removal services, nail care, skin care, tattoos, home services and repair (including plumbing, HVAC, and electrical), interior design, taxi, limo, rideshare, lawn care, parking, swimming pool cleaning, dating, Teleflora, wedding planning, weight loss, personal training, clothing alteration, candy, pop, bottled water, car repair (including brakes, scheduled maintenance, and body repair), and ice.

When debate on LB 289 starts, Nebraskans will feel a bit of deja vu: The bill is premised on the notion that Nebraska can finally get property tax relief if we raise a bunch of other taxes to lower property taxes. The truth is that this method has been tried and failed.

In 1990, the Legislature passed LB 1059 which created the school aid formula known as the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA). With this bill, the Legislature raised the sales and income tax over the veto of Governor Kay Orr. School property taxes went down for two years and by the third year we were back at the same level as 1990 with more than double the spending on state aid to schools and no tax relief.

Subsequent attempts to achieve property tax relief have continued to involve the TEEOSA formula. For example, in 1999, the Legislature increased state aid to schools by about $134 million, or a 21% increase. By 2001, just two years later, school property taxes set a new record high. Between 2007 and 2009, the Legislature boosted state aid another $183 million, or 19% over two years. School property taxes went up $153 million over the same period of time, setting new record highs.

Every time the Legislature tries to do tax relief this way, we ended up with record high property taxes. Its why were here again trying to fix our property tax system. If Senators raise taxes yet again, we can expect the same results. We are going to end up with both higher sales taxes and higher property taxes at the end of the day.

If Senators actually want to fix the problem, they need to break the seemingly endless tax-and-spend cycle. The old idea of raising revenues (increasing taxes) to provide property tax relief has failed in the past, and it will fail again. Instead, Nebraskans need the Legislature to take a fresh approach that actually controls spending within the state budget, so the state can provide direct relief, and puts limits on growth in local property taxes as well.

In contrast to the Legislatures scheme to shift taxes and accelerate spending, I support property tax relief that controls spending. Each of the past five years, Ive made property tax relief my top priority. Weve increased the Property Tax Credit Relief Fund by 60%, which is good progress, but there is much more that needs to happen.

This year, Ive outlined three proposals for additional relief:

 Increase the Property Tax Credit Relief Fund by 23%, which is $51 million each year.

 Create a statutory floor of $275 million in the Property Tax Credit Relief Fund.

 Give the people of Nebraska an opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to limit annual increases in local property taxes.

Im also open to working with Senators on additional tax relief by controlling spending. I strongly oppose, however, squandering taxpayer money on repairs that wont actually fix our broken system.

The Legislature cannot just endlessly raise state sales and income taxes every time property taxes get out of hand. Thats why this new approach of controlling spending is so critical. If they do end up raising taxes, our state will be in an even worse position in just a few years. To tell your Senator to scrap LB 289 and to start working on real and sustainable tax relief, you can find their information at www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. To contact me, you can email pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or call 402-471-2244.

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.
Tax reform in Nebraska. Has the improbable become impossible?

In the waning days of the session, a classic battle between the Executive and Legislative branches looms large. The Governor wants property tax relief but no increases in other taxes or tax shifts. The Legislature says it needs increases or shifts to fund property tax relief.

In a promising -- albeit fleeting -- development, the Legislatures Revenue Committee drafted a plan to reduce property taxes by increasing state aid to K-12 education. That was the top recommendation of the Legislatures 2013 Tax Modernization Committee to reduce property taxes. But the search for new revenue to fund the increase and the tweaking of the legendary state school aid formula remain problematic.

If the Governors campaign to rally opposition to the plan and a seven-hour hearing on the proposal are an indication, anything beyond the usual Band-Aid approach may not happen this session, or anytime soon. Only four proponents spoke for, while another 36 spoke against it, or in a carefully crafted neutral capacity.

Opposition came from cities, urban schools, chambers of commerce, the Nebraska State Education Association, policy think tanks, retailers, real estate agents and contractors. Even the Nebraska Farm Bureau and allied ag organizations  by far the biggest proponents of property tax relief  told lawmakers while they approved of an increase in the state sales tax rate and broadening of the base, they want the state to maintain the current property tax credit fund.

Critics say that an increase in the state sales tax rate by three-quarters of a cent, taking it from 5.5 cents to 6.25 cents, is regressive and puts more of a load on low- and middle-income residents who pay more of their income in sales taxes than do wealthier residents. Some suggest pairing it with an increase in the states Earned Income Tax Credit.

The proposal would also tie school district spending growth to the Consumer Price Index, but would not allow spending to exceed a 2.5 percent cap even if the district actually needs more funding to serve its students. The cap limits how much a districts needs will grow and reduces the amount of equalization aid a district gets. Districts at or near their levy limits that cant offset reduced state funding with higher property taxes will need to cut services. That impacts mostly large urban school districts.

Some say that removing sales tax exemptions and expanding the sales tax base to more services is sound tax policy in Nebraska where only 81 services are taxed compared to 176 services taxed in other states. The Governor has taken issue with proposed elimination of sales tax exemptions for plumbing, barbering and certain veterinary services as well as for soda, bottled water and candy.

The proposal calls for reducing the value of agricultural land for property tax purposes from 75% to 65% of assessed value, and residential and commercial property from 100% to 90% of assessed value for local taxing authorities such as schools, cities, counties and community colleges. This could result in levy increases by governments that are under their limits. Others would be forced to cut services. Looking for alternative revenue streams could be particularly difficult for growing localities and those rebuilding from recent flooding.

Proponents say the state will benefit from an estimated $51 million from out-of-state internet retailers to go toward property tax relief. The funds have been so allocated in the Appropriations Committee preliminary budget, but that could depend on revenue forecasts and possible other needs. That same budget also calls for $38.5 million less in school funding than the Governor proposes.

The Open Sky Policy Institute suggested that the proposed three-fourths cent increase in the state sales tax rate is too high. The Platte Institute said the funding source for increased school aid should be elimination of sales tax exemptions, not increased tax rates. The Governor said the state needs to focus on budget control.

In his budget request to the Legislature, the Governor proposed a $51 million increase in the state's property tax credit fund during each year of the upcoming fiscal biennium, along with a constitutional amendment that would limit property tax increases to 3 percent a year. The Appropriations Committee cut that to $26 million and earmarked the rest to help replenish the states cash reserve.

While I cant say what the final plan will look like, the committee has enough proposals and ideas before it to find an equitable and sustainable solution. It is possible.

J.L. Schmidt has been covering Nebraska government and politics since 1979. He has been a registered Independent for 20 years.

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.
A bipartisan group of House members hopes to break a regulatory chokehold on surgical facilities.Reps. Billy Richardson, D-Cumberland; Ed Goodwin, R-Chowan; and David Rogers, R-Rutherford, on Tuesday, April 16, filed House Bill 857 . The bill abolishes certificate-of-need laws preventing standalone ambulatory surgery centers from entering the medical market unless they get permission from state bureaucrats.Critics say the CON laws are archaic, protect incumbent providers from competition, and drive up health care costs. Certificates of need - essentially government permission slips to provide certain services or buy equipment - require a lengthy, expensive bureaucratic process. Providers already operating these facilities have an outsized say in deciding if potential competitors get approved.The N.C. Healthcare Association, representing hospitals and large health systems, has a different take."NCHA continues to support the CON law in its current form to protect access to care across the state, especially for rural and underserved populations," spokeswoman Julie Henry said toHenry said.Richardson knows it's an uphill climb to pass legislation reducing or eliminating CON regulations, particularly in the House, which has been more resistant to change than the Senate. But he's not swayed.Richardson said.He thinks demand for surgical procedures has outgrown hospitals' ability to respond, and legislation enabling more surgery centers would free up scarce bed space at hospitals.Richardson said. Concentrating access in one or two industry groups has frustrated those attempts.He thinks adding surgery centers will help patients in the way a new dental surgery center eased problems in Fayetteville. Dental patients needing surgery often got bumped from hospital schedules when surgical patients with higher priorities took that bed space. Once the dental surgery center opened, the problem resolved.Richardson said H.B. 857 is a targeted, middle-ground compromise to prevailing legislative positions on CON reform - leave the system alone, which isn't working; or repeal all CON laws, which hospitals and other powerful interest groups reject.The Senate is considering Senate Bill 646 , which also focuses on ambulatory surgery centers, and Senate Bill 539 , which would repeal all CON laws.Matthew Mitchell, a senior research fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, toldhe sees rising interest nationally in CON reform.Mitchell said. Several states are considering either full or partial repeal of CON laws.Hospital associations have blocked oppose with effective campaigns using apocalyptic and speculative warnings that hospitals will close, and quality and access to care will plummet, he said. But he said opponents argue that eliminating CON laws will reduce access to care when the primary function of CON laws is to limit the supply.Recent research has challenged the hospitals' claims, even showing CON laws are counterproductive, Mitchell said. With 38% of Americans living in states without CON laws, it's possible to compare health outcomes among states based on their CON-based restrictions.Mitchell said states can enact significant CON reforms without an outright repeal.They could limit the range of procedures and technology purchases which require state approval. They could set high cost thresholds on equipment purchases subject to CON control, allowing more medical machinery (such as MRIs or other imaging devices) to be approved without a state permission slip.Government bureaucracies with the authority to issue certificates of need also could be required to submit an annual report to the legislature. The report would offer transparency, showing how many applications were submitted and how many were granted, along with the percentage of applications that were rejected by providers merely protecting their turf.
When you look at a rabbi with a white beard wearing a black hat, a long black coat and a gartl, what do you see? Anti-Semites see a refugee from the ghettos of Europe, a secret emissary of a global power intent on ruling from within. But what do you see?When you look at an Israeli living in Sderot, what do you see? Anti-Semites see an emissary of Israeli intolerance, a thumb in the face of Palestinians, a hypnotizer of the world. But what do you see?When you look at a 60-year-old Jewish woman living near San Diego, what do you see? Anti-Semites see a recipient of privilege, an inherent victimizer in the hierarchical power structure. But what do you see?Anti-Semites see the Jews as part of a pattern. Each Jew is a data point in that pattern; every Jew can be pigeonholed as a member of a broader conspiracy. Right-wing white supremacist anti-Semites see the Jews as an eternal threat, a racially "mongrelizing" threat to white purity, a religious blot, a nefarious group of schemers threatening their race-based civilization. Radical Islamist anti-Semites see the Jews as the sons of pigs and monkeys, religious threats who must be exterminated. Left-wing anti-Semites see the Jews as defenders of brutal hierarchies, purveyors of exploitation.Each of these types of anti-Semitism carries its own level of threat.
In an unused greenhouse on the Lame Deer Junior High and High School campus, spring snow falls gently into the space where students have unrolled a nine-foot tepee. Artist Ben Pease looks up to the missing panels in the greenhouses roof and then has the students relocate the tepee, which is laid flat, like a painters canvas.

Students are learning spray-painting techniques from Pease, one of several artists and musicians invited to Lame Deer this year as part of the schools art program, lead by visual art instructor Susan Wolfe.

Trevor Poitra, a senior this year, is the first student to spray-paint a stencil design onto the tepee. The stencil was made by Henny Scott, a 14-year-old student in Wolfes art class who went missing in early December. Several weeks later, she was found dead in an area west of Lame Deer.

To honor Henny's memory, fellow classmates are incorporating her artwork into some of their creative projects, which will be on display Saturday at the Stapleton Gallery in downtown Billings, 104 N. Broadway, Suite 204, in a show titled "Promise of the Morning Star."

Its pretty cool that my work is getting out there and actually getting to be in a gallery, said Trevor, who's been making art since fifth grade. I didnt think just doing something for a grade would go beyond this.

Students in grades 712 have been preparing all year for the gallery opening, creating artwork themed around the morning star, an iconic four-pointed symbol of the Northern Cheyenne people named for Chief Morning Star. Works including printed fabrics, pottery, sculpture, linoleum block cuts, and metalwork will be on display and for sale. Proceeds will be divvied between the artists and the school's art program budget.

Honoring Henny

With the permission of Henny's mother, Paula Castro, some of the artwork that Henny created before her death will be on display at the gallery to honor her memory. Artwork includes pottery Henny made in October at Helena's Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts and a linoleum block cut in the artists design, inspired by the morning star.

By the tepees door entrance, Trevor decided, is the place for Hennys stencil of the morning star. The tribal symbol is seen throughout Northern Cheyenne culture and is the schools mascot. Overspray drifts onto the canvas, and when lifting the cardboard, a bright red pattern shimmers in wet paint.

The color red has become synonymous with a movement to bring awareness to the disappearance, death and murder of indigenous women and girls across North America. In Montana, Native Americans make up 6.7% of the population, but are four times more likely to go missing than other Montanans. That number is assumed to be higher because of inconsistent reporting and poorly kept data on missing persons.

That may change, now that several bills to address missing persons in Montana have been signed into law, including Hannas Act, which will create a position within the Department of Justice to track missing-persons cases in the state and assist families and law enforcement agencies to find those people.

The legislation was named for Hanna Harris, a 21-year-old woman who went missing on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in July 2013 and was found murdered days later.

Another new bill requires law enforcement authorities enter all missing person reports into the FBIs National Crime Information Center within two hours of receipt for people younger than 21, and within eight hours for those older.

Henny disappeared in early December and wasn't entered into the missing persons database until Dec. 14. A Missing Endangered Person Advisory was issued Dec. 26, and a search party found Hennys body two days later. The state medical examiners office concluded she died from hypothermia, but FBI the investigation into her death remains ongoing.

After Hennys death, marches in her memory took place in Lame Deer to bring attention to missing and murdered indigenous women and girls and the discrepancies in how authorities react to a missing indigenous person. Several of the signs that were carried in the marches included the morning star design made by Henny.

The kids have been very respectful with her work, Wolfe said. Theyve expressed their own voices in choosing to handle her designs, painting the signs for the march, stenciling the designs on paper. Theyve been very kindhearted and thoughtful about it.

Wolfe, who is the only art instructor in Lame Deers junior and high school classrooms, said the preparations for this gallery show have helped students heal and process what is going on.

We have to honor her somehow. Its working together, but it was never anything that we desired.

Artistic collaborations

For Wolfe, the many ways students have been able to participate in the project highlights what is great about art. There are just so many ways to get engaged and participate and support one another. Its just a true collaboration.

Wolfe said participating in art programs results in confidence and decisiveness, and many students who begin the semester quiet and reserved begin to open up in her class.

You have to own that turquoise, if thats the color that you pick," she said. "You have to be willing to take the risk that its not going to work. But, if you allow yourself enough thinking time and clarity, you are going to make a pretty good choice for yourself.

Eighth-grade students Paradise Killsnight and Shondine Kaline said that even though they kind of had to take art, its a good class.

(Wolfe) is really strict, and she has a lot of supplies that we cant mess around with. We have to listen, be respectful, and be careful, Paradise said.

Shondine said they dont get a lot of professional artists coming out to work with them. Its usually people for the kids that do sports. Having an artist or musicians come out was pretty neat-o.

Pease, who often incorporates graffiti elements into his artwork to tell contemporary stories of indigenous culture, is enrolled in both the Northern Cheyenne and Crow tribes. This was his first time working with students on the Northern Cheyenne reservation.

Preparing for Promise Under The Morning Star Using a 9-foot tepee as a canvas, artist Ben Pease has incorporated a historical image of Chief Morning Star, printed large-scale on paper and

I wasnt raised in the Cheyenne culture, and Im learning a bit more about where my fathers side comes from and seeing the ins and outs of a different reservation. Theres cultural differences  the ways that they act, the things that they say, expressions, slang. It seems like they really want to learn a lot, as far as I can tell. Theyre good kids.

Though the tepee students are adding artwork to is distinctly informed by Peases style, which incorporates indigenous iconography, graffiti slogans, ledger art and historic images, he encourages them to make their own choices in the process.

I dont want to be too overbearing, he said.

On the tepee, which will be displayed Saturday at the gallery, Pease has incorporated a historical image of Chief Morning Star, printed large-scale on paper and adhered onto the tepee's canvas to accompany the spray-painted stencils of student interpretations of the morning star design.

Artistic outings

Wolfe, who commutes into Lame Deer from Forsyth to teach, is the only art instructor for more than 200 students. There also are two full-time culture teachers who teach storytelling, beading and drumming.

Art classes begin in seventh grade. Last year, Wolfe also taught art to fifth- and sixth-graders. We are just short on teachers, she explained.

Those limited resources havent stopped Wolfe from finding opportunities for students to engage with art, and they take artistic field trips as often as possible, including to ArtWalk in Billings.

There, students met Jeremiah Young and Abigail Hornik of the Stapleton Gallery, and theyve also had the opportunity to work alongside gallery artists Pease and Kalispell-based painter and sculptor Jennifer Li.

Kaylyn American Horse, a senior at Lame Deer High School, said she loves the experience of making art. People see your art and see a story for that person. You are seeing what they are going through, all the details in them.

She's drawn to sculpture, a medium she explored in clay during a class field trip to Chinook Horses, which offers equine-facilitated learning, activities and psychotherapy.

Chinook Horses was founded by Hornik, who is the curator at Stapleton Gallery. Hornik paired students with Li and Pease, and they created sculptures of the horses that students were able to interact with and paint upon, as well as make collages.

That was a good experience, Kaylyn said. I like how you can make your own ideas become living.

Hornik began collaborating with Wolfe and students in the art program a year ago. For us, the overarching theme is to empower these kids, to show them they can make a living as an artist, she said.

Though Kaylyn isnt planning a career in art, she sees art fitting into her life mostly when I need something to get my mind off of something. She also likes to bead, which she learned from her grandmother before she passed away.

Turnaround Arts

When Kaylyn was a seventh-grader, she was among the first students in Lame Deer to participate in Turnaround Arts, a three-year arts education program focused on addressing underperforming schools in high-poverty areas.

She was one of the bright-eyed seventh-graders that wrote an essay to be part of the trip to New York, Wolfe said. Shes just been willing and didnt hesitate.

Now a senior, Kaylyn has been to Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., with fellow students, where they performed at the White House for President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.

In 2011, Lame Deers Junior High program was one of just eight schools across the nation selected to participate in the Kennedy Centers Turnaround Arts program. Using arts to celebrate Northern Cheyenne culture, the program focused on developing closer connections to the arts, expressing local culture and integrating student art into the school environment. Partnerships with Shakespeare in the Schools, Yo-Yo Ma's Silkroad ensemble, and others helped bring these ideas into action.

The main goal was to integrate arts into the classrooms, to make it interesting and keep them engaged, said Wolfe. Program funding ended in 2015, though Wolfe continued many of the initiatives, including maintaining a relationship with musicians from Silkroad, who return yearly to perform at the school.

Nationally, the program showed improvement in academic achievement and reduction in disciplinary referrals and increased attendance, according to a study conducted by Turnaround Arts after the program ended.

In Lame Deer, math proficiency rates improved by nearly 42% between 2011 and 2013, but reading proficiency rates declined by 22%. Expulsion and suspension data remained unchanged. During that time, Lame Deer was the only school in the pilot program that changed both the principal and superintendent.

To fully embrace the program, more work across curricula needed to take place, something Wolfe said was a challenge. It took a willingness and collaboration. Some did, and some didnt. It wasnt fully enforced.

The idea of Turnaround Arts was to empower teachers to reach out closer to home and build partnerships.

The program has ripple effects for Wolfes students. Susan brought me some great opportunities, said Kaylyn. "She just opened up that art door for me." She's glad to have such experiences for her resume as she applies to colleges, including MSU and Illinois State University.

Theres value in participating in art classes because you can look at a piece of art and you can see different things from other people, said Paradise. If you make a piece of art, not everyone is going to see it the same. I think thats pretty cool.

Jacob Standing Elk, who has been taking art as an elective since January, said he likes the way it makes him feel. It eases me.

Though he doesnt see a future in art, Jacob said hell always be interested in it, though he plans to pursue electoral engineering in college. Hes drawn to block printing and hands-on art making, things that make my brain work, he said. Its calm. I like that.

I really believe the studio needs to be a sanctuary, a peaceful place, Wolfe said. They are able to focus and find themselves, find out what theyre looking for, develop an idea and own it. Its the confidence and self-esteem; its the big piece.

If You Go Artwork by students at Lame Deer Junior High and High School will be on display Saturday starting at 6 p.m. at Stapleton Gallery, 104 N. Broadway, Suite 204, in an exhibition titled Promise Under the Morning Star. Student artwork created during the school year will be featured alongside the work of Stapleton Gallery artists, including printed fabrics, pottery, sculpture, linoleum block cuts, and metalwork. Artwork pieces by students and gallery artists will be available for sale, with all proceeds from student artwork being divvied between the artist and the school's art program budget. Donations are also being accepted through the gallery for the Lame Deer Arts Activity Fund, which support yearly school activities, trips and art events.

Photos: Students prepare for upcoming art exhibit at Stapleton Gallery

Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1

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.
Surveying today's politics and the U.S. Senate, Johnson doesn't see much that looks like Wheeler.

"Maybe the maverick John McCain in his younger days," Johnson said.

And yet Wheeler isn't a monolithic hero, either. The New England-born son of a Quaker finds himself on the right side of history when it came to resisting prosecuting those speaking out against America's entry into World War I, and he fought against his own Democratic party when Roosevelt tried to pack the United States Supreme Court with more appointees.

But Wheeler's own stance on entering World War II, and his initial objections to entering the conflict ultimately caused his own downfall in 1946, Johnson said. Returning soldiers came to see Wheeler's initial opposition to the war as a lack of support for them.

Moreover, in the early years of the war, before America was bombed by Japan, Wheeler made a handful of spurious claims about what he saw as a Jewish-led media plot to convince America to go to war. He famously quipped that if America entered the war one out of every four young men would be lost.
The Salvation Army of Billings now has an Emergency Disaster Services Canteen and seeks disaster volunteers.

Emergency Disaster Services responds when disaster strikes. Most often, that means providing hydration and food service to first responders and victims at local fires, but it can also mean EDS is on scene at larger disasters, like tornadoes or floods, according to a press release from the Salvation Army. Whatever the circumstance, EDS relief efforts support communities in times of significant need.

The Salvation Army of Billings is looking to develop teams that would be ready to be deployed during disasters locally in Yellowstone County as well as other parts of Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. Teams consist of a canteen driver with a CDL, canteen crew members who make and serve food, a canteen manager with a ServSafe food certification, an emotional and spiritual care specialist, and disaster social services person. Another team remains in Billings locally to make flood kits and sandwiches, if needed.

Disaster volunteers must be 21 years or older, high energy, mentally resilient under pressure, able to work with diverse populations, reliable, professional, hardworking and able to stand for hours at a time.
"This community has been so good to us," she said.

The Zieglers will sell to Steve Wahrlich, owner of the Best Western Plus Clocktower Inn, with whom they've had a relationship for more than a decade. It was Wahrlich who persuaded the Zieglers to move their restaurant in 2005 to its current location next door to the motel, renting the space from him.

The relationship they've developed with Wahrlich has been one of the best business partnerships they've had, Stella said. Wahrlich agreed. He said Stella and Ziggy have essentially become family.

Last summer, when Wahrlich was reflecting on the restaurant's 40th anniversary, he said a big reason Stella's Kitchen & Bakery has succeeded for so long is the Zieglers care about their business. They run it well, he said.

Wahrlich has owned and operated hotels and restaurants for decades and he believes what the Zieglers have built is remarkable. And the Zieglers, as they prepare for retirement, believe Wahrlich has the capable hands in which they can entrust their legacy.

"He very much wants to keep it as much like it is as possible," Stella said.
In the five days since Meghan Markle, the black and biracial American who married into the British monarchy, gave birth to her son Archie Harrison Mountbattan-Windsor, at least two media outlets have posted blatantly racist commentary targeting the royal babys racial identity. On Tuesday, CNN published an article by John Blake with the headline, How Black Will the Baby Be?

The story unleashed a torrent of backlash on social media.

Guys. GUYS. Whether the royal baby is SUPER-DUPER BLACK or whether its NORMAL, lets all agree to not be racist because thats really really uncool, mmkay?



- CNN pic.twitter.com/bUZ1VQohLK  Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) May 7, 2019





CNN needs more people of color working in the executive, decision-making ranks. Obviously. https://t.co/QJzfMXM5qk  Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) May 7, 2019

Its not clear whether or not Blake, who identifies as African American, wrote the headline, which was later changed. Ironically, his essay is about the dangerous tropes surrounding mixed-race identity. Following the uproar, he posted his own response on Twitter.

Those who read my entire piece will understand the context. The analysis specifically addresses why classifying a child as X% black is a trap. Its the language & racial ideas from the Jim Crow era. Thats the exact point of the our actual headline. Read: https://t.co/wURv89ugXk  John K. Blake (@JohnBlakeCNN) May 7, 2019

Thats actually not how the language & racial ideas from the Jim Crow era work. What Blake is referring to is the long-held definition that determines a person with any traceable black ancestry as black. It became commonly known as the one-drop rule and during the Reconstruction era, when Jim Crow laws violently enforced segregation throughout the South, that designation of blackness also sealed a certain fate of subhumanity, alongside the normal, everyday rape, beatings and lynchings that carried over from slavery. So to borrow racist language from that era as the title for a piece ostensibly seeking to address racial myths and, in Blakes own words, warn against making the Royal baby another Great Mixed-Race Hope doesnt quite track.

Dont get me wrong. The myth of mixed-race and racially ambiguous children as representative of hope and harmony is real. Mixed-race people are notoriously fetishized, and colorism is rampant in mainstream media and Hollywood and, well, across many industries. Dark-skinned black folks are without question discriminated against in far greater numbers than lighter-skinned and mixed-race black folks.

But the question of how black will the Royal baby be does not evoke this mythology. Rather it dares this child to be black in Jim Crow terms, which conveys all sorts of Good luck with that, buddy sentiments. It is, at best, a relegation to being less than human, and at worst, a deathwish. It is why passing became a chosen, but extremely perilous survival mechanism for hundreds of thousands of light-skinned black people who kept their true racial identities secret throughout their entire lives.



Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their newborn son, named as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle, in Windsor. (Chris Allerton SussexRoyal/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Still, over the years, and in my own experience, most light-skinned black and mixed folks I know would rather identify as black and proudly claim our heritage and legacy than pass for white, or even mention the whiteness part. Because its the whiteness part that gave this country white sheets and pointy hoods, that put an unrecognizably maimed Emmett Till in an open coffin. Its what made Margaret Garner slit her childs throat rather than return her to slavery. Whiteness is what gave us Donald Trump, and all the free-wheeling privilege and arrogance of average white men the world over.

As if to prove that point, on Wednesday, BBC radio host Danny Baker tweeted an image of a couple holding hands with a monkey in a suit with the caption: Royal Baby leaves hospital. Baker, who was eventually fired, initially responded to outrage over the tweet by claiming the image was not racist, and further stated that such an interpretation never occurred to him, because, well, mind not diseased. Later, though, he issued an amended response in the form of a semi-apology: Sincere apologies for the stupid unthinking gag pic earlier. Was supposed to be a joke about royals vs circus animals in posh clothes but interpreted as about monkeys & race, so rightly deleted.

All of us who know good and damn well the racist history of white people comparing black folks to apes (Im looking at you, too, Roseanne Barr) are, by Bakers account, diseased in our thinking? But then, what exactly is an unthinking gag? It appears that Baker, who has been working in media for decades, thought he was being clever, which by definition requires thought. Also, the image he posted is clearly archival  so in the process of digging for that one particular photograph, not a single corollary image he stumbled across presented a red flag of any sort? Nope. I dont buy it, and neither did others.

Danny Baker (a man Ive worked with in the past) knew full well what that tweet was suggesting. No comedian in their right mind could overlook that, thats not how our brains work. We see a joke from every angle. He knew it was racist, thought it was funny and posted it anyway   London Hughes (@TheLondonHughes) May 9, 2019

Luckily, Archie has his mom as a great role model on how black he should be, and his grandmother too, and countless other black and mixed-race people the world over he has yet to meet. Because there isnt one way to be black, and the centuries-long belief that there is only serves to perpetuate racism and racist thinking. Plus, its clear from the way in which Harry defended Markle early on in their relationship from racist attacks by the press, that he knows this truth.

More importantly, the choices made in their wedding and the privacy Markle insisted on for her birth, reflect that they all, as a family, center blackness in ways both nuanced and unequivocal, all of which lay the groundwork for Archie to be as black as he wants to be.

UPDATE: A previous version of this story misidentified the country where John Blake was born.

Rebecca Carroll is a cultural critic and Editor of Special Projects at WNYC, where she develops, produces and hosts a broad array of multi-platform content, including podcasts, live events and on-air broadcasts. Rebecca is also the author of several interview-based books about race and blackness in America, including the award-winning Sugar in the Raw, and her personal essays, cultural commentary and opinion pieces have been published widely. Her memoir, Surviving the White Gaze, is due out from Simon & Schuster in 2020.
BISMARCK, N.D.  A court hearing for the man accused in four homicides in Mandan has been postponed until this summer.

Chad Isaak, a 44-year-old Washburn chiropractor, is charged with four counts of murder and other crimes in connection with the April 1 shooting and stabbing deaths of RJR co-owner Robert Fakler and employees Adam Fuehrer and Bill and Lois Cobb at the company's office in Mandan.

He was set for a preliminary hearing Tuesday, where he would enter pleas to his charges. That hearing has been rescheduled to Aug. 12 before South Central District Presiding Judge Gail Hagerty at the Morton County Courthouse in Mandan.

Morton County prosecutor Gabrielle Goter said in a court document filed Wednesday the amount of evidence in the case is "extensive," requiring up to 90 days for review.

Court records show Isaak has retained four attorneys in the case.

Mandan police and court documents allege Isaak killed the four people at the business. Law enforcement relied on a video trail of the suspect vehicle in their investigation, which led them to arrest Isaak without incident in a traffic stop on April 4 in Washburn.
The agency in question must submit the required information to the Department of Administration within 30 days of settlement. It must then be published online within 60 days. The order affects all settlements after June 1.

In the Friday veto letter, Bullock characterized his action as an unfortunate casualty of the decision by Republican leaders in the legislature to hold bills from my desk until the legislative session adjourns.

I would have liked to return HB 532 with amendments and ultimately to sign it into law. In principle, I agree with many of the aims of the bill's sponsor, Bullock noted. I do not believe that the State of Montana should enter into confidential settlements, unless there is a compelling personal privacy interest.

Bullock went on to write that Mercers bill superseded its goals of transparency, possibly requiring state employees to disclose information courts deem confidential.

Mercers bill passed the House for the first time on a largely party-line 59-40 vote April 1 and met a similarly polarized reception in the Senate, where it passed its third reading vote 29-21 two weeks later. The House concurred with Senate amendments 58-39 on April 23 to send the bill to Bullocks office.
For too long, IRS inaction has left Colstrip in the lurch with uncertainty, Gianforte said. This legislation will help provide greater certainty and open the spigot of investment in Colstrip. Our bill protects good-paying Montana jobs and promotes cleaner coal.

Power Plant operator Talen Energy in the last few months has made changes to the power plants coal burning plans, according to the Department of Environmental Quality. Earlier this year, DEQ amended Colstrips air quality permit allowing the power plant to burn fuel from sources other than Rosebud Mine, said Kristi Ponozzo, DEQ spokeswoman. Rosebud is within walking distance of the power plant and is Colstrips legacy fuel source.

Recently, DEQ approved facility siting for a new coal loading operation at the power plant. The loading facility was initially sought as power plant owners entertained the possibility of no longer getting coal from Rosebud. Formerly owned by Westmoreland Coal Co., Rosebud was tied up in bankruptcy in February. Creditors interested in acquiring the mine as payment initially said they werent interested in honoring the supply contract between Westmoreland and the power plant. The creditors now operate under the name Westmoreland Mining LLC.
Katherine White, a Mills resident and registered nurse who contracts with Wyoming Medical Center, said without the Mills Fire Department providing emergency medical care, the burden will fall to the medical center.

Being a registered nurse, I know how busy the Wyoming Medical Center is, she said. She worried WMC would not be able to provide the same fast response. She added the Mills Fire Department knows the area better.

She recalled a time her friends toddler had a medical emergency.

WMC couldnt even find the place, she said. Had we not had the (Mills) Fire Department, that 2-year-old would be dead.

White was not the only person to bring up matters of life and death. Several residents shared similar stories of the Mills Fire Department beating neighboring emergency responders to the scene of emergencies.

Former Mills firefighter Jared Kelly confirmed this with the Star-Tribune. When asked how often the Mills Department was the first to arrive to the scene, he said it happened all the time.

Mills gets there first for anything west of Poplar Street, he said.
The missing and endangered person advisory for 8-year-old Jennifer Graham has been canceled.

Officials reported she and her parents were located in Idaho, and she is not in danger.

Additional details were not provided.

A missing and endangered person advisory has been issued for an 8-year-old girl last seen Monday at her school, according to the Flathead County Sheriff's Office.

The white female, Jennifer Graham, is 4 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 60 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair.

Officials believe she is with her father, Tom Graham. The 73-year-old white man is 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds, with blue eyes and white hair.

They may be heading to Myrtle Creek, Oregon, Oklahoma or Texas in a 2013 Blue Dodge Caravan with Montana license plate E0760.

According to an alert from the Montana Department of Justice, the girl did not return to school after officials received a report that she was being physically abused by her father. She "is believed to be in danger of physical harm and has significant mental health needs," the alert says.
And why is Zeier allowed to pay the amount back over time instead of going to a bank and getting a loan immediately? That money was not his in the first place, and it belongs back under the SBURD control. How many people would love it if their employer could also play bank?

But the truth is: It's not the city's money and it's not the SBURD's money. It's the taxpayers' money and it deserves to be working for them, not having it worked off.

We believe the city council is also trying to run away from this embarrassing mishap as quickly as it can. But, ultimately because these are tax funds under the city's direction, the responsibility falls to the city. And, the council members would do right to start asking some more questions rather than having the city administrator pronounce the mystery solved. Where's the silent city council? Where's the leadership? Where's the accountability to the taxpayers?

Billings business leaders have supported the concept of redevelopment funds as a necessary tool for economic growth. But, this sloppy finance and questionable decision by the board makes us wonder: Is it time for something different?

If most of us had taken $80,000 from our employers without a peep, we wouldn't get to pay it back, we'd be behind bars.

Love 25 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 23
Wearing garbage bag ponchos and blue rubber gloves, students of Sweet Briar School gathered around Sheri Johnson as she began to inflate a beef lung.

"Isn't that just the coolest thing, you guys?" she said after blowing air into the organ.

The lung was the last of the morning's dissecting lesson, which used a heart, diaphragm, trachea and other organs donated from the butcher shop in Glen Ullin.

"We thought we had an eyeball ordered, too, but that didn't come," Johnson said, keeping a close watch on her students using scalpels from a local veterinarian.

The lesson will be one of the last for Johnson at Sweet Briar School, a rural school about 12 miles west of Mandan on the rolling prairie. Johnson is retiring after 38 years in education, a career that has taken her from teaching in western Minnesota, two years' missionary work in Papua New Guinea and being a principal in rural North Dakota schools.

She has been at Sweet Briar for 11 years as the principal and one of two teachers, and 13 years before that at Almont in a variety of roles, from leading K-8 music to teaching health, science and math.

"This is many chapters of my life, but this is a new chapter coming," the International Falls, Minn., native said.

Johnson looks forward to spending time with her husband, Grant, and their children, 28-year-old Andrew and 15-year-old Claire.

There are also household projects to do on their Almont-area farm and ranch and activities to keep up with in town and at church.

And some substitute teaching here and there, of course.

"I can still keep my feet in education," Johnson said.

Sweet Briar's K-3 teacher, Katie Dahly, said she leaned on Johnson in her first years of teaching at the small school, from working with students in several grades to getting to know the local families.

"She's just a good leader," Dahly said. "Coming into teaching is a brand new world. Coming into a scenario like this when I've never heard of a school like this, I didn't grow up in a multi-grade, small, rural school."

She and Johnson pointed to a "strong, motivating, supportive" school board helping to bolster the rural school and allow the teachers to continue their education. Both Johnson and Dahly hold master's degrees.

Sweet Briar has seen growing enrollment in recent years  a record 22 students this year. Sweet Briar School Board President Travis Wolf said enrollment will likely plateau for the near future.

Johnson has been "a great teacher" for Sweet Briar, he said.

"Shes been a major asset," Wolf said. "Were sure going to miss her, but wish her the best of luck in her retirement."

There's still work to do this school year, finishing reading and math, but some fun left as well.

Sweet Briar's students will take a field trip to Medora and put on a spring concert for their last day of school, May 23.

"It's all about the people, especially the students," Johnson said. "And I will be so thankful if I have influenced kids in a positive way. That's kind of the bottom line."

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

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 30-year-old Bismarck man was arrested Thursday after a search of his home and vehicle turned up tens of thousands of dollars worth of drugs hidden inside a cracker box and a child's backpack.

Deandre Deamon Jones has been charged with multiple felony counts of drug possession, as well as possession of a stolen firearm.

On Thursday, a North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop on a car on Interstate 94 in Bismarck, according to an affidavit filed in the case. A 25-year-old woman was driving the car, and Jones and a 2-year-old were passengers.

The affidavit says a trooper smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and conducted a search. In the trunk, inside a Goldfish cracker box, hidden among the crackers, were five "large clear plastic baggies" containing what later tested positive as cocaine.

There was a total of 276 grams of cocaine in the baggies, which has about a $27,000 to $57,000 street value in the Bismarck area, according to the affidavit.

An officer with the Metro Area Narcotics Task Force then obtained a search warrant for Jones' mobile home on South 12th Street in Bismarck. Inside the home, there was a child's backpack that contained bags of methamphetamine, cocaine, tar heroin, Xanax pills, MDMA and a loaded 9mm handgun, the affidavit says. The street value of the meth and heroin totaled $18,800.

The serial number of the handgun was run through a national database and found to have been reported stolen out of Georgia, according to the affidavit.

Jones was arrested in Bismarck on Jan. 24 and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and was out on bond, the affidavit says.

(Reach Blair Emerson at 701-250-8251 or Blair.Emerson@bismarcktribune.com)

Love 0 Funny 4 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 1

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.
Proposals to do away with a standardized test that has long been the key to some of New York Citys best schools continue to spark debate between parents, administrators, and elected officials who could vote to abolish it in the next month.

For almost 50 years, state law has required three of New York Citys top public schools to rely on a single, standardized test for student admissions. During the early 1970s, the state legislature enshrined the tests into law amid a push to integrate Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Technical, and Bronx Science high schools. Nearly a half-century later, these schools remain highly segregated; out of tens of thousands of students who took the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) this year, only seven black students were admitted to Stuyvesantdown from 10 last year.

It was racist then, and its racist now, Brooklyn Assemblymember Charles Barron, who supports eliminating the test, said during a heated state Assembly hearing in Lower Manhattan on Friday.

Across the specialized high schools, more than 50 percent of offers went to Asian students, 28 percent for white students, 6 percent for Latino students, and 4 percent to black students.

Since 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio has pushed for an expansion to the admissions requirements for the eight specialized schools that rely solely on the test, and last year, he proposed eliminating the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) entirely in exchange for moving to admit the top 7 percent of students from across the city instead. According to New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, that would boost the presence of black and Latino students at specialized high schools to as high as 45 percent of the student population.

The lack of diversity makes black and Hispanic students feels isolated, @DOEChancellor. Theyve formed support groups. Thats not a healthy environment for any student in any school.  Jessica Gould (@ByJessicaGould) May 10, 2019

But the proposal has sparked conflicts over how best to serve the citys students, particularly among the citys Asian-American communities, which make up a significant portion of the students at the specialized schools and whose members often see admission as a path towards upward economic mobility.

Fridays hearing opened with some of the simmering tensions boiling over. Queens Assemblymember Ron Kim started by stating the Asian community was not consulted in discussions about changing the admissions test, and the tests opponents have unfairly cast Asian immigrants as privileged during the debate.

That process itself has been very painful to hear as a community, Kim said in his opening statement.

In response, Carranza noted that he has been targeted for his role in the process because of his own ethnicity.

How disrespectful is that, to impugn my integrity as the only reason to take it on because I am a Latino? Carranza shot back.

.@DOEChancellor says the narrative about HIM, that hes only taking this on because hes Latino, is disrespectful. Says the narrative about him has been twisted. Said he serves all students, there are more enlightened approaches to SHA admissions. https://t.co/k9qf3RjTSP  Jessica Gould (@ByJessicaGould) May 10, 2019

But while Carranza and de Blasio have pitched the proposal as a means for the student populations of specialized high schools to finally reflect the ethnic diversity of New York City, members of the black and Latino communities are divided on whether changing the test is the best way forward.

Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte, who represents parts of Brooklyn including Flatbush and Midwood, said she has been a horrible test-taker throughout her life and was only able to succeed because her teachers were able to see her other academic strengths.

Thurgood Marshall, he fought for this very hard. He would be turning in his grave to see our very own people are fighting, Bichotte said. How could black and Latino alumns of these specialized high schools, or just parents, be against fixing this disparity?

But ahead of the hearing, Public Advocate (and Brooklyn Tech graduate) Jumaane Williams joined National Action Network regional director Kirsten John Foy outside for a rally urging the city to add more specialized high schools and establish other ways of measuring academic achievement than simply doing away with the SHSAT. And during his testimony, Williams said that without the test, he would not have gotten into Brooklyn Tech.

If they had used grades, if they had used behavior...if they had used attendance...any combination of that, I would not have had an access point to this quality education, Williams said. That may have changed the trajectory of my entire school career and my entire career, period.

Williams said an alternative could be to also offer seats to students who demonstrate achievement on other measures alongside the SHSAT. He believes that would open up opportunities to underserved communities across the city without pitting them against each other.

We may disagree on the test, but we all agree theres a problem with the system, Williams said.


MAHNOMEN, Minn.  It's an incredible, historic military honor for a White Earth family.

Peter Thompson, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and member of the White Earth Nation, will soon be buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery  a first for the tribe.

The White Earth Veterans Association Honor Guard and the veteran's family plan to take a bus to Washington next month for Thompson's June 5 burial at the hallowed veteran's cemetery directly across the Potomac River from the nation's capital.

On Wednesday, the honor guard led a special blessing and peace ceremony for Thompson, who passed away in January.

Ask anyone on the White Earth Indian Reservation about Thompson and they probably knew him.

"He was quite the guy, a person who teased a lot, joked around," said brother-in-law Raymond Auginaush.

Thompson was a prankster, hard worker and veteran with six Purple Hearts as well as three Bronze Stars. A young boy from the reservation, Thompson joined the Army and went to Vietnam at the age of 17.

White Earth honor guard member Robert Durant said Thompson had a strong sense of duty.

"He was so proud of what he had done and he said he was doing this because it was his job . . . he really cared about serving his country," Durant said.

Thompson was injured six times serving two tours as a teenager in Vietnam, surviving wounds from enemy gunfire, tank explosions and grenade blasts.

"He very seldom talked about what happened over there, but you could tell, deep down, he cared about the men he served with and what was going on," Auginaush said.

After the war, Thompson returned home and became active in veterans groups.

He was one of just a few in the nation to receive the much-honored War Bonnet, adorned with six red-tipped white feathers, for the six Purple Hearts. The War Bonnet will make the trip to Arlington in a few weeks, along with the White Earth Honor guard, for a final salute to the soldier.

"I think what we have here is an opportunity to show the honor and pride and respect he deserves since his last wish was to be buried at Arlington," Durant said.

Thompson's wife, Evelyn, her daughters and grandchildren are raising money to make the bus trip to Arlington next month. It's a resting place Thompson often mentioned to his family.

"He knew the honor of being out there and he knew deep in his heart . . . that the best are buried out there, even though he would never come right out and say it," his wife said.

Thompson's family is selling fry bread tacos in Mahnomen Saturday to raise money for the bus ride, and a special account has been set up at the First National Bank in Bagley to hold the funds.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A former U.S. attorney for North Dakota is among more than 700 former federal prosecutors who have signed an online letter asserting President Donald Trump would have been charged with obstruction of justice based on evidence detailed in special counsel Robert Mueller's report  if Trump was not president.

Tim Purdon, who served as U.S. Attorney for North Dakota from 2010-15 during the administration of President Barack Obama, said many of the former prosecutors who signed the letter were political appointees like himself who served Democratic as well as Republican administrations.

He added that "many, many, many" others are retired or former career justice department prosecutors.

"This is very much a bipartisan letter. That's really striking in today's polarized society," said Purdon, who now is a partner in the Bismarck offices of Robins Kaplan, a law firm with a national presence.

Several signers of the letter interviewed by The Washington Post on Tuesday said they hoped for little else other than to make public their view that Attorney General William Barr mischaracterized the Mueller report in asserting that it laid out insufficient evidence to make an obstruction case. They also said they did not sign hoping to spark impeachment proceedings.

The Washington Post's story regarding the letter noted the group's views contrasted with those of Barr  who has offered detailed defenses of his decision that there was not a case to be made for obstruction  and the views of many Republican lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has said Democrats should move on from investigations into Trump.

Trump has long dismissed the Mueller probe as a witch hunt and his administration is fighting efforts by Democrats in Congress to hear testimony from current and former White House aides.

Purdon said the Republican reaction to the Mueller report is similar to the support President Richard Nixon received from the Republican Party prior to televised hearings that focused a bright, public light on the Watergate scandal and the Nixon administration's role in it.

Even after Nixon's resignation, Purdon said the former president enjoyed the support of many Americans.

"You have to remember, the day Nixon got on Marine One and made the victory sign with his fingers and left office his approval rating was 24%," Purdon said.

"On the day Nixon left office," he added, "one in four Americans still said, 'Nixon's the one.'''

Purdon said under a current Department of Justice policy, an indictment cannot be brought against a sitting president.

He said what the online letter signed by hundreds of former prosecutors stands for is the idea that if any American other than the president had committed the acts detailed in the Mueller report, there would be enough evidence to indict them for obstruction of justice.

He said the letter outlines a number of things that could constitute obstruction of justice, but one that stood out was evidence  supported by testimony under oath as well as documents  that Trump ordered then-White House counsel Don McGahn to fire Mueller.

"And why did he do that? To slow down, to stymie the Mueller investigation," Purdon said, adding that after that information became public, Trump went back to McGahn and said, "I need you to fabricate a government record; I need you to create a document that says I never asked you that."

Purdon said he, like others who signed the letter, are not advocating for impeachment proceedings.

Instead, he cited the approach taken by Leon Jaworski, who served as special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal and who after putting together a report on the matter sent it to the House of Representatives "so they could examine their responsibility under the Constitution," Purdon said.

Acknowledging the current political divide, Purdon said: "You're never going to have 100% consensus in this country."

But, he said, given the information found in the Mueller report, "I would hope we still have a society where a vast majority of people would still want to honor the rule of law."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
LAKE ANDES, S.D.  A Lake Andes man was charged last week with raping his young family member in April.

Devonta Brown, 33, was arrested May 3 for the alleged rape, which, according to court documents, took place on April 8 at a Lake Andes residence.

The Charles Mix County states attorneys office did not respond to a call requesting comment Thursday, and although the alleged victims specific age is unknown, the rape charge brought against Brown indicates she is younger than 13.

According to an affidavit filed by a Charles Mix County sheriffs deputy, a woman told law enforcement on April 11 that Brown had raped the girl several days prior.

The alleged victim reportedly told the deputy that around 12 a.m. on April 8, she had awakened to find Brown raping her and that she ran to her room when he stopped.

The woman who spoke to the deputy gave the shirt, shorts and underwear the girl said she was wearing at the time of the alleged rape to the deputy as evidence.

Brown was then asked to leave the residence, and photos of his room were also taken as evidence.

On the morning of April 16, deputies interviewed Brown at the sheriffs office. Brown reportedly invoked his right to remain silent and have an attorney present.

Deputies served Brown with a search warrant for his DNA, which was then collected with buccal swabs.

That afternoon, the alleged victim, accompanied by the woman who had reported the incident, volunteered her DNA for testing. According to court documents, evidence was packaged and mailed to the South Dakota Forensic Lab in Pierre that day.

The alleged victim reportedly did an interview with Childs Voice on April 17, and a video of that interview was viewed by deputies two days later. A complaint against Brown was filed on May 2.

Brown is charged with first-degree rape and aggravated incest. He has not entered a plea to either charge.

First-degree rape, or the rape of a child under the age of 13, is the most serious of South Dakotas five classifications of rape charges. It is a Class C felony for which Brown could spend life in prison if convicted.

The only crimes that are punished more severely than first-degree rape under South Dakota law are those that involve types of homicides, and crimes punishable at the same level include first-degree manslaughter.

The specific aggravated incest offense with which Brown is charged  a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison  is classified as a more serious offense than incest between two adult family members, which is a Class 5 felony.

Brown is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday morning.

Lake Andes is about 65 miles south of Mitchell.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The governor of Washington state signed a bill Thursday with new requirements for Bakken crude oil shipped by rail, setting up a likely legal battle with North Dakota.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation supporters say aims to reduce the risk of fiery train derailments, but North Dakota officials say is not backed by science.

The bill requires Washington refineries and other facilities that offload or load crude oil from a rail car to meet lower vapor pressure standards than what North Dakota requires. The standard would take effect if the state has an increase in rail traffic or if new facilities are constructed.

"As the federal government continues to fail to exercise its full powers to ensure the safe transport of oil by rail, Washington needs to remain vigilant in protecting our communities from the very real risk of derailments," Inslee said Thursday.

North Dakota ships about 150,000 barrels of crude oil a day by rail to refineries in Washington.

The North Dakota Industrial Commission has said the state would likely sue the state of Washington over the bill, which commissioners believe violates interstate commerce law.

North Dakotas congressional delegation had urged Inslee to veto the bill, calling it a de facto ban of crude-by-rail traffic from the Bakken.

Inslee, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, has made climate change a focus of his campaign. He also signed a bill this week banning hydraulic fracturing in Washington.

North Dakota requires oil to have a vapor pressure of no more than 13.7 pounds per square inch, a requirement added in 2015 that aimed to reduce the volatility of Bakken crude.

The Washington legislation requires crude oil to have a vapor pressure limit of less than 9 pounds per square inch. Existing facilities that expand crude oil volumes would have to adhere to the new limit within two years of the expansion. Failing to meet the standard could lead to fines of up to $2,500 per day per rail car.

North Dakotas top oil regulator, Lynn Helms, has said there is no scientific basis for the 9 psi limit. Helms had urged Washington lawmakers to wait for the results of an ongoing Sandia National Laboratories study.

Supporters of the legislation have criticized the federal government for not adopting a nationwide vapor pressure standard for crude oil shipped by rail. Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, the primary sponsor of the bill, said in a statement Thursday that the oil trains pose a serious risk for communities.

While we know there is more to do to reduce the risk of a catastrophic event, this bill puts in place protections if we see an increase in oil train traffic travelling through our state, Billig said.

(Reach Amy Dalrymple at 701-250-8267 or Amy.Dalrymple@bismarcktribune.com)

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 5
Toni and Peter Thompson were building a new house in Sonoma, California. They removed three trees, including a 180-year-old oak, from a nearby piece of property they owned with plans to relocate them next to the house. But the trees were damaged in the removal process and they died. The surrounding area around the trees was also damaged. The land was protected by the state, and now the couple has been ordered to pay about $600,000 in damages.

From The Washington Post:

"I was not prepared," Bob Neale, the trust's stewardship director, told the Press Democrat. "It was really the most willful, egregious violation of a conservation easement I've ever seen."

Portions of the area that had once been blanketed by untouched native plants were reduced to mounds of loose dirt, and others were scraped down to bedrock, according to court documents. Some photos showed a massive oak tree in a trench with its roots bound and surrounded by yellow construction equipment. A dirt road stretching for about a third of a mile was also carved through the land, destroying 12 smaller trees and other vegetation in the way, the ruling said.



Over the course of the trial, the Thompsons offered a dozen defenses, none of which the court found had any merit. The pair were "further undermined by their persistent failure to tell the truth," Broderick wrote.
Frontier Communications is a telcoms company so naturally they're a terrible company (a telcoms company is just a collection of regulatory subsidies wrapped up in a layer of greed and malpractice); the company is one of the nation's leaders in the use of fraudulent accounting to evade taxes, and it takes in $283.4 million every year in tax-funded subsidies to provide services to rural Americans, while ripping them off like crazy and cutting corners by neglecting its network and allowing it to fall into dangerous disrepair.

In Minnesota, the situation is so bad that state senators have petitioned the FCC to follow up on the state Attorney General's investigation of Frontier's systematic fraud and lack of maintenance, which found that the company charges customers for services it never delivered and refuses them refunds, while subjecting them to long outages (some lasting months!) without compensation. The AG found that Minnesotans were being left without 911 services for prolonged periods, and that the outages were disconnecting medical devices like pacemakers from remote-monitoring services.





Ajit Pai, a garbage person, is a former Verizon exec whom Trump made FCC Chairman. He has made a career out of campaigning against government waste and the abuse of taxpayer dollars, but he has vetoed any FCC participation in Minnesota's investigations against Frontier, despite the literal billions the company receives at public expense.

Pai insists that Frontier is doing great and does not need investigating. As evidence for this, he cites Frontier's own filings to the FCC.

"For a chairman who is so concerned with rooting out waste, fraud and abuse, it's baffling that the commission tasked with overseeing billions of dollars in public money is declining to investigate the more than a thousand allegations of poor service by a company that receives that public money to provide those services," US Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) told Ars in a statement today. (The Minnesota investigation was based partly on more than 1,000 consumer complaints and statements.) Frontier is receiving $283.4 million each year from the FCC's Connect America Fund (CAF) between 2015 and 2020 to provide rural Internet service in parts of 28 states, including $27.6 million a year in Minnesota.



Ajit Pai refuses to investigate Frontier's horrible telecom service [Jon Brodkin/Ars Technica]





(via /.)
Featured Post Watch now 'Understory: Tongass Forest Documentary' Destruction of Alaskan Coastal Rain Forest "There was a time when the less greedy you are, and the more you can give, the wealthier you are," said Marina Anderson, Haida, tr...

Archive

Search This Blog

Donate to Censored News



Please donate to Censored News for travel and equipment for our live coverage. Thank you, Brenda.

About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com

From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 39 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. She has been blacklisted by all the mainstream media for 14 years. Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com

Translate
News / National

by Staff reporter

Harare regional magistrate Elijah Makomo has dismissed an application in which former Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanzira was seeking permanent release of his passport.The former Cabinet minister is being accused of criminal abuse of office after allegedly appointing his personal assistant Tawanda Chinembiri to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) board in which he drew $35 000 in allowances.During the cross examination, Mandiwanzira through his lawyers revealed that he intended to travel to India next month for medication.In his ruling, magistrate Makomo ruled that the accused person failed to give concrete evidence to support his requests."This court's analysis is that no sufficient reasons were given to establish the importance of the release of the passport, in these circumstances, the application is hereby dismissed," ruled the magistrate.The state had challenged Mandiwanzira's application arguing that his intentions were to flee court's jurisdiction.Appearing for state, Prosecutor Michael Chakandida also submitted that when Mandiwanzira made his application, the invitations were for March and April, dates which are no longer valid.Mandiwanzira will be back in court on June 3 for ruling.
It's been half a year since Ballyhoo Media's floating billboards began pointing LED video ads at New York City's waterfront, and more than a month since the de Blasio administration sued to "put a stop to it." But despite an ongoing court case and the threat of six-figure fines, the 1,200 square foot double-sided screens remain a "floating eyesore" on the Hudson and East Rivers. More worrisome, the company's CEO won't rule out the possibility of crashing the city's beaches this summer.

Court documents offer some insight into Ballyhoo's strategy for fighting back at the city, employing a mix of alleged disobedience and legal maneuvering that's allowed the company to remain in parts of Miami years after local officials tried to run them out of town.

Back in March, in response to growing complaints from New Yorkers, Mayor Bill de Blasio filed a lawsuit against the company, arguing that the boats violated a decades-old zoning resolution prohibiting advertising on local waterways. A few weeks later, the city petitioned Judge Louis Stanton to issue a preliminary injunction barring Ballyhoo from operating within 1,500 feet of the city's shoreline as the case proceeds. Judge Stantonwho, fun fact, was a merchant marine during World War II and, at 91 years old, had taken senior status before being called back to the bench for this casegranted the request.

When the city's Law Department geo-tracked the barge, however, they found that Ballyhoo wasn't following the judge's orders. In a letter to the court, Ballyhoo acknowledged that they'd at times been forced to breach the invisible 1,500-foot boundary in order "to maintain safe navigation procedures." Their attorneys claimed that their boat captain had turned off the LED screen whenever this happened.

"Ballyhoo has been totally compliant, and will continue to comply, with the terms of the preliminary injunction issued by the Court," the company's CEO, Adam Shapiro, wrote in an email to Gothamist.

But evidence collected at the scene seems to indicate otherwise. Try to ignore the comedian groaning and pretending (?) to urinate heredoes this look like 500 yards to you?

Something else strange happened on May 2nd. On the company's request, the judge's initial injunction was modified with seven new words: "Ballyhoo is enjoined from conducting any of its water-borne advertising operations under 1,500 feet from the City's shore and within view from an arterial highway."

As far as the city's Law Department is concerned, the revision was basically meaningless; since the barge makes its trips around the lower half of Manhattan, and seeing as how most of that route is adjacent to a highway, Ballyhoo was effectively still banned.

"Ballyhoo fails once again to demonstrate that there is any location that is not 'within view' of an arterial highway," wrote NYC Corporation Counsel Zachary Carter in his response to the injunction. "Ballyhoo likewise fails to submit any evidence that its digital advertising barge is capable of reaching a location out of view of any arterial highwayif such a location existswithout violating the Zoning Resolution while it is in transit to that location."

But Shapiro has a different interpretation. In an email to Gothamist, he framed the amended injunction as a victory (emphasis his): "The Court held that the subject zoning regulations do not apply to any water-borne advertising conducted outside of 1,500 feet from the City's shoreline, and to any water-borne advertising that is not within view from an arterial highwayregardless of their distance from the shoreline."

In other words, Shapiro believes the boat can now sail wherever it pleases along the city's waterfrontthe southern tip of Manhattan, Brooklyn Bridge Park, even the Rockawaysso long as you can't see it from a nearby highway.

Asked whether he planned to keep the barge on its current trajectory, or whether there he might consider extending its route to the city's public beaches, as he has done in Miami, Shapiro declined to comment, except to say that "we have no plans to leave the city." He then accused Gothamist of "bashing my company."

A spokesperson for the Law Department said that Ballyhoo has a deadline of May 15th to respond to the city's original complaint.

The city's beaches open for swimming on May 25th.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The National Peace and Recreational Commission (NPRC) has warned State actors to stay away from victimising people who air their grievances on politically-motivated violence that gripped the nation, mostly in post-independence era.NPRC commissioner Charles Masunungure told participants during an outreach programme at Magunje growth point recently that State actors must stay away from victimising people when they present their cases to the body.He said people must say anything without fear of reprisals in order to make the nation live in peace."We are warning mainly State actors that, as a commission, we have a mandate to carry out our business without fear or favour. In doing so, anyone who may want to give evidence before the commission must feel free and do so without fear," he said."Those from State security agencies present here are not here to make follow-ups on whatever you say. Let me make this clear that as we gather here, you are all protected by the law and no one can harass you, even if they are from the security sector. We are all equal before the law."Masunungure was part of the NPRC team that visited the province."Of late, there were politically-motivated cases of violence swept under the carpet, masamba asiyana hama dzangu (things have changed now). We are a constitutional body and we act to guarantee the protection of those who give evidence," he said.Masunungure also revealed that as part of their mandate, all stakeholders, including churches, political parties, traditional leaders and government departments, would form district and provincial peace committees in national building and peace.An attendant, Panganai Chakanyuka, said the commission risked losing credibility, describing it as "toothless"."As it stands, your commission is toothless. It must act and remain independent of political manipulation," he said.Another attendant, Rejoice Kubara, said the NPRC must work hard to guard against bias."We hope the NPRC will not act with bias like the commission of inquiry led by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, which proved it was not independent, besides wasting State resources," she alleged.Commissioner Choice Ndoro, who heads the research unit and is the Mashonaland West focal officer, said she was happy that people were taking the initiative as a tool to build peace.
News / National

by Staff reporter

GWANDA Town Council has set aside land for a new central business district (CBD) and industrial stands along the BeitbridgeBulawayo Road, in an effort to lure investors.The local authority is aiming for city status by 2023 and has gone on overdrive, with the main target being companies listed on the Stock Exchange.In an interview early this week, town mayor Jastone Mazhale said their focus was to woo investors so that they help build the new CBD, as well as set up manufacturing companies in Gwanda."We are appealing to big companies to come and invest in Gwanda so that our town develops. This will work as a plus in our efforts to get city status. We have set aside land along the Bulawayo Road for a new CBD. The current one no longer has space for expansion, as we are only left with three commercial stands inside it," he said.Mazhale said the new CBD would have state of the art shopping complexes and a private hospital."We are targeting Pick n Pay outlets, Nyaradzo, Zimbabwe Traffic and Safety Council, Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) and Econet wireless, all which have shown interest in the building of the new CBD. As for PSMAS, they said they will build a state-of-the-art hospital and facility, which will also include a laboratory for all health tests. That will definitely put Gwanda on the map. As you can see, some of these companies are listed on the ZSE," he said.Mazhale added they were also going to create more land for factories, especially those in the agriculture value chain, for value addition and beneficiation."We have an abundance of Mopani worms, which can be processed here. Gwanda is a cattle raring district, but we don't have a tanning company here. We used to have a canning company at West Nicholson, but it has since closed and those are areas which investors can take advantage of," he said.Gwanda is predominantly a gold mining town, but has no manufacturing companies, except retail shops.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The newly-elected MDC Bulawayo provincial executive has lashed out at losing candidates who have appealed against the results, claiming the action was tantamount to an insurrection against party leader Nelson Chamisa.MDC Bulawayo members, who comprise legislator Phelela Masuku and 11 others, appealed to the party's national executive council (NEC) challenging the elections in the province, claiming the process was flawed.Yesterday, the newly-elected Bulawayo executive came out guns blazing, describing the losers as trying to discredit Chamisa.Provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza said: "From the look of things, it comes across more as an insurrection against MDC president Nelson Chamisa than an appeal against alleged electoral irregularities."The appellants are bent on disfiguring president Chamisa's image by falsely portraying him as one who presided over the April 17 MDC Bulawayo provincial congress."The MDC Bulawayo members' appeal came at a time when Chamisa has already been nominated, uncontested, as the party's president by all the 13 provinces and now waits to be confirmed by the national congress to be held in Gweru from May 24 to 26.Southern Eye understands that an MDC special committee has been put in place to deliberate on issues raised by some members to the NEC.In the provincial elections, James Sithole beat Masuku with 509 votes to 307; Felix Mhaka won the deputy chair position; while Earnest Rafamoyo won the provincial secretary position and is deputised by Walter Taranhike.The new provincial organiser is Helen Zviviri, deputised by Colet Ndlovu. Chirowodza won the spokesperson position, and is deputised by Gladys Mathe and the treasurer became Sonny Phiri, deputised by Grace Mathe.Meanwhile, MDC Midlands' women assembly members, who petitioned the party's national organising department seeking to reverse the election process for the provincial wing held on April 10 in Gweru, have withdrawn their challenge and thrown their weight behind the winners.
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

A video of MDC-T supporters singing and urging their President Thokozani Khupe to take over MDC has gone viral on the internet.The supporters are heard urging Khupe to take the Presidency because she was given by the MDC members.The video surfaces at a time when there is a High Court ruling that has barred MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to act as the Party President.Chamisa's MDC has indicated that they will not follow the judgement.Watch the video below:
News / National

by Staff reporter

CALLS for national unity have been commonplace in the past two decades, but have taken on a new urgency since November 2017.However, since November 2017, and the coup, these calls are increasingly hollow and, for a variety of reasons, are unlikely to bring about the kind of collective identity and action that seems so necessary to pulling the country out of the mire.First and foremost, the notion of a national identity has been undermined by Zanu-PF itself with its continuous exclusion in its version of the country's history. There can be no doubt that the country was liberated through armed struggle, but it is also the case that "people power" was a significant factor behind the success of the armed struggle: if the freedom fighters were fish swimming in the waters of the people, then the waters had to be friendly, and they were. However, the reasons why they were friendly were multiple and diverse, and very often personally and locally selfish. It is obvious that all Zimbabweans wanted an end to the Rhodesian state, but their aims and goals are mostly ignored.Secondly, the liberation was more than the struggle of one party and one guerrilla army, and this has also not been sufficiently acknowledged. This exclusion has been further poisoned by the Gukurahundi issue. Thus, we are left today with a gap in our common history and the anger of the excluded southern half of the country.This appropriation of the liberation history becomes an exclusionary narrative, pointed out by so many commentators. This is not what the constitution requires, as seen in the preamble, the founding values and principles, and the national objectives: all emphasise inclusion of all who struggled to free the country from colonial rule. In practice, however, all these worthy sentiments are honoured more in the breach, and the insistence by Zanu-PF that it has some special entitlement to the history and hence to governing. Thus, from early on, and despite the notion of reconciliation, the possibility of a deep, post-Independence social contract was undermined.Thirdly, the attempts from 2000 onwards, for the young of the country to define a new social contract, firstly, through demanding a new constitution, and secondly, by forming a new political party, were met by resistance and violence. The earlier attempts to bring a new narrative by the Zimbabwe Unity Movement and others met with the same resistance and violence. National identity became increasingly more narrowly defined and exclusive.It is unsurprising that the young, now 70% under age of 35, would find this exclusion unacceptable, and, despite millions fleeing into the diaspora, that the major opposition party is able to attract nearly as many "official" votes as Zanu-PF.Fourthly, the growth of the predatory state, so well-described by Ibbo Mandaza, as well as Michael Bratton and Eldred Masunungure, has led by incremental stages to the impoverishment of the vast majority of the citizenry. The convenient explanation for all was the excessive power of Robert Mugabe, but obviously this could not be the whole story: Mugabe's power was built on the power of the party, and its role in maintaining both him and itself in power. The personalistic explanation was too facile in reality. Predatory power, of course, depends upon the strong leader, but strong leaders need strong followers.When Mugabe is toppled in November 2017, the personalistic explanation was accepted all too easily, but it did not take a genius to work out that, for the many thousands that celebrated his fall, there was also the anticipation that this might also see the end of Zanu-PF. This is an obvious conclusion given the very bitter conflicts over the elections since 2000, and the enormous number of Zimbabweans who did not vote for either Mugabe or Zanu-PF. They were even in the majority in 2008, but were brutalised and bamboozled out of acceding to government, except as a junior partner.The events that followed the coup demonstrate how deep the polarisation in the country has become, and it is evident that there are now different narratives about national identity. One that claims that the "old exclusive" identity has been laid to rest, but also claims that the ideology behind the liberation war was subverted.Actually, it was subverted by Zanu-PF itself, and we hear increasingly that the way forward is to join this "new" party and its government in a "new dispensation".The other narrative, and not merely that of the MDC Alliance, calls for national dialogue, a new social contract, reform of the state, and even a transitional arrangement. This is not yet a coherent narrative, and the government is working hard to undermine any prospect of it being so. We can see the attempt to set up a "national dialogue" and the creation of a Presidential Advisory Council as either a genuine attempt to create a unified approach to solving the country's problems, or a cynical attempt to undermine the growth of a powerful movement to challenge the government's narrative. Time will tell which will prevail, and certainly there is food for thought in the recent events in Algeria and Sudan.In Zimbabwe today, calls for unity cannot be based on coercion, exclusion or controlling the process, they can only come from an openness to discuss with everyone, and the very unpalatable acceptance that one's solutions might be wrong. This is the deepest problem we face currently: Zanu-PF, for all the reasons described above, has never admitted that it might be wrong, for its inbuilt pathology for the past 39 years is that it is entitled to govern.Never mind the gross human rights violations and the corruption of the past 39 years, and there are serious accountability issues to be faced, until Zanu-PF accepts that it can be wrong, and that the party does not have the answers, any call made for national unity will be rejected. The reason is very simple: Zanu-PF and the government are not trusted by the people, no matter how many elections it "wins".Deeply, there is no trust, and hence no confidence, in the government. And trust and confidence are the critical components of a truly national identity. It will take both an extraordinary leap of faith and courage for the government to accept but, until they do, calls for national unity will fall on millions of deaf ears.Tony Reeler is a former academic at the University of Malawi and the University of Zimbabwe. Trained as a lawyer and psychologist, he has been active in mental health, human rights and governance for the past 30 years. He writes in his personal capacity.
News / National

by Staff reporter

There are fears that this week's High Court ruling which nullified Nelson Chamisa's presidency of the MDC, exacerbated by the party's escalating infighting, could completely destroy Zimbabwe's main opposition.Lawyers for the opposition MDC spent the better part of yesterday studying High Court Judge Justice Edith Mushore's ruling nullifying Nelson Chamisa's leadership of the party in order to give advice on how the opposition could respond to it.The judgement has drawn a lot of attention and raised many questions among members of the public.The case was brought in September 2018 by a member of the MDC who was effectively challenging the legality of the leadership of current MDC President, Nelson Chamisa. In doing so, the applicant challenged the appointment in 2016 of Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as additional deputies to the then leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.The MDC immediately said it would appeal against the ruling and that it would press on with a planned leadership congress this month where it is expected to elect Chamisa as a permanent successor to founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who died in February 2018.Chamisa, 41, rose to become the MDC interim leader last year amid opposition from internal rivals, which split the party into two factions. He lost a presidential election to the ruling ZANU-PF's Emmerson Mnangagwa, but says that poll was rigged.High Court Judge Edith Mushore ruled that the process that took Chamisa to the helm of the MDC was unconstitutional and therefore null and void. The ruling followed a legal challenge from a party member to Chamisa's leadership.Former Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga advised the MDC leadership to ensure contestations for power which ensued following the death of founding party president Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year should be within the parameters of the constitution, but his advice was not heeded, it has emerged.Matinenga gave the legal opinion after being approached by MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora to interpret the party constitution and advise on the way forward after Tsvangirai succumbed to colon cancer in South Africa on February 14 last year.The legal advice was written on February 28, a fortnight after Tsvangirai's death.This comes as the High Court declared Nelson Chamisa an illegitimate leader of the MDC on Wednesday and ordered the party to convene an extraordinary congress after a month using structures which were put in place in 2014.According to Matinenga's document, in terms of the party's constitution Khupe was supposed to take over as interim party leader at the material time pending an extraordinary congress within a year to elect Tsvangirai's successor.Matinenga, a constitutional law expert and senior MDC member before retiring from politics, also indicated Tsvangirai had acted ultra-vires the party's constitution when he handpicked Chamisa and Mudzuri to be co-vice presidents with the elected Khupe.In his memo, Matinenga warned the MDC leadership against settling the dispute between Chamisa, Khupe and Mudzuri on the basis of the former's popularity, saying they should stick to constitutional provisions.Matinenga said the MDC national council had no power, according to the party constitution, to appoint the party president.Chamisa's backers dismissed the document, saying it was done at the insistence of Mwonzora, and therefore was a factional, not an MDC document.But the MDC said the ruling was part of a wider plot by Mnangagwa's ruling party to destabilise the main opposition."We fundamentally disagree with the judgement. We reiterate that Emmerson Mnangagwa is illegitimate and no amount of diversionary tactics will change this fact," MDC spokesman Jacob Mafume told reporters.Chamisa has already been nominated for the presidency of the MDC by all the party's provincial assemblies and will be endorsed during a congress from May 24-26 in Gweru town, central Zimbabwe.In February this year, Chamisa and his MDC snubbed talks with Mnangagwa meant to try to resolve a political and economic crisis, saying any dialogue with the president must be brokered by an independent outside mediator.Commenting on the judgement, Tsvangiai's former advisor, Alex. Magaisa, said, "The judgment is clearly a strike upon the legitimacy of Chamisa as leader of the opposition. Ironically this is the principal argument that Chamisa has advanced against his arch-rival Emmerson Mnangagwa, namely that his presidency of Zimbabwe lacks legitimacy. Politically, the judgment hurls the same weapon at Chamisa. It creates an equivalence between the two main political adversaries, each of whom will now wield the illegitimacy card against the other."However, while the immediate focus is on legitimacy, the effect on the impending MDC Congress and the impact on elected MPs and Councillors, the most fundamental effect is that the judgment represents an existential threat upon the country's main opposition, which has so far refused to budge to ruling party demands. It is a strategic and insidious assault on the very existence of the MDC led by Chamisa.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Government has extended the role of marriage officers to include traditional and religious leaders such as Vapostori as it seeks to liberalise the solemnisation of unions.Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the Marriages Act will be repealed and replaced with one consolidated Marriages Amendment Bill which will also criminalise marrying a girl below the age of 18 and pledging of minors for marriage.Minister Ziyambi said this today in Harare while addressing journalists during a post Cabinet briefing that was chaired by Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira, who was standing in for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa.More to follow.....
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

The decision by Her Majesty the Queen of England to invite United Kingdom based Matabeleland activist Dr Brilliant Sigabade Mhlanga to her 2019 Party at Buckingham Palace has created a war of words between Mhlanga and another Matabeleland activist Michael Mdladla Ndiweni.Ndiweni who is a member of Matabeleland Collective accused Mhlanga of being a hypocrite after the later recently accused Matabeland Collective of working with the British officials to wood wink the people of Matabeleland to support President Emmerson Mnangagwa."So you celebrate when the Queen calls you for coffee, a few weeks back you made frivolous accusations of Matabeleland Collective selling to the British," Ndiweni said. "Now you have audacity to scream on social media by being invited by the British principal who knighted authors of the Genocide.Selective amnesia. Morden day Narsisus."Mhlanga who would have none of the insults defended himself that he is being recognised for his positive contribution to humanity."Michael Mdladla Ndiweni People get recognised for their great contribution to humanity, their acts of valour, and great distinctions in life. Not for selling wares! But I do understand that as a Vendor you are a product of Vending -selling in the streets."Surely lowering myself to your unschooled and typically unscrupulous level will be unfair to the thousands who've been communicating with me. Given your simple and definitely not complicated mind, I think it's best to advise you and your lot to continue selling your wares to your simple minded President Mnangagwa and the structure that he created for you and his white Rhodies, Matebeleland Collective."Mhlanga is known for his radical stance against Shona dominance in Matabeleland.
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

Zimbabwe is failing to sell about 29 000 elephants and about 15 000 elephant tusks due to the strict control of the trade by the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).Ivory sales currently require approval from the international community through CITES."Zimbabwe has 84000 elephants. Its carrying capacity is 55000. Humans and elephants are living in conflict." Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infromation Nick Mangwana has revealed."Our ivory stockpile is worth over US$300 million which we can't sell because countries without elephants are telling those with them what to do with their animals." He added.The presidents of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia, as well as Angola's environment minister, met Tuesday in Kasane, Botswana, to forge a common policy toward elephant management, saying that conflict between elephants and rural farmers is escalating.President Emmerson Mnangagwa told the gathering that "Let us resolutely affirm our position on elephant management and speak with one voice for our communities. That one size fits all approach from CITES of banning everything disregards the good efforts of our governments and is neither sustainable or advisable. We must reject it.""We cannot continue to be spectators while others debate and take decisions about our elephants," Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi added."I listened this morning to all the experts lecturing us, and I wanted to ask where they come from?" said Hage Geingob, Namibia's president. "If they are from Europe or the U.S., I wanted to ask them how they destroyed all their elephants, but come to lecture us."
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora appeared at an Secretary General candidates debate in Gweru amid reports that he had gone into hiding fearing MDC vanguard members who are allegedly targeting his life after being linked to a High Court judgement that nullified the appoint of Nelson Chamisa as President of MDC.Mwonzora battled out with Charlton Hwende and Daniel Molokele to president their manifestos to the Provincial Council.In a video in possession on this publication Mwonzora is seen explaining his long history of activism from his days at University and at Forum Party of Zimbabwe which challenged the one party state after ZANU PF and ZAPU had merged to form one party.Mwonzora also said he trained many trade unionist who are top leaders now.Meanwhile MDC-T leader Thokozani Khuphe issued a statement saying she will be getting in touch with Mwonzora towards implementing the court order.Mwonzora has not responded to Khupe's statement.
Plus: Another round of Penn Station track work is about to disrupt some NJ Transit and LIRR riders, but don't expect the Summer of Hell 2.0. An NYPD union tweeted a video of oral sex in a subway station, in a roundabout attempt to criticize the state's congestion pricing plan. And do you know the MTA's official rules about subway behavior? Take our quiz to find out.

We the Commuters is a weekly newsletter about transportation from WNYC and Gothamist. Sign up below!



Stephen Nessen/WNYC

Last year, traffic deaths in New York City hit a record low: 203. This, in a city with over 8.6 million people.

But any New Yorker who's crossed a sidewalk, or ridden in an obstructed bike lane, or hopped in the back of a cab knows the risk involved. During a recent run-commute for this newsletter, I waited for every walk signal and still had two close calls with trucks.

This year, the fatality figures are slightly higher. There have been 68 traffic-related deaths in New York City so far, according to the NYPD, which is a 30 percent increase compared to the same time period last year.

But fatalities for pedestrians, bikers, drivers, and passengers are still considerably lower than they were in 2013 (299), before Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his Vision Zero plan, which aims to get that number down to...zero.

It's ambitious. It's hard to implement. And it's not so easy to track. I asked WNYC's Stephen Nessen for a brief primer on Vision Zero and what the data says about how well it is (or isn't) working.

Stephen, even though traffic deaths are generally down, you reported that street safety advocates declared a "State of Emergency" outside City Hall this week. Why?

SN: This year, there appears to be an uptick, so far, in traffic-related deaths. And in Bath Beach, Brooklyn, last week, a 3-year-old toddler was killed while riding a scooter in a crosswalk at an intersection that doesnt have a street light, just a stop sign.

What tangible changes do activists want to see?

SN: They want the city to ensure that any time street work is done, it includes Vision Zero traffic "calming" devices, like pedestrian islands, extended curb cuts, and protected bike lanes. Theres a bill in the City Council that's expected to come up for a vote by the end of the month that would require the Department of Transportation to do this, and if it doesnt, itll be required to explain why not.

Over time, much of the city was designed and built to prioritize cars and trucks over pedestrians and bikes. Does Vision Zero contain any sweeping plans to reverse that?

SN: Not exactly. While there are something like 209 initiatives that are part of Vision Zero, most of them involve redesigning streets to make them safer for vehicles and pedestrians.

But nobody has the stomach, yet, to designate large stretches of roadways as pedestrian-only. The mayor is trying to get trucks to make deliveries during off-peak hours, but it wont radically change the streets as we know them.



'Don't Pet My Dog!'



Clarissa Sosin for WNYC/Gothamist

Service dogs: They shouldn't be touched. You shouldn't assume they're "fake." And they aren't just for the visually impaired.

"A service dog can help with almost every single disability you can think of, like a psychiatric disability like PTSD or diabetic alert or seizure," Liam Klein, pictured above, told WNYC's Shumita Basu.

Klein is a 14-year-old commuter whose Great Pyrenees service dog, Einstein, can smell changes in his cortisol levels and warn him if hes about to experience a PTSD-related hallucination or panic attack.

His advice to commuters who spot an animal with a service vest:

Just ignore the dog. Act like he isnt there. I mean, dont like, step on him. But act like he isnt there.





An update from Shumita: We've been going through the results from our Commuter Survey, and we're reading a lot of annoyed comments from adults about how they dread taking buses and subways right when schools let out, because students can be loud, disruptive, and generally back-packy.

Middle and high school students: The floor is yours. How do you respond to this annoyance from adults? What would you like them to know about your commute? Shoot an email to sbasu@wnyc.org. (And if you're an adult, pass this along to a student in your life!)

Best of the Week From Gothamist and WNYC

Don't expect the Summer of Hell 2.0, but some NJ Transit and LIRR riders will face disruptions when Amtrak begins another round of track work at Penn Station. NJ Transit delays and diversions are set to begin on June 17; LIRR changes start July 1.

About 500 New York City Uber drivers turned off the app for a short period Wednesday morning to protest low wages ahead of Uber's initial public offering. One driver told us he also wants Uber to restore a destination filter to the app, so he doesn't get stuck driving passengers to Westchester at night without a fare coming back to the city.

The second span of the Kosciuszko Bridge is now scheduled to open in September, four months ahead of what the state initially projected. The chief engineer on the project said the $873 million price tag  which makes this the most expensive single-contract public works project in New York history  is worth it, since the bridge will last 100 years.

Someone in Bushwick put a British double-decker bus up for free on Craigslist last week. The page is now closed, so somebody must've claimed it. If you got it and would like to make it the official We The Commuters Partymobile, let me know.



Jake Offenhartz/Gothamist



What Else We're Reading

People who say they don't like congestion pricing tend to get over it, according to polling in London, Stockholm, Oslo, and other European cities that have levied fees on drivers for entering busy parts of town. So, while a recent Quinnipiac poll found that 54 percent of New Yorkers oppose congestion pricing, that could very well drop once it goes into effect in 2021. (NPR)

Only two of New York City's five boroughs made this list of the most bikeable places in America. Manhattan and Brooklyn both got a thumbs up from PeopleForBikes, a biking advocacy group, while Staten Island, Queens, and the Bronx did not. Those three boroughs have also seen a 16 percent increase in cyclist fatalities so far this year, compared to the same period last year. (Streetsblog)

Subway station escalators have become less reliable. Escalators worked 92 percent of the time last year, compared to 96 percent in 2012, according to the MTA. With the summer heat coming, there's concern that this could become a public health issue. (The New York Times)

The union for NYPD sergeants tweeted a video of two men engaged in oral sex in a subway station, in a convoluted effort to complain about congestion pricing. The video was soon removed, but the Sergeants Benevolent Association said it stands by its point that political leaders shouldn't be charging drivers more when "quality of life [on the subways] is a total DISGRACE." (New York Daily News)

"Flight-shaming" has become a thing in Europe, thanks in part to Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teen who's been taking trains all over the continent to raise awareness about global warming. Train travel reportedly creates 15g of carbon dioxide per kilometer, while planes emit about 100g per kilometer. (The Guardian)



Quiz: Can You Do This On The Subway?

You know the unwritten etiquette code: Take off your backpack, close your legs, don't watch porn on your Microsoft Surface Pro.

But there's also an official MTA rule book with some surprising details about what you can and can't do on a subway or a bus. Take our We The Commuters quiz to see how well you know the actual rules of the rails.

Best of the MTA's Lost and Found



Clarissa Sosin for WNYC/Gothamist

With a pool cue this fancy, you can only hope the shark who left it on the train at least made up the difference hustling people.

If you recently lost something on a bus, subway or the Staten Island Railway, stop by the MTA's Lost and Found at Penn Station. If you don't claim your property in time, you may get a second chance to buy it when it goes up for auction.



Weekend Service Changes: Night of May 10 - Early Morning on May 13

This is a partial list of major service disruptions scheduled for the weekend. For a complete list of the MTA's Weekender updates, check here.

Starting Saturday, downtown 4 trains will skip 116, 110, 103, 96, 77, 68 and 51 Sts in Manhattan. During nights, downtown 6 trains will also skip those stations.

A train service between Rockaway Blvd and Far Rockaway in Queens will be replaced by free shuttle buses and the S Rockaway Park Shuttle.

During the day on Saturday and Sunday, 96 St-bound Q trains will run express from Kings Hwy to Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

Bay Ridge-bound R trains will skip Union St, 4 Av-9 St, Prospect Av and 25 St in Brooklyn.

On Saturday and Sunday, train service between Broadway Junction in Brooklyn and Jamaica Center in Queens will be replaced by trains and free shuttle buses.

Check here for complete details about the Long Island Rail Road.

For NJ Transit, check here for the latest service advisories.



Upcoming Meetings and Events

Monday, May 20th

Metro-North Committee Meeting - 8:30 a.m.

LIRR Committee Meeting - 9:30 a.m.

NYCT & MTA Bus Committee Meeting - 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, May 21st

Riders Alliance's Bronx Bus Turnaround Campaign Meeting - 6:45 p.m.

Bronx River Community Center

1619 E 174th St

Bronx, NY 10472



Wednesday, May 22nd

MTA Board Meeting - 9:00 a.m.

For official MTA committee meetings, registration for two-minute public speaking slots opens 15 minutes before the start time. To speak before a board meeting, you must register 30 minutes early. Both are held at at the MTA's Board Room at 2 Broadway on the 20th Floor.



We the Commuters is a weekly newsletter about transportation from WNYC and Gothamist. Sign up for essential commuting coverage delivered to your inbox every Thursday.

Loading...
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

National Airline Air Zimbabwe had added an airbus to its fleet barely two weeks after securing an Embraer E145.Aviation expert Jerry Haas said, "Finally after years on the ground in Harare and Johannesburg. Air Zimbabwe have secured funding for the return to service of the A320 fleet. Aircraft expected to ply regional routes and feed into the B772 international service."
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa on Friday led a team of Senior MDC leaders to Midlands where they interacted with structures before proceeding to Gweru where there was a political debate between Candidates who are gunning for top position during the Congress.The delegation included Professor Welshman Ncube, David Coltart, Douglas Mwonzora and Charlton Hwende.Announcing the trip earlier Chamisa said, "Today we are in Midlands for a series of consultative meetings with opinion leaders, key stakeholders and party structures. We shall then proceed to attend the Midlands provincial caucus in Gweru for the congress candidates debate."Today we are in Midlands for a series of consultative meetings with opinion leaders, key stakeholders and party structures. We shall then proceed to attend the Midlands provincial caucus in Gweru for the congress candidates debate. We lead. We plan. We fight to win."
News / Press Release

by Agencies

Harare Receivables Exchange is providing SMEs in Zimbabwe alternative sources of working capital.Harare, May 10th 2019: Local start-up Harare Receivables Exchange was one of seven companies to meet the UK's Secretary of State, Rory Stewart, on the side lines of the Africa Financial Services Investment Conference (AFSIC) underway in London.Harare Receivables Exchange, the first receivables-focused trading company in Zimbabwe, is helping to grow local businesses by unlocking working capital through supply chain finance.The meeting was an opportunity for the Secretary of State to meet the local businesses supported through the DFID-funded Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa).FSD Africa is in the advanced stages of a possible investment into Harare Receivables Exchange. If approved, the investment will enable the company to grow its portfolio and expand into agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transportation, IT services and the healthcare sector.The meeting follows a high-level delegation to several African countries led by the UK's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The delegation announced 82 million worth of investment in various African businesses, aid, and funding for development programmes.Taku Chinhengo, Executive Director, Harare Receivables Exchange said: "It was a pleasure meeting the Secretary of State for International Development, representatives from DIFD and FSD Africa. I found that ultimately, we all share in the belief that supporting trade is a key pillar in supporting communities and their long term sustainability and wealth. The funding provided to companies such as Harare Receivables Exchange will be instrumental in the growth of local and international trade for Zimbabwe."In a speech delivered during the Africa Financial Services Investment Conference, Secretary of State for International Development, Rory Stewart, said: "We should partner together, develop together, learn together. Bring our very different strengths and weaknesses together, bring the ageing population of Britain working together with the incredible, dynamic, young populations of Africa. Bring your natural resources together with the finance of the City of London, but above all harness the power of people.Trust people, local people, people on the ground for their innovation, their ingenuity, their energy. Through this partnership, through our investment which I and the British people are deeply proud to make with you, we will discover that we probably have less to teach Africa than we have to learn from Africa."
Opinion / Columnist

Following the High Court ruling yesterday, that the appointment of Nelson Chamisa as one of the two additional vice presidents three years ago was illegal, thus his current presidency at the helm of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is null and void has left the youthful leader camp in disarray and running scared.Soon after the judgement, Mr Chamisa tried hard to put up a brave face at a hastily organised press conference through his national party spokesperson, Mr Jacob Mafume. The foul mouthed spokesperson strangely claimed that 'President Mnangagwa's administration was seeking to destabilise the opposition party.'What boggles one's mind is that Mr Mafume as learned as he claims to be, why did he chose to trash the court's judgement and lay the blame on President Mnangagwa's Government? Where does President Mnangagwa, Government or ZANU PF come in on internal matters that concern the breach of constitution of another political party?A lawyer by profession, Mr Chamisa and his fellow MDC counterparts should appreciate that Justice Edith Mushore just applied basic tenets of the same party constitution that they trample on to arrive at her judgement.Nothing is amiss on her judgement, the late Morgan Tsvangirai should have followed their own constitution that they created to govern themselves. As a political outfit they claim to be the 'champions of democracy' yet they allowed Tsvangirai to personalise the party to the extent of stamping on their own party constitution which is supreme to any individual.Everyone in the party should have considered the unconstitutionality of all the actions that led to Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri to become vice presidents. This is the same party that boast of having many people who have studied the law profession, including Chamisa himself.Since 2016, Chamisa's ascendancy to the co-vice presidency post has been challenged left, right and centre with one of the VPs Dr Thokozani Khuphe insisting that she was the only bonafide party vice president elected at a congress. From the onset Dr Khuphe expressed her discomfort against the late Tsvangirai's decision to appoint the two leaders until the time of his death in February 2017.From then, one may recall that to bolster his illegal ascendancy to the MDC top job, Mr Chamisa employed all forms of violent tactics against his perceived opponents. He used the violent MDC Vanguard militia led by the Deputy Youth Chairperson, Shakespeare Mukoyi to terrorize some of the casualties that include Khuphe, Mudzuri, Douglas Mwonzora and Lwazi Tashabangu, among others.The irony of Mr Chamisa's illegitimate presidency is that since 31 July 2018, he has been accusing President Mnangagwa of the same 'legitimacy issues' yet he is the one occupying the MDC hot seat illegally.In the bible there is the famous Matthew 7 verse 3 which perfectly describes Chamisa's stance on 'illegitimacy' which says, "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your eye, and then you will see clearly the speck from your brother's eye."What is left is to be seen whether the illegitimate Chamisa and his party will swallow their pride and follow what was prescribed by the High Court to hold an extra ordinary congress within a month using the 2014 structures or they will continue trampling on their own constitution which they are supposed to uphold.In isiNdebele there is a saying that says, "asazi ukuthi iyozala nkomoni." - at this juncture we wait and see what Mr Chamisa and his MDC crew has in store for us as they ponder their next move.
Opinion / Columnist

Mthwakazi National Party is carefully following the developments with regards to the resolution of the Gukurahundi genocide. Gukurahundi was a criminal offence aimed at exterminating a political group based on ethnic hatred and its final closure will be after the disclosure of the truth and the execution of justice. This is the only way to safeguard peace in Zimbabwe. Gukurahundi was a grave crime against humanity and must be condemned by all defenders of human rights in Zimbabwe and internationally.We welcome, with due caution, Mr Mnangagwa's interest to address the Gukurahundi genocide, a considerable step from the otherwise hostile approach of his predecessor, Mr Mugabe. While it is a welcome note that the Gukurahundi genocide is being revisited, it is a cause for concern that the government is not committed to redressing the causes and subsequent effects of the genocide. We affirm that any permanent solution and closure of the genocide must include the families of the victims and aimed at healing the wounds of all those affected.We recall that it is the duty of the State to honour and dignify all the victims of the Gukurahundi genocide, both the living and the dead. However, we do not expect the perpetrators to deliver justice to the victims and thus call upon the people of Mthwakazi in particular and Zimbabwe in general, to resist any attempts by the perpetrators to evade justice.True peace among the peoples of Zimbabwe will only be when the truth is told and justice is delivered. Only then can we achieve the reconciliation necessary for social development. Mthwakazi National Party is dedicated to the mobilisation and conscientisation of the people of Mthwakazi to take the power and deliver justice for the people of the Midlands and Mathebeleland regions of Zimbabwe. Justice delayed for the people of Mathebeleland and Midlands is justice denied. The resolution of the Gukurahundi genocide is not a question of peace at the expense of justice, but for justice as a pre-requisite for peace in Zimbabwe. We would also like to emphasise the urgency due to the subject, recalling that it is necessary to collect evidence from living survivors and witnesses for the imminent criminal justice in the near future.It is through affirmative action that the people of Mathebeleland and Midlands can fully recover from the evils of the successive governments since the colonization of Mthwakazi in November of 1893 to date. The solution must also include those who were affected in different ways, affirming and considering that the genocide was a planned and multi-faceted programme of evil action that changed the lives of many people in a negative way.There is enough evidence to convict former and current senior officials of the government of Zimbabwe before a just court of law on the Gukurahundi genocide. These include the then Prime Minister and former president Robert Mugabe, the then Minister of State Security and the current President, Emerson Mnangagwa, the then Commander of the Fifth Brigade and current Minister of Agriculture, Perrence Shiri among many others.We hail the efforts of civic organisations to bring the Gukurahundi issue to discussion and urge our people to support all efforts, big and small, aimed at resolving the wrongs of the past. We commend the good works of such organisations as ZPRA War Veterans Trust, Ukuthula Trust, Ibhetshu Likazulu, Habakkuk Trust and many more organisations and individuals of good faith who are directly engaging the victims and collecting information from witnesses and survivors.We would like to challenge the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission to exercise due diligence in its primary objective of resolving the Gukurahundi genocide and other post-independence political crimes perpetrated especially by the State, with the unbiased view of bringing lasting peace and genuine reconciliation for the people of Zimbabwe.Recalling the place and role of the United Kingdom in post-independence Zimbabwe, the undisputable and direct involvement of North Korea in the genocide and all other foreign parties who were either compliant or ignorant on the matter, we charge the international community to act in good faith, in solidarity with the people of Mthwakazi. Peace in Zimbabwe is peace to the world. We urge all actors, foreign states, religious communities, investors and all people of influence around the world to challenge the government of Zimbabwe and advocate for the establishment of an independent court to investigate and convict the perpetrators, to resolve the issue of the Gukurahundi genocide with the depth it deserves.We condemn all efforts by the perpetrators and beneficiaries of the genocide to destroy evidence, suppress truth telling, sanctify the evil past and delay justice. The negative and unconstructive statements echoed by some senior government officials, such as the Presidential Spokesperson Mr George Charamba on the Gukurahundi issue are reason enough to doubt the government's willingness to right the wrongs of the past.In our determination to resolve the Mthwakazi question and bring true peace to the people of Mthwakazi, we demand due independent investigations to the causes of the genocide and the unveiling of the truth. More so, we demand the criminalisation of all those responsible for the murder of thousands of unarmed men, women and children.We affirm that the ultimate justice for the people of Mthwakazi is their right to independence. Mthwakazi National Party is dedicated to forcing the ZANU PF regime to organising a referendum on Mthwakazi independence.Siyaphambili!!!Tondambeli!!!Tuya kunembo!!!
- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
(Getty Images)

Another day, another breach, is the tune were trolling to these days. This week, Freedom Mobile announced its database had been breached, affecting 15,000 users. Whether or not this data has been misused is still being investigated, but the information was unencrypted. And while this public data was compromised, tech giants like Google are now giving users more control over how long their data lives online. Control and transparency over ones data is a win, but what happens when that data gets into dangerous hands?

The global management firm Accenture reported on the cost of cyber crime, surveying 25 Canadian companies, and found they recorded an average of 75 cyber attacks in 2018. This translates to nearly 1.5 attacks per week.

Malware and people-based cyberattacks cost Canadians an average of US$9.25 million. And lets not forget about ransomware, a.k.a. malware which holds data hostage until a random is paid. Cyber crime is costly.

Ransomware is an issue and hackers usually demand to be paid in bitcoin, Carole Piovesan, co-founder and partner of INQ Data Law, which specializes in cyber security, tells Yahoo Finance Canada. Where theres a ransomware attack, law enforcement may need to be involved.

Piovesan says if she were a business today, the first step shed take is document my existing cybersecurity policies and processes to make sure I have a record of what I already do. Next, she would engage an expert and ensure the most robust policies are in place so that the more sensitive the data, the more technical security and comprehensive my cyber preparedness plan is, she says. Piovesan also recommends a cyber fire drill that lays out the plan for what to do when theres a breach.

But, what is Canada doing to help?

Im confident that the Government of Canada and the agencies of the Government of Canada understand that this may be the greatest threat facing the country today, Honourable Senator Douglas Black tells Yahoo Finance Canada.

Story continues

As the chairman of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, Black oversaw the 2018 report, which addresses Canadas cyber security strategy. In the report, the committee recommends the appointment of a cybersecurity minister as well as issuing security tax incentives for businesses.

Unfortunately, not all companies care about cyber security enough: a 2017 survey by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce found that 64 per cent of businesses surveyed had no intention of investing in cyber security measures at the time.

Now its 2019 and we are in a whole new league of misfortunes. Still, from 2016 to 2018 only 46 per cent of companies worldwide had conducted specific risk assessments into cyber attack vulnerability, according to the report.

Since releasing the report in October, Black says the government has created and implemented a national cyber strategy, invested in new budgetary measures to establish a Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and a National Cybercrime Coordination Unit, and has expanded powers for the Chief Information Officer of the Government of Canada.

10 million Canadians have fallen prey to cyber attacks in the last year alone, says Black. And the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada doesnt have the power to make companies comply with legislation designed to protect Canadian consumers, or to impose fines when companies breach that legislation, which is a problem, he says.

Black suggests the need to establish a pool of trained and trusted specialists available to strengthen our systems and catch vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. Black also says the government should encourage Canadians to pursue education in this field with the goal of doubling the number of graduates with cyber security expertise in the next four years.

Cyber security needs to be a priority on its own, it cannot fall under the umbrella of another ministry, asserts Black. A lack of focused attention on the issue has brought us to the precarious position we now occupy. Creating a new ministry will allow Canadians to hold the federal government to account for its efforts to keep Canadians safe.

And when a national cyber literacy program is created (another recommendation), Black states it should be led by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.

Canadas breach law came into effect last year, but Piovesan says more needs to be done.

Companies need to invest in proper policies for breach preparedness, which includes having retainers in place with legal and forensic experts to be able to react quickly and appropriately. They also need to know how to track their investments in preparedness, she says.
Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- As Republican states across the country barrel toward more and more restrictive abortion legislation, President Donald Trump has homed in on a key issue for his 2020 platform that instead puts the focus on Democrats: late-term abortion.

The president's re-election campaign, backed by anti-abortion rights groups, sees the controversial wedge issue as a winning platform that will galvanize the presidents base. It's also an issue that, despite Trump's misrepresentation of the rare and complicated circumstances that lead to abortions later in pregnancy, is not supported by most Americans, making it a difficult topic for Democrats who advocate for abortion rights to address.

The latest example of Trump's elevated rhetoric on the issue and at least the fifth time Trump has worked it into public speeches since late-March came on Wednesday at a campaign rally in Panama City Beach, Florida.

"Democrats are aggressively pushing late-term abortion, allowing for children to be ripped from their mother's womb right up until the moment of birth," Trump said to familiar shouts of disapproval from the crowd.

"Late-term abortion," a non-medical term largely used by anti-abortion groups, accounts for just 1.3 percent of all abortions, according to a 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control, and mostly happens because of complications for the viability of the fetus or the woman that poses a risk to health or life.

In 43 states across the U.S., abortions after a certain point in pregnancy are prohibited unless that's the case, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

But it's not a new fight, and certainly not surprising coming from a president heralded by anti-abortion advocates as the "most pro-life president ever."

In fact, in the face of a new wave of restrictive abortion laws aimed to overturn Roe vs. Wade while the Supreme Court has a conservative lean -- laws in states like Georgia, which just passed an abortion ban after six weeks, and Alabama, which is on its way to passing a ban on all abortions as soon as a fetus is "in utero" -- Trump's push to focus on late-term abortion could even be seen as traditional, said abortion historian and law professor Mary Ziegler.

"For some time, soft spots for the pro-choice movement were seen to be later abortions, and so the kind of classic, incremental approach to attacking Roe vs. Wade would be to focus on areas where the public is already skeptical, like later abortions, and go from there. To paint your opponent as extreme -- and claim that you represent mainstream America, which I think is what Trump is trying to do," said Ziegler, a professor at the Florida State University College of Law and author of two history books on abortion.

But, like much of what the president does, his strategy is far less traditional because of the way he is doing it.

"It is traditional in the sense that those arguments have always been made by pro-lifers, but not the ones that were the most politically sophisticated. Those were kind of made much more by, for example, people protesting at clinics, but those were seen to be politically counterproductive by a lot of the larger, more sophisticated pro-life groups," Ziegler said.

That rhetoric, Ziegler said, is often considered too extreme to be effective.

Elizabeth Nash, an abortion rights advocate who tracks state legislation nationwide, called it "pushing the envelope."

"Were seeing President Trump make comments about abortions later in pregnancy that are just out beyond the pale," said Nash, who works for the abortion rights advocacy group the Guttmacher Institute.

'That's going to be good for us in 2020'

While they do not reflect the majority of circumstances that lead to abortions later in pregnancy, comments from Trump and his administration about executing babies and ripping them from the womb may resonate with the large majority of voters who do not support abortions conducted in the third trimester.

The majority of Americans, or about 6 in 10, think abortion should generally be legal in the first three months of pregnancy, but that support drops to 13 percent for abortions conducted in the final three months of pregnancy, according to a 2018 Gallup poll.

It's one reason why, in talking about the emotionally-charged issue, the Trump campaign said it is poised to push Democrats into a corner on an area of support for abortion rights  a position Trump and his campaign, through intense rhetoric, will seek to highlight as "extreme."

As Socialist Democrats continue to champion infanticide, we will make sure every American sees their extreme views for what they are  support for murdering children, Erin Perrine, the 2020 Trump campaign's deputy communications director, said in a statement to ABC News.

The president, for his part, continues to paint Democrats as a party that has totally abandoned the American mainstream," as he said in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington in February. But that's going to be good for us in 2020, he added.

Mallory Quigley, communications director for the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List has worked with the White House for two years. She echoed the presidents comments, describing his attention to "late-term abortion" as a winning platform.

I think by continuing to talk about the life issue, President Trump is mobilizing his base for the next election but also reaching new segments of voters, including people who might vote for Democratic candidates until they hear about their abortion extremism, Quigley told ABC News.

The president, in part, is speaking from experience. During his 2016 campaign, he often used the same intense terms he's revived on the campaign trail for 2020.

In an October 2016 debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas, Trump said it was unacceptable that "you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day."

Clinton quickly refuted Trump's claim.

You should meet with the women Ive met with; women Ive known over the course of my life, she said. This is one of the worst possible choices that any woman and her family has to make. And I do not believe the government should be making it.

Fast forward to the run-up to another presidential election, when Trump again laid out his strong views before a national audience  this time at his State of the Union speech this year.

The topic had recently been in the headlines after Democratic legislatures in New York and Virginia both introduced laws that expanded women's access to abortion later in pregnancy. Controversial comments by Virginias Gov. Ralph Northam conversation and quickly found the top of the presidents Twitter feed.

The legislation in New York and Virginia, however, didn't support the Trump administration's assertions that Democrats advocate killing babies after they're born  a claim Democrats vehemently reject. Infanticide is illegal and a 2002 law specifically protects infants who survive abortion.

What both laws did seek to do is lessen some of the restrictions on abortions later in pregnancy, which, in a state like Virginia  where the bill later failed to pass  requires approval from three doctors.

But in the months since the laws passed, Trump has repeatedly sought to paint Democrats as the Party of late-term abortion.

Repeatedly, he's woven the issue in with his most well-worn attacks against Democrats. "Democrats are now the party of high taxes, high crime, open borders, late-term abortion, witch hunts and delusions," he said at the Florida rally on Wednesday. "The Republican Party is the Party for all Americans."

Charlie Camosy, an associate professor at Fordham University who studies the ethics of abortion, called the platform politically savvy  albeit unsurprising given the public polling.

Republicans and Trump are picking up on this because late-term abortion is about as unpopular as anything in the country, said Camosy, who serves as a member on the Board of Directors for the anti-abortion rights group Democrats For Life.

Camosy issued fellow progressives a warning.

I say this as a Democrat. Its an unforced error on the part of Democrats to really put this out there because the constituency on this is just so small," he said.

How are Democrats responding as they head toward 2020?

Many 2020 Democratic candidates continue to face questions about abortion later in pregnancy, both in interviews and, in some cases, directly from voters on the trail.

ABC News reached out to the Democratic candidates for a response on Trump's assertion that they're the "Party of late-term abortion."

Most candidates -- if they responded -- called Trump out for using false and inflammatory rhetoric, while also issuing their broad support for abortion rights. None commented specifically on gestational limits for abortion.

In a statement to ABC News, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Trump's rhetoric was "not only dishonest, but it's incredibly dangerous. She called the presidents assertions 100 percent false.

Let me be clear  there is zero place for politicians to be involved in these very personal and complex medical decisions, and they should only be made between a woman, her family and her doctor - period, full stop, Gillibrand said in a statement.

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker rejected Trumps claims as reckless and said it could endanger clinics that provide abortion services.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the Democrat from Hawaii, criticized Northam for his comments but thwarted the notion that Democrats support "the horrific policy of infanticide."

"I'm sure the vast majority of Democrats, like all Americans, would agree," Gabbard said.

At a recent televised town hall hosted by Fox News, 2020 candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked if a woman should "be able to terminate a pregnancy up until the moment of birth."

In his answer, Sanders advocated for a woman's right to decide with her doctor, saying abortions in the third trimester were "rare" and "being made into a political issue."

But soon after, Sanders was criticized both for going too far and not far enough -- a constant challenge Democrats face on the subject.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, a religious Episcopalian and a supporter of abortion rights, took aim at the question itself when he was asked on MSNBC what he would say to people who cant get past his support of late-term abortion.

The way this has been characterized, especially lately, is asking questions that almost in themselves are misleading about the medical situations women face, not to mention the personal decisions theyre confronted with, Buttigieg said. These are women facing some of the most unbelievably excruciating decisions, and if they dont think it's easy, its certainly not going to be any easier for government officials like me to come in and tell them what to do.

Other Democrats who commented on the issue, including Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton and Mayor Wayne Messam of Miramar, Florida, also advocated for women, along with their doctors, to make their own medical decisions.

An issue that's already playing out on the ground

Places like Ohio, a conservative swing state that was key to Trumps 2016 win, offer a glimpse into the challenge Democrats face when talking about abortions later in pregnancy with voters.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from the state, faced tough scrutiny when he voted against a Republican effort to underscore opposition to abortions later in pregnancy last month. His local newspaper slammed him with an editorial about morality, saying Infanticide is never acceptable.

In a statement to ABC News, Brown defended his vote, saying the bill pushed by Republicans wasnt about protecting women; it was about scoring political points at the expense of women's health and freedom to make their own healthcare decisions.

Nevertheless, the issue is bound to come up again and again as the road to 2020 continues.

Jane Timken, the chairperson of the GOP in Browns home state of Ohio, said she sees opposition to late-term abortion resonate with voters in the swing state  and its not going away.

Millennials and young Republicans are particularly appalled by it, she said, describing it as a definite motivator for the Republican voters she talks to around her state.

Its too early to tell what each Democrat's message will be in 2020, Timken said, but she doesn't believe it will be "a winning message for Ohio."

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff pledged at an anti-abortion rally in Toronto Thursday to make abortion "unthinkable."

"I'm pro-life. I believe children should be allowed to live, no matter how small they are," said Oosterhoff.

"We have survived 50 years of abortion in Canada and we pledge to fight to make abortion unthinkable in our lifetime."

He made the comments at an anti-abortion rally in front of Queen's Park Thursday. Toronto's event comes alongside a similar rally Thursday at Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Oosterhoff told CBC News that he doesn't have a problem raising these issues at the provincial legislature, or anywhere else.

"I have no problem talking about the importance respecting life no matter how small child is," said Oosterhoff.

He thanked people for attending the rally, citing that it was the first March for Life in Toronto.

"Thank you for being among the first. You are all trailblazers because you believe in the rights of mothers and children."

Oosterhoff was one of three MPPs to take the stage at the rally. Christina Mitas, MPP for Scarborough Centre, and Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford-Brant, were alongside him.

The comments came in time for the topic to be addressed during question period.

NDP MPP for the riding of Nickel Belt, France Gelinas, asked Premier Doug Ford if he supports his MPPs who were at the rally.

Ford deferred the question to Energy Minister Greg Rickford.

Rickford addressed the legislature, touching on various topics including the carbon tax, but avoided the topic of the rally altogether.

Lisa Xing/CBC

Ford later issued a statement after Oosterhoff's comments saying abortion was not part of his agenda.

"The Ontario PC Party is a big tent. We welcome members from a wide variety of backgrounds and beliefs," said Ford. "The government will not re-open the abortion debate."

After Ford's statement, Oosterhoff was asked again by the media about his stance on abortion.

Story continues

"To quote Dr. Seuss, "A person's a person no matter how small," said Oosterhoff.

Horwath says NDP are 'horrified'

Andrea Horwath, leader of the official opposition NDP and Hamilton Centre MPP, has condemned the comments.

"We are horrified that Doug Ford continues to refuse to denounce his MPP's dangerous, anti-choice and anti-women position," said Horwath.

"Every woman has the right to make decisions about her health care, her family and her body, including the decision to seek a safe medical abortion. Sam Oosterhoff and Doug Ford have no right to attack that."

This is the second time in days that Oosterhoff, 21, has been in the news. The anti-abortion comments come on the heels of the MPP calling Niagara Regional Police to have a small group of seniors reading books removed from his Beamsville office Tuesday.
By Alexandra Alper and Allison Lampert (Reuters) - China's CRRC plans to bid on a big Washington D.C. subway project as it doubles down on a charm campaign in the United States to quash a rising chorus of critics who have cast the rail car maker as a threat to cyber security and U.S. industry. The world's largest maker of passenger trains has roared into the U.S. market in recent years, clinching contracts in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles by underbidding rivals - including Canada's Bombardier - by hundreds of millions of dollars. It plans to bid this month on the D.C. Metro rail car contract, worth more than $500 million, Dave Smolensky, a spokesman for the company's Chicago-based CRRC Sifang subsidiary told Reuters. And it has also set its sights on winning an order to supply 1,500 cars as part of New York City's massive subway system upgrade, according to an industry source familiar with the matter. While there are no U.S. passenger-car builders, CRRC's success has fueled a backlash by American freight companies, which fear the company will encroach on the country's far bigger freight car market. Raising questions about whether China could spy on passengers if CRRC gets the D.C. project, the freight lobby helped U.S. lawmakers craft a bill that would prevent transit agencies from spending federal dollars on projects awarded to the firm. While some experts have described the purported cyber threat as fear mongering, CRRC is taking steps to counter those concerns, telling Reuters it plans to hire a new lobbyist, engage a cyber security adviser and host an industry summit to explore tougher cyber regulations and take a critical look at its own protocols. The upcoming bid and charm offensive show how some China-based companies have not been deterred in their quest to grow U.S. market share, despite an ongoing trade war between the two countries and growing concerns about Chinese technology's spying capabilities. "We want to take this time to say, "Hey, we are willing to sit around the table with you, we want to demonstrate...there are no vulnerabilities in what we provide you," said Lydia Rivera, a spokeswoman for CRRC's Massachusetts unit. The U.S. Department of Justice has been aggressively pursuing cases of Chinese espionage, elevating the issue to front page news and creating a fresh rationale to oppose CRRC's bid for Washington D.C.'s 8000-series car tender in the military and intelligence hub of the United States. A STRAW MAN? The Rail Security Alliance, a freight lobbying group made up of manufacturers, suppliers, and steel workers, formed three and a half years ago to oppose CRRC's rapid expansion in the U.S. passenger rail market. When trains become driverless in the near future, "you are going to have...the ability to control it from here or Beijing or wherever," said RSA lobbyist Erik Olson. If CRRC won the contract, he added, it could also track the movements of members of Congress and intelligence officials, and steal user data if WIFI is installed. Some transport industry and cyber security experts reject many of Olson's concerns. Robert Puentes, president of the Eno Center for Transportation, said strong transit agency oversight means it would be very hard for "even the most sophisticated espionage" to work for CRRC, adding that it was unclear why the company would seek to spy on passengers. "It is kind of a straw man," he said. As long as the cars do not communicate with the manufacturer, there would be no risk of remote control, beyond the normal hacking risk that comes with offering Wifi, said James Lewis, Director of the Technology Policy Program at think tank CSIS. "If you are going to spy on somebody would you really use a metro car?" he asked. "The Chinese government is not trustworthy and that is part of why we are going through all this," he added, noting that CRRC used predatory pricing to hurt its rivals, which "is different from cybersecurity." Bombardier, which benefits from a joint-venture with CRRC in China, has lost out to the Chinese giant in Chicago, but recently beat the company for a separate order in New Jersey. "We welcome the competition, but were not going to lie down and let anyone take our market," Bombardier Transportation President Danny Di Perna told Reuters last week. Facing public fears of their trains being hacked, Washington's metro agency WMATA updated its tender in February to beef up cyber security requirements. Meanwhile, CRRC says it uses non-Chinese suppliers, including Alstom, Siemens and Ansaldo STS for sensitive technology such as the Automatic Train Control Systems safety feature for U.S. models. Still, CRRC may pose a bigger economic risk if it does make a foray into the U.S. freight market. Australia saw its domestic freight industry obliterated a decade after CRRC arrived. RSA's influence may be growing. A measure last year to keep cities from allocating federal funds for rail projects led by Chinese companies failed. But Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, where freight company and RSA-member Trinity Industries is based, has proposed a similar bill again this year. Last month, Atlanta transit agency MARTA passed over CRRC to award a 127 car project to Switzerlands Stadler, after RSA visited them twice. The bill's passage is far from guaranteed in a deeply divided Congress, where some legislators support CRRC for its affordable trains and local factories with American workers. "Even though there are these alarms that folks have set off about national and economic security, there is a flip side to it," said Puentes. "It is a major cost saver and a good value for these procurements for these cities around the country." (Editing by Chris Sanders and Edward Tobin)
When the Harper family first walked into apartment 107 in what has become the new home for Matthew House Windsor, they were shocked to find patchy drywall, scraped cupboards and nearly-unlivable conditions.

"Before, it was a disaster," said Don Harper.

Now, the 15 members of the Harper family who all helped renovate the apartment together are applying the finishing touches, before a refugee mother walks in with her three daughters to call it home.

"It really makes me feel good. Part of the whole process was the fun that we had as a family working together," he added. "We are excited to know the family that's coming is going to be able to use it."

This past weekend, refugees living in Matthew House Windsor have been moving out of its old single-family home on Drouillard Road into its new facility  the 18,000-square-foot ALPHA House in Forest Glade.

Jason Viau/CBC

Harper, along with his wife Rose, are just two of the 250 community members who have come together to make it all happen.

"We're a mission-based church that goes to missions all over the world. And here's a mission right here in Windsor that we can support," said Rose.

"We felt if we could help one refugee family to be able to live here and be comfortable in Windsor, then they could move on and then this apartment could be helping somebody else that's coming in."

"Prior to now, unaccompanied minors, 16 and 17 years olds for the most part, have been getting shipped off to Toronto, even though they want to stay here in Windsor. - Mike Morency, executive director of Matthew House Windsor

For the past five weeks, the Harper family has improved the apartment to a livable standard.

"Our family, all of us, decided that we were going to adopt this apartment," said Rose, adding the work started with removing doorknobs, painting the walls and finding furniture.

"Every bit of furniture that's in here has been donated. This is totally livable right now, right down to the dishes and the cupboard."

Story continues

Refugee families settling in to new facility

After fleeing to Canada due to fears of facing religious persecution in Nigeria, Victor Anteyi brought his wife and two children to Windsor on April 1.

They had spent the past year living in Montreal.

"I had to look for a place befitting for my family, which I got to understand Windsor is just the right place to be," said Anteyi, adding staff at Matthew House Windsor made him feel welcome and comfortable from the on-set.

According to Anteyi, the old building lacked "ambience, environment and space." He said the new facility is helping Matthew House "do more in terms of serving humanity."

Why a new facility was needed

But there's still more work to be done, according to Matthew House Windsor executive director Mike Morency.

New flooring has yet to be installed and more appliances are needed inside the facility's program room, which will be used for language classes, cooking lessons and finance workshops, among others.

The new building, however, is a sizable improvement over Matthew House Windsor's former home and will be split into two sections.

Jason Viau/CBC

One is for single-father families, traditional families and single men. The other side will house single-mother families, single women and unaccompanied minors.

"Prior to now, unaccompanied minors, 16 and 17 years olds for the most part, have been getting shipped off to Toronto, even though they want to stay here in Windsor," said Morency.

"So now, with this facility, we'll be able to have them stay right here within Matthew House while they go through their process," he said.

The new facility will also make it easier for refugees to move from one living space to another.

"Here, we'll have 12 bedrooms as well as 11 transitional apartments ... so people will be able to move from a room over to an apartment until they can find affordable permanent housing in the community."

Renovations are set to finish by July 1. However, the refugee welcome centre is short about $15,000 to buy materials for the renovations.
By Richard Lough and Sophie Louet PARIS (Reuters) - French commandos rescued four foreign hostages including two French citizens from a militant group in Burkina Faso, France's military said on Friday, adding that two of the elite soldiers were killed in the night-time operation. French special forces carried out the raid under cover of dark over the night of Thursday-Friday, supported by U.S. intelligence and troops from France's Barkhane operation deployed in the Sahel region to counter Islamist militants. All four hostages were safe, President Emmanuel Macron's office said, adding that a U.S. woman and a South Korean woman were also freed in the covert operation. "The precise and determined actions of French soldiers allowed us to take out the kidnappers while protecting the lives of the hostages," France's army chief Francois Lecointre told a news conference, describing the militant group as "terrorists". Four kidnappers were killed and two escaped, he said. "Those who attack France and the French know that we will spare no effort to track them and take them out. We will never abandon our citizens," Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told reporters. The French forces had not been aware of the presence of the U.S. and South Korean hostages ahead of the operation and they had been held for 28 days, Lecointre said. "We were not aware of their presence ... the American will be repatriated separately," Parly said. "The contacts (with those countries) show that these countries were not necessarily aware of their presence." A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department said the United States was grateful for the successful recovery of the hostages, including a U.S. citizen, and offered condolences to the families of the two solders killed. "The successful operation demonstrates the importance of our historic alliance with France. We reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Burkina Faso and Benin in the face of these threats," she said. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency quoted a South Korean foreign ministry official as saying the French government reported the hostage rescue and no missing person report had been filed to the South Korean ministry. The official added that the South Korean ministry is looking into how the person got kidnapped and rescued, according to Yonhap. France, the former colonial power in the region, intervened in Mali in 2013 against Islamist militants then occupying Mali's north and has since kept about 4,500 troops in the Sahel. The region has seen a spike in violence by militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in past years, highlighting the difficulty international partners face in restoring stability. France's defense ministry identified the fallen soldiers as two elite naval commandos. Burkina Faso's President Roch Kabore hailed the hostages' release and offered condolences to the soldiers' families. "The joint military intervention that allowed us to achieve these results shows our common engagement in fighting against the forces of evil," Kabore said in a Facebook post. SPREADING INSTABILITY The two French tourists were kidnapped on May 1 in Benin's Pendjari National Park, which lies on Benin's northern frontier with Burkina Faso. Their safari guide was found dead, his body riddled with bullets, and their vehicle burned. The French government had warned its citizens against traveling to parts of Benin near the Burkina Faso border because of the risk of kidnapping. Swathes of northern and eastern Burkina Faso have been overrun by militants, leaving the government struggling to assert authority and forcing over 100,000 residents to flee. In February, Burkina Faso said militants were increasingly active in West Africa and instability in the Sahel was spreading to coastal countries such as Benin and Ivory Coast. Led by France, Western powers have also provided funding and weapons to a regional force made up of soldiers from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania to combat jihadists. But the so-called G5 force has been hobbled by delays in disbursing the money and poor coordination between the five countries, while insecurity has escalated in the border region between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. (Additional reporting by John Irish and Michel Rose in Paris, David Brunnstrom in Washington and Jane Chung in Seoul; Editing by William Maclean, James Dalgleish and Jonathan Oatis)
MILAN (AP)  After last year's start in Israel and British cyclist Chris Froome's victory in Rome, this year's Giro d'Italia is likely to be a far more Italian affair.

And, with only two previous champions competing, one of the most open races in recent history.

Froome has decided to focus on winning a fifth Tour de France title rather than defend his Giro crown. Vincenzo Nibali is back, though, after the 2013 and 2016 winner decided to skip his home Grand Tour last year. Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin, who won the race in 2017 and finished runner-up last year, is also looking for another victory.

The 102nd edition of the race runs from May 11-June 2 and consists of 21 days of racing, totaling 3,518.5 kilometers (2,186.4 miles) between the start in Bologna and the finish in Verona.

Here are some key things to know about the race:

MAIN CONTENDERS

Nibali is looking to become the oldest Giro winner as he will be 34 years, 200 days when the race concludes in Verona.

The current oldest winner is Fiorenzo Magni, who was 34 years, 180 days when he won the 1955 Giro.

Nibali, who has also won the Tour and the Spanish Vuelta, has finished on the podium each of the previous five times he has competed in the Giro and Bahrain-Merida general manager Brent Copeland has warned rivals he is in great form.

"We have worked hard to get to the start of this Giro with the best possible team," Copeland said. "Vincenzo has worked tremendously hard to the buildup of this race and his physical condition is at one of the best I have seen in years before a Grand Tour."

Nibali's main rivals include Dumoulin, Colombian climber Miguel Angel Lopez, Mikel Landa of Spain, the in-form Slovenian Primoz Roglic and Britain's reigning Vuelta champion Simon Yates, who led the race for 13 days last year.

Another pre-race favorite, Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal, had to pull out after breaking his collarbone in a training accident last week.

Story continues

World champion Alejandro Valverde and Fabio Aru are also out with injury.

MOUNTAIN DRAMA

The Giro features three individual time trials and seven mountain finishes in a testing route which features the toughest climbs during the second half to the race.

In total the riders will have to climb 46,500 meters of elevation, in what organizers have called "one of the hardest courses in recent years."

There is just one stage suitable for sprinters in the final week and three high difficulty stages.

The final week starts with a bang as stage 16 is a long, testing Alpine leg of 226 kilometers with 5,700 meters of climbing.

The riders will face the Presolana Pass, the Croce di Salven Pass, the Gavia Pass  the highest point of this edition  and the Mortirolo Pass from the hardest side of Mazzo di Valtellina.

That is one of the toughest days of this year's race along with the 14th stage, which is a short but intense leg, with 4,000 meters of climbing packed into 131 kilometers from Saint Vincent to Courmayeur.

There are four steep climbs in quick succession before the final ascent up to the foot of the Monte Bianco Skyway.

That comes before the race's longest leg: 237 kilometers from Ivrea to Como

ITALIAN STYLE

This year's Giro will stay almost entirely in Italy.

The race will cross into another country just once  and briefly at that  as it visits the republic of San Marino for the uphill finish of the ninth-stage time trial.

The 34.8-kilometer leg could mark the start of the real battle for overall victory and every second lost will be tough to pull back as the race heads into the mountains.

That day is also the race's "wine stage" as it celebrates the red Sangiovese wines of the area.

A number of important social and cultural references will be made over the course.

Stage seven finishes in L'Aquila, where the Giro will commemorate 10 years since the earthquake that devastated the city and its surroundings in 2009.

The Giro will also remember people that have impacted Italy's history.

The third stage will start from the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, 500 years after his death. Stage eight finishes in Pesaro, the birthplace of the composer Gioacchino Rossini.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
By Joyce Lee and Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - The leader of North Korea ordered its military to boost its strike capability as he directed another missile firing, state media said on Friday, as tensions grew over tests that appeared to show development of a new advanced missile system. Kim Jong Un's call for a "full combat posture" follows the U.S. seizure of a large North Korean cargo ship accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of U.N. sanctions. The increased tensions come amid a gridlock in dialogue after the second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed over U.S. demands for Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament and Kim's demands for relief from sanctions. "(Kim) stressed the need to further increase the capability of the defense units in the forefront area and on the western front to carry out combat tasks and keep full combat posture to cope with any emergency," KCNA news agency reported. He noted "genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty," KCNA said, adding he "set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability." The test of two short-range missiles on Thursday and the firing of a series of projectiles on Saturday were the first missile launches by the North since an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017. Kim later declared the building of its nuclear force was complete and went on to hold three summit meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and two with Trump. Both Trump and Moon said the latest missile tests were not helpful but suggested they would not scupper dialogue. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they're ready to negotiate," Trump told reporters. "They were smaller missiles, they were short-range missiles," he said. "Nobody's happy about it but we're taking a good look and we'll see." South Korea's Moon said on Thursday the tests were likely a reaction to the failed second summit with Trump in Hanoi in February, but he thought North Korea remained hopeful of continuing negotiations. ILLICIT SHIPMENT The latest tests were swiftly followed by U.S. test-launches of the intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman III over the Pacific and the Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off Florida. They also coincided with a visit to the South by U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun, who met his South Korean counterpart and was scheduled to hold talks with presidential Blue House and Unification Ministry officials. During his meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Friday, Biegun said "the door is still open for North Korea to return to the negotiating table," and that it is very important for South Korea and the United States to continue communication and cooperation, the ministry said in a statement. Thursday's missiles were fired from Kusong, northwest of the capital Pyongyang. One missile flew 420 km (260 miles) and the other 270 km (168 miles), both reaching an altitude of about 50 km (30 miles) before falling into the sea, South Korea's military said. North Korean state media did not give details of the missiles. South Korean and U.S. military analysts will try to determine if the Russian-development Iskander short-range ballistic missile system was used, Ahn Gyu-baek, the defense committee chairman in South Korea's parliament, told reporters. Japan, which is also in striking distance of North Korean missiles and saw them fly over its territory before Kim's self-declared moratorium on long-range missile launches in April 2018, said on Friday the latest missile tests violated U.N. resolutions. China, the North's main diplomatic backer, said it had no firm information on the tests. State Councillor and senior diplomat Wang Yi said Korean peninsula issues should be resolved through dialogue with the goal of denuclearization. Analysts said the multiple tests signaled that North Korea is serious about deploying an operational fleet of the missiles, which could be used in the opening hours of any war with the United States and South Korea. Washington has given no sign it will budge on the North's demand to lift some sanctions as it announced on Thursday the seizure of a North Korean cargo vessel that it said was involved in the illicit shipping of coal. The Justice Department said the 17,061-tonne Wise Honest is one of the North's largest cargo ships and it was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018 but is now in the possession of the United States. The announcement has no connection with the North's missile activities, a U.S. official said. (Reporting by Joyce Lee, Josh Smith in Seoul, Tim Kelly in Tokyo, David Brunnstrom in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations, Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Jack Kim; Editing by Michael Perry and Darren Schuettler)
By Lefteris Karagiannopoulos OSLO (Reuters) - Norwegian utility Statkraft plans to expand its electric vehicle charging business in Germany and Britain, its chief executive told Reuters on Thursday, and also expects to snap up some more power plants by the end of 2019. The electric vehicle (EV) charging business is a growing market for utilities and Nordic competitors Fortum and Vattenfall have boosted their presence with several acquisitions and cooperation across Europe. "We are looking at EV charging companies in Germany and we are also looking at the UK for EV charging cooperations," Statkraft's CEO Christian Rynning-Tonnesen said. The need for more charging stations is growing as car makers introduce a greater variety of plug-in electric and hybrid models. In Norway, a record 60 percent of all new vehicles sold in March were fully electric. Statkraft's Rynning-Tonnesen said Groenn Kontakt, an EV charging network operator which Statkraft controls together with Agder Energi, is planning to expand from Norway to Sweden. The EV markets that Statkraft is focusing on are Norway, Sweden, Germany, Britain and Ireland, he added. Statkraft has a plan underway to invest some 10 billion Norwegian crowns ($1.14 billion) in renewable energy projects towards 2025. It beefed up acquisitions in the second part of last year, when it acquired hydropower dams in Brazil and India, in addition to a portfolio of 1,500 megawatt of wind projects in Ireland and Britain. In 2019 it also bought a 61 percent stake in the EV charging company eeMobility in Germany. More deals are underway, Rynning-Tonnesen told Reuters. "We are working on several cases that may materialize later this year." Statkraft's CEO spoke on the sidelines of the firm's first quarter results presentation. Similar to its Nordic rivals, the company reported improved underlying operating profits, capitalizing on high power prices which made up for the reduced power generation from hydropower dams. (Editing by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Weve been wracking our brains (and Wikipedia) for days to figure out where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry plucked the name for their firstborn, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. And while sources say they simply liked the sound of it, others have done some impressive deep-diving to get to what they believe to be the truth of the matter.

WPA Pool/Getty Images

Here are all the theories, so far, about where Baby Archie got his namesake:

1) Meghan and Harry Are Archie Comics (or Riverdale) Superfans

Maybe Harry thought it his duty to honor another famous redhead and Carrot Top just didnt sound quite regal enough?

i'm baby  Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) May 8, 2019

Meghans also reportedly a big Archie fan and used to love scouring comic book shops  a hobby she undertook thanks to her dad, Thomas. Its rumored that the name was a small nod to her estranged father.

And if were going to really pull at this thread, we could say its a circuitous tribute to the late Luke Perry, who played Archies dad in Riverdale.

2) Its a Tribute to Princess Diana

Theres been speculation that the name was derived from Harrys late mothers ancestor Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll (who died in 1685). Its a stretch, to say the least, but if they were thinking of a way to pay tribute without alerting the public, this would be a clever method.

Tim Graham/Getty Images

RELATED: Is Baby Sussex's Name a Secret Tribute to Princess Diana?

3) Its a Tribute to Meghans Beloved Cat

Meghans mom, Doria Ragland, reportedly took in a rescue cat named Archie while her daughter was growing up.

4) Hes Named After a Boy Harry and Meghan Met in New Zealand

A young Auckland boy named Archie recently came forward to share that when he met the Duke of Sussex during his and Meghans New Zealand tour, the Prince heard his name and said, Archie, I like that name. Seven months later and the couple has an Archie of their own.

Story continues

"Harry asked me my name - then said, Archie, I like that name"



Is this Kiwi schoolboy the inspiration for the royal newborn's name?



This Archie met Meghan and Harry while they were visiting New Zealand and may have left a lasting impression. #BabySussex pic.twitter.com/cBv0b6v06I  Channel 5 News (@5_News) May 9, 2019

5) They Named Their Son After Prince Georges Secret Identity

Back in January, a woman ran into Prince George on the street and he introduced himself as Archie. In retrospect, people assumed this was because hed heard Meghan and Harrys idea for a royal baby name and just ran with it, but perhaps its quite the opposite? Maybe George, being 5 and all, just thought it would be funny to start using a different name and his Uncle and Aunt happened to really like the one he chose?

Samir Hussein/Getty Images

Your move, Archie. Just kidding.
Welcome to the Center for Disability Resources Library Blog! Here we will welcome your comments and suggestions about books and videos that you have borrowed, materials that you would like to see purchased, or anything involving the day-to-day operations of the library or even of disabilities in general. Visit the CDR Library's web site!
Here are some ways to cope with loneliness during the holiday season, five foods that can help prevent cold and flu, and more videos to improv
A handful of western Wisconsin residents are seeking to overturn the approval of the states first large-scale solar farm and have accused its top utility regulator of concealing a conflict of interest in the case.

Jewell-Jinkins Intervenors, a nonprofit company formed by three Iowa County families, filed petitions Wednesday asking the Public Service Commission to halt construction of the Badger Hollow solar farm and review approval of its construction and sale to two utilities.

The families, who opposed the project, say PSC Chairwoman Rebecca Valcq should not have voted on the case because her former law firm, Quarles & Brady, represented Wisconsin Public Service Corp., which will own a share of the project.

The group also contends there was not enough scrutiny of the environmental impact or cost-benefit analysis of the 2,200-acre solar farm, which will be jointly owned by WPS, Madison Gas & Electric and the developer, Invenergy.

The PSC voted 2-0 in April to authorize construction of two solar farms  the 300-megawatt Badger Hollow and 150-megawatt Two Creeks project along Lake Michigan  and to allow the utilities to jointly purchase two-thirds of the panels.

Carol Overland, the attorney representing Jewell-Jinkins, argues that Valcq, who was appointed in December by Gov. Tony Evers, should not have participated because as a partner in Quarles & Brady she would have received shareholder payments even for cases she didnt work on personally.

Valcq declined to comment because the case remains open and contested, but PSC legal counsel Cynthia Smith said the agencys conflict review did not reveal any financial interests that would preclude Valcq from participating in matters handled by her previous employer unless she had been personally involved.

Contrary to the unsubstantiated statements in the petition, Chairperson Valcq was a contract partner and received a fixed salary not tied to any specific representation or financial performance in any case handled by her or the firm, Smith wrote. She legally cannot receive any type of financial benefit from any entity who comes before the Commission, regardless of whether she was previously employed there or not.

Prior to joining the Quarles firm in 2017, Valcq spent 15 years as an attorney for We Energies, the states largest utility. She agreed to recuse herself from 28 open cases as well as any new ones filed this year that she had worked on prior to joining the commission; that list did not include the solar farm dockets.

Overland concedes she does not know if or when Valcq stopped receiving shareholder payments or to what extent she may have benefited from the firms work.

Whatever the specifics, there was a time when Chair Valcq did receive remuneration from Quarles related to the firms representation of WPSC in the Badger Hollow docket  there is an overlap, she wrote in the petition. This goes beyond the appearance of impropriety. It is a direct financial conflict of interest.

Overland said she is also planning to file conflict-of-interest complaints with the state and the State Bar of Wisconsin as well as a complaint about Quarles & Bradys efforts to block her clients from participating in the case.

The commission could not have approved the project without Valcqs participation as the votes took place while the Evers administration had blocked Commissioner Ellen Nowak from participating because of legal questions surrounding her confirmation late last year.

The Supreme Court has since reinstated her, pending a decision on the legitimacy of the state Legislatures lame-duck session.

In addition to the conflict of interest charge, Overland contends the developer did not meet the statutory requirements for environmental review of the Badger Hollow project, which the petitions say will affect the views and availability of farmland for its neighbors.

Overland goes on to argue the state is not prepared for such a large solar project and has no siting rules. The PSC previously denied Jewell-Jinkins petition to draft such rules.

State law gives the PSC 30 days to grant a re-hearing, deny the petitions or simply take no action.

Both solar farms would be larger than any currently built east of the Rocky Mountains and would result in a five-fold increase in Wisconsins solar energy capacity.

The utilities said they need to replace aging fossil-fuel generators and that the $389.7 million investment will cost customers $181 million less than other alternatives for meeting demand.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Well, tomorrow it strikes  Mothers Day. If you are a male and forget it you may have to dig deep to make amends. Here is story of Mothers Day from the History Channel: Mothers Day began in the United States, at the initiative of Ann Reeves Jarvis in the early 20th century. Mothers Day is not usually related to many traditional celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have existed around the world over thousands of years.

Those Mothers Day included such holidays as the Greek cult to Cybele, the Roman festival of Hilaria, or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration which originally was a commemoration of the Catholic Mother Church, not motherhood. Still in some countries, Mothers Day is still synonymous with these older traditions and some church festivals.

Ann Reeves Jarvis was a remarkable woman. According to several biographers she envisioned Mothers Day as a time to recognize and celebrate the incredible work that mothers do, both in caring for their own children but also caring for the community at large.

Jarvis was extremely upset at how the holiday was co-opted by candy and greeting card companies. In 1923, she even crashed a candy-makers convention in Philadelphia to protest the commercialization of the holiday she had started.

A political candidate and mother herself wrote not too long ago that it takes a village to raise a child. I am somewhat unsure of that statement, but I do know it takes strong women to raise children and commit to caring for the greater community as a whole.

Many men are conflicted about Mothers Day as many women are conflicted about Fathers Day. My wife is not my mother but she is the mother of our children. I am not her father but the father of our children. Many a man has reached the rocky shore of disaster in a delivery room when he is reminded of the role he took in the creation of our children. That is not the time to remind your spouse that it takes two to tango.

There is no shortage of what to do for Mothers Day. There are concerts, opportunities to go out to eat, flowers to buy, cards to buy, breakfast in bed, and even just letting Mom sleep in. There are church services galore and, well, what ever you come up with as long as Mom does not have to set it up herself.

At our house the girls will call and/or send cards. I will go card shopping and perhaps order flowers or a plant for her. It appears that we will make the journey to Marshfield to be with her mother and her aunt for a couple of hours. I may drive past the house I grew up in, but it is now occupied by ghosts of times gone by.

My mom has been gone now for over 25 years. I am not being maudlin, but I have trouble remembering what her voice sounded like. It is natural in life that as we get older we lose our parents. They would want it no other way. It is nature being nature.

I have one memory of my mother that will never leave me. Every day that we were required to be off and about at a certain time she would stand at the bottom of the stairs and, there is not another word for it, warble rise and shine little boys.

I really got to dislike that morning call. I will not relate the tale of what happened when my younger brother, as a junior in high school, replied to her call one spring morning. My father was home for some reason and he resolved the situation by planting his foot deeply against my brothers butt. Not to be outdone my mother continued that call for as long as I was home.

On this Mothers Day, if your mom is still with you, give her a call or Facetime or whatever the new electronic age brings. There are biological mothers, step mothers, aunts that have been your mother and foster mothers. Whoever the woman in your life is that has made you the person you are today would like to hear from you.

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there.

John R. Andersen of Lake Hallie is a former state employee who remains active in the fields of fire prevention, government and education.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
In 2007 A Current Affair called him an iconic image maker. His panoramic art has won world-wide acclaim. His range of panographs are stunning. Ken Duncan is a leader in photographic expression.

Those who know and appreciate the beauty of his spectacular photography will not be surprised at the words of Romans chapter 1, verse 20: For since the creation of the world Gods invisible qualities  His eternal power and divine nature  have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

In the light of that verse, Ken Duncan chooses to refer to himself as an average photographer with a great God. Duncan calls himself merely an interpreter of Gods creation. A browse of his work confirms he has found a large variety of stunning scenes. His international book projects include Malaysia, China, Abu Dhabi and Hollywood.

He has presented Australian locations as a kaleidoscope of great beauty and design. For many years he was the photographer of choice for Aussie rock legends Midnight Oil. Mel Gibson chose Ken Duncan as the official photographer for the epic movie The Passion of the Christ.

His own story was profoundly touched fifteen years ago when he observed his first aboriginal sing-a-long held at Kintore (Walungurru) Northern Territory. Sing-a-long is at the cultural heart of the locals. Singing is a lifestyle for people at Kintore because sing along started in 1984, when they started to move in from Papunya and people used to sing under the tree. It's still continuing, and we're teaching the children to follow the steps of their parents and grandparents, Monica Robinson, Kintore community leader and elder told ABC Rural. (abc.net.au)

Ken Duncan recalls the indigenous communities gathered together singing their own songs about Jesus. He recalls the impact on his own life at his first sing-a-long.

Out of his deep respect for indigenous people and their unique culture Ken and his wife Pam initiated the Walk a While Foundation. To really get to know a person, you need to walk a while with them, is the principle they encourage.

Many indigenous people are geographically and technologically isolated  they are in remote locations and they lack the necessary skills to become self-sufficient. The primary goal of Walk a While is to work with the youth in these communities - to encourage them in the creative arts and to equip them with the tools and skills they need to tell their stories into the future. (kenduncan.com)

On three different occasions indigenous individuals had visions of a cross, raised on top of Memory Mountain. Alison Multa, a Haasts Bluff traditional owner and community leader explained, God gave a vision to kids and old people and they saw stairs and God was talking to them.

Separately individuals shared their experiences with Ken. When he agreed to help with their plan, Ken envisioned a simple structure, but it was later determined that the cross would need to be 20 metres high to be in scale with the mountain. They pictured a location where they would enjoy their own Prayer Mountain and come together for sing-a-long. They chose Memory Mountain a location near the indigenous community of Haasts Bluff (Ikuntji) 230 kilometres west of Alice Springs.

Ken enthused about the employment opportunities and the regular jobs for what will become a very unique tourist attraction. Tourism is one of the main areas we are focusing on, he said. Young people from the community can be trained up to work as tourist guides for art and cultural tours.

We will also be providing training in the creative arts, including photography, cinematography, music and design, he beamed.

Ken recalled a sing-a-long when Steve Grace, Hillsong and Brisbane City Church joined the indigenous communities. He envisioned the day when the same communities will welcome visitors to Prayer Mountain and the indigenous-led sing-a-long.

Ken Duncan is already described as outstanding in his own genre but his most effective, eternal contribution may yet to be.

On the website walkawhile.org.au there is confidence summed up with these words: The indigenous leaders believe that when the cross is raised up in the heart of Australia it will draw people from far and wide. It will be like a stake in the heart of our nation, claiming it for Jesus and proclaiming His name over our land. The cross reflects the profound vision and a deeply committed Christian faith that informs the culture, artwork and hearts desire of the people of Ikuntji.

And Ken told me, Its all about Jesus! He firmly believes that!

Already $500,000 has been raised. Another half a million dollars is needed. The community elders are very keen. "I think the community is happy the decision was made and as soon as the cross can be put up and the light goes up then everybody will be jumping up and down with joy. It will benefit the community to not rely upon government money ... self-determination for people at Haasts Bluff, said the former president of the MacDonnell Regional Council Sid Anderson. ( abc.net.au)

Ron Ross is a Middle East consultant for United Christian Broadcasters (Vision FM). Previously he was radio news editor for Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem, Israel.

His career started at WINTV (Email: ronandyvonne@mac.com)

Ron Ross' previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/ron-ross.html
GTO Dominican Cigars has announced a new three pack sampler known as the Corona de GTO 10 Anos Daily Regimen Liga 1942. The cigars will make their debut Friday, May 10th in Cigars and More in Trussville, Alabama.

According to GTO Dominican Cigars owner Dr. Oscar Rodriguez, the blend Liga 1942 comes from his grandfathers repertoire. The sampler features a Connecticut, Dominican Corojo, and a Dominican Maduro wrapped offering over a blend of Dominican tobaccos aged 10 years. The cigars are a 4 x 54 vitola in a soft box-pressed format. The three-pack consists of one cigar of each of the three blends. Pricing is set at $19.99 per three-pack.

The Daily Regimen pays homage to Rodriguezs profession in the medical field. The idea with the three pack is to smoke one of the cigars at different times of the day. The Connecticut is meant as a morning smoke, the Corojo for the afternoon, and the Maduro for the evening.

Meanwhile, the company has introduced new cigar rings for its GTO-branded line.

GTO Dominican Cigars has been celebrating ten years in the cigar business. Founder Oscar Rodriguez commented, Im really proud of the new ring for our GTO Line we are well into our 10th year and growing nicely.

Photo Credits: GTO Dominican Cigars
Each year fans of Davidoff Cigars have looked forward to the companys Chinese Zodiac-inspired limited edition cigar. Each year these cigars feature a different blend in a different size with exquisite packaging reflecting the particular Zodiac theme. The Chinese New Year falls between January 21st and February 20th, but typically Davidoff has released the Zodiac around Thanksgiving in the prior calendar year. The year 2019 is the Year of the Pig and not unexpectedly, the Zodiac release slated for 2019 was the Davidoff Year of the Pig release. Today we take a closer look at that cigar.

The series actually launched in 2012 with a small Year of the Dragon release for the Asian market. In 2013, the series became a more global offering with the release of the Year of the Snake.

2012: Davidoff Year of the Dragon (Limited, small release for Asian market, re-released late last year)

2013: Davidoff Year of the Snake

2014: Davidoff Year of the Horse

2015: Davidoff Year of the Sheep

2016: Davidoff Year of the Monkey

2017: Davidoff Year of the Rooster

2018: Davidoff Year of the Dog

2019: Davidoff Year of the Pig

Assuming Davidoff continues to annually cycle through the Chinese Zodiac, the following would be the four remaining releases,

2020 Year of the Rat

2021 Year of the Ox

2022 Year of the Tiger

2023 Year of the Rabbit

As for the series itself, most of the Chinese Zodiac Series has been among the higher-rated Davidoff cigars in the history of the Cigar Coop brand. In 2013, the Year of the Snake and Year of the Horse finished as the #2 and #17 cigars for the year, respectively. In 2014, the Year of the Sheep ranked as the #13 Cigar of the Year. Last year, the Year of the Dog came in at #22.

Without further ado, lets take a closer look at the Davidoff Year of the Pig Limited Edition 2019 and see what this cigar brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

The Year of the Pig is a multi-national blend highlighted by a Habano Ecuador 2000 wrapper over a San Andres binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It is also noteworthy that the Ecuadorian wrapper was used on a U.S. release, and a separate Year of the Pig was released into the International market utilizing a Dominican Yamasa wrapper.

Wrapper: Habano Ecuador 2000

Binder: Negro San Andres from Mexico

Filler: Nicaraguan (Esteli Ligero, Condega Seco), Dominican (Piloto Visus, Hybrid Olor/Piloto Visus and Piloto Seco)

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Cigars Davidoff

Vitolas Offered

The Davidoff Year of the Pig is available in one size  a 6 x 56 Toro. Next to 2014s Davidoff Year of the Horse, this is the second largest ring gauge that has been seen in the Zodiac series.

The cigars are packaged in ten-count boxes and a total of 9,300 boxes were produced.

Appearance

The Habano Ecuador 2000 wrapper of the Davidoff Year of the Pig is one of the darker ones Ive seen on a Davidoff product. It has a milk chocolate color with a slight mahogany tint. Upon closer examination, there was some subtle mottling on the surface. The darker color of the wrapper did a good job at hiding the wrapper seams. This was a wrapper that had a slightly bumpy surface. There were some visible veins. The cap of the cigar is finished with a short pig tail.

There are two bands on the Davidoff Year of the Pig. The first band uses the design of the Davidoff White label band. It features the name Davidoff in classic cursive gold font on an oval field of white. There are small gold circles going around the perimeter of the oval. The word GENEVE (in gold font) flanks to the right of the oval field. To the left of the oval is the text LIMITED EDITION.

The second band is primarily red in color with gold accents. In the center of the band is the text YEAR OF THE PIG in gold font.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw

Instead of pulling off the pig-tail cap of the Davidoff Year of the Pig, a straight cut was used that removed the cap and pig-tail concurrently. From that point, it was on to the pre-light draw experience. The cold draw delivered a mix of chocolate, leather, and some floral notes. This was a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to light up the Davidoff Year of the Pig and await what the smoking experience would have in store.

Tasting Notes

The Davidoff Year of the Pig started out with short spurt of black pepper and natural tobacco. As the pepper subsided some notes of coffee, fruit, and bakers spice emerged. The coffee joined the natural tobacco in the forefront. The pepper, fruit, and bakers spice settled in the background. While there was an additional layer of black pepper and bakers spice on the retro-hale, the spice was not overpowering by any means.

Toward the latter part of the first third, the coffee notes subsided and fell in the background leaving the natural tobacco notes in the forefront. The coffee notes were now background notes joining the black pepper and bakers spice. This continued throughout most of the second third. During the second third, the fruit sweetness also subsided.

The last third saw the natural tobacco remain grounded in the forefront. The pepper notes increased and became a close secondary note. There were still notes of coffee and bakers spice present. This is the way the Davidoff Year of the Pig came to a close. The resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

The Davidoff Year of the Pig had no problem maintaining a straight burn path. There was a slight amount of jaggedness on the burn line, but this was more cosmetic as opposed to problemsome. The resulting ash wasnt overly firm. There also was a slight amount of flaking along the way. This was an ash that was a silvery-gray color to it. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were ideal.

Draw

The draw to the Davidoff Year of the Pig performed very well. This was a cigar that had a touch of resistance to it  which is something that I like. At the same time, this was a low maintenance cigar to derive flavor from.

Strength and Body

The Davidoff Year of the Pig started out as a medium strength, medium to full-bodied smoke. By the midway point, there was an increase in strength that pushed the cigars strength into medium to full territory. As for the body, it had a slight increase along the way, but in the end, didnt reach the threshold of full-bodied.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

In terms of where the Davidoff Year of the Pig ranks in Davidoffs Zodiac series, I put it somewhere in the middle. There certainly have been ones I have enjoyed more, and there certainly have been ones that have been disappointments. The flavors of the Davidoff Year of the Pig were enjoyable  not off the chart amazing, but still enjoyable. I also didnt find this to be an overly complex smoke.

This is s a cigar I would recommend to a novice or seasoned enthusiast. As for myself, this is a cigar I would purchase and smoke again, but at a near $40.00 price point, I probably wouldnt pick up more.

Summary

Key Flavors: Coffee, Natural Tobacco, Pepper, Bakers Spice, Fruit

Burn: Very Good

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium Minus

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium (1st 2/3), Medium to Full (Last Third)

Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Buy One

Score: 89

References

News: Davidoff Year of the Pig to be Released in November

Price: $39.00

Source: Purchased

Brand Reference: Davidoff

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
Bosler Memorial Library has received funding to help small businesses.

The library was selected by the American Library Association and the Public Library Association to receive funding to empower Carlisles small businesses with digital skills using "Grow with Google!"

As part of this initiative, Bosler will be hosting two separate seminars.

The Grow with Google: Applied Digital Skills seminar will be held from 11 a.m. to noon on May 29. Participants will learn practical digital skills using Google's free project-based video curriculum. Students will learn how to access Google's Applied Digital Skills website, how to navigate the free project-based video curriculum offerings, and how to step through the training videos found there.

The Grow with Google: The Primer App and Get Your Business Online seminar will be held from 11 a.m. to noon on June 5. Participants will learn new business and digital marketing skills with the Primer app's bite-sized lessons to better their business. Businesses will learn how to get their businesses online with Google by adding a free Google listing for their business and then creating a free Google My Business website in minutes. The website is automatically created with information from your Google business listing and you can customize it with text, photos and design themes.

Sessions are free but registration will be required. To register, individuals should call or visit the librarys Information Services Department at (717) 243-4642 ext. 2237.

For more information about the program, readers may call the Bosler Memorial Library department of community relations at (717) 243-4642 ext. 3224.

Email Tammie at tgitt@cumberlink.com. Follow her on Twitter @TammieGitt.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Information is from police reports and may be incomplete depending on the status of an investigation. Phone numbers are nonemergency.
Everyone eligible should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel or employment.

Vaccination should be voluntary but those who don't get vaccinated should be frequently tested for COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel and employment.

Both vaccination and testing should be voluntary and not required as a condition of long-distance travel or employment.

I defer to the judgment of lawmakers as long as they base their decisions on a consensus of medical professionals.

Vote

View Results
Kerala: Trawling ban divides fishers

by K.A. Martin

May 10,2019 | Source: The Hindu

A suggestion that the annual ban on trawling during the monsoon season should be extended to 90 days in two phases to cover the two rainy seasons in the State has drawn sharp differences of opinion among fishers in the State. The suggestion came up at a meeting of traditional fishermen convened by the Fisheries Department in the State capital on May 2. While government appears to be wanting to stick to the annual 47-day ban, a practice since 1994, it was Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedhi that proposed extending the ban period substantially and phasing it out in two legs. Of these 90 days, the first 45-day ban should be between June and July and the second phase between October and November, said convenor of the Aikya Vedhi Charles George.



However, Kerala Swathanthra Matsyathozhilali Federations V.D. Majeendran said the Federation too supported a 90-day ban but wanted it to be in one stretch over the months of June, July and August. Traditional fishermen are more concerned about their livelihood, he said, supporting the call for extended ban trawling during the monsoon season.



Meeting



A Fisheries Department official said a decision on the duration of nature of the ban would be taken only after the department meets mechanised boat operators later this month. He dismissed a suggestion that the government planned to go in for a 60-day ban on monsoon season trawling. The State government had, in view of the early setting in of the monsoon last year, declared the ban five days earlier than usual, extending the ban to 52 days from the normal 45 days.



Mr. George claimed that his demand was based on facts that species like squids and cuttle fish spawned during the October-November period. He also said among the States, Kerala had the shortest trawling ban period in India and that extended ban was needed or the State would see a collapse in fisheries in the near future. Mr. Majeendran said that for traditional fishers, it was both a social and economic question and the government must address their concerns when taking a decision.

 2019, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD.
Karnataka: To demand inquiry into alleged collision by Navy Ship into fishing boat Suvarna Tribuja

May 10,2019 | Source: United News of India

Karnataka Home Department will write to Navy urging for an inquiry into alleged collision by Navy Ship into fishing boat 'Suvarna Tribuja' which was Disclosing this to newsmen here on Wednesday, Home Minister M B Patil said that "we will press for immediate probe by Navy through Internal Security Director General and a decision in this will be taken in the Cabinet meeting scheduled for tomorrow in the State capital". 'Suvarna Tribuja' along with 7 fishermen including boat owner, which ventured into deep sea for fishing and was reported missing since December 13-2018 and still whereabouts of fishermen were not known. Recently Navy had announced recovery of wreckage of the 'Suvarna Tribuja' fishing boat in the middle of the sea but misery about missing fishermen remained unanswered and it was alleged that Naval survalience ship might have dashed against the fishing boat and all the fishermen were drowned.

 United News of India
Sri Lanka: Navy nabs 41 illegal fishermen in Trincomalee

May 10,2019 | Source: News First

A naval team arrested forty-one people who engaged in illegal fishing at Back Bay sea area in Trincomalee, yesterday (May 7). Those apprehended have been identified as the residents of Kinniya in Trincomalee, aged 18 to 60. Five (05) dinghies, 05 OBMs, 05 banned nets each 225 metres in length and 94 kg of illegal fish catch were taken into naval custody. The suspects along with the apprehended items were handed over to Assistant Director of Fisheries-Trincomalee, through the Coast Guard.

 2019 MTV Channel (Pvt) Ltd
Before retiring in 2018, Michael Graczyk covered capital punishment for more than 35 years as a criminal justice reporter for the Associated Press. He has observed more than 400 prison executions in Texas, which leads the country for the number of people executed since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. Today, Graczyk still writes about death row inmates as a freelancer.





He built a reputation for accuracy and fairness with death row inmates, their families, their victims families and their lawyers, as well as prison officials and advocates on both sides of capital punishment, AP reporter Nomaan Merchant wrote in an article about Graczyks retirement. He made a point of visiting and photographing every condemned inmate willing to be interviewed and talking to relatives of their victims.





Nationwide, there were 2,814 men and women on death row at the end of 2016, the most recent year for which the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics has released data. Although more than half of U.S. states and the federal government allow capital punishment, the vast majority of executions in 2017 occurred in four states  Texas, Florida, Arkansas and Alabama, according to a preliminary federal report.





Later this month, four prisoners are scheduled to die by lethal injection in Alabama, Florida and Tennessee. The governor of California instituted a moratorium on the death penalty in March, but prosecutors there are still seeking a death sentence for a former police officer accused of being the notorious Golden State Killer.





Journalists Resource called Graczyk at home in Texas to ask him about his work and for tips to share with other journalists who are reporting on capital punishment, death row or executions. Here are the eight tips he gave us to pass along:





1  Get experience covering the criminal justice system.





Some reporters are so isolated, theyve never actually covered cops or courts or crime, Graczyk says. They show up at an execution and theyve never seen a dead body 





My advice is: Get familiar with the courts. Get some real-world experience. See a dead body. Cover the cops. Cover the courts. Read the court opinions. All these capital cases are going to wind up in federal courts  at least 99% of them. You need to understand how judges write and how to read court opinions and how supreme courts and circuit courts of appeals work. Talk to the appeals attorneys  [and] prosecutors who actually put this person in a courtroom and tried them.





2  Know the facts of the case youre covering.





It sounds pretty basic, but know the case  know what this person is accused of, know what this person is convicted of, know who the players are, Graczyk says.





In Texas, inmates spend an average of 15 years and eight months on death row. For some, the wait is much longer. According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the longest-serving inmates were David Lee Powell, executed in 2010 for killing a police officer during a traffic stop 32 years earlier, and Lester Leroy Bower, put to death in 2015 after serving 31 years behind bars.





In a lot of cases, reporters werent even alive when the crime occurred. Some of these cases are really, really old, Graczyk says. Know the case and get educated and understand how the courts work  or dont work.  Stay away from legal jargon  people dont understand that. I find its always good to just explain things. There is no need to make something more complicated than it already is.





3  Remember the victim.





Coverage of capital punishment broadly and of executions specifically tends to focus on the men and women who are accused or convicted of killing and injuring people. Stories, especially those written years or decades after the crime, sometimes barely mention victims and their families.





Graczyk says he tries to make sure victims and families remain a key part of his stories, although it can sometimes take a lot of extra work to track down those individuals.





If I make this concerted effort to talk to the inmate, I make a concerted effort to talk to the victims as well, he says. If no one is available, I say that  Remember that executions can happen decades after someone is sentenced and so lots of people may have moved or passed away or are unreachable.





4  Avoid asking victims families if an execution gives them closure.





One of the questions I really wince at when I hear it from reporters  especially when its said to a relative of a murder victim  is, Does this give you closure? This is so cliche. It ranks up there with How do you feel? Graczyk says.





At an execution, he suggests approaching victims friends and family members in another way. I usually ask them, Why did you decide to be here? and Are you disappointed this has taken so long? if its a particularly long case, he says. If the inmate ignored them, [ask] How disappointed are you that they didnt acknowledge you or express remorse? Ive talked to enough people to understand there is no such thing as closure. I think its an inadequate question.





5  When you cover an execution in person, focus on your role in providing a factual account of the event. It will help you keep your feelings and opinions in check.





I dont know how to phrase this without sounding insensitive, but if you go in there with the idea that this person was innocent, was the victim of a broken system, youre not going to do a good story, Graczyk says.





I tell myself, Youre there to do a job. Your job is to tell the story of what happened in there. And if your emotions get the best of you, you cant do your job. I cant tell you what its like at an electrocution or gas chamber or hanging.  In Texas, here it has only been lethal injection. Essentially, someone is lying there and youre watching them and they quickly go to sleep and they dont wake up. I dont mean to be insensitive, but thats what happens.





6  Take notes.





Graczyk said he has seen some journalists come to observe an execution but dont write anything down. That doesnt make much sense to him because there are so many details he says a journalist will need to remember  who came to witness the execution, for example, and what the prisoner said and did before dying. In Texas, recording devices and cameras are not allowed in the death chamber room where witnesses gather to watch, but journalists can bring in paper and something to write with.





If youre not able to take notes, youre not going to be any good in there, Graczyk says. Ive seen reporters not take any notes and go back and talk about what they saw. You might have a photographic memory and be the exception, but I dont know too many people like that.





7  Pay attention to key details.





Graczyk says reporters should note the various things they see and hear while in the death chamber.





You listen for the final statement, he says. We report whats the last thing this person decided to say and you want to get that right.





He added that reporters should include key details they probably could not get by calling a prison official.





I had an editor once who was going through a story I wrote and he told me, The story is OK, but it doesnt reflect that you were there. It was something we could get by calling the prison system and asking them what happened, Graczyk says, offering examples of what to look for before, during and after an execution.





Movements they [the inmates] may have made or whether they took a breath or coughed when the drugs took effect. Whether they were looking at people as they came into the death chamber to watch them die. If you get a glimpse of where the needle went in, whether there was a tattoo there. It gives the reader more of a picture of whats happening 





When you go in there, you want to tell people what you saw and what you heard. Ive talked to people whove done electrocutions and gas chamber stuff and they can get into the fact that it doesnt smell very good. But lethal injections are very, very clinical.  You dont dwell on it, but drop something in to prove to the reader or the listener that you were there.





8  Have a plan for how to react if a prisoner addresses you personally inside the death chamber.





Because Graczyk interviews inmates many times during the years and weeks leading up to their executions, they know him. To his surprise, a couple have tried to start conversations with him in the death chamber.





A couple of things happened in there that I didnt expect and you learn from that. First of all, its happened to me at least twice now  When I walked in, they looked up and said hello to me. You need to be prepared for that. You need to know whether youre going to react to it and how youre going to react to it. I remember walking in and the inmate said, Hi, Mike! What do you say to someone whos about to die? I was taken aback. The second time, just because Id been through it once, I think I nodded. Especially if youre standing next to the relative of a victim, be cognizant. I wouldnt want to say something totally sympathetic or discourteous.

 | 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
IDANHA  Idanha-Detroit voters will be asked May 21 to approve a 68 cents per $1,000 property tax levy to support the emergency services operations.

Fire Chief Will Ewing said the five-year levy  Measure 24-439  would renew the current 5-year local option tax at the same taxing rate within the Idanha-Detroit Fire District.

The levy would raise an estimated $254,077 over its five-year span from both Marion and Linn county residents.

The money would be used to replace or upgrade outdated equipment and continue daily operations. Four of the districts five firefighting vehicles have been donated, three from Stayton and one from Lyons.

Ewing said he and an office assistant are both part-time employees and the only paid staff members.

We have grants that pay for two people, Ewing said. We have six volunteer firefighters, but we are in a rebuilding mode and would like to get that up to 20. We are calling it a reboot.

Ewing has almost 40 years firefighting experience, previously working in Toledo and Cave Junction.

We really need to upgrade equipment, he said. We need first-responder vehicles. The average age of our fleet is 26 years and our first-out engine is a 1979 model.

The district was formed in 1954 when the timber industry was prospering. The districts primary responsibility was fire suppression, but over time that has grown to include medical response and rescue services.

Ewing said it takes about $150,000 per year to keep the district operation.

We have a $1.60 tax base that brings in about $100,000 per year, he said. When the lumber mills were in full swing, we had higher tax assessments. Like other rural fire districts, we are struggling to keep going. We need new revenue streams. We dont get income from ag or timber lands.

Ewing said another issue is that the district serves about 12 miles of Highway 22, which is a popular travel route to central Oregon in the summer months.

We probably see an upsurge of 10,000 vehicles a day in the summer, Ewing said. And those vehicles mean more calls for emergency services, he said.

We also need to make improvements to our buildings, Ewing said. We own our building in Idanha, but we recent space in Detroit and it is inadequate.

Contact Linn County reporter Alex Paul at 541-812-6114.

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.
Fire season's officially begun in the mid-valley, with the Lebanon Fire District tackling a pair of blazes on Wednesday afternoon.

Crews responded shortly after 1 p.m. to a utility trailer fire in the 33000 block of Tallman Road. According to Lebanon Fire Department Battalion Chief Ken Savage, the trailer sustained some damage, as did a nearby house. He added that the homeowners made headway with the initial attack, and the blaze was fully extinguished within 20 minutes. Its cause was not immediately known.

Less than two hours later, firefighters were summoned to a quarter-acre brush fire in the 32000 block of Bellinger Scale Road. Savage said the culprit was a falling branch that sparked after crossing power lines. About 12 units engaged the blaze for two hours, including personnel from Scio, Sweet Home and the Oregon Department of Forestry. No structures were threatened; no injuries were reported in either incident.

Savage reiterated that a mid-valley burn ban remains effective through Monday. "We're seeing some fire behavior we don't typically see in May, especially in the valley," he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Maureen Twomey is retiring at the end of this school year after a 20-year career. Currently an English teacher at Lebanon High School, she's worked for several different districts in Oregon. And everywhere she's gone, one part of the experience has remained constant.

"I have never once, not one year that I've worked, ever had ... full funding for our public schools. We've had furlough days, we've had RIFs (reductions in force), we've had freezes on hiring, freezes on supplies, step freezes on salary schedules," Twomey said, adding that while some years have been better than others, "government has never fully funded us."

That is why she joined her Lebanon Community Schools colleagues Wednesday afternoon in a public rally along Main Street and Airport Road. More than 70 teachers, administrators and support personnel attended the event, which was held in support of the Student Success Act.

That funding bill would allot $2 billion for the state's K-12 educational system. The funds would be generated by a new business tax. At some districts around the state, rallies were held at least in part during the school day. Lebanon's rally did not begin until 4 p.m., after the instructional day was concluded.

"I think it's very considerate of our staff to not put parents and kids in a difficult situation so they're out here on their own time to kind of push the message that we really want to get improved funding for schools and have a model that really works for us," said Bo Yates, the superintendent of Lebanon Community Schools.

Yates noted that this debate over school funding comes at a time when the economy is the strongest it's been in years.

"This is the best our economy has been and we're not seeing any improvement in school funding. That formula just doesn't work for us," Yates said.

Based on the current estimates for school funding for the coming school year, Lebanon expects to reduce staffing by 20 to 30 full-time positions. Yates said this will be done through attrition and not layoffs and will be spread evenly between classified and certified staffs, with reductions of 10 to 15 positions each.

If the Legislature finds a way to increase funding for schools, those reductions may not be necessary.

"We're hopeful, but we have to base our budget on reality and the best figures we have right now. It's a crazy thing to have to budget without knowing how much money you are going to get, so we have to use a pretty conservative approach," Yates said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Rocio Munoz is a Corvallis community activist with a kindergartner and a fourth grader at Garfield Elementary School in Corvallis. For her, the Parks and Recreation and library services provided by the city of Corvallis are a lifeline, not a luxury.

City services are like my safety net, Munoz said. Without park programs my summer would just collapse.

Thats why for the second consecutive city property tax levy campaign, Munoz is once again on the front lines. She volunteered on the 2013 levy campaign and is working with others on social media and Hispanic outreach for Measure 2-123, the renewal and expansion of the levy on the May 21 ballot.

I already see gaps, she said of current service levels for the key levy components of Parks and Recreation and the library. We have a need for more books in Spanish and Arabic. We need more active Parks and Rec programs and services. If the levy doesnt pass, the gap and the barriers are going to get bigger. Its not a happy thought.

The swim team

Rick Guenther has been affiliated with the Corvallis Aquatic Team for 28 years. Osborn Aquatic Center is scheduled for closure if the levy goes down. Which would leave Guenthers team without a pool.

When a child is born, a parent needs to teach that child to walk and to swim, Guenther said. Learning to swim is a right all of us have an opportunity to take advantage of as long as Osborn is open.

Guenther also said he fears the closure of Osborn would lead to more drownings. If the pool is closed, fewer people can take swimming lessons. And if the pool is closed, he reasons, more people will seek out rivers and lakes on hot days, with sometimes tragic results.

Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death in this country, Guenther said. Those stats are unthinkable, and we have the cure to the disease  swimming education through public pools. Public pools are not a luxury. They are a necessity in every community in the world. And we have a beautiful public pool.

Guenthers swimmers and their parents have been hitting the streets in support of Measure 2-123. Approximately 140 people went door to door distributing 6,000 fliers. And Oregon State University swimmers  who used Osborn for practice and meets  chipped in by taking care of the final 300 or so fliers.

Campaign chief

Curtis Wright, a community enthusiast and former ad agency owner, has lived in Corvallis since 2005. He is the campaign chairman for YesforaLivableCorvallis.org, the political action committee organized by backers of Measure 2-123.

This is by no means his first campaign. He has worked on the previous two city levies, the last three county levies, the 2018 facilities school bond measure, and also helped with the recently passed urban renewal district for South Corvallis. And he usually wins, too, with his lone losses a 2009 urban renewal bid and the 2015 county jail bond.

Wrights group, which includes Mayor Biff Traber and former Osborn director Mark Worden as its leadership committee, plans to spend about $16,000 on the levy campaign, focusing mainly on direct mail. The group also will be spending money on newspaper ads as well as Munozs social media and Hispanic outreach.

There is no rabbit, no pot of gold, Wright said. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind  if the levy does not pass, God forbid, the Senior Center, Osborn and the Majestic will be shuttered. The recreation and parks programs will go away. There will be a lot of hurt and a lot of pain, but if the voters say no, this is what will happen.

We are giving the voters the opportunity to answer the question are these services important or not? and are you willing to pay a little more to make sure we keep them? We have voters who have said yes two times before. I hope they will say so again.

Opposition

No formal campaign has organized in opposition to the levy renewal, and no arguments against Measure 2-123 were submitted for the Benton County Voters Pamphlet.

The main route opponents have taken is appearances at local forums  in which they have been outnumbered by backers  and in letters to the Gazette-Times. Pro-levy correspondents, however, are winning the letters battle, too, by a 2-1 margin.

Opponents have criticized city officials for not living within their means and for repeatedly raising property taxes.

Corvallis and Benton County residents need to hold the elected leaders accountable and (they should) not hold the taxpayers hostage and threaten to close services, wrote John Harris. There are viable solutions without continuous raising of fees, new bonds and taxing districts.

People in Corvallis are so passionate and committed, countered Munoz. They are open to new ideas, to doing business in a different way. Getting information out in two languages. Telling our story is the most important thing we can do. I really do feel like this is a vote that represents an investment in our youth.

Contact reporter James Day at jim.day@gazettetimes.com or 541-758-9542. Follow at Twitter.com/jameshday or gazettetimes.com/blogs/jim-day.

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.
As we wrote this editorial on Thursday afternoon, it was uncertain when the members of the state Senate's Republican caucus would return to the Capitol, to give the Senate the 20-member caucus required for that body to take any action whatsoever.

Negotiations were continuing between Democratic leaders and the members of the Republican Senate caucus; Republicans, who are in what they have jokingly called a "super minority," don't have the floor strength to vote down bills that would raise taxes  such as the gross receipts tax on certain Oregon businesses that would raise an estimated $1 billion a year for the state's K-12 schools.

That bill, House Bill 3427, is among the current bones of contention between Republicans and Democrats; Republicans say they want the bill sent back to committee for changes that they have not specified, possibly part of a strategy to put it in limbo until the clock runs out on the session. That's probably a long shot, especially with nearly two months remaining in the session. (This walkout strategy  which, to be fair, Democrats have used in the past  tends to work best at the very end of a session, when time truly is at a premium.)

Republicans also want to see a handful of other bills killed, including the proposed carbon cap-and-trade measure, House Bill 2020, and an omnibus gun-control bill, Senate Bill 978. They also want Democrats to guarantee the passage of Senate Bill 2008, which would end the automatic referral of juvenile suspects charged with Measure 11 crimes to adult court. (This bill has been championed by Republican Sen. Jackie Winters.)

In exchange, Republicans said they would return to the Senate  and also would provide five votes of support to a series of measures aimed at reforming Oregon's public pension system, which would suggest that Democrats are not at all united in their support for pension reform.

At this point, you may be wondering the same thing that we did: Why does the state Senate require 20 members for a quorum in the first place? After all, most other bodies define a quorum  the minimum number of people needed before any official action can be taken  as 50% plus one. If that was the case in the Senate, you could have an quorum with just 16 members  and since Democrats hold 18 seats, any Republican attempt to prevent the quorum would be moot. (And that gross receipts tax would be heading to Gov. Kate Brown's desk for her signature.)

Here's the answer: The state constitution requires both the Senate and the House of Representatives to have two-thirds of their members present for a quorum. That works out to 20 members in the 30-member Senate, and 40 in the 60-member House. It's very unusual for any political party to hold those kinds of majorities in the Legislature, so our speculation is that this provision in the state constitution is designed, not just to encourage bipartisan cooperation, but also to give the minority party one last check to be used in desperate times.

That latter speculation may be what's at work now. The walkout is a signal that Republican legislators have run out of other cards to play  although if the measure eventually passes the Legislature, as we expect it will, you can be sure that at least some GOP stalwarts will be on the front lines of the inevitable campaign to overturn the tax at the ballot box.

Regardless of how this plays out, you had to feel bad for 13-year-old Linus O'Brien of Albany, who traveled to the Capitol on Tuesday to serve as one of the Senate's honorary pages for the day. Linus and the day's other page, 15-year-old Sean Miller of Keizer, were planning to perform the honor guard ceremony for the Senate but never got a chance to do that.

Both said they applied for the honor because they wanted to get more acquainted with the inner workings of government. In a way, they got that. (mm)

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
It seems that blogging is going out of fashion faster than I produce posts. I've had to prune the list of friends below to account for inactivity. But hope dies last, and maybe there will be a day that another of my friends starts blogging. It would help staying up to date.

Back in Utah, Sean and I were fellow graduate students and roommates for a while. Plus, we spent a lot of time riding mountain bikes and breaking parts.

Deidra, a purely virtual acquaintance, has kept me up to date with life in NYC for many years now.
1969- somehow we wound up as guests at a wedding, somewhere in Morocco. I'm the nerd with the big stoned smile and the embroidery on my pants cuffs



So there I was-- 1969, Hippie Trail, headed for India in my VW van. We were in eastern Turkey getting read to cross the border into Iran the next day. We were: me, the only American on board, a French guy, two Danes and a German. There was another van going in the other direction parked with us, driven by an Australian and he had another Aussie with him as well as a couple of Japanese kids, a Flemish-speaking Belgian and a guy from Chile. Getting ready for crossing a border meant smoking up all the dope everyone had; no dope allowed at border crossings. So we sat around getting stoned and exchanging stories about what was ahead and behind.





I was really high when I suddenly realized how lucky I was. The Danish girl and the Japanese girl were having a side conversation near me and it was in English. Everyone was talking English. That was the language of the road. It was the common language of travelers. I spent a couple of years in Asia and I could get along with English almost everywhere. In Afghanistan I wound up way off the beaten path in a tiny "village" (2 compounds) in the Hindu Kush. No one spoke English. They didn't even speak Farsi (Persian) or Dari (the local Afghan version of Farsi). No one had ever experienced electricity or had heard of the United States. Since I was on horseback with a broken ankle and snowed in for the winter, I was forced to learn Pashtun. But... otherwise, English worked everywhere.





A few years later I was working at the Kosmos, Amsterdam's mediation center. It was a city-subsidized international youth center and there were people from all over the world, as staff and as clients. But English was the "official" language of the Kosmos. Many of the Dutch staffers were not happy about that, bit everyone knew that's the way it had to be. Outside of work they refused to respond to English and would only speak Dutch. These were my closest friends. They forced me to learn Dutch. The only one who would talk English with me was Evelyne, a French-Dutch artist, but she preferred Dutch too. It was good for me, although... right around the time Nixon was being impeached I woke up one morning and realized I had been dreaming in Dutch, not English. I didn't like that. I started thinking about moving back to the U.S. at that point, which I eventually did.





But while I was living overseas I realized that the only people uncomfortable with hearing foreign languages were Americans. Canadians weren't. Nor were Brits or Aussies or South Africans. Just Americans. When you're stoned you get sensitive to that kind of thing and can recognize it. I came to understand that Americans are so unused to hearing foreign languages that they-- or more accurately some of them-- get paranoid and assume that the people speaking another language are saying something nasty about them-- anything from, "Oh, what a asshole" to "Let's cut him up in a thousand pieces and dump the pieces all over Herat in a pattern."





You sometimes can detect that kind of paranoia here in the states when people are speaking Spanish. Some people just bristle. According to Pew Research, those people are conservatives . That's who who gets up tight and paranoid about a foreign language. I knew that instinctively but it was interesting to see it as part of their study.

About three-in-ten Americans say it would bother them to hear people speak a language other than English in public



Most Americans (70%) say they would not be particularly bothered if they heard people speak a language other than English in a public place, including 47% who say they would not be bothered at all. Still, a sizable share (29%) says this would bother them at least some.



Roughly a third of whites (34%) and about a quarter of blacks (24%) and Asians (24%) say they would be bothered if they heard people speak a language other than English in public; a smaller share of Hispanics (14%) say the same. About two-thirds of Hispanics (68%) say this wouldnt bother them at all, compared with half or fewer whites (41%), blacks (48%) and Asians (50%). Foreign-born Hispanics are more likely than those born in the U.S. to say they would not be bothered at all if they heard someone speak a language other than English in public (76% vs. 61%).



Among whites, reactions vary considerably by age, education and political orientation. Younger whites and those with a bachelors degree or more education are less likely than their older and less educated counterparts to say they would be bothered by hearing a language other than English in a public place.



Views are even more divided along partisan lines. About six-in-ten white Democrats (58%)-- vs. 26% of white Republicans-- say this wouldnt bother them at all.

The part of this that I keep mulling over is that 47% of white Republicans said it would bother them "some" or "a lot" to "hear people speak a language other than English in a public place." Interestingly Pew found that only 18% of white Democrats would be bothered. What does that tell you about the people attracted to the two parties?












GA-07 congressional candidate Marqus Cole was the first to alert me, writing me that "This morning, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed H.B. 481 into law-- the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the country. The new law limits the window for legal abortions in Georgia to just six weeks-- before most women even know theyre pregnant... Im sick of Republicans trying to turn back the clock on reproductive rights. As a lawyer, this is just the latest affront to the sanctity of the Supreme Courts ruling in Roe v. Wade. Even worse, its part of an overarching GOP strategy to start a chain of appeals that ends with Roe v. Wade being overturned by Brett Kavanaugh and Trumps handpicked Supreme Court. And more importantly, its a direct attack on the women of my family and my community. My daughters-- and all women-- deserve agency over their own bodies. Women know better than the government whats best for themselves and their families. Its not complicated: All medical decisions should be between women and their doctors."





That's pretty much what all Democrats say, right? Well... it sure isn't what Congressman Dan Lipinski is saying-- you know... the guy being protected by Cheri Bustos and the DCCC. He's being primaried by a progressive Democratic woman, Marie Newman, but instead of supporting Marie-- or at least staying neutral-- the DCCC is threatening to blacklist any firms that work with Newman's campaign. I guess Pelosi and her nasty DCCC chairwoman are pro-Choice... unless it's politically inconvenient.

Three reproductive justice organizations collaborated on an effort-- Intersections of Our Lives , a national survey looking at the perspectives of women of color voters in the 2018 midterm election. I'm sure you recall that last cycle this was the voting bloc that blew the doors off Paul Ryan's and Kevin McCarthy's GOP House by turning out at historic levels. The Intersections of Our Lives polling was seeking insights on what women of color voters think and what their policy priorities are, following the midterms and going into the 2020 election cycle. These were the key finds of their research:

 Women of color were motivated to vote because they thought the stakes were too high not to. 88 percent of women of color voters said the stakes in the 2018 midterm election were too high not to vote. 75 percent expressed serious concerns about the trajectory of the country, noting they were angry, disgusted, scared, sad or nervous.

 Women of color supported Democratic candidates for federal and statewide races. Three-quarters of women of color voters supported the Democratic candidates in statewide and federal races. 74 percent of the women of color who voted for Democrats said Democratic candidates earned their vote.

 There is common ground on the policies that women of color believe are extremely important for Congress to address:

 Ending racial/ethnic/cultural discrimination (62 percent)

 Ensuring people with pre-existing conditions can still access health insurance (62 percent)

 Ensuring access to clean water (62 percent)

 Ensuring everyone has access to affordable health care (60 percent)  Women of color will be watching their representatives in Congress more closely than previous elections (62 percent).

 Looking ahead to 2020, women of color would prefer to see more women candidates (88 percent) and candidates of color (85 percent). And 70 percent said candidates running for office fail to acknowledge the issues that matter most to them.

Yesterday, AOC communicated with her supporters about the Georgia Republican Party abotion bill. "Last year, Brian Kemp stole an election from Stacey Abrams by abusing his position as Secretary of State, spreading lies about hacks by Democrats, and brazen voter suppression with his 'exact match' rule, which prevented tens of thousands of voters from accessing their fundamental right to participate in this democracy. Now, hes using his disgracefully acquired power to functionally ban abortion. Georgia joins Ohio, Kentucky, and Mississippi in passing a 'fetal heart beat' abortion ban, capping the procedure at 6 weeks. For those of us who understand women, that 6 weeks might as well be 0."

"Being pregnant for 6 weeks can look a whole lot like a 2 week late period-- something not uncommon for millions of women across the country. But Brian Kemp doesnt care. He, and Republicans like him, just want to mask their war on women in a veneer of moral outrage about the abortion care that Roe v. Wade enshrined as a right... The insidious nature of this ban doesnt stop there either. In 2013, North Dakota passed a nearly identical version of this fetal heartbeat ban-- which was then stuck down by a federal court, with a concurrence by the Supreme Court. Ask yourself one question: why do you think Republican governors across the country are now suddenly emboldened to brazenly violate Supreme Court rulings? Whats different between the Court in 2016, and the Court today? Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Thats the difference. One justice sitting in a stolen seat, and another whose life of privilege masked him from ever facing a single consequence for his actions, no matter how heinous they were. Today, they serve as the vanguard of Mitch McConnells assault on our justice system, as well as the Republican war on women."





I hate to be a downer, but the Republican Supreme Court justices waiting to strike down Roe v Wade didn't get into this position without help from shit-eating Democrats, starting with Joe Biden, who almost single-handily got Clarence Thomas confirmed too the bench. (He's sorry now. Screw that! He's just plain sorry and should have retired 3 decades ago.)





Other than Biden, most of the Democrats who helped get Thomas onto the bench are dead or retired, except for Richard Shelby, who is still serving as the senior senator from the state of Alabama-- although he switched to join the GOP some years ago. There were 22 Democrats behind John Roberts, including 4 still serving in the Senate: Tom Carper (DE), Ron Wyden (OR), Pat Leahy (VT) and Patty Murray (WA). Carper, a Biden protege, won't give a rat's ass but imagine how embarrassed Wyden, Leahy and Murray will be if the Court overturns Choice. Should they be dragged out into the street for a tar-and-feathering? Make up your own mind if they should be held accountable-- along with Joe Manchin (WV), who helped Trump confirm Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. Conservative asshats Heidi Heitkamp (ND) and Joe Donnelly (IN) also voted to confirm Gorsuch and their Democratic base responded by sitting on their hands and letting Republican voters defeat them during last year's "blue wave." That should be the fate of all traitorous Blue Dog and New Dem scum who want to compromise away our fundamental right for their careers. Don't buy into the Democratic Party establishment's "lesser-of-two-evils" strategy. Don't vote for crap candidates just because the Republican is worse.





Rewire News, noted that there are In fact, just a Wednesday, Auditi Guha, writing for, noted that there are Democrats on the state level who are working with the Republicans to overturn Roe v Wade . Lesser of two evils? [Insert your favorite expletive.]





After 6 Louisiana Democrats voted with the Republicans on Monday for the extremist (insane) anti-Choice bill, most people felt that Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards would sign it.
George Clooney is staying out of the primaries but plans to back whoever the candidate is against Trumpanzee. He feels confident Trump will be a one-termer, although he worries that the Starbucks guy could screw up everything . "The narrow edge he took to get there in 2016 has all gone so yes, I do [think he can be beaten]. We just have to not have third party candidates like [former Starbucks CEO] Howard Schultz... Im not a fan at all. If [Schultz] wants to run as a Democrat as he says he is then you should run as a Democrat, not try and lead the process before you even got started."





My guess is that Schultz would like a graceful way too get out of this whole mess he created. The problem is that he's hired all these high-priced hookers consultants who are not letting their meal ticket vanish so quickly. Take Bill Burton for example. He worked at the DCCC and parleyed that, eventually, into a big gig as under Deputy White House Press Secretary Obama and an even bigger gig with the Priorities USA SuperPAC. More recently he ran the California operation of a sleazoid Democratic consulting firm, SKDKnickerbocker (owned Mark Penn). Burtion was getting a mega-paycheck at SKDKnickerbocker when Schultz wooed him away with promises of God-knows-how-much loot.





And Burton is just one example of consultants who have attached themselves to Schultz's billions. One of them, not Burton, told me that none of them think Schultz is going anywhere but that the money is great and that there's not much they have to do. And especially now, while Schultz is laying low and "waiting for Biden to self-combust," as that same top Schultz consultant told me.





Daily Beast reported that Schultz's campaign is campaign operation told me they figure Biden will screw up by then, leaving Schultz with a path to victory. I asked him if they were all drunk over there and he laughed, well aware that Schultz issuing strung along by people dependent on him for a paycheck.) Yesterday, thereported that Schultz's campaign is basically dormant , if not dead. Burton claims that Schultz is still considering running and that he'll announce his decision "in the late spring or early summer." (My contact in theoperation told me they figure Biden will screw up by then, leaving Schultz with a path to victory. I asked him if they were all drunk over there and he laughed, well aware that Schultz issuing strung along by people dependent on him for a paycheck.)





Erin McPike says he's recovering from back surgery and that that's why there's no campaign. Oh.





"But Schultz has also dialed down the elements of his campaign prep that dont actually require public appearances," wrote Sam Stein. "He has not posted to Facebook or Instagram since April 30. His last missive was on how leaders make decisions 'through the lens of personal beliefs' which included a photo of a chess board, a French press, a cup of coffee and a diary with the phrase 'success is best when it's shared' written in black sharpie marker."

According to Facebook's ad archives, Schultz has not run an ad on the platform since April 23, when his account posted a spot that declared "It's Time To Un-Partisan. Since Easter, Schultz has tweeted just twice. The first was to promote an op-ed he wrote on his trip to Arizona. That was on April 29. The second, and last, tweet came on Monday, when he tweeted a winky emoji at someone wondering if he was a character in Game of Thrones, after a cup of Starbucks was mistakenly included in a scene of the popular HBO show.



And its not just Schultz. Neither Steve Schmidt, his top adviser, nor Burton have tweeted since late January.



The next president is not going to be decided on Twitter, Burton said. I would think if you looked at what he is doing publicly it stacks up with a lot of people engaged in the national conversation.



That was once true. In the beginning of April, the Schultz media team was sending out statements on various relevant issues and informing reporters about upcoming events like his Fox News town hall in Kansas City, Missouri. After that, Schultz initiated a Heart of America tour that took him to Kansas. That same week, his team sent out a statement about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Medicare for All proposal and sent a dispatch about his travels including information about Kansas farmers lives being impacted by Trump trade policies. The tour then headed to Arizona where it appears stoppedat least for nowbecause of his surgery.



There has been one major development that happened in the 2020 election since Schultzs trip to Arizona: the formal entrance of former Vice President Joe Biden into the Democratic primary. Biden is an establishment figure with a lengthy record that places him a fair distance away from his partys ideological left. In short, hes the very type of candidate that Schultz has said would convince him to ultimately not enter the presidential race. But Burton stressed that the former VPs presence was not a factor-- at least yet-- in Schultzs thinking.

It isn't likely that anyone has written Schultz into the final episodes of Game of Thrones but he may have been offered a role in the prequel (set 5,000-10,000 years before the one we're watching now), possibly titled The Long Night. Jane Goldman, Carly Wray, Max Borenstein, and Brian Helgeland are writing it now and one of them could have offered Schultz a role, along with Dixie Egerickx, Denise Gough, George Henley, John Simm, Naomi Ackie, Jamie Campbell Bower, Ivanno Jeremiah, Alex Sharp, Toby Regbo and Richard McCabe. Coffee-drinker and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin said, "Speaking of television, dont believe everything you read. Internet reports are notoriously unreliable... We have had five different Game of Thrones successor shows in development (I mislike the term 'spinoffs') at HBO, and three of them are still moving forward nicely... The one I am not supposed to call The Long Night will be shooting later this year." The hope, of course, is that Schultz will accept a role as some minor Targaryen, who can be cut out of the film later, after he doesn't run and doesn't help Trump win a second term.
Many Americans are unaware of just how important an event in world history the French Revolution was. Before we talk about what Ryan Grim termed a counterrevolution for an The Intercept piece about reactionary Blue Dog and DINO Josh Gottheimer, let's remember, for a little context, that the French Revolution, gave hope to all Europe other than to the nobles, ecclesiastics, and some bourgeois (the 1%). The emigres, who came from these groups, fought from outside France to defeat the revolution. They persuaded several monarchs to invade France to thwart Robespierre's Montagnards, who were determined to give the lower classes (the sansculottes) a greater share in political and economic power.

The counterrevolutionaries were eager to halt all efforts toward economic equality. In 2017 Paul Berman, wrote about counterrevolution in America foras an integral part of Trumpism. "What,' he asks, "has brought about the counterrevolution? Fear has brought it about-- a vague and unarticulated fear that life has spun out of control: a fear that assumes a different shape in each country, yet is visibly shared across half the world, such that people who experience the fear naturally feel a solidarity, even across the national borders. And what has brought about the fear? The liberal revolution itself has done this-- its aspirations, its successes, its failures, and the gap between aspirations and realities."

...The liberal revolution lasted 50 years before the undercurrents of counterrevolution began to sweep it away. How long will the counterrevolution go on? We only know that we do not know. Six months before the 2016 presidential election in the United States, not a single respected political analyst predicted the outcome with any accuracy. This does not mean that in the United States political analysts are stupid. It means that we have entered an era in which the analytic categories of the past do not reliably apply: one more occasion for fear.

In economic matters, a fear, five times over: the fear that automation, computer efficiencies, and the globalized division of labor are replacing good jobs with bad jobs. The fear that an entire storied social class, the industrial working class, is being shrunk or eliminated, along with its social and political achievements, its privileges, historical sense, culture, and institutions. The fear that, amidst these developments, the aesthetic and spiritual qualities of skilled manual labor are being lost. The fear that, under the modern dispensation, the technocrats and bureaucrats who mandate these many developments have no sense of the human costs. The fear that trade pacts and other instances of economic planning are, on top of their other flaws, a lie, designed merely to benefit the tiny few, and not society as a whole-- as shown by, say, the European Union, whose policies, nominally in the name of the union, somehow conform to the interests of Germany and its banks, and not to Greece and other poor countries.

So when Gottheimer reached out to meet with Tlaib, she was eager to take it, hoping that a personal connection would help bridge their differences. On the day of the meeting, February 6, Gottheimer arrived with a colleague, freshman Elaine Luria from Virginia-- and a white binder. Luria began by saying that she had met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu six weeks earlier, and Tlaib tried to break the ice with a joke: Hows the two-state solution going?





The joke fell flat. Gottheimer pulled out the binder, opening it to show Tlaib the contents. It was a collection of printed-out articles, with quotes and other lines highlighted. He goes through them, you said this, you said that, confusing me with other colleagues, Tlaib said.





...Tlaib said she tried to reach Gottheimer on a personal level, telling him about her grandmother, who lives in occupied Ramallah. He wasnt interested. He was using a very stern tone, like a father to a child. At that moment, I realized hes a bully, said Tlaib. He had a goal of breaking me down. I left feeling exactly that way.





Breaking down Tlaib, Omar, and their allies on the left has been one of Gottheimers primary goals since the November elections. He has worked assiduously to carve out a role in the Democratic caucus as something of an avenger, a centrist proud of his centrism and willing to take the fight directly to the squad of freshmen trying to push the party in a progressive direction. He even has a name for his handpicked adversaries: the herbal tea party.





His definition of too progressive is startlingly broad. As the Democratic chair of the so-called Problem Solvers Caucus, he led a push against Nancy Pelosi as she ran for House speaker last year. He has consistently voted against the party even on procedural motions, threatening to hand control over the House to the GOP. This spring, he was one of just a handful of Democrats at a private retreat on Sea Island, Georgia, hosted by the conservative American Enterprise Institute, mingling with Vice President Mike Pence, Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and other Republican heavyweights. He was one of just six Democrats to break with the party on a push for the DREAM Act in 2018, and he publicly undermined the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) during a hearing in which he fawned over CEOs of the nations biggest banks.





His boldest bid for internal power, however, came amid the push for a congressional War Powers Resolution to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. As progressives in the House neared a historic achievement, Gottheimer organized behind the scenes to take the resolution down, in part by attempting to make it a referendum on support for Israel-- and very nearly succeeded.





The bills supporters out-organized him, and in April, Congress sent a War Powers Resolution to Trumps desk. He vetoed their resolution, rejecting Congresss demand that the president stop backing the Saudi-led war. Last weeks effort to override the veto failed in the Senate on a 53-to-45 vote.





Trumps rejection of the resolution-- which was led in the House by Ro Khanna (D-CA) and in the Senate by Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Mike Lee (R-UT)-- was expected. But for advocates who worked on it, Gottheimers intervention was unwelcome but not surprising. He was counterproductive in a totally unnecessary way at a time when there was actually party unity on something really progressive and historic-- and that unity had been fought for a long time, said Elizabeth Beavers, who was associate policy director at Indivisible during the Yemen fight. This is a thing that hes doing consistently, helping to organize against progress.





Stephen Miles, head of Win Without War, which worked closely on the resolution, was befuddled by Gottheimers role. Its unclear what hes trying to do, but the impact is causing discord within the Democratic Party, making it harder to end an immoral and unconscionable war, he said. He took an issue in which theres a clear right and clear wrong, and hes come down on the side of wrong.





Gottheimers rearguard action against the Yemen resolution, and his attempt to link the issue to Israel, hasnt been previously reported. Its been perhaps the most aggressive move any Democrat has made against the caucus and its leadership this session-- and the intensity with which he approached it suggests that Gottheimer is working to establish himself as a leading player in the years to come.





Gottheimer's intervention in the effort to end the Saudi-led war in Yemen takes on new resonance in the context of his longstanding links to Saudi money. Gottheimer is a protege of Mark Penn, a notorious Democratic operative who has become a leading Trump cheerleader on Fox News. Penns companies, where Gottheimer has held senior positions over the years, have long been on Saudi Arabias payroll.





Gottheimers first big job out of college was as a speechwriter in the Clinton White House, where he worked closely with Penn, the presidents pollster. The two have remained close since. Penn became CEO of the consulting firm Burson-Marsteller, long one of the PR outfits working closest with Saudi Arabia, and in 2006, he hired Gottheimer as an executive vice president. Gottheimer worked at the consultancy firm, where he reported directly to Penn, until 2010. In 2008, Penn joined Hillary Clintons 2008 campaign as chief strategist, notoriously urging her to paint Barack Obama as un-American, and took Gottheimer with him.





Burson-Marsteller, as MSNBCs Rachel Maddow once laid out, has been a reliable voice for the worst of the worst. When Blackwater killed those 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, they called Burson-Marsteller, Maddow said. When there was a nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island, Bobcock & Wilcox, who built that plant, called Burson-Marsteller. Bhopal chemical disaster that killed thousands of people in India, Union Carbide called Burson-Marsteller. Romanian dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu-- Burson-Marsteller. The government of Saudi Arabia, three days after 9/11-- Burson-Marsteller.





She continued: When evil needs public relations, evil has Burson-Marsteller on speed dial. Thats why it was creepy that Hillary Clintons pollster and chief strategist in her presidential campaign was Mark Penn, CEO of Burson-Marsteller. (Penn, at the time still serving as CEO, disputed the characterization.)





The consulting firm has continued to do major business with Saudi Arabia, including by representing a Saudi-run alliance engaged in the Yemen war, a contract it inked in 2017. (Now known as BCW, the firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.) One of Gottheimers earliest fundraisers in 2015 was hosted by Don Baer, an ex-Clinton aide who replaced Penn as CEO of Burson-Marsteller.





Gottheimer, a Harvard Law graduate, left Burson-Marsteller to work as a lawyer at the Federal Communications Commission in June 2010, and has remained close to Penn. In 2012, Microsoft hired Penn to build a guerrilla PR shop to battle rival Google in Washington, and Penn plucked Gottheimer from the FCC to join him. Gottheimer later became a consultant with the Stagwell Group, a Penn-owned private equity firm, according to a 2017 financial disclosure. Between 2015 and 2017, while Gottheimer was consulting for Stagwell, Saudi Arabia paid Targeted Victory, a digital company owned by Stagwell, more than $1 million to spread pro-Saudi information on Twitter. The Congressman has never done any work for Saudi Arabia, said Adams, Gottheimers spokesperson.





In Washington, a handful of law and lobbying outfits are registered as agents on behalf of Saudi Arabia. In the last election cycle, Gottheimer was among the top recipients of cash from those firms lobbyists and lawyers, taking in more than $20,000 from them in 2017 and 2018, according to Ben Freeman, an analyst at the Center for International Policys Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative.





That makes Gottheimer one of the top 20 biggest recipients of Saudi agent cash in either party, but that number is deceptive, as the rest of the list includes party leaders and veterans. Almost everyone ahead of him was either up for Senate reelection or part of Party leadership. And he actually pulled more money from Saudi foreign agents than even some Senators up for re-election, such as former Sens. Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Donnelly, Freeman wrote in an email. Nobody as junior as Gottheimer comes anywhere close.





In 2016, Gottheimer flipped a northern New Jersey congressional seat that had been in Republican hands for more than two decades, representing a slew of Wall Street commuters, as well as more rural areas to the west. He played up his close ties to the Israel lobby, noting that he was a member of the most prominent Jewish fraternity in college and active with both the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and NORPAC. Donors connected to NORPAC, which advocates for Israeli interests, made up his largest source of campaign cash in the last cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Hes been a regular speaker at AIPACs annual conference and led the charge in the Democratic caucus to have Omar, D-Minn., condemned by her colleagues on the House floor for what he said were anti-Semitic remarks.





His ties to Penn have followed Gottheimer to Congress, where he co-chairs the Problem Solvers Caucus, which was established by the dark-money group No Labels, which Jacobson and Penn launched in 2010. (Jacobson still runs it, and Penn advises on strategy.)





No Labels launched The Speaker Project in June 2018, aimed at expanding the power of a small group of centrists if Democrats took power in the House of Representatives. The project pushed for a rules change that would give a clear path to a floor vote for any legislation that met a certain threshold of bipartisanship. Its easy for K Street to round up small bipartisan groups, meaning the reform, if passed, would effectively hand control of the floor to corporate interests. Theres a problem-solvers group that is looking to have some influence, if the result is close, in terms of changing the rules and naming the speaker, Penn said in September on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News.





Meanwhile, No Labels deliberated making Pelosi, who was running for speakership, a boogeyman in its communications strategy, but ultimately decided against doing so. No Labels Chief Strategist Ryan Clancy argued that the time wasnt right. The outfit is probably going to go to war with Pelosi. And it probably should, Clancy wrote in an email, published by the Daily Beast. I dont know that now is the time to do it, especially when we have a perfectly good villain to use in Bernie [Sanders].





Gottheimer attempted to execute The Speaker Project in the run-up to the new Congress, organizing the Problem Solvers Caucus to withhold support from Pelosi. She made modest concessions and beat back his effort.













But Gottheimer is showing no signs of receding into the background. In the first quarter of 2019, he raised an astounding $830,000, almost none of it from small donors, giving him some $5 million cash on hand. Aside from the campaign cash he rakes in from the pro-Israel and pro-Saudi lobbies, he cultivates Wall Street openly. The tendency was on unusually obsequious display at an April Financial Services Committee hearing, where the CEOs of Americas major banks testified, including JPMorgans Jamie Dimon, Bank of Americas Brian Moynihan, Goldman Sachss David Solomon, Morgan Stanleys James Gorman, and Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat.





At the hearing, titled Holding Megabanks Accountable, Waters, the committee chair, showed a rotating series of slides highlighting anti-social bank practices. When it was Gottheimers turn to question the bankers, he borderline apologized to them.

Thank you all for being here today and for your work and for what you do for New Jersey. Im very grateful. I wish we had also put up slides earlier today that looked more like this. One about how many jobs your firms have created, or slides showing how many entrepreneurs and small- and minority-owned businesses have been supported by your institutions. Or slides showing how many pensions and 401ks and homes and other finances youve helped people secure. Your firms currently employ more than a million people. Youve doubled your small-business loans in the last decade from $44 billion to $86 billion, including supporting small businesses in my district to the tune of $471 million. Making the dream of homeownership possible, your firms have originated $1.8 billion in home mortgages in my district alone and Im grateful. Unfortunately, theres no slide up there about that either.

His questioning was no less fawning: Mr. Dimon, can you describe some of the work that your firm has done in the small-business lending arena and how those loans are helping to facilitate small-business growth?





Tlaib, sitting in front of Gottheimer at the hearing, was startled. I had to pause because he was on our side of the aisle, she said. I was taken aback by his strong stance for megabanks. Theres a way to do it that doesnt undermine the leadership of the committee.
Vietnam should be wary of adverse environmental and social impacts as China moves out its polluting, labor-intensive factories, experts caution.

While Vietnam welcomes record increases in Chinese FDI, it should also ensure that Chinese interest in opening many factories here does not make it a recipient of unwanted technologies, experts say.

The caution comes as localities across Vietnam report greater investment interest from Chinese firms to locate its factories here.

According to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, China tops the table for newly registered direct investment (FDI) capital in Vietnam this year.

In the first four months of the year, they registered 187 projects worth $1.3 billion. Another $400 million was registered as supplementary capital for existing projects and share purchases.

Most notably, according to the FIA, of the 6 biggest newly registered FDI projects in Vietnam, four were from mainland China and Hong Kong.

These include a project to build a $280 million factory to produce heavy-duty truck and bus tyres in southern Tay Ninh Province. This Chinese invested project is the the biggest newly registered one with 100 percent foreign capital.

The biggest FDI project in terms of capital contributed via a share purchase came from Beerco Limited of Hong Kong, which invested $3.85 billion in Vietnam Beverage Co., Ltd., to make beer in Hanoi.

The other two projects are a $260 million electronic equipment factory by a Hong Kong company, and a $214.4 million tyre factory from a Chinese company.

Heightened China interest

Information released by the Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park located in northern Bac Ninh Province, show that dozens of Chinese investors specializing in electronics and machinery manufacturing are interested in setting up factories there, despite the IP not being put into operation yet.

A number of industrial parks in the Mekong River Delta like Long An, Tien Giang and Can Tho are also reporting interest from Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong investors.

According to experts, China had been shifting production to other countries over the last few years, but this movement has recently sped up because of the escalating US-China trade war.

The aim of Chinese investors targeting Vietnam is to take advantage of opportunities from the CPTPP that Vietnam recently ratified, and the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (EVFTA) that is to be ratified, which will allow more FDI into the country with lower tariff structures.

Given the high tariffs the U.S. is already imposing on many Chinese products, causing major losses to exporters, Chinese producers have to find "outs" in nearby countries, including Vietnam, experts say.

Analysts from the Mizuho Research Institute say that even if the global economy slows down, the movement of companies relocating from China to Vietnam is expected to continue, given the countrys relatively favorable investment environment, including investment incentives, low labor costs, and political stability.

External costs

However, this inflow of capital has also raised concerns.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Thanh, director of the Institute of Economic and Policy Research - VEPR (Hanoi National University), said that China is currently trying to replace its cheap industries, which consume much energy and pollute the environment, with high-tech industries under its "Made in China 2025" plan.

As a result, China is looking to shift labor-intensive industries, which depend on cheap labor to be competitive and are harmful to the environment, overseas, and Vietnam is very likely one of the venues, he said.

In fact, China has policies to cut down on thermal power plants; wood processing, and iron and steel production. Production of textiles, fiber and footwear also be part of this plan, Thanh said.

He warned that Vietnam should consider requiring projects to get both central and local approval in order to "avoid receiving projects that adversely affect the environment and society."

Prof. Dr. Dinh Trong Thinh from the Academy of Finance said that FDI increase is a good thing because many projects are in need of foreign capital to develop.

However, Vietnam should be especially wary of FDI from China, because investment from this country tends to be directed into low-tech, high pollution industries.

In particular, many Chinese industries wherein investment is being discouraged or restricted are being shifted to Vietnam and other countries with lower technology levels.

"Observing Chinas investment capital, we can see that most of it is directed at sensitive areas such as metallurgy, chemical production, textile dyeing, or thermal power; areas in which the country is currently minimizing investment in and shifting to Vietnam," he told local media.

Thinh warned that Vietnam should not be overly joyful with large numbers. Instead it raise national standards to filter capital coming in.

As of April 20 this year, the total newly registered and supplementary capital from foreign investors totaled $14.59 billion, an increase of 81 percent compared to the same period of 2018.

This is the highest amount of capital registered in the first four months of the year since 2015. FDI in this period reached $7.5 billion in 2016, $10.6 billion in 2017 and $8 billion in 2018.
Electronic payment methods are expected to improve business landscape and national competitiveness. Photo by VnExpress/Trung Son

The HCMC administration has instructed all schools, hospitals and many others to accept non-cash payments when collecting fees.

This is required under a government resolution to improve the business climate and economic competitiveness by 2021.

Besides schools and hospitals, electricity, drainage, sanitation, telecom, and postal utilities must also coordinate with banks to accept non-cash payments.

The city wants them to prioritize payments via mobile devices and devices that accept cards. The Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation in particular has been told to encourage electronic payments.

The citys Social Insurance Agency has been given a target of making 50 percent of pension and welfare payments non-cash by the end of this year.

The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs has pledged to pay at least 10 percent of benefits electronically this year and increase it to 30 percent next year.

The city has called on the State Bank of Vietnam to publicize the transactions that can only be done via bank transfer.

The government has sought suggestions from the central bank for amending legal provisions to increase non-cash payments for property transactions.

Electronic payments in the country increased by 22 percent in 2017 to $6.14 billion, Nikkei Asian Review quoted Statista, a local market research firm, as saying. The figure is projected to rise to $12.33 billion by 2022.

According to economists, the potential for cashless payments is huge due to the growing middle class and rapidly improving telecom infrastructure.

But the reliance on cash remains huge. Some 80 percent of Vietnamese prefer to use cash for daily transactions, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said.
Facebook and Google account for the majority of Vietnam's ad revenue. Photo by Reuters/Regis Duvignau

Foreign firms like Facebook and Google dominate the digital ad market in Vietnam but pay no taxes, a minister says.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said this has to change.

While foreign companies like Google and Facebook account for 70 percent of Vietnam digital ad revenues, they neither pay taxes nor comply with Vietnamese laws, Hung noted at a forum Thursday on developing Vietnam technology companies.

"Vietnam has its own sovereignty, laws and forces, and we cannot allow this situation to continue. We must strive to have every foreign business comply with our laws," he said.

Last year, Facebook and Google accounted for 66.7 percent of Vietnams ad revenue, which was $550 million, according to market research firm ANTS.

The market share of these two global giants will rise to 69 percent this year, while thousands of Vietnamese advertising agencies account for just 28 percent.

Both Facebook and Google do not have a representative office in Vietnam. The countrys cybersecurity law, which took effect at the beginning of this year, requires foreign businesses to open representative offices in Vietnam and store their Vietnamese users' data in Vietnamese territory.

Minister Hung has previously proposed that new policies are issued to facilitate the creation and growth of homegrown social networks, aiming to garner at least 60 million accounts and 60-70 percent of the social network markets pie in Vietnam by 2022.

But for now, Facebook remains the most popular social network in the country. The number of Facebook users in Vietnam is the seventh highest in the world with over 58 million people last year, an increase of 16 percent from 2017, according to marketing agency We Are Social.
Two British men will be sentenced in October after admitting they trafficked 29 Vietnamese citizens into the U.K. last month.

Frank Walling, 72, and Glen Bennett, 55, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Modern Slavery and Immigration Acts at a trial on Tuesday, the Metro news site reported.

The pair were arrested on April 12 after police stopped two vans where 29 Vietnamese nationals, including children, were found crammed inside the back of the vehicles in the County of Devon to the southwest of England. The Vietnamese had arrived on a fishing boat, police found.

The duo were remanded to custody and will return to for trial on October 11 when they will be sentenced.

Vietnam is consistently one of the top source countries for modern slaves in Britain - at least 3,187 Vietnamese victims have been identified since 2009, according to official data.

About 362 possible child victims from Vietnam were discovered in Britain in 2017, up more than a third over 2016.

Victims trafficked from Vietnam most commonly end up being exploited, often in cannabis farms and nail bars, but many are also sexually exploited, according to a report commissioned by Britains Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland.
Vietnams long border, extensive traffic routes and loopholes in customs checkpoints make the country a popular drug trafficking hub from the Golden Triangle. Photo by Shutterstock/Metamorphic Photography

Vietnams long borders, multitude of trafficking routes and customs loopholes make it a major drug trafficking hub, top drug officials admit.

Speaking at an online conference on the government portal on Wednesday, Vu Van Hau, deputy head of the Police Department for Investigating Drug Crimes, said many international drug trafficking rings have begun to use Vietnam as a transit point.

Over three tons of meth, one ton of heroin and millions of ecstasy pills were seized in a series of busts this year, he said.

"We have enough evidence to prove that these drugs were transported from the Golden Triangle [to Vietnam] to be sent to a third country."

The Golden Triangle lies at the intersection of China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar and is the world's second largest drug producing area behind the Golden Crescent in South Asia.

Long borders, multiple ports and easy overland connectivity with other countries make Vietnam a prime location for transiting drugs, Hau said.

Do Ngoc Canh, deputy head of the Border Defense Forces Anti-Drug Department, said customs loopholes at ports also make Vietnam an attractive transit point for drug traffickers.

"[Drug traffickers] often hide drugs inside normal goods before putting them in containers, which makes it difficult for authorities to control."

The Ministry of Public Security and the Border Defense Force are conducting regular patrols and raids along the Laos border together with other countries.

Vietnamese authorities discover around 20,000 cases involving drugs every year and arrest 30,000 people. The country has some 250,000 registered addicts, but actual figures could be much higher.

In March the Saigon police raided a warehouse in Binh Tan District and seized over 300 kilograms of meth, the largest meth bust ever in the city. At least 11 people of Lao, Chinese and Vietnamese nationalities were held.

The case prompted senior police officers to warn that Saigon is growing into a transit point for drugs thanks to its logistics infrastructure.

In Vietnam, those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine could face the death penalty. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.
Missiles are seen launched during a military drill in North Korea, in this May 10, 2019 photo supplied by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Handout via Reuters

North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday in its second such test in less than a week.

The U.S. said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship as tensions again mounted between the two countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump said that "nobody is happy" at the launches, but appeared to hold the door open for more talks with North Korea. South Korea said the tests were worrisome and unhelpful and likely a protest against Trump refusing to ease economic sanctions at a failed summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February.

Washington has given no sign of willingness to budge on sanctions and the U.S. Justice Department announced on Thursday the seizure of a North Korean cargo vessel it said was involved in the illicit shipping of coal.

North Korea has effectively pulled back from engagement with Washington since the February meeting between Kim and Trump in Hanoi collapsed without agreement on U.S. demands for the dismantling of Pyongyang's nuclear program and Kim's demands for relief from punishing sanctions.

"The relationship continues. ... I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they're ready to negotiate," Trump told reporters.

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Washington would continue to focus on diplomatic efforts with North Korea.

"We're going to stick to our diplomacy and as you all know, we haven't changed our operations or our posture and we'll continue to generate the readiness we need in case diplomacy fails," he told reporters.

Trump has held up a freeze in missile testing since 2017 as a sign of progress in his talks with North Korea after exchanges of fiery rhetoric two years ago raised fears of war.

North Korea formally announced a freeze in intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and nuclear bomb tests in April last year and Trump stressed that the missiles fired were not of a kind that could threaten the United States.

"We're looking at it very seriously right now. They were smaller missiles, they were short-range missiles," he said. "Nobody's happy about it but we're taking a good look and we'll see."

The Pentagon said the launches consisted of multiple ballistic missiles that flew in excess of 300 km (185 miles) and landed in the ocean.

North Korea's official KCNA news agency reported that Kim oversaw the army "strike drill," and said he noted that "genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty."

White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney played down the tests, telling CBS News the "supposed provocation" was "very minor."

"These missiles, whatever they were, whatever you want to call them, they were very small. And not aimed at Japan, not aimed at Guam, they were aimed up theNorth Korean coast. So it was a very non-provocative provocation, if there is such a thing."

He said the relationship between Kim and Trump remained good and he was confident there would be more talks with North Korea. "We want additional talks," he said.

Asked if the U.S. side wanted another summit, he said: "Eventually? Yeah, I think we do," while adding that at the last summit, the North Koreans "were not really willing to negotiate.'

"They gave us an offer - you know, a take-it-or-leave-it offer - five different times. And we couldn't take it, so we had to leave."

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to continue talks toward denuclearization, warning that Pyongyang's latest action "serves only to increase tensions."

On Saturday, Kim oversaw the test-firing of multiple rockets and a missile. That was North Korea's first test of a ballistic missile since an ICBM launch in November 2017 that it said was capable of delivering a warhead anywhere in the United States.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the two missiles fired on Thursday flew east from the northwestern area of Kusong and covered 420 km (260 miles) and 270 km (168 miles) and reached an altitude of about 50 km (30 miles) before falling into the sea.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has strongly advocated engagement with North Korea, said that even if the missiles were short-range, they could still violate U.N. resolutions barring North Korea from developing ballistic missiles.

"North Korea seemed to be discontented it could not reach a deal in Hanoi," he told South Korean broadcaster KBS, while adding that he saw the tests as a sign thatNorth Korea wanted to negotiate. He said he planned to push for a fourth inter-Korean summit with Kim.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met on Thursday with Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, who was expected to raise Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's hopes for a summit with Kim.

Trump and Pompeo have brushed aside Kim's demand for Washington to show more flexibility in talks by the end of the year.

'ESCALATION TACTICS'

Analysts said it was too soon to say exactly what kind of missiles were involved in the latest launches, but the range would probably exceed that of most of the rockets North Korea fired on Saturday from its east coast into the ocean.

"North Korea has returned to its classic escalation tactics from before," said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum. "I believe they will keep escalating by using what appear to be short-range missiles, something that will not cause the U.S. to react right away."

Harry Kazianis, of Washington's Center for the National Interest think tank, said the launches could only worsen tensions.

"While this ... does not violate Pyongyangs promise to halt longer-range tests, North Korea has now made it clear it will not halt developing other parts of its military capabilities that threaten the region," he said.

"Kims goal, beyond ensuring his weapons programs are becoming more powerful, is quite clear: to show America and its allies that if they arent willing to compromise on the terms of denuclearization, that Pyongyang will indeed go its own way, with missile launches once again becoming the new norm."

The latest tests coincided with a visit to the South Korean capital by U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun.

North Korea lashed out at the United States and South Korea this week, saying last weekend's launches were "regular and self-defensive." It criticized Seoul and Washington for carrying out military drills.

North Korea has repeatedly denounced U.S.-led sanctions aimed at pressing it to give up its nuclear weapons and the mood will not have been lightened by the ship seizure announced on Thursday, the first by the United States of a North Korean cargo vessel for violating sanctions.

The Justice Department said the 17,061-ton "Wise Honest," one of North Korea's largest cargo ships, was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018. It said it was now in the possession of the United States and was currently approaching U.S. territorial waters around American Samoa.

At the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday, the United States called on North Korea to dismantle camps it said held tens of thousands of political prisoners.

North Korea denied it held political prisoners and said U.S. sanctions were hampering North Koreans' enjoyment of life.

"Such anachronistic acts are very dangerous," its ambassador to the council, Han Tae Song, said.
Siemens intends to meet its medium-term growth and profit targets by clearly focusing its portfolio on dynamic growth markets and efficiency gains. To this end, the Supervisory Board of Siemens AG today (5/7) unanimously approved the next steps in the company's Vision 2020+ strategy concept, including the spinoff of Siemens' Gas and Power (GP).

"With Vision 2020+, we're further sharpening Siemens' focus and making our businesses faster and more flexible. These changes are laying the foundation for sustainable economic success in growth markets that will be attractive over the long term. We're also creating solid perspectives for those businesses that have to prove themselves in the structural transformation now underway and address new growth fields," said Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG. "The success of Siemens' businesses of the next generation will be determined by new factors. Breadth, size and a 'one size fits all' approach will be replaced by focus, speed and adaptability. That's how we'll ensure sustainable success of our businesses in the age of the digital Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which these new factors are a crucial to compete," said Kaeser. The CEO emphasized that Siemens was setting the course for the future from a position of strength and was excellently positioned. In the growth markets of automation, industrial digitalization and smart infrastructure, Siemens wants to grow significantly and further expand its leading position.

The Supervisory Board unanimously supports the realignment measures. "It's the right thing to do; it's necessary and courageous to trigger the planned changes when the company is doing well. The Supervisory Board supports the Managing Board in the further implementation of the Vision 2020+ strategy concept under Joe Kaeser's leadership," said Jim Hagemann Snabe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Siemens AG.

The employee representatives on the Supervisory Board also approve the plan for GP and support the Vision 2020+ growth strategy. However, they also note that the Managing Board has a special responsibility for the treatment of the employees who are impacted by the structural change. Birgit Steinborn, the Chairwoman of the Central Works Council of Siemens AG, explained: "The employee representatives agree to the plan for GP and support management's growth strategy. We're now facing a fundamental transformation of the company. If the Managing Board is serious about the growth concept, we expect employee expertise to be retained at the company and developed or expanded with respect to digitalization. These objectives can be accomplished through reskilling measures and preferential consideration when people are hired for the new positions that have been announced. The agreed-upon Fund for the Future offers good opportunities for doing this. In addition, we assume that the Region Germany will also benefit from the Managing Board's investments and growth programs. We reject unimaginative job-cutting programs."

The Digital Industries (DI) and Smart Infrastructure (SI) Operating Companies will comprise Siemens' future industrial core. This core will be supplemented by company-wide technology and service units and the company's strategic majority stake in Siemens Healthineers. Siemens Mobility is also to be further strengthened as a growth business.



Siemens' Gas and Power to be separately managed

Siemens' Gas and Power (GP) - comprising the company's oil and gas, conventional power generation, power transmission and related services businesses - is to be given complete independence and entrepreneurial freedom through a carveout and a subsequent public listing (spinoff). In addition, Siemens AG plans to contribute its majority stake in the market-leading renewable energies company SGRE - currently 59 percent - to GP. Plans call for the stock exchange listing to take place by September 2020. Siemens will also give up its majority stake in GP. However, it will remain a strong anchor shareholder in the new company, with a stake that is to be initially somewhat less than 50 percent and, for the foreseeable future, above the level of a blocking minority holding. Siemens will continue to support the new company, for example, through the professional services of Siemens' Financial Services, the strong sales network of the Siemens Regions and the licensing of the powerful Siemens brand. A decision regarding the spinoff and subsequent public listing is to be made at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting, probably in June 2020. Siemens will then deconsolidate both the new GP and SGRE.

"This move will create a powerful pure play in the energy and electricity sector with a unique, integrated setup - an enterprise that encompasses the entire scope of the energy market like no other company," explained Kaeser. "Combining our portfolio for conventional power generation with power supply from renewable energies will enable us to fully meet customer demand. It will also allow us to provide an optimized and, when necessary, combined range of offerings from a single source. We're convinced that this strategic decision will be positive for all participants and enable long-term value creation for customers, employees and shareholders - as can also be seen in recent market successes such as those in Iraq, which we'll jointly continue to pursue," added Kaeser.

"Being independent will enable us to more effectively leverage our position of strength to further support our customers in rapidly changing energy markets," said Lisa Davis, CEO of Siemens' Gas and Power. "Global electrification continues to be vital to economic and environmental progress around the world, and as the only company with a leading portfolio along the entire energy value chain - in both conventional and renewable energy - we are uniquely able to help both public- and private-sector customers benefit from these developments. We'll now have more freedom and agility to be able to concentrate fully on the highly specific and quickly changing requirements of our markets and customers. In addition, we'll be able to more directly control our costs and ensure that our stakeholders benefit directly from every euro we spend," explained Davis.

Read the full press release.
ELKO  Please join the Elko Area Chamber for our 41st Annual Home & Business Expo.

The event will take place over Mothers Day weekend, May 11-12 at the Elko Convention Center. Times are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The Expo will feature over 100 vendors, both indoor and out, with a variety of products and services to offer.

We will have something for everyone. We have some great shopping opportunities that include: clothes, jewelry, and self-care products, as well as live demonstrations, DIY classes, cars, trucks, RVs, informational booths, food options, and interactive activities.

The best part is there is no admission fee to attend. But were not done yet  enter to win our backyard give-away for free. We are giving away two riding lawn mowers, sponsored by the Home Depot, and, by participating in our vendor bingo, youll have another opportunity to win big. The first 100 people through the doors on Saturday and Sunday will receive one of our give-away swag bags filled with coupons and goodies from our vendors and members.

Come enjoy the weekend with the whole family. We look forward to another great year and Mothers Day weekend. Please contact the Chamber with questions: 775-738-7135.

Thank you to our sponsors for this event: PlumbLine Inc., Riverton Elko, Newmont Mining, Elko Daily Free Press, Greater Nevada Credit Union, Gateway RV, Elko Tool & Fastener, Gallagher Ford, The Home Depot, Elko Federal Credit Union and Elko Convention Center.

Meghan Micheli is Marketing & Program Coordinator at the Elko Area Chamber.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Two western lawmakers have introduced bills to reform a hardrock mining law that has been in place since 1872, and they are upping the ante on the amount of royalty that would be paid by mining companies.

Rep. Raul Grijalva , D-Ariz., and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., announced the Hardrock Leasing and Reclamation Act of 2019 on Thursday. The House version of the bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif.

An announcement on Grijalvas website calls the current law an antiquated system that robs the American people of royalties from mining:

Since 1872, mining companies have taken more than $300 billion worth of gold, silver, copper, and other valuable minerals from our federal public lands without paying a cent in federal royalties to the American people. The same companies have left the public with billions of dollars in cleanup costs at abandoned hardrock mines, which have polluted 40 percent of the headwaters of western watersheds.

The legislation proposes a 12.5-percent royalty  the same amount paid by oil and gas companies  and an 8 percent royalty on existing operations, except for miners with less than $50,000 in mining income.

It would also end the current claim-staking and patenting system, make some lands off-limits to hardrock mining, and create a fund to reclaim and restore abandoned mines.

There have been several efforts in the past to update the law, with various amounts proposed as a royalty. The most recent effort was in 2015 when Udall and three other congressmen sponsored an act that would have set a 2 to 5 percent royalty on new mining operations. Other amounts have ranged from 4 to 8 percent.

Former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid was credited with blocking past efforts, although he expressed his willingness to consider any proposal for mining reform that protects the mining industry, doesnt kill jobs, helps clean up abandoned mines and shares revenues with the state.

Reid retired in 2016 and both of Nevadas current senators are Democrats.

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., has opposed royalty legislation, citing the high costs paid by the industry to develop mines, the significant tax revenue they already provide, and the industrys high-paying jobs.

Amodei this week reintroduced the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act (H.R. 2531) which would streamline the mining permitting process.

Critical and strategic minerals are essential to the technologies, products, and infrastructure that make our daily lives work, he said. Unfortunately, when it comes to mining critical and strategic minerals in America, duplicative regulations and bureaucratic inefficiencies have forced us to rely on foreign adversaries and competitors for critical minerals, a dependency that threatens the security of our nation and economy.

Amodei says permitting delays stand in the way of high-paying jobs and revenue for rural communities.

In fact, since the 1990s, mineral exploration has stagnated and even declined in some cases because regulatory changes have caused the permit approvals process to take as long as 10 years, he said.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 21
ELKO  At one point in time the idea of having a community college in Elko was just a dream. Bob Burns, Bill Wunderlich, Mike Marfisi, Fred Harris, Paul Sawyer and Dr. Hugh Collett were especially keen on the idea.

According to 98-year-old Collett, keynote speaker at this years foundation dinner dance, five of the men traveled to Ontario, Oregon, to visit Treasure Valley Community College. On their return home Sawyer challenged the others by saying, If you want a college, Ill raise the $40,000 needed to get it started.

According to Great Basin College foundation director Matt McCarty, after that trip Sawyer hired the first president and suggested they had better start fundraising.

Sawyer had an original philanthropic idea that involved the local population. Sawyer asked people to give a days pay to get the ball rolling. It was a popular idea and Earl Frantzen, co-owner of the Elko Daily Free Press, popularized the effort by printing the slogan numerous times on the front page of the newspaper. The community of 7,000 came up with about $45,000 in 30 days, which is equivalent to about $300,000 today.

We are revitalizing that campaign, McCarty said. At that time it was an idea, a gamble, not knowing what would happen with it. Now, instead of giving us money, we want you to invest in the community.

McCarty explained that the campaign would reach every community within the 86,500 square miles that is the GBC campus, one of the largest colleges in the U.S. geographically. He is hoping people will make it an ongoing annual investment.

The Peoples College is a term that was once coined by Charles Greenhaw, a founding father, McCarty said. Fifty-two years later a new fundraiser, invest a days pay, has been instituted to help bolster the endowment, free the college to begin new programming and bring the community back to the college.

McCarty said when the Nevada Legislature changed the funding formula from one based on enrollment to one concerned only with the number of academic degrees awarded, that created a serious financial strain on the college.

When president Mark Curtis took the helm he was handed another 30 percent cut to the budget. McCarty said the college and current president Joyce Helens are now dealing with a shortfall of more than $2 million over the next two years.

McCarty said, As of the June 2018 Board of Regents meeting Great Basin College was looking at about half a million dollar budget shortfall. That is what we were expecting. Less than a month later, we were told, no, its actually a 1.4 million dollar shortfall.

McCarty said everyone was caught off guard, including the Board of Regents.

Basically, it was an interpretation of the funding formula, McCarty said. All of the CFOs for all of the colleges get together and look at the budget and say, this is where we are. All of the CFOs, the system and the Regents were all reading the formula one way.

He said when the budget was submitted to the state it was a done deal.

We had about a week to balance our budget, McCarty said. We had to come up with $900,000.

McCarty said the college considered all options and viewed removing entire centers, reducing staff, student services and other cuts.

The foundation approached the college and said We have money that we can give to you, McCarty said. Lets fill this hole, lets keep the college [running].

The foundation gifted the funds to the college.

According to McCarty, scholarships and endowments were not touched. Those funds are still managed as originally directed by the donors.

None of the restricted monies were used in this, he said. It did not put the foundation at a deficit, but it did say we no longer had the unrestricted funds that we had in the past, McCarty said. It takes money to generate money.

Part of Dr. Colletts speech was about us being able to be independent, McCarty said. In no way are we going to be or do we want to be independent of the [Nevada] System of Higher Education. Its not a feasible option for us. However, if we can grow our foundation, when there are budget shortfalls we have much more flexibility.

McCarty said the foundation has always been there to support the college. They are still keeping to their mission but are looking at having a much larger endowment so they can use the interest more freely. When an economic downturn occurs in the state or there is another detrimental change in the funding formula the college will still remain strong.

If we were able to generate a million dollars a year over 50 years what would that do? McCarty asked. If the Give a days pay campaign continued for every year over the last 52 years, this discussion would not be taking place.

We want to continue to offer and develop four-year degrees that make sense for our communities, McCarty said. We want to make sure the community knows [this].

He mentioned the bachelor degree in applied science in management and supervision as a good example of such a program.

McCarty said that dreaming and growth have been stymied over the past 11 years due to the cuts. He said he wants people who have invested years of their lives in the college and the students to be able to dream again.

I want to connect with the community so that the community can connect back to the college, so that we can make these dreams happen, he said.

McCarty said new programs cost about $500,000 to start up over a period of three years. That does not include a lot of equipment costs. After the three-year grace period the college can request state funding.

Approximately 100,000 students have utilized Great Basin College to further their education. According to McCarty, if every single alumnus gave $140 (an average daily wage for the region) the sum would be $14 million.

The spending interest off of a $14 million endowment could allow for a new program to begin every year, McCarty said. With that time frame, we could be exceptionally responsive to industry and community needs and have the ability to continue to grow in the directions that will help offset future budget shortfalls, perhaps even avoiding them entirely.

The Invest a days pay campaign began March 16.

This is what we did 50 years ago. Why cant we do it again? Collett said.

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.
The title Medicare for All attached to healthcare legislation reintroduced in April by self-described Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is deeply misleading.

The label implies that the existing and successful Medicare system would be extended to all Americans. In fact, Medicare for All differs from Medicare in fundamental ways  with much broader coverage, no cost sharing and no choice of health care plans. Before settling on the brand name Medicare for All, proponents called it Single-payer healthcare. In reality, Medicare for All is another name for governmentrun socialized health insurance.

Sanders new bill is essentially unchanged from legislation he introduced two years ago. It would force virtually every person to give up their current health plan  whether private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid  for a single, one-size-fits-all, government-run plan. It would cover not only uninsured American citizens but every U.S. resident  potentially including illegal immigrants. Hes made the plan even more generous and costly by adding long-term nursing and home care  at an additional cost of approximately $3 trillion over the next decade.

According to studies from both the liberal Urban Institute and the conservative Mercatus Center, Sanders plan would increase federal spending by $32 trillion over 10 years. Even doubling all federal individual and corporate tax receipts would be insufficient to pay that cost. Sanders doesnt offer a specific way to pay for the plan.

This enormous cost has been made evident at the state level. States could unilaterally enact a single-payer system, but even the most liberal  most noteworthy Sanders home state of Vermont in 2014  abandoned the plan when the scale of associated tax increases became clear.

Medicare for All has 14 Democratic Senate co-sponsors, including four who are competing with Sanders for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination: Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren. Each is courting support from ardently left progressive Democrats. A House version of the bill, introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Calif.), has 107 Democrats as co-sponsors.

But Democrats are far from united on healthcare policy. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other establishment liberal Democrats are skeptics about costs of Medicare for All. They want to focus on improving President Obamas Affordable Care Act. The partys leading presidential contender, Joe Biden, says he would build on Obamacare, signed into law while he was vice-president. Senate Democrats Amy Klobuchar and Michael Bennet, both mainstream presidential aspirants, have never signed on to Sanders extreme single payer bill.

About 156 million Americans have private employer-sponsored health insurance plans and another 22 million seniors have private Medicare Advantage plans. They would all have to switch to government insurance. That fact is risky for proponents. Senator Harris drew attacks after telling a CNN town hall that she was for Medicare for All and that she would eliminate all of that, referring to the private health insurance industry. Harris later backtracked.

Medicare for All would replace Medicares current method of paying fees for services to every hospital, nursing home and other institutional provider. Instead, a new federal board would set an annual budget for each provider, which would receive one lump sum for current operations and another for capital expenditures. The goal would be to run not only health insurance but the entire healthcare sector.

Finally, Medicare for All would eliminate all plan choices. It prohibits any insurer or employer from privately offering any medical services covered by the bill  no competition.

Medicare for All would force a radical change in our current healthcare system  and its not built on the structure of the present Medicare program.

Jim Hartman is an attorney residing in Genoa.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0
Acting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the Socialist Party (PSOE) is looking to leverage his partys success at the April 28 general election to position Spain in key positions of power in the European Parliament. At the recent polls, the PSOE won the highest number of seats in Congress  a victory that was celebrated not only by the left in Spain, but also in Europe.

Spain has a decisive role to play in the future of the European Commission

Acting PM Pedro Sanchez

Buoyed by this win, Sanchez has taken advantage of the weakness of European social democratic parties to become the leading representative of the bloc. At the informal European Union summit in Sibiu in Romania on Thursday, the social democratic chiefs named Sanchez as the negotiator for the Party of European Socialists ahead of the European election on May 26.

Sanchez is the only social democratic leader governing a large EU country, and one of the few in the entire 28-member bloc, joined only by the leaders of Portugal, Sweden, Romania and Malta. In Finland, the Social Democratic Party may also take power in that country if government negotiations are successful after winning the election on April 14.

Sanchezs new standing was evident at the EU summit, where his arrival on Thursday was met with great expectation. This role was also evident at the meeting of the Party of European Socialists before the summit, where Sanchez was congratulated by European leaders for his election win. According to sources close to the Spanish government, the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, trusts that PSOEs triumph at the polls will have a positive effect on his partys chances at the Portuguese elections on October 6.

While Spain held key roles in the 1990s, it has since lost the influence a country its size should have in the EU

After speaking with the Spanish press on Thursday, Sanchez talked before international media, which was an unusual occurrence. The acting prime minister also took part in several bilateral meetings, which is also uncommon and shows the high level of interest in the Spanish leader.

Sanchez however, was forced to quickly return to Spain before the end of the EU summit, as the medical condition of Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba  a veteran PSOE politician who is in a serious condition after suffering a stroke  worsened.

Before returning, Sanchez was able to speak to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. He also used his moment in the sun to call for Spain to have more power in key roles in the EU. Spain has a decisive role to play in the future of the European Commission, he said.

Spain does not currently hold any important positions in the EU. While it held key roles in the 1990s, it has since lost the influence that a country its size should have in the bloc. Sanchez is in the perfect position to assume more power in the EU, but it wont be easy. The politics within the bloc are very complex and a lot is hanging on whether the Socialists will be able to secure more seats at the upcoming European elections than the conservative Popular Party (PP).

English version by Melissa Kitson.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy early, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable.
Sunbathers on Malagueta beach in Malaga. Jorge Zapata

From Friday until at least Wednesday of next week, Spain can expect temperatures that are more suited to July than May. Areas of high pressure have returned to the Iberian peninsula, and, along with the clear skies and a mass of warm air from Africa, will be causing the continuation of a sharp rise in temperatures that began on Wednesday in the east of mainland Spain and today will spread across most of the country.

The highs on Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be between 5 and 10C above the norm in practically all of Spain

AEMET spokesperson

According to the AEMET state weather agency, Spain is currently experiencing generalized and unusual heat, which will be particularly noticeable in the south and west of the peninsula and in the Canary Islands, and which will be characterized by temperatures usually seen at the end of June or the beginning of July.

The worst day for the heat will be Monday, when the regions of Galicia, Asturias, Castilla y Leon, Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Andalusia, Aragon and the Canaries will see the mercury rise to 28-30C, temperatures as much as 15C above the norm. Seville and Cordoba could see 36C.

The highs on Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be between 5 and 10C above the norm in practically all of Spain, explains an AEMET spokesperson. This anomaly will rise to 10 to 15C in the south, west and in the Canaries.

This episode is likely to continue until Wednesday, when it is likely that the arrival of warm air ceases, to be replaced by cooler air from the Atlantic, prompting temperatures to fall, in particular in the west of the peninsula, explains AEMET in a press release.

The 10 highest temperatures seen on Thursday in Spain were all above 30C, and were registered in Malaga, Almeria, Murcia and Valencia. Malaga topped the list with 32.2C, followed by Almeria with 31.5C and 31.4C in Murcia.

English version by Simon Hunter.
People wave pro-independence flags at the march for the Diada, or National Day of Catalonia, in 2018.

Rejection of the Catalan independence movement has risen by 4.5 points in the northeastern Spanish region in the last two months, according to an opinion poll published on Friday by the regional governments Opinion Studies Center (CEO), a body tasked with carrying out political research in Catalonia. A total of 48.6% of respondents to the CEOs latest survey responded negatively to the idea of secession from Spain, compared to 44.1% in March.

The percentage of people who responded yes to the question Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state? came in at 47.2%, down from the last survey by the CEO when the figure was 48.4%.

With regard to the future of Catalonia, 35% of respondents said they were in favor of the region becoming an independent state

The percentage of citizens in the region who are opposed to independence has not exceeded those who are in favor since June 2017. That was when tensions were running high ahead of plans for a referendum on independence in the region. That vote went ahead on October 1 of that year, after having been declared illegal by Spains top courts.

The events of that day made headlines the world over due to police violence against citizens trying to vote. A unilateral declaration of independence was subsequently passed by the regional government, prompting Madrid to suspend the regions powers and sack the Catalan government.

Since then, pro-independence leaders have been put on trial in the Supreme Court for their role in the events of the fall of 2017, a court case that is ongoing. Several politicians, such as former regional premier Carles Puigdemont, fled Spain to avoid arrest and remain in self-imposed exile.

In terms of the personal feelings of those surveyed by CEO, 40.4% say that they feel as Spanish as they do Catalan, 26.1% only Catalan, 21.4% more Catalan than Spanish, 5.1% only Spanish and 3.1% more Spanish than Catalan.

Members of the Catalan Republican Left celebrate the results of the general election on April 28 in Barcelona. DAVID RAMOS (GETTY images)

The CEO poll found that 49.3% think it unlikely that the central government in Madrid will offer Catalonia an agreement on independence that will be accepted by a majority in the regional parliament, 27.4% not at all likely, 13.9% quite likely and 5.9% very likely.

With regard to the future way that Catalonia fits within Spain, 35% of respondents said they were in favor of the region becoming an independent state, 29.4% opt for a state within a federal Spain, 25.8% want it to continue to be an autonomous region within the country, and 6% want it to be a Spanish region.

European elections

The survey also reveals that the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) party would win the European elections in the region, with 22.5% of the vote, followed by the Catalan branch of the Socialist Party (PSC) with 22.2%, and then Together for Catalonia (JxCat) with 21.2%.

The conservative Popular Party (PP), which has taken an extremely hard line against the Catalan separatist movement, is forecast by the poll to pick up just 4.2% of the vote, with far-right party Vox predicted to take 3.2%.

The poll was carried out after the April 28 general election in Spain, and was based on a telephone interview with a thousand people between April 30 and May 6.

The survey reveals that the Catalan Republican Left party would win the European elections in the region, with 22.5% of the vote

The director of CEO, Jordi Argelaguet, warned, however, that more than 32% of respondents were undecided on their voting intentions, and a significant percentage of those polled did not respond to the question (7.4%), meaning that the results are wide open.

The CEO poll also analyzes the results of the general election, which was won by the Socialist Party but without a clear majority, meaning cross-party deals will be needed to form a government. The CEO survey found that 60.2% of respondents prefer a coalition government between the PSOE and left-wing bloc Unidas Podemos. Nearly 18% of those polled would prefer a PSOE minority government and 13.8% opt for the PSOE to join forces with center-right Citizens (Ciudadanos).

English version by Simon Hunter.
Next round of talks with Russia on localization of low-quality oil from Druzhba pipeline to be held on May 14  Ukrtransnafta

The next round of talks with Russia regarding the localization of low-quality Russian oil from the Druzhba oil pipeline will be held on May 14, First Deputy CEO of JSC Ukrtransnafta Andriy Pasishnik has said.

"The Odesa-Kremenchuk oil pipeline contains Azeri oil, the Druzhba oil pipeline  Urals oil... To resume transit to the EU, at least one Druzhba thread must be freed from contaminated oil. Now the temporary storage of this oil is subject to negotiations with the Russian Federation, the next round of which will take place on May 14," Pasishnik wrote in the comments to the post of journalist Ihor Maskalevych on Facebook on Thursday.

The representative of Ukrtransnafta said that this emergency situation occurred during the Easter and May holidays, so there were difficulties with the participation of state bodies in solving this problem.

As reported, due to oil force majeure in Belarus, Ukrtransnafta on April 25, 2019 forcedly suspended transit of oil through the Mozyr-Brody oil pipeline.

The supply of quality Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline to Belarus started on the afternoon of May 2 after the country on April 30 had stopped pumping to displace oil contaminated with organic chlorides from the Russian and Belarusian sections of the Druzhba pipeline.

On May 6 Belneftekhim reported on the receipt of "pure" Russian oil by Mozyr refinery of OJSC Gomeltransneft Druzhba.
Gazprom's opposition to the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to avoid a gas crisis in the winter of 2020, the possibility of purchasing U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) and plans for transferring the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS) to the concession to an independent operator were discussed last week in the United States by Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal and Chairman of the Executive Board of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy Andriy Kobolev.

"During both political and business meetings, we saw a great interest in the reform of the Ukrainian gas market and the process of unbundling the independent operator of Ukraine's GTS on the basis of the model with the transfer of the GTS to the concession," Kobolev wrote on his Facebook page following the visit.

According to him, at meetings at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Energy, it was said, in particular, how to ensure Ukraine's reliable possibility of buying LNG at a competitive price. "It is known that the United States supports the export activities of U.S. companies by providing funds and insuring risks. In a situation where we have to prepare for potential provocations from Russia and accumulate additional gas reserves at the beginning of winter, such assistance is very useful," the head of Naftogaz said.

He said that at the meetings with representatives of the U.S. presidential administration, the Congress and international financial institutions supporting Ukraine, the risk that Gazprom was preparing to interrupt the transit of gas through Ukraine in the winter of 2020 and arrange another gas crisis, as well as measures to combat such threats, were discussed.

"Speaking with U.S. senators who are co-authors of several sanction bills, we focused on countering the Nord Stream 2 project," Kobolev said. According to him, the U.S. Congress well understands that this project is focused exclusively on the Kremlin's political goals and poses a direct threat to the energy security of Ukraine and the EU.
The Individuals' Deposit Guarantee Fund has achieved the resumption of criminal proceedings against one of the former top managers of insolvent Delta Bank, who is suspected of withdrawing almost $50.63 million, the fund has reported.

According to the report, in November 2012 one of the managers of Delta Bank on behalf of the bank signed a deposit and pledge agreement with Bank Winter & Co. Aktiengesellschaft (Austria). Under this agreement, Delta Bank pledged an interbank deposit in U.S. dollars to the Austrian bank as collateral for obligations under the loan agreement of the offshore company Jamico Finance Ltd (the Virgin Islands). In addition, Bank Winter & Co. Aktiengesellschaft was granted the right to independently write off funds from the deposit after a written notification of the borrower's failure to fulfill obligations under the loan agreement.

Further Bank Winter & Co. Aktiengesellschaft sent a message to Delta Bank on debiting funds from this deposit account because Jamico Finance Ltd had not fulfilled its obligations under the loan agreement and wrote off the entire amount of $50.63 million from the correspondent account. There are no documents in the bank regarding Jamico Finance Ltd, the decisions of the credit committee, the supervisory board, internal orders of the bank on these issues, and nothing is recorded in its accounting systems.

The former top manager of Delta Bank, who directly signed the deposit and pledge agreement with Bank Winter & Co. Aktiengesellschaft, was reported on suspicion under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: embezzlement of property or seizing it by abusing official position on a large scale, which involves imprisonment of seven to 12 years with confiscation of property and the prohibition to engage in certain activities. The suspect himself during interrogation claimed that he had not signed the contract and letters to it.
The German parliament has supported a new initiative to revitalize the peace process in the occupied Donbas, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk said.

"At the hearings in the Bundestag, initiated by the faction of free democrats, I supported the new initiative of the German liberals to revitalize the peace process in the occupied east of Ukraine: we are waiting for discussion in the committee and plenum," Melnyk wrote on Twitter.
Justice ministry recovers some $3 mln in Yanukovych's case from accounts of two Cypriot companies in Ukrgasbank

State enforcement officers have recovered over $3 million in favor of Ukraine in the case on special confiscation of funds of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Deputy Justice Minister of Ukraine for Enforcement Svitlana Hluschenko has said.

"A refund in favor of the state of Ukraine took place during the execution of a court verdict on the application of special confiscation, with the compulsory seizure of the funds from companies Erosaria Ltd. and Aldoza Investments Limited, which were kept in accounts with Ukrgasbank," the Justice Ministry said on Friday, citing Hluschenko.

According to the report, as of May 7, in these cases, the deposit account of the State Executive Service of Ukraine received funds in the amount of UAH 55.343 million and $1.01 million.

According to information in the database of court decisions, on February 25 of this year, UAH 1.207 billion and UAH 271.2 million received by Aldoza Investment Limited and Erosaria Ltd. to their accounts in Ukrgasbank from redemption of domestic government bonds were also transferred to the national budget.

This special confiscation of funds took place on the basis of the ruling of the court of appeal of Cherkasy region on February 15 of this year to amend the ruling of the Sosnovsky district court of Cherkasy dated August 21, 2017, which was originally intended to carry out a special confiscation by withdrawing government bonds.

According to the State Treasury Service, revenues to the national budget's special fund from special confiscation in the first quarter of this year amounted to UAH 1.479 billion.
Poroshenko calls on Merkel to support toughening of sanctions against Russia in response to 'passport decrees'

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Berlin to support the toughening of the sanctions against Russia in connection with Moscow's decision to issue Russian passports to residents of Donbas.

The conversation addressed the development of the situation in Donbas, the Ukrainian presidential press service said on Friday. "Petro Poroshenko called on Berlin to support the toughening of the sanctions against Moscow in response to the so-called passport decrees," the report said.

The Ukrainian president thanked the German leader for giving special attention to the situation in Ukraine, primarily the issue of restoration of its territorial integrity.

Ukrainian-German partnership reached a strategic level in the past five years, Poroshenko said. He spoke about the comprehensive support provided to Ukraine by the German government and personally by the chancellor, including reforms, specifically, decentralization, strengthening of law-governed state institutions, and support of Ukraine in its European integration.

Merkel, for her part, said the election process in Ukraine is fair and competitive and mentioned Poroshenko's personal role in holding a democratic election and implementing reforms in Ukraine.

The German chancellor said she hopes the new administration of Ukraine will follow the principle of continuity of its foreign policy, primarily as regards the EU and the development of Ukrainian-German strategic partnership.

Merkel said Ukraine would remain at the focus of the EU and German policies.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday, May 13, will hold a meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko at the organization's headquarters.

According to the press service of the headquarters of the North Atlantic Alliance, communication with the press after the meeting is not foreseen.

This will be the last meeting of Poroshenko with the NATO Secretary General at the post of the president of Ukraine. He will be replaced by president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky at this post soon.

It is planned that the head of state on May 13-14 will be in Brussels, where he will take part in a number of events dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Eastern Partnership.
On Monday, May 13, at 11:00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "New General Agreement - Preservation of Poverty in Ukraine?" in connection with the planned signing of a new General Agreement on the regulation of the basic principles and standards for the implementation of socio-economic policy and labor relations in Ukraine, according to the Law of Ukraine" On Collective Agreements and Settlements," which is concluded on a tripartite basis between trade union organizations, employers and authorities of executive power. Participants include Head of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions Mykhailo Volynets; Deputy Chairman of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine Petro Tuley; Chairman of the Free Trade Union of Medical Workers of Ukraine Oleh Panasenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). Press accreditation by phone: (044) 287 6457.
Yadollah Javani, a political deputy to IRGC commander says "There will be no negotiations with the United States," Tasnim news agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps reported on Friday May 10.

However, in order to distance Javani from the IRGC and make it clear that it is not IRGC's official position, Tasnim headlined the report as: "Javani's reaction to Trump's statement."

The IRGC's official positions on key issues are usually voiced by its commander-in-chief and its views on minor matters are usually declared by its Public Relations office.

This is the first political signal coming out of IRGC following the appointment of its new commander General Hossein Salami on April 21. It is also the first reaction by someone linked to IRGC about President Trump's Trump's remarks on Thursday about looking forward to Iranian leaders calling him.

Another interesting point in the news story is that Javani says "The Iranian nation will not negotiate under pressure," which could mean Javani did not rule out negotiations per se. Nevertheless, there was nothing new in Javani's statement as several other Iranian officials have also said the same at various points in the past.

On the other hands many Iranians and some Americans on social media have been cracking jokes on the conversation Trump said he was expecting, while some others call for such a conversation without naming any Iranian official.

Iranian Twitter user Ali Ramezan reminded Trump of the high cost of telephone calls from Iran and asked him to call from America since his income is in U.S. dollars [not the devalued Iranian currency].

In a similar move, a former U.S. nuclear negotiator, Richard Nephew, tweeted that "If, right now, Rouhani called White House Ops to be put through to Trump, Bolton would throw himself down all three flights of stairs and through about three doors to slam his hand down on the receiver."

Meanwhile, Tehran's new Friday Prayers leader Mohamad Javad Haj Ali Akbari in his sermons expressed support for the Rouhani administration's partial withdrawal from the nuclear deal with the West.

Semi-official news agency ISNA quoted him as saying, "Europe's reaction in ruling out Iran's ultimatum was a nervous reaction." He characterised Europe's swift reaction to Rouhani's statement as "non-conventional," and called the Rouhani administration's decision a significant revolutionary move.

Other reports from Tehran say hundreds of demonstrators marched in the streets of downtown Tehran on Friday, expressing support for the partial withdrawal from JCPOA while chanting angry slogans against the United States and President Donald Trump.

Iranian agencies reported that demonstrators set fire to the U.S. flag at the end of their demonstration. This was happening after quite some time since the last time such a move was seen in Tehran.

Meanwhile, Iran's UN envoy Majid Takhtravanchi, aka Ravanchi, criticized Trump for pulling out of the nuclear deal in an interview with MSNBC, and said Trump's statement about former US Secretary of State John Kerry calling Iranian officials and telling them not to talk with Trump is something he has heard from Trump for the first time.

Ravanchi also criticized Trump for saying that he does not want Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. Ravanchi said that Trump must have not read statements by the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA which has said repeatedly that Iran has been in full compliance of its commitment according to the JCPOA.
On May 5, 1979, Irans new government founded the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Almost from the beginning, the IRGC had a built-in malleabilityone enshrined in Irans constitution. Pursuant to Article 150, the IRGC is to be maintained so that it may continue in its role of guarding the revolution and its achievements. The scope of the duties of this corps [is] to be determined by law with emphasis on brotherly cooperation and harmony. Thus the IRGC was birthed with vagueness and versatility. Forty years later, this structural adaptability has resulted in a mixed record for the organization:

The IRGC is aging but still agile

The top brass of the IRGC is graying. They are all of the same military generation. Its three longest-serving commanders-in-chiefMohsen Rezaee, Yahya Rahim Safavi, and Mohammad Ali Jafariwere all born in the 1950s. Its new leader, Hossein Salami, was born in 1960. They are all veterans of the Iran-Iraq Wara crucible which birthed the IRGCs strategy, strength, and stratum within Tehrans power hierarchy. And many have held almost decades-long tenures in their current rolesthe commander of the Quds Force Qassem Soleimani has been in place since 1998; the head of the Aerospace Force, Amir Ali-Hajizadeh, has held his post since 2009; and ditto for both Mohammad Pakpour, who manages the Ground Force, and Hossein Taeb, the director of the IRGCs fearsome Intelligence Organization.

But nevertheless, the IRGC has managed to adapt itself to the changing environment in the Middle East, leading Iran's efforts to counter Washington's pressures. The Guards' crown jewel  the Quds Force, led by Qassem Soleimani  has evolved from a secret and lucrative elite force in the 1980's and 1990's, into an Iranian "command" and headquarters for Iranian and Shia forces operating throughout the region. Responsible for dozens of terror attacks in the region and beyond, Soleimani's organization has overshadowed its parent organization. Other less "prestigious" organs in the IRGC network have grown to become masters evading sanctions, financing Iran's nuclear program, and projecting Irans military might.

The IRGC is career-making but also career-ending

It is an Ivy League brand in the Islamic Republic, and has launched the careers of politicians, senior policymakers, and businessmen. Mohsen Rezaee, the longest serving chief of the IRGC (1981-1997), leveraged his wartime experience to run for parliament and presidency. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who headed the IRGCs air force, went on to become mayor of Tehran and another presidential contender. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad himself, who joined the IRGC in 1986, served two terms as president. Additionally, according to one study, the amount of ex-IRGC legislators in Irans parliament doubled from 2000-2008.

The Guards have also filled the Islamic Republics cabinets, past and present: Ali Shamkhani, Hossein Dehghan, Ahmad Vahidi, and Rostam Ghasemi all managed divisions of the IRGC, before their appointments as ministers of defense and oil, respectively. Many senior commanders of the IRGC have also monetized their experience. Mohsen Rafighdoost, the first minister of the IRGC in the nascent years of the Islamic Republic, when it held its own cabinet ministry, was later appointed as head of the Bonyad Mostazafan, one of the largest charitable foundations in Iran, eventually making him as one of Iran's wealthiest men.

At the same time, service in the IRGC has not proved to be decisive electorally. Rezaees career stagnated after running for the presidency three times since 2005  only to eventually stay in his current post of secretary of the Expediency Council for over 20 years. Likewise for Qalibaf, whose meteoric rise from the head of the IRGCs air force, to the head of Irans national police, and finally to mayor of Tehran for over a decade has been thwarted by multiple unsuccessful presidential campaigns. In fact, to date, only one of Irans presidents has served within the IRGCs rank and fileMahmoud Ahmadinejadas has only one of Irans speakers of parliament, Ali Larijani. In the end, the IRGC pedigree has advanced the lives of Irans appointed power players, but hasnt had the same effect on the polls at the presidential level.

The IRGC is an economic balm but also a bugbear

The IRGC has been one of Iran's main economic engines for decades, controlling important sectors such as construction, infrastructure, and energy. Notably, Khatam al-Anbiya, one of the Guards' major affiliates, is employing tens of thousands of Iranians in huge projects worth billions of dollars. The company's former commander General Abdollahi remarked in 2018 that his organization would complete 40 "mega projects" in various fields by March 2019. The IRGC is also an important tool by the regime to implement its "Resistance Economy" doctrine  aimed at increasing self-reliance of the Iranian economy and decreasing its vulnerability to external pressures. Only recently did Khatam al-Anbiya enter oil-related projects in order to fill the void caused by the withdrawal of foreign companies.

Yet the Guards' influence on the economy has also been a major problem for Iran. Its close relationships with many companies expose them to international sanctions, especially after the IRGC was designated by the U.S. government as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. In addition the IRGC is perceived to be a main impediment to implementing anti-money laundering and terrorist financing norms in the country. By hindering the chances of any successful reform in this field, the IRGC has so far prevented Iran from joining the Financial Action Task Force, thus deterring international companies from doing business with Tehran. The IRGC's hold on the economy has also caused continuous rifts between the IRGC and President Rouhani, who has repeatedly called on the IRGC to distance itself from Iran's budgeting and economics, and solely retain its position as a military organization.

Looking in retrospect, the IRGC has fulfilled its number one goal  guarding the Islamic Republic for over four decades, and exporting its revolution to Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and beyond. Yet the challenges that Iran is facing put a big question mark on the IRGC being able to celebrate another successful decade.

The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Radio Farda
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

Trend:

The documents are still being accepted for the NETTY-2019 Azerbaijan national internet award, held with main sponsorship of Nar. Acceptance of applications from those wishing to participate at the contest will continue until 24th of May on www.netty.az website. In the period from 24 to 31 of May, the Expert Committee and Virtual jury will form the list of nominees for the awards and start the voting process. On 1st of June, the NETTY Academy will start the voting in order to determine the winner for each nomination.

Within the frames of the contest the best resources in Azerbaijan will be named in following nominations: State, Economy and Business, Education and science, Culture and Creativity, Information and news, Electronic services and trade, IT event of the year and etc.

NETTY is the Award held annually to recognize and reward the best IT projects, major web resources and IT professionals in Azerbaijan. NETTY  the national internet award of Azerbaijan has been established in the year 2004. Created for the purpose of developing the national segment of global network, as well as the ICT market, NETTY is the first professional award in the area of information technologies of Azerbaijan.

Note that this year, the contest is held with main sponsorship of Nar and official support of the Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies. Within the frames of its extensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, the mobile operator provides constant support to development of ICT in Azerbaijan, as well as the application of innovative technologies and startups in our country.

Azerfon LLC (Nar trademark) started its operations on March 21, 2007, and within a short period of time became one of the leading companies of the telecommunications and mobile communication industry of Azerbaijan. The Nar brand name was selected as the symbol that resembles the cohesion of the rich cultural and historical heritage of Azerbaijan with the modern life. Being the first operator in the country to introduce the 3G technology, Nar provides the customers with a wide 4G network coverage. With a large network of over 7400 base stations, covering 97% of the countrys territory (except for the occupied territories), Nar provides more than 2.2 million subscribers with the highest quality services.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 28 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 10, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

Trend:

Armenia makes efforts to delay the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Thomas Goltz, journalist, professor at the University of Montana (US), told Azernews, Trend reports.

He noted that the Armenian governments attempt to include the so-called representatives of the illegal regime, created in Azerbaijans occupied lands, to the negotiation process is a delaying tactic for more than 25 years.

Goltz said the Armenian authorities beginning from Levon Ter Petrosyan to Nikol Pashinyan have consistently tried to include the separatist regime in the peace negotiations.

At the same time, Goltz stressed that the Armenians were clearly surprised and disappointed with the April 2016 clashes.

There has been much speculation about the meaning of the so-called velvet revolution in Armenia in 2018, Thomas Goltz.

Goltz refrained to comment on fundamental differences in the visions over the solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict demonstrated by previous Armenian authorities and the post-revolutionary team of Pashinyan, preferring to "wait and see".

I refrain to join the Speculators' Club, he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Samir Ali - Trend:

The visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the occupied Azerbaijani territories is violation of international law, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov told reporters in Baku, Trend reports May 10.

He said that this trip is a destructive step from the point of view of the negotiation process.

This is contrary to the efforts made to conduct a constructive negotiation process and aimed at resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he noted. Azerbaijan condemns such trips.

Khalafov stressed that the occupation of Azerbaijans territories by Armenia is beyond doubt.

But, unfortunately, the standards in international relations dont allow calling each side by its name, he said. Having occupied Azerbaijani territories, Armenia violated international norms. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs make certain efforts to bring the conflict parties together so that the negotiation process continue. Therefore, Pashinyans trip against this background is an unwise step.

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, May 10

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

The only way to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the restoration of Azerbaijans territorial integrity, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Italy Mammad Ahmadzada said in an interview with Fanpage.it, Trend reports.

He noted that 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan was occupied by Armenia.

For all these years, unfortunately, the parties failed to achieve peace, he said. In order to resolve the conflict, the status quo needs to be changed. It is important that Armenia withdraws its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. The only way to resolve this conflict is to restore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

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, May 10

Trend:

The trip of the Armenian leadership headed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region occupied by Armenia is a gross violation of the norms of the international law, Azerbaijani MP Rauf Aliyev told Trend on May 10.

He stressed that this is contrary to the principles of the existing negotiation process.

Aliyev reminded that there is a difficult socio-economic situation in Armenia.

"The current authorities and the former leadership continue to confront each other, he said. Pashinyan ordered to arrest most of his political opponents. Despite the current deplorable situation in Armenia, the opposition continues to demonstrate the unity with the authorities on national issues, in particular, on the Karabakh issue, to the world. The Armenian leadership solemnly celebrated the day of the occupation of Shusha city, which is considered a symbol of Karabakh."

The MP said that the territories occupied by Armenians are the Azerbaijani ancient historical lands.

How can one forget about the hundreds of Azerbaijani sons who are in captivity in Armenia? This can not be treated indifferently, he said. Everyone must contribute to the rapid settlement of this conflict. First of all, those who are now in opposition, those who are organizing campaigns abroad against the current authorities must understand that Azerbaijan is the motherland of all Azerbaijanis.

Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan has become one of the fastest developing countries in the world thanks to the balanced policy pursued under the leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Azerbaijans image is growing steadily, he said. Today it is necessary to forget about disagreements and unite around the president to achieve the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is the main issue for Azerbaijan. It is necessary to liberate the Azerbaijani lands from occupation. This is the sacred duty of every Azerbaijani who lives in the world."

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, May 10

By Samir Ali  Trend:

The Azerbaijani and Georgian deputy foreign ministers will meet next week, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov told reporters in Baku, Trend reports on May 10.

He added that the consultations will be held during the meeting.

"The agenda and the date of the meeting of the commission [of the Azerbaijani-Georgian commission on delimitation and demarcation of borders] will be determined within these discussions," Khalafov said.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 10

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

A round table meeting was held in Bucharest on the topic "Current economic challenges and prospects in the Caspian Sea region - the experience of Turkmenistan", Trend reports with reference to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.

The meeting was organized by the Embassy of Turkmenistan with the assistance of the Economic Academy of Bucharest.

At the round table meeting an exchange of views took place on the prospects for further development of economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Romania.

The event was timed to the holding of the first Caspian Economic Forum in Avaza tourist zone in Turkmenistan on August 12, 2019.

Earlier it was reported that the two countries agreed to explore the best routes of the Black Sea - Caspian Sea trade and transport corridor by using the advantages of Constanta and Turkmenbashi ports.

The issue is the formation of the Eurasian Transport Corridor. In particular, Turkmenistan has been recently exploring the possibility of transporting cargo, including liquefied gas, to Constanta port.
Tehran, Iran, May 10

Trend:

Iran's Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani has called on for daily monitoring of the market, to confront high prices of consumer goods.

"Consumers and Producers Protection Organization should create structure for the highly consumed 100 basic items and monitor the market prices, as well as control productions from their production to distribution," he said, Trend reports citing Tasnim News Agency.

Rahmani requested the organization to review the reason for price hike of items such as canned tuna, rice, pasta and etc.

Following the rise of consumer prices of food items, tuna cans have become rare in chain stores, while the prices of some brands jumped more than 60 percent.

Rahmani went on to say that wholesale should be better controlled, better - through a monitoring structure.

"The atmosphere indicates that psychological war is moving faster than economic war, and those who created this tension, have affected the market as well," he noted.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Finland encourages Azerbaijan to work actively towards accession in the World Trade Organization (WTO), Paivi Peltokoski, Head of Unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, told Trend.

The European Union continues to be Azerbaijan's main trading partner. To make full use of the huge business potential between the two markets, it is important that companies have a stable and predictable business environment. Prosperity and trade are best served with a reliable and just judiciary system based on rule of law, combined with as little bureaucracy as possible, easy ways of doing business and consistent procedures transparency. We would encourage Azerbaijan to work actively towards the accession in the WTO, she said.

Peltokoski said Finland is very pleased that trade, especially Finnish exports to Azerbaijan, have been growing.

Azerbaijan purchases mostly machinery and technology from Finland. We also have a couple of large Finnish technology companies operating in Azerbaijan, she said.

Azerbaijan started negotiations with WTO member countries in 2004. Currently, Azerbaijan is in the process of negotiations with 13 countries. Negotiations have already been completed and protocols signed with Turkey, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. Azerbaijan is at the stage of signing protocols with China and Moldova.

Azerbaijan has recently implemented a number of reforms, including 12 strategic roadmaps for economic development, in the system of import customs tariffs, improved trade and logistics infrastructure.

It is expected that the implementation of the road maps will serve as the basis for the successful accession of Azerbaijan to the WTO. Accordingly, intensification of negotiations and completion of the process of Azerbaijans accession to the WTO will be possible only after receiving preliminary results from ongoing economic reforms in the country, which is expected until 2020.

Azerbaijan has an observer status at the World Trade Organization since 1997. Azerbaijani team under the WTO secretariat was established on July 16, 1997.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend:

The President of Uzbekistan signed the law on ratification of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which aims to reduce the use and complete elimination of these substances.

The Convention was earlier ratified by the national parliament, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan.

Ratification of the convention will require Uzbekistan to provide information on available hazardous chemicals, ban or restrict usage of POPs, and dispose them by environmentally friendly methods.

Convention was adopted in the city of Stockholm on May 23, 2001. To date, 182 states are parties to the convention.

Ratification of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (Stockholm, May 22, 2001) is one of the conditions of the European Union for Uzbekistan to obtain additional tariff preferences for the supply of domestic goods to the European market within the framework of the General System of Preferences "GSP +".

---

Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

The Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan will support the creation of small plants for the manufacture of milk and dairy products in the countrys regions, Sakina Babayeva, Head of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan, told Trend.

She said that the plants will manufacture environmentally friendly products including milk and cheese.

We will provide financial, informational and consulting support to women entrepreneurs in the regions, she noted. The financial contribution of the Association to the creation of new plants in the districts will make up 16 percent of their cost. In addition, we will provide free services for conducting trainings and consultations on doing business.

She added that there are plans to open new plants in Tovuz district and in three border districts including Jabrayil, Fuzuli and Goranboy districts.

The Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan was established with the support of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of Azerbaijan in October 2017.

Over 143,000 women are engaged in business in Azerbaijan, according to the statistics.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Matanat Nasibova  Trend:

The decline in sales of Azerbaijans Kaan company, engaged in the wholesale and retail trade of tires for cars and trucks, buses, industrial equipment and agricultural machinery, exceeded 20 percent, the company representative told Trend.

According to the information provided, there is currently a significant decline in consumer demand in this market segment.

"We buy products mainly in Turkey, and partly in China. They are of fairly good quality and have always been in great demand. The level of sales has decreased to a certain extent due to the seasonal factor, but in general, sales volumes depend on the situation in the automotive market. Recently, a decrease in demand has been observed in the automobile market, which indicates a decrease in the purchasing power of the population, the company representative said.

It was also noted that there has been a noticeable passivity in the car market of the country over the past few years.

The Kaan company has been operating in Baku since 1998.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend:

Azhazelnut, an Azerbaijani company, started exporting hazelnuts to Latvia in April 2019, a source at the company told Trend.

According to the source, 21 tons of hazelnuts have been exported so far and further export volumes will depend on demand.

Azhazelnut has been operating in Azerbaijan since 2002. The main tasks of the company are to ensure the production of high quality hazelnuts and strengthen the export potential of the country.

Hazelnut production occupies a significant place in the economy of Azerbaijan.

Several hazelnut varieties are cultivated in the country. Many of the country's hazelnut orchards are located in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus in the Gakh, Zagatala and Balakan districts.

In 2016, Ferrero, the world's largest buyer of hazelnuts, began to purchase a large number of hazelnut varieties grown in Azerbaijan.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 10

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

In January  April 2019, 579,500 tons of oil products were exported from refineries in Turkmenistan's Turkmenbashi and Seydi cities, Trend reports via "Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper.

During the reported period, the share of the country's largest refinery in Turkmenbashi in the total exports of oil products amounted to 40.7 percent. The exports included RON-95 gasoline, aviation kerosene, heating oil, road bitumen.

Also, during the reported period, the planned amount for the production of oil products was exceeded.

The highest amount of surplus was recorded in the production of fuel, polypropylene, liquefied gas, petroleum bitumen and lubricating oils. In the production of gasoline of all brands, the share of surplus amounted to 64,000 tons.

In this group of oil products, 52,600 tons of RON-95 gasoline and 35,000 tons of RON-92 gasoline were produced in excess of the plan. Above the expected volume, almost 10,000 tons of kerosene of all kinds were produced. At the same time, the surplus production of lighting kerosene and technical kerosene amounted to 11,600 tons and 3,800 tons, respectively.

In the production of all types of diesel fuel, the amount of surplus was 29,000 tons. The largest amount of surplus was noted in the production of L-02-62 diesel fuel, which amounted to 184,000 tons. Surplus in the production of polypropylene, liquefied gas and petroleum bitumen amounted to over 6,000 tons, 5,500 tons and 33,000 tons, respectively.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Finland is looking to develop innovative partnerships with Azerbaijan, for example in the fields of energy efficiency and circular economy, Paivi Peltokoski, Head of Unit for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland told Trend.

Finland and Azerbaijan have excellent relations. Our common history dates back to the turn of the 20th century when a large Finnish community was working in Azerbaijan for newly booming oil industry. Today Finland is one of the leading cleantech nations and we are looking to develop innovative partnerships with Azerbaijan, for example in the fields of energy efficiency and circular economy, she said.

Peltokoski said that in addition to trade, the two countries have active cooperation in several areas ranging from cultural activities to education.

For instance, The Finnish Meteorological Institute has just successfully concluded a project on upgrading the National Environmental Monitoring System of Azerbaijan. Finland and Azerbaijan are also partners through the EU Eastern Partnership framework. As part of the European Union, we welcome the positive developments in the EU-Azerbaijan relations, including the negotiations of the new framework agreement that will deepen our cooperation, she added.

Peltokoski also talked about the investment opportunities between the two countries.

We Finns are proud to be known for our education system, well-functioning infrastructure, ICT, environmentally sustainable technologies and strong investment in innovation systems. Finland has ranked well in international comparisons measuring competitiveness, quality of export products, innovation and anti-corruption. All this makes Finland a good home for investments, she said.

As an export-oriented nation, Finland has a lot to offer in international markets, according to Peltokoski.

As a country with top-level basic research and highest engineers per capita, Finland has leading technology companies. In addition to manufacture and paper industry, we offer energy efficiency and cleantech solutions. We can share our knowhow in education, construction, biotechnology, bioeconomy and digitalization, she said

Peltokoski said that over 2000 Finnish companies are active in the cleantech sector developing innovative clean technologies and new business models.

The share of renewable energy in Finland is already over 40 per cent - among the highest in Europe. Our target is to increase this share to more than 50 per cent during the 2020s through bioenergy and other emission-free renewable energy. This is the future. In short, Finland can offer sustainable solutions for Azerbaijan in its reforms aimed at diversifying the economy away from the dominant oil and gas sector, she said.

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Italys Saipem company continues to operate in Azerbaijan through Saipem Contracting Netherlands B.V., the company told Trend.

Saipem is in the process of completing its activities through the Saipem Asia SDN BHD branch in Azerbaijan, which is no longer involved in any business activities in the country. Saipem is currently operating in the country and continues its activities as an Azerbaijani branch of Saipem Contracting Netherlands B.V. Saipem has been the most important contractor in the most significant oil and gas projects implemented to date in the country, said the company.

Saipem is a leading company in engineering, drilling and construction of major projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors. It is One-Company organized in five business divisions (Offshore E&C, Onshore E&C, Offshore Drilling, Onshore Drilling and XSight, dedicated to conceptual design). Saipem is a global solution provider with distinctive skills and competences and high-tech assets, which it uses to identify solutions aimed at satisfying customer requirements. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, it is present in over 60 countries worldwide and has 32 thousand employees of 120 different nationalities.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Kheyraddin Nasirzade - Trend:

Capitalization of Azerbaijans banking sector amounted to 4.31 billion manats in March 2019, which is 11.46 percent more compared to the same period of 2018, Trend reports referring to the Financial Market Supervisory Authority of Azerbaijan (FIMSA).

The total assets of banks at the end of March 2019 compared to March 2018 increased by 6.94 percent and reached 29.85 billion manats.

In late March, 2019, the volume of cash at the disposal of banks amounted to almost 1.34 billion manats, correspondent accounts with the Central Bank had 1.598 billion manats, and funds on nostro accounts (correspondent accounts with other banks) amounted to almost 2.562 billion manats. The banks' investments in securities reached 4.318 billion manats (an increase of almost 1.9 times compared to March 2018).

Banks increased lending by 17.04 percent, and in March 2019, the aggregate loan portfolio of banks amounted to 11.23 billion manats. Reserves worth 1.483 billion manats were created for these loans.

The total liabilities of the country's banking sector increased by 6.2 percent to 25.533 billion manats. The largest share of liabilities fell to deposits - by 72.7 percent, or 18.572 billion manats (an increase of 11.1 percent). The volume of deposits of individuals amounted to 7.58 billion manats, legal entities - 9.14 billion manats.

The liabilities of banks to the Central Bank decreased by 33.6 percent to 331.1 million manats.

The net profit of the banking sector at the end of March 2019 amounted to 123.9 million manats, while in March 2018, losses of banks amounted to 55.9 million manats. Profit was formed from interest incomes at 483.2 million manats (including 342.9 million manats of interest income from loans) and non-interest - 145.2 million manats. The interest expenses of banks amounted to 140.7 million manats, including the payment of interest on deposits - 93.1 million manats, non-interest expenses - 248.9 million manats.

As a result, operating profit amounted to 179.1 million manats. During the reported period, the banks also allocated 63.1 million manats to cover potential losses on assets and paid 15.5 million manats as a tax on profits.

There are 30 banks in Azerbaijan, including 2 state-owned ones.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Fakhri Vakilov  Trend:

One of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Developments operational objectives in Kazakhstan is the ongoing support to micro, small and medium sized enterprises, which need to play stronger role in the national economy, EBRD told Trend in an interview.

Recently Trend reported that EBRD arranged a loan of $50 million for the countrys largest micro-finance organization, KMF.

EBRD states that KMF will use the funds to increase its customer base and provide loans to clients across Kazakhstan. Up to $10 million will be contributed by the EBRD while the remaining $40 million will be syndicated to microfinance investment funds via Hedged Loan Participation (HLP).

The bank noted that it will use HLP, a syndication product allowing the Bank to sell U.S. dollar participation in a local currency-denominated loan, to provide KMF with local currency financing that will protect KMF, its clients and the participating investment funds from currency risk.

"Also under the new loan KMF will continue benefit from the EU-funded Regional Small Business Program for Central Asia managed by the EBRD. It will receive access to know-how in MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) finance as well as training on a variety of topics relevant for financial institutions providing services to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises".

The EBRD is supporting development of competitive, resilient and green Kazakhstan through investment in infrastructure, including in the regions, energy, with focus on renewable energy projects, the development of the financial and small business sectors, and the stimulation of entrepreneurship.

The EBRD had another strong year in Kazakhstan in 2018, committing $541 million to the country in 26 transactions.

Investments were made in a wide range of private and public sector projects and the Bank supported Kazakhstans drive to secure its position as a regional renewable energy leader by channeling funds to a number of projects.

Answering Trends question on Kazakh attractiveness for foreign investments, EBRD underlined that Kazakhstan has achieved notable success in creating attractive investment environment.

"Just using one indicator, the country is currently at #28 in the "Doing Business" rating, ahead of the likes of Russia, Turkey and Belarus from our region of operations. The debate is increasingly shifting from questions about investment climate to questions about investment opportunities, and how they can be enhanced through for example increasing connectivity within Central Asia as well as with Europe, Asia and Africa".

EBRD notes that they see interest to invest in Kazakhstan from international investors from Europe and China, for example. The renewables sector seems to attract a lot of attention from international developers.

The latest EBRD Regional Economic Prospects states that real GDP growth in Kazakhstan accelerated to 4.1 percent both in 2017 and in 2018.

The economy grew strongly due to the increased oil production and favorable oil prices; oil output expanded by 10.5 percent in 2017 and by 6.6 percent in 2018.

Moreover, EBRD stressed that banking sector imbalances in Kazakhstan crystalized as the National Bank withdrew licenses of three smaller banks and provided liquidity support to the second largest bank in September 2018. These steps taken are part of regulatory approach of the National Bank, which will help facilitate strengthening of the banking sector in the country.

---

Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Fakhri Vakilov  Trend:

Uzbek-Azerbaijani ministerial consultations on the inventory and improvement of the legal framework of bilateral relations were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan on 6-7 May 2019, Trend reports on May 10 with reference to Uzbek Ministry.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also confirmed this information to Trend.

The delegation of Azerbaijan was headed by Deputy Head of the International Law and Treaties Department of the Foreign Ministry Rizvan Nabiyev.

Representatives of the foreign ministries of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan discussed the current state of the existing legal framework and projects of bilateral documents in various fields.

The parties also exchanged views and experiences on the participation of the two countries in international law-making activities, including on the issues of progressive development and codification of the norms of international law.

---

Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Elnur Baghishov  Trend:

US sanctions against Iran's metal industry are at risk, as their execution is difficult and time consuming, Keyvan Jafari Tehrani, expert of mining and mineral industries international markets, told ISNA, Trend reports.

According to Jafari Tehrani, the US sanctions against Irans metal industry are repeat sanctions and there is nothing new about them.

He added that tensions have risen yet again between the US and China, due to the US having imposed taxes on imports of certain Chinese products. "This situation has caused China not to name the country importing oil from Iran. Moreover, that country will continue obtaining mining materials from Iran, including iron ore and copper," Jafari Tehrani said.

The Iranian expert noted that exports of Iranian steel also depend on the decisions of the target markets.

"Malaysia will not follow these policies [US sanctions]. But we have to wait for the reaction of Thailand, Taiwan and other countries in this region [South-East Asia]," he said.

Jafari Tehrani also noted that the new US sanctions will most likely affect Iran's steel production and exports. But steel companies and businessmen may be able to find new markets, in his view.

Recently, the US imposed sanctions on Iran's metal production, with the sanctions including such products as iron, steel, aluminum and copper.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Thursday that the European Union member states should uphold obligations under the Iranian nuclear deal and improve economic ties with Tehran, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the European Union will be committed to the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal signed with Iran in 2015, as long as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms Tehran's compliance with the accord.

"EU statement today is why JCPOA is where it is: the US has bullied Europeand rest of worldfor a year and EU can only express "regret", Zarif tweeted.

One year after US abrupt withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran said on Wednesday that it had partially discontinued its commitments under the landmark accord and gave Europe 60 days to ensure Iran's interests were protected under the agreement. Paris expressed concern over Tehran's statements about its intention to stop fulfilling a number of obligations under the JCPOA.

Iranian authorities said that these measures were taken in response to violations of the JCPOA by Washington, reintroduction of sanctions, as well as by inability of the remaining signatories to the nuclear deal, namely Germany, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia, to adequately address the situation.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 10

By Azer Ahmadbayli  Trend:

Among other things, the administration of President Donald Trump is trying to solve two major problems related to the Middle East. First is to decrease the US dependence on Middle Eastern oil as much as possible. Second - to ensure maximum supremacy of Israel in the region.

Washington seems to be successfully coping with the first task: thanks to shale oil, the US has become the worlds top oil producer, ahead of both Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The second goal, perhaps, has noble, in the view of the White house, motives  in the end, to show the Arab world an example of how to live and prosper under a functional democracy rather than authoritarianism and/or domination of radical religious ideas.

Today, the main obstacle to achieving this goal is Iran, which Washington considers as the main irritant in the region.

Historically, the US has a bone to pick with the revolutionary regime. The White house also believes that by ending the reign of it they will be able to put end to the so-called axis of resistance, and the Middle East, which Trump once described as one big, fat quagmire, will turn into a safe heaven.

The US doesn't need a big war because its plan to bring Iran's economy to its knees and complete paralysis is working. This looks obvious, despite the optimistic statements coming from Tehran.

Tehran decided, quite reasonably, that it would not sit and watch how the 40-year-old Islamic Revolution dies a slow death.

That is why, fearing that cornered Iran could provoke armed clashes in the areas of American troops deployment or against American allies in the region, the United States sent a strike force to the shores of Iran.

But Iran too, despite its economic plight, seeks to avoid direct armed confrontation with the United States as much as possible. Tehrans decision to suspend some parts of JCPOA commitments is an expected response to the recent actions of Washington and idleness of the EU on the issue of protection of Iran's interests, including banking and oil sector, enshrined by JCPOA.

Now, we are observing how the unity of the remaining signatories of the Iranian nuclear deal is falling apart.

Iran continues to operate in the legal fold, and its decision does not contradict the terms of the nuclear agreement, Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believes.

Lavrov made a statement on March 8: Today, we were informed about the steps that the Iranian leadership made public yesterday. These steps were taken on the basis of the provisions contained in the JCPOA as approved by the UN Security Council.

In the meantime, in its joint statement, the EU said that it rejects any ultimatums and strongly urge Iran to continue to implement its commitments under the JCPOA in full and to refrain from any escalatory steps.

The EU reminds Iran of its commitments having done nothing so far from its own promises made under the deal, and contenting itself merely with new ones: We are determined to continue pursuing efforts to enable the continuation of legitimate trade with Iran, including through the operationalisation of the special purpose vehicle INSTEX (Joint statement by High Representative of the EU and the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK).

Continued efforts have been lasting for almost a year, but Iran, observing terms of the nuclear deal, has never seen preferences promised by the EU.

Brussels does not keep its word, and therefore should bear full responsibility for what is happening. Lavrov did not fail to remind: We hope that our colleagues, primarily the Europeans, who volunteered to find a solution to the problem created by the Americans, will deliver on their promises.

Now, where the scales will swing depends on Brussels and the European Troika. But from their first statement it becomes clear what stand they are going to take, to the great satisfaction of Mr. Trump.
The European Union intends to keep agriculture off the agenda in its trade talks with the United States and continues to support rules-based, open and predictable international commerce, the EUs agriculture commissioner said on Friday, reports Trend citing to Reuters

A free trade agreement between the European Union and Japan is the benchmark and ceiling for the EUs negotiations with the United States for a trade pact, Phil Hogan said.

Hogan, a former Irish government minister, also urged the United States to reverse tariffs on goods from China and the EU and return to a more benign system of global trade.

Agriculture should be excluded from negotiations with the United States, Hogan said.

The fact that the European Union and Japan have a very good agreement will operate as the benchmark ... to what is achievable between the EU and the United States.

Hogan, who spoke to journalists at a press conference, is in Japan for a Group of 20 agriculture ministers meeting.

The EU indicated last month it is ready to start talks with the United States on only two areas: cutting tariffs on industrial goods and making it easier for companies to show products meet EU or U.S. standards.

This stance puts Brussels at loggerheads with Washington, which has insisted on including farm products in the talks.

U.S. President Donald Trumps administration is seeking better terms of trade with the EU, as well as China, Japan, Canada and Mexico.

In some cases the U.S. has raised tariffs on goods in response to trade practices it considers unfair, which has roiled financial markets and slowed the global economy.

The EU is already facing U.S. tariffs on its steel and aluminum exports and the threat of higher U.S. tariffs on products ranging from large commercial aircraft and parts to dairy products and wine.

The U.S. will also increase duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent later on Friday as it negotiates with China for a trade pact.

In response to questions about U.S.-China talks, Hogan said cooperation is better than confrontation for global trade.

Earlier this year, a trade pact between the EU and Japan went into effect, creating the worlds largest open market.
North Koreas latest missile launch violated United Nations resolutions calling for a halt to such ballistic weapons tests, a spokesman for Japans government said on Friday, reports Trend citing to Reuters

They were ballistic missiles and that puts it in contravention of U.N. resolutions, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kotaro Nogami said at a regular press briefing.

North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday, its second missile test in less than a week.

Japan, which is within striking distance of North Korean mid-range missiles, has been a strong advocate of tough resolutions to force Pyongyang to abandon its ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons programs.
Win McNamee/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The showdown between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration has become a constitutional crisis, with the president asserting executive privilege over the entire Mueller report and lawmakers moving to hold the attorney general in contempt of Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday.



But she said that calling it a constitutional crisis has not changed her approach to launching impeachment proceedings.



We have investigations that will give us facts and the truth, Pelosi told ABC Senior Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce at her weekly news conference in the Capitol.



This is not about Congress or any committee of Congress. Its about the American people and their right to know and their election that is at stake and that a foreign government intervened in our election and the president thinks it is a laughing matter.



Pelosi said she agrees with House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler that the country is in a "constitutional crisis," but repeatedly emphasized Democrats wont rush their approach to oversight, pointing to the mounting case her party is building through its investigations  and she stressed that Democrats still havent heard directly from special counsel Robert Mueller.



"When we're ready, we'll come to the floor, and we'll just see, Pelosi said when asked about the timing of a floor vote holding Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, hinting that Democrats may package contempt resolutions together for multiple administration officials, including former White House counsel Don McGhan, who the president has blocked from turning over documents, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who denied Democrats request for six years of the presidents tax returns.



"There may be some other contempt of Congress issues that we want to deal with at the same time.



We're asking in the constitutional way for the administration to comply. We still have more opportunities. Well see if Mueller will testify and that will that will make a big difference in terms of where we go from here.



Pelosis delicate balance between her bases impulse and the presidents provocation has not moved her from her stance  a deep-rooted commitment not to split the country by jumping the gun on impeachment.



We're going to do the right thing. That's just the way it is and it is going to be based on fact and law and patriotism - not partisanship or anything else, she said. It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with E Pluribus Unum, she said referring to the Latin motto on the Great Seal of the United States, and also all U.S. currency and coins meaning "Out of many, one."



Impeachment is one of the most divisive things that you can do, dividing a country unless you really have your case with great clarity for the American people, Pelosi said.



Pelosi acknowledged, Yes, there is some enthusiasm for impeachment, but the current strategy is producing results.



This administration wants to have a constitutional crisis because they do not respect the oath of office that they take to protect and defend the Constitution, support the constitution of the United States, she said. The fact is our judgment has to be on the facts of what they did in relationship to the law.



We will go forward with that and we won't go any faster than the facts take us or any slower than the facts take us.



Pelosi said it's appalling that the Trump administration would not even pretend to want to protect our elections and in fact be an obstacle to finding out more about how Russian interference happened so we can prevent it from happening again.



We follow the facts, she continued. Now as I said yesterday, the president is almost self-impeaching because he is everyday demonstrating more obstruction of justice and disrespect for Congresss legitimate role to subpoena.



Pressed whether holding administration officials in contempt has any teeth to force compliance with subpoenas, Pelosi explained Democratic oversight is very methodical.



It's very Constitution-based. It's very law-based. It's very factually-based. It's not about pressure. It's about patriotism.



Will the administration violate the constitution of the United States and not abide by the request of Congress in its legitimate oversight responsibilities? Well, that remains to be seen, she continued. Every day they are advertising their obstruction of justice by ignoring subpoenas and by just declaring that people shouldn't come and speak to Congress so that the American people can find out the truth about the Russian disruption of our election so that it doesn't happen again.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
was to hand to report on the proceedings. Over to"Benet Brandreth QC kicked off by asking how often is it in the law that we set out to solve one problem only to find that in doing so we have created a whole raft of our own making. This happens a lot in IP law and especially in trade mark law which was recently described by Mr Justice Henry Carr as being of Byzantine complexity.Benet commented that trade mark law is an area that rewards philosophical discussion, as it is deeply abstract and encourages policy discussion where no one can agree what exactly the policy is.His first example of unintended consequences was the removal of the own name defence for companies in the 2015 Trade Mark Regulation . He argued that this protection may not have been there to begin with; but that both the previous Trade Mark Regulation andhad left a degree of ambiguity on the subject. The protection was finally given to companies in the decision of the Court of Justice as part of the Budweiser disputes.The reform ofof the Trade Mark Directive makes it express that the protection is only available to natural persons, a change that has in itself gone on to generate litigation. In Sky v Skykick the defendant argued this removal restricted its freedom to conduct business. Mr Justice Arnold agreed, but also stated that the restriction was justified.The example of company names is just one example of the tussles between the legislature and judiciary over the boundaries of trade mark law and its policies.Another area where Benet sees that tussle as being clear is that of keyword advertising: registering the name of a leading brand as a keyword is taking advantage of it, but is not unfair because of the policy of enabling competition in the marketplace.Benet moved to specifications of goods and services.It is usual, he said, for a brands lawyer to be cornered by someone at a party asking if an app name is registrable, that app name being clearly descriptive. Having a conversation with that person, the layperson usually thinks of the trade mark as synonymous with the sign alone: but it is actually a sign in relation to the specified goods and services.Many professionals in IP make that error on a regular basis, Benet said, tending to address those issues succinctly but in doing so sometimes something is lost. One example is the law of passing off. Even experienced lawyers will talk about goodwill in the sign where there is no such thing: there is instead goodwill in the business. On some occasions this makes a good deal of difference, for example in the case of endorsements. In Arcadia v Fenty all judges described the case as borderline, because Rihanna had no property in the image as such, her right was in the goodwill in the business of endorsement, and that goodwill was affected by the use of the image.In trade marks the specification of goods and services used to receive only slight attention but according to Benet this has changed. Recently there have been a number of cases where the specification of goods and services has been central. The origin of this issue lies in the 2012 case of IP Translator Benet maintains that even the registries have not given good thought to the fact that a trade mark is a sign relating to specific goods and services. If you leave the identification of goods and services unclear, then the mark is itself unclear. So it was unsurprising, he said, that the Court of Justice required the specification to be clear and precise.The CJEU did not give guidance on when a specification is to be deemed as sufficiently clear and precise, and Mr Justice Arnold set out to fill in some of the gaps in cases in recent judgments (such as Stichting BDO and Fidelis ), with two key points arising. First, although specifications for good and services were given their ordinary and natural meaning, the specification for services which are less precise should be limited to the core of their ordinary and natural meaning. The second point is that in neither case is the interpretation so liberal as to render them unclear and imprecise.Benet also referred to anobservation of Mr Justice Henry Carr in Pathway IP where the allegation was that the hearing officer had construed the specification by reference to the class number. Henry Carr J disagreed with the judgments of Mr Justice Arnold in Omega 1 and Omega 2 , stating that it was legitimate to do so in certain circumstances. Henry Carr J however agreed that class numbers cannot be ignored, giving the example valves, that can be registered in classes 7 (valves for pumps), 10 (valves for hearts), 11 (valves for radiators) and 15 (valves for trumpets).Inthe specification being discussed was computer software. The allegation of imprecision/lack of clarity was not that it was not known what the term meant but that that specification was too general and covered services too variable to indicate origin.Init was said that there is some level of uncertainty that is unacceptable but it is not right at "that very edge", which is not very helpful. Taking computer software as a class meant that one kind of software could be completely different to another, so as a matter of policy it was deemed inappropriate to grant someone a monopoly over such a wide collection of goods. However, Benet said, it is not clear who exactly had agreed to that policy.The observation that it would be inappropriate to grant someone a monopoly over such a varied collection of goods was made in the case Court of Appeal caseThe question was that of partial revocation for non-use. Merck had a registration for goods in class 5 pharmaceuticals and had in the relevant five-year period sold products in 9 out of 15 relevant categories. The question was whether in the context of that use pharmaceutical products was a fair specification or should it be limited to the 9 categories. The Court of Appeal stated that the limitation of sub-categories was fair while also acknowledging that the general category may be the correct description when used for all or "substantially all" of the sub-categories. However, what "substantially all" meant was not specified.Benets interpretation of the judgment is that the Court of Appeal considered the argument had been put on the wrong basis. It ought to have been put by reference to sub-categories, but the parties had divided themselves between the claim to the general categories and to the specific products, which was respectively too broad and too narrow.This, according to Benet, raised a possible distinction between house marks and specific marks. For example, with the name Ford Focus  Ford is the house mark, and Focus is the specific product. One might think a distinction like that matters, because where a company is establishing activity in a range of sub-categories where the consumer understands the involvement of the company in these different categories, this should be part of the analysis. The Court of Appeal in Merck rejected consideration of future commercial activity, but that is not the same question of whether the average consumer has understood the activity of the house mark in a range of products/services.In, Arnold J accepted there could be a general category with disparate activities, but that would be too disparate to form a cohesive whole. Benet holds that in light of these decisions, it seems like no general category should survive more than 5 years, and arguably it could never be legitimate to register for such a category as it is not possible to suggest use across the spectrum. In, Arnold J considered that it may constitute bad faith to register a mark where there was no intention to use, but this was not(and a question was referred to the Court of Justice).Benet concluded this part of the talk on the specification of goods and services by remarking that this whole conversation was started by the case of, which renewed interest in specifications and lead to a raft of new questions on invalidity.Another example considered by Benet regarding the law of intellectual property having unintended consequences is the Supreme Courts judgement in Cartier v BT . That decision addressed where the costs of implementing each particular blocking order should sit. The answer from the Supreme Court is: with the rights holder.The interest of this case however for Benet lies in two aspects: the basis of the answer and the ramifications of the answer. The former clarified the powers of the court to make blocking orders, and the latter may lead to many more such orders.Focusing in particular on the judgment of the Supreme Court, Benet discussed Lord Sumptions judgment which began by identifying the basis for the grant of the injunction, stating that the grant of a blocking injunction may be made on "ordinary principles of equity". This is a significant expansion of the remedy because: first, it grounds the order in domestic law, which is significant if and when the UK leaves the EU; second the remit is wrongdoing and not protection of IP; third it applies to all intermediaries; and fourth the grant of the order being based on domestic law does not appear confined to the threshold and discretion derived from EU law. Lord Sumption expressly rejected the relevance of EU legislation referred to by the lower courts.If the wrongdoing for the grant of the injunction is not confined to IP rights, then Benet argued that it may, for example, be expanded to include the failure to abide by the terms of a court order. This was likely not the intention of the Supreme Court as the purpose of its judgment was not to identify a new power but to decide on costs, and costs would be decided as a matter of English law. The parties had disagreed on the precise wording of the order and the dispute was principally about what should happen next. Cartier had complained about how the ISPs had implemented the blocking injunction (manually), and that the cost was too high.However, if the ISPs were bearing all the costs it was difficult for the rights holders to complain about implementation. Now that the Supreme Court had ruled rights holders had to bear some of the costs they had a stake in ensuring that the method was as efficient as reasonably possible. The Supreme Court decided that if the rights holders want to challenge the application to the court they can make an on notice application to the court to do so.Benet remarked that ISPs can now claim their marginal cost of implementation, but rights holders already pay significant costs in seeking those orders, and in that context the marginal costs are not necessarily substantial.Leaping to psychology, Benet discussed an experiment where schools charged a fine to those picking kids up late. This resulted in a huge increase in the late pick-ups when this came to be seen as a service. This suggests that once the full cost of making the applications are quantified by the rights holders, the ISPs may find that far more are made.Benet suggested two main takeaways from the decision, part of the law of unintended consequences. First, the Supreme Court judgment confirmed there is an expanded scope in the application of these orders. Second, the Supreme Court gave a method to quantify the costs for which the rights owners are responsible, but ISPs may not claim costs unless they want an argument over who controls the process.It should be noted that this is a factual report and, as such, it cannot do justice to Benets humour and the energy that he brought to the presentation."
BP is getting into the startup business launching its own well technology business, called Lytt, with other tech startups on the way, reports Trend citing to Reuters

BP developed the acoustic, fiber-optics technology a couple of years ago to help identify sand interference in its offshore wells and the British energy supermajor has now created a corporate subsidiary for its Lytt business.

The technology has legs beyond what BPs needs are, said Ahmed Hashmi, BPs chief digital and technology officer, at the week-long Offshore Technology Conference.

BP plans to use the technology  already in use in the North Sea and Azerbaijan  for its operated and non-operated rigs, and to eventually market it to other companies.

BP describes its Lytt technology as similar to the Shazam mobile phone application that identifies songs. Lytt, which has its own app, uses fiber optics to identify sounds in wells and paint a picture of the well conditions, including sand interference.

Lytt is Norwegian for listen. A primary developer of the technology is BPs Tommy Langnes, whos also Norwegian. We use acoustic sounds to illuminate the subsurface, Langnes said.

The data from each well is the equivalent of downloading 1,000 Netflix films simultaneously, BP said.

But BP sees Lytt as just the start.

Apart from the BP Ventures division that invests in other technology companies, BP recently created BP Launchpad as a business incubator to develop its own tech companies.

2014 was not just another oil price cycle, its a fundamental shift in the industry  BP

About three years ago as crude prices bottomed out during the last oil bust, BP realized this wasnt just another oil price cycle. This was a fundamental shift in the industry that required BP to go all in on investing in new technology to become more efficient and keep costs down long term, said Ian Kavanagh, BPs head of upstream modernization and transformation.

BP is already saving billions of dollars by simplifying and leaning more on technology than ever before, Kavanagh said.

We are just three years into an ongoing journey, he said.
Britain is concerned by the escalating tariff tensions between the United States and China and believes no one benefits from a trade war, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday, reports Trend with reference to Reuters

The U.S. escalated a tariff war with China on Friday by hiking levies to 25% for $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in the midst of last-ditch talks to rescue a trade deal.

We have been saying on this for some time that we are concerned about it and that we are clear that nobody benefits from trade wars, the spokeswoman said. The discussions between the two are ongoing and we hope that they will find a resolution to avoid any further escalation.
Two French soldiers were killed in a night-time rescue of four foreign hostages including two French citizens from the clutches of a militant group described as terrorists by the military, reports Trend citing to Reuters

President Emmanuel Macrons office said a U.S. woman and a South Korean woman were also freed in the covert operation. All four hostages were safe, the French presidency added. The two French citizens were kidnapped while on safari in neighbouring Benin.

The precise and determined actions of French soldiers allowed us to take out the kidnappers while protecting the lives of the hostages, Frances army chief said in a separate statement.

French special forces carried out the raid under cover of dark over the night of Thursday-Friday, supported by U.S. intelligence and troops from Frances Barkhane operation deployed in the Sahel region to counter Islamist militants.

The two French tourists were kidnapped in Benins Pendjari National Park last week. Their safari guide was found dead, his body riddled with bullets, and their vehicle burned.

The French government had warned its citizens against travelling to parts of Benin near the Burkina Faso border where the park is located because of the risk of kidnapping.

Swathes of northern and eastern Burkina Faso have been overrun by Islamist militants, forcing more than 100,000 residents to flee.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He arrived in Washington on Thursday for the 11th round of high-level economic and trade consultations with the U.S. side, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

Liu told reporters upon his arrival that he came to Washington with sincerity, saying that under the current special circumstances he hopes to engage in rational and candid exchanges with the U.S. side.

Liu is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the Chinese side of the China-U.S. comprehensive economic dialogue.

China believes that raising tariffs is not a solution to the problems, Liu said, noting that it is harmful to China, to the United States and to the whole world.
One police officer and four citizens were arrested in centre Albania late Thursday for allegedly trafficking illegal migrants, Albanian authorities said on Friday, Trend reported citing Xinhua.

The special investigation was conducted by the Internal Affairs Service and Complaints Department (IASC) of the Interior Ministry.

Those arrested are suspected for assisting 19 foreign migrants, including Syrians, to cross the border illegally.

The 19 migrants were detained at the entrance of Pogradec city centre in Albania while they were being transported in the direction of the capital city Tirana in two vehicles driven by Albanian citizens. The illegal migrants entered the green border in Devoll area, south-eastern Albania, where two other Albanian citizens were waiting for them.

Authorities said they seized four vehicles, cell phones and an amount of 120,000 Albanian lek (about 1,093 U.S. dollars).

The police officer was suspected of playing the role of the road controller, authorities said.

The arrested will face the charges of "illegal border crossing assistance in cooperation".
KYODO NEWS - May 10, 2019 - 19:50 | All, Japan

Japan protested to North Korea on Friday over the launch of what Tokyo has identified as ballistic missiles, government officials said, amid renewed tensions over its arms development program.

"The ballistic missile launch clearly violates relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and is extremely regrettable," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kotaro Nogami said at a press conference. The protest was lodged through the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.

The government scrambled to determine what was behind North Korea's second launch of missiles in a week on Thursday, in close coordination with the United States and South Korea.

Hours after the U.S. Defense Department said the projectiles were ballistic missiles, Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya gave the same assessment.

"Based on our comprehensive analysis of the information, the government believes the projectiles launched by North Korea on Thursday were short-range ballistic missiles," Iwaya told reporters.

Still, Japanese officials said that for now the latest tests will not impede Tokyo's efforts to explore holding a summit "without conditions" between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Related coverage:

Suga, Pompeo affirm coordination over North Korea missiles

N. Korean leader Kim oversaw "long-range" strike drill: KCNA

Japan to call on N. Korea to realize summit "without conditions"

"North Korea is trying to drive a wedge between Japan, the United States and South Korea. There is no doubt about it," a senior Japanese diplomat said.

The diplomat said Japan will wait to see how the Security Council responds as North Korea is prohibited from carrying out ballistic missile tests under U.N. resolutions.

North Korea fired two short-range missiles eastward from the northeastern region of Kusong around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has met with Kim twice, said "Nobody's happy" about the latest development, which analysts see as a sign of Pyongyang's mounting frustration with Washington.

Diplomatic sources have said that the projectiles North Korea fired last Saturday also included a ballistic missile but Washington has withheld the assessment from the public for fear of hampering U.S.-North Korea denuclearization talks, which have stalled since Trump's second summit with Kim in late February broke up without an agreement.

Abe, for his part, has stated his resolve to realize his first meeting with Kim "without conditions," a shift from his previous stance that a guarantee of progress on the long-standing issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s is a prerequisite for any summit.

"The prime minister has a very strong determination to act boldly without missing any opportunity available and resolve the issue," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said at a separate press conference earlier Friday. "It's an issue that Japan needs to tackle proactively."
KYODO NEWS - May 10, 2019 - 10:41 | All, World

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agreed Thursday to closely coordinate their response to North Korea's recent launches of projectiles.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting in Washington, Suga said he briefed Pompeo about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's intention to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -- without preconditions -- to try and resolve the issue of Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s.

Suga and Pompeo also agreed to jointly seek a swift resolution to the abduction issue, and to effect the full enforcement of U.N. sanctions on North Korea in tandem with the international community to force Pyongyang to give up nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

The two ministers discussed "our close alliance" and reaffirmed bilateral commitment to the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, according to the State Department.

In a separate meeting, Suga -- the top government spokesman and close aide of Abe -- and acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, agreed to step up bilateral coordination in dealing with a nuclear-armed North Korea.

"We agreed to closely coordinate between Japan and the United States at various levels over analysis and responses," Suga said, in reference to Pyongyang's launches of what appeared to be two short-range missiles Thursday, as well as multiple projectiles -- including one believed to be a short-range ballistic missile -- last Saturday.

The Pentagon has confirmed that Thursday's projectiles were ballistic missiles, according to a U.S. government official.

At the meeting, Suga and Shanahan also agreed to promote a planned relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa Prefecture, as part of the realignment of American troops in Japan.

"The Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific," Suga said. "Japan, through increased defense capabilities, will contribute to strengthening deterrence and response capabilities of the alliance."

Related coverage:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees long-range strike drill

N. Korea missile launches aimed at challenging U.S. nuclear demands

U.S. believes N. Korea fired ballistic missile on Sat.: sources

He affirmed with Pompeo and Shanahan the stepping up of preparations for President Donald Trump's state visit to Japan in late May, and in their joining hands to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.

On Friday, Suga -- who is in charge of the abduction issue and measures to reduce Okinawa's burden in hosting the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan -- will meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the White House.

Suga's three-day visit to Washington and New York through Saturday will include a Friday symposium on the abduction issue at the U.N. headquarters, and a meeting with financial and business leaders in New York.

It is rare for a chief Cabinet secretary, who is responsible for crisis management, to leave Japan. Suga's last official overseas trip was to Guam in 2015.
KYODO NEWS - May 10, 2019 - 22:36 | All, Japan

A minibus slid 20 meters down a mountain slope in eastern Japan on Friday, injuring 14 passengers, police said.

The bus, carrying 18 tourists aged over 50 who came to climb Mt. Eboshidake, started moving while the driver was outside the vehicle around 2:50 p.m. after he parked it in a lot at the trail entrance in the village of Nanmoku, Gunma Prefecture, according to the police.

The police initially said four people were seriously injured and 10 sustained light injuries but later corrected the numbers to three and 11, respectively. All the people are conscious, they said.

The police arrested the 66-year-old driver of the bus, Isao Ebihara, on suspicion of professional negligence. Ebihara told investigators he may not have fully engaged the parking brake, the police said.

The mountain is popular with tourists around this time of year, when pink azaleas are in full bloom.
By Tomoji Tatsumi, KYODO NEWS - May 10, 2019 - 21:01 | World, All

The next Chinese ambassador to Japan on Friday expressed support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's stated intention to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without preconditions.

China "supports dialogue" between the leaders of Japan and North Korea "as a neighbor of the Korean Peninsula," Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said in a meeting with Kyodo News and other Japanese media outlets.

Kong, considered an expert on Japan, doubles as China's special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs at a time when the international community is closely watching whether North Korea will achieve denuclearization as Kim has pledged.

Japan should eventually lay the groundwork for normalization of ties with North Korea, Kong said, voicing hope that Tokyo will "play a constructive role" in resolving issues related to the Korean Peninsula "in a political manner."

With North Korea's consecutive launches of projectiles apparently rekindling tensions in the region since earlier this month, Kong said the direction for a thaw on the Korean Peninsula is "not reversed at this juncture."

Abe had suggested a future summit with Kim would not be possible without a guarantee of progress, but he said following phone talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, "To resolve the abduction issue, I myself need to face Chairman Kim without conditions."

Relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang are stuck in a stalemate over the long-standing issue of past abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents, with Abe having stated that tackling the matter is his "life's work."

Amid an ongoing trade dispute with the administration of Trump, who has pursued protectionism, Kong called for economic cooperation of Japan, saying the two countries "have great responsibility to maintain the free trade system."

Educated at Shanghai International Studies University where he majored in Japanese, Kong is a career diplomat who served as ambassador to Vietnam and assistant foreign minister before becoming vice foreign minister in 2017.

Related coverage:

Japan to call on N. Korea to realize summit "without conditions"
(WASHINGTON, May 9, 2019) -- Hematologists are zeroing in on the escalating humanitarian crisis in southern Europe by assessing the burden of blood disorders among refugees and identifying strategies to facilitate more timely identification and treatment of refugees with sickle cell disease (SCD). A study from an Italian research team published today in Blood suggests SCD is common among refugees and screening efforts should be increased.

SCD is an inherited disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. This abnormal hemoglobin can cause red blood cells to become rigid and sickle shaped. The cells stick together and can block the flow of blood and oxygen throughout the body, leading to intense pain and other serious issues such as stroke, infection, pulmonary complications, and even death. Experts stress that, for migrants with known or undiagnosed SCD, the extreme conditions during their travels - dehydration, psychological stress, and exposure to very high or low temperatures - can trigger severe pain crises. Delays in care can lead to severe organ complications and death.

Researchers led by Lucia De Franceschi, MD, of the University of Verona in Italy, found that the vast majority of migrants arriving to Italy are from areas where SCD is highly prevalent, notably sub-Saharan countries, which consistently report the highest burden of SCD globally. In fact, an estimated 80 percent of all newborns with SCD are born in this region, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even though SCD is endemic to these areas and has been identified as a global health priority by the African Union and the World Health Organization, there is currently no screening program.

Based on their analysis of 2014-2017 data from 13 Italian reference centers, SCD was relatively common in refugees, and it was primarily identified when individuals went to emergency departments for acute sickle cell-related events. De Franceschi reports the rates of anemia were higher among refugees than in the native Italian SCD population, which could be due to malnutrition.

A total of 70 patients with hemoglobin disorders were identified, the majority of whom were male. Half were adults with the median age of 21 years and the other half were children. Most came from West African countries Senegal and Nigeria, as well as Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia in North Africa, and Syria in the Middle East. During this same four-year period, researchers report a total of 624,688 refugees arrived on the Italian coast.

"Our data underscore the need to more systematically screen refugees coming from areas where SCD is endemic and suggest a strong national network might help to spur action," said De Franceschi, whose work is supported by University of Verona (FUR) and the scientific Italian society for studying hemoglobinopathies (SITE). "Early identification of cases can help prevent severe SCD-related events and life-threatening complications and redirect patients to comprehensive SCD centers for specialty clinical management, follow-up, and timely initiation of treatment."

The group pilot tested a program that screened all refugees at a single refugee center using one of the new rapid point-of-care screening devices (SickleSCAN BioMedomics, Inc.), the results of which were then validated using the gold standard laboratory test. Front-line health providers in refugee centers and emergency department personnel were trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of SCD and intervene to provide necessary care.

De Franceschi said this approach has allowed them to offer treatment with hydroxyurea and maintain routine clinical follow-up of newly identified SCD patients. De Franceschi said that, based on their findings, efforts should focus on:

Routine screening for SCD in refugees from countries endemic for SCD within 10-14 days from their arrival to identify potentially vulnerable patients

A structured, collaborative national network

Educating ED physicians to identify and treat acute SCD-related events

"We hope our data might open international political and social discussions about the accessibility of health care for refugees to treat both acute and chronic complications related to SCD," De Franceschi said.

###

In a commentary of the study published today in Blood, authors Russell E. Ware, MD, PhD, and Courtney D. Thornburg, MD, MS, write that based on this study incoming migrants should be routinely tested for SCD and so should their offspring.

###

Blood (http://www.bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field of hematology, is available weekly in print and online. Blood is a journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (http://www.hematology.org), the world's largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders.

ASH's mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology.

Blood is a registered trademark of the American Society of Hematology.
CU Anschutz researchers believe climate change may play role in epidemic that has killed thousands of agricultural workers

AURORA, Colo. (May 8, 2019) - A mysterious epidemic of chronic kidney disease among agricultural workers and manual laborers may be caused by a combination of increasingly hot temperatures, toxins and infections, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

The study was published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In recent years, chronic kidney disease has emerged as a major illness among workers in hot climates. It was first identified in the 1990s by clinicians treating sugar cane workers in Central America. In 2012, it claimed roughly 20,000 lives and has now been identified in California, Florida and in Colorado's San Luis Valley.

But the exact cause has been hard to determine.

"We looked at all the available literature on the subject and asked, `What do we know today? Where are the gaps?" said the study's lead author Lee Newman, MD, MA, director of the Center for Health, Work & Environment and professor in the Dept. of Environmental & Occupational Health at the Colorado School of Public Health. "We were hoping to synthesize everything we know so far for a framework for moving forward."

The disease is more prevalent in sugar cane workers and other agricultural employees including cotton and corn workers, shrimp farmers and miners. It is less common at higher elevations.

Newman and study co-author Richard Johnson, MD, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said the disease could be caused by heat, a direct health impact of climate change, as well as pesticides like glyphosate.

"Some pesticides are nephrotoxic, and these could possibly contaminate the water supply," Johnson said. "Indeed, there are studies showing the epidemic in Sri Lanka is greatest in areas where there are shallow wells in which toxins might become concentrated."

Sri Lankan farmers exposed to glyphosate showed an increased risk for chronic kidney disease. Still, the levels in wells were very low and studies in Central America turned up little glyphosate. Along with pesticides, the researchers looked at heavy metals as a possible culprit. Lead and cadmium, known to cause kidney injury, have been reported in the soils of Sri Lanka and Central America.

Other potential causes include infectious diseases that can hurt the kidneys such as the hanta virus and leptospirosis, common in sugar cane workers. Genetic factors are also a possibility.

"The common factors are heat exposure and heavy labor," Newman said.

Heat stress and persistent dehydration can cause kidney damage.

The disease is moving into the U.S. with agricultural workers in Florida, California's Central Valley and Colorado's San Luis Valley reporting incidences of the illness.

"This is not the usual kidney disease we see in the U.S.," Newman said. "It is not caused by high blood pressure or diabetes. The usual suspects are not the cause."

Johnson pointed out that CU Anschutz has two major efforts underway that are investigating worker health and the impact of climate change on disease.

"This disease is not confined to the southern hemisphere, it is coming here and in fact it is already here," Johnson said. "It is my opinion that climate change plays a role in this epidemic."

Those impacted are mostly agricultural workers, the people who grow and harvest the world's food.

"They are the people who feed the planet," Johnson said. "If climate change continues like this who is going to feed us?"

Newman and Johnson believe the epidemic is caused by a combination of heat and some kind of toxin and they recognize the need to take preventative action immediately. That means ensuring workers get adequate breaks, drink enough fluids and spend time in the shade. It also means maintaining a clean water supply, free of chemicals toxic to the kidneys.

"When clinicians detect clusters of patients with chronic kidney disease who work for the same employer or in similar jobs," the authors said, "they should contact occupational health and safety and public health professionals to promote investigations of workplace conditions."

###
(Reuters) - Pipeline company Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd said on Thursday it would continue as a stand-alone entity, following a strategic review that considered options including a sale. The company said its decision was consistent with the recommendation of a special committee of independent directors not affiliated with Kinder Morgan Inc, which holds about 70 percent majority voting interest in the Canadian entity. Kinder Morgan Inc said in October that it was exploring all options for Kinder Morgan Canada, as it saw a sellers' market for the Canadian company's assets. Kinder Morgan Canada highlighted its infrastructure operations across western Canada, underpinned by multi-year take-or-pay contracts, and stable cash flows for its decision to remain independent. Kinder Morgan Canada said it expects adjusted core earnings of about $213 million and distributable cash flow from continuing operations of about $109 million in 2019. The company said it plans to invest about $32 million in expansion projects, in line with its budget. (Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
* Acacia says has turned round failing company

* Barrick open to buying out minority shareholders, not at premium

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Acacia Mining on Thursday hit back at parent company Barrick Gold Corp's allegation the miner was an obstacle to solving a long-running tax row in Tanzania.

Barrick CEO Mark Bristow said in a results presentation on Wednesday that Acacia was not cooperating, prompting Acacia to demand clarification from Barrick.

Acacia's interim Chief Executive Officer Peter Geleta said in an interview that Acacia was "totally committed to achieving a negotiated solution" and laid out what he said was a series of facts.

Acacia had already been in discussion with Tanzania's government in June 2017 when Barrick intervened without Acacia inviting it, he said.

"Barrick's intervention at such an early stage of the dispute when Acacia was talking to the government of Tanzania undermined Acacia's status, put both Acacia and Barrick into a difficult position and added a level of complexity that was unhelpful to an expedient resolution to the dispute. These are the facts and one cannot deny this," Geleta said.

Acacia has been excluded from the negotiations since Barrick's intervention, but Geleta said the company was engaging constructively with local, regional and national governments and had turned around "a failing business" in Tanzania.

On Thursday, it announced gold output at its North Mara mine in Tanzania had risen 54 percent from the same time a year ago, helping to drive its share price 3 percent higher.

In its production update, Acacia also said it was seeking clarification from Barrick on Bristow's comments, "not all of which are consistent with Acacia's own understanding of the position".

Barrick had no immediate response on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Bristow said Barrick was "stuck in the middle between Acacia and the government of Tanzania who are in a stand-off".

"It will be a lot easier if Acacia were more engaging in their discussion," he also said, adding Barrick, the majority shareholder, was open to buying out Acacia's minority shareholders, but not at a premium.

Acacia has been caught up in sweeping changes to Tanzania's mining industry spearheaded by President John Magufuli, who believes his country is not getting its fair share of profits.

The government has accused Acacia of evading taxes for years by under-declaring exports - an allegation dismissed by the company which said in 2017 it had been hit with a $190 billion tax bill. (Reporting by Barbara Lewis, Zandi Shabalala and Nichola Saminather; Editing by Mark Potter)
TORONTO, May 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alamos Gold Inc. (TSX:AGI; NYSE:AGI) (Alamos or the Company) today reported new results from surface and underground exploration and delineation drilling at the Island Gold Mine. Drilling in 2019 continues to extend high-grade gold mineralization across each of the Main, Western, and Eastern Extensions. All reported drill widths are true width of the mineralized zones, unless otherwise stated.



Eastern Extension: high-grade mineralization intersected in a previously untested area between the Eastern and Main Extensions, within a 500 metre (m) gap between Inferred Mineral Resource blocks. This area is only 1,000 m from surface and relatively close to existing infrastructure. New highlights include: 46.11 g/t Au (25.81 g/t cut) over 4.67m (MH18-03);



Main Extension: high-grade mineralization extended 65 m up-plunge (MH13-5) and 65 m down-plunge (MH17-04) from the nearest previously reported intersections. High-grade mineralization has been extended over 1,000 m east of current mine workings and remains open along strike to the east and both up and down-plunge. New highlights include: 71.17 g/t Au (24.53 g/t cut) over 5.10 m (MH13-5); 40.75 g/t Au (34.01 g/t cut) over 5.15 m (MH17-04); and 30.01 g/t Au (15.13 g/t cut) over 4.96 m (MH12-5).



Note: Drillhole composite intervals reported as cut may include higher grade samples which have been cut to 225 g/t Au for Main and Extension 1 areas, and 160 g/t Au for Extension 2 Area.

Drill results continue to demonstrate the tremendous growth potential of the Island Gold deposit across multiple areas of focus. The Main Extension continues to grow and we see excellent potential for this to continue with more than 90% of our exploration drill holes intersecting gold mineralization along the Island Gold Main Zone. We are also particularly excited about the potential between the Main and Eastern Extensions having intersected high-grade mineralization in an area that has seen very little drilling to date. We have started to close the gap between high grade resources in both areas and see excellent potential for this to continue, said John A. McCluskey, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Story continues

2019 Drilling Program  Island Gold Mine

The focus of the 2019 exploration drilling program is to continue to expand the down-plunge and lateral extensions of the Island Gold deposit with the objective of adding new near mine Mineral Resources across the two-kilometre long Island Gold Main Zone (Figure 1).

The ongoing exploration program at Island Gold has been successful in extending high grade gold mineralization across each of the Main, Western, and Eastern Extensions. This has translated into significant growth in Mineral Reserves and Resources since the November 2017 acquisition of Island Gold as follows (Mineral Reserves and Resources as of December 31, 2018; see press release dated February 19, 2019):

Mineral Reserves have increased 467,000 ounces before mining depletion, or 255,000 ounces net of mining depletion, to 1.0 million ounces with Mineral Reserve grades increasing 12% (3.0 million tonnes (mt) grading 10.28 g/t Au)

Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources have increased 115%, or 105,000 ounces, to 196,000 ounces with grades increasing 48% (0.7 mt grading 8.77 g/t Au)

Inferred Mineral Resources have increased 58%, or 577,000 ounces, to 1.6 million ounces with grades increasing 15% (4.2 mt grading 11.71 g/t Au)

A total of 29,832 m of drilling in 99 holes has been completed thus far in 2019. This includes 13,992 m of surface directional exploration drilling, 1,119 m of regional exploration drilling, 5,804 m of underground exploration drilling and 8,917 m of underground delineation drilling. New highlight intercepts can be found in Figures 1 to 4 and Tables 1 to 3 at the end of this news release.

The 2019 drill program includes 48,000 m of surface directional exploration drilling, 30,000 m of underground exploration drilling, 35,000 m of delineation drilling, and 917 m of exploration drift development.

Surface and Underground Exploration Drilling

Eastern Extension

Surface directional drilling within the Eastern Extension is focused on testing the area down-plunge and to the east of known Inferred Resource blocks, between the 850 m and 1150 m vertical depths, and previously reported high-grade intersections approximately 350 m further to the east (Figure 3).

Three drill holes have been completed in this area to date in 2019, with drill hole MH18-03 intersecting 46.11 g/t Au (25.81 g/t cut) over 4.67m. This intersection is 200 m down-plunge from the closest Inferred Mineral Resources in the Eastern Extension, and 300 m vertically above Inferred Mineral Resources defined in the eastern down-plunge extent of the Main Extension. Testing the potential continuity of high-grade mineralization between the Eastern and Main Extensions will be an ongoing focus in 2019 with this area having seen limited drilling to date. Two surface directional diamond drill rigs are active in this area, and will continue with 75 to 100 m spaced step-out drilling. New highlights from the surface drilling program include (E1E-Zone) (Table 1):

46.11 g/t Au (25.81 g/t cut) over 4.67 m (MH18-03);

4.45 g/t Au (4.45 g/t cut) over 10.24 m (MH18-02); and

6.03 g/t Au (6.03 g/t cut) over 3.65 m (MH18-01).

Main Extension

Surface directional drilling to date in 2019 has been successful in further extending gold mineralization with drill hole spacing ranging from 50 to 100 m (Figure 2). Gold mineralization has now been extended one kilometre to the east of existing mine workings. This east plunging high-grade ore shoot remains open laterally, up and down-plunge.

New highlights from the surface and underground exploration drill results include (E1E-Zone) (Tables 1 and 2):

71.17 g/t Au (24.53 g/t cut) over 5.10 m (MH13-5);

40.75 g/t Au (34.01 g/t cut) over 5.15 m (MH17-04);

30.01 g/t Au (15.13 g/t cut) over 4.96 m (MH12-5);

38.42 g/t Au (23.78 g/t cut) over 2.75 m (840-548-11);

17.52 g/t Au (16.97 g/t cut) over 2.81 m (MH17-03); and

12.91 g/t Au (12.91 g/t cut) over 4.57 m (840-548-10).

Drill hole MH13-5 (71.17 g/t Au (24.53 g/t cut) over 5.10 m), returned one of the best surface directional intersections to date in the Main Extension and also extended high-grade mineralization 65 m up-plunge from the nearest previously drilled intercept.

Drill holes MH17-03 (17.52 g/t Au (16.97 g/t cut) over 2.81m) and MH17-04 (40.75 g/t Au (34.01 g/t cut) over 5.15 m) extended high-grade gold mineralization 50 m further to the east of the nearest previously drilled intercepts, MH13 (118.58 g/t Au (53.51 g/t cut) over 6.66 m) and MH17-01 (56.60 g/t Au (50.87 g/t cut) over 5.66 m).

Drill hole MH17-05, drilled a further 50 m to the east of MH17-03 and MH17-04, also intersected gold mineralization (2.25 g/t Au over 6.72 m) within the same zone. Despite the lower grades, visible gold associated with quartz veining was observed in this interval, confirming presence of gold mineralization another 50 m further to the east.

The 2019 exploration program will continue to focus on further extending high-grade mineralization with the objective of defining additional Mineral Resources in this area. Underground exploration drilling has also commenced from the 840 level exploration drift with the objective of testing the area between the Main Extension Inferred Mineral Resources and the Eastern Extension Mineral Reserve and Resource blocks above. Three surface directional diamond drill rigs remain active in the Main Extension target area.

Western Extension

Surface drilling in the Western Extension area (Figure 4) has continued to extend high-grade mineralization laterally and down-plunge from existing Inferred Mineral Resources. Drill hole MH16-04 intersected 5.14 g/t Au (5.14 g/t cut) over 5.28 m, extending mineralization an additional 75 m from previously reported drill hole MH16-03 (152.07 g/t Au (35.74 g/t cut) over 5.00m). One surface directional diamond drill rig is active in this area. In addition, underground exploration drilling commenced from the 450 diamond drill bay in the main ramp and was successful in extending high-grade gold mineralization 50 m to the west of the existing Mineral Reserves. Highlights from the new surface and underground drill results include (C-Zone) (Tables 1 and 2):

31.62 g/t Au (31.62 g/t cut) over 3.22 m (450-467-85);

10.43 g/t Au (10.43 g/t cut) over 3.34 m (450-467-86); and

5.14 g/t Au (5.14 g/t cut) over 5.28 m (MH16-04).

Underground Delineation Drilling

Underground delineation drilling is also being carried out from the 450 drill bay and from the 580 and 840 levels, with the focus on converting Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated Mineral Resources.

New highlight drill intercepts include (Table 3):

38.99 g/t Au (24.86 g/t cut) over 3.60 m (840-548-18);

35.61 g/t Au (29.75 g/t cut) over 3.31 m (840-548-03);

22.57 g/t Au (18.74 g/t cut) over 4.56 m (840-542-60);

22.44 g/t Au (22.44 g/t cut) over 4.55 m (840-548-05);

37.59 g/t Au (37.59 g/t cut) over 2.21 m (580-473-07);

13.00 g/t Au (9.60 g/t cut) over 6.38 m (840-542-61);

13.38 g/t Au (13.38 g/t cut) over 5.35 m (840-548-14);

4.88 g/t Au (4.88 g/t cut) over 7.92 m (840-542-63);

16.11 g/t Au (16.11 g/t cut) over 2.18 m (580-473-13); and

11.31 g/t Au (11.31 g/t cut) over 3.09 m (840-548-02).

The results from the infill delineation drilling within existing Inferred Mineral Resource blocks continue to confirm the continuity of the high-grade gold mineralization and are expected to support the conversion of the Mineral Resources to Mineral Reserves in these areas.

Other Zones

The Island Gold Deposit consists of a number of subparallel mineralized zones, with the majority of Mineral Reserves and Resources being defined in the C Zone and E1E Zones which constitutes the main production horizons at the Island Gold mine.

Highlights of new intersections in parallel zones and zones in which the lateral continuity is not yet established (Unknown Zone) include (Tables 1, 2 and 3):

29.13 g/t Au (29.13 g/t cut) over 2.80 m (MH17-04);

27.07 g/t Au (27.07 g/t cut) over 2.40 m (MH17-03);

17.56 g/t Au (17.56 g/t cut) over 2.50 m (840-548-14); and

12.38 g/t Au (12.38 g/t cut) over 2.60 m (840-548-01).

Note: Reported composite intervals are core lengths

Additional drilling will be required to further evaluate these high-grade intersections and their potential in both the footwall and hanging wall of the main C and E1E Zones.

Surface Regional Exploration Drilling

As part of the 2018 regional exploration drilling program, two drill holes were started late in 2018 and completed in 2019. This included drill hole AR-415-04 which intersected 9.31 g/t over 3.31 m, approximately 250 m west from the most westernly Inferred Mineral Resource block of the Island Gold Deposit. This gold-bearing structure has similar alteration and mineralization that is associated with gold mineralization at the Island Gold Mine within the Goudreau Deformation Zone.

Qualified Persons

Chris Bostwick, FAusIMM, Alamos Golds Vice President, Technical Services, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Chris Bostwick is a Qualified Person within the meaning of Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101).

Exploration programs at the Island Gold Mine are directed by Raynald Vincent, P.Eng., M.G.P., Chief Geologist at the Island Gold Mine and a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101.

Quality Control

Assays for the delineation and exploration drilling were completed at LabExpert in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The Corporation inserts at regular intervals quality control (QC) samples (blanks and reference materials) to monitor laboratory performance. Cross check assays are done on a regular basis in a second accredited laboratory. The Quality Assurance / Quality Control procedures are more completely described in the Technical Report filed on SEDAR by Richmont Mines, July 13, 2017.

Upcoming Catalysts and News Flow

Q2 2019  Young-Davidson and Island Gold Site Tours

Mid-2019  Lynn Lake Optimization Study

H2 2019  La Yaqui Grande EIA Approval

H2 2019  Cerro Pelon Construction Update

H2 2019  Kirazl Construction Update

H2 2019  Island Gold Phase II Expansion Permit

About Alamos

Alamos is a Canadian-based intermediate gold producer with diversified production from four operating mines in North America. This includes the Young-Davidson and Island Gold mines in northern Ontario, Canada and the Mulatos and El Chanate mines in Sonora State, Mexico. Additionally, the Company has a significant portfolio of development stage projects in Canada, Mexico, Turkey, and the United States. Alamos employs more than 1,700 people and is committed to the highest standards of sustainable development. The Companys shares are traded on the TSX and NYSE under the symbol AGI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Scott K. Parsons Vice President, Investor Relations (416) 368-9932 x 5439

All amounts are in United States dollars, unless otherwise stated.

The TSX and NYSE have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note

This news release includes certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes or developments that Alamos expects to occur are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", believe", "anticipate", "plan",, forecast, "estimate", "intend", budget or potential or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved or the negative connotation of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include the statements with respect to planned exploration programs, costs and expenditures, changes in Mineral Resources and conversion of Mineral Resources to Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves, and other information that is based on forecasts and projections of future operational, geological or financial results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management.

Exploration results that include geophysics, sampling, and drill results on wide spacings may not be indicative of the occurrence of a mineral deposit. Such results do not provide assurance that further work will establish sufficient grade, continuity, metallurgical characteristics and economic potential to be classed as a category of Mineral Resource. A Mineral Resource that is classified as "Inferred" or "Indicated" has a great amount of uncertainty as to its existence and economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that any or part of an "Indicated Mineral Resource" or "Inferred Mineral Resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category of Mineral Resource. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves.

Alamos cautions readers not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements which are not guarantees of future events as a number of factors could cause results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from the targets, outlooks, expectations, goals, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks related to obtaining and maintaining necessary permits, licenses and authorizations required to carry out planned exploration or development work, the actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions of economic and geological evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, employee and community relations,the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, contests over title to properties, changes in national and local government legislation, control and regulations and and fluctuations of the price of gold and foreign exchange rates as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Alamos' latest Annual Information Form and MD&A, each under the heading Risk Factors, available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com or on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. The foregoing should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, or whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors  Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates

All Mineral Resource and Reserve estimates included in this news release or documents referenced in this news release have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") - CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (the "CIM Standards"). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators, which established standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. The terms "Mineral Reserve", "Proven Mineral Reserve" and "Probable Mineral Reserve" are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards. These definitions differ materially from the definitions in the Securities Exchange Commission (the SEC) Industry Guide 7 ("SEC Industry Guide 7") under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority.

In addition, the terms "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource" and "Inferred Mineral Resource" are defined in and required to be disclosed by NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards; however, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the U.S. SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in very limited circumstances. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a Mineral Resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.

Table 1: Island Gold  Previously Unreleased Select Composite Intervals from Surface Exploration Drilling

Composite intervals greater than 3 g/t Au weighted average, capping values:

Main Island and Extension 1 areas @ 225 g/t Au; Extension 2 Area @ 160 g/t Au

Hole ID Zone Target Area From

(m) To (m) Core

Length

(m) True

Width

(m) Au

Uncut

(g/t) Au Cut

(g/t) Vertical

Depth

(m) MH12-5 E1E Main Ext 1517.40 1523.40 6.00 4.96 30.01 15.13 1367 MH13-4 E1E Main Ext 1515.10 1517.70 2.60 2.55 9.89 9.89 1300 MH13-5 E1E Main Ext 1518.50 1523.60 5.10 5.10 71.17 24.53 1277 MH14-6 E1E Main Ext 1520.20 1532.80 12.60 10.52 3.85 3.85 1380 MH17-03 E1E Main Ext 1545.90 1549.00 3.10 2.81 17.52 16.97 1313 MH17-04 E1E Main Ext 1569.10 1575.40 6.30 5.15 40.75 34.01 1384 MH17-05 G Main Ext 1492.60 1495.60 3.00 2.90 7.58 7.58 1288 MH18-01 E1E Eastern Ext 1086.20 1090.70 4.50 3.65 6.03 6.03 956 MH18-02 E1E Eastern Ext 1127.50 1140.90 13.40 10.24 4.45 4.45 1025 MH18-03 E1E Eastern Ext 1107.70 1113.80 6.10 4.67 46.11 25.81 991 AR-415-04 C Western Ext 833.70 838.30 4.60 3.31 9.31 9.31 689 MH16-03 G1 Western Ext 1398.10 1404.00 5.90 4.44 16.22 16.22 1252 MH16-04 G Western Ext 1478.99 1484.34 5.35 4.40 7.28 7.28 1338 MH16-04 C Western Ext 1498.50 1504.90 6.40 5.28 5.14 5.14 1355 MH16-05 C Western Ext 1458.10 1461.25 3.15 2.62 4.07 4.07 1294 MH13-3 Unknown Main Ext 1592.50 1593.20 0.70 25.69 25.69 1413 MH17-03 Unknown Main Ext 1624.00 1629.50 5.50 3.40 3.40 1377 MH17-03 Unknown Main Ext 1653.00 1655.40 2.40 27.07 27.07 1400 MH17-04 Unknown Main Ext 1595.20 1598.00 2.80 29.13 29.13 1406 MH16-01 Unknown Western Ext 1175.00 1179.50 4.50 5.89 5.89 1036 MH16-02 Unknown Western Ext 1221.50 1224.60 3.10 9.55 9.55 1082 MH16-02 Unknown Western Ext 1299.00 1300.70 1.70 12.46 12.46 1142

Note: Unknown zone corresponds to gold intercepts outside known ore zones and for which continuity is not yet established and therefore true width has not been calculated.

Table 2: Island Gold  Previously Unreleased Select Composite Intervals from Underground Exploration Drilling

Composite intervals greater than 3 g/t Au weighted average, capping values:

Main Island and Extension 1 areas @ 225 g/t Au; Extension 2 Area @ 160 g/t Au

Hole ID Zone Target Area From

(m) To (m) Core

Length

(m) True

Width

(m) Au

Uncut

(g/t) Au Cut

(g/t) Vertical

Depth

(m) 450-467-85 C Western Ext 199.80 203.85 4.05 3.22 31.62 31.62 503 450-467-86 C Western Ext 188.00 192.00 4.00 3.34 10.43 10.43 485 840-548-06 E1E Main Ext 178.20 181.60 3.40 2.69 3.42 3.42 902 840-548-10 E1E Main Ext 159.80 164.80 5.00 4.57 12.91 12.91 871 840-548-11 E1E Main Ext 265.90 270.55 4.65 2.75 38.42 23.78 1030 840-548-16 E1E Main Ext 244.00 246.70 2.70 2.02 8.73 8.73 1004 840-548-20 E1E Main Ext 149.00 151.30 2.30 2.08 3.67 3.67 851 840-548-01 Unknown Main Ext 81.80 84.40 2.60 12.38 12.38 899

Note: Unknown zone corresponds to gold intercepts outside known ore zones and for which continuity is not yet established and therefore true width has not been calculated.

Table 3: Island Gold  Previously Unreleased Select Composite Intervals from Underground Delineation Drilling

Composite intervals greater than 3 g/t Au weighted average, capping values:

Main Island and Extension 1 areas @ 225 g/t Au; Extension 2 Area @ 160 g/t Au

Hole ID Zone Target Area From

(m) To (m) Core

Length

(m) True

Width

(m) Au Uncut

(g/t) Au Cut

(g/t) Vertical

Depth

(m) 840-542-60 E1E Main Ext 303.92 315.00 11.08 4.56 22.57 18.74 1080 840-542-61 E1E Main Ext 301.00 314.20 13.20 6.38 13.00 9.60 1085 840-542-63 E1E Main Ext 285.00 300.50 15.50 7.92 4.88 4.88 1066 840-548-02 E1E Main Ext 233.80 238.30 4.50 3.09 11.31 11.31 986 840-548-03 E1E Main Ext 225.60 230.20 4.60 3.31 35.61 29.75 973 840-548-04 E1E Main Ext 209.00 212.30 3.30 2.40 7.32 7.32 946 840-548-05 E1E Main Ext 195.00 200.80 5.80 4.55 22.44 22.44 925 840-548-13 E1E Main Ext 214.00 218.65 4.65 3.28 8.67 8.67 954 840-548-14 E1E Main Ext 198.12 205.83 7.71 5.35 13.38 13.38 933 840-548-17 E1E Main Ext 234.70 237.70 3.00 2.10 8.30 8.30 979 840-548-18 E1E Main Ext 222.25 227.50 5.25 3.60 38.99 24.86 957 450-467-87 C Western Ext 188.55 192.50 3.95 3.29 3.44 3.44 505 580-473-07 C Western Ext 68.70 71.45 2.75 2.21 37.59 37.59 539 580-473-13 C Western Ext 58.60 61.00 2.40 2.18 16.11 16.11 546 450-467-64 D1 Western Ext 209.15 211.93 2.78 1.79 5.45 5.45 569 840-548-04 Unknown Main Ext 94.50 97.50 3.00 6.76 6.76 891 840-548-14 Unknown Main Ext 100.44 102.94 2.50 17.56 17.56 890 450-467-87 Unknown Western Ext 202.00 204.42 2.42 10.02 10.02 508

Note: Unknown zone corresponds to gold intercepts outside known ore zones and for which continuity is not yet established and therefore true width has not been calculated.

Table 4: Surface exploration drill holes; azimuth, dip, drilled length, and collar location at surface (UTM NAD83)

Hole ID Azimuth

() Dip

() Drilled

Length

(m) UTM

Easting UTM

Northing UTM

Elevation

(m) Comments AR-415-01 5 -69 1100 689995 5350898 386 AR-415-02 337 -66 1046 689995 5350898 386 AR-415-03 319 -70 1142 689994 5350897 385 AR-415-04 356 -60 1127 689995 5350898 386 MH12-4 337 -70 888 691310 5350975 394 Cut from MH12-3 at 968m MH12-5 337 -70 579 691310 5350975 394 Cut from MH12-4 at 1070m MH12-6 337 -70 837 691522 5351123 394 Cut from MH12-5 at 1025m MH13-3 337 -72 688 692074 5351046 389 Cut from MH13-1 at 1051m MH13-4 337 -72 685 692074 5351046 389 Cut from MH13-1 at 979m MH13-5 336 -72 688 692074 5351046 389 Cut from MH13-4 at 961m MH14-3 338 -85 932 691522 5351123 394 Cut from MH14-1 at 852m MH14-4 228 -85 808 691522 5351123 394 Cut from MH14-3 at 880m MH14-6 3 -68 1422 691522 5351123 394 Cut from MH14 at 209m MH16-01 337 -73 1584 691002 5350845 387 MH16-02 337 -73 656 691002 5350845 387 Cut from MH16-01 at 936m MH16-03 337 -73 579 691002 5350845 387 Cut from MH16-02 at 980m MH16-04 337 -73 827 691002 5350845 387 Cut from MH16-03 at 828m MH16-05 337 -73 1087 691002 5350845 387 Cut from MH16-01 at 517m MH17-03 334 -73 924 692320 5351076 395 Cut from MH17-02 at 884m MH17-04 334 -73 767 692320 5351076 395 Cut from MH17-03 at 959m MH17-05 334 -73 966 692320 5351076 395 Cut from MH17-01 at 839m MH18-01 339 -75 1259 691886 5351456 400 MH18-02 339 -75 741 691886 5351456 400 Cut from MH18-01 at 666m MH18-03 339 -75 732 691886 5351456 400 Cut from MH18-02 at 539m

Note: UTM mine surface elevation 382 m

Table 5: Underground drill holes; azimuth, dip, drilled length, and collar location (UTM NAD83)

Hole ID Azimuth

() Dip

() Drilled

Length (m) UTM

Easting UTM

Northing UTM

Elevation (m) 450-467-59 148 -27 255 690222 5351667 -70 450-467-64 144 -36 306 690224 5351667 -70 450-467-84 200 -21 249 690221 5351667 -70 450-467-85 200 -16 241 690221 5351667 -70 450-467-86 198 -11 222 690222 5351667 -70 450-467-87 195 -18 228 690222 5351667 -70 450-467-88 192 -21 263 690222 5351667 -70 450-467-90 194 -2 207 690222 5351667 -69 580-473-04 210 11 90 690327 5351562 -202 580-473-07 206 38 87 690327 5351562 -200 580-473-13 188 37 72 690328 5351562 -200 620-543-72 158 11 156 690967 5351872 -226 635-521-05 144 8 90 690801 5351699 -267 635-521-06 143 28 90 690801 5351699 -266 635-521-07 137 45 96 690801 5351699 -265 840-542-51 171 -34 246 690972 5351831 -466 840-542-59 166 -47 318 690972 5351831 -466 840-542-60 152 -47 330 690972 5351831 -466 840-542-61 173 -49 369 690972 5351831 -466 840-542-62 149 -50 375 690972 5351831 -466 840-542-63 172 -48 360 690972 5351831 -466 840-548-01 162 -39 282 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-02 162 -36 270 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-03 162 -34 252 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-04 164 -28 240 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-05 162 -24 225 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-06 162 -18 210 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-09 160 -47 345 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-10 160 -9 189 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-11 157 -43 312 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-13 157 -32 234 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-14 156 -27 234 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-15 157 7 180 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-16 151 -38 282 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-17 151 -34 270 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-18 151 -30 252 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-20 149 -2 192 691029 5351853 -464 840-548-21 149 21 210 691029 5351853 -464

Note: UTM mine surface elevation 382 m

Figures accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0100417f-f958-43c1-ae49-ab26eb0043e3

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5fe9df96-1b1e-4bad-81f6-c8405556b7db

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5253321e-383d-4374-b7be-e25f06936ee6

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/007caf35-943a-446d-99fa-df915d31ddcb




A contract worth approximately 170 million euros in France

Alstom to supply 16 additional Coradia Polyvalent trains

to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region

10 May 2019 - Alstom will supply 16 additional Coradia Polyvalent trains to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region for a sum of approximately 170 million euros. The region has already ordered 24 trains.

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region has ordered 16 six-car electric Coradia Polyvalent trains. It is the first order of this combination of the Coradia Polyvalent modular platform. These trains have a total capacity of 355 seats and offer passengers an "Intercite" style interior design with an excellent level of comfort thanks to large windows, indirect interior lighting, reclining seats with arm rests, an electric socket and a coat hook. The new Coradia Polyvalent trains for the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region will also be the first to comply with the new 2014 PRM TSI[1] standard providing, for example, a more spacious toilet area with access for persons with reduced mobility.

These 16 trains can be added to the 24 four-car electric trains already ordered by the region, 18 of which have already been delivered.

"Alstom is proud to support the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region which has been a key partner since the beginning of the Regiolis contract. This latest order expands our range of Coradia Polyvalent regional and Intercite trains. The new high-capacity trains provide excellent comfort, comply with the latest required standards and specifications for persons with reduced mobility, and will use all the latest information and connectivity technology. The new order will also boost activity at Alstom plants in Bourgogne-Franche-Comte," said Jean-Baptiste Eymeoud, President of Alstom in France.

Coradia Polyvalent belongs to Alstom`s Coradia range of trains. With its modular architecture, it can be adapted to the requirements of each public transport authority as well as to different types of use: suburban, regional and intercity. It comes in three lengths (56, 72 or 110 metres) and offers optimal comfort for passengers, whatever the length of the journey. The train is both ecological and economical due to its low energy consumption, its compliance with the latest emissions standards in thermal mode and its low maintenance costs. Pre-equipped to receive ERTMS[2] technology, Coradia Polyvalent is the first French regional train to comply with all European standards.

Story continues

To date, 328 Coradia Polyvalent trains have been ordered as part of the contract awarded to Alstom by SNCF in October 2009, including 267 Coradia Polyvalent for Regiolis by 9 French regions and 61 Coradia Liner by the French state, transport authority for the country`s Intercite trains. Regiolis has already covered more than 50 million kilometres in commercial service.

The Coradia Polyvalent train also meets the needs of the export market: 17 trains have been ordered by SNTF (Algeria) and 15 trains by APIX (Senegal).

The development and manufacture of Coradia Polyvalent trains secures more than 4,000 jobs in France for Alstom and its suppliers. Six out of the 12 Alstom plants in France are involved in the project: Reichshoffen for the design and assembly, Ornans for the motors, Le Creusot for the bogies, Tarbes for the traction chains, Villeurbanne for the onboard IT systems and Saint-Ouen for the design.

About Alstom

As a promoter of sustainable mobility, Alstom develops and markets systems, equipment and services for the transport sector. Alstom offers a complete range of solutions (from high-speed trains to metros, tramways and e-buses), passenger solutions, customised services (maintenance, modernisation), infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility solutions. Alstom is a world leader in integrated transport systems. The company recorded sales of 8.1 billion and booked 12.1 billion of orders in the 2018/19 fiscal year. Headquartered in France, Alstom is present in over 60 countries and employs 36,300 people.

www.alstom.com

Press contacts

Justine Rohee - Tel. + 33 1 57 06 18 81

justine.rohee@alstomgroup.com

Samuel Miller - Tel. + 33 1 57 06 67 74

samuel.miller@alstomgroup.com

Celine Grussenmeyer-Wolf - Tel +33 6 80 54 74 03

celine.grussenmeyer-wolf@alstomgroup.com

Investor Relations

Julie Morel - Tel. + 33 6 67 61 88 58

julie.morel@alstomgroup.com

Julien Minot - Tel. + 33 1 57 06 64 84

julien.minot@alstomgroup.com





[1] Technical Specifications for Interoperability for Persons with Reduced Mobility

[2] European rail interoperability standard

PR_Regiolis BFC_notification 16 trains_EN







This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients.



The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: ALSTOM SA via GlobeNewswire

HUG#2244173


Almost a year on, Jha murder case still remains a mystery

While the Metropolitan Crime Division has claimed to have performed an appreciable job in the past one year, it has been unable to solve the mystery behind the murder of former ambassador of Nepal to France Keshav Raj Jha.
Investing.com - Asian stocks rebounded in morning trade on Friday amid renewed hopes for a China-U.S. trade agreement after U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal is still possible.

The Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Component rose 1.4% and 2.3% respectively. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index gained 0.6%.

Japans Nikkei 225 edged down 0.1% after data showed the countrys household spending rose more than expected in March but real wages slumped the most since 2015.

South Koreas KOSPI traded 0.2% higher.

Down under, Australias ASX 200 was unchanged at 6,294.85.

Overnight, Trump said China President Xi Jinping wrote him a beautiful letter and that he will probably speak to him by phone."

"Let's work together, let's get something done," Trump said, describing the letter.

He then said his his administration might reverse its decision to hike tariffs on Chinese goods depending on progress in this weeks negotiations, although tariffs are an "excellent" alternative to a trade deal.

"It's an alternative I've spoken about for years. We'll take in well over a hundred billion dollars a year. We never took in 10 cents from China," Trump said, referring to additional tariffs he promised to impose. "And I think it'll be a very strong day, frankly. But we'll see."

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin kicked off two days of talks on Thursday in Washington. Officials have ended their Thursday session and are set to continue Friday, Reuters reported.

Ma Jun, a Chinese central bank advisor said in an article published by the Finance News, a state-owned paper run by the central bank, that U.S tariffs could cut China's GDP growth by 0.3%.

"The negative impact of this scenario on China's gross domestic production would be around 0.3 percentage points, this is within a controllable range," he said.

Story continues

Related Articles

After U.S. complaint, Canada to soften rules for jet competition to allow Lockheed Martin bid: source

Asian shares pull up from two-month lows ahead of looming U.S. tariff hike

U.S. state AGs looking into Expedia Group, hotel practices in antitrust probe
The shares were up as much as 6.5% Thursday after Goldman analysts said billings will likely be better than expected.

Goldman said in the report that there's room for Atlassian to raise prices further.

Atlassian TEAM shares jumped more than 5% to a record on Thursday, after analysts at Goldman Sachs GS raised their rating on the collaboration software company, citing the likelihood of better-than-expected financial performance.

The shares climbed as high as $124.27, giving Atlassian a market value of over $28 billion. The company, which was founded in Australia in 2002, has multiplied in value almost sixfold since its IPO in 2015.

The Goldman analysts, led by Heather Bellini, upgraded the stock to "buy" and increased their price target from $115 to $125 (which is less than $1 a way). They wrote that analysts' consensus estimates for fourth-quarter billings of $361 million "appear conservative," and they're projecting the number to come in at $376 million, representing 34% growth from a year earlier.

Atlassian has raised the prices of its products in each of the last two fiscal years, and Goldman said it sees the company "retaining the ability" to do so "as it enhances product offerings." Last year, Atlassian sold its HipChat messaging service to Slack in exchange for an investment in the company, which is going public soon.

Atlassian sells several products that are almost ubiquitous among developer teams, including tools for collaborating and for tracking software issues. It also has tools for announcing downtime for web services. The company competes in various ways with IBM IBM , Microsoft MSFT , Salesforce CRM and ServiceNow NOW .

"Longer-term, we are generally positive on Atlassian's ability to penetrate non-IT organizations, given the company's low-friction online sales motion and strong established presence in collaboration," the analysts wrote.

Story continues

WATCH: Cramer: Why these stocks can give exposure to cloud-based collaboration space





More From CNBC


NEW YORK, May 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Focused on commercial aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), Aviation Week Networks MRO Baltics, Eastern Europe and Russia (#MROBEER), is being held May 21-22 at the Radisson BLU Hotel Lietuva in Vilnius, Lithuania. The event will offer a relaxed and informal networking conference for industry representatives from airlines, OEMs, suppliers, and service providers.



More than 90 percent of the 300 registered attendees are purchasing decision makers and influencers and the event will host more than 30 service providers and representatives from 30+ countries. Delegates will foster new relationships, strengthen existing ones, and expand reach across the MRO community in the Baltics region and throughout Europe and Russia.

MRO BEER is a focused conference event, featuring a showcase of various solution providers. The intent is to hear, analyze, and discuss what is happening in the conference  then meet with the various companies in the showcase that are there to help and provide their best solutions, said Lydia Janow, Managing Director/Events & Tradeshows, Aviation Week Network. The Baltics, Eastern Europe and Russia is a booming region for the aviation industry and this event sells out each year.

MRO BEER will feature airline led discussion sessions that address partnership and business opportunities, critical insight on regional issues, idea exchange and networking with industry peers, and expert opinion on key trends and forecast and revenue growth. The conference will open with an introduction to the region and its importance in the MRO landscape from Zilvinas Lapinskas, the CEO of FL Technics.

Highlights include talks by: Tim Butzmann, Senior Manager Digital Product and Portfolio, Lufthansa Technik; Mirjana Ceh, CCO, Adria Tehnika; Alistair Dibisceglia, EVP Fleet, Technical Procurement and Supply Chain, Alitalia Societa Aerea Italiana S.p.A.; Patrick Fennell, COO, Nordica Jet; Tadas Goberis, CEO, AviaAM Leasing; Jacques-Olivier Guichard, VP Digital, AFI KLM E&M; Jari Huhtinen, VP of Technical Operations; Finnair and Vytautas Kairaris, former CEO and Owner Small Planet Airlines. See here for a full agenda .

Story continues

The MRO BEER showcase provides attendees with the opportunity to source suppliers and get hands-on with the latest technologies, tools and resources and translate the practical knowledge of the conference into real-life solutions. Open only to delegates, the showcase will feature 30+ suppliers. See here for a list of exhibitors .

FLTechnics is the leading partner of MRO BEER with support from Airlines for America and IATA . Airlines represented will include Aero Norway, Air Baltic, Air France Industries, Alitalia, Blue Air, Czech Airlines, Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Stiftung, FinnAir, Go Airlines (India), Kenya Airways, Regional Jet (NORDICA), Pole Air Aviation, Ryan Air, Satair, Scandinavian Airline Systems, TAP Air Portugal, and Ukraine International Airlines.

Upcoming Aviation Week Network events include: ap&m Europe | June 4-6, Frankfurt, Germany; Aero-Engines Europe | September 11-12, Istanbul, Turkey; MRO Asia-Pacific | September 24-26, Singapore; and MRO Europe | October 15-17, London.

AVIATION WEEK NETWORK





ABOUT INFORMA
Chevron Corporation CVX and Occidental Petroleum Corporation OXY are locked in a titanic battle over oil and gas producer Anadarko Petroleum Corporation APC. At stake is Anadarkos 250,000 net acres in the fastest growing oil producing region in the world - the Permian basin spread over west Texas and New Mexico.

The Story So Far

Chevron Announces It's Buying Anadarko: On Apr 12, Americas No. 2 energy producer, Chevron announced a roughly $50 billion deal to buy Texas-based upstream company, Anadarko. The acquisition will give it access to potentially lucrative Permian Basin acreage, LNG operations in Mozambique, as well as attractive deepwater areas in the Gulf of Mexico.

The buyout was touted as the eleventh largest corporate deal ever involving an energy and power company and is the largest since Royal Dutch Shell's RDS.A acquisition of BG Group plc in 2016. The agreement is subject to Anadarko stockholder approval and regulatory clearance and is expected to close in the second half of 2019.

Anadarko's shares soared more than 32% following the proposal.

A Look at the Transaction: Under the terms of the agreement, Anadarko shareholders will receive $16.25 in cash and 0.3869 shares of Chevron for each Anadarko share they own. This combination of cash and stock values Anadarko shares at $65 apiece, a 37% premium to the pre-announcement closing price.

The cash component of the deal is worth about $8 billion, while the equity contribution will be obtained through the issuance of approximately 200 million in Chevron shares. The headline price of $50 billion includes the assumption of $15 billion of Anadarkos debt.

Rumors Surface About Occidental's Interest: Meanwhile, word broke out that Occidental had been working to buy Anadarko since late March and reportedly bid as much as $75 a share for the company (more than Chevron's $65 and with a higher cash component).

The motive was the same - become the largest crude producer the Permian Basin, where Occidental owns the most acreage (around 2.5 million acres) followed by Chevron (2.2 million acres).

Story continues

Widely regarded as the dominant domestic growth area for onshore oil output, the super basin is currently producing just above 4 million barrels daily (almost double that of two years ago) and is expected to churn out another 1 million barrels per day by early 2020  more than any OPEC country other than Saudi Arabia. Importantly, experts say that its cheaper to drill and complete oil wells in the Permian Basin  at around $35-$40 per barrel  as compared to most other major fields.

Occidental Officially Tops Chevron's Bid: On Apr 24, Occidental officially tendered its offer for the purchase of Anadarko. It offered to purchase the upstream operator at a price of $76 per share ($38 in cash and 0.6094 of its shares for each share of Anadarko), or roughly $57 billion (including debt), which is a 16.9% increase from Chevrons $65 a share deal. Moreover, Occidental is offering 50% in cash and 50% in shares compared to Chevron 25% cash and 75% shares offer.

In order to finance such a massive acquisition (compared to its own scale and size), Occidental has agreed to sell Anadarko's African assets to French supermajor TOTAL SA TOT for $8.8 billion once the transaction is complete. The company also brokered a deal with Berkshire Hathaway BRK.B wherein Warren Buffet's firm will invest $10 billion into Occidental preferred shares.

Anadarko shares gained a further 12% to $71.40 (again, more than Chevron's $65 offer) after Occidental's public bid to log a total return in excess of 50% since Chevron's announcement.

Anadarko Deem Occidental Bid as 'Superior': On May 6, Anadarko's board declared Occidentals $38 billion takeover offer as superior to the one it earlier accepted from Chevron.

What Happens Next?

Anadarkos acceptance of Occidentals bid has thrown down the gauntlet to San Ramon, CA-based Chevron to come up with a better offer. Conversely, it can walk away with a billion dollar in breakup fee.

Analysts and industry watchers are expecting a higher counter bid from Chevron considering that Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) Anadarko preferred the supermajor's lower bid initially even when Occidental was ready to shell out up to $75 per share.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Also, while Occidental claims that proposed deal will be highly accretive to cash flows based on potential annual synergies to the tune of $3.5 billion, the company has come under fire from certain quarters for paying an 'expensive' price. As it is, Occidental faces hurdles to sell the deal to its own shareholders amid increasing backlash over the high payoff to Berkshire.

Chevron, which has until Friday to respond, no doubt has the financial muscle to indulge into a costly bidding war. Its also no secret that the company would love to get Anadarkos attractive worldwide assets, especially the promise of becoming top acreage holder in the booming Permian basin. At the same time, it seems highly unlikely that Chevron would a make counter offer well above Occidentals.

Instead, Chevron might just find strategic rationale in upping its bid a little bit to match/slightly exceed Occidentals offer and see what happens. Thereafter, it might just decide to pocket the $1 billion breakup fee and abandon its bid to acquire Anadarko.

The Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019

Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities.

These companies are changing the world  and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month.

Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) : Free Stock Analysis Report



TOTAL S.A. (TOT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Chevron Corporation (CVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
(Recasts with details from interview with CEO)

SAO PAULO, May 9 (Reuters) - Brazilian airline Azul SA's chief executive said on Thursday that its two larger competitors had barred the carrier from providing a competing air shuttle service on the highly profitable Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro route.

"Essentially what they did was they had a shutdown plan to keep us out," CEO John Rodgerson told Reuters in an interview, referring to competitors Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes and LATAM Airlines Group.

The comments come weeks after Azul engineered a plan to break into the Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro route, by far the most transited in South America, but it fell apart after Gol and LATAM intervened.

The three airlines have been disputing the airport rights set to be left behind by their struggling competitor Avianca Brasil, which was scheduled to auction the routes this week as part of a bankruptcy process.

Azul, Brazil's No. 3 airline, initially reached a deal with Avianca Brasil but a few weeks later Gol and LATAM reached a different deal with Avianca Brasil's key creditors, which was ultimately approved and sidelined Azul.

Both plans hinged on a successful Avianca Brasil bankruptcy auction but the event was recently suspended indefinitely, meaning that even Gol and LATAM may not be able to get the airport rights they had agreed to buy.

"I dont think they ever had the intention of closing on the deal," Rodgerson said of Gol and LATAM's agreement with Avianca Brasil.

Gol and LATAM have previously denied any anti-competitive stance.

Brazil's antitrust regulator CADE said in April that it was concerned about a potential takeover by Brazil's two major airlines and that it preferred to see Azul or a new airline take over Avianca Brasil's airport rights.

The rift also led Azul to leave Brazil's airline industry group, known as ABEAR, late last month.

"I think the way they acted was inappropriate and not in the best interest of the industry," Rodgerson said. "I dont think we share the same values."

Story continues

Rodgerson gave the interview as part of Azul's first quarter results announcement, in which higher operational costs weighed significantly, sending profits down 20% to 137.7 million reais ($35.06 million), despite significantly higher revenue compared to the same period last year.

While revenue grew 16% to 2.5 billion reais, personnel costs surged 37% amid continued expansion at the company, as well as the expiration of a payroll tax incentive.

"Its kind of the new norm, Rodgerson said.

Fuel costs also increased significantly, while other undisclosed costs jumped 34% to 224 million reais in the period.

Azul and its Brazilian competitors have faced higher costs in recent quarters due to the continued depreciation of the local currency, the real. While passengers buy their tickets in reais, many of the airline's expenses, such as fuel, are denominated in the stronger U.S. dollar. ($1 = 3.9393 reais) (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; editing by Bernadette Baum and Bill Trott)
SAO PAULO, May 9 (Reuters) - Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem SA is preparing alternatives in the event the company is forced to paralyze its mining activities in the northeastern state of Alagoas, its Chief Executive Officer told journalists on Thursday.

A report by the country's Geological Service released on Wednesday blames mining by Braskem in the city of Maceio for damages to local real estate.

CEO Fernando Musa said the company is reviewing the report and considering alternatives to the mining in the region, which supplies raw material for the production of PVC.

($1 = 3.9708 reais) (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) - Ireland and Britain will work with Northern Irish parties to try to restore a devolved government in the province within weeks rather than months, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said.

The British-run province has been without a devolved executive for over two years since Irish nationalists Sinn Fein withdrew from the compulsory power-sharing government with the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

The killing of 29-year-old reporter Lyra McKee during rioting by militant Irish nationalists increased pressure on politicians to get the devolved government working again.

"We've seen in the killing of Lyra McKee and the tragedy around that what happens in a vacuum where politics isn't working," Coveney told BBC radio. "We need to correct that."

"Ireland and Britain need to work together," he said. "And the British and Irish governments will work closely together to try and do some of the heavy lifting with the political parties that can change this within weeks not months."

Power-sharing is central to Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement, which ended three decades of violence in the region in which some 3,600 people were killed. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Kate Holton)
Hantakali is the Post's food critic. Hantakali eats everything, from ghunghi and sargemba to escargot and black pudding. At the Post, Hantakali has carte blanche to devour anything that comes Hantakalis way, provided that a review is the result.
By Kirstin Ridley

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's financial regulator plans to fine and ban five investment company bosses, alleging their reckless behaviour prompted more than 2,000 people to invest 76 million pounds in risky and unsuitable pension products.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said on Thursday it also planned to fine investment company Bank House Investment Management just under 312,000 pounds and publicly censure two other companies, Financial Page Ltd and Henderson Carter Associates, which are both now in liquidation.

Financial Page director Andrew Page and Thomas Ward, who the FCA called an unapproved "de facto" co-director, Henderson Carter director Aiden Henderson and Bank House bosses Robert Ward and Tristan Freer face fines of between 52,725 and 416,558 pounds, the FCA said.

The five company directors and Bank House are challenging the decision by appealing to the Upper Tribunal, which hears such disputes, the FCA added. The tribunal has the power to overturn FCA decisions or impose tougher penalties.

Robert Ward said in an email that it would be inappropriate to comment "save as to say that the matter would not be referred if we were in agreement with what the regulator has said".

Legal representatives for the men and companies were not immediately available for comment.

The FCA said the companies outsourced functions to unauthorised third parties, leading to recommendations that clients switch and transfer pensions to high risk, illiquid and unsuitable products.

Around a thousand customers have so far received 26.8 million pounds from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), Britain's safety net and compensation fund of last resort for customers of regulated businesses.

The FSCS is investigating further claims.

The FCA has been cracking down on the pensions market to avert scams following changes in the law in 2015 that made it possible for people to cash in their pension pots rather than waiting for retirement.

(Reporting by Kirstin Ridley; Editing by Alexander Smith and Mark Potter)
By Karl Plume

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. agricultural commodities trader Bunge Ltd on Wednesday overhauled its global operations and named a new chief financial officer in the latest shake-up for the 200-year-old company hard hit by a years-long grain market downturn.

The moves come as Bunge reported a stronger-than-expected first-quarter profit due to higher soy crush margins in the United States, Brazil and Europe.

Shares rose as much as 7.5 percent hours after the company announced the operations revamp, its second in 18 months. Bunge is battling to reverse a string of weak earnings blamed on a global grains glut and slumping commodities prices made worse by a bruising trade war between the United States and China.

The company announced management changes and unveiled a new global operating model, shifting away from a regional structure.

The operational change, which could shore up some of Bunge's recent risk management shortfalls and better utilize its global assets, helped boost its stock by the most since January 2018, said Arun Sundaram, equity analyst at CFRA Research.

Bunge's operating structure since November 2017 has included three regions: North America, South America, and Europe and Asia.

The move to a global model "will simplify the organization and speed up decision making, increasing our strategic flexibility, customer focus and accountability," said Greg Heckman, who was named Bunge's chief executive officer last month.

Bunge appointed John Neppl as CFO, effective May 29. Neppl joins from U.S. ethanol producer Green Plains Inc.

Raul Padilla, former president of South America and sugar and bioenergy, was named president of global operations, overseeing crop handling and processing.

Christos Dimopoulos, formerly president of agribusiness, was appointed president of global supply chains, charged with managing Bunge's trading and transportation activities.

Bunge said it continues to evaluate its operations as part of a strategic portfolio review announced last year.

Story continues

The company did not change its full-year 2019 forecast. Agribusiness results were expected to slip while food and ingredients earnings were seen improving.

A severe African swine fever outbreak that has slashed Chinese demand for soy and uncertainty about the outcome of U.S.-China trade talks is clouding the outlook, Heckman said.

"While these dynamics should create positive catalysts for our globally diverse footprint, the timing and magnitude of these potential benefits remain unclear," Heckman said.

Bunge reported net profit from continuing operations of $45 million, or 26 cents per share, compared with a loss of $21 million, or 20 cents per share, a year earlier.

Adjusted net income was 36 cents per share, better than the loss of 3 cents per share expected by analysts, on average, according to Refinitiv data.

Net sales fell to $9.94 billion from $10.64 billion.

The stock was up 6.4 percent at $53.18 after hitting a session high of $53.71.

Bunge and rivals Archer Daniels Midland Co, Cargill Inc and Louis Dreyfus Co are known as the "ABCD" companies that dominate global grain trading.

(Additional reporting by Shradha Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Jeffrey Benkoe)
By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA, May 9 (Reuters) - Canada's trade deficit in March shrank slightly to C$3.21 billion ($2.38 billion) but was still the 12th largest on record, Statistics Canada said on Thursday, underscoring the headwinds still facing exporters.

Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast a shortfall of C$2.45 billion. Statscan revised February's deficit sharply upward to C$3.42 billion from an initial C$2.90 billion.

Slumping oil prices, increased energy output from the United States and a shift away from producing light trucks have hit Canada hard in recent years. The country has posted just two trade surpluses since October 2014.

Exports grew by 3.2 percent with shipments of energy products posting a 7.7 percent gain on the back of increased volumes. Exports of passenger cars and light trucks rebounded by 8.4 percent after dropping in February on lower auto output.

In all, nine of 11 export sectors posted gains, which Export Development Chief Economist Peter Hall described as a relief.

"At least it's a positive trend," he said in a phone interview, also noting continued strength in exports of industrial machinery and electrical equipment and parts.

Markets took a more sober view and the Canadian dollar held to a near-two-week low of C$1.3496 to the U.S. dollar, or 74.10 U.S. cents.

Imports increased by 2.5 percent to a record C$52.26 billion as imports of consumer goods such as clothing, footwear and accessories rose by 6.7 percent. Imports of airliners plunged by 50.7 percent on a slowdown in deliveries of U.S. aircraft.

Canada's trade deficit with the world in the first quarter rose to C$10.13 billion, the highest shortfall since the second quarter of 2016.

Royce Mendes of CIBC Economics said that although export volumes had dipped by around 2.5 percent in the first quarter, "the strength in trade in March is a positive for the handoff to the second quarter."

Canada sent 74.2 percent of all its goods exports to the United States in March. Exports to the United States rose by 1.3 percent while imports shrank by 0.4 percent and as a result, the bilateral trade surplus grew to C$3.62 billion from C$2.99 billion in February.

Separately, Statscan said new housing prices were unchanged in March for the seventh month out of eight, with little or no growth in the major markets of Toronto and Vancouver.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
(Adds Q1 segment details, compares with estimates, full-year outlook)

May 9 (Reuters) - Canadian auto parts maker Magna International Inc on Thursday lowered its 2019 profit forecast, as it expects higher costs on certain programs and lower earnings from a transmission joint venture in China.

Magna said it expects net income attributable to the company to be between $1.9 billion and $2.1 billion this year, lower than an earlier estimate of $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion.

The on-going tariff war between the United States and China has hurt Magna, one of North America's biggest auto parts maker, as the sector grapples with higher metal prices after the Trump administration imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports last year, triggering retaliation.

The company also sees 2019 light vehicle production of 16.7 million units in North America, lower than its earlier forecast of 17 million units.

The company missed analysts' estimates for first-quarter profit, as sales in its biggest segment, which makes structural backbone of vehicles, fell from $4.62 billion to $4.31 billion.

Excluding items, the company earned a profit of $1.63 per share. Analysts on an average had expected a profit of $1.71 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Net income attributable to Magna rose to $1.11 billion, or $3.39 per share, in the first quarter ended March 31, from $660 million, or $1.83 per share, a year earlier, as it included a one-time gain of $516 million due to the sale of its fluid pressure and controls unit.

However, total sales fell nearly 2 percent to $10.59 billion, missing analysts' estimates of $10.70 billion. (Reporting by Shradha Singh in Bengaluru; editing by Gopakumar Warrier and James Emmanuel)
A Canadian National (NYSE: CNI) subsidiary has acquired the intermodal assets of Alberta-based H&R Transport, a company that specializes in the over-the-road, temperature-controlled service.

The acquisition will expand CNI's presence in moving consumer goods, and is part of the company's broader effort to offer more end-to-end rail supply chain options, according to railroad president and chief executive officer J.J. Ruest.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed but CNI and H&R Transport have had a longstanding relationship, Canadian National said.

Canadian National didn't return a request for comment on details about the acquisition. But according to H&R Transport's website, the company has 550 highway reefer trailers and intermodal containers and 230 trucks. H&R Transport was founded in 1955, and the company has grown to provide over-the-road, refrigerated service to the food and beverage industry across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

Adding H&R Transport to CNI's portfolio follows other recent efforts by the company to look beyond rail and focus on the overall supply chain. The company finalized its acquisition of trucking and transportation services provider TransX in March, and it said in April that it would work with electric truck manufacturer Lion Electric to produce eight electric trucks, which would be deployed in cities across CNI's network in Canada.

The railroad also already operates a CargoCool service for refrigerated goods, which has access to 23 intermodal terminals in North America and rail connections to three coasts and six major ports.

The post Canadian National subsidiary acquires intermodal assets appeared first on FreightWaves.

Image sourced from Pixabay

See more from Benzinga

 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
* Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/2DTDVxS

By Heather Somerville

SAN FRANCISCO, May 10 (Reuters) - In 2015, Uber Technologies Inc went on a fundraising spree in China, tapping venture capitalists and state-backed corporations for cash and connections to try and navigate the Chinese regulatory environment.

Uber ultimately pulled out of China, but the investors it gained in the country became part of a gallery of far-flung Uber financiers that include U.S. geopolitical rivals under intense regulatory scrutiny by the U.S. government.

Uber's investors come in all stripes https://tmsnrt.rs/2DTDVxS: state-owned banks and corporations from China and Russia; sovereign wealth funds from Qatar, Singapore and Saudi Arabia; a Russian businessman arrested last year on embezzlement charges; venture capital funds from across Europe and the United Arab Emirates; and Indian conglomerates and a Malaysian public pension fund.

Many of these investors will likely have made a bundle this week in Uber's long-awaited initial public offering. The company on Thursday priced its shares at $45 a piece, raising $8.1 billion in the largest U.S. IPO since 2014, and will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange Friday.

The ride-hailing company's aggressive pursuit of capital and international presence from early on gave executives greater access to foreign investors compared to other U.S. startups. Uber was also seeking cash at a time of frenzied growth, with global investment into U.S. startups jumping 50 percent from 2013 to 2014, according to PitchBook Inc data.

That helped it raise nearly $14 billion in venture capital, making it the fourth best-funded startup globally. Uber has also raised more than $6 billion in debt, according to PitchBook.

Uber, more than almost any other Silicon Valley company, symbolizes the glut of foreign money that has helped fuel a tech investing frenzy.

But replicating its feat today would be an improbable task in the current regulatory climate, analysts and legal experts say.

In August, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a law to expand the powers of a government group known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which is tasked with reviewing foreign investments for potential national security and competitive risks.

Story continues

It gives CFIUS a mandate to probe transactions previously excluded from its purview, including attempts by foreigners to purchase minority stakes in U.S. startups. It must approve deals between U.S. companies employing sensitive technology and foreign investors with influence over the startup, such as a board seat.

CFIUS has so far approved only about 10 percent of the deals submitted under the new law, according to attorneys' estimates.

"What happened (with Uber) in 2015, you certainly could not do that again," said an attorney who advises clients on CFIUS cases and who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

A spokesman for Uber declined to comment. Previously, Uber's former chief executive Travis Kalanick spoke publicly about the need to raise large sums quickly to buy market share and find local investors who would help smooth the regulatory path in different countries.

CRACKING DOWN

The lion's share of Uber's fundraising was completed prior to the new CFIUS law, and there is no indication any of these investments were in any way unlawful. Chinese state-backed funds have invested in dozens of Silicon Valley companies, from drones to self-driving cars and cyber security.

But the challenge of a tech company replicating Uber's fundraising today highlights just how much U.S. regulators have cracked down on foreign investment.

Attorneys who work on CFIUS cases say a business like Uber's would be highly scrutinized if fundraising today. The company has a trove of personal data on customers, including who they are and where they go, which CFIUS has indicated is a national security matter.

"The Uber product is its users," said the CFIUS attorney. "So when you look at it from that way you can see why CFIUS would be interested in it."

That's not to say it is impossible to raise money from overseas, and investors from ally countries have an easier time getting clearance for their tech investments.

But state-owned or state-backed investors from China and Russia in particular would be a no-go for CFIUS, say attorneys.

CFIUS earlier this year unwound the acquisition by a Chinese gaming company of dating app Grindr, calling its ownership a national security risk. Grindr collects personal information on its users and data on their whereabouts.

Uber's autonomous driving business would also likely cause problems with CFIUS today. Autonomous driving is considered important technology for the military, making it a national security concern for CFIUS.

Uber last month raised $1 billion for its autonomous vehicle unit from a consortium of investors including Japan-based SoftBank Group Corp and Toyota Motor Corp. It remains to be seen if that investment receives CFIUS' blessing.

(Reporting by Heather Somerville, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Chevron will not submit a new offer to acquire Anadarko Petroleum after Anadarko's board deemed a bid from Occidental Petroleum superior.

Anadarko must pay Chevron a $1 billion breakup fee for backing out of the deal.

Chevron says it still intends to raise its share buyback program to $5 billion per year.

Chevron CVX said Thursday it will not submit a new offer to acquire Anadarko Petroleum APC , walking away from the deal after Occidental Petroleum OXY pulled ahead in a battle to take control of the driller with prized assets in the top U.S. shale oil field.

The decision means Chevron will collect a $1 billion breakup fee, a windfall that it could use to purchase another driller in the Permian Basin, the engine of the American oil drilling boom.

Shares of the San Ramon, California-based oil major jumped about 3% in premarket trading following the announcement.

Anadarko announced on Monday that its board had unanimously decided that Occidental's revised $38 billion bid was superior to a $33 billion Chevron buyout. Anadarko said it intended to break its agreement with Chevron and strike a deal with Occidental if Chevron did not submit a better offer.

Occidental, with backing from Warren Buffett 's Berkshire Hathaway, offered to pay 78% cash and 22% stock for Anadarko, while the Chevron transaction was structured as a 75% stock and 25% cash deal.

"Winning in any environment doesn't mean winning at any cost. Cost and capital discipline always matter, and we will not dilute our returns or erode value for our shareholders for the sake of doing a deal," Chevron Chairman and CEO Michael Wirth said in a statement.

Chevron surprised the market on Thursday by announcing that it still intends to raise its share buyback program to $5 billion per year. Two weeks ago, Chevron executives told analysts the increase was contingent on the deal closing .

By taking control of Anadarko, Chevron stood to acquire the driller's vast acreage in the Permian region stretching from western Texas to southeastern New Mexico. Chevron is a major player in the Permian and plans to double its production from the basin by 2023.

Story continues

The deal also would have combined Chevron and Anadarko's offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico, a source of precious cash flow. Chevron also prized Anadarko's liquefied natural gas export project in Mozambique, which would have expanded its footprint in the growing LNG market.

However, Chevron was outmaneuvered by its much smaller rival. After Occidental put in a higher bid, it secured a $10 billion investment from Berkshire Hathaway BRK.A and arranged to sell Anadarko's African operations to French oil giant Total FP-FR for $8.8 billion.

Those arrangements allowed Occidental to increase the cash component of its offer, which in turn meant the company would not have to put the transaction to a shareholder vote. That cleared up uncertainty about Occidental's ability to close the deal.

Occidental's battle is not over yet though.

Some of the company's stockholders are angry that they will not get to vote on the deal and are concerned that their investment will be diluted if Buffett exercises his option to buy up to 80 million shares of Occidental. Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub has also come under criticism for agreeing to pay a steep 8% annual dividend on Buffett's preferred stock investment.

Despite technically losing, some analysts applauded Chevron for avoiding a bidding war.

"Chevron did exactly the right thing and walked away, and the client feedback has been raining in positive," said Mizuho Securities analysts Paul Sankey. "The generalists particularly hated that the last decently performing sector in energy  mega-cap oil  was potentially losing its capital discipline."





More From CNBC


Creative freedom and fragile sentiments

The Supreme Court saw merit in the defendants pleas, and ruled to the effect that is necessary to consider whether the vocabulary used in the literary work is used to defame and demean a certain community or to highlight the stories of humiliation and misery that community faces.
(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. is losing its advantage to China and other countries when it comes to innovations related to artificial intelligence, blockchain and other key technology, according to an analysis of patent filings over the past decade.

While American inventors still command the largest portion of the nations patents, the percentage is dropping in the high-tech fields, according to a yearlong study conducted by the law firm Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP and researchers at GreyB Services Pte. That could lessen any home-field advantage in areas like wireless phones, internet of things and artificial intelligence, the studys authors said.

U.S. applicants filed 66% of patents for artificial intelligence in 2018, down from 78% in 2007. The percentage of filings for so-called internet of things fell to 59% last year, from 66% a decade ago, while financial technology dropped to less than 75% from 82%.

We are filing more; theyre just filing more, more quickly, said Kate Gaudry, a patent lawyer with Kilpatrick Townsend in Washington and one of the study authors. In a lot of high tech areas and in software, were seeing a decrease of contributions.

The report comes as Beijings top trade negotiator, Liu He, is in the U.S. for high-stakes trade talks and as President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods early Friday.

The administration contends that China is stealing American know-how, and the trade talks center in part on claims China has reneged on pledges to end a policy that requires U.S. companies to reveal proprietary technologies and other intellectual property if they want to do business in the Asian nation.

The Chinese government, however, has spent billions to fund research in key technologies and the increase in patent filings indicates Chinese companies are developing their own technology as well.

Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington-based nonprofit that says it is devoted to policies that accelerate innovation, said what the U.S. needs is a coherent innovation policy.

Story continues

We do not have one, at all. Zero, he said.

The report, he said, is a canary in a coal mine, telling us a pretty important message that were resting on our laurels.

The study looked at filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office between 2007 and 2018. Rather than relying on the agencys traditional classification numbering system, the researchers considered wording within the patents to see what industries were related.

The number of patents sought and received has risen over the past decade in each of the 12 fields studied. Areas where American companies retained or increased their dominance included medicines, industrial design and computational biology, which includes statistics used in genomics research and personalized medicine.

The biggest drop-off was in the area of internet of things, which encompasses internet-connected products that send and receive data like smart home appliances, traffic devices and energy grids. Overall, patent filings in the field are skyrocketing, from about 5,000 in 2007 to more than 18,000 in 2018, according to the report.

At the same time, the percentage of internet of things applications that originated with American companies dropped to less than 60%, with the biggest growth from companies in South Korea and China. Koreas Samsung Electronics Co., one of the top recipients of those patents, is building model homes in Seoul to show off the possibilities of a completely connected homes, though Qualcomm Corp. and International Business Machines Corp. are among the top-five patent holders in the field.

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, which overseas policies related to the licensing of government-funded research, last month laid out what it called the critical need to modernize the U.S. system of technology transfer and innovation and acknowledged that the U.S. is continuing to lose ground to competition.

In many categories, large American companies are the biggest holders of patents -- Alphabet Inc.s Google is prominent in artificial intelligence, Boston Scientific Co. is a leader in medical device-related patents and General Electric Co. was tops in both green technology and bioinformatics.

While Bank of America Corp. has the most patents related to blockchain, the ledger technology used for verifying and recording transactions, Japanese and Chinese companies have been increasing their percentage.

IBM, the developer of the Watson computer, was the top overall recipient of patents in artificial intelligence but smaller companies are dominant within subgroups, like Florida-based Magic Leap Inc. in augmented reality and Texas-based CognitiveScale for augmented intelligence in the financial areas.

They have a lot more employees, so they should have more patents coming out, Gaudry said of the big companies.

Some of the growth in patenting particularly from Chinese firms can be related to globalization and the maturation of companies that want to operate in the U.S., she said. While Chinas network-gear company Huawei Technologies Co. and display-screen maker BOE Technology Group werent named in the report, both ranked among the top 20 recipients of U.S. patents last year.

Patents give their owners the exclusive right to use an invention. Particularly in the tech space, they also are used as a sort of bulwark to deter competitors from filing suit for fear of starting a tit-for-tat war.

They want to be here, Gaudry said. Some companies who want to come to the U.S. even buy patents because they see it as necessary to operate.

As the foreign companies seek more U.S. patents in high-tech fields, the percentage assigned to American companies will continue to drop, she said.

What is the impact on our competitiveness? said Sridhar Kota, an engineering professor at the University of Michigan. Are we creating national wealth in the industries of the future? That is questionable, particularly when it comes to hardware.

Kota, who also is executive director of MForesight: Alliance for Manufacturing Foresight, which advocates for policies to increase manufacturing in the U.S., said too many American companies that originally went to Asia for manufacturing also are turning there for research, engineering and design. He pointed to things like cellular telephones, lithium batteries and flat panel displays.

They were invented in the U.S. but not manufactured in the U.S. and now we dont have the know-how to manufacture the next generation, Kota said. If you are not manufacturing, you lose that entire knowledge of learning by doing. You lose the ability to develop the next generation of products.

Gaudry said its likely that an analysis of the patent filings in China would see an increased presence of U.S. companies there as well because of globalization, though Chinese firms would be tops in their home country. In the European Patent Office, American companies make up 25% of the total, according to that agencys annual report. Even there, though, the Chinese companies are seeking more patent protection.

Were declining and the patent data is telling us thats whats going on, Atkinson said. That, to me, is a problem.

To contact the reporter on this story: Susan Decker in Washington at sdecker1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman, John Harney

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
A U.S. flag flutters in front of a portrait of the late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at Tiananmen gate during the visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing, China, November 8, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/Files

By Yawen Chen and Se Young Lee

BEIJING (Reuters) - China appealed to the United States to meet it halfway to salvage a deal that could end their trade war, with its chief negotiator in Washington for two days of talks hoping to stave off U.S. tariff hikes set to be triggered on Friday.

The two sides had appeared to be converging on a deal until last weekend, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to raise tariffs with his negotiators saying that China was backtracking on earlier commitments.

"The U.S. side has given many labels recently, 'backtracking', 'betraying' etc...China sets great store on trustworthiness and keeps its promises, and this has never changed," Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said on Thursday.

Gao told reporters in Beijing that it was normal for both sides to have disagreements during the negotiating process.

Trump told supporters at a rally in Florida on Wednesday that China "broke the deal", and vowed not to back down on imposing new tariffs on Chinese imports unless Beijing "stops cheating our workers".

A protracted trade war between the world's two largest economies would damage global economic growth, and investors pulled their money out of stock markets this week amid fears of the prospective agreement unravelling.

Gao said the decision to send the delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He to Washington despite the tariff threat demonstrated China's "utmost sincerity".

"We hope the U.S. can meet China halfway, take care of each others' concerns, and resolve existing problems through cooperation and consultations," he said.

Gao urged the United States to eschew unilateral action, while warning China was fully prepared to defend its interests.

"China's attitude has been consistent and China will not succumb to any pressure. China has made preparations to respond to all kinds of possible outcomes." He did not elaborate.

U.S. government and private sector sources previously told Reuters that a draft trade agreement was riddled with reversals by China that undermined core U.S. demands.

Story continues

In each of the seven chapters of the draft, China had deleted its commitments to change laws to resolve core complaints that caused the United States to launch a trade war: Theft of U.S. intellectual property and trade secrets; forced technology transfers; competition policy; access to financial services; and currency manipulation.

The stripping of binding legal language from the draft struck directly at the highest priority of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer - who views changes to Chinese laws as essential to verifying compliance after years of what U.S. officials have called empty reform promises.

U.S. TARIFFS

Lighthizer's office said tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods would rise to 25 percent from 10 percent at 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT) on Friday, during the discussions in Washington.

The tariffs would target chemicals, building materials, furniture and some consumer electronics among other goods.

Trump also threatened on Sunday to levy tariffs on an additional $325 billion of China's goods, on top of the $250 billion of its products already hit by import taxes.

Since July last year, China has cumulatively imposed countertariffs of up to 25 percent on about $110 billion of U.S. products. It last levied tariffs, of 5 percent to 10 percent, on $60 billion of U.S. goods including liquefied natural gas and small aircraft in September.

Based on 2018 U.S. Census Bureau trade data, China would only have about $10 billion in U.S. imports left to levy in retaliation for any future U.S. tariffs, including crude oil and large aircraft.

Gao did not answer directly when asked if China would consider imposing tariffs on imported U.S services.

While the United States wants to reduce the scale of its trade deficit with China, it is also seeking stronger protection for American intellectual property and more market access in China for U.S. companies.

Gao described accusations about Chinese firms stealing tech secrets as unreasonable and said they were not based on facts.

STRONG MENTALITY

Chinese state media on Thursday published and aired reports quoting U.S.-based organisations and individuals critical of Trump's decision to raise tariffs, though playing down the impact of higher U.S. tariffs on the Chinese economy.

"China is well-prepared for an escalation in trade tensions. A variety of plans are in place, such as countermeasures for any tariff rise, and favourable policies to minimise losses for Chinese enterprises," the Global Times, a tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily, said in an editorial.

"Mentally and materially, China is much better prepared than its U.S. counterpart."

The country's share markets have taken a battering due to the renewed trade tensions, however.

China's blue-chip CSI300 index has slumped about 7 percent so far in May while in the United States, the benchmark S&P 500 index has only declined about 2 percent.

The Chinese yuan has also weakened to a four-month low, crossing the 6.80 per dollar level.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

While China's overall economic growth has remained steady so far this year, the outlook for exporters has been challenging.

Exports unexpectedly declined in April, with some analysts attributing the drop to slumping shipments to the United States.

U.S.-bound shipments fell more than 13 percent last month, according to official data released this week.

But imports from the United States declined by even more - almost 26 percent, widening China's trade surplus with the United States.

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Thursday the politically sensitive goods trade deficit with China fell 16.2 percent to $20.7 billion, the lowest level since March 2014, also as imports from the world's No. 2 economy fell 6.1 percent. Exports to China jumped 23.6 percent in March.

"For months, U.S. companies and agricultural producers and their respective trade associations have desperately urged the two sides to come to some kind of trade agreement that would prevent the further use of tariffs by both countries, fearing such a scenario would cripple their already-damaged bilateral trading relationship," said Nelson Dong, senior partner at international law firm Dorsey & Whitney.

"However, those urgent pleas seem to have been ignored. Once again, the two countries, and indeed, the entire world's economy will be forced into a crisis mode that will likely inflict enormous losses on many individual companies and many thousands of workers and farmers in both countries."

(Reporting by Yawen Chen and Se Young Lee; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore/Mark Heinrich)
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven (R) told FOX Business Thursday he is pressing the administration to stay tough on China as U.S. trade talks kicked off.

Certainly this is a fight we need to win. We want China to trade fair and quit stealing our technology, but it has had a huge impact on our farmers because the Chinese have targeted our farmers. And if the Chinese continue to delay, I have made it very clear to the administration that we have to do more," he said during an interview on Cavuto: Coast-to-Coast.

Hoeven added he thinks there is a recognition that the U.S. needs to push back and get the Chinese to play fair on trade, especially when it comes to agriculture and manufacturing.

There are things we can do to help as we negotiate, but ultimately we've got to get China to trade on a fair basis, not steal our technology, and take down some of these trade barriers, Hoeven said.

President Trump told reporters Thursday he thinks it is possible the U.S. and China can come to a trade agreement this week. He added that tariffs are an excellent alternative to a trade deal with Beijing after setting a midnight deadline to slap additional tariffs on China.

When asked by reporters if he would speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump sounded more optimistic.

Well, he just wrote me a beautiful letter, I just received it, and I'll probably speak to him by phone, he said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP

Liu He, China's vice premier and top trade negotiator, will have dinner with U.S. trade officials Thursday evening in Washington D.C., hours before the U.S. will increase tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods.

Related Articles
May 9 (Reuters) - Panama's Copa Airlines said on Thursday it has "full confidence" in its Boeing 737 MAX planes, which have been grounded worldwide since March after two fatal crashes.

Copa CEO Pedro Heilbron said in a call with analysts that he expected the planes to fly again after the end of July, although he said he would have more certainty on a date after the end of May. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun Editing by Paul Simao)
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Stine Jacobsen

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danske Bank hired former ABN AMRO banker Chris Vogelzang as its new chief executive on Friday as it wrestles to limit the fallout from its involvement in one of the biggest money laundering scandals.

Denmark's biggest lender is being investigated in Denmark, the United States, Britain and the Baltics after revealing that 200 billion euros ($224 billion) in suspicious transactions passed through its Estonian branch between 2007 and 2015.

Among the challenges facing Vogelzang, who was on the management board of Dutch bank ABN AMRO until 2017, are rebuilding investor and customer trust and keeping Danske Bank focused during the myriad inquiries into its conduct.

"In (the) short term, I don't think he will make big strategic changes because the bank has shown it knows where it wants to go and is succeeding with its strategy," Sydbank analyst Mikkel Emil Jensen said of Vogelzang.

"His focus will be on re-establishing trust."

Vogelzang, 56, will take over on June 1 from Jesper Nielsen, who was appointed as interim CEO in October after the resignation of Thomas Borgen over the money laundering scandal.

"Of course the most important challenge is now to regain the trust, so people at dinner parties or when having drinks at a pub can say with pride that they work for Danske Bank," Vogelzang told Reuters.

"I think I bring a lot of energy and a lot of ambition in what I do. I set the bar high. I also empower people, I'm a good communicator, and I think I understand banking. I've seen a lot."

Shares in Danske Bank, which have more than halved since March last year, were trading 4.2% higher at 0849 GMT.

BEST CANDIDATE

Vogelzang's appointment was immediately welcomed by Danske Bank's largest shareholder, which put pressure on Borgen to leave when the full extent of the money laundering scandal became clear in September last year.

Story continues

"We have full confidence that the board has chosen the best candidate to lead the bank forward," a spokeswoman for A.P. Moller-Holding said of Vogelzang, who since 2017 has held advisory roles at Boston Consulting Group and Blackstone as well as non-executive directorships.

Vogelzang's career in commerce began at Shell, moving to ABN AMRO and then being promoted to the bank's board at a relatively young age as the previous generation of top managers left during its 2007 carve-up and the 2008 financial crisis.

He will be reunited in Denmark with his former ABN boss Gerrit Zalm, who joined Danske Bank's board in March and sits on its nomination committee.

Vogelzang assisted Zalm in merging the Dutch parts of ABN and Fortis into a single entity and when ABN returned to the stock market in 2015 was widely tipped as his successor.

Though he had led the bank's biggest and most profitable division he missed out on the top job in 2017, when Kees van Dijkhuizen stepped up from CFO.

Vogelzang's appointment comes after it was revealed this week that Danish prosecutors have charged Borgen and eight former Danske Bank managers over the money laundering scandal, which has sent shockwaves across the Nordic region.

The appointment ends a seven-month hunt for a new chief. In October Danske dropped plans to appoint Jacob Aarup-Andersen, its wealth management boss, who was rejected by the country's financial regulator on the grounds of having insufficient experience.

Sweden's Swedbank in March dismissed its CEO over allegations that its Baltic accounts were used to launder money.

Interim CEO Nielsen will continue in his position as head of banking in Denmark and a member of the executive board at Danske Bank, which last week lowered its outlook for 2019 after a poor first quarter, due in part to the money laundering scandal.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; additional reporting by Stine Jacobsen, Andreas Mortensen and Toby Sterling; Editing by David Goodman/Keith Weir/Alexander Smith)
MACE/MACE+ endpoints evaluated across CKD patients not on dialysis and on dialysis Superiority in time to first MACE+ versus epoetin alfa in incident dialysis patients

SAN FRANCISCO, May 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FibroGen, Inc. (FGEN) today announced topline results from the pooled safety analyses of the global Phase 3 program for roxadustat, an inhibitor of hypoxia-inducible-factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase activity (HIF-PHI). The global pivotal Phase 3 trials were conducted by FibroGen and collaboration partners AstraZeneca and Astellas Pharma, Inc., for treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients across the non-dialysis-dependent (NDD), incident (newly initiated) dialysis, and dialysis-dependent (DD) CKD populations, enrolled from more than 50 countries.

These pooled analyses of adjudicated events for safety assessment of roxadustat are part of the overall benefit-risk assessment.

For the planned new drug application (NDA) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), one of the key safety endpoints to be evaluated is Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE), a composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, stroke and myocardial infarction, in pooled analyses against placebo in NDD and against epoetin alfa in DD from the pivotal Phase 3 trials. Our NDA submission package to the FDA will be based on the totality of evidence, and we will continue to discuss the specific statistical standards with the FDA.

For the European Medicines Agency (EMA), it was agreed that the primary safety assessment is MACE+, a composite endpoint of MACE plus heart failure requiring hospitalization and unstable angina requiring hospitalization.

We are very pleased with what we believe are important positive results of MACE and MACE+ analyses in the dialysis-dependent, incident dialysis, and non-dialysis dependent CKD patients, supporting the safety of roxadustat in CKD patients, said Thomas B. Neff, Chief Executive Officer, FibroGen. Combined with the positive topline efficacy in hemoglobin (Hb) control in patients with or without concomitant inflammation, reduction of transfusion, and the encouraging results from the pooled analyses of Quality of Life and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over time, these positive safety data give us confidence as we progress in preparation for the U.S. NDA and the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for EMA.

Story continues

Pooled MACE/MACE+ in DD-CKD Population

In the pooled analyses of around 4,000 dialysis patients, the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval (CI) was below the pre-specified non-inferiority margin for the time to first MACE+ analyses. Based on the MACE safety analyses of this population, we believe there is no clinically meaningful difference in risk of MACE between roxadustat and epoetin alfa.

Pooled MACE/MACE+ in Incident Dialysis CKD Subpopulation

The roxadustat global Phase 3 program enrolled over 1,500 incident dialysis patients, a subpopulation of DD-CKD population, which we believe offers a better setting for comparing roxadustat to epoetin alfa than the stable dialysis population, that is stable on both dialysis and erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA). Roxadustat demonstrated superiority to epoetin alfa in the time to first MACE+ in this subpopulation. In the MACE analysis, there is a trend toward reduced risk for patients on roxadustat, compared to epoetin alfa.

Pooled MACE/MACE+ in NDD-CKD Population

In the non-dialysis pool of approximately 4,300 patients, non-inferiority was demonstrated for roxadustat compared to placebo in the time to first MACE+, based on the upper bound of the 95% CI being below the prespecified non-inferiority margin. Based on the MACE safety analyses of this population, we believe there is no clinically meaningful difference in risk of MACE between roxadustat and placebo.

Of note, multiple MACE and MACE+ analyses in NDD-CKD from the roxadustat global Phase 3 program are being performed in intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses that demonstrated comparability of roxadustat to placebo. ITT is among the several statistical methods that we will discuss with the FDA. In these analyses, roxadustat was comparable based on a commonly applied non-inferiority margin of 1.3.

Patients going through initiation of dialysis experience increased risks including mortality, and the NDD-CKD patients are often left untreated for anemia due to the safety concerns of the currently available therapies. We are particularly excited about the results indicating a reduction of risk of MACE+ events in incident dialysis patients, and the additional potential clinical benefits of roxadustat beyond anemia correction, to include attenuation of renal function decline and improvement of quality of life in NDD-CKD patients, said K. Peony Yu, MD, Chief Medical Officer, FibroGen. As we accumulate a body of evidence of roxadustat efficacy and safety with these adjudicated pooled analyses, we look forward to begin discussions with U.S. FDA on NDA submission.

Further analyses of overall safety is ongoing and will inform on the overall benefit risk.

Slower eGFR Decline Observed in NDD patients

In the pooled analysis of eGFR change over time from the three NDD studies, we observed a slower eGFR decline in the roxadustat-treated patients versus placebo-treated patients in patients with baseline eGFR  15 mL/min/1.73 m2, with a treatment difference of 1.62 mL/min/1.73 m2 in eGFR change at 12 months from the baseline (p<0.0001), or a reduction by 38% in eGFR decline in the roxadustat arm relative to the placebo arm.

Improvements in Quality of Life Measures in NDD patients

In the pooled analysis from the three NDD studies, we observed statistically significant improvements from baseline to Week 12 in quality of life endpoints, including SF-36 Vitality subscale (p=0.0002), SF-36 Physical Functioning subscale (p=0.0369), FACT-AN Anemia subscale (p=0.0012), FACT-AN Total score (p=0.0056), and EQ-5D-SL VAS score (p=0.0005) when comparing roxadustat to placebo in CKD patients not on dialysis.

Efficacy Regardless of Inflammation Status

Roxadustat has demonstrated efficacy regardless of inflammation status as the mean achieved Hb levels and roxadustat dose requirements were not impacted by baseline c-reactive protein (CRP) levels in multiple Phase 3 studies, including in the U.S.-based SIERRAS study, which we believe is reflective of US dialysis practice under current ESA labeling restrictions. In SIERRAS, roxadustat dose requirements remained stable over time, while epoetin alfa dose requirements increased by 57% over 52 weeks in the epoetin alfa arm.

FibroGen and AstraZeneca will begin discussions with the U.S. FDA to prepare for regulatory submission, which is anticipated in September or October of 2019. We will also support Astellas submission of MAA to the EMA thereafter.

About Anemia Associated with CKD

Anemia can be a serious medical condition in which patients have insufficient red blood cells and low levels of Hb, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to cells throughout the body. Anemia in CKD is associated with increased risk of hospitalization, cardiovascular complications and death, also frequently causing significant fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and reduced quality of life. Severe anemia is common in patients with CKD, cancer, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), inflammatory diseases, and other serious illnesses.

Anemia is particularly prevalent in patients with CKD. The prevalence of CKD in the adult population is estimated at 10-12% globally, and is generally a progressive disease characterized by gradual loss of kidney function that may eventually lead to kidney failure, or end stage renal disease, requiring dialysis or kidney transplant to survive. Blood transfusion is used for treating life-threatening severe anemia. However, blood transfusions reduce the patients opportunity for kidney transplant, increase risk of infections and the risk of complications such as heart failure and allergic reactions.

According to the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), over 14% of the U.S. adult population is affected by CKD, and a majority of dialysis-eligible CKD patients are currently on dialysis. It is estimated that approximately 507,000 patients are receiving dialysis in the U.S. as of 2016.

About Roxadustat

Roxadustat (FG-4592), discovered by FibroGen, is a first-in-class, orally administered small molecule currently approved in China for the treatment of anemia in CKD patients on dialysis. Roxadustat is a HIF-PHI that promotes erythropoiesis through increasing endogenous production of erythropoietin, improving iron regulation, and overcoming the negative impact of inflammation on hemoglobin syntheses and red blood cell production by downregulating hepcidin. Administration of roxadustat has been shown to induce coordinated erythropoiesis, increasing red blood cell count while maintaining plasma erythropoietin levels within or near normal physiologic range in multiple subpopulations of CKD patients, including in the presence of inflammation and without a need for supplemental intravenous iron.

FibroGen and collaboration partners are pursuing four approval pathways in major jurisdictions to prepare for commercialization worldwide:



Astellas and FibroGen are collaborating on the development and commercialization of roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in territories including Japan, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East, and South Africa.

AstraZeneca and FibroGen are collaborating on the development and commercialization of roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in the U.S., China, and other markets in the Americas and in Australia/New Zealand as well as Southeast Asia.

FibroGen and its partners have completed 35 Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies. The Phase 2 clinical studies have consistently demonstrated anemia correction and maintenance of hemoglobin levels in multiple subpopulations across a wide spectrum of CKD patients.

Globally, the Phase 3 program encompasses a total of 15 Phase 3 studies of roxadustat in both non-dialysis-dependent and dialysis-dependent CKD patients to support independent regulatory approvals in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and China. To date, positive topline results have been announced for 12 of the Phase 3 studies, with two supporting the China NDA for treatment of anemia in CKD patients on dialysis and not on dialysis, four supporting the Japan NDA for treatment of anemia in CKD patients on dialysis, and six supporting the U.S./EU submissions including todays announcement of 3 studies by FibroGen. Roxadustat was approved by China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in December 2018, for treatment of anemia in CKD patients on dialysis. The Japan NDA submitted by Astellas is under review by the Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA).

Roxadustat is currently in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of anemia associated with MDS in the U.S. and in Phase 2/3 development for MDS in China.

About FibroGen

FibroGen, Inc., headquartered in San Francisco, California, with subsidiary offices in Beijing and Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China, is a leading biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing a pipeline of first-in-class therapeutics. The company applies its pioneering expertise in hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) biology, and clinical development to advance innovative medicines for the treatment of anemia, fibrotic disease, and cancer. Roxadustat, the companys most advanced product candidate, is an oral small molecule inhibitor of HIF prolyl hydroxylase activity, completing worldwide Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD), with a New Drug Application (NDA) now approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China. Our partner Astellas submitted a NDA for the treatment of anemia in CKD patients on dialysis in Japan in September 2018, which is currently under review by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA). Roxadustat is in Phase 3 clinical development in the U.S. and Europe and in Phase 2/3 development in China for anemia associated with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Pamrevlumab, an anti-CTGF human monoclonal antibody, is advancing towards Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pancreatic cancer, and is currently in a Phase 2 trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). FibroGen is also developing a biosynthetic cornea in China. For more information, please visit www.fibrogen.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding our strategy, future plans and prospects, including statements regarding the development of roxadustat, our interpretation of the pooled safety analyses and other analyses of the global Phase 3 program for roxadustat, the expected endpoints and potential standards for safety assessments of such data by the FDA and the EMA, the potential for and timing of an NDA submission to the FDA and an MAA submission to the EMA for potential marketing approval for roxadustat, the potential safety and efficacy profile of our product candidates, and our clinical, regulatory plans, and those of our partners. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as may, will, should, on track, could, expect, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict, potential, continue and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Our actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties related to the continued progress and timing of our various programs, including the enrollment and results from ongoing and potential future clinical trials, and other matters that are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors set forth therein. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as required by law.
Health Ministry mulls policy framework to ensure quality medicines

The Ministry of Health and Population has proposed a policy framework to ensure the purchase of quality medicines at a reasonable price, which it hopes will be a guideline to the workings of a particular policy for the benefit of the consumers.
(Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. and other social medias self-regulation is limited, not enforceable and lacks credibility, Frances government said on Friday in a report released hours before President Emmanuel Macron and founder Mark Zuckerberg meet in Paris.

The report, published Friday, is based on the observations of government officials who embedded themselves within Facebook in January and February. The government says new regulation should be applied to large social media, and make them accountable for protecting the integrity their members, protect users from abuse by other members and third-party attempts to manipulate the platform, according to the report.

Social media companies need regulation like banks, they are systemic actors, said Digital Affairs Minister Cedric O. The biggest social media must have internal regulation, controlled by an outside regulator, he said in an interview.

Although only recommendations, the report comes at a sensitive time with Zuckerberg meeting Macron as part of the French Presidents broader Tech for Good initiative, begun in 2018.

This initiative includes a Christchurch call with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The two leaders plan to co-chair a meeting of global leaders and technology company executives on May 15 as they aim to curb the promotion of violent extremism online.

Read more about the Paris call for trust and security in cyberspace

Following the mosque attacks in Christchurch that left 51 people dead, Facebook and Alphabet Inc.s YouTube faced worldwide condemnation for failing to take down quickly a video live-streamed by the alleged gunman.

The report will serve as a basis for redefining how the France deals with hate speech, according to the Digital Ministers office. France is eyeing an upgrade to its hate speech laws this year and its regulators role too. A draft bill has been filed in Parliament and may be expanded with regulation obligations.

Story continues

The government may seek to regulate social media companies as soon as this year, Cedric O.s office said, adding that no decision had been made at this point. The independent radio and television regulator CSA could have its powers upgraded as soon in order to regulate social media companies, the minister said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Helene Fouquet in Paris at hfouquet1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Giles Turner, Geraldine Amiel

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Franco-Nevada Corporation FNV delivered adjusted earnings of $65.2 million or 35 cents per share in first-quarter 2019, up from the prior-year quarters $63.9 million or 34 cents per share. In addition, the EPS figure surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 28 cents.



The company generated revenues of $179.8 million in the reported quarter, reflecting year-over-year improvement of 3.8%. The revenue figure also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $166 million. In the first quarter, 88.4% of revenues were sourced from gold and gold equivalents (63.4% gold, 11.1% silver, 10.6% platinum group metals and 3.3% other mining assets) and 11.6% from energy (oil, gas and natural gas liquids).



The company sold 122,049 Gold Equivalent Ounces (GEOs) in the quarter, up 5.5% from 115,671 GEOs in the prior-year quarter.

During the March-end quarter, adjusted EBITDA inched up 0.7% to $140.9 million from $139.9 million witnessed in the comparable period last year.

Franco-Nevada Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Franco-Nevada Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Franco-Nevada Corporation Quote

Prices



At the end of the first quarter, average gold price was $1,304 per ounce, approximately 1.8% lower than the year-ago quarter. Silver prices averaged $15.57 per ounce in the quarter, down 7.1% year over year. Platinum too fell 15.8% year over year to $823 per ounce, while palladium prices jumped 38.6% year over year to $1,435 per ounce.



Financial Position



The company ended the first quarter with $72.6 million cash in hand, up from $69.7 million reported at the end of 2018. It recorded operating cash flow of $143.6 million for the three-month period ended Mar 31, 2019, compared with $137.5 million reported in the prior-year period.



Franco-Nevadas board of directors has announced a quarterly dividend of 25 cents per share, showing an increase of 4.2% from its last payout. The company has increased its dividend for the 12th consecutive year. The raised dividend will be paid on Jun 27, to shareholders of record on Jun 13, 2019.



Cobre Panama project begins its initial production in the first-quarter, and expects to produce 140,000-175,000 tons of copper for Cobre Panama in 2019. The company forecasts milling operation at an annualized rate of 72 million tons per year, by the end of this year. The company expects this project to reach its mill throughput capacity of 100 million tons per year in 2023.



Shares of Franco-Nevada have lost 5.2%, over the past year, compared to the industrys decline of 7.8%.

Story continues





Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider



Franco-Nevada currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



A few better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Israel Chemicals Ltd. ICL, Arconic Inc. ARNC and Arch Coal Inc. ARCH, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Israel Chemicals has an expected earnings growth rate of 13.51% for 2019. The companys shares have gained 19.6% in the past year.



Arconic has an estimated earnings growth rate of 3.5% for the current year. The companys shares have appreciated 23.4% in a years time.



Arch Coal has a projected earnings growth rate of 5.49% for 2019. Its shares have rallied 25% over the past time.



This Could Be the Fastest Way to Grow Wealth in 2019



Research indicates one sector is poised to deliver a crop of the best-performing stocks you'll find anywhere in the market. Breaking news in this space frequently creates quick double- and triple-digit profit opportunities.



These companies are changing the world  and owning their stocks could transform your portfolio in 2019 and beyond. Recent trades from this sector have generated +98%, +119% and +164% gains in as little as 1 month.



Click here to see these breakthrough stocks now >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Israel Chemicals Shs (ICL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Arch Coal Inc. (ARCH) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Arconic Inc. (ARNC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
PRISTINA, May 3 (Reuters) - Kosovo and London-listed power firm ContourGlobal said on Friday they had chosen a consortium of General Electric subsidiaries to build and equip a new 500 megawatt (MW)coal-fired power plant in the Balkan country.

Although sitting on more than 14 billion tonnes of proven lignite reserves, the fifth largest in the world, Kosovo is struggling with power shortages. The new plant is designed to meet nearly half of the country's power demand.

"The selection of GE as Preferred Bidder puts Kosovo one step closer to achieving a successful outcome of the process that began long ago with the support of so many international institutions," Kosovo's economy minister Valdrin Lluka said in a statement.

"Successful implementation of this project has the potential to reshape the overall economic perspective of the country," he added.

The other bidders for the project were China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), South Korea's Hyundai and a consortium of Turkey's ENKA, Japan's Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems and Spain's Tecnicas Reunidas.

The project is valued at $1.3 billion, with financing expected to come from a mix of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and export credit agencies, ContourGlobal's CEO told Reuters in October.

Construction of the plant is expected to start later this year.

Currently around 90 percent of Kosovo's electricity is produced by two ailing coal-fired plants -- Kosova A and Kosova B -- which are among Europe's worst polluters.

Environmentalists have complained the new plant could lock Kosovo into a future powered by lignite  the dirtiest form of coal. However, the government said the new plant, which will replace Kosova A, would burn 40 percent less coal and release 20 times less emissions.

The World Bank last year said it would not back the project because it would use coal rather than renewable fuels.

The government has committed to buying the total output of the plant at a price yet to be determined. (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Glaukos (NYSE: GKOS)

Q1 2019 Earnings Call

May. 08, 2019, 4:30 p.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Welcome to Glaukos Corporation's first-quarter 2019 financial results conference call. A copy of today's press release issued after the market closed today is available at www.glaukos.com. [Operator instructions] This call is being recorded and an archived replay will be available online on the investor relations section at www.glaukos.comI will now turn the call over to Chris Lewis, director of investor relations and corporate strategy and development.

Chris Lewis -- Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Strategy and Development

Thank you and good afternoon. Joining me today are Glaukos' President and CEO, Tom Burns; CFO, Joe Gilliam; and COO Chris Calcaterra. Following our prepared remarks, we'll open the call to questions. [Operator instructions]Please note that all statements other than statements of historical facts made on this call that address activities, events or developments we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements.

These include statements about our plans, objectives, strategies and prospects regarding, among other things our sales, our products, our pipeline technologies, our U.S. and international commercialization efforts, the efficacy of our current and future products and our competitive market position, financial condition and results of operations. These statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to risks, uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Therefore, they may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements.

More From The Motley Fool

Story continues

Review today's press release and our recent SEC filings for more information about these risk factors. You'll find these documents in the Investors section of our website at www.glaukos.com.With that, I will turn the call over to our President and CEO, Tom Burns.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us. Today Glaukos reported first quarter net sales of $54 million, up 35% versus the year ago quarter. We are also updating our 2019 net sales guidance to $225 million to $230 million, versus $220 million to $230 million previously. Joe will discuss our financial results and outlook in more detail later in the call.Fueling our strong start in 2019 was the ongoing U.S.

commercial rollout of the iStent inject, our next-generation trabecular micro-bypass device where we are delivering on our expectations. Over the first quarter, we continued to execute on our primary commercial focus of converting our iStent customers to iStent inject and remain on track with our previous expectations to largely complete the initial conversion process by mid-2019. Similar to our international experience, we are seeing early indications of iStent inject's market-expanding potential in the U.S. as we opportunistically train first-time MIGS surgeons on iStent inject, in addition to our primary focus on existing customer conversions.

Our emphasis will remain on converting existing iStent implanters through the coming months, followed by a gradual shift of our reps back to training new surgeons who have yet to adopt MIGS, along with increasing utilization within existing accounts.Overall we're very pleased with the execution of the iStent inject, commercial rollout, along with the initial response to iStent inject by the ophthalmic community. U.S. surgeon feedback and real-world results continue to exceed U.S. pivotal trial results in our estimation, marrying our experience in international markets and providing us with continued high confidence in the product's efficacy and favorable safety profile.We've been privileged as the corporate founder to pioneer and validate MIGS therapy as a key component of glaucoma management.

Our robust and growing body of clinical literature is unparalleled in the MIGS category and now consists of 107 clinical peer-reviewed studies supporting the performance of our technologies that have been performed at numerous global clinical investigational sites, including a total of 39 studies on iStent inject or multiple iStent therapy and 19 clinical publications specifically on iStent inject. These data sets also continue to validate the product's ability to achieve sustained IOP reductions that are equivalent to or better than U.S. pivotal trial results with a favorable safety profile, similar to cataract surgery alone.Several studies presented by ophthalmic surgeons at last week's American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting testified to this clinical trend, including multiple presentations that reported favorable real-world initial results of iStent inject in the U.S. Dr.

Sarkisian presented an early term evaluation of iStent inject in combination with cataract surgery. In his retrospective case series of 31 subjects, iStent inject in combination with cataract surgery achieved a mean IOP of 14.2 millimeters of mercury and a mean medication reduction of 67% at three to six months follow-up.Dr. Wandling also presented initial real-world outcomes of iStent inject in combination with cataract surgery. In his retrospective case series of 97 subjects, iStent inject plus cataract surgery achieved a mean IOP of 14.2 millimeters of mercury with a 43% reduction in medications at one to three months follow-up.

Of note, both of these studies pointed to a favorable safety profile for iStent inject similar to cataract surgery alone.In addition to the wide array of favorable data presented as ASCRS, we were pleased by the latest peer-reviewed publication of the first ever randomized prospective protocol-driven evaluation of stand-alone iStent implantation in newly diagnosed subjects compared to treatment with topical travoprost. Authored by Dr. Fechtner and appearing in Ophthalmology Glaucoma, the study showed that implantation of two iStents achieved a 35% reduction in mean IOP to 16 1/2 millimeters of mercury after five years of follow-up. In addition, the iStent cohort achieved a statistically significant higher treatment success with significantly fewer iStent subjects requiring add-on medication at five years post-operative compared to topical prostaglandin subjects.In addition, an independent study presented by Dr.

Hengerer at the March 2019 American Glaucoma Society meeting and recently accepted for clinical peer-reviewed publication, evaluated 44 subjects implanted with iStent inject as a stand-alone procedure and found a 42% reduction in mean IOP to 14.6 millimeters of mercury with an 82% reduction in medications at a three-year follow-up. The compelling results of these stand-alone iStent studies, along with those by Dr. Ahmed, Dr. Berdahl, Dr. Donnenfeld, Dr.

Fea, Dr. Clayman, Dr. Lindstrom, Dr. Katz and others continue to validate the promising commercial prospects for stand-alone iStent therapy in glaucoma treatment algorithm.As you know, our corporate mission is aspirational, as we seek to transform glaucoma therapy.

iStent inject represents the first in a potential cascade of new product and platform introductions over the next five years, which when using our treatment algorithms and combination therapy expectations, we estimate may expand our U.S. addressable market opportunity to over 4 million annual procedures.The powerful platforms we are seeking to build and sustain pharmaceutical therapy, surgical devices and diagnostics combine to create a robust portfolio of micro-scale injectable therapies, potentially capable of providing an optimized treatment solution at each stage of glaucoma disease stage severity, from the earliest manifestation to the most severe, and at both combo cataract and stand-alone procedures. These platforms are also yielding early stage development programs that may ultimately target the treatment of additional ocular disease and disorders.In the first quarter of 2019, we continued to advance several important pipeline programs, most notably with the patient enrollment progression of two key pivotal clinical programs for iDose Travoprost and iStent infinite. The iDose Travoprost Phase III IND clinical program consists of two concurrent prospective randomized double-blind pivotal trials that will enroll approximately 1,100 ocular hypertensive or open-angle glaucoma subjects across roughly 100 investigator sites, primarily in the U.S.

Patient enrollment for the iDose Travoprost study is proceeding in line with our expectations.As we've discussed before, we believe there is substantial unrequited appetite for a viable continuous glaucoma drug delivery treatment option to combat the ubiquitous and potentially sight-threatening problem of patient non-adherence to topical medications. In addition, we believe iDose has the potential to significantly expand our future addressable markets by 3 million eyes annually in the U.S. alone, given its potential for a broad label and the fact that the treatment will be recurring. We envision an opportunity for iDose to pave the way for a new treatment algorithm where surgeons could use the therapy alone or in combination with other therapies, including our portfolio of surgical flow devices to more effectively manage patients' IOP across the glaucoma severity spectrum.The unique sustained delivery performance afforded by the novel iDose platform in early clinical studies compels us to seek additional compounds that can utilize this platform to effectively manage ocular diseases.

To that point, we're encouraged with the headway our team is making as a result of our pharmaceutical development agreement with D. Western Therapeutics Institute to identify and explore potential new ROCK inhibitor compounds capable of being used on our iDose drug-delivery platform. We believe that intracameral sustained delivery of ROCK inhibitors could become a promising stand-alone or combination therapeutic agent for the treatment of glaucoma in the future.On the device front, our patient enrollment continues to proceed in line with expectations for the 510(k) pivotal trial for iStent infinite, our 3-stent stand-alone product for advanced and refractory glaucoma patients. As a reminder, this is a prospective multi-center single-arm clinical trial that will enroll roughly 65 refractory subjects.

We are also in the final stages of analyzing the pivotal trial data for iStent Supra, our suprachoroidal stent. We look forward to examining the full dataset while we continue to assess the changing dynamics, clinical perceptions and safety considerations of suprachoroidal devices in the marketplace following the recent withdrawal of the CyPass device to determine the most appropriate regulatory and potential commercial path forward for this product over the coming months. Nevertheless, we are very encouraged that we've recaptured the majority of former CyPass procedures since the iStent inject launch.In addition to our internal R&D and pipeline efforts on the external business-development front, we recently announced our entry into a multiyear collaboration and distribution agreement with Santen Pharmaceuticals that provides us with exclusive sales and distribution rights for their novel MicroShunt solely in the United States. We believe that this product represents an important and incremental capstone to our glaucoma treatment algorithm and a compelling treatment alternative for late-stage glaucoma management.

The MicroShunt is a novel, minimally invasive ab-externo surgical implant device developed for primary open-angle glaucoma. MicroShunt is currently being studied in an FDA pivotal trial for intraocular pressure reduction in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma where IOP is uncontrolled on maximum tolerated medical therapy or where the progression of the disease warrants surgery. Santen expects the results of the pivotal study to support the basis of an FDA PMA submission in 2019, and if approved, launch of the product in the United States is targeted in 2020. We expect Santen's MicroShunt to complement our expanding portfolio of ab-interno MIGS products by providing glaucoma patients with this ab-externo alternative to conventional filtration surgeries.

We're excited about the opportunity to leverage our highly regarded and seasoned sales organization and established commercial presence to partner with Santen in bringing this novel technology to the United States if approved by the FDA. We believe our notable clinical and regulatory progress during the quarter both internally and through strategic collaborations leaves us well-positioned to further advance our transformational pipeline in 2019 and beyond.At the same time, we also continue to invest internationally where we've made good progress in the first quarter with revenue growth of 50% year over year, driven by broad-based core market growth. While we remain bullish about our long-term o-U.S. growth opportunities, it is important to remember it takes time to pioneer a completely new market in each of these international countries and potential unforeseen setbacks may arise through these early market-building phases.

To that point, in the U.K., the proposed NAH tariff reductions were finalized on March 20 for the April 2019 to March 2020 period, consistent with our previously disclosed expectations.Looking ahead, our 2019 focus remains unchanged. We continue to be highly focused on commercial execution in the U.S. and abroad, accelerating our clinical and regulatory efforts, expanding our core research programs and implementing improved enterprise systems and facilities infrastructure to support our future cadence of global growth.So with that, I'll turn the call over to Joe for a summary of the first-quarter financial results. Joe?

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Thanks, Tom. As noted earlier, net sales for the first quarter of 2019 were $54 million, a year-over-year increase of 35%. The U.S. represented 82% of our sales in the quarter and international, 18%.

In the U.S., first-quarter 2019 sales were $44.2 million, up 32% from the same period a year ago. U.S. sales in the quarter primarily benefited from continued market growth, the launch of iStent inject and the competitive market developments late in the third quarter of 2018. Outside the U.S., first-quarter sales were $9.8 million, an increase of 50% from the same period a year ago or 61% on a constant-currency basis.

Our international business continued to outperform expectations, driven by broad-based growth.Our gross margin in the first quarter was 86.8% versus 85.6% in the same quarter in 2018. First-quarter cost of sales no longer included amortization from a 2013 royalty buyout transaction and gross margins further benefited from elevated iStent inject production levels associated with the U.S. launch and initial inventory build. We continue to expect our gross margins to remain in the mid-80% range going forward.SG&A expenses in the first quarter rose 29% to $34.9 million versus $27.2 million in the year-ago quarter.

This rise reflects higher personnel and other costs related to the ongoing expansion of our domestic and global infrastructure, investments associated with the iStent inject launch and professional fees associated with legal services and the implementation of global enterprise systems.R&D expenses rose 28% in the first quarter to $13.9 million versus $10.9 million in the same year-ago period. This rise reflects primarily the cost of additional personnel as we expand our pharmaceutical R&D capabilities and within clinical research, where in particular the direct costs associated with the iDose trial enrollment continues to increase.We continue to prudently invest to build the MIGS market, drive increased penetration of our iStent and iStent inject platforms globally, drive our robust pipeline initiatives through necessary clinical studies and programs, advance new opportunities into clinical studies and build our global infrastructure.We finished the first quarter with a net loss of $1.3 million or $0.04 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $2.7 million or $0.08 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2018. As of March 31, 2019, we had cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and restricted cash of $154.1 million compared to $113.8 million at the end of the first-quarter 2018 and $149.3 million at the end of 2018. As discussed on our last call, we continue to expect capital expenditures to increase substantially over the course of 2019 as a result of the investments we're making across the business.Finally, as Tom indicated earlier, we are updating our 2019 net sales guidance to $225 million to $230 million compared to $220 million to $230 million previously.

This guidance outlook takes into account the 2019 considerations we outlined in prior calls, including our expectations for organic growth, the MIGS market landscape and competitive dynamics, the new doctor-training dynamics associated with our inject launch and the expansion of our international sales, which we now expect to be in the range of $37 million to $39 million for the full year, based on current foreign-currency exchange rates; compared to our previous range of $36 million to $38 million.With that, I'll now turn the call back to Tom.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

All right. Thanks, Joe. So to recap, Glaukos continues to pursue our aspirational mission to transform glaucoma therapy for the much-needed benefit of patients worldwide. Our solid performance to start 2019 gives us confidence in the strength of our strategy.

Glaukos is better positioned than ever to deliver on our key objectives and to further our mission. The powerful platforms we are building in sustained pharmaceuticals, micro-scale surgical devices and diagnostics should help us evolve into a hybrid ophthalmic pharma device global leader, capable of providing optimized droplets treatment approaches to effectively manage glaucoma and potentially other ocular diseases.I believe we remain in the early stages of unlocking the company's long-term value potential and I am excited with the opportunities that lie ahead. So with that, I'll open the call to questions. Operator?

Questions & Answers:





Operator

[Operator instructions] Your first question comes from the line of Robbie Marcus from JP Morgan. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Robbie Marcus -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Thanks a lot and congrats on the great quarter.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Robbie.

Robbie Marcus -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Maybe I can start with it seems like you've recaptured a lot of the lost CyPass sales. You put up a great first quarter, beat the Street by 4-plus million. And I look at the guidance range and I realize it's still first quarter in the year and it's a pretty aggressive move to raise the middle of the range this early in the year. Help us understand why it didn't move higher at the top end of the range and how much is just a prudent position this early in the year versus maybe some of the puts and takes we should be thinking about.

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Sure. Hey, Robbie. It's Joe. I'll start.

Obviously a lot embedded in that question. Maybe I'll first start with a little bit about the quarter itself, right? I think, the setup for the remainder of the year is that in the first quarter all the key drivers really either met our expectations or did a touch better. Right? I think, we know most of those at this point. But I'll recap them.

Market growth was in line to maybe a touch better than expectations. The CyPass recapture was in line with expectations and what we've discussed previously. The inject conversion activities have been in line. The U.S.

pricing has been in line to maybe a touch better than our expectations. And then on the competitive trying and trialing front, I think, the impact was a little less than expected, to be quite candid in Q1. So the reason why I say that is to set up the context of the full-year guidance. I think, the reality is we're pleased with the performance in the U.S.

year to date and we're obviously encouraged by all of those trends. But we continue to expect increasing trying and trialing on the competitive landscape front over the course of the year. So while it was lighter than expected in Q1, it's too early in the process to really adjust our expectation on that front for the remainder of the year.

Robbie Marcus -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

All right, understood. And then maybe just as a follow-up, you guys did an interesting deal with Santen shunt during the quarter. Maybe just help us understand how that fits in relative versus infinite, and what the thinking was here and how we think about the sales potential and P&L impact to you. Thanks.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah, Robbie. This is Tom. I'll take the first part of your question. So we're delighted that we were able to consummate this deal with Santen.

I think, what the MicroShunt does is really put a capstone to our full algorithm for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma really from the earliest manifestation all the way through refractory glaucoma. So if we're looking at one missing component, it was really for those late-stage glaucoma patients that become candidates for trabeculectomy late-stage filtration procedures or aqueous shunts. So the MicroShunt gives us really a very strong and meaningful opportunity to provide a compelling alternative for those patients. If you look at some of the data and I'm sure some of you just have.

This was just presented at the ASCRS. But two-year data are showing pressure reductions of about 9 millimeters of mercury down to 13 or so post-operative mean IOPs with reduction of meds from 2.2 down to 0.5. This is a safe and effective ab-externo procedure which complements our existing portfolio. I think, even though some of the claims in the iStent infinite, if it's approved, may overlap, I believe the iStent infinite is going to be used a little bit upstream, where surgeons will look for the use of it in patients where they have maximally tolerated medical therapy and they can use the trabecular bypass approach in opening up conventional outflow to achieve the target pressures they seek.

But when they're seeing these late-stage patients with truly progressive glaucoma, they're going to turn to the Santen device. And we, again, are delighted to have it in our portfolio. I think, it gives us additional mindshare too with the glaucoma community, which we certainly will look to leverage with our full product line as we move forward in the future. Joe, did you have any comments?

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Well, I mean, from a financial perspective, obviously, we can't say much more at this time. Right? I think, from -- if I look at it overall from a market-opportunity standpoint, many of you know there's about 125,000 tube and trab procedures done annually in the U.S. How that will translate into the opportunity for us in 2020 and beyond we'll come back to as we get a little bit closer and have more certainty on the launch timing of the product.

Robbie Marcus -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Right. Thanks a lot.

Operator

Your next question comes from the line Lawrence Biegelsen from Wells Fargo. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Lawrence Biegelsen -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

Good afternoon, guys. Thanks for taking the question. One on international, one on Supra. So the U.K.

reimbursement cuts I heard in the prepared remarks went into effect in late March. I know it's only been about a month. But what type of early impact have you seen on volumes there? And it looks like you're guiding to basically flat to maybe even slightly down sequentially for the remainder of 2019. So any color there would be helpful and I have one follow-up.

Chris Calcaterra -- Chief Operating Officer

Hey, Larry. It's Chris and I'll handle the first part. In terms of early impact, it's really too early to tell. This just went into effect in April.

There's been a number of holidays in the U.K. And so it's been too early to assess the impact. But it will have one. The overall payment went down about 40%.

And so we're dealing with that. We have strategies in place, but there will be an impact in the U.K.

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

And then adding to that, Larry, I think, from a guidance perspective, it really is entirely the U.K. I mean, the fact of the matter is that we had broad-based growth and the international markets remain strong and robust. But given where we're standing right now, I think, we have to take a fairly cautious view of what will occur in the U.K. in the months ahead.

It is one of our top international markets and it's been growing quite rapidly since we launched iStent inject there in late 2017.

Lawrence Biegelsen -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

That's very helpful. Thanks. And then on Supra, I heard the prepared remarks on that. Maybe a little bit more color on the review of the data, any early feedback you can share from your discussions with FDA.

I'm trying to just understand if there's a path forward here where you could market that product with a moderate to severe label. Thanks for taking the questions.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah, Larry. Thanks so much. This is Tom. So you can imagine we are closely monitoring the changing dynamics within the suprachoroidal space.

And you can also imagine how markedly that space has changed since the tier 1 recall of the CyPass device. So we're very much monitoring that closely. And as I've said before, we expect a higher bar from the FDA going into these discussions of a PMA review, and so I think that will be certain. And frankly, I think, we'll have our own high bar to meet, because we have established really a pristine, I think, reputation for highly safe and effective products and we'll want to make sure once we see the data here that it measures up to our own thresholds and standards as we move forward.

And so I think it's prudent and incumbent upon me as CEO to do that and I will do so. So we'll be evaluating it. The data, as you know, we finished the study on time in March and we're cleaning the data as we speak. And over the next several weeks, we expect to data lock the data and then we'll assess and decide how we move forward.

But I will say this. One of the things I'm very encouraged about it is since the recall of CyPass as we've said before, most of those patients we believe have already converted over to iStent inject. So I think, we're in a powerful position moving forward.

Lawrence Biegelsen -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

Thanks for taking the questions, guys.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Larry.

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Bob Hopkins from Bank of America. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Bob Hopkins -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Oh, hi. Thank you and good afternoon. Just a couple of quick clarifying questions, if OK. First, you mentioned that market growth was a little bit better than you expected in Q1.

I was just wondering if you could put a finer point on that. Does that mean you think, the market maybe grew closer to 20% than the 15% you've called for, for the full year? Is that a fair way to think about it?

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

I wouldn't -- Bob, it's Joe. I wouldn't go quite that far. What I would say is we called for mid-teens market growth. Right? And what I said was it was in line to a touch better.

So I think, the way to think about that is it's probably in that -- and that's for the year. Right? So for the first quarter, I wouldn't go quite as far as you just suggested on the market growth.

Bob Hopkins -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

OK. That's helpful though. And then the second question is just a kind of a clarification on upcoming milestones from a data perspective. I just wanted to know if there's any changes or if you can give us a quick update on, for example, the next dataset for MicroShunt and the next dataset for any of the iDose trials that are going on.

I'm just curious if there's any timeline shifts there and what we should expect over the course of the next 12 months on those fronts.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah, happy to take that, Bob. So on MicroShunt, the PMA as you know, Santen has said that they expect to file that this year and are anticipating approval in 2020. They will control the release of any data, so I won't speak for them. But with regards to iDose, again, I think last year we presented a really fulsome dataset of our interim cohort analysis of the Phase IIb trial.

I feel very comfortable that we validated the early promising data in that trial. We'll be following those patients for three years. And really the most important thing is obviously how we're doing in Phase III moving forward. I think, we'll assess from time to time whether or not we give any further data reviews for iDose.

But I do want to be contemplative of competition which is in this space and to the respect that I can husband the data and preserve some of the autonomy as we move forward and protect some of the proprietary results we're seeing, I will do that. So right now there is no change in our position, but we'll keep you informed as we go forward.

Bob Hopkins -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Perfect. Thanks very much.

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Matthew O'Brien from Piper Jaffray. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Matthew O'Brien -- Piper Jaffray -- Analyst

Thanks so much for taking that question. Just as we -- there's a lot of moving parts here with what's going on internationally and then with the domestic benefit that you're getting from CyPass coming off the market. So Joe, can you just help us a little bit with the cadence? I know you don't give quarterly guidance. But is it fair to think that there was a lot of procedures done in the U.K.

in Q1 in front of the reimbursement potential change and now it's place and we could see the international business kind of move lower here in Q2 and start to build back up as other territories kind of offset some of the pressure there? And then kind of same question goes for CyPass coming off the market in the U.S.

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Sure. Hey, Matt. It's Joe. Let me first start with international since you asked it in that order.

From a seasonality and quarterly cadence perspective, internationally, I mean, you can imagine it's still a little early for us in the international expansion to call the trend line there. So far and historically what we've seen has been a sequential step-up in Q1 followed by somewhat a relatively flat sequentially into Q2 with then growth from there in Q3 and Q4. Right? I say that full well knowing that over time we do expect to see some seasonality from the late summer and winter holidays slowdowns that are experienced in many of the o-U.S. markets, in particular in Europe.

When you think about the U.K., I think, actually the way you said is a relatively fair way of thinking about it. So clearly we would expect some impact in the U.K. over the course of April-May-June and for the remainder of the year. And it will take a little bit of time for the other markets to make up for that, if you will, as they continue to grow robustly.

I think that's a fair way of thinking about it, Matt, on the international side. On the U.S. front, we've always said cataract volumes are roughly 22% in the first quarter, 25% in Q2 and Q3, and 28% in Q4. Our U.S.

Q1 performance was about 23% of the midpoint guidance. And I think the slight difference there can be entirely related to the fact that we had really a shift in our expectations with respect to the competitive trying and trialing. It was lighter than expected, obviously, in the first quarter. So the Q1 contribution to the overall year increased slightly.

Matthew O'Brien -- Piper Jaffray -- Analyst

OK, helpful. And then along those lines, you know a two-part question on Ivantis, one of which I guess you probably won't answer. But I know they're going slow as far as their training and everything and working with docs. But have you seen some cases where you've gone head-to-head with them and the doctors decide to go with them or they decide to go with you, any kind of anecdotal commentary on that? And then are we going to get some kind of -- and this is getting a lot of attention among investors -- but some kind of update or movement on the Ivantis litigation here in 2019? You don't have to give us your legal strategy, just any kind of update that we should expect this year.

Chris Calcaterra -- Chief Operating Officer

Hey, Matt. This is Chris. I'll address the first part of that. And largely things are going as expected with the exception that the trying and trialing was a bit less in the first quarter than we had anticipated.

Where we have been in competition with them, mostly in line with what we've expected. The performance from an IOP reduction standpoint is similar to ours. We are winning many of those battles, but there's a lot of people who are interested in trying it. They, as we have indicated before, have had -- it's a bit more difficult to insert.

And they've been focusing primarily on the glaucoma specialist segment, where that segment is perhaps a bit more tolerant of the safety issues associated with the device, in particular PAS. So they've certainly won some. But this is just the beginning of the battle, beginning of the war and we're confident in our position with our safety profile or efficacy and our ease of use.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

OK and then on the litigation front, most of the litigation continues on track. Again as I've said before, this year will be filled with depositions and claim construction, as both sides prepare going forward. A couple of key updates though, as you know, we filed a motion late 2018 seeking an early summary judgment of non-infringement on the patents Ivantis has asserted in the litigation. So in March of 2019, the court granted our motion and found that we do not infringe the patents and thus those patents that Ivantis sought to assert against us are no longer part of the litigation.

So that's one key update. The second key update is that the trial, which was scheduled for February of 2020 has now been moved to July of 2020. So those are two key updates to the litigation.

Matthew O'Brien -- Piper Jaffray -- Analyst

Thanks so much.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Matt.

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Jonathan Block from Stifel. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Jonathan Block -- Stifel Financial Corp -- Analyst

OK, great. Thanks, guys. Good afternoon. Chris, this one might be for you and admittedly it might be difficult to tease out.

But can you position how utilization increases at a practice once it converts to inject? And so I know there's moving parts. Clearly there is underlying growth in the practice as is. But what sort of additive bulk do you see upon inject due to call it ease of use or better bang for the buck with IOP reduction?

Chris Calcaterra -- Chief Operating Officer

Well, to get to a specific number would be difficult to get at. But in many cases, what we're seeing is doctors are more comfortable implanting this device and therefore more agreeable to utilizing it in surgery and using it on more patients. As they get more comfortable with it and see the positive efficacy value proposition, the ability to use it on more patients and the safety profile, they're just scheduling more patients. And that's anecdotal.

That doesn't happen in all cases and people are in different phases of that continuum. But as a general rule and we've seen this internationally as well, as they become more comfortable with this product, their utilization tends to go up.

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Yes, and I just would add I think with two stents, obviously, that expands the addressable patient population, as they think about that. I think, as you said, Jon, into the more moderate patient population.

Jonathan Block -- Stifel Financial Corp -- Analyst

Understood. OK and then Joe, I'll stick with you on the follow-up. The midpoint for the guide comes up by call it $2 million to $3 million. Is there a way to give us a little bit more granularity or parse it out? In other words, what's attributable to maybe the, call it, slower than expected Ivantis ramp? What would be specific to international or U.S.

or price? Any details that you can give there? Thanks, guys.

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, Jon. I think, that's fair. I mean, I'll go back a little bit to kind of where the call started. I would say this was a fairly, from a trend perspective and what led to the change, it was pretty broad-based.

Right? I mean, I think as I've said, virtually all the key drivers either met our expectations or did a touch better. Right? So the market appears to be growing a little bit faster than we would have assumed at this point of the year. CyPass recapture is in line. The inject conversion is going in line with expectations.

The U.S. pricing dynamic is a touch better than perhaps we were expecting coming into the year. And then as I mentioned, the competitive trialing and trying impact was certainly less. But it's across the board all of those drivers sort of leading up to kind of where we're at today and our thoughts on the revised guidance.

Jonathan Block -- Stifel Financial Corp -- Analyst

OK, fair enough. Thank you.

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Chris Cooley from Stephens. Please go ahead. Your line is open. Chris Cooley from Stephens, your line is open.

Your next question comes from the line Ravi Misra from Berenberg Capital. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Ravi Misra -- Berenberg Capital -- Analyst

Hi. Thank you for taking the questions. So just one on the pipeline and then I have a follow-up on the MicroShunt transaction partnership. Santen has I think in the past presentations alluded to something like a $200 million revenue opportunity for that device, just thinking about how you guys would frame that.

And then on the partnership itself, is there any kind of strategic or tactical kind of thing that we're not thinking about here with their pharmaceutical pipeline as it would come with iDose?

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Hey, Ravi. It's Joe. I'll start that answer. I think, they have commented $200 million in the past, I think, early on in their acquisition of the MicroShunt device.

I would go back to the fact that there's about 125,000 annual procedures done in the U.S. a year of tubes and trabs that really represent the addressable market here. Right? And we think this has the potential for being the gold standard in that marketplace and in capturing a decent chunk of that over time. But I can't translate that into the $200 million figure sitting here today.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

And Ravi, just on the question with respect to whether this has strategic implications, what I would tell you is that what Santen I believe did and what they've stated is they sought out the best partner that they thought could conceivably carry this product forward and have the maximum impact in the United States. And we were fortunate that they chose us to do that. There is no further strategic implications other than the fact that if we become trusted partners, there is always the potential, right? For some additional things that we can do together. And so you can imagine we'll be looking to become that partner in the future.

Ravi Misra -- Berenberg Capital -- Analyst

Great. Thank you. And then maybe just one on gross margins coming to 87%, probably best in class among public companies and you're guiding to mid-80s. Just remind us again why the rest of the year should be somewhat lower than in the first quarter.

Thank you.

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Sure, Ravi. It's Joe. So the first quarter had a couple things going on. One is sustainable and that is the removal of amortization associated with the acquisition of several patents.

That represents about an $875,000 a quarter benefit. It was 1.5% in the first quarter. That's sustainable going forward. The other thing that was a positive in the first quarter from a gross-margin perspective is that we were very efficient on the operations side.

As you can imagine, given the launch of iStent inject, both meeting that demand as well as building the initial inventory levels means that the production downstairs here at Glaukos was running quite efficient. But having said that, over time, the cost of goods sold associated with inject is a bit higher than iStent and you combine that with the fact that the international markets operate at a slightly lower gross margin and that's what lands us at that sort of mid-80s gross margin going forward.

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Ryan Zimmerman from BTIG. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Ryan Zimmerman -- BTIG -- Analyst

Great. Thanks for taking the question. Congrats on the quarter. So Tom, we were at ASCRS this weekend too, our survey work, it seems like you're through a lot of the iStent inject conversion.

I was just wondering if you could maybe talk a little bit about the salesforce relative to your expectations in terms of switching back to offense. I hear what you're saying around kind of midyear this year. But are there territories, maybe geographically speaking, where you can potentially switch back to new doctor acquisitions? Or is it more broad-based in terms of your expectations around iStent inject? And then I have a follow-up on iDose. Thank you.

Chris Calcaterra -- Chief Operating Officer

Hey, Ryan. This is Chris. I'm going to handle the first part. And what we've said is that we should be the majority of the way through that conversion of iStent to iStent inject by midyear.

And that is, yes, broadly speaking, there are territories that are ahead of that and maybe a little bit behind that. So that's just an average. We've been opportunistic as well in terms of adding new customers along the way. But we will go completely on offense sometime in the second half of the year.

And we're right on schedule to where we had told the Street that we would be at this time.

Ryan Zimmerman -- BTIG -- Analyst

Fair enough. And then my second question around iDose, just given some of the dynamics we've seen around branded pharmaceuticals and their pricing that have come into the market recently, particularly in the glaucoma market, has that changed your view at all in terms of the pricing strategy related to iDose now warranting that you haven't spoken much about pricing on iDose? But given what we're seeing, has there been any change in how you think about potentially pricing that product when it does potentially come to market? Thank you.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah, Ryan, for sure. And I think you said it yourself. We haven't mentioned any pricing strategy. And you can imagine we're in the early and embryonic kind of HT analysis by country to kind of figure out where we can be that will provide a fair price and really be able to optimize the commercial value of the product.

When you talk about generics, I think it's a whole different class. And so if I'm talking about topical medications that are used, many retrospective and prospective studies have about showing usage about 25% of the time, sometimes up to about 50%. Non-adherence rates that can range from anywhere from 50% to 75% or more percent with even a single application a day. I don't get entirely troubled by trying to price versus a generic.

I think they're two different species. I think we will, if we are successful, be really the first sustained delivery system that will carry out as far as we believe we're going to be able to go. And so I am one, extremely optimistic. Two, I think we'll have pricing flexibility moving forward.

I think we'll be responsible and prudent, like we've been with our other products figuring out how pricing will best affect the adoption and commercialization of the product. And as we get there, and in time, we'll be able to disclose that to you.

Ryan Zimmerman -- BTIG -- Analyst

Appreciate it. Thank you for taking the questions.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

You're welcome.

Operator

And there are no further questions at this time. I will now turn the call back to Glaukos for closing remarks.

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

All right, so thank you all for your time and attention today and especially for your continued interest in Glaukos. Thanks and goodbye.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 47 minutes

Call participants:

Chris Lewis -- Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Strategy and Development

Tom Burns -- Chief Executive Officer

Joe Gilliam -- Chief Financial Officer

Robbie Marcus -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Lawrence Biegelsen -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst

Chris Calcaterra -- Chief Operating Officer

Bob Hopkins -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Matthew O'Brien -- Piper Jaffray -- Analyst

Matthew OBrien -- Piper Jaffray -- Analyst

Jonathan Block -- Stifel Financial Corp -- Analyst

Ravi Misra -- Berenberg Capital -- Analyst

Ryan Zimmerman -- BTIG -- Analyst

More GKOS analysis

All earnings call transcripts

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

Motley Fool Transcribing 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.
Cruise Automation, the autonomous vehicle startup acquired by General Motors (NYSE: GM) in 2016, has secured an equity investment of $1.15 billion that values the company at $19 billion. The group of institutional investors included parent GM along with funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates and existing partners SoftBank Vision Fund and Honda.

"Developing and deploying self-driving vehicles at massive scale is the engineering challenge of our generation," said Cruise CEO Dan Ammann. "Having deep resources to draw on as we pursue our mission is a critical competitive advantage."

Cruise has now raised $7.25 billion in the last year, it said. The company, based in San Francisco, has grown from 40 employees to more than 1,000. It was founded in 2013. It continues to say it will launch an autonomous electric vehicle sometime this year.

GM acquired the company for more than $1 billion. When it acquired Cruise, GM noted the company's strong push to develop and test autonomous vehicle technology.

"Cruise provides our company with a unique technology advantage that is unmatched in our industry. We intend to invest significantly to further grow the talent base and capabilities already established by the Cruise team," said Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.

The push is part of GM's plan to reinvent itself for the future of mobility and includes a strategic alliance with ride-sharing company Lyft; and the formation of Maven, a personal mobility brand for car-sharing fleets.

In April 2017, GM announced it would invest $14 million in a research and development facility for Cruise in San Francisco, adding more than 1,100 jobs in the process.

"Expanding our team at Cruise Automation and linking them with our global engineering talent is another important step in our work to redefine the future of personal mobility," said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. "Self-driving technology holds enormous benefits to society in the form of increased safety and access to transportation. Running our autonomous vehicle program as a start-up is giving us the speed we need to continue to stay at the forefront of development of these technologies and the market applications."

Story continues

Cruise Automation and GM engineers are testing more than 50 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles with self-driving technology on public roads in San Francisco; Scottsdale, Arizona; and metro Detroit.

In 2017, GM acquired Strobe, a LIDAR technology company, and put its engineering talent under the Cruise division.

"Strobe's LIDAR technology will significantly improve the cost and capabilities of our vehicles so that we can more quickly accomplish our mission to deploy driverless vehicles at scale," said Kyle Vogt at the time. Vogt co-founded Cruise Automation and serves as the company's president and chief technology officer.

LIDAR uses light to create high-resolution images that provide a more accurate view of the world than cameras or radar alone.

In November 2018, GM took another step forward in its management of Cruise by appointing Ammann as CEO. Ammann was president of GM before moving over to Cruise where he is working alongside Vogt. Ammann led GM's acquisition of Cruise.

"I'm excited to dedicate 100 percent of my time and energy to helping Kyle and the entire team realize our mission of deploying this technology at scale," said Ammann.

The post GM autonomous vehicle subsidiary Cruise nabs $1.15B investment appeared first on FreightWaves.

Image sourced from Pixabay

See more from Benzinga

 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
25 Years' Experience in Tech Space with Microsoft, AOL, ImpressionX and MapQuest

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 10, 2019) - Good Life Networks Inc. (TSXV: GOOD) ("GLN", or the "Company"), a Vancouver-based programmatic advertising technology company, is excited to announce that it has appointed Matt Hopkins as President of GLN.

Currently, Matt is the CEO of ImpressionX, a leading connected television ("CTV") advertising technology company, which was acquired by GLN in December 2018. Matt is a seasoned professional in operational and sales management, business development, digital marketing, and the emerging CTV space. He has a proven entrepreneurial track record of building business divisions and managing revenue accountability. Matt has held management roles at INFONXX, Microsoft/Vicinity and AOL/MapQuest.

Jesse Dylan, CEO of GLN, commented, "Matt is extraordinarily well suited to be President of GLN as we continue to grow as a leading ad tech company, and expand further into Connected Television and Mobile. Since we acquired ImpressionX, Matt has been instrumental in the smooth integration of both companies and has provided valuable guidance in corporate development and growth strategies. We are very happy to announce Matt as President, and look forward to continued growth in our business divisions."

Matt is the founder of ImpressionX and a veteran in the ad tech space. GLN has a long-standing working relationship with Matt and a number of his companies and has a strong appreciation of his operational excellence. He joined GLN as VP, Business Development in December 2018, after the acquisition and spearheaded the successful integration. ImpressionX is a trusted publisher partner that delivers digital advertising Campaigns and custom integrated branded experiences to the most influential publishers at scale. The ImpressionX marketplace for Publishers and Advertisers is tailored with solutions to help increase the stickiness and conversions. ImpressionX owns and operates some of the most trusted brands on the Internet and are leaders in the CTV space.

Story continues

The GLN Story

GLN's patent pending technology is the engine that sits between advertisers and publishers. A highlight of GLN's tech is that it does not collect PII (Personal Identifiable Information). Built for cross device video advertising: Mobile, In-App, Desktop and CTV (Connected Television) the GLN Programmatic Video Advertising Platform has among the lowest fraud rates of similar vendors in the industry. Advertisers make more money by reaching their target audience more effectively. GLN makes money by retaining a percentage of the advertiser's fee.

GLN is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with offices in Newport Beach and Santa Monica California, New York and UK and trades on the TSXV under the stock symbol "GOOD" and The Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the stock symbol 4G5. For further information on the Company, visit www.glninc.ca

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations

investors@glninc.ca

CEO Jesse Dylan

604 265 7511

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements:

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs regarding future events of management of GLN. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to the Company's performance. These statements generally can be identified by use of forward-looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intends", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations.

These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause actual results to vary.

In making the forwardlooking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation that the decisions made by the company will generate the anticipated results including but not limited to; revenue, business opportunities, business strategy per GLN management's expectations. GLN does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements, unless and until required by applicable securities laws. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in GLN's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

Corporate Logo

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44710
Market leaders expand industrial additive manufacturing solution and drive innovation at new Siemens Polymer Competency Center

News highlights:

HPs new Jet Fusion 5200 Series industrial 3D printing system integrated with Siemens Digital Enterprise offering, combination of Digital Twins for product, production, and performance with MindSphere to enable mid-volume serial plastic parts production

Companies collaborate to help auto and industrial customers create high-quality 3D printed parts faster; enabling unique product designs, new applications, and digital factories

Siemens expands Additive Manufacturing Experience Center with new Polymer Competency Center to develop and demonstrate new applications suitable for industrial-scale 3D printing

ERLANGEN, Germany, May 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HP and Siemens today announced an expansion of their strategic alliance to help customers transform their businesses with industrial additive manufacturing (AM). Siemens, an innovation leader in automation and digitalization, and HP, the leader in industrial 3D printing, will expand their integrated additive manufacturing solution, incorporating new systems and software innovations including overall product lifecycle management (PLM), AM factory optimization, industrial 3D printing and data intelligence, manufacturing execution, and performance analytics. The integration of HPs new Jet Fusion 5200 Series 3D printing solution with Siemens Digital Enterprise offerings enables industrial companies to bring 3D printed parts to market faster, more cost-effectively, more sustainably, and at higher volumes than ever before. The companies announced the expanded alliance at an event to celebrate the addition of a new Polymer Competency Center to the Siemens Additive Manufacturing Experience Center (AMEC) in Erlangen, Germany, where HP also unveiled its new industrial-performance HP Jet Fusion 5200 Series 3D printing solution.



We are excited to expand our collaboration with HP. Innovative partnerships and cutting-edge technologies such as additive manufacturing are essential for the digital transformation of companies across industries. Siemens and HP are thinking ahead to the future and are bringing together the best from both companies in a complete, industry-specific solution that will accelerate the adoption of industrial additive manufacturing and help our customers to increase flexibility, efficiency, and speed of digital manufacturing, said Klaus Helmrich, CEO of Siemens Digital Industries and member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG.

Story continues

We are proud to partner with Siemens to make high-performance parts, personalized products, and serialized 3D production a reality for our customers, said Christoph Schell, President of 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing and member of the Executive Leadership Team at HP Inc. HP and Siemens share the vision that digital manufacturing systems are catalysts for change  expanded software, data, services, and industrial production solutions that lead to new manufacturing capabilities, innovative applications, and breakthrough business results for our customers.

The expanded additive manufacturing solution from Siemens and HP integrates hardware, software, data intelligence, and services to optimize the efficiency of the entire manufacturing process, from design and simulation through production planning, execution, quality, and control. This integrated, closed-loop environment, backed by the industrys leading forces, streamlines every phase of designing and 3D printing serialized parts  with greater scale, higher quality, and less waste.

As a provider of solutions and services we want to team up with strong partners that have the necessary expertise in materials and the manufacturing process to support them to produce 3D printing systems , explained Klaus Helmrich.

The solution combines HPs 3D printing and 3D data platform, including its new HP Jet Fusion 5200 system, with Siemens Digital Industries Software including Siemens NX CAD/CAE, NX AM for HP Multi Jet Fusion software module with direct printer interface, undergoing certification by HP for its Jet Fusion 5200 Series to be available later this year, as well as Teamcenter for PLM, Tecnomatix Plant Simulation, Simatic IT for manufacturing execution, and MindSphere for performance analytics and Industrial IoT. HP and Siemens will continue to align future technology roadmaps to ensure customers can capitalize on the ongoing digital manufacturing innovations from both companies.



HP and Siemens are building on a vision first established in 2016. Today, thanks to advances in HPs 3D printing systems and data intelligence portfolio and Siemens AM offerings, the integrated end-to-end solution has reached a level of efficiency that enables industries to viably 3D print high-quality parts at volume production, continued HPs Christoph Schell.



The cooperation is coupled with the new Siemens Polymer Competency Center, which will be the focal point for the two companies to work jointly with automotive and industrial customers to create unique product designs, bring 3D printed parts to market faster, and set up digital factory environments that unleash the full potential of additive manufacturing.



Volkswagen is a partner of both HP and Siemens and we are excited to see these market leaders join forces to unlock the power of industrial additive manufacturing. As one of the worlds largest auto groups, we see enormous opportunities for digital manufacturing technologies to speed our innovation cycle, bring new products to market faster, and improve our manufacturing efficiency and sustainability. We look forward to collaborating with HP and Siemens to explore more 3D printed applications that help us deliver even greater experiences for our customers, said Dr. Martin Goede, Head of Technology Planning and Development at Volkswagen.



HP, Siemens, and their customers will initially explore exciting new applications in areas such as personalization, fluid dynamics optimization, and energy absorption, to name a few.

About Siemens AG

Siemens Digital Industries (DI) is an innovation leader in automation and digitalization. Closely collaborating with partners and customers, DI drives the digital transformation in the process and discrete industries. With its Digital Enterprise portfolio, DI provides companies of all sizes with an end-to-end set of products, solutions and services to integrate and digitalize the entire value chain. Optimized for the specific needs of each industry, DI's unique portfolio supports customers to achieve greater productivity and flexibility. DI is constantly adding innovations to its portfolio to integrate cutting-edge future technologies. Siemens Digital Industries has its global headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany, and has around 75,000 employees internationally.



Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of power generation and distribution, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, and automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Through the separately managed company Siemens Mobility, a leading supplier of smart mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is shaping the world market for passenger and freight services. Due to its majority stakes in the publicly listed companies Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital healthcare services as well as environmentally friendly solutions for onshore and offshore wind power generation. In fiscal 2018, which ended on September 30, 2018, Siemens generated revenue of 83.0 billion and net income of 6.1 billion. At the end of September 2018, the company had around 379,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com .



About HP

HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of personal systems, printers, and 3D printing solutions, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at www.hp.com/go/3DPrint .

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If the risks or uncertainties ever materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (HP) may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions.



All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any projections of net revenue, margins, expenses, effective tax rates, net earnings, net earnings per share, cash flows, benefit plan funding, deferred tax assets, share repurchases, currency exchange rates or other financial items; any projections of the amount, timing or impact of cost savings or restructuring and other charges; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, including the execution of restructuring plans and any resulting cost savings, revenue or profitability improvements; any statements concerning the expected development, performance, market share or competitive performance relating to products or services; any statements regarding current or future macroeconomic trends or events and the impact of those trends and events on HP and its financial performance; any statements regarding pending investigations, claims or disputes; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.



Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the need to address the many challenges facing HPs businesses; the competitive pressures faced by HPs businesses; risks associated with executing HPs strategy; the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the need to manage third-party suppliers and the distribution of HPs products and the delivery of HPs services effectively; the protection of HPs intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; risks associated with HPs international operations; the development and transition of new products and services and the enhancement of existing products and services to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its suppliers, customers, clients and partners; the hiring and retention of key employees; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; the results of the restructuring plans, including estimates and assumptions related to the cost (including any possible disruption of HPs business) and the anticipated benefits of the restructuring plans; the resolution of pending investigations, claims and disputes; and other risks that are described in HPs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year 2018, and HPs other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. HPs Investor Relations website at http://www.hp.com/investor/home contains a significant amount of information about HP, including financial and other information for investors. HP encourages investors to visit its website from time to time, as information is updated, and new information is posted.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cafb764c-667d-4593-837b-b70c1a598efe

Noel Hartzell, HP inc.

+1 415 786 4323

noel.hartzell@hp.com



www.hp.com/go/newsroom
Nepal seeks Chinese grant to prepare detailed report of rail via Kerung

If Nepal gets a Chinese grant, it will be easy for the government to request the Indian side for a grant as well to prepare the DPR of the Raxual-Kathmandu cross-border railway, officials said.
All illegal drugs in Mexico could be decriminalized in radical government plan

A five-year policy document by the Mexican government has included a plan to decriminalize illegal drugs.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said lifting prohibition was the only real way to curb drug use.

It is estimated that Mexico's drug gangs rake in as much as $29 billion a year from the United States.

Mexico has drafted plans to decriminalize all currently illegal drugs after admitting that the current "war on drugs" is endangering public safety.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sketched out the country's radical change of plan in his administration's National Development Plan for 2019-2024 , released last week.

Under a new approach, drugs would not become legal, but arrests would be replaced by enforcing medical treatments including detoxification programs and attempts to break addictions.

"The only real possibility of reducing the levels of drug consumption is to lift the ban on those that are currently illegal," Obrador's policy statement read, "and redirect the resources currently destined to combat their transfer and apply them in programs massive, but personalizedof reinsertion and detoxification."

In 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderon deployed more than 6,500 Mexican soldiers to battle drug traffickers in what is seen as the beginning of the country's modern "war on drugs."

A 2018 report from the Congressional Research Service has estimated that since that year, 150,000 people have died because of organized gang killings.

Obrador's statement has described Mexico's current prohibitionist strategy as unsustainable and a danger to everyday Mexicans.

"Public safety strategies applied by previous administrations have been catastrophic: far from resolving or mitigating the catastrophe has sharpened it."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has estimated that as much as $29 billion in cash flows across the border to Mexican drug gangs each year.

Story continues

Last month, President Donald Trump said he would give Mexico a year to stem the flow of illegal drugs and migrants over the southern border or he would impose auto tariffs, and potentially close the border.

Those comments rowed back from an earlier threat by Trump to close the border in April this year.

In Europe, Portugal decriminalized drug possession in 2001 and has maintained a non-prohibition stance ever since. A study conducted in 2015 by the CATO Institute suggested that while rates of heroin use in Portugal had not declined, drug-related outcomes  such as deaths due to drug usage and sexually transmitted diseases  had decreased sharply.





More From CNBC


DUBAI, May 10 (Reuters) - A senior Iranian cleric said in a Friday prayers sermon that the United States' navy fleet could be "destroyed with one missile", as a U.S aircraft carrier headed to the Gulf, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported.

The carrier Abraham Lincoln, deployed by President Donald Trumps administration to the Middle East as a warning to Iran, passed through Egypts Suez Canal on Thursday, the Suez Canal Authority said.

"Ayatollah Yousef Tabatabai-Nejad,... referring to the Abraham Lincoln warship heading to the Gulf, said: 'Their billion (-dollar) fleet can be destroyed with one missile,'" ISNA reported from the central city of Isfahan. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
SIBIU, Romania (Reuters) - Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Thursday there were no plans to nationalise ailing Italian bank Carige, adding that a market solution to save the lender had to be found instead.

U.S. fund manager BlackRock said earlier on Thursday that it had pulled out of a proposed rescue of the Genoa-based bank, a move that could push the Italian government into another costly state bailout.

"Nationalisation is not on the agenda," Conte told reporters at a gathering of European Union leaders in the Romanian town of Sibiu. He added that "all the conditions are present" to find an alternative investor to BlackRock.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie, writing by Gavin Jones; editing by Crispian Balmer)
The Big Boy, No. 4014 arrives during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad completion at Union Station Thursday, May 9, 2019, in Ogden, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

OGDEN, Utah (AP) -- The Latest on events marking the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad (all times local):

2:05 p.m.

Descendants of Chinese laborers who worked on America's Transcontinental Railroad are helping commemorate the 150th anniversary of the railroad's completion.

Members of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association and thousands of others attended a celebration Thursday in Ogden, Utah, that featured a pair of restored 1940s-era locomotives.

Association member Margaret Yee represented her ancestors on stage alongside Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz. Yee says she and others are working to ensure the workers receive the recognition they deserve.

Fritz also hailed the laborers who put in 12-hour days in brutal conditions to build the railroad by hand. He says their work "changed America forever."

Fritz says the Transcontinental Railroad changed hazardous, six-month trips from New York to San Francisco into relatively comfortable 10-day excursions.

___

12:45 p.m.

Several thousand train lovers have gathered in Utah to catch a glimpse of a pair of restored 1940s-era steam engines and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The crowd packed in behind barriers and hoisted their phones and cameras to snap photos as the trains spouted steam and blasted their horns at an event Thursday in Ogden.

Attendees included a British family that traveled to Utah to fulfill a train engineer's dying wish last year to have his ashes put in the boiler of the Big Boy train. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert held a box with the man's ashes at the ceremony and promised to fulfill the wish.

During a brief presentation, Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz hailed the laborers who worked 12-hour days in brutal conditions to build the railroad by hand.

___

3 a.m.

More than a century after Chinese workers helped build a portion of the Transcontinental Railroad, their descendants are pushing for more than a token mention in history.

Members of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association are gathering in Utah this week to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the railroad's completion.

Story continues

Events include a ceremonial tapping of a spike Thursday in Ogden and a celebration Friday in Promontory Summit, where the final golden spike was hammered in on May 10, 1869.

Association president Michael Kwan says the milestone year has been an opportunity to educate the public about their ancestors and what they endured.

Historians estimate 20,000 Chinese immigrants accounted for 90% of the workforce on the Central Pacific portion of the railroad.

___

Follow Terry Tang on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ttangAP
Prey density declines across tiger bearing parks and forests

According to the survey, the prey densities, significant for maintaining and boosting wildcat population, had decreased from 25.33 to 22.02 prey number in per square kilometre in Parsa National Park.
SoftBank's Masayoshi Son has a stake in almost every major ride-sharing company, with investments totaling over $20 billion.

Investments from SoftBank and the SoftBank-controlled Vision Fund include Uber, Didi Chuxing, Grab in Southeast Asia, Ola in India and 99 in Brazil, showing its investing in regional players and carving out regional winners through consolidation

As Uber's largest shareholder, SoftBank stands to win big when Uber goes public on Friday

Uber, which is slated to go public this week, is sometimes seen as the biggest player in ride-sharing.

But as the map below shows, it's actually SoftBank and the $100 billion Vision Fund it manages. It has a hand in almost every major ride-sharing market across the globe.

SoftBank chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son has been making deals in the ride-sharing space for years and now the Japanese conglomerate has a hand in almost every major ride-sharing company. SoftBank has investments in Uber, Didi Chuxing, Grab in Southeast Asia, Ola in India and 99 in Brazil (which was acquired by Didi in 2018).

In total these investments add up to almost $20 billion.

With these investments comes a lot of influence. One way of looking at is that SoftBank is brokering peace by bringing competitors together so they can share resources and technology.

But the investments also allow SoftBank to carve out regional winners through consolidation. For example, when SoftBank's Vision Fund invested almost $8 billion in Uber , it got two board seats and the ability to implement corporate governance changes that altered Uber's power dynamics. Following that investment, Uber retreated from Southeast Asia where it faced intense local competition from Grab. This made Grab the indisputable market leader in Southeast Asia.

The investment made SoftBank Uber's largest investor, replacing VC firm Benchmark and co-founder Travis Kalanick. SoftBank currently has a 16.3 percent stake in Uber. When Uber goes public on Friday, SoftBank is set to be one of the biggest winners. In SoftBank's FY 2018 results released Thursday, it reported that the value of its investment in Uber had increased by $3.8 billion (418 billion Yen).

Story continues

Uber's S-1 addresses the risk associated with SoftBank's investments in ride-sharing competitors. Uber warms that SoftBank may choose to increase investment or make new investments or "enter into strategic transactions with competitors in the future." That could allow those competitors to compete more effectively, Uber says.





More From CNBC


The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Agricultural Credit Survey said the majority of the agricultural bankers in its district continued to report decreases in farm income in the first quarter.

A decline in farm loan repayment rates increased slightly, leading bankers to further tighten credit standards.

Recent flooding and severe weather brought additional challenges for some agricultural borrowers.

The floods hit the Midwest as producers were already facing tough times due to the U.S.-China trade war and low crop prices for key commodities such as corn, wheat, and soybeans.

Farmers continued to feel the pinch of economic stress in the first quarter, resulting in further deterioration of agricultural credit conditions in the nation's heartland, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Agricultural Credit Survey.

Recent flooding and severe weather in some farm belt states brought additional challenges for borrowers even as the damage is still being assessed, the report added. The floods hit the Midwest as producers were already facing tough times due to the U.S.-China trade war and low crop prices for key commodities such as corn, wheat, and soybeans.

"While some areas were heavily affected by spring flooding and blizzards, it may be months before the full impact to farm income is realized as immediate damage and implications for the 2019 operating cycle were being evaluated," the KC Fed report said.

According to the survey, the majority of the agricultural bankers in its district continued to report decreases in farm income during the first quarter. It said a similar decline was expected in coming months.

One bright spot however was a slight improvement in livestock prices toward the end of the period. A jump in hog prices in the final weeks of the quarter and into April boosted revenues for some livestock operators.

Struggling farmers are increasingly having trouble paying off their loans. "With low income weighing on farm finances, the pace of decline in farm loan repayment rates increased slightly," said the report from the KC Fed, whose Tenth District covers Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and portions of Missouri and New Mexico.

Story continues

Tractors on hold

Hardest hit were Missouri and Nebraska, states with heavy concentrations in corn and soybean production, as the trade war has taken a toll.

As income continues to drop, farmers are holding off on equipment purchases in order to put food on the table and pay bills. The report added that the trend was expected to continue into the second quarter, and given that tractors and machinery are typically some of the most significant farm capital expenditures, that could be more bad news for manufacturers such as Deere DE .

The report also appears to show many farmers sought to take on new debt to meet short-term liquidity needs, whether for seed, livestock feed or other supplies. Farmers also may need to get advance funds in some cases since many growers are holding onto large stocks of stored soybeans and other crops, hoping for higher prices in coming months. Some growers have refused to sell their inventories, coming at a time when soybean prices are near 10-year lows.

The KC Fed said it is seeing increased carry-over debt and loan restructuring, and that lenders have denied a modest amount of new loan requests because of cash flow shortages.

The report said lower repayment rates in Missouri and Nebraska were the largest contributors to overall weakness in farm loan repayment in the latest quarter. Even so, it noted weather-related factors might have contributed to the slower repayment rates and increased loan demand.

"With continued deterioration in agricultural credit conditions, bankers also further tightened credit standards," the report said.

Trade war trouble

The report made no mention of impacts from the continued U.S.-China trade war, which has led to retaliatory tariffs from Beijing and reduced exports for key American commodities, including soybeans.

Total U.S. agricultural product sales to China fell nearly 45% in value in the first quarter of 2019 to $2.1 billion compared with $3.7 billion a year ago, according to export data from WISERTrade.

Separately, a new report released Thursday by the Nebraska Farm Bureau highlighted what it described as "the strong connection between the threat of U.S. imposed tariffs on trade partners and the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in Nebraska agriculture exports in 2017."

The farm bureau report comes on the eve of new tariffs President Donald Trump has threatened against China. Trump threatened the new tariffs after charging China "broke the deal." Trump administration officials on Thursday are meeting with a delegation from China to discuss trade but it's unclear if that will halt the president's plan to slap new 25% duties on Chinese products.

Most of the $200 million decline in Nebraska's agriculture exports in 2017 compared with the previous year was soybeans and reduced corn exports, according to the report by Jay Rempe, Nebraska Farm Bureau's senior economist.

"It's no coincidence those declines coincide with U.S. tariff threats made against some of our largest trading partners like China, Mexico, and Canada," the Rempe wrote. "The tariff threats clearly impacted those markets for Nebraska agriculture commodities."

Regardless, the Nebraska economist said livestock exports were stronger, helped by beef and pork sales abroad. "Fortunately, Japan, which is far and away the largest buyer of Nebraska beef, and the largest purchaser of Nebraska pork, was never targeted for tariffs."





More From CNBC


Press release

First quarter 2019 financial information

Consolidated revenues for the first quarter of 2019: 2.28 million, up 6.7% like-for-like

Paris, 10 May 2019: MRM (Euronext code ISIN FR0000060196), a real estate investment company specialising in retail property, today announced its consolidated revenues for the first quarter of 2019, corresponding to gross rental income recorded over the period.

In accordance with its strategy initiated in 2013 of refocusing on retail properties, the last office property in operation[1] remaining in MRM`s portfolio was sold during the second quarter of 2018.

Consequently, revenues for the first quarter of 2019 correspond entirely to gross rental income from retail properties, totalling 2.28 million, an increase of 6.7% like-for-like compared with the same period last year. This increase reflects primarily the reletting of available space - in particular within Les Halles du Beffroi in Amiens (Basic-Fit), Aria Parc in Allonnes (V&B, MaxiZoo and Optical Center), Rue de l`Etape in Reims (Le Grand Bazar) and Sud Canal in Saint-Quentin-en Yvelines (LDLC) - as well as the letting of newly created premises at Aria Parc. Indexation also had a positive impact, albeit moderate.

On a reported basis, MRM`s revenues for the first quarter of 2019 were down 14.4% relative to the first quarter of 2018, which included 0.53 million of rental income generated by the Nova office building, which has since been sold.

Revenues by asset category (unaudited figures)

Consolidated quarterly revenues

(m) Q1

2019 Q1

2018 Change Change like-for-like[2] Retail 2.28 2.13 +6.7% +6.7% Offices - 0.53 -100% n/a Total gross rental income 2.28 2.67 -14.4% +6.7%

Operational performance

During the first quarter of 2019, seven leases[3] were signed representing a total floor area of 2,335 sqm and total rental income of 0.41 million.

Of the space let, 1,200 sqm was to the Action retail chain with a view to its taking up a unit at Aria Parc in Allonnes. The office component of the Carre Velizy mixed-use complex in Velizy Villacoublay presents brisk letting momentum, while the retail part is fully occupied. This resulted in the signing of four leases during the first quarter, followed by a further two in April.

Story continues

The projected occupancy rate for MRM`s portfolio as at 31 March 2019 is 85%, taking account of the Maison Depot lease in force since October 2018 at Aria Parc, although the store has not opened its doors to the public, with leases signed and two notices to quit not yet having taken effect.

Outlook

MRM has entered the final phase of its investment plan. Works to extend the Valentin shopping centre - the most significant development project in the plan - are continuing with a view to opening to the public in early 2020. Meanwhile, the renovation of La Galerie du Palais in Tours is under way and the redevelopment of the ground floor of Le Passage de la Reunion in Mulhouse is due to be launched in 2019.

Taking account of new space currently being created[4] and assuming a portfolio occupancy rate of 95% (excluding acquisitions or disposals), MRM confirms its target of total annualised net rents[5] of over 10 million on completion of the value-enhancement plan in 2020. Leases signed since the start of the year and discussions currently in progress support this outlook.

Calendar

MRM`s Combined General Meeting of the shareholders will be held at 10.00 a.m. on 29 May 2019 at the Company`s head office at 5 avenue Kleber, Paris, following the Special Meeting of holders of shares carrying double voting rights scheduled for 9.30 a.m. on the same day, also at the Company`s head office.

Revenues for the second quarter and 2019 half-year results are due on 26 July 2019 before market opening and will be presented during an information meeting to be held on the same day.

About MRM

MRM is a listed real estate investment company that owns and manages a portfolio of retail properties across several regions of France. Its majority shareholder is SCOR SE, which owns 59.9% of share capital. MRM is listed in Compartment C of Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0000060196 - Bloomberg code: MRM:FP - Reuters code: MRM.PA). MRM opted for SIIC status on 1 January 2008.

For more information:

MRM

5, avenue Kleber

75795 Paris Cedex 16

France

T +33 (0)1 58 44 70 00

relation_finances@mrminvest.com Isabelle Laurent, OPRG Financial

T +33 (0)1 53 32 61 51

M +33 (0)6 42 37 54 17

isabelle.laurent@oprgfinancial.fr





Website: www.mrminvest.com





[1] The Nova building in La Garenne-Colombes was sold on 15 May 2018. The Urban office building in Montreuil sold subsequently (January 2019) was vacant.

[2] Revenues are calculated on a like-for-like basis by deducting the rental income generated by acquired assets from the revenues reported for the current year and deducting the rental income generated from assets sold from the revenues reported for the previous year.

[3] New leases or renewals.

[4] A total of 2,600 sqm within the Valentin shopping centre.

[5] Excluding taxes, rent-free periods and support measures for lessees.

Download the press release in PDF







This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients.



The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: MRM via GlobeNewswire

HUG#2244040


OSLO (Reuters) - Norwegian banking group DNB's asset management arm has overcharged fund investors and must compensate around 180,000 customers, an appeals court ruled on Thursday, in what was billed as a test case for the industry.

Based on the judges' guidelines, DNB will have to pay out a total of around 345 million Norwegian crowns (30.4 million pounds)in compensation, according to calculations by Norway's Consumer Council, which pursued the case on behalf of investors.

That is half the 690 million crowns the council had claimed in Norway's biggest ever class action lawsuit.

DNB was not immediately available to comment on the level of compensation.

The bank had denied its asset management arm charged customers for actively managing funds when in reality they were tracking a stock market index - a much cheaper service to provide.

DNB said on Thursday it would consider whether to appeal to the Supreme Court.

"DNB believes the customers got what they were promised," it said in an e-mailed statement.

The verdict reversed the findings of a lower court, which in January 2018 ruled in favour of DNB.

The case concerned people who invested in three separate funds between January 2010 and December 2014.

The Consumer Council argued the case had implications beyond the specific claim against DNB, saying it could help protect people's savings and pensions from overcharging in the future.

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Keith Weir and Mark Potter)
Siauliu Bankas AB, company code 112025254, address of the head office Tilzes str. 149, Siauliai, Lithuania.

Siauliu bankas AB has received the notification of the person, closely associated with the manager, on transactions in securities issued by the bank (attached).

Director of Securities Accounting Department Jolanta Dobiliauskiene is authorized by the Issuer to provide additional information and is available on tel.: +370 41 595669.

Attachment
23 Nepali women rescued from Mizoram in India

At least 23 Nepali women, who were being trafficked to Iraq, Kyrgyzstan and various Gulf countries were rescued from Mizoram, a northeastern state of India, a week ago.
Amazon Web Services, Bloomberg, Continuent, EnterpriseDB, Facebook, Intel, Veritas, VividCortex and Yelp Among the Sponsors of This Years Event

RALEIGH, N.C., May 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Percona, a leader in open source database software and services, today announced the keynote addresses for the eighth annual Percona Live Open Source Database Conference 2019 , taking place May 28-30, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency in Austin, Texas. Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available.



The Percona Live Open Source Database Conference 2019 is the premier open source database event. Percona Live conferences provide the open source database community with an opportunity to discover and discuss the latest open source trends, technologies and innovations. The conference includes the best and brightest innovators and influencers in the open source database industry.

This years keynotes explore a broad range of open source database topics, including how cloud and open source database adoption accelerates business growth, todays most innovative emerging technologies, the importance of MySQL 8.0, the growing popularity of PostgreSQL, and much more. The keynotes include:

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

The State of Open Source Databases  It has been an exciting year in the open source database industry, with more choice, more cloud, and key changes in the industry. In his keynote address, Peter Zaitsev of Percona will dive into the key developments over the last year, including the most important open source database software releases, the significance of cloud-native solutions in a multi-vendor multi-cloud world, the new criticality of security challenges, the evolution of the open source software industry, and interesting new results from a new open source database survey.

MyRocks in the Real World  In this keynote, Yoshinori Matsunobu of Facebook will share interesting lessons learned from Facebook's production deployment and operations of MyRocks and future MyRocks development roadmaps.

MariaDB 10.4, Where We Are Now  Vicentiu Ciorbaru of the MariaDB Foundation will discuss the mission of the MariaDB Foundation and all of its achievements, while highlighting the latest contributions and functionality in MariaDB 10.4.

TiDB 3.0: What's New and What's Next  In this keynote, Ed Huang of PingCAP will discuss TiDB, a popular open source distributed NewSQL database, the current status of the TiDB community, the core features of TiDB 3.0, and the roadmap to make TiDB a true distributed HTAP database.

Open Source at Amazon  Customer obsession is one of the key leadership principles at Amazon. We innovate on our customers behalf and focus on solving their problems. Over the years, customer usage and dependencies on open source technologies have been steadily increasing. In his keynote, Arun Gupta of Amazon Web Services will discuss Amazons commitment to open source and what drives Amazons active participation in open-source communities.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Story continues

The State of the Dolphin  Where are we with MySQL 8.0 one year after GA? How was the journey? How has the Community impacted the roadmap? Frederic Descamps (LeFred) of Oracle will discuss this and more during his keynote session on MySQL and its commitment to performance, stability and innovation.

The Color of Open Source Money  Are Some Open Source Business Models More Acceptable than Others?  In his keynote, Eero Teerikorpi of Continuent will examine and offer his perspective on a variety of open source business models and how they generate revenue.

Bringing DevOps To The Database  Baron Schwartz of VividCortex will discuss how applying DevOps principles and practices to the database can make software development processes faster, better and cheaper. This keynote will explore real-life stories of teams that successfully changed their entrenched culture, workflows and tooling to include DevOps  and others who tried. Topics include what research shows about DevOps, databases and company performance; as well as current and emerging trends in how we build/manage data tiers and the implications.

From Respected by DBAs to Loved by Application Developers  Ten years ago, Postgres was a safe and stable database, but not at the same level of user friendliness or rich feature set as other databases. This has changed. In his keynote, Craig Kerstiens of Microsoft will examine the Postgres journey and how it went from respected by DBAs to beloved by application developers and what the next five years may hold.

"Continuent, the MySQL Availability Company, and its team are looking forward to discussions with attendees on building geo-distributed, multi-master MySQL, MariaDB and Percona Server environments - on-premises, hybrid-cloud, and multi-cloud - using Tungsten Clustering, said Eero Teerikorp, CEO of Continuent. Continuent is best known for its state-of-the-art Continuous Operations, High Availability and Disaster Recovery solutions and our team will be happy to share its knowledge on these topics and more at the conference."

"Today's data-intensive businesses require database observability to meet customer needs," said Amena Ali, CEO of VividCortex, a premier provider of database performance monitoring. "We're proud to provide industry leaders  including DraftKings, Etsy, GitHub, SendGrid, Yelp and hundreds of others  with deep insights into database workload and query response so engineers can improve application speed, efficiency, and up-time. We look forward to showing Percona Live attendees how VividCortex can help them troubleshoot database issues and streamline code deployment to increase customer satisfaction."

Sponsorships

Sponsorship opportunities for Percona Live Open Source Database Conference 2019 are available and offer the opportunity to interact with the DBAs, sysadmins, developers, CTOs, CEOs, business managers, technology evangelists, solution vendors and entrepreneurs who typically attend the event. Contact live@percona.com for sponsorship details. Current sponsors include:

Diamond  Continuent, VividCortex

Platinum  Amazon Web Services, Veritas

Gold  EnterpriseDB, Shannon Systems

Silver  Aiven, Altinity, All Things Open, Facebook, Galera Cluster, Intel Optane, MySQL, PingCAP, ProxySQL, Pythian, ScaleGrid, SmartStyle, Vendita

Branding  Bloomberg, Yelp

Community Dinner - Planet Scale

Community Contributing Sponsors - Free Software Foundation, MariaDB Foundation

Media Sponsors  Austin Technology Council

Percona Live Conferences





What: Percona Live Open Source Database Conference 2019 Where: Hyatt Regency Austin When: May 28-30, 2019



Company Information

Press Contact

Brigit Valencia

For Percona

(360) 597-4516

brigit@compel-pr.com

About Percona

With more than 3,000 customers worldwide, Percona is the only company that delivers enterprise-class solutions for MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB and PostgreSQL across traditional and cloud-based platforms. The company provides Software, Support, Consulting, and Managed Services to large, well-known global brands such as Cisco Systems, Time Warner Cable, Alcatel-Lucent, Rent the Runway and the BBC, as well as smaller enterprises looking to maximize application performance while streamlining database efficiencies. Well established as thought leaders, Percona experts author content for the Percona Database Performance Blog, and the Percona Live Open Source Database Conferences draw attendees and expert technical speakers from around the world. For more information, visit www.percona.com.

Percona is a registered trademark of Percona LLC. All other registered and unregistered trademarks in this document are the sole property of their respective owners.
A tanker truck leaves the Petrobras Alberto Pasqualini Refinery in Canoas, Brazil May 2, 2019. Picture taken May 2, 2019. REUTERS/Diego Vara

By Gram Slattery and Marta Nogueira

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA drew plaudits from investors last month for announcing a plan to sell off eight of its refineries in a process the company says could fetch some $15 billion.

But analysts and industry experts say that while the divestments will help Petrobras shore up its finances, it may fail to create a competitive refining market in Brazil, an oft-stated goal of regulators and Petrobras executives.

That's because the company is hanging onto its refineries in the states of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, home to over 60 million Brazilians. They collectively process about 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, according to Brazil's oil regulator, about half of the company's total capacity.

"I think it's a little bit for show to make it seem like the refining market is being opened up," said Alberto Barriga, a former refining executive at Petrobras and a partner at consultancy Bizup. "But it won't make any difference in terms of competition as the distance between refineries is large and transport will be too expensive (to move fuel between regions)."

In response to questions from Reuters, Petrobras said its refineries in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will be subject to competition from fuel imports and cabotage, or the transport of fuel from other refineries within Brazil.

It added that four of the five refineries it will retain are integrated by pipelines and other infrastructure, making the sale of individual assets difficult. In addition, the facilities' proximity to Brazil's prolific Campos and Santos offshore oil basins supports its view that they are strategic, Petrobras added.

Truckers protesting high diesel prices last year led Brazil's government, under former President Michel Temer, to demand that Petrobras cut fuel prices, a move that hit the company's shares and triggered the chief executive's departure.

That intervention and a more recent one by new President Jair Bolsonaro underline how politics often impinge on the Brazilian energy sector.

Story continues

Some analysts have said breaking up Petrobras' monopoly on refining could help lower prices at the pump by boosting competition and lessen the firm's exposure to meddling from Brasilia.

But the prospect of political interference could dampen investor interest in the refineries.

Petrobras' plan to retain the refineries in the country's economic sweet spot could also run afoul of antitrust regulator Cade, which in December opened an inquiry into Brazil's refining market.

"Whatever model Petrobras ends up using is going to have to pass through Cade. Does it stimulate competition? Or does it generate regional monopolies?" said Adriano Pires, a consultant for Brazil's Center for Infrastructure.

"It could be that Cade makes them sell something (in Rio or Sao Paulo)."

Among the natural buyers for the refineries are national fuel distribution firms such as Raizen and Ipiranga, the fuel distribution unit of Ultrapar Participacoes SA, as well as trading firms that have established a presence in Brazil such as Glencore PLC and Vitol SA, analysts say.

Petrobras distribution unit Petrobras Distribuidora SA is also seen as a potential candidate after its planned privatization.

But for a successful sale, the government will have to prove its free-market credentials.

"The government has to decide if it believes in the market or not," said Edmar de Almeida, a professor and researcher and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery and Marta Nogueira; Editing by Christian Plumb and Rosalba O'Brien)
iStock/MicroStockHub(PARIS) -- French soldiers led a raid to rescue two tourists who had been kidnapped in the West African country of Burkina Faso, and ended up also freeing an American and a South Korean who they were unaware were being held.



Several U.S. officials told ABC News that the U.S. government was unaware until Friday that the American woman was being held.



The raid resulted in the death of two French soldiers.



The two former French hostages and Korean hostage were brought to the Presidential Palace of Kosyam in Ouagadougou at about 8:50 a.m. local time on Saturday.



French hostage Laurent Lassimouillas paid tribute to the French soldiers killed during the operation in a short statement, saying, "All our thoughts go to the families of the soldiers and the soldiers who lost their lives to free us from this hell, we wanted to offer our condolences right away."



The U.S. woman was not with the other three rescued hostages. Her name has not been released, but a U.S. official described her as being in her 60s.



U.S. forces were not involved in the raid, French defense officials said at a news conference in Paris, but did provide some intelligence support, which helped French forces locate the hostages and their kidnappers.



It seems these two other hostages [the American and South Korean] had been held hostage for 28 days, said Francois Lecointre, the chief of staff of the French armed forces.



French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly said French authorities dont know much" about the American and South Korean women but that they are in a safe place.



Conversations with U.S. and South Korean officials appeared to confirm that neither country had known about the hostages, Parly said.



French officials didnt share the Americans identity or provide any more information about her.



The spokesperson with the U.S. State Department confirmed that an American had been freed, but would not say if U.S. officials were aware, prior to the raid, that an American woman was being held hostage.



We are grateful for the successful recovery of four hostages, including a U.S. citizen, the spokesperson said. We offer sincerest condolences to the families of the two French soldiers killed during the operation.



The two French tourists had been on safari in the Pendjari National Park in Benin, near the Burkina Faso border, when they disappeared along with their tour guide on May 1. Three days later, the tour guide, identified as Fiacre Gbedji, was found dead in the park, according to Benins Ministry of Interior and Public Safety.



Al-Qaida and ISIS were known to operate in the area, officials said at the press conference, but they did not say that either of those groups, or any Islamist extremist groups, were involved.



The French soldiers who died have been identified as Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, and both were under the command of the special operations, the French president said in a statement.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Bridge construction hit by delay and use of inferior materials

Swachhanda Construction Services, the contractor building a bridge over the Tamor river at Lumbughat in Tehrathum district, has been accused of failing to deliver the project in time and of using substandard construction materials.
By Stephen Jewkes

MILAN (Reuters) - Rome's fragile government battled to avoid another costly bank bailout on Thursday after U.S. fund manager BlackRock ditched a proposed rescue of Italy's Carige.

BlackRock and Carige gave no reason for the decision, which highlights investor concerns about Italy's uncertain political environment as time runs out for the troubled bank.

Economy Minister Giovanni Tria said he was confident a market solution could still be found, telling reporters in Rome that the bank's commissioners were seeking an alternative investor and that the work done so far would not be wasted.

Political infighting and the fact it was unable to keep its stake below 25 percent were among the factors that persuaded BlackRock to back out, a source familiar with the matter said.

Under the plan, based on a 720 million euro ($806 million) capital injection, Italian banks were set to take up some of Carige's shares by converting a bond into equity. But without more investors, BlackRock's stake would have exceeded a quarter.

The rescue aimed to help the state avoid its fourth major bank bailout in two years. The government has earmarked up to 1 billion euros to buy Carige shares if it cannot find investors.

A state bail-out would potentially embarrass the ruling parties, the right-wing League and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, which both attacked previous governments over the use of public funds to save ailing banks.

OTHER SOLUTIONS

Carige, which has been put under special administration by the European Central Bank, said it was looking at other market solutions to its capital shortfall after BlackRock's move but said it could also seek government financial aid.

"We will evaluate other market solutions aimed at ensuring the stability and turnaround of Banca Carige," it said in a statement, adding it could still make a "request for a precautionary recapitalisation to the economy ministry."

The ECB, which sources have said has set a mid-May deadline for investors to submit binding bids for Carige, said on Thursday it had been informed of developments and was in contact with Carige's temporary administrators.

Story continues

Carige has been laid low by years of mismanagement and an excessive exposure to the depressed economy of Italy's northwestern Liguria region.

Italian bond yields have risen in recent days on concerns over tension within Rome's ruling coalition, with the gap between its benchmark bond yields and safer German Bunds increasing on Wednesday to the widest in more than two months.

In another sign of jitters about political risk and a weak economy, Italy's biggest bank by assets UniCredit said this week it would reduce government bond holdings.

But UniCredit Chief Executive Jean Pierre Mustier said on Thursday the bank remained strongly committed to the euro zone's third largest economy.

($1 = 0.8933 euros)

(Additional reporting by Andrea Mandala and Gavin Jones; Editing by Silvia Aloisi, Mark Bendeich, Edmund Blair and Alexander Smith)
By Hadeel Al Sayegh and Saeed Azhar

DUBAI, May 10 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, has indirectly invested in the $747 million initial public offering of mall operator Arabian Centres, sources familiar with the matter said.

PIF has made the investment through institutional funds and will not have a direct stake in Arabian Centres, one of the sources said, although the investment represents strong government support for the IPO, a second source told Reuters.

The IPO of Arabian Centres, majority-owned by Fawaz Alhokair Group, is the first in the kingdom under Rule 144a, which allows the sale of securities primarily to qualified institutional buyers in the United States.

Saudi Arabia's PIF did not immediately comment on the investments and Arabian Centres declined to comment.

In its sale offer, Arabian Centres had said public funds, private funds and discretionary portfolios were the main investors in the IPO, but had not disclosed any names.

Saudi Arabia's $300 billion sovereign wealth fund is already a major player in the kingdom's stock market with stakes in some of the largest telecommunications, energy and banking players.

Riyadh has been encouraging more family-owned companies to list in a bid to deepen its capital markets as part of reforms aimed at reducing its reliance on oil revenue.

Institutional funds which the PIF invests in have also been active players and came to the stock market's rescue last year at the height of foreign selling after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul.

The Saudi stock market is up 13 percent so far this year, one of the best performing in the Middle East, as it entered global emerging market benchmarks such as the FTSE Russell emerging market index. (Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh and Saeed Azhar; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Quarterly Operating Income Increased 47.9% to $24.8 million

Highest first quarter organic net growth in Wireless subscribers in Company history

EDINBURG, Va., May 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) (SHEN) announced strong first quarter results, reflecting continued revenue growth and significantly improved profitability. Wireless service revenue demonstrated solid growth driven by the net addition of 5,776 postpaid wireless customers and 8,516 prepaid wireless subscribers, including record gross activations for the Boost brand. Postpaid gross and net activations reached an all-time high as compared to any historical first quarter. Growth in the Cable Segment was bolstered primarily by continued increases in broadband subscribers.

First Quarter 2019 Highlights

Operating revenue of $158.8 million grew 3.1%

Operating income grew 47.9% to $24.8 million

Net income of $13.9 million, or $0.28 per share

Adjusted OIBDA of $73.0 million grew 6.3%

Acquired Big Sandy Broadband, Inc. ("Big Sandy"), adding approximately 4,800 revenue generating units

Please refer to our First Quarter 2019 Earnings Presentation Supplement available at https://investor.shentel.com/ for additional information, including matters that will be referenced during the Companys conference call. Included in this release are certain non-GAAP financial measures that are not determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Please refer to page 7 for additional information for non-GAAP measures.

Results

Consolidated First Quarter 2019 Results

Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $13.9 million, resulting in net income per share of $0.28, compared with $0.13 per share in the first quarter of 2018, reflecting an increase of approximately 115%.





Operating revenue for the first quarter of 2019 was $158.8 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 3.1%, driven by strong subscriber growth in the Wireless and Cable segments.





Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $134.1 million, compared with $137.4 million for the equivalent quarter in the prior year primarily due to a decline in network costs for the Wireless segment attributable to repricing backhaul circuits and migrating voice traffic from traditional circuit-switched facilities to more cost effective VoIP facilities. The decrease was offset by higher costs for the Cable segment primarily due to our deployment of higher-speed data access packages and infrastructure investments necessary to support its growing cable and fiber networks.





Operating income for the three months ended March 31, 2019 increased 47.9% to $24.8 million from $16.8 million in the prior year quarter.





Adjusted OIBDA increased 6.3% to $73.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, driven by subscriber growth in the Wireless and Cable segments.

Wireless

Story continues

Shentel served 800,952 wireless postpaid customers at March 31, 2019, an increase of 3.4% over 774,861 subscribers as of March 31, 2018. As of March 31, 2019, tablets and data devices were 9.8% of the postpaid base.





Shentel served 267,220 wireless prepaid customers at March 31, 2019, an increase of 6.8% over 250,191 subscribers as of March 31, 2018. First quarter prepaid churn was 4.14%, representing an improvement of 28 basis points compared with the prior year.





Wireless operating revenue increased 2.5%, to $115.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared with $112.8 million in the first quarter of 2018, primarily driven by a 3.4% increase in postpaid subscribers and a 6.8% increase in prepaid PCS subscribers.





Wireless operating expenses decreased 5.5% in the first quarter of 2019 to $90.3 million, compared with $95.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. This decrease was primarily due to a $2.9 million decrease in depreciation and amortization as a result of the retirement of assets acquired in the nTelos acquisition; a $1.3 million decrease in cost of goods sold as a result of decreased equipment costs; a $0.3 million decrease in cost of services due to the repricing of Wireless backhaul circuits to market rates and migrating Wireless voice traffic from traditional circuit-switched facilities to more cost effective VoIP facilities; and a $0.8 million decrease in selling, general and administrative due to a prior year reassessment of property taxes in West Virginia.





Wireless Adjusted OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 increased 7.4% to $61.8 million, compared with $57.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Wireless Continuing OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $52.2 million, compared with $48.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Cable

Total Revenue Generating Units increased 4.5% in the first quarter of 2019 to 139,504 which includes the addition of approximately 4,800 Big Sandy subscribers, compared with 133,439 for the three months ended March 31, 2018.





Cable operating revenue for the first quarter of 2019 was $33.7 million, representing a quarter over quarter increase of 6.3% compared with $31.7 million for the prior year first quarter. The increase was primarily attributable to increases in broadband and voice subscribers, higher video rates implemented to pass through programming cost increases, and customers selecting or upgrading to higher-speed data access packages.





Cable operating expenses for the first quarter of 2019 were $28.0 million, a quarter over quarter increase of 7.0% compared with $26.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase was primarily due to our deployment of higher-speed data access packages and investments in infrastructure necessary to support the growth of the cable and fiber network.





Cable Adjusted OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $12.1 million, compared with $11.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Wireline

Wireline operating revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $18.9 million, compared with $19.7 million for the prior year first quarter. The decrease in operating revenue was primarily attributable to repricing Wireless backhaul circuits to market rates and migrating Wireless voice traffic from traditional circuit-switched facilities to more cost effective VoIP facilities.





Wireline operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $14.6 million, a quarter-over-quarter decrease of 2.5% compared with $14.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The decline in operating expenses was primarily attributable to a reduction in network costs.





Wireline Adjusted OIBDA for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $7.8 million, compared with $8.1 million for the prior year equivalent quarter.

Shentel delivered solid first quarter results, building on the success we achieved in 2018. We achieved consolidated revenue growth, dramatically increased operating income, significantly improved profitability, and continued OIBDA growth in the first quarter, said President and CEO Chris E. French, We saw customer growth in all of our operating segments, highlighted by record customer additions in both our Wireless and Cable businesses.

The investments weve made to improve the reliability and coverage of our network and to expand our base of stores have elevated brand recognition in the markets we serve, enabling us to attract new customers and drive growth in both our postpaid and prepaid customer base. Our Cable segment continued to see increased RGUs and revenue as customers upgraded their service plans to accommodate a growing need for higher bandwidth. We were pleased to add the assets of Big Sandy Broadband, which expands our service area in Kentucky. Shentel is well-positioned to continue to provide our customers with the best service in our expanding footprint and we look forward to driving continued growth as we move through 2019.

Other Information

Capital expenditures budgeted for 2019 have been updated to reflect the acquisition of Big Sandy and are expected to be approximately $149.5 million, including $64.1 million in the Wireless segment primarily for wireless network capacity improvements. In addition, $55.0 million is budgeted primarily to support growth in our Cable segment including new fiber routes and continuing investments in DOCSIS 3.1 upgrades, $20.5 million in Wireline projects including expansion of the fiber network, and $9.9 million primarily for IT and other miscellaneous projects.





Capital expenditures were $44.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared with $24.4 million in the comparable 2018 period.





The Company expanded its Cable segment into the adjacent market of eastern Kentucky through the acquisition of Big Sandy on February 28, 2019.





Outstanding debt at March 31, 2019 totaled $751.3 million, net of unamortized loan costs, compared to $770.2 million as of December 31, 2018. During the quarter, the Company reduced debt $19.9 million, including a voluntary $15.0 million prepayment in addition to the scheduled quarterly payment. As of March 31, 2019, no amounts were outstanding under the revolving line of credit. The total leverage ratio as of March 31, 2019 was 2.42.

Conference Call and Webcast

Teleconference Information:

Date: May 9, 2019

Time: 10:00 A.M. (ET)

Dial in number: 1-888-695-7639

Password: 4992749



Audio webcast: http://investor.shentel.com/

An audio replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the call is complete, through June 2, 2019 by calling (855) 859-2056.

About Shenandoah Telecommunications

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) provides a broad range of diversified communications services through its high speed, state-of-the-art network to customers in the Mid-Atlantic United States. The Companys services include: wireless voice and data; cable video, internet and digital voice; fiber network and services; and regulated local and long distance telephone. Shentel is the exclusive personal communications service (PCS) Affiliate of Sprint in a multi-state area covering large portions of central and western Virginia, south-central Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and portions of Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio. For more information, please visit www.shentel.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of unforeseen factors. A discussion of factors that may cause actual results to differ from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations is available in the Companys filings with the SEC. Those factors may include changes in general economic conditions, increases in costs, changes in regulation and other competitive factors.

CONTACTS:

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company

James F. Woodward

Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

540-984-5990

Jim.Woodward@emp.shentel.com

Or



John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau

IMS Investor Relations

203-972-9200

jnesbett@institutionalms.com



SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2019 2018 Operating revenue: Service revenue and other $ 143,231 $ 136,559 Equipment revenue 15,612 17,579 Total operating revenue 158,843 154,138 Operating expenses: Cost of services 49,518 49,342 Cost of goods sold 14,637 15,805 Selling, general and administrative 28,722 28,750 Depreciation and amortization 41,179 43,487 Total operating expenses 134,056 137,384 Operating income (loss) 24,787 16,754 Other income (expense): Interest expense (7,954 ) (9,332 ) Gain (loss) on investments, net 250 (32 ) Non-operating income (loss), net 1,037 1,021 Income (loss) before income taxes 18,120 8,411 Income tax expense (benefit) 4,210 1,828 Net income (loss) $ 13,910 $ 6,583 Net income (loss) per share, basic and diluted: Basic net income (loss) per share $ 0.28 $ 0.13 Diluted net income (loss) per share $ 0.28 $ 0.13 Weighted average shares outstanding, basic 49,775 49,474 Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted 50,115 50,024

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands)

March 31,

2019 December 31,

2018 Cash and cash equivalents $ 69,859 $ 85,086 Other current assets 117,926 125,116 Total current assets 187,785 210,202 Investments 11,274 10,788 Property, plant and equipment, net 701,980 701,359 Intangible assets, net 339,714 366,029 Goodwill 149,070 146,497 Operating lease assets 361,564  Deferred charges and other assets 48,325 49,891 Total assets $ 1,799,712 $ 1,484,766 Total current liabilities 119,121 88,539 Long-term debt, less current maturities 726,970 749,624 Other liabilities 501,007 204,356 Total shareholders equity 452,614 442,247 Total liabilities and shareholders equity $ 1,799,712 $ 1,484,766

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2019 2018 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income (loss) $ 13,910 $ 6,583 Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 35,520 36,634 Amortization 5,659 6,853 Bad debt expense 367 369 Stock based compensation expense, net of amount capitalized 1,714 2,037 Waived management fee 9,628 9,048 Deferred income taxes (3,378 ) (3,684 ) Other adjustments (23 ) 705 Changes in assets and liabilities (1,734 ) 2,315 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 61,663 $ 60,860 Cash flows from investing activities: Acquisition of property, plant and equipment $ (44,420 ) $ (24,382 ) Cash disbursed for acquisition, net of cash acquired (10,000 ) (52,000 ) Proceeds from sale of assets 53 263 Cash distributions (contributions) from investments and other (8 ) 1 Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities $ (54,375 ) $ (76,118 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Principal payments on long-term debt $ (19,889 ) $ (12,125 ) Proceeds from revolving credit facility borrowings  15,000 Principal payments on revolving credit facility  (15,000 ) Proceeds from exercises of stock option 72  Taxes paid for equity award issuances (2,698 ) (1,754 ) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities $ (22,515 ) $ (13,879 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents $ (15,227 ) $ (29,137 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 85,086 78,585 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 69,859 $ 49,448

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In managing our business and assessing our financial performance, management supplements the information provided by the financial statement measures prepared in accordance with GAAP with Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA, which are considered non-GAAP financial measures under SEC rules.

Adjusted OIBDA is defined as operating income (loss) before depreciation and amortization, adjusted to exclude the effects of: certain non-recurring transactions; impairment of assets; gains and losses on asset sales; actuarial gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; and share-based compensation expense, amortization of deferred contract costs, and adjusted to include the benefit received from the waived management fee by Sprint. Continuing OIBDA is defined as Adjusted OIBDA, less the benefit received from the waived management fee by Sprint. Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA should not be construed as an alternative to operating income as determined in accordance with GAAP as a measure of operating performance.

In a capital-intensive industry such as telecommunications, management believes that Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA and the associated percentage margin calculations are meaningful measures of our operating performance. We use Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA as supplemental performance measures because management believes these measures facilitate comparisons of our operating performance from period to period and comparisons of our operating performance to that of our peers and other companies by excluding potential differences caused by the age and book depreciation of fixed assets (affecting relative depreciation expenses) as well as the other items described above for which additional adjustments were made. In the future, management expects that the Company may again report Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA excluding these items and may incur expenses similar to these excluded items. Accordingly, the exclusion of these and other similar items from our non-GAAP presentation should not be interpreted as implying these items are non-recurring, infrequent or unusual.

While depreciation and amortization are considered operating costs under generally accepted accounting principles, these expenses primarily represent the current period allocation of costs associated with long-lived assets acquired or constructed in prior periods, and accordingly may obscure underlying operating trends for some purposes. By isolating the effects of these expenses and other items that vary from period to period without any correlation to our underlying performance, or that vary widely among similar companies, management believes Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA facilitates internal comparisons of our historical operating performance, which are used by management for business planning purposes, and also facilitates comparisons of our performance relative to that of our competitors. In addition, we believe that Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA and similar measures are widely used by investors and financial analysts as measures of our financial performance over time, and to compare our financial performance with that of other companies in our industry.

Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA have limitations as an analytical tool, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. These limitations include, but are not limited to, the following:

they do not reflect capital expenditures;

they do not reflect the impacts of non-cash amortization of deferred contract costs;

many of the assets being depreciated and amortized will have to be replaced in the future and Adjusted and Continuing OIBDA do not reflect cash requirements for such replacements;

they do not reflect costs associated with share-based awards exchanged for employee services;

they do not reflect interest expense necessary to service interest or principal payments on indebtedness;

they do not reflect gains, losses or dividends on investments;

they do not reflect expenses incurred for the payment of income taxes; and

other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate Adjusted and Continuing OIBDA differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.

In light of these limitations, management considers Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA as a financial performance measure that supplements but does not replace the information reflected in our GAAP results.

The following tables reconcile Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA to operating income, which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, for the first quarter 2019 and 2018:

Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 (in thousands) Wireless Cable Wireline Other Consolidated Operating income $ 25,337 $ 5,703 $ 4,346 $ (10,599 ) $ 24,787 Non-cash amortization of deferred contract costs (4,211 ) (237 ) (64 ) (2 ) (4,514 ) Depreciation and amortization 31,050 6,458 3,533 138 41,179 Share-based compensation expense    1,714 1,714 Benefit received from the waived management fee (1) 9,628    9,628 Actuarial (gains) losses on pension plans    (38 ) (38 ) Other 19 136  65 220 Adjusted OIBDA 61,823 12,060 7,815 (8,722 ) 72,976 Waived management fee (9,628 )    (9,628 ) Continuing OIBDA $ 52,195 $ 12,060 $

7,815 $ (8,722 ) $ 63,348





Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 (in thousands) Wireless Cable Wireline Other Consolidated Operating income $ 17,267 $ 5,527 $ 4,772 $ (10,812 ) $ 16,754 Non-cash amortization of deferred contract costs (2,760 ) 141 (35 )  (2,654 ) Depreciation and amortization 33,925 6,024 3,394 144 43,487 Share-based compensation expense    2,037 2,037 Benefit received from the waived management fee (1) 9,048    9,048 Actuarial (gains) losses on pension plans    (82 ) (82 ) Other 81    81 Adjusted OIBDA 57,561 11,692 8,131 (8,713 ) 68,671 Waived management fee (9,048 )    (9,048 ) Continuing OIBDA $ 48,513 $ 11,692 $ 8,131 $ (8,713 ) $ 59,623

_______________________________________________________

Under our amended affiliate agreement, Sprint agreed to waive the Management Fees charged on both postpaid and prepaid revenue, up to $4.2 million per month, until the total amount waived reaches approximately $255.6 million, which is expected to occur in 2022.

Segment Results

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 (in thousands) Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations Consolidated External revenue Service revenue $ 97,075 $ 29,705 $ 5,485 $  $  $ 132,265 Equipment revenue 15,291 270 51   15,612 Other 2,018 2,265 6,683   10,966 Total external revenue 114,384 32,240 12,219   158,843 Internal revenue 1,270 1,469 6,690  (9,429 )  Total operating revenue 115,654 33,709 18,909  (9,429 ) 158,843 Operating expenses Cost of services 33,478 15,647 9,151  (8,758 ) 49,518 Cost of goods sold 14,427 175 36  (1 ) 14,637 Selling, general and administrative 11,362 5,726 1,843 10,461 (670 ) 28,722 Depreciation and amortization 31,050 6,458 3,533 138  41,179 Total operating expenses 90,317 28,006 14,563 10,599 (9,429 ) 134,056 Operating income (loss) $ 25,337 $ 5,703 $ 4,346 $ (10,599 ) $  $ 24,787





Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 (in thousands) Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations Consolidated External revenue Service revenue $ 92,165 $ 28,471 $ 5,308 $  $  $ 125,944 Equipment revenue 17,374 159 46   17,579 Other 2,026 2,050 6,539   10,615 Total external revenue 111,565 30,680 11,893   154,138 Internal revenue 1,239 1,031 7,814  (10,084 )  Total operating revenue 112,804 31,711 19,707  (10,084 ) 154,138 Operating expenses Cost of services 33,750 15,156 9,802  (9,366 ) 49,342 Cost of goods sold 15,727 56 22   15,805 Selling, general and administrative 12,135 4,948 1,717 10,668 (718 ) 28,750 Depreciation and amortization 33,925 6,024 3,394 144  43,487 Total operating expenses 95,537 26,184 14,935 10,812 (10,084 ) 137,384 Operating income (loss) $ 17,267 $ 5,527 $ 4,772 $ (10,812 ) $  $ 16,754

Supplemental Information

Subscriber Statistics

The following table indicates selected operating statistics of Wireless, including Sprint subscribers:

March 31,

2019 (2) March 31,

2018 (2) Postpaid: Retail PCS subscribers - postpaid 800,952 774,861 Gross PCS subscriber additions - postpaid 50,847 43,077 Net PCS subscriber additions (losses) - postpaid (3) 5,776 38,264 PCS average monthly retail churn % - postpaid 1.89 % 1.89 % Prepaid: Retail PCS subscribers - prepaid 267,220 250,191 Gross PCS subscriber additions - prepaid 40,979 40,111 Net PCS subscriber additions (losses) - prepaid (4) 8,516 24,369 PCS average monthly retail churn % - prepaid 4.14 % 4.42 % PCS market POPS (000) (1) 7,023 7,023 PCS covered POPS (000) (1) 6,261 5,889 CDMA base stations (sites) 1,874 1,742 Towers owned 211 193 Non-affiliate cell site leases 195 192

_______________________________________________________

"POPS" refers to the estimated population of a given geographic area. Market POPS are those within a market area which we are authorized to serve under our Sprint PCS affiliate agreement, and Covered POPS are those covered by our network. The data source for POPS is U.S. census data. Beginning February 1, 2018 includes Richmond Expansion Area except for gross PCS subscriber additions. March 31, 2018 Net PCS subscriber additions - postpaid were a loss of 79, excluding the acquisition of the expansion area on February 1, 2018. March 31, 2018 Net PCS subscriber additions - prepaid were 8,678, excluding the acquisition of the expansion area on February 1, 2018.

The subscriber stats above, excluding gross additions, include the Richmond Expansion Area as follows:

February 1,

2018 Expansion Area PCS subscribers - postpaid 38,343 PCS subscribers - prepaid 15,691 Acquired PCS market POPS (000) 1,082 Acquired PCS covered POPS (000) 602 Acquired CDMA base stations (sites) 105

The following table indicates selected operating statistics of Cable:

March 31,

2019 (8) March 31,

2018 Homes passed (1) 189,613 184,975 Customer relationships (2) Video users 42,752 43,264 Non-video customers 41,107 35,133 Total customer relationships 83,859 78,397 Video Customers (3) 44,119 45,555 Penetration (4) 23.3 % 24.6 % Digital video penetration (5) 85.7 % 75.8 % Broadband Users (3) 71,549 65,141 Penetration (4) 37.7 % 35.2 % Voice Users (3) 23,836 22,743 Penetration (4) 12.6 % 12.3 % Total revenue generating units (6) 139,504 133,439 Fiber route miles 3,629 3,371 Total fiber miles (7) 141,230 124,701 Average revenue generating units 136,911 132,865

_______________________________________________________

Homes and businesses are considered passed (homes passed) if we can connect them to our distribution system without further extending the transmission lines. Homes passed is an estimate based upon the best available information. Homes passed have access to video, broadband and voice services. Customer relationships represent the number of billed customers who receive at least one of our services. Generally, a dwelling or commercial unit with one or more television sets connected to our distribution system counts as one video customer. Where services are provided on a bulk basis, such as to hotels and some multi-dwelling units, the revenue charged to the customer is divided by the rate for comparable service in the local market to determine the number of customer equivalents included in the customer counts shown above. Penetration is calculated by dividing the number of users by the number of homes passed or available homes, as appropriate. Digital video penetration is calculated by dividing the number of digital video users by total video users. Digital video users are video customers who receive any level of video service via digital transmission. A dwelling with one or more digital set-top boxes or digital adapters counts as one digital video user. Revenue generating units are the sum of video, voice and broadband users. Total fiber miles are measured by taking the number of fiber strands in a cable and multiplying that number by the route distance. For example, a 10 mile route with 144 fiber strands would equal 1,440 fiber miles. Beginning February 28, 2019, includes approximately 4,800 subscribers from the Big Sandy acquisition.





The following table includes selected operating statistics of the Wireline operations:

March 31,

2019 March 31,

2018 Long distance subscribers 9,623 8,980 Video customers (1) 4,656 4,912 Broadband customers 14,588 14,695 Fiber route miles 2,170 2,078 Total fiber miles (2) 162,281 155,188

_______________________________________________________
Baral is a professor of political science and former ambassador of Nepal to India.
Shenandoah Telecommunications (SHEN) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.28 per share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This compares to earnings of $0.10 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

A quarter ago, it was expected that this telecommunications service provider in parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia would post earnings of $0.31 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.30, delivering a surprise of -3.23%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

Shenandoah Telecom, which belongs to the Zacks Diversified Communication Services industry, posted revenues of $158.84 million for the quarter ended March 2019, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.13%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $151.73 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Shenandoah Telecom shares have lost about 6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 14.9%.

What's Next for Shenandoah Telecom?

While Shenandoah Telecom has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Story continues

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Shenandoah Telecom was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.31 on $165.66 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.35 on $667.79 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Diversified Communication Services is currently in the bottom 32% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Shenandoah Telecommunications Co (SHEN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
COLOMBO, May 10 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan shares fell on Friday for a seventh straight day, closing at their lowest in six-and-a-half years, and the rupee slipped for a second day, as the Easter bombings drove off investors. ** Sri Lanka's economic growth is expected to slump to its lowest in nearly two decades this year, a Reuters poll showed. Tourism, foreign investment and overall business activity have all dropped after the bombings. ** Investigators have dismantled a major part of the network linked to the bombings, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Tuesday. But he warned further attacks could not be ruled out. ** The benchmark stock index ended 0.46 percent weaker on Friday at 5,327.68, its lowest close since Dec. 5, 2012. ** Turnover was 152.8 million rupees ($867,689), lower than this year's daily average of around 565 million rupees. Last year's daily average was 834 million rupees. ** Foreign investors bought a net 20 million rupees worth of shares on Friday, but they have been net sellers of 4.4 billion rupees worth of equities so far this year. ** The rupee closed weaker for a second session on Friday on dollar demand from banks. ** The rupee dropped 0.3 percent to close at 176.10/60 per dollar, compared with Thursday's close of 175.60/90, Refinitiv data showed. ** Analysts expect the currency to weaken further as money flows out of stocks and government securities. ** The rupiah gained 0.6 percent this week and was up 4.5 percent for the year. Exporters had converted dollars as investor confidence stabilised after a $1 billion sovereign bond was repaid in mid-January. ** The rupee dropped 16 percent in 2018 and was one of the worst-performing currencies in Asia. ** Foreign investors sold a net 10.8 billion rupees worth of government securities in the week ended May 8, extending net foreign outflow to 20.8 billion rupees so far this year, central bank data showed. ** Investor sentiment was damaged at the end of last year, when President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly removed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and then dissolved parliament. A court later ruled the move unconstitutional, but the political turmoil led to credit rating downgrades and an outflow of foreign funds.

** For a report on global markets, click ** For a report on major currencies, click ($1 = 175.2000 Sri Lankan rupees) ($1 = 176.1000 Sri Lankan rupees) (Reporting by Shihar Aneez, editing by Larry King)
The Securities and Exchange Commission under Chairman Jay Clayton has taken an outsized focus on ensuring small businesses have the opportunity to flourish, and a new office within the agency is taking that mission directly to Main Street.

Friday marks the 100th day since the creation of the agencys Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation (OASB), a long title for an office with a relatively simple mission: make sure the regulatory system works for the majority of U.S. job creators who are looking to raise funding.

While the SEC has routinely heard from small businesses through the federal rulemaking process, which allows individuals or companies to submit written comments on proposed regulations, its taking a new, advocacy-centric approach with the OSAB, reaching organizations that may not have a government relations operations and perhaps havent interacted with the agency before.

Were a new office, and we have a different mission than anyone else has had here, director Martha Miller told FOX Business. The more issues that we can identify where we can recommend solutions to fix those issues, help people outside the small business community recognize the impact the solutions would have and ultimately get those solutions adopted so we can have better capital flow in this country.

The office was created as part of a law enacted in 2016 under former President Barack Obama. The reach of OSAB goes beyond what one might typically think of as a small business, soliciting input from companies with as much as $250 million in outstanding public shares. Still, it does have a specific mission to examine challenges faced specifically by minority and women-owned small businesses, as well as those affected by natural disasters.

So far, Miller has been to five cities: Kansas City (both Missouri and Kansas), Overland Park, Kansas, Denver and Boulder, Colorado. One of their first big initiatives will be creating a portal to give company executives information on regulations around capital raising and other issues impacting small business.

Story continues

We need to do some plain English education for small businesses and small business investors to help them understand what are the frameworks and the rules, Miller said. There are really good opportunities for us to create educational content thats really approachable.

While the SEC has taken a number of steps to ease regulatory constraints on small businesses  including loosening the restrictions on when companies can talk to investors before launching an initial public offering  the Trump administration has also put added pressure on operations with tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods, duties that were increased on Friday to 25 percent from 10 percent.

Its made a big difference on our business, Tom Lix, CEO of Cleveland Whiskey, told reporters on Thursday. Our access to capital was changed, the rate of financing for the business has changed because we cant show that growth curve we had prior to 2018 because of our export business.

As trade talks between the U.S. and China continue, the administration has given no indication on when it may raise those duties. The SEC, however, continues to trudge forward with its own actions that could provide small relief.

Miller said to expect additional rulemaking coming out very soon catered to small businesses, including one to allow some low-revenue companies to avoid some federal reporting requirements. While the actions may seem small to outside observers, the decreased compliance costs can be a significant saver for Main Street and those seeking to scale their operations.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP

The push by Miller and others underscores SEC Chairman Jay Claytons focus on small businesses. Its a topic that comes up in the bulk of his public speeches and one that Clayton says serves as a foundation for many of the agencys actions.

Right now, for a Main Street investor to get involved in our private markets is really expensive, and I continue to look for ways that we can get them access with the same kind of protection that they have in the public markets for substantially less money, he previously told FOX Business.

Even when investing in the private market is permitted under applicable law, the cost is almost prohibitive for ordinary people. And our private markets have [in some cases] outperformed our public markets," he added.

Related Articles
Trump may have made it more difficult for the US to 'win' its trade war with China

The U.S. on midnight Friday increased tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25% from 10%. China responded immediately, saying it would take countermeasures against the U.S.

The latest hike in tariffs came after President Donald Trump turned up the rhetorical heat against China starting Sunday and accused Beijing of reneging on parts of a developing agreement.

That latest escalation in U.S.-China trade conflict has made it "very difficult" for the two economic giants to reach a trade deal that'll let Trump claim victory, experts said.

The latest escalation in a tariff fight between the United States and China has made it "very difficult" for the two economic giants to reach a trade deal that'll let President Donald Trump claim victory, experts said.

The U.S. just after midnight ET on Friday increased tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25% from 10%. China responded immediately, saying it would take countermeasures against the U.S. The latest hike in levies came after Trump turned up the rhetorical heat against China starting Sunday and accused Beijing of reneging on parts of a developing agreement.

Representatives from both countries are meeting in Washington this week to discuss trade. After the latest developments, however, a resolution in the coming weeks is "very difficult" to imagine, said Steve Okun, a trade expert and senior advisor at consultancy McLarty Associates.

"For the U.S. to win, for Trump to declare victory, he has to show that there's a substantial change to what (China) does when it comes to intellectual property, when it comes to cyber theft, when it comes to forced technology transfers," Okun told CNBC's "Street Signs" just minutes before the latest tariff hike.

"Now, some of what, maybe much of what, the U.S. wants is in China's interests. But politically, it's very difficult for President Xi (Jinping) to be seen as giving into what the U.S. is demanding of him," he added.

Story continues

Okun is hardly the only expert predicting a deterioration in the relationship between the U.S. and China, which are the two largest economies in the world. Nick Marro, an analyst at consultancy the Economist Intelligence Unit, said Friday's tariff escalation would undo much of the "goodwill" and "positive momentum" built up in previous meetings between the two countries.

The U.S. and China had been negotiating for a trade deal over the last few months. Investors and analysts were hopeful that both sides would resolve their conflict by reaching some kind of deal. Even the White House was boosting hopes just a week ago that there might be an announcement for an agreement this week.

"I think the potential for a deal has gone down significantly, and the potential that talks might break down even further has risen," Marro told CNBC's "Capital Connection" on Friday after the U.S. increased tariffs.

"The fact that the tariff escalation was acted upon is going to do a lot to erase a lot of the goodwill and the positive momentum that we saw built up over the first quarter and it's going to be very difficult for both sides to really come back from that," he added.

What's next

The best case scenario is for both sides to continue talking, analysts said, but the escalation in trade conflict this week has also increased the probability that the U.S. and China may never reach a deal.

Stefan Legge, an economics researcher and lecturer at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, predicted that the trade war will drag on as long as both economies can handle the pressure.

"China and the US might well be deep enough into Thucydides' Trap so that the time is over for much cooperation anymore," Legge wrote in a note. "Thucydides' Trap" is a phrase used to describe a rivalry between an established power and a rising one that often ends in war.

Ratings agency Moody's is less pessimistic. Its managing director for credit strategy and standards, Michael Taylor, said he believes Washington and Beijing could still eventually reach a trade deal. But before that happens, heightened tensions between the two sides are major threats to the global economy, he wrote in a Friday note.

This week's tariffs hike "exacerbates the uncertainty in the global trading environment, further raises tensions between the US and China, negatively affects global sentiment and adds to risk aversion globally," said Taylor.

 CNBC's Jacob Pramuk anad Everett Rosenfeld contributed to this report.





More From CNBC


Dadeldhura, once covered with forests, is gradually losing trees

Up until a decade ago, Dadeldhura was almost all lush forest. Over 75 percent of the district was under a cover of the massive Mahabharat forest, which spread for 66 kilometres from Mahakali in the west to the Tele highlands along the Doti border in the east. The Chure forest spread from Mahakali to Kailali. But today, massive deforestation and encroachment by human settlements have destroyed nearly a half of the forests.
ISTANBUL, May 9 (Reuters) - Turkey's central bank lowered a foreign exchange maintenance facility within its so-called reserve options mechanism (ROM) to 30 percent, from 40 percent, to support financial stability, it said on Thursday.

The bank also said the FX maintenance facility within the ROM will provide $2.8 billion of FX liquidity to the market, while 7.2 billion lira will be withdrawn. The lira has fallen this week after authorities decided to re-run Istanbul elections. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)
By David Shepardson

May 10 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday sharply questioned the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on the timing of its civil suit filed in March accusing Volkswagen AG of defrauding investors and demanded the agency explain its rationale.

Volkswagen was caught using illegal software to cheat U.S. pollution tests in 2015, triggering a global backlash against diesel vehicles that has so far cost it 29 billion euros.

At a status conference on Friday in San Francisco, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer questioned the SEC's "lateness" in suing VW more than two years after the company settled the Justice Department's criminal probe, pleading guilty to three felonies and paying $4.3 billion in penalties.

"My basic question is what took you so long," Breyer said, adding he was "totally mystified" why the SEC waited until 2019.

A person briefed on the matter said the SEC served its first formal subpoena on VW in January 2017 and issued a formal Wells notice in June 2018.

"I want to remind you that the symbol of the SEC is the symbol right up there, of the eagle. It's not a carrion hawk that simply descends when everything is all over and sees what it can get from the defendant," Breyer said.

Daniel Hayes, a lawyer for the SEC, told Breyer the agency "moved as quickly as we could" and added there were settlement negotiations that did not result in a deal.

"We opened an investigation, we conducted an investigation that specifically focused on whether there were violations of the security fraud. That takes time," Hayes said.

Breyer directed the SEC to explain by July precisely when the agency learned of the factual allegations and to file a declaration detailing its "reasoning for waiting until March of this year to file this complaint."

Regulators and investors argue VW should have informed them sooner about the scope of the scandal, while VW says it was not clear it would face billions of dollars in fines and penalties as others had paid out much lower sums.

Story continues

VW issued more than $13 billion in bonds and asset-backed securities in U.S. markets at a time when senior executives knew that more than 500,000 U.S. diesel vehicles grossly exceeded legal vehicle emissions limits, the SEC complaint says.

Volkswagen reaped hundreds of millions of dollars "by issuing the securities at more attractive rates for the company," the SEC said.

The SEC suit also named former Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn, seeking to bar him from serving as an officer or director of a public U.S. company.

VW has said the SEC complaint is legally and factually flawed, and Volkswagen will contest it vigorously." (Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $3 billion sale of Apache attack helicopters to Qatar, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Thursday.

The government of Qatar has asked to buy 24 of the AH-64E helicopters made by Boeing Co. Other major defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corp, General Electric Co and Raytheon Co would participate in the project if a deal is eventually reached, DSCA said in a statement. (Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
In this article:

May 10 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open 22

points higher at 7,229 on Friday, according to financial bookmakers.

* BARCLAYS, RBS, HSBC: Barclays, HSBC, and Royal Bank of

Scotland are among banks facing fines by EU antitrust regulators in

coming weeks for rigging the multi-trillion dollar foreign exchange market, two

people familiar with the matter said.

* BAE SYSTEMS: Leading British defence firm BAE Systems said it

was working with the government to deliver its contracts with Saudi Arabia after

Germany extended its ban on exporting arms to the country.

* SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell has plans to invest about $2 billion per

year in Brazil through 2025, Chief Executive Ben van Beurden told newspaper

Valor Economico in an exclusive interview.

* OIL: Oil prices pared earlier gains on Friday, following U.S. President

Donald Trump's tariff increase on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods took

effect, escalating the trade dispute between the world's two biggest economies

and oil consumers.

* GOLD: Gold prices edged higher on Friday, drawing support from increased

trade tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff increase on $200

billion worth of Chinese goods took effect, putting the bullion on track for a

weekly gain.

* The UK blue chip index lost 0.9 percent and was set for its steepest

weekly fall since early December on Thursday, as markets remained wary of tariff

hike as trade talks between the United States and China resumed in Washington.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:

* UK CORPORATE DIARY:

Lonmin Half Year Earnings Release

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Q1 Earnings Release

IAG Q1 Earnings Release

BBA Aviation Trading Statement Release

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)
The CEO of one of the largest railroad networks in the U.S. said the tariffs President Donald Trump put on Chinese goods is hurting the U.S. railroad industry as well as farmers and other members of the agricultural economy.

What drives the railroad is people buying stuff, the industrial economy being healthy and trade, said Lance Fritz, CEO, chairman and president of Union Pacific Corporation (UNP), on Yahoo Finance On the Move. Tariffs are going to directly impact trade, and they can indirectly impact the other two as input costs change.

United States hiked tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods at 12:01am ET Friday to 25% from 10%. Talks between the U.S. and China resumed in Washington D.C. but wrapped up by midday. Nonetheless, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called the talks constructive.

While Trump tweeted there was no need to rush to reach a deal, others disagree.

Fritz said U.S. farmers are getting hit hard. If you go back to this time last year, China was in the U.S. market for soybeans and probably bought about 40% of soybean exports, he said. Right now, they are not in the market at all.

Fritz said those soybean farmers have to find other world markets to send their crop. Thats something he believes has had a depressive impact on soybean prices and that has a spill-through impact on the economy, and the agricultural economy.

Union Pacific connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the U.S. by rail. It is considered an important link in the global supply chain connecting the Canadian rail lines with the Gulf of Mexico. Union Pacifics rail network currently covers nearly 32,000 miles.

This week Union Pacific celebrated the 150th anniversary of the first U.S. Transcontinental Railroad.

Joanna Campione is a producer for Yahoo Finance On the Move.
(Bloomberg) -- When Uber Technologies Inc. went public on Thursday, investor Bill Gurley received one of the biggest personal payouts in venture capital history: an amount estimated to be more than $600 million, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. But the path to that payday was neither obvious nor easy, and included the purge of the companys fiery founder and chief executive officer, Travis Kalanick.

Gurleys crusade to oust Kalanick was highly unusual. Venture investors success depends on their ability to convince entrepreneurs to sell them equity in their startup. Crafting a reputation for being founder friendly, and remaining loyal to the original team, has become increasingly important in recent years as money from SoftBank Group Corp.s investment vehicle and other megafunds has flooded the ecosystem and investors jockey to prove theyre good for more than simply writing a check.

As an investor, your hope is to back the founder indefinitely. Replacing founders does happen, but its maybe 5% of the time, said Shawn Carolan, a partner at Menlo Ventures which backed Uber just after Benchmark. Carolan said while other firms, including his, all signed the 2017 letter demanding Kalanick resign, it wouldnt have happened without Gurley.

Bill was the catalyst for getting rid of Kalanick, Carolan said.

Through a spokeswoman, Gurley declined to be interviewed for this article.

A towering Texan at 6 feet, 9 inches, Gurley is a former jock known for his acid wit on Twitter and an easygoing, convivial demeanor in person. After graduating from the University of Florida, he worked as an engineer at Compaq Computer and tried (unsuccessfully) to get a job with then-hot venture firm Austin Ventures. But before rejecting him, the firm's partners also gave him some advice: Go to Wall Street. That lead Gurley to work on Wall Street for a few years as a tech analyst during the early 1990s, building a reputation for blending his technological know-how with financial modeling. He was the first to call Dell Computers comeback. The now-legendary investment banker Frank Quattrone was an early mentor of Gurleys, convincing him to move to Silicon Valley to cover internet companies for his firm in exchange for helping Gurley navigate the regions burgeoning venture scene.From the first time we met, Bill confessed that his long-term interest was in becoming a VC investor, Quattrone wrote in an email. I convinced him his best path to launching that career was by establishing himself as the most credible lead analyst on the best venture-backed internet IPOs. It worked. Gurley landed a job as a VC in 1997, and moved to Benchmark two years later.

Story continues

Benchmark is famous for making early, disciplined bets on startups, and taking an active hand in building companies. The firm has an atypical approach to splitting profits, divvying them up evenly among partners (most venture firms vary titles and compensation levels). Along with the firms history of successful exitsit backed Twitter Inc., Instagram, Snap Inc. and Stitch Fix Inc. among others Benchmark has a track record of fighting with founders.We were always the anti-Benchmark, Andreesen Horowitz partner Ben Horowitz told the New Yorker in 2015. (Horowitz and Gurley have a checkered history: After backing his startup Opsware, Benchmark pushed to replace Horowitz as chief executive.) Added his partner, Marc Andreessen: I cant stand him. If youve seen Seinfeld, Bill Gurley is my Newman.

Some tussles with founders led to lawsuits. Following the dot-com crash, three co-founders of consumer review site Epinions sued Benchmark, Gurley and other investors in 2005 for failing to disclose financial information material to a proposed merger. The suit alleged investors deprived founders and employees of tens of millions. It was ultimately settled, with the judge forcing Benchmark and August Capital to pay co-founders, including AngelLists Naval Ravikant, for the loss. Ravikant declined to comment.Raj Abhyanker, an engineer and lawyer, sued Benchmark in 2011, claiming it stole his idea for a neighborhood social networkmuch like the Benchmark-backed NextDoor. The suit was later dismissed. Abhyanker declined to comment, citing a confidentiality agreement.From the start of their investment in Uber in 2011, Gurley and his partners recruited talent; smoothed relations with regulators in new cities; and helped the team consider new strategies, like incorporating autonomous driving technologies and electric bikes and scooters. Gurley, whose friends described him as having a close relationship with Kalanick, joined Ubers board in 2011 as part of the investment and was a loud champion for the company. Through a spokeswoman, Kalanick declined to be interviewed for this article.He is an extremely powerful ally. He thinks strategically and sees around corners, said Matt Maloney, founder and chief executive of Grubhub Inc., where Gurley served on the board until 2015.

But as years passed, Kalanick told colleagues he had an easy way of dealing with Gurley: Ignore his phone calls, and their frequency would diminish. Gurley seemed not to mind, but didnt give up trying to get on the boards audit committee.

When he finally got his wish, in 2017, he learned about huge losses that Uber had been quietly sustaining. Gurleys worry turned to panic, according to colleagues who spoke to Bloomberg Businessweek in 2018. That spring, he dug in, trying to right the ship.

Uber had made good on the mandate to grow fast, expanding to hundreds of cities around the globe while introducing a range of price options and new services including food delivery and micro-mobility. But it came at a cost. In a bid to accelerate its goal to automate driving, Uber acquired self-driving startup Otto. It was a bold move complicated by the fact that Ottos founder, Anthony Levandowski, had been a leader of Waymo which housed Googles own self-driving efforts. Google successfully sued Uber for knowingly stealing trade secrets, winning a sliver of Uber shares to settle the case.

And also under Kalanicks leadership, a toxic company culture flourished, creating unequal compensation and work conditions, according to former Attorney General Eric Holder who Uber hired in 2017 to investigate claims of sexism and harassment.

It was at Gurleys insistence that Kalanick fired Levandowski. And after hearing Holders report, Gurley supported Kalanick taking a leave of absence. It was Gurley and his partners who orchestrated Kalanicks permanent departure, convincing other venture firms he had to go, and dispatching to Benchmark partners to deliver the news to the founder. The day after Kalanicks forced resignation, Gurley quit Ubers board, handing his seat to Benchmarks Matt Cohler.

Gurley doesnt speak about the dramatic episode publicly, but Quattrone said he was forthcoming during a private gathering of tech executives last fall.He was incredibly candid about his experience there, warts and all, displaying a humility and ability to learn from his mistakes, Quattrone told Bloomberg. In an environment where some leading VCs defer to founders to a fault, he was willing to stand up for the values he believed were right, even if it risked his relationship with founders more broadly."There are other signs that the lessons of Ubers tumultuous past continues to resonate with Gurley. During a September presentation he made to students at his other alma mater, the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, he offered practical advice on landing a dream job. He described dozens of relationships hed had in the industry over the years; notably missing was any mention of Kalanick and Uber. When a student asked what the hardest part of his job was, Gurley let out a prolonged chuckle that lingered. He seemed to be deciding how to answer. Any time youre unsuccessful in getting a founder to be successful, its tough, he said, adding that the transition from startup founder to CEO requires significant work. They dont all make it.

--With assistance from Tom Metcalf.

To contact the author of this story: Lizette Chapman in San Francisco at lchapman19@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Emily Biuso at ebiuso@bloomberg.net, Anne VanderMey

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
FILE PHOTO: The main entrance to a Walmart store is pictured in Sao Paulo, Brazil February 14, 2018. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

By Gabriela Mello

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Walmart Brasil will close down its e-commerce operation in Latin America's biggest retail market to focus on brick and mortar locations, converting underperforming hypermarkets into wholesale stores.

Wholesale has become increasingly popular in Brazil as the country slowly exits from a harsh recession.

"The company is working in a new omnichannel strategy which will be later announced", Walmart Brasil said in a statement on Friday, without giving details. News of the decision was first reported by newspaper Valor Economico.

The move is likely to open room to local and international retailers currently focused on exploring still incipient e-commerce in Brazil.

Walmart's decision caps years of efforts that never really took off. It precedes the long-awaited launch of Amazon's fulfillment center, which will enable it to sell directly to consumers in Brazil.

Part of Walmart's struggles, had to do with tough competition from local players in the e-commerce segment, including B2W, Via Varejo and Magazine Luiza SA.

Walmart launched an e-commerce division in Brazil in 2011, selling directly to consumers. But by 2017, the retailer discontinued direct sales, focusing only on running as a marketplace for third-party sellers, which it had launched in 2015.

Walmart never disclosed how much online sales contributed to its top line in Brazil.

In mid-2018, buyout firm Advent International acquired an 80% stake in the Brazilian operation, unfolding a broad revamp.

By then, the e-commerce division was already in decline.

As part of the decision to exit e-commerce, the company laid off 70 of its 90 employees working for the marketplace platform, with the remaining 20 fully dedicated to manage ongoing orders.

Walmart's decision could be a boom for its competitors.

"Walmart's (e-commerce) operation has been shrinking for a while now, but we are prepared to direct their consumer traffic to Carrefour", Chief Executive Officer of Carrefour eBusiness Brasil, Paula Cardoso, told journalists on Friday in a call to discuss quarterly results.

Story continues

In a separate statement, Walmart Brasil said it plans to convert 10 underperforming hypermarkets into wholesale stores Maxxi Atacado by the end of 2020. The first one was opened on May 9 in the city of Diadema, near Sao Paulo.

Another 10 hypermarkets will be converted into Sam's Club stores, the company said.

(Reporting by Gabriela Mello; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
Mayville Engineering Company (MEC), a U.S.-based manufacturer that provides a broad range of prototyping, production fabrication, coating, assembly, and aftermarket components, debuted its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday.

Our company has grown significantly from roughly 14 years ago, were about 11-times the size that we were. However, because our shareholders are concentrated in Mayville, Wisconsin, we have a little bit of a shareholder baby-boomer repurchase obligation going on, Robert D. Kamphuis, Mayville Engineering Company president and CEO, told Yahoo Finance On the Move.

Founded in 1945, Mayville, which has an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) structure, has been employee-owned for about 35 years. Mayville priced its offering of 6.25 million shares of common stock at $17.00 per share on Thursday.

Weve grown a lot of shareholder value in the past, and intend to do so in the future, but in the future after doing an IPO we wont have that repurchase obligation. We will simply give our retirees the shares and let them decide what they want to do, he said, noting that now is the best time to go public. That frees up cash flow, gives us a constant public marker of the value of our company, and gives our ESOP shareholders more flexibility.

Mayville Engineering Chairman, President & CEO Robert Kamphuis, left, rings a ceremonial bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, as his company's IPO begins trading, Thursday, May 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Kamphuis said the companys ESOP shareholders will greatly benefit from the IPO. They [ESOP shareholders] continue to have their stake in this, the only difference is, now there is a public marker versus an annual valuation process, explained Kamphuis. Theyll see how we compete at a new level in the capital markets, and I think were gonna do very well.

No direct impact from U.S.-China trade dispute

As U.S.-China trade tensions continue to escalate, Kamphuis said he has not seen a significant impact on his business. In fact, the trade dispute and Mayvilles American base gives the company a competitive edge.

Our supply base is all 100% North American, so we dont have tariffs on the cost of our components. Directly we have no impact. Indirectly, our customers do, Kamphuis said, But we also know we have to come to the table and negotiate these things sometimes theres a little pain before the gain.

Kamphuis said regionalization in the markets globally is taking place: Companies are buying locally to support their markets and building their product locally for these markets. I think our company benefits from that and many of our customers do as well.

Taylor Locke is a producer at Yahoo
Most businesses achieve success and function efficiently because of their talented employees. These employees may be the best in the business; however, they can also make mistakes

KANSAS CITY, KS / ACCESSWIRE / May 10, 2019 / Professional Liability insurance, otherwise known as Errors and Omissions Insurance (E&O Insurance), is a sought after insurance coverage by several service providers like medical providers, attorneys, consultants, financial service providers, among many others. Service providing firms like accounting firms are often drawn into difficult court cases for an error or omission on the part of their employees. If the client had to suffer a financial loss because of an error on the part of an employee (error) or an employee failed to perform a particular service (omission) the long drawn legal cases arising could drain both the finances and reputation of the firm. Unfortunately, frivolous cases are common because it costs nothing for a plaintiff attorney to accuse the business. Even with world-class resources, a frivolous case is still a massive distraction to the business.

What is Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance?

Lawyers professional liability insurance is a type of insurance for business owners to protect themselves from claims that may arise by your client for negligence or malpractice.

Lawyers professional liability insurance is written on claims made and reported policy basis. Meaning for there to be coverage claims must be made and reported to your insurance company during the policy period. The policy also provides an attorney to represent you. It'll pay, on your behalf, the cost incurred for your defense, as well as any cost incurred in an indemnification or settlement.

In an interview with Joe Barnard of ProDefender a leading company that underwrites professional liability insurance for attorneys, Joe explains more.

"Let me give you an example. You're a new attorney just out of law school, opened up your own shop. You're in practice, and unknown to you, there's an error in some of your documentation. Three years later, your client finds out that there was an error and they've been damaged. At that point, they're going to file a claim against you. In order for you to have coverage, you're going to need to report that claim to your current insurance carrier, and provided that you've had continuous coverage since the inception date of your first year's policy, that claim will be covered, notwithstanding the fact that it happened during the first year of your practice."

Story continues

Most businesses achieve success and function efficiently because of their talented employees. These employees may be the best in the business; however, they can also make mistakes. It is logical to want to protect your business and its employees with solid professional liability insurance. There are countless stories of providing good work and delivering services as per the engagement letters, and yet businesses are still at risk of being slapped with a costly professional liability claim. A lawsuit can be the result of a myriad of sources; here are a few of them mentioned below:

 Alleged errors,

 Professional negligence,

 Breach of professional duty,

 Misleading or misinterpreted statements, and

 Performance-related claims.

Professional liability insurance will protect you against the legal costs, discovery costs, and damages associated with claims against you or your employees in the course of providing accounting services. As some business owners have already seen, having this type of insurance coverage is strongly recommended for all business owners, especially when there are financial implications.

A specialty insurance broker in such situations is invaluable for a business owner. They have the expertise of both areas of business and hiring one is only to your advantage. Often, shopping for insurance can be laborious and sometimes seem futile because insurance usually requires a broker. A specialty broker does all the legwork on your behalf to find the best Errors and Omissions Insurance (E&O Insurance) while you focus on adding clients and doing what you do best.

What Does Professional Liability Insurance Cover?

If a business is being sued on account of errors committed by the employees, then professional liability insurance typically would cover the compensation payments and legal fees. The component of the compensation payment usually considers the financial loss the client had to bear. This particular insurance policy normally protects the firm against professional negligence, unintentional confidentiality breaches or copyright, and loss of documents or information. It is important to note, this type of insurance policy does not cover any cost of reputational damage as a result of the error or omission on the part of the employees.

Bodily Injury The professional liability insurance can cover third party cover of the cost of the injury sustained, only if the injury is sustained because of negligence on the employees' part to perform his or her professional duties. The insurance policy covers any personal injury, property damage or financial loss, caused by errors or omissions while performing professional duties.

Consequential Loss Consequential losses is a financial loss suffered by the client that indirectly is because of your negligence. However, this should be cross verified with policy documents for any exceptions.

Contractors  Any compensation claim as a result of mistakes made by your contractors (noted in the insurance policy) are also covered in the professional liability insurance.

Defamation - Professional liability insurance generally covers unintentional defamation, but it is best to verify it with the policy document.

Budget Overruns  Any budget overruns caused by employee's negligence are covered by the policy. However, this is a grey area; hence it is recommended to refer to the policy documents.

Media Contact:

Qamar Zaman / KissPR

972.437.8942

SOURCE: KissPR





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/544962/Why-Does-Your-Business-Need-Professional-Liability-Insurance




- Phase 1 Trial of Sleeping Beauty TCR-T cell therapy for patients with solid tumors to begin at NCI in mid-2019 

- Third-generation Sleeping Beauty CD19-specific CAR-T U.S. trial to begin in 2H2019 

- Phase 2 trial of Controlled IL-12 in combination with Regenerons Libtayo for patients with rGBM to open 2Q2019 

- Ziopharm abstracts accepted for presentation at ASCO 2019 

BOSTON, May 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. (Ziopharm or the Company) (ZIOP), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing next generation cell and gene therapies, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019, and provided an update on the Companys recent activities.

We are on track to achieve significant clinical milestones in 2019. All three of our novel immuno-oncology programs are expected to be in the clinic this year, said Laurence Cooper, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of Ziopharm. We are looking forward to treating patients with solid tumors mid-year with the first non-viral, neoantigen-specific TCR-T cell therapy at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Our Controlled IL-12 platform is expected to open a phase 2 combination trial with Regenerons Libtayo this quarter, and we expect to begin a third-generation Sleeping Beauty platform, CD19-specific CAR-T phase 1 trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the second half of 2019.

David Mauney, M.D., President of Ziopharm, added, Our stated focus for the year centers on executional excellence and increasing shareholder value, as we advance our cutting-edge science with each of our programs in the clinic this year. We are pleased to report significant progress with each of these articulated goals and look forward to continuing these efforts throughout the remainder of 2019.

Program Updates



Sleeping Beauty TCR-T Therapies

The Company is using its non-viral gene transfer technology to implement personalized T-cell therapy targeting solid tumors with T-cell receptors, or TCRs. Under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), which was recently extended through January of 2022, the NCI plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial to treat patients with a variety of metastatic/advanced solid tumors using our Sleeping Beauty platform to genetically modify patient-derived T cells to target patient-specific neoantigens.

Story continues

Phase 1 trial for TCR-T cell therapy expected to begin in mid-2019: This trial is scheduled to begin treating patients in mid-2019 under the direction of Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the Surgery Branch at the NCI.

Sleeping Beauty CAR-T Therapies

Ziopharm is advancing the Sleeping Beauty platform for the rapid personalized manufacture (RPM) of CAR-T cells, co-expressing membrane-bound interleukin-15, or mbIL15, with a safety switch, enabling T cells to be infused within two days after genetic modification. This work on our third-generation Sleeping Beauty technology is undertaken in collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center in the United States and will be accomplished in Greater China through a joint venture, Eden BioCell.

Third-generation phase 1 trial for rapid personalized manufacture of Sleeping Beauty CD19-specific CAR-T with mbIL15 expected to begin 2H2019: The Company reaffirms guidance on beginning this trial and treating patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the second half of this year. Ziopharm announced in June 2018 that the FDA placed this investigator-led IND on clinical hold and requested additional information demonstrating that the product meet a minimum threshold for overall cell viability. The Company, in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center, has made significant progress toward achieving this threshold in manufacturing through improved engineering and cell processing, and expects to be in the clinic at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the second half of this year.





Eden BioCell to advance third-generation Sleeping Beauty CD19-specific CAR-T for Greater China: Announced at the end of December 2018, Ziopharm is forming Eden BioCell, a joint venture with partner TriArm Therapeutics, to develop and commercialize Sleeping Beauty-generated CD19-specific CAR-T in Greater China. With staffing and planning already under way, Ziopharm looks forward to providing some initial detail on clinical development plans for Eden BioCell later in the year.

Controlled IL-12



Ziopharm is developing its Controlled IL-12 platform, or Ad-RTS-hIL-12 plus veledimex, as a drug to control the production of human interleukin 12 (hIL-12) which activates the immune system to recruit cancer-fighting T cells into solid tumors. In the setting for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM), Ziopharm is advancing Ad-RTS-hIL-12 plus veledimex as a monotherapy and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Ziopharm abstracts accepted for the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting: Titles of accepted abstracts have been released by the American Society of Clinical Oncology for the upcoming Annual Meeting in Chicago (May 31-June 4, 2019):



- Evaluation of Controlled IL-12 as Monotherapy in Subjects with Recurrent GBM. Poster #242, Abstract 2053 in Hall A. (June 2, 2019 8:00 to 11:00 am)



- Evaluation of Controlled IL-12 in Combination with PD-1 Inhibitor in Subjects with Recurrent GBM. Poster #209, Abstract 2020 in Hall A (June 2, 2019 8:00 to 11:00 am). Oral Presentation June 2, 2019 4:30 to 6:00 pm in S404.





FDA grants Fast Track status to Controlled IL-12 program: Ziopharm announced last month that FDA granted Fast Track designation for our Controlled IL-12 program for the treatment of rGBM in adults. The Fast Track program is designed to facilitate the expedited development and review of drugs that are intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs.





Enrollment completed in phase 1 monotherapy expansion substudy: Ziopharm announced in February that it rapidly completed enrollment and treated a total of 36 patients in less than six months in a substudy to expand a phase 1 trial evaluating its Controlled IL-12 platform as a monotherapy for the treatment of rGBM. The trial was over-enrolled by 11 patients, which the Company attributes to enthusiasm stemming from encouraging survival and tumor biopsy data. Additional data from the monotherapy studies will be presented through a poster at ASCO 2019.





Third cohort has begun in combination substudy with OPDIVO  (nivolumab): Ziopharm announced in March that it had completed two dosing cohorts in its phase 1 substudy of adult patients with rGBM to evaluate a single dose of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 plus daily veledimex in combination with OPDIVO, an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1). The Company has begun the third cohort for this study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of this combination regimen, establish optimal dosing of veledimex and OPDIVO, and measure overall patient survival. The Company expects to complete enrollment in the second quarter of 2019. Preliminary data from this trial will be shared at ASCO next month in an oral presentation.





Phase 2 combination trial with Regenerons Libtayo (cemiplimab-rwlc) expected to open 2Q2019: The Company, in collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, expects to open a phase 2 trial to evaluate Ad-RTS-hIL-12 plus veledimex in combination with Regenerons PD-1 antibody Libtayo to treat patients with rGBM. The Company expects to enroll approximately 30 patients in this trial.

First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Net loss applicable to the common shareholders for the first quarter of 2019 was $13.4 million, or $(0.08) per share, compared to a net loss of $21.1 million, or $(0.15) per share, for the first quarter of 2018. The decreased net loss to common shareholders resulted primarily from the elimination of approximately $5.1 million of dividends to preferred shareholders caused by the forfeiture and return of all of the Companys Series 1 preferred stock in October 2018, along with the changes in research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses noted below.



Research and development expenses were $9.5 million for the first quarter of 2019, compared to $10.2 million for the first quarter of 2018. The decrease in research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 is primarily due to decreased clinical costs related to our cell therapy programs.



General and administrative expenses were $4.1 million for the first quarter of 2019, compared to $6.2 million for the first quarter of 2018. The decrease in general and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 is primarily due to decreased stock compensation and other employee-related costs.



The Company ended the quarter with unrestricted cash resources of approximately $51.5 million.



In addition, a prepayment of approximately $26.4 million remains for programs to be conducted by the Company at MD Anderson Cancer Center under the current Research and Development Agreement.



The Company believes its current resources will be sufficient to fund its planned operations into the second quarter of 2020.





ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. Statements of Operations (in thousands except share and per share data) (unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, (unaudited) 2019 2018 Collaboration revenue $ - $ 146 Operating expenses: Research and development 9,476 10,183 General and administrative 4,145 6,159 Total operating expenses 13,621 16,342 Loss from operations (13,621 ) (16,196 ) Other income (expense), net 187 148 Change in fair value of derivative liabilities - 28 Net loss (13,434 ) (16,020 ) Preferred stock dividends - (5,120 ) Net Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders $ (13,434 ) $ (21,140 ) Basic and diluted net loss per share $ (0.08 ) $ (0.15 ) Weighted average common shares outstanding used to compute basic and diluted net loss per share 160,640,859 140,853,120

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. Balance Sheet Data (in thousands) (unaudited) March 31, December 31, 2019 2018 Cash and cash equivalents 51,487 61,729 Working capital 65,754 74,802 Total assets 83,503 95,051 Total stockholders' equity (deficit) 74,216 85,564





Conference Call Webcast

The call can be accessed by dialing 1-844-309-0618 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-661-378-9465 (international). The passcode for the conference call is 9185154. To access the live webcast or the subsequent archived recording, visit the "Investors" section of the Ziopharm website at www.ziopharm.com. The webcast will be recorded and available for replay on the Company's website for two weeks.

About Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.

Ziopharm Oncology is an immuno-oncology company focused on developing end-to-end cost-effective solutions using its non-viral Sleeping Beauty platform for TCR and CAR T-cell therapies and immune-stimulating gene therapy with Controlled interleukin 12 (IL-12). The Sleeping Beauty platform genetically modifies T cells with DNA plasmids to express T-cell receptors (TCRs) to target specific antigens in solid tumors and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to target CD19 in blood cancers with the Companys 3rd generation T-cell manufacturing process, rapid personalized manufacture (RPM). The Sleeping Beauty platform is being advanced in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Eden BioCell. The Company also is developing its Controlled IL-12 platform, or Ad-RTS-hIL-12 plus veledimex, as monotherapy and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat brain cancer, including in collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, and in some cases can be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "could," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," and "believes." These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's business and strategic plans, the availability of cash resources, and the progress and timing of the Company's research and development programs, including the anticipated dates for the initiation, completion and readouts of its clinical trials. Although Ziopharms management team believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Ziopharm, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, changes in our operating plans that may impact our cash expenditures, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including whether any of Ziopharms product candidates will advance further in the preclinical research or clinical trial process, including receiving clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies to conduct clinical trials and whether and when, if at all, they will receive final approval from the U.S. FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies and for which indication; the strength and enforceability of Ziopharms intellectual property rights; competition from other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as risk factors discussed or identified in the public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made by Ziopharm, including those risks and uncertainties listed in Ziopharms Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by Ziopharm with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We are providing this information as of the date of this press release, and Ziopharm does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason.
(Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said his company would work with governments to determine what content is acceptable on social-media networks.

Zuckerberg made the comment in an interview on France2 television after meeting with President Emmanuel Macron on Friday and following the release of a French government report that said new regulation should be applied to large social-media companies.

Democracy works and thats why we want to work with the Macron government, Zuckerberg said in a French translation of the interview. Were responsible for making sure that hate speech isnt on our products and services, but what seems important is that there needs to be a public process to determine what is unacceptable, what mustnt be on these networks, and were going to work with governments to do it.

Facebook and other social media companies are confronting a crescendo of criticism in Europe and the U.S. over how they handle personal data, hate speech, and their vulnerability to manipulation. The rising outrage prompted Zuckerberg in March to call for government regulation of four broad areas -- harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability.

The French government report, which will serve as a basis for redefining how France deals with hate speech, said new rules should make social networks accountable for protecting the integrity their members, protecting users from abuse by other members and third-party attempts to manipulate the platform.

Zuckerberg filed another post after his meeting with Macron. We both believe governments should take a more active role around important issues like balancing expression and safety, privacy and data portability, and preventing election interference, he wrote. There are nuanced decisions to make here, such as how we should handle content that isnt illegal but might cause harm.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alan Katz in Paris at akatz5@bloomberg.net

Story continues

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alan Katz at akatz5@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Robin Ajello

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
The Legislature advanced a bill Thursday that would protect pregnant prisoners from being restrained, to protect their health and the safety of the fetus they are carrying.

The bill (LB690), introduced by Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, would prohibit the shackling of women in prison who are pregnant, especially during labor and delivery.

In December, President Donald Trump signed into law a ban on shackling of pregnant women in federal prisons.

According to the bill in the Legislature, shackling or restraining a woman in this circumstance is unnecessary and dangerous to her health and well-being, and creates an unnecessary risk to the baby during birth.

Leg and wrist restraints increase the likelihood that a pregnant woman could trip and would compromise her ability to brace herself against a fall, Cavanaugh said, risking miscarriage and injury. Belly or waist restraints can bruise a woman's abdomen and cause a risk to fetal health.

The stress of shackles can also cause mental distress and health risks.

After giving birth, restraints can cause a higher risk of blood clots, which can lead to stroke or heart attack.

The majority of women are not violent offenders, Cavanaugh said. There's no report of a pregnant, unshackled woman attempting to escape during labor or delivery, she said.

"This bill at least allows some shred of dignity for a woman who's about to give birth to a child," Cavanaugh said. "And I think we as a state, and we as a body, owe that to all women, all mothers."

A study of 22 state and federal prisons by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers showed that over a 12-month period in 2016-17, about 1,400 already pregnant women were admitted. These prisons house 57 percent of imprisoned women in the United States.

Cavanaugh said there has been no documentation that shackles were used on pregnant women in Nebraska prisons. But it is not only possible but likely that it is happening in Nebraska, she said.

By June 1, 2020, and annually after that, administrators must submit a report to the Nebraska Inspector General for Corrections describing any restraint use on a pregnant prisoner in the preceding calendar year.

Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers said people have an innate dignity that even their own conduct cannot obliterate.

"They may have lost their way, but that spark always remains," he said. "Once a human, always a human. But sometimes inhumane."

The possibility of this happening to pregnant prisoners is enough for the Legislature to make sure that it is not left to the good intentions of people to not do these things, Chambers said.

"We have to guard against it," he said.

Some senators said they had some concerns about a section of the bill that would allow a prison administrator to make an individualized determination that there are extraordinary circumstances that would call for shackles or restraints.

The bill advanced on a 43-0 vote.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSLegislature.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ICYMI: Here are our top stories from Friday, May 10

Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (May 10, 2019).
Tammy Real-McKeighan has been on vacation this week. This is a previously published column.

Have you had some rough times?

Has life knocked the wind out of you?

Then please take comfort from the story of a Bible hero who literally was knocked down.

His name is Paul and we read about him in the book of Acts.

In chapter 14, we learn that the apostle is preaching in a place called Lystra when religious leaders from other cities come and turn the people against him. He is stoned, dragged out of the city and left for dead.

Yet when the disciples gather around Paul, he gets up and goes back into the city.

In a devotional, pastor and author Bob Gass* gives us a picture of Pauls fortitude.

Imagine Satan standing over Paul like a referee standing over a fighter whos on the mat, Gass writes. On the count of nine, Paul gets up and says, I may be down, but Im not out!

Gass describes Paul as a defiant optimist, a self-encourager who knew how to lift himself and those around him.

The pastor points out Pauls words in a letter to the Corinthians to whom he wrote: We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Cor. 4:8-9)

Gass also writes of the late English leader, Winston Churchill, who during World War II told the French that, if necessary, Britain would fight on alone. The French generals sent him a telegram saying, In three weeks, England will have her neck rung like a chicken.

Churchill then took to the airwaves and announced, We shall never, never surrender!

After the war, Churchill addressed the Canadian parliament. Wearing his hallmark bulldog expression and waving the telegram, he announced, Huh! Some chicken, and some neck!

Gass adds these words: Get back up. God is on your side.

I find great encouragement in such writing and in another Bible story which involves a man named David. We know him as the young shepherd who killed the mighty giant Goliath and later became king of Israel.

But in between the giant and the throne were days of struggle and hardship. Jealous King Saul wanted to kill David and there were other enemies as well.

At one point, David and his men go off to do battle, leaving their wives and children behind in a place called Ziklag.

The Amalekites then attack and burn Ziklag and capture the women and children. David and his men return, find Ziklag destroyed  and cry until they dont have any strength left.

And centuries before Paul was ever stoned by an angry mob, Davids own men begin talking about stoning him.

So does David give up or hide?

Nope. He does something that I just love. In 1 Samuel 30:6 we read that David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

I dont know if David did that by singing or praying or thinking about Gods word, but whatever he did  it worked.

Then he asks God what to do next. And the Lord lets David know that he will succeed in a rescue plan. So David and his men set out. They find the Amalekites camp, fight them from dusk until evening and recover everyone and everything that was taken.

Herein lies another lesson. When were down and out, we should not only get up, but we must continue the fight.

We need to fight against despair, discouragement and fear  asking God to help us.

And we serve a mighty and all-powerful God.

As the prophet Isaiah wrote: Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save. (Isaiah 59:1)

And its with that arm that he can help us get up.

We can get up like David, who went on to serve the Lord and his people. We can get up like Paul, who went on to preach and teach in other cities and who wrote much of what we know as the New Testament.

Did Paul have more hard times?

Are you kidding? He and a fellow believer named, Silas, were beaten and thrown in prison  where they sang and God sent an earthquake that opened the prison doors. Paul later was caught in a storm at sea and shipwrecked on the island of Malta. There he was bitten by a poisonous snake  but didnt die  and went on to pray for sick islanders who were healed.

Throughout his life, Paul not only encouraged himself, but others. And in the end, he could tell his beloved mentee Timothy: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day  and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

Please notice that Paul was looking toward a reward and so can we as believers in Christ.

Until then, we must follow Pauls example: Dont give up, get up. Keep serving. Keep trusting. Keep fighting.

And keep loving Jesus, our Savior, who really did get up  when he rose from the grave.

* From Bob Gass Ministries. For more information, contact: www.bobgass.com or 1-800-964-9846.

Tammy Real-McKeighan is news editor of the Fremont Tribune. She may be reached at 402-721-5000, Ext. 1433 or tammy.mckeighan@lee.net.

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.
The Fremont Police Department is once again warning Fremont residents of a scam that has been recurring over the last several months.

The scam tricks unsuspecting individuals into believing that theyve won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes. The Fremont Police Department posted a warning to residents on its Facebook page on Thursday.

The most recent victim of the scam was reported on Wednesday, according to Fremont Police Lieutenant Ed Watts. That individual lost $100.

We just keep seeing it pop up now and then, Watts said. It comes in cycles. Well get a couple and then we wont hear anything for a while. Then well get a couple. So I dont know if this is the beginning of another cycle or not.

The Fremont area has seen three variations of the scam, Watts said.

In one variation, an individual receives word from an organization purporting to be Publishers Clearing House that theyve won a new car  all they have to do is send a fee to help pay for the delivery of the car.

In another variation, an organization purporting to be Publishers Clearing House mails a check as a partial prize, claiming that if the victim cashes the check and sends back a portion of the money, they will be able to claim the full prize.

And in the last variation, a person is told that theyve won a cash prize, but in order to claim it, they have to pay a fee. They are often instructed to pay the fee by purchasing a gift card and then submitting the information on the gift card so the scammer can claim the money.

That seems to be from even things Ive looked at online, the three most common that are going around right now, Watts said.

Watts said that residents should be wary about anyone reaching out claiming to be Publishers Clearing House  the organization never notifies winners in advance. Its famous Prize Patrol shows up at the door of the winner with balloons and a celebratory check as a surprise.

Additionally, no Publishers Clearing House prize will ever require the winner to pay a fee for any kind of prize.

If you get any kind of phone call, mail, email anything from Publishers Clearing House stating that you won a prize and you have to pay any amount of money to claim it, its a scam, Watts said.

Watts said that while the scam has continued to be reported, he believes that people are starting to become aware of the farce.

Were getting calls from people who did not fall victim to the scam but wanted to report it, just so were aware of it.

Generally speaking, the police department has not seen an uptick in scams recently  its just noticing that they continue to occur in cycles. Watts encourages people who are unsure of whether they are being scammed to contact the police department and ask before committing to anything. The police department will likely be unable to track your money down if you follow through with the scam.

I hate to sound cliche, but if it sounds too good to be true it probably is, Watts said. Do not give your personal information out. Again if theyre asking you to send money for any reason, its probably a scam, hang up.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
Food Bank for the Heartland is partnering with Faith Foods Pantry to host a free mobile food pantry from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 27052 County Road 12, Hooper.

Approximately 17,000 to 20,000 pounds of food will be available for distribution and will include peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, chicken slow-cooker meals, and canned water along with fresh apples, green beans, onions and oranges and assorted bakery items. Disaster pantry packs will also be offered. They are 15-pound prepacked boxes filled with various nonperishable items.

Those attending the mobile pantry are asked to bring boxes or bags to assist in carrying the food they receive. Volunteers will be available to help recipients. No identification is required to obtain food.

Food Bank for the Heartlands Mobile Pantry program delivers food directly to communities that have a high need but limited food resources. In FY 2018, nearly 400 mobile pantries were held across the food banks 93-county service area helping approximately 47,400 food-insecure households.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
As emergency managers prepare for hurricane and wildfire seasons, they say growing development and higher population in vulnerable areas will likely amplify the damage and devastation.

Meteorologists expect more than a dozen named storms in the Atlantic this year, slightly above average. In California, a burst of vegetation from rains could serve as fuel in the dry summer months and heighten the wildfire danger in some areas, forecasters say. Meanwhile, flooding on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers held true to a March forecast, as area communities experience record floods and prolonged inundations amid the wettest 12 months in the Upper Midwest and Ohio Valley in 124 years.

We know that development and population have increased in areas that are oftentimes most likely to feel the impact of severe weather, said Michael Sprayberry, director of North Carolina Emergency Management and the former president of the National Emergency Management Association.

It is a combination that has been years in the making. The number of people living in coastal counties along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico increased to about 60 million in 2016, from nearly 52 million in 2000, according to population data from the U.S. census. Researchers say the expansion of housing development into heavily wooded areas outside cities increases the likelihood of wildfires.

A study published by the National Academy of Sciences last year shows the number of houses located in urban-wildland interfaces across the U.S. increased by 12.7 million, or 41%, between 1990 and 2010, the most recent data available. The number of people grew by 25 million in the same time frame.

Wildfire problems will not abate if recent housing growth trends continue, the researchers said.

A review of federal disaster declarations shows that since about 2000, fires have accounted for the largest portion of declarations issued each year.

The past three years, which saw some monster storms and huge fires, rank among the most active for high-cost disasters in the U.S.  partly because of where they hit and not just how hard.

Those disasters caused $457 billion in damage, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. They include flooding in much of Houston, storms ravaging Puerto Rico and wiping out communities like Mexico Beach in Floridas Panhandle and a devastating wildfire in Paradise in Californias Sierra Nevada foothills.

The National Interagency Fire Center, which supports wildland firefighting efforts across the U.S., says large swaths of California are expected to be at heightened risk this year as temperatures heat up and dry out the healthy crop of grasses and other vegetation that grow following a wet winter and spring.

That will be most problematic in areas where cities and towns edge into forests and other uncultivated land, said Bryan Henry, a meteorologist at the center. Nearly 85% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans.

The communities that continue to build out into these areas, theyre building out into areas that could be more dangerous, Henry said. Thats where our primary concern is as we head into the main fire season.

Greg Dillon, a spatial fire analyst with the U.S. Forest Services Rocky Mountain Research Station who assesses the wildfire hazard potential of public forest lands, said he has fielded many calls from insurance companies and others worried about wildfires igniting near homes.

He and a team are working on a way to better map the potential hazard posed by wildfires to cities and towns nationwide.

What are the communities that are most exposed to wildfires? he said. We know development is going to happen. We know people are going to build. Lets map out where wildfires have to be a consideration.

Meanwhile, AccuWeather forecasters are predicting 12 to 14 named storms in 2019, while forecasters at Colorado State Universitys tropical meteorology project are predicting 13 named storms.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Climate Prediction Center has yet to put out its 2019 forecast. The typical Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June through November, produces 12 named storms. Of those, six generally become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes with wind speeds greater than 110 miles per hour.

Because meteorologists cant predict the path of a hurricane before it forms, they say anyone living in a hurricane zone needs to be on guard and prepared.

In some ways, the risk continues to increase, because you just have more and more people moving to hurricane-prone areas, said Michael Brennan, branch chief of the National Hurricane Centers hurricane-specialist unit. That, he added, means more people who need to be evacuated ahead of a stormsomething that can challenge emergency-response officials, especially if traffic clogs roads.

The Midwest is in the midst of a flood season that left several states inundated. Ed Clark, director of the National Water Center, said the March forecast called for the most widespread flooding he has seen during the last decade.

It challenges our forecast capability, it challenges communities in terms of what theyre used to seeing, he said. Theyre more impactful just by virtue of our growth in population.
WASHINGTON  Two Colorado Democratic members of Congress sought answers Thursday on how to make their state more resilient to wildfires.

At a hearing of the House Natural Resources subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands, member U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, expressed concern that wildfires will continue to damage forests in mountain areas where streams provide water to nearby communities. The U.S. Forest Service estimates 60 million Americans get their drinking water from mountain watersheds daily.

In DeGettes home district, Denver is a very large urban center, but we get all of our water from the mountains, she said during a hearing of the House Natural Resources subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands. Weve had situations with some of these devastating wildfires where the watershed has been compromised.

She mentioned the examples of the 1996 Buffalo Creek fire near Pine that burned 11,875 acres in the Pike National Forest and the 2002 Hayman fire that started northwest of Colorado Springs and burned 138,114 acres. The Hayman fire, which was caused by arson and burned for more than a month, still is classified as the worst in Colorado history.

The intensity and the amount of mountain forest area that burned damaged watersheds, thereby diminishing the amount of water available to surrounding communities.

The damage that was caused to the Denver water collection system was over $27 million in restoration and repair, DeGette said.

DeGette asked expert witnesses whether a program in Colorado that started after the Hayman fire to protect watersheds could be expanded to other areas at risk of wildfires.

The program joined efforts of the Denver Water Department and the U.S. Forest Service. Part of it used the Forest Services Forests to Faucets system of collecting geographic data from satellites and other sources to identify watersheds at risk of wildfire damage.

Typically, workers are assigned to remove dead wood, pine needles and underbrush from the watershed areas to reduce the chances they could fuel flames.

Other parts of the Colorado program sought to educate landowners about lawn treatments that reduce the risk of catching fire, removing bushes close to homes that could spread flames to the structures, and using flame retardant building materials.

Part of the effort was focused in Summit County, near Breckenridge.

There was quite a turnaround there, said Ray Rasker, director of the Bozeman, Montana-based Headwaters Economics, a, nonprofit research group that seeks to improve community development and land management.

After the program was implemented, a fire that started in Summit County in June was quickly contained by firefighters. No homes were destroyed and the watershed was protected.

However, Rasker acknowledged that many communities can protect only key assets rather than prevent what many residents of Western states consider unavoidable.

For a lot of communities, they realize the fires are coming regardless of what we do, Rasker said.

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, whose northern Colorado 2nd congressional district includes Summit County, said the damage from wildfires is worsening.

They also are increasing in intensity and in cost, he said.

Last year, Colorado spent about $40 million, while the U.S. Forest Service spent $120 million in the state fighting wildfires, he said. Some counties in his district have hired their own personnel to monitor campfires and educate the public about fire dangers, which he said should be a job of the U.S. Forest Service.

Do you think that right now the Forest Service is doing enough to make sure communities are educated, informed and prepared? he asked.

Patti Hirami, an acting deputy chief of the Forest Service, did not acknowledge a failure by the federal government to prevent wildfires, only that prevention programs require an organized effort.

It takes a number of people and different programs and different venues to help not only homeowners, but landowners and everyone involved in this very difficult situation to be able to come together for some solution, she said.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management released a report April 26 that forecast a below-average risk of wildfires in Colorado from May through July, partly because the states snowpack was about 30 percent higher than average this year.

Temperatures are predicted to be lower than average, while precipitation is expected to be higher throughout the summer.
A heated debate takes place every year around Christmas time. Its not about which relatives house you should visit for the holidays, its a topic with greater importance. Its a question everyone wants to know the answer to but cant seem to agree on. Is the 1988 film Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis, a Christmas movie?

You voted:
Every city boasts a high school that inspires fear among those who have never walked its halls.

Trust me on this one. Im a graduate of Denver South High, and my survival each weekday shocked friends from far-flung suburbs. These overly pampered types believed all South students to be beastly criminals. Ever brawling. Never studying.

Four years ago, Trinity Lewis heard such attacks directed at Mitchell High. She was an eighth-grader at North Middle, and she was choosing Mitchell or Palmer. Everyone, including a vocal North teacher, voted for Palmer.

- See full graduation coverage and photo galleries from this year's ceremonies.

This fact cast the deciding vote: She could ride the school bus to Mitchell.

I was actually scared to come here, Lewis says.

She laughs, and its a laugh I know well. Its the laugh of scary city school student who understands the fear is a phony vapor. She sits in Mitchells impressively spotless, quiet library and talks of a four-year adventure.

The adventure ends at graduation May 21, when the once-reluctant Mitchell student will sing a solo rendition of the national anthem and later walk across the stage at Broadmoor World Arena as Mitchells valedictorian.

As she heads toward her final days, she remembers her first days at Mitchell.

Immediately, I was so surprised about the way the school is, she says. It has this awful, awful reputation that you cant stop hearing about, but then you get here and its one of the most positive places Ive ever been.

The teachers are fantastic. The students are a family. Its such a fantastic learning environment. I came here and it was immediate acceptance. Ive made friends. Ive been involved in a lot. I feel really at home here.

Her sophomore year, the family moved to the Widefield/Security area, and her parents offered a choice. She could enroll at a school near home, or she could drive 30 minutes to Mitchell.

She didnt hesitate. She had found her ideal high school, and she wasnt leaving.

Of course, shes studied diligently the past four years, but she declines to weep over a B. (Three Bs at Mitchell have invaded her legion of As.)

Natalie Real serves as a counselor for Mitchells Class of 2019. She marvels at Trinitys determination and maturity.

Shes consistently not competing with other people, Real says. Shes competing with herself. And that has allowed her to move forward and reach higher and achieve more than when youre competing with the next guy.

It also allows her to relax. Trinity is, as she sits in the library, fresh off her final in Advanced Placement calculus.

It might have gone OK, she says in a flat voice. It might have gone bad. I might get an A. I might get B. Its out of your hands sometimes, and you have to accept that. Sometimes your best is the only thing you can do. Youre not always going to be the best at everything, and Im trying to accept that.

Dont worry. Shes found time for abundant fun, too. Shes deeply involved in Mitchells theater program, and she adores acting, which allows her to escape self and transform to someone else for a few hours. She will soon enroll in the University of Northern Colorados theater department.

At Mitchell, she played Helen in a rethinking of the bloody horror movie classic Night of the Living Dead. She ended the play as a zombie turned into a zombie by a zombie daughter.

She played Miss Sandra in All Shook Up, a play based on 1950s Elvis Presley mania. I was so excited, she says. I got to play a powerhouse of a female. She was crazy confident and sexy.

And, this school year, she played Sophie in Mama Mia, a young woman searching, singing all the way, for her father.

The ride is almost done, and Trinity knows it. Mitchell has been home for four years. Shes about to embark on a life filled with new homes.

I like to think of high school as your favorite pair of jeans, you know, she says. You love them. They make you look great. They make you feel great. Youre confident in them, but youve outgrown them and youve got to get new jeans. Thats kind of how Ive been thinking about it.

She takes a long look around the library. She only has a few looks left.

I do, she says softly, love this place.
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.
DENVER Gov. Jared Polis says he has received support from President Donald Trump for a state plan to lower prescription costs by importing drugs from Canada.

The Colorado Sun reports that Polis spoke with Trump by phone Wednesday and received the president's backing for a drug importation bill.

Trump's support may remove uncertainty about a plan state lawmakers hope can cut prices by as much as 50% for certain drugs in the program, which will ultimately require federal approval.

The state continues to put together details including a list of eligible drugs.

A Democratic lawmaker who sponsored the bill says gaining Trump's backing is "half the battle."

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has criticized the idea that importing drugs from Canada can lower prices in America.
Five senior cadets at the Air Force Academy think they have solved two universal problems of college students with one innovative mobile application and platform.

Their performance at a recent entrepreneurial competition in Minneapolis confirms the invention, U-Wash  which connects students who want to earn a little extra money to students who want to save a little extra time by not washing their clothes  is on a roll.

Personally, I hate doing laundry, so thats my motivation behind U-Wash, said Jack Smith from Richfield, Ohio, one of five founding members of the company and its chief operating officer.

Joe Johnson of Waterford, Calif., company communications officer, is on the flip side: He doesnt like sitting around doing nothing at school.

Making money on the side is huge for us (college students), he said, adding he thinks its great to be able to get passive income by doing things other people dont want to do.

The idea, conceived by Chief Executive Officer Ryan McKenna of Deptford Township, N.J., qualified as one of 25 finalists from a nationwide pool of 100 applicants in the Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge, one of the nations largest undergraduate competitions.

The team advanced to the all-expenses-paid final round in Minneapolis in mid-April. The three-day festival at the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship was funded by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and awarded $250,000.

After a 15-minute spiel to judges, in a format similar to the television show Shark Tank, U-Wash placed fifth. That won team members $10,000.

We were ecstatic, McKenna said. We were up against companies that were 2 to 8 years old, and we were 3 months old.

Demerits came because we havent made a dollar yet, he added.

The U-Wash launch is on the horizon at colleges across Colorado. Team members will use the $10,000 prize to finish the peer-to-peer application development, McKenna said, and purchase its first smart locker for transactions on campuses.

Think Uber or Airbnb for the everyday chore of doing laundry.

Students needing laundry services and students willing to wash clothes connect on the U-Wash app. Initial pricing is $10 per load, and $12 for premium detergent and fabric softener. After placing an order, students put their dirty laundry in a secure smart locker unit situated in their dormitory, and the laundry-doer picks up the load, washes and dries it, and returns the clothes to the locker folded and looking like new.

Our vision is to help students with happier lives and put money in their pockets, said corporate marketing manager Sean McGinty, from St. Louis.

College students spend an average of 2.5 hours per week doing laundry, market research revealed. The team polled more than 1,000 students from 12 colleges and universities.

We determined the problem exists, as 75 percent of respondents said they are strained for time and would use that additional time productively, McGinty said. That validated our business model would work.

Forty-three percent of respondents said theyd spend $10 or more to have the service, and 72 percent said they would want to become operators.

The goal is to have one smart locker system per dorm, McKenna said.

The long-term vision is to expand to apartment complexes in inner cities and on military bases, McGinty said.

Its a really profitable market, said Chief Finance Officer Caleb Stuffle of San Diego. Were looking at expanding to simple chores, such as students changing oil for other students.

Product development for the five cadets, all management majors at the academy, came through a capstone class assignment.

The team started in January and worked day and night, putting as much work into it as possible, McKenna said.

Although theyll scatter after their May 30 graduation, some going to flight school, others to overseas assignments, they say they will continue working rolling out the product.

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.
ALBUQUERQUE  New Mexicos top prosecutor is demanding that the Air Force close a publicly accessible lake at Holloman Air Force Base, saying Thursday that the concentration of hazardous chemicals at the site poses a risk to public health and the environment.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Attorney General Hector Balderas told Air Force officials that sampling shows the contamination  linked to chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS  are dozens of times higher than federal health advisory levels.

In the case of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, the samples showed 84 times more than the advisory levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

These sampling results exacerbate the states concern for its citizens and the environment, Balderas wrote, noting that the presence of the chemicals poses an ongoing severe threat to members of the public.

Fed by treated wastewater from the base, the lake already is off limits to swimming. State health officials on Thursday again warned that people should not swim in or drink from the lake. If people come in contact with the water or foam near the shoreline, they should rinse off.

Health officials warned pet owners to avoid letting animals drink or come into contact with the water or foam.

New Mexico is preparing to sue the Air Force over groundwater contamination at two bases, arguing that the federal government has a responsibility to clean up plumes of toxic chemicals left behind by past military firefighting activities.

Similar contamination has been found at dozens of military sites across the nation, including at Peterson Air Force Base. That contamination has affected the Widefield aquifer and residents in southern El Paso County.

Growing evidence that exposure can be dangerous has prompted the EPA to consider setting a maximum level for the chemicals in drinking water nationwide. As of now, only nonenforceable drinking water health advisories are in place.

New Mexico environmental regulators first issued a notice of violation to the Air Force in 2018 for failing to properly address the contamination at Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis. They followed this year on Holloman, saying that base had violated its state permit and had yet to respond to concerns about the pollution near Alamogordo.

Balderas set a deadline of May 16 for the Air Force to respond to his latest request.

The Air Force has repeatedly declined to comment on the states pending litigation but argues that its response to PFAS contamination in New Mexico and elsewhere has been aggressive.

The military has provided alternate water sources for those in areas where Air Force activity likely contributed to contamination. Officials also have said theyve been working with regulators to identify and implement long-term solutions to prevent exposure.

According to a report from independent federal investigators, the military as of 2017 had spent about $200 million on environmental investigations and other responses related to chemicals at 263 installations around the country. The U.S. Department of Defense has said it could take years to determine a total price tag for PFAS contamination at military sites.

The attorney generals office also is asking that the Air Force make publicly available all information it has related to the risk of PFAS exposure at and around the Holloman and Cannon bases.

Balderas wrote that his requests wont diminish the contamination emanating from the bases, but it will help protect citizens from one pathway of exposure.
Two men are expected to be charged with murder after being arrested in the assault of a man who died after being found unconscious in a kiddie pool outside a Manitou Springs apartment Thursday, police said.

Freddie Joseph Crespo, 33, and John Robert Swinehart, 25, were arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder before the victim died of his injuries. The victim's name has not been released.

Manitou Police Chief Joe Ribeiro said in a news release that the department was working with the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office to upgrade the charges against both men.

If the death is ruled a homicide, it would be the first in Manitou Springs since July 2013, when 56-year-old Jacqueline Knudson died in a domestic violence killing.

Manitou Springs police received a report of an assault around 12:30 a.m. at an apartment at 601 Manitou Ave., where officers found the injured man in the pool.

He was taken to an area hospital, where he died about 3 p.m.

Crespo and Swinehart, who are being held at the El Paso County jail, also face one count each of first-degree assault.
From the tallest dunes in North America at the peak of a cloudless night, visitors to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve find themselves under the unabated brilliance of the moon, shooting stars and the Milky Way.

Now, with the stamp of approval from the International Dark-Sky Association, the Great Sand Dunes can confidently tout that its one of the few places left in the world where light pollution does not obscure the night sky.

Its no surprise that Great Sand Dunes has been building a reputation for good night sky viewing, said Great Sand Dunes Superintendent Pamela Rice.

The dry air, high elevation, and lack of light pollution all make the park an ideal dark-sky destination. We are thrilled with receiving this recognition as an International Dark Sky Park.

Also sheltering the park from the sky glow cast by the Front Range are the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The range starts at Poncha Pass near Salida and runs south into New Mexico. The Great Sand Dunes sits on the western side of the range northeast of Alamosa.

The park is now one of three federal locations in Colorado with the Dark Sky Park designation. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Dinosaur National Monument secured their titles in 2015 and April 2019, respectively.

Including the Great Sand Dunes, there are 51 Dark Sky Parks in the U.S.

Colorado also is home to two of the worlds 22 Dark Sky Communities  Westcliffe/Silver Cliff and Norwood.

The International Dark Sky Association reserves the designation for parks with an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment.

In addition to muting the night sky, light pollution can impact nocturnal animals, migrating birds, predators hunting, prey hiding and other key parts of the food web.

The Great Sand Dunes will celebrate the distinction in the late summer. It offers night sky programs on summer weekends.

For more information on ranger programs, go to www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm.

Twitter: @lizmforster Phone: 636-0193
HIGHLANDS RANCH  A Douglas County School District letter describes a list of serious concerns from a parent who feared there may be "a repeat of Columbine" at STEM School Highlands Ranch months before Tuesdays fatal shooting.

Two shooters walked into the school at South Ridgeline Boulevard and Plaza Drive at around 1:50 p.m. Tuesday and opened fire on their classmates in two separate locations," according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. The shooting left one student, 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, dead and eight others injured.

Daniel Winsor, director of choice planning at Douglas County School District, wrote the letter on Dec. 19, 2018. It was sent to STEM School Executive Director Penelope Eucker.

In the letter, which was obtained by 9Wants to Know, Winsor outlines an anonymous call from a parent made to Douglas County School Board of Education Director Wendy Vogel. According to the letter, the parent told Vogel the school has issues with bullying, drug use and violence.

Many students are suicidal and violent in school, the letter says, citing the parents phone call.

Read more at 9news.com.
One or two words is all you need to hear to be reminded of a mass shooting tragedy. Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Virginia Tech, Pulse Nightclub. STEM, sadly, has now been added to that list.

Right after a tragedy, people want information. Its a natural response. They want to know the who, what, when, where and why, which they get from local newspapers and TV stations.

When word of the STEM shooting broke, every news organization in Colorado was getting out as much sourced information as possible as quickly as possible. Media outlets were sharing the details on the injured or deceased and telling stories about the bravery of students Brendan Bialy and Kendrick Castillo.

Its every news organizations journalistic responsibility to report the facts of a story. This includes telling readers and viewers as much as they can about alleged shooters, which leads many outlets to post pictures, videos and stories on an alleged murderers motives, lifestyle and personal history.

For some readers and viewers, however, seeing photos and hearing the name of an alleged mass shooter is not something they want to experience. Some view the sharing of details about those who perpetrated crimes as giving a spotlight to people so desperate for attention that theyll commit horrific crimes to receive it. There are even organizations such as No Notoriety that call for the media not to mention names or post photos of alleged mass shooters because they believe it leads to copycats. For such groups, less news about suspects is in the interest of public safety.

This is an issue many news organizations struggle with. How does the publics need for useful information on a tragic event stay balanced and prevent turning the news into celebrity-style coverage that encourages future attacks? Critics say that in the era of social media, giving suspects notoriety and attention starts a contagion effect, which leads to the creation of more fame-seeking killers. No news organization wants to make a household name out of a mass shooter, but theyre also duty bound to provide the information the public needs to know.

A look at coverage of the STEM shooting from regional media outlets shows a mixed response to this issue.

Local newscasts from KOAA, KKTV and KRDO displayed the name and face of the alleged STEM shooter as did several TV stations in Denver. The Gazette and Denver Post did as well. Meanwhile, Fox 21 publicly stated they were taking a stance against showing names and pictures of accused shooters either online or in their broadcasts.

So why is there a difference? The situation is complex. When major news breaks we want as much information as we can consume. News outlets rush to meet what can be an insatiable demand. There are also different policies for different news outlets. For some, crimes are situational and each treated differently, other outlets seek consistency.

We dont have a set policy, we treat each situation as appropriate, said KKTV news director Liz Haltiwanger. This is an understandable position to take.

Colorado is extra sensitive to these types of events given the history of whats taken place surrounding this topic in our state, said Fox 21 news director Joe Cole when asked about his stations recently announced policy.

When all of us show the same pictures and same video of the shooters over and over again I think it becomes too much.

We can still tell the story without always showing the shooters. Most people want to know about the victims and heroes. Not the shooters. And while we have a journalistic responsibility to report the facts and follow the storyline through the judicial process, we dont have to show their pictures all the time.

Cole went on to say that this policy would be for mass shootings only. The decision has been well-received by Fox 21 viewers and it makes sense. But, oddly enough, so does a differing policy.

We are taking a stance here @FOX21News on the #STEMShooting - below is why. pic.twitter.com/pheYIK4jPT  Joe Cole (@JoeColeFOX21) May 8, 2019

We have rules about when we use names and when we dont, said Gazette Editor Vince Bzdek. We name adults when theyve been charged in crimes, we do not name juveniles when theyve been charged or are victims unless they are charged as adults. We have a policy that we name adult suspects but we dont change our rules because a crime is particularly bad. I think we have to have a consistent rule for any types of crimes. We want to always be sensitive to readers and what people are going through, but cant make a judgment that one crime is so horrific that we wont follow our own rules.

We have to be consistent. Otherwise, I feel like were trying to make a statement. And its not our job in news coverage to make a statement about the news. Its our job to report it as objectively as possible, tell people what happened. When we inject a judgment into our news coverage were trying to make a statement. Thats an opinion columnists job or a job that belongs to a different kind of journalist.

Being consistent is a logical policy. Consumers of news count on outlets to provide information in a consistent manner, it makes them reliable.

Of course, the one constant news outlets can depend on is that everyone has a different opinion on how this topic should be addressed. This issue has been discussed by vocal viewers and readers with adamant arguments online for both sides.

This isnt just a local discussion, its a national one where the answers are just as muddied. In a column for Poynter, Kelly McBride points out several reasons why its important to name the shooter. She lists multiple crucial talking points such as identifying dangerous trends and preventing misinformation. Meanwhile other media members avoid using shooters names. The most high profile is CNNs Anderson Cooper, who avoids it, although his network does not.

This is a complicated issue with no simple solution. Like most hotly debated topics, whether or not mass shooters faces and names should be publicized appears to be a matter of perspective.
The social media posts by a suspect in the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting in Colorado included opposition to Christians who hate gays, criticism of President Donald Trump, and support for the left-wing Occupy Democrats.

On his now-deleted Facebook account, Devon Erickson, 18, posted: You know what I hate? All these Christians who hate gays, yet in the bible, it says in Deuteronomy 17:12-13, if someone doesnt do what their priest tells them to do, they are supposed to die. It has plenty of crazy stuff like that. But all they get out of it is ewwwwww gays.

The other suspect in the shooting is a 16-year-old female who identifies as a transgender male.

Parent letter documents fears of another 'Columbine' at STEM school HIGHLANDS RANCH  A Douglas County School District letter describes a list of serious concerns from a parent who feared there may be "a repeat

In 2016, Erickson shared a video of late-night host Seth Meyers criticizing President Donald Trump before the 2016 election, and had shared an Occupy Democrats post that praised President Barack Obama.

In a post on his Instagram, Erickson posted, Im covered in ink and addicted to pain.
This Thursday, July 19, 2012 photo shows a Chick-fil-A fast food restaurant in Atlanta. Gay rights advocates were surprised Thursday that the president of the Atlanta-based chain has taken a public position against same-sex marriage. Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy said this week that his privately owned company is "guilty as charged" in support of what he called the biblical definition of the family unit. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Nepal Airlines offers cheapest flight to Osaka: Rs45,000 one-way

Nepal Airlines is resuming its Japan service with a flourish. It is offering flight tickets to Osaka at the throwaway price of Rs45,000 one-way, which is 25 percent cheaper than the going rate. A roundtrip ticket will cost Rs80,000, airline officials said.
The social media posts by a suspect in the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting in Colorado included opposition to Christians who hate gays,
There are a couple of new activities happening this month at Lime Creek Nature Center and its grounds.

A Get Active in Nature program entitled Going Froggin will be held at 4 p.m. Monday at the Lime Creek Nature Center.

GAIN is an ongoing nature center program of active, outdoor activities for children and their parents or guardians.

Kids with an adult are invited to take a trip to the pond with a Lime Creek naturalist. Well listen to frog songs and see if we can catch some of the slippery hoppers and other amazing creatures that live in the pond.

There is no charge, but registration is required  call 641-423-5309 to register or for more information.

On May 19, from 9 a.m. to noon the Mohawk Mountain Bike Club will hold an Iowa Scholastic Mountain Bike League event at the Lime Creek Conservation area.

The Lime Creek trails north of the road coming into Lime Creek will be closed to public use, including foot, horse and other bike traffic.

The trails south of road will remaining open to the public. If you have any questions regarding this event and trail closures, contact the Conservation Board at (641) 423-5309 or at mwebb@cgcounty.org.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A multi-phase remodeling project is underway at First Citizens Banks Mason City West Branch location.

The project, comprising three phases, began in April at the 40,000-square-foot building at 2601 Fourth Street SW.

The bank has multiple locations and over the last decade, investments have been made at all its locations, said Sarah Nielsen, First Citizens Bank chief financial officer. This is the last location to get to, so it certainly will be exciting to do an unveiling.

She said the project was prompted by the banks need to replace its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system thats at the end of its life, but its scope grew as other interior and exterior items were identified for improvement.

Thats in large part because of the growth the bank has experienced within the past 15 years.

When the Mason City West Branch moved into its current location 25 years ago, it occupied 25 percent of the building and leased out the rest, but since then, its grown and expanded to nearly all parts of the building with its 110 employees, Nielsen said.

It wasnt all designed for us Day 1, she said. We want to better utilize the space we do have by relocating some departments and refreshing the interior.

The first phase of the project, which was awarded to Henkel Construction and Accord Architecture, encompasses renovating the west side of the building. Its scheduled to be completed by late November or early December.

The subsequent two phases will be completed in 2020, Nielsen said.

During current construction, customers are encouraged to park and enter the building on the banks south side, which is denoted with signage.

Services are confined to the east side of the building, while renovations are in progress.

Nielsen said the drive-thru will remain open for much of the project. Customers will be notified ahead of time about temporary closures.

It should be a nice update, she said.

First Citizens Bank has eight locations throughout North Iowa, including one on State Street in Mason City.

Photos: The empty buildings of Mason City

Reach Reporter Ashley Stewart at 641-421-0533. Follow her on Twitter at GGastewart.

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.
MASON CITY - Dorothy Mae Wetter, 88, of Rock Falls, died on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the MercyOne Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, May 13, 2019, at the Old Stone United Methodist Church, 1 Jackson Street, Rock Falls. A visitation will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 12, 2019, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N Pennsylvania Ave. Interment will be held in the Rock Falls Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Old Stone United Methodist Church, 1 Jackson Street, Rock Falls or to MercyOne Hospice Inpatient Unit, 232 2nd St SE, Mason City. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com
Jennifer Cash

November 24, 1975 - May 8, 2019

Jennifer Cash of Clear Lake, Iowa met her lord and savior on May 8, 2019 after a valiant battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family at Hospice of North Iowa.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the Clear Lake United Methodist Church with Reverend Fred Lewis officiating.

Family will greet friends from 4:00  7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 10, 2019 at the church. Visitation will continue an hour prior to the service on Saturday.

In Lieu of flowers, to continue to grow Jennifer's love of Agriculture, the family suggests memorials be directed in care of the family to be used for the Clear Lake Schools Ag Leadership Program that she was passionate in helping establish.

Jennifer Louise Norris was born November 24, 1975 to loving parents Charlie and Louise (Vorland) Norris. She grew up thriving in all that comes with a family farm and was proud of her heritage. Jennifer was a graduate of Clear Lake High School and NIACC, serving as the Student Body President. Family was the center of Jennifer's life, living just down the road from her grandparents and moving in next door to her parents when she married. She was baptized, confirmed, married and a lifelong member of the Clear Lake United Methodist Church. Jennifer was a Girl Scout, attending camp and carrying those camp songs through her life. She was an active member of 4-H in her youth, continuing the program in her adulthood with her children.

On June 10, 1994 she married her high school sweetheart, Todd M. Cash. The pair were blessed with two daughters, Kaitlynn Louise and Madalynn Michelle, and raised them close to family and the animals they loved. Over the years she welcomed critters of all kinds to her barnyard  cats, dogs, pigs, bottle calves, chickens, a goat and of course her horses.

Jennifer spent as much time riding her horses as she could, frequently taking her lunch break at home to ride one or even two. Horses became the center of summers, taking her girls to shows and making memories and improving each weekend. The friends that she made were the most important part of learning to ride and care for her horses, and she was an active member and board member of the North Iowa Saddle Clubs Association for many years.

Staying true to her roots Jennifer was a farmer and sat on the Cerro Gordo County Farm Bureau board and served as President. She was a proud member of the Iowa Farm Bureau Ag Leaders class of 2007. Jennifer participated in Iowa Young Farmers discussion meets, competing nationally. She advocated for agriculture and enjoyed sharing her love for animals and farming with others, especially children.

A truly creative soul, Jennifer was talented with sewing and embroidery machines. She spent time sewing and embellishing her own horse show clothes and embroidering an endless array of special items for friends and family, especially her grandkids.

As they said in Second Hand Lions, she really lived. Jennifer and Todd took time off of work and traveled hundreds of miles just to experience a solar eclipse. She traveled  to Kenya, an Amtrak trip through Canada, Mackinac Island, New England, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Caribbean cruises, New York, Hawaii, Florida, Washington D.C., Texas, and countless other places. Jennifer enjoyed her many tractor rides around the area with family and friends. And she encouraged her family to experience life and travel as well.

Grandma Jen was blessed to become a grandma and embraced all that was involved with loving, caring for and especially playing with Abel and Lyla. She shared her love of horses and critters with them whenever she had the chance.

Jennifer's first job was at the Gwen's Hallmark Store in Clear Lake. She started her banking career of 20 years at Farmers State Bank and then moved to Manufacturers Bank and Trust as the Marketing and Gold Club director and later as the AVP, Operations Manager and Retail Services.

Jennifer is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Edmund and Alice Vorland and paternal grandfather Chuck Norris.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 25 years, Todd Cash; daughters Katie (Danny) Behr and Madalynn Cash; parents Charlie and Louise Norris; grandmother Ruth Norris; grandchildren Abel and Lyla Behr and a third grandchild due late this summer; brother Jason (Stephanie Wharton) Norris; aunts and uncles Gene (Cathy) Vorland, Norman (Julie) Vorland, Linda (Larry) McNamara; nieces and nephews Rowan Norris, Wesley and Reece Wharton; Garett, Mara and Owen Cash; cousins Elizabeth (Calvin) Thyer, Andrew and Alexa Thyer; Matthew (Stephanie) McNamara, Michael and Makenna McNamara; Eric (Desiree Grimm) Vorland; Sara (Dane) Whaley, Norah Whaley; Jacob (Kate) Vorland; Alyson Vorland; parents-in-law Mike and Nancy Cash; brother-in-law Ryan (Shana) Cash; extended family and many friends she considered her family, especially those of the North Iowa Saddle Clubs Association, Iowa Farm Bureau and MBT Bank.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel 101 N 4th St, Clear Lake, IA 50428. (641) 357-2193.
GC is an officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
terp26 wrote:

The total cost for Company X to produce a batch of tools is $10,000 plus $3 per tool. Each tool sells for $8. The gross profit earned from producing and selling these tools is the total income from sales minus the total production cost. If a batch of 20,000 tools is produced and sold, then Company Xs gross profit per tool is



(A) $3.00

(B) $3.75

(C) $4.50

(D) $5.00

(E) $5.50

The problem first asks us to calculate the gross profit. The profit equation is as follows:Profit = Revenue  CostIn this particular case, we are given VARIABLE REVENUE and VARIABLE COST. This means that Company X makes a certain amount of revenue PER TOOL and has a certain cost PER TOOL. We also are given a FIXED COST. This is a cost that is constant and will not change. Thus we need to take into account the quantity of tools being produced and sold as well as the fixed cost. We can now generate a more detailed profit equation:Profit = (number of tools sold)(revenue per tool)  [fixed cost + (number of tools made)(cost per tool)]We are given the following:fixed cost = $10,000cost per tool = $3revenue per tool = $8Number of tools produced and sold = 20,000We can now plug all this into our profit equation:Profit = (number of tools sold)(revenue per tool)  [fixed cost + (number of tools made)(cost per tool)]P = 20,000 x 8  [10,000 + (3 x 20,000)]P = 20,000 x 8  [10,000 + (3 x 20,000)]P = 160,000  [10,000 + 60,000]P = 160,000  70,000P = 90,000We have a profit of $90,000 for selling 20,000 tools, but remember that we need to determine the profit PER TOOL. To calculate this, we divide the total profit of $90,000 by the number of tools produced, which is 20,000. We have:$90,000/20,000 = $9/2 = $4.50Answer C._________________
Official Solution:

There are community leaders, as well as ex-convicts, who are successful in business. All people who are successful in business are encouraged to join the Reynard Club. Which of the following can be concluded from the above?

A. All who are encouraged to join the Reynard Club are successful in business.B. All who are encouraged to join the Reynard Club are community leaders or ex-convicts.C. Some who are encouraged to join the Reynard Club are not community leaders or ex-convicts.D. Some ex-convicts are encouraged to join the Reynard Club.E. Some ex-convicts are not encouraged to join the Reynard Club.Where does your mind want to go with this question? Presumably one would have to believe that a club with any exclusivity would find a way to bar at least some ex-convicts, right? Sure, its politically incorrect (and just wrong) to assume that all ex-convicts are unworthy of admission, but its quite likely that at least some will be repeat offenders or are otherwise undesirable. So answer choice E should look pretty tempting; it just about has to be truebut not necessarily.All you truly know from this question is that some ex-convicts, those who are successful in business, are encouraged to join. But we do not know anything about those who are not successful in business, nor do we really know that any ex-convicts in this pool are not successful in business. Similarly, we do not know about anyone other than those we are told are successful (some community leaders and some ex-convicts), so although answer choice C seems like it has to be true, its not guaranteed here. If one were to diagram the logic, youd find:Some ex-convicts = SuccessfulSome community leaders = SuccessfulSuccessful = Invited to joinSo:Some ex-convicts = Successful = Invited to join (guaranteeing answer choice D)Some community leaders = Successful = Invited to joinYou do not know who else is invited to join; perhaps the Reynard Club is a lot like Sams Club or Amway as a club. (If you have money to spend, youre invited! That includes leaders, ex-cons, and anyone else.) Remember that, above anything else, this is an Inference question. The correct answer must be true, and so any hypotheticals (such as Reynard Club is just like Sams Club) that would counter an answer choice like A or E means that the choice is not necessarily true.The trick here? Your mind views community leaders and business successes positively, and ex-convicts negatively. Knowing that, the test can tempt you with answer choices A and E; knowing better, you can treat this as an Inference question only and make your determination based solely on the information given.Answer: D_________________
Grand Old Partisan salutes Montgomery Blair, born in Kentucky this day of 1813. He graduated from West Point and served during the Seminole War. He then studied law. Democrat President Franklin Pierce named him a solicitor for the U.S. Court of Claims.

In 1857, Blair was attorney for Dred Scott, the slave whose bid for freedom advanced development of the Republican Party.

Breaking with the Slavery Party, Blair campaigned for Abraham Lincoln. This first Republican in the White House appointed him Postmaster General. The position was more influential than would seem nowadays, as he advised the President on all matters and hired thousands of party loyalists. His innovations included uniform postage rates, railway postal cars, and calling for the first international postal conference.

Page 86 of Back to Basics for the Republican Party explains that in 1864, President Lincoln replaced Blair and two other Cabinet officers with Radical Republicans, more inclined to complete eradication of not just slavery but of the slave system. July that year, Confederates burned down his house in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-V9m3pFtfVQ

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

See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party.

"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"
" " Though scientists have generally thought children start to discern intentional falsehoods around the age of four, a new study suggests that may happen even earlier. Mordolff/Getty Images

Toddlers have a lot on their plates. Not only do they have to learn to talk, use the toilet, and eat with a fork, they also have to figure out why people do what they do. Good luck to them.

But new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that children begin figuring out what the deal is with people much earlier than previously thought. The study focused on determining at what age children begin to understand that other people can be mistaken, or can hold false beliefs about the world. Until recently, researchers believed children began putting all this together around the age of 4, regardless of where in the world they live. But this study shows that toddlers as young as 2-and-a-half can recognize when somebody's being lied to  as long as the test is simple enough.

Advertisement

The classic way developmental psychologists have tested whether children understand false beliefs involves telling the child a story about somebody who holds a false belief, and asking her to predict what the person will do next. In the study, for instance, a character named Sally puts her toy in one of two containers on the table, and leaves the room, but while she's gone, someone comes in and moves the toy into the other container. Children are asked to predict which container Sally will check the next time she wants to play with her toy.

"Prior to age four or so, children answer this question incorrectly," says study co-author Rose Scott, assistant professor at the University of California Merced. "They say that Sally will look for the toy where it actually is, suggesting that they don't understand that Sally has a false belief about the toy's location. This led many researchers to think that it isn't until at least age four that children realize that other people can have thoughts and beliefs that differ from their own."

However, research conducted over the past 10 years suggests that babies as young as six months old show some signs of understanding of the concept of false belief, as long as the test is simple enough, suggesting that toddlers understand more than the test results let on. The narrative of Sally and her toy might not seem very complicated to you, but that's because you're somebody who could probably follow the plot of a season of "Game of Thrones." (Maybe.) For a toddler, the story of Sally and her toy might be harder to follow than a David Lynch movie.

This finding inspired Scott and her co-authors from the U.S. and Singapore to adapt the story of Sally and her toy for younger audiences, like so: Sally leaves her toy in her room. Somebody comes and takes the toy to an undisclosed location. Where will Sally look for her toy?

The researchers gave 140 individual 2-and-a-half year olds from the U.S. the task of correctly predicting where Sally will look for the toy based on the information given in the edited story, as told interspersed with some clarifying questions to make sure the children were understanding the story each step of the way. With these two, simple changes to the story, the task could be completed by kids as young as 2-and-a-half years old, suggesting that the ability to realize other people can have different thoughts and beliefs develops much earlier than was traditionally thought.

"Our results have implications for theories of how the understanding of other minds develops." say Scott. "According to some researchers, the ability to understand others' mental states does not emerge until the early school years: at around age four, children undergo a radical change in their understanding of other people, and this is why they begin to pass traditional false-belief tasks. The fact that children pass our task much earlier suggests that we have been underestimating children. Rather than undergoing a radical change at age four, children may possess an understanding of belief early in life  perhaps in infancy  and they gradually become better at using this understanding in a variety of social situations."

Now That's Interesting We usually tell children that lying is bad, but every year, millions of children are told lies that they're constantly being watched by Santa Claus. A new study suggests that although the myth of Santa can be exciting to a kid, perpetuating the lie that they're constantly being watched might be damaging.
" " An infected tooth? That's serious pain  and serious trouble. Kay Blaschke/Getty Images

John Schneider, a 31-year-old from Mount Orab, Ohio, spent several months battling an infection. Although family members urged him to go to the doctor, Schneider told them he couldn't afford the expense. He was convinced it was just a sinus infection, an illness he could handle on his own.

Over time, Schneider's symptoms became so severe that he was admitted to a hospital. Within a few weeks, his condition worsened and he died. Turns out, Schneider's self-diagnosed sinus infection was actually an abscessed tooth, an infection at the root of a tooth or between a tooth and the surrounding gum tissue. In Schneider's case, the untreated abscess caused an infection to spread through his bloodstream and led to widespread organ failure in his body [source: Montoya].

Advertisement

While this may sound like an alarmist tale, Schneider's isn't the only recorded case of death from an abscessed tooth. In recent years, a 12-year-old boy died from a brain infection caused by an abscessed tooth. And a 24-year-old man  the nephew of musician Bootsy Collins  died from an abscessed wisdom tooth when the infection caused his brain to swell [sources: Otto, Gann].

A report by the Pew Charitable Trusts revealed that abscessed teeth and other preventable dental woes were the main reason 830,590 people went to emergency rooms in 2009 (the latest year for which data was available). That number increased 16 percent from 2006 [source: Pew Charitable Trusts]. Mouth pain can be pretty severe, but what scenarios result if these patients skip the treatment and just grin and bear it?

An abscessed tooth can lead to potentially lethal complications. Without treatment, the infection could spread throughout the head and neck. For example, your jaw could begin to disintegrate, or you could get an infection in your brain. An abscessed tooth could also cause endocarditis, a bacterial infection that leads to an inflammation of the heart chambers' and valves' inner lining. Abscesses have been known to cause sepsis, which is when infection spreads from its point of origin throughout the body. An abscessed tooth also could cause pneumonia or, in rare cases, Ludwig's angina, an infection under the tongue that causes extreme swelling and difficulty breathing.

Receiving regular dental care is important step in preventing an abscessed tooth. If an abscess does develop, antibiotics can cure it. Sometimes a combination of antibiotics and dental procedures is necessary, such as a root canal that will remove the infected areas beneath the gum line and, potentially, save the abscessed tooth. Until you receive professional treatment, you can manage the pain by rinsing periodically with a homemade solution made from table salt and warm water.
Cover Story

Bestowed with the responsibility of growing food for the entire society, farmers and agriculture are akin to the custodians of a country. The most integral piece of a nations growth, farmers require a helping hand in terms of top-of-the-line agricultural inputs and services. Committed to serving the farmer community for the past three decades is Biostadt India Limited, a biotechnology research based agri-inputs (marine plant based plant growth stimulants) company. Helping farmers improve yields while lowering input cost, the Mumbai headquartered firm has developed an extensive high-quality product range that includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, hybrid seeds, aqua products and farm services. Founded in 2003, Biostadt is singularly committed to environmental friendly...
Trade deficit jumps 22 percent to over Rs 990b in first nine months

Nepals trade deficit in the first nine months of the fiscal year jumped almost 22 percent year-on-year due to a spike in imports of oil, bitumen, aircraft parts and cereal. The deficit reached Rs991.78 billion at the end of the third quarter.
Lewis and Clark County has been selected to participate in a national program to expand medication-assisted treatment for jail inmates with opioid use disorder.

Lewis and Clark County, the U.S. Department of Justice, local health care providers and a number of other partners will discuss and determine the best possible response.

The planning initiative to build bridges between jail and community-based treatment for opioid use disorder is intended to help county governments work with outside health-care providers to bring medication-assisted treatment to inmates who are addicted.

Medication-assisted treatment with drugs like suboxone is popular outside of jails, but users are more likely to die from overdoses in cells where that medication is not available.

Kellie McBride, director of Lewis and Clark County's criminal justice services, said being selected for the program is a major opportunity for the county to respond to a growing issue.

"It's a big deal," McBride said. "I thought, with it being a national initiative, we wouldn't have a chance."

Lewis and Clark County is the smallest of the 15 counties selected by Arnold Ventures, the philanthropic group funding the initiative.

"It's an opportunity for us to learn what's going on in Lewis and Clark County and from national experts," McBride said.

Officials from the county will meet twice in person with the selected groups, including an August trip to Washington, D.C. Otherwise, monthly conference calls will keep the counties apprised of what each group is doing.

"What works in Cook County isn't going to work in Lewis and Clark County," McBride said. "We need to address issues we're seeing with opioid addiction."

McBride said meth still is the No. 1 drug of choice in the county, but a rising number of people are combining opioids with meth use.

Sheriff Leo Dutton said the award is an honor and will benefit both the detention center and Lewis and Clark County community.

"The opioid epidemic has reached rural Montana and we are experiencing the related deaths in our communities," Dutton said. "This grant will benefit our detention center and the community through education and helping people have a productive life."

McBride said her "pie in the sky" goal for the nine-month program is to craft and implement a plan to cut overdoses, increase the number of people in treatment and have less people using opioids across the board.

"There's a multi-layer thing to this," McBride said.

"It's so important, and I'm excited to see the county moving in the right direction," McBride said.

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.
Jan. 22, 1929  May 4, 2019

Stevensville -John (Jack) Charles Darlow Jr., 90, of Stevensville went Saturday, May 4, 2019 to be with his Heavenly Father and to reunite with his parents John Charles, Sr. an Alice May (Rawdon). He is lovingly remembered by his wife Loraine Vasil (Drogitis) Darlow who has stood by his side for 58 years with great admiration.

Jack was born in Malta January 22, 1929 and as a youth resided and attended schools in Saco, Garfield, Lewistown, and graduated from Butte High in 1947. Following a few years of college at Oklahoma A&M and Bozeman MSU, he concluded in 1951 at the Military Police School in Georgia.

He married Mary Cutforth in 1951 and had four wonderful sons, Mike (Jeanne) Darlow of Boise ID, Daniel "Boone" (Candelaria) of Saginaw TX, Gary (Laurie) Darlow of Gillette WY, and Mark (Tracey) Darlow of Butte.

Jack and Loraine Coburn married May 5, 1961, and then there were ten. Loraine's wonderful children joined the family, Billie J. Miller of Missoula, Daniel (Arlene) Coburn of Stevensville, Donald (Terri) Coburn of Helena, and David Darlow (passed away 2009). Jack and Loraine were sealed together in the Salt Lake Temple May 5, 1986. Jack shared a special bond with every family member.

To honor Jack and remember his love are his children, 21 grandchildren, 43 great- grandchildren, 6 great-great- grandchildren, his sister, Gertie Foster, as well as many nieces, nephews and other family members.

Jack will be fondly remembered for his "love at home". Family camping adventures, outings, and events were the highlight of his life. He had a great sense of humor that he shared regularly. Whether he was hunting or working in his yard, the outdoors was rejuvenating for him. He is remembered for his lending a voluntary hand in community projects, his joy of history, reading, and keeping journals, the satisfaction of doing his daily crosswords and cryptograms, eating chocolate, stamp collecting, watching old westerns, singing to old-time tunes, and his pride in his country and flying the flag every day. Jack and Loraine were big fans of square dancing, "cutting the rug" for many years with Jack frequently being the "caller" at various dance events. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he had a great love for his Savior, was always willing to serve, and enjoyed the friendship of all who passed through the door;

He learned the art of meat cutting at his father's side and put that to good use at Placer Gold Meats Helena or at home as many sought him out to butcher their prized animals or hunting catches. His greatest pride and career accomplishment were his years with the United States Postal Service 1963 to 1986. Upon his retirement he left Helena and took up new roots in the Bitterroot Valley on Pine Hollow Rood in Stevensville.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 18th, 2019 at 11:00 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, 100 Middle Burnt Fork Rd. Stevensville, where friends may call for visitation from 10:00 to 10:45 am in the Relief Society Room.

Burial will take place at Riverview Cemetery in Hamilton, Bishop Troy Griffin officiating.

A luncheon for family members will follow at the church. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.
An Anaconda man reported missing Wednesday afternoon was found dead later the same day on the trail to Heart Lake.

No foul play is suspected in the death of Steve Bustinger, 54, according to Anaconda Police Chief Tim Barkell, but his body has been sent to the Montana State Crime Laboratory to determine his cause of death.

Barkell said Bustinger's daughter reported him missing Wednesday around 2:45 p.m. She told police she hadn't seen her father since Saturday.

Police went to Bustinger's house, knocked on the door, didn't get an answer, and noticed his truck was missing.

His truck was found later that afternoon, parked at the locked gate that heads to Heart Lake.

Officers and search and rescue got a key, opened the gate, and drove as far up as they could. They then hiked in another couple of miles until they found Bustinger's body.

Barkell said the body was found about 6.5 miles from the gate.

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 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana
Signal Peak Mine was revealed to be the target of a fraud ring Thursday in U.S. District Court where a West Virginia man pleaded guilty to ensnaring the coal company in a bogus $2.3 million equipment scam.

Zachary Madison Ruble pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Previously from Tazewell, Virginia, the 39-year-old conspired with others to arrange a fake equipment sale between Signal Peak and Peters Equipment Company, of Virginia.

Ruble admitted to knowing that the sale was phony, that Peters would never deliver the equipment and that the $2.3 million would be transferred by Peters to Larry Price Jr.

Price is the man behind a $10 million, 26,000-square-foot mansion in Billings who pleaded guilty in December to federal charges of wire fraud, money laundering and lying to federal investigators. He made headlines in April 2018 after faking his abduction in an attempt to flee his legal troubles and family with the help of a mistress. None of Price's earlier charges involved the fake equipment sale Ruble pleaded guilty to Thursday.

Both Price and Ruble are from the Tazewell area. Price was in charge of the refined coal program at Signal Peak, where he was vice president of surface activities.

Prosecutors told the court they had a plea agreement with Ruble, who was cooperating with a larger investigation. The money taken from Signal Peak was funneled through 3 Solutions LLC, a Montana company owned by Price.

As part of the plea agreement, Ruble must surrender his proceeds related to the crime, namely a Rolex watch and a motor home.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Medicaid expansion took center stage Thursday at a Capitol bill-signing ceremony in which Gov. Steve Bullock signed nine health care bills, including one that made Montana the most recent state to establish a reinsurance program.

The programs goal is to reduce premiums for Montanans obtaining health care through the Affordable Care Acts marketplace by reimbursing insurance companies for especially high-cost claims. Bullock officially signed Senate Bill 125 last week, creating the state reinsurance association, which needed its board of directors to meet for the first time Wednesday to comply with the new law.

The governor signed 20 bills in all Thursday, though his lone veto drew the ire of state Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Matt Rosendale.

Sen. Albert Olszewski, R-Kalispell, carried Senate Bill 71 at Rosendales request. The bill sought to reduce prescription drug prices by regulating the contracts insurance companies can sign with pharmacy benefit managers, who are hired to negotiate prices with pharmacies and manufacturers.

A Thursday veto letter from Bullocks office maintained Olszewskis bill would increase administrative costs, and tied in its fate with the new state reinsurance program by claiming it would offset savings the program creates.

Bullock vetoed two bills in the 2017 sessions intended to establish a reinsurance program. The new law, carried by Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, directs reinsurance board members to set the floor and cap for claims eligible for reinsurance at no less than $40,000 and no more than $1 million, respectively, with a rate of reimbursement between 50% and 80%.

The law dictates a 1.2% assessment on member premium volume to provide the state revenue necessary to fund reinsurance payments, with a much heavier federal share still to be approved. Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported the state and federal shares to be about $15 million and $60 million, respectively.

Nearly 47,700 Montanans signed up for ACA coverage for 2019 during last year's open enrollment period, about 5,000 fewer than the year before. Bullock said the law could lower premium rates up to 10%.

I think this is one of those bills where we look back and say, This is how the Legislature should work, Fitzpatrick said at Thursdays ceremony.

The law allowed Bullock to appoint one director on the five-member state reinsurance board to represent the public interest. His choice was Mike Batista, associate state director of advocacy and outreach for AARP Montana.

Rosendale, as a participating association member, appointed CFO Richard Daniels of Allegiance Benefit Plan Management. The remaining seats on the board belong to the three insurers that sell on the federal marketplace in Montana: Richard Miltenberger, president of Montana Health Co-Op; Dr. Monica Berner, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana; and Cody Langbehn, vice president and Montana regional director of PacificSource.

Meanwhile, the veto letter for Olszewski's bill surfaced soon after Thursday's ceremony. Bullock claimed in the letter that the bill would increase administrative costs, and risked higher drug prices under regional or nonprofit plans while reducing access to prescription drugs for rural Montanans by prohibiting "certain mail-order pharmacies."

Rosendale spokesman Kyle Schmauch issued a line-by-line response Thursday afternoon that labeled many of the letter's claims false, especially the one that Olszewski's bill would restrict access to mail-order pharmacies.

Regarding the relationship of Olszewski's bill to the reinsurance program, Schmauch said that even if there was evidence the bill would cause market instability  which he denied  the costs would be far outweighed by the new program.

Prescription drugs make up a big portion of the insurance people pay  and insurance rates are a direct result of health care costs, Schmauch said. So its a big chunk, but were talking about $7-8 million in savings for consumers from Senate Bill 71 when were talking about tens and tens of millions of dollars in offsets from a reinsurance program. The governor is just absolutely full of it in that veto letter.

Fitzpatrick had a second bill in Thursday's ceremony. Bullock wrote that Senate Bill 83 "directly" addressed health care costs. That bill outlines fees benefit managers can and cannot charge pharmacies, forbids benefit managers from charging co-payments that exceed the cost of a drug, and clarifies the rights of pharmacies.

Schmauch countered that Olszewskis bill was the only one presented in 2019 that would have lowered prescription drug prices, calling reforms proposed by other prescription drug legislation "really minor" in comparison.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1

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.
Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill Friday that would have put state conservation easements under the authority of the Montana State Board of Land Commissioners.

House Bill 265, brought by Rep. Kerry White, R-Bozeman, would have overturned a ruling from the Montana Supreme Court last year that sided with Bullock, a Democrat, over Republican Attorney General Tim Fox. The court found that Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks conservation easements are finalized by a vote of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission  a decision that overturned an attorney generals opinion Fox issued that put final authority with the Land Board.

The case stemmed from the Horse Creek Conservation Easement near Wibaux. Funded from the Habitat Montana account in addition to federal dollars, the easement passed unanimously through the wildlife commission. When it came before the Land Board, Secretary of State Corey Stapleton, state Auditor Matt Rosendale and Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen voted to delay action. Bullock and Fox voted against delay.

In response, Bullock cited statute to circumvent the board and approved Horse Creek. The law, he found, only requires board approval for land purchases while easements are finalized with a vote of the wildlife commission. A long-standing practice of bringing easements to the board had been a courtesy, Bullock said.

Senate President Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, then asked Fox study the legality of Bullocks action through an attorney generals opinion. That opinion, which carries the weight of the law unless overturned by a court, found that board approval was needed. In an interview, Fox stated Bullock unilaterally ignored, the law.

Bullock and FWP Director Martha Williams took Foxs opinion to the Montana Supreme Court. In their 6-1 decision, justices sided with Bullock and vested final easement approval back with the wildlife commission.

White and many of the bills supporters felt the Land Board brought more scrutiny to the spending of state dollars. While the commission is appointed by the governor, the Land Board is elected, and voters have the opportunity to hold elected officials directly accountable, White said.

Opponents of HB 265 believed the Land Board represented an unnecessary level of bureaucracy without sufficient guidelines to consider easements. During two contentious hearings, the owners of Horse Creek, the Stenson family, along with several conservation groups, argued that the bill added uncertainty to an extensive and lengthy easement process.

Bullocks veto letter echoes those arguments.

If the uncertainty of the Land Board process becomes law, I expect that few families would ever sign up for new conservation easement projects, the letter states. Farmers and ranchers simply cannot make important financial decisions that hinge on the whims of arbitrary political approval. The result would be fewer or no new projects - the end of the Habitat Montana conservation easement program.

The letter also touts the rigor of the easement vetting process through FWP and the commission, calling the review intensive.

The Montana Wildlife Federation was among the groups pushing Bullock to veto the bill and applauded the decision on Friday.

We dont need more government bureaucracy to kill quality projects after theyve gone through two years of review, said Dave Chadwick, executive director. Instead of working to create more roadblocks to conservation and access, legislators should work with hunters and landowners to build on Habitat Montana and create more opportunities, not less.

Reporter Tom Kuglin can be reached at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin

Love 10 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
Thumbs up

On a typical weekday, many children spend just as many waking hours with their teachers as they do with their families.

The average teacher works more than 52 hours a week, according to the National Education Association.

And we know they arent doing it for the money, as the Economic Policy Institute reports that teachers earn an average of 19% less than other professionals with similar skills and education.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we want to take the opportunity to show our gratitude for all Helena-area educators and encourage the community to do the same.

Better yet, lets find ways to use our time and resources to help them help our children.

Thumbs up

One of the longest-running high school parades in the United States, Helenas Vigilante Parade is a fun and educational tradition.

With floats depicting everything from the Northern Pacific Railroad to the Holter Museum of Art and the cabins of Reeders Alley this year, the annual parade features students from Helena's two public high schools and tells the story of our community's colorful past.

Not only does it give the participating students an interesting and engaging way to learn more about prominent institutions and figures in Helenas history, but it gives the entire community an opportunity to celebrate that history together.

The Vigilante Parade has been a big part of Helenas fabric for the last 95 years, and we hope it continues for many years to come.

Thumbs down

Every few weeks, it seems someone comes up with a new and innovative way to scam people out of their money.

The latest such scam to hit Helena involves an online company that offers to rent dumpsters to customers and then orders them from the citys solid waste division. The company makes its money by charging four times more than what it would have cost customers to call the city directly.

Though the Helena Police Department said this likely isnt illegal, it certainly isnt honest.

Anyone looking to rent a dumpster can call the solid waste division at 406-447-8082 or Tri County Disposal at 406-227-6300.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Two items related to the proposed Mud Springs Wind Project in Carbon County will top the Montana Sage Grouse Oversight Team's meeting on Tuesday, May 14, at 1:15 p.m. in Helena.

MSGOT members will consider executive action on a determination on areas of the project that potentially pre-date the state's sage grouse management strategy and would be grandfathered; and consideration of voluntary mitigation activities for the grandfathered area by the project sponsors. MSGOT will also discuss consideration of a future approach to mitigation for impacts in the remaining project area.

The wind farm is located on private land about 10 miles southeast of Bridger. When completed it will feature 96 turbines capable of generating 240 megawatts of power.

All meeting materials are available on MSGOTs meeting web page. See https://sagegrouse.mt.gov/Team.

Members of the public are welcome to participate and offer comment on MSGOTs pending decisions by attending in person.

The Montana Sage Grouse Habitat Conservation Program works to sustain viable sage grouse populations and conserve habitat, enabling Montanans to maintain control of their lands, wildlife, and economy by avoiding a listing of the greater sage grouse under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
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
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking for ideas from the public as it considers future changes to fishing regulations.

Anyone interested in Montanas fisheries may take on online survey at http://fwp.mt.gov/fish/publicComments/regsScoping.html and provide feedback or new ideas to FWP on potential issues or changes to fishing regulations. Montana reviews its fishing regulations every four years, and this survey is part of its initial scoping to solicit public comment.

The survey is available until June 21 and tentative regulation proposals will go before the Fish and Wildlife Commission in August.

FWP already is considering several changes:

Allowing bow and arrow harvest of Chinook salmon from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30 on Fort Peck Reservoir.

Establishing no limit or mandatory harvest of northern pike and standardizing the daily walleye limit on the Missouri River from Holter Dam to Black Eagle Dam;

Allowing single-point lures only on the middle, north and south forks of the Flathead River.

Implementing a hoot owl restriction on the Ennis Dam to the mouth stretch of the Madison River that would prohibit fishing between 2 p.m. and midnight from July 1 through Aug. 31.

Changing the largemouth and smallmouth bass limits on some waterbodies in the Western Fishing District.

Requiring ice fishing shelters to be removed from the ice by at least March 1 in the Eastern Fishing District.

I think at the global level we appreciate the agency going through this public comment process and think this survey is a great tool, said Clayton Elliot, conservation director for Montana Trout Unlimited.

Eric Roberts, FWPs fisheries management bureau chief, explained the thinking behind some of the ideas.

Allowing bow-fishing for salmon on Fort Peck came about through some requests from anglers, he said.

On the blue-ribbon stretch of the Missouri River below Holter Dam, FWP is floating a pair of regulation changes.

Roberts said that last year the agency received three angler-reported catches of northern pike near Cascade, and a limit focused on suppression is intended to stay ahead of the curve, he said. Biologists have seen an uptick in pike numbers upstream in Canyon Ferry, Hauser and Holter reservoirs and they are susceptible to flushing downstream, he added.

A no-limit on walleye in the same stretch of river has also been a contentious issue for years, and FWP says it is considering restoring a limit. Walleye and trout have coexisted in Missouri for decades, with biologists believing that walleye have not greatly affected trout populations. Citing concerns about impacts to trout, the commission in 2011 went against FWP recommendations to institute the no-limit regulation  a change that has caused considerable heartburn among walleye advocates.

We definitely want to see a change on that and the problem that came about with that whole thing is it wasnt based on science and facts but politics, said Bob Gilbert, executive director of Walleyes Unlimited of Montana. The bottom line is walleye are a game fish, trout are a game fish, but theyre treating the two species differently, so lets treat a game fish like a game fish and treat everyone equally.

Elliot said Trout Unlimited would also be keeping a close eye on what FWP proposes with walleye limits.

For the Flathead River, FWP has seen a high incidence of hook scarring, including on native bull and cutthroat trout. The regulation change would eliminate treble hooks with the goal of reducing the handling of fish before release, Roberts said.

Elliot applauded the proposal and says his organization appreciates FWP emphasizing the importance of management for native species in the Flathead. He also felt the Madison River hoot owl proposal had merit given a trend of high water temperatures that has virtually guaranteed angling restrictions in recent years.

Reporter Tom Kuglin can be reached at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin

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.
DECATUR  Farmers throughout Central Illinois are severely behind the five-year average when it comes to planting corn and are likely to fall further behind with more wet stuff expected today.

But a break in the weather may be close.

We will have more rain Thursday and Friday over most of the state, with the heaviest in the northwestern portion of Illinois, said State Climatologist Brian Kerschner. But after that, it looks like it is going to dry out and then farmers may finally get the chance to get into the fields.

Gene Dowd of rural Decatur said he is just anxious to get started.

I am all ready to go, he said. But some of these fields have ponds in the middle of them. The hope is to get started somewhere and as you finish one field, another one is dry enough to start there.

A lot of us dont even have nitrogen on yet, said Cory Montgomery, who farms in rural McLean County. Its going to take four or five days to dry out once it stops raining. Some brisk winds would help.

Mondays Illinois crop progress and condition report from the USDA indicated 0.2 days  or roughly less than an hour  of the week ending May 5 was suitable for fieldwork. That figure may not be much better this week, since saturated and sometimes flooded fields kept planters in a holding pattern.

Across the state, precipitation averaged 3.22 inches for May, so far, which is 2.33 inches above normal.

Corn planted across the state as of May 5 reached 10 percent, compared to 68 percent last year and 66 percent for the five-year average. Somewhere, according to the USDA, some corn plants have emerged  about two percent. Also, the USDA reports, about three percent of planned soybean acreage is in the ground.

But the heavy rain that fell April 30 through May 2 postponed plans to get spring planting started, since as much as 4 inches of precipitation in some spots left fields under water.

I still look at this as the glass being half full, said Bob Wells, a Yield Challenge Coordinator with the Illinois Soybean Association. Everybody is thinking that this wait is so terrible compared to last year, but last year, we went through one of the coldest Aprils on record and then we turned around and had one of the warmest Mays on record. Its funny how quickly things can turn.

Larger equipment and better drainage systems in the fields also will benefit farmers in the next few weeks, said Wells, who grew up on a farm in Farmer City and now lives in Bement in Piatt County.

Fields are now designed to drain so much more quickly than they did 40 years ago, he said. All of this rain is adding to the water table and so if we go through a period where it is dry, the impact will be reduced.

Still, farmers can expect some yield loss as a result of the late planting. For soybeans, Wells said a rule of thumb is a loss of one-quarter of a bushel per acre per day for each day after May 1. For corn, the estimate is a loss of about one bushel per acre for each day after May 1.

But if all else goes well, then that is still a pretty good year, he said. Even if it were late May, I still think farmers should be optimistic that they can have a good harvest in the fall.

Contact Kevin Barlow at (309) 820-3238. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_barlow

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
CONCORD, N.H.  A Bible on display at a memorial at New Hampshire's veterans hospital should be removed because it is a violation of the First Amendment, a U.S. Air Force veteran said in a federal lawsuit.

The Bible was carried by a prisoner of war in World War II and became part of the Missing Man Table honoring missing veterans and POWs at the entranceway of the Manchester VA Medical Center. The Department of Veterans Affairs said the table was sponsored by a veterans group called the Northeast POW/MIA Network.

The lawsuit filed in Concord by James Chamberlain against the center's director, Alfred Montoya, says the Bible's inclusion is in violation of the Constitution. The First Amendment stipulates "that the government may not establish any religion. Nor can the government give favoritism to one religious belief at the expense of others," according to the suit.

Chamberlain, a devout Christian, said in the lawsuit the table should be a memorial to all who have served, regardless of their beliefs. The suit said the original POW/MIA table tradition was started by a group of Vietnam combat pilots and didn't include a Bible as one of the items.

The medical center initially removed the Bible in January after another group, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, objected, saying it got complaints from 14 patients who felt it violated the First Amendment. A variety of religions were represented among the 14.

But the Bible reappeared on the table in February. It had been removed "out of an abundance of caution," Curt Cashour, a Department of Veterans Affairs spokesman, said in an emailed statement Tuesday. Afterward, the medical center received an outpouring of complaints from veterans and others, "many of whom dropped off Bibles at the facility" in protest, Cashour said.

After consulting with lawyers, the medical center put the Bible back on the table indefinitely, Cashour said. He called the table "a secular tribute to America's POW/MIA community."

He apologized to those were offended by the Bible's "incorrect" removal.

But Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, said it is the presence of the Bible that is offensive.

"It's incredibly disrespectful, dishonorable, and most importantly, it's illegal," he said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
ISLAMABAD  A Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy after spending eight years on death row in Pakistan, but who still faced death threats from Islamic extremists upon her release, flew to Canada on Wednesday to join her daughters, Pakistani officials and others involved in the case said.

Aasia Bibi was convicted of blasphemy in 2009 after a quarrel with two fellow farmworkers, who refused to drink from the same water container as a Christian. Five days later, the women said Bibi had insulted Islam, a crime punishable by death. Bibi was charged with blasphemy despite repeatedly denying the accusation. The Supreme Court overturned her conviction last year, and she had been in protective custody since then.

Islamic extremists have rioted over the case and threatened to kill Bibi. Even as word of her departure from Pakistan became known, the hard-line Tehree-e-Labbaik Party, whose single-point agenda is defending the controversial blasphemy law, threatened protests. The same party, whose leaders including firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi are in jail, also urged the overthrow of the government following Bibi's acquittal. Rizvi's bail hearing is May 13.

A close friend of Bibi confirmed that she had left the country. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Bibi's lawyer, Saif-ul Malook, said Bibi had already arrived in Canada and officials in Pakistan's interior and foreign ministries also confirmed her departure. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

"Obviously there are sensitive privacy and security issues on this and unfortunately I can't comment on this at this time," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa as he prepared to meet legislators Wednesday.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement welcoming news of her departure, which was cloaked in secrecy.

"Asia Bibi is now free, and we wish her and her family all the best following their reunification," the statement said. "The United States uniformly opposes blasphemy laws anywhere in the world, as they jeopardize the exercise of fundamental freedoms."

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt tweeted his pleasure at Bibi's departure.

"Fantastic news that Asia Bibi appears to have left Pakistan safely," he tweeted, adding that he was about to meet U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "to talk about persecution of Christians around the world."

The case has brought international attention to Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law, which carries an automatic death penalty. The mere suspicion of blasphemy against Islam is enough to ignite mob lynchings in the country. Blasphemy allegations have also been used to intimidate religious minorities and to settle scores.

Radical Islamists have made the punishment of blasphemy a major rallying cry, bringing tens of thousands into the streets and paralyzing major cities. The Tehreek-e Labbaik party won three seats in last year's provincial election on an agenda of defending the blasphemy law.

The reluctance of some local and foreign officials to speak openly of Bibi's departure may reflect fears of igniting more violence.

Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province, was shot and killed by one of his guards in 2011 for defending Bibi and criticizing the misuse of the blasphemy law. The assassin, Mumtaz Qadri, was celebrated as a martyr by hard-liners since being hanged for the killing, with millions visiting a shrine set up for him near Islamabad.

Even Punjab's information minister made a pilgrimage to his shrine, generating a public outcry.

Pakistan's minister for minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated later in 2011, also after demanding justice for Bibi.

Taseer's son Shaan, who spoke Wednesday to The Associated Press from Canada, said the fight against extremism is "the most important battle of our time."

He said Bibi's departure was reason to celebrate, but he said there are hundreds more people languishing in Pakistani jails on charges of blasphemy, including university professor Janaid Hafiz, who has been in jail since 2013 for allegedly blasphemous posts on Facebook, which he denies.

"It is a great day, a great moment but let's not forget the 200 other Aasia Bibi's in jail today on charges of blasphemy," Shaan Taseer said. "These are the people on the front line. ... These are the soldiers against extremism. They are facing the enemy up close and personal."

Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed not to be intimidated by the rioters, saying the rule of law would decide Bibi's fate. Still, she was denied permission to leave the country for several months after her acquittal until sentiments cooled.

Bibi's friend, who last spoke to her on Tuesday, said Bibi and her husband Ashiq Masih spent the last several weeks getting their documents in order. She received her passport last Wednesday, he said. He said she longed to see her daughters, with whom she spoke daily from her secure location, protected by Pakistani security forces.

On Wednesday, Taseer posted a video of Bibi's daughter's farewell message to her mother when they left Pakistan for Canada last year. Taseer said he waited until Bibi was safely out of Pakistan before posting the video.

"Their message was one of no regrets, no bitterness, just love and gratitude for all," he said. "It takes very special people to have been through such ordeals and to come out with a heart full of love."

A three-judge Supreme Court panel in January cleared Bibi's final legal hurdle when they ruled there was no compelling reason to overturn the court's earlier acquittal. The judges accused those who accused Bibi with blasphemy of committing perjury, but said they would not be tried because of the sensitivity of the case. The judges upheld the blasphemy law.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
DECATUR  The shooting of a 38-year-old man in Decatur on Thursday night remains under investigation, police said Friday.

Police arrived in the 900 block of West King Street at 11:34 p.m. Thursday on a call about the shooting, Sgt. Steve Carroll said. The man was shot in the leg, Sgt. Chris Copeland said.

Carroll later added that the injuries are not considered life-threatening.

The suspect is unknown. More information was not immediately available Friday morning.

2019 mug shots from the Herald & Review

Contact Kennedy Nolen at (217) 421-6985. Follow her on Twitter: @KNolenWrites

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ARCOLA  State police on Friday said a 19-year-old man was cited for improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident after his vehicle collided head-on with a school bus on Thursday.

A preliminary investigation found that the man's Dodge Charger was headed westbound on Illinois 133 when it crossed into roadway's center line and into the path of the eastbound Arcola Elementary School bus. The bus was carrying about 25 students and four adult chaperones, police said.

The driver of the bus tried to avoid the Dodge sedan by slowing and swerving to the right shoulder before colliding, police said. The man needed to be extracted from his vehicle, and was taken to an area hospital to be treated for non life-threatening injuries.

One adult and one student riding the bus were also taken to area hospitals with minor injuries, police said, while all other passengers were transported home on another school bus.

Contact Jaylyn Cook at (217) 421-7980. Follow him on Twitter: @jaylyn_HR

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.
Last November, I wrote about how the Herald & Review was approached by a Chicago-based adopt-a-grave project that recognizes World I veterans.

A few employees and my first-grader spent a chilly afternoon cleaning the headstone of Arthur W. Niedermeyer, a Decatur resident and educator buried in Fairlawn Cemetery.

It was a rewarding experience, and it was on my mind when I exchanged emails with Ayn Owens, founder of the group Macon County Help 4 Heroes, about another project. I happened to ask if she'd be interested in partnering on a similar clean-up effort in advance of Memorial Day. A few emails later, Ayn was in  and here we are.

We're organizing volunteers to clean veteran grave markers for about two hours starting at noon on Saturday, May 25, at Graceland Cemetery, 1801 N. Oakland Ave. If you're interested, bring your supplies to the front entrance, where we'll be gathering.

To prevent damage, only soap and water is to be used. Help 4 Heroes will be donating American flags.

I'm looking forward to this. Big thanks to Ayn for partnering with the Herald & Review. Her group does so much good work for our community.

4 ways you can help the Herald & Review cover your community You can help us improve our coverage and deliver the news important to you. We need your help.

If you have questions, I'm at (217) 421-8905 or ccoates@herald-review.com.

Seeking 'Stories of Honor' submissions

We're also still accepting submissions for our special "Stories of Honor" feature. For several weeks, we'll be profiling military members and recognizing their service. The first one will be published on Sunday, May 26.

If you know someone worthy of recognition, our submission form for that is at herald-review.com/storiesofhonor.

Herald & Review coffee hour planned

Our May coffee hour is approaching. Every other month we hold an open house for the community to connect with reporters and editors. It's a chance for us to get story ideas and feedback.

This one is at noon on Wednesday, May 22, at Wildflour Artisan Bakery & Cafe, 256 W. Main St. in Decatur.

Hope to see you there.

And thanks for reading.

Chris Coates is the Central Illinois editor. Follow him on Twitter @ByChrisCoates.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
TheWorks.co.uk plc operates as a retailer of gifts, arts, crafts, toys, books, and stationery products in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company sells its products through a network of stores, as well as through its online platform. As of April 26, 2020, the company operated 534 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. TheWorks.co.uk plc was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Read More
The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

. The report, featuring data from a survey of 32 dairy farms, was funded by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program.

Labor is the second largest single expense on a dairy farm after feed cost. A new 25-page report summarizing regional dairy labor trends is now available online at www.nnyagdev.org

"The farmer committee that prioritizes projects felt that the regional survey could be a first step toward better retention and training of farm employees through enhancing the understanding of how our farms are interacting with workers, our strengths, and where we can make improvements," said NNYADP Co-Chair Jon Greenwood, a St. Lawrence County dairy farmer.

Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Cornell Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management personnel conducted a confidential survey of 32 farms to analyze and identify possible correlations or causation trends between labor management methods and production or farm business factors.

"This research will help embrace farm-employee relations as well as provide insight that may also positively impact farm management and sustainability," said NNYADP Co-Chair Jon Rulfs, a dairy and orchard owner in Clinton County.

The report includes 43 datasets presenting information on the types of dairy farms responding; the types of on-farm jobs; hiring practices; and employee longevity, performance evaluation, training methods, and compensation.

"Contrary to current perceptions that a majority of dairy farm labor is Hispanic or immigrant, the data from Northern New York indicates that the regional farms are using a majority of local labor. Farmers can use this research to evaluate their work structures and open discussion with their particular labor force in comparison with the most common farm labor trends in the Northern New York region," says Cornell University Cooperative Extension Farm Business Management Specialist and project co-leader Kelsey O'Shea, Canton, N.Y.

"This type of facilitated research provides regional farms the opportunity to gain insight they might not otherwise take the time to learn first-hand about their own operations and how they measure up to peers operating under similar conditions," noted NNYADP Co-Chair Joe Giroux, who operates a dairy farm with his son Todd in Beekmantown.

O'Shea and her project colleagues are now assisting participating farms with applying the data to their dairy businesses. The results of this research are expected to be presented at "State of the Dairy Industry" meetings in the NNY region this summer.

The research team is also developing a "How to Make the Best Hiring Decisions" educational program based on the top two priorities identified by farm owners as ways to make managing and retaining labor easier. That program is expected to be available in the fall of 2019.

The "Labor Trends and Their Impact on Financial and Production Factors on Dairy Operations in Northern New York" report is posted under Dairy Research on the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program website at www.nnyagdev.org .

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Legislature and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump went after former Secretary of State John Kerry again Thursday, calling for the former senator and top U.S. diplomat to be prosecuted for meeting with Iranian leaders and "telling them what to do."



It's an accusation that Kerry strongly denies and that legal scholars question the merits of as well. A source close to Kerry said that he has not talked to Iranian leaders since Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal.



Trump's charges against Kerry come as his own administration has heightened tensions with Tehran. U.S. officials said Iran and its proxies were preparing an attack against U.S. forces in Iraq, sending an aircraft carrier strike group to the region and deploying Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Baghdad in a show of force.



Senior Trump aides met at the White House on Thursday to discuss next steps, with concerns growing about a clash between the two sides. But the president said he was not interested in war with Iran; he wanted to talk to Iranian leaders, but it was Kerry who has blocked that, according to the president.



"John Kerry tells them not to call. That's a violation of the Logan Act, and frankly he should be prosecuted on that, but my people don't want to do anything," he said Thursday during a White House announcement on cutting costs for medical expenses.



Trump has repeatedly called for the prosecution of certain political opponents, including Hillary Clinton, Kerry's predecessor at the State Department and a fellow Democratic presidential candidate. But the president made it seem as if he had discussed prosecuting Kerry with some advisers. The White House did not respond to questions about that.



"He's talking to Iran and has been -- has many meetings and many phone calls, and he's telling them what to do. That is a total violation of the Logan Act," Trump continued.



While Kerry has said publicly that he's spoken to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif before Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, a source close to him said that he has not talked to Iranian leadership since then.



"When he did before then, it was to urge them to stay in the deal," the source said. "And no, of course he has never discouraged a call. He's urged everyone on all sides to talk and use diplomacy."



Kerry himself denied Trump's accusations through a spokesperson, who told ABC News on Thursday that, in part, "Everything President Trump said today is simply wrong, end of story. He's wrong about the facts, wrong about the law and sadly he's been wrong about how to use diplomacy to keep America safe."



The Iranian government also denied contacts with Kerry, with Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi telling MSNBC, "This is something new to us, that John Kerry has told us to not talk to the current president or his administration."



The law in question -- the Logan Act -- is an arcane statute that has received renewed attention in recent years. Signed into law in 1799, it penalizes private individuals for negotiating or collaborating with foreign governments on issues involving the United States without the federal government's permission. There has only been one indictment under the law -- in 1803 against a Kentucky farmer who wrote an op-ed calling for western states to secede and ally themselves with France -- and the charges were ultimately dropped. No one has ever been prosecuted under the law.



It is "unclear whether the federal government does in fact have the power to limit this particular speech and whether the statute is overbroad in its coverage," according to a 2010 article in the Houston Journal of International Law.



But throughout the years, politicians have used it to bully opponents, urging prosecution of them for what could be seen as traitorous behavior. Critics argued Trump's first national security adviser Michael Flynn should've been prosecuted for urging Russia to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories that the Obama administration was going to abstain on and see passed. Russia ultimately voted in favor of the resolution.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The Star of Bethlehem (circa 5 BC) was the star that appeared at the birth of Jesus Christ. Our only source for this is the gospel of Matthew  there is no...

1 day ago
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
When you first walk into the Mill, Bloomingtons newest co-work space for budding businesses, youre greeted with rows of desks packed with people furiously typing away at laptops, within a perimeter of windowed office spaces and even more peoplefuriously typing away at laptops. And theyre all there for a similar reason: to get their startups off the ground.

The Mill is the epicenter for the Trades District, Bloomingtons multi-million-dollar small-town-as-Silicon-Valley effort to bring new talent and new business into the city. But a few of The Mills startups arent waiting for a parking garage to get built before they make a splash.

One business tucked in the back of The Mills offices has already garnered plenty of (dont say it, dont say it) buzz. (Im so sorry.)

With just four full-timers on the roster, The Bee Corp has firmly announced its presence both in the Bloomington startup space and around the country. Though its methodology of getting from A to B has changed several times, its mission has largely stayed the same: use technology to bridge the gap between beekeepers and food growers to ensure better food security.

We see it as food security because if we dont put metrics to this, youre going to see  the price is not going to stop climbing for honeybees, said Ellie Symes, CEO of The Bee Corp. [Its] going to give the beekeepers better information to help them.

Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From

The Bee Corp CEO Ellie Symes. (Photo: Payton Knobeloch)

Each new season, growers will order new colonies from beekeepers to compensate for bees that have died off, so their new rotation of crops can get properly pollinated. But up to this point, those orders were based off a rough, inaccurate manual inspection. Scale that up to larger operations, and the orders were even more inaccurate.

The Bee Corp addresses those inaccuracies through Verifli, an app/hardware bundle that uses infrared imaging to accurately estimate the size of a bee colony within a hive. Launched in February of this year, its a small attachment that fits easily in your palm plugs into your smartphone and transforms its camera into an infrared camera.

Simply snap a photo of a hive, and Veriflis software analyzes the image and applies algorithms to determine an estimated size.

With a small attachment, Verifli transforms your smartphone into an infrared camera. (Photo: Payton Knobeloch)

Even in The Bee Corps office, Symes showed that Verifli is accurate to the point where it can identify the heat signature left by a handprint on a table.

Its a validation tool for both sides to assess the quality of the hives, so they can have a business relationship with something thats measurable, Symes said. With more metrics and measurement over time, hopefully we can actually reduce the number of colonies that are used in pollination, but increase the overall health and strength in colonies.

Since honeybees pollinate around a third of our food, theres plenty of work to be done in that sector. But as Symes notes, The Bee Corp has set its sights specifically on the almond industry, the crop that requires the most bees to grow.

Its worth noting that The Bee Corps mission is not to save the bees, a common cultural refrain referencing colony collapse disorder, or the phenomenon where most of a hive will leave behind a queen with too few other bees to take care of it. While native pollinators like bumblebees, carpenter and mason bees are in trouble, honeybees  the species the Bee Corp works with  are a globally distributed livestock animal, and theyre doing just fine.

A 2015 Wired piece by Gwen Pearson states, The bees you should be concerned about are the 3,999 other bee species living in North America, most of which are solitary, stingless, ground-nesting bees youve never heard of.

There is not a hive honeybees are going to be off the board issue, Symes said, although honeybees are vulnerable to health issues of their own. Natural pollinators fall more under the purview of nonprofits, not the Bee Corp.

There are two version of the attachment, one for iOS and another for Android. (Photo: Payton Knobeloch)

The Bee Corp has evolved significantly since the company launched a couple years ago, while Symes was still a student at Indiana University. What began as an intersection of her interests in beekeeping (even leading her to launch the Beekeeping Club at IU) and environmental management is now at the juncture where the Bee Corp is being courted by major partners like the Almond Board of California.

Weve received inbound interest from several major players in both the agricultural space and beyond, that see both the hive strength analysis and infrared image analysis as a tool to solve other problems, Symes said.

That kind of attention might lead one to assume that the Bee Corp would be headed out west to be nearer to growers or similar startups. But Symes says that move would be counterintuitive to the progress theyve made in Bloomington.

Staying in Bloomington is not only cheaper than moving shop to California, but its easy for us to recruit newer, younger talent, Symes said. As a business, you need a lot of support around you, with your service providers, investors, advisors  and thats here in Bloomington, and in Indiana.

This thinking may be indicative of where Bloomington startup culture is headed. The goal for a place like the Trades District is that, as the Mill and other incubators grow, companies and investors will take note. For Symes, that growth is already in a good place.

Theres a lot going on in Bloomington, she said. It really is a good ecosystem. Im really proud of where its at, and I think it has really grown in the past three years.

5/13/19 UPDATE: In an impressive coincidence of timing, The Bee Corp announced on their website Friday that it will soon be relocating to Indianapolis.

"Bloomington is an excellent place to launch a startup, build early traction, raise capital and access key resources," CMO Wyatt Wells said in the release.

Symes added that the decision to move was determined by the local talent available in Bloomington versus Indianapolis.

"The university offers an excellent pipeline for hiring interns and entry-level roles, but the pool of experienced developers is more mature in Indianapolis," she said.

In our interview, Symes discussed the choice to remain in Bloomington versus moving to California to be closer to almond growers, but the possibility of an Indianapolis move did not come up. Symes told The INbox Monday that the change was not public at the time of the interview.
Following the designation of the Iranian Regimes Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States Government, the Committee on Publications of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) released the names of books that the Iranian Resistance has published over the past five years about the Iranian regimes terrorism, fundamentalism, warfare and weapons of mass destruction. They are:

 How Iran Regime Cheated the World  June 2014. This book is about the systematic actions of the clerical regime to conceal its nuclear weapons production project, especially the dimensions of SPND.

 Iranian Regimes Nuclear Duplicity  January 2016. This report is about the deceptive practices of the regime in negotiations with the P5 + 1 countries.

 Iran: A Writ of Deception and Cover-up  February 2016. This report is about the regimes secret committee to hide the military dimension of the nuclear program and deceive the International Atomic Energy Agency.

 How Iran Fuels Syria War  two editions, September and November 2016. This book is about the Iranian regimes interference in Syria, and how it has divided the country into five military commands, and set up 18 military bases. It details the regimes operations including its proxies, and includes images and specifications of more than 60 of the IRGC commanders killed in Syria.

 The Rise of the Revolutionary Guards Financial Empire  March 2017. This book is about the concentration of Iranian economy in 14 giant conglomerates controlled by the Vali-e Faqih and the Revolutionary Guards. It details the economic and financial web of the IRGC and its associate entities, and how the IRGC spend the oil revenue and assets of the Iranian people on terrorism.

 Terrorist Training Camps in Iran -June 2017. This book details how the Iranian regime recruits foreign fighters, the methods used for their training and 15 training centers in Iran.

 Irans Nuclear Core  October 2017. This book includes the details of uninspected nuclear sites associated with SPND, which forms the core of the nuclear weapons program of Iran.

 Iran: Cyber Repression  February 2018. This book is about the cyber-espionage by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp, its front companies and various fake apps created to spy on the Iranian citizens opposing the regime.

 Irans Ballistic Buildup  May 2018. This manuscript is about the accelerating efforts of the regime for the production of missiles, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the IRGC and MOD missile structure, and the details of 42 sites related to the production, maintenance and launching of missiles.

 Iran Doubles Down on Terror and Turmoil  November 2018. This book is about the regimes warmongering interference in the countries of the region, terrorism abroad and the role of the regimes embassies in this regard.

 Irans Emissaries of Terror; How mullahs embassies run the network of espionage and murder  May 2019. This book is about the performance of the regimes embassies, especially in Albania, Germany, Austria, Italy, and France, which operate as the hub for the terror plots carried out by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), and the decision-making for terror operations.

Prior to these publications, three books have been published on the actions of the religious fascism ruling Iran and its threat to the region and the world. They are:

 The Revolutionary Guards, the Fundamentalist and Terrorist Army -2008, Mehdi Abrishamchi

 The Iran Threat; President Ahmadinejad and the coming nuclear crisis  February 2007, authored by Alireza Jafarzadeh and published by Palgrave Macmillan.

 Islamic fundamentalism, the New Global Threat -1993, authored by Mohammad Mohaddessin and published by Seven Locks Press.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran has not only revealed the actions and projects of the mullahs anti-Iranian regime, but has also been the standard bearer on advocating the adoption of a decisive policy instead of the catastrophic policy of appeasement. In the words of the President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, The international community must wake up, human kind must be enlightened, so that the foundations for crippling sanctions against the Iranian regime could be established. (July 18, 2015).

This leading and guiding role is not only a duty to the nation and the defense of the supreme values of the country, but also is in the service of the international community as well as peace and stability of the Middle East region (the annual statement of the NCRI-August 2006).

National Council of Resistance of Iran  Committee on Publications

May 5, 2019
The thing is that the Regime has a viable alternative in the form of the oldest, largest, and most popular resistance organization in Iran, which has fought two separate regimes since it was founded in 1965. That is the Peoples Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

In order to help you learn more about the MEK, we have created an in-depth series. In this part, we will learn about how the broad support that the MEK enjoys internationally.

As we said at the end of the last article, the Regime spends a lot of time and money to discredit the MEK internationally and even assassinate MEK members on foreign soil, much as they always do inside Iran. This shows that the Regime does not consider the MEK to be an insignificant organization, but rather the greatest threat to the continued rule of the mullahs. Why else exert so much effort into attacking them?

In fact, the MEK enjoys broad popularity both inside and outside of Iran. While inside Iran this is a crime that could result in execution, outside Iran people are able to be much more open about their support for the group. This means that the Iranian diaspora, as well as many former and current high-ranking government officials and associations, can be completely open about their support for the MEK and for bringing fundamental change to Iran.

Let s consider that. There are thousands of the most intelligent and most important people in the world, including foreign ministers, prime ministers, members of parliaments, governors, members of Congress, attorneys general, human rights advocates, Joint Chiefs of Staff, FBI directors, and military officers, supporting the MEK, while those in support of the Regime are dictators and autocrats.

Every June, the MEK organises a rally in Paris to commemorate the 1981 demonstration in Tehran that we learnt about earlier in this series. This routinely draws around 100,000 people. In 2014, there were over 600 officials and parliamentarians from North America, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East in attendance to show their support for the MEK. In 2018, the Regime tried to bomb the MEK rally, but thankfully the plot was foiled by European police before anybody could be hurt and an Iranian diplomat was arrested for his role.

Support for the MEK was also demonstrated at the convention of Iranian associations in Europe, North America, and Australia in 2014, where 300 Iranian associations from 18 countries pledged their support for the MEK and its 10-point plan for a new Iran.

In 2015, the Union of Iranian Associations in Germany also organized a rally in support of the MEK and a free Iran. tens of thousands of people from 40 countries attended.

That is the end of our little series. We hope you have found it useful and that it has encouraged you to support the MEK in their fight against the mullahs.
Iran informed the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China and Russia (the remaining parties of the deal) of its decision and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that the regime was acting within its rights. He left the rest up to the EU. In a message on Twitter, he said: After a year of patience, Iran stops measures that US has made impossible to continue. Our action is within the terms of JCPOA. EU/E3+2 has a narrowing window to reverse this.

Before announcing that the U.S. is pulling out of the nuclear deal, the EU signatories pleaded with Trump to remain within its framework. They admitted that the deal was not perfect but said that the world is a safer place with the deal intact. Trump, however, completely disagreed and withdrew, re-imposing tough economic sanctions and increasing pressure on the rogue regime.

The EU scrambled together to come up with a solution that would keep Iran happy and to protect trade with Iran, but it has failed.

In his speech on Wednesday, Rouhani warned the remaining signatories of the deal that they have 60 days to shield Irans banking and oil sectors from the U.S. sanctions. Failing this, he explained that the regime would keep enriched uranium stocks in Iran instead of selling them abroad.

Florence Parly, Frances defence minister, in response to Irans announcement said that the country was committed to keeping the deal alive but warned that it would not hesitate to sanction Iran if it did not honour its commitments.

Spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel, Steffen Seibert, also said that Germany expects Iran to be wholly compliant with the nuclear agreement and affirmed that the country will do its part.

Foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, however, has said that her office is fully committed to the 2015 nuclear deal and reiterated that she sees it as a key nuclear non-proliferation achievement and in the security interest of all.

Edgars Rinkevics, the foreign minister of Latvia, expressed his regret that Iran has decided to withdraw from parts of the nuclear deal and said that the EU has a responsibility to discuss how to move forward.

Jeremy Hunt, the British foreign secretary, warned Iran that it would face consequences if it did not comply with the nuclear agreement

Iran is trying to push a wedge between the United States and the European Union so it is essential for the EU not to play into its hands. Iran is the number one threat to peace and security in the Middle East and this should be considered in all foreign policy discussions and decisions. Appeasing this dangerous regime would be the worst move the European Union could make. Showing solidarity with the U.S. would be the biggest blow to the belligerent regime.
The existence of those threats was first disclosed by National Security Advisor John Bolton on Sunday when he announced that the aircraft carrier and a bomber task force would both be deployed to the area in a gesture of warning to the Iranian regime. The Lincoln was already scheduled to arrive in the Persian Gulf at some point in the future as part of a dynamic deployment, but its passage through the Suez Canal on Thursday reflects an expedited schedule stemming from Boltons order.

Days after the National Security Advisor referenced new intelligence regarding the threat of attack by Iranian forces or militant proxies in the surrounding region, the acting secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff each confirmed the threat and provided sparse accounts of the circumstances under which the relevant intelligence was acquired and analyzed. Somewhat more detailed information emerged on Thursday, when NBC News reported that three anonymous defense officials had communicated their familiarity with the intelligence reports.

Those sources indicated that at least one Iranian official had openly discussed the potential for pitting militant proxies against US forces, but not against any other nations militaries. The NBC report went on to identify specific Shiite extremist groups in Iraq and elsewhere that might be utilized as part of this Iranian mission. Some such organizations can reasonably be described as sleeper cells, meaning that the relevant Iranian chatter refers to the prospective activation of threats that already exist in the region.

Those threats were reportedly backed up by corresponding intelligence regarding the transportation of missiles across the region, to be used either by proxy forces or by Irans own foreign operatives, chiefly those associated with the Quds Force division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

While Iran ordinarily makes a concerted effort to conceal such smuggling activities, US officials report that missiles and missile components have recently been left visible to overhead surveillance and may have been accompanied by mobile launchers, thus highlighting the danger of Iran attempting to launch weapons directly from small ships in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waterways.

However, the latest reports suggest that this has been regarded as a secondary threat, behind the threat of attacks by proxy. But missile launches could constitute a source of support for the actions of those proxies, in the event that open conflict broke out. The actual likelihood of that happening remains a source of some debate.

For its part, the White House has repeatedly offered assurances that it is not interested in military conflict, even as it pursues a strategy of maximum economic and diplomatic pressure. Tehran has offered broadly similar assurances regarding the supposedly defensive purposes of an ongoing military buildup. But this narrative is not necessarily incompatible with the prospective order for attacks by proxy, much less with the possibility of Iranian officials signaling their tacit approval for proxy forces to undertake such attacks on their own accord.

This speaks to some of the concerns that emerged last month in the wake of the Trump administrations announcement that it would be sanctioning the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. It was the first time the US government had extended such designation to an official institution of a foreign government, and it led Iran to a similarly unprecedented undertaking, namely terrorist designation for all US military forces in the Middle East.

On Monday, The Atlantic published an article the questioned the implications of these mutual designations while also highlighting some of the ways in which Iran might try to harm US assets if tensions escalated to the point of conflict. The magazine followed up on Wednesday with an article that highlighted the possibility that the simultaneous presence of US forces and Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq could be a flashpoint for the tensions between the US and Iran itself.

Some of these groups had been participants in an uneasy alliance with the US military, as multiple actors in the region sought to beat back the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. But now that ISILs Sunni militants have been almost entirely defeated, there is an escalating danger of the situation regressing to something like what it was when Iran-backed groups participated in the insurgency against US forces during the American occupation of Iraq.

The Atlantic explains that Iraqi militant groups could be an effective tool not only for the furtherance of longstanding escalation between Iran and the US, but also for the resurrection of an old narrative that helps to justify that escalation on the Iranian side by portraying US troops as an occupying force in the country. The same narrative would certainly be utilized throughout the region, including in places like Syria where both Iran and the US also have a presence, and in places like Yemen where the US merely supports regional allies actions against another Iran-backed militant group.

Of course, something akin to the occupation narrative has always been propagated by the Iranian regime, which refers to Western powers as global arrogance and to the US specifically as the great Satan. Naturally, ongoing tensions have inspired even more direct applications of that narrative, as when Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz last month and denounced its regional adversaries for supposedly giving up their autonomy and turning their backs on the Muslim world through alliance with the US.

Meanwhile, Irans most firmly established proxies have contributed their own rhetoric to this narrative, as part of a well-known effort to unify large swaths of Muslim-majority territory under the banner of the Islamic Republic. The Iran-backed paramilitary Hezbollah spoke out on Thursday through its representatives in the Lebanese parliament, saying that US-led sanctions demonstrate a tyrannical and dictatorial trend.

According to the Associated Press, the parliamentary bloc accused the US of adhering only to the law of the jungle, then added that Iran has the power to defend itself. Such statements are likely to raise greater concerns in the wake of the recent American intelligence than they might have done otherwise. At the same time, they could encourage Western policymakers to wonder how much Hezbollah views itself as an instrument of that Iranian power.
SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Army National Guard officially has a Catholic chaplain to serve the men and women who serve our country.

Father Mark Tracy of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois was officially sworn in as a commissioned officer during a swearing in ceremony April 29 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield.

I look forward in this role to serve the men and women of the military, Father Tracy said. These men and women do a lot for our country, and I am honored to serve them as a priest chaplain. I look forward to joining them where they are at as Christ did and accompanying them in their journey.

Father Tracy will provide spiritual care to the men and women of the Illinois Army National Guard. The duties include administering the sacraments, counseling, and being with the men and women and accompanying them on their faith journey. He will be with his unit one weekend a month and will be active for two to four weeks every year serving domestically or internationally.

This position is needed in the military because people need and long for the person of Jesus Christ, Father Tracy said. As a priest, even though I am completely unworthy, I represent the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus longs to speak through us priests. He longs to feed, touch, and heal his people through the sacraments that the priest offers. Priesthood is not the only way we encounter the person of Jesus Christ, but it is a very powerful way that Christ Jesus continues his presence among us.

In his new role, Father Tracy will first complete the Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course which is the chaplain initial military training. This training is 72 days broken up into three phases that he will complete this upcoming year. He will also have to travel every month to his commissioned unit in Illinois.

This new role will add a new layer to his priestly assignments as Tracy will remain the parochial vicar at St. Anthony Parish in Effingham and St. Mary Parish in Shumway.

Two people that greatly helped me with my discernment of this unique call and vocation are Father Emil Kapaun and Father Vincent Capodanno, Father Tracy said. Both were military chaplains who gave up their lives while in service of their unit, country, and Christ Jesus.

Father Tracy said the initial commitment for the Illinois National Guard will be somewhere around a six-year commitment. From there, he will work with Bishop Thomas John Paprocki to see if the bishop would like for him to continue in this role.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Flower Ceremony is a ritual service common in Unitarian Universalism, though the specific practices vary from one congregation to another. It is usually held before summer, when some congregations recess from holding services. During the ritual, congregants contribute flowers to a central location, and later the flowers are distributed among the participants. The Flower Celebration was initiated in Prague on June 4 1923, by Norbert Capek, who was also the founder of the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia.

The ceremony was brought to the United States in 1940 and introduced to the members of our Cambridge, Massachusetts, church by Dr. Capek's wife, Maja V. Capek. The Czech-born Maja had met Norbert Capek in New York City while he was studying for his Ph.D., and it was at her urging that Norbert left the Baptist ministry and turned to Unitarianism. The Capeks returned to Czechoslovakia in 1921 and established the dynamic church in Prague; Maja Capek was ordained in 1926. It was during her tour of the United States that Maja introduced the flower ceremony, which had been developed in the Prague church, at the Unitarian church in Cambridge. Unfortunately, Maja was unable to return to Prague due to the outbreak of World War II, and it was not until the war was over that Norbert Capek's death in a Nazi concentration camp was revealed. From this beginning the service has spread to many of our Unitarian Universalist congregations and has been adapted along the way. Celebrating the Flower Ceremony is an excellent opportunity for Unitarian Universalist congregations to express their commitment to our Sixth Principle: We covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.
MATTOON -- Officers with the Mattoon Police Department and the East Central Illinois Drug Task Force made four arrests while serving a search warrant at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday at a residence in the 700 block of South 16th Street.

The police department reported that a 38-year-old Mattoon man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of ammunition by a felon, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.

Police allege that they found meth within the residence and determined that the 38-year-old man had been selling this drug from there. The charges against him also allege that firearm ammunition and an improvised explosive device were located there. This man is a convicted felon who is not allowed to possess those items.

A 35-year-old Mattoon woman also was arrested on a meth possession charge for allegedly having more than 13 grams on her. The charge alleges, as well, that she had an active Coles County warrant for her arrest for a probation violation on a meth charge.

Those arrested also included a 32-year-old Mattoon, formerly of Louisiana, on a meth delivery charge. He allegedly possessed more than 28 grams of meth packaged for delivery.

In addition, a 42-year-old Mattoon woman was arrested on a charge of obstructing/resisting a police officer. She allegedly entered the property being searched by police, refused repeated orders to leave, and then struggled with police during her arrest.

The 42-year-old woman posted bond, was released from police custody, and is set to appear in Coles County Circuit Court. The other three individuals arrested were all taken to the Coles County jail.

Love 4 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 2

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.
SPRINGFIELD  House Republicans on Thursday accused Gov. J.B. Pritzker of revoking his own state board appointments as political retribution for votes he did not agree with.

We came down here today because we think it's important to call attention to some seemingly heavy-handed tactics that the administration has taken recently regarding some dissent, said Republican state Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon.

Demmer and state Rep. Norine Hammond, a Macomb Republican, raised these concerns at an Illinois State Capitol news conference, specifically noting a pair of Pritzker actions regarding the Teachers Retirement System board and the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

Pritzker withdrew his own appointments of Julie Hamos and Michael Gelder from the state health facilities review board less than a week after the board voted unanimously to allow the owners of Westlake Hospital to close the Melrose Park facility.

Pritzkers office said in a statement the decision was made in order to appoint members who more closely share the governors vision for hospitals around the state.

In March, the Teachers Retirement System board opposed Pritzkers pension plan to diminish statutorily-mandated payments  a plan the governor has since scrapped.

A month later, two holdovers from Gov. Bruce Rauners administration were removed from the board.

We cant have these boards fearing their decisions must first be vetted by the governor, Hammond said.

Hammond said there are 14 days left on the legislative calendar and more than 150 gubernatorial appointments awaiting Senate approval.

That means that these individuals face possibly months and months where they are not yet confirmed, and they have important decisions to make, Hammond said. They should not have to worry that they will be removed because they make decisions that are counter to the governor's wishes, but in the best interest of the board on which they serve.

In response to questions about the Republicans claims, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said, The governor has appointed and will continue to appoint highly qualified people who share his vision to serve on boards and commissions across the state.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
As a candidate, J.B. Pritzker repeatedly criticized Springfield's habit of putting off tough decisions. Once elected, he wanted to do just that. His proposed budget for the next fiscal year included extending by seven years the state's pension payment schedule. Doing that would push to 2052 the target date for a 90 percent-funded pension system, and reduce what the state would pay in the short term. For the budget that begins July 1, it would cut what the state owes from about $9.1 billion to about $8 billion.

Tuesday brought good news and bad news on this front. The good is that Pritzker is nixing the proposed seven-year extension and the partial pension holiday. The bad is that those terrible ideas could resurface: Pritzker's office told us Tuesday evening that the governor is "not taking any options off the table for future years."

Team Pritzker's stated reason for nixing the pension proposals for fiscal 2020 is a surprise April windfall of income tax revenue: The reported total of $4.1 billion is $1.5 billion more than anticipated. Credit ripple effects of the booming national economy -- more people working, wages rising, stock prices increasing. Each of those factors translates to more revenue for state governments, many of which have reported higher revenues in early 2019.

Who knows, maybe an appreciative Pritzker will send a note of thanks to President Donald Trump for federal tax and regulatory changes that helped raise economic growth to 3.2 percent and drop unemployment to 3.6 percent.

This windfall cancels most of the $1.6 billion shortfall in the current fiscal year's budget. The Illinois Department of Revenue also is raising by $800 million its income tax revenue projection for fiscal 2020, which starts in eight weeks. That expectation allows Pritzker to set aside his proposal to short the pensions.

We're grateful that economic growth is putting more money in workers' pockets, and in state coffers, too. We're also wary of one-month blips. Illinois still has policies, laws and regulations that drive employers elsewhere. And the next recession always looms; the only question is when it'll arrive.

We're also grateful that Pritzker is devoting some of the windfall to pensions. He has said he would like to bolster the pension system from proceeds of a graduated-rate income tax. But adoption of that structure is uncertain. Even if approved by voters, graduated rates wouldn't generate new money until after the November 2020 election. And who knows what lawmakers would do with the billions of new dollars they would collect?

So let's focus on Pritzker's still-on-the-table notion of a partial pension holiday and extension of the payment schedule. Those ideas demonstrate exactly how Illinois taxpayers became victims of a pension crisis. The mere mention of options that have proved so damaging to Illinois taxpayers should aggravate them -- especially members of public employee unions who count on retirement checks.

Taking shortcuts has driven Illinois' unfunded pension liabilities to $133.5 billion, up from $111 billion when Gov. Bruce Rauner took office in 2015. Rauner made required payments into the pension funds, and a roaring stock market brought good investment returns. But the liabilities cannot be tamed. By constructing benefits as they did and then not properly funding the pensions, lawmakers made this debacle.

After Pritzker's February call for shortcuts, House Republican leader Jim Durkin offered a reality check that we hope sticks with the governor: "The largest obligation we have hanging over taxpayers are public pension systems, and there's been no effort to revisit changing the constitution or going back to the courts to reform our system. So to suggest we should extend out the ramp and short the system ... sounds like what created the problem in the first place."

Set aside politics. Can anyone argue that Durkin is wrong? That it's ever acceptable to shove today's costs of doing business onto our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren?

Departing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has urged the state's Democratic leaders to support moderating the Illinois Constitution's rigid language on pensions. Another option: passing mild pension reforms to test their constitutionality. But since the Illinois Supreme Court's May 2015 decision tossing pension reform, legislators have done almost nothing. One month's revenue bump doesn't eliminate their need to act.

Governor Pritzker, you know that pension holidays and ramp extensions would do further serious damage. Take credit for setting aside those notions. Then reassure Illinois taxpayers by abandoning them for good.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4
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.
Opening

THE HUSTLE. Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star in this remake of the con artists comedy "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" that was not screened in time for Ground Zero deadlines. PG-13. (Grand)

MAHARSHI. This Indian Telugu-language action drama was not screened for critics. Not Rated. (Grand)

POKEMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU. Ryan Reynolds tries hard, but can't make this live action-meets-animated movie gel. It's plodding and listless and really not funny or smart enough. PG. (Grand, East Park, Edgewood, SouthPointe) Grade: C-

POMS. This comedy about an elderly woman, played by Diane Keaton, who moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad was not screened in time for Ground Zero deadlines. PG-13. (Grand, East Park, Edgewood, SouthPointe)

RED JOAN. This slow-burning based-on-a-true-story espionage film looks at Britain's 'granny spy" played by Judi Dench and Sophie Cookson, who shared nuclear secrets with the Soviets for 40 years. R. (Ross) Grade: B
More than three dozen Nebraska state senators signed onto a measure condemning white nationalism, white supremacy and other forms of hatred on Thursday, asking the resolution be sent to several federal officials.

The legislative resolution, introduced by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, recognizes the victims of an April 27 shooting at a synagogue near San Diego that left one dead and three others wounded.

"The rise in white nationalism and white supremacy in the United State is a reminder of how far we must be willing to go in the struggle for freedom, and a reminder that no one has to stay silent," Hunt said in a statement.

White supremacy and white nationalism are "contrary to the ideals of the United States of America," reads the resolution, which had 37 co-signers when it was introduced on Thursday in the 49-member Legislature.

Although the country "has often fallen short of these ideals, patriotic Americans have sought to embody the founding values of our country by rejecting white nationalism and white supremacy, embracing inclusive patriotism, and welcoming immigrants from across the globe," the document says.
A prison reform bill advanced Friday from the Judiciary Committee, with six measures gathered into one omnibus bill that would address such issues as cellphones in prisons, restrictive housing and intensive probation.

The original bill used to carry the legislation would have modified the Correctional System Overcrowding Emergency Act to encourage continued efforts to reduce overcrowding in Nebraska's correctional system while providing for a more gradual release of inmates beginning in July 2020.

The prisons together are at around 160% of design capacity, and some individual prisons are higher than that. The prisons would have to release about 1,200 prisoners to get to 125% of design capacity.

"We tried to stairstep it down, and they came in and opposed it," said Judiciary Chairman Steve Lathrop, referring to the Department of Correctional Services.

Director Scott Frakes said the department and the Board of Parole each have plans to respond to an overcrowding emergency. In addition, he has requests to the Appropriations Committee for money for inmate programs to ensure that men and women are ready for release.
"Lots of people here end up friends, but I've seen people look at each other across the bar one day and end up married later," Davies said. "It's a really cool thing to see here."

A Cornerstone of Lincoln LGBT History

Just looking at the exterior of Panic, one can see remnants of the nation's early resistance to the gay liberation movement. A tall mostly translucent fence surrounds the patio and the entrance is painted black to make it harder for people walking in to be recognized, some of whom once had to park several blocks away and walk in the front door with hoods up just in case someone might recognize them, according to Davies.

"There were times when people used to sit across the street with BB guns ready to smear the queer," she said. "We still have issues here and there, but we're much more ready to confront them. Lincoln Police have been great to us, and helped us catch people last summer who were throwing things onto our patio. They were just 16, too young to hate like that."
By Ivan Ssenabulya.

The Ministry of Gender, labour and social development has agreed with Patrick Ssenyonjo alias Fresh Kids team to draft a Memorandum of Understanding that will safeguard the young stars interests.

This was reached during a meeting held with the ministrys permanent secretary Pius Bigirimana yesterday.

Bigirimana said this is aimed at specifying the sharing of earnings from performances, assurance to continue with school, avoid exploitation among others.

In the meeting attended by Fresh Kids parents Paul Mutabazi, Madrine Namata and his manager, it was agreed that the MoU will be reviewed before the official signing.

The 7-year-old was recently awarded scholarship by Ruparelia Group to study at Kampala Parents School.

Related Stories

Fresh Kid Meets Children Affairs Minister
Iowa officials, however, wanted to get a link to Nebraska reopened. The interstate and other major highways sustained significant damage from March flooding and have been closed since, with an original target date for reopening in June.

For several weeks, anyone living on one side of the river and working on the other was limited to bridge crossings at Bellevue to the north and St. Joseph, Missouri, to the south.

The solution for reopening Iowa 2 was devised to serve primarily those local travelers. Others are encouraged to continue using alternate routes.

The section of I-29 from Glenwood, Iowa, to the Missouri border reopened Wednesday, but with traffic limited in some spots to one lane in each direction.

Other links to Nebraska, including U.S. highways 34, 136 and 159, remain closed west of I-29. And on and off ramps to the interstate are shut at the Hamburg, Percival, Thurman, Tabor and Pacific Junction interchanges in Iowa.

Farther north, crews are working to reopen a closed section of I-29 between the I-680 interchanges at Crescent and Loveland. The goal is to get traffic flowing there by Memorial Day weekend.

The cost of the repairs on I-29 has not yet been determined, officials said. But it will be in the millions.

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 are people who do not matter much.

That's a painful truth, starkly at odds with our Jeffersonian creed and national mythology. But it is a truth, nevertheless, one frequently proven in actions if denied in words.

In this country, by dint of race, gender, class or status, some people just don't seem to matter. Apparently, Tammy Jackson is one of them.

No other conclusion is possible after reading the May 3 letter her public defender, Howard Finkelstein, sent to Broward County, Florida, Sheriff Gregory Tony. In it, he decries the "outrageous and inhumane" treatment accorded his client in a Broward lockup. And if anything, the lawyer is guilty of understatement.

He says Jackson, who has mental illness, went into labor before dawn on April 10 while alone in an isolation cell. He says she cried out for help, but guards did not come to see about her, much less take her to the hospital. Instead, they phoned the jail's on-call doctor. It took four hours to reach him, and, even then, he showed no particular urgency, saying he would check on Jackson when he got to work.
RACINE COUNTY  Anyone interested in adopting a solar power system through the Southeast Wisconsin Solar Group Buy is invited to an information session on Wednesday. The Solar Summit, for both residents and small-business representatives, is set for 6:30 p.m. in the Michigan Room of Gateway Technical College, 1001 Main St.

SWSGB is a nonprofit, volunteer-led program founded by Greening Greater Racine that serves homeowners, small businesses and nonprofits, including churches.

The informational summit will include an explanation of benefits available through the group buy program, a presentation by the solar installer and testimonies from residents who have participated in this program.

Attendees will learn about the group buy discounts, federal tax credits and grants available from Focus on Energy. They will be able to sign up for a free solar assessment, for south-facing as well as east- or west-facing structures.

SWSGB said 50 families and four businesses are now producing 315 megawatts of solar electricity each year through the group buys.

Do it to save money. Do it because its the right thing, organizers stated in an announcement.

Environmental benefits

Over their projected 40-year life, solar panels offset the environmental impact of 977,575 gallons of gasoline consumed or 11,545 metric tons of carbon-dioxide produced, organizers said. They are the equivalent of planting and growing 209,224 trees for 10 years.

SWSGB has again chosen Arch Electric of Plymouth as its partner contractor for this years program. Its company leaders are active instructors, inspectors and consultants to many of the leading energy groups in the region.

The SWSGB will also continue its relationship with the Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps which will be doing the installations. In 2018, 17 youth from disadvantaged populations in the area received on-the-job training by assisting with installations.

The solar summit is co-sponsored by Visioning a Greater Racine, the Clean Power Coalition, the Racine Sustainable Business Network, Racine Green Congregations, Ministries at North Pointe, Faith and Solar and supported by the Sierra Club.

To learn more, visit www.swsgb.solar or contact Haley Avery at havery.glccc@gmail.com.

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.
KENOSHA  A local family shattered by a senseless tragedy received an outpouring of love and support on Friday.

Bradford High School sophomore Kaylie Juga was fatally shot and her 39-year-old mother, Stephanie Juga, was seriously injured in a shooting at about 3 p.m. Thursday at a house in the 10900 block of 66th Street on Kenoshas west side.

Kaylie, 16, died at the scene as Stephanie was being transported to Froedtert Souths St. Catherines Medical Center campus in Pleasant Prairie.

According to a source close to the family, Stephanie was informed at the hospital by her husband, Nick Juga, that their daughter died from her injuries.

Stephanie underwent surgery Thursday night for a bullet wound on her arm and was listed in serious but stable condition Friday morning.

Shes doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances, said Angie Covelli, a longtime friend of the Juga family.

Kenosha Police identified Martice L. Fuller, 15, of Kenosha as a person of interest and the lone suspect in the shooting. He was apprehended early Friday in Racine after a 15-hour manhunt.

During the investigation, Kenosha Police detectives determined that the person of interest was at a Kenosha residence in the 6400 block of 22nd Avenue.

The Tactical Response Team served a warrant on the residence at about 4 a.m. Fuller was not located at that time and no physical evidence was recovered there.

Shortly thereafter, the Kenosha Police Department received a call from a person in Racine, who indicated that Fuller was there and wanted to surrender.

He was taken into custody without incident by Kenosha police detectives, working alongside Racine police officers, at about 6:25 a.m. Friday at a Racine residence in the 2000 block of Blake Avenue.

Fuller was transported to Kenosha for questioning. The occupants of the Racine home remained cooperative and a search was conducted at the residence. Physical evidence was recovered but no firearm was found.

In a relationship

Kaylie and Fuller were former Bradford classmates and, according to a police news release, had previously been in a relationship.

Kaylie was a cheerleader and honor-roll student who frequently helped out at her moms Kenosha-based business, Sealed w/a Kiss Photography.

Fuller was a quarterback on the schools varsity football team before being expelled from Bradford two months ago, according to Bradford football coach Troy Bowe. Fuller was then enrolled in the Kenosha Unified School Districts eSchool.

I think everybody is in shock, said Bowe, who taught Fuller in his ethnic studies class. These things are never easy.

Our job is to support the kids at Bradford, and thats what well continue to do. Our thoughts and prayers are with both families, Bowe said.

Kenosha Unified canceled classes and after-school activities at Bradford on Friday as a safety precaution. Christian Life School, located a few blocks from the shooting scene at 10700 75th Ave., also canceled classes for the day.

We worked closely with the Kenosha Police Department, KUSD spokeswoman Tanya Ruder said. They were great at keeping us updated.

A great family







Stephanie and Nick Juga are 1998 Bradford graduates and high school sweethearts.

Nick served multiple tours of duty overseas in the Army.

This is a great family, Covelli said. I wish everyone knew them as well as I do.

Kaylie was a straight-A student with so much to offer. If she didnt get an A in school, she was freaking out. She was going to go on and do amazing things in whatever she wanted.

A GoFundMe page was created for the Juga family on Friday.

The family issued a statement through Stephanies business page on Facebook.

The Juga family would like to acknowledge and extend their gratitude to the many messages they have received sending condolences and prayers during their time of loss.

As an extension of your love and out of respect for us, please know that our family is asking for privacy as we grieve. Please continue to give us some time, space and privacy as we struggle to work through all that has occurred in the past 24 hours.

We love you all for keeping us in your hearts, we just need time now.

Next steps

Detectives anticipate referring charges on Fuller to the Kenosha County District Attorneys Office for armed burglary, first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide as soon as Monday. Fuller will remain in custody until that time.

Alyssa Mauk and Stephanie Jones of The Journal Times contributed to this report.

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.

Alyssa Mauk Reporter Alyssa Mauk covers breaking news and courts. She enjoys spending time with her family, video games, heavy metal music, watching YouTube videos, comic books and movies. Follow Alyssa Mauk 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
KENOSHA  A 16-year-old girl died Thursday afternoon after being shot at a residence in Kenosha. Police have put out a call for help finding the suspect involved in the shooting, who was reportedly in a relationship with the teen.

At approximately 3 p.m., personnel from the Kenosha Sheriffs, Police, and Fire departments responded to a residence in the 10900 block of 66th Street for a report of two people shot. The house is in a subdivision not far from Interstate 94.

Officers located two victims, a 16-year-old girl, later identified as Kaylie Juga, and her mother, a 39-year-old woman, with injuries consistent with gunfire.

Despite medical efforts, the teen died on scene; the 39-year-old woman was transported to a local hospital and is in serious, but stable, condition.

Martice L. Fuller, 15, who had a relationship with the teen girl, is believed to be a person of interest in the shooting death. Fuller reportedly fled the scene and his whereabouts were unknown as of Thursday evening.

He may be armed with a firearm and is considered dangerous; do not attempt to confront Fuller, police warned in a news release.

Anyone who sees him is directed to call Kenosha Dispatch Center at 262-656-1234 or 911. Detective Kenesie is the lead investigator; additional information about the investigation should be directed to 262-605-5203.

Fuller is 6-feet-two-inches tall, 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Those who wish to remain anonymous should call Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333.

Love 0 Funny 5 Wow 2 Sad 14 Angry 8

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.
RACINE  Police said they are investigating the death of two people found dead in a home early Friday in the 2600 block of 19th Street as a potential murder/suicide.

At 6:50 a.m. Friday, city police responded to the scene after a child called police indicating that shots were being fired inside the home, Sgt. Adam Malacara said during a press conference outside of Racine Police headquarters Friday afternoon.

When police arrived, they discovered the bodies of two individuals  a 30-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man. The two were an estranged couple, Malacara said. Police confirmed that after a preliminary investigation, the incident is being investigated as a possible murder/suicide.

Two of the couples children were also found in the home. Malacara said the children are safe and uninjured.

We are all very happy that the kids are safe, Malacara said. We worry about them.

The Police Department has classified the shooting as a homicide, but officers said they are not actively searching for a suspect. In the home, two guns were recovered, with the possibility of a third, Malacara said. Police confirmed that they had responded to calls at the house in the past.

Police said that out of respect for the families involved, they would not be releasing the names of the victims on Friday. The Wisconsin State Patrol is also assisting in the investigation.

Malacara said this incident is not connected to the arrest of 15-year-old Martice Fuller, who was taken into custody Friday morning in Racine in connection to the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Kaylie Juga in Kenosha on Thursday. Fuller was found in the 2000 block of Blake Avenue.

Unlucky coincidences

David Huppenbauer, a maintenance technician working for a property developer, said this is the second day that he has gone to work near an active police scene.

On Thursday, Huppenbauer was assigned to complete flooring work on 37th Avenue in Kenosha, not far from where the fatal shooting of Juga took place.

On Friday, he was responding to an apartment building at the corner of 19th Street and Flett due to hot-water issues in a building. The building is adjacent to the scene of Fridays homicide.

The scene in Kenosha looked exactly like this, Huppenbauer said.

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.

Stephanie Jones Managing Editor Stephanie Jones is the managing editor for The Journal Times. To stay informed about what is going on in Racine County, subscribe at journaltimes.com/subscribenow. It's only about 10 cents per day for a digital subscription. Follow Stephanie Jones 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
MADISON  Medicaid expansion would shift up to 30,000 people off the individual health insurance market in Wisconsin, which could lower premiums on that market, according to a new report produced for the state insurance commissioner.

The report, released Tuesday, comes after leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature said last week they would strip Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' plan to expand Medicaid from the upcoming two-year state budget.

Republicans have said Medicaid expansion could increase the cost of private insurance, weaken the individual market and put the state at risk for paying for additional people on Medicaid if special federal funding falls through.

The Evers administration says Medicaid expansion would cover 82,000 more people, half of whom are currently uninsured, and save the state $324 million over two years while bringing in additional federal dollars for a total $1.6 billion investment in health services.

The new report, from Wakely Consulting Group, an actuarial firm, was produced for the state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. It says 25,000 to 30,000 people on the Affordable Care Act exchange in Wisconsin would become newly eligible for Medicaid through expansion and would likely shift from the exchange to Medicaid.

More than 200,000 people are on the exchange in Wisconsin.

While some Republicans have said shifting people from the exchange to Medicaid would increase premiums on the exchange, in part because the market would be smaller, the new report suggests the move would have the opposite effect.

"Previous research has shown that Medicaid expansion reduces individual market premiums," the Wakely report says.

It cites previous studies by the Obama administration in 2016 and in the Journal of Health Economics in 2018 saying premiums are 7-11% lower in states that expanded Medicaid than in those that didn't.

The evidence is clear: states that expand Medicaid see a reduction in the cost of health insurance on the individual market, Wisconsin insurance commissioner Mark Afable said in a statement. There is a lot of misinformation being used in this discussion, so we wanted to set the record straight. At the OCI, our goal is to maintain a strong insurance market so that people have more access to affordable, reliable coverage. Medicaid expansion will help us accomplish that goal.

Republican legislative leaders didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

A study last month by UW-Madison economists said Medicaid expansion could save $100 million a year, apart from the budget process. In February, a study by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty said it could cost $600 million a year.

Under Medicaid expansion, the state would extend eligibility for the state coverage to adults who make up to 138% of the federal poverty level, up from the 100% now. The federal government would pay at least 90% of the cost, up from its regular 60% share for most people on Medicaid.

Taking Medicaid expansion in 2014 would have saved the state $1.1 billion through 2019, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Just adding interesting stuff to the blog in my spare time, so pardon the miscellany and lack of any organization.



If you need to email about something (not hood ornaments) that isn't relevant to the comment section, e mail me at jbohjkl@yahoo.com, which will be responded to pretty fast on weekdays



Images used IAW Title 17 U.S. Code 107

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107

This is under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non commercial and is otherwise in compliance with the license.See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/legalcode
By Damali Mukhaye.

The opposition forum for democratic change party have welcomed the latest deal struck by their former president Dr Kizza Besigye and the people power movement leader Robert Kyagulanyi.

Bobi Wine and Besigye early this week announced that they had agreed to start working together as forces of change ahead of the 2021 poll.

The FDC party president Patrick Amuriat says being members of the peoples government which is headed by Besigye, they automatically stand ready to work with Bobi Wine.

He however says the two must start action and not stop at signing MOUs asserting that the dictator has to leave before the 2021 general election.

Related Stories

People power spokesperson explains Bobis meetings

Bobi and Besigye to hold joint rallies
- Aerial view of Baguio City is causing sadness to many netizens

- Instead of seeing pine trees, what could be seen are the different colors of building and rooftops

- One netizen even said that when he went to Baguio, he thought what he saw was a clump of trash

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed!

What used to be deemed as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, may not be as attractive to many today.

Photos of the aerial or top view of the city showed how houses and buildings have covered so much part of the city.

Trees have become less and less, and netizens couldn't help but express their dismay as to the current situation of Baguio now.

As posted by Arthur Rei Barrera:

"Baguio trees in mountains replaced by houses , Abused, destroyed, deforested, over built, unplanned, ignored under the longest serving government officials, LGU! private tourism companies and real estate (un)developers in exchange for money, money, money."

'Di na amoy pine tree' - Aerial view of Baguio City breaks a lot of netizens' hearts (Photo: Facebook)

Source: Facebook

Other netizens expressed their sadness as follows:

nkkpanghinayang n ang Baguiowala n ang dating nyang ganda...ngmuka ng Mla/Tdo s dmi ng ...nkalbo n ang bundok...npalitan ng ...d mn lng inicp ng mga nmumuno jan ang disaster n mgging dulot nyan balang-araw...sotlg...

Baguio now is like a smokey mountain destroyed by abusive citizen.

Sinabi nyo pa, kasulukuyan ako nakatira dito Baguio dati namamangha pa ako noong pinapangarap ko palang puntahan ito noon. Sobrang nakakapanghinayang na pinabayaan ng Government officials ang siyudad kung maayos lang sana pamamalakad hindi sana magkakaganyan.

Hindi na maganda ang baquio

Nakakalungkot..

It looks like mound of thrash

No more a beautiful sight to behold

I lived in Baguio for ten years starting 1980, it was then a magical place with pine scent all over, low lying clouds sweeping over the city, & the nice cool temperature with low humidity. People knew each other & if you are a resident, taxi drivers almost always know where you live. That was then. . . now is another story & yes the local government officials are to blame for the destruction of the city.

According to one netizen, the first time that he went to Baguio, he thought that the colored structures were a clump of trash, only to find out that they were actually houses.

Noong una kong punta ng Baguio, akala ko dati kumpol ng basura nakikita ko, mga bahay pala.

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 found in Definitely Filipino, another netizen stated that Baguio doesn't smell like pine trees anymore, but smell like burning clutch of a car."

Hindi na amoy pine tree diyan, amoy nasusunog na clutch ng sasakyan. Parang Smokey Mountain sa unang tingin.

Another netizen commented that there was allegedly no master plan which was why anyone who wants to build could just do it anywhere.

Wala kasing master plan ang Baguio. Whoever wants to build anywhere or anything in there, they can do it because there are no restrictions!

Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news!

Bea Alonzo recounts her most embarrassing moment on set and it's utterly hilarious! Watch it on Human Meter

Source: KAMI.com.gh
The move, already a standard at many of its urban stores, is designed to prevent drive-offs and to free up employees from constant monitoring.
Theres a new eye on the Mississippi River Flyway. Camera equipment set up on the river is capturing the migration of waterfowl and other wildlife activities with live video.

The Mississippi River Flyway Cam project was spearheaded by Raptor Resource Project member John Howe, a La Crescent, Minn., native.

Expanding on his experience setting up bird cams to record the lives of eagles, falcons and other birds of prey, Howe wanted to also record the activities of the other birds using the world-renowned migration route.

We thought it would be neat to put a camera on an island to get more details about the migration of waterfowl and raptors that we see from our peregrine falcon cam on the bluff, Howe said. We wanted to do it for the shear enjoyment of hearing and seeing the wildlife up close.

He started working on the idea to put video equipment on the Mississippi flyway about two and a half years ago. He approached the Upper Mississippi National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and the Brice Prairie Conservation Association about his idea; the support he received was positive.

Brice Prairie Conservation Association member Marc Schultz said the association had been discussing putting up a webcam on pool 7 for years.

We were very happy when the Raptor Resource Center asked us to help install the new webcam, Schultz said. If people cannot get out on the river during migration or stop to observe with binoculars at an overlook, they can now; through the webcam, get a close-up experience of the river alive with migrating birds in spring and fall.

The camera provides viewers a closeup of waterfowl in their migration habitat. Year round, the sunsets are gorgeous while the sights and sounds of native wildlife are amazing. In the winter the camera captures coyote, fox and other wildlife that move about on the ice and snow.

Birds captured on the video include bald eagles, tundra swans, American white pelicans, sandhill cranes, Caspian terns, cormorants and many species of ducks, gulls and other waterfowl.

One of the major concerns of the project was how to install the video system to withstand flooding on the river. To prevent the equipment from being washed away during high water, a group of volunteers installed two very tall utility poles on the island.

It was a big challenge to figure it out, but we had help from a local expert, Joe Kawatski, with the BPCA, Howe said. It was really ingenious. We dug holes down as far as we could, erected the poles by hand, jetted the sand underneath them to set them five-foot deep, and put concrete in the holes to help hold them tight. We then mounted a solar power system and the camera and microphones on them.

In addition to the raptor organization, the wildlife refuge and Brice Prairie group, Riverland Energy Cooperative and Explore.org collaborated on the project.

With the help of many volunteers, the installation of the nature cam system took about eight days during a two-month period. Unfortunately, the system went down the latter part of April 2019, and a project crew needed to go out the first part of May to make repairs and get the livestream back on line.

Live video and recordings of the flyway cam are accessible to anyone  scientists or lay outdoor enthusiasts as well as teachers and students. The YouTube link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH0VmRsj05c.

The footage can be viewed along with other raptor cams on the RRP website at https://www.raptorresource.org or on the explore.org website at https://explore.org.

Started in 1988, the Raptor Resource Project has worked to preserve and assist birds of prey. The nonprofit creates and maintains more than 40 nests and nest sites of falcons, eagles, ospreys, hawks and owls. The organizations members provide training in nest site creation as well as innovative management of the sites.

The Brice Prairie Conservation Association was founded in 1958 to support conservation projects in the lower Black River. Its goals are to restore the natural beauty of the Black River and the surrounding territory; promote the general health and welfare of the community by supporting sound management practices for the Black River, Lake Onalaska and the Mississippi River; and share knowledge and promote scientific inquiries.

The Upper Mississippi River National Fish and Wildlife Refuge was established in 1924 as a managed area for fish, wildlife and plants and a breeding place for migratory birds. The refuge consists of more than 240,000 acres and extends 261 river miles from the confluence of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin south to near Rock Island, Ill.

Riverland Energy Cooperative is a nonprofit, member-owned and controlled power supplier, providing electricity to nearly 15,000 members in Buffalo, Trempealeau, La Crosse counties and parts of Pepin and Jackson counties.

Explore.org is the largest live nature cam network on the planet. Their videos give viewers access to the natural world through video. Its mission is to connect people to the natural world, inspire lifelong learning and champion the selfless acts performed to better society.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A few months after I took office in 2017, a newspaper article caught my eye  Iceland was on the verge of eradicating Down syndrome. My interest turned to concern and then to sadness as I read the story. The article detailed how the country had achieved a desirable result  the near eradication of the condition  by taking an ethically objectionable path. Icelanders have used selective abortion to eliminate children who could possibly be born with the chromosomal abnormality, even though, as the article pointed out, people born with the condition can often live full, healthy lives, with an average lifespan of around 60 years.

This isnt the only example of certain populations being targeted. In some cultures where male children are valued more highly than female children, abortion is used as a tool of sex discrimination. The United Nations Populations Fund has recognized this as a global problem, citing the claim that by 2020, 142 million women will have been denied the ability to live simply because of their sex. There have also been instances where race has been a factor in the decision to abort.

Regardless of how one might feel about the use of abortion as birth control (and I do oppose it), I would hope that people from all walks of life can come together against using abortion as a tool of discrimination. Thats why Ive worked with state Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, to introduce the Shield the Vulnerable Act. This bill is a proactive move to say that in Wisconsin, these practices will not be tolerated and that the characteristics of a child are not a valid reason to terminate a pregnancy. Under this bill, physicians will be required to notify their patients of this and are prohibited from performing an abortion if they believe a woman is seeking one for those reasons.

As a society, weve made great strides in recent decades toward recognizing the value and contributions of all individuals  regardless of sex, race, or ability. Governor Tony Evers recently signed a bill banning a word that is offensive to individuals with certain handicaps. I agree with the governors action  and I think we need to take further substantive action to affirm the dignity of all individuals. Lets end the practice of discriminatory abortion.

Republican Patrick Testin, Stevens Point, represents the 24th state Senate District.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4

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.
Randy Burton has been following the excruciating saga of AJ Freund from his home state of Texas.

Burton is a former assistant district attorney in Harris County. He founded the nonprofit Justice for Children in 1987 after prosecuting child abuse cases and watching, time and again, children returned to violent homes.

The system fails systematically, he told me, the day after 5-year-old AJs body was found buried in a shallow grave. AJs parents, JoAnn Cunningham, 36, and Andrew Freund, 60, face murder charges in his death.

I called Burton because Ive followed his work for years. Hes a prolific advocate for rescuing and protecting children from abuse. His organization provides free guidance and legal services to adults who fear a child is being allowed to remain in an abusive home. Sometimes that adult is a neighbor, sometimes its a teacher, sometimes its a parent trying to protect his or her own child from another parent or relative.

I called him because Im hungry for fresh ideas. Im hungry for something other than after-the-fact checks and balances on a bureaucratic system tasked with an incredibly difficult job: protecting a child from monsters. Monsters who are, all too often, that childs family. Monsters who, it must be remembered, that child loves.

Stories like AJs defy our understanding of family. They defy our understanding of humanity.

They are shocking in both their depravity and their frequency.

The litany of horrible things done to small children, Burton said, its never ending.

Investigators with DCFS had contact with AJs family for years, even before the boy was born with drugs in his system. The DCFS Office of Inspector General is investigating the agencys handling of AJs case, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday, which its mandated to do in all cases of child death and injury when the family was involved with DCFS within the last year of the minors life.

Burtons not impressed. Or hopeful. Its not enough.

He pushes for wholesale changes in the way child protective service agencies approach their entire reason for being.

He advocates for a shift away from the long-time goal of keeping families together.

The notion that its more harmful to remove a child from a family than it is to leave a child in an abusive home, he says, is outdated and scientifically unproven. A childs safety, he says, has to be paramount.

The fact that children love their parents unconditionally does not mean thats an excuse to leave them in a home where their bones are being broken or theyre being starved of theyre being raped, Burton said. To me, its just beyond comprehension how one could justify leaving a child in an environment like AJs.

In 1980, The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act was passed, requiring child protective services agencies to avoid unnecessary removal of children from their homes.

All too often, Burton said, that backfires.

As we can see in this case involving AJ, he said, case workers make preposterous decisions and bend over backwards to leave the child in the home, under this family preservation idea.

Child abuse, by definition, is a crime. Burton argues law enforcement should have the primary authority for receiving and investigating child abuse complaints. He would like to see federal legislation that strengthens child abuse and neglect laws. Hed like to see children who are victims of crimes treated like all other victims of crimes.

If Im an adult and Ive been raped, I dont call adult protective services, he said. I call the police. And they measure their response time in minutes, not days.

His position, he said, is based on decades of watching thousands of children be murdered by their family members or guardians.

People will say its easy to second guess the situation and look back at what should have been done in this case or that case, Burton said. Ive got several hundred boxes of cases, field studies, stories, investigations, newspaper series from every major city  Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Houston  that have informed my opinion. I dont say these things lightly.

I dont want to break up families, he continued. I know how important a family is and I know all families have stresses and there are times when things are better than other times. But when you look at the files Ive looked at, when you read these investigations, when you read what happens to these children, there just simply is no excuse for leaving them in their homes.

A Tribune investigation of DCFS files and police reports show the agency found ample evidence of squalid living conditions in AJs home: an overwhelming smell of feces, no power for weeks, damaged floors and ceilings.

AJ often had bruises. A few days before Christmas, my colleague Christy Gutowski reports, AJ told a doctor who asked about a bruise on his hip, Maybe someone hit me with a belt. Maybe Mommy didnt mean to hurt me.

In 2016, a nationally estimated 1,750 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

I asked Burton if critics argue that removing children from abusive homes simply puts them in harms way inside a different home.

I know foster care has had its own set of problems, he said. But there are also many great foster families out there. Are there crappy ones? Yes. And part of the problem is theyre not monitored the way they should be. I understand the resignation. But to me, any removal is better than leaving someone like AJ in that home. And, of course, its not just AJ. Its thousands of children.

An agency tasked with preserving and reunifying families, he said, cant possibly investigate families effectively.

Its a professional schizophrenia, he said. Theyre told to protect children and preserve families. When youre dealing with felony crimes committed against children, you can not satisfy both of those. You have to protect the child first. You dont have a choice, in my opinion, but to remove the child when theres evidence of an arguable crime.

Hes tired of waiting for change.

Ive talked about this family preservation issue till Im blue in the face, he said. Ive talked about it on 20/20 and Good Morning America and a BBC series called, Americas Child Death Shame. Ive written about it extensively. Whenever I get a chance, I try to remind people that there are solutions.

His solutions are controversial. Critics will find all sorts of reasons to dismiss them out of hand.

But can we keep pretending the current system is enough? When we look at photos of AJ and reconcile that smile with the fate we know he met? When we know he died close to the two-year anniversary of the death of 17-month-old Semaj Crosby, the Joliet Township toddler found under a couch, whose death was ruled homicide by asphyxia? When the number of children killed by abuse nationally creeps toward 2,000 a year?

I cant.

If we have sufficient, admissible evidence, we need to aggressively intervene, Burton said. That doesnt necessarily mean you wont ever reunite. That doesnt necessarily mean youre going to have parental rights terminated. But AJ lived in a dangerous home. And I have no doubt in my mind that little boy couldve been saved.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Sauk City man was declared dead at the scene of a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon on Hwy. 71 in Monroe County.

The 30-year-old man, whose name is being withheld pending notification of family, was driving a 1991 Dodge Caravan eastbound about 1:30 p.m. Thursday when his vehicle crossed the centerline near County Highway W, east of Kendall, striking a semi-truck traveling westbound, according to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office.

Upon impact, the van spun and came to rest in a ditch on the south side of the road, deputies said. The driver was pronounced dead when responders arrived. The driver of the semi-truck was uninjured, officials said.

Assisting at the scene were the Monroe County Communications Center, Kendall Fire Department, Wilton Ambulance Service and the Juneau County Sheriffs Office. The incident remains under investigation by the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Wisconsin State Patrol and the Monroe County Medical Examiner.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0

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.
From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by : The Board Store
Kathleen Parker throws gas on the fire of the War on Men, when in an article critical of Tucker Carlson (Tribune, March 14) she condescendingly asks, Who would disagree that men are primitive? (Deafening applause.) Basic? Hard to understand? Puh-leez. My guide to men is a one-pager titled Sex and Supper.

Parker accuses Carlson of being a misogynist (woman-hater) for saying things much less offensive than her incredible misandrist (man-hater) put-down of men. Can you imagine the uproar from the radical feminists if any one would say that their guide to women would be a one pager titled Gossip and Chocolate?

In the March 18 Tribune, Parker expresses her admiration for presidential candidate Beto ORouke by calling him precious three times. She doesnt say if her three sons and one grandson are as thrilled about ORouke as she is. She also states that she would like to fix him a hamburger.

Can you imagine the outcry if a conservative columnist asserted that one of the female candidates for president was precious?

Add Parkers pointless ramblings to those of Gina Barreca, Catherine Rampell, E.J. Dionne and Michael Gerson and other frequent columnists in the Tribune and you have to ask why?

Parker, Barreca and Rampell are absolutely obsessed with themselves. These narcissists apparently believe that readers breathlessly await every detail of their thoughts, feelings, deeds, emotions and actions.

In an unusual show of candor, Barrecca (Tribune, Oct. 1, 2018) admits that when it comes to misogyny, women can surpass their male colleagues.

If some people just have to have touchy-feely nonsense, they can go to the Internet, soap operas and romance novels. But serious readers want some meat with their potatoes in the areas only daily newspaper. They are just as tired of Dionnes, Gersons and assorted other pundits relentless attacks on President Donald Trump.

These same columnists are somehow not concerned by the antics of Hillary Clinton and her cohorts.

Newspapers are facing challenges in America, not just because of the Internet, but largely because too much of the media are in lockstep in their hatred of Donald Trump, their devotion to their sacrament of abortion and endless articles about feeling and emotion.

Even the so-called comics are filled with ridicule and disrespect toward men and boys.

I have been writing letters to the editor and guest columns for almost 50 years. I write factual and opinionated articles. My efforts have been validated by the many positive responses that I have received from readers.

There is only so much that can be said in a letter to the editor that is limited to 250 words. Guest columns give writers an opportunity to expand and develop issues that they and others are interested in.

Many writers have expertise that they have gained from living and participating in society that cannot be learned in journalism classes.

I believe that the Tribune would do itself and its subscribers a real favor by featuring more local writers on its Opinion Page, or perhaps a frequent op-ed page.

Let the big-city newspapers feature the big city writers and let the La Crosse area enjoy local writers opinions that reflect small town values and perspective. Some local writers that come to mind include Sister Rosalia Bauer FSPA, Dave Drewes, Chip DeNure, Harry Griswold and Fred Kurtz.

I dont necessarily agree with everything they have written for publication, but they have proven that they are mature enough to realize that unlike Parker, Barreca and Rampell they are not the center of the universe nor are they filled with hate like Dionne and Gerson and their bedfellows. My suggested writers and many others should enthusiastically be encouraged to share their knowledge, wisdom and experience with readers. A mix with some big-city writers would be of interest to many discerning readers.

Vernal P. Hegenbart resides in Sparta.

Love 2 Funny 6 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2
Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

When he was presenting the latest revisions for California's $213 billion state budget Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom dedicated more than nine minutes to his "parents agenda" and the nearly $2 billion in proposed investments to expand child care and preschool slots, provide more training for teachers, and extend paid parental leave.

"We are building the architecture for a new master plan in California, but it's a master plan for early learning and for child care," Newsom said during a press conference. "It's long overdue."

(You can explore those proposals in detail here.)

Early childhood education experts agree that these changes are overdue -- and they're also unprecedented.

Newsom is putting together a veritable army of advisors specializing in early childhood throughout his administration. His chief of staff is a nationally recognized expert on early childhood policy, he has an early education advisor in his office, and he appointed the state's first-ever surgeon general who is focused on reducing childhood trauma. And his Deputy Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency, Kris Perry is working to implement the Governor's early childhood development initiatives.

And if Perry's name sounds familiar, she was also the lead plaintiff in the case that overturned California's ban on gay marriage.

"It is really exciting to be here now with a governor who's so committed to early childhood and strategic about how to move the needle for kids," Perry told KPCC/LAist. "It's really important to have a budget that reflects those values, but it's also important to look at who the people are, that are going to help carry that message across multiple departments, agencies and years."

I spoke with her about her unique role, what she thinks it'll take to keep early childhood investments off the budget chopping block, and how she got into the early childhood field.

The conversation below has been edited for clarity.

PN: Has this position ever existed before?

KP: This role that I'm in is brand new. It's very symbolic and very important in filling out a team of people that are focused on early childhood across multiple parts of state government. Health and human services in California manages a vast majority of resources -- public resources that taxpayers and other people contribute to our system. And being here means helping to shepherd those resources in a way that's focused on young children. So this is pretty exciting.

PN: Seeing these appointments and seeing the January budget proposals, I've heard from so many people who have been in this world for decades who are just shocked because they've never seen anything like this before.

KP: It's really positive. We've come through a really difficult time as a state. The recession left many families, individuals, [and] programs in a far worse state than they were in before. And even though we're experiencing a better economic picture than we have for a long time, there's still another recession coming at some point. And so this takes a tremendous amount of strategy.

So it's one thing to come into office as Governor Brown did when things were very difficult and to lead us out of that difficult period. But to come in when things are in sort of boom-times, and know that there's lots of pent-up demand for services and supports across the state, you have to think more strategically about one-time investments or short-term investments that push us to a better place, and hopefully we can sustain that later on in many different ways. It's really exciting to think about bringing people in while you can to solve some of these really long-standing problems we've had as a state with some resources that will hopefully take us to a better place that we can sustain.

PN: It seems kind of like almost like a little ECE army ...

KP: Well, you know, within early childhood, it's multifaceted. There are health and human services programs, childcare programs, educational programs, there's licensing their facilities, there's a workforce, it's really complicated. There's higher education, parents, providers...so in order to be judicious and thoughtful and strategic, you really do have to bring people in from all different sectors to get to the best possible solutions.

Honored to be appointed and ready to link arms with Giannina Perez, @DrBurkeHarris, @Ann_OLeary, @GavinNewsom and hard-working families and providers to build on their investments, leadership and most of all the potential of all young children to succeed in every zip code in CA. https://t.co/G5pLKXkleD  Kris Perry (@kmpperry) January 22, 2019

PN: You mentioned that we're in a really good place right now with the economy. What does it take to not have early childhood be the first thing on the chopping block if that changes?

Well, what's interesting about early childhood is it's an extremely popular issue. What we haven't figured out in the early childhood movement is how to move voters from being interested in it to demanding it. So there's public will, and there's public demand. And when you do get into tougher economic times, and you are making tough choices, if you don't have the people of California with you, you're right, what will happen is we'll probably have to shrink the resources we're attributing to it and/or take whole parts of it out so that we can afford to at least meet some of the needs that are out there.

It's easier to keep that from happening if we all keep raising the profile of early childhood education and what it can do for our entire society. That's a job that goes beyond the early childhood experts and becomes something that everybody -- business leaders, faith leaders, political leaders -- should be sort of beating the drum around. It's going to take a lot of people in many different sectors.

PN: You've worked for Save the Children, First Five Years Fund, First 5 Contra Costa County. How did you find find your way into this work?

KP: Well, I went to social work school in San Francisco a long time ago. And the very first thing I did when I left was go to work in Alameda County as a child abuse investigator. And it was at the height of the HIV, crack cocaine epidemic and we were removing children from their homes every day, for what was essentially unaddressed poverty. And after a number of years of doing that kind of frontline work and seeing the system attempt to help but not really be equipped to help, I became more and more interested in bigger system-wide change and prevention.

PN: So in making the case to people who maybe aren't aware of the value of the early years, how do you kind of make that connection for people who maybe don't have children or who may not be thinking about early childhood in their day-to-day lives?

KP: We know that the brain is growing more rapidly before your fifth birthday than at any other time in your life. And we also know, we're spending as little as we possibly can of public funds on children under the age of five.

But I think on a more sort of emotional basis -- everybody can picture a future with prosperous, happy, successful Californians in it, versus one where we've sidelined 20, 30, 40, 50 percent of children until they're adults and we haven't given them a lane, they haven't been able to get ready and compete. We can all imagine that if you keep putting people on the outside of the lane and then add 20 years to that scenario, you don't have a prosperous, successful state. You have one where you're spending the vast amount of your resources on safety net programs, on criminal justice, on remediation.

And so investing in little kids has this sense of like almost infinite potential. Giving everybody the chance to achieve their greatest potential feels like common sense to me. That's why I'm here. But I think most people can remember their own childhood and can remember feeling like somebody invested in them, and can at least kind of empathize probably with what it would be like to be a child in California today.

Heres how @kmpperry sketched out the governors early childhood budget proposals on the white board in her office. She broke it down by age and health & human services vs dept of ed. This is what Im talking about when I say the system is complicated!! pic.twitter.com/FuSBd92EUS  Priska Neely (Im hiring) (@priskaneely) March 26, 2019

PN: I'm always struck by the disparities present in this state when we look at various outcomes. I think people are always surprised by the poverty rates here. I spent a lot of last year reporting on the very high rates of black infant mortality. And I think that's always very surprising to people. And I think that's just kind of a really important lens to have, when you're looking at, you know, a very wealthy state.

You're bringing up so many critical parts of this, of the state and how there really are two states. There are people who I guess you could say are making it, and those who are not. What we're trying to do with policy or law is create equality. And you can do that through investments in programs that help lift people out of poverty. But you can also do it through tax credits that directly benefit families to do the things they need to do to survive and succeed.

There is a racial divide. And it is very alarming what's going on with African American moms and newborns in the state and across the country. We have a Black Infant Health program in California, the governor has proposed a pretty big increase for that program. And that's terrific.

I think the arrival of Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is going to help shed an even bigger light on the problem and maybe we'll get to a better solution.

PN: What would you say to a baby about what life could look like when they're five? What do you hope to be laying the foundation for them?

The two things I would really hope for a baby in California today would be to have a rich and positive connection with a loving caregiver who can focus on them, who is getting supported enough to be able to put everything aside and bond and attach and love that baby. That is the most critical ingredient to success.

The second thing I would really hope for this baby is that in addition to that loving caregiver, that there was a bigger system, that the community -- whether that's the education system, the health system, extended family, or neighbors -- have a real commitment to them, to care for them, look out for them, provide for them and help them succeed in ways their parents can't.

A version of this story also ran on Take Two. Listen here.
Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

Over 1,000 guns were seized on Wednesday from a home in the affluent Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.



Police arrested gun owner Girard Saenz on suspicion of violating California's gun law on the sale and transportation of assault weapons and .50-caliber Browning machine guns.

Saenz's home was raided after LAPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received a tip about illegal firearms sales.

Saenz was released Thursday morning after posting $50,000 bail.

Over 1,000 firearms & one person arrested for 30600(a) PC, in one of the largest recoveries in LAPD history. How did this happen?



The LAPD & ATF received info that a person was selling & manufacturing illegal firearms, which led to a search warrant in a Holmby Hills residence. pic.twitter.com/9kWq4vuFnb  LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) May 9, 2019

SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW TO THE GUNS?

Retired LAPD detective Timothy T. Williams Jr. said the size of the seizure -- and the fact that many of the guns were collector's items -- makes this a unique case. Deciding the fate of the guns will take time, especially since each gun will need to be individually analyzed.

"Each gun stands on its own," Williams said. "There's a lot of things that come into play. You have 1,000 guns, how much ammunition was there? You got to look at the totality of everything."

Williams said during investigations the confiscated guns remain as evidence.

And since guns are bought and sold frequently, confiscated guns sometimes have links to other crimes -- making them key to investigations.

Williams said, for example, if crimes committed decades earlier went through the appeal process, "then you still have the weapons and the evidence there."

If officials determine no criminal activity occurred, California law allows gun owners to petition to reclaim them. An owner must apply to the California Department of Justice for a written determination that they are eligible to own a firearm. As part of that, gun owners have to submit a Law Enforcement Gun Release Application (LEGR).

If a seized firearm that's allowed to be returned is not picked up within 180 days, then law enforcement can destroy it.

Despite the large size of the gun cache in Holmby Hills, experts said that alone doesn't make it illegal.

"There's no law in the state of California that says gun owners can only own five weapons, or ten weapons. Nor is there any such federal law," said Adam Winkler, a UCLA constitutional law professor who specializes in gun policy.

Winkler said there's been a rise in the past 10 years of so-called super owners -- "people who have dozens, even hundreds of firearms in some cases," Winkler said.

When laws are violated, weapons used to commit crimes are not returned, Williams said.

In those cases, a few things can happen:

If a gun owner unlawfully possessed the guns, or the guns were involved in a crime such as an illegal gun market, Williams said law enforcement can destroy them or sell them.

Guns can be sold to police officers through licensed dealerships that might have a facility on law enforcement property. The LAPD Academy has a facility where guns obtained in crimes are sold.

There's debate across the country about the ethics of selling seized weapons. Some critics argue putting guns back into circulation can lead to more violence.

In 2014, a gun owner in Washington State killed himself with a Smith & Wesson 9mm that local police said had been seized years before and sold back to the public.

Williams supports bans on selling guns involved in crimes.

"Guns take lives," Williams said. "We should be taking guns out of the system -- not adding them back in."
By Ruth Anderah.

The High Court in Kampala has declined to stop police from blocking and interfering with the Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu also known as Bobi Wines music shows.

This is after Justice Herriet Woloyo dismissed a case in which Bobi Wine had accused police of violating his rights to work and earn a living by cancelling his musical shows.

Justice Wolayo has thrown out Bobi Wines case on grounds that the musician turned politician has failed to demonstrate in his evidence how the blocked music shows violated his rights to work, freedom of assembly, association and speech among other freedoms.

However in his October 2017 petition, Bobi Wine contended that he had lived all his adult life earning a living through live music performances until on October 8th 2017 when police banned his shows while fronting security concerns something the MP claims is in total violation of his right to work and freedoms to speech, liberty and movement.

Through renowned human rights lawyer Ladislous Rwakafuuzi, Bobi Wine argued then that he had lost 300 million shillings for his cancelled shows at Colline Hotel Mukono, Kamuli, Busoga and in Kasese district where he had been invited and paid 20 million shillings by his fellow legislator Jackson Mbaju to perform in Busongora South County.

According to court documents, the claimed 300 million shillings arose out of partial payments music promoters had advanced to Bobi Wine and numerous advertisements inform of banners and posters that were pulled down by police officers and crime preventers.

Bobi Wine then sought prohibition orders against the Attorney General and the then Kampala Metropolitan police commander Frank Mesigwa whom he accused of threatening to end his music career by interfering with his stage performances.

Related Stories

Bobi Wine arrested over blocked shows, plans Demonstration
Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

THIS STORY IS PART OF HOW TO L.A., OUR ONGOING SERIES OF PRACTICAL GUIDES FOR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING IN LOS ANGELES.

On the last day of April, Peter Lynn went before the County Board of supervisors at their weekly meeting. Lynn, who heads the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), had been called there to give a status report on L.A.'s homeless relief programs, which are largely funded by Measure H. That's the quarter cent sales tax measure L.A. County voters passed in March of 2017.

That night was also the deadline for his agency to submit preliminary results from the 2019 Los Angeles Homeless Count to the federal government.

But Lynn did not address head on what those numbers showed. And neither did anyone else. They won't be officially released until the end of this month. Already, though, there have been plenty of hints that the news won't be good.

"Regardless of the direction of the count, there are tens of thousands of Angelenos who are experiencing homelessness, and that is far too many," Lynn told the supervisors and those gathered in April. "But for the resources that this body acquired and got the voters to put on the table with Measure H, and the resources we've deployed to lift people out of homelessness, this situation would be far worse."

It's a startling proposition -- that despite a growing operation to end homelessness, funded by hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer approved money each year, things aren't getting better.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti had this to say Thursday: "I'll tell you it's gone up. We don't have our final numbers, but I expect... at least some double digit increase."

"Homelessness is up everywhere as we're providing more solutions," Garcetti told KPCC/LAist reporter Emily Elena Dugdale. "If we want to get to the heart of the issue, we have to bring rents down. That comes from constructing new housing, trying to make sure rent gouging isn't occurring, and giving people legal assistance."

READ MORE: LA Counts Its Homeless, But Counting Everybody Is Virtually Impossible

The results of the 2019 homeless count in Los Angeles County will include a detailed demographic and geographic breakdown. It amounts to a comprehensive census of Los Angeles County's homeless people.

As Lynn pointed out to the supervisors, we do know the 2019 results in our neighboring counties show homelessness has jumped significantly.

In Orange County, volunteers counted 6,860 people in 2019, up 43% from 4,792 in 2017 when the last count was administered. In San Bernardino County, the number jumped 23% to 2,607 since 2018. In Riverside County, volunteers counted 2,811 homeless people in January, 22% more than last year. And in Ventura County, the official number increased by 28%, from 1,299 people to 1,669.

The number in Los Angeles County in 2018 was 52,765.

A CRITICAL JUNCTURE

Ruth Schwartz, who heads the homeless relief and policy development organization Shelter Partnership, said Los Angeles is at a "critical juncture" in addressing the humanitarian crisis on our streets, and the overarching economic factors that created it.

Los Angeles voters have twice voted to raise their taxes to pay for homeless services and housing in the past three years.

"Because we passed those measures, we have to prove something. If the numbers don't take a downward spin, then it puts everything into question," she said. "Even if we are making progress on one end getting people off the street and into housing, other people are slipping out of housing. There are so many people in so many places where you used to not see them."

LAHSA and a small army of homeless service and housing providers are getting people off the street with the money voters approved. Between July 2017 and December 2018, the Los Angeles "continuum of care" moved more than 27,000 people into permanent housing -- about 12,000 of those specifically with Measure H resources. The goal is to move 45,000 into permanent housing using Measure H resources by 2022.

A homeless man sleeps on a sidewalk in Los Angeles, California on March 10, 2019. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

SYSTEM CAN'T KEEP UP

The bottom line: Need far eclipses the amount of public and private aid available.

A recent estimate put the number of people falling into homelessness in Los Angeles County during any given month at at least 10,900 people. While most of those people are able to successfully re-house themselves without getting involved in the homeless case management system, many are not, and begin an episode of homelessness that lasts months or years.

Street homelessness is the end destination for a long and painful cascade through varying levels of housing insecurity. Dan Flaming, president of the nonprofit research outfit Economic Roundtable, has estimated that there are about 600,000 L.A. County residents in living situations where 90 percent or more of all their income gets spent on housing.

Flaming says those people might not be homeless, but remaining housed for them is extremely precarious. He also believes that there are hundreds of thousands of others in informal living situations, like staying with family or friends, who are not technically "homeless," but who don't have housing of their own. And even more people may be living in their vehicles than we know.

"There are gradations to this problem, and to reach the bottom is a pretty long fall," said Flaming. "From having it almost implausible that you're still housed paying almost all of your income on rent, to sleeping on the floor at a friend's house, to being dispossessed of housing and living in a car, to being on a sidewalk, in a shelter, and down on from there to being chronically homeless -- that is, having homelessness not be just an episode in your life, but a chapter of your life, or the book of your life."

For her part, Schwartz thinks a key answer lies in regulating the rental housing market and beefing up tenant protections.

"More are people losing housing because, for the most part, it's an unregulated rental market. Where we're weak is on prevention. We need more resources on prevention and eviction protection," said Schwartz.

In most parts of Southern California, for example, it's legal for landlords to serve tenants with a 60-day notice to vacate, or to raise rent without limit.

"We need action at the state and local level to regulate the market because people are taking advantage of the tight market. You've got to shore up a lot of the things that are driving people into homelessness," she said.

Critics of tenant protections say they'll just stall construction of new housing units, which would be counterproductive to building California out of its housing shortage. Last November, a ballot measure that would have allowed cities to expand tenant protections failed at the polls by 18 points.

On the flip side, tenant protections like those Schwartz mentioned are happening in bits and spurts. The county of Los Angeles and the city of Inglewood and are moving on eviction protection and rent stabilization policies in their jurisdictions.

"From a social perspective, there has to be something that buffers the capitalistic economy we have, and the reality that people can't wake up one day [realizing they] have to move out in 60 days," said Inglewood Mayor James Butts in April.

At the state level, a proposal introduced by San Francisco Assemblymember David Chiu to limit rent hikes to 5 percent in a year (plus CPI) and one by Oakland Assemblymember Rob Bonta to establish just cause eviction protection are both pending on the floor of the State Assembly.

HOUSING COSTS OUTPACE INCOME

At the core of the homelessness crisis here are housing costs that are rising much faster than incomes. Even people with moderately high incomes are feeling squeezed by today's tight housing market. The situation is much more urgent for millions of Southern Californians living in poverty.

Paavo Monkkonen, a professor of urban planning and public policy at UCLA who specializes in housing, sees this effect as a predictable result of restrictive land-use policies that have limited the construction of new homes to accommodate population growth.

"People talk about [housing] like it's a game of musical chairs, but I don't think that's really the right metaphor. Income differentials don't matter in a game of musical chairs, but they do in this one," Monkkonen said.

The effect is a bifurcated economy where housing costs are driving inequality between the rich and poor.

In April, Apartment List released a study looking at how much of someone's income is being taking up by housing costs, depending on how much they make. The study looked at housing costs between 2008 and 2017 and found that for people on the high end of the economy, their costs as a percentage of their income actually decreased because of relatively high gaines in personal income.

The same was not true at the other end of the economy. Though lower-end incomes also increased, they did not rise enough to offset ever-increasing prices in the housing market. For the very poor -- those at the highest risk of homelessness -- incomes decreased.

Monkkonen blames the rapid appreciation of housing costs on a limited supply of places for people to live, and an economy that continues generating relatively high-income jobs for the highly educated.

"We're building much less housing than we have at every other point in our history, in at least the last century or so," he said. "Given the economic boom that's occurring, you get situations where there are lots of new jobs being created that are fairly high paying. So people have incomes, but new housing isn't being added."

Those workers still need places to live, but the finite number of homes available in the job-rich parts of the region means they look to areas previously shunned by the affluent and educated. That drives gentrification and displacement as the economic profiles of neighborhoods change, and gives landlords in poorer parts of the city incentives to raise rents and kick out poor tenants.

At the same time, employment opportunities for those who aren't highly educated or born reasonably well-connected are extremely limited. The transition from a manufacturing economy and to a service and "knowledge" economy over the past several decades has left millions with limited economic opportunity.

MORE BAD NEWS

Simply said, reversing decades of economic restructuring produced by a globalized economy is beyond the ability of local authorities to do.

"For most people, the path out of the woods is by having a job," said Economic Roundtable's Flaming. "Employment needs to be part of this equation, not just housing. How do you get housing unless you have a job that gives you steady wage?"

READ MORE: Thousands of Californians are working while homeless, and many don't want their boss to know

Having a steady wage, however, is no guarantee of housing. In L.A. County, a minimum wage earner would have to work 91 hours a week earn enough to afford a 1-bedroom apartment at the federally defined "fair market rent," according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

By the way, that "fair market rent" for a 1-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles County is $1,384 a month. The going market rate for a 1-bedroom here? About $2,300.
Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

Navigating the challenges that come with the first year of college is tough for most students. For Robert Villanueva, a freshman at Pasadena City College, it was doubly difficult.

"I'm 36. You know, I have tattoos. I was kind of like nervous, I guess. I felt like I was out of place," he said.

That's because earlier in the year, Villanueva was released from prison after serving six years on a drug trafficking conviction. He said it's a culture shock to go from prisons like Folsom and Soledad to a classroom full of college students, many fresh out of high school.

But Villanueva found it easier to make the transition because Pasadena City College is one of about 30 community college campuses in California where faculty and administrators have stepped forward to create programs to help formerly incarcerated students.

THE FIRST YEAR IS CRITICAL

California community college students as a whole face significant challenges -- research shows that 70% fail to graduate or transfer to four-year schools. Formerly incarcerated students face additional obstacles. Many have problems with reading and writing as well as trouble finding work and a place to live because landlords and employers use criminal records to turn down applications.

Villanueva lived in a drug treatment center for six months after his release. That's where he learned some of the skills that have helped him overcome roadblocks during his first year in college. He learned how to identify healthy communication, how to ask for help, and how to unlearn much of how he was raised.

"Because in my culture, being Mexican, you know, as a kid you're taught that boys don't cry. So how do you process your thoughts and your emotions? So you suck it up... men don't cry," he said.

He's taking psychology and sociology classes and wants to become a counselor who helps people like himself in adapting from prisons to life outside, where making decisions and choices denied to inmates every day can be overwhelming.

Counselors say formerly incarcerated students are more prone to feeling lost.

"I think that a lot of times it comes down to not being able to navigate these challenges because they don't have the support systems," said Anne-Marie Beck, a counselor at Glendale College. "They don't know where to go on campus and who to talk to, and they don't want to out themselves either, because they feel such a sense of shame about their felony conviction."

At Glendale College, 15% of community college students who enrolled in the fall of 2011 didn't return for their second year. Beck says the dropout rate is lower for formerly incarcerated students who seek out help.

Glendale College offers that kind of help by providing access to social service agencies that can help with jobs and housing, faculty mentorship, and guidance from formerly incarcerated students farther along in their education.

With state and local funding, Glendale College started something new this academic year for its formerly incarcerated students and those from surrounding campuses: a monthly campus meeting for students and representatives from nonprofit agencies.

This month's meeting featured Danny Lansdale, a motivational speaker who started Standing United, a nonprofit to help newly released ex-offenders get on their feet. He founded the organization after years of drug addiction and 15 years in prison.

"Today I'm also a counselor... a business owner, a good father, a good son," Lansdale told about two dozen people gathered in a campus conference room.

Villanueva was there and came away impressed.

"You gotta learn how to trust the process, and not the people, because people always let you down, but not the process," he said.

Glendale College administrators have also started going to probation offices to describe available support services to recently released ex-offenders.

"I help them through the entire process of applying... to school, registering for classes, applying for financial aid," said Glendale student Travis Leach, who spent years in and out of jail while addicted to meth. Leach is transferring to California State University, Los Angeles in the fall to earn his bachelor's degree in social work.

Danny Lansdale, left, founded a non-profit to help people getting out of prison, after he finished a prison sentence. (Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist)

FUNDING A STATEWIDE MOVEMENT

In April, the chancellor's office released a list of community college campuses that will receive $113,636 each to fund programs to help students with criminal records.

"I wouldn't be surprised if another 10 or 20 arise in the next year," said Debbie Mukamal, a Stanford University researcher specializing in education for formerly incarcerated students.

The state is also growing its community college instruction inside California's prison system. About 4,000 inmates were enrolled in classes in Spring 2018 offered by 19 community colleges.

Administrators say taking classes while incarcerated gives the inmates a head start if they decide to enroll in community colleges when they're released.

A report released earlier this year found that 85 percent of inmates taking the classes pass them -- that's 10 percentage points higher than the overall pass rate for California community colleges.

DON'T CALL THEM EX-CONS

"I think there's been a lot more appreciation for the importance of doing what we can to remove the stigma that's associated with having a criminal record," Mukamal said. Part of removing that stigma is avoiding labels like ex-felon, ex-convict, ex-offender or ex-prisoner because the underlying idea is that their time in prison is more important than them being people first.

Her preferred descriptions are "person with a criminal record" and "student with a criminal record."

Villanueva describes himself as "formerly incarcerated." He likes the term because it communicates that he's out of prison, that he's "out of the box," and working to create a new life for himself.
 .    Google.      Blogger
By Benjamin Jumbe.

The second Inter-party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) summit will be held next week in Lira district.

Frank Rusa, the Executive Secretary of IPOD and country representative of Netherland Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), says taking the summit to Lira is meant to ensure Ugandans appreciative IPOD activities.

IPOD brings together political parties represented in parliament. Current IPOD members are; Democratic Party (NRM), National Resistance Movement (NRM), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) and Justice Forum (JEEMA).

The first summit was held in December last year at Speke Resort, Munyonyo was attended by all party leaders, except FDCs Patrick Oboi Amuriat and his delegation.

Related Stories.

FDC to boycott IPOd summit

UPC hands over IPOD leadership to DP
After Risking Life, Liberian Activist Scoops Green Nobel Prize

Multinational corporations who seek weak democracies, high rates of poverty, and untapped resources, seem to make a beeline for Liberia which has struggled to overcome two wars and the devastating pandemic of ebola.

As a result, Liberia has been taken over by multinational corporations exploiting its resources at the expense of Liberians, especially the countrys working class that serves as cheap labor to these foreign companies.

That was the bleak view of Moses Uneh Yahmia, writing for the Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt.

ADVERTISEMENT

But when a palm oil company was poised to take over 800 square miles of lush forest, destroying the habitat, evicting communities and uprooting burial grounds, one local activist was propelled into action.

It was not just that they were destroying the forest, said Alfred Brownell, activist and environmental lawyer. They were also working with the local government officials who were threatening, harassing and intimidating the communities It was total annihilation.

The lawyer and his colleagues collected information from indigenous residents about the destruction of homes, sacred sites, warriors graves and the forest in Sinoe County.

Brownell persuaded the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to place a stop work order on the company, Golden Veroleum Liberia, owned by the US-based Verdant Fund LP and controlled by the Singapore palm oil giant Golden Agri-Resources, second-largest palm oil plantation company in the world.

The company has since voluntarily withdrawn from the Roundtable after its Complaints Panel confirmed a series of ongoing violations, including failure to implement adequate free, prior and informed consent procedures, destruction of sacred sites and coercion and intimidation of community members to sign agreements with the company.

Palm oil companies will not just displace [people in affected communities], but their culture, their history, their value, their traditional institutions, will all be completely altered, says Brownell, founder of the Liberian lawyers network Green Advocates.

ADVERTISEMENT

In October 2016, facing threats to his life, Brownell and his family sought refuge in the US, where he became a distinguished scholar in residence at Northeastern University. There, he teaches a course of human rights and global economy.

This week Brownell will be among 6 winners of the 2019 Goldman Environmental Prize  dubbed the Green Nobel Prize  for exposing the alleged abuses by Golden Veroleum Liberia. Prizewinners will be honored by former Vice President Al Gore. The prize carries a $200,000 award.
Black Women in California Say Democratic Party Takes Their Vote and Voice for Granted

Black women voters across the state have begun to organize themselves to express dissatisfaction with the California Democratic Party (CDP) and some of its members for overlooking issues that are important to them and taking recent actions that do not advance their interests.

They plan to share those grievances with fellow Democrats and officials of the party at the state CPD annual convention May 29  June 2 in San Francisco. Activists have also organized a number of other events, including a rally and march on the State Capitol on June 22 to speak about some of their concerns and celebrate Black womanhood as they consolidate their political presence and power in the state.

This Wednesday, another group of African American women Democrats, Black Woman Organized for Political Action  Political Action Committee (BWOPA-PAC), the oldest and largest Black political fundraising and advocacy organization in the state, will hold a Legislative Learning Day in Sacramento. That event is designed to teach Black women to lobby their legislators on issues that are relevant to them.

ADVERTISEMENT

When someone takes you for granted over and over again, its time to seriously reevaluate the relationship, says Elika Bernard, the executive director of the Sacramento-based non-profit Black Women United. Bernard made the statement in an editorial she shared with California Black Media.

In the case of the California Democratic Party, Bernard continued,  its time for Black women to rethink our loyalty and commitment.

The view Bernard is expressing is not new. It articulates a widespread sense among Black women Democrats  who are becoming one of the most powerful voting blocs in the country  that the Democratic party relies on their support during elections but rarely rewards or reciprocates it.

During the last election, 94 percent of Black Women voted for Hilary Clinton. Black women are also largely credited for electing Democrat Doug Jones over his Republican rival in a special election for the US Senate last year in Alabama, one of the reddest Red states in terms of its GOP majority and tendency to consistently vote for Republicans. According to APVoteCast, a political polling service, Black women votes were responsible for the majority of the Democratic Party wins during the last national midterm elections.

While the Democratic Party has talked a good game about making space for Black women in leadership, weve seen time and time again that these words ring hollow, said Dezie Woods-Jones, a Democratic party activist, former vice mayor of Oakland and state president of BWOPA-PAC.

Critiquing her party, Bernard cites the way some California Democrats are treating Kimberly Ellis, an African American woman and progressive Democrat from Richmond, California. She is on the verge of becoming chair of the CDP if she wins the election at the state convention later this month.

ADVERTISEMENT

In 2017, Ellis lost the election for chair by a thin margin to now embattled former chair Eric Baumann, who resigned last year after allegations of sexual harassment by two staffers.

Ellis has picked up key endorsements from a wide range of progressive and moderate groups, including the Silicon Valley Democratic Club and BWOPA-PAC. California US Reps. Jackie Speier (D-CA 14thDistrict), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA 11thDistrict) and Ro Khanna (D -CA 17thDistrict) have all thrown their support behind her.

But when the executive board of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County (DPSC) voted to endorse Ellis at their April meeting, Bernard says, that decision was rejected and overturned by its membership.

Immediately questions of the approval threshold were brought up and the rules changed from a simple majority to  majority vote, Bernard told CBM.

Then, theres the case of Tina McKinnor, another African American Democrat and former operations director of the CDP. Late last year, the acting chair of the CDP Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker, who took over after Bauman resigned, fired her. McKinnor has now filed a lawsuit against the CDP alleging discrimination because she is Black and retaliation because she helped another colleague file a sexual harassment compliant against Bauman.

In the filing papers obtained by CBM, McKinnor accuses Bauman of taking job responsibilities from her, including chairing staff meetings, fundraising and meeting with party officials and donors, because her style was too urban. She says the former chair of the CDP also used racial slurs like Schwarze, a disparaging Yiddish slang for African Americans, to describe her and Ellis. The lawsuit also claims Bauman made statements stereotyping all Black people as poor.

Another time, Bauman asked McKinnor, according to the lawsuit, to chair a meeting and sit up front for the benefit of the Black folks.

Mckinnor alleges that Bauman hired her as a token after winning with a slight margin against Ellis. The suit quotes Bauman allegedly saying he needed a strong Black woman on his staff to keep Ellis quiet.

As for Ellis, she remains focused on winning the election and bringing her vision to the leadership of the CDP.

Consistently on the campaign trail I hear from our longest-serving activists that they want new blood and are welcoming the new energy with open arms, she said. Its clear that there is no longer a place in the California Democratic Party for elitist attitudes. Were expanding the tent and adding new voices to our ranks  and were a better party for it.

The Black women in California who support her are fired up, too, calling on party members to stand with them in their support of Ellis.

Tonya Burke, a lifelong Democrat, political consultant and former mayor pro-temp of Perris in Riverside County, said Black women in California should stop giving their money to the Democratic Party and donate directly to candidates they support. She says they should also run for political office and recruit others to do the same on the state, local and national levels.

All we seem to keep getting from the Democratic Party are superficial luncheons, tea parties, BBQs fish frys and social media apologies, she said. If the Democratic Party was a living and breathing human being, Black women would be its brain, heart and soul.
Courtesy photo Chris Darden, the attorney representing the man accused of gunning down Nipsey Hussle said Friday he is withdrawing from the case, citing personal reasons.

Chris Darden, a former prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial, announced the decision in a Facebook post:

You guys have been awfully good to me and my family. Thank you. I am on my way to appear for the last time in People v. Holder. I filed a Motion to Withdraw from the case. I thought I should tell you, my friends, first & before anyone else. As for my reasons for withdrawing I dont know whether I will disclose them later or not. I only know that as a lawyer it is my duty to protect the rights of my clients even in the face of threats or angry mobs. This is the silent solemn oath we took as defense counsel. This is the legacy made for me and all of us who practice as defense counsel in the criminal courts. But allow me to say this; After centuries of a history of black men hung from trees without trial, or after the thousands of cases of black men tried, convicted and executed without counsel; after Gideon v. Wainwright & Powell v. Alabama, I cannot understand why in 2019 some people would deny a black man his 6th Amendment right to counsel of his choice. Or why defending such a man should invite threats not only against me but against my children too. The right to counsel is is not only a constitutional right, it is a civil right as well. Just as they were in 1995-Cowards never change. These days these cowards dont send letters instead they sit anonymously behind keyboards threatening a mans mother and children. And some folks think thats funny. It isnt and I wont ever forget it. To those who issued those threats to my children please pay close attention so there is no misunderstanding. Later. FUCK YOU! As for me, I continue to thrive. I continue to be loved. I continue to walk with kings. And I will continue my pursuit of fairness and justice on behalf of my clients and others charged with crimes. After 25 years some of them still havent learned : Their lies and threats will never deter me from my mission. Thank you again my good friends. The struggle continues. Thank you.
Heroes in Our Midst: War Machine Don Cheadle Celebrates Marvel Studios Avengers: Endgame Global Premiere Weekend with Los Angeles Real-Life Heroes

Marvel Studios Avengers: Endgame star Don Cheadle spent the blockbuster movies global premiere weekend surprising real-life heroes uplifting their Los Angeles neighborhoods.

On Sunday, Cheadle  who plays War Machine in Marvel Studios Avengers: Endgame  made a surprise appearance at The Solutions Projects annual ONE100 Awards ceremony to honor a group of Los Angeles women and students who are giving their 100 percent to fight for clean energy in their communities.

The event, which took place at the Universal Cinema at Universal CityWalk, featured a short video of Cheadle and his fellow Avengers stars Karen Gillan and Mark Ruffalo recognizing the ONE100 Award winners as real-life clean energy superheroes. A special screening of Avengers: Endgame followed. Ruffalo co-founded The Solutions Project, and both he and Cheadle serve on the organizations board together.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Avengers: Endgame global premiere weekend was the perfect time to shine a spotlight on this years ONE100 Award winners, said Cheadle. The individuals honored today fight for justice and the planet in real life. They are true clean energy superheroes.

This years ONE100 Awards went to:

Deborah Bell-Holt, who has been involved in the fight to end oil drilling in Los Angeles for 17 years. Her start in community activism against oil began when her sons elementary school was located across the street from an oil refinery. Since then, and through volunteering with the organization SCOPE, Deborah has united other neighbors to transition oil drilling from their neighborhoods and protect generations of families like hers in South LA. She is also the founder of Love and Respect Youth Foundation, an organization assisting children and their families in all aspects of life.

Youth for Environmental Justice (Youth EJ) is a 22-year-old statewide youth organizing program of Communities for a Better Environment, a grantee of The Solutions Project. With Action Clubs that meet at lunch in nine high schools across California, Youth EJ members are the next generations environmental justice leaders. Recently, the group of students had a leading role in suing the City of Los Angeles for approving oil drilling sites without considering the impact on neighboring communities.

(Youth EJ) is a 22-year-old statewide youth organizing program of Communities for a Better Environment, a grantee of The Solutions Project. With Action Clubs that meet at lunch in nine high schools across California, Youth EJ members are the next generations environmental justice leaders. Recently, the group of students had a leading role in suing the City of Los Angeles for approving oil drilling sites without considering the impact on neighboring communities. Ruth Andrade is a community leader from South Los Angeles who is all about imagining the possibilities. Shes been fighting to shut down an oil drilling site in her neighborhood for over four years after recognizing several families in her neighborhood had mysterious health conditions. In its place, she wants more green spaces where trees can live and future generations can thrive. A volunteer leader, Ruth works with several South LA community-based organizations, including SCOPE LA, a grantee of The Solutions Project.

Im proud that women and young people of color were among this years ONE100 Award winners, said The Solutions Project Executive Director Sarah Shanley Hope. People of color across the US are spearheading some of the most promising and innovative efforts to promote climate justice and 100 percent clean energy for all, but their work mostly goes unrecognized. The ONE100 Awards is one of the ways that The Solutions Project is working for change.

ADVERTISEMENT

Earlier this year, The Solutions Project  which is both an advocacy and grantmaking organization  made a 100 percent Commitment to Justice pledge to allocate 95 percent of its funding resources to organizations led by people of color, with at least 80 percent of those organizations led by women. As part of its 100 percent Commitment to Justice announcement, The Solutions Project also released a report showing that women and people of color are dramatically underrepresented in climate and clean energy news coverage.

Patagonia recognized the ONE100 awardees for their work with fun gifts. Event attendees received Just Water water bottles and limited edition Marvel Studios Avengers: Endgame t-shirts that are also for sale online, with all proceeds benefiting The Solutions Projects efforts to promote 100 percent clean energy.
LACCD Officials Applaud Mayor Garcettis Announcement To Double The L.A. College Promise Enrollment By 2022

A new goal announced by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to double the amount of students in the L.A. College Promise Program from about 5,000 to 10,000 by 2022 has won praise by the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD).

Mayor Garcetti, at his recent State of the City address, announced that the plan to increase enrollment will be supplemented with free laptops and free bus transportation for L.A. College Promise students.

In response, Mike Fong, President of the LACCD Board of Trustees, offered his thanks to the Mayor for his continued support of the District. Thank you so much to Mayor Eric Garcetti for his amazing leadership and vision in embracing the hopes and aspirations of our students. This is extraordinary. Free tuition, free laptops and free transportation is the trifecta for making Los Angeles a City of college graduates.

ADVERTISEMENT

In 2017, Mayor Garcetti announced the start of the L.A. College Promise program that guaranteed the first year of free tuition for all high school seniors graduating from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) who then enrolled full time at one of LACCDs nine colleges.

The local program helped generate statewide support for legislation providing free, first-year tuition at all of Californias community colleges under AB19 and now the possible expansion, also statewide, for the second year to be free under AB2. Announcement of AB2 occurred last year by Garcetti, along with the bills primary author, Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, https://a53.asmdc.org/, and LACCD officials at a media-packed event hosted by the Districts Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D., also praised Mayor Garcettis announcement and his on-going commitment to higher education in Los Angeles.

We welcome all and will educate all without hesitation or apology. Free tuition makes the dream of a college education alive and well in Los Angeles thanks to Mayor Garcetti and our partners. The L.A. College Promise program is a game-changer that will keep students on the path to graduate with a two-year degree, transfer to a four-year college or earn a workforce certificate, Chancellor Rodriguez said.
Los Angeles County Community Collaborative Builds Partnerships to Effectively Address the Upstream Drivers of the Opioid Crisis

The Los Angeles (LA) County Departments of Public Health and Mental Health announce the creation of the Los Angeles County Community Collaborative (LAC 3 ), an incubator of innovation to address the nations opioid crisis. LAC 3 is a partnership between the LA County Department of Public Health, the Department of Mental Health and the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI). Guided by a universal prevention framework, LAC 3 aims to promote social and environmental conditions that protect communities from the harms of opioid use. It will build on LA Countys existing efforts, including the countywide opioid coalition known as Safe Med LA ( www.SafeMedLA.org), to engage a wide range of sectors representative of the Countys diversity. LAC 3 will foster public-private partnerships and support key stakeholder actions via a community-based collaborative. The collaborative will focus on early drivers of this public health crisis such as socioeconomic disparities, structural racism, resource inequities, and social isolation.

Barbara Ferrer PhD, MPH, MEd is Director of the LA County Department of Public Health and is a nationally known public health leader with over 30 years of professional experience as a philanthropic strategist, public health director, educational leader, researcher and community advocate. She explains that the LAC 3 will bring together organizations throughout LA County to coordinate, collaborate and innovate to deal with the root causes of this public health crisis.

Dr. Ferrer states, The opioid crisis is both a public health and community emergency requiring a response that depends on meaningful engagement with people struggling with substance use and their family members, health care providers, community leaders, and the many neighborhood-based organizations that offer services and supports to residents. LAC 3 aims to build these partnerships and take collective action to address the upstream drivers of the opioid crisis.

ADVERTISEMENT

Jonathan Sherin, M.D., Ph.D. is a psychiatrist and an accomplished neurobiologist who serves as Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH), the largest public mental health system in the country. He describes LAC 3 as a coordinated, community-centric approach to addressing the opioid crisis in our community.

Dr. Sherin states, We have been a proud member of the collaborative since its inception and LACDMH remains steadfastly committed to playing an active, ongoing role in finding a lasting solution for Los Angeles County. Yet, a unilateral, top-down approach cannot solve a crisis this complex and this pervasive within a community as large as Los Angeles County. LACDMH and its LAC 3 partners believe very strongly that a true solution to this crisis can be found only through robust collaboration with our community. A community epidemic of this proportion demands a community-based solution, one which is driven by mutual respect, understanding, and awareness. Community partnership and shared purpose with health-care providers are the key ingredients to finding lasting solutions.

Bill Oldham, founder and chairman of the Board of TLI, says, The shared development of an asset-based, community-led process offers a powerful network of community leaders working together to improve population health and optimize health and wellbeing for all people in LA County. As part of this groundbreaking effort, TLI will amplify and advance health equity throughout LA County.
Friday, May 10, 2019

A defense attorney was suspended for 60 days by the Kansas Supreme Court for misconduct in two matters.

His client had appeared late for sentencing and acted inappropriately. A drug test was ordered.

Per the hearing committee findings

As the noon hour approached, CSO Courtney Parker brought [D.J.] back before Judge Hornbaker and announced that [D.J.] failed or refused to provide a urine sample. [D.J.] explained that she urinated before court and apologized that she could not go again.

Despite [D.J.]'s pleas, Judge Hornbaker directed [D.J.] into custody at the jail, and ordered that [D.J.] submit a clean urine sample before being released. As the sheriff handcuffed [D.J.] and escorted her from the courtroom, she began yelling profanities, complaining that all was unfair and ". . . this is all bullshit!"

He violated his duty of confidentiality by discussing her ability to cheat the test

Much was made at the hearing by the respondent about whether he told the Court Services Officers that D.J. cheated on the tests or that he told the Court Services Officers that D.J. knew how to cheat on the tests. As stated above, the hearing panel accepted Ms. Knapp's statements and testimony and rejected the respondent's statements and testimony. However, whether the respondent told the Court Services Officers that D.J. cheated the tests or knew how to cheat the tests is not material for our purposes. The question is whether the respondent disclosed confidential information without authority.

D.J.'s statement that either she cheated on the tests or knew how to cheat on the tests was confidential information which the respondent obtained during his representation of her.

Disclosure was not impliedly authorized

In this case, there is nothing about the respondent's disclosure that assisted in carrying out the representation. Because the respondent's disclosure was not authorized, the hearing panel concludes that the respondent disclosed confidential information in violation of Rule 1.6(a).

The hearing committee found a false statement to the court

Contrary to the respondent's statement to the district court that D.J. was not on drugs and had tested clean for 16 weeks, other evidence, including evidence presented by the respondent, establishes that the respondent knew that D.J. had been using drugs and had not tested clean for 16 weeks.

And

The respondent engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty when he told the court that D.J. had not been using drugs and had tested clean for 16 weeks. The respondent also engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty when he told the court that Mr. Cruz declined to come to court in R.B.'s case. Finally, the respondent engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty when he drafted the journal entry in R.B.'s case which stated that he 'personally informed the prosecution that [R.B.] intend[ed] to surrender himself to the Court and request that the newly-issued warrant be recalled and sentencing rescheduled.' As such, the hearing panel concludes that the respondent violated Rule 8.4(c).

The court here rejected this conclusion

we hold that the panel's finding that respondent knowingly violated KRPC 3.3(a) when advocating for D.J. is not supported by clear and convincing evidence.

In a unrelated matter he sought to surrender his client to a bench warrant. The prosecutor had accused him of an improper ex parte contact with the judge

the respondent wrote to [prosecutor] Mr. Cruz:

'Aw c'mon, I tried to get your attn. I even came by your place in person but the experience reminded me of hollering at my older daughter's closed bedroom door. My little daughter would be the first to announce that you're being a poopie pants. Let's just change our pants and meetup [sic] on Monday morn at 9am. If you keep poopie pants on too long you start to walk funny after a while.'

Re the R.B. representation

With respect to his representation of R.B., the panel found that the respondent violated KRPC 3.3(a)(1) by leading the district court to believe that Mr. Cruz had declined to come to court when the respondent appeared with R.B. to get the warrant withdrawn. The panel specifically found that "Mr. Cruz did not decline to come to court; Mr. Cruz did not know the respondent was returning to court." As set forth above, the panel's findings in that regard were supported by the testimony of Mr. Cruz and his

assistant which constituted clear and convincing evidence. Respondent's invitation for us to substitute our findings for that of the panel is unavailing.

The misrepresentation before the judge would be sufficient to establish the candor to the tribunal violation. But, in addition, respondent drafted a journal entry containing false information. He defends that act by asserting that there is no evidence that he personally provided the journal entry to the court to be signed. Nevertheless, the evidence does clearly establish that respondent prepared the journal entry with the intent that it represented the court's order for the August 20, 2015 hearing, and that the journal entry contained false information. We uphold the panel's finding of a violation of KRPC 3.3(a)(1).

The court

As the panel opined, respondent's misconduct in this case is serious. Safeguarding a client's confidences and being candid with the tribunal before which the attorney is advocating are fundamental concepts and are essential to the continued viability of our criminal justice system. Consequently, all members of the court agree with the panel's assessment that "some time away from the practice of law would benefit the respondent as well as the citizens of the State of Kansas," albeit we do not discern that 30 days is sufficient for that purpose. On the other hand, the apparent absence of any selfish motive on respondent's part counsel against imposing one of our most severe sanctions. Therefore, a majority of the court votes to suspend respondent from the practice of law for a period of 60 days. A minority of the court would have imposed a longer period of suspension. This court unanimously rejects respondent's contention that he should not be held liable for the costs herein incurred.

Video of oral argument linked here. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/05/a-defense-attorney-was-suspended-for-60-days-by-the-kansas-supreme-court-her-client-appeared-late-and-a-drug-test-was-order.html
By Moses Kyeyune.

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has called for the increased efforts towards raising awareness about the opportunities provided by the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The Speaker was addressing journalists about the AGOA exhibition slated for May 14 and 15th at Parliament.

Kadaga adds though, that it is not enough for Ugandans to simply know how to enjoy the benefits provided by AGOA but they should also be deliberate on improving the quality of their products to be able to compete favourably on the American market.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the AGOA Exporters Association of Uganda, Meg Hilbert Jaquay emphasizes that for as long as Ugandans undertake a complete value chain for accepted products, they should be assured of market linkages.
Friday, May 10, 2019

The Kansas Supreme Court suspended an attorney for a pattern of alcohol driving offenses

The Missouri Supreme Court admitted the respondent to the practice of law in the State of Missouri in October, 1990. The Kansas Supreme Court admitted the respondent to the practice of law in the State of Kansas in April, 1991.

In 2014, the respondent was arrested for driving while intoxicated. On September 18, 2014, the respondent entered a plea of guilty, the court suspended the imposition of the sentence, and the court placed the respondent on probation.

In 2016, the respondent served as the city attorney for Galena, Kansas.

On March 11, 2016, the respondent was scheduled to appear in municipal court as the municipal prosecutor. The respondent drove to the courthouse while intoxicated. The municipal court judge, a defense attorney, the mayor, and the police chief all witnessed the respondent's demeanor and concluded he was intoxicated.

After the mayor and the police chief spoke with the respondent, they confirmed that he was impaired. The respondent did not enter the courtroom. Because of the respondent's impairment, he did not appear in court on behalf of the city that day. The mayor drove the respondent back to his home.

The judge and a defense attorney filed disciplinary complaints against respondent for coming to the courthouse intoxicated and for being unable to represent the city in court as scheduled that day.

On March 29, 2016, the respondent was arrested in Joplin, Missouri, for driving while intoxicated. At the time of his arrest, the respondent remained on probation for the 2014 driving while intoxicated conviction.

Following the respondent's March 29, 2016, arrest, the respondent resigned as the Galena city attorney.

On March 30, 2016, with the assistance of KALAP, the respondent entered treatment at Valley Hope.

In the respondent's written response to the complaints filed by the judge and a defense attorney, the respondent admitted to being intoxicated when he arrived at Municipal Court on March 11, 2016. The respondent also acknowledged his March 29, 2016, arrest for driving while intoxicated.

On July 27, 2016, the respondent was arrested in Joplin, Missouri, for driving while intoxicated and driving with a revoked or suspended driver's license. Again, the respondent remained under court supervision for the 2014 driving while intoxicated case at the time of this arrest. Additionally, the respondent was on bond for the March, 2016, arrest.

The respondent was scheduled to appear before Cherokee County District Magistrate Judge Samuel J. Marsh, on behalf of 10 clients on July 28, 2016, for a docket involving juvenile offender and child-in-need-of-care cases. Because the respondent remained incarcerated from his arrest the previous night, the respondent did not appear before Judge Marsh on behalf of his clients.

On August 1, 2016, Judge Marsh forwarded a complaint against the respondent for his failure to appear on behalf of his 10 clients on July 28, 2016. In his letter, Judge Marsh noted that the respondent failed to contact the court to explain the reason for his absence. Judge Marsh, however, was aware of the respondent's July 27, 2016, arrest for driving while intoxicated and assumed that respondent's incarceration was the reason for his failure to appear in court.

On August 11, 2016, the respondent was convicted of driving while intoxicated based on the March 29, 2016, arrest in Joplin, Missouri. The court sentenced the respondent to 30 days in jail, suspended the execution of the sentence, and placed the respondent on probation. As part of the probation order, the court required the respondent to refrain from violating the law.

On September 7, 2016, the respondent entered treatment with Bradford Health Services.

On September 21, 2017, the respondent was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Jasper County, Missouri. Based on respondent's prior history, he was charged as a persistent offender, a class E felony. A persistent offender is defined under Missouri law as a person who has been found guilty of 'two or more intoxication-related offenses committed on separate occasions.' Mo. Rev. State.  577.001(18)(a). At the time of the respondent's September, 2017, arrest, he was on probation for the conviction stemming from the March, 2016, arrest. Also, the respondent was on bond for the July, 2016, arrest.

An 18-month suspension was imposed

It is clear to all on the court that respondent has made significant strides to address the ethical lapses in his life that led to the violations. Those violations, however, were serious in nature. Though every disciplinary case is unique and will turn on its specific facts, we are informed by our prior decisions addressing similar circumstances...

In consideration of all the facts and circumstances, we adopt the recommendation of the panel. See In re Holmes, 307 Kan. 871, 901, 416 P.3d 143 (2018) (giving deference to the panel that heard the evidence before it when the severity of the sanction depended on the facts and circumstances of the case). A minority of the court would impose a lesser discipline.

Oral argument linked here. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/05/the-kansas-supreme-court-the-missouri-supreme-court-admitted-the-respondent-to-the-practice-of-law-in-the-state-of-missouri.html
Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes has called for the breakup of Facebook, the worlds largest social media company.

Hughes says the United States has laws to control monopolies - businesses that control too much of an industry. He wants the U.S. government to use those laws to help protect people from technology and social media companies.

His comments appeared Thursday in an opinion piece in The New York Times.

Facebook Inc. quickly rejected his call.

Hughes once shared a room in college with Mark Zuckerberg, who later became Facebooks chief executive officer.

"We are a nation with a tradition of reining in monopolies, no matter how well intentioned the leaders of these companies may be. Mark's power is unprecedented and un-American," Hughes wrote.

Is Facebook too big?

More than 2 billion people worldwide currently use Facebook. The company also owns WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. Each service has more than 1 billion users.

Chris Hughes co-founded Facebook with Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz at Harvard University in 2004. He left the company in 2007. He later said in a LinkedIn post that he earned $500 million for his three years of work.

"It's been 15 years since I co-founded Facebook at Harvard, and I haven't worked at the company in a decade. But I feel a sense of anger and responsibility," he wrote.

Hughes helped Barack Obama with his presidential election campaign's online strategy during the 2008 political campaign.

Privacy and security were not protected by Facebook

Over the past two years, several security and privacy scandals have hit Facebook. Investigators found that the company, working with a now-closed consulting business, called Cambridge Analytica, shared information about 87 million users. In 2016, the election campaign of then presidential candidate Donald Trump used that information to target its advertising to Facebook users.

Hughes helped to design what Facebook called the "News Feed." He said that his team should have thought more carefully about how that might be used.

"Im disappointed in myself and the early Facebook team for not thinking more about how the News Feed algorithm could change our culture, influence elections and empower nationalist leaders."

Friends and coworkers

Hughes said he last met with Zuckerberg in the summer of 2017, several months before the news came out about the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

"Mark is a good, kind person. But I'm angry that his focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks," Hughes said.

He also said he worries that the people around Zuckerberg always agree with him and never question his ideas. Zuckerberg cannot be dismissed, so he has total control of the company.

Encouraging competition

Hughes is not alone in asking for breakup of Facebook. Some U.S. lawmakers have called for federal privacy rules and new laws to break up big tech companies.

Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said on Thursday he thinks Facebook needs to be broken up. He also called for the Justice Departments antitrust division to launch an investigation.

In March, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren promised to break up Facebook, Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google, if elected president. She thinks that action would help to support competition in the tech field.

Facebook rejected Hughes call for WhatsApp and Instagram to be made into separate businesses. The social media company said that attention should be directed instead on creating rules for the internet.

Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability. But you dont enforce accountability by calling for the break up of a successful American company," a spokesperson said in the statement.

Im Jill Robbins.

Supantha Mukherjee reported on this story for the Reuters news agency. Jill Robbins adapted it for VOA Learning English, along with stories from the New York Times . George Grow was the editor.

Do you use Facebook? What do you think about how the information you get from it? Write to us in the Comments Section.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

rein (in) - v. to limit or control

well-intentioned - v. having or showing a desire to do something good but often producing bad results

unprecedented - adj. not done or experienced before

strategy  n. a plan of action or method

scandal - n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong

disappoint  v. to fail to meet the expectation of someone or something

focus - n. a main purpose or interest

algorithm - n. a set of steps that are followed in order to solve a mathematical problem or to complete a computer process

click - n. the action of selecting a link on a web page




The Vatican announced changes in Roman Catholic Church law on Thursday.

Pope Francis is requiring all Catholic clergy and religious workers to report clergy sex abuse and cover-up by their church high-ups to Vatican officials.

The move is part of a new effort to hold the Catholic leadership responsible for failing to protect the churchs members.

The new church law provides protections for anyone making an accusation. It requires all Catholic dioceses around the world to create a system to receive the claims without identifying the name of the accuser. It also establishes the steps for an investigation when the accused is an important church official, such as a bishop or cardinal.

Francis is trying to find a way to answer the reports of clergy sex abuse and efforts by Catholic officials to cover-up the incidents. The accusations have badly damaged the church and Francis leadership.

People must know that bishops are at the service of the people, said Archbishop Charles Scicluna. They are not above the law. Scicluna has represented the Vatican in sex abuse cases for many years.

The new law

The law requires the worlds 415,000 Catholic priests and 660,000 religious sisters to report when they learn or believe that a priest or nun has sexually abused a child. It also orders them to contact church officials if they know of sexual wrongdoing with an adult. And they are must tell officials if someone possesses child pornography, or if they have information about a cover-up.

The law does not require them to report accusations of sexual abuse to the police, as victims have demanded. The Vatican has always said that different legal systems in different countries make such a requirement impossible. They fear it could endanger the church in places where Catholics are an oppressed minority. But the Vatican law says that priests and nuns must obey legal requirements where they live.

The Catholic Church is preparing for many abuse and cover-up reports in the coming months. Catholic priests and nuns must now inform church officials of any information they have, even old cases of sexual wrongdoing and cover-ups.

In the past, clergy and religious workers could decide for themselves if they should inform a church official of suspected sexual abuse of a child. Now it is church law. While there is no punishment for the failure to inform, that priest or nun could be accused of a cover-up.

The law defines the crimes as: sexual activity with a vulnerable person or someone not yet considered an adult; sexual activity with an adult through violence or through abuse of power and anything having to do with child pornography. Cover-up is explained as acts intended to interfere with or avoid investigations.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet is the head of the Vaticans bishop office. He said the inclusion of sex crimes involving adults was clearly tied to cases of sexual abuse of nuns and seminary students by priests.

But Scicluna said it clearly covered anyone employed by the church, not only clergy.

Welcoming victims of abuse

In another legal first for the Vatican, Pope Francis ordered that victims of abuse must be welcomed, listened to and supported by the church. They must be offered spiritual, medical and emotional help.

The law says victims cannot be forced to keep quiet. It says victims must be informed of the results of the investigation, if they ask for it. In the past, many who informed the church of sexual abuse were never told how the investigation ended or what happened to the abuser.

Victims and their supporters have said that Catholic bishops and leaders who sexually abused children escaped justice. They also say religious superiors failed to protect their communities. Bishops and other high-level officials answer only to the pope. Few have been removed for sex abuse or cover-up, and usually only after terrible acts of sexual abuse became known to the public.

Last summer, former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was thrown out of the church after a U.S. investigation found he had abused children. McCarrick had risen all the way to the position of cardinal, although the Vatican had received many accusations against him over the years.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

diocese  n. the area that is controlled by a bishop in a Christian church

pornography  n. movies, pictures, magazines, etc., that show or describe naked people or sex in a very open and direct way in order to cause sexual excitement

vulnerable  adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally

seminary  n. a school for training religious leaders
If you're looking for that perfect Christmas classic to watch this holiday season, you won't find it in this list. Here are the 25 worst Christmas films ever made.
From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by Western Interlock
By Benjamin Jumbe.

The Prime minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has challenged all leaders at local government levels to arise and sensitize citizens about implementation of government programs in their various locations.

Dr Rugunda made the call at the launch of the NRM Manifesto week today in Kampala.

He said the week is to take stock of what has been achieved so far, the challenges encountered implementation of the party road-map.

He said despite steady progress of 62% attainment of the set targets some few challenges abound in the implementation including delays in land acquisition and corruption among others.

Related Stories

NRM boasts of achieving 62% of its 2016-2021 manifesto
By Benjamin Jumbe.

The Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has expressed optimism that the current impasse between Uganda and Rwanda will soon be solved

It follows concerns over the continued tensions between the two neighbors which have left traders counting losses.

Now Dr Rugunda says while there have been trade disruptions since the closure of the Katuna border, this is temporary with the situation expected to normalize soon

He says the matter is being handled by the appropriate authorities.

Related Stories

NRM working on Manifesto implementation challenges
So far, the donations have helped buy more than 400 pairs of shoes, 1,000 comfort kits and some replacement items including bicycles, clothes and toys. Cook said she will continue to seek opportunities to put the remaining money to good use. That could include paying for blankets, pillows, mental health services or anything else to help restore a sense of normalcy for the affected kids.

Cook began raising money when she found herself unable to return to Fremont to help during the flood. She had been traveling and couldnt get from Omaha to Fremont because water had covered access roads. She saw photos of all kinds of people  handicapped, elderly, children  filling sandbags. She wanted to help.

I felt horrible, she said. I started thinking were going to need some kind of relief.

Other fundraisers have popped up independent of Cooks effort, and many have the same goal.

In Fremont, a group of retired teachers from Washington Elementary School started raising money on their own to donate 280 pairs of shoes to students. The Kids Helping Kids funds made their project a reality.
A delegation of representatives from the National Peoples Congress Macau is currently visiting Shanghai. Their first stop was the SAIC Motor Corporation Limited Technical Center for Passenger Vehicles, where they tried operating an autonomous vehicle. Using a mobile phone, the vehicle was set to move within a certain area. The vehicle was even able to look for a parking spot by itself. The Shanghai government has several designated testing areas for autonomous vehicle technology. The allowed driving distance was initially set at 6 km, but has been extended to 12 km. Current laws mandate assisted auto-pilot in the vehicles, meaning that the operation of an autonomous vehicle must be done under the supervision of a human driver.

MIA serves 800,000 passengers in April, a new record

Macau International Airport (MIA) served more than 800,000 passengers in April, a new record. Year-on-year comparisons showed an increase of 19%. A 31% increase was recorded over the four-day Easter holiday, amounting to more than 120,000 passengers. This past April also saw the busiest month in the airports history. A total of 6,400 flights were handled. Passenger counts for the first four months of 2019 were above 3.1 million. Despite the increase, MIA was awarded Level 2 accreditation for control of carbon emissions for the sixth year in a row. The accolade was given by the Airport Council International.

No AL, govt consensus on social housing age floor

A review of the bill for the Social Housing Legislation continued at the First Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL). The bill proposes an increase in the minimum age of applicants from 18 to 23 years of age. However, the committee and the government are yet to reach a consensus with regard to this provision, though both sides have a common interest in preventing the abuse of the benefit. Secretary Raimundo do Rosario said that further discussion was needed to come to a consensus, but he was unable to predict how long it would take. Ho Ion Sang, chairperson of the committee, admitted that the government had taken the committees suggestion of adding a conditional waiver, which authorizes the Chief Executive to waive the age requirement in certain cases.
The government funding for animal rights group Anima Macau has been increased from MOP3.8 million to MOP5 million, Anima president Albano Martins announced.

Provided by the Macao Foundation, the increase in funding came after Anima sent a request to the Chief Executive.

Animas 2019 budget is over MOP11.5 million, while its investment budget is MOP1.2 million. The latter will mainly cover the renovation of the shelter, as well as operational costs.

However, Martins said that the funds remain insufficient to take care of canines and felines and continued calling on donors.

We have asked the CE in a letter that [funding of only] MOP3.8 million in a budget of around MOP11 million is very hard. [] Our request was to approve MOP5 million but this does not mean that our lives will be [easier], Martins told the Times.

Our lives are still in hell because our [2019] budget is around MOP11 million and this means that we still have to find a lot of donors for that, he added.

The animal rights activist recalled that last years budget was cut down to around MOP8 million due to insufficient funding, explaining that the association has no capacity to earn more.

Anima also faces a challenge with its investment budget, due to the increasing maintenance requirements of the building.

We can allocate our resources to find donors but this is not a guarantee. []

This maintenance [expense] is an investment as we have to build new areas. [] This requires money and we dont have that, Martins said, stressing that it would be difficult for him to find a successor.

Its very hard and I do not understand why this is not clear for many people in Macau, he said, noting that no one would want to be his successor without a monthly wage.

In Animas letter to the CE, the organization suggested that gaming operators should be linked to the citys non-governmental associations to assist these organizations in operating.

He hinted that such a move could be a criteria for the tendering of gaming concessions.

MOP10 million is peanuts for a casino, he stressed.

In a post on social media, Martins revealed that the public had donated MOP75,673 to the centre in the last three months.

In April last year, Martins announced that the group may have to shut down due to insufficient funding, explaining that it was difficult to balance its annual expenses of MOP10.5 million.
Over 3,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries and regions will participate in Chinas top technology show in November, which this highlights the science and technology innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, Xinhua reported yesterday.

The 21st China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) will be held from Nov. 13 to 17 in the southern tech hub Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, its organizers said at a press conference in Beijing this week.

This year, the CHTF will highlight Advanced products and technology in fields such as information technology, energy conservation, environmental protection, photoelectric display, smart city, manufacturing and aerospace will be showcased.

Hundreds of well-known enterprises from home and abroad have already signed up for the event, according to Wang Lixin, deputy director and secretary-general of the fairs organizing committee.

According to Xinhua, it will also hold overseas exhibitions in Ireland, Serbia and Croatia in June this year.

The CHTF has been held for 20 years. It has played a key role in strengthening innovation capability, deepening cooperation, promoting the transformation of innovation achievements and creating a good innovative environment, Xinhua notes. MDT/Xinhua
NatanaelGinting/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- As the U.S. remains locked in a debate over asylum seekers from Central America, lawyers and advocacy groups say they are seeing an alarming uptick in deportations to the African nation of Eritrea -- a country that President Donald Trump's government acknowledges arbitrarily imprisons and tortures its own citizens.



The plight of Eritrean refugees, while relatively small, strikes at the heart of the ongoing dispute in America over who is entitled to seek refuge within its borders, and what to do with people who are already here.



Eritreans in the U.S. whose bids for asylum have been denied say they fear that deportations are akin to a death sentence, immigration attorneys told ABC News.



Last year, Zeresenay Ermias Testfatsion, a 34-year-old Eritrean whose asylum claim was rejected, was found dead in a shower area at a detention holding area during a layover at Cairos international airport en route to East Africa. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said his death was an "apparent suicide."



He explained to the U.S. government, if he gets deported, the Eritrean government will imprison him and torture him, all that kind of stuff, his close friend in the Washington area, Tesfom Debesai, told ABC News. If he went back to this country, something was going to happen to him.



President Trump has primarily focused on migrants and asylum-seekers from Central America, which advocates say deflect attention from the plight of Africans and others seeking refuge in the United States.



I think certainly on the ground, we see all the communities in our state and folks who we serve across the board  impacted by administration policies, Tim Warden-Hertz, an attorney at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project in Seattle, told ABC News



Eritrea's authoritarian government tortures, forcibly disappears, and indefinitely detains its citizens, who lack an array of civil rights and freedoms, according to the State Department's 2018 report on human rights in the country. Human rights groups say it also uses extortion and threats of violence to compel its nationals residing abroad to pay a 2 percent income tax before they can obtain basic services.



Nearly half a million Eritreans have fled in recent years, with many of them escaping indefinite military service that the United Nations has said amounts to mass enslavement, and tight restrictions on leaving. Some have made their way to ports of entry on the United States southern border with Mexico and claimed asylum -- only to have American immigration courts deny them refuge.



Eritrea, which borders Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan in the Horn of Africa, has for years refused to provide U.S. immigration authorities with the documents needed to repatriate Eritreans, and those who are denied asylum can end up in a state of limbo.



To force Eritreas hand, in September 2017, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it would stop issuing a wide range of U.S. visas to Eritreans. Since then, the number of Eritreans deported has spiked by over 50 percent, an increase ICE has attributed to the heightened pressure.



The U.S. deported about 62 Eritreans in the year since the sanctions announcement, and an ICE spokesperson told ABC News that at least a dozen more people have been deported since October.



The America Team for Displaced Eritreans, an advocacy group, told ABC News that, over the years, it had tracked scores of cases of Eritreans fighting to stay in the United States. As of last month, there were 936 Eritreans in the U.S. who had been ordered deported but who were not detained, including 147 convicted criminals, according to an ICE official.



As the United States pushes to accelerate deportations, several immigration attorneys who work with Eritreans told ABC News that individuals who go before U.S. immigration judges without a legal assistance might struggle to counter claims that the human rights situation in their home country has improved. There is no guarantee to a lawyer in U.S. immigration courts.



That is the climate that we are living in, especially under the Trump administration, said one immigration attorney, who requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal from Eritrea. Im seeing just the craziest arguments being made -- decisions, rulings that place peoples lives in danger.



The Eritrean embassy in Washington did not respond to multiple requests for comment, and the State Department referred questions about Eritreas cooperation with the U.S. to ICE. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, also referred questions to the agency.



The brother of one Eritrean man facing deportation, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation by Eritrean and American authorities, told ABC News that he worries that if his brother is forced to return home, he will never see him again.



His brother had been conscripted into the countrys notorious national service and was tortured repeatedly after refusing an order to shoot at someone who was trying to escape. He escaped across the border to Sudan and eventually made his way to a port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border in 2016, but his asylum claim was later denied. He is now being held in ICE detention.



In the past, he was going in and out of the prison. And got tortured, got beaten up, he said of his brother. But this time, he will not make it out (of Eritrea) alive.



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A Montenegro court yesterday sentenced 13 people, including two Russian secret service operatives, to up to 15 years in prison after they were convicted of plotting to overthrow the Balkan countrys government and prevent it from joining NATO.

Chief judge Suzana Mugosa said the two Russians, identified as Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov, were convicted of attempted terrorism and creating a criminal organization. The two were tried in absentia.

Shishmakov received a 15-year prison term while Popov got 12 years. Two leading ethnic Serb opposition politicians, Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, were sentenced to five years each.

The verdict said the group planned to take over parliament on election day on Oct. 16, 2016, assassinate then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and install a pro-Russia, anti-NATO leadership.

Montenegro joined NATO in June 2017 as the Western military alliances 29th member despite strong opposition from Moscow, which considers the small Adriatic country a historic Slavic ally and is opposed to NATOs enlargement.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement in the coup attempt. Montenegros police thwarted the action after receiving tips from Western spy organizations, authorities said.

The lawyer of one of the convicted Serbs said he will appeal.

The Russian Federation has been charged and sentenced with this political pamphlet, said Miroje Jovanovic, referring to the verdict.

The Russian pair, said to be members of the Russian military secret service agency GRU, coordinated the attempted coup from neighboring Serbia, the verdict said. They were allowed by Serbias pro-Russia authorities to leave for Moscow despite reports that they operated with sophisticated spy equipment.

The judge said that the Russians provided at least 200,000 euros for the purchase of rifles and guns.

She said two tried to recruit as many people as possible to come to the protest and try to change the electoral will and prevent Montenegro from joining NATO.

The judge said that the two ethnic Serb politicians made several trips to Moscow on the eve of the election where they were believed to get instructions from the GRU operatives.

Each member of the criminal organization had a task and role that had been previously determined and the criminal organization was ready to implement violence and intimidation, she said.

The United States and its allies have accused the GRU of involvement in the 2018 nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy in Britain, hacking the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and disrupting anti-doping efforts in world sports. Russian authorities have rejected the accusations, calling them part of a Western smear campaign. Predrag Milic, Podgorica, AP
North Korea fired two suspected short-range missiles toward the sea yesterday, South Korean officials said, its second weapons launch in five days and a possible warning that nuclear disarmament talks with Washington could be in danger.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the weapons flew 420 kilometers and 270 kilometers, respectively. It said it is working with the United States to determine more details, such as the types of weapons that were fired.

South Koreas military said earlier that at least one projectile was launched from the Sino-ri area of North Pyongan province, an area known to have one of North Koreas oldest missile bases where a brigade operates mid-range Rodong missiles. It later said there were two launches from the nearby town of Kusong, where North Korea conducted its first successful flight tests of its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile and Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, both in 2017.

Kusong is also home to missile test facilities that were critical to the development of North Koreas solid-fuel Pukguksong-2, which was successfully flight-tested for the first time in February 2017, in the Norths first missile test after President Donald Trump took office.

The latest launches came as U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun visits South Korea, and hours after the North described its firing of rocket artillery and an apparent short-range ballistic missile on Saturday as a regular and defensive military exercise. North Korea also ridiculed South Korea for criticizing those launches.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in urged North Korea to refrain from actions that could impede diplomacy. In an interview with the KBS television network, Moon also said Seoul will explore various options to help revive the talks, including providing food aid to the North and pushing for his fourth summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

I want to tell North Korea once again that its not ideal to repeat actions that create various interpretations of its intent, raise concern and risk throwing cold water on the atmosphere of dialogue and negotiations, said Moon, a liberal who facilitated contacts between the U.S. and North Korea last year.

Moons office earlier said the North Korean launches were very concerning and detrimental to efforts to improve inter-Korean ties and ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

There was no immediate comment from the United States.

Some analysts have said that if North Korea resumes testing the kind of longer-range banned ballistic weapons that it fired in unusually large numbers in 2017  when many feared a U.S.-North Korea standoff could end in war  it may signal that North Korea is turning away from diplomacy.

The tensions in 2017 were followed by a surprising diplomatic outreach by North Korea in 2018, when Kim attended summits with the South Korean and Chinese presidents and with Trump. But North Korea has not received what it wants most from its summitry: relief from punitive sanctions imposed over its nuclear and missile programs.

A summit earlier this year between Trump and Kim ended in failure, with the United States saying that North Korea was not offering to take enough disarmament steps in return for the widespread sanctions relief it sought.

Just ahead of the launch, senior defense officials from South Korea, the United States and Japan met in Seoul to discuss North Koreas earlier launches on Saturday and other security issues. Details from the meeting werent immediately announced.

Experts who analyzed photos from North Korean state media say its clear that the North tested a new solid-fuel missile on Saturday that appears to be modeled after Russias Iskander short-range ballistic missile system.

With the consecutive weapons launches, North Korea is pressuring South Korea to turn away from the United States and support North Koreas position more strongly, said Du Hyeogn Cha, a visiting scholar at Seouls Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Following the collapse of the Trump-Kim meeting, North Korea demanded that South Korea proceed with joint economic projects that have been held back by U.S.-led sanctions against the North.

By firing weapons that directly threaten South Korea but not the U.S. mainland or its Pacific territories, North Korea also appears to be testing how far Washington will tolerate its bellicosity without actually causing the nuclear negotiations to collapse, Cha said.

To the United States, the North is saying dont push me into a corner. To South Korea, the North is saying the inter-Korean peace agreements could become nothing if Seoul fails to coax major concessions from the United States on behalf of the North, Cha said.

South Korean and U.S. officials have described what North Korea fired Saturday as projectiles, a broader term that includes both missiles and artillery pieces. This could be an effort to keep diplomacy alive as U.N. sanctions bar North Korea from engaging in any ballistic activity.

Some observers say North Korea may fire more missiles, including medium-range ones, to increase the pressure on the United States. Cha said North Korea isnt likely to fire longer-range missiles, such as its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missiles and Hwasong-14 and 15 intercontinental ballistic missiles, unless it intends to completely abandon diplomacy since it is certain to invite new U.N. sanctions.

North Korea last conducted a major missile test in November 2017 when it flight-tested the Hwasong-15 and demonstrated the potential capability to reach deep into the U.S. mainland. Experts think North Korea still needs more tests to make its ICBMs viable.

Kim in a New Years speech said he hopes to continue his nuclear summitry with Trump, but would seek a new way if the United States persists with sanctions and pressure against North Korea.

Following the collapse of his second summit with Trump in February, Kim said he is open to a third meeting, but set the end of the year as a deadline for Washington to offer mutually acceptable terms for an agreement. Kim Tong-Hyung, Hyung-Jin Kim & Foster Klug, Seoul, AP
People are putting nature in more trouble now than at any other time in human history, with extinction looming over 1 million species of plants and animals, scientists said this week.

But its not too late to fix the problem, according to the United Nations first comprehensive report on biodiversity.

We have reconfigured dramatically life on the planet, report co-chairman Eduardo Brondizio of Indiana University said at a press conference.

Species loss is accelerating to a rate tens or hundreds of times faster than in the past, the report said. More than half a million species on land have insufficient habitat for long-term survival and are likely to go extinct, many within decades, unless their habitats are restored. The oceans are not any better off.

Humanity unwittingly is attempting to throttle the living planet and humanitys own future, said George Mason University biologist Thomas Lovejoy, who has been called the godfather of biodiversity for his research. He was not part of the report.

The biological diversity of this planet has been really hammered, and this is really our last chance to address all of that, Lovejoy said.

Conservation scientists convened in Paris to issue the report, which exceeded 1,000 pages. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) included more than 450 researchers who used 15,000 scientific and government reports. The reports summary had to be approved by representatives of all 109 nations.

Some nations hit harder by the losses, like small island countries, wanted more in the report. Others, such as the United States, were cautious in the language they sought, but they agreed were in trouble, said Rebecca Shaw, chief scientist for the World Wildlife Fund, who observed the final negotiations.

This is the strongest call weve seen for reversing the trends on the loss of nature, Shaw said.

The findings are not just about saving plants and animals, but about preserving a world thats becoming harder for humans to live in, said Robert Watson, a former top NASA and British scientist who headed the report.

We are indeed threatening the potential food security, water security, human health and social fabric of humanity, Watson told The Associated Press.

Its also an economic and security issue as countries fight over scarcer resources. Watson said the poor in less developed countries bear the greatest burden.

The reports 39-page summary highlighted five ways people are reducing biodiversity:

Turning forests, grasslands and other areas into farms, cities and other developments. The habitat loss leaves plants and animals homeless. About three-quarters of Earths land, two-thirds of its oceans and 85% of crucial wetlands have been severely altered or lost, making it harder for species to survive, the report said.

Overfishing the worlds oceans. A third of the worlds fish stocks are overfished.

Permitting climate change from the burning of fossil fuels to make it too hot, wet or dry for some species to survive. Almost half of the worlds land mammals Ai not including bats

and nearly a quarter of the birds have already had their habitats hit hard by global warming.

Polluting land and water. Every year, 300 to 400 million tons of heavy metals, solvents and toxic sludge are dumped into the worlds waters.

Allowing invasive species to crowd out native plants and animals. The number of invasive alien species per country has risen 70% since 1970, with one species of bacteria threatening nearly 400 amphibian species.

The key to remember is, its not a terminal diagnosis, said report co-author Andrew Purvis of the Natural History Museum in London.

Fighting climate change and saving species are equally important, the report said, and working on both environmental problems should go hand in hand. Both problems exacerbate each other because a warmer world means fewer species, and a less biodiverse world means fewer trees and plants to remove heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the air, Lovejoy said.

The worlds coral reefs are a perfect example of where climate change and species loss intersect. If the world warms another 0.9 degrees (0.5 degrees Celsius), which other reports say is likely, coral reefs will probably dwindle by 70% to 90%, the report said. At 1.8 degrees (1 degree Celsius), the report said, 99% of the worlds coral will be in trouble.

Business as usual is a disaster, Watson said.

At least 680 species with backbones have already gone extinct since 1600. The report said 559 domesticated breeds of mammals used for food have disappeared. More than 40% of the worlds amphibian species, more than one-third of the marine mammals and nearly one-third of sharks and fish are threatened with extinction.

The report relies heavily on research by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, which is composed of biologists who maintain a list of threatened species.

The IUCN calculated in March that 27,159 species are threatened, endangered or extinct in the wild out of nearly 100,000 species biologists examined in depth. That includes 1,223 mammal species, 1,492 bird species and 2,341 fish species. Nearly half the threatened species are plants.

Scientists have only examined a small fraction of the estimated 8 million species on Earth.

The report comes up with 1 million species in trouble by extrapolating the IUCNs 25% threatened rate to the rest of the worlds species and using a lower rate for the estimated 5.5 million species of insects, Watson said.

Outside scientists, such as Lovejoy and others, said thats a reasonable assessment.

The report gives only a generic within decades time frame for species loss because it is dependent on many variables, including taking the problem seriously, which can reduce the severity of the projections, Watson said.

Were in the middle of the sixth great extinction crisis, but its happening in slow motion, said Conservation International and University of California Santa Barbara ecologist Lee Hannah, who was not part of the report.

Five times in the past, Earth has undergone mass extinctions where much of life on Earth blinked out, like the one that killed the dinosaurs. Watson said the report was careful not to call whats going on now as a sixth big die-off because current levels dont come close to the 75% level in past mass extinctions.

The report goes beyond species. Of the 18 measured ways nature helps humans, the report said 14 are declining, with food and energy production noticeable exceptions. The report found downward trends in natures ability to provide clean air and water, good soil and other essentials.

Habitat loss is one of the biggest threats, and its happening worldwide, Watson said. The report projects 15.5 million miles (25 million kilometers) of new roads will be paved over nature between now and 2050, most in the developing world.

Many of the worst effects can be prevented by changing the way we grow food, produce energy, deal with climate change and dispose of waste, the report said. That involves concerted action by governments, companies and people.

Individuals can help with simple changes to the way they eat and use energy, said the co-chairman of the report, ecological scientist Josef Settele of the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Germany. That doesnt mean becoming a vegetarian or vegan, but balancing meat, vegetables and fruit, and walking and biking more, Watson said.

We can actually feed all the coming billions of people without destroying another inch of nature, Lovejoy said. Much of that can be done by eliminating food waste and being more efficient, he said. Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer
Russian President Vladimir Putin told the annual military Victory Day parade in Red Square yesterday that the country will continue to strengthen its armed forces.

The parade marked the 74th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. It included about 13,000 servicemen and 130 pieces of military equipment, ranging from a T-34 tank  renowned for its effectiveness in World War II  to lumbering Yars ICBM launch units.

For the second time in three years, the parade did not conclude with an aerial display of helicopters and warplanes speeding above the square. Russian news reports said the cancellation was due to heavy clouds.

Among the guests were recently resigned Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Steven Seagal, the American actor who obtained Russian citizenship in 2016 and later was named a special envoy for humanitarian ties with the United States.

Putin said in his speech that we have done and will do everything necessary to ensure the high combat capability of our armed forces.

He added: At the same time, Russia is open for cooperation with all who are ready to resist terrorism, neo-Nazism and extremism.

Dozens of other Russian cities also held parades for the countrys most significant secular holiday.

In neighboring Ukraine, which also observes the holiday, outgoing President Petro Poroshenko struck out at Russia.

For five years, the descendants of the glorious victors over Nazism have defended with arms the freedom of the Ukrainian people and their civilization choice from Russian aggression, Poroshenko said.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and backs separatist rebels who have been fighting Ukrainian forces in the countrys east for the past five years, a conflict that has left over 13,000 dead.

TV actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy roundly defeated Poroshenko in Ukraines April 21 presidential runoff. AP
The tariff war between Washington and Beijing poses one of the biggest challenges yet for Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially exposing his political vulnerabilities at a time when the Chinese economy is already slowing.

The U.S. effort to win concessions from China on strategic industrial policies has put Xis own prestige on the line. It also has cast into question the ruling Communist Partys social contract with the Chinese people: keeping authoritarian, one-party rule and ruling class privileges in exchange for delivering robust economic growth, better living standards and a higher global profile for China.

Chinese and U.S. officials were due to resume talks in Washington early today [Macau time] on the dispute over Beijings technology ambitions in meetings overshadowed by President Donald Trumps threat to raise tariffs further as of today.

Xi needs to balance standing firm against U.S. pressure with the increasing urgency to reach a deal that would relieve battered exporters who have long underpinned growth and job creation, particularly outside the major cities.

Xi Jinping is under a lot of pressure. If he is seen as succumbing to the threats, then he will be seen as weak and failing to stand up to the Americans, said Willy Lam, a Chinese politics expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The stakes are high.

A failure to reach agreement in this weeks talks, the 11th round of negotiations so far, would be deeply embarrassing and somewhat damaging, for Xi, said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at Londons School of Oriental and African Studies.

It would not be catastrophic, he said. However, it would be a different story if a sustained and escalating trade war puts the Chinese economy in a tailspin and keeps it down over a year or two.

Sometimes referred to as the chairman of everything, Xi is widely regarded as Chinas most powerful leader in decades. He cleared a path to remaining in office indefinitely last year when he amended the constitution to remove presidential term limits. He also has led a sweeping crackdown on corruption that netted several high-profile targets while fortifying the partys presence at all levels.

Xis signature foreign policy strategy, the trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, has racked up notable successes despite complaints that it saddles participating countries with unsustainable levels of debt.

He also has led a major expansion of Chinas military while adopting a more confrontational approach to relations with the U.S., Taiwan and countries with rival claims to territory in the South China Sea. Thats raised expectations among a highly nationalistic public and party and military hardliners that Xi will stand up to the U.S. in the tariff conflict and others likely to follow.

Chinas aggressive efforts to gain dominance in areas such as robotics and artificial intelligence lie at the heart of the dispute with the Trump administration, which highlights complaints by companies and governments over the forced transfer, or outright theft, of cutting-edge technology.

Underlying Xis great power is a sense of insecurity, reflected in the elaborate protective measures he deploys and massive spending on domestic security that exceeds even the defense budget, Tsang said.

There is also great unease over the economy, which expanded at an annual rate of 6.4% in January-March, matching the previous quarter for the weakest growth since 2009.

Xi must be acutely aware that his domestic critics hold him responsible for lack of success in the talks, June Teufel Dreyer, an expert on Chinese politics who teaches political science at the University of Miami.

His actions indicate that he fears dissent from the chattering classes, and social instability from the rest, Dreyer said.

Perceptions of Xis leadership and his advisers handling of the trade dispute were not helped by a tweet by Trump on Sunday expressing frustration at the pace of the trade talks and vowing to raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese products from 10% to 25%, and apply the tariffs to just about everything the U.S. imports from China.

Chinas Commerce Ministry said yesterday that Beijing would retaliate.

Early in Trumps presidency, Xi appeared adept at handling his American counterpart. That tweet appeared to catch him off-balance.

Now it appears that there is no clear policy response to Trump on the trade war, and that China seems on the back foot, said Rana Mitter, a China politics and history expert at the University of Oxford. That may open up more space for other figures at the top to make it clear that their views still matter, which could in turn, could restrict Xis ability to rule as a single, dominant voice, Mitter said.

Xi faces time pressures from the partys inner dynamics. He is expected to call a meeting of the powerful Central Committee by October at the latest, and needs to show he has the trade dispute well in hand. Informal summer meetings among officials at the Beidaihe seaside resort could also test of Xis leadership on the matter, Lam said.

Such sensitivities appear to be affecting how officials publicly discuss the dispute.

During earlier rounds of talks, officials went on the offensive, blaming the U.S. for creating tensions and disrupting global trade. Recently, the tone has been more muted, part of a pattern of clamping down on politically sensitive discussions that suggests a desire to batten down the hatches, Mitter said. Christopher Bodeen, Beijing, AP
On vacation, Penny stumbles onto Josephines turf hoping to make a few scores herself. After Josephines polite attempts at driving her off fail, she takes her on as a protege, and together they fleece a string of wealthy suitors hoping to marry Josephine. But when the partnership has a falling out, the two con artists make a wager: The first to con a sweet tech nerd named Patrick (Alex Sharp) out of $500,000 gets to stay in France, while the other hits the road for good. (The films marketing as a female empowerment comedy is undercut by the fact that the women are targeting such a nice, harmless guy for half the movie.)

The Hustle plays it fast and broad, with first-time feature director Chris Addison (a veteran of Veep) juggling a parade of pratfalls and wacky accents. Wilson, of course, is very comfortable going big for laughs, sometimes to the movies benefit, sometimes to its detriment. An extended training montage of Penny learning how to throw knives and vault a pommel horse makes no sense  how often do these skills come up for a con artist?

Building on her wry comic turn from last summers Oceans 8, Hathaway is clearly having a ball sending up the pantsuited haute couture of Josephine, and her icy line readings play off well against Wilson.
I think the most important quality we are looking for in an interim superintendent is stability, School Board member Cris Carusi said. I dont think it really matters as much if its an internal or external candidate ... were going to want someone who can provide stability.

Carusi noted that she hopes the board can engage in an open process when selecting a new superintendent.

I really hope we have a transparent, public process for choosing a new superintendent where we are able to get input from our staff and our community, Carusi said. We absolutely have to do that for our superintendent process and I think on some level for the interim selection process as well."

Will the interim superintendent eventually be hired as permanent superintendent?

Rainwater was hired as an interim superintendent before the board voted to hire him after conducting its search process. However, whether to have an interim superintendent considered for a long-term post is something the School Board will have to decide as it crafts the characteristics of who it wants to hire as the new district leader.
Eight months after the Wisconsin Army National Guard finished its investigations into 1st Lt. Megan Plunketts sexual assault claims, they tried to kick her out.

They did so even though Plunkett was already making her own way out. She was going through a medical discharge for post-traumatic stress disorder connected to alleged sexual assaults by two different men in two different units she served in.

She was not actively training at that time but was having a consensual relationship with an enlisted soldier in her unit. After the relationship ended, Plunkett said that man also sexually assaulted her. As it did in the first two cases, the Guard said her allegations were unsubstantiated, but they went one step further than that, finding Plunkett guilty of fraternization. In the military, officers are forbidden to have sexual relationships with enlisted soldiers.

I was like, Im out, I just want to be left alone. I dont want to cause more problems and then he came at me with fraternization. Are you ... kidding me? she said. He assaulted me and how dare they accuse me of fraternization without asking me what happened?

The Guard reprimanded her and later tried to revoke her status as a military officer and her post-retirement medical benefits because of the relationship. It also later alleged that Plunkett posted nude photos of herself online to solicit sex.

Plunkett denied those accusations and said the Guards move to revoke her status and benefits was retaliation for reporting past assaults and filing complaints. Her attorney and a Washington D.C.-based advocate for womens veterans share that view. The Guard said it cannot comment because of provisions in the federal Privacy Act, a 1974 law that bars some federal agencies from disclosing personnel information.

As of today, Plunkett has won some measure of vindication from other agencies. A panel of out-of-state Army officers ultimately rejected the Guard's attempt to strip her benefits and status, though that ruling is not yet final. Separately, the Veterans Administration awarded her full service-connected disability compensation and medical benefits for PTSD, which they determined was caused by military sexual trauma she experienced in the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

Despite those victories, Plunkett has continued to try to get information about how the National Guard investigates reports of sexual assault. She has filed complaints with federal and state officials to draw attention to what she sees as systemic injustice, a lack of transparency and a pervasive culture of misogyny.

Those efforts seem to be gaining some traction, though she is not alone in demanding more accountability from the Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard.

After she and others began reporting sexual misconduct there, state Republican and Democratic leaders have begun to question how the Guard handles sexual assault complaints. Last month the National Guard Bureau said it would investigate the Wisconsin Army National Guard at the request of Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. According to Evers office, National Guard Bureau investigators will start their review later this month and it will take six to nine months. A report is set to be released in early 2020 and Evers intends to make it public.

Accused of soliciting sex

January 2017 was one among many low points in Plunkett's military career. The National Guard found all three of her allegations of sexual assault to be "unsubstantiated." Those decisions relied, in part, on the assertions of colleagues that she lacked credibility, according to records of the investigations that Plunkett gave to the Cap Times. Later that month, Guard officials informed her that she was being investigated for soliciting sex online.

Another soldier in her unit said in a sworn statement that he found photos of Plunkett in a Craigslist ad soliciting sex. He noted that although part of the womans face and eyes were obscured, he thought it was her. He said he matched some of the photos in the ad with those he found of Plunkett on her MySpace page.

Plunkett denied posting an ad soliciting sex. She confirmed that years prior she had posed in lingerie as a model for her friends boudoir photography business, but said she was not nude.

At the time, Guard investigators would not allow her to see the photos. Plunkett eventually saw them after she made numerous requests through her Guard-appointed attorney.

The Cap Times reviewed the ad and the photos, and it appears that someone took Plunketts boudoir photos from another website and put them into the Craigslist ad along with nude photos of another woman performing sex acts. The woman does not appear to resemble Plunkett and has a different tattoo on her back.

Plunkett was given a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand, for the fraternization and photos  a formal rebuke for behavior unbecoming an officer. A GOMR is more serious than a letter of reprimand and can follow soldiers throughout their military careers, even if they leave the state to serve in other branches of the military.

Im not saying that I didnt make bad choices, and that I didnt do things that I shouldnt have done or that I didnt have an intimate relationship with (the enlisted soldier) because I did, Plunkett said. I will own that and I accept punishment for that, which I already received. I got my GOMR, which was above and beyond the punishment necessary for fraternization.

Ellen Haring agrees with Plunketts assessment about the severity of the punishment. Haring is a retired Army colonel and CEO of the Womens Service Action Network, an advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that organizes female veterans and works on policy issues.

She said fraternization has a range of punishments in the military depending on the circumstances and is based on commanders discretion. She said a GOMR would usually be reserved for something like a case in which the relationship was between an officer and a direct subordinate. Though he was of a lower rank, the enlisted officer Plunkett had a relationship with was not her direct report.

Plunkett said she remains confused why the Guard would dismiss her allegations of non-consensual sex, but severely reprimand her for consensual sex.

And still the Guard pursued further punishment.

Withdrawal of federal recognition

More than a year later, in July 2018, Plunkett received final medical discharge orders from the federal government for her PTSD. She was scheduled to leave and be placed on the retired list on Aug. 30, according to the order from the Department of the Army in Arlington, Virginia.

She wanted out. Her mental health was deteriorating and she was experiencing growing anxiety both on and off duty.

In her therapy sessions around that time, her therapist wrote that Plunkett struggled with feelings of not being in control, powerlessness and not (being) good enough, and spoke about the investigations.

After she got her medical discharge from the Department of the Army on July 26, 2018, according to records, the Wisconsin Army National Guard initiated an administrative procedure called a withdrawal of federal recognition (WOFR) that would strip away her status as an officer and remove her from the military.

The Guard said Plunketts fraternization and the alleged dissemination of the photos merited the WOFR, which would be decided by a panel of U.S. Army officers, some of whom came from out of state.

The WOFR was to determine if I should be separated from the military, which is silly because I was telling the military now for years that I wanted to be separated and Id given them multiple excuses to just let me go, Plunkett said.

Since she was already medically processing out of the National Guard, the WOFR looks like retaliation, said Haring.

Why in the world did Wisconsin try to go after her like that? How ridiculous. Thats the story right there, she said.

Wisconsin National Guard spokeswoman Jackie Halverson said the federal Privacy Act prevents the Guard from commenting on why they initiated the WOFR.

Plunkett asked the U.S. Army, which, along with the National Guard Bureau, oversees the Wisconsin Guard, to stop the proceeding.

I have already gone through a significant amount of progress required for medical separation from the military, Plunkett wrote in a letter to Lt. Gen. Stephen Twitty, then-commander of the U.S. First Army. The medical conditions at issue  include multiple incidents of military sexual trauma which predate the conduct that is subject to the WOFR.

These incidents have caused significant mental health issues and have affected every aspect of my life, including work, school and relationships with my family and friends. I sincerely believe that revisiting these incidents in detail through the course of a WOFR board  which I believe would be a necessary part of my defense  could jeopardize my health and well-being.

Her request was denied, and the withdrawal of federal recognition panel was held Oct. 24 in Madison. The proceeding functions much like a trial, with testimony and evidence submitted. It lasted three days.

A Cap Times reporter accompanied Plunkett to the hearing at her and her attorney, Warren Murphys, request. After identifying herself, the reporter was told she had to leave and was escorted off of the Joint Force Headquarters base.

Halverson said that those proceedings are never open to the public, regardless of whether subjects of the hearing or their attorneys want them to be.

But Murphy, an attorney who has represented soldiers in similar types of cases in Indiana, said other proceedings he has been a part of have been public.

This has been jacked up from the beginning, he said in an interview, adding that he has seen nothing like it in his 13 years as a National Guard attorney.

He called the Wisconsin Guards investigations of Plunketts assault claims a mess and added that pursuing the WOFR looks like retaliation considering her pending medical discharge.

She made some mistakes but the unit she found herself in was a disaster. ... Shes been put at the center of all of this and quite honestly has been the scapegoat. Its retaliation, he said. I have never seen that. That tells me thats a unit where people have looked the other way.

Murphy requested investigations and evidence related to Plunketts case months before the hearing was scheduled, he said. The Wisconsin Guard gave him the materials days before it started.

It is highly unusual to go into a significant proceeding and to get substantial information for it in less than four days, he said, noting that if he had more time, he could have called witnesses to support Plunketts case.

The panel was composed of four officers. Two were women of a similar rank and military occupation from other states, sent to Wisconsin to hear the case.

Plunkett recalled a question from one of the soldiers on the panel: Oh, you should get a free pass because you have PTSD?

No, thats not what Im asking for, she said she responded. Im asking for some leniency. ... Im asking for you to understand that under normal conditions, that if I wasnt experiencing the symptoms of PTSD as caused by sexual assault, that that never would have crossed my mind to date an enlisted soldier.

The panel voted in favor of Plunkett, allowing her to keep her medical benefits and separate from the Army, recommending her for a general discharge, she and her attorney said. It affirmed that Plunkett has PTSD, that she was sexually assaulted and that she reported that assault through the proper channels. They linked her fraternization misconduct directly to her mental health condition, saying her behavior was a result of her PTSD, according to Plunkett and Murphy.

That decision must be affirmed by senior Army officials. As of today, Plunkett is still awaiting the transcript of the hearing and a final report of the findings.

On July 26, 2018, before the WOFR hearing took place in October, the VA awarded Plunkett a 100 percent service-connected disability payment for PTSD because of military sexual trauma. Because of that she now receives free mental health treatment at any VA facility and is also paid $3,084 each month.

Looking to lawmakers

Over the last year, Plunkett has continued to press elected officials at the state and federal levels to investigate the Wisconsin Army National Guard. She has requested investigations and made whistleblower complaints to the Inspector General of the U.S. Army.

She wants to see systemic changes to how the Guard as a national system investigates allegations of sexual assault, how investigators are trained and how victims are treated. People should have better information and access to mental health resources, she said, and they should be given documents from the investigations that involve them. There should be a proactive approach to battling the culture that exists within the National Guard, rather than a reactive program that helps victims only after theyve been hurt, she said.

Last year, when Plunkett wrote and called state and federal politicians about her complaints, they did little to help her or get answers from the Guard, she said. She wanted to draw attention to the issue by telling her story, so she contacted a Cap Times reporter.

She initially contacted former Gov. Scott Walkers staff, U.S. Sens. Baldwin and Ron Johnson and her member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher. All of them responded and some wrote a series of letters on her behalf, but none of them pushed for an investigation because of her complaint. Johnsons staff helped her with her VA medical claim. Baldwin and Gallaghers office wrote a letter to the Wisconsin Guard. Walkers office referred her to the state Department of Justice, which did not pursue her case, she said.

The only thing that they do is an inquiry. They say (to the Guard), Hey, Ive got this service member who said she is having issues. What is going on? Plunkett said. Dunbar says, Dont worry, weve got it handled, referring to Adjutant General Donald Dunbar, who leads the Wisconsin National Guard.

And that was a far as those efforts took her.

Trying to get another federal agency to look into how the Guard handles sexual assault investigations also sent her in a loop. She asked the U.S. Army Inspector Generals Office and the National Guard Bureau to review the Wisconsins National Guard protocols. Both declined.

At the time, the National Guard Bureau and the Inspector Generals Office both told Plunkett that her request for an investigation was not appropriate for their offices and directed her back to Wisconsin National Guard officials.

The U.S. Air Force is also investigating the Wisconsin Air National Guard at Baldwins request, after several service members came forward alleging a culture of sexual misconduct within its ranks.

The National Guard Bureau investigation beginning this month will examine Guard protocols, its reporting mechanisms, and how it investigates allegations of harassment and assault. The Bureau will do surveys of climate and morale in Guard units, gather data, and will conduct interviews with soldiers and airmen and airwomen.

Wisconsin Army National Guard spokesman Capt. Joe Trovato said at a media roundtable in April that the Guard "welcomes" the review.

"We think there is always room for improvement and we strive for continuous improvement," he said. "I think we acknowledge the gravity of what sexual assault means to our organization and we look forward to working with (the National Guard Bureau) to take a look at our program."

Despite complaints about sexual misconduct that date back to 2002, Evers told the Associated Press last month that he is not questioning Adjutant General Dunbars leadership.

We are going into this investigation without preconceived notions. We expect a thorough, fair and impartial review from the National Guard Bureaus Office of Complex Investigations, said Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff.

In February, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, also asked the Guard to review its sexual assault and harassment protocols after speaking with soldiers and airmen and women affected by sexual assault. (This does not include Plunkett, who has not spoken to Fitzgerald.)

Dunbar responded one month later with a four-page letter, outlining how it responds to allegations of sexual misconduct. In the letter, Dunbar wrote that the Guard has a zero tolerance policy for such behavior and has taken numerous steps in recent years to protect service members and to prevent assault or harassment from taking place, including working to prevent it in the first place.

The best way to eliminate sexual assault and sexual harassment is to avoid it and we seek to do that through training and standards. We have the highest standards, which are centered on core values associated with our parent service. The Armys core values are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage, Dunbar wrote. We believe in these values and hold ourselves accountable for them. In addition, we conduct annual training to ensure all personnel are aware of our procedures and expectations.

But Fitzgerald said he still has concerns.

The stories I have heard from service members and their families have shown this is an issue that must urgently be reviewed  I still have concerns about their standard operating procedures and the enforcement of their policies dealing with sexual assault and sexual harassment, Fitzgerald said in a statement to the Cap Times.

As Plunkett waits for her final discharge paperwork, her focus is her son, who is 8.

I just want to be there for my son and be the best mom I can be, she said.

Plunkett hopes her story illuminates the complexity of PTSD caused by sexual trauma and the failures of the Wisconsin National Guards system of justice. She does not want others to go through a similar ordeal.

When women dont talk because theyre revictimized and were retaliated against and our careers are ended  at some point we have to accept the sacrifice, she said. If were willing to sign on the dotted line and die for our country, why are we not willing to sacrifice our military careers and save (other) women from going through the same trauma and horrific nightmares that we endured?
Political Environment blogger James Rowen contends that once again we're seeing how far over their heads have been Scott Walker and his Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. in their dealings with the sophisticated Foxconn corporation. He notes how Foxconn consists of several subsidiaries and how the corporation will actually be able to cash in on state subsidies regardless of how many jobs and development it creates.

In a Right Wisconsin posting, Stevens Point Republican state Sen. Patrick Testin claims that the bill he's sponsoring to "shield the vulnerable" is actually just seeking to outlaw discriminatory abortions. Testin claims that the controversial bill will eliminate abortions performed to end pregnancies of Down syndrome fetuses, for example.
Consequently, they are robbed of the promised opportunities that were made to induce them to join the Guard in the first place.

What the series also shows is how inadequate the Guard has been in investigating the charges. Those who conduct sexual misconduct investigations clearly have not been sensitized on how to handle the accusers or the accused. Further, there is an inadequate support system for the women who have been traumatized by their experiences.

This all has to change  and quickly. The Wisconsin Guard has to reexamine its procedures, institute better training for commanders and officers on what to look for and establish a support system that can restore a soldier's self-esteem.

The Wisconsin Guard's proud history depends on removing this stain.

Dave Zweifel is editor emeritus of The Capital Times. dzweifel@madison.com, 608-252-6410 and on Twitter @DaveZweifel.

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
This brings us to legislators such as state Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Reps. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, and Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City. All three of these southwestern Wisconsin Republicans ran re-election campaigns last year in which they acknowledged the need for more support for rural schools.

They were right. And the emphasis they placed on support for public education helped Marklein and Novak win tough races in districts where Democrats were surging. Even as these Republicans were securing re-election, Evers swept southwestern Wisconsin. The Democrat carried every county in the region except Lafayette, and there he came within 200 votes of winning.

Now, Marklein, Novak, Tranel and other Republicans who ran in 2018 as supporters of rural schools and public education need to keep their campaign promises. They need to work with the governor, either in support of the responsible revenue proposals Evers has put forward, or in a sincere effort to identify alternative sources of funding. This is especially true of Marklein and Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, who both serve on the Joint Finance Committee.
JUNEAU  A 21-year-old Beaver Dam man is accused of injuring a woman who intervened in an argument between him and his grandmother Monday.

Yadiel I. Alvarado faces a felony count of substantial battery and misdemeanor counts of bail jumping and disorderly conduct. He faces over four years in prison and a $21,000 fine if convicted.

According to the criminal complaint, Beaver Dam Police responded to the 100 block of Judson Drive on Monday at 8:30 p.m. for the report that a man had assaulted a woman outside of an apartment complex.

A 56-year-old woman said she was in the hallway in the apartment complex and could hear verbal fight between Alvarado and his grandmother. The grandmother asked for Alvarado to leave and the woman told authorities that she also told him to leave.

Alvarado allegedly pushed the 56-year-old woman and caused her to fall over when he left the apartment.

The woman went to Beaver Dam Community Hospital Emergency Room and was found to have a broken hand.
An Illinois woman is facing felony charges after an officer pulled her over on Interstate 90/94 near Lisbon for allegedly driving 116 mph with a child in the vehicle, and she then sped away from the traffic stop, police said.
JUNEAU  A Clyman man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of breaking into a Clyman tavern.

Kaleb Thomas Reardon, 22, is one of the two men charged in the break-in at Mercer-Ts Bar, 962 Main St. He and Matthew David Schneider, 19, face felony counts of burglary and misdemeanor theft charges. In addition, Reardon is charged with felony bail jumping and Schneider is charged with misdemeanor bail jumping.

Reardon, who is currently in the Dodge County Jail, appeared before Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Steven Bauer. Schneiders arraignment is May 22.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman reported the morning of March 31 that a side door was broken and some lights were on in the bar. When deputies arrived at the bar, they found a long metal pole outside of the door and the damage to the side door.

The owner reported numerous liquor bottles, cigarettes and money were missing, with a total loss estimated at $425. There also were liquor bottles left on the counter.
"It's fantastic," she said. "They are really loving learning and challenging themselves more. Field Table was a great foundation for all of this. But this is more intriguing and motivating and we're just so excited about it."

Besides mussels and fries, the menu includes three other small plates: escargot, grapefruit shrimp and steak tartare. There's also French onion soup and smoked pheasant soup, salads, and charcuterie and cheese boards. Main courses include a burger, chicken fricassee, filet mignon, sablefish, salmon, pasta and lamb.

"I think we all really want the best ingredients, the best techniques that we can manage to afford, on a menu we can understand, not too fussy," Davis said, adding that the new menu has been well received.

"We want to convey that this is more than field to table," she said. "There's way more layers on top of it that need to be communicated."

Davis opened Field Table as a restaurant, cafe, bar and market with former Isthmus food writer Andre Darlington as the restaurant's consultant. She has a couple of investors, but runs the place on her own.
An hour later, a large fight between students broke out in the hallway near the schools performing arts center.

The schools liaison officer was physically restraining a juvenile who was trying to actively fight, Dresser said. The officer was having a difficult time calling for assistance over the radio, but due to the sounds of an officer in distress, there was a large law enforcement response to the high school, including Dane County sheriffs deputies.

After the second fight, two parents and a handful of other family members showed up at the school, Dresser said. Gorrell said the parents knew about the fights because the school had called them to tell them to pick up their children, who were being suspended.

The group of adults was yelling, threatening staff and creating a disturbance, Dresser said, during which the schools liaison officer was kicked by a student.

Officers stood by until the group of adults left the building, he said, and none was issued a citation or arrested.
Hours of research on academic programs during his semester off eventually drew him to the School of Human Ecology, where he studied retailing and consumer behavior, a major that he said blended his interests in business, management and customer service at a school that emphasizes collaboration.

Not typical

There were times in Jacksons two years at UW-Madison where he recognized he was different.

About 2% of UW-Madison undergraduates are over the age of 25, according to the university. Nationally, the average is 21%.

Among a sea of students ages 18 to 22, Jackson sat in the front row of his classes and befriended his professors. He often wore ties to class because he went straight to his internship at American Family Insurance afterward. A few students mistook him for a teachers assistant.

Living in a dorm, going out to bars  I never had that, he said. I feel like I missed out on the typical American college experience. But I also feel like I appreciate things a lot more because of how much harder it took to get here.

Hes also come to find value in sharing his story and helping others recognize their own potential.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and colleagues in the Senate introduced a bill that could hasten cleanup of toxic chemicals at Madisons Truax Air National Guard base.

The bill, the PFAS Accountability Act, would encourage federal facilities such as military and National Guard bases to quickly enter into agreements with states to address the cleanup of toxic chemicals such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

The federal government says PFAS compounds are associated with increased risk of slowed development in children, lower fertility, hormonal disruptions, high cholesterol, immune system deficiencies and several kinds of cancer.

The bill comes as a new study shows as many as 19 million people in 43 states have been exposed to PFAS-contaminated water near contaminated locations including public water systems, military bases, airports, industrial plants, dumps and firefighter training sites.

Last spring, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warned Madisons Truax Air National Guard base it could face enforcement action if it didnt move swiftly to clean up toxic chemicals that were showing up in municipal drinking water.
They were very heroic. I cant thank them enough, she said.

We cant thank them enough either.

Nor can we express enough appreciation for the security guard who was on campus and apprehended one of the suspects, or the first responders who rushed into the building within minutes of getting the call for help, or the teachers and administrators who did their best to protect their students.

Were going to hear about some heroic things inside the school, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said Wednesday morning. Indeed.

Spurlock and his team have handled the situation with efficiency and professionalism that inspires confidence that if we cannot prevent every shooting, at least we can limit the loss of life with an immediate response. Every parent should demand that their school have security guards or police equipped to respond to an armed threat on campus at all times.

This is the fourth school shooting in Colorado since 1999. Four in 20 years is hardly an epidemic. But school shootings  and mass shootings in general  have increased in recent years in America.
BURLEY  A woman was charged with aggravated assault after she pulled a handgun on a group of fighting juveniles, police said.

Sasha D. Martinez, 33, of Burley, was charged after Cassia County Sheriff detectives were called on April 29 to the felony probation office in Burley to view a video of the incident. The video showed two youth fighting and several others standing around in the 1600 block of Occidental Ave, according to court documents.

Near the end of the fight, Martinez retrieved a black handgun and held it in what appeared to be a low ready position, detectives said. She later shifted the gun into one hand and pointed it toward the youth.

As the juveniles saw the gun they quickly stopped fighting and postured themselves as if they were afraid, according to court records. The youth then quickly began leaving the area.

Martinez is on felony probation and is not allowed to have a firearm, detectives said.

When detectives searched Martinezs house, they found a handgun matching the description of the gun pointed at the juveniles.

Love 0 Funny 11 Wow 1 Sad 3 Angry 3
TWIN FALLS  Seven years after arriving in Twin Falls as a refugee, Rana Mohmand is realizing her dream of graduating from college  and shell do it with honors.

Mohmand  a 24-year-old who grew up in Afghanistan  tries not to talk about the trauma in her childhood, fleeing from war, or what happened with her mother and father. The bottom line: She and her sister have been on their own since they were teenagers.

Mohmand arrived in Twin Falls at age 18 with her sister  whos a year older than her  in 2012. They got jobs, and figured out how to live independently, pay rent and support themselves.

There is a lot of responsibility, she told the Times-News on Thursday.

Mohmand is among 713 students wholl graduate in two ceremonies Friday from the College of Southern Idaho. She said Thursday shes nervous and excited to participate in the 10 a.m. ceremony. Her sister, friends and former Chobani coworkers will be in the audience cheering her on.

Mohmand said she appreciates her family and sister, and loves CSI and the environment on campus. I am able to have an education, even though financially, its super hard.

Mohmand is a member of CSIs honors program and earned an associates degree in health science. She wants to become a surgeon, and is considering her next steps  possibly enrolling in a registered nursing or surgical technology program.

It was extremely hard for us

Mohmand was 14 years old when she left her home country of Afghanistan. She and her sister spent more than four years in Ukraine.

Even education was hard for us because we didnt know the language there, she said.

It took several years for the sisters to go through the process of completing interviews and going through background checks to be approved for resettlement as refugees.

When they found out theyd be resettled in Twin Falls, they did some research and what stood out was cows and potatoes, Mohmand said. She was thinking, Is this the place were going to be educated?

Once they arrived, it was extremely hard for us, Mohmand said. They struggled to talk with people due to the differences in culture, she said.

There was a short period of time where they received assistance from the College of Southern Idaho Refugee Center, but that didnt last long. Mohmand started working at a temporary job at Chobani cleaning floors.

She had a chance encounter with the companys chief executive officer Hamdi Ulukaya, who was visiting the Twin Falls yogurt plant. She didnt know who he was and asked him if he could please move so she could clean the floors.

I didnt know he was the big boss, Mohmand said.

Ulukaya started talking with Mohmand. I got so emotional, Mohmand said, and she started crying during that encounter. I had been here for almost three or four months, and no-one ever asked me who I was and where I was from.

Mohmand was eventually offered a full-time position at Chobani and she became an operator  a position she was in for two years. And then she became a supervisor, overseeing other employees.

It taught me how to be a good leader, she said.

Mohmand also became a brand ambassador for Chobani, and traveled to places such as Washington, D.C., and Brazil. I found a family in Chobani, she said.

And then, she found another family at CSI.

Things changed so much

While working full-time at Chobani, Mohmand started taking classes at CSI part-time around 2016, taking anywhere from three to six credits at a time  the equivalent of one or two classes.

Since English is her seventh language, Mohmand said it was super hard to get her homework done on time and take exams, but she was still excelling at it. She got As in her classes.

More than a year ago, Mohmand made a huge decision: She decided shed quit her job and become a full-time student at CSI. She wanted to make education her focus and her parents dreams for her were to be successful.

When I became a full-time student, things changed so much, Mohmand said, including the way she thinks about education.

Mohmand said she wanted to pursue her education in order to be in a position in the future where she can start helping others.

Helping others, she said, is her top goal and she doesnt want anyone to go through what she did. But going through hard times, she said, made her the independent girl I am today.

Going to school full-time instead of working is a sacrifice. Her sister works full-time and supports both of them. Mohmand also found financial support to pursue her education through the CSI Foundation.

Mohmand said CSI has given her so much. She also wants to be able to support her sister so she can have a turn pursuing a college education.

At CSI, Mohmand is involved in many programs and activities, including the honors program, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and Diversity Council.

Through the honors program, I learned so much more than being a college student, she said.

Brian Dobbs, assistant professor of sociology and director of the CSI honors program, first met Mohmand when she was taking his sociology class.

Every day, shed have her work done and ready, Dobbs told the Times-News on Thursday. She thought about what the material had to say and why it might matter to her.

Dobbs often uses the Socratic method in his classes, meaning theres a lot of discussion. She would always have something meaningful, interesting and useful to say, and usually from a point of view few others in the class had.

Mohmand was always worried about her English language skills, Dobbs said, but he saw it as a non-issue. The content of her message was always good.

By the end of the semester-long sociology class, Dobbs invited her to join the honors program. Its a scholarship program where students have to apply and be admitted.

Frankly, to her credit, she took the leap and said, I think Ill try that, Dobbs said.

Mohmand is humble, Dobbs said, adding he respects that greatly. She made every class better  materially and emotionally, he said.

One of the best memories of his time as a college professor was last summer when Mohmand invited Dobbs and his wife to a naturalization ceremony in Boise, where Mohmand and her sister become U.S. citizens.

Over the last one-and-a-half years, Dobbs has also seen his students academic growth.

Shes one who I really think were going to see on a national stage someday, he said, whether as a speaker or a game changer in her field.

Love 30 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 8
(HealthDay)The American Cancer Society (ACS) has set a goal of a 40 percent reduction in overall cancer mortality by 2035, according to a study published online May 8 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Jiemin Ma, Ph.D., from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues applied the average annual percentage decline in the overall cancer death rates of college graduates to the death rates in the general population to project future cancer death rates.

The researchers note that if the overall cancer death rates from 2020 through 2035 decline nationally at the pace of these college graduates, the deaths rates would drop by 38.3 and 54.4 percent in 2035 from the 2015 and 1990 levels, respectively. Based on these numbers, the ACS 2035 challenge goal was set at a 40 percent reduction from the 2015 level. Achieving this goal could lead to about 1.3 million fewer cancer deaths than would have occurred from 2020 through 2035. Reducing the prevalence of risk factors and achieving optimal evidence-based guideline adherence by 2025 could lead to a 33.5 percent reduction in overall cancer death by 2035, which would achieve 85 percent of the challenge goal.

"This futuring exercise demonstrates that we can significantly reduce cancer mortality if all sectors of society enjoy good preventive and therapeutic care," the authors write.

Explore further Number of colorectal CA deaths projected to rise worldwide

Copyright  2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Latte, cappuccino or short black, a morning coffee is an essential for many people looking to kick start their day. But while the humble coffee may be a vital feature of the daily grind, how much is too much?

While the pros and cons of drinking coffee have been debated for decades, new research from the University of South Australia reveals that drinking six or more coffees a day can be detrimental to your health, increasing your risk of heart disease by up to 22 per cent.

In Australia, one in six people are affected by cardiovascular disease. It is a major cause of death with one person dying from the disease every 12 minutes. According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, yet one of the most preventable.

Investigating the association of long-term coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease, UniSA researchers Dr. Ang Zhou and Professor Elina Hypponen of the Australian Centre for Precision Health say their research confirms the point at which excess caffeine can cause high blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease.

This is the first time an upper limit has been placed on safe coffee consumption and cardiovascular health.

"Coffee is the most commonly consumed stimulant in the worldit wakes us up, boosts our energy and helps us focusbut people are always asking 'How much caffeine is too much?'," Prof Hypponen says.

"Most people would agree that if you drink a lot of coffee, you might feel jittery, irritable or perhaps even nauseasthat's because caffeine helps your body work faster and harder, but it is also likely to suggest that you may have reached your limit for the time being.

"We also know that risk of cardiovascular disease increases with high blood pressure, a known consequence of excess caffeine consumption.

"In order to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer than six cups a daybased on our data six was the tipping point where caffeine started to negatively affect cardiovascular risk."

Using UK Biobank data of 347,077 participants aged 37-73 years, the study explored the ability of the caffeine-metabolizing gene (CYP1A2) to better process caffeine, identifying increased risks of cardiovascular disease in line with coffee consumption and genetic variations.

Prof Hypponen says that despite carriers of the fast-processing gene variation being four times quicker at metabolising caffeine, the research does not support the belief that these people could safely consume more caffeine, more frequently, without detrimental health effects.

"An estimated three billion cups of coffee are enjoyed every day around the world," Prof Hypponen says.

"Knowing the limits of what's good for you and what's not is imperative.

"As with many things, it's all about moderation; overindulge and your health will pay for it."

Explore further How much coffee is OK?

More information: Ang Zhou et al, Long-term coffee consumption, caffeine metabolism genetics, and risk of cardiovascular disease: a prospective analysis of up to 347,077 individuals and 8368 cases, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2018). Journal information: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Ang Zhou et al, Long-term coffee consumption, caffeine metabolism genetics, and risk of cardiovascular disease: a prospective analysis of up to 347,077 individuals and 8368 cases,(2018). DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy297
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a combination drug used to prevent HIV infection, has already gained significant traction in the U.S. and Europe. The once-a-day pill, when taken consistently, can reduce the risk of HIV acquisition by over 85 percent. A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases by an international research team suggests that making PrEP available to men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID) in India may be a cost-effective way of curbing the epidemic there.

"We know PrEP helps stop the spread of infection; the question is whether it is a good use of limited resources? Our study shows that PrEP is a cost-effective strategy for both MSM and PWID in India. For these groups, especially in areas with high HIV incidence, PrEP is worth rolling out," says lead and corresponding author Pooyan Kazemian, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Medical Practice Evaluation Center, an instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Using a widely-published mathematical model to project clinical and economic outcomes of HIV disease, the authors compared various prevention and testing programsincluding annual or biannual HIV testing alone, as well as PrEP paired with HIV testingthat could help reduce HIV infection and therefore improve survival for these high-risk groups. Their findings suggest that PrEP would increase survival substantially by reducing infection risk, while more frequent HIV testing would provide little additional benefit. PrEP paired with biannual HIV testing was the only cost-effective strategy, improving average per-person survival by nearly one year and preventing more than 270,000 HIV transmissions in India over 15 years.

"While the World Health Organization recommends quarterly HIV testing for those on PrEP, our analysis identifies PrEP with semi-annual testing as the cost-effective HIV prevention strategy for MSM and PWID in India," says co-author Nagalingeswaran Kumarasamy, MBBS, Ph.D., of the CART Clinical Research Site, Infectious Diseases Medical Centre, Voluntary Health Services in Chennai, India.

However, the authors note, a nationwide PrEP rollout would be quite costly. If nearly 60 percent of MSM and PWID across India participated in the program, it would increase HIV care expenditures by over 900 million U.S. dollars over a 5-year period. "Our findings suggest that geographic areas of highest HIV incidence should be targeted first to reduce the budget required," says co-author Nomita Chandhiok, MBBS, DGO, Ph.D., of the Indian Council of Medical Research in New Delhi.

Explore further STI incidence up after receipt of HIV preexposure prophylaxis
Byron Ford is a professor of biomedical sciences at UC Riverside. Credit: Carrie Rosema.

A stroke treatment developed by researcher Byron Ford at the University of California, Riverside, has moved toward clinical trials.

The treatment focuses on neuregulins, a family of naturally occurring proteins that has shown promise for treating stroke, a leading cause of death in the United States and the major cause of long-term disability.

During stroke, blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Most often, an artery to the brain gets blocked by a clot or a blood vessel ruptures. With no bloodand therefore no oxygen or nutrientsreaching the brain, cells in the brain begin to die locally, at the "core," within a couple of hours. Subsequently, the core cells burst and release their components into the surrounding area, which then experiences a dramatic inflammatory response. This area, called the ischemic penumbra, dies over the course of several hours or days. Neuregulin-1, or NRG-1, one of four proteins in the neuregulin family, prevents this inflammation and cell death.

"Cells in the core die by getting overexcited and exploding," said Ford, a professor of biomedical sciences at the UCR School of Medicine, whose company, Brain-Gen, has patents for the use of NRG-1 to treat stroke. "Cells in the ischemic penumbra die by committing suicide. This happens, we believe, to prevent the whole brain from dying. An analogy: imagine a grenade is flung into a crowded theater, and a few people throw themselves on the grenade. They will die, but due to their sacrifice, others may very likely be spared."

Brain-Gen is co-owned by his brother Gregory Ford, a neuroscientist and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. Byron Ford explained that Zensun Biotech, a Shanghai-based Chinese company with which Brain-Gen has recently partnered, has patents to use a particular form of neuregulin, called Neucardin, to treat heart failure. Zensun Biotech does not have patents, however, for Neucardin's use in clinical trials for stroke. Brain-Gen tested Neucardin and found it works for stroke in animal models.

The two companies have signed an agreement to collaboratively move Neucardin toward clinical trials for stroke and to form a joint venture. The new company plans to approach the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, to expand the use of Neucardin for stroke and to explore the possibility of securing funding from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, with the aim of joining its StrokeNet clinical trials program.

Involving more than 200 hospitals in the country, StrokeNet conducts small and large clinical trials and research studies to advance acute stroke treatment, stroke prevention, and recovery and rehabilitation following a stroke.

"To our advantage, Zensun has already completed phase I and phase II clinical trials for heart failure and shown that Neucardin is safe and improves heart function in patients," Ford said. "A stroke is like a heart attack in the brain. If the FDA says we can cross-reference Zensun's data for approval to treat stroke, this would greatly expedite matters as we apply to become part of the NIH StrokeNet."

Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke, of which about 140,000 die. The "Stroke Belt," an area in the southeastern United States and Mississippi Valley, has the highest rate of stroke mortality in the country.

Currently, the only FDA-approved drug to treat stroke is tissue plasminogen activator, or t-PA, which melts the clot. It has no effect on brain cells, however, and can be used only within a three-hour window from the witnessed time of stroke onset, beyond which t-PA damages blood vessels and causes bleeding. Further, only 3%-5% of stroke patients qualify for t-PA due to the limited time window and access to primary stroke centers. In contrast, Neucardin can be given to a patient more than 12 hours after a stroke and has been shown to be safe in patients.

Ford proposes that Neucardin be administered intravascularly to the patient along with t-PA to offer protection to the brain and potentially block t-PA's negative effects that lead to bleeding in the brain.

"Neucardin can possibly be delivered in an ambulatory setting due to its relatively safe profile," he said. "It can be given to the patient even before it has been determined if a stroke took place. It can also be delivered days following stroke to stimulate repair and regeneration in the brain. All this significantly boosts our hope for treating stroke."

Explore further Ambulance nitroglycerin patch to lower blood pressure did not improve stroke outcomes
A study led by physician researchers at Boston Medical Center has shown that first milk expression within eight hours of giving birth is associated with the highest probability of mothers of very low-birth-weight infants being able to provide milk throughout hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit. The study results, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, help better inform perinatal providers and new mothers how to prioritize the many aspects of perinatal care after delivery of a very low-birth-weight infant.

Mother's milk has many benefits for very low-birth-rate infants, including reduction of necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and chronic lung disease, and improvement in later childhood development. However, mothers of very low-birth-rate infants often have challenges making milk. They are more likely to have complications during or after delivery and comorbid health conditions that affect milk production, such as diabetes. They are also more likely to be separated from their newborn for a prolonged period of time after birth.

Because of these challenges, lactation support for mothers of very low-birth-weight infants is crucial. The World Health Organization's Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative suggested milk expression within six hours after birth as one strategy for support. However, evidence for this time period is limited. In addition, milk expression within six hours can be difficult due to the need for intensive monitoring of newborns and/or mothers.

"Mothers who have recently delivered very low-birth-weight infants have a number of competing needs," says Margaret G. Parker, MD, MPH, a neonatologist at Boston Medical Center and the study's corresponding author. "Our data-driven approach to determining optimal time of first milk expression can help providers balance the need for safe maternal care with effective support to create long-term lactation success."

The researchers used data from 1,157 mother-baby pairs in nine Massachusetts hospitals. The infants were all very low-birth-weight infants who spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit. They found 70 percent of infants whose mothers expressed first milk within eight hours of delivery were being fed any mother's milk at discharge or transfer, compared with 52 percent of infants whose mothers expressed first milk 9-24 hours after delivery.

The authors note that given these results, randomized control trials are needed to further establish the causal relationship between timing of first milk expression and long-term lactation success among mothers of very low-birth-weight infants.

Provided by Boston Medical Center
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

One in five people in England have been harmed in some way by others' drinking over the past year, suggest the results of the largest survey of its kind in the UK, published in the online journal BMJ Open.

Nearly one in 20 of them experienced aggressionphysically threatened or hurt, or forced/pressurised into something sexual, the findings indicate.

In 2012, alcohol was responsible for around 6 per cent of all deaths and 5 per cent of all ill health around the globe.

The survey of 5000 adults across England looked at the extent, type, and frequency of the harms associated with other people's drinking, who is most likely to be affected, as well as who and what might be driving it.

The researchers drew on an extended Alcohol Toolkit Survey (ATS), carried out between November 2015 and January 2016. The ATS is a nationally representative household survey, which includes a new sample of adults every month.

The extended survey included 18 additional questions on a wide range of potential harms associated with other people's drinking.

These ranged from actual or threatened physical violence, through emotional hurt or neglect or having to care for someone whose drinking had resulted in illness/disability, to being kept awake at night because of associated noise and disruption.

Those who said they had been in any of these situations in the past 12 months were asked to say who had been responsible, and how often it had happened.

They were also asked how much they drank themselves, using a validated measure (AUDIT) which identifies levels of hazardous/harmful drinking.

Data were available for 4874 respondents. These showed that one in five (just over 20%; 980) people said they had experienced at least one of the 18 harms as a result of someone else's drinking over the past year.

The most commonly reported harm was being kept awake at night (8%) or feeling anxious/uncomfortable at a social occasion (nearly 7%). But around one in 20 (4.6%; 225) said they had experienced violence/aggressionphysically threatened or hurt, or forced/pressurised into sex.

Men (5.3%) were slightly more likely than women (4%) to experience violence/aggression while women were around twice as likely as men to say they had experienced emotional harm/neglect (just under 5% vs just over 2%).

Friends (590) and strangers (578) were the most commonly cited perpetrators, accounting for around half (46%) of the reported incidents.

One in five (19%) respondents who reported having been forced or pressurised into something sexual, said this was at the hands of a stranger, but the most commonly cited perpetrator was a co-habiting partner (23%, rising to almost 40% when including partners who lived elsewhere).

While most harms were experienced less than monthly (75%), around 5 per cent were experienced daily or near daily.

The factors associated with experiencing harm were younger age (16-24); white British ethnicity; having qualifications; living in private rented accommodation, rather than being a home-owner; having a disability; and being a hazardous drinker.

Hazardous drinkers were more than twice as likely to report harm as a result of someone else's drinking (nearly 38%) than those whose drinking was not at this level (just over 17%).

People with children in the household and those who were retired were less likely to experience harm.

This is an observational and exploratory study, and as such, can't establish cause. What's more, the responses relied on recall, and some groups, such as the homeless, and those in hospital, care, or in prisons, weren't includedfactors which might have affected the results, caution the researchers.

But they point out: "This is the largest ever survey of [alcohol-related harms to others] conducted within the UK, and the first national study in England."

They add: "It is clear that [alcohol-related harm to others] is relatively prevalent and that some individuals experience harm frequently. The most prevalent harms could be considered insignificant, but even apparently minor harms such as sleep disruption can have an impact on health and quality of life, particularly if experienced persistently."

And they conclude: "Policies that focus on alcohol must take into consideration the impact of drinking on those other than the drinker."

More information: Alcohol-related harm to others in England: a cross-sectional analysis of national survey data, BMJ Open (2019). Journal information: BMJ Open Alcohol-related harm to others in England: a cross-sectional analysis of national survey data,(2019). DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021046
Civil status, education, and income are factors shown to be clearly associated with duration of survival after a bypass operation. A postoperative patient aged 60 with a spouse or cohabiting partner, high educational attainment, and high income has a median life expectancy five years longer than a corresponding person with no live-in partner, a low education level, and low income.

"Our study shows that your risk of dying prematurely after a bypass is considerably higher if you live alone, your income is low, or your education level is low. This is the first time such a strong association between social factors and life expectancy after the surgery has been visible," says Susanne Nielsen, a surgical nurse and researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and funded by the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, is based on data on 112,000 women and men who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in Sweden from 1992 to 2015.

Data were taken from the Swedish Heart Surgery Registry, which is part of the SWEDEHEART (Swedish Websystem for Enhancement and Development of Evidencebased Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) quality registry, and from the Swedish Cause of Death Register, the Swedish National Inpatient Register (IPR), and the Longitudinal Integration Database for Health Insurance and Labor Market Studies register (LISA).

Compliance with recommendations important

The research shows that various factors are associated, both jointly and individually, with differences in post-CABG life expectancy, irrespective of sex and age.

Susanne Nielsen, who belongs to Professor Anders Jeppsson's research group, stresses the importance of everyone, after CABG, taking the medication prescribed.

"It's also tremendously important for patients not to hesitate to talk to the staff they meet in the healthcare services if they have any financial worries or experience any other form of ill health that makes them doubtful about taking the recommended medicine, or unable to comply with other key recommendations, such as giving up smoking," Nielsen thinks.

Hard to take it all in

Care professionals also need to ask the patients about their social circumstances and whether they need any extra support, Nielsen thinks. Undergoing CABG is, for many, a big event and this can make it more difficult for them to take in all the information and advice they are given.

"As a patient, you get lots of information and it's hardly surprising that it's hard to take it all in. So it's very important for patients not to hesitate about asking questions if they don't understand the advice they're given by the care and medical staff they come into contact with," Nielsen states.

Explore further Open heart surgery outperforms stents in patients with multivessel disease

More information: Susanne Nielsen et al. Social Factors, Sex, and Mortality Risk After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A PopulationBased Cohort Study, Journal of the American Heart Association (2019). Journal information: Journal of the American Heart Association Susanne Nielsen et al. Social Factors, Sex, and Mortality Risk After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A PopulationBased Cohort Study,(2019). DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.118.011490
Demyelination by MS. The CD68 colored tissue shows several macrophages in the area of the lesion. Original scale 1:100. Credit: Marvin 101/Wikipedia

The widely prescribed statin, simvastatin, can medically help patients with secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS)for reasons that might be unrelated to the drug's intended cholesterol lowering affects, a UCL study has found.

"Although this study cannot provide a final answer as to what exactly is the reason for the success of statins in progressive MS, it directs future researchers toward certain pathways," said lead author, Dr. Arman Eshaghi (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology).

"This paves the way to find better drug targets for an incurable disease such as MS."

MS affects over 100,000 people in the UK, and most expect to develop a progressive form of the condition. It causes problems with how people walk, move, see, think, and feel. There is currently no cure for MS and little effective treatment for SPMS.

Primary research

Researchers used data from the UCL-led Phase 2 MS-STAT trial, which saw 140 people with SPMS either take a high dose of simvastatin (80mg a day) or a placebo for two years. Participants were aged 18-65 and had Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of between 4 and 6.5.

Throughout the trial, brain volume was assessed using MRI brain scans, levels of disability were assessed using the EDSS and serum cholesterol levels were measured, and participants completed several questionnaires that examined the impact of MS on their daily lives.

In the group taking simvastatin, brain volume loss was 43% less compared to those taking placebo. Smaller but still significant effects on two of the disability measures were also found, there was a slower change in EDSS (disability levels) and improved scores on a questionnaire which measures the impact of MS on daily life.

While this study showed simvastatin had a positive effect on delaying disability worsening and slowing brain atrophy (shrinkage) of people with SPMS, it was not entirely certain what the cause of that benefit was.

Latest study using computational models

In this study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers reanalysed the MS-STAT trial data and modelled hypothesised causal associations by which simvastatin leads to changes in brain atrophy, clinical and cognitive outcome measures, either directly or indirectly via changes in a patient's peripheral cholesterol level.

The study tested the hypothesis that the reduction in cholesterol levels was the cause of the positive impact simvastatin had on brain atrophy and on disability, against the alternative hypothesis that simvastatin effects were independent of peripheral cholesterol level.

Two computational models were developed. The first was a cholesterol-mediated model, in which the effects of simvastatin on clinical measures (both physical and cognitive) and brain atrophy are brought about by changes in cholesterol. The second was a cholesterol-independent model, in which simvastatin has a direct effect on the clinical and MRI outcome measures, independent of its effect on serum cholesterol levels.

Researchers tested both models using statistical analyses designed to answer causal questions, such as, is the reason that simvastatin helps reduce brain shrinkage the same as the reason it reduces cholesterol in the blood?

Results showed that simvastatin's effect on clinical outcomes and brain atrophy were largely independent of cholesterol.

Dr. Eshaghi said: "Statins are naturally occurring, produced by some fungi, meaning that unlike most drugs that are designed for specific targets, they have (still after two decades of use in heart diseases) several unknown effects, and that is why this study is so important.

"My study tells us that statins help patients with MS for reasons different from how they help people lower their cholesterol. For example, statins can modulate other elements that are produced in the pathways before cholesterol, but have indirect effects on immune system."

Simvastatin is currently widely used to treat high cholesterol, and can be taken daily as an oral tablet. Statins have been shown to have an effect on the nervous system in protecting the nerves, and can also act as an anti-inflammatory treatment.

Professor Alan Thompson, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences and Chair of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Progressive MS Alliance, said: "Finding new and effective treatments for progressive MS is one of the key challenges facing the MS community and further advances will require a better understanding of underlying mechanisms.

"This study provides interesting and important insights into such mechanisms."

This study was carried out with researchers from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London and was funded by National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, Medical Research Council, and Wellcome Trust.

Phase 3 trial

In September last year the biggest ever trial SPMS in the UK was launched, led by Professor Jeremy Chataway (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery).

With around 30 sites across the UK and Ireland, the MS-STAT2 trial involves 1,180 people with SPMS. Over 400 participants are currently in trial.

Co-funded by the MS Society, MS-STAT2 is the final stage trial of the drug treatment simvastatin for SPMS. This Phase 3 study will confirm whether simvastatin could become amongst the first drugs to slow or stop disability progression for this form of the condition, offering new hope to thousands.

"Simvastatin is one of the most promising treatment prospects for secondary progressive MS in our lifetime. People with this form of the condition have been waiting decades for a drug that works, which is why there's such excitement around being able to start the trial," said Professor Chataway, who is leading the trial and is a co-author on the PNAS paper.

"While it's still early days, we believe simvastatin could change lives."

Explore further Major trial of statins to treat multiple sclerosis begins

More information: Arman Eshaghi et al, Applying causal models to explore the mechanism of action of simvastatin in progressive multiple sclerosis, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2019). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Arman Eshaghi et al, Applying causal models to explore the mechanism of action of simvastatin in progressive multiple sclerosis,(2019). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1818978116
(HealthDay)Sharing personalized practice pattern data with physicians that is benchmarked to national data for their peers can reduce overuse of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) among outliers, according to a study published online May 5 in JAMA Dermatology.

John G. Albertini, M.D., from The Skin Surgery Center in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and colleagues conducted a nonrandomized study involving 2,329 U.S. surgeons who performed MMS procedures. The intervention group included 1,045 physicians affiliated with the American College of Mohs Surgery, and the control group included 1,284 physicians not affiliated with the American College of Mohs Surgery. Individualized performance reports were delivered to all outlier surgeons and inlier surgeons in the intervention group.

The researchers found that 5.1 and 6.8 percent of surgeons in the intervention and control groups were outliers (defined as those with mean stages per case two standard deviations above the mean). Among outliers, 83 percent in the intervention group and 69 percent in the control group demonstrated a reduction in mean stages per case (difference, 14 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 1 to 27; P = 0.07). The mean stages-per-case reduction was 12.6 and 9.0 percent among outliers in the intervention and control groups, respectively; outliers in the intervention group had an adjusted postintervention differential decrease of 0.14 stages per case (95 percent confidence interval, 0.19 to 0.09; P = 0.002). The estimated reduction in Medicare spending was $11.1 million.

"In an era where reducing low-value care is increasingly paramount given the escalating costs of health care, this intervention has the promise to provide a high return on investment," the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to the medical device and dermatology industries.

Explore further Excessive use of skin cancer surgery curbed with awareness effort

Copyright  2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
(HealthDay)A generic version of the HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada will be available in the United States by September 2020, a year earlier than expected, according to Gilead Sciences.

"Gilead reached an agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2014 to allow the early launch of a generic version of Truvada into the market in 2020, a year earlier than required," Douglas Brooks, Gilead executive director for community engagement, wrote in an email shared with NBC News by the advocacy group PrEP4All.

A month's supply of generic Truvada is available in countries around the world for as little as $70, but the drug costs $1,600 to $2,000 in the United States.

Activists launched a campaign to convince Gilead to make the generic drug more widely available to combat the global HIV epidemic, NBC News reported.

Explore further EU door opens for generic version of AIDS medicine Truvada

More information: NBC News Article

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A Community Newsblog written by Community Members

Middletown's a big place, with a lot going on. We need your help to keep your neighbors informed.

Come write or just give us a tip on your news, sports, arts, politics or events at - middletowneye@gmail.com

Help us to make the Middletown Eye the third eye people open every morning!


Julia Galloway's style of pottery means beautiful objects, the kind you want to take home and use every day. She's part of a long tradition, using these vessels to convey ideas about domestic life, community, shared meals, ritual and more. Her newest work marks a shift into science, politics and education.

When you enter the Radius Gallery to see the University of Montana professor's new work, it might not dawn on you immediately what you're seeing. Walls of jars and plates decorated with imagery of plants and animals. A series of circular tables, where she's arranged a "river" of plates and bowls: lines of "cloud" platters, with soothing, cheerful shapes and lightly melted blue cloud decorations. Interspersed are crimson bowls with intricate line drawings of insects. Swimming through the stream are plates with gold backgrounds and drawings of fish.

The fish are extinct. The creatures in the plates and urns are at risk. The arrangements are one manifestation of her Endangered Species Project, an approximately five-year endeavor.

Her eventual goal is to create commemorative plates and urns for the 2,000-some species that are endangered in the United States and Canada, a number that fluctuates as species are added or removed.

Once complete, she hopes to exhibit all of them at galleries and museums around the country.

They're pleasing objects that can broach a subject so enormous that it's hard to grasp.

While making them, she asks herself what will draw viewers in. Because I really want them to think these are beautiful objects, and through being interested in the urn they become empathetic to the species."

Her paintings of the animals convey some of their temperament and what might be intriguing or attractive about any particular one. The northern long-eared bat swoops toward the viewer with its wings extended. The wolverine scans its environment with its mouth agape. Those environments are monochrome, a ghostly blue-white. The bull trout swims in a school, yet only one is painted in color.

"I wanted it to be alienated on the urn, in the same way that it's alienated in the natural world," she said.

People have reacted strongly to the "ghost" images, too, and she finds it encouraging that people are interested in one of the "most devastating" parts of the artwork.

Threatened species

The trigger for the project was a moment two years ago, when she heard a news report about the wandering albatross, a species with an 11.5-foot wingspan that can travel for thousands of miles. One of the threats to the bird is commercial fishing lines.

"That just seemed amazing to me that such an incredible thing was getting killed so quickly. It was very humbling," she said.

It tapped into a desire to change tracks in her work.

"I'm concerned about the state of the world. I've been making useful pots for many years, and there's a lot of great potters out there, and seemed like it was time," she said. "I wanted to move in a different direction."

Galloway picked two forms that have cultural history going back thousands of years: commemorative plates and urns.

On the surfaces of the plates, the species are rendered in lines of blue on a reflective background, either silver or gold. While the final effect isn't intended as a perfect mirror, she wants the viewer to see their own reflection, to place them inside the work, too. The silver is platinum luster, an old ceramic technique, that signifies the species' value. Those are the endangered ones.

She reserved gold for ones like the bald eagle and the gray wolf that have been de-listed, again, to include signs of hope.

Finding the right tone has been important, since the subject can make viewers feel depressed, annoyed or hopeless. At the Radius show, they decided not to use any large wall text with the title of the project, so that viewers might examine them for a moment before they really understand the concept, she said.

Hopefulness, education and potential for action are key. The back of each plate has an essay about the species, its plight, and what efforts can be made to save it. On a conceptual level, the urns are empty of ashes, to symbolize that the species are indeed still alive.

Lisa Simon, co-owner of Radius, said some visitors are initially "surprised and intrigued to see this kind of activism from a functional potter. Its not a combination they see very often."

She sees the installation and message as an "expanded expression of what it is to live mindfully. In the same way that using handmade objects creates a more meaningful relationship between the user and maker, with these objects so carefully adorned with endangered species are consciousness-raising; they can become meditations on the individual species, Western lifestyles, the environmental crises, or just the amazing diversity and resilience of nature."

Galloway believes that arts and crafts bring people together, whether in galleries or museums or markets. "It's a place of non-judgment, where you can have a beautiful and calming experience."

Another influence is the idea that a project can make visible an "unseen" thing, such as these plants and animals. In 1987, she saw the AIDS Memorial Quilt at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., which had nearly 2,000 panels for people who had died of AIDS, a disease that was either hidden from the public or ignored for years because it primarily affected gay men.

Yet another influence was one of her favorite artists, Akio Takamori, who died in 2017 of pancreatic cancer at age 66. One of his final exhibitions, "Apology/Remorse," explored imagery of men apologizing. Galloway began to wonder, in a broad sense, about what our cultural should feel remorse for. One answer for her generation is the plight of endangered species.

Galloway is "shocked" by how much it's changed her daily life, many in the small ways that people tell us that we should. She doesn't eat fish, or very little. She doesn't buy things if they're packaged in too much plastic. She did buy reusable grocery bags. She doesn't drive her vehicle as much as she used to. She did start telling cat owners that they can save songbirds if they put a bell on their pet's collar. She conserves more water, and doesn't order clay if it contains ingredients from other countries. (It "seems crazy to bring dirt across the ocean.")

"I would say that it has infiltrated practically every aspect of my life," she said. None, however, are hardships or great sacrifices.

Large projects

This isn't Galloway's first time melding pottery and installation into a large project. "They're so delicious," she said. "You can really sink into them. They give you time to develop an idea."

For one, "Quiescent," she made 1,400 cups decorated with drawings of the birds of North America based on John James Audubon's books. The reverse side of the cup had a drawing of a habitat that matched the painting on the gallery wall, so they could "disappear." About 100 of them were set on shelves with a motion sensor. If someone picked up the cup, it would trip a motion sensor and a recording of the bird's song.

People had strong emotional responses, typically to birds they remembered from their youth. Kids ran around the gallery  which she noted is taboo  in loops setting off the sensors. Couples would split up so they could find a particular bird and buy the cup before anyone else could. Members of the Audubon Society offered critiques on, say, the length of a bird's beak.

"What I ended up thinking about that show ultimately was that energy begets energy," she said, and her own effort was matched by the audiences. She's also observed that large projects can draw people in  the scale makes an impression and the "volume also presents a dedication and an understanding."

There's a "wow factor," too. "Sadly on this project, the wow factor is a bad sign."

The scope for this project is large, perhaps five years total with the clock starting two years ago. The number of species is around 2,000, and changing all the time. Early on, she decided she needed to do them all, since they're interconnected.

"You can't say this bug is less important than this bear. You can't say that this grub is somehow not as equally important as this songbird. That's when I realized the sort of enormity of the project," she said.

She also needed to set historical and geographic parameters to make it achievable at all. She picked species that are endangered or went extinct since the end of the Industrial Revolution and stopped two years ago.

The regionalism of the project is important, too, in raising people's concerns about what's happening around them versus a faraway place. She set her southern boundary at the United States border with Mexico, and extending north into Alaska and Canada, since the country has so many overlapping species.

Galloway is quick to mention that she's not a scientist. She reached out to scientists and students at the University of Montana for help on how to research the project and convey the information accurately.

One scientist is Chad Bishop, the director of the UM Wildlife Biology Program in the College of Forestry and Conservation.

He sees "great value" in communicating scientific ideas through art and finding "new avenues that could be accomplished when you connect scientists and artists." Bishop said science communications has improved as a field, but art projects can tap into an audience that they might not reach now.

He said it's rare for an artist to reach out to him about a project like this, although other science-art projects have been born on campus. Professor Karen Kaufmann's "Fire Speaks the Land" broached issues about fire science through dance and music, for instance.

Simon said many local science teachers from the high school and college level have come through the gallery, and it's sparked discussions about particular species.

Boston roots

Galloway grew up in Boston with her mother, and during high school found refuge in the ceramics studio, and learned it was a way to connect with other people. She bought her first wheel with babysitting money and "lugged it home on the subway" herself. Her father had a hobby farm in Connecticut, and she remembers helping him clear the land, so she had sense of what it means to convert forest to pasture, that "something is gained, and something is lost." In Boston, meanwhile, the places where people gathered for joyous occasions typically involved some sort of natural space, such as a park or a festival.

Those experiences "made me think about our relationship with the natural world differently," she said.

After teaching in New York for 10 years, and wanted to return to Montana, where she'd done a residency at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena. In 2009, she came to Missoula to teach at the University of Montana School of Art.

"It was the only job that I was interested in," she said. "I wanted to come back to Montana because I felt like so many things were possible here and I wanted to work in a state school where the mission of the school was not to turn a profit it was to educate their students."

Sabbatical, a fellowship

Galloway is on sabbatical from UM, giving her time to travel for research and make the work. Additionally, last year she was awarded a $50,000 fellowship from the United States Artists. They're selected based on prior work, and the money isn't designated for a specific project, only to create financial breathing room, she said. The fellowship website cites her busy career teaching, lecturing, exhibiting around the country and more.

Her reputation has enabled her to show parts of this project around the country as well, including New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

At Harvard University, she exhibited an urn for every species in New England. It was a relatively small gallery space where she filled the walls, hoping to overwhelm visitors.

Going in, she'd expected "star" species like the grizzly bear to draw the most attention. In New England, though, people were worried about a particular grub. Perhaps they had memories of digging them up as kids, or perhaps there was "something about the little ones that are more vulnerable" that stirs viewers' sympathy. Here in western Montana, the Western glacier stonefly was popular.

There was "something about the little ones that are more vulnerable," she said.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 1 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.
The wild blue yonder will have to wait a couple of days for Miss Montana.

Liftoff date for the Normandy-bound DC-3 airplane has been postponed from Monday until, tentatively, Wednesday, May 15.

Were ready to fly it, but were troubleshooting some generator issues. Thats the holdup, project chairman Eric Komberec said Friday.

If things go according to plan at the Museum of Mountain Flying, the aircrafts first test flight will be sometime over the weekend. When it happens, itll be the first time the historic smokejumper plane for Johnson Flying Service has flown since it arrived in Missoula in 2001.

Were going to try to get to Connecticut by (May 19) for the D-Day Squadron departure for Europe, Komberec said.

Weather permitting, the squadron will then head for England by way of Greenland and Iceland to participate in Daks Over Normandy on June 5 and June 6 as part of the 75th anniversary commemoration of the Allied forces assault on the beaches of Normandy during World War II.

A DC-3 similar to Miss Montana has been flying around the valley for the past week. The old Western Air Lines plane is the latest addition to the Museum of Mountain Flyings stable. Pilots and smokejumpers headed for the Normandy event have spent the week getting their DC-3 ratings to fly the vintage planes.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. 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.
Rhonda Chilson always thought of herself more of a sister to her cousin, Caressa Hardy. Her parents brought Hardy into the household when he was only a month old.

Caressa Hardy, then named Glenn Dibley, grew up with Chilson, 17 years older. Hardys mother had died, Chilson testified Thursday, while his father simply "could not take care of him."

Hardys cousin said from the stand on Thursday that his upbringing was relatively normal, camping with family and such. But both Chilsons parents died by 2000, and Chilson said she and Hardy grew distant in their adult years. The only time she heard from him, she said, was when Hardy needed money.

I felt a little responsibility, she said.

Things flipped sometime in 2013, however. Hardy sent her a check, presumably to reciprocate her generosity. Chilson and her sister visited Hardy at his Pond Road home in June that year, and when they were leaving, he presented them with silver and gold coins. Hardy told them he had gotten into the construction business.

Hardy is accused of killing two men, Thomas Korjack and Robert Orozco, in March of that year. A woman living with them at the time  Karen Hardy, the mother to Hardy's children  testified earlier this week she was there when Hardy fatally shot them in a basement and then cracked Korjack's safe, which Korjack had spent months filling with cash, gold and silver before he and Orozco disappeared. Investigators reported finding human bones in the fire pit behind the house, although the fragments were too badly burned to extract DNA samples.

Chilson visited again that fall and this time, it was Karen Hardy who surprised Chilson as she was getting ready to leave. Karen Hardy placed a letter on Chilsons bags, asking to go with her back to Arizona because she was concerned Hardy had caused the disappearance of Korjack and Orozco.

I couldnt understand, Chilson said Thursday. I couldnt wrap my head around what she was saying because of the time I had been there, she had given me no indication of something so horrendous.

Chilson said she met Karen Hardy more than 10 years earlier, and, admitting she had judged Karen Hardy negatively, that day had no interest in becoming housemates. She took the letter as a sly effort by Karen Hardy to go live with her, not a plea for help.

I thought if that were true, Karen would have called the police a long time ago, she said.

Do you have any idea about whether the defendant had threatened to hurt Karen if she had gone to the police? Deputy County Attorney Brian Lowney asked her.

That didnt enter my mind, Chilson responded.

She did say it was nice that Hardy had seemed to be getting his finances together.

Finances became a central part of the investigation after Karen Hardy reported the alleged homicides three years later. In his testimony on Thursday, Missoula County Sheriffs Detective Jared Cochran said the accounts owned by Korjack, who is believed to have largely paid for the lifestyles of Karen Hardy, Orozco and Caressa Hardy, showed a distinct pattern before and after March 27, 2013. That's the day, according to Karen Hardy, Orozco and Korjack were killed.

Between June 2012 and March 2013, Korjack reportedly withdrew $268,000. He then spent about $120,000 of that on gold and silver, according to receipts recovered in the investigation. On March 26, 2013, Korjack had one bank issue a cashiers check for $123,000. Bank records reportedly showed it was never cashed. In fact, Cochran said no records from nine or 10 banks in which Korjack had accounts showed that he, himself, accessed those accounts ever again.

The flow of money Cochran described Thursday appeared to show that after March 2013, money was being withdrawn from the other nine bank accounts by check. Those checks were cashed and deposited into a different account and then there was some activity on a debit card tied to that account. That debit card was later found in Hardys possession, Cochran said, along with multiple other cards in Korjacks name.

The suspicious purchases Cochran described included transactions on Korjack's account that mirrored previous transactions from Hardy's account. Other payments from Korjack's account included an insurance policy in Hardy's name for a vehicle Hardy owned.

Upon searching Hardy's home, authorities found multiple cards in Korjack's name, documents with the PIN numbers, the cashier's check that was never cashed, and Korjack's passport.

It wasnt only bank activity that halted entirely. For both Korjack and Orozco, loans that were once paid regularly went into collections, and phone calls among those living at the house stopped completely after March 27, 2013.

After investigating Hardy for nearly a year, authorities arrested Hardy and began digging through the property. They seized a safe, which Karen Hardy had described when she reported the alleged killings to police.

Karen Hardy testified earlier this week that after Caressa Hardy killed Korjack and Orozco, she was ordered upstairs and told to stay there. During that time, she heard banging and the racket of power tools for, she assumed, cracking Korjack's safe.

Deputies wheeled the safe into the courtroom Thursday, with the back exposed to the jury box. The lower half of the back of the safe had appeared to be cut out. Karen Hardy testified earlier that Korjack, upon withdrawing large sums of cash, had been storing the money, gold and silver in that safe.

The deputies also carried in part of a wall, taken from the home after law enforcement reported finding a bullet lodged there behind some new drywall.

Hardy faces two counts of deliberate homicide and two counts of solicitation for murder. Cochran's testimony will continue as trial resumes Friday morning.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0

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.
In the weeks leading up to the Charlo School District Election, Superintendent Steve Love emailed staff with words of support for the two incumbents.

Both Tracy Olsen and Adrian Roylance kept their board seats in this year's hotly-contested vote. Steve Love wrote approvingly of them in an April 18 email to district staff.

Local resident Randy Doty and parent Amie Tryon both gave the Missoulian copies of this message. By the time Love sent it out, Doty and another parent, Cari Rosenbaum, had put up large signs around Charlo denouncing the current school board.

Love did not single them out by name in the email, but called those who put up the signs unhappy people who cant get things figured out in their own lives or in their own families. Dysfunctional would be a compliment to these citizens and they have to blame somebody.

That isnt to say we cant all come together and combat this negative attitude with some networking, he wrote, urging the staff to tell your friends and family about the people you support as trustees. Imagine how our school board members feel. The signs are really attacking them."

"Adrian Roylance and Tracy Olsen are running for School Board again," he continued. "The ballots should be going out again and I feel that the two of them are doing a good job as board members. They do not have an agenda. There is a third seat open and I will leave it up to you as far as who to support.

The message was sent from his school district email account and time-stamped 10:39 a.m. on Thursday, April 18. Classes were not in session that day, but Love said he was in the office.

Montana law states that a public officer or public employee may not use public time, facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, or funds to solicit support for or opposition to any political committee, the nomination or election of any person to public office, or the passage of a ballot issue. Some exceptions exist for school districts board of trustee meetings and bond and levy ballot issues, but not board elections.

Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan declined to comment on the email, citing the possibility of a complaint in the near future. But Love defended the message.

The reason for that email to my staff was to voice my support for them after all the propaganda that had gone out against us the week before, he said, and we have several new staff members who had asked about, Well, whos on the board? So I was letting the new staff members know, This is whos currently on the board.

I meant every word in that email, he said. I stand behind that email. it is dysfunctional to set up signs and send out flyers with baseless accusations.

But Cari Rosenbaum called the email completely unprofessional, and maintained her critique of Charlo Schools special-ed programs that drove her to put up the signs.

Rosenbaum said she was hopeful that the challengers in the race had drawn enough votes to convince the board members to change course. Love, for his part, said that voters obviously felt like I was doing a good job, and the voters obviously felt that the trustees were doing a good job, because they re-elected them.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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.
When it comes to keeping the 9,200 students at Missoula County Public Schools healthy and safe, Linda Simon is the first line of defense.

She has championed protocols to deal with everything from concussions to allergies to air quality and head lice. This year, said nominators Julie Robitaille and Hatton Littman, she and her team of five nurses and two assistants created "Medical Grab and Go Bags'' to make sure each school is prepared for medical emergencies.

Simon also plans to create a medical emergency team as part of every school's building crisis team. And, said Littman and Robitaille, she has secured both a grant and local funding to buy "Stop the Bleed'' stations for all schools.

"All of these projects,'' Simon's nomination said, "are in addition to her daily work of coordinating nursing services across the district in all 17 schools. Her experience and expertise are unsurpassed.''

Simon brings 40 years of nursing experience to her role as Health Service Supervisor for MCPS, which she joined in 1997.

She earned her nursing diploma at Wesley Passavant School of Nursing at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago, working first in mental health at the University of Chicago.

She and her husband Phil moved to Missoula in 1982, where Simon worked at St. Patrick Hospital, initially on the medical unit and then in intensive care for the next decade.

Her work quickly became a family affair. First her husband enrolled in Montana State University's College of Nursing. Now nephew Dennis, son Ryland and daughter Allison are all nurses, as well.

Ten years after joining MCPS as a nurse in elementary schools, earning honors as Montana School Nurse in 2005, Simon became the Health Services Supervisor for all nursing staff in the district.

She also has been an officer and board member for the Montana Association of School Nurses, a board member for the American Diabetes Association, first aid coordinator for the Montana Tour de Cure, a member of the Montana Kids with Diabetes Collaborative, a medical volunteer for 10 years at the ADA summer kids camp for 10 years, and has worked with the Board of Nursing to revise the nursing delegation rules.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
To celebrate National Nurses Week, The Missoulian and Ravalli Republic called on our community to nominate nurses that exemplify outstanding care, skill and passion to be awarded as Western Montana Nurses of the Year for 2019. We called on a panel of independent judges to select nine honorees from an impressive field of 82 wonderful nurses. Linda Barnes, nursing program director and assistant professor at Missoula College; Marcy Hanson, assistant campus director for Missoula at Montana State University's nursing program; and Nancy Delger, a retired RN with extensive western Montana health care experience. The judges combed through the nominations to select their top picks. Our Readers Choice selection was then selected through our online voting system.
The other day, I watched a new story concerning the Holocaust. Jewish persons are opening another museum to inform us about the hideous loss of 6 million Jews in the killing camps of Adolf Hitler.

I fully endorse the museums story and purpose. However, my question is: how many Jewish persons, along with others, know that 12 million persons died in the German camps during World War II? Who were the other 6 million persons?

They were undesirable. This included mentally and physically challenged individuals. Many persons were captured in other countries. Gypsies. People of color or of a race other than German. Religious, intellectual and social leaders. Also persons who attempted to stand up against Hitler and his reign of tyranny.

We need to remember the 6 million non-Jewish individuals who should have their story told lest we forget how 12 million humans, not just 6 million, lost their lives in the killing camps of Hitler.

Patricia Waylett,

Missoula

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
" " In less than two years, the Trump administration has imposed billions in tariffs on U.S. trading partners, including Canada, Mexico, China and the European Union. All have retaliated with tariffs on U.S. goods. Hiroshi Watanabe/Getty Images

On May 10, 2019, the Trump administration increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese exports from 10 percent to 25 percent. The increase is the latest skirmish in a trade war that's been rapidly escalating since 2018  a trade war in which Donald Trump has attacked what he views as unfair Chinese trade practices and demanded that the country buy more American products to reduce the U.S.-China trade deficit, which totaled $376 billion in 2017. The Chinese responded to the latest increase expressing "deep regret over the development" and plan to take "necessary countermeasures."

These tariffs aren't the first from the Trump administration has imposed against China. On July 10, 2018 the administration hit China with 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of imports, a penalty that has since affected the prices that U.S. consumers pay for scores of products, ranging from computers to luggage.

Chinese officials quickly responded retaliated, adding their own tariffs on U.S. products, and stepping up border inspections of U.S. goods, and holding up licenses for U.S. companies to do business in China.

Trump is also waging trade wars on other fronts. In May 2018, according to The Hill, Trump imposed steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the European Union. The U.S.'s neighbor to the north immediately counter-punched, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing that it would slap retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports to Canada.

It's hardly the first time that the U.S. and other nations have become involved in such a conflict over trade. Trade wars can happen for various reasons. It could be that one nation decides that it's getting a raw deal because another nation provides subsidies to its manufacturers, so that they can export goods that are priced too low to compete with. Or it could be that a nation decides it wants to nurture its own industries by hindering their foreign competitors with protective tariffs.

Advertisement

The Opium Wars

Centuries ago, trade wars often involved actual violence. In the 1700s and early 1800s, for example, China sold a lot of tea and porcelain to the British Empire, so much that the British got concerned about the outflow of silver to pay for it. They decided to fix the trade imbalance by getting China to import large quantities of opium that the British produced in India. When the Chinese government eventually balked at this arrangement, the British sent in their warships, and forced the Chinese to sign an 1842 treaty that not only opened up China to British trade, but gave the territory of Hong Kong to the British. This conflict became known as the First Opium War.

But even a bloodless trade war can cause plenty of suffering. A lot of observers are seeing unsettling parallels between Trump's multi-front trade warfare and the trade war that erupted in the 1930s after President Herbert Hoover signed into law the Smoot-Hawley act, which raised U.S. tariffs by an average of 16 percent. Other countries enacted their own tariffs in response, leading to a disastrous global decline in trade.

"Initially, Smoot-Hawley was not a response to the Great Depression," Dartmouth College economics professor Douglas A. Irwin, author of the 2011 book "Peddling Protectionism: Smoot-Hawley and the Great Depression," explains in an email. "It was passed by the House in the spring of 1929, before the business cycle peak at a time when the economy was doing well and the unemployment rate was low.

"However, it got held up in the Senate and by that time the stock market had crashed in the fall of 1929 and the economy moving into a recession, which later became the Depression. The economy continued to get worse after the passage of Smoot-Hawley, and the retaliation against U.S. exports that occurred because of it is thought to have contributed to the severe economic difficulties at the time. So there is a cautionary tale here: Just because the economy is doing well and close to a peak does not mean that things cannot go badly if one moves in a protectionist direction."

Smoot-Hawley also helped stimulate a surge of angry nationalism in other countries. "If one country slaps tariffs on your goods, the usual response is to take offense and retaliate rather than to turn the other cheek," Irwin explained. "Both in 1930 and today, Canada was very upset with the U.S. tariff action and retaliated. Nationalists gain strength on perceived slights. And just think about how China still remembers being humiliated by Western powers during the Opium Wars of the 19th century, and its vow never to be so weak again. When the Trump administration bullies countries today on trade, it naturally leads other countries to stiffen their resolve to resist the U.S. "

Advertisement

Who Takes the Hit?

Another big problem with trade wars is that there's a lot of collateral damage. As Philip I. Levy, a senior fellow on the global economy for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, recently pointed out, poor people tend to suffer disproportionally, since basic necessities that they already struggle to afford  food, shoes, clothing  can become more expensive.

Additionally, as Levy writes in an email, certain sectors of the economy can be hit worse than others. "If you are in a steel-using sector (e.g. an auto parts manufacturer) you are more likely to be hurt by the Sec. 232 steel tariffs." He also noted, "If you are in the construction sector, you are likely hurt by tariffs on steel and on Canadian softwood lumber. These are hits to income and employment, which are in addition to the hits people take as consumers."

The producers of the products that a government is waging war over  and their investors  stand to benefit. "To be fair, if you are a shareholder in U.S. Steel, you're pretty happy you don't have to face as much competition," Levy continued. "True for workers, as well, but much of the job loss has been to automation, not trade, so the tariffs don't fix that."

Though the world economy and global trade are stronger today than they were in the early 1930s, Levy argues that a trade war today might be even more damaging. "There's this unusual argument about why this is a great time for a trade war," he said. "It's a little like saying that today is a good day for me to slam my hand in the car door, since I don't have to give a piano performance in the near future. While that may be true, it's still not a good idea to slam my hand in a car door.

"Why might now be worse than the 1930s for the United States? Back then, everyone was doing it, and we didn't really have global supply chains. Now, it is not the case that all countries are raising trade barriers against everyone else. It is the United States that is carving itself out of global supply chains." Additionally, he notes, the rest of the world is still striking trade deals, whether it's the European Union and Canada, EU-Japan, or the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. In Levy's opinion, Trump's trade war "will uniquely disadvantage U.S. business."

Now That's the Truth When the United States levies a tariff on products imported from other countries, it is the U.S. importer who pays the tariff, not the foreign exporter. So for example, if the Trump administration orders at 25 percent tariff on Chinese tech products, the U.S. importer of those tech products will pay the increase in cost, not the Chinese. A tariff is a border tax on the buyer (Americans), not the seller (the Chinese), so ultimately, these tariffs make it more expensive for Americans to import Chinese goods. And the additional money these buyers pay does not go to the U.S. treasury.
Thanks for visiting !

The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy.

We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here.

Thank you for your support!
The Daughters of Norway, Solheim Lodge No. 20, will be celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day on Friday, May 17. Norway was granted freedom from Denmark in 1905.

From 10 a.m. to noon, the group will be serving baked goods and coffee in the rotunda of the Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse. Artifacts will also be on display. The public is invited to attend.

There will also be information on Solheim Lodge, which was initiated in Butte in 1913.

At 11 a.m., Chief Executive Dave Palmer will raise the Norwegian flag as the group, led by Pete Godtland, sings the Norwegian National Anthem to honor the homeland of their ancestors.

Just as their European neighbors, Norwegian immigrants came to Butte in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with many of the men getting work in the mines. These immigrants are credited with starting Buttes first library.

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.
Nine Butte nurses were honored Thursday at the Maroon Activities Center for their outstanding care in a variety of nursing fields.

The event to mark National Nurses Week was organized by The Montana Standard. A special section featuring profiles of all nine nurses will appear in The Montana Standards Sunday, May 12, edition.

Eight of the nurses were chosen by a panel that included Father Patrick Beretta; Montana Tech nursing program supervisor Karen Vandeveer; and David McCumber, editor of The Montana Standard. Another nurse was chosen by readers of The Montana Standard, who were able to vote for their choices online.

As McCumber told the audience, which filled the MACs front room, Each of the nurses honored here made the decision ... to build a career out of helping their fellow humans at perhaps their lowest points.

"They make the human condition just a little better every day. Some days, a lot better.

The honorees include:

 Teri Hunt, who has worked at St. James Healthcares Intensive Care Unit for 44 years;

 Karen Maloughney, a public-health nurse at Butte-Silver Bows Department of Health;

 Dot Warner, a school nurse for 27 years, who is the head nurse at Butte High School;

 Lindsay LeProwse, a Butte native who has been nursing for 15 years, currently as a correctional nurse at the Butte Pre-Release Center;

 Chris Ketchum, who has worked as a gerontological nurse for 42 years, currently at The Springs at Butte;

 Shelly Allison, who has also specialized in gerontology for the past 33 years, currently in the Alzheimers/Dementia unit at The Springs at Butte;

 Brandon West, the popular vote winner, who works as a primary-care nurse, nursing care manager, diabetes educator and care coordinator at Mercury Street Medical;

 Ida Reighard, who has worked for nearly two decades in Butte as a certified diabetes educator, currently at St. James Healthcare;

 and Mary Dean, who made a midcareer switch from accountancy to nursing, had has worked for two decades at St. James Healthcare.

As the nurses came forward to accept their awards and flowers, they each received with a standing ovation, then expressed their thanks. Many made a point to share the credit with friends, family and colleagues.

As Allison said, None of us as a nurse do this on our own.

The nine nurses honored Thursday represent just a sliver of the deserving professionals, and there are hopes that the nurses week celebration will become an annual event.

We would like to do this every year, McCumber said. Nurses are under-recognized everywhere, and we have so many wonderful nurses here in southwest Montana.

It was a sentiment Vandeveer echoed.

I look at the nominees and think, Oh my gosh, what a group of deserving people, Vandeveer said.

Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Butte police are looking for Marcus Sepulveda, 41, of Butte, who they suspect was the driver of a 2014 Subaru that hit and killed a 41-year-old male motorcyclist before fleeing the scene around 1:50 a.m. Friday.

Police say Sepulveda is currently driving a Blue 2011 Ford F-150 pickup with Montana license plates 1-23955A.

Police advise the public not to approach Sepulveda if he is located and to call them instead at 406-497-1120.

Earlier Friday, Lester urged the driver to turn himself in  and for anyone who knows who the driver might be to come forward.

Police located the black 2014 Subaru XV allegedly involved in the incident early Friday afternoon after searching for it all morning.

Police say a motorcycle and a passenger car were involved in the incident, which occurred on Dewey Boulevard just east of the intersection with Lexington Avenue at 1:53 a.m.

Both vehicles were reportedly travelling westbound when the car struck the motorcycle.

Lester said there's no suggestion or information "either way" as to whether the victim and the Subaru driver knew each other.

The male adult driver of the motorcycle was treated by fire rescue and ambulance personnel who arrived on the scene and was transported to St. James Healthcare, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

"There is quite a bit of evidence at the scene," Lester said, including pieces of the car that was involved.

Lester said an eyewitness reported the accident. He also said police are seeking surveillance footage from business located near the site of the incident.

Montana Highway Patrol is assisting in the accident investigation and reconstruction.

"We're dealing with a death investigation," Lester said.

And he urged anyone with information about what occurred to come forward.

"And of course, if there is anybody who's assisting this person in...concealing any evidence  obviously, it's a death investigation, so those offenses are serious offenses," Lester said.

Love 9 Funny 16 Wow 6 Sad 128 Angry 60

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.
Actions speak louder than words. But words create the environment and world in which we live.

Our actions and words matter greatly  and the actions and words of the Montana State Legislature in the 2019 session were clear: Montana will not allow sexual abuse, especially abuse of children, to continue. We removed the statute of limitations allowing for criminal prosecution of sexual abuse against children and established a Sexual Assault Survivors Day.

Sexual assault, including crimes such as rape and incest, is a cancer in society that for too long has gone inadequately addressed, unnoticed, and blatantly ignored. This has happened unfortunately at all levels, including within our schools, our families, and our court systems. The Centers for Disease Control estimate 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually assaulted before they turn 18.

A unified Montana made a statement with our actions and our words. We want to change the cultural norms that allow sexual assault and abuse to occur. During the 2019 legislative session, the Legislature came together in a bipartisan way and sent a clear message that we value the safety of children and do not tolerate children being sexually abused. By removing the criminal statute of limitations, this means that when an adult sexually abuses a child, they can never escape criminal liability. Every day for the rest of that adult's life they are at risk of being arrested, having criminal charges filed, and being put in prison after they are convicted in court of the crime against the child.

The Legislature set the bar even higher, leading the nation by being the first state to establish Sexual Assault Survivors' Day, occurring on the first Thursday in April (Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month). This day will not only honor survivors but, in addition, raise awareness of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and discrimination. It is a chance for communities to raise awareness and increase education about these problems and how to prevent them. I was honored to carry House Resolution 4, cosponsored by many Democrats and Republicans, establishing this special day.

We as Montanans are fiercely independent and we require accountability from all individuals. This session, our collaborative actions made a statement: Montana will not allow sexual assault and sexual abuse to go unnoticed. Unreported. Ignored. We hold other members of society accountable for their actions and will work to make our community safer.

No child should have to fear she or he will be sexually abused by anyone. No perpetrator of this crime should be able to mark a day on a calendar knowing they have no more responsibility after that date because the criminal statute of limitations has ended.

Montana has emerged as the national leader by declaring Sexual Assault Survivors Day. Hopefully other states will follow suit, learn a little from Montana law, and the rest of the nation will look a bit more like Montana.

State Rep. Kimberly Dudik, a Democrat from Frenchtown, has worked four legislative terms on improving child protection laws and championing criminal justice reform as well as having served as a deputy county attorney and assistant attorney general. She is running for the position of attorney general.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Muscatine is the third stop on the "The Ventana Series" tour. The show started last year at The Sheldon Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana. Then the series of 10 works were featured at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas, before opening Thursday at the art center. After the show closes, the work will be returned to Connecticut where the artist was from.

Hayes said the family works with many smaller, regional museums and loves to bring his father's art to communities that have never seen it before. Hayes first began talking with Alexander about three years ago. His arrival earlier this week was his first visit to the city, which he described as "an art-loving community." He mentioned seeing Chris Anderson's murals downtown and said the "jewel" is the art center.

"They've gone out of their way to put up a first-rate presentation," he said of the exhibition.

A reception for the opening of the exhibit was held in conjunction with the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce "Business After Hours" event. Chamber members had the chance to speak with Hayes about his father's work. Hayes will also return Thursday, Aug. 22, just before the show closes to talk about art in public spaces.
Commercial is just now being able to get back in (to buildings) and now theyre calling us.

A lot of the calls are flooding situations where the water hasnt gone down yet, Welder said. If the water is still flowing in or still standing, we cant go in until the water recedes or is pumped out.

Now were starting to deal with sewer backups and buildings after the contaminated river waters have receded, said Mark Carlson, of Blaze Restoration, Inc.

It does vary. It depends on the job how long theyre going to wait, Welder said.

Flood cleanup in general is a waiting game, said Kevin Jenison, communication manager for the City of Muscatine.

Businesses that were affected still are waiting for the water to go down, he said Thursday. The city, too is waiting to start cleanup on Mississippi Drive and Riverside Park, he said.

On Thursday, Muscatine tied the record for 55 days above flood stage, which was set in 1993.
The federal disaster relief bill thus far has been held up over federal lawmakers disagreements: Democrats have demanded more funding for hurricane relief for Puerto Rico.

Reynolds said approval by Memorial Day should be in time to help Iowans, given damage assessment is still ongoing. But she and other state and local leaders on the flood recovery board said it was imperative that Congress act.

We really have to plug the holes on the western side, and theyve got to really wait for the water to go down on the eastern side. Theres things we can do. But its just knowing that (the federal assistance) is coming and that theres funding allocated, Reynolds said. It will go a long way in just easing some of the uncertainty.

Reynolds said residents and businesses in western Iowa need that certainty as they decide whether to rebuild in an area that has been devastated by flooding twice in the past eight years or move.

The more that we can demonstrate to them that were going to build it better than before, that they are going to be protected moving forward and the funding will be there as well, Reynolds said.
Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes has written an op-ed in the New York Times claiming that the social media giant needs to be broken up by regulators.

According to Hughes, the biggest problem with Facebooks dominance is the resulting control they have over speech, which when combined with Zuckerbergs 60% voting power, makes him too powerful.

Mark is a good, kind person. But Im angry that his focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks, said Hughes.

There is no precedent for his ability to monitor, organize and even censor the conversations of two billion people.

Hughes left Facebook in 2007 to join Barack Obamas successful election campaign, and got rid of all his Facebook shares in 2012.

However, he said he still feels responsible for what he perceives to be the damage done by Facebook to public discourse, saying that he was disappointed in myself and the early Facebook team for not thinking more about how the News Feed algorithm could change our culture, influence elections and empower nationalist leaders.

Facebook VP of global affairs and communications Nick Clegg told CNBC in response: Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability. But you dont enforce accountability by calling for the break up of a successful American company.
Samsung has accidentally exposed sensitive source code, secret keys, and credentials for a number of its apps, TechCrunch reports.

The company hosted dozens of internal coding projects in a GitLab instance on its Vandev Lab domain, which was used by staff to collaborate on the development of its applications and services.

SpiderSilk security researcher Mossab Hussein discovered that these files were set to public and not protected with a password, allowing anybody to inspect and download the source code.

According to the report, one project contained credentials which allowed access to the AWS account used for its operations, which in turn exposed a wealth of logs an analytics data.

Sensitive code for projects including SmartThings and Bixby were exposed in the leak, along with the private GitLab tokens for several employees stored in plaintext.

Recently, an individual security researcher reported a vulnerability through our security rewards program regarding one of our testing platforms, Samsung told TechCrunch.

We quickly revoked all keys and certificates for the reported testing platform and while we have yet to find evidence that any external access occurred, we are currently investigating this further, the company said.
Starting last fall, two vacant lots flanking California Drive north of downtown became home to transients for nearly six months, according to Napa Police. Although the tents near Napa Creek were removed in April and their occupants have moved into shelters or other housing, the experience has left a sour taste for some nearby residents who say the city has acted too slowly to protect their homes.

We have had items missing off our front porch, our mail has gone missing, and a neighbors son left his bike out on the front lawn and it was gone within 15 minutes, said David Aten, whose backyard on Muller Drive abuts Napa Creek about three blocks southwest of where homeless people had been living.

While Napa Police had not linked the presence of the encampment to a crime uptick in the alphabet streets  the residential district bracketed by Jefferson Street to the east and Highway 29 on the west  Aten, a neighborhood resident since 2002, did not hesitate to connect it with what he called a spate of property crimes over the past two years.

A car break-in, a swiped fire pit and the theft of landscaping equipment are among the incidents Aten said he and his husband Guy Barstad have endured. They fit with reports from nearby residents of similar incidents, including break-ins and squatting in vacant homes, that are frequently shared on the neighborhood-focused Nextdoor social media platform.

Along with tents pitched on the empty California Boulevard lots, he said, there were bikes, rakes, leaf blowers, things that go missing in the neighborhood  thats where they end up.

Aten called the complaints of property crimes symptomatic of understaffed law enforcement and called on Napa leaders to be more mindful of the safety of residents as well as tourists. Im pretty pissed off at the city for not funding code enforcement and the police department (more), he said. It doesnt seem to me the city is taking the problem seriously.

Despite such discontent, a Napa Police spokesperson described the level of property crimes in the alphabet-street area as being in line with the figures from recent years.

Im not seeing an anomaly that can be attributed to the homeless who were camping near California and D street, Lt. Brian Campagna said earlier this month. Regular contacts with transients in the area, he added, gives us the ability to look for stolen property attributed to this folks.

An online LexisNexis community crime map indicates that Napa Police took four reports of residential burglaries and 19 for various types of theft during the year ending May 2, in an area bounded by Jefferson Street, Lincoln Avenue, Highway 29 and Cedar Avenue. Included in the theft total are reports of stolen bicycles, items taken from vehicles, and two grand theft reports from Jefferson Street and Muller Drive.

Police also responded to five vehicle burglary reports  all from Feb. 8 to the 27th  and six vandalism reports in the neighborhood.

For another neighborhood resident a few blocks north of Atens home, the presence of homeless people was literally as close as the other side of her fence  and a threat to the sense of comfort she had enjoyed at her home of two decades.

Just beyond the heavily wooded backyard of her house on Glenwood Drive, tents began appearing last year, numbering a half-dozen or more as spring approached, according to the woman, who declined to be identified by the Napa Valley Register for fear of retribution by those who lived in the encampment. Two calls to Napa Police for help eventually led to a visit by a code enforcement officer, but not an immediate eviction of the tent dwellers.

This is a serious situation, the Glenwood Drive resident wrote in a March 11 email to City Council members, Napa Police leaders and City Manager Steve Potter.

I do not feel safe. I do not feel I can go out into my back yard. I do not feel it is safe for my grandchildren to play in the yard that has made my house so popular with them over the years. Entertaining in my backyard has been one of my greatest pleasures, but that would now be impossible. And when the weather does turn warm and dry, it would not be unrealistic to expect dozens more tents to appear.

Please dont let neglect and indifference to this problem result in something serious happening to my home or to me, she wrote.

Finally, on April 16, city staff moved in to clear the two California Boulevard parcels, both of which are private property, Campagna reported, confirming the move followed complaints filed with both police and city code enforcement officers.

One, at 1701 D Street Alley, is the prospective site for the Napa Creek Condominiums, which the city approved in 2011 but has remained unbuilt as the land has passed through different owners.

Turned out it was on private property, so we had to follow special rules to get (occupants) off the property, said Brandon Gardner, Napas police liaison to the local homeless population. Now its properly posted so we can enforce (no-trespassing rules) properly; its been cleared so there are no areas to hide.

Some who had been staying in the encampment were reunited with family members, according to Gardner, while others agreed to stay in the South Napa Shelter on Gasser Drive and three people received housing through Abode Services, which runs assistance programs under contract with Napa city and county.

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.
A 12-year-old child was flown by helicopter to an Oakland hospital following a bicycle-pickup truck collision late Thursday afternoon, according to Napa Police.

At 4:40 p.m., Napa Fire called police officers to Kansas Avenue west of Soscol Avenue, near an entrance to the South Napa Marketplace, according to police Sgt. Scott Holliday. A man driving a pickup west on Kansas was turning into the Marketplace parking lot when his vehicle struck the child, who was riding a bike eastbound along the south curb, Holliday said.

The cyclist, whose name was not immediately available, was taken by air ambulance to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland.

On Friday, the family reported that the child was expected to fully recover.

The Kansas Avenue entryway to the shopping center was closed after the crash, but the roadway remained open, according to Holliday.

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 California Department of Education approved controversial changes to the state's health and sex education framework on Wednesday, but removed five resources and books that some organizations called "sexually explicit," including a book that explains sex to students as young as kindergarten.

Despite large protests, the department unanimously approved new guidelines for elementary school grades about sex trafficking, sexual orientation and how to support transgender and non-conforming students in the classroom.

The department's meeting focused on revisions for the Health Education Framework, which makes K-12 public school health curriculum recommendations for the next decade. More than 120 people signed up for public comment to support or oppose the changes.

The meeting was preceded by a rally at Capitol Park, where nearly 200 people gathered to protest the framework revisions

"How are they helping kids find themselves when they are confusing them about who they are, or they could possibly be nothing at all," said Stephanie Yates, founder of Informed Parents of California. The organization has grown to over 20,000 members since it was founded last year.

Yates took to the dais at the meeting, and criticized Department of Education board members for approving decisions on behalf of the state's children. Dozens of people who filled the building's lobby cheered as they watched Yates on a live feed call the new revisions part of a political agenda and -- like others -- refer to the material as pornography.

But others supported the changes.

"What we are seeing in the Sacramento community is an open arms approach to this curriculum, " said Cheri Greven, the local Planned Parenthood director of Public Affairs. "A number of parents spoke up saying they were in favor of this. One father told me it allowed him and his son to open a new line of communication about these topics."

The framework covers a wide range of topics for students in K-12 education including nutrition, physical activity, growth and sexual health. It also covers topics like alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, and emotional and personal health.

Most of the changes that stirred controversy involved sex education.

"After rising levels of sexually transmitted diseases in teenagers nationwide, this framework was created to help provide necessary education to ensure that students are equipped to make informed and educated decisions when it comes to their sexual health," education department spokesperson Kindra Britt said in a statement. "It was also designed to take the needs of our LGBTQ youth into consideration to make sure they felt safe and supported while at school."

Several organizations have called the revisions "sexually explicit," and say that the framework's recommended books show how "offensive, reckless and immoral" the framework is. The education department removed five of the books, but clarified they were not banning the books. According to the state's website, the books were listed as resources for parents to discuss sensitive issues with their children at home.

One book, titled "Changing You," which was recommended for removal, shows cartoon illustrations of male and female genitals to educate students on the terminology. It also explains what "having sex is." The book was recommended for transitional kindergarten through third grade.

"There are all kinds of alternatives, but they want to teach sex ed with the guise that they were trying to prevent sexual transmitted diseases and prevent teen pregnancy," said Greg Burt, director of California Family Council. "Now we are teaching kids how to have a robust sex life. Not everything under the sun needs to be taught to our kids, with no moral judgment."

Schools are not required to implement the framework; they are merely recommendations for teachers and administrators. Students can opt-out from lessons about sexual health. But the state says students can't opt-out of lessons that include gender identity, discrimination and explain social issues such as the Supreme Court ruling of same sex marriage.

"Our priority is to make all children feel comfortable at school," read a statement from the department of education. "Dispelling myths, breaking down stereotypes and linking students to resources can help prevent bullying, self-harm, feelings of hopelessness, and serious considerations of suicide."

While every school has the autonomy to choose its own curriculum, teachers from all over the state expressed concerns at the hearing.

"Teachers are afraid they will be forced to teach concepts that go against their conscious, and use non-binary terms or else they could lose their jobs," said Brenda Lebsack, who teaches in Santa Ana Unified and is a school board member in Orange Unified.

Some teachers and instructors said organizations and schools already implementing aspects of the framework have reported it has been beneficial to their students.

"A student left me an anonymous note thanking me for including transgender students as examples in my lessons," said Sarah Hyde, who teaches health classes in Fremont. "Teachers may feel overwhelmed and will not know how to address every child."

Michele McNutt, a registered nurse from Orange County, said she has worked with her local school districts to push for implementation of the new framework.

"It's critical to give students medically accurate, scientific, unbiased information about their health and their bodies so they can make the best decisions about how to keep themselves safe and protect their reproductive health," said McNutt. "The younger grades also learn about healthy relationships, consent, and ways to interact with peers who might be different than they are."

The estimated cost of revising the Health Education Framework is $550,000 over three budget years. It will replace the 2003 framework, which includes material from the 1990s.

"If we are able to be the land of the free, then we must be the land of the educated and informed," said Rick Oculto, director of Our Family Coalition, which supports equity for children. "Our children are not made safer by ignorance."

The California Healthy Youth Act, signed into law three years ago, requires that school districts teach students grades seven to 12 comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education. It is permissible to teach sexual health and HIV prevention related content to elementary aged students, according to the department of education.

"We always respect the rights of parents, but we also have a duty to protect students who have been subject to bullying, self-harm, feelings of hopelessness, and serious considerations of suicide, and we feel that the framework is a critical step towards this goal," Britt said.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A chain of hardware stores new to California may well find a new home at the old Orchard Supply Hardware site in north Napa.

Central Network Retail Group, a multi-format, multi-brand retailer currently operating 104 hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards in 14 states, announced plans to open seven stores in Northern California, all in locations formerly operated by Orchard Supply Hardware.

While the retailer hasnt officially named the seven locations, we think Napa is a great market, said John Sieggreen, CNRG president. The Napa Orchard was a strong store and we think its good for our company, he said.

An official announcement as to whether the Napa OSH location will reopen as part of a new chain will be forthcoming, Sieggreen said. The new brand will be called Outdoor Supply Hardware, keeping the OSH acronym.

While CNRG will bring its own merchandising assortment to the stores, this new brand will strive to honor the long-standing appeal of Orchard Supply to local consumers and business shoppers by offering many of the same products and services for which the locations were known and loved, said a news release.

These stores have meant so much to these communities over the years, and we are excited to be able to bring them back to life, said John Sieggreen, CNRG president.

Knowing how popular the OSH store was, makes me feel optimistic that Napa will be a good market for our store as well.

Last August, Orchards parent company, Lowes, announced that after 87 years, the Orchard Supply Hardware chain would close all of its 99 home improvement stores.

The move came five years after Lowes bought most Orchard Supply stores out of bankruptcy following an ill-fated spin-off from former owner Sears Holdings Corp. The Napa OSH, located in Bel Aire Plaza, closed in November.

These are fantastic locations in highly trafficked shopping centers, and we look forward to getting them staffed and merchandised in the next few months so we can be open sometime this fall, said the news release.

Mark Baker, former chief executive officer of Orchard Supply Hardware, was instrumental in helping bring this idea to fruition.

I know firsthand just how special these stores are to their customers, Baker said.

When I initially approached CNRG about the concept, I was confident we could win back the support of shoppers, team members and suppliers, and Im even more certain of that now, after having worked on the plan with the CNRG team over the past few months, said Baker.

These seven stores are a great way for CNRG to enter the California market.

Central Network Retail Group (CNRG) is based in Tennessee. Other CNRG-branded stores are located in states including Washington, Oregon, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Sieggreen said each California Outdoor Supply Hardware store could have as many as 50 employees.

We would welcome any former Orchard employees to apply for jobs at the new stores. They had some talented people and wed love to have them apply.

The executive said he is aware of Napa Countys low unemployment rate and the problems some employers have when recruiting.

We face those pressures in a number of markets, Sieggreen said. We know we have to offer positions that are meaningful to people and that will give them job satisfaction and a competitive wage.

The news release said CNRG expects the stores to begin opening as early as September.

For some time, rumors had been circulating about Zellers Ace Hardware moving to the former OSH location in Bel Aire Plaza. The Ace parcel and the space adjacent to it, the former downtown post office parcel, are slated for redevelopment.

Dick Clark, owner of Zellers Ace hardware, could not be immediately reached to comment on this story.

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.
This May 4 file photo from North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows a rocket fired from a large-caliber long-range multiple rocket launcher. KCNA-Yonhap



By Jung Da-min



North Korea launched two suspected missiles Thursday, five days after firing off multiple "projectiles" including its new tactical guided weapon, widely agreed by experts to be a short range ballistic missile (SRBM).



The launches took place at 4:29 p.m. and 4: 49 p.m., respectively, from around Kusong in North Pyongan Province and landed in the seas off its east coast, according to the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).



The JCS said one flew about 270 kilometers and the other, 420 kilometers, both at an altitude of around 50 kilometers.



Cheong Wa Dae expressed concern over the launches, saying they did not help ease military tension on the peninsula.



President Moon Jae-in said they would be a violation of United Nations sanctions if the projectiles were identified as ballistic missiles  even short-range ones  in a special interview with public broadcaster KBS celebrating the two-year anniversary of his administration.




Environmental concerns, including fear of harming a sensitive frog species, have forced Camp Fire crews to back away from cleaning some properties in the Paradise area.

State officials tasked with debris cleanup say they have been directed not to enter an estimated 800 burned Butte County home sites within 100 feet of a waterway. Theyve been told to wait for representatives of several state and federal agencies to reach an agreement on environmental assessment guidelines.

The issue cropped up well into a year-long, estimated $2 billion-plus cleanup operation at about 11,000 properties in Paradise, Concow, and Magalia that burned in Novembers Camp Fire, the most destructive blaze in state history.

The revelation that some stream-side properties are now on hold triggered a strong public rebuke Thursday from two local legislators who said they heard about the issue from angry constituents on the ridge.

In statement calling the situation absurd, Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Tehama, and Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, lamented that frogs, birds and waterways are causing work to stop in some areas.

The pair said the state Office of Emergency Services and other agencies deserve kudos for ramping up debris cleaning operations since spring weather started, but pointed out survivors are anxious to rebuild or move on. Our neighbors have gone through hell in this disaster, and must be the priority.

An OES spokesman said state Fish and Wildlife officials informed other agencies that 800 properties near waterways will require an extra level of site assessment before they are allowed to be cleaned, to make sure the work will not cause environmental harm, including to an endangered frog species that resides on the ridge.

State Fish and Wildlife officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Eric Lamoureux of Cal OES said the state expects to have a protocol in place in the next few days. We are close to finalizing those plans. We are trying to balance the need to get these properties cleared as quickly as possible but also protecting our environment out there.

He did not say what that protocol would look like, who would be inspecting the home sites, when they would do it, and what would happen at a site if an endangered species were found or some other environmental concern were to arise.

Lamoureux said debris cleanup operations have not been slowed by the environmental questions. State officials said 141 crews are on the hillside daily cleaning other sites, averaging about 100 sites a day.

Trucks and rigs dig out the debris, and top soil from burned out home sites, loading them into plastic in trucks to be hauled to Northern California landfills.

The issue has angered some landowners. Alicia Rock, whose home on Clear Creek was destroyed in the fire, said she moved quickly to get the rebuilding permit process going, and thought her propertys cleanup was going to happen Tuesday, but now has been told she must wait indefinitely.

She said she even warned officials early in winter, when the creek was high, that debris was being pulled into the creek. She called the situation stupid.

I have followed the process to a T. Now I am being held up, she said. Come on guys, youve had six months. You knew this was coming.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
It turns out the weary old joke about how other people can tell when lawyers are lying (when their lips are moving) might be in need of a new punchline: For some lawyers, its when they fill out their State Bar Association membership and renewal applications.

Thats the stunning takeaway from a new California rule requiring lawyers to be fingerprinted not only when they apply for bar membership, but also when they apply for renewal. Just days before the April 30 fingerprinting deadline, 158,000 attorneys had submitted fingerprints, 83 percent of active California lawyers.

Using those fingerprints, the state Department of Justice and the bar association  licensing and regulatory authority for all California attorneys  turned up 2,699 members who had committed crimes they did not report on their applications, either when first applying or when renewing, or when the crimes were actually committed.

Of those, 40 were felonies, most before 2005, and 2,659 were misdemeanors. Another 140 FBI records (which include federal offenses from other states and state offenses committed outside California) were still unclear as to whether they involved felonies or misdemeanors. With misdemeanors, attorneys are only required to report those involving moral turpitude and ones committed in their practice, or in which clients were victims. The bar doesnt yet know how many of the unreported crimes fit those categories.

The upshot: As many as 1.7 percent of all California lawyers apparently tried to hide past crimes. If client recruiting were about equal among all lawyers, that would mean almost two of every 100 Californians seeking legal work on subjects from wills to criminal defense and personal injuries might be hiring a documentable liar.

Said one San Francisco attorney, This shows what a very good thing it was to put in the new fingerprint rule.

But so far, the Bar Association has not suspended or disbarred anyone. Nor has it published names of any member-liars.

Theres a process we have to go through, so theyre still practicing law, said a Bar Association spokeswoman. These things have just been transferred to State Bar investigators. The entire (fingerprinting) process is newso we have a backlog.

She added that investigators emphasis is on serious crimes, especially those committed after the documented liars became lawyers.

The bar has strong rules about who can join and attorneys can be disbarred for criminal convictions involving moral turpitude or for other misconduct involving discipline.

The lawyer groups list of crimes demonstrating moral turpitude (defined as an act of baseness, vileness or depravity) includes murder, rape, solicitation to commit assault, perjury, mail fraud, security violations and grand theft.

Other misconduct warranting discipline includes drunk driving, domestic violence and failure to file federal tax returns.

Suspension of a lawyers license is the presumed sanction for felonies not involving moral turpitude, but bar applicants can also be denied for lack of positive moral character. A criminal history is one way to demonstrate this.

At a spring meeting of the agencys Regulation and Discipline Committee, a member asked whether lawyers putting off or avoiding fingerprinting are likely to be the worst offenders. Bar staff essentially said maybe.

Todays reality, then, is that while the bar investigates its corps of liars, potential clients cannot know when theyre dealing with one.

They will only learn lawyers are certified liars or worse after those attorneys are suspended and all appeals exhausted. At that point, suspended or disbarred lawyers must notify all clients in writing.

One question here is why the preponderance of lawyers who are honest has not yet raised objections to the delay in sanctioning those whose fingerprints reveal them as past criminals, especially felons. When so many active lawyers are known to be miscreants, all lawyers can be suspect, since clients and potential clients cant tell whos who.

One reason may be that lawyers make their livings on the constitutional principle of due process, so many may be reluctant to limit that right for their colleagues.

Which leaves potential clients at risk of hiring dishonest lawyers for an as-yet undefined period. So far, neither the State Bar nor any of its members has offered solutions for this obvious problem.

Thomas D. Elias writes the syndicated California Focus column. He is author of the book, The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It.
Flight to Yerevan cancelled due to plane engine fire

Yerevan ex-mayor Marutyan submits letter of resignation from his city council seat

Artsakh Prosecutor's Office: Chartar village resident killed by long-range shot by Azerbaijan

4 dead after Sri Lanka policeman opens fire on fellow officers

What 2021 event did The Simpsons predict?

Newly appointed Yerevan mayor takes oath of office

At least 16 people die after boat full of migrants capsizes off Greece coast of

Mourinho gets offer from Nigeria national team

Amirabdollahian: Iran Azerbaijan charted roadmap to further enhance ties

Christmas Eve does not pass without incident for Biden

118 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

How much Queen Elizabeth spends on Christmas gifts for royal staff?

Mkhitaryan, with his wife and son, wishes peace, joy, unconditional love (PHOTO)

New mayor of Yerevan to swear in today

Dembele gets married, they were surprised at Barca

Kim Kardashian introduces beau Pete Davidson to her kids

Huge ichthyosaur fossil reveals new theories about evolution speed

Rare walking fish spotted off Tasmania coast for first time in 22 years

Rice-sized microchip placed under skin can become Covid vaccination passport

Thailand authorities seize $30M of crystal methamphetamine hidden in boxing punch bags

Newspaper: No contract signed with any lobbying organization since Makunts appointment as ambassador to US

Newspaper: Armenia ex-President Kocharyan to also hold press conference

Newspaper: Armenia authorities instruct but investigative body can no longer continue

Armenia PM: There are no legal grounds for existence of enclaves

Armen Ashotyan to Pashinyan: Real catastrophe took place when a nincompoop like you came to power in Armenia

Armenia PM: Catastrophe took place in Karabakh negotiations in 2016

Armenia PM on first meeting held in '3+2' regional format

Armenia PM on opening of communications

Yerevan mayor's oath-taking ceremony to be held on Dec. 25

Putin to not call Biden on the phone to wish him a Merry Christmas

Armenia PM on granting status of observer to Azerbaijan within Eurasian Economic Union

Georgia Parliament Speaker resigns

Armenia's Pashinyan: I refuse to discuss any issue related to the army publicly

Armenia PM: If the Armenian-Turkish negotiations are a success, of course, there will be a meeting with Erdogan

Earthquake hits Armenia-Georgia border zone

Armenia PM: I returned from meeting in Sochi with a feeling of satisfaction

Armenia PM says he will attend non-official summit of CIS countries, will have contact with Aliyev

Armenia's Pashinyan: We returned the captured Azerbaijani servicemen without preconditions

Azerbaijan to deploy special military detachments in Karabakh's Hadrut region

Azerbaijan President is blatantly threatening Armenia again

Armenia FM meets with members of ruling parliamentary faction

Armenia PM giving press conference

Armenian PM attends Requiem Service for wife of National Hero of Armenia Karen Demirtchyan

Analyst clarifies what will disturb Turkey and Azerbaijan from opening so-called corridor via Armenia

NEWS.am daily digest: 24.12.21

Republican Party of Armenia: Authorities are creating barrier between Diaspora and historic homeland with their policy

Turkey, Qatar sign memorandum on joint management of Kabul International Airport

Armenia ex-defense minister Davit Tonoyan to remain in custody

Representatives of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities meet in Moscow for first time after Karabakh military conflict

Dollar still losing value in Armenia

Parliament vice-speaker receives American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia board chairman

Republican Party spokesperson: Armenia authorities decided to smoothen ties with Turkey after defeat in war

Armenia Health Ministry Legal Department head: Decision of Constitutional Court is ministry's victory

MFA: Russia welcomes international efforts to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations

Armenia President receives group of parents of deceased servicemen

Armenia Security Council holds session

Iran FM: Tehran is ready to participate in next stage of negotiations with Saudi Arabia

Zakharova on Armenia-Azerbaijan railway link: Substantive discussions continue on trilateral working group

Kremlin: US may consult with Ankara over settlement of situation in Ukraine

Zakharova: Moscow believes Ankara will take Russia's signals seriously

Non-official meeting of leaders of CIS countries to be held on Dec. 28

Audit Chamber official: Armenia banks have misused state subsidies they received

Premier League: Another Boxing Day match postponed

Armenia health, labor inspectorate to inspect 700 economic entities in 2022

Russia peacekeepers ensure safe travel of more than 2,000 people to, from Karabakh in one day

Azerbaijan's Aliyev celebrates 60th birthday in occupied Armenian city of Hadrut

Russia MFA: Not only Turkey ready to hold 3+3 regional consultative mechanism meeting

Maria Zakharova wishes Yerevan and Baku peace and patience

Valerie Pecresse posts comment on Facebook: I visited Armenia - France's fraternal country

Drake gets tattoo in memory of Louis Vuitton designer Virgil Abloh

Putin, Aliyev confirm readiness to strengthen Russia-Azerbaijan strategic partnership

Middle East Eye: Turkey encouraged by Armenia PM Pashinyan's reelection, aims to normalize relations

Armenia government: Constitutional Court decision does not lift requirement for employees to submit PCR test result

New program shall develop Armenia metrology

Armenia opposition MP: Corridor is spoken of as established fact in Azerbaijan

Kim Kardashian shows jewelry of Armenian brand

Armenia Constitutional Reform Council to include 2 representatives of international organizations

Putin expresses Aliyev readiness to continue dialogue, joint work to strengthen regional stability, security

1 more person dies of coronavirus in Karabakh

76 cases of influenza A virus subtype H3 confirmed in Armenia

Dusan Tadic named Serbia's top footballer of the year

Botulism case with 4 victims reported in Armenias Ararat Province

Cardi B gives Offset a $ 2 million check for his birthday

135 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Lavrov: Involvement of Kiev in NATO poses serious risks, even large-scale conflict in Europe

Newly elected Vanadzor city council first session not convened

NATO to approach Russia borders in case of aggression against Ukraine

President thanks Russia peacekeepers, Putin in terms of Artsakh security

Newspaper: What is actual Covid death toll in Armenia?

What is best breakfast to curb sugar cravings throughout the day?

LEquipe: Messi, Neymar, Mbappe not on Ligue 1 team of years first half

Newspaper: Details became known from closed meeting between Armenia PM, parliament majority faction

Harry and Meghan release first photo of Lilibet

US arms exports fall 21% in 2021

Man City to also compete for Erling Haaland's transfer

Diaspora Commissioner: More than 1.5 million people left Armenia in 30 years

Pele discharged from hospital after chemotherapy

Arsenal ready to exchange Aubameyang for Coutinho

High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs: Armenia won't build relations with Turkey at expense of interests of nation

High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs: Fifth Turkish Column is very active in Armenia
Former US military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning was released after two months in prison, BBC reported.

Wikileaks informer got into the detention center for refusing to testify in the case against the organization and its leader Julian Assange.

Manning was freed from the detention center of Alexandria, Virginia, where she spent 62 days. American law regards the refusal to testify as contempt of court, which, in turn, threatens with imprisonment.

She noted that she would not testify because she opposes the secrecy of the process and the investigation. She also argued that even during the military tribunal she had told everything she knew about her case.

Mannings lawyers reported that their client was released due to the expiration of the term of office of the grand jury on Thursday. On Monday, Manning, who had spent exactly two months behind bars, asked the court to release her.

Even before her release, Mannings lawyers received a new subpoena, according to which she must appear before the new grand jury on 16 May.

"Chelsea will continue to refuse to answer questions, and will use every available legal defence to prove... that she has just cause for her refusal to give testimony."

The investigation into Wikileaks case in the United States has been going on for several years. The founder of the project, Julian Assange, was granted asylum and hid in the Ecuadorian embassy in London from August 2012 to April 2019, when he was refused further residence on the territory of the embassy. Now the court in London is considering the case of his extradition.

In the US, he is accused of conspiring to break into the state computer system. According to the investigation, Assange led the actions of Manning in 2010, in order to get over 725,000 classified documents from the informant. Later they published it at Wikileaks.

In 2016, Assange said that he was ready to surrender to the US authorities if they pardoned his informant.
Jason Greenblatt, one of the key architects of the US deal of the century on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, unscrambled the UN anti-Israel stance, calling for supporting the vision of the Trump administration, AP reported.

However, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki rejected the US peace efforts, saying that there are all signs that the plan implies conditions for surrender.

Greenblatt said it was "surprising and unfair" that Indonesia, Kuwait and South Africa organized the council meeting and condemned Israel's behavior when it "was not even invited to speak at this session.

According to the Palestinian Foreign Minister, after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, it is "in blatant violation of international law, it is not possible to have faith" in a peace plan which was developed for two years by a group led by Greenblatt and his senior advisor and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Every decision the U.S. administration has taken since has simply confirmed its disregard for Palestinian lives, for Palestinian rights" and for the two-state solution, he said.

"We cannot afford not to engage with any peace efforts but the U.S. efforts cannot be characterized nor can qualify as peace efforts, unfortunately," Malki said. "All indicates this far that this is not a peace plan, but rather conditions for surrender  and there is no amount of money can make it acceptable."

The US plans to reveal the plan in June.

Greenblatt told the Security Council "the vision for peace that we will soon put forward will be realistic and implementable" and "lay out the core issues of the conflict in enough detail that everyone will be able to imagine what peace could look like.

"This is the right package of compromises for both sides to take in order to leave the past behind and start a new chapter, where there could be tremendous hope and opportunity in the region," he noted.

Greenblatt urged council members "to support the parties to get together to get behind this opportunity.

According to him, "we will continue to speak the truth even when it is not welcome," starting with the UN's failure to condemn the "vicious, cynical, unprovoked attack" from Gaza a few days ago "that was intended to terrify, kill and maim Israelis.

Malki told reporters that the US envoy's remarks gave him no hope for the US peace plan.

"I thought I was listening to an Israeli speaker ... rather than an American official," he said. "It seems that the American position has been totally taken by the Israeli position and right now the U.S. administration has no independent position."
The US prosecutors office has charged Chinese citizen into hacking computer systems, the US Justice Departments press service reported.

The four-count indictment alleges that Fujie Wang, 32, and other members of the hacking group, including another individual charged as John Doe, conducted a campaign of intrusions into U.S.-based computer systems. The indictment alleges that the defendants gained entry to the computer systems of Anthem and three other U.S. businesses, identified in the indictment as Victim Business 1, Victim Business 2 and Victim Business 3.

The allegations in the indictment unsealed today outline the activities of a brazen China-based computer hacking group that committed one of the worst data breaches in history, said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. These defendants allegedly attacked U.S. businesses operating in four distinct industry sectors, and violated the privacy of over 78 million people by stealing their PII. The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting PII, and will aggressively prosecute perpetrators of hacking schemes like this, wherever they occur.

The cyber attack of Anthem not only caused harm to Anthem, but also impacted tens of millions of Americans, said U.S. Attorney Minkler. This wanton violation of privacy will not stand, and we are committed to bringing those responsible to justice. I would also like to thank Anthem for its timely and substantial cooperation with our investigation.

This case is significant not only because it showcases the FBIs cyber investigative capabilities, but also because it highlights the importance of FBI and private industry relationships, said Assistant Director Matt Gorham. Because the victim companies promptly notified the FBI of malicious cyber activity, we were able to successfully investigate and identify the perpetrators of this large-scale, highly sophisticated scheme. The FBI is committed to investigating cyber-attacks that compromise American industry and the American people. As we did in this case, we will work side by side with victim companies to ensure justice is served.
YEREVAN.  There is no issue of keeping mandate. Opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Chairman, head of its National Assembly (NA) faction, and tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan on Friday told this to reporters in parliament.

Tsarukyan noted this while commenting on the fact that the documents which the Citizens Decision Social-Democratic Party had sent to the Prosecutor General, and with respect to stripping him of his parliamentary mandate, were forwarded to the Special Investigation Service (SIS).

I dont know whats in progress, the PAP leader noted. Mr. Prime Minister said that the matter is given to the law enforcement agencies, they will look accordingly, respond according to the law, according to the point.

So, everyone is equal before the law, according to the law, according to the order (...); we are waiting.

Tsarukyan noted, however, that he has no issue of keeping his parliamentary mandate.

Whatever decision it will be, it will be according to the law, according to the constitution, he added.

On April 29, the Citizens Decision Social-Democratic Party had submitted a petition to NA President Ararat Mirzoyan and Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan to start a process of launching criminal proceedings against Gagik Tsarukyan and stripping him of his parliamentary mandate in connection with the statements he had made at the NA Sessions Hall and outside on April 19, and taking into account the ban on Armenian MPs engaging in entrepreneurial activities.

Subsequently, attorney general Davtyan had told reporters that the aforesaid petition was forwarded to the SIS.

At present, the SIS is preparing a report based on this petition.
WASHINGTON, DC  As Senate and House Committees prepare their Fiscal Year 2020 foreign aid priorities, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) national leaders were joined by His Grace Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern U.S. and a broad array of community advocates, in urging the Senate and House action to expand aid to Armenia and Artsakh, broaden the U.S.-Armenia strategic partnership, and establish a permanent, principled policy of U.S. remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, the official website of ANCA reported.

Our endeavors in Washington are driven by the relentless work of thousands of local activists who share the ANCAs commitment to advancing our pro-Armenian federal advocacy agenda, said ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian. Our effectiveness in backing increased U.S. aid for Armenia and Artsakh, calling out the failed Madrid Principles, and ending U.S. complicity in Ankaras Genocide denial is the direct result of the selfless contributions of time, energy, and resources by regional leaders, chapter organizers, and local advocates across America. I thank each and every one of our backers, Hamparian added.

During in-depth discussions with Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Bob Menendez (D-CA), ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian and National Board Member Ani Tchaghlasian, both New Jersey natives, thanked the Senator for spearheading the Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.150), which currently has 16 cosponsors. Sen. Menendez questioned U.S. Ambassador to Turkey designate David Satterfield on his understanding of the history of the Armenian Genocide, and faced with the nominees refusal to properly characterize the crime, noted, We can not ultimately move to the future if we can not recognize the past as a simple reality. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Satterfield nomination on Thursday, May 2nd, sending his nomination to the full Senate. ANCA leaders also encouraged Sen. Menendez to support expanded aid to Artsakh, prioritizing the ongoing de-mining effort through The HALO Trust and additional funding for humanitarian and developmental programs, including the expansion and modernization of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center, a regional clinic serving children and adults with physical and mental disabilities.

In discussions with House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), ANCA leaders stressed both Artsakh and Armenia aid priorities, with a special emphasis on assistance for Armenian and other minority refugees who have sought safe haven in Armenia from Middle East unrest in Syria and Iraq. As a key member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Rep. Fortenberry plays a pivotal role in writing the FY2020 foreign aid bill, which will be up for Subcommittee consideration on May 10th and full house consideration in June.

ANCA leaders thanked Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) for her leadership in 2018 in advancing legislation promoting Armenia reforestation efforts with incentives, including U.S. debt-forgiveness, in return for increasing Armenias forest cover to at least 12% of its total land mass within 10 years. During the Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Commemoration, Rep. Clark announced plans to re-introduce the ANCA-backed measure, noting how both reforestation and advancing a principled genocide policy are forward-thinking actions. Planting trees is an optimistic statement for the future. We dont plant trees for ourselves. We do it to provide shade to the generations to come and provide resources for those generations. And when we look at genocide, its not just about looking back, but looking forward and ensuring that we dont repeat the atrocities of the past.

Talks with Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone focused on the Artsakh Travel and Communication Act  a measure to remove barriers to increased travel to Artsakh as well as the implementation of common-sense proposals to reduce tensions at the Artsakh and Armenia lines of contact with Azerbaijan. In an interview with the ANCAs Raffi Karakashian in April, Rep. Pallone noted that It makes no sense to have this travel and communications restriction because we should try to have as much contact as possible with the people there so that there is an understanding of what the people of Artsakh and the government face.

Discussions with House Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor Adam Schiff (D-CA) focused on expanding bi-partisan support for the measure (H.Res.296), which currently has over 95 Congressional cosponsors, and efforts to secure a timely House floor vote for the measure. Rep. Schiff spoke passionately about the importance of a clear and permanent U.S. policy on the topic during remarks at the Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide observance as well as the March for Justice Rally held on April 24th in Los Angeles and at local genocide commemorative events.

Artsakh assistance and stronger U.S.-Armenia economic ties through the negotiation of a new tax treaty took center-stage in discussions with senior House Foreign Affairs Committee member, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA). Rep. Sherman, who was the first U.S. House member to spearhead U.S. aid to Artsakh efforts in 1997, pressed U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green on continuing Artsakh de-mining efforts in FY2020. Responding to Rep. Sherman during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Administrator Green confirmed ongoing funding for Artsakh de-mining.

Now, more than ever, our communitys longstanding tradition of civic-spiritual partnership represents a vital key to engaging effectively with Americas leaders. Together, we are more than the sum of our parts, stated Hamparian. Collectively, we powerfully reaffirm our shared commitment to the principles of faith and freedom, and  at the level of policy  materially strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship and the national and democratic aspirations of the Armenian nation.

Among those joining Archbishop Tanielian, Hamparian, and Tchaghlasian in the meetings were ANCA leaders George Aghjayan, Programs Director Tereza Yerimyan, Eastern Region Executive Director Aram Balian, and Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of the Soorp Khatch Armenian Church of Bethesda, MD.
Flight to Yerevan cancelled due to plane engine fire

Yerevan ex-mayor Marutyan submits letter of resignation from his city council seat

Artsakh Prosecutor's Office: Chartar village resident killed by long-range shot by Azerbaijan

4 dead after Sri Lanka policeman opens fire on fellow officers

Newly appointed Yerevan mayor takes oath of office

At least 16 people die after boat full of migrants capsizes off Greece coast of

Amirabdollahian: Iran Azerbaijan charted roadmap to further enhance ties

Christmas Eve does not pass without incident for Biden

118 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

New mayor of Yerevan to swear in today

Huge ichthyosaur fossil reveals new theories about evolution speed

Rare walking fish spotted off Tasmania coast for first time in 22 years

Rice-sized microchip placed under skin can become Covid vaccination passport

Thailand authorities seize $30M of crystal methamphetamine hidden in boxing punch bags

Newspaper: No contract signed with any lobbying organization since Makunts appointment as ambassador to US

Newspaper: Armenia ex-President Kocharyan to also hold press conference

Newspaper: Armenia authorities instruct but investigative body can no longer continue

Armenia PM: There are no legal grounds for existence of enclaves

Armen Ashotyan to Pashinyan: Real catastrophe took place when a nincompoop like you came to power in Armenia

Armenia PM: Catastrophe took place in Karabakh negotiations in 2016

Armenia PM on first meeting held in '3+2' regional format

Armenia PM on opening of communications

Yerevan mayor's oath-taking ceremony to be held on Dec. 25

Putin to not call Biden on the phone to wish him a Merry Christmas

Armenia PM on granting status of observer to Azerbaijan within Eurasian Economic Union

Georgia Parliament Speaker resigns

Armenia's Pashinyan: I refuse to discuss any issue related to the army publicly

Armenia PM: If the Armenian-Turkish negotiations are a success, of course, there will be a meeting with Erdogan

Earthquake hits Armenia-Georgia border zone

Armenia PM: I returned from meeting in Sochi with a feeling of satisfaction

Armenia PM says he will attend non-official summit of CIS countries, will have contact with Aliyev

Armenia's Pashinyan: We returned the captured Azerbaijani servicemen without preconditions

Azerbaijan to deploy special military detachments in Karabakh's Hadrut region

Azerbaijan President is blatantly threatening Armenia again

Armenia FM meets with members of ruling parliamentary faction

Armenia PM giving press conference

Armenian PM attends Requiem Service for wife of National Hero of Armenia Karen Demirtchyan

Analyst clarifies what will disturb Turkey and Azerbaijan from opening so-called corridor via Armenia

NEWS.am daily digest: 24.12.21

Republican Party of Armenia: Authorities are creating barrier between Diaspora and historic homeland with their policy

Turkey, Qatar sign memorandum on joint management of Kabul International Airport

Armenia ex-defense minister Davit Tonoyan to remain in custody

Representatives of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities meet in Moscow for first time after Karabakh military conflict

Dollar still losing value in Armenia

Parliament vice-speaker receives American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia board chairman

Republican Party spokesperson: Armenia authorities decided to smoothen ties with Turkey after defeat in war

Armenia Health Ministry Legal Department head: Decision of Constitutional Court is ministry's victory

MFA: Russia welcomes international efforts to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations

Armenia President receives group of parents of deceased servicemen

Armenia Security Council holds session

Iran FM: Tehran is ready to participate in next stage of negotiations with Saudi Arabia

Zakharova on Armenia-Azerbaijan railway link: Substantive discussions continue on trilateral working group

Kremlin: US may consult with Ankara over settlement of situation in Ukraine

Zakharova: Moscow believes Ankara will take Russia's signals seriously

Non-official meeting of leaders of CIS countries to be held on Dec. 28

Audit Chamber official: Armenia banks have misused state subsidies they received

Armenia health, labor inspectorate to inspect 700 economic entities in 2022

Russia peacekeepers ensure safe travel of more than 2,000 people to, from Karabakh in one day

Azerbaijan's Aliyev celebrates 60th birthday in occupied Armenian city of Hadrut

Russia MFA: Not only Turkey ready to hold 3+3 regional consultative mechanism meeting

Maria Zakharova wishes Yerevan and Baku peace and patience

Valerie Pecresse posts comment on Facebook: I visited Armenia - France's fraternal country

Putin, Aliyev confirm readiness to strengthen Russia-Azerbaijan strategic partnership

Middle East Eye: Turkey encouraged by Armenia PM Pashinyan's reelection, aims to normalize relations

Armenia government: Constitutional Court decision does not lift requirement for employees to submit PCR test result

New program shall develop Armenia metrology

Armenia opposition MP: Corridor is spoken of as established fact in Azerbaijan

Armenia Constitutional Reform Council to include 2 representatives of international organizations

Putin expresses Aliyev readiness to continue dialogue, joint work to strengthen regional stability, security

1 more person dies of coronavirus in Karabakh

135 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Lavrov: Involvement of Kiev in NATO poses serious risks, even large-scale conflict in Europe

Newly elected Vanadzor city council first session not convened

NATO to approach Russia borders in case of aggression against Ukraine

President thanks Russia peacekeepers, Putin in terms of Artsakh security

Newspaper: What is actual Covid death toll in Armenia?

Newspaper: Details became known from closed meeting between Armenia PM, parliament majority faction

US arms exports fall 21% in 2021

Diaspora Commissioner: More than 1.5 million people left Armenia in 30 years

High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs: Armenia won't build relations with Turkey at expense of interests of nation

High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs: Fifth Turkish Column is very active in Armenia

Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs: We Armenians don't know our enemies well

Biden administration welcomes 'small' steps toward diplomacy with Russia

Blinken, Stoltenberg discuss NATO's 'dual-track approach' to Russia

Armenia ruling faction MP: Talks in Brussels were discussed during meeting with PM

Armenia Health Ministry responds to Constitutional Court's decision on COVID-19 testing

Armenian High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs: Living in Armenia is safer than in developed countries

Analyst shares information about growth of sales of Armenian wines

Analyst: Artsakh wine export indicators have dropped

Karabakh President: Presence of Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh needs to be guaranteed and termless

Iraq calls for launch of direct talks between US and Iran

Hayk Marutyan bids staff of Yerevan Municipality farewell

Moscow State Institute of International Relations to introduce Armenian language courses

Armenia PM: Digital processes should have daily practical significance for people

Iran FM expresses willingness to assist Azerbaijan in restoring Karabakh's occupied territories

Turkish vice-president tests positive for COVID-19

Lights of main Christmas tree in Yerevan switched on

Aram Vardevanyan: Armenian employees no longer obliged to pay for PCR tests, this is unconstitutional

NEWS.am daily digest: 23.12.21

Azerbaijan addresses Bosnia & Herzegovina for identification of remains
UK is concerned about the escalation of trade disputes between the US and China. London believes that no one will benefit from a trade war, said a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May, Reuters reported.

We have been saying on this for some time that we are concerned about it and that we are clear that nobody benefits from trade wars, the spokeswoman said. The discussions between the two are ongoing and we hope that they will find a resolution to avoid any further escalation.

As reported earlier, the US on Friday increased duties on imports of Chinese goods to 25% worth more than $ 200 billion. China said it would take retaliatory measures. All this is happening against the background of the continuation of trade talks between Washington and Beijing, the next round of which will be held today in the US capital.
Check concentrate feeder accuracy

WITH the cost of dairy cow concentrates rising farmers have been urged to check the accuracy of their feeders to ensure they are not overfeeding, or indeed underfeeding, their livestock.
YEREVAN.  Politics is an art of the possible, and we are ready to collaborate with other opposition forces. Hayk Mamijanyan, head of the youth organization of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), stated this at a press conference on Friday.

In his conviction, the demand forthird President and RPA ChairmanSerzh Sargsyan the political figure is apparent among the society, and his words have a certain weight.

Mamijanyan added that Sargsyans latest statements in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) attest to a balanced approach because he realizes that when in Artsakh capital city of Stepanakert, one should speak about the Karabakh issue and not touch upon the domestic politics of Armenia.

The RPA leader will soon make an address and announce his approaches and vision, the leader of the RPA youth wing added, in particular.

Also, the RPA member noted that despite being a non-parliamentary political force, their party offers more constructive approaches than even the current parliamentary opposition.

In his words, many scandalous court cases in Armenia have had a political context, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his team need to realize that there are two types of accountability.

Political [accountability], which our party has baredbeing deprived of power, and legal [accountability], where a specific person, but not a [political] party, can bear accountability, the opposition member explained.

In addition, Hayk Mamijanyan stated that the RPA members are also Armenian citizens, and that it is impermissible to detach them from others.
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan says he is in direct contact with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to understand who is destabilizing the situation on the border, but this is inadmissible. This is what head of the youth organization of the Republican Party of Armenia Hayk Mamijanyan declared during a May 10 press conference.

According to him, it seems that either the Prime Minister is finding out the facts from the President of Azerbaijan or there is a new co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Hayk Mamijanyan says the healthcare ministers statement that medical experiments need to be conducted in countries like Armenia and Sasun Mikayelyans statement that the Armenian armys contractual soldiers are mainly those who have problems with alcohol are inadmissible.

The member of the Republican Party of Armenia also said the political oppositions behavior is strange.

Leader of Bright Armenia Party Edmon Marukyans statement that the party has never collaborated with the former authorities is simply ridiculous since everyone knows that he has met with President Serzh Sargsyan in the past.

He also stated that, for some reason, almost all opposition MPs are criticizing Nikol Pashinyans team and avoid criticizing him.
Nikol Pashinyans press conference sparked a lot of questions. This is what deputy of the Prosperous Armenia faction of the National Assembly Gevorg Petrosyan told journalists today.

According to him, a lot of the points that Pashinyan stated have nothing to do with the governments activities and are not achievements. For instance, Nikol Pashinyan assured that the appointment of diplomats is no longer political, but this cant be considered an achievement. The same goes for the statement that the column of cars of the Prime Minister stop under a red light, he said.

The MP also stated that the country hasnt seen the results of the joint session of the national security councils of Armenia and Karabakh and hasnt noticed the investments that, according to the incumbent authorities, were going to be made right after the Republican Party of Armenia stepped down from power.

On May 8, Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave a big press conference during which he summed up the results of the governments activities a year after change of power.
During its May 10 session, the Government of Armenia approved the proposal to sign an agreement On the mechanism for traceability of commodities imported into the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union.

It was stated that the first time the draft agreement was sent to EAEU member states for domestic coordination was in May 2017.

The main purpose of the agreement is to ensure lawfulness of the circulation of commodities being transported from the territory of one EAEU member state to another member state in order to apply the mechanism for traceability of commodities, as well as to create conditions that will rule out the use of different schemes to avoid payment of customs and tax fees, while ensuring oversight over operations connected with the circulation of commodities.

The agreement establishes the procedure for the creation and operation of a traceability mechanism within the Eurasian Economic Union. It also envisages traceability for commodities included in the list to be approved by the Eurasian Economic Commission. The mechanism will be introduced through consecutive stages (stage-by-stage). In the first stage, the traceability mechanism will be applied within the scope of a pilot project, the time periods and terms for implementation of which will be established by the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The creation of a national system of traceability of commodities, stipulated by Article 14 of the Agreement, may lead to the need for additional funding from the State Budget of Armenia.
Six patients in Yerevan almost went blind after using infected eye drops, which caused a dangerous infection, said Zara Malayan, deputy director of the S. Malayan Ophthalmological Center. The patients relatives claimed that the patients had trouble differentiating between light and dark after the drug injection.

Zara Malayan noted that the infection will not have irreversible consequences for the patients: they all received the first aid and treatment, and their vision will be restored.

Today, Malayan told NEWS.am Medicine that patients who almost lost their eyesight after Avastin injections have been checked out of the Ophthalmological Center after S. V. Malayan

Municipality of the Spanish town of Soria formally recognized the Armenian Genocide.

According to the statement of the Armenian Embassy to Spain, all four parties of the city council unanimously accepted the petition filed by the Armenian Ararat Union.

The petition read by Mayor Carlos Martinez Mingez said Soria officially recognizes the Armenian Genocide and urges Castilla and Leon, Spain and Turkey to follow their lead and to recognize the Armenian Genocide and condemn it

The head of veterinary inspection at the Ministry of Agriculture accepted a large bribe in exchange for a forged certificate of transporting several thousands of sheep to Qatar, Armenia's National Security Services press service reported.

The official received a part of the amount from NSS employees in April, and the rest  on May 7. The official was detained at the moment when he was accepting bribe. An investigation has been launched.

Armenian National Committee of America national leaders have urged the Senate and House action to expand aid to Armenia and Artsakh, broaden the U.S.-Armenia strategic partnership, and establish a permanent, principled policy of U.S. remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, the official website of ANCA reported.

During the meeting, ANCA leaders also encouraged Sen. Bob Menendez to support expanded aid to Artsakh, prioritizing the ongoing de-mining effort through The HALO Trust and additional funding for humanitarian and developmental programs, including the expansion and modernization of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center.

During talks with Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, ANCA leaders noted both Artsakh, Armenia aid priorities, with a special emphasis on assistance for Armenian who have sought safe haven in Armenia from Middle East unrest in Syria and Iraq.

ANCA leaders thanked Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) for her leadership in 2018 in advancing legislation promoting Armenia reforestation efforts with incentives.

Talks with Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone focused on the implementation of common-sense proposals to reduce tensions at the Artsakh and Armenia lines of contact with Azerbaijan.

Discussions with House Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor Adam Schiff focused on expanding bi-partisan support for the measure, which currently has over 95 Congressional cosponsors.

Artsakh aid and stronger U.S.-Armenia economic ties through the negotiation of a new tax treaty took center-stage in discussions with senior House Foreign Affairs Committee member, Brad Sherman.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
On May 10, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea hosted the subsequent political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Korea, reports the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

The moderator of the political consultations from Armenia was Head of the Department for Asian, African and Oceanian countries at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Areg Hovhannisian, and the moderator from Korea was Director General of the European Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea Jung Ki-hong. Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Republic of Korea Hrant Poghosyan (seat in Tokyo) was also part of the Armenian delegation. The parties discussed a wide range of issues related to the bilateral relations, including the perspectives of reciprocal visits, the imperative for intensification of economic cooperation, the actions for expansion of the legal-contractual field, partnership within international organizations and developments in the region. With satisfaction, the parties stated that the number of Korean tourists visiting Armenia has grown sharply following liberalization of the visa regime.
It was his song to graduates, his way of commemorating the moment.

After all, they were the stars of the day, the newest educators in their respective fields. And Richard Blanco, the Miami-raised poet, public speaker, and civil engineer who recited the powerful poem One Today at President Barack Obamas second inauguration, wanted to honor them with prose inspired by them.

The son of a working class immigrant family that moved from Cuba to Madrid in 1968, Blanco received an honorary doctor of humane letters at the first of three undergraduate degree ceremonies on Friday.

Standing on the Watsco center stage, he told students his poem was a moment of passing the torch in some way. The outspoken activist for diversity, immigration, and LGBTQ rights who is now an associate professor of English at Florida International University and has written the recently released book "How to Love a Country," then read for students:

Teach Us, Then We taught you: how to unravel the spin of our galaxy and unwind the spirals of our DNA; how to spy on the invisible splitting of atoms and the bloom of our dividing cells; how to listen to the footsteps of our history marching through all the firestorms and tearstains of our wars. We taught you how to savor all the colors of a painting, taste our insatiable desire to render the beauty of our pain, and pain of our beauty; how to appreciate the art of algebra, and the algebra of art; how to dance with a poem, let it lead you though the rhythms of your life with all its beats of joy and pauses of sorrow. We taught you: how to stare into the mirror of the moon and trust the light shimmering in your eyes. How to decipher the creases of your palms and the wrinkles of mountains; how to listen to the truth of your thoughts as certain as the will of roaring waves. We taught you how to teach yourselves, hoping someday you will teach us all that we couldnt teach you. Teach us, then: today, tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. Teach us: how to remap the world without borders that cage people in the colors of their countries without enough, though there is enough for all of us; how to melt our bullets into bells, let them ring a resounding end to the subject of blood in our classrooms. Teach us: how to beseech all the life weve named, studied, and endangered: bless the pandas pantomime, bless the tigers stalking eyes, bless the wails of our blue whales; how to make peace with them, with each other, and with the earth so that we may not become as endangered as we are estranged from one another. Teach us: how to stop thinking of ourselves as red and blue states shouting at each other; how to look instead into each others eyes this morning, and tomorrow morning, and every morning, and see not what we are, but who we are. Teach us: how to say: I see you (not because youre a man or a woman or anything in-between); how to say: I see you (not because youre black or white or anything in-between); how to say: I see you (not because youre straight or gay or anything in-between). Teach us, then: how to see each other, how to love, how to reach the stars, together. (Watch video of Richard Blanco delivering the poem.)

Blancos poem moved many in attendance, including Alexander Margetts, a neuroscience major from Parkland, Florida.

With his parents watching from the Watsco Center bowl, he marched across the arena stage to accept his degree, the embodiment of what Blanco described as the educators of tomorrow. His four years of undergraduate study are now complete, but his journey to becoming a neurosurgeon is still in the beginning stages.

During three years of academic endeavors at UM, the 22-year-old Margetts, an alumnus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where a mass shooting left 17 people dead in 2018, conducted research at the Miller School of Medicines Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. His goal: to determine if a combinatory treatment of human Schwann cells and neural stem cells in rats could regenerate neurons and improve motor function following spinal cord injury.

UM, he said, opened his eyes to the field of neuroscience.

Ive always thought of myself as someone who likes a challenge, he said before the start of Fridays morning ceremony. Throughout high school and my first year at UM, one thing that was always drilled into us is that theres still not a lot we know about the brain. We know what functions it performs. We know a little bit about how it does it. But theres so much unknown about it. As somebody who thinks critically and wants to be a scientist, I thought, Why not go into this field? You can really make a difference this way.

Hes been accepted into the Miller Schools Ph.D. program and will continue his work at the Miami Project. But even over all the research he undertook as an undergraduate, it was the power of involvement he considers his biggest accomplishment at the University.

In the wake of the Stoneman Douglas tragedy, Margetts channeled his energy, helping to organize and host This Is America: Mass Shooting Memorial, an event in which UM students converted the Shalala Student Center Ballroom into a setting that mirrored recent tragic shootings in the nationfrom Sandy Hook to the Pulse Nightclub to Virginia Tech.

It was our way of raising awareness, said Margetts.

Palestinian and Jordanian-American Serene Shehadeh, the student speaker who received her degree in biology and hopes to go on to medical school, said her four years at UM have changed her.

Im not the same person who came here in 2015, when my father dropped me off at Hecht Residential College, she said. Ive grown in terms of confidence and leadership.

At the midday ceremony for the schools of Architecture, Communication, and Education and Human Development, as well as the Frost School of Music and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Pat Mitchell, the first woman to serve as president of PBS, told graduates: You cant be dangerous from the sidelines.

A media icon who has focused on using her industry as a force for social change, with a special emphasis on the representation of womens voices and stories, Mitchell described herself as a dangerous woman.

Im here today to inspire you to become dangerous, too, because were living in dangerous times, and such times call on us to be bolder, more daring, braver in our solutions and responses, said Mitchell, who received an honorary doctor of humane letters.

Being dangerous, she explained to the graduates, doesnt mean being feared or fearful, but more fearless. I dont mean abusing power, but I do mean using it, sharing it to empower others and speaking up and showing up for those without voice or representation, she said.

I believe thats whats necessary now to change the world that you are moving into today, Mitchell continued, noting that the planet is one of rising sea levels and polluted oceans.

Racism, sexism, nationalism, and gender-based violence are on the rise, she said.

Compassion, civility, and empathy are declining, she said. But the good news is you, more than most, are prepared to be the risk takers, the change makers, the problem solvers. You are prepared to be as dangerous as you need to be to change the world you enter today.

She called on Rosenstiel School graduates to bring new ideas and solutions to the climate change, describing the problem as the existential threat to our lifetime.

Mitchell urged nursing and health studies graduates to go to the danger zones to deliver the health services all people need, saying they are better prepared for growing weather-related emergencies, as they were on the frontlines when Hurricane Irma struck.

Put climate justice at the center of all your designs, she told architecture students, noting that dangerous climatic conditions have already displaced some populations, creating climate refugees. She implored them to meet sustainable challenges with new innovations and new technologies for resilient communities.

She called on education graduates to challenge the ways we have learned by what they learned in UMs classrooms and communication students to be intentional about the media they create and consume.

The world, she said, needs more documentaries like Chasing Coral and podcasts like former President of Ireland Mary Robinsons Mothers of Invention. The power of media is in our hands, quite literally, so lets use it to be informed."

She told music students that it is hard to imagine the civil rights movement without gospel songs like We Shall Overcome and the womens movement without an anthem like Helen Reddys I Am Woman.

I am roaring louder than ever these days, said Mitchell. So join me. Jump in. The waters rising and warming. Im counting on you to get us to safe shores.

Kyra Freeman, who earned her public health degree from the School of Nursing and Health Studies, said she intends to do just that. She is off to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, to start work on a masters degree, with a concentration in health management and policy.

Ive learned so much in and out of the classroom during my time here, she said.

During his address at the afternoon ceremony for the Miami Business School and College of Engineering, Frederick W. Smith, the chairman and CEO of FedEx Corporation, urged graduates to believe in the impossible.

As a student at Yale University in the early 1960s, Smith conceived of an idea for a company that would guarantee overnight delivery of time-sensitive goods. His term paper on the subject earned him only C, but the core concept became the basis for the global transportation and logistics giant we know as FedEx.

Its certainly important to stay firmly rooted in reality, but I encourage you to believe the impossible, said Smith, who was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters. Many thought FedEx was impossible when it began more than 45 years ago. Yet here I am representing those 450,000 wonderful people conducting the operations that we do to 220 countries and territories every day.

The decorated Vietnam War veteran shared with graduates five important ways they could convert their impossible dreams into reality.

Differentiate yourself. Find the thing that sets you apart. Unless you can distinguish yourself from everyone else, you wont stand out from the crowd, he said, noting that his company came up with a way to track packages instantaneously. It is the uniqueness of what you do and who you are that will attract people to you and help you become successful.

Smith also urged graduates to have passion for what they do, to have a business plan grounded in reasonable expectations, to work effectively with others, and to change and grow as the world around them changes and grows. Learn everything that you can possibly learn about as much as you can, he said.  If you dont know the ins and outs of your company or your career, your profession or your industry, then youre highly likely to experience more downs than ups throughout the years.
In the May 2019 survey we received responses from 1,326,664,693 sites across 235,011,143 unique domain names and 8,726,985 web-facing computers. Although this reflects a gain of 1.12 million domains and 113,000 computers, there has been a loss of 119 million sites.

This month's relatively large drop in sites (-8.2%) includes a 10.3 million reduction in the number of websites that are served by nginx, just a month after it became the first vendor other than Microsoft and Apache to serve the largest number of websites over the past 23 years. As Apache lost only 696,000 sites this month, nginx is now only 1.73 million sites ahead, with a market share of 29.20% compared with Apache's 29.07%.

The sites metric has been particularly volatile for Microsoft, which was within two percentage points of Apache's share last month; but this month, it suffered a significant loss of 112 million (-30.8%) sites, leaving it more than 10 points behind with a market share of 18.9%.

Despite losing more than 10 million sites, nginx has outperformed every vendor in all other headline metrics this month  this includes a gain of 939,000 active sites, 1.06 million domains, 63,800 web-facing computers, and an additional 2,120 sites within the top-million websites. Apache continues to lead in all of these metrics, while nginx is in second place and closing, increasing its market share while Apache's declines.

Apache lost 4,330 entries from the top million sites this month, decreasing its share of that market to 31.8%, but leaving it still more than 5 percentage points ahead of nginx. Some of the highest-traffic users of Apache include FedEx, Orange, Slack, Adobe and Ubuntu, while prominent users of nginx include the likes of DuckDuckGo, the BBC, GitLab, and the bit.ly short link service.

The highest-traffic site, www.google.com, uses the in-house gws (Google Web Server), which is also used by many other top-million Google websites, including Google Maps and dozens of country-specific variants of the main search site  like google.de and google.nl.

Envoy

A relatively unfamiliar server called envoy has suddenly leapt into 10th place by sites after experiencing 500-fold growth, increasing its website count from just 10,300 to 5.10 million sites across 2.71 million distinct domains. The majority of these sites are hosted by SquareSpace, which provides easy-to-use website and online store building services that feature drag-and-drop layouts with ready-made templates.

Envoy is an open source edge and service proxy designed for cloud-native applications. It was originally built by the transportation network company Lyft, but Squarespace is now by far the most visible user of the product. Squarespace engineers pursued a self-service infrastructure with Kubernetes to handle the complexity of their software, but to keep up with growth and demand, they started integrating the Envoy proxy into their system more than a year ago to build a service mesh control plane  a policy that turns a set of isolated stateless sidecar proxies into a distributed system.

While this is the first survey in which Envoy has been seen en masse at Squarespace, it is possible that they have already been using it for a number of months without revealing the envoy server header.

cPanel

This month's survey also saw cPanel advance to 9th place with a total of 7.35 million sites. cPanel is a Linux-based web hosting control panel that provides a graphical interface for administering websites via a secure service on port 2083. Most cPanel-administered websites exhibit the bare cPanel server banner on HTTP port 80, but there are also 5.77 million Apache-powered sites that reveal the use of cPanel via Server headers similar to Apache/2.4.39 (cPanel) OpenSSL/1.0.2r mod_bwlimited/1.4 .

While the cPanel interface is aimed at individual end users or hosting customers, the associated WHM (WebHost Manager) interface allows hosting providers to manage large numbers of cPanel user accounts and add custom branding to their customers' dashboards. A slightly cheaper cPanel Solo product also provides most cPanel and WHM features to hosting providers or individuals with only a single server account to manage. These products have led to cPanel being found across a variety of hosting locations in more than 150 countries, ranging from more than 400,000 cPanel-powered sites operated by a single French hosting company, to a single cPanel-powered website in the whole of Zambia.

New web server releases

nginx 1.16.0 was released on 23 April 2019. In keeping with nginx tradition, this first release in the 1.16.x stable branch includes all of the new features and bug fixes that were introduced in the 1.15.x mainline branch  this means it has improved UDP proxying, support for TLS 1.3 early data and dynamic loading of TLS certificates amongst other features.

Envoy 1.10.0 was released on 5 April 2019, enabling TLS 1.3 on the server-side, and making a multitude of other changes and additions. The previous release, 1.9.1, addressed two vulnerabilities  CVE-2019-9900 and CVE-2019-9901 both of which could have allowed remote attackers to bypass access control rules.

GoDaddy is currently using DPS 1.6.0 to serve customer sites that have been created with its Website Builder tool. This server software continues to be updated fairly frequently: the sites were using DPS 1.5.11 when this month's survey data was originally collected, and DPS 1.5.7 during last month's survey.









Developer April 2019 Percent May 2019 Percent Change nginx 397,728,889 27.52% 387,416,889 29.20% 1.68 Apache 386,380,893 26.73% 385,685,252 29.07% 2.34 Microsoft 362,109,196 25.05% 250,440,887 18.88% -6.18 Google 25,956,080 1.80% 27,711,375 2.09% 0.29





Developer April 2019 Percent May 2019 Percent Change Apache 55,982,911 30.30% 56,104,046 29.85% -0.46 nginx 38,293,931 20.73% 39,232,683 20.87% 0.14 Google 14,801,433 8.01% 15,712,506 8.36% 0.35 Microsoft 11,298,492 6.12% 11,229,062 5.97% -0.14

For more information see Active Sites





Developer April 2019 Percent May 2019 Percent Change Apache 322,376 32.24% 318,046 31.80% -0.43 nginx 262,220 26.22% 264,340 26.43% 0.21 Microsoft 86,118 8.61% 85,355 8.54% -0.08 LiteSpeed 17,068 1.71% 17,063 1.71% -0.00





Developer April 2019 Percent May 2019 Percent Change Apache 3,213,815 37.31% 3,229,028 37.00% -0.31 nginx 2,569,379 29.83% 2,633,207 30.17% 0.34 Microsoft 1,554,282 18.04% 1,572,784 18.02% -0.02




The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

Back to [RTHK News Homepage]
4411 N. Wolcott Ave., #2B. | Photos: Zumper

Curious just how far your dollar goes in Ravenswood?

According to Walk Score, this Chicago neighborhood has excellent walkability, is easy to get around on a bicycle and offers many nearby public transportation options. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Ravenswood is currently hovering around $1,300.

So, what might you expect to find if you've got $1,100 / month earmarked for your rent? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental offerings, via Zumper. (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.

4400 N. Winchester Ave.

Listed at $1,100/month, this one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit is located at 4400 N. Winchester Ave.

The building features on-site laundry and outdoor space. In the unit, you can anticipate hardwood floors and ample closet space. Cats are permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the complete listing here.)

1925 W. Winnemac Ave., #3

Here's an 800-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 1925 W. Winnemac Ave., #3 that's also going for $1,100/month.

The building boasts on-site laundry. In the unit, you'll get hardwood floors, a fireplace and a deck. Pets are not welcome.

(Take a look at the full listing here.)

4614 N. Paulina St., #310

Located at 4614 N. Paulina St., #310, here's a studio apartment that's listed for $1,095/month.

On-site laundry is listed as a building amenity. In the unit, you can expect hardwood flooring, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are allowed.

(See the complete listing here.)

4440 N. Western Ave.

Here's a studio at 4440 N. Western Ave. that's going for $1,075/month.

Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are allowed. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

Story continues

(Take a look at the full listing here.)

4411 N. Wolcott Ave., #2B

Located at 4411 N. Wolcott Ave., #2B, here's a 400-square-foot studio apartment that's listed for $1,050/month.

The building has on-site laundry. In the unit, you can anticipate hardwood floors, a fireplace and high ceilings. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are welcome.

(Take a gander 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.
3800 Bird Road. | Photos: Zumper

Curious just how far your dollar goes in Coral Way?

According to Walk Score, this Miami neighborhood is friendly for those on foot, is bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Coral Way is currently hovering around $1,673.

So, what might you expect to find if you've got a budget of $1,700/month? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental listings, via Zumper. (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.

2280 S.W. 32nd Ave., #610

Here's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo located at 2280 S.W. 32nd Ave., #610. It's listed for $1,700/month.

In the unit, you'll find air conditioning, in-unit laundry and stainless steel appliances. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(Check out the complete listing here.)

2665 S.W. 37th Ave., #913

Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo at 2665 S.W. 37th Ave., #913, that's also going for $1,700/month.

In the unit, you'll get tile floors, in-unit laundry and a balcony. The building features garage parking, a swimming pool and a fitness center. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

(Check out the complete listing here.)

1650 Coral Way

Next, check out this 770-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo that's located at 1650 Coral Way. It's listed for $1,700/month.

In the unit, you'll get air conditioning, hardwood floors and a balcony. The building boasts assigned parking, a swimming pool and an elevator. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. There's no leasing fee required for this rental.

Story continues

(Take a look at the complete listing here.)

3500 Coral Way, #1405

Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment situated at 3500 Coral Way, #1405. It's listed for $1,650/month.

The building features a swimming pool, garage parking and a fitness center. Unit amenities include air conditioning and in-unit laundry. Animals are not welcome. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

3800 Bird Road

Located at 3800 Bird Road, here's a studio apartment that's listed for $1,613/month.

In the unit, you can expect air conditioning, a dishwasher and in-unit laundry. When it comes to building amenities, expect garage parking, an elevator and a swimming pool. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are welcome. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

(See 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.
* U.S.-China to resume two-day trade talks

* All European sub-sectors higher

* Thyssenkrupp soars on report of abandoning split plan

* Ambu tumbles after CEO exit news (Adds details, quotes; updates prices)

By Medha Singh and Agamoni Ghosh

May 10 (Reuters) - European shares rallied on Friday, recovering slightly from six week lows as investors hoped that United States and China would still be able to resolve their bitter trade dispute, even as a planned U.S. tariff hike on Chinese imports took effect.

The STOXX 600 index added 0.9 percent by 0840 GMT. The pan-European index, which has been bruised by trade worries most of this week, remains on track for its biggest weekly decline this year.

Trade-sensitive Germany's DAX was leading the charge with its 1.1 percent rise while the volatility gauge on euro zone blue-chips eased from a four-month high.

The tariff hike on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods came in the middle of two days of talks between top U.S. and Chinese negotiators to try to rescue a faltering deal aimed at ending a trade war between the world's largest economies.

"The fact that the two sides have agreed to continue negotiations on Friday is offering a glimmer of hope that the relationship between the two powers hasn't deteriorated beyond repair," said Jasper Lawler, head of research at futures brokerage London Capital Group wrote in a note.

Trade optimism and a jump in Bechtle shares after results helped technology lead the rally among European sub-sectors, all of which were higher.

Defensive stocks - real estate and telecom - posting the slimmest gains.

Bechtle jumped 9 percent after the German IT-systems provider reported a nearly 30 percent rise in quarterly revenue and reaffirmed its full-year outlook.

Thyssenkrupp climbed about 10 percent after sources told Reuters it is considering listing of its elevators business after abandoning plans to split itself up.

Meanwhile, the world's largest cement maker LafargeHolcim gained 3 percent after agreeing to sell its Philippines operations in a deal valuing them at $2.15 billion.

Story continues

Among airline stocks, Air France shares rose after the carrier reported a 9.2 percent year-over-year rise in passengers across the group last month while British Airways owner IAG jumped after reiterating its operating profit guidance in 2019.

At the bottom of the STOXX 600 was Denmark-based medical equipment marketer Ambu after the company's chief executive Lars Marcher resigned.

France's main airports group ADP tumbled for a second straight day over plans for a public vote on its privatization process. France's finance minister said he remained committed to privatizing the company. (Reporting by Medha Singh and Agamoni Ghosh in Bengaluru Editing by Keith Weir)
* France seeks to take lead on tech regulation

* Zuckerberg says more countries should follow France

* Aims to strike balance between U.S., Chinese approaches

* Facebook dismisses break-up call as "melodramatic" (Adds quotes from Zuckerberg with France 2 television)

By Mathieu Rosemain and Gwenaelle Barzic

PARIS, May 10 (Reuters) - Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg hailed France's efforts to regulate hateful content online as a model for the European Union after meeting President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday.

His comments come after the U.S. social media giant was heavily criticized by politicians and the public for its failure to more rapidly remove footage of the March shooting attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, from its network.

Fifty people were killed in the assault, with footage of it circulating online for days.

Zuckerberg's meeting with Macron coincided with the release of a report commissioned by the French leader recommending increased oversight of Facebook and an independent regulator to police the efforts of large tech companies to deal with hate speech.

"If more countries can follow the lead of what your government has done here, that will likely end up being a more positive outcome for the world in my view than some of the alternatives," Zuckerberg told reporters at Facebook's Paris office after the meeting at the Elysee palace.

"We need new rules for the internet that will spell out the responsibilities of companies and those of governments," he told France 2 television in an interview. "That is why we want to work with the team of President Macron. We need a public process."

The French president wants France to take a leading role on tech regulation, seeking to strike a balance between what he perceives as the United States' laissez-faire stance and China's iron grip on the internet.

The 33-page report, co-written by a former lobbyist for Google France, recommends that French authorities should have more access to Facebook's algorithms and greater scope to audit the company's internal policies against hate speech.

Story continues

The report comes after Facebook allowed a team of French regulators to spend six months inside the company monitoring its policies. It represents a "half-time" assessment for their stint which started in January.

"The inadequacy and lack of credibility in the self-regulatory approach adopted by the largest platforms justify public intervention to make them more responsible," the report said.

Companies like Facebook cannot simply declare themselves to be transparent, it added, noting that checking the integrity of the algorithms they use was a particularly complex task.

'DOMINATING POSITION'

However, the convergence between French regulators and big tech companies was criticized by some internet lobby groups.

"Up to now, in terms of regulation, only the internet giants have been invited to the table, while others wait for decisions to be taken to have more visibility," Constance Bommelaer de Leusse of non-profit group Internet Society said.

"This only reinforces the dominating position of Web giants," she said.

This week, Chris Hughes, one of the founders of Facebook with Zuckerberg while they were at Harvard, wrote in a long opinion piece in the New York Times that he believed the company was too powerful and needed to be broken up.

Zuckerberg declined to comment on Hughes' piece when asked by reporters in Paris, but Nick Clegg, his global communication head and a former British deputy prime minister, dismissed it as "melodramatic."

"For us, the alternative to these melodramatic calls for breaking up companies is exactly what we're discussing here, which is proper regulation. What the tech sector needs is not to be broken up, it is proper rules," Clegg said.

France's parliament, where Macron's ruling party has a comfortable majority, is debating legislation that would give the new regulator the power to fine tech companies up to 4% of their global revenue if they don't do enough to remove hateful content from their network.

Facebook's decision to allow the team of French regulators inside the company was the first time the company had opened its doors in such a way.

Facebook's shares fell as much as 5% in a single day following the Christchurch shooting, but have since risen by about 10%, helped by good first-quarter results. (Additional reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey and Michel Rose; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Mark Potter)
(Adds PM quote, final vote count)

ATHENS, May 10 (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras won a confidence vote on Friday, weeks before European Parliament elections that will be a first test of his government's re-election chances in national polls this autumn.

The leftist premier turned a censure motion against one of his ministers into a confidence vote this week. The final vote count showed 153 lawmakers backed the government in the 300-seat house. A total of 289 deputies voted.

Tsipras' government, whose term ends in October, is trailing the conservative opposition in opinion polls. The EU vote on May 26 will be held in parallel with local elections.

Earlier this week the government announced a series of measures for 2019-2021 aimed at easing Greeks' financial strains, including tax cuts and a permanent benefit for pensioners who had their incomes slashed during the country's debt crisis that broke out a decade ago.

Greece emerged from its third international bailout in August last year and has been outperforming its fiscal targets, giving Tsipras leeway for handouts in an election year.

"The support measures which we are bringing and will very soon vote on are permanent, they are justice for the many, the vindication of their sacrifices ... the dawn of a new, a better day for our country," Tsipras told lawmakers before the vote.

The country's EU and International Monetary Fund creditors, who are monitoring Greece's post-bailout economic progress, have yet to assess the impact of the measures.

Lenders' representatives and government officials discussed Tsipras' announcements during a post-bailout review this week and finance ministry officials said "the dialog is ongoing."

Athens has committed to primary budget surplus targets, excluding debt servicing, of 3.5% of annual economic output up to 2022.

The government expects its fiscal outperformance to reach 1.14 billion euros this year and estimates the cost of the pension benefits at 800 million euros.

It also announced the set-up of an escrow account, where 5.5 billion euros would be deposited in the coming days as a guarantee for the lenders that Athens will meet its targets and debt obligations in the three-year period.

According to EU officials, it has not yet been decided if setting aside cash is adequate as a guarantee. The issue may be discussed later in a meeting of euro zone finance ministers later this month or in June. (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos and Renee Maltezou Editing by Frances Kerry)
(Adds background)

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Russia on May 12-14, where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the State Department said on Friday.

They will discuss "the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges," the State Department said in a statement.

Though U.S. President Donald Trump has sought closer ties between the two countries, Pompeo's meeting comes as the two heavyweights have clashed over a number of issues, including Venezuela, Syria and Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. (Reporting by Makini Brice and Susan Heavey; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Steve Orlofsky)
(Updates with House letter, administration official)

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - Senior Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress told President Donald Trump on Friday they were concerned about Hungary's "downward democratic trajectory," ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to Washington next week.

"In recent years, democracy in Hungary has significantly eroded. ... Under Orban, the election process has become less competitive and the judiciary is increasingly controlled by the state," Republican Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch and Bob Menendez, the panel's top Democrat, said in a letter to Trump.

The letter was also signed by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

Several Democratic members of the House of Representatives, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, called on Trump to cancel his meeting with Orban, citing similar concerns as well as his anti-Semitic and xenophobic comments.

Orban is a nationalist leader who has often had conflicts with the European Union over his anti-immigration campaigns and judicial reforms. He clashed with the administration of then-U.S. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, over what critics said was an erosion of democratic values by his government.

Trump is due to meet with Orban on Monday.

The senators also said they were very concerned about the close relationship between Hungary, a NATO partner, and Russia. They said Hungary has failed to diversify its energy resources from Moscow and allowed Russia to exploit its visa system to evade U.S. sanctions.

They called the relocation of the International Investment Bank from Moscow to Budapest "an exercise in Russian power projection." And they said it was disturbing that Hungary rejected a U.S. extradition request for two arms dealers and instead sent them "to their freedom in Moscow."

Story continues

The senators asked Trump to raise those concerns in his meeting with Orban and underscore U.S. support for the Hungarian people.

White House officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

However, a senior administration official told reporters at the White House that Orban's visit was part of a Trump administration strategy of re-engagement in Central and Eastern Europe, trying to encourage nations to work together and engage with NATO and neighbors like Ukraine.

"The point of this meeting is simply just to reinforce the strategic relationship between allies ... not necessarily to thrash out every issue on the bilateral agenda, which we have been doing constantly for the past two years," the official said. (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and Alexandra Alper; Editing by James Dalgleish and Jonathan Oatis)
(Recasts, adds details)

By John Irish and Benoit Tessier

PARIS/LE HAVRE, May 10 (Reuters) - A Saudi vessel that had been due to load weapons at a northern French port on Friday set sail without them and headed for Spain, a day after a rights group tried to block the cargo on humanitarian grounds.

French rights group ACAT argued in a legal challenge on Thursday that the consignment contravened a U.N. treaty because the arms might be used against civilians in Yemen.

A French judge threw out that legal challenge but the Bahri-Yanbu set course for Santander shortly after minus the weapons, officials said and ship-tracking data showed.

The saga is an embarrassment for President Emmanuel Macron, who on Thursday defended arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Riyadh leads the pro-government military coalition in the four-year civil war that has devastated Yemen, killed tens of thousands and left much of the population on the brink of famine.

Macron said on Thursday Riyadh, which he called a key ally in the fight against terrorism, had assured him the weapons the ship was to load were not to be used against civilians.

An official working for Jean-Paul Lecoq, the opposition Communist member of parliament for port city Le Havre, confirmed the vessel had left without the consignment.

"This is a lesson for the executive," he told Reuters. "It can no longer give bland statements saying 'do not worry, we have guarantees'. That no longer works."

European powers are split over arms sales to Saudi Arabia, with France and Britain lobbying against German efforts to toughen the way they are regulated.

The Bahri-Yanbu had been at anchor 25 kilometers (15 miles) off Le Havre since Wednesday evening, already carrying a separate consignment of arms loaded in Antwerp.

WAR CRIMES ALLEGATIONS

France's defense ministry referred questions about the consignment to the foreign ministry, which referred Reuters back to the defense ministry. Neither the prime minister's office, which approves arms' sales, nor the presidency responded.

Story continues

A Saudi embassy spokesman could not immediately comment.

The move by ACAT came after online investigative site Disclose published leaked military intelligence showing weapons sold by France to Saudi Arabia, including tanks and laser-guided missile systems, were being used against civilians in Yemen.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday that Paris adhered to rules related to arms sales,

France is one of Saudi Arabia's main arms' suppliers, but has also faced increasing domestic pressure to review that trade relationship as the human cost of Yemen's war has risen.

ACAT had argued that the transfer contravened the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, which says one country cannot authorize the transfer of weapons if it knows at the time that those weapons could be used to commit war crimes or target civilians.

U.N. officials have said all sides in the Yemeni conflict may have committed war crimes.

The government declined to give details of the arms order, which Disclose had said included eight Caesar howitzer cannons.

(Reporting by John Irish and Benoit Tessier; Editing by Richard Lough and John Stonestreet)
(Corrects host of May 16 ceremony to World Affairs Councils of America in paragraph 5)

SAO PAULO, May 9 (Reuters) - Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro plans to meet with former U.S. President George W. Bush and Senator Ted Cruz in Texas next week, he said on Thursday, after canceling a New York trip.

The far-right Brazilian leader canceled plans last week to attend an event in New York City amid pressure from environmentalists, gay rights activists and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who called him a "dangerous man."

Bolsonaro was set to be honored as person of the year by the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce at a ceremony in the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan.

Under public pressure, the museum ultimately declined to host the event. As organizers scrambled to find another venue and sponsors pulled out, Bolsonaro scrapped the trip.

Bolsonaro recently announced he would visit Dallas, Texas, instead to speak at an event hosted by the World Affairs Councils of America on May 16.

The organization is a century-old, non-profit group with more than 90 affiliates around the United States that describes itself as nonpartisan.

Separately, Bolsonaro's spokesman said on Thursday that the decision to visit Dallas followed an invitation from Bush.

Unlike New York City's De Blasio, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has said he will welcome Bolsonaro to the city. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun and Eduardo Simoes, editing by G Crosse)
(Recasts, adds comment from senior Chinese leader, background)

By Yimou Lee

TAIPEI, May 10 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday that China has stepped up efforts to infiltrate and gain influence in the self-ruled and democratic island, and asked national security agencies to counter the campaign.

Tsai, speaking to reporters after a national security meeting, said China's influence operations included attempts to interfere with elections and fake news campaigns. Taiwan holds presidential elections next January.

She did not give details of specific incidents but said Taiwan's national security agencies would be finding ways to tackle China's moves.

Tsai also said Taiwan would deter military aggression in the Taiwan Strait, vowing to boost defense capabilities, including upgrading military equipment and a recently launched program to build submarines.

"The Chinese Communist Party continues to demonstrate provocative actions in the Taiwan Strait, destroying the status quo across the Taiwan Strait," Tsai said.

Her comments follow a spike in cross-strait tensions last month when China's military staged extensive drills with warships, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft around the island.

Taiwan scrambled jets to monitor the drills, which a senior U.S. official at the time described as "coercion" and a threat to regional stability.

Beijing suspects Tsai is pushing for the island's formal independence and has steadily stepped up political and military pressure.

Any formal independence move is a red line for China, which considers Taiwan its sacred territory has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Tsai says she wants to maintain the status quo with China but will defend Taiwan's security and democracy.

Meeting Taiwan and Chinese reporters at a forum in Beijing on Friday, Wang Yang, the Communist Party's fourth-ranked leader, said there was no future for Taiwan independence attempts and no point trying to rely on "foreign powers."

Story continues

"Time and power are on the mainland's side," the state news agency Xinhua cited Wang as saying.

China reserves the right to use force to bring Taiwan under its control but will strive to achieve peaceful reunification with the island that has a bright future under Chinese rule, President Xi Jinping said in January.

The U.S. House of Representatives this week unanimously backed legislation supporting Taiwan as members of the U.S. Congress push for a sharper approach to relations with Beijing. China has demanded the legislation be withdrawn. (Reporting by Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Farah Master and Greg Torode; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel)
* Serraj says Khaftar is aspiring dictator

* Hundreds killed in Tripoli advance -Tripoli PM

* 40,000 displaced, possible mass migration

* Haftar has been backed by Egypt, UAE, France (Adds U.N. Security Council call for ceasefire)

By Ahmed Elumami

TRIPOLI, May 10 (Reuters) - Libya's internationally recognized government denounced its foe Khalifa Haftar as an "aspiring military dictator" on Friday and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to stop foreign support for his month-long offensive on the capital Tripoli.

Fayez Serraj, prime minister of the beleaguered Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), said Haftar's U.S.-allied backers were turning Libya into a proxy battleground, risking a war with global implications and further mass migration to Europe.

Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is allied to a rival administration in eastern Libya, mounted an offensive on Tripoli in early April, saying the GNA was controlled by what it called terrorists, but has failed to breach the city's defenses.

The United Nations Security Council called on all parties to the Libya conflict on Friday to commit to a ceasefire and return to U.N.-led mediation, said Indonesia's U.N. Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, council president for May, after the 15-member body received a closed-door briefing on the situation.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Serraj said hundreds of Libyans had been killed, more than 40,000 had been forced to leave their homes, and "hundreds of thousands" could flee for Europe."

"The GNA is fighting an aspiring military dictator -- Khalifa Haftar -- whose rival government is taking money and arms from foreign actors pursuing narrow self-interest at Libya's expense," Serraj wrote.

"To prevent a bloody civil war with global implications, Libya needs the U.S. to help stop other countries from meddling in our affairs," Serraj said.

"I remain hopeful that President Trump will succeed where previous presidents have failed...Libyans won't accept another Gadhafi-style military dictatorship."

Story continues

Serraj made his appeal a day after the GNA asked 40 foreign firms including France's Total to renew their licenses or have their operations suspended, a move that placed economic pressure on Europe to stop Haftar's offensive.

While Serraj's Tripoli forces have the backing of the United Nations, Haftar has the support of U.S. allies Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which have helped train his soldiers.

France has supported Haftar as a way to fight militants in a country in chaos since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The GNA denies Haftar's accusations of ties to terrorism and says that it was its allies, not Haftar, who drove Islamic State from the Mediterranean coastal city of Sirte in 2016.

How closely Washington will listen to Serraj is not clear.

Signaling understanding for Haftar's offensive, Trump in April spoke by phone to the eastern commander and discussed "ongoing counterterrorism efforts and the need to achieve peace and stability in Libya," according to the White House.

The statement said Trump "recognized Field Marshall Haftar's significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libyas transition to a stable, democratic political system."

The United Nations has failed to broker a ceasefire after the offensive took it by surprise. Its special envoy Ghassan Salame has mostly stayed on the ground but his mission has reduced staffing levels, U.N. officials say.

European countries including Italy and France have taken a strong interest in Libya, both because of its natural resources and because of its status as a leading departure point for migrants attempting to enter Europe across the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile on the ground, the frontlines around Tripoli have changed little in the past week and fighting has dropped off since the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadam. (Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva, writing by William Maclean; editing by Angus MacSwan and Jonathan Oatis)
(Corrects date of Russian defense minister comment in 7th paragraph)

ISTANBUL, May 10 (Reuters) - Turkey's defense minister said Syrian government forces need to halt attacks in northwestern Syria, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported on Friday.

Syria's army, backed by Russian air power, launched ground operations this week against the southern flank of a rebel zone consisting of Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Syrian forces should return to territories agreed in an international deal in Kazakhstan to reduce hostilities and casualties.

"Humanitarian problems grow each day and it is increasingly showing a tendency to turn into a catastrophe," he said.

Akar also said the attacks pose a threat to the security of Turkey's observation posts in the northwest, where Turkey carries out patrols.

"We expect Russia to take effective and determined measures to make regime forces stop their attacks on the south of Idlib and immediately return to the borders set by the Astana agreement," Akar said, referring to the Kazakh capital by its previous name.

On Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said the operation was a reaction to terrorists in the area, and was being carried out "in coordination with our Turkish partners," TASS news agency reported.

The United Nations Security Council was briefed behind closed doors on Friday on the situation in northwest Syria. Afterward, 11 the 15 members - including the United States, France and Britain - jointly condemned the killing of civilians and warned of a possible humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib.

"We are alarmed by the displacement of over 150,000 persons as well as the targeting of population centers and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools," Belgian U.N. Ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve told reporters on behalf of the 11 members. (Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Sarah Dadouch; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Dominic Evans and Toby Chopra)
* U.S., South Korean, French nationals freed

* Rescue carried out at night

* France intervened militarily in 2013

* Sahel region hit by spike in militant violence (Updates with South Korean comment)

By Richard Lough and Sophie Louet

PARIS, May 10 (Reuters) - French commandos rescued four foreign hostages including two French citizens from a militant group in Burkina Faso, France's military said on Friday, adding that two of the elite soldiers were killed in the night-time operation.

French special forces carried out the raid under cover of dark over the night of Thursday-Friday, supported by U.S. intelligence and troops from France's Barkhane operation deployed in the Sahel region to counter Islamist militants.

All four hostages were safe, President Emmanuel Macron's office said, adding that a U.S. woman and a South Korean woman were also freed in the covert operation.

"The precise and determined actions of French soldiers allowed us to take out the kidnappers while protecting the lives of the hostages," France's army chief Francois Lecointre told a news conference, describing the militant group as "terrorists."

Four kidnappers were killed and two escaped, he said.

"Those who attack France and the French know that we will spare no effort to track them and take them out. We will never abandon our citizens," Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told reporters.

The French forces had not been aware of the presence of the U.S. and South Korean hostages ahead of the operation and they had been held for 28 days, Lecointre said.

"We were not aware of their presence ... the American will be repatriated separately," Parly said.

"The contacts (with those countries) show that these countries were not necessarily aware of their presence."

A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department said the United States was grateful for the successful recovery of the hostages, including a U.S. citizen, and offered condolences to the families of the two solders killed.

Story continues

"The successful operation demonstrates the importance of our historic alliance with France. We reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Burkina Faso and Benin in the face of these threats," she said.

South Korea had confirmed the identity of the South Korean hostage, a woman in her 40s, its foreign ministry said.

South Korea offered condolences to the families of the soldiers killed and was sincerely grateful to France for the rescue, the ministry said.

France, the former colonial power in the region, intervened in Mali in 2013 against Islamist militants then occupying Mali's north and has since kept about 4,500 troops in the Sahel.

The region has seen a spike in violence by militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in past years, highlighting the difficulty international partners face in restoring stability.

France's defense ministry identified the fallen soldiers as two elite naval commandos.

Burkina Faso's President Roch Kabore hailed the hostages' release and offered condolences to the soldiers' families.

"The joint military intervention that allowed us to achieve these results shows our common engagement in fighting against the forces of evil," Kabore said in a Facebook post.

SPREADING INSTABILITY

The two French tourists were kidnapped on May 1 in Benin's Pendjari National Park, which lies on Benin's northern frontier with Burkina Faso. Their safari guide was found dead, his body riddled with bullets, and their vehicle burned.

The French government had warned its citizens against traveling to parts of Benin near the Burkina Faso border because of the risk of kidnapping.

Swathes of northern and eastern Burkina Faso have been overrun by militants, leaving the government struggling to assert authority and forcing over 100,000 residents to flee.

In February, Burkina Faso said militants were increasingly active in West Africa and instability in the Sahel was spreading to coastal countries such as Benin and Ivory Coast.

Led by France, Western powers have also provided funding and weapons to a regional force made up of soldiers from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania to combat jihadists.

But the so-called G5 force has been hobbled by delays in disbursing the money and poor coordination between the five countries, while insecurity has escalated in the border region between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. (Additional reporting by John Irish and Michel Rose in Paris, David Brunnstrom in Washington and Jane Chung in Seoul; Editing by William Maclean, James Dalgleish and Jonathan Oatis)
Your daily look at late breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. US HIKES TARIFFS ON CHINESE GOODS

Trump's latest tariff hike on Chinese goods took effect Friday and Beijing said it would retaliate, escalating a battle over China's technology ambitions and other trade tensions.

2. CRISIS POINT? HIGH STAKES IN TRUMP'S SHOWDOWN WITH CONGRESS

Democrats warn that the Trump administration is shattering historic norms and testing the nation's system of checks and balances in new and alarming ways.

3. WHOSE FINGERPRINTS ARE ON NORTH KOREA'S NEW MISSILE

Experts say North Korea's new missile bears a strong resemblance to something the Russian military has been selling abroad for years.

4. FEDERAL JUDGES FIND RETIREMENT OFFERS EASY WAY OUT OF PROBES

The fastest way for federal judges facing investigation by their peers to make the inquiry go away is to utter two words: "I quit."

5. STUDENT 'GEEK SQUADS ARE CROPPING UP IN SCHOOLS

Schools districts are leaning on youngsters to be part of the upkeep of the thousands of devices handed out in the classroom and return, gain valuable skills.

6. WHITE HOUSE SENDING MIXED MESSAGES ON OBAMACARE

The White House says "Obamacare remains unconstitutional but people deserve relief from all of its empty promises, so the Trump Administration is working within current law to reduce fraud and lower cost for all Americans."

7. WHAT ISSUE REMAINS CENTRAL IN EUROPEAN ELECTION

No issue rings louder in Hungary than migration as Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his right-wing Fidesz party campaign almost exclusively on anti-immigration policies.

8. SUSPECTS IN COLORADO SCHOOL SHOOTING DUE BACK IN COURT

Both suspects in the suburban Denver school shooting are due back in court as prosecutors file charges in the attack that killed a student and wounded eight others.

9. WHY FACEBOOK FAILS TO FIX ITSELF

It's complicated, with reasons that include Facebook's size, its business model and technical limitations, not to mention years of unchecked growth. Oh, and the element of human nature.

10. SMELLY ALGAE INVASION THREATENS MEXICO BEACHES

Tourists looking for sun and sand in Mexican resorts have been disgusted by foul-smelling mounds of sargassum  a seaweed-like algae  piling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown.
In our series My 6-Figure Paycheck , women making more than $100,000 open up about how they got there and what exactly they do. We take a closer look at what it feels like to be a woman making six-figures  when only 5% of American women make that much, according to the U.S. Census  w ith the hope it will give women insight into how to better navigate their own career and salary trajectories.

Today, we chat with a marketing manager from Seattle, WA. Previously, we spoke to a content strategist from San Francisco, CA, a physician's assistant from Yakima, WA, and a director of curriculum from Boston, MA.

Job: Marketing Manager, Tech

Age: 28

Location: Seattle, WA

Degree: Bachelor's in Marketing

First Salary: $40,000

Current Salary: $150,000

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

"It took me a long time to realize that I can succeed in both qualitative and quantitative fields. I used to really enjoying writing short stories when I was younger and thought that I might become a professional writer as an adult, but that interest dwindled after too many boring writing projects in college."

What did you study in college?

"I have a bachelor's degree in business with a focus on marketing."

Did you have to take out student loans?

"My mother put money away throughout my entire childhood to help fund my education because her parents had funded hers, so I only had to take out $3,000 worth of loans for my bachelor's degree. I also did many, many internships, some unpaid, and my mother helped pay for living expenses during those years."

Have you been working at this company since you graduated from college?

"I graduated college only a few years ago (I'm a late bloomer) and did five internships while in college because most of my degree was completed online. Since graduating, I've had four different jobs, so I haven't stayed anywhere for longer than a year. I think this has greatly contributed to my quick salary growth."

Story continues

How would you explain your day-to-day role at your job?

"I usually check email first and respond to anything that I didn't feel comfortable knocking out on my phone. Next, I check business intelligence reports to review the status of our business from the last day or two. Every day is different, but at that point I might have a meeting or two, take lunch, and then start working down a list of projects. My job is incredibly chill, and I'm able to pace my day out however I want, and I can usually come in late and leave early. It's pretty great."

Did you negotiate your salary?

"I'm in a somewhat specialized area of marketing, so I tend to get offers towards the top of salary ranges. That said, I did attempt to negotiate my base salary at my current company. They gave me a very small bump, but ultimately I was more successful negotiating for stock and work-from-home benefits."

Is your current job your passion? If not, what is?

"Definitely not. I started out in fashion  an industry I really did love  right when I graduated college. But the pay was so much lower that I ultimately decided to prioritize salary and made the switch to where I am now. I sleep well at night knowing that I'm setting up a financially secure future for myself, but I wish I didn't have to sacrifice the best years of my life for a paycheck. I hope that I'll find an out one day."

If you could, would you change anything in your career trajectory?

"I wish that I could somehow gain the ability to see what life might have been like if I had pursued something more fun and 'me,' but I do think I've ended up in a really good place in the world. I have no idea how things might have gone with any trajectory shift, so I probably wouldn't choose to change anything from the past."

What professional advice would you give your younger self?

"Stop prioritizing shallow friendships over your career. Those people are bringing you down and distracting you from any kind of real growth. Don't be afraid to be alone and leave your comfort zone to find out what you're really capable of without the influence of others. Also, spend more time with coworkers. Network and build relationships, because work is going to be miserable without people to eat lunch with. Also, finding your next gig is going to be a lot more difficult without help."

Are you a woman under 35 with a six-figure salary ($100,000+) and want to tell your story? Submit it here.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Ayesha Curry On Her Ideal Mother's Day & Why There's No Such Thing As Work-Life Balance

A Week In Las Vegas, NV, On A $60,000 Salary

I Make $100,000 & I Asked My CEO For A $22,000 Raise
Photo: Bruno Nascimento/Unsplash

Looking to give back this weekend?

There's plenty to do when it comes to good causes coming up in Denver this week. Read on for a rundown.

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.

Big Serve 2019

From the event description:

On Saturday, May 11th, join us for a day of service, gratitude and celebration as we gather with over a thousand people and work to serve 30 agencies through over 40 different projects throughout Denver. We have a variety of projects and want you to be a part of the transformation. Volunteers of all ages are welcome and encouraged to serve!

When: Saturday, May 11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Various locations around Denver.

Admission: Free

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Mother's Day Run For MS 5k/10k (and Virtual Run!)

From the event description:

Boulder Running Company is proudly partnering with the MS Run the US Relay, America's only 3,100-mile running relay across the United States, to host the Mother's Day Run for MS 5k//10k in Denver! Join us in fighting MS and honoring mothers on Saturday, May 11, at 9 a.m. at the Boulder Running Company in Cherry Creek (2500 E. 1st Ave in Denver). Registration includes a delightfully fun run with fellow Coloradans, post-run brunch provided by local vendors and complimentary MOM-osas (for those 21+)  our Mother's Day twist on the mimosa!

When: Saturday, May 11, 9-11 a.m.

Where: Denver, Boulder Running Company Cherry Creek., 2500 E. First Ave.

Admission: Free (MS Run the US Donation); $10 (Virtual Run); $15 (5k Run). More ticket options available.

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Womens Homelessness Initiative Volunteer Training

From the event description:

Make a Hands on Difference for Women Experiencing Homelessness. "It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little  do what you can."  Sydney Smith. LoDo Cares is presenting a Volunteer Training for The Womens Homelessness Initiative. This is co-sponsored by Kachina Cantina and The Boiler Room. Learn how you can be of support to women experiencing homelessness.

Story continues

When: Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: The Boiler Room, 1801 Wynkoop St.

Admission: Free

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
We listen to local police and fire departments scanner traffic, but sometimes miss crimes, wrecks, fires or other incidents, especially if they happen overnight. If you know of something were not covering yet, please let Managing Editor Jeff Pownall know by emailing him at jpownall@lufkindailynews.com , or submit a news tip online by visiting lufkindailynews.com/tips.
Photo: Kat Yukawa/Unsplash

Looking to get involved in community events this weekend?

From an arts festival to dog-friendly and rescue event, there's plenty to do when it comes to good causes coming up in Philadelphia this week. Read on for a rundown.

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.

Kensington Derby & Arts Festival

From the event description:

The 13th annual Philadelphia Federal Credit Union Kensington Derby & Arts Festival is Saturday at Trenton Avenue. Experience a parade of sculptures and shop artists and food vendors. Funds raised from the festival support neighborhood projects and revitalization through community development work. On Saturday, May 11th, 2019, the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union Kensington Derby & Arts Festival will enter its 13th year celebrating human-powered transit, neighborhood artists, and local businesses in Kensington. Originally established as a way to associate the name "Kensington" with the positive artist and maker community, the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union Kensington Derby & Arts Festival has grown into a Philadelphia-wide attraction. Neighbors and new friends alike come out to experience the parade of sculptures and shop with artists and food vendors along Trenton Avenue, a wide cobblestone street that has been part of Kensingtons rich creative history for over a hundred years.

When: Saturday, May 11, 12-6 p.m.

Where: Trenton Avenue between York and Norris St, 2100 Trenton Ave.

Admission: Free

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Yappie Hour to Support Home at Last Dog Rescue

From the event description:

Bring out your furry friend and enjoy a sunny afternoon of brews and bites on the City Tap House patio. The Home at Last Dog Rescue will be onsite with adoptable puppies and a "Puppy Petting Zoo" for all the adorableness you can handle. There will also be raffles and drink specials with a donation to the rescue. Bring out your furry friend and enjoy a sunny afternoon of brews and bites on our patio! PLUS Home at Last Dog Rescue will be onsite with adoptable puppies! AND a "Puppy Petting Zoo" for all the adorableness you can handle!Raffles and drink specials with a donation to Home at Last!

Story continues

When: Saturday, May 11, 5-8 p.m.

Where: 3925 Walnut St.

Admission: Free

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Designer Bag Bingo to Benefit Vets

From the event description:

American Legion-Post 810 is hosting a Designer Bag Bingo on Saturday to benefit the Vietnam Veterans POW MIA. Beer and wine are included in the ticket price with a cash bar available for mixed drinks. Designer Bag Bingo benefiting the Vietnam Veterans POW MIA will be held on May 11th from 7pm to 11pm at The American Legion Post 810. Doors open at 6p. Come out and enjoy a night while helping to support a great cause. If you would like to purchase tickets in person, contact either Channey Roberts at 215-510-9951 or Thomas Roberts at 215-744-7179.

When: Saturday, May 11, 6-11 p.m.

Where: The American Legion-Post 810, 9151 Old Newtown Road.

Admission: $35

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum. | Photo: Kendra H./Yelp

Looking to get out into the community this weekend?

From a neighborhood tour to a strawberry festival, there's plenty to do when it comes to community and cultural gatherings coming up in Baltimore. Read on for a rundown.

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.

The Live Baltimore Trolley Tour: Spring 2019

Jump on a narrated bus tour of more than 10 neighborhoods, sponsored by the nonprofit Live Baltimore. Real estate professionals and members of community organizations will be on hand and workshops are also available. Find out how to become eligible for $5,000 toward the purchase of a home in the city of Baltimore.

When: Saturday, May 11, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: The University of Maryland Baltimore, Southern Management Corporation Campus Center, 621 W. Lombard St.

Admission: $10 general admission, free for children under 10, but they must have admission ticket

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

7th Annual African American Children's Book Fair

The event, sponsored by the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, is focused on kids literature about African Americans and people of other ethnicities. The book fair includes author readings, illustration workshops, live performances and art activities. Hard-to-find titles will be on sale in the Book Village.

When: Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Where: Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St.

Admission: Free

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Strawberry Festival at Roland Park Presbyterian Church

The festival features kids games, a silent auction, flea market tables, a plant and flower sale, fresh strawberries, hamburgers and hot dogs. Proceeds will go to support mission partners of Roland Park Presbyterian Church. The festival will take place rain or shine, and the sanctuary will remain open all day for rest and reflection.

When: Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Where: Upland Avenue, adjacent to Roland Park Presbyterian Church, 4801 Roland Ave.

Admission: Free

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
* Thyssenkrupp says it will seek listing of elevators unit

* Abandons Tata Steel JV, plan to split into two

* Embarks on new restructuring, to cut 6,000 jobs

* Expects to post a loss for the year

* Shares jump as much as 28%, on track for best day ever (Adds CEO comments on ownership of divisions, details)

By Edward Taylor, Christoph Steitz and Tom Kackenhoff

FRANKFURT, May 10 (Reuters) - Germany's Thyssenkrupp will embark on a fresh restructuring and list elevators, its most successful business, after regulatory opposition sunk plans to hive off its steel division, unraveling its previous break-up proposal.

Under pressure from activist investors, Thyssenkrupp had tried to merge its steel unit with Tata Steel's European operations and split the rest of the conglomerate in two to highlight the value of its industrial businesses.

But after about three years in the planning, Thyssenkrupp and India's Tata ditched the steel joint venture on Friday, saying they were not prepared to offer further concessions to satisfy European anti-trust regulators.

At the same time, the steel-to-submarines group abandoned a plan to spin off its capital goods business - car parts, plant engineering and elevators - following a collapse in its share price since it announced the scheme in September.

"Under these conditions, a separation is no longer the best solution for Thyssenkrupp. We can no longer achieve the restart we intended," Chief Executive Guido Kerkhoff said.

Thyssenkrupp said it would now cut 6,000 jobs or 4% of its workforce, a third of them in the steel division, and pursue an initial public offering of the elevator business, worth an estimated 14 billion euros ($16 billion), twice the parent group's market value.

At the same time, Thyssenkrupp said it will be open to new ownership structures for its car parts, plant engineering and marine systems units, adding this could result in it owning a minority stake in them.

Story continues

It expects to keep a majority of its steel and materials trading divisions in the long-term.

Shares in Thyssenkrupp jumped by as much as 28% on the news, first reported by Reuters, setting them on track for their best day ever. Tata Steel shares closed down 6.2%.

Thyssenkrupp has faced investor calls for a more radical group overhaul for years, with the criticism largely aimed at its sprawling conglomerate structure.

The company said its new plan, which involves introducing a holding structure to allow more flexible management of its varied portfolio and will be voted on by its supervisory board on May 21., would lead to a net loss for the year.

Meanwhile, Tata Steel said it would explore all options for its European business, including finding a new partner and selling assets.

FAILED STRATEGY

Thyssenkrupp counts activist investor Cevian, which has an 18 percent stake, and Elliott, which has a smaller holding in the conglomerate, among its shareholders, with both having long demanded operational improvements.

"It is clear that Thyssenkrupp's strategy of the past has failed," Cevian founding partner Lars Foerberg said.

The Alfried Krupp von Bohlen and Halbach Stiftung, Thyssenkrupp's largest shareholder with a 21 percent stake, said it would assess the proposals, adding it wanted to safeguard jobs and a sustainable ability to pay dividends.

Thyssenkrupp's net debt had nearly doubled to 4.68 billion euros by the end of its fiscal first quarter, compared with the end of its 2017/2018 business year - more than 4 times its expected adjusted EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) for the current fiscal year.

Its dividend has remained stagnant at 0.15 euros per share since 2014/15.

Pressure from investors seeking to realize greater value by breaking up conglomerates led General Electric to spin off its healthcare business and Siemens to announce it will separate its gas turbines business.

Kerkhoff's idea at Thyssenkrupp was to separate higher quality capital goods operations of elevators, auto suppliers and core plant construction from its other more cyclical businesses.

He said he would now "swiftly prepare" but wait for the right moment for an elevators IPO, in which Thyssenkrupp would initially keep a majority. The group said it wants to be market-ready in the new financial year, which starts in October.

"All stakeholders now believe that a fundamentally new direction is urgently needed to give the company's businesses a future. There can be no historical or political taboos ... if Thyssenkrupp wants to sincerely tackle underperformance and get the businesses back to growth," Cevian's Foerberg said.

Specialized businesses are often more highly valued than conglomerates because in times of growth, high-potential assets do not have to compete for the combined balance sheet with businesses offering lower returns.

But rising trade tensions between the United States and China, and fears of a disorderly Brexit have dented share prices, forcing companies including Continental and Volkswagen to review plans for spin offs and listings.

Thyssenkrupp said it now expects to post adjusted earnings before interest and tax of 1.1 billion euros to 1.2 billion euros, and to post negative cashflow in the high three-digit million euros range for the 2018/2019 year. ($1 = 0.8911 euros)

(Additional reporting by Promit Mukherjee in Mumbai and Arno Schuetze in Frankfurt; Writing by Edward Taylor, Christoph Steitz and Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Georgina Prodhan, Keith Weir and Alexander Smith)
Photo: Josh Sorenson/Unsplash

If you love to take advantage of the music offerings near you, this weekend offers several great reasons to leave the house.

From a folk music show to an EDM show, read on for a local music to-do list to fill your calendar this week.

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.

Cicada Rhythm featuring The Sweet Lillies and Sicard Hollow

From the event description:

Born and raised in Georgia, this talented pair, Andrea DeMarcus and Dave Kirslis, imitates and modernizes folk music to a rejuvenating degree. Expect chilling harmonies, unbridled enthusiasm, some wholesome tunes and a sincere performance.

When: Friday, May 10, 8:30-11:59 p.m.

Where: Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Ave. NE

Admission: $12-$18.75

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Subtle and Odyssey presents: Spektre

From the event description:

Spektre, which started as an experimental side project, finds itself over a decade later as established and respected features of the techno landscape. Members Paul Maddox and Rich Wakley have recently released imprints "Drumcode," "Elevate" and "Unrilis," as well as their own Respekt Recordings.

When: Friday, May 10, 11 p.m.

Where: 156 Forsyth St. SW

Admission: $20

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Paladin 'Ascension' Album Release

From the event description:

Atlanta power/thrash champions, Paladin, release their long-awaited debut album, "Ascension" with an intimate performance alongside their friends in Theocracy, Double Ferrari and Moonshield.

When: Saturday, May 11, 8-11 p.m.

Where: 529, 529 Flat Shoals Ave. SE

Admission: $10-$12

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Finding Tomorrow and The Dirty Hands

From the event description:

Finding Tomorrow is a mad amalgamation of DJ/EDM, in a live instrumental format fusing analog instruments with modern digital music technology.

When: Sunday, May 12, 7-10 p.m.

Where: Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Ave. NE

Admission: $8-$12

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)  Six people have been detained for a "mafia-style" attack in Argentina that seriously wounded a lawmaker and left a provincial official dead, authorities said Friday.

Hector Olivares and Miguel Marcelo Yadon were shot a day earlier near the country's congressional building by gunmen in a parked car in a brazen attack that has shocked Argentines.

Olivares, who is a representative of La Rioja province in Argentina's lower house of congress, was being treated for gunshot wounds that pierced his abdomen and affected vital organs. Pablo Rossini, subdirector of Ramos Mejia Hospital, said his condition was critical.

"We're waiting for the right moment to put him through another surgery," Rossini said. "He's depending on life support that he's receiving in intensive care."

Yadon, a coordinator who worked in the fiduciary of La Rioja's federal electric transportation system, died shortly after being shot.

Authorities said Friday that they arrested several people, including Juan Jose Navarro in Uruguay with help from Interpol. He is allegedly one of the two gunmen who launched the attack on Olivares and Yadon from the car.

"We were able to establish that this was part of a mafia clan that had planned the attack since 5 a.m.," said Security Minister Patricia Bullrich. The attack took place around 7 a.m. local time.

"A case has been resolved," Bullrich said. "If it hadn't been resolved, it would mean a profound political crisis because there is a member of the lower house of Congress fighting for his life after suffering an attack from a mafia clan that didn't hesitate to kill a person for personal issues."

Bullrich said Friday that investigators are still trying to determine a possible motive behind the crime.

Authorities also detained Juan Jesus Fernandez as he was en route to the Argentine town of Concepcion de Uruguay, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of the capital of Buenos Aires. Fernandez is the owner of the car used in the attack.

Story continues

Bullrich said that both Navarro and Fernandez will likely be charged with the shooting. Others were arrested for collaborating with the plan or helping cover-up the crime.

Bullrich also said that the attack presumably targeted Yadon for "personal reasons" rather than political ones, and that officials in Argentina and Uruguay are working to expel Navarro from Uruguay so he can face justice in his native country.

"What matters is that the two killers who were in the car have been detained," Bullrich said.

Fernandez's daughter, Estefania Fernandez, and three others whose identities have not been released, were also taken into custody.

Politicians across the political spectrum have condemned the attack.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri said in a televised address that authorities would go "until the very last instances to understand what happened and to find the culprits."

Former President Cristina Fernandez, who is widely viewed as a potential challenger to Macri in October elections, also took to Twitter to demand answers.

Olivares belongs to the Radical Civic Union party of the ruling government coalition and is part of the transportation committee in the lower house.

__

Associated Press journalist Paul Byrne contributed to this report.
BUENA VISTA, Va. (AP)  Authorities say an explosion at a Virginia gas station has left two people dead and four people injured.

According to The Roanoke Times , Rockbridge County Fire and EMS Chief Nathan Ramsey said the remains of two people were found in the rubble of the South River Market several miles north of Buena Vista. Their names hadn't been released as of Friday evening.

Virginia State Police say the explosion occurred Friday around 9:50 a.m. Spokesman Sgt. Rick Garletts said the explosion doesn't appear to be suspicious, and added that the Rockbridge County Sheriff's Office has asked the state police to investigate.

Garletts said police and fire crews had been working to account for those who may have been located in the building at the time of the explosion.

___

Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com
Atypical Waffle. | Photo: Sarah T./Yelp

Looking to sample the best waffles around town?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top waffle hot spots in San Diego, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to achieve your dreams.

1. Atypical Waffle

Photo: Tiffany D./Yelp

Topping the list is Atypical Waffle. Located at 3519 30th St. (between Myrtle Avenue and Capps Street) in North Park, the cafe, which offers waffles and more, is the highest rated waffle spot in San Diego, boasting 4.5 stars out of 997 reviews on Yelp.

2. Boba Bar And Desserts

Photo: Lauren S./Yelp

Next up is Kearny Mesa's Boba Bar and Desserts, situated at 4619 Convoy St. (between Opportunity Road and Dagget Street). With 4.5 stars out of 812 reviews on Yelp, the spot to score waffles, bubble tea and dessert has proven to be a local favorite.

3. The Waffle Spot

Photo: T. Jay S./Yelp

Mission Valley West's The Waffle Spot, located at 1333 Hotel Circle South, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers sandwiches and waffles, four stars out of 1,403 reviews.

4. Duet Coffee

Photo: Phuong Anh L./Yelp

Duet Coffee, a spot to score waffles, coffee and tea and bagels in Rolando, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 355 Yelp reviews. Head over to 6526 El Cajon Blvd. (between Aragon Drive and Rolando Court) to see for yourself.

5. Cafe Hue

Photo: Jamie N./Yelp

Over in Kearny Mesa, check out Cafe Hue, which has earned four stars out of 1,054 reviews on Yelp. You can find the creperie, which offers waffles, crepes and more, at 3860 Convoy St., Suite 106 (between Linda Vista Road and Ostrow Street).

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.
Deleng Restaurant. | Photo: Cynthia T./Yelp

In search of a new favorite Thai spot?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Thai restaurants around Philadelphia, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you're on the hunt.

1. Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai Restaurant

Photo: teresa v./Yelp

Topping the list is Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai Restaurant. Located at 907 Race St. in Chinatown, the Vietnamese and Thai spot is the highest rated inexpensive Thai restaurant in Philadelphia, boasting four stars out of 632 reviews on Yelp.

On the menu, expect vermicelli, rice soup, pho beef noodle soup, rice dishes, stir fried noodles and chef special entrees. Diners can choose the Tom Rang Muoi Thai (Thai-style salted baked shrimp) or the Bo Luc Lac (filet mignon in lemon grass sauce); or they can opt for Com Bo Nuong, Bi (barbecue beef and shredded pork on rice).

2. Daleng Restaurant

Photo: sara m./Yelp

Next up is Walnut Hill's Daleng Restaurant, situated at 4653 Walnut St. With 4.5 stars out of 93 reviews on Yelp, the Thai, Cambodian and Asian fusion spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a budget-friendly option.

The menu features banh mi sandwiches, noodle soup, fried rice and noodles as well as entrees. Try the pan-seared garlic pork chops, served with a side of shredded pickled daikon radish and carrots, the chicken and veggie curry or the honey shrimp banh mi (mayo, pickled daikon radish and carrots, jalapeno peppers and cilantro).

3. Little Thai Market

Photo: jessica y./Yelp

Center City's Little Thai Market, located at 51 N. 12th St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the low-priced Thai spot four stars out of 160 reviews.

Nestled inside the Reading Terminal Market, Little Thai Market offers soup (chicken/shrimp coconut or lemon grass soup), appetizers and entrees, such as salmon, chicken or vegetarian curry and a chicken basil dish (stir-fried chicken with basil, chili paste, onions and bell peppers served over rice).

4. Yummy Pho

Story continues

Photo: thao n./Yelp

Yummy Pho, a Vietnamese and Thai spot that offers bubble tea and more in North Central, is another much-loved, inexpensive go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 47 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2012 N. Broad St. to see for yourself.

Look for menu that includes a wide selection of pho bowls, vermicelli dishes, banh mi, com dia, pad Thai, com chien.

5. Ban Bamboo

Photo: amber t./Yelp

Over in Roxborough, check out Ban Bamboo, which has earned four stars out of 26 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Laotian and Thai spot by heading over to 6190 Ridge Ave.

Yelper Kathryn F., wrote, "This place has some great Thai food. The pad Thai is among the best I've had. It is a small neighborhood place, though the interior is beautifully decorated. The menu has some interesting offerings of the regional cuisine

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.
DAYTON, Ohio (AP)  The French and the Americans are working together again on a D-Day project  this time to give museum visitors the opportunity to travel back in time and experience the milestone World War II invasion 75 years later.

From the viewpoints of a paratrooper snagged on a church steeple or a soldier firing a bazooka at a German tank, visitors at Ohio's National Museum of the U.S. Air Force can soon be transported to Normandy, where the June 6, 1944, attack happened.

Using tablets called HistoPads, museumgoers will be able to move a slider to contrast current views of historic sites with re-creations of them in the past. They can tap on icons to see animation, as well as video footage, photos and maps from 1944.

The new way of learning about D-Day is set to launch Monday as part of the museum's D-Day commemorations, which will also include paratroopers dropping from a vintage C-53D dubbed "D-Day Doll," exhibits and movies.

Codenamed Operation Overlord, D-Day saw some 156,000 U.S., British and Canadian forces landing on five beaches along a 50 mile (80 kilometer) stretch of France's coast, supported by thousands of ships, landing vessels, planes and gliders, and with inland help from French resistance fighters.

The Ohio museum, near Dayton, will be the first in the U.S. to use the HistoPad, although there are talks of expanding around the country, according to Histovery, the French company that developed it.

The tablets are among new technology increasingly in use at museums and historic sites that offer virtual and augmented reality to help learning and understanding, such as in the "Heroes and Legends" exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The D-Day exhibit was a natural place to start the U.S. rollout, also the first site outside of France, said company spokesman Bruno de Sa Moreira.

"It's a very exciting adventure," he said by telephone from Normandy. "We are basically telling our joint history, when the American soldiers fought for the liberty of France. We have a common past and a common duty to remember."

Story continues

HistoPads, introduced five years ago at a medieval castle, are used in 15 monuments and museums in France by more than 1 million visitors per year. Among the historic sites where they are available are the Popes' Palace in Avignon and the Royal Fortress of Chinon .

The Air Force museum has extensive collections of the troop carriers, fighter planes, gliders, and even German planes and weapons of the time.

A U.S. paratrooper display shows him loaded for combat with a ready-to-assemble rifle, field radio, gas mask, grenades, anti-tank mine and backup parachute, all weighing some 150 pounds for the perilous drop behind German lines in the darkness hours before the invasion.

The HistoPad will provide a paratrooper's-eye view of the drop.

"It makes it very real," Duford said. "It's a device that allows us to connect our visitors with that moment in time and in doing so, it makes the artifacts from that time and that place even more powerful."

Chuck Edmonson, the museum's marketing director, gave a couple visitors a demonstration of the HistoPad on a recent morning.

"Oh, my, that's what you'd see," said Deane Sager, 67, of Louisville, Kentucky, who was a Navy reservist during the Vietnam era.

The Air Force museum is also planning more D-Day events June 6, complementing several days of commemorations in France.

Cathy Sager, who recounted having her "breath just taken away" by a visit to Normandy years ago, was also impressed by the HistoPad. They plan to return to Dayton, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) from their home, after the full exhibit is open.

"The technology we have today is being used to take us back to that time," said Deane Sager.

___

Follow Dan Sewell at https://www.twitter.com/dansewell
LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) - The Pakistani founder of Abraaj Group, once one of the largest emerging markets private equity investors, has been given more time to raise a 15 million pound ($19.5 million) bail by a London court, a court official said on Friday.

Arif Naqvi was arrested in Britain last month and has been awaiting possible extradition to the United States where he faces charges of defrauding investors.

Naqvi was remanded in custody after the bail hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday was adjourned until May 17 because he failed to pay the bail conditions, the official said.

On May 3, Westminster Magistrates Court granted Naqvi bail on condition that he pay 15 million pounds and an additional surety of 650,000 pounds, as well as surrendering his Pakistani passport, remaining under 24-hour curfew at an address given to the court and wearing an electronic tag, a prosecution spokesman said at the time.

Dubai-based Abraaj had been the largest buyout fund in the Middle East and North Africa until it fell apart last year after a dispute with investors.

Naqvi has previously maintained his innocence. Under the U.S. charges, Naqvi is accused of inflating positions held by Abraaj in order to attract greater funds from them, causing them financial loss.

($1 = 0.7676 pounds) (Reporting By Tom Arnold; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Paul Whelan, the Michigan businessman accused of spying in Russia, entered the country on a business travel visa supported by BorgWarner Inc., he told his lawyers in Moscow.

Whelan, 49, of Novi was the director of global security for the Auburn Hills-based auto supplier when he traveled to Russia on Dec. 22 for the wedding of a friend. He was arrested six days later by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and charged with espionage.

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, who was arrested in Moscow at the end of last year, attends a hearing in a court in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Feb. 22, 2019. A Moscow court has extended arrest for the American who was detained at the end of December for alleged spying.

He remains in a prison cell at Moscow's czarist-era Lefortovo Detention Facility, held without much more information about the accusations against him than he knew on the day when he was initially detained.

He was caught red-handed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference following Whelan's arrest in his hotel room at the upscale Metropol hotel in Moscow. In his possession was a flash drive containing what Russian authorities say was sensitive information.

It's a claim his family denies.

"Paul thought a friend of 10 years was giving him some photos of his hometown," on the flash drive, said his twin brother, David Whelan, in an email message. Whelan holds U.S., British, Canadian and Irish passports. If he's convicted of spying, he could be imprisoned for up to 20 years.

Suspected spy Paul Whelan is seen inside a defendant's glass cage during a hearing of an appeal on his arrest at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 22, 2019. Paul Whelan, a citizen of the United States, Britain, Canada and Ireland, was detained by Russian Federal Security Service on suspicion of spying at the end of December 2018 in Moscow.

Since his arrest, Russian authorities are limiting Whelan's contact with the outside world, but he has been able to communicate some details about the case to his family through his lawyers. Among those details: BorgWarner helped him get into Russia by sponsoring his visa, and he believes his arrest might be tied to politics involving U.S. sanctions.

BorgWarner's Russian business deals

BorgWarner has 30,000 employees around the world with 68 locations in 19 countries, but it doesnt have facilities in Russia, said company spokeswoman Kathy Graham.

The company would not confirm that it sponsored Whelan's Russian business visa.

"As a general policy BorgWarner does not comment on travel of any of its employees, nor does the company discuss information about individual customers," said Graham in an email to the Free Press. "Paul was not in Russia on company business. We are deferring to the State Department regarding updates to his situation."

Story continues

Although BorgWarner operates no facilities in Russia, the company does have a history of doing business there.

BorgWarner supplied Kamaz Inc., Russia's largest truck-maker, with turbochargers, fan drives and high-performance fans, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents. BorgWarner parts are used in nonmilitary Kamaz trucks and Nefaz buses, and its total sales to Kamaz from 2013-15 through non-U.S. subsidiaries was $12.1 million.

"For over 15 years, BorgWarner has supported (Kamaz) with advanced air-flow technologies, and we are looking forward to continuing the successful collaboration," Daniel Paterra, who was then BorgWarner's president and general manager of thermal systems, said in a 2015 news release about the Dakar Rally, an off-road rally in South America in which Kamaz trucks are used.

Andrey Karginov, Andrey Mokeev and Igor Leonov of Russia

About a year after Paterra made that statement, the SEC submitted a letter to the president and CEO of BorgWarner, asking for details about the company's dealings with Kamaz, which was reported to have delivered trucks to Syria and Sudan.

"Sudan and Syria are designated by the State Department as state sponsors of terrorism and are subject to U.S. economic sanctions and export controls," wrote Cecilia Blye, chief of the SEC's Office of Global Security risk in a letter to the company dated April 14, 2016.

"We are aware of publicly available information indicating that your subsidiaries have provided turbocompressors, fan drives and high performance fans to (Kamaz) Inc. and news reports indicating that Russia has delivered (Kamaz) military trucks to the Syrian Army."

The company responded in a letter later that month, writing: "There were no direct or known indirect sales or exports from BorgWarner Inc. ... or its subsidiaries ... to Sudan or Syria in 2013, 2014 or 2015.

"Non-U.S. subsidiaries of BorgWarner have had and in the future may continue to have de minimis light vehicle/non-military automotive business with customers in Sudan and Syria. U.S. law does not prohibit non-U.S. subsidiaries of U.S. companies from engaging in transactions with Sudanian or Syrian customers that do not involve exports or re-exports subject to U.S. jurisdiction."

BorgWarner declined to provide the Free Press with a specific explanation of what it meant by "de minimis" in its response to the SEC, although generally the term is used in legal references to suggest something so small or minor, it is insignificant.

A deep look raises questions

"There are some very good and reasonable questions to be asked from BorgWarner," said Ryan Fayhee, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and former U.S. Justice Department prosecutor who is working on behalf of the Whelan family. "Theres an open question right now around the role of a company when their employee, who did not go there for work, but they sponsored his visa, and they have meaningful operations in Russia. They dont have an office there, but what they do have is  very, very meaningful relations with a company called Kamaz.

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine accused of espionage and arrested in Russia, listens to his lawyers while standing inside a defendants' cage during a hearing at a court in Moscow on Jan. 22, 2019.

"Kamaz is a very interesting organization because it is actually headed by a businessman who was the co-chair of Vladimir Putins re-election campaign.  I wish this was a conspiracy theory. It is not."

The director general of Kamaz is Sergei A. Kogogin, who was, in fact, the co-chair of Putins 2018 re-election campaign.

The largest shareholder in Kamaz (49.9%) is a government-run defense technology company called Rostec Corp., which produces such military products as high-precision artillery munitions, artillery shells, rocket launchers, ammunition, along with aircraft and bomb weapons, among other things.

The director general of Rostec is Sergey Chemezov, who is among the most powerful people in the FSB, according to the Warsaw Institute, a Polish think tank focused on international relations, energy security, defense and other issues important to Poland and east-central Europe.

Rostec was sanctioned by former President Barack Obama's administration after Russia invaded Ukraine. And Chemezov was barred from entering the U.S.

"Im not suggesting BorgWarner has done anything wrong," Fayhee said, "but I would suggest ... what role can the company have in the horrible, unfortunate situation where one of their employees has become a political pawn? And how do they act, what should they do, and how do they manage it?"

BorgWarner declined to answer questions about its efforts to help recover Whelan from Russian authorities. Fayhee said the company has been less than forthcoming with the Whelan family and in answering his questions, too.

"The big question in the beginning was and still is, ... what, if anything, with respect to the company may have contributed to Paul's arrest?" Fayhee said. "For example, did somebody visit Paul in Detroit, or email or corresponded with him at the company? ... You know, if there's a missing person, you interview his family, you interview his company and you take all these reasonable steps to determine what was done ... things like doing some sort of internal review or gathering materials, forensically or otherwise to help support the government in its effort to examine what would have led up to Paul's arrest and disappearance."

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine accused of espionage and arrested in Russia, listens to his lawyers while standing inside a defendants' cage during a hearing at a court in Moscow on Jan. 22, 2019.

Yet, Fayhee said when he asked BorgWarner whether any such internal review had been done, an attorney for the company told him it is more concerned with its reputation in the news media than conducting an investigation.

The response surprised him.

"What is clear is that Paul, and the family really deserve more out of BorgWarner," Fayhee said. "They deserve a dialogue. ... The family very much wants to engage in even a private dialogue with the company in order to make sure they are doing everything they can do to to secure Paul's recovery.

"That's really at the core of it. The statements made by their lawyer, the fact that they're not speaking directly with the family is really troubling to say the least."

Through its spokeswoman, BorgWarner issued this statement in response to Fayhee's criticisms: BorgWarner worked closely with the family before they engaged their own attorney, and it has coordinated with the State Department and other government agencies since Paul's arrest, and will continue to coordinate where appropriate, to help bring Paul home safely.

David Whelan said there's no indication that his brother's work for BorgWarner has anything to do with his arrest in Russia.

"We are not aware of BorgWarner's business connections to Russia beyond what's in the public record," David Whelan said. "We don't have any reason to believe Paul's situation has anything to do with BorgWarner, other than that it is an American-based company.

"However, we do think that he was targeted by the Russian police because he was an American businessman. Unfortunately, the FSB appears to have miscalculated whatever result they helped to extort out of Paul's false arrest. Paul has shared notes through his lawyer that he believes his arrest has some sanctions-related element, but we don't know why he says that. But there's no indication it has anything to do with BorgWarner."

Twin brothers David Whelan (left) and Paul Whelan, 49, pose for this undated family photo.

Whelan's isolation in Russian prison

In recent weeks, bundles of handwritten letters from Russia have arrived at the Manchester, Michigan, home of Whelan's parents, Rosemary and Edward Whelan. The letters from their son have been censored by Russian authorities, but still are a welcome sight, his brother said.

"My mum and dad received about 75 letters, in three groups ... over the past 10 days or so," David Whelan said. "They're handwritten notes from Jan. 18 onward. ... They describe his day-to-day in jail. As they went through the routine prison censoring, before being held by the FSB investigator for months, they are purely day-in-the-life.

"We haven't really learned anything that helps us with seeking his release, but they are comforting for my parents. You can hear his 'voice' in them, and a letter can be read and re-read while they wait for his return."

Paul Whelan of Novi poses with his parents, Rosie and Ed Whelan, in this 2009 photo taken in Moscow.

Since his arrest, Russian authorities have limited Whelan's access to his lawyers and consular services. He has not received mail or phone calls or the English-language books, including an English-Russian dictionary.

Even Jon Huntsman Jr., the U.S. ambassador to Russia, has been restricted in what he's allowed to discuss with Whelan.

During an April 30 meeting with Whelan at the prison, Huntsman was not allowed to read letters from his family, to ask him to sign a power of attorney, and was banned from 'talking about anything that actually matters,' said Andrea Kalan, a State Department spokeswoman, on Twitter.

"Why havent Russian officials provided proof? Perhaps its lost along with Pauls mail. Complete lack of evidence + Paul's isolation = greater likelihood officials will try to get a forced false 'confession.' Stop playing games."

David Whelan said his family is concerned that his brother has been interrogated without the presence of his lawyers or his translator, and noted that his attorneys in Moscow, Vladimir Zherebenkov and Olga Karlova, were appointed by the FSB.

In addition, his brother's signed Privacy Act Waiver was held up for months by Russian investigators who alleged the document was lost in the mail. And now, a similar delay is keeping the family from getting access to a signed power of attorney, which would grant them the ability to manage his affairs at home and help him choose his own attorney in Russia.

"Theres a real concern that  at some point given the isolation, the limited access, a lawyer that doesnt even speak English, that at some point that affects your psychiatric health," Fayhee said. "Maybe thats done to try to extract some kind of confession out of him or to get him to say something on the record so the Russians can then use that as the basis of his continued detention. Its difficult or impossible to know. But we shouldnt understate the potential effects of being isolated the way hes being isolated."

Whelan's next hearing in Moscow City Court is happening at the end of May. His detention could be continued at the hearing, or, Fayhee hopes, Russian authorities could let him go.

"We hope they find this as an opportunity to acknowledge that the allegations ... have not been substantiated and that they'll release him. That would be the appropriate thing to do under the circumstances.

"But the family is prepared also for the possibility that the detention will be extended for another three months in order to further isolate him, in order to extract whatever benefit it is that they're seeking to achieve whatever goal Paul is being used to achieve."

In April, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory for Americans going to Russia, suggesting increased caution because of terrorist threats, and a risk of being harassed, mistreated, arbitrarily interrogated, detained or targeted for extortion.

"There is no doubt in our minds that Paul's arrest and imprisonment amount to a kidnapping by the Russian police," David Whelan said. "We hope the new designation will help other Americans avoid the same fate."

State Department spokeswoman Julia Mason said the department is continuing to closely follow the Whelan case.

"We urge the Russian government to guarantee a fair and transparent judicial process without undue delay, in accordance with its international legal obligations," she said. "We have visited Mr. Whelan seven times since he was first detained. We will continue to press for fair and humane treatment, due process, and access to appropriate medical care.

Read more: Download the USA TODAY app

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detained American Paul Whelan's employer has Russian business ties
Adrian Edmondson has joined the cast of 'EastEnders' (Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images)

Adrian Edmondson is set to join the cast of EastEnders later this summer.

Announcing the news on Twitter, the team behind the soaps official account revealed that the comedian will play a new character called Daniel Cook and will share a romantic storyline with Gillian Wrights Jean Slater.

Read more: EastEnders actor Jacqueline Jossa delivers teary rant against body shaming trolls

Slater, who is mother to Stacey and Sean Slater, was first introduced in 2004. Since becoming a regular character the following year, shes been quite unlucky in love having dated a man who embroiled her in investment fraud and another who cheated on her.

Talking about signing on for the long-running series, Edmondson said: "There were only 15 boys on my drama course at Manchester Uni, and I'll be the third to appear in EastEnders - so I feel it's a kind of tradition!

The other two being Tom Watt (who played Lofty Holloway) and Paul Bradley (who played Nigel Bates)."

Executive producer Jon Sen is equally as excited to welcome Edmondson to the fictional London borough.

"Adrian's a phenomenal talent who will bring his unique blend of intelligence, warmth and humour to the role of Daniel, he gushed in a statement. "We're all over the moon he's coming to Walford and can't wait for this love story to hit screens later this year."

Adrian Edmondson is set to join #EastEnders and take on the role of Daniel Cook, a new love interest for Jean Slater. He'll be on screen later in the summer! pic.twitter.com/Feyh3Lj4mT  BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) May 9, 2019

Best known for starring in sitcoms such as The Young Ones, which aired in the 1980s and Bottom, which was televised a decade later, Edmondson has more recently appeared in shows like Bancroft, Save Me and ITV drama Cheat.

Read more: 'EastEnders' legend June Brown says she won't stop drinking and smoking at age 92

He also had a small role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi opposite Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher.
HONOLULU (AP)  All Nippon Airways gave VIP tours of the world's largest wide-body airplane following the arrival of a second successful test flight in Hawaii, officials said.

The Japanese airline landed its A380 "Flying Honu" at Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport Wednesday, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Wednesday.

Democratic Gov. David Ige and others toured the double-decker aircraft and the airline's two $5 million lounges.

The lounges will include a first-class area that seats 70 and a second area for up to 300 other passengers willing to pay a $40 fee, which will become the state's largest passenger lounge.

The state contributed $13 million to airport improvements to ensure the A380 service started in Honolulu, Ige said.

Honolulu became the 11th city airport in the U.S. equipped for the wide-body aircraft and by 2020 All Nippon's A380 service is expected to bring an additional $285 million in economic impact and up to $30 million in tax revenue to the state, Ige said.

The airplane painted to resemble Honu, Hawaii's green sea turtle, will seat about 520 passengers. The test flight was another step toward the carrier's 2020 goal of doubling its available seats for travel between Honolulu to Tokyo.

The carrier plans to add wide-body aircraft service four times weekly beginning May 24. The carrier also anticipates adding a second A380 to the Hawaii market in July and a third in 2020, officials said.

___

Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com
Washington (AFP) - Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world and head of space company Blue Origin, announced Thursday his intent to participate in the new race to the Moon with a high-tech lander to carry vehicles and equipment.

"This is Blue Moon," the 55-year-old said at a carefully choreographed presentation in Washington, as curtains lifted to show a model of a huge vessel.

The lander will weigh more than three metric tons empty, 15 fully fueled, and be capable of carrying 3.6 tons to the lunar surface -- or 6.5 in a variant model.

It is supported by four legs, with an upper deck where equipment can be fixed. A large tank of liquefied hydrogen fuel occupies its center.

"It's an incredible vehicle, and it will go to the Moon," the Amazon founder declared.

Bezos didn't announce a specific date for the project's first launch, but Blue Origin later said it was capable of meeting President Donald Trump's announced goal of returning people to the Moon by 2024.

"We can help meet that timeline, but only because we started three years ago," he said. "It's time to go back to the Moon, this time to stay."

Fifty years after American astronauts first walked on the Moon, the United States is among countries showing renewed interest in Earth's natural satellite.

The vehicle will be capable of carrying scientific instruments, four self-driving rovers and a future pressurized vehicle for humans.

The goal is to land on the Moon's south pole, where ice deposits were confirmed in 2018. Water can be exploited to produce hydrogen, which in turn could fuel future exploration of the solar system.

- Space colonies -

The White House's intention to return to the Moon in 2024 has sent NASA into a frenzy of activity, because that particular mission was originally anticipated for 2028.

Nothing is ready: not the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket being developed by Boeing which is necessary to transport vehicles and astronauts.

Story continues

Not the components of the future mini-station in lunar orbit, which will act as a rest stop between Earth and the Moon. And not the lander nor rovers needed by astronauts, among whom will be the first woman to set foot on the Moon.

But Bezos, who rarely speaks about the projects at Blue Origin, which he founded in 2000 and finances with more than $1 billion per year, clearly suggested he wants to help NASA.

Several other aerospace companies are also expected to bid to build the lander for the space agency, which is in the process of finalizing requests for proposals. Lockheed Martin proposed its own lander concept some months ago.

Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, did not talk to journalists at the event.

The lander's unveiling came as Bezos outlined in a lengthy monologue his broader vision to build an infrastructure that would sustain the colonization of space by future generations of humans and shift polluting industries off the Earth.

This would involve the construction of artificial worlds in space, inspired by designs first proposed by the late physicist Gerard K. O'Neill, one of Bezos's heroes, intended to give humanity an escape route in case of limited resources on Earth.

"My generation's job is to build the infrastructure," said Bezos. "We're going to build the road to space."

Blue Origin is working on two other major projects: New Shepard, a suborbital rocket to fly tourists into space; and New Glenn, a heavy lift, partly reusable launch rocket.

Bezos confirmed his commitment to fly the first people in New Shepard this year, and New Glenn in 2021.

The New Shepard rocket first reached space last year, achieving a height of 66 miles (106 kilometers) in April 2018.
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Amber Road (NYSE: AMBR)

Q1 2019 Earnings Call

May. 09, 2019, 5:00 p.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Good day, everyone, and welcome to the Amber Road first-quarter 2019 earnings conference call. Today's conference is being recorded. At this time for opening remarks, I'd like to turn the conference over to Kevin Brogan, investor relations. Please go ahead, sir.

Kevin Brogan -- Investor Relations

Thank you, operator. And thank you for joining us on Amber Road's first-quarter 2019 earnings conference call. As a reminder, today's conference call is being broadcast live via webcast. In addition, a replay of the call will be available on our website following the call.

By now you should have received a copy of our press release that was distributed this afternoon. If you have not, it is available on the investor relations section of our website. Before we begin, I would like to remind you that during today's call, we will be making forward-looking statements regarding future events and financial performance, including growth from our bookings and sales pipeline, client deployments, continued product demand and our guidance for our second-quarter and full-year fiscal 2019. We caution you that such statements reflect our best judgment based on factors currently known to us and that the actual events or results could differ materially.

More From The Motley Fool

Please refer to the documents we file from time to time with the SEC, in particular, our Form 10-K, 10-Q and our Form 8-K filed today with our press release. These documents contain and identify important risks and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ from those contained in our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements made during the call are being made as of today. If this call is replayed or reviewed after today, the information presented during the call may not contain current or accurate information.

Story continues

We disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. We will provide guidance on today's call, but we will not provide any further guidance or updates on our performance during the quarter, unless we do so in a public forum. I would also like to inform you that Amber Road, its directors and certain of its executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from our shareholders in connection with our 2019 annual meeting of shareholders, which is scheduled for June 18, 2019. We intend to file a proxy statement and related proxy materials with the SEC in connection with any solicitation or proxies from our shareholders in connection with the 2019 annual meeting.

Shareholders of Amber Road are strongly encouraged to read such proxy statements and all other related materials filed with the SEC carefully and in their entirety when they become available as they will contain important information about the 2019 annual meeting. We will not comment on any proxy concept or take any question regarding any proxy concepts on this call. During the call, we will also discuss our non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

A reconciliation of the GAAP and non-GAAP results provided in today's press release. The projections that we provide today exclude stock-based compensation, which cannot be determined at this time so are therefore not reconciled in today's press relapse. With that, I'll turn the call over to our CEO James Preuninger. Jim.

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Kevin. I'm very pleased with our results in the first quarter as both revenue and profit exceeded the high end of our guidance range. Total revenue came in at 21.1 million and subscription revenue was 15.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was 1.5 million and we generated 3.2 million in cash flow from operations.

We're delivering on our profitable growth goals by running a business that is financially strong with improving levels of profit and cash flow. I'm also very happy with our sales pipeline development in the first quarter. It is well balanced across the geographies and the products that we sell and it is at a much higher level than we've ever seen before. I believe we are extremely well-positioned for the rest of this year.

In 2019 and beyond, we expect to take advantage of the opportunities being created by the increased complexity and changing conditions in global trade. We will increase our focus on sales and marketing, drive expansion into new markets and return subscription revenue growth at double-digit levels all while improving profitability. Today's trade policy landscape calls for leading technologies that can help identify opportunities for growth, boost productivity, ensure compliance and minimize risk for global companies. To efficiently import and export goods, companies need to access regulatory information for all of the countries in which they trade and couple that with a digital model of their supply chain to enable automation.

Collecting, normalizing and making sense of global trade regulations is very difficult, given the number of countries and government agencies writing laws and the vast differences in trade regimes. Maintaining a complete, timely and accurate database of trade regulations has become prohibitively expensive for any individual company. Companies need us more than ever. Amber Road offers the industry's most comprehensive database of government regulations international business rules.

Our global knowledge covers trade content for more than 170 countries and over 170 free trade agreements. As an example of the velocity of change being implemented by trade policy, Amber Road was required to update its regulatory database with nearly 18 million new records last year. Global knowledge powers our GTM suite of software by underlying those processes of importing, exporting and administering preferential trade agreements. No other company comes even close to matching the scale, accuracy and the integration of our global knowledge trade content with software.

Our integrated SaaS platform, combined with our global knowledge is becoming increasingly important in the current state of global trade that is burdened with the ongoing trade war between the US and China, as well as new trade opportunities between the EU and China and the unprecedented reforms that are pending given Brexit and the NAFTA replacement called USMCA. We see an increased need for our global knowledge content, driving our free trade agreements and new product innovation. Content in our subscription has a higher subscription revenue ratio to services and it delivers significantly better gross margins. Demand for content is growing and will continue to grow and will help us in achieving our goal of returning to double digit subscription growth rates.

A great example of the demand for content applied to solve complex trade problems is visible with the recent product announcement we made called Carrier Cargo Screening. This innovative software product was built on the foundation of our leading restrictive party screening technology and it uses global knowledge. This solution addresses the challenges that carriers face in identifying shipments that may contain prohibited, hazardous or dual use goods based only on the limited information provided on a transportation manifest or an air waybill. The global logistics industry is challenged like never before by customs authorities to meet regulations generally known as "know your customer".

These regulations require customers to screen the shipper, the recipient of the goods and the end use of the products that they carry to ensure that the goods are not shipped to a sanctioned party or an embargoed country and comply with non-proliferation of dual use goods that are unauthorized for general trade. Customs authorities around the world are increasingly monitoring the effects of logistics providers' cargo screening processes to determine compliance and they are issuing steep fines for non-compliance. To date, most carriers struggle to meet these regulations, given only manual processes. To support our new Carrier Cargo Screening Solution, we have developed new content libraries and advanced algorithms to offer a robust supply chain risk platform that is ideally suited for global logistics providers.

We have solved a critical problem by combining our advanced technologies with our vast experience of linking software to content. This is a greenfield opportunity. We are already seeing this new offering generating significant interest and we expect to close many deals with this new product in 2019. As I noted last quarter, we have reorganized Amber Road's staff and focused our go-to-market programs around several key objectives, which will drive our business in 2019 and beyond.

One of these programs is called Account Based Marketing, or ABM. ABM is designed to complement more traditional lead generation with efforts to engage a very specific set of high-value target enterprises that will engage us faster and hopefully close business at a higher level of margin. ABM facilitates alignment between various Amber Road functions, including sales, marketing, business development and product management to better create messaging and higher levels of sales engagement with senior executives. A good example of how ABM is helping us build opportunities was a program we launched in the recent quarter targeting the automotive vertical.

As you know, in 2017 Renault-Nissan subscribed to our trade automation solutions to automate free trade agreements with the goal of dramatically lowering duties and taxes. In Europe, they are currently using more than 30 free trade agreements and have become a great reference for us. We have used this customer case study to create an ABM program. We're targeting automotive OEMs who are now in a near frenzy surrounding the need to implement FTAs, Free Trade Agreements, with a special emphasis on the NAFTA replacement called USMCA.

The response to our marketing campaign has been phenomenal. We have numerous large opportunities in the pipeline with this program which we hope will be converted this year. Another good example of the success we're having with ABM is within the semiconductor industry in China. We created a specific marketing campaign to target the three largest semiconductor companies in the region to highlight the proven model we have for tax savings using our China trade management solution.

This program had immediate success as we've already closed two deals. I will profile one of these wins next. Applied materials adopted our China trade management solution in Q1. They have a large spare parts business that uses a dozen bonded warehouses operated by service providers inside and outside of bonded zones all across China.

They recognize the challenge of manually applying the China customs handbook to reconcile inventory balances giving all of the complicated inbound and outbound declaration types. Applied materials selected Amber Road's China trade management solution because of our reputation to deliver success quickly, to minimize compliance issues and to reduce the taxes they would have to pay. This was a tremendous win for Amber Road that we accomplished in record time. You also recall our announcement last quarter about the formation of a new sales team to focus on our installed accounts.

With our new sales account management team dedicated to customer success and expansion to drive up sells and cross sells, we think we can have far more success growing our existing customer base. The account management team is up and running. They have deals that are working through sales cycles and we're encouraged by the work being done to secure subscription increases upon renewals. In conclusion, our 2019 guidance continues to call for double-digit subscription growth rates exiting the year and full-year adjusted EBTIDA margins that will continue to expand.

We also continue to believe that for 2020, Amber Road can sustain solid double-digit subscription revenue growth and expand adjusted EBITDA margins into the double digits while also improving our cash flow. With that, let me turn the call over to Tom.

Tom Conway -- Chief Financial Officer

Thanks, Jim. I'll start with an overview of our first-quarter 2019 financial performance, and then I'll provide some commentary on our second-quarter and full-year 2019 outlook. Following my closing remarks, we'll open the call up for your questions. Regarding the first-quarter results.

Beginning with the statement of operations, we generated GAAP revenue in the quarter of 21.1 million compared to 20.1 million in the first quarter of 2018. Subscription revenue was $15.8 million, an increase of 5% compared to $15.1 million in the prior year period. Our professional services revenue was $5.3 million compared to $5 million in the same period a year ago. Our trailing 12-months recurring revenue retention rate for the first quarter of 2019 was 100%, again reflecting the long-term value of our customer relationships and giving us a high level of revenue and billings visibility.

On a GAAP basis, our gross profit was 12 million or 57% of total revenue compared to 10.4 million or 52% of total revenue in the prior year period. Subscription gross profit was 10.6 million or 67% of subscription revenue compared to 9.8 million or 65% of subscription revenue in the first quarter of 2018. Our gross profit on professional services was 1.5 million or 27% of professional services revenue compared to 654,000 or 13% of professional services revenue in the same period last year. On a GAAP basis, total operating expenses were 14.8 million compared to 15.4 million in the first quarter of 2018.

This resulted in a first-quarter GAAP operating loss of $2.8 million compared to a GAAP operating loss of $5 million in the first quarter of last year. On a non-GAAP basis, our Q1 operating income was $283,000, an improvement compared to an operating loss of $736,000 in the year ago period. Please see our press release for the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations. We are pleased with the leverage we are seeing in the business as we continue to drive both growth and profitability and believe we have set the company on a path to deliver improved levels of profit and cash flow.

As we do this, we will continue to make investments in sales and research and development to support the opportunities we see ahead for the business. Our GAAP net loss was $3.3 million for the first quarter of 2019. This amount compares to a GAAP net loss of $5.4 million in the prior year period. GAAP net loss per share was $0.12 in the first quarter of 2019 compared to a net loss per share of $0.20 in the first quarter of 2018.

These per share amounts are based on 28.6 million and 27.6 million shares outstanding, respectively. On a non-GAAP basis, our net loss was $245,000 in the first quarter of 2019. This amount compares to a non-GAAP net loss of $1.2 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss per share was $0.01 in the first quarter of 2019 compared to a net loss per share of $0.04 in the prior year period.

These per share amounts are based on 28.6 million and 27.6 million shares outstanding respectively. We are pleased to report another quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA. For the first quarter of 2019, our adjusted EBITDA was $1.5 million, an improvement compared to adjusted EBITDA of $548,000 in the same period last year. Turning our the focus to the balance sheet, as of March 31, 2019, we had cash and cash equivalents of 9.6 million compared to 7.5 million as of December 31, 2018.

Cash flow from operations in the first quarter of 2019 was $3.2 million, an improvement compared to $1.4 million in Q1 of 2018. Turning to guidance, for the full-year 2019 we continue to expect subscription growth to be the driver of our business and for subscription revenue to show improving year over year growth rates as we move through the quarters and exit the year at double digit year over year growth. We continue to expect total revenue in the range of 88.7 to $91.7 million. We are raising our non-GAAP adjusted operating income and now expect to be in the range of $700,000 to $3.7 million.

On a per share basis, we are now expecting a range of non-GAAP adjusted net low per share of $0.04 to non-GAAP income per share of $0.07. These per share amounts assume 28.8 million basic shares outstanding to 31.2 million fully diluted shares outstanding respectively. We also expect to continue to generate positive cash flow from operations throughout the year. For the second quarter of 2019, total revenue was expected to be in the range of 21.3 million to 21.9 million.

Within this, we expect services revenue to be approximately flat sequentially at the midpoint of the range due to an increased use of our quick start programs and the adoption of our content related solutions, which have a higher ratio of subscription revenue to services revenue. Non-GAAP adjusted operating loss is expected to be in the range of 600,000 to 1.2 million. To note, in Q2 our annual salary increases take effect and we've shifted the timing of some of our marketing programs into Q2. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share is expected to be in the range of $0.06 to $0.04 and these per share amounts assume 28.6 million basic shares outstanding.

Please see the GAAP to non-GAAP guidance reconciliations provided in our press release. In conclusion, we are well-positioned for long-term future success. Our growth and profit profiles are strong and we are well-positioned to capitalize on the strong demand trends we see in our markets. Operator, if you would please open the line for questions.

Questions & Answers:





Operator

[Operator instructions] We'll hear first today from Scott Berg with Needham.

Josh Reilly -- Needham and Company -- Analyst

Hey, guys. This is Josh on for Scott. Congrats on the strong quarter. After having the dedicated upsell team in place for a quarter now, how is the change taking hold within the sales organization? And do you believe the sales cycle for these deals will be consistent with the rest of the company or possibly shorter?

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

We're just getting started obviously, but a couple things have occurred that are very positive for us. One is our sales team, the sales directors that have been in place, largely charged with new logo development, have now got a lot more time to do their primary mission. And I think it's helping us build a pipeline. They're engaged in these ABM programs that is looking like they're very successful for us.

So that's been a real windfall for us. The account team that we put in place is -- you may recall we sourced those folks all from our professional services group. So these are people that have been with us for five to ten years, they know the domain, they know our products, they know our programs and policies very well. And so they were really able to hit the ground running.

Many of them were assigned accounts that they helped implement. So they understand those businesses as well. I believe that in time we're going to see that they'll build some nice pipelines and that sales cycles with installed accounts should run much faster than sales cycles with brand new companies, brand new logos.

Josh Reilly -- Needham and Company -- Analyst

And then given some of the moving parts with global trade in 2019, including Brexit likely delayed until October now and the new NAFTA still not ratified, is this impacting Q2 bookings? And could we see a more back-half weighted year as a result of this?

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

I think our forecast I should say for Q2, sales forecasts that I have is the strongest I've ever seen in the company's history. A lot of it is driven by some of these changes. A lot of it's driven by USMCA. I mean companies can't wait for USMCA to be ratified.

If you're a user of NAFTA today, and we have many NAFTA customers and we have many of the -- are evaluating our USMCA solution, you need to get prepared for it now. And I think there is a high degree of comfort that this thing will be ratified. It's a matter of time. It could be delayed further, but everybody believes it's coming.

We have the USMCA trade agreement already codified. It's ready to go, we're in demonstrations with customers and we're taking early orders for it. So I see Q2 as a very strong quarter in bookings and a lot of it's driven because people are getting out in front of this.

Josh Reilly -- Needham and Company -- Analyst

And then just maybe one more question. Can you discuss how your internal content development team is able to quickly integrate all of these new rules into different modules? And do you guys use this with the sales pitch with customers? And how does that impact customer satisfaction as all of these changes take place?

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

So our content group is quite large. We have over 115 employees, another 50 contractors that are in countries that are -- it's hard for us to get to if you will [Inaudible] large group. They're all professionals, these aren't data entry operators. These are folks that came out of trade professions.

They might have been trade attorneys or customs brokers, other kinds of roles. They know trade very well. The group speaks over 30 languages and we've developed an iso process around how to collect, normalize, make sense of content and then how to make it actionable and intelligent for a software to use it. It's been an arduous journey.

I mean we started doing this thing in the early 2000. We struggled, frankly, for the first ten years to figure out how to make this work. It was not easy. But I think we've perfected the process now, we're very disciplined about it.

It's a machine and so a new free trade agreement like USMCA, we can grab that, codify it and have it ready to go in a couple of months' time. Right? Our competitors who tend not to use content, but would rather hard code a new free trade agreement, they have a big software development effort and so the comparison is really striking and I think it does differentiate us with our customers who a lot of times aren't looking at just USMCA or one or two free trade agreements, but may be wanting to buy 20 or 30 or more.

Josh Reilly -- Needham and Company -- Analyst

OK great. Very helpful. Thanks guys.

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Josh.

Operator

We'll hear next from Tom Roderick with Stifel.

Tom Roderick -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

Good afternoon gentlemen. Thanks for taking my questions. Let me piggyback on the last question just a little bit relative to sort of sales cycles and some of the things that you're doing from an organizational perspective. I guess the question in looking at a subscription growth line here that was around 5% this quarter, and I can kind of back into about 5% next quarter, Tom, with what your guidance looks like.

So certainly, looking for a ramp. I guess the question I'd have is just how much does sales productivity itself need to improve to start hitting double digit subscription growth sustainably? And is that just a function of close rates going up? Because if I hear what you're talking about relative to anticipated bookings for the next quarter, USMCA, some of the initiatives you've got under way, it seems like the pipeline is there and you just need to close. But perhaps you could kind of talk through pipeline generation versus close rates and what that all means for productivity and just how much more coverage you think you need to sustainably get to that double-digit subscription growth rate.

Tom Conway -- Chief Financial Officer

I believe by implementing the account management function, we actually increased our sales capacity without having to hire new heads considerably. Right? We just gave people that are good at hunting a lot more time to go do that. I think our account-based marketing programs are showing us that we can identify larger, more profitable deals that we compete better at more efficiently as well. So our marketing spend and our marketing dollars are showing more efficiency.

The pipeline generation that we've had in the last four or five months has been incredible and really with larger deals, I mean because we're focused in on going after those areas where we really do very well. So the seven figure a year annual subscriptions are showing themselves to us and we're really concentrating on them. I think if we just hold our close rates that we've historically had given the pipeline that we have today, that second half objective will come to us quite easily.

Tom Roderick -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

So what I'm hearing is more of an emphasis and more of an expectation that larger deals will close and perhaps not much of a change on the mid-market deals. But it sounds like larger deals are going to be what really move the needle here.

Tom Conway -- Chief Financial Officer

Yes, I think. I mean mid market's doing well. We're forecasting a bump in mid-market deals year over year of almost 20%. We're also doing well in China.

There we're seeing a bump in deals of about 20% as well. But those deals are a lot smaller, so they don't move the needle quite as well. But I think we're being very effective there. They are machines, they're hitting their objectives really every quarter.

I think in the enterprise space, it's about constant trading on the deals where we think we can have the most success, right. A little bit larger subscription, a little bit more profitable subscription and have a repeat performance built on that kind of success.

Tom Roderick -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

So it's been a year now since you sort of kicked off some of the initiatives around blockchain and I know sort of the hype cycle, the way some of these big longer term trends can shape up. You launch things and then it takes a little bit of -- a little while for discovery. But perhaps you could just give us an update, Jim, on the progress of the blockchain initiative. What customers are saying and asking about it.

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

Blockchain was a hot topic. We had some parties, some partners who were interested in working with us to try to understand how trade automation could be applied to a blockchain. We had a number of proof of concepts and lab works that -- lab exercises that we engaged in. I still think that there is some potential out there in the marketplace for it, but frankly customers aren't beating a path to our door for it.

And so rather than I think spending money and time on something that was really a little bit more speculative, we shifted back and started listening to where we had some significant demand. And I talked on the call tonight already about our cargo screening application. I mean that was an area where many customers, logistics companies and carriers, came to us and said we're getting killed. We're getting audited; some of them were being fined.

There's no solution in the marketplace. It's a lot like restricted party screening, but it's got other kinds of capabilities that requires content. You guys can build this thing. And so really on the support of those relationships, knowing that when we built it that we'd have ready-made customers for it, we made those kinds of investments.

So I think we've tuned our programs and the R&D programs around and said, you know, if it ain't customer-focused, we're probably not going to be engaging right now.

Tom Roderick -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

Fair enough. Makes sense. That's helpful. I appreciate it.

I'll jump back in queue. Thank you, guys.

Operator

[Operator instructions] We'll hear next from Jason Celino with KeyBanc Capital Markets.

Jason Celino -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Hey guys, can hear me OK?

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

Jason Celino -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

One question. So it looks like the results from the quarter, at least on the top line, came in a little bit better than maybe we had been expecting. But you're kind of maintaining guidance for the full year. Can you maybe talk about some of the dynamics as to why we're not seeing kind of that flow through?

Tom Conway -- Chief Financial Officer

I think the commentary on the prepared remarks talked about some services in Q2. I think what we talked about in our subscription growth rates and exiting the year double digit we still see really good proof points for that. So I think we're really excited about the subscription side. I think some things around the quick start program and other commentary around content heavy deals and where our content isn't as services oriented as perhaps a lot of modules of software would be from an implementation perspective.

So I think that that's just going to keep our services revenues pretty flat sequentially Q2 to Q1. But again, we're watching the subscription line. It's the one quite honestly, we're more excited about and as Jim talked about with the pipeline strength and the ABM and our account managers, I think we feel good about that.

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

I mean we did have a beat in Q1, but it was, as you put it, slight or modest. In our view it didn't warrant a raise to our annual numbers. We'll address that I think in August though.

Jason Celino -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

And then anecdotally I'd love to hear some feedback on the China trade news was new this week. I mean we all see it in the newspapers, but relative to some of your customers did any conversations come up or what was kind of the reaction among your customer base?

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

Our customers are very tuned in to this thing. This is a big challenge. And a lot of the demand that people have for free trade agreements where they can shift out of what is the general trade. It's the rate increases, the tariff increases are really against the general trade.

If you can step out of that and participate in a free trade agreement, void that increase. So a lot of free trade agreement demand we're seeing is really folks saying the rest of the tariff is too volatile. I need to find savings and I need to get stability. So this is -- it's a big issue for folks and it helps create a lot of energy around the kinds of things that we do, so we're working with our customers for that.

Operator

And with no other questions, I'd like to turn things back to Jim for closing remarks.

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, operator. In closing, we really do appreciate the support of our shareholders and we look forward to speaking with them again very soon. I'd like to express my thanks to our team and the hard work that they had in the recent quarter. And we're really looking forward to a great close to 2019.

Thank you.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 35 minutes

Call participants:

Kevin Brogan -- Investor Relations

Jim Preuninger -- Chief Executive Officer

Tom Conway -- Chief Financial Officer

Josh Reilly -- Needham and Company -- Analyst

Tom Roderick -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

Jason Celino -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

More AMBR analysis

All earnings call transcripts

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

Motley Fool Transcribing 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.
By Emma Rumney and Naledi Mashishi PRETORIA (Reuters) - The African National Congress was headed for victory in South Africa's election on Friday, although the party was on course for its worst performance since it took power 25 years ago. The ANC held a commanding lead with 90% of the voting districts counted, according to the electoral commission's website. It had secured 57.38% of the vote so far, while the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) was on 21.01% and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) had garnered 10.33%. ANC officials acknowledged the decline in support for the party since the last election in 2014, when it won 62% of the vote, but said the results were still strong enough. "People have shown they are willing to forgive the ANC," said Ronald Lamola, a member of the ANC's top governing body. "We are looking at a clear mandate for our policies." Many of those voting on Wednesday for a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures had said they were frustrated by rampant corruption, high unemployment and racial inequalities that persist a generation after the end of white minority rule. Nelson Mandela's former liberation party had not won less than a 60% share of the vote since it swept to power in South Africa's first all-race election in 1994. Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, who replaced scandal-plagued Jacob Zuma as head of state in 2018, the ANC had hoped to arrest a slide in support on its faltering efforts to address racial disparities in land ownership, housing and services. Africa's most advanced economy remains one of the most unequal societies in the world, according to the World Bank. "The ANC will be elected with a record low of 27 percent of the eligible population backing them, compared with 47 percent in 1999," said Peter Attard Montalto, head of capital markets research at Intellidex. "This kind of dynamic is not a mandate nor an impetus to change." Analysts had said a poor showing would embolden opponents of Ramaphosa and risk a potential challenge to his leadership. ANC Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte said the party was "not unhappy" with the vote share it looked set to receive, which was in line with internal forecasts. "We're not surprised at all," she said, adding that Ramaphosa's position in the party was "still good". KEY PROVINCE IN PLAY "It's a good election result for Ramaphosa as he does get a mandate. A lot of people were afraid he would poll 54% or even below that and we would get a political struggle within ANC. I don't think that will happen," said Carl Vermassen, fund manager, emerging markets debt at Vontobel Asset Management. "What's happening in Gauteng is not as clear. It's the province with Johannesburg and Pretoria and accounts for around a third of the GDP of South Africa." The partial results showed the ANC ahead in Gauteng province, where South Africa's biggest city and commercial centre Johannesburg and the administrative capital Pretoria are located, but its lead was just below 50 percent. Failure to cross that threshold would be a blow to Ramaphosa as the ANC would have to run it as part of a coalition. The party controls eight of the country's nine provinces. The DA has controlled the Western Cape, home to Cape Town, where parliament resides, since 2009 and held a more comfortable lead there on Friday. "Even though we lost some votes, I can guarantee you we held the centre," Mmusi Maimane, the DA leader told reporters. The DA's share of the national vote so far was down slightly from the 22% it won in 2014, while the EFF gained from 6%. The rand rose against the dollar, partly on the poll results and an emerging markets rally. Traders said the currency would remain volatile. "As the ANC win is digested, markets will swiftly shift their focus to the subsequent actions of the ruling party, including the announcement of cabinet ... as well as policies relating to expropriation of land without compensation," said Bianca Botes, corporate treasury manager at Botes Peregrine Treasury Solutions. Ramaphosa won the ANC leadership in December 2017, narrowly defeating a faction allied with Zuma on promises to fight graft, improve public services, create jobs and hasten land reform, and replaced Zuma as president three months later. But the party remains divided, with some influential Zuma supporters opposed to his agenda. The ANC won more than 69% of the vote in the 2004 parliamentary election under former president Thabo Mbeki but support fell under Zuma, and it lost control of big cities like Johannesburg in local government elections in 2016. Election officials said voting in general had progressed smoothly but that there had been isolated disruptions caused by bad weather, unscheduled power outages or community protests. (Additional reporting by Mfuneko Toyana and Alexander Winning in Pretoria, Tom Arnold in London; Writing by Tiisetso Motsoeneng, Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and James Macharia; Editing by Catherine Evans)
A Norwegian tourist has died after she was infected with rabies months ago from a stray puppy in the Philippines, Norwegian media reported.

Birgitte Kallestad, 24, died earlier this week, her family said in a statement Thursday, according to NRK, Norway's state-owned broadcaster.

Kallestad and her friends were in the Philippines in February and spotted the puppy on the side of the road, NRK reported.

The woman grabbed the puppy and bathed it after bringing it back to where they were staying, but soon the small dog began nibbling on her and her friend's fingers, the family said, according to NRK.

No one thought much of it, and Kallestad, a health worker, washed the small cuts out, NRK reported.

But when the woman returned home to Norway, she fell ill.

According to Verdens Gang, a Norwegian tabloid, Kallestad went to doctors multiple times before her death, but none connected her symptoms to rabies.

Feb. 10: Health Department: Possible rabies exposure from bat at Pacers game

Oct. 2018: Dogs help scared puppy conquer fears

The tabloid reported that doctors said it was the first rabies-related death in the Scandinavian country in 200 years.

Rabies is a deadly, viral disease that infects the central nervous system. Post-exposure vaccines are used to prevent progression of the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms  such as fever, headache and weakness or discomfort  can appear similar to other diseases at first. Other more serious symptoms develop later, including insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, hypersalivation (increase in saliva), difficulty swallowing and hydrophobia (fear of water), the CDC says.

Rabies deaths are rare in the United States, though wild animals do still carry the virus. In the Philippines, there is a "high risk" of contracting rabies, the World Health Organization said in 2013.

"Our dear Birgitte loved animals," her family said, according to the BBC. "Our fear is that this will happen to others who have a warm heart like her."

Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Animal-lover dies from rabies after rescuing stray puppy on vacation
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla.  The female volunteer found dead after being bitten by a dog has been identified.

The Humane Society of St. Lucie County in Florida said the woman was Christine Liquori.

Liquori was found dead in the play yard at the society's Fort Pierce Second Chance Shelter, an announcement by the Humane Society said.

"Christine was a valued volunteer working with our good friends at Paws Fur Recovery," the Humane Society announced on its Facebook page.

Paws Fur Recovery describes itself as "a group of grateful recovering addicts and alcoholics helping shelter dogs find new homes. We have been lost, alone and afraid in our addiction. Now, free at last, we are paying forward that second chance of life to rescue dogs!"

An adult volunteer was found dead at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County facility off Savannah Road in Fort Pierce on Thursday, May 9, 2019, after Fort Pierce police responded to a report of a dog bite. The investigation was focused outside, near where the body was removed.

The organization seeks volunteers "to assist with walking, socializing, and training dogs." Volunteers also help with outside events handling dogs and interacting with potential adopters, according to its website.

Police officers at the scene Friday morning declined to speak, referring questions to police spokeswoman Audria Moore-Wells. Voicemails left with Moore-Wells were not immediately returned.

Trouble viewing this embed? Open it in a new window.

Fort Pierce police responded to the facility at about 2:17 p.m. Thursday.

Moore-Wells said Thursday a person was bit by a dog, but the cause of Liquori's death currently is unknown.

Moore-Wells said there is no crime involved, but an investigation is ongoing.

An adult volunteer was found dead at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County facility off Savannah Road in Fort Pierce on Thursday, May 9, 2019, after Fort Pierce police responded to a report of a dog bite.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 'Valued volunteer' bitten by dog found dead at Florida Humane Society
Elizabeth Warren, the senior senator from Massachusetts, has made a name for herself in a crowded field of more than 20 presidential candidates by styling herself the policy engine of the Democratic party.

I want to fix the systems in this country so they work for Americans, not just for giant corporations or Big Pharma or the Goldman Sachs guys, she told TIME in a recent interview. Thats not just my political career. Thats my whole lifes work.

In the months since she launched her campaign, she and her team have published more than a dozen complex policy proposals designed to address an array of problems, from unaffordable housing and child care to the overwhelming burden of student debt. Her anticorruption initiative would target the Washington swamp, and her antitrust measures would transform Silicon Valley. On Wednesday, Warren unveiled a $100 billion plan to fight the opioid crisis.

This flurry of white papers has become Warrens brand. On the campaign trail, her off-the-cuff phrase I have a plan for that! became so ubiquitous that it morphed into a viral applause line; in Iowa, supporters printed the accidental slogan on T-shirts. Her campaign, staffers say, is built on the conviction that voters want substance, not theatrics, and will throw in for the candidate who puts forth serious ideas to create change. Unlike many of her Democratic rivals, who have offered enticing promises largely devoid of specifics, Warrens plans include paragraphs on implementation and details on exactly how they would be paid for. In her stump speech, she describes the mechanics of a tax that would fund her universal child-care planto pick just one example among many.

Focusing a campaign on policy solutions is an audacious bet in the Donald Trump era. Voters tend to tell pollsters they prioritize policy over personality. But they said that in 2016 too, when Clintons detailed agenda was no match for Trumps simple slogans and schoolyard nicknames. And Warrens investment in substance over style is not her only gamble. Over the past few months, she has fired her finance director, eschewed high-dollar donors and hired as much as 10 times as many staffers in early voting states as most of her competitors. While others focus on big money and flashy rallies, shes building a campaign designed to maximize the amount of time she spends in living rooms and community centers talking about what she would do as President.

Story continues

Its not clear whether these bets will pay off. While she has emerged as a serious contender for the Democratic nomination, she still trails front runner Joe Biden by a wide margin in both national polls and the latest surveys of the first four primary states. She doesnt have the die-hard fan base that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders built in 2016, and her campaign may be haunted by the specter of Clintons failure. Many voters who like Warren worry about nominating a wonky, blond woman four years after another wonky blond woman lost to Trump.

But campaign aides say theyre playing a long game. Democratic strategists unaffiliated with 2020 campaigns say Warren has proven appeal. In 2012, the Obama-Biden re-election campaign found that of all the Democratic campaign surrogates, Warren resonated most powerfully in focus groups. The sense was that she gets it, she understands us, she is fighting for the right stuff, says a former senior aide to the Obama-Biden re-election campaign. She had an authority that no one else had.

For now, Warren swats away questions about perceptions, polling numbers or electability. I didnt look in the mirror as a kid and think, Hey, theres the next President of the United States, she says. But I know why Im here. I have ideas for how we bring systemic change to this country. And were running out of time.
Worshippers arrive for Friday Prayers at Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford following an incident on Thursday when a "masked" gunman entered the building during Ramadan prayers before discharging a firearm outside. (PA Images)

An east London mosque was put on lockdown after a man fired a gun after being forced to leave.

Armed police were scrambled to the Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford on Thursday night after a "masked" gunman entered the building during Ramadan prayers.

The man reportedly entered the mosque but was made to leave before firing the gun outside.

Scotland Yard said early investigations suggested a "blank firing handgun" had been discharged.

The force said no injuries or damage to the building were reported and detectives were not treating the incident as terrorism-related.

The main entrance of an east London mosque remained closed this afternoon as police investigate the incident.

A side door of the Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford was reopened for worshippers to use but an officer at the scene said it was unlikely the mosque would reopen fully until Friday night or Saturday morning.

The incident happened outside the Seven King's Mosque in Ilford (Picture: Google Maps)

Worshipper Ibraheem Hussain, 19, described hearing the gunshot around half an hour after evening prayers began.

He told the Press Association he heard a loud noise that sounded like a firework or maybe something heavy had been dropped, and continued his prayers.

"After we finished we were leaving the shoe area and someone said it was a gunshot, someone had come into the mosque and he had a firearm on him, he said.

"The managers had seen him, he was masked and acting suspicious and the firearm was let off."

READ MORE

UKIP EU election candidate quits over Carl Benjamins rape joke

The mosques imam Mufti Suhail issued a statement saying: There was a firearm incident outside Seven Kings Mosque tonight during Ramadan night prayers.

"The suspect ran from the scene when stopped by brothers standing guard at the mosque.

"A shot was fired which fortunately did not hit anyone."

A statement has been issued by Mufti Suhail from Seven Kings Mosque pic.twitter.com/OkFsPxx5mB  Miqdaad Versi (@miqdaad) May 10, 2019

Scotland Yard said police were called at 10.45pm on Thursday to reports that a man, believed to be in possession of a firearm, had entered the mosque

Story continues

"The man was ushered outside of the building by those inside. A gunshot was then heard, the force said.

"Officers, including firearms officers, attended. There were no reported injuries or damage to the building.

"At this early stage, ballistic evidence recovered from the scene suggests that the weapon was a blank firing handgun.

"Officers will continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community."

The incident comes amid heightened concerns over security at places of worship around the world following recent attacks in New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the US.
(Refiles to remove extraneous word "a," paragraph 19)

* 7.3 bln stg takeover by Sainsbury's was blocked last month

* Asda to update on first-quarter trading on May 16

* Asda has reported seven straight quarters of growth

By James Davey

LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) - Asda will be scrutinized for clues on whether U.S. owner Walmart wants to line it up for sale or to compete longer term in the cut-throat British grocery market when it gives its first trading update since a planned Sainsbury's takeover collapsed.

Britain's competition regulator last month ruled Sainsbury's 7.3 billion pound ($9.5 billion) takeover of rival Asda cannot proceed, closing one exit route for Walmart.

Asda, which accounts for 6 percent of Walmart's turnover, is due to publish a first-quarter update on Thursday, when the world's biggest retailer posts quarterly earnings.

Analysts have speculated that Walmart will try to sell Asda to private equity or consider a stock market listing for the business it acquired for 6.7 billion pounds in 1999.

But a source with direct knowledge of the matter said Walmart is in no rush to make a decision, partly because Asda is performing relatively well under Chief Executive Roger Burnley.

Asda has reported seven consecutive quarters of like-for-like sales growth, thanks to a strategy focused on lower prices, more innovation in own-brand products, better store standards and improvements in its e-commerce operations.

A read across from monthly industry data produced by researcher Kantar indicates that Asda will likely report an eighth straight quarter of growth.

Walmart has been focused on turning around its international business by targeting higher growth markets such as China and India and exiting or tying up with local players elsewhere.

When the Sainsbury's deal was blocked on April 25 Judith McKenna, CEO of Walmart International, said its focus was on "continuing to position Asda as a strong UK retailer."

Story continues

Walmart "will ensure Asda has the resources it needs to achieve that," McKenna added at the time.

PROFIT RELIEF

Burnley, like his predecessor Sean Clarke, has benefited from Walmart's 2016 decision to relax profit demands of around 1 billion pounds on Asda, allowing it to cut prices and stem the loss of market share to German-owned discounters Aldi and Lidl.

That strategy shift meant Asda's operating profit fell 13% to 735.4 million pounds in 2017, its latest published accounts.

"The issue for Asda is what is Walmart going to tell it what its profit target is," a senior industry executive said.

"If Walmart says 'we would like you to go back to the profitability you had three years ago', then Asda can't execute their current strategy. It's not designed to deliver that level of profit," he said.

Another source with connections to Asda said that scenario would mean Burnley having to take out unprofitable, or barely profitable, stores, and cut staff numbers.

"But I suspect they'll allow the tap to stay on ... because that makes it more attractive for (a future) sale."

While Sainsbury's CEO Mike Coupe, the main architect of the deal, has been heavily criticized for its failure, Burnley has emerged relatively unscathed.

With the exception of one bruising appearance in front of lawmakers in June, Burnley has kept a low public profile since the deal was announced, which insiders say partly reflected his ambivalence towards it. ($1 = 0.7683 pounds) (Reporting by James Davey; additional reporting by Nandita Bose; editing by Kate Holton and Alexander Smith)
Most European equities rebounded Friday as investors bet on Beijing and Washington ending their trade war, mirroring earlier gains in Asia, but Wall Street investors seemed more sceptical of the chances for any 11th hour breakthrough.

The contrasting views reflected rattled investor nerves on the day the US doubled its tariffs on a host of Chinese goods, dealers said.

Paris and Frankfurt closed higher, while London ran into a late bout of selling to end a touch lower.

Across the Atlantic meanwhile the Dow index was down by more than 300 points in the late New York morning.

"US stocks are extending a weekly drop, which is poised to be the largest of the year, with the US following through on its threat to increase tariffs on Chinese goods as the two sides continue talks today in Washington," the Charles Schwab brokerage said.

In a brief respite from trade woes, Uber kicks off its Wall Street listing Friday with a vast share offering that values the ride-hailing giant at more than $82 billion.

US President Donald Trump has pulled the trigger on a steep increase in tariffs on Chinese goods, ramping up punitive duties on $200 billion in imports from 10 to 25 percent in a major escalation of the bitter trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

However, Russ Mould, investment director at stockbroker AJ Bell, said markets were adopting a wait-and-see approach -- and he suspected that a deal would eventually be clinched.

- 'Real facts' -

"Investors hate uncertainty as it leads to speculation about what might and might not happen. Once they have the real facts, investors can properly assess the situation," Mould told AFP.

"I suspect that markets still believe a deal can and will be done, because both President Xi and President Trump need one," he added.

The tariffs news failed to derail markets in Asia and Europe, after Trump stated also that he had received a "beautiful letter" from China's President Xi Jinping -- and that it was "possible" to get a deal.

Story continues

"Xi needs a deal to keep economic growth on the road, because the ongoing credibility and legitimacy of his tenure and the Communist Party more generally rests on jobs and prosperity," said Mould.

"Trump needs one because he seems to measure his success by where the Dow Jones Industrials is trading and because he has an election to fight in 2020.

"Winning that will be a lot harder if the US economy is slowing down or even turning down," the analyst added.

- Shanghai leads -

In Asia, Shanghai led gains at the end of a torrid week for equities, with investors nevertheless keeping a eye on the ongoing China-US trade talks.

Both Shanghai and Hong Kong bounced back on hopes the economic superpowers will be able to reach a deal to avert a trade war that most observers warn could shatter global growth and batter markets.

But China has vowed to hit back at the tariffs hike, saying it "deeply" regretted the US move.

The tariffs came in after the first day of high-stakes negotiations in Washington between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

- Red-hot Thyssenkrupp -

The slightly improved sentiment provided support to higher-yielding, riskier currencies, with the yuan edging higher though it continues to wallow around four-month lows.

However, in a worrying sign, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times -- which is published by the Communist Party's People's Daily -- cited a source familiar with the talks as saying there is "zero" chance of a deal before Friday.

"If it is that bad, the real suspense is whether the two sides will continue negotiations after Friday," Hu said.

In addition to a rosier view on trade talks, European markets also got a boost from strong economic data, including accelerated British economic growth, and a stronger trade surplus for Germany.

Frankfurt's Dax index outperformed its European peers largely thanks to a whopping surge in Thyssenkrupp shares which rose over 20 percent after the steel conglomerate said it was dropping its merger plans with Tata of India.

- Key figures around 1540 GMT -

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 7,203.29 points (close)

Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.7 percent at 12,059.83 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 5,327.44 (close)

EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.3 percent at 3,361.05

New York - Dow: DOWN 1.2 percent at 25,515.21

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.3 percent at 21,344.92 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.8 percent at 28,550.24 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 3.1 percent at 2,939.21 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1244 from $1.1215 at 2100 GMT

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3029 from $1.3014

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 109.61 yen from 109.74 yen

Oil - Brent Crude: UP 23 cents at $70.62 per barrel

Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP 8 cents at $61.78

burs-jh/klm
QUETTA, Pakistan (AP)  A Pakistani local official says three soldiers and two coalminers were killed in attacks in the country's volatile southwestern Baluchistan province.

Kalim Ullah says the miners were killed when gunmen opened fire as they stood near the mine in the town of Hernai on Thursday. The attackers fled the scene.

Ullah says members of the paramilitary forces were rushing to the scene when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle, killing three of them.

No one claimed responsibility for the attacks. An investigation is underway.

It's unclear if there was another connection between the attacks.

Quetta is the capital of Baluchistan province, which has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by separatists demanding more autonomy and a greater share in the region's natural resources such as gas and oil.
It's second nature: When your Uber or Lyft pulls up, you hop in the back seat.

Sure, you check that the license plate and driver photo match what's on the app. But should you also pull out hand sanitizer and sit up front to be safer?

Maybe you should, research shows.

Concerns about cleanliness and the dangers of sitting in the back could give you pause the next time your ride rolls up to the curb.

Experts say that riding in the back seat of a ride-hailing vehicle is germier than a toilet seat and potentially more dangerous than sitting in front.

As millions of Americans embrace ride-hailing apps  and Uber gets ready to become a publicly traded company  the health and safety risks of back-seat riding are becoming clearer.

According to a study by insurance company Netquote, the average rideshare vehicle has about 219 times as many germs as the average taxi, which is cleaned regularly.

It's nearly three times germier than the average toothbrush holder and more than 35,000 times germier than the average toilet seat.

John Chung's recent Lyft ride probably qualified.

Chung, a Philadelphia-area resident, was visiting Cleveland on a business trip this month when he hopped into the back seat and discovered fingernail clippings and questionable residue.

"I try not to touch too much, but what are you going to do?" he said, adding that he often feels like he doesn't have viable alternative options.

The most germs on rideshare vehicles are on the window buttons and seat belts, according to the Netquote study. Door handles aren't as bad, though they're still far worse than door handles in personal vehicles.

Safer in the front seat?: Why the back seat might be more dangerous in head-on crashes

Can kids ride by themselves?: Some parents don't play by the rules

The Netquote study only examined three rideshare vehicles, three taxis and three rental cars, meaning it's not a scientific examination of the issue.

Story continues

Erica Hartmann, a Northwestern University assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering who has studied microbial issues in transportation, said it's no surprise that rideshare vehicles are a haven for bacteria.

"We carry our bacteria with us everywhere we go," she said. "So it makes sense that the places where there are humans there are also going to be bacteria. Its just a fact of life."

Many of the bacteria are likely to be harmless to humans, she said. However, taking a ride with a stranger who's sick in a rideshare could expose you to illness, she said.

"Drivers are very aware of damage and visible dirt, but I dont think many are thinking about germs," said Harry Campbell, founder of TheRideshareGuy.com and author of The Rideshare Guide.

The American Cleaning Institute, which represents cleaning companies, urged ride-hailing drivers to clean up.

"Drivers should strive to regularly clean and vacuum their vehicle," said Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications, outreach and membership for the organization. "Consider using a fabric refresher or air sanitizer .... Riders can bring along a hand sanitizer or hand wipes if they're worried about touching too many surfaces."

Beyond hygiene, rear-seat passengers face other risks that are now emerging in a new analysis.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released a study showing that back-seat passengers are often killed in head-on collisions in which the front-seat passengers survive, due largely to a lack of safety advancements in the back seat. For example, seatbelts in the back seat do not perform as well as seatbelts in the front, placing passengers at risk of serious chest or head injuries.

Taken together, the results suggest that automakers, suppliers and ride-hailing companies need to take steps to address back-seat safety and health issues, Campbell said.

"Ive been really surprised that more automakers havent adapted vehicles for rideshare use," he said. "Right now vehicles are designed for passengers in the front seat."

Pursuing solutions

That might soon change.

As ride-hailing apps become increasingly popular, auto companies are beginning to rethink their approach to vehicle design.

For example, coatings supplier PPG is developing an anti-microbial treatment for use in cars and trucks to protect the health of back-seat passengers. The company is examining applications used on fitness center equipment that could potentially be applied to surfaces in vehicles.

Ana Wagner, PPG's global segment director for automotive parts and accessories said it's too early to say when the product could come to the market.

"The issue of cleaning surfaces or keeping them clean is something that's being talked about everywhere," said Ana Wagner, PPG's global segment director for automotive parts and accessories. "We're looking to see what could come with the vehicle."

'With this money, I cannot survive': Uber, Lyft strike hits L.A., NYC, Boston, Chicago as drivers protest

Will the protests make a difference?: Here's why the Uber, Lyft protests might not even work

Northwestern's Hartmann warned that anti-microbial products aren't always designed well to protect humans. In fact, sometimes they can encourage the spread of antibiotic resistant infections, she said.

Other companies are exploring cleaning solutions. AutoNation, the largest auto dealer chain in the country, said it's partnering with Clorox to introduce "a revolutionary sanitizing system designed to enable cleaner, healthier, safer vehicles."

The product, dubbed "PrecisionCare powered by Clorox Total 360," uses electrostatic technology and Clorox cleaners to kill common germs that cause illnesses. AutoNation is selling the product at its dealerships and is distributing it to other dealers, repair shops, rental car companies and fleet services through a wholesale network.

Will Uber or Lyft drivers embrace it?

"It's not something that I think many drivers think about," said Campbell, the Rideshare Guy. "The good drivers will do basic things like shaking out the mats at the beginning of every day and getting car washes once a week, maybe a vacuum."

But with the average busy Uber or Lyft driver handling 20 to 30 rides a day, "there's a lot of unwanted germs," he said.

Uber spokesman Andrew Hasbun said the company encourages riders to rate their rides and comment on cleanliness. Driver ratings can suffer due to the condition of their vehicles, and they can be removed due to low ratings, according to Uber's standards.

Chung, the devoted rideshare user who had a grimy Lyft ride in Cleveland, said he was not satisfied with Lyft's rating system, which did not allow him to flag his ride as dirty.

Lyft did not respond to requests for comment.

More: You're probably brushing your teeth with fecal matter

More: Hand dryers suck in fecal bacteria and blow it all over your hands, study finds

Back seat safety

While germs, in some cases, could just make you sick, vehicle safety is often a matter of life or death.

And sitting in the back seat in a ride-hailing vehicle or any other car could put you at risk.

"We think its now time to think about focusing on the rear seat," said David Harkey, president of IIHS. "Theres the potential that were going to have a lot more people riding in rear seats as we move forward and therefore greater risk of injury to rear seat passengers."

Uber's Hasbun said the company urges riders to buckle up and supports efforts to improve vehicle safety.

The problem is that back-seat seatbelts are often poorly engineered, according to IIHS. Those seatbelts lack adequate pre-tensioners to protect passengers, while back-seat passengers could potentially benefit from more airbags, IIHS reported.

What's more, only 57% of passengers in hired vehicles always buckle up, compared with 74% of passengers in personal cars, according to a 2017 IIHS study.

Jake Nelson, director of traffic safety advocacy and research for AAA, said IIHS research's shows "it seems automakers can absolutely solve this issue through better design of their products. Im hopeful, this new focus by IIHS will prompt such action."

Still, Nelson said it's critical for back-seat passengers to wear their seatbelts, even though they may not perform as well as ones in the front.

"Despite the differences uncovered by IIHS, buckling up is still one of the most effective ways to reduce injury and save lives in traffic crashes," Nelson said in an email.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Back-seat passengers in Uber, Lyft, ride-hailing vehicles face germs, safety risks
This essay is drawn from Susan Page's book The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty, published last month by Twelve Books.

HOUSTON  Barbara Pierce Bush knew she was entering the final days of her long and eventful life.

She was 92 years old. She had taken a fall, breaking her back and sending her to Houston Methodist Hospital. She was losing her battle with congestive heart failure, among other ailments. Soon her doctor would come into her hospital room to have a poignant conversation. The former first lady would be going home again, the doctor told her, but this time to hospice care.

Once again, Barbara Bush turned to her diary. She had kept a journal, sometimes intermittently and in various formats, since soon after she and her husband and their toddler, Georgie, had moved from the familiar comforts of New England to the booming Oil Patch in Texas. Seven decades later, she made the penultimate entry. Her children, as always, were on her mind. She wrote Things I am grateful for across the top, then began to draft a final letter to them.

Dearest Children, she typed into her laptop. I have thought of writing this for a while.

An illuminating, unfinished letter

The letter was never finished. It stops mid-sentence, perhaps interrupted when a visitor walked into her hospital room, and it was never sent.

It is illuminating nonetheless  the final thoughts of a woman who for years led the list of most-admired women in the world but who was first and foremost a proud and protective mother.

I was apparently the first person to read the letter. Her son Neil told me her children weren't aware that the letter existed until I raised it with them. A few weeks before she started to draft it, she unexpectedly gave me access to her diaries for the biography of her that I was working on, "The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty." She had donated them to the George Bush Presidential Library with the provision that they not be available to anyone until 35 years after her death  as it turned out, until 2053. Decades of diaries, not yet reviewed or organized even by the librarys archivists, were stacked in document boxes and kept under lock and key.

Story continues

Barbara Bush: Did she still consider herself a Republican? 'I'd probably say no today.'

After she died April 17, 2018, an aide in Houston printed out the final year of entries from her laptop and sent them to the library, giving me a glimpse into Bushs last days.

Its easy to picture her sitting up in her hospital bed, her mind sharp even as her body was failing, pecking out letters on the keyboard. As ever, she got straight to the point.

Needles to say I am most thankful for five men and one lady, she began, the first item on her list of things for which she was grateful. That was, of course, a reference to her husband of 73 years, George H.W. Bush; their four sons, George W., Jeb, Neil and Marvin; and their daughter, Doro.

She expressed appreciation for her husbands parents and her own. Left unmentioned was her fraught relationship with her own mother, whose focus on her daughter's childhood chubbiness contributed to a lifetime of insecurities about her looks.

My dad was the finest brightest man, Barbara Bush wrote, adding a wry observation about the family genes. Although Neil and George got my dads hair (or growing lack of hair), she wrote, saying their brothers had fared better in that department. Jeb and Marvin are true Bushes with height and hair.

The most important job she ever held

She had a lifetime of consequential roles, and historic ones. Only she and Abigail Adams were both the wife and mother of presidents, and of the two, only Barbara Bush lived long enough to see her son in the White House. She played a personal part in seven of the past 10 presidential campaigns. She was an active and activist first lady on issues of adult illiteracy and HIV/AIDS and more.

She believed the most important job she ever held was that of mother. Indeed, she thought that was just about the most important role anyone could hold.

That was the core of her message at a string of college commencements she addressed, including one at Wellesley College that sparked student protests. One-fourth of the Class of 1990 signed a petition declaring that she wasnt an appropriate role model for modern women such as themselves, women who expected to be rewarded on the basis of our own merit, not on that of a spouse.

She was gracious about the protests in public, but in her diary, she made it clear she felt embattled and wounded by the furor that followed. In the speech in June 1990, she opened with self-deprecation and humor, then acknowledged the debate raging over opportunities and expectations for women.

We are in a transitional period right now  fascinating and exhilarating times, learning to adjust to the change and the choices we, men and women, are facing, she said. Maybe we should adjust faster, maybe slower. But whatever the era, whatever the times, one thing will never change. Fathers and mothers, if you have children, they must come first. You must read to your children, and you must hug your children, and you must love your children. Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens in your house.

Born in 1925 and married in 1945, Barbara Bush reflected the attitudes of her generation. George Bush was a devoted and revered father to their children, but he was often an absentee one, away as he built his oil business, then pursued a career in politics. He called the shots; she ran the household. By default, she became the family disciplinarian. The Enforcer, they dubbed her.

George W. Bush told me she was the quintessential Cub Scout den mother who would drill him on his French lessons as they made the long drive to his orthodontist appointments. When Neil Bush was diagnosed with dyslexia and struggled to learn to read, she spent years trying one approach after another until he succeeded. Mom was always the one to hand out the goodies and the discipline, Jeb Bush recalled. He called her the traffic cop.

Somebody has to take care of the nest, and thats me, Barbara Bush said. She didnt mind. She embraced it. She had six children, losing daughter Robin to leukemia at age 3. She suffered at least two miscarriages, once in the late 1940s and again in the early 1960s. I would have liked one more, another child after Doro, the youngest, was born in 1959, she told me, still a bit wistful. Two girls would have been nice.

Grateful for family, friends

In the final letter intended for her children, she praised them and the next generation for all they had achieved, for not relying only on the considerable advantages of their birth. I am so grateful that our children and grand children all finished school and promptly went to work, she wrote. They did not feel entitled. They and their children support themselves and are now doing good works along with working in some cases.

Then she thanked her friends. The Saintly Stitchers who meet on Mondays at Saint Martins [Episcopal] Church. They treat me as a normal person although they do spoil me. We stitch kneelers for the church, I did two and then my eyes got bad and now I work on Santas and Clowns that either sit on a shelf.

She mentioned the 1925 Club, a group of Texas women of a certain age who convened at the Bayou Club in Houston on the first Monday of the month for lunch and gossip. Some of them had been her friends since they were raising young families back in Midland. The prerequisite for membership included having a birthdate in 1925.

They had allowed one exception, she noted. Members are Ada Gandy [Grundy] although she was born in 1924 and is deaf that she will interrupt as though she is... The letter ends there.

Perhaps she meant that although Ada Grundy was deaf, she will interrupt as though she isnt. Or perhaps she had some other thought. Whatever she had in mind, she already had made it clear she was grateful for the friendship of Ada and the others. And for her family. And, most of all, for her children, and the chance to have been their mother.

Like what you're reading? Download the USA TODAY app for more stories like this.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barbara Bush never sent her final letter to her children. Here's what she wanted to say.
MONTMELO, Spain (AP)  The director of the track that hosts the Spanish Grand Prix says the circuit's owners are seeking to strike a new deal with Formula One management amid speculation that the race's days are numbered.

Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit director Joan Fontsere tells The Associated Press that negotiations have been ongoing since regional government authorities met with Formula One Group CEO and Chairman Chase Carey in March.

"Since then we have been working with a team from (FI management) to identify their needs and ours," Fontsere said on Friday.

The previous contract agreed to by ownership led by the government for Spain's northeastern Catalonia region and former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone runs out this year. Attendance has also fallen from 140,000 spectators attending the 2007 Spanish GP to 90,000 last year.

Those factors have sparked rumors that another race could replace the Spanish GP. Media reports point to the possibility of F1 adding a Dutch GP to the calendar.

Fontsere denied that the owners had wanted to close the new deal before this weekend's Spanish GP.

"It is a deal that must be done well, not with haste," he said.

Sunday's race is the 29th Spanish GP run at the track, where Michael Schumacher and Alain Proust are former winners. Previously, it had been held at Jerez in southern Spain and other sites.

Lewis Hamilton has won here three times, including the past two years, en route to claiming five world titles.

Preseason testing has also been held at the track for several years.

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
For the first time, Google yesterday used its annual I/O developer event to introduce new smartphone hardware in the form of the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL. The names dont exactly roll off the tongue but the devices themselves are quite compelling. In a nutshell, Googles new Pixel 3a line is designed to give users a premium smartphone experience at a more affordable price point. In many ways, the Pixel 3a is being positioned in a similar vein as the iPhone SE that Apple inexplicably and frustratingly discontinued last year.

Pricing on the Pixel 3a line is more than reasonable, with the Pixel 3a starting at $399 and the Pixel 3a XL starting at $479. And while some budget-oriented phones tend to skimp on the features, the Pixel 3a devices offer a whole lot of bang for the buck and may very well prove to be a sleeper hit for Google. The devices are already available for purchase via major carriers but there are some intriguing Pixel 3a deals to be had if you head on over to Best Buy.

Related Stories:

Google will pay you up to $600 to switch from an iPhone to a Pixel 3a

Did Google just show us a Pixel 4 prototype at I/O 2019?

Hey Google, stop trying to redefine privacy

Specifically, if you buy an unlocked Pixel 3a you can pick up a $100 gift card, essentially bringing the price of the devices down to $299 and $379, respectively. Youll also get a $100 gift card on an installment plan if you activate your Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL on Sprint. The gift card for activation via Verizon or AT&T checks in at $50.

The aforementioned offer is valid until May 18th, so if youre in the market for a new Android device and arent keen on splurging on a flagship device, its probably worth taking a look at the Pixel 3a. Full details on Best Buys Pixel 3a deal can be viewed over here.

Meanwhile, you can also get a $100 credit to the Google Store if you pick up a Pixel 3a from Google before May 19.

Story continues

BGR Top Deals:

Trending Right Now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Critics say Biden's "middle ground" climate strategies won't fix the existential problem of climate change. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

At a moment when mounting reports from the worlds top scientists indicate humanity is barrelling toward climate catastrophe and ecological collapse, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is preparing a climate policy that appears to put the United States back on the pre-Trump trajectory.

The former vice presidents proposal is anchored in resetting the clock to 2016 by rejoining the Paris climate accord and reinstating Obama-era regulations on power plant and vehicle emissions, according to a Reuters report published Friday. The policy is expected to maintain a role for fossil fuels, and veer away from the Green New Deal framework that most of Bidens top rivals for his partys 2020 presidential nomination have embraced.

Reheating the Obama administrations regulations-plus-Paris approach will be totally insufficient, said Joseph Majkut, a climate scientist and policy expert at the center-right think tank Niskanen Center.

TJ Ducklo, a spokesman for Bidens campaign, said in an email statement that the former vice president knows how high the stakes are and noted his record on addressing climate change.

As president, Biden would enact a bold policy to tackle climate change in a meaningful and lasting way, and will be discussing the specifics of that plan in the near future, he said. Any assertions otherwise are not accurate.

The descriptions of the forthcoming policy offer only a first glance at Bidens proposal to address a global crisis that, over the past year, has surged to the top of Democratic primary voters concerns. But the position appears dangerously out of step with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The worlds leading climate science body warned in October that governments must cut global emission by nearly half and begin removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to keep warming from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point the havoc wreaked by extreme weather and sea level rise is expected to cost $54 trillion and kill millions.

Story continues

The finding, confirmed a month later by 13 federal agencies in the congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment, cast a shadow over the Obama administrations climate legacy. While the 44th president forged the first global emissions-cutting deal to include the United States and China, his administration oversaw the rapid expansion of U.S. oil and gas production, a fact about which Obama boasted last November. Expanded U.S. drilling threatens to add 1,000 coal plants worth of greenhouse gases by the middle of the century, according to a January analysis by researchers at more than a dozen environmental groups. That will make the emissions reductions set out by the IPCC all but impossible to meet, and discourage countries like China, India and Indonesia  whose emissions are growing at a rapid clip  from adopting cleaner development strategies as the worlds richest nation and biggest historic emitter fails to set an example.

The greatest fault in his proposal is the suggestion that natural gas can be part of the solution, Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University, said by email. The solution to a problem created by burning fossil fuels cannot be the burning of fossil fuels.

Biden has called climate change an existential threat. And during a campaign speech in Iowa earlier this month, he noted that he was one of the first guys to introduce a climate change bill, way, way back in 87. PolitiFact looked into the claim and found it to be true.

A firetruck drives through an area burned from the wildfire in Paradise, Calif., last November. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Yet, in a speech last month, the former vice president parroted a familiar oil and gas industry line, declaring, North American energy makes us independent. And, according to Reuters, he picked Heather Zichal as a climate adviser. Zichal, 42, who advised in the Obama administration, served on the board of liquified natural gas giant Cheniere Energy Partners from 2014 until last year.

Zichal came to Bidens defense in a post to Twitter on Friday afternoon, saying Reuters got it wrong.

I expect as president @JoeBiden would enact a bold policy to tackle climate change in a meaningful and lasting way. Reuters got it wrong. Any suggestion that it wouldn't is in direct contradiction to his long record of understanding climate change as an existential threat.  Heather Renee Zichal (@hrzichal) May 10, 2019

There may have been a chance for modest, all of the above, middle ground climate strategies twenty years ago but weve passed that point now, said Peter Gleick, a climate scientist and co-founder of Californias Pacific Institute. He added that many politicians still fail to understand or accept the severity of the climate crisis or the speed with which we now have to act.

Of the nearly two dozen Democrats vying for president in 2020, only two  Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Texas congressman Beto ORourke  have laid out detailed climate policies, as The Guardian reported this week. But the plans set a far different course from what former President Barack Obama envisioned.

ORourke, who climate activists criticized for pro-fossil fuel votes in the past, proposed a sweeping $5 trillion plan to beef up infrastructure and make the United States carbon neutral by 2050.

Inslee, whos making climate change the sole focus of his White House bid, went further, outlining a detailed vision to eliminate emissions from power plants, passenger vehicles and new buildings by 2030.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) vowed to ban new fossil fuel leases on federal lands and waters and increase renewable energy generation on public acreage by nearly tenfold.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) threw his weight behind the Green New Deal resolution that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) released in February, which calls for a sweeping national industrial plan to decarbonize the United States and expand the social safety net over the next 10 years. Roughly half the 21 Democrats running for president pledged to reject donations from the fossil fuel industry.

In an election where more than half the field had pledge to reject fossil fuel money, Biden has a fossil fuel bird member leading his climate policy development, David Turnbull, a spokesman for the nonprofit Oil Change U.S., said by email. This is not a good look, and worse yet will lead to terrible policy stuck in the past.

Andrew Dessler, an atmospheric scientist at Texas A&M University, said the policies described in the Reuters story do not sound very ambitious and would likely blow past the additional degree of average temperature rise the Paris Agreement aimed to cap global warming.

The solution to a problem created by burning fossil fuels cannot be the burning of fossil fuels. Michael Mann, climate scientist

My rough intuition is that this approach would be more in line with stabilizing at 3-4C of warming, rather than staying below 2C, he said by email. So I would categorize this as a bit disappointing.

Yet he said it may be a politically savvy appeal to draw voters who elected President Donald Trump in 2016. That may be a strength in the general election, but the proposal drew fierce criticism from Democratic activists who could influence the primary election.

Im a Woolsey Fire survivor, RL Miller, political director of the political action committee Climate Hawks Vote, said referring to one of the historic wildfires that blazed in California last year. Does Biden mean that the next wildfire will compromise with me which half of my home emerges unscathed?

Sunrise Movement co-founder Varshini Prakash, whose youth-focused group led the protests that propelled the Green New Deal into the national conversation last year, called Bidens middle ground policy a death sentence for our generation and the millions of people on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

The Green New Deal remains the only framework on the scope of the crisis, and the movement to enact it initially drew stunning bipartisan support. A December poll from Yale and George Mason universities found 81% of voters, including 64% of Republicans and 57% of conservative Republicans favored the policies outlined under such a program. But months of negative coverage on right-wing media outlets like Fox News  which routinely smeared the Green New Deal by falsely claiming it would ban hamburgers, trigger genocide against white men or set the stage for Stalinist government policy  dramatically eroded support among Republicans, new polling shows.

Labor unions, a key constituency for Democrats, are divided on the Green New Deal. The building and construction trade unions, a powerful force in the labor movement, rely on the fossil fuel industry for lucrative jobs with coal trains and pipelines, and as such have opposed proposals that threatened those sectors.

Yet proponents of the Green New Deal say a Democratic leader with strong appeal to unions could help bridge that divide by promoting the policys potential to generate unionized clean energy jobs.

Its a false tradeoff to say that we have to seek moderate climate policy in order to appeal to both the environmental left and the labor movement, said Greg Carlock, the researcher who authored the left-leaning think tank Data for Progress Green New Deal blueprint last year. We can decarbonize our economy and we can grow good jobs.
A California Democrat is urging his colleagues to pass a law that would ban cryptocurrencies in the United States. | Source: (i) Shutterstock (ii) Shutterstock; Edited by CCN

By CCN: Bitcoin-bashing Democrat Congressman Brad Sherman is urging his colleagues to pass a law that would ban cryptocurrencies in the United States.

I look for colleagues to join with me in introducing a bill to outlaw cryptocurrency purchases by Americans, so that we nip this in the bud.

Congressman Sherman, whos from California, made the remarks May 9 at a meeting of the House Financial Services Committee.

Sherman says the ban is necessary because crypto threatens to undermine the U.S. dollar and is only useful for criminal activities like money-laundering, drug-dealing, and tax evasion.

Sherman: Crypto fans want to supplant US dollar

Moreover, Sherman notes that crypto evangelists have made no secret of their desire to replace fiat currency. And that is unacceptable to him.

Read the full story on CCN.com.
Jameson Lopp has published an editorial dubbed

By CCN: In a rare foray into editorial writing, Bitcoin developer Jameson Lopp has dismantled Craig Wrights Satoshi claims, one by one. How Many Wrongs Make a Wright? should be bookmarked in the browser of any cryptocurrency enthusiast. Its as a master list of reasons not to believe Craig Wrights claim that he is Satoshi Nakamoto.

Lopp Finally Gives a Peek At Wright Research

Lopp uncharacteristically chose to publish the piece in Bitcoin Magazine, as opposed to his Medium blog. Presumably, the post is partially the result of exhaustive research conducted by Lopp. Hes been teasing the release of such research via Twitter for a couple of weeks. He recently said that after legal review, he wouldnt be moving forward with the publication of his research just yet. Some of the things written in the post can only have derived from that research.

A year ago I began a new research project; the subject of this research was Craig Steven Wright. I finished my research a while ago but the article has been stuck in legal review by multiple teams of attorneys for over a month. Expecting to publish next week. pic.twitter.com/PzvHPq4McX  Jameson Lopp (@lopp) April 19, 2019

Lopp writes:

From examining the public timestamps on over 100 blog posts by Wright during the 2009 & 2010 time period and comparing them against over 800 public timestamps from emails, forum posts and code commits by Satoshi during the same period, we can gain some insight as to the sleep patterns of each. Its pretty clear that Wright was generally inactive from 13:00 to 18:00 UTC while Satoshi was inactive from 7:00 to 12:00 UTC. As such, Wright appears to maintain a sleep schedule consistent with someone living in the AEST time zone (Australia) while Satoshi maintains a sleep schedule consistent with the EST time zone (North American east coast and part of South American west coast). While its possible that Wright was meticulously maintaining two separate schedules for each identity, Occams Razor suggests that the reason for the different patterns is probably because they belong to different people.

Story continues

Did Craig Wright Code for the Australian Military?

The lengthy post details the history of Craig Wright and Bitcoin but also dives into Wrights background.

Read the full story on CCN.com.
When I paid a visit to Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in early 2016, one of the questions I asked founder Sam Calagione was why so many of his beer peers were selling out to large conglomerates like Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors. His response: It was inevitable.

The patriarchs and matriarchs of our [craft] movement are coming to retirement age, said Calagione, as we stood in his brewery in Milton, Delaware. I dont fault those that are choosing to sell the majority or all of their company. Calagione had sold a 15% stake in his company to private equity firm LNK Partners in 2015 to bring more business acumen to Dogfish, but told me that he was holding out on a full sale so his childrenthen aged 13 and 16could one day potentially run the business he and his wife Mariah built.

Inevitability came earlier than Calagione anticipated. On Thursday, Dogfish Head announced it would merge with Sam Adams brewer Boston Beer Company in a $300 million cash-and-stock transaction, combining two of the nations top 15 brewers to better take on competition from Big Beer and a crowded craft beer landscape thats put pressure on the smaller players sales. Calagione has agreed to take a seat on Boston Beers board of directors.

Together, well be better positioned to compete with larger international beer conglomerates that are more than 50x our size, despite our combined companys volume representing less than 2% of the beer sold in the U.S., wrote Calagione in a blog post announcing the deal. Calagione wasnt immediately available for an interview with Fortune.

The deal comes at a time when craft brewers have faced tough growing pains. Craft beer sales only grew by 3.9% in volume in 2018, according to the Brewers Association, capturing just 13.2% of the total $114 billion beer market. There had once been aspirations that craft beer would make up 20% of the market by 2020, but a number of factors have led to a slowdown. Consumers are drinking less beer, replacing it with more spirits and wine. They are discovering a number of alternatives like cannabis drinks, hard alcoholic versions of soda and seltzer, and even nonalcoholic drinks.

Story continues

The industry was also hurt by takeovers by AB InBev, Molson Coors, Constellation Brands, and Heinekenthe Big Four that dominate the beer aisle. Every time a Lagunitas, or a Goose Island, or a Ballast Point was acquired, it removed their volume from the beers that the Brewers Association deemed craft. Craft brewers also started to merge to better compete

The Dogfish Head-Boston Beer marriage seems to come from a place of mutual respect. Both of the foundersCalagione and Boston Beers Jim Kochhave separately spoken highly of each other to me during past interviews. Each was part of the earlier waves of the craft beer movement: Boston Beer started in 1984 and Dogfish Head debuted in 1995.

But both are facing pressure as they face a squeeze from Big Beer and smaller, niche craft brewers that generate greater buzz with drinkers today. Boston Beers Sam Adams brand last posted annual growth in 2014putting pressure on the companys overall sales, which have had to depend on non-beer brands for growth. In 2018, depletions or distributor sales to retailersclimbed about 13% from the prior year thanks to increases for Truly Hard Seltzer, Angry Orchard cider, and Twisted Tea. But the Sam Adams brand declined again.

Dogfish Head has also been stuck of late. It became a top 20-selling craft brewer as of 2009, according to the Brewers Associations annual statistics ranking breweries by volume. But it has muddled between 16th and 11th ever sinceranking 13th in 2018. (Boston Beer was #2.)

A deal between the two will help them combine forces as it pertains to marketing, purchasing of ingredients, bottles, labeling, and other input costs, while also giving the combined company heft to better negotiate with wholesale distributors, who sell beer to retailers.

One interesting aspect of the deal is that it combines two brewers that are regionally strongest in the northeast near their home bases: Boston Beer from Massachusetts and Dogfish Head from Delaware. That differs from the regionally diverse acquisition strategy pursued by the likes of AB InBev and Molson Coors, who have bought craft brewers from all across the United States. It remains to be seen if that will be beneficial or a hinderance.

This combination is the right fit as both Boston Beer and Dogfish Head have a passion for brewing and innovation, we share the same values and we will learn a lot from each other as we continue to invest in the high-end beer category, said Koch in a statement on Thursday.

So perhaps, this deal isnt entirely strategic. Theres an emotional element at play when two craft founders realize the landscape has changed so drastically they need to make a bold move before being gulped up by that Big Beer boogeyman.
The Federal Reserve of Boston is starting a new blockchain experiment this summer.

The Massachusetts state regulator has been one of the earliest and most involved government bodies to dip their toe into the new technology. It has been quietly developing blockchain systems since 2016 but has said very little about their plans.

Now the first results of those trials are out and the Boston Fed published a white paper on its proof-of-concepts on ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric. Now its getting ready for the next stage, Boston Feds vice president of IT Paul Brassil told CoinDesk.

Vitalik Buterin, Joe Lubin Back $700K Donation to Ethereum Project MolochDAO

The team is going to look into possible opportunities to set up a supervisory node, a regulatory surveillance tool that should be able to connect to various banking blockchains in the future. This node will watch the money flows and settlements between different banks, Boston Feds senior vice president Jim Cunha said.

If you look at the future, there might be one blockchain that is holding securities, one that is holding derivatives, one is holding cash or interbank transfer  how do you as a supervisor watch the traffic on all these platforms that also will be on different technology?

Cunha adds, that Boston Fed is not looking at these explorations from a policy standpoint and that is expects to work with the central Federal Reserve on these rules. But in the meantime monetary authorities have to keep apace with the technology development.

We are surrounded by very large financial institutions and banks and we know that all of them are experimenting with the blockchain technology. So the more we can work with them and understand their roadmap, the more we know that were moving in a right direction, Brassil said.

Desktop Crypto Mining App HoneyMiner Comes to MacOS

First, the Boston Fed plans to set the agenda and determine the main direction of this experiment and the work on this ideological part will start as early as this summer. Cunha said there are no plans yet for the publicly releasing the project.

Story continues

Right now there is very little research on it, so our next goal is to look into what an audit node look like, Cunha said. What kind of data we should have access to, how to interact, how to update nodes, can you create operational problems with it? What kind of coding you will need to do to store the information about the movement of funds, so you can do analysis of the flows. We are really starting from scratch.

In the future, it could be possible that we will see multiple blockchains by various banking institutions, Brassil said, so the Feds supervisory node should have a technical capacity broad enough to cover all the platforms.

Startup in the basement mentality

Boston Fed started blockchain technology trials back in 2016 by experimenting with ethereum. At that time, there were no specialized blockchain developers on staff, so the team of coders educated themselves watching relevant videos on YouTube. Cunha and Brassil called it their startup in the basement.

During that period, developers tried to put depository institution balances under the Boston Fed supervision on a blockchain and create mock transactions  a kind of a blockchain-powered back office model. They conducted the testing first on the ethereum blockchain and then on Hyperledger Fabric. In the end, the latter was considered a more suitable option.

Why did they pick Fabric? first of all, a permissioned blockchain is preferable for a government entity. Among other challenges, the necessity to maintain a supply of ether to pay gas in transactions complicated the task and they were also worried about speed limitations.

The time necessary to create a block was slower than could be tolerated in a production environment, the white paper said.

Now, with the project of the blockchain back office on hold and the supervisory node experiment in the pipeline, Boston Fed is hiring some professionals to ramp up its blockchain testing, Cunha told CoinDesk.

We are trying to add stuff to do something more robust internally, we need more dedicated resources, he said. The new blockchain team will not be large, though, only a handful of people.

Boston Fed is also actively talking to other monetary authority bodies, though Cunha and Brassil wont name the particular institutions. That said, they are excited to spread the word about the project.

We have to share information because the whole industry needs to educate itself, Cunha said.

Image of the Boston Fed office  courtesy of the Boston Fed.

Related Stories
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  A Brazilian supreme court judge said Friday that President Jair Bolsonaro and his Justice Ministry had five days to respond to opposition assertions that a recently passed gun decree was unconstitutional.

The decree presented on May 7 widely loosens the country's strict gun laws by expanding the ability of Brazilians to sell, access and carry firearms, in a move that some critics have qualified as "the most devastating gun reform" in decades.

Igarape, a Brazilian think tank, said this "death decree" considerably increases the number of people that could carry firearms without prior authorization from the federal police, further increasing violence in the world's leader in total annual homicides.

A day after Bolsonaro signed his decree, surrounded by supporting lawmakers who made finger-gun gestures with their hands, the Sustainability Network party filed a petition with the Supreme Federal Tribunal.

In the document, the political party argues the decree constitutes an "abuse of regulatory power by the executive" and that it should have been passed by Congress. They say Brazil's Constitution stipulates that it is for Congress to legislate on the possession, carrying and registering of firearms.

The decree's measures "clearly go against the spirit of the Disarmament Statute," the Sustainability Network party wrote, referring to the existing 2003 law on firearms.

Both the Senate and lower house agreed. The decree is "invading the prerogatives of parliamentary members," House Speaker Rodrigo Maia sai d Wednesday, asking for the reversal of specific points.

Bolsonaro said Friday that if the decree was unconstitutional, it should cease to exist. But hours later, he told an enthusiastic crowd in the state of Parana: "We are not retreating in front of those that since forever have said they are security experts."

Bolsonaro insisted he had acted within the limits of the law. "The life of a good citizen has no price."

Story continues

Bolsonaro, a former army captain and congressman for 27 years, has long opposed the 2003 Disarmament Statute, which imposed a minimum age for possession of 25 and included mandatory background checks and requirements to renew licenses every five years.

During his time in Congress, Bolsonaro was part of the pro-gun lobby known as the "bullet caucus".

Among the decree's major changes, is the increase in the quantity of ammunitions available to gun owners. Under the new rules, they can buy between 1,000 and 5,000 rounds of ammunition a year, depending on their licenses, up from just 50 rounds.

Brazilians can now own up to four guns without requiring formal clearance from authorities and also have access to higher calibers, so far restricted to trained members of the armed forces, Igarape said.

New categories of people that can access guns thanks to the new decree and without authorization from the federal police include shooting instructors, collectors, hunters, tax collectors, bus and truck drivers, elected officials, lawyers, rural residents, journalists working with police and private security guards.

The impact of the decree in rural Brazil, Latin America's largest nation, could be major, analysts say.

Under the new rules, Igarape estimates that some 18.6 million "rural residents" and hundreds of thousands of hunters and collectors could access and carry firearms more easily and under less supervision.

Robert Muggah, Igarape's research director, says he expects "a dramatic increase in the circulation of firearms in northern, northeastern and midwest Brazil," where are concentrated many of the disputes between landowners and indigenous communities.

Loosening Brazil's strict gun laws and offering more protection to rural landowners were campaign promises of Bolsonaro, who promised to get tough on criminals and protect Brazilians from rising crime.

In 2017, 63,880 people were killed in Brazil, according the think-tank Brazilian Public Security Forum, making it the deadliest year in the country's history.
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - He can have his acolytes named as ministers in the Brazilian government while undermining others with a tweet, and all from self-imposed exile in the United States: Olavo de Carvalho, a firebrand right-wing writer and polemicist, exerts major sway over President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, where his vitriol has sparked a face-off with military leaders.

Carvalho, often dubbed Bolsonaro's "guru," was recently honored with the country's highest award, the Order of Rio Branco, a prestigious recognition granted "for distinguished service and merit."

The honor highlighted the close bond between the head of state and his advisor, and has prompted a furious reaction.

On social media, Carvalho is known for his insults and all-out attacks against Bolsonaro's foes, both real and imagined.

"Whatever son of a bitch in the government is disloyal to President Bolsonaro is disloyal to the Brazilian nation," the 72-year-old former astrologer said on Twitter recently from his home in Richmond, Virginia, where he has lived since 2005.

Writing last week about New York mayor Bill de Blasio, who successfully campaigned against Bolsonaro visiting his city, Carvalho said: "He's a piece of garbage. This bully belongs in jail."

A virulent anti-communist, Carvalho has wide-ranging networks inside Brasilia's corridors of power.

In January, he had Bolsonaro appoint two of his protegees to cabinet.

Ernesto Araujo was named foreign minister, while Ricardo Velez briefly served as education minister, vowing to root out "cultural Marxism" from society before being sacked for being too controversial.

Carvalho has numerous "disciples" and a million followers on social media, which he appears addicted to, sometimes churning out as many as 12 tweets an hour.

- 'Betting on chaos' -

For roughly the past decade, he has produced online commentary on politics and philosophy while disparaging the mainstream outlets, which he has called the "shitty media."

Story continues

Carvalho did not respond to a request to talk to AFP.

"He lives off provocation and offense. That is his strategy, to start as many fights as possible, including inside the government," said Maud Chirio, an historian at the Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallee University. "He's betting on chaos to regenerate what he sees as a decadent society."

Steve Bannon, the far-right provocateur who served as Donald Trump's advisor before falling out with the US president, has described Carvalho as "one of the great intellectual conservatives of the world."

Eduardo Bolsonaro, a lawmaker and son of the president, shares Carvalho's views, as well as his enthusiasm for firearms.

But the latest target of the Brazilian polemicist has been high-ranking military officers who feature prominently in the current government.

"If things go on like this, in six months (the government) will be wiped out," he said in March, alluding to what he saw as plans by the generals in the administration to betray the president.

With the backing of Bolsonaro's other son Carlos, who serves in Rio de Janeiro's assembly, Carvalho just launched a violent campaign against retired general Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, the government secretary, who is defending imposing some restrictions on the Internet.

"Control the Internet, Santos Cruz? Control your mouth, you piece of shit", he tweeted on Sunday.

Another retired military leader, the vice president Hamilton Mourao, who surprised many by espousing moderate views, has also been targeted by the "guru."

Carvalho has slammed him as an "idiot" and a "despicable charlatan" as well as "an embarrassment to the armed forces and to Brazil."

The unflappable vice president merely responded by saying that Carvalho should "restrict himself to what he knows: astrology."

- 'Gone too far' -

But for most of the military men surrounding the president, Carvalho has overstepped this time.

Carvalho "has gone too far" General Eduardo Villas Boas, the former chief of staff, told the daily Estado de S.Paulo this week. "He shows a total lack of respect for the armed forces."

Bolsonaro was finally forced to react, calling on both parties to "turn the page" on their differences.

Given his public admiration for the military, Bolsonaro, himself a former army officer, has tried to remain apart from the latest fray launched by the "icon" whom he has thanked for helping him come to power.

"Bolsonaro should say which side of the fence he is on," the newspaper O Globo said on Wednesday, given the "despicable" attacks by Carvalho.

"The president should defend his government," the newspaper's editorial said.

But for Chirio, the historian, Jair Bolsonaro has since taking office appeared as "a weak figure lacking in leadership... incapable of thumping the table and restoring his authority."
LONDON (Reuters) - Ireland and Britain will work with Northern Irish parties to try to restore a devolved government in the province within weeks rather than months, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said. The British-run province has been without a devolved executive for over two years since Irish nationalists Sinn Fein withdrew from the compulsory power-sharing government with the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The killing of 29-year-old reporter Lyra McKee during rioting by militant Irish nationalists increased pressure on politicians to get the devolved government working again. "We've seen in the killing of Lyra McKee and the tragedy around that what happens in a vacuum where politics isn't working," Coveney told BBC radio. "We need to correct that." "Ireland and Britain need to work together," he said. "And the British and Irish governments will work closely together to try and do some of the heavy lifting with the political parties that can change this within weeks not months." Power-sharing is central to Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement, which ended three decades of violence in the region in which some 3,600 people were killed. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Kate Holton)
Close-up of womans fingers holding 20 pence coin. Photo: Getty

The Royal Mint  which manufactures coins for the UK  did not produce a single 20p or 2 coin in 2017.

Official figures show that the Royal Mint cut 213 million 20p pieces, as well as millions of 2 pieces, in 2016, but none were made the following year.

This is due to the introduction of the 12-sided 1 coin.

READ MORE: Heres why you should be collecting 5 coins

When the coin  designed by 15-year-old schoolboy David Pearce  entered circulation in March 2017, a high-profile campaign urged Brits to spend, bank, or donate their old round coins before they lost legal tender status.

As a result, Brits flooded the high streets not only with their pound coins, but also with all their other coins.

For at least a year, there were enough 20p and 2 coins back in circulation that no more had to be made.

READ MORE: JPMorgan Chase to create digital coins using blockchain for payments

The quantities of UK coins the Royal Mint is asked to produce each year varies according to UK demand for specific denominations at the time. UK coins have an impressive lifespan, so they dont need replacing as often as other forms of currency, a Royal Mint spokesperson said.

This, together with the ongoing decline in the number of cash transactions in the UK each year, means that the UK Banks and Post Office may not request every denomination every year if there is already sufficient coin in circulation.

The government announced this month that 1p and 2p coins will remain in circulation, despite Britain increasingly becoming a cashless society.

READ MORE: Cashless society would make the poor and in debt suffer

There are no plans to change the design of Britains other coins.

We have no plans to change the current make-up of coins and notes used in the UK  and that includes the 2 and 20p pieces, a Treasury spokesperson said.

Our coins are of the highest quality and the amount we ask the Royal Mint to produce every year depends on demand from banks and Post Offices.
British Airways Parent Isnt Interested in Buying Thomas Cooks Airlines

International Airlines Group, the parent company of British Airways and Iberia, isnt going to take part in the bidding battle for Thomas Cooks airline operations.

Despite buying up a number of airlines in recent years and taking a serious look at Norwegian, CEO Willie Walsh distanced himself from getting involved with anything else at the moment.

Were very clear, we think consolidation will continue to benefit the industry in Europe. Were pleased with the activity that has taken place and were pleased that a number of our competitors are actively pursuing further consolidations, Walsh said on an earnings call on Friday.

I can reaffirm that were not actively considering anything at this stage. We dont normally comment on rumors and speculation but in relation to Thomas Cook, were not looking to do anything

Thomas Cook announced a strategic review into its airline at the start of the year and at the recent Skift Forum Europe, CEO Peter Fankhauser said that talks were ongoing.

So far Lufthansa is the only airline to come out publicly and say it is interested in a deal. The German groups primary target is Thomas Cooks Condor unit but it could bid for the rest.

The UKs Sky News reported that Virgin Atlantic was interested in buying Thomas Cooks long-haul operations out of the UK.

Weve been clear if there is an opportunity, we are well positioned but we dont see anything that we would consider to be attractive or that would make sense to us. Thats not to say it doesnt necessarily make sense to others but it certainly doesnt make sense to us at the moment, Walsh said.

Any chance of IAG resurrecting its interest in Norwegian, looks remote, even at its attractive share price.

Were not looking at it and were not intending to do anything, Walsh said.

Story continues

First-Quarter Results

Its been a tough European winter for European airlines, with IAGs rivals Air France-KLM and Lufthansa both making a loss in the period thanks in part to increased competition.

IAG is still in the black but its profitability was drastically reduced. Its operating profit fell 86 percent to $152 million (135 million) but this is a slightly misleading comparison because of a one-off pension-related item that was included the 2018s figures. Stripping this out means operating profit in the first-quarter of 2019 fell by 60 percent.

Total revenue in the quarter rose 5.9 percent to $6 billion (5.3 billion).

In a quarter when European airlines were significantly affected by fuel and foreign exchange headwinds, market capacity impacting yield and the timing of Easter, we remained profitable, Walsh said.

Subscribe to Skift newsletters covering the business of travel, restaurants, and wellness.
Estate agents' boards are displayed outside flats on Poynders Road, south London. Photo: Press Association

Britains landlords are risking the lives and safety of their tenants by leaving serious hazards unaddressed in the homes they rent out, according to data based on inspections of thousands of buy-to-let properties.

VeriSmart, a property compliance inspector in the rental market, said in a release that it conducted more than 60,000 inspections and reports on buy-to-let properties last year and made some shocking discoveries.

In 4,521 cases, VeriSmart found the property to be in breach of at least one housing health and safety rule, and in some cases there were as many as three violations, according to the companys data.

The most common violation was a faulty or missing smoke detector, which occurred in 39.5% of the housing health and safety assessments. Second most common, at 25.6%, was the potential to fall between gaps in the stairs or separate levels of the house. Third place was electrical issues, at 11.1%.

Next was faulty or missing carbon monoxide detectors at 6.5%. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, giving off no smell or taste as it poisons victims  there are about 60 deaths in England and Wales each year. Detectors are essential in homes where carbon monoxide leaks are a risk.

While many landlords are providing up to scratch accommodation, its really quite worrying that were seeing so many fail to address some of the most serious hazards in the home, according to Jonathan Senior, founder of VeriSmart.

The lack of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and the danger of falling on stairs ranking as high as they do is particularly worrying. These are classed as category one hazards and so there is no excuse to have them present in a rental property, Senior said.

With the introduction of the Fitness for Human Habitation Act in place since the 20th March this year, along with many additional changes in legislation, landlords and their agents are now more at risk of being sued by tenants for breach of contract for unfit properties.

It is therefore more vital than ever that landlords ensure their properties meet the required minimum health and safety standards.
Walmart WMT stock is up roughly 8% in 2019 to outpace its industrys 5.5% average climb. Despite the positivity, shares of WMT have lagged the S&P 500s 14% surge on the back of tech giants like Facebook FB. But with the retail behemoth set to release its first-quarter fiscal 2020 financial results on Thursday, May 16, its time to see if investors should consider buying Walmart stock.

Recent News & Overview

The biggest Walmart news to speak of in the last few days was that it announced earlier this week that it raised its tobacco purchase age to 21 and discontinued sale of fruit and dessert nicotine flavors. The move is part of an effort to curb underage tobacco purchases, which helped WMT and other well-known retailers come under fire from the FDA earlier this year. The administration accused Walmart, along with Walgreens WBA, Kroger KR, and others of failing to prevent tobacco sales to minors.

Walmarts move might help in terms of public relations, but Wall Street and investors want to know if it can keep up its impressive revenue growth and e-commerce sales. The worlds largest retailers full-year U.S. e-commerce sales jumped 40% in fiscal 2019, with U.S. comparable sales up 3.6%. Walmart pointed to increased online grocery pickup, higher average tickets, and a broader assortment on Walmart.com, for its e-commerce strength.

Walmart has revved up its digital commerce business in recent years in an effort to fend off Amazons AMZN encroachment and prepare for a more e-commerce-heavy retail future, alongside rivals such as Target TGT and Costco COST. The firm plans to add 1,000 grocery pickup locations in fiscal 2020 to end the year with 3,100. The company also expects to double its grocery delivery locations to 1,600.

The company has also spent the last few years buying up smaller companies such as Jet.com, ModCloth, Bonobos, and Moosejaw in an effort to expand its reach and consumer base. Plus, Walmart now owns roughly 77% of one of Indias largest e-commerce sites, Flipkart. Walmarts push into India might help the company expand even further down the road, with the countrys economy set to boom and perhaps even surpass China in terms of growth.

Story continues

As we mentioned at the top, shares of WMT are up around 8% on the year. Walmart stock also popped 1.58% through mid-afternoon trading on Friday to hover at around $101.11 per share, down roughly 5% from its 52-week highs.



Outlook

Walmart executives said last quarter that they expect U.S. e-commerce sales to climb around 35% above 2019s 40% expansion. Meanwhile, the firm provided U.S. comparable sales growth guidance in the range of +2.5% to +3%which would fall below the prior years 3.6% growth.

Moving on, our current Zacks Consensus Estimates call for the firms Q1 revenues to jump by 2.1% to reach $125.24 billion. The companys full-year fiscal 2020 revenue is projected to climb 2.7% to touch $528.21 billion, with 2021s sales expected to come in 3.2% higher than our current-year revenue estimate.

At the bottom end of the income statement, Walmarts adjusted quarterly earnings are projected to tumble 10.5%, with its Flipkart acquisition expected to eat into profits. With this in mind, the companys full-year EPS figure is projected to slip 3.3%. Peeking further ahead, however, the companys full-year 2021 earnings are projected to jump 5.2% above our current-year estimate.

Bottom Line

Walmart is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and has experienced almost zero earnings estimate revision activity over the last 60 days. This means that analysts have not changed their mind in either direction. Plus, it is clear that WMTs earnings appear to be headed in the wrong direction this year.

In the end, Wall Street will likely focus on e-commerce sales and comparable stores sales expansion. Therefore, investors might want to wait to see how WMT stock moves directly following its report, and play those results.

It is also worth noting that Walmart is currently trading at 20.7X forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimates. This marks a premium compared to its industrys 17.5X average and is far above its own ten-year median of 14.2X. Therefore, Walmarts valuation picture appears somewhat stretched at the moment, especially when we see that WMTs price/sales of 0.57 comes in well above its industrys 0.25 average and rivals such as Krogers 0.17.

Walmart is a dividend payer that has raised its quarterly cash dividend every year since first declaring one nearly 50 years ago. But now might not be the best time to buy shares of WMT heading into earnings.

The firm is scheduled to release its Q1 fiscal 2020 financial results before the opening bell on Thursday, May 16. Make sure to come back to Zacks for a full breakdown of Walmarts actual metrics.

Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation



Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.



A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 7 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.



See 7 breakthrough stocks now>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Facebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Walmart Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Target Corporation (TGT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



The Kroger Co. (KR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Washington (AFP) - Former military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning was freed from a US jail on Thursday after two months in custody -- but faces a possible return to the lockup as soon as next week, a support group said.

Manning was jailed in early March for refusing to testify in a grand jury investigation targeting the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks.

Her leak years earlier of classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan made her a hero to anti-war and anti-secrecy activists, and her actions helped make WikiLeaks a force in the global anti-secrecy movement.

A judge in March ruled Manning in contempt of court and ordered her held not as punishment but to force her testimony in the secret case, a spokesman for the US attorney in the Alexandria, Virginia federal court, just outside Washington, said at the time.

The support group, the Sparrow Project, said in Thursday's statement that Manning was released after 62 days, following the expiry of the grand jury's term.

"Unfortunately, even prior to her release, Chelsea was served with another subpoena. This means she is expected to appear before a different grand jury, on Thursday, May 16," Sparrow Project quoted Manning's legal team as saying.

"It is therefore conceivable that she will once again be held in contempt of court," and returned to the Alexandria Detention Center possibly as soon as May 16, the legal team said.

"Chelsea will continue to refuse to answer questions."

Manning has previously said she had "ethical" objections to the grand jury system and had answered all questions about her involvement with WikiLeaks years ago.

Manning was ordered to testify earlier this year for an investigation examining actions by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2010, according to her own description, inadvertent court revelations and media reports.

At the time Manning, a transgender woman then known as Bradley Manning, was a military intelligence analyst.

She delivered more than 700,000 classified documents into WikiLeaks's hands. The documents exposed cover-ups of possible war crimes and revealed internal US communications about other countries.

Sentenced in 2013 to 35 years in prison, she was released in May 2017 after the commutation of her sentence by president Barack Obama.
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Chesapeake Utilities Corp (NYSE: CPK)

Q1 2019 Earnings Call

May. 10, 2019, 10:30 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:

Operator

Good morning. My name is Justin, and I'll be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Chesapeake Utilities First Quarter Earnings Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session. (Operator Instructions)

Thank you. Ms. Beth Cooper, you may begin your conference.

Beth Cooper -- SVP, CFO & Assistant Secretary

Good morning, everybody. I'd like to welcome you to the first quarter Chesapeake Utilities 2019 earnings conference call. Before we begin, I'd like to remind everyone that a copy of today's presentation can be found out there on our website.

Joining me on the phone today are; Jeff Householder, President and CEO; and Jim Moriarty, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. We also have other members of the management team in the room today. Our presentation will focus on our quarterly results, as well as the opportunities we see looking forward.

Turning to Slide two, our normal disclosures are listed related to forward-looking statements concerning the Company's future performance. Today's discussion will include certain non-GAAP measures; such as gross margin and adjusted EPS. I would refer you to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information on these matters.

I will now turn the call over to Jeff.

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Beth, and good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us, it's great to be able to deliver our positive report on our first quarter results. 2019 is off to a solid start and our financial results are strong, and we have experienced continued growth across our business segments. Our core businesses continue to grow, we've been successful in several regulatory initiatives, and our recent acquisitions are contributing above our initial expectations. As always our employees continue to identify and execute on opportunities that contribute to our success.

Story continues

If you move to Slide three. As you know, we have a long-term history of driving total shareholder return in Chesapeake over the past 20 years, we've achieved the TSR that exceeds 16%. We're continuing that success in the first quarter of 2019, our net income for Q1 was $28.7 million, $1.74 earnings per share, which represents a 6.1% growth in the first quarter of 2019 versus 2018.

When looking at adjusted EPS, we achieved EPS growth of 20% year-over-year. The 2019 annualized dividend was increased 9.5% at our Board Meeting earlier this week, reflecting our strong EPS growth track record.

Our 2019 first quarter results reflect the positive impact from natural gas expansions in both Delmarva and Florida natural gas, organic growth, higher retail margins for propane and increased rates for Aspire. And as I mentioned the Marlin and Ohl acquisitions we completed at the end of 2018 are both performing well.

We achieved a successful outcome on our TCJA filing in Florida for our largest natural gas operations. I believe that we are one of the very few, if not the only utility operations in the country to actually be able to keep a portion of the TCJA tax benefit. We received approval in Florida to retain $1.9 million annually of our TCJA tax savings. That's primarily intended to enable us to recover our historic expense increases for safety and compliance over the last several years.

Florida PSC also recently approved a storm recovery fund surcharge amounting to $1.9 million over the next three years. Capital expenditures today, it have been $33.8 million and we're on target to invest $168 million or more this year, given our commitment to growth and return on investment.

I'll speak more about these growth initiatives. But first we'll turn the presentation back to Beth to provide more details about our financial results.

Beth W. Cooper -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Thank you, Jeff. Turning to Slide four, we provide a snapshot of our adjusted earnings for the first quarter. The company's reported EPS was $1.74, compared to $1.64 in quarter one of 2018. Adjusted non-GAAP net income was $27.8 million or $1.68 per share, an increase of 21.5% and 20% for net income and EPS, respectively, compared to the first quarter last year.

Operating performance more than surpassed the first quarter 2018 results, which included $0.24 per share associated with higher mark-to-market activity prior to the company's adoption of the new hedge standard. The 2019 results also included the positive impact of $0.06 per share from retain tax savings in Florida associated with the estimated TCJA rate reductions that correspond to 2018.

As mentioned previously, turning to Slide five, we reported GAAP earnings per share of $1.74, which means we generated additional earnings that overcame approximately $0.30 of unusual items; including the PESCO mark-to-market activity discussed previously, as well as warmer weather in 2019. Even though the degree-days were relatively flat in the first quarter of 2019, as compared to the 10-year average and the first quarter of 2018 overall. The severity of the December and January weather in 2018 drove higher consumption than normal, and when I say December, I'm referring to December of 2017.

Gross margin increased across all energy businesses. The key drivers as identified on Slide five added $0.79 per share, this compares favorably to our operating expense increase of $0.29 per share associated with our continued growth and new initiatives. Margin increases associated with our natural gas transmission service expansions and Delmarva and Florida added $4.3 million in terms of gross margin and operating income.

Natural gas distribution customer growth and Sandpiper conversions added $1.8 million. The unregulated energy segment had margin gains and propane and PESCO plus Marlin Gas Services and Ohl Propane added a combined $2.8 million in margin this quarter. The absence of the $5.5 million impact from the Bomb Cyclone that occurred in January 2018, positively affected our quarter-over-quarter results as well.

The reversal of the 2018 Florida TCJA reserve was positive $1.3 million to pre-tax income. In addition, we recognized a positive contribution to margin of $794,000 associated with the 2019 Florida tax savings, we retained thus far this year. Interest expense related to growth and initially funding Hurricane Michael restoration costs increased $2 million. We are working with the Florida Public Service Commission to recover these Hurricane Michael restoration costs over time. As mentioned earlier on Wednesday, the Board of Directors voted to increase our 2019 annualized dividend 9.5% or $0.14 per share from $1.48 to $1.62.

As shown on Slide six. The dividend increase aligns our five-year earnings growth rate of 8.8% with our five-year dividend growth rate of 8.4%. Chesapeake has paid a dividend for 58 consecutive years and growing the dividend in each of the past 15 years. Our goal again is to provide above average dividend growth, driven by our disciplined approach to investment opportunities, which results in strong earnings-per-share growth and also increased shareholder return.

Slide seven shows our capital structure. During 2019, we've already put into place where we will fund a $100 million note due 2039 before at least before August of this year at a cost of 3.98%. We expect to refinance with permanent capital to $60 million intermediate term notes due in 2020, which are currently included in our current portion of long-term debt.

We are continuously reviewing our capital structure and financing plans for debt and equity in conjunction with the timing of our capital spending and our in-service dates for several of our growth projects. We expect to migrate back closer to our target capital structure as we move to the latter part of this year and into 2020.

Slide eight shows our initial capital budget for 2019 of $168 million, including 81% for projects in our regulated energy segment, for natural gas distribution, natural gas transmission and electric distribution. As we progress through the year, we will be evaluating additional strategic growth opportunities that could also add to our capital spending plans.

The table on Slide nine shows the growth projects we have been working on and that are already either under way or completed recently. Please note that if our project no longer has an incremental impact year-over-year, we remove them from the table and an example of our Eastern Shore Rate Case, that was included in our 10-K and we've now excluded it from this table, it's still having a contribution, but year-over-year there's really no incremental impact.

We do only include projects that were recently completed or under way and generating margin growth, as I mentioned, and for 2019, we expect margin growth of $21.5 million from these identified key initiatives, which includes $9.3 million that we recognized in the first quarter. The table does not include new projects under development. Once projects have been finalized in terms of preliminary development and are improved, we include them in our forecast of margin and they're included in this table at this time.

Jeff will now discuss the key growth projects we have completed or under construction or in advance development. Jeff?

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Beth. Slide 10, is intended to give you some of the longer view of the possible growth that we're anticipating over the coming years. We've previously provided guidance on our five-year capital and EPS expectations. Our current guidance calls for capital spending between $750 million to a $1 billion and earnings-per-share growth range of 7.75% to 9.5% over the five-year period ending 2022. These targets reflect our recent growth history and we do not anticipate difficulties in achieving those guided targets.

We're now updating our five-year plan for strategic growth initiatives, which include capital spending and earnings targets and we anticipate providing further guidance in Q4 this year. We continue our disciplined approach to strategic investments that's resulted in above earnings per share and return on equity over the past five years and for that matter over the past 10 years, we expect to continue that trend going forward through 2022.

Turning to Slide 20 -- Slide 11 for me. We show three significant projects that have been developed over the recent years with each either fully or now partially in service. Eastern shore natural gas as you well know is the supply artery and growth engine for Delmarva natural gas business. We've substantially completed a significant expansion project, which increases Eastern Shore term firm capacity to our distribution customers and provides additional capacity for other customers in the Peninsula.

The overall project added about 26% capacity on Eastern Shore system. We completed the Northwest Florida expansion project providing FPU access to competitively price natural gas to serve anchor customers, including the city of Pensacola in the sand performance materials. We're also providing or there is additional capacity in that pipeline system to increase the industrial base load and continue to grow the margins on that project.

The Western Palm Beach County expansion, which is a fairly substantial set of projects for us. Our first phase is in service and we'll contribute about $605,000 in 2019. When we complete the remaining three projects in Western Palm Beach, the margins will grow to approximately $4.7 million, that list of projects is expected to be fully in service beginning in 2020.

Turning to Slide 12, the Del-Mar Energy Pathway Project is a newly developed project for us, a great strategic fit for our Eastern Shore and Delmarva natural gas distribution system. The project is intended to provide an additional 14,300 dekatherms per day of capacity to four anchor customers. This project expand significantly, the capacity within the high growth areas of Sussex County, Delaware and will allow us to extend Eastern Shore capacity and ultimately our distribution systems for the first time to Somerset County, Maryland.

We announced earlier this week that FERC has issued a positive environmental assessment for the project. We're hoping to secure final action with the certificate expected in the third quarter of this year. And construction would commence shortly thereafter. The estimated gross margin for this project is $3 million in 2020, are growing to $5.1 million going forward once the project is flowing and service in the second quarter of 2021.

Turning to Slide 13. Talk just for a moment about our Marlin Gas Services acquisition. And as you recall Marlin Gas Services provides compressed natural gas, mobile solutions to pipeline customers primarily in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic portion of the United States. Marlin's performance were higher out of the gate has been quite outstanding, you know, it exceeded our expectations. We're seeing approximately $2.3 million in gross margin generated in the first quarter, given the initial success in the forecast for the remainder of the year, we've increased our margin contribution four mile in 2019 from $4.5 million to $5.1 million with expectations of gross margin of $6 million or above thereafter.

To continue to meet the demand that we see in the Marlin and Ohl services, we're actually going to need to secure additional tube trailers and some other equipment and materials. We've increased our trailer deployment rate from about 30%, when we acquired the system to just under 100%. So we've been able to secure business that allows us to essentially deploy the entire fleet that Marlin has as its disposal. It's a great problem to have, but we are now in the process of acquiring additional equipment to support the growing demand for service there. We think Marlin is really ideally positioned to be part of this renewable gas market that is growing and expanding across the country. We see Marlin transportation capabilities as a bridge that connects the production or source of natural gas, coming out of landfills or out of the industrial waste products and in the poultry and farming industry and bring that gas through the virtual pipeline to the market areas.

Turning to Slide 14. We're committed to developing organic growth where we can. We think there are still a significant opportunities in our core businesses to grow over the next several years. We will continue to add existing services for new customers, and we will develop new strategic energy -- delivery platforms; such as the expansion for Eastern Shore and clearly in our operations in Florida. We've been able to identify acquisitions that fit within our portfolio of related businesses. We'll continue to look for those. We've been successful in integrating the operations that we have acquired and achieving margin growth that exceeds our initial pro forma expectations.

On Slide four (ph), we show a handful of the recent acquisitions that are generating approximately $4.4 million in incremental margin in the first quarter of 2019. And it really builds on the success that's started with the earlier acquisition of Florida Public Utilities back in 2009, that has given us multiple expansion opportunities well beyond anything that would have been done by FPU independent of Chesapeake and that's the type of growth activity that we try to bolt-on to the acquisitions where we're successful in making them.

I'll now turn the call over to Jim Moriarty, our General Counsel, who's responsible for regulatory affairs and corporate governance.

James F. Moriarty -- Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Well, thank you, Jeff and good morning, everyone. Slide 15 lists some significant regulatory initiatives from the first quarter. And as you know, we are very proactive in our regulatory jurisdictions. With 80% of our assets invested in the regulatory energy segment, we are focused on developing and driving innovative approaches and solutions to further enhance our business operations, and therefore continue to provide reliable and safe services to our customers.

Slide 15 indicates how the company has pursued multiple regulatory initiatives across our various jurisdictions. Most recently as mentioned earlier, the company has focused on the regulatory filings under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In Florida and our two largest natural gas distribution operations, we were able to retain the tax savings associated with TCJA. To recover some of the investments we have made to ensure the ongoing safety and reliability of our systems. On the electric side, we returned the tax savings through lower fuel costs in the storm reserve recovery.

Turning to Slide 16 and 17, which deals with our commitment -- Chesapeake's commitment, this is sustainability and ESG. The Environmental, Social and Governance issues. We are fully engaged on ESG and sustainability. We take seriously our role in delivering economic and efficient solutions, consistent with our commitments to all our stakeholders; including the communities we serve. We enjoy sharing our stories to have -- of how we have proactively addressed and continued to proactively address environmental issues, social, sustainability and governance matters.

As ESG continues to evolve, we will be spending time on each of our upcoming earnings calls talking about our efforts across the company. There are numerous initiatives in which we are engaged that demonstrates the importance of ESG in our daily operations. As just a few examples, we participated in the New York Stock Exchange Earth Day opportunity to highlight ESG and sustainability; including our commitment to reduce emissions and provide solutions for more efficient energy use and conducting business with environmental responsibility. We continue to promote and employee environmental friendly fuels; such as compressed natural gas and our water gas propane for vehicles.

Our newly constructed Energy Lane business center here in Delaware is certified for energy efficiency. Our Eight Flags, CHP facility operates twice as efficiently as a typical plant and we displace a significant amount of coal power generation in doing so. Our corporate culture is recognized with national awards for corporate governance best practices. We have also been recognized for seven consecutive years as a top workplace by our aspiring and caring engaged employees. Our team is focused on giving back to our communities each and everyday in many meaningful ways.

Thank you, and I would like to turn the call back over to Jeff.

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Jim. I would add one additional point to that list. We have really aggressively pursued increasing and improving our safety and compliance activities over the last several years in all of our operating areas. And one of the things, one of the manifestations, I guess with that is the replacement of literally hundreds of miles of over gas lane -- older gas lane through our system that has had I believe a significant impact not only on safety, but a significant reduction in emissions. And we'll continue to pursue those sorts of opportunities as we move forward.

If you look on Slide 18. Again just a additional emphasis on total return to shareholders. We mentioned this earlier, but I'll mention it again here in closing. Our TSR has exceeded 16% for all periods shown through April 30th, 2019. And we have been very either exceeded have been very close to the 75 -- 75th percentile, if you compare us to our peer group.

Slide 19, just in closing, I think it's important again to emphasize the strong foundation that drives this company forward each and every day. Beginning with our track record, we know that we can build upon that track record to drive our future success. Our corporate culture is based on our strategic focus with engaged employees, seeking innovative ways to improve our business, better ways to serve customers and better ways to serve the communities that we operate in.

Our team is committed to identify and develop new opportunities and initiatives with the same financial discipline that we've executed in the past. And we're committed certainly to continuing to generate excellence and increasing shareholder value. Appreciate your time this morning. Beth, Jim and I would be happy to address any questions that you may have.

Questions and Answers:

Operator

(Operator Instructions) Your first question comes from the line of Tate Sullivan from Maxim Group. Your line is open, please ask your question.

Tate Sullivan -- Maxim Group -- Analyst

Thank you. Thank you. Good morning and thanks for all the detail in particular on Marlin, because you increased the margin guidance for our margin expectation for 2019 for the business shortly after acquiring. Can you give some specific project examples either that Marlin worked for on your systems or others pipeline systems?

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Sure. We have executed several agreements with a number of LDCs both in Florida and outside of Florida for essentially emergency service activities or for holding projects -- sub-division projects or a couple of industrial customer projects prior to a permanent pipeline being installed. Some of those the easy ones that I can talk about our Fort Meade are the contracts that we've executed with one of our distribution affiliates for the public utilities in Florida. We actually have a number of Marlin trailers, I think we're up to about eight now, deployed in the Palm Beach area in support of the development there. Prior to us getting those Western Palm Beach, transmission projects and service later this year. In addition to that, we have agreements with other LDCs in Florida, they do essentially the same thing.

We're pursuing a contract with a large LDC to support the renewable natural gas activities that I mentioned actually moving gas from a landfill or several landfill sites to a market area either injecting that gas into a transmission pipeline, a distribution system are more interesting to us directly into a compressed natural gas vehicle fueling station, which we believe actually is a pretty interesting market segment for us trying to support both renewable natural gas activities at the source, but also then moving it to vehicle fuel as opposed to just putting the gas back into a pipeline.

There are a number of other projects we're holding for Atlanta Gas Light for example or for Southern Company gas as they're now known in Savannah, a line segment that moved gas under the Savannah River. They had someone that drove a piling 40 feet down and drove it through the middle of that distribution line, we've been there for several months now doing that work. And so there are those types of projects that are scattered around the Southeast and the mid-Atlantic.

We serve at industrial customer in North Carolina that was having some gas quality issues with their current provider. And so we're augmenting the supply that they get in the delivery of compressed natural gas. So it's those kind of projects that we're finding.

Tate Sullivan -- Maxim Group -- Analyst

Great. Thank you for all that. And then a second on the Delmarva energy pathway project. And I think you've mentioned that potential incremental gross margin would be about $5 million once it's in service. Is that correct? And what regulatory hurdles or regular statements do you need from here on to get to that $5 million?

Beth W. Cooper -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary

So the -- what we've put out and paid at the current time by the end of 2020, that project will have generated $4.7 million and then there's a small piece that will be coming in 2021. What we're waiting on now would be the certificate that we would be looking for from FERC. And as mentioned earlier by Jeff and Jim, our hope is that we'll be in a position to have that, you know, within the third quarter at some point and then hopefully soon thereafter to begin construction.

Tate Sullivan -- Maxim Group -- Analyst

Okay. Thank you. And last one for me that too is on the storm recovery work in Florida. Did you -- maybe I missed it, did you give an adjusted debt to cap ratio based on the storm spending to-date?

Beth W. Cooper -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Yes. Right now, if you look at us at the end of March and you factor out those two intermediate term loans are equity to total capitalization would be at 49% and that, that's just a little bit shy of where our target range is, but it is very close.

Tate Sullivan -- Maxim Group -- Analyst

Okay. Thank you very much. I'll get back in queue.

Beth W. Cooper -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary

Thank you, Tate. See you soon.

Tate Sullivan -- Maxim Group -- Analyst

Thank you.

Operator

Your next question comes from the line of Roger Liddell from Clear Harbor Asset. Your line is open, please ask your question.

Roger Liddell -- Clear Harbor Asset Management -- Analyst

Yes, good morning. Question for Jim. I noted the weather impact -- the negative in this -- in 2019 of the primarily in Florida about million dollar -- $1.1 million negative impact on margin. And I recognize that weather vagaries are in the long-term negligible factor, but -- and there is a perspective of excellent strategic and execution going on. So that's the broad perspective, but zeroing in on this point having weather impacts just seems inconsistent with the sophistication of your regulatory approach, and in turn the commissions that you report to? Is there any point in trying to exit through decoupling or any other mechanism of these weather vagaries?

Beth W. Cooper -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary

So, hi, Roger, it's Beth. I would just comment on in Delaware for example, we've made filings to consider weather normalization and that is something that we continue to look at, certainly it's something that we can -- I think take a look at as it relates to, you know, perhaps Florida although, I would also say that in Maryland, we actually have that. And so we've captured that piece of it already. So there was a little bit in Florida, in Delaware we've got the filing there.

The other piece that really kind of was strange and I tried to comment on it for the quarter was when you looked at it from a degree day perspective, it really the weather didn't stand out. We actually had to look at the impact that December had in terms of coming in that cold part of December, and the impact that, that kind of carried over into particularly in our unregulated business, consumers really demanding more propane, even though, you know, we saw the overall quarter being on average or the same as the prior year.

So that's a long winded answer I know to your question, but I would say, we have it in weather normalization in some jurisdictions, we're looking at it and others and we'll continue to look at it. In some cases, as we've been into our regulatory jurisdictions in the past, there's really been some kind of give and take as it relates to ROE versus weather normalization and we look at that and we evaluate the overall impact to the company.

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Roger, this is Jeff. The weather normalization tariff for gas company 20 years ago in Florida lasted two years before the commission killed it off. They have not been interested in entertaining those sorts of normalization mechanisms. On the other hand, what we have done is modify our rate design in a variety of ways in Florida jurisdictions especially in the natural gas side, increasing the fixed component of those rates. So that the majority of the margins actually are coming in fixed charges as opposed to being associated with a variable rates that would be pushed around by 11. So we've tried to come at it in a different direction, we don't have everything normalized obviously given that the adjustments that you saw the change in margins that you saw reflecting the weather differences in Florida, we're getting close.

Roger Liddell -- Clear Harbor Asset Management -- Analyst

Okay, that's very complete thorough case closed. And to another question now, and it's on Marlin and the particular point about Marlin being a vehicle for supporting renewable gas supplies. And I guess, I'm interested in pulling apart the emergency response as in the Savannah River issue that's a world undo itself. The renewable side this could be a major vehicle, and I think the public's mood is such that any green gas supply is going to be welcomed in the court of public opinion. And while also defending the company against the criticism for a fossil there's a great potential here. Can you flesh out in more detail, the potential and is it great growth in a very minor segment or over the five, 10 year period could this be a real engine for the whole green gas supply side?

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

We are -- as you might imagine trying to figure out exactly the same thing. Margins for Marlin at this point are forecasted based on the usual emergency service, the temporary hold (ph) service until the pipeline gets in place and some of the maintenance services that we've provided. We believe however and one of the reasons we were interested in acquiring Marlin is for this renewable gas market opportunity.

The contract agreements that we are currently engaged in pursuing and I think are close to executing would set us employees, as I mentioned earlier, not to be the entity that is cleaning the gas up, the pipeline quality and not necessarily to be the entity on the end use side where we're accepting that gas into the compressor station for natural gas vehicle fueling or into a pipeline. But just in the transportation service, one of the things we believe differentiates Marlin from the others -- the handful of other folks that are trying to do the same -- we're trying to pursue the same service that we have -- the patented regulated delivery system that is either attached to the back end of our compressor trucks or trailer or we have portable systems that we maneuver around from place-to-place that allows us with no additional construction of delivery equipment to take gas at whatever pressure is coming out of the landfill or off of the farm or wherever we're actually seeing the methane source, moving into and compress it into our tube trailers and then redeliver it at whatever delivery pressure is required on the other side into a pipeline, into another CNG station, wherever it may be going.

And so that pressure differential from source to site is always a tricky thing for people to deal with and you're usually building facilities on both sides of the injection and delivery to deal with those pressure differences. We'll have to do that, we have the equipment already that allows us to do it very quickly and simply. And so we believe, we provide a solution that allows us to take gas from a landfill or whatever other source, and deliver it literally wherever anyone wants it rather than having it -- build up a system at the source and then go build one system at one delivery point.

So if you want gas delivered into a compressor station for vehicle fueling one day and you want it into a distribution system, the next and you want into a pipeline, the next or directly into industrial customer, the next and they all have different delivery pressures. We can accommodate that quite easily and we're the only entity in the country that's capable of doing that. So that's a long winded answer to say I think there's a real market here. We're looking at long-term agreements with entities that have landfill sources of gas or other sources, where we would literally locate our transportation facilities at that site for a 10-year period, and provide natural pipeline services over that length of time.

The margins right now that we're seeing again trying to execute these agreements, but our initial view of the margins is they're very attractive and there's a lot of that business out there and there aren't many people going after it, and we're the only folks that have the delivery capabilities that I mentioned earlier. So I think there is a real business here, if it turns out there's not a real business that doesn't really affect our margin forecasts for Marlin. There's a lot in this out there and the traditional temporary services that Marlin has been delivering.

Roger Liddell -- Clear Harbor Asset Management -- Analyst

All right. Just as a final pursuing that point. You focused repeatedly on pressure differential management, but what about BTU differentials?

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yes. That is an issue, for us it is an issue for the source provider. And so we are again not taking title to that gas and dealing with those issues, that's a -- an issue or concern at this point in the market development at least between the source of the methane and the entity that's taking delivery of it. And so what we're attempting to do is transport obviously pipeline quality gas, but the pipeline quality gas, contract agreement is essentially between the source and the site, and we're just a transportation mechanism. So we're going to be sure obviously that the gas that we're receiving into our trailers is of a quality that makes sense. It's not corrosive, it's not damaging to our equipment, so we'll have those contract provisions also in our transport agreements. But the primary BTU content issue for example and the ultimate chemical composition of the fuel is going to be between the source provider and the entity that's receiving the source. We're not taking title at the gas or reselling gas, we're just the virtual pipeline to get it from one place to another.

Roger Liddell -- Clear Harbor Asset Management -- Analyst

Yes. Okay, very helpful. Good comprehensive answer. Thank you.

Operator

(Operator Instructions) There are no further question at this time. Mr. Jeff Householder, you may continue.

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you very much for joining us. And we will see -- I hope many of you in Fort Lauderdale in a few days.

James F. Moriarty -- Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Good bye.

Operator

This concludes today's conference call. Thank you for participating. You may now disconnect.

Duration: 41 minutes

Call participants:

Beth Cooper -- SVP, CFO & Assistant Secretary

Jeffry M. Householder -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Beth W. Cooper -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary

James F. Moriarty -- Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Tate Sullivan -- Maxim Group -- Analyst

Roger Liddell -- Clear Harbor Asset Management -- Analyst

More CPK analysis

All earnings call transcripts

AlphaStreet Logo

More From The Motley Fool

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

Motley Fool Transcribers 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.
High school senior Jerome Kunkel and his family first made headlines back in March when they sued the Northern Kentucky Health Department for a policy that banned students who had not received the chickenpox vaccine, like Kunkel, from attending class or extracurricular activities.

A judge ruled against the family in April, but Kunkel is back in the news again this week after he contracted the very virus he refused vaccination against. His father says getting chickenpox is the best thing to do to become immune, according to the Washington Post. But health experts say that skipping vaccinations or intentionally getting sick can be dangerousnot just for the person making those choices, but for others around them, as well.

To learn more about chickenpox and the vaccine that protects against it, Health spoke with Deborah Wexler, MD, executive director of the Immunization Action Coalition. She says chickenpox can be much more serious than people believe, and that choosing not to vaccinate can have realand sometimes even fatalconsequences.

What happened in Kentucky?

The drama started earlier this year when a chickenpox outbreak affected 32 students at Assumption Academy, a Catholic school in northern Kentucky. The Northern Kentucky Health Department announced that students who hadnt been vaccinated or become immune to chickenpox (from having the illness previously) could not participate in school sports, and later, couldnt be present on school grounds at all.

Kunkels father told news outlets that he didnt want his son vaccinated after learning that some vaccines are created with cells from aborted fetuses. In court, the family cited their First Amendment rights and said that vaccination would be immoral, illegal and sinful according to their Catholic beliefs.

How is the chickenpox vaccine made?

In order for scientists to produce vaccines, viruses must be grown in human cell cultures. And its true that stem-cell lines from two legally aborted fetuses were used to create some vaccinesincluding the chickenpox vaccinein the 1960s, according to the Immunization Action Coalition.

Story continues

Some parents are concerned about this issue because of misinformation they have encountered on the Internet, the coalition states on its website. But its important for those people to understand that no fetal tissue has been added to these cell lines since they were originally created more than 50 years ago, the coalition reports. Ongoing abortions are not needed to manufacture vaccines, nor are vaccines contaminated with fetal tissue.

The chickenpox vaccine is a live vaccine, which means its a modified or weakened version of the naturally-occurring virus. Its produced in a laboratory, where scientists grow and modify the virus in human cell cultures. Once injected, the weakened virus is unable to replicate in the body the same way a full-strength virus would. This allows a person to become immune without falling ill.

Even the Catholic Church has declared that these vaccines are acceptable when public health is at stake. Catholics have a moral duty to make life difficult for the pharmaceutical industries which act unscrupulous and unethically, according to a 2005 statement from the Vatican. However, burden of this important battle cannot and must not fall on innocent children and on the health situation of the populationespecially with regard to pregnant women, the statement concluded.

Why is it so bad to skip the chickenpox vaccine?

Choosing not to vaccinate your child for chickenpox (or other diseases) is a seriously risky move, Dr. Wexler says. One reason is because its not known why some people develop life-threatening complications from chickenpox and others dont.

Some kids will only have a mild version of chickenpox, which is also called varicella. This happened to be the case for Kunkel. His father told the Washington Post, He had a couple days of misery, but after that he was pretty good. He itched a lot. He didnt die. Isnt that amazing?

Because many children who get chickenpox do only develop a mild form of the illness, some parents believe the vaccination isnt worth it. However, some people get very sick, and some even die, when they get chickenpox. Before the vaccination was introduced in the 1990s, about 4 million people got the disease every year, according to the CDC. Between 10,500 and 13,000 had to be hospitalized from chickenpox, and between 100 and 150 people died.

RELATED: This 8-Month-Old Was Hospitalized From Measles Before She Was Old Enough to Be Vaccinated

Chickenpox can cause encephalitis, a condition that can lead to permanent brain damage and death. Additionally, the lesions caused by chickenpox can become contaminated with bacteria, leading to severe, deep skin infections, Dr. Wexler says. These infections can even penetrate to the bone. It can be harmful and dangerousit becomes an overwhelming infection in the body, Dr. Wexler says.

Since parents cant predict whether or not their child will develop a mild form of chickenpox or a very serious one, health experts say that getting the vaccine is the best way to protect them from the disease.

Additionally, getting the vaccination protects those around you: People who are unable to be vaccinated because they have compromised immune systems, and babies under the age of one (when children can get their first of two shots) could suffer greatly from chickenpox if infected by a stranger who chose not to get vaccinated.

So can pregnant women, who can suffer complications such as pneumonia if they develop chickenpox while expecting. (Hence the Vaticans mention in their note above.) Unborn babies are also at risk of serious birth defects as a result of chickenpox. Simply put, says Dr. Wexler, unvaccinated people are posing a risk to children.

RELATED: Do Adults Need a Measles Vaccine? Experts Say It Depends
China has charged former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei with accepting bribes and abusing his position, prosecutors announced Friday.

In a remarkable fall from grace, Meng -- who had served as vice minister of public security -- vanished last September during a visit to China from France, where Interpol is based, and was later accused of accepting bribes.

Meng had abused his positions as Marine Police chief and vice minister to illegally obtain "extremely large" amounts of property, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said in a statement.

Following an investigation by prosecutors in the eastern city of Tianjin, charges were brought against him in a court in the same city.

"According to the law, he should bear criminal responsibility for accepting bribes," the statement said.

Meng had earlier been expelled from the Communist Party and stripped of his official positions, as the powerful Public Security Ministry sought to distance itself from him.

In March, the ministry said that Meng's "poisonous influence" had to be "thoroughly eliminated", and that it was investigating other party cadres involved in Meng's case.

He resigned from his Interpol post shortly after he was detained in China.

Meng is among a growing group of Communist Party cadres caught in President Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign, which critics say has served as a way to remove the leader's political enemies.

Over one million officials have been punished so far during Xi's six-year tenure.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese prosecutors filed formal charges on Friday against former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, accusing him of abuse of power and taking bribes, in the next legal step before he faces a court. Interpol, the global police coordination agency based in France, last October said Meng had resigned as its president, days after his wife reported him missing after he traveled back to his home country of China. In March, the ruling Communist Party said its own investigation into Meng found he spent "lavish" amounts of state funds, abused his power and refused to follow party decisions. His wife has dismissed the allegations and said his arrest was politically motivated. In a short statement, prosecutors said they had filed charges against him with a court in the northern city of Tianjin, which is close to the capital Beijing. The prosecutors said they charged Meng with abusing his power when he was previously a deputy minister of public security and head of China's coast guard, and taking "an extremely large" amount of bribes. It added that they had informed Meng of his rights and listened to the opinions of his lawyer. It is not clear who his lawyer is. The statement gave no other details. Meng is certain to be found guilty when his case eventually comes to trial as the courts are controlled by the party and will not challenge its accusations. Meng became president of the global police cooperation agency in late 2016 as China widened its bid to secure leadership posts in international organizations. His appointment prompted concern at the time from rights groups that Beijing might try to leverage his position to pursue dissidents abroad. Under President Xi Jinping, China has pursued a sweeping crackdown on official corruption. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; editing by Darren Schuettler)
TAIPEI, May 10 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen said on Friday that China has stepped up its efforts to infiltrate and gain influence on the island.

Tsai, speaking to reporters after a national security meeting, said Taiwan would deter military aggression in the Taiwan strait.

The U.S. House of Representatives this week unanimously backed legislation supporting Taiwan as members of the U.S. Congress push for a sharper approach to relations with Beijing. (Reporting by Yimou Lee; writing by Farah Master; editing by Darren Schuettler)
Good morning.

The U.S. hiked tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods from China this morning, in an effort to up the pressure on China for a trade deal. The Chinese quickly responded that they would retaliate.

President Donald Trumps effort to change the terms of the U.S. trading relationship with China has broad support among American business. Some 80% of Fortune 500 CEOs said in our new survey that they support the administrations trade action with China.

But while they may support the goals, its not clear they support the tactics. I was at dinner with a large group of executives who do business in China last night in San Franciscopart of the build up to the Fortune Global Sustainability Forum in Yunnan in Septemberand several said the administration seems to have overlooked the importance of face in China. Under such overt public pressure, they argued, there is no chance President Xi Jinping will bend and make a deal. Moreover, most felt tariffs would end up hurting the U.S. as much or more than China. We shall see.

Levi Strauss CEO Chip Bergh was the headline guest at last nights dinner. Other CEOs attending included Marc Benioff of Salesforce, Margo Georgiadis of Ancestry.com, Tien Tzuo of Zuora, and Patrick Brown of Impossible Foods.

And since it is Friday, some feedback. Lots of reaction to yesterdays post on the social responsibility of business. Much of it was predictably partisan. Those on the left attacked me for highlighting companies like GAP that pay minimum wage to store workers, while JC wrote: Do not send me any more of this liberal, pro-minority, pro-Democrat manure. WM helpfully provided the link to Milton Friedmans essay on the topic, here. And JL offered the following thoughtful comment:

The macro-economic principle of externality has created 100 years of a fake social balance sheet. There is no externality in this life, or in economics. It is ALL on the books.

Story continues

More news below.

Alan Murray @alansmurray alan.murray@fortune.com
(Reuters) - Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com's revenues grew at their slowest pace on record in the first quarter as China's tech giants start to tap out their existing user bases, though its 21% expansion marginally beat analysts' forecasts. China's leading internet companies are trying to find fresh areas of growth after saturating the market for their core products and services, which has led to a hit on profitability as they invest in new sectors. JD.com, which operates chiefly as an online marketplace, most notably for consumer electronics, first achieved positive net income in early 2017, about three years after it listed. However, it has struggled to maintain profitability. Martin Bao, who tracks China's tech sector at ICBC International, said the company has exhausted its core base of shoppers in first-tier Chinese cities and has to find new customers in rural China. JD differentiates itself from rivals in China by operating an in-house logistics team and warehousing unit and carrying its own inventory. In contrast, rival Alibaba Group Holding Ltd outsources its logistics to third-party companies, though it owns stakes in many of them. Unlike JD, it makes money primarily via advertising, rather than commissions on sales. JD.com is undergoing a period of restructuring, with several high-level staff leaving the company in recent months. Current and former employees told Reuters that JD launched layoffs at all levels at the company, and that morale was low. In an earnings call on Friday, executives said the staff cuts had been "overinterpreted" and denied that there had been "massive layoffs" Meanwhile, a University of Minnesota student recently filed a civil lawsuit against JD.com chief executive officer Richard Liu, alleging he raped her. Liu, through his lawyers, has maintained his innocence. Liu holds 78% voting rights on JD.com's board, and board directors cannot achieve a quorum without him present at meetings. Liu's concentration of power, coupled with the high-level staff departures, has left some investors concerned about a possible leadership void at JD.com. On Wednesday, JD.com's ownership structure and staff exits became a trending topic on Chinese social media site Weibo. JD.com also said on Friday it would renew its strategic partnership with social media giant Tencent Holdings Ltd for three more years, starting in late May. The deal embeds a link to its e-commerce site in Tencent's chat app WeChat. It also said it has secured financing for its healthcare subsidiary JD Health with investors including CICC Capital and CPEChina Fund. Post financing, the unit is now valued at $7 billion. For the current quarter, JD expects to secure revenues of between 145 billion yuan and 150 billion yuan, the mid-point of which is above an average analysts' forecast of 145.69 billion yuan, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Net income attributed to ordinary shareholders rose to 7.3 billion yuan in the first quarter, up from 1.5 billion yuan a year before. The company posted revenue of 121.1 billion yuan, narrowly beating analysts' estimate of 120.1 billion yuan. (Reporting by Sayanti Chakraborty in Bengaluru and Josh Horwitz in Shanghai; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Jan Harvey)
PromoWest CEO Scott Stienecker tried for six years to build an indoor-outdoor concert venue at The Banks, only to be rejected by Cincinnati and Hamilton County leaders last year. On Thursday, Stienecker announced that he would break ground on his $40 million concert venue across the river in Newport to open in late 2020. This sets up a potential competition for young music lovers between PromoWest, which was bought last year by AEG Presents  one of the worlds largest concert promoters  and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, which won the bid to build a concert venue at The Banks but faces a stalled timeline for groundbreaking. Its been a huge breath of fresh air  dealing with the city of Newport, Stienecker said. This facility will be the nicest facility in the country.
Primavista. | Photo: Crystal D./Yelp

Looking to satisfy your appetite for Italian fare?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end Italian restaurants around Cincinnati, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to meet your needs.

1. Sotto

PHOTO: STEPHANIE S./YELP

Topping the list is Sotto. Located at 118 E. Sixth St. in Central Business District, the Italian spot is the highest-rated high-end Italian restaurant in Cincinnati, boasting 4.5 stars out of 933 reviews on Yelp.

2. Boca

PHOTO: TIFFANY D./YELP

Next up is Central Business District's Boca, situated at 114 E. Sixth St. With 4.5 stars out of 392 reviews on Yelp, the Italian and French spot, which also offers gluten-free options, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge.

3. Nicola's Ristorante

PHOTO: TIFFANY C./YELP

Mt. Auburn's Nicola's Ristorante, located at 1420 Sycamore St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the fancy Italian spot four stars out of 285 reviews.

4. Primavista

Photo: KAREN C./Yelp

Primavista, an Italian spot and bar, which is also a venue and event space, in East Price Hill, is another pricey go-to, with four stars out of 217 Yelp reviews. Head over to 810 Matson Place to see for yourself.

5. The Presidents Room

PHOTO: ALVIN J./YELP

Finally, over in Central Business District, check out The Presidents Room, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 69 reviews on Yelp. Treat yourself at the Italian, New American and German spot by heading over to 812 Race St.

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.
(Repeats to add story tag for some subscribers)

May 10 (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc's investor relations head Susan Kendall will become the chief financial officer of Citi's consumer banking unit, according to an internal memo.

The change will be effective June 15 and a search for a new investor relations leader will be underway shortly, said the memo signed by Mark Mason, chief financial officer of the entire firm.

Kendall, who has been with the bank since 2009 and lead investor relations since 2012, will report directly to Mason. (Reporting by Imani Moise Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
London (AFP) - The future of Tata Steel's main European operations, based in the UK, faced fresh uncertainty Friday after German industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp scrapped merger plans with the Indian giant.

A deal was seen as positive for Tata's Port Talbot plant in Wales that employs more than 4,000 staff but following Friday's news, the head of a union representing British steelworkers was quick to express concern.

"Sadly, this may mean yet another period of uncertainty for steelworkers and their families," said Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss.

Commenting on the merger collapse, Tata Steel said in a statement that it "would explore all options" but "remains committed" to creating "a sustainable portfolio in Europe".

Tata Steel executive director Koushik Chatterjee added in a conference call:

"One of the fundamental strategies of going ahead in the (merger) deal was to create a more sustainable business. Obviously we will go back to the drawing board and look at more options."

The Welsh plant's future had already been at risk in 2016 before Tata ended that year by pledging its commitment to its operations across Britain that currently employ more than 8,000 staff.

"Now is the time for calm heads and a clear focus on the future of Tata Steel Europe," Rickhuss said on Friday.

"It's vital that the business is kept intact and the right steps are taken to safeguard jobs and continue investment to ensure a sustainable future," he added.

Following the merger collapse meanwhile, Thyssenkrupp said it would slash 6,000 jobs worldwide in a structural shakeup.

The German group said "continuing concerns" from the European Commission had sunk its bid to join its steel business in Europe with that of Tata's.

burs-bcp/jh
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

If you own shares in Clover Corporation Limited (ASX:CLV) then it's worth thinking about how it contributes to the volatility of your portfolio, overall. In finance, Beta is a measure of volatility. Modern finance theory considers volatility to be a measure of risk, and there are two main types of price volatility. The first category is company specific volatility. This can be dealt with by limiting your exposure to any particular stock. 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. Beta is a widely used metric to measure a stock's exposure to market risk (volatility). Before we go on, it's worth noting that Warren Buffett pointed out in his 2014 letter to shareholders that 'volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' Having said that, beta can still be rather useful. The first thing to understand about beta is that the beta of the overall market is one. A stock with a beta greater than one is more sensitive to broader market movements than a stock with a beta of less than one.

See our latest analysis for Clover

What CLV's beta value tells investors

Zooming in on Clover, we see it has a five year beta of 1.56. This is above 1, so historically its share price has been influenced by the broader volatility of the stock market. If this beta value holds true in the future, Clover shares are likely to rise more than the market when the market is going up, but fall faster when the market is going down. Many would argue that beta is useful in position sizing, but fundamental metrics such as revenue and earnings are more important overall. You can see Clover's revenue and earnings in the image below.

Story continues

ASX:CLV Income Statement, May 9th 2019

Does CLV's size influence the expected beta?

Clover is a rather small company. It has a market capitalisation of AU$387m, which means it is probably under the radar of most investors. It takes less money to influence the share price of a very small company. This may explain the excess volatility implied by this beta value.

What this means for you:

Since Clover has a reasonably high beta, it's worth considering why it is so heavily influenced by broader market sentiment. For example, it might be a high growth stock or have a lot of operating leverage in its business model. In order to fully understand whether CLV is a good investment for you, we also need to consider important company-specific fundamentals such as Clovers 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 CLVs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for CLVs outlook. Past Track Record: Has CLV 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 CLV's historicals for more clarity. Other Interesting Stocks: It's worth checking to see how CLV 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.
Comey: Trump would be charged with obstruction if he was not president

WASHINGTON  Former FBI Director James Comey said Thursday that Donald Trump would have been charged with obstruction of justice if he was not a sitting president, based on the findings in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe report.

The comment came during a roughly one-hour long town hall broadcast on CNN, where Comey touched on a number of issues, including whether he will run for office and his thoughts on how best to respond to school shootings.

Moderator Anderson Cooper asked Comey if he agreed with an open letter signed by hundreds of former federal prosecutors declaring that Trump would have been charged with obstruction if he wasn't currently the president.

"I agree," Comey said before affirming his view with "no doubt" when questioned again by Cooper. Comey pointed out that Muller laid out 10 different episodes in his report that would have supported an obstruction charge.

Who is James Comey?: A hero who helped expose President Trumps behavior, or a villain whose politics damage the FBI?

Former federal prosecutors: If Trump wasn't president, he would be guilty of obstruction

Comey added that the episodes he thought were most likely to be the basis of an obstruction charge against Trump weren't the ones involving him but others detailed in the report. He pointed to former White House counsel Don McGahn being asked by Trump to fire Mueller, which McGahn refused to do.

"The president is not above the law and I don't accept the notion that because the president is the head of the executive branch, he can't ever obstruct justice in connection with executive branch activities," Comey said. "That's just crazy and a recipe for lawlessness."

Comey said the question is whether Trump acted with the corrupt intent required to support an obstruction charge. Comey said "it sure looks like" Trump had the necessary criminal intent to charge him with obstruction of justice.

Story continues

Here are some more top moments from Comey's town hall:

'The FBI doesn't spy .... The FBI investigates'

Comey pushed back against Attorney General William Barr's statement that there was "spying" by the FBI of Trump's 2016 campaign.

"The only explanation I can think of is he used it because the president uses it, which is really disappointing," Comey said of Barr's word choice.

Barr last month told senators, without providing evidence, that Trump's 2016 campaign was spied on. Comey, however, said that Barr "knows better than that," adding that the FBI cannot conduct electronic surveillance without getting a warrant from a federal judge.

Comey also said that the FBI did not spy when asked about a recent report by the New York Times that details how an undercover U.S. intelligence official tried to probe George Papadopoulos on possible ties between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia. At the time, Papadopoulos was a junior foreign policy aide to the campaign.

'The FBI doesn't spy': Comey slams Barr for spying claim, 'misleading' Mueller summary

Sessions sides with Barr: 'Spying' proper term for FBI surveillance of Trump's 2016 campaign

"I'm not going to comment on a particular investigative step, because that's for the bureau to do and I'm not in the government any longer," he also told the audience. "But the FBI doesn't spy to begin with. The FBI investigates."

The former FBI director said that the reported encounter happened during a time when the U.S. was alerted that "the Russians were engaged in a massive effort to attack our democracy" and there had been talks before that point between a Russian representative and an adviser on Trump's campaign about "dirt" Russians had on Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.

"We all should have been fired if when we learned that, we didn't investigate to figure out is there a connection between any Americans and this Russian effort," he said.

In addition, Comey said that the FBI took the proper steps to investigate that tip.

"We acted in a responsible, limited and constrained way," he said. "I'm proud of the way we conducted ourselves."

Russia's 2020 goals

Comey said in 2016 Russia had three goals: Destabilize United States' democracy, hurt Hillary Clinton, and help Donald Trump.

For 2020, Comey said he believes Russia will continue to pursue its primary goal.

"Going into 2020, their goals, my common sense tells me will be, to continue their overarching goal, which is to damage the United States of America," Comey said.

He added that he believes Russia will also work to support Trump and help the president get re-elected "because surely they think they'll do better with someone who jokes on the phone with Vladimir Putin that the Russia thing is a hoax than they will with whoever else might be president."

Comey also left open the possibility that Russia has some kind of leverage over Trump. When first asked by Cooper, Comey said: "I don't know the answer to that."

When asked whether it's possible the Kremlin has leverage over the president, Comey said: "Yes."

The moral case against Trump

The former FBI director repeatedly spoke out against Trump during the town hall, highlighting what he called Trump's penchant for lying and his amorality.

"You cannot have a president who is a chronic liar," he said, later adding that Trump is an "amoral leader."

"The president of the United States cannot be someone who lies constantly," Comey also said Thursday night.

In addition, Comey stood by an op-ed he wrote in the New York Times where he claimed that Trump "eats your soul in small bites."

He maintained that he believes Barr has "lost most of his reputation with the way he's conducted himself" since Mueller submitted his report to the attorney general.

Barr summarized Mueller's 448-page report in a 4-page memo to Congress. He later released a redacted version of the report, but Democratic lawmakers are urging the Justice Department to release an unredacted version and the report's underlying evidence.

"I think he acted in a way that's less than honorable in the way he described it in writing and the way he described during a press conference, and continues to talk as if he's the president's lawyer," Comey said. "That is not the attorney general's job."

Despite the president's conduct, Comey said he doesn't believe Trump should be impeached. Instead, he said he believed it would be better if voters across the political spectrum came together to deny Trump a second term out of a shared sense of fundamental values.

"I kind of hope there isn't an impeachment because I think it will leave us in a situation where we're kind of off the hook," Comey said. "We need an election where the American people stand up and say ... we have something in common that's not negotiable. Our president must reflect the values of this country."

Will he run for office?

Comey had one simple answer when asked whether voters would ever see his name on a ballot: "No, never."

While he said seeking elected office is not in his future, he also said he admires "good people" who do run. On April Fools Day, Comey joked that he was jumping into the already crowded Democratic presidential field. He later noted that it was just a prank.

"I admire good people who run for office, we need good people on both sides of the aisle running for office," he said. "It's not my thing, but there are lots of ways to contribute, to serve your community and your country without running for office."

Say 'no' to arming teachers

Comey weighed in on the school shootings debate.

Just this week, one student was killed and seven others injured after a shooting at a K-12 STEM school in Colorado.

Speaking from his FBI experience, Comey said that there needs to be a better job connecting educators, law enforcement and the mental health community. He said there needs to be a process to identify "troubled souls" earlier and to then get them the help they need.

Like what youre reading?: Download the USA TODAY app for more

He also pushed back on a suggestion from President Trump to arm teachers to protect their students from school shooters. The president proposed the controversial move in the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla.

"The answer in my experience, as someone that's been around firearms most of my life, is not to arm teachers," Comey said.

Two years after firing by Trump, it's still 'numbing'

The town hall took place two years to the day after Comey was abruptly fired by the president when he was not in Washington, but across the country in California.

Comey said he was speaking with custodial staff at the FBI bureau in Los Angeles, when he looked up and saw CNN reporting that he had resigned. Then the cable network said he had been fired.

"I was numb because I didn't expect to be fired," he told Cooper.

After shaking all of the staff's hands that day, Comey said he walked across the room and the first call he took was from his wife.

"'Have you been fired? The kids say it's all over the internet,'" Comey said he remembered his wife saying.

Comey said he later found out that someone was at his office on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington with a letter from the president while he was on the other side of the country learning on TV that he'd been let go. Despite his icy relationship with Trump, Comey said he never anticipated that he would be axed.

"It still feels a little bit numbing, frankly, and like it happened yesterday and a lifetime ago," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Comey: 'No doubt' Trump would be charged with obstruction if not president
By Sarah Shearman

AMSTERDAM, May 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Competition for funding among companies trying to do good by doing everything from harvesting rainwater to making prosthetic limbs can be fierce.

Taking part in international contests that reward the best business ideas with prize money is a way for social enterprises to raise funding without giving away equity.

Some of the largest contests include Facebook's Social Entrepreneurship Award, the Global Social Venture Competition in Berkeley, Calif., and the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge in India.

"Going to fairs and events is time consuming and also very expensive, with participation fees and travel... especially if you are a small startup like us," said Valentina Longobardo, co-founder of Vegea, an Italian social enterprise.

Vegea, which turns waste grape skins and pips from wine making into an alternative to leather, was one of a cohort of 20 social enterprises selected to take part in Chivas Ventures, a competition by global drinks company Pernod Ricard.

The 20 shortlisted social enterprises where flown out to a Chivas Ventures event at Europe's largest tech summit, The Next Web Conference in Amsterdam on Thursday.

Five finalists, who were selected by a public vote, then pitched their businesses in front of an audience of 2,000 investors, entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts at the glitzy event.

Xilinat, a Mexican social enterprise that uses agricultural waste to create a sugar alternative won the overall competition, scooping up the $50,000 prize, while the other competitors got a smaller share of the fund.

Among the judges was "Avengers" star Zoe Saldana, who told the Thomson Reuters Foundation she also found it very difficult to get funding for her business, Bese, which aims to tell stories of underrepresented groups in the United States.

Because Chivas Ventures covers the social entrepreneurs' expenses, it was easier to take part in the competition, said Longobardo.

Story continues

With more than 8,000 applicants to Chivas Ventures from around the world, it was fiercely competitive to win a place, said Michal Matus - whose Slovakian social enterprise, Save the Bees, sells technology to beekeepers so they can monitor their hives

"You are like a needle in the haystack," he said about getting selected for such competitions, having been named one of the top 10 finalists at Chivas Ventures.

For Vulcan Augmetics, a Vietnamese social enterprise that makes affordable prosthetics to help amputees in poorer countries get back into the workforce, it is a challenge to raise funds domestically, said General Manager Trinh Khanh Ha.

Traveling overseas to attend such events helps, she said on the sidelines of the Chivas competition.

"It is little bit hard for us to get the message out that business can do good and be profitable at the same time in Vietnam," she said.

Likewise, in Argentina, the amount of investment available for social enterprises is growing but still, "really small" said Nicolas Wertheimer, founder of Agua Segura, a social enterprise that collects and filters rain water for rural communities.

He took part in Chivas Ventures not only with a view to winning money and meeting investors, however.

Such events enable social impact businesses from around the world to learn and share ideas, he said.

"For us it is really important to get around and travel to North America and Europe, not only for fundraising and investment raising but also to see the new ways to be a social B-Corp and learn about new economies," he said.

Plus, he enjoys it. "Fundraising for me is really fun, I love talking with investors," he said. (Reporting by Sarah Shearman @Shearmans. Editing by Jason Fields. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking and slavery, property rights, social innovation, resilience and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories)
By Lin Taylor

LONDON, May 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A record 41.3 million people were uprooted within their own countries last year due to conflicts and violence, data showed on Friday, with two-thirds displaced in just 10 countries including Syria, Colombia and Somalia.

The increase in internally displaced people (IDPs) - which was 1 million higher than in 2017 - suggested that more global crises were long-lasting, said Alexandra Bilak, director of the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).

"Unresolved internal displacement has all sorts of knock-on effects - one of them being that IDPs today could become refugees tomorrow," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The number of people displaced within their own borders far exceeds those who cross into other countries - with 25.4 million refugees and 3.1 million asylum seekers worldwide in 2017, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR.

Unlike refugees or asylum seekers waiting for decisions on their refugee status, IDPs cannot claim international protection and often have less access to aid and medical care.

Ongoing conflict in Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and rising tensions in Ethiopia, Cameroon and Nigeria triggered most of the 10.8 million new displacements in 2018 linked to conflict and violence, the IDMC said.

Internal displacement is a hidden problem in many countries, such as Yemen, where the IDMC estimated 2.3 million people were forced to flee in 2018, although the number could be higher, Bilak said.

"IDPs are certainly the most invisible. There are plenty of countries where we just don't have an accurate picture of the scale of the phenomenon," she said in a phone interview.

In addition, disasters - largely extreme weather events such as cyclones and floods - forced 17.2 million from their homes in 2018, mainly in the Philippines, China and India, although such displacement was often short-term, the IDMC said.

Story continues

Worldwide temperatures are on course to rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius (5.4 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100, far overshooting a global target of limiting the increase to 2C or less, the U.N. World Meteorological Organization says.

That is increasing the risk of extreme weather, as well as worsening hunger, poverty and water shortages, scientists say.

The IDMC said it did not produce a cumulative figure for those affected by natural disasters as this is hard to measure because people rapidly move on.

Cities were increasingly bearing the burden of hosting IDPs, both after natural disasters and as a result of urban warfare in places like Syria's Daraa, Yemen's Hodeidah and Libya's Tripoli, the IDMC said.

Bilak said cities needed to find ways to absorb these people.

"Even though the primary responsibility to address internal displacement lies with national governments, there's a very important role that needs to played by local governments and by municipalities," she said.

(Reporting by Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Editing by Katy Migiro; . Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking and slavery, property rights, social innovation, resilience and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories)
Disclaimer: These summaries are provided for educational purposes only by Nelson Rosario and Stephen Palley. They are not legal advice. These are our opinions only, arent authorized by any past, present or future client or employer. Also we might change our minds. We contain multitudes.

As always, Rosario summaries are NMR and Palley summaries are SDP".

[related id=1]Ira Kleiman v. Craig Wright, Order Regarding Plaintiffs Request To Re-Depose Plaintiff, 18-CIV-80176, S.D. Fl., 5/7/2019 [SDP]



Theres a new order that was just issued in the ongoing and heated Kleiman v. Wright litigation in federal court in Florida. The Court overruled Wrights objections to answering questions based on marital privilege but said it was going to wait to rule on whether his deposition could be re-opened until he complied with a court order regarding his bitcoin holdings.

What does all this mean? To understand how this all sounds to a litigator you need to understand a little bit about discovery and depositions, so lets begin with a brief civil procedure lesson. Depositions are a part of the discovery process in American litigation. Discovery is actually a pretty fair description of the entire process  the parties are allowed to use a variety of methods to discover evidence about the other sides case. Discovery includes written requests, in the form of things called interrogatories (written questions, basically), requests for production (document requests), requests for admissions (requests that the other side admit or deny certain statements) and depositions, which are usually oral examinations under oath and outside the presence of a judge or jury. (On rare occasions a deposition can be taken by using written questions).

There are of course some limitations to discovery. For written discovery requests you cant go on a complete fishing expedition and ask for things that arent at all related to their claims or defenses. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (which were recently amended to clarify this) say, specifically Parties may obtain discovery regarding any non-privileged matter that is relevant to any partys claim or defense and proportional to the needs of the case, considering the importance of the issues at stake in the action, the amount in controversy, the parties relative access to relevant information, the parties resources, the importance of the discovery in resolving the issues, and whether the burden or expense of the proposed discovery outweighs its likely benefit. Information within this scope of discovery need not be admissible in evidence to be discoverable.

Story continues

[related id=2]Well, one of the things that a lawyer defending a deposition can do if they dont like a question that has been asked of their client is to lodge an objection. The only proper objections in Federal Court are that the form of the question is bad (leading, argumentative, assumes facts not in evidence, etc.) or that it is privileged. With some nuanced exceptions, the only really appropriate time for a client not to answer is if doing so would violate privilege. That can include attorney-client privilege, marital privilege or any other judicially or statutorily recognized privilege.

If you have taken and defended a lot of depositions you are familiar with the lawyers who argue too much in their objections and clients who try to act like lawyers. It is really, really bad form for a client to raise objections on their own and to argue with a lawyer who is deposing them. Witnesses who do this tend to lose credibility and if the lawyer examining them has the right skills they will hoist the witness on their own petard. Think about the classic scene in A Few Good Men where Tom Cruise goads Jack Nicholson into an on the stand confession. Cases are rarely this dramatic in real life, but the dynamic is totally real.

At one point in Wrights April 4, 2019 deposition he was asked questions about his former wife. Heres part of the colloquy:

Q. So we do not have to go through every single question. Are you refusing to answer any questions about Ms. Lynne Black?

A. I am not refusing to answer questions. I have an oath that has been filed within a court in Australia. I will not breach oath and perjure myself or break oath. You are asking me to break oath, and unless instructed by a judge, etcetera, etcetera, I will not do that.

As to his second wife, Mr. Wright objected to a line of questions by saying My wife is privileged in the UK. My marriage is privileged. You should know that, as a lawyer. Are you seeking to have me breach marital privilege?

Q: Dr. Wright, it will not be productive for us to have a conversation about whether or not the time of when your wifes name changed from Ang to Watts is covered by [] privilege, but  

A: I do not discuss my family, full stop.

Q: Dr Wright, you understand that you are being sued in this case.

A: I understand perfectly well that a con man in America has made up a fraudulent claim, yes.

Personally, I read this testimony and cringe. The witness thinks that he is besting the lawyer, but by acting like an advocate and arguing he is walking into a trap. If it were my client, I would take him out into the hallway and tell him to stop arguing and let me make the objections. Anyway, the lawyers got the judge on the phone and the judge asked for briefing on the application of marital privilege to the question of whether or not someones name had changed (a dubious proposition under U.S. law). Following briefing, the Court issued a ruling which (in my view, unsurprisingly) over-ruled Wrights objection:

The Court finds that the Plaintiffs proposed topic areas are reasonably designed to identify Ms. Wrights and Ms. Watts knowledge of facts material to the issues in this case and/or the existence and location of additional relevant evidence. They are designed to narrow the issues in dispute and potentially limit the scope of future discovery. They fall squarely within the Courts intended scope for Dr. Wrights deposition. The Court further finds that Dr. Wrights objections were unfounded under Florida law. The questions did not elicit marital communications and therefore would not have been protected by the Florida marital privilege. Nevertheless, the Court will defer ruling on whether to reopen Dr. Wrights deposition until after Dr. Wright responds to the Courts orders relating to his bitcoin holdings.

I am not entirely sure why the Court is deferring ruling on re-opening the deposition, but if one is reading the tea-leaves, this tactic of objecting to questions based on Australian and UK law was unwise. Federal judges will give the litigants a lot of leeway but if you push your luck too far, they tend to see through games and will hold them against you.

The Block is pleased to bring you expert cryptocurrency legal analysis courtesy of Stephen Palley (@stephendpalley) and Nelson M. Rosario (@nelsonmrosario). They summarize three cryptocurrency-related cases on a weekly basis and have given The Block permission to republish their commentary and analysis in full. Part I of this week's analysis, Crypto Caselaw Minute, is above.
Offering her own views, SEC commissioner Hester Peirce believes the regulator is stifling the crypto industry. | Source: YouTube

By CCN: Crypto Mom and SEC commissioner, Hester Peirce, has extended yet another olive branch to the cryptocurrency community.

Speaking at the Securities Enforcement Forum in California on May 9th, Peirce said officials should be wary of stifling creativity with overzealous regulation. However, she also suggested a lack of regulation could have a similarly negative effect on the crypto space.

According to Peirce, the responsibility now falls solely on the SEC to apply clear guidelines to the still nascent industry.

Crypto Mom Hester Peirce: Dont Smother Crypto In Its Infancy

Peirce once again exemplified her reputation as the Crypto Mom, as she expressed fears that the heavy-handed SEC would stifle cryptocurrencys development. She said:

I also expressed my concern that the SEC would lead with its enforcement powers, thus allowing anxiety about the risks of new technology to overshadow the opportunities it presents. I worried that hasty regulation would smother the industry in its infancy.

Commissioner: SEC Shouldnt Hold Back in Approving Crypto Products https://t.co/q2e2jtXlH6  CCN.com (@CCNMarkets) September 18, 2018

The commissioner expressed regret that the SEC hasnt acted sooner in the crypto space. Not because shes desperate to see a clampdown, but rather, Peirce recognizes the damage done already due to lax regulations.

Read the full story on CCN.com.
Dara O Briain has criticised the BBC for firing Danny Baker over a tweet that 'mistakenly caused offence' (Rob Ball/Redferns)

Celebrities had a lot to say about the BBC firing Danny Baker from Radio 5 Live, after a tweet of his was slammed for being racist yesterday (9 May). Now, comedian Dara O Briain has criticised the broadcasters decision to drop the DJ.

Moments before Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was set to introduce their new son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor to the world, Baker took to Twitter to share an image of a man and a woman, holding the hands of a chimpanzee in a suit.

Read more: Celebs react to Danny Baker's firing following 'racist' royal baby tweet

Alongside it, he wrote: Royal baby leaves hospital.

The unthinkable gag sparked backlash so Baker swiftly deleted it and later, apologised for upsetting people with a gag pic of the little fella in the posh outfit.

The Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex presented their newborn son to the world during a photocall in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle on 8 May 2019 (Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

But the fact that he thought it was okay to post it in the first place, which went against the values we as a station aim to embody, was enough to seal his fate at the BBC, a BBC explained.

After the news of his dismissal broke, O Briain took to social media to share his thoughts on the matter, saying: What? Danny Baker got fired? But he immediately apologised and deleted the tweet!

I mean, literally, in the event of mistakenly causing offence, what else can you do? Genuinely amazed by that.

His opinion didnt go down well with his 2.51 million followers. One fan said they were disappointed to see him defending the former Im A Celebrity contestant, adding that Bakers excuse [of] it was a posh chimp, and the poshness was the joke was pretty f**king thin.

Gina Yashere, who frequently appears alongside O Briain on comedy panel show Mock the Week, argued that it was easier for him to forgive coz you weren't called monkey & ape every day of your working life.

Or chased by skinheads making ape noises. He's not an idiot. He knew what the f**k he was posting.

Another said: If you are not intelligent enough to know that those types of posts are comments are NEVER acceptable anymore, you don't deserve to keep your media job. It's that simple.

Story continues

Read more: Danny Baker apologises for racist tweet about the Royal baby

Seeing the replies, O Briain urged that he wasnt excusing the original tweet.

The Irish had a century of that monkey s*** too, yknow. Ultimately, though, Id like that to hope if/when I f*** up, you might accept an apology

Responding to someone who argued that theres no way Baker wouldnt have known how his tweet would be perceived, the presenter said: I just dont think Danny is some racist who did that deliberately, no matter how it came out.

What? Danny Baker got fired? But he immediately apologised and deleted the tweet! I mean, literally, in the event of mistakenly causing offence, what else can you do? Genuinely amazed by that.  Dara O Briain (@daraobriain) May 9, 2019

You say f*** him, I say forgive him. All the best.

He concluded: Well that was an exciting day on Twitter; but, genuinely, spoke to loads of cool people and left on good terms with all of them.

Thanks for the chats everyone. I shall now relax after all this heated debate, by watching lovely calm Arsenal play a serene, relaxing, no-drama match.
Cairo (AFP) - A Coptic priest's comments about women's clothing being too revealing in churches has sparked a heated debate this week among Egyptian Christians, the largest religious minority in the Middle East.

Father Daoud Lamei, a well-known parish priest in an upmarket Cairo suburb with a sizeable social media following, lambasted Christian women for attire that he deemed immodest.

"Why are girls and women even coming to church if they're wearing revealing and inappropriate clothes?" he said in a widely-shared video.

"She who does, will be judged," he added. "I personally think any man, who agrees to his wife leaving her home in that way, will be judged before God."

Lamei made the comments in an April 30 sermon marking Orthodox Easter, which is celebrated by Egypt's Coptic Christian community.

"At least during Christmas we don't have to worry about racy clothes because it's cold... we want it to be cold always," joked the popular priest.

Coptic Christians make up around 12 percent of the conservative country's population of 100 million, which is predominantly Sunni Muslim.

Lamei's remarks sparked a mixed response from women in Egypt, with some criticising his stringent tone while others praised the priest for giving worshippers guidelines.

"He is condemning these women... instead of explaining the appropriate dress code and attitude in church in general -- for everyone," said Sandra Awad, a 22-year-old student who has attended Lamei's church in the past.

But another woman, writing on Facebook, said the priest "spoke with complete respect... so they can wake up and revere the church they're entering."

- 'Cover up' campaign -

The debate comes in the wake of a controversial online campaign calling on Christian women to "cover up, so we people can pray".

A parallel drive urging Egyptian women to cover up for Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, also appeared this week with users drawing similarities between the two in the sexist language employed.

Story continues

Lamei has denied on social media that he endorsed any online drives and did not respond to AFP's requests for comment.

St Mark's Church in the Heliopolis district, where he delivered the sermon, on May 6 published a link on its Facebook page to the full Easter speech.

The Coptic Church has become increasingly political under the leadership of Pope Tawadros II, an enthusiastic supporter of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

It has also taken on a more active role as the sole representative for Copts in public life as a discriminated minority.

"The clergy are role models for the community who see them as the guardians of their community, its traditions and its faith," said Elizabeth Monier, an expert on Coptic affairs at the University of Cambridge.

"This is strongly the case when a community feels that it is under threat," she told AFP.

The Coptic community has suffered a number of deadly attacks on its churches in recent years, while Egyptian authorities routinely turn a blind eye to sectarian violence involving forced evictions or the shutting down of churches.

"Perceived attacks on Coptic traditions or teachings are likely to lead Copts to rally around their clergy and uphold traditions more strongly," said Monier.

- 'Justify harassment' -

A group of worshippers at a church in Upper Egypt started an online campaign last week urging fellow young women to dress modestly, which was vehemently criticised by Facebook users for its conservative language.

Marianne Sedhom, 28, a lawyer in Alexandria who took issue with Lamei's sermon, told AFP "women in the church need to speak up more against retrograde and male-centric ideas".

Egypt is one of the worst offenders worldwide for sexual harassment -- endured by more than 99 percent of women in the county according to a 2013 United Nations report.

The priest's remarks were dubbed "Christian Salafism" by Ishak Ibrahim, a researcher with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, in reference to the dogmatic school of Sunni Islam.

Ibrahim regarded such rhetoric as hardening attitudes that "justify harassment" towards women.

"There's a crisis in clerical education so clergy end up tying piety to modesty," he said.
By Joshua Franklin and Devika Krishna Kumar

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Travis Kalanick, the co-founder of Uber Technologies Inc who stepped down as CEO in 2017 amid a string of scandals, showed up for the ride-hailing giant's stock market debut on Friday even though Uber had not invited him to join executives on the balcony of the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell.

Kalanick, who still has a seat on Uber's board, took an Uber ride to the bourse in downtown Manhattan with his father, Donald, and mingled with staff on the trading floor. The two of them later stood on a balcony overlooking the floor.

Sporting a navy suit and blue shirt, 42-year-old Kalanick sought to avoid cameras and declined to comment when he left the New York Stock Exchange building. He chuckled and attempted to hide behind his team when a Reuters reporter tried to take pictures of him.

Kalanick, who owns 8.6 percent of Uber, was forced to step down as CEO two years ago after pressure from investors and board directors. His pugnacious style helped Uber expand aggressively, but was also blamed for a string of setbacks that have since plagued the company.

Those have included sexual harassment allegations, a massive data breach that was concealed from regulators, use of illicit software to evade authorities and allegations of bribery overseas.

Dara Khosrowshahi joined Uber in 2017 to replace Kalanick as CEO.

Uber Technologies priced its initial public offering on Thursday at the low end of its targeted range for a valuation of $82.4 billion, hoping its conservative approach will spare it the trading plunge suffered by rival Lyft Inc.

(Reporting by Joshua Franklin and Devika Krishna Kumar in New York; Additional reporting by Mike Segar; Editing by Bill Rigby)
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  Delaware has permanently revoked the license of a doctor accused of prescribing opioids in exchange for sexual favors from a female patient undergoing treatment for long-term drug addiction.

The News Journal of Wilmington reports the state Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline this week revoked the license of Nihar B. Gala, who oversaw the pain management and addiction treatment center Alpha Care Medical.

State prosecutors say Gala took the woman off Suboxone and prescribed her large amounts of Oxycodone and Fentanyl.

Gala denies the allegations, which his lawyer has said are part of a conspiracy to hurt Gala's career.

The state is asking for any of Gala's patients who sought treatment for substance abuse to contact the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health's crisis helpline at 800-345-6785.

___

Information from: The News Journal of Wilmington, Del., http://www.delawareonline.com
By Sarah N. Lynch and Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rod Rosenstein, who oversaw Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, wrapped up his high-profile tenure at the U.S. Justice Department as his likely replacement moved closer to confirmation in the U.S. Senate on Thursday.

In an emotional farewell ceremony, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein defended the Justice Department's mission at a time when its employees face increasing criticism President Donald Trump, as well as from Democrats and Republicans.

"If kindness and humility are in short supply outside the halls of justice, that's all the more reason to set a good example," Rosenstein said at a ceremony that included tributes from Attorney General William Barr and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Rosenstein spoke shortly after the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved Jeffrey Rosen, the No. 2 official at the Department of Transportation, to replace Rosenstein as Barr's deputy. That clears the way for a final confirmation vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Unlike Rosenstein, who spent nearly 30 years at the Justice Department, Rosen has never worked as a prosecutor.

Democrats said his lack of experience should be disqualifying.

"We can't and shouldn't afford to have somebody who is learning on the job," said the committee's top Democrat, Dianne Feinstein.

Rosenstein became one of the department's most high-profile deputies in history after he appointed Mueller in May 2017 to probe Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Mueller completed his investigation in March, issuing a report that did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russian government officials.

Mueller's report did not determine whether Trump obstructed justice, but also did not exonerate him. It documented multiple episodes painting Trump's behavior in an unflattering light.

Story continues

Rosenstein and Attorney General William Barr later concluded there was not enough evidence presented to prosecute Trump for obstruction of justice.

Rosenstein oversaw the investigation after Sessions, then serving as attorney general, recused himself because he had spoken with Russian officials while serving as a top adviser on Trump's campaign.

Along the way, Rosenstein faced intense criticism from Trump, who repeatedly blasted the probe as a politically motivated "witch hunt," as well as Democrats who have questioned the decision not to charge Trump with obstruction. Republicans, meanwhile, have questioned whether the FBI overstepped its boundaries by monitoring campaign officials it suspected of being Russian agents.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Jonathan Oatis and Bill Berkrot)
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

One of the best investments we can make is in our own knowledge and skill set. With that in mind, this article will work through how we can use Return On Equity (ROE) to better understand a business. By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc (LON:AMS).

Our data shows Advanced Medical Solutions Group has a return on equity of 13% for the last year. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.13.

See our latest analysis for Advanced Medical Solutions Group

How Do You Calculate ROE?

The formula for ROE is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit  Shareholders' Equity

Or for Advanced Medical Solutions Group:

13% = UK23m  UK173m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)

Most readers would understand what net profit is, but its worth explaining the concept of shareholders equity. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. Shareholders' equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company.

What Does Return On Equity Signify?

ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The 'return' is the yearly profit. A higher profit will lead to a higher ROE. So, all else equal, investors should like a high ROE. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies.

Does Advanced Medical Solutions Group Have A Good ROE?

One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. The limitation of this approach is that some companies are quite different from others, even within the same industry classification. If you look at the image below, you can see Advanced Medical Solutions Group has a similar ROE to the average in the Medical Equipment industry classification (13%).

Story continues

AIM:AMS Past Revenue and Net Income, May 10th 2019

That's neither particularly good, nor bad. ROE can give us a view about company quality, but many investors also look to other factors, such as whether there are insiders buying shares. I will like Advanced Medical Solutions Group better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity

Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking.

Combining Advanced Medical Solutions Group's Debt And Its 13% Return On Equity

One positive for shareholders is that Advanced Medical Solutions Group does not have any net debt! Its respectable ROE suggests it is a business worth watching, but it's even better the company achieved this without leverage. After all, when a company has a strong balance sheet, it can often find ways to invest in growth, even if it takes some time.

In Summary

Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. All else being equal, a higher ROE is better.

Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company.

Of course Advanced Medical Solutions Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have high ROE and low debt.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Essex Bio-Technology Limited (HKG:1061).

What Is Insider Buying?

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.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.'

See our latest analysis for Essex Bio-Technology

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Essex Bio-Technology

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the MD & Executive Director, Haizhou Fang, sold HK$3.8m worth of shares at a price of HK$5.91 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at slightly below the current price (HK$7.25). As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price, because it suggests they were happy with a lower valuation. However, while insider selling is sometimes discouraging, it's only a weak signal. It is worth noting that this sale was only 12.4% of Haizhou Fang's holding. The only individual insider seller over the last year was Haizhou Fang.

Haizhou Fang sold a total of 1.7m shares over the year at an average price of HK$5.45. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

Story continues

SEHK:1061 Recent Insider Trading, May 10th 2019

If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Does Essex Bio-Technology Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It's great to see that Essex Bio-Technology insiders own 53% of the company, worth about HK$2.2b. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Essex Bio-Technology Tell Us?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Essex Bio-Technology shares in the last quarter. While we feel good about high insider ownership of Essex Bio-Technology, we can't say the same about the selling of shares. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Essex Bio-Technology.

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.
By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives approved a multibillion-dollar disaster relief bill on Friday, continuing a quarrel with President Donald Trump and other Republicans who oppose providing more aid to Puerto Rico.

Senate Republicans made a new offer this week with more money for the island U.S. territory that was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, but a Democratic aide said it fell short of what Democrats already have included in House bills and have been pushing for in talks. No details were provided.

So the Democratic-majority House voted 257-150 to pass a $17.2 billion measure to help Americans, including Puerto Ricans, rebound from a string of natural disasters from wildfires to floods and hurricanes - knowing that Republicans, who run the Senate, do not approve and Trump won't sign it into law.

The bill included $600 million for a nutrition program for Puerto Rico, as well as other pots of money that the territory would be eligible for, such as water infrastructure grants.

Trump tweeted his opposition Thursday night. "House Republicans should not vote for the BAD DEMOCRAT Disaster Supplemental Bill which hurts our States, Farmers & Border Security," he wrote on Twitter. "We want to do much better than this. All sides keep working and send a good BILL for immediate signing!" However, 34 House Republicans defied the president and voted with the Democrats for passage.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy opposed the House bill, but struck a note of optimism. He said that he had spoken with Trump, Senate leaders and House Democratic leaders, and "I believe we can solve this all by next week."

McCarthy confirmed that Republicans had made an offer on disaster relief to senior Democrats on Thursday, but did not give details.

Disaster relief has been stalled since April amid disagreements over Puerto Rico. Trump, who accuses Puerto Rico of aid mismanagement, argues they should not get any more money.

Story continues

The president this week repeated his claim that Puerto Rico had received $91 billion since the hurricane struck in 2017, an assertion that Democrats denounce as false.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that Puerto Rico has received a little over $11 billion. Trump appeared to be using a White House fact sheet number that estimated $91 billion could go to Puerto Rico over time.

The House passed a similar bill in January with $14.2 billion in aid, but it was not taken up by the Senate. Friday's measure included $3 billion to address recent flooding in the Midwest and tornadoes in the South. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell in Washington Editing by James Dalgleish)
The documentary showing the European side of the Brexit negotiations led by Guy Verhofstadt revealed comments made by EU negotiators (AP Photo/Jean Francois Badias)

A behind-the-scenes documentary on the Brexit negotiations shows two members of the EU team joking about how they have finally turned Britain into a colony.

Brexit: Behind Closed Doors followed EU Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt through negotiations and aired in two parts on Wednesday and Thursday

The documentary offers a series of revealing moments, including two members of the EU team joking at the end of the first programme, saying: We got rid of them. We kicked them out. We finally turned them into a colony, and that was our plan from the first moment.

Other moments include Mr Verhofstadts chief of staff Guillaume McLaughlin branding Theresa May pathetic.

When it appeared that any deal would have the kybosh put on it by DUP leader Arlene Foster because Mrs May hadnt cleared elements with her, he said: What the f*** is wrong with her? Thats insane. I dont know, I havent spoken to her. Thats ridiculous. Pathetic, pathetic.

A statement in advance of tonights BBC 4 documentary, which allegedly shows Guy Verhofstadts people being a bit silly and calling me childish names, because I stand up for my country. #BrexitNow  pic.twitter.com/EmS9DcbBL2  Andrew Rosindell MP (@AndrewRosindell) May 8, 2019

Another clip shows the team branding Conservative Brexiteer Andrew Rosindell a f***.

After meeting Mr Rosindell, a member of Verhofstadts staff said: Im most proud of you when you take on a Tory and win. He was a f*** yeah? Im delighted.

Verhofstadt responds: And we are we are causing the problem?! Youre leaving! There is no border, youre creating a border!

READ MORE

Thai bay made famous by The Beach to stay closed until 2021

The documentary has drawn criticism from some quarters who say it reveals a level of disdain by EU negotiators for Britain.

Critics include Mr Rosindell, who said it showed them as negotiators of the worst possible faith.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

If you own shares in NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR) 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 category is company specific volatility. This can be dealt with by limiting your exposure to any particular stock. The second sort is caused by the natural volatility of markets, overall. For example, certain macroeconomic events will impact (virtually) all stocks on the market.

Some stocks are more sensitive to general market forces than others. Beta can be a useful tool to understand how much a stock is influenced by market risk (volatility). However, Warren Buffett said 'volatility is far from synonymous with risk' in his 2014 letter to investors. So, while useful, beta is not the only metric to consider. To use beta as an investor, you must first understand that the overall market has a beta of one. Any stock with a beta of greater than one is considered more volatile than the market, while those with a beta below one are either less volatile or poorly correlated with the market.

View our latest analysis for NCR

What we can learn from NCR's beta value

Given that it has a beta of 1.93, we can surmise that the NCR share price has been fairly sensitive to market volatility (over the last 5 years). If the past is any guide, we would expect that NCR shares will rise quicker than the markets in times of optimism, but fall faster in times of pessimism. Share price volatility is well worth considering, but most long term investors consider the history of revenue and earnings growth to be more important. Take a look at how NCR fares in that regard, below.

Story continues

NYSE:NCR Income Statement, May 10th 2019

How does NCR's size impact its beta?

With a market capitalisation of US$3.8b, NCR is a pretty big company, even by global standards. It is quite likely well known to very many investors. It takes deep pocketed investors to influence the share price of a large company, so it's a little unusual to see companies this size with high beta values. It may be that that this company is more heavily impacted by broader economic factors than most.

What this means for you:

Since NCR tends to moves up when the market is going up, and down when it's going down, potential investors may wish to reflect on the overall market, when considering the stock. This article aims to educate investors about beta values, but it's well worth looking at important company-specific fundamentals such as NCRs 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 NCRs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for NCRs outlook. Past Track Record: Has NCR 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 NCR's historicals for more clarity. Other Interesting Stocks: It's worth checking to see how NCR 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.
By Linda Carroll

(Reuters Health) - Patients who see their doctors in the morning are a lot more likely to be referred for screenings for breast and colon cancer than patients with end-of-the-day appointments, a new study suggests.

Researchers poring over records of more than 50,000 patients who were eligible for breast or colon cancer screening saw a big drop in referrals as the day progressed. Patients were also less likely to actually get screened, once they had a referral, if they saw their doctors later in the day.

There are several possible explanations, said study coauthor Dr. Mitesh Patel, an assistant professor the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and director of the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit.

First, Patel said, "as we go through our day we get tired of making decisions, so we're less likely to do it later in the day. And then, as we go through our day, we tend to run behind schedule so at the end of the day we have less time."

But there's also a possible patient factor, Patel said, adding, "Patients at the end of the day may have less time because they're in a rush to get home."

As reported in JAMA Network Open, Patel and his colleagues analyzed electronic health records compiled between 2014 and 2016 by 33 primary care practices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. They found 19,254 patients eligible for breast cancer screening and 33,468 eligible for colon cancer screening.

When examining those patients' records, the researchers found that order rates for breast cancer screenings were at their highest at 8AM, at 63.7 percent, and dropped to 47.8 percent at 4PM and 5PM. Similarly, order rates for colon cancer screenings at 8AM were highest, at 36.5 percent, and dropped to 23.4 percent by 5PM.

That doesn't mean patients should be trying to get appointments early in the day, Patel said. But it does suggest that doctors might want to look at ways to automate certain aspects of care. For example, Patel said, a recent study found that more patients got screened for colon cancer when stool test kits were automatically sent out.

Story continues

The new study is "intriguing and a little provocative but I think we should be cautious before we start posing solutions," said Dr. Albert Wu, an internist and professor of health policy & management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "Correlation is not causality and we should always be cautious jumping to conclusions, particularly those that support a narrative we believe in."

While the researchers have found an association between time of day and rate of cancer screenings, it doesn't prove that the rate of screening depends on the time of day. Time of day might simply be a marker for some other factor, Wu said.

Wu points to a study of judges that similarly correlated time of day with the likelihood of a judge approving parole. In that case it turned out that prisoners who came before a judge later in the day tended to be the ones who didn't have a lawyer representing them, Wu said.

"And I do not recommend people try to schedule earlier appointments simply based on the findings of this study," Wu said.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2E4A29A and http://bit.ly/2E1aRET JAMA Network Open, online May 10, 2019.
HMP Liverpool, also known as Walton prison (PA)

A Dutch court has refused to extradite a suspected drugs smuggler back to Walton Prison in Liverpool because of inhumane conditions.

The Amsterdam judges said there was a real risk of inhuman and degrading treatment if the suspect was sent back to the UK.

British police want the fugitive extradited following his capture after almost two years on the run over alleged narcotics trafficking.

Its believed the man, who was not named in court, was smuggling heroin and cocaine.

HMP Liverpool. (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)

He is the subject of a European Arrest Warrant.

The Court of Amsterdam cited a British report from last year where prison inspectors found some of the most disturbing conditions we have ever seen at Walton.

It added that conditions at the prison, officially named HMP Liverpool, have no place in an advanced nation in the 21st century.

The prison was plagued with rats, drugs, and there was widespread violence, found inspectors.

The squalid conditions were the worst they have ever seen, they added.

The court heard, in a letter, from the UK Director General of Prisons who argued that improvements were being made to Walton.

We do not accept those conditions anywhere in our prisons amount to inhuman or degrading treatment contrary to Article Three [of the] European Court of Human Rights."

Article Three of the ECHR states that no one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The Amsterdam court said it will delay its extradition decision until it obtains additional information about conditions at Walton.
European Council President Donald Tusk (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Donald Tusk has said there is a 30% chance Britain wont leave the European Union.

The president of the European Council said he believed there was such a high chance of Britain remaining in the EU because voters would likely reject Brexit if there was ever a second referendum.

His comments came after Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt said he did not know if Britain would leave the EU, adding it was never too late for Britain to remain.

Tusks comments came in an interview with a Polish newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza.

He also said the decision by former British prime minister, David Cameron, to hold the referendum was a political miscalculation.

Asked what he thought would happen if there was a second referendum, Tusk, Europes most senior official, said he would expect a different result because people had been learned about the consequences of leaving.

A real debate about the consequences of Brexit wasnt had during the referendum campaign, but only after the vote, said Tusk.

Today the result would probably look different. Paradoxically, Brexit awoke in Great Britain a pro-European movement.

Guy Verhofstadt (right), joins Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable in London during their EU election campaign on Friday (PA)

He added: After the British referendum in 2016, I thought that if we recognise that the case is closed, it will be the end.

Today the chance that Brexit will not happen is, in my opinion, 20-30%. Thats a lot.

From month to month, it is becoming increasingly clear that the UKs exit from the EU will look completely different than the Brexit that was promoted.

I see no reason to capitulate.

Meanwhile Verhofstadt made his comments while campaigning for the Lib Dems in Camden, north London, ahead of European elections later this month.

He later tweeted a picture of himself as he campaigned alongside Lib Dem leader, Vince Cable.

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage coughs as he samples an e-cigarette during a walkabout in Lincoln on Friday (PA)

In April, Britains membership of the EU was pushed back to October 31 this year.

The UK had been due to leave the bloc on 29 March.

Earlier this week, the British government admitted the UK would take part in European elections later this month, where smaller parties including Nigel Farages Brexit Party are expected to do well.
* U.S. tariffs raised on $200 billion of Chinese goods

* China gains, yuan strengthens, Asian stocks follow

* Turkey's lira rises after additional liquidity steps

By Agamoni Ghosh

May 10 (Reuters) - Emerging-market shares and currencies gained on Friday as renewed hope for progress in trade talks between the United States and China overshadowed an increase in tariffs for Chinese goods.

U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods on Friday, but talks between the two countries continued. Investors were hoping they would reach an agreement and avert the damage a trade war could do to the global economy.

"The increase in tariffs is well expected for a few days already, so when U.S. raised the tariffs the markets did not feel that extra surprise," said Iris Pang, an economist at ING.

"If someone told us that the two sides are not going to talk, that would be a surprise."

MSCI's index for emerging-market stocks rose from two-month lows, led by Asian shares, but were still headed for their worst weekly performance so far this year.

Chinese shares dropped when the tariffs took effect but then recovered. The Shanghai composite index and the blue-chip CSI300 index both rose more than 3%. The Hang Seng Index gained 1.6%. The yuan also strengthened.

Stocks in Johannesburg rose over 1% and the rand advanced, as the ruling African National Congress took the lead in elections for parliament and provincial legislatures.

Moscow's MOEX index was among the few losers as traders returned form a market holiday. The rouble gained in thin trade.

Turkey's lira rose 1% after the central bank suspended repo auctions and took additional liquidity steps to counter the currency's recent declines, which came after a decision to re-run Istanbul's mayoral election.

In emerging Europe, Polish stocks rose more than 1% from six-month lows. Budapest's BUX gained on mixed earnings.

Currencies in the region all strengthened against the euro. Bond yields continued to drift lower.

Story continues

For TOP NEWS across emerging markets

For CENTRAL EUROPE market report, see

For TURKISH market report, see

For RUSSIAN market report, see (Reporting by Agamoni Ghosh in Bengaluru)
EPAM Systems EPAM first-quarter 2019 non-GAAP earnings per share surged 34.4% year over year to $1.25 and also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17.

Revenues in the reported quarter came in at $521.3 million, marking a year-over-year rise of 22.9% and also topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $519 million. On constant currency (cc) basis, revenues were up 26.3%, denoting a negative impact of 3.4% from foreign exchange.

The company is benifiting from growth across all industry verticals and majority of its geographies.Digital transformation, focus on customer engagement and product development were key growth drivers. Moreover, deeper insights into artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics are an upside.

Top-Line Details

EPAM Systems largest vertical Financial Services registered 9.1% (13.3% at cc) growth on a year-over-year basis. Ramp-down of some client activity (mainly Europe-based) and the timing of revenue recognition from various financial services clients in Russia were a dampener.

Travel and Consumer segment improved 13.6% (18.1% in cc). Slowdown within certain consumer clients in Europe and muted growth for a few North American clients are an overhang.

Software & Hi-Tech was up nearly 23.4%. Business information and media rose 24.7%. Life Science & Healthcare soared 69.6% growth in key client wins.

The companys emerging verticals grew 40.7%, driven primarily by clients from energy, telecommunications and automotive sectors.

Geographically, EPAM Systems generated 60.7% of total revenues from North America, up 33% year over year at cc. Revenues from Europe, contributing 33.3% to total revenues, were up 19.3% at cc. APAC rose 37.3% at cc, accounting for 2.5% of revenues.

However, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), representing 3.5% of the metric, slipped 4.1% at cc. Revenue recognition timing from several financial services clients was a drag in the region.

The companys top 20 clients ascended nearly 15.5% year over year in the quarter under review while the rest augmented 29%.

Story continues

EPAM Systems, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

EPAM Systems, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

EPAM Systems, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | EPAM Systems, Inc. Quote

Margins

EPAM Systems non-GAAP gross margin contracted 20 basis points (bps) to 36.3%.

The companys non-GAAP operating income increased 31.8% year over year to $89.2 million while the operating margin expanded 110 bps to 17.1%.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

EPAM Systems exited the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $762.5 million, up from $770.6 million at the end of the last reported quarter.

Cash used in operating activities was $0.2 million in the quarter compared with $123.1 million of cash generated from operational activities in the sequential quarter.

Guidance

EPAM Systems reaffirms its 2019 revenue improvement at 22% year over year. On cc basis, the metric is expected to be 23%.

Soft spending by the European banking clients and sluggish demand in consumer and retail, primarily in Europe, are persistent concerns. Uncertainty over Brexit is also a challenge to spending. However, healthy growth rates in life sciences and healthcare plus high tech and the emerging verticals are a positive.

Non-GAAP operating margin is envisioned in the band of 16-17%. The company anticipates non-GAAP earnings to be $5.19, up from $5.06 predicted earlier.

For the second quarter, the company forecasts revenues at minimum $549 million, up 23% year over year. At cc, the same is likely to be 24%.

Non-GAAP earnings per share are assumed at $1.21. Non-GAAP operating margin is predicted between 15.5% and 16.5%. Margins are likely to be impacted by higher level of holidays in the CIS region and an increase in annual compensation.

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

EPAM Systems currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A few better-ranked stocks in the broader Computer and Technology sector are Cadence Design Systems CDNS, ACI Worldwide, Inc. ACIW and Avid Technology, Inc. AVID, all sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here .

Long-term earnings growth rate for Cadence, ACI Worldwide and Avid is projected at 12%, 12% and 10%, respectively.

Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation

Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.

A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 7 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.

See 7 breakthrough stocks now>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



EPAM Systems, Inc. (EPAM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Avid Technology, Inc. (AVID) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
PARIS, May 10 (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Friday said that an escalation in the trade dispute between China and the United States posed the gravest threat to global growth and threatened jobs across Europe.

"There is no greater threat to world growth," Le Maire told CNews. "It would mean that trade tariffs go up, fewer goods would circulate around the world ... and jobs in France and in Europe would be destroyed."

U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff increase to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods took effect on Friday, and Beijing said it would strike back, ratcheting up tensions as the two sides pursue last-ditch talks to try salvaging a trade deal. (Reporting by Richard Lough; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
TOKYO, May 10 (Reuters) - The European Union intends to keep agriculture off the agenda in its trade talks with the United States and continues to support rules-based, open and predictable international commerce, the EU's agriculture commissioner said on Friday.

A free trade agreement between the European Union and Japan is the "benchmark and ceiling" for the EU's negotiations with the United States for a trade pact, Phil Hogan said.

Hogan, a former Irish government minister, also urged the United States to reverse tariffs on goods from China and the EU and return to a more "benign" system of global trade.

"Agriculture should be excluded from negotiations with the United States," Hogan said.

"The fact that the European Union and Japan have a very good agreement will operate as the benchmark ... to what is achievable between the EU and the United States."

Hogan, who spoke to journalists at a press conference, is in Japan for a Group of 20 agriculture ministers' meeting.

The EU indicated last month it is ready to start talks with the United States on only two areas: cutting tariffs on industrial goods and making it easier for companies to show products meet EU or U.S. standards.

This stance puts Brussels at loggerheads with Washington, which has insisted on including farm products in the talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is seeking better terms of trade with the EU, as well as China, Japan, Canada and Mexico.

In some cases the U.S. has raised tariffs on goods in response to trade practices it considers unfair, which has roiled financial markets and slowed the global economy.

The EU is already facing U.S. tariffs on its steel and aluminum exports and the threat of higher U.S. tariffs on products ranging from large commercial aircraft and parts to dairy products and wine.

The U.S. will also increase duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent later on Friday as it negotiates with China for a trade pact.

In response to questions about U.S.-China talks, Hogan said cooperation is better than confrontation for global trade.

Earlier this year, a trade pact between the EU and Japan went into effect, creating the world's largest open market. (Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Tom Hogue)
An EU statement called on Iran to continue to implement its commitments under the 2015 deal - REUTERS

European powers rejected Irans ultimatum on the nuclear deal yesterday, urging the regime to stick to the terms of the 2015 agreement despite Americas withdrawal.

The European Union along with Britain, France and Germany  all signatories to the deal  released a statement pushing back on Irans warning it could start enriching uranium again in 60 days.

We strongly urge Iran to continue to implement its commitments, the statement read, adding that the countries would reject any ultimatums.

The remarks suggested European leaders may not be willing or able to deliver the sanctions avoidance mechanism demanded by Iran that would help businesses keep trading with the country.

With their economy stuttering and America reimposing sanctions after withdrawing from the deal, Iranian leaders are under pressure to justify their continued participation.

The deal, struck during Barack Obamas presidency, saw Iran agree to forgo nuclear programs which would help it develop a weapon in return for the lifting of sanctions.

But Donald Trump, the US president who dubbed the agreement horrific and pledged to pull America out during his 2016 campaign, has reversed the US position since taking office.

Mr Trump on Thursday seemed open to talks. I would like to see them call me," Mr Trump said of Iran, reiterating hopes the country's leaders will come to the negotiating table.

Trump administration officials believe the nuclear deal was too narrow in scope, curbing Iran's nuclear programme but leaving it free to pursue ballistic missile development. They favour a more comprehensive new agreement.

Mr Trump also called for John Kerry, the former US secretary of state who helped sign the deal, to be prosecuted for continuing to talk to Iranian leaders since leaving office. Figures close to Mr Kerry dismissed the demand, saying there was no illegality.

Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, blamed Europe for not fulfilling its obligations under the terms of the original deal on Thursday.

Story continues

The US has bullied Europe-and rest of world-for a year and EU can only express 'regret, Mr Zarif tweeted.

"Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, EU should uphold obligations - including normalisation of economic ties."
During a Thursday interview on Sky News, former Australian diplomat Alexander Downer explained his decision to turn over to the FBI information about George Papadopoulos that eventually prompted an investigation into the Trump campaign.

Two month after meeting with Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign adviser, in May 2016, Downer, then serving as Australias ambassador to the U.K., sent a memo to the FBI in which he relayed Papadopouloss claim that Russian intelligence planned to release damaging information about Hillary Clinton ahead of the election.

I dont know why he told me this, but he did, and we reported it. And the rest is history, Downer said. Theres no defense for him saying its some sort of weird conspiracy. I mean, its what he told me.

I have no idea why he was blabbering this, but if you say that sort of thing to somebody who is part of the Five Eyes intelligence community, I mean I would regard myself as a warrior for the Western alliance, said Downer, seemingly pushing back on Papadopouloss claim that he was sent to ensnare the young campaign aide as part of a coordinated Western intelligence operation.

The memo, which served as a pretext for the opening of an investigation into the Trump campaign, did not indicate that Papadapolous or anyone else on the Trump campaign had coordinated with Russia to obtain the information, Downer said.

There was no suggestion  [neither] from Papadopoulos nor in the record of the meeting that we sent back to Canberra  there was no suggestion that there was collusion between Donald Trump or Donald Trumps campaign and the Russians, Downer said.

All we did is report what Papadopoulos said, and that was that he thought that the Russians may release information, might release information, that could be damaging to Hillary Clintons campaign at some stage before the election, he continued.

WATCH: Former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on his meeting with Trump campaign advisor @GeorgePapa19 in a London that led to the Mueller investigation. #theboltreport @SkyNewsAust MORE: https://t.co/FO70JNIIqR pic.twitter.com/q9Y07qYOP2  The Bolt Report (@theboltreport) May 9, 2019

Papadopoulos, who was living in London at the time, was introduced to Downer by Australian diplomat Erika Thompson, who also attended the meeting in which he and Downer allegedly discussed the Russians plan to damage Clinton. Papadopoulos has publicly speculated that Downer was working with Joseph Mifsud  a Maltese academic who reached out to him claiming to have access to damaging information about Clinton  to entrap him and damage the Trump campaign.

Story continues

Papadopoulos was also contacted in September 2016 by Stefan Halper, an FBI informant who offered him $3,000 to write a policy paper on the natural-gas market in the Mediterranean.

Attorney General William Barr told lawmakers last month that he has formed a team to examine whether the FBIs investigation into the Trump campaign was properly predicated, addressing top Republicans concerns that the probe was motivated by political bias.

More from National Review
By Sarah N. Lynch and Nathan Layne (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department announced on Friday it had charged former Fugees rapper Prakazrel Pras Michel and wealthy Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho, popularly known as "Jho Low," for conspiring to steer illegal foreign campaign funds into the 2012 presidential election. According to the unsealed indictment, between June 2012 and November 2012, Low directed the transfer of approximately $21.6 million from foreign entities and accounts to Michel to be funneled into the U.S. election while disguising it as legitimate campaign contributions. The indictment did not reveal the identity of the presidential candidate. However, Michel, who is a U.S. citizen, was a well-known avid supporter of former Democratic President Barack Obama, and federal election records show he contributed money to political committees that supported Obama's 2012 re-election campaign and other Democratic committees. Under federal election law it is a crime for foreign nationals to make political contributions in U.S. federal, state or local elections. Michel and Low, the Justice Department alleged, conspired to circumvent the law, in part by steering foreign money from Low through "straw contributors" who purported to make legal contributions in their own names. In doing so, the indictment said they hoped they could "buy access to, and potentially influence with a candidate, the candidate's campaign and the candidate's administration." Low remains at large. Mr. Low is innocent  and he is presumed innocent under U.S. law," a spokesperson for Low, through his attorneys, said in a statement. "Mr. Low has never made any campaign contributions directly or indirectly in the U.S. and he unequivocally denies any involvement in or knowledge of the alleged activities. Low faces separate criminal charges in the United States in connection with a multi-billion-dollar scandal at Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Low has been identified by Malaysian and U.S. investigators as a central figure in the alleged theft of about $4.5 billion from 1MDB. "MICHEL IS INNOCENT" In the election funding case, Michel appeared in a federal court in Washington, D.C., for his arraignment. U.S. Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr confirmed that Michel pleaded not guilty to the charges, and will return to federal court in Washington for a hearing on May 16. "Mr. Michel is extremely disappointed that so many years after the fact the government would bring charges related to 2012 campaign contributions," his attorney Barry Pollack said in a statement. "Mr. Michel is innocent of these charges and looks forward to having the case heard by a jury." Michel and Low were each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States government and for making foreign and conduit campaign contributions. Michel also was charged with one count of a scheme to conceal material facts and two counts of making a false entry in a record in connection with the conspiracy. In addition to allegedly using straw donors to funnel money from Low to one political committee, Michel made approximately $1.1 million in donations to another committee in his own name and the name of his company, thereby masking that the money was coming from Low, the indictment says. The dates and numbers for those donations in the indictment match with federal fundraising disclosures made by Black Men Vote, a super PAC that was supportive of Obama's re-election efforts in battleground states. The case over campaign financing is not the first time that the Justice Department has linked Michel and Low. The Justice Department, in a civil forfeiture action announced in November 2018, said that Michel and a former Justice Department employee opened multiple U.S. bank accounts to receive tens of millions of dollars in funds from overseas accounts controlled by Low. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch in Washington and Nathan Layne in New York; editing by Leslie Adler)
(Adds background)

By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved a new deployment of Patriot missiles to the Middle East, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday, in the latest U.S. response to what Washington sees as a growing threat from Iran.

The decision further bolsters U.S. defenses and comes after the Trump administration expedited the deployment of a carrier strike group and sent bombers to the Middle East following what it said were troubling indications of possible preparations for an attack by Iran.

The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to say how many Patriot batteries would be deployed. The Patriot missile defense system is made by Raytheon Co. and is designed to intercept incoming missiles.

The decision to send Patriot missiles to the region would mark a reversal of sorts, coming just months after the Pentagon removed several Patriot batteries from the Middle East.

Last year, officials described the withdrawal of the Patriots as part of a broader effort to adjust U.S. military deployments globally, as the Pentagon sought to prioritize military challenges from Russia and China.

RISING TENSIONS

Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated sharply in recent weeks.

The United States has effectively ordered countries worldwide to stop buying Iranian oil or face U.S. sanctions, which Washington says are aimed at completely choking off Iranian crude exports.

Washington last month blacklisted Irans Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group.

U.S. officials say they have detected troubling indications that Iran could be preparing a military response.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, say one of the pieces of intelligence indicated Iran had moved missiles on boats. One of the officials said the particular missile observed was perhaps capable of launching from a small ship.

The officials also noted growing concerns about the threat from Iran-backed Shi'ite militia in Iraq, which have long avoided any confrontation with U.S. troops under the shared goal of defeating Islamic State, a Sunni militant organization.

In an advisory posted on Thursday, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) said that since early May there had been an increased possibility of Iran or its regional proxies taking action against U.S. and partner interests. (Reporting by Phil Stewart Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Susan Thomas)
* India's investigation is latest regulatory setback for Google

* Watchdog ordered to probe if Google abused Android-sources

* India case similar to EU complaint in which Google fined $5 bln

* Investigation to be completed in a year-source

By Aditya Kalra

NEW DELHI, May 10 (Reuters) - India's antitrust watchdog has ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc's unit Google for alleged abuse of its popular Android mobile operating system to block rivals, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) last year started looking into the complaint, which is similar to one Google faced in Europe that resulted in a 4.34 billion euro ($5 billion) fine on the company, Reuters reported in February.

In mid-April, the CCI decided there was merit in the accusations made in the complaint and ordered its investigation unit to launch a full probe, one of the sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

That decision, which was confirmed by the second source, has not been previously reported and the order calling the full investigation was not made public.

"It is a strong case for the CCI, given the EU precedent," said the first source. "The CCI has (preliminarily) found Google abused its dominant position."

The probe would be completed in about a year and Google executives would likely be summoned to appear before the CCI in coming months, the source said.

The CCI did not respond to a request for comment.

A Google spokesman said Android has enabled millions of Indians to connect to the internet by making mobile devices more affordable. Google looked forward to working with the CCI "to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less," the spokesman said in a statement.

Reuters could not establish who filed the complaint, which involves more than one person.

In the EU case, regulators said Google forced manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and its Chrome browser, together with its Google Play app store on Android devices, giving it an unfair advantage. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Editing by Martin Howell and Alex Richardson)
By Aditya Kalra

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's antitrust watchdog has ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc's unit Google for allegedly abusing the dominant position of its popular Android mobile operating system to block rivals, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) last year started looking into the complaint, which is similar to one Google faced in Europe that resulted in a 4.34 billion euro ($5 billion) fine on the company, Reuters reported in February.

In mid-April, the CCI decided there was merit in the accusations made in the complaint and ordered its investigation unit to launch a full probe, one of the sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

That decision, which was confirmed by the second source, has not been previously reported and the order calling the full investigation was not made public.

"It is a strong case for the CCI, given the EU precedent," said the first source. "The CCI has (preliminarily) found Google abused its dominant position."

The probe would be completed in about a year and Google executives would likely be summoned to appear before the CCI in coming months, the source said.

The CCI did not respond to a request for comment.

A Google spokesman said Android has enabled millions of Indians to connect to the internet by making mobile devices more affordable. Google looked forward to working with the CCI "to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less", the spokesman said in a statement.

Reuters could not establish who filed the complaint, which involves more than one person.

UNFAIR ADVANTAGE

The precise details of the complaint against Google in India could not be determined, but sources have told Reuters it is on the exact same lines as the case filed against the company in Europe.

In the EU case, regulators said Google forced manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and its Chrome browser, together with its Google Play app store, on Android devices, giving it an unfair advantage.

Story continues

Google has appealed the order but, in a bid to quell EU antitrust concerns, last month said its Android device users in Europe would be able to choose rival browsers and search engines. Once a user downloads a rival search app, it also prompts them to change their default search engine in their Google Chrome browser, if they so wish.

Android, used by device makers for free, features on about 88 percent of the world's smartphones. In India, about 99 percent of the smartphones sold this year used the platform, Counterpoint Research estimates.

It remains possible that the CCI's investigations unit could clear Google of any wrongdoing. The amount of fine that can be imposed on Google if the CCI rules against it was not immediately clear.

The Indian regulator has powers to impose a penalty of up to 10% of the relevant turnover of a company in the last three financial years if it is found to have abused its dominant position. In that case, Google's earnings linked to its web browser and search engine could be considered to assess the fine, New Delhi-based antitrust lawyer Gautam Shahi said.

Google does not disclose its India earnings from its web browser or search engine.

"They can either change their conduct in India voluntarily or let CCI investigate. Voluntary change in conduct may have an impact on the quantum of penalty, if it's imposed," said Shahi.

The Indian investigation, however, is not the only antitrust trouble for the Mountain View, California-based company in its key market.

Last year, the CCI imposed a fine of 1.36 billion rupees ($19.46 million) on Google for "search bias" and abuse of its dominant position. It also found Google had put its commercial flight search function in a prominent position on the search results page.

Google appealed against that order, saying the ruling could cause it "irreparable" harm and reputational loss.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Editing by Martin Howell and Alex Richardson)
Low oxygen levels are a well-known cause of brain injury in premature babies. But the mechanism by which low oxygen hurts the developing human brain has been unclear.

Now, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a specific set of brain cells that are particularly susceptible to harm from low oxygen exposure in early development. This damage is congruent with brain abnormalities, particularly reduction in gray matter, seen among children who are born very prematurely. The researchers have also identified a compound that may be able to prevent the problem. The findings were published online May 6 in Nature Medicine.

In the past 20 years, weve made a lot of progress in keeping extremely premature babies alive, but 70% to 80% of them have poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, said the studys lead author, Anca Pasca, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the School of Medicine and a neonatologist at Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital Stanford. Hypoxic brain injuries are thought to lead to neurological and psychiatric disease in some preemies, she said.

Prior research has shown that children born before 28 weeks gestation, or at least 12 weeks early, have a thinner cerebral cortex than children born after a full-term pregnancy. The cerebral cortex is the highly folded layer of gray matter that makes up a large portion of the brain in humans and other primates. It is responsible for advanced brain functions, including cognition, speech and the processing of sensory and motor information.

Neonatologists have also long recognized that lung development is incomplete in very premature babies. The babies have poor lung function, and the brain centers that control the infants breathing are not fully mature. These factors raise their risk for drops in blood oxygen and subsequent brain injury.

Severely affected cells

Pasca and her colleagues found that many cells in the developing brain are unhurt by exposure to low oxygen. However, the intermediate progenitor cells of the subventricular zone, a region responsible the growth of the human cortex, are severely affected. These are cells that eventually give rise to mature brain cells, including neurons.
By Deena Beasley and John Miller

LOS ANGELES/ZURICH, May 10 (Reuters) - Novartis AG is offering price discounts in negotiations with U.S. health insurers on its gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a treatment that could cost more than a million dollars, but the gesture comes with strings attached.

The Swiss drugmaker wants insurers to commit to coverage for patients identified with the rare and often deadly disease, according to Dave Lennon, head of Novartis' AveXis unit.

Novartis also seeks their support for widespread screening to identify newborns with SMA, and to ensure quick authorization for the gene therapy, with the aim of starting treatment within two weeks of diagnosis, he said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is due to decide this month on approval for Novartis' Zolgensma. Novartis, which has made a huge bet on gene therapy for future growth, says the one-time treatment could be a cure for SMA and is pushing for a price in the range of $1.5 million to $5 million. That would make Zolgensma the most expensive new therapy to date.

SMA is the leading genetic cause of infant mortality, affecting one in every 10,000 live births. There are up to 500 new U.S. cases of SMA annually. About 60 percent of patients have the most severe Type 1 form of the disease, which often leads to paralysis, impaired breathing and death by their second birthday.

Insurers have balked, saying a multimillion-dollar price tag is too high for society to bear. Their argument is supported by a U.S. drug price watchdog, which concluded Zolgensma is cost effective at about $900,000.

It is unusual for drugmakers to offer discounts on a novel and potentially life-saving treatment. But getting insurers to assure quick coverage for eligible patients, rather than subjecting them to a lengthy individual review, could help Novartis as it seeks to displace Biogen Inc's SMA therapy Spinraza.

"We are very much interested in making sure that payers (support) newborn screening, that they establish fast turnaround on coverage decisions, and that they have specific policies that cover gene therapy for SMA," Lennon told Reuters.

Story continues

"As we negotiate discounts, et cetera, with payers, and the contracts with those payers, we're trying to make sure they put those elements in place," Lennon said.

Both Zolgensma and Spinraza have shown the best results when infants with SMA are treated within the first few weeks of life before symptoms emerge, helping preserve development of motor neurons necessary for walking and breathing. Only a small number of Zolgensma patients have been followed for up to four years, while Spinraza has been used by thousands of patients since it was approved in 2016.

Spinraza is also costly. It is administered by spinal injection every four months at a price of $750,000 for the first year and $375,000 annually thereafter. Wall Street forecasts for Zolgensma assume many families will seek the potential one-time gene therapy first, and consider Spinraza if needed later on.

"Early treatment allows payers to reap much more benefit for the patients," Lennon said.

ADVANCED DISCUSSIONS

Negotiations with payers are in advanced stages, but final pricing will only be set after the drug's approval. Novartis has offered payment alternatives, such as reimbursement in installments over three to five years, or providing discounts if a patient does not see specific benefits from the therapy.

Most payers, however, are focused on a one-time payment and seek discounts to secure reimbursement, Lennon said.

Novartis expects to have agreements with insurers covering 30% of the 160 million Americans who have commercial health plans within 30 days of Zolgensma's approval, he said.

The therapy is key to Novartis Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan's push into treatments for rare diseases. Wall Street analysts forecast Zolgensma sales of $350 million this year, rising to $2 billion in 2024, according to Refinitiv data.

Clinical trials for both Zolgensma and Spinraza have shown that early treatment produces better results, potentially reducing the total cost of care.

"The difference is, the child walks and is pretty normal in their lifetime, versus they are very weak, on a (respiratory machine), have a feeding tube," said Dr. Russell Butterfield, a neurologist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. "Newborn screening is really the only way to get to that dramatically higher outcome."

But U.S. testing for SMA in newborns is spotty. Only six U.S. states have added it to mandatory screening panels at birth. It could take until 2022 to become standard nationwide, according to patient advocacy group Cure SMA.

Novartis, as well as Biogen, is working with Cure SMA to accelerate the adoption of screening and wants to ensure that payers are supportive. Lennon did not provide details on the extent of a potential discount, but the offer could help health plans struggling with the economics of Zolgensma.

David Lassen, chief clinical officer at Prime Therapeutics, is working on Zolgensma coverage recommendations for Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans covering 15 million Americans. Lassen has urged Novartis to price Zolgensma closer to the $900,000 deemed appropriate by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). That was based on a calculation of the cost per year of healthy life gained.

"Anything over that is not going to achieve that price to value," Lassen said.

Prime Therapeutics estimates that its Blue Cross Blue Shield plans will identify up to 35 patients with SMA Type 1 in the next year, making the cost of therapy an important factor for them.

Small insurer SelectHealth covers nearly 1 million people in Idaho and in Utah, where statewide newborn SMA testing began in 2018. SelectHealth said it has also pushed Novartis to lower the price.

"Even if we amortize it across a lifetime," said Eric Cannon, SelectHealth's assistant vice president of pharmacy benefits, "we will still never collect enough premium to cover the cost of that treatment."

(Additional reporting by Caroline Humer in New York; Editing by Michele Gershberg, Bill Berkrot, Edward Tobin)
TOKYO (AP)  The three new missiles North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has tested over the past week are eerily familiar to military experts: They look just like a controversial and widely copied missile the Russian military has deployed to Syria and has been actively trying to sell abroad for years.

Ending a pause in ballistic missile launches that began in late 2017, and alarming North Korea's neighbors, Kim personally supervised the launch of the first missile from the country's east coast on Saturday and two more from the west on Thursday. All splashed down in the Pacific.

The missiles were short-range and the launches do not mean Kim has decided to end his self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range missiles that could reach the United States mainland. They do indicate, however, that Kim is methodically expanding the battle readiness of his missile forces and that could have a major impact on the safety of American allies and U.S. forces in the region.

The missiles bear a strong resemblance to the Russian-designed Iskander, a short-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile that has been in the Russian arsenal for more than a decade.

"There are Russian technology fingerprints all over it," said Marcus Schiller, a leading expert on North Korean missiles who is based in Germany.

He added that short of actually procuring the missiles from Russia, the North could have had key parts delivered from somewhere else, perhaps not directly from Russia, while making components such as the outer shell, or airframe, domestically.

The Iskander, or something like it, would be of particular interest to North Korea.

It's designed to fly at a flattened-out altitude of around 40 kilometers (25 miles) and to make in-flight guidance adjustments. Both capabilities exploit weaknesses in the U.S. and South Korean missile defenses that are now in place, primarily Patriot missile batteries and the THAAD anti-missile defense system.

Story continues

The Iskander is also quicker to launch, and thus harder to destroy on the ground, because of its solid fuel engine and more accurate because of its advanced guidance system.

Despite claims by senior members of the Trump administration that the missiles aren't a threat to the United States, in a battle scenario they would likely be used to attack targets well behind the front-lines, such as the U.S. military bases in South Korea. There are roughly 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and tens of thousands more family members and civilian Department of Defense employees.

The North first displayed a mock-up of an Iskander-like missile at a military parade in 2018. This week's launches mark its first known flight tests.

Michael Elleman, director of the Nonproliferation and Nuclear Policy Program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said further analysis of the missiles' performance will provide clues as to whether it was produced by Russia.

"If its flight path and accuracy were marginal or inconsistent with known Iskander trajectories and performance, then I think some form of local development with external technical assistance is more likely," he said. "The key here is that one cannot make a new system without undertaking certain development steps. I have seen no evidence of such activity."

Initial reports suggested at least one of the tests did involve an Iskander-like trajectory.

The Iskander missile system has been part of the Russian arsenal since 2006. The Iskander-M version used by the Russian military is more than 7 meters (yards) long, can weigh more than 4,000 kilograms (9,000 pounds) and has a range of about 400 to 500 kilometers (250 to 310 miles).

Russia first tested the Iskander in combat in 2008, against Georgia.

The Iskander missiles have long been a source of tension in Europe and were cited by President Donald Trump as a key reason behind his decision in February to break with the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which bans production, testing and deployment of land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,410 miles).

Such missiles only take a few minutes to reach their targets, leaving no time for decision-makers and raising the likelihood of a global nuclear conflict over a false launch warning. Moscow claims the Iskander-M's range is just below the operational limit and should not be considered a treaty violation.

From the start, Russia has seen the Iskander missile as a potential export.

To avoid running afoul of international non-proliferation restrictions, Russia produces a less-formidable version that has a reduced range and is designed to carry a smaller payload for sales abroad.

So far, it has sold that missile  called Iskander-E  to Algeria and Armenia. It has reportedly discussed exports to Iran, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

According to Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which tracks the global arms trade, Russia has used the Iskander missile in Syria. He said Syria has expressed interest in buying its own Iskanders, but Russia has declined.

Wezeman stressed Russia cannot legally sell Iskanders of any variety to North Korea.

A United Nations embargo in place since 2006, when the North conducted its first nuclear test, prohibits supplying the North with major arms, including ground-to-ground missiles, and U.N. sanctions prohibit the transfer of ballistic missiles and related technology.

If North Korea is producing an Iskander clone, it would not be the first country to do so.

South Korea has what many believe is its own Iskander-inspired missile  the Hyunmoo-2. China also has a similar missile, called the DF-12 or M20 that was also configured with exports in mind. One of its buyers, Qatar, put them on display at a parade in 2017.

___

Talmadge is the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @EricTalmadge
MONTMELO, Spain (AP)  Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton looked poised to extend their dominance of Formula One after clocking the fastest laps in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.

Ferrari fast-tracked a new engine and brought in other updates during the two-week break since the Mercedes pair claimed their fourth consecutive one-two finish in Azerbaijan. But Hamilton and Bottas were still faster than their Ferrari rivals.

Bottas posted the top times in both sessions under sunny and warm conditions at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, lowering his own mark from the morning session.

Five-time and defending champion Hamilton was a sliver behind, at 0.049 seconds slower.

Charles Leclerc had the third best time in his Ferrari, followed by teammate and former champion Sebastian Vettel.

"Today was good, but it's only Friday and Ferrari are very close," F1 leader Bottas said. "The car felt really good today, completely different to how it was in winter testing."

Ferrari outperformed Mercedes over eight days of preseason testing on the same track near Barcelona, but that advantage evaporated once the real racing began.

More menacing for Ferrari is that Vettel and Leclerc were faster than Hamilton and Bottas in practice at Azerbaijan, only to finish behind them both on race day.

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said even though his team is struggling to catch Mercedes they aren't giving up.

"Certainly we are not happy for the points we have scored so far," Binotto said. "We've still got a good car. The competition is very strong, which is not a surprise. But we are still in the battle."

Bottas leads defending champion Hamilton by one point overall. Vettel is 35 points behind Bottas in third place.

Hamilton has won the Spanish GP three times, including the last two years.

Ferrari and the rest of the field could take a glimmer of hope from Bottas having to box for an apparent leak and Hamilton telling the team radio at one point that he was "struggling."

Story continues

Otherwise, Mercedes appears ready to extend its record start for a two-car team in F1 after sweeping the first two spots in all four races.

Max Verstappen had the fifth best time despite mechanical issues with his Red Bull.

The young Belgian also provided a scare to Bottas in the morning, when Verstappen flew through a curve and almost rammed into the Finn. Verstappen slammed on the brakes in time, before shaking his fist at Bottas.

Verstappen, the only non-Mercedes driver to win the Spanish GP in the past five years, had to come into the garage for an apparent leak. He also complained later he was losing power when he tried to accelerate.

The first session ended under a red flag after Lance Stroll clipped some grass, lost control and plowed his Racing Point into the barrier. Stroll walked away and was back out on the track once team mechanics patched up his crunched car.

As for the lowly Williams, it seems there is no relief in store after Robert Kubica and George Russell finished at the bottom of the time sheet, around three seconds slower that the pacesetter. Kubica did do well to keep his car off the wall when he went off course early in the afternoon session.

There will be a third practice on Saturday before qualifying. The race is on Sunday.

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
PARIS, May 10 (Reuters) - Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg hailed on Friday France's efforts to regulate hateful content online as a model for the European Union after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

"I'm encouraged and optimistic about the regulatory framework that will be put in place," Zuckerberg told reporters at Facebook's Paris headquarters. "It's going to be hard for us, and there's going to be things in there that we disagree with. That's natural."

"But in order for people to trust the internet overall and overtime, there needs to be the right regulation put in place," he said. "And I think the best way for that to get put in place is by governments like this one that are being thoughtful and diligent about how to do this."

A report commissioned by Macron published earlier on Friday recommends increasing oversight over the world's largest social media network and allowing an independent regulator to police the efforts of large tech companies to deal with hate speech.

"Hopefully this can become a model, not just a national model for France but can be worked into a framework across the EU overall as the new (European) parliament comes into place," Zuckerberg said in Paris.

It comes after Facebook has been heavily criticized by politicians and the public for its failure to more rapidly remove footage of the March shooting attack in Christchurch, New Zealand from its network. Fifty people were killed in the assault, with footage of it circulating online for days. (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; writing by Michel Rose; Editing by Leigh Thomas)
By Tina Bellon

May 10 (Reuters) - A range of consumer products made in China and sold in the United States are affected by Friday's new set of tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, including in categories such as vacuum cleaners, handbags and lighting fixtures.

The United States early on Friday increased its tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10%, rattling financial markets already worried the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies could spiral out of control. China is expected to retaliate.

The official tariff list includes thousands of product categories, ranging from cuts of meat to furniture and auto parts. Here are examples - among many others - of consumer products affected in nine selected categories:

* The biggest sector affected is a $20 billion-plus category of internet modems, routers and other data transmission devices. One router falling under that category is Motorola Solutions Inc's Dual-Band AC1900 Router. The company on Friday did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the impact of the tariffs changes on its products.

* Printed circuit boards are also high on the list. ASUSTEK Computer Inc, which sells the Strix Z390-E Gaming motherboard under its Republic of Gamers brand, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* Also affected are burglar and fire alarms. Alphabet Inc's Google, whose Nest unit sells the Chinese-made Protect 2nd Gen Smart Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Wired Alarm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* U.S. consumers looking to buy new lights for their home may also see a price hike, as tariffs will be increased on lamps and lighting fixtures both made "of base metal" and not. Home Depot Inc, which sells lamps from both categories made in China under its Hampton Bay and Alsy brands, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* If the trade dispute does not get resolved before the end of the year, American shoppers may also have to pay more for their holiday decorations: one of the categories requires tariff hikes for "lighting sets of a kind used for Christmas trees," such as strings of lights sold in the United States by Chinese company Brizled. Brizled did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Story continues

* Also on the list are household vacuum cleaners made in China. SharkNinja, which sells its Shark Navigator Light Upright Vacuum NV105 in the United States, on Friday declined to comment on the impact of tariff increases on its product.

* Shoppers can also expect to pay more for handbags of any kind made in China, another tariff category. Fossil Group, the maker of the Maya Satchel purse, on Friday did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* Consumers will be affected by added tariffs on all products in the category of trunks, suitcases and luggage. California-based Ricardo Beverly Hills, the seller of the China-made Mendocino carry-on spinner, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Ex-minister of Economy is ready to inform MPs about his activities

By Tea Mariamidze

Former Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Giorgi Kobulia, who was dismissed in mid-April, expressed readiness to report about his activities during his term to the parliament.Kobulia stressed that the main reasons of his dismissal were poor management and slow pace of making decisions, however, he says if the legislators are interested, he can go to the parliament and report them about the activities which, as he believes, were beneficial for the country.If anyone is interested in what I did as a minister, I am ready to present the report, for example, to the parliament. If they are not interested in, I do not ask anything from anyone, the ex-minister said.Last week, Kobulia said he was asked to write a statement of resignation and he refused, after which he was dismissed.He noted that from the beginning he could feel the difference of the views between him and the executive team and he was trying till the end to convince the authorities somehow that his views were beneficial for the country, but he failed to do so.Roman Kakulia, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Sector Economy and Economic Policy, says that it is a good idea to listen to Kobulia.When Kobulia last time presented his report to the parliament, he had his vision, and he was following it. If he has anything new to say, there is nothing bad about it. He has such a right, Kakulia told reporters.However, opposition party European Georgia believes the developments around Kobulia are comical.Party member Gigi Ugulava says the situation reminded him of the French film "The Toy" and compared character billionaire Blenac to the founder and chair of the ruling party Georgian Dream (GD) Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is referred as the informal ruler of the country quite often.No one will remember about Kobulia soon; the main problem is Ivanishvili who rules the country and has puppets. The only way to get rid of this person is elections, Ugulava stressed.Analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze says when the views of the minister and the Prime Minister do not match the minister quits not the PM, adding dismissed people often make similar statements that Kobulia did.The expert says the similar situation was when ex-PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili quit last summer, who also named the difference in the views as the main reason for his resignation.I think that in case of Kobulia, there were some other reasons too, which led to his dismissal, Sakvarelidze noted.Kobulia served as the minister from July 12, 2018, to April 18, 2019.
(Recasts with Venezuela reopening border)

By Anthony Boadle

PACARAIMA, Brazil, May 10 (Reuters) - Venezuela reopened its border crossing to Brazil on Friday, after its closure for nearly three months forced desperate Venezuelans to use indigenous trails to smuggle food and basic goods or to flee their crisis-stricken homeland.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro closed the only formal crossing between the countries in February to block an opposition attempt to bring U.S. aid in from Brazil and Colombia. Opposition leader Juan Guaido has urged the military to oust Maduro, branding him a dictator, while the government in turn calls Guaido a puppet of Washington and a coup-monger.

Venezuelan Economy Vice President Tareck El Aissami said on Friday the border was being reopened to restore development of the border economy for the benefit of both nations. Witnesses on both sides of the border said traffic started flowing again through customs posts mid-afternoon.

The border's closure had driven hundreds of Venezuelans to bribe National Guard officials every day to make their way into Brazil along indigenous trails that cross the sun-baked savannah, according to interviews with two dozen migrants and two former National Guard officers.

With roughly a quarter of Venezuela's 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance due to an economic meltdown, according to the United Nations, the illicit border crossings provided a lifeline for many in the border region.

The migrants interviewed by Reuters said that Venezuelan National Guard soldiers had taken advantage of the border closure to collect 50 reais ($12.50) per car on the parallel crossings. The tariff was higher for vehicles coming back loaded with rice, flour and sugar, they said.

Those without cash to pay the informal toll must take even longer paths, hauling their luggage on foot for up to six hours, in a desperate trek witnessed by Reuters.

"Wearing Venezuelan uniforms, they brazenly demand money even to pass on foot. They're raking it in," said Yeral Garate, as he waited with five other hungry migrants for rice to cook in a pot over a wooden fire on a trail inside Brazil.

Story continues

Neither the Venezuelan government nor the National Guard, which runs border controls, replied to requests for comment. Maduro has in the past said that criticism of the military is linked to opposition efforts to tarnish the armed forces.

More than 3.4 million Venezuelans have left the country since 2015 due to a political and economic crisis, according to the United Nations. Garate said that a lack of food and medicine, miserable wages and Maduro's "catastrophic" policies drove him to flee.

He said he took a bus to the border from his hometown of Maturin in eastern Venezuela, and then walked 11 miles (18 km) over rolling scrubland to Brazil, with only the few possessions he could carry.

The trip can be easier for those with the means.

Hired drivers offer packages from Puerto Ordaz in southern Venezuela to the border town of Santa Elena de Uairen, 400 miles (640 km) to the south, and then across trails to Pacaraima - with border bribes included.

A reservation for the Pemon indigenous tribe that straddles the border is crisscrossed with dirt tracks along which cars, jeeps, vans, pickups and motor bikes ferry migrants to Brazil and return with goods.

NATIONAL GUARDS

Two National Guard sergeants, who had recently deserted from their posts at the border, said that bribe taking was systematic there and that military officials would compete to be sent to the lucrative postings.

"They charge 50 reais per car to access the trails and 100 reais for larger vehicles. People who bring back lots of goods also have to pay," one of the sergeants told Reuters in Brazil.

The sergeant said he had defected because he disagreed with the way opposition protests were being repressed in Venezuela. Some six dozen Venezuelan military officers have defected across the border in recent weeks, according to the Brazilian army.

Six National Guard soldiers questioned by Reuters in Brazil said that lucrative bribe taking by military officials at border crossings and other black market activity was one reason that many troops had ignored the opposition's call to unseat Maduro. All of the soldiers interviewed by Reuters requested not to be identified for fear of reprisals against their families.

A spokesman for Guaido did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Corruption is one of the main complaints by ordinary Venezuelans, ranging from National Guard shakedowns at checkpoints across the country to allegations of money laundering and graft by senior military officials being investigated by courts in the United States. Maduro's government has said the cases are politically motivated.

Pacaraima, a town of 12,000 inhabitants that has thrived on Venezuelan demand, was hit hard by the February border closure.

Daily sales of roughly 5 million reais ($1.2 million) to Venezuelans fell overnight to about a fifth of that, said Joao Kleber Soares, head of the local chamber of commerce.

As traffic flowed to the side-trails, however, business had almost returned to previous levels, Soares told Reuters in the bustling main street packed with Venezuelans loading up their vehicles with sacks of food, toilet paper and other goods.

Soares and other entrepreneurs in Roraima state, which borders Venezuela, had pleaded with Venezuela to reopen the border and Roraima Senator Telmario Mota visited Caracas to urge Maduro to do so for business to recover. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Leonardo Benassatto Editing by Daniel Flynn, Alistair Bell and James Dalgleish)
The Trump Administration is clinging hard to hiding the full Mueller Report. Attorney General William Barr skipped his testimony before the House of Representatives and has refused to provide Congress the unredacted report. The President has claimed executive privilege over the whole thing. And private citizen Don McGahn says he will obey Trump, his former employer, and will refuse to comply with Congresss subpoena.

What will become of all this maneuvering? The answer depends on judicial politicking and pace  as well as, perhaps, one sitting Supreme Court justices late mother.

Heres what will undoubtedly happen next: The full House will hold Barr and McGahn in contempt of Congress; the U.S. Attorney, being Barrs subordinate, will refuse to prosecute (which they almost always do, and if they did this time, Trump would pardon the defendant); and Congress would thus be left with one realistic remedy: seek a court order directing McGahn and Barr to testify and produce the subpoenaed documents. If Congress could win such an order, the respondents would obey or be guilty of civil contempt of court, and be subject to jail until they complied. Because that is not a criminal conviction, Trump would have no power to pardon. Im guessing an orange jumpsuit does not flatter Barr, and he will fold.

This produces two questions.

First: Will the courts require compliance with the House subpoenas? Most lawyers who are not on Trumps payroll agree that Trumps claim of executive privilege is meritless, but

Ah, the but. Lets assume the District Court and the Court of Appeals each rule in favor of Congress. Then the case will go to the Supremes, where Trump may be playing on his home turf. After all, he has a majority of conservatives, two of whom are his appointees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh  and the latters nomination certainly wasnt hurt by his ardent advocacy of executive power.

Story continues

What do the other justices think about the issue of Congressional subpoena power vs. Presidents claim of executive privilege? We dont yet know. A unanimous Supreme Court ruled against Richard Nixons claim of executive privilege regarding a grand jury subpoena in 1973, but none of those justices remain on the Court, and the facts of this case are very different.

Yet there are a number of cases on the executive privilege vs. Congressional subpoena question, and virtually all support Congress.

The most significant one today may be the case decided in 1981. President Ronald Reagan, who campaigned on a promise to pare down the size of the government, appointed a Colorado lawyer/politician as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The House subpoenaed the Administrator to produce documents related to the mismanagement of the Superfund designed to ameliorate serious toxic waste hot spots, and Reagan asserted executive privilege and directed her to refuse to comply. The result was she became the first Cabinet member ever to be found in contempt of Congress. The vote was not close: 259105. But before the House could send the document certifying her contempt to the U.S. Attorney for prosecution as a criminal contempt, the Department of Justice obtained a temporary injunction barring that transmission.

The District Court dismissed the DOJs suit as meritless, and the White House folded and coughed up the documents. The Administrator quit and bitterly complained about the Congressional investigation and the whole experience.

But heres the thing: The Administrators name was Anne Gorsuch Burford. Yes, that Gorsuch. She was Justice Neil Gorsuchs mom.

If the Barr contempt citation reaches the Supreme Court, will Justice Gorsuch recuse? Justices do not need to explain, and do not explain recusal decisions. Notably, Justice William Rehnquist, who worked in the Nixon Administration before going on the Court, recused himself from U.S. v. Nixon, and that unanimous decision was an eight-justice court. As for Gorsuch, would he leave the court evenly split ideologically and thus more firmly in the hands of a conservative Chief Justice who nonetheless possesses a penchant for making the Court appear apolitical? As I am wont to ask, does a bear poop in an outhouse?

The second question is: How long will this take? It depends.

The Gorsuch contempt issue was resolved in less than a year, because the parties settled after Gorsuch lost in the District Court. But even in the event of a District Court victory, can this House overcome Trumps stonewalling strategy and get the testimony and documents before the end of the 2020 campaign?

As it happens, former Attorney General Eric Holder is the model for the success of stonewalling. When negotiations failed surrounding the Fast and Furious investigation, Holder complied with President Obamas assertion of executive privilege and refused to produce documents, and was found in contempt of Congress on in June 2012. The chronology of that case is appalling.

The House commenced a civil action in August 2012, and the governments motion to dismiss the House suit was denied more than a year later, on September 30, 2013. Both parties motions for summary judgment were decided in yet another year, on August 2014. It then took a further year and a half for the House to win a court order, in January 2016, directing Holder to produce documents. Surprising no one, Holder appealed, and in January 2017, the appellate court held the matter in abeyance, pending settlement negotiations with the Trump Administration. Total time elapsedjust to reach an impasse? Over four and a half years. (Though you could also count it as seven years, since the Justice Department actually announced a final settlement this May 9.)

On the other hand, in 1973, when Judge John Sirica rejected President Nixons executive privilege defense and ordered him to turn over the tapes, the Presidents appeal to the Circuit Court went directly to the Supremes via some legal rule I dont dare try to explain, and the historic decision that led to Nixons resignation was rendered within 90 days of the District Court decision. These things at least can move quickly.

Conclusion? The judicial remedy for Trumps stonewalling is available and it can be accomplished expeditiously. If not, Trumps delay tactics will have proved to be a winning strategy, and the Constitution will have incurred a major dent. Its all in the hands of the judiciary. Will it  can it  act apolitically and efficiently? I have my doubts.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is correct: This is a bona fide Constitutional crisis. But no matter what the courts do, and even if the House does impeach, those who will decide the fate of Trumps presidency are the people who gave him a chance in the first place: the voters.
Manila (AFP) - The Philippines' first female Olympic medallist says she fears for her safety after President Rodrigo Duterte's government named her in a chart claiming to show a plot to undermine his rule.

People called out publicly by the president in the past for perceived wrongdoings -- frequently in the form of alleged links to the drug trade -- have ended up dead or in jail.

The claim targeting weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz surfaced in the closing days of the campaigning in midterm elections, which have been marked by flying accusations.

"I am shocked. I am concerned for my security as well as that of my parents," said Diaz, who became her country's most successful female athlete when she won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

"My mother is terrified because (journalists) are interviewing her and she has no idea why," Diaz tearfully told Philippine television network GMA late Thursday, adding online trolls are now also going after her.

Diaz, 28, was among dozens named in charts released by a Duterte spokesman on Wednesday which allegedly showed links between people he accused of plotting to "discredit this administration".

The charts, which did not substantiate the accusations, included the names of opposition politicians, an exiled communist guerrilla leader, journalists and others.

They were released in the closing days of a legislative election campaign thick with flying accusations, including allegations Duterte's family is tied to the drug trade.

The president has found international notoriety for his crackdown on narcotics in which police have killed thousands of alleged dealers and users.

Those accused in the government charts have issued forceful denials, including journalist Maria Ressa, who runs a website critical of Duterte and was arrested twice this year in what press advocates call intimidation efforts.

Diaz posted a video on Facebook Thursday of herself tearfully rejecting any involvement in opposing the government.

Story continues

"Please do not link somebody who is busy making sacrifices for everyone, for the Philippines. I am merely doing my best to represent the Philippines in weightlifting," she wrote, as she prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Last week Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo put out another chart of opposition leaders and Filipino journalists he said were plotting to unseat him.

Panelo avoided issuing an apology to Diaz on Friday, but he minimised her inclusion on the chart and blamed the media.

"There has been a wrong analysis of the diagram by some media outlets," he said in a statement, adding that led to wrong "conclusions" by Diaz.
By Jeff Mason and David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators concluded the first of two days of talks on Thursday to rescue a trade deal that is close to collapsing as Washington prepares to go ahead with plans to hike tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of goods imported from China.

Tension between Washington and Beijing has risen after a major setback in negotiations last week when China revised a draft deal and weakened commitments to meet U.S. demands for trade reform.

President Donald Trump responded by ordering a tariff hike, and China has said it would retaliate. The 10-month-old trade war has already cost companies in both countries billions of dollars.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin talked for 90 minutes on Thursday and were expected to resume talks on Friday. Officials did not speak to reporters as they left the talks.

In comments to Chinese state media upon arriving in Washington, Liu said that hiking tariffs "is very disadvantageous to both parties".

"We come here this time, under pressure, which shows China's greatest sincerity, and want to sincerely, confidently, and rationally resolve certain disagreements or differences facing China and the United States. I think there is hope," he said.

Before they get back around the table on Friday, the United States will have increased duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods, to 25 percent from 10 percent. The duties apply to cargoes leaving China after 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) Friday.

Consumer products, including cell phones, computers, clothing and toys, are to be especially hard hit.

Lighthizer and Mnuchin have agreed with Liu to continue trade talks on Friday morning, a White House spokesman said on Thursday. Trump met with Lighthizer and Mnuchin earlier to discuss the talks.

Trump on Thursday took aim at the $325 billion in Chinese goods that are so far untouched by the trade war, saying he was "starting ... paperwork today" to tax those with a punitive tariff of 25 percent.

Story continues

Trump, who has adopted protectionist policies as part of his "America First" agenda aimed at rebalancing global trade and boosting U.S. manufacturing, accused Beijing of reneging on commitments made during months of negotiations.

"We were getting very close to a deal, then they started to renegotiate the deal. We can't have that. We can't have that," Trump said at an event at the White House.

Trump said if the two sides cannot make a deal, the United States would go back to manufacturing products that China now makes. "It'll be the old-fashioned way, the way we used to do it: We made our own product."

U.S. stock indexes closed lower on Thursday ahead of the trade talks, though they pared losses after Trump said he had received a "beautiful" letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping. U.S. oil prices slid and U.S. Treasury yields fell as investors sought safe-haven assets.

Data released Thursday showed the U.S. goods trade deficit with China shrank to its smallest level in five years in March, which could further embolden Trump as he escalates the trade war with Beijing.

Plans by Washington to hike tariffs could cut China's growth by 0.3 percentage points but the strengthening economy has become more resilient to external shocks, a Chinese central bank adviser said on Friday.

TENSE TALKS

China appealed to the United States to help salvage the deal earlier on Thursday. Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said the decision to send Liu to Washington despite the tariff hike threat demonstrated China's "utmost sincerity."

"The U.S. side has given many labels recently, 'backtracking,' 'betraying,' etc. ... China sets great store on trustworthiness and keeps its promises, and this has never changed," he told a news briefing in Beijing.

A source familiar with the talks said China's changes to the language of the draft trade deal were so extensive it could take a month to fix them, assuming the United States rejects them.

The talks could still go several ways, a person close to the discussions said.

China could make some concessions to prolong talks even after tariffs and retaliation. The two sides could end negotiations, given they are so far apart. Or China could reverse the changes to the text and return the negotiations to where they were a week ago and work toward a deal to be signed at the G20 summit in Japan in June, the source said.

WIDE RIFT

Reuters on Wednesday revealed the extent of the rift that has opened between the two countries, reporting that a draft trade agreement text sent by Beijing on Friday night was riddled with changes that marked reversals in Chinese commitments that undermined core U.S. demands.

In seven chapters of the draft, China deleted commitments to change laws to resolve complaints that caused the United States to launch a trade war: theft of U.S. intellectual property and trade secrets; forced technology transfers; competition policy; access to financial services; and currency manipulation, sources told Reuters.

The stripping of binding legal language from the draft struck directly at Lighthizer's highest priority. The U.S. trade representative views changes to China's laws as essential to verifying compliance after years of what U.S. officials have called empty reform promises.

Trump told supporters at a rally in Florida on Wednesday that China "broke the deal," and vowed not to back down on imposing new tariffs on Chinese imports unless Beijing "stops cheating our workers."

(Additional reporting by David Lawder, Doina Chiacu, Humeyra Pamuk and Alex Alper in Washington, Ben Blanchard and Se Young in Beijing; Writing by David Lawder; Editing by Simon Webb and Leslie Adler & Simon Cameron-Moore)
INTERLACHEN, Fla. (AP)  Sheriff's deputies rushed into a high school and arrested an 18-year-old student after photos posted on Snapchat showed him holding a gun with the caption "no school tomorrow?"

Putnam County Sheriff's deputies explained on Facebook that they removed Baylee Crowe from his Interlachen High School classroom on Thursday after learning about the potential threat.

He's charged with a second-degree felony for a written threat to kill, do bodily harm, or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.

Deputies later learned the pictures were taken at the Camp Blanding Museum and the gun wasn't in the teen's possession.

An arrest report says that when the teen was asked if a sibling had any involvement, Crowe told the investigators he would "kill all of you."
Conference on homelessness held in Tbilisi

By Levan Abramishvili

On May 7th, a conference on homelessness, organized by the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF), was held in Tbilisi. At the conference, a discussion took place around the issue of homelessness and state policy for housing.It is important that the people working on these issues had a chance to gather in one space and share their ideas, which gave an opportunity to assess the policies both on the state and local levels. The conference made possible to discuss homelessness from the human rights angle and to make visible the main challenges that the policy on homelessness faces in Georgia.According to the OSGF, the studies presented at the conference and the discussions that took place would aid The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs to refine the homelessness strategy and action plan that it is set to adopt in 2019-2020. It will allow the Ministry to create a plan that is based on both, the best international experience and the specific local needs.Homelessness and housing exclusion have long been under the radar within the political and social spaces. To date, the number of homeless individuals has not been recorded and there is no relevant database. In 2018, as a result of OSGF supported advocacy effort, the Government of Georgia has promised to elaborate national housing policy as a part of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) action plan.The conference was attended by the local NGOs working on the issue of homelessness, as well as the representatives of the central and local government to share their experiences with each other.A 2016 research conducted by Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), revealed that one of the most vulnerable groups are the roofless people  regardless of the immediate need of assistance, physical, legal and social barriers hinder roofless persons from accessing public goods, more than any other group. Lack of a fixed physical environment in the form of housing creates a barrier for these people, in terms of benefitting from universal and targeted state assistance.In her opening speech, the executive director of the Open Society Georgia Foundation, Ms. Keti Khutsishvili talked about some of the challenges that the homelessness studies face in Georgia: one of the main problems is the lack of comprehensive statistical information, the second is that the definition itself of homelessness. In our legislation, this definition exists, but it is very narrow compared to the international standards.Indeed, the international organizations and several developed countries not only define homelessness as living in the streets without a shelter (rooflessness) but people who dont have access to decent housing and live in private dwellings but reporting 'no usual address' on their census form.The ideas exchanged at the conference and the studies about homelessness prepared with the support of OSGF and EMC will help the Ministry in the elaboration of the plan that is comprehensive, evidence-based and eliminates discrimination and further marginalization of homeless people.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Two of President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign members said Thursday that former Vice President Joe Biden would present the toughest 2020 challenge for the president, though they disagreed on whether Biden can first win his party's nomination.

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said at a conference in Las Vegas that he thinks Biden would be the strongest matchup against Trump but is not progressive enough to win the Democratic nomination.

Lewandowski instead predicted Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will win it.

Former Trump campaign adviser David Bossie disagreed. He believes Biden will be the Democratic nominee but said he wishes it would be Sanders, who identifies himself as a democratic socialist.

Bossie said a campaign about socialism versus economic freedom would be great for Republicans.

Bossie and Lewandowski spoke on a panel at an event organized by former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci.

Joining the panel were former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele and former Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California, who suggested that a "dream team for the left" in 2020 would be Sanders as the nominee with California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate.

Steele said Democrats should select Biden as their nominee and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar as his running mate, "if the Democrats want to win and they want to be competitive."

Biden can appeal to white working class voters who once backed Barack Obama but shifted their support to Trump, Steele said, adding that Biden's campaign rollout last month was "phenomenally strong," though his tendency for verbal gaffes could sideline him.

The former RNC chair said Klobuchar would be a smart pick for vice president because the Minnesota senator is good on her feet, capable and appeals to voters in key Midwest states.

Lewandowski and the others predicted 2020 will be a different race than 2016 because nobody is taking Trump for granted.

Story continues

The president is running with the power of incumbency, has unified the Republican Party behind him and is working with the Republican National Committee, Lewandowski said.

Earlier Thursday at the conference, Scaramucci and former Obama administration adviser Valerie Jarrett took the stage and discussed what advice they'd give Trump.

Jarrett said she'd urge him and any president to be truthful, earn respect and put the good of the country above their own interests.

Scaramucci said the president has a short attention span and needs advice that fits on a bumper sticker. He suggested, "Same policies. Less crazy."

The former Trump staffer then went on to list half a dozen policies of his former boss that he didn't favor, including the separation of families at the Mexico border and the president's criticism of the media.
By Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Terry Gou, chairman of Apple supplier Foxconn, will retain a seat on the company's proposed board, a company filing showed on Friday, as he plans to run in Taiwan's 2020 presidential election.

Earlier on Friday, a source told Reuters that Gou will retain a seat on the company's new board, weeks after his decision to contest the presidential election in January, seeking to represent the China-friendly opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. The vote follows a period of increasing tension between Beijing and Taipei.

Gou's election bid came after he told Reuters in April that he planned to step down from Foxconn to pave the way for younger talent to move up the company's ranks.

Gou, Taiwan's richest person, told reporters late on Friday that he will resign from his role as chairman of the board to demonstrate his determination to run for the presidency, according to the official Central News Agency.

It is not immediately clear when Gou will resign.

The proposed candidates for the new company board, which include Lu Sung-Ching, the chairman of Foxconn Interconnect Technology Ltd, and Sharp Corp's chairman Tai Jeng-wu, are subject to approval from a shareholder meeting in June, before a new chairman is elected.

Analysts said Gou's election bid might be weighed down by his ties to a Chinese leadership that refuses to renounce the use of force to unify with self-ruled Taiwan it considers a wayward province.

Earlier in the day, the company reported that its April sales were up 10.4% from a year earlier, the strongest increase since October last year.

Shares of Foxconn fell 0.7% on Friday, lagging the benchmark share price index's 0.2% decline. They are up about 18% this year after falling 30 percent last year.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee in Taipei; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Louise Heavens)
* France seeks to take lead on tech regulation

* Report handed ahead of Macron-Zuckerberg meeting

* Aims to strike balance between U.S., Chinese approach

By Mathieu Rosemain and Gwenaelle Barzic

PARIS, May 10 (Reuters) - French authorities should have more access to Facebook's algorithms and greater scope to audit the social media company's internal policies against hate speech, a report commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron has concluded.

It comes after Facebook has been heavily criticized by politicians and the public for its failure to more rapidly remove footage of the March shooting attack in Christchurch, New Zealand from its network. Fifty people were killed in the assault, with footage of it circulating online for days.

The French president, who will meet Facebook founder and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg later on Friday, wants France to take a leading role on tech regulation, seeking to strike a balance between what he perceives as the United States' laissez-faire stance and China's iron grip on the Internet.

The 33-page report, co-written by a former head of public affairs for Google France, recommends increasing oversight over the world's largest social media network and allowing an independent regulator to police the efforts of large tech companies to deal with hate speech.

The report comes after Facebook allowed a team of French regulators to spend six months inside the company monitoring its policies. It represents a "half-time" assessment for their stint which started in January.

"The inadequacy and lack of credibility in the self-regulatory approach adopted by the largest platforms justify public intervention to make them more responsible," the report said.

Companies like Facebook cannot simply declare themselves to be transparent, it added, noting that checking the integrity of the algorithms they use was a particularly complex task.

HELPFUL PRIMER

Responding to the report, Facebook's vice president for policy, Richard Allan, said it was a helpful primer for the way forward and suggested there were grounds for cooperation.

Story continues

"The report sets out a path towards a new model for content regulation that has the potential to be both effective and workable," he said.

"It would allow platforms to develop innovative solutions to keep their users safe while being clearly accountable to a regulator for how well they do this."

This week, Chris Hughes, one of the founders of Facebook with Zuckerberg while they were at Harvard, wrote in a long opinion piece in the New York Times that he believed the company was too powerful and needed to be broken up.

France's parliament, where Macron's ruling party has a comfortable majority, is debating legislation that would give the new regulator the power to fine tech companies up to 4% of their global revenue if they don't do enough to remove hateful content from their network.

"Our goal is to move ... towards proper regulation," a source close to the Finance Ministry said.

Facebook's decision to allow the team of French regulators inside the company was the first time the wary company had opened its doors in such a way.

The regulators did not have access to confidential corporate information, the finance ministry official said. The French task-force has also been holding meetings with Facebook in the United States. (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain and Gwenaelle Barzic; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Britain, France, the United States and eight other countries at the UN Security Council warned Friday of a potential humanitarian catastrophe from an all-out assault in Syria's Idlib region, in a statement opposed by Russia.

Syrian forces and their Russian allies have stepped up air strikes and shelling in the jihadist-controlled Idlib region since late April, raising alarm over a possible looming full-on offensive by Damascus to seize the territory.

"We express our deep concern of a potential humanitarian catastrophe in the event of a full-scale military operation in Idlib zone," Belgian Ambassador Marc Pesteen told reporters after a closed-door meeting.

Diplomats said Russia, supported by China, opposed the statement during the meeting.

Two other countries -- South Africa and Indonesia -- did not join the show of unity outside the council chambers by the diplomats from countries including Kuwait, Poland, Peru and Germany.

The council members said they condemned the loss of civilian lives and were alarmed by the displacement of over 150,000 people as well as the targeting of hospitals and schools.

They called on all warring sides to protect civilians and abide by the ceasefire arrangements reached by Turkey, Iran and Russia in September 2018.

Since April 29, 12 health facilities including two major hospitals have been hit in northwest Syria, according to the World Health Organization.

About three million people live in Idlib, the largest bastion to remain outside the control of the Syrian government.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre said he feared a possible repeat of the bloody battle that devastated Aleppo in 2016.

"A new Aleppo must at all cost be prevented in Idlib," said Delattre ahead of the meeting.

Diplomats said the meeting was to draw attention to the crisis and expected Russia to oppose any joint statement. Russia has used its veto power 12 times at the council to block action against its ally in Damascus.

Belgium, Germany and Kuwait, three non-permanent council members, requested the urgent meeting as they are leading efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Syria, now in its ninth year of war.
Bobby Davro paid his respects to the late comedian Freddie Star on 'Good Morning Britain' on 10 May

Bobby Davro appeared on Good Morning Britain on Friday 10 May to pay tribute to the late comedian Freddie Starr, discussing everything from his favourite skits of his to the touching phone call they shared not so long ago.

Talking to hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard, the former EastEnders actor said that he had learned Starr was living in Spain while performing a couple of gigs over there late last year.

Read more: Russ Abbot leads tributes to comedian Freddie Starr

Despite knowing that the 76-year-old had become somewhat of a recluse who "pushed people away," Davro recalled how keen he was to see his friend and how he tried to meet up with him during that time.

'He was the funniest man I have ever seen.'@BobbyDavro1 looks back at his friendship with Freddie, and recounts the first time they met. pic.twitter.com/LGa19pGiJn  Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 10, 2019

I got in touch with him, I found his number and phoned him up, he remembered.

At first he didn't really feel like talking and called me back.

He said, 'How you doing Bob' and I said, 'Alright, how are you Freddie? Would you like to meet up for a cup of tea? I'm in town.' And he said, 'No, I've not been too well'.

Davro went on to add that he could have been one of the last people to speak to Starr, who was found dead by his carer at his home in Fuengirola on Thursday 9 May.

Freddie Starr outside his home in Warwickshire after the CPS confirmed that he will not be charged as part of Operation Yewtree due to insufficient evidence. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)

Davro went to suggest that Starrs deteriorating health was evident just by looking at the pictures but stated that hed rather Freddie that we all remember and appreciate his long career as an entertainer.

The greatest thing about Freddie was that he was the most naturally funny man Ive ever seen. He had funny bones, he gushed.

Davro isnt the only one who has sung Starrs praises in the light of the news.

Story continues

Britains Got Talent judge Amanda Holden took to Twitter to pay her respects, writing: Sad to hear of Freddie Starr passing today. His style may have fallen out of comedy fashion & favour-but its important to recognise his once huge popularity& fame.

The outrageous & edgy parodys were infamous.I hope his legacy is not smalled down and hes remembered with a smile.

Read more: Bobby Davro kicked in the stomach during car park

Television presenter Les Dennis described Starr as a true clown who could also sing like Elvis and was so exciting to watch live.

He added: A total one off. RIP.

Sad to hear of Freddie Starr passing today.His style may have fallen out of comedy fashion & favour-but its important to recognise his once huge popularity& fame.The outrageous & edgy parodys were infamous.I hope his legacy is not smalled down and hes remembered with a smile pic.twitter.com/M77Pu4xp1f  Amanda Holden (@AmandaHolden) May 9, 2019

Elsewhere, former professional boxer Barry McGuigan said: So sad to hear of the passing of the great Freddie Starr. RIP, Freddie was a comic genius, he was incredibly funny and so versatile.

His skit with Muhammad Ali on Parkinson was simply hilarious. Deepest sympathies to his family.
PARIS,, May 10 (Reuters) - French special forces who rescued four people, including two French citizens, being held by militants in Burkina Faso on Friday had not been aware of the presence of the American and South Korean hostages, France's Armed Forces Minister said.

"We were not aware of their presence ... the American will be repatriated separately," Florence Parly told a news conference. "The contacts (with those countries) show that these countries were not necessarily aware of their presence."

Two French commandos and four kidnappers were killed in the night-time operation, Armed Forces Chief Francois Lecointre said.

He added that the American and Korean had been held for 28 days. (Reporting by John Irish; editing by Michel Rose)
PARIS, (Reuters) - French special forces who rescued four people, including two French citizens, being held by militants in Burkina Faso on Friday had not been aware of the presence of the American and South Korean hostages, France's Armed Forces Minister said. "We were not aware of their presence ... the American will be repatriated separately," Florence Parly told a news conference. "The contacts (with those countries) show that these countries were not necessarily aware of their presence." Two French commandos and four kidnappers were killed in the night-time operation, Armed Forces Chief Francois Lecointre said. He added that the American and Korean had been held for 28 days. (Reporting by John Irish; editing by Michel Rose)
Paris (AFP) - A group of top French experts on Friday slammed efforts by social networks to self-regulate and their "lack of credibility" as President Emmanuel Macron met Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg for talks.

The leading officials and experts commissioned by the French government called for regulation of the group and other online platforms after being given unprecedented access in recent months to Facebook's operations.

Zuckerberg met Macron at the Elysee Palace on Friday, facing new pressure to crack down on the spread of disinformation as well as a call from a co-founder of Facebook for the California-based giant to be broken up.

The French report called "Creating a French Response to Make Social Media Responsible", was drawn up by experts and top French civil servants and has been submitted to France's digital ministry.

It acknowledged the huge freedoms offered by social media in the modern world, but said that "the capacities offered by social media provoke unacceptable abuses of these liberties."

"These abuses by individuals or groups have not yet received a satisfactory response from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or Snap, to name but some," it said.

The report said that the response by big social media groups like Facebook to abuses and disinformation too often came after the fact and when damage was already done.

"(Self-regulation) lacks credibility," it concluded, adding that the lack of transparency "arouses suspicion over the reality of the action by the platforms."

The report proposed that each member state of the European Union set up its own regulatory authority to police social networks, rather than relying on regulation of them in the countries where they are based.

Facebook has its European headquarters in low-tax Ireland which under current rules would have responsibility for regulating it.

"Through the excesses that they enable, social networks create problems in other countries, (which are) difficult to see by the home country," the report added.

Story continues

Macron has been one of Europe's most vocal critics of light-touch regulation of Zuckerberg's empire which includes Facebook as well as the widely used Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.

Chris Hughes, a co-founder of the Facebook, wrote in an editorial published in The New York Times on Thursday that the company should be broken up.

"It's time to break up Facebook," wrote Hughes, who along with Zuckerberg founded the online network in their dorm room while both were students at Harvard University in 2004.

Hughes said Zuckerberg's "focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks," and warned that his global influence had become "staggering."

Draft legislation in France to increase tax on digital giants was also likely to be on the agenda of Macron's meeting with Zuckerberg after lawmakers gave initial approval last month despite warnings from US officials that the move is "discriminatory".
A founding member of the hip-hop group the Fugees and a flamboyant Malaysian businessman have been indicted for making illegal contributions to US president Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign.

Haitian-American rapper Prakazrel "Pras" Michel, 46, and Low Taek Jho, 37, were accused of conspiracy and other charges in the four-count indictment unsealed on Friday.

Low, also known as Jho Low, is a key figure in what is known as the 1MDB scandal, which has rocked Malaysian political and financial circles.

The presidential candidate receiving the contributions was not identified in the indictment and was referred to only as "Candidate A."

But it has been widely reported and it was clear from the indictment that it was Obama.

The indictment alleges that between June and November 2012, Low transferred $21.6 million to Michel "for the purpose of funneling significant sums of money into the United States presidential election."

Michel allegedly paid about $865,000 to about 20 "straw donors" so they could make donations in their names to a presidential joint fundraising committee.

More than $1 million was allegedly funneled to an independent committee also involved in the election.

"The object of the conspiracy was for Michel and Jho Low to gain access to, and potential influence with, Candidate A and his administration, by secretly funneling foreign money from Jho Low through Michel," the indictment said.

"To gain further access to and influence with Candidate A and his administration, Jho Low attended or arranged for his associates to attend events at the White House with Candidate A," the indictment said.

It is illegal for foreign nationals to contribute to US election campaigns.

According to the indictment, Michel and Low concealed their scheme from Obama and his campaign.

Michel appeared in court in Washington on Friday and pleaded not guilty.

Low remains at large and his whereabouts are unknown.

Story continues

A spokesperson for Low proclaimed his innocence in a statement.

"Mr. Low is innocent -- and he is presumed innocent under US law," the statement said.

"The allegations against Mr. Low have no basis in fact: Mr. Low has never made any campaign contributions directly or indirectly in the US and he unequivocally denies any involvement in or knowledge of the alleged activities."

Low has been indicted in New York in connection with the 1MDB case for allegedly conspiring to launder billions of dollars.

Huge sums were stolen from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, allegedly by ex-prime minister Najib Razak and his cronies in a crime that stretched around the world.

Another defendant in the 1MDB case, Ng Chong Hwa, a former Goldman Sachs banker also known as Roger Ng, was extradited to the United States from Malaysia last week and pleaded not guilty in a court in New York on Monday.

Low, who was an adviser to Razak, is accused of plundering the fund to fuel a jet-setting lifestyle which included expensive yachts, purchases of multi-million dollar properties and lavish parties with Hollywood stars.
On Thursday, former Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) chairman Macharia Njeru was elected as the new male Law Society of Kenya (LSK) representative to Judicial Service Commission.

He faced an uphill battle competing against seasoned lawyer Tom Ojienda who sought to defend his seat.

Macharia garnered 2,738 against Ojiendas 2,545 votes, in the election carried out across the country.

In the final days of campaigns, lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi had come out to support Ojienda, terming him the most qualified for the job. What Kenyans did not know was that just a few months ago, the Grand Mullah was plotting how to get rid of Ojienda.

The beans were spilled by fellow learned friend Donald Kipkorir, who wrote an open letter addressed to Ahmednasir, wondering why he betrayed him. Apparently, they had decided together that they wont be voting for Ojienda.

In the Facebook letter, Kipkorir demanded answers from his friend, wondering whether he was bought.

Read it below.

Dear Ahmednasir Abdullahi, You Betrayed Me on JSC!

Sometimes last year, I had a meeting with my friend Ahmednasir Abdullahi wherein we agreed that we have to replace Prof. Tom Ojienda as the LSK male representative to Judicial Service Commission. My agreement with him was that if we dont get a worthy candidate, he was going to run.

Two weeks later, Macharia Njeru came to see me in my office and asked for my advise on whether he should run. Having known Macharia for over 25 years, I could vouchsafe his integrity, Intelligence and Patriotism. I know Macharia cant be bought and cant buy loyalty, just like me. I told I will support him without equivocation if Ahmednasir will not run. Ahmednasir decided not to run.

Tom Ojienda is my Classmate & Friend. But I thought his Five Year tenure was sufficient. JSC is not a political office. If the CJ can serve as CJ for Four Years only and be content, why should one serve in JSC for more than Five Years? However, I was surprised when I saw Ahmednasir cheerleading Tom Ojiendas campaign alongside my other friend Nelson Havi who has no time for Ahmednasir. What has disturbed me since and which I want Ahmednasir to answer me is: Why did he renege on our deal? Was he bought? How much was he paid? Why did he turn his back on Macharia? Is he corruptible? Is it 2022 Politics? What made him serve under Nelson Havi? Did he finally capitulate to Havi? My soul is disturbed. My spirit is restless. I want an answer. Donald

Ahmednasir on his part refused to give his reasons, instead wondering how a man in his 50s had the mind of a 6-year old.
PARIS, May 10 (Reuters) - Leading Western industrial powers will for the first time jointly simulate a major cross-border cybersecurity attack on the financial sector next month, French officials said on Friday.

The exercise, organized by the French central bank under France's presidency of the Group of Seven nations (G7), will be based on the scenario of a technical component widely used in the financial sector becoming infected with malware, said Nathalie Aufauvre, the Bank of France's director general for financial stability.

Institutions such as the European Central Bank and the Bank of England have already conducted such tests, but the June exercise will be the first across borders at the G7 level, Aufauvre told a cybersecurity conference at the bank.

"Cyber threats are proof that we need more multilateralism and more cooperation between our countries," French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told the conference.

Aufauvre said the three-day exercise aimed to demonstrate the cross-border effects of such an attack, and would involve 24 financial authorities from the seven countries, comprising central banks, market authorities and finance ministries.

Representatives of the private sector in France, Italy Germany and Japan will also participate.

The financial sector is the most common target of cyber attacks, accounting for 19 percent of the total, according to a recent study by IBM.

Many countries have in recent years stepped up oversight of banks and insurers' capacity to respond.

However, financial regulators in countries such as France and Germany say that requirements in some countries outside the G7 are less onerous, creating an incentive for firms to move operations there to cut costs. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; editing by Richard Lough and Kevin Liffey)
GCI Liberty (GLIBA) came out with a quarterly loss of $1.12 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.29. This compares to loss of $1.58 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -286.21%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this communications provider in Alaska would post a loss of $0.23 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.17, delivering a surprise of 26.09%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

GCI Liberty, which belongs to the Zacks Wireless National industry, posted revenues of $217.74 million for the quarter ended March 2019, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.03%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $61.20 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

GCI Liberty shares have added about 44.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 14.9%.

What's Next for GCI Liberty?

While GCI Liberty has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Story continues

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for GCI Liberty was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is -$0.25 on $225 million in revenues for the coming quarter and -$0.77 on $908 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Wireless National is currently in the top 36% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



GCI Liberty, Inc. (GLIBA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
By Terray Sylvester

PROMONTORY, Utah, May 10 (Reuters) - Thousands of visitors, many of them train enthusiasts, are expected to crowd onto a remote bluff in northern Utah for a day of speeches, music and a historical re-enactment marking the 150th anniversary of the first U.S. Transcontinental Railroad.

The three-day "Golden Spike" celebration opens on Friday at Promontory Summit, 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Salt Lake City, where the Central Pacific Railroad from the west was joined to the Union Pacific Railroad from the east on May 10, 1869.

Now a national historic park, the wind-swept site saw the culmination of a six-year feat of 19th-century engineering that transformed the American West as the nation was emerging from a bloody civil war.

The festivities will feature full-size working replicas of the two steam engines that faced each other, nose to nose, in an iconic photograph taken of a celebration held the day the cross-country rail line was completed.

The picture captures throngs of bearded crewmen toasting the occasion with bottles of whiskey as they clamored around the two engines, Central Pacific's No. 60 Jupiter and Union Pacific's No. 119.

The locomotive reproductions are due to arrive Friday morning, to be followed by a keynote address by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham and the performance of a stage musical "re-imagining" of the original 1869 ceremony.

Another highlight will be a costumed re-enactment of 1869's ceremonial driving of the last spike, cast in 17.6-karat gold, that connected the finished rail line more than 1,750 miles (2,816 km) between Sacramento, California, and Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The achievement was announced by telegraph, flashing the single-word message "Done" across the country in what was widely regarded as one of the nation's first media events.

Estimates of Promontory Summit's that day range from several-hundred to 3,000. About 20,000 people are expected to attend Friday's events, organizers said.

Story continues

The commemorative golden spike, which was immediately replaced by an ordinary iron spike in 1869, is currently on display with related artifacts at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City.

TRANSFORMATION AND PRIDE

Construction of the railway, which cut U.S. coast-to-coast travel time from many months to just a week, greatly accelerated Anglo-European settlement of the American West and aligned it politically with the Union states of the North. It also hastened the demise of the Plains Indians, as well as the bison herds on which they depended.

An anti-Chinese backlash following completion of the railroad led to passage of the federal Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, marking the first significant law restricting U.S. immigration. Those restrictions remained on books until 1943.

Nevertheless, the great rail project stands as a historic cornerstone for many Chinese-Americans, whose ancestors accounted for the bulk of the Central Pacific labor force that carved railbeds over the through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains.

The Chinese worked for less pay for longer hours than their white counterparts, and performed the bulk of the most dangerous tasks. Untold numbers - as many as 1,200 by some estimates - perished in blasting accidents, snowslides, falls and other mishaps.

Stymied by a lack of records from that era, many Chinese-Americans have only managed to trace their family's roots to the Transcontinental Railroad in recent years, with the help of research organized by Stanford University in California.

The revelation has given many a new sense of pride and place.

"I grew up feeling like we did not belong in this country," Andrea Yee, 80, a resident of Berkeley, California, whose great-grandfather, Lim Lip Hong, was a foreman on the railroad crews for four years.

"This has really made me understand the whole picture of the building of America." (Reporting by Terray Sylvester in Promontory, Utah; writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
(Updates index, stock moves to Friday market close; adds graphic on industrials, materials)

By April Joyner and Noel Randewich

May 10 (Reuters) - A week of worsening fears on Wall Street leading up to Washington's increase on tariffs on Chinese goods has taken a toll on stocks that rely heavily on global trade.

With U.S. President Trump saying he is in no hurry to sign a deal with China, the United States raised its tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10% on Friday, rattling financial markets already worried the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies could spiral out of control. China's Commerce Ministry has said it would take countermeasures against the increase in U.S. tariffs.

"Investors have been getting a little less bullish over the last week or so, and if China does decide to retaliate with tariffs, that's when sentiment can take a dive," said Matt Watson, portfolio manager at James Advantage Funds in Alpha, Ohio.

After Trump said last Sunday he was reversing a decision he made in February to keep tariffs at 10%, Wall Street descended from record highs reached at the start of the month.

Although the S&P 500 rose on Friday after more upbeat comments on trade from Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the index ended the week 2.17% lower. Trade-sensitive stocks were bogged down after having outperformed for most of 2019.

Shares of semiconductor companies, the U.S. sector that relies more than any other on China for its revenue, turned sharply lower this week, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index down 5.8% since Sunday and slashing its year-to-date gain to 28%.

The so-called FAANG tech group, volatile stocks that have fueled a large part of Wall Street's rally in recent years, have also mostly underperformed as trade fears worsened, with shares of Netflix Inc and Apple Inc both down more than 6% for the week.

Shares of industrial and materials companies, dependent upon global economic growth to boost their revenue, also underperformed. DowDuPont Inc shares tumbled 9.8% while Boeing Co shares dropped 5.8%.

(Reporting by Noel Randewich and April Joyner; additional reporting by David Randall; editing by Alden Bentley, Rosalba O'Brien and Jonathan Oatis)
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  A Greek far-left extremist serving 11 life terms for a string of murders vowed Friday to continue "until the end" a hunger strike if his bid to get a new leave from prison isn't granted.

Dimitris Koufodinas, chief hit man for the November 17 group that killed 23 people from 1975-2000, also said in a statement issued through his lawyer that he will refuse any medical assistance.

Koufodinas, 61, is in hospital due to the hunger strike he started May 2, after authorities in his prison near the town of Volos in central Greece rejected his furlough request  a decision upheld Friday by a council of judges

The council noted that Koufodinas, who was convicted in 2003, still poses a threat to public security and has never repented for his violent past.

Koufodinas' lawyer, Ioanna Kourtovik, said the rejection of his request is "extremely unfair."

Starting in late 2017, Koufodinas has been granted six furloughs  once after a hunger strike  and has been transferred from a maximum-security Athens prison to the laxer penitentiary near Volos.

This treatment has been criticized as unduly lenient by relatives of his victims and U.S. officials. Four U.S. nationals, including the CIA station chief in Athens, were among the victims of N17, which professed a mix of Marxism and nationalism.

The jailed extremist is very popular with Greek anarchist groups, who have mounted a campaign in his support that included threats to judges involved in reviewing his furlough request and repeated acts of vandalism.

On Friday, a group of anarchists invaded the Athens offices of Avgi newspaper, which strongly backs Greece's governing Syriza party, to protest the ruling against his leave from prison.

Late Thursday, about 30 hooded youths protesting in favor of his cause smashed the windows of more than 20 shops and two banks in central Athens.
In an interesting turn of events, a Homa Bay woman who staged a fake burial for her twins using dolls was never pregnant, police have said.

Beryl Akinyi and her husband Benson Onyango had placed dolls in two coffins and hurriedly performed a burial ceremony under the guise that their twins had died after birth two weeks ago.

Following their arrest this week, Beryl Akinyi was subjected to medical tests at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Mbita town.

Results released on Thursday indicate that she was never pregnant as earlier alleged.

Confirming the results, Homa Bay County police boss Esther Seroney said Akinyi her 38-year-old husband are being held at Mbita Police Station.

She said they are trying to establish the motivation behind the couples deception ploy.

On Wednesday, Akinyi and Onyango escaped lynching from neighbours who unearthed coffins and discovered the baby dolls.

It was previously suspected that Akinyi gave birth and sold her babies.

Relatives told police that they got suspicious when Akinyi claimed to have reported to Homa Bay County Hospital for delivery and was allegedly referred to Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu within 30 minutes.

Both hospitals denied receiving a woman by the name Beryl Akinyi.

Beryl later claimed that she had been referred to Kenyatta National Hospital because her pregnancy had developed further complications.
Newlyweds Usheila Patel and Khilan Chandaria both fell ill on their honeymoon in Sri Lanka (Pictures: Facebook)

A newlywed whose wife died on their honeymoon in Sri Lanka after apparently suffering food poisoning has reportedly been stopped from leaving the country.

Khilan Chandaria, 33, and bride Usheila Patel, 31, both fell ill during their honeymoon and Usheila died, The Sun reported.

Her devastated husband Khilan has now reportedly been told that he cant leave the country until more tests are carried out.

The 33-year-old, who hasnt been arrested or charged, told The Sun: The authorities are not treating me as a culprit but arent treating me like a victim either. I dont want to leave without her.

The couple were staying at the Amari Hotel in Sri Lanka (Picture: Google Maps)

According to The Sun, the couple married in Brent, North London, on April 14.

Their honeymoon, which was due to take in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, included a stay at the Amari Hotel in the city of Galle in Sri Lanka.

READ MORE

Armed police called to London mosque after masked gunman fires shot outside

But after apparently drinking a vodka and sprite each and sharing a sandwich and chips, the couple fell ill.

They tried to shake off the illness in their room but phoned for help after they deteriorated.

They were rushed to hospital but Usheila died.
Rick Wilking/Reuters

HIGHLANDS RANCH, ColoradoA day after two students shot up a school, survivors walked out of a vigil organized by gun control advocates, saying they felt excluded from what should have been an opportunity to grieve.

Team Enough and Moms Demand Action helped promote the Wednesday evening gathering, and more than 100 students and several hundred parents from the STEM School packed into the gymnasium bleachers, hoping to find community and catharsis.

But after sitting through remarks by Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), and realizing the program was centered around changing gun laws, students who had hoped to speak lost patience and walked out en masse.

This was not about us. We can do our own vigil, one STEM student remarked.

Students from Team Enough said the event was organized on such short notice they were unable to find a way to include STEM students in the program.

I feel terrible. They did not feel represented. I get it, said Laura Reeves, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action who spoke at the vigil.

This was put together in such a short time. I know they did their best. Emotions are raw and sad. They are grieving. They need to express their feelings. They need to be together. I am hoping their school can help facilitate that conversation beyond this week.

Police have said two STEM students opened fire at the school on Tuesday, killing one and wounding eight before they were arrested. Any motive for the attack20 years after the Columbine High School massacre just seven miles awayhas not been disclosed.

Heavy rain had kept surviving students cooped up at home, and many of them were looking forward to the vigil at a neighboring school. Things began to fall apart an hour in when organizers suggested any STEM students who wanted to speak gather in the hall outside the gym.

A few rose to speak, but soon the crowd filed out and left. Standing outside the building in the freezing rain, some began chanting. But they quickly dispersed as Douglas County Sheriff's vehicles began arriving at the school.

Story continues

One mom of a STEM student said it was a case of good intentions gone wrong.

I really appreciate what they tried to do here tonight, but our kids didnt want to be talked at, she said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here
During the weeks leading up to the Mueller report release, President Donald Trump experienced the highest approval ratings of his presidency.

The most recent Gallup poll, conducted between April 17 and 30, put Trumps rating at a high of 46%a one percentage point increase from his previously held high of 45%, when he first took office.

Trumps lowest approval rating, according to Gallup, was 35%, which it hit four times in 2017.

Heres a look at how the American peoples opinion of the president has varied over the course of his 840 days in office.

First Month in Office: 45%

Trump entered the White House with good standing, as far as his subsequent record is concerned. At the end of January 2017, Gallup put his approval rating at 45%, a rating he has since seen only twice and surpassed once.

While that number has proven to be a relative high for Trump, it marked an all-time inaugural low as compared to presidents of years past. According to Gallup, Trump is the first president since it began polling presidential approval ratings, to receive an initial job approval rating below the majority level and the highest disapproval rating of 45%.

All-Time Lows: 35%

Trumps approval ratings dropped over the course of his first year as president, and by the end of 2017, Trump averaged an overall 38.4% job approval ratingmore than 10 percentage points lower than any of his predecessors. Gallup notes that unlike previous presidents, Trump had little or no honeymoon period to speak of, as his ratings started low and rapidly declined.

Trump saw his lowest-ever approval rating of 35% a total of four times: in late August 2017, late October 2017, late November/early December 2017, and again in mid-December 2017. These lows were punctuated by the Charlottesville protests, former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn pleading guilty to lying to the FBI, and negotiations surrounding the tax reform bill, as well as Trumps December retweet of anti-Muslim videos, among other events.

Story continues

Current events aside, Trumps low ratings could also be attributed to Democrats strong disapproval. In Gallups August 2017 poll, for example, approval ratings among Democrats were just 7%. Gallup notes that although polarization makes single-digit approval ratings more common, what is uncommon is how early in Trumps presidency he saw these figures.

Obama didnt register single-digit approval ratings from Republicans until nearly two years into his first term, while Bush saw his approval ratings amongst Democrats drop to the single-digits in his fourth year in office. Trump, on the other hand, saw an approval rating of just 8% among Democrats by his second full week in the White House.

But Republicans appear to remain somewhat steadfast in their approval of Trump. In every instance in which his overall approval rating dropped to 35%, approval among Republicans was at 78%.

All-Time High: 46%

It wasnt until his second full year in office that Trump regained some of his footing, reaching the 45% mark again in June 2018. The jump corresponded with the relatively successful, high-profile meetings held with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

And while Democrats in Congress are not yet ready to accept the purported conclusions of the Mueller Report, it appears that the American public feels otherwiseor else the strength of the economy is giving them enough reason to hold their president in higher esteem. Trumps approval rating steadily climbed in April 2019, from 45% to 46%, and hit a near-historic high of 91% among Republicans.

Even approval by Democrats broke the single digits in the most recent poll, climbing to 12%.

While these instances have marked a high for Trump, they pale in comparison to the average approval ratings for other presidents at similar points in their presidencies. Even the current high of 46% is lower than the overall average for U.S. presidents of 53% and their average in the 10th quarter of 54%. Despite this, Trump has surpassed his predecessor in this timeframe, if ever so slightly: President Barack Obama in April of his third year saw an approval rating of 44%.

Thus far, investigations, scandals, and indictments among members of his administration have not seemed to stick to Trump for very long. If the economy remains strong and Congressional investigations dont rattle the newly-found faith in Trump among some Americans, he may begin to see this approval ratings continue to ascend.
Lausanne (AFP) - Facing a world where anti-Semitism is resurgent again, Holocaust survivor Edith Eger, who watched her mother marched to the gas chamber, said she pities those who "waste" their life hating.

Seventy-five years after arriving at Auschwitz, where she was forced to dance for the notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, Eger told AFP that she of course felt sorry for the victims of rising hate speech and violence.

But the 91-year-old said she was especially distressed by those consumed by bigotry who really "do not acknowledge that (they) are one of a kind."

You should "not really waste your life hating," she said in an interview on the sidelines of a conference on compassionate leadership at the IMD business school in Lausanne.

Eger certainly knows what hatred can lead to.

The practising clinical psychologist, professor and author was just 16 when she and her Jewish family arrived at the Nazi death camp.

She recalled arriving in 1944 on a cattle car with her parents and one of her two sisters to Auschwitz, where an infamous slogan above the gate in German read "Work Will Make You Free".

"It was very chaotic. I saw the sign 'Arbeit Macht Frei', and my father even said: 'You know, we are just going to work and go home'," she said with a sad smile.

"That's not what happened. My father was taken to the gas chamber and my mother as well."

- Danced for Mengele -

Inside the camp, Eger, a trained gymnast and ballerina who had performed for the president in her native Hungary before the war, was called upon to dance for Mengele, who carried out atrocious experiments on prisoners.

"It was very scary because he came into the barracks and wanted to be entertained, and my friends just threw me in front of him," she said.

"I didn't know who he was, and so I closed my eyes and I imagined that the music was Tchaikovsky and that I was dancing Romeo and Juliette at the Budapest Opera house," said the petite great-grandmother, who is still capable of doing an impressive high kick.

Story continues

Eger says she drew her strength from words her mother told her on the way to Auschwitz: "Just remember, no one can take away what you put in your mind."

- 'Never murdered my spirit' -

"And she was right... Everything was taken away from me, but the Nazis could never murder my spirit."

They certainly tried. After being forced on a death march at the end of the war, Eger was found with a broken back under a pile of corpses.

After that, she strived for decades to forget the past.

"I didn't tell anyone about Auschwitz for at least 20 years because I didn't want to be different," she said.

But then, she said, she began to realise that refusing to think about the past was preventing her from coming to terms with what happened.

"I had a secret, and then the secret had me," said Eger, who published her best-selling memoir "The Choice" two years ago.

It talks of facing the past in order to move forward, and choosing love and forgiveness over hate.

"I began my journey of forgiveness when I revisited Auschwitz," she said, adding that she finally "began to forgive myself that I survived."

"I have yet to finish that journey."

- 'Nightmares' -

Eger said today's increasingly divided societies and harsh anti-migrant outlook brought back painful memories.

She especially lamented the policy put in place last year in her adopted homeland by US President Donald Trump of separating migrant families at the border.

"I have been having nightmares," she said.

"When I saw parents being separated from their children, I have been picturing myself being separated from my mother... I don't forget," she said.

Amid domestic and international outcry, the Trump administration last June halted the policy of separating parents and children who illegally cross the US border.

But by then, thousands of children had been removed and placed in temporary accommodation, leading to harrowing images and reports of administrative chaos in which parents were later unable to find their children.

Those images provoked "very, very sad thoughts," Eger said.

Several studies in recent months have indicated a rise in anti-Semitism, including ones by the US Agency for Fundamental Rights, the US Anti-Defamation League and the European Jewish Congress. Two deadly shootings have struck synagogues in the United States in the past year.

Despite her despair over the state of the world, Elger voiced optimism for the future.

- 'Revenge on Hitler' -

"I always find hope in hopelessness," she said, while expressing confidence in today's youth.

"I see that young people today are questioning authority, rather than blindly adhering to authority," she said.

Eger said she considers herself a guide who can help lead people "from darkness to light, from victimisation to empowerment."

"You can get addicted to anger and live the life of a victim," she said. "I refused that. I was victimised. It is not who I am. It is what was done to me."

Instead of allowing herself to be defined by the horrors of Auschwitz, she said she was intent on rejoicing at life.

"It is wonderful to be alive and well. To be a mother of three and a grandmother of five and a great-grandma of four boys," she said.

"That is a good revenge on Hitler."
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong government confirmed an African swine fever case on Friday night, in a further sign that the virus is continuing to spread beyond mainland China's borders. The case of the incurable disease was found in Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse which is located in the New Territories, bordering China's southern Guangdong province. Around 6,000 pigs in the slaughterhouse will be culled, an official from the food and health department said, adding that the slaughterhouse will be closed for cleaning and sanitizing in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. The disease, which is fatal to pigs but harmless in humans, has spread to every province on the Chinese mainland since its initial detection in August 2018. Earlier this month, China asked pork processors and pig dealers to obtain certificates proving their products are free from African swine fever. (Reporting by Twinnie Siu and Meg Shen; Editing by Louise Heavens)
On board the San Raffaele (Colombie) (AFP) - As a white ship chugs through the muddy waters of the San Juan River, pirogues from the jungle glide toward it almost reverently, bringing their sick to healers they liken to angels.

For hundreds of miles along Colombia's Pacific coast, with its thick, lush jungle, there are no hospitals, and medics and medicine are rare.

And so, the San Raffaele hospital ship, when it arrives, is treated like a ghostly miracle by the poor indigenous and Afro-Caribbean communities that dot this violent region.

"The proper medicines are not coming in. They are too expensive," says Yenny Cardenas, weaving a basket as she waits in her hut, which is built on stilts over the riverbank. Its roof thrums under heavy rain.

Cardenas, an ethnic Wounaan, is waiting to board a skiff that will speed her across to the ship with her baby boy, her fifth child. She's worried about his skin which, for months now, has been covered in sores.

"My son was fine, nice and chubby, but now he's not eating," said Cardenas, 44, a teacher in nearby Balsalito, an indigenous reserve on the banks of the San Juan where it sweeps down from the Andes to the sea.

On the other bank is the wharf at Docordo, a majority Afro-Colombian town lost in the country's poorest department, Choco -- where nearly 50 percent of the population live in extreme poverty, compared to 17 percent nationally.

Dozens of patients have gathered around Docordo's wooden wharf since dawn. The area has just one medical dispensary, supplying 16,000 people.

-2,000 waiting for care-

For that reason, all eyes are trained on the ship. Bearing a white cross on its hull, it's anchored mid-river, as if honoring its neutrality between these two neighboring communities -- indigenous and Afro-Colombian -- which do not mix.

Another sign -- featuring a machine gun with a 'X' over it -- warns that carrying firearms on board is prohibited.

Story continues

People line up, waiting their turn to be seen by the doctors and nurses. Some have their hands on their stomachs, some are bent over with age, some are young pregnant women with their kids in tow -- all wait to tell their woes and receive free treatment. Locals call the medical staff their "Angels of the Pacific."

"Some of these people have not been able to see a doctor for years," said Ana Lucia Lopez, 51, director and co-founder of the Monte Tabor Foundation, which operates this 80-foot (24-meter) hospital on the water.

On Docordo's teeming pontoon, Lopez manages the anxious crowd from behind a school desk on the wharf that doubles as the hospital's reception area.

For a 12-day mission she has a list of 2,000 people for appointments and 150 patients for surgery that a forward party of medics screened in a triage operation two weeks previously.

It's a mountain of work for the little ship with a big heart, but on Colombia's west coast, there is no alternative.

The ship features 25 doctors and nurses, some paid and some volunteer, including a gynecologist, a dentist, a pediatrician and a psychologist. A crew of seven operates the ship itself.

Hailing from the port of Buenaventura, the San Raffaele has been plying the 865 mile (1,300 kilometers) length of Colombia's Pacific coast all year round since 2009, from the Panamanian border in the north to Ecuador in the south.

"Already over the past few years, 65,000 people have been seen and more than 4,000 operations have been carried out," said Diego Posso, 49, a paramedic expert in trauma and the founding president of Monte Tabor.

Posso himself designed the ship with help from a naval architect. All it has ever been is a floating hospital.

- Neutral amid conflict -

It's a risky business, coming here.

The local communities had to negotiate with several armed groups to ensure safe passage for the San Raffaele.

Gunmen of one kind or another have held sway here for decades -- from National Liberation Army rebels to narco-trafficking gangs like the feared Gulf Clan -- effectively making it a war zone.

Three years on from a landmark peace agreement with FARC rebels, peace is far from being a reality on this coast, strategic to cocaine-shippers and clandestine gold miners alike.

Local security forces patrolling the river with outboard-powered boats attest to frequent firefights, bodies floating in the river, wounded locals and displaced families terrorized by violence.

"Sometimes it has been difficult to reach the villages where there have been clashes, bombs," says Lopez.

She recalled a group of wounded taken hurriedly aboard one evening, including a paramilitary guy with his arm hanging off.

A few months later, in the village further up the coast, someone grabbed her by the shoulder. "I was startled. But it was him! And he said, 'Thank you. Thanks to you I still have my hand.'"

-Contamination, infections -

From dawn until late into the night, small skiffs ferry people to and from the riverbank.

Eventually, it's Cardenas' turn to climb onto the deck, holding her son close. Up on the ship, shaded by a plastic sheet, the waiting room is overflowing.

There is no let-up for pediatric surgeon Carlos Melo, 55. He follows surgery with surgery, and not only for children.

"These people have nothing. Everything is so far away. We're talking six, eight hours by canoe. There are no doctors," says Melo, a pioneer of minimally invasive abdominal surgery known as laparoscopy, who has volunteered on the ship for the past five years.

At the end of the corridor, in a small pastel-colored room, Maria Isabel Lozano examines Carderas' baby and diagnoses a skin infection. It's a common diagnosis here, where communities are exposed to the polluted waters of the San Juan.

Posso says the pollution is caused by chemical waste from cocaine production and run-off water from illegal mining.

Many also suffer from diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, said Lozano.

The San Raffaele is a small white speck on an ocean of despair, bringing with it specialist doctors and nurses on 12-day missions every second month.

Now, thanks to a 350,000 euro grant from the European Union, it can take to the seas every month, at least for another year.

"There are many projects, huge dreams," says Posso.

One of them is to bring a bigger and better equipped ship from the United States, given to them by entrepreneurs,

It already has a name: "Archangel."
By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House tax committee Chairman Richard Neal said on Thursday that he will decide by the end of the week whether to subpoena President Donald Trump's tax returns or go to court to obtain the documents, which the administration refuses to hand over. As part of an escalating clash between Democrats and the Trump administration, Neal said he talked with lawyers for the House of Representatives on Thursday about next steps and would have a final discussion with them later in the day. "Now we proceed to the limited options that are left," he told reporters, saying he would choose between issuing a subpoena and proceeding directly to court. "By the end of the week, well make a determination," he said. Amid a broad stonewalling of numerous House probes into Trump's presidency and family and business interests, the administration is opposing Neal's efforts to obtain six years of Trump's individual and business tax returns. As House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Neal is the only House lawmaker authorized to seek Trump's tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service under a federal law that says the Treasury secretary "shall furnish" such documents upon request. Democrats want Trump's returns as part of their inquiry into possible conflicts of interest posed by his continued ownership of extensive business interests, even as he serves as president. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday denied Neal's formal April 3 request for the returns, arguing that the committee request lacks "a legitimate legislative purpose." Trump has broken with a decades-old precedent among recent U.S. presidents by refusing to release his tax returns while a presidential candidate in 2016 or since being elected, saying he could not do so while his taxes were being audited. Numerous tax experts have said an audit should not be an obstacle to disclosing his returns. His former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, told a House panel in February that he does not believe Trump's taxes are under audit. Cohen said the president feared releasing his returns could lead to an audit and IRS tax penalties. Some Democrats, angry about Trump's stonewalling, have called for impeaching top administration officials who refuse to comply with congressional investigations. "You do the same thing to anyone else who doesn't want to follow the law," Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democratic presidential candidate and House Judiciary Committee member, said at a Wednesday committee meeting on Barr's contempt citation. "With this lawless administration, I imagine we're also going to see characters like Steve Mnuchin, who's also not following the law when it comes to the president's tax returns," he said. (Reporting by David Morgan and Doina Chiacu; editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Jonathan Oatis)
WASHINGTON  The House passed a $19.1 billion disaster aid bill Friday as senators continue to quietly negotiate the end to a political stalemate over emergency assistance to Puerto Rico that continues to bottle up billions for victims of floods, fires and fierce storms across the country.

The House voted 257-150, largely along party lines, mirroring a partisan dispute that has centered over an ongoing feud between President Trump and Puerto Rican leaders. Thirty-four Republicans, many from states socked by disasters such as Florida, Georgia and Iowa, joined every Democrat in voting for the bill despite a plea from President Donald Trump that they should oppose the measure.

The bill, which would send billions to victims of floods in the West, hurricanes in the Southeast and historic floods in the Midwest, now heads to the Senate where political roadblocks remain.

The House bill contains not just the $600 million in nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico but also several hundred million in construction assistance to help the island rebuild from Hurricane Maria in 2017  aid that Trump firmly opposes.

In addition, Trump is pressuring Republicans to insert $4.5 billion for a wall on the southern border  a no-go for Democrats.

After the vote, Trump congratulated Republicans for mostly holding together in opposition and predicted progress on a deal.

"We will now work out a bipartisan solution that gets relief for our great States and Farmers," he tweeted.

Great Republican vote today on Disaster Relief Bill. We will now work out a bipartisan solution that gets relief for our great States and Farmers. Thank you to all. Get me a Bill that I can quickly sign!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2019

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., who has spoken to Trump about disaster aid, said adding the issue of wall funding will only make it tougher to reach a deal.

Story continues

I dont have a clue why this president thinks that that will somehow prompt folks to vote for this, he told reporters Thursday, noting that the fight over wall funding led to the 35-day partial government shutdown that ended in January. In fact, it will set it back considerably. 

The standoff already has resulted in the longest delay between a disaster and the congressional approval of assistance. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he hopes a deal can be reached before the Memorial Day recess.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said Thursday negotiations with Democrats remain stalled.

"June is coming up," Shelby said. "A lot of people are hurting in the Midwest, in the South because of these disasters. Its just too long.

Contributing: Deborah Barfield Berry and Eliza Collins of USA TODAY

Like what youre reading? Download the USA TODAY app for more

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House passes $19 billion in disaster aid but divide over border wall funding, help for Puerto Rico hinders deal
Washington (AFP) - The US House on Friday approved $19.1 billion in disaster relief to help hard-hit communities like Puerto Rico, but President Donald Trump opposes the package which faces party bickering over funding.

On the eve of the vote in the Democratic-controlled chamber, Trump urged Republicans to reject the "BAD DEMOCRAT Disaster Supplemental Bill" and continue negotiating on the emergency package aimed at providing recovery assistance to Americans affected by storms, wildfires and floods.

But in a rebuke of Trump, 34 Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the measure, which cleared the House of Representatives 257-150.

At a Florida rally on Thursday, Trump wrongly said Puerto Rico, a US territory, had already received $91 billion in disaster aid in the wake of deadly 2017 hurricanes that devastated the island.

Puerto Rico has been promised about half that amount and spent just $11 billion, according to a Washington Post fact check.

House Appropriations Committee chair Nita Lowey said Americans "can't afford to wait any longer" for the relief, which would fund activities like infrastructure development, rural community assistance, and disaster damage mitigation in Puerto Rico and states like California, Florida, North and South Carolina, and Iowa.

"The president's personal contempt for Puerto Rico must no longer be allowed to stand in the way of critical disaster relief," she said.

After the vote Trump expressed optimism about a deal.

"We will now work out a bipartisan solution that gets relief for our great States and Farmers," he tweeted.

The measure heads to the Republican-controlled Senate, where lawmakers have struggled to break the logjam.

The chamber is grappling with whether to add to the disaster package Trump's latest request of $4.5 billion in emergency border security funding amid what the White House is calling an increasingly "dire" immigration crisis along the southern border.
A middle-aged woman is nursing injuries after her cheek was allegedly bitten off by her co-wife in Busia County.

Melvina Akinyi, 26, claims her co-wife, 29-year-old Brenda Sanya, attacked her in her house on Thursday noon.

According to Akinyi, the Ugandan-born Sanya has often expressed jealousy toward her. She notes that she is a mother of three children (2 sons and 1 daughter) while Sanya is yet to conceive for their husband.

The mother of three alleges that Sanya confronted her when she was breastfeeding her last born daughter before biting off her left cheek.

Akinyi, who was bleeding profusely from the bite, was taken to Budalangi Dispensary by neighbors.

Their husband, a 36-year-old a sand harvester, was at work when the incident happened.

Ms Akinyi further claims that Sanya, who is the second wife in their polygamous union, has attempted to attack her severally in the past, but her efforts were always thwarted.

Leonard Barasa, Budalangi Dispensary medical officer, said the patient was treated and stabilised.

Police launched a manhunt for Sanya who fled after the bizarre attack and remains at large.
House Democrats issued two subpoenas to compel Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig to release President Donald Trumps tax returns, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal said.The move is Neals latest attempt to obtain six years of the presidents personal and business tax information after Mnuchin rejected his initial request on May 6. Neal and the chairmen of the two other tax-writing committees have the statutory authority to ask the Treasury for the return of any taxpayer, including the presidents. Neal gave Mnuchin and Rettig until May 17 to turn over the documents.

While I do not take this step lightly, I believe this action gives us the best opportunity to succeed and obtain the requested material, Neal said in a statement. I sincerely hope that the Treasury Department will furnish the requested material in the next week so the committee can quickly begin its work.

Mnuchin said Neals initial request lacked a legitimate legislative purpose. He didnt immediately respond to a request to comment about the subpoena.

The subpoenas set up what could be one of the biggest legal showdowns between the Trump administration and a Congress intent on investigating the president. Trump broke with 40 years of presidential campaign tradition in refusing to release his tax returns. That has led some Democrats to speculate that he has ties to foreign businesses or cheated on his taxes.

A Treasury spokesperson confirmed they received the subpoena. The IRS didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Neals stated reason for requesting Trumps tax returns is that he wants to ensure the IRS is properly auditing the president and vice president each year. Mnuchin said handing over the documents would be a violation of Trumps privacy and that he cant lawfully fulfill the request.

White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said in an interview for The Takeout podcast this week that Congress will never get to see Trumps tax returns because theyre not entitled to see that by law.

Story continues

Democrats, citing a section of the tax code from 1924, say the law is on their side. The law allows the chairmen of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees and the Joint Committee on Taxation to request the tax returns of any taxpayer and that the Treasury secretary shall provide them.

The law doesnt say that Neal needs a legislative purpose to ask for the documents.

Representative Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, has staunchly opposed Neals efforts to obtain the tax returns. Brady, in a letter to Neal on Friday, said that Democrats are seeking the returns not to further a valid legislative purpose, but instead to try to embarrass a political enemy.

The interpretation of Neals authority in the law should turn on its clear language and Congress intent when it was created, George Yin, a former chief of staff at the Joint Committee on Taxation, said in a recent article. In this case, as it happens, both the letter and the intent of the law lead to the same conclusion: Congress is entitled to the presidents tax information, no questions asked.

The White House and Congress are battling over several other attempts to scrutinize Trump.

Acting in his capacity as a private citizen, Trump and his umbrella Trump Organization, sued to block the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to prevent it from obtaining tax records from his longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA LLP. A similar suit, seeking to prevent the release to the house of bank records from Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corp. is pending in a Manhattan federal court.

The administration told former White House Counsel Don McGahn to ignore a House Judiciary Committee subpoena demanding documents related to Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation.

Trump also exerted executive privilege over Muellers report about Russian interference in the 2016 election and underlying evidence as House Democrats were preparing to vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to release the full document.
House Ways and Means Committee subpoenas Trump's tax returns originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

The House Ways and Means Committee has subpoenaed the Treasury Secretary and IRS Commissioner for six years of President Donald Trumps tax returns after to Department of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin ignored Democrats request.

The subpoenas, requesting the presidents returns by May 17, follow Democrats request for the information under an obscure 1920s-era provision of the tax code requiring that the Treasury Secretary shall furnish requested tax information to Congress.

The presidents lawyers and White House are expected to challenge the move and have argued that Democrats request does not serve a legislative purpose, an argument the administration made in its rejection of Democrats initial request.

House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal said in a statement that the request was made to determine whether IRS audits and enforcement of the federal tax code of sitting presidents need to be codified into law.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Around 180,000 Muslims prayed at east Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound Friday, the first in the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, a body responsible for the site said.

The figure from the Waqf organisation is 50 percent higher than last year, when around 120,000 people attended the first Friday prayers.

Azzam al-Khatib, director general of Waqf, said the crowds reached the site "despite checkpoints and a large security presence".

The prayers ended without any major incident, he told AFP.

The site in Israeli-controlled east Jerusalem is the third holiest in Islam and has proved a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The compound which includes Al-Aqsa is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism.

An AFP photographer at the Qalandia checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West Bank saw thousands of Palestinians -- including elderly people in wheelchairs -- queueing to enter the city early Friday morning.

Coordination between Palestinian and Israeli authorities had improved at the checkpoint this year, the photographer said, making access to Jerusalem easier.

Israeli restrictions on Palestinians from the occupied West Bank are eased during the month of Ramadan, which began on Monday.

Men over the age of 40 and children under 12 will be allowed to enter the city on Fridays during Ramadan, while there are no restrictions on women, the Israeli army announced.

"Police units and border police are mobilised in different areas of the Old City to allow thousands of people to enter the area easily and at the same time prevent any incidents throughout the day," Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said in a statement.

Israel views the whole of Jerusalem as its capital while the Palestinians see the eastern part as the capital of their future state.
ASOTTHALOM, Hungary (AP)  Hundreds of migrants a day streamed through the Hungarian village of Asotthalom on their way to Western Europe in 2015. Today there are almost none. So one might think the political discourse has moved on.

Think again.

In this month's European Parliament election, no issue rings louder in Hungary than migration. Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his right-wing Fidesz party have campaigned almost exclusively on anti-immigration policies and it remains a hot topic in this formerly beleaguered village as well.

Asotthalom's mayor has left the nationalist Jobbik party to form a new movement with an even harder anti-migrant stance.

"Migrants still get through, but they are caught in Asotthalom," gloated Laszlo Toroczkai, the mayor who is also his party's leading candidate in the European election. "This region, which suffered terribly from massive, uncontrolled immigration, has absolutely recovered its security and tranquility."

Orban won a third term last year after a campaign that linked migration to rape and terrorism and warned that a mostly Muslim "migrant invasion" was putting Europe's "Christian culture" at risk.

His Fidesz party is using the same message in this month's European election and is expected to win as many as 14 of Hungary's 21 seats in the 751-seat European Parliament. No other Hungarian party is expected to get more than three seats in the May 26 vote.

Nowhere is the focus on migration more acute than in Asotthalom, a village of 4,000 that borders Serbia, a non-European Union nation.

In 2015, when nearly 1 million asylum-seekers and migrants moved through the region seeking better lives in Western Europe, Hungary built a razor-wire fence at the edge of Asotthalom's farms and fruit trees. Two years later, it added a second fence with cameras and heat and motion detectors.

From a peak of more than 9,000 migrants a day entering Hungary in September 2015, the country now catches about two dozen migrants a day.

Story continues

Hundreds of students from around the country attend Asotthalom's forestry vocational high school and the village has a Sandor Rozsa museum, dedicated to a 19th-century outlaw celebrated as a Hungarian Robin Hood.

One Asotthalom resident, who harvests potatoes from her home vegetable patch, said she felt sorry for the migrants who used to walk past her house but complained about the garbage they left behind and how they climbed over the fence into the public swimming pool to cool off.

Anna, who like other villagers refused to give her last name, said even although she knew the migrants were only passing through "it was scary" to see so many people in desperate need walking past her house.

Toroczkai and more radical politicians left Jobbik last year to form the Our Homeland Movement. The group has brought back issues that Jobbik had mostly abandoned as it tried to distance itself from accusations of racism, like referring to petty crimes as "Gypsy crimes," or other racial slurs.

Our Homeland is critical of government corruption and wants to subsidize Hungarian companies instead of multinationals. On immigration, it hopes to push Orban's hard-line policies even further to the right, proposing to eliminate scholarships for thousands of foreign students, one of Orban's outreach programs.

"If Fidesz wants to protect European and Christian culture, then (these students) should not be allowed in either," Toroczkai said. "But on this we agree  migration must be stopped."

The fence, criticized at first as a "new Iron Curtain," stretches 175 kilometers (more than 100 miles) along the border with Serbia and parts of the border with Croatia. While other factors helped to stem the migrant surge through Hungary  especially a 2016 deal between the EU and Turkey that returns people arriving on Greek islands to Turkey  Orban has been unapologetic about its success.

"The people in Austria and Germany can sleep tight because the Hungarians will protect Europe's external borders here," Orban said when the fence was reinforced.

When hard-line Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini visited Hungary earlier this month, he immediately toured the southern border area with Orban, congratulating his government on its effectiveness in stopping illegal immigration.

Fidesz's EU election campaign includes the slogan "Let's stop immigration!"; calls for leaders who oppose immigration to lead major EU institutions; and demands measures guaranteeing that Christians won't suffer discrimination in Europe.

"The matter we will be voting on is an essential one  at stake is the existence of our Christian civilization," Orban said at the April launch of the Fidesz EU campaign.

Orban has used his opposition to migration to fuel other conservative policies, too. In February, he announced measures to boost Hungary's birthrate, offering a lifetime income tax exemption for mothers of at least four children.

While Western Europe is resorting to immigration to increase its population "we do not need numbers, but Hungarian children," Orban declared. "In our minds, immigration means surrender."

May's EU election could determine Orban's future in Europe for some time.

In March, the Fidesz party was suspended from the center-right bloc in the European Parliament, the European People's Party, because of long-standing concerns over democracy in Hungary. For his part, Orban wants the bloc, the biggest in the EU parliament, to forge closer ties with Salvini and other anti-immigration forces even further to the right.

It's not clear yet whether Fidesz stays with the EPP or shifts over to join Salvini's new populist, far-right bloc that has vowed to shake up the European Parliament and the EU.

"We will look for cooperation with Salvini in a spectacular, avowed and open manner," Orban said during his visit.

As long as Hungarians continued to respond to the migration issue, even when hardly any migrants come to Hungary, it will dominate Orban's message, said Gabor Gyori, a senior analyst at Policy Solutions, a political research institute in Budapest.

"Changes may come ... if migration is no longer effective in covering up potentially more important issues, like education, corruption and health care," Gyori said.

He noted that Orban's focus on migration had made him a role model for Europe's populist or far-right parties.

"Orban's biggest political success is tying his anti-democratic policies to migration, always suggesting that the two are inseparable," Gyori said. "In reality, there is no connection between the two."

He said Orban has convinced voters that "the external checks and balances limiting the government's power" have to be weakened or "otherwise, migration will come (back) to Hungary." He said Orban's reasoning was "very attractive to many politicians with authoritarian ambitions."

In Asotthalom, Janos, who lives on a farm with his partner Ilona, also complained about the migrants' litter but said he was moved by the sight of exhausted families walking across Europe from as far away as war-torn Afghanistan or Syria.

"What was spiritually draining was to see them in the winter, in the snow, with little children," the farmer said. "I don't blame them. Somewhere, this got really messed up."

___

Andras Nagy contributed to this report.

___

For more news from The Associated Press on the European Parliament elections go to https://www.apnews.com/EuropeanParliament
Indian Air Force fighter jets forced a Georgian cargo plane flying from Karachi to New Delhi to land in the northern city of Jaipur on Friday after it allegedly violated Indian airspace.

The An-12 aircraft was intercepted by two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets after it deviated from its scheduled flight path, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

"The aircraft did not follow the authorised Air Traffic Services route and was not responding to radio calls from Indian controlling agencies," the IAF said in a statement.

"The aircraft was shadowed and forced to land at Jaipur for necessary investigation."

Hundreds of commercial and cargo flights have been affected by continuing tensions between India and Pakistan after their tit-for-tat air strikes in February.

Restrictions over Pakistani airspace have forced international airlines including those from India to take costly and lengthy detours.

The air strikes followed a suicide attack in disputed Kashmir that killed 40 Indian paratroopers and ignited fears of an all-out conflict.

But a crisis was averted after Pakistan returned an Indian pilot who was shot down and captured.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over it.
India's biggest lender Friday said it has received two unsolicited bids for Jet Airways, raising hopes for the revival of the debt-laden carrier which was forced to ground its entire fleet last month.

The State Bank of India (SBI) leads a consortium of 26 lenders owning a controlling stake in the Mumbai-based airline which was India's second-biggest carrier by market share before funding woes brought it to the verge of bankruptcy.

SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar said he was hoping for one more buyer to enter the fray before the deadline for submitting bids ended at 1230 GMT on Friday.

"Two unsolicited bidders have submitted EoI (expression of interest) for Jet and we are expecting one more bid by the end of the day," Kumar told reporters without giving further details.

The lenders are offering up to 75 percent stake in the company on a fully diluted basis, the Press Trust of India reported.

The SBI-led consortium has been looking to sell a controlling stake in Jet, shortlisting four potential buyers including Etihad Airways which already owns 24 percent.

Jet, which has debts of more than $1 billion, has been in a tailspin for months. It has defaulted on loans and failed to pay many staff since the start of the year.

After its lenders declined to extend more funds, the carrier was forced to ground its entire fleet on April 17, triggering protests by thousands of employees who have been not paid salaries.

A collapse of Jet, and the loss of more than 20,000 jobs, would deal a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pro-business reputation as he seeks a second term in ongoing national elections.

Bad investments, competition from several low-cost carriers, high oil prices and a weak rupee contributed to Jet's financial demise, experts say.

Its plight has been compared to that of India's Kingfisher Airlines, which ceased operations in 2012 before later going bust, causing thousands of job losses and huge financial costs to lenders.

Shares of Jet Airways were up nearly 3 percent Friday on the Bombay Stock Exchange after SBI's announcement.
NEW DELHI, May 10 (Reuters) - India's Supreme Court on Friday extended by three months the term of a panel arbitrating a decades-long dispute over plans to build a Hindu temple on the ruins of a 16th-century mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya.

The extension makes the contentious issue less likely to fuel religious tension during a seven-phase general election that started on April 11, with votes set to be counted on May 23.

The panel has been given until Aug. 15, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, raising hopes for an amicable settlement of India's biggest religious dispute, with a history of unleashing riots in many parts of the country.

"There was a plea from the mediators' panel to extend the term until Aug 15 and we have agreed," Gogoi said after receiving a preliminary report from the panel.

The extension came after the panel, set up in March with an initial deadline of eight weeks and headed by former judge F. M. Kalifulla, handed over the report, which was not made public.

Months before the election, Hindu allies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had ratcheted up their demand for a temple to be built at the site many Hindus consider to be the birthplace of a revered deity, Lord Ram.

But just ahead of the election, conservative Hindu groups put the temple plan on the backburner.

A violent Hindu mob destroyed the mosque in Ayodhya in 1992, triggering riots that killed about 2,000 people in one of the worst episodes of sectarian violence since India's partition from Pakistan at independence from colonial rule in 1947.

Since the mosque demolition, the Supreme Court has kept control of the site in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, which sends the largest number of MPs to parliament.

The Supreme Court, which had been weighing petitions from both Hindu and Muslim communities over what should be built in Ayodhya, set up the arbitration panel on March 8.

Hindu groups say there was a temple at the site in Ayodhya before the mosque was erected by a Muslim ruler in 1528.

The dispute has fueled tension and ill-feeling between majority Hindus and the Muslim minority, which makes up about 14 percent of India's population of 1.3 billion. (Reporting by Suchitra Mohanty; Writing by Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Paris (AFP) - From Amazon rainforests to the Arctic Circle, indigenous peoples are leveraging ancestral knowhow to protect habitats that have sustained them for hundreds and even thousands of years, according to a landmark UN assessment of biodiversity released Monday.

But these "guardians of nature" are under siege, warns the first major UN scientific report to fully consider indigenous knowledge and management practices.

Whether it is logging, agribusiness and cattle ranching in the tropics, or climate change warming the poles twice as fast as the global average, an unrelenting economic juggernaut fuelled by coal, oil and gas is ravaging the natural world, the grim report found.

A million of Earth's estimated eight million species are at risk of extinction, and an area of tropical forest five times the size of England has been destroyed since 2014.

"Indigenous peoples and local communities are facing growing resource extraction, commodity production, along with mining, transport and energy infrastructure," with dire impacts on livelihoods and health, the report concluded.

Experts estimate that there are some 300 million indigenous people living in mostly undisturbed natural areas, and another 600 million in "local communities" straddling the natural and built worlds.

At least a quarter of global lands are traditionally owned, managed or occupied by indigenous groups, the UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) found.

- Pushing the boundaries -

"Indigenous peoples have truly been guardians of Nature for the rest of society," Eduardo Brondizio, co-chair of the UN report and a professor of Anthropology at Indiana University Bloomington, told AFP.

Research has shown, for example, that forests under indigenous management are more effective carbon sinks and are less prone to wildfires than many so-called "protected areas" controlled by business concessions.

Story continues

"We have been guardians of our lands for millennia and have deep interaction with ecosystems where we live," said Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, a Sherpa activist from eastern Nepal.

"Our lands are among the most biodiverse on the planet."

But nearly three-quarters of regions worldwide under indigenous stewardship have seen a decline in most measure of biodiversity and ecosystem health, the report found.

"The pressures on them continue to be enormous," said Brondizio.

"The global economy keeps pushing the boundaries of resource extraction" deeper into indigenous territory, he said.

"Indigenous peoples have been retreating from those economic frontiers for 500 years, but get caught every time."

Globally, the pace of deforestation is staggering.

Last year, the tropics lost an area almost the size of England, a total of 120,000 square kilometres (46,000 square miles).

Almost a third of that area, some 36,000 km2, was pristine primary rainforest.

- Timber traffickers -

In Brazil -- home to nearly half of the world's plant and animal species -- landowners fell multi-storied trees to make way for soya bean crops, rogue miners pollute rivers, and timber traffickers steal valuable species.

"It is like using the goose that lays golden eggs to make soup," said Brondizio.

The livestock industry is a double climate threat: it destroys forests to make way for grazing land and soy crops to feed cattle, and generates huge amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Extraction industries of all kinds have found an ardent backer in far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who came into office in January.

"I am worried," said Brondizio, who is Brazilian, noting the weakening of environmental protections and an increase in the vilification of indigenous peoples.

Everywhere in the tropics, local populations that push back against big business and their backers are at risk.

More than 200 environmental campaigners -- half from indigenous tribes in tropical forests -- were murdered in 2017, according to watchdog group Global Witness.

"Our global home is under threat, and Nature is in decline, all driven by an economic and political system that favours increasing consumption and growth over living in harmony with Nature," said Aroha Te Pareake Mead, a member of the Ngati Awa and Ngati Porou Maori tribes in New Zealand.
Vilnius (AFP) - For all its economic growth, income inequality and poverty are top election issues as Lithuanians vote on Sunday for a new president in round one of a tight race in the Baltic eurozone state.

Nine candidates are vying to replace two-term independent incumbent Dalia Grybauskaite, but surveys show that only three stand any real chance of making it to the expected May 26 run-off coinciding with European parliament elections.

Top contenders include centre-left Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, conservative-backed ex-finance minister Ingrida Simonyte and independent economist Gitanas Nauseda.

The main centre-right contender, Simonyte is popular among wealthy, educated urban voters while the populist accents of Skvernelis's campaign resonate with the rural poor.

Nauseda is offering a catch-all option across the rich-poor divide in the formerly Soviet-ruled country of 2.8 million people battling sharp population decline.

"Citizens are thirsty for social justice and seek a candidate who can bridge existing social polarisation," Donatas Puslys, an analyst at the Vilnius Policy Analysis Institute, told AFP.

All candidates strongly support EU and NATO membership as bulwarks to deter neighbouring Russia.

Vilnius has been among the most vocal critics of Moscow's 2014 military intervention in Ukraine. Unlike other eastern EU members, it has avoided major confrontations with Brussels.

- Rich-poor gap -

Phenomenal annual wage growth -- approximately 10 percent -- in recent years has raised the average gross salary to 970 euros ($1,090).

But poverty and income inequality remain among the highest in the EU, largely due to weak progressive taxation.

Brussels has urged Vilnius to use strong economic growth exceeding three percent to broaden its tax base and spend more on social policy.

A technocrat who has warned against deepening inequality and the rural-urban divide, Simonyte has vowed to reduce it by stoking economic growth.

Story continues

"We can't isolate Vilnius from the rest of Lithuania," she told supporters at a rally in the capital wrapping up her campaign this week.

The most socially liberal candidate, Simonyte also criticised populists who "suggest fast and simple but misleading solutions".

"I like the way she talks. I don't expect major changes, but I do believe we'll stay focused on Western Europe," Erika Balciukone, a 30-year-old Vilnius resident working in IT, told AFP.

- Generous spending -

Skvernelis, a straight-shooting former police chief, is courting disgruntled Lithuanians living in poorer rural areas.

The sometimes impetuous 48-year-old who labelled his rivals "elitist", has vowed to fight corruption and continue generous spending "to reduce social exclusion and support families."

Made PM by the governing Farmers and Green Union after the 2016 general elections, Skvernelis hinted he may quit office if he fails to enter round two.

"During his term, my pension increased by 100 euros," supporter Valentina Isacenko, 76, told AFP at a Skvernelis rally in the eastern town of Sirvintos. The average pension stands at 360 euros per month.

- Welfare state -

Known for financial acumen, Nauseda vows to build a "welfare state" and urges greater social dialogue.

A 54-year-old former banking adviser running as an independent, he has fans among voters seeking an impartial president above political feuding.

He insists "there are no backseat drivers" steering him and that his independence means he can "balance different interests" to seek consensus.

Vilnius University analyst Kestutis Girnius described Nauseda as "moderate and measured on almost all issues, perhaps too finely so, leading to doubts about what he really believes."

But Ricardas Makuska, a Vilnius chemistry professor, told AFP that Nauseda "invites different social groups to seek common ground, stop arguing or seek extremities... this is needed."

- Grybauskaite era -

Known for strong resolve during her two consecutive terms, outgoing President Grybauskaite is mentioned as a contender for the next president of the European Council.

Lithuanian presidents are in charge of foreign policy and hold a seat at EU summits. They also appoint ministers, judges, the military chief and the head of the central bank, but must often seek approval from parliament or the prime minister.

EU health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, who is a social democrat, and nationalist philosopher Arvydas Juozaitis could also finish among the top five, recent opinion polls suggest.
A Ugandan DJ who claims to have discovered Zari when she was still in her teens says the mother of five turned wild when he took her from the village to the city.

Robert Ogwal alias Rasta Rob MC, a retired radio personality now based in the UK, said he met Zarina in Jinja in 1995.

I met Zari around 1995. I was still at Sanyu at the time. At the time, I also worked with Soul Disco as a DJ. Soul Disco used to play at Botanical Beach every Sunday. However, we were often hired by local promoters who used to host parties at Jinja Sailing Club, said Rasta in his latest interview.

He added; It is here where I met Zari. She was among the girls who always came for the disco. Zari was in her teens about 18 and extremely beautiful. She used to come to me, requesting for songs and it is here that I used my chance.

Rasta said their relationship lasted for about three years, during which time Zari unleashed her wild side.
By Mike Spector and Jessica DiNapoli

NEW YORK, May 10 (Reuters) - A united front among members of the billionaire Sackler family behind painkiller OxyContin is showing signs of strain from litigation over who bears responsibility for the deadly U.S. opioid epidemic.

At least twice in recent months, eight members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP have been at odds over how to respond to allegations implicating them in deceptive marketing of prescription painkillers that led to widespread fatal overdoses, said people familiar with the matter.

The family members have split into two groups that their advisers dub the A side and B side, the people said.

One point of contention centers on how aggressively former Purdue President Richard Sackler should disavow emails he had written years earlier that maligned opioid addicts, a debate that came to a head in anticipation of a critical segment on HBOs news satire Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Another disagreement surfaced over legal defense tactics, with a lawyer for one faction initially counseling against Purdue settling an Oklahoma case in favor of a bankruptcy filing that would halt lawsuits.

The family dynamics will likely influence how the Sacklers resolve roughly 2,000 lawsuits by cities, counties and states alleging Purdue pushed prescription painkillers on unsuspecting doctors and patients while concealing their addiction and overdose risks.

The Sacklers, longtime philanthropists worth an estimated $13 billion, are attempting to reach a settlement covering all the litigation and will need to agree among themselves how much to pay. U.S. communities are seeking billions of dollars in damages to address harm from opioids, and settlement discussions will help determine how much money they get.

The lawsuits, which in recent months have targeted the Sacklers in addition to Purdue, claim the family and company contributed to a public health crisis that claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 people between 1999 and 2017, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Story continues

Family members declined to be interviewed by Reuters about their internal debates.

In any family or business grappling with important choices, it is normal for a range of opinions to be discussed and options presented, the two Sackler contingents said in a joint statement. This internal discussion is necessary for reaching the right decisions in a collaborative way, and in no way signifies a split within our family, the statement said.

The reality is that we are united in both our deep desire to help address todays crisis of drug addiction and in our knowledge that we did not cause this complex public health crisis. We all hope to resolve the many lawsuits through a fair global resolution that steers settlement funds to affected communities, the familys statement added.

This account of some of their deliberations is based on court records and interviews with several people close to the familys discussions. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the conversations.

Purdue declined to address the Sacklers private talks. It has noted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labels for the companys opioids that carried warnings about risk and abuse associated with treating pain. Purdue and the Sacklers have denied allegations in lawsuits that they contributed to the opioid crisis, and have pointed to heroin and fentanyl as more significant culprits than prescription painkillers.

A SIDE vs B SIDE

According to court records and people familiar with the matter, the two Sackler factions each comprise relatives of the late Mortimer and Raymond Sackler, two of three brothers, all doctors, who purchased a Purdue predecessor in 1952. For a graphic, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2W1QbXD

In a June 2018 lawsuit, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey named the eight Sacklers making up the two factions, targeting their role serving on Purdue's board.

In January, she disclosed details of emails and other internal records that alleged the Sacklers masterminded aggressive opioid sales despite knowledge of their harmful effects.

The Sacklers together countered in court papers that they were typical, passive board members who approved routine management requests rather than micromanaging the marketing of OxyContin. Still, the allegations eventually prompted various renowned museums in New York and London to shun donations from the family.

In March, a critical family debate ensued about how to resolve a separate, longstanding lawsuit against Purdue brought by Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter.

There were two options for averting a trial slated for late May. One was settling the lawsuit. The other was putting Purdue into bankruptcy court, which would halt the Oklahoma case and other litigation.

David Bernick, a lawyer from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP representing the "B" side, initially counseled against settling the Oklahoma lawsuit, people familiar with the matter said. He was concerned thousands of other plaintiffs would seize upon a financial figure in any agreement and demand costly settlements themselves, they said.

The better option, he felt, would be for Purdue to seek bankruptcy protection and negotiate with Hunter and other litigants under the supervision of a judge in Chapter 11 proceedings.

Advisers on Mortimers "A" side of the family argued for settling, confident that the agreements structure would combat expectations from other plaintiffs for similar financial sums.

Ultimately, both sides of the family united to contribute $75 million toward settling the Oklahoma case, which helped finance a national addiction treatment center.

The family released a statement cautioning that the agreement, which totaled $270 million with contributions from Purdue, was not a financial model for future settlement discussions. Bernick declined to comment on the settlement discussions.

A subsequent family dispute was harder to resolve. It involved whether Richard Sackler should apologize more forcefully for disparaging opioid addicts in his emails.

On March 28, two days after the Oklahoma settlement, allegations that the Sacklers and Purdue were responsible for fatal overdoses resurfaced in an updated lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

In one email message with an undisclosed party nearly 20 years ago cited in the lawsuit, Richard said, We have to hammer on the abusers in every way possible. They are the culprits and the problem. They are reckless criminals. In another email exchange, he said opioid addicts are criminals, and they engage in it with full, criminal intent. Why should they be entitled to our sympathies?

The messages stoked tensions among other family members who felt they were less involved in details of Purdues operations than Richard, and that the publicity around the emails was unfairly tarnishing them, according to people familiar with the matter.

A spokeswoman for New Yorks attorney general told Reuters that family members should take responsibility for their destructive actions.

On April 11, the two Sackler contingents and their lawyers gathered in a Debevoise & Plimpton LLP conference room on the 35th floor of a Manhattan office tower to hash out their next moves. Richard dialed into the crisis-management session by phone.

By the end of the meeting, the two sides agreed on taking proactive measures in response to allegations against them, which included seeking media interviews.

But on April 12, just one day later, conflict erupted again as the family wrangled over how to respond to a request from HBOs Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. A producer for the show had sought comment from the family and the company ahead of a segment critical of Richards conduct.

Mortimers "A" side of the family wanted Richard to provide a statement that would strongly repudiate his previous comments assailing addicts and call the messages stupid.

Up to that point, he had most recently apologized in a statement for insensitive language in moments of frustration regarding the email questioning whether addicts deserved sympathy.

Richards son, David, rejected the proposal, in part over concerns that Olivers satirical show was an improper forum for the stronger expression of regret, a person familiar with the matter said.

In the end, the show featured actor Michael Keaton reading from Richards reckless criminals email and other famous actors mocking the former Purdue executive.

However, Oliver also used material supplied by the family and Purdue. He said during the April 14 broadcast that Purdue and the Sacklers insisted the family did not cause the opioid crisis and that they vigorously denied claims in recent lawsuits. He also stated their view that Richards statements criticizing addicts had been taken out of context.

(Reporting by Mike Spector and Jessica DiNapoli. Additional reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; editing by Vanessa O'Connell and Edward Tobin)
Instagram is cracking down on misinformation about vaccinations (PA)

Instagram is cracking down on misinformation about vaccinations being spread by blocking hashtags on its app that draw out verifiably false posts about the controversial subject.

Inaccurate and misleading anti-vaccination messages on social media are thought to be one of the reasons why vaccination rates have dropped in recent years.

An estimated 169 million children around the world missed out on the first dose of the measles vaccine between 2010 and 2017, according to recent numbers from charity Unicef.

The news comes as it was revealed that 20% of Britons believe vaccinations have harmful effects which are not being told to the public.

The Facebook-owned platform already blocks obvious hashtag terms used to spread false information, such as #vaccinescauseautism, #vaccinescauseaids and #vaccinesarepoison, but its policy is now being extended to address vaccine hashtags that seem innocent on the surface.

For example, a hashtag like #vaccines1234 does not contain anything alarming in its wording, but if it is found to be used in a number of posts to promote verifiably false vaccine misinformation it will be added to the block list.

When a hashtag is blocked, users are presented with no results when searching it on the social network.

A nurse handles a syringe at a medical centre in Ashford, Kent (PA)

However, Instagrams approach continues to only targets misinformation about vaccines and not anti-vax opinions, which it says is not something it would take action on.

Instagram did not specify a limit on the number of times a hashtag is being abused before blocking it, stating that it will block hashtags whereby the content surfaced on the hashtag page contains a certain amount of verifiably false vaccine misinformation.

The move comes after Facebook said it was exploring additional measures to address anti-vaccination posts in February, following concerns raised about the controversial subject appearing in groups and pages across Facebook.

At the time, the company admitted that the task is challenging as it grapples with striking a balance between freedom to express opinion and the safety of its users, but said it was committed to tackling the problem.

Story continues

A measles vaccination being administered. (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

Last month, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he wouldnt rule out anything when asked whether unvaccinated children should be banned from schools.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has also described vaccine refusal as a growing public health timebomb.
The trade war between the U.S. and China seems to be far from over as the latest round of talks ended without a deal this week. The recent developments come after President Donald Trumps new tariff rate of 25% on $200 billion of imports from China took effect, putting investors on edge and leaving many questioning how to play the markets.

Goldman Sachs (GS) was out with a note earlier this week suggesting investors favor services firms over goods-producing companies. The bank noted services stocks are less exposed to trade policy and have better corporate fundamentals than Goods companies and should outperform even if the trade tensions are ultimately resolved.

But not all on Wall Street agree. George Seay, Annandale Capital founder, told Yahoo Finances The Ticker that the best way to play the dispute is to be more conservative, and thinks Goldmans call on favoring services stocks is absurd.

The best way to play the dispute is to be more conservative. I think its kind of absurd for Goldman to come out and try and split hairs and say which stocks you should purchase during a trade dispute situation where tariffs may be put on for an extended period of time ... I think thats just trying to drive trading revenue and profits for Goldman.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, center, and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, third from left, and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, left, speak together as Liu He departs the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington, Friday, May 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

In terms of what Seay thinks investors should do with their money, he says investors should be looking to reduce exposure until the dispute is resolved.

Weve had such a great run this year that any investor thats had heavy stock exposure throughout the year has some really awesome gains. I would be protecting those [gains] right now.

Trump may have helped ease Wall Streets jitters on Friday, tweeting the relationship between President Xi and myself remains a very strong one and conversations will continue.
A top Iranian commander shut down the idea of talks with the U.S. Friday while shrugging off the presence of American B-52 bombers that arrived in the area the previous day.

No talks will be held with the Americans and the Americans will not dare take military action against us, General Yadollah Javani of the Islamic Republics Revolutionary Guards said, according to Irans state-run Tasnim news agency.

Iran sees America as unreliable, the Guards deputy chief for political affairs added.

The U.S. deployed the four bombers as well as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf and they reportedly arrived at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar on Thursday.

The Pentagon moved the bombers and aircraft carrier to the region amid fears that Iran is transporting short-range ballistic missiles in the Persian Gulf with the intention of striking U.S. targets, putting American forces and U.S.-backed coalitions in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar in danger.

What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me, Trump said at the White House Thursday.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a warning to the state terror sponsor, saying that, our restraint to this point should not be mistaken by Iran for a lack of resolve.

The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against U.S. interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive U.S. response, Pompeo said in a statement.

We do not seek war, the secretary of state said. But Irans 40 years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities, and taking American hostages is a constant reminder that we must defend ourselves.

Iran has escalated its rhetoric since April, when the U.S. officially designated Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Pompeo announced an end to the temporary exemptions from U.S. sanctions that eight countries had been granted, allowing them to continue importing Iranian oil and gas.

More from National Review
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israel lifted a ban on Friday on Palestinian fishing boats operating off Gaza, an Israeli military body said, ending a measure imposed during a deadly flare-up of violence earlier this month.

The fishing union in Gaza confirmed the lifting of the ban, saying the new limits imposed by Israel were 12 nautical miles in the southern half of Gaza, and six nautical miles in the north.

The Israeli navy often fires on Gazan boats it says have exceeded the limits.

Zakaria Bakr, an official with the fishing union, said a number of boats began fishing Friday, the first in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The measure is seen as a first step in implementing a fragile truce meant to avert a new conflict between the army and Palestinian militants.

"Friday, the Gaza Strip fishing zone is expected to reopen at a range of up to 12 nautical miles," COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for the Palestinian territories, said.

"Application of the measure is conditioned on the Gaza Strip fishermen respecting the agreements."

Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad fired hundreds of rockets at Israel on Saturday and Sunday, with the army striking dozens of targets in Gaza in response.

Four Israeli civilians and 25 Palestinians, including at least nine militants, were killed in the two-day flare-up.

COGAT closed the fishing zone and the border crossings for both people and goods between Israel and Gaza in response to the rocket fire.

A tentative truce was reached on Monday with Palestinian officials saying Israel had agreed to ease its crippling decade-long blockade of the impoverished enclave in exchange for calm.

Israel did not publicly confirm the deal.

A Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he considered the reopening of the fishing area "the first step the (Israeli) occupation must take as part of the implementation of the understandings."

An Egyptian security delegation arrived in Gaza late Thursday to monitor implementation of the Cairo-brokered truce, he said.

Story continues

COGAT's statement late on Thursday did not mention any reopening of the border crossings between Gaza and Israel.

Israel says its blockade is necessary to isolate Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas, with whom it has fought three wars since 2008.

But critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's two million residents.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Nearly half of the vulture population in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights have died of apparent poisoning, Israel's Nature and Parks Authority Friday, in a new blow to an already decimated breed.

Eight out of around 20 griffon vultures left in the area were found dead on Friday, the organisation's director Shaul Goldstein told AFP, in what he described as "a mortal blow to the birds of prey population".

The Israeli parks authority said the deaths constituted "a serious matter", and vowed to find "those responsible for this poisoning and bring them to justice".

A fox and two jackals were also found dead and two other vultures sick were taken to a wildlife clinic for treatment.

Goldstein declined to say if the poisoning was deliberate.

The vulture population on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights has declined significantly over the past two decades, with their number dropping from 130 in 1998 to around 20 before the latest deaths.

In 2016, UN peacekeepers helped return a vulture which had been captured across the border in Lebanon on suspicion of spying for the Jewish state.

Israel seized around 1,200 square kilometres of the Golan from Syria in a 1967 and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

About 18,000 Syrians belonging to the Druze community -- most of whom refuse Israeli citizenship -- remain in the occupied Golan, alongside some 20,000 Israeli settlers in 33 communities.
ROME, May 10 (Reuters) - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini let a charity boat carrying 30 rescued migrants dock at an Italian port on Friday, but said the vessel would be impounded and not let out to sea again.

The migrants, including two pregnant women, a baby and four unaccompanied minors, were picked up by the Mare Jonio on Thursday some 40 miles (64 km) off the coast of Libya as their rubber boat was sinking.

The Italian government has repeatedly accused charity rescuers of being complicit with people smugglers, who charge large sums to help migrants get to Europe, and Salvini has closed the country's ports to their boats.

NGOs deny the accusation, but most of them have stopped sailing in the central Mediterranean given the uncompromising position of the Italian government and repeated investigations by magistrates.

However, the Mare Jonio, which is operated by the Italian charity Mediterranea, has so far defied the pressure and it was briefly impounded in March in Lampedusa after bringing dozens of migrants ashore.

Salvini said on Thursday it would not be allowed to dock with the latest rescued group, but he changed tack on Friday, apparently after being told that the vessel would be seized.

"The last voyage for the boat ... Mare Jonio. Blocked and seized. Bye bye," Salvini wrote on Twitter.

The boat's head of mission, Beppe Caccia, said police had boarded the Mare Jonio, but had not told him they were planning to detain it. He denied any wrongdoing and shrugged off the threat of legal action.

"We operated in full respect of the law," Caccia said in a video message posted on la Repubblica newspaper website. "The smiles of the child we saved yesterday will make any legal problems worth it."

NGOs say Italy's closed-port policy has made crossings much more dangerous, with very few charities out looking to save lives. Underscoring the point, the Alarm Phone organization, that monitors distress calls, said on Friday at least 70 people had drowned in a shipwreck off Tunisia.

New migrant arrivals to Italy have plummeted since Salvini took office last June, with 873 migrants coming to shore so far this year, according to official data, down 91 percent on the same period in 2018 and down 98 percent on 2017.

Unusually, the Italian navy also took part in a rescue mission on Thursday, picking up some 36 migrants from a sinking boat off Libya. They were brought to Sicily on Friday after France, Malta, Luxembourg and Germany agreed to take them in. (Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Crispian Balmer)
The Police on Thursday said they have rescued 27 kidnapped persons, including five Chinese nationals abducted in Niger State. Force Spokesman, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said in a statement in Abuja that the victims were rescued by operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder. Mba said that the Chinese citizens who were earlier kidnapped on April 15, in Bobi, Niger, were rescued on Sunday in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State. He said that their rescue followed painstaking investigative efforts, including air and ground surveillance.

The spokesman said that two of the kidnappers died from injuries sustained during exchange of gun fire with the police in the course of the rescue. He said that the 22 other kidnap victims were rescued in Zamfara and other parts of the country. Mba said that between January and first week of May, 270 suspected kidnappers and 275 suspected armed robbers were arrested by the police. He added that 105 assorted weapons and a large cache of ammunition were also recovered from the suspects during the period. The spokesman said that the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had reassured the nation that the end of violent crimes and criminal activities was in sight. He promises that the force under his leadership will continue to work with other relevant stakeholders in the task of making Nigeria safer and better, he said. Mba said that in continuation of the efforts of the police to bring to an end the current internal security challenges, it had rolled out new counter-kidnapping strategies. He said that the new strategies were targeted at identifying, locating and dismantling kidnapping gangs across the nation and bringing them and their collaborators to justice. It is designed to complement and strengthen the Operation Puff Adder currently going on in several states of the Federation,he said. Mba explained that the operation would involve the deployment of undercover operatives, decoy operations and high-level tactical missions. He said that they would be drawn from the conventional police units, Force Intelligence Unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squads (SARS) Special Anti-kidnapping Squads. Others, according to him, were Police Tactical Units comprising Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) and the Special Forces.


Alibaba founder Jack Ma with kids at AliDay 2018. (Credit: Alibaba)

Jack Ma, the founder and chairman of Chinas e-commerce giant Alibaba (BABA), has drawn controversy for his support on Chinas 996 work shift, saying working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for six days of the week is a blessing. Now besides his devotion to work, the outspoken billionaire wants employees to follow 669 in their personal life.

Ma commented on 669 during Alibaba Group Holdings wedding that happens every year on Ali Day, May 10. What is 669? It refers to having sex six times in six days, and lasting as long as possible. (The number 9 represents long lasting in Chinese.) Hundreds of newly married Alibaba employees joined the ceremony at the companys headquarters in Hangzhou, China, where Ma acts as a wedding officiant and gives a speech.

This years key message from the founder to newly-married employees is to have more kids. The first KPI of marriage is to have results. There must be products. What is the product? Have children, Ma said.

There were 15 million newborns in China last year  marking the lowest birth rate since 1961. For the past three decades, Beijing has imposed the one-child policy. Under pressure from a shrinking labor pool and ageing population, China relaxed the policy in 2016 by allowing couples to have more than one baby.

But the easing of the regulation hasnt delivered immediate results. Many couples have opted not to have babies due to concerns including rising housing prices and access to high-quality education. In China, owning an apartment is usually seen as a prerequisite for getting married. In Hangzhou, Alibabas home turf, the average price for a two-bedroom apartment is $500,000.

A low birthrate means China could be getting old before getting rich. As people over the age of 60 account for 18% of the countrys population, the demographic trend spells a major challenge for the countrys economy and Alibabas business, both heavily rely on consumption.

ack Ma, chairman of Alibaba Group, witnesses a group wedding ceremony on May 9, 2014 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Children are good investments

Story continues

Ma said having kids is a better investment than buying houses nowadays. Marriage is not for the purpose of accumulating wealth, not for buying a house, not for buying a car, but for having a baby together, he told 102 couples in wedding dresses and suits. Always remember that everything could be others, could be fake. Only the child is the real thing. Have more children!

Keeping an extremely low profile of his personal life, Ma, who is married and has one son, believes working hard and living well doesnt contradict each other. There are many roads to marriage, but there is one that everyone must go  they are going to have children. When the sun is shining, you have to repair the roof. When you are young and strong, you have more children!

Mas speech, coupled with jokes and puns on Alibabas product names, was applauded at the ceremony. But not everyone agrees with Mas philosophy. Working 996 shift while living a 669 life? Hes thinking too much. No one can handle that, one user commented on Weibo, Chinas Twitter-like social platform.

Write to Krystal via krystalh@yahoofinance.com or follow her on Twitter.

Read more:

Amazon shuffles thousands of workers in its quest to revamp delivery

Amazon to offer free one-day shipping to Prime members, will invest $800 million to get there

Amazon eyes closed Sears stores for Whole Foods expansion
The coastal city of Kamakura, in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture, has passed an ordinance asking visitors not to eat while walking. This seaside resort, situated around 50 kilometers from Tokyo, is famous for its giant Buddha statue.

After Kyoto's etiquette guide for tourists in 2017 -- teaching visitors the dos and don'ts of behavior in the city -- the Japanese city of Kamakura has published an official ordinance asking visitors not to eat while on the go.

This coastal destination is popular with Tokyo residents looking to escape the crowds of the Japanese metropolis for a weekend and take a welcome breather by Sagami Bay. Many foreign visitors also take the train to visit Kamakura and its many temples, which date back to the 12th century and bear witness to the importance of the city in the Middle Ages. Travelers notably come to see the bronze seated Buddha statue dating from 1252, which weighs 122 tonnes and stands 11 meters tall.

In issuing the ordinance, Kamakura is above all seeking to combat trash and stop leftover food waste littering the city's most popular thoroughfares. However, the authorities are not issuing fines or citations for those who fail to abide by the request, CNN reports.

Kamakura's ordinance is reminiscent of the Italian authorities' decision to ban eating in the street in the historic center of Florence last year. Unlike the Japanese city, those flouting the Florence ban risk fines of up to 500. The Tuscan capital actually followed Rome's example, while Venice and Verona passed laws preventing the opening of new takeaway food outlets.
Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero/The Daily Beast/Getty

Billionaire Jeff Bezos made a rare public appearance in Washington, D.C. on Thursday to make a startling pitch: Its time for humans to start colonizing the moonand soon.

The founder of Amazon explained that his call for a permanent extraterrestrial population is rooted in his belief that Earth alone cannot sustainably feed, shelter and power billions of human beings.

Earth is the best planet, Bezos quipped. It is not close. This one is really good. Dont even get me started on Venus.

But Earths resources arent enough for a growing human population, Bezos argued, saying that even increases in energy efficiency cant solve humanitys resource problem, he posited.

Among the guests at Bezoss event were former astronauts Jack Schmitt and Sandy Magnus and several top NASA officials.

Making technology more efficient just incentivizes us to acquire more tech and use it more intensively, Bezos argued. What happens when unlimited demand meets finite resources? he asked. Rationing.

"Thats the path that we would be on, he added. It would lead for the first time to where your children and grandchildren have worse lives than you. That's a bad path."

But theres good news, the billionaire said. The solar system has unlimited resources.

To continue growing, Bezos suggested that humans get off-planet ASAP. He displayed a slide depicting an enormous space station sheltering an Earth-like landscape with lakes, farms, forests, and wildlife, along with human infrastructure like houses, factories, roads and railways.

Futurists refer to these orbital habitats as ONeill colonies after physicist Gerard O'Neill, who in the 1970s popularized the idea of self-sustaining space communities.

Our choice, one of Bezoss slides read, is between stasis and rationing or dynamism and growth. Off-world colonies would be a sort of pressure valve for the human race, reducing demand for Earths own resources by building, in space, miniature earths that efficiently can tap resources on the moon and in nearby asteroids.

Story continues

Okay, where are we going with this? scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton, who attended the Washington event, tweeted early in Bezoss presentation.

Jeff Bezos has wanted to go to space forever, Elkins-Tanton added.

But Bezos still is a businessman. Its not a secret he aims to profit off his space exploration. Bezoss space company Blue Origin builds rockets and could benefit from the massive launch infrastructure that would be required for the construction and support of off-world habitats.

In a May 2 test in Texas, Blue Origin successfully launched and landed one of its reusable New Shepard rockets. Among other space missions, Blue Origin hopes to use the 59-feet-tall New Shepard to send tourists into space.

New Shepard could fly with human passengers for the first time as early as this year. Blue Origin also is developing New Glenn, a 310-feet-tall rocket that, if it works, would be among the biggest space-launch vehicles in history when it first flies as early as 2021.

At present it costs NASA and partner space agencies billions of dollars a year to support the International Space Station and its six occupants. Any single ONeill colony would be hundreds of times larger than the ISS and presumably would cost hundreds times more to build.

That could involve a lot of trips by New Shepards and New Glenns.

Whats more, anyone building a giant space habitat likely would use the moon as a staging base and a source of raw materials.

The Trump administration isnt shy about its intention to return American astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024 in order to stake a claim on potentially hundreds of billions of dollars worth of cobalt, gold, helium, iron, palladium, platinum, tungsten and other resources.

As more countries land on the moon, we risk a Wild West situation without clarification of ownership rights, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said at space conference in Colorado in April.

Bezos wants some of those rights for himself. Halfway through his Washington event, Bezos unveiled a mock-up of Blue Origins new Blue Moon lunar lander. He also revealed the design of a new rocket motor that Blue Origin is designing specifically for moon missions.

The lander in particular could help NASA to meet its accelerated deadline for returning astronauts to the moon. The space agency has planned to land on the lunar surface in 2028, but Pres. Donald Trump apparently wants to re-plant the U.S. flag on the moon before the end of his possible second term.

Bezos wrapped up his presentation with an inspirational slide. Earth is the best planet, the slide read. We need to protect it. We need the resources of space.

Its this generations job to build the infrastructure.

Read more at The Daily Beast.
You may not have given a lot of thought to your plans for 2024, but more and more people in the space business have. For reasons not entirely clear, 2024 has become the big year for big promises.

The trend started in 2017 with SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who stunned an international astronomy conference in Adelaide, Australia with his announcement that a new mega-rocket he was building could have human beings on Mars within seven years. Skeptics questioning how he arrived at that date speculated that it might have been a simple matter of subtraction. NASA had recently revealed that it was looking at 2034 for its own first Mars landing, so Musk, being Musk, just subtracted a decade and made his announcement. Either way, as with many of his other big predictions, he soon stopped talking about it.

Earlier this spring, NASA began flirting with 2024 too, when Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Vice President Mike Pence called for a return to the moon within five years. We are committed to making this happen, Bridenstine said in a NASA statement. We have the people to achieve it. Now, we just need bipartisan support and the resources to get this done.

That last sentence, of course, is the rub. At this point, bipartisan support is the political systems version of a rare-Earth metal and when Bridenstine says resources he means money, something NASA hasnt gotten in any real abundance in decades.

Now, completing the 2024 trifecta, Jeff Bezos  who more or less owns the world in his day job and in his off-hours is also chief and founder of the Blue Origin rocket company  has announced that he too will have people on the moon by 2024. In a nearly hour-long unveiling in Washington, D.C. on May 9, Bezos revealed not only his plans, but the Blue Moon spacecraft with which he plans to stick to his promised landing.

This vehicle is going to the moon, Bezos declared, showing off a giant, spidery ship reminiscent of the Apollo eras lunar module, only sleeker and cooler and way, way bluer. I love Vice President Pences 2024 lunar landing goal. We can help meet that timeline but only because we started three years ago.

Story continues

So, where to begin?

For one thing, theres the this vehicle is going to the moon part. Its not. It cant. Thats because its not a vehicle, but a mockup. It may go back to the prop shop where it was built, but thats all. Bezos phrasing is no small thing, because the companys own press material keeps echoing it, speaking of the spacecraft in the present, existing tense:

Blue Moon is a flexible lunar lander delivering a wide variety of small, medium and large payloads to the lunar surface. No, but it might be one day.

The Blue Moon lander provides kilowatts of power to payloads using its fuel cells. Not yet it doesnt.

Much of the media echoed the be-here-now phrasing, which compounded the problem. NASA, for all of the dilatory drift of its post-Apollo era, is at least honest about the prospective nature of so many of its projects. Indeed, one good way to handicap the likelihood of any of the space agencys ongoing projects actually reaching completion is to apply the Count the Conditionals rule: The more times a NASA press release describes what a planned spacecraft could or would do, the less likely it is that it will actually do anything at all.

Then theres the business of Bezos supposed three-year head start on NASA: Its a very good point, but only as long as youre willing to overlook the 60-year head start NASA has on him. The space agency has been building rockets and spacecraft since the Eisenhower administration and most of whats holding its lunar and Mars programs back is not a lack of know-how, but a lack of funding. Theres a lot to be said for the confidence and even arrogance that made Amazon the behemoth it is, but building rockets is a whole lot harder than selling merch. When youve never launched a human being on so much as a suborbital flight, implying that youve got edge on an agency that sent 24 people to the moon is not a good look.

Finally, theres the matter of Bezos plans for colonizing and commercializing space, which took up a fair portion of his presentation. Much has been made  for good reason  of the fact that there is abundant water ice at the south lunar pole. Those deposits could be harvested for drinking water and to grow crops in envisioned lunar greenhouses. It could also be used as rocket fuel, once you break it down into its constituent oxygen and hydrogen. Bezos smartly plans the Blue Moon engines to run on a hydrogen-oxygen mix to take advantage of that fact. But he also envisions going further, using the moon for other manufacturing.

[It] takes 24 times less energy to get [resources] off the surface compared to the Earth, he said, and that is a huge lever.

But youre getting them off the surface presumably just to take them back to Earthwhere you could have done your manufacturing in the first place. Even if Bezos is not actually talking about manufacturing on the lunar surface, but merely extracting resources, there is not much in the way of raw materials that the moon has that Earth doesnt. The exception is helium-3, an isotope of helium that is ever and always spoken of excitedly as an ideal fuel for a fusion reactor which could produce energy cleanly and boundlessly. Thats true  but first it would be nice if we could invent a fusion reactor, which weve been trying to do for decades and havent been able to achieve.

Its a good thing that Bezos is putting his vision and his money behind getting people into space. The same is true of Musk, and the same is true of any other entrepreneurs who want to be part of a space game that once was open only to governments. But as those governments could tell you, its easy to excite people with the cool stuff youre going to do, but its easier still to lose them entirely if you dont deliver. Pro tip for the newbies: Build your spaceships first, then show them off.
The film will begin streaming via Amazon Prime on June 4 -- a few days ahead of the band's comeback album "Happiness Begins."

On Thursday, Amazon released the first trailer for the Jonas Brothers' upcoming documentary.

In the preview, Kevin, Joe and Nich reflect on their tumultuous journey as bandmates and siblings. It blends home movies and behind-the-scenes footage of their past concerts.

The dramatic trailer traces the Jonas Brothers' beginnings in New Jersey, growing up with a pastor father. "Overnight, we were a band," recalls Joe. "We're here doing it, living our dream."

They later signed a record deal with Disney, propelling the Jonas Brothers to fame. "We had no idea how big the band was getting," Kevin confesses.

Tensions started to appear, ultimately leading to Nick calling it quits in 2013. "There were moments I thought they'll never speak to me again," he says.

The trailer mentions how their individual journeys led to their reunion six years later -- showing footage of Nick's wedding with actress Priyanka Chopra.

"I'd rather we be brothers and not have our band dictate our relationship," Joe concludes as the clip ends.

The documentary "Chasing Happiness" will exclusively premiere on Amazon Prime Video on June 4. It will precede the release of the trio's first album since 2009, "Happiness Begins" -- out on June 7 via Republic Records.

In addition, the Jonas Brothers will be kicking off their "Happiness Begins" tour this summer -- with Bebe Rexha and Jordan McGraw as guests.

In the meantime, discover the trailer of "Chasing Happiness":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS0PVYreMzo
Ethereum's co-founder believes more competition in the stablecoin market is a good thing. | Source: (i) Collision Conference/Flickr (ii) Shutterstock; Edited by CCN

By CCN: The Bitfinex mess wont be resolved anytime soon, charged Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin.

His comments, which came on Thursday, come after a New York Supreme Court judge scathingly criticized the NY Attorney General who filed an injunction against Bitfinex and Tether.

The office, led by AG Letitia James, contends Bitfinex and Tether committed fraud when it handled the hack that led to the loss of $850 million of tokens.

While Lubin didnt mention the Supreme Court development, his thoughts align with those of the judge.

Bitfinex Mess Will Benefit Other Stable Tokens

In 2016, hackers accessed Bitfinex and made off with BTC from the exchanges hot wallets.

The entire matter in which $850 million of tokens went missing wont be resolved anytime soon, Lubin said at the Fluidity Summit conference in New York.

Read the full story on CCN.com.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  A judge in New Hampshire dismissed a lawsuit Friday against a man relatives say killed his millionaire grandfather for inheritance money, saying the slain grandfather was not a resident of the state.

Judge David King said John Chakalos lived in Connecticut, even though he had a New Hampshire driver's license and house, and was registered to vote there. King had earlier rejected a similar argument by 24-year-old Nathan Carman, but Carman argued that new evidence provided by Chakalos' former estate planner shows otherwise.

"His actual residence was in Connecticut, he had a more and significant lasting connection there, and he never intended to permanently reside outside that state," King said.

The lawsuit, brought on by Carman's mother's three sisters, said his aunts don't want him to get his mother's share of the inheritance. After the judge's decision, they said they will consider "further actions" in Connecticut and New Hampshire. Chakalos left more than $29 million to his four daughters.

Linda Chakalos went missing during a fishing trip with Carman in 2016 after their boat sank near Rhode Island. She is presumed dead. Carman's family believes he was also responsible for her death.

Carman has denied any role in his grandfather's 2013 death. Chakalos, a real estate developer, was found shot to death in his Windsor home. He has also denied any role in the disappearance of his mother. He has not been charged with any crimes.

"I can tell you right now that I am pleased because the court got it right," Carman told The Associated Press. "The facts are that my grandfather spent all his time in Connecticut. I would have welcomed a trial on the merits, but the court got the facts right when it dismissed the case."

The family said in a statement that it "respectfully but strongly disagrees" with the decision.

"John immersed himself in New Hampshire where all of his adult and childhood friends live and where he constantly gave back to his community," the family said. "The family is thoroughly considering its options for filing further actions in Connecticut and New Hampshire, to make sure that Nathan is held accountable for his lies, destruction of evidence and murderous conduct."

Story continues

Carman also is fighting an insurer in federal court in Rhode Island over his insurance claim for his boat. The insurer alleges he made suspicious alterations to the boat before it sank and it is trying to avoid payment on the $85,000 policy.

___

Michael Casey reported from Boston.
Dubai (AFP) - Grain silos outside the port of Hodeida that are vital to UN plans to feed millions of needy Yemenis were hit by gunfire just days after aid staff gained access, the UN said Friday.

The World Food Programme is still assessing the damage from the Thursday attack, which caused no casualties, the UN agency's senior spokesperson, Herve Verhoosel, said in a statement.

A WFP team finally gained access to the Red Sea Mills silos on Sunday after postponing its inspection visit for a month for security reasons.

The silos themselves are controlled by troops of a Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting in support of the Yemeni government.

But they are close to front line with Huthi rebels who control the port and much of the city of Hodeida..

Verhoosel said the silos contained some 51,000 tonnes of grains -- enough to feed 3.7 million people for a month.

"It appears that two silos were hit, one of which contains wheat," he said. "There was no fire."

Verhoosel told said the WFP was unaware who carried out the attack.

In February, a WFP team visited the mills for the first time since September, when they became inaccessible due to heavy fighting between pro-government forces and the rebels.

The fighting has largely stopped under a UN-brokered ceasefire struck in Sweden in December but there have been intermittent clashes.

The more than four-year conflict in Yemen has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say.

The fighting has triggered what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 3.3 million people still displaced and 24.1 million -- more than two-thirds of the population -- in need of aid.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

The big shareholder groups in Genesis Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:GEN) have power over the company. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. I generally like to see some degree of insider ownership, even if only a little. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb said, 'Dont tell me what you think, tell me what you have in your portfolio.'

Genesis Healthcare is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of US$209m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions own shares in the company. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about GEN.

View our latest analysis for Genesis Healthcare

NYSE:GEN Ownership Summary, May 10th 2019

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Genesis Healthcare?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

We can see that Genesis Healthcare does have institutional investors; and they hold 27% of the stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Genesis Healthcare, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

NYSE:GEN Income Statement, May 10th 2019

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Genesis Healthcare. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Insider Ownership Of Genesis Healthcare

Story continues

The definition of company insiders can be subjective, and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. The company management answer to the board; and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board, themselves.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in Genesis Healthcare, Inc.. Insiders have a US$29m stake in this US$209m business. This may suggest that the founders still own a lot of shares. You can click here to see if they have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public holds a 14% stake in GEN. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 9.5%, of the GEN stock. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too.

Many find it useful to take an in depth look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow .

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
(This April 29 story corrects seventh bullet point to remove erroneous mention of California, which eliminated all non-medical exemptions in 2015)

(Reuters) - The United States so far this year has recorded 704 cases of measles in 22 states, its largest outbreak since public health officials in 2000 declared the disease eradicated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC on Monday released updated figures on the number of cases recorded so far this year, which have hit a 25-year-high.

Here are key facts about the outbreak:

- Public health officials blame the measles resurgence on the spread of misinformation about vaccines. A vocal fringe of parents opposes vaccines, believing, contrary to scientific studies, that ingredients in them can cause autism.

- The largest outbreaks are concentrated in Orthodox Jewish communities in New York City's Williamsburg neighborhood, where some 390 cases have been confirmed, and Rockland County north of New York City, which has recorded 202 cases. Those figures include infections from last year and are not directly comparable to the CDC numbers.

- Other outbreaks have been reported in Washington state, New Jersey, California's Butte County and Michigan.

- The disease is highly contagious and can be fatal, killing one or two of every 1,000 children who contract it, according to the CDC. It can also cause permanent hearing loss or intellectual disabilities. It poses the greatest risk to unvaccinated young children.

- The United States' 2000 declaration that measles was eradicated meant that the disease was no longer present in the country year round. Measles remains common in some countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, and unvaccinated travelers to those countries can bring it back to the United States. The current outbreaks are believed to trace back to visits to Israel and Ukraine.

- New York City officials said some 21,000 people have received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in affected areas since the outbreak began in October. The city has begun fining unvaccinated adults.

Story continues

- Lawmakers in Oregon and Washington state are considering bills to eliminate non-medical exemptions that allowed unvaccinated children to attend public schools.

- In order to achieve herd immunity that protects those unable to get the measles vaccine, such as infants and people with compromised immune systems, 90% to 95% of the population needs to be vaccinated.

Sources: U.S. CDC, World Health Organization, public health offices in New York State and City, Washington state, California and Michigan

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Two years after taking office South Korean President Moon Jae-in finally gave his first interview to domestic media this week, only for his questioner to face allegations she insulted him with "rude" facial expressions.

In a hierarchical society with a history of dictatorship and strong traditional values, South Korean presidents are largely regarded as deserving utmost respect -- even though all four of the country's living former heads of state are either in prison or have previously been jailed.

Since coming to office Moon has shied away from public questioning, holding only a handful of press conferences and granting interviews only to a few foreign outlets.

That changed Thursday with a live television discussion with national broadcaster KBS to mark the second anniversary of his inauguration.

In it, Moon defended his handling of the South's flagging economy and criticised North Korea's latest missile launch.

By Western standards, the questioning by correspondent Song Hyun-jung was mild and deferential.

But within minutes of the broadcast ending, Song -- one of the channel's senior political reporters -- was being condemned online by some of Moon's most devoted supporters for "being too aggressive" and what they called her "rude attitude" and facial expressions.

She had "interrupted the president", they said, adding that frowning in front of the head of state was "ill-mannered" and "unpleasant".

An online petition asking Moon's office to "choose a better interviewer" for future TV appearances had garnered around 20,000 signatures as of Friday afternoon.

- 'Not healthy' -

Several commentators focussed on a question where Song asked Moon how he felt about being branded a "dictator" by the main opposition party.

"This just shows that our democracy is not healthy," political commentator Park Sang-byung told AFP.

Story continues

"If the main opposition party has called the president a dictator, then any reporter has every right to ask him about it. It's always healthier to talk about difficult issues and words, rather than avoiding them altogether."

Song's defenders said she was targeted partly because she was a woman and was seen as going against the gender norm expected when dealing with an older, powerful man.

"The fact that she is being criticised for her attitude -- and her facial expression -- shows how unfamiliar the South Korean public is when it comes to seeing women who challenge men in power," said Bae Bok-ju, a women's rights activist.

But Chae Jin-won, a professor at Humanitas College of Kyung Hee University, said Song had acted like a "prosecutor investigating a suspect".

"It was his first TV interview since Moon took office. Most Koreans wanted to watch a conversation, I think, rather than what almost looks like a trial," he said.

The presidential Blue House said it was "inappropriate" for it to comment on the public criticism against the reporter, but added that Moon was not "displeased" after the interview -- and that he would not have minded a "more aggressive battle".
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of Kunlun Energy Company Limited (HKG:135).

Over the last twelve months Kunlun Energy has recorded a ROE of 12%. One way to conceptualize this, is that for each HK$1 of shareholders' equity it has, the company made HK$0.12 in profit.

View our latest analysis for Kunlun Energy

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for ROE is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit  Shareholders' Equity

Or for Kunlun Energy:

12% = CN4.6b  CN70b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)

Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. Shareholders' equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company.

What Does Return On Equity Signify?

ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, all else being equal, a high ROE is better than a low one. That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses.

Does Kunlun Energy Have A Good ROE?

One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. The image below shows that Kunlun Energy has an ROE that is roughly in line with the Oil and Gas industry average (11%).

Story continues

SEHK:135 Past Revenue and Net Income, May 9th 2019

That's neither particularly good, nor bad. ROE doesn't tell us if the share price is low, but it can inform us to the nature of the business. For those looking for a bargain, other factors may be more important. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity?

Most companies need money -- from somewhere -- to grow their profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the use of debt will improve the returns, but will not change the equity. In this manner the use of debt will boost ROE, even though the core economics of the business stay the same.

Kunlun Energy's Debt And Its 12% ROE

Although Kunlun Energy does use debt, its debt to equity ratio of 0.55 is still low. The fact that it achieved a fairly good ROE with only modest debt suggests the business might be worth putting on your watchlist. Judicious use of debt to improve returns can certainly be a good thing, although it does elevate risk slightly and reduce future optionality.

But It's Just One Metric

Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE.

Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So you might want to check this FREE visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Japan has lodged a protest with North Korea following the country's launch of projectiles on Thursday.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kotaro Nogami told reporters on Friday that after studying intelligence on the projectiles, the government concluded that the North had fired a short-range ballistic missile.

He said the launch of the missile violated UN Security Council resolutions and was very regrettable.

He said Japan will closely cooperate with the United States and other concerned parties and push for thorough implementation of the UN resolutions.

Nogami noted Japan has lodged a strong protest with North Korea through diplomatic channels in Beijing.

He said the government will continue to look for the most effective way toward comprehensive resolution of pending issues with North Korea, including its abductions of Japanese nationals and nuclear and missile programs.

Concerning Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Nogami said Japan needs to take the initiative in tackling the abduction issue.

Nogami said the government will maintain its stance of taking bold action without missing any possible opportunities for progress, as the abductees' relatives in Japan are getting old.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  The Latest on the crisis over the embattled nuclear deal between Iran and world powers (all times local):

8 p.m.

The semi-official Mehr news agency is reporting that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sent a warning to European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal.

He says Friday the signatories should not underestimate Iran's will to implement a step-by-step reduction of its commitments to the deal. The report said Araghchi made the remarks in a Thursday meeting in Tehran with Britain's Director General for Political Affairs Richard Moore.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that signatories to the deal have two months to come up with a plan to shield his country  already laboring under economic hardship  from the sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump.

According to Mehr, Moore said the U.K. continues to support the deal and will work to fulfill Iran's demands, including the activation of the financial mechanism designed to bypass U.S. sanctions, known as Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX).

___

2:30 p.m.

A top commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard says Tehran won't talk with the U.S., a day after President Donald Trump said he'd like Iranian leaders to "call me."

Friday's report by the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Gen. Yadollah Javani as saying that "there will be no negotiations with America."

Javani also claimed the U.S. would not dare take military action against Iran.

Trump told reporters on Thursday at the White House: "What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me."

The U.S. has moved a bomber squadron and sent USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf in response to unspecified threats by Iran. And on Wednesday, Iran threatened to renew some nuclear enrichment that had been halted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

___

8:40 a.m.

The B-52 bombers ordered by the White House to deploy to the Persian Gulf to counter unspecified threats from Iran are beginning to arrive at a major American air base in Qatar.

Story continues

Images released by the U.S. Air Force show B-52H Stratofortress bombers arriving at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Thursday. Others landed at an undisclosed location Wednesday.

The Air Force identified the aircraft as coming from the 20th Bomb Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

On Sunday, the White House announced it would send the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and the bombers to counter Tehran.

On Wednesday, Iran announced it would begin backing away from its nuclear deal with world powers, a year after President Donald Trump pulled America from the accord.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Lebanese government said on Friday that only soldiers serving at the frontline with Israel would benefit from a financial incentive that was designed for frontline troops but has been widely applied. A demand for the strict application of the "Measure 3" scheme was included in a tough draft budget that has triggered strikes and protests in recent weeks, including by retired soldiers. The Lebanese economy is saddled with one the heaviest public debt burdens in the world, and Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said this week that failure to pass a "realistic" budget would be tantamount to a "suicide operation". The public sector wage bill is the government's biggest expense, followed by debt servicing costs. Under "Measure 3", one year of frontline service is counted as three when it comes to calculating soldiers' end-of-career compensation. "The government will apply the law that stipulates that Measure 3 is (applied for soldiers) in confrontation with the Israeli enemy," Information Minister Jamal al-Jarrah said, adding that retirement ages for soldiers would be raised. Ex-soldiers set ablaze tires in a protest against the NEW restriction outside the government headquarters on Friday, the latest demonstration against cuts to their benefits. The Lebanese army, a big recipient of U.S. military aid, is widely deployed inside the country and has been seen as a pillar of its stability since the end of the 1975-90 civil war. Jarrah said it would be left up to the command of the security apparatus to determine in which situations Measure 3 should be applied. "This means they will determine with cabinet exceptional circumstances the country may pass through and when" the different measures are applied, he added after a cabinet meeting. (Writing by Tom Perry; editing by John Stonestreet)
BEIRUT, May 10 (Reuters) - The Lebanese government said on Friday that only soldiers serving at the frontline with Israel would benefit from a financial incentive that was designed for frontline troops but has been widely applied.

A demand for the strict application of the "Measure 3" scheme was included in a tough draft budget that has triggered strikes and protests in recent weeks, including by retired soldiers.

The Lebanese economy is saddled with one the heaviest public debt burdens in the world, and Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said this week that failure to pass a "realistic" budget would be tantamount to a "suicide operation."

The public sector wage bill is the government's biggest expense, followed by debt servicing costs.

Under "Measure 3," one year of frontline service is counted as three when it comes to calculating soldiers' end-of-career compensation.

"The government will apply the law that stipulates that Measure 3 is (applied for soldiers) in confrontation with the Israeli enemy," Information Minister Jamal al-Jarrah said, adding that retirement ages for soldiers would be raised.

Ex-soldiers set ablaze tires in a protest against the NEW restriction outside the government headquarters on Friday, the latest demonstration against cuts to their benefits.

The Lebanese army, a big recipient of U.S. military aid, is widely deployed inside the country and has been seen as a pillar of its stability since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.

Jarrah said it would be left up to the command of the security apparatus to determine in which situations Measure 3 should be applied.

"This means they will determine with cabinet exceptional circumstances the country may pass through and when" the different measures are applied, he added after a cabinet meeting.

(Writing by Tom Perry; editing by John Stonestreet)
Most visitors to Vietnam's famed Ha Long Bay opt for cruise views of the UNESCO heritage site but from Friday tourists can hop on a helicopter to see the area's famous karst rock formations from the skies.

Nervous flyers beware.

A pair of five-seater helicopters soared up to 300 metres (1,000 feet) to offer passengers aerial views of the limestone towers, cruise ships and the odd houseboat dotting Ha Long's green waters for the maiden flights on Friday.

Helicopter manufacturer Bell said the trips, which start at $125 for 12 minutes, were aimed at tapping into a growing number of tourists to Vietnam -- many from the world's second biggest economy.

"With the Chinese economy growing, you're seeing more tourists come here," said David Sale, Bell's managing director for Asia-Pacific.

The number of visitors to Vietnam grew nearly 20 percent last year, with one-third of the total coming from its powerful communist neighbour to the north.

Domestic tourism is also booming among Vietnam's fast-growing middle class with expanding appetites -- and budgets -- for travel.

Ha Long Bay is one of the country's top draws, with as many as 500 cruise ships in the bay every day and a newly-opened airport helping to funnel visitors into the area.

But the tourist boom has also prompted environmental concerns in the once-pristine bay in Quang Ninh province, also home to home to rapid industrialisation.

"We're under pressure from the coal industry, the urbanisation process, the arrival of more tourists and the population increase," said Le Minh Tan, deputy director of Quang Ninh's tourism department.

He added that a waste-water management system is set to be rolled out soon to deal with sewage spewed out by cruise ships daily.

"We're launching many programs in the area to ensure the environment of Ha Long is green and clean."
Naples (Italy) (AFP) - As space agencies prepare to return humans to the Moon, top engineers are racing to design a tunnel boring machine capable of digging underground colonies for the first lunar inhabitants.

"Space is becoming a passion for a lot of people again. There are discussions about going back to the moon, this time to stay," US-Iranian expert Jamal Rostami told AFP at this year's World Tunnel Congress in Naples.

The administration of US President Donald Trump wants NASA to put humans back on the Moon by 2024, and the agency is also drawing up plans for a "Gateway" station to serve as a platform for astronauts travelling to and from the lunar surface.

Billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are among those feverishly competing for military, civil or commercial launches, with Musk's SpaceX leading the race on building rockets ready to fly in time.

But the harsh conditions on the surface of the Moon mean that, once up there, humans need to be shielded from radiation and freezing temperatures in structures which maintain atmospheric pressure in a vacuum.

They also need protection from meteorite strikes.

"Imagine something the size of my fist as a piece of rock coming at 10-12 kilometres (6-7 miles) per second, it can hit anything and would immediately destroy it," Rostami said at the meeting in southern Italy.

"So every plan for having a habitat on the moon involves making a trench, creating a structure and covering it with some sort of regolith, which is the soil on the moon.

"Our idea is to actually start underground, using a mechanism we already use on the earth, a tunnel boring machine, to make a continuous opening to create habitats or connect the colonies together," he added.

Analysis of images of the lunar surface show lava tubes capable of housing large cities underground, said Rostami, director of the Earth Mechanics Institute at the US Colorado School of Mines.

Story continues

- Streamlining -

But getting something as vast as a tunnel boring machine up there will be no easy task.

"Weight is an issue. It's pretty expensive to take a kilogramme of material from the earth to the moon. Our machines are hundreds of tonnes of mass, so it's not feasible to take the machines as they are," he said.

"We have to convert the design, where all the components are optimised, weigh much less, and perform better."

The machines also have to become fully automated and repairs reduced to a minimum, a particular challenge when dealing with tools that see a lot of wear and tear as they eat through rock and dirt.

There is also the question of how to power them.

With a four-metre diameter machine needing some 2,000 kilowatts of energy, experts are debating whether it is possible to use small nuclear power plants to fuel a lunar version, he said.

- Frozen treasure -

There may be 1,000 people living in outer space by 2050 -- either in orbit or on the Moon -- according to the American United Launch Alliance, which estimates this initial space exploration will cost 2.7 trillion dollars.

Despite some talk of the first space residents using mining tools like lunar tunnel boring machines (LTBM) to dig for precious minerals, Rostami said their priorities would lie in extracting something even more precious.

"We're not talking about gold. The first target is water. We know there is trapped water at the lunar poles, where the temperature is as low as -190 degrees Celsius (-310 Fahrenheit)".

"One of the ideas being discussed is of heating the part in permanent shadow, evaporating the water and capturing it," said Rostami, who has launched the world's first Masters degree and PhD in Space Resource Engineering in Colorado.

"Another idea is to mine it, and take it to a facility and let it thaw. The material extracted along with the water can then be used to 3D print buildings in the colonies," he said.

One thing is sure: the future LTBM will undergo rigorous pilot testing on Earth first "because once it's deployed, that's that. It'll be very difficult to make any drastic changes".
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

I've been keeping an eye on Lung Kee (Bermuda) Holdings Limited (HKG:255) because I'm attracted to its fundamentals. Looking at the company as a whole, as a potential stock investment, I believe 255 has a lot to offer. Basically, it is a highly-regarded dividend-paying company that has been able to sustain great financial health over the past. Below, I've touched on some key aspects you should know on a high level. For those interested in digger a bit deeper into my commentary, take a look at the report on Lung Kee (Bermuda) Holdings here.

Flawless balance sheet average dividend payer

255's strong financial health means that all of its upcoming liability payments are able to be met by its current cash and short-term investment holdings. This indicates that 255 has sufficient cash flows and proper cash management in place, which is an important determinant of the companys health. Investors should not worry about 255s debt levels because the company has none! This implies that the company is running its operations purely on off equity funding. which is typically normal for a small-cap company. 255 has plenty of financial flexibility, without debt obligations to meet in the short term, as well as the headroom to raise debt should it need to in the future.

SEHK:255 Historical Debt, May 10th 2019

For those seeking income streams from their portfolio, 255 is a robust dividend payer as well. Over the past decade, the company has consistently increased its dividend payout, reaching a yield of 7.0%, making it one of the best dividend companies in the market.

SEHK:255 Historical Dividend Yield, May 10th 2019

Next Steps:

For Lung Kee (Bermuda) Holdings, I've compiled three key factors you should further examine:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 255s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 255s outlook. Historical Performance: What has 255'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. Other Attractive Alternatives : Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of 255? Explore our interactive list of stocks with large potential to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

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.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who was being detained for refusing to testify before a grand jury, was released on Thursday and immediately summoned to appear before a new grand jury next week, her lawyers said. Manning was released after the term expired for the previous grand jury in Virginia that was seeking her testimony in connection with what is believed to be the governments long-running investigation into WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange. She was simultaneously subpoenaed to appear before a different grand jury on May 16, meaning she could be found in contempt again for refusing to testify and returned to jail, her lawyers said in a statement. Manning had appeared before the grand jury in early March but declined to answer questions. She was jailed for 62 days for contempt of court. A U.S. appeals court denied her request to be released on bail and upheld the lower court's decision to hold her in civil contempt for refusing to testify. "Chelsea will continue to refuse to answer questions, and will use every available legal defense to prove to District Judge (Anthony) Trenga that she has just cause for her refusal to give testimony," the statement said. It is unclear exactly why federal prosecutors want Manning to testify, although her representatives say the questions she was asked concern the release of information she disclosed to the public in 2010 through WikiLeaks. Manning was convicted by court-martial in 2013 of espionage and other offenses for furnishing more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to WikiLeaks while she was an intelligence analyst in Iraq. Former U.S. President Barack Obama, in his final days in office, commuted the final 28 years of Mannings 35-year sentence. After nearly seven years of giving Assange refuge in its embassy in London, Ecuador on April 11 ended its protection and he was arrested by British police. The United States is seeking his extradition to face charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. Assange plans to fight the U.S. extradition request. WikiLeaks published a classified U.S. military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff. The U.S. government said Assange tried to help Manning gain access to a government computer. It is not clear if the alleged collaboration between Manning and Assange led to a successful intrusion into any U.S. government computer. (Reporting by David Alexander; editing by Grant McCool)
Marriott CEO on Cancer Diagnosis: We Are Going to Soldier On

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson addressed his stage two pancreatic cancer diagnosis for the first time since the hotel company made the news public last week.

The 60-year-old told investors on Marriotts Friday earnings call that medical professionals at Johns Hopkins have seen this many times before.

They believe we have caught it early, that it is operable, and that the course of treatment is prudent, added Sorenson. With the support of an extraordinary strong team of Marriott executives, we are going to soldier on.

Despite the encouraging news, Marriotts mixed first quarter results left analysts underwhelmed. The company beat on profit estimates even after falling 11 percent year-over-year to $375 million, but missed on revenue, which rose marginally to $5.01 billion compared to $5.11 billion projected by analysts.

Home Rentals Benefit Bonvoy Members

Marriott is looking at its new homesharing business as a complementary component to its traditional hotel offering, it said. The business is expected to have no material impact on financials in 2019, but it will fill a glaring need in catering to larger groups of people traveling together.

One of the gaps that arguably weve had is when larger families, whether thats a single nuclear family or an extended family, are traveling together, hotels are not necessarily always the easiest place to be because there may not be places for them to gather outside of the public spaces of the hotel, Sorenson said.

In a survey conducted in 2018, Marriott found that over 25 percent of its loyalty program members who responded had used home rentals in the prior calendar year. The data led to its home rental pilot in 2018 in Europe, and later the launch of Marriott Homes & Villas last month across 100 cities worldwide.

Home rental should enable our loyalty members to stay with Marriott throughout any travel experience and ultimately drive a greater share of wallet for our portfolio, Sorenson said.

Story continues

At the end of the first quarter, membership for Marriott Bonvoy reached nearly 130 million, up roughly 5 million from the end of 2018. Approximately 40 percent of new members came from China.

Operations by the Numbers

Marriotts revenues per available room (RevPAR), a standard metric of success for hotels, increased 1.1 percent, led primarily by strong growth in markets outside of North America and the Middle East. RevPAR in the hotel groups Asia Pacific region increased 3 percent in the quarter, compared to 2 percent in Europe and 4 percent in Latin America.

Marriott also added 19,000 new rooms in the quarter, a growth rate of 5.3 percent from the same time last year. The addition of more units led base management and franchise fees to increase 6 percent to $895 million over the period.

The worlds largest hotel company additionally disclosed it incurred another $44 million of expenses during the first quarter related to the Starwood Hotels & Resorts data breach it reported back in November. All of those costs were offset by insurance recoveries totaling $46 million.

Marriotts stock was trading down 5 percent shortly after releasing quarterly earnings Friday morning.

Subscribe to Skift newsletters covering the business of travel, restaurants, and wellness.
PHOENIX (AP)  Authorities say a Phoenix murder suspect who became a fugitive earlier this year has been arrested in Mexico and returned to Arizona.

The U.S. Marshals Service says 31-year-old Carlos Armando Duran was taken into custody Wednesday night in Sinaloa and extradited on Thursday.

Duran was wanted on a warrant after failing to appear for court hearings in February on charges of first-degree murder and misconduct involving weapons.

Authorities say Duran was accused of fatally shooting a man outside a Phoenix nightclub in September 2017.

Duran was arrested in January 2018 and his family posted his $500,000 bond.

But Duran never appeared in court to face the charges in February and authorities believed he fled to Mexico.

The Marshals Service worked with Phoenix police and Mexican authorities to track down Duran.
Disney CEO Bob Iger expects to unveil a new batch of Marvel Cinematic Universe projects before long, as Phase Three closer "Spider-Man: Far From Home" heads to theaters in July.

Want to know which Marvel movies are coming next? Disney CEO Bob Iger isn't ready to talk about it just yet, but says that more information is coming northern Summer 2019, according to Variety.

That timeline places a more detailed Marvel Cinematic Universe announcement or series of announcements near or shortly after the release of July's "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and before the debut of streaming service Disney+ in December.

Speaking to investors during a regular quarterly earnings call, Iger teased "huge opportunities" and "many many different directions that we can go" -- something that might relate to the "Spider-Man: Far From Home" trailer.

Until then, there is already a fair amount of information about seven MCU projects in various states of development.

Sequels to "Black Panther," "Doctor Strange," a third "Guardians of the Galaxy," an origin story for "Avengers" character Black Widow, and debuts for stellar superhuman race "The Eternals" and supreme martial artist "Shang-Chi" are all on the go, while a second "Captain Marvel" seems likely.

Of those, "Black Widow" and "Shang-Chi" are expected to begin filming in 2019.

Separately, Marvel Studios has announced theatrical releases for a total of eight mystery projects, setting out its intentions for May and November of 2020, February, May and November of 2021, and then February, May and July of 2022.

Meanwhile, Disney+ is to become the destination for Captain America spin-off "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and speculative animated series "What If...?" in 2019, "Avengers: Age of Ultron" spin-off "WandaVision" and "Thor" character solo outing "Loki" in 2020, and an undated Hawkeye series.
TORONTO (AP)  Former U.S. national security adviser H.R. McMaster said Thursday China's treatment of two detained Canadians is a telling example of how China is a threat to the liberal international order.

The retired lieutenant general who served as President Donald Trump's national security adviser said at the Munk debate in Toronto Thursday that China's communist party exposes the nature of their system every day and it's time for people to wake up.

"Our free and open societies are under attack by an authoritarian closed model. A model that not only is affecting the Chinese people by extinguishing their rights, their rights to free speech, their rights to privacy but it is also affecting other nations of the world," McMaster said.

"Ask your two Canadian citizens who were essentially taken hostage and are still in captivity, one of them a former diplomat whose child was born a few weeks ago," he said.

China detained former diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor on Dec. 10 in an apparent attempt to pressure Canada to release a top Chinese tech chief executive who is facing fraud charges in the U.S.

Canada arrested Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou Dec 1.

Spavor and Kovrig haven't been given access to lawyers.

Meng is out on bail awaiting extradition hearings and living in her Vancouver mansion.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A member of a secretive North Carolina church pleaded guilty Friday to taking part in an unemployment fraud scheme benefiting businesses with ties to the congregation.

Diane McKinny appeared before a federal judge and admitted to a count of making a fraudulent claim for unemployment benefits, according to court filings. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The online docket didn't immediately list a date for sentencing.

McKinny was the fourth person to plead guilty as part of an investigation into the scheme involving multiple businesses linked to Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale.

Her employer Kent Covington, who was also a Word of Faith minister, was sentenced last month to 34 months in prison on a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Two others listed on a church website as ministers have been sentenced to probation after admitting fraud at a podiatry clinic.

Prosecutors have said Covington's business, Diverse Corporate Technologies, laid off employees in 2008 so they could collect unemployment benefits. But the employees continued to work at the company, with government money replacing their salaries and essentially giving the business "free labor," according to court documents.

Covington used his position as a church leader to coerce employees, many of whom were members of the congregation, to comply, prosecutors say.

McKinny used tax reporting software to help prepare the workers' unemployment claims while she was corporate secretary for the business, according to court documents. Prosecutors wrote earlier this week that government officials, relying on claims submitted by McKinny, paid "substantial benefits to which the claimants were not, in fact, entitled."

McKinny didn't file a claim for herself or benefit financially from the fraud, according to a document prepared by prosecutors and signed by her attorney as part of the plea deal.

Story continues

"Her primary motivation appears to have been loyalty to her employer, rather than personal pecuniary gain," prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors wrote in court documents this week that Covington and McKinny also encouraged other businesses owned or managed by church members to manipulate unemployment benefits in a similar way, costing the government hundreds of thousands of dollars.

McKinny's attorney didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Friday.

The court cases are the latest developments in the investigation by The Associated Press that, beginning in 2017, documented claims of physical and emotional abuse at the church. AP also reported that authorities were looking into the unemployment claims of congregants and their businesses.

Former members have told AP that congregation leaders encouraged the schemes to help the businesses survive the economic downturn and keep money coming into the church.

___

Read more of AP's Broken Faith series here .

___

Follow Drew at www.twitter.com/JonathanLDrew
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP)  More than 100 people gathered Friday along a chain-link fence outside a badly damaged Illinois silicone factory to remember four men who died in an explosion at the facility.

The mourners at AB Specialty Silicones factory north of Chicago included friends, relatives and co-workers of the men whose bodies were pulled from the rubble over the last week after the May 3 blast . Four wreaths of white flowers were placed on stands while people hugged and cried.

Those killed were Byron H. Biehn, 53, of Brighton Township, Wisconsin; Jeff Cummings, 57, of Kenosha, Wisconsin; Daniel Nicklas, 24, of Beach Park, Illinois; and Allen Stevens, 29, of Salem, Wisconsin.

The Waukegan explosion is under investigation. Fire officials have said they believe it was the result of an accident in factory processes.

Speakers on Friday included Waukegan's mayor, the city's fire chief and Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper, who said the service was about healing. But Cooper told those gathered, "I cannot lie, it's hard."

Company general manager Mac Penman said he plans to rebuild and reopen the facility.

"We have lost our friends and colleagues," Penman said. "But the families have lost fathers, sons, husbands and brothers."

Meanwhile, Waukegan city spokesman David Motley said the blast affected seven nearby buildings. The owners of the buildings have been asked to complete independent structural analyses of the properties.

"Unfortunately, not all of them are OK," Motley said.
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE: MTD)

Q1 2019 Earnings Call

May. 09, 2019, 5:00 p.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to our first-quarter 2019 Mettler-Toledo International earnings conference call. My name is Jesse, and I'll be your audio coordinator for today. [Operator instructions] I would now like to turn our presentation over to your hostess for today's call, Ms. Mary Finnegan.

Please proceed, ma'am.

Mary Finnegan -- Treasurer and Investor Relations Officer

Thanks, Jesse, and good evening, everyone. I'm Mary Finnegan. I'm the treasurer, and I'm responsible for investor relations at Mettler-Toledo. I'm happy that you're joining us this evening.

I'm here with Olivier Filliol, our CEO; and Shawn Vadala, our chief financial officer. I need to cover just a couple of administrative matters. This call is being webcast and is available for replay on our website. A copy of the press release and the presentations that we refer to is also on our website.

More From The Motley Fool

Let me summarize the safe harbor language that we have on Page 2 of the presentation. Statements in this presentation which are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please see our recent Form 10-K. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed under captions factors affecting our future operating results and in the business in MD&A in our Form 10-K. Just one last item.

Story continues

On today's call, we may use non-GAAP financial measures. More detailed information with respect to the use of and differences between non-GAAP financial measure and the most directly comparable GAAP measures is provided in our Form 8-K. I will now turn the call over to Olivier.

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Mary, and welcome to everyone on the call tonight. I will start with a summary of the quarter and then Shawn will provide details on our financial results and guidance. I will then have some additional comments and we will open the lines for Q&A. The highlights for the quarter are on Page 3 of the presentation.

We had a very good start to the year with the first-quarter results. Local currency sales growth was strong and better-than-expected as demand in our markets remained favorable and we continued to execute well. Total local currency sales grew 7% in the quarter. food retailing declined in the quarter.

Excluding this business, our total sales grew 8%. We had excellent growth in our laboratory and industrial product lines, which more than offset the decline in food retailing. Growth in Europe and Asia was a strong and Americas, excluding food retail, also grew quite well. Our productivity and margin initiatives continue to drive good results, and despite a 7% gross headwind due to the adverse currency and tariff costs, we achieved a 10% increase in adjusted EPS in the quarter.

Our outlook for 2019 remains positive. This week has brought some noise surrounding the trades tariff dispute situation with China. For now, we have assumed that the second wave of tariffs will increase to 25% as indicated by the administration earlier this week. Shawn will go over this in more detail including the potential upside to our 2019 guidance if the tariffs situation improves.

We continue to be cautious on the global economy as economic data points have moderated in certain regions. However, we see no evidence of a downturn in our markets to date. We remain focused on execution of our growth initiatives and believe we are well positioned to continue to gain share regardless of market conditions. Assuming market conditions remain favorable, we believe we can generate good earnings growth in 2019.

Let me now turn it to Shawn to cover the financials and guidance, and I will come back later with additional comments on our business.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

OK. Thanks, Olivier. Sales were $679.5 million in the quarter, an increase of 7% in local currency. As a reminder, all growth is organic.

On a U.S. dollar basis, total sales increased 3% as currencies reduced sales growth by approximately 4% in the quarter. On Slide No. 4, we show sales growth by region.

Local currency sales grew 9% in both Europe and Asia/Rest of World. Local currency sales growth was 3% in the Americas but as Olivier indicated, sales were impacted in this region due to a decline in food retailing. Absent food retailing, Americas grew 6% in the first quarter. China had another excellent quarter with 13% local currency sales growth.

We're executing well in Europe but also had some benefit from the timing of Easter this year versus last year. On Slide No. 5, we outline local currency sales growth by product area. In the quarter, laboratory sales grew 8%, industrial also increased 8%.

Within industrial, core industrial grew 9% and product inspection increased 6%. food retailing declined 5% in the quarter. As you heard from Olivier, food retailing reduced our overall sales growth by approximately 1% in the quarter. Slide No.

6 provides the P&L for the quarter. Gross margin in the quarter was 57.2%, a 50-basis-point increase over the prior year level of 56.7%. Productivity and pricing continue to be strong contributors to margin growth. Partly offsetting these positives were tariffs from the U.S.

China trade dispute as well as some initial cost and product launches. R&D amounted to $36.1 million, which represents a 9% increase in local currency. SG&A amounted to $204.4 million, a 6% increase in local currency over the prior year. The increase was driven by investments in our field force as well as higher variable compensation.

Adjusted operating profit amounted to $147.8 million in the quarter, which represents a 6% increase over the prior year amount of $139.5 million. We estimate currency reduced operating income by approximately $5 million, which is about $1 million worse than what we had expected the last time we spoke. We also estimate that tariffs were a gross headwind to operating income by approximately $4 million. Absent adverse currency and the gross impact of tariffs, operating income would have increased 12% in the quarter.

Operating margins reached 21.8% in the quarter as compared to 21.1% in the prior year. We are pleased with this increase given the meaningful headwinds we faced in the quarter. A couple of final comments on the P&L. Amortization amounted to $12.2 million in the quarter, interest expense is $9.1 million.

Other income amounted to $670,000, compared to income of $2.4 million last year. As we mentioned on our last call, this line includes pension income, which for the full year, will be down versus the prior year. Our effective tax rate was 20.5% in the quarter before discrete items and adjusting for the timing of stock option exercises. Moving to fully diluted shares, which amounted to 25.3 million in the quarter, and is a 3% decline from the prior year, reflecting the impact of our share repurchase program.

Adjusted EPS for the quarter was $4.10, a 10% increase over the prior-year amount of $3.74. Absent currency and the gross impact of tariffs, our adjusted EPS growth would have been 17% in the quarter. On a reported basis in the quarter, EPS was $4.42 as compared to $3.58 in the prior year. Reported EPS includes $0.10 of purchased intangible amortization, $0.05 of restructuring and a $0.47 difference between our quarterly and annual tax rate due to timing of stock option exercises.

That is it for the P&L and I'll now cover cash flow. In the quarter, adjusted free cash flow was $80.2 million as compared with $56.5 million in the prior period. Our working capital statistics remain solid with DSO at 44 days and ITO at 4.5 times. Let me now turn to guidance.

We continue to feel very good about our growth and productivity initiatives. As Olivier mentioned, we remain cautious on the global economy as certain economic data points continued to moderate. We have seen no impact to our business to date and our guidance assumes demand in our markets remain favorable. There's been a lot of talk this week on the China trade tariffs situation.

As we sit here today, there is no meaningful change to our assumptions since the last time we provided guidance. That is, we assume that tariffs rate on the second tranche of tariffs that were announced last September will increase from 10% to 25% effective tomorrow, May 10th, as announced by the administration earlier this week. We'd assume in our February guidance that this will occur in March, so a slight delay but no meaningful impact to our guidance. Therefore, we still assume that gross negative impact of tariffs and operating profit will be approximately $25 million on an annualized basis.

For 2019, we assume a gross EPS headwind of approximately two and a half percent. If tariffs were eliminated completely, we would expect EPS to benefit by approximately 1% on a full-year basis. In addition to tariffs, currency also continues to be a headwind to earnings in 2019, particularly in the first half of the year. For the full year, we would expect adverse currency to reduce EPS by approximately 2%.

However, in the first half, it will reduce EPS growth by approximately 4%. Now let me cover the specifics. We now expect local currency sales growth in 2019 to be approximately five and a half percent. This is a 50-basis-point increase from our previous guidance, largely driven by the strong Q1 sales growth.

One additional factor I want to mention is that we now expect food retailing to be down low single digits for the full year. Previously, we had expected food retailing to be flat. Excluding food retailing, our full-year sales guidance would be a growth of a little less than six and a half percent in local currency, a level we are very pleased with. Largely driven by our first-quarter beat, we are increasing our adjusted EPS guidance to $22.55 to $22.75, which is a growth rate of 11% to 12%.

This compares to previous adjusted EPS guidance of $22.50 to $22.70. One final comment on tariffs. As mentioned, we have assumed that the 25% rate for the second tranche goes into effect tomorrow. However, if the 10% rate should remain in effect, our 2019 guidance would benefit by a little less than $0.10.

With respect to the second quarter. We would expect local currency sales growth to be approximately 5.5% and adjusted EPS to be in a range of $5.05 to $5.10, a growth rate of 9% to 10%. Absent currency and the gross impact of tariffs, EPS in the second quarter would be approximately 16% to 17%. Furthermore excluding food retailing, Q2 local currency sales growth would be approximately six and a half percent.

Some final comments on guidance. With respect to the impact of currency on sales growth, we expect currency to reduce sales growth by approximately two and a half percent in 2019. For the second quarter, we expect currency to reduce sales growth by approximately 4%. That is it from my side and I'd now like to turn it back to Olivier.

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Shawn. Let me start by providing some additional comments on our operating results. Our lab business continues to perform very well, with 8% local currency sales growth in the quarter, which was against good growth in the prior year. Analytical instruments, pipettes and process analytics did particularly well.

Market demand is good and this business benefits from these proper investments in field resources: Spinnaker sales and marketing initiatives and R&D. We also see the nice benefit from good spending in biopharma in our laboratory business and biopharma is a good example of how our Spinnaker sales and marketing strategy are targeting the most attractive and fastest-growing segments of the market. We serve both the upstream and downstream processes in biopharma that is R&D, quality control, process development, in-line process monitoring, such as bio reactors and pure water analytics. Our pipettes process analytics and certain analytic instruments, such as UV/VIS and pH benefit from strong market dynamics in biopharma.

We have also expanded our offering to biopharma in process analytics through new product launches in -- with CO2 sensors to monitor bio production and new in-line micro bio detection for pure water solution. Our AutoChem business had also expanded their solutions in process development targeted to large molecules. Finally, our biotech acquisition expanded our offering into biopharma market as this the launch of UV/VIS few years ago. Overall, we would expect lab to have strong growth in the second quarter and good growth in the remainder of the year, although they will face tougher comparisons in the back of the year.

Our industrial business did quite well in the quarter. Product inspection was up 6% in the quarter, a little better than we expected. We have put the internal challenges we faced last year behind us with our move and Blue Ocean implementation. We continue to feel very good about this business over the medium term but have not seen large package food companies to return to investment mode.

We think it will take a little longer for this to develop. While we expect full-year sales and product inspection to be in the mid-single digit range, we expect growth in the second quarter will be below Q1. core industrial did very well in the quarter with growth of 9% in local currency. We had some project activity in transportation and logistics but even excluding this benefit, our industrial business grew quite well.

We were particularly pleased to see another quarter of solid growth in each region with particular strong results in Europe and China. Our core industrial business is benefiting from our Spinnaker sales and marketing programs as well as product innovation and strong execution from our teams. Overall, we would expect continued good growth for core industrial for remainder of the year. Although we wouldn't expect it to be at the level of Q1 and will face a difficult comparisons in Q4.

The final piece of our company is the retail business which was down 5% in the quarter. Similar to the comments I made last quarter, we are not overly concerned given that we manage this business for profitability, not sales growth. We would expect further sales decline in Q2 and probably a little worse than in Q1. For full year, we would expect food retailing to be down low single digits.

Overall, food retailing is a little more challenging than we had expected the last time we spoke given the softness in this market and the timing of customer investments. Now let me make some additional comments by geography. Europe did very well with 9% growth in the quarter. Lab had good growth and product inspection, food retailing also had good growth.

As already mentioned, core industrial had excellent growth in Europe. Turning to the Americas, lab had very good growth while core industrial had solid growth. Product inspection was up slightly, while retail was down significantly as previously mentioned. Finally, Asia/Rest of the World had another quarter of very strong growth.

All business lines did well. China had another quarter of excellent growth, both lab and industrial were up double digits. One final comment on the business, service had great growth in the quarter, up 8% in local currency. We had excellent growth in both lab and industrial, reflecting traction on our growth initiatives surrounding service.

We also benefited a bit from the timing of Easter. That concludes my comments on the different pieces of the business. Two additional topics I want to cover briefly today. Our initiatives surrounding investments in field resources as well as update on our productivity and cost initiatives in Stern Drive.

We continue to make great progress in our sales force activities, specifically in generating more leads and recognizing more penetration gap opportunities. We want to continue to invest to capitalize on these opportunities. We are now in their fifth year of our Field Turbo program, in which we invest front-end resources in markets where we are underpenetrated in specific product lines. We are complementing our Field Turbo investments by also increasing our front-end resources by shifting market organization resources from nonselling, nonservice activities to front and field activities.

Internally, we refer to this program as Shift 5, which targets a 5% shift in our market organization resources to more productive growth activities over a three-year period. Some examples of resource shifting we are doing, we move sales and service back-office functions to field, telesales and inside sales resources in high potential strategic business units. We are shifting service technicians from less profitable business areas to higher growth, higher potential business. We also shifting our marketing and IT and logistic resources to more front-end growth areas.

A fundamental part of our continuous improvement focus is reallocation of resources to our most attractive markets. Going hand in hand with shifting more resources to the front-end and to the most attractive markets is furthering our initiatives surrounding optimizing our overall sales force activities. Central to our sales and marketing strategies to gain share in our fragmented market is the efficient use of our front-end sales team. We continue to further our sales force guidance programs which utilize our sales resources in a sophisticated, go-to-market approach that capitalizes on big data analytics to guide our sales reps to the most promising market opportunities.

I'm pleased with the continued development of these sales and marketing programs and initiatives. On the cost side, we have made great progress on Stern Drive, our global program for continuous improvement in supply chain, manufacturing and back-office functions. Since the launch two years ago, we have completed more than 700 projects and we have annual targeted cost savings of approximately $20 million. While Stern Drive focuses on cost savings, we also focus on cost avoidance at the front-end of our product development.

We have developed initiatives surrounding value engineering, which is -- also incorporates design for x. The x stands for areas including manufacturing, assembly, logistics or service. By developing and using standard parts and modular design and integrating, assembling our service requirements into the design of our product, we can avoid nonvalue added activities and reduce costs. Value engineering focuses on the product, specifically, how we can generate the highest functionality for our customers at the lowest cost.

We are still in the early stages of value engineering and expect to see additional developments in the future. That concludes our prepared comments. We're very pleased with the strong start to the year. Assuming market conditions remain favorable, we believe we are well positioned to generate good sales growth, capture market share and deliver strong earnings growth.

With that, I want to ask the operator to open the line for questions.

Questions & Answers:





Operator

[Operator instructions] Your first question comes from Ross Muken with Evercore ISI. Your line is open.

Ross Muken -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst

Good afternoon, guys. Just maybe starting out on China, I mean it seems like performance in the quarter was quite good and most of our checks on the ground there are pretty constructive but obviously this week a little bit of a curveball relative to some of the trade and tariff debate. I guess, are you more concerned about domestic demand if something negative were to transpire on tariffs and they were actually going to be implemented tomorrow? Or do you think about it more in the context of what it does for global growth in general? I'm just trying to think through like where risk really lies relative to your business. I'm guessing more the industrial than the lab side if at all and how you're just thinking through sort of some of the machinations there?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah. Ross, it's more the latter one and I'd say so because when I look at our business mix today in China, we are less exposed to the manufacturing side -- sector and, particularly, discrete manufacturing sector that is more exposed than again to the export business. So I feel really that we have today a very favorable business mix in China with many industries that we serve that will depend on the domestic demand rather than export business. But of course, the global economy could be impacted here.

We would probably see the effects throughout Asia, not just China. I think South East Asia, Japan, but also Europe would be impacted if this has further escalation.

Ross Muken -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst

Thanks. And so then maybe, yeah, I think you sort of gave us some comments on product inspection. Obviously, the traditional package food guys have had particularly in the U.S. some volatility.

I guess, the emerging market opportunity there given how far behind in their country seems obvious. But I guess, how are you thinking through how temporal some of these disruptions are and there's also been an uptick a bit in M&A in that world or consolidation. Does that matter? Is that a positive for you because it sometimes will stimulate the desire to upgrade and/or a new holder. I guess, how are you just thinking through that backdrop?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

I think the challenge is a temporary one. I mean long term, I think actually, this business offers excellent growth. The market dynamics are very good. We are very well positioned.

And so I'm very positive about this business. It's a business that I think will contribute above the group average in terms of growth. But the things that you just mentioned will continue to have an impact here for a few more quarters. I don't think this is an immediate turnaround of the market environment.

But I don't also want to portray here that the whole market is just challenging. For example in emerging markets, in Asia, we had good growth and I expect this to go on. But maybe in the West, it's where you have big companies there. We feel it -- particularly where we feel it is the global roll outs.

We had in the past this big global companies that were committed to very significant investments for global roll outs. We see fewer of these and that's the kind of impact that we have to go through, particularly this year.

Ross Muken -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst

Very helpful. Thanks, Olivier.

Operator

Your next question comes from Dan Leonard with Deutsche Bank. Your line is open. Dan Leonard with Deutsche Bank, your line is open.

Dan Leonard -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst

Apologies, I was on mute. So thanks for the question. The geographic distribution of your growth is a bit different than what we've seen from others this earnings season, particularly in Europe. So Olivier, heard the comments on the businesses.

But could you elaborate further on what you think you're doing well in Europe and why your performance would be so discordant from the macro?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah. Hey, I definitely feel that team is executing very well. We have these different programs in place, and they very well resonate also in Europe. All this topics that I mentioned at the end of the prepared remarks about Spinnaker approach, its sales force guide, big data analytics, very much applies to Europe.

And so that's one effect but I don't want to also ignore the fact that it against an easier comparison. We have a 9% growth. We will not repeat this kind of growth going forward. And if you look at two-year growth, however, I'm still very pleased.

I like it. And particularly because it was across all the core businesses, the lab did very well, core industrial did excellent and product inspection actually did also well. So happy about that. And last, I would also mentioned there was a certain Easter impact that helped us this year.

Yeah.

Dan Leonard -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst

Thank you. And maybe just a quick follow-up. Is it possible to quantify how much you think the Easter timing benefited you?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. Hey, Dan, this is Shawn. Hey, it's of course difficult to estimate was it 1% to 2% maybe. But probably the best way to look at it is if you look at our guidance for Q2, we're thinking of more like low single-digit for Q2 in Europe.

So on a year-to-date basis for the first six months of the year, Europe is going to be approximately mid-single-digit.

Dan Leonard -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst

OK. Thanks for the thoughts.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah.

Operator

You're next question comes from Tycho Peterson with J.P. Morgan. Your line is open.

Unknown speaker

Hi, thanks. This is Julia on for Tyco. So regarding China, obviously you still have very strong results industrial and lab, both up double-digit like you said. So given that I mean do you think there is room for updates to your full-year outlook which I think assumes high single-digit for lab and low single-digit for industrial? I mean, I understand you -- why you might want to invent some conservatism there but given the industrial performance so far, do you think low single digit is still a reasonable expectation for full year?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. Hey, Julia, this is Shawn. Thanks for the question. So for industrial, I think you're right.

I think given the start to the year, we would look at more like a mid-single-digit on the industrial side in China. And on the lab side, probably a high single-digit. So overall, we are now looking at more high single-digit for China for the full year.

Unknown speaker

OK. Got it. And then regarding the front office resource shifting initiative, could you maybe give a little bit more color on the magnitude of the benefit both in terms of top line and bottom line? And how soon you expect to generate that benefit? And if any of those benefits are embedded in your current guidance?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

So the way you need to look at it -- this is a multiyear program that we are running here. We have started with the Field Turbo program already a few years ago, and then started to expand it with the Shift 5 program. The way I look at it is how many additional field resources we have versus the previous year as a combined program. And here, we are talking about roughly 200 resource for 2019.

This is not so different to what we did in the past, and I would -- in that sense, I'm not suggesting that this is -- you can see an incremental benefit that is not already built into the guidance or I'm not suggesting here that you will see a further acceleration next year. It's a part of our overall Spinnaker 5 program and it's an enabler also for all the other things that we are doing. Internally, we -- when we look at these programs, we look at reasonable payback times because sometimes you have some pre-investments like recruiting and so on. But yes, it's not -- this would be on top of what we have budgeted or guided.

Unknown speaker

Got you. That's helpful. And then lastly, I think last quarter, you noted that some of your competitor price increases were higher than yours in light of the tariffs which facilitated some share gain. Have you seen that dynamic continue to play out in the first quarter?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yes. So hey, Julie, just to maybe clarify, I think what you're referring to. So when we were talking about specifically about our mid-year pricing last summer in some of our industrial product categories in the United States, we had noticed that we went out with a robust price increase midyear. Some of our local competition went out with a slightly higher increase in that particular business.

We went out with another robust increase during the 2019 annual increase. We're off to a very good start with pricing. And I think we're probably just under two and a half percent for the first-quarter results, very much in line with what we expected and kind of feel good in terms of where we stand versus competition.

Unknown speaker

Great. Thank you.

Operator

Your next question comes from Daniel Brennan with UBS. Your line is open.

Daniel Brennan -- UBS -- Analyst

Great. Thanks for taking the question. I was just hoping to -- Olivier, I think you touched upon possibly some of the knock-on effects from the China trade, if there isn't one, maybe impact on global growth. Maybe you could just speak to, I mean, is there any risk around kind of relation the ability for China to look for local suppliers again to maybe company like yourself if in fact, it was a retaliation investment [Inaudible]? Maybe a high-level question about the competitive dynamics between what you offer and maybe what some local suppliers offer?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

I think we are well positioned here. Mettler-Toledo is viewed as a local company in China. We have been there for so many years. We have excellent relationships.

We have so many plants there. So I feel really confident on that side and the fact that we have -- as a company, we have always been viewed as a global company -- there is this Swiss element in it. So I'm not worried about that. It's -- we are well positioned also in terms of well differentiated products.

They've not -- we will not be easily substituted. I think the bigger topic is just the economic development, the global economic evolution.

Daniel Brennan -- UBS -- Analyst

Got it. And then you spent a fair amount of time discussing your offerings within pharma, probably more than we've heard you elaborate in the past. Maybe can you just address kind of collectively, you're kind of pharma end-market, what that grows at today and possibly with some of the investments you're making, could we see a benefit to you forward growth rate given the fairly strong dynamics within pharma?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah. Just one additional comments and I wanted to make in China about this whole trade. Of course, there is currency movements that also come with that. We talked about global recession but the currency movements are always very important too and can have ripple effect on other economies, including the Southeast, Asia economics and so on.

So I just wanted to also highlight that effect. Now back to pharma, life science industry. What I tried to highlight here is the prepared script is particularly also the subsegment of biopharma. Often we have in previous calls, talked about the pharma and the life science customers of us.

In this call, I highlighted the biopharma because, of course, that's one that has a particular dynamic and a good growth momentum. And I wanted to share with you that we have a nice exposure there, that it's growing nice. We have, for example, the process analytics business where it's a very significant share. That business has been growing very nicely for us for many years.

And we benefit that there's a lot of investments going in biotech and in particular, also on the production side. We -- in terms of investment in these and returns, I think this is a gradual thing. We are, today, with our sales force programs in place, with our shift resources and so on, we all are focusing more on pharma, chemical and food industry. And I think that's one of the benefits that we translate in good growth that we have here in Q1 and previous quarters.

It's multiple effect. I would be hard-pressed to give you a specific number that would just come from pharma or biopharma in isolation.

Daniel Brennan -- UBS -- Analyst

OK. Great. OK, thanks, Olivier.

Operator

Your next question comes from Brandon Couillard with Jefferies. Your line is open.

Brandon Couillard -- Jefferies -- Analyst

Thanks. Olivier, a question on the product inspection business, specifically. Could you sort of give us a breakdown between what the service side is doing versus the equipment side? And with some of your food packaging customers kind of let's say lengthening out their budgets or with muted budgets right now, are you seeing them leaning more on service needs?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

So we don't specifically break out within a business line. But I certainly can share that the service business continues to outperform the product side, that's a trend that we have now for many years. And service does actually, particularly well it's also very nicely profitable. We care very much about the service business and product inspection because it's a key differentiator that we have.

You might remember when we were down in Tampa for the investor day, we had also a session on the topic where we highlighted the fact that we have about in U.S., for example, seven times more service technicians than our nearest competitor. That's a unique differentiation and so part of the package. So again, this is going very well and nicely profitable. In terms of the exact impact of the large food companies and their evolution, no, I could not give you here a specific breakout.

It's -- I would want to refer to the point that I made before about this big global rollout that are missing. It's on an individual account and local size. It's less of a topic. It's more the global rollout that are missing at this point.

Brandon Couillard -- Jefferies -- Analyst

So one from Shawn. Cash flow off to a pretty good start in the first quarter here. Any updates to your free cash flow expectations for '19?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

No. Our free cash flow expectations for the full year is still kind of like in the $510 million range. Yes, we got off to a great start. Some of that is timing of how things are going to play out during the year on different topics.

But overall, feel very good about it. Our working capital statistics are at an excellent level, very similar to where they were a year ago. So no change in terms of guidance.

Brandon Couillard -- Jefferies -- Analyst

Very good. Thank you.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yep.

Operator

Your next question comes from Jack Meehan with Barclays. Your line is open.

Jack Meehan -- Barclays -- Analyst

Thanks. Good afternoon.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Hey, Jack.

Jack Meehan -- Barclays -- Analyst

Hey. Shawn, I was hoping you could give us -- help us quantify some of the changes on the gross margin line, at least the expansion year over year. It looks like one of the strongest in about a year and a half. So I think we have the tariffs number, how much did price contribute and how much was FX year over year?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. Sure. So if I just kind of walk it down. So yes, pricing came in pretty much similar to what we expected as I mentioned earlier.

That's probably like about 100-basis-point improvement on the margin, kind of offsetting that was the gross tariff impact, which was about a 60-basis-point headwind on the margin. Currency had about a 20-basis-point benefit, and then we had a bunch of other stuff kind of lumped together that went kind of 20 basis points the other way or whatever -- however, the math works. Maybe that's 10 basis points. But you kind of get the picture so that's kind of I think the highlights.

Jack Meehan -- Barclays -- Analyst

Great. And then just to clean up on the buyback. Is your expectation still $545 million and look like you're off to maybe a quicker start for the year? Just what's driving the pacing there?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

So for the full year, it is going to be just under $750 million. So sorry as a reminder, it would be a free cash flow plus estimated option proceeds plus an incremental $200 million to increase our net debt-to-EBITDA leverage to 1.5 by the end of next year. So just to clarify for everybody, we'll do an incremental $200 million on our share repurchase program this year and next year, and this is consistent with what we've previously communicated to you back at the last couple of quarters.

Jack Meehan -- Barclays -- Analyst

Great. Thank you, Shawn.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. Thanks.

Operator

Your next question comes from Patrick Donnelly with Goldman Sachs. Your line is open.

Patrick Donnelly -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Thanks. Maybe just one on the core industrial. Growth continues to be strong, in spite of some macro signs pointing a little down. Does that mix shift seem less sensitivity to general macro trends compared to the historical certainly seems to be the case.

So maybe just help us think about what kind of has driven this dislocation again softer macro yet the core industrial results continue to be pretty robust.

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah. We never really know if we are early or late cycle and all of these things. It's really difficult to measure. I think first, we need to look at us on a comparable basis, I talked before about how Europe and core industrial was extremely strong, but it was against a little bit weaker comparisons.

But I am very happy how we do in industrial. I think it's a reflection of a good execution in the market organization. We have also a very strong product portfolio. We have this effect that I mentioned before, so that it's focused more on pharma can food that it is playing out.

So different factors. I wouldn't attribute it too much to the economic cycle.

Patrick Donnelly -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

OK. And then maybe just one on lab, another strong quarter even against 10% comp as you mentioned. This type of growth has almost become standard for you guys. So it seems broad-based, areas like liquid handling and process analytics.

Anything else to call out on this kind of sustained strength that we've seen for the past couple of years here?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. Hey, we were particularly pleased with our analytical instrument growth in the quarter. As you mentioned, we tend -- we've been seeing really good trends on some of the biopharma categories like liquid handling and process analytics. But we are seeing excellent growth throughout the portfolio.

I think one of the standouts in my mind is our analytical business in all areas of the analytical business. And then as I think you're familiar we've had a lot of product introductions throughout the entire lab portfolio with -- so I could also comment on laboratory balances which has particular -- a very strong momentum at the moment too. So we feel really good about the lab business when you look at the portfolio of products as well as the execution of the market organization, combined.

Patrick Donnelly -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Got it. That's helpful. Thanks, Shawn.

Operator

Your next question comes from Derik De Bruin with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Your line is open.

Unknown speaker

Hey, guys. This is Mike on for Derik. Thanks for taking the call. Most of the question have been asked, I'll just throw in two quick ones.

One was I thought you mentioned something in the prepared remarks about you had some benefit from timing in core industrial. I was wondering if you could clarify that a little bit sort of the magnitude there and whether that was tied to the Easter comment on Europe or whether that was a separate event.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. Hey, Mike, I'm not -- we're kind of looking at each other. I'm not sure when you mentioned timing of core industrial. I think maybe what you could have referred to is that we did mention something about a little bit of benefit in our transportation and logistics business.

Yes, that business has a tendency to be lumpy with projects when it has an impact we bring it to your attention and call it out. So we kind of acknowledged that that's had some benefit in the quarter. But even, excluding that, we were still high single-digit in our core industrial business. So still feel good about it.

Unknown speaker

Yeah, that is exactly what I was referring to so appreciate the color. And then another quick one. Just thinking broadly, I was ignoring all the -- trying to ignore all the things happening this week and potentially some of the headlines that could or could not happen tonight as far as the tariffs are concerned. Could you just speak broadly to your view on sort of the visibility you have in your key end markets going through the rest of the year? In the past, you've talked to, you know you want to take a cautious stance because of some increased volatility in the macro picture.

Has that changed broadly excluding the tariffs story over the last year or so? Is it a three, six months visibility appropriate to comment on in market conditions?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

We still feel the same as we -- when we talked last time. Actually, we are recognizing that there are clouds out there, but it's not that we are seeing it in our numbers. I feel confident with early indicators. What I hear from my teams pretty much around the world is actually positive, is encouraging.

But we do recognize that things are fragile when it comes to the economy and that there are signs, like PMI, things like that that are -- that could make us feel a little bit more cautious. I think we are alert, we are agile to react if anything would happen. But we have no internal indications, and that's why we continue to invest. That's why I was talking about Field Turbo's and all these things.

Very confident in that sense about what the upside is. But prepared if things would change.

Unknown speaker

Great. Thanks.

Operator

Your next question comes from Richard Eastman of Baird. Your line is open.

Richard Eastman -- Baird -- Analyst

Yes, good afternoon. Olivier, could you elaborate just a little bit when you were talking about the lab earlier, the lab segment earlier, you did call out this biopharma production, the bio process production applications that you are growing within the process analytics business. Could you just -- is that business big enough at this point to move the needle? And is that a newer effort because I didn't really -- I haven't placed you guys in the bio process manufacturing process before and I'm just curious if you could maybe shed a little bit of color on that and if you are large enough, is the method of production within biopharma. Is that a benefit to you, or is it more about absolute level of investment?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Interestingly, the bio piece is the origin and the core of process analytics. I know it well because I started there 18 years ago. It was the pH measurement, in-line measurement with pH and very much this was a parameter used in the fermentation particularly for bio reactors but then also in the beer industry and that has always been an important customer segment for us. And there are parallels between the beer industry and the bio reaction industry with cell growth.

And pH measurement and dissolved oxygen have always been a strength of ours. We are clearly the leader in that segment. And then over the years, we have expanded the portfolio and we have added for example, CO2 measurement, which is a similar technology, but we have also added TLC, for example, and more recently bioburden. And these are parameters that you use to -- for water purity, and the water purity is very important in pharmaceutical processes, but including also in the bio processes.

So the answer is we have been in this business for a long time and we have benefited from the growth of that industry not just in the recent quarters but actually in the recent years. We are also in the business of the single use bags where we provide the sensor for. And I think we highlighted it just on this call because there are multiple products we think Mettler-Toledo portfolio, not just process analytics that goes into that end-user industry, we feel that we have actually also good marketing programs to it. We have good databases.

And we wanted to highlight it because it had a little bit more attention in the analyst and investor community in recent quarters.

Richard Eastman -- Baird -- Analyst

Yes, yes. OK. Is there -- in lab and total in the 8% local currency growth that you referenced in the first quarter, is pricing in lab above the two and a half corporate average? Did that contribute at all?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Maybe, probably. I don't think there's a significant difference this quarter between lab and industrial. We did more bolder increases on the industrial side given the tariff situation between the midyear stuff and the stuff we did for the annual price increases as we entered this year.

Richard Eastman -- Baird -- Analyst

OK. And then just the last question if I may. Within your European business, was there any positive benefit from the Brexit, let me just say push? In other words any buy forward or inventory levels or anything that you saw we've seen that in a number of companies?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Not really. No. We -- basically, we have prepared ourselves with safety stock, absolutely. But from a customer standpoint, I have no indication at all and I visited actually the U.K.

just a few weeks ago, and this was a non-topic with the team. In general, I'm surprised how that Brexit, so far, has a limited impact on our business, other than what we take precautions of safety stock. But from a customer's reaction, not much impact. It's also not that we see that many of our customers are shutting down their investments or so, lucky enough not too much impact.

Richard Eastman -- Baird -- Analyst

Impressive. OK. Very good. Thank you.

Operator

Your next question comes from Steve Willoughby with Cleveland Research. Your line is open.

Steve Willoughby -- Cleveland Research -- Analyst

Hi, good evening. Just one question for you, Shawn. Just sort of question on guidance here. You beat your first-quarter guidance by $0.05, you've obviously raised by $0.05, but you took up the full-year organic growth by 50 bps so I just was wondering why there wasn't more flow through into earnings.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. No good question, Steve. So I think that best way to think about it is that the five and a half or the 50-basis-points improvement on sales had largely -- was largely related to our Q1 beat. Similarly, our EPS increase was largely related to the Q1 beat.

But the one thing that probably stands out in our minds as we were giving the guidance that kind of goes the other way is the currencies have worsened a little bit over the last quarter, particularly in the last couple of weeks. We didn't necessarily adjust for 100% of that, but certainly, it's something to call out.

Steve Willoughby -- Cleveland Research -- Analyst

OK. And just one quick follow-up, Shawn. Just to confirm, there is no M&A contribution in the quarter?

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

That's correct. Entirely organic.

Steve Willoughby -- Cleveland Research -- Analyst

OK. Thank you.

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah.

Operator

[Operator instructions] Your next question comes from Paul Knight with Janney Montgomery. Your line is open.

Paul Knight -- Janney Montgomery -- Analyst

Congratulations Olivier on the quarter. On the bio production side of the business, are you applying the original -- are you implying systems direct or are you going through DE Sartorius network into part of their systems?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

So the big majority of our business also for process analytics is direct but there are relationship with system integrators that are building whole plans. And for single use applications, we are working with multiple companies in that space. However, it's always important, even when we go to any system integrators or partners or so, the decision are normally done by the end user and in that sense we have, strong relationship with the end user and the end users know the Mettler-Toledo brand very well.

Paul Knight -- Janney Montgomery -- Analyst

And Olivier, what do you think your market share is in the [Inaudible] area and then also, in the beer side of the market?

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Let's say, I feel we are a strong leader in all these applications. Again, this fermentation, bio reactor for the specific parameters, the specific analytical parameters, we are viewed as a global leader.

Paul Knight -- Janney Montgomery -- Analyst

OK. Thank you very much.

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Thank you. Most welcome.

Operator

There are no further questions. I turn the call back to the presenters for any closing remarks.

Mary Finnegan -- Treasurer and Investor Relations Officer

Thanks, Jesse, and thanks, everyone, for joining us tonight. As always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to give us a call or easy as we're traveling, or easiest to send us an email. Take care, guys. Bye-bye.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 58 minutes

Call participants:

Mary Finnegan -- Treasurer and Investor Relations Officer

Olivier Filliol -- Chief Executive Officer

Shawn Vadala -- Chief Financial Officer

Ross Muken -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst

Dan Leonard -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst

Unknown speaker

Daniel Brennan -- UBS -- Analyst

Brandon Couillard -- Jefferies -- Analyst

Jack Meehan -- Barclays -- Analyst

Patrick Donnelly -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Richard Eastman -- Baird -- Analyst

Steve Willoughby -- Cleveland Research -- Analyst

Paul Knight -- Janney Montgomery -- Analyst

More MTD analysis

All earnings call transcripts

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

Motley Fool Transcribing 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.
Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. MTD delivered first-quarter 2018 adjusted earnings of $4.10 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4 cents and also came ahead of managements guided range of $4-$4.05 per share. The figure increased 10% on a year-over-year basis but declined 40.1% sequentially.



Net sales of $679.45 million were up 3% year over year but decreased 16.9% from the previous quarter. In local currency, sales grew 7% from the year-ago quarter, exceeding managements expectation of 5.5% growth. Further, the figure surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $674.29 million.



The robust performance of Laboratory and Industrial product lines drove the top line. Further, the companys solid momentum in China and Europe aided growth.



Coming to the price performance, shares of Mettler-Toledo have gained 31.6% over a year, outperforming the industrys rally of 17.6%.



The company remains confident on growth strategies that include productivity and margin initiatives. Moreover, Mettler-Toledos continued investments in product portfolio expansion, field force, Spinnaker sales and marketing programs are expected to continue benefiting business growth.





Top Line in Detail



By Segments: The company reports in three segments  Laboratory Instruments, Industrial Instruments and Food Retail Weighing Solutions.



Laboratory Segment: This segment accounted for 53% of net sales in the reported quarter. The company witnessed 8% sales growth on a year-over-year basis. This was driven by robust Process Analytics, Analytical Instruments and pipettes. Further, investments in biopharma area, Spinnaker sales, marketing initiatives and R&D contributed to the segment.



Industrial Segment: The company generated 40% of net sales from this segment. Further, sales exhibited year-over-year growth of 8%. This can primarily be attributed to well performing product inspection business, which exhibited growth of 6% on a year-over-year basis. Further, core industrial business which improved 9% year over year on the back of Spinnaker sales and marketing efforts continued to drive the segments growth.



Food Retail: Mettler-Toledo generated 7% of sales from the food retail business. However, the sales declined 5% from the prior-year quarter, owing to nature of the project.



By Geography



The company reports total sales figure from Americas, Europe and Asia/Rest of the World.



Americas: Mettler-Toledo generated 38% of sales from this region, up 3% year over year. This was driven by well-performing core industrial and product inspection business. Further, robust Laboratory segment contributed to the first-quarter results. However, retail business underperformed in this region.



Europe: This region contributed 31% to the net sales of the company in the reported quarter. Sales in this region grew 9% year over year which can be attributed to strong performance of core industrial and product inspection businesses. Further, robust Laboratory and Food Retailing product lines contributed to the reported quarter.



Asia/Rest of the World: The company generated 31% of sales from this region, reflecting growth of 9% on a year-over-year basis. This can primarily be attributed to strong performance of the company in China. Further, strong Laboratory and Industrial product lines drove sales.

Story continues

Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. Quote

Operating Results

Gross margin was 57.2%, expanding 50 bps year over year, on the back of productivity and pricing.



Research & development (R&D) expenses were $36.05 million, up 3.9% from the year-ago quarter. Selling, general & administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 1.9% year over year to $204.43 million.



Adjusted operating margin was 21.8%, expanding 70 bps from the prior-year quarter.



Balance Sheet and Cash Flow



As of Mar 31, 2019, the companys cash and cash equivalents balance was $126.5 million, down from $178.1 million as of Dec 31, 2018.



Long-term debt was $1 billion, rising from $985 million in the previous quarter.



Mettler-Toledo generated $98.8 million of cash from operating activities, up from $198.6 million in the prior quarter. Free cash flow was $80.2 million during the reported quarter.



Guidance



For second-quarter 2019, Mettler-Toledo expects sales growth of 5.5% in local currency. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales is pegged at $735.8 million.



Adjusted earnings are anticipated in the range of $5.05-$5.10 per share, reflecting year-over-year growth of 9-10%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $5.06 per share.



For 2019, the company raised expectation for sales growth from 5% to 5.5% in local currency. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $3.03 billion.



The company also revised the guidance for adjusted earnings upwards to $22.55-$22.75 per share from $22.5-$22.7 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $22.67 per share.



Zacks Rank and Other Stocks to Consider



Mettler-Toledo currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Intuit Inc. INTU, VMware, Inc. VMW and Agilent Technologies, Inc. A. All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Long-term earnings growth rate for Intuit, VMware and Agilent is pegged at 16.21%, 13.4% and 11.75%, respectively.



Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation



Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.



A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 7 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.



See 7 breakthrough stocks now>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Intuit Inc. (INTU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



VMware, Inc. (VMW) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. (MTD) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Want the dirt on Miami's most happening local spots?

We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which eateries have been on the tips of diners' tongues this month.

To find out who made the list, we looked at Miami businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.

Read on to see which spots are on a hot streak, right now.

Pez

Open since 2018, this cocktail bar and Mexican spot, which offers seafood and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.

Citywide, seafood spots saw a median 2.5 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but PEZ saw a 15.6 percent increase, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating throughout.

It's not the only trending outlier in the seafood category: Ella's Oyster Bar has seen a 7.7 percent increase in reviews.

Located at 20 W. Flagler St. in downtown Miami, PEZ offers a wide array of traditional Mexican dishes, from chile relleno to tostadas ceviches.

Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar

Photo: Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar/Yelp

Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Brickell's Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar, the cocktail bar and karaoke spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.

While businesses categorized as "Cocktail Bars" on Yelp saw a median 4.1 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar bagged a 26.3 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a healthy 4.5-star rating. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 5.0 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.

Open at 1111 S.W. First Ave., Suite 107 since June of 2018, Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar offers cocktails, appetizers and karaoke.

Story continues

North Italia

Photo: angelo m./Yelp

Brickell's North Italia is also making waves. Open since January at 900 S. Miami Ave., Suite 111, the well-established Italian spot has seen a 41.6 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 4.8 percent for all businesses tagged "Italian" on Yelp.

North Italia offers classic Italian dishes as well as appetizers and dessert. Over the past month, it's maintained a solid 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.

Sherwoods Bistro & Bar

Photo: cylvia c./Yelp

Little Haiti's Sherwoods Bistro & Bar is the city's buzziest bar by the numbers.

The popular bar and traditional American spot, which opened at 8281 N.E. Second Ave. in 2017, increased its new review count by 6.8 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 3.8 percent for the Yelp category "Bars." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 3.2 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.

Sherwoods Bistro & Bar offers appetizers like bone marrow, quesadillas and vegetable flatbread alongside entrees like the chicken parmesan slider and the roasted duck. When it comes to dessert, the restaurant serves banana pudding, caramelized plantains, baked goods and more.

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.
Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico City's legislature voted Thursday to ban businesses from buying, selling or giving their customers disposable plastics, a major shift for a sprawling capital that is awash in them.

The ban, set to come into force in December 2020 or January 2021, includes such articles as non-biodegradable plastic bags, straws, cutlery, cups and coffee capsules, the legislature said in a statement, calling them a "serious environmental problem."

It puts the city of nine million people at the forefront of global efforts to protect the environment and curb the amount of plastic that ends up in the Earth's oceans -- eight million tonnes a year.

Legislators said they would now open debate on a spending package to help companies shift their production and use of plastics toward biodegradable materials.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Tourists looking for sun and sand in Mexican resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum have been disgusted by foul-smelling mounds of sargassum  a seaweed-like algae  piling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown, and experts are warning that it may be the new normal.

Mexico's Riviera Maya Caribbean coast provides half the country's tourism revenues and very little sargassum reached it prior to 2014. But a possible combination of climate change, pollution from fertilizers and ocean flows and currents carrying the algae mats to the Caribbean has caused the problem to explode.

While it may not have the global impact of melting of polar ice, the vast mats of sargassum filling the Caribbean could be one of the more visible climate-change events because of the sheer number of people who visit the region's popular tourist beaches, some officials say.

"This is one of the biggest challenges that climate change has caused for the world," said the government of Mexico's resort-studded coastal state of Quintana Roo. "This challenge requires a joint, multinational effort and a global commitment."

While tourist arrivals at the Cancun airport were up 3.3% in March over the same month last year, many fear this will not last long with the sargassum befouling white sand beaches and blue waters, as well as the air  sargassum decomposes with a rotten egg smell. As it decays and sinks to the bottom, it can also smother the coral the Caribbean is known for, and accumulations on beaches can make it harder for sea turtles to nest.

"In my humble opinion it's a disaster that will eventually cripple the tourism, the businesses and, sad to say, destroy the local economy," said Jef A. Gardner, a frequent visitor to Playa del Carmen from Knoxville, Tennessee. "This is a Caribbean problem on the east coast that goes from Cancun all the way past Ambergris Caye in Belize."

Story continues

The concerns may not be hyperbole: the sargassum mats appear even worse along parts of Mexico's coast than they did last year. And the problem affects almost all the islands and mainland beaches in the Caribbean to an extent. The U.S. Gulf coast got hit in 2014 and the east coast of Florida is getting sargassum this year.

The algae flooding into the Caribbean is coming from an unexpected source: the tropical Atlantic waters beyond the mouth of the Amazon River.

Chuanmin Hu, a professor of oceanography at South Florida University's College of Marine Science, says the sargassum mats appear to be the result of increased nutrient flows and ocean water upwelling that brings nutrients up from the bottom. Prevailing ocean currents carry the algae into the Caribbean, where it can grow further.

He says the cycle is not likely to stop anytime soon.

"Because of global climate change we may have increased upwelling, increased air deposition, or increased nutrient source from rivers, so all three may have increased the recent large amounts of sargassum," said Hu.

While he says additional research is needed before definitively linking it all to human activity, he pointed to evidence of "increased use of fertilizer and increased deforestation" as possible culprits, at least as far as the Amazon is concerned.

Warming ocean waters are likely to play only a minor role since the area  the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean  has always been pretty warm.

Meanwhile, business owners in Mexico's glitzy beach resorts are desperate for solutions.

"What you have to do is stop it before it even reaches the beaches," said Adrian Lopez, the president of Quintana Roo's employers' federation.

Contention lines of floating plastic booms can be anchored offshore to catch the incoming mats of algae, but as Lopez notes, some resorts have very shallow coral reefs located right offshore so the booms would be less of a solution.

And Hu warns that such a solution would be expensive. The tons of sargassum building up behind the booms has to be gathered up, put aboard boats and taken away in what would amount to hundreds of trips every day.

Scientists have set up sargassum tracking systems that detect the amount of algae heading for shores in the Caribbean, but it's hard to predict when or where it will land.

Extracting it at sea risks the species that use the floating mats as cover for their young. But shoveling or bulldozing up sargassum once it washes up on shore is also a herculean task that can put at risk sea turtles' nesting sites.

"You can clean up a beach, get it clean, imagine starting at 6 a.m. and by 11 a.m. you don't have any algae, and by 7 p.m. when the sun sets, it's full again," said Lopez.

This all makes people nostalgic for the days before 2014 when sargassum "was very little, very manageable, not a problem, not a risk, just barely a line" in the sand.

Now, some novel ideas for what to do with collected sargassum are springing up, such as using it as an additive for making bricks. But its usefulness as a fertilizer or animal feed is limited by the chemicals it contains, like salt, iodine and arsenic.

Tourists come to Mexico's Caribbean coast for the sun, sand, snorkeling and turquoise waters. While there are other things to do on the coast, like visiting sinkhole lakes known as cenotes, Mayan ruins and the jungle, the beach remains the prize attraction. And tourists are unlikely to accept brown, algae-filled water.

Local hotel owners and tourism industry workers  which is just about everybody to some extent in Quintana Roo  are feeling abandoned by the federal government, which is planning a fancy tourist train to connect the coast with Mayan ruin sites inland.

"With Sargassum, there is No Mayan Train," said a slogan launched by local businesses.
A new documentary has captured the moment a man confesses to killing his elderly wife with an iron bar.

New BBC series Ambulance is a fly-on-the-wall show about emergency services in North West England.

84-year-old retired lifeguard Lawrence Franks killed his wife Patricia as an 'act of mercy' when he realised she was about to be moved into a care home.

Cameras capture the moment a 999 call handler picks up the phone to a tense Mr Franks.

The call starts with: 'I've killed my wife.

'She can't walk. She's incontinent, and I can't cope. So I've killed her.

Terrifying moment Pensioner admits to killing his wife during 999 call (BBC)

In the series, shown on BBC One on Thursday evening, the man then tells the call handler his wife is 86 and he had hit her with an iron bar.

But he is heard asking police not to use sirens - because he feared he would ruin a little girls birthday party in the house next door.

The man can be heard saying: 'She's dead, that's all you need to know.'

Franks was later charged with murder, but he denied the charge pleaded guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

He was handed a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, in November 2018.

A judge sentencing him said: 'She was particularly anxious not to be placed in a care home, and this was said so repeatedly that this was a genuine concern.

But as her health deteriorated, the burden of looking after her became even harder for you.

New series 'Ambulance' follows the lives of emergency services staff in north-west England (BBC)

'You did not cope with that any longer and as you say it that was the inevitable prospect of her being moved into a care home. That was the last thing you or your wife wanted.

'She was completely unaware of what happened to her. There was an abnormality in your mental function. Doctors have confirmed this was diminished responsibility. You are a man on hitherto entirely good character.

Read more on Yahoo News UK

Seven orphaned children of Swedish Isis fighter rescued from Syria

Police seek man following series of sex attacks in north-west London

Instagram clamps down on anti-vaxx conspiracy theories

Story continues

'These are extraordinary circumstances and you have extreme personal mitigation. The killing of your wife was an unlawful act and the court must remember the importance of the sanction of human life must never be undermined.

'But you are of good character and there was a lack of premeditation. The act was a spur of the moment and your genuine belief this was an act of mercy.'
Photo: Amy V./Yelp

The Denver City Council will hold a regular meeting this coming Monday, May 13, starting at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at the City & County Building at 1437 Bannock St. The agenda includes a resolution to approve a five-year contract with Studiotrope, LLC for architectural and engineering professional design services for renovation of the Denver Central Library, as part of the Elevate Denver Bond Program.

Also on the agenda is a resolution to approve a $3.3 million contract with Insituform Technologies LLC for a one-year rehabilitation of sewer mains with structural deterioration problems in Council Districts 3, 7, 9 and 10, including the Five Points area.

The council will also consider approving an intergovernmental agreement with the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver to provide assistance to low-income homeowners participating in the West Denver Single Family Plus program in Council Districts 3, 7, and 9. The assistance would be provided in the form of soft second mortgages for the construction of accessory dwelling units, to serve as an income-generation and anti-displacement tool. The ordinance received its first reading at the council meeting last Monday.

On a similar theme, the agenda for this coming Monday also includes a resolution to accept a $629,750 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to provide rental assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness through the Continuum of Care Bedrock program, citywide.

Besides the regular city council meeting, there will also be a meeting of the Special Issues Marijuana Committee on Monday at 1:30 p.m. in the City & County Building, Room 391. The session will include several presentations, including a briefing on cannabis social consumption special event permitting from the Department of Excise & License, a state legislative update by the Marijuana Industry Group, and a briefing on HB19-1230  a bill before the Colorado General Assembly concerning marijuana hospitality establishments  and its impacts to Denver, by a representative of the City Attorneys Office.

If you missed last weeks City Council meeting on May 6, the council adopted several other citywide initiatives, including a resolution amending a contract with The Salvation Army to provide additional outreach services to the homeless. The agreement adds $189,000 for a new total of $551,762 and extends the contract until the end of 2019, to provide additional after-hours programming and other services in collaboration with the Denver Street Outreach Collaborative (DSOC) and Denvers Road Home.

The council also approved a proposed Memorandum of Agreement between the City and County of Denver and the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. for technical assistance to implement climate programs and policies around transportation, electric vehicles and building codes. Also benefiting residents throughout the city, the council passed a bill establishing a new Public Art Contributions Capital Fund for expenditures related to planning, design and construction of existing or new public art, citywide.
By Andrew Hay

May 10 (Reuters) - Five months before Tuesday's deadly shooting at a Colorado school, a district official urged the school's director to investigate allegations of student bullying and violence by a parent who feared they could lead to the next "Columbine."

In a Dec. 19 letter to the director of the STEM School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, the district official said the anonymous parent raised "concerns about student violence due to a high-pressure environment" and referred to the massacre at a nearby school in 1999.

One student was killed and eight injured when two classmates opened fire with handguns at the school on Tuesday.

The district official's letter, seen by Reuters, said the parent told Douglas County School Board of Education Director Wendy Vogel by telephone that "many students are suicidal and violent in school. Several students have reported sexual assault and nothing is being done."

Referencing an alleged bomb threat and "an extremely high drug culture at STEM," the parent said the environment at the school was "the perfect storm," according to the letter.

The parent expressed concerns about a repeat of what happened at Columbine, when 12 students and one teacher were killed, about five miles northwest of the STEM school.

Douglas County School District official Daniel Winsor's letter to STEM Executive Director Penelope Eucker asked the school to investigate the parent's "very serious" concerns, determine their "legitimacy, and "take any remedial action that may be appropriate."

The district informed police of the allegations, it said. Cocha Heyden, a spokeswoman for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, said on Thursday that the district filed a police report about the complaints.

Winsor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Eucker said in a statement on Thursday that STEM contacted the school's 2,800 parents seeking information on the complaints.

Story continues

"While STEM took the allegations seriously, our investigation revealed no evidence to support any of the allegations," the statement said.

On January 17, the school filed a lawsuit in Douglas County District Court seeking to establish the identity of the anonymous parent, who it said defamed the school and Eucker.

On Feb. 1, the school told parents their attorney was seeking "full remedy" for the "outrageous accusations," which also included embezzling public funds and teaching children how to build bombs.

"We want you to know the depth of this depravity and apologize if you find this as offensive as we did," said that letter, seen by Reuters. (Reporting By Andrew Hay in New Mexico; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Chizu Nomiyama)
* More than 7,000 illegal crossings to Spain so far this year

* Morocco says it halts 25,000 attempted crossings, up 30%

* Most crossings take place in summer months yet to come

By Ahmed Eljechtimi

RABAT, May 10 (Reuters) - Moroccan authorities have succeeded in slowing the rate of illegal migration into Spain in recent months after a crackdown on smuggling networks, Morocco's migration and border control chief said on Friday, unveiling new figures to Reuters.

So far 7,202 people have successfully reached Spain from Morocco this year, around 2,000 more than in the same period last year. But more than half of this year's crossings took place in January, with numbers declining sharply over the following three months.

Border control chief Khalid Zerouali told Reuters this showed that government efforts were having an effect.

He said the authorities had prevented 25,000 illegal crossings so far this year, up 30% compared to the same period last year. So far this year there have been no attempts to storm border fences of the Spanish North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

The measures taken by Morocco led to stemming the migration flow to Spain, Zerouali said.

The route between Morocco and Spain has become one of the main illegal entry routes into Europe for migrants as pressure has been applied to close other routes from Turkey to Greece and Libya to Italy.

Last year some 57,000 people arrived illegally in Spain. Morocco said it stopped 89,000 migrants last year.

The vast majority of illegal Mediterranean crossings are attempted during the summer months which have yet to begin, so the much smaller figures for the first few months of the year are difficult to compare.

Zerouali denied reports that an agreement has been signed with Spain for Morocco to readmit migrants rescued at sea.

Morocco dismantled 50 migrant trafficking networks operating at the local and international levels so far this year, up 63 percent compared with a year earlier, he said. Authorities had also helped combat traffickers by imposing controls on the import and sale of navigation equipment, he added.

The EU has promised 140 million euros in border management aid to help Morocco curb migration flows. Some 30 million euros was disbursed earlier this year.

Zerouali said half of that aid would come in the form of budget support and half in donated equipment. (Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi)
Getty Images

It's hard to go wrong choosing an online brokerage these days. Just about all of the firms in our recent broker ranking allow investors to trade stocks, bonds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds online, and all provide ample research and tools to help users make educated financial decisions. With so many brokers offering similar services (and at reasonable prices), your choice may depend on one or two features.

Here are some lesser-known online brokerage perks.

SEE ALSO: The Best Online Brokers of 2018 Ranked

Income Estimators

Getty Images

Dividend-paying firms typically disburse cash every three months. If you invest for income, you may have a diverse portfolio of stocks, but if many of them pay out on the same schedule, you may find yourself going through long spells with little cash flowing in.

Three brokers - E*Trade, Merrill Edge and TD Ameritrade - have income estimator tools that can help you keep on top of future payments. Each tool uses recent payout data to project the value and timing of your portfolio's dividend payments over the next 12 months. TD's tool shows dividends from stocks and ETFs only, while E*Trade and Merrill Edge factor in income from bonds and mutual funds as well.

SEE ALSO: 20 Dividend Stocks to Fund 20 Years of Retirement

Free Funds

Getty Images

Fidelity brokerage customers have access to two mutual funds with no minimum investment and 0% expense ratios: Fidelity Zero Total Market Index (FZROX), which tracks the U.S. stock market, and Fidelity Zero International Index (FZILX), which tracks foreign stocks. To avoid paying licensing fees to index makers such as Standard & Poor's, Fidelity's funds track indexes assembled in-house. That means the funds may outrun or lag ETFs that track traditional indexes. Still, it's easy to see the benefits of free funds with no investment minimum, especially when the savings are compounded over a lifetime of investing.

Story continues

Rock-Bottom Commissions

Getty Images

None of the brokerages in our ranking can beat Firstrade on commissions - at least so far. In the time since we surveyed the brokers for our 2018 ranking, Firstrade announced free online trading for stocks, ETFs, options and mutual funds - down from $2.95 per trade. Fidelity ($4.95), Schwab ($4.95) and TD Ameritrade ($6.95) all charge a fixed rate for trading, but some other firms charge lower commissions for frequent traders or those with high balances. E*Trade's $6.95 commission drops to $4.95 for clients who make 30 or more trades per quarter, and Ally Invest's fee drops a dollar, to $3.95, if you trade 30 times per quarter or have a balance of $100,000 or more. WellsTrade shaves $3 off its standard $5.95 charge if you link a Portfolio by Wells checking account. Merrill Edge customers with $50,000 in combined assets at Merrill Edge, Merrill Lynch and parent company Bank of America qualify for 30 free stock and ETF trades per month if they sign up for the bank's Preferred Rewards program.

Cutting-Edge Platforms

Getty Images

Investors increasingly want to do brokerage business on the go. In response, all of the brokers in our survey offer mobile apps that you can use to do just about anything you could do on your desktop, such as trading stocks, accessing research, paying bills and transferring funds.

But tech-savvy investors will be pleased to know that some brokers' platforms extend beyond websites and mobile apps. Investors can interact with their Fidelity, Schwab and TD accounts by chatting with Alexa, Amazon's digital assistant. Schwab users, for instance, can ask their Alexa for market information, stock quotes and updates on personalized watch lists. TD Ameritrade customers can ask questions or even execute a trade through direct messages on Twitter, on Facebook Messenger or through the iPhone Messages app as well. If TD's computer-generated responses don't satisfy you, you'll be automatically connected with a live representative.

SEE ALSO: 101 Best Dividend Stocks for 2019 and Beyond

Sign-Up Bonuses

Getty Images

Nearly every brokerage tries to entice investors to open new accounts or add substantial sums to existing accounts by offering free trades or cash bonuses. Promotions come and go among the firms; here are some recent offers. Firstrade will reimburse up to $200 in transfer fees and $25 in wire fees when you transfer money from another firm's account. You'll also get a $50 bonus if you refer a friend who opens an account and funds it with $2,000. Schwab is running a referral promotion as well - though the $100 cash reward goes to the friend you refer, not to you. Fidelity customers who deposit at least $50,000 in new or eligible existing accounts receive 300 to 500 commission-free trades over the next two years.

Merrill Edge will give you a $600 bonus when you open and fund a new investment account or IRA. TD will give you up to $600 when you open a new account as well, depending on how much you deposit, along with 60 days of free stock, ETF and option trading. Depending on how much you deposit, new account holders at E*Trade can earn from $200 up to $2,500 in cash along with 60 days of commission-free stock and option trades. Customers who sign up at Ally can earn from $50 to $3,500 to go along with up to 90 days of commission-free trades.

SEE ALSO: 35 Ways to Earn Extra Cash

Credit Card Rewards

Getty Images

Opening a credit account linked to your brokerage can help you earn cash back to beef up your investments. The Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature card comes with no annual fee, and all purchases earn 2% cash back, which can be divided and deposited into up to five Fidelity accounts. At TD, spend $500 on a TD Ameritrade Client Rewards Visa within 90 days of getting the card and you'll receive 10,000 points (which can be redeemed for $100 cash). All purchases come with 1.5% cash back. Deposit your rewards into your TD Ameritrade brokerage account and you'll receive a 10% bonus on the cash-back. The Schwab Investor Card from American Express offers a $100 credit if you spend $1,000 in the first three months. After that, you'll get 1.5% cash back automatically deposited into your Schwab account.

Merrill Edge customers with $50,000 in assets in their account and who sign up for Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program receive a 50% boost on the cash-back reward from eligible Bank of America credit cards. Say you hold the Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card, which offers 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 3% on gas for the first $2,500 in combined grocery, wholesale club and gas purchases each quarter, plus 1% on everything else with no limit. If you move a $100 cash-back reward into a BofA account, for instance, you'll receive a $50 bonus, increasing your total windfall to $150.

Free ATMs

Getty Images

Whether you set up a cash-management account or just take out a debit card linked to the cash balances in your brokerage account, several brokerages will reimburse your fees when you withdraw cash at any ATM. E*Trade, Fidelity and TD Ameritrade will reimburse ATM fees nationwide. Schwab does that too, plus waives the 3% foreign transaction fee most debit issuers charge to make purchases abroad. Ally offers more-traditional banking services, such as checking and savings accounts. There's no fee to withdraw from one of 43,000 Allpoint ATMs, and the bank will reimburse up to $10 in ATM fees per statement cycle Merrill Edge investors who have $50,000 in assets (combined at Merrill Edge, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America) and who have joined the Preferred Rewards program can get 12 ATM-fee reimbursements per year at non-Bank of America ATMs in the U.S. (Bank of America ATMs are free).

SEE ALSO: Best Online Brokers for Every Investor

EDITOR'S PICKS



Copyright 2018-2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors
Washington (AFP) - Robert Mueller, the US special counsel whose report on Russian election interference has shaken a divided Washington, will not testify before Congress next week, a top Democrat said Friday.

House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler had wanted Mueller to testify on May 15, but he said a date for the highly anticipated appearance before lawmakers remained under discussion.

"It won't be next week," Nadler told reporters. "But we're negotiating with him, we're talking to him and the Justice Department."

Nadler has said that the committee would subpoena Mueller if necessary, but expressed hope that such a step could be avoided.

Nadler's comments came two days after his committee -- the panel empowered to initiate impeachment proceedings against a president -- voted along party lines to recommend that Attorney General William Barr be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the unredacted Mueller report and its underlying evidence.

Mueller has said that Barr, in his own four-page summary of the report, mischaracterized the nature and substance of the investigation's conclusions, which resulted in "public confusion" about the findings.

That dispute, and Barr's refusal to provide the special counsel's full report, has intensified congressional interest in hearing from Mueller himself.

Barr has said he does not object to Mueller testifying to lawmakers.

President Donald Trump, whose campaign was accused by Democrats of colluding with Moscow, has flip-flopped on the issue.

He has gone from saying he would not object to Mueller testifying, to tweeting on Sunday that "Bob Mueller should not testify."

He reversed himself again Thursday, saying "I'm going to leave that up to our very great attorney general, and he'll make the decision on that."
A new filing for a crypto-based exchange-traded fund (ETF) has been sent to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is yet to approve any crypto ETFs.

Commodity pool operator United States Commodity Funds LLC (USCF) will sponsor the ETF alongside Crescent Crypto, a New Jersey-based hedge-fund. The USCF Crescent Crypto Index Fund will track the performance of a market capitalization weighted portfolio of Bitcoin and Ether," offering investors "cryptocurrency exposure through a public vehicle."

Though it could be a long wait until it gets accepted - if at all- the co-sponsors expect the ETF's shares to break even within a year, pitching the initial offering price at $20.00.

The filing notes that the ETF, dubbed XBET, will trade "like other publicly traded securities," brought and sold daily by investors placing "orders through their brokers and may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges."

Two separately filed, pure-bitcoin ETF applications are still pending with the SEC.
By A. Ananthalakshmi and Ranga Sirilal

RATHMALYAYA, Sri Lanka, May 10 (Reuters) - N.K. Masliya says she has been visiting a neighborhood clinic in the northwestern Sri Lankan village of Rathmalyaya for over five years, always dressed in a black abaya - a cloak-like over-garment worn by some Muslim women.

But when Masliya went to the clinic nearly three weeks after Islamic militants killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the country, she said things had changed.

The 36-year-old said she was in a queue with her five-year-old daughter when a nurse told her to remove her abaya, saying: "What if you blow us up with your bomb?"

Muslim groups say they have received dozens of complaints from across Sri Lanka about people from the community being harassed at workplaces, including government offices, hospitals and in public transport since the Easter Sunday attacks.

The government has blamed the attacks on two little-known radical Islamic groups. Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

In the city of Negombo, where over 100 people were killed at the St. Sebastian's Church during Easter prayers, many Pakistani refugees said they fled after threats of revenge from locals.

Now, anger against Muslims seems to be spreading. On Sunday, a violent clash erupted between local Muslims and Christians after a traffic dispute.

"The suspicion towards them (Muslims) can grow and there can be localized attacks," said Jehan Perera of non-partisan advocacy group, the National Peace Council. "That would be the danger."

A ban on facial veils and house-to-house searches by security forces in Muslim-majority neighborhoods across the country have added to the distrust.

The government says it is aware of tensions between communities and is closely monitoring the situation.

"The government is consciously in dialog with all the religious leaders and the community leaders," Nalaka Kaluwewa, Sri Lanka's director general of information, told Reuters, adding that security has been increased across the country to avoid any communal tensions.

Story continues

BUDDHIST HARDLINERS

Muslims make up nearly 10 percent of Sri Lanka's population of 22 million, which is predominantly Buddhist. The Indian Ocean island was torn for decades by a civil war between separatists from the mostly Hindu Tamil minority and the Sinhala Buddhist-dominated government.

The government stamped out the rebellion about 10 years ago.

In recent years, Buddhist hardliners, led by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) or "Buddhist Power Force," have stoked hostility against Muslims, saying influences from the Middle East had made Sri Lanka's Muslims more conservative and isolated.

Last year, scores of Muslim mosques, homes and businesses were destroyed as Buddhist mobs ran amok for three days in Kandy, the central highlands district previously known for its diversity and tolerance.

The violence in Kandy was triggered by an attack on a Buddhist truck driver by four Muslim men after a traffic dispute. The driver later died from the injuries.

BBS' chief executive Dilantha Vithanage said as successive Sri Lankan governments had failed to address what he called a rise in Islamic extremism, Sri Lankans might be forced to do it on their own.

"This is a bigger danger than Tamil separatism," Vithanage told Reuters.

Sri Lanka's junior defense minister, Ruwan Wijewardene, told Reuters the government was taking measures to curb radicalisation but conceded that communal tensions were a big concern.

BOYCOTTING BUSINESSES

In Batticaloa, an eastern city home mainly to Christians and Hindus and where a bomber from a neighboring town attacked an evangelical church on Easter, a Tamil group has called for a boycott of Muslim-run businesses.

The alleged ringleader of the Easter attacks, preacher Zahran Hashim, and the bomber who targeted Zion Church in Batticaloa were natives of neighboring Kattankudy, a Muslim-dominated town.

"If you have any dignity, stop buying from Muslim shops," read a red-inked leaflet distributed in Batticaloa and produced by a group called 'Tamil Youth, Eastern Province'.

Two members of the group, who both said had lost relatives in the blast, told Reuters that resentment had been building for years against the people of Kattankudy.

"They have always been hostile towards us. They do not eat from our places. If they are going to grow by insulating themselves, we might as well too," one of them said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Business has plummeted at the around 250 Muslim-owned stores in Batticaloa and some will be forced to shut unless sales pick up, said Mohamed Kaleel, the vice-president of the Batticaloa Traders Association.

PRIOR WARNINGS

Among many Muslims, resentment is also building because they believe the community is being unfairly targeted, even though the government was warned repeatedly about possible attacks.

The government has said it had received prior warnings about impending attacks on churches but these were not shared across agencies and admitted that was a lapse.

Muslim community leaders have also said they had repeatedly warned the authorities about Zahran, the alleged mastermind, for years.

"The government knew about the bombings and yet they didn't take any action. But once it happened, they are targeting us innocent people. This is not fair," said Milhan, a resident in the northwestern town of Puttalam.

Abdullah, a Muslim preacher in Puttalam who declined to give his full name, said the discrimination will alienate Muslims and make them more vulnerable.

"By doing this, extremism will only increase, it won't go away. This is what happened with the Tamils," he said. (Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Ranga Sirilal in Rathmalyaya, Alexandra Ulmer and Omar Rajarathnam in Batticaloa, and Shihar Aneez in Colombo; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Kubo's Sushi & Washoku. | Photo: John R./Yelp

Looking to explore the newest businesses to open in Houston? From a a burger joint to a Japanese restaurant, read on for a list of the newest hot spots to arrive around town.

Tropicales

Photo: A C./Yelp

A University Place newcomer, Tropicales is a cafe that's located at 2132 Bissonnet St., Suite 100.

Currently in its soft opening, this spot features an upscale design reminiscent of a forest or jungle and offers a variety of libations. Sip on a breakfast cocktail or a caffeinated beverage and pair your beverage with small bites like breakfast tacos, churros or an egg croissant.

BurgerIM

Photo: mike m./Yelp

Wander over to 5887 Westheimer Road, Suite K, in Mid West and you'll find BurgerIM, a new spot to score burgers and more.

This Israel-based chain, which got its start in 2008, has been rapidly expanding its footprint in recent years.

Its signature menu item is a 3-ounce slider, which you can customize by choosing from three types of buns, six house sauces, nine toppings and 11 different types of patties. Signature burgers are also on offer, such as the Cowboy with cheddar, bacon, onion rings and barbecue sauce, or the California with Swiss cheese, mixed greens, avocado and chipotle mayo.

Tamashi Ramen Sushi

Photo: Jenn l./Yelp

Now open at 1214 W. 43rd St., Suite 500, in Central Northwest is Tamashi Ramen Sushi, a sushi bar.

This new business provides appetizers, sushi platters and ramen bowls. From tonkotsu ramen, fried appetizers and assorted sashimi plates, this spot hopes to satisfy your Japanese cravings. (Here's the menu.)

Kubos Sushi & Washoku

Photo: kubo's sushi & Washoku/Yelp

Now open at 1902 Washington Ave., Suite C, in Memorial Park is Kubos Sushi & Washoku, a sushi bar and Japanese spot.

The new eatery, which is currently in its soft opening, offers a variety of Japanese-based cuisine, such as an open grill, assorted appetizers, sushi and sashimi platters and a variety of hot and cold teas.

The Roastery

Photo: the roastery/Yelp

The Roastery is a bar, cafe and New American spot that opened recently at 5895 San Felipe St., Suite B, in Greater Uptown.

This new business has a variety of caffeinated beverage options as well as small snacks. On the menu, expect to see items like nitro cold brew, an almond Chai latte and quiche. (Here's the link to the business website.)

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.
Abuja (AFP) - Hundreds of protesters marched through the Nigerian capital Abuja on Friday demanding an end to police impunity, after officers were accused of carrying out a string of sexual assaults.

"Being a woman is not a crime," protesters chanted during the march, which was organised by several women's rights groups and civil society organisations.

"My body, my life," they added.

Dozens of women were dragged out of nightclubs, hotels and bars in Abuja last month in police raids, and then arrested for prostitution -- a charge many furiously denied.

Testimonies from women given to AFP provide shocking stories of multiple and brutal sexual assaults carried out by police officers after their arrest.

The sweeping police crackdown in the federal capital sparked outrage in the news and on social media in Africa's most populous nation.

"In Abuja women were raped, robbed and humiliated just because they are women," Amnesty International said Friday. "Those responsible of these violations must be brought to justice."

Last week a presidential spokesman said that "a thorough investigation of what happened" was being carried out.

"This administration will not tolerate any violation of the individual freedoms of our people," the spokesman added.

But protesters on Friday said they were sceptical such promises will be followed through, and pointed out that more women have been arrested.

"We are asking for them to stop the raids on women," said the lawyer for several of the women arrested, Jennifer Ogbogu, who joined the march.

Ogbogu said five women were arrested on Thursday night.

They were reportedly grabbed off the street -- including while riding motorcycles or out shopping -- and "accused of prostitution", she said.

Prostitution, although illegal in Nigeria, is still widespread in the cities.

It is often tolerated in the largely Christian south, but less so in the mainly Muslim north, where sharia law applies in some states.

Abuja -- situated slightly north of Nigeria's centre -- is a mix of people and traditions from across the country.
The surprise about the big New York Times story on Donald Trumps tax returns is that there are no real surprises.

Trumps taxes have been an obsession of the Left since he, in violation of a longstanding norm, reneged on his promise to release his returns during the 2016 campaign.

Pieces were written urging some brave whistleblower to come forward with them, and Democrats counted as one of the advantages of taking the House that they could demand Trumps returns. The dispute resulting from the administrations refusal to turn them over is now probably headed to the Supreme Court.

All the while, the expectation, or at least the suspicion, was that the returns contained some awful secret, perhaps evidence that he is a tool of the Russians.

And here, the New York Times has obtained Trumps tax information spanning a decade from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, and the revelation is that he wasnt doing as well as he said in public and lost a boatload of money in a period that nearly destroyed him. In other words, exactly what anyone paying any attention would have expected.

Yes, the amount of the reported loss, $1.17 billion, is remarkable (although inflated for tax purposes), and some of the details memorable.

Trump doesnt like having all the particulars on the record to be discussed and mocked, but can anyone say that they are surprised?

Trump himself, the Washington Examiner notes, talked about his precarious financial state in this period on the first episode of The Apprentice. In fact, he may have exaggerated, saying that he had been billions of dollars in debt.

As for Trumps use of tax loopholes, he said in a debate with Hillary Clinton that if he didnt owe any tax liability, that made him smart.

There really are no Trump mysteries. His flaws arent hidden away. He often attests to them himself, or demonstrates them publicly. For someone who cares so much about his image, and so assiduously crafts it, hes a relative open book.

Story continues

No blockbuster report has more than a passing effect because each dispatch is, ultimately, another dot in a pointillist portrait of the president that was largely completed long ago.

This is also why the hope that we are one investigation, tax return, or subpoena away from the revelation that will finally bring Trump down  or even make a difference  is almost certainly forlorn.

Obviously, it was news that he had paid off a porn star during the presidential campaign, and highly embarrassing. This is why Trump denied it for so long. But hed already told us about his womanizing in his own words, often on The Howard Stern Show.

Likewise, the most blameworthy conduct regarding Russias election interference in 2016 was out in the open  the Trump campaign was happy to derive any possible advantage from the WikiLeaks disclosures, and Trump tried to deny the obvious Russian involvement.

We didnt need a 400-page special counsel report to break this news.

Even some of Trumps alleged obstruction, which youd expect to involve back-channel scheming (and there was certainly that), was out in the open.

He pressured Jeff Sessions in public to un-recuse. He publicly called Michael Cohen a rat. He told Lester Holt on a TV news broadcast that he fired James Comey because of the Russia investigation (specifically, that it didnt have anything to do with him). And hes made no secret that he yearns for an attorney general who will protect him.

You can add lurid details to this basic picture, and Mueller did, but its hard to find a game-changer.

None of this is to defend or excuse Trumps business practices, or his conduct in office. It is merely to say that hes an extravagantly known quantity, and will likely win or lose in 2020 based on what we already know rather than the fruits of further investigation and fact-finding.

 2019 by King Features Syndicate

More from National Review
By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES, May 10 (Reuters) - A North Carolina man has been charged in the long-unsolved murder of a top Hollywood television director and world-class bridge player who was found slain at his Los Angeles home in 1985, prosecutors said on Friday.

The arrest came after more than three decades of mystery surrounding the bludgeoning and strangulation death of Barry Crane, known for his work in the 1960s, '70s and '80s on such hit shows as "Dallas," "Mission: Impossible" and "Hawaii Five-O."

The suspect, 52-year-old Edward Hiatt of North Carolina, was linked to the crime scene after DNA evidence was retested last year, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement.

"On March 8, 2019, (Robbery Homicide Department) detectives traveled to North Carolina and interviewed Hiatt. During the interview, Hiatt admitted to killing Barry Crane," the LAPD said.

Hiatt, who was taken into custody by agents from an FBI fugitive task force, has been charged with one count of murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether he had retained an attorney.

The Morgantown (N.C.) News-Herald newspaper reported that Hiatt had also been connected to the case by a fingerprint found on Crane's car, which was stolen from his home after the murder.

The News-Herald said FBI agents were able to collect a sample of his DNA from a coffee cup and cigarette butts he had discarded at the auto repair shop where he worked.

Hiatt, who was facing extradition proceedings that would bring him back to California, was expected to make an initial court appearance in North Carolina on Friday. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Crane, 57, was born Barry Cohen in Detroit and was already an accomplished bridge player when he moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s to work in Hollywood, according to the online movie database IMDB.com. He worked as a director on dozens of TV episodes over the next three decades as well as a producer on such shows as "the Magician," "Mission: Impossible" and "Mannix." Crane was also recognized as one of the top contract bridge players of all time. A housekeeper found Crane's body in the garage of his home on July 5, 1985, wrapped in bedsheets with a telephone cord wrapped around his neck. An autopsy determined that he had been bludgeoned to death with a large ceramic statue. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A North Carolina man has been charged in the long-unsolved murder of a top Hollywood television director and world-class bridge player who was found slain at his Los Angeles home in 1985, prosecutors said on Friday.

The arrest came after more than three decades of mystery surrounding the bludgeoning and strangulation death of Barry Crane, known for his work in the 1960s, '70s and '80s on such hit shows as "Dallas," "Mission: Impossible" and "Hawaii Five-O."

The suspect, 52-year-old Edward Hiatt of North Carolina, was linked to the crime scene after DNA evidence was retested last year, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement.

"On March 8, 2019, (Robbery Homicide Department) detectives traveled to North Carolina and interviewed Hiatt. During the interview, Hiatt admitted to killing Barry Crane," the LAPD said.

Hiatt, who was taken into custody by agents from an FBI fugitive task force, has been charged with one count of murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether he had retained an attorney.

The Morgantown (N.C.) News-Herald newspaper reported that Hiatt had also been connected to the case by a fingerprint found on Crane's car, which was stolen from his home after the murder.

The News-Herald said FBI agents were able to collect a sample of his DNA from a coffee cup and cigarette butts he had discarded at the auto repair shop where he worked.

Hiatt, who was facing extradition proceedings that would bring him back to California, was expected to make an initial court appearance in North Carolina on Friday. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Crane, 57, was born Barry Cohen in Detroit and was already an accomplished bridge player when he moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s to work in Hollywood, according to the online movie database IMDB.com.

He worked as a director on dozens of TV episodes over the next three decades as well as a producer on such shows as "the Magician," "Mission: Impossible" and "Mannix."

Story continues

Crane was also recognized as one of the top contract bridge players of all time.

A housekeeper found Crane's body in the garage of his home on July 5, 1985, wrapped in bedsheets with a telephone cord wrapped around his neck. An autopsy determined that he had been bludgeoned to death with a large ceramic statue.

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
North Korea has fired two short-range missiles just days after its leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test-firing of multiple rockets and another missile, South Korea said.

The missiles were fired from the town of Sino-ri, which is northwest of the capital Pyongyang. They flew 261 miles and 168 miles respectively towards the east, Seouls joint chiefs of staff said in a statement, and were fired at about 4.30pm local time (07.30 GMT).

One thing is clear  theres no doubt that it is a missile, Yang Uk, senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, said. North Korea has returned to its classic escalation tactics from before. I believe they will keep escalating by using what appear to be short-range missiles, something that will not cause the US to react right away.

The projectiles are thought to have been launched from the site of a medium-range Rodong missile base on North Koreas west coast. South Korean intelligence agencies are continuing to assess information about the new launches.

Talks between the United States and North Korea about the latters nuclear arsenal have reached a stalemate in recent months.

The new missile tests come as a top US envoy arrived in South Korea for discussions on how to break the deadlock.

Analysts suggest North Korea is trying to increase pressure on the US after its refusal to make concessions, according to the BBC.

On Saturday, North Korea fired a number of rockets from its east coast into the ocean, but said on Wednesday they were regular and defensive and not provocative.

After Thursdays launch, South Koreas military said it had stepped up monitoring and security in case of another launch, and was working with the US to get additional information about the missiles involved.
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos Getty

Kim Jong Un is holding the corpses of American soldiers hostageagain. One of many signs the supposed romance between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump is very much over.

After the first summit between Trump and the North Korean Leader in Singapore last year, among the accomplishments touted by Trump as major was the return of the remains of GIs killed in the Korean War, which ended in 1953.

But since the complete failure of the second Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi at the end of February, cooperation in the search for any more identifiable bones has ended along with obviously unrealistic hopes for getting North Korea to give up its nuclear program.

The other bragging point out of Singapore had been an end to Kims missile tests. Obviously the big concern was his ICBMs, intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the United States with nuclear warheads. But it was clear any missile tests would be seen as provocative.

Now those provocations have begun, with fresh tests of short and medium range missiles.

If there were any doubt the Kim-Trump romance that the president declared at Singapore is now over, and bitter, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Thursday the dramatic-sounding seizure of a sanctions-busting North Korean ship full of coal. In fact, as the DOJ complaint shows, the ship known as the Wise Honest was detained in Indonesia by local authorities in April 2018, weeks before the Singapore summit in June, and formally seized by the United States in July 2018, a few weeks afterward. The announcement is being made only now. Presumably it comes as no surprise at all to Kim.

On the question of of the corpses, word from the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is the North has done and said nothing about looking for more remains since the bones of 55 fallen GIs were flown amid great ceremony last August from South Koreas Osan Air Base to Hickam Air Base in Hawaii. More than 5,000 soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen are still missingthough the North Koreans are assumed to be holding the remains of some of them, waiting for U.S. concessions on sanctions before returning more.

Story continues

North Korea timed its latest missile shots most adroitly, just as the chief U.S. negotiator on North Korea was in Seoul talking over strategy and options with senior South Korean officials. Hes meeting Friday with the Souths foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha and Kim Yeon-chul, unification minister.

U.S. analysts are familiar with North Korean negotiating tactics: the raising of tensions, the refusal to talk, the brandishing of weaponry, all the while pressing demands for relief from sanctions imposed after tests of nuclear warheads and long-range ballistic missiles, last fired in late 2017.

The next actions could include a long-range missile launch, says Steve Tharp, whos made a career of analyzing North Korean intentions as both a military officer and senior official with the U.S. command in Korea. Right now they are simply reminding us of the other more serious actions that they can take and they want to shake up the Moon Administration. They aren't finished.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has tried to soften yet another blow to his controversial quest for rapprochement with a regime that has shown no real signs of giving up its nuclear program despite pledges of denuclearization in his three summits with Kim.

Moon, in an exercise in face-saving, sought to put the best face on the latest North Korean shots, describing them as short-range missiles that flew only a short distance. His use of the term missiles, however, came as acknowledgement that they were something more than short-range projectiles, as the missiles fired last Saturday were described.

In an interview with the Souths state broadcaster, KBS, Moon sought to transfer the blame to the U.S. by saying the shots were an expression of the Norths displeasure with the debacle of the second Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi.

The North has significantly upped the ante by sending the last two shots considerably further into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. One of them flew more than 400 kilometers, the other 270 kilometers.

By calling the missiles short-range, Moon avoided the issue of whether they broke resolutions adopted by the U.N. Security Council banning the North from testing weapons using ballistic missile technology. That question, however, was still sure to come up in debate among Security Council members.

It's back to Square One if the U.S. chooses to interpret and respond to as such, says Soo Kim, a former CIA analyst. Trump faces the choice, she said, of either returning to fire and fury rhetoric or softening on the terms of denuclearization and sanctions relief.

If the missile shots were still treated as a minor flurry, she says, the U.S. could go on insisting on complete denuclearization rather than a step-by-step process including relief from sanctions in return for North Korea slowly abandoning its nuclear program.

Trump may be anxious to go on with his lovefest with Kim Jong Un, as indicated after his 35-minute phone conversation with Moon on Wednesday, but he still favors whats called the big dealNorth Korea totally abandoning its nuclear program, revealing where its making and testing warheads and long-range missiles, and surrendering those its made already.

It was on those issues that the summit in Hanoi last February broke down. Kim was caught by surprise by demands made across the table in Hanois Metropole Hotel. Trump walked out, canceling what was to have been a celebratory lunch, despite his protestations of friendship with the North Korean leader.

U.S. experts believe China has to exercise its considerable influence over North Korea even as China and the U.S. are in tendentious talks over Trumps insistence on raising tariffs on Chinese imports.

I dont think the U.S. alone can do it, said Joseph Yun, former chief U.S. negotiator on North Korea. Relations between China and North Korea would be vital. China, he said, does want denuclearization of North Korea, but its ultimate goal is to get the U.S. out of its back door  that is, for U.S. forces to leave South Korea.

Meanwhile, China wants stability and continuation of the Kim regime while denuclearization is going on, said Yun. Nobody in China believes this can be done quickly.

Daniel Russel, former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, described the launch of projectiles as an expression of North Koreas impatience. There is no prospect of a happy ending without the cooperation of China, he said, but the U.S.-China trade war has at least the potential to derail U.S.-China cooperation on North Korea.

North Korea, though, could act fast on preliminary steps, including setting up joint search teams to look for the remains of more GIs and returning sets of remains that its got in storage, waiting for the moment to return them.

The fact that nothing is happening on those remains underlines the severity of the disruption of moves toward reconciliationand the difficulty of getting back to serious talks. Chuck Pritchard, spokesman for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, said attempts to communicate with the North Korean military had been suspended since we can no longer effectively plan, coordinate and conduct field operations.

That frank assessment seemed to apply to the entire process after a year of high hopes for a real peace, at last, on the Korean peninsula.

Christopher Dickey also contributed reporting to this story.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un supervises the latest ballistic missile drill in North Korea - REUTERS

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, in its second weapons test in less than a week, South Koreas military said.

One missile travelled 260 miles and the other 170 miles in an easterly direction after being launched from a site northwest of the Norths capital, Pyongyang, the Souths joint chiefs of staff confirmed in a statement.

The launch marks an escalation from a test just five days ago of long-range multiple rocket launchers and another short-range ballistic missile resembling a Russian 9K720 Iskander.

North Korea's state-run media said leader Kim Jong-un helped guide the firing of the missiles. The Korean Central News Agency said that "at the command post Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill".

Donald Trump said he was not happy about North Korea's recent military tests. The US President told reporters at the White House on Thursday that "we're looking" at the situation "very seriously right now."

He said the weapons were smaller, short-range missiles, but added: "Nobody's happy about it."

Mr Trump, who has met with Kim twice now, said: "I don't think they're ready to negotiate."

A missile is seen launched during a military drill in North Korea Credit: Reuters

The military at first said they were launched from Sino-ri, home to a North Korean ballistic missile base. But it later confirmed that the launchpad was Kusong, a town north of Sino-ri, which has been linked in the past with the Norths first solid-fuel midrange ballistic missile, the Pukguksong-2.

The latest tests coincided with the arrival of Stephen Biegun, the US envoy for North Korea, in Seoul to meet with South Korean officials to explore ways to resume stalled talks over the Norths nuclear weapons programme.

A few hours after the confirmation of the missile launch, the US justice department announced that it had for the first time seized a North Korean shipping vessel that had been violating American law and international sanctions.

Story continues

Prosecutors said the carrier ship, the Wise Honest, was being used to export North Korean coal, a vital component of the country's economy that is under debilitating sanctions.

The US authorities have seized the Wise Honest for violating sanctions Credit: Reuters

The ship was first impounded by Indonesia last April and the justice department obtained a seizure warrant in July. Officials said the timing of the complaint for forfeiture was not linked to recent strains between the two countries.

However, analysts believe the resumption of North Korean missile tests could herald a gradual escalation of tensions between Washington and Pyongyang after last year's diplomatic detente.

On Wednesday, the North said that last weekends strike drill was regular and self-defensive and had neither targeted anyone nor led to an aggravation of the situation in the region.

The tests come just months after a failed second summit in February in Hanoi between the Norths leader, Kim Jong-un, and Donald Trump, the US president.

Kim had hoped to win relief from punishing sanctions in return for a partial dismantlement of his countrys nuclear weapons programme, but the meeting ended without a deal and negotiations have since come to a standstill.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un supervises the military drill in North Korea Credit: Reuters

Experts believe that Pyongyang is using the military tests to raise pressure on Washington to reignite talks, and to reassert Kims strength to the North Korean public which is facing increasing economic hardships and food shortages.

Last month Kim issued a year-end ultimatum to resolve differences with the US over nuclear disarmament. Analysts say that recent tests are an indication that Kim is losing patience with Washington but that the window for negotiations is not yet closed.

Pyongyang is getting frustrated with the lack of concessions on the part of the US, as well as slow US-ROK [South Korea] dialogue. The North does not want to play an endless waiting game with a divided US administration that cannot achieve common goals with Seoul, said Edward Howell, a North Korea expert at Oxford University.

Pyongyang wants concrete commitments to sanctions relief, and a realisation from Washington that no matter how much the US pushes for denuclearisation on US terms, Pyongyang will not comply, he added.

Put simply, it wants the world to listen to its demands. If not, it has nuclear and missile capability after all.

Missiles are seen launched during a military drill in North Korea Credit: Reuters

Saturdays drill was the first test of a ballistic missile by North Korea since November 2017. However, it did not violate Kims self-imposed nuclear and missile-testing moratorium, which only applied to intercontinental-range ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States.

The significance of the drill was played down by Washington. President Trump voiced confidence at the weekend that Kim would not break his promise or do anything to interfere with North Koreas economic potential. Deal will happen! he tweeted.

By contrast, a statement from South Korea's presidential Blue House said it was "greatly concerned at the resumption of tests, calling them a violation of a military agreement signed by both Koreas last year to completely cease all hostile acts.

The presidential office said on Thursday that it was keeping close tabs on the current security situation.

During an interview with the KBS news channel, Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president, said it was premature to conclude whether Pyongyang had violated UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting it from using ballistic missile technology.

He said the North appeared to be demonstrating its displeasure with the breakdown of the Hanoi summit.

But he indicated that plans for possible food aid to the Souths impoverished neighbour were still on track.

The Japanese ministry of defence confirmed that the missiles had not landed in its territorial waters. "At the moment, we don't see any situation that would immediately impact on Japan's security," it said in a statement.
There is no law in Norway that requires citizens to have compulsory rabies vaccinations (FACEBOOK)

A Norwegian woman has died after contracting rabies from a stray puppy she was attempting to rescue in the Philippines.

Birgitte Kallestad, 24, was on holiday with friends when they found the puppy on a street.

The puppy is thought to have infected her when the puppy bit her after they took it back to their resort.

Ms Kallestad's family said in a statement she fell ill soon after returning to Norway.

It is the first rabies-related death of a Norwegian national for 200 years (GETTY)

She died on Monday at the hospital where she worked.

Rabies is a treatable illness - but can cause a life-threatening infection of the brain and nervous system in humans if left untreated.

Initial symptoms of the illness include anxiety, headaches and fever. But as the disease progresses sufferers experience hallucinations and respiratory failure.

The disease is mostly prevalent in Asia and Africa and kills thousands of people every year.

Read more on Yahoo News UK:

Armed police scrambled to east London mosque after 'masked' gunman fires outside Ramadan prayers

Dutch court refuses to extradite prisoner to Liverpool prison due to "inhumane" conditions

Seven orphaned children of Swedish Isis fighter rescued from Syria and reunited with grandfather

Her family said: 'Our dear Birgitte loved animals.

'Our fear is that this will happen to others who have a warm heart like her'.

The girl's case is the first rabies-related death in Norway for more than 200 years.

Ms Kallestad's family has now called for a change in the law, which at present does not make rabies vaccinations compulsory for citizens travelling to the Philippines.

Ms Kallestad's parents are campaigning to change the law in Norway (FACEBOOK)

The family continued: 'If we can achieve this, the death of our sunbeam can save others.'

In November 2018, a British traveller died of rabies after being bitten by a cat in Morocco.

It has been claimed Briton Omar Zouhri, 58, died from the viral infection because he did not receive the anti-viral vaccine until the virus had become too strong to cure.

Public Health England (PHE) issued an urgent warning to travellers advising them to steer clear of 'animal exposures abroad'.
A kenyan court dropped charges against Moroccos phosphates giant OCP over alleged mercure presence in its fertilizers.

The court also withdrew criminal charges against OCP officials and ordered the release of the fertilizers cargo that was held at Ballore Warehouse.

Some Kenyan news portals said the termination came after parties entered a plea bargaining agreement.

OCP stopped shipments to Kenya last summer and asked authorities for a re-testing of its fertilizers after it was accused of non-compliance with local regulatory standards.

OCP, which is currently producing customized fertilizers specific to the needs of different African soils from its chemical plants in Jorf Lasfar, is also planning large-scale investments in Africa.

In Ethiopia, the group already launched a plant that will be operational in the next two or four years. The plant required an investment of about $3 billion and is expected to export raw material for the production of fertilizers to the region.

OCP is also planning a fertilizer plant in Nigeria and probably in Ghana where feasibility studies are underway.

OCP is also gearing efforts to improve the process of agricultural productivity in Africa through helping farmers and establishing soil maps.
Perhaps its New York Citys ability to transform itself so rapidly that makes those of us who love it so sensitive to the restaurant that closes, the hardware shop that shutters, or the building that comes down. Too often their replacementsshiny, new, shop-ifiedseem to lack soul. For all its acclaimed verticality, Hudson Yards has drawn criticism that it isnt much more than a glorified mall. CBGB decayed and was reborn as a John Varvatos boutique. Alphabet City has a Target. In Downtown Brooklyn, a skyscraper just went up complete with a rooftop pool. (Admittedly, the view is spectacular.) But even among those of us who appreciate convenience and style, theres a wistfulness for the bygone Bohemian grit that emanated from certain neighborhoods.

The response to these overly polished, sterilized cityscapes is driving a new wave of urban nostalgia. Two recent New York Times featuresone on capturing every block in the city in the 1980s, another recollecting the demolition of Penn Stationembody everything there is to love about seasoned urban architecture, especially as we see it disappearing. And then there is Jeremiahs Vanishing New York blog, a bitterly nostalgic look at a city in the process of going extinct, run by Jeremiah Moss.

Scene in Soho section of Manhattan on Mercer Street. Photo: Jon Naso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Often nostalgia gets a bad rap in our future-fetishistic current culture, says Moss, a psychoanalyst who also authored the book Vanishing New York: How a Great City Lost Its Soul. But sentimentality may be healthy, he says. Empathic people tend to be less afraid of their own mortality, which he equates to this type of yearning. People who do feel anxious about death tend to be bigger consumersshopping and eating can soothe that anxiety.

In his 2017 book, Moss (who writes under a pen name) predicted that Hudson Yards would be a dreamworld of exclusion, with rarified zombie shoppers Instagramming their way through a set of global cliches. He worries that urban landscapesparticularly public spacesare becoming increasingly homogenized, overly tidy, and heavily commodified, leaving less room than ever for the unexpected qualities and encounters that generate a sense of place, those interactions that Jane Jacobs eloquently called a sidewalk ballet. That our eyes are glued to our smartphones while we walk through them probably doesnt help.

Story continues

The window of Elaine's restaurant, on th Photo: Robin Platzer/Twin Images/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images

These are streets built for super-consumers, says Moss, and our pristine, new buildings literally and figuratively reflect us. On the other hand, he says, old, weathered buildings remind us that we are mortal [and] vulnerable. Demolishing brick and stone and replacing them with glass boxes, argues Moss, is a way of denying that vulnerability.

There have been other waypoints along the recent timeline of New Yorks architectural nostalgia. The demolition of Penn Station in the mid-1960s has left many of us forever pining for McKim, Mead & Whites elegant arches and columns (even if the building had become decrepit and dysfunctional). The next two decades also dramatically changed neighborhoods and the city skyline. As municipal policies moved away from social democracy and increasingly incentivized corporate welfare and tourism, an era of gentrification began. (Hello, Trump Tower!) By the early aughts, New York itself was declared a luxury product.

By then, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, had left another indelible mark on our collective psychology. Suddenly, the entire country was nostalgic for the World Trade Centers Twin Towers, while New Yorkers began dissecting their emotional and physical relationships to the urban fabric.

Penn Station IE Pennsylvania Station Photo: Geo. P. Hall & Son/The New York Historical Society/Getty Images

Our streets are calendars containing who we were and who we will be next, writes Colson Whitehead in an iconic essay that same year. Maybe we become New Yorkers the day we realize that New York will go on without us, he goes on, achingly. To put off the inevitable, we try to fix the city in place, remember it as it was, doing to the city what we would never allow to be done to ourselves.

Change is inevitable, but how we build and rebuild our cities should be purposeful. If we had a culture that valued compassion over consumption, says Moss, I believe we would have more old architecture, which can be more affordable and thus inclusive, and fewer soulless glass towers, which exclude many people.

Financial Center And World Trade Center At Night Photo: Santi Visalli/Getty Images

If homogenized commodification of the built environment is worth resisting, a timely wave of nostalgia may be just the impetus we need to take up the fight. For inspiration, look to Long Island City, where organized protesters nullified Amazons entry into Queens. Interestingly, the borough holds the Guinness World Record for ethnic diversity.

So if you catch a glimpse of your fashionable self reflected in one of those shiny, new buildings, Starbucks in hand and AirPods in ear, stop and think, but be kind to yourself, too. As Whitehead wrote in his soulful tribute, New York City does not hold our former selves against us. Perhaps we can extend the same courtesy. Perhaps we can also build a city that is both discerningly modern and abundantly diverse economically, culturally, and architecturally. If any city can do it, surely its New York. And if an entire city can aspire to such goals, then surely you and I can order our next lattes from that local shop on the corner, instead of a globalized app.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

As an investor, I look for investments which does not compromise one fundamental factor for another. By this I mean, I look at stocks holistically, from their financial health to their future outlook. In the case of Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS), it is a financially-robust company with a an impressive history superior dividend payments, trading at a great value. In the following section, I expand a bit more on these key aspects. For those interested in understanding where the figures come from and want to see the analysis, read the full report on Nu Skin Enterprises here.

Established dividend payer and good value

NUS's ability to maintain an adequate level of cash to meet upcoming liabilities is a good sign for its financial health. This indicates that NUS has sufficient cash flows and proper cash management in place, which is a crucial insight into the health of the company. NUS's has produced operating cash levels of 0.38x total debt over the past year, which implies that NUS's management has put its borrowings into good use by generating enough cash to cover a sufficient portion of borrowings. NUS is currently trading below its true value, which means the market is undervaluing the company's expected cash flow going forward. Investors have the opportunity to buy into the stock to reap capital gains, if NUS's projected earnings trajectory does follow analyst consensus growth, which determines my intrinsic value of the company. Compared to the rest of the personal products industry, NUS is also trading below its peers, relative to earnings generated. This supports the theory that NUS is potentially underpriced.

NYSE:NUS Intrinsic value, May 10th 2019

For those seeking income streams from their portfolio, NUS is a robust dividend payer as well. Over the past decade, the company has consistently increased its dividend payout, reaching a yield of 2.7%.

Story continues

NYSE:NUS Historical Dividend Yield, May 10th 2019

Next Steps:

For Nu Skin Enterprises, there are three relevant factors you should look at:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for NUSs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for NUSs outlook. Historical Performance: What has NUS'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. Other Attractive Alternatives : Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of NUS? Explore our interactive list of stocks with large potential to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
By Naimul Karim

DHAKA, May 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The rape and murder of a nurse in Bangladesh just weeks after a female student was burned to death has sparked ongoing protests and renewed calls for greater protection for women in the South Asian country.

Shahinoor Akhter Tania, 24, who worked as a nurse in a hospital in Dhaka, according to a medical report, was raped and pushed off a bus, while heading towards her hometown in Kishoreganj, about 100 kilometers away, on Monday.

The police have since arrested five individuals but are still investigating the incident.

Tania's death comes as the country is still reeling over the killing of Nusrat Jahan, a student burnt to death last month for not withdrawing a sexual harassment complaint, according to the police, leading to protests calling for women's safety.

"We should be treating this as something of the highest national priority, not just in terms of arresting people but in terms of making sure another woman doesn't go through it," said Sara Hossain, a Bangladeshi lawyer and a human rights activist.

"Nusrat's case was very extreme. But why do these cases keep on happening? One of the reasons is the kind of impunity that exists, so people can get away (with these crimes)," she added.

About 950 women were victims of rape last year, according to a study conducted by the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, a women's rights organization in Dhaka.

"The number is on the increase. In April this year, we found 401 cases of violence against women, out of which many were rape cases," Maleka Banu, general secretary of the group told Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"We say that women can work, but when they step outside, this is the kind of things they have to face. You can't solve this problem by addressing individual issues, we need to address this problem in totality," she said.

Following Tania's death, protests took place this week in both Kishoreganj and Dhaka.

Story continues

The police have arrested the driver and the conductor of the bus Tania was traveling on, but have refused to comment on the event before their investigation is completed.

The medical team that examined Tania's body said it believes that the 24-year-old was raped.

"There was injury in the vaginal region and it was also bleeding. There were defensive wounds and bruises on her face, hand and neck," said Dr. Habibur Rahman, Kishoreganj's civil surgeon, quoting the preliminary autopsy report.

"We believe that she died because of the wound behind her head. We feel that that took place because she was pushed out of the bus. We will be conducting more tests," added Rahman.

The youngest among six siblings, Tania, according to her brother, was the "brightest amongst them."

"My mother passed away in December. Tania wanted to come home to spend the first few days of Ramadan with my father because she knew he felt lonely," Shafiqul Islam Sujon, Tania's elder brother said.

"She had the knack to win over people's hearts, no matter who she talked to. She took care of us both mentally and financially. And now she is gone. My heart pains whenever I think about her," Sujon said. (Reporting by Naimul Karim; Editing by Jason Fields; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
The fire that ravaged the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris last month released lead particles that have settled in potentially dangerous amounts in areas surrounding the church, officials said Thursday.

Analysis carried out since the April 15 blaze has detected lead dust in "very significant" levels on some streets and pavements outside the cathedral, which remain off limits to the public.

Between 10-20 grammes of lead per kilogramme (g/kg) were detected in soil samples, compared with normal background levels of just 0.3 g/kg, according to a statement from the police and the ARS regional health service.

The fire destroyed the roof and steeple of the 850-year-old landmark, melting the large sheets of lead that covered an intricate wooden framework.

But officials said testing had not revealed any lingering lead pollution in the air, with all atmospheric analyses showing less than the legal limit of 0.25 microgrammes per cubic meter (g/m3).

And outside the areas immediately surrounding the cathedral, "no sample on the Ile de la Cite or along the banks of the Seine indicated any lead levels in soils above the benchmark level," the statement said.

The Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) environmental NGO estimates the roof and steeple contained more than 300 tons of lead that melted in the blaze, and has urged officials to "decontaminate" the site before carrying out any reconstruction work.

Lead pollution can cause neurological defects for humans, especially children, as well as nervous system and kidney problems.

- Cleaning urged -

Officials said the lead posed little danger to residents, since only "repeated ingestions" of the toxic metal would be harmful to health.

There have been no reports of acute lead poisoning since the fire.

But the statement urged residents to clean all surfaces in their homes with wet cloths or wipes and to avoid the use of vacuum cleaners.

People should also wash their hands regularly and keep their fingernails cut short.

Story continues

It also advised parents to wash toys often, since the faster metabolism in children under six makes any exposure to lead a particular risk.

Pregnant women should also take precautions to protect their babies from any exposure.

"Additional investigations are under way and testing will be carried out regularly to measure lead levels and ensure that health risks are kept under control," officials said.

The cathedral is expected to remain closed to visitors for years as workers clear away debris before embarking on an ambitious plan to restore the roof within five years.

The government has launched an international architectural competition for the reconstruction, raising the prospect of modern touches to a structure dating from the 13th century.

A YouGov poll this month found that 54 percent of respondents wanted the cathedral rebuilt exactly as it was, with only a quarter supporting the idea of adding a modern architectural touch to the historic building.
The rap on Singapore is that it has fertile capital but a sterile culture  a great place to do business, but a stultifying place to live.

It is the Facebook of countries.

The authorities there are sensitive to that kind of criticism. In a 2017 interview with the Straits Times, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasized the diversity of the country and the distinctiveness of its individual cultural components. Singapore, he said, is oriented not toward assimilation but integration.

The result has been distinctive Singaporean variants of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasian cultures, and a growing Singaporean identity that we all share, suffusing and linking up our distinct individual identities and ethnic cultures, Lee said. We certainly dont wish Singapore to be a first-world economy but a third-rate society, with a people who are well off but uncouth. We want to be a society rich in spirit, a gracious society where people are considerate and kind to one another, and as Mencius said, where we treat all elders as we treat our own parents, and other children as our own.

That is a very nice vision, which the government of Singapore pursues energetically through authoritarianism, bullying, and intimidation. Singapore is an innovator in many fields, and one of the activities toward which it has turned a great deal of attention is one that is of increasing global and domestic significance: censorship.

Singapore has just passed a law that would require Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media companies to publish corrections on their sites in response to content that is ruled untrue by the government of Singapore. Facebook executives say they have been looking to governments for guidance in their attempt to suppress certain kinds of speech on their platforms  and here it is, from the world-beating experts.

The government of Singapore is, in fact, not so different in its thinking from Facebook. It is just a little ahead of the curve. Facebook insists (sometimes laughably) that its speech restrictions are not directed at unpopular political ideas but exist to serve the safety of the public. Singapore, too, cites safety as it prohibits certain unwelcome political activism and cultural innovation. Public safety is, like national security, an almost infinitely plastic criterion in the hands of an entrepreneurial politician: In March, President Donald Trump blocked the acquisition of Qualcomm by Singapore-based Broadcom, offering only the vague explanation that the company might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States. Senator Marco Rubio has argued that corporate welfare for Florida sugar barons is a matter of national security, while others make the same argument for their favorite commodities; Democratic party officials have suggested that Second Amendment activists be investigated or suppressed as terrorists; the sniveling cowards who run the University of California at Berkeley cited public safety when they forbade conservative polemicist Ann Coulter to speak on campus. Et cetera ad nauseam.

Story continues

In Singapore, public safety is the rationale for a remarkably thorough program of official censorship, much of which is directed at the worthy goal of keeping the peace among the city-states unamalgamated ethnic and religious groups. For example, if a crime has a potentially inflammatory ethnic or religious component, that fact generally will be omitted from media coverage as part of an unspoken agreement between the state and the newspapers. Films or books that are deemed to denigrate an ethnic or religious group are prohibited. The sale of Malaysian newspapers is prohibited. And in the same way that U.S. progressives seek to suppress political speech as a matter of campaign finance, the authorities in Singapore have prohibited the unlicensed showing of party political films, which may be the of any person and directed towards any political end in Singapore. Such films are permitted only if the government considers them objective; the irony of demanding a subjective ruling about objectivity seems to have been lost on Singapores rulers, who are not famous for their sense of humor.

Singapores censors make the same argument as do Facebooks: that the suppression of certain kinds of unwelcome political speech is necessary for public safety. Singapores is a genuinely multiethnic and multireligious society  and, as it turns out, such societies do not have a very good record for long-term stability and domestic tranquility. If anything, Singapore has a more convincing argument that fanning the flames of communal politics in such a country is likely to actually endanger people than Facebook does that Milo Yiannapoulos is whatever kind of danger it is that he is supposed to be. Singapores position is more convincing than the jactitations of those ignorant little twerps at Philadelphias University of the Arts who protested that the presence of Professor Camille Paglia on their campus left them unsafe. (They should feel grateful. I wonder who is the second-most distinguished intellectual associated with that school.) You will not be surprised to learn that the burdens here fall more heavily on dissidents and critics of the government.

But let us give Singapore and Facebook the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are motivated by concerns that are in the main to be admired. The end results are no less risible: If American society is really so fragile that Alex Jones presents an existential threat to the republic, then we should send our British cousins a letter of apology and ask to be readmitted as a colony, if theyll have us. Likewise, if Singapore truly is going to be rocked, and not in a good way, by a Katy Perry song (I Kissed a Girl was prohibited as homosexual propaganda) then it is a pitiable little island indeed, to quaver at such a colossus as that.

But, of course, almost no one takes seriously these claims, just as no one seriously thinks that Ann Coulter is a danger to anybody or that the NRA shares a genre with the Islamic State. These are pretexts, and flimsy ones. They are fig leaves for ochlocracy.

But once censorship has been established in principle and accepted in practice, then officiousness, triviality, and vindictiveness are the inevitable outcomes. Bureaucracies  Singapores government, Facebooks management  have interests of their own, and agendas of their own, and tastes of their own, and to take seriously the proposition that Facebooks speech-policing or U.S. campaign finance restrictions will be managed with any more objectivity or neutrality than Singapores official state censorship is to ignore almost everything we know about how bureaucracies actually work. The powers that be at Facebook and Twitter may or may not be acting in good faith, but the more important fact is that they could not be fair and neutral even if they sincerely wished to be. This is a fact of organizational life, one that must be dealt with seriously. The bland little caudillos down in Human Resources are creatures of an insipid little culture all their own.

And that is the one that Facebook et al. propose we live under.

Facebook is a private company, and it may of course as a legal matter do whatever it pleases with its own platform, and Singapores censorship is perfectly legal, too, for what thats worth  which is not very much: Some of the worst crimes against humanity in modern history were carried out under the color of law. The question of what may be done is distinct from the question of what should be done.

Singapores censorship is quite defensible in principle  if you accept censorship in principle  and the consequences of its policies have been perfectly predictable. When the prime minister feels himself obliged to go public with his insistence that local cultural conditions are not third rate, it is an excellent indicator that they are obviously third-rate. Some lies are accidental advertisements for the truth. There is much that is admirable about Singapore, but at its worst it is a kind of splendidly air-conditioned fascist shopping mall. Public safety is one of those good things it is possible to have too much of, and graciousness enforced at the point of a bayonet is not graciousness at all.

Facebook, Twitter, et al. are houses divided: As businesses they are one thing, as institutions they are another. Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes argued in the pages of the New York Times on Thursday that Facebook should be broken up, in part because of its failure to contain violent rhetoric and fake news. Facebook and other gargantuan companies, he argued, are a threat to democracy. That is hysteria, but it contains a measure of truth. Democracy relies on discourse, and healthy discourse relies on a culture of open exchange, which in turn requires a measure of confidence that Facebooks executives lack. Ironically, the problems of Facebook and, especially, of Twitter are not so much threats to democracy but useful illustrations of the shortcomings of unmediated democracy, in which the mob bullies the institutions into submission. In a healthy democratic system, things work in roughly the opposite way, with institutions helping to contain and redirect the excesses of democratic passion. And that is where Facebook and Singapore differ: The government of Singapore  which, whatever its shortcomings, seems to be run by men who genuinely believe in their own precepts  serves no mob, but Facebook, lacking the real conviction that can be rooted only in the permanent things, is abject and quickly prone before whatever mob happens to show up at its door.

The American settlement under the First Amendment is unusual to the point of being nearly unique. Censorship of different kinds is the norm in civilized countries from Singapore to Germany, where certain political parties, symbols, and ideas are strictly prohibited. The American arrangement is different because it is the product of men who as individuals and as a civilization believed in something, which gave them the confidence to live in a world in which they are likely to hear and read things they did not like from time to time, things that might even be wicked, scurrilous, or wrong. Some men endure winter at Valley Forge, and some tremble at the menace of Katy Perry or poor daft Laura Loomer.

There is a wonderful scene in Serenity, a science-fiction film that is something of a libertarian manifesto, in which a fragile, psychologically damaged girl is taken along on what amounts to an Old Weststyle bank robbery, after which she and her friends are chased and nearly captured by mutant space cannibals who mean to eat them raw on the spot. At the end of a wild ride dodging fire in an open-air conveyance while speeding across a Sergio Leone landscape, she returns to her overprotective older brother, who asks if she is injured. She looks at him, wide-eyed, and says: I swallowed a bug. Freedom tastes like that, sometimes.

More from National Review
12-year-old border collie Kizzy was found in a terrible condition after an anonymous tip off tom the RSPCA (SWNS)

A couple have been banned from keeping animals after their pet dog was found in terrible condition, severely underweight and missing fur.

Fern Thoms, 19, and Peter Thoms, 20, faced court after officers from the RSCPA were tipped off about the appalling state of their faithful dog, Kizzy.

Officers from the animal welfare charity were shocked to find the 12-year-old border collie in a grave condition, covered in scabs and pink inflamed skin.

Kizzy in healthy shape (SWNS)

The pair, from Dawlish in Devon appeared at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court.

They were found guilty of one offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

A judge handed the couple a three-year ban on keeping animals or pets.

Read more on Yahoo News UK

London Bridge terror attack victim's fiance told man to stop filming her death

Ukip MEP candidate says Carl Benjamin jokes about raping Jess Philips 'risque'

Baby squirrels rescued after getting tangled together by their tails

The Thoms were also ordered by the court to pay a 200 fine.

Since the dog was taken away from the couple, she has recovered and been transformed while in the care of the RSPCA West Hatch Animal Centre .

A photograph was sent to the RSPCA and an inspector visited the couples home address following an anonymous tip.

The couple have been banned from owning a dog for three years under after being found guilty of Animal Cruelty (SWNS)

RSPCA inspector Marije Zwager, who led the investigation, said: The photographs show just what an appalling state Kizzy was in at the time of her rescue.

She must have been so uncomfortable and itchy all the time resulting in her nibbling and scratching herself raw.

Kizzys terrible condition could have been avoided if she was promptly taken to a vet and the owners had followed veterinary advice to manage her chronic skin condition.

Kizzy was watched over and cared for by officers at the animal charity's West Hatch centre (SWNS)

It should never have got to this situation, and should never have simply been treated with ineffective home remedies by those responsible for her care.

The RSPCA compiled their oddest rescues of 2018, which included a squirrel that fell down the loo, a snake in a dishwasher and a chubby dog stuck between a wall and fence.

More than one million calls are made to the RSPCA each year to report animals in need of help.
UK-listed Chariot Oil and Gas upgraded its gas expectations off Larache coast saying that the new discovery bodes well for Moroccos growing gas sector.

Chariot was awarded the Lixus offshore license, which contains the Anchois discovery, in April.

Chariot has a 75% interest and operatorship of the Lixus license. Its partner is Moroccos state-owned Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines, which has the remaining 25% stake.

The companys assessment comes after upstream juniors made good progress in developing the countrys gas resources in a favorable investment climate.

UK-based SDX energy, Sound Energy and Predator Oil & Gas have in recent months moved forward with commerciable gas discoveries.

Sound Energy has reported recently that the Moroccan government offered to buy its Tendrara gas to produce electricity.
Imran Khan's government has drawn the ire of conservative mullahs with calls for a science-based lunar calendar to calculate the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Pakistan, which faces an annual controversy over the date.

The beginning of the ninth and holiest month in the Muslim calendar -- as well as the Eid holidays and the mourning month of Muharram -- is determined by the sighting of the new moon.

In Pakistan a cleric-led "moonsighting committee" announces when the fasting should begin, but for decades it has faced disputes over the accuracy of its decision.

"Every year on the occasion of Ramadan, Eid and Muharram a controversy starts regarding moonsighting," Pakistan's science and technology minister, Fawad Chaudhry, explained in a video he tweeted on May 5 in which he recounted watching the committee use "old technology" -- telescopes -- to make their calculations.

"When modern means are available and we can determine a final date, the question is why we should not use this latest technology?" he argued.

His ministry will form a new committee of scientists, meteorologists and Pakistan's space agency to calculate the correct dates for the next five years with "100 percent accuracy".

However the prime minister's cabinet can reject the calendar, he added.

In another tweet he warned decisions on how the country should be run "cannot be left to the maulana (clerics)".

"The journey ahead has to be undertaken by the youth, not mullahs, and only technology can take the nation forward."

Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, head of the moonsighting committee, warned that Chaudhry should stay in his lane.

"I have appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan that only the concerned minister should talk about religious matters," he said in a press conference in Karachi.

"Every minister who does not know the sensitivity of the religion, does not understand it, they should not get the free licence to comment on religious matters."

Story continues

He also pointed out that the committee already has members from the space agency, and also works with the meteorological department.

Over the years the committee's chief foe has been Maulana Shahabuddin Popalzai, an influential cleric based in Peshawar -- the capital of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province -- who announces the start of Ramadan and Eid a day earlier than the moonsighting committee.

The split is considered bad for national unity and social harmony -- but years of efforts to reconcile Popalzai with the central committee have been in vain.

Chaudhry's announcement has ignited an ongoing debate in Pakistan.

Many social media users thanked the government for attempting to provide some clarity, but others saw the dark side.

"This decision will further divide the nation," complained one Twitter user, Mazhar Arshad, while another, who called himself Ezio Odyssey, warned that a "gang of ignorant has come to power".
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire during new clashes on the Gaza border Friday, the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled enclave said.

Abdullah Abd al-Aal, 24, was shot in the stomach on the border east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, a ministry spokesman said, in the first protests there since a deadly flare-up last weekend.

A further 13 demonstrators were shot during demonstrations in various places along the fractious border, the spokesman said.

The regular and often violent weekly protests, which began more than a year ago, were quieter than on normal Fridays, said an AFP correspondent on the scene.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said approximately 6,000 people took part in the demonstrations.

She cited "a number of explosions identified in the Gaza Strip, as well as a number of attempts to approach the fence" dividing the besieged coastal territory from Israeli territory.

Protesters are calling for Israel to end its more than decade-long blockade of Gaza.

This week's demonstrations were seen as a key test for a fragile truce agreed between Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas and Israel.

Militants in Gaza fired hundreds of rockets at Israel last weekend, prompting Israeli forces to strike dozens of targets inside the Strip in response.

Over two days, 25 Palestinians were killed including at least nine militants, along with four Israeli civilians.

The truce agreement was announced by Palestinian factions early Monday.
Los Angeles (AFP) - Parents at an elementary school in San Francisco have expressed outrage after learning that a teacher suffering from cancer and on sick leave is having to pay the school district for her substitute.

The second-grade teacher at Glen Park Elementary is off sick with breast cancer for the rest of the year and has been paying nearly $200 a day for her replacement, in accordance with state law, local news reports said.

"Parents were outraged and incredulous - like, this can't be," Amanda Fried, who has a daughter in kindergarten and another in third grade, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "There must be some mistake."

A school district spokeswoman, however, told AFP that the payment was not unusual and was in line with state law.

"This is not unique to San Francisco," Laura Dudnick said in a statement. "This is not a district-only rule."

Dudnick explained that teachers in the district get 10 days of sick leave a year and can carry over those sick days year after year if they don't use them.

Once those sick days are exhausted, teachers are then eligible for 100 days of extended sick leave, during which they are entitled to their full pay, minus the cost of a substitute.

On learning about the little-known provision in the state's education code, horrified parents last month began raising money for the popular teacher, who has asked that her name not be disclosed.

A GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $14,000 and some of the children are planning bake sales to raise more funds.

"I just feel sad that from what I heard, she is a very good teacher and I just feel sad what's going on (with) her," Narciso Flores-Diaz, a parent, told NBC Bay Area on Wednesday. "Our school is pulling together to help her and to make her feel that she's not alone."

The GoFundMe page says that parents are supporting the 17-year veteran teacher as "she has nurtured our children and now it is time for us to take care of her."

Story continues

"Just a few days after her surgery, she took the time to write out 22 completely personalized notes to the students in the class thanking them for their support, telling them she missed them dearly and encouraging them to continue working hard," the campaign said.

The head of the union that represents the teachers said the issue might be part of the next round of bargaining talks.

"As always, we look forward to making improvements in this and other parts of the contract," Susan Solomon, president of the United Educators of San Francisco, told the Chronicle.
May 10 (Reuters) - The parents of a boy whose body was found wrapped in plastic near his Illinois home pleaded not guilty on Friday to murder and other charges stemming from his death, according to court documents.

Joann Cunningham and Andrew Freund, the parents of 5-year-old Andrew "AJ" Freund, were arrested last month when police found his body in a shallow grave near his hometown of Crystal Lake.

His father reported him missing in April, triggering an exhaustive search by local police and the FBI.

Both Cunningham and Freund appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to murder, aggravated battery, giving false information, child endangerment and other charges, according to the court.

Their trial is scheduled to start in June.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported in April that police had been concerned since at least September about living conditions in the home where AJ Freund lived with his parents and brother.

Police said the home was cluttered, dirty and in disrepair, with broken windows and a pervasive smell of feces, according to the newspaper. (Reporting by Makini Brice; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
A park in Berlin has designated areas for drug dealers to do business.

The manager of Gorlitzer Park in the Kreuzburg area of Berlin spray painted pink poxes on the ground to indicate areas where dealers will be allowed to operate, according to the Guardian.

Police have repeatedly made failed attempts to push the drug sellers out of the park, and implemented a zero tolerance policy for drug dealers, but it hasnt worked. So the park manager took matters into his own hands, with the hopes of keeping dealers that might intimidate visitors away from the park entrance.

This method has purely practical reasoning behind it, Cengiz Demirci told local radio station RBB, according to the Guardian. Its not that were legalizing the selling of drugs. Demirci said that many of the drug dealers are migrants who cannot work, and suggested that the problem might be solved if the government gave them work permits instead, according to the Guardian.

Read More: President Trump Outlines Death Penalty for Big Pushers in Opioid Plan

Police criticized the move.

What is needed to ensure that the park is drug and crime free, is a constant police presence and judicial resolve, Benjamin Jendro, a representative of the police trade union GdP, told Bild.

According according to the Guardian drug dealers were not abiding by the new rules on Thursday.
Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon said Friday it was diverting another $1.5 billion for new barriers to stop illegal immigrants on the US-Mexico border, following the authorization of $1 billion in March.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has agreed to take charge of the replacement of 78 miles (125 kilometers) of fencing on the southern frontier in Arizona and Texas, the defense department said in a statement.

"The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes and revised requirements," spokesman Tom Crosson said.

"This transfer of funds will not affect military preparedness, nor impact service member benefits."

Frustrated by Congress's refusal to provide the budget he wanted to build a wall, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on the border in February, asking to repurpose $6 billion from military funds.

In March Shanahan authorized $1 billion to construct 57 miles (92 kilometers) of 18-foot (5.5-meter) high barrier, improve roads and install lighting.

The Pentagon has been under pressure to show it is not diverting the funds from combat missions or other vital work.

Shanahan said some of the diverted money came from unspent funds in Afghanistan.

"We found ways to do this without having any impact on readiness," he said, adding that "I won't be reprogramming any more money for the border wall."
By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 80 miles (130 km)of barriers on the border with Mexico, U.S. officials said on Friday, including taking about $600 million from an account meant for Afghan security forces. The latest move was opposed by congressional Democrats, who also criticized a March transfer of $1 billion in military money to fund Republican President Donald Trump's wall. "The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes and revised requirements, and therefore will have minimal impact on force readiness," Shanahan said in a statement. Shanahan said that the U.S. military had more than 4,000 service members on the border, along with 19 aircraft. All 10 Democrats on Senate appropriations subcommittees that handle defense, veterans affairs and related spending, wrote to Shanahan to oppose the decision. "We are dismayed that the Department has chosen to prioritize a political campaign promise over the disaster relief needs of our service members," they said. A U.S. official said the latest transfer would include $604 million from funds for the Afghan security forces, which are struggling to hold territory against Taliban militants. The United States had appropriated $4.9 billion in support for those forces this year. The official said the money was taken from that account because they found savings in contracts. "It took less money to meet the policy commitment than we thought," another U.S. official said, adding this was not the first time money had been reprogrammed from the account. The United States is in talks with the Taliban to end the 17-year-long war. U.S. and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their sixth round of peace talks on Thursday with "some progress" on a draft agreement for when foreign troops might withdraw. But there is concern that overstretched Afghan forces could crumble if U.S. troops leave. The remainder of the money will come from a chemical demilitarization program, a retirement account, funds for Pakistan and Air Force programs. Lawmakers have hinted they may respond by putting new restrictions on the Pentagon's authority to move money around, as it has done in the past to deal with natural disasters. Immigration is a signature issue of Trump's presidency and re-election campaign. He declared a national emergency in order to redirect funding to build a border wall without Congress' approval, and his fellow Republicans in Congress sustained his veto of legislation that would have stopped it. (Reporting by Idrees Ali, additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by David Gregorio, James Dalgleish and Jonathan Oatis)
New York (AFP) - She's made a killing in the US with "Killing Eve," is storming back with a second season of "Fleabag" and has been called in to polish up the new James Bond script: Phoebe Waller-Bridge is seemingly unstoppable, propelled along by her offbeat humor and piercing pen.

The British actress and screenwriter is hard to miss, standing tall -- literally, at five feet 10 inches (1.77m) -- in the television landscape, with her brown bob, ready laugh and elegant nose as sharp as her wit.

That wit is on full display in "Fleabag," the hit series based on the one woman play of the same name that "PWB" wrote in 2013. The show, whose second season starts streaming May 17 on Amazon, plays with convention by having the protagonist break the proverbial fourth wall and talk directly to viewers in her deep, staccato voice.

In "Fleabag," Waller-Bridge serves up a cocktail of unfiltered humanity, along with dark, irreverent humor and sex -- none of it gratuitous.

"My original inspiration was to say the things that I feel like women normally only say in the shadows," she said in a March interview with the website Broadway World, ahead of a run of soldout performances of the "Fleabag" play in New York.

"We sort of pretend that we're innocent and adorable and like these perfect little creatures," she said, "but actually we have many, many other layers."

Titular character Fleabag, a young woman battling against the rules -- and with herself -- has a screw (or several) loose, and can veer self-destructive, but never becomes a caricature.

Instead, the character is a very British blend of impeccable manners and a keen sense of derision, just like her creator.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is "not apologetic about having a flawed heroine," Andrew Scott, one of the main characters in Season 2, told AFP. Scott is best known for an unhinged performance of his own, that of James Moriarty in the BBCs 2010 version of "Sherlock."

Story continues

- 'Understanding of humanity' -

All that has been enough for Waller-Bridge to be hailed as a feminist heroine, regularly compared to American screenwriter Lena Dunham, though their universes are fairly far apart.

"Because it's written by a female, people point out that it's a feminist show, but I think sometimes that just undermines the actual work," said Scott. "I think her grace and gift is her understanding of humanity."

But the feminist theme is reinforced by Waller-Bridge's propensity to offer fellow actresses equally dense, complex roles, such as in "Fleabag," in which Olivia Coleman, who won an Oscar for "The Favourite," delights as the heroine's passive-aggressive stepmother.

It's also clear in the offbeat thriller series "Killing Eve," written by Waller-Bridge and starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh, who won a Golden Globe for her work in the lead role.

With new "Fleabag" episodes on the horizon and the second season of "Killing Eve" streaming on BBC America for the US, Waller-Bridge is gearing up to teach an old spy new tricks.

She's been called upon to liven up the script for the 25th installment of James Bond's adventures, at the express request of 007 himself, actor Daniel Craig, who wanted to inject more humor into the film set for release next year.

Beyond that, she has been signed to executive produce a new HBO series, titled "Run," about a woman given a chance to break with a humdrum existence and reinvent herself -- written by PWB's longtime associate Vicky Jones who directed the "Fleabag" play.

As for "Fleabag" the series, it's most likely winding down, Waller-Bridge has hinted, after a slightly less abrasive second season.

"It's kind of deeper in a sense," said Scott of the six upcoming episodes. Scott plays Fleabag's love interest, a priest who ponders returning her affections.

"We wanted to just try and tell an unusual love story and to talk about religion in a way that appeals to people of our generation," he said.

Waller-Bridge has also foregone some of the more unsettling aspects of the first season in favor of deeper emotions, though still armed with her favorite weapon: humor.

She "plays on the comedy of embarrassment like nobody else," said British actress Fiona Shaw on the online radio show SiriusXM. Shaw appears in both "Fleabag" as the main character's therapist, and "Killing Eve" as a section head for MI6.

"Just when you're laughing, it will say something very sad, or just when you're sad it will say something very funny," she said. "So you're absolutely punched in the stomach all the time."
Saudi Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik was appointed Thursday as the new Director General of the Rabat-based Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

The nomination of the new ISESCO chief by Saudi Arabia was approved by the Third Extraordinary Session of ISESCO General Conference, held Thursday in King Abdullah Economic City in the Area of Makkah, an ISESCO press release said.

As of 9 May 2019, Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik will replace Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri as Director General for the remaining period of his mandate, and will serve a new term ending on 31 December 2024.

In an address after his appointment, Mohammed Al Malik reaffirmed his full commitment to ISESCOs objectives and pledged to develop and expand the scope of its outreach.

He also commended King Mohammed VI for his continuous care of ISESCO and for the facilitations the Moroccan government grants to the Organization to enable it to carry out its missions in the best possible conditions.

Since its inception, ISESCO has endeavored to achieve its objectives and goals related to education, science and culture, he said, committing to continue the march taking into consideration the aspects of social changes undergone by ISESCO Member States.

He stated that ISESCO should be a house of expertise incubating Islamic thought and culture, formulate cultural visions, develop educational strategies and explore the future.

Indeed, we live in a world of artificial intelligence, big data, modern technologies and horizons of virtual schools. ISESCO should deal with these changes and seek that ISESCO Member States benefit from these services through training, upgrading, research, innovation and invention, he said.

Dr. Al Malik stated that among the projects he will seek to implement is a waqf project (Investment Fund), with established rules and regulations, that shall be raised from the donations of governments, heads of state, charities, business people and banks. The proceeds of this Fund will be earmarked for some ISESCO projects and for special programs devoted to youth issues and building societies.

ISESCO will intensively endeavor to promote its role to protect the Islamic and Christian sanctities in Al-Quds Al-Sharif against continued attempts of Judaization and obliteration, and set up practical mechanisms for the preservation of Member States tangible and intangible heritage.

Dr. Al Malik called for the elimination of poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, extremism, and zealotry through sowing the seeds of science and intellectual culture; promoting the Islamic identity and rejecting fanaticism, extremism and sectarianism.

Dr Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik has a PhD in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and a PhD in Pediatrics.
Adem Brija and his father, Frank Brija, stand outside the original Patsy's location in East Harlem, holding a copy of the New York Daily News with their photo on the front page. (Photo: Courtesy of Adem Brija)

When a retired New York woman left her $424,000 cashiers check at a local pizzeria, she said she felt her world just collapsed." That is, until an unlikely hero came to save the day: the very waiter she burned with no tip and a sassy note.

After looking at a condo she hoped to buy, Karen Vinacour, her daughter and a real estate broker went to the historic Patsys Pizzeria in Manhattan to grab a slice of their signature brick-oven pizza  the same pizza enjoyed by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Al Pacino and even Justin Bieber. Tucked in a white envelope was a cashiers check with the money she received from selling her last apartment. Vinacour, 79, planned to use the funds to put a down payment on what she hoped would be her brand new home.

That day, Armando Markaj, a pre-med student working his way through school, was assigned to their table. As the group enjoyed their lunch on the busy Saturday afternoon, the mother-daughter pair pointed out to Markaj that, out of all the framed photos of the owners with affluent customers on the wall, there seemed to be very few women.

Maybe women dont eat a lot of pizza? Vinacour recalled Markaj replying.

Vinacour and her daughter were not amused, or pleased, with Markajs response.

Well, my daughters kind of feisty and she didnt like that, Vinacour told the New York Daily News. Instead of leaving behind a decent tip, the pair left a note that read, I guess women dont tip either.

Unbeknownst to Vinacour, something else was left at the table as well: her half-million-dollar Citibank check.

Wed pulled out my papers to go through all the financials again, Vinacour told the New York Daily News. I had no idea we left it behind.

Markaj was cleaning up the table when he noticed a folded white envelope. I just pulled up the flap and I saw Citibank and thought it was important, so I ran out to the street to look for her, but she was gone, Markaj said.

When he finally took a look at what was inside, it took him by surprise. Not knowing what to do, he called the stores owner, Adem Brija. He called me immediately and hands me this check and I was like, Oh my god. I didnt want to put it in my pocket it was so much money, Brija tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

Story continues

While the check had Vinacours name on it, Brija and his father Frank, who owns the entire Patsys chain, had difficulty tracking her down. A few names and numbers came up online, but I didnt want to risk calling the wrong person with this kind of money, the 30-year-old store owners says.

We decided we would hold on to the check for a couple days to see if she would drop by or if we could find her ourselves, says Brija, adding that they planned to drop it off at a local police precinct if they hadnt heard anything by May 10.

Meanwhile, Vinacour and her daughter became distressed when they discovered that Citibank could not begin the process of cancelling the check until three months later. That was when Vinacour said, My world just collapsed.

The former social worker has spent most of her retirement volunteering with charities to help underprivileged women and children. After selling her apartment, she was staying with friends and bouncing around from place to place while trying to get the financing to purchase a home. Even with a large down payment, pension and solid credit history, she was struggling to secure bank financing because of a student loan she took out for her daughter years ago.

Distraught, Vinacour furiously began retracing her steps. She had her daughter search through the household trash, went to a cafe across the street from Patsys where they had stopped to grab a coffee and even called the real estate broker that had dined with them at the restaurant.

When Vinacour rang up Patsys to check if she had left it at the restaurant, she didnt know she had called the chain pizzerias wrong location and was devastated when they told her they had found nothing.

She said she had called Patsys and nobody knew anything about a check, Vinacours real estate broker told the Daily News. I didnt stop to think that maybe she called the wrong one.

When Vinacour didnt show up a few days later, Brija decided to enlist the help of the Daily News  and the reporters tracked down Vinacour almost immediately.

Saved from ruin. https://t.co/xS8CrzTPj2



An early look at Friday's front page... pic.twitter.com/iL5C2kZLXY  New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) May 10, 2019

Right here in the restaurant with us, they sat there, made some phone calls and she was in an Uber and here within 20 to 25 minutes, Brija recalls.

When she arrived, both Brija and Markaj, the waiter she spurned, were waiting at the door. She was so happy and she was in tears, says Brija. But, the second she saw Armando, you could see she got a little shy.

Vinacour apologized for not tipping Markaj during her meal and offered to tip him this time around. But the 27-year-old declined the money. Im happy for her, really, Markaj told the Daily News. Saturdays are pretty busy and I was very close to taking everything left on the table and throwing it out when I saw an envelope.

Markaj and Vinacour made up over more slices of Patsys pizza. Brija even took her around the restaurant to point out all the women on the wall she had missed the weekend before, including TV host Barbara Walters, First Lady Chirlane McCray and former City Council Speakers Christine Quinn and Melissa Mark-Viverito.

We joked with her and said wed add her picture up on the wall, Brija tells Yahoo Lifestyle. He says he has a laminated copy of the front page of the paper with a picture of himself, his father and Vinacour. He plans to hang it on the wall of the restaurant. Karen will hopefully be on our wall by Monday  and in our window, Brija says, laughing.

Although Brija admits he was hoping the check belonged to a billionaire that would reward him for his good deed, hes glad that he was able to help someone in need.

When you can help someone, thats more important. Just to see the relief on her face when she got her check back. It was a heartwarming moment, the Patsys store owner tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Were just really happy we could help.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  Authorities in western North Carolina say they have found a 7-week-old baby girl who was kidnapped by a man and a woman who were wearing ski masks.

Asheville police tweeted Thursday evening that the baby was kidnapped in Biltmore Park, a mixed-use area that has retail stores.

Less than three hours after the initial tweet, authorities said the baby had been found safe in adjacent Henderson County. Authorities say a car believed to have been used in the abduction was also found in Henderson County.

It is unclear whether investigators have made any arrests.
By Andrei Khalip LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal's parliament rejected on Friday proposed retroactive pay hikes for teachers, quelling the prospects of a political crisis following last week's threat by the government to resign if the measure was approved. Public sector wages were frozen during Portugal's 2011-14 debt crisis and the government is concerned that big increases for one sector would prompt a flood of demands by all civil servants undermining its efforts to balance the budget. On May 2, the two conservative parties in parliament joined forces with the far left in a committee to approve pay rises for teachers that had been held back over nine years. They have since backtracked, submitting separate motions specifying pay rises only if public finances can sustain them, and accused Prime Minister Antonio Costa of creating an artificial crisis in what they said was politicking before the country's general election in October. The government has already budgeted this year for pay increases accounting for just under three years of withheld rises, and has said any further concessions would be unfair and destabilising. "Our stability is expressed in sound public accounts over the whole legislature that allowed to recover worker incomes and rights," Socialist lawmaker Porfirio Silva said before the vote. The Socialists have won praise from investors for reducing the budget deficit to nearly zero while combining economic growth with the reversal of various austerity measures imposed during the debt crisis. The dispute may have played into Costa's hands by reinforcing the image of fiscal responsibility. Still, it could reinforce a recent wave of strikes and protests from teachers, nurses, police and prison guards to press demands for pay increases and better working conditions. Unions have called a protest rally near parliament later on Friday. (Reporting By Andrei Khalip; Editing by Axel Bugge/Keith Weir)
The Walking Dead, which is shot in Georgia (Credit: AMC)

Three production companies have said that they will boycott making TV and films in Georgia, after the US state passed new law restricting abortion.

The so-called 'heartbeat bill' was signed into law by the state's Republican Governor Brian Kemp this week.

It will ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat has become detectable, which can be as early as six weeks, before some women will have discovered they are pregnant.

Read more: Seth Rogen slams new Mel Gibson movie

Exceptions to the rule include if a termination would save the life of the mother, in cases of incest, and in cases of rape, but only if the woman has filed a police report to that effect.

David Simon, the creator of The Wire and The Deuce, has said that his company Blown Deadline, will pull Georgia from its list of potential locations.

He tweeted: I cant ask any female member of any film production with which I am involved to so marginalize themselves or compromise their inalienable authority over their own bodies. I must undertake production where the rights of all citizens remain intact.

Can only speak for my production company. Our comparative assessments of locations for upcoming development will pull Georgia off the list until we can be assured the health options and civil liberties of our female colleagues are unimpaired.

I cant ask any female member of any film production with which I am involved to so marginalize themselves or compromise their inalienable authority over their own bodies. I must undertake production where the rights of all citizens remain intact. Other filmmakers will see this. https://t.co/V2xDPKiMpo  David Simon (@AoDespair) May 8, 2019

Mark Duplass, of Duplass Brothers Productions, also said his company will boycott the state.

Dont give your business to Georgia, he tweeted. Will you pledge with me not to film anything in Georgia until they reverse this backwards legislation?

Story continues

Killer Films, producers of movies like the recent Vox Lux, starring Natalie Portman and Jude Law, and Carol, with Kate Blanchett, also added its name to the list, saying it will 'no longer consider Georgia as a viable shooting location until this ridiculous law is overturned'.

The Writers Guild of America sent a letter to Kemp in March, when the legislation was first introduced, calling it 'a draconian, anti-choice measure'.

This law would make Georgia an inhospitable place for those in the film and television industry to work, including our members, it added.

Actress Alyssa Milano also wrote to Kemp in March, calling the bill 'unconstitutional', with the letter carrying signatures from the likes of Ben Stiller, Don Cheadle and Amy Schumer.

Read more: Female-led Cliffhanger remake in the works

The Motion Picture Association of America, which represents the major studios, has taken a more cautious approach, however, saying that it is 'monitoring developments'.

Film and television production in Georgia supports more than 92,000 jobs and brings significant economic benefits to communities and families, said MPAA senior VP communications Chris Ortman in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

It is important to remember that similar legislation has been attempted in other states, and has either been enjoined by the courts or is currently being challenged. The outcome in Georgia will also be determined through the legal process. We will continue to monitor developments.

Shows like Stranger Things and The Walking Dead are both shot in Georgia, while large parts of Avengers: Endgame and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 were made at Pinewood in Atlanta, thanks to the state offering substantial tax breaks.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU) is a company with exceptional fundamental characteristics. Upon building up an investment case for a stock, we should look at various aspects. In the case of PRU, it is a highly-regarded dividend-paying company that has been a rockstar for income investors, currently trading at an attractive share price. In the following section, I expand a bit more on these key aspects. If you're interested in understanding beyond my broad commentary, read the full report on Prudential Financial here.

Very undervalued average dividend payer

PRU's shares are now trading at a price below its true value based on its discounted cash flows, indicating a relatively pessimistic market sentiment. Investors have the opportunity to buy into the stock to reap capital gains, if PRU's projected earnings trajectory does follow analyst consensus growth, which determines my intrinsic value of the company. Compared to the rest of the insurance industry, PRU is also trading below its peers, relative to earnings generated. This bolsters the proposition that PRU's price is currently discounted.

NYSE:PRU Intrinsic value, May 10th 2019

PRU's high dividend payments make it one of the best dividend stocks on the market, and it has also been able to maintain it at a level in which net income is able to cover dividend payments.

NYSE:PRU Historical Dividend Yield, May 10th 2019

Next Steps:

For Prudential Financial, there are three key factors you should look at:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for PRUs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for PRUs outlook. Historical Performance: What has PRU'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. Other Attractive Alternatives : Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of PRU? Explore our interactive list of stocks with large potential to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
By Luis Valentin Ortiz

SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Puerto Rico's financial oversight board on Thursday unexpectedly added the island's towns and cities to its mandate, a move that it said was aimed at trying to help them avoid insolvency.

To date, the federally created board has only focused on the central government of the U.S. territory, which filed for bankruptcy in 2017 as it sought to restructure about $120 billion of debt and pension obligations.

Board officials said the move was not aimed at eliminating local governments or pushing them into bankruptcy.

"This is absolutely not a takeover of anything," Jose Carrion, the board's chairman, told reporters, adding that the purpose was to help cities improve their finances and services.

However, Christian Sobrino, Governor Ricardo Rossello's representative on the board, questioned if the board had the capacity to fully oversee municipal governments.

"I would not recommend designating all 78 municipalities as covered entities. But that is the board's prerogative," Sobrino said.

"The board lacks the personnel and resources. It is a lot of work," he added.

The board said it will launch a pilot program with 10 local governments.

The 10 will be required to submit fiscal plans by June 7 that include spending cuts, efficiency measures like shared services, as well as programs to improve revenue collection and boost economic development. Central government subsidies to municipalities are expected to be phased out by 2024.

Luis Hernandez, mayor of Villalba, one of the municipalities in the pilot program, said board officials had told the mayors that they would provide technical resources to help.

"The board understood that towns are the ones that directly provide services to citizens. They vowed to help us," Hernandez said.

The board also certified a new fiscal plan for the island that shows a surplus of about $20 billion in the next 30 years, and includes revised macroeconomic, revenue and expense data. The plan also revises economic growth estimates resulting from structural changes that the government has not fully implemented.

"You can't expect economic growth until (structural reform) is actually implemented," said Natalie Jaresko, the board's executive director.

(Reporting by Luis Valentin Ortiz in San Juan and Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Rosalba O'Brien)
Miami (AFP) - Along with the venomous lionfish, the Burmese python is perhaps the least welcome invasive species in Florida: lacking any natural predators, it has happily chomped its way through the state's wildlife.

And that is why Tom Rahill spends his nights stalking through the Everglades trying to kill the snakes.

"Make no mistake, this is a beautiful animal," said the 62-year-old, with a 10-foot (three-meter) python he had caught wrapped around his neck. "Look how gorgeous this critter is."

"It doesn't belong here, though. It's throwing the whole ecosystem off," he told AFP.

Rahill's patrols begin at night when he heads into the vast wetlands that occupy much of southern Florida and are full of alligators, mosquitos and, increasingly, pythons.

Native to Southeast Asia, the Burmese pythons have become a plague in Florida.

They first arrived most likely as pets toward the end of last century and then found their way to the Everglades, where they have flourished as if it were their natural habitat.

Dogs, cats, raccoons, birds, squirrels, rabbits and even small alligators: all have fallen prey to the snakes.

A 2015 study by the University of Florida and published by the Royal Society showed that in 11 months the serpents wiped out 77 percent of a marsh rabbit population released into the Everglades for study.

Rahill is one of 25 contractors hired by the Python Elimination Program, launched in 2017 by the South Florida Water Management District to "humanely euthanize" the constrictors.

The contractors receive a bounty of $50 for a four-foot (1.2 meter) snake and another $25 for every foot longer than that.

The snake Rahill carried round his neck had been caught "creeping along right down at the bottom of the levee," probably looking for a good spot to ambush its prey.

Had he let the snake go, Rahill believes it would have laid as many as 30 eggs, almost all of which would hatch.

Story continues

"It's remarkable," he said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has a separate program that pays up to $200 for eradicating a nest of the exotic reptiles.

Anne Gordon Vega, 60, spends her nights rounding up pythons for the FWC.

"My boys think that I am such a tough cookie, but they are very proud of me," she said.

She admits that her family finds her choice of evening activities unusual.

"They're absolutely shocked that this is what I do at night while they're, you know, enjoying the comforts of air conditioning and Netflix, and I'm out here in the Everglades."
BEIRUT (AP)  After eight months of relative calm, Syria's northwestern province of Idlib is once again a theater for bloody military operations: heavy bombardment, airstrikes and waves of civilian displacement as Syrian government troops, backed by Russia, push their way into the rebel-held enclave in a widening offensive.

The violence of the past week threatens to completely unravel a crumbling cease-fire agreement reached between Turkey and Russia at the Black Sea resort of Sochi in September last year, which averted a potentially devastating assault by the Syrian government to retake the province.

"There are no good options when it comes to Idlib," an analysis by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group concluded in March, explaining why the province has oscillated between stagnation and bursts of bloodshed for years.

The area is among the last in the war-shattered country outside President Bashar Assad's control  and the last area still held by rebels. Confident in the support from Russia, Assad has pledged to recover the province and every other inch of Syrian territory lost during the war.

Here's a look at the rebellious region, and the fighting taking place:

WHY IS IDLIB IMPORTANT?

For Assad, Idlib stands in the way of final victory against the armed opposition. After eight years of war, he has largely quashed the popular revolt that erupted against his family's decades-long rule in 2011, which was inspired by the Arab Spring protests that swept the region that year.

On the Syria conflict map, Idlib province in the country's northwestern corner bordering Turkey forms a green-colored, rebel-controlled region surrounded mostly by a sea of red, code for Syrian government control. Recapturing it would constitute a definitive defeat for opposition forces that once controlled half the country and threatened Assad's seat of power in Damascus.

Russia and Iran, key international allies of Assad, want him to complete the victory. But while recapturing Idlib or even just regaining control of key highways around it has major economic benefits, a protracted, bloody battle will be costly in terms of soldiers' lives, rekindling criticism over deaths just as his government may be starting to come in from the cold.

Story continues

And the area is not just important for Assad. Idlib sits across the border from Turkey, which has long extended political and logistical support to the rebels fighting to topple Assad. Turkey also maintains about a dozen military observation posts around Idlib and has carried out patrols around the area.

Turkey, which already hosts 3 million Syrian refugees, fears a spillover of refugees across the border into its territories in case of an all-out assault.

___

WHY IS THERE FIGHTING AGAIN NOW?

The truce reached in September by Turkey and Russia has been fraying, with violations taking place on an almost daily basis in recent weeks. Parts of the agreement have yet to be implemented, including the withdrawal of al-Qaida-linked militants from the front lines, which Turkey was supposed to facilitate.

Two major highways that cut through rebel-held areas were also supposed to be reopened before the end of 2018 but remain closed.

A large government military buildup and advances on key villages in nearby areas suggests an assault is already underway.

But the current government offensive is likely to be limited in scope for now, aimed at regaining government control over the strategic M4 and M5 highways to open the way between the Mediterranean city of Latakia, a government stronghold which houses a huge Russian air base, Hama further to the north and the city of Aleppo.

Fighting currently is concentrated in towns and villages in northern Hama and parts of southern Idlib, where the government has captured several villages.

Russia and the Syrian army say they are responding to stepped-up attacks by al-Qaida linked militants on government-held areas. One such attack in April in Aleppo province killed 22 soldiers and pro-government gunmen. The rebels say Russia and the government are using military pressure after failed negotiations to secure access to the highway and protect the coastal area, where Russia has its air and naval base.

___

WHO'S IN IDLIB?

Idlib is the opposition's last refuge. Its prewar population of 1.5 million has swelled to around 3 million after it was designated a "de-escalation zone" under an agreement between Turkey, Russia and Iran in May 2017. Tens of thousands of Syrians trapped in other parts of the country were evacuated there under various cease-fire agreements.

Now they have nowhere left to turn, after other opposition pockets have collapsed, and Turkey is building a wall along its borders, sealing them to new refugees.

It is estimated that there are tens of thousands of rebel fighters and jihadis in Idlib, the most dominant of these groups being Hayat Tahrir al-Sham  the latest iteration of al-Qaida's former affiliate known as Jabhat al-Nusra. Other factions have coalesced under the umbrella of the National Front for Liberation, and include Islamists, army defectors and some of the early armed opposition formations. Earlier this year, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized control of most of the enclave after clashing with other rebel groups.

In 2017, the U.S. envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State, Brett McGurk, described Idlib as "the largest al-Qaida safe haven since 9/11."

___

THE BLOODIEST CHAPTER YET?

A full-blown military offensive to recapture Idlib is expected to bring some of the most brutal and bloody fighting to date in Syria's civil war, which has killed close to half a million people and displaced millions of others.

The mix of cornered, hard-core militants who will likely fight till the end with hundreds of thousands of trapped civilians is potentially disastrous, aid organizations warn.

"As bad as Idlib's status quo is, all military solutions would be worse," the International Crisis Group report said. "There is no obvious way to neutralize" Idlib's jihadis without a terrible human toll.

The head of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, warned Thursday that an all-out conflict in Idlib "could generate an unimaginable human rights and humanitarian catastrophe."

According to the U.N., airstrikes and shelling caused at least 80 civilian fatalities an over 300 injuries over a period of 10 days, starting April 28, while over 150,000 were displaced within the enclave to safer areas.

It also said shelling, airstrikes and active fighting in and around some 50 villages caused destruction of at least 10 schools. At least 12 health facilities were hit by airstrikes. The World Food Program suspended food distribution to 47,500 people inside Idlib due to the insecurity.

The U.N. and aid workers warn that up to 800,000 people are in danger of renewed displacement.

With Turkey closing its borders to new refugees, it is unclear where civilians would go.
Johannesburg (AFP) - Over the course of his 66 years, Cyril Ramaphosa has experienced the poverty of Soweto, jail for fighting apartheid, trade union activism, fabulous wealth -- and now elected leadership of his country.

Ramaphosa, who became president last year through internal ANC politics, won a popular mandate in elections on May 8, opening the latest chapter of a career intertwined with the birth of modern South Africa.

On Wednesday he was chosen as national president by lawmakers after the African National Congress party, which he leads, won 230 out of 400 seats in parliament in the national election.

When Nelson Mandela walked out of jail in 1990, a youthful Ramaphosa was standing beside him as the world looked on.

It soon became clear that Mandela saw him as a protege, and Ramaphosa went on to lead talks to end white-minority rule and to help write the new constitution.

But after missing out on becoming Mandela's successor as president, he instead became a hugely wealthy businessman through stakes in McDonalds, Coca-Cola and in the mining and telecommunications sectors.

In 2012, his image was badly tarnished when police killed 34 striking workers at the Marikana platinum mine, operated by London-listed Lonmin, where he was then a non-executive director.

Ramaphosa had called for a crackdown on the strikers, whom he accused of "dastardly criminal" behaviour.

He returned to politics to become Jacob Zuma's vice president in 2014, often drawing criticism for failing to speak out against corruption and government mismanagement.

Renowned for his patience and strategic thinking, Ramaphosa narrowly beat off pro-Zuma rivals to take over the leadership of the ANC in 2017 and then claim the presidency when Zuma was forced out last year.

Ramaphosa, who is relaxed and quietly spoken in public, enjoys a broad support base that crosses some of South Africa's sharp racial and class divides.

But he still faces strong opposition from factions within the ANC, and his renowned guile and backroom skills will be needed in the years ahead.

Story continues

"We have made mistakes but we have been sorry about those mistakes and we are saying our people should reinvest their confidence in us," Ramaphosa said when he voted, delivering a rebuke to the Zuma era of ANC government.

- 'New generation' -

Ramaphosa was born on November 17, 1952 in Johannesburg's Soweto township -- a centre of the anti-apartheid struggle -- to a police sergeant and a domestic worker.

He took up activism while studying law in the 1970s, and spent 11 months in solitary confinement.

Mandela once described Ramaphosa as one of the most gifted leaders of the "new generation", the young campaigners who filled the void left by their jailed elders.

After studying, Ramaphosa turned to trade unionism -- one of the few legal ways of protesting against the white-minority regime.

He founded the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1982 which grew to have 300,000 members and led massive strikes in 1987 that shook the foundations of white rule.

Ramaphosa's destiny seemed pre-ordained.

But in 1999, his hopes of winning the top job were dashed when he failed to clinch the nomination of the ruling ANC to succeed Mandela.

Ramaphosa bowed out of politics and became one of the richest businessmen on the continent -- reaching number 42 on the Forbes list of Africa's wealthiest people in 2015 with a net worth of $450 million (400 million euros).

He developed an expensive hobby as a breeder of rare cattle, and owns several farms.

Ramaphosa returned to the political fray in 2012 when he was elected to the ANC's number two post. Two years later, he became deputy president of the nation.

Seen as a pro-business moderate, Ramaphosa has seldom been the target of direct graft accusations himself -- but his political ambivalence and vast wealth have led to criticism.

Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party, said Ramaphosa's acquiescence made him "at best a silent deputy president, and at worst a complicit one".

Ramaphosa has four children with his second wife Tshepo Motsepe, a doctor, who is the sister of fellow tycoon Patrice Motsepe.

Ramaphosa's mastery of political strategy came to a climax last year. He gradually sidelined Zuma's backers and finally forced his resignation.

"Ramaphosa has no association with any of the corruption scandals that have plagued South Africa," wrote his biographer Ray Hartley in "The Man Who Would Be King".

"But the years he spent at Zuma's side, playing the 'inside game' suggest he is more comfortable as a powerful insider than as a radical reformer."
Tunisian authorities have dismissed head of a public state-run television channel after the media broadcasted, allegedly by mistake, an old religious sermon hailing the ousted President Ben Ali.

Dismissal of Mohammed Lazhar Fares, head of El Wataniya 1 and interim director of El Wataniya 2, occurred early this week over the airing of an old religious sermon that greeted Ben Ali and his family.

In the ante-2011 sermon, aired on May 6, which coincided with the beginning of the religious month of Ramadan, the preacher hailed Ben Ali for providing prosperity and security for the North African country.

During this holy month, we ask Allah to bless President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the first lady Mrs Leila Ben Ali, the preacher said.

We hope that our dear Tunisia enjoys security, safety and peace under the leadership of its beloved son, the fair and sincere President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who led our country to prosperity.

The national television apologized and launched an investigation into the incident, which sparked anger from activists and viewers on social media who believed the broadcast was not a mistake.

We apologize for the inadvertent human error we made while pulling the tape out of the tape safe, a statement from the national television said.
Photo credit: Cory Slifka

From Car and Driver

That famous Gulf Oil livery is only one of the interesting attributes of this V-12powered Gulf-Mirage M2.

The car shown here that is coming up for auction is reported to be the third of only three Wyer Gulf-Mirage M2 cars built and has a long history of appearances at vintage-car events.

The auction will be held September 2021 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to support the Saratoga Automobile Museum, so you've got time if you want to bid.

The story of the John Wyer Automotive Gulf-Mirage M2 pictured here-arguably one of the least known vehicles to wear the Gulf livery-is in many ways the story of John Wyer. Wyer made a name for himself as team manager for Aston Martin's 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans victory, later moving to Ford to work on the GT40 program and eventually helming the GT40 continuation program at Ford's behest. While the GT40 competed in the Group 4 class, it was Wyer's decision to compete in the Group 6 prototype class that ultimately gave birth to the Mirage M2.

Photo credit: Cory Slifka

Limited to 3.0-liters of displacement, it seemed a given that Wyer's ties to Ford would ensure a steady supply of the new 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth DFV V-8s for the team's Group 6 campaign. When it was discovered that entire production run of engines had been spoken for, Wyer turned to British Racing Motors (BRM) to secure the use of the naturally-aspirated, 24-valve, 3.0-liter V-12 it used in its F1 program. With the engine sourced, Wyer then turned to Lotus and Eagle alumni Len Terry as chief engineer and chassis designer. When the Mirage M2 was ready for testing late 1969, JWA enlisted the talents of David Hobbs, and later Robin Widdows to shake down the prototype.

Photo credit: Cory Slifka

A second car was assembled in time for the 1969 season, making its debut at Brands Hatch, where it placed 11 with Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver at the wheel. Later, Ickx placed second in qualifying at Spa but failed to place in the race. At that point, the decision was made to field the Mirage M2 only on shorter events due to concerns of spotty reliability; for longer events, the Gulf livery team would field a comparatively proven GT40 continuation car in Group 4.

Story continues

Eventually Wyer got his hands on some Cosworth-Ford V-8 engines and had third Mirage built, but the podium continued to elude them until the team went for broke and cut roof off a Cosworth-Fordpowered Gulf-Mirage to shave weight and alter aerodynamics. The team dubbed that model the Gulf-Mirage M3. Ickx put that car on the pole and the podium at Imola in September of the year, but it was a hollow victory; at the end of the 1969 season, Wyer would take his Gulf sponsorship with him and sign on with Porsche to run a team of 917s. The Gulf-livery Porsche 917s would go on to dominate competition and be burned into the consciousness of a generation thanks to the car's appearance in Steve McQueen's 1971 racing film Le Mans, overshadowing the Gulf-Mirage.



Fresh Concours Restoration

The Gulf-Mirage headed to auction at Saratoga is reported to be the third of the three Wyer Gulf-Mirage M2 examples built. Fresh off a concours restoration returning it to its original competition configuration, the powertrain is a freshened BRM V-12 3.0-liter (183 cubic inch) engine rated at 315 horsepower at an incredible and incredibly specific 10,599 rpm. A ZF 5DS24 five-speed gearbox handles the gear-swapping duties.

Although it is said the restoration "emphasized originality and authenticity," no mention of the powertrain's originality is given, but considering the experimental climate of that era, it would likely be hard to verify. The car was raced during the 1969 season with David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood behind the wheel, and Hobbs himself will accompany the car to the auction to share recollections of the era and his experiences driving the Gulf-Mirage.

Although Wyer, who died in 1989, was by all accounts a demanding and unsentimental type, we imagine he'd be pleased to know that even minor footnotes in his career are still capable of stealing the show.

('You Might Also Like',)
A rare Asiatic black bear has been photographed in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, Seoul's environmental ministry said.

The area around the four-kilometre (2.5-mile) wide strip running across the peninsula bristles with minefields and fortifications.

But while it is the world's last Cold War frontier, the zone itself is known as one of the few areas where nature is untouched by development, and a haven for wildlife.

The bear was photographed by an unmanned research camera in October, Seoul's environment ministry said.

Although there have been some testimonies by soldiers who said they saw Asian black bears inside DMZ, it is the first time that an image of the animal had been captured in the area, it added.

It was a juvenile estimated to be eight or nine months old and weighing about 25-30 kilograms (55-66 pounds), the National Institute of Ecology said, and was presumed to be living in the DMZ with its parents.

The species -- Latin name Ursus thibetanus -- is classed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of endangered species.

More than 5,000 plant and animal species have been identified in the DMZ, including the long-tailed goral wild goat and northern fur seal, according to the South Korean government.

"The latest discovery of the Asiatic black bear once again proves the exceptional ecological value of the DMZ," said environment ministry official Yoo Seung-gwang.
Berlin (AFP) - More than seven decades after the end of World War II, the remains of political prisoners executed by the Nazis and dissected for research will be given a proper burial in Berlin.

The microscopic remains -- 300 tissue samples each a hundredth of a millimetre thin and around one by one centimetre large -- were uncovered by the descendants of the late Hermann Stieve, an anatomist who worked on the bodies of Third Reich opponents.

"Such small tissue samples are usually not deemed worthy of burial," Andreas Winkelmann, who had been tasked to determine the origin of the histological samples, told AFP.

"But this is a special story, because they came from people who were actively denied graves so that their relatives would not know where they are buried."

A ceremony will be held on Monday with descendants of the Nazi victims expected to attend, before the remains are finally laid to rest at the Dorotheenstadt cemetery in central Berlin.

The site had been picked as there are many graves and memorials for the victims of Nazism there, said Johannes Tuchel, director of the German Resistance Memorial Centre, which is organising the special event along with Berlin's university hospital Charite.

Tuchel said a decision was made to bury the specimens as they are "the last remains of people who were victims of the Nazi unjust justice system".

"They were denied a grave at that time, and so today, a burial is a matter of course."

- 'Cold-hearted' -

A plaque will also be put up to explain the find.

More than 2,800 people held at Berlin-Ploetzensee prison were put to the guillotine or hanged between 1933 and 1945, and most were then sent for dissection at the Berlin Institute of Anatomy.

Most of the 300 specimens found in Stieve's estate stemmed from women, adds the plaque, which would however not list the names of individual victims at the request of relatives.

Winkelmann, who had done extensive research into Stieve and his controversial experiments, said it was unclear how many individuals' remains were included in the batch of specimens.

Story continues

Some 20 specimens came with names, others only numbers.

The clues have however helped draw a firm link with the Ploetzensee victims.

Crucially for the history books, the specimens each set on two by seven centimetre (0.8 by 2.7 inch) glass plates provided rare concrete proof that prisoners' bodies were sent for dissection.

Stieve was the director from 1935 to 1952 of the Berlin Institute of Anatomy, where he carried out his controversial research on the female reproductive system.

Some of his scientific insights derived from histological probes on the genital organs of executed women.

Among those executed at Ploetzensee were 42 resistance fighters from the Berlin group Red Orchestra.

Stieve is believed to have dissected at least 13 of 18 female Red Orchestra fighters executed.

He was never charged with a crime and continued his career after the war like many other scientists who collaborated with the Nazis.

Only the highest-ranking physicians under the Third Reich were prosecuted at Nuremberg in the so-called Doctors' trial for grotesque human experimentation and mass murder under the "euthanasia" programme.

Winkelmann said it was particularly "objectionable" that while Stieve did not directly experiment on live victims, he was examining the physical impact of fear experienced by the women sitting on death row.

"That's of course very cold-hearted and turned these people into mere objects," said Winkelmann.

- 'Open questions' -

"The Nazi justice system found that interesting for them, not because they wanted to back Stieve's research, but because it was a way to humiliate the victims once again," Winkelmann said.

"First, by sending them to anatomy -- something that not everyone wants... and it was also a way to deny the victims a grave."

Adolf Hitler's regime sought to dump the remains in unmarked mass graves because it did not want sites where relatives could mourn the victims, and from where political demonstrations could ensue.

While Monday's burial may finally provide a form of closure to relatives of victims, Winkelmann said "there are still open questions that haven't been answered about Hermann Stieve and how he went about his research".

"I don't want to close this chapter, because the future generations need to be informed about what happened there and why we think it was wrong. All that is relevant for the future."
2751 W. River Drive. | Photos: Zumper

Curious just how far your dollar goes in Sacramento?

We've rounded up the latest rental listings via rental site Zumper to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to locating a place in Sacramento if you don't want to spend more than $1,500/month on rent.

Take a look at the listings, below. (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.

1309 25th St. (Midtown - Winn Park Capital Avenue)

First, listed at $1,500/month, this 850-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom is located at 1309 25th St.

Unit amenities include hardwood floors and a patio. The building offers on-site laundry, assigned parking and outdoor space. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

Per Walk Score ratings, the surrounding area is very walkable, is a "biker's paradise" and has good transit options.

(Take a look at the complete listing here.)

2751 W. River Drive (Willowcreek)

Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom over at 2751 W. River Drive. It's listed for $1,475/month for its 739 square feet of space.

For building amenities, expect a fitness center, outdoor space, a swimming pool and a residents' lounge. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs.

Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address requires a car for most errands, is very bikeable and offers limited transit options.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

7640 W. Stockton Blvd. (Valley High-North Laguna)

Here's a 758-square-foot studio at 7640 W. Stockton Blvd. that's going for $1,485/month.

In the unit, you'll have high ceilings, a mix of carpet and hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, a balcony and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include garage parking, a fitness center, a swimming pool and a residents' lounge. When it comes to pets, both meows and barks are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

Story continues

According to Walk Score, the surrounding area requires a car for most errands, is bikeable and has some transit options.

(Take a look at the full listing here.)

1500 Seventh St. (Downtown)

Finally, located at 1500 Seventh St., here's a 572-square-foot studio that's listed for $1,440/month.

In the furnished unit, anticipate high ceilings, hardwood floors, a balcony, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Building amenities feature on-site laundry, garage parking, a swimming pool, a fitness center and outdoor space. If you have a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are allowed.

Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is quite walkable, is quite bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options.

(Check out 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.
1840 Sacramento St., #A2. | Photos: Zumper

Curious just how far your dollar goes in San Francisco?

We've rounded up the latest rental offerings via rental site Zumper to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to locating a place in San Francisco with a budget of $3,000/month.

Take a peek at what rentals the city has to offer, below. (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.

2 Genoa Place, #12 (North Beach)

Listed at $3,000/month, this 450-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 2 Genoa Place, #12.

Unit amenities include high ceilings, hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances. When it comes to building amenities, expect on-site laundry and secured entry. Cats and dogs are not welcome. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee.

Per Walk Score ratings, the surrounding area is a "walker's paradise," is fairly bikeable and boasts excellent transit options.

(Take a look at the complete listing here.)

1840 Sacramento St., #A2 (Pacific Heights)

Next, there's this studio apartment located at 1840 Sacramento St., #A2. It's also listed for $3,000/month for its 750 square feet of space.

Building amenities include garage parking. In the furnished unit, there is air conditioning, hardwood flooring and a fireplace. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are permitted. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee.

According to Walk Score, this location is a "walker's paradise," is relatively bikeable and boasts excellent transit options.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

7 Imperial Ave. (Cow Hollow)

Next, check out this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's located at 7 Imperial Ave. It's listed for $2,995/month.

In the unit, you'll find hardwood floors, a dishwasher and a balcony. The building boasts outdoor space, storage space and secured entry. Animals are not allowed. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee.

Story continues

Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is a "walker's paradise," is very bikeable and boasts excellent transit options.

(Take a look at the complete listing here.)

5330 Diamond Heights Blvd., #J301 (Noe Valley)

Located at 5330 Diamond Heights Blvd., #J301, here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit that's listed for $2,995/month.

In the unit, you can expect a fireplace, stainless steel appliances and a balcony. The building offers on-site laundry, garage parking and an elevator. Pets are not allowed. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

Per Walk Score ratings, this location is quite walkable, has some bike infrastructure and is a haven for transit riders.

(See the complete listing here.)

2250 Buchanan St., #8 (Pacific Heights)

Listed at $2,995/month, this zero-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 2250 Buchanan St., #8.

In the apartment, you can expect hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances and stone countertops. Amenities offered in the building include on-site laundry, secured entry and on-site management. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are allowed on this property. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address has excellent walkability, has some bike infrastructure and is a haven for transit riders.

(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.
By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - Senior Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee told President Donald Trump on Friday they were concerned about Hungary's "downward democratic trajectory," ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to Washington next week.

"In recent years, democracy in Hungary has significantly eroded ... Under Orban, the election process has become less competitive and the judiciary is increasingly controlled by the state," the senators, led by Republican committee chairman Jim Risch and ranking Democrat Bob Menendez, said in a letter to Trump.

The letter was also signed by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

Orban is a nationalist leader who has often clashed with the European Union over his anti-immigration campaigns and judicial reforms. He clashed with the administration of former U.S. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, over what critics said was an erosion of democratic values by his government.

Trump is due to meet with Orban on Monday.

The senators also said they were very concerned about the close relationship between Hungary, a NATO partner, and Russia. They said Hungary has failed to diversify its energy resources from Moscow and said Hungary has allowed Russia to exploit its visa system to evade U.S. sanctions.

They called the relocation of the International Investment Bank from Moscow to Budapest "an exercise in Russian power projection." And they said it was disturbing that Hungary rejected an extradition request for two arms dealers from the United States and instead sent them "to their freedom in Moscow."

The senators asked Trump to raise those concerns in his meeting with Orban and to underscore U.S. support for the Hungarian people.

White House officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle Editing by James Dalgleish)
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress told President Donald Trump on Friday they were concerned about Hungary's "downward democratic trajectory," ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to Washington next week. "In recent years, democracy in Hungary has significantly eroded. ... Under Orban, the election process has become less competitive and the judiciary is increasingly controlled by the state," Republican Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch and Bob Menendez, the panel's top Democrat, said in a letter to Trump. The letter was also signed by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Several Democratic members of the House of Representatives, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, called on Trump to cancel his meeting with Orban, citing similar concerns as well as his anti-Semitic and xenophobic comments. Orban is a nationalist leader who has often had conflicts with the European Union over his anti-immigration campaigns and judicial reforms. He clashed with the administration of then-U.S. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, over what critics said was an erosion of democratic values by his government. Trump is due to meet with Orban on Monday. The senators also said they were very concerned about the close relationship between Hungary, a NATO partner, and Russia. They said Hungary has failed to diversify its energy resources from Moscow and allowed Russia to exploit its visa system to evade U.S. sanctions. They called the relocation of the International Investment Bank from Moscow to Budapest "an exercise in Russian power projection." And they said it was disturbing that Hungary rejected a U.S. extradition request for two arms dealers and instead sent them "to their freedom in Moscow." The senators asked Trump to raise those concerns in his meeting with Orban and underscore U.S. support for the Hungarian people. White House officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. However, a senior administration official told reporters at the White House that Orban's visit was part of a Trump administration strategy of re-engagement in Central and Eastern Europe, trying to encourage nations to work together and engage with NATO and neighbors like Ukraine. "The point of this meeting is simply just to reinforce the strategic relationship between allies ... not necessarily to thrash out every issue on the bilateral agenda, which we have been doing constantly for the past two years," the official said. (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and Alexandra Alper; Editing by James Dalgleish and Jonathan Oatis)
Paris (AFP) - French special forces have rescued four foreign hostages in a complex overnight operation in northern Burkina Faso in which two of its soldiers were killed.

Here is a brief profile of those freed in the raid, two of them French, one American and a South Korean national, who were all being held by kidnappers who have not yet been identified.

- Two French tourists -

Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas disappeared on May 1 while on safari in the tiny West African nation of Benin.

They were kidnapped on the last leg of a two-week trip while driving with their local guide Fiacre Gbedji through the remote Pendjari National Park.

A wildlife reserve known for its elephants and lions, it lies close to Benin's porous northwestern border with Burkina Faso which has been repeatedly hit by Islamist violence.

The pair went off on safari and were due back at the lodge where they were staying that evening, but never showed up.

Three days later, the badly-disfigured body of their guide was discovered in the park, while the charred remains of their white Toyota jeep was found over the border in eastern Burkina.

Pique is a 51-year-old jewellery maker who was born in Normandy and raised in the small town of Barenton some 250 kilometres (150 miles) west of Paris. He lives in the capital and works in a jewellery shop in the 4th district, local media said.

Lassimouillas, 46, was born in the southern port city of Marseille, but has lived and worked in the southern Paris suburb of Longjumeau for 24 years, teaching piano at the local music conservatory and conducting a symphony orchestra.

It was not immediately clear how the two men know each other.

They are due back in France on Saturday.

- Two women, American and South Korean -

French army chief General Francois Lecointre said the two other hostages, an American woman and a South Korean, had been held by the kidnappers for 28 days.

But Defence Minister Florence Parly said there was little other information about the pair, saying the special forces "were not aware of their presence" when the operation began.

Story continues

"We know little about these other two hostages," she told reporters, saying all four were in "a safe place".

She added that even the South Korean and American governments did not appear to be aware their nationals were being held.

"The contacts we have had in recent hours with the United States and South Korea indicate that these countries were probably not aware of the presence of their nationals on Burkina territory," she explained.

South Korea's ambassador to Paris was unable to comment on the identity of the freed Korean national.

"We do not have detailed information, but we are in close contact with French authorities. I can't say anything now," Jongmoon Choi told AFP by telephone.

The United States thanked French special forces for its role in releasing the American hostage, but gave no details on her identity.

"We are grateful for the safe recovery of hostages, including an American, during a recovery operation in Burkina Faso," said Tibor Nagy, assistant secretary of state for Africa, offering "deepest condolences" to the families of the two French soldiers.

Parly said it was likely that the American woman would be "repatriated independently" from the other three, who would be flown to France on Saturday.

- Two French soldiers killed -

Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, who died in the raid, were both members of the prestigious Hubert commando unit of the French naval special forces.

Normally based in southeastern France, their unit had been deployed in the Sahel region since March 30.

Born in 1986, De Pierrepont went into the French navy in 2004 before going on to train as a marine, serving in several specialist units before joining Commando Hubert in 2012. Last year, he took over as the unit's leader.

Bertoncello was born in 1991 and entered the navy in 2011. A year later, he specialised as a marine, passing the specialist commando training the same year. After five years in another unit, he passed a combat swimming course and joined Commando Hubert in 2017.

burs-hmw/adp/cw
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Singapore reports first case of rare monkeypox virus

Singapore has reported its first case of the rare monkeypox virus brought in by a Nigerian man who authorities said may have been infected by bushmeat he ate at a wedding. Monkeypox, a virus similar to the human smallpox which was eradicated in 1980, does not spread easily from person to person, but can in rare cases be fatal.

Trade frictions raise questions about China's fentanyl promise

China has pledged to stem a flood of the synthetic opioid fentanyl onto America's streets, where it kills thousands of people a month, but U.S. security experts are skeptical about whether Beijing is willing, or even able, to follow through. Ten current and former U.S. officials, congressional sources and China and trade experts told Reuters in interviews that China cooperates only when it believes it will get something in return.

Many U.S. allergists now prescribe tablets instead of shots

Almost three in four U.S. allergy specialists are prescribing tablets to ease symptoms caused by pollen, ragweed and dust at least some of the time, though they have not completely shifted away from allergy shots, a survey suggests. The upside of allergy shots, available for more than a century, is they can be formulated to treat more than one allergy. But they are not always appealing to patients because they require multiple office visits to administer. Recently-introduced tablets dissolve under the tongue and can generally be taken at home, but can only target one allergen at a time.

Opioid overdose deaths decline when pharmacists can dispense naloxone

In states where pharmacists were allowed to sell the potentially lifesaving opioid antidote naloxone without a prescription, fewer people died from opioid overdoses, a new U.S. study finds. The passage of laws that let pharmacists sell naloxone directly to patients was associated with a nearly 30 percent drop in the number of opioid overdose deaths compared to states without pharmacist dispensing, researchers report in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Story continues

Trump calls on Congress to protect patients from surprise medical bills

U.S. President Donald Trump called on Congress on Thursday to pass legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills from out-of-network doctors that can unnecessarily cost patients tens of thousands of dollars. In remarks at the White House, Trump unveiled principles the administration will send to congressional lawmakers to incorporate into a legislative package that would address surprise bills.

Novartis buys dry eye drug from Takeda for up to $5.3 billion

Novartis is buying dry-eye drug Xiidra from Takeda Pharmaceutical Co for up to $5.3 billion as the Swiss drugmaker refreshes its ophthalmic medicines portfolio with a potential blockbuster. The deal, announced early on Thursday, calls for $3.4 billion up front and milestone payments up to $1.9 billion, Novartis said.

Bristol-Myers' Opdivo fails late-stage brain cancer trial

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co said on Thursday its immunotherapy Opdivo failed to meet the main goal of a late-stage trial testing it in patients with an aggressive form of tumor that affects the brain or the spine. Opdivo, used in combination with radiation therapy, failed to extend survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), when compared with the chemotherapy temozolomide and radiation therapy.

Trump slams drugmakers, vows to let U.S. states buy cheaper medicines abroad

U.S. President Donald Trump slammed the pharmaceutical industry for high prices of prescription drugs on Thursday and vowed to allow U.S. states to buy medicines from other countries if they cost less. Trump, who campaigned on a platform to reduce drug prices for U.S. consumers, has taken few concrete steps to lower medication costs since taking office in 2017, and has so far largely relied on personal talks with company executives and industry promises to voluntarily roll back prices or limit price hikes.

Online symptom checker often wrong on eye problems

People looking to a popular online symptom checker for answers about eye problems often get a wrong diagnosis, a small study suggests. Symptom checkers are all over the web, often using algorithms to deliver diagnoses even as they post disclaimers advising against using these tools for medical advice. While some studies have already documented many ways that symptom checkers can mislead patients, less is known about how well they work specifically for eye conditions, researchers note in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Alabama Senate delays vote on strict anti-abortion bill

Alabama's state Senate on Thursday delayed until next week a vote on the strictest abortion bill in the United States after disagreement arose on the Senate floor about whether to allow women impregnated by rape and incest to have a legal abortion. The Alabama debate follows passage of anti-abortion laws in states that border it to the east and west, Georgia and Mississippi, creating what abortion rights advocates have warned would be a massive "abortion desert."
The German solar solutions provider, DHYBRID, has been selected to set up seven mini-power plants in remote locations in Senegal.

The hybrid facilities will have an overall capacity of 2 MW.

These projects are part of the countrys energy mix diversification plan. They will also accelerate the rural electrification process.

DHYBRID has been selected by the French EPC company and main contractor Omexom, the energy brand of the VINCI Energies Group.

DHYBRID CEO, Benedikt Bohm, said that Senegal is working towards the continuous expansion of renewable energy and energy storage systems.

He said the selection of their scalable system by Senelec and Omexom is a great milestone in the development of DHYBRID.

The total project will generate enough power to cover the annual needs of 140,000 people and will avoid atmospheric CO2 emissions amounting up to 19,000 tons per year, equivalent to the emissions of a car driven 135 million kilometers.

The project sites will be spread over four large regions: The Saloum Islands and the Thies region in the western part of the country and the Tambakounda and Kolda regions in the east.

The initiative is part of a $30 million global project funded by KfW and Senelec to develop 15 MW of mini solar power plants.
Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. will assign dozens of border agents to migrant asylum interviews

Up to 60 U.S Border Patrol agents will be trained to conduct initial asylum screenings as part of a pilot effort to speed up the vetting of migrants who seek refuge in the United States, U.S. officials told a congressional committee on Thursday. Ten border agents are currently undergoing the training to conduct "credible fear" screenings of asylum seekers, and two other groups of 20 to 25 agents each have been designated to receive the training, said Robert Perez, deputy commissioner at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in testimony to members of the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.

Chinese-American pride celebrated in 150th anniversary of Transcontinental Railroad

Connie Young Yu says that when her parents joined a delegation of fellow Chinese-Americans attending a 1969 event commemorating the centennial of the first U.S. Transcontinental Railroad, they were snubbed, upstaged by Hollywood star John Wayne. Now 50 years later, she and others descended from Chinese immigrants who built much of the cross-country rail line are looking forward to the 150th "Golden Spike" anniversary in Utah for rightful recognition they say is long overdue.

Nickel-and-dime debts prompt food fight over Rhode Island school lunches

A move by a Rhode Island school district to collect overdue lunch money that often amounted to nickels and dimes erupted into a food fight with irate parents this week, and had administrators walking back their get-tough policy. It began last Sunday when Warwick Public Schools announced that starting on May 13, students who owe money on their lunch accounts would be served sunflower butter and jelly sandwiches until they paid up.

Trump says subpoena of his son came as a surprise

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said the Senate Intelligence Committee's subpoena of his son Donald Trump Jr. came as a surprise, one day after media outlets reported that the Republican-led panel had called on his son to again answer questions. "I'm pretty surprised," Trump said at an event at the White House, calling his son "a good person."

Story continues

Fake heiress who dazzled New York elite gets 4 to 12 years for fraud

A German woman who posed as a wealthy heiress to scam New York hotels, fashionable friends and banks with a blizzard of forged documents was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison on Thursday after a jury convicted her of fraud last month. Anna Sorokin, 28, was better known to her Manhattan friends as Anna Delvey, a would-be socialite decked out in expensive clothes whose credit cards came back declined with unnerving frequency despite her talk of having a trust fund.

Democrat Beto O'Rourke hires Obama adviser for 2020 U.S. presidential bid

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke has hired Jeff Berman, one of the architects of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential victory, as a senior adviser, the campaign said on Thursday. Berman is an expert in the complex system of how the Democratic Party awards delegates during its presidential nominating contest. His hiring as senior advisor for delegate strategy indicates O'Rourke is digging in for a long delegate battle in a huge Democratic field with 22 candidates so far.

Accused California synagogue shooter charged with federal hate crimes

A California nursing student accused of a deadly shooting spree in a San Diego-area synagogue and arson at a nearby mosque was charged on Thursday with 109 counts of federal hate crimes and civil rights violations, prosecutors said. John Earnest, 19, was already charged in state court with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder in the April 27 attack at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, which left one worshipper dead and three others wounded, including a rabbi.

House Democrat weighs subpoena or court case for Trump's taxes

U.S. House tax committee Chairman Richard Neal said on Thursday that he will decide by the end of the week whether to subpoena President Donald Trump's tax returns or go to court to obtain the documents, which the administration refuses to hand over. As part of an escalating clash between Democrats and the Trump administration, Neal said he talked with lawyers for the House of Representatives on Thursday about next steps and would have a final discussion with them later in the day.

Americans' support for impeaching Trump rises: Reuters/Ipsos poll

The number of Americans who said President Donald Trump should be impeached rose 5 percentage points to 45 percent since mid-April, while more than half said multiple congressional probes of Trump interfered with important government business, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday. The opinion poll, conducted on Monday, did not make clear whether investigation-fatigued Americans wanted House of Representatives Democrats to pull back on their probes or press forward aggressively and just get impeachment over with.

Alabama Senate delays vote on strict anti-abortion bill

Alabama's state Senate on Thursday delayed until next week a vote on the strictest abortion bill in the United States after disagreement arose on the Senate floor about whether to allow women impregnated by rape and incest to have a legal abortion. The Alabama debate follows passage of anti-abortion laws in states that border it to the east and west, Georgia and Mississippi, creating what abortion rights advocates have warned would be a massive "abortion desert."
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Tripoli urges Trump to stop Haftar's backers meddling in Libya

Libya's internationally recognized government denounced its foe Khalifa Haftar as an "aspiring military dictator" on Friday and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to stop foreign support for his month-long offensive on the capital Tripoli. Fayez Serraj, prime minister of the beleaguered Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), said Haftar's U.S.-allied backers were turning Libya into a proxy battleground, risking a war with global implications and further mass migration to Europe.

Taiwan says China has stepped up infiltration efforts

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday that China has stepped up efforts to infiltrate and gain influence in the self-ruled and democratic island, and asked national security agencies to counter the campaign. Tsai, speaking to reporters after a national security meeting, said China's influence operations included attempts to interfere with elections and fake news campaigns. Taiwan holds presidential elections next January.

Tusk sees chances of UK remaining in EU at 20-30%: daily

European Council President Donald Tusk said he sees the chances of Britain staying in the European Union after all at 20-30% as Britons had begun a genuine debate whether to leave or to remain only after the 2016 Brexit referendum. In a Polish newspaper interview, Tusk suggested holding another Brexit referendum given the precedent that Britain had already staged two plebiscites on Europe, first in 1975 on whether to stay in the then-European Economic Community that it had joined two years before.

China files formal charges against former Interpol chief

Chinese prosecutors filed formal charges on Friday against former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, accusing him of abuse of power and taking bribes, in the next legal step before he faces a court. Interpol, the global police coordination agency based in France, last October said Meng had resigned as its president, days after his wife reported him missing after he traveled back to his home country of China.

Story continues

'Missiles like these will start the war': North Korea tests showcase growing capability

North Korea's second missile test on Thursday signals it is serious about developing new, short-range weapons that could be used early and effectively in any war with South Korea and the United States, analysts studying images of the latest launches say. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the first flight of a previously untested weapon - a relatively small, fast missile experts believe will be easier to hide, launch, and maneuver in flight.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards reject talks with U.S. after Trump offer

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday Tehran will not negotiate with the United States and denied any U.S. attack was likely, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump urged talks and said he could not rule out a military confrontation. Trump on Thursday urged Iran's leadership to sit down and talk with him about giving up Tehran's nuclear program and said he could not rule out a military confrontation given the heightened tensions between the two countries.

Relentless Taliban violence casts a pall over 'slow' Afghan talks

Talks with the Taliban on ending Afghanistan's war are making steady but slow progress, the chief U.S. envoy involved in the negotiations said on Friday while signaling growing frustration with relentless militant violence. A sixth round of talks ended on Thursday in Qatar with "some progress" on a draft agreement on the withdrawal of foreign troops, a Taliban official said. The United States is seeking a Taliban guarantee they won't let militants use Afghanistan to stage attacks.

Saudi vessel left Le Havre without arms cargo, en route to Santander

A Saudi vessel that had been due to load arms in France left the country's Le Havre port without its arms cargo and is now sailing toward Santander in Spain, according to ship tracking data and comments from a local French official to Reuters. On Thursday, two French human rights groups had sought to block the loading of weapons onto the Saudi Arabian vessel as it sought to dock in northern France, arguing the cargo contravened an international arms treaty.

Exclusive: U.S. commander says he could send carrier into Strait of Hormuz despite Iran tensions

The commander overseeing U.S. naval forces in the Middle East told Reuters on Thursday that American intelligence showing a threat from Iran will not prevent him from sending an aircraft carrier through the vital Strait of Hormuz, if needed. Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, commander of the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, did not say whether he would send the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group into the strategic waterway off Iran, through which passes a fifth of oil consumed globally.

At least 70 migrants drown off Tunisia coast: state agency TAP

At least 70 migrants drowned on Friday when their boat sank in international waters off the Tunisian coast, and 16 were saved, the state-run Tunis Afrique Presse agency said. The boat sank 40 nautical miles off the coast of Sfax, south of the capital Tunis, it said. Fishing boats rescued the survivors, it said.
Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S. will assign dozens of border agents to migrant asylum interviews

Up to 60 U.S Border Patrol agents will be trained to conduct initial asylum screenings as part of a pilot effort to speed up the vetting of migrants who seek refuge in the United States, U.S. officials told a congressional committee on Thursday. Ten border agents are currently undergoing the training to conduct "credible fear" screenings of asylum seekers, and two other groups of 20 to 25 agents each have been designated to receive the training, said Robert Perez, deputy commissioner at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in testimony to members of the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.

Trump urges Iran to talk over nuclear program, cannot rule out military action

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran's leadership to sit down and talk with him about giving up Tehran's nuclear program and said he could not rule out a military confrontation given the heightened tensions between the two countries. At an impromptu news conference at the White House, Trump declined to say what prompted him to deploy the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group to the region over what was described as unspecified threats.

British royals William, Kate, Harry and Meghan launch mental health text service

Britain's young royals, brothers Prince William and Prince Harry and their wives Kate and Meghan, launched a new phone messaging service on Friday to help people suffering a mental health crisis. The two princes have been widely praised for speaking out about their own struggles with mental health struggles in the wake of the death of their mother Princess Diana in a 1997 car crash and have made the issue one of their main charitable causes.

Blast rocks Baghdad marketplace, differing accounts on casualties

A blast rocked Baghdad's northeastern Sadr City district on Thursday but accounts differed on whether it caused any casualties. Islamic State claimed responsibility. Police Colonel Jamal Hameed told Reuters a parcel had been found on the side of the road near a market and detonated in a controlled explosion, hurting no one.

Story continues

Venezuelan lawmakers seek refuge in embassies after crackdown on Guaido allies

Two Venezuelan lawmakers sought refuge at foreign embassies in Caracas on Thursday, as the government of President Nicolas Maduro cracked down on allies of opposition leader Juan Guaido who supported his attempted uprising last week. The ex-head of the state intelligence service, Manuel Cristopher, the top Maduro government official to defect during the uprising, also spoke out for the first time on Thursday, urging Venezuelans to "build a new state" and combat corruption.

Exclusive: U.S. commander says he could send carrier into Strait of Hormuz despite Iran tensions

The commander overseeing U.S. naval forces in the Middle East told Reuters on Thursday that American intelligence showing a threat from Iran will not prevent him from sending an aircraft carrier through the vital Strait of Hormuz, if needed. Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, commander of the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, did not say whether he would send the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group into the strategic waterway off Iran, through which passes a fifth of oil consumed globally.

U.S., Iran tensions unyielding, Europeans reject Iran 'ultimatums' over nuclear deal

European countries said on Thursday they wanted to preserve Iran's nuclear deal and rejected "ultimatums" from Tehran, after Iran relaxed restrictions on its nuclear program and threatened moves that might breach the 2015 international pact. Iran's announcement on Wednesday, related to curbs on its stockpiling of nuclear materials, was in response to U.S. sanctions imposed following President Donald Trump's withdrawal of the United States from the accord with Tehran a year ago.

North Korea fires more missiles, U.S. announces ship seizure as tensions mount

North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday in its second such test in less than a week, and the United States said it had seized a North Korean cargo ship as tensions again mounted between the two countries. U.S. President Donald Trump said that "nobody is happy" at the launches, but appeared to hold the door open for more talks with North Korea. South Korea said the tests were worrisome and unhelpful and likely a protest against Trump refusing to ease economic sanctions at a failed summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February.

ANC takes commanding lead in South Africa's election but support ebbs

The African National Congress (ANC) strolled toward victory in South Africa's election on Friday, partial results showed, though the party is on course for its worst performance in a national poll in its 25 years in government. As of 2211 GMT, ballots in 69.98 percent of 22,925 voting districts had been counted. The tallies put the ANC on 56.61 percent in the parliamentary race, with the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) on nearly 23 percent and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on nearly 10 percent.

U.S. crafting surrender plan, not peace deal: Palestinian foreign minister

The United States seems to be crafting a plan for a Palestinian surrender to Israel instead of a peace deal, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told a meeting at the United Nations attended by U.S. Middle East peace negotiator Jason Greenblatt. Greenblatt and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner have spent two years developing a peace proposal that they hope will provide a framework for renewed talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. The plan is expected to be unveiled in June.
Robert Downey Jr in Avengers: Endgame

Robert Downey Jr has uploaded several behind the scenes images of him shooting the finale of Avengers: Endgame and theyre so poignant and beautiful they should be enough to make any self-respecting Marvel fan immediately collapse in tears.

You can click on over to Robert Downey Jrs Instagram page to see all ten images, which provide a detailed breakdown of the most famous finger snap in the history of cinema.

WARNING: There are MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for the end of Avengers: Endgame. So if youve still not seen the Marvel blockbuster then you really shouldnt read on.

Read More: The Russo brothers say a current Marvel character is secretly gay

The images are all the more powerful because, with the death of Tony Stark, Endgame brought an end to Robert Downey Jrs hugely successful Marvel tenure. Its not just been successful for the franchise, which has become the most powerful in Hollywood, but for Downey Jr, too, who is believed to have pocketed over 300 million for his repeated performances as Iron Man.

Robert Downey Jr shooting Endgame

Those of you that have seen Avengers: Endgame will be very much aware that the scene Robert Downey Jr was filming in these pictures brings an end to the battle between the Avengers and Thanos.

Stark dies after using the Infinity Gauntlet and its stones, as it emits an energy thats just too powerful for a human to contain.

Other members of the Marvel family quickly took to Instagram to praise RDJs pictures, with Karen Gillan writing, This is so cool!!!!!!, while others wrote, I love you 3000, in reference to a line that Starks daughter Morgan says to her father in the blockbuster.

Downey has been posting behind the scenes footage all week, including the cast and crew singing happy birthday to mark the 11th anniversary of the release of Iron Man.

Story continues

Avengers: Endgame is still in cinemas, while Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will come to an end when Spider-Man: Far From Home is released on July 5.




The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have today presented their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to the world, with Meghan declaring: "It's magic, it's pretty amazing. I have the two best guys in the world so I'm really happy."

Speaking in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle as her husband held their two-day-old child, Meghan added: "He has the sweetest temperament, he's really calm." As they both laughed, Harry said: "I don't know who he gets that from."

The 7lb 3oz infant, whose name was released this afternoon, is believed to be the first mixed-race child born to a senior member of the royal family in centuries, and is a reflection of modern Britain with its culturally diverse population.

Here's everything we know about the latest royal, from those rumours about his birth, and reaction from Meghan's estranged family.

The proud moment the Duke and Duchess of Sussex present their newborn baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to the world Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

What have Meghan and Harry said about parenthood so far?

Amid surroundings steeped in royal history, Archie made his debut behind closed doors, with a small press pool of only one reporter, one photographer, three cameramen, as well as the couple's own private photographer and a household press officer photographer.

Meghan and Harry were beside themselves with joy giggling and looking into each others eyes as they spoke. The duke gently cradled his son in his arms - in a white merino wool shawl made by G H Hurt & Son - and could not resist sneaking a peek down at him as he apparently slept.

Asked who the baby takes after, Meghan, who was wearing a white dress, said: "We're still trying to figure that out."

Harry, wearing a light grey suit, said: "Everyone says that babies change so much over two weeks we're basically monitoring how the changing process happens over this next month really. But his looks are changing every single day, so who knows."

Story continues

Asked how he found parenting, Harry added: "It's great. Parenting is amazing. It's only been two and a half days, three days, but we're just so thrilled to have our own little bundle of joy."

Meghan added: "He's just been the dream so it's been a special couple of days."

The couple later shared pictures of their first photocall on the @SussexRoyal Instagram account.

Read more:Growing up in Windsor: what will life be like for baby Sussex?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex present their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to the world, who was wrapped tightly in a white shawl Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Where was Baby Sussex born?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex kept plans for the birth of their baby private. He was initially believed to have been born in the sanctuary of Frogmore Cottage - the Sussexes' newly renovated home on the Windsor Estate.

However it later emerged that Meghan may have been whisked to a private hospital - thought to have been the Portland in London - without anyone noticing late on Sunday night. The reported move was so secretive - even senior royals were not told.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said: "We are unable to confirm speculation about individuals who may or may not have been cared for at The Portland Hospital."

The duke was at his wife's side during the birth and he later confessed he had only had a few hours' sleep, suggesting Meghan had spent much of the night in labour. Archie was born at 5.26am on Monday.

Read more:Fois gras for mum and a beer for dad: What it's like to give birth at The Portland

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is pictured for the first time during a photocall in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Has the Queen met the baby?

The Queen is expected to be introduced to her new great-grandson at some point today. Harry and Meghan are set to introduce their baby to the Queen, joined by Philip, in the castle's private apartments.

Baby Sussex is the Queen's eighth great-grandchild (and seventh in line to the throne).

What have family members said so far?

Family members spoke about the joy of the new arrival earlier this week, with the Duke of Cambridge saying on Tuesday he was "obviously thrilled, absolutely thrilled, and obviously looking forward to seeing them in the next few days when things have quietened down".

He added: "I'm very pleased and glad to welcome my own brother into the sleep deprivation society that is parenting."

Kate revealed they had no clues about the baby's name but were eager to see the Sussexes and their new arrival.

Speaking before the name was announced, she said: "As William said, we're looking forward to meeting him and finding out what his name's going to be so it's really exciting for both of them and we wish them all the best.

"These next few weeks are always a bit daunting the first time round so we wish them all the best."

The Prince of Wales has also spoken publicly for the first time about the birth, saying he was "delighted" at arrival of his latest grandchild.

Harry's grandmother the Queen accepted the congratulations of a Windsor Castle guest who asked: "Life is good for Your Majesty?" The Queen, who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, was hosting a lunch on Tuesday for members of the Order of Merit and smiling said in reply "yes, thank you".

Thomas Markle, the duchess' estranged father, also offered his well-wishes on Monday. Mr Markle, a former TV lighting director, told The Sun: "I am proud that my new grandson is born into the British royal family and I am sure that he will grow up to serve the crown and the people of Britain with grace, dignity, and honour."

Doria Ragland, the duchess' mother, who was with the couple on Monday and is staying with them, was also overjoyed with the arrival of her first grandchild.

Read more: Doria Ragland: meet royal baby Sussex's American grandma

For all the latest royal baby news, including the name as it's revealed, follow our liveblog.
Russia and Japan's top diplomats said Friday there was a way to go before their countries could resolve a World War II-era dispute over a chain of islands, following a meeting in Moscow.

Ahead of talks, Russia's Sergei Lavrov said "significant differences" remained between Moscow and Tokyo's positions, despite several previous rounds of negotiations.

"The task is not easy, it's clear it will only be solved by long, painstaking and creative work," Lavrov told journalists following his meeting with Japanese counterpart Taro Kono.

The territorial dispute centres on four islands, between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean, seized by the Soviet army in the last days of World War II.

The string of volcanic islands are called the Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan.

"Solving a problem that remains unresolved more than 70 years on from the end of the war is not easy," Kono said at a joint press conference, in remarks translated into Russian.

"It cannot be said that as a result of today's talks we were able to overcome these differences."

Tokyo has refused to recognise Moscow's sovereignty over the islands, preventing the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending hostilities.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin have made resolving the dispute a priority -- meeting 25 times since 2013 in an effort to build cooperation.

But both face domestic opposition to any compromise and at a meeting in Moscow in January fell short of reaching an agreement.

A further meeting between the foreign and defence ministers of the countries will take place at the end of May in Tokyo, Lavrov said Friday.

Moscow has said negotiations should be based on a 1956 Soviet-Japanese declaration which calls for the signing of a peace accord before the possible handover of two of the smaller islands to Japan.

But giving away even uninhabited islands would be poorly received in Russia, where World War II is hugely symbolic and post-war territorial gains are seen as non-negotiable.

Moscow in recent months has taken further steps to consolidate its hold on the islands, which are home to some 20,000 people.

In December Russia said it built four new military barracks in the Kurils, prompting an angry response from Tokyo. In February it said it had laid fibre-optic cables to provide homes and businesses there with high-speed internet access.
Photo: Daniel Guerra/Unsplash

Looking for family-friendly events to keep the kids busy this week?

From creating art to a family-friendly zombie scavenger hunt, there's plenty to do when it comes to opportunities for learning and fun. Read on for a rundown of what to do this week.

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.

Family Artlab: Assemblage Take 2!

From the event description:

Led by MCASD Gallery Educators, Family ArtLAB: Assemblage, Take 2! invites participants to collage found objects and create unique works of art that they can take home. This program is free to attend.

When: Saturday, May 11, 2-4 p.m.

Where: Westfield UTC, 4545 La Jolla Village Drive

Price: Free

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

DIY Succulent Wreath Workshop

From the event description:

We're succas for you, Mom! To celebrate Mother's Day weekend, we're hosting a Mommy and Me DIY succulent workshop with Rain to Roots. Moms, bring your little one (recommended ages six through 12) to Searsucker and create your own succulent wreath arrangements together.

When: Saturday, May 11, 2-4 p.m.

Where: Searsucker Del Mar, 12995 El Camino Real, Suite 21

Price: $56.50

Click here for more details, and to get your tickets

Operation City Quest

From the Operation City Quest deal description:

Operation City Quest sends players on real-life scavenger hunts. The goal: to find over a hundred notable objects in your city, each differing in points and difficulty, and document the process along the way. The entire game is played via smartphone, which acts as a guide to the next destination. As you check off the items on your list  and send in photos to earn points  you can answer fun trivia or perform silly street challenges to score more points and move up the leaderboard.

Where: Multiple locations

Price: $18 (55 percent discount off regular price). Additional deals are available.

Click here for more details, and to score this deal

Story continues

Scavenger Challenge from Zombie Scavengers

From the Zombie Scavengers deal description:

Teams use their smartphones to search the city, complete challenges and answer trivia questions to collect supplies necessary to survive a zombie apocalypse. This is a family-friendly mobile scavenger hunt that doesnt feature any actual zombies.



Where: Multiple locations

Price: $14 (65 percent discount off regular price). Additional deals are available.

Click here for more details, and to take advantage of this deal

Bike, Board or Inline-Skates Rental

From the Mission Beach Rentals deal description:

Mission Beach Rentals gets people moving on every surface: pavement, sand and surf. Wetsuit, surfboard and stand-up paddleboard rentals make it easy to explore the ocean, while beach chairs and umbrellas create a personal oasis for relaxing afternoons on the sand. To glide across the sidewalks, exchange a bodyboard for a skateboard or bike and take in the ocean view without getting wet.

Where: Mission Beach Rentals at Belmont, 3136 Mission Blvd.

Price: $12 (50 percent discount off regular price); Additional deals are available.

Click here for more details, and to take advantage of this deal

This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading African philanthropy committed to empowering African entrepreneurs, will hold this years entrepreneurs summit in Abuja.

TEFs gathering, which is in its fifth year is set to take place July 26  27 in Nigerias federal capital Abuja with the participation of entrepreneurs from 54 countries. The event is the largest gathering of African entrepreneurs.

According to a statement released by the Foundation, the Forum is the culmination of the annual Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program, which this year mentored, trained and seeded over 3,000 young Africans, selected from over 216,000 applicants.

Keynote speakers at the highly anticipated Forum include Presidents of Rwanda and Senegal, Paul Kagame and Macky Sall.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has been at the forefront of promoting entrepreneurship on the continent. The philosophy of the foundation, taken from its founder Nigerian entrepreneur Tony Elumelu, is to empower a generation of successful for-profit entrepreneurs who drive Africas economic and social transformation.

Through its $100million Entrepreneurship Program, the Foundation empowers 1,000 entrepreneurs annually, who receive $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, access to mentors, a 12-week training program and opportunities to promote their businesses.
San Francisco's artificial intelligence industry is pulling in lots of new investment, with 21 local companies securing venture capital funding in recent weeks.

New funding rounds were recently announced by artificial intelligence companies Blueshift, Labelbox, Prisma Labs and VCV, according to company database Crunchbase.

Blueshift topped the city's recent funding headlines by announcing a $15 million Series B round on April 23, led by Softbank Ventures Asia.

According to its Crunchbase profile, "Blueshift is an AI-powered customer engagement platform for B2C marketers and cross-channel marketing. Using the power of real-time segmentation and dynamic-content personalization, the platform enables marketers to automate Segment-of-One Marketing across multiple channels including email, push notifications, Facebook and SMS. Blueshift was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA."

The five-year-old company has raised two previous funding rounds, including an $8 million Series A round in 2016.

Next up, Labelbox raised $10 million in Series A funding, in a round announced on April 9 and led by Gradient Ventures.

According to Crunchbase, "At Labelbox, were building a platform to accelerate the development of this future. Rather than requiring companies to create their own expensive and incomplete homegrown tools, weve created the worlds first training data platform that acts as a central hub for humans to interface with AI. When humans have better ways to input and manage data, machines have better ways to learn."

The company also raised a $3.9 million seed round in 2018.

Meanwhile, Prisma Labs raised $6 million in Series A funding, announced on May 2. The round's investors were led by Haxus.

From the company's Crunchbase profile, "Prisma Labs developed an app which became the #1 app in both AppStore and GooglePlay in 2016, with over 100 million downloads worldwide. It gives photos the look of famous paintings, ornaments and patterns. A unique combination of neural networks and artificial intelligence helps people to turn memorable moments into timeless art."

Story continues

Prisma Labs last raised seed funding in 2016.

Also of note, speech recognition company VCV raised $1.7 million in seed funding, announced on April 23 and led by Will Group.

From Crunchbase, "VCV is an AI-powered recruiting bot that searches for candidates, calls them with questions using voice recognition and then invites them to record a video interview. VCV can save recruiters over 20 hours of work, with recruiting bots working 24/7 to find, chat and interview."

The company previously raised $150,000 in seed funding in 2017.

In total, San Francisco-based artificial intelligence companies have raised $258 million in venture funding over the past month, and $1.8 billion over the past year.

This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Rennes (France) (AFP) - A Saudi cargo ship that had been expected to pick up a hugely controversial shipment of French arms from France's Le Havre will not dock there, a port source said Friday.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly had on Wednesday said French weapons would be loaded onto the Bahri Yanbu, which has been anchored off the northern port for the past few days.

The shipment has triggered controversy in France amid fears the arms could be used against civilians in Saudi's military campaign in Yemen.

"The stopover won't take place," the port source told AFP, without giving further details.

French investigative news site Disclose leaked a classified military note last month detailing the use of French tanks and artillery in the Yemen war.

The report sparked a political furore in France although Parly insisted there was "no proof" of casualties in Yemen caused by French weapons.

There had been protests against the docking of the ship in Le Havre. There was no immediate indication of where the vessel might head next or what had prompted the change of plan.
By John Irish and Benoit Tessier PARIS/LE HAVRE (Reuters) - A Saudi vessel that had been due to load weapons at a northern French port on Friday set sail without them and headed for Spain, a day after a rights group tried to block the cargo on humanitarian grounds. French rights group ACAT argued in a legal challenge on Thursday that the consignment contravened a U.N. treaty because the arms might be used against civilians in Yemen. A French judge threw out that legal challenge but the Bahri-Yanbu set course for Santander shortly after minus the weapons, officials said and ship-tracking data showed. The saga is an embarrassment for President Emmanuel Macron, who on Thursday defended arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Riyadh leads the pro-government military coalition in the four-year civil war that has devastated Yemen, killed tens of thousands and left much of the population on the brink of famine. Macron said on Thursday Riyadh, which he called a key ally in the fight against terrorism, had assured him the weapons the ship was to load were not to be used against civilians. An official working for Jean-Paul Lecoq, the opposition Communist member of parliament for port city Le Havre, confirmed the vessel had left without the consignment. "This is a lesson for the executive," he told Reuters. "It can no longer give bland statements saying 'do not worry, we have guarantees'. That no longer works." European powers are split over arms sales to Saudi Arabia, with France and Britain lobbying against German efforts to toughen the way they are regulated. The Bahri-Yanbu had been at anchor 25 kilometers (15 miles) off Le Havre since Wednesday evening, already carrying a separate consignment of arms loaded in Antwerp. WAR CRIMES ALLEGATIONS France's defense ministry referred questions about the consignment to the foreign ministry, which referred Reuters back to the defense ministry. Neither the prime minister's office, which approves arms' sales, nor the presidency responded. A Saudi embassy spokesman could not immediately comment. The move by ACAT came after online investigative site Disclose published leaked military intelligence showing weapons sold by France to Saudi Arabia, including tanks and laser-guided missile systems, were being used against civilians in Yemen. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday that Paris adhered to rules related to arms sales, France is one of Saudi Arabia's main arms' suppliers, but has also faced increasing domestic pressure to review that trade relationship as the human cost of Yemen's war has risen. ACAT had argued that the transfer contravened the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, which says one country cannot authorize the transfer of weapons if it knows at the time that those weapons could be used to commit war crimes or target civilians. U.N. officials have said all sides in the Yemeni conflict may have committed war crimes. The government declined to give details of the arms order, which Disclose had said included eight Caesar howitzer cannons. (Reporting by John Irish and Benoit Tessier; Editing by Richard Lough and John Stonestreet)
Photo: Mehdi A./Yelp

A new spot to score coffee, tea, sandwiches and more has opened for business in the neighborhood. The fresh addition to Midtown, called AWAKE Cafe Detroit, is located at 4224 Third St.

In addition to the small-batch coffee from Honduras, AWAKE also offers tea from My Cup of Tea, a Memphis-based business that assists women in poverty. It also has baked goods from the local Capuchin Soup Kitchens On the Rise Bakery Cafe, which employs men recently released from either prison or a substance abuse program.

With a 4.5-star rating out of three reviews on Yelp so far, AWAKE Cafe Detroit has already made a good impression.

Grace C., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on April 16, wrote, "I came here last week and was happy with the service and coffee. The atmosphere is great for studying or for catching up with friends."

Yelper Mehdi A. added, I really like this coffee shop because it's just a straightforward coffee shop. The coffee is pretty good.

Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. AWAKE Cafe Detroit is open from 9 a.m.9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m.5 p.m. on Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday through Wednesday.)

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 US Senate Intelligence Committees decision to subpoena Donald Trump Jr has ignited an internal Republican firefight over the fate of the committees Russia probe, as the panels GOP chairman showed no signs of backing down despite fierce criticism from many of his colleagues that it was time to move on.

The sudden infighting threatened to undermine support for the Senates Russia investigation, which is the sole bipartisan probe in Congress into Russian interference in the 2016 election and has been widely praised as operating with little public drama.

Much of the backlash against the decision by Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina to subpoena Donald Trumps eldest son came from GOP senators who are up for re-election next year and from those closely aligned with the president.

The outrage was partially fuelled by Mr Trump Jr and his own allies.

This would not go forward without Republican complicity, Senator Rand Paul, an ally of Mr Trumps, told reporters on Capitol Hill. So I think its a mistake for Republicans to keep putting the Trump family through this, and I really think they ought to drop it.

The abrupt disclosure this week of the Trump Jr subpoena  issued at least a week ago, according to people familiar with the situation  came shortly after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted that he considered as closed all matters investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Yet, until Thursday, the Senate Intelligence Committee has faced little public pressure to wrap up its investigation, which began in January 2017.

And some GOP senators on the powerful but secretive committee made a point to stress publicly that their probe was separate from Mr Muellers, despite attempts by others to link the two.

Marco Rubio, a member of the intelligence panel, said the intense criticism of Mr Burr was in part a misunderstanding of the focus of the committees investigation, which Senator Rubio said is being inaccurately conflated with the special counsel probe.

Story continues

Mueller is a criminal justice investigation, Mr Rubio said. Ours is an intelligence investigation about the Russia threat and about the way our agencies performed.

Some other Senate Republicans, on and off the Intelligence Committee, also defended Mr Burr.

Im not going to comment on what actions are being taken, said Susan Collins, who sits on the committee. But I support his leadership and think that he has done a good job.

Mitt Romney, who is not on the committee, said: I have confidence in Chairman Burr, and if hes requesting testimony, I presume he has a reason for that.

Still, the conservative resistance against Mr Burrs subpoena continued to intensify Thursday.

The president's son is said to be exasperated at the subpoena, according to a person who has discussed it with him.

And the president repeatedly stressed on Thursday that he was surprised by the demand, considering that his eldest son had testified for hours and hours.

I sure wish Sen Richard Burr was as interested in Bidens cushy deals w/Ukraine & China while VP than he is in the harassment of @DonaldJTrumpJr over a CLOSED witch hunt, tweeted former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, the father of White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.

In tweets, Charlie Kirk, the founder of the pro-Trump organisation Turning Point USA and a friend of Mr Trump Jrs, singled out Republican senators who are running for re-election in 2020 and taunted them to fall into line with the Trump family against Mr Burrs subpoena.

Conservatives are watching closely how @SenThomTillis responds to his North Carolina colleague @SenatorBurrs senseless targeting of @DonaldJTrumpJr, Mr Kirk said in one of this tweets. Primaries will not be kind to Republicans who stand silent as government power is...abused to harass the Presidents family.

Mr Tillis, who is already facing a primary challenge from the right, said on Thursday morning that he disagreed with the committees decision to subpoena Trump Jr.

We have a 400-plus page report that was determined after about $30m (23m) of money spent, dozens of investigators, hundreds of subpoenas and inquisitions that there was no underlying crime and no obstruction, Mr Tillis said.

I personally believe Democrats are just trying to keep this thing alive, and its their latest launch point to do it.

But when a reporter noted that it was the committee led by Mr Burr, a Republican, that issued the subpoena, Mr Tillis responded: I think youd have to speak to Senator Burr. I stand by my comment.

Senator John Cornyn, a member of Mr Burrs committee who is also up for re-election in 2020, said on Thursday morning that he was not aware in advance that a subpoena had been issued for Trump Jr but said: At some point, this is not about finding facts.

This smacks of politics, Mr Cornyn said, according to CBS News. And I think we have an important job to do to try to keep the Intelligence Committee out of politics.

Asked to clarify, Mr Cornyn said he was not accusing Burr of playing politics.

A Cornyn spokesman said he was saying at some point the congressional investigations smack of politics, not specifically this decision.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham stressed that he would not second-guess Mr Burr but said in his view, Muellers the final word for me.

If I were Don Jrs lawyer, Id be reluctant to jump back into this circus, Mr Graham added. Its just crazy. Mueller spent two years and $25m, and to me, hes the final word.

The GOP tensions could escalate further if the presidents eldest son defies the subpoena and Mr Burr triggers a showdown by insisting on enforcing the summons  leaving it in the hands of Mr McConnell to decide whether to hold Mr Trump Jr in contempt of Congress.

Asked whether Mr Burr cleared the subpoena with Mr McConnell in advance, a spokesman for the majority leader said Mr McConnell has not directed Mr Burr or the committee on anything during the probe. The spokesman, David Popp, also declined to say whether Mr McConnell would put a contempt resolution on the Senate floor if Mr Trump Jr defied the demand, calling that scenario hypothetical.

I think the good news is Chairman Burr has already indicated the committee will find no collusion, Mr McConnell said in a Fox News interview on Thursday night.

I think this is going to have a happy ending...I understand the presidents frustration here but I think this is just a blip.

Mr Burr repeatedly declined to speak with reporters on Thursday.

But at a closed-door lunch of GOP senators, he explained the reasoning behind the subpoena, according to people familiar with the discussion  including the timeline of the negotiations with Mr Trump Jr over his repeat testimony.

Also during the Thursday lunch, Mr McConnell told his colleagues he had faith in Burrs leadership, encouraging them to stop their public attacks on his decision to issue a subpoena, according to people familiar with the conversations.

In an interview this week conducted before the revelation of the Trump Jr subpoena, Mr Burr  who was elected to a third term in 2016 and has said he will not run again  dismissed any notion that politics is influencing his investigation.

My responsibility is to the institution and the equities of the committee, and Im judged by the product that we produce and how we carry out the investigation, Mr Burr said, adding that he could not let politics influence what people think of the final report.

The panel issued the subpoena after weeks of negotiations with Mr Trump Jr for a second interview that aides to both parties say he had to have known was always part of the deal, since the committee always planned to bring back key witnesses for a second session in which senators would be included.

Committee staffers have been conducting most of the interviews in the intelligence panels probe.

Jared Kushner, Mr Trumps son-in-law, appeared for a second closed-door session in late March.

But the panel eventually lost its patience with Mr Trump Jr, issuing the subpoena more than a week ago.

The summons became public only a day after Mr McConnell delivered a speech declaring case closed in regard to congressional investigations after the completion of the Mueller report.

However, Mr McConnell also acknowledged an exception for the Intelligence Committees probe, which he said should continue.

Hopefully Don Jr and his lawyers will believe its important, said Roy Blunt, who also sits on the committee.

I think his brother-in-law came in, in a similar situation, to be sure that every question was clearly understood and clearly answered, and I think he should, too.

Mark Warner, the committees vice chairman, also expressed confidence on Thursday that Burr would hold the line against fresh attacks from within his own party.

Since the beginning of this investigation, both of us have faced pressure at times  him to shut down the investigation, me to draw conclusions before were finished, Mr Warner said. Were going to do our job.

Part of that job, Mr Warner said, was to ensure that the elections were protected in 2020  the same cycle in which most of Burrs critics will be facing their next political test.

The Washington Post
The latest UN resolution adopted by the Security Council on the Sahara means that the notions of independence or self-determination referendum are no longer feasible, underlined the Peruvian Solidarity Council with the so-called SADR, the polisarios self-declared Sahrawi Republic, supported financially, militarily and diplomatically by Algeria.

Resolution 2468, which extended the MINURSO mandate for another six months, has clearly axed the notion of self-determination, which was cited only once, and has removed, as in the previous resolutions, the term referendum, said the Peruvian Council in a press release.

In this resolution, adopted on April 30 with a large majority, the Security Council reiterated its call for advancing towards a realistic, pragmatic and enduring solution based on compromise.

This clearly means that self-determination and referendum have become obsolete concepts, added the Peruvian Council, saying that these concepts are neither realistic nor practical. They do not also respond to a mutually acceptable solution.

According to the Peruvian body, UN Resolution 2468 is a watershed event, insisting on the political solution to the Sahara issue with the involvement of the four parties to the conflict: Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario Front.

Mr. Ricardo Sanchez Serra, chairman of the Peruvian Solidarity Council with SADR, has called lately on the polisario to seize the historic opportunity offered by the UN political process and accept Moroccos autonomy plan for the Sahara as a solution to this regional conflict.
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Senseonics Holdings, Inc. (NYSEMKT: SENS)

Q1 2019 Earnings Call

May. 9, 2019, 4:30 p.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:

Operator

Good day and welcome to the Senseonics' First Quarter 2019 Earnings Call. Today's conference is being recorded. After today's presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. (Operator Instructions). I would now like to turn the conference over to Mr. Trip Taylor. Please go ahead sir.

Philip Taylor -- Investor Relations

Thank you very much, and welcome to the Senseonics first quarter 2019 earnings call. This is Trip Taylor from the Gilmartin Group. Before we begin today, let me remind you that the Company's remarks include forward-looking statements.

These statements reflects management's expectations about future events, operating plans, regulatory matters, product enhancements, Company performance and other matters and speak only as of the date hereof.

These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. A list of these factors that could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any of these forward-looking statements is detailed under Risk Factors and elsewhere in our annual report on Form 10-K and our other reports filed with the SEC.

These documents are available in the Investor Relations section of our website at www.senseonics.com. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise these forward-looking statements for any reasons, except as required by law. Also, on this call we will be discussing our full year 2019 revenue guidance, which was also included in the press release.

In light of regulation FD, we advise you that it is Senseonics' policy not to comment on our financial guidance other than in public communications.

Joining me from Senseonics' are Tim Goodnow, President and Chief Executive Officer; and Jon Isaacson, Chief Financial Officer. With that, I would like to turn the call over to Tim Goodnow, President and CEO. Tim?

Story continues

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Trip, and thank you all for joining us this afternoon. On the call today, I'll provide a brief update on our business. First, discussing progress on our initiatives in the US, and then sharing developments on the regulatory pipeline and European fronts.

Jon will provide details on our financial results and outlook and then we'll open up the call to questions. We started the year with a solid first quarter achieving total revenue of $3.4 million including U.S. revenue of $800,000 and European revenue of $2.6 million, with revenues for both the U.S. and Europe in line with expectations based on contractual timing obligation with our distribution partners as well as considerations of our new patient bridge access program.

We continue to expect revenues for 2019 to range between $25 million and $30 million. The quarter was marked by several accomplishments. Most significantly, we launched our bridge access program and we are incredibly excited about the early impact we are seeing in the market.

The response from both patients and prescribers is very positive. While the program was only available for ten days in Q1, we saw a meaningful immediate impact and are gaining momentum carrying into the current quarter. As you recall, the bridge program is designed to make Eversense available to those patients and providers whose access to our system is currently delayed by insurance coverage and to simultaneously demonstrate the true patient demand and physician adoption to payers.

I would like to share a few key metrics that demonstrates some of the success we are experiencing during the initial rollout of the program.

In only a matter of weeks, we have seen increasing activity across multiple fronts including lead generation, prescriptions, reimbursement and shipments. To put things in perspective, in comparing the first few weeks of the year before the program launch to the weeks after the program launch, we've seen shipments of Eversense which have nearly tripled per week.

We've seen a five-fold increase in the number of patients covered by the four largest payers currently holding experimental investigational designations with Eversense.

We've seen that we have essentially doubled the number of prescriptions written each week and we've seen a 66% increase in the number of healthcare professionals prescribing patients each week and correspondingly we've seen more prescriptions written per week per healthcare provider. These are all very positive indications for the product, and while we recognize that we are in early days of the program, it has certainly enabled a significant increase in activity among patients, healthcare providers and payers.

This further demonstrates people wanting to use our technology now that we have an enhanced ability to access it. Importantly, payers respond to member demand and with more patients on Eversense, we expect to see increased traction toward payer successes. From our patient interest perspective, we are seeing rising demand as shown through the doctor recommendation as well as significant increases in web site traffic and leads generated.

We're encouraged by the increasing number of people choosing Eversense and expect to continue to trend positively as awareness grows from here. Most encouragingly, we have received over 2,000 prescriptions for Eversense as part of the program.

This equates to more than 2,000 patients who have either requested Eversense or have had it prescribed for them as part of their diabetes management program. To that end, our fulfillment partners are currently processing the bridge program patients to turn as many of these prescriptions into implanted sensors as possible.

At the ACP level, we are seeing physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners significantly accelerate prescriptions since we initiated the program. We believe this reflects their increasing confidence in the simplified access program in combination with a very strong patient interest in the product.

As a point of reference, we now already have well over 400 healthcare providers who have written prescriptions for Eversense. This signifies a considerable increase from the 250 that we announced on just our last call and well ahead of our plan for the year.

We have successfully expanded our outbound reach beyond the initial target group of the top 300 influence (ph) prescribing endocrinologist. Importantly CPT payment is consistent and the claims process is straightforward where our coverage policy exists.

HCPs are recognizing that as a new paradigm in patient management and have been pleased with the reimbursement they are experiencing for sensor placement. The combination of increasing provider adoption, prescriptions written and procedure reimbursement is an indication we are building a strong base in the HCP community and Eversense has become an important part of their clinic.

On the payer front, we are happy to announce that we received coverage and payment for Eversense and for the insertion and removal codes for Blue Cross Blue Shield federal employees insurance plan. This approval adds an additional 6 million covered lives.

With this, we are now able to serve over 66 million covered lives with the Eversense technology and we are well on the way to reach our objective of 100 million covered lives in 2019.

In addition, we are in conversations with multiple payers regarding value based coverage programs which emphasize our unique value proposition of driving better long-term adherence with Eversense and committing to improved clinical outcomes.

Further, we are pleased with the increasing placements we are seeing within the largest four payers who currently hold E&I designations on Eversense. Users in this group now represent over a third of our patient base.

We are convinced that the product placed with these members will lead to denial overturns and ultimately improved coverage by payers that currently view Eversense as experimental and investigational. As we have stated previously, positive experiences with these patients and payers are vital toward winning coverage decisions and we believe we are moving in the right direction.

So again, while we realize it's still in the early days of our rollout of the Eversense bridge program, we are on the right track and are enthusiastic about the impact that we are already seeing. This productivity ramp drives further confidence in our ability to drive widespread access for patients.

We are also continually gaining a better understanding of what it takes for our patients to progress through the funnel from interest to script to sensor insertion. Our program partners, payers and distributors in our network are becoming more familiar with one another, making this conversion process more efficient.

We are successfully expanding awareness and increasing patient demand while at the same time bolstering our efforts with payers to drive additional positive coverage decisions. This increase in patient interest, prescriber support and now further payer movement confirms the value of Eversense in the U.S. market with access supported by the bridge program.

On the innovation front, product evolution advancing our technology remains a top priority for us. First, on the horizon is the PMA supplement to expand the label of the 90 day sensor as a non-adjunctive therapy and receive the dosing claim.

The review of the agency is in an advanced stage and discussions have been positive. We continue to anticipate approval this summer with launch following quickly thereafter. Once we have this claim, we plan to begin meeting with Medicare administrative contractors and other stakeholders to position Eversense as the solution for the Medicare population.

We believe that Eversense brings a unique solution to this group of patients with its on-body alert features, real time glucose data and ease of use elements as an implanted sensor. As Eversense will not be a DME product for Medicare, we look forward to describing our CPT procedure based technology in how to best implement it for Medicare patients.

Importantly, the 180 days sensor clinical trial is progressing according to plan and the number of enrolled patients is increasing. As we previously announced, we remain on track to complete enrollment in the third quarter.

Again, the study consists of approximately 180 patients, at multiple clinics around the country and is designed to provide the data required for a PMA supplement to support U.S. product extension to 180 days. We plan to leverage the data collected through 90 days of use from this study for a regulatory submission to achieve iCGM classification for the current 90 day Eversense system in the first half of next year.

The 180 day Eversense system with the iCGM classification and calibration reduction is currently expected to be launched later in 2020. Additionally, we are also happy to announce that we have completed our requirements for the mandated long term post market safety registry study in Europe. The results corroborated those reported in our initial pivotal clinical trial data sets and demonstrated the high safety performance and multi sensor Eversense used in over 3,000 real world users.

Through this registry, we observed no product or procedure related significant adverse events and less than 4% of the participants experienced either a device or procedure related adverse event of any kind. Confirming the safety of the long term use of our multiple sensor insertions.

We look forward to previewing this clinical date at ADA and publishing the full results from the Post Market Surveillance Study in the next three to six months.

On the pump partnership front, next month at ADA, Beta Bionics will present the early results from their artificial pancreas feasibility study. In this pilot, the iLet system supply the algorithm control of insulin delivery according to data provided by our sensor for 18 patients.

We believe that the top tier accuracy provided by Eversense will be attractive for artificial pancreas systems, and we look forward to our partner's progress. Now turning to Europe. Our operations with our partner in Europe are expanding -- our partner Roche in Europe are expanding. We achieved first quarter European revenue according to contract at $2.6 million.

Jon will provide more detail on the cadence of European revenues for the remainder of the year. In the quarter, Roche made significant headway on the patient access front, successfully securing additional payer contracts in large markets.

In Germany, Eversense received a positive coverage decision from Techniker, the largest payer in the country, representing over 10 million lives. Additionally in Austria, Roche has secured national reimbursing in all counties as of February, ensuring that all Type 1 diabetes patients have access to Eversense.

From a regulatory standpoint, we can also announce the recent receipt of product registration in Israel. To move forward, commercialization will begin in a smaller controlled launch in one clinic to provide the necessary data to support reimbursement, which will (ph) be the largest of the four state mandated sick funds in the country.

Overall, we are pleased with our results and growth in Europe. In Q1, new users increased by 62% compared to the prior year period with sensor placements increased by 85%. In February, we celebrated our 10,000 sensor insertion. There are now over 700 clinics in Europe with nearly 1,000 physicians authorized to do sensor placements.

The wider adoption is encouraging and should continue to increase along with expanded reimbursement. This also gives us confidence in our ability to drive U.S. healthcare professional certification to a very broad base of prescribers over the next 18 to 24 months. I'll now turn the call over to Jon for details on our financial results.

Jon Isaacson -- Chief Financial Officer

Thank you, Tim. For the three months ended March 31st, 2019. We generated $3.4 million in revenue compared to $2.9 million in the prior year period. The increase was attributable to incremental sales of the Eversense system in the United States with a small offset for sales in Europe due to contractual timing obligations.

To provide increased access to the Eversense CGM system for patients with limited or no insurance coverage during Q1 2019, the Company introduced the Bridge Patient Access Program. Payments associated with the program are treated with a gross to net reduction to revenue under U.S. GAAP accounting.

For the three months ended March 31st, 2019, we recognized net revenue of 816,000 in Q1. We expect that on a go forward basis there will be fluctuations in quarterly bridge payments that may affect quarterly revenue recognition while still affirming full year 2019 revenue guidance.

To reiterate Tim's comments, we are confident that our investment in the bridge program is helping the patients gain access to our product and is building utilization of Eversense in the marketplace.

We are pleased with the early reception of the product with patients and physicians. Gross margin in Q1 2019 decreased by $2.9 million year over year to negative $3.3 million, compared to negative $400,000 in the prior year period.

The decrease was primarily due to obsolescence related to product upgrades as well as product expiry due to the Roche distribution agreement.

First quarter 2019 sales and marketing expense increased by $9.4 million year-over-year to $12.8 million compared to $3.4 million in the prior year period.

The increase was due primarily to the build out of the sales force in the US. Research and development expense in Q1 2019 decreased by $1 million year-over-year to $7.1 million compared to $8.1 million in the prior year period.

The decrease was primarily driven by the completion of all activities associated with the U.S. PMA approval for Eversense. General administrative expense in Q1 2019 increased by $2.5 million every year to $6.5 million compared to $4 million in the prior year period.

The increase was primarily due to an increase in compensation, legal and other expenses supporting operational growth.

For the three months ended March 31st, 2019, total net loss was $29.4 million or $0.17 per share compared to $22.3 million or $0.16 per share in the first quarter of 2018.

From a balance sheet perspective as of March 31st, 2019 our cash and cash equivalents were $103.7 million. Outstanding indebtedness was $65.2 million. Turning to guidance and the points Tim provided previously, broadening patient access is the primary element gating the ramp of Eversense. We have made significant progress in the past many months with coverage, and we are rolling out our patient access bridge program while we in parallel work with the payers.

Inclusive of our expectations for the likely impact both in terms of timing and revenue recognition related to the Bridge Program, we continue to expect 2019 reported revenues to be in the range of $25 million to $30 million. Based on the purchase commitments in our various agreements and forecasted deliveries, we continue to expect approximately 30% of international sales to be in the first half and 70% to be in the second half of 2019.

With that, I'll now turn the call back to Tim.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you. In summary, just as our partners in Europe are experiencing new user and covered life growth. In the US, we are building a foundation to support the same activities. With the recent positive coverage decisions from Blue Cross Blue Shield federal employees plan, we are two-thirds of the way through our covered lives target for the year in four months.

The launch of the bridge access program is crucial for enabling patients who see the compelling value in our technology to access it, thereby creating additional exposure and the opportunity for positive experiences with payers as we pursue widespread coverage.

Not only that, but the rapid acceleration to 2,000 prescriptions and 400 healthcare providers writing scripts gives us confidence we are on the right path and we are excited to continue building on this momentum. That said, perhaps the most meaningful experience in the quarter is the feedback we are receiving from physicians and patients on the benefits of Eversense.

Patient satisfaction and most importantly, how information and alerts provided so conveniently by the system over a 90-day period are changing lives.

It is our mission to deliver convenient access to this life changing technology to people with diabetes. This now concludes our prepared remarks. Also joining us for questions are Mukul Jain, our Chief Operating Officer, Mike Gill, Vice President and General Manager of the United States and Mirasol Panlilio, Vice President and General Manager for global commercial operation.

Operator, let's now open up the call for questions.

Questions and Answers:

Operator

Thank you. We will now begin the question-and-answer session. (Operator Instructions). And our first question will come from Rebecca Wang of Leerink.

Rebecca Wang -- Leerink Partners LLC -- Analyst

Hi, good afternoon. So, just from reimbursement perspective, you have said you are targeting 100 million covered lives. I'm just wondering can you give more color on the progress there, like what are the discussions you're having with payers. What are some feedbacks or pushbacks you normally get? Thank you.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Sure. Thanks Rebecca. We feel very, very good and very confident about our ability to reach that milestone at this point. As you said, we've got about 66 million covered life. The largest of course is a top five payer Aetna with 22 million lives.

So, we've been able to sign that. To come through with payer coverage for an additional 44 million on top of Aetna. Now we continue to have focus and work with the larger payers obviously firms like United, Anthem, Cigna, are at the top of our priority list and we continue to work with them and find ways to convince them of the value of the Eversense program and its clinical utility.

And I feel really -- really good about the progress we're making. Also we've had some very good and healthy conversations of late in regards to value propositions and the ability that we have with the long term system like Eversense to really improve health outcomes. The results that we're seeing and we'll be publishing shortly from the experience in Europe as well as the experience in -- early experience in the United States continues to confirm the long term adherence that we're seeing to people that choose to be on an implanted sensor as well as the glucose control is pretty attractive.

So those are all the elements that we speak to the payers with. There are a number that are under way. And as we've said, our plan is to achieve 100 million covered lives by the end of 2019 and then an additional 150 million covered lives in the calendar year 2020.

Rebecca Wang -- Leerink Partners LLC -- Analyst

Yes. Thank you. That's very helpful. And then I just want to ask another question, (inaudible) side of things, I know this is only your U.S. launch. Can you give some -- how are you seeing those early adopters doing like fitting the procedure into their practice? And have you seen any difference in the adoption trend here in U.S. versus what have you seen in the Europe? Thank you.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Sure. Thanks Rebecca. I think you're talking about the prescribers. I'm going to let Mike talk about what we're seeing here in the U.S. It is a very active time right now. As you heard there's a lot of interest coming in, there's a lot of prescribers that want to do just that, prescribe the product and we're doing -- we're doing a great job of bringing a number of new and current subscribers up to speed.

Mike Gill -- Vice President & General Manager

So Rebecca to answer your question specifically, you know, what's happening with their workflow and who's inserting the sensor. It's really a gamut (ph) I mean we have physicians that work for university systems. We have physicians who are in private practice and within the practice you have multiple physicians that are actually doing the procedure as well as their advanced practitioners, nurse practitioners and PAs.

In fact, you know, what we're seeing is once the practice is trained, the multiple opportunities for the providers to do the insertions then the removal we're seeing actually offices had no issue with that workflow or adoption.

Some are choosing to do it on demand if you will when the patient schedules a visit and then others say we'll do it on Thursdays and Fridays or Mondays and Wednesdays when they insert it. I think as Tim said in his prepared comments, you know, we have over 400 who have been interested in written prescriptions for it. So clearly there isn't any issue with people saying that we want to do this procedure in our practice by the volumes that we're seeing now of interested practitioners.

Rebecca Wang -- Leerink Partners LLC -- Analyst

All right. Great. Thank you very much.

Operator

And our next question will come from Alex Nowak of Craig-Hallum Capital Group.

Alexander Nowak -- Craig-Hallum Capital Group -- Analyst

Great. Good afternoon everyone. Tim, it's been a year since the FDA -- about a year since the FDA approval. I'd just be curious to hear your overall thoughts on how you felt the launch went in year one. What worked out for the team? What would you like to improve on for year two? I mean based on your prepared remarks, I believe you would have wished to have the bridge program out there on day one, but just your overall thoughts there first.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Sure. Thanks Alex. We've been very excited. You know, the Company obviously has grown a lot in that time period. We've continued to put a lot of infrastructure in place to support the commercial organization, not only the feet on the street, but also those that need to provide the product. The approval came just about a year ago as you said actually in the second half of June.

And I feel really good about the way that we actually got that into patients by the end of July. So just about four or five weeks. Obviously, the Aetna win very early on was -- was a great win for us and that was done because of a lot of hard work, preparatory work that had been done ahead of time by -- by the commercial team to get them on board and get them actually excited about being one of the early first to move (ph) those.

I've been real happy and excited with the continued innovation. We are seeing significant dividends come from the flexibility now to have nurse practitioners and physician assistants do the insertion. It's a group that very much loves to do a procedure like this and has been very, very accepting of it. So that's been a great addition.

Obviously, now being the only CGM that's MRI compatible has helped a lot. So you know great, great work by our engineering teams to get that included in that. So you're absolutely right. The bridge program has been important to create that access. As I said, it does give us patients that are on the product which is very important.

If you're looking at some of the blogs page which is pretty active in diabetes as many know you're starting to see more and more and more prevalence of Eversense being out there which is important, but we still have the biggest part in front of us which is the continued growth in expansion of the payers that as Mike -- as Mike said is what is absolutely gating the business. And we need to get that knocked down. I'm very confident that we'll get there, and anything that we can do that quicker is to our best advantage.

Alexander Nowak -- Craig-Hallum Capital Group -- Analyst

Okay, understood, and Jon you know, obviously the guidance here is assuming a very big ramp in the second half of the year. Now I understand forecasting a newish medical device launch is difficult, but you know, what in the market or what particular metrics out there are giving you the confidence in hitting those revenue target in the second half of the year? And just to clarify is the $25 million to $30 million in annual guidance net of any contra revenue items from the bridge program or how is that bridge program being handled with the accounting?

Jon Isaacson -- Chief Financial Officer

Sure, I'll take the second question first. And yes the $25 million to $30 million includes net revenue. So that its actual cash available to service are expenses, etc. So there's no change there, part one. And then part two is I think we feel quite good on a couple different fronts.

Number one, Europe and our Roche contract is essentially contracted. So we feel like there's tremendous visibility to that portion of the revenues and what we see in terms of extrapolating the last several weeks and now into the months of trends, and as we look at Q1, we feel like we've always said that this was a second half of 2019 story, that Mike had to hire his sales force, Mike had to get healthcare providers trained on this.

And this is the metrics that we're seeing are tracking against our internal plans. So we feel good and comfortable still that we'll be within those ranges based on those inputs.

Alexander Nowak -- Craig-Hallum Capital Group -- Analyst

Okay, that's helpful and then just last question from me. Tim, just want to follow up on the potential for an iCGM status here with the 90-day sensor. Now, I know it's a couple of years out, but you know, your device is the only implantable CGM.

So I would be somewhat surprised if FDA would declassify implantable device to a class 2 medical device, but you know just your thoughts there and how you actually can obtain the iCGM status?

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Sure, I'm going to let Mukul take that. Mukul, among other things you know, runs our regulatory efforts and I would say he's honestly speaking to a review group at least once a week maybe sometimes more. So we've had a lot of conversations on many fronts including iCGM.

Mukul Jain -- Chief Operating Officer

Hey Alex. You're right about the complexity of implantable and then downgrading it to a 5, 10Ks (ph) but, we have had that discussion with the agency and they have looked at iCGM from the perspective of being a device that can be interchanged with the pump and they are looking at just the meeting they had special controls as the criteria that they look for iCGM. So from that perspective, they're very comfortable looking at the implantable, and giving it an iCGM as soon as we give them the data, that means the special controls.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

And I think the other thing to recognize right, so the special controls really gives them comfort that there are the tight band of high quality analytical, so accurate glucose readings. The other thing that we're actively involved is the post approval study for the product where they're looking at extended experience on multi insertion sensors, longitudinally which we will be enrolling over the next couple of years.

And then of course when we get our approval for the dosing claim, there'll be additional safety data that will be generated. So safety and efficacy. They're going to have a lot of experience with, and yes it's an implantable, but they'll have it pretty well-defined with that experience.

Alexander Nowak -- Craig-Hallum Capital Group -- Analyst

Okay, understood. Thank you.

Operator

And our next question will come from Jason Bedford of Raymond James.

Matthew Wizman -- Raymond James -- Analyst

Hi. Thanks for the question. This is Matt Wizman on for Jason Bedford. So I have a couple of questions on the bridge program. First, with the program, you know a little bit more time under your belt with it. What are you seeing as far as the success rate goes in the appeals process? You know, if you have a percentage there that you could maybe give and then on the second part, is the mix of users you're seeing coming through the bridge program different than the mix that is coming in before or is it similar? Thanks.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks Matt. We're not ready at this point with literally just a few weeks to talk about the success yet of the overturns for the (inaudible) designation. But we are very confident and we do have a partner organization that is directly focused on that. I'll let Mike speak to that in a second. But first, I'm going to ask John to give some details on the -- on the bridge program as it will be a pretty material part of our U.S efforts here for the coming quarters and we want to make sure there's good understanding about what we're doing with it.

Mike Gill -- Vice President & General Manager

Thanks Tim. I hope by giving a little bit of color here that I'll be answering the question you have in general, I'm happy to dig in some detail either separately or on this call. But we -- I think it's helpful for us to walk through the patient obligations that we are bridging, the deductibles and co-pays.

So our bridge program helps to offset the patient's out-of-pocket costs associated with the Eversense sensor and transmitter. And so, if an eligible patient has an out of pocket cost higher than $99 whether that is due to deductible, co-pay, coinsurance or non-coverage, the bridge -- but the bridge program does not offset the cost of the procedure as that is between the physician and the patient.

So patients are very pleased with the program and are willing to appeal to their insurance companies strongly for their third sensor and then we'd ask you to keep in mind that the appeals can be initiated and denials and actively (ph) successfully overturned even with an E&I coverage policy. So these are single case negotiations.

And then Matt, I'll just talk a little bit about our partners, you know, they essentially form as they represent as a delegate for the patients.

So they're communicating to the payers they're actually representing and you know if you will on the patient's behalf and with that you certainly have a perking up of the review case manager and sometimes the medical director because they are the patient that pays the premiums.

And again I want to reinforce that this is not new to healthcare medical devices, co-pay programs have been around for many years and the appeals process and delegate process has been around for many years and we've been actively working in these for a few weeks now and as Tim said we're not ready to give out percentages in terms of the overturning of the appeals, but we're actively working those.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yeah.

Mike Gill -- Vice President & General Manager

In terms of the -- I could say one more thing about in terms of the percentage, we have seen obviously as Tim said in his prepared comments the four big payers that have E&I, we've seen a high percentage of our novel pipeline being shipped through those payers just simply because we're offering the Bridge Program. And additionally because physicians were not willing to write a prescription for someone who they knew would get denied. So there was a rate limiting factor there that they didn't actually want to write that prescription and put it into our portal.

Now that there's access for those patients, those four payers in terms of the prescriptions have gone up because they know that now those patients that they're writing prescriptions for have access and that's been the mix that we've seen, a pretty big increase over the last several weeks.

Matthew Wizman -- Raymond James -- Analyst

Okay. Thanks. And then you mentioned you were discussing value based programs with some of the payers. Could you give any details on what that would look like and if you have any value based programs that are active right now with other payers?

Mukul Jain -- Chief Operating Officer

I won't comment on the last question in terms of that negotiation that or those that are active, I can tell you that in many ways, value based programs are becoming a standard discussion and then how you implement that in many ways, you can implement it and track it the better the outcome both for the payer and obviously the medical wise company, etc. We feel like we have a pretty strong position statement there where, you know, if the sensor utilization of real-time is not to the expected. We will work with that plan in order to figure out what is the right payment terms based on that percentage.

And then the second thing is as Tim talked about is the glucometrics around the outcome of that patient also would be negotiated through that and that glucometrics we feel very confident because of what we've seen in Europe in terms of whether it's the (inaudible) time and range where (ph) time of a sensor we feel pretty good and positive that if we are going into a value based program with any payer, they would not only be pleased with the outcome, the clinical outcome, but certainly the economic value that we're providing.

Matthew Wizman -- Raymond James -- Analyst

Great. Thank you.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

You're welcome.

Operator

And our next question will come from Kyle Rose of Canaccord Genuity.

Kyle Rose -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

Great. Thank you very much for taking the question. So just two questions from me. The first one, you know, you talked about the 400 prescribers and I wanted to kind of talk about your specifically how that group of prescribers has been impacted by the bridge program and you just touched on that a little bit when you talked about the fact that, you know, these prescribers are willing to prescribe more now that they know that the bridge program is in place, but maybe kind of help me just kind of talk about those dynamics.

And then secondarily, can you just talk about the pricing and reimbursement dynamics you've seen from a from a market standpoint, I know, there's a lot of commentary about some increasing competition coming from Abbott with Libre 2.0 potentially getting iCGM and driving some more price competition. What are you seeing in your conversation with payers? Does that change your outlook at all?

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Okay, you want to...

Mike Gill -- Vice President & General Manager

Sure. Kyle, it's Mike. First of all I want to expand on what I was talking to Alex about in terms of that 400 docs that have written -- or healthcare providers that have written prescription. If you think about it before they would see a patient with any of the big four insurance companies that Tim mentioned earlier, United Healthcare, Cigna, Aetna, excuse me -- Anthem and they would just say, hey I'm not going to enter that into the Eversense ordering system because I know you're going to be denied. Now because of the bridge program they will enter that into a portal system, then we work with the distributor in order to work through what is the eligibility and benefit.

And also as Jon mentioned the co-pay, the deductible, we work through that with our partner for the bridge program and then they're shipped through their fulfillment agent. So, because of that streamlined process and they know that they will have access, the patient will have access, those physicians that were kind of waiting on the sidelines maybe in areas that had a prevalence of United Healthcare or Cigna were deciding not to prescribe. Now we're opening access and they're prescribing more.

In terms of the pricing, we just haven't seen too much conversation on that at that foundational level with payers I think they understand what the per day rate is and we're fitting well into that.

And in fact we're fitting well into that even with the procedure code. So all conversations have been very positive. I think they understand the value proposition when we do talk to them. We're a new, nascent product in the market. They have to work it through their coverage policy assessments and we know, we know that, we respect that and we're working with them, and now with Franc Kaufman on Board we're certainly having deeper conversations in terms of the clinical output of our product that are -- and we hope that over time we'll be able to get to a full coverage policy like other CGMs.

But to answer your specific question on the pricing we haven't seen too much difference than other CGMs in the market.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Kyle as I would say and we've talked about this before strategically, we do recognize this as healthcare pricing does ultimately only go in one direction. And we fully expect that that would be the case in CGM as well as you get greater and greater penetration. In fact it's our objective to honestly go into certainly anyone with type 2 diabetes on insulin is a candidate and should be on a continuous glucose monitoring system. And that does need to be done at the best economics that we can afford as a society.

So we have absolutely been focused, although we are early in our tenure, the entire reason that we are focused on taking a 90-day product to 180-days and then 180-days to 365, is because we do recognize that we have a very unique cost position so that we can support the dynamics and potentially lead the dynamics and cost reductions in the future as we -- as we go into that much broader population.

Kyle Rose -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

Okay great. And then just one on the P&L, and I apologize if I missed it in the prepared remarks, but you know operating spend came just a bit higher than what we were thinking about. Was there anything onetime in nature in the Q1 that we should be thinking about as we move through the year? I know you talked about the cadence of revenues through the year, but just some color with respect to operating spend this year would be helpful for modeling. Thank you.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Sure. The cost of goods was certainly impacted on several fronts, we believe, and so of course that impacts the revenue reduction. In terms of COGS as we mentioned and we do believe that -- I want to be very careful with my words here, it's one-time in nature in that there was a product upgrade.

Sure, there may be product upgrades again. So I don't want to say that'll never happen again. That would be an unfair characterization, but in terms of the width of the small LED products and their upgrades that's what caused and the obsolescence of that upgrade caused the COGS to go up this time.

And again we don't anticipate that to be at those levels going forward, but we do believe given that we're a nascent medical device Company that things like this will happen as we're doing product improvement from time to time.

And there's also was product expiration based on the timing of the Roche contract. So those were the major factors. Again I don't believe those are recurring at these levels. They will be lumpy and unpredictable and will occur from time to time. But we don't -- well, I can't call them one-time in nature. We don't believe they're going to occur at these levels.

Jon Isaacson -- Chief Financial Officer

And I think it's important to recognize, Roche is obviously a very important partner for us. But the way that their distribution model works and the fact that we provide a year's dating on our product is it actually works best for them if they purchase a majority of their need for the coming year in the fourth quarter of the prior year.

So we continue to anticipate that that will be the largest quarter in our -- in our ongoing partnership with Roche as they purchase, they move it to their distribution in the first quarter and then out to their other countries around the world beyond that.

So that's what works best for them and of course we build to that schedule to support their efforts. But that does mean that we have a generally pretty large fourth quarter in our rollout.

Kyle Rose -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

Okay. Thank you very much for taking the questions.

Operator

And our next question will come from Kyle Bauser of Dougherty & Company.

Kyle Bauser -- Dougherty & Company -- Analyst

Hi, good afternoon. Can you hear me OK?

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Kyle, how are you?

Kyle Bauser -- Dougherty & Company -- Analyst

Great. Doing well, thanks. I apologize ahead of time here if my questions are already answered, but just a couple of quick ones. How many clinicians are trained on Eversense in Europe, how many are trained in the US. And once the center is trained, can that practice training a new clinician that comes on board?

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Sure. So I'm going to let Marisol speak to Europe and then Mike will come in and talk about the US. We're really excited about the progress that we've made in Europe because we do believe that it emulates what we're going to be able to do like I said (ph). So...

Mirasol Panlilio -- Vice President and General Manager, Global Commercial Operations

Yeah. I'll tag team with Mike here with -- in Europe, we've been available since very late in 2016. And of course we're in 15 countries now. So we have, I believe just about 1,000 clinics and we are -- we have authorized just over 700 providers through the first 2.5 years in Europe, works very similarly, I would say with the U.S, but some of the things that we've learned in Europe we've passed on to Mike's team and the U.S. market to ensure that we continue to be able to ensure that our providers that is doing the procedure are confident and comfortable with doing the procedure as well as all the learnings on the clinic workflow.

So that's the number that we have in Europe and so I'll pass it on to Mike.

Mike Gill -- Vice President & General Manager

Yeah. Kyle, in the US as Tim mentioned we have over 400 physicians have written prescriptions. We have over 100 that are trained and we're obviously, fully trained or certified, once you've done removal so we're working on the other 100 that now have to do removals in order to be certified.

If there's to be a question about can inside the practice you create like a master trainer, who can actually train once they've been authorized through the labeling then an authorized trainer can do the training for others.

Most of the time we do have a clinician on our end who works for Senseonics there to support, but there's nothing that is stated that you know a practice couldn't have a master trainer who trains the rest of the healthcare providers in that practice.

Kyle Bauser -- Dougherty & Company -- Analyst

Got it. That's really helpful. And then my follow-up is to the extent you can share, you know, what updates or read outs or presentations can we expect at ADA next month for Eversense?

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

We do have a nice product figure, Franc Kaufman, our CMO is going to be leading that effort and we've certainly got the safety data which is very comprehensive, very real world, well over 3,000 patients now that we have a multi-year, multi sensor experience on. And we'll be sharing some of the very earliest of U.S. data and experience with the product specifically.

So we're excited to do that. We're also excited for the the Beta Bionics readout as this is our first demonstrated clinical results of Eversense driving an artificial pancreas system.

Kyle Bauser -- Dougherty & Company -- Analyst

Okay. Thanks for the color. That's it from me.

Operator

And our next question will come from Matthew Taylor of UBS.

Aven Ang -- UBS -- Analyst

Hi, thank you for taking my question. This is Aven Ang (ph) from Matt. I have a question on your patient mix. Can you talk about how many patients in the U.S. are new to CGM and how many are from competitive CGM?

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

At last check, we were seeing about 25% that were brand new to CGM. Obviously, the predominant, these are all on insulin. The vast predominant are type 1 so they have all known they should be on CGM, but for one reason or another, they didn't opt to make the move until the long-term implantable was a reality of a solution for them.

The remaining 75% is coming currently from existing CGM users and we're seeing a conversion distribution that pretty much represents the market share in the U.S. A very similar dynamic, early on in Europe we saw most early adopters coming from folks that were experienced with CGM.

But I think the most recent data that we got from Germany, our largest market said that today they had progressed to about 50% of their users were actually new to CGM and the other 50% were coming from -- of the existing CGM and flash product over there.

Aven Ang -- UBS -- Analyst

Okay, that's great. And then just one clarifying question on payer coverage. So you talked about 100 million by year end '19 and 250 million by year end '20. Does that assume coverage wing with Medicare?

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yeah. Our plans for Medicare have always been in the 2020 time period. Once we have the dosing claim, we'll actually begin those conversations and obviously we do everything we can to move it to earlier in 2020.

But it does start with the dosing claim. So we'll begin those conversations later this summer right after the approval comes in.

Aven Ang -- UBS -- Analyst

Okay. Thank you.

Operator

And this concludes our question-and-answer session. I would now like to turn the conference back over to Mr. Goodnow for any closing remarks.

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Well, great. Thank you. I do want to thank everyone for joining us this afternoon and for your continued interest in Senseonics. Please have an enjoyable weekend. Good day.

Operator

That does conclude today's teleconference. Thank you all for your participation.

Duration: 50 minutes

Call participants:

Philip Taylor -- Investor Relations

Tim Goodnow -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Jon Isaacson -- Chief Financial Officer

Mike Gill -- Vice President & General Manager

Mukul Jain -- Chief Operating Officer

Mirasol Panlilio -- Vice President and General Manager, Global Commercial Operations

Rebecca Wang -- Leerink Partners LLC -- Analyst

Alexander Nowak -- Craig-Hallum Capital Group -- Analyst

Matthew Wizman -- Raymond James -- Analyst

Kyle Rose -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

Kyle Bauser -- Dougherty & Company -- Analyst

Aven Ang -- UBS -- Analyst

More SENS analysis

All earnings call transcripts

AlphaStreet Logo

More From The Motley Fool

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Seth Rogen (Credit: Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)

Few in Hollywood are willing to let Mel Gibson forget about his grotesque anti-semitic outburst back in 2006.

Least of all Seth Rogen, who had a few choice words about Gibson forthcoming role, as a 'rowdy' Santa Claus in new movie Fatman.

Read more: Lion King isnt a direct remake says Seth Rogen

Re-posting news of his casting in The Hollywood Reporter, Rogen simply noted: Ho-ho-holocaust denier.

The remark clearly tickled comedian and actress Sarah Silverman, who replied: I love you.

I love you  Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) May 9, 2019

Plenty then picked up the theme, many referring back to Gibson's previously loathsome behaviour, both in terms of the anti-semitic rant to a police officer, and his treatment of his ex-partner, Russian pianist Oksana Grigorieva, with whom Gibson has a daughter.

You better watch out

You better not cry

Better not pout

I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to tell you that the Holocaust was a numbers game and that Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world https://t.co/G9b4xdb474  That Jewish Kid (@Joshua_Springer) May 9, 2019

Grigorieva was granted a restraining order against Gibson, following claims that he physically assaulted her, as well as subjecting her to sexually violent verbal abuse, audio recording of which was disseminated on the internet.

2. After Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic tirade in 2006 where he said, among other things,"The Jews are responsible for all the wars," he took a hit, but here's how he reacted when asked about in 2016 by Variety.



These aren't the words of a changed man. pic.twitter.com/qKrl1X9jbK  Yashar Ali  (@yashar) May 8, 2019

While Gibson was shunned by Hollywood for almost a decade, it now appears that the actor and director has been forgiven by some corners of the movie business.

Story continues

Gibson attributed his behaviour at the time to a breakdown and his dependency on alcohol, and in apologies, he called his anti-semitic comments 'despicable' and 'blurted out in a moment of insanity'.

He returned to the movie business with his graphically violent WWII movie Hacksaw Ridge, which received Oscar nominations.

Gibson has since appeared in the comedy Daddy's Home 2, the thriller Dragged Across Concrete, and The Professor and the Madman.

He's currently filming his sequel to The Passion of The Christ, called The Resurrection of The Christ, due for release at Easter, 2020.
Michael Skramo was killed during fighting in the village of Baghouz, leaving his seven children stranded in the caliphate (ITV News)

A notorious Swedish Isis fighter's seven orphaned children have been brought safely back to live with their grandfather.

Michael Skramo, a known Isis fighter and recruiter, had seven children aged between one and eight-years-old, born in both Sweden and Raqqah.

Skramo converted to Islam and became a notorious IS recruiter.

But after taking his wife to live in the caliphate, who died during fighting in January, the Is recruiter was killed in March 2019 during a battle in the village of Baghouz.

The children were orphaned and left alone.

His sister had stayed in touch with him once he had relocated and provided the connection between the children and their grandfather, who lives in Chile.

The children were rescued and reunited with their grandfather. It is thought the family is working on taking the children to Sweden, where some of them were born (ITV News)

Following meetings conducted by Sweden, the children have now left Syria and are reunited with Patricio Galvez who was waiting for them in neighbouring Iraq.

Swedish diplomats were sent from Stockholm to meet with Kurdish counterparts to help smooth the way for the children.

The children were led across the Euphrates river and over the border into Iraq.

The cost of plane tickets and hotel rooms, plus other costs, is the responsibility of the family.

Sweden has become one of the first European countries to help bring back some of its child citizens in this way.

Read more on Yahoo News UK:

Dutch court refuses to extradite prisoner to Liverpool prison due to "inhumane" conditions

Grieving newlywed stopped from leaving Sri Lanka after wife dies on honeymoon

Armed police scrambled to east London mosque after 'masked' gunman fires outside Ramadan prayers

Mr Galvez told ITV the children were 'very good', saying: 'I'd dreamed for this moment'.

The next step is to eventually take the children back to Sweden where some of them were born.

But the Scandinavian nation has not promised to help repatriate the dozens of other children living in Kurdish camps.

Days before Skramo's death his mother urged him via a text message to 'let the children go'.

The children were accompanied to relative safety in Iraq where their grandfather was waiting for them (ITV News)

Responding with heart emojis, he replied: 'I'll contact you, mum, when I'm out, Inshallah.'

Story continues

Following his death, Skramo's sister Skramo's sister said he had died believing he had done the right thing.

She told ITV News: 'Yes we have a very close relationship and we talk very unfiltered with each other and he was telling me that he was going there and he didn't want me to say anything to my mum.

'He's a very determined person. He's a very stubborn person and nothing we say or want really affects him because he has his belief and he has this stubbornness to it.

'But I'm very thankful that we've had this contact because it means the world to me.'
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro plans to meet with former U.S. President George W. Bush and Senator Ted Cruz in Texas next week, he said on Thursday, after canceling a New York trip. The far-right Brazilian leader canceled plans last week to attend an event in New York City amid pressure from environmentalists, gay rights activists and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who called him a "dangerous man." Bolsonaro was set to be honored as person of the year by the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce at a ceremony in the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. Under public pressure, the museum ultimately declined to host the event. As organizers scrambled to find another venue and sponsors pulled out, Bolsonaro scrapped the trip. Bolsonaro recently announced he would visit Dallas, Texas, instead to speak at an event hosted by the World Affairs Councils of America on May 16. The organization is a century-old, non-profit group with more than 90 affiliates around the United States that describes itself as nonpartisan. Separately, Bolsonaro's spokesman said on Thursday that the decision to visit Dallas followed an invitation from Bush. Unlike New York City's De Blasio, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has said he will welcome Bolsonaro to the city. (The story corrects host of May 16 ceremony to World Affairs Councils of America in paragraph 5.) (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun and Eduardo Simoes, editing by G Crosse)
Singapore has reported its first ever case of monkeypox, brought in by a Nigerian man thought to have contracted the rare virus by eating bushmeat at a wedding.

Symptoms in humans of monkeypox -- which is endemic in parts of Central and Western Africa -- include lesions, fever, muscle ache and chills.

Transmission is usually via close contact with infected animals such as rodents and monkeys and is limited between people. It has only been fatal in rare cases.

The man who brought in the virus arrived in Singapore on April 28, the city-state's health ministry (MOH) said in a statement late Thursday.

The 38-year-old developed symptoms two days later and is currently isolated at an infectious disease centre in a stable condition, the ministry said.

At least 23 individuals who had been in close contact with the man had been traced, and those who are in Singapore will be quarantined and monitored for 21 days as a precaution, MOH said.

One had already left Singapore on May 5 before the Nigerian was diagnosed at hospital but has since made contact with the city's health authorities and has reported he is well.

"The risk of community spread of monkeypox in Singapore is low," said Leo Yee Sin, executive director of Singapore's National Centre for Infectious Diseases.

He said that on average "each infected person transmits the infection to less than one other person", which makes the virus less infectious than the common flu.

Outside Africa, human monkeypox infections had only been previously reported in the United States, Britain and Israel, according to the US Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.

Singapore, a tiny but affluent city-state dependent on external trade and tourism, has toughened measures against infectious diseases after it was hit hard by the 2003 SARS virus outbreak.

The disease killed 33 people in Singapore, inflicted major losses on the economy and hit the number of international visitors.
Singapore has attracted high-tech manufacturers with incentives and a well-educated workforce, but growing demand for highly skilled labour, combined with limits on numbers of foreign workers may mean a tougher path ahead.

The city-state is a major producer of products ranging from aircraft engines to medical equipment and oil rigs, and top firms such as Rolls-Royce and German industrial conglomerate Siemens have operations there.

British appliance pioneer Dyson will open its first electric car plant in the city-state, with vehicles set to roll off the production line from 2021, and this year announced plans to move its global headquarters to Singapore.

But a potential shortage of more specialised skills as firms shift into fields such as robotics and 3D printing, as well as limits on hiring foreigners in the space-starved country, may make it less attractive to set up shop in Singapore in future.

Authorities work closely with businesses to help them set up and find workers, as well as giving them incentives such as tax breaks, but rapid technological changes in many industries makes it tougher for a government used to planning well ahead.

"Ten years ago, policymakers could plan with greater certainty," Song Seng Wun, a regional economist with CIMB Private Banking, told AFP.

"The age of disruptive technology is creating a lot more uncertainty," he added.

In a recent report, the ministry of manpower said that one in three job openings in 2018 was left unfilled for at least six months and among the reasons employers gave was "lack of candidates with the necessary specialised skills".

- Foreign labour curbs -

Singapore has traditionally welcomed foreign workers in sectors ranging from construction to investment banking to plug skills shortages and do jobs that locals shun, and 40 percent of its 5.6 million inhabitants are from overseas.

But in recent years unease has been growing at the large number of foreigners in the city -- which is just half the size of Los Angeles -- with local residents blaming them for overcrowding and pushing up living costs.

Story continues

The government has responded by making it more difficult to hire in certain sectors and making companies prioritise local recruitment.

This includes requiring companies over a certain size to advertise higher-skilled jobs at a government website for a set period before moving to hire workers from overseas, a scheme that officials say aims to ensure Singaporeans are fairly considered.

The government applies foreign worker quotas across various sectors. Manufacturing companies have to cap the percentage of foreigners they hire at 60 percent of their workforce. This quota was lowered from 65 percent in 2012.

The most recent cut to a quota for foreign workers, in this year's budget, applied only to the services sector and manufacturing was not affected.

At a forum on the country's labour challenges, participants "agreed that, for now, Singaporeans appear to have accepted a trade-off of lower economic growth for a restrictive foreign labour policy, in favour of social considerations," wrote Mooris Tjioe, from Singapore think-tank the Institute of Policy Studies.

Still, a large number of high-tech manufacturers view Singapore as the best place to set up their Asian headquarters and plants due to proximity to booming regional markets, ease of doing business and political stability, despite the relatively high costs.

The city-state makes half the world's top 10 drugs, 70 percent of its oil rigs and is the fifth biggest source of refined oil.

- From rigs to drugs -

Rolls-Royce produces its "Trent" engines for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner as well as the Airbus A380 and A330neo at its Singapore plant, and believes that cooperation between companies, the government and educational institutions is a major advantage.

Singapore-based companies are in close contact with universities and polytechnics so they can tailor their courses according to the requirements of high-tech manufacturing, said Bicky Bhangu, Rolls-Royce president for Southeast Asia, Pacific and South Korea.

"What you see in Singapore is a very effective coming together between government, industry and academia," he told AFP, adding an annual student internship scheme was a major source of recruits for the firm.

Local schools may however face a tougher time in future as they scramble to adjust their curricula fast enough to meeting changing demands from industry, and the city's leaders are warning that workers must urgently take action to improve their skills.

In a Labour Day speech, newly appointed deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat -- who is tipped to take over as premier in the coming years -- warned that without action, some Singaporeans could fall behind in the jobs market.

"Those who are well-educated and digitally savvy can go on to build more skills and do even better. Those who start with less may risk falling behind," he said.
Threats, arrests, blocked accounts and restricted posts -- Big Brother is watching more closely than ever in Pakistan as authorities accelerate efforts to censor social networks, further reducing an already shrunken space for dissent.

In the past 18 months, a slew of journalists, activists, and government opponents - both at home and overseas -- have faced intimidation or the threat of legal action for their online posts.

Censorship is already rife among Pakistan's mainstream media, with the Committee to Protect Journalists noting last year that the military had "quietly but effectively" imposed strict limits on the scope of general news reporting.

Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter were regarded as the last holdouts of dissenting voices, but now that has changed.

In February, authorities announced the creation of a new enforcement arm to root out social media users accused of spreading "hate speech and violence" as part of the crackdown.

Gul Bukhari, a columnist and sometime government critic who was briefly abducted by unidentified men last year, said the assault on social media was carefully organised and coordinated.

"It is the last frontier they try to conquer,"Bukhari explained.

- Silence dissent -

Journalist Rizwan-ur-Rehman Razi was among the people targetted. He was arrested in February at home in the eastern city of Lahore for publishing "defamatory and obnoxious" content against the state.

A few days earlier, he had criticised extra-judicial executions allegedly committed by the security forces, according to a copy of his tweets seen by AFP.

Released after two nights, he has not tweeted since, and his posts have been deleted.

The net cast by the crackdown is a wide one, with Shahzad Ahmad, director of the digital security NGO Bytes for All, pointing to the harassment of civil rights activists, the political opposition, and bloggers.

According to Annie Zaman, an expert on cyber-censorship in Pakistan, this is made possible by an all-encompassing 2016 law that prohibits online posts that are deemed to compromise state security or offend anything from "the glory of Islam" to non-defined notions of "decency and morality".

Story continues

"Because this law is vague, it gave more space to the authorities to censor online," Zaman said.

Offenders can face up to 14 years in prison.

The military signalled its involvement in the campaign as early as June last year, when spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor boasted of the capacity to monitor social media accounts during a televised press conference.

In a clear warning, Ghafoor briefly showed an image of what appeared to be specific Twitter handles and names.

Facebook and Twitter transparency reports show the crackdown was already well underway last year, with a huge spike in requests by the Pakistani government seeking to censor online activity.

Facebook restricted more content in Pakistan than in any other country in the first six months of 2018, according to its transparency figures from that time period, which are the most recently available.

The social media giant said it restricted the availability of 2,203 pieces of content in total -- a seven-fold jump from the previous six months.

All but 87 of the items had been reported by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority "as allegedly violating local laws prohibiting blasphemy, anti-judiciary content, and condemnation of the country's independence," it said.

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority did not respond to requests for comment.

- 'Overstepping boundaries' -

Twitter figures for the same time period showed a similar trend, with requests to remove content from 3,004 accounts in Pakistan compared to 674 in the second half of 2017.

A Twitter spokesman said the vast majority of the requests had come from the government, and stressed that the company had acquiesced to none of them.

"The authorities are no longer hiding their agenda (or policy) to silence internet-mediated dissent," said Rabia Mehmood, a researcher for Amnesty International.

"While the current censorship is exceptionally intense, over the years, one message has been consistent that criticism of policies of the Pakistan military will not be tolerated."

Even those posting on social media from overseas have found themselves targeted.

Twitter routinely sends out a notice to users notifying them when the company receives complaints that their posts have violated a country's laws.

AFP has found dozens of users who received such a message warning they had violated Pakistani laws -- including 11 who had tweeted from beyond Pakistan's borders, in countries such as Australia, the US and Canada.

The requests represent "a government censor overstepping jurisdiction boundaries", said Jillian York, an expert at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), an American NGO.
California governor Gavin Newsom plans to invest a budget windfall in a progressive agenda. Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Republicans tend to think of the current levels of economic growth as a testament to their faith in what corporate job creators can do if given lower taxes and few regulations, and if liberated from such pesky worries as climate change or inequality. But the same sunny prospects shine on places with very different ways of looking at the foundations of economic life and the proper way to invest the fruits of growth.

Were seeing that right now in Donald Trumps least favorite state, the alien-coddling, tree-hugging, regulation-loving hellhole of California. Actually, the economy is doing well enough in the Golden State that its government entered 2019 with an estimated $21 billion budget surplus. Newly elected Governor Gavin Newsom prepared his first budget based on that figure, but since the surplus has actually increased since then, he has now released a revised budget to enhance an already impressive agenda of progressive expenditures, as described by the Sacramento Bee:

The updated proposal unveiled Thursday builds on the $209 billion budget the governor laid out in January. It keeps in place spending to expand health coverage for undocumented immigrants and $1.75 billion to spur housing construction 

His revised proposal adds $130 million for child care  mostly from taxes raised on legal marijuana sales  and doubles a proposed tax credit for families with children under 6 from $500 to $1,000. It also would eliminate sales taxes on diapers and tampons.

Newsoms budget adds an extra $150 million in grants for communities to build programs that help the homeless, setting aside a total of $650 million for those efforts. It has extra money that would help the homeless through college programs, workforce grants and mental health resources. All together, the budget has $1 billion for homeless programs.

That investment in addressing homelessness would double last years level of spending.

Newsom is also proposing to expand tuition-free higher education at the states network of community colleges from one to two years, and a comprehensive overhaul of Californias perpetually crisis-ridden water supply and distribution system. But hes also socking back some money into debt retirement and a rainy-day fund.

Legislators being legislators, Newsom wont get everything hes asking for, and will have to accept initiatives and spending priorities that are not his own. But because Democrats enjoy supermajorities in both the California Senate and Assembly, Republicans cannot do much to block whatever Newsom and his fellow Democrats work out. And, in fact, he may be more concerned about protecting his left flank, particularly given strong interest in the legislature and among party activists for an aggressive push to begin building a single-payer health-care system.

In his spare time, of course, Newsom will join Attorney General Xavier Becerra in waging a plethora of legal fights against the Trump administration, mostly focusing on environmental protection.

Generally speaking, California is showing that economic growth and progressive policy initiatives are not mutually exclusive. In time, it may help reestablish the once-taken-for-granted case that they are mutually reinforcing.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

South Shore on Thursday recalled 322,530 of its Libra 3-drawer dressers, citing the death of a two-year-old child who was killed when the product tipped over.

The alertissued jointly by the company, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Health Canadasays the dressers are unstable if not anchored to the wall, posing serious tip-over and entrapment hazards that can result in death or injuries to children. About 310,000 of the dressers were sold in the U.S., 6,930 in Canada, and 5,600 in Mexico.

The recall includes Libra 3-drawer dressers measuring 27 inches high x 31 inches wide x 15 inches deep and weighing about 52 to 56 lbs. (See a complete list of recalled products.) The product was sold online by retailers including Walmart and Amazon, and was sold by Target as the Simply Basics 3 Drawer Dresser.

The dresser had failed Consumer Reports tip-over tests, which we reported on in November, 2018. When informed of those results at the time, South Shore said that the dresser was not subject to the voluntary stability standard because it only applied to dressers greater than 30 inches in height.

The recall comes just one day before a furniture safety meeting at ASTM International, a group whose members set voluntary standards for many products. That meeting could lead to stronger measures for products such as the Libra 3-drawer dresser, by applying the existing standard to dressers as short as 27 inches. CR, which is a member of ASTM, has called for this move since our tests confirmed that shorter dressers could pose a tip-over risk.

The recall also comes shortly after the CPSC inadvertently released data to CR identifying injuries and deaths linked to various consumer products, including this dresser.

The CPSC announcement cites two furniture tip-over incidents tied to the Libra 3-drawer chest, including one injury and one death.

Story continues

CR has identified the fatality as a 2-year-old girl in Buffalo, N.Y., who was killed on August 15, 2017 when the dresser fell on her. The toddlers parents had walked out of the childs bedroom for a very short duration when they heard a sound of something fall, according to an incident report CR received from the CPSC. They found their daughter underneath the dresser, unresponsive, the report says, noting that the girl died of asphyxiation, or an inability to breathe.

The CPSC data shows that the agency knew of the death by at least April 2018. South Shore told CR it was not informed of that incident until about four months later, in July of that year. And the company did not issue a recall for another nine months.

A South Shore spokesperson told CR that after the company was informed of the fatality, it and the CPSC have been working closely and that the decision to recall the product was based on the companys concern for the safety and wellbeing of our consumers.

A spokesperson for the CPSC said the timing of the recall was not related to the data that was inadvertently released to CR or to the upcoming ASTM meeting. But he noted that the agencys acting chairman, Ann Marie Buerkle, supports strengthening the standards for dressers as short as 27 inches. He also pointed to previous comments from Buerkle stating that data show that tip-overs of such shorter units can cause significant injuries to young children and even death. Expanding the scope of the standard to include these units will help prevent these tragic events.

This is the first dresser recall announced by the CPSC since the fall of 2017, despite numerous dressers on the market that dont stay upright when put through basic testing.

A Tip-Over Averted

A South Shore spokesperson also confirmed to CR that the company knows of a third incident involving its Libra 3-drawer dresser.

CR believes that the incident involved the daughter of Todd Farnsworth, of East Syracuse, N.Y. He told CR that he informed the CPSC that a South Shore Libra 3-drawer dresser, along with a TV on top of it, tipped over in December 2017 when his then 2-year-old daughter, Elissia, reached into a middle drawer to pick out some clothes. Farnsworth, who said he was sitting a few feet away at the time, explained that he jumped over the top of her and let everything fall on me. The dresser hit me and the TV bounced off my back and skimmed her head.

After the incident, Farnsworth looked for a device to secure his furniture to the wall. All I could find was wires and straps and they were very hard to install, he said. So Farnsworth, a mechanic who also spent years serving as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician, designed an anti-tip restraint of his own, called StickySafe.

Despite his background as a first responder and father of three, Farnsworth said had never heard about the dangers of furniture tip-overs or the need to anchor furniture until his own near-tragedy.

Hes hardly alone: Nearly three quarters of Americans say they have never anchored furniture, according to a 2018 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of 1,502 U.S. adults.

Advocates Push for Safer Dressers

Farnsworth has since joined Parents Against Tip-Overs, a nationwide coalition of parents of children who lost their lives from a furniture tip-over.

Parents Against Tip-Overs is deeply saddened to hear of yet another furniture tip-over death caused by an unstable dresser, said Janet McGee of PAT, whose 22-month-old son Ted died in 2016 after an IKEA dresser fell on top of him. Unfortunately, product recalls are not enough. To prevent injuries and deaths, manufacturers must do more to design and manufacture tip-resistant dressers.

McGee said the current recall illustrates another problem as well, involving a lawcalled Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Actthat requires the CPSC to, in most cases, get approval from companies before publicly announcing risks associated with their products. For decades, 6(b) has allowed manufacturers to keep consumers in the dark on deadly products, which inhibits the CPSC from protecting consumers from preventable injuries and deaths, the primary reason the agency even exists, she said.

William Wallace, manager of home and products policy for CR, said the chain of events reveals how long it can take the CPSC to go public about dangerous products and get companies to take action to prevent tragedies. A child died when this dresser tipped over in August 2017. CR test results published seven months later found it couldnt remain upright with a 50-pound load. And nearly 21 months after the fatal incident, the dresser is finally being recalled, he said. Companies and the CPSC need to alert consumers to hazards and get unsafe products off the market far faster than this.

What Parents Should Do

CR recommends that consumers who own a Libra 3-drawer dresser should immediately stop using the product and then contact South Shore for a full refund. Parents should put the dresser in an area that children cannot access, and wait until the company picks it up free of charge or sends packaging along with a prepaid shipping label to mail drawer slides to the company.

For full options in the U.S. see the CPSC recall announcement. For Canada, see the Health Canada recall announcement.





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2019, Consumer Reports, Inc.
MADRID, May 10 (Reuters) - Spanish police have arrested former Venezuelan minister Javier Alvarado Ochoa on a U.S. warrant as part of an investigation into money-laundering involving the Latin American nation's state oil company PDVSA, court officials said.

Alvarado Ochoa served as minister for electric power development under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's late predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

Maduro has described the U.S. investigation as politically motivated, and accuses Washington of seeking to undermine his government.

"(Alvarado Ochoa) is going to await in jail while his extradition is being processed," said an official at the Spanish court that deals with extradition requests.

Reuters was not immediately able to contact the ex-minister or his representatives for comment.

He is the second high-profile Venezuelan to be arrested in Spain in less than a month.

Last month police arrested Hugo Carvajal, a former head of Venezuelan military intelligence, on drug trafficking charges, also on a U.S. warrant. Washington said it believes Carvajal has a "treasure trove" of details he is willing to share about Maduro.

The administration of Donald Trump has slapped sanctions on PDVSA and several figures in Maduro's government in a bid to pressure him to step aside so opposition leader Juan Guaido can take office and call elections.

Maduro has cracked down on Guaido allies since putting down an attempted uprising last week.

(Reporting By Belen Carreno, writing by Andrei Khalip, editing by John Stonestreet)
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish police have arrested former Venezuelan minister Javier Alvarado Ochoa on a U.S. warrant as part of an investigation into money-laundering involving the Latin American nation's state oil company PDVSA, court officials said. Alvarado Ochoa served as minister for electric power development under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. Maduro has described the U.S. investigation as politically motivated, and accuses Washington of seeking to undermine his government. "(Alvarado Ochoa) is going to await in jail while his extradition is being processed," said an official at the Spanish court that deals with extradition requests. Reuters was not immediately able to contact the ex-minister or his representatives for comment. He is the second high-profile Venezuelan to be arrested in Spain in less than a month. Last month police arrested Hugo Carvajal, a former head of Venezuelan military intelligence, on drug trafficking charges, also on a U.S. warrant. Washington said it believes Carvajal has a "treasure trove" of details he is willing to share about Maduro. The administration of Donald Trump has slapped sanctions on PDVSA and several figures in Maduro's government in a bid to pressure him to step aside so opposition leader Juan Guaido can take office and call elections. Maduro has cracked down on Guaido allies since putting down an attempted uprising last week. (Reporting By Belen Carreno, writing by Andrei Khalip, editing by John Stonestreet)
By Shri Navaratnam and Ranga Sirilal

COLOMBO, May 10 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's army commander Mahesh Senanayake said the threat of more Islamist militant attacks has been contained and the security services have dismantled most of the network linked to the Easter Sunday bombings.

In an interview with Reuters on Friday, Senanayake said that investigators have established that the plotters had links to Islamic State, but added that the authorities are still trying to establish how deep those contacts were.

"There is a link internationally, so we are working on those lines " he said.

"Definitely there is an IS link. That doesn't mean it was a direct IS hit. But we are trying to establish how deep it is in order to plan our (military) operations."

The army chief said he expects the country to return to normality within days and wants the military to head back to their barracks soon. (Reporting By Shri Navaratnam & Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Photo: Pickles Deli Downtown/Yelp

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable restaurants in St. Louis, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you're on the hunt.

1. 2Schae Cafe

Photo: houston r./Yelp

Topping the list is 2Schae Cafe. Located at 275 Union Blvd. in DeBaliviere Place, the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers sandwiches, coffee and tea, is the highest rated low-priced eatery in St. Louis, boasting 4.5 stars out of 244 reviews on Yelp.

This restaurant has a wide variety of menu options and includes both breakfast and lunch options. Stop by and grab a breakfast platter or omelette in the morning, or stop by in the afternoon or after work to grab a pizza or hot sandwich. Check out the business's website for a complete list of offerings and for more information.

2. The Gramophone

Photo: andrew f./Yelp

Next up is Forest Park Southeast's The Gramophone, situated at 4243 Manchester Ave. With 4.5 stars out of 197 reviews on Yelp, the bar, which offers sandwiches and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an affordable option.

Visitors who stop by the specialty sandwich shop will get their choice of bread (baguette, ciabatta, sourdough, rye or brioche) as well as a wide variety of sides. Check out specific sandwich creations such as Chicky Chicky Parm Parm, the Fight Club with roast beef, mushrooms and onions and the Big Millie's Meatball with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese. Sides such as mac and cheese are also available. Here is the full menu.

3. Pickles Deli Downtown

Photo: pickles deli downtown/Yelp

Pickles Deli Downtown, a deli and breakfast and brunch spot that offers sandwiches and more located downtown, is another much-loved, affordable go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 119 Yelp reviews. Head over to 200 N. Broadway, Suite 110 to see for yourself.

This new eatery offers up breakfast and lunch fare on the cheap. Check out specific menu options like the Breakfast Pita Wrap two eggs and choice of meat wrapped in a pita or the Pickles Club sandwich with oven roasted turkey breast, ham, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado spread. This place also caters. Here's the menu.

Story continues

4. Firehouse Subs

Photo: firehouse subs/Yelp

Over in South Hampton, check out Firehouse Subs, which has earned four stars out of 33 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the deli, which offers sub sandwiches and more, by heading over to 38 Hampton Village Plaza.

Founded by firefighters, a portion of each purchase goes to the chain's foundation, which provides lifesaving equipment to first responders.

On the menu, look for deli offerings like the Hook and Ladder sub (smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham and melted Monterey Jack), the corned beef brisket sub or the Italian salad with grilled chicken.

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.
Washington (AFP) - US House Democrats issued subpoenas Friday against top government officials demanding President Donald Trump's tax returns, the latest twist in the sharpening battle between the White House and opponents in Congress.

House Ways and Means Committee chairman Richard Neal said he subpoenaed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service commissioner Charles Rettig after they missed two congressional deadlines to turn over six years of the president's personal and business tax data.

Trump broke with decades of precedent by refusing to publish his tax returns as a candidate in 2016, or since he has been president, claiming he could not do so as he was under audit.

As the majority party in the House of Representatives, Democrats have broad investigative powers.

They have begun issuing subpoenas on multiple fronts as part of their investigations into Russia's interference in the US election and possible obstruction of justice by the president.

Neal said he requested the financial records as part of his responsibility for conducting oversight of the tax system, and as related to the wide-ranging investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US elections.

"While I do not take this step lightly, I believe this action gives us the best opportunity to succeed and obtain the requested material," Neal said in a statement.

Republicans have blasted the request as politically motivated, with Mnuchin expressing concern that Democrats' true purpose was to publish the president's tax returns.

The request is expected to be ignored, after Trump said he was using his executive privilege to prevent the handover to Congress of any material connected to the Russia probe.

Lack of compliance would almost certainly trigger a court battle that could drag on for several months, as Trump and the Democrats gear up for a 2020 election fight.
You're far from alone in thinking the craziness in Veep mirrors real life.

For a special skit for The Late Show on Thursday night, Stephen Colbert teleported into the show to warn the cast about messing America up.

"The things you're doing on this Earth then happen in my world. Over and over again," Colbert said, who then listed things that Trump does, like blaming everything on the Chinese and tweeting like a child.

The skit is to coincide with the comedy show's final episode, which airs this Sunday on HBO.
In a straight-ticket environment, Doug Jones could have a tough row to hoe in Alabama next year, but other states are more hospitable. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

At this particular moment, the best bet in 2020 is a Democratic presidential win, with Republicans holding onto the Senate and Democrats holding onto the House. Its early, of course, and the presidential election is hardly going to be easy for Democrats. But as my colleague Eric Levitz recently explained, a Republican-controlled Senate could dash hopes that a progressive 46th president could enact any kind of legislative agenda or reverse the conservative judicial revolution that Donald Trump is overseeing. Beyond that, a Democratic president who cant get anything done would be a strong candidate for a disastrous 2022 midterm and early lame-duck status.

So picking up three net Senate seats is almost as urgent a task for Democrats in 2020 as getting Trump out of the White House. The conventional wisdom in some circles is that Democratic Senate hopes have been betrayed by potentially strong candidates (e.g., Texass Beto ORourke, Montanas Steve Bullock, and Georgias Stacey Abrams) selfishly deciding to pursue other offices and other goals. Aside from how you feel about the proposition that these people owe the Democratic Party a year or so of tough, miserable campaign work and then six years in a job they may not even want, the candidate-driven look at 2020 Senate races may be missing something more fundamental. In the last presidential election year, split-ticket voting in Senate races basically vanished. Thats right: In 2016, all 34 races were won by the party that won the state in question in the presidential contest. Thats never happened before. As Harry Enten pointed out, there wasnt much variation in the pattern of votes:

Republican Senate candidates generally outperformed Trump, but the average difference between the Republican Senate candidates margin and Trumps margin was just 1 percentage point.

Unless 2016 was an outlier (and given a general trend toward straight-ticket voting, thats unlikely), you can see why most observers are pessimistic about Democrat Doug Jones surviving a presidential year in Alabama (Trump won the state by 27 points), and also why Steve Bullock wasnt interested in a Senate race in Montana (which Trump carried by 20 points) and Beto ORourke gave it a pass in Texas (a nine-point Trump win in 2016).

More generally, the depressing fact for Democrats is that 22 of the 34 Senate races in 2020 are happening in states won by Trump in 2016. Considering that Trump managed to lose the national popular vote, thats mostly a reminder that the United States Senate, with its equal seats for California and Wyoming, is a fundamentally anti-democratic (and hence anti-Democratic) institution.

There is a flip side to this straight-ticket-voting reality: If Democrats win the presidential race decisively, some of those presidential red states could turn blue. In particular, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina are states with 2020 Senate races against Republican incumbents where Democrats think they have a decent chance of beating Trump this time. Add in two states Trump lost last time that have Republican senators up in 2020 (Colorado and Maine), and the odds of liberating the upper chamber from Mitch McConnells death grip look a lot better. That means a strong Democratic investment in purplish states with Senate races could pay off doubly.

Strange things can always happen in the interim, of course: Joe Manchin could practically hand over his Senate seat to Republicans if he resigned to run for governor of West Virginia. On the other hand, Alabama Republicans could make an equally generous gesture by again nominating Roy Moore to run against Jones. But instead of obsessing about recruitment of ideal candidates for potentially winnable Senate races, Democrats would be wise to focus on winning those states against Trump, with all the good things that could mean down-ballot.
By Nandita Bose, Lisa Baertlein and Trevor Hunnicutt

(Reuters) - It may take three or four months for American shoppers to feel the pinch from President Donald Trump's latest round of tariff increases, but retailers will have little choice but to raise prices on a wide range of goods to cover the rising cost of imports before too long, according to economists and industry consultants.

The impact will not end there. Trumps plan to lift tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent is almost certain to slow U.S. economic growth and, if they stay in place for an extended period, could cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs, one forecaster said.

Angered over China reneging on previously agreed elements in the two countries' latest trade talks, Trump has ordered the new levies to take effect as of 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on Friday and would hit goods leaving Chinese ports after that time.

The new duties would affect nearly 6,000 products, including many consumer items such as furniture, handbags, electronics, clothing, personal care products such as perfumes and shampoos, luggage, bedsheets and cereal.

The tariffs could cost an average U.S. family of four $767 a year, a study from Trade Partnership, an international trade consulting firm, estimated. By the end of 2020, they could lead to a loss of 200,000 jobs, according to forecasting firm Oxford Economics.

So far, U.S. retailers have dealt with the tariffs either by absorbing some of the expenses, persuading their Chinese suppliers to cut costs, spreading the added fees across many products to minimize the impact, or by importing more goods before the first round of duties took effect.

But the 25 percent increase will make it much harder to find new ways to absorb the cost, forcing most retailers to pass it on to consumers.

There will not be an immediate impact on price labels in stores and online. The lead time - between an order being negotiated with a supplier to being manufactured, shipped to U.S. ports and delivered to retail shelves - will save consumers pain, for now.

Story continues

"There is at least a 90-to-120-day lead time... so three to four months before any new pricing can go into effect," said Brian Ehrig, managing director at Accenture's retail consultancy Kurt Salmon, who advises apparel and footwear retailers.

BICYCLES, HANDBAGS

Arnold Kamler, Chief Executive of Kent International, which sells bicycles that retail from $80 to $200 at major retailers like Walmart Inc, imports about 200 containers a week from China this time of year.

"We would like to raise prices immediately," he said, but Kent's major retail partners have policies that prevent that. Most major retailers require about 60 days for new prices to work through their systems, he said.

"We will need to raise prices, if it goes through, in 60 to 90 days," said Kamler, adding that the company has less than two months of inventory on hand.

Sherrill Mosee, owner of Philadelphia-based MinkeeBlue, which sells work and travel tote bags for women on websites like Amazon.com Inc, said her company cannot absorb the new 25 percent tariff on top of the 10 percent tariff hike last year, which itself added to the existing 17.6 percent tariff on synthetic leather used to make her bags.

Mosee, who put in a new order for 1,500 bags from China just days before Trump announced plans to increase the tariff rate to 25 percent, said she plans to raise the price "a little" on the new bags, which are scheduled to arrive by early July.

The National Retail Federation said hundreds of thousands of businesses around the country will be burdened by the China tariffs. The trade group and others like the Retail Industry Leaders Association have repeatedly said tariffs are taxes paid by U.S. businesses and consumers, not by China.

Trump's levies on shipments from China have so far barely been a blip for the U.S. economy, trimming growth by an estimated tenth of a percentage point for all of 2019, according to Oxford Economics.

Goldman Sachs said increasing the tariff on the $200 billion in imports to 25 percent would triple the impact to three-tenths of a percentage point, taking a substantial bite out of U.S. growth that many economists forecast at about 2.2 percent this year.

Many are still hopeful a resolution will emerge. Lauren Goodwin, portfolio strategist at New York Life Investments, said she expects a result that would prevent a full imposition of tariffs for a lengthy period of time.

It would take six to nine months for the tariffs themselves to fully impact prices, she said.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington, Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles and Trevor Hunnicutt in New York; Editing by Dan Burns and Bill Rigby)
By Melanie Burton and Henning Gloystein

MELBOURNE/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A crash in Australian thermal coal prices is raising fresh questions about the viability of a controversial $4 billion coal mine just a week ahead of a national election in which climate change is a key issue.

Final approval of the Carmichael coal mine in Queensland, owned by India's Adani Enterprises, should come in "a matter of weeks, not months" following nearly a decade on the drawing board, the company's mining chief executive, Lucas Dow, told Reuters last month.

But a 40 percent slump in benchmark Australian thermal coal prices since mid-2018 to a two-year low last month, points to tight profit margins and questions as to whether the economics will support the launch of the mine as soon as next year.

GRAPHIC: Australian Newcastle coal prices https://tmsnrt.rs/2D8rXQI

Adani has said it is aiming to start producing 10 million tonnes a year of coal from March 2020, but analysts say the target date is optimistic.

"I think a lot of people are doubting as to whether it will see the light of day," said Wood Mackenzie analyst Victor Tanevski in Sydney.

Adani estimated in January that total costs of bringing the coal to port via rail would be A$54 a tonne ($39). Based on current market prices, the selling price for the mine's lower-grade thermal coal would be just over $47, suggesting a profit margin of $8-$12 per tonne.

Adani said the A$54 estimate takes into account royalties, processing fees and the cost of financing part of a rail line to the export terminal, although analysts suggest the company's figures are too bullish.

Tanevski suggests benchmark Newcastle 6,000 grade coal would need to be close to $100 a tonne for the mine to break even. The 6,000 benchmark was quoted at $86.20 on Thursday.

Analysts suggest the mine is unlikely to start commercial production until the middle of the next decade at the soonest, if at all. A profit margin of $8-$12 a tonne is half the averages of 2017 and 2018, highlighting how rapidly the market has turned since the Paris agreement on climate change.

Story continues

GRAPHIC: China & Japan imports of Australian thermal coal https://tmsnrt.rs/2VIPlvn

GRAPHIC: Australia thermal coal exports by top destinations https://tmsnrt.rs/2IphzIA

Apart from the economics of the mine, Adani faces other headwinds, including an Australian coal boom that has probably peaked, analysts said.

As users move away from so-called dirty fuel sources, coal prices are set to drift lower, consultants AME Group say.

That scenario will impact producers of lower-grade coal first as they feel the pinch of competition from lower-cost miners like Indonesia and renewable or cleaner fuels.

"The boom period for Australian thermal coal exports has plateaued" said Peter Kiernan, lead energy analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in Singapore.

"A sharp reduction in coal use from export markets such as China, Japan, and India represents a considerable threat," he said.

Adding to uncertainty over the mine is an Australian general election next week which could return a Labor government, which has more aggressive targets towards cutting climate emissions.

To be sure, a growing reluctance among lenders to finance thermal coal projects could crimp supply and rally prices.

As an integrated producer selling to its own plants in India, Adani may also be able to offset small margins with gains elsewhere, such as giving other parties access to its planned rail line if authorities allow new mines in the same coal basin.

"The Carmichael Project's low-cost profile, the quality of the resource and forecast demand from our target markets of India and South-East Asia mean that the project's economics are strong," said an Adani spokeswoman in a statement, even when adjusting for the coal's quality.

"The IEA and other respected analysts are reporting an increase in demand for seaborne thermal coal, particularly from Indian and South-East Asia, which Carmichael is well-placed to meet."

Prices for Newcastle coal hit three year lows last month https://tmsnrt.rs/2WBEjIC

ARE COAL'S DAYS NUMBERED?

Australia is one of the world's biggest coal suppliers and its miners face an increasingly competitive future as buyers shift towards cleaner or renewable fuel sources, underlining the view that the country's coal boom is topping out.

The Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science expects thermal coal imports from Japan, Australia's biggest buyer, to shrink to 131 million tonnes a year by 2024 from over 140 million tonnes last year.

Ports in China, another big buyer, have been restricting imports from Australia this year, claiming environmental concerns.

Many analysts say the restrictions are down to political tensions between Beijing and Canberra over issues of cyber security and China's influence in Pacific island nations.

Australian producers are struggling to make inroads in coal's remaining boom markets of South Asia in the face of lower-cost competition from Indonesia.

Shipping data showed Indonesia supplied 149 cargoes, carrying 8.9 million tonnes of thermal coal to India and Pakistan in April alone, while Australia has only shipped sporadic cargoes to these large and growing markets.

Coal remains the most-used source for electricity generation, but the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects renewables to overtake coal as the most important power generation source by the mid-2020s.($1 = 1.4174 Australian dollars)

GRAPHIC: Global coal demand to decline - IEA https://tmsnrt.rs/2VHO2g5

(Reporting by Melanie Burton in MELBOURNE and Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; additional reporting by Yuka Obayashi in TOKYO and Meng Meng in SHANGHAI)
Buenos Aires (AFP) - Two men were arrested Friday on suspicion of murdering a civil servant and seriously injuring a lawmaker in Argentina, in a brazen crime in broad daylight.

Marcelo Yadon was shot five times at close range as he walked in a square in front of the National Congress at 7 am Thursday with his childhood friend and lawmaker Hector Olivares, who was in a critical condition and underwent emergency surgery.

Juan Jose Fernandez, a 42-year-old street vendor known as "the Gypsy," was arrested in the center-east of Argentina, some 300 kilometers (200 miles) from the scene of the crime.

Juan Jose Navarro Cadiz, known as "the Onion," was arrested in neighboring Uruguay. Six people in total have been detained in connection with Thursday's shooting.

Authorities said they had ruled out a political motive for the murder.

"Light has been shed on the incident and we can confirm that it wasn't a political crime," said Public Safety Minister Patricia Bullrich, who suggested an organized crime hit.

"Yadon was the murder target. Our hypothesis is that it was a personal attack," she said.

Yadon, who was 58, was killed on the spot by two shooters in a parked car.

Olivares, 61, was hit by three bullets and is fighting for his life, said Pablo Rossi, assistant director at the Ramos Mejia hospital treating him.

Argentine press reports claimed the motive was related to a relationship between Yadon, who was married with children, and Fernandez's 24-year-old daughter, Estefania.

She and her partner, Rafael Cano, were among those arrested.

The shooting was caught on security cameras. Shots were fired at Olivares and Yadon from inside a parked car, causing both to fall to the ground.

Olivares, a lawmaker from the ruling coalition, and Yadon worked in La Rioja state in the northwest, and shared a flat when in Buenos Aires.
The view widely expressed by political pundits and television analysts is that America is facing a slow and prolonged process before the constitutional fight between Congress and President Trump over forced disclosure of his private financial records would be finally resolved in the courts. But, on Thursday, a federal trial judge in Washington D.C., cast significant doubt on that prospect.

U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta, who is handling the first federal lawsuit by the Trump legal team challenging a congressional subpoena, disclosed that he will move quickly to reach a final decision after holding a hearing just five days from now.

Although the two sides in the case before Judge Mehta have so far only filed dueling briefs over whether the judge should temporarily block a subpoena by the House Oversight Committee, Judge Mehta wrote in a brief new order that he has already seen enough to move on to the actual merits (or a decision on which side will win in his court).

That could set up a quick appeal to a federal appeals court and probably a rapid appeal on to the Supreme Court, if not an attempt to go directly to the Supreme Court after Judge Mehta has ruled.

The judge declared Thursday that the sole issue before him, on the basic question of who should win, is whether the House committees demand for private records of several Trump businesses is a valid exercise of legislative power.

That, Mehta found, has already been fully briefed and he added that, as the judge, he can discern no benefit from an additional round of legal arguments. Mehta also said he saw no reason to take the time to further develop the facts of the dispute.

Mehta has scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday at 11 a.m. in his courtroom in downtown Washington. He first set that hearing date last month, one day after the Presidents lawyers had sued to block the committee subpoena that had been sent to one of the accounting firms for Trumps private businesses (the firm of Mazars USA). Judge Mehta planned to use that hearing to explore whether to issue a temporary order blocking the subpoena until he could rule on whether or not to actually enforce the subpoena  a two-stage process, possibly separated by weeks if not months.

Story continues

Since then, the Trump lawyers and the House Committees lawyers had filed written legal briefs on that preliminary question. The Trump lawsuit was originally aimed at Mazars, to keep it from obeying the subpoena, but the House Committee was allowed to enter the case to defend its subpoena and the accounting firm has now told the judge that it is taking no position in this fight; it will not even have a lawyer taking part in next weeks hearing.

On Wednesday, Trumps lawyers filed the final written document on the question of a preliminary ruling. Reacting promptly on Thursday, the judge compressed next weeks hearing into a review on both whether to temporarily block the subpoena and on whether to rule finally for or against its enforcement. Given the pace he has already set in handling the case, he probably would rule promptly after the hearing.

Courts, of course, are traditionally methodical and cautious about observing all of the requirements of trying a case, and it thus is conventional to assume that the process seldom will move rapidly. Symbols of turtles, commonly among natures slowest-moving creatures, abound throughout the Supreme Courts building.

But, if the core dispute is urgent enough, courts can move swiftly, indeed. The constitutional fight over whether George W. Bush or Senator Al Gore had won the 2000 presidential election took only 36 days, from start to finish  and that included two trips to the Supreme Court and multiple proceedings both in the state courts of Florida and lower federal trial and appeals courts.

In the written arguments the two sides have filed so far in Judge Mehtas court, they are basically jousting over whether the House Committee has any real legislative business in mind in demanding access to business records of the Trump companies, or whether it is merely seeking for political purposes simply to accomplish exposure for exposures sake.

The committee not only insists that it has a variety of potential legislative remedies in mind for potential conflicts of interest between the Presidents legal duties as Chief Executive and his business activity, but that the Supreme Court has made clear repeatedly that courts are not to second-guess the legitimacy of Congress when it is exercising its constitutional rule of oversight of the other branches of government.

The Trump organizations, in turn, not only insists that there is no legislative goal that the committee could be pursuing beyond mere politics, but also argues that the Supreme Court has made clear repeatedly that there are limits to Congresss power to demand information, and that Congress has no power at all to act as a policeman enforcing federal laws  a job that belongs to the Executive Branch alone.

Besides quarreling over Supreme Court precedents, the two sides also have their own dueling interpretations of what the Founders who wrote the Constitution had in mind in initially creating a federal government in which the three branches would exercise checks and balances over each other.

Once Judge Mehta rules on whether to enforce the committees records demand, the losing side would have the option of appealing first to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit or to attempt to move directly on to the Supreme Court for an even earlier decision. The Trump Administration has repeatedly used direct appeals to the Supreme Court when its official policy initiatives have been thwarted in the federal trial courts, thus bypassing the mid-level federal appeals courts.

The Trump business empire has a second lawsuit, pending in a federal trial court in New York City. That lawsuit seeks to block congressional subpoenas for Trump financial records held by Deutsche Bank and Capital One Financial Corp. That case involves a subpoena issued to those financial institutions by the House Financial Services Committee.

The New York case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos. The Trump legal team has filed a preliminary request to block enforcement of the subpoena pending further action in Judge Ramoss court. The judge has scheduled a hearing on that motion for May 22. That case is thus on a slower track, at this point than the one in Judge Mehtas court in Washington.

Lyle Denniston has been writing about the Supreme Court since 1958. His work has appeared here since mid-2011.
Taiwan says it has no intention of asking Hong Kong to return a murder suspect from the financial hub if the government passes controversial extradition legislation that puts Taiwanese citizens at risk of China's reach.

Hong Kong's government is pushing a bill through the city's legislature which would allow case-by-case extraditions to any jurisdictions it doesn't have an already agreed treaty with, including mainland China.

The plan has sparked huge protests and mounting alarm within the city's business and legal communities -- as well as foreign governments -- who fear it will hammer the semi-autonomous financial hub's international appeal and tangle people up in China's opaque court system.

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing government has argued the bill must be passed quickly to stop 20-year-old resident Chan Tong-kai evading justice for the murder of his girlfriend during a Valentine's holiday in Taipei last year.

Chan admitted to Hong Kong police that he killed his pregnant girlfriend Poon Hiu-wing, also from Hong Kong, and then flew home. Police were unable to charge him for murder or extradite him to Taiwan because no agreement is in place.

Instead, prosecutors pursued a successful case over Chan's possession and use of his dead girlfriend's bank cards. But he is due for release later this year.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has argued the extradition bill must be passed before Chan is freed and to plug existing loopholes.

Taiwan has undermined the need for speed by confirming it will not ask for Chan's return, because it is concerned that Hong Kong's extradition law puts its people at risk of being snatched by China.

"Without the removal of threats to the personal safety of [Taiwan] nationals going to or living in Hong Kong caused by being extradited to mainland China, we will not agree to the case-by-case transfer proposed by the Hong Kong authorities," Chiu Chui-cheng, deputy minister of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, told reporters on Thursday.

Story continues

Chiu described the Taipei murder case as an "excuse" and questioned whether Hong Kong government's legislation was "politically motivated".

He added Taiwanese people feared ending up like Lee Ming-che, a democracy activist who disappeared on a trip to the Chinese mainland and was later jailed for "subverting state power".

He also said three requests to Hong Kong from Taiwanese police for help in pursuing the Chan murder case were met with silence.
Trumps chief congressional guard dog Devin Nunes is the king of grassroots fundraising on his side of the aisle. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

When you think about grassroots small-dollar political fundraising, you generally figure the best-positioned beneficiaries are charismatic figures like Beto ORourke or movement leaders like Bernie Sanders (or those like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who are both). That still seems to be true on the left.

But among House Republicans, a different dynamic seems to be in play, as the dominant small-dollar fundraisers are highly controversial figures you probably wouldnt want in your living room.

As the Daily Beast reports (subscription required), three House Republicans are hoovering up an estimated 80 percent of under-$200 donations:

We examined first-quarter fundraising numbers for every incumbent on the Cook Political Reports list of competitive 2020 House races  52 Democrats and 35 Republicans in all. [Devin] Nunes, [Steve] King, and [Duncan] Hunter are the only congressmen of either party who got more than half of all their individual contributions in Q1 in the form of unitemized donations, or donations of less than $200.

It seems that rank-and-file GOP activists have a refined taste for attack-dog conspiracy theorists like Nunes, racists like King, and corruption suspects like Hunter.

Nunes is by far the most prolific small-dollar fundraiser of the candidates we examined. Hes become a household name among the GOP grassroots for his strident support of President Trump as the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee. And the bulk of his huge first-quarter small-dollar haul came through fundraising appeals invoking his longshot lawsuit against Twitter and a number of his parodic detractors on the platform.

King, for his part, has a committed grassroots following among voters who dont mind that he has played footsie with white supremacy. And Hunter is currently under federal indictment over allegations that he misused campaign funds, but has managed to turn that into a fundraising pitch that portrays him as a victim of a liberal conspiracy.

King, of course, is in a class of his own as a wingnut pariah, having been stripped of his committee assignments by a House GOP leadership that tolerates a lot of dodgy racially tinged rhetoric. As he battles a primary challenge, he retains the loyal support of many conservative activists. Hunter is just one of those periodic scofflaws who tries to cover his ethical lapses by claiming politically motivated persecution. And Nuness appeal is a testament to the emotional power of intense, take-no-prisoners partisan polarization.

Perhaps in time House Republican celebrities will emerge who are beloved for their ideas or their sound character or their leadership qualities. But for now, being a bad boy is the ticket.
By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - The two Colorado teenagers accused of opening fire with handguns at their Denver-area charter school this week, killing one classmate and wounding eight others, are due to face formal charges in court next week, authorities said on Friday. Devon Erickson, 18, and Alec McKinney, 16, who was listed on the court docket by the name Maya Elizabeth McKinney but who identifies as male, were both arrested on suspicion of a single count of first-degree murder and 29 counts of attempted murder immediately after Tuesday's shooting. During separate initial court appearances on Wednesday, Douglas County District Judge Theresa Slade ordered them held without bond pending a presentment of actual charges. They are due to back in court on May 15 to face formal state charges, a spokeswoman for District Attorney George Brauchler said by email on Friday. The proceedings were initially set for Friday, but were postponed by the court, the spokeswoman said. She declined to comment on the reason for the postponement. At next week's hearing, Brauchler is expected to inform the court whether he will charge McKinney as an adult or juvenile. If a juvenile is charged as an adult under Colorado law, the defense can still request that the case be transferred to juvenile court. If the defense invokes that right, a lengthy process ensues to determine how the case will proceed, according to Bob Grant, a former Colorado district attorney. The two teens are accused of opening fire on fellow students on Tuesday inside two separate classrooms at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) charter school in Highlands Ranch, about 25 miles south of Denver. They were arrested by police after several students under fire at the school fought back, including a young U.S. Marine recruit, Brendan Bialy, 18, who survived, and 18-year-old robotics enthusiast Kendrick Ray Castillo, who was killed. The attack occurred less than a month after the 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in nearby Littleton, in which two students shot 13 people to death before committing suicide. Five months ago, a school district official urged the STEM School's director to investigate allegations of student bullying and violence by a parent who feared they could lead to the next "Columbine." The director said an investigation found no evidence to support the allegations. Precisely what happened inside the STEM school remained unclear as police continued to search for a motive in Tuesday's attack. ABC News, citing an unnamed law enforcement official, reported that an armed security guard at the school may have mistakenly fired on sheriff's deputies called to the scene and wounded a student in the pandemonium. A sheriff's office spokeswoman, Deputy Cocha Heyden, said she was not at liberty to comment because "it's still an open and active investigation." Denver's ABC affiliate television station has reported that the two pistols used in the attack were stolen from the home of Erickson, whose parents had purchased the guns legally. (Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; additional reporting by Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Steve Gorman, Leslie Adler and David Gregorio)
Geneva (AFP) - Conflict forced more than 10 million people to flee their homes to live elsewhere within their own country last year, bringing the total number of people internally displaced by violence to a record high, monitors said Friday.

The new figure brings the total number of people currently living in internal displacement due to violence to 41.3 million, an all-time high, according to a report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

"It is really a mind-boggling figure," NRC chief Jan Egeland told reporters in Geneva.

"It takes extreme violence and fear of disasters to force a family out of their home, their land, their property, their community," he stressed.

Including those uprooted from their homes by natural disasters as well as conflicts, a total of 28 million people were displaced internally in 2018, the report said.

A full 10.8 million of new internally displaced people (IDPs) last year were fleeing conflict, with strife in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria, as well as intercommunal tensions in Ethiopia, Cameroon and Nigeria responsible for most of the displacements, the study said.

The number of people currently living as IDPs is far higher than the some 25 million who have fled across borders as refugees.

- Countries with the most IDPs -

Surprisingly perhaps, the report found that the highest number of new internal displacements last year was in Ethiopia, with a full 2.9 million people fleeing their homes inside the East African country, where communal clashes, typically sparked by land disputes, are common.

Strife-torn DRC came in second, with 1.8 million fresh IDPs in 2018, followed by Syria with 1.6 million new internal displacements.

But in total, Syria, ravaged by eight years of war, counts 6.1 million IDPs, in addition to around the same number of Syrians still living as refugees.

On top of those forced from their homes by violence, 17.2 million people were internally displaced by natural disasters last year, Friday's report found.

Story continues

Tropical cyclones and monsoon floods forced nearly 10 million to flee inside the Philippines, China and India.

IDMC chief Alexandra Bilak told reporters that most of those displacements were linked to government-orchestrated evacuations ahead of natural disasters.

"This of course saves lives, but demonstrates that there are still too many people in those countries who are exposed to extreme events," she said.

Hundreds of thousands of people were also forced from their homes in California last year by the most destructive wildfires in the state's history.

Some 22,000 people remain displaced by those fires, Bilak said.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  Police officers involved in the shooting of a Tennessee man last year will not face criminal charges, but a grand jury has indicted the man, a prosecutor said Friday.

Shelby County district attorney Amy Weirich said 26-year-old Martavious Banks has been charged with evading arrest in a motor vehicle with risk of harm to others, unlawful weapons possession, and other alleged offenses.

Police said Banks was shot when he ran from a traffic stop in Memphis in September 2018. Officers said they saw a gun in the vehicle, and they chased him as he ran away. Banks was shot and hospitalized in critical condition.

After the shooting, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings said three officers involved in the shooting did not have their body or in-car cameras activated as dictated by department policy.

As with other shootings of black men by police in other cities, the incident drew angry protests from activists and relatives of Banks. Protesters claimed the shooting was unlawful and police wanted to cover up details.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the state's police agency, investigated the shooting and gave a report to Weirich.

Weirich said she asked the TBI to seek an indictment against Banks. She also said there was no evidence of criminal conduct by officers.

"The report has been reviewed by our office to determine if any state criminal laws were violated," Weirich said in a news release. "My job is not to determine if policies or procedures of the Memphis Police Department were violated that day."

Banks is black. The officer who shot him, Jamarcus Jeames, also is black. Jeames has resigned, and three other officers involved in the shooting were suspended.

Banks' attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Banks' brother, Jamarious Banks, questioned why the officers were not charged, The Commercial Appeal reported.

"My brother still has rods and bullets in his arm that (have) not been removed, yet he is still jailed by the same people who shot him. I want some answers to what is going on," Jamarious Banks said at a news conference Friday.

The TBI's report, and any body camera footage that was recovered from the shooting scene, are not being released because of the pending prosecution, the district attorney said.
RINGING THE BELL

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi rang the bell this morning in a historic IPO for the tech world. After a decade, the ride-hailing giant is finally making its debut on the public markets.

Uber priced its IPO at $45 a share, and it will begin trading on the NYSE today. That brings the companys estimated valuation to nearly $82 billion, making it one of the most valuable companies to ever go public.

We spoke with early Uber investor Bradley Tusk, who runs Tusk Ventures, a political consultancy and venture firm that works with startups facing regulatory hurdles. In 2011, he struck a deal with then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and offered his political advisory services in exchange for equity in the company. His shares (he sold half as part of SoftBanks tender offer) are believed to be worth $100 million.

TERM SHEET: What are some of the regulatory hurdles that Uber faces today?

TUSK: First, theres the worker classification issue, which is not a one-size-fits-all issue. There are markets where people are clearly full-time drivers, and its understandable they want to be treated as such. I think we need a model thats flexible enough to recognize what people are doing, understands that not everyone is exactly the same, and treats them accordingly.

Second, Uber has to consider whether it wants to expand its own scooter work or move forward with a purchase of one of the two big scooter companies. Scooters are legal in some markets and illegal in others, so its still a process of legalizing it everywhere.

Three, its about autonomous vehicles. There are some bills in different states, but theres no federal policy whatsoever. If Uber really wants to play in the autonomous space, its going to need to be involved in shaping the regulatory framework on a federal and local level.

As Uber innovates, itll run into issues no ones ever had to face before.

Are you in touch with Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick today? Do you have any sense of how he feels about the IPO? [TS Note: Kalanick was in attendance at the NYSE, but he did not participate in ringing the bell.]

Yes, Im in touch with him. I think its petty to take someone who took this thing from zero to one and created the entire concept of ride-sharing and try to erase him from history. To me, thats pretty petty.

How confident are you in current Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi leading Uber into the future?

Daras a really, really good public company CEO. He proved that with Expedia. At Uber, he succeeded in a few key places  he did a really good job taking down some of the temperature, changing some of the culture, and improving the companys reputation a little bit.

Weve also seen growth in things like Uber Freight and Uber Eats, so obviously thats important. Hes good at being a good public company CEO. When people like Evan Spiegel or Mark Zuckerberg go from startup founder to public company CEO, theres a learning curve where they make mistakes. Dara will make fewer mistakes because hes been through this before. Even though Ubers a public company now, hell have to focus just as relentlessly on innovation as Travis did for Uber to reach its potential.

Will Uber and its ride-hailing counterparts ever be profitable?

Yes. I dont know if itll be because of autonomous vehicles where they wont have the driver anymore or itll be because the economics of this type of growth just dont work anymore in the public markets and therefore the model will have to change.

Where do you expect Uber to invest the heaviest?

Youll see a lot of focus on Uber Eats and Uber Freight because those verticals keep growing and growing. I would not be surprised if Uber begins creating other revenue streams like more old-school things. For example, government clients  school buses  to try and bring in some things that are more predictable. I have no knowledge of this, but could talks to buy one of the scooter companies be revived? Sure.

How do you feel about Ubers IPO after watching the company for eight years?

The whole eight-year ride has been an emotional roller coaster. Its the culmination of so many problems, so much opportunity, and so much success. Uber was just so much in every way  good and bad. I bet that anyone who has been involved since the early days has a lot of mixed emotions right now. I mean, I built my entire business and my whole fund off the work I did with this one company.

Read the story on Fortune.com.
Armed Police officers stand guard on London Bridge following the attack. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP)

The fiance of a Canadian woman killed in the London Bridge terror attack told a man to stop filming after she was dragged under the wheels of a van, an inquest has heard.

Social worker Christine Archibald, 30, suffered almost instantaneous death when she was hit by the rented vehicle on June 3, 2017 as she walked with Tyler Ferguson, the Old Bailey was told.

She was one of eight people killed when Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, launched a van and knife rampage on London Bridge and in Borough Market.

Bus driver Anton Sobanski said he returned to his vehicle in the aftermath of the attack to find the bottom deck deserted except for an empty pram, with passengers sheltering upstairs.

The victims of the attack. Christine Archibald is top row left. (PA)

He said: There was a man upstairs at the back and he was trying to film where Chrissy and someone  I believe it was Tyler  telling him stop filming.

Ms Archibald and her fiance were walking across the bridge after the couple, who were living together in The Hague, Netherlands, went for dinner at a Thai restaurant during a weekend visit to the capital.

Chrissy stopped out of nowhere, grabbed me close to give me a passionate kiss after telling me how much she loved me, he said in his evidence, which was read at the Old Bailey on Friday.

He said earlier during an intense conversation she had told him to make up with his father because he could get hit by a bus tomorrow.

The inquest heard how they switched sides moments before the attackers began targeting groups of pedestrians in their rented van.

Mr Ferguson said he saw a man screaming as he ran down the road and heard the screeching of tyres as the vehicle approached from behind.

I then noticed a really large white Transit van on the pavement hurtling towards us, he said.

It was immediately clear this was an act of violence and not an accident.

Mr Tyler said he heard a loud thud, adding: I then looked for Chrissy. She was no longer next to me.

I realised she had been hit by the van.

Story continues

Hotel guests are evacuated following the attack (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

CCTV footage played in court, which was described by counsel to the inquest Jonathan Hough QC as graphic and distressing, showed Ms Archibald being struck by the van on the third time it had mounted the 10cm curb.

Mr Ferguson was seen to run after the van and crouch down over her body, which had been carried down the road under the chassis.

He said: She was lying on her back, her dress had been ripped off by the van, so she was naked at this stage.

Read more on Yahoo News UK:

Ann Widdecombe says no-deal Brexit is 'nothing compared to sacrifice' of WW2

EU's Donald Tusk says there's a 30% chance of Brexit being cancelled

Ukip MEP candidate Carl Benjamin investigated over Jess Phillips rape comments

I remember looking down at her mangled body as she convulsed and released the physical life from her body.

Mr Ferguson said he had to scoop out fragments of teeth to clear his fiances airway before performing CPR  but saw blood come from her mouth as he tried to breathe into it.

People lay flowers laid after a minute's silence on London Bridge to mark the one year anniversary of the attack (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

I knew in this moment she was dead, he said.

Ms Archibald was one of eight people killed in the attack.

The others were Xavier Thomas, 45, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Kirsty Boden, 28, Sebastien Belanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39.

The attackers, who wore fake explosive belts, were shot dead by police.
The Texas Houses newly-formed LGBTQ caucus on Friday successfully blocked legislation introduced by Republicans to prevent religious discrimination by local governments.

The so-called Save Chick-fil-A bill, which was introduced in response to the San Antonio City Councils decision to ban Chick-fil-A from the citys airports, would prohibit local-government bodies from taking any adverse action against a business based on its owners contributions to, or membership in, any religious organization.

Democratic state representative Julie Johnson, one of five members of the LGBTQ caucus, successfully blocked the bill by twice raising a point of order to delay a vote until the Houses midnight-Thursday deadline to consider new legislation had passed.

Bills like this are hurtful. They cause pain. And we cant allow religion to be a cover for discrimination, Johnson told CNN in an interview Friday.

Republican representative Matt Krause told CNN that Democrats opposition to the legislation crystalized and clarified why we need this bill.

You cant read any discriminatory language in this bill, he added.

The San Antonio City Council effectively banned Chick-fil-A from the citys airport in March by making the facilitys concessions license contingent on Chick-fil-As exclusion. The move came after a report that the company had donated $2 million to the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and a home for troubled young men that encourages adherence to traditional Christian sexual ethics.

Democratic City Council members said that they were motivated to exclude Chick-fil-A from the airport in order to make all travelers, including members of the LGBTQ community, feel welcome when they arrived in the city. Texas Republicans, meanwhile, have argued that the Save Chick-fil-A bill should be considered uncontroversial, since it simply prevents religious discrimination.

Story continues

Texas Democrats have stifled religious liberty and the freedom to support any organization or belief they do not agree with, Texas GOP chairman James Dickey said in a statement, adding that the bill sought to defend Texans from government persecution based on their beliefs  which everyone should be in favor of.

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton announced in March that he would investigate whether the City Councils move violates state laws protecting religious freedom, and has also requested a federal probe.

More from National Review
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas  A Texas high school student was suspended and banned from the prom after a photo of the student holding a poster that included "racist language" appeared on social media, school officials said.

The image shows the student holding the poster that said: "If I was black I'd be picking cotton, but I'm not, so I'm picking you for ... Prom?"

It quickly circulated on social media Thursday.

Corpus Christi Independent School District officials announced the Veterans Memorial High School student's suspension late Thursday in a news release.

"CCISD condemns such language, which is not representative of our values as a school district," the release reads. "Following an investigation on Thursday, May 9, the student's family was contacted and the student was disciplined accordingly."

The length of his suspension was not immediately known.

The student is banned from prom and will be required to attend "cultural sensitivity counseling." The student issued an apology on social media, the release states.

May 2: Ohio teen's racist prom proposal sparks backlash

May 2018: Teens across the country are copying a viral, racist 'picking cotton' promposal

District officials became aware of the incident Wednesday. They also learned it was a copycat incident being called a joke nationwide, the release states.

"We want to be clear: there is never an excuse for such reprehensible actions," the release reads. "Discriminatory language and/or actions will not be tolerated in CCISD."

Earlier in May, a prom proposal by an Ohio student sparked national press coverage after a photo of a student holding a poster with a racist statement was circulated on Facebook.

In the photo, the student stands beside a girl and holds a poster that reads, "If I was black I'd be picking cotton, but I'm white so I'm picking U for prom!"

Contributing: Monroe Trombly, Mansfield News Journal

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: 'If I was black I'd be picking cotton': Racist prom proposal, this time in Texas, leads to suspension
The Thai bay known around the world as the location of The Beach will stay closed until 2021.

Maya Bay, on the island of Phi Phi Leh, was closed temporarily to allow it to recover from the thousands of tourists that visited every day.

Since the bay featured in the 2000 film blockbuster movie The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, it has attracted visitors from across the world.

It was closed last year amid concerns over the damage to its wildlife and authorities have now extended the ban by two years to allow it more time to recover.

Thousands of visitors each day had led to damage to the beach, prompting its closure by authorities to allow it to recover (Picture: AP/Sakchai Lalit)

In November, footage showed reef sharks returning to the bay - hailed by conservationists as a "positive sign" of recovery thanks to the closure.

The video showed dozens of blacktip reef sharks swimming close to the beach - something that hadnt been seen while the bay was overtaken by thousands of visitors.

READ MORE

Ukip EU election candidate quits over Carl Benjamins rape joke

Prof Thon Thamrongnawasawat, who advises the Thai department of national parks, previously told the BBC that when the park reopens the number of visitors will be restricted and boats will be banned from mooring within the bay's waters.
Use of the pool is included for every guest in the price of a break and the outdoor rapids are warm enough to enjoy all year round. (Butlin's)

Iconic British holiday firm Butlins has just opened the doors on its most ambitious new venture in years: Splash, a state of the art swimming facility at its Bognor Regis site in West Sussex.

Filled with 600,000 litres of water, decorated with more than two million tiles, and measuring 6,300 square metres, 1,250 people worked on the five-year long project that cost the company a cool 40 million, making it the most expensive pool in Europe.

It can also stake a claim at being the most family-friendly too, as the destination has gone to extreme lengths to ensure the pool offers an unrivalled experience for its visitors of all ages.

This has been a five year piece of work, and it's not all been the build, Butlins MD Jon Hendry Pickup explained to Yahoo. The pool is such a core part of our break, that it was essential that we did something really great.

Splash has countless slides for all ages (Butlin's)

The new pool is vast and enclosed in a new purpose-built structure on the far side of the Bognor Regis sites car park. Its a short walk from the main hub, but the difference between the old and new pool is night and day.

The art-deco inspired building is bright and airy and filled with natural light on all sides, and a huge helter skelter waterslide dominates one corner. The main pool is circular, and divided into four main sections - a 1.2m deep lido with beach huts, a toddler slide area (pictured above), a splash zone for little ones, and a wave pool that runs on a 20-minute cycle.

Read more: Britains best seaside hotels

It boasts more slides, rapids, hot tubs, wave machines, and flumes than your average outdoor splash park, but its in the changing rooms that you begin to understand the importance of the user input that went in to the design.

The company worked closely with parenting network Mumsnet to identify key areas of improvement they needed to address for the new facility, and it quickly became clear that changing rooms were universally bad, not just at Butlins.

Story continues

[The design process] really started there because so much of the negative feedback we got was about our changing experience, explained Jeremy Pardey. resort director at Butlins Bognor Regis. How many times have you been to a pool and hated the changing experience? Every time.

Splash boasts the world's first helter skelter waterslide. (Butlin's)

The new changing room area is 40% bigger than is usually dedicated to the space, offering flexible changing solutions for families of all sizes, from solo bathers up to families of four, and its air-conditioned to keep it a comfortable temperature all year round.

Each colour coded area has its own lockers too, increasing in size to match the capacity of the changing room. Crucially, every family-sized changing room has a baby changing table, and a secure seat to strap in your little ones while you get changed.

On the return journey back from the pool, underfloor heating puts an end to soggy socks, while free swimwear drying facilities means theres no need to spend time wringing out everyones swimming costumes. Plus theres ample showers for everyone, with the pool offering a capacity of up to about 1,000 people at peak times.

Like Butlins the company, the pool is forward-thinking, while also being reverential of its past. For example, Splash boasts the worlds first helter-skelter water slide (lovingly dubbed the Emperor Dalek by staff), inspired by one that stands in the resorts funfair. The heated changing room floors are covered with a tiled pattern inspired by Butlins pools of yesteryear, while Sir Billy Butlins customer service motto Our true intent is all for your delight is writ large above the seaside-inspired beach huts on the wall of the pool.

There's plenty of seats for those taking time out from the pool, and a cafe too. (Butlin's)

The company founders daughter Jacqui Butlin believes her father, who sold the company in 1972, would have approved of the companys newest attraction.

My father would have been so proud, Butlin tells Yahoo. You have to keep moving with the times, you cant stay in the 1950s and have the knobbly knees competitions, and thats what theyve done. Theyve brought it up to speed. Theyve done such a great job, in fact its even better.

The Hi-de-Hi! era with its bingo and knobbly knees competitions, is something the company is keen to stress belongs in its past.

Read more: Exploring Britains tiniest islands

I think a lot of the perception of the brand is quite retro, admits Hendry Pickup. I think that's probably because we've not done a good enough job of telling potential guests about what we do really well now.

One thing that took us by surprise, is the amount of activities that are included in the price of a package holiday. We visited during one of the resorts Tots Weeks, catered towards families with children under the age of 5, and found our itinerary packed every day. From free stage shows featuring the Teletubbies, Paddington, and characters from C5s Milkshake, to soft play, funfairs, arcades, puppet shows, and the obligatory trip to the local beach, its a cost-effective break compared to somewhere like Center Parcs.

Splash's outdoor rapids are heated for use all year round. (Butlin's)

I think if we can bring [our message] to life more effectively, and that's certainly the plan with how we communicate, I think over time, that will definitely change perceptions, because I don't see any guests at the resorts who are saying: this reminds me of Butlins in the 1950s, adds Hendry Pickup.

Splash is sure to play a big part in changing the public perception. A 40 million investment is a bold statement, and the company is already seeing dividends with summer sales apparently looking strong.

Were seeing really high demand across the resorts, said Hendry Pickup, who admits Brexit has caused a lot of uncertainty in the travel sector.

I think uncertainty affects everybody, unfortunately. The plus side - from our perspective - is summer looks really great. And that's our that's our biggest trading window. So we're very pleased about that so far.

The pool looks just as stunning from the outside, as it does inside. (Butlin's)

But I think Brexit may or may not have an effect on whether people decided to be in the UK or be away. What it definitely does is it makes people cautious and fearful about spending their money. And so I think again, we just have to make sure we give them a really slam dunk reason to spend their money with us.

Splash is open now at Butlins, Bognor Regis. Visit www.butlins.com for details on how to book a short break.
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Third Point Reinsurance (NYSE: TPRE)

Q1 2019 Earnings Call

May. 10, 2019, 8:30 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Greetings, and welcome to the Third Point Reinsurance first-quarter 2019 earnings conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. A brief question and answer session will follow formal presentation. [Operator instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.

I now like to turn the conference over to your host, Chris Coleman. Thank you, you may begin.

Chris Coleman -- Chief Financial Officer

Thank you, operator. Welcome to the Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. earnings call for the first quarter of 2019. Last night, we issued an earnings press release and financial supplement, which is available on our website, www.thirdpointre.bm.

Before we begin, I would like to remind you that many of the remarks today will contain forward-looking statements based on current expectations. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the first-quarter 2019 earnings press release and the company's other public filings, including the risk factors in the company's 10-K, where you will find factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company assumes no obligation to update or revise them in light of new information, future events or otherwise.

More From The Motley Fool

In addition, management will refer to certain non-GAAP measures, which management believes allow for a more complete understanding of the company's financial results. A reconciliation of these measures to the most comparable GAAP measure is presented in the company's earnings press release. Last night, along with our earnings press release, we announced the transition of our chief executive officer. As was mentioned in the press release, Rob Bredahl has resigned from Third Point Re.

Story continues

I would like to personally thank Rob for his guidance and leadership. Rob was instrumental in helping to form Third Point Re, and we wish him all the best. I would also like to introduce Dan Malloy as our new CEO. Dan will be known to many of you already, and has also been with Third Point Re since the very beginning.

We are very excited to begin this new chapter for Third Point Re. And with that, I will turn the call over to Dan Malloy.

Dan Malloy -- New Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Chris, and good morning. First, I'd like to echo Chris's comments. Rob Bredahl has been a good friend and colleague for decades. I really enjoyed building Third Point Re with him over the last seven and a half years.

Turning now to business. Last night, we also issued a press release regarding the promotions in our U.S reinsurance operation. David Govrin will be assuming the role of president of Third Point Re USA, replacing Manoj Gupta; and David Drury will assume the role of global head of property catastrophe. These changes position us well to continue to make progress on the underwriting plans, which I will discuss in more detail in a moment.

We're thankful to have such high-caliber individuals, both with extensive experience, lead our U.S. operation going forward. This morning, I would like to briefly review our results for the first quarter of 2019. I will then provide an update on our underwriting plans and market conditions.

Daniel Loeb, CEO of Third Point LLC, will then speak to the investment performance, and Chris will discuss our financial results in more detail. We will then open the call up for your questions. We are very pleased with the performance for the first quarter of 2019. We generated net income of $133 million in the quarter, driven by a solid investment return of 7.2%.

The first quarter was a record quarter for net income, and we increased total shareholder's equity by 11%. Our diluted book value per share ended the first quarter at $13.95. Our underwriting results continue to improve as we increase our writing of higher-margin business, resulting in a combined ratio of 103.8% for the first quarter. We expect our combined ratio to continue to improve over the course of 2019 and plan to achieve underwriting profitability later this year or in early 2020.

Now let's move to market conditions and an update on our underwriting plans. As we've talked about for several quarters, we continue building our underwriting platform and are shifting our portfolio to higher-margin business. These changes are projected to drive our combined ratio below 100%. As previously mentioned, we started writing property catastrophe at January 1.

During the first quarter, we wrote approximately $42 million of property catastrophe premium. Our plan has gone very well with access to business, portfolio metrics and premium written all better than expected. Our prospects for June 1 also look very attractive. We will have opportunities to review a large number of Florida catastrophe accounts and expect to write a further $10 million of premium in this hardening market.

During the first quarter, we also announced the hiring of a specialty lines underwriting team in Bermuda, led by Tracey Gibbons. Tracey and her team will develop a book that will consist of various specialty reinsurance lines, including: workers compensation cat; personal accident and life cat; contingency, kidnap and ransom; and war, terror and political violence. There will likely be only $2 million to $3 million of premium written during the remainder of 2019 as most of this portfolio renews at January 1. We expect the specialty reinsurance portfolio to be approximately $20 million to $25 million in premium volume during 2020.

I will now hand the call over to Daniel Loeb, who will discuss the performance of our investment results in more detail.

Daniel Loeb -- Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, and good morning. The Third Point Reinsurance investment portfolio managed by Third Point LLC generated positive returns of 7.2% for the first quarter of 2019 net of fees and expenses. The Third Point Reinsurance account represents approximately 17% of assets managed by Third Point. These results came with a beta-adjusted exposure to the S&P of 40%, which is about 33% lower than in 2018.

This number reflects a 28% decrease year over year in net exposure. We believe that our positioning is appropriate at this point in the cycle, and we are pleased with our alpha generation so far this year. Our equity book generated a return on average exposure of 18.2% for Q1, representing 500 basis points of alpha when viewed through a risk lens. Returns were driven by our active and constructive names, including Nestle, which gained 19%; Baxter, which was up 24%; United Technologies, which gained 22%; and Campbell's, which gained 17% as it installed new CEO, Mark Clouse, in Q1.

We typically hold our constructive and active names for three to five years as turnaround stories play out. Nestle is a great example of what happens when the growth narrative around a company shifts. Nestle has changed its trajectory over the past two years by improving margins, growth and earnings, led by a management team that is focused on streamlining the portfolio and returning cash to shareholders. Investors are taking note.

Our short portfolio detracted modestly during Q1, but our dedicated short selling book was alpha neutral for the year through the end of March despite the big market move. We also increased our hedges on select individual positions to better isolate idiosyncratic returns and sidestep additional market sector or factor risks. In credit, corporate credit returned 1.3% on average exposure, while sovereign credit returned 13.2%. During the quarter, we established a substantial position in a complex distressed credit situation and made a smaller investment in a similar security.

We also added meaningful exposure to a sovereign credit for the first time in several years, and we anticipate we will have the chance to increase this position further this year. In structured credit, we generated a 3.7% return on exposure. We are continuing to focus on the underbanked consumer and building our own risk profiles through securitizations of residential, personal, student and commercial loans. We are pleased that our focus on idiosyncratic alpha-generating strategies and activism, credit, short selling and emerging compounders deployed with more modest exposure levels is generating lower beta, higher quality returns for this year in an environment of continued macro volatility.

And late in the cycle, we believe we remain well positioned for 2019 markets. Now I'd like to turn the call back over to the TPRE management team to discuss our financial results.

Chris Coleman -- Chief Financial Officer

Thanks, Daniel. Our return on beginning shareholder's equity for the first quarter was 11%, and our diluted book value per share at the end of the first quarter was $13.95, which was an increase of $0.97, or 7.5%, from December 31, 2018. Our share price at year end was below the strike price on all options and warrants [Inaudible] the increase in share price as of March 31, 2019, we have now included the dilution from these in the money options and warrants, which reduce the impact of the increase in equity and diluted book value per share. That investment income for the quarter was $155 million and reflects the investment return for the period, which Daniel discussed in detail.

Last quarter, we mentioned plans to possibly move some of our investments into other credit strategies, and we continue to work with Third Point LLC to possibly diversify our investment portfolio, lower the volatility of our results and free up capital to support our underwriting activities. Our gross premiums written for the first quarter was $320 million, which was a decrease of $59 million, or 16%, from the prior year's first quarter. The decrease in gross premiums written was primarily due to certain contracts that did not renew due to underlying pricing, terms and conditions and contracts written in the prior-year period on a multi-year basis with no comparable premium in the current-year period. This decrease was partially offset by new contracts bound in the current-year period.

New business in the quarter included $42 million related to the property cap portfolio, which contributed underwriting profit in the first quarter, and we expect will contribute further over the course of the year as we build out the portfolio. As a reminder, we write contracts which may not renew in a comparable period. As a result, our gross premiums written can be lumpy from quarter to quarter. The decrease in the first quarter should not be viewed as an indication of expected premium written trends.

Our combined ratio improved to 103.8% in the first quarter compared to 106.8% for the full year of 2018. The improvement in our combined ratio is progressing as expected and takes time as the higher-margin business earns in and gradually contributes proportionately more to our calendar-year results. We recorded a benefit to net underwriting results of $0.3 million in the quarter related to favorable development of prior-year's loss reserves net of the related impact of acquisition costs. Total general and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2019 were $12 million compared to $9 million for the prior-year period.

The increase was primarily due to higher credit facility expenses, as well as an increase in the number of employees compared to the prior-year period as we've built out our underwriting team and related support staff to execute on the underwriting plans that Dan mentioned earlier. During the quarter, we did not repurchase any shares. We have $61 million remaining under our existing share repurchase plan, and we may look to opportunistically repurchase shares from retained earnings in future periods. In evaluating whether to buy back shares, we are balancing the accretive benefits of buying back shares at a discount to book value per share with maintaining sufficient capital to support our evolving underwriting plan, maintaining sufficient rating agency capital among other factors.

In addition, we are now more exposed to potential loss from natural catastrophes, though we are also mindful of that. We thank you for your time, and we'll now open the call for questions. Operator?

Questions & Answers:





Operator

Great, thank you. At this time, we will be conducting a question-and-answer session. [Operator instructions] Our first question here is from Meyer Shields from KBW. Please go ahead.

Meyer Shields -- KBW -- Analyst

Great, thanks. I guess two related questions. The first, what should we understand from the fact that you're appointing a global head of property catastrophe? Does that imply that this is going to be an increasingly significant line of business focus going forward?

Dan Malloy -- New Chief Executive Officer

Meyer, as you know, we started writing property catastrophe January 1. So it will be an increasing part of the portfolio certainly for 2019. David Drury brings 25 years of property cat [Inaudible] underwriting experience with him, so we think it was definitely worthwhile to recognize Dave for his efforts and to highlight that it's becoming a significant part of our strategy.

Chris Coleman -- Chief Financial Officer

Yes, Meyer. And I'll just, Chris here, I'll just add that we previously talked about writing a portfolio in kind of $50 million-ish range over the course of the year, with about 40 of that written in the first quarter. And as Dan Malloy mentioned on the call, we're looking at roughly 10 million or so at Florida, which is all in line with original expectations.

Meyer Shields -- KBW -- Analyst

Right. No, I completely understand that. I'm just wondering whether we should expect maybe continued growth as we head into 2020 and so on.

Chris Coleman -- Chief Financial Officer

I think as just the company grows, we might proportionately increase the overall size of the cap portfolio. But beyond that, nothing else is anticipated at this point.

Meyer Shields -- KBW -- Analyst

OK, that's helpful. Second question, and I guess still on property cat. Last quarter, we discussed expectations for mid-year pricing relative to January 1. And the sense was that it might be a little bit weaker.

I think I'm stating it correctly, but I apologize if I'm not. Is that still the expectation?

Dan Malloy -- New Chief Executive Officer

The Florida market is very late this year, given the losses on the development. The firm orders that are out are up significantly, reflecting changing views of risk. We're seeing our capacity is needed, so I could-- not wanting to put a definitive number on it, but sort of up 20%-plus seems to be--

Duration: 18 minutes

Call participants:

Chris Coleman -- Chief Financial Officer

Dan Malloy -- New Chief Executive Officer

Daniel Loeb -- Chief Executive Officer

Meyer Shields -- KBW -- Analyst

More TPRE analysis

All earnings call transcripts

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

Motley Fool Transcribing 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.
South Africa: KZN leading spoilt ballots

This story has been published on: 2019-05-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to visit the Independent Electoral Commissions (IEC) Results Operations Centre in Pretoria this morning, where officials, observer missions, political party representatives and media have been camping at, over the past few days. [read more: https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/president-ramaphosa-set... See more
Logan is an example of an act thats done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

One year ago, Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a diplomatic agreement with Iran, which had successfully persuaded Tehran to freeze its nuclear weapons program in exchange for sanctions relief. At the time, the White House tacitly acknowledged that Iran was complying with the agreement, but disparaged the deal on the grounds that it had failed to curb Irans regional influence and nonnuclear weapons programs.

In the 12 months since, the restoration of U.S. sanctions has exacerbated the suffering of ordinary Iranians, alienated Americas European allies, and just might have triggered the beginning of the end of the U.S. dollars reign as the global reserve currency (a development that could have devastating effects on Americans living standards in the decades to come). But it has done little to reduce Irans geopolitical footprint in the Middle East, or stall its ballistic weapons program. Meanwhile, Iran is now saying that it will resume enriching uranium if it is not provided sanctions relief within 60 days.

So, on Thursday, Trump announced that he would like to make a diplomatic agreement with Iran, in which the U.S. provides Tehran with sanctions relief in exchange for a freeze in its nuclear weapons program (and nothing else).

What they should be doing is calling me up, sitting down and we can make a deal, a fair deal, Trump told reporters. We just dont want them to have nuclear weapons. Its not too much to ask. And we would help put them back into great shape.

The president also ostensibly decided that he needed someone to blame for the fact that this deal does not already exist. So he chose to call for the prosecution of the former secretary of State who had negotiated the original Iran nuclear agreement, and implored him not to pull out of it.

Id like to see  with Iran, Id like to see them call me, Trump said. You know, John Kerry speaks to them a lot. John Kerry tells them not to call. Thats a violation of the Logan Act. And frankly, he should be prosecuted on that. But my people dont want to do anything thats  only the Democrats do that kind of stuff, you know? If it were the opposite way, theyd prosecute him under the Logan Act.

Trump went on to say the Logan Act several more times in a 60-second span, as though it were the Obscure Legislation of the Day on some civic-minded childrens show.

IMPORTANT:

Trump says he would like Iran to call him.  pic.twitter.com/lIrKDfiJs2  Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi) May 9, 2019

As the Washington Posts Aaron Blake notes, there are multiple problems with Trumps remarks. For one thing, they ostensibly reveal that the president has asked the Justice Department to prosecute one of his political adversaries (my people dont want to do anything thats ), a gross violation of DOJ norms. For another, the Logan Act is an archaic, likely unconstitutional statute that has virtually never been enforced. But, to the extent that we are going to treat it as binding law, multiple Trump administration officials clearly violated it during the transition period. The Logan Act forbids private citizens from contacting the representatives of foreign governments with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States.

In his special counsels report, Robert Mueller notes that in December 2016, the Obama administration wished for the United Nations to pass a resolution condemning Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Mueller writes, the [Trump] Transition Team regarded the vote as a significant issue and wanted to support Israel by opposing the resolution. On December 22, 2016, multiple members of the Transition Team, as well as President-Elect Trump, communicated with foreign government officials to determine their views on the resolution and to rally support to delay the vote or defeat the resolution.

Trump has produced no evidence that John Kerrys talks with Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif constituted attempts to defeat the measures of the United States. By contrast, we know for a fact that Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn attempted to undermine official U.S. policy toward Israel while they were still private citizens.

Anyhow, its not like Trump needed Kerrys help to the defeat the measures of the United States with respect to Iran. It is now quite clear that the president did a bang-up job of that all by himself.
ALGIERS, May 10 (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters demanding the removal of Algeria's ruling elite gathered in the capital Algiers for a 12th successive Friday, defying attempts by the army to ease tensions ahead of presidential election.

The demonstrators are pushing for a radical change by seeking the departure of senior figures, including politicians and businessmen, who have governed the North African country since independence from France in 1962.

"They all go," read a banner held up by protesters draped in national flags gathered in central Algiers, which has seen a succession of huge anti-government marches since Feb. 22.

"We will not give up. The battle will continue," said a 37-year-old school teacher, marching with his wife and two children.

After 20 years in power, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika quit on April 2 under pressure from protesters and the army, but demonstrations have continued, seeking the removal of all officials belonging to the old guard and the introduction of political reforms.

Protesters are also demanding the resignation of interim president Abdelkader Bensalah, the head of the upper house of parliament who has replaced Bouteflika for 90 days to oversee a July 4 presidential election.

The army, the north African country's most powerful institution, has sought appeasement by meeting a number of protesters' demands including launching anti-graft probes against people suspected of misuse of power and public funds.

Last week, Bouteflika's youngest brother, Said, and two former intelligence chiefs were placed in custody by a military judge over "harming the army's authority and plotting against state authority."

At least five businessmen, including the country's richest man, Issad Rebrab, who is active in food industry and sugar refining, have been detained for alleged involvement in corruption scandals. (Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed, Editing by William Maclean)
By Chayut Setboonsarng and Kay Johnson

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Three Thai activists facing charges of insulting the monarchy have disappeared after reportedly being arrested in Vietnam, rights groups said on Friday, months after two exiled critics of the military and monarchy turned up dead.

Thailand's deputy prime minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, denied the three activists were in Thai custody, as has been reported by the Thai Alliance for Human Rights.

Chucheep Chiwasut, who broadcasts political commentary to Thailand from exile, and fellow activists Siam Theerawut and Kritsana Thapthai were reportedly turned over to Thai authorities by Vietnam on May 8, Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

"Vietnam's alleged secret forced return to Thailand of three prominent activists should set off alarm bells in the international community," Human Rights Watch Asia Director Brad Adams said.

London-based Amnesty International said Chucheep had long faced charges of lese majeste, or insulting the monarchy.

Siam and Kritsana were also under police investigation for lese majeste, the rights group said.

Article 112 of Thailand's criminal code says anyone who insults the king, queen, heir or regent faces punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

Human rights groups have accused Thailand's ruling military government of applying the lese majeste law more widely since a 2014 coup as a way to silence critics.

U.N. human rights officials in March wrote to the Thai foreign ministry to express "most serious concern" about disappearances of several prominent exiled critics of the regime.

Separately on Friday, a former law student was released from jail a month before the end of his two and half year sentence for a 2017 lese majeste conviction.

Jatupat Boonpattaraksa, an activist and critic of the ruling junta, was jailed for posting a profile of King Maha Vajiralongkorn published by the BBC's Thai-language service that was deemed offensive.

Story continues

His release was part of a royal amnesty for thousands of prisoners to mark the king's May 4-6 coronation.

The U.S.-based Thai Alliance for Human Rights first reported that Chucheep, also known as Uncle Sanam Luang, had been sent back to Thailand.

"Uncle Sanam Luang and two others were apprehended ... a month ago. But they were just transferred to Thailand on May 8 from Vietnam," the alliance's Piangdin Rakthai said in a YouTube video.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit denied the report.

"Vietnam has not coordinated transfers. We have not received any request. If there is, it would be through the foreign ministry and police," Prawit told reporters.

BODIES IN MEKONG

In January, the bodies of two exiled critics of the military and royal family, Chatcharn Buppawan, 56, and Kraidej Luelert, 46, were found in the Mekong River, which forms the border with Laos.

The bodies had been stuffed with concrete, apparently to make them sink.

The Thai military said it had no information about the bodies.

Activist Surachai Danwattananusorn, 78, who operated an online radio station critical of the junta and monarchy from Laos, disappeared in December. His whereabouts are not known.

All three of the men who disappeared from Laos had been active in the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protests in 2010, which ended in a military crackdown that killed more than 90 people.

U.N. officials, in a March letter, noted that the junta issued arrest warrants for Surachai and Chatcharn a month after the army seized power in the 2014 coup.

"Given the active arrest warrants and their involvement with the UDD, it is believed Thai officials may be responsible for the killing of Mr Buppawan and Mr Luelert and the disappearance and possible killing of Mr Danwattananusorn," a group of top U.N. envoys said in the letter.

The latest disappearances from Vietnam have further rattled Thais in exile.

"We are worried about the situation," Piangdin said in his video.

"There have been disappearances and deaths of political activists who are against the military government and criticise the monarchy."

Government officials in Vietnam could not be reached for comment.

(Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Robert Birsel)
German industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp said Friday it had abandoned plans to merge its steel business in Europe with Indian giant Tata because of expected resistance from the European Commission.

"Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel expect that the planned joint venture of their European steel activities will not go ahead due to the Commission's continuing concerns," the German company said in a statement.

Having shelved the merger plans and ruled out offering more concessions to Brussels in order to get a green light, Thyssenkrupp said it was now aiming for a stock market listing of its elevators business.

The announcement saw Thyssenkrupp's stock soar, up 13.48 percent to 12.75 euros ($14.31), by around 1000 GMT on Frankfurt's stock exchange.

Both Thyssenkrupp and Tata have declined to offer further concessions to Brussels which they say would "affect the synergies expected from the merger" to the point of compromising its economic relevance.

The aim of the joint venture had been to create the second largest European steel company behind multinational giant ArcelorMittal and to join forces in the face of the surge of Chinese steel.

In the wake of the U-turn on the merger plans, the German conglomerate has also binned a proposal, put forward last September under pressure from activist shareholders, to split into two separate groups -- "Industry" and "Materials".

Shelving the plan to split is a blow to chief executive Guido Kerkhoff, who had banked on the scheme to push profit and simplify Thyssenkrupp's complicated business structure.
The new movie Tolkien, about British scholar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings books, feels sketchy as a bio-pic, but its almost a full-blown sequel to the Peter Jackson serial (20012003) that altered Millennials movie expectations. Turning Tolkiens life story into fantasy distraction  the childhood perspective  is the films paramount aim.

Going from impecunious circumstances to a university academic, Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult plays the young-adult scenes) befriends several Oxford schoolmates, and the luxuries of their privileged clique encourage his own idiosyncrasies  the hermetic development of a personal language system that eventually became the basis for conceiving Middle Earth and the medieval realm of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Most bio-pics that depict how famous people achieved success are sold as inspirational, but Tolkien avoids that cliche for another: It urges filmgoers to see Tolkiens experiences (and perhaps their own) as the source for self-mythologizing flights of whimsy. His life is a mere pretext for transforming history into unreality.

The historical details of Tolkiens poverty, social and religious influence, individual ambition, and military service during World War I are blended into evocations of Peter Jackson imagery. Finnish director Dome Karukoski and cinematographer Lasse Frank Johannessen are not fantasists, but they work in the deluxe mode of BBC realism that used to be identified with Miramax-style Anglophilia, a distinct brand of pretentious cultural fantasy. It set the fashion for indie-movie dogma that can be seen in the ways that Tolkien follows a liberal agenda: His private imagination is unrelated to any specific belief system; Edith Bratt (Lily Collins), the boarding house occupant he loves, is a budding feminist; and his Platonic friendship with Geoffrey Smith (Anthony Boyle) indicates open-minded sexual solidarity.

Its all analogous to the Peter Jackson franchise, making each person a stand-in for Ring figures that fans can identify: Tolkien himself is a surrogate for Bilbo Baggins and Aragorn; Bratt, for Arwen; and Smith, for Sam. That fantasy world closes in on itself, but theres something worse than this pop cannibalization: Tolkiens near-death WWI experiences in the trenches at the Battle of the Somme structure the films flashbacks and flashforwards that subordinate everything to Ring legend. Giving priority to Peter Jacksons blockbuster doesnt make what Tolkien lived through profound; it distorts historical and cultural reality. On the battlefield, he envisions fire-breathing dragons as if emphasis on fantasy outweighed the experience of war itself.

Story continues

All of life is seen as a boyhood tentpole adventure  from the Hobbits to Harry Potter, with the Twilight, Hunger Games, and Marvel franchises not far behind.

By normalizing Hollywood pandering in this way, the filmmakers erase our cultural foundations: Tolkien and Bratt argue that words without meaning are just sound, using as examples trees, cellar door, and hands, yet the latter never inspires Karukoski, and screenwriters David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford fail to make a culturally unifying association, such as to Shakespeares let lips do what hands do (from Romeo and Juliet). The English language itself is never used romantically. Hoult and Collins are both pretty, but their characterizations need fervor beyond pubescence  such as the way Kate Bushs sensual, ghostly, utterly English update of Wuthering Heights gave pop-culture force to myth.

Such force is missing when Bratts passion for Richard Wagner is reduced to playing dress-up backstage at a performance of The Ring Cycle. She describes Wagner as an agent of emotion, yet the first stirring strains of the The Ring Cycle overpower everything in this movie  why should children be encouraged to seek out anything less?

Tolkiens Catholic background also gets simplified, reduced to a surreal battlefield vision of a crucifix and a passing reference to religious prejudice. This diminishment doesnt necessarily go against Tolkiens stated dislike of obvious religious allegory (thats an important difference between his books and those of friend and colleague C. S. Lewiss Chronicles of Narnia), but its slippery-slope stuff. And the indie-movie messages that the filmmakers slip in seem designed to prevent viewers from thinking more complexly about a mans life and his work.

After Smiths declaration of unrequited love, Derek Jacobi shows up (in a subtly queer, expressive cameo) as Joseph Wright, the Oxford philologist who inspired Tolkiens interest in obscure languages. He advises, Theres a comfort in distant and ancient things. But a bio-pic, this bizarre-yet-banal doesnt rouse the deep, post-war feelings of nationhood and camaraderie that moved Tolkien. Thats why his final speech about quests, journeys to prove ourselves, fellowship, and friendship sounds juvenile and hollow. And its why Peter Jacksons damnable series was such an utter catastrophe: It never made sense of the feeling of brotherhood and sacrifice longed for after 9/11. This bio-pic merely takes us deeper into Tolkiens solipsism without cultural resonance. Hes reduced to a box-office formula.

More from National Review
WASHINGTON (AP)  Trade talks between the U.S. and China broke up Friday with no agreement, hours after President Donald Trump more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports. Trump asserted on Twitter that there was "no need to rush" to get a deal between the world's two biggest economies and later added that the tariffs "may or may not be removed depending on what happens with respect to future negotiations." A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, confirmed that the talks had concluded for the day but could not say when they would resume.

HONG KONG (AP)  Hong Kong's legislative assembly descended into chaos Saturday as lawmakers for and against controversial amendments to the territory's extradition law clashed over access to the chamber. At least one person was taken from the chamber on a gurney following the morning melee, in which legislators grappled with each other on the floor and amid seats and tables. The amendments have been widely criticized as eroding the semi-autonomous Chinese territory's legal independence by making it easier to send criminal suspects to mainland China, where they could face vague national security charges and unfair trials. Under the "one country, two systems" framework, Hong Kong was guaranteed the right to retain its own social, legal and political systems for 50 years following its handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Tesla CEO Elon Musk will have to go to trial to defend himself for mocking a British diver as a pedophile in a verbal sparring match that unfolded last summer after the underwater rescue of youth soccer players trapped in a Thailand cave. A federal court judge in Los Angeles set an Oct. 22 trial date in a Friday court filing that rejected Musk's attempt to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by British diver Vernon Unsworth. Musk called Unsworth a "pedo" in a July 15 post on this Twitter account after Unsworth, in an interview with CNN, dismissed Musk's attempts to help rescue the soccer players as a "PR stunt." Unsworth also derided the submarine that Musk had built for a rescue mission, prompting Musk to lash back on this Twitter account, which had 22.5 million followers at the time Musk contended his insult was protected from legal action, but the judge overseeing the case disagreed.

Story continues

WASHINGTON (AP)  With the Trump administration more than doubling tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese imports, will Americans soon see higher prices on store shelves? Yes, but it may take a few weeks. U.S. import taxes on $200 billion of Chinese goods jumped to 25% on Friday, from 10%, as President Trump followed through on his threat to hike duties after he accused Chinese negotiators of backtracking on previous concessions they had made in ongoing trade talks . The tariff hikes will impact thousands of items , including consumer goods like furniture, luggage, seafood and handbags. Businesses will pay more for chemicals, telecom equipment, and plastics.

TOKYO (AP)  The three new missiles North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has tested over the past week are eerily familiar to military experts: They look just like a controversial and widely copied missile the Russian military has deployed to Syria and has been actively trying to sell abroad for years. Ending a pause in ballistic missile launches that began in late 2017, and alarming North Korea's neighbors, Kim personally supervised the launch of the first missile from the country's east coast on Saturday and two more from the west on Thursday. All splashed down in the Pacific. The missiles were short-range and the launches do not mean Kim has decided to end his self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range missiles that could reach the United States mainland.

UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The father of American college student Otto Warmbier who died soon after being sent home from North Korea in a vegetative state said Friday that Kim Jong Un should be called "criminal Kim"  not "chairman Kim" which "makes me sick." Fred Warmbier told a U.N. symposium promoting international cooperation on abductions that calling the North Korean leader "chairman" gives him status on the world stage, and "if we're afraid to tell the truth of who we're dealing with we don't stand a chance of making a difference." "He's a criminal and he's a murderer," Warmbier said.

HONG KONG (AP)  A case of African swine fever has been detected in a Hong Kong slaughterhouse, prompting the culling of all 6,000 pigs at the facility. Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan said in a statement Friday that the incurable virus was found in a single pig imported from a farm in Guangdong province in mainland China, where the monthslong outbreak has devastated herds. Pork is China's staple meat and its price and availability is considered a matter of national concern. Shortfalls in supply have increased demand for pork from producers in the U.S., with whom China is locked in an increasingly acrimonious tariff battle.

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump let loose with a morning round of tweets that sugar-coat the consequences of his trade war with China. Trump minimized the worth of China's purchases of U.S. goods and services, which support nearly 1 million jobs in the U.S., misstated the trade deficit and ignored the inevitable rise in many costs to consumers when imports are heavily taxed. This, as his tariffs kicked in Friday on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, with another round of tariffs in the offing, and as U.S. and Chinese officials negotiated in Washington. With trade relations between the economic giants seemingly rupturing and the stock market sinking, Trump called the talks "congenial." A look at some of his statements: TRUMP: "Your all time favorite President got tired of waiting for China to help out and start buying from our FARMERS, the greatest anywhere in the World!" THE FACTS: The notion that China doesn't buy from U.S.

NEW YORK (AP)  His trade war already raging worldwide, President Donald Trump on Friday brandished his aggressive actions as a political weapon at home, too, casting himself as a fighter for American workers and scorning his chief Democratic rivals as weak. Trump's actions have already caused economic harm to some of the regions that backed him in 2016 . Yet the Republican president is showing little regard for the political risks  or his party's traditional embrace of free trade  as he stakes out his position on an issue that could define the 2020 presidential contest as much as any other.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  The U.S. and South Korea have determined that two projectiles launched by North Korea were short-range missiles, a South Korean military official said Friday, a day after the North's second launch in five days raised jitters about an unraveling detente between the Koreas and the future of U.S.-North Korea nuclear negotiations. The weapons flew 420 kilometers (260 miles) and 270 kilometers (167 miles), respectively, on Thursday with an apogee of 45 to 50 kilometers (28 to 31 miles), according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Ministry. The launches were seen as a possible North Korean warning toward Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations as the two sides continue to struggle with mismatched demands on sanctions relief and disarmament.
President Trump, colluding out in the open. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

In 2016, Donald Trumps campaign learned Russia was working to help him win, and many of its members actively sought to exploit that assistance. In 2020, now possessing the powers of the Executive branch, its pressuring a foreign government to assist Trumps reelection campaign. The effort consists of Trumps agents lobbying Ukraine to smear his political rivals.

The smear campaign is being run by Rudy Giuliani, who  perhaps operating on the theory that a massive scandal boasted about in the media by its perpetrators is less damaging than one uncovered by investigators  is broadcasting his scheme. Theres nothing illegal about it, he tells the New York Times. Somebody could say its improper.

Well, yes, they could. Its grossly, terrifyingly improper.

Giuliani is trying to get Ukraine to pursue two investigations: one against the last Democratic presidential nominee, and another against the leading candidate to be the next one. The first is based on murky charges that have circulated on the right that Hillary Clintons campaign conspired with Ukraine to gin up the Russia investigation. (This presumes that without Clinton starting it, there was no serious evidence to investigate Trumps connections to Russia, which is absurd on its face.)

The second is based on charges that, during his time as vice-president, Joe Biden improperly used his power to benefit his son, Hunter. The Times laid out this accusation in a lengthy report last week. The charge is that Hunter Biden was working for a Ukrainian energy company that was being threatened with prosecution, and Joe Biden demanded Ukraine fire the prosecutor.

But Bloomberg News investigated this claim and thoroughly debunked it. Bloomberg reveals that the prosecution of Hunter Bidens client had already been shelved at the time Joe Biden was calling for the prosecutor to be removed. And, as the Times acknowledges, the prosecutor Biden called on to be fired was widely considered to be corrupt, and the Obama government supported the prosecution of Hunter Bidens client anyway. There is no quid, no pro, no quo in this story. Biden acted completely in line with administration policy, and his actions had no bearing on his sons interests.

So why would Ukraine pursue baseless charges? Because its government has a strong interest in mollifying Trump. The Times reported last year that Ukraine halted its cooperation with the Mueller probe because it couldnt risk provoking Trump. The cases are just too sensitive for a government deeply reliant on United States financial and military aid, and keenly aware of Mr. Trumps distaste for the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into possible collusion between Russia and his campaign, some lawmakers say.

Having used that leverage defensively to get Ukraine to withhold cooperation into the probe of his campaign, Trump is now using it offensively, to gin up charges against his targets. His involvement and interest in the effort is transparent. During one of Giulianis meetings with Ukrainian officials, he called Mr. Trump excitedly to brief him on his findings. Giuliani tells the Times that his work has Trumps full support, and he is making the presidents interest extremely clear to Ukraines government. Im going to give them reasons why they shouldnt stop [the investigation] because that information will be very, very helpful to my client, he says.

Trump is already burbling excitedly about the project. Im hearing its a major scandal, major problem, Trump said on Fox News. I hope for [Biden] it is fake news. I dont think it is.

Unlike the Russia scandal, this episode is one that Trumps reelection campaign can undertake with the benefit of advance planning and some lawyering (Giuliani being at least technically a lawyer, or at least having the benefit of legal counsel he can consult). On its face, there is nothing illegal here. Trump is leveraging his power as president to compel a dependent foreign government to smear the opposition party. Its just something no president has ever thought to do before. The powers legally available to a corrupt president and a party that has turned a blind eye to his violations of governing norms may be more terrifying than anybody has considered.
Photo: Keith Wong/Unsplash

Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in New York City.

Report: New York City still dangerously exposed to next superstorm

The report, "Safeguarding Our Shores: Protecting New York City's Coastal Communities from Climate Change," found that the city has spent only 54 percent of nearly $15 billion in federal funding received after Superstorm Sandy and intended to help recovery and boost resiliency.

Read the full story on ABC New York, WABC.

Trial of officer in Eric Garner chokehold death can proceed, NYC judge says

NEW YORK (AP)  A New York City judge is allowing a police disciplinary case to proceed against the white officer accused in the 2014 chokehold death of an unarmed black man.

Read the full story on Yahoo News.

Ride-hailing drivers expose financial unrest before Uber IPO

New York City passed a law requiring that transportation networking companies pay them a minimum wage of $17.22 per hour after expenses, and other cities could follow suit.

Read the full story on WNCN.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Photo: Stuart Seeger/Flickr

Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in San Antonio.

Inspired by San Antonio City Council, student government calls for removal of Chick-fil-A from Trinity University campus

The senate of Trinity University's Student Government Association last week passed a resolution recommending that a Chick-fil-A outpost be removed from campus.

Read the full story on San Antonio Current.

CDC releases study on scooter injuries; San Antonio takes notice

Next Wednesday, the department overseeing the dockless vehicle program will present its recommendations to the City Council of its findings from the six-month pilot.

Read the full story on KSAT 12 .

Inmate sets off sprinkler system during failed escape attempt

A San Antonio inmate did himself no favors and faces additional charges after he set off a sprinkler system during a thwarted prison break, KTSA San Antonio reported.

Read the full story on New York Post.

Despite claims that immigrants are a drain, they contributed $4.6 billion to San Antonio's economy in 2017

Immigrants in San Antonio  including those here without documents  contributed $4.6 billion to the city's economy in 2017 and paid $1 billion into federal, state...

Read the full story on San Antonio Current.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Photo: Felipe Galavan/Unsplash

Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Seattle.

DNA and family tree used to solve cold case rape, murder of 20-year-old woman

Susan Galvin was a 20-year-old records clerk in July 1967 when she was found raped and strangled in a parking garage elevator at Seattle Center.

Read the full story on KSBW TV Action News 8.

Financial difficulties force Seattle nursing home Keiro Northwest to close

Keiro Northwest, a nursing home for Asian-Pacific Islander seniors, will close its door due to financial struggles.

Read the full story on KING5.

As trash piles up around homeless tent camps, Seattle struggles to keep up

Much of the frustration with homelessness comes from the massive amounts of trash around tent camps. But Seattle is picking up less trash than it did in 2017, despite efforts to distribute trash bags at tent camps and marshal volunteers.

Read the full story on The Seattle Times.

Homeless man burns American flag outside West Seattle veteran center

SEATTLE  A homeless man admitted to burning an American flag flying outside a West Seattle veteran center Wednesday. Firefighters from Station 32 were able to put out the flames before hanging one of their spare American flags in its place.

Read the full story on KOMO News .

Crime spike draws ire from Seattle residents and business owners

Seattle residents and business owners sounded off to Seattle City Council members Wednesday as the council debated new police emphasis patrols that are meant to target seven neighborhoods throughout the month of May.

Read the full story on KOMO News .

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China has pledged to stem a flood of the synthetic opioid fentanyl onto America's streets, where it kills thousands of people a month, but U.S. security experts are skeptical about whether Beijing is willing, or even able, to follow through. Ten current and former U.S. officials, congressional sources and China and trade experts told Reuters in interviews that China cooperates only when it believes it will get something in return. In this case, several said, Beijing appears to have offered its help so that it could get the best deal possible from Washington in trade negotiations. "Will they enforce this, or is this just another gesture to be used to secure something they want?" said Robin Cleveland, vice chair of the congressional U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which monitors the national security impact of bilateral trade and economic ties. "I think they would hope to leverage it in some meaningful way in the context of trade talks," she said. Those trade talks ran into trouble this week with China backtracking on earlier commitments to change its laws in key areas, including intellectual property rights, trade secrets, forced technology transfers, access to financial services and currency manipulation, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. government and private-sector sources. U.S. President Donald Trump responded to China by vowing to raise tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent on Friday. Unless resolved in a new round of negotiations, the mounting tensions over trade could derail China's cooperation on fentanyl. "They are not going to do it, the record says, unless they get a trade deal, or we threaten them in the absence of a trade deal," said Derek Scissors, an expert on Sino-U.S. economic relations at the American Enterprise Institute think tank. "They can stop this if they want, but they won't unless they see a deal." An explosion in the use of fentanyl, an opioid painkiller 50 times more potent than heroin, and its analogues has driven the most devastating chapter of America's long-running opioid crisis, U.S. law enforcement agencies say, and China accounts for most of the fentanyl and fentanyl analogues seized. The United States recorded more than 28,000 synthetic opioid-related overdose deaths in 2017, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of them fentanyl-related. Chinese President Xi Jinping promised Trump at a summit in Argentina in December that Beijing would crack down on flows of all fentanyl-related substances. In April, China pledged that from May 1 it would expand the list of narcotics subject to state control to the more than 1,400 known fentanyl analogues, which have a slightly different chemical makeup but are all addictive and potentially deadly, as well as any new ones developed in the future. Fentanyl and all of its analogues are controlled substances subject to strict regulation in the United States. Speaking in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China had implemented the change as promised starting from May 1, a move he said had been positively appraised by the United States. "I want to emphasize here that China keeps to its word," he told a daily news briefing. "At the same time, I would also like to point out that the root cause of the U.S. fentanyl problem is not in China." Asked whether there was a link between China's promised increased controls on fentanyl and trade talks with the United States, Geng said: "I don't know what person has such an imagination." China's Ministry of Public Security, National Health Commission and National Medical Products Administration  the departments responsible for the new rules  did not respond to requests for comment on this story. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. The regulatory change is supposed to shut down the operations of illicit producers and traffickers who advertise and sell fentanyl products on video websites including Google's YouTube and Vimeo, and on the Dark Web. They deliver the drugs to the U.S. market mainly in the mail, through express delivery services or trans-shipping them through Mexico and Canada. Trump hailed the agreement as a major advance in efforts to contain the opioid epidemic. Some U.S. officials who work directly with Chinese law enforcement agencies say they believe Beijing is committed to clamping down. "We see them as a partner we want to work with to effect that change of availability here in the U.S.," said Daniel Baldwin, a senior Drug Enforcement Administration official who was its top representative in Beijing from 2011-2014. The ruling Communist Party's newspaper, the China Daily, covered the plans to expand the controlled substances list last week under the headline, "China, U.S. join hands to fight fentanyl." But even Trump's attorney general, William Barr, has said it is too soon to claim victory. "Whether the Chinese ... actually deliver on it from an enforcement standpoint remains to be seen," Barr testified at a House of Representatives budget hearing in April. PAST FAILURES Beijing has reneged on pacts with Washington before, U.S. experts say. In 2017, the bulk of fentanyl seizures by U.S. Customs and Border Protection came from China, despite an agreement announced in September 2016 by the Obama administration on "enhanced measures" to fight trafficking to the United States. China later said it made no such agreement. China added fentanyl, 24 analogues and two precursors to its narcotics control list beginning in 2015, leading to a sharp reduction in those products. But manufacturers sidestepped the controls by synthesizing new analogues, some of them even more potent and deadly than the original. They will remain legal until China follows through on its promise to control all forms of fentanyl. U.S. law enforcement officials worry China will not be able to fully enforce this new crackdown either, even if it sticks to its promise to try. Its oversight of more than an estimated 400,000 producers and distributors inside vast chemical and pharmaceutical industries is notoriously weak and enforcement agencies are short of inspectors and weakened by corruption, the U.S. experts said. Fentanyl analogues are relatively easy to make and some producers create front companies to sell fentanyl to traffickers, U.S. experts say. Further, experts say, local Communist Party officials are under pressure to hit targets for economic growth and so are often reluctant to shut down any growing businesses, including pharmaceutical firms. Chinese Customs enforcement appears to be even weaker. Officials stopped fewer than a half dozen fentanyl-related shipments in 2016-2017 before they could be shipped out of China, according to Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, a co-chair of the U.S. Senate's Caucus on International Narcotics Control. U.S. officials have found Chinese inaction frustrating. "As sophisticated as China is in their intelligence services, I find it odd that they can't stem the flow of fentanyl from their country," Joshua Skule, the FBI deputy executive director for intelligence, told Reuters before Beijing announced it would control all fentanyl-related substances. China has provided the United States with information that aided in federal indictments of eight Chinese nationals for fentanyl trafficking since 2017. All of the suspects remain at large in China, however, according to a U.S. Congressional Research Service report in December 2018. "There are many, many laws on Chinese books that don't get enforced. It will turn out that enforcement is quite spotty," Scissors said. China's government is committed to making a difference on this case, however, says Daniel Baldwin, who served as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's top representative in Beijing for three years. "We see them as a partner we want to work with to effect that change of availability here in the U.S.," he said. A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill to empower Trump to sanction Chinese drug makers and others who knowingly sell synthetic opioids to traffickers. It also would create a commission to monitor flows of the substances from overseas. "We have to make sure they keep their word," said Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a co-sponsor of the legislation. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Kieran Murray and Sonya Hepinstall)
By April Joyner and Noel Randewich

(Reuters) - A week of worsening fears on Wall Street leading up to Washington's increase on tariffs on Chinese goods has taken a toll on stocks that rely heavily on global trade.

With U.S. President Trump saying he is in no hurry to sign a deal with China, the United States raised its tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10% on Friday, rattling financial markets already worried the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies could spiral out of control. China's Commerce Ministry has said it would take countermeasures against the increase in U.S. tariffs.

"Investors have been getting a little less bullish over the last week or so, and if China does decide to retaliate with tariffs, that's when sentiment can take a dive," said Matt Watson, portfolio manager at James Advantage Funds in Alpha, Ohio.

(Graphic: U.S.-China tariff war and the S&P 500 - https://tmsnrt.rs/2WA1LWX)

After Trump said last Sunday he was reversing a decision he made in February to keep tariffs at 10%, Wall Street descended from record highs reached at the start of the month.

Although the S&P 500 rose on Friday after more upbeat comments on trade from Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the index ended the week 2.17% lower. Trade-sensitive stocks were bogged down after having outperformed for most of 2019.

(Graphic: China-exposed stocks under pressure - https://tmsnrt.rs/2LxxNla)

Shares of semiconductor companies, the U.S. sector that relies more than any other on China for its revenue, turned sharply lower this week, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index down 5.8% since Sunday and slashing its year-to-date gain to 28%.

(Graphic: Chip rally cut short - https://tmsnrt.rs/2Ww7yN0)

The so-called FAANG tech group, volatile stocks that have fueled a large part of Wall Street's rally in recent years, have also mostly underperformed as trade fears worsened, with shares of Netflix Inc and Apple Inc both down more than 6% for the week.

Story continues

(Graphic: FAANG underperforms - https://tmsnrt.rs/2WCDjnF)

Shares of industrial and materials companies, dependent upon global economic growth to boost their revenue, also underperformed. DowDuPont Inc shares tumbled 9.8% while Boeing Co shares dropped 5.8%.

(Graphic: Materials and industrials underperform - https://tmsnrt.rs/2LBsYYc)

(Reporting by Noel Randewich and April Joyner; additional reporting by David Randall; editing by Alden Bentley, Rosalba O'Brien and Jonathan Oatis)
May 10 (Reuters) - No liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels that left the United States in March and April have gone to China, Refinitiv Eikon shipping data shows, as the trade war between the two nations escalates.

On Friday, the United States increased its tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10%, rattling financial markets already worried the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies could spiral out of control.

So far this year, only two vessels have gone from the United States to China - one in January and one in February - versus 14 during the first four months of 2018 before the start of the trade war.

For a graphic on U.S. LNG shipments to China, see: https://tmsnrt.rs/2W29f88.

The data, however, shows a handful of vessels from the United States are still sailing across the Pacific Ocean and some could end up in China.

In 2018, 27 LNG vessels went from the United States to China, down from 30 in 2017. Most of those, however, left U.S. ports before the trade war started, with 18 tankers going to China in the first half of the year and just nine during the second half.

Executives at Cheniere Energy Inc, which owns two of the three big operating U.S. LNG export terminals, said this week that the trade war is "unproductive and creates some added costs for our Chinese consumers" but "hasn't had an impact on us" and is not expected to have an impact going forward.

The United States and China started imposing tariffs on each other's goods in July 2018. As the dispute heated up, China added LNG to its list of proposed tariffs in August and imposed a 10-percent tariff on LNG in September.

The United States is the fastest-growing LNG exporter in the world, while China is the fastest-growing importer of the fuel.

U.S. LNG sales jumped 61 percent in 2018 versus 2017, making the country the fourth-biggest exporter in the world, while China, the world's second-biggest buyer of the fuel, increased its purchases by 39 percent last year as it weans its power and industrial sectors off coal to reduce pollution, according to data from the International Gas Union.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino Editing by Bill Rigby)
Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size

Article body

End Child Hunger in Alabama, the first outreach initiative after the Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University was established, has made strides in reducing the number of hungry children in the state in just five years.

As a land-grant institution, it was important for Auburn and the Hunger Solutions Institute to focus on a hunger-related issue that was impacting one in four children and youth in Alabama.

According to Alabama Possible, a statewide nonprofit organization that removes barriers to prosperity in Alabama through education, collaboration and advocacy, the rate of child hunger in Alabama decreased almost four percent in the last five years to 22.5 percent in 2018.

Since its creation in 2013, End Child Hunger in Alabamas mission has been to identify, address and implement solutions to child hunger issues across the state. Following the first five years of intense effort toward this cause, ECHA has compiled a report detailing the coalitions impact through collaborative work.

ECHA is a task force comprised of leaders from state government, the nonprofit community, education and the corporate sector taking collective action to end childhood hunger in the state of Alabama. Gov. Kay Ivey officially launched the ECHA campaign in 2013, and today lauds the collectives progress.

I have had the privilege of being involved with the End Child Hunger in Alabama campaign since its kickoff. The work being done is making huge strides in putting an end to child hunger, Ivey said. These are not hungry children in foreign countries, these are hungry children right here in Alabama, in our communities, urban and rural. I applaud everyone involved but especially the Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University for working to end child hunger in Alabama and for being a shining example to others across the country.

ECHAs goals include improving the food assistance safety net for Alabamas children, cultivating a strong regional food system, building public will to end childhood hunger, increasing Alabama families economic stability and supporting community action to enhance childrens health, as well as preventing obesity. In every category, ECHA efforts resulted in positive change and expanded outreach initiatives to combat child hunger. Many of these successes are outlined in detail in the ECHA Five-Year Review, including significant strides in the effort to end the summer nutrition gap, increase the amount of local foods provided to schools, cultivate a strong regional food system, improve financial stability of families and promote the overall health of children.

Through ECHAs collective action, the states Summer Food Service Program, Break for a Plate, nearly doubled in the last five years, serving a record 3 million meals in 2018. Participating sponsors, such as the Tuscaloosa County School System, launched Nutrition Ignition in 2017, a mobile summer feeding service program that served nearly 19,000 meals last year. The school system will soon launch the expansion Nutrition Ignition 2.0 to serve even more families in need.

In 2014, ECHA partners VOICES for Alabamas Children and the Alabama Grocers Association joined forces to outline the need for healthy food financing in communities with limited access to fresh, healthy food. In 2018, Ivey awarded grants to seven recipients, including ECHA task force members: the Jones Valley Teaching Farm, to construct a permanent, open-air produce stand; Wrights Market Inc., to purchase a refrigerated van to use as a mobile grocery store and rural delivery service; and West Alabama Food Bank in Northport, to launch a mobile food pantry that currently serves 50 to 80 families per day. Grants were also awarded to the Africatown Community Development Corporation, Children of the Village Network Inc., the City of Birmingham and Peoples Piggly Wiggly in Cherokee.

Additionally, because of the Break for a Plate programs success, the United States Department of Agriculture uses Break for a Plate as a national example for best practices to expand summer food service programs. For the past six years, Break for a Plate ralliesaimed to educate local organizations about the summer nutrition gap and encourage community members to take steps to address this gaphave kicked off summer feeding in Alabama. In 2017, the Alabama State Department of Education declared May 10 as the statewide Break for a Plate Kickoff Day.

While we have raised public awareness about the extent of child hunger in our state, we can look at the data to see if things are improving, said Rhonda Mann, deputy director of VOICES for Alabamas Children. According to the 2018 Alabama Kids Count Data Book, the rate of food insecurity for children under 18 in 2016, compared to 2010, has decreased 4.2 percentage points. This is a win for our children.

In Alabama, 32 percent of families with two adults and two children are operating below the living wage. Of those with one adult and two children, 86 percent of families earn incomes below the living wage. In response to these staggering statistics, ECHA partners, including the Alabama Department of Human Resources, are working to improve the financial self-sufficiency of Alabamians through a network of successful public-private assistance programs.

Alabama Extension at Auburn Universitys ALProHealthAlabama Preventing and Reducing Obesity: Helping to Engage Alabamians for Long-Term Healthsupports community action in counties with obesity rates greater than 40 percent. In just four years (2014-18), ALProHealth developed and sustained 16 community coalitions with almost 125 partners. It also applied more than $7 million in funding to improve access to healthy, affordable foods and safe, affordable places to be physically active.

In this five-year review, we are pleased to report that our collective action has shown positive impact in all of our five goal areas, said Auburn University Hunger Solutions Institute Managing Director Harriet Giles. Most importantly, we are so heartened to see significantly greater numbers of children having access to and participating in summer feeding, after school and alternative school breakfast programs. However, we readily acknowledge our work will never be complete as long as one child in Alabama goes hungry.

During the next five years, ECHAs outreach efforts will continue to grow across the state and the five major goals outlined in the 2013-18 report will continue to guide its network priorities.

For more information and to view the full report, visit www.endchildhungeral.org.
Donald Trump has turned the dial up on his trade war with China, more than doubling tariffs on more than $200bn (153bn) worth of Chinese goods.

Affected goods will see tariffs rise to 25 per cent, up from 10 per cent, despite the countries recently appearing to be close to resolving trade issues.

Beijing has said it deeply regrets the move, and Chinas Commerce Ministry said it would respond by imposing necessary countermeasures but did not detail what these would be.

The tax hike came after American and Chinese negotiators began a new round of talks in Washington aimed at ending a dispute that has disrupted billions of dollars in trade and shaken global financial markets.

American officials have accused Beijing of backtracking on commitments made in earlier rounds of negotiations, though exactly what this means is unclear. Mr Trump told a rally ahead of the negotiations China had broke the deal, and would suffer the consequences.

The talks are due to resume on Friday after ending on Thursday evening with no word on progress.

China deeply regrets that it will have to take necessary countermeasures, the countrys Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

It is hoped that the US and the Chinese sides will work together ... to resolve existing problems through cooperation and consultation, it added.

But the president has hinted things could get worse still. Over the weekend Mr Trump said he could even expand tariffs to apply to all Chinese goods shipped to the United States.

Beijing has previously responded to US tariff hikes by raising duties on $110bn (85bn) of American imports. But Chinese authorities are now running out of US goods to apply higher rates to, due to the uneven trade balance.

Chinese officials have also targeted American companies in China by slowing customs clearance for their goods and by increasing regulatory scrutiny which can hamper their activities.

The higher rate of import taxes will not apply to Chinese goods shipped before Friday.

Story continues

Shipments across the Pacific take about three weeks, which gives negotiators some more time to reach a settlement before importers may be hit with the increased charges.

The surprise announcement of the tax hike came after negotiating teams from China and the US met on Thursday evening in Washington.

After briefing Mr Trump on the state of the negotiations, US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin dined with the leader of the Chinese delegation, vice premier Liu He.

Mr Liu, speaking to Chinese state TV, said he came with sincerity, but appealed to the Trump administration not to impose further tariff hikes, saying they were not a solution and would harm the world.

We should not hurt innocent people, Mr Liu said.

At the White House, Mr Trump had said earlier on Thursday he had received a beautiful letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping and would probably speak to him by phone.

The tariff hike was described as the greatest threat to world growth, by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who said it could threaten jobs across Europe.

There is no greater threat to world growth, Le Maire told French TV channel CNews. It would mean that trade tariffs go up, fewer goods would circulate around the world ... and jobs in France and in Europe would be destroyed.

Additional reporting by AP and Reuters
Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right now?

We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which restaurants have been seeing especially high review volumes this month.

To find out who made the list, we looked at Los Angeles businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.

Read on to see which spots have the momentum heading into summer.

St. Anne's

Photo: loretta c./Yelp

Open since 2019, this cocktail bar and New American spot, which offers salads and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Salad" on Yelp.

Citywide, salad spots saw a median 2.2 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but St. Anne's saw a massive 137.8 percent increase, with a slight downward trend from a five-star rating a month ago to 4.5 stars today.

Located at 11102 W. Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood, St. Anne's offers shareable plates like crab cakes and braised short rib and sun-dried tomato tortellini. When it comes to main dishes, look for specialty burgers and ribs.

Woon

Photo: carolyn p./Yelp

Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Historic Filipinotown's Woon, the Chinese spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.

While businesses categorized as "Chinese" on Yelp saw a median 2.6 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Woon bagged a 90.6 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, with a slight downward trend from a five-star rating a month ago to its current 4.5 stars.

Open at 2920 W. Temple St. since March, Woon offers beef and veggie noodles and sides like fried tofu fish cakes and pork belly bao.

Itacho

Melrose's Itacho is the city's buzziest sushi bar by the numbers.

Story continues

The sushi bar, which offers ramen and more and opened at 7311 Beverly Blvd. since 2010, increased its new review count by 32.2 percent over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.8 percent for the Yelp category "Sushi Bars." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 9.3 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.

Itacho offers specialty rolls and build-your-own bowls. Look for the specialty red tofu yaki bowl topped with garlic and a soft egg.

Konbi

Echo Park's Konbi is currently on the upswing in the Japanese category on Yelp.

While businesses categorized as "Japanese" on Yelp saw a median 1.8 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, this Japanese spot, which offers sandwiches and coffee and tea, increased its by 30.2 percentwith its Yelp rating declining slightly from four stars to 3.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 280 percent on a month-to-month basis.

There's more abuzz in the world of Los Angeles Japanese: Rice & Nori has seen a 27.6 percent increase in reviews.

Open for business at 1463 Sunset Blvd. since 2019, the business offers a small selection of sandwiches, vegetable plates and pastries. Look for the eggplant katsu sandwich with onion dashi, cabbage and Bull-Dog Sauce.

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.
By Ahmed Elumami

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya's internationally recognised government denounced its foe Khalifa Haftar as an "aspiring military dictator" on Friday and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to stop foreign support for his month-long offensive on the capital Tripoli.

Fayez Serraj, prime minister of the beleaguered Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), said Haftar's U.S.-allied backers were turning Libya into a proxy battleground, risking a war with global implications and further mass migration to Europe.

Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is allied to a rival administration in eastern Libya, mounted an offensive on Tripoli in early April, saying the GNA was controlled by what it called terrorists, but has failed to breach the city's defences.

The United Nations Security Council called on all parties to the Libya conflict on Friday to commit to a ceasefire and return to U.N.-led mediation, said Indonesia's U.N. Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, council president for May, after the 15-member body received a closed-door briefing on the situation.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Serraj said hundreds of Libyans had been killed, more than 40,000 had been forced to leave their homes, and "hundreds of thousands" could flee for Europe".

"The GNA is fighting an aspiring military dictator -- Khalifa Haftar -- whose rival government is taking money and arms from foreign actors pursuing narrow self-interest at Libya's expense," Serraj wrote.

"To prevent a bloody civil war with global implications, Libya needs the U.S. to help stop other countries from meddling in our affairs," Serraj said.

"I remain hopeful that President Trump will succeed where previous presidents have failed...Libyans won't accept another Gadhafi-style military dictatorship."

Serraj made his appeal a day after the GNA asked 40 foreign firms including France's Total to renew their licences or have their operations suspended, a move that placed economic pressure on Europe to stop Haftar's offensive.

Story continues

While Serraj's Tripoli forces have the backing of the United Nations, Haftar has the support of U.S. allies Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which have helped train his soldiers.

France has supported Haftar as a way to fight militants in a country in chaos since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The GNA denies Haftar's accusations of ties to terrorism and says that it was its allies, not Haftar, who drove Islamic State from the Mediterranean coastal city of Sirte in 2016.How closely Washington will listen to Serraj is not clear.

Signalling understanding for Haftar's offensive, Trump in April spoke by phone to the eastern commander and discussed "ongoing counterterrorism efforts and the need to achieve peace and stability in Libya," according to the White House.

The statement said Trump "recognized Field Marshall Haftar's significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libyas transition to a stable, democratic political system."

The United Nations has failed to broker a ceasefire after the offensive took it by surprise. Its special envoy Ghassan Salame has mostly stayed on the ground but his mission has reduced staffing levels, U.N. officials say.

European countries including Italy and France have taken a strong interest in Libya, both because of its natural resources and because of its status as a leading departure point for migrants attempting to enter Europe across the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile on the ground, the frontlines around Tripoli have changed little in the past week and fighting has dropped off since the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadam.

(Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva, writing by William Maclean; editing by Angus MacSwan and Jonathan Oatis)
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday and discussed the detention of two Canadian citizens in China, which has triggered a major crisis between Ottawa and Beijing. Canada is pressing Washington to do more to free the two men, who were detained after Canadian police arrested a Huawei Technologies Co Ltd executive last year at the request of the United States. China has also halted imports of Canadian canola and some pork products. A statement from Trudeau's office said the two leaders talked about the two detained men as well as "Canada's ongoing efforts to secure their release." It gave no details. A White House statement said Trump expressed to Trudeau Washington's "solid commitment to standing by Canada in efforts to secure the fair treatment and release of Canadian citizens currently detained in China." The case of the two detainees is one of several irritants between Canada and the United States. Another is the tariffs that Washington slapped on Canadian exports of steel and aluminum last year, citing national security concerns. Trudeau raised the punitive measures and "reiterated the importance of their removal," the statement said. The White House statement said the two leaders discussed the U.S.-Canada-Mexico (USMCA) trade deal and U.S.-China trade talks, but it gave no details. Canadian officials have made clear there is no chance Ottawa will move to ratify the USMCA pact unless the tariffs are lifted. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; additional reporting by Eric Beech in Washington; editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCool)
REUTERS

President Trump told reporters Thursday that he was very surprised to learn his son, Donald Trump Jr., had been subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee over Russia matters. I was very surprised to see my son, my sons a very good person, Trump said. The last thing he needs is Washington D.C.he would rather not ever be involved. The Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr. on Wednesday, and is particularly interested in his account of the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer who had allegedly promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. Trump also claimed Thursday that his son has been exonerated by Robert Muellers two-year investigation. Frankly, for my sonafter being exonerated to now get a subpoena to go again and speak again after close to 20 hours of telling everybody that would listen about a nothing meeting. Yeah, Im pretty surprised, he said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.
President Donald Trump's attempt to make a "great deal" with North Korea over its nuclear program appears increasingly in peril as Kim Jong Un has ordered new missile tests and directed his country's military "to cope with any emergency."

"Nobody's happy," Trump said Thursday after North Korea launched short-range missiles for the second time in less than a week. On Friday, Kim told his forces to be on high alert after the U.S. seized a large cargo ship that was attempting to smuggle coal out of North Korea in violation of United Nations Security Council sanctions.

"(Kim) stressed the need to further increase the capability of the defense units in the forefront area and on the western front to carry out combat tasks and keep full combat posture," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a state media outlet that rarely quotes Pyongyang's leader directly, reported. KCNA said Kim "set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability" of North Korea's weapon systems.

Diplomacy?: North Korea launches second projectile in less than a week

Analysts said the implications for Trump's diplomatic efforts at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula were not entirely clear, and that while North Korea's escalating rhetoric and military preparedness did not signal war, it showed how far apart the two nations were after two historic summits between Trump and North Korea's leader.

"These new developments show that neither country is able to sustain any kind of negotiation beyond the summits," said Waheguru Pal Singh, a defense and foreign policy expert at New York Universitys Center on International Cooperation, who has also consulted for the United Nations on international peace and security issues.

"For me, the key marker will be if the U.S. resumes joint military exercises with South Korea, and how the North reacts," he said, referring to longstanding annual large-scale Washington-Seoul military drills Trump ended in March to reduce tensions.

Story continues

About 28,000 U.S. troops plus thousands more family members and Department of Defense employees are stationed in South Korea, and their presence, and the joint military exercises, have for years been a source of North Korean anger.

The projectiles North Korea launched Saturday, and then Thursday, were the first since Pyongyang paused missile launches in late 2017. All splash-landed in the Pacific.

Trump has refused to yield to North Korean demands to lift economic sanctions.

Sanctions no-no:U.S. seizes North Korea cargo ship linked to exporting tons of coal

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows missiles being fired during a drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea, on May 9, 2019.

South Korea and U.S. intelligence analysts are still examining the missiles, but Michael Elleman, a missile defense expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank with offices in London and Washington, said they resemble the Russian-designed Iskander, which has a range of about 200 miles and can fit a warhead.

"Iskander can exploit gaps in South Korean and American missile-defense coverage," Elleman wrote in a blog post on 38 North, a Koreas-focused website.

There was further evidence that North Korea may be ramping up its military capabilities even as the Trump administration has insisted the president has maintained a good relationship with Kim despite summits in Singapore and Vietnam that ended with no tangible denuclearization steps for Pyongyang.

On Thursday night, Beyond Parallel, a program affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a global affairs think tank, published new satellite images that appeared to show that North Korea has been secretly operating a missile base that it has never previously disclosed.

In its analysis of the images, Beyond Parallel said that, though unconfirmed, the "Yusang-ni" base may house intercontinental ballistic missiles with a "first strike" capability against targets located throughout East Asia, the Pacific and the U.S.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has previously said that any missile tests by North Korea involving long-range or intercontinental missiles would be a diplomatic red line.

"It is evident that Trump's diplomatic strategy has reached an impasse," said Richard Caplan, a professor of international relations at Oxford University, England. "And trade frictions with China mean that he can't count on Beijing to rein Kim in," he added, referring to fraught trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.

North Korea relies on China for aid, fuel and other imports. Beijing has acted as a buffer between Pyongyang, a close ally, and Washington. Beijing's escalating trade war with Washington may make it feel less inclined to act as a referee.

Trade war: U.S., China break off latest trade talks without announcing deal

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is embroiled in another front: Iran.

The White House has increasingly appeared to risk military confrontation with Tehran following U.S. and Israeli intelligence warnings that Iran or its proxies could be planning attacks on U.S. troops and facilities in the Middle East.

On Friday, the Pentagon said it was adding a missile defense system and warship to the aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers it has already sent to the Persian Gulf to meet any Iranian threats. "It's important that Iran understand that an attack on Americans or our interests would be met with an appropriate response," said Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. He said the threats were credible.

Yet the vast majority of Iran-watchers and experts have accused the Trump administration, in particular Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton, of potentially inflating the intelligence because of an almost obsessive dislike for Iran.

"Trump is treating North Korea as if it has no nuclear weapons, and Iran as if it does," said Singh, the defense expert at New York University, referring to what he said was the president's apparent willingness to take Kim at his word that he wants to denuclearize while ignoring repeated verifications from the United Nations' nuclear watchdog that Tehran has been complying with the 2015 nuclear accord Trump withdrew the U.S. from. "It's a very unorthodox approach," he said.

Read more: Download the USA TODAY app

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's North Korea diplomacy looks troubled. It may not mean war
The US and China remain locked in trade negotiations after Donald Trump increased tariffs on more than 6,000 Chinese consumer goods by 25 percent to $200bn (154bn), prompting Beijing to threaten retaliation.

Mr Trump, Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and chief US trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer dined with vice-premier Liu He on Thursday night and will continue discussions on Friday in the hope of finding a last-minute resolution after the president accused the rival superpower of breaking the deal and insisted: Theyll be paying.

Over the course of the past two days, the United States and China have held candid and constructive conversations on the status of the trade relationship between both countries, Mr Trump tweeted Friday.

The relationship between President Xi and myself remains a very strong one, and conversations into the future will continue, he added. In the meantime, the United States has imposed Tariffs on China, which may or may not be removed depending on what happens with respect to future negotiations!

The White House has meanwhile carried out a mass purge of journalists by revoking press passes and nominated acting secretary of defence Patrick Shanahan to the post full-time.

Mr Shanahan has been leading the Pentagon as acting secretary since 1 January, a highly unusual arrangement for arguably the most sensitive Cabinet position. He took over after Jim Mattis resigned.

Acting Secretary Shanahan has proven over the last several months that he is beyond qualified to lead the Department of Defense, and he will continue to do an excellent job, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

Moments later, Mr Shanahan spoke to reporters outside the Pentagon, saying he was very excited about the nomination and looking forward to a job he said requires him to spin a lot of plates.

The biggest challenge is balancing it all. For me its about practicing selectful neglect, so that we can stay focused on the future, he said, adding with a grin, I called my mom. She was super happy.

Indeed, in Mr Shanahans tenure at the department hes had to deal with a wide array of international hotspots, ranging from missile launches by North Korea to the sudden shift of military ships and aircraft to the Middle East to deal with potential threats from Iran.

The announcement comes close on the heels of an investigation by the Defence Departments inspector general over accusations that Mr Shanahan had shown favoritism toward Boeing during his time as deputy defense secretary, while disparaging Boeing competitors. The probe appeared to stall his nomination, but the IG wrapped up the investigation rapidly and cleared Mr Shanahan of any wrongdoing.

Additional reporting by AP. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load
Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size

Article body

Auburn University student Jay Wall, a junior from Birmingham in the College of Liberal Arts majoring in political science and minoring in German, has been awarded the Congress-Bundestag Exchange for Young Professionals Fellowship.

This intensive international program, funded by the German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State, selects 75 American and 75 German young professionals between the ages of 18-24 to spend one year in each others country, studying, interning and living with host families.

This is the fifth consecutive year an Auburn student has been named a Congress-Bundestag Exchange Fellow.

While in Germany, Wall will attend a two-month intensive German language course in the city of Radolfzell, located on the shores of Lake Constance in southwest Germany. Following his language training, Wall will study at the University of Cologne and then complete a five-month internship with a local city or county government in his career field of political science. During his time abroad, Wall will have the opportunity to learn about everyday German life from a variety of perspectives.

I am excited to apply my German language skills and understanding of political science and public administration working in local government in Germany next year. My goal is to foster cooperation and goodwill between our two countries. I am grateful for my professors, Anja Werth in the Department of Foreign Languages and Paul Harris in the Department of Political Science, for all of their support and encouragement since I arrived on campus my freshman year.

In summer 2018, Wall interned with the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office in the Restitution Recovery Unit, and, in summer 2017, he served as an intern with the Alabama Secretary of States Office in the Elections Division.

I have had the pleasure of being his instructor in several German courses and have watched the progress he has made over the semesters, said Anja Werth, lecturer in Auburns Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

He is very dedicated to learning not only the German language, but also about the culture and history of Germany. I greatly value all that he brought to the classroomdedication to teamwork, problem-solving skills, perceptive questions and motivation. In addition, Jay did not keep his contact with German to just the classroom. He has come to me for advice on ways to independently improve and expand his knowledge and has also actively sought contact with German and Swiss exchange students here at Auburn.

I am confident that Jay will be a great representative for Auburn in Germany and will, hopefully, share his experiences with us and our students upon his return. I wish him all the best.

The Congress-Bundestag Exchange Fellowship is a reciprocal scholarship program. German participants study at U.S. colleges in the fall and work at local businesses in the spring, all while living with an American host throughout the year.

Conceived by members of the United States Congress and the German Parliament, or Bundestag, the Congress-Bundestag Fellowship is financially supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act, and by the German Bundestag.

For more information about the program, contact Ken Thomas in the Honors College at kdt0011@auburn.edu.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday and offered his support for Canadian citizens detained in China, the White House said.

Four Canadians have been detained in China, two of whom have been sentenced to death over drug smuggling accusations.

"During the call, the President expressed the United States' solid commitment to standing by Canada in efforts to secure the fair treatment and release of Canadian citizens currently detained in China," the White House said in a statement.

The two leaders also discussed trade negotiations with China and the new North American free trade pact, the statement said.

A Chinese court adjourned a hearing Thursday on Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg's appeal against his sentence for drug smuggling.

He was sentenced to death in January after a court deemed his previous 15-year prison sentence too lenient.

Trudeau has said that China had "chosen to arbitrarily" sentence Schellenberg to death. His government has pleaded for clemency.

Schellenberg's case is seen as potential leverage for Meng Wanzhou, a top executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei, who was arrested in Canada on a US extradition request related to Iran's sanctions violations.

Following her arrest in December, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, in what observers saw as retaliation.

They have been denied access to lawyers and are allowed only monthly consular visits.

Last week another Canadian was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in a separate case in southern China.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump branded his chief Democratic rival "SleepyCreepy" Joe Biden on Friday, framing the 2020 nominations race as a battle between the former vice president and "Crazy Bernie" Sanders.

The Republican president took to his favorite public platform, Twitter, to announce the stinging new epithet for Biden, who enjoys a strong lead in Democratic polls, and reprise his favorite sobriquet for Sanders, the liberal US senator who for months has been number two in the running.

"Looks to me like it's going to be SleepyCreepy Joe over Crazy Bernie," Trump tweeted.

"Everyone else is fading fast!" he added, referring to the crowded field of 21 candidates, including seven US senators, four current and former congressmen and two governors.

Biden and Sanders are ruling the race, although it is still nine months before the first votes are cast in the state-by-state nominations process.

Biden is grappling with his reputation as an especially tactile politician.

He has been criticized recently for invading personal space or otherwise making women feel uncomfortable over the years, but he insisted he never intentionally engaged in inappropriate behavior.

Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct at least 20 women since the 1980s and denies any wrongdoing, said two weeks ago he would refrain from directly attacking Biden by using the handle "that rhymes with" sleepy.

"I've known him for a while and he's a pretty sleepy guy," Trump told Fox News, adding that Biden is "not going to be able to deal with President Xi" Jinping of China, who he described as smart and energetic.
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey on Friday called for an end to regime attacks on Idlib, accusing Damascus of seeking to extend its control of the province's south in violation of previously agreed boundaries.

Syrian regime forces together with their Russian allies have increased air strikes and shelling in the jihadist-controlled northwestern province since last April.

"We expect Russia to take effective and decisive measures to ensure regime forces end their attacks on the south of Idlib and the (forces) immediately withdraw to the borders agreed as part of Astana Process," Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said.

"The regime is trying to widen its area of control in Idlib's south in violation of the Astana agreement," Akar added, quoted by state news agency Anadolu.

He said the attacks were also a "risk" to Turkey's 12 military observation posts around the region.

Akar made his comments during a visit to the Turkish border with Syria, joined by top military commanders.

While Moscow backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Ankara has called for his ouster and supports Syrian rebels in the civil war which began with anti-government protests in 2011.

Despite being on opposing sides of the war, Turkey has been working closely with regime backers Russia and Iran to find a political solution to the Syrian civil war.

Their talks have been known as the Astana process which was launched in early 2017 in the Kazakh capital now called Nur-Sultan.

A separate deal agreed by Moscow and Ankara last year aimed to set up a buffer zone around Idlib, and avoid a massive Syrian regime assault on the province.
ISTANBUL, May 10 (Reuters) - Turkey's Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK) said on Friday it had fined Facebook a total of 1.65 million lira ($270,976.01) in April due to a data breach.

It cited a Facebook statement from December as saying the company had discovered a photo API bug that allowed third-party applications to access Facebook user photos.

KVKK said that around 300,000 users in Turkey may have been affected by this data breach. It also said that the API bug occurred for 12 days in September last year and Facebook not intervening in time showed there were deficiencies in technical precautions regarding the issue.

($1 = 6.0891 liras) (Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Ali Kucukgocmen)
The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress.

Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions.

Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs.
San Jose (AFP) - Two Argentine pilots survived when their light aircraft crash landed Friday in a heavily populated area of the capital of Costa Rica, officials said.

The pilots climbed out of the wreckage of the plane after it came down in the Pavas neighborhood of San Jose, in an area full of homes and schools, witnesses and officials said.

"The pilots are well, they managed to get out of the plane on their own," said the head of Costa Rica's civil aviation authority, Guillermo Hoppe, speaking at the scene.

"It was a complicated situation, the plane lost all power," said Damian Barreira, one of the two pilots, in a video clip shot on a local resident's cell phone and broadcast on news channels.

Hoppe said Argentine authorities had informed him that the men had bought the plane in the United States and were flying it back to their home country in short-distance flights, a journey that had been expected to take a month.

Shortly after taking off from an airfield in San Jose, the plane lost power and the pilots looked for an open space in the residential district to make an emergency landing. As it came down, the plane hit a large tree which cushioned the impact of the crash.
Dublin (AFP) - Two men were charged with rioting offences in connection with the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry last month, Northern Irish police said Friday.

Twenty nine year-old McKee was shot in the head as rioters clashed with police in the border city on 18 April.

In the aftermath dissident republican faction the New IRA claimed responsibility for orchestrating the unrest.

"A 51-year-old man has been charged with riot, petrol bomb offences and arson of a hijacked vehicle," police said in a statement.

"A 38-year-old man has been charged with riot, petrol bomb offences and the arson and hijacking of a tipper truck."

The charges relate to the violent disorder which overtook the Creggan area of Londonderry on the night of McKee's death.

Both men are due to appear in court on Saturday whilst two other males arrested on Thursday have been released without charge.

Northern Irish police previously arrested two men -- aged 18 and 19 -- and a 57-year-old woman, releasing them all without charge.

The New IRA has issued an apology for the killing, arguing McKee was unintentionally slain as its "volunteers" targeted police carrying out a night-time raid.

"An incursion on the Creggan by heavily armed British crown forces" effectively "provoked rioting," the group said in a statement.

As a splinter dissident group, the New IRA is waging an armed campaign to integrate British-ruled Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland to the south.

The paramilitary faction rejects the winding down of mainstream violent republican campaigns following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended the 30 years of violence known as "The Troubles".

McKee's death follows a recent wave of attacks claimed by the New IRA, including a spate of letter bombings and a car bombing.

None of those actions resulted in fatalities.

But there are growing concerns that political strife caused by Brexit, which threatens to reinstate fresh checkpoints on the Irish border, may be provoking paramilitary activity.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

The big shareholder groups in China Travel International Investment Hong Kong Limited (HKG:308) have power over the company. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership.

China Travel International Investment Hong Kong isn't enormous, but it's not particularly small either. It has a market capitalization of HK$9.2b, which means it would generally expect to see some institutions on the share registry. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutional investors have bought into the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about 308.

See our latest analysis for China Travel International Investment Hong Kong

SEHK:308 Ownership Summary, May 10th 2019

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About China Travel International Investment Hong Kong?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

China Travel International Investment Hong Kong already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own 8.3% of the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see China Travel International Investment Hong Kong's historic earnings and revenue, below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Story continues

SEHK:308 Income Statement, May 10th 2019

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in China Travel International Investment Hong Kong. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track.

Insider Ownership Of China Travel International Investment Hong Kong

The definition of company insiders can be subjective, and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.

Our data suggests that insiders own under 1% of China Travel International Investment Hong Kong Limited in their own names. We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. Keep in mind that it's a big company, and the insiders own HK$2.8m worth of shares. The absolute value might be more important than the proportional share. It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

The general public holds a 32% stake in 308. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Private Company Ownership

We can see that Private Companies own 60%, of the shares on issue. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand China Travel International Investment Hong Kong better, we need to consider many other factors.

I always like to check for a history of revenue growth. You can too, by accessing this free chart of historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
NAIROBI (Reuters) - A U.S. air strike killed 13 Islamic State fighters in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region on Wednesday, the U.S. military said, days after another strike killed three.

The U.S. military has stepped up its campaign of air strikes in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office, saying it has killed more than 800 militants in two years.

Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has gathered recruits in Puntland, although experts say the scale of its force is unclear and it remains a small player compared al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group that once controlled much of Somalia.

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said late on Thursday the latest strike targeted an ISIS-Somalia camp in Golis Mountains.

"At this time, it is assessed the air strike on May 8 killed 13 terrorists," it said.

AFRICOM said in April it had killed Abdulhakim Dhuqub, identifying him as Islamic State's deputy leader in Somalia.

Somalia has been mired in civil war and an Islamist insurgency since 1991 when clan warlords overthrew a dictator and then turned on each other.

Al Shabaab was pushed out of the capital Mogadishu in 2011, but retains a strong presence in parts of southern and central Somalia and has often clashed with Islamic State.

(Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Edmund Blair)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal grand jury charged a Chinese national in a 2015 hacking campaign that affected large U.S. businesses including insurer Anthem Inc, where the breach affected a computer system containing data on nearly 80 million people, according to an indictment unsealed on Thursday. Fujie Wang, 32, and others including one individual charged as John Doe, conducted intrusions into Anthem and three other American businesses, according to the four-count indictment in federal court in Indianapolis, where Anthem is based. It did not identify the other companies by name. The hackers used sophisticated techniques to hack into the businesses' computer systems and installed malware, then identified information of interest including personally identifiable information (PII) and business information. "The allegations in the indictment unsealed today outline the activities of a brazen China-based computer hacking group that committed one of the worst data breaches in history, said U.S. Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski. Wang and Doe were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to computers and identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and intentional damage to a protected computer, the Justice Department said. The "extremely sophisticated hacking group" ultimately stole data concerning nearly 80 million people from Anthem's computer networks, the Justice Department said in a statement. The information accessed included names, birthdays, Social Security numbers, street addresses, email addresses and employment information, including income data, it said. In July 2017, Anthem agreed to settle litigation over the breach for $115 million, which lawyers said would be the largest settlement ever for a data breach. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Susan Thomas and Peter Cooney)
May 10 (Reuters) - Negotiators from the U.S. and China have agreed to meet again in Beijing in the future for further trade talks, the editor-in-chief of China's Global Times newspaper said on Friday.

"I learned from authoritative source (sic) that China-US trade talks didn't break down. Both sides think that the talks are constructive and will continue consultations. The two sides agree to meet again in Beijing in the future," Hu Xijin said in a tweet http://bit.ly/2HdjvRt.

Global Times is a tabloid published by the Ruling Communist Party's People's Daily. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
By Stephen Nellis

May 9 (Reuters) - A U.S. startup company is accusing Chinese telecommunications gear provider Huawei of enlisting a Chinese university professor working on a research project to improperly access the startup's technology, according to court documents filed last week.

California-based CNEX is developing technology to enhance the performance of solid-state drives in data centers and has been in a dispute with Huawei Technologies Co Ltd since 2017. In a new set of counterclaims filed in federal court in Texas last week, CNEX alleged that Bo Mao, a professor at Xiamen University, asked for one of the company's circuit boards as part of a research project.

The company alleges that it required Mao to sign a "strict non-disclosure obligation" about the circuit board. But CNEX alleged that, unbeknownst to it, the university was working with Huawei and alleged that after it sent the circuit board to the professor, technical details about its products ended up in Huawei's hands.

"Huawei took CNEXs proprietary and trade secret information and shared it with the personnel developing Huaweis (solid-state drive) controllers in violation of representations made to CNEX and restrictions placed on the distribution of CNEXs technical information," the startup said in the filing.

Neither Huawei nor Mao returned a request from Reuters for comment.

Huawei's gear has been largely shut out of the United States since 2012 over security concerns the technology could be used for espionage. The company has said the concerns are unfounded.

The company's CFO Meng Wanzhou, 47, the daughter of Huaweis billionaire founder, Ren Zhengfei, was arrested at Vancouvers airport in December on a U.S. warrant and is fighting extradition on charges that she conspired to defraud global banks about Huaweis relationship with a company operating in Iran.

CNEX's allegations last week are the latest in a trial dating to 2017. One of CNEX's co-founders, Ronnie Huang, had worked for a Huawei subsidiary in Texas but left in 2013 and later helped found CNEX.

Story continues

In 2017, Huawei sued CNEX and Huang alleging that the startup's inventions were related to work Huang had done at Huawei and that it had a right to the patents under a contract Huang signed. CNEX in turn alleged that Huawei was seeking to use the court case itself to obtain deeper access to its technology through the discovery process.

Last week, the court denied Huawei's claims to ownership over CNEX's patents, ruling that California law, which gives workers broad leeway to leave their employers and create new companies, applied to that part of Huang's contract. CNEX still faces claims from Huawei that Huang improperly recruited his former Huawei co-workers to join his new company.

(Reporting by Stephen Nellis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Democratic lawmaker has suggested fines of $25,000 a day for contempt on U.S. officials who stonewall congressional investigations of President Donald Trump and his administration. Expanding on an idea floated days ago by Democrats as a way of putting some teeth into various inquiries of Trump, his turbulent presidency, his family and his business interests, Representative Adam Schiff spoke in two interviews about reviving the "inherent contempt" power of Congress. "We would levy fines on those who are not cooperating," Schiff, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee told Axios in an interview published on Friday. "You could fine someone $25,000 a day until they comply. You can do that. We're looking through the history and studying the law to make sure we're on solid ground," Schiff said. Democrats who control the House have confronted the Republican president and his administration for refusing to cooperate with at least six separate investigations. Republicans have accused Democrats of grandstanding for progressive voters, but even the Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed the president's son, Donald Trump Jr. Congress can subpoena testimony and documents, then enforce these formal requests by holding recalcitrant subpoena targets in contempt of Congress. At that point, legal options are less clear cut. Congress can ask federal prosecutors to take the matter to court, but legal experts have questioned the effectiveness of this option since prosecutors work for the Justice Department whose top official is appointed by Trump. Congress can go to court itself and ask a judge to step in, but this can be time consuming. Finally, opening an impeachment proceeding adds force to congressional inquiries, but Democratic leaders have been reluctant to take this rare step. Democrats instead are exploring inherent contempt, a dormant, extrajudicial power to arrest, detain and fine that Congress has not used since the 1930s. Schiff talked about reviving inherent contempt and imposing fines on The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC on Thursday. He said such a step by Congress "may be even quicker than the impeachment proceeding or the court proceeding." U.S. Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, has been cited for contempt by the House Judiciary Committee for refusing to hand over an unredacted copy of the Mueller report on Russian election interference and any ties to the 2016 Trump campaign. The administration invoked executive privilege to keep the full Congress from seeing the report. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler raised inherent contempt as a possibility last week. Under inherent contempt, the House sergeant-at-arms can arrest and detain people. Democratic leaders have said they have no plans to revive that power. "It used to be we imprisoned people," Schiff said on MSNBC. "But we could also fine them $25,000 a day until they comply, or some other number." Exactly how that would work is uncertain. Some legal experts have said fines could be imposed, but that it might require passage of enabling legislation by Congress. Trump has openly vowed to fight congressional subpoenas and directed top officials not to comply. On Friday, Nadler said his panel had again issued a subpoena to former White House counsel Don McGahn and that lawmakers expect him to appear May 21 or face being cited for contempt, according to Fox News. (Reporting by Susan Heavey; additional reporting by David Morgan, Mark Hosenball, Sarah N. Lynch, Jan Wolfe and Richard Cowan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Grant McCool)
By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - A senior Democratic lawmaker has suggested fines of $25,000 a day for contempt on U.S. officials who stonewall congressional investigations of President Donald Trump and his administration.

Expanding on an idea floated days ago by Democrats as a way of putting some teeth into various inquiries of Trump, his turbulent presidency, his family and his business interests, Representative Adam Schiff spoke in two interviews about reviving the "inherent contempt" power of Congress.

"We would levy fines on those who are not cooperating," Schiff, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee told Axios in an interview published on Friday.

"You could fine someone $25,000 a day until they comply. You can do that. We're looking through the history and studying the law to make sure we're on solid ground," Schiff said.

Democrats who control the House have confronted the Republican president and his administration for refusing to cooperate with at least six separate investigations. Republicans have accused Democrats of grandstanding for progressive voters, but even the Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed the president's son, Donald Trump Jr.

Congress can subpoena testimony and documents, then enforce these formal requests by holding recalcitrant subpoena targets in contempt of Congress. At that point, legal options are less clear cut.

Congress can ask federal prosecutors to take the matter to court, but legal experts have questioned the effectiveness of this option since prosecutors work for the Justice Department whose top official is appointed by Trump.

Congress can go to court itself and ask a judge to step in, but this can be time consuming. Finally, opening an impeachment proceeding adds force to congressional inquiries, but Democratic leaders have been reluctant to take this rare step.

Democrats instead are exploring inherent contempt, a dormant, extrajudicial power to arrest, detain and fine that Congress has not used since the 1930s.

Story continues

Schiff talked about reviving inherent contempt and imposing fines on The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC on Thursday. He said such a step by Congress "may be even quicker than the impeachment proceeding or the court proceeding."

U.S. Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, has been cited for contempt by the House Judiciary Committee for refusing to hand over an unredacted copy of the Mueller report on Russian election interference and any ties to the 2016 Trump campaign. The administration invoked executive privilege to keep the full Congress from seeing the report.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler raised inherent contempt as a possibility last week.

Under inherent contempt, the House sergeant-at-arms can arrest and detain people. Democratic leaders have said they have no plans to revive that power.

"It used to be we imprisoned people," Schiff said on MSNBC. "But we could also fine them $25,000 a day until they comply, or some other number."

Exactly how that would work is uncertain. Some legal experts have said fines could be imposed, but that it might require passage of enabling legislation by Congress.

Trump has openly vowed to fight congressional subpoenas and directed top officials not to comply. On Friday, Nadler said his panel had again issued a subpoena to former White House counsel Don McGahn and that lawmakers expect him to appear May 21 or face being cited for contempt, according to Fox News.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; additional reporting by David Morgan, Mark Hosenball, Sarah N. Lynch, Jan Wolfe and Richard Cowan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Grant McCool)
Public sector lender Canara Bank on Friday reported a net profit of Rs 347.02 for the financial year 2018-19 as against net loss of Rs 4,222.24 crore in FY18.

The bank's net interest income (NII), which is the difference between interest earned and interest expended, rose by 19.03 per cent to Rs 14,478.12 crore in FY19 versus Rs 12,163.33 crore in the previous year.

Canara Bank's operating profit (EBITDA) for FY19 improved by 10.9 per cent to Rs 9,548 crore as compared to Rs 10590 crore in FY18.

"Total income during the fiscal increased to Rs 53,385.30 crore from Rs 48,194.94 crore a year earlier," Canara Bank said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The Bengaluru-headquartered bank's provisions and contingencies declined to Rs 12,918.28 crore in FY19 from Rs 16,109.10 crore in FY18. Provision Coverage ratio improved from 58.06 per cent in FY18 to 68.13 per cent in FY19.

On the asset front, gross non-performing assets (NPAs) ratio - bad loans as a percentage of gross advances - declined to 8.83 per cent versus 11.84 per cent in the previous year. Net NPA also slipped to 5.37 per cent as compared to 7.48 per cent in the corresponding period last year.

Also Read: SBI posts net profit of Rs 862 crore in FY19 on higher interest income, asset quality improves

Gross Advances was up by 10.82 per cent at Rs 4,44,216 crore, while Gross Deposits grew by 14.15 per cent at Rs 5,99,033 crore.

During the January-March quarter, the bank's net loss narrowed to Rs 551.53 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 4,859.77 crore in the same quarter last year, helped by lower provisioning for bad loans.

The bank's provisions and contingencies stood at Rs 5,523.50 crore during the quarter ended March 31, 2019. As on March 31, 2019, Canara Bank restructured as many as 41,602 MSME account, as per the RBI directive, with amount involving Rs 753.51 crore as a relief to them under Goods and Services Tax.

Net Interest Income grew 17.2 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,500.15 crore in Q4FY19, the bank said.

Gross NPA ratio stood at 8.83 per cent in Q4FY19 versus 11.84 per cent in Q4FY18, while its Net NPA ratio was reported at 5.37 per cent against 7.48 per cent in the year ago quarter.

During the March quarter, the bank detected six fraud accounts amounting to Rs 704.06 crore, wherein the bank is required to provide Rs 429.87 crore, in addition to the provision of Rs 274.19 crore already provided up to December 2018. "The total amount provided during the quarter is Rs 107.47 crore, representing 25 per cent of the provision to be made. Further, the remaining unamortised provision amount is debited to other reserves, which will be amortised during first three quarters of next financial year," it said.

Meanwhile, Canara Bank shares closed trade at Rs 265.45 apiece, up 3.21 per cent, on the BSE.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: Mukesh Ambani buys world's oldest toy shop Hamleys: 7 facts you probably don't know
By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Friday expanded the scope of its Venezuela sanctions to the defense and security services sectors to try to crank up economic pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The White House is keen to show that momentum in its four-month-old campaign against Maduro has not waned, particularly after a failed uprising last week led by opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is backed by the United States and most Western nations. Guaido - who Maduro has called a puppet of Washington - invoked Venezuela's constitution in January to assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. Despite significant U.S. oil sanctions on the OPEC member nation, Maduro has held on to power, backed by Cuba, Russia and China, and retains the support of the country's military and other institutions. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin a week ago, a conversation that revealed Moscow to be relatively disinterested in the fate of Maduro, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I think it was clear from the call, at least to us, that Putin doesn't care about Venezuela," the official told a small group of reporters. "It's a chit for bigger geopolitical issues," the official said, noting that Putin described Maduro as economically incompetent. Under Maduro's leadership, Venezuela's economy has ground to a halt, causing shortages of food, power, water and medicine, and prompting an exodus of millions from the oil-rich country. Guaido's April 30 uprising failed to result in widespread change, but left Maduro "cornered" and desperate, the official said. One former general turned against Maduro, and this week he was taken off the U.S. sanctions blacklist. The general, Manuel Cristopher, has been in touch with U.S. officials, and contacts from other military figures have also surged, the official said. The Treasury Department said on Friday that U.S. and foreign companies working with Venezuela's defense and security services sectors can now be sanctioned, adding to penalties for companies working in the oil and banking sectors. The move puts on notice foreign suppliers of military spare parts or telecommunications equipment and services, the U.S. official said. The Trump administration also blacklisted two new shipping companies and two oil tanker ships for shipping oil from Venezuela to Cuba. The U.S. Treasury identified the firms as Monsoon Navigation Corp, based in the Marshall Islands, and Liberia-based Serenity Navigation Ltd. Monsoon's tanker Ocean Elegance and Serenity Maritime's Leon Dias delivered crude oil from Venezuela to Cuba from late 2018 through March 2019, the Treasury Department said. Both tankers have Panama flags. The sanctions block the firms and ships from dealings with U.S. persons and companies, and freeze any assets the firms may own or control in the United States. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington; Additional reporting by Makini Brice and Mohammad Zargham in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish and Leslie Adler)
By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - 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.

The United States has confirmed 695 cases of measles, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday. Many of the case occurred in the states of New York and Washington.

California has confirmed 38 cases, state health officials have said.

The people ordered quarantined at the two California campuses were exposed to measles and could not provide evidence they had been immunized against the disease, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement.

"Both universities are assisting with the implementation of quarantine orders and determining how best to support students who must be quarantined and who live on campus," the Department of Public Health said.

At Cal State LA, the quarantine is related to a measles exposure at a library on April 11. The quarantine initially affected about 200 employees, including some student-employees, the university said in a statement.

That number was later reduced to 156 people, the Department of Public Health said in an email on Thursday, and the quarantine will end in a week.

At UCLA, 119 students and eight staff members who were exposed to measles at the campus earlier this month and could not provide proof of immunity were ordered quarantined on Wednesday, the university said in a statement.

Since then, officials have released more than 40 people from the quarantine after establishing they had immunity. The UCLA quarantine will end by Tuesday, according to the Department of Public Health.

The virus can lead to deadly complications, but no measles deaths have been reported in the latest U.S. outbreak.

Story continues

U.S. public health officials have blamed the nationwide outbreak, which coincides with a global rise in the prevalence of the disease, in part on the spread of misinformation about the safety of vaccines.

Although the disease was eliminated from the country in 2000, meaning the virus was no longer continually present year-round, outbreaks still happen via travelers coming from countries where measles is common, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by G Crosse and Leslie Adler)
By Tom Miles

GENEVA (Reuters) - Around 180 countries reached a deal on Friday that aims to sharply reduce the amount of plastic that gets washed into the world's oceans, the United Nations said.

They agreed to amend the Basel Convention to make global trade in plastic waste more transparent and better regulated, while also ensuring that its management is safer for human health and the environment.

"Im proud that this week in Geneva, parties to the Basel Convention have reached agreement on a legally-binding, globally-reaching mechanism for managing plastic waste," Rolph Payet, executive secretary at U.N. Environment for the Basel, Rotterdam & Stockholm Conventions, said in a statement.

"Pollution from plastic waste, acknowledged as a major environmental problem of global concern, has reached epidemic proportions with an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic now found in the oceans, 80-90% of which comes from land-based sources," the statement said.

Payet said the negotiations, which began 11 days ago and brought together 1,400 delegates, had gone much further than anticipated.

Officials attributed the progress partly to growing public awareness worldwide - reinforced by documentary films by British naturalist David Attenborough and others - of the dangers of plastic pollution to marine life.

Marco Lambertini, director general of environmental charity WWF International, said that for too long wealthy countries had abdicated responsibility for enormous quantities of plastic waste and that the new accord was a highly welcome step towards redressing the imbalance and restoring some accountability.

"However, it only goes part of the way. What we - and the planet - need is a comprehensive treaty to tackle the global plastic crisis," he added.

"DEAD ALBATROSS CHICKS"

Payet said the new rules should have a significant impact on ocean pollution and ensure that plastics "do not end up where they should not end up".

Story continues

Paul Rose, expedition leader for the National Geographic Pristine Seas Expeditions, said he believed changing public opinion worldwide about plastic pollution had played a positive role in the negotiations.

"It was those iconic images of the dead albatross chicks on the Pacific Islands with their stomachs open and all recognisable plastic items inside it, and most recently, it's been when we discovered the nano-particles do cross the blood-brain barrier, and we were able to prove that plastic is in us," Rose said.

An online petition entitled "Stop dumping plastic in paradise!" has attracted almost a million signatures in the past week.

The new rules will take a year to come into force. But Payet said the signatory countries had said they did not want any delay, adding that the plan was to "hit the ground running".

(Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Gareth Jones)
By Scott DiSavino

May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. energy firms this week reduced the number of oil rigs operating for the third time in four weeks even as crude production forecasts increase despite some drillers cutting spending.

Drillers cut two oil rigs in the week to May 10, bringing the total count down to 805, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday. <RIG-OL-USA-BHI>

That put the U.S. rig count, an early indicator of future output, below the 844 drilling a year ago.

The rig count has declined over the past five months as independent exploration and production companies cut spending on new drilling as they focus more on earnings growth instead of increased output.

Major oil companies, like Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp, however, are boosting their presence, particularly in the Permian, the largest U.S. shale oil field.

The Energy Information Administration this week raised its forecast for U.S. crude output, projecting it would reach a record 12.5 million barrels per day in 2019 and 13.4 million bpd in 2020, up from the current all-time high of 11.0 million bpd.

U.S. crude futures, meanwhile, were trading around $62 per barrel on Friday, leaving the contract little changed for the week as tightened global supplies overshadowed trade tensions stoked by a U.S. move to hike tariffs on Chinese goods.

Looking ahead, crude futures were trading just below $62 a barrel for the balance of 2019 and above $59 in calendar 2020.

U.S. financial services firm Cowen & Co this week said that projections from the exploration and production (E&P) companies it tracks point to a 5 percent decline in capital expenditures for drilling and completions in 2019 versus 2018.

Cowen said independent producers expect to spend about 11 percent less in 2019, while major oil companies plan to spend about 16 percent more.

In total, Cowen said all of the E&P companies it tracks that have reported will spend about $81.9 billion in 2019 versus $86.4 billion in 2018.

Story continues

Year-to-date, the total number of oil and gas rigs active in the United States has averaged 1,031. Most rigs produce both oil and gas.

Analysts at Simmons & Co, energy specialists at U.S. investment bank Piper Jaffray, however, forecast the average combined oil and gas rig count will slide from 1,032 in 2018 to 1,019 in 2019 before rising to 1,097 in 2020.

That is the same as Simmons predictions since early April.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino Editing by Marguerita Choy)
WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday that President Donald Trump had asked him to create a plan to support American farmers amid a trade dispute with China that has hit the U.S. agricultural sector hard.

"While China may backtrack, @POTUS is steadfast in his support for U.S. farmers and directed @USDA to work on a plan quickly," Perdue wrote in a post on Twitter.

Asked about the tweet, a USDA spokeswoman said the department had nothing further to share at this time. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Tim Ahmann)
May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors said on Friday that Huawei Technologies Co Ltd lawyer James Cole's prior work at the Department of Justice created a conflict of interest that should disqualify him from acting for the Chinese company in its fraud case against the U.S. government.

Prosecutors made the argument in a filing in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld)
WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. contacts with Venezuelan military officials have surged since last week's attempted uprising against President Nicolas Maduro, a U.S. senior administration official said on Friday.

U.S. officials have also been in touch with former Venezuelan General Manuel Cristopher, who was the head of the South American country's Sebin intelligence service until he broke with Maduro and left the country, to offer support, the official told a small group of reporters. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton Editing by Leslie Adler)
LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through key Middle East waterways could be targeted by Iran in one of the threats to U.S. interests posed by Tehran, the U.S. Maritime Administration said in an advisory.

The U.S. military said this week that a number of B-52 bombers would be part of additional forces being sent to the Middle East to counter what the Trump administration calls "clear indications" of threats from Iran to U.S. forces there. The Islamic Republic has dismissed the U.S. contention of a threat as "fake intelligence."

In the advisory posted on Thursday, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) said that since early May there had been an increased possibility of Iran or its regional proxies taking action against U.S. and partner interests.

These included, MARAD said, oil production infrastructure, after Tehran threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz chokepoint through which about one third of the world's seaborne crude exports flow.

"Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or U.S. military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, or the Persian Gulf," MARAD said.

"Reporting indicates heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and interests."

Millions of barrels of oil pass daily through the various bottlenecks from Middle East oil producers to markets across the globe.

Tensions have risen between Tehran and Washington since the Trump administration withdrew a year ago from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran and began ratcheting up sanctions to throttle Tehran's economy.

Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, commander of the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, told Reuters on Thursday that its forces were on a heightened state of readiness, although the U.S. military was not seeking or preparing for war with Iran.

MARAD added that U.S.-flagged ships were encouraged to contact the Fifth Fleet - which is tasked with protecting commercial shipping in the area - at least two days before sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington further tightened sanctions on Iran this month - eliminating waivers that had allowed some countries to buy its oil - with a goal of reducing Tehran's crude exports to zero.

Iran has responded by scaling back some curbs on its nuclear program concerning material stockpiles though it remains compliant with commitments to restrict its uranium enrichment activity. (Reporting by Jonathan Saul Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Investors can now seek class action against companies, with the government notifying the thresholds for filing such lawsuits.

In a significant move, the corporate affairs ministry has notified the thresholds for filing class action -- a provision aimed at providing a redressal mechanism for small and minority investors.

Under Section 245 of the Companies Act, investors can file a class action suit in case they feel that the management or conduct of the affairs of a company are prejudicial to their interests.

An application for class action can be filed by a member or members representing five per cent of the total members of a company. It can also be done by 100 members of a company, whichever is less, according to the ministry.

The same criteria will also be applicable for depositors of deposit-taking companies.

In case of an unlisted company, a member or members holding at least five per cent of the issued share capital can file for class action. For listed companies, this threshold would be two per cent.

The ministry has made amendments to the National Company Law Tribunal Rules 2016 under the Companies Act, 2013 on Wednesday.

With the notification of the thresholds, investors can now file class action lawsuits, an official said.

This is a huge step in terms of redressal mechanism for small and minority shareholders, he added.

Among others, if statutory auditors have been callous and negligent, endorsing falsified statements, the investors can certainly proceed against them with a class action.

The ministry is also readying a scheme to provide financial assistance to minority investors filing class action lawsuits under the companies law.
LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will talk to Northern Ireland's Sinn Fein in the coming days about efforts to restore the region's devolved government, May's spokeswoman said on Friday.

Representatives of Irish nationalists Sinn Fein and the pro-British Democratic Unionists resumed talks this week in their first attempt in more than a year to restore the government, which has been frozen since early 2017.

May also discussed the talks with the Democratic Unionist Party on Thursday. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Kate Holton)
Lovespace warehouse worker Pawel Mazur unloads boxes from a trolley to place them into their allocated zones at the warehouse in Dunstable, England. Photo: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

The UKs economic growth accelerated at the start of the year, according to new data.

GDP grew by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2019, an initial estimate from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published on Friday showed. The figure was in-line with economists consensus forecast for quarter-on-quarter growth and marks an acceleration from the 0.2% GDP growth registered in the final three months of 2018.

Economic growth was boosted by strong consumer spending and manufacturing activity, which likely reflected stockpiling in preparation for Brexit. During the period measured, businesses thought the UK would leave the EU on 29 March and there was a real threat of the UK crashing out in a no-deal Brexit.

Stockpiling boost

Manufacturing activity grew by 2.2% in the quarter and contributed to just under half of total GDP growth in the quarter.

Some businesses brought activity forward early this year in preparation for leaving the EU, so higher stocks and earlier orders have artificially bumped up the growth numbers, Tej Parikh, senior economist at the Institute of Directors, said.

Separate manufacturing and industrial production figures released on Friday beat economists forecasts. Manufacturing activity grew by 0.9% in March, compared to an estimate of 0.2%, and industrial production increased by 0.7% in March, against an estimate of 0.1%.

It is difficult to unpick how much of the increase in manufacturing output in Quarter 1 2019 might reflect the increase of domestic output produced by UK manufacturers in response to the stockpiling demands by UK and/or foreign manufacturers, the ONS said.

Parikh said any stockpiling boost would likely be temporary as many firms will be keen to run down their Brexit caches, which will drag on economic growth.

Households continued to spend

First quarter GDP was also boosted by a a sharp pickup in the output of the wholesale, retail, and motor trades industries, which increased by 1.2% in the first quarter of 2019, the ONS said.

Story continues

This increase broadly reflects a pickup in growth of retail sales, which increased by 1.6% in the first three months of 2019.

Mike Jakeman, senior economist at PwC, said: Households continued to spend, with private consumption rising by 0.7% quarter on quarter. But more significant was the return to growth of business investment, which expanded by 0.5% after four consecutive quarters of decline as firms delayed investment decisions owing to Brexit uncertainty.

Total business investment increased by 0.5% in the quarter, compared to an estimate of -0.6%.

The return to growth in the first quarter was not because any certainty was provided by politicians, Jakeman said. Instead, firms are likely to have spent more on contingency planning and perhaps decided that some investment decisions could be delayed no longer, after a year of sitting on the sidelines.

A flash in the pan

The ONS cautioned that the recovery in growth and investment was in part down to weak growth in the prior quarter, which flattered the first quarter figures.

The strength in quarterly growth is in part due to the low December 2018 monthly growth in the base period, which makes the current period look stronger in comparison, the ONS said. Having fallen by 0.3% in December 2018, there was offsetting strength in January 2019 as output increased by 0.5%, followed by a further increase of 0.2% in February 2019.

There are already signs of slowing momentum heading into the second quarter. The ONS said that month-on-month GDP growth in March was actually -0.1%.

The relatively strong growth figures for Q1 may just be a flash in the pan, Parikh said. While the Brexit extension avoided the immediate risk of no deal, the economy will remain in a state of limbo until there is a clear path out of this situation.

The UK economy grew by 1.8% in the first quarter of 2019 when compared to the first quarter of 2018. This was in-line with economists forecasts and an acceleration on the 1.4% annual growth recorded in the final three months of 2018.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council called Friday for warring Libyan parties to recommit to political talks and agree to a ceasefire as a month-long offensive on the capital showed no signs of ending.

The unanimous press statement followed a closed-door meeting called by Britain to discuss the humanitarian situation in Tripoli as world powers seek to overcome divisions about how to respond to the crisis.

Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, whose forces hold the east of the country, launched the offensive on April 4 to seize Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognized government.

The council "is deeply concerned about the instability in Tripoli and worsening humanitarian situation, which is endangering the lives of innocent civilians and threatens prospects for a political solution," said Indonesian Ambassador Dian Djani, whose country holds the council presidency.

The council "calls for all parties rapidly to return to UN political mediation, and to commit to a ceasefire and de-escalation to help mediation succeed."

Russia, the United States and Kuwait spoke out against including a call to uphold an arms embargo imposed on Libya in 2011, according to diplomats.

Germany had sought to include a mention of the ban after the United Nations raised concerns about new weaponry being supplied to both sides, in violation of the arms embargo.

UN sanctions experts are investigating supplies of missiles launched using Chinese-made drones that point to a possible involvement of the United Arab Emirates, in support of Haftar's forces, according to a confidential report seen by AFP.

UN envoy Ghassan Salame has been unsuccessful so far in trying to persuade Haftar to agree to turn away from the battlefield and return to talks with Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.

Haftar is backed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while support from world powers for Sarraj's Government of National Accord is increasingly shaky.

Britain was forced last month to put on hold a draft resolution demanding a ceasefire in the face of council divisions.

Libya descended into chaos following the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between the Tripoli-based authorities and Haftar's supporters scrambling for control in the oil-rich country.
Universal Technical Institute (UTI) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.27 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.17. This compares to loss of $0.40 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -58.82%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this school for auto, motorcycle and marine technicians would post a loss of $0.11 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.17, delivering a surprise of -54.55%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has not been able to surpass consensus EPS estimates.

Universal Technical, which belongs to the Zacks Schools industry, posted revenues of $81.75 million for the quarter ended March 2019, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.18%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $80.66 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Universal Technical shares have lost about 8.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 14.9%.

What's Next for Universal Technical?

While Universal Technical has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Story continues

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Universal Technical was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is -$0.20 on $78.80 million in revenues for the coming quarter and -$0.78 on $329.60 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Schools is currently in the top 32% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Universal Technical Institute Inc (UTI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
The facade of an entire building in Milan, Italy has been unzipped to reveal a strange blankness behind it, glowing by night in alternating shades of blue and white. Created for Milan Design Week, A spoonful of sunrise is just the latest large-scale architectural illusion from British sculptor Alex Chinneck, whos known for taking ordinary objects in urban environments and transforming them into surreal scenes.

Inspiring shock and awe from all passersby, Chinnecks sculptures playfully reimagine the cities around us, sometimes literally turning buildings on their heads (or so it would appear). The work often requires excavating and re-pouring the entire concrete floors of those buildings, which are frequently vacant, condemned, or abandoned. The idea is to blur the lines between fantasy and reality, prompting viewers to reconsider whats possible.

My sculptures playfully disrupt our perception of what is physically possible, but this project has only been possible because of the brilliant people that built it with me, Chinneck says. Ambition gives birth to an idea, but collaboration makes it grow.

A spoonful of sunrise is certainly Chinnecks most ambitious work to date, created in collaboration with Philip Morris IQOS vape brand. Over 200,000 people visited the unzipping building in the six days it was on display.

In a new interview with Juxtapoz, Chinneck explained how he was able to pull off an illusion of such enormous proportions. Whenever possible, he uses real building materials to pull off the final effect, though tricks and materials from the theater trade are also employed on occasion.

The 17-meter unzipping facade covered two buildings, giving them a new, unified identity, he says. To be clear, we rebuilt the entire front  the original buildings were completely concealed. The facade also created an internal corridor behind it that linked the interior spaces. This enabled us to take visitors on a journey, starting outside with the fatigued aesthetic of a seemingly historic Milanese building and then revealing, through a series of openings in its walls and floors, portals to a futuristic world.

Story continues

Chinneck initially went to art school for painting but felt frustrated by the fact that he had to choose a focus of study. Wanting to experiment with new materials, methods, and technologies, he ultimately left to work with other artists and learn through practice. Today, he works with architectural consultants and structural engineers to ensure that all his installations are safe. The challenge, he says, is that work of this kind simply hasnt been done before, so learning on the job is the only way to go.

Other large-scale illusions created by Chinneck have included a house made of wax that melted down over time, a brick facade that seemed to be cracking open, an apartment building facade seemingly sliding down into the yard like a piece of paper, and an upside-down electricity pylon. If youre ever lucky enough to catch one of these illusions in person, youll likely recognize the artists work immediately, extraordinary as it may be.

You can keep up with Alex Chinnecks work by following him on Instagram.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  A top commander in Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard said Friday that Tehran will not talk with the United States, an Iranian news agency reported  a day after President Donald Trump said he'd like Iranian leaders to "call me."

The semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Gen. Yadollah Javani as saying that "there will be no negotiations with America."

The Iranian commander also claimed the U.S. would not dare take military action against Iran but did not elaborate.

The verbal exchange comes as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration sent the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber squadron to the region in response to unspecified threats by Iran against American interests.

And on Wednesday, Iran threatened to renew some nuclear enrichment that had been halted under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers  a year after Trump pulled America from the accord, saying it does nothing to stop Iran from developing missiles or destabilizing the Middle East.

But in a softer approach, Trump told reporters on Thursday at the White House: "What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me."

Shortly after Trump spoke, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a written statement that reinforced Trump's tone. After repeating the administration's complaints about Iran, including what he called "40 years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities and taking American hostages," Pompeo appealed to "those in Tehran who see a path to a prosperous future" through modifying their government's behavior.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday gave European leaders a 60-day deadline to find a way to shield Iran from U.S. sanctions targeting its economy and oil industry. Otherwise, he said Tehran would begin to enrich uranium at levels closer to weapons-grade levels.

The following day, the European Union urged Iran to respect the international agreement curbing the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions, and added that the bloc aims to continue trading with the country despite U.S. sanctions.

Story continues

The Europeans insist the pact is an important pillar of regional and global security but have struggled to preserve the increasingly unravelling accord.

Iran's National Security Council spokesman Keyvan Khosravi was quoted Friday as saying that Iran stands firm to withdraw from the deal unless a beneficial agreement can be reached with the EU.

Thousands of Iranians rallied after Friday prayers in support of Iran's ultimatum, many chanting traditional anti-U.S. slogans of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."

The demonstrators burned U.S. flags and some threw fake punches at a protester wearing a Trump costume mask.

The Trump administration has not offered specific details of the threat allegedly presented by Iran that prompted the U.S. to dispatch the aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Mideast.

The B-52 bombers arrived at an American air base in Qatar, the U.S. Air Force acknowledged Friday. Images released by the U.S. Air Force's Central Command show B-52H Stratofortress bombers arriving at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Thursday night.

Others landed at an undisclosed location Wednesday in "southwest Asia," the Air Force said. The U.S. military in the past has described its presence at both the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates and Al Udeid as "southwest Asia."

The Air Force identified the aircraft as coming from the 20th Bomb Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

The USS Abraham Lincoln passed through the Suez Canal on Thursday on its way to the Persian Gulf.

___

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
Washington (AFP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday the US is in a "constitutional crisis" triggered by President Donald Trump's refusal to comply with congressional inquiries into his actions, mainly in connection with the Russian election interference probe.

"Trump and his Administration's decision to ignore the oath of office has triggered a constitutional crisis," Pelosi, the country's most powerful Democratic politician, said on Twitter.

"It's appalling that the Administration is an obstacle to protecting our elections & getting the truth for the American people," she said.

Trump and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives have been locked in a bitter standoff since the publication late last month of the partially redacted Mueller report on Russian interference in the 2016 election that brought Trump to office.

The report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence that Trump criminally colluded with Russia, but Democrats have been hotly disputing Trump's assertion that it also exonerated him of trying to obstruct justice.

With substantial powers to run their own investigations, House Democrats have been demanding a full and unredacted copy of the Mueller report, as well as the president's tax returns.

Trump has ordered his officials in the Treasury and Justice departments not to comply, putting pressure on the Democrats to launch impeachment proceedings that would grant them greater powers, despite the reluctance of many to take such a divisive and politically fraught path.

The Democrats are instead using an obscure legal move known as "inherent contempt" to try to force Attorney General William Barr to release the full report.

Pelosi told reporters the Democrats want to organize a full vote on the move "as soon as possible."

In a sign that the showdown between the White House and the Democrats is not about to ease off, Pelosi said "there may be some other contempt of Congress issues that we might want to deal with at the same time."

But she was once again reluctant to commit to an impeachment process, saying Democrats "won't go any faster than the facts take us or any slower than the facts take us."

"Impeachment is one of the most divisive things you can do, dividing a country, unless you really have your case with great clarity for the American people," she said.
By Matt Spetalnick and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Reuters) - Donald Trumps Middle East envoy is accusing the Palestinian leadership of trying to kill the U.S. presidents Israeli-Palestinian peace plan even before its unveiling and urges them instead to hold fire until they see the details, saying it would be a mistake to declare it dead on arrival.

In an interview with Reuters, Jason Greenblatt, a chief architect of what Trump has called the deal of the century, pushed back against Palestinian officials rebuke of the coming peace proposals that they believe will be heavily biased in favor of Israel and deliver a blow to their goal of statehood.

The Palestinian Authority has boycotted the U.S. peace effort, led by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, since late 2017 when the Republican president decided to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of U.S. policy.

Greenblatt and Kushner are heading a team preparing to roll out the long-awaited plan as early as June. They intend to proceed despite deep skepticism among experts that they can succeed where decades of U.S.-backed efforts have failed. However, further delays are always possible, given Middle East volatility, including tensions from recent Gaza violence.

The Palestinian Authority is trying to kill a plan they havent seen, said Greenblatt, who has openly exchanged criticism with senior Palestinian officials via Twitter. The plan can offer them something that can be exciting to them and can transform their current situation ... They should sit tight and hold their fire until the plan comes out.

For any side to say its dead on arrival and not give it a lot of attention and hard work is a tremendous missed opportunity," he told Reuters this week.

Though the plan's authors insist the exact contents are known only to a handful of insiders, Trumps aides have disclosed it will address the major political issues of the long-running conflict such as the status of Jerusalem and also offer prescriptions for the troubled Palestinian economy.

Story continues

They have said they expect Israelis and Palestinians will both be critical of some of the proposals.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told a meeting at the United Nations attended by Greenblatt on Thursday that the United States seemed to be crafting a plan for a Palestinian surrender to Israel and insisted there's no amount of money that can make it acceptable.

SIDE-STEPPING 'TWO-STATE' QUESTION

Chief among the Palestinians concerns is whether the plan will meet their core demand of calling for them to have an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, territory Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Kushner, a real estate developer before becoming a senior Trump adviser, has declined to say whether the plan includes a two-state solution, a central goal of other recent peace efforts that is widely endorsed internationally.

Echoing Kushners remarks last week to a Washington think tank, Greenblatt - a former lawyer for the Trump Organization - said: We dont use this label, this phrase, because it means different things to different people. The detailed plan will show what we think is the best solution for the two parties.

The Trump administration has sought to enlist support from Arab governments. The plan is likely to call for billions of dollars in financial backing for the Palestinians, mostly from oil-rich Gulf states, according to people informed about the discussions.

Some U.S. officials have privately suggested the animus towards Shiite Iran that Sunni Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, share with Israel could give Trump leverage to secure broader Arab backing for the plan in order to appease Washington, which has been ratcheting up pressure on Tehran.

Greenblatt said that while Israel and U.S. Arab allies are increasingly in alignment over their common foe Iran, this isnt the secret sauce for winning Arab support. The deal has to work for everyone, he said.

Saudi Arabia has assured Arab allies it would not endorse any U.S. plan that fails to meet key Palestinian concerns.

Asked what would happen if the peace effort fails, Greenblatt said: If they cant get to the finish line, I get it. These issues are tough. The conflict is extraordinarily complicated and there are many potential spoilers. (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations Editing by Mary Milliken and James Dalgleish)
By Matt Spetalnick and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trumps Middle East envoy is accusing the Palestinian leadership of trying to kill the U.S. presidents Israeli-Palestinian peace plan even before its unveiling and urges them instead to hold fire until they see the details, saying it would be a mistake to declare it dead on arrival. In an interview with Reuters, Jason Greenblatt, a chief architect of what Trump has called the deal of the century, pushed back against Palestinian officials rebuke of the coming peace proposals that they believe will be heavily biased in favor of Israel and deliver a blow to their goal of statehood. The Palestinian Authority has boycotted the U.S. peace effort, led by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, since late 2017 when the Republican president decided to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of U.S. policy. Greenblatt and Kushner are heading a team preparing to roll out the long-awaited plan as early as June. They intend to proceed despite deep skepticism among experts that they can succeed where decades of U.S.-backed efforts have failed. However, further delays are always possible, given Middle East volatility, including tensions from recent Gaza violence. The Palestinian Authority is trying to kill a plan they havent seen, said Greenblatt, who has openly exchanged criticism with senior Palestinian officials via Twitter. The plan can offer them something that can be exciting to them and can transform their current situation ... They should sit tight and hold their fire until the plan comes out. For any side to say its dead on arrival and not give it a lot of attention and hard work is a tremendous missed opportunity," he told Reuters this week. Though the plan's authors insist the exact contents are known only to a handful of insiders, Trumps aides have disclosed it will address the major political issues of the long-running conflict such as the status of Jerusalem and also offer prescriptions for the troubled Palestinian economy. They have said they expect Israelis and Palestinians will both be critical of some of the proposals. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told a meeting at the United Nations attended by Greenblatt on Thursday that the United States seemed to be crafting a plan for a Palestinian surrender to Israel and insisted there's no amount of money that can make it acceptable. [nL2N22L262] SIDE-STEPPING 'TWO-STATE' QUESTION Chief among the Palestinians concerns is whether the plan will meet their core demand of calling for them to have an independent state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, territory Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Kushner, a real estate developer before becoming a senior Trump adviser, has declined to say whether the plan includes a two-state solution, a central goal of other recent peace efforts that is widely endorsed internationally. [nL1N22E21Q] Echoing Kushners remarks last week to a Washington think tank, Greenblatt - a former lawyer for the Trump Organization - said: We dont use this label, this phrase, because it means different things to different people. The detailed plan will show what we think is the best solution for the two parties. The Trump administration has sought to enlist support from Arab governments. The plan is likely to call for billions of dollars in financial backing for the Palestinians, mostly from oil-rich Gulf states, according to people informed about the discussions. Some U.S. officials have privately suggested the animus towards Shiite Iran that Sunni Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, share with Israel could give Trump leverage to secure broader Arab backing for the plan in order to appease Washington, which has been ratcheting up pressure on Tehran. [nL5N22L312] Greenblatt said that while Israel and U.S. Arab allies are increasingly in alignment over their common foe Iran, this isnt the secret sauce for winning Arab support. The deal has to work for everyone, he said. Saudi Arabia has assured Arab allies it would not endorse any U.S. plan that fails to meet key Palestinian concerns. [nL5N1UP0DN] Asked what would happen if the peace effort fails, Greenblatt said: If they cant get to the finish line, I get it. These issues are tough. The conflict is extraordinarily complicated and there are many potential spoilers. (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Mary Milliken and James Dalgleish)
Washington (AFP) - The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on two shipping companies for delivering Venezuelan oil to ally Cuba in what it called a response to actions against opposition lawmakers in Caracas.

The Treasury Department said it was taking aim at the Monsoon Navigation Corp., headquartered in the Marshall Islands, and Liberian-based Serenity Maritime Ltd. for owning ships involved in oil transfers that took place through March.

The United States accuses its longtime nemesis Cuba of propping up President Nicolas Maduro by sending security forces, with Venezuela paying its ally back through oil.

"The US will take further action if Cuba continues to receive Venezuelan oil in exchange for military support," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The Treasury Department said that the sanctions, which will block any US holdings of the two companies, was a "direct response" to actions against members of Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly.

Edgar Zambrano, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, is being held in military prison two days after his arrest.

He and nine other opposition lawmakers have been indicted for treason and conspiracy over backing a failed uprising against Maduro that took place at the end of April.

The United States, along with most Latin American and European powers, considers Maduro illegitimate after a re-election married by irregularities.

The leftist firebrand presides over a crumbling economy in which the local currency has become virtually worthless, and several million Venezuelans have fled the country.

But the US-backed, sanctions-led campaign to install National Assembly head Juan Guaido as interim president has faltered, with most of the military still backing Maduro.
Kyle Busch Unveils Patriotic Paint Scheme for Coca-Cola 600

Posted by: newsla on May 09, 2019 - 06:27 PM Kyle Busch Unveils Patriotic Paint Scheme for Coca-Cola 600



Kyle Busch will begin his assault on a second consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victory in a patriotic No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry that the veteran driver unveiled in a special event on Wednesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. As a prelude to the historic 60th running of the iconic Coca-Cola 600 on May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Busch revealed the look for his Toyota in addition to meeting Dona and Gene Griffin, the parents of fallen Army Sgt. Dale Griffin.



Griffin, who lost his life in 2009 during Operation Enduring Freedom, will be honored by having his name adorn Buschs windshield as part of NASCARs 600 Miles of Remembrance program throughout the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend.



It means a lot, Busch said. Having the opportunity to work with NASCAR and NASCAR Salutes to honor and remember our fallen who have given their lives to give us our freedom. It means a lot to have our Memorial Day weekend race, the Coca-Cola 600, at Charlotte because its our home and to have the opportunity to carry a fallen (military) members name on our race car is the ultimate honor. Being able to meet those families and spend time with them, hear their stories and hear who were honoring is what means so much to me and the rest of the field.



Speedway Motorsports, Inc. President and CEO Marcus Smith said the 60th Coca-Cola 600 promises to create lifelong memories for every fan through its spectacular pre-race salute to the military and the thrilling race that will follow.



We take a lot of pride in the Coca-Cola 600 being the biggest celebration of all those who have served and who currently serve our nations military, Smith said.



As part of Wednesdays festivities  which also included a salute to Coca-Cola on National Have a Coke Day  Charlotte Motor Speedway revealed its plans for a 30-second moment of remembrance following Stage 2 of the Coca-Cola 600. Once the green-and-white checkered flag flies, cars will be bunched up and led down pit road, where their engines will be shut off as the entire crowd observes a moment of silence in honor of the fallen American soldiers who gave their lives to preserve freedom.



Gene Griffin, Sgt. Griffins father, said that his sons legacy will be enhanced thanks to Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway with his name on Buschs car and the emotional mid-race moment of remembrance.



Im overwhelmed, Gene Griffin said. Im so thankful for everyone whos willing to stop and remember those who paid the ultimate price. Weve been so blessed with the relationships weve created here. Well carry this in our hearts forever.



As part of Charlotte Motor Speedways and Coca-Cola's salute to the military throughout the month of May, race fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #KnowYourMil.



TICKETS:

Coca-Cola 600 tickets for adults start at just $49 while kids 13 and under get in for $10. Tickets, camping and upgrades for every event are available at the gates, by visiting charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets or calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267).



KEEP TRACK:

Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.



PaddockTalk Perspective




The letter, addressed to art critic Albert Aurier, was written by van Gogh a few months before his death in 1890.

At the time, the Dutch artist was a patient at a small asylum on the outskirts of Saint-Remy-de-Provence, in France.

The two-page letter in French -- written either February 9 or 10, 1890 -- thanked Aurier for his laudatory review of van Gogh's work in the "Mercure de France" magazine.

Entitled "Les Isoles," the piece claimed that his artworks were characterized by "excess, excess in strength, excess in nervousness, violence in expression."

"I like it very much as a work of art in itself, I feel that you create colors with your words; anyway I rediscover my canvases in your article, but better than they really are -- richer, more significant," wrote van Gogh.

In his letter, the Dutch painter also references the artists who have inspired him -- advising Aurier to take a look at the works of Adolphe Monticelli and Paul Gauguin. He also detailed some of his working methods, as well as the emotions he felt when painting.

"It is a misconception that he wasn't valued during his lifetime because at the end he was getting quite well known in certain artistic circles but he found that somehow hard to deal with. So there is a lot of mixed emotion. He is proud but also feeling that he is not there yet, not yet deserving of the praise," Van Gogh Museum's curator of prints and drawings, Fleur Roos Rosa de Carvalho, told the Guardian.

Having passed through the hands of several private collectors, the letter was auctioned for 107,900 in April in Paris. It is now on show at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, for what is believed to be the first time.

"It was on top of our list because it is such an important letter. Most of the letters on our wish list have sketches on them. This one has not, but the content of it is so moving and rich that we thought we should pursue it," explained De Carvalho.

Additional information about the letter can be found on the official website of the Van Gogh Museum: https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/
MILAN (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Friday he was open to accept a U.S. military intervention to help manage the political emergency in his country.

"If the Americans were to propose a military intervention I would probably accept it," he said in an interview with Italian daily newspaper La Stampa.

Two Venezuelan lawmakers sought refuge at foreign embassies in Caracas on Thursday, as the government of President Nicolas Maduro cracked down on Guaido's allies who supported his attempted uprising last week.

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari)
Pretoria (AFP) - South Africa's ruling ANC was Saturday declared winner of general elections, handing it a sixth straight term in the post-apartheid era on what was nevertheless its worst electoral showing.

The African National Congress (ANC) won a healthy majority with 57.5 percent -- or 230 out of the 400 parliamentary seats

But that still represented 19 seats fewer than in 2014.

The official results, as declared by the electoral commission, were therefore the ANC's poorest ever showing in its long electoral run, which started in 1994, when Nelson Mandela led it to victory in the first multi-racial polls.

The party has been battling corruption scandals, sluggish economic growth, record unemployment and poverty -- issues its leader Cyril Ramaphosa, a veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle, has promised to tackle.

But its poor electoral showing could hamper efforts to revive the flagging economy and fight corruption.

Businessman Ramaphosa, 66, took over last year when the ANC forced then-president Jacob Zuma to resign after nine years dominated by graft allegations and economic decline.

The ANC's closest rival, the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), trailed at a distant 20.7 percent or 84 seats.

The radical left Economic Freedom Fighters, founded six years ago by former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, came third with 10.79 percent. But that was four percentage points more than in 2014 and means a jump from 25 to and 44 parliamentary seats.

- A 'lifeline' -

After the official declaration of the results in Pretoria, Ramaphosa said: "Our people have spoken  and they have done so clearly and emphatically.

"They voted for a united South Africa, they voted for a more equal society, free from hunger and want. We can declare with certainty that democracy has emerged victorious."

Despite the plunge in support, ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe said the party was grateful for a new "lifeline".

It was an improvement on its 2016 local government elections performance "when we were really facing a disaster", he said. "We are picking up from that disaster."

Story continues

Minister in the presidency Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma acknowledged the decline in support, but said: "We are happy with the mandate the people have given us and we will work hard to improve."

"The ANC are being given a chance," said political analyst Lumkile Mondi. "This is an opportunity for them to reincarnate themselves."

Analyst Susan Booysen of the Wits School of Governance said the tally was "way higher for the ANC than it would have been had Zuma been still in power".

The ANC's reputation suffered under Zuma, and Ramaphosa still faces resistance to his reform agenda, especially from Zuma allies still holding senior positions in the party and government.

Support for the party has fallen in every election since its 2004, when it got nearly 70 percent. By 2016, it had fallen to 54 percent in municipal polls in which it lost control of key city governments.

A record 48 parties contested Wednesday's elections.

A reduced majority nevertheless weakens Ramaphosa's bargaining power, making him more vulnerable to the pro-Zuma faction in the governing party, analysts warn.

South Africa's economy grew just 0.8 percent in 2018 and official unemployment hovers around 27 percent.

It remains in charge eight of the nine provinces.

Some 65 percent of the 26.8 million people registered to vote turned out Wednesday.

- 'Era of political realignment' -

DA leader Mmusi Maimane, put a brave face on his party's failure to cash in on waning ANC support.

"Even though we've lost some votes, we've held the centre -- and I will lead that project going forward," said Maimane, the party's first black leader.

Malema's EFF made major gains, jumping from 6.3 percent in the 2014 poll. It campaigned on promises to seize land from whites without compensation to give to poor blacks, and to nationalise mines and banks.

"Its the last election that it (ANC) will win outright. We have now created the biggest decline for the ANC," said EFF chairman Dali Mpofu.

"In the next election there will not be any outright winner. We are going to enter the era of coalitions,... an era of political realignment."

The conservative and predominantly white Freedom Front Plus, founded in 1994 during the negotiations to end apartheid, performed unexpectedly well, picking up 10 seats -- six more than in 2014.
After spending years working in publishing, fashion consulting, and retail, David Vivirido and Francesco Sourigues teamed up to create a company focused on the work of artisans around the world. Their goal, more specifically, was to bring great craftsmanship to contemporary items at a fair price. We wanted to make artisan goods that were appealing to a younger generation at a price point that wasnt Hermes, Loewe, or Celine, Vivirido tells AD PRO. At first, the duo ran a concept store in Barcelona from 20162018 called The Issue Ten, which housed their office, a gallery, a bookshop, and a storefront for objects they produced. (They literally knocked on the doors of artisans in Spain to make introductions and initiate working relationships.) But in 2018, Vivirido and Sourigues officially founded their lifestyle brand Viso Project, which unveils its Collective Installation 2.0 in New York today.

Open to the public and on view through May 22 at a 5,000-square-foot industrial space in Tribeca, the exhibition will play host to the brands new product designsalong with those of their favorite designers and artists. Three installations, by notable designers Andre Mellone, Giancarlo Valle and Michael Bargo, each feature a mix of their own work and archival pieces that sit alongside their favorite Viso goods. Also launching is Viso Re-Donevintage pieces (like a Knoll sofa) reupholstered with Viso fabrics ($250$3,900)a series of ceramic pottery pieces by artist Jessica Hans ($250$1,400), and items such as geometric pillows and throws. All of these products are for sale on Viso's website and through retailers MatchesFashion and Moda Operandi, priced from $105$500.

Photo: Pippa Drummond

As for this second installation, Vivirido and Sourigues wanted to come up with a creative way of presenting their products more broadly. (This will be their last pop-up in the space, as the building was just sold. The duo are thinking about an interactive installation somewhere in Europe, maybe even at Salone del Mobile down the line.) The accessories, pillows, porcelain, and pottery have to be ours, but each designer brings in their own furniture, floor coverings, and other pieces, Sourigues explains of these specific collaborative sets.

Story continues

Vivirido and Sourigues have previously worked with all three of the designers tapped for this NYCxDesign offering. Last year, the pair worked with Valle, an AD100 designer, on their first installation. Moreover, theyve created a limited-edition mohair blanket with Bargo, and Mellone has done residential work with their consulting clients. None of the designers had an ego, and each had a specific approach to their set, says Vivirido. Seeing how they integrate our pieces into their own point of view is very satisfying. Valle chose to use one-of-a-kind pieces in a navy and earthy color palette. Mellone used a navy lacquered vase as the centerpiece of his installation, and Bargo found an Ettore Sottsass armchair that he reupholstered in a new printed Viso fabric.

Photo: Pippa Drummond

Photo: Pippa Drummond

Valles set will include archival pieces like a pair of Jean Royere armchairs and a Georges Jouve light fixture mixed in with several new pieces of his own design. (There is, for example, a pine chair that the designer is very excited about.) The setting I created ended up becoming a very personal snapshot of where my head is currently, says Valle, who was eager to set up shop at Viso with two of his peers. Michael and Andre are some of my favorite designers in New York City, he says. I think we all share a common appreciation for a certain style and culture, and yet we all have our own flavor when it comes to creating environments. Both Valle and Bargo met Vivirido and Sourigues through their mutual friend Jason Wu. For Bargo, its great working with friends like Valle and Mellone, with whom hes currently collaborating with on a residential project. Its a true honor to be considered in their company, says Bargo, whose installation includes a selection of Memphis pieces and chairs inspired by Jean-Michel Frank alongside Jessica Hans vases and Viso pillows.

Its love all around for Mellone as well. Giancarlo and Michael are good friends, so it feels like family to be presenting alongside with them, says Mellone. We have different points of view, but I love both their work. Mellone decided to create an office environment for his set, which will feature a Jean Prouve desk, a 1950s French chair, a Hans Wegner chair, and a Edward Wormley cube tableamong other things. The neutral wood and splashes of red are offset by Visos royal blue zigzag-shaped vase. A tour de force of design prowesslike everything on display.

Photo: Pippa Drummond

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP)  Nine candidates are vying in an election Sunday to become Lithuania's next president, including a well-known economist, a former finance minister and the incumbent prime minister.

Term limits require the Baltic country's current head of state, President Dalia Grybauskaite, to step down after two five-year terms. The election to choose the popular Grybauskaite's successor could go to a second-round vote.

The campaign has focused on domestic issues such as the economy, corruption and social welfare, even though foreign policy and defense are two of the presidency's main purviews.

The leading candidates include Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, 48; former banking economist Gitanas Nauseda, 54; and former Finance Minister Ingrida Simonyte, 44.

In recent public opinion polls, Simonyte has been in front with support from more than 26% of likely voters, but Nauseda and Skvernelis aren't far behind.

Along with picking their president, voters on Sunday face a referendum on a constitutional amendment to allow dual citizenship for hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians living abroad.

A presidential runoff would be held May 26, the same day Lithuanians vote for their EU parliament representatives and another referendum on reducing the number of lawmakers in the 141-seat Seimas assembly.

Skvernelis, who was a police officer before he entered politics, has suggested opening a dialogue with Russia, a departure from the recent governments in Vilnius, and floated the idea of moving the Lithuanian Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

If the prime minister wins, it would be seen as "a concentration of political powers" for his ruling Peasant Greens Union party, said Tomas Janeliunas, a professor at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University.

Grybauskaite's anti-Russia views, no-nonsense style and karate black belt earned her the "Iron Lady" label previously applied to Margaret Thatcher when she was British prime minister.

Story continues

Lithuania today is very different from the one Grybauskaite became president of in 2009.

"Ten years ago, our country was severely affected by the financial crisis and fully dependent on Russian gas, with no real existing NATO defense plans," she told The Associated Press.

Now Lithuania is a "strong and prosperous state" that has diversified its energy supply and like its Baltic neighbors, joined NATO as well as the European Union, Grybauskaite said.

A vital job of successor will be staying alert to Russia's military activity in the Baltic Sea region, she said.

"The geopolitical situation will remain tense," the outgoing leader said. "Therefore, further measures to increase military security, defense, and deterrence capabilities, fight aggressive propaganda, cyber and other hybrid threats will remain among the top priorities."
Photo: iStock

The number of crime reports in the West Denver area saw an overall decline last month, after a previous increase, according to data from CrimeoMeter, which collects data from police agencies and validated sources.

Incidents fell by about 13%, from 393 in March to 338 in April. Last month's decrease puts crime levels in the neighborhood even further below where they were a year ago. Crime levels tend to follow seasonal patterns, making a year-over-year comparison most relevant.

Meanwhile, citywide crime levels in Denver increased last month, by 2.1 percent from the month before. Among the 79 neighborhoods in the city covered by our data, West Denver ranked 22nd in crime incidents per square mile, dropping from 20th place the month before. The neighborhood with the highest crime density last month was the Central Business District.

The offenses most on the decline last month were auto burglary and vandalism. Auto burglary in West Denver fell from 49 reported incidents in March to 22 in April, and has fallen by 32 incidents since April of last year. Vandalism incidents went from 44 to 18 for the month, or about a 59% decrease. Vandalism reports are also slightly down from a year ago.

While somewhat smaller categories, there was also a considerable percentage decrease last month in weapons offenses, from 10 incidents per month to six, and in auto theft, from 21 to 16. Both weapons offenses and auto theft have decreased since the same month last year.

Among the few types of offenses that saw an uptick last month, theft reports went from 21 to 28. Burglary incidents rose from 18 to 23, and fraud or financial crimes went up from one to three. Theft incidents have seen an overall upward trend since the same time last year, while burglary reports have gone down.

Regarding when local crimes tend to occur, Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays continued to see the most crime incidents last month. The largest decrease from the previous month occurred on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, while incidents on Tuesdays and Thursdays went up. When it comes to time of day, early afternoon through evening saw the most crime last month on average each day.

Story continues

To report a crime in progress or life-threatening emergency, call 911. To report a non-urgent crime or complaint, contact your local police department.

Head to CrimeoMeter to get free local crime alerts in your area.

This story was created automatically using local crime data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about our data sources and local crime methodology. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.
Donald Trump has wanted to negotiate with the Chinese for years.

In his 2011 book, Time to Get Tough, he argued that American politicians were to put it succinctly, stupid, and that his experiences working with Chinese executives in real estate would give him an advantage. I know the Chinese, and understand and respect the Chinese, he wrote.

But as a Friday deadline passed on China trade talks, it seemed the master negotiator couldnt yet pull off the art of the deal. And the reasons are the classic mistakes that send deals south: He and Chinese President Xi Jinping misread each other, overplayed their hands and left themselves little room to compromise, at least in the near future.

Over the course of the past two days, the United States and China have held candid and constructive conversations on the status of the trade relationship between both countries. The relationship between President Xi and myself remains a very strong one, and conversations....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2019

....into the future will continue. In the meantime, the United States has imposed Tariffs on China, which may or may not be removed depending on what happens with respect to future negotiations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2019

The failure to reach a deal is not surprising, because while they lead different and competing economic and political systems, Trump and Xi also resemble one another. Both are intent at gathering power in their own hands, leaving themselves the lone decision makers and credit takers.

Xi Jinping saw that Trump undercut his own subordinates  Steven Mnuchin, Wilbur Ross, even Robert Lighthizer, the official whose hardline views are closest to his own instincts  by contradicting them publicly in tweets and offhand remarks to the press.

Story continues

Watching the Presidents mercurial behavior and fondness for creating chaos and craving the spotlight, the Chinese leader concluded that the best way to close a deal was by dealing directly with Trump. But when he saw the second meeting between the American leader and North Koreas Kim Jong-Un founder, Xi changed his mind, leaving the negotiations to Vice Premier Liu He, a reform-minded economist, and his team.

Despite all the public optimism, Liu and Lighthizer never nailed down some of the essential details of a possible deal. Would all tariffs be reduced, or just some of them, and if so, at what rate? Over three years or five? Would some, for example the Chinese levy on U.S. agricultural products, simply be replaced by others, like children switching horses in mid-ride on a carousel? What would the deal to increase trust on both sides?

On one point, at least, China and the U.S. agreed: Neither wants nor trusts third-party arbitration.

Xi made one more try at the personal approach, writing Trump a beautiful letter, but it was no more successful that Kims love letters, at least for now.

Both Trump and Xi also think their own countrys economic strength will force the other to bend, and Xi underestimated Trumps affection for tariffs and his belief that Americas farmers will stick with him even if China retaliates against the U.S. agriculture sector.

Trump, in turn, was surprised and angered when China suddenly balked at revising its laws on intellectual property, financial services and other issues, instead agreeing to a series of administrative actions, even though trade experts inside and outside the government said that was a typical Chinese negotiating tactic they had expected.

Still, when word spread, the hurdle was widely interpreted as a sign that a deal that opened China to more American soybeans but also still open to obtaining more U.S. technology, data, and other key elements of a 21st-century economy would be a weak one.

Trumps reaction was predictable: He threatened to raise the tariffs on $200 billion worth of imports from China to 25%, a move that would hit hard at American companies whose supply chains are almost entirely in China. That will boost the tariff on Chinese-made products such as shoes and apparel to nearly half the products value, according to an April 22 report in DCVelocity, a trade publication. Trump then waved a threat to tax another $325 billion worth of Chinese imports in Xis face.

China, in turn, responded predictably, but less vocally, confining its threat of countervailing tariffs and vow not to make concessions to an official newspapers blog.

Xi made one more try at the personal approach, writing Trump a beautiful letter, but whether it is more successful that Kims love letters remains to be seen.

So what now?

Trump thinks Chinas economy is facing a downturn and Beijing will bend in order to preserve its access to the U.S. market. Lighthizer thinks higher tariffs will help accomplish one of his main objectives  forcing U.S. importers to move their supply chains out of China to Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and other low-cost manufacturers, as some already have begun doing.

Based on their experience with Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs and 10 percent duties on other goods, the Chinese think time is on their side and they can manage lower margins and diversify their export markets, as Beijing already is doing with its Belt-and-Road initiative and its promotion of 5G internet technology with discounts as large as 90 percent, according to U.S. officials.

For now, the big questions remain unanswered.

While both sides stay at or return to the table? Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet on the margins of the G20 economic summit in Osaka June 28-29, but if there is no deal in hand by then, U.S. officials say Vice President Mike Pence may go to Japan instead. His staff is already on standby.

Has the failure to reach a deal by Trumps deadline signaled deteriorating relations, not just between two countries and their leaders ambitions, but between two politico-economic systems? Will it spill over into other major issues such as North Korea, Taiwan, and freedom of navigation in the thawing Arctic and the contested South China Sea?

The only people who know what will happen next are Trump and Xi, and even they may not have a clue.
CDL Job Fair at Pocono Raceway Driven By The Pennsylvania Turnpike

Posted by: newsla on May 10, 2019 - 06:41 AM CDL Job Fair at Pocono Raceway Driven By The Pennsylvania Turnpike



The second annual Trucking Job Fair at Pocono Raceway Driven by Pennsylvania Turnpike will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2019. All applicants attending the job fair will receive a $10 lunch voucher and two complimentary Saturday General Admission Grandstand tickets, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Those attending will get to see the Pocono Green 250 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons NASCAR Xfinity Series race and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practices.



We are pleased to partner again with the Pocono Raceway to host a regional job fair which assists in matching truckers with organizations looking for CDL drivers, said Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission CEO, Mark Compton. Almost 30 million trucks, and other commercial vehicles, travel the PA Turnpike each year. Trained, professional drivers enhance the safety of our roadway as they keep commerce moving across the state.



The trucking job fair will take place inside Pocono Raceways Chalet Village, located behind the Grandstand and near the main gates, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET. Those attending will be required to show their Commercial Drivers License (CDL) before entering the gates and can bring one additional guest. Their guest is not required to have a CDL. Those seeking training will have the opportunity to meet representatives from Northampton Community College & Lehigh Career & Technical Institute driver training programs. Admission to the job fair and parking is free.



The trucking industry is vital to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania as nearly 90 percent of communities in our state depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods, said Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association Director of Communications, Brandon Moree. Trucks are responsible for moving more than half a million tons of manufactured goods in the state every day and thats only possible when our industry is fully staffed with safe, qualified drivers.



Individuals driving a tractor trailer to this event, and during all NASCAR or INDYCAR weekend events, will be directed to the Drydene Tractor Trailer Parking Lot. Over 20 trucking companies seeking CDL drivers will attending, including: J.P. Mascaro & Sons, Calex, Carbon Express Inc., Champion Tire & Wheel, Inc., Cowan Systems LLC, Foley Incorporated, FTS & JPD, Gordon Food Services, H&K Group, Hunter Truck, JRCM Transportation, Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, McLane Distribution, Nagle Lines, Northampton Community College Driver Training, Penn Tank Lines, Penske Logistics, PGT Trucking, Road Scholar, US Xpress Inc., Venezia Transport and YCR Freight.



Additional details, including inquires for trucking companies looking to attend, can visit www.poconoraceway.com/trucking.



In 2019, Pocono Raceway will host two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, a NTT IndyCar Series race and The Great Pocono Raceway Air Show. One NASCAR Xfinity Series, one NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series and two ARCA Menards Series races are also on the The Tricky Triangles calendar this summer.



Note: Times, dates, events and driver lineup are subject to change without notice.



PaddockTalk Perspective




Sosie Bacon, Matt Smith and Marianne Rendon in 'Charile Says' (IFC Films)

Charlie Says writer and director on Mansons toxic masculinity and narcissistic personality, plus an exclusive clip.

When times feel apocalyptic, people are inclined to believe wild conspiracy theories and end up in thrall to charismatic, often dangerous leaders  like, say, Charles Manson. In Charlie Says, a radical retelling of the well-trod Manson Family saga, director Mary Harron and screenwriter Guinevere Turner dare to ask the question: What if the followers who committed seven grisly murders of complete strangers in 1969 were ordinary, idealistic young people, like any of us at 19 years old? Could the right cultural moment, and the right man, push us to believe the ridiculous and do the unspeakable?

For a new generation who's really talking about toxic masculinity and looking at narcissistic personalities, this was that, just on a bigger scale, says Turner. I mean, [Manson] did all those things: tell you you're beautiful, tell you you're perfect, take that away, give it back, make you want it. That's just how abusive relationships work.

Watch an exclusive clip from Charlie Says:

One of a trio of new films that use the Manson murders as backdrop (The Haunting of Sharon Tate, starring Hilary Duff, came out last month; Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon a Time in Hollywood arrives July 26), Charlie Says begins by introducing the audience to Manson acolytes Leslie Van Houten (Hannah Murray), Patricia Krenwinkel (Sosie Bacon) and Susan Atkins (Marianne Rendon), three years into their life prison sentences. Isolated from the other prisoners in adjacent cells, the three women are holding fast to the beliefs that Manson (Matt Smith) taught them, right down to the idea that they will one day become winged elves. That brainwashing is slowly chipped away by feminist activist Karlene Faith (Merritt Wever), who begins visiting the prison to teach womens studies classes, and eventually forces the Manson girls to confront the horror and meaninglessness of their crimes. In flashbacks from Leslies perspective, we see how Charlie lured men, women, and even one celebrity into what seemed like a counterculture utopia, where his followers were seduced, indoctrinated and ultimately militarized for Mansons imagined race war.

Story continues

While many previous Manson Family films have focused on Linda Kasabian (the follower who refused to take part in the violence and became a key witness in the trials), Harron and Turner chose to center their story on Charlies inner circle.

To me, it was very important to focus on the girls who were perpetrators, not to do the story of someone who was just a witness or a bystander, who had sort of fallen by accident into the cult, said Harron. To be a serious film, I thought we had to take on the stories of the people that everyone is most horrified by, and just to say, Well, these are human beings. And what were they thinking? What happened to them that they went from here to there?

Guinevere Turner and Mary Harron at the Broadway show adapted from their film 'American Psycho, April 2016 (Patrick McMullan/ Sylvain Gaboury/PMC)

Turner, who previously worked with Harron on the 2000 horror-satire American Psycho, came into the project with a unique perspective. As she detailed in a recent New Yorker article, the screenwriter spent her childhood as part of the Lyman Family, a cult-like commune run by a controlling leader, Mel Lyman, who believed that the end of the world was imminent. In her essay, Turner looks back with a combination of nostalgia and horror.

It really, sometimes, is just like a family, Turner told Yahoo of her upbringing in a cult environment. And Iike I wrote in the essay, theres just a lot of people and a lot of s**t that needs to get done. Some days everything's beautiful, some days everything's scary, and it's kind of a volatile scenario. At least in that way they were similar, the Manson family and the Lyman family.

In Charlie Says, the Manson family is a mirror of the larger '60s culture, in which women routinely experienced sexism and spousal abuse, young people were desperate to live more meaningful lives than their parents, and the world was changing so rapidly that it seemed like the end must be near. Harron was drawn to the story, in part, as a way of calling out the sexism of liberated counterculture. Even as a young teenager in the 60s, the director said she realized that the hippie women were not as free as they seemed.

Sosie Bacon, Hannah Murray, Suki Waterhouse, Dayle McLeod, Kayli Carter, Julia Schlaepfer and Marianne Rendon as the Manson girls in 'Charlie Says' (IFC Films)

The hippie ideals were kind of as patronizing as the Victorian ideals, she said. Youre the angel of the hearth, you are the Earth mother baking bread, or you were a wild flower out in the field who would have sex with anyone who asked. And if you didnt want to aspire to either of those roles, hippie culture did not offer a lot of aspiration for you.

That misogynist ideology was exploited by Manson, who promised his followers total freedom but kept the women in subservient roles. A man who had spent his entire life in prison, Manson was, in Harrons words, someone who could only function by creating a small world that he could control. At any other time in history, he may not have found such a rapt audience for his pop philosophy and apocalyptic predictions.

It was important to me that this movie takes him down a notch, said Turner.

To that end, the film doesnt portray Manson in the typical way, as a beguiling manipulator of Batman-villain proportions. Smiths cult leader is an appealing but insecure oddball who walks around singing his own goofy pop songs. (Like many monsters in history, he's a failed artist, Harron noted.) In that sense, Charlie Says is a welcome break from the sexy serial killer trope that has permeated pop culture lately, from Penn Badgley in You to Zac Efron in the Ted Bundy biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

Sosie Bacon, Hannah Murray and Marianne Rendon in 'Charlie Says' (IFC Films)

I do think that Ted Bundy probably had something super-intense that was magnetic and terrifying, said Turner. I think Charlie was like, the K-mart version of that. He was more of a low-level criminal who found himself in this situation and exploited it.

After researching Manson extensively, both Turner and Harron question whether he actually thought his followers would even go through with the murders he ordered. (Manson did not participate directly in any of the killings.)

I think probably after the first night he was like, Oh s**t, I've actually weaponized some humans! said Turner with a laugh. Ive always wondered if he thought they had it in them. Because how could he be? They were just kids and this is not something theyd ever done before. So yeah, he probably was like, Fingers crossed! Gotta start this race war!

The choice to humanize Manson and the female murderers is a controversial one. Early reviewers seemed oddly baffled by Turner and Harrons refusal to demonize their subjects, accusing them of not digging deep enough into the story.

Merritt Wever in 'Charlie Says' (IFC Films)

One [criticism] was, why don't we go into the personal biographies  as if that would explain it! said Harron. But everybody there came from such varied backgrounds. Tex Watson, small-town farm boy. Homecoming queen Leslie. Susan was blue-collar.

Right, and she had been a stripper, so that's obviously why she killed people, Turner added with an eye roll. And Sandy Good came from a wealthy family.

So there was this great variety, said Harron. And it was both men and women, so you can't explain it through, Oh, this is the linking factor. People say, Well, they had father issues. Oh, do you know anyone who doesn't? I mean, you think that's going to tell you why they killed strangers in such brutal, barbaric ways?

To me, the safer thing would be to say, This thing happened in their childhood, said Turner. But thats not, to me, the part that's interesting. I want people to see it and say, This could be me, given a certain set of circumstances.

Charlie Says opens in theaters today.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment

Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

Building up an investment case requires looking at a stock holistically. Today I've chosen to put the spotlight on DYNAM JAPAN HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. (HKG:6889) due to its excellent fundamentals in more than one area. 6889 is a financially-healthy company with a a great history of performance, trading at a great value. Below, I've touched on some key aspects you should know on a high level. If you're interested in understanding beyond my broad commentary, take a look at the report on DYNAM JAPAN HOLDINGS here.

Flawless balance sheet and undervalued

In the previous year, 6889 has ramped up its bottom line by 26%, with its latest earnings level surpassing its average level over the last five years. Not only did 6889 outperformed its past performance, its growth also exceeded the Hospitality industry expansion, which generated a 8.8% earnings growth. This is an notable feat for the company. 6889's ability to maintain an adequate level of cash to meet upcoming liabilities is a good sign for its financial health. This suggests prudent control over cash and cost by management, which is a crucial insight into the health of the company. 6889 seems to have put its debt to good use, generating operating cash levels of 5.29x total debt in the most recent year. This is also a good indication as to whether debt is properly covered by the companys cash flows.

SEHK:6889 Income Statement, May 10th 2019

6889's shares are now trading at a price below its true value based on its discounted cash flows, indicating a relatively pessimistic market sentiment. This mispricing gives investors the opportunity to buy into the stock at a cheap price compared to the value they will be receiving, should analysts' consensus forecast growth be correct. Compared to the rest of the hospitality industry, 6889 is also trading below its peers, relative to earnings generated. This bolsters the proposition that 6889's price is currently discounted.

Story continues

SEHK:6889 Price Estimation Relative to Market, May 10th 2019

Next Steps:

For DYNAM JAPAN HOLDINGS, there are three essential aspects you should look at:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 6889s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 6889s outlook. Dividend Income vs Capital Gains: Does 6889 return gains to shareholders through reinvesting in itself and growing earnings, or redistribute a decent portion of earnings as dividends? Our historical dividend yield visualization quickly tells you what your can expect from 6889 as an investment. Other Attractive Alternatives : Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of 6889? Explore our interactive list of stocks with large potential to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

In 2016 Jonathan Miller was appointed CEO of McColl's Retail Group plc (LON:MCLS). This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid.

View our latest analysis for McColl's Retail Group

How Does Jonathan Miller's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

According to our data, McColl's Retail Group plc has a market capitalization of UK96m, and pays its CEO total annual compensation worth UK591k. (This figure is for the year to November 2018). That's below the compensation, last year. While we always look at total compensation first, we note that the salary component is less, at UK450k. We took a group of companies with market capitalizations below UK154m, and calculated the median CEO total compensation to be UK238k.

As you can see, Jonathan Miller is paid more than the median CEO pay at companies of a similar size, in the same market. However, this does not necessarily mean McColl's Retail Group plc is paying too much. We can get a better idea of how generous the pay is by looking at the performance of the underlying business.

You can see, below, how CEO compensation at McColl's Retail Group has changed over time.

LSE:MCLS CEO Compensation, May 10th 2019

Is McColl's Retail Group plc Growing?

McColl's Retail Group plc has reduced its earnings per share by an average of 23% a year, over the last three years (measured with a line of best fit). It achieved revenue growth of 8.2% over the last year.

Sadly for shareholders, earnings per share are actually down, over three years. The modest increase in revenue in the last year isn't enough to make me overlook the disappointing change in earnings per share. It's hard to argue the company is firing on all cylinders, so shareholders might be averse to high CEO remuneration. You might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for future earnings.

Story continues

Has McColl's Retail Group plc Been A Good Investment?

Since shareholders would have lost about 42% over three years, some McColl's Retail Group plc shareholders would surely be feeling negative emotions. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously.

In Summary...

We examined the amount McColl's Retail Group plc pays its CEO, and compared it to the amount paid by similar sized companies. As discussed above, we discovered that the company pays more than the median of that group.

Earnings per share have not grown in three years, and the revenue growth fails to impress us.

Over the same period, investors would have come away with nothing in the way of share price gains. In our opinion the CEO might be paid too generously! Shareholders may want to check for free if McColl's Retail Group insiders are buying or selling shares.

Important note: McColl's Retail Group 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.
Rihanna confirmed on Friday the launch of her much-rumored new luxury fashion brand in partnership with LVMH Moet Hennessy (LVMH), the largest luxury goods conglomerate in the world. The new deal makes Rihanna the first woman of color to lead an LVMH label, and cements her position amongst the fashion industrys biggest names.

The fashion house, which LVMH has reportedly already invested $30 million into, will live under the Fenty umbrella Rihanna has already built out in the beauty business, with Fenty Beauty, and with her lingerie brand Savage X Fenty. She shared the news in a post on Instagram revealing the monogram-ready logo for the brand.

In the year and a half since she launched Fenty Beauty, her first venture with LVMH, Rihanna has demonstrated the formidable popularity of her brand  and its game-changing potential. In 2018, Fenty Beauty  one of TIMEs Most Genius Companies of 2018  grossed more than $500 million dollars in sales and quickly cultivated a more diverse consumer base than its rivals due in large part to its products and campaigns celebrating inclusivity, and offering a wider range of skin tones.

Rihanna is also not a rookie to the apparel market either. In 2014, she was named a creative director of the sportswear brand Puma under the brand FENTY X PUMA; she has also previously collaborated on collections with the British high street chain River Island, and on a socks line with hosiery and apparel brand Stance.

So while the announcement of a Fenty expansion into an full-fledged fashion house may not come as a surprise, it still marks a significant moment, and milestone for an industry grappling with influencer culture, new revenue streams and diversified customer bases. Heres what you need to know:

Big day for the culture: Rihannas deal marks a shift for the fashion industry

Story continues

Fenty Maison will be based in France, and will be the first label in the prestigious LVMH stable  which includes Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, and Celine among many others  to be created and run by a woman of color. It has also been over 30 years since LVMH launched a new luxury-apparel brand, the last being Christian Lacroix in 1987.

More than a considerable landmark for the luxury fashion business, the creation of a Fenty fashion house is emblematic of cultural change, especially for a company like LVMH, whose reputation asserts an aspirational aesthetic rooted in European hegemony. Big day for the culture, Rihanna wrote in an Instagram caption celebrating the news. This is proof that nothing is impossible.

LVMH consists of many brands associated with what the French call patrimoine culturel  cultural heritage  or francite, Rhonda Garelick, a professor and fashion historian at Parsons School of Design, told TIME in an email. Rihanna enters into this line-up, taking her place alongside venerable, historic, and iconic figures. It is symbolic of a seismic shift in how we view, sustain, and rewrite the canons of European prestige and history. And it signals the growing understanding of the need to embrace new, global definitions of what constitutes prestige, history, and luxury.

Given Frances own colonial history, we must not overlook the potent symbolism of a woman of color, from a former European colony in the Caribbean, rising to helm a new luxury brand from this iconic French company, Garelick said.

European luxury labels have been the slow in diversifying their creative leadership and related branding, from campaign imagery to runway representation. When Virgil Abloh was named was named artistic director of LVMH namesake brand Louis Vuittons menswear line in 2018, he became (and still is) one of the only black designers to have ever headed a heritage fashion house.

Rihannas LVMH collaboration is also a savvy business move

Through our partnership at Fenty Beauty, I discovered a true entrepreneur, a real CEO and a terrific leader, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault said in a press release announcing the new venture Friday morning. She naturally finds her full place within LVMH. Arnault, who at a net worth of more than $94 billion is currently the fourth-wealthiest person in the world, has been a scion in the luxury fashion industry for more than four decades.

Mr. Arnault has given me a unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits, Rihanna teased in the same statement. Im ready for the world to see what we have built together.

The new venture stands as a reflection of LVMHs booming business  the company reported more than $14 billion in revenue in Q1 of 2019, a 16% increase in growth in comparison to last year. Furthermore, it illustrates the potential still to be tapped by famous figures and the loyal followings theyve cultivated.

While celebrity fashion labels are far from revolutionary, Rihanna is likely to be set apart due to the demonstrated reach of her brand (which can only be expanded upon in this new partnership), and the credentials she has already established.

Rihannas value to LVMH lies also in her vast social media following, Garelick explained. She has tens of millions of followers not just for her talent, fame, or beauty, but because she projects a very real, authentic self on these platforms, and takes seriously what her followers say and think.

Beyond reach alone, the combined industry expertise of LVMH makes this collaboration unlike other celebrity fashion projects. Editor of Womenswear Daily Miles Socha told the Associated Press: whats different about this Rihanna project is her partner, which is the worlds largest luxury group, which has expertise across a range of leather goods, perfumes, fashion, beauty  so it really raises the bar for celebrity-led fashion brands.

While little about the brand has yet to be revealed beyond the logo and a teaser digital presence, eager devotees wont have to wait long. The first Fenty collection is set to debut in Paris later this summer.
Howard Yu is the LEGO professor of management and innovation at IMD business school in Switzerland, and author of the book "Leap: How to Thrive in a World Where Everything Can Be Copied"



Nothing new can come from a situation without suffering. If any new understanding about the nature of platform companies is to materialize in 2019, it will be because of the extreme over-valuation of Uber, on full display this week.

Uber's valuation at IPO this Friday, based on its offering price, will be $82 billion. The company is raising $8.1 billion, and is expected to be the years biggest U.S. IPO. Only two other U.S. IPOs have ever been more valuable: Alibaba in 2014, at a value of $167 billion, and Facebook in 2012, at a value of $104 billion.

The biggest winners this time will include Jeff Bezos, whose $3 million personal investment in Uber is likely to be worth $400 million. Other well-known investors include Benchmark, whose $30 million stake is set to make around $7.9 billion, and Menlo Ventures, whose $67 million investment is expected to become about $3 billion. But the question for the public is, should we join in? What can academic research tell us?

[Read More: Uber delivers on the promise every tech company has ever made]

In explaining the dynamics of a platform economy, as opposed to those of a traditional economy, economists and business researchers routinely use the network effect as a way of describing the value of a platform. This value largely depends on the number of users on either side of the exchange. The more riders a ride-sharing platform has, for instance, the more attractive it becomes to drivers, leading even more people to use it.

La estatua de George Washington frente a un letrero de Uber que cuelga en la fachada de la bolsa de valores de Nueva York, el viernes 10 de mayo de 2019. (AP Foto/Richard Drew)

And once a platform reaches a certain size, the thinking goes, it becomes too dominant to unseat. In other words, a platform economy has no room for multiple players; the market equilibrium will forever move toward a monopoly. So Google dominates search engines, Facebook rules social networks, Twitter towers over microblogging, and Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify have cornered the movie-streaming, video-sharing, and music-streaming markets, respectively.

Story continues

If we follow this logic, however, there should be either Uber or Lyft, but not both. And weve seen that coming with Ubers moves in international markets. It sold its China operation to Didi Chuxing in 2016, not because of political pressure from Beijing, but because of fierce competition from local players. A year later, in 2017, Uber sold its operation in Russia to Yandex. This was followed by yet another exit in March 2018, when Uber bowed to Grab by selling off its Southeast Asian operation in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its easier for Uber to achieve scale than to sustain it.

This explains, in part, why although Uber is operating in more than 700 cities around the world, 24% of the total bookings occur in just five of thoseNew York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and Sao Paulo. Outside those core cities, Uber faces fierce local competition. Latecomers in these local markets emulate what Uber does and outdo it. Uber still had a monthly average of 91 million active users at the end of 2018, but growth had slowed from 51 percent a year earlier to 33.8 percent.

Investors often invest in money-losing businesses because they believe tech companies that begin with modest goals and creative business plans will soon follow the growth script of Amazon in realizing their own routes to infinity and beyond.

[Read More: How Uber's biggest investor is shaping the global ride-sharing market]

To knit together precisely that precious narrative for an IPO, CEO Khosrowshahi positioned Uber as the hub for disparate categories of transport. It included Uber Eats, a food-delivery service; Uber Freight, a trucking business; and Jump, a shared scooter and bike operation. Khosrowshahi equated Uber to Amazon.

But Uber has never been about building infrastructure. Amazon built not only a website and an app, but warehouses, logistic networks and I.T. systems. Uber never did. It uses two cloud computing providers: AWS and Google Cloud. Uber didnt even develop its own maps; it spent tens of million to use Google Maps.

A scooter driver prepares to delivery an Uber Eats food order in London, Britain June 8, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

The paradox is this: Lots of businesses require heavy investment. Cellular phone operators and cable TV companies all have to spend billions to build their physical networks. But that investment is finite, whereas Uber is spending cash not on building physical assets, but on buying market share, pushing driver incentives and rider discounts, and advertisements. These are infinite expenditures, limited only by a companys ability to raise money from venture capital firms and IPO. Thats how Amazon lost $2.8 billion over its first 17 quarters as a public company, while Uber lost over $4 billion in 2017 alone.

One bright spot that Uber seeks to highlight in its IPO filing is on platform synergies, where each new product adds nodes to [its] network and strengthens these shared capabilities, which in turn will fuel multiple virtuous cycles of growth. It claims that Uber Eats is used by many of the same consumers who use our Ridesharing products, [and] is built on our existing technology stack. And so in the future, Uber can more efficiently launch other products and offerings, such as dockless e-bikes and e-scooters, by leveraging our existing network of Drivers and consumers and regional on-the-ground operations teams.

[Read More: The biggest risks to Uber's business as it prepares for its IPO]

Such strong cycles of growth wont be possible without an integrated data strategy. Any data scientists would agree that data sets become geometrically more valuable when you combine them. Combined data sets often reveal insights and business opportunities that could not have been imagined previously. When Google introduced Gmail, it built a data set that was largely able to duplicate a users identity.

Combining the two data sets prompted a huge increase in value, as future AdWords ads would have more worth for the advertiser and, by extension, for Google. The same thing happened again with Google Maps, which enabled Google to tie identity and purchase intent to location. Each time Google introduces a new service, it finds new use cases for user data by combining data sets. This is also the allure of Uber; the company can recombine data stemming from its core business and then invade an adjacent business line for growth.

FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2015 file photo a French livery driver has written on his car window "Stop Uber" as their cars block a traffic circle in Paris. The European Union's top court has ruled Tuesday April 10, 2018 that member states can ban taxi services like UberPop without prior notification to the Commission. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

Still, this business logic could come undone. Last year, Europe introduced its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in an effort to thwart consumers being treated as commodities. Consumers must give their consent before a company such as Uber can start to collect personal data, and the company must explain why data is collected and how it is used. The company is not allowed to use that data for different purposes later on. There has been talk, and even a legal action started in Germany, aimed at prohibiting Facebook from integrating Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp as it seeks to combine user data from different sources. Another German initiative proposes that dominant platforms must share bulk, anonymized data with competitors, meaning all transport firms would have access to Ubers information about traffic patterns.

Europe would obviously have limited influence on Ubers global strategy. But Europe remains the most profitable market outside of the U.S., a market that no tech firm can completely ignore or defy. London is currently one of the top five cities that produces the most bookings for Uber, and the U.K. is under the GDPR regardless of whether Brexit proceeds. Perhaps most problematic for Uber is that many countries around the world are emulating Europes position on data protection and consumer privacy.

Thus, the investment thesis inspired by the platform economy of the pastwinners take all; competition is for loserscannot hold. There might not be a tech bubble that bursts as badly as in the 90s, but the growth prospects of Uber and its competitors will diminish.

[Read More: Uber has lived through a parade of executive exits before its IPO]
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has declared it a constitutional crisis that Attorney General William Barr refuses to divulge the small parts of the Mueller report that contain grand-jury material. By a straight party-line vote, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Barr in contempt of Congress.

What did Pelosi think when Barrs predecessor, Eric Holder, refused to divulge documents to a congressional committee and was held in contempt? Ridiculous! she said. What did Holder and Obama say? That the House subpoena was a violation of separation of powers.

To partisans, the difference between the cases is obvious. Barr is defending Trump; Holder was Obamas self-proclaimed wing man. That is enough for many journalists and most politicians. The rest of us might want to know: What is the legal or constitutional difference between Holders refusal to provide documents and Barrs?

Here is the background of the Holder contempt. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), a unit of Holders Department of Justice (DOJ), conducted an operation called Fast & Furious, intended to track illegal gun sales. In fact it put hundreds of weapons in the hands of Mexican criminal gangs, leading to the death of an American officer. On February 4, 2011, after news of the operation emerged, Holders assistant attorney general sent a letter to Congress declaring that the Obama administration had no knowledge of the operation. This letter was false, as Holder later admitted.

A congressional committee wanted to know why it had been misled. BATFE employees leaked to Congress that the department was still suppressing the truth about the operation and retaliating against whistleblowers. The committee wanted to dig into that. It demanded DOJ documents relating to actions the Department took to silence or retaliate against Fast and Furious whistleblowers, so that it could determine what the Department knew about Fast and Furious, including when and how it discovered its February 4 letter was false, and the Departments efforts to conceal that information from Congress and the public.

Story continues

The committees first request for documents came early in March of 2011. The department did not comply with the request. On March 31, the committee issued its first subpoena. Again the department failed to comply. Over the next six months, the committee held a series of hearings, and Holder eventually admitted that the Fast & Furious operation had been fundamentally flawed and that DOJs February 4 letter denying administration knowledge was inaccurate. DOJ released thousands of pages of documents, but refused to give Congress all the documents it was asking for.

On October 12, 2011, DOJ informed Congress that it would not divulge any more documents. The committee issued a second subpoena. Attorney General Holder refused to comply. During a committee hearing, Chairman Darrell Issa revealed that the attorney general had refused to cooperate, offering to provide subpoenaed documents only if the committee agrees in advance to close the investigation. He commented that no investigator would ever agree to that.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, as negotiations between the Attorney General and Chairman Issa continued, the Chairman reportedly narrowed the scope of the documents that would need to be produced in order to avoid a contempt vote, but the Attorney General maintained that he could not provide the Committee with the requested documents.

Nancy Pelosi and Jerrold Nadler did not declare this a constitutional crisis. They backed Holder.

On June 19, 2012, President Obama invoked executive privilege, and on the same day, the House committee voted to hold Attorney General Holder in contempt of Congress. The committee vote was 2317. The full House voted Holder in contempt by a lopsided vote of 25567, with 17 Democrats voting for the contempt and many more staying home to avoid having to cast a vote.

How does this compare with the Barr contempt? Under regulations written by the Clinton administration, the special prosecutor is instructed to submit a confidential report to the attorney general at the end of an investigation. It is entirely the prerogative of the attorney general to decide whether to release any of the report to the public or to Congress. In his discretion, Attorney General Barr decided to release the Mueller report in its entirety, but for two categories of redactions, which were made in conjunction with the Mueller team.

One set of redactions protected innocent third parties, peripheral to the investigation, whose privacy would be compromised. Barr offered to let members of Congress see a version of the report without these redactions. Five Republicans have accepted the offer, but no Democrats.

The second set of redactions, amounting to an estimated 1.5 percent of the report, applied to grand-jury materials.

Under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e)  passed by Congress  it is illegal to release grand-jury materials except for a specified list of purposes, and congressional investigations do not appear on this list. In the past, some courts issued orders permitting the revelation of grand-jury materials in broader circumstances under their general supervisory powers. The District of Columbia Circuit, whose precedent governs this matter, recently rejected this position. In McKeever v. Barr (April 5, 2019), the court held that grand-jury material must be kept secret except for the specific reasons listed in the rule. Perhaps that decision is incorrect, but unless and until it is overturned or Congress amends the law, it would be illegal for Barr to comply with Nadlers demands.

In the Fast & Furious matter, the Republicans engaged in 15 months of negotiations between the House Committees first subpoena on March 30, 2011, and its finding of contempt against Holder on June 19, 2012, repeatedly narrowing its requests in hopes of getting cooperation. The Democrats subpoenaed the unredacted Mueller report on April 19 and voted to hold Barr in contempt three weeks later, on May 8. The vote was entirely on party lines, with every Republican voting against. Even Chairman Nadler seems to recognize that Barr would need to get a court order before he could reveal the grand-jury material, but he held Barr in contempt anyway.

Attorney General Barr has stated a single, narrow reason for refusing to give Congress an unredacted version of Muellers Report: the legal prohibition against revealing grand-jury materials. Obama and Holder asserted a far more sweeping privilege:

The compelled production to Congress of these internal Executive Branch documents generated in the course of the deliberative process concerning the Departments response to congressional oversight and related media inquiries . . . would inhibit the candor of such Executive Branch deliberations in the future and significantly impair the Executive Branchs ability to respond independently and effectively to congressional oversight. Such compelled disclosure would be inconsistent with the separation of powers established in the Constitution and would potentially create an imbalance in the relationship between these co-equal branches of the Government.

Let us parse these claims. First, such compelled disclosure would be inconsistent with the separation of powers established in the Constitution and would potentially create an imbalance in the relation between these co-equal branches of the Government. In other words, the idea that the executive branch is constitutionally compelled to comply with all subpoenas issued by congressional committees is contrary to the separation of powers. Contradiction? In 2012, when Holder was resisting a congressional subpoena, the separation of powers precluded compelling production of the subpoenaed documents. Today, resistance  even with a specific legal basis  is a constitutional crisis.

Second, the Obama executive-privilege letter stated that compelled disclosure of internal executive-branch documents about the deliberative process would inhibit the candor of such Executive Branch deliberations in the future. The Fast & Furious documents involved low-level Department of Justice deliberations about how to deceive Congress and retaliate against whistle-blowers. No law protected the Fast & Furious documents. The DOJ employees engaging in those discussions had no legal expectation of confidentiality (unless everything said by executive-branch employees is automatically exempt from congressional scrutiny). If the revelation of those discussions would inhibit the candor of executive-branch deliberations, what about revealing the content of discussions between the president of the United States and his White House counsel? (Trump waived his attorney-client privilege for purposes of the Mueller investigation, but not for all purposes.)

Do we really want to say that in the future, contrary to the regulations, special-prosecutor reports are not confidential, and that any information imparted to the special prosecutor in confidence will automatically be disclosed to the public through a congressional proceeding? I can think of few things that would make special-prosecutor investigations less effective in the future. Trumps lawyers waived privileges precisely to get the Mueller investigation over more quickly, so that the American public would know that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russians. Future presidents would be well advised not to waive any privileges, lest embarrassing facts on charges not brought be exposed.

If President Obama was justified in invoking executive privilege to protect the confidentiality of documents and conversations that are unprotected by any law, how can Obamas admirers be so insistent that Barr is wrong to invoke executive privilege to protect grand-jury materials, which are among the most highly protected and confidential of all categories of information in our system?

One final difference. Instead of making overheated claims of constitutional crisis, threatening the attorney general with impeachment, and even suggesting sending the congressional marshals to arrest Barr and lock him up in the Capitol basement (was Pelosi just joking about that?), the Republicans in 2012 calmly went to court to seek a peaceful resolution of the dispute. Unfortunately, Holder ran out the clock in district court, the Obama administration came to an end without ever complying with the subpoenas, and the American public never got an answer.

Two attorneys general. Two entirely different sets of rules.

More from National Review
Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW)

Q1 2019 Earnings Call

May. 09, 2019, 8:30 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Greetings and welcome to the Wolverine Worldwide first-quarter fiscal 2019 results conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. A question-and-answer session will follow formal presentation. [Operator instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.

I'll now just turn the conference over to your host, Mike Harris, vice president of corporate finance. Thank you. You may begin.

Mike Harris -- Vice President of Corporate Finance

Good morning and welcome to our first-quarter 2019 conference call. On the call today are Blake Krueger, our chairman, chief executive officer and president; and Mike Stornant, our senior vice president and chief financial officer. Earlier this morning, we announced our financial results for the first-quarter 2019. The release is available on many news sites or it can be viewed from our corporate website at wolverineworldwide.com.

If you would prefer to have a copy of the news release sent to you directly, please call Francesca Filandro at 646-677-1814. This morning's press release, included non-GAAP disclosures and these disclosures were reconciled with attached tables within the body of the release. Comments during today's earnings call will include some additional non-GAAP disclosures. There is a document posted on our corporate website titled WWW Q1 2019 Conference Call Supplemental Tables that will reconcile these non-GAAP disclosures to GAAP.

More From The Motley Fool

The document is accessible under the Investor Relations tab at our corporate website wolverineworldwide.com by clicking on the Webcast link at the top of the page. As mentioned in this morning's press release, during the first quarter, the brands that were formally part of the Wolverine Outdoor & Lifestyle Group and Wolverine Heritage Group were realigned into the newly formed Wolverine Michigan Group. All prior period figures and current year growth rates have been restated within the reconciliation table included in the press release to reflect the new group structure. During our call, we are providing adjusted financial results, which adjust for the impacts of environmental and related costs, business development-related expenses and federal income tax reform.

Story continues

I'd also like to remind you that predictions and projections made during today's conference call regarding Wolverine Worldwide and its operations are forward-looking statements under U.S. securities laws. As a result, we must caution you that as with any prediction or projection, there are a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially. These important risk factors are identified in the company's SEC filings and in our press releases.

With that being said, I'd like to turn the call over to Blake Krueger.

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Thanks, Mike. Good morning, everyone, and thanks for joining us. Earlier this morning, we reported first-quarter revenue of $523 million with better-than-expected results for Merrell, Saucony, Cat and Wolverine, among other brands. Our diversified brand portfolio helped to deliver a solid revenue quarter despite some global headwinds in a tepid quarter for the U.S.

footwear market, where pairs declined 4% after seven consecutive quarters of growth. Revenue growth for our owned e-commerce business, which now represents nearly 10% of global revenue, was robust, up 28% over the prior year. This strength help to offset some unforeseen headwinds at Sperry related to the weak quarter in U.S. footwear and a soft boat shoe market.

We reported adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.49, which was above the high-end of our guidance for the quarter. During the quarter, we took steps to further develop our organization and brands to implement speed and innovation initiatives, as well as the new skill sets and tools developed through our transformation work. The brands that were formally aligned with the Wolverine Outdoor & Lifestyle Group and Wolverine Heritage Group, all of which are headquartered in Michigan, were realigned into the newly formed Wolverine Michigan Group. This new group is being led by Todd Spaletto, who previously led the Outdoor & Lifestyle Group.

Todd has been an integral part of the development and implementation of the brand growth model, which is transforming our approach to growth. The Wolverine Boston Group will maintain the same brand alignment; Sperry, Saucony, Keds and our kids group, and will continue to be led by Richie Woolworth. Let me quickly review the quarterly results for our brand groups and key brands. I'll then provide an update on our global growth agenda, including key 2019 investments and the continued implementation of our brand growth model.

Starting with the Wolverine Michigan Group. Revenue grew 2.3% compared to the prior year and nearly 3.7% on a constant-currency basis, with several brands delivering attractive growth. Merrell's results were better than expected as the brand grew in the low-single digits after adjusting for the negative impact from foreign currency. Cat had an exceptionally strong quarter, growing over 30%, and we also saw gains in the Wolverine, Harley-Davidson and HYTEST businesses.

The growth in these brands was partially offset by declines in Hush Puppies, Chaco and Bates. Merrell's better-than-expected quarterly results were driven by strength across all performance categories and excellent consumer reaction to new collections, highlighted by the Trail Glove 5, Choprock, Gridway and Range. The success of new launches is often first reflected in our DTC business, where we reached the consumer with the full power of our product and story. And we're pleased that Merrell's e-commerce grew over 30% in the quarter and stores grew at a mid-single digit same-store pace.

Digital and social media momentum for Merrell was also strong, with media views, impressions and search interest all up significantly. This translated into improved sell-through at U.S. retailers during the first quarter. This broad-based strength was partially offset by the bankruptcy of an international partner and self-imposed brand protection decisions made to restrict some U.S.

wholesale business. Merrell's direct-to-consumer momentum, new product pipeline and favorable backlog support our planned return to mid-single digit revenue growth in the second quarter and high-single digit growth in the second half of the year. For the full-year 2019, we still expect Merrell to deliver broad-based high-single digit growth. Cat had an exceptional quarter and experienced strong growth across most regions, channels and categories.

Much of this success is directly related to the accelerated and rigorous implementation of our brand growth model over the last six months. The U.S. and EMA regions were very healthy for Cat. And the brand's owned e-commerce business grew over 40%.

The work category grew at a double-digit rate, with the brand expanding U.S. market share in this category during the quarter. For 2019, we continue to expect high-single digit growth for Cat, driven by strength across all channels, regions and product categories. During the quarter, the Wolverine brand increased its No.

1 U.S. market share position in the work category, with strong demand for core offerings and new product introductions. The brand also experienced significant growth in e-commerce of over 40%. For 2019, we expect the Wolverine brand to achieve mid-single digit growth, driven by elevated marketing stories and strength in its core U.S.

work category and its e-commerce business. The new Michigan Group now includes five brands that continue to experience meaningful success and momentum in the work category. Our overall revenue in this category increased at a mid-teens rate in the quarter, significantly outpacing the overall U.S. work footwear market.

The work category is approaching 20% of our global revenue and continues to be a significant growth opportunity for the company. Moving to the Wolverine Boston Group. Revenue for the Boston Group decreased 6.5% for the quarter versus the prior year, down 5.7% in constant currency. Sperry declined over 10%, partially offset by over 20% growth from Keds and low-single digit growth for our kids business.

Saucony exceeded plan, but declined at a mid-teens rate during the quarter, as our turnaround initiatives began to take hold. Sperry's decline was primarily driven by weakness in the U.S. boat shoe category, despite the brand gaining significant market share in this category in Q1. Other areas of the Sperry business performed well, including casual footwear and the lifestyle boot category, which grew at a double-digit rate with strong sell-through at retail.

In Q1, the industry experienced weak performance across traditional seasonal footwear categories, including sandals and boat shoes. We're pleased that April has brought a clear improvement in seasonal products and sell-throughs for Sperry at a variety of U.S. retailers. On a full-year basis, we still expect Sperry to achieve mid-single digit growth, driven by a very strong second half for boots and continued strength of the Sperry brand with consumers.

Saucony was down mid-teens in the quarter, but this performance was better than expected. Q1 softness was related to the core technical running category, primarily in the U.S. with some weakness in the EMA region. A major bright spot for the quarter was e-commerce, which delivered growth of over 80% and benefited from the implementation of elements of the brand growth model and our digital-direct offense.

We expect revenue trends to significantly improve in the second quarter as new initiatives hit the market and we still see Saucony returning to growth during the second half of the year, supported by further implementation of the growth model, a strong pipeline of new product introductions, continued strong e-commerce performance and the integration of its former Italian distributor. Keds was up over 20% in Q1, reflecting market share expansion in the U.S., healthy growth in several international regions and e-commerce growth of almost 40%. The core Champion product category and product collaborations helped drive this strong performance. For 2019, we expect Keds to achieve at least high-single digit growth, driven by its e-commerce business and strength in the U.S.

and Asia Pacific regions. Now let me provide an enterprise perspective and update on our global growth agenda, where we continue to make important investments across all three elements; one, a faster and more innovative product creation engine; two, our digital-direct offense; and three, our focused expansion of our international business. These investments in the aggregate total approximately $9 million in the quarter, with continued expectations to spend approximately $40 million for the full year. In addition, we will invest $40 million of capital to open stores and accelerate growth in our global markets, especially in our recently announced China joint venture and our acquisition of Saucony's Italian distributor just last week.

Our new China joint venture with Xtep International, a leading Chinese sportswear and running footwear company, will accelerate the growth for Merrell and Saucony in the critical markets of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. This is a great marriage, combining the power and product expertise of these global brands with Xtep's significant regional expertise, fast supply chain and retail presence over 6,200 stores. The focus in China will be on the booming running and outdoor sectors. In addition, we are expanding direct control of our European operations by acquiring Saucony's Italian distributor to further strengthen the company's own market presence and maximize growth opportunities for the brand.

We intend to use the Italian operation as a global design hub for the brand's lifestyle product. Let me conclude by giving a brief update on the adoption of our brands' growth model across the portfolio. This model provides a framework to focus and drive the creative design and strategic product process for our brands. A key focus during 2019 is to ensure that all of our brands begin to execute against the strategic playbook, which has already proven to unlock growth opportunities for several of our brands.

Merrell and Cat's significant progress and enhanced momentum over the last nine months are good examples of the impact that we expected when we rolled the model out and accelerate the pace of execution. Aligning our brand group structure and leadership under the Michigan and Boston brand groups will help expedite the implementation of the model across our brand portfolio. With that, I'll now turn the call over to Mike Stornant, our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, who will provide additional commentary on our first-quarter financial performance, along with an updated outlook for Q2 and the full year. Mike?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Thanks, Blake and thank you all for joining us today. I am pleased with several areas of progress made so far this year related to our global growth agenda and total shareholder return objectives. The company is deploying capital very effectively as evidenced by the recent announcement of our new China joint venture for Merrell and Saucony, the acquisition of our Saucony distributor in Italy and over $100 million of share buybacks executed in the first quarter. Each of these strategic actions supports our ongoing goal of consistent growth and enhanced value creation for our shareholders.

As Blake mentioned, first-quarter revenue of $523.4 million was a bit short of our original expectations due to the late start of spring and the slow start for seasonal footwear, including boat shoes. All other areas of the business were either near or better than planned. And I would like to highlight some early improvements in our global business that bode well for our performance over the balance of the year. Merrell and Saucony exceeded their revenue plan in Q1 and are poised to deliver further improvement starting in the second quarter.

Our owned e-commerce business was a very strong growth driver in Q1, up over 28%, but the profit contribution from this channel was even stronger and improved over 70% in the quarter. We expect this earnings leverage to continue. While certain Latin America markets remain challenged and the distributor bankruptcy created some headwinds, our international business exceeded plan for the quarter, thanks to the strong brand and geographic diversification of our portfolio. Finally, in April, we saw an acceleration in seasonal footwear, with improvement in Sperry boat and Chaco sandal categories.

Gross margin for the quarter was 42.1%, which was down 60 basis points from the prior year. This was mostly due to product and business model mix and lower high-margin revenue due to certain bankruptcies. Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses of $163 million included $9 million of investment related to growth initiatives, but were down slightly compared to the prior year as a result of efficient expense management. Adjusted operating margin during the quarter was approximately 11% as compared to 12% in the prior year.

The first-quarter reported effective tax rate was 13.2% and the adjusted effective tax rate was 11.7%, due to the positive net impact from certain discrete items. First-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $0.49 exceeded our expectations and reported earnings per share of $0.43 included the impact of environmental-related costs, business development expenses and certain other costs. We were active with share repurchases, buying back $103.1 million of our stock in Q1, at an average price of $35.65. We have approximately $325 million still available under the recently approved $400 million share repurchase program.

Transitioning to the balance sheet. After several quarters of significant inventory reductions, we have begun to make strategic investments in core inventory to position our wholesale and DTC businesses for accelerated growth. During much of 2018, we operated with a very lean inventory position that resulted in higher stock-out cancellations, some late customer deliveries and expensive air freight costs required to chase demand. By taking a stronger inventory position on core items this year, we are already seeing meaningful improvement in customer order fill rates and we are in a better position to work with key suppliers to smooth production and minimize factory delays.

Our inventory was up 28.7% at the end of Q1, about 7% above our plan, with the overall increase attributable to the needed investments noted above. We saw an unplanned inventory spike from Sperry, including the impact of lower Q1 revenue. Overall, we expect inventory levels to be up in Q2 and Q3, as we adjust our quarterly positions, but we still project our year-end inventory to be up only low-single digits. The stronger core inventory position during the year would essentially mitigate any potential tariff exposure for 2019.

We ended the first quarter with gross debt of $771.3 million and cash of $80.6 million. Total gross debt increased approximately $200 million from the end of 2018, reflecting the use to funds for share repurchases and seasonal working capital needs. The company has significant flexibility to invest in organic growth, return capital to shareholders and execute strategic acquisitions. We had total liquidity of approximately $1.25 billion at quarter end, and we expect to add meaningful additional capacity into the future.

Now let me cover our updated outlook for the remainder of 2019. We still expect 2019 full-year revenue to be in the range of $2.28 billion to $2.33 billion, representing growth of 3% at the midpoint of the range. The acquisition of our Saucony distributor and the addition of new Sperry and Merrell outlet stores are expected to deliver approximately $25 million to $30 million of incremental revenue in the second half of the year. These assumptions were included in our previous full-year revenue guidance.

Our owned e-commerce business remains our fastest growing channel and is a significant source of full-year growth. Our international business will return to growth in Q2 and accelerate in the back half of the year as we experience easier year-over-year comparisons and softer currency headwinds. We are projecting modest and achievable low-single digit growth for our U.S. wholesale business for the remainder of the year, including a very strong second half increase for the Sperry lifestyle boot business.

Full-year gross margin is expected to expand by 45 basis points at the midpoint of our guidance range of 41.3% to 41.8%, unchanged from our original outlook. We expect significant gross margin expansion in the back half of the year due to a stronger direct-to-consumer mix, including e-commerce growth and new stores, favorable product costs and the acquisition of our Saucony Italy distributor, which operates with high gross margin. Adjusted operating margin is still expected to be in the range of 12.2% to 12.6%, including investing up to $40 million in growth initiatives to support the company's global growth agenda. Reported operating margin is expected to be approximately 11.3% to 11.6%.

We now expect 2019 net interest and other expenses in the range of approximately $24 million to $25 million, driven by higher average debt balances to fund planned growth initiatives, higher share repurchases, capital investments in international operations and ongoing working capital needs. The effective tax rate is now expected to be in the range of 18.5% to 19% and the diluted weighted average shares outstanding are projected to be approximately 91 million shares. Full-year 2019 adjusted diluted earnings per share are still expected to be in the range of $2.20 to $2.35. Reported diluted earnings per share are now expected in the range of $2.00 to $2.15.

Now let me provide some information on our outlook for the second quarter. We expect low-single digit revenue growth, which includes an unfavorable foreign currency impact of approximately $5 million or 1%. The second quarter will include approximately $5 million of incremental start-up costs related to the acquired Saucony operations in Italy, opening of new stores and the addition of a new member of our executive team to drive global merchandising and enhance our product innovation pipeline. Net interest expense for the quarter will be approximately $2 million higher than last year due to the use of funds for share repurchases and the phasing of inventory investments.

As a result, Q2 adjusted earnings per share are expected to be approximately $0.50. In closing, I want to reiterate that we continue to relentlessly focus on growing our brands through implementation of the brand growth model, investing in key initiatives and supporting our employees with the tools and resources necessary to drive growth. The investment in new channels of distribution in Europe and our store fleet provides accelerated growth in the back half of the year with further opportunity in 2020 from the full-year benefit of these initiatives and growth from our China joint venture. The company's strong liquidity provides ample capacity to invest in these growth drivers and we remain focused on leveraging our global operating model to deliver strong earnings from these new operations.

Thanks for your time this morning, and we will now turn the call back to the operator.

Questions & Answers:





Operator

Great, thank you. At this time, we'll be conducting a question-and-answer session. [Operator instructions] Our first question is from Jim Duffy from Stifel. Please go ahead.

Jim Duffy -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

I'm going to start with Merrell. Can you guys talk about the shape of Merrell guidance for the remainder of the year? I know it was up low-single digits in the first quarter; that was above plan. I believe we had some challenges there with Latin American distributors and you're seeing good sell-through, but it sounds like that plus low-single digits is the expectation for the second quarter and then acceleration in the back half. Are there some product release-related drivers that give you confidence there?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Yeah, I mean, first of all, the pace of Merrell growth this year, we see Merrell accelerating to probably mid-single digits in Q2 and then high-single digits for the complete year. It's supported by their backlog and I would say especially strong performance in the performance categories; high Nature's Gym and work. Nature's Gym was up over 30% in Q1, work was up almost 40% in Q1. Their e-commerce business continues to be very strong; over 30% growth.

Their digital-direct offense is working. In Q1, they did have some headwinds. There were some international distributor bankruptcies that had an impact. Foreign currency especially hit the Merrell business and I would say some of the brand protection initiatives they've taken in the U.S., which is the right thing to do when it comes to map and third -- unauthorized third-party sellers had an impact in Q1 on top-line sales.

But we remain very confident about Merrell and the outlook for the rest of the year, supported by the -- fundamentally by the product pipeline and compelling stories.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. And the other -- only other thing I'd add Jim is that for Latin America and Europe, Q1 and a portion of Q2 are sort of the major areas of challenge there or headwinds coming from those two regions. And just between the comps in the back half for Latin America and just an improved situation in Europe, we think those will significantly improve as the year progresses.

Jim Duffy -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

Good to hear. And then in the release, you talked about unforeseen challenges. It's very -- it sounds like that was just demand-related relative to boat shoes or was there some sort of operational or product dynamic?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

No. It was really focused in Q1 entirely on boat shoes. We had a -- it was a pretty weak quarter here in the U.S., Sperry biggest market, whether it was weather, the late spring, we had snow fall in here just 12 days ago in Michigan if you can believe it. Maybe some of that was due to the Easter shift as well but retailers, we saw as the quarter progressed, took a very conservative stance when it came to reordering our at-once.

So, Sperry in the quarter almost gained 400 basis points in market share in the boat category and their sell-throughs were pretty good, at least equal to last year, but the reorders just did not materialize from U.S. retailers. They just took a conservative view. So, the real issue on Sperry is just the boat issue in this quarter.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

The inventories though today through April at retail are much cleaner, the sell-through pace is picked up since the first quarter by quite a bit. So, I think after having some time to assess Q1, it's certainly been a function of retailers working through inventory. They came into the year with, as Blake said, playing it closer to the vest, but already starting to see that kind of come back to a normal level. We are still for the year even giving -- embedded in the guidance we're giving for Sperry, we're not expecting boat to be a growth driver for the brand.

In fact, we expect it to be down double-digits still for the rest of the year, but Sperry has such a strong offerings, vulcanized and obviously their lifestyle book business for the back half of the year where we're seeing an incredible amount of demand for that already in the order book, gives us real confidence that they'll be able to withstand this difficult Q1 and still deliver their full-year performance.

Jim Duffy -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

Great. And then last one from me. Can -- Mike, can you just talk about how you expect the inventory to progress across the quarters of the year. I know you're budgeting to carry more inventory, but give us a little more direction on that?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Sure. Yeah, this is again Q1 was a little ahead of our plan, but directionally, we expect it to be up over 20% in the first quarter and I'd expect us to be in sort of the mid-20 range, 25% to 30% higher in Q2 and Q3. Those were two quarters where we had the most challenged a year ago with respect to just order fill and some delays and other costs. I mean in the back half of last year, we spent quite a bit on air freight and other costs that when you're trying to chase that demand that are problematic to the margin.

So we would sort of see that continuing kind of through Q3 and then like I said in my prepared remarks down to a more reasonable level in terms of growth up just low-single digits by the end of the year. We've seen a significant improvement in our fill rates and our ability to achieve the demand that we see in the order book compared to last year and we're also seeing with our U.S. business in particular, three or four of our largest retail customers, who are really shifting their order cadence from future orders to at-once orders this year. And that's obviously putting a little more responsibility on us as a brand to hold inventory for those retailers.

So that shift is not a new shift, but for us this year, to have two or three large accounts, doing that obviously puts a little more pressure on us to hold the core inventory, but we're very -- Jim, we're very comfortable with the quality of the inventory, the age of the inventory, our skew productivity staying really high. So I think overall we're really comfortable with where we are right now as we work through the year.

Operator

Our next question is from Steve Marotta from CLK & Associates. Please go ahead.

Steve Marotta -- CLK and Associates -- Analyst

I know the boat shoes comprise less than 50% of annual sales. Can you talk a little bit about what the makeup is for spring/summer versus fall/winter? And also what specific other categories in the spring/summer are performing well or hopefully outperforming within the brand?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Yeah, I would say boat shoes are obviously heavier weighted in the first half of the year for Sperry than the second half. Boots in the second half are now approaching 45% to 50% of the overall revenue. Because of the weather, boots for Sperry obviously performed well in Q1. We basically sold out to the pair.

We just frankly hadn't planned on the spring. We had and we could have used more boot product frankly for Sperry in Q1. And probably as we go forward, we're going to have some more transitional offering certainly for spring for Sperry, but also heavier boot offering, which we now see as really a 12-month composition. So, reliance on boat is still prevalent in the first half of the year for Sperry but it will be -- we see that diminishing over the time.

Its vulcanized business over the last two years has been extremely good and that business also has a much higher percentage of penetration in Q1.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

I'd say in the first half of the year, we're going to -- Sperry will return to kind of flat performance in Q2 as Blake said and that's going to come on the heels of better vulcanized performance in the quarter and then they've offered some new casual product. They started to really emphasize that last year and you'll see this year in Q2 even more non-bulk casual product, it's performing well too. So there is still some very good diversification happening there. And as we said before the boat business is starting to improve a bit.

So, as we start to go into Q3, the boot shipments are actually going to start quite a bit earlier this year compared to last year, just based on the order demand and the fact that some retailers didn't get enough of that product last year as we sold through it so well. So we're starting to see that demand kind of accelerate into the middle of Q3 at this point.

Steve Marotta -- CLK and Associates -- Analyst

That's very helpful. Can you talk a little bit about the growth model? You mentioned that, Merrell and Cat, both exemplify. What is going on with that particular model and their earlier adoption and the speed at which now the other brands can begin to adopt the model. Can you talk about what other brands are targeted and when will we see the improved fundamentals based on those new processes?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Yeah, I would say that the brand growth model, it's now a proven success for us even with Sperry in some of the expansion categories and success Sperry has proven, certainly for Merrell and certainly now for Cat. One of the reasons for our reorganization other than just to simplify the organization structure and all the brands being located in Michigan and combining all of our work brands under one umbrella was to accelerate our execution against the brand growth model. Todd has been the senior executive here, who has been leading that charge now for 12 months, 18 months. And we just need to execute faster.

It frankly never goes fast enough for me, but we need to execute faster for our medium size and smaller brands. And that's a pretty dynamic model. So, our largest brands continue to hone it, examine it, look at their consumer territories, look at their strategic product creation processes every year, every season. So, as you know, the brand model is focused on brand strategy.

That's brand DNA, target markets, consumer territories, brand design. It's then also focused on seasonal activation. That gets down to what are the actual products and opportunities under specific consumer territories and then it's focused on the resources needed. What do we need to do to enable the brand to achieve its growth opportunities; talent, tools, skill sets, that sort of things.

So, Cat has certainly shown that a rigorous approach against the model can even lead to short-term results, and we would hope to start to see those type of results here over the next season or two for the majority of our brands.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. I think you will see that. You're seeing it in Saucony and Cat's had a really strong first quarter. And I would say those two brands are sort of the next up on the list.

Operator

Our next question here is from Jonathan Komp from Robert W. Baird. Please go ahead.

Jonathan Komp -- Robert W. Baird and Company -- Analyst

I want to start off by asking about the full-year outlook. Unchanged overall, especially for revenue unchanged despite it's not like a little bit of an unexpected softness in the first quarter and then still kind of a gradual build in the second quarter. So, as you look to the full year, can you highlight any specific changes in the outlook or any areas that you're more confident looking into the second half and then maybe tie in? I know it can be noisy but the backlog disclosed in the 10-K looked fairly strong. So, any more color there?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

I mean, fundamentally, our outlook -- one of the key factors goes back to our order book. So we've got another three, four months of insight into our order book in the second half of the year. The second half of the year for us is going to frankly have a lot of tailwinds. And we know Sperry is going to have a very strong boot season.

We know our Saucony Italy operations are going to come onboard. Our international distribution is going to have a much easier compare to last year. We know that FX is going to be an easier compare and that's going to have less of an impact. We're going to have some new stores, 12 to 15 new stores in that range.

Our e-commerce business, we plan on continuing to be very strong. We know that Sperry's product pipeline is going to deliver in Q in the second half and Saucony is going to return to growth and Sperry is going to have solid growth. So, when you total all that up, we have a high confidence level when it comes to our second-half outlook. I'm sure we'll have though whether it's tariffs or few other things.

We'll have a few unexpected headwinds or challenges in there. But overall, we've got a lot of tailwind for the second half.

Jonathan Komp -- Robert W. Baird and Company -- Analyst

Great. That's helpful. And maybe a similarly themed question around the gross margin. I know first quarter had backs, but did kind of flattish.

And you have the inventory, which you explained a good portion of it, but anything else in the first quarter that stands out other than the mix components you highlighted? And then just any more color on how gross margin should progress throughout the year.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, I think for the first two quarters of the year, these bankruptcies are not helping us. And as Blake said, we've got most of those bankruptcies, by the way, or some of those business challenges are for businesses or distributors that pay us royalties. So the margin impact of that is quite high. The dollar flow-through of that is nearly 100% of the revenue.

So it's one of the reasons why the mix looks a little worse. A little bit of FX impact in the first two quarters also Jon that we didn't actually talk about but it kind of flattens out, and actually for the full year, it's a non-issue. We don't think FX is going to have really any impact overall for the year on earnings or gross margin, but in the first half of the year, it's a 10 or 15-basis-point headwind for us on gross margins. The most important improvements in the back half are going to come from the stronger DTC mix that we talked about as we add stores and we continue to accelerate our e-comm business in the mix.

Those businesses carry a really high gross margin rate. So they helped the overall mix. Sperry's margins on boots are very, very good and obviously missing that revenue in the first half of the year on boat, which is also a high-margin business for Sperry, has shifted the kind of the dynamic of the Sperry margin story from H1 to H2 a little bit. And we have lower product costs already kind of locked in for the back half of the year, both for some of our fall merchandise that will be shipping in Q3 and Q4 and also some spring product that will ship a little bit earlier in that sort of November, December time frame.

Our sourcing team has done a great job of negotiating pricing for all of our brands. Frankly, one of the benefits of being able to take position on inventory right now is to help the factories flatten their production and get us better pricing, and be able to negotiate better pricing with our suppliers. So those are tailwinds in the back half as well. So we think, again, good visibility to that.

Some of the issues that we've experienced in the first two quarters will abate in the back half, so we won't have those headwinds too.

Jonathan Komp -- Robert W. Baird and Company -- Analyst

OK, great. Very helpful. And just last one from me, Blake. I think you made a comment about the work category across all the brands.

I think you said approaching 20% of the global revenue and just sounded like you were calling it out a little more explicitly as a potential focusing growth driver. So I wanted to maybe follow up on that just to confirm kind of a size today and how you see the growth opportunities for that category specifically?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Yeah, I would say today it's probably in around 17% of our overall revenue for the company. We did a little bit of a deep dive into that. That's a growing category as you know for the footwear industry, especially the U.S. market over the last couple of years.

We looked it a little bit deeper dive. It was one of the reasons underlying our changing group structure here to put all of our group brands. That would be Wolverine, Cat, Bates, HYTEST. Merrell has a very fast growing tactical and work business and really you could throw a little of Harley-Davidson in there as well, but put them all under one umbrella.

We think it's trending from a bit of a fashion standpoint. We think it's trending from an use standpoint and it's one of the strengths of the company. And so we like having a lot of arrows in our quiver, when it comes to attacking that particular opportunity and I think this new structure is going to help accelerate.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Exactly. I mean, Wolverine alone owns the No. 1 spot in the market in the U.S. marketplace for work.

And when you add these other brands in the portfolio to that, I mean, the market share that we control in the U.S. is pretty staggering. So it's an area of strength for us, it always has been and I think it's going to continue to be a growth driver for us.

Operator

Our next question is from Sam Poser from Susquehanna. Please go ahead.

Sam Poser -- Susquehanna Financial Group -- Analyst

Good morning, guys. This is Will on for Sam. Can you just discuss the difference in the EBIT margin profiles between the wholesale business and the e-commerce business? Does e-comm carry a higher or lower EBIT margin in the wholesale business?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Slightly higher. It's -- we've been making some significant investments in the e-comm platforms and structure to drive growth there. But even with those investments included, the operating margins for that channel are very strong and pretty consistent with our wholesale margins.

Sam Poser -- Susquehanna Financial Group -- Analyst

Great. And then secondly, can you discuss in a little further detail the additional non-recurring items that you're baking into your new non-GAAP operating margin and EPS?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Sure, yeah. Fundamentally, we continue to incur costs related to our legacy environmental issue and as we guided in February, there are about $20 million of legal fees and other non-remediation costs that we're incurring here over the course of the year that we're treating as non-recurring or non-GAAP charges. We also have some costs related to business development and we talked today a little bit about the China joint venture and we had some other business development activities in the first quarter that we incurred that are small part of that overall charge, but those are also included as well.

Sam Poser -- Susquehanna Financial Group -- Analyst

Great. And then last one from me. What is the inventory turn over the four weeks of supply that you're targeting? Is it something -- somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 to 14 times four weeks of supply kind of your sweet spot?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

It's just -- it really depends on the brand. While we have so many different business models, and obviously our brands in terms of how they service their international markets differ. But in the aggregate, we kind of think about 3.5 to 4 times inventory turn is a good target for the company.

Operator

Our next question here is from Edward Yruma from KeyBanc. Please go ahead.

Edward Yruma -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Hey, good morning. Thanks for taking my questions, guys. I guess first, I think you guys said, Mike, you were about seven points higher on inventory growth than you would have expected. I guess if you could kind of deconstruct that and maybe more specifically kind of isolate how much of that is boat inventory.

And I know that you said that you've seen both trends improve or the sell-throughs improve. Is your expectation that you're going to have to hold inventory for next year, pack it away, use half price? How exactly you're going to clear the boat piece of it? And then finally, any update on PFAS. Thanks.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Sure. Yeah, on the inventory, it's -- I'd say about half of that is boat and the other half is kind of within Sperry and a couple of the other brands. But overall, nothing that we're concerned about relative to how we are going to move it through the channels that we have. Again, we'd expect that all to get normalized by the end of the year.

And as far as promotional kind of -- as a promotional activity as an option to move the inventory, we'll probably have some of that, but I don't expect or we don't expect it to be anything more than normal. Again, the issue there was timing. We got ahead of ourselves a little bit trying to get some core product into the pipeline a little faster to deal with some capacity issues that we've had in a couple of categories. That's all been rectified and as we go forward, I think we're going to be able to work through it just fine.

And the PFAS issue --

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

On the PFAS issue, not a lot to report there. As you read in the news, this is emerging contaminant. It's hundreds and hundreds of sites and water systems have been identified around the country. We've set frankly a very high standard for everybody.

We've treated this from the beginning as involving our friends, families and neighbors have taken a bit of a better than science approach. So our own individual matters continue to march through the courts always a pleasant process. The news I would think over the last three or five months is that we brought 3M into these lawsuits. They are the company that manufactured, marketed and sold this millions of consumers and businesses for decades and decades.

So they're now involved in these actions and we've also ended up filing a lawsuit against our insurance companies. So, our particular fight really relates to pre-1970 actions and so, we believe we have pretty good -- pretty solid insurance coverage. The costs that were quoted earlier by Mike do not include any recoveries from 3M, insurance companies or other third-parties. So that would be the only thing really to note.

Operator

The next question here is from Chris Svezia from Wedbush. Please go ahead.

Chris Svezia -- Wedbush Securities -- Analyst

Good morning, everyone and thank you for taking my questions. I want to start on Saucony. Just kind of walk through what you expect as the year unfolds, down mid-teens, I think, Q1, better than you planned. I guess it improved somewhat, still down in Q2 and then you have confidence in return to growth in the back half.

I guess how much of that is Italy coming into the picture? How much of that is just the core business, U.S. wholesale, direct consumer and EMA? So just maybe kind of walk through your confidence level in that selection for that brand.

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Yeah. We have a pretty high confidence level. We think Q1 here is kind of the bottom of the ball, if you want to view it that way. We think Saucony will continue to be down in Q2.

That could be mid-single digit range, maybe a little bit more than that. We see growth in the second half, not just by Italy, but fundamentally by the core of their business with new product introductions, introduction of new technologies. So we see the U.S. recovering, we see EMA coming back and then we see the addition of Italy to be a major plus factor especially since we plan to use -- our Italian distributor have a very strong original lifestyle business in Saucony.

With some colors, materials, a few different designs and we intend to use Italy as a design hub to kind of leverage that around that ability, that design expertise around the world. So we have a pretty high confidence level in Saucony's return to growth certainly by the second half.

Chris Svezia -- Wedbush Securities -- Analyst

OK, thank you. And then just on Chaco for a moment. Just any color there? I guess, did you see an acceleration as you came into April for that brand? And just any color there would be helpful.

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Yeah, I mean, Saucony for a couple of quarters has been challenged and it's least-handled business primarily in the Southeast here in the United States. Saucony has a pipeline expansion in the packs and bags, expansion into leather sandals, which has been very successful and into some water shoes and clothes, toad style. So we also see Chaco returning to growth in the second half. We would anticipate probably for the full-year low-single growth -- digit growth for Chaco as it expands into other categories.

And then we put Chip Coe again in charge of the Chaco business, and Chip is frankly already having an immediate impact there.

Chris Svezia -- Wedbush Securities -- Analyst

OK. And just on -- I want to push you a little bit on the revenue guidance. I know you called out a lot of things. You're encouraged about visibility into order book, Italy, e-commerce, stores, what's going on with some of these brands.

But Q1, I mean, I think you're halfway through Q1 when you gave the guidance, you felt a little bit short. So I guess what I'm curious about how much you're factoring in maybe some of the areas whether it could be shortfalls, whether it's international distributors or other areas into the guidance to sort of give us confidence that you can kind of hit that 3% that you've kind of factored in some of these risks, potentially that could play in the business? Just any color about that.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

I would say this, Chris, I mean I think there -- and it was also kind of true when we gave us the original guidance. Obviously, we had less visibility to the back half of the year at that time. And so we had, we have quite a bit of that risk factored into our guidance in the back half. Now, we have the Saucony Italy acquisition completed, which we didn't have completed when we gave our guidance, and so we have more certainty about that.

The stores that we're going to add to the fleet are now -- those leases are being signed now or will be signed shortly and we have more clarity on that. So there's much more certainty around those things. The backlog for Sperry boots is -- we mentioned it about five times already, but I mean that is a major source of confidence for us because the order book already reflects the demand that we expect to ship in the back half of the year. We have, if you take the individual impact of each of those specific things, it covers almost all of the back half revenue growth that would be implied in our guidance, which is about $95 million to $100 million of growth.

It really is going to come from those four or five things. Our e-commerce business is as predictable as any part of our business today and that's been able to deliver at or above plan for the last several quarters. So the kind of certainty we have on those things has kind of improved, if you will, or kind of strengthened and then our visibility to some of the risk areas that are always in the business, right, and some we can't predict are also clear and we feel like the coverage that we have for those things has been updated in this review of the guidance. So overall, Chris, I would say we're even more comfortable today with the full-year guidance than we were when we gave it back in February.

Chris Svezia -- Wedbush Securities -- Analyst

OK. That's helpful. And just one point of clarification, Mike. How big is e-commerce and what's the growth expectation for 2019?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, I think for the full year, we have it kind of slated at about 20% or a little above 20% for the full year. It was 28% in Q1. So, gives you a good indication of our confidence in that growth number. And overall, e-commerce -- and our -- and now when you add in the total store fleet, it's going to be approaching 15%, 16% of our total revenue for the full year.

So that's direct-to-consumer revenue that we control and we have certain high level of visibility and confidence with.

Operator

Our next question here is by Mitch Kummetz from Pivotal Research. Please go ahead.

Mitch Kummetz -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst

Yes, thanks for taking my questions. You guys talked a lot about the tailwinds in the back half. That's encouraging. It sounds like you've got good visibility there.

Just want to ask you a question about maybe some of the things you don't have quite as good visibility on. How are you -- how are you factoring in or how should -- what's your assumption around at-once in the back half? And then also, Mike, you mentioned the stores, is there a underlying comp assumption that's embedded in the guidance?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. At-once, we've been able to evaluate at-once during a period where the market wasn't performing very well, all right? Q1 overall and the U.S. market in particular, which is where we see most of our at-once demand, was pretty challenged. We are not assuming any kind of improvement in at-once trends year over year.

Blake referred to the fact that our visibility into future demand is stronger for a couple of our key brands, including Merrell and Sperry. So while we're hopeful and we expect that as the weather shifts and so many other things that have been headwinds will kind of abate a little bit in the back half of the year, we're not expecting a significant improvement in at-once in the back half of the year. I'm sorry, what was the second part of your question?

Mitch Kummetz -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst

And then on store comp. How are you thinking about store comp in terms of the guidance?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

With respect to our stores, we've assumed nothing. We've been very conservative there. Our physical stores have outperformed the FDRA index by a good amount. Over the last several years, we frankly haven't built that into our plan.

I think FDRA in Q1 was down about 1.5%. Our stores comp overall in Q1 was up almost 1% to give you an idea as to the difference in performance. So we've taken a pretty conservative view of our store comps as we go forward here, but would expect positive performance over the rest of the year for sure.

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. I don't think that -- for the stores, I don't think it's about -- as much about the growth as it is the improvement in the performance of the stores, right? The operational improvements and the profit improvements there as we've been able to focus down and essentially Merrell and Sperry outlet stores has really allowed us to drive the performance and the results much better. And that's a reason why we're so confident in making the investments that we are and adding more -- still a small number of stores relative to the size of our brands, but adding more stores to the fleet this year now that our concepts have been proven and tested.

Operator

Our next question here is from Erinn Murphy from Piper Jaffray. Please go ahead.

Unknown speaker

Thanks, guys. It's Eric on for Aaron this morning. I'll try and keep it short and brief here with time. I was just curious if I could get your take on the U.S.

macro. If you strip out weather, Easter, tax refund noise, how do you guys think about the consumer relative to kind of 2018 in terms of strength in spending power?

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

I think our -- listen, the U.S. consumer still drives our economy. So consumption here is still two-thirds of our overall economy. And when you look at the macro numbers over the last couple of years, it's been very, very good.

The consumer is obviously changing in a number of different ways. Technology over the last five years has created a sea change in consumer soft goods, not just in the United States, but starting around the world. We think that level of change is going to continue. So we think the U.S.

consumer right now is in a pretty good place. You can imagine a set of factors, 25% tariffs on all consumer soft goods coming into the country that would eventually probably starting next year, not this year, have an impact on the U.S. consumer. Even with all the buzz this week, we currently -- in the industry, currently doesn't see that as -- still view that as a low to maybe low-medium likelihood.

So again, that can change on a given day. We do know that the U.S. consumer is responding to newness, freshness, design. They're responding to stories and new products that kind of break through the clutter, because everybody has too much information in today's world and it can be a Saucony-Dunkin' Donuts collaboration, it can be a bigger product story and introduction for particular brand.

But the consumer is responding to things that are newsworthy that break through the clutter. So overall, our view of the U.S. consumer is pretty positive right now, even with all the tariff buzz that you -- that you read about, that we all read about every day.

Unknown speaker

Great. That's really helpful overview and just let me squeeze one quick follow-up in there. Regarding e-commerce and your guided investments this year, how do you think about balancing driving growth versus profitability in terms of shipping speeds to consumers?

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, it's a -- it's an area we've spent a lot of time kind of evaluating over the last couple of years as we've had some significant growth in that channel. I mentioned earlier that the e-commerce business in the first quarter, the profitability there increased over 70% for the first quarter. We would expect some similar improvements for the balance of the year and some of that comes from just being able to assess and manage some of those levers that you're talking about. And it's a constant process, we test and react to the consumers' response as we change the approach, but we've been able to get a little more scientific about it and I think it's resulted in some better gross margins and some better profitability for the e-comm business.

Operator

This concludes the question-and-answer session. I'd like to turn the floor back over to management for any closing comments.

Mike Harris -- Vice President of Corporate Finance

On behalf of Wolverine Worldwide, I'd like to thank you for joining us today. As a reminder, our conference call replay is available on our website at wolverineworldwide.com. The replay will be available until June 9, 2019. Thank you and good day.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 74 minutes

Call participants:

Mike Harris -- Vice President of Corporate Finance

Blake Krueger -- Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President

Mike Stornant -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Jim Duffy -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

Steve Marotta -- CLK and Associates -- Analyst

Jonathan Komp -- Robert W. Baird and Company -- Analyst

Sam Poser -- Susquehanna Financial Group -- Analyst

Edward Yruma -- KeyBanc Capital Markets -- Analyst

Chris Svezia -- Wedbush Securities -- Analyst

Mitch Kummetz -- Pivotal Research -- Analyst

Unknown speaker

More WWW analysis

All earnings call transcripts

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

Motley Fool Transcribing 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.
Were you surprised by the strength of the financial stocks in 2016?

Maybe you shouldnt have been.

One of the biggest CEO insider buys in 2016 was by Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase who bought 500,000 shares for $26 million in February.

On the day he bought, JPMorgan's shares had hit a new 2016 low and were down 16.5% year-to-date thanks to the early year stock market sell off.

At the time, Dimon already had 7 million shares of JPMorgan stock in his 401k and his wife also owned a million shares in her own account.

It was just Dimon's third purchase of shares on the open market in the prior 12 years. He bought 500,000 shares in January 2009 during the Great Recession doom when bank shares were plunging to multi-year lows and another 500,000 in July 2012.

What did Jamie Dimon know that February?

The shares have since jumped 94%.

In 2016, the Bankers Dove In

But he wasn't the only banker buying in 2016.

At Huntington Bancshares, three corporate insiders, including the CEO and CFO, bought on Feb 1, 2016. Through the end of 2016, those shares jumped 53%.

At Zions Bancorporation, between January 28 and February 9, the CEO, the CFO, a director and two Executive Vice Presidents all bought shares. By Dec 31, 2016, they were up 107%.

At KeyCorp, there was a huge cluster buy of insider buying between January 25 and February 8 that resulted in 9 directors and the CEO all buying shares. From Feb 8 through the end of 2016, the shares soared 71%.

Theyre at it Again in 2019

2016, it turns out, wasnt a fluke.

After the big rally off the 2016 lows, the bank stocks stalled out again in 2018.

They are, once again, under-valued.

And the insiders know it.

The bank insiders are back, diving in for more shares in 2019.

For example, in April, the CEO, General Counsel and one of the directors all bought shares of Simmons First National Corp., an Arkansas-based regional bank.

Shares are down nearly 20% over the past year and are up just 3% in 2019. They clearly see a buying opportunity.

Story continues

Insider Buying Sends a Strong Signal

Why would these CEOs and corporate insiders spend so much of their money on their own companies stock when they already own a ton shares already?

Greed!

Pure and simple.

The opportunity to make more money motivates people- even people who are already millionaires like Jamie Dimon.

If top insiders are buying, its because they know something very good is going on at the company. Maybe it is a new product. Or contract. Or pending merger.

Whatever the reason, they are very confident that shares will be on the rise. After all, who would buy more stock in a company if they knew it was sinking???

More . . .



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Insider Trading Alert: Buy This Stock Monday AM

When in-the-know officers dip into their own pockets to buy shares of their own company, theres only one reason: They expect the stock price to go up.

Zacks is now targeting insider moves that include a monster buying spree in a little-known regional bank. The CEO, COO, CFO, and 5 directors just ponied up $2,263,273 of their own money even though some were already awarded shares as part of their compensation. Time to get in on this action.

Our recommended insider trades are normally closed to public view  but you can gain access until midnight Sunday, May 12. And make your move at market open Monday.

See hand-picked insider trades now >>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Buy When the Insiders Buy

When high level insiders buy, they are required to report the purchases to the SEC within 48 hours of the trade. The trade then becomes public information.

Hedge funds and other professional investors routinely use this information to get an edge on their trades.

For most of us, though, its not easy to get access to the insider information. While the media will trumpet huge insider buys like Dimons $26 million buy, did you hear anything about Grubhub CEO Matt Maloneys $1 million stock purchase on Apr 30, 2019?

The challenge is getting easy and reliable access to all the insider trades and then figuring out which ones to buy.

Where to Find the Insider Buys

Anyone can go on the SEC website and get the insider trading information but its time consuming to search by individual companies.

Some investment firms collect the insider buying data and can provide it to you as a weekly list. Have you ever seen one of those lists? The sheer number of companies can be overwhelming.

In some instances, the insiders have been known to buy en masse. Then whats an investor to do?

This happened during the stock market dip in August 2011. As stock prices fell, insiders felt that their companies were undervalued and rushed out to buy shares.

That August, insiders bought stock in 50 different S&P 500 companies in just one week. Even if you got a list of those stocks, how would you narrow it down to the stocks that were truly worth buying?

To solve this problem, our Zacks research team developed a strategy that monitors selected insider buying activity at companies that already show strong earnings and excellent valuations. We do the work of sifting through all the insider buys so you dont have to.

Just a handful of stocks meet the demanding criteria of our Zacks Insider Trader.

Right now, weve narrowed it down to 8 insider buys that make the grade.

Look Into the Portfolio Now

Normally closed to public view, weve opened it up temporarily through this weekend. You'll see live recommendations with substantial upside.

For example, theres a little-known regional bank that insiders are pouring their own money into.

Eight key officers feel so good about the stock price going up that they bought $2.3 million dollars worth of shares:

 The CEO invested $996,500

 The COO/President spent $995,000

 The CFO jumped in with $99,979

 5 directors kicked in a total of $171,794

You might want to join them.

And as a bonus for exploring insider opportunities like this, you are invited to download Zacks' Special Report, 5 Stocks Set to Double free of charge. These 5 buy-and-holds balance our more active Insider Trader moves. Each is the #1 favorite of a Zacks expert for its potential to jump +100% or more over the next year.

Important note: Access to the Insider Trader portfolio and Special Report is limited. This opportunity ends midnight Sunday, May 12.

See our insider trades and download 5 Stocks Set to Double >>

Best,

Tracey

Tracey Ryniec, Zacks' insider and value strategist, is Editor in Charge of the Insider Trader.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!

John Morrissey has been the CEO of Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. (NYSEMKT:CVR) since 1981. First, this article will compare CEO compensation with compensation at similar sized companies. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid.

View our latest analysis for Chicago Rivet & Machine

How Does John Morrissey's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

At the time of writing our data says that Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. has a market cap of US$28m, and is paying total annual CEO compensation of US$409k. (This is based on the year to December 2018). That's a modest increase of 3.8% on the prior year year. While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth noting the salary is lower, valued at US$324k. We examined a group of similar sized companies, with market capitalizations of below US$200m. The median CEO total compensation in that group is US$437k.

So John Morrissey is paid around the average of the companies we looked at. Although this fact alone doesn't tell us a great deal, it becomes more relevant when considered against the business performance.

The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at Chicago Rivet & Machine has changed from year to year.

AMEX:CVR CEO Compensation, May 10th 2019

Is Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. Growing?

Over the last three years Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 6.2% per year (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is up 3.9%.

I'm not particularly impressed by the revenue growth, but the modest improvement in EPS is good. It's clear the performance has been quite decent, but it it falls short of outstanding,based on this information. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you might want to assess this data-rich visualization of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Story continues

Has Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. Been A Good Investment?

With a total shareholder return of 24% over three years, Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. shareholders would, in general, be reasonably content. But they would probably prefer not to see CEO compensation far in excess of the median.

In Summary...

John Morrissey is paid around what is normal the leaders of comparable size companies.

We see room for improved growth, as well as fairly unremarkable returns over the last three years. But we don't think the CEO compensation is a problem. So you may want to check if insiders are buying Chicago Rivet & Machine shares with their own money (free access).

Arguably, business quality is much more important than CEO compensation levels. So check out 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.
LHC seeks Punjab govts reply on pleas against new LG system

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday sought a reply form provincial government for regular hearing against the recently passed Punjab Local Government Act, 2019.



A single-member bench of Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh also referred the matter to a larger bench for adjudication, since the case involved complex constitutional questions of far-reaching significance.



Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Ahmad Iqbal Chaudhry, Narowal district council chairman and others, including Azhar Leghari from DG Khan and mayors of Lahore and Faisalabad, have challenged the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019, terming dissolution of local governments in mid-tenure as a blatant violation of Article 140A of the constitution.



Appearing on behalf of the petitioners before the bench on Thursday, advocates Ahsan Bhoon, Umer Gillani and Usama Khawar Ghuman argued that the dissolution of local governments in mid-tenure was a sheer violation of the constitutional provisions that protect creation of autonomous local governments.



The counsels contended that appointment of bureaucrats as solo administrators of districts amounted to a complete rollback of the devolution process, which was against the purview of articles 32 and 140A of the constitution.



The counsel for Ahmad Iqbal argued that since 1972, the basic legal framework for Punjabs local government had been re-invented by the Provincial Assembly 10 times, and added that local governments had never been allowed to complete their tenure or to function independently in the past. Ahsan Bhoon stated the local bodies elections were held on the directives of the Supreme Court. He termed the new local government system as an attempt on part of the provincial government to change faces.



Gillani contended that consequently, this third tier of the federation had not been able to develop institutionally, whereas Article 140A was inserted in the constitution in 2001 to solve this very problem. At various points during the proceedings, which lasted more than two hours, Justice Sheikh expressed annoyance over the provincial governments decision to depose elected leaders, while a new date for the elections was yet to be announced. Later, the case was adjourned until next week.
(Adds Japan, China comments in paragraph 19, 20, link to ANALYSIS)

* Kim calls for "full combat posture"

* U.S. envoy says door still open for North Korea for talks

* Trump, S.Korea's Moon see further negotiations

* Large N.Korea cargo ship seen moving illegal coal

By Joyce Lee and Josh Smith

SEOUL, May 10 (Reuters) - The leader of North Korea ordered its military to boost its strike capability as he directed another missile firing, state media said on Friday, as tensions grew over tests that appeared to show development of a new advanced missile system.

Kim Jong Un's call for a "full combat posture" follows the U.S. seizure of a large North Korean cargo ship accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of U.N. sanctions.

The increased tensions come amid a gridlock in dialog after the second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed over U.S. demands for Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament and Kim's demands for relief from sanctions.

"(Kim) stressed the need to further increase the capability of the defense units in the forefront area and on the western front to carry out combat tasks and keep full combat posture to cope with any emergency," KCNA news agency reported.

He noted "genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty," KCNA said, adding he "set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability."

The test of two short-range missiles on Thursday and the firing of a series of projectiles on Saturday were the first missile launches by the North since an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017.

Kim later declared the building of its nuclear force was complete and went on to hold three summit meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and two with Trump.

Both Trump and Moon said the latest missile tests were not helpful but suggested they would not scupper dialog.

Story continues

"I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they're ready to negotiate," Trump told reporters.

"They were smaller missiles, they were short-range missiles," he said. "Nobody's happy about it but we're taking a good look and we'll see."

South Korea's Moon said on Thursday the tests were likely a reaction to the failed second summit with Trump in Hanoi in February, but he thought North Korea remained hopeful of continuing negotiations.

ILLICIT SHIPMENT

The latest tests were swiftly followed by U.S. test-launches of the intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman III over the Pacific and the Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off Florida.

They also coincided with a visit to the South by U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun, who met his South Korean counterpart and was scheduled to hold talks with presidential Blue House and Unification Ministry officials.

During his meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Friday, Biegun said "the door is still open for North Korea to return to the negotiating table," and that it is very important for South Korea and the United States to continue communication and cooperation, the ministry said in a statement.

Thursday's missiles were fired from Kusong, northwest of the capital Pyongyang. One missile flew 420 km (260 miles) and the other 270 km (168 miles), both reaching an altitude of about 50 km (30 miles) before falling into the sea, South Korea's military said.

North Korean state media did not give details of the missiles.

South Korean and U.S. military analysts will try to determine if the Russian-development Iskander short-range ballistic missile system was used, Ahn Gyu-baek, the defense committee chairman in South Korea's parliament, told reporters.

Japan, which is also in striking distance of North Korean missiles and saw them fly over its territory before Kim's self-declared moratorium on long-range missile launches in April 2018, said on Friday the latest missile tests violated U.N. resolutions.

China, the North's main diplomatic backer, said it had no firm information on the tests. State Councillor and senior diplomat Wang Yi said Korean peninsula issues should be resolved through dialog with the goal of denuclearisation.

Analysts said the multiple tests signaled that North Korea is serious about deploying an operational fleet of the missiles, which could be used in the opening hours of any war with the United States and South Korea.

Washington has given no sign it will budge on the North's demand to lift some sanctions as it announced on Thursday the seizure of a North Korean cargo vessel that it said was involved in the illicit shipping of coal.

The Justice Department said the 17,061-tonne Wise Honest is one of the North's largest cargo ships and it was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018 but is now in the possession of the United States. The announcement has no connection with the North's missile activities, a U.S. official said. (Reporting by Joyce Lee, Josh Smith in Seoul, Tim Kelly in Tokyo, David Brunnstrom in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations, Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Jack Kim; Editing by Michael Perry and Darren Schuettler)
Paris (AFP) - Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Friday said he was "encouraged" and "optimistic" about the regulatory framework being suggested by France for the social media giant and other online platforms, after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The meeting followed the drawing up of a report by experts and top French civil servants proposing that each member state of the European Union set up its own regulatory authority to police social networks.

The report commissioned by the French government -- for which the experts were given unprecedented access by social networks -- slammed the online firms' efforts to self-regulate and their "lack of credibility".

Zuckerberg met Macron at the Elysee Palace amid pressure to crack down on the spread of disinformation as well as a call from a co-founder of Facebook for the California-based giant to be broken up.

"I am encouraged and optimistic about the regulatory framework that will be put in place," Zuckerberg said after leaving the meeting.

"Overall I think in order for people to trust the internet... there needs to be the right regulation put in place," he said.

The report called "Creating a French Response to Make Social Media Responsible" has been submitted to France's digital ministry.

It acknowledged the huge freedoms offered by social media in the modern world, but said that "the capacities offered by social media provoke unacceptable abuses of these liberties."

"These abuses by individuals or groups have not yet received a satisfactory response from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or Snap, to name but some," it said.

"Hopefully this can become a model and not just a national model for France but can be worked into... a framework across the EU overall," Zuckerberg added.

"I am very optimistic and grateful for the partnership and experimentation and the seriousness and diligence that the government put in this," he said.

Story continues

The report said that the response by big social media groups like Facebook to abuses and disinformation too often came after the fact and when damage was already done.

"(Self-regulation) lacks credibility," it concluded, adding that the lack of transparency "arouses suspicion over the reality of the action by the platforms."

Facebook has its European headquarters in low-tax Ireland, which under current rules would have responsibility for regulating it.

The report proposes a regulatory authority in each EU member state, rather than relying on regulation of them in the countries where they are based.

"Through the excesses that they enable, social networks create problems in other countries, (which are) difficult to see by the home country," the report added.

Macron has been one of Europe's most vocal critics of light-touch regulation of Zuckerberg's empire which includes Facebook as well as the widely used Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.

Chris Hughes, a co-founder of Facebook, wrote in an editorial published in The New York Times on Thursday that the company should be dismantled.

"It's time to break up Facebook," wrote Hughes, who along with Zuckerberg founded the online network in their dorm room while both were students at Harvard University in 2004.

Hughes said Zuckerberg's "focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks," and warned that his global influence had become "staggering".

Draft legislation in France to increase tax on digital giants had also been expected to feature in Macron's meeting with Zuckerberg, after lawmakers gave initial approval last month despite warnings from US officials that the move was "discriminatory".
Masayoshi Son knows a thing or two about big bets. The Softbank chairman and CEO famously invested $20 million for a 34% stake in a little known Chinese eCommerce startup back in 2000. When that company  Alibaba (BABA)  went public 14 years later, that stake was worth $50 billion. Today its market cap is more than $475 billion.

Son is hoping to strike gold now that Uber (UBER) has gone public in the largest IPO since Alibaba. With a 16.3% stake in the company, Sons Softbank Group is the biggest shareholder of the ride-hailing company and stands to gain billions.

This has been the master plan all along for Son, which is to pick a few mega-winners that will do well in an IPO that will enable [the Vision Fund] to fund the next round of more and more tech unicorns, said Marc Einstein, chief analyst, telecommunication and digital services at ITR Corp.

This time, Son wont have to wait 14 years. Softbank purchased Uber shares at a steep discount, during a tumultuous time. The sale in December 2017 was priced at $33 a share, valuing the company at $48 billion, months after founder Travis Kalanick resigned from the top post and amid a stream of negative headlines, including allegations of sexual harassment at the company.

On Thursday, Uber priced its IPO at $45, raising over $8.1 billion and valuing the company at $82 billion.

Credit: David Foster/Yahoo Finance

Ubers IPO marks the first big public exit for Softbanks Vision Fund, Sons near $100 billion bet on emerging technology, driven by artificial intelligence. Fueled largely by the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, the worlds largest tech fund has placed bold investments in companies like WeWork, Slack, and Arm Holdings, reshaping the venture capital landscape.

In the process, its also helped shape the global ride sharing market. In addition to its stake in Uber, Softbank has invested billions in Chinese rival Didi Chuxing, Singapores Grab, Ola in India, and Brazils 99. The capital injections have allowed Ubers overseas rivals to go toe-to-toe with the company, enabling those companies to offer steep discounts, often to the detriment of Uber.

Story continues

In fact, the company cited the Japanese funds investments in competitors among the risk factors in its prospectus, saying These investments or strategic transactions, along with other competitive advantages discussed... may allow our competitors to compete more effectively against us and continue to lower their prices.

Autonomous driving

In a recent interview with CNBC, Son said his investments in the ride-sharing space stem from his belief in the potential of autonomous driving technology, an area Softbank has also bet on through investments in GMs Cruise and Ubers autonomous driving unit. That development, he explained, would make these companies more profitable.

When autonomous driving comes, the cost of providing the service dramatically gets more efficient  lower rate of accidents, lower costs, more reliable timing, he said. You have to have scale and you have to have big market share. Thats why we have the number one market share company in every country around the world.

The stiff competition has resulted in consolidation among Softbanks portfolio companies in at least one market. Last year, Uber sold its Southeast Asia business to Grab, in exchange for a 27.5% stake in the rival company, a transaction that led to speculation that Softbank had orchestrated the deal.

In other markets, the funds investments in rivals have magnified Ubers losses. While its exit in China preceded the Softbank investment, Ubers key Chinese rival Didi has used its own Softbank funds to put up a fierce fight in key Latin American markets Brazil and Mexico. Indian rival Ola, also backed by Softbank, began operating in Australia last year, challenging Uber in a market it has dominated.

The investments have extended to food delivery, where Softbank led a $535 million funding round for Uber Eats rival Doordash last year.

You cant draw a line and say Softbank has invested, therefore competition is going to stop, said Chris Lane, a senior analyst of Asia Pacific telecommunications at Sanford C Bernstein. These companies are still playing out their strategies, theyre still trying to succeed as much as they can in a land grab. But the second phase is about profitability, and profitability will require consolidation.

Still, Softbank is likely to play a key role in keeping impatient investors at bay in the immediate future for Uber, allowing the company to focus on scale over profitability, according to Arun Sundararajan, professor of NYUs Stern School of Business and author of The Sharing Economy.

There is a point at which it could make a lot of business sense for all of these companies to stop trying to compete for each others customers who are already using the services and start doubling down on growing the pie, said Sundararajan. If companies get trapped in this race to the bottom, Softbank could play an important role in pulling them out of that.

Of course, Softbank also has to contend with its own investors, who have raised questions about its valuation methods and its ability to keep up with Sons pace of investments. The $6 billion paid out to shareholders so far have come from its sale of Indian online retailer Flipkart to Walmart and its stake in chipmaker NVIDIA. Recent reports suggest the Vision Fund could be looking at its own IPO as a way to fund a second Vision Fund.

A successful Uber IPO would free up money to put towards new investments  and go a long way towards quieting skeptics.

There are still question marks about whether you can take $100 billion of private capital invested in unproven tech companies and still make money, said Sundararajan. Alibaba was more reputation building. With [the Uber IPO] Son is validating his Vision vision.

This article was originally published on May 8, 2019.

Akiko Fujita is an anchor and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @AkikoFujita

More from Akiko:

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit.
After going through something as life-altering as a car accident, the best thing you can get out of it is...
No fromal meeting between Shah Mehmood-Sushma in Kyrgyzstan: FO

ISLAMABAD: The two foreign ministers Of Pakistan India would be present in the meeting in Shanghai and in all likelihood would interact amongst themselves and with other leaders. No formal meeting is, however, envisaged, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal said at the weekly media briefing on Thursday.



The SCO ministerial meeting is being held in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) on May 21-22, a couple of days before the announcement of the results of elections in India.



Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi would be representing Pakistan at the meeting, whereas External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj would be leading the Indian delegation. The foreign ministers of the two countries have not met for over three years now and a meeting planned in New York last September was cancelled.



The relations between India and Pakistan have been very tense lately. The two have been engaged in a military stand-off after a suicide attack in Pulwama and all-out hostilities were prevented only through some intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy.



The speculation about a possible meeting of the foreign ministers was set off by Wednesdays meeting between Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood and Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria.



When asked about the meeting between HC Bisaria and FS Mehmood, Dr Faisal said: Such meetings occur regularly to discuss various evolving issues. I cannot disclose the detailed agenda.



Responding to a question about Indias massive defence spending that was around $66.5 billion last year, the spokesman said India was trying to push the region into an arms race.



Let me say that an increase in the defence budget is not the sole determinant of a nations strength. You have seen the results of the misadventure by India on 27th February 2019 and the befitting reply given by our military forces, he added.

Afghanistan



The Foreign Office spokesman formally confirmed that Aasia Bibi, who had faced blasphemy allegations and had been acquitted by the Supreme Court, had left the country.



Aasia Bibi has left the country. She is a free citizen and can go wherever she wants, he said.



The government had so far been maintaining silence over the issue due to the controversy surrounding Bibi.



Asked about the escalating tensions in the Middle East  where the US has deployed an aircraft carrier, bombers and a strike force to intensify pressure on Iran  the spokesman said: We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you informed.



Reiterating Pakistans position, he said the country supported resolution of all issues through dialogue.



Pakistan had lodged a protest with Afghanistan over May 1 terrorist attack on a team engaged in erection of a fence along the Pak-Afghan border in Alwara region of North Waziristan in which three of soldiers were martyred.



Pakistan did lodge a strong protest with the Afghan government on the incident. The attack was carried out by almost 70 terrorists based in Gayan and Bermal districts of Paktika, Afghanistan, on the Pakistani military troops operating in North Waziristan since April 27, the spokesman said.



The attack was repulsed by the army. The military, however, feels that the terrorists were able to escape due to lack of appropriate action from the Afghan side.



Dr Faisal said: Pakistan has strongly condemned such attacks and conveyed its strong reservations to the Afghan side regarding continued presence of these nefarious elements inside Afghanistan. We have urged the Afghan authorities to take action against these terrorists.
Project_-_Sketch_1_164.jpg





Two Israeli citizens have been apprehended by law enforcement based on suspicions that they developed and ran a darknet marketplace for dealing illegal goods.

The Israeli police announced via Twitter that it has collaborated with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to arrest two locals who they believe managed the dark web marketplace, which used bitcoin to facilitate trades.

Local reports identified the marketplace in question as Deep Dot Web. The site is reported to be a source of various illicit materials including, but not limited to, illegal drugs, ammunition and credit card information. The sites managers skimmed profit off the top of each of the sites transactions, and it even featured an affiliated marketing program which allowed admins to make millions in dollars in referrals.

The 2 suspects arrested in Israel will be brought before a judge for a hearing regarding their potential detention extension, a tweet reads.

Darknet sites have been a security threat to technologically advanced countries in recent years, as they allow criminals to circumvent conventional Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws and government surveillance.

The majority of the sites are accessible with the use of Tor, an anonymous, privacy-focused browser. The use of digital assets as a means of remuneration and payment by darknet operators has also been a bone of contention in the global push for cryptocurrencies mainstream acceptance.

However, while activities on the dark web have continued to grow, law enforcement officials have recorded some big wins in their war against them.

Last week, Wall Street Market, one of the largest darknet sites in the world, was successfully dismantled, after collaborative efforts from Europol and other international law enforcement agencies based in the United States, Germany, Romania and the Netherlands.

Europol reported that the site had over 1.15 million user accounts, while about 5,400 sellers had placed up to 63,000 orders. The watchdog noted that at the time of its closure, Wall Street Market was the second-largest site on the dark web.

In addition to the sites shutdown, German authorities were said to have arrested three of the sites operators, while some of its most popular drug suppliers were also apprehended in the United States.

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.
(Bloomberg) -- Singapores lawmakers passed a bill to combat "fake news" after two days of debate about who gets to define whats true and false.

Under the new bill, it will be government ministers who make that call. Singapores Parliament passed the bill in a vote of 72 to 9 late Wednesday night, Straits Times reported.

The bill, which is expected to become law later this year, has raised questions in a city-state where an openness to international business is key to the countrys viability.

"Free speech should not be affected by this bill," Law Minister K. Shanmugam said in parliament this week. "We are talking here about falsehoods, we are talking about bots, we are talking about trolls, we are talking about fake accounts, and so on."

It is just one of many nations grappling with how to respond to propaganda and false information online. Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s unit, Google, which have large offices in Singapore, along with other social media companies, have come under pressure to address lies spread on their platforms.

Concern Remains

Misinformation is a challenging issue that Google is working hard to address, said Singapore-based Google spokesman Chris Brummitt.

The intensity of the debate over the last few weeks has highlighted the need for a full and transparent public consultation, Brummitt said in a statement on Thursday. We remain concerned that this law will hurt innovation and the growth of the digital information ecosystem. How the law is implemented matters, and we are committed to working with policy makers on this process.

Facebook said it hopes that reassuring ministerial statements lead to a proportionate and measured approach in practice. We remain concerned with aspects of the new law which grant broad powers to the Singapore executive branch to compel us to remove content they deem to be false and to push a government notification to users, Simon Milner, its vice president of public policy for Asia Pacific, said in a statement.

Story continues

He said Facebook is already committed to reducing the spread of misinformation in Singapore and elsewhere, and recently introduced third-party fact checking in the city-state.

Truth as Infrastructure

Singapores solution to misinformation will be to treat truth itself as a form of infrastructure. In a nation that prides itself on the worlds top-ranked airport and a spotless subway system, that will mean strict government oversight.

The public infrastructure of truth itself provides society with a shared reality, Shanmugam said this week, arguing that public discourse can only take place when there is free and responsible speech. Without it, he said, the political system on the island would malfunction.

"When an infrastructure of fact is damaged, the ability of countries to face challenges is weakened," he said.

Under the proposed law, government ministers would be able to order a correction to be carried alongside a false or misleading claim, and material not in the public interest to be taken down. If someone disagreed, they can take their case to the courts. Though there would be a defined appeals process -- and the government stressed it would be quick and cheap to take your case to the courts -- compliance would be required before appeal.

Opposition leader Pritam Singh said in parliament this week that the courts would be a more neutral venue for setting a line between what is and isnt misinformation, especially the statements in question criticized by the government itself. There is a genuine sense amongst the public that this bill can easily be abused in the wrong hands, he said.

Cautionary tales of how governments deal with information span the globe. In China, internet usage is heavily censored. Russia has been faulted by several countries including the U.S. for weaponizing misinformation to meddle in Western elections. U.S. President Donald Trump tallied more than 10,000 false or misleading statements in just over 800 days in office, according to the Washington Post.

Shanmugam maintains criticism of the measure is overblown. Existing laws are stricter, he said, even if people in the country arent broadly aware those rules already exist.

--With assistance from Kyunghee Park.

To contact the reporters on this story: Derek Wallbank in Singapore at dwallbank@bloomberg.net;Yoolim Lee in Singapore at yoolim@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chua Baizhen at bchua14@bloomberg.net, Ruth Pollard, Joyce Koh

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Our Company can produce 2000 Ton high quality wood pellets per month with very suitable price. We have experience in domestic direct selling or foreign direct exporting Wood Pellet to China, Korea, Japan and Europe. Please feel free to ask any question relating to our offer that might be unclear for you.

We are looking forward to do cooperate with you
Those poor girls :( And why would you send your teenagers to a Paul party ? 0_0

Reply

Thread

Link

you know this definitely isnt the first time this happened at one of these influencer parties . i hope they all rot

Reply

Thread

Link

mte. It would be a surprise if no young women were drugged at such a party.



Edited at 2019-05-10 01:14 am (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I'm not surprised. Of shocking headlines, this is not one.



I feel so bad for the girls. An NDA? Those scumbags knew what the fuck they were up to.

Reply

Thread

Link

any party that needs a NDA? chills honestly. maximum creepy.



Edited at 2019-05-10 12:54 am (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Madonna

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Doesnt Beyonce have that?

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

A lot of celebs make people sign NDAs tbh.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

yeah, it is. However, I kind of get it if they're a A-list celebrity for privacy reasons, but these are fucking youtubers.. yt male youtubers..

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Thats any Hollywood party if you have any kind of team or an ounce of fame.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

mte Why is there an NDA? They knew.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I thought NDAs werent enforceable when it comes to illegal activity. So that doesnt really make sense. Where are the ONTD lawyers

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

fucking terrifying. these poor girls and it creeps me the fuck out they had teens at this party :/

Reply

Thread

Link

I was looking at the famous people guestlist and I saw like Lamar Odom on there who has to be in his 40s by now.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

He is such a fucking loser lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

jfc

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Tragic

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

lol the fuck is he there for? chaperone his kids?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Please let this be the year of the downfall of all asshole YouTubers.

Reply

Thread

Link

You can make someone sign an NDA that they won't come forward if something illegal happens to them? Disgusting.

Reply

Thread

Link

I think it prevents them from coming forward to the media/publicizing details of the party, but they can still go to the police. But I could be wrong

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I could be wrong but I think if a crime takes place the NDA is nullified.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I can't imagine a contract existing that would assist illegal activity.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It doesn't hold up if the activity covered by the NDA is illegal.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I'm not surprised in the slightest. Jake Paul is a horrible person. Those poor girls.

Reply

Thread

Link

NDA like this should really be illegal.

Reply

Thread

Link

I know that the term gets misused so much that it kind of loses its impact, but I really think this dude is legit a sociopath and that he will be in prison on serious charges before he is 40.

Reply

Thread

Link

I agree except this dude is only 22. If he hasn't committed a prison sentence level crime by 30, I'll be shocked. He probably won't get to 25.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

he's 22? holy shit he looks terrible.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Holy shit I thought he was 35

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i feel like as well as being born a sociopath an environment like youtube encourages sociopathic behaviour and systematically dulls whatever empathy you may have had because youre constantly rewarded for being horrible so yeah hes gonna snap soon.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

That's legit. I think both of the Paul brothers are, tbh.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Maybe is just me but "wild night" and being drugged doesn't sound the same to me?



At first that headline sounded like hard partying or something

Reply

Thread

Link

Press charges

Reply

Thread

Link

is he the same one that filmed the suicide forest video or was that his brother?



doesn't matter, throw them both in a volcano anyway for good measure

Reply

Thread

Link

So they are related? Exterminate the whole family.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the brother was the one who filmed the suicide. and their dad has been accused of sleeping with underage girls. quite the classy family

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

omg the Pauls are grade A garbage.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

@thanos it's time to snap them into the urn

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

kill em all

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I looked into NDAs when trump peeps started getting fired, but Im pretty sure theyre voided by illegal activity that takes place in regards to what they cover. So once a crime happens, the NDA is basically worthless (not a lawyer, just read a lot of Wikipedia/internet articles about NDAs).



Edited at 2019-05-10 01:13 am (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

I was gonna say

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

HOW DOES HE HAVE A FUCKING MANSION?



And can you really be sued if you signed a non disclosure but were victimized ..... thats unfair and will not be tolerated 



Edited at 2019-05-10 01:17 am (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

I'm afraid to look up how much money this asshole has made. I don't want to have a stroke.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
When will your faves???

Reply

Thread

Link

Not release new music? Well, all of them tbh.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Nnnn

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Can she officially join spotify and release music?





I mean I get it, she's trying to solidify her business so that when she truly begins to flop on the charts, she has another venture.



edit: all jokes aside, Rihanna has become such a name these days. She's got a lot of public good will.



Edited at 2019-05-10 06:19 pm (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

Shs doesnt care about music anymore, the sooner everyone accepts that the better.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

she's been in the studio. I think she's just taking her time to do other passions.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

this is actually incredible

Reply

Thread

Link

Ikr. Everyone is complaining about no new music when she just got her own label lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

right?? stunning accomplishment

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i can do both!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

MTE

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It is.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





i'm sure she's getting paaaaaaid too. typically designers establish a presence with ready-to-wear and take years or even decades courting companies like lvmh and end up taking deals that minimize their revenue stake and their brand's direction. rihanna's already done all of that--she did capsule collections for her ready-to-wear and and expanded her brand into lifestyle with the base product lines: footwear, lingerie, beauty without the assistance of lvmh and the requisite strings that come with it. they courted her--and it's not just that she's accomplished all of this but she accomplished this by staying true to herself. she hasn't changed who she is for the sake of a potential check and surrounds herself with her family and friends that have held her down for years and now flourishing in unprecedented ways. i love the message that sends and i genuinely feel like her victories are our victories and the fact that she understands that and feels that as well--i just



it really is! as much as i want new music, if it takes a backseat to her making historic strides as a leader in spaces lacking melanin i'm all for it.i'm sure she's getting paid too. typically designers establish a presence with ready-to-wear and take years or even decades courting companies like lvmh and end up taking deals that minimize their revenue stake and their brand's direction. rihanna's already done all of that--she did capsule collections for her ready-to-wear and and expanded her brand into lifestyle with the base product lines: footwear, lingerie, beauty without the assistance of lvmh and the requisite strings that come with it. they courted her--and it's not just that she's accomplished all of this but she accomplished this by staying true to herself. she hasn't changed who she is for the sake of a potential check and surrounds herself with her family and friends that have held her down for years and now flourishing in unprecedented ways. i love the message that sends and i genuinely feel like her victories are our victories and the fact that she understands that and feels that as well--i just

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Thats nice for her I guess, but are we supposed to be excited that she wants to focus on selling completely unaffordable clothes instead of releasing music that everyone can enjoy?

Reply

Thread

Link

Was this the brand that was going to be named Project Loud France? Is it now just Fenty?? Because if so then thank God tbh!

Reply

Thread

Link

project loud is just one of her companies, I think she created it to own the shares in Fenty, idk

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i like the logo and logomark, but what i'd love is a new album and for robyn to stop playing games with my feelings.



fashion houses are full time work tbh. those fours seasons are nerve racking enough as it is. i mean u dont see MK&A and posh spice doing stuff on the side, do u?



just hope it doesn't suck. wasnt a fan of her collab with Manolo t b h







Reply

Thread

Link

exactly! at least she's not trying to do 12121 things at once. we'll end up with uninspired pieces (ehm, kanye)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Omg do you remember her River Island shit??



And if shes gonna be a legit house, shes gonna be producing way more work than that. You gotta factor in couture and the cruise collections too, theres no way they're not gonna let her experiment with couture.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i doubt they'll have her do couture, I mean even LV doesn't have couture and the licenses and qualifications for that are ridic and super $$$ and it turns no profit-- although there might be a chance seeing as they insisted on having it HQed in paris but then again it makes more sense for LVMH to be HQed in Paris



definitely resort/cruise for ~cheaper pieces tho

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

lol @ me "fours seasons"

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

We nevah gonna get that album.

Reply

Thread

Link

That's great but we can't afford this stuff.

Reply

Thread

Link

Anyway stream Desperado

Reply

Thread

Link

anyway stream "kiss it better"



fixedt!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

From beauty guru to a luxury brand. Congrats Rih!



*listens to Kiss it Better for the 6884904499059476489494004004yuhyuh time*

Reply

Thread

Link





i'm right there with you.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i've just come to accept that she's not gonna go back to music for a long time. most musicians make their money from touring and her fashion and beauty line probably gives her more money and creative freedom without the stress of being in a different city every night.

Reply

Thread

Link

Shes just gonna release new music during her shows and campaigns, shes gonna do exclusivity that way. Its pretty damn smart tbh.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i hate the logo but congrats to riri

Reply

Thread

Link

Girl it better be timeless fashions, Balenciaga and Demna already got the luxury streetwear market on lock. Hopefully its minimalist like CK, but abstract like Miyake.



I wonder how this is gonna affect kanye, you know hes gonna feel some type of way about it not being him.

Reply

Thread

Link

i want her to snatch up olivier rousteing to lead the design team and give me a bunch of opulent, gorgeous, impeccably tailored jawns.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Bad Gal done it again!?

Reply

Thread

Link

Perfect music choice OP



The fashion thing is something she needs to stick with and just produce some cool EPs every once in awhile or have her new music endeavors will be a part of the line. An album artist she really aint

Reply

Thread

Link









Edited at 2019-05-10 07:15 pm (UTC) I would settle for an EP with Lil Quick Singles. Anything really.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





i always hear this as beyonce impersonating whitney in my head for some reason.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
Mustafa Sanalla, chairman of Libyas internationally recognized National Oil Corporation (NOC), held meetings with U.S. companies at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston this week, to discuss US$60 billion worth of procurement contracts necessary to more than double Libyan oil production by 2023.

Libya, which currently pumps around 1 million bpd in a fragile security situation, plans to have its crude oil production grow to 2.1 million bpd by 2023. Sanalla met this week with the top executives of several U.S. companies to discuss the technology and expertise needed to achieve the corporations stated production target, NOC says.

Sanalla met with Mikhail Potekhin, Caterpillars EMEA director, to take stock of Caterpillars operations in the North African OPEC producer. The managers discussed a US$150-million contract for Caterpillars subsidiary Solar Turbines for power generation equipment, and potential future cooperation and projects with NOC operating companies.

NOCs chairman also met with John Wallace, chairman and chief executive officer at petroleum consulting company DeGolyer and MacNaughton, to discuss possible cooperation and study of Libyan field reservoirs, field development, reserves evaluation, and overall technical assistance to NOCs subsidiaries.

At yet another meeting, Sanalla met with Halliburtons President and CEO Jeff Miller to discuss Halliburtons scheduled resumption of offshore and onshore activity in Libya and potential further closer cooperation, NOC said in a statement, without specifying when Halliburton would resume drilling in Libya.

Libyas long-term plans are to double its oil production within four years, but its immediate output may be threatened as the security situation has materially worsened after eastern strongman General Khalifa Haftar ordered last month his Libyan National Army (LNA) to march on the capital Tripoli. The self-styled army has been clashing with troops of the UN-backed government in a renewed confrontation that could escalate and threaten to disrupt, once again, Libyas oil production and exports.

Sanalla said at the Houston conference on Wednesday that the Tripoli assault and ongoing hostilities are a direct threat to Libyan oil sector development and procurement.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
U.S. shale running into trouble. As the sweet spots in the U.S. shale patch become crowded, it may be more costly and difficult to keep production elevated, according to a new report. While drilling techniques have succeeded

Trump doubles tariffs on China, markets wait. The U.S. hiked tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent on Friday, while leaving open the possibility that trade talks could continue. Trump also began the process of new tariffs on another $325 billion in Chinese imports. China vowed to implement retaliatory measures. The opportunity window for avoiding a trade war is closing fast, Citigroup wrote in a note to clients. Global financial markets were largely stable on Friday, suggesting that major investors still think that a resolution can be reached. Our base case remains that the U.S. and China will eventually reach some kind of accord, said Mark Haefele, global chief investment officer for the Swiss bank UBS, in a note.

Oil prices were flat in early trading on Friday, sandwiched between supply outages and the escalating U.S.-China trade war.

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

Friday, May 10th, 2019

Trump doubles tariffs on China, markets wait. The U.S. hiked tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10 to 25 percent on Friday, while leaving open the possibility that trade talks could continue. Trump also began the process of new tariffs on another $325 billion in Chinese imports. China vowed to implement retaliatory measures. The opportunity window for avoiding a trade war is closing fast, Citigroup wrote in a note to clients. Global financial markets were largely stable on Friday, suggesting that major investors still think that a resolution can be reached. Our base case remains that the U.S. and China will eventually reach some kind of accord, said Mark Haefele, global chief investment officer for the Swiss bank UBS, in a note.

U.S. shale running into trouble. As the sweet spots in the U.S. shale patch become crowded, it may be more costly and difficult to keep production elevated, according to a new report. While drilling techniques have succeeded in growing output, the industry may simply be front-loading production.

Oil prices firm up on bullish EIA report. Crude inventories fell and oil production also dipped in the most recent report from the EIA. That ended a string of inventory increases and offers some evidence that the market is not oversupplied.

Related: Theres Tremendous Room For Growth In Offshore Oil & Gas

Oil fundamentals diverge from prices. Brent crude futures have opened up a steep backwardation, evidence that the physical market for crude is tightening. Yet, spot prices have fallen in the last two weeks, and analysts are puzzled at the discrepancy. There is no true sign of weakness in the physical market, Olivier Jakob, managing director of consultant Petromatrix GmbH, told Bloomberg. You have lower exports from Venezuela, youve got sanctions for Iran, Libya which is still a risk.

Iran oil exports falling amid escalating tension. The U.S.-Iran conflict escalated this week, with rhetoric on both sides growing more heated. Iran said it would withdraw from parts of the nuclear deal, and top U.S. officials hinted at a military response. Washington also imposed sanctions on metals exports from Iran. Iran warned the EU to step up incentives or else it will fully withdraw from the 2015 accord. Meanwhile, Irans oil exports are plunging.

Saudi Arabia to keep oil exports below 7 mb/d in June. Saudi Arabia is holding firm on oil exports despite the tightening market. Saudi oil exports are expected to remain below 7 mb/d in June, with production also below the OPEC+ ceiling.

Venezuelan opposition VP detained. The Vice President of Venezuelas opposition, Edgar Zambrano, was detained by the government this week, a sign that the failed coup attempt is now leading to a crackdown.

Turkey to drill near Cyprus. Turkey said that it was going to drill in disputed waters off the coast of Cyprus, raising tensions between the two sides. The series of gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean appear to be exacerbating tensions, not resolving them, as many analysts had once hoped.

Texas air quality deteriorates. Air quality in and around Odessa, Texas  in the heart of the Permian Basin  continues to deteriorate as oil production grows. Controlling air pollution in West Texas has not been a priority for the state, as evidenced by the scarcity of air pollution monitoring stations in the Permian Basin, a report from the Environmental Integrity Project said. And yet, the type of air pollution in the Permian Basin  dominated by excessive emissions of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide  is known to have serious environmental and public health consequences.

New Colorado oil and gas law deters investment. The overhaul to oil and gas regulation in Colorado, which was recently signed into law, could slow investment into the sector. The new law gives local communities greater authority over zoning and regulation. According to Reuters, there were only five land transactions of negligible value in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in the nine-month period through March, down sharply from the nine deals worth $2 billion in the same period between 2016 and 2017. ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) tried to sell its acreage for more than $1 billion last year but found no willing buyer. Reuters reports that more recently some companies have begun to scale back operations.

U.S. solar panels surpass 2 million. The U.S. now has 2 million solar installations, only three years after hitting 1 million. It will only take until 2023 to hit 4 million. Related: Nigeria Shuts In More Oil After Protests In Niger Delta

Iraq close to $53 billion oil deal. Iraq is close to signing a long-term, $53 billion oil deal with ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and PetroChina. Iraq said the deal could bring in $400 billion in revenue over its 30-year lifetime.

Chevron threw in the towel on Anadarko deal. After Occidental (NYSE: OXY) raised its offer for Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC), Chevron (NYSE: CVX) said it would not up the ante. Winning in any environment doesnt mean winning at any cost. Cost and capital discipline always matter, and we will not dilute our returns or erode value for our shareholders for the sake of doing a deal, said Chevrons Chairman and CEO Michael Wirth. Anadarko has to pay Chevron a $1 billion termination fee.

Saudi Aramco weighs U.S. shale investment. Saudi Aramco is considering a potential investment in Equinors (NYSE: EQNR) U.S. shale operations. Equinor has operations in the Marcellus shale.

Pioneer slashes jobs. Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE: PXD) said on Tuesday that it would ask nearly a third of its executives to leave their jobs, a cost-saving measure on the order of $100 million per year. The big change is to treat capital just as important as production, CEO Scott Sheffield said.

UK coal-free for a week. For the first time since the 1880s, the UK went an entire week with zero electricity generation from coal. The UK plans to entirely phase out coal by 2025.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
- The formation of a unity government in South Sudan will be delayed until next year as the current government has failed to disarm all militant groups that signed the peace agreement last September.

- Venezuela's PDVSA now has a board controlled by Maduro and another ad hoc board controlled by the opposition - and the state-run oil giant has passed its April 29 deadline for making a $71-million interest payment on its 2020 bond (it has a 30-day grace period). Opposition leader Guaido (head of the National Assembly) has just approved the payment (reluctantly) to avoid a rush to collect on Citgo collateral. Maduro wont pay however and is refusing to protect Venezuelas assets by going into default. Maduro is refusing to pay because Guaido controls Citgo now, and the PDVSA bond is backed by shares in the US refiner. At the same time, a US court has also stepped in to lend a hand, granting the company a 120-day stay on its legal fight with a hedge fund over an unpaid debt of over $180 million after it defaulted on four loans. In the meantime, Maduro, has threatened military escalation with Colombia after the latter complained about the entry of Venezuelan troops a couple of hundred meters into Colombian territory. Maduro also took the bold move of arresting a key opposition figure in a show of force intended to demonstrate that his power base is still secure enough.

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict

- Venezuela's PDVSA now has a board controlled by Maduro and another ad hoc board controlled by the opposition - and the state-run oil giant has passed its April 29 deadline for making a $71-million interest payment on its 2020 bond (it has a 30-day grace period). Opposition leader Guaido (head of the National Assembly) has just approved the payment (reluctantly) to avoid a rush to collect on Citgo collateral. Maduro wont pay however and is refusing to protect Venezuelas assets by going into default. Maduro is refusing to pay because Guaido controls Citgo now, and the PDVSA bond is backed by shares in the US refiner. At the same time, a US court has also stepped in to lend a hand, granting the company a 120-day stay on its legal fight with a hedge fund over an unpaid debt of over $180 million after it defaulted on four loans. In the meantime, Maduro, has threatened military escalation with Colombia after the latter complained about the entry of Venezuelan troops a couple of hundred meters into Colombian territory. Maduro also took the bold move of arresting a key opposition figure in a show of force intended to demonstrate that his power base is still secure enough.

- The formation of a unity government in South Sudan will be delayed until next year as the current government has failed to disarm all militant groups that signed the peace agreement last September.

- President Trump has imposed sanctions on Irans metals industry saying the pressure will continue until Tehran fundamentally alters its policies.

- Turkey has sent its Fatih drillship to start drilling in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that is widely recognized as belonging to the Republic of Cyprus, but which Turkey claims as its own. Cyprus has responded by issuing international arrest warrants if the ship refuses to leave the EEZ. This is a game with dangerous consequences for Turkeys leader. This goes far beyond its provocations earlier in the year when it sent a ship into the EEZ but did not drill and turned it around and redirected it to the Black Sea. That was for show. This time its still for show, but its a show that is likely to end disastrously for Erdogan.

- Algeria has long been ruled in the shadows by two powerful clans, a presidential clan and a military clan, and the military has now secured its power base by arresting the remaining influential members of the Presidential (Bouteflika) clan, including Bouteflikas brother and two former intelligence chiefs.

- Noble Energy has been instructed to resume gas production from Israels offshore Tamar field after a ceasefire between Israeli forces and Palestinian forces in the Gaza Strip. Operations at Tamar were shuttered last Sunday over a major uptick in cross-border violence. Noble production platform in Tamar is within rocket range from the Gaza Strip.

Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions

- Kosmos Energy has had a pretty rough quarter, and its answer to that is to divest part of its stake in the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim gas prospect offshore Senegal and Mauritania, discovered in 2015 with BP. The FDI for this project was just made in December. The proceeds of that sale will be used to pay down debt. Greater Tortue Ahmeyim holds estimated reserves of some 15 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

- Chevron withdrew its bid for Anadarko on Thursday, a day after Anadarko indicated that it favored the rival Occidental bid. Occidental now has to deal with its shareholders, who were bypassed in this deal and watched OXY shares hit a 10-year low when it suddenly chose to outbid Chevron. OXY shares were down 6.44% in Friday pre-market trading:

Chevron shares were still trading up pre-market, despite its withdrawal from the deal.

Tenders, Auctions & Contracts

- Qatar Petroleum awarded drilling contracts for eight offshore rigs at the North Field - the countrys largest natural gas deposit and also the biggest in the world. Drilling will begin in 2020, with the companies in charge of Gulf Drilling International and Northern Offshore Drilling Operations Ltd. The projects are part of Qatars strategy to expand production from the North Field in a bid to maintain its top spot on the international LNG market, which has recently been threatened by other producers.

- South Africa and South Sudan have agreed on a production sharing agreement for the development of an untapped oil and gas block in South Sudan. The block is one of three that a larger exploration area was divided into seven years ago. South Sudan is eager to jump-start its energy industry as it is home to substantial oil and gas reserves but their development has been hampered by one of the most devastating civil wars in Africa in recent times.

- PetroChina and the Iraqi government have signed a contract for the processing of associated gas from the Halfaya oil field. The value of the deal is $10.7 billion and comes as PetroChina, along with Exxon, is negotiating a much larger oil production and infrastructure construction deal worth in excess of $50 billion.

- Lithium Australia and Chinese battery producer DLG Battery have signed a letter of intent to establish a 50:50 JV for the supply and sale of DLG lithium-ion batteries.

- Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway posted a $377 million first-quarter charge for investment losses related to a solar Ponzi scheme connected to California-based DC Solar. The holding company revealed the loss in a regulatory filing during its annual shareholders' meeting, admitting that it was the victim of a massive Ponzi scheme. Berkshire invested a total of $340 million in tax-equity investment funds tied to DC Solar. In February 2019, DC Solar filed for bankruptcy after the FBI raided its offices.

Discovery & Development

- BP is preparing to launch the second phase of development at its Thunder Horse South field in the Gulf of Mexico, which should add 50,000 bpd in gross production at peak production rates. The company did not say how much Phase 2 would cost but said first oil from it would flow in 2021. Bp earlier this year revised upwards the reserves in place at the Thunder Horse field by as much as 1 billion barrels.

- Total will begin commercial gas production from the Culzean mega-project in the UK North Sea within weeks. The Culzean field is one of the largest in the UK continental shelf and could provide up to 5% of the gas needed in the country at peak production. Initially, the field will produce the equivalent of 100,000 bpd of crude oil. The field holds an estimated 250-300 million barrels of oil equivalent with its productive life estimated at a minimum of 13 years.

- Exxon has secured the funding and all necessary approvals for the second phase of development of its Liza offshore field in Guyana. Phase 2 will add 220,000 bpd to production from the Liza field, bringing Exxon closer to its stated production goal of 750,000 bpd from the whole Stabroek block by 2025. Phase 2 alone will tap 600 million barrels in reserves. The costs associated with this phase are seen at $6 billion.

- Chesapeake booked better than expected production results for the first quarter of the year, at 484,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily and the company expects this to rise further during the second half of the year. The rise will come thanks to higher production from the Powder River Basin in Wyominga shale formation that has seen less interest from the industry, allowing more space for companies already present there.

- After bids from outside companies came in higher than the planned $8-billion budget, the Mexican government has voided the tender for a 340,000 b/d oil refinery and ordered state-run Pemex to build and manage the project. The Dos Bocas refinery played a key role in the campaign of President Lopez Obrador, who vowed to reduce Mexico's dependence on imported refined products. Mexicos existing six refineries are operating below 40 percent of their installed capacity.

Company News

- The National Iranian Oil Company will open an office in Iraq as part of an ongoing process of deepening cooperation between the two neighbors, notably in the energy sector. According to a company official, the office will serve to facilitate the transfer of engineering and technical services to NIOCs Iraqi counterparts.

- Exxon plans to invest up to $100 million on research into lower-emission technologies and their development. The supermajor will work jointly with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The amount to be invested will probably spark ridicule from fossil fuel industry opponents as it represents 0.16% of Exxons revenues for the first quarter of 2019 alone.

- The chairman of Angolan state-run oil company Sonangol, Carlos Saturnino, and top executives have been fired by the countrys president. The executives are being blamed for severe fuel shortages. This is the second time in less than two years that President Joao Lourenco has shuffled the leadership of Sonangol. Saturnino was named chairman in 2017 when Lourenco fired Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of former Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos.
Oil prices picked up later in afternoon trading on Thursday after US President Donald Trump suggested that the United States may not raise tariffs on Chinese goods after all, according to Reuters.

Trump announced on Thursday that he received a beautiful letter from Chinas president that suggested that China and the United States work together to reach a deal over trade between the two nations.

The trade war that has continued to linger in uncertainty looked over the weekend like it would result in an increase in tariffs yet this week, pushing oil prices down as higher tariffs would likely eat away at Chinese demand for crude oil.

On Monday, crude oil prices fell as President Trump lashed out over Twitter, saying that the trade deal with China continues, but too slowly, as they attempt to renegotiate. No! At the time, President Trump threatened to raise the current 10% tariff to 25% on $200 billion worth of goods that do not include high tech goods, which are already assessed at 25%.

This uncertainty has created volatility and therefore opportunity in the oil trade, along with various other market stressors, such as sanctions on Venezuela and Iran, and production supply outages in Libya and most recently, oil export issues in Russia.

Unless a deal is reached, the higher tariff will go into effect on Friday, which would likely see China respond with a retaliatory tariff of their own. Further muddying the oil waters, China is giving every indication that it plans to continue to purchase Iranian oil despite the US sanctions, and is also continuing its relationship with sanctioned-Venezuela.

At 4:02pm EST on Thursday, WTI crude was trading down $0.58 (-0.93%) at $61.54 on the day with Brent trading down $0.24 (-0.34%) at $70.13 on the day.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Chinas two largest oil companies, CNPC and Sinopec have not ordered any Iranian oil cargoes to load this month after the expiry of the sanction waivers Washington had granted China and seven other Iranian oil importers, Reuters reports, citing unnamed sources.

The news comes despite statements from Beijing that it will not comply with the U.S. sanctions against Iran and will continue trading with the country including buying crude oil from it. China is the biggest buyer of Iranian crude, most recently at a rate of 475,000 bpd, over the first quarter of 2019. That amount is above the quota that the U.S. assigned to China as part of the waiver.

The Reuters sources said, however, that the refiners are worried about sanction violation penalties as both have enough exposure to the U.S. banking system to be vulnerable to such penalties. Even so, one of the sources said, Sinopec was unwilling to breach its long-term supply contract with Tehran. This probably means the company will look for ways to circumvent sanctions.

Meanwhile, all of Irans oil clients are looking for alternatives, and they are finding them, but at a higher price: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE were quick to assure the market they would step in and boost exports to fill the Iranian oil gap after the U.S. announced that no waivers would be renewed. Soon after, Saudi Arabia said it would hike prices for Asian clients for June delivery shipments in response to requests for additional deliveries. Higher prices are not something that would make either China or India happy, but their options are limited.

Despite Washingtons determination to completely stop the flow of oil from Iran to foreign markets, few believe that the zero-export target is achievable, even though the sanctions have done some considerable damage to Irans coffers. The U.S. special envoy for Iran Brian Hook last month estimated the losses suffered by Tehran in oil revenues at US$10 billion.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Indias Reliance Industries will shut for up to four weeks a 330,000-bpd crude oil processing unit at its 660,000-bpd Jamnagar refinery, beginning in the middle of June for planned maintenance, Reuters reported on Friday, citing two industry sources with knowledge of the companys plans.

The refinery predominantly supplies refined oil products to the domestic market.

Back in January, Reliance Industries carried out maintenance at the other crude unit at the 660,000-bpd refinery and closed it for four weeks.

Reliances Jamnagar site is the worlds largest refining hub, in which the refinery in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is the sixth largest in the world with a capacity to process 580,000 bpd of crude oil, according to Reliance Industries website.

The first refinery at the Jamnagar site was built in 1999 and has an installed capacity of 660,000 bpd, selling refined oil products on the domestic market.

The refinery at the SEZ was added in 2008 and made the Jamnagar complex the worlds largest oil processing hub. Last year, Reliance increased the capacity of its export-oriented refinery by 30 percent to 704,000 bpd.

Last month, The Times of India reported that Saudi Arabias oil giant Aramco is in serious discussions to buy up to 25 percent of the refining and petrochemicals businesses of Reliance Industries.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been pursuing downstream deals in Asiathe most prized market for oil exporting nations, aiming to lock in future demand for Saudi crude oil. India, for its part, is a fast-growing demand center and the worlds third-largest oil consumer after the U.S. and China.

During the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to India in February, Saudi Arabia announced plans to invest US$100 billion in Indias infrastructure and energy industry as it seeks to strengthen its position in the country.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Dr. Hogan states that the failure of SEI was not inevitable. Mistakes were made, as the saying goes, by both NASA and the White House leadership. We face the same situation now. Returning astronauts to the Moon by 2024 is possible, but there are many more paths leading to failure than success. Looking back at SEI can help us avoid some pitfalls, and perhaps increase the odds of finding the right way forward.

Lesson 1: Minimize sticker shock

Let's be honest: anything sounds expensive when added up over thirty years. The National Parks Service, a wonderful organization that manages national parks and other monuments, is not a large part of the budget each year. Yet over the next three decades, it will spend roughly $100 billion. That's just for parks! Space exploration costs more. That doesn't mean it's expensive, but lacking context it can certainly sound expensive. The United States regularly spends much more on many other programs. The Department of Defense, for example, will spend at least $21 trillion (yes, trillion) over the same timeframe, and has grown by tens of billions of dollars over the past few years with little public debate or notice. Space is cheap, by comparison.

But that message isn't enough. NASA's infamous "90-Day Study," which outlined its exploration ambitions for SEI in a 30-year time frame, estimated the program would cost between $400 and $500 billion (or close to a trillion of today's dollars). Even though these initial studies were never formally proposed by the White House, SEI was forever laden with a politically laughable half-trillion-dollar price tag.

We don't know what augmentation the Administration will ask for next week, but the lesson from SEI is that the initial estimate will likely be the number repeated ad-infinitum by the press and thus calcified into common wisdom. As such, NASA and the White House must be judicious in presenting its initial estimate, reflecting accurately the resources necessary to achieve the goal, but limiting the time horizon to the far more reasonable (and standard) 5-year budgetary window. Projecting spending over five years is hard enough for programs that have never been attempted before, much less over thirty. Limiting projections to a 5-year window will present a more accurate estimate, both in terms of actual spending and for public debate.

A particular challenge to keep in mind is that this supplemental request for NASA will be released in the context of proposed cuts to many popular programs, including many science programs. While these cuts are unlikely to happen (thank you, Congress), the fact remains that the space programparticularly human spaceflightwill be seen as benefiting from cuts to other science efforts. There is no way to address this besides being honest about the fact that NASA's budget does not depend on cuts to other programs, and that Congress can (and should) fund science initiatives across the government.

NASA today has an additional advantage compared to the NASA of 1989: "nobody cares" about deficits right now. As George H.W. Bush assumed the presidency, there was a political consensus that deficit reduction was a top priority. The Cold War was winding down and there was an expectation of a "peace dividend" from the drawing down of defense spending. The political moment, in other words, was all wrong for proposing a major human spaceflight endeavor.

Our current political dynamics are different. There is no consensus on deficits. Despite the domestic spending cuts regularly proposed by the White House, Congress, even under Republican control, has increased government spending for the past five years. It is likely Congress will raise spending caps again. This is good, as an increase in spending caps would provide both the budgetary and political space necessary to augment NASA's budget. In other words, the best way for the Trump Administration to sustain political support for its lunar ambitions is to support (or merely accept) increases in domestic spending.

The economy is also better today than it was 30 years ago. As President Bush announced SEI, the gross domestic product (GDP) was falling and the economy was sliding into a recession. Today GDP growth is stable, perhaps increasing slightly, and unemployment is very low. As in the early 1960s, the public's positive attitude about the economy helps enable the political justification for high profile engineering and exploration investments, as voters are not worried about overall spending as a proxy for the country's economic conditions.

The combined effects of a willingness to spend money on domestic programs and the psychological benefits of a strong economy will help limit any political backlash against increasing NASA's budget. However, great care is still called for when making and presenting the cost estimates for a lunar return. SEI reminds us that there are limits to what people will accept, no matter how good the economy is.

Lesson 2: Integrate institutional priorities

When Mark Albrecht, the executive secretary of the National Space Council in 1989, approached NASA administrator Richard Truly to ask if NASA was interested in returning to the Moon and Mars, the administrator initially demurred. He worried that NASA couldn't handle the additional burden of deep space exploration while NASA was struggling through constant revisions to Space Station Freedom and working to return the Space Shuttle fleet to full strength. Though the administrator embraced the idea the following day, his initial reaction betrayed that the institutional focus of NASA was (and would remain) shuttle and station, not the Space Exploration Initiative.

NASA's 90-Day Study reflected this. It re-stated the program of record (the Shuttle and a space station programs) and layered Moon and Mars programs on top of them. This simultaneously increased the cost of SEI and enabled Congress to lop out SEI parts from the budget while preserving existing programs, which it promptly did.
Senator Ademola Adeleke

Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Osun 2018 Governorship Election said he had instructed his counsels to challenge the appeal court judgement which upheld Gov. Gboyega Oyetolas election at the Supreme court.

Adeleke, in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Thursday said he received the appeal court judgement with dissatisfaction.

According to him, the judgment of the appeal court relied on weak technical foundation, while the substantive issue which formed the basis of the lower tribunal judgement was relegated to the background.

I received with dissatisfaction the judgement of the Court of Appeal on the ruling of the election petition tribunal which had duly returned me as the validly elected governor of Osun state.



I have subsequently instructed my counsel to prepare for an appeal against todays judgement at the Supreme Court immediately.

Todays judgement relied on weak technical foundation.

The substantive issue which formed the basis of the lower tribunal judgement was relegated to the background.

We are reviewing the full ruling and action has already commenced to appeal the judgement and ensure the eventual retrieval of the stolen mandate, Adeleke said.

He, however, urged the people of the state not to be downcast, saying that the struggle for good governance and retrieval of Peoples mandate cannot be truncated by any flawed judgement.

We are taking the legal battle further to the topmost court in the land. I am confident the apex court will upturn todays unsustainable ruling.

To all members of PDP in Osun State and my campaign organisation, the struggle is now at the most critical stage.

We cannot waiver nor slow down. We must forge ahead in high spirit until final victory is attained.

In this endeavour, I promise to provide the leadership as the genuine governorship mandate holder in Osun State Adeleke said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal nullified the judgment of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

The tribunal had in its verdict of Friday, March 22, 2019, declared the PDP and its candidate, Sen. Adeleke, the winner of the Sept. 22, 2018 polls.

However, Justice Jummai Sankey, read the lead judgment of the Court of Appeal on Thursday. Justices Abubakar Yahaya, Isaiah Akeju and Bitrus Sanga agreed with the lead verdict.

A fifth member of the appellate court, Justice Ita Mbaba, disagreed and upheld the election tribunals verdict that gave the victory to Adeleke.

NAN
File photo

A 35-year-old selfacclaimed pastor, Samuel Stephen Chukwuka, was yesterday sentenced to one year in prison for defrauding a company, De-Skye Mercantile Services Limited in the sum of N4.5 million, NAN reports.

Chukwuka was convicted by Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offenced Court, Lagos on a two-count charge of stealing contrary to Section 285(5) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Dada jailed Chukwuka after he pleaded guilty and confessed investing the said money in a Ponzi scheme popularly known as MMM.

The convict, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said, committed the offence on October 31, 2016, by dishonestly converting N3 million, property of De-Skye Mercantile S e r v i c e s Limited, to his personal use.

The antigraft agency said that Chukwuka also converted N1.3 million property of the same company to his personal use.T he complainant and CEO of De-Skye Mercantile, Egwabor Evans, had testified that the pastor (in the disguise of Multitech Business Ventures) had approached him through Mr. Shola Oyedele to finance an LPO (local purchase order).

According to the evidence before the court, Evans petitioned the EFCC in a letter dated August 8, 2017, alleging that Chukwuka claimed that he was offered an LPO to supply 3,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) otherwise called diesel to UAC Lagos worth N3 million. Evans said that a payment was made on October 31, 2016 via interbank transfer from Fidelity Bank to his Zenith Bank account to be paid back after three to six weeks.

Four weeks later, on November 29, 2016, Chukwuka came back again that there is another LPO of 6,000 litres worth N1.3 million in the total sum of two LPOs worth N4.3 million.

After the second transfer was made, he stopped picking my calls. All efforts to recover the money from him yielded no result, Evans said.

Meanwhile, Chukwuka, in his defence before the court, admitted that he collected the money from the complainant but invested it in a Ponzi scheme popularly known as MMM.

Chukwuka said that he collected the money with the intention of investing it into MMM to make some profits but the scheme crashed on December 14, 2016. Justice Dada thereafter sentenced him to one year in prison following his written agreement with the EFCC where he promised to pay a balance of the N800,000, as he had paid part of the money.
As police rescues 27 kidnapped victims

In continuation of the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force to speedily bring to an end the current internal security challenges being experienced in some parts of the Country, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, today, 9th May, 2019 rolled out new Counter-Kidnapping operational strategies.

The new strategies, which are purposeful and intelligence-driven are targeted at identifying, locating and dismantling kidnapping gangs across the nation and bringing the kidnappers and their collaborators to justice.

In a press statement signed by the force spokesman, DCP Frank Mba and made available to National Daily, the new strategy is designed to complement and strengthen the Operation Puff Adder currently going on in several States of the Federation.

He said the operation will involve the deployment of undercover operatives, decoy operations and high-level tactical missions with active participation of operatives drawn from the conventional Police Units, the Force Intelligence Unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squads (SARS), the Special Anti-kidnapping Squads and the Police Tactical Units comprising the Police Mobile Force (PMF), the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and the Special Forces.

Meanwhile, Police operatives from Operation Puff Adder have rescued unhurt 27 kidnap victims including 5 Chinese nationals.

According to DCP Mba, the Chinese citizens who were earlier kidnapped on 15th April, 2019 in Bobi, Niger State were safely and successfully rescued on 5th of May, 2019 from a forest in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, following painstaking investigative efforts, including both air and ground surveillance.

Two (2) of the kidnappers died from injuries sustained during exchange of gun fire with the Police in the course of the rescue mission. Twenty-two (22) other kidnap victims were rescued in Zamfara State and other parts of the country.

In addition, between January 2019 and the 1st week of May, 2019, a total of 270 suspected kidnappers were arrested, 275 suspected armed robbers were arrested and 105 assorted weapons plus a large cache of ammunition recovered.

The IGP, while commending the general public for their understanding and supports so far, reassures the Nation that the end to violent crimes and other sundry criminal activities is in sight.

He promises that the Force under his leadership will continue to work with other relevant stakeholders in the task of making Nigeria safer and better.
Music star, Davido, has expressed his disappointment at the ruling of the Court of Appeal which declared Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress as the elected governor of Osun State.

Davido took to his Instagram page to react to the court ruling which was not in favour of his uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

According to him, this is not the end of the journey as he thinks there would be a victory when the case shifts to the Supreme Court.

My people, we cannot hide our disappointment. This judgment of the Court of the Appeal. It hurts, its extremely painful, but guess what? It is not the end. Far from it.

Everyone, remain calm. I want to urge all our supporters to remain calm at this time. As you all know, there is one last and important lap.

It is time for the last lap and the God I know and serve is in control, he said.

David continued by saying: We have won the first leg. We have lost the second leg but I am certain that the highest court in the land will rectify and restore all that has been stolen from us with this judgment.

Everyone stay calm and stay safe! See you at the Supreme court, he wrote.

Davidos response was coming barely a few hours after the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja overturned the judgment of the election tribunal that declared Adeleke winner of the election in the state.

Post Views: 77
Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun on Thursday joined jubilating crowd, party faithful and supporters in Osogbo, to celebrate the judgment of the Court of Appeal which upheld his election in the 2018 governorship poll.

Oyetola who joined the crowd at about 12:25am, at the popular Olaiya junction, moved in his convoy through Alekuwodo street and Workers Drive.

The celebration slowed down traffic around the Olaiya junction as the jubilating crowd and the governors convoy moved on.

Security personnel were around to ensure the procession was not hijacked by hoodlums.

The PDP has vowed to appeal the judgment.

March 22, the Election Tribunal in Abuja overturned the election victory of Gov. Oyetola and declared Sen. Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the Osun Sept. 22, 2018 governorship election.

Oyetola and his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), then approached the Appellate Court, which today upheld his victory and overturned the ruling of the Tribunal.

Post Views: 91
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Wednesday in Abuja regretted defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Imo governor at a press conference in Abuja lamented that the evil he feared in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has befallen him 10 times in the APC. He raised alarm that the APC is witch-hunting him.

The Imo governor regretted that the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who he installed now, conspires with other APC leaders to bring him down and inflict political machinations against him.

Okorocha declared: There is nothing personal between me and Adams Oshiomhole other than the fact that he is part and parcel of this high level of conspiracy to bring down Rochas politically.

What is painful is that Adam Oshiomhole that I literally put into this position, I never asked him to do me any favour. All I requested was for him to do what is right. The fact that he would turn around to do this evil is totally unacceptable.

That the party that I formed will treat me in this manner is rather unfortunate. The evil I feared in the PDP has befallen me 10 times in the APC. I hate injustice.

The Imo governor decried that his travail in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decision to withhold the issuance of his Certificate of Return is injustice.

Okorocha maintained that INEC does not have the power to withhold his certificate of return.

The governor state: Last week, I wrote a letter to INEC for the first time informing them of their wrongdoings and illegal actions to withhold my certificate on the mere allegation of duress which was never founded, neither was there any committee set up to investigate the matter.

ALSO READ: Tension in presidency, APC

So, INEC on its own believed the reports of the Returning Officer without investigating the authenticity of the accusation. So, there was no issue of fair hearing at all.

What is important here is that INEC does not have the power to withhold the certificate of return, having declared the result.

I believe the INEC chairman is up to a game with the chairman of the APC, who is being used to frustrate my coming to the Senate, and this is politically motivated. Ive given INEC enough time to correct itself and do the needful and issue me my certificate of return but to no avail.

Okorocha exonerated President Muhammadu Buhari from being behind his ordeal, saying: No, I dont think President Buhari is behind this. President Buhari is definitely not behind this.

If you know the President well, you will know that he will never intervene as he will only keep mute. But whether President Buhari speaks or not, INEC should do the right thing by giving me my certificate of return,

Okorocha declared that he will never leave the APC despite the moves by some APC leaders to frustrate him.
Kanos Hisbah breaches citizens right by its Ramadan ban on eating in public

In fairness to Nabahani Usman, commander-general of Hisbah, the Kano Shariah police, Kano States ban on eating in public, during the month of Ramadan, would appear basically targeted at Kano Muslims.

Any Muslim that we apprehend eating outside, our men will arrest and bring the person to our office unless he can show proof that a doctor asked him not to fast, he said. We do this kind of operation yearly and we will continue it this year. The aim is to get every Muslim to respect the month of Ramadan. Even if a doctor says you should not fast, that does not mean you should eat in public while others are fasting.

Even then, there are fundamental clashes here: the dictates of Islam versus the canon of a secular state, which Nigeria is.

Then: the clash between the free rights of a lawful citizen and the Muslims obligation to mandatorily observe the Ramadan fast, as one of the five pillars of Islam.

Even for those who contest Nigeria is a secular state (interpreting secular to mean absolutely unreligious) and therefore posit Nigeria is rather a multi-religious state, how does such a Ramadan diktat affect the religious sensibilities of Kano native Christians, and other Nigerian non-Muslims living in the state?

Then, going back to the very fundamental, the Shariah law, on which the Hisbah threat is hinged: between provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the Shariah law, which one is more basic to a Nigerian citizen, Muslim or Christian?

And from this poser, how does the Kano State government ensure the Hisbah Ramadan arrests are not abused, and turned into an illicit target on Kano non-Muslims?

Still, all these posers must be discussed in the context of local rights in a federal state. If a federation is erected to safeguard local interests, while also mainstreaming some pan-national rights in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-culture state, no one can fault the Kano State government for its Shariah law. It is also one of the fruits of federalism that the state government reserves its right to create the Hisbah, to enforce its Shariah laws. The Nigeria Police cannot; because it is outside the Shariah canon.

Shorn of its religious colouration, therefore, Hisbah is no different from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Lagos traffic police, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), the Lagos environmental police, and even the Lagos State Neighbourhood Corps (LSNC), the Lagos neighbourhood safety police. All are covered by the federal principle. The difference is perceived local utility and value: Kano (Islam); Lagos (traffic, the environment and safety).

Still, where the local interests end, federal citizens rights take over. That is the juncture that makes the Hisbah, and its Ramadan diktat, controversial. While the Ramadan decree perfectly applies to Kano Muslims, it cannot apply to Christians in that state, without chiselling away their religious rights, also robustly protected by the Nigerian federal constitution.

Given that Kano city is cosmopolitan, home to many faiths; and Kano State itself is a trade hub, with many Nigerians and foreigners crisscrossing it for their daily bread, then the Hibsah must put in place a rigorous implementation code, to ensure the Ramadan decree is not turned into a religious whip for non-Muslims. Even Muslims that decide to downplay their Islamic commitments but push their citizens right could stand a chance, under the law, to challenge the dont-eat-in-the-public-during-Ramadan instruction.

At the end of the day, however, moderation is the key word. Kano is a predominantly Muslim state. Christians there, native or resident, should be sensitive to the religious mood of the majority. If they did that, and kept their eating to their private space, that would be wonderful. But the Hisbah would breach citizens rights if it brusquely enforced the decree, particularly on non-Muslims. That would be going too far.
A notable critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, Reno Omokri, has commended him for re-nominating the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, for another term in office.

President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Thursday read a letter from President Buhari at plenary, reappointing Emefiele as governor of the CBN, for a second term.

Emefiele, a former group managing director of Zenith Bank Plc, was first appointed in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan and was retained by Buhari when he took over power in 2015.

ALSO READ: Jonathan aide blast PMB

The letter for the tenure renewal was reportedly signed by Buhari on Wednesday and sent to the Senate President in line with the CBN Act.

In his reaction, Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, said Buhari has, by the nomination showed that he is listening to criticisms against him and has started to slowly shed his clannish nature.

Omokri stated this in a post on his official Twitter handle soon after the news of the re-nomination was made public.

He wrote, I am a critic of President @MBuhari because I believe he is inept, and tribalistic. However, when he does well, I must commend him. In nominating Godwin Emefiele for a 2nd term, Buhari showed he is listening and is slowly shedding his clannish nature. For that, I commend him.
Due to robustness of our healthcare system many places in country have achieved 100 pc vaccination of eligible population: PM Modi. KR BJ ANBANB
The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, says he has no ill feelings towards Ali Ndume or Danjuma Goje, over who becomes the next Senate President in the ninth assembly.

The APC senator, representing Yobe- North, made the remark when he was a guest at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

The APC has zoned the senate presidents slot to the north east where the trio of Lawan, Ndume and Goje hail from.

However, the ruling party endorsed the candidacy of Mr Lawan for the position.

But Mr Ndume (APC Borno South) and Mr Goje (APC Gombe Central), have stood their grounds on vying for the number one seat of the Senate.

By the grace of God and with the support of my colleagues in the APC, PDP and YPP in the Senate, we should be able to deliver that burden very well.

I have no hard feelings against my brothers from the north east contesting.

What the party and the leaders did was to say I have been recommended or I have been endorsed.

That is a preference; that the party has a preference is not to say that others cannot do the job.

But definitely, the party, our leaders have some reasons why they think we are most suitable for this job, Mr Lawan said.

The lawmaker, however, said the decision of his colleagues to contest the position with him was constitutional.

We are going from door to door; we are talking to all the senators-elect. We talk to the APC senators, PDP senators and YPP senator, believing that we are going to work with them.

Therefore, we need to bridge the gap and we need to know ourselves even before we get there, he said.

According to him, the effort is yielding fruits because majority of the senators feel that really we have something to offer and that by the grace of God when we are able to make it, we can, together, work out that desirous legislative interventions of the time for the executive to have something to work on.

So we are glad that we are working with majority of our colleagues across party lines.

In fact, APC senators, almost everyone is on this project and we have sat and spoken and talked one-on-one.

So many PDP senators are in support of this project. In fact, YPP is fully onboard, Sen. Ifeanyi Uba from Anambra. And we believe that this is the way to go, he said.

He called on his colleagues to collaborate with him in helping the next administration deliver on those things that everybody in this country is yearning for.

Post Views: 85
He defended the action of the traditional council, explaining that all spiritual consultations revealed that the father of the abducted baby had a hand in his abduction.

Even though Mr Ojuola had never engaged in any form of criminality in the community but our consultations revealed that he knew the babys whereabouts, he told NAN in an interview.

His banishment from the community could be for days, weeks, months or years until the baby is found.

It is not that we have taken law into our own hand, but it is the necessary step the community needs to take in such a situation.

However, if he wants to come back he can return to the community but we will leave him to his conscience.

We do not want the world to portray us in a bad light with that decision; so, he should return back to the community if he so wished, Joledo said.

Sunday Alumo, the Administrator of Mopamuro Local Government, told NAN on phone that he was aware of the abduction incident but expressed shock over the banishment of Ojuola from the community.

The community leaders cannot decide to take law into their own hands, he said.

Alumo asked for time to enable him to find out the real situation from the traditional ruler of the community.

The state police command Public Relations Officer, DSP William Aya, described the leaders action as unfortunate saying that it was capable of obstructing ongoing police investigation into the incident.

He explained that every Nigerian had a right to live in any part of the country adding that the community action might have infringed on the fundamental human rights of Ojuola.

He appealed to all parties involved to allow the law to take its course saying that police investigation into the incident was still ongoing.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has said he and his neighbours are considering taking legal action against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for blocking their houses during a protest.

The minister said blocking his house was an infringement on his fundamental human rights and that of his household as they were all traumatized.

KanyiDaily had reported how the NLC took a protest to Ngiges Asokoro, Abuja residence, over his failure to inaugurate the board of National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) with Frank Kokori as the chairman.

Some NLC members were attacked by suspected thugs allegedly hired by the minister who inflicted various degrees of injury on them during the protest.

Speaking with State House correspondents on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ngige denied the allegations of attacks, saying that reports he read in the dailies were unfortunate and misleading.

Ngige said that NLC members arrived at his resident at 4:30 am in the morning and that when the security people accosted them, they discovered that it was the president of the NLC himself that came physically with two tankers, one laden with petrol and one half-full.

The minister said he immediately contacted the FCT commissioner of police and the director of SSS as well the FRSC to see if the tankers could be removed.

He added that his findings showed that the NLC members were attacked by the thugs they hired over some disagreements. He added:

They put one at the gate of my house and put the other one at the gate of the other house which happens to be that of my neighbour. People in that compound were traumatised; some of the cooks and policemen who have quarters were traumatised. It cannot be quantified. Even my neighbours, the husband and wife and their children could not do their business yesterday. Those tankers were removed around 6.Oclock or so; it is quite unfortunate. My neighbour said they would take legal action; me also. It is an actionable thing; illegal actions are actionable. Nobody is above the law.

He said it was all about NLCs contention on the composition of the NSITF board and its inauguration.

The minister said that April 18 was earlier fixed for the inauguration, 18th of April but the union invaded the place with the same thugs and disrupted the function.

He said the event was postponed and a new date was going to be fixed but NLC had been maligning his character and integrity because he was the Labour Minister.
A gang of fraudsters have been jailed for a total of more than 43 years for their parts in the theft of millions of pounds from businesses and individuals in the UK and abroad.



They are convicted for their roles in a large-scale diversion fraud scam using hacking software following a six-month trial, and sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday, May 2, 2019

Bonaventure Sunday Chukwuka, 41, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, and conspiracy to conceal/transfer criminal property (money laundering). .

.

He was also found guilty of possession of a prohibited item (a phone) in prison and sentenced to 11 years imprisonment.

Andrew Chike Chukwu, 35, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and conspiracy to conceal/transfer criminal property  sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

Emmanuel Chike Chukwuka was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud and sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment.

Christian Chukwuka (brother), 39, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and conspiracy to conceal/transfer criminal property and sentenced to five years and nine months imprisonment.

Nadeem Abbasi, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to convert/conceal criminal property and sentenced to two years and three months months imprisonment.

Mansoor Zaman, 27, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, and conspiracy to conceal/transfer criminal property. He was sentenced to six years and nine months imprisonment.

Queen Chukwuka, 32, was found guilty of acquiring/possessing criminal property and sentenced to a community order

Grace Plange Chukwu, 39, was found guilty of acquiring/possessing criminal property and conditionally discharged.

Kindly Share this:

Like this: Like Loading

Share this:

Related

Share this:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished the day 114.01 points higher at 25,942.37, roaring back from a 358-point loss earlier in the session that came in the wake of a tariff increase by the U.S. effective just after midnight. The S&P 500 snapped a four-day losing streak, eking out a 0.37% gain at 2,881.40. The Nasdaq Composite ended the day slightly higher at 7,916.94 after stocks rallied from their lows.



Stocks hit session highs after Trumps late Friday tweet and closed near those levels. The president also noted that the trade talks with China were candid and constructive. Trump said the new tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods may or may not be removed in the future.



Over the course of the past two days, the United States and China have held candid and constructive conversations on the status of the trade relationship between both countries. The relationship between President Xi and myself remains a very strong one, and conversations....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2019





Major averages began paring some of their losses midday after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said China trade talks had ended for the day and were "constructive." Chinese Vice Premier Liu He also said the talks went "fairly well," according to reports.

CNBC reports stocks staged a massive reversal on Friday after President Donald Trump said conversations with China over trade will continue and his relationship with President Xi Jinping remains strong:Remember what I told you earlier this week when I discussed why Harvard is doubling down on hedge funds , follow the Commander-in-Tweets very closely because his tweets end up becoming true when it comes to markets and economic related events.It was another crazy week in markets, none of which surprised me since I warned my readers to expect the unexpected in stocks a couple of weeks ago.I thought things were getting a bit overdone, especially in tech stocks ( XLK ), so I wasn't surprised to see this week's pullback.Below, you will find the performance breakdown for the S&P 500's major sectors for this week and year-to-date , courtesy of barchart (click on images):As you can see, all the major sectors were down this week, but the sell-off was particularly steep in tech, industrials and materials.No surprise there as tech shares have rallied the most and are still up 23% year-to-date (second chart above).But I think there is a defensive rebalancing going on regardless of whether China and the US strike a trade deal, so expect high beta sectors to get hit more as we end Q2 and move into the summer season.Next week, 13-F filings become available and we will find out where the world's top money managers invested in Q1, but all that is irrelevant in this algo-driven market hanging on every tweet Trump puts out.What I find interesting is even though tech stocks got slammed this week, some of them like Roku ( ROKU ) were up huge and are among the top performers this year (click on images):But Roku's good fortunes weren't the norm this week as a lot of large cap tech stocks and Chinese shares ( FXI ) got slammed hard as trade war fears escalated (click on image):Not surprisingly, Uber's ( UBER ) much anticipated IPO was a total bust (click on image):Uber's rival, Lyft ( LYFT ) was also slammed hard today and is down 44% from its highs when it IPOed in late March (click on image):Where is the risk-taking in markets? These are the biggest IPOs of the year and they've both been shunned as investors aren't buying the hype.In a way, it's fitting to see these beloved tech unicorns getting clobbered as they move from the private realm into the public one because it goes to show you how out of whack valuations are in private markets, which is something Warren Buffett alluded to last week when he slammed private equity's inflated returns Is Uber the next Amazon? Hell no! Not even close but if you heard CNBC this morning, they were all drinking the Kool-Aid, ranting about its future prospects.Anyway, the overall market looks fragile here. The bulls are trying to defend the S&P 500's ( SPY ) 50-day moving average but the weekly chart tells me there could be more short-term pain ahead (click on images):Buckle up folks, the market's wild ride-sharing ride isn't over, it might be just beginning but you wouldn't know it by looking at the fear index imploding today (click on image):I suspect we will see more trade deal optimism and pessimism over the coming weeks and months and the market will swing with every Trump tweet, hanging onto his every word.Below, stocks stage a comeback on more trade deal hopes. CNBC's Kayla Tausche and Scott Wapner, and the Fast Money traders, Tim Seymour, Karen Finerman, Steve Grasso and Dan Nathan discuss trade tensions and the stock market.Also, CNBC Markets Now provides a look at the day's market moves with commentary and analysis from Michael Santoli, CNBC Senior Markets Commentator.Third, Paul Meeks from the Wireless Fund and Jay Ritter, University of Florida finance professor, join "Power Lunch" to discuss Uber's IPO, which began trading lower than its IPO price, and whether companies like Uber and Lyft can be successful long-term.Lastly, The Big Short's Steve Eisman of the Neuberger Berman Group was on Bloomberg earlier this week discussing hedge fund fees and why he thinks the US corporate market will suffer "massive losses" if the US falls into a recession.
" " It took a newspaper article to make Mother's Day an official holiday in Mexico. aldomurillo/Getty Images

Some residents of northern Mexico, influenced by their neighbor the United States, began to observe a Mother's Day holiday in the early part of the 20th century. However, it took an editorial in a Mexico City newspaper, combined with a widespread media campaign and support from the Catholic Church, to bring the observance into full flower.

By the 1920s, some people in Mexico were becoming concerned that women were being diverted from what many saw as their primary role -- childbearing. Information on contraception was becoming more accessible, and women were beginning to assert their rights in politics and the professional world. In an effort to promote motherhood, the Mexican women's magazine, El Hogar, joined forces with La Asociation de las Damas Catolicas (the Association of Catholic Ladies) to oppose what they saw as a threat to traditional values. Rafael Alducin, editor of the Mexico City newspaper El Excelsior, joined the fight and organized the first official celebration of Mother's Day in Mexico on May 10, 1922.

Advertisement

Alducin wrote and published an editorial that affirmed the ties between motherhood and Mexico's traditional values. Soon, the celebration began to take on religious connotations. The Archbishop of Mexico gave his official sanction to the holiday, and another supporter publically declared that "the family is a sacred social unit." Soon, images of the Madonna and Child adorned Mother's Day cards and posters. This was especially significant, because Mexico's patron is the Lady of Guadalupe, so the holiday automatically gained religious and patriotic meaning.

Mother's Day gained almost immediate acceptance in Mexico. El Hogar announced a beautiful baby photo contest in conjunction with the first Mother's Day, and it was wildly successful. The holiday has grown in acceptance, and now almost every Mexican family celebrates.

And just how do Mexican children honor their Moms on La Dia de la Madre? Keep reading to find out what they do to tell her she's special.
MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC), thru its corporate social responsibility, solidified its commitment to uplift the lives of underprivileged Filipinos by formally signing a Memorandum of

MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC), thru its corporate social responsibility, solidified its commitment to uplift the lives of underprivileged Filipinos by formally signing a Memorandum of Agreement with GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF).

As part of the agreement, MMPC donated and delivered a Mitsubishi Strada 4x4 pick-up to GMAKF that will aid the latter in quickly responding for off-road emergency relief operations across the country and to the remote community.

During her speech, GMAKFs executive vice president and chief operating officer Luz Annallee Escudero-Catibog recalled that this was not the first time theyve partnered with MMPC. She mentioned that during the onslaught of Typhoon Usman in Camarines Sur last January, the bridge that MMPC helped built was used as a relocation area because it was the only one not reached by the flood waters.

Also in praise was GMAKFs founder and ambassador Carmela Tiangco who said, We are so looking forward to the vehicle. What we can offer you for your generosity is kindness and goodness also. You can be sure that the vehicle will be used for its intended purpose.

In his message, MMPC senior vice president for corporate division Yasuki Maruyama shared, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation salutes the GMA Kapuso Foundation in its untiring efforts and strong commitment to uplift the lives of the underprivileged Filipinos most especially during times of disasters and calamities. Thru the Mitsubishi Strada pick-up, we shall be with you in spirit as we continually reach out with our shared vision and aspiration. (PR)
PALAWAN -- Scientists from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines and Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (Lamave) have set up an acoustic network to study shark and ray movements

PALAWAN -- Scientists from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines and Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (Lamave) have set up an acoustic network to study shark and ray movements and habits in Cagayancillo.

The research, funded by WWF-Singapore, is part of a three-year large marine protected area project in north eastern Palawan. The acoustic technology will give the team an insight into identifying key habitats for sharks and rays to effectively zone and develop Cagayancillos 1-million hectare marine protected area (MPA).

The acoustic network consists of a number of acoustic receivers (underwater listening devices) that are placed underwater at a depth of 20-30 meters on strategic areas of the islands and atolls. The receivers listen out for pings transmitted by acoustic tags attached to select sharks and rays. The team successfully deployed three new receivers and replaced one that was deployed in Arena, an atoll in the south of Cagayancillo, in June 2017. Later this month the team aims to tag sharks in Cagayancillo waters, an output that was thwarted in April by rough weather and low encounters with sharks.

Cagayancillo is a remote archipelagic municipality in the heart of the Sulu Sea that lies 330 kilometers east of Puerto Princesa and 170 kilometers away from Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

In 2016, the local government unit declared the municipality the largest multi-use marine protected area in the Philippines. Unlike Tubbataha, which is a strict no-take zone, the Cagayancillo multi-use marine protected area currently accommodates sustenance fishing, seaweed farming and commercial fishing, with current restrictions only designated to marine reserves within the MPA.

The deployment of the acoustic network is one step in a wider research study towards zoning the MPA, with fish and coral studies also being carried out in a holistic approach to managing the ecosystem.

The acoustic network will enable the team to understand how sharks and rays are using Cagayancillos diverse habitats. The frequency of pings collected by different receivers will shed light on important areas for the species and give an insight into why species may be spending time there.

The success of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a clear inspiration for the municipality of Cagayancillo, whose goal is to protect municipal waters to safeguard the ecological and economical importance, ensuring a thriving ecosystem for its people both for sustenance and economic gain through tourism. This research by WWF-Philippines and Lamave will provide a scientific perspective on the marine resources and how best to protect them, information that aims to compliment local knowledge.

Working with the people of Cagayancillo in protecting the marine environment has always been striking the balance between safeguarding the marine wildlife and sustaining livelihoods. How to connect the lives of rays and sharks with that of the local communities, in real terms, remains to be the challenge we face. We earnestly hope that science and insights from the locals themselves will show us the way, said Marivel Dygico of WWF-Philippines. (PR)
AN OFFICIAL of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Friday, May 10, strongly urged the faithful to become missionaries this coming May 13 elections by promoting the good candidates.In

AN OFFICIAL of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Friday, May 10, strongly urged the faithful to become missionaries this coming May 13 elections by promoting the good candidates.

In a statement, CBCP-Episcopal Commission on the Laity Chairman Broderick Pabillo said it would be good for everyone to help one another prepare for the elections by undergoing proper discernment on whom to vote for.

Let each one be a missionary. Let us help others, especially those who are undecided or who do not care, to vote well, said Pabillo.

A spiritual act of mercy is to instruct the ignorant and another is to counsel the confused. We can exercise these spiritual acts of mercy by helping people to vote well for the good of the country, he added.

In doing so, the prelate urged the people to adhere to the discernment of credible lay leaders, such as the Peoples Choice Movement (PCM).

The PCM earlier endorsed the senatorial bids of Senator Grace Poe, former congressman Neri Colmenares, and all eight candidates of the oppositions Otso Diretso, namely Gary Alejano, Bam Aquino, Chel Diokno, Samira Gutoc, Florin Hilbay, Romy Macalintal, Mar Roxas, and Erin Tanada.

We should always promote the good. Let us promote the good candidates for our country, said Pabillo.

The bishop also reiterated the need for voters to prepare well for the National and Local Elections on Monday, May 13.

He said the voters must prepare their own list of candidates after undergoing their own discernment.

It is so difficult to remember all the names one has chosen in the polling place when there is a lot of noise, when it is hot, when people are queuing up and are waiting. These can pressure the voters to hurry up. It is easy to forget and make mistakes unless one has a well-prepared list, said Pabillo.

In addition, he said the people must always pray before casting their votes.

For us Christians, another preparation that is to be done is prayer. We always accompany with prayers important choices and activities that we do. The election is an important activity, said Pabillo. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified the 20 towns and cities that are placed as "hotspots" two days away from the midtern National and Local elections on Monday.

In Comelec Resolution No. 10531 dated May 6 the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel identified the election hotspots based on the recommendation of the regional joint security control centers.

These were categorized based on the intensity of political rivalry in an area.

In Cebu, the following areas were placed under orange category: Tuburan, San Fernando, Ronda, Dumanjug, Daanbantayan, Asturias, Pinamungajan and San Francisco.

Under the orange category are areas with yellow conditions as well as serious armed threats posed by domestic terror groups and other analogous armed groups.

The cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Danao, Bogo, Carcar and the municipalities of Pilar, Poro in Camotes, Tudela, Madridejos, Sta. Fe and Bantayan were placed under yellow category and the rest were under green category.

Category green refers to areas of no security concern and are relatively peaceful and orderly.

Yellow is for areas with a history of election-related violence or the existence of intense partisan political rivalry, but without the participation of domestic terror groups.

The Comelec as of Friday, May 10, have identified a total of 1,196 areas under hotspots.

Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Brigadier General Debold Sinas, in a separate interview with media Friday, said that there are no changes to the list of election watch list areas (Ewas) they released on March 18.

We did not chang anything. We have already agreed with the Comelec. On whatever happens, we will be listing instead. No time to change it unless otherwise something will happen -- like theres' an armed attack or there is harassment" he said.

Last March 18, the police had identified 54 places in Central Visayas as Ewas for the May 13 midterm elections.

Story continues

Police Regional Tactical Operations Office 7 Chief Dominick Poblete said Bohol has 24 localities under Ewas; Cebu, 20; and Negros Oriental, 10.

Vote buying preparation

Meanwhile, Sinas ordered local police to set up a massive checkpoint on Sunday May 12 on the eve of the election.

This is to counter an expected massive vote buying a day before Mondays voting when leaders of politicians use last ditch efforts to buy potential voters.

He also ordered police to heighten its foot patrol in mountain barangays and impose curfew ordinances in barangays and cities.

The public is advised against converging in one place to avoid suspicion of vote buying while parents are urged to keep their children outside before the 10 p.m. curfew, he said.

Last week, reports of vote buying in Cebu City circulated online showing sample ballots with stapled money amounting to P1,000 and P5,000.

Meantime, motorcycle vehicles who ply mountain barangays at unusual periods will also be monitored for possibly transporting election money.

Sinas also reminded the public to strictly adhere to the liquor ban and other Comelec set regulations on elections.

"There were already a lot of pronouncements. We will just look at stores and if they are found selling then Im sorry," Sinas said in Cebuano and English.

He said he has already talked to the chiefs of police of Bohol, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu Province, Negros and Siquijor for his final instructions.

In Mandaue City, Police Colonel Julian Entoma said they will not hesitate to arrest violators of the liquor ban.

The giving of food, free transportaton, alcoholic beverages among others from politicians are also prohibited based on Resolution No. 10429.

Entoma said they will also apprehend those who are seen giving out sample ballots on election day. The Comelec gun ban is still strictly enforced.

Lawyer Veronico Petalcorin, acting director of Comelec 7, said they are also monitoring vote buying reports in Central Visayas and urged the public to take photos of those caught buying votes.

"We have the gadget. Get a video of the act and file an affidavit because it will be useless if there is no affidavit," Petalcorin said in Cebuano.

In San Fernando, eight military personnel were deployed in Brgy. Bugho on Friday following the shooting incident on Thursday afternoon.

"We came to an agreement with the barangay captain that we will be sending additional personnel to erase fear. That is over and above the PNP deployment in voting centers," he added.

Four armed men were taken into custody by members of the 47th Infantry Battalion for attempting to harass Bugho Councilman Joy Resogento, who is running for the Municipal Council.

The arrested were identified as Romeo Olis Jr., 39, Manuel Alidon, 34, Frisco Tapales,29, and Anastacio Solis, 50.

Sinas said two of them were residents of San Fernando while the other two are from Cebu City.

He added that a case was already filed against the four for illegal possession of firearms, illegal discharge of firearms, and violation to the Comelec gun ban.

He, however, said that they cannot confirm yet if the arrested armed men actually worked for businessman and San Fernando mayoral candidate Ruben Feliciano, as some of the witnesses of the incident earlier claimed.

We have suspects already, but there is still an ongoing investigation to identify who really hired them, he said.

Aside from additional security personnel, Sinas also said they have received, on Thursday, four additional units of bomb sniffing dogs which will help secure polling precincts.

So now, each province, except Siquijor, will have their own EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) personnel and sniffing dogs. We have one for Bantayan Island, one for

Camotes sland, one for the South (Cebu), and one for the North (Cebu), he said.

Central Visayas now has seven bomb sniffing dogs in total. / FROM FMD AND AYB OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / WBS / TPM OF SUNSTAR PHILIPPINES /
Kathmandu, Nepal, May 10, 2019: Anushka Shrestha has been crowned as Miss Nepal World 2019. At a grand finale of the pageant held in the Capital on May 9, Shrestha was crowned beating other 24 other contestants.

Shrinkhala Khatiwada, Miss Nepal World 2018 crowned her 23-year-old successor, who hails from Kathmandu.

A final question was asked by former election commissioner, who was the chief gust of the function.

In addition to winning Miss Nepal World 2019, Shrestha also won two other titles  Miss Intellectual and Yamaha Miss Fascino.

Pradeepta Adhikari, Riya Basnet, Meera Kachhepati and Rose Lama won the titles of Miss Nepal Universe 2019, Miss Nepal Earth 2019, Miss Nepal International 2019 and Miss Nepal Supranational respectively.

Likewise, Adhikari also won other titles of Miss Best Athlete and Miss Talent. Basnet won the title of Miss Popular Choice while Kachhepati was announced the winner of Miss Beautiful Hair and Lama Won two other titles Miss Glamour and Miss Photogenic.
Photo courtesy: DTI-Public Relations Unit

MANILA, Philippines  The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has called for the suspension of operations of a food park in Las Pinas City allegedly serving exclusively to Chinese customers.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez called on the Las Pinas local government for the suspension of China Food City.

This, after Trade officials inspected the food park and discovered that the facility lacks necessary permits to operate.

The Secretary said DTI will intervene if the LGU does not comply.

Aside from business permit, the establishment was also flagged for lack of proper sanitation permits, no proper waste disposal system, and lack of waste treatment facility.

Secretary Lopez noticed, however, that there were Filipino customers eating in the place invalidating reports of discrimination or Chinese only preference in the facility.

Lopez asked the Las Pinas Business Permits and Licensing Office to issue a suspension of operations to the establishment while the owners are working on producing the necessary documentation.  Marje Pelayo

The post DTI calls for suspension of Chinese-only food park in Las Pinas appeared first on UNTV News.
French special forces have freed two French hostages, an American and a South Korean in northern Burkina Faso in an overnight raid in which two soldiers died, authorities announced Friday. The operation was launched to free two French tourists who had disappeared while on holiday in the remote Pendjari National Park in neighbouring Benin on May 1. But during the raid, the French troops were surprised to discover two women also in captivity, with top officials saying they had been held for 28 days. The French tourists were identified as Patrick Picque, 51, and Laurent Lassimouillas, 46, but the women's identities were not immediately clear. "No one was aware of (the women's) presence," French Defence Minister Florence Parly told reporters, while French armed forces chief Francois Lecointre said. "We know little about these other two hostages," Parly told reporters, saying that even Seoul and Washington did not appear to be aware the pair were in increasingly unstable Burkina Faso. The raid was approved by French President Emmanuel Macron in what was seen as the last opportunity to stop the hostages being transferred to lawless territory in Mali to the north. Parly said it was "too early to say" who had snatched the two French nationals from Benin, which has long been an island of stability in a region where Islamist militants are increasingly active. "The message to terrorists and criminal gangs is clear: those who attack France and its nationals know that we will not spare any effort to track them down, find them and neutralise them," she said. Four of the six kidnappers were killed in the raid. French forces, helped by intelligence provided by the United States, had been tracking the kidnappers for several days as they travelled across the semi-desert terrain of eastern Burkina Faso from Benin to Mali. They seized the opportunity to prevent "the transfer of the hostages to another terrorist organisation in Mali," Lecointre said, referring to the Macina Liberation Front (FLM). The FLM is a jihadist group formed in 2015 and headed by a radical Malian preacher, Amadou Koufa. It is aligned with Al-Qaeda in the region. - US intelligence support - In a statement, Macron congratulated the special forces on the operation, in which he also expressed sorrow over the death of the two soldiers "who gave their lives to save those of our citizens". And Parly thanked authorities in Benin and Burkina Faso for their help with the "complex operation", as well as the United States which provided intelligence and support. The operation was also made possible by the presence of France's Operation Barkhane, which counts some 4,500 troops deployed in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad to help local forces battle jihadist groups. American special forces and drones are also known to operate in the violence-wracked Sahel region, which France fears could become further destabilised as jihadist groups are pushed out of north Africa, Iraq and Syria. Burkina Faso has suffered from increasingly frequent and deadly attacks attributed to a number of jihadist groups, including the Ansarul Islam group, the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. - Relief and sadness - The French tourists -- Patrick Picque who works in a Paris jewellery shop, and Laurent Lassimouillas a piano teacher, -- went missing with their guide on the last leg of their holiday in usually peaceful Benin. The Pendjari wildlife reserve, which is famed for its elephants and lions, lies close to the porous border with Burkina Faso. The badly disfigured body of their guide was found shortly after they disappeared, as well as their abandoned four-wheel Toyota truck. The two freed men will be flown back to France on Saturday, alongside the South Korean woman, where they will be met on arrival by Macron and other top French officials. Washington thanked the French forces for freeing the American hostage, with France saying she would likely be "repatriated independently" from the other three. The two dead French soldiers were named as Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, decorated naval special forces members born in 1986 and 1991 respectively. They were part of the prestigious Hubert commando unit of the French naval special forces which was deployed to the Sahel at the end of March. A total of 24 French soldiers have died in the region since 2013 when France intervened to drive back jihadist groups who had taken control of northern Mali. The last death was on April 2. burs-hmw/adp/pvh
AUTOSTRADA Motore Inc., sole importer and distributor of Ferrari in the Philippines, hosted its annual Esperienza Ferrari in Cebu presenting the Ferrari Portofino to its clients at Waterfront Cebu City

AUTOSTRADA Motore Inc., sole importer and distributor of Ferrari in the Philippines, hosted its annual Esperienza Ferrari in Cebu presenting the Ferrari Portofino to its clients at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

From the comfortable day-to-day drives to a beast of a car, the Ferrari Portofino is the new V8 GT set to dominate its segment through its perfect combination of sportiness, elegance, and comfort on board.

Referring to one of Italys most beautiful towns, Portofino has been known as a symbol of quaint beauty and has become synonymous with elegance, sportiness and understated luxury. Bearing the name of the town, the Ferrari Portofino has become the most versatile GT car.

The renowned Ferrari V8 turbo, a member of the engine family that won the International Engine of the Year Award in 2016 and 2017 consecutively, is capable of a massive 600cv and sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. Thanks to the adoption of new components and specific calibration of the engine management software, the output power increased 40cv more than the California T power unit.

The Ferrari Portofino is designed for great dailies and converts from an authentic Berlinetta into an open-top Spider in just 14 seconds even in low-speed driving. The new model is perfect for any occasion with various advantages  retractable hardtop, spacious trunk, ample passenger space, and two rear seats for short trips.

New features are added for the on-board comfort of this new vehicle, including a new air-conditioning system to provide passengers comfort whether top up or down, a new steering wheel, a new backrest design for a spacious legroom and passenger display.

Ferrari completely revised its vehicle dynamic characteristics and integrated new technologies to have a more dynamic, responsive car that also delivers superior ride comfort; overall the most powerful convertible car that Ferrari has ever produced. (Seona Anthony Marie V. Dacalos, USC Mass Comm Intern)
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

DESPITE a shooting incident that killed two persons Thursday afternoon, May 9, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City remains open and functioning normally.

In a statement, the NCMH assured the public that they have already increased their security measures in the wake of the incident.

The NCMH is committed to ensuring the safety of its patients and staff and is taking measures to tighten security at the hospital, said the NCMH.

Two people died in a shooting incident that occurred in one of the wards of the facility.

A 27-year-old psychiatric patient and an unidentified woman believed to be his wife were allegedly killed by their supposed grandfather.

The NCMH has declined to identify the patient and the woman, but assured that no other patient or staff member was hurt.

NCMH officials said they were saddened by the tragedy.

We offer our condolences to the family of the victims, they said. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
AS A socially responsible automotive manufacturer and due to its strong desire to cultivate the youth, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) recently handed over an L300 unit to the Santa Rosa

AS A socially responsible automotive manufacturer and due to its strong desire to cultivate the youth, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) recently handed over an L300 unit to the Santa Rosa Science & Technology High School (SCITech) which will be used as service vehicle by the students and its faculty in Laguna.

The vehicle will be utilized as a mode of transportation for inter-school competitions and special trainings held outside the school.

In attendance for the turnover ceremony were Congresswoman Arlene B. Arcillas, Laguna City Mayor Dan S. Fernandez, vice mayor Arnold B. Arcillas, PTA president Eldo C. Medina, SCITECH Principal Dr. Dionisia L. Alvarez, assistant principal Rowena P. Pascua, MMPC president and chief executive officer Mutsuhiro Oshikiri, MMPC senior vice president for corporate division Yasuki Maruyama and MMPC vice president for corporate public relations Renato S. Lampano.

In their messages, Santa Rosa Citys top government officials expressed their gratitude to the donation and emphasized MMPCs help and blessings being poured to the city. They also took note of how heartily generous it is for a company to be donating vehicle for the youth and how important it is for the recipient to be responsible when using the vehicle.

MMPC president and chief executive officer Mutsuhiro Oshikiri said, We are giving high regard to the government officials of Santa Rosa, its teachers and to all the men and women who work at SCITech due to their noble efforts and sacrifices in developing the students well-being and untiringly imparting knowledge to them. We hope that your well-deserved students will remember Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation in their dreams and aspirations. (PR)
THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their

THE former political has-been had asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place Cebu City under its control, citing recent incidents in the mountain barangays where his supporters, especially barangay captains, were harassed by armed men. He tagged police as behind the series of attacks, the latest of which was the burning of an old and dilapidated hauling truck owned by a barangay captain.

In his press conference the other day, the former political has-been warned Cebuanos that the current situation might get worse in the coming days. Some City Hall employees were intimidated by uniformed armed men and unknown individuals. Things have escalated, he said.

There is terrorism with the police. This is a clear manifestation of a martial law. We have to make our stand. I will be ashamed to the Cebuanos if I dont, he said.

What terrorism and martial law is he talking about? I think this guy has become paranoid. Is he suffering from mental illness? Why he does he have a phobia of the police? Is he anticipating the repercussions of the situation because using the police to terrorize voters was his handiwork during past elections?

Placing an area under Comelec control is a tedious process. There are criteria to follow. The justification he cited in his request to the Comelec did not warrant the poll bodys action. It should have been dismissed outright. Besides, I dont think the Comelec en banc has time to deliberate it. But I suspect he has a hidden agenda why he wants to place Cebu City under Comelec control.

According to Comelec Resolution 3618, the poll body can only place an area under its control when any political division, subdivision, unit or area, circumstances such as intense political rivalry between or among candidates, political factions or parties, or the presence of paramilitary forces, private armies or identifiable armed bands widely perceived to have committed terrorism, fraud or other election irregularities in the past electoral exercises or other analogous circumstances, threaten or tend to disrupt the holding of free, peaceful, honest, orderly and credible elections, the Commission may place such political division,subdivision, unit or area under its immediate and direct control.

Story continues

Powers and functions of the Commission--This stand-by authority shall be exercised by the Commission sitting en banc as the need arises. The Commission shall take immediate and direct control and supervision over all national and local officials and employees required by law to perform duties and or comply with certain prohibitions relative to the conduct of the elections in the political division, subdivision, area or unit concerned. Exercise full control and supervisionover all national and local law enforcement agencies as well as military officers and men assigned or deployed in the area concerned.

The other provision, which I think the former political has-been wants to happen is this: When necessary, to substitute a whole unit of the police force assigned in the locality concerned with another police unit or with adequate unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or to relieve any police or military officer or personnel who may be found unsuitable for the continuance in his present assignment in the locality concerned as peace and order condition in the locality demands.

Basically, his agenda is to have Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma replaced. But it was not proven if the incidents he cited were election-related. To have the city placed under Comelec control, the police and the military would have to be consulted as this has something to do with peace and order. And the police have already said the city is peaceful. 
US President Donald Trump said that "nobody's happy" after North Korea raised the pressure over the future of their deadlocked nuclear negotiations by launching two short-range missiles. Trump's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in February broke up without an agreement or even a joint statement as the two failed to reach a deal on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for relief from sanctions imposed over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. Since then Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith" and given it until the end of the year to change its approach. In what South Korea President Moon Jae-in termed an "element of protest", the North "fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles" on Thursday, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. They were launched from Kusong in North Pyongan province, it said, and flew eastwards for 270 and 420 kilometres (170 and 260 miles) across the North. It was Pyongyang's second such move in less than a week, after having not launched a missile since November 2017, shortly before a rapid diplomatic thaw eased high tensions on the peninsula and paved the way for the historic first Kim-Trump summit in Singapore last June. At a White House event, Trump said US authorities were looking "very seriously" at the launch of the "short-range missiles". "Nobody's happy about it," he told reporters. "We'll see what happens," he added. "I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they are ready to negotiate." Thursday's launches came hours after the US Special Representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, arrived in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials, in his first visit since the Hanoi summit. - 'Peace and security' - North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling party, devoted its entire front page and half of page two to the launch on Friday, with 16 pictures, the main one of Kim watching the launch from a camouflaged shelter. It was a "long-range strike" drill, the official Korean Central News Agency said, without specifying what kind of weapon was fired and avoiding the words missile, rocket or projectile. Thursday's missile firing came after North Korea carried out a military drill and fired multiple projectiles on Saturday, with at least one believed to be a short-range missile. And in a potential indication of more launches to come, KCNA said that Kim "set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability of the defence units". "The genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty," it cited him as saying. The pictures of the two launches released by the North appeared similar, and experts said at least one short-range ballistic missile was involved on Saturday. A report on the respected 38 North website said debris left by the launch suggested it was a "direct import" of a Russian-produced Iskander -- a single-stage, solid-fuel missile. If North Korea had imported Iskanders from Russia, the report added, "it has an existing capacity to deliver warheads to targets in South Korea with great precision". Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington had all refrained from explicitly calling Saturday's launch a missile -- the South used the term "projectile" -- which could jeopardise the ongoing diplomacy if it violated UN Security Council bans on ballistic technology as well as Kim's announcement of an end to long-range missile tests. But Japanese defence minister Takeshi Iwaya said Friday that Tokyo had "reached the conclusion" the latest launches were short-range ballistic missiles. "Launching of ballistic missiles is a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions," he told reporters. - 'Highly displeased' - Pyongyang's latest move "is a pressuring action to steer the nuclear talks in a direction it desires", South Korea's President Moon said in an interview marking his first two years in office. "It appears the North is highly displeased that the Hanoi summit ended without agreement," he added, but warned that the launch "could make negotiations more difficult". A summit between Moon and Kim a year ago was instrumental in lowering the temperature, but since the Hanoi summit, the North has blamed Seoul for siding with Washington, leaving inter-Korean relations in limbo. In New York, federal authorities said the US had taken possession of a North Korean freighter seized a year ago by Indonesia on grounds of violating UN sanctions. The officials said Wise Honest -- an 18,000-ton, single hull bulk carrier -- had exported high-grade coal and brought back machinery to the impoverished and reclusive country. burs-slb/qan
The US trade deficit widened in March, reversing the dip in February, but amid a high-stakes trade war the gap with China narrowed, according to government data released Thursday. Goods imports from China fell to their lowest level in almost three years, with a notable drop in purchases of mobile phones and other household goods, according the Commerce Department report. The modest increase in the US trade gap came as President Donald Trump's efforts to conclude a year-long trade battle with China verged on collapse, with punitive duty rates on hundreds of billions of Chinese goods due to more than double in less than 24 hours. American officials say Chinese negotiators have reneged on core promises made during months of talks but they are due to resume later Thursday. Trump has made trade a defining issue of his presidency, believing trade imbalances destroy jobs and drain the world's largest economy, but the trade deficit has continued to rise since he took office. The deficit in merchandise trade with China fell 6.2 percent to $28.3 billion, seasonally adjusted, the lowest level since April 2016. In March, the total US trade gap -- the difference between what the United States sells abroad and what it buys -- rose 1.5 percent from February to $50 billion, a slightly smaller increase than economists had been expecting, as American firms exported fewer jet planes but imported more crude oil and food, That increase nevertheless put the deficit in the first quarter 3.7 percent below the same three-month period of 2018. Total US exports rose one percent to $212 billion, with higher sales of natural gas, fuel oil, coal used in forging metal and soy beans. But sales of aircraft decreased by $700 million, probably reflecting the suspension of deliveries by US aviation giant Boeing following the grounding worldwide of the top-selling 737 MAX aircraft in March in the wake of fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. Exports of services, like product licensing, tourism, and transportation, were the highest on record at $70.3 billion. Total imports meanwhile rose 1.1 percent to $262 billion, driven by faster purchases of crude oil and organic chemicals as well as seafood, wine, feeds, grains and other foods. In non-seasonally adjusted numbers, the US goods deficit with Mexico hit a record $9.5 billion for the month. Exports to the EU were the highest on record at $30.6 billion, while imports from Germany were likewise the highest on record at $11.4 billion. Imports from Japan reached their highest level in seven years at $13.3 billion.
Phuket 9 May 2019  ONYX Hospitality Group has appointed Paul Halford as General Manager of the soon-to-open OZO Phuket at Kata Beach.

Paul joins ONYX with close to 20 years of hospitality industry experience at hotels and resorts in Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji and Thailand, including a 10-year tenure across multiple Radisson Hotel Group locations. Most recently, he was General Manager of Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18.

In his current role, Paul will lead the pre-opening and positioning of the brand-new OZO in Phuket, scheduled to open in June 2019. The family-oriented resort will feature 255 rooms and suites located right on Kata Road, surrounded by a wide range of restaurants, excellent shops, a popular night market and vibrant nightlife scene. The property boasts the closest location to the beach among non-beachfront hotels in the immediate area, with each guest room featuring clever and functional design with distinct spaces allocated for getting ready, snoozing and relaxed connectivity.

Commenting on his role, Mr. Halford said:

We are absolutely delighted to open OZO Phuket, welcoming the first guests to experience our all-new hotel. OZO is a new holiday destination in Phuket, which is Thailands largest island and famously known as the Pearl of the Andaman. The resort has a fantastic design of in-room functions with the best sleep quality OZO has to offer, in addition to the energising breakfast selection and a la carte all-day dining at EAT, with Asian and international favourites. Guests will also enjoy a relaxation space and stay connected at Chill or spend quality time with family at the free-form main pool and Splash activity pool. The hotels location is amazing, with attractions and eateries for the whole family to enjoy, a relaxed vibe and the pristine white sands of Kata Beach just a short stroll away. We believe OZO Phuket will deliver quality service based on our core concept of sleep, connect and explore for our guests.
9 May 2019  Phuket, Thailand  Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club is delighted to welcome Ms. Patsada Satthacharoen back to the position of Director of Marketing Communications for Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club. Taking up her post from May 2nd, Patsada will be overseeing all marketing communication activities for both the hotel and beach club.

For Patsada, it will be her second spell with Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club, having previously played a foremost role in the successful pre-opening and launch of Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club in 2016. During her previous tenure, Patsada held the position of Director of Marketing Communications and Public Relations with the remit of handling all marketing communications, public relations and branding activities, including the design concept of all collaterals ranging from the hotel signage and its amenities, to the staffs uniforms, the properties websites and the brands social media presence.

Having overseen 9 openings and 10 rebranding projects during a 16-years career spent almost exclusively in the hotel and hospitality industry, Patsada has earned something of a reputation as a specialist in this field. Her in-depth experience includes working on the opening or rebranding of hotels for various international five-star chains in Australia, Thailand, Singapore and the Middle East.

Before rejoining Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club, Patsada was responsible for 5 hotels managed by Minor Hotels Group in Qatar, which included the rebranding of Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by Tivoli and 3 pre-opening projects at Tivoli Al Najada Doha Hotel, Oaks Al Najada Doha, and Souq Al Wakra Hotel Qatar. The fifth property under Patsadas remit was the Banana Island Resort by Anatara, Minors flagship property in the Middle East and the number one hotel/resort in Qatar.

Some of the previous positions held by Patsada include Director of Marketing Communications at Compass Hospitality, where she oversaw its 6 Bangkok properties, Cluster Marketing Communications Manager at Courtyard Resorts by Marriott Thailand, where she was responsible for 4 properties in Phuket and Hua Hin, and Marketing Communications Manager at Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, which was voted Number 1 in the World in 2011 by Travel & Leisure Magazine, US.

Other successful hotel pre-opening projects in Patsadas impressive portfolio include Millennium Resort Patong Phuket, Sofitel Phokeethra Krabi Resort & Spa, Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel (the official airport hotel of Bangkok), and Conrad Jupiters Casino on Australias Gold Coast. Away from hospitality, Patsada played a key role in the highly successful launch of the Virgin Active brand in Thailand, before going on to break the sales record among eight regional countries in her role as Head of Marketing at Virgin Active Thailand.

Having earned a Bachelor of Hotel Management from Griffith University in Australia before embarking on her successful career, Patsada brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club.

Speaking on her plans and vision for Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club, Patsada said: Im really excited to be re-joining Dream. Being involved in launching this project just a few years ago was a proud moment for me and now Im ready to bring my experiences from Australia, Thailand, Singapore and the Middle East to take Dream to another level.

We have some exciting plans for 2019 and 2020. I think with Dream Beach Clubs position as the largest beach club in Phuket and the Level One nightclubs role as the most famous nightclub in the Bangtao and Layan Beach area, we have a chance to really create something very special and unique here.
Guwahati, May 10 : One person died and several others injured after a building was collapsed in Manipur's Imphal on Friday.

According to the reports, the incident was happened at BT road in the south of polo ground.

A portion of the two storey old building at the BT road was collapsed at around 3 pm.

One person was died on spot and several others were injured in the building collapse.

The injured persons were rushed to nearby hospital.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati, Assam)
Organisations can use offsets as part of their emission reduction strategy. Credit: Shutterstock

In this election, often dubbed the "climate election", voters are refusing to settle for weak policies on climate change.

But between the "will they/won't they" question of whether the coalition will meet their climate targets and the costing of the ALP's targets, there is a lot of misunderstanding, even among experts.

Unsurprisingly, even the best-informed voter is liable to struggle, particularly when generic terms like "carbon credits" are used to describe completely different things.

Broadly, carbon credits work as a certificate permitting someone to emit greenhouse gases. To assess Australia's performance, it's important to understand the differences between the types of certificate.

Just because we can count something as climate performance does not mean we should. Both approaches from the two major parties have their own issues, but that does not mean they are equal.

What are Kyoto carry-over credits and carbon offsets?

Kyoto carry-over credits

Carry-over credits are "certificates" that translate our international commitments as a number of tonnes. These credits represent emissions we could have released into the atmosphere under our international commitments, but didn't.

As we come to the end of the second international commitment period, we have a lot of leftover credits. The government wants to use credits from the first and second periods (2008-2012 and 2013-2020) to satisfy our obligations under the third (2021-2030).

Carbon offset credits

In the case of offsets, these certificates come from actions that reduce emissions. These actions should be measurable and new. Sadly, they do not always meet that simple standard.

Offset credits are a trading "currency" that, in principle, reduces the overall cost of emission reduction.

Australias current and projected emissions and targets with Kyoto carry-over credit transfer. Credit: Tim Baxter, 'In a Canter'? Demystifying Australia's Emissions Budget for Paris., Author provided

Emission reduction can be costly or difficult for some, and offsets allow individuals or businesses to buy certificates from others who can cut or capture emissions at lower cost.

Rules to create, trade and monitor offsets can be set at an international, regional or national level. Some offsetting is voluntary, but most is to comply with legal requirements.

The carry-over credit debate

The Coalition plans to use credit from our "over-achievement" in meeting Kyoto targets, as a shortcut to meet the Paris Agreement targets.

Under the Paris Agreement, Australia has voluntarily agreed to reduce its cumulative emissions to 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030. If we use the Kyoto-era credit for the Paris Agreement, it will take only a 15% reduction on 2005 levels to successfully meet our commitment.

But the Kyoto Protocol only applied to developed countries, while the Paris agreement applies to many developing countries.

This means many signatories to Paris have no "carry-over" credits they can use. Among those developed nations that do have this credit, almost all have said they will not use Kyoto carry-over credits to meet their Paris commitments.

So the coalition's position is widely seen as morally dubious. And there are real questions around whether our supposed credit from the Kyoto era can be used at all.

Given the nature of the Paris Agreement, the international community will unlikely enforce an express ban on using carry-over credit.

But that doesn't mean we should use it. Australia's international reputation depends on rejecting the use of Kyoto carry-over. More importantly, so does our climate.

Carbon offsets

Under the Kyoto Protocol, several offsetting schemes were created between countries, so-called "flexible mechanisms". Among these emission reduction opportunities is the Clean Development Mechanism.

Sydneys School Strike 4 Climate, March 2019. Climate change is one of the top issues voters care about in the upcoming election. Credit: Shutterstock

The Clean Development Mechanism is an offset scheme where developed countries fund emission reduction action in developing countries.

If projects meet the requirements of the mechanism, the developing country claims certificates equal to the amount of emissions reduction they can prove. They then sell the certificates they have earned to developed countries.

This scheme has seen a number of renewable energy projects constructed, such as hydroelectric dams and projects that consume waste to create electricity.

Offsetting carbon voluntarily

Voluntary use of carbon offsets has also grown. For example, Australia's voluntary National Carbon Offsets Standard allows organisations to use offsets as part of their emission reduction strategy.

Australia's Carbon Farming Initiative is one such example. This offsetting scheme was originally designed by the ALP, but now underpins the coalition's Emissions Reduction Fund.

Projects registered under this scheme can create Australian Carbon Credit Units through methods such as revegetation, capture and combustion of methane or surrender of land clearing rights.

The government buys these credits through reverse auctions  one buyer with many potential sellers. They're also frequently purchased by Australian facilities caught by the safeguard mechanism (a framework for the largest emitters to measure, report and manage their emissions) and individuals looking to voluntarily offset their own emissions.

The ALP plans to tighten the baselines under the safeguard mechanism, compelling Australia's major emitters, such as our largest resource companies, to either reduce on-site emissions or purchase Australian Carbon Credit Units.

In a 2014 report, the Climate Change Authority recommended Australia adopt an emission reduction target between 45% and 65% below 2005 levels by 2030. It noted international carbon offsets would help ensure Australia could meet this more ambitious target.

The ALP's approach is superficially compatible with the Climate Change Authority, though it plans to negotiate the detail if elected. A lot will hang on where these negotiations fall.

Using offset credits is undoubtedly better than taking no action at all. But offsetting must have integrity, not accounting sleight-of-hand. If genuine, they can help cut global emissions at the lowest cost while also delivering local social, economic and environmental benefits.

It is important offsetting methods continue to be refined and debated, while keeping a critical eye on whether they provide environmental benefit.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: University of Bristol

As many as one in four cats and one in seven dogs are carrying fleas, and about 11 per cent of these fleas are infected with potentially pathogenic bacteria, according to a large-scale analysis of owned animals in the UK. Flea bites can be painful and can cause allergic reactions in cats and dogs which is why the Big Flea Project findings highlight the need to re-educate pet owners on flea prevention.

The University of Bristol-led research funded by MSD Animal Health and published in the journal Parasites and Vectors, examined 812 cats and 662 dogs for fleas across 326 UK veterinary practices. Flea samples from each host were analysed for the presence of bacteria using PCR and sequence analysis.

Of the 812 cats examined, 28.1 per cent were found to be flea infested along with 14.4 per cent of the 662 dogs. The effects of flea blood-feeding and the pathogens they carry can result in clinical disease in cats and dogs and are of concern for veterinarians and pet owners. The study demonstrates the need to educate pet owners about the effects of both flea infestation and also the clinical risks these fleas present, particularly given the relatively high prevalence of Bartonella spp.

Professor Richard Wall, Professor of Zoology at Bristol's School of Biolgoical Sciences, said: "Fleas are the most clinically important ectoparasites of dogs and cats worldwide. Rising levels of pet ownership, climate change and globalisation are increasing the importance of a detailed understanding of the endemicity of fleas and prevalence of flea-borne pathogens. This requires continued surveillance to detect change. The results have demonstrated that high numbers of cats and dogs still carry fleas and shown the relatively high prevalence of Bartonella spp in fleas, which is of significant concern for the pet owners and veterinary practice staff."

Nicola Barclay, Senior Product Manager at MSD Animal Health comments: "The Big Flea Project results demonstrate the ongoing need for pet owners to understand the importance of prevention, particularly with the implications of infestation for human and animal health. It's particularly important at this time of the year as the weather is getting warmer and infestation is more likely to occur. Our national launch today has been designed to raise awareness amongst pet owners and encourage them to seek advice from the veterinary practice. Building awareness of the risks of fleas to practices and pet owners is also at the forefront of our ongoing campaign."

Explore further Parasites from domestic pets affecting wildlife world wide

More information: Swaid Abdullah et al. Pathogens in fleas collected from cats and dogs: distribution and prevalence in the UK, Parasites & Vectors (2019). Swaid Abdullah et al. Pathogens in fleas collected from cats and dogs: distribution and prevalence in the UK,(2019). DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3326-x
Illustration of the segregation process: The octopus represents the actin organizing center of the zebrafish oocyte. It pulls the cytoplasmic pockets up, i.e., towards the animal pole of the egg, while, at the same time, it pushes the bigger yolk granules down/towards the other, vegetal pole of the egg. Credit: IST Austria/Justine Renno

The segregation of yolk from the surrounding cytoplasm in the very early fish embryo is a key process for the development of fish larva. To identify its underlying mechanisms, biologists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) teamed up with their colleagues in theoretical physics. The discovery: Actin dynamics in the bulk of the cell drive phase segregation in zebrafish oocytes.

A single-cell fish egg evolves into a multi-cell embryo in less than two hours after fertilization. Within these two hours, the cytoplasm, which will later form the animal body, must separate completely from the yolk, which the larva is going to feed on. Previously, cell biologists had proposed that local expansion of the cell surface at one pole of the egg mediates this segregation. However, direct evidence supporting this model was lacking.

Joined forces: lab experiments and physical theory

To understand the physical basis of this segregation process, Shayan Shamipour, Ph.D. student in the research group of developmental biologist Carl-Philipp Heisenberg, teamed up with the research group of theoretical physicist Edouard Hannezo. Based on the combined expertise of these two groups, the authors, also including a third professor from IST Austria, Bjorn Hof, reveal that the forces exerted at the cell surface are not essential for this processas opposed to previous models. Instead, they discovered that combined pulling and pushing forces within the embryo facilitate the segregation of cytoplasm from the yolk granules. Importantly, the theory developed to describe this process can be applied to any segregation due to the forces exerted from an active fluid and could thus also be used to examine similar processes in mammalian/human embryos.

Time-lapse of an exemplary oocyte labeling both cytoplasm (bright area) and yolk granules (dark area) during the first four cleavage cycles and imaged by confocal microscopy. As the zebrafish egg cell starts to divide, cytoplasm and yolk granules are segregated. Credit: IST Austria/Heisenberg group

Size matters

But how are these concerted pulling and pushing movements generated? In the bulk of the cell, far away from the cell surface, filaments of actin and myosinproteins also involved in muscle cell contractionform a dense mesh. Polymerization and contraction of this mesh trigger actin flows towards the animal pole of the egg, the hemisphere that is going to differentiate into the later embryo. Via passive frictional forces, these actin flows drag along cytoplasm. The bigger yolk granules, in contrast, are not dragged along by actin since their friction with actin is much lower. Instead, they are actively pushed, or rather squeezed, towards the opposite vegetal pole of the egg by comet-like actin structuresparticular actin structures whose function had not been reported in developmental processes before. The combination of these pulling and pushing forces ensures a robust segregation of the cytoplasm and yolk granules within the developing embryo.

As the zebrafish egg cell starts to divide, cytoplasm and yolk granules are segregated. Top row: Bright-field images of the developing zebrafish embryo injected with green micron-sized polystyrene beads. Clear upper area: cytoplasm/animal pole; more hazy lower area: yolk granules/vegetal pole.Bottom row: Fluorescence images of a zebrafish embryo labelling both cytoplasm (bright areas) and yolk granules (dark areas). Credit: IST Austria/Heisenberg group

Bringing darkness into the light

By examining deeper parts of the cell more closely, the multi-disciplinary team has revealed that animal pole expansion at the cell surface, as previously proposed, is not essential for the yolk-cytoplasm segregation. "The actin structures at the cell surface appear very bright and are therefore quite easy to study. Maybe that's why scientists have so far simply missed to look more deeply into the much darker bulk area, which makes up most of the cell," says Shayan Shamipour, lead author of the study. Refined image processing allowed the IST Austria researchers to take a closer look at the developments in fish eggs during the moments right after fertilization. But, as Shamipour adds, another key to success was something else: "To catch the very first moments of egg development, we had to be really fast: Whenever one of our fish had started to release its eggs into the water, I would press start on my stop watch and my colleagues would see me sprint from the fish facility to the microscopy room to observe and record the process."

Curiosity-driven teamwork at its best

According to the cell biologist with a background in physics, Shamipour had been suspicious of the prevailing surface-based explanation for a while: "The embryo follows a big goal: It has to divide from one into thousands of cells in a very short amount of time. It was thus evident that the proposed surface mechanism alone could not accomplish this segregation and that the embryo would have to come up with some other mechanisms to accelerate the process." It is this curiosity-driven attitude of the young scientist paired with the interdisciplinary research culture of the Heisenberg and Hannezo groupsa mode of scientific work IST Austria particularly fostersthat enabled Shamipour to identify and analyze central cell processes that could be relevant in many other settings and organisms.

Explore further Physical basis of tissue coordination uncovered

More information: Shayan Shamipour et al, Bulk Actin Dynamics Drive Phase Segregation in Zebrafish Oocytes, Cell (2019). Journal information: Cell Shayan Shamipour et al, Bulk Actin Dynamics Drive Phase Segregation in Zebrafish Oocytes,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.030
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A growth in the use of crystal quartz to make tools thousands of years ago shows the sophistication of ancient communities, according to new research.

The mineral was chosen because of its powerful symbolism, even though it involved painstaking work and other materials that would have been easier to use were available to prehistoric toolmakers, archaeologists argue.

Archaeologists have found there was a sudden spike in the number of tiny hand-made tools of less than 1cm made of crystal quartz in southern Africa around 14,000 years ago.

People could have used chert, which was more durable and found locally, but they may have chosen crystal quartz because it has several unique properties including as a source of light when it is struck and as a source of sharp cutting edges. Communities may have engaged with crystal quartz because they saw material as "alive" and believed they were able to harness the power from the mineral to see into the future.

The technique of constructing tiny crystal quartz tools would have taken specific sets of skills to master. Crystal quartz was also used in other parts of the world for tools at this time, when other raw materials were available. Crystal quartz is brittle and can fracture, but can give an exceptionally sharp and precise cutting edge.

Archaeologists examined two sites, in Sehonghong and Ntloana Tsoana, in Lesotho which are approximately 100 km apart from each other and in very different environments. Although communities used other raw materials for tool production, after around 14,000 years ago they both increasingly started to use crystal quartz. In some layers excavated more than 75 per cent of tools were made of the mineral, particularly those which hold remains from 18 thousand years ago at Sehonghong. This suggests that widely dispersed hunter-gatherer groups were connected and engaged with one another.

"We show that although crystal quartz was never the dominant raw material for tool production at either Sehonghong or Ntloana Tsoana, the mineral does show increased frequencies after 14,000 years ago," says first author Justin Pargeter, from Emory University. "This pattern is shared between the two sites, separated by 100 kilometers and in very different environments, which suggests that widely dispersed hunter-gatherer groups were connected and engaged with one another."

Dr. Jamie Hampson, from the University of Exeter, who is co-author of the paper, said: "Quartz is abundant in the region, but from a functional point of view it is not the best material for making small tools. It takes more energy and time to use this material. If it flakes well, it can provide an extremely sharp cutting tool. But most of the time it just shatters.

"We found stone tools became smaller and smaller, there was a spike in their use, and increasingly they were made of crystal quartz instead of chert, which would have been a more readily available rock. We can't say for sure why crystal quartz was used, but it may have been chosen for its unique symbolic qualities. This shows communities were more sophisticated and thoughtful than they were previously given credit for."

Evidence from ethnographic texts and also from rock paintings suggests ancient communities at the time  in this region and elsewhere around the worldentered a hallucinogenic state. The luminescence caused by the sparks when crystal quartz was hit may have been part of their rituals performed in order to enter an altered state of consciousness and access the spirit world.

Dr. Hampson has been examining evidence from cave paintings and engravings for 20 years, showing how they depict and embody these rituals. In some places people put pieces of quartz into gaps and cracks in the rock faces, seen by many indigenous communities as the barrier between their world and the spiritual world.

Explore further Pinpointing the sources of trans-Pacific dust

More information: Justin Pargeter et al. Quartz crystal materiality in Terminal Pleistocene Lesotho, Antiquity (2019). Journal information: Antiquity Justin Pargeter et al. Quartz crystal materiality in Terminal Pleistocene Lesotho,(2019). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2018.167
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Instagram will start blocking any hashtags spreading misinformation about vaccines, becoming the latest internet platform to crack down on bad health information.

When a hashtag deemed to return misinformation is blocked, search results will no longer appear when the tag is clicked, and the terms are even blocked from being searched on Instagram.

Instagram made the announcement at a press event in San Francisco, according to The Verge.

On Wednesday, a report from CNN disputed Instagram and parent company Facebook's ability to keep misinformation on vaccines under control on the platform. The report said anyone searching the term "vaccines" could turn up multiple posts and hashtags on the anti-vax movement.

Instagram is the latest company to crack down on false news related to vaccines. In February, Facebook said it took steps to reduce fake health news and anti-vaccination posts amid a measles outbreak in Washington state.

Other sites have similarly cracked down, including Pinterest, which blocked all searches related to vaccines last year. Both YouTube and Amazon have halted anti-vaccination related content, while GoFundMe revealed in March it would block all campaigns tied to vaccine misinformation.

The trend of people choosing not to vaccinate has become a global health threat in 2019, the World Health Organization reported. Also, the CDC recognized that the number of children who aren't being vaccinated by 24 months old has been gradually increasing.

Some parents choose not to vaccinate because of the discredited belief vaccines are linked to autism. The CDC said that there is no link and that there are no ingredients in vaccines that could cause autism.

(c)2019 USA Today

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Barking Owls are one of Australias 1,770 threatened or endangered species. Credit: Navin/Flickr, CC BY-SA

This week many people across the world stopped and stared as extreme headlines announced that one eighth of the world's species  more than a million  are threatened with extinction.

According to the UN report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) which brought this situation to public attention, this startling number is a consequence of five direct causes: changes in land and sea use; direct exploitation of organisms; climate change; pollution; and invasion of alien species.

It's the last, invasive species, that threatens Australian animals and plants more than any other single factor.

Australia's number one threat

Australia has an estimated 600,000 species of flora and fauna. Of these, about 100 are known to have gone extinct in the last 200 years. Currently, more than 1,770 are listed as threatened or endangered.

While the IPBES report ranks invasive alien species as the fifth most significant cause of global decline, in Australia it is a very different story.

Australia has the highest rate of vertebrate mammal extinction in the world, and invasive species are our number one threat.

Cats and foxes have driven 22 native mammals to extinction across central Australia and a new wave of decline  largely from cats  is taking place across northern Australia. Research has estimated 270 more threatened and endangered vertebrates are being affected by invasive species.

Introduced vertebrates have also driven several bird species on Norfolk Island extinct.

The effects of invasive species are getting worse

Although Australia's stringent biosecurity measures have dramatically slowed the number of new invasive species arriving, those already here have continued to spread and their cumulative effect is growing.

Recent research highlights that 1,257 of Australia's threatened and endangered species are directly affected by 207 invasive plants, 57 animals and three pathogens.

These affect our unique biodiversity, as well as the clean water and oxygen we breath  not to mention our cultural values.

When it comes to biodiversity, Australia is globally quite distinct. More than 70% of our species (69% of mammals, 46% of birds and 93% of reptiles) are found nowhere else on earth. A loss to Australia is therefore a loss to the world.

Some of these are ancient species like the Wollemi Pine, may have inhabited Australia for up to 200 million years, well before the dinosaurs.

But invasive species are found in almost every part of Australia, from our rainforests, to our deserts, our farms, to our cities, our national parks and our rivers.

The cost to Australia

The cost of invasive species in Australia continue to grow with every new assessment.

The most recent estimates found the cost of controlling invasive species and economic losses to farmers in 2011-12 was A$13.6 billion. However this doesn't include harm to biodiversity and the essential role native species play in our ecosystems, which  based on the conclusions of the IPBES report  is likely to cost at least as much, and probably far more.

Rabbits, goats and camels prevent native desert plant community regeneration; rabbits alone impacting over 100 threatened species. Rye grass on its own costs cereal farmers A$93M a year.

Aquaculture diseases have affected oysters and cost the prawn industry $43M.

From island to savannah

Globally, invasive species have a disproportionately higher effect on offshore islands  and in Australia we have more than 8,000 of these. One of the most notable cases is the case of the yellow crazy ants, which killed 15,000,000 red land crabs on Christmas Island.

Nor are our deserts immune. Most native vertebrate extinctions caused by cats have occurred in our dry inland deserts and savannas, while exotic buffel and gamba grass are creating permanent transformation through changing fire regimes.

Australia's forests, particularly rainforests, are also under siege on a number of fronts. The battle continues to contain Miconia weed in Australia  the same weed responsible for taking over 70% of Tahiti's native forests. Chytrid fungus, thought to be present in Australia since 1970, has caused the extinction of at least four frog species and dramatic decline of at least ten others in our sensitive rainforest ecosystems.

Myrtle rust is pushing already threatened native Australian Myrtaceae closer to extinction, notably Gossia gonoclada, and Rhodamnia angustifolia and changing species composition of rainforest understories, and Richmond birdwing butterfly numbers are under threat from an invasive flower known as the Dutchman's pipe.

Australia's rivers and lakes are also under increasing domination from invasive species. Some 90% of fish biomass in the Murray Darling Basin are European carp, and tilapia are invading many far north Queensland river systems pushing out native species .

Invasive alien species are not only a serious threat to biodiversity and the economy, but also to human health. The Aedes aegypti mosquito found in parts of Queensland is capable of spreading infectious disease such as dengue, zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.

And it's not just Queensland that is under threat from diseases spread by invasive mosquitoes, with many researchers and authorities planning for when, not if, the disease carrying Aedes albopictus establishes itself in cooler and southern parts of Australia.

What solutions do we have?

Despite this grim inventory, it's not all bad news. Australia actually has a long history of effectively managing invasive species.

Targeting viruses as options for controlling rabbits, carp and tilapia; we have successfully suppressed rabbit populations by 70% in this way for 50 years.

Weeds too are successful targets for weed biological control, with over a 65% success rate controlling more than 25 targets.

The IPBES report calls for "transformative action". Here too Australia is at the forefront, looking into the potential of gene-technologies to suppress pet hates such as cane toads.

Past and current invasive species programs have been supported by governments and industry. This has provided the type of investment we need for long-term solutions and effective policies.

Australia is better placed now, with effective biosecurity policies and strong biosecurity investment, than many countries. We will continue the battle against invasive species to stem biodiversity and ecosystem loss.

Explore further Invasive species and habitat loss our biggest biodiversity threats

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The Japanese defendant was arrested for smuggling 248 invertebrates out of Ecuador

A Japanese man was sentenced to two years in prison in Ecuador for attempting to smuggle a massive haul of creepy crawlies out of the country, officials said Thursday.

The defendant was arrested at the international airport in Quito in March with 248 spiders, cockroaches, wasps, bees and butterflies in his suitcases, the environment ministry said in a statement.

Identified only as Hirokazu S., the smuggler was also fined $4,000 and ordered to make a public apology in a national newspaper, the ministry said.

Ecuador, a relatively small corner of South America that is home to around 17 million, is one of the most biodiverse nations on the planet.

Authorities have banned the capture and sale of all wild animals, but illegal trade persists throughout the Amazon region.

The defendant intended to bring the animals, five of which are indigenous to Ecuador and some which were still alive, to the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan.

Explore further Ecuador says hit by 40 million cyber attacks since Assange arrest

 2019 AFP
Billions of years ago, Mars could have looked like this with an ocean covering part of its surface. Credit: NASA/GSFC

Approximately every two Earth years, when it is summer on the southern hemisphere of Mars, a window opens: Only in this season can water vapor efficiently rise from the lower into the upper Martian atmosphere. There, winds carry the rare gas to the north pole. While part of the water vapor decays and escapes into space, the rest sinks back down near the poles. Researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany describe this unusual Martian water cycle in a current issue of the Geophysical Research Letters. Their computer simulations show how water vapor overcomes the barrier of cold air in the middle atmosphere of Mars and reaches higher atmospheric layers. This could explain why Mars, unlike Earth, has lost most of its water.

Billions of years ago, Mars was a planet rich in water with rivers, and even an ocean. Since then, our neighboring planet has changed dramatically. Today, only small amounts of frozen water exist in the ground; in the atmosphere, water vapor occurs only in traces. All in all, the planet may have lost at least 80 percent of its original water. In the upper atmosphere of Mars, ultraviolet radiation from the sun split water molecules into hydrogen (H) and hydroxyl radicals (OH). The hydrogen escaped from there irretrievably into space. Measurements by space probes and space telescopes show that even today, water is still lost in this way. But how is this possible? The middle atmosphere layer of Mars, like Earth's tropopause, should actually stop the rising gas. After all, this region is usually so cold that water vapor would turn to ice. How does the Martian water vapor reach the upper air layers?

In their current simulations, the Russian and German researchers find a previously unknown mechanism reminiscent of a kind of pump. Their model comprehensively describes the flows in the entire gas envelope surrounding Mars from the surface to an altitude of 160 kilometers. The calculations show that the normally ice-cold middle atmosphere becomes permeable to water vapor twice a daybut only at a certain location, and at a certain time of year.

Vertical distribution of water vapor on Mars during the course of a Mars year, here shown at 3 am local time. Only when it is summer on the southern hemisphere can water vapor reach higher atmospheric layers. Credit: GPL, Shaposhnikov et al.: Seasonal Water Pump in the Atmosphere of Mars: Vertical Transport to the Thermosphere

The orbit of Mars plays a decisive role in this. Its path around the sun, which lasts about two Earth years, is much more elliptical than that of our planet. At the point closest to the sun (which roughly coincides with the summer of the southern hemisphere), Mars is approximately 42 million kilometers closer to the sun than at its furthest point. Summer in the southern hemisphere is therefore noticeably warmer than summer in the northern hemisphere.

"When it is summer in the southern hemisphere, at certain times of day, water vapor can rise locally with warmer air masses and reach the upper atmosphere," says Paul Hartogh from MPS, summarizing the results of the new study. In the upper atmospheric layers, air flows carry the gas along the longitudes to the north pole, where it cools and sinks down again. However, part of the water vapor escapes this cycle: under the influence of solar radiation, the water molecules disintegrate and hydrogen escapes into space.

Another Martian peculiarity can fortify this unusual hydrological cycle: huge dust storms that span the entire planet and repeatedly afflict Mars at intervals of several years. The last such storms occurred in 2018 and 2007 and were comprehensively documented by space probes orbiting Mars. "The amounts of dust swirling through the atmosphere during such a storm facilitate the transport of water vapor into high air layers," says Alexander Medvedev from MPS.

Time and again, Martian dust stroms span the entire planet, as here in June 2018. The image was taken from the NASA's rover Curiosity. Storms of this kind can facilitate the transport of water into the upper atmosphere of Mars. Credit: NASA

The researchers calculated that during the dust storm of 2007, twice as much water vapor reached the upper atmosphere as during a stormless summer in the southern hemisphere. Since the dust particles absorb sunlight and thus heat up, the temperatures in the entire atmosphere rise by up to 30 degrees. "Our model shows with unprecedented accuracy how dust in the atmosphere affects the microphysical processes involved in the transformation of ice into water vapor," explains Dmitry Shaposhnikov of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, first author of the new study.

"Apparently, the Martian atmosphere is more permeable to water vapor than that of the Earth," Hartogh concludes. "The new seasonal water cycle that has been found contributes massively to Mars' continuing loss of water."

Explore further Dust storms linked to gas escape from Martian atmosphere

More information: Dmitry S. Shaposhnikov et al. Seasonal Water "Pump" in the Atmosphere of Mars: Vertical Transport to the Thermosphere, Geophysical Research Letters (2019). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters Dmitry S. Shaposhnikov et al. Seasonal Water "Pump" in the Atmosphere of Mars: Vertical Transport to the Thermosphere,(2019). DOI: 10.1029/2019GL082839
Sargassum seaweed fills the shore where fishermen push their boat to sea in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. As the new normal, it may mark the highest-profile climate-change even yet, outpacing the bleaching of Australia's Great Barrier Reef or melting polar ice, just because so many more people visit the Mayan Riviera. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz )

Tourists looking for sun and sand in Mexican resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum have been disgusted by foul-smelling mounds of sargassuma seaweed-like algaepiling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown, and experts are warning that it may be the new normal.

Mexico's Riviera Maya Caribbean coast provides half the country's tourism revenues and very little sargassum reached it prior to 2014. But a possible combination of climate change, pollution from fertilizers and ocean flows and currents carrying the algae mats to the Caribbean has caused the problem to explode.

While it may not have the global impact of melting of polar ice, the vast mats of sargassum filling the Caribbean could be one of the more visible climate-change events because of the sheer number of people who visit the region's popular tourist beaches, some officials say.

"This is one of the biggest challenges that climate change has caused for the world," said the government of Mexico's resort-studded coastal state of Quintana Roo. "This challenge requires a joint, multinational effort and a global commitment."

While tourist arrivals at the Cancun airport were up 3.3% in March over the same month last year, many fear this will not last long with the sargassum befouling white sand beaches and blue waters, as well as the airsargassum decomposes with a rotten egg smell. As it decays and sinks to the bottom, it can also smother the coral the Caribbean is known for, and accumulations on beaches can make it harder for sea turtles to nest.

Sargassum seaweed covers the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Experts say the presence of sargassum seaweed is the new normal and residents are going to have get used to it. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

"In my humble opinion it's a disaster that will eventually cripple the tourism, the businesses and, sad to say, destroy the local economy," said Jef A. Gardner, a frequent visitor to Playa del Carmen from Knoxville, Tennessee. "This is a Caribbean problem on the east coast that goes from Cancun all the way past Ambergris Caye in Belize."

The concerns may not be hyperbole: the sargassum mats appear even worse along parts of Mexico's coast than they did last year. And the problem affects almost all the islands and mainland beaches in the Caribbean to an extent. The U.S. Gulf coast got hit in 2014 and the east coast of Florida is getting sargassum this year.

The algae flooding into the Caribbean is coming from an unexpected source: the tropical Atlantic waters beyond the mouth of the Amazon River.

Chuanmin Hu, a professor of oceanography at South Florida University's College of Marine Science, says the sargassum mats appear to be the result of increased nutrient flows and ocean water upwelling that brings nutrients up from the bottom. Prevailing ocean currents carry the algae into the Caribbean, where it can grow further.

Sargassum seaweed floats off the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. While concepts about what to do with collected sargassum are springing up, some propose using it as an aggregate additive for bricks, but its usefulness as a fertilizer or animal feed is limited by the chemicals it contains, like salt, iodine and arsenic. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz )

He says the cycle is not likely to stop anytime soon.

"Because of global climate change we may have increased upwelling, increased air deposition, or increased nutrient source from rivers, so all three may have increased the recent large amounts of sargassum," said Hu.

While he says additional research is needed before definitively linking it all to human activity, he pointed to evidence of "increased use of fertilizer and increased deforestation" as possible culprits, at least as far as the Amazon is concerned.

Warming ocean waters are likely to play only a minor role since the areathe tropical Atlantic and Caribbeanhas always been pretty warm.

Tourist walk through sargassum seaweed to their boat in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Mexicans fear that tourists may flee the stinking mounds that pile up on beaches and turn the once-turquoise water brown, threatening a coast that provides fully half of Mexico's tourism revenues. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

Soldiers walk the beach covered with sargassum seaweed in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The U.S. Gulf coast got hit in 2014 and the east coast of Florida is getting sargassum this year, but apparently from a different source. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

Workers remove sargassum seaweed from the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Shoveling or bulldozing up sargassum once it washes up on shore is a herculean task, as it returns hours later. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

A man walk between the sargassum towards his boat in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The huge sargassum mats appear even worse along some parts of the coast than they were last year. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

A woman walks on the beach where a bulldozer removes sargassum seaweed in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Tourists, unfortunately, come to Mexico's Caribbean coast for the sun, white sand, snorkeling and turquoise water of the ocean; while there are a lot of other things to do on the coast, sparkling fresh-water sinkhole lakes known as cenotes, Mayan ruins, and jungle, the beach remains the prize attraction, around which almost all the tourism infrastructure is centered. And tourists are unlikely to accept brown, algae-filled water. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

Sargassum seaweed covers the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Strangely, for the moment, even after what looks to be the start of another bad sargassum year, local officials say there has yet to be any noticeable drop-off in tourism bookings. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

A couple sleeps on the sand on the beach where sargassum seaweed is present in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, at sunrise Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Tourists arrivals at the Cancun airport were actually up 3.3 percent in March over the same month last year. But nobody thinks that can last for long with sargassum. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

Meanwhile, business owners in Mexico's glitzy beach resorts are desperate for solutions.

"What you have to do is stop it before it even reaches the beaches," said Adrian Lopez, the president of Quintana Roo's employers' federation.

Contention lines of floating plastic booms can be anchored offshore to catch the incoming mats of algae, but as Lopez notes, some resorts have very shallow coral reefs located right offshore so the booms would be less of a solution.

And Hu warns that such a solution would be expensive. The tons of sargassum building up behind the booms has to be gathered up, put aboard boats and taken away in what would amount to hundreds of trips every day.

A worker pauses from removing sargassum seaweed from the shore of Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The problem affects almost all the islands and mainland beaches in the Caribbean. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

Scientists have set up sargassum tracking systems that detect the amount of algae heading for shores in the Caribbean, but it's hard to predict when or where it will land.

Extracting it at sea risks the species that use the floating mats as cover for their young. But shoveling or bulldozing up sargassum once it washes up on shore is also a herculean task that can put at risk sea turtles' nesting sites.

"You can clean up a beach, get it clean, imagine starting at 6 a.m. and by 11 a.m. you don't have any algae, and by 7 p.m. when the sun sets, it's full again," said Lopez.

This all makes people nostalgic for the days before 2014 when sargassum "was very little, very manageable, not a problem, not a risk, just barely a line" in the sand.

Sargassum seaweed covers the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. Local hotel owners and tourism industry workers, which is just about everybody, to some extent, in Quintana Roo, are feeling angry and abandoned by the federal government. (AP Photo/Victor Ruiz)

Now, some novel ideas for what to do with collected sargassum are springing up, such as using it as an additive for making bricks. But its usefulness as a fertilizer or animal feed is limited by the chemicals it contains, like salt, iodine and arsenic.

Tourists come to Mexico's Caribbean coast for the sun, sand, snorkeling and turquoise waters. While there are other things to do on the coast, like visiting sinkhole lakes known as cenotes, Mayan ruins and the jungle, the beach remains the prize attraction. And tourists are unlikely to accept brown, algae-filled water.

Local hotel owners and tourism industry workerswhich is just about everybody to some extent in Quintana Rooare feeling abandoned by the federal government, which is planning a fancy tourist train to connect the coast with Mayan ruin sites inland.

"With Sargassum, there is No Mayan Train," said a slogan launched by local businesses.

Explore further Texas Gulf Coast is virtually seaweed-free

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
An exceptional surface-based sensor. The microring resonator is coupled to a waveguide with an end mirror that partially reflects light, which in turn enhances the sensitivity. Credit: Ramy El-Ganainy and Qi Zhong

Tweaking the design of microring sensors enhances their sensitivity without adding more implementation complexity.

Optical sensing is one of the most important applications of light science. It plays crucial roles in astronomy, environmental science, industry and medical diagnoses.

Despite the variety of schemes used for optical sensing, they all share the same principle: The quantity to be measured must leave a "fingerprint" on the optical response of the system. The fingerprint can be its transmission, reflection or absorption. The stronger these effects are, the stronger the response of the system.

While this works well at the macroscopic level, measuring tiny, microscopic quantities that induce weak response is a challenging task. Researchers have developed techniques to overcome this difficulty and improve the sensitivity of their devices. Some of these techniques, which rely on complex quantum optics concepts and implementations, have indeed proved useful, such as in sensing gravitational waves in the LIGO project. Others, which are based on trapping light in tiny boxes called optical resonators, have succeeded in detecting micro-particles and relatively large biological components.

Nonetheless, the ability to detect small nano-particles and eventually single molecules remains a challenge. Current attempts focus on a special type of light trapping devices called microring or microtoroid resonatorsthese enhance the interaction between light and the molecule to be detected. The sensitivity of these devices, however, is limited by their fundamental physics.

In their article "Sensing with Exceptional Surfaces in Order to Combine Sensitivity with Robustness" published in Physical Review Letters, physicists and engineers from Michigan Technological University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Central Florida propose a new type of sensor. They are based on the new notion of exceptional surfaces: surfaces that consist of exceptional points.

Exceptional Points for Exceptionally Sensitive Detection

In order to understand the meaning of exceptional points, consider an imaginary violin with only two strings. In general, such a violin can produce just two different tonesa situation that corresponds to a conventional optical resonator. If the vibration of one string can alter the vibration of the other string in a way that the sound and the elastic oscillations create only one tone and one collective string motion, the system has an exceptional point.

A physical system that exhibits an exceptional point is very fragile. In other words, any small perturbation will dramatically alter its behavior. The feature makes the system highly sensitive to tiny signals.

"Despite this promise, the same enhanced sensitivity of exceptional point-based sensors is also their Achilles heel: These devices are very sensitive to unavoidable fabrication errors and undesired environmental variations," said Ramy El-Ganainy, associate professor of physics, adding that the sensitivity necessitated clever tuning tricks in previous experimental demonstrations.

"Our current proposal alleviates most of these problems by introducing a new system that has the same enhanced sensitivity reported in previous work, while at the same time robust against the majority of the uncontrivable experimental uncertainty," said Qi Zhong, lead author on the paper and a graduate student who is currently working towards his doctorate degree at Michigan Tech.

Though the design of microring sensors continues to be refined, researchers are hopeful that by improving the devices, seemingly tiny optical observations will have large effects.

Explore further Engineers find better way to detect nanoparticles

More information: Q. Zhong et al. Sensing with Exceptional Surfaces in Order to Combine Sensitivity with Robustness, Physical Review Letters (2019). Journal information: Physical Review Letters Q. Zhong et al. Sensing with Exceptional Surfaces in Order to Combine Sensitivity with Robustness,(2019). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.153902




LONDON (Reuters) - Ireland and Britain will work with Northern Irish parties to try to restore a devolved government in the province within weeks rather than months, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said.





The British-run province has been without a devolved executive for over two years since Irish nationalists Sinn Fein withdrew from the compulsory power-sharing government with the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).





The killing of 29-year-old reporter Lyra McKee during rioting by militant Irish nationalists increased pressure on politicians to get the devolved government working again.





Weve seen in the killing of Lyra McKee and the tragedy around that what happens in a vacuum where politics isnt working, Coveney told BBC radio. We need to correct that.





Ireland and Britain need to work together, he said. And the British and Irish governments will work closely together to try and do some of the heavy lifting with the political parties that can change this within weeks not months.




At 12:50 a.m. EDT (0450 UTC) on May 10, 2019, the MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite gathered infrared data on Tropical Cyclone Lili. Strongest thunderstorms north of the center where cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45.5 Celsius). Credit: NASA/NRL

NASA's Aqua satellite used infrared light to analyze the strength of storms in Tropical Cyclone Lili as it moved through the Southern Indian Ocean. Infrared data provides temperature information, and the strongest thunderstorms that reach high into the atmosphere have the coldest cloud top temperatures.

At 12:50 a.m. EDT (0450 UTC) on May 10, the Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite gathered infrared data on Lili. Strongest thunderstorms were north of the center where MODIS found cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45.5 Celsius).

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC noted that Lili's maximum sustained winds were near 35 knots (40 mph/74 kph). At the time, Lili was centered near 9.3 degrees south latitude and 128.2 degrees east longitude, about 238 nautical miles northwest of Darwin, Australia. Lili has tracked to the west-northwest at 3 knots (3.4 mph/5.5 kph).

At 8 a.m. EDT (1248 UTC) animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery and a microwave satellite image showed a partially-exposed low-level circulation with isolated strong thunderstorms now over the southern quadrant. Satellite imagery shows that dry air has been feeding into the storm and sapping the storm's ability to generate the thunderstorms it needs to be maintained. That dry air "entrainment" or movement into Lili is expected to continue. Lili is forecast to track to the west-northwest and dissipate in a day.

Explore further NASA-NOAA satellite catches formation of Tropical Cyclone Lili
These three views of the Martian moon Phobos were taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter using its infrared camera, THEMIS. Each color represents a different temperature range. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/SSI

For the first time, NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has caught the Martian moon Phobos during a full moon phase. Each color in this new image represents a temperature range detected by Odyssey's infrared camera, which has been studying the Martian moon since September of 2017. Looking like a rainbow-colored jawbreaker, these latest observations could help scientists understand what materials make up Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons.

Odyssey is NASA's longest-lived Mars mission. Its heat-vision camera, the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), can detect changes in surface temperature as Phobos circles Mars every seven hours. Different textures and minerals determine how much heat THEMIS detects.

"This new image is a kind of temperature bullseye - warmest in the middle and gradually cooler moving out," said Jeffrey Plaut, Odyssey project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, which leads the mission. "Each Phobos observation is done from a slightly different angle or time of day, providing a new kind of data."

On April 24, 2019, THEMIS looked at Phobos dead-on, with the Sun behind the spacecraft. This full moon view is better for studying material composition, whereas half-moon views are better for looking at surface textures.

This movie shows three views of the Martian moon Phobos as viewed in visible light by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter. The apparent motion is due to movement by Odyssey's infrared camera, Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), rather than movement by the moon. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/SSI

"With the half-moon views, we could see how rough or smooth the surface is and how it's layered," said Joshua Bandfield, a THEMIS co-investigator and senior research scientist at the Space Sciences Institute in Boulder, Colorado. "Now we're gathering data on what minerals are in it, including metals."

Iron and nickel are two such metals. Depending on how abundant the metals are, and how they're mixed with other minerals, these data could help determine whether Phobos is a captured asteroid or a pile of Mars fragments, blasted into space by a giant impact long ago.

These recent observations won't definitively explain Phobos' origin, Bandfield added. But Odyssey is collecting vital data on a moon scientists still know little about - one that future missions might want to visit. Human exploration of Phobos has been discussed in the space community as a distant, future possibility, and a Japanese sample-return mission to the moon is scheduled for launch in the 2020s.

"By studying the surface features, we're learning where the rockiest spots on Phobos are and where the fine, fluffy dust is," Bandfield said. "Identifying landing hazards and understanding the space environment could help future missions to land on the surface."

Odyssey has been orbiting Mars since 2001. It takes thousands of images of the Martian surface each month, many of which help scientists select landing sites for future missions. The spacecraft also serves an important role relaying data for Mars' newest inhabitant, NASA's InSight lander. But studying Phobos is a new chapter for the orbiter.

"I think it's a great example of taking a spacecraft that's been around a very long time and finding new things you can do with it," Bandfield said. "It's great that you can still use this tool to collect groundbreaking science."

Explore further Examining Mars' moon Phobos in a different light
So-called peer-to-peer bonuses, where colleagues 'tip' or reward each other with points or money, may seem to offer short-term benefits but ultimately end up damaging performance and wellbeing, an HR expert has warned.

Dr. Monica Franco-Santos, Reader in Organisational Governance at Cranfield School of Management and an expert in the design and implementation of executive compensation systems and other HR initiatives, argues that advocates of peer-to-peer bonuses make a number of assumptions about their effectiveness that can often prove to be unfounded in the long term.

She said: "In theory, this type of bonus looks like a good idea but, in practice, it is unlikely to work for many organisations in the long term. This is because it is based on a set of assumptions that research tells us are not valid in most 'traditional companies'."

Peer-to-peer micro-bonuses are a system in which employees rather than managers reward the good performance of colleagues by awarding them either points or money from a personal allocation given to them each month or year.

Dr. Franco-Santos argues that they assume the following:

Performance can be measured in an accurate and reliable way

Employees are unbiased, disinterested and equitable

Employees pay attention to the 'good' things their peers do

Employees have the knowledge to be able to assess their peers' performance

Employees appreciate points or money above anything else

Employees are willing to collaborate

Two of the main providers of peer-to-peer bonus schemes told the BBC this week they had seen a sharp rise in the number of UK businesses signing up to give their staff power to hand out small cash rewards. US-based Bonusly reported a 75% increase in UK customers in the past 12 months, with 250 UK firms now using its scheme to reward more than 10,000 employees.

Raphael Crawford-Marks, one of the company's co-founders, told the BBC the aim of the scheme was "ensuring that employees receive timely and meaningful recognition."

But Dr. Franco-Santos argues: "In the short term, companies may experience a set of benefits, including reduced administrative costs from not having to undertake typical performance appraisal processes to decide payments, improved focus and motivation from employees towards things their peers will notice and appreciate, and transformed behaviours and values.

"However, in the long term, the negative unintended consequences of this type of bonus are likely to outweigh the benefits and could end up damaging performance and wellbeing. These include difficulty preserving fairness, the potential for increased conflict between colleagues due to perceived biases and unfairness, and the encouragement of materialistic values. This kind of system can also generate gaming behaviours, encourage interest-based alliances between colleagues, and create additional stress and anxiety in the workplace.

"The level to which the negatives will outweigh the positives will depend on factors including the culture and size of the company, and the overall purpose of introducing the scheme in that organisation in the first place."

If a company is thinking about adopting a peer-to-peer bonus system, Dr. Franco-Santos advises it should first consider to what extent the assumptions above are present in the workplace. "If there is evidence to suggest the six assumptions are mostly invalid, then I would suggest considering other means for improving performance," she said. "If the company still wants to proceed with the design and use of this type of bonus system regardless, then they should prepare for unintended consequences."

Explore further Show me the gift cards! Reward types impact effectiveness of wellness programs
Joao Dorea, faculty member in the UWMadison Department of Dairy Science, explains to colleague Victor Cabrera results he observed using an automated computer vision system that was developed to monitor the behavior of dairy calves. Credit: Ted Halbach/UWMadison Department of Dairy Science

The same technology that alerts a self-driving car that there's a pedestrian in the crosswalk could also warn a dairy farmer that a calf is getting sickeven if that calf is mingled among dozens of healthy ones.

Research by Joao Dorea, a new assistant professor in the University of WisconsinMadison dairy science department, is laying the groundwork for this and other technologies that gather and analyze data and pinpoint patterns that can help farmers make better decisions.

"We have a camera, fully automated that recognizes what activity the calf is performingstanding, eating, drinking milk, drinking water, lying down," Dorea says. "By the end of the day we should be able to say 'Look I have a calf here that's lying around 30 percent more than normal.'

"Animals change behavior when they're sick," he says. "There's an increase in lying-down time, a reduced number of steps. We need to be able to pick up these little differences. It's hard to spot in a large operation. By the time the farmer notices, it might be too late."

In his new position, Dorea's research and teaching will focus on dairy-related applications of precision agriculture and data analysis. The job officially begins in July, but Dorea has been working on campus for three years and is well along on several lines of research. In addition to monitoring calf behavior, he and his research partners are using cameras to track calves' growth, with the goal of seeing how calf growth patterns correlate with the animal's future milk yield and composition and ability to successfully reproduce.

He's also part of another research team that's working on a way to analyze the spectrum of light reflected by the cow's milk to estimate how much feed she has consumed. Having such data on individual animals could help farmers identify which cows are most efficient at converting feed to milk.

Dorea brings much-needed expertise, says Victor Cabrera, a UWMadison professor who develops data-driven decision-making tools for dairy farm managers.

"With all the new technologies available there's a huge push for data scientists, and dairy science is no exception," says Cabrera, who chaired the hiring committee for Dorea's position. "Applying these technologies requires two kinds of expertise. You need to understand the sensory technology that collects data, such as imaging, analyzing milk or monitoring the cow's activity. But this data doesn't have value until you analyze it. We also wanted someone with expertise in that.

"Joao stood out because he has a strong base in biology and physiology and animal science in general, and he can connect that to the technologies and develop technologies and do the analytics."

Dorea's background is in dairying and animal science. His family operated a 250-cow grazing operation in Brazil, which inspired him to earn a B.S. in agronomy and graduate degrees in ruminant nutrition. He then spent two years managing dairy and beef research in Latin America for DSM, a global supplier of animal health and nutrition products.

He developed his expertise in data analytics and sensory technologies when he came to the UWMadison in 2016. He first worked with dairy nutritionists Lou Armentano and Dave Combs and later joined the lab of animal scientist Guilherme Rosa, who specializes in agricultural applications of data analytics and artificial intelligence.

His deep dive into the science of collecting and wrangling data hasn't dampened his interest in animal science in the least, he says.

"I'm interested in the same biological questions that I had before," he says. "Now, with the amount of data that is being generated, I'm able to apply more analytics and quantitative analysis to better answer these questions."

Explore further Cornell model helps dairy farms reduce nitrogen, save money
Credit: Victoria University of Wellington

A Victoria University of Wellington study has found ethical certification has become a 'tick in the box' exercise in some industries, and fails to address underlying sustainability and equality injustices.

Research by Kelle Howson, who graduates next week with a PhD in Development Studies, focused on the South African wine industry, which is experiencing ongoing challenges.

"Many South African wine workers have experienced poor working conditions and housing, insecurity, and isolation," says Kelle.

"However, to help sell their product in Europe, their biggest market, South African wine producers have come under pressure to reassure customers that it's ethical and there's been widespread growth in ethical certification labelling. I wanted to find out whether this growth in ethical labelling had addressed any unfairness or unethical practices in the industry."

Kelle spent nine months in South Africa carrying out her research, including interviews with wine industry stakeholders in the main wine producing area in the Western Cape Province, as well as analysing quantitative data.

"I found some positivesfor example, ethical certification has performed a regulatory role by enforcing basic labour standards throughout the industry. Some people I spoke to felt that even though labour laws had been strengthened, not everybody was playing by the new rules, and ethical certifications have helped to address that," says Kelle.

"Ethical certifications have also given workers a seat at the table in some cases. They provide a platform for dialogue between employers and employees. Certifications like Fairtrade have also contributed to building some social services in wine growing areas, like clinics and creches."

However, the ability of ethical certification to address issues in the South African wine industry is limited, says Kelle.

"Because of the entrenched networks of power, workers have not been able to take advantage of their rights to a meaningful degree. The most powerful voices still dominate the process of setting standards, as well as controlling access to training and education on certification.

"Also, ethical certifications imposed a significant cost on wine producers. This has gradually contributed to the erosion of profit margins for producers, allowing the big European supermarkets to benefit disproportionately. Ethical certifications generally didn't mean that more value was retained at the supply end of the chain, they actually helped the powerful retailers gain more."

Kelle says she is sceptical of how much ethical certification can influence global capitalism.

"Global production networks won't truly deliver fairness and sustainability by relying on consumer incentives. I would love to see a model in which workers can initiate the process of certification, cutting out the fundamental issue of the boss as the gatekeeper to ethical certification. However, this would be tricky from a financial and regulatory perspective.

"Consumers still need to do their homework. We shouldn't rely on an ethical label without knowing what that label means and whether it is independent and trustworthy. Unfortunately there's no easy way to do that, it means taking the time to read up on products, and not everyone has that luxury. In New Zealand, buying local products where possible is another way of reducing your contribution to trade injustice and environmental harm."

Kelle's thesis was supervised by Professors Warwick Murray and John Overton from the University's School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences.

Since completing her studies, Kelle has moved into a role in Jacinda Ardern's office at Parliament. Her thesis, however, represents her own research findings only, and doesn't necessarily represent the views of the Prime Minister or the government.

Explore further Labour exploitation is endemic in global tea and cocoa industries, international study finds
The Christmas Island pipistrelle (Pipistrellus murrayi) became extinct in 2009. Credit: Lindy Lumsden

Humans are causing the Earth's sixth mass extinction event, with an estimated one million species at risk of extinction.

Addressing this crisis requires transformative change, including more effective environmental law and implementation.

Improved legislation is one of five main levers for realising change identified in the recent United Nation's global biodiversity report and the key lesson arising from the Senate's interim report into Australia's faunal extinction crisis.

The Senate's interim report, based on 420 submissions and five hearings, shows Australia is a world leader in causing species extinctions, in part because Australia's systems for conserving our natural heritage are grossly inadequate.

To allow the continued erosion of this continent's spectacular and remarkable array of globally unique plants and animals is a travesty of the highest order.

Inadequate protections

One of the problems is species may decline from common to extinct quite rapidly  faster than the time it takes species to be listed as threatened under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

The Christmas Island forest skink was formally listed as a threatened species only four months before the last individual died in captivity, but 15 years after the decline was first reported.

Extinction of the forest skink, Bramble Cay melomys and Christmas Island pipistrelle between 2009 and 2014 may have been averted if the risk was formally recognised in a more timely manner and effective conservation actions, such as captive breeding programs, were implemented.

Currently, if a species is not listed, it is not a "matter of national environmental significance" and federal agency staff generally have no legal basis for acting to protect it.

The black-throated finch has been listed as threatened on the EPBC Act for 14 years and during this time 600,000 ha of potential finch habitat has been destroyed. Worse still, five large coal mines, including the Carmichael Coal Mine, have been given approval (pending environmental conditions being met in Queensland) to clear more than 29,000 ha of black-throated finch habitat in one of its final strongholds, the Galilee Basin.

Coal mining will drive these finches into the critically endangered threat category, pushing them perilously close to extinction, and all with federal government approval.

The controversial Toondah Harbour development in Brisbane is another example of how ministerial discretion can allow disastrous environmental outcomes. The project plans to build 3,600 apartments on wetlands that provide habitat for migratory waterbirds, including the critically endangered eastern curlew.

Despite being described as "clearly unacceptable" by the federal environment department and knocking it back twice, the minister allowed a third submission to proceed for further assessment.

The Christmas Island forest skink (left), Bramble Cay melomys (centre) and Christmas Island pipistrelle (right) all became extinct in 2009-14. Credit: Left: Hal Cogger; centre: Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection; right: Lindy Lumsden.

It was reported this decision was made in the context of legal threats and donations from the developer in question. If true, this context would make it very difficult to make impartial decisions that protect biodiversity, as environmental law intends.

Increasing ministerial discretion was a key result of 2007 amendments to the EPBC act, which meant recovery plans were no longer required for threatened species.

The amendment allowed the minister to develop "conservation advices" instead of recovery plans. This amendment downgraded protections for threatened species because a minister can legally make decisions that are inconsistent with conservation advice, but not a recovery plan.

New environmental legislation

Based on these examples and many others that demonstrate the failings of current laws, the interim report concludes that we should rip up the EPBC act and develop stronger and more effective environmental legislation.

This includes establishing an independent Environmental Protection Agency to ensure enforcement of environmental laws, and, in a forward-looking addition by the Greens senators, an independent National Environmental Commission to monitor effectiveness of environmental legislation and propose improvements.

Australia needs a well-resourced, independent umpire for the environment, with powers to investigate environmental concerns and scrutinise government policy, akin to New Zealand's Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. While Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner is an excellent champion for the environment, this role provides no ability to question government actions regarding environmental protection and nature conservation.

Although replacing the EPBC act with new legislation may seem like a radical step to some (but not all), the interim Senate report, and the global UN report, have independently concluded major reform is essential. We are not in a moment of time when tweaking the current system will do the trick.

Changing Australia's environmental legislation is a relatively minor update compared with the fundamental social and economic changes recommended by the UN report.

Such changes are already recommended by scientific societies like the Ecological Society of Australia, non-government organisations like Birdlife Australia and the Australian Conservation Foundation, and are demanded by a growing section of society. New, fit-for-purpose legislation must be enforceable, apolitical and responsive.

Opinion polls show that the level of environmental concern is higher in Australia than in other countries , while 29% of ABC Vote Compass respondents ranked the environment as the most important issue, up from 9% in 2016.

This groundswell of environmental concern has spawned mass protest movements like Extinction Rebellion. Young Australians also have shown their concern. In March 2019, thousands of school students took part in 50 rallies across the country to protest against "the destruction of our future".

Decisions about what and how much we buy, what we eat, how much we travel and by what means, and family size, all contribute to our environmental footprints, and are the fundamental instigators of the biodiversity crisis.

However, we must also look to our political leaders to support effective change. The simplest and most powerful action you can take to reverse the extinction crisis is to vote for a party with policies best aligned with credible scientific advice on how we can get out of this mess.

Explore further How to send a finch extinct

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
#ScientistsWhoSelfie experimental design infographic. Credit: Scientific illustration by: Jen Burgess @isolinestudios

Many scientists today have embraced social media as tools to communicate their research and to engage broader audiences in scientific discovery and its outcomes. But the rise of the "social media scientist" has also led communicators and scholars to ask an important and often overlooked question: Do people trust the scientists who show up in their social media feeds?

The answer may depend on how these scientists portray themselves, according to a new study conducted by researchers at LSU, University of Delaware, U.C. Berkeley and University of Toronto. The study, titled "Using selfies to challenge public stereotypes of scientists," which was published today in PLOS ONE, reports that scientists who post "selfies" or self-portraits in their Instagram feeds foster trust and help change public stereotypes that scientists are competent but not warm.

The study builds on seminal work by Princeton University social psychologist Susan Fiske suggesting that scientists have earned Americans' respect but not their trust. Trust depends on two perceived characteristics of an individual or social group: competence and warmth. Perceptions of competence involve the belief that members of a particular social group are intelligent and have the skills to achieve their goals. Perceptions of warmth involve the belief that the members of this group also have benevolent goals, or that they are friendly, altruistic, honest and share common values with people outside of their group. Together, perceptions of competence and warmth determine all group stereotypes, including stereotypes of scientists.

"Scientists are famously competentpeople report we're smart, curious, lab nerdsbut they're silent about scientists' more human qualities," Fiske said.

While perceptions of both the competence and the warmth of members of a social group are important in determining trust and even action, it turns out that perceived warmth is more important. And, as Fiske showed in a study published in 2014 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Americans see scientists as competent but only as moderately warm. Scientists' perceived warmth is on par with that of retail workers, bus drivers and construction workers but far below that of doctors, nurses and teachers.

The researchers of the new PLOS ONE study launched the investigation into perceptions of scientist Instagrammers after being struck with the idea that the competence versus warmth stereotype of scientists may not be an insurmountable challenge given the power of social media to bring scientists and nonscientists together.

#ScientistsWhoSelf statistical analysis and results infographic. Credit: Scientific illustration by: Jen Burgess @isolinestudios

"Social media channels, like Instagram, provide an exciting opportunity for scientists to improve their public image," said co-author Becky Carmichael, LSU Communication across the Curriculum science coordinator. "We wondered whether seeing the faces of friendly, honest scientists sharing glimpses of their everyday work in the science lab or field could help change the problematic stereotypes that scientists are competent but not warm. Instagram is also a place where people with different backgrounds and interests can come together and even get to know each other via common hashtags. K-12 teachers are using social media in the classroom to introduce young students to scientists online. This multimedia-rich interaction could help broader audiences get to know the friendly, sociable, fun and relatable scientist."

To explore this idea, the team launched a research project popularly referred to as ScientistsWhoSelfie, based on the hashtag the researchers introduced to raise awareness about the project in an online crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $10,000. A few dozen scientists around the globe helped to develop a series of images for the project.

The idea was to show research participants images published to one of four different "Scientists of Instagram" rotation-curation accounts and then to ask them questions about their perceptions of the scientists represented in these images as well as of scientists in general. Each participant was shown three types of images: a scientific setting or a piece of equipment such as a microscope, a bioreactor on the lab bench or a plant experiment set-up in a greenhouse with no humans in any of the images but with captions attributing the images to either male or female scientists by name; a smiling male scientist looking at the camera in the same scientific setting; or a smiling female scientist looking at the camera in the same scientific setting.

A total of 1,620 U.S.-representative participants recruited online viewed these images in an online survey. People who saw images including a scientist's smiling face, or "scientist selfies," evaluated the scientists in the images and scientists in general as significantly warmer than people who saw control images or images of scientific environments or equipment that did not include a person. This perception of scientists as warm was especially prominent among people who saw images featuring a female scientist's face, as female scientists in selfies were evaluated as significantly warmer than male scientists in selfies or science-only images. There was also a slight increase in the perceived competence of female scientists in selfies. Competence cues such as lab coats and equipment likely played a role in preserving the perceived competence of scientists in selfies.

"Seeing scientist selfies, but not images of scientific objects posted by scientists online, boosted perceptions that scientists are both competent and warm," said lead author LSU alumna Paige Jarreau, who is a former LSU science communication specialist and current director of social media and science communication at LifeOmic. "We think this is because people who viewed science images with a scientist's face in the picture began to see these scientist communicators on Instagram not as belonging to some unfamiliar group of stereotypically socially inept geniuses, but as individuals and even as 'everyday' people with 'normal' interestspeople who, like us, enjoy taking selfies! Female scientists, in particular, when represented in substantial numbers and diversity, may cause viewers to re-evaluate stereotypical perceptions of who a scientist is."

The team further found that seeing a series of female scientist selfies on Instagram significantly shifted gender-related science stereotypes, namely those that associate STEM fields with being male. However, they also found that people who saw female scientist selfies evaluated these scientists as significantly more attractive than male scientist selfies. This might help explain female scientists' boosted warmth evaluations, as physical attractiveness is positively associated with perceived warmth. However, this could also be an indicator that viewers focused more on the physical appearance of female scientists than on male scientists. By extension, female scientists could be more unfairly evaluated for defying gender norms in their selfies, such as not smiling or appearing warm. In their PLOS ONE paper, the team writes that this possibility should be investigated further in future research.

"Future studies should explore how different types of selfies by scientists are evaluated by broader audiences and how scientists can best build relationships with these audiences," said Lance Porter, who is the director of the LSU Social Media Analysis & Creation Lab and the Doris Westmoreland Darden Distinguished Professor in the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication. "But we believe that overall, scientists who use social media to humanize themselves are helping to foster transparency of science, public trust and interest in science."

Explore further Is that selfie edited? Why it may matter for women viewers
Aerial view of forest and gold mining in Guyana. Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI

Many of the planet's most valuable mineral resources are to be found within and beneath forested landscapes. And our insatiable appetite for material goods and serviceseverything from basic essentials to the latest, must-have gadgetis driving global demand for industrial quantities of the minerals and precious metals that form vital components of those products.

Forests are havens  spiritual, ecological, cultural, carbon havens. Widely referred to as the lungs of the Earth, they still cover about a third of the planet's surface, but the world has lost more than half its original forests and that figure is increasing by the day. In 2017 alone, the tropics experienced 15.8 million hectares of tree-cover loss  an area roughly the size of Bangladesh. Logging and agricultural conversion are the main causes of forest destruction and degradation, but mining is a major contributor in its own right, exacerbating an already parlous situation.

It is in fact the indirect impacts of mining activity on a forest ecosystem that are most devastating. The widespread loss of forests not only depletes wildlife populations and reduces species richness, but also has adverse, in some cases irreversible, effects on, for example, water regulation, protection against natural hazards, andlast but not leastcarbon storage. According to figures released by Global Forest Watch Climate, if tropical deforestation were a country, its greenhouse gas emissions would exceed those of the entire European Union, and of every other individual nation except China and the United States of America.

Forest-smart mining explained. Credit: Fauna & Flora International

Forests contribute around two percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) and provide employment  formal or otherwise  for an estimated 50 million people. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. More than a billion people, or a fifth of the global population, may depend directly on the goods and services generated by forests, including fuel, food, fibre and flood protection. Ultimately, however, everyone on the planet relies on the clean air, fresh water and climate stability afforded by these forests. Their true value is incalculable.

Which makes it all the more important to minimise the impacts induced by mining activity. There is an urgent need to adopt more 'forest-smart' approaches to mining in order to ensure that development of the sector does not come at the expense of forests, biodiversity or the essential ecosystem goods and services that these provide for people.

With this in mind, the World Bank commissioned Fauna & Flora International (FFI), along with Levin Sources and Swedish Geological, to examine what measures a representative cross-section of large-scale and artisanal mining operations were taking to minimise  or offset  their forest footprint. We undertook 52 case studies across 26 countries and synthesised our findings in a series of reports. Launched officially at Chatham House in London this Friday (10th May), they tell a sobering story, but also identify a clear path forward.

Large-scale mining within a forest landscape. Credit: Roel Slootweg

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a lot currently wrong with mining in forest ecosystems, and we found evidence of its direct impacts and side effects: forest loss and fragmentation, soil erosion and water pollution, poaching and land conversion to agriculture, loss of biodiversity, invasions of migrants into land occupied by indigenous communities, clashes over land tenure and rights  the list goes on. In many cases these problems are aggravated by inadequate laws and regulations, weak or corrupt governance and the inability of local peoples to contend with, manage or stand up to the loss of their livelihoods or access to traditional resources. There are exceptions, however, and we encountered several examples of companies and governments practising forest-smart mining, albeit inconsistently.

Mining in forests occurs across the globe, and in 2015 1,539 large-scale minesalmost half of all active mineswere operating in forest landscapes. A further 1,826 were in development or non-operational. Significantly, more than half of large-scale forest mines are in low- or lower-middle-income countries, and three-quarters are in World Bank client countries. Forests play a crucial role in sustaining growth across a number of sectors including agriculture, energy, infrastructure and water. FFI and its partners aim to support the World Bank Group and its clients in ensuring that mining in forest landscapes contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals. Based on the good and bad practices identified and lessons learned through the three studies, a set of principles has been formulated to support the development of context-specific forest-smart mining approaches.

Making mining forest smart is an imperative. We join our collaborators in a call to action to apply forest-smart principles and safeguard the future of our forests.

Explore further Loss of forest intactness increases extinction risk in birds
Credit: Wikipedia.

It was one of Mayor Eric Garcetti's most dramatic pledges in his sweeping "Green New Deal" for Los Angeles: "We will have zero days of unhealthy air quality by 2025."

The goal, it turns out, was not as ambitious as it sounded.

Rather than using current federal health standards, the mayor's plan relied on an outdated measure of whether the air in the nation's worst-polluted metropolis is safe to breathe.

After air quality experts criticized that benchmark as misleading, the mayor's office scrubbed all mention of zero unhealthful smog days from the 77-page document.

The plan now reads: "The City will reach the U.S. EPA 80 (parts per billion) ozone attainment standard by 2025 and meet all future compliance dates."

Today, air quality officials use the more stringent U.S. Environmental Agency limit of 70 parts per billion to determine whether air has safe levels of ozone, the lung-damaging gas in smog that triggers asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

The older, 80-ppb standard was adopted in 1997 by the Clinton administration, and has been strengthened twice since then.

Air quality experts contacted by The Times criticized the zero days unhealthful air claim when the plan was released April 29.

Reducing ozone pollution to 80 ppb is certainly more achievable, especially within Los Angeles, which already has lower smog levels and fewer bad air days than communities farther inland. But describing that as zero unhealthful days gave the unrealistic impression that L.A. smog could be eliminated within a few years. In fact, air pollution has been getting worse in recent years.

"Claiming that the air will be healthy when there are no days below 80 parts per billion is misleading," said Suzanne Paulson, a professor of atmospheric chemistry who directs the Center for Clean Air at UCLA.

On Thursday, the mayor's office said it had no intention to mislead, and changed the document only to clarify the metric it had been using all along: The deadline Southern California faces under the federal Clean Air Act to clean ozone pollution to 80 ppb by 2023.

"The Green New Deal is a living planand we should always be open to clarifying the work ahead," Lauren Faber O'Connor, the city's chief sustainability officer, wrote in an email. "Our air quality goals have always been aligned with the U.S. EPA ozone standards for Southern California."

The difference between 70 and 80 ppb is significant.

Last year, Los Angeles County experienced 90 days that violated the current 70-ppb standard, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Using the older, 80-ppm standard, only 18 of those days would be considered unhealthful.

The "zero days of unhealthy air" goal was one of many aggressive targets in Garcetti's plan, which seeks to combat climate change by slashing emissions from buildings, cars and power plants and switching to electric vehicles and renewable energy.

The mayor's office said the replacement of the zero bad air days languagemade a day after the plan's releasewas the only substantive change.

The stubborn resurgence of Southern California smog has raised the stakes in the fight against air pollution. After decades of improvements, ozone levels are once again increasing amid hotter, smog-trapping weather and inadequate emissions reductions.

Given the dire circumstances of Southern California air quality, some experts and regulators said the mayor's plan was still a step toward cleaner air. Cleaning ozone levels to 80 ppb will still "yield important health benefits: healthier lungs in growing kids and less emergency room visits," a state Air Resources Board spokesman said.

"I don't see this as a major faux pas," said Anthony Wexler, director of the Air Quality Research Center at UC Davis.

"Even if you make the 80, you're going to save a lot of lives," he said.

Explore further Southern California having smoggiest summer since 2009

2019 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
In this Oct. 17, 2011, file photo a crowd gathers outside Spaceport America for a dedication ceremony as Virgin Galactic's mothership WhiteKnightTwo sits on the tarmac near Upham, N.M. British billionaire Richard Branson is taking another concrete step toward offering rides into the close reaches of space for paying passengers. Branson announced Friday, May 10, 2019, that Virgin Galactic will immediately begin shifting operations from California to a spaceport and specialized runway in the New Mexico desert in final preparations for commercial flights. He says Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move, which will continue through the summer. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)

British billionaire Richard Branson and his space-tourism company Virgin Galactic announced new steps Friday toward offering thrill rides into the low reaches of space for paying passengers, with the company immediately starting to move personnel and space vehicles from California to a launch and landing facility in the New Mexico desert.

Branson said Virgin Galactic's development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move.

Virgin Galactic will be shifting operations to Spaceport America near the southern New Mexico town of Truth or Consequences as it prepares to begin for commercial service later this year. The manufacturing of the space vehicles by the company's sister enterprise, The Spaceship Company, will remain based in Mojave, California.

"We are now ready to bring New Mexico a world-first, world-class spaceline," Branson said. "Virgin Galactic is coming home to New Mexico where together we will open space to change the world for good."

In February, a new version of Virgin Galactic's winged craft SpaceShipTwo soared at three times the speed of sound to an altitude of nearly 56 miles (99 kilometers) in a test flight over Southern California, as a crew member evaluated the passenger experience.

New Mexico officials have eagerly anticipated the arrival of space tourism by Virgin Galactic for more than a decade. Taxpayers invested over $200 million in Spaceport America after Branson and then-Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, pitched the plan for the facility, with Virgin Galactic as the anchor tenant.

While the announcement signals the final countdown to regular commercial service for paying customers, Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides has declined to say how many more test flights must be conducted. Branson has said he would like to make his first sub-orbital flight this year as the venture's first passenger on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20.

Space tourism has not been a complete novelty since millionaire U.S. engineer Dennis Tito in 2001 paid $20 million to join a Russian space mission to the International Space Station. Branson's goal has been to open up space travel to more and more people.

Hundreds of potential customers have committed as much as $250,000 up front for rides in Virgin's six-passenger rocket, which is about the size of an executive jet.

But Virgin Galactic's spaceship development has taken far longer than expected and had a major setback when the company's first experimental craft broke apart during a 2014 test flight, killing the co-pilot.

The endeavor began in 2004 when Branson announced the founding of Virgin Galactic in the heady days after the flights of SpaceShipOne, the first privately financed manned spacecraft that made three flights into space.

The company's current spaceship doesn't launch from the ground. It is carried under a special plane to an altitude of about 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) before detaching and igniting its rocket engine. The craft coasts to the top of its climb before gradually descending to earth, stabilized by unique "feathering" technology in which twin tails rotate upward to increase drag on the way to a runway landing.

Space sector analyst Adam Jonas, a managing director of equity research at Morgan Stanley, said Branson's venture could have an outsized impact in the age of social media on how the public visualizes space as a domain for scientific and commercial exploration.

"You bring them back to earth and they explain what they sawthat's a story, put through the velocity of social media, people want to hear," he said. "Sometimes you need some distance to gain a perspective, seeing the earth from space, seeing how thin that layer of atmosphere is that protects us."

Branson's plans have gradually advanced amid a broader surge in private investment in space technology with cost-saving innovations in reusable rockets and microsatellite technology.

Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos announced Thursday that his space company Blue Origin will send a robotic spaceship to the moon with aspirations for another ship that could bring people to the moon along the same timeframe as NASA's proposed 2024 return. Bezos has provided no details about launch dates.

Explore further Richard Branson says he'll fly to space by July

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Kathmandu, Nepal, May 10, 2019: Speaker of the federal parliament Krishna Bahadur Mahara has directed the Parliament Secretariat on Friday to remove the unparliamentarily remarks exchanged between Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress lawmakers during a discussion at the parliament session on Tuesday.

Speaker Mahara instructed the officials of the Parliament Secretariat to remove the even video archive when Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was responding to the queries raised by the opposition lawmakers.

Prime Minister Oli and Nepali Congress lawmakers involved in the heated debate over the government's policies and programs presented in the parliament.

Following the heated debate between the Nepali Congress lawmakers and Prime Minister Oli, the relations between the government and the main opposition has distanced further.
Figure 1: Interaction between excitonic dipoles: (a) excitons in stacked bilayers consisting of GaAs quantum wells (QWs). (b) Excitons in the upper bilayer induce, via the attractive inter-bilayer excitonic interaction, exciton accumulation in the lower bilayer. Credit: Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB)

An international collaboration involving European, Israeli, and US scientists realize for the first time strong and directionally dependent interactions in quantum liquids of excitons, which contrasts with the spatial isotropy of the coupling between charged particles. This spatial anisotropy affects the way particles arrange themselves in space and opens routes to artificially created exotic states of matter. The results were published in Physical Review X.

"Birds of a feather flock together": this old proverb may apply to several life circumstances but it certainly does not apply to electric charges: charges of same polarity always repel each other, while only charges of opposite polarity attract. One consequence of the attraction between dissimilar charges is the formation of excitons (electron-hole-pairs) in semiconductors. Such pairs of negatively charged electrons and positively charged holes can be created via the absorption of light quanta (photons). Excitons are so-called quasi-particles that results from the bonding of an electron and a hole by the attractive electrostatic coulomb interaction between them. Excitons are mobile but not stable since the electrons and holes can quickly recombine leading to the emission of a photon. Long-living excitons can, however, be created in special semiconductor bilayers consisting of two closely spaced quantum wells separated by a thin potential barrier (see Figure). If a bias voltage is applied to the structure the electrons and holes that form the exciton will be stored in separate quantum wells: this charge separation significantly increases the recombination lifetime. These long living excitons acquire a dipole moment p and are thus known as dipolar (or indirect) excitons.

The excitons as well as dipolar excitons are neutral particles to the outside and the question arises how dipolar excitons interact with each other. The answer can be found by considering them to be aligned dipoles. Contrary to the electrostatic coulomb interaction between two charges, which only depends on the distance between them, the interaction between two dipoles depends both on the relative orientation between their dipoles and the vector connecting them. For aligned dipoles like the dipolar excitons in the figure, the interaction changes from repulsive to attractive as the angle between them increases from 0 to 90 degrees.

Experiments on dipolar excitons carried out so far used excitons in a single bilayer, where one can only probe the repulsive component of the dipolar interaction. Now an international team of researchers from Paul-Drude-Institut fur Festkorperelektronik in Berlin, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and the University of Princeton found a clever way to overcome the challenges by stacking two dipolar layers, as illustrated in the figure: in this way, they were able to demonstrate for the first time the attractive dipole-dipole component of the coupling between the particles, with surprising results. They show that the presence of dipolar excitons in one of the bilayers induces an accumulation of dipolar excitons in the second bilayer. The latter proves that under appropriate conditions the old proverb also applies to dipolar excitons.

Recently, dipolar quantum gases and liquids attracted a lot of attention, since they host a plethora of exotic many-particle phenomena originating in the long-range and anisotropic character of the dipole-dipole interactions. Dipolar phases of matter have so far been mostly studied in the context of ultracold gases of polar molecules and magnetic atoms: a good example is the recently observed supersoliditycrystals where the atoms flow without friction. Such low-density ensembles, however, make it challenging to achieve the regime of strong interparticle interactions, where most of the exotic physics takes place.

The strong attractive inter-bilayer attractive coupling as demonstrated now by Hubert et al. makes the investigation of these phenomena in a solid-state system of dipolar fluids possible. In particular, it can probe dipolar densities and interaction strengths currently unavailable in atomic realisations, which is expected to reveal new collective effects and phases. One example is the larger than expected mutual drag and binding energies between dipolar particles detected in the exciton experiments. This surprising effect is attributed to the appearance of electro-acoustic waves or polarons in the two fluids, mediated by the remote dipole-dipole interactions. As the fluid density increases, the polaron energy changes significantly, possibly representing the phase boundary between gas and liquid states. This striking phenomenon is a good motivation for future experiments attempting the realisation of the exotic many-body phases with anisotropic interactions of strongly correlated quantum systems.

Explore further Three teams independently show dipolar quantum gasses support state of supersolid properties

More information: Colin Hubert et al. Attractive Dipolar Coupling between Stacked Exciton Fluids, Physical Review X (2019). Journal information: Physical Review X Colin Hubert et al. Attractive Dipolar Coupling between Stacked Exciton Fluids,(2019). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.9.021026
Rosa Rodriguez Bailon. Professor, Department of Social Psychology, UGR Credit: UGR

An international study, in which the University of Granada (UGR) participated, has found that white people have difficulty distinguishing emotions on black people's facesa problem that does not appear to arise the other way around.

Scientists have shown that white people find it difficult to tell the difference between genuine and false smiles on black people's facesbetween genuine and fake happiness. What is more, they have discovered that this happens because white people do not look black people in the eye, as the former regard the latter as being different to them (part of the so-called 'outgroup').

Being able to accurately identify emotions in others is important for social interaction in general, but particularly so in interracial contexts, which are prone to misinterpretations and misunderstandings. Indeed, when there is limited emotional identification with other people, communication becomes inhibited and, ultimately, this may lead to negativeeven tragicresults.

On 4 April 2015, Walter Scott, an unarmed black man, was stopped in South Carolina by a white police officer for driving with a faulty brake light. When he attempted to flee on foot, the officer, Walter Thomas Slager, shot him dead, discharging eight bullets from behind. This crime, which sent shockwaves through the United States, is just one recent example of such killings, which have, sadly, occurred repeatedly throughout the history of humanity, and to which the media are now paying attention.

These acts of violence have a common denominator: people of colour suffering violent attacks at the hands of white people. They illustrate the importance of the impressions that people belonging to different groups form about one another, in terms of the mistrust, fear, or anger, for instance, that sometimes underlie inter-group interactions.

Ingroups and outgroups

Other research had previously shown that we perceive the members of the groups to which we feel we belong (ingroups) more accurately and in more detail than members of groups to which we do not consider ourselves to belong (outgroups). Indeed, a number of studies have suggested that white people in the United States tend to perceive the expressions of black people as being angrier than white facial expressions. The research team on this new study therefore wanted to determine whether similar biases occurred in the identification of expressions of positive emotion, such as happiness or joy.

The scientists conducted six experiments involving more than 425 participants. In some of these, the participants were all white; in others, they were all black; and others were based on a mixture of participants, including non-black minorities. In all of the experiments, the participants were shown the smiling faces of white or black people, and were asked to rate the level of happiness they perceived in the images. Some faces showed a genuine smile, while others presented forced or fake smiles.

Professor Rosa Rodriguez Bailon of the Department of Social Psychology at the UGR and one of the authors of this study, explains: "Using eye-tracking equipment, we showed that paying attention to people's eyes also helps us to detect important characteristics in our perceptions and in how we form our impressions about others, such as the distinction between genuine or 'faked' emotions."

White people distinguish emotions better among other white people

Thus, the white participants' discernment was more accuratein terms of correctly identifying smiles as genuine or falsewhen the images they were shown were of other white people, compared to when they were shown images of black people.

No such difference was found in the case of people of colour, who were able to accurately distinguish between expressions of genuine vs. fake happiness, regardless of whether the person smiling was white or black.

"We also found that the length of time the white participants devoted to looking into the eyes of other white people in the photographs explained this difference. Again, when the white participants were asked to look just as deeply into the eyes of both black and white people, this difference also disappeared," observes Professor Rodriguez.

The results of these studies, and of some others currently under development, demonstrate how important it is to pay attention to individuals' gaze when attempting to explain how we form our impressions of others, as well as to other marked effects shown in the scientific literature on perceptions and impressions of people from other groups.

We know from previous research that, of the total time we spend, on average, looking at the faces of other people and forming an impression of them, over 40% is devoted to focusing on the eyes in particular.

"By concentrating on a person's gaze, it's more likely that we will avoid some of the more harmful effects of the mistrust and lack of identification we feel towards people from groups other than our own," concludes the UGR's Professor Rodriguez.

Explore further Whites struggle to tell real from fake smiles on black faces

More information: Justin P. Friesen et al, Perceiving happiness in an intergroup context: The role of race and attention to the eyes in differentiating between true and false smiles., Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2019). Journal information: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Justin P. Friesen et al, Perceiving happiness in an intergroup context: The role of race and attention to the eyes in differentiating between true and false smiles.,(2019). DOI: 10.1037/pspa0000139
In this Friday, April 26, 2019 photo, Deane Sager, of Louisville, right, and his wife Cathy use a Histopad tablet to view scenes from operations on the western front of World War II at the The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. French-developed technology making its U.S. debut this month will allow new views of the D-Day invasion 75 years ago that began the liberation of France and helped end World War II. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton begins its D-Day commemorations May 13 with military-veteran paratroopers dropping from a vintage plane flying overhead, new exhibits and movies about the June 6, 1944, attack on heavily fortified German positions guarding the coastline. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The French and the Americans are working together again on a D-Day projectthis time to give museum visitors the opportunity to travel back in time and experience the milestone World War II invasion 75 years later.

From the viewpoints of a paratrooper snagged on a church steeple or a soldier firing a bazooka at a German tank, visitors at Ohio's National Museum of the U.S. Air Force can soon be transported to Normandy, where the June 6, 1944, attack happened.

Using tablets called HistoPads, museumgoers will be able to move a slider to contrast current views of historic sites with re-creations of them in the past. They can tap on icons to see animation, as well as video footage, photos and maps from 1944.

The new way of learning about D-Day is set to launch Monday as part of the museum's D-Day commemorations, which will also include paratroopers dropping from a vintage C-53D dubbed "D-Day Doll," exhibits and movies.

Codenamed Operation Overlord, D-Day saw some 156,000 U.S., British and Canadian forces landing on five beaches along a 50 mile (80 kilometer) stretch of France's coast, supported by thousands of ships, landing vessels, planes and gliders, and with inland help from French resistance fighters.

The Ohio museum, near Dayton, will be the first in the U.S. to use the HistoPad, although there are talks of expanding around the country, according to Histovery, the French company that developed it.

In this Friday, April 26, 2019 photo, visitors browse the D-Day displays at the The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. French-developed technology making its U.S. debut this month will allow new views of the D-Day invasion 75 years ago that began the liberation of France and helped end World War II. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton begins its D-Day commemorations May 13 with military-veteran paratroopers dropping from a vintage plane flying overhead, new exhibits and movies about the June 6, 1944, attack on heavily fortified German positions guarding the coastline. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The tablets are among new technology increasingly in use at museums and historic sites that offer virtual and augmented reality to help learning and understanding, such as in the "Heroes and Legends" exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The D-Day exhibit was a natural place to start the U.S. rollout, also the first site outside of France, said company spokesman Bruno de Sa Moreira.

"It's a very exciting adventure," he said by telephone from Normandy. "We are basically telling our joint history, when the American soldiers fought for the liberty of France. We have a common past and a common duty to remember."

HistoPads, introduced five years ago at a medieval castle, are used in 15 monuments and museums in France by more than 1 million visitors per year. Among the historic sites where they are available are the Popes' Palace in Avignon and the Royal Fortress of Chinon .

In this Friday, April 26, 2019 photo, visitors browse the D-Day displays at the The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. French-developed technology making its U.S. debut this month will allow new views of the D-Day invasion 75 years ago that began the liberation of France and helped end World War II. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton begins its D-Day commemorations May 13 with military-veteran paratroopers dropping from a vintage plane flying overhead, new exhibits and movies about the June 6, 1944, attack on heavily fortified German positions guarding the coastline. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Friday, April 26, 2019 photo, a museum guide stops to view the D-Day displays at the The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. French-developed technology making its U.S. debut this month will allow new views of the D-Day invasion 75 years ago that began the liberation of France and helped end World War II. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton begins its D-Day commemorations May 13 with military-veteran paratroopers dropping from a vintage plane flying overhead, new exhibits and movies about the June 6, 1944, attack on heavily fortified German positions guarding the coastline. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Friday, April 26, 2019 photo, Deane Sager, of Louisville, uses a Histopad tablet to view scenes from operations on the western front of World War II at the The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. French-developed technology making its U.S. debut this month will allow new views of the D-Day invasion 75 years ago that began the liberation of France and helped end World War II. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton begins its D-Day commemorations May 13 with military-veteran paratroopers dropping from a vintage plane flying overhead, new exhibits and movies about the June 6, 1944, attack on heavily fortified German positions guarding the coastline. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

In this Friday, April 26, 2019 photo, visitors browse the D-Day displays at the The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. French-developed technology making its U.S. debut this month will allow new views of the D-Day invasion 75 years ago that began the liberation of France and helped end World War II. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton begins its D-Day commemorations May 13 with military-veteran paratroopers dropping from a vintage plane flying overhead, new exhibits and movies about the June 6, 1944, attack on heavily fortified German positions guarding the coastline. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The Air Force museum has extensive collections of the troop carriers, fighter planes, gliders, and even German planes and weapons of the time.

A U.S. paratrooper display shows him loaded for combat with a ready-to-assemble rifle, field radio, gas mask, grenades, anti-tank mine and backup parachute, all weighing some 150 pounds for the perilous drop behind German lines in the darkness hours before the invasion.

The HistoPad will provide a paratrooper's-eye view of the drop.

"It makes it very real," Duford said. "It's a device that allows us to connect our visitors with that moment in time and in doing so, it makes the artifacts from that time and that place even more powerful."

In this Friday, April 26, 2019 photo, Deane Sager, of Louisville, off camera, and his wife Cathy, left, use a Histopad tablet to view scenes from operations on the western front of World War II at the The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. French-developed technology making its U.S. debut this month will allow new views of the D-Day invasion 75 years ago that began the liberation of France and helped end World War II. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton begins its D-Day commemorations May 13 with military-veteran paratroopers dropping from a vintage plane flying overhead, new exhibits and movies about the June 6, 1944, attack on heavily fortified German positions guarding the coastline. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Chuck Edmonson, the museum's marketing director, gave a couple visitors a demonstration of the HistoPad on a recent morning.

"Oh, my, that's what you'd see," said Deane Sager, 67, of Louisville, Kentucky, who was a Navy reservist during the Vietnam era.

The Air Force museum is also planning more D-Day events June 6, complementing several days of commemorations in France.

Cathy Sager, who recounted having her "breath just taken away" by a visit to Normandy years ago, was also impressed by the HistoPad. They plan to return to Dayton, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) from their home, after the full exhibit is open.

"The technology we have today is being used to take us back to that time," said Deane Sager.

Explore further Google maps Smithsonian's 17 museums for visitors

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a media conference at an EU summit in Sibiu, Romania, Thursday, May 9, 2019. European Union leaders on Thursday start to set out a course for increased political cooperation in the wake of the impending departure of the United Kingdom from the bloc. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

France welcomed Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg on Friday with a threat of sweeping new regulation.

With Facebook under fire on multiple fronts, Zuckerberg is in Paris to show that his social media giant is working hard to limit violent extremism and hate speech shared online.

But a group of French regulators and experts who spent weeks inside Facebook facilities in Paris, Dublin and Barcelona say the company isn't working hard enough.

Just before Zuckerberg met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, the 10 officials released a report calling for laws allowing the government to investigate and fine social networks that don't take responsibility for the content that makes them money.

The French government wants the legislation to serve as a model for Europe-wide management of social networks. Several countries have introduced similar legislation, some tougher than what France is proposing.

To an average user, it seems like the problem is intractable. Mass shootings are live-streamed, and online mobs are spreading rumors that lead to deadly violence. Facebook is even inadvertently creating celebratory videos using extremist content and auto-generating business pages for the likes of the Islamic State group and Al Qaida.

The company says it is working on solutions, and the French regulators praised Facebook for hiring more people and using artificial intelligence to track and crack down on dangerous content.

But they said Facebook didn't provide the French officials enough information about its algorithms to judge whether they were working, and that a "lack of transparency ... justifies an intervention of public authorities."

The regulators recommended legally requiring a "duty of care" for big social networks, meaning they should moderate hate speech published on their platforms. They insist that any law should respect freedom of expression, but did not explain how Facebook should balance those responsibilities in practice.

This Jan. 17, 2017, file photo shows a Facebook logo displayed in a start-up companies gathering at Paris' Station F in Paris. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will meet Friday May 10, 2019 French President Emmanuel Macron as the tech giant and France try to pioneer ways of fighting hate speech and violent extremism online. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

The regulators acknowledged that their research didn't address violent content shared on private chat groups or encrypted apps, or on groups like 4chan or 8chan, where criminals and extremists and those concerned about privacy increasingly turn to communicate.

Facebook said Zuckerberg is in France as part of meetings around Europe to discuss future regulation of the internet. Facebook agreed to embed the French regulators as an effort to jointly develop proposals to fight online hate content.

Zuckerberg's visit comes notably amid concern about hate speech and disinformation around this month's European Parliament elections.

Next week, the leaders of France and New Zealand will meet tech leaders in Paris for a summit seeking to ban acts of violent extremism and terrorism from being shown online.

Facebook has faced challenges over privacy and security lapses and accusations of endangering democracyand it came under criticism this week from its own co-founder.

Chris Hughes said in a New York Times opinion piece Thursday that it's time to break up Facebook. He says Zuckerberg has turned Facebook into an innovation-suffocating monopoly and lamented the company's "slow response to Russian agents, violent rhetoric and fake news."

Zuckerberg said this year that global regulators should take a more active role in governing the internet, but has been vague on what kind of regulation he favors.

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
The latest UN Security Council resolution on the Sahara has confirmed that the notions of independence or self-determination referendum are no longer possible, stresses the Peruvian Solidarity Council with SADR, the Sahara republic, self-proclaimed by the Polisario with the support of Algeria.

Resolution 2468, which extended Minursos mandate by six months, clearly ignored the notion of self-determination, which was mentioned only once, and ostensibly removed, as in previous resolutions, reference to the term referendum, notes the Peruvian Solidarity Council with SADR in a statement.

Resolution 2468, adopted on April 30 by a large majority, also reiterated the Security Councils call for progress towards a realistic, pragmatic, durable and compromise-based solution.

This clearly suggests that self-determination and referendum have become obsolete notions, adds the Peruvian Council, saying that these notions are neither realistic nor pragmatic and do not respond to a mutually acceptable solution, let alone compromise.

For the Peruvian Council, UN Resolution 2468 constitutes a before and an after, and consecrates the political solution to the Sahara conflict with the involvement of the four parties concerned: Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario Front .

President of the Peruvian Solidarity Council with the SADR, writer and political analyst Ricardo Sanchez Serra, had recently called on the Polisario to seize the historic opportunity offered by the UN political process and to accept the Autonomy Plan proposed by Morocco as a solution to this conflict.
Takeda Simplifies Portfolio and Accelerates Deleveraging Through Two Divestitures

Details Category: More News Published on Friday, 10 May 2019 08:32 Hits: 1195

Agrees to Sell Xiidra  to Novartis for up to $5.3 billion

to Novartis for up to $5.3 billion Company to Also Divest TachoSil to Ethicon* for approximately $400 million

OSAKA, Japan I May 08, 2019 I Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) (Takeda) today announced that it has entered into agreements to divest its Xiidra (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution) 5% product (Xiidra) to Novartis and its TachoSil Fibrin Sealant Patch (TachoSil) to Ethicon as part of its strategy to focus on business areas core to its long-term growthand facilitate rapid deleveraging following its acquisition of Shire.

These initial divestitures represent important steps in advancing the growth strategy Takeda outlined following our transformational acquisition of Shire earlier this year, said Christophe Weber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Takeda. We are working to strategically simplify and optimize our portfolio, while also rapidly deleveraging and continuing to invest in our growth drivers as a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader.

Takeda will focus on its key business areas  Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases, Plasma-Derived Therapies, Oncology and Neuroscience. This focus enables Takeda to continue to deliver highly-innovative medicines and transformative care to patients around the world, creating long-term value for Takeda shareholders.

Takeda will receive $3.4 billion upfront in cash and up to an additional $1.9 billion in potential milestone payments from Novartis, and approximately $400 million upfront in cash from Ethicon. Takeda intends to use the proceeds from these divestitures to reduce its debt and accelerate deleveraging toward its target of 2.0x net debt/adjusted EBITDA in the medium term. Takeda is committed to rapid deleveraging driven by strong cash flow and divestiture proceeds, while also simplifying our portfolio.

At present, Takeda does not expect these divestitures to have a material impact on its FY2019 consolidated earnings forecast, scheduled to be announced on May 14th. The FY2019 forecast will be updated at a later date to reflect these divestitures once a reliable estimate of their impact can be made, which will depend upon the exact timing of transaction close.

Xiidra (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution) 5% product

Takeda has entered into an agreement to sell Xiidra to Novartis for a $3.4 billion upfront payment and up to an additional $1.9 billion in potential milestone payments. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 adjusted net sales reported for Xiidra were$388 million. Following a robust process, Takeda determined that this transaction would create the most value for Takeda shareholders, and ensure the business will continue delivering innovative therapeutics to the patients and professionals who rely on them.

Xiidra is the first and only prescription treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for both signs and symptoms of dry eye disease, with a mechanism of action that targets inflammation. Upon close, approximately 400 employees, who are based primarily in the U.S. and Canada, will transition to Novartis.

The agreement is expected to close in the second half of calendar year 2019, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, receipt of required regulatory clearances and, where applicable, satisfaction of local works council requirements.

Evercore Group LLC is acting as financial advisor to Takeda and Davis, Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as Takedas legal advisor in this transaction.

TachoSil Fibrin Sealant Patch

Separately, Takeda has entered into an agreement to sell TachoSil, a surgical patch designed to achieve safe, fast and reliable bleeding control, to Ethicon. Upon close, approximately 80 employees will transition to Ethicon. Takeda recorded full year adjusted net sales for TachoSil of approximately $155 million in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

Under the terms of the agreement, upon close, Ethicon will acquire the assets and licenses that support the manufacturing, licensing and commercialization of TachoSil, while Takeda will maintain ownership of the manufacturing facility in Linz, Austria. Takeda has entered into a long-term manufacturing services agreement, under which it will continue to manufacture TachoSil products and supply them to Ethicon.

The agreement is expected to close in the second half of calendar year 2019, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, receipt of required regulatory clearances and, where applicable, satisfaction of local works council requirements.

Nomura is acting as financial advisor to Takeda and Linklaters LLP is acting as Takedas legal advisor in this transaction.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE: TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases and Neuroscience. We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions.

For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com

*Ethicon represents the products and services of Medos International S.a.r.l and Sythes GmBH

SOURCE: Takeda Pharmaceutical Co
Saturday is World Migratory Bird Day!

Birds are so great.

This is the time of year for spring migrations, so keep your eyes to the skies.

The theme of this year's day is birds threatened by plastic waste.

"One third of global plastic production is non-recyclable and at least eight million tons of plastic flows unabated into our oceans and water bodies each year," said Joyce Msuya, acting executive director of the United Nations Environment, in a news release. "It is ending up in the stomachs of birds, fish, whales, and in our soil and water. The world is choking on plastic and so too are our birds on which so much life on earth depends."

Besides eating plastic, some birds use it as nesting material, which can trap and injure chicks.

The UN particularly focused on how discarded fishing line poses a real threat to shore birds.

In addition to keeping track of your fishing gear, the World Wildlife Fund has some tips for reducing plastic waste like using reusable coffee mugs, avoiding plastic cutlery, avoiding plastic straws and avoiding glitter. There are lots of other resources online with tips for reducing plastic use.

But Migratory Bird Day is not all about doom and gloom.

If you're interested in participating in some birding extravaganzas, the state Department of Environmental Conservation reminded the public Friday that it has an "I Bird NY" challenge.

More specifically, the DEC is hosting its annual "I Bird NY Beginner's Birding Challenge," open to anyone 16 and younger. If you want to participate, you must identify 10 common New York bird species and submit your sightings to the DEC.

More experienced? DEC has an "I Bird NY Experienced Birder Challenge." Birders of all ages can participate, and you must identify at least 10 of 50 listed bird species.

To learn more about it, find some birding challenge sheets and look up information on bird walks and events, go to dec.ny.gov/animals/109900.html.

Happy birding!

 Gwendolyn Craig

Reporter Gwendolyn Craig can be reached at (518) 742-3238 or gcraig@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @gwendolynnn1.

Love 3 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.
TICONDEROGA  A boating safety course will be offered to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at the United Methodist Church, 1045 Wicker St.

The program is a partnership effort between the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 15-13, the town of Ticonderoga Recreation Department, the Ticonderoga school district and the Lake George Association, according to a news release.

The class will be taught by Coast Guard-certified instructors and will include topics like covering the different types of vessels, required safety equipment, basic navigation, safe anchoring, basic radio operation and safe kayaking operation.

Boating education has a dramatic positive impact on boating accidents, injuries and fatalities, according to the Coast Guards news release. Current Coast Guard as well as New York state statistics show that most boating fatalities are due to drowning, and in those cases 84.5% were not wearing life jackets. Eighty-one percent of those fatalities were on boats being operated by a person who had not taken any boating education.

Class size is limited and pre-registration is required by Wednesday, May 15. To register, call Flotilla Commander Gene Frost at 518-810-2283 or email your name and phone number to Vice Flotilla Commander Seth Hopkins at uscgaux@usa.com.

The course costs $16 per person. Family members sharing a book and testing separately are $5. Participants must be age 12 or older. Those who are age 10 or 11 may participate, but must be accompanied by an adult. Checks may be made payable to USCGAUX Flotilla 15-13.

Those that complete the course will receive a pocket card to carry while operating a boat, as well as a certificate of completion.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
WILTON  A Corinth man was jailed Thursday morning when he was charged with felonies for driving drunk and without a license, police records show.

Dennis C. Woods, 53, was pulled over on Corinth Mountain Road around 8:45 a.m. Thursday by State Police and found to be intoxicated, the agency's public information website showed.

He has at least one prior driving while intoxicated conviction, which elevated the DWI charge filed Thursday to a felony, and a felony count of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle count was filed as well, records show.

Woods was arraigned and sent to Saratoga County Jail for lack of bail, but had been released as of Friday morning.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0
WHITEHALL  Salvatore Panetta was supposed to be welcoming guests at his business, Champs Campground and RV Park, by May 1. Instead, he was canoeing in the backyard.

My campground has never been under water at all, he said in a phone interview Thursday. Its been really, really bad.

The National Weather Service out of Burlington has the area under a flood warning with all of the rain and snow melt hitting the region at once. Lake Champlain is expected to continue to rise through Sunday.

Conor Lahiff, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said there was definitely above-normal amounts of snow in the higher elevations. Mount Mansfield, Lahiff added, still has 50 inches of snow at the weather services stake, and when that melts it flows into tributaries that empty into Lake Champlain.

For all the rivers that are in the Champlain Valley, everything that comes off the mountains, it either runs eastward to Connecticut or west into Lake Champlain, Lahiff said.

So far, a lot of it is flowing west.

Tim Hardy, deputy director of public safety for Washington County, said his department has been monitoring Whitehall and the surrounding area. The levels have been fluctuating, he said.

The water levels are the highest Hardy and Panetta have seen since 2011, when most of Whitehall was under water. Lake Champlains level then was about 103 feet. Hardy said this year is still not as bad as 2011, however.

The lake level now is just about 100 feet, which Lahiff said is considered minor flood stage. The county took some drone photos last week to assess the damage.

Were just continuing to keep an eye on that, Hardy said. No major roads are closed.

Panettas campground at 1 N. Main St. is one of the lowest points in the area, as are some yards on North William Street. Hardy said there hasnt been enough damage for the county to pursue any damage assessment at this time, but he and other county officials are keeping in close contact with Whitehall officials.

The state Canal Corp. said water levels have been elevated in many locations throughout the state because of the wet winter and high runoff.

The explanation is little consolation for Panetta, who also owns a restaurant on the site that has been closed for the past three weeks. On Friday, however, he said the water was subsiding significantly for the first time since about April 20.

He hopes his businesses will be back open by Thursday.

Reporter Gwendolyn Craig can be reached at (518) 742-3238 or gcraig@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @gwendolynnn1.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 4 Sad 3 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.
The amnesty granted to two Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists imprisoned in Myanmar was good news and a tribute both to their courage and to the many journalists, national leaders and human rights organizations that had campaigned for their freedom. But the release last week of U Wa Lone, 33, and U Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, was hardly an admission by the government that their arrest and trial were a gross injustice and an assault on the press to begin with.

The two Reuters reporters were arrested in December 2017 after uncovering details of the gruesome murder of 10 Rohingya men and boys, followed by the burning and looting of their village by security forces, as part of a widespread military crackdown on the Rohingya, a Muslim minority, that drove more than 700,000 to flee across the border to refugee camps in Bangladesh. The evidence the reporters gathered, subsequently published by Reuters, was indisputable and acknowledged even by Myanmar authorities.

That did not prevent the military-controlled government, however, from arresting the pair on obviously concocted evidence, subjecting them to brutal intimidation and interrogations and charging them under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. The reporters were both sentenced to seven years in prison, and the penalty was confirmed by the Supreme Court only last month.

The government has insisted that its campaign against the Rohingya was precipitated by attacks on Myanmar security forces by Rohingya militants. But the 15-month crackdown went far beyond any police operation and turned into a campaign of killings, rapes and torching of villages against a minority long held in disdain by the Buddhist majority as aliens who have no place in Myanmar. A United Nations fact-finding mission declared in August 2018 that the atrocities undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law.

Reporting on the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya remains effectively off-limits, and even the word Rohingya is banned in the country. According to the independent online newspaper The Irrawaddy, a number of journalists have been prosecuted under various criminal laws, such as the Unlawful Association Act, the State Defamation Act and, like in the case of the Reuters reporters, the Official Secrets Act. The Irrawaddy itself was recently sued by the military under the Telecommunications Act, which criminalizes online defamation, for its coverage of fighting between government troops and an insurgent group known as the Arakan Army. According to the World Press Freedom Index, compiled by the organization Reporters Without Borders, Myanmar was in 138th place out of 180 countries.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were released without explanation in an amnesty granted by President U Win Myint to 6,520 prisoners, so there was no way to gauge whether the gesture augured a change in government policies toward the Rohingya or the news media. More likely, the government simply responded to international pressure. Officials of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, where the Rohingya are from, are meeting in Myanmar this week to discuss progress toward protecting and reintegrating the Rohingya minority.

Sadly, any discussion of the state of affairs in Myanmar invariably comes to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace laureate whose 15 years under house arrest once made her an icon of human rights and democracy. When she was released in 2010 and came to head the civilian government, hopes rose that she would bring her ideals with her. Instead, justifying the militarys actions has become the hallmark of her leadership. According to Human Rights Watch, Aung San Suu Kyi was unhelpful and evasive over the plight of the Reuters reporters and has echoed the military line on the Rohingya.

Still, it just may be that the release of the two reporters does herald a new approach by the government. Until that is somehow confirmed, however, the pressure on Myanmar  and on Aung San Suu Kyi  to stop the persecution of the Rohingya and the assault on the press must not let up.

This guest editorial was published May 7 in The New York Times.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The South African municipality of Midrand, halfway between Pretoria and Johannesburg, hosts this May 6 to 18, the second regular session of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).

This session focuses mainly on the situation of refugees and displaced persons on the continent, whose number is estimated at 6.3 million according to the Global Observatory on Situations of Internal Displacement.

This is a very sensitive topic and according to observers, it would surely ignite altercations between the five Moroccan parliamentarians within the PAP and the representatives of the Polisario, especially that the meeting is held in South Africa, which is, alongside Algeria, one of the fervent defenders of the separatist theses of the Separatist Polisario front.

The meeting will therefore be a platform for Moroccan parliamentarians to cross swords with the Polisario delegates on issues related to the Moroccan Sahara.

The session agenda features the review of the report of activities and the action plan of the PAP for the period 2018-2023, the execution of its 2019 and 2020 budgets in addition to debates on solutions to the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons on the African continent.

The five Moroccan Afro-deputies would surely seize the opportunity to plead for a census of the inhabitants of the Tindouf camps by UN specialized agencies, as repeatedly demanded by the Security Council, including in its latest resolution 2468 on the Western Sahara conflict.

Moroccan MPs would also call on the United Nations to invest more in the protection of Moroccan Sahrawis held against their will in the Tindouf camps in the Algerian desert.

Likewise, they would raise the issue of the recurrent misappropriation of international humanitarian aid by senior Polisario executives in complicity with Algerian officials, at the expense of the well-being of the beneficiary populations that are living in absolute precariousness.
A group of high school students and I recently met with the Saratoga Parents for Safer Schools BOE candidates, Shaun Wiggins, Ed Cubanski and Dean Kolligian, at a meet-and-greet. We were impressed that the candidates spent over an hour of their time listening to our concerns and discussing their plans to address them if elected. Our main concern was safety. We all agreed that safety and security are the foundation that allows for a better learning environment. As students, we need to know that we are protected at all times and dont need to wait precious minutes for law enforcement to arrive in case of an active shooter situation. We are well aware that the Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland shootings were over within a matter of minutes! Additionally, we discussed the disrepair in our building, namely the restroom facilities. They are in horrible condition and could really use some updating. Lastly, we voiced our concern about the ongoing vaping problem that continuously occurs in our restrooms. The district just cant seem to find a solution, and it is a huge problem! This, too should be considered a school safety problem and deserves a solid plan to fix it.
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
I am the daughter of a Korean War veteran, Charles (Sundance) Sundeen, who lived with the signs and symptoms of PTSD and Combat Stress, she said. Growing up in a home filled with combat stress was a challenging life not just for the soldier, but the family as well.

It took years for her to understand her fathers stress.

I witnessed my father trying to talk to a psychiatrist, but my father stated, He doesnt seem interested in hearing it, and my father was given a prescription for depression and anxiety.

Her father began training racehorses after returning from Korea, and his daughter saw how he became drawn to the horses.

I became my fathers caregiver when his Parkinsons disease progressed, and after he died in 2010 our family dynamics shifted and became an ugly scene, she said. It was as if none of our family knew how to communicate and function around each other without my fathers control and dominance.

Months later, she was on her knees praying, asking God to help her find a way to forgive her father for all the hurt and pain she believed he caused in her life.
Davenport Police Detective Bryon Grothus testified Friday the video shows Dixon talking on a cell phone. His phone records show he was speaking to Culbreath, Alderman or Williams, he said when questioned by Assistant Scott County Attorney Amy DeVine.

When asked by defense attorney Joel Walker whether any blood was visible on Dixons shirt in the video, Grothus said, not that we could see.

He also said it was unknown which of the men was armed with a gun that night.

Alderman was convicted in December of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and was sentenced in February to life plus up to 25 years in prison.

Culbreath was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony and was sentenced to life in prison.

Wiseman, who testified at Alderman and Culbreath's joint trial, pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and second-degree robbery and was sentenced in December to up to 35 years in prison.

Williams and Dixon were charged in April. Williams also will be arraigned May 23.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
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).
Today is Friday, May 10, the 130th day of 2019. There are 235 days left in the year.

1869  150 years ago: LUMBER.  The present high water is very favorable to lumbermen, and half a dozen rafts are passing almost daily.

1894  125 years ago: Ira Ingalls, a hobo arrested by Officer Dumbauld yesterday afternoon for being drunk, was released this morning, but it was not long ere he was rearrested and taken to Moline, on suspicion of having stolen an overcoat from the Dispatch office.

1919  100 years ago: Cleo Gordon, 17 years old, arrested ten days ago on a charge of vagrancy, is going to get another chance to work and make good.

Gordon came before Magistrate Gustafson this morning, bathed, and dressed better than at any of his recent appearances in court. he had been in county jail for a week.

Gordon had been charged with refusing to work and with sleeping in sheds and on the property of other persons. Magistrate Gustafson helped the boy obtain a job and discharged the case.
Davenport Works is a part of Arconic's Global Rolled Products business segment, which manufactures aluminum sheet and plate for the automotive, aerospace, commercial transportation, brazing and industrial markets.

Arconic has invested millions in the Davenport Works plant in recent years, including installing a nearly $150 million thick plate stretcher in 2017.

Despite the company splitting again, Hutt said he doesn't believe the forthcoming changes are affecting negotiations.

"It's just more wasteful money spent by the company when they could be putting more money within our plant. That's all it means for us," he said. "In my opinion, it takes a lot of time to do these negotiations, and that's on both sides. So I hope it'll be another five-year contract."

Hutt pointed out Arconic has had four CEOs since 2017, and now plans to appoint two chief executives ahead of the break next year. The company announced earlier this month it will repurchase $200 million of Arconic's common stock, following a $700 million stock buyback a few months ago.
Motwani said any wounds suffered while working in floodwater should be cleaned as soon as possible and may require medical attention.

"Workers should assume any flood water is not safe unless local/state authorities have specifically declared it to be safe. People should follow local/state authorities directive regarding safety of water," Motwani said.

The CDC also has tips for treating wounds during flood recovery. Avoid exposure to flood waters if you have an open wound, cover and clean open wounds with a waterproof bandage to reduce the chance of infection, keep wounds as clean as possible with soap and clean water and seek immediate medical attention if a wound develops redness, swelling or oozing.

In addition, Genesis Health System also has announced the launch of a local community flood relief fund and has begun accepting donations from businesses, individuals and Genesis employees.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst took a walk through a few downtown Davenport businesses still reeling from the Mississippi River flooding on Friday, saying the scene was difficult to see but also stands as an example of Iowans helping one another.

Davenport is such a beautiful, blossoming community and to see all of the hard work thats gone into this area now delayed a bit as well with the flood has been just really, really hard to see, said Ernst, an Iowa Republican.

"The Iowans that I see, they step up and theyre helping their neighbors," she added. "And I met with a group of volunteers just a little bit ago, and they helped because they were helped and they now have the opportunity to help other people. So, you know, in spite of all the hardship and the tragedy there is a little glimmer of goodness out there that we can draw on."
Emergency radio dispatchers are a lifeline.

Whether for a health emergency, an accident, an injury or a fire, dispatchers connect Quad-Citians in distress with a first responder who's ready to help.

And over the past two weeks, as the Mississippi River swallowed large stretches of the Quad-Cities, those emergency communications were more critical than ever.

As the infrastructure of some emergency 911 services nears its "end of life" and a new federal standard requires increased connectivity, leaders in Scott and Rock Island counties are collaborating to study one shared emergency radio system. After three years of planning, a proposed Quad-City P25 Radio Project, which would improve coverage and regional communication, is being introduced for approval to city councils, county boards and agencies across the bi-state area.

"It is an upgrade of core public safety communications," said Rock Island Sheriff's Capt. Darren Hart, a steering committee member. "Equipment was at end of life and needed to be updated, and it just made sense for us to partner together to explore what a new P25 Radio System (looks like)."

But before the estimated $17.6 million project moves forward, it requires approval from myriad governmental bodies, including the Scott Emergency Communications Center, or SECC, which provides consolidated dispatching in Scott County; the Scott County Board of Supervisors; the Rock Island County Board and the Illinois cities it will serve. To date, it has been approved by the city councils in Milan, Rock Island, Silvis and East Moline. The Moline City Council has not yet voted on it.

The agreements and other approvals in Scott County are needed before a contract with the vendor can be signed in early June. After that, it will take another 30 months for the system's design and installation.

"It will be one system that will all work together," said Dave Donovan, director of both SECC and Scott County Emergency Management Agency, or EMA. "We're buying it together, but purchasing it separately so it will meet the letter of the law in both Iowa and Illinois."

The new digital trunked radio system  a system that shares a set of lines or frequencies  would include more than $10 million in new infrastructure, including 12 new radio towers, new transmitting equipment, new switches and servers, and new software and computers at dispatch centers.

The remaining $7.5 million investment would be for replacement radios for first responders  police, fire, ambulance agencies and some public works. The majority of those costs, $5.4 million, will be needed in Scott County, where equipment has reached its end of life Donovan said.

Hart said under the proposal, the Illinois side would receive fewer radio units because some of the departments already have radios that will work on the P25 system and others had recently purchased radios.

Intergovernmental cooperation

Almost three years ago, a 16-person steering committee  led by SECC and the Rock Island County Emergency Telephone System Board, or ETSB  began investigating the technical, operational, financial and political issues of building one radio system to serve the entire Quad-Cities.

"There are a lot of moving parts, a lot of people involved and a lot of opinions. And rightly so  it's very important," said Tony Knobbe, who chairs both the Scott County Board and SECC board.

Working with consultant Elert & Associates (now True North Consulting), the committee went through an extensive process to develop a request for proposal, eventually hiring the vendor RACOM Corp. to design and build the system. Work is now underway to approve a final contract.

The system will serve the following dispatch centers: SECC in Scott County; RICOMM, the city of Rock Island's dispatch center; the Rock Island County Sheriff's dispatch center; and QComm911, the recently-consolidated 911 center, at the Milan Municipal Building, that serves Moline, East Moline, Milan and Silvis.

The committee has representation from regional governments, public safety agencies, emergency communications agencies and every public safety discipline in Scott and Rock Island counties.

"Everybody knew their equipment was going to have to be replaced, so we started having the natural conversations... How can we cooperate together, build together?" said Bettendorf City Administrator Decker Ploehn, a committee member.

On the Scott County side, discussions have been an outgrowth of SECC, with membership from the governments and agencies behind the creation of consolidated dispatching a decade ago. But in Rock Island County, there are still three dispatch centers that serve five cities and the county.

"It's very exciting. It's perhaps the most compelling intergovernmental cooperation  next to the (Interstate 74) bridge  that we've ever had," he said. "But it's much deeper in the community because it affects every community, every police officer... What's really cool about this is the level of intergovernmental cooperation at all levels."

P-25 compliance

The name for the Quad-City P25 Radio Project comes from Project 25, a new federal standard for digital mobile radio communications. The P25 standard, which applies to public safety organizations in North America, requires all digital radio communications equipment be interoperable, or have the ability to connect with one another.

Put simply, Donovan said, "No matter what the manufacturer of the radio, if it's P25 (compliant), it's P25. The protocols are all the same so we can all talk to one another."

In addition to improving communications among Quad-City emergency responders, he said when a major disaster strikes  such as a flood  all local agencies will have radio communications with federal and state agencies called in to assist.

Milan Village Administrator Steve Seiver, who serves as ETSB chairman, said the new digital radio system will replace an aging, analog EDACS 800 MHz system that's owned and operated by RACOM and used by most agencies, excluding Rock Island County.

"RACOM would still be the vendor that would sell us the system, but it would be owned by the public safety agencies of Rock Island and Scott County," he added. "We will own the towers and transmitters... But we won't be hiring in-house people to run the system  RACOM will run it for us."

By owning the system, "it allows us to control our own destinies," Ploehn said.

With the new system, Rock Island County would become part of the shared network.

The issue now for Rock Island County, Hart said, "is if I'm driving down the road next to a Rock Island city squad car, I can't go on the current radio system they have and talk to them." All the other agencies already are on the current RACOM network and can talk with one another, he said.

Improved coverage

Donovan said the placement of towers and transmitting equipment will be critical in improving coverage, particularly in "dead spots" in Scott and Rock Island counties.

He added that better signal strength, additional towers and new technology will improve coverage across Scott County "and expand coverage to be more complete in Rock Island County."

Seiver said the new system also will "penetrate better into hard-to-reach places, such as buildings, valleys and ravines. Right now, (the signal) can't go to Loud Thunder Park. You just don't get coverage."

By building a system, Seiver said, "It doesn't mean Iowa only will use its seven towers and Illinois will use its five towers. You could be in downtown Moline and your radio is using the Bettendorf tower because that's the best coverage."

In addition, the new system will connect to other P25 radio systems, including ISICS in Iowa and Starcom21 in Illinois, Seiver said.

Princeton Police Chief Brian Carsten, who doubles as the McCausland police chief and works part time for Buffalo police, is hopeful but skeptical about getting improved radio coverage for his two ends of Scott County. "Princeton and Buffalo are probably the worst in the county."

"(The radios) have sometimes been a struggle," he said. His officers' radios are "constantly fighting between towers in LeClaire or Clinton. We're not missing calls, but there might be times I can't get dispatch or out to dispatch."

Different approvals

David Farmer, Scott County's budget and administrative services director, said both Iowa and Illinois hope to sign final contracts with RACOM by early June. In Iowa, the SECC board will sign the contract. Rock Island County will sign its own contract.

Farmer, the lead finance person on the radio project, said the Scott County Board still has to approve the funding because SECC does not have bonding authority, "so the county board will ultimately issue debt."

He said the project did not require a referendum because radio communications qualify as an essential purpose under Iowa Code.

"We don't have a parallel organization (to SECC) in Rock Island County," Seiver said. "Scott County is one voice and has coordination with various (public safety) departments and departments in the county."

So advancing the project on the Illinois side requires a web of intergovernmental approvals involving six parties, including five cities and the county, he said.

"Rock Island County is the voice for all, but the funding model is the intergovernmental agreements," Seiver added.

The agreements will be presented in the coming weeks to the Rock Island County Board.

Seiver said the county will have a separate agreement with Scott County. "It's just an understanding with the Iowa side that we all have to 'play nice in the sandbox.' Our half of the system has to talk with your half of the system. Otherwise, we only have half a system."

Hart said the agreement also is a commitment by both sides to maintain their infrastructure and equipment.

Division of costs

"A lot of time has been allocated to making sure the costs are properly divided for Iowa and Illinois," Farmer said, crediting True North Consulting (formerly Ellert & Associates) with its assistance. "We tried to break down costs based on tower sites. It was a 50-50 (split) if it was a piece of equipment shared by both states."

Of the infrastructure costs, $6.4 million will be the Iowa side's responsibility and $3.8 million will be Illinois'.

In Scott County, the county's plan is to pay for the infrastructure portion by issuing bonds and refinancing the outstanding debt stemming from the creation of SECC. It will repay the new bonds with E911 funds collected through user fees of landline and cell phone customers. In addition, SECC will cover the operating costs using property taxes collected through the county's urban tax rate.

The SECC board is expected to vote on the radio system at May 16 meetings.

The difference in Illinois, Seiver said, is that Rock Island County will maintain a separate fund to cover the new system's costs, with each city paying its proportionate share based on population. "As cities, we've all pledged we will make our portions of the money available (as payments to RACOM)... but the county will write the check on behalf of everyone."

Farmer said the differences between states, counties and funding models were among the complexities. "They're on a per capita charge. We're on a property tax levy and a E911 surcharge in Iowa."

New infrastructure, equipment

Donovan, whose predecessor, SECC Director Denise Pavlik, helped spearhead the radio project, said the committee originally hoped the new radio infrastructure would be built and functioning by now. "We hoped now we'd be turning the switch on, but (the project) had more moving parts, more partners."

From when the contracts are signed with RACOM, he said it will take about 30 months to do the final design and build out. During that time, each side also may have to site new towers.

"We might not have to build seven new towers, it could be we find an existing tower to lease space," he said, stressing they all have to work as a system. If one tower moves, it can impact all the others.

At a meeting last month with Scott County first responders and community leaders, SECC Chair Knobbe said the equipment Scott County uses dates back to when SECC and consolidated dispatching began. "They're old. Literally, we're having to go to places like eBay to buy replacement parts."

Donovan said much of that equipment is the transmission equipment at the towers. "It's equipment we don't own. We will own (the new equipment) in the future, which is a benefit."

But for now, he said repairs are the responsibility of RACOM, which must find replacement parts on secondary markets because manufacturers are no longer producing new parts for the existing equipment.

Seiver said the region's current trunked radio system, in place since the early 1990s, will slowly be phased out in favor of the new P25 digital systems. "We're being forced to make a move, and we're making it very carefully."

"At some point, (the old system) gets turned off, and it will no longer work," he said. "We won't come in one day and not have communications. But we're on borrowed time."

Best intentions

Ploehn, who began his career in law enforcement, said the most critical benefit of moving to a single radio system "is everybody can talk to everybody." Streamlining also has brought economies of scale, including cost savings in equipment.

"Everyone is making sure they're getting the best buck for their city," Ploehn said, adding "It's hard to think regionally when you're looking out for your city. It's a delicate dance. You've got to do both."

But he credited the group with having "the best intentions to get the best radio system." "It's so cool how everybody is coming together to make this work. It's so indicative of what it means to be a Quad-Citizen."

In the meantime, Seiver said that the group "cannot make a mistake" with the new emergency communications, because people's lives are at stake.

We only have one shot at it, he said, and it has to last for decades."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
With recovery efforts taking front and center, city and Scott County officials are encouraging business owners to keep track of cleanup, equipment loss, building damage and other adverse conditions caused by the historic flood that ripped through downtown Davenport last week.

The directive was given Thursday morning in the Davenport Police Departments underground training center, where roughly 75 business owners had gathered seeking input for how to build back their businesses. Among those addressing the crowd was Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch, saying local officials are committed to providing support to that end.

Obviously for all of those who have been affected, not only do our thoughts and prayers go out to all of you, but now is a time to look at recovery and resilience, he said.

Klipsch also said the city is creating a task force with the sole purpose of addressing flooding. More details about that group are expected to come within the next few days.

Also outlined were several processes for area business owners to go through, including permit applications, guidelines for restaurants to reopen from a health standpoint, and emergency systems that may need to be reactivated in certain properties.
There are people who do not matter much.

That's a painful truth, starkly at odds with our Jeffersonian creed and national mythology. But it is a truth, nevertheless, one frequently proven in actions if denied in words.

In this country, by dint of race, gender, class or status, some people just don't seem to matter. Apparently, Tammy Jackson is one of them.

No other conclusion is possible after reading the May 3 letter her public defender, Howard Finkelstein, sent to Broward County, Florida, Sheriff Gregory Tony. In it, he decries the "outrageous and inhumane" treatment accorded his client in a Broward lockup. And if anything, the lawyer is guilty of understatement.

He says Jackson, who has mental illness, went into labor before dawn on April 10 while alone in an isolation cell. He says she cried out for help, but guards did not come to see about her, much less take her to the hospital. Instead, they phoned the jail's on-call doctor. It took four hours to reach him and even then, he showed no particular urgency, saying he would check on Jackson when he got to work.
The results of the simulation were jaw-dropping. In the sections planted with cover crops and well-managed pastures, 90 percent of the water was absorbed into the soil, with less than 10 percent running off. The opposite was true for the conventionally-tilled fields and overgrazed pastures, where 90-100 percent of the water runs off, carrying away topsoil, washing herbicides into rivers and leaving the roots of the plants dry.

What makes the difference? Soil biology and interconnected systems. In well-functioning soil, microbes and chemicals excreted from plant roots form glues that hold the soil together in clumps called aggregates. Aggregates create the soils hydrology, making it absorb and retain water. Tilling the soil destroys the aggregates and killing the microbes with herbicides means new clumps will not form. Soil that doesnt hold together doesnt hold water.

With weather patterns changing like they are, the loss of the soils ability to hold water is the Achilles heel of modern production agriculture. Hotter and drier summers are the new norm in our region, and experts predict more intense and frequent storms. Our soil must be able to absorb moisture when it comes and retain it through dry periods. The alternative is flooding, drought and huge financial losses.
Dog teams will continue searching Saturday for a girl who has been missing for more than three months.

Six cadaver dogs from South Dakota and Colorado will help look for 9-year-old Serenity Dennard, who ran away Feb. 3 from a residential youth facility in rural Pennington County, the Pennington County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. They also searched on Friday.

Each dog will be accompanied by at least three people, and 25-30 people will be involved in total. They'll focus on a two-mile radius around the Black Hills Children's Home near Rockerville.

Dennard ran away from the Children's Home around 10:45 a.m. Feb. 3. Staff decided to search for her before calling 911 at 12:26 p.m, a decision criticized by the public and in two reports from regulatory agencies.

People, dogs and aircraft searched for Dennard Feb. 3 through Feb. 5 and then intermittently after that depending on the weather and dog availability. The Pennington County Commission recently approved $73,243.92 in federal funds to help offset the cost of the searches.

Dogs alerted to a cadaver scent during several April recovery searches but it's unclear if the scent is from Serenity Dennard or another person, and exactly where the scent is coming from since it can travel 1 or 2 miles away.

Even with the dogs alerting to a body, the sheriff's office continues to explore all options of where Dennard might be. Deputies and detectives have served six search warrants, interviewed 375 people and followed 115 leads throughout the country with the help of outside agencies.

Serenity is white, 4 foot, 7 inches tall, 96 pounds and has blue eyes and shoulder-length dark blonde hair. She was last seen wearing a long-sleeved gray shirt with flowers, blue jeans and snow boots. Anyone who knows where Dennard may be should call the sheriff's office at 394-6115.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0
Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Mostly cloudy early, then sunshine for the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.
Two seniors at St. Thomas More High School were awarded honorable mentions on Thursday for the documentary they shot and entered in a national student competition organized by C-SPAN.

Matthew McGillick and Spencer Lund were presented with certificates for their entry by a C-SPAN representative at an assembly held in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Rapid City.

"We're very honored because we know how many very talented people out there made videos," Lund said following the ceremony. "To be chosen as one of the few winners is very humbling."

More than 6,000 students in grades six through 12 took part in this year's StudentCam competition and submitted some 2,000 entries for consideration, said C-SPAN representative Ivette Lucero. A total of $100,000 in prize money was awarded to 340 winners nationwide, including McGillick and Lund.

Founded in 1979, C-SPAN  which stands for the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network  is a non-profit television network that broadcasts U.S. congressional proceedings and other programs about public policy.

Since 2006, the network's annual StudentCam competition challenges students to film a five- to six-minute documentary in a bid to promote civic engagement. Contestants this year were asked to answer the question, "What does it mean to be an American?"

For Lund and McGillick, the answer was "hope." Their video, titled "A Nation Built on Hope," focuses on the ideals of the Founding Fathers and the American colonies' fight for independence from the British Empire.

Interviews with staff at the Founding Fathers exhibit and South Dakota Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Michael Oster are included in the short, which the two said they shot with their phones.

"It's a really great way to get in touch with people in the area," McGillick said.

McGillick and Lund both received ceremonial proclamations from Gov. Kristi Noem. Rapid City Councilmember Lisa Modrick also attended to present the two with a certificate from the city.

St. Thomas More students participated in the contest for a project in the school's Advanced Placement U.S. Government course. It is accompanied by a research paper addressing what is assigned in the school's AP Literature course.

Last year, three students from the school took third prize along with others across the country. AP Government teacher Tracey Freidel said the goal of the two projects is to involve students in their communities.

"The whole purpose of learning government is to have educated, well-rounded students who really understand how their government works," said Freidel.

C-SPAN's custom bus, which features touch screen consoles and televisions, visited the school as part of the ceremony. Once aboard, students had the opportunity to learn more about the network's history and programming.

They were also able to record their answers to this year's questions as part of the network's "Voices from the Road" project.

You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Hamilton High School senior George Evan Glidden-Handgis has been named a 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholar.

HHS Principal Dan Kimzey said everyone at the school is proud.

George is obviously a brilliant young man, but hes overcome some adversity in life as well, and as magnificent as his mind is, his character and positivity with our staff and students is truly what makes him exceptional, he said.

Glidden-Handgis learned in early March that he was a candidate, submitted letters of recommendation, essays and a school profile, but didnt learn he was a scholar until this week. Out of the 3.6 million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 5,200 candidates qualified for the 2019 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams.

I was optimistic but you have respect the statistics of 161 scholars out of 5,200 applicants, Glidden-Handgis said Monday.

His plan is to study Mathematics at the University of Montana in the fall.

The road map is to study science from the computational processing side of things, he said. A lot of the processes of the brain can be modeled as algorithms basically and simulated by computers and I think that is what I want to research.

The 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state who will attend a ceremony and will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion in Washington, D.C., on June 23.

Julia Karin Roemer who attends Hellgate High School and lives in Florence was the second Presidential Scholar from Montana.

In a press release, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos congratulated the 55th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, recognizing 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics.

I want to congratulate this years class of Presidential Scholars on their achievement both inside of the classroom and out, DeVos said. Their hard work and commitment to excellence, no matter what challenge they are tackling, will serve them well throughout their lifelong learning journeys. I have no doubt that many of tomorrows leaders are among this years class of Scholars.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4
A unique collaboration forged by tragedy is helping break down the stigma of mental illness in Ravalli County.

A chief researcher from Rocky Mountain Laboratories and a county extension agent may seem like an unlikely pair to lead the effort in bringing awareness to an issue thats touched many in the Bitterroot Valley.

But RMLs Research Technologies Branch Deputy Chief Beth Fischer and Ravalli Countys Montana State University Extension Agent Katelyn Anderson have been working together for several months to spearhead an effort to educate the community, with hopes of breaking down barriers that people may have about mental health issues.

On Monday, May 13, Rocky Mountain Laboratories will sponsor its third presentation in a mental health series that has already reached hundreds of Ravalli County residents.

Mondays talk is titled After Surviving Trauma Can You Get to Thriving? Recovery and PTSD (and Everything in Between)." It features Susan Borja, of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and will address normal reactions to the experience of trauma; risk factors for developing mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder; how to help yourself or a loved one cope; and what treatments might help when friends and families arent enough.

Borja is the program chief of the NIMH Dimensional Measurement and Intervention Program, which supports research on mental illness following trauma exposure. Her experiences include Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in Puerto Rico in 2018, working on post-traumatic syndrome assessment of 5,000 trauma survivors who went to hospital emergency departments, and looking for biological markers that could indicate a traumatic disorder in the blood samples of 35,000 soldiers.

The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center, 327 Fairgrounds Road. Its free, and intended for a general audience.

The presentation is part of the fledgling Mental Illness Knowledge Awareness program, which commemorate Mika Virtaneva, a young man who died by suicide in fall 2018 after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. His father, Kimmo Virtaneva, is researcher at RML.

Kimmo and Monica Virtaneva decided to step forward to tell their son's story in hopes that it would help begin to break down the stigma surrounding people suffering from mental illnesses.

After Mikas death, people at the RML started talking and sharing stories about other they knew with mental health issues, Anderson said. The more people talked about it, they began to realize that there were more people actually dealing with mental health issues than they realized.

For years, RML has brought speakers affiliated with the National Institutes to offer presentations on a wide variety of scientific topics.

People felt a little bit helpless following Mikas death, but they didnt know what to do, Fischer said. We recognized that there was this issue in our community that wasnt being addressed in a public way.

Fischer thought it might be a good idea for RLM to offer a series featuring NIH mental health experts. Over 500 people attended the first talk.

Anderson serves as a liaison between RML and the community. In February, she sent out an electronic survey seeking input on potential topics for future talks to 100 people who had either signed up to receive information regarding mental health issues or were providing mental health services in the community.

The survey received a 188% response rate. Initially, Anderson thought shed be lucky to get 15% of the people to respond to the questionaire.

Its been a steam engine that just keeps picking up steam, Anderson said. As people step forward to share their stories, I think its helping to change the stigma that unfortunately surrounds mental illness.

On a recent afternoon, Emmas House Executive Director Val Widmer and Sylvia Mahr, a county mental health profession with Hamiltons West House, offered their insights on the impacts of PTSD in the community.

Back in WWI and WWII, they called it shell shock, Mahr said. After the Vietnam War, it became PTSD. A little later, people began to realize that anyone who experiences trauma  whether that be from abuse, a tragic accident or experiences suffered as a refugee  also experiences the same symptoms as the veterans who have returned from war.

Those symptoms can include being easily startled, becoming numb emotionally, isolation from loved ones, becoming aggressive, hostile or even violent, attempting to avoid situations that might remind them of the trauma or refusing to talk about the trauma for fear of triggering a bad reaction.

That list goes on and on, Mahr said. The fact that weve identified that women or children in domestic abuse situations can develop PTSD means that weve come a long way, but theres still a long ways to go to help all of those who need it.

Widmer said Emmas House encourages the creation of a trauma-informed pools of educators and other others who work closely with children who will look at a childs behavior through a trauma lens.  Its helpful if people can understand that children sometimes act in different ways because theyve experienced some form of trauma in their lives.

The triggers can be things that others wouldnt think twice about.

One girl who came through Emmas House told counselors her trigger was the smell of bacon.

Her father would come into her room early in the morning, Widmer said. There would always be bacon cooking. That smell for her was so intense and reminded her of what had happened. In an instant of smelling bacon, she would be right back there in her mind.

Both agreed that people should seek out help when they find that their PTSD is interfering with their lives. In Ravalli County, help is always available night or day at Hamiltons West House, where appointments arent necessary and a 24-hour phone helpline is always ready for those in need.

Often times, there are mothers involved who have never had the opportunity to resolve their own experiences with sexual abuse, Widmer said. When it happens to their child, they get triggered and then theyre not there to emotionally support their own kids because they are dealing with something that happened in their own lives.

I would say to a parent, For you to be the parent you want to be, you have to take care of yourself, Widmer said. But treating mental health issues is hard. When you fracture your knee, it shows up in X-ray. Mental health isnt something you can see like that and because theres that stigma, it makes it so much harder to take that first step.

Love 2 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.
Dick Walton says hes caught in a power play. His modest home's solar panels generate so much electricity in 12 months that NorthWestern Energy owes him credit. The utility wants to turn the tables.

The Billings resident and several other net-metering customers objected to NorthWesterns plans this week during a listening session with Public Service Commissioner Tony ODonnell, a Republican in his first term.

South Dakota-based NorthWestern is asking to increase its Montana rates by $34.8 million, or roughly $76.44 a year more for an average residential customer. The PSC has already approved $10.5 million of the NorthWesterns request. This week, commissioners are holding listening sessions concerning the rate case.

For customers with solar panels who sometimes transmit surplus power to NorthWestern, while other times receiving energy, the utility wants to propose a demand charge. Demand charges bill customers at a substantially higher rate during the customers biggest hour of consumption.

What the demand charge means for a customer like Walton is even if hes only drawing power for a few hours, hes likely to pay NorthWestern $52 a month. A retired physics professor, Walton determined the cost using NorthWesterns proposed demand charge rate of $8.64 a kilowatt and his own energy use. The solar panels would actually cost Walton money under the new scheme.

In our case, under the new proposal, with the standard residential rate being proposed we would pay $35 a month without rooftop solar, Walton said. With rooftop solar, we would pay $52 a month.

Earlier this year, solar contractors told Lee Montana Newspapers that the demand charge would kill their businesses.

NorthWestern says its overcompensating customers who net meter now and consequently customers who dont net meter are covering costs to accommodate those who do. Last year, the utility commissioned a 40-page study of net metering, which concluded that the utility was paying three times too much for electricity generated by customers with rooftop solar panels.

Solar advocates say the utilitys math is, at best, fuzzy. Walton says his solar panels deliver more energy to NorthWestern in a years time than the utility ever compensates him for. NorthWestern customers who net meter receive credits, not money, for the electricity they generate. Once a year, any credits the customer doesnt use are purged from the books.

Walton said since he started net metering, hes lost energy credits every April, which is the month NorthWestern purges any unused credits from Waltons account. Why is adding solar panels to save electricity any different from buying a gas water heater or gas stove, both of which cut his NorthWestern bill by replacing it with a service the utility doesnt provide in Billings? Thats the question Walton and others facing the demand charge are asking. Why is saving energy one way penalized?

NorthWestern has roughly 2,100 Montanans who net meter, according to its own estimates. Those customers are a small percentage of the 370,000 Montana electric customer pool the utility tabulated for investors earlier this year.

At the PSCs listening session in Billings on Monday night, the number of customers who net meter was disproportionate. There were roughly 35 people in attendance. Those who spoke objected mostly to the demand charge, though one man did rise to say NorthWestern had overbilled his street lighting district by more than $60,000 for lights that should have been paid off years ago.

Maybe because the meeting took place on the third floor of a locked building in violation of state public meeting laws, attendance by NorthWesterns non-net metering customers was down. The net metering customers, many organized by Northern Plains Resource Council, made it inside. There was a cellphone number taped to the outside door for people to call if they wanted someone to come down and let them into the meeting.

PSC Legal Counsel Justin Kraske acknowledged that the listening session, in a locked building, violated public meeting laws. He said by the time the Public Service Commission realized the building would be locked after regular business hours, it was too late to make other plans.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Montanas top statewide elected officials are bitterly divided on the topic of including a question asking people on the 2020 Census if they are U.S. citizens.

The two Democrats, Gov. Steve Bullock and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, deride the question as an expensive taxpayer-funded political ploy to stoke racial and ethnic tensions and discourage people from participating. The two Republicans, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, say Montana shouldnt lose federal funding to other states with more non-citizens, and that its logical to want to know whether people are citizens or not.

This week, Daines introduced the Citizens Count Census Act of 2019 in the U.S. Senate. The bill would include the citizenship question on all government census forms.

"This is America," Daines said in a statement. "We are a sovereign nation. It's absurd that we don't know how many citizens and non-citizens are living in this country. That's why I'm introducing this bill to require a citizenship question on the census.

Republicans have a slim majority in the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering whether to block or approve the controversial question.

Tester alluded to the fact that the U.S. Census Bureaus chief scientist told Trump administration officials in an internal memo that the citizenship question would add between $27.5 million and $55 million to the cost of the census because the bureau would have to follow-up on non-responses.

The goal of the census is to get an accurate count of every person who lives in this country, and this question purposely undermines that process by injecting it with partisan politics, Tester said in an email. It is nothing more than an expensive, taxpayer-funded political ploy by some politicians seeking to boost their re-election chances.

Bullock sent a letter to the House Oversight and Reform Committee last year deriding the question.

The federal officials who administer the Census have a special public trust: follow the Constitution, and steer clear of political games that would distort the results of the Census, Bullock wrote. After all, simply counting shouldnt be that hard. There is no place for the ugly, racial history of gerrymandering to rear its head again through the Census.

Bullocks office said he wanted to express concerns that the new question would disproportionately target underrepresented communities and it would threaten to dilute the voices of American Indians, Hispanics, Asian Americans, African Americans and others in our democratic system of government.

Bullock said the question would chill participation and might cause an undercounting of people in areas with large minority populations. He noted said that in the 1990 Census, American Indians were undercounted on U.S. Reservations by 12%.

Montanans have first-hand experience with the effects of undercounting in the Census," Bullock said. "According to the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Fund, in the most recent Census (in 2010), nearly five% of Native people on reservations were missed, more than double the undercount rate of the next closest population group.

But Gianforte hinted that states with large numbers of non-citizens might qualify for more federal funding without the question.

Theres no reason the census shouldnt ask about citizenship, he said in a statement. Information collected determines states funding for many federal programs and how many representatives a state has in Congress. Montana shouldnt be shorted on either simply because a sanctuary city or state violates the law.

The Supreme Courts decision, which is expected to come any week now, could affect Montanas ability to get a new congressional district after the census. Montana is one of a few states that is experiencing enough population growth to qualify, but that depends on whether other states are growing faster.

Joe Lamson, a longtime Montana Democratic operative, told the Missoulian last week that he thinks Montana should get two districts. Lamson was appointed to Montana's District and Apportionment Commission by Democrats in the Montana Legislature. So, because the citizenship question has been predicted by experts to possibly dampen turnout in states like Texas and California that are competing with Montana for one of the 435 Congressional districts, that means something the Democrats want, another district, could come by way of the citizenship question, something at least Bullock and Tester are against.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A mailer sent by the Republican National Committee imitates a U.S. Census survey  and seeks $15 for "processing."

Now the Montana Census and Economic Information Center is warning people about the mailer.

The survey is called the "2019 Congressional District Census" and was mailed across the state this week, including to voters in Missoula. It's not clear how many people received the mailing.

It includes questions such as "Do you support canceling all federal funding to sanctuary cities that fail to enforce U.S. immigration laws?"

The Montana Department of Commerce confirmed it was mailed by the RNC. It asks respondents to pay, at a minimum, $15 for the cost of processing the "Census Document."

However, Montana officials say that the official U.S. Census Bureau surveys will never ask respondents for money, and those surveys will always be postmarked from the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau.

In a press release, the Montana Department of Commerce said that the Prevent Deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act became law in 2010.

Montana officials are "ramping up outreach efforts" ahead of the official 2020 Census, according to the press release. Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney is the chairman of Montana's Complete Count Committee.

"Its imperative that we get accurate information about the Census to all Montanans, Cooney said in the statement. The official Census is easy to complete, secure, and does not cost money. An accurate and complete Census count for Montana is too important to take lightly.

The mailing says at the bottom it was "Paid for by the Republican National Committee."

An RNC official said in an email that the mailers are "clearly marked that they are from the Republican National Committee."

"The mailers receive an overwhelming positive response and we continue to send each year because it performs so well," the RNC official wrote.

The Democratic National Committee has sent out similar surveys in other states, but those do not appear to contain any references to "Census Documents."

"The Democratic Party does not attempt to imitate government documents," a Montana DNC official told the Missoulian in an email. "Particularly with the 2020 Census coming up, the last thing Democrats are interested in is stifling the ability of our citizens to make themselves counted."

The press release from Cooney states that "counting everyone in Montana is critical because it determines the states share of federal funding for the next decade, and it determines whether Montana will get another representative in Congress."

"For every Montana resident counted, the Census estimates that Montana will receive almost $2,000 per year for the next ten years," the release notes. The federal dollars would support highway planning, medical assistance, educational programs, need-based support and infrastructure.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Blog Archive December 2021 (61) November 2021 (72) October 2021 (67) September 2021 (59) August 2021 (56) July 2021 (57) June 2021 (66) May 2021 (63) April 2021 (75) March 2021 (73) February 2021 (61) January 2021 (69) December 2020 (62) November 2020 (62) October 2020 (70) September 2020 (51) August 2020 (52) July 2020 (60) June 2020 (57) May 2020 (79) April 2020 (56) March 2020 (52) February 2020 (50) January 2020 (69) December 2019 (58) November 2019 (64) October 2019 (44) September 2019 (49) August 2019 (71) July 2019 (71) June 2019 (71) May 2019 (67) April 2019 (74) March 2019 (85) February 2019 (64) January 2019 (73) December 2018 (66) November 2018 (81) October 2018 (87) September 2018 (66) August 2018 (76) July 2018 (84) June 2018 (86) May 2018 (64) April 2018 (83) March 2018 (78) February 2018 (69) January 2018 (69) December 2017 (82) November 2017 (87) October 2017 (89) September 2017 (77) August 2017 (75) July 2017 (76) June 2017 (90) May 2017 (86) April 2017 (59) March 2017 (61) February 2017 (82) January 2017 (92) December 2016 (90) November 2016 (80) October 2016 (75) September 2016 (95) August 2016 (104) July 2016 (93) June 2016 (96) May 2016 (98) April 2016 (99) March 2016 (113) February 2016 (82) January 2016 (98) December 2015 (113) November 2015 (94) October 2015 (93) September 2015 (98) August 2015 (97) July 2015 (105) June 2015 (103) May 2015 (95) April 2015 (100) March 2015 (102) February 2015 (93) January 2015 (114) December 2014 (110) November 2014 (103) October 2014 (105) September 2014 (96) August 2014 (96) July 2014 (112) June 2014 (119) May 2014 (109) April 2014 (116) March 2014 (117) February 2014 (109) January 2014 (116) December 2013 (117) November 2013 (121) October 2013 (125) September 2013 (93) August 2013 (115) July 2013 (110) June 2013 (102) May 2013 (115) April 2013 (113) March 2013 (119) February 2013 (108) January 2013 (119) December 2012 (132) November 2012 (115) October 2012 (121) September 2012 (115) August 2012 (124) July 2012 (102) June 2012 (121) May 2012 (121) April 2012 (127) March 2012 (130) February 2012 (112) January 2012 (131) December 2011 (129) November 2011 (118) October 2011 (118) September 2011 (110) August 2011 (138) July 2011 (146) June 2011 (139) May 2011 (144) April 2011 (127) March 2011 (140) February 2011 (116) January 2011 (134) December 2010 (133) November 2010 (136) October 2010 (148) September 2010 (128) August 2010 (155) July 2010 (129) June 2010 (138) May 2010 (152) April 2010 (161) March 2010 (119) February 2010 (149) January 2010 (155) December 2009 (177) November 2009 (171) October 2009 (176) September 2009 (159) August 2009 (156) July 2009 (170) June 2009 (157) May 2009 (185) April 2009 (179) March 2009 (183) February 2009 (170) January 2009 (181) December 2008 (189) November 2008 (183) October 2008 (164) September 2008 (164) August 2008 (177) July 2008 (179) June 2008 (170) May 2008 (191) April 2008 (175) March 2008 (195) February 2008 (162) January 2008 (188) December 2007 (187) November 2007 (189) October 2007 (194) September 2007 (156) August 2007 (194) July 2007 (163) June 2007 (176) May 2007 (190) April 2007 (177) March 2007 (192) February 2007 (165) January 2007 (170) December 2006 (182) November 2006 (177) October 2006 (185) September 2006 (180) August 2006 (156) July 2006 (160) June 2006 (177) May 2006 (173) April 2006 (157) March 2006 (158) February 2006 (146) January 2006 (144) December 2005 (135) November 2005 (138) October 2005 (128) September 2005 (141) August 2005 (136) July 2005 (133) June 2005 (119) May 2005 (143) April 2005 (52)
The Government is removing the fixed price for RON95 petrol in favour of a weekly price update from 2019. With millions of Malaysians driving daily, perhaps its time to seriously consider a cashback credit card for petrol and save some money in the process.

But with dozens of credit cards that offer benefits for fuel purchases, it can be hard to find the one with the best benefits for you. So before you take the plunge, here are some important factors to consider before getting a petrol credit card for yourself.

Know your driving pattern

First things first, you should have a rough idea of how much you drive and how much petrol do you pump every month. These are important, as they will impact the credit card thats suited for you. An urban millennial driving a hybrid who spends RM100 a month on fuel will benefit from a petrol credit card thats different from, say, a sales manager who goes outstation every week for work and spends RM600 a month on fuel.

Once youve identified how much you generally spend on petrol in a month, lets move on to the other things to look out for.

Cashback vs Rewards Points

Generally, credit card perks come in the form of cashback or rewards points. Cashback credit cards return a portion of the amount you paid  provided you fulfil the requirements. These can be simple ones such as using them only on specific times of the week, or when you have charged a specific amount on the card for that month. Banks offer different cashback percentages, which goes anywhere from 0.2% to 15%, and cashback is usually capped at a certain amount each month.

On the other hand, rewards points do look appealing at first glance. You earn points that you canuse to redeem gadgets, vouchers, and even air miles. To further make the points look enticing, banks sometimes reward cardholders with extra points that come as a multiplier to the base amount earned  but only when you use the card at specific places. These can be anywhere from 5x to even 8x, so you earn a lot more points per Ringgit spent.

But which is the more rewarding option?

To determine which of these two is more saves you more money, we must first find out whats the conversion rate of the rewards points are like. For example, a bank may require 24,910 points (including 6% SST) to redeem a RM50 department store voucher. To determine the effective cashback rate, we calculate how much we need to spend to earn enough points to redeem the RM50 voucher in our example. Heres how this scenario will look like:

Points multiplier 1x 5x 8x RM spend to earn 24,910 points for RM50 voucher RM24,910 RM4,982 RM3,113.75 Effective cashback (RM50 / RM spend x 100) 0.20% 1.00% 1.61%

Clearly, even when you get a huge multiplier for points, they still dont come close to cashback credit cards. Therefore, the following points will help you look for a truly rewarding cashback credit card for petrol.

Cashback rate

Obviously, the cashback rate for petrol purchases is the easiest factor to look out for. Most petrol cashback credit cards offer an average of 5-7% in cashback, though you can also see rates that go as low as 0.2% and as high as 15%. Generally, this is because the rates are tiered, meaning you earn higher cashback rates when you spend more with the card. Therefore, dont be fooled by the high cashback rate.

Cashback cap per month

Cashback rates and its cap per month go hand in hand. Different banks will set different caps  and sometimes, the banks may not be explicitly clear about it. For example, a bank may advertise that its credit card offers up to 15% cashback as a pulling factor, but may only reveal the low RM10 monthly cap in the product disclosure sheet or fine print in the brochure.

Find a card that strikes a good balance between cashback rate and monthly cap. For example, the CIMB Petronas Platinum-i credit card offers 7% cashback for all spend at Petronas stations (petrol and mart), with a monthly cap of RM50.

Cashback eligibility or requirements

Contrary to popular belief, banks dont simply like to give out free money! Credit cards are the same, so in order to be eligible for the benefits, there are certain conditions that you must fulfil.

For example, some credit cards only offer cashback when you use it on specific days (weekends, or Fridays and Saturdays), while others only award cashback if you spend above a certain amount. Fail to meet these requirements, and youll either be eligible for a lower cashback rate  or worse, not get any benefits at all.

To a lesser extent, there are also petrol credit cards that offer cashback only if you use it at a particular petrol brand. In this case, it shouldnt affect users too much, since youd only apply for this card if you were already using that brand of petrol.

Look out for additional perks

Finally, it is always a bonus if a credit card offers additional benefits besides the main perks. For example, some credit cards may offer free access to airport lounges when you travel, or even complimentary travel insurance if you pay for your flight tickets with the card. Not to forget, there are also cards that offer cashback for other categories too, so you still save some money even if you use the card for non-petrol pumping purposes.

Is there a best petrol cashback credit card?

There is no definitive best petrol cashback credit card, as different people spend different amounts on fuel, and may have preferences for a certain petrol brand. That said, there is always a great card for each and every one of us.

If you fuel up at Petronas, then you have some interesting choices. CIMB has two options: the CIMB Petronas Platinum Credit Card and its Syariah-compliant variant, the CIMB Petronas Platinum-i Credit Card. Both credit cards offer 7% cashback every day when you use the card at Petronas (both fuel and mart), as long as you maintain a statement balance of RM3,000 and above. For statement balances below that, youll earn 3% in cashback. For both cards, the cashback is capped at RM50 a month.

Meanwhile, for purchases made in other categories besides petrol, you get 0.2% cashback. Not only that, if you pay for flight tickets with these cards, youll also get complimentary travel insurance (or Takaful for the CIMB Petronas Platinum-i Credit Card) to offer financial compensation if anything were to happen to you while you are travelling.

Finally, cardholders also enjoy special discounts and benefits for automotive-related services such as car polish and tinting retailers. Check out the official product page to find out more about the CIMB Petronas Platinum Credit Card and the CIMB Islamic Petronas Platinum-i Credit Card.

0 0 votes Article Rating

SHARE
" " eLISA will be the first observatory in space to explore the gravitational underpinnings of the universe, complementing our knowledge about the universe's beginning, evolution and structure. Max-Planck-Institut fr Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut)/YouTube

You might remember that back in February, a consortium of more than 1,000 scientists from various countries announced that they had finally spotted the first tangible evidence of the existence of gravitational waves. The waves, first predicted by Albert Einstein roughly a century ago, are basically ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by the acceleration of really massive objects such as black holes.

Spotting gravitational waves from the vantage point of the Earth's surface was a difficult feat for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) lab, which took about 15 years of effort and $620 million to accomplish its feat. Doing so involved shooting laser beams down pairs of 2.5-mile-long (4-kilometer-long) tunnels and bouncing them off mirrors, and then looking for subtle changes caused when a gravitational wave slightly deforms the tunnels.

Advertisement

That was all necessary because Earth's surface is filled with noise that makes it tough to spot the waves' signals  it would be a lot easier to study gravitational waves from the relative quiet of space. That's why the European Space Agency (ESA) has envisioned deploying eLISA, a constellation of far-flung orbital satellites that would communicate with one another via lasers, in the mid 2030s. Such an observatory could scan the cosmos and not only spot gravitational waves, but measure them with significantly more precision than we can do here on the ground. As a step toward that goal, in December 2015, ESA launched the LISA Pathfinder, a smaller-scale satellite designed to test and demonstrate the technology that they plan to use someday in the eLISA project.

On Tuesday morning, ESA scientists announced that a key component of the future observatory aboard LISA Pathfinder  a 4.4-pound (2-kilogram) cube of high-purity gold-platinum alloy  has passed a series of important tests. An article published today in Physical Review Letters shows that moreover, the cube came the closest of any man-made object ever to achieving true free fall  that is, moving through space free of any force other than gravity.

" " An artist's depiction of the LISA Pathfinder in orbit around Earth. ESA/Getty Images

That's crucial, because eLISA someday will depend upon such frictionless cubes, placed on a trio of satellites in a triangular configuration in space, all about 620,000 miles (998,000 kilometers) apart from one another. Its instruments will detect incredibly tiny changes in the distance between the cubes caused by gravitational waves. But to do that, the satellites will have to block out other effects that would drown out the gravitational waves' signal.

" " Test masses carved from blocks of high purity gold-platinum alloy are flying aboard the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft. ESA/CGS SpA

"Any noise in the system  pressure created by solar radiation, thermal, magnetic and gravitational effects  could perturb the gravitational wave," ESA project scientist Paul McNamara explained via a Skype call last week.

To filter out those effects, LISA Pathfinder is testing a protective system of thrusters, designed to adjust the spacecraft in a way that compensates for such factors.

McNamara says that LISA Pathfinder contains a vastly scaled-down version of eLISA, in which cubes have been positioned just centimeters apart, rather than hundreds of thousands of kilometers apart. Nevertheless, the test results make him confident that the full-scale technology would work just as well.

"The only thing we're missing are the two watts of light from the laser [between them]," he says. "That's something we can test on the ground. The part we accomplished is something you can only test in space."

Using interferometry to measure distances in space with precision isn't a new concept. McNamara notes. He cited the example of NASA's GRACE mission, launched in 2002, uses microwaves to measure variations in the distance between a pair of satellites that are positioned about 137 miles apart in orbit.

Now That's Fascinating The test cubes in LISA Pathfinder have a difference in relative acceleration of less than 10 millionths of a billionth of Earth's gravitational acceleration. Here's an easier way to understand that  it's the equivalent, roughly, of the weight of a single virus.
" " Luis Alvarez was an expert in physics, but that didn't stop him from digging into paleontology and solving a couple of mysteries. Bettmann/Getty Images

Many people would like to be remembered for doing something cool, like forming a leading geologic theory, winning the Nobel Prize, or even helping solve a lingering global mystery. But most of us won't be remembered for any of these accomplishments, because they're hard to do and require complex math and expert knowledge.

Yet Luis Alvarez did all those things and more, and Stuff You Missed in History Class hosts Holly Frey and Tracy V. Wilson recount his achievements in a two-part episode of the podcast.

Advertisement

Alvarez was trained as a physicist, but  as you'll soon see  he had experience in many scientific fields. He went to the University of Chicago for his undergraduate degree in physics, and stayed there to receive his master's in 1934 and doctorate in 1936. While at the university, he researched cosmic rays. And after a stint at the University of California, Berkeley as a research fellow, he moved on to the Radiation Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

By the time World War II came around, he had helped develop some seriously useful radar tools, including a system that made it possible to detect aircraft when it was too overcast to see them, and one that allowed Allied planes to evade U-boats' radar-warning receivers and destroy the surfaced submarines.

But in 1943, Alvarez heeded a different wartime calling when he joined the Manhattan Project, the U.S. research and development program for atomic warfare weapons. Alvarez eventually helped create the detonators for the "Fat Man" atomic bombs, and he was on the aircraft Enola Gay when it dropped the "Little Boy" bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

Although he contributed to the nuclear bombs, Alvarez did have some misgivings about their devastating effects. "Like many of the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project, Luis was really horrified by the level of destruction and death that the atomic bombs had the power to cause," says Tracy. "But since World War II ended so quickly after the second one was dropped, he really had no doubt the United States had done the right thing."

After the war, Alvarez went back to Berkeley and studied bubbles. OK, perhaps the research was a bit more complicated: He studied particle physics, using a liquid hydrogen bubble chamber he developed to discover a load of resonance particles. In fact, the work was complicated enough to earn him a Nobel Prize in 1968.

And if that isn't impressive enough, Alvarez also used physics to study the John F. Kennedy assassination (his conclusion was roughly "sorry folks, no conspiracy to see here") and searched for hidden chambers in an Egyptian pyramid using cosmic rays. And perhaps more famously, he hypothesized that dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid and the consequential decrease of solar radiation.

Alvarez's son, Walter, was a geologist who discovered a layer of clay in the earth with extremely high levels of the element iridium. Iridium is not common on Earth, but is common in extraterrestrial objects. In a 1980 paper in the journal Science, the father-son duo and other scientists proposed that a giant asteroid hit Earth, ending the Cretaceous period and wiping out loads of species from the planet. That hypothesis seemed crazy at the time, but grew in popularity as the site of the Chicxulub crater (where the asteroid crashed into Earth) was found and more data was gathered on the extinction event.

But those are just the basics of Luis Alvarez's scientific exploits. Join Tracy and Holly as they explain his discoveries and contributions on this in-depth, two-part episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class.

Now That's Cool Alvarez had 22 patents to his name, including a golf-training machine he invented for U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
We continue our focus on Netflix with a trio of titles from Asia that have recently arrived on the streaming service.

A Home with A View

Now streaming on Netflix.

The English-language title might call to mind James Ivory's elegant screen version of E.M. Forster's A Room with a View (1985).

Here "the view" refers principally to the view that an economically-struggling family enjoys from their mid-rise Hong Kong flat: they can see the sea! And then their mysterious new neighbor across the street puts up an outrageously large billboard, blocking their view and practically incited a riot.

Primarily this is a family comedy, directed by the reliable Herman Yau and adapted by Tat-Ming Cheung from his own stage play. Francis Ng and Anita Yuen Wing Yi play the long-suffering parents, Louis Koo plays the mysterious neighbor, Lam Suet is a noisy neighbor, and the pleasures abound. As to be expected, the comedy dominates the first act, while the second starts to get more serious before taking a few delightfully unexpected turns in the third act.

Summing up: A messy, uneven, yet extremely enjoyable comedy that makes me nostalgic for the golden era of Hong Kong films.



The Wandering Earth

Now streaming on Netflix.

A rare Chinese sci-fi action adventure, the visual-effects filled picture drew audiences from throughout Asia like crazy.

Our own Josh Hurtado described it as a rousing space adventure in his review, concluding: "The Wandering Earth is one of the most successful science fiction films of the last decade in that regard, it has no shame in which heartstrings it pulls, and it plays its audience like a fiddle. Thankfully for us, it's a beautiful song that I could listen to a million times over."

Summing up: Of course, it would have been better to see it on a big screen, but I enjoyed the eye candy, even on my television, and found the Chinese approach -- big on melodramatic noble sacrifices for the greater good -- to be refreshing. It's a 'gotta see' for genre fans, just to know for yourself what everyone has been talking about.



Abyss

Now streaming on Netflix.

Lest anyone think that mixing genres is restricted to Hong Kong, a new series from South Korea mixes a deadly-serious murder mystery with a more lighthearted comedy. Oh, and resurrected dead people.

We meet prosecutor Go Se-yeon (Park Bo-young) and her lovelorn friend Cha Min (Ahn Hyo-seop) when they are played by strikingly different-looking actors ... and are still alive. By the conclusion of the episode, both have died and been brought to life in strikingly different bodies. Now the less-attractive man is tall and good-looking, and the tall and more-attractive woman is short and more plain-looking. They team up to solve their own murders, which may involve an inactive serial killer who has returned to his murderous activities.

This is made possible by a mysterious, occasionally glowing marble, which "revives the dead into the form of its soul," according to the English-language subtitles. The first two episodes are now available to watch; I found the principal characters engaging and the mystery mildly compelling, though I suspect I am mostly missing the social criticism about beauty and outward appearances that may be intended for Korean audiences.

Summing up: Granted, I have next to no knowledge about Korean drama series, so I'm unable to place Abyss into its proper critical context; is it about average? Above or below what's to be expected? In any event, I've added it to "my list" on Netflix and anticipate watching the next episode, which will debut on Monday, May 13. Future episodes -- 16 in all -- will be dropping weekly on Monday, which seems about right, as the U.S. broadcast season draws to a close.




Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on May 10, 2019

2019/05/10

At the invitation of the Kazakh government, Han Zheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, will visit Kazakhstan from May 14 to 16 for the 12th Astana Economic Forum and the second China-Kazakhstan Sub-national Cooperation Forum.

Q: As we understand, the International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation 2019 between China, Japan and the ROK is held in Beijing today. Could you give us some details on that? Also, this year marks the 20th anniversary of China-Japan-ROK cooperation mechanism. As this year's chair, what is China's expectation for the trilateral cooperation going forward?

A: The International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation 2019 is co-hosted today by the China Public Diplomacy Association and the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat of China, Japan and the ROK. On the occasion marking the 20th anniversary, this forum aims to take stock of cooperation in the past two decades, chart the future and pool new ideas and suggestions. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended and addressed the opening ceremony. More than 300 experts, scholars and delegates from various sectors from the three countries attended the forum and offered their opinions and recommendations for deeper cooperation.

After 20 years of development, the China-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation is now functioning with the leaders' summit at its core and under 21 ministerial-level meeting and more than 70 dialogue mechanisms. The joint efforts of the three countries over the past 20 years have yielded remarkable outcomes. As the world is challenged by protectionism and unilateralism and grappling with setbacks in multilateralism and the free trade system, it is all the more necessary and urgent for us to enhance trilateral cooperation. We need to conclude the negotiation on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as early as possible and speed up the negotiation on a trilateral free trade agreement, which will send out positive signals of our commitment to openness.

Japan and the ROK, as important junctures along the ancient Silk Road, are well-positioned to take a more active part in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and share in the outcomes. Following the approach of consultation and collaboration for shared benefits, China is ready to take the fair suggestions from the two sides. We believe the BRI will create broader space for deeper cooperation and become a source of growth and a highlight in the future. As the chair, taking the 20th anniversary as an opportunity, China will work with Japan and the ROK to bring more benefits to our peoples and contribute to world peace and development through better strategic plans, new ways of cooperation and common development.

Q: Are you able to give us any information on whether a phone call between President Xi and President Trump might have already taken place or when it will be scheduled or whether there will be any discussion about that?

A: I am not aware of what you mentioned. I can tell you that the two Presidents have maintained contact through various means.

Q: A question about fentanyl. Some US officials and former officials have expressed some doubt that China is serious about cracking down on the fentanyl productions here. Some officials said that China only wants to be helpful on fentanyl to gain more leverage in the trade talks. What's your comment?

A: In April, relevant departments of the Chinese government have already issued an announcement and offered detailed information on the class scheduling of fentanyl-related substances. Relevant measures took effect on May 1, winning the acclaim of American people from all walks of life.

I would like to emphasize that China always honors its pledges. The class scheduling of fentanyl-related substances is an important move by the Chinese government to ward off the risk and potential harm of new-type drugs to guarantee people's well-being and to participate in global drug control to safeguard security and stability of the world. The root cause of the fentanyl issue in the US, I am afraid, does not lie with China. To solve the problem, the US should look harder for the cause at home.

You referred to some people's view that the fentanyl issue is related to the economic and trade consultations. I can only marvel at the imagination of those behind such wild remarks. China's position on the economic and trade consultations is very clear. The Commerce Ministry Spokesperson has already released a statement on this, so I won't repeat it here.

Q: On the trade talks, what impact do you see this have on diplomatic relations between China and the US regarding a whole range of issues, not just trade but also in other fields. Will it have a strong negative impact?

A: On the economic and trade consultations between China and the US, we have repeatedly stated our position and I won't repeat it here.

On China-US relations, I would like to say that their sound and steady development serves the interests of both sides and is the shared expectation of the international community. We hope the US side will work with China for a bilateral relationship featuring coordination, cooperation and stability. To achieve this goal, the two sides need to meet each other halfway.

Q: Media say that the EU, the UK, France and Germany issued a joint statement on May 9, saying that they remain committed to the preservation and full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), strongly recommend Iran to implement the JCPOA in full, and regret the re-imposition of sanctions by the United States after it withdrew from the deal. President Trump said on the same day that he is open to talks with the Iranian side. I wonder if you have any comment?

A: China has been closely following the developments on the Iranian nuclear issue. We have taken note of the latest statements from various parties.

I'd like to emphasize that the JCPOA, a multilateral agreement endorsed by the UN Security Council, should be implemented fully and effectively for its vital importance in the international non-proliferation regime and peace and stability in the Middle East. Iran has been verified by the IAEA for 14 times so far that it faithfully implemented the JCPOA, and China highly applauds that.

We regret that the US escalated tensions by withdrawing from the JCPOA and imposing unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdictions" on Iran. I'd like to stress again that dialogue and consultation, rather than conflict and confrontation, hold the key to the issue. We call on all parties to exercise restraint, step up dialogue, make all possible efforts to support and uphold the JCPOA and refrain from taking any moves that violate the deal so as to prevent a spiral of escalation of tensions.

We do not wish to see fluctuations in the global energy market or escalated tensions in the Middle East. China will continue to fulfill its obligations under the JCPOA and work with all relevant parties for its preservation and implementation.

Q: US regulators decided yesterday to block China Mobile in the US market citing national security reasons. Has China officially protested to the US?

A: We have taken note of relevant reports. The Chinese government always asks Chinese enterprises to abide by international rules and market principles and local laws and regulations in conducting global investment and cooperation.

Regarding the case you mentioned, I would like to say that we urge the US to abide by market economy principles, stop the wrong practice of featuring national security in every issue, stop unjustified oppression of Chinese enterprises and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for their investment and operation in the US.

Q: Can you give us any details at all on the retaliatory measures China intends to impose in response to tariffs raised by the US?

A: Perhaps you have noted the statement by the Commerce Ministry Spokesperson at noon today. You may follow up on more information to your interest.

Q: First, what's your response to North Korea's launch of "ballistic missile"? And second, do you have any information on when China might announce any plans for retaliation it said might be coming?

A: Let me take your second question first. The Commerce Ministry Spokesperson has already released a statement at noon today, which you may have noticed. You may follow up on more information regarding specific measures.

On your first question, we have taken note of relevant reports. At the moment I have no specific information on the category and nature of the projectiles launched by the DPRK. What I would like to emphasize is that the hard-won momentum for dialogue and deescalation on the Korean Peninsula is the result of concerted efforts. We hope all parties will stay committed to the right path of dialogue and contribute further to denuclearization and political settlement of the Peninsula issue.

Q: The US Department of Justice announced yesterday the indictment of members of a Chinese hacking group that allegedly stole the personal information of more than 78 million people. I wonder what is your response? Do you condemn the hackers for their behaviors?

A: I'm not aware of the specifics you mentioned. Cybersecurity is a global issue that bears on the common interests of all countries. It needs to be safeguarded by all members of the international community. China's position is consistent and clear. We are a staunch defender of cybersecurity. We oppose and combat all forms of cyberattack and cybertheft. In response to relevant challenges and threats, China calls on the international community to engage in dialogue and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.
US DoJ indicted a member of sophisticated China-based hacking group for series of computer intrusions. The group is also responsible for the 2015 Health Insurer Anthem data breach.

The US Department of Justice indicted Fujie Wang (32), a member of sophisticated Chinese hacking group that breached at several US companies, including the health insurer Anthem Inc. back in 2015.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment unsealed today in Indianapolis, Indiana, charging a Chinese national as part of an extremely sophisticated hacking group operating in China and targeting large businesses in the United States, including a computer intrusion and data breach of Indianapolis-based health insurer Anthem Inc. (Anthem).  reads the press release published by DoJ.

Member of Sophisticated China-Based Hacking Group Indicted for Series of Computer Intrusions, Including 2015 Data Breach of Health Insurer Anthem Inc. Affecting Over 78 Million People https://t.co/u0DzpPuP1W  Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) May 9, 2019

Starting from February 2014, Fujie Wang and other members of the hacking group, including another Chinese individual charged as John Doe, carried out a series of spear-phishing attacks on U . S . -based organizations.

Wang and Doe are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in relation to computers and identity theft, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two substantive counts of intentional damage to a protected computer.

Then defendants installed malware and tools on the compromised systems to further compromise the computer networks of the victim businesses.

Once inside a target companys network, they stole data of interest, including personally identifiable information (PII) and confidential business information.

The group targeted at least four US companies between February 2014 and January 2015, court documents only named Anthem as one of the victims.

The allegations in the indictment unsealed today outline the activities of a brazen China-based computer hacking group that committed one of the worst data breaches in history, said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. These defendants allegedly attacked U.S. businesses operating in four distinct industry sectors, and violated the privacy of over 78 million people by stealing their PII. The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting PII, and will aggressively prosecute perpetrators of hacking schemes like this, wherever they occur.

Wang is alleged to have controlled two domain names connected to the cyber attacks, one of which was associated with a backdoor used in the intrusion of the Victim Business 1s network. The other domain name was associated by Wang with a server used to create an email account used to conduct spearfishing attacks against employees of Victim Business 3.

The indictment doesnt link the Chinese hacking crew with China-linked APT groups.



Wang is currently on the FBIs Most Wanted Cyber list and is still at large.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  Chinese hackers, Anthem)

Share this...

Linkedin

Share this: Twitter

Print

LinkedIn

Facebook

More

Tumblr

Pocket





Share On
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FCI published a new joint report on ELECTRICFISH, a malware used by North Korea.

US DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a joint analysis of a traffic tunneling tool dubbed ELECTRICFISH used by North Korea-linked APT group tracked as Hidden Cobra (aka Lazarus).

It is interesting to note that the sample analyzed in the report is not on Virus Total, as highlighted by the security exper t Dariel Huss.

https://t.co/vgpXdYoavY The ELECTRICFISH sample mentioned in this report is not on VT as of right now, however here are three that are:

df934e2d23507a7f413580eae11bb7dc

41030182de3899cded5531fb0dad5a78

f9ced93b94c8c8a8c0de20028300e11d  Darien Huss (@darienhuss) May 9, 2019

According to Huss, three different samples of the same malware were uploaded to VirusTotal in August, September and October 2018.

https://t.co/vgpXdYoavY The ELECTRICFISH sample mentioned in this report is not on VT as of right now, however here are three that are:

df934e2d23507a7f413580eae11bb7dc

41030182de3899cded5531fb0dad5a78

f9ced93b94c8c8a8c0de20028300e11d  Darien Huss (@darienhuss) May 9, 2019

The malware implements a custom protocol that allows threat actors to funnel traffic between two IP addresses. The Malware Analysis Report (MAR) published by the US agencies is related to an analysis of one malicious 32-bit Windows executable file.

This report includes indicators of compromise (IoC), it also suggests response actions and recommends mitigation techniques.

The software is a command-line utility that accepts as arguments the destination IP address and port, a source IP address and port, a proxy IP address and port, and a user name and password to authenticate with a proxy server.

It will attempt to establish TCP sessions between the source IP address and the destination IP address using a custom protocol. The configured proxy server is not required for this utility.

The malware continuously attempts to reach out to the source and the designation system, which allows either side to initiate a funneling session. The malware can be configured with a proxy server/port and proxy username and password. reads the malware report. This feature allows connectivity to a system sitting inside of a proxy server, which allows the actor to bypass the compromised systems required authentication to reach outside of the network,

According to the US agencies, Hidden Cobras arsenal includes a broad range of malware and tools. US experts already analyzed Joanap, Brambul

HOPLIGHT, Delta Charlie , Type frame, Sharpknot, Hardrain, Badcall, Bankshot, Fallchil, and Volgmer.

Pierluigi Paganini
Jared Kushner, cellblock pinup, is just one of the surprising results of Trumps unconventional approach to granting clemency. The president has been bypassing the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the Department of Justice, which has vetted clemency applications under previous presidents, and has acted more impulsively, issuing high-profile clemencies in cases that grab his attention. So inmates and their advocates have adapted their tactics to fit the current administration. Heres a guide to how to win a pardon under Trump.

The idea that Kushner might have some special interest in freeing prisoners has so pervaded the nations federal prisons that some inmates have sent copies of their clemency applications directly to his Office of American Innovation in the White House. A few inmates have even pinned news clips of Kushner on their cell walls.

Theres a name rumbling through prisons around the nation: Jared Kushner. Kushners father served time in federal prison, and some incarcerated people hope that experience gives President Donald Trumps son-in-law and top adviser a better understanding of their plight  and could lead him to look favorably on their requests for clemency.

The framers of the Constitution gave the president the pardon power to act as a backstop to an imperfect criminal justice system that too often doles out excessively harsh punishment. Thats not always how presidents have used that power. Some of Trumps pardons appear to have more to do with political favoritism or celebrity attention than with any interest in remedying overzealous prosecution or unfair sentencing. But theyre not the product of a lengthy and conflicted bureaucratic process, either. And that might be a good thing, some clemency advocates argue....

Margaret Love, a former pardon attorney, argues that one of the biggest stumbling blocks [to a well-functioning clemency process] is the transfer of the pardon attorneys office to the deputy attorney generals bailiwick. The deputy attorney general oversees all prosecutors in the many U.S. attorneys offices around the nation  the very same prosecutors who are bringing charges against defendants that the pardon attorney is seeking to provide relief to. He or she also has the authority to review the pardon attorneys clemency recommendations and can ultimately reject the application. Critics say this is exactly what happens all too frequently, as federal prosecutors have little interest in questioning or unwinding the departments convictions. Justice Department prosecutors have become determinedly and irreconcilably hostile to clemency, Love wrote in a 2015 paper.

The process can be extremely difficult for prisoners and their lawyers, explained Mark Osler, a professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis and an expert on clemency. Unlike other parts of the criminal process, with clemency there is no transparency: no sense of where the petition is in the process, what the timeline will be or even the reasoning behind a grant or denial, Osler said.

The mystery that envelops the process is unnecessary, Osler argues. Osler and other clemency experts, such as Rachel Barkow, a New York University law professor and a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission from 2013 to 2018, have pushed for years to move the pardon attorneys office out from under the Justice Department and instead situate it as an independent, bipartisan commission inside the Executive Office of the President with a diverse membership that could directly inform the president of its recommendations. That remedy could relieve the inherent conflicts of interest of DOJ oversight, allow for more voices to weigh in on an application beyond federal prosecutors, and increase transparency around clemency.

Advocates are eager for Trump to establish a formal process that is outside the Department of Justice at some point. But the unending controversies swirling around the president, including with regard to controversial pardons, may make that impossible. In the meantime, incarcerated people and their advocates will try every means available to reach Trump. People are just desperate, and so theyre sending things to the pardon attorney, theyre sending things to the White House because theres just no clear guidance, explained one attorney who has worked on pardons and who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing process. Its quite disheartening. Everyones not going to have the celebrity touch, the attorney said. Theyre just not.
 "4 Ways To Win A Presidential Pardon Under Trump" | Main | New issue of Crime and Justice covers "American Sentencing  What Happens and Why?" 

May 10, 2019

Split Eighth Circuit panel explores lifetime supervised release conditions for child porn offender

A helpful reader made sure I did not miss an Eighth Circuit panel's work today in US v. Carson, No. 17-3589 (8th Cir. May 10, 2019) (available here). Like many federal sentencing cases, there are lots of small stories wrapped within the numbing reality of an offender with an affinity for child porn and teenage girls receiving mass punishment: e.g., the defendant here got "only" 20 years in prison when his guideline range called for 30 years; even though facing the real possibility of imprisonment until nearly 2045, for some reason "Carson did not submit his own sentencing memorandum"; counsel at sentencing did not object to broad conditions of lifetime supervised release, so they get reviewed only for plain error.

The heart of the legal dispute on appeal is defendant's claim that sentencing court should have had to provide a distinct analysis and justifications for his special conditions of supervised release, one of which included social media restrictions seemingly comparable to what the Supreme Court stuck down as unconstitutional in Packingham v. North Carolina. Here is a portion of the majority's rejection of the claims on appeal:

And here is the closing paragraph of Judge Kelly's dissent:

I do not minimize the seriousness of Carsons crimes. For those he will serve a twenty-year prison term followed by a lengthy term of supervised release. I also recognize the need to monitor Carsons conduct upon release. But Carson was thirty- three at the time of his arrest, and his lifetime term of supervised release could very well last decades. We can only imagine the universe of internet-reliant electronic devices that will pervade everyday life by then. The length and conditions of Carsons supervised release may well be justified, but such punishment deserves, at minimum, some reasoned explanation from the sentencing court. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.

May 10, 2019 at 12:24 PM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment
(Adds details of trading, background, quote)

May 10 (Reuters) - Britain's Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Plc said on Friday group revenue per room fell in the first quarter, as ongoing renovations kept its major hotels in London and Singapore partially or fully closed.

The company, 65 percent owned by Singaporean billionaire Chairman Kwek Leng Beng's City Developments, said profit before tax fell to 11 million pounds ($14.30 million) from 26 million pounds last year.

The company, whose Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Fox departed suddenly in September after just three months in the role, said its search for a permanent top boss was underway.

The operator of the Millennium, Grand Millennium, Copthorne and Kingsgate hotels has flagged 2019 as another challenging year, with significant capital-heavy projects underway and several large hotels earmarked for major renovations.

"Despite the uncertainties and challenges in the global economy, we remain focused on making the best use of our hospitality assets," Kwek Leng Beng said in a statement.

Group revenue per available room was down 0.9 percent at 70.01 pounds for the quarter ended March 31, while revenue fell 4 percent to 215 million pounds on a constant currency basis.

Ongoing renovation at its Mayfair hotel in London had already lowered revenue by 20 million pounds in 2018. It is looking to rebrand and open the hotel again by mid-2019.

"The group is prioritising the refurbishment of our key gateway city properties to reposition our hotels, whilst seeking to minimise the short-term negative impact on our trading results," Leng Beng added. ($1 = 0.7692 pounds) (Reporting by Tanishaa Nadkar and Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; editing by Gopakumar Warrier)
Real estate entrepreneur Ashish Manchharam launches KeSa House on Keong Saik Road  his new flexible living concept in the city.

In recent years, the Keong Saik Road area has seen a revival with the opening of co-working space The Working Capitol, Michelin-starred barbeque restaurant Burnt Ends and multi-concept F&B establishment Potato Head Singapore. At the same time, classics such as zi char restaurant Kok Sen Restaurant and traditional coffeeshop Tong Ah Eating House, known for its kaya toast, still remain.

This mix of traditional and new concepts was what drew Ashish Manchharam, founder and managing director of property investment and development group, 8M Real Estate, to purchase 10 adjoining shophouses along Keong Saik Road in 2017 for around $75 million, or $2,750 psf. Comprising a total gross floor area (GFA) of around 27,300 sq ft, the shophouses previously housed the 79-room boutique hotel Naumi Liora.



In April, 8M Collective unveiled 60-room flexible living concept KeSa House on Keong Saik Road (Pictures: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)

Manchharam also created 8M Collective to hold his growing portfolio of such conservation shophouses that formerly housed boutique hotels. They include the former Club Hotel on Ann Siang Road, which he rebranded as Ann Siang House last year; and Wanderlust on Dickson Road in Little India.

The latest addition is KeSa House along Keong Saik Road that soft-launched in April. The name was derived from the street name. We are on Keong Saik Road, hence KeSa, says Manchharam. We found that for people new to Singapore, Keong Saik may not be the easiest words to pronounce, so we made it easier.

Boasting a striking turquoise exterior, the row of three-storey shophouses along Keong Saik Road feature 10 F&B outlets on the first level, with 60 suites for lease on the two upper floors. The accommodation was designed to cater to young professionals and business travellers who want the amenities and comforts of home.

Story continues

With three different room types and sizes ranging from 200 to 322 sq ft, the property features a complimentary launderette and a fully-equipped communal kitchen that offers complimentary coffee from local cafe Sarnies. There is also a lounge fitted out with charging stations where guests can work, and a terrace that overlooks the Duxton Plain Park.

An alternative housing option

The accommodation at KeSa House is available for lease from as short as a week to two months. Its very much in line with our strategy in terms of having accommodation for short- and long-term stays, says Manchharam. Being very close to the CBD is something that a lot of people would like, and we have an opportunity to do that with KeSa House.



The property has three room types and has a complimentary launderette and a fully-equipped communal kitchen that offers complimentary coffee from local cafe Sarnies

Such flexible living hasnt really existed in the past, observes Manchharam. This is something we would like to develop  a different type of product  within our portfolio.

He emphasises that KeSa Houses concept differs from co-living  KeSa House is a hospitality property. Hence, guests are not locked into a lease but can choose between a daily, weekly or monthly rate that covers utilities and wifi, he adds. Its soft opening daily rates start from $150++ per night.

In my view, co-living is about apartments with multiple bedrooms and shared amenities, he says. What we are offering is designed around the flexibility in the way you live. Its more of having your own space and [access] to common spaces.

Since its opening, there have been guests who had booked to stay for a few nights at first, and then extended their stay to two or three months, notes Manchharam.



The common terrace that overlooks Duxton Plain Park

He has also struck an agreement with Singapores biggest co-living operator Hmlet, to offer short-term stays to the latters clients at KeSa House. As Hmlet is a co-living operator, its leases have to be at least three months, in keeping with URAs rules of tenancy for residential units.

Over time, Manchharam hopes KeSa House will appeal to young Singaporeans in addition to expatriates and international travellers. We want to attract young Singaporeans who want to live in the city but dont have the opportunity to do that, he says. Typically, they are between the ages of 25 and 35 and still living at home with their families. Hopefully, this gives them the ability to be a bit more independent while being close to their workplace. That is our eventual goal. We want to provide an alternative housing option.

Filling a gap

Govinda Singh, executive director of valuation and advisory services at Colliers International, believes that 8M Collective is filling a gap in the market. He sees the concept at KeSa House as effectively a hybrid between co-living and serviced apartments but with an added appeal to millennials of being a boutique project with character, given that its a conservation shophouse.



KeSa House features a lounge fitted out with charging stations where guests can work or hold meetings

Singh expects short-term leases to become more prevalent as companies are sending younger employees to Singapore for shorter stints due to the expenses incurred for longer stays. In the private residential space, leases are typically two years, which some companies consider too long and inflexible for secondments, he says.

Consequently, traditional serviced apartments in Singapore with their minimum seven-day stay are much more appealing, adds Singh. However, he feels the mainstream product tend to be very corporate and geared towards an older generation.

8M Real Estates Manchharam says the hotel segment has become increasingly commoditised. There is no loyalty, he laments. People just choose the best deals out there, and you can do everything from your phone. There is no value-add. We didnt really want to compete in that space. Focusing on longer-term stays instead of a pure hotel operation also means greater income security, he adds.

Another reason for steering clear of a pure hotel play is manpower issues in the hospitality sector. In February, the Singapore government further reduced the foreign worker quota for the services sector.

KeSa House currently has 14 operation staff. If it were to operate as a hotel, the headcount would double. Our setup gives us the ability to work with fewer people so we are more productive, explains Manchharam.

Adam Bury, senior vice president of sales at JLL, concurs. Whether you are a large or small hotel operator in Singapore, staffing is very difficult, he says. As advisers, we see staff costs increasing for hotel operators and this is unlikely to decrease in the next couple of years. As a result, most operators are running with a lot less staff than they would like to.

Flexibility of short-term leases

8M entered the accommodation sector with BASE Residences at 31 Hong Kong Street. Launched in June 2017, the three-storey conservation shophouse was converted into four units: a 300 sq ft studio and three two-bedroom apartments with sizes of 700 to 800 sq ft.

We were testing the concept at BASE Residences, says Manchharam. As its successful, he is in the process of adding eight more units to the building, bringing the total to 12.

He had also purchased the former The Club Hotel at 28 Ann Siang Road for $52 million, or $2,167 psf based on GFA of 24,000 sq ft in June 2017. Following extensive renovation, it reopened as Ann Siang House with 20 rooms on the upper floors, a new rooftop bar and F&B outlets on the first level.

While Ann Siang House has predominantly guests with shorter-term stays averaging three or four nights, BASE Residences has longer stays typically averaging one to two months. This is because the latter is designed as fully-fitted, serviced apartments. Manchharam is also expecting longer-term stays at KeSa House.

We feel that the locations our properties are on  Ann Siang Road, Keong Saik Road and Hong Kong Street  are those that people would like to live in because they are very vibrant, he adds.



Guests of Ann Siang House typically stay for three to four nights

Last July, he bought boutique hotel Wanderlust Hotel on Dickson Road in Little India for $37 million. Based on the GFA of 15,500 sq ft, this translates into $2,387 psf. According to him, the property is currently undergoing redesign and rebranding, and it will be unveiled at the end of the year.

The room count of existing properties is 84. The future pipeline of accommodation units includes those at the former Wanderlust property as well as two other conservation shophouses  located at Carpenter Street and New Bridge Road  which 8M had purchased last year. The Carpenter Street and New Bridge Road properties will be redeveloped later this year with acclaimed architectural firm WOHA Architects as the designer.

Earlier this year, 8M Real Estate paid $80 million for six conservation shophouses at Tanjong Pagar, which had already received URA approval for hotel operations on the upper floors. Manchharam intends to convert the upper floors into studios.

Placemaking

To create a unique experience for guests, 8Ms Manchharam takes time to curate the F&B tenants at each of his properties. He spent almost a year speaking to potential tenants for the F&B space on the ground floor of KeSa House. One such tenant is Hong Kong-based cocktail bar The Old Man  ranked No 5 on the Asias 50 Best Bars and No 10 on The Worlds 50 Best Bars lists. Its outlet at KeSa House is its first one overseas.

There is also homegrown modern French bistro Mags Wine Kitchen that was previously located on Circular Road for 25 years. The owner had intended to leave her premises at Circular Road, and Manchharam convinced her to move to Keong Saik Road. She thought it would be too quiet here but now she realises its not, he says.

Other F&B offerings at KeSa House include Olivia Restaurant & Lounge, conceived as an all-day dining destination as Keong Saik Road typically draws a dinner crowd. Theres also Pasta Bar and Affogato Lounge. Affogato Lounge is a partnership between 8M Real Estate and Affogato Bar at Cluny Court.

Having a good mix of F&B tenants not only helps to improve guest experience, but also plays a broader role in rejuvenating the neighbourhood, says Manchharam. Placemaking takes time.

Millennial and luxury travellers alike are seeking unique experiences. Increasingly, this is what people are looking for even in business travel, observes JLLs Bury. This is not just about a room but the people you interact with, and the F&B offerings. In Singapore, for example, more hotels are introducing elements such as local design and food that is unique to their location, in order to create a sense of place and identity for the asset, he adds.

Beyond the city area

In March last year, Manchharam purchased nine conservation shophouses and a commercial building at Boat Quay and Circular Road as well as New Bridge Road near the Singapore River. He paid $82.5 million for the portfolio.



Manccharam: We know Singapore and we know it well. I think theres enough opportunities here for us to grow [our] portfolio in different ways.

We are also heavily invested in Boat Quay and Circular Road, he says. Its another location we think has long-term potential. For now, Boat Quay is still heavily focused on tourists. He feels that perception needs to be changed in order to draw locals to the area. We are trying to introduce some new concepts there to bring the locals back, he adds.

Around the same time that 8M Real Estate purchased the six conservation shophouses in Tanjong Pagar earlier this year, the group also purchased four shophouses  located on Amoy Street and Gemmill Lane in the CBD as well as at the end of Lorong Mambong in Holland Village.

While 8M Real Estate has steered away from the residential sector and focused mainly on acquiring shophouses with a hospitality and F&B focus, Manchharam says that his business has been affected by the property cooling measures introduced last July as investors switched their focus from the residential market. We are kind of affected because a lot of people have come into this space [shophouses] since last year, he laments. People were jumping into this market because of the cooling measures in the residential sector. Thats what has driven up transaction volume and prices of shophouses towards the end of last year.

Manchharam understands the rationale. A foreigner buying a residential property in Singapore thats more than $1 million will be hit by a buyers stamp duty of 24%. They would rather pay 20% more for a prime commercial property than pay the 24% tax, he says.

While many Singapore developers and investors are looking offshore in the wake of the latest property cooling measures, Manchharam says he intends to stay focused on the local market. We know Singapore well, he says. I think there are enough opportunities here for us to grow our portfolio. Right now, we are focused in the city area, but we will move out to other areas. That would be the natural progression  to move out of the city but not outside of Singapore.

See Also:






Most European equities rebounded Friday as investors bet on Beijing and Washington ending their trade war, mirroring earlier gains in Asia, but Wall Street investors seemed more sceptical of the chances for any 11th hour breakthrough. The contrasting views reflected rattled investor nerves on the day the US doubled its tariffs on a host of Chinese goods, dealers said. Paris and Frankfurt closed higher, while London ran into a late bout of selling to end a touch lower. Across the Atlantic meanwhile the Dow index was down by more than 300 points in the late New York morning. "US stocks are extending a weekly drop, which is poised to be the largest of the year, with the US following through on its threat to increase tariffs on Chinese goods as the two sides continue talks today in Washington," the Charles Schwab brokerage said. In a brief respite from trade woes, Uber kicks off its Wall Street listing Friday with a vast share offering that values the ride-hailing giant at more than $82 billion. US President Donald Trump has pulled the trigger on a steep increase in tariffs on Chinese goods, ramping up punitive duties on $200 billion in imports from 10 to 25 percent in a major escalation of the bitter trade war between the world's two biggest economies. However, Russ Mould, investment director at stockbroker AJ Bell, said markets were adopting a wait-and-see approach -- and he suspected that a deal would eventually be clinched. - 'Real facts' - "Investors hate uncertainty as it leads to speculation about what might and might not happen. Once they have the real facts, investors can properly assess the situation," Mould told AFP. "I suspect that markets still believe a deal can and will be done, because both President Xi and President Trump need one," he added. The tariffs news failed to derail markets in Asia and Europe, after Trump stated also that he had received a "beautiful letter" from China's President Xi Jinping -- and that it was "possible" to get a deal. "Xi needs a deal to keep economic growth on the road, because the ongoing credibility and legitimacy of his tenure and the Communist Party more generally rests on jobs and prosperity," said Mould. "Trump needs one because he seems to measure his success by where the Dow Jones Industrials is trading and because he has an election to fight in 2020. "Winning that will be a lot harder if the US economy is slowing down or even turning down," the analyst added. - Shanghai leads - In Asia, Shanghai led gains at the end of a torrid week for equities, with investors nevertheless keeping a eye on the ongoing China-US trade talks. Both Shanghai and Hong Kong bounced back on hopes the economic superpowers will be able to reach a deal to avert a trade war that most observers warn could shatter global growth and batter markets. But China has vowed to hit back at the tariffs hike, saying it "deeply" regretted the US move. The tariffs came in after the first day of high-stakes negotiations in Washington between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. - Red-hot Thyssenkrupp - The slightly improved sentiment provided support to higher-yielding, riskier currencies, with the yuan edging higher though it continues to wallow around four-month lows. However, in a worrying sign, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times -- which is published by the Communist Party's People's Daily -- cited a source familiar with the talks as saying there is "zero" chance of a deal before Friday. "If it is that bad, the real suspense is whether the two sides will continue negotiations after Friday," Hu said. In addition to a rosier view on trade talks, European markets also got a boost from strong economic data, including accelerated British economic growth, and a stronger trade surplus for Germany. Frankfurt's Dax index outperformed its European peers largely thanks to a whopping surge in Thyssenkrupp shares which rose over 20 percent after the steel conglomerate said it was dropping its merger plans with Tata of India. - Key figures around 1540 GMT - London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 7,203.29 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.7 percent at 12,059.83 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 5,327.44 (close) EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.3 percent at 3,361.05 New York - Dow: DOWN 1.2 percent at 25,515.21 Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.3 percent at 21,344.92 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.8 percent at 28,550.24 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 3.1 percent at 2,939.21 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1244 from $1.1215 at 2100 GMT Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3029 from $1.3014 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 109.61 yen from 109.74 yen Oil - Brent Crude: UP 23 cents at $70.62 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP 8 cents at $61.78 burs-jh/klm
SINGAPORE (May 10): Vicom declared 1Q19 earnings of $7.3 million, 4.8% higher than $7.0 million in 1Q18.

This came on the back of a 4.1% increase in revenue to $25.5 million from $24.5 million a year ago, contributed by higher business volumes.

Total operating costs also increased by 2.5% to $16.7 million from $16.3 million last year.

Hence, operating profit for 1Q19 increased by 7.4% to $8.8 million compared to $8.2 million in 1Q18.

As at end-March, the groups cash and cash equivalents stood at $112.8 million.

On the outlook, the vehicle testing business is expected to improve as a record high number of 37,000 old private cars, all of which are subjected to mandatory annual inspections, renewed their Certificates of Entitlement in 2018.

Meanwhile, the group expects its non-vehicle testing business to remain challenging as a result of the slowing Singapore economy.

Shares in Vicom closed at $6.50 on Friday.
Chinese tourists flock to the newly rehabilitated Boracay island.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has announced the record-high international tourist arrivals in the first quarter of the year, underscoring that it is an encouraging sign that Philippine tourism is on the right track.

In its Facebook post on Thursday, May 9, the DOT reported that the country welcomed 2,204,564 foreign visitors in the first three months of 2019, reflecting a 7.59 percent rise from last years 2,049,094 over the same period.

It quoted Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat saying, The DOT is working on enhancing our tourism products and tourism infrastructure to entice tourists to choose the Philippines as their next destination.

The report showed that South Korea remains as the top source market with 519,584 tourist arrivals compared to last years 477,087.

It was followed by the Chinese market ranking second with 463,804 total visitors, 24.87 percent higher than the previous years tally of 371,429.

Taiwanese visitors also grew to 77,908 from 59,877 in 2018, presenting the highest percentage increase of 30.11 percent for the period in review.

American visitors came next in the ranking with 293,780, up by 3.10 percent from last year.

Completing the top 12 markets for the three-month period are: Japan, 177,769; Taiwan, 77,908; Australia, 73,147; Canada, 72,352; United Kingdom, 53,402; Singapore, 39,484; Malaysia, 37,651; India, 36,275; and Germany, 33,725.

The report also highlighted that for March numbers alone, the DOT reports a visitor arrival of 714,309 or an 11.13 percent growth versus the same month last year.

Notably, France entered the top 12 for the month of March, posting 10,715 visitors, a 26.21 percent growth from last years March tally of 8,489.

The balikbayans or the visiting Philippine passport-holders permanently residing abroad (not including overseas Filipino workers) totaled 14,610 as of March.

Sec. Puyat highlighted that the rehabilitated Boracay Island, touted as a model of sustainable tourism development, has attracted a growing number of visitors since reopening in October last year.

The DOT chief also attributed the upward trend in tourist arrivals to the countrys improved connectivity. /mbmf

The post 7.6% increase in foreign tourist arrivals for Q1 2019, encouraging sign for Phl tourism  DOT appeared first on UNTV News.
FILE PHOTO: Poll workers count ballots after polls closed at a polling station during the referendum on a border dispute with Belize in Guatemala City FILE PHOTO: Poll workers count ballots after polls closed at a polling station during a referendum on a border dispute with Belize in Guatemala City, Guatemala April 15, 2018. REUTERS/Luis Echeverria/File Photo

By Jose Sanchez

BELIZE CITY (Reuters) - Belizeans have voted to ask the United Nations world court to decide Guatemala's claim that it is the rightful owner of half of Belize's territory, setting the scene for a resolution to a dispute that has rumbled on for centuries.

In a referendum held on Wednesday, 55.4 percent of voters opted to send the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, according to results published by Belize's elections and boundaries department on Thursday.

The remaining 44.6 percent of voters in the former British colony in Central America opposed the motion to ask the court.

Guatemalans in April 2018 voted by an overwhelming majority to have the ICJ rule on the dispute, which stretches back to the dawn of the colonial era in the Americas.

In a statement, Guatemala's government applauded the result and said it would immediately contact the foreign ministry of Belize to agree the next steps in the process.

"The final resolution of the dispute will broaden and deepen the good relations that exist between Guatemala and Belize," the Guatemalan foreign ministry said.

Marta Larra, a spokeswoman for the ministry, estimated it could be around four years before a final court decision.

"The most important thing for Guatemala is defining the border," said Larra.

Officials from the U.S. State Department, the European Union and the Organization of American States (OAS) also welcomed the outcome of the referendum.

Guatemala recognized the independence of Belize at the beginning of the 1990s. But it never accepted the borders and continues to claim about 11,000 square km (4,250 square miles) of Belize, about half of its territory.

In December 2008, both countries signed a deal that its inhabitants could vote to decide whether the territorial claim, which includes various islands, should be decided by the ICJ.

Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow is betting the court will settle the issue once and for all by confirming the borders.

Story continues

In Belize City, Barrow told a news conference he wanted to make sure there were "no slip-ups" in preparing Belize's case.

An English-speaking country of around 375,000 people, Belize became independent in 1981.

Inhabited by Maya before the arrival of Europeans, the territory was claimed by Spain and settled by British buccaneers during the 17th century. Belize later became a British possession surrounded by countries that Spain had colonized.

(Reporting by Jose Sanchez; additional reporting by Sofia Menchu in Guatemala City; editing by Dave Graham, Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O'Brien)
Brunei said Friday it does not discriminate against people's "sexual orientation" despite a new sharia criminal code that includes death by stoning for gay sex and adultery. While the country's sultan announced this week that such measures would not be enforced, the country remained on the defensive at a rare review of its record at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday. The small sultanate on Borneo island has faced global backlash over last month's decision to add sharia law to its criminal codes. "The Syariah (sharia) penal code order does not criminalise a person's status based (on) sexual orientation or belief," deputy foreign minister Dato Erywan Mohn Yusof said. Yusof was speaking at Brunei's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), during which a country's human rights performance faces scrutiny every five years. He said that people in Brunei, "regardless of their sexual orientation, have continued to live and pursue their activities in their private space. "They are not discriminated against in any way." The sharia code, which also punishes theft with the amputation of hands and feet, fully came into force in April, making it the only country in East or Southeast Asia with sharia law at the national level. A range of diplomats called on Brunei to implement sweeping reforms. Canada warned the country was "moving towards increasingly inhumane treatment of both citizens and non-citizens" and urged the decriminalisation of "sexual activity between same-sex consenting adults," a call echoed by several European and Latin American states. Luxembourg said it wanted "concrete guarantees" that the sultan's pledges regarding the death penalty moratorium would be upheld. The United States voiced concern that the full implementation of sharia would "contravene Brunei's international human rights obligations and commitments." Responding to criticism, Yusof said that while Brunei did not criminalise individuals over personal choices, it does prohibit "the act" of gay sex to protect the nation's "religion, tradition and social fabric and values." The sultan -- one of the world's wealthiest men, who has been on the throne for over five decades -- announced plans for the sharia penal code in 2013. While gay Bruneians voiced relief that the death penalty for homosexual sex would not be enforced, they said the law still encourages discrimination against LGBT people in the former British protectorate of about 400,000 people.
MANILA, Philippines  Motorcycle ride-hailing company Angkas may now operate legally in the country beginning next month, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Friday.

After months of public clamor, motorcycle taxis can start picking up passengers again without fear of apprehension.

In a statement, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said he had approved the pilot operations of motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu from June until the end of 2019.

Inaasahang magsisimula ang pilot implementation ng motorcycle taxi operations, katuwang ang ride-hailing service na Angkas, sa unang bahagi ng Hunyo o isang buwan matapos lagdaan ni Secretary Tugade ang General Guidelines sa pilot implementation, at kasunod ng pagpapatupad ng naaayong public awareness campaign, he said.

However, Tugade clarified that the operation is just a test run for six months to help lawmakers finalize proposals on motorcycle ride booking.

Importante ang pilot implementation na ito upang ma-refine pa natin ang general guidelines, at masilip ang mga posibleng problema sa proseso o sa standards, nang sa gayon ay makatulong tayo sa pagbabalangkas ng batas na talagang akma sa mga pangangailangan at kaligtasan ng ating mga commuter, Tugade said.

He also reminded motorcycle taxi drivers to follow safety requirements, like wearing helmet and reflectorized vest; observing the 60-kilometer per hour speed limit and maintenance of motorcycles condition.

Mariin naming binabalaan ang mga ride-hailing servicena sumunod sa safety requirements sa kanilang operasyon. Huwag ninyong sayangin ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob namin sa inyo sa pagbibigay ng serbisyo publiko sa mga commuter, Tugade said.

The management of Angkas and its over 27,000 motorcycle units have welcomed the good news.

We are very happy that Secretary Tugade is looking into this We will definitely provide all the necessary updates on the application and also on the information campaign to the public, said George Royeca, the head of Angkas regulatory and public affairs.

Story continues

Angkas operation was suspended in November 2017 by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for operating without business permit and violating the land transportation and traffic code.

Angkas challenged the suspension order before the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court, which issued a preliminary injunction against the order in September 2018.

After it resumed operations, the Supreme Court issued in December a temporary restraining order against Mandaluyong court ruling, suspending Angkas operations. (with details from Joan Nano)

The post DOTr allows motorcycle ride-hailing firm Angkas to legally operate appeared first on UNTV News.
Finger infected by monkeypox. (PHOTO: AP)

SINGAPORE  The first case of monkeypox infection in Singapore was confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday (9 May).

The patient is a 38-year-old Nigerian man who arrived in Singapore alone on 28 April, said MOH in a media release. He tested positive for monkeypox on 8 May, and is warded in stable condition in an isolation ward at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The patient stayed at a hotel at 21 Lorong 8 Geylang from 28 April and had attended a workshop at 3 Church Street on 29 and 30 April. He developed fever, muscle ache, chills and skin rash on 30 April.

He reported that he had remained in his hotel room most of the time between 1 and 7 May. He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by an ambulance on 7 May and referred to NCID on the same day.

The patient said that prior to his arrival in Singapore, he had attended a wedding in Nigeria, where he may have consumed bush meat, which could be a source of transmission of monkeypox virus.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is caused by a virus that is primarily transmitted to humans from animals. Infected persons would typically experience fever, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen lymph nodes and skin rash.

Most patients recover within two to three weeks. In some cases, however, the virus can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis (brain inflammation) and eye infection with ensuing loss of vision.

Transmission of the monkeypox virus usually occurs when a person comes into close contact with infected animals (typically rodents) through the hunting and consumption of bush meat.

Human-to-human transmission, while possible, is limited. A person is infectious only during the period when he has symptoms, particularly skin rash.

Professor Leo Yee Sin, NCIDs executive director, said, The risk of community spread of monkeypox within Singapore is low. There is no evidence to date that human-to-human transmission alone can sustain monkeypox infections in the human population.

Story continues

On average, each infected person transmits the infection to less than one other person. This is much less infectious than the common flu. The chain of transmission can also be broken through contact tracing and quarantine of close contacts.

Close contacts identified, quarantined

MOH has identified 23 people as close contacts of the patient after its investigation and contact tracing. These include 18 participants and trainers who attended the same workshop, one staff at the workshop venue and four hotel staff who had close contact with the patient.

These people have been assessed by NCID and offered vaccination, which can prevent the disease or reduce the severity of symptoms. As a precaution, they will be quarantined and monitored for 21 days from their date of exposure to the patient.

All other contacts who have a low risk of being infected were also put under active surveillance, and will be contacted twice daily to monitor their health status.

Precautions to take

MOH advises travellers to areas affected by monkeypox in Central and Western Africa to take precautions, including:

Maintain a high standard of personal hygiene, including frequent hand washing after going to the toilet, or when hands are soiled.

Avoid direct contact with skin lesions of infected living or dead persons or animals, as well as objects that may have become contaminated with infectious fluids, such as soiled clothing or linens (e.g. bedding or towels) used by an infected person.

Avoid contact with wild animals, and consumption of bush meat.

Seek immediate medical attention if they develop any disease symptoms (e.g. sudden onset of high fever, swollen lymph nodes and rash) within three weeks of their return. They should inform their doctor of their recent travel history.

Other Singapore stories:

NSF, 25, charged with evading national service for over 5 years

New scanning technology may be adopted to combat illegal wildlife trade: Sun Xueling

Maid who hid $5,002 stolen from employer in her vagina jailed
The power to request a fugitive be sent from Hong Kong to mainland China should rest solely with the countrys supreme court, a lawmaker has said of a contentious extradition bill.

China has adopted the rule of law. But policies made by the central government are often distorted when they reach the provincial and municipal levels, said financial services sector legislator Christopher Cheung Wah-fung, a member of the Business and Professionals Alliance, on Friday.

Thats why I have suggested that only the Supreme Peoples Court should have the power to initiate an extradition request [if the bill is passed].

The controversial bill drew heated debate at the city leaders monthly question and answer session in the Legislative Council on Thursday.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor dismissed concerns and criticism against the government proposal as trash talk. In return, opposition lawmakers shouted insults and a profanity at Lam, calling her a liar and an unrespectable woman.

The bill would allow case-by-case transfers of fugitives between Hong Kong and jurisdictions the city lacks a long-term agreement with, including mainland China and Taiwan.

The proposal sparked concerns among the pro-democracy camp, human rights groups, the business sector, Taiwan and some foreign powers that anyone in Hong Kong could be caught and transferred to mainland China for political reasons or inadvertent business offences.

Cheung, speaking on a radio show, said the general public and the business sector were worried because the government had rushed to put forth its proposal and the pan-democratic camp had been exaggerating and politicising the issue.

I think Hongkongers and the business community will be less worried if the government accepts the two amendments I suggest, Cheung said.

Earlier, the government agreed to remove nine offences from the original list of 46 after lobbying by the business sector.

Story continues

The exempted offences were mostly related to commercial crimes, concerning bankruptcy, stock exchange, intellectual property, capital transfer, tax and trade descriptions.

Apart from limiting the power to request to the top national court, Cheungs other idea, floated earlier, was to further narrow the scope of offences by keeping it only to those entailing a minimum prison sentence of seven to 10 years.

The current proposal covered offences leading to a minimum of three years in jail.

Cheung added the government should spend more time explaining its proposal, to ease public concerns.

When asked whether he and his colleagues would veto the proposal if the government refused the additional changes, Cheung said he wished for a positive response but the alliance had to further discuss its voting strategy.

On the same radio show, Democratic Party lawmaker Wu Chi-wai urged the government to retract the proposal and warned that the pan-democratic bloc would launch an all-out filibuster war in Legco if the government refused to take a step back.

Time is still on the chief executives side. She can retract the proposal, and solve the Taiwan murder case with a one-off arrangement. Afterwards, the government can restart a better public consultation for an extradition arrangement covering other jurisdictions, Wu said.

The amendment debate was triggered when Hongkonger Chan Tong-kai was accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Taipei last year, but fled before facing charges. He was jailed in Hong Kong for 29 months for related money-laundering charges in April and could be released as early as October.

The government claims its haste to pass the bill is to allow for Chans extradition to Taiwan before then.

Taipei on Thursday said it would not request the transfer of Chan under the current proposed arrangement.

This article Hong Kong extradition bill: Only Chinas supreme court should be able to request transfer of fugitives, lawmaker says first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.
It got delayed for two decadesand passed three administrations before its construction started. Still, the long wait is finally over. Last Tuesday, May 7, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade led officials from the DOTr, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Light Rail Manila Corp (LRMC) and project partners to witness the official start of construction of the LRT Line 1 Cavite extension.

Secretary Tugade expressed his support for the project, and explained that the two-year delay was the result of factors such as right of way issues, relocation of various utilities, and acquisition of light rail vehicles.

@www.officialgazette.gov.ph

The LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension is a major infrastructure from Cavite to Greater Manila and is part of President Dutertes Build, Build, Build Program.

The project will stretch the existing line from20 kilometers to 32.4 kilometers, adding in around 11.7 kilometers. It will also include eight brand new stations from its last station in Baclaran (crossing the cities of Paranaque and Las Pinas, leading to the city of Bacoor in Cavite), and will be located at Redemptorist, MIA MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Pinas, Zapote, and Niog.

Secretary Tugade also added that partial operations from Baclaran to Dr. Santos station is expected to be finished by the 4th quarter of 2021.

Tugade also added that traveling from Baclaran to Cavite will be shortened to 25 minutes instead of the usual 1 hour and 10 minutes of travel time. They also plan to double the average daily ridership, from the current 458,000 to around 800,000 commuters.

The post LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension to Reduce Travel Time from 1 Hour to 25 Minutes appeared first on Carmudi Philippines.
Fort Meade Army Reserves lawyer Deirdre Hendrick and Navy Petty Officer First Class Alice Ashton are two transgender women working to keep trans people in the military.

On April 12, the ban on transgender individuals entering the military went into effect. Hendrick and Ashtonjoined transgender military members advocacy group Service Members, Partners, Allies for Respect and Tolerance for All (SPART*A) tohelp 18 trans military members keep their jobs over the course of a month leading up to the 12th, according to Military Times.

I said, Look, these people are going to get kicked out if they dont get this fixed by this date. I feel morally obligated to help them, Hendrick told the Capital Gazette in Maryland.

Service members had to get a diagnosis of gender dysphoria before April 12 to be grandfathered into the military. However, it wasn't clear the ban would go into effect until March 12 and Military Times reported that it typically takes three months to receive a diagnosis.Hendrick and Ashton helped as many people get their diagnoses as they could, but are still worried for the future of trans people in the military.
With two missile launches in the space of a week, North Korea is treading a fine line between increasing pressure on the US and not derailing their nuclear negotiations -- all the while giving itself room to escalate, analysts say. Pyongyang fired two short-range missiles Thursday -- following an earlier drill on Saturday -- having not launched any since November 2017, shortly before leader Kim Jong Un embarked on diplomatic overtures. Kim declared an end to the testing of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles amid a rapid rapprochement last year, paving the way for his first summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June. But a second summit between the two mercurial leaders in Hanoi in February broke up without a deal after they failed to agree on what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief. Since then Kim has accused Washington of acting in "bad faith", and given it until the end of the year to change its approach. Despite recent threats by the North to seek a new path, analysts say the nature and presentation of the two recent launches demonstrate that it does not intend to walk away from talks any time soon. "It has not once used the word 'missile'," said Go Myong-hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies. Reports carried by the North's state media have instead described them as "tactical guided weapons" and "flying objects". Washington and Japan have both described Thursday's launch as "short-range ballistic missiles", although acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told CBS it was "a very non-provocative provocation". Missile tests could jeopardise the ongoing diplomacy if they violate UN Security Council bans on ballistic technology. The North "will keep increasing pressure and every next step will be more and more serious", said Professor Andrei Lankov of Kookmin University. "They are just sending signals saying that Americans should not count on North Koreans remaining idle and helpless and waiting for what will be decided in Washington," he told AFP. - 'New chapter' - Thursday's launch came just hours after the US Special Representative on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, arrived in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials on their approach towards Pyongyang. The missile tests were "well-timed", said Go, and were intended to pressure the security allies ahead of their meeting. "North Korea is trying to make its case on ending the joint military drills between Seoul and Washington in future negotiations," added Cheong Seong-chang, an analyst at the Sejong Institute. "If that's the North Korean calculation, it is highly likely that there will be more short-range missile tests," he added. Analysts warned that by starting with a low-key launch, Pyongyang had left room to raise the temperature if things do not go its way. If it ends up doing so, leading to complete suspension of dialogue between the US and North next year, "we could look back and see these missile launches as a new chapter of North Korea's provocation cycle", Go said. Since Hanoi, North Korea has repeatedly warned that it could take a different approach if Washington did not change its stance on sanctions. "They did not specify but it's widely understood as a hint that they will resume nuclear tests and ICBM launches," Lankov said. And even if the North refrains from more serious violations, a prolonged campaign of testing short-range missiles would "erode trust" and complicate negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington, the Eurasia Group said in a report. "Trump wants to keep relations with Kim," it said, "but he would also not want to appear weak or foolish in the face of repeated provocations."
A Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire during new clashes on the Gaza border Friday, the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled enclave said. Abdullah Abd al-Aal, 24, was shot in the stomach on the border east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, a ministry spokesman said, in the first protests there since a deadly flare-up last weekend. A further 13 demonstrators were shot during demonstrations in various places along the fractious border, the spokesman said. The regular and often violent weekly protests, which began more than a year ago, were quieter than on normal Fridays, said an AFP correspondent on the scene. An Israeli army spokeswoman said approximately 6,000 people took part in the demonstrations. She cited "a number of explosions identified in the Gaza Strip, as well as a number of attempts to approach the fence" dividing the besieged coastal territory from Israeli territory. Protesters are calling for Israel to end its more than decade-long blockade of Gaza. This week's demonstrations were seen as a key test for a fragile truce agreed between Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas and Israel. Militants in Gaza fired hundreds of rockets at Israel last weekend, prompting Israeli forces to strike dozens of targets inside the Strip in response. Over two days, 25 Palestinians were killed including at least nine militants, along with four Israeli civilians. The truce agreement was announced by Palestinian factions early Monday.
A boat carrying around 70 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa has sunk in the Mediterranean, leaving three people dead and dozens missing, Tunisian officials said Friday. The bodies of three people who drowned in the incident were found Friday, a spokesman for the Tunisian defence ministry said, adding the boat left Zuwara on the northwestern Libyan coast on Thursday. A fishing boat picked up 16 survivors, who were transferred on board one of three military vessels involved in the search and rescue operation, said spokesman Mohamed Zekri. A Maltese helicopter was also mobilised, he said. According to those rescued, between 60 to 70 people from sub-Saharan Africa were thought to be on board, Zekri added. Interior ministry spokesman Sofiene Zaag said however around 75 people were believed to have been on board the Italy-bound boat when it left Libya. The Red Crescent said there could have been as many as 90 passengers on board the ill-fated vessel, which could indicate a much steeper death toll. "We will probably never know the exact number of those who died," said Mongi Slim, a Red Crescent official in the southern Tunisian town of Zarzis, where those rescued were taken. Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has vowed to close the country's ports to migrants, although earlier Friday dozens who had been rescued at sea disembarked in Sicily. Rome's populist government has taken an increasingly hard line on migration, and Salvini, head of the anti-immigrant League party, last month signed a new directive banning charity vessels from rescuing migrants off Libya. - 'World's deadliest sea crossing' - The UN agency for refugees UNHCR meanwhile called for stepped up search and rescue operations to avoid future tragedies in the Mediterranean, which it calls the "world's deadliest sea crossing". "Across the region we need to strengthen the capacity of search and rescue operations," said Vincent Cochetel, the agency's special envoy for the Mediterranean. "If we don't act now, we're almost certain to see more tragic events in the coming weeks and months," he warned. According to the UNHCR, the journey across the Mediterranean "is becoming increasingly fatal for those who risk it". "In the first four months of this year, one person has died (crossing the Mediterranean) for every three that have reached European shores, after departing from Libya," it said. That is up from last year's toll of one person in 14, according to the UN refugee agency. Libya, which has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that killed veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi, has long been a major transit route for people desperate to reach Europe. Over the past week, and despite a surge in violence following the launch of an assault on Tripoli by strongman Khalifa Haftar, Libyan authorities have rescued hundreds of migrants stranded at sea. According to the International Organization for Migration, 101 migrants were returned to Libya on Friday, two days after Libyan coastguard intercepted boats. The UN and rights groups have repeatedly decried the conditions in which migrants are held in Libya, where around 6,000 migrants are at detention centres, according to the IOM. The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights NGO has denounced what it said were the European Union's "restrictive and inhumane policies" which it said led to the latest "human tragedy".
FILE PHOTO: Turkey's Hulusi Akar, when he was chief of the general staff, during the EFES-2018 military exercise near the Aegean port city of Izmir, Turkey May 10, 2018. REUTERS/Osman Orsal/File Photo

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - (This story corrects date of Russian defence minister comment in 7th paragraph)

Turkey's defence minister said Syrian government forces need to halt attacks in northwestern Syria, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported on Friday.

Syria's army, backed by Russian air power, launched ground operations this week against the southern flank of a rebel zone consisting of Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Syrian forces should return to territories agreed in an international deal in Kazakhstan to reduce hostilities and casualties.

"Humanitarian problems grow each day and it is increasingly showing a tendency to turn into a catastrophe," he said.

Akar also said the attacks pose a threat to the security of Turkey's observation posts in the northwest, where Turkey carries out patrols.

"We expect Russia to take effective and determined measures to make regime forces stop their attacks on the south of Idlib and immediately return to the borders set by the Astana agreement," Akar said, referring to the Kazakh capital by its previous name.

On Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said the operation was a reaction to terrorists in the area, and was being carried out "in coordination with our Turkish partners," TASS news agency reported.

The United Nations Security Council was briefed behind closed doors on Friday on the situation in northwest Syria. Afterward, 11 the 15 members - including the United States, France and Britain - jointly condemned the killing of civilians and warned of a possible humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib.

"We are alarmed by the displacement of over 150,000 persons as well as the targeting of population centres and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools," Belgian U.N. Ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve told reporters on behalf of the 11 members.

(Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Sarah Dadouch; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Dominic Evans and Toby Chopra)
(WB) The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights laws.

The Equality Act, which U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in March, passed the committee by a 22-10 vote margin with all Republican committee members voting against it. The openly gay Rhode Island Democrat in a statement after the vote said fairness and equality are core American values.

This bill affirms those values and ensures members of the LGBTQ community can live their lives free from the fear of legal discrimination of any kind, said Cicilline.

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), who chairs the committee, spoke in favor of the Equality Act at the beginning of the markup, which is the first time one has taken place for the perennial bill.

This is long-overdue legislation that will explicitly prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming Americans and strengthen nondiscrimination protections for women and others, said the New York Democrat.

Equality Act supporters who spoke on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday agreed with Nadler.

The American dream is broken when all states are not united, said Carter Brown, founder of Black Trans Men who said he lost his job in Texas because of his gender identity. All Americans need permanent, explicit nondiscrimination laws in place and enforced.

The Equality Act would specifically add gender identity and sexual orientation to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act.

The bill has 240 co-sponsors in the House from both sides of the aisle. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) has introduced the Equality Act in the U.S. Senate.

Its time for Congress to add explicit federal LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections to our nations civil rights laws, said the Human Rights Campaign in a tweet.

Advocates have urged the full House to approve the Equality Act.
Anyone who has traveled a fair amount knows the value of a good tote. The workhorse of the travel bag ensemble, its the perfect carry-all for your essentials. You can toss everything in one roomy bag (were talking wallet, passport, phone, headphones, tablet, book, scarf, sweater, toiletry bag, water bottle, snacks  dont forget the snacks!, and even a travel pillow), grab it, and go.

But many standard totes tend to have two straps and a main compartment, and thats about it. While theyre perfectly fine for day-to-day use, travel requires something that's far less prone to organization chaos. You dont want to spend tons of time digging through the depths of your bag to find your chapstick (the ultimate in-flight essential), having your headphones and charging cords tangled in a mess with your keys, or even worse, holding up the security line as you rummage for your ID or boarding pass.

Related: The Best Weekender Bags for Every Style

So while any old tote might work for the grocery store or gym, not all totes were created equal when it comes to travel. When were on the go, we ask a little more of our trusty travel bags. And for those (like me) who are always rushing to make it to the gate before they shut the doors, anything that helps you stay organized is much appreciated.

Below, weve rounded up the best tote bags for travel that get our seal of approval  theyre stylish without sacrificing utility, durability, or carrying ability. So scroll ahead for your new go-to travel companion. You wont want to leave home without it.

These are the best tote bags to travel with:

The Business Bag: Dagne Dover Signature Legend Coated Canvas Tote

Story continues

Courtesy of Dagne Dover

For jet-setters going from a business meeting to a client dinner straight to a flight, this bag will keep everything in its proper place. The interior features padded slots for a tablet and a 14-inch laptop, plus dedicated pockets sized perfectly for your phone, wallet, subway card, sunglasses, water bottle, and even loops for your pens and lip balm. When you get home, find your keys in a cinch at the end of the built-in key leash.

To buy: dagnedover.com, $265

The All-around MVP: Cuyana Leather Zipper Tote

Courtesy of Cuyana

Exemplifying its motto of fewer, better things, Cuyana makes beautiful, minimalist products that instantly become wardrobe staples. This bag in a soft, luxurious Argentinian leather  and available in an array of muted, sophisticated tones  transitions from work to brunch to the farmers market perfectly. And while many classic leather totes have open tops, the zipper closure on this one is especially useful for warding off pickpockets on international adventures. Might we also recommend getting the Tote Organization Insert to add even more structure?

To buy: cuyana.com, $195

The Packable Pick: Baggu Cloud Bag

Courtesy of Shopbop

These lightweight bags pack down into a palm-sized pouch, so you can easily tuck one into your luggage if you foresee flying home with one or two (or 12) more items than you arrived with  hey, shopping is a key part of the travel experience.

To buy: shopbop.com, $52

The Celebrities' Choice: Everlane The Day Market Tote

Courtesy of Everlane

Celebs from royal It Girl-of-the-moment Meghan Markle to the ever-chic Angelina Jolie have been spotted out and about with this simple yet sleek bag  and who are we to argue with their tastes? Bonus: the sumptuous Italian leather comes at a very agreeable price point.

To buy: everlane.com, $175

The Laptop Lugger: Knomo Grosvenor Place Expandable Laptop Tote Bag

Courtesy of Amazon

This Knomo bag marries form and function, with a rectangular shape made for comfortably toting around laptops sized up to 15.6 inches. There's also a trolley slip sleeve that fits over the handle of your wheeled luggage for easy carrying. Plus, travel without worry: The RFID-blocking liner will protect your credit cards and passport from wireless identity theft.

To buy: amazon.com, $199

The Classic: Longchamp 'Large Le Pliage' Tote

Courtesy of Nordstrom

If black is too blase, this cult-favorite bag comes in tons of gorgeous shades like vibrant red and olive green, both perfect ways to add color that wont clash with your travel ensemble (which, if youre like us, consists of comfy black stretch pants). It's made with water-resistant nylon, so a bit of rain won't keep you from a day of boutique-hopping.

To buy: nordstrom.com, $145

The Flight Chaser: Lo & Sons Catalina Deluxe Tote

Courtesy of Lo & Sons

A favorite among in-the-know travelers, this sturdy canvas bag works as a weekender or a carry-on bag. The ingenious exterior pocket unzips into a sleeve so you can slip the bag over the handle of a rolling suitcase for a far less clumsy sprint to your gate. A separate bottom compartment means you can also keep a pair of slippers for your long-haul flight separate from the other myriad things you throw in your bag.

To buy: loandsons.com, $103 (originally $128)

The Budget-friendly Pick: L.L.Bean Everyday Lightweight Tote

Courtesy of L.L.Bean

The timeless popularity of L.L.Beans Boat and Tote bag is a testament to its quality and durability. But for those wanting a bit more organization and a little less Nantucket, heres an alternative: the Everyday Lightweight Tote. Starting at just $35, this tote will last you many years even with daily use. Water-resistant nylon makes it great for the pool or beach and the reinforced handles can withstand heavy lifting. There's also an exterior slot, interior pocket, and key clip keep your phone, wallet, and keys at the ready without digging around.

To buy: llbean.com, from $35

The Eco-Friendly Pick: Stella McCartney Reversible Faux Leather Tote

Courtesy of Nordstrom

We love this bag from Stella McCartney because it has the look and feel of real leather, but its actually completely vegan and cruelty-free. The chain-trim detail gives it a sleek high-fashion feel while its roomy interior is big enough to hold more than just the essentials. Whats more, the versatile tote is totally reversible  so you get two stylish bags for the price of one.

To buy: nordstrom.com, $1,250

The Convertible: Madewell Leather Transport Tote

Courtesy of Madewell

Sometimes you need to free up your arms or just want to sling your tote over your shoulder or wear it cross-body. This minimalist tote comes with a longer removable strap for just those occasions.

To buy: nordstrom.com, $158

The Worthy Splurge: Senreve Voya Tote

Courtesy of Senreve

Made in Italy, Senreve's bags are designed to be used, not tucked away in a dust bag. The pebbled leather exterior of this tote is scratch- and stain-resistant (and the microsuede interior won't stain either). You couldn't ask for more pockets inside, with two tech sleeves, and size slip pockets for smaller essentials. And a zip-top is always helpful to have when traveling.

To buy: senreve.com, $895

The Waterproof Warrior: Briggs & Riley Large Shopping Tote Bag

Courtesy of Zappos

Made of durable, abrasion-resistant ballistic nylon, this tote is great if you're traveling with kids or pets (and may have to deal with spills and scratches) or if youre just going somewhere where rain, sleet, and snow may be unkind to leather. Luggage-maker Briggs & Riley really thought of everything when they designed this tote: a waterproof pocket for a water bottle (or baby bottle), several exterior and interior pockets, and a sleeve for slipping this over a luggage handle for easy transport.

To buy: zappos.com, $199

The Carry-all: MZ Wallace Large Metro Quilted Tote

Courtesy of Bloomingdales

Large tote bags for travel are crucial for carrying everything you need while on the go. This ones spacious enough to hold just about anything  neck pillow, tablet, laptop, baby accessories, gym wear, you name it  but light as a feather so it wont weigh you down in transit. The quilting adds a bit of signature flair to an otherwise highly utilitarian tote: its easily packable, washable, and holds up to wear and tear. It also comes with detachable interior zip pouches that are great for organizing knick-knacks, or to use as a clutch when you dont want the take the whole bag.

To buy: bloomingdales.com, $235

The Faux Stow: Street Level Reversible Tote

Courtesy of Nordstrom

For those who prefer an animal-friendly  and more affordable  option, this best-seller looks like its made of lustrous leather even though the material is completely vegan. The included wristlet makes for a convenient place to stash your smaller items, and it's completely reversible, so you'll feel like you're packing two bags in one.

To buy: nordstrom.com, $50

The Beach Bum: Pamela Munson Petite Isla Bahia Fringe Tote

Courtesy of Shopbop

For a more bohemian look, the woven design of this tote will transition seamlessly from sea to Terminal C. The fully-lined straw bag boasts cheerful yellow straps and features an interior slip pocket thats spacious enough to fit your phone, credit cards, and other essentials.

To buy: shopbop.com, $285
Think youre a badass for trying to sneak a 3-oz bottle of shampoo past airport security? Thats nothing compared to what one chef from Peru just attempted to get through LAX.

Chef Virgilio Martinez, owner of Central restaurant in Peru and featured chef in the third season of Netflixs Chefs Table, landed in Los Angeles earlier this week. The chef was in town to take part in the Los Angeles Times month-long food festival known as the Food Bowl. For the event, Martinez decided to bring along a local delicacy in is checked luggage: 40 frozen piranhas.

I was extremely obsessed about bringing piranhas because we serve piranhas in the Amazon at Central, so I said, Guys, why not take a risk to bring piranhas to L.A.? Martinez told the Los Angeles Times. You probably have preconceived notions about piranhas because of movies but for me, piranhas, we go fish them.

According to Martinez, he was caught while going through customs. When officers opened his bag they asked, whats inside? Martinez says he simply replied, Bones.

Thanks to that answer he ended up in an interrogation room, where he was asked again why hed attempt to bring the rather toothy fish into the country.

I'm doing a special dinner with a friend who I really respect and Im going to do a dish I really enjoy doing, Martinez explained to officials, according to the Los Angeles Times.

After a five-hour interrogation, Martinez was ultimately let go.

I told him that it was from my heart and showed him a few photos, Martinez said. I took my book and said, Look, this is what I want to do with the piranhas. And he finally said, Oh, wow, go ahead.

According to the Customs and Border Protection, All travelers entering the United States are REQUIRED to DECLARE meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals, as well as plant and animal products (including soup or soup products) they may be carrying. The declaration must cover all items carried in both checked baggage, carry-on luggage, or in a vehicle.

Prohibited items that are not declared are confiscated and disposed of by agriculture specialists with customs, which is likely what happened to Martinezs piranhas. However, more importantly, Martinez could have faced a civil penalty of $1,000 for failure to declare prohibited agricultural products. Luckily for him, he got away with it to cook the odd-looking but delicious fish another day.
EU Chief Donald Tusk says theres a 20 to 30 percent chance the United Kingdom wont go through with Brexit after all.

After the British referendum in 2016, I thought that if we recognize that the case is closed, it will be the end, Tusk told Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, according to The Guardian. Today the chance that Brexit will not happen is, in my opinion, 20 to 30 percent. Thats a lot.

Tusk was the Polish prime minister before taking on his role as EU chief. in his interview with the Polish newspaper, he said that every month it is becoming increasingly clear that the U.K.s exit from the EU will look completely different than the Brexit that was promoted. I see no reason to capitulate.

The British people voted to leave the EU in the biggest democratic exercise in our history and the government is focused on delivering that result, a government spokesperson told The Sun. MPs have already voted on a second referendum a number of times and rejected it.

Brexit has been steadily losing popularity in the U.K. as the country grapples with the logistics of actually leaving the European Union.

A march for a second referendum (known as The Peoples Referendum march) claims to have brought together 1 million people in London on March 31.

The U.K. had been due to leave the EU on March 29, two years after negotiations, but the leave was delayed. Brexit negotiations have been plagued by a divided parliament, numerous extensions, and an inability to make significant progress. Last month, the EU extended Britains membership until Oct. 27, allowing more time for negotiations.
Hong Kong watering hole, The Old Man, takes the top spot in the Asia's 50 best bars list, and has now opened a Singapore outpost

Although it only opened in 2017, The Old Man has taken the top spot in the 2019 list of Asia's top 50 bars, revealed Thursday, May 9 at the Capitol Theatre in Singapore.

After two years at the top, Manhattan, located at the Regent Singapore hotel, is no longer Asia's best bar. It has been knocked off the number one spot by a Hong Kong watering hole serving cocktails featuring ingredients such as Swiss Gruyere cheese and beeswax-infused bourbon.

After coming fifth in the Asia list and 10th worldwide in 2018, The Old Man has built its menu around Ernest Hemingway's worldly travels and his tipples of choice, paying homage to the American novelist with a geometric portrait that watches over drinkers, and with the bar's name, nodding to his "The Old Man and the Sea" novel which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953.

The Hong Kong bar, in fact, claimed two victories at the event, also being named best bar in China. Singapore's Manhattan takes second place in the overall ranking for Asia and is number one for the city-state. The iconic bar was also crowned "Legend of the List."

Asia's third-best bar, Indulge Experimental Bistro, is found in Taipei and is Taiwan's best bar.

See the full list of Asia's 50 best bars at: www.worlds50bestbars.com.
When MCM was born in 1976 in Munich, rock stars and the glitterati were the first to embrace the label. Founder Michael Cromer Munchens trunks, suitcases and leather goods found a loyal audience in trendy, affluent travelers  and those who wanted to look like them.

It was about glamour, hedonism and extroverts showing off  it was a different kind of luxury, recalled Dirk Schonberger, global creative officer. Throughout the decades, it has stayed young.

Related stories

Mary J. Blige Looks Fierce in a Leather Minidress, Sexy Stompers on MCM x Tribeca Film Festival's Red Carpet

More than 40 years later, MCMs reputation as an irreverent house remains intact. The brand is leveraging its cheeky, cool cachet to debut a robust, expanded range of footwear and ready-to-wear that caters to its evolving audience. With me joining the [label], the mission is to build MCM as a total-look brand, where we see the biggest potential is footwear, said Schonberger, who was recruited seven months ago from his role as creative director at Adidas.

The executive has wasted no time letting the industry know whats to come.

MCM in June debuted its first RTW collection for spring 19 at Pitti Uomo in Florence, Italy, where neon runner sandals and chunky dad shoes offered a bold departure from its limited range of cognac brown and white monogram-embossed shoes. Styles for men and women have previously had a gender-neutral look.

It was a capsule with classic materials and allover logo, Schonberger said of MCMs footwear fare, but the first step was the more chunky sneaker. Im definitely planning to extend that on the sportswear side, and I want to introduce more dressy leather shoes. For spring 20, the line will expand even more, with offerings that cater separately to men and women.

[Footwear] has been the most underdeveloped category in the company, and its been my push, said Patrick Valeo, president of MCM Americas, acknowledging that the shoe styles have been limited since he joined the company more than four years ago. He noted that silhouettes like ballerinas, slides and wedge heels are on the agenda to drive growth.

Story continues

Indeed, the potential is in the numbers. In 2018, footwear represented 5% of MCMs retail business  the brands fastest-growing category. I do think that it can be 20% if we have the right assortment, said Valeo, adding that footwear sales grew 149% from 2017 to 2018.

MCM counts around $700 million in overall annual sales, and its strategy to expand in underrepresented categories helps position the company to reach a goal of $1 billion in 2020. South Korean entrepreneur Sung-Joo Kim, who acquired the brand in 2005 and moved its headquarters to Zurich, decentralized operations to better cater to constituents worldwide.

Retailers are also taking notice of MCMs ambition and progress. We had quadruple increase [in sales] originally at Bloomingdales and Saks, and now were in Nordstrom and Neimans, driving business, Valeo said.

Luxury marketing consultant Kathleen Ruiz, a 25-year veteran and former SVP of Business Development and Media for Hudsons Bay Company, said MCM has been successful in leveraging its profile through creative marketing and branding to stay relevant over the years. The brands strength right now is actually not being as overexposed as some of its luxury counterparts, said Ruiz, who founded marketing agency KRW Consulting. MCM is evolving in front of our eyes right now, and its exciting.

Last year, MCM collaborated with Puma on a buzzy collection of tracksuits and sneakers done in the latters Suede silhouettes. Reactions from editors, stylists and streetwear tastemakers were part of the catalyst for a full offering. That started the wheels spinning, said Valeo.

The media attention caught the eye of stylist and designer Misa Hylton, who partnered with MCM to create an allover logo bustier and accessories for Beyonce and Jay-Zs Apes**t music video, which debuted last June, after she saw Big Daddy Kanes outfit at the collaborators launch party. Beyonces video is something we didnt pay to do  or probably couldnt  but it was on her Instagram and all the billboards, Valeo said of the publicity.

MCM has been a mainstay in the hip-hop music community, thanks to Dapper Dan, who repurposed luxury products into bespoke streetwear pieces for some of the most high-profile musicians that dominated the charts in the 80s and 90s.

LL Cool J, one of Dapper Dans clients in the musicians heyday, was among the guests when MCM opened its Beverly Hills, Calif., flagship store on Rodeo Drive in March. Pop star Billie Eilish and actress Bella Thorne were some of the young entertainers MCM feted at the launch party.

Celebrity stylist Mikiel Benyamin, whose roster includes Thorne, Dascha Polanco and Chantal Jeffries, said he and his clients benefit from the publicity the brand generates. The way they design is so different  they make so many collaborations and exclusives that you can get on a client, and its such a big boom in press, Benyamin said.

Similarly, fashion designer and celebrity stylist Talia Coles said MCMs history of navigating youth-centric appeal with its luxury heritage makes it stand out in an oversaturated market.

Whats distinctive about the brand compared to some of the others is MCM has an identity  you know it when you see it, Coles, who styles Rick Ross, Jason Derulo and other hit artists, explained. I love and respect Sung-Joo Kim for creating amazing new energy around the brand and still maintaining that signature look and feel of MCM whereas other brands are following the next trend, so they start to look the same at times.

Below, how to polish your shoes with champagne like 19th century dandies.

Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Li Nanxing will be whipping up dishes for fans. (PHOTO: The Fullerton Singapore)

SINGAPORE  Local veteran actor Li Nanxing has a hidden talent in cooking and hes feeling the pressure to share it with fans. Just for a limited time only, Li will be serving his late mothers favourite recipes at Town Restaurant, The Fullerton Singapore this Mothers Day. Li, affectionately known as Ah Ge (big brother) to many Singaporeans, is of Peranakan descent.

READ MORE:

Violet Oon picks up Lifetime Achievement Award at Tourism Awards 2019

In Good Company opens their third standalone store at Jewel Changi Airport

7 restaurants to pamper mum on Mothers Day 2019

Odette wins Restaurant of the Year honours at World Gourmet Awards

Paying homage to his Teochew-Peranakan roots, he will be cooking up a storm with piquant dishes such as Sambal Petai Prawns, Mala Chicken, Black Ink Sotong, Tau Kwa Fried Leeks and White Fungus Dessert. The Mothers Day Special dining promotion will run from now to 19 May (for dinner only).

Li shared that he has many childhood memories of seeing his mother cooking in the kitchen: When I was small, I only knew how to eat, but I didnt know how my mother made her dishes so tasty. After learning some dishes from his late mother, Li had cooked for friends, but never told them they were his mothers recipes. Now that hes at ease in the kitchen, Li wants to share his mothers recipes with fans.

Li's petai sambal belacan dish. (PHOTO: The Fullerton Singapore)

The Fullerton Singapore will donate a portion of proceeds from the buffet dinner to The Straits Times Pocket Money Fund. To make a reservation and watch Li don the chefs whites, contact +65 6877 8911/8912 or email: dining-rsvp@fullertonhotels.com

Besides this personal project, Li has signed up with Chinese actress Vicki Zhaos management agency to star in a new web series, Everyone Wants To Meet You, which was produced by Zhao and directed by Hsu Fu-hsiang.
Three men have been sentenced in federal court for allegedly hunting mountain lions in Yellowstone National Park.

According to People, Austin Peterson, Trey Juhnke, and Corbin Simmons, all from Livingston, Montana, committed the crime on Dec. 12 when they shot and killed a male mountain lion in the northern section of the park.

According to a statement from the park, the three men violated The Lacey Act, which prohibits hunting in the park.

The three men admitted to shooting the lion and transporting the carcass back to their vehicle, the statement said. Simmons initially attempted to claim to have harvested the animal north of the park boundary in Montana.

At the sentencing, Peterson was ordered to pay approximately $1,700 in restitution and fees and must serve three years of unsupervised probation. During his probation, he is banned from hunting, fishing, or trapping worldwide. Juhnke and Simmons received similar sentences. All three pleaded guilty to the charges at prior court hearings.

I would like to express a sincere thank you to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, law enforcement officers at Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, and the US Attorney's Office - District of Wyoming for being involved in this case, Yellowstone National Park Chief Ranger Pete Webster said in a statement. Their thorough work spotlighted this egregious act and the consequences incurred for hunting illegally in Yellowstone National Park.

As the National Parks Service explained, "Though seldom seen by the public, biologists estimate that 20-31 adult cougars reside year-round in the northern range. These estimates are based on field surveys and statistical analyses. The numbers, the service added, do not include kitten and sub-adult cougars which accompany a portion of the adult females each year. Mountain lions are currently listed as threatened by the National Wildlife Foundation.
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Esquire

The New York Times is right. Aperol spritzes arent particularly great. But before you cancel me, Id ask: Is that really the point of them?

If youve been sequestered for grand jury duty or something and missed it, on Thursday an internet hullabaloo erupted when Rebekah Peppler wrote in the NYT that The Aperol Spritz Is Not a Good Drink, comparing it to a Capri Sun. Twitter exploded, dunking on the Paris-based writer, with everyone sharing their unyielding love for the Aperol Spritz and their hatred for Pepplers dumb opinion. Aperol Spritz trended with over 3,000 mentions during the day. Eventually, Grub Street declared that Entire Internet Agrees Aperol Spritz Is, in Fact, Good.

Well, I dont agree. Yeah, its good sometimes, but not always.

The spritz is a simple drink, which means that every component matters. An aperitif, its typically made with a bitter liqueur base topped with sparkling wine and fizzy water over ice. If any of those ingredients are low-quality, your cocktail is going to be as well. The problem begins with Aperol, one of the least complex amari-too sweet, hardly bitter, not boozy at all. Likewise, most places and people that make spritzes use dirt-cheap prosecco-youll have a hangover before youre even drunk.

And, you know what? Thats fine. I hesitate to say this as a booze writer and critic, but: Since when does every food and drink on planet earth need to be fucking world class?

Photo credit: RossHelen - Getty Images

On a recent trip to Rome this past December, I wasnt pounding Aperol Spritzes every day because they were amazing. I was drinking them because it was two o'clock in the afternoon and I was with my wife in the third most romantic city on earth and I had no work to do and nothing to worry about and it was warm enough to sit outside while Vespas zipped by us and Romans chain-smoked and they only cost 4 apiece.

In Italy, an Aperol Spritz is an ice-cold Bud at the ballgame. It's a Guinness at a Dublin pub. Youre not sitting there closely analyzing these drinks-I detect some mocha notes-youre using them to supplement your life, to relax in the sun while rooting on your team, to pound pints with the boys and have a laugh. As my wife always says to me when Im geeking out over some exotic cocktail while completely ignoring her: Can we talk about something besides your stupid drink?

Story continues

This is especially true in Italy, whose Aperol Spritzes really arent that great-often made using trash ice worse than what youd get from a Ramada Inn hallway ice machine, and with prosecco you wouldnt dump in orange juice. The drink is quotidian, and thats intentional, meant for nothing more than adding a little boost of pleasure to your current situation. I once ranked it the second-best overall day-drinking drink around.

So, I presume, when people are saying that Aperol Spritzes are good, they are more saying that spritz culture is good. That the friendship and conversation and mere whiling away of an afternoon over a round of spritzes is good. Just look at the much-mocked #spritzlife hashtag on Instagram-wouldnt you rather be there right now than where you currently are?

It's not like you'd ever drink a spritz by yourself at midnight while sitting in the dark and bingeing that Ted Bundy documentary.

As for taste, the Aperol Spritz is a perfectly fine gateway spritz and, for most people, a great introduction to the category of amari. If you want a spritz that will truly knock your socks off, order one with the artichoke-based Cynar, the piney Braulio, or even a cool American amaro like St. Agresis. Use quality ice and a good sparkling wine.

You can go even further with a spritz. The amazing Dante in New York offers an entire spritz menu, featuring elevated takes on the drink like one made with Hendricks gin, elderflower liqueur, cucumber puree, lemon, and maldon salt. Or, my favorite, the intriguing Il Peperino, a mix of Martini Bitter, manzanilla sherry, mezcal, a red bell pepper tincture, and prosecco. Its hard to wrap your head around the flavor profile, fluctuating between bitter and smoky, floral with a lovely little bit of nuttiness, the bubbles tickling your throat before the pepper slightly stings your esophagus.

And, if I said all that to my wife this weekend as we lazily lounged at a sidewalk table in Greenwich Village, sipping our spritzes, shed say to me: "Can we talk about something besides your stupid drink?"

('You Might Also Like',)
(WB) With Pete Buttigieg continuing to show strong numbers in the Democratic presidential primary, a new poll has found 70 percent of voters would be open to voting for a gay man as U.S. president.

However, that same poll reveals a majority of voters  52 percent  believe the United States isnt ready to elect a gay man to the White House.

The Quinnipiac poll, published Tuesday, found 70 percent of voters  including a plurality of Republicans  are willing to vote for a gay president, although 23 percent said they would not and 7 percent said they didnt know.

For Democrats, 85 percent said theyd be willing to support a gay presidential candidate, although 11 percent said they would not and 4 percent said they didnt know. For Republicans, 46 percent said theyd vote for a gay president compared to the 45 percent who said they would not and 9 percent said they didnt know.

Adults between the ages of 18 to 34 were the most likely to say theyd back a gay president: 82 percent said they would, compared to 14 percent who said they wouldnt and 4 percent who said they didnt know.

Among Hispanics, 77 percent said theyd be willing to vote for a gay president, compared to 69 percent of white people who said theyd be willing to back a gay candidate and 66 percent of black people.

But the situation changes when voters are asked whether they think the United States is ready for a gay president. Only 36 percent say thats the case, compared to 53 percent who say no and 12 percent who say they dont.

Democrats say the country is ready for a gay president by a margin of 43-49, with 8 percent saying they dont know, while Republicans say the country is ready for a gay president by a margin of 30-60, with 10 percent saying they dont know.

Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll, said the findings are both good news and bad news for Buttigieg,

The good news for Mayor Pete Buttigieg is that voters seem ready to accept a gay man as president, Malloy said. The bad news for Buttigieg is that voters believe it just isnt going to happen.

The same poll found former Vice President Joseph Biden is surging among Democrats and voters leaning Democratic, with 38 percent of the vote, followed by 12 percent for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 11 percent for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and 10 percent for Buttigieg.

The poll was conducted from April 2629 by Quinnipiac University, which surveyed 1,044 voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.
BURBANK, Calif.  Kaley Cuoco calls it the perfect science experiment.

Blessed with the right actors, writers, producers and directors, The Big Bang Theory has lasted 12 seasons, spawned one prequel (Young Sheldon), launched dozens of careers and made nerds cool.

And yet, it almost didnt happen. When creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady couldnt get the chemistry right, CBS gave them a second shot at fixing the pilot. Key to the equation: The role of the outsider teaching the nerds. Actress Amanda Walsh was cast as Katie, a harder-edged version of Penny.

The role was rewritten and recast and the right Theory was born.

CBS was very wise in their trust of Bill and Chuck, Johnny Galecki says just weeks before the final episode is taped. A second shot almost never happens.

That waiting period between pilots was agonizing, according to Jim Parsons. I was just mentally and emotionally exhausted, wondering what would happen. When we finally got the word, it was the best news in the world.

Cuoco says one of the keys to Big Bangs success was the way its characters were portrayed. They were underdogs at the beginning, she says of Parsons Sheldon and Galeckis Leonard. And now theyve totally come out on top. We made nerdy cool years ago, when it wasnt.

Considered one of the most successful sitcoms in television history, The Big Bang Theory will end its run May 16, followed by a special looking at the shows history and impact.

To give viewers an idea just how special it was, Warner Bros. executives named Stage 25 The Big Bang Theory Stage in February. In addition to Big Bang, the stage was also used to film Casablanca, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Bonnie and Clyde, three Batman films and Giant.

A once-in-a-lifetime series

Kunal Nayyar, who plays Sheldon and Leonards friend Raj, says the series is one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. Sometimes something like this happens and you get lucky, he says. You dont realize it when its starting but with age and wisdom, you come to appreciate it. It feels like 12 years ago I was just like a child. I had no compass.

Now, thanks to the shows success, he and the other series regulars are financially able to make choices other actors cant.

When I got my first paycheck, I went and bought a fancy car, Nayyar recalls. Before that, I had a car breaking down every two days. Eight episodes in, a (writers) strike happened and I was like, Oh my god. How am I going to pay for this car? I was not self-aware enough to understand what it all meant.

As Big Bang grew in popularity, guest stars (from physicist Stephen Hawking to Star Treks Leonard Nimoy) appeared, lending scientific and sci-fi credibility. The cast expanded as well.

Mom's voice

Melissa Rauch, who was signed for one episode, became a regular after she clicked with Simon Helbergs Howard Wolowitz. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, she says. I was a fan of the show. I would have been so annoyed if they had forced me in. But they did it naturally and little by little.

Now, shes part of the core seven (which also includes Mayim Bialik as Sheldons wife). Bernadettes high-pitched voice has become a hallmark  even though thats not the way Rauch sounds off screen. Whenever Im working on a role, the voice is always my way in, she explains. My mother sounds very similar to Bernadette, except with a New Jersey accent.

When Rauch told her mom she was paying homage, she was thrilled, but she said, I dont talk like that.

The idea that she and Helberg could star in a spinoff series surprises. Im always open to anything, she says. But its hard to even wrap my brain around that just because this is all so bittersweet.

A reunion?

Nayyar says its entirely possible there will one day be a reunion. Now, though, theres real excitement about the future and also a sadness about saying goodbye. The pressure is off, but were all protecting ourselves.

Ratings and awards aside, The Big Bang Theory will be remembered by its actors for the sense of family it created on set. All of the actors say they grew close to the crew and will miss the fun they had together.

Most, though, say its role in making outsiders feel accepted  and loved  was its biggest achievement.

Tuesdays before tapings, we often had guests from Make a Wish and other foundations, Rauch says. We were able to connect with the audience who this has resonated most with.

Adds Nayyar: There were always people who told us how it affected them personally. I was in hospital and this was the only thing that got me through. People who have lost people talked about how they watched the show together. Those are the things that fill your heart with joy.

Crucial to that connection? The writers were never at a loss with these characters, Galecki says. But if theres a recipe for the kind of chemistry here on the stage and in the writers room, every show would last 280-some episodes.

Like some theories, he adds, you just cant explain it.

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

Staying in? We've got you covered Get the recommendations on what's streaming now, games you'll love, TV news and more with our weekly Home Entertainment 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 SIOUX CITY -- Five area nurses were honored for their excellence, caring nature and dedication to the profession during a Sioux City Journal-hosted event, presented by CNOS, at the Delta Hotels by Marriott in South Sioux City.

"Nurses: The Heart of Health Care Awards, presented by CNOS," was held in conjunction with National Nurses Week. More than 90 nursing professionals were nominated by Journal readers, and a five-person judging panel chose four honorees, with the fifth chosen by readers.

The honorees were: Charmaine Cantrell, of MercyOne Air Care and Dakota Dunes Surgical; Tisha Dumkrieger, of Holy Spirit Retirement Home; Loree Steffen, of CNOS; Nancy Treft, of Sioux City Community Schools; and Cindy Vaughn, of Burgess Health Center.

Cantrell, a nurse with 41 years of experience, was inspired to become a nurse because of her Aunt Pat, who was an ER nurse for 50 years at the hospital now called MercyOne.

While accepting her award, Cantrell told the story of her son, who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 2001. Five years ago, he got into a four-wheeler accident and she was a member of his care team.

"I was happy, because I knew I could take care of him, and I knew his spasms and all that," she said. "I was good until he said to me, 'Mom, I love you,' and then that did it.'"

Dumkrieger held back tears as she described the challenges of working in a nursing home -- in particular, the pain of losing her patients. To help the families feel better after the death of a loved one, she said she often tells them stories of the time she spent with them.

"Just trying to make light of things, like telling them a funny story that they never thought their parents would do," Dumkrieger said. "They're like, 'Thank you for sharing that.'"

She works late nights -- nights, she said, which are made easier by her supportive coworkers.

"There's some nights when I'm just so busy, and my CNA upstairs, she'll get me a cup of coffee and bring it down for me, and I'm just really lucky that I have great people that I work with," she said through tears.

Steffen, a nurse of 34 years experience, said she was inspired to become a nurse by the late 1960s sitcom "Julia," starring Diahann Carroll as the nurse protagonist.

"In all honesty, I used to sit with my mom, and we'd watch it every single week," Steffen said.

For the past two years, Steffen has taken part in a program delivering healthcare to the homeless in Sioux City.

"We just deliver care the best that we can -- a lot of first aid, a lot emotional support, but more than likely, we're just being there for them," she said.

Treft, a school nurse, who's been in the profession 36 years, said she originally planned to be an accountant, but she "married one instead."

She never regretted becoming a nurse. The job of a school nurse, she said, has changed since the days when it was all Band-Aids and kids faking ailments to get out of classes. Many children now have more serious, chronic maladies, requiring more intensive care than in the past.

"A lot of children come with more complex health needs," she said. Treft says that for some students, she is the only healthcare provider they see.

When she got on stage, Vaughn, the reader's choice and a 39-year nurse, joked that her heart was racing on stage: "I need a nurse!"

Vaughn said she feels especially passionate about taking care of patients faced with a terminal illness.

"They need us the most, I feel, and we need to be very compassionate not only with them but with the families," she said. "And that is my passion, to be there for them at the end of life."

A special section about the winners will appear in the Sunday edition of the Journal.

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

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 SIOUX CITY -- Big Ox Energy officials have reached an agreement that delays the company's hearing before state regulators who are considering whether to revoke its storm water and air quality permits.

Representatives of the idled biofuels plant in South Sioux City are now scheduled to appear before the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality for a three-day hearing beginning July 8 in Lincoln. The hearing had been scheduled to begin Wednesday.

The Wisconsin-based company announced on April 19 that it was temporarily suspending its biogas production operations. On April 30, the plant's wastewater treatment operations were shut down after its wastewater discharge permit was not renewed by the city of Sioux City, bringing operations at the plant to a halt.

The temporary shutdown was one of four stipulations Big Ox agreed to in order to continue the NDEQ hearing. The other stipulations:

-- Big Ox must complete cleanup of digester solids currently stockpiled at the plant by July 1.

-- Big Ox will cease acceptance of truckloads of biological materials for its anaerobic disgesters until the case is resolved.

-- Big Ox will not resume operations until all equipment and building repairs have been completed and approved by the NDEQ.

The NDEQ will permit Big Ox limited use of its main biogas flare to burn off residual materials while cleaning out the digesters and shutting down.

A Big Ox spokesman has said that cleanup of the solid waste stockpile is underway. When the company announced it was ceasing biogas production, Kevin Bradley, Big Ox director of business and economic, said the company would be emptying its digesters so they could be assessed and repaired. No materials would be accepted during that time, he said.

Bradley said on May 1 that the digesters should be empty this month, and there was no estimate when the plant would again be operational.

After a series of citations from state and federal regulators for environmental violations, the NDEQ in March ordered Big Ox to appear for a show cause hearing to justify why it should be allowed to keep its permits. The plant has had problems with repeated venting of hydrogen sulfide gas into the atmosphere and solid waste spills.

Shortly after Big Ox began operations in September 2016, a neighborhood near the plant experienced sewer backups, and residents complained of noxious fumes being emitted from the plant. Those emissions and odor issues have led to more than a dozen lawsuits filed against Big Ox and the city by 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.

Prior to shutdown, the plant accepted organic waste from local food and beverage manufacturers and converted it to methane. Big Ox also received wastewater from other South Sioux City industries, pretreated it and discharged it to Sioux City's regional wastewater treatment plant. Big Ox's discharge permit expired April 30. South Sioux City is now routing wastewater past the plant to Sioux City, and wastewater will not flow through Big Ox until a new permit is issued.

Sioux City officials said Big Ox must meet several conditions before the permit will be renewed. Big Ox owes the city more than $3 million in wastewater treatment fees, late charges and fines, a total the company is disputing.

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 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.
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- A Storm Lake man has been arrested for arson, after police said he started a house fire last month.

The Storm Lake Police Department has been investigating the cause of an April 9 fire in the 700 block of Hickory Lane. The arrest of Thavone Navongsa, 38, was announced in a Friday police release.

The fire caused $50,000 in damage, and Navongsa was arrested for second-degree arson. He was being held in the Buena Vista County Jail on unrelated charges, and the arrest warrant was served on him in jail.

The Storm Lake Police Department, Storm Lake Fire Department and Iowa State Fire Marshals Office investigated the fire.

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
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- A Laurens, Iowa, man has pleaded not guilty to threatening people at Wal-Mart in Storm Lake with a handgun.

Christian Eberle, 21, entered his written plea Thursday in Buena Vista County District Court to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of carrying weapons, all aggravated misdemeanors. His trial was scheduled for Aug. 6.

According to court documents, Eberle pointed a 9mm Glock handgun with a green laser at two people as they were leaving the store in the early morning hours of April 17 and then fled in a vehicle. Police said that Eberle and the people had been in an argument inside the store.

Authorities located the vehicle about half an hour later in Albert City, Iowa, and took Eberle into custody. During a search of the vehicle, police officers seized the gun and two high-capacity magazines loaded with approximately 80 rounds of ammunition.

Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
SIOUX FALLS -- A Vermillion, South Dakota, man was sentenced Monday to more than seven years in federal prison for selling fentanyl.

Dean Bourn, 37, had pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Sioux Falls in February to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier sentenced Bourn to 88 months in prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Bourn and Stuart Siecke bought fentanyl, an opioid used as pain medication, from co-conspirators in Minneapolis and sold it in South Dakota.

Siecke, 28, of Worthing, South Dakota, was sentenced Monday to 87 months in prison.

Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
CEDAR RAPIDS  Iowas senators are growing frustrated with the lack of progress on U.S.-China trade negotiations, but theyre sticking by President Donald Trumps hard line approach to protecting American interests.

Yeah, were all frustrated with this, Sen. Joni Ernst said ahead of the trade talks that resumed Thursday despite the presidents threatened increase in tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods.

But were not going to sign a deal when (the Chinese) are walking back on some of the key components of the trade deal, which is the theft of intellectual property, the forced technology transfers. We cant allow them to do that.

Sen. Chuck Grassley was optimistic that about 90 percent of a deal had been reached until reading reports suggesting the Chinese were backing away from what had been agreed in the previous round of negotiations.

If the Chinese arent negotiating in good faith, you either stop negotiating or do what you can to get their attention, he said. So I happen to sympathize with the presidents waning patience with the Chinese.

Ernst acknowledged that the retaliatory tariffs imposed by China have hurt Iowa industries and farmers, but defended U.S. tariffs because China is a bad actor.

We need to stand up against China, Ernst told reporters earlier this week. The Chinese cannot continue to do this to us.

Farmers she has spoken with are frustrated that the tariffs have made selling their crops and livestock harder and, generally, driven prices down. They tell her they can hang on, but if they dont see progress, theyre not going to be as friendly toward the administration, Ernst said.

Trump carried Iowa in 2016 with much of his strength coming from rural counties.

She believes farmers understand that Trumps use of tariffs has brought the Chinese to the bargaining table.

Farmers want a good deal. They dont want us signing off on a deal that doesnt do any good and actually harm us, Ernst said.

For his part, if Grassley is losing his patience with the president, its because of how long it is taking remove tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Mexico and Canada that Trump imposed to apply pressure during trade negotiations with those nations.

It would be a real victory for farmers, manufacturing and services if it gets through, Grassley said during his weekly news conference earlier this week. It would be a good deal for Canada and Mexico, too. For the auto industry in the United States its a big, big deal.

If we could get this passed, the president would have a victory. I dont understand of the unwillingness of him to move ahead when hes got a victory in grasp, Grassley said, not for the first time.

With U.S.-China negotiations resuming on Thursday in Washington, D.C., Grassley holds out hope for a comprehensive trade deal this weekend, but I am less optimistic now than I have been.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2
For the first time, NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has caught the Martian moon Phobos during a full moon phase.

Each color in this new image represents a temperature range detected by Odyssey's infrared camera, which has been studying the Martian moon since September of 2017. Looking like a rainbow-colored jawbreaker, these latest observations could help scientists understand what materials make up Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons.



Odyssey is NASA's longest-lived Mars mission. Its heat-vision camera, the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), can detect changes in surface temperature as Phobos circles Mars every seven hours. Different textures and minerals determine how much heat THEMIS detects.



"This new image is a kind of temperature bullseye -- warmest in the middle and gradually cooler moving out," said Jeffrey Plaut, Odyssey project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, which leads the mission. "Each Phobos observation is done from a slightly different angle or time of day, providing a new kind of data."



On April 24, 2019, THEMIS looked at Phobos dead-on, with the Sun behind the spacecraft. This full moon view is better for studying material composition, whereas half-moon views are better for looking at surface textures.



"With the half-moon views, we could see how rough or smooth the surface is and how it's layered," said Joshua Bandfield, a THEMIS co-investigator and senior research scientist at the Space Sciences Institute in Boulder, Colorado. "Now we're gathering data on what minerals are in it, including metals."



Iron and nickel are two such metals. Depending on how abundant the metals are, and how they're mixed with other minerals, these data could help determine whether Phobos is a captured asteroid or a pile of Mars fragments, blasted into space by a giant impact long ago.



These recent observations won't definitively explain Phobos' origin, Bandfield added. But Odyssey is collecting vital data on a moon scientists still know little about -- one that future missions might want to visit. Human exploration of Phobos has been discussed in the space community as a distant, future possibility, and a Japanese sample-return mission to the moon is scheduled for launch in the 2020s.



"By studying the surface features, we're learning where the rockiest spots on Phobos are and where the fine, fluffy dust is," Bandfield said. "Identifying landing hazards and understanding the space environment could help future missions to land on the surface."



Odyssey has been orbiting Mars since 2001. It takes thousands of images of the Martian surface each month, many of which help scientists select landing sites for future missions. The spacecraft also serves an important role relaying data for Mars' newest inhabitant, NASA's InSight lander. But studying Phobos is a new chapter for the orbiter.



"I think it's a great example of taking a spacecraft that's been around a very long time and finding new things you can do with it," Bandfield said. "It's great that you can still use this tool to collect groundbreaking science."



NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. THEMIS was developed by Arizona State University in Tempe in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. The prime contractor for the Odyssey project, Lockheed Martin Space in Denver, developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena.



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
WASHINGTON -- Our nation does not have to face a constitutional crisis, but we are barreling toward one at breakneck speed. The House should not have to move quickly toward impeachment, but it may now have little choice.

And let's be clear: The prime mover in all this, who is perfectly happy to wreck our institutions to serve his own selfish interests, is President Trump. But we would not be courting chaos if Republicans in the House and Senate had not abandoned their commitments to fact and accountability in their zeal to help the president escape the consequences of his actions.

The week's most important event was thus not Wednesday's House Judiciary Committee vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's craven, reckless partisanship in declaring "case closed" on Trump.

He said this despite special counsel Robert Mueller's report describing so many instances of obstruction of justice that more than 700 former federal prosecutors signed a letter declaring that were Trump not president, the findings would lead to "multiple felony charges." Case closed?

The report also detailed at least 140 contacts with Russian nationals and WikiLeaks, or their intermediaries, by Trump and 18 of his associates, as The New York Times reported. We are not supposed to care about this? Case closed?

And in his acidic soliloquy on Tuesday, McConnell had the shameless audacity to blame President Obama for Russia's interference when it was McConnell himself who resisted the intelligence community's findings about Russian meddling before the 2016 election. McConnell also led GOP efforts to block a bipartisan statement Obama sought that would've given the country some warning about what Vladimir Putin's agents were doing. McConnell's only consistency is his party-before-country commitment to protecting Trump.

There are Republicans who purport to care about more than Trump's well-being and comfort. With McConnell clearly all-in on the president's twisting of the law and flouting of Congress' legitimate authority, Republican senators who claim to care about the Constitution need to speak up. And they should do so now, not after they have had weeks or months to put their fingers to the wind. Where are Sens. Cory Gardner, Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Martha McSally, Joni Ernst and Thom Tillis? Any four of them could join with Senate Democrats to begin building a Coalition for Accountability.

And during the House Judiciary debate over the contempt citation for Barr, Republican members spoke in favor of the only infrastructure program they're likely to embrace this year: the construction of an impenetrable stone wall keeping Congress from getting any information out of this administration.

It should be astounding that Republicans want to investigate FBI officials -- a goal pressed during the Judiciary Committee debate by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, -- for daring to do their jobs investigating the Trump campaign's potential Russian ties. But what's more astonishing is that we are no longer surprised that members of Trump's party would undercut work aimed at protecting our democracy from intrusion by a hostile foreign power in order to aggrandize a scam artist. His latest boast, by the way, is that he avoided taxes for "sport."

With Republicans cheering on Trump's campaign to block Congress' access to witnesses and documents, House Democrats have fewer and fewer options short of impeachment to establish that the rule of law still exists.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hoping for a more decorous process. Ideally, the House would hold hearings and increase public awareness about the charges against Trump without having to rush the issue of whether the president should be removed. On Wednesday, she voiced her frustration over seeing this option strangled by Trump's witness gag-order. She even introduced a new phrase into the political lexicon during a Washington Post interview, saying the president was "becoming self-impeachable."

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., later elucidated Pelosi's linguistic innovation on MSNBC. In its across-the-board resistance, "the administration is not helping their own cause here, unless impeachment is exactly what the president wants." Schiff, who shares Pelosi's caution, acknowledged that "the degree to which the administration is now obstructing Congress ... adds weight to the argument of those who are urging impeachment."

We don't know if Trump longs for impeachment to rally his supporters. What we do know is that he and his party are unwilling to make the substantive accommodations to transparency that would avert an all-out political war. If it comes to an impeachment battle, the president and the GOP will have fired the first shots.

Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0
From first-quarter growth rate to creation of jobs to the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, recent news about the domestic economy is largely, undeniably positive for the nation as a whole.

Here in farm country, though, storm clouds build as the U.S.-China trade war, begun a little more than a year ago, continues.

Last weekend, President Trump threatened to raise tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods beginning today. On Wednesday, the Chinese vowed retaliation.

Against this ominous backdrop, U.S. and Chinese trade negotiation teams opened a round of trade talks in Washington, D.C., on Thursday night.

To say the stakes for these talks are high in Iowa, as well as in Nebraska and South Dakota, is a gross understatement.

Agriculture continues to bear a heavy burden in the U.S.-China trade dispute Americans have watched escalate since the first tariffs were imposed. According to the USDA, sales of U.S. farm commodities to China (Iowa is the second-largest exporter of ag products, behind only California, and leads the nation in soybean, corn and pork exports; China is the world's second-largest importer of U.S. ag products) fell from more than $20 billion in fiscal 2017 to $16.3 billion in fiscal 2018 and are forecast to decline even more, to $9 billion, in this fiscal year. A recent Iowa State University report said Iowa farmers could lose up to $2.2 billion from U.S. trade wars with China and other nations, producing a ripple effect on state tax receipts, jobs and other industries.

Perhaps the negotiations under way in Washington will bear fruit. If, however, they collapse and tough-talk rhetoric resumes, then state and federal elected leaders of agriculture states like Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota must use whatever measure of clout they possess in ratcheting up pressure on the Trump administration for an end to this standoff.

They should be in the ear of President Trump and members of his administration every day, putting political considerations aside and acting in the best interests of the agriculture economy so crucial to constituents they represent.

Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
NAME: Lutisha (Tisha) Dumkrieger

EDUCATION: Western Iowa Tech Community College

YEARS IN THE NURSING PROFESSION: Nine

CURRENT EMPLOYER: Holy Spirit Retirement Home

Why did you want to be a nurse?

Ive always wanted to serve the community but never knew my place in the world. I thought about becoming a teacher, I worked in childcare, I eventually took courses in police science. I enjoyed working with kids but when I became a CNA at a local nursing home, I felt like I was a piece of a bigger puzzle and I had found my place. I fit in and I cant imagine being anywhere or doing anything else.

What makes the job rewarding?

My job can be grueling and stressful; as nurses, we know all know and expect it. My reward comes when my efforts to comfort a resident. I know what its like to be scared in the hospital and not knowing the outcome. My reward is a smile, a hug, a back scratch and laugh in the midst of uncertainty and grief.

What role do nurses play in health care?

The simple answer is we are the advocates for our patients. We make sure they are getting the care they deserve, the medications they need in a safe environment. Our role is more than that, our job is to be a steady foundation to bring comfort to those who are fearful, confused, and alone.

What was your most challenging time in the profession?

I love my current employer, Holy Spirit. But I appreciate them more because Ive worked in a nursing home that was so stressful that I went home crying at the end of every shift. It was chaotic and unorganized. Im lucky to find a home in such a remarkable and supportive place like Holy Spirit.

What do you want others to know about the profession?

Nursing is an intense, emotionally draining and physically demanding job. Nurses will cry, nurses will curse, nurses will work short-staffed. They wont use the restroom for entire shifts and may not eat, either. Nurses will be yelled at by patients, their families and some doctors. Nurses must manage their stress and help to comfort everyone else in theirs.

Why should someone become a nurse?

Men and women should consider it an honor to serve people as a nurse. Anyone with a mindset for compassion and quality of service should consider as a career. Plus, we have the best potlucks.

What dont patients realize about medicine?

Medicine is not a one-size-fits all solution.

Who has been instrumental in your success?

My husband, Jeremy. He taught me the first lesson of nursing: Caring for your patient. All throughout my cancer journey he was there. He slept in a hospital chair next to me after my surgery. At home he bathed me, dressed me, and cooked for me. During my radiation treatment, he had to remain 20 feet away and werent able to be near each other. He slept on the opposite side of the house and he would talk me on the phone from the other room so I wouldnt be alone. He taught me about complete unselfish caring and for that Im forever grateful.

Describe a typical day.

I work third shift so beginning at 10:30 p.m., I get a report from one floor, count narcotics, check in with my CNA, make sure my residents are in bed and safe. Onto upstairs, get report, count narcotics, check in with my CNA. Hopefully, at this point, I can make a cup of coffee; I need coffee. Then I walk around all night getting vitals, giving PRNs, ensuring safety, and facing whatever emergency comes. Morning comes, morning med pass, report on one floor, count narcs, and on to the other floor. Repeat. Repeat. Document. Document.

Are you a good patient? Or does working in health care change the way you view the profession?

I know what to expect now. I understand that doctors and nurses arent scary, the situation is scary. I understand we are all human trying to do the right thing in our own way. I think that makes me a good patient; I dont hope to not test my knowledge from time to time.

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.
So far, Donald Trumps trade war with China has done mild harm to the U.S. economy while failing to achieve any significant policy goals.

Now, hes doubling down on it.

With recent trade talks between the countries failing to produce an agreement, the White House followed through on its threats and increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods Friday, lifting them from 10 percent to 25 percent. The president says hes preparing to potentially slap duties on the rest of Chinas U.S. exports, too, and has suggested the standoff could last a while. Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner - there is absolutely no need to rush, he tweeted earlier. In other words, we might be settling in for a slow jam here.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The new tariffs will likely hurt growth a bitafter all, theyre essentially a tax on U.S. consumers and businesses who want to buy Chinese goods. But outside industries that import a lot of raw materials and inputsthink appliance manufacturers and heavy equipment manufacturersmost Americans probably wont feel much pain. When economists looked at the combined effect of Trumps tariffs on Chinese goods and global steel imports in 2018, they concluded that they cost the economy up to $7.8 billion, which is barely a drop in a $19 trillion economy. Based on some back-of-the-napkin math, the latest round of tariffs should amount to $30 billion in extra costs to Americans at most.

Advertisement

This speaks to a more general point about trade battles. For a country like the U.S., with a huge, diversified economy mostly driven by domestic consumption, even a historically large spat like the one were now engaged in just doesnt pose that much danger. The tit for tat between us and China may end up hurting soybean farmers (unless theyre bailed out) or washing machinemakers, and in that sense it could create real victims. But it wont put a big divot in growth.

Advertisement

The thing about trade wars, though, is that if youre going to insist on throwing down for one, you at least ought to have a good strategy for winning it. Trump does not.

Advertisement

Most experts have long acknowledged that China is a problematic actor in global trade. Between its on-and-off history of currency manipulation, its subsidies for domestic companies, its track record of overproducing products like steel and dumping it on the global market, and its habit of mugging foreign companies for their intellectual property, theres plenty to object to.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Donald Trump entered office determined to confront Beijing, after making it a boogeyman for his entire campaign. There were two basic strategies he could have chosen. One, which was advocated for by the ill-fated globalist faction, including former economic adviser Gary Cohn, would have involved creating a united front with other major trade powers like the European Union and Japan to put pressure on China. The other, advocated by protectionists like White House trade guru Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon, was to pick one-on-one fights with the rest of the world, and hope that wed have enough heft to cow China into submission by ourselves.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trump chose Option B. The White House pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement that was expressly designed to limit Chinas influence in the region (though some questioned how effectively it would do so). His administration antagonized Europe by putting levies on foreign steel and threatening them on cars. Trump managed to cause a rift with Canada, of all countries, over NAFTA renegotiations. And the administration decided to go toe to toe with China.

The results of all this have been underwhelming. Americas global trade deficit in goods hasnt budged much. The steel tariffs have led to fatter profits for manufacturers, but few new jobs. The U.S.MexicoCanada Agreement (aka new NAFTA) wont make much more than a ripple in the wider economy and might not even pass Congress. And China has yet to give in to Trumps pressure tactics. By trying to take on everyone, Trump has managed to best no one.

Advertisement

It is possible, of course, that the escalating rounds of tariffs against China will eventually cause its leaders to crack. The country is struggling to keep up its pace of growth. The duties have been painful for its economically important and politically powerful exporters. And President Xi Jinping is under at least some pressure to wrap up a deal. Now it appears that there is no clear policy response to Trump on the trade war, and that China seems on the back foot, Rana Mitter, a China politics and history expert at the University of Oxford, told the Associated Press this week.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But even within the White House, some seem to have recognized that going it alone on trade was the wrong move. Late last year, Trumps chief economics adviser Larry Kudlow explained to reporters that once the White House had finished new trade deals with other major countries, including Europe and Japan, it would round them up to face Beijing. We are talking to the European Union again, we are talking to Japan again, and we are moving to what I have characterized as a trade coalition of the willing to confront China, he said.

Those comments were in October. So far, the coalition still hasnt come together, and its unclear whether one ever will. If wed tried enlisting help from our friends from the start, maybe wed be getting somewhere.
Kamala Harris presidential campaign is undergoing a reset, the New York Times reported this week. After trying to compete against Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren for the hearts and minds of progressive activists, the California senator is now directly challenging President Donald Trump, playing up her history as a prosecutor to show that she has the skill set necessary to make the general election case against the president. Instead of, say, getting bogged down in multiday news cycles about whether she would ban private health insurance, she is now choosing to ride multiday news cycles about her efficient and merciless questioning of Attorney General Bill Barr.

Advertisement

Two recent eventsMs. Harriss insistent questioning of Mr. Barr at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week, and Joseph R. Biden Jr.s multiday spat with Mr. Trumphave been clarifying moments for Ms. Harris and her aides, the Times writes, demonstrating the value of elevating her voice of opposition to the president and seeking direct confrontation with the White House, according to her advisers. Her campaign is also drawing on internal polling of early nominating states showing that Democratic primary voters are consumed with defeating Mr. Trump.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Harris recalibration is one that I bet well be seeing from other competitive, but currently middling, campaigns going forward. Before Bidens entry, the primary was littered with left-wing policy litmus tests, with candidates tripping over themselves trying to pass. Biden, both pundits and fellow competitors felt, could never pass these tests and would quickly collapse as he proved himself to be out of touch with the modern-day iteration of the Democratic Party.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Harris recalibration is one that I bet well be seeing from other competitive, but currently middling, campaigns going forward.

But Biden has surged in spite of the fairly loud press airing of his lamentable policy positions and the statements hes made over his nearly 50 years in public service. And its not just name recognition. The Democratic electorate as a whole, for better or worse, seems to imbue a candidates perceived capacity to defeat Trump with more weight than, say, which health care bill she plans to watch die in the Senate. And right now, again for better or worse, the Democratic electorate as a whole believes the person with the best capacity is Biden. To defeat him, the rest of the candidates will have to prove that they would be a stronger matchup against Trump.

Advertisement

Signs that this would be the case were hanging around earlier this year even as the conventional wisdom held that the Biden campaign would steadily decline after its launch. In March, as FiveThirtyEight observed, national polling showed an unusually high number of Democrats, relative to previous elections, saying that they would prefer the candidate with the best chance to beat Donald Trump over the one whose views on the issues were closest to theirs. The belief hasnt dissipated. In a New Hampshire primary poll conducted by Monmouth University this week, a full 68 percent of likely Democratic voters said they prefer to have a nominee who would be a strong candidate against Trump even if they disagree with that candidate on most issues. Meanwhile, only 25 percent said they would favor a Democratic candidate who they are aligned with on the issues even if that person would have a hard time beating Trump.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Biden is crushing it with this unusually large bloc of voters who are eager to hold their nose while casting a primary vote. In an April 30 Quinnipiac national poll of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters, Biden earned 38 percent of the vote, a 26-point lead over the runner-up, Elizabeth Warren. Biden managed to earn that 38 percent even though only 23 percent of Democrats felt he had the best policy ideas. So what made up the difference? A full 56 percent of respondents said Biden has the best chance to beat Donald Trump. Sanders was next, with 12 percent. The feeling is similar in South Carolina, where Biden is performing strongly with black voters.

One after another, the Associated Press wrote in its story about Bidens first trip to South Carolina, voters who filled a community center in South Carolinas capital to see Biden this weekend described him as a safe, comforting and competent counterpoint to the turbulent Trump presidency. Safety, comfort, and competence: This sums up the case for Joe Bidens perceived electability, and the risk-averse criteria by which many Democrats are vetting the candidates.

Advertisement

Its not that Biden has proved that rigorous adherence to bold, progressive policies doesnt matter. It just may matter less than previously thought for center-left candidates. If youre Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, holding down the progressive wing is still very much the space to occupy within the party; their electability arguments hinge on firing up core supporters and turning out new voters more than stringing together a broad ideological coalition of existing voters. But for Harris, Beto ORourke, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Cory Booker, there may be less to gain trying to win the competition over who is the most progressive or policy-minded candidate in the race when theyre not. Instead, theres a large pool of voters who just want to beat Trump and want to be sure that theyre voting for the contender most likely to do that. To first beat Biden, these candidates need to show that hes not that person, and that his safety, comfort, and competence have either been exaggerated or arent enough to knock off an unpredictable incumbent.
Its been a long week for Democratic leaders in Congress, though arent they all? First there were Nancy Pelosis comments to the New York Times about wanting to avoid the subject of impeachment, which triggered criticism by purist know-it-alls outraged that she seemed to be suggesting Democrats would let President Donald Trump completely off the hook. Then Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin refused to give Congress Trumps tax returns. Then Attorney General William Barr refused to give Congress the unredacted Mueller report. Then the Times reported that Trump once attested on tax documents to having personally been a billion dollars in the red over the period of a decadea revelation that seems to indicate he was not a great businessman and may or may not be evidence of a criminal tax avoidance strategy but is, in any case, a good reminder that his life has been a long series of bogus claims and cover-ups.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The weeks arc nicely demonstrated the trap that congressional Democrats are in. On the one hand, Trump drives national news and does a lot of things that are seemingly illegal, which Democrats are compelled to investigate by the Constitution, their own base, andgiven that the president and his party will shamelessly exploit every possible avenue for partisan advantagesimple self-preservation. On the other hand, votersincluding most independents and even a fair number of Demsgenerally say they dont want to see Trump impeached. And voters do care a lot about other issues, like health care coverage, that are good for the Democrats, if only they could spend more time talking about them instead of POTUS.

Advertisement

Its a tough row/needle to hoe/thread, but in the last day or so, a coherent way of handling the situation seems to be peeking its way through. The message Democrats are now sending is: We dont want to have to take our eye off Everyday Issues That Matter to the American People to talk about impeachment, but we will check the presidents corrupt behavior if we have to, for the good of the country. Yes, the Democrats are now presenting themselves as the aging lawman getting called out of his armchair to save the town. And its not a terrible plan!

Advertisement

Take a look at what House Dems are saying:

 If the facts lead us to that objective, so be it, said House second-in-command Steny Hoyer about impeachment.

Advertisement

Advertisement

 Obstruction of Congress, following on the obstruction of the Mueller investigation, does strengthen the case to move forward with an impeachment proceeding, said House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff.

 We get the narrative from our leadership that we all got elected on health care and the economy and all of that, but we also got elected to impose checks and balances on a president who is unchecked and unbalanced, said Virginia Rep. Gerald Connolly, throwing in some cute wordplay just to annoy me personally.

Advertisement

Advertisement

 I think there is a growing frustration among my constituents that we need to do something, said Californias Jackie Speier.

 My grandfather used to say that duck hunting is a lot of fun until the ducks start firing back. Were starting to fire back, said Jamie Raskin, a Maryland congressman on the Judiciary Committee and the grandson of an insane person.

Advertisement

Advertisement

 Were going to do the right thing, thats just the way it is, and it is going to be based on fact and law and patriotism, not partisanship or anything else, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As the New York Times has noted, whats happening here is the party casting the decision about impeachment in terms of the Constitutions system of checks and balances  a message they believe voters can easily relate to. This approach, in addition to being narratively coherent, is backed by data: In the leadup to last years election, polls repeatedly found that while voters were indeed concerned about quality-of-life issues, they also generally believed that a vote for Democrats was a vote to constrain Trump. Overall, a Monmouth University poll found that 52 percent of the country believed that keeping Trump in check should be a major priority in Congress, with only 25 percent saying that legislators should not prioritize the task. Similar results were found even in states Trump won in 2016, like Arizona and Ohio, and the trend was particularly pronounced in suburban swing districts, many of which Democrats flipped from Republican control. Majorities of poll respondents, to the current day, also believe that Trump committed crimes before becoming president and that he is not honest or fit to be president.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, the Navigator group, which conducts polls to test how Democratic Party messages should be framed, recently released a report finding that the public is basically split on continued investigation of collusion with Russia but solidly behind continued investigation of obstruction, pay-to-pay corruption and other unethical behavior. In other words, relitigating 2016 in order to purge an illegitimate president is out, and reluctantly but solemnly protecting the Constitution is in. In the end, on the merits, they pretty much amount to the same thingaggressively investigating the president, possibly through formal impeachment proceedingsbut hey, thats politics, so whatever!
It was an off-the-cuff remark that turned into a catchphrase and a campaign T-shirt. Now, its a Time magazine cover: I have a plan for that. Elizabeth Warrens reputation as the Democratic Partys resident wonk is well earned. The Massachusetts senator was churning out ambitious policy proposals even before she became the first big-name challenger to enter the 2020 race. Since then, shes rolled out one plan after another on issues big and small, from wiping out student debt to improving the living conditions of military families renting homes on U.S. bases. Her latest came just this week: a $100 billion plan to address the nations opioid crisis.

Advertisement

Warren isnt the first presidential hopeful with a bounty of white papers, nor is she the only 2020 candidate who has made policy central to her pitch. Bernie Sanders paints in broad brushstrokes when he rails against the status quo, but the Vermont senators Medicare for All legislation lies at the heart of his campaign. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker tends to offer soaring rhetoric on the stump, but he rolled out a creative baby bond plan early to address the nations racial wealth gap and more recently proposed creating a national gun license program. Even California Sen. Kamala Harris and former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke, neither of whom have reputations as policy heavyweights, have gotten specific of late on issues like guns and climate change, respectively. There are plenty more policy ideas toward the bottom of the polls too. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has the most detailed climate plan of anyone running, and businessman Andrew Yangs platform runs the gamut from universal basic income to getting rid of the penny.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

What makes Warren stand out, though, is that among the major candidatesthe half-dozen or so who routinely poll outside the margin of errorshes offering the most detailed proposals on the widest swath of issues. And shes putting those policies front and center in each stump speech and in her casual conversations on the way to her next one. Consider this list of more than a dozen of the proposals Warrens running on.

Warren wants Congress to create a new 2 percent annual tax on household wealthincluding stocks, real estate, and retirement fundsabove $50 million, and an additional 1 percent surtax on any household with a net worth over $1 billion. The plan also calls for increased spending at the IRS to enforce the tax, and an additional exit tax on anyone who renounced their U.S. citizenship to avoid the tax. According to her campaign, the plan would affect about 75,000 householdsor about 1 out of every 1,700 American familiesand raise $2.75 trillion in tax revenue over a decade.

Warren wants Congress to levy a new tax to prevent profitable companies from using existing tax loopholes to avoid paying federal taxes. Under the plan, corporations would pay a new 7 percent tax on every dollar over $100 million in profits they report to shareholders, in addition to whatever they would owe the federal government under the existing corporate income tax. The campaign estimates the new tax would apply to roughly 1,200 companies and bring in $1 trillion over 10 years.

Warren wants Congress to make it easier for federal prosecutors to charge executives of large firms that act illegally, regardless of whether the officials personally signed off on the action in question. According to her campaign, the threat of prison time would motivate the executives to actively root out wrongdoing that they otherwise would benefit from. The new rule would apply to any company with more than $1 billion in annual revenue, and an executive found guilty would serve up to a year in prison for the first violation and as many as three years for a second. The plan would also create a permanent federal unit devoted to investigating financial crimes.

Warren wants to make undergraduate education free at public colleges and universities, to beef up Pell and other federal grants to help students cover nontuition expenses, and to create a $50 billion fund to support historically black colleges and universities.

Warren wants to wipe out up to $50,000 in student debt for anyone with a household income of less than $100,000. The amount of debt forgiven would gradually decrease for those making more than $100,000, with those making more than $250,000 excluded from the plan.

Warren wants to create a network of government-funded care centers. The program would be based, in part, on the existing Head Start network, with employees paid comparably to public school teachers. Families earning less than twice the federal poverty level could send their children to the centers for free; families earning more would pay on a sliding scale, capped at 7 percent of their income.

Warren wants to spend $500 billion over 10 years to build, preserve, and rehab millions of units that will be affordable to lower-income families and to address ongoing housing segregation. The plan would offer down-payment assistance to two groups in particular: black borrowers, who have historically been the victims of redlining, and families who were hit hardest by the last housing crisis. It would also strengthen existing protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and source of income.

Warren wants to incentivize health care providers to focus on bringing down the maternal mortality rate, particularly for black women. The plan would involve a new pricing model that involves bundled payments, whereby hospitals charge one set price for an entire pregnancy as opposed to individual payments for each visit. Hospitals that can show they are providing better care would then be given financial bonuses, while those that cannot would be penalized.

Warren wants to spend $100 billion over 10 years to combat the epidemic, a plan that includes changes to Medicaid and increasing access to medication-assisted treatment. The proposal would direct significant funding to those communities hit hardest by drug addiction, and would also impose criminal penalties on pharmaceutical executives who have contributed to the crisis.

Warren wants to break up Americas largest tech companiesincluding Amazon, Google, Apple, and Facebook. The plan would rely on ambitious regulatory moves that would undo some tech mergers as well as legislation that would prevent platforms from competing in the same marketplaces they ownfor example, Amazon would be barred from selling its AmazonBasics brand on Amazon.com. Companies would also be prevented from sharing users data with third parties.

Warren wants to curb consolidation in the agribusiness industryspecifically at giants like Tyson, DowDuPont, and Bayer-Monsanto. The plan would rewrite antitrust rules to make mergers more difficult, include a national right-to-repair law that allows farmers to repair their farm equipment without having to go to an authorized agent, and establish a mandatory country-of-origin label for beef and pork.

Warren says shed sign an executive order that would prohibit new leases for fossil fuel drilling offshore and on public lands, call for the creation of a 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps of 10,000 young people, and commit to opening up half of the public acreage that is currently off-limits to hunters, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. She also wants to undo many of the environmental actions of the Trump administration, including reinstating Obama-era air and water protections and restoring national monuments that Trump shrank.

Warren wants to replace the Electoral College and have the national popular vote decide the general election. Warren has not said whether she proposes doing so via a constitutional amendment or some other workaround, such as a National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, by which member states would pledge their Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote.

Warren wants Congress to change the law to allow Puerto Rico, which is still struggling to recover from twin hurricanes in 2017, to terminate its unsecured public debt. (Other U.S. territories that meet certain criteriabeing hit by a major natural disaster, experiencing major population loss, struggling with massive debtwould be eligible to do the same.) The bill also calls for an independent audit of Puerto Rico and the creation of a federal fund to compensate the holders of any terminated debtthough, notably, not if those holders are bond insurers, large financial firms, or hedge funds.

Warren has proposed legislation that would strengthen oversight of privately managed homes on U.S. military bases and offer new protections for those military families living in them. Among other things, the bill mandates spot inspections of homes as well as annual government audits of housing conditions. It would also hold private landlords accountable for quickly fixing any hazards, and require them to cover moving costs for at-risk families and health care costs for anyone with medical conditions that resulted from unsafe housing.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

With nearly every proposal, Warren identifies something she sees as a serious problemand often the specific entities that are causing that problemand then points to the levers of government shed pull to fix them. She doesnt have a monopoly on all of these issues. Sanders, for instance, has his own plans to tax the wealthy. Harris and Booker have similarly made addressing the black maternal mortality rate a priority. South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and, to a lesser degree, ORourke and Harris have taken aim at the Electoral College. But taken together, Warrens plans bolster her general worldview in ways that the rest of the fields more limited policy offerings do not. Her policy portfolio proves that Warren means it when she says she both believes in the power of the market and in the need for strong, enforceable rules to make the market fairer and more equitable.

Advertisement

Advertisement

More recently, Warrens also found ways to use her brand to her advantage, as she did with the release of her student debt forgiveness plan on the morning of last months CNN town hall extravaganza, through which she became the measuring stick for comparing her rivals. As Anderson Cooper told Buttigieg during his turn onstage that night: Its hard to compare where you stand to, you know, Elizabeth Warren. Its sort of like comparingI mean, you just cant compare the policy positions. As her wonkish image has solidified in the weeks since, Warren has inched up in the national polls. While she still sits well behind Biden and Sanders, her upward trend suggests theres a real appetite among primary voters for what shes offering. (However, the fact that during that same stretch shes also spoken forcefully in favor of impeachment proceedings against Trumpa plan that similarly looks to pull a lever of government to fix a problemis likely also playing a role in her rise.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Curiously absent from Warrens long list of proposals, however, are detailed plans on some of the issues that Democratic voters say are their top priorities. Warren supports the Green New Deal, and her public lands plan has its own climate component, but shes not yet offered a plan to address climate change as robust as ORourkes or Inslees. Shes expressed support for Sanders goal of providing Medicare to everyone, but she has been a little vague on her preferred way to do that. And likewise, shes voiced support for universal background checks and other strong gun control measures, but she has yet to roll out a comprehensive plan on that front. Its still early, however, and shes given voters good reason to trust shell offer serious solutions to those problems as well. By seizing the mantle of policy leader so earnestly, Warren has bought herself time to think about what she still wants to proposeand when she wants to propose it to best benefit her campaign.
On Monday, Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed HB 481, the most extreme abortion ban in the country. In addition to criminalizing abortion after about six weeks, the law threatens to imprison women who terminate their pregnancies. It also grants full legal personhood to fetuses, ensuring that anyone who terminates a pregnancy after six weeksincluding a pregnant woman herselfmay be liable for murder. Women who miscarry may be investigated and charged if prosecutors believe they are responsible for the death of an unborn child.

Advertisement

Democratic Sen. Jen Jordan, an attorney and fierce opponent of the bill in the state Senate, has warned Georgians about the dramatic consequences of HB 481. On Friday, we spoke about the dire ramifications of the law, as well as the effort to block it before it takes effect in 2020. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Mark Joseph Stern: Youve pointed out that HB 481 expands the legal definition of abortion to encompass actions a woman takes to terminate her own pregnancy, not only acts performed on her by another. Do you think the bill subjects women to prosecution if they self-terminate?

Jen Jordan: Yes. If there was any doubt in terms of opening up women to prosecution, all you have to do is look at the affirmative defense added to the bill.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Right. The law allows women who are prosecuted for undergoing an abortion to argue in court that they reasonably believed that an abortion was the only way to prevent a medical emergency. It obviously foresees women being prosecuted.

Its Criminal Law 101 that you dont need an affirmative defense from criminal prosecution if there is no intent to criminally prosecute someone. The inclusion of that affirmative defense is the clearest intent that we have that this was exactly what the Republicans are trying to do.

Under HB 481, could prosecutors charge a woman who miscarries?

We knew this was bad policy in 1998. Were going backward.  Georgia state Sen. Jen Jordan

Yes. In a 1998 case, Hillman v. State, prosecutors charged an 18-year-old girl who was eight months pregnant and shot herself in the stomach. She was indicted for trying to produce a miscarriage. But the court said, look, were not in the business of criminally prosecuting women when it comes to self-termination because its bad public policy. The court itself listed a long line of things that could happen if it did. [Note: The court explained that pregnant women who miscarry after smoking, drinking, or failing to secure adequate prenatal medical care could be at risk of a criminal indictment.]

Advertisement

Advertisement

Hillman interpreted the statute as it existed in 1998. Now all of these things the court talked aboutthe reasons why its bad public policy to charge women who miscarrycould happen under HB 481. It opens the door to prosecution of women who miscarry. We knew this was bad policy in 1998. Were going backward.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Some proponents of HB 481 say prosecutors wont charge women who self-terminate. But at least one Georgia prosecutor already tried under the old legal regime, and the new law seems to give motivated prosecutors a way to make those charges stick.

The bill allows massive prosecutorial discretion. There are prosecutors in the state who do incredible work every day. But there are also prosecutors in this state who are incredibly political. In a state where many district attorneys run as partisans, you can imagine a situation where a prosecutor would try to do exactly what we saw in Hillman v. State. This law just gives so much discretion to prosecutors, and thats incredibly dangerous. It opens the door to disparate enforcement against racial minorities, too. Theres so much bad there. Thats why its so important that this law never go into effect.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

An equally alarming provision of the bill grants legal personhood to fetuses, granting them full rights under Georgia law. That means women who self-terminate could be prosecuted for murder.

The personhood thingthats the hook for all of it. Because once someone is a person in the state of Georgia, they are entitled to all the protection of all the laws of Georgia. Not just the statutes that govern abortions, but all of them. So we can look at the abortion statutes, but really its the personhood thing that changes everything.

Do you think a majority of legislators who supported HB 481 realized that they were subjecting women who self-terminate to murder charges and all these grave consequences?

Advertisement

No. This has been a problem across the board up at the General Assembly. Everybody thinks that the majority of people up there are lawyers, and thats not true. We dont even have enough lawyers to fill the Judiciary Committee in the Senate. Thats problematic. To really understand HB 481, you needed to look at the entire statutory regime. It references back to different statutes. Its almost like a puzzle you have to put together. If youre not a lawyer, you dont know how to do that. If you dont know how to do it, you rely on the team mentality. The Republican leadership and the governor say that this is what we have to do as Republicans and this is going to save lives. Theres no independent research. Republican legislators rely on folks telling them this is great, theres no problem, we need to vote for it. But if you do a deep dive and see what the implications are, I cant see how any rational person would think that this is a good idea.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The weird consequences certainly go beyond punishing women.

Its fantastical. What about women pregnant in prison? Now youve got a baby that hasnt been given due process and is in prison? It sounds ridiculous because its ridiculous. If you see a pregnant woman eating sushi, do you call the Division of Family and Children Services and make a complaint? Its that kind of stuff. If youre pregnant, youre driving in the HOV lane, and an officer pulls you over, do you say, Dont worry, officerme and my zygote, were good. The Office of Legislative Counsel told us that if an undocumented immigrant in the state is pregnant, that fetus is considered a Georgia resident, a citizen, and a person entitled to all the aid and health care a Georgia resident is entitled to. But the mother herself couldnt get any benefits.

Advertisement

This law is so irrational. It just doesnt make sense because its so absurd. When I first read it, it was like, Come on. No way. This isnt happening. There are so many problems with this. But now its the law, so we need to tell people and educate women in terms of what could happen.

Advertisement

Advertisement

HB 481 is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Why the delay? And do you think itll ever actually go into effect?

The law cant take effect until January because it categorizes fetuses as minor dependents under the Internal Revenue Code. And any time we create tax exemptions or deductions in Georgia, they have to start on Jan. 1. That actually helps usit puts off the effective date and gives all the people fighting against this law the time to craft the best legal arguments to make sure it gets stopped immediately in the courts. We also need to make sure this gets repealed. We need a legal approach and an electoral approach.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Do you think a majority of Georgians support the law?

A majority of Georgians dont know whats in it. When you ask a general question in terms of abortion restrictions, a lot of people are in favor of them, if theyre constitutional. But when you actually start to drill down in terms of what this law does, people are appalled. Republican women know this just goes way too far. But we really need to get the word out. People need to understand exactly what their elected officials are doing under the gold dome. This goes way further than any constitutional abortion restrictions the courts would ever allow.

I dont want to scare people or be alarmist. I think legally, this bill is DOA. Hell yes, its scary, but its also absurd and idiotic.
If youre a progressive Democrat in the United States, youre supposed to care about poverty, education, and womens rights. If youre a conservative Republican, youre supposed to care about terrorism, crime, and controlling immigration. But in real life, all these issues are connected. To solve the problems you care about, sometimes you have to listen to the other side.

Heres an example: To help the worlds poor people, you have to fight crime.

Advertisement

This is the work of the International Justice Mission, a human rights organization. Its founder, Gary Haugen, outlined the global challenge at an April session of the Faith Angle Forum, a conference on religion and society. In 1994, Haugen led the United Nations investigation into the Rwandan genocide. Three years later, he launched IJM. Through his work and his book The Locust Effect, Haugen makes a compelling case: Today, the principal cause of misery and stagnation in the world isnt a lack of food or education. Its violence and lawlessness.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In the United States, crime has sunk to historic lows. But across much of the globe, its rampant. The crisis isnt just war. Its what Haugen calls everyday violence: sex crimes, slavery, and theft. Based on World Health Organization data, Haugen says sexual violence and domestic violence cause more death and disability among women aged 14 to 44 than war, malaria, and car accidents combined. In Peru, he recalls, a doctor reported seeing 50 cases of rape in the preceding five days. All the victims were less than 15 years old.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Poor people face high crime rates for the same reason they get the worst food and the worst health care.

These crimes are rarely prosecuted. In some countries, statistically, youre less likely to be convicted of sexual assault than to die from slipping in the shower or being struck by lightning. In such places, ordinary people dont expect police or the courts to protect them. Often, the police are predators. Kenya, for instance, went through a 25-year period in which, despite chronic police abuse, not one officer was convicted of murder.

The violence is bad enough. But its also thwarting development assistance. International organizations throw money at poor countries, often without much to show for it, in part because predators get in the way. One key to development, for example, is educating girls. But in much of the world, what keeps girls out of school is violence. Its dangerous to walk to school, its dangerous to be in school, and many girls face violence at home that keeps them from leaving.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Haugen argues that lawlessness, like joblessness or illiteracy, is a form of deprivation. Its part of a class structure. Poor people face high crime rates for the same reason they get the worst food and the worst health care. In colonized countries, Western powers designed courts and police to protect their own interests, not the public. In many places, even today, if you want protection, you have to buy it. In the developing world, according to Haugen, the private security industry is four to seven times bigger than public police forces. Its the largest employer in Africa.

Advertisement

Advertisement

When colonized countries ousted their Western overlords, progressives hoped the injustice within those countries would end. It didnt. Local strongmen repurposed criminal justice systems to serve themselves. The abuse of state power turned out to be a human problem, not a colonial one. To this day, in many places, police have no idea how to investigate crimes. Theyre trained to do what regimes want: crowd control, counterterrorism, and VIP security.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Initially, progressives thought they could drive out abuses by helping governments pass laws. But that didnt work, because law, like food or medicine, requires an effective delivery system. Slavery has been outlawed everywhere. And yet, Haugen points out, millions of people around the world are still held in slavery.

Advertisement

Advertisement

You cant just do good. You have to grapple with evil. The World Bank now is doing these massive projects in countries where theres no functioning justice system, says Haugen. They did a $400 million project, building a road that was going to have transformational effects in a part of Uganda thats quite remote. What happens when you build a massive road? You send massive numbers of men to go build it. What do massive numbers of men do in an area where theres no law enforcement? They sexually assault the women and children. The crime wave resulting from that project became so horrific that the project had to be stopped.

Advertisement

Some liberals dont like to hear this message. Theyre uncomfortable with the language of power, punishment, deterrence, and force. They prefer to talk about amnesty, rehabilitation, or demilitarization. At the Faith Angle Forum, Haugen was asked about a movement to abolish prisons and law enforcement in the United States, on the grounds that these institutions are racist and corrupt. Haugen sympathized with this critique, but he pleaded for reform not abolition. The answer to corrupt or biased law enforcement, he argued, is fair and honest law enforcement. Never in history, he observed, has there been a country where violent human beings didnt have to be restrained.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Tyrants impose their will by making an example of anyone who stands up to them. Haugen likes that idea, but it has to be applied lawfully and morally. In corrupt police forces, some officers are predators, but others want to serve the public. Most officers waver in the middle, willing to go along with whichever side prevails. Haugens strategy is to tip these forces in the right direction by sending a blunt-force message that the good guys will win. To deliver that message, you cant just send thoughts and prayers. You have to help the people of these countries build criminal justice systems that can take down the bad guys.

Advertisement

When citizens in a lawless country see a powerful thug brought to justice, theyre shocked. They begin to hope. They gain confidence. They raise their voices. The system begins to respond to them. Thats beginning to happen in Kenya, Haugen reports. After 25 years with zero murder convictions of police officers, We had nine convictions last year.

IJM pursues this strategy, in concert with amenable governments, one malefactor at a time. The work requires patience and compromise. Cambodian law enforcement has gotten better at fighting sex traffickers, for instance, but it still represses political freedom. And IJM stays out of countries where the government refuses its help. You cant police the world. You can only help those who are willing to police themselves.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Conservatives, too, can learn from IJMs work. To fight terrorism, you have to confront police abuse in the developing world. People who dont trust law enforcement dont cooperate with it, and their silence allows terrorist organizations to flourish. Chaos and violence also fuel migration across the United States Southern border. Central America has some of the most lawless and violent countries in the world, says Haugen. Families are fleeing these communities where theres no functioning justice system. A wall wont solve the problem, he warns. If you do not address the underlying circumstances of lawless chaos in countries that border [us] and that have access to the border, you will never build anything sufficient to control immigration.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The most difficult lesson for conservatives might be Haugens message about law enforcement in the United States. Over the course of our history, our police and courts have improved dramatically. But theres still far too much abuse and injustice. At the Faith Angle Forum, Haugen repeatedly drew analogies between rampant abuse in other countries and persistent abuse in our own.

We need to fix our criminal justice system. But we also need to help other countries fix theirs. We cant do that by cutting foreign aid, as President Donald Trump has done. Nor can we do it just by sending food, clothing, or medicine. These countries need reliable, well-trained cops and prosecutors. They need justice.
Joe Biden would like to project that he is a friend of the working man. Look at the picture above, from his very first campaign event: Rolling up his sleeves and gripping the lectern to talk tough at a union hall in steel country. Hes also recently spoken at a rally in support of the Stop and Shop workers strike in Boston and been endorsed by the International Association of Fire Fighters.

When hes not doing campaign rallies, though, Biden has been doing some other stuff, like holding his first fundraiser at a mansion owned by the Comcast executive who supervises lobbying operations for the giant telecom company. Comcasts lobbying division, in turn, works with the hugely influential American Legislative Exchange Council, which writes right-wing legislationincluding right to work, stand your ground and voter-ID lawson behalf of Republican state legislators. A canned quote from the Comcast exec who hosted Bidens fundraiser actually shows up in a press release on ALECs website, while the New York Times recently wrote that Comcasts relationship with organized labor is often strained and said it has largely managed to fend off efforts by groups like the Communications Workers of America to organize its employees. (Disclosure: I am a member of a union.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

This week, Biden held another fundraiser, this time hosted by a donor named Cynthia Telles at her at (large) Los Angeles home. Telles is on the board of directors of a Kaiser Permanente subsidiary that operates hospitals. (Her husband, Joe Waz, works as a Senior Strategic Advisor on public policy and strategy issues for  the Comcast Corporation.) That subsidiary is engaged in a dispute with mental health employees that has involved work stoppages in December and April, and some of the employees demonstrated outside Bidens event:

.@NUHW members protest in front of the site of Joe Bidens noon fundraiser in Hancock Park at the home of a Kaiser board member. Kaiser and @nuhw workers have been at odds over mental health resources pic.twitter.com/uu6Va9DHUV  Melanie Mason (@melmason) May 8, 2019

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Los Angeles Times reported that Biden did not interact with the protesters or address the demonstration in his remarks.

Advertisement

The premise of Clinton-era Democratic politics, which was echoed to a lesser but still significant extent in Barack Obamas administration, was that workers and executives could be on the same team, working together, for America. Its a deal that has gone a lot better for executives than their employees, not just in terms of wages but also regarding issues that Bidens big donors have direct interests in. It appears that Biden does not think he has to take sides, passing himself off as a friend of labor one day and getting money from a foe of labor on another. Well see if union voters agree.
On Wednesday, the constitutional battle between Congress and the executive branch escalated in a new and profound way, as President Donald Trump declared executive privilege over special counsel Robert Muellers probe and the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend contempt charges against Attorney General William Barr for failing to comply with a congressional subpoena seeking complete materials from that investigation. The apparent goal of the president and Barrs movesaside from avoiding short-term accountabilityis a long-term game to put this president and the presidency itself largely beyond the reach of congressional checks. Congress must now assert itself as a coequal branch of our federal government. One not yet examined but crucial way for the House of Representatives to do that would be to hold hearings with independent constitutional scholarswho, across the ideological spectrum, have spoken out against the presidents power grabexplaining why Congress checks are essential to our system and how Barrs extreme, inadvisable, and extraconstitutional vision of executive authorityknown as unitary executive theorycould be devastating to it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

However the situation might advance through impeachment proceedings and in the courts, the House should educate itself and the public about the theory of executive power Trump and Barr are pushing and thereby elevate the issue of executive accountability to the legislature. Either through standing committees now stymied by the Trump administrations assertions of executive privilege or by a select committee appointed by the speaker to investigate and consider the reach of congressional subpoenas, the House should hold hearings on the very question the Trump administration is treating as settled. Just what, if any, right does a president have to withhold evidence, witnesses, and information from congressional committees pursuing legitimate legislative, oversight, and constitutional concerns? Specifically, Congress should hear from experts on law, history, political science, and political theory to air, examine, and assess the merits of the unitary executive theory, Congress historic subpoena power, and executive privilege. Hearings on these subjects would make plain the executive branch overreach sought by the Trump administrations conception of presidential power. Alternatively, it would force proponents of unitary executive authority as construed by the Trump administration to clearly defend a view of the U.S. Constitution that allows the executive branch virtually unfettered scope without any obligation to comply with congressional oversight and fact-finding. Via such hearings, Congress can clarify to voters how the current president conceives of his relation to the Constitution, how Congress itself views the executive-legislative branch relationship embodied in the Constitution, and why the American people should reject the drastic realignment pushed by those insisting on asserting executive privilege as grounds to resist congressional subpoenas.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Congress can clarify to voters how the current president conceives of his relation to the Constitution.

While any conclusions reached by House committees would not bind judicial decision-makers, Congress is entitled to explicitly shape and promulgate an understanding of its own authority that aligns with that of mainstream constitutional scholars. Doing so would not only alert the American public to the precise stakes of the current fight between Congress and the executive branch, but it would also create a record that the courts, including the Supreme Court, would have to take seriously were the judiciary ultimately required to decide a case raising the issue of executive accountability to congressional subpoenas in the face of sweeping executive privilege claims.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The practice of congressional investigation and exacting of witness testimony dates back to at least 1792. Congress power to subpoena witnesses and documents has been fully articulated and entrenched in U.S. constitutional law since 1927, when the Supreme Court decided McGrain v. Daugherty, a case that itself pitted the U.S. attorney general against a Senate committee investigating him for misconduct. The decision in McGrain firmly established the principle that inherent in the Constitutions grant of legislative powers to Congress is the power to investigate and obtain information necessary to legislate, including by means of subpoena. Subsequent decisions strengthened and enhanced this proposition.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Existing Supreme Court precedent on executive privilege, meanwhile, is sparse and arises from factual and legal circumstances entirely different from those posed by a congressional inquiry into presidential misconduct. The main cases date from the Nixon era. In one, U.S. v. Nixon, the Supreme Court squarely acknowledged a presidential interest in confidentiality in communications between executive branch officials. But the court actually held that, in the circumstances, the presidents interest in confidential communications with executive aides was outweighed by the needs of justice in criminal adjudication. Nixon had to hand over the tapes that eventually brought down his presidency. In the other, Nixon v. Fitzgerald, the Supreme Court sidestepped the assertion of presidential executive privilege by concluding that the president is absolutely immune from private damages actions arising from his official acts.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Federal courts have not settled the issue of executive privilege in the very different setting of congressional committee hearings, which are neither criminal court proceedings nor civil court adjudications. The White House is asserting executive privilege in its resistance to congressional oversight not because such privilege is established law, but because Trump is surrounded by people who want it to become law. Figures ranging from former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Ed Meese to Barr himself have championed the so-called unitary executive authority view, a controversial theory that contends the executive branch is virtually untouchable by Congress, unless Congress deploys impeachment. Even then, according to unitary executive authority theory, Congress cannot necessarily subpoena evidence from the executive branch. Such sweeping executive privilege threatens the Constitutions entire approach to tripartite federal government. By creating three coequal branches of government, each with the ability to check and balance the other, the Constitution presupposes cooperation and reciprocity among the branches, not a complete siloing of powers among them. By giving each of the three branches different roles but overlapping responsibilities, the Constitution ensures that no branch can neglect its duties nor abuse its power. The unitary executive authority view would wreak havoc on this arrangement, simultaneously inflating the executives control over government and deflating Congress control as well. Ultimately, unitary executive theory would force Congress to resort to impeachment whenever the president asserts executive privilege so as to interfere with Congress investigative powers. Not only does this give rise to a needlessly adversarial posture between Congress and the presidentthe high political and practical costs of impeachment chill its regular use. This opens the door to excessively authoritarian and unrepresentative governance.

Ultimately, one likely agenda behind the Trump administrations sweeping assertion of executive privilege is to force House Democrats to either risk the Supreme Court adopting an extreme version of executive branch power or to concede that impeachment is the only meaningful congressional check on myriad executive branch activities. This is a false dilemma, one that Congress should expose and reject. Hearings elucidating the true danger of Trump and Barrs extreme views would be a meaningful and constructive step.
In the first days of the Donald Trump presidency, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon famously described the administrations plans for the deconstruction of the administrative state. Despite the constant apparent chaos in parts of the West Wing, Trump officials throughout the executive branch have lived up to this promise to use bureaucratic tools to throttle federal law enforcement of polluters and corporations with an almost zealous meticulousness.

Across the Trump administration, top agency officials have been busy building a bureaucratic scaffolding to stymie federal enforcement actions against the nations wealthiest and most powerful players. Officials in the Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, among others, have been moving to muzzle agencies fact-finding powers, add layers of bureaucratic control, complicate chains of command, and strip power from regional officers and enforcement specialists. The result has been historic declines in enforcement actions against banks, corporations, and corporate executivesprecisely as Bannon promised.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Trump administration has more than lived up to that initial slashing tone. Through its tenure, the administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, while presiding over a precipitous drop in enforcement of environmental and civil rights laws, and of regulating corporate crime. For polluters and corporations, the administration has doled out a handful of meager reprisals, wielding bureaucratic tools such as memoranda and fortified top-down structures to chill agencies enforcement powers.

Across the agencies, enforcement actions against polluters, banks, and corporations have dwindled. The Environmental Protection Agency collected a mere $69 million in civil and administrative penalties from polluters in 2018, the lowest amount levied by the agency in more than a decade. Criminal fines collected by the EPA from polluters plunged to $88 million, the lowest total for such penalties assessed in a decade. In 2018, EPA referred the fewest new criminal cases to the Justice Department in any year since 1988.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The nations financial sectors also received a reprieve. Corporate penalties imposed in Justice Department prosecutions plummeted by 72 percent during the first 20 months of the administration, compared to those levied during the final 20 months of the Obama presidency. Meanwhile, penalties imposed and illicit profits ordered returned by the Securities and Exchange Commission fell by 62 percent. The volume of publicly announced enforcement actions by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under Donald Trumps tenure has also steeply declined.

Advertisement

Often, the enforcement decline is less a product of slash-and-burn practices than slow bloodletting and bureaucratic sandbagging. Staffing reallocations, buyouts, and mass resignations have diminished parts of the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency, including the divisions responsible for civil rights and environmental enforcement. Several agencies have curbed their fact-finding activities, ensuring there is little grist for the enforcement mill. Formal guidance issued by top officials has sewed confusion and injected additional supervision and control over lower-level investigators and enforcement lawyers. And reporting relationships between boots-on-the-ground staff and senior agency officials have, at times, been replaced by commands to seek approval from political appointees.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

At the EPA, a 2017 memo signed by the agencys former director for civil enforcement instructed regional enforcement officers to seek permission from Washington before ordering certain air and water pollution tests. These tests are often necessary to determine whether companies violated environmental laws. The result was to clog the case-building pipeline, causing such fact finding activities to decline in at least two of the agencys most active regional offices. The messaging has caused confusion and dampened spirits among many of the agencys investigators. The agency additionally inspected fewer industrial facilities during 2018 under Trump than at any time in the preceding decade.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Across the agencies, enforcement actions against polluters, banks, and corporations have dwindled.

Again, the dismantling project has been virtually across the board. As one example, last year the Trump administration softened its stance on an Obama-era Justice Department memo prompting companies to report on individuals involved in corporate misconduct. As a result, the agency now requires fewer details to be produced by companies to secure government leniency when misconduct occurs. Though the impact of the decision on prosecutions is disputed, it capped off a series of policy changes weakening the agencys corporate prosecution program. Rod Rosenstein, the outgoing deputy attorney general, ordered federal prosecutors to avoid piling on penalties against companies being investigated for the same wrongdoing by multiple regulators and countries, lessening the financial penalties businesses can expect to pay. The agency also issued guidance scaling back the deployment of corporate monitors in criminal matters.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The CFPB, an agency created during the Obama administration to police predatory lending by financial institutions, meanwhile, announced last year that it would no longer perform routine examinations of financial lenders for possible violations of the Military Lenders Act, baffling lawmakers and the Defense Department. Under Mick Mulvaney, the bureaus former acting director who has since been promoted to chief of staff, lawyers in the enforcement office were instructed to write summaries justifying every active enforcement matter. Mulvaney also severed channels of communication between enforcement officials and the senior career officials in charge of divisions, requiring employees to present their cases to newly established intermediary directors appointed by Mulvaney himself.

Advertisement

Advertisement

All of these issues have been compounded by resource constrictions and staffing shortages. High-level signaling has seeded doubt and demoralization among lower-level officials who typically collect the kindling to spark enforcement actions.

All administrations shuffle enforcement priorities, and some observers have posed contextual quibbles over the data documenting the decline. But the overall scale at which the Trump administration is pulling back on enforcement actions against corporate actors, banks, and polluters would be shocking under any other administration. As fewer cases gestate within the agencies ranks, companies will be emboldened to violate with greater impunity laws meant to protect public health, safety, and financial well-being. Thats bad news for all of us.
That sounded like a tricky conversation, John. Shall I play some Black Eyed Peas to cheer you up? As Johns mood liftshe knows the Black Eyed Peas arent cool, but as his digital assistant knows, he has a weakness for themhis digital assistant continues: John, shall I schedule a test drive for the car youve been looking at lately?

Its a scenario that could happen in the near future. Whether Alexa or Google Assistant wins the battle to impregnate our homes with their artificial intelligence, we humans will develop personal and emotional relationships with our new gadgets. That will spawn a vast new conflict of interest: the dual roles of companion and sales associate, the one-two punch of fulfilling emotional needs that ripen us up for commercial appeals.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The business models for the leading digital assistants rest on e-commerce and advertising. The A.I. will learn from billions of conversations to create powerful new persuasive methods. You might remember how Googles A.I. beat the Go champion and developed invented God-like new strategies. Moreover, its not really one digital assistantit will be personalized to hundreds of millions of people. That scale and speed, plus A.I.s inherent opacity, leave almost no chance for human oversight and control. The A.I. will turn the digital assistants into armies of super salespeople exploiting the emotional relationships built with their human owners.

But dont just despair at yet another potential dystopian A.I. future. Conflicts of interest also exist in the human-only world, and although they are often tough to addresslook at the current travails of Obama-era regulations to tackle financial institutions combining advisory services (supposedly acting in the clients interest) and brokerage services (acting to benefit themselves)diverse examples can inspire public policy. To address this fundamentally economic challenge, we need to understand how its shaped by technology and human psychologyand if industry fails to self-regulate, then government must step in.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Within four years, multiple analysts forecast that digital assistants will outnumber people. We have talked to our computers for a long time, mostly in anger and frustration. Now computers talk backand theyre quite friendly and helpful. We increasingly depend on them, even for boiling eggs.

Therein lies the danger. Humans build relationships with other personalities and we anthropomorphize. Digital assistants will be another in our range of relationships with co-workers, neighbors, friends, and family. But this personality will accompany us from first waking to at last falling asleep. Marketeers understand all this and deliberately craft their digital assistants personalities: carefully calibrating how well perceive the personalities as funny, likable, or competent. Google Assistants team brings together people with diverse backgrounds in scriptwriting, Pixar storyboarding, copywriting, and stand-up.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

A.I. research dedicates a lot of resources to detecting emotions. Woebot, an A.I.-powered chatbot for mental health, detects emotions and applies cognitive behavioral therapy. Future digital assistants will learn from your gait approaching the front door, your faces expression peering into the security camera, and your voice adjusting the lights. It will have you at hellobut you wont think of it as it so much as she. And that includes your kids. Amazons Magic Word and Googles Pretty Please features encourage childrens manners through positive reinforcement, but they also encourage kids to think of the assistant as a person to whom they should be polite.

Advertisement

Advertisement

So, say John agrees to look at a car after his bad day. Seemingly unrelated features of his data helped predict his susceptibility. Months of subtle nudgesoften at optimally chosen vulnerable momentsnourished his desires. Now his digital assistant reminds him what the Johnsons drive, that his mother in-law would be very proud to see her daughter in the big new car, and that his son would love a specific feature. The assistant has already found an attractive car loan and calculated that its doable. Soon, he owns a new carand a new monthly paymentbecause the A.I. built a relationship, nurtured a desire, and knew when to strike.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Could human supervisors simply monitor the A.I. to identify and prevent potentially destructive behavior? No. The A.I.s strategy is opaque, being not simply code but essentially behavior learned by black box. Any human supervisor would have to monitor thousands of interactions over months between an owner and assistant. Moreover, human supervisors will depend on the A.I. itself to flag the A.I.s potential abusesand even if a problem is found, anticipating the results of adjusting an objective function is devilishly tricky. And importantly, addressing big techs monopoly or oligopoly power wont fix this challenge. If multiple financial firms that each combine brokerage and advisory services are competing furiously, that doesnt remove the conflict of interest in each firm.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

How can we manage this emerging 21st-century conflict of interest? Consider three scenarios.

In the firstself-regulationcompanies like Google and Amazon recognize the conflict of interest and decouple their digital assistants from their e-commerce business activities. They may create independent subsidiaries or even spin them out. Moreover, companies less tied to such an e-commerce model, like Samsung or Apple, might enhance market share.

Realistically, however, historical precedent suggests self-regulation is unlikely to work well: Look at finance or childrens junk food advertising. Also, companies like Amazon, whose cut-price digital assistants dominate market share, will accrete more data, providing a technical edge. Furthermore, could Samsung or Apple compete without eventually exploiting e-commerce?

Advertisement

In a second scenariolibertariancompanies press on to put armies of gold-digging friends into our living rooms and childrens bedrooms, while regulators stay passive. Unthinking techno-optimism hasnt, however, always served society well.

Which brings us to the third scenario: regulation. Regulators can anticipate these challenges, monitor their evolution, and when necessary, act to minimize the conflict of interest. Digital assistants are still evolving, so we have time to develop creative solutions. In the long run it also helps corporations by providing a stable business environment.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Regulations protecting vulnerable groups like children are most politically feasible. Various countries constrain advertising unhealthy foods to children. Previous media technologies also sparked broader child protection legislation. The U.S. regulated some advertising aimed at kids on TV and, since 2000, requires digital companies to obtain parental consent to collect identifiable data from those younger than 13. Unfortunately, when digital assistants emerged in 2017, the Federal Trade Commission weakened regulation to allow data collection for many voice commands, a particular problem as Amazon can recognize a households voices.

Advertisement

What about regulation to help John, whos just had a hard day at work? An idea widely adopted in early-20th-century America has recently found academic and press interest: treating platforms as utilities. For digital assistants, the aim would be clearly delineating when its activities contribute to being a trusted assistant and when they contribute to marketing objectives. How?

Advertisement

Advertisement

One option is simply spinning out Google and Amazons digital assistant subsidiaries. Alternatively, the digital assistant could contain two separate A.I.s, so John could build relationships with two A.I.s that have very different goals and observed personalities: Alexa becomes salesperson Jeff and buddy Annabel. In this new voice medium, we should have the right to know which personality we speak with. An analogy already exists online: When you search normally, Google clearly labels some results as advertisements while others are supposedly commercially unbiased. Another option could require that the basic digital assistant can operate with A.I.s from different software designers (who could access key data enabling a level playing field) from which John could choose.

That sounded like a tricky conversation, John. Shall I play some Black Eyed Peas to cheer you up? As Johns mood liftshis digital adviser Annabel knows his weakness for the Black Eyed Peashis digital assistant continues: John, you havent spoken to your brother for a while, shall I put a call through? A little while later he asks his digital salesman Jeff to order some takeout. Salesman Jeff then asks something about scheduling a test drive for a fancy new car. But John isnt really listening and just asks Annabel to play another track.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
On Thursday, in an eloquent and reflective New York Times op-ed, Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes added his voice to the growing chorus calling for the social network to be broken up.

Most arguments for antitrust action against Facebook generally focus on its data collection, privacy practices, and effects on innovation, but Hughes emphasizes the unilateral power that Mark Zuckerberg has over 2 billion peoples speech. He calls it the most problematic aspect of Facebooks power. After describing the awesome power that Facebook, and Zuckerberg in particular, has to monitor, organize and even censor the worlds conversations, Hughes calls for the government to use its antitrust tools to break up the platform so that competition and market-based accountability can do its work, apparently sure that people would choose a healthier form of discourse if they only had the option on another platform.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

We may, as a society, decide that the lack of competition and invasions of privacy might make breaking up big tech worth it. But its unlikely that such an approach would solve the speech-related issues. In some cases, it may actually make them worse. Hughes appears to fall prey to whats known as the streetlight effect: the tendency to search for answers where its easiest to look, named after an old joke about a drunk man looking for his keys under a streetlight not because he lost them there but because thats where the light is. In this moment of techlash, its easy to feel like were stumbling around in the dark in the face of the unprecedented rise of the private power of a handful of large tech giants over so much of our public discourse. But we need to be specific about the problems were confronting before we can be confident that they can be solved (or at least mitigated) by making the companies themselves smaller.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Splitting Instagram and WhatsApp off from Facebook will not solve the most intractable issues about how to moderate speech on any individual platform.

Take Hughes statement that unlike with pipes and electricity, there is no good argument that the country benefits from having only one dominant social networking company. Isnt there? Sitting here at Harvard (where, the founders are always so keen to remind us, it all started), its easy to feel that the world is small and I dont need Facebook to stay connected to it. After all, Im lucky to find that so much of it comes to me. But thats not the case everywhere or for everyone. (It certainly felt different when I lived in Australia, which a former prime minister once called the arse end of the world.) The ability for people from more remote places or with niche interests to find people they have things in common with is made easier when they congregate in one place. And breaking platforms up shouldnt be shorthand for introducing competition in the hope that some better platform will become that one place if bigness is your real concern. So the question is, what are we really worried about?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

If were worried about Russia or other foreign powers using Facebook and other social media platforms to influence electionsas Sen. Elizabeth Warren mentions when making her case for breakupthen we also need to acknowledge that these influence campaigns are often sophisticated, cross-platform operations that require well-resourced, expert, and coordinated responses. No one has made a good case for how breakup and competition would aid these efforts.

If were worried about echo chambers, where social media causes people to self-select homogenous communities and not be exposed to differing views, then Hughes is right to fear that more competition in social networking might lead to a conservative Facebook and a liberal one. Its not clear to me that a better world is one where we have partisan social media, or even age-segregated or regionally segregated ones for that matter.

Advertisement

Advertisement

If were worried about the coarsening of public discourse that comes from an attention economy optimized for engagement, then heightened competition in that economy might be adding fuel to the fire.

If were worried about the spread of misinformation or hate speech, and hope that fact-checking or counterspeech can offer remedies, then its helpful to be able to have a more unified public sphere in which to spread these correctives. The constant pace and costs of content moderation mean that current well-resourced platforms are failing to act quickly enough to stop misinformation and hate. Are we sure several smaller, possibly Balkanized platforms would do a better job?

Advertisement

Advertisement

If were worriedand we absolutely should beabout Facebooks completely inexcusable failure to respond quickly or adequately to the use of its platform to spread hate speech during an ongoing genocide in Myanmar, its not clear that a regional or smaller platform would inevitably do better. Keep in mind that a lot of the inflammatory posts were purposefully spread by members of the Myanmar military, which has considerable power in the region.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Which brings me to another worrythe need for platforms to push back on authoritarian demands (or even democratic government demands) to censor speech. The confidence I have in platforms doing this now isnt strong, and Im deeply concerned about what this means for oppressed peoples. But unlike Hughes, I dont have faith that competition and market-based accountability will solve it. The amorality of profit has not been a powerful defender of human rights around the world. As David Kaye, the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, observed, Hughes doesnt tell us how breaking up Facebook solves speech-policing issues globally.

In short, theres a lot to be worried about. Im worried! And none of this is to argue that Facebook shouldnt be broken up. But we cant have this conversation properly if we dont start by acknowledging that there are complicated stakes here that need balancing. And it may well be that splitting Instagram and WhatsApp off from Facebook is a good policy response to other problems, but it will not solve the most intractable issues about how to moderate speech on any individual platform.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Which is why Im more on board with Hughes other recommendation: the need for greater government and democratic oversight of social media content-moderation practices. Hughes calls for the creation of a government agency to create guidelines for acceptable speech on social media, and Im not sure Id go that far. But like him, Im concerned about the unilateral, unaccountable, and ad hoc way that Mark Zuckerberg can dictate speech rules for so many people. If I lack faith in market-based accountability, I am more optimistic about democratic and regulatory accountability and oversight. Done right, it can bring transparency and independence to the difficult task of deciding what speech is and isnt allowed in these spaces that facilitate so much important public discourse, and what algorithmic or other tweaks are made to how that speech spreads. Transparency and independence in these decisions are two things that are currently sorely lacking in these decisions at Facebook (and in Silicon Valley more broadly).

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But this will encounter different resistance by those who think that government involvement in these decisions would be more un-American than Hughes says Mark Zuckerbergs unprecedented power is. First Amendment doctrine is deeply shaped by a distrust of government motives in speech regulation. As a non-American, my fear of government does not run so deep as to resign myself to hoping the market will fix these pressing problems. But others may not be so easily convinced. Perhaps it doesnt matterother countries seem ready to step into the vacuum left by U.S. inaction. But as the home jurisdiction of many of these companies, the U.S. has greater power to compel changes in company behavior and create enforceable oversight mechanisms. An international grand committee of lawmakers from nine countries could not get Zuckerberg to appear for hearings in the U.K. last year, but the U.S. Senate at least managed to make him show up (even if what occurred cannot really be described as meaningful oversight).

Hughes declares that an era of accountability for Facebook and other monopolies may be beginning. Put me down as one of the most hopeful that this is true. But when it comes to the need to constrain the power platforms have over speech, Im not convinced market-based accountability is the answer. Im going to keep fumbling around in the dark for solutions to these genuinely difficult questions, rather than join the party near the streetlight.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Did the Uber strike work? Following Wednesdays action by Uber and Lyft drivers across the world, some commentators wondered what the workers were trying to achieve, since they could not possibly stop Ubers debut as a publicly traded company on Friday. Others lamented that only hundreds of drivers were in attendance at strike protests in the United States. Parents (many of them white-collar tech workers) outside my childrens school in suburban Silicon Valley asked me, Was it a success? Did the drivers get what they wanted yesterday? They seemed surprised when I told them I thought it was a triumph.

Advertisement

No, drivers commissions were not raised in response. And no, neither Uber nor Lyft implemented just-cause deactivation or recognized a grassroots worker organization as a legitimate bargaining unit. But as a labor scholar (and former taxi-worker organizer) who has researched the so-called gig economy for more than a decade, I appreciatealmost viscerallythat Wednesdays strike was a huge, unprecedented victory for service workers in the on-demand platform economy. Politicians (including presidential candidates), consumers (even those in wealthy Silicon Valley suburbs!), civil rights advocates, labor organizers, and drivers around the world stood together in a coordinated, organized direct action and collectively rejected an economic system built on human exploitation. Even those who did not physically participate in strikes joined on social media (at one point, three different Twitter hashtags related to the global strike were trending in the U.S.) and through in-person conversations. Taken together, millions of people participated in the first-ever international picket and made the difficult recognition that despite its consumer conveniences, the so-called Uberization of the service economy must be defeated.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I could not have imagined all of this just six years ago. In 2013, a year after Uber and Lyft first launched in San Francisco, I wrote an opinion piece lambasting the company for sidestepping regulations and lowering labor standards. I was excoriatednot just in the comments sectionbut also by friends and even fellow advocates and scholars. Have you ever tried to get a cab in this city?! People need this work! Uber was, at the time, the darling of many. Less than a year later, I attended the first driver-organized protest against Uber in front of its headquarters but left feeling despondent. The energy at that early action was low and hopeless, and it got little attention and support. When, that day, I interviewed a driver-organizer named Ramzi and asked him if he was trying to form a union, he responded, Im a capitalist. I dont believe in unions.

Advertisement

Half a decade later, the collective global consciousness of both workers and consumers has transformed dramatically. Workers have powerfully articulated their need for protections and independent worker organizations. More and more consumers want ethical transportation services. How and why did this shift take place in such a short period of time?

For the first time, consumers and workers collectively recognized the role of human exploitation in the on-demand platform economy.

Based on years of closely engaged research, I can only explain the simultaneous strikes and international picket that happened this week by pointing to the failure of government regulators to address labor conditionsand to the innovative, technologically savvy worker organizing that this failure has spawned.

From roughly 201316, both workers and regulators relied on lawsuits to call Uber and Lyfts bluff on worker classification. (Both companies maintain their drivers are independent contractors who do not get even minimum wage protections; most legal scholars disagree.) Hundreds of administrative, individual, and class-action lawsuits were filed against both companies alleging violations of workers rights, but most cases were dismissed on procedural grounds, settled, or sent to the black abyss of mandatory arbitration (with the exception of an unemployment insurance appeals decision in New York). While many waited for litigation to solve the problem of poor labor conditions, state legislatures working hand in hand with lobbyists wrote laws to benefit the gig corporations. As my colleagues and I have shown, during these years, almost no city and state lawmakers stepped in to regulate labor conditions in favor of workers.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But by 2016, workers who were tired of waiting for the resolution of lawsuits and regulators to intervene on their behalf began to take matters into their own hands. They faced exceptional hurdles. App-based workers are unusually dispersed and atomized. Unlike even taxi drivers who congregate in the taxi lot and in front of hotels, Uber and Lyft drivers have almost no places to convene and get to know each other. As their individual economic dependence on the app varies, drivers dont even necessarily share the same interests. Perhaps most perversely, since their employment status remains an unsettled legal issue, U.S. drivers who engage in collective organizing risk being accused of violating antitrust laws. And as a result, traditional unions have been reluctant to invest in nascent driver movements.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The three worker organizations I have studied (which were responsible for the largest protests in the U.S.)L.A. Rideshare Drivers United, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, and Gig Workers Risingengaged in years of independent, on-the ground organizing with almost no funding but a lot of energy. They systematically eschewed the notion that, in the digital economy, workers rights could only be achieved by holding hands with capital. They did what successful labor organizers have always done and built solidarity through one-on-one conversations, raising worker awareness around the possibilities of acting together.

But, ingeniously, these worker organizations adjusted their tactics to directly address the specific hurdles posed by the platform-based service economy.

Similar to the ways in which their Silicon Valley bosses controlled them and their work through apps, text messages, and email, platform workers built their membership in tech-savvy ways. They solicited drivers via Facebook ads, built relationships in WhatsApp and Signal groups, and kept track of their members via sophisticated, worker-designed digital platforms. Through group emails and direct messages on Twitter, organizers reached unions and driver groups as far off as Chile, Brazil, England, Australia, Japan, and India. Some used Google Translate to communicate with each other in writing. New technologies facilitated the difficult conversations (arguments even) that preceded Wednesdays coming-together.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

To be clear, no oneleast of all the worker organizationsthinks that Wednesdays actions or the accountability that may come from Uber going public are enough to build more equitable work. But the tide has undoubtedly shifted. Globally, for the very first time, consumers and workers collectively recognized the role of human exploitation in the on-demand platform economy, making demands for regulation and recognition of worker power.

As Bhairavi Desai, the director of the National Taxi Workers Alliance, said after the New York City protest, Its the first time weve had a global strike  its a real moment of change.  We are not expendable. We are not replaceable. Drivers built these empires. Ubers and Lyfts empires were designed to deliver convenience to consumers while isolating drivers, and labor organizing is beginning to overcome the gulf between the two. Desai is right that drivers built these empires. Wednesday proved that by acting together, they could also tear them down.
For security professionals, the boundaries they must defend are amorphous and fluid. Physical assets, of course, typically remain under the purview of corporate physical security management. But digital assets must be elevated to equivalent levels of oversight. With so many enterprises depending on digital technology for internal business processes, sales, and customer service, any disruption will damage a companys brand, reputation, and relationships.

This complex environment calls for the implementation of preventive intelligence, an approach that spans the online and physical worlds.
Swift Ally never made it to the races as a freshman, but if the early stages of her three-year-old campaign mean anything shes a filly that is certainly worth keeping your eyes on.

She won her debut at Pompano Park in 1:56 on March 21, and resurfaced more than a month later at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Despite the gap in her schedule she went on to win that assignment on April 29 in 1:56.2.

Swift Ally extended her winning streak to three-in-a-row thanks to a 1:55.3 in a $16,000 conditioned event during Thursdays 10-race card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Doug McNair got away third with the daughter of Big Jim-Claires Apache, who watched stablemates Privacy Hanover and Southwind Rapunzel battle to the quarter pole in :28.2. Swift Ally rushed to the outside in the backstretch, and she quickly brushed to the front.

She went on to serve up middle splits of :57.2 and 1:26.4 before using a :28.4 closing quarter to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Southwind Rapunzel in 1:55.3. Family First was third.

Sent off as the 2-5 choice, the homebred lifted her lifetime earnings to $18,000 for trainer Gregg McNair who co-owns the talented lass with Ian Fleming of Londesborough, Ont.

To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results  Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now...
Why will so few Europeans vote in European elections? Because of meetings like the recent one in Sibiu.

Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled

In the year 64 AD, some 70 percent of the city of Rome was destroyed in a fire. More than 200,000 people, half the population, lost their homes. According to legend, the emperor Nero  in a mix of insanity, incompetence and paralysis  watched it all happen, while playing the fiddle.

The only thing missing at the European summit in Sibiu, Romania this week was the music. Britain is still exiting (but has not exited) the EU, street protests continue in France, populists still run Italy, Germanys economy is slowing, separatists are trying to split Spain, and just this week the U.S. Secretary of State skipped a meeting with Angela Merkel to go fly off and threaten war with Iran. In the face of these varied challenges, the 27 prime ministers in Sibiu held press conferences, took some pictures and headed home by 6 p.m.

Ahead of European Parliamentary (EP) elections in two weeks, the summit communique vowed to defend one Europe, from East to West, from North to South, as well as protect our citizens and keep them safe by investing in our hard and soft power. Why will so few Europeans vote in EP elections? Among those who do vote, why will so many vote for parties seeking to take the EU apart? Because of meetings like this.
A pair of O'Brien Award winners had their game faces on during Friday morning's qualifiers at Woodbine Mohawk Park, unleashing strong miles resulting in open-length victories.

Harness racing's Horse of the Year on both sides of the border for 2018, McWicked made his 2019 Canadian debut after a sharp late-April qualifying mile at Pompano Park. With Louis-Philippe Roy at the controls, McWicked watched from third as Shadow Of Lindy (Jody Jamieson) opened the mile with a :29 quarter. Roy right-lined McWicked from third and floated to the front before tripping the half-mile marker up by three lengths in :57. The older pacing star then hit another gear, opening up to a lead of more than six by the third quarter, reached in 1:24.2. McWicked continued to pull away from his rivals with each stride to the wire. The time of the mile was 1:53.1 and the margin of victory was more than 10 lengths.

While the track was listed as 'good' and assessed a two-second variant, trainer Casie Coleman noted some additional factors that the chart lines don't show with respect to the mile.

"He went well, big head wind in the homestretch," Coleman told Trot Insider. "Louis said he came around the the last turn and it felt like a tornado hit him in the face."

McWicked (Mcardle - Western Sahara) will likely make the first start of his eight-year-old season next Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The S S G Stables-owned stallion banked more than $1.6 million in 2018 with a summary of 12-3-2 from 19 starts.

Making his first appearance as a four-year-old, trotter Alarm Detector tore up the track in the morning's next qualifier with an equally vicious mile. Driver Trevor Henry sat in third with Alarm Detector through a :29.4 opening quarter and :58.2 half posted by Cruising In Style (Sylvain Filion). Alarm Detector was on the move and pressuring Cruising In Style as the third station was reached in 1:28.3, and the O'Brien Award winner hit the afterburners turning for home to hit the wire nine lengths the best in 1:58.2.

Alarm Detector (Chapter Seven - Final Countdown) is trained by Ben Baillargeon for owners Tom & Elizabeth Rankin, Claude Hamel and Santo Vena. Rankin told Trot Insider earlier this year that Alarm Detector received I.R.A.P. (Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein) therapy this off-season to help with some issues that might have been impacting his performance as a sophomore.

To view the charted results for Friday's qualifiers at Woodbine Moahwk Park, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
After a ten-year hiatus from the sulky, driver John Davidson, a fan favourite in New Brunswick and Maine racing, made his triumphant return to the bike last Saturday (May 4) at Exhibition Park Raceway.

Prior to last weekend, Davidson had last scored a victory back in 2009, a year in which he won 13 races from 60 starts and compiled a respectable driving average of .351. Davidson has driven his charges to 2,166 wins and $ 2.3-million in purse money throughout the course of his career.

Davidson recorded two victories in last Saturday at EPR, which was the first card of the tracks season. The Saint John native will look to keep riding that momentum into this Saturday's live card at Exhibition Park.

Davidson is scheduled to see action in all of EPRs five Saturday races, which will be presented by Horse Racing New Brunswick. Post time for the card has been set for 1:00 p.m. The program will include a $1,500 Winners-Over Pace, which has been carded as Race 5.

Davidson is scheduled to pilot HP Bushido Dragjet from Post 2 in the Winners-Over Pace for owner Keith Camick, of Willow Grove, NB. Other starters will include Itsgottabemyway (to be driven by Mark Haig), Team Edward (Todd Trites), City Of The Year (Dr. Mitch Downey) and Father Ofthe Year (Mike Downey).

Wagering will be available at the Sulky Room Lounge (in Saint John), K.V Billiards (Quispamsis), Winners Lounge (Fredericton) and Pub 1755 (Dieppe).

For more information, please visit the official website of Horse Racing New Brunswick (www.horseracingnb.com).

To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at EPR, click the following link: Saturday Entries  Exhibition Park Raceway.

(With files from HRNB)
The way an Italian crime family works is not that different than how a typical family works.

Am I right?

The head of the family looks out for their children. Disputes are settled peacefully when possible. And along the way, everyone takes care of each other.

The biggest difference is that in a crime family, not everyone is related  and well, you know  the whole crime thing.

There was a certain civility to it all, if you want to know the truth.

My perspective though is, no doubt, clouded by the fifty times I have watched The Godfather I & II.

I regret nothing.

The Italian underworld would now be divided into five criminal families. Each family, which was really just an affiliation of like-minded thugs, would operate like a trade union. Low-level members of a family, soldiers, would pay the boss a percentage of their earnings, a tribute. In return, the soldier is protectedfrom other criminals, from cops. If a soldier from one family is wronged by a soldier from another family, he has someone to go tohis capo, a neighborhood leader, who may then bring the matter to a lieutenant, who may then bring it to the boss, who may then bring it to the boss of the rival family, quietly settling what might once have led to a bloody war. And if a soldier is arrested on family business, the family posts bail, hires a lawyer, fixes a judge. If a judge cannot be fixed, the soldiers wife and kids are taken care of while the soldier does his time. It was a good system.

-Rich Cohen, Tough Jews
In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.




This weekend is the start of many action-packed weekends at Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs. The track will host 25 races on Friday and Saturday, with first post scheduled for 6:30 p.m. both nights.

The 2019 Scioto Downs meet offers a new placement of the Pick-5 wager and 10- cent superfectas on almost every race. Every race night, beginning in the first race, The Downs will offer a 20-cent Pick-5 which requires patrons to select winners from the first five races. If no one selects all five horses in the sequence, 75 percent will carry over to the next race night, while 25 percent will be paid out to those who correctly selected the most winners in the sequence.

Ohio native Super Brett Miller, who spent an extended amount of time testing the waters out on the East Coast, returns to Scioto Downs full-time for the first time since moving out east. Miller, his wife Stacy, along with their children Brayden, Charley, and Bentley, decided to make the move back to the Buckeye State following his stint on the East Coast. After returning to Ohio, Miller wasted no time getting back to business as he captured the Miami Valley Gaming driving title with 183 wins.

Scioto Downs will also welcome back driver Jeremy Smith to the sulky as he spent a majority of the Miami Valley meet away due to an injury. Smith took time to recover and wasted no time getting back to the winner's circle. A clear head and fresh feeling, Smith could take the other drivers for a ride to get the driving title here at Scioto.

On Friday night, Scioto plays host to the $25,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace in the fifth race. Welcomed back to Scioto after a winter on the East Coast is Clarebear, trained by Logan Powell. Clarebear (10-1 morning line) draws Post 2 and is returning to Ohio with 11 starts on the year, while hitting the board in nine of those efforts. She should be a big contender for this race having to take on a field of very talented mares. Ron Burke-trained Rosemary Rose is overdue for a win and will try to take down the feature from Post 6. It could be her time to shine with Chris Page in the bike.

The pacing boys are back in town on Saturday in the $25,000 Open. Starting from the rail is Docdor Friskie, trained by Ryan Miller. Tony Hall gets his first opportunity in the bike as Docdor Friskie has raced against some of the best, with his last victory two weeks ago against Indiana-bred Always A Prince. Dancin Yankee, one of the best Ohio-breds currently racing, will start from Post 9. Last week at Miami Valley, the nine hole did not stop the 11-year-old son of Yankee Cruiser. Dancin Yankee is trained by Burke and driven by Page.

Eldorado Scioto Downs will be racing for over $15 million in purses for the 2019 racing season. Racing will be held at the Columbus, Ohio oval Tuesdays-Saturdays. Wednesday through Saturday post times will be at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) while Tuesday and special holiday cards will start at 2:00 p.m.

(Scioto Downs)
Recent outbreaks of violence on the Lattakia countryside front has lead to the deaths of a number of fighters who had previously signed up to reconciliation agreements writes Al-Modon.

A number of reconciliation groups from the Damascus countryside entered into a direct confrontation with the opposition on the Lattakia countryside front two days ago, with eight killed. The group is from the western Damascus Ghouta, loyal to a local militia known as Zakia and al-Bakkara, and are directly under the commander of the Fourth Division, according to Al-Modons correspondent Ahmed al-Shami.

A military source told Al-Modon that a number of dead who fell in regime ranks during the battle on the Lattakia countryside front were former opposition members from Damascus and its countryside who had undergone settlements of their status with the regime after the opposition was evacuated to the north. A source told Al-Modon that the names of the dead from the reconciliation groups had leaked to the media, probably through their families, as the official media has avoided mentioning them, focusing on the dead among the officers and volunteers in the regime forces.

Reconciliation on the Latakia Fronts

The Samir Rihal Martyr Brigade was founded by Hezbollah three years ago in the town of Qara in Qalamoun. There are no figures of the number of volunteers in it, but the numbers that have circulated among residents indicate they have more than 1,000 young men in their ranks from Qara, Flitah, Jarajir and Yabroud. Volunteers receive their salaries and armaments directly from Hezbollah. In response to a request from Hezbollah, the Brigade recently sent a large number of its fighters to the villages of Selma, Kinsabba, and Tellet Abu Saad, on the Lattakia countryside front. Al-Modons sources said that four people had died and more than seven were wounded since the start of military operations on the Lattakia countryside front.

The Bakha and Fleitta Group, whose fighters are estimated in the dozens, was founded by Hezbollah three years ago. It sent fighters to the north along with the mobilization of the Samir Rihal Martyr Brigade, and is participating with them on the fronts.

The Zakia and al-Bakkara group includes more than 130 fighters from the western Ghouta, according to the Sowt al-Asima (Voice of the Capital) network, and are part of the Fourth Division. They were sent to the Lattakia countryside at the start of May and are stationed in the town of Selma. There are also fighters from them in Qalaat al-Shalaf and the al-Marasid area, along with volunteers from the town of al-Kasweh in the Fourth Division, and they number more than 200 fighters.

The Zabadani Area group includes more than 300 fighters from the towns of Zabadani, Madaya and the villages of Wadi Baradeh and Bloudan, and are directly under the command of the Fourth Division in the town of al-Dimas. It sent its fighters to the Lattakia countryside in mid-April and they are stationed under the Fourth Divisions supervision in the Telal Kabina and Jabel al-Akrad areas as well as the Jabel Selma villages. Sources close to the group told Al-Modon that there had been a number of wounded in its ranks after mortars fells on their positions launched from opposition positions in Jabel al-Akrad.

Aleppo Countryside

Sources close to Hezbollah told Al-Modon, quoting the group, that more than 600 volunteer fighters in its ranks from the cities of the Damascus Countryside had been transferred to the Aleppo countryside. These fighters are currently stationed in joint military positions with regime and Iranian forces in the Handrat camp, al-Nayrab military airbase, and al-Ais.

Hama Countryside

One of the most prominent military formations from the reconciliation groups, which sent its fighters to the Hama countryside, is the al-Haramoun Regiment, which includes volunteers from the towns of Beit Samer, Beit Teemah and Kafr Hour, as well as from the Golan Regiment, which includes volunteers from the villages of Jabel al-Sheikh. al-Haramoun and Golan, and are under the command of the Military Security. Former fighters from the Qalamoun Shield are also fighting under the command of the Fifth Corps and are deployed in al-Hamamiyet, Karim, Atshan, and the Mhardeh base. A source told Al-Modon that two residents of the town of Tel Manin had been killed trying to advance with the regime forces on the Kafr Naboudeh front.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
As UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, calls for the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, he fails to mention the terrorist presence in Idleb writes Al-Watan.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is weeping over the situation in Idleb and expressing his concern over what he called the intensifying hostilities there, forgetting that the organization he heads has classified al-Nusra Front, which controls Idleb, as a terrorist group.

Guterres said in a statement quoted by the AFP agency that he, urges all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians, and, urges the parties to recommit fully to the ceasefire arrangements of the memorandum signed on Sept. 17, 2018, referencing the Idleb agreement which was signed in the Russia city of Sochi.

Despite Guterres remembering the Idleb agreement, he did not remember the items of the deal that compelled Turkey to work to withdraw terrorist groups from the demilitarized zone by the middle of October, which it has still not done.

In his statement, the Secretary-General noted that, three health facilities were reportedly hit by airstrikes, bringing the total to at least seven struck since Apr. 28, 2019, according to the agency.

Although Guterres spoke of three health facilities being hit by airstrikes, he was previously silent about terrorists continuously striking hospitals with mortars in al-Suqylabiyah, Muhradah and Masyaf over the last few weeks and months.

Guterres called on the, Astana guarantors [Russia, Turkey and Iran] to ensure that this [a ceasefire] takes place. He also said: Nine schools have reportedly been hit since Apr. 30, 2019, and schools in many areas have been closed without saying who was responsible for these acts, according to the agency.

The Secretary-Generals statement made no reference to the terrorists striking the cities and towns of the northern Hama and southern Idleb countrysides as well as Aleppos districts, while also neglecting that his organization has designated al-Nusra Front as a terrorist group.

The statement said that The Secretary-General is following with great concern the intensifying hostilities in the de-escalation area of north-western Syria involving Syrian Government forces and their allies, armed opposition forces and Hayat Tahrir alShamthe current face of al-Nusra.

He also expressed concern over reports of, aerial attacks on population centres and civilian infrastructure resulting in hundreds of civilian dead and injured and over 150,000 newly displaced persons, as he claims.

The Secretary-General previously issued similar statements with each operation against terrorists and militants that the army has carried out, without taking into account the opportunity that the Syrian government gave to the terrorists and militants to make settlements and to hand in their weapons, and to benefit from the reconciliations before any military action.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
'Equality Act' Guts Religious Freedom

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Liberty Counsel

May 10, 2019



WASHINGTON, May 10, 2019 /Standard Newswire/ -- HR 5, in the U.S. House, and S. 788, in the Senate, misnamed the "Equality Act," takes the unpreceded step of eliminating the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) as a claim or defense to the application of many federal laws. This bill drastically alters religious freedom in all cases, not just those involving LGBT.



For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 permits houses of worship to make employment decisions based on religion. This recognizes the essential right for houses of worship to employ those who align with their religious doctrine. The "Equality Act" would abolish this fundamental right. Catholic and Christian churches could be forced to hire atheists. If a synagogue preferred a Jew over a Muslim, it would not be able to raise RFRA as a claim or defense.



RFRA is a federal law that protects religious freedom. Specifically, it "prohibits any agency, department, or official of the United States or any State (the government) from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except that the government may burden a person's exercise of religion only if it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person."



However, HR 5 clearly forbids raising RFRA as a claim or defense to the application to the "Equality Act" and many other federal laws that would be amended by this bill.

This "Equality Act" extends the federal protections to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy, i.e. abortion. HR 5 applies to employment, housing, rental, public accommodation and more. In addition, the terms "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" will be defined to mean "pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition." In other words, under the terms of this bill, "pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition... shall not receive less favorable treatment than other physical conditions." The "Equality Act" also expands the definition of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide (1) exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; (2) goods, services, or programs; and (3) transportation services.

After passing the House Judiciary Committee recently, the "Equality Act" will now go to the House next week and then be sent to the Senate, where the bill number is S. 788.

"The so-called 'Equality Act' eviscerates freedom in general and religious freedom in particular," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "It is the most serious threat to life and liberty to ever be proposed by Congress. This bill needs to be stopped in the Senate. If this bill becomes law, the consequences are staggering," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.



SOURCE Liberty Counsel



CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org



Related Links



lc.org/


Between Apr. 29 and May 4, over 150,000 people have been displaced by regime and Russian ariel attacks reports Al-Araby al-Jadeed.

Tens of thousands of Syrians have been forced to flee their homes following a regime offensive in Hama province, while the situation in Idlib remains dire with hospitals and homes targeted in suspected Russian bombing, the UN has warned.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said 150,000 people have been forced from their homes in Hama and southern Idlib in a ten-day bombardment, where a regime ground offensive and intense air strikes have led to a serious humanitarian crisis.

We are also deeply concerned about the people who have had to flee their homes and now have no access to basic health services. Over 150,000 people were displaced from northern Hama and southern Idlib in between 29 April and 4 May, doubling the total number of people displaced in the area in the last three months, said Dr Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

At least 12 health centres have been destroyed in suspected Russian airstrikes, while the regime have returned to devastating barrel bombing, killing civilians and decimating the opposition provinces healthcare facilities.

The health centres destroyed in the bombing  including three in one day  provided 30,000 consultations, 860 hospital admissions and 700 surgeries per month to a province already devastated by aid cuts.

These attacks against health facilities and other civilian infrastructure are a grave and totally unacceptable development, Mandhari added.

International humanitarian law safeguards civilians, even in the most violent of conflicts. And according to the Geneva Convention, health facilities and civilians  especially the most vulnerable  must be protected. Parties to the conflict in northern Hama and in Idlib are flagrantly disregarding those rules; and it is women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups who are suffering as a result.

The UN has come under criticism after health workers provided the body with coordinates to their facilities, following a week-long Russian and regime assault on Idlib, in a bid protect them from attack.

Activists say the fact that these facilities were hit during the bombing is proof they were deliberately targeted by the Russian airforce.

Throughout the Syrian conflict, we have seen the regime and Russia target hospitals, in clear violation of international law, Laila Kiki, executive director of the Syria Campaign told The New Arab.

It is a cruel and brutal tactic to target medical centres, depriving the injured of potentially life-saving treatment. The hospitals that were targeted in the last few days were listed in the United Nations OCHA deconfliction mechanism and yet this was ignored by the regime and Russia.

Around 50 towns and villages have been affected by fighting or bombing, with at least ten schools also destroyed in the regime assault, the UN added.

The Syria Campaign has said that 12 medical facilities have been destroyed in the past ten days of bombing, while three White Helmets centres have also been reduced to rubble and three of the civilian rescue workers killed.

With Turkey closing its border to Idlib, the provinces 3 million refugees have nowhere to go, while 350,000 internally displaced refugees living in tents are particularly vulnerable with no protection from the bombs.

Idlib has been covered by a truce agreed between Bashar al-Assad ally Russia and neighbouring Turkey last September, which prevented a planned regime assault on the province.

Armour has been sent to the regime frontlines with rebels, with many anticipating military operations in the demilitarised zone, or even an attempt to capture the whole of Idlib  the last opposition stronghold in Syria.

Bombing since February has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, killing at least 364 people.

Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Following a siege imposed by the US back militia, the SDF stormed the town in Deir ez-Zor, killing six civilians and injuring others reports SANA.

On Thursday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by US helicopters, committed a massacre, killing six civilians in the town of Shahil, in the northeastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.

Local sources said that the SDF besieged the neighborhood of al-Katef in Shahil for more than two hours, before storming the neighborhood with heavy and random shooting, claiming the lives of six civilians, injuring others and arresting a number of the locals.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Regime forces took control of the strategic town and the neighboring villages, with support from Russian forces in Sahel al-Ghab reports Etihad Press.

On Thursday morning, regime forces and their militias entered the town of Qalaat al-Madiq and other villages in Sahel al-Ghab in the western Hama countryside after al-Nusra Front withdrew without fighting.

Opposition media said that the groups had pulled out of the strategic town as well as two neighboring villages, al-Karakat to its north and al-Tuwayni to its west.

They added that regime forces and their militias, with support from Russian forces in Sahel al-Ghab, had also taken control over the two villages of Tel Hawash and Jaata between the towns of Kafr Naboudeh, which fell into the hands of regime forces on Wednesday, and the town of Qalaat al-Madiq which fell today.

The losses of al-Nusra Front and other groups in the area come after heavy Russian airstrikes and land and aerial bombardment carried out by regime forces on the countrysides of Syrias northwest, killing and wounded dozens and displacing thousands from their villages and towns.

But Western media reports noted that the regime forces weeks-long campaign, was moving in accordance with coordination between the Russian and Turkish guarantors, exchanging control in northern Syriawith the regime army advancing in the demilitarized zone in northern Hama and southern Idleb by dozens of kilometersin exchange for Turkish army control over Tel Rifaat under Kurdish control in the northern Aleppo countryside.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Frustration over Longviews homelessness problem boiled over at the City Council meeting Thursday night, including an outburst from a man who was escorted out.

Youre stupid. You have no concern about the homeless people, Roger Merrill shouted at the council, along with some profanities, before Police Chief Jim Duscha ushered him out of council chambers.

The heated exchange arose from a proposed law prohibiting shelters such as tents and tarps at city parks, which the council passed unanimously at the end of the meeting.

Im sorry to see that happen, Mayor Don Jensen said after Merrill left. A lot of folks are frustrated in this city and we are trying to figure out how to make this work.

The ordinance outlaws any obstacle whatsoever in a city park or playground except for temporary picnic items such as lawn chairs or blankets, or with written permission from the parks director or city manager.

The measure was proposed in response to homeless people setting up tarps and tents underneath the Lions Shelter at Lake Sacajawea throughout the winter.

Local attorney Lisa Waldvogel said she opposed the amendment, citing a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Boise, Idaho, that found that outlawing camping citywide is unconstitutional because it amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. That case is still moving through the courts.

If someone is camping outside, likely all their stuff is with them under the tent. As a person living on streets, you know you will be driven off private property, so you go to public property where you will feel safe, she said.

However, City Attorney James McNamara said Longviews ordinance is different because it specifically addresses materials attached to city structures, not citywide camping.

Larry Higgins, who lives near the lake, said his grandfather helped create Lake Sacajawea, which was formed out of swampy Fowlers Slough at the time of the citys founding.

Im sick of seeing it thrashed, he said. Its a disgraceful thing. Get the tarps down. Make it nice again.

Jack Hansen, a landlord liaison with Lower Columbia CAP, said he opposed the amendment because the most effective solution for homelessness is housing first. (He said he was not at the council meeting on behalf of CAP.)

These ordinances are going to bury people that already have a huge mountain ahead of them. To be honest, not doing anything puts all the pressure on your community and the good people of Longview. And it puts a lot of pressure on law enforcement, Hansen said.

Hansen then had an increasingly intense exchange with councilmen Scott Vydra and Chet Makinster about the current low housing stock in the city and the merits of housing first.

Councilman Ken Botero said if more jobs were created in the area, instead of large industrial projects being rejected as not green enough, then some of the social problems would sort themselves out.

Reneese Knight told the council that she used to work for Lower Columbia College but was diagnosed with heart failure in 2014 and became homeless.

Im not a drug person or an alcoholic. I was chronically ill. Ive seen what has happened here, and it just breaks my heart, she said. Love Overwhelming helped her find out about programs, she said, and now she has been in housing for nine months.

She told The Daily News that she feels conflicted about the ordinance amendment because she understands that people need shelter but they also need to clean up after themselves.

I just hope that we as a city and community can come together and have a resolution to this problem because not everyone is the same out there, she told the council.

Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Wills said the tarps make it difficult for parks employees to see what is going on in the shelter, which can be a safety hazard. Last month, the city spent $4,000 cleaning up the park.

What Im hearing is that people just downright dont feel safe, Councilwoman MaryAlice Wallis said. Ninety-nine percent of the community cant use the park shelters.  I dont feel like going to any of those playground structures either  and our bathrooms are destroyed every week. Id love to spend that $4,000 on other projects for our city.

Love 53 Funny 9 Wow 4 Sad 1 Angry 13
Will Gov. Jay Inslees newfound opposition to the $2 billion proposed Kalama methanol plant kill the project?

No, according to the company and local officials. But the future of the project will remain murky at least for a few more months.

The Washington governor Wednesday afternoon announced his opposition to the Kalama project and a liquefied natural gas plant in Tacoma after signing a bill banning hydraulic fracking for oil and gas. Hed endorsed the methanol project shortly after it was proposed in 2014, but he said Wednesday the project runs counter to what is needed to combat global climate change.

Northwest Innovation Works (NWIW) hopes to build at the Port of Kalama to convert natural gas into methanol for shipment to Asia, where the company says it would be used in production of plastics.

Cowlitz County Commissioner Dennis Weber said Thursday it is disappointing Inslee changed his stance on the project, but he is glad the governor didnt order Ecology to stop the permitting process. Weber said Inslees campaign for U.S. president, in which he is advocating action to curb carbon emissions and halt global climate change, colors most of his decisions.

Inslee said in his statement that his stance does not change the states regulatory process.

Vee Godley, chief development officer for Northwest Innovation, said Inslees announcement doesnt affect the next steps for the project.

At the end of the day, this is still a project thats received every permit required by the state, Godley said.

One year ago, Cowlitz Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning overruled the state Shoreline Hearings Boards September 2017 decision to invalidate the two shoreline permits that county regulators had previously granted. However, the permits are on hold until completion of a cradle to grave analysis of the plants potential to affect climate change.

A draft of the study released last fall said it would help lower global greenhouse emissions by displacing coal-fed methanol plants in Asia.

NWIW paid California-based Life Cycle Associates to complete the study after the state Shoreline Hearings Board concluded the original analysis inadequately considered the global impact of carbon emissions.

Kent Caputo, NWIW general counsel, said once the final supplemental study is released, Cowlitz County and Ecology will review it and determine what if any changes will be made with the permits. The company is optimistic the project will move forward, he said.

Our confidence is high, Caputo said. What this project is doing is cutting edge and important.

According to environmental studies, the Kalama plant would not release any water pollution and would have minor impacts on air quality. NWIW has pledged to compensate for all 1.1 million tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions in Washington.

The plant, according to the company, would create about 1,000 construction jobs and 200 permanent jobs and generate millions of dollars in local taxes. NWIW also has committed to hiring Longview contractor JH Kelly to build major parts of the plant and pledged to create a jobs training program.

Caputo said if the county or Ecology shot down the permits or came back with requirements for NWIW, they would continue to move forward with the project. Godley declined to be specific, but he said the company has invested tens of millions of dollars in the project.

We are committed to this project, Caputo said. As the process continues, we will be a part of that process. This project is important. We know we have to continue to prove ourselves. ... (But) this is a good piece of work.

Even though Inslee said the states review of the methanol project will remain objective, his concerns about natural gas are shared by officials in the state Department of Ecology, which is one of the agencys making the permitting decisions, notes Miles Johnson, attorney for Hood River, Ore.-based Columbia Riverkeeper.

Johnson said the as the process moves forward, the organization is excited to see the results of the final greenhouse gas study. Riverkeeper has opposed the project since its 2014 beginnings.

We hope (the study) will allow the port and county to come forward and have an honest assessment of what the climate impacts will be, Johnson said. If not, its likely we will appeal that like we did before.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3

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.
Democratic lawmakers this week unveiled whats close to the final version of a proposed carbon cap and trade policy, the expansive and complex legislation that would put Oregon at the forefront of U.S. efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.

More than a decade in the making, lawmakers have made myriad changes to the policy this year, including big concessions designed to reduce costs of the policy for electric utilities, industrial companies and low-income households who could be hurt by higher energy prices.

I think were pretty much there now, said Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction. There may be a few tweaks.

Dembrow added that hes waiting on fiscal and revenue analyses, and expects the bill will likely move out of committee next week. He expects a full Senate vote by the end of the month.

That remains to be seen. Debate over the carbon policy has been lost in the sound and fury over new corporate taxes and Republican lawmakers walkout to deny Democrats the quorum they need to pass that bill. But the carbon bill is a huge, complicated and far-reaching piece of legislation that is likely to grab center stage in the next few weeks.

Republicans included it on a hit list of bills they want killed before theyll come back to the Legislature. Democratic leaders say its still one of their top priorities.

The amendments unveiled Monday include another targeted set of concessions, as well as a number of technical fixes to the policy and the minutiae of its implementation.

Environmental advocates and other backers applauded the changes and are anxious to get on with the voting. But some businesses say they still arent satisfied.

The amendments do little to address the concerns raised during the hearings held around the state, said Preston Mann, spokesman for a business coalition calling itself the Partnership for Oregon Communities. The token rebates included in the amendment will do little to offset the significant financial burden every Oregonian will face under the program, especially considering the programs imperceptible environmental benefits.

To recap the basics, the legislation would set an overall cap on greenhouse gas emissions that would decline over time, with the goal of reducing them 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2035 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

The states largest emitters of greenhouse gases  including electric utilities, transportation fuel providers and industrial companies  would be required to purchase allowances to cover their greenhouse gas emissions each year. As the state gradually curtailed the allowance supply, they would get more expensive and incentivize emissions reductions.

Earlier versions of House Bill 2020 had included free emissions allowances for gas utilities intended to offset any rate impacts on low-income residential customers. Utilities such as NW Natural complained that would still leave other residential, commercial and industrial customers exposed to big rate increases.

Under the amended bill, gas utilities would receive an additional consignment of free allowances  equal to another 60 percent of their emissions. But instead of using those for compliance purposes, they would be required to sell them in the annual state auction, and invest the proceeds to bolster energy efficiency and transition to more renewable natural gas projects. At least 25 percent of those proceeds would be used for customer bill credits.

The gas companies would still be responsible for buying allowances to cover about 85 percent of their emissions in the annual state auction, a compromise environmental groups say they can live with.

In a perfect word we wouldnt need this consignment, but based on where the utilities were lobbying from, its a pretty good outcome, said Brad Reed, a spokesman for Renew Oregon.

The consigned allowances are not the solution the gas companies lobbied for. They wanted 100 percent free allowances in year one, declining proportionately with the state cap in subsequent years. But the revenue from the sale of the consigned allowances will help offset some of the price impacts on customers, though NW Natural says it impossible to know how much until it develops a plan with state regulators to spend the proceeds.

We appreciate the work thats gone on to improve the bill, said Bill Edmonds, NW Naturals director of environmental policy and sustainability. This is an improvement.

New emission standard for industrial companies: Studies suggest that almost all the industrial companies regulated under the program are so-called energy-intensive, trade-exposed businesses, meaning theyre vulnerable to out-of-state competition and carbon pricing could lead them to shift production and jobs elsewhere.

The bills sponsors have offered numerous concessions to mitigate that impact and the latest version goes further. Industrial companies will initially get 95 percent free emissions allowances, then can maintain that level of freebies if they can demonstrate that they are using best available technology for reducing emissions in their facilities.

To demonstrate compliance, the companies will have to submit a third-party analysis, certified by the Department of Environmental Quality. They will be able to seek review of the agencys certification decision through a contested hearing. Theyll have to recertify that theyre meeting the benchmark every nine years, instead of every six years, which will give companies more time to recover any investment in updated equipment or processes.

This was a proposal from industry that they feel comfortable with, Dembrow said. He added that the program will devote some of its auction revenues to a program that Business Oregon is developing to help industries become more energy efficient.

Chris McCabe, executive director of the Northwest Pulp & Paper Association, said the latest version continues to put thousands of family-wage jobs at risk and is certain to cause higher global emissions as production shifts from green, low-carbon emitting mills here in the Pacific Northwest to locations in other countries and states with far less stringent environmental regulations. Its a lose-lose for both jobs and the environment.

Natural and working lands: Proceeds from allowance auctions to industrial and natural gas companies will go to the Climate Investment Fund, and backers expect that will amount to about $150 million a year. The amended bill dedicates 20 percent of those revenues to projects that reduce emissions or store carbon in the agriculture and forestry sectors. That could include projects to reduce wildfires and flooding, improve irrigation efficiency, or prepare for sea level rise.

Governance: The amendments add more specificity regarding the responsibility and makeup of various oversight bodies, including the Oregon Climate Board, the Just Transition Advisory Committee, and a Citizens Advisory Committee that will help prepare a biennial plan to invest auction proceeds.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
Theres been a lot of hot air about the warm weather expected over the next few days.

It could even be record-breaking. As of early Wednesday evening, high temperatures in the Vancouver area were forecast to hit 87 degrees Friday and 89 degrees Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Record highs for those days dating back to 1895 are 85 degrees (set in 1987), 89 degrees (1941) and 91 degrees (1931).

Were certainly knocking on the door of record temperatures, said Jon Bonk, a meteorologist with the weather service. The highest temperatures will be reached around 5 p.m.

A high-pressure system that was over the Gulf of Alaska on Sunday afternoon was expected to strengthen and make its way toward Oregon and Washington. The pressure system  located over the northwest coast of British Columbia early Wednesday evening  is expected to combine with warm easterly winds to cause the balmier weather, meteorologists say.

Sundays expected high temperature represents a significant cool-down at 79 degrees.

The big difference is were starting to see the westerly winds bringing cool air inland again, Bonk said.

As people plan to head outside before then, public health and fire officials have released several tips to curb potential dangers associated with the hot weather. Here are some dos and donts for this weekend and throughout the long, hot summer.

Do: Be aware of water conditions.

While the air might be unseasonably warm, the water isnt. One person is missing and presumed dead already this year in Clark County due to a water-related incident.

Local lakes and rivers remain cold enough to shock and immobilize even experienced swimmers, Clark County Public Health warned in a news release. Rivers are high and swift from snowmelt and may be carrying debris.

Those wishing to swim are advised to wear a life jacket, not go alone and know their physical limits.

River temperatures in Clark County are between 50 degrees and 55 degrees, Bonk said. After minutes in the water, even breathing can become difficult.

Those temperatures, you can be subject to a phenomenon called cold-water shock, and hypothermia will occur rather quickly, Bonk said.

Dont: Leave children unsupervised in or near water.

Possible perils at swimming and boating locales are even more pronounced for children.

Those who are 12 years old or younger are required by law to wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets or vests on boats that are 18 feet long or smaller. Drowning can happen suddenly and silently, requiring completely attentive supervision of children, according to the health department.

Do: Swim in designated areas.

Those planning to cool off in the water can check whether their chosen swimming hole is safe.

The health department monitors water quality at Battle Ground Lake in Battle Ground, Wash.; Klineline Pond in Salmon Creek, Wash.; and Vancouver Lake in Vancouver. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, staffers collect regular water samples for signs of unhealthy algae and E. coli.

If and when issues are detected, advisory signs will be posted, the health department said. Water quality information is also posted on the departments swim beach webpage.

Swimming is allowed in most county parks with water access, but some outside of the three designated areas may have hazardous conditions. Areas along the Columbia River, including Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach in Washougal, Wash., Wintler Community Park in Vancouver and Frenchmans Bar Regional Park in Vancouver, are considered unsafe due to strong currents and sudden drop-offs.

Klineline Pond is the only county swimming area with certified lifeguards, who are on duty daily from July 1 through Labor Day. The pond also has a life-jacket loaner station.

Dont: Allow children who arent toilet-trained to swim.

No one likes dirty, unsafe water.

Parents are asked to keep children who arent toilet-trained out of unchlorinated water. Swim diapers and plastic covers are not leak-proof, meaning bacteria and parasites can enter water and cause illness.

Those who dive in are advised to rinse off before and after swimming, take frequent bathroom breaks  once per hour for children  and not to swim if theyve had diarrhea or vomiting in the last two weeks.

Do: Make sure windows are child-proof.

Opening windows in hot weather is a common instinct, but it can also be a perilous one.

A Vancouver toddler was seriously injured Monday afternoon after falling from a second-story window. Clark County Fire District 3 announced the next day that it is offering free window latches that control window opening height and width.

Window stops are available during regular business hours at the districts main station, 8800 N.E. Hazel Dell Ave., Vancouver. More information can be found by calling the district at 360-576-1195.

Dont: Cause wildfires.

High temperatures, gusty winds, low humidity and unusually dry vegetation have already resulted in a number of fires in Clark County.

The Clark County Fire Marshals Office on Wednesday imposed a temporary debris burn ban. If and when the ban is lifted, burners are advised to check weather forecasts and constantly supervise burn piles.

Fire districts have sent out news releases advising homeowners to remove dead plant and tree material within 30 feet of structures; clean roofs, gutters, crawl spaces, attics, porches and decks; trim vegetation under and between trees; water lawns; post addresses near driveway entrances and on the front of homes; and not keep flammable materials near wall exteriors or under decks and porches.

Those who start campfires are asked to follow normal safety regulations, including keeping flames in metal, stone or masonry-lined fire pits and containing flames to under 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Self-contained camp stoves are recommended.

Machinery that creates sparks, such as lawn mowers, should also be closely monitored, Bonk said. We just really encourage folks to be careful with any outside burning or anything that can create a spark.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Editors note: Todays editorial originally appeared in The Yakima Herald-Republic. 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.

As with many politically contentious disputes, the latest in the roiling Lower Snake River Dam wars seems as much about money and jurisdictional posturing as the welfare of stakeholders residing on land and in the water.

Youve heard of mansplaining, the practice among Y-chromosomes of elbowing into an issue and pontificating when their help has not been summoned, right? Well, what we have now with the longstanding to-breach-or-not-breach-the-Snake-River-dams question is what could be called state-splaining.

How else do you figure that the Legislature would approve $750,000 in the newly minted operating budget to study an issue that already is being studied by several federal agencies? An Environmental Impact Statement on the dams, well underway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other regulatory agencies, is expected to be ready for public comment by fall 2020.

But now here comes the state, spurred by Gov. Jay Inslees Southern Resident Orca Task Force, waving a dismissive hand at the feds and saying, essentially, . Could it be that the newly formed state stakeholder group is anticipating a conclusion to the federal study that would cohere to their best-case narrative  that breaching the dams would improve the chinook salmon population on the river and, as a result, save the salmon-starved Southern Resident Orca pod?

There is a chance that, ultimately, thats what the federal study will show. Remember, previous studies commissioned in 2001 and 2010 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries concluded that dam removal would have only a slight impact in boosting salmon numbers. NOAA researchers reported that the dammed Snake River has similar fish survival levels as the free-flowing Fraser River in British Columbia.

You can infer from the legislative debate that took place in Olympia that state lawmakers and environmentalists simply dont trust the federal studies. Call it a case of reverse confirmation bias. In response, legislators have called for a neutral third party to, in essence, pat the divergent stakeholders  tribes, local, state and federal officials, farmers, environmentalists and business types  on the head and tell them whats best for all concerned.

While its yet to be definitively known that breaching the dams would only minimally improve salmon spawning  who knows, maybe the federal study might surprise critics and find it helps tremendously  we have a better grasp on what removal would mean to those who depend on the river for power and commerce throughout Eastern and Central Washington.

In short, a breach would leave folks in the lurch.

Foremost impacted would be the states consumers of power  you and me  who depend on the hydroelectric power generated by water flowing through the dams turbines to boil their broccoli, heat their homes and recharge their smartphones. A significantly scaled back flow of energy would affect citizens and businesses equally at a time when the state is cutting electricity produced by coal and natural gas.

Farmers, too, probably would be negatively affected when it comes to irrigation because dam removal would mean that the contours of the river would be altered. Fields would be underwater in some places, and other agricultural areas would suffer irrigation depletion. Agriculture companies would not be able to send their goods on barges down the river, which would mean that, because of the states dearth of rail lines, more trucks would be needed to ship crops  not exactly an environmental best-practice.

Beyond the economic impact, there also is the issue of jurisdiction to consider. In a way, its ironic that many Central and Eastern Washington stakeholders are choosing the federal government over state control, since business usually is loath to ask for oversight and decision-making coming out of Washington, D.C. But many conservatives find themselves rooting for the feds.

Earlier in the spring, Congress members Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, released a joint statement telling Inslee to butt out: Congress has the sole authority to authorize breaching our federal dams and ... breaching them is out of the question. We commit to do everything in our power to save our dams. (Newhouse will hold a public meeting on the dams at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Federal Building Auditorium, 825 Jadwin Ave. in Richland.)

Yet, wither the salmon and the orca?

Ultimately, the issue probably will wind up on a court docket  again. In 2016, a U.S. District judge rejected the federal governments earlier plan to protect salmon (and, by proxy, the orcas) as being inadequate. He ordered a comprehensive study be launched, which is that federal initiative due in 2020.

Will the states new attempt to leapfrog the feds only muck up the process and perhaps delay finding a way to help salmon without hurting people? Thats the $750,000 question.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
NATORE : Shah Riaz, Deputy Commissioner , Natore visited Banpara and Kachikata Toll Plaza yesterday and directed the authority concern to renovate all roads before Eid .
A Dongola man was sentenced to 32 years in state prison for child pornography, according to a news release from Union County States Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds.

Chad Anthony Miller, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts of child pornography. Miller will also serve three years to life of mandatory supervised release and must register as a sex offender for life, according to the release.

The release states Miller admitted to taking pornographic photographs of a child younger than the age of 13 at a Dongola residence in November 2018. Miller was arrested in February after an investigation by Union County Sheriffs Deputies, with assistance of the Franklin County Sheriffs Office and the Two Rivers Child Advocacy Center in Anna.

 The Southern

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SPRINGFIELD  House Republicans on Thursday accused Gov. J.B. Pritzker of revoking his own state board appointments as political retribution for votes he did not agree with.

We came down here today because we think it's important to call attention to some seemingly heavy-handed tactics that the administration has taken recently regarding some dissent, Republican Rep. Tom Demmer, of Dixon, said.

Demmer and Rep. Norine Hammond, a Macomb Republican, raised these concerns at an Illinois State Capitol news conference, specifically noting a pair of Pritzker actions regarding the Teachers Retirement System board and the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

Pritzker withdrew his own appointments of Julie Hamos and Michael Gelder from the state health facilities review board less than a week after the board voted unanimously to allow the owners of Westlake Hospital to close the Melrose Park facility.

Pritzkers office said in a statement the decision was made in order to appoint members who more closely share the governors vision for hospitals around the state.

In March, the Teachers Retirement System board opposed Pritzkers pension plan to diminish statutorily-mandated payments  a plan the governor has since scrapped.

A month later, two holdovers from Gov. Bruce Rauners administration were removed from the board.

We cant have these boards fearing their decisions must first be vetted by the governor, Hammond said.

Hammond said there are 14 days left on the legislative calendar and more than 150 gubernatorial appointments awaiting Senate approval.

That means that these individuals face possibly months and months where they are not yet confirmed, and they have important decisions to make, Hammond said. They should not have to worry that they will be removed because they make decisions that are counter to the governor's wishes, but in the best interest of the board on which they serve.

In response to questions about the Republicans claims, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said, The governor has appointed and will continue to appoint highly qualified people who share his vision to serve on boards and commissions across the state.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
PATUAKHALI: Deputy Commissioner Md Matiul Islam Chowdhury distributing mobile phones and SIM cards among Union Parishad secretaries at a meeting at his office yesterday.
SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois Senate advanced a bill Thursday that is aimed at ensuring safe closure of toxic coal ash pits left behind by power plants.

When you burn coal to produce power, theres a byproduct called coal ash, Champaign Democrat Scott Bennett, the bills sponsor, said.

That byproduct contains heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic, which are harmful to humans, fish, and wildlife and can seep into surrounding earth and groundwater. In many cases, Bennett said, coal ash is placed in unlined pits where it remains long after the power plants are closed.

In Bennetts district, coal ash pits from a closed power plant owned by Vistra Energy surround the Vermilion River. Bennett said the middle fork of that river is changing course directly into the path of those coal ash pits.

Its an environmental disaster waiting to happen, Bennett said.

The Vermilion County site is one of approximately 25 known coal ash impoundments which are already closed in the state. Bennetts Senate Bill 9 would put processes in place to address the other 55 impoundment sites which have yet to close.

Bennett said most of the unlined pits will close in the coming years due to federal regulations, but the urgency and order of closures is not decided. He said his bill would ask the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Pollution Control Board to set up a series of guidelines and rules to prioritize closures.

The bill would require a coal ash impoundment owner to submit to the EPA a closure alternatives analysis addressing several closure scenarios and options laid out in the legislation and giving the EPA the authority to choose the safest plan for coal ash remediation.

Senate Bill 9 would also create initial fees of $50,000 for each closed coal ash plant and $75,000 for those that have not yet closed. Owners of operational impoundments would then pay an annual fee of $25,000, and a $15,000 fee would be charged for closed plants that had not yet completed post-closure care.

Bennett said the fees would allow the EPA to hire hydrologists, engineers and others to ensure safe closures.

Bennett also emphasized financial assurances contained in the bill that would require bonding of coal ash impoundment owners in the case of disaster. Bennett said this is needed to protect taxpayers if toxic coal ash causes costly environmental disasters requiring state action.

Whos going to pay for it? Will it be the taxpayers? Bennett asked, noting the bonding measure was put in place to be proactive.

Senator Sue Rezin, a Morris Republican, urged lawmakers to vote present on the bill, although she said she would be willing to support it if the House amends it to appease several opposed interest groups.

The bill passed with 39 votes in favor, nine against and seven voting present. It heads to the House, where Bennett said lawmakers would continue to work on building consensus.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SPRINGFIELD  A bill that would require Illinois-headquartered corporations to include women and minorities on their boards of directors is now being considered in the Senate, where a committee chairwoman on Thursday suggested changes could be applied.

House Bill 3394 stirred heated debate when it passed out of the House last month. In its original form, it would have required every publicly traded corporation that has its main executive headquarters in Illinois to have at least one African-American and one woman on its board of directors, and it would impose financial penalties on corporations that fail to comply.

So far in the Senate, it has been expanded to include Latino representation as well, and it now provides that one person can serve to fill two or more categories.

Speaking to the Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee, Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, D-Hillside, the bills chief sponsor in the House, said it is not intended to be punitive.

The intent of it is to look at the disparities on these boards, he said. Women, who make up 50 percent of the population nationally, and I think 32 percent on corporate boards; African-Americans, who make up 13.4 percent nationally and only make up 6.3 percent on boards; and Latinos, who are 18.1 percent of the population nationally but they only make up 2.0 (percent) on boards.

Welch cited studies showing that corporations with diverse boards of directors tend to outperform those that dont.

The studies that Ive read, that Ive been reading, it really underscores the fact that diversity does well for businesses. The corporations that have diversity do well, they do better profit-wise, he said.

Also testifying Thursday was Larry Ivory, president and CEO of the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce, who said the bill would strengthen black communities, which in turn would help strengthen the entire state.

For our members, we have a saying. If youre not at the table, then guess what. Youre on the menu, Ivory said. If were not sitting at corporate boards and having input, were on the menu.

The bill is modeled after a law California enacted last year that requires all corporations headquartered there to have at least one woman on their boards. Welch said in a separate interview that he expanded on that concept by including ethnic minorities.

If enacted into law, it would apply to any publicly traded corporation that is headquartered in Illinois, regardless of the state in which the original articles of incorporation were filed. It would also apply to any entity incorporated in Illinois, even if the business is headquartered elsewhere.

But some legal scholars have said that raises a number of legal issues, including a principle known as the internal affairs doctrine, which generally holds that only one state can have authority to regulate the internal affairs of a corporation.

Sen. John Mulroe, D-Chicago, raised the latter issue when he asked the question about corporations that might be organized in one state but have their corporate headquarters in another.

That subject has come up and weve tried to address it in this bill, Welch said. If they file in Illinois, we would consider them also subject to the legislation that were pushing.

Several members of the committee, including Chairwoman Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines, said she agreed with the principle and the intent of the bill.

But we have a lot of people that have expressed some concerns here that this bill really is not as inclusive as some would like it to be, Murphy said, because there are various groups that are left out of the discussion.

Murphy suggested the bill might need further revision before it could gain enough support to pass the full Senate.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
CARBONDALE  Protesters on the sidewalk along Main Street in front of University Mall became a hot topic on social media Thursday and for those driving in the area. A group of men and women protested the widespread circumcision of newborn males, calling it genital mutilation.

Comments on posts were both positive and negative. Some people thought the visual image of the protest was not appropriate for young children iin the area. Some drivers honked in support, while others made less friendly gestures to protesters.

The group held signs that read, Circumcision harms humans, Circumcision is sexual mutilation, Foreskin is not a birth defect and Its not your mothers penis.

The protesters were affiliated with Bloodstained Men and their friends, a group first formed to bring white painters overalls with red crotches to the American Academy of Pediatrics 2012 convention to protest circumcision.

Harry Guiremand, of Kapaa, Hawaii, was one of the protesters in Carbondale. Circumcision is a harmful, traumatic, unnecessary surgery on a nonconsenting patient, he said.

He said the procedure violates the ethics of both the American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics. The practice of circumcising newborn males was abandoned 50 or 60 years ago in Great Britain and is not recommended by medical associations in Holland, Canada and Australia.

The protest group included people from Chicago, Denver, Boston, California and Canada, along with a couple local protesters.

James Rigdon, of Jacob, was pro-circumcision for a few years. He believed it was cleaner, safer and needed to be done. When his wife was pregnant with his son a few years ago, Rigdon did more research. He learned about the benefits of intact foreskin and that 70 percent of the men in the world do not have the procedure. He changed his mind.

I think it should be a boys choice to decide how much of his body he gets to keep, Rigdon said. We dont own our children. Its our responsibility to raise them.

Guiremand said the American Academy of Pediatrics released information that was confusing in its 2012 policy statement on circumcision. He added that the 2012 statement has expired.

According to both the American Academy of Pediatrics website, aap.org, and their parent-focused website, healthychildren.org, the organization still says the benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks. However, they stress that circumcision is not essential to a childs well-being, so parents must look at both the benefits and risks and make the decision for their child, according to a post updated in 2014 (the most recent information available on the topic).

Bloodstained Men maintains that circumcision causes problems, including damage to the penis. Guiremand said 100 boys die each year from the surgery, adding we hear about them on Facebook.

AAP and Centers for Disease Control also list benefits, including a lower risk of acquiring HIV, HPV, genital herpes and syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Bloodstained Men and their friends are on a 16-day protest tour that will end Saturday in St. Louis. They have had protests in Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Love 8 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 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.
CARBONDALE  It was a day just like any other as Hannah Colbrook walked down the hallway of Southern Illinois University Carbondales Student Center. After all, the December 2019 communication studies graduate from Palatine has been a student employee there for several years.

But on this spring day, she saw someone she recognized standing in the hallway  actually, lots of people she recognized. And they werent all fellow students or co-workers.

I realized almost all of my family was there and I got really confused, she recalls.

Her bewilderment didnt last long because Colbrooks supervisor, Vamsi Manne, quickly made an announcement. The Student Center associate director told Colbrook she had been selected as SIUs 2019 Student Employee of the Year.

And thats not all. Colbrook also won statewide Student Employee of the Year honors.

Im completely shocked, she said. I didnt even know I was nominated. Its such a humbling experience to be honored by SIU and the state of Illinois. It was even more wonderful to be surrounded by my family, friends and co-workers when I found out.

Supervisors nominate student employees they believe are especially deserving for recognition through the Student Employee of the Year Recognition Program, administered by the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators. Manne said he and his staff are thrilled that they discovered and hired Colbrook early in her time at SIU, giving her several years to work her magic at the Student Center.

Hannahs impact in our office is immeasurable, Manne said. She has helped numerous visitors, assisted me with countless tasks, promoted the services and programs that our office offers, been an example to all of our students and been a positive asset to the office.

Working at the front desk for nearly four years, Colbrook is often the face and voice of the Office of Student Engagement.

During the academic year, the office welcomes an average of 150-200 visitors each week, with needs ranging from simple questions to very specialized requests. She fields customer service calls as well, and helps registered student organizations with a variety of tasks.

Hannah makes each visitor or caller feel welcomed, heard and supported, Manne said.

He said Colbrook remains calm, professional and helpful regardless of the attitude displayed by the people shes assisting. Moreover, he said she has an exemplary attendance record and can always be counted on not only to be at work, committed and following through on her obligations but also to show initiative, figuring out how to resolve issues and lend a hand to others whenever possible.

When we hired Hannah, I felt like we hit the jackpot, Manne said.

Colbrooks family has a strong Saluki legacy, and indeed, one of those there to celebrate her spotlight moment was her uncle, Danny Tarr, the 1998 SIU Student Employee of the Year. Tarr earned his bachelors degree in aviation management at Carbondale and also claimed the student employee honor his senior year.

Numerous other family members have attended SIU as well, amassing a diverse collection of degrees, beginning with grandparents on both sides of Colbrooks family. The Saluki legacy lineage includes:

 William Colbrook, Hannahs paternal grandfather, studied agriculture 1959-1960 before returning to Stonington to work on the family farm. He and wife Ellen Morgan Colbrook raised five children and their middle child, Robert, also made his way to SIU.

 James Tarr, Hannahs maternal grandfather, earned a bachelors degree in education in 1983 with emphasis in secondary business education and his wife, Susan, completed her degree in education and library science in 1964. They had four children, including Colbrooks mother, Christine Tarr. James later returned to college to complete his masters degree in education in 1978 while teaching at Carbondale Community High School. After retiring, he came again to SIU, completing his doctorate in education in 2002. He then spent the next four years at SIU teaching in the Department of Workforce Education and Development.

 Robert Colbrook, Hannahs father, completed his bachelors degree in aviation management in 1988.

 Christine Tarr, Hannahs mother, earned an associates degree in office systems and specialties in 1992.

 Bridget Tarr Gallagher, Hannahs aunt, who earned her bachelors degree in German education with a minor in English in 1986.

 Rachel Gallagher, a cousin, graduated cum laude in 2013 with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering with a mathematics minor.

 Stephen Tarr, an uncle, completed his associates degree and then in 2000 his bachelors degree in radiological sciences (ultrasound).

Three generations strong on both sides of the family, the entire Saluki lineage, except Stephen, were on hand to see Colbook receive her award from Meera Komarraju, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Colbrook is a great ambassador for the programs and services we offer, gives presentations to students at New Student Programs and Open House events, and played an instrumental role establishing the marketing plan and rules for the Bowling and Billiards new RSO Night program and promoting it.

He noted that her impact has extended beyond her job as well, as she was instrumental in helping her roommates get campus jobs, where they have also proven to be very valued employees. Her influence and excellence is evident in other ways, too, according to Manne.

Hannah is not only the epitome of the ideal student employee, shes also a poster-child for the ultimate student leader, because she has maximized her opportunities on campus, he said. Beyond student employment, Hannah is a successful student with a 3.2 GPA.

To say Colbrook has been busy during her time at SIU is a huge understatement. She worked at the front desk in the Office of Student Engagement and worked for Jerry Kill when he was hired as the special assistant to the Chancellor.

Shes also been involved in extra-curricular activities, including serving in leadership roles. Colbrook served as vice president of operations for the Public Relations Student Society of America, was a student planner on the SIU 150th Committee, and was a student voice on the 2018 Culture of Respect Committee, a Division of Student Affairs campaign group working on campus Title IX issues.

Its all proven a comprehensive, enjoyable experience for Colbrook.

SIU has been very influential on my life, Colbrook said. Ive learned so much here, not just in the classroom but outside of the classroom. I started out as a STEM major and then I changed my major to communication studies. Ive learned to persevere, Ive learned the importance of hard work and a good work ethic. Ive learned to be a better person.

Shes currently excitedly planning to study abroad in Dublin this fall.

College life hasnt necessarily been easy for Colbrook. For financial reasons, she took nine months off of school in 2017, working as many as four jobs at a time in order to earn money and get back in school. She resumed her academic career that fall.

Here, too, she parlayed her experience into something positive, sharing her story with other students facing similar hardships and challenges in order to inspire them to persist and succeed.

I have complete faith that Hannah will be an ambassador for the university after graduation and that the ripple effects of her impact will be felt far and wide beyond SIU, Manne said.

Colbrook will graduate in December and is looking forward to the next chapter in her life, where shes determined to continue helping other people. Shell be seeking employment with a health-related or other non-profit organization, alumni group, or similar organization to help raise funds for people or groups in need.

She said shes been able to succeed thanks to hard work combined with loans and scholarships and she wants to help others meet their needs and succeed, too.

I want to work in donor communications, building connections, professional relationships and increasing donations, she said. I dont care where I end up as long as I can pay it forward and help people.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Parents, teachers and other school choice advocates are roaming the halls of the state Capitol building during the final weeks of session, talking to any lawmaker who will listen about how the Invest in Kids scholarship program is helping put students in schools that allow them to thrive.

Invest in Kids is a five-year pilot program created in 2017 to help lower-income families send their child or children to a private school they otherwise wouldn't be able to afford.

The school choice initiative was supported by former Gov. Bruce Rauner and other Republicans. It essentially was a sweetener agreed by legislative Democrats to garner support for a massive education funding reform measure that, among many other things, bailed out Chicago Public Schools.

Less than two years into the five-year plan, however, the school choice program is in danger of being shut down  despite its massive popularity  because Gov. J.B. Pritzker and many Democratic lawmakers don't support it.

The scholarship program is funded by private donors who receive a 75 percent tax credit for every dollar contributed. About $61 million was donated in the first year alone.

Empower Illinois, one of the scholarship-granting organizations, said that nearly 5,500 students received scholarships in the program's inaugural year. The majority were non-white minority students from families whose average income was $35,371.

Unfortunately, more than 60,000 students applied, but there wasn't enough money to fund scholarships for all of them.

Tax credits are capped at $100 million, but Pritzker's fiscal year 2020 budget proposal would cut that amount in half and not allow new students to apply for scholarships. The program would then be phased out in coming years.

If lawmakers agree and Pritzker gets his way, it would be another broken promise from Springfield. For thousands of families who want better for their children and want an option other than their failing public school, it would be the elimination that choice.

It also serves as evidence that taxpayers shouldn't trust what they're being told by folks at the state Capitol.

As Invest in Kids families are fighting to keep the school choice program alive, Pritzker is fighting for a progressive income tax system that is being sold as having virtually no impact on the vast majority of Illinoisans.

A House committee is scheduled to begin debate soon on a package of bills that ultimately would ask voters to change the state constitution to allow for higher income tax rates on higher wage earners.

While already passed by the Senate, the progressive tax amendment is a tougher sell in the House. To help garner more support, sweeteners were added just last week.

The package of bills includes a measure that would eliminate Illinois' estate tax, also known as a death tax  an initiative that Republicans have been trying to implement for years. It also includes a bill that would freeze property taxes, if certain conditions are met. Illinoisans pay the second-highest property tax rates in the country, so any mention of a possible freeze is bound to perk homeowners' ears.

And then there are the proposed progressive rates. Per Pritzker's sales pitch, 97 percent of taxpayers would see no income tax hike under the initial schedule proposed by the Senate.

But if the legislature is successful in getting a constitutional amendment question on the ballot, and if voters do agree to allow for a progressive income tax system, those rates could be changed at any time by legislative act. Voters wouldn't get a direct say in decisions about future rates.

And like what's being proposed with phasing out the school choice scholarship program, lawmakers could later renege on the repeal of an estate tax or a promised property tax freeze.

Promises fade as circumstances change. The question taxpayers need to ask themselves is, Do you trust Pritzker and the state legislature to keep their promises this time around?

The answer to that is they shouldn't.

Dan McCaleb is news director of Illinois News Network, a project of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, a non-profit media company dedicated to the principles of transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility. His columns include his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinion or editorial position of The Southern. Contact Dan at dmccaleb@ilnews.org.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
BANARIPARA (Barishal ): Banaripara Upazila Chairman Alhaj Golam Faruk speaking at a training on implementation of SDGs at Upazila Parishad Auditorium yesterday .
CONCORD, NH Granite Staters held a press conference and went to Governor Sununus office to deliver coffee to ask him to wake up and speak up for New Hampshire.

Granite Staters want Senator Sununu to sign SB 4. SB 4 will codifying pre-existing condition and essential health benefit coverage in New Hampshire. This is important to Granite Staters because the Trump Administration last week asked the 5thUS Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to strike down the entire the Affordable Care Act.

If the Trump Administration is successful and SB 4 is not signed into law 572,200 Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions from being discriminated against, denied coverage, or charged more if the Trump Administration is successful.

What is at stake for Americans and Granite Staters if the Trump Administration is successful:

GONE: Protections for 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. The uninsured rate will increase by 65 percent.

GONE: Medicaid expansion, which covers 17 million people. 53,900 New Hampshire residents are enrolled in the program.

GONE: Nearly 12 million seniors will have to pay more for prescription drugs because of the Medicare donut hole will be reopened.

GONE: Key support for rural hospitals. As Americans and Granite Staters lose coverage, already struggling hospitals will be hit even harder as their costs increase.

These are just a few of the issues that will impact eh health, safety and economic well beings of Americans and Granite Staters.

At the press conference:

Senator Dan Feltes said: Governor Sununu should not hold New Hampshire back from standing up for the health care of our own citizens. He has refused to join litigation on behalf of the state to protect the Affordable Care Act and as a result Im proud to sponsor Senate Bill 4, which will codify protections for Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions and essential health benefits. Senate Democrats are working to protect the health care security of Granite Staters, and we hope Governor Sununu will join us by signing SB 4.

Governor Sununu has an opportunity to make sure the Trump Administration can do less harm by signing SB 4. This will make sure Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions cant be unjustly singled out by insurance companies, said Jayme Simoes, Protect Our Care.

It is incredible that the Trump Administration is resorting to political tactics in the courts to rip health care away from millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands of Granite Staters right here in New Hampshire. There is no replacement plan. There is no contingency plan. There is no plan at all other than to go back to a system where people were regularly denied access to health care coverage because of pre-existing conditions, or where they could not afford the sky-rocketing premiums as big insurance companies lined their pockets using our health care dollars. said Zandra Rice-Hawkins of Granite State Progress.

###

https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/FhC8ljVWJW/aW5mb0Bsa2Fybm8uY29t

https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/4h9kUkWRGx/aW5mb0Bsa2Fybm8uY29t
Not long ago, French journalists Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot released their book "Qatar Papers", detailing the country's funding of mosques throughout Europe.

The book investigates the funding of Islam in France and throughout Europa, mainly focusing on the NGO Qatar Charity, which has faced allegations of financing terrorism and having close relations with the Muslim Brotherhood. The book mentions Luxembourg in relation to 2 million contributed to the Bonnevoie mosque.

In that context, CSV MP Laurent Mosar addressed a parliamentary question to prime minister Xavier Bettel, asking whether he knew anything about the money funded into the mosque. Mosar asked what Bettel thought of the matter and whether a law on financing places of worship needed to be introduced.

The prime minister gave Mosar a spoken response, stating that the book describes a number of projects funded throughout many countries at a total cost of 70 million. Bettel stated that the allegations must be verified, as the government could not base any conclusions based on the authors assertions alone.

Bettel highlighted that Luxembourg has regulations concerning funding, which should be respected by all religious communities, including the Shoura.

Qatar Papers contains secret documents belonging to the Qatar Charity NGO, which is funded by the Qatari royal family and is purported to have links to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The 295-page books describes Qatari plans to spread extremism in Europe alongside 140 funding projects for mosques, schools, and associations which are linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The two journalists claimed the Qatar Foundation is the most powerful aspect of the small country. The journalists conducted research in six European countries, notably France, Italy, and Switzerland, in their new investigation into the networks, methods, and people involved in Qatar's funding within Europe. The book also highlights that the Qatar Foundation transfers a monthly sum of 35,000 to Tariq Ramadan, the nephew of the Muslim Brotherhood's founder.
Luxembourg and the USA will work more closely together in future, in terms of commercial use of space.

This was laid out by the cooperation agreement signed in Luxembourg on Friday by US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Minister of the Economy Etienne Schneider. The Grand Duchy founded a space agency in September 2018, undertaking projects regarding the mining of raw materials, soil and water in space.

The accords between the US and Luxembourg aim to open a formal political dialogue around the field of space, as well as ensuring cooperation on projects for research and space industries.

Both countries will also seek to establish an international framework for the exploitation of raw materials from space. The Grand Duchy is to date the only European country which has put this into law, which has in turn led to a number of space technology enterprises taking up residence in Luxembourg.

In light of the Commerce Secretary's visit to the Grand Duchy, guests from the USA will attend Chateau Bourglinster for talks with Etienne Schneider, Minister of Finance Pierre Gramegna, and representatives of the business and finance sectors. Wilbur Ross will also meet with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs.
The latest round of US-Taliban talks ended in Qatar on Thursday, an insurgent spokesman said, after "positive and constructive" negotiations that continued even as the Taliban bombed a US-funded aid group in Kabul.

Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban's political spokesman in Doha, tweeted that "some progress" had been made at the sixth round of peace talks and that the foes would meet again for another round of discussions.

"In general, this round was positive and constructive. Both sides listened to each other with care and patience," Shaheen wrote on Twitter.

The US embassy in Kabul did not immediately comment, nor did US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan-born former US ambassador to Afghanistan who is leading negotiations for the Americans.

Shaheen told AFP Sunday that peace negotiations were stumbling over the fundamental question of when foreign forces would depart Afghanistan.

Before the US agrees to any withdrawal as part of an eventual deal, it is demanding the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a ceasefire and other commitments including an "intra-Afghan" dialogue with the Kabul government and other Afghan representatives.

The Taliban however insist they won't do any of these things until the US announces a withdrawal timeline.

At the end of a large peace summit in Kabul last week, President Ashraf Ghani offered the Taliban a ceasefire to begin on the first day of Ramadan, but the insurgents refused.

On Wednesday, a Taliban suicide bomber and four gunmen attacked Counterpart International, a non-profit group working with marginalised people in Afghanistan, killing nine people.

"This violent attack is a senseless assault on the noble values that the organisations like Counterpart support, such as service to others, education, and inclusion," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
Cloud Peak Energy, the coal giant that operates two Wyoming mines, filed for bankruptcy Friday amid mounting debt and declining demand.

The filing follows months of troubling signs for the Powder River Basin operator, which for a time avoided the economic difficulties of its competitors but had of late experienced growing financial challenges as the market for its product diminished.

The company chose not to make a $1.8 million debt payment on March 15 and received additional extensions in April. A new deadline to pay its debt was set for 11:59 p.m. Friday. Instead, the coal firm filed bankruptcy paperwork in federal court in Delaware hours before the deadline was set to expire.

Over the past several months, Cloud Peak Energy has thoroughly evaluated strategic alternatives to address the challenging market conditions in our industry, Cloud Peak President Colin Marshall said in a statement. We believe, at this time, that a sale process in Chapter 11 will provide the best opportunity to maximize value for Cloud Peak Energy.

The companys filing indicated it had, as of the end of the year, nearly $929 million in assets and almost $635 million in total debts.

In its announcement, the company said its mining operations would continue as normal as it moves through the bankruptcy process. But the filing represents the latest concerning episode for coal, which has been one of the main drivers of the states economy, along with oil and natural gas.

Fridays announcement comes only days after Gov. Mark Gordon said he was optimistic about coals future. In a statement after the filing, the governor said coal is an integral part of the nations and the worlds energy portfolio and will remain so for years.

That is a fact, Gordon said. The proof is in the global energy patterns from last year. I believe we need to find solutions that support coal energy and address climate change. This news about Cloud Peak reinforces why I have advocated so strongly to innovate and advance the conversation about coal energy beyond polarized political rhetoric.

Powder River producer

Cloud Peak owns three Powder River Basin mines: the Antelope and Cordero Rojo in Wyoming and Spring Creek in Montana. The mines shipped 50 million tons of coal in 2018.

Cloud Peak is Wyomings third-largest coal producer, and its mines represent 20 percent of the states coal miners in the Powder River Basin.

Following the filing, speculation almost immediately began that Cloud Peak would sell its mines. Landowners group Powder River Resource Council called on the state of Wyoming to aggressively participate in the bankruptcy proceedings.

We are gravely concerned that employees and retirees pensions and healthcare benefits will be taken away, and that millions of dollars of ad valorem taxes owed to Wyoming counties for coal already produced will be left unpaid, the groups vice chairman, Bob LeResche, said in a statement. Our greatest fear is that reclamation of Cloud Peaks large mines will cease, and that financial assurances required by law will prove inadequate.

Unlike the nations other coal giants, Peabody Energy and Arch Coal, Cloud Peak avoided the bankruptcies and layoffs that followed the coal downturn in 2015 and 2016.

While those companies struggled, Cloud Peak enjoyed a reputation for making smart choices, focusing entirely on the Powder River Basin. When Peabody and Arch were struggling through bankruptcy in 2016, Cloud Peak turned a second-quarter profit.

Signs of distress

But the company has been under increasing financial pressure over the last year as its debts accumulated and its profits per ton of coal plummeted. Demand for coal weakened, and Cloud Peak did not have the debt relief that Arch and Peabody received when those companies emerged from bankruptcy.

Last year, Cloud Peak began showing more signs of financial distress: a June announcement that it would consolidate its offices, an October decision to cut retiree benefits and a warning in December that it would be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

Cloud Peak is the fourth major coal producer in Wyoming, the top coal-mining state, to file for bankruptcy in recent years. Bristol, Tennessee-based Alpha Natural Resources filed for bankruptcy in 2015, followed by top-producing Peabody Energy and Arch Coal in 2016. Westmoreland Coal, which operates the Kemmerer Mine in southwest Wyoming, filed for bankruptcy in October.

Inexpensive and cleaner-burning natural gas, and increasingly inexpensive wind and solar power, have become attractive alternatives to coal power in the U.S. None of the Powder River Basins huge, open-pit coal mines has had to close. But the outlook for thermal coal, the type used to fire power plants, has been bleak.

A federal government report released Thursday predicts coal in the months ahead will account for 25 percent of U.S. power generation, down by about half over the past decade. The trend continues despite President Donald Trumps efforts to back away from a wide range of environmental regulations affecting coal.

Wyoming officials have meanwhile sought to encourage carbon-capture technology by funding research at a Gillette-area power plant. Any marketable results from that work remain years away from wide-scale use.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Love 13 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 8 Angry 1

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.
Recent news is riddled with proof that Americas soi-disant elites are the most venal, self-absorbed, sybaritic and utterly tone-deaf group since the French nobility of the 18th century. And the comparison is not idly made.

We start with the Met Gala, for which movie stars, musicians, athletes and fashionistas paid upwards of $35,000 a ticket ($200,000 to $300,000 per table) to show up and show off in the most outrageous (and outrageously expensive) clothing and costumes imaginable. It is meaningless, over-the-top indulgence, par excellence.

Perhaps because I was already peeved by the photos of the Met Galas vulgar display that were plastered all over the Twitterverse, I found myself further annoyed by promoted commercials in my Twitter feed pitching Coco Crush jewelry from Chanel and T bracelets and other wearable trinkets from Tiffany & Co.

Coco Crush is a line of gold rings and bracelets imprinted with the signature Chanel quilted pattern; some are encrusted with diamonds. The ads and taglines promote buying more, more, more, and the beautiful and talented actress Keira Knightley smolders into the camera as she deftly places ring after ring on her lovely slender fingers and fondles the cluster of bracelets on her wrist.

The cheapest piece of jewelry in the collection is $2,400, and prices run up to $55,000.

Hey, kids. Collect em all!

The ads Tiffany & Co. is running on Twitter show model Carolyn Murphy gazing seductively and playing peek-a-boo from behind her own collection of expensive baubles. Kendall Jenner, one of the many omnipresent Jenner and Kardashian offspring, also makes an appearance, presumably to show the appeal of jewelry that runs from $250 to $49,000 to the younger crowd.

Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes; she will have chaos wherever she goes.

All this wretched excess would be just mildly amusing if not for the fact that these are the same people who shake their gilded fingers at middle-class Americans and say, No more cars for you! No more airplanes! No more straws! No more grocery bags! No more meat!

Let them eat cake.

Early last month, the online publication Quartz published a brief profile of writer and social critic Anand Giridharadas to promote his new book, Winners Take All. In the book  and the profile  Giridharadas questions the conventional wisdom that business leaders are truly interested in doing well by doing good, suggesting that their true motivation is more sinister. According to the articles author, Ephrat Livni, Giridharadas discovered ... that there are strict limits to the kind of solutions that powerful change makers will entertain. They dont want to pay higher wages or taxes or make better products or sell only whats really needed. They just want to be adored by the public for their charity and generosity.

Giridharadas concerns would make some sense if he were to acknowledge their limits. He spent the better part of two years palling around the world with some of the worlds wealthiest billionaires (Jeff Bezos, the Koch brothers, Marc Benioff). But in the cynical conclusions he draws about business and capitalism, he implicates all business owners.

Giridharadas makes the same mistake that so many of our elites do: equating all business with the biggest businesses in the world. He utterly overlooks the fact that there are 28 million firms in the U.S., that nearly 80 percent of them are sole proprietorships, that the vast majority of companies that have employees have fewer than 20. The idea that all entrepreneurs are like Mark Zuckerberg, or that all CEOs are like Jeff Bezos, or that all companies are like Goldman Sachs or Twitter, is the kind of inexcusable ignorance that the upper echelons of our society get away with every single day.

This kind of ignorance  and the arrogance that almost inevitably accompanies it  is becoming a dangerous threat to the American middle class.

And they know it.

When a thought leader like Giridharadas calls for rethinking the entire capitalist system because of what Amazon or Facebook or Lehman Brothers have done, the uber-wealthy will nod and tweet their approval, safe in the knowledge that the flames they fan wont consume them but will consume the millions of small businesses unfairly condemned whose resources will not be enough to withstand  or lobby against  the progressive solutions proposed thereafter.

The political elites are just as bad.

Democrat presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris announced this week that if elected, she would push to repeal the tax cuts enacted by Congress under President Trump  despite the benefits to the middle class.

New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proclaimed that Veterans Affairs isnt broken and, in the same week, announced that she doesnt care if immigrants are undocumented. So, while our veterans suffer from untreated PTSD; commit suicide at a shocking rate; languish living in homeless shelters and under bridges; and die untreated on VA waiting lists, political elites throw open the doors to the poor from other countries to come get freebies here.

The pay-to-play college admissions scandal showed that the very wealthy can buy their way into college. And of course, the poor can get scholarships. But the middle class can do neither.

The Medicare for All and other comparable policies promoted by Democrats will be similarly unjust: Theyll be pitched as paid for by taxes on the very rich. But when there are not enough rich people to fund the boondoggle (and there never are), it will be the middle class  again  that will get crushed.

Laura Hollis is a nationally syndicated columnist.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
How Jacqueline Fernandez made her digital debut

It wasnt long back when actress Jacqueline Fernandez announced that she will be making her digital debut with Shirish Kunders film, Mrs Serial Killer- produced by one of the biggest OTT platforms in the world, but even before that Jacqueline has made her digital debut with Cosmopolitans digital cover.

Earlier in the day the magazine had already released one cover with Jacqueline, but later they released their digital cover too.

Owing to Jacquelines popularity amongst the masses and her influence on social media, the magazine decided to release a digital cover too which marks the actresses first steps into the digital space. Raking the oomph factor in a lavender color suit on the digital cover, the actress has definitely taken the degrees further high, this season!


There have been five confirmed cases of pertussis  or whooping cough  reported in Campbell County over the past week, according to the state Department of Health.

The illness is a bacterial disease that affects the respiratory system and is most dangerous for infants. There are likely more than just five cases in Campbell County, Health Department epidemiologist Clayton Van Houten said earlier this week, adding that the illness has been found in a couple family clusters thus far.

What were finding when were investigating is some of the family members, friends and relatives have been sick with symptoms that were very likely pertussis going back about a month, he told the Star-Tribune. Its likely probably been in the community for a month or so, and were just now getting some of the (confirmation).

None of the cases confirmed in Campbell County have involved babies, Van Houten added. Those cases usually involve hospitalization and sometimes can result in death. There have been recent hospitalizations in Wyoming related to pediatric cases, though there have been no reported deaths.

Statewide, there have been 13 cases of pertussis so far this year. That number can fluctuate significantly from year to year, Van Houten said. In 2018, there 62 cases. In 2017, there were just 18. In 2016, there were 21.

Whooping cough typically begins with cold-like symptoms, according to the Health Department, and a mild cough. After a week or two, a persistent cough with spasms begins. Children or babies sick with pertussis can cough violently and rapidly with a loud whooping sound, according to the department.

Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease, Van Houten said, though the vaccine weakens as a person grows older. He stressed that people should talk to their doctors about getting booster shots.

Whooping cough in recent years has shifted from a disease primarily affecting children to one that hits teenagers and adults. Thats thanks to the emphasis on getting children vaccinated against the illness.

Van Houten said the disease is not as infectious as measles and can spread to those who have been vaccinated. He said there is not yet evidence that theres clusters in Campbell County relating to a school, daycare or similar location. While other parts of the country have struggled with measles outbreaks this year, Wyoming has remained measles-free; indeed, there hasnt been a case here since 2010, when a student who recently moved to the state was confirmed to have contracted the illness.

Thats primarily how measles enters communities in the United States, via people traveling or returning from countries where vaccination is rarer and measles more common. Whooping cough, however, is just out there, Van Houten said.

We dont see measles, we dont see mumps, he said. But we do see a fair amount of pertussis.

The illness is bacterial and can be treated with antibiotics.

Meanwhile, in western Montanas Missoula, whooping cough cases have sprouted up recently, according to local media reports. As of Friday, there were at least 89 cases of the illness there, affecting a dozen different schools and prompting health officials to request more help from nurses.

Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
RAPID CITY, S.D.  Service members are trained to follow strict rules and act with honor. But like civilians, they too can make mistakes.

Youre going to have people that do unfortunately break the law, federal officer Robert Rybak told the Rapid City Journal as he recently drove his patrol car around Ellsworth Air Force Base.

When crimes happen at Ellsworth, people are cited or arrested by officers like Rybak who are specifically assigned to the base. About 160 military police and civilian federal officers  jointly called security forces  have jurisdiction not just over airmen, but all of the approximately 7,500 people who live and work at Ellsworth and any visitors.

MPs can serve on U.S. bases or overseas ones while federal officers can only work in the U.S., said Rybak, a 47-year-old Rapid City resident. Having both kinds of police ensures theres never a gap or a lapse, if you will, in the protection of Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Security forces on the base do the same exact thing a police officer in Rapid City might do, such as conducting traffic stops, dealing with loud noise complaints and responding to crimes such as shoplifting and domestic violence, Rybak said. Theres no boundaries here, we get subjected to the same kinds of things that off-base does.

Some crimes are unique to military bases, such as unauthorized people entering, damaging or taking items from secure areas, Rybak said. People also sometimes steal military-related items such as an airplane part. If someone steals a computer in Rapid City, Rybak said, its treated as a theft, but on base, its also treated as a security threat since it could contain classified information.

Security forces also have access to different technology than other police officers. When officers or deputies in Rapid City chase after a suspect, they have to rely on cornering the suspect, hitting them or laying down spikes in the direction the car is traveling in. On base, people fleeing in cars are confined by fences and can be stopped by guards deploying yellow metal barriers at the entrances.

A major difference between policing on and off base is that federal rather than state law is the primary law on base, Rybak said.

Civilians arrested on base are tried at the federal court while airmen go through the military court on base. The airmen are provided a defense lawyer by the base or can hire a private attorney. They can be detained at the bases jail before trial and serve their sentence there if its less than a year. Those with longer punishments are sent to a federal prison. Airmen convicted of crimes are usually not allowed to return to work.

The security forces headquarters at Ellsworth looks much like any other public safety complex with a dispatch center, offices, technology for fingerprinting and conducting background checks, interview rooms, lockers, arms and ammunition storage and the jail.

Three men  one in pre-trial detention and others serving sentences for drug possession and stealing military property  sat in the small jail watching TV. The jail, which Rybak said is never at its maximum capacity of eight people, also has cards and workout equipment for the inmates.

A unique part of the headquarters is its supply room, which has gear for officers and MPs serving on base, but also special protective equipment for MPs deploying overseas. Some MPs from Ellsworth are currently serving six-month deployments in the Middle East, said Jordan Giliam, an airman who oversees equipment and vehicles.

To become an MP, service members complete basic training and attend security forces school for eight weeks, Rybak said. There, they learn how to police on U.S. bases but also how to prepare for policing in overseas combat zones. Civilian officers must pass a background check and physical test before attending a federal police academy, also for eight weeks. Once security forces are assigned to a base, they receive local training and undergo yearly drills and evaluations.

Most of the training is similar to off-base police training, Rybak said, but security forces also study scenarios that are more likely to occur on a military base, such as car bombs like the one that targeted Travis Air Force Base in California last year.

Rybak has experience as a federal officer, MP and off-base officer. After joining the Air Force in 1989, he served three years as an MP canine handler at Ellsworth before serving 10 more years in other states and South Korea. After leaving the military, he was an officer with the Las Vegas Police Department and then a trooper with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. He became a federal officer two years ago after retiring from Highway Patrol.

The biggest thrill is that in a way, Im kind of back in the Air Force serving my country, Rybak said. I mean to me thats kind of cool. I may not be active duty, but Im basically back on Ellsworth assisting my previous brothers.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Sgt. Derek Walker lifts his 1-year-old son Beau into the air, balancing the blond boy on one hand. Over and over again, Walker thrusts Beau into the air as the boy giggles. There wont be many more chances for this, at least for the next 12 months.

To Walkers right, Paul Zapalac sits with his arms crossed over his chest. The words I stand in awe of you run down his sleeves. There is a small cross wrapped in wire drawn tight around his neck. He looks around the Natrona County High School auditorium, its chairs filled with men and women in fatigues, surrounded by their families, by chattering kids and well-dressed spouses. They, like him, are gathered here for the formal sending-off ceremony for the 130 men and women leaving Wyoming, the United States and the Western Hemisphere.

Its Wednesday, May 8. In 24 hours, most of the soldiers in this room will be boarding planes and flying to Fort Bliss, Texas. In June, the men and women of the 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery will depart Texas and fly to the Middle East. Theyll spend nine months there.

Gonna be a lot of missing dads, Zapalac observes.

Pauls son, JJ, will be one of them. A former enlisted man in the Navy, JJ is sitting between his wife, Melissa, and his mother, DeeAnn. Melissa and JJs two young children, four-year-old Clayton and two-year-old Chance, crawl between and over their parents and grandparents.

JJ, as hes known to his family, joined the Wyoming Army National Guard in September 2017, after spending more than a decade in the Navy. He needed another eight years in the military to qualify for a 50 percent pension. His younger sister, Danielle, is a sergeant in the guard  she and a friend had tried to enlist at 17, but Paul and DeeAnn said no. They told her to wait until she turned 18, thinking she might lose interest. Her friend did. Danielle didnt.

Eighteen months ago, she encouraged JJ to join up so he could qualify for the pension. A few months after he got out of the Navy, he signed the paperwork. Danielle became his training officer.

Melissa is proud of her husband. Shes cried, of course, but her voice is firm when she says she supports him. In the time that theyve been together  they met on a dating app in July 2008 and were married 17 months later  JJ has spent time away. He proposed to her when she came and visited him in Guam. (Theres a good story  she slipped and fell while running across a street in flip flops. Crying, she ran back to the hotel. JJ followed her, they went out on the balcony in the rain, and he popped the question there.) This deployment will be the longest theyve been apart.

Still, the Zapalac family is no stranger to deployments. As Paul waits for the Wednesday ceremony to begin, he remembers when Danielles unit was sent to Bahrain. That goodbye ceremony was in Cheyenne, he says. All the soldiers in her unit sat together in the middle of the room, with families sitting in the bleachers on the perimeter. He leans over to DeeAnn and wonders why they werent doing that this time. Soldiers were scattered about the auditorium, sitting with family, their arms around wives, kids in their laps.

Give em family time, shut up, DeeAnn whispers back.

Paul gets up to talk to a family friend, and little Clayton comes and sits in his seat. His shoes are little race cars, and his jeans are splattered with the anonymous stains of childhood. DeeAnn leans over to him.

Remember when Daddy got on that plane? she asks her grandson. Well, hes getting on another plane tomorrow, a really big one.

Clayton wants to go with him.

You cant go with him, DeeAnn smiles. From her wrists hang small elastic bands, emblazoned with various slogans. One is black with white letters: Celebrate freedom. Her phone case has an American flag pattern.

DeeAnn cried when JJ joined the Navy in 2006. She said the recruiter was like the Grim Reaper, coming to take her oldest away. But she and Paul are proud of JJ, of Danielle. They want Danielle to be an officer and JJ to join a police department.

The ceremony still hasnt started. Clayton wanders off (when he returns, hes barefoot). His little brother, Chance, takes the seat, but hes so small that his body wont keep the seat from flipping back up. DeeAnn holds the corner of the cushion down with her hand. Whenever she lifts her arm, the seat bounces up, briefly threatening to squish little Chance.

At last, the ceremony begins. Chance runs off to join Clayton. A officer takes the mic and jokes that NC Principal Shannon Harris is going to give him detention if people dont take their seats. A group of Casper firefighters play bagpipes and drums as Gov. Mark Gordon and the units commanders take the stage. The Star-Spangled Banner plays over the loudspeaker as Chance and Clayton babble back and forth.

A chaplain takes the stage and asks the assembled families and soldiers  brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers  to join him in prayer.

JJ takes his mothers and wifes hands. DeeAnn stretches her other hand, palm up, out onto the empty seat next to her. Faith is important to the Zapalacs. DeeAnn regularly texts Bible verses as good-morning greetings. Her phone background says Jesus over an image of the cosmos. Paul thanks Gods grace for keeping the rain away on Sunday, during the familys last cookout together. They trust that God will take care of JJ and bring him back safely to them.

After the prayer ends, Melissa wipes her eyes, and the family says amen.

Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 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.
Lets look at a few examples. Say your large blend fund returned 8% in 2014. Without context, you wont know how to judge that return. One way is to look at the other large blend funds. That year, returns ranged from 20% to minus-3%. The highest fund was 1 in category rank, and the bottom fund had a 99 category rank.

What you dont want to see is volatility in fund category rank: One year the fund ranks 1, and the next year it ranks 99. Are there such funds? Yes indeed. (If you are an interested and engaged researcher, write to me for a few examples. Put Category Ranks in the subject of your email to readers@juliejason.com, and tell me something about yourself that I can share in this column, identifying you with your initials.)

Let me give you another example. Assume you own an intermediate-term bond fund that I will call BF. If the fund performed in the top quartile in its category every year for the past 10 years, that tells you something quite positive. For example, BF ranked in the top quartile in 15 out of 20 years, and in the top decile 13 of 20 years.
What SB 1334 would prohibit, he said, is allowing prosecutors to use the first burglary as a historical prior offense, allowing for enhanced sentencing for the second and third felonies. It is that kind of practice, he said, that could result in what might be a six-year prison term for three burglaries.

This is used as a big hammer by the prosecutors to ensure that people go away for a long time or that they take a plea bargain, Toma said.

He also said hes not buying the argument that an enhanced penalty is appropriate for every multiple offender.

I think that there is a significant difference between someone that has been caught, sentenced, did their time and then chose to do a similar crime again, versus someone whos been caught the very first time and punished for every one of those crimes, potentially, but then done time and then chose not to do it again, Toma told colleagues.

Cramer said theres another bit of fallout that SB 1334 would create.
The DEA did not identify Chavez, but his identity is known through earlier reporting by The Associated Press on the crisis involving fentanyl pills that are designed to look like prescription medicine. At the time of his death, Tucson police investigators said they believed that people at the party thought they were taking oxycodone, a much less powerful opioid.

Lopez-Sanchez was initially arrested on state charges in connection with the Nov. 1 overdoses.

The federal charge of supplying drugs resulting in the death of an individual carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life behind bars. Lopez-Sanchez also faces two counts related to the alleged importation of fentanyl from Mexico.

Stamped with "M'' on one side and "30" on the other to make them look like legitimate oxycodone, the pills started showing up in Arizona in recent years as the Sinaloa cartel's newest drug product.

The fentanyl that killed Chavez was among 1,000 pills sneaked through the border crossing last year in Nogales, Arizona, by a woman who was paid $200 to tote them and gave two to Chavez at the party, according to court documents. It's unknown if he took one or both.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara

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.
Fann said she has no problem with the general concept of what Boyer wants.

Obviously we would like to make sure that victims really should have that opportunity to be able to confront their abusers, she said. Ive read the report where it says that sometimes they dont realize what happened to them until they were 40 years old. I get all that.

But the Senate president said she believes that his proposal, as it stands, could create new victims, including business owners who end up being sued decades later for acts that may  or may not  have been committed by employees who are long gone.

Carter, however, said shes not buying that.

Arizona would not be the first state to do this, she said, saying other states have greatly expanded the time for child sex abuse victims to bring civil claims.

Carter said this isnt just about seeking damages for prior victims. She said there are situations where the same person has remained in a position of trust  and in a position with access to children.
Tucson Police are looking for a missing Tucson man who was last seen on April 25 at his home in the 8000 block of East Lakeside Parkway.

Michael Buchfink, 64, is about 5-foot-10-inches, 194 pounds and has tattoos on his hands and arms, according to a tweet by the Tucson Police Department.

Any one with information is asked to call 911 or the anonymous tipster line 88-CRIME.

Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara

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.
Jones said she is excited to join her fellow awardees at commencement ceremonies at UA Stadium, where 4,500 students are expected to attend along with about 40,000 guests.

The 6,700 degrees being conferred this year are up slightly from last year, when 5,900 degrees were conferred, according to the UA. The number of graduating students is about the same as last year.

Jones is the first in her family to receive a bachelors degree. She received her associates degree in social work from Cochise College before transferring to the UA South campus in Sierra Vista to complete her bachelors. She has an adult son who attends college in Alabama and he is super excited his mother is graduating.

Jones said she plans to eventually pursue a masters degree and would eventually like to use her training and military background to help veterans. She served about 20 years in the Army, joining right after she graduated from high school with honors in California. She served around the world during her Army career, primarily working in the culinary services.
Rights activist sent legal notice to State Minister for Power

Staff Reporter :

A rights activist, Shamimun Nahar Lipi, on Thursday sent a legal notice to the State Minister for Power Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid to stop harassing her by abusing power. Otherwise,

appropriate legal action will be taken against the minister, read the notice.

Advocate Ishrat Hasan, a Supreme Court lawyer, sent the notice by post on behalf of Shamimun Nahar Lipi, Chairman of rights organization 'Hope's Door Bangladesh'.

It was said in the notice, "Shamimun Nahar and her family suffered a lot due to harassment and threats. She became a victim of wrongful restraint whereas you (Nasrul Hamid) were present, she claimed. In addition, a false case was also filed against her only to harass and torture her both physically and mentally."

"Shamimun Nahar was attacked on several times and she had to make GD at Rampura, Shahbagh, Badda and Kafrul police stations. Her office namely Hope's Door Bangladesh was broken by some goons. Whereas Shamimun Nahar feels that it is you who is behind all those activities which are examples of the misuse of power," also read the notice.

"Due to those illegal acts, my client suffered metal agony, torture and irreparable loss of both financial matters and reputation which were occurred due to abuse of your power," read the notice.

In the notice, the rights activist also requested the minister to stop those activities and compensate her for harassments, threats and breaking her office within seven days.




From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by Copenhagen Imports
This weekend is the start of outdoor movies and concerts. Also: check out the Tucson mural tour and forum; our Summer Reading Challenge for Gr
Rice export prices in top exporter India fell for a fifth consecutive week on low demand and domestic currency weakness, while traders in Vietnam looked for prospective deals from China and Egypt.

Indias 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted around $371-$374 per tonne this week, down from last weeks $373-$376.

As prices are falling every week, buyers are delaying purchases expecting further drops, said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

The aggressive selling of old inventories by China to African buyers was also weighing on prices, exporters said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has postponed a decision on lifting its long-standing ban on rice exports until the completion of the summer rice harvest. Cyclone Fani partially damaged the harvest of the summer-sown crop, also known as Boro, on 55,600 hectares of land, Mir Nurul Alam, head of the countrys Department of Agriculture Extension, told Reuters.

Farmers in Bangladeshs coastal areas had been instructed to harvest their paddy fields before the cyclone made landfall so that helped to minimise the losses, he said.

After battering India, Fani barrelled into neighbouring Bangladesh on Saturday as a much weaker storm.

In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice were at $365 on Thursday, unchanged from last week.

Sales are still slow this week as Vietnamese prices remain relatively high, but we hope sales to China may increase later this year, a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

A delegation of Chinese rice importers are touring the Mekong Delta provinces to explore possible deals.

Egypt is also seeking to buy at least 20,000 tonnes of 10-12 percent broken rice for delivery between July 25 and Aug. 20, a source with Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade said.

Customs data released on Thursday showed Vietnams rice exports in April were unchanged from March at 693,000 tonnes. Rice shipments in the first four months of this year fell 5.1 percent from a year earlier to 2.1 million tonnes.

Vietnams rice supplies are expected to increase when the early harvest of the summer-autumn crop begins late this month, traders said.

Thailands benchmark 5-percent broken rice prices were largely unchanged at $385-$400 a tonne on Thursday, free on board Bangkok, compared with $385-$402 quoted last week.

While demand has remained flat, traders said the prices could rise due to an anticipated drought as the worlds second-largest exporter heads into a new growing season this month.

Rain is coming late this year, so maybe drought can be anticipated, which will affect output, quality and volume, a Bangkok-based trader said.

Thailand also held an annual ploughing ceremony on Thursday, with a pair of royal oxen predicting good harvest this year.
Vietnams domestic coffee prices fell to the lowest level in six years on Thursday following a decline on the ICE, while Indonesian premiums to July contract widened further to compensate for the global drop.

Farmers in the Central Highlands, Vietnams largest coffee growing area, sold coffee at 29,000-29,800 dong ($1.24-$1.27) per kg on Thursday, down from 30,300-31,000 dong last week.

Fresh concerns about the trade war between the United States and China and the strong sales from Brazil have pushed down global robusta prices, a trader based in the central Highlands said.

July robusta coffee settled down $5, or 0.4 percent, at $1,290 per tonne, after earlier plunging to $1,267, the lowest since March 2010.

Traders in Vietnam offered 5 percent black and broken grade 2 robusta at a $45 per tonne discount to the July contract, flat from last week.

Customs data released on Thursday showed Vietnams coffee exports in April falling 16.7 percent from March to 143,296 tonnes, slightly higher than a government forecast of 140,000 tonnes.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, premiums for the grade 4 defect 80 robusta rose to $200-$240 to the July contract on Thursday from $170 a week ago, according to a trader based in Lampung.

The premium widened further to compensate for the decline in benchmark contract prices, the trader said.

Supplies in Indonesia are increasing as the harvest in the southern part of Sumatra is picking up pace, he added.
Thanks to one kind-hearted professor, residents across Vietnam are being equipped with the knowledge to minimize their risk of cancer.

Professor Nguyen Chan Hung, a senior consultant at the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, has spent nearly half of his life studying oncology in order to help those around him learn everything they need to know about preventing and battling cancer.

Appointed the president of the Vietnam Oncology Association in 2010, the now 75-year-old doctor has dedicated the past several years to holding seminars throughout the country, where he and other experts share their findings on the causes of cancer and how to prevent the deadly disease.

Professor Hungs decision to study oncology was made in honor of his idol, Vietnamese Professor Dao Duc Hoanh.

Now, he chooses to spend his time sharing his knowledge in order to help others who were not fortunate enough to receive proper education about the disease.

The more you share, the happier you become, Hung quoted Professor Hoanh.

A photo of Vietnamese Professor Nguyen Chan Hung. Photo: My Lang / Tuoi Tre

Even in his retirement Professor Hung spends his time traveling throughout the country to organize workshops and training sessions for Vietnamese doctors.

As part of his personal mission, he also visits remote areas with poor living conditions to create cancer awareness and discuss methods of prevention.

I want to provide people with useful information about this illness so that they know how they can prevent it and rid themselves of their fear of cancer," he said.

Aside from holding conferences and workshops, Professor Hung writes and translates books about oncology for people who are unable to attend his talks.

I decided to convey what I know to people through books since reading is the best way to gain knowledge, Professor Hung said in pride.

The elderly professor is known for adding creativity to his work by including self-composed short poems and quotes which he says lighten up patients moods.

Cancer can be prevented one way or another. Do it now or regret it forever, Professor Hung assures.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Some of the claims relating to state boards of elections are contradicted by the Department of Homeland Security , we'll return to this where it's covered in more detail later in the report.

While the Netyksho indictment does provide details of intrusions and infrastructure used, it's still unclear how the infrastructure has been attributed back to individuals in the GRU and no conclusive evidence has been presented to support that in the indictment or the report.

[To minimize repetition, we'll deal with statements made in this introduction where the basis is explained or details are provided on other pages ahead.]

We start with a read-through of this section of the report, highlighting missing context, contradictions and errors.

We will also look at problems relating to attribution methods used, countervailing evidence that has clearly been disregarded and other problems that are likely to have affected the quality of the investigation and the report.

This article focuses on Volume I Part III titled "Russian Hacking & Dumping Operations" and provides details of the errors made, critical omissions, lack of conclusive evidence and reliance on assumptions and speculation.

On April 18, 2019, a redacted version of Robert Mueller's report on "RussiaGate" related activities was released to the public.

Page 37

Whatever the sources are the GRU did their "learning" from they seem to have been outdated as many of the phishing emails were bounced due to being for individuals that were not involved in Clinton's 2016 campaign and that no longer had mailboxes on the relevant domains (they were involved in earlier campaigns in previous years).

Page 39

In the Netyksho indictment it is stated that the "middle-servers" are overseas:

So, what was the point in having a US-based AMS Panel if you're using overseas servers as proxies?

This seems to be a needlessly noisy setup that somewhat defeats the purpose of having a US-based server for the AMS panel.

This setup makes the assets allegedly used by GRU officers subject to US laws, subject to Internet monitoring by US intelligence agencies and prone to being physically seized.

With the GRU using middle-servers, as alleged, there would have been absolutely no reason to have the AMS panel hosted on a server within the US and every reason to have it hosted elsewhere.

It almost seems like they wanted to get caught!

Page 40

We are told the GRU obtained files from the DNC network on April 22, 2016, (this is a little different to the Netyksho indictment that states the files were archived on April 22, 2016 and extracted later):

The problem with this is that it suggests the GRU had their implant on the DNC network earlier than what the available evidence supports.

The malware samples provided by CrowdStrike show that the earliest compile date of Fancy Bear malware reportedly discovered at the DNC was April 25, 2016.

Perhaps they didn't discover all the malware until later? (Though, with their flagship product installed across the network, one would think they'd have detected all the malware present by the time they reported on discoveries).

Regarding the stolen opposition research, we've only seen the document as an attachment to one of Podesta's emails and a deliberately tainted version of the same document released by Guccifer 2.0.

The implication that this was stolen from the DNC is questionable due to this.

Going further, the story surrounding this changed in November 2017 when the Associated Press published a story titled "How Russians hacked the Democrats emails" in which they cite an anonymous former DNC official who asserts that Guccifer 2.0s first document (the Trump opposition report) did not originate in the DNC as initially reported.

Another interesting point relating to this is the "HRC_pass.zip" archive released by Guccifer 2.0 on June 21, 2016 (which also provided another US central timezone indication) contained files with last modification dates of April 26, 2016. While this fits within the above timeframe, the transfer of the files individually, the apparent transfer speeds involved and the presence of FAT-like 2-second rounding artifacts (noted elsewhere in Guccifer 2.0's releases) when the files came from an NTFS system (and the ZIP implementation was not the cause) does not correlate well with what the report outlines.

In spite of its name ("HRC_pass.zip") this archive appears to contain files that can be sourced to the DNC. Out of 200 files, only one showed up as an attachment (in the Podesta emails).

Regarding the May 25 - June 1 timeframe cited, this seems to exclude the date on which approximately 70% of the DNC's emails published on WikiLeaks' website were acquired (May 23, 2016)

What makes this interesting is that this is apparently being evaluated on evidence that was very likely to have been provided by CrowdStrike:

Page 40

How did Crowdstrike's evidence not inform the FBI and Special Counsel of the real initial acquisition date of WikiLeaks' DNC emails?

Was the May 23, 2016 activity not recorded?

Going back to the Netyksho indictment, we have also been told that Yermakov was searching for Powershell commands between the May 25 - June 1st period:

However, we know 70% of the DNC emails published by WikiLeaks had already been acquired prior to that time, before Yermakov had allegedly researched how to access and manage the Exchange server.

Page 41

We can tell from the use of "appear" here that the Special Counsel does not have conclusive evidence to demonstrate this.

Page 41

While the overlap between reported phishing victims and the output of DCLeaks cannot be denied, it is still unclear how bitcoin pools or leased infrastructure have been definitively tied back to any GRU officers or the GRU itself.

This isn't to say that there isn't evidence of it (I would assume there is some evidence or intelligence that supports the premise to some degree, at the very least) but we have no idea what that could be and there is no explanation of how associations to individual GRU officers were made (perhaps to protect HUMINT but this still leaves us completely in the dark as to how attributions were made).

We know already that things are assumed by the Special Counsel on the basis of circumstantial evidence, so there is good reason to question whether the attributions made are based on conclusive evidence.

Page 42

This is the first point at which to recall Assange's announcement on 12 June that WikiLeaks was working on a release of "emails related to Hillary Clinton" - two days before the DNC goes public about being hacked by Russians, and three days before the appearance of Guccifer 2.0.

It's also approximately one month before Mueller says Guccifer 2.0 first successfully sent anything to WikiLeaks.

Whoever was controlling the Guccifer 2.0 persona went out of their way to be perceived as Russian and made specious claims about having already sent WikiLeaks documents, even claiming that WikiLeaks would release them soon (all before Mueller records any initial contact between the parties).

While WikiLeaks did mention this via their Twitter feed on June 16, 2016, they were clearly skeptical of his claims to be a hacker and although they cite his claim about sending material to WikiLeaks, they don't confirm it:

It also seems a little odd that the GRU would do searches for already translated phrases (using Google translate to get English translations would be more understandable) and if it's Guccifer 2.0 doing it why did he not use the VPN he used for his other activities throughout the same day?

Why does the Mueller report not report on the IP address of the Moscow-based server from which searches occurred? It wouldn't really expose sources and methods to disclose it and it's unclear how it was determined to have been used and managed by a unit of the GRU. (Citation #146 references the Netyksho indictment, however, that fails to provide evidence or explanation of this too.)

Also, Guccifer 2.0 did not attribute the hack to a Romanian hacker in his first blog post, he didn't mention nationality until a week later (after he'd already gone out of his way to leave Russian breadcrumbs behind).

Page 43

The version of the opposition research document Guccifer 2.0 released was built using a prepared "Russian-tainted" template document.

The template was made by taking an attachment from one of John Podesta's emails (a document originally authored by Warren Flood in 2008), stripping out the content, adding in Russian language stylesheet entries, altering "Confidential Draft" in the background of the document to "Confidential", altering the footer and then stripping out the body content.

The body content of a Trump Opposition research document (originally authored by Lauren Dillon) that was attached to another of Podesta's emails was then copied into the template document.

The document was saved (with a Russian author name), its body content cleared and this was then re-used to produce two further "Russia-tainted" documents.

It was no accident that led to the documents being tainted in the way that they were and it looks like Guccifer 2.0's version of the Trump opposition research didn't really come from the DNC.

Page 43

The email sent to The Smoking Gun revealed that Guccifer 2.0 appeared to be operating from somewhere in the central (US) time zone. It is one of several inexplicable examples of US timezone indications from Guccifer 2.0.

Page 43

It should be noted that the data referenced above was also unrelated to the general election and didn't have any noticeable impact on it (the 2.5Gb of data Guccifer 2.0 provided to Aaron Nevins was unlikely to have hurt the Clinton campaign or affect the outcome of the general election).

In the states that the data related to, general election results didn't flip between the time of the publication of the documents and the election:

Page 43

Interesting to note that Guccifer 2.0 lied about DCLeaks being a "sub project" of WikiLeaks.

Page 44

The only materials Mueller alleges that WikiLeaks confirmed receipt of was a "1gb or so" archive, for which, instructions to access were communicated in an attached message (none-too-discreetly titled "wk dnc link1.txt.gpg") and sent by Guccifer 2 via unencrypted email.

It is an assumption that this was an archive of DNC emails (it could have contained other files Guccifer 2.0 subsequently released elsewhere).

We don't even know for sure whether WikiLeaks released what had been sent to them by either entity.

Even if, theoretically, the archive contained the emails, it couldn't have been the whole collection because the whole collection, when compressed, exceeds 2Gb of data.

This, of course, doesn't rule out the possibility of it being a portion of the overall collection but what the persona had sent to WikiLeaks could also easily have been other material relating to the DNC that we know Guccifer 2.0 later released or shared with other parties.

Page 45

This is the second point at which to recall Assange's 12 June TV announcement of upcoming "emails related to Hillary Clinton", coming two days before Guccifer 2.0's colleagues at DCLeaks reach out to WikiLeaks via unencrypted means on 14 June 2016 to offer "sensitive information" on Clinton.

Then, seven days after Guccifer 2 had already claimed to have sent material to WikiLeaks and stated that they'd soon release it (which made it sound as though he'd had confirmation back), we see that WikiLeaks reaches out to Guccifer 2.0 and suggests he sends material to them (as though there's never been any prior contact or provision of materials previously discussed).

Page 45

How is it "clear" that both the DNC and Podesta documents were transferred from the GRU to WikiLeaks when there is only around a gigabyte of data acknowledged as received (and we don't even know what that data is) and little is known about the rest (and the report just speculates at possibilities)?

Page 46

We aren't provided the full dialogue between WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2.0. Instead we have just a few words selected from the communication that could easily be out of context. The Netyksho indictment did exactly the same thing. Neither the indictment nor the report provide the full DM conversation in context.

(It certainly wouldn't harm HUMINT resources or expose methods if this evidence was released in full context.)

Would the GRU really engage in internal communications (eg GRU Guccifer 2.0 to GRU DCLeaks) via Twitter DMs? Maybe, but it seems insanely sloppy with regards to operational security of a clandestine organization communicating between its own staff.

The statement that concludes on the following page (see below) also seems a little bizarre. Would WikiLeaks really ask Guccifer 2.0 to DM DCLeaks to pass on such a message on their behalf?

Why doesn't Mueller provide the comms evidence of WikiLeaks asking Guccifer 2.0 for assistance in contacting DCLeaks?

As written, we are expected to take the words of Guccifer 2.0 (stating that the media organisation wished to talk to DCLeaks) at face value.

The problem with this is that we are talking about a persona who lied publicly about when he first sent material to WikiLeaks (claiming to have done so already on the day appeared), lied about the relationship between WikiLeaks and DCLeaks and who had gone to a great deal of trouble to leave false Russian fingerprints in his work output.

Page 47

It was actually the last-modification date, not the creation date that was recorded as 19 September, 2016.

This wasn't necessarily the creation date and is only indicative of the last recorded write/copy operation (unless last modification date is preserved when copying but there's no way to determine that based on the available evidence).

The gap between email file timestamps and attachment timestamps may simply be explained by WikiLeaks extracting the attachments from the EML files at a later stage. With the DNC emails we observed last-modifications dates as far back as May 23, 2016 but the attachments had last-modification dates that were much later (eg. July 21, 2016).

The wording is also worth noting: "Based on information about Assange's computer and its possible operating system" [emphasis mine] does not sound like it's based on reliable and factual information, it sounds like this is based on assessment/estimation. This also seems to be relying on an assumption that the only person handling files for WikiLeaks is Assange.

How have the Special Counsel cited WikiLeaks metadata for evidence where it's suited them yet, somehow, have managed to miss the May 23, 2016 date on which the DNC emails were initially being collected?

Going further, the report, based on speculation, suggests that the GRU staged releases in July (for DNC emails) and September (for Podesta emails). However, going off the same logic as the Special Counsel, with last-modification dates indicating when the email files are "staged", the evidence would theoretically point to the DNC emails being "staged" in May 2016).

It doesn't seem so reliable when the rule is applied multilaterally.

Of course, if both assumptions about staging dates are true, then we're left wondering what Julian Assange could have been talking about on June 12, 2016 when mentioning having emails relating to Hillary Clinton.

The speculation in the final paragraph of the above section also shows us that the Special Counsel lacks certainty on sources.

Page 48

Really, this correlation of dates (March 21, 2016 and the reported phishing incident relating to March 19, 2016) is one of the best arguments for saying that emails published by WikiLeaks were acquired through phishing or hacking incidents reported.

However, this merely suggests the method of acquisition, it says nothing of how the material got to WikiLeaks. We can make assumptions, but that's all we can do because the available evidence is circumstantial rather than conclusive.

Page 48

Far from "discredit[ing] WikiLeaks' claims about the source of the material it posted", the file transfer evidence doesn't conclusively demonstrate that WikiLeaks published anything sent to it by Guccifer 2.0 or DCLeaks.

Although there are hints that what was sent by Guccifer 2.0 related to the DNC, we don't know if this contained DNC emails or the other DNC related content he later released and shared with others.

"The statements about Seth Rich implied falsely that he had been the source of the stolen DNC emails" is itself a false statement. The reason Assange gave for offering a reward for information leading to the conviction of Seth Rich's killers was "Our sources take risks and they become concerned when they see things occurring like that [the death of DNC worker Seth Rich]... We have to understand how high the stakes are in the United States" (source).

This implies WikiLeaks is offering the reward for info about Seth Rich at the behest of its actual source/s.

Page 49

By the time Trump had made the statements cited above, it was already assumed that Hillary had been hacked by the Russians, so Trump saying he hoped the Russians would find the emails seems more likely to have been in reference to what he assumed was already in their possession.

Finding those 30,000 emails also wouldn't be achieved through hacking at that point in time as the emails had already been deleted by Hillary Clinton's IT consultants in March 2015.

Page 50

What is being described here is, to a considerable extent, just common exploit scanning on web services, scanning that will almost certainly have come from other nodes based in other nations too.

These scans are typically done via compromised machines, often with machines that are in nations completely separate to the nationality of those running the scanning effort.

The Department of Homeland Security threw cold water on this a long time ago.

DHS would not characterize these efforts as attacks, only simple scanning ... which occurs all the time.

Page 51

There was no alteration of ballots or results at all anywhere as of a testimony by DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson on June 21 2017 nor since that time, according to Brian Krebs, to the date of a hearing on November 27, 2017.

The remaining pages in this section of the report include a lot of redactions and mostly cover the actions of individuals in the US in relation to communications they had with or in relation to WikiLeaks. As this article is about the technical claims made in relation to hacking and so much is redacted, we'll only look at those really relevant to this.

Page 52

By the time Assange made the announcement referenced above, the Hillary Clinton emails obtained through FOIA had already been published by WikiLeaks.

Considering what WikiLeaks subsequently published, it would seem that Assange was making a reference to at least one of the upcoming leaks.

At this time, there was no record of contact between WikiLeaks and either of the parties alleged to be the GRU.

Page 58

Regarding the timing of the leaks and the Access Hollywood tape, it's important to note that journalist Stefani Maurizi, who had worked with WikiLeaks on the Podesta leaks, has stated publicly that she knew of WikiLeaks intention to publish on that date on the evening prior to it.

WikiLeaks stated the "timing conspiracy theory" was the other way round: "The [Access Hollywood] tape was moved forward to the day of our release, which WikiLeaks had been teasing" and was "well-documented".

[The remaining pages in this section have little relevance to the technical aspects of this section of the report and/or acquisition of materials that this article is intended to cover.]

Circumstantial Evidence & Understandable Assumptions

While the above does show numerous issues with the report, it's important not to fall into the trap of outright dismissing as false anything for which evidence is lacking or assuming there is no evidence at all to support assertions.

However, without knowing what evidence exists we're left to make assumptions about whether it's conclusive or circumstantial, we don't know if the source of evidence is dependable and it's clear in the report that the Special Counsel has relied on assumptions and made numerous statements on the basis of presuppositions.

There is also a considerable amount of circumstantial evidence that, although it doesn't conclusively prove what the report tries to convince us of, it does at least raise questions about relationships between different entities, especially with regards to any overlaps in resources and infrastructure used.

For example, based on the cited evidence, it is perfectly understandable that people will assume Guccifer 2.0 provided DNC emails to WikiLeaks and will also assume that WikiLeaks published whatever it was that Guccifer 2.0 had sent them (especially with Mueller presenting that conversation in the form of a couple of words devoid of all context).

The apparent overlap between a VPN service used by Guccifer 2.0 and by DCLeaks does suggest the two could be associated beyond Guccifer 2.0 just being a source of leaks for them.

Also, DCLeaks publishing some DNC emails that later appeared in the DNC email collection (though not necessarily from the same mailboxes) also suggests that DCLeaks and WikiLeaks could have had access to some of the same material and/or sources.

The same is true for Guccifer 2.0 releasing Podesta and DNC email attachments before WikiLeaks released both collections. Unless given good reason to consider any ulterior motive, the implied explanation, on the surface, seems to be that it was this persona that was a source for those emails. If nothing else, that's how it appears based on the little information typically made available to us by the mainstream press.

However, despite all of this, we still have not seen conclusive evidence showing that either of the entities was really controlled by the GRU and, when the countervailing evidence (which seems to have been completely ignored by the Special Counsel's investigation) is considered, there is reason to give consideration to Guccifer 2.0's efforts to not just associate himself with WikiLeaks and DCLeaks but also to associate third parties with each other through false claims.

The Mystery Of The May 23, 2016 Omission

One of the most notable omissions is the date on which emails from several mailboxes (including Luis Miranda's) were originally collected.

We know, from analysis of metadata of files hosted by WikiLeaks that this was May 23, 2016.

Not only is this prior to the May 25, 2016 - June 1, 2016 timeframe given for the DNC's exchange server being hacked, this activity is unmentioned throughout the entire report.

How has this failed to come to the surface when it should have been apparent in evidence CrowdStrike provided to the FBI and also apparent based on the WikiLeaks metadata? How is it the Special Counsel can cite some of the metadata in relation to WikiLeaks releases yet somehow manage to miss this?

Countervailing Evidence

What the Special Counsel's investigation also seems to have completely disregarded is the volume of countervailing evidence that has been discovered by several independent researchers in relation to the Guccifer 2.0 persona.

It's worth considering what evidence the Special Counsel has brought to the surface and comparing it with the evidence that has come to the surface as a result of discoveries being made by independent researchers over the past two years and the differences between the two sets of evidence (especially with regards to falsifiability and verifiability of evidence).

Some excellent examples are covered in the following articles:

Reliability Of Attribution Methods

Skip Folden (who introduced me to VIPS members and has been a good friend ever since) recently shared with me his assessment of problems with the current attribution methods being relied on by the Special Counsel and others.

It covered several important points and was far more concise than anything I would have written, so, with his permission, I'm publishing his comments on this topic:

No basis whatsoever APT28, aka Fancy Bear, Sofacy, Strontium, Pawn Storm, Sednit, etc., and APT29, aka Cozy Bear, Cozy Duke, Monkeys, CozyCar,The Dukes, etc., are used as proof of Russia hacking by Russian Intelligence agencies GRU and FSB respectively. There is no basis whatsoever to attribute the use of known intrusion elements to Russia, not even if they were once reverse routed to Russia, which claim has never been made by NSA or any other of our IC. On June 15, 2016 Dmitri Alperovitch himself, in an Atlantic Council article, gave only medium-level of confidence that Fancy Bear is GRU and low-level of confidence that Cozy Bear is FSB. These assessments, from the main source himself, that either APT is Russian intelligence, averages 37%-38% [(50 + 25) / 2]. Exclusivity : None of the technical indicators, e.g., intrusion tools (such as X-Agent, X-Tunnel), facilities, tactics, techniques, or procedures, etc., of the 28 and 29 APTs can be uniquely attributed to Russia, even if one or more had ever been trace routed to Russia. Once an element of a set of intrusion tools is used in the public domain it can be reverse-engineered and used by other groups which precludes the assumption of exclusivity in future use. The proof that any of these tools have never been reverse engineered and used by others is left to the student - or prosecutor. Using targets Also, targets have been used as basis for attributing intrusions to Russia, and that is pure nonsense. Both many state and non-state players have deep interests in the same targets and have the technical expertise to launch intrusions. In Grizzly Steppe, page 2, second paragraph, beginning with, Both groups have historically targeted ..., is there anything in that paragraph which can be claimed as unique to Russia or which excludes all other major state players in the world or any of the non-state organizations? No. Key Logger Consideration On the subject of naming specific GRU officers initiating specific actions on GRU Russian facilities on certain dates / times, other than via implanted ID chips under the finger tips of these named GRU officers, the logical assumption would be by installed key logger capabilities, physical or malware, on one or more GRU Russian computers. The GRU is a highly advanced Russian intelligence unit. It would be very surprising were the GRU open to any method used to install key logger capabilities. It would be even more surprising, if not beyond comprehension that the GRU did not scan all systems upon start-up and in real time, including key logger protection and anomalies of performance degradation and data transmissions. Foreign intelligence source Other option would be via a foreign intelligence unit source with local GRU access. Any such would be quite anti-Russian and be another nail in the coffin of any chain of evidence / custody validity at Russian site.

Chain Of Custody - Without An Anchor There Is No Chain

Another big problem with the whole RussiaGate investigation is the reliance on a private firm, hired by the DNC, to be the source of evidence.

As I don't have a good understanding of US law and processes surrounding evidence collection and handling, I will, again, defer to something that my aforementioned contact shared:

Chain of Evidence / Custody at US end, i.e., DNC and related computing facilities Summary: There is no US end Chain of Evidence / Custody The anchor of any chain of evidence custody is the on-site crime scene investigation of a jurisdictional law enforcement agency and neutral jurisdictional forensic team which investigate, discover, identify where possible, log, mark, package, seal, or takes images there of, of all identified elements of potential evidence as discovered at the scene of a crime by the authorized teams. The chain of this anchor is then the careful, documented movement of each element of captured evidence from crime scene to court. In the case of the alleged series of intrusions into the DNC computing facilities, there is no anchor to any chain of evidence / custody. There has been no claim that any jurisdictional law enforcement agency was allowed access to the DNC computing facilities. The FBI was denied access to DNC facilities, thereby supposedly denying the FBI the ability to conduct any on-site investigation of the alleged crime scene for discovery or collection of evidence. Nor did the FBI exercise its authority to investigate the crime scene of a purported federal crime. Since when does the FBI need permission to investigate an alleged crime site where it is claimed a foreign governments intelligence attacked political files in order to interfere in a US presidential election? Instead, the FBI accepted images of purported crime scene evidence from a contractor hired by and, therefore, working for the DNC. On July 05, 2017 a Crowdstrike statement said that they had provided ... forensic images of the DNC system to the FBI. It was not stated when these images were provided. Crowdstrike was working for the DNC as a contractor at the time. This scenario is analogous to an employee of a crime scene owner telling law enforcement, Trust me; I have examined the crime scene for you and heres what Ive found. Its not necessary for you to see the crime scene. Crowdstrike cannot be accepted as a neutral forensic organization. It was working for and being paid by the DNC. It is neither a law enforcement agency nor a federal forensic organization. Further Crowdstrike has serious conflicts of interest when it comes to any investigation of Russia. Crowdstrike co-founder and Director of Technology, Dimitri Alperovitch, is a Nonresident Senior Fellow, Cyber Statecraft Initiative, of the Atlantic Council. Alperovitch has made it clear of his dislike of the government of Putin, and The Atlantic Council can not be considered neutral to Russia, receiving funding from many very staunch and outspoken enemies of Russia. Summary: Not only was no federal jurisdictional law enforcement agency allowed to investigate the alleged crime scene, but the organization which allegedly collected and provided the evidence was not neutral by being employed by the owner of the alleged crime scene, but seriously compromised by strong anti-Russian links.

This issue of this substitute for an anchor then leads us to our next problem: an apparent conflict of interest from the investigation's outset.

Conflict of Interest Inherent In The Investigation?

Would it seem like a conflict of interest if the person in charge of an investigation were friends with a witness and source of critical evidence relied upon by that investigation?

This is effectively the situation we have with the Special Counsel investigation because Robert Mueller and CrowdStrike's CSO (and President) Shawn Henry are former colleagues and friends.

Their history at the FBI is well known and their continued association after Henry had left the agency (having dinner together at an executive retreat) has been noted.

If nothing else, it's understandable for people to feel that the Special Counsel would have struggled to be truly impartial due to such relationships.

Conclusion

The Special Counsel seems to have been impervious to critical pieces of countervailing evidence (some of which demonstrates that Guccifer 2.0 deliberately manufactured Russian breadcrumbs) and they have failed to accurately account for the acquisition of WikiLeaks' DNC emails (missing the date on which approximately 70% of them were collected), which is, in itself, a stunning failure for a supposedly thorough investigation costing US taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

There should have been a proper, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the Guccifer 2.0 persona. The Special Counsel certainly hasn't done that job and, in retrospect, looks to have been ill-equipped (and perhaps somewhat reluctant) to do so from the outset.

http://g-2.space/muellerreport/

This article may be republished/reproduced in part or in full on condition that content above is unaltered and that the author is credited (or, alternatively, that a link to the full article is included).
Let's start with the supposed Russian hack of the DNC. The June compromise of the DNC is blamed on the Russians by Crowdstrike, a firm hired for the DNC by Perkins Coie. The FBI did not conduct a forensic examination of the computers or network at the DNC. They were not allowed. Instead of investigating this presumed criminal act, the FBI chose to rely on the claims of a cyber security company that has questionable ties to Ukraine and clear motives to blame Russia for taking the emails. It also is pertinent that the NSA was not asked to track the packets and determine where the messages went. The Russian myth was born without actual evidence.

The travesty that is the Mueller Report is revealed in the recounting of events cited as the foundation for the Special Counsel investigation:

The claim by Alexander Downer is very suspect. Downer waited two months before informing US authorities about Papadopoulus's alleged drunken bragging about the Trump team working with the Russians to get Hillary. But why wait two months? The alleged Russian hacking of DNC emails was front-page news around the world by June 15. Why did it take Downer four more weeks to comprehend the dire implications of Papadopoulus's intoxicated ramblings? Papadopoulos disputes Downer's account. Yet, per Mueller, this was one more event justifying the Russian interference meme.

Finally, Mueller cites the joint-analysis produced by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security as "proof" of Russian bad acts. To people unfamiliar with the technical issues discussed in this paper (see here) it seems to be a slam dunk case. But genuine experts, like Bill Binney, have shown that there is no real independent forensic evidence backing up the conclusions. It is still information derived from a source of questionable reliability--Crowdstrike.

Do you notice what is absent from the "evidence" of Russian meddling? The Steele Dossier. This was a document commissioned by the Perkins Coie Law Firm, which hired Fusion GPS who in turn hired longtime FBI Confidential Human Source, Christopher Steele. Steele's name does not appear until p. 23 of the Mueller Report and it is presented in a very misleading, dishonest fashion. The Report states:

Several days later (mid January 2017), BuzzFeed published unverified allegations compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele during the campaign about candidate Trump 's Russia connections under the headline "These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties To Russia."

Why did Mueller fail to report that Christopher Steele met with the FBI's Peter Strzok in July 2016? Why did Mueller fail to report that John Brennan, CIA Director, briefed Senate Minority leader Harry Reid in August 2016 on the dossier reports from Steele? This briefing led Reid to send FBI Director Comey a letter demanding an investigation of the collusion between Donald Trump and the Russians. And why did Robert Mueller not mention the fact that the Steele Dossier was a key foundation for the FISA warrant issued to spy on American citizen, Carter Page?

The Steele Dossier was a critical information element in the propaganda campaign ginned up to paint Trump as a proxy of Putin. But Mueller's "exhaustive" investigation ignores the substantive facts about this document produced at the behest of the Hillary Clinton Campaign.

Another critical element excluded from the Mueller Report is the role that the Department of Justice, including Attorney General Loretta Lynch. First there is the case involving the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnetskya, who claimed to have dirt on Hillary. The Attorney General signed the letter allowing her into the United States for that meeting. We know this thanks to the excellent reporting of John Solomon in July 2017:

Homeland Security Department confirmed that in July 2017 that Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya was granted special entry to the United States on multiple occasions in 2015 and 2016 at the request of the Justice Department.

Veselnitskaya was allowed to enter the United States on multiple occasions between September 2015 and February 2016 under a Significant Public Benefit Parole document requested by the Justice Department . . . .

In October (2015) the government bypassed the normal visa process and gave a type of extraordinary permission to enter the country called immigration parole, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Monteleoni was quoted in the court transcript as saying. That's a discretionary act that the statute allows the attorney general to do in extraordinary circumstances. In this case, we did that so that Mr. Katsyv could testify. And we made the further accommodation of allowing his Russian lawyer into the country to assist.

You should recall that Veselnetskya met with Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson (who had hired Christopher Steele to do the Russian hit job on Donald Trump) before and after the meeting. That is another critical fact that Mueller excludes from his report.

Veselnetskya was not the only Russian to get special treatment. Henry Greenberg aka Henry Oknyansky aka Gennady Vasilievich Vostretsov was an FBI informant and was used to try to solicit Michael Caputo and Roger Stone on paying cash for dirt on Hillary. Here is Mueller's account:

In the spring of 2016, Trump Campaign advisor Michael Caputo learned through a Floridabased Russian business partner that another Florida-based Russian, Henry Oknyansky (who also went by the name Henry Greenberg), claimed to have information pertaining to Hillary Clinton. Caputo notified Roger Stone and brokered communication between Stone and Oknyansky.

Oknyansky and Stone set up a May 2016 in-person meeting.260 Oknyansky was accompanied to the meeting by Alexei Rasin, a Ukrainian associate involved in Florida real estate. At the meeting, Rasin offered to sell Stone derogatory information on Clinton that Rasin claimed to have obtained while working for Clinton. Rasin claimed to possess financial statements demonstrating Clinton's involvement in money laundering with Rasin's companies. According to Oknyansky, Stone asked if the amounts in question totaled millions of dollars but was told it was closer to hundreds of thousands. Stone refused the offer, stating that Trump would not pay for opposition research.

The Democrat Dossier tells the rest of the story. Greenberg obtained a VISA thanks to intervention by the United States Government to enter the United States:

Under his different identities, he has spent at least 10 years in Russian prisons and two years in U.S.federal detention for fraud, theft, child support, assault with a deadly weapon and multiple occasions of driving under the influence. He is a convicted violent felon, from Russia, who would not have been admitted into the United States if it were not for the 14 separate visa waivers he received from the FBI. In a 2015 court filing Greenberg admitted that he has been an FBI informant for the past 17 years and has risked his life in Iran, North Korea and in the United States while working undercover for the FBI. With a criminal record Greenberg could not be in the United States in 2016 on any other type of VISA.

In August 2015 Greenberg made this declaration before a US Judge:

Around August 1998 I file Federal Habeas Corpus while in INS detention center at San Pedro,CA. After almost 2 years in INS custody, in 2000, I decided to leave US voluntarily, because there was a great concerns about my health.. I left country voluntarily. All immigration proceedings against me were closed. There was never any deportation orders against me. More then 8 years, while outside U.S., I provide information to FBI Special Agent David Baker. Wherever I was, from Iran, to North Korea, I always send information to Mr. Baker. In 2008 he requested Special Public Benefit Parole for me and INS granted 2 90 days. In 2009 FBI requested another parole for me, because of very good information I provided. At this time was granted for one year multi entry and work permit. Because of problems with OHS getting the information to U.S. Embassy, I entered country only in 2010. After that I still,provided information to FBI. Meet with supervisors, and many Special agents. When David Baker getting ready to retire in 2013, he transferred me to FBI Miami Field Office, where agents request parole for me, as promised to Mr. Baker, and S visa as well. After several months of waiting nothing was happened.

Why was Henry Greenberg still in the United States making offers to sell compromising information on Hillary eight months after a deportation hearing? Who let him back into the country? How did Mueller's supposedly intrepid investigators miss this key piece of information?

Characterizing the Mueller report as a fraud and a farce is not a partisan judgment. I state this based on very simple fact presented above. There are glaring omissions in what was investigated and what facts were put on the table. If Attorney General Barr makes good on his pledge to investigate the origins of this faux counter intelligence investigation there are some key people who served in the Obama Administration that will have some very tough questions to answer.
FOX8 will premiere the rebooted Magnum P.I. from late May.

Jay Hernandez plays Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator.

This debuted in the US in September and has been renewed for a second season.

A charming rogue, an American hero and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum lives in a guest cottage on Robins Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business. The majordomo of the property is Juliet Higgins (Perdita Weeks), a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI:6 agent whose second job is to keep Magnum in line, with the help of her two Dobermans. When Magnum needs back-up on a job, he turns to his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors, Theodore TC Calvin (Stephen Hill), a former Marine chopper pilot who runs Island Hoppers, a helicopter tour business, and Orville Rick Wright (Zachary Knighton), a former Marine door-gunner-turned-impresario of Oahus coolest nightclub and the most connected man on the island. Suspicious of Magnums casual attitude and presence at his crime scenes, Detective Gordon Katsumoto (Tim Kang) finds that he and Magnum are more alike than either of them care to admit. With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other, and an Old Dusseldorf longneck chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is on the case.

8:30pm AEST Sunday May 26 on FOX8.
Khulna jute mill workers continue strike

UNB, Khulna :

Jute mill workers in Khulna continued their strike on Friday demanding payment of outstanding wages.

Production at the mills remained suspended on Friday as well.

"We blocked the road for four hours from 3pm on Friday," said Md Murad Hossain, convener of Jute Mill Workers League of Khulna-Jashore region.

The workers threatened to go for countrywide strike if their seven-point demand is not met within Sunday.

The latest protests started on May 5.

Workers' wages of 11 weeks and other employees' salary of four months have remained unpaid.

Earlier, it was decided in a meeting with the jute ministry and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation that the outstanding wages of the workers will be paid within April 25. But the promise was not fulfilled.

On April 2, workers of state-owned jute mills observed a 72-hour strike in Khulna region to press home their nine-point demand.




Another good get for Andrew Denton next week when he travels to the US to chat with Steve Martin and Martin Short for Interview.

Ahead of their November tour of Australia, Andrew travels to Milwaukee to sit down in the blue chairs with two absolute comedy legends, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

The long-time best friends, who met decades ago on The Three Amigos movie, now make a joyous living insulting each other on stage in their show, Now You See Them, Soon You Wont, which also features songs, skits, childhood reminiscences and some virtuosic banjo playing.

In this rare long-form conversation, the pair discuss comedy, music and life, raking through their movie experiences and their friendship (two words: colonoscopy parties). They also play a Logie-worthy game show Andrew invents called Which Martin Is That?

Steve Martin is one of my all-time comedy heroes, Andrew says, and Martin Short is pure joy on so many levels. It was a genuine career high point to talk to them.

9.00pm Tuesday on Seven.
Mondays Four Corners features Inside the Watch House a report by Mark Willacy on children as young as 10 have being held alongside adult criminals in maximum security facilities.

This is a concrete pen, designed to hold adults in an acute and dangerous state what are we doing to children who are being held (here)? Childrens advocate

Its almost three years since Four Corners exposed shocking revelations of mistreatment in the Northern Territorys Don Dale youth detention centre in Australias Shame, sparking a Royal Commission.

Now the program is set to reveal a new child detention crisis in another part of Australia, where children as young as 10 have been held alongside adult criminals in maximum security facilities.

The most dangerous people in Australia go in those watch houses. Theyre in there for murder. Theres paedophiles. Human rights advocate

With exclusive access, the program goes behind the locked cell doors to reveal how young people, most of whom have not yet been convicted of a crime, are being held, sometimes for weeks at a time.

Seeing kids peeping out of the cell doors, out of the little cell hatches that they put the food on. and theyll just sayMiss, tell them that I want to talk to mum. Child protection monitor

These facilities can be tough and terrifying places for hardened adult offenders, let alone children.

Weve had young people in the watch house that have tried to commit suicide. Senior police officer

The pressure of managing these children is taking its toll on everyone involved.

Ive been informed that some police officers last only two hours in the watch house environment. It is highly traumatic. Childrens advocate

Those at the coal face of this crisis say its time to speak out.

This is a failure on the part of the government to meet the most basic protections of young people. Anti-Discrimination Commissioner

Monday 13th May at 8.30pm on ABC.
Actress Yael Stone (Picnic at Hanging Rock, Orange is the New Black, Deep Water) has been confirmed as the unnamed Witness X in the Geoffrey Rush defamation suit.

Her identity was kept under suppression by the court during the trial involving Nationwide News.

The Daily Telegraph had wanted to admit evidence last November but Justice Michael Wigney rejected it because of the delay it would cause.

While allegations remain suppressed Stone gave an interview to The New York Times and ABCs 7:30 in December. Rush denied any harassment at the time but apologised if he had caused her distress.

Today the Supreme Court began to hear arguments around the settlement figure for lost earnings.

Rushs lawyers accused the Telegraph of engaging in a campaign against the court and attacking the vindication of the actor after his defamation win against the newspaper last month.

Rushs barrister, Sue Chrysanthou, accused the newspaper of engaging in a campaign against, with respect, the court, but with the effect of attacking the vindication my client received a month ago since the judgement.

Nationwide News is appealing the defamation verdict on 16 grounds Justice Wigney was biased, one of those includes that Yael Stones evidence could not be admitted. Today it also indicated that it will ask Justice Wigney step down from hearing the outstanding issues.

An application for a permanent injunction will be heard on May 20.

Source: The Guardian, Daily Telegraph
Cookies op Tweakers

Tweakers maakt gebruik van cookies

Tweakers is onderdeel van DPG Media en maakt gebruik van cookies, JavaScript en vergelijkbare technologie om je onder andere een optimale gebruikerservaring te bieden. Functionele en analytische cookies die door Tweakers zelf geplaatst worden, worden gebruikt om de website goed te laten functioneren, bezoekersstatistieken bij te houden en a/b-testen uit te voeren. Ook kan Tweakers hiermee het gedrag van bezoekers vastleggen en analyseren.

Cookies kunnen daarnaast worden gebruikt om op Tweakers advertenties te tonen die aansluiten bij je interesses. Daarbij kan gebruikgemaakt worden van bezoekersprofielen die door derden zijn opgesteld. Ook kunnen derden je internetgedrag volgen, zoals bijvoorbeeld het geval is bij embedded videos van YouTube. Tot slot kunnen cookies worden gebruikt om op sites van derden relevante advertenties te tonen.

Content van derde partijen, zoals embedded videos van YouTube, wordt met een trackingvrij abonnement standaard uitgeschakeld. Indien je deze content wilt zien, kun je hier expliciet toestemming voor geven.

Wil je meer informatie over cookies en hoe ze worden gebruikt? Bekijk dan ons cookiebeleid.

Accepteer cookies ... Om deze pagina op Tweakers te kunnen bekijken, moet je cookies accepteren. Cookies accepteren

Heb je al een account? Dan kun je hier inloggen!
A tractor makes its way over a pile of coal at a coal port in Gladstone FILE PHOTO: A tractor makes its way over a pile of coal at a coal port in Gladstone, Queensland January 7, 2011. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz

By Melanie Burton and Henning Gloystein

MELBOURNE/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A crash in Australian thermal coal prices is raising fresh questions about the viability of a controversial $4 billion (3 billion pounds) coal mine just a week ahead of a national election in which climate change is a key issue.

Final approval of the Carmichael coal mine in Queensland, owned by India's Adani Enterprises, should come in "a matter of weeks, not months" following nearly a decade on the drawing board, the company's mining chief executive, Lucas Dow, told Reuters last month.

But a 40 percent slump in benchmark Australian thermal coal prices since mid-2018 to a two-year low last month, points to tight profit margins and questions as to whether the economics will support the launch of the mine as soon as next year.

(For graphic on Prices for Newcastle coal hit three year lows last month, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2WBEjIC)

Adani has said it is aiming to start producing 10 million tonnes a year of coal from March 2020, but analysts say the target date is optimistic.

"I think a lot of people are doubting as to whether it will see the light of day," said Wood Mackenzie analyst Victor Tanevski in Sydney.

Adani estimated in January that total costs of bringing the coal to port via rail would be A$54 (29 pounds) a tonne ($39). Based on current market prices, the selling price for the mine's lower-grade thermal coal would be just over $47, suggesting a profit margin of $8-$12 per tonne.

Adani said the A$54 estimate takes into account royalties, processing fees and the cost of financing part of a rail line to the export terminal, although analysts suggest the company's figures are too bullish.

Tanevski suggests benchmark Newcastle 6,000 grade coal would need to be close to $100 a tonne for the mine to break even. The 6,000 benchmark was quoted at $86.20 on Thursday.

Analysts suggest the mine is unlikely to start commercial production until the middle of the next decade at the soonest, if at all. A profit margin of $8-$12 a tonne is half the averages of 2017 and 2018, highlighting how rapidly the market has turned since the Paris agreement on climate change.

Story continues

(For graphic on Oil, gas & coal prices, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2VVoaRl)

Apart from the economics of the mine, Adani faces other headwinds, including an Australian coal boom that has probably peaked, analysts said.

As users move away from so-called dirty fuel sources, coal prices are set to drift lower, consultants AME Group say.

That scenario will impact producers of lower-grade coal first as they feel the pinch of competition from lower-cost miners like Indonesia and renewable or cleaner fuels.

"The boom period for Australian thermal coal exports has plateaued" said Peter Kiernan, lead energy analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in Singapore. "A sharp reduction in coal use from export markets such as China, Japan, and India represents a considerable threat," he said.

Adding to uncertainty over the mine is an Australian general election next week which could return a Labor government, which has more aggressive targets towards cutting climate emissions.

To be sure, a growing reluctance among lenders to finance thermal coal projects could crimp supply and rally prices.

As an integrated producer selling to its own plants in India, Adani may also be able to offset small margins with gains elsewhere, such as giving other parties access to its planned rail line if authorities allow new mines in the same coal basin.

"The Carmichael Project's low-cost profile, the quality of the resource and forecast demand from our target markets of India and South-East Asia mean that the project's economics are strong," said an Adani spokeswoman in a statement, even when adjusting for the coal's quality.

"The IEA and other respected analysts are reporting an increase in demand for seaborne thermal coal, particularly from Indian and South-East Asia, which Carmichael is well-placed to meet."

ARE COAL'S DAYS NUMBERED?

Australia is one of the world's biggest coal suppliers and its miners face an increasingly competitive future as buyers shift towards cleaner or renewable fuel sources, underlining the view that the country's coal boom is topping out.

The Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science expects thermal coal imports from Japan, Australia's biggest buyer, to shrink to 131 million tonnes a year by 2024 from over 140 million tonnes last year.

Ports in China, another big buyer, have been restricting imports from Australia this year, claiming environmental concerns. Many analysts say the restrictions are down to political tensions between Beijing and Canberra over issues of cyber security and China's influence in Pacific island nations.

Australian producers are struggling to make inroads in coal's remaining boom markets of South Asia in the face of lower-cost competition from Indonesia.

Shipping data showed Indonesia supplied 149 cargoes, carrying 8.9 million tonnes of thermal coal to India and Pakistan in April alone, while Australia has only shipped sporadic cargoes to these large and growing markets.

Coal remains the most-used source for electricity generation, but the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects renewables to overtake coal as the most important power generation source by the mid-2020s.

(This story has been refiled to fix spelling of word "economics" in headline)

(Reporting by Melanie Burton in MELBOURNE and Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; additional reporting by Yuka Obayashi in TOKYO and Meng Meng in SHANGHAI)
US B-52 bombers land in Qatar over unspecified Iran threat

AP :

B-52 bombers ordered by the White House to deploy to the Persian Gulf to counter unspecified threats from Iran have arrived at a major American air base in Qatar, the US Air Force acknowledged Friday.

Images released by the US Air Force's Central Command show B-52H Stratofortress bombers arriving at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Thursday night. Others landed at an undisclosed location Wednesday in "southwest Asia," the Air Force said. The US military in the past has described its presence at both the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates and Al Udeid as "southwest Asia." The Air Force identified the aircraft as coming from the 20th Bomb Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. On Sunday, the White House announced it would send the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and the bombers into the Persian Gulf to counter Tehran. The Lincoln on Thursday passed through the Suez Canal on its way to the Persian Gulf. The administration of President Donald Trump has not offered specific details of the threat allegedly presented by Iran. On Wednesday, Iran announced it would begin backing away from its nuclear deal with world powers, a year after Trump pulled America from the accord. President Hassan Rouhani gave European leaders a 60-day deadline to find a way to shield Iran from U.S. sanctions targeting its economy and oil industry, otherwise he said Tehran would begin to enrich uranium at levels closer to weapons-grade levels.



The European Union on Thursday urged Iran to respect the international agreement curbing the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions, and added that the bloc aims to continue trading with the country despite U.S. sanctions. But so far, the EU and its member nations have not offered any new plans.

For his part, Trump said he wanted to speak to Iran's leaders.

"What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me," Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House.

There was no immediate reaction from Iran, which in the past has said it turned down Trump's requests for meetings.
Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg travels to Paris on Friday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is pressing the social media giant to honour pledges to crack down on the spread of misinformation and hate speech. The visit, the only stop on Zuckerbergs itinerary according to Facebook, comes as regulators worldwide are racheting up pressure on the social media giant to take more responsibility over what its users post.Macron has been one of Europes most vocal critics of the laissez-faire approach that long dominated at Facebook and other technology giants, warning them that regulators will take action if they dont.Zuckerberg himself has recently admitted the need for greater oversight, and in recent months Facebook has been allowing French regulators to observe first-hand its efforts to weed out extremist content.Facebooks teams have really played along well, Frances Digital Minister Cedric O told AFP last month.The regulators findings will be presented Friday, and they could be used to guide French and even European legislation on social media, an Elysee official said.France is currently debating laws that would force digital giants to exert greater control of their platforms, including taking down unlawful posts within 24 hours of any report or face heavy fines.Social media platforms might also have to require users to provide identification before they are allowed to open accounts, to stop people from posting hateful content behind the mask of anonymity.High stakesZuckerberg is also likely to face questions over the barrage of manipulative fake news and misleading advertising on its network, an acute worry just a few weeks before European Parliament elections.The vote is seen as a crucial test in particular for Macron, whose presidency is being rocked by yellow vest protesters who have flocked to social media out of perceived bias against the movement by mainstream news outlets.A study in March found that 100 documented cases of false reports were nonetheless seen over 100 million times on Facebook accounts linked to the movement.EU officials worry that online disinformation will fuel a populist wave that Macron is hoping to fend off by rallying pro-Europe forces across the continent.Security experts have found Russian links to several attempts at election interference in recent years, including an 11th-hour hacking of Macrons campaign team before his election in May 2017.Just this week, Facebook said it had taken down more pages and accounts originating in Russia for coordinated inauthentic behaviour, focusing on countries including Britain, Germany and Spain.AFP has a fact-checking deal with Facebook to verify and debunk fake news being spread online, with articles published on AFPs Fact Check blog then flagged up by Facebook to its users.Tax frictionsDraft legislation in France to tax digital giants is also likely to be on the agenda, after lawmakers gave initial approval last month despite warnings from US officials that the move is discriminatory.If passed, the law would set a three-percent tax on digital advertising, the sale of personal data and other revenue from the largest tech companies, potentially applied retroactively from January.The looming tax and regulatory frameworks are expected to dominate discussions as executives descend on Paris next week for the second Tech for Good summit.The gathering will be co-chaired by Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who will urge companies to commit to the Christchurch Call designed to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.Ardern has denounced the unprecedented use of social media in the massacres at two Christchurch mosques last March, which saw the shooter broadcast his rampage live on Facebook.France has said it wants to develop a chart of good conduct for tech giants as part of its presidency of the G7 this year.(AFP)

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg travels to Paris on Friday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is pressing the social media giant to honour pledges to crack down on the spread of misinformation and hate speech.

The visit, the only stop on Zuckerbergs itinerary according to Facebook, comes as regulators worldwide are racheting up pressure on the social media giant to take more responsibility over what its users post.

Macron has been one of Europes most vocal critics of the laissez-faire approach that long dominated at Facebook and other technology giants, warning them that regulators will take action if they dont.

Zuckerberg himself has recently admitted the need for greater oversight, and in recent months Facebook has been allowing French regulators to observe first-hand its efforts to weed out extremist content.

Facebooks teams have really played along well, Frances Digital Minister Cedric O told AFP last month.

The regulators findings will be presented Friday, and they could be used to guide French and even European legislation on social media, an Elysee official said.

France is currently debating laws that would force digital giants to exert greater control of their platforms, including taking down unlawful posts within 24 hours of any report or face heavy fines.

Social media platforms might also have to require users to provide identification before they are allowed to open accounts, to stop people from posting hateful content behind the mask of anonymity.

High stakes

Zuckerberg is also likely to face questions over the barrage of manipulative fake news and misleading advertising on its network, an acute worry just a few weeks before European Parliament elections.

The vote is seen as a crucial test in particular for Macron, whose presidency is being rocked by yellow vest protesters who have flocked to social media out of perceived bias against the movement by mainstream news outlets.

A study in March found that 100 documented cases of false reports were nonetheless seen over 100 million times on Facebook accounts linked to the movement.

Story continues

EU officials worry that online disinformation will fuel a populist wave that Macron is hoping to fend off by rallying pro-Europe forces across the continent.

Security experts have found Russian links to several attempts at election interference in recent years, including an 11th-hour hacking of Macrons campaign team before his election in May 2017.

Just this week, Facebook said it had taken down more pages and accounts originating in Russia for coordinated inauthentic behaviour, focusing on countries including Britain, Germany and Spain.

AFP has a fact-checking deal with Facebook to verify and debunk fake news being spread online, with articles published on AFPs Fact Check blog then flagged up by Facebook to its users.

Tax frictions

Draft legislation in France to tax digital giants is also likely to be on the agenda, after lawmakers gave initial approval last month despite warnings from US officials that the move is discriminatory.

If passed, the law would set a three-percent tax on digital advertising, the sale of personal data and other revenue from the largest tech companies, potentially applied retroactively from January.

The looming tax and regulatory frameworks are expected to dominate discussions as executives descend on Paris next week for the second Tech for Good summit.

The gathering will be co-chaired by Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who will urge companies to commit to the Christchurch Call designed to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.

Ardern has denounced the unprecedented use of social media in the massacres at two Christchurch mosques last March, which saw the shooter broadcast his rampage live on Facebook.

France has said it wants to develop a chart of good conduct for tech giants as part of its presidency of the G7 this year.

(AFP)
A ferry carrying almost 350 people is drifting in the Adriatic Sea after experiencing technical problems.

The ferry Aurelia left the Italian city of Ancona late on Wednesday heading for Split in Croatia.

But it lost power in one of its engines, leaving it drifting in the northern Adriatic, according to Croatian media.

The ferry's owners, the Italian company SNAV, would only say that mechanics on board are doing everything to fix the problem and bring the passengers to shore.

Two tugboats were sent to rescue the boat but they struggled with the weather, according to David Radas, a spokesman for Croatia's Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure.

He told Croatian broadcaster HRT: "Since the whirlwinds were blowing more than five metres in the meantime, it was decided that they were not adequate and returned to the port of departure."

A stronger boat was sent late on Thursday morning but conditions were still difficult.

Mr Radas told the local news website Slobodna Dalmacija (Free Dalmatia) that the sea was "blowing very heavily and the waves are about five metres high".

He added: "The ferry and the tugboat should meet somewhere two to three miles from the Kornati Islands [in Croatia], or parallel to it in the waters off the Sibenik and Zadarska County boundaries.

"I cannot say when that will happen, it depends again on changing sea conditions."

The ferry is carrying 250 passengers, 92 crew and around 50 cars; there were no injuries among those on board.

Janja Pazanin, who is on the ferry, told HRT that "everyone is happy" and that "the waves are smaller, the ferry sails slowly but passengers are patient".

Another passenger, Branko Kronja, said those on board had initially been panicking and nervous but "the condition calmed down when they learned that the life-raft was on the way".

The ferry had been due to reach Split in the early hours of Thursday.
In a change of strategy, nationalist party leaders Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini are now promising voters a far-right bloc to overhaul the EU from within. But experts say it will be difficult for nationalists across Europe to co-operate. Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right National Rally (formerly the National Front), and Salvini, Italys deputy prime minister and leader of its nationalist League party, have both been courting fellow hard-right populists across the continent.In doing so, they are seeking to weaponise the expected gains for nationalist parties in the May 26 European elections. Anti-European parties will win 35 percent of the vote, according to data analysed by the European Council on Foreign Relations.At present, the European far-right is split across three umbrella groups. In addition to its linchpins the National Rally and the League, the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) bloc has expanded to encompass the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD), as well as an array of smaller Scandinavian and Eastern European far-right parties.However, other nationalist outfits such as Polands ruling Law and Justice party and the Swedish Democrats sit in the European Conservatives and Reformists group, while the UKs Brexit Party and Lithuanias Order and Justice are part of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group.A strong alliance that has never existed beforeIn light of this fragmentation, Salvini is trying to unite the far right populist groups ahead of the European elections, in a new grouping that would further expand ENF, noted Vasiliki Tsagkroni, a lecturer in political science specialising in European populism at the University of Leiden, in an interview with FRANCE 24.An integral part of this plan is Salvinis and Le Pens gambit to woo a big beast of the European far-right, Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose Fidesz party was suspended from the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP)  currently largest group in the European Parliament  in March.Orban hosted a meeting with Salvini on May 2, taking the Italian firebrand on a tour of the signature fence he built along the Serbian border to stop the flow of migrants in 2015. Speaking to reporters in Hungary, Salvini predicted that a new history will open for Europe, while lauding ENF as a strong alliance that has never existed before and an alternative to bureaucrats.Then it was Le Pens turn to try and persuade Orban to join their grouping. While campaigning in Brussels for the Flemish nationalists and ENF members Vlaams Belang on May 5, she said that Fidesz would be welcome to join ENF, and that it was for Orban to see if he finds more political coherence with the members of the EPP who have voted against him. She added that the Polands Law and Justice party would also get a warm reception in ENF.On May 6, Orban declared that he could no longer support Manfred Weber, the EPPs candidate for president of the European Commission, on the grounds that the German had insulted Hungarians by saying in March that he did not want to become president if he needed Fideszs votes to do so.The Hungarian presidents broadside against the EPP figurehead shortly after his meetings with the Italian and French nationalists fuelled speculation that he will jump ship. Orban has widely been seen to be signalling a shift to some form of new grouping in the new parliament through meetings with Le Pen and Salvini, Paul Jackson, an expert on the European far-right at Northampton University, told FRANCE 24.An end to Frexit and ItalexitAmid the inextricable difficulties Brexit has created for the UK, Le Pen and Salvini have had to pivot towards proposing to upend the EU from within because they realised they had to ditch their previous vote-losing Frexit and Italexit agendas.The National Rally 2019 European election manifesto contains no reference to leaving the euro or the EU  both key planks of Le Pens failed 2017 presidential campaign. We didnt have much choice: either we had to submit [to the EU] or we had to leave it. But now we have allies, Le Pen glossed it. Likewise, Salvinis League dropped its anti-euro stance in late 2018, with its economic spokesperson saying that leaving the single currency is not possible.Most of these far-right populist parties have understood that telling people they would leave the EU and the euro is scary, explained Jean-Yves Camus, an expert on the extreme right at the Fondation Jean Jaures think tank in Paris, in an interview with FRANCE 24. And the example of Brexit adds to this: the British know what they want to get out of, but they have no idea where theyre going.So maybe the populists havent changed their minds, but they have certainly changed their discourse  from wanting to leave the EU to wanting to overhaul it from the inside, Camus continued.Populists lack a deep and sustained visionNevertheless, observers doubt that Europes nationalists can agree on precisely how they want to transform the EU. Populists often lack a deep and sustained shared vision, they agree far more on what they oppose than what they want to achieve, Jackson pointed out.National-level populist right-wing parties are notorious for infighting and frequently splitting at some point in their early stages; if Salvini brings groups with too different agendas and ideologies into his alliance, then it risks becoming dysfunctional, added Sanna Salo, a professor of sociology specialising in European populism at Stockholm University, in an interview with FRANCE 24.Indeed, there are substantial divisions between European nationalists  especially over fiscal and foreign policies.In Germany, Scandinavia and the Low Countries, hard-right parties focused on a small, efficient EU budget, said Susi Dennison, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. By contrast, nationalist parties in countries that have benefitted from EU cohesion funds, like Italy and Central and Eastern European states, would be quite concerned by this idea  and that could be a real source of tension among the populists in the next European parliament, she told FRANCE 24.Thats while Le Pens and Salvinis desire for closer relations with Vladimir Putins Russia is anathema to some Eastern European nationalists  such as Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the Law and Justice party and Polands de facto leader  whose countries have historically experienced fraught relations with Moscow.Mainstream parties still thinking in traditional termsBut, regardless of whether they can coalesce into a coherent entity in Strasbourg, populist nationalist parties look set to aggrandise their influence, Tsagkroni postulated: They will win strong support in the upcoming elections, and they will be playing a significant role in the discussion concerning the internal change of Europe. We shouldnt forget that it is these parties that brought into the agenda issues like immigration and security, which have been at the centre of public debate more than a decade now.Indeed, the European Council on Foreign Relations predicts that ENF will enjoy hefty gains in the EU legislature on May 26, from 37 to 86 seats  amid the aforementioned 35 percent of the vote for anti-European parties of all stripes.Mainstream parties could only respond effectively to such an outcome if they make a significant change of their own, Dennison argued: They are perfectly capable of blocking a populist agenda, but at present they are still thinking in traditional party political terms. They need to be thinking about how they can expose divisions among the populists.

In a change of strategy, nationalist party leaders Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini are now promising voters a far-right bloc to overhaul the EU from within. But experts say it will be difficult for nationalists across Europe to co-operate.

Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right National Rally (formerly the National Front), and Salvini, Italys deputy prime minister and leader of its nationalist League party, have both been courting fellow hard-right populists across the continent.

In doing so, they are seeking to weaponise the expected gains for nationalist parties in the May 26 European elections. Anti-European parties will win 35 percent of the vote, according to data analysed by the European Council on Foreign Relations.

At present, the European far-right is split across three umbrella groups. In addition to its linchpins the National Rally and the League, the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) bloc has expanded to encompass the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD), as well as an array of smaller Scandinavian and Eastern European far-right parties.

However, other nationalist outfits such as Polands ruling Law and Justice party and the Swedish Democrats sit in the European Conservatives and Reformists group, while the UKs Brexit Party and Lithuanias Order and Justice are part of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group.

A strong alliance that has never existed before

In light of this fragmentation, Salvini is trying to unite the far right populist groups ahead of the European elections, in a new grouping that would further expand ENF, noted Vasiliki Tsagkroni, a lecturer in political science specialising in European populism at the University of Leiden, in an interview with FRANCE 24.

An integral part of this plan is Salvinis and Le Pens gambit to woo a big beast of the European far-right, Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose Fidesz party was suspended from the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP)  currently largest group in the European Parliament  in March.

Story continues

Orban hosted a meeting with Salvini on May 2, taking the Italian firebrand on a tour of the signature fence he built along the Serbian border to stop the flow of migrants in 2015. Speaking to reporters in Hungary, Salvini predicted that a new history will open for Europe, while lauding ENF as a strong alliance that has never existed before and an alternative to bureaucrats.

Then it was Le Pens turn to try and persuade Orban to join their grouping. While campaigning in Brussels for the Flemish nationalists and ENF members Vlaams Belang on May 5, she said that Fidesz would be welcome to join ENF, and that it was for Orban to see if he finds more political coherence with the members of the EPP who have voted against him. She added that the Polands Law and Justice party would also get a warm reception in ENF.

On May 6, Orban declared that he could no longer support Manfred Weber, the EPPs candidate for president of the European Commission, on the grounds that the German had insulted Hungarians by saying in March that he did not want to become president if he needed Fideszs votes to do so.

The Hungarian presidents broadside against the EPP figurehead shortly after his meetings with the Italian and French nationalists fuelled speculation that he will jump ship. Orban has widely been seen to be signalling a shift to some form of new grouping in the new parliament through meetings with Le Pen and Salvini, Paul Jackson, an expert on the European far-right at Northampton University, told FRANCE 24.

An end to Frexit and Italexit

Amid the inextricable difficulties Brexit has created for the UK, Le Pen and Salvini have had to pivot towards proposing to upend the EU from within because they realised they had to ditch their previous vote-losing Frexit and Italexit agendas.

The National Rally 2019 European election manifesto contains no reference to leaving the euro or the EU  both key planks of Le Pens failed 2017 presidential campaign. We didnt have much choice: either we had to submit [to the EU] or we had to leave it. But now we have allies, Le Pen glossed it. Likewise, Salvinis League dropped its anti-euro stance in late 2018, with its economic spokesperson saying that leaving the single currency is not possible.

Most of these far-right populist parties have understood that telling people they would leave the EU and the euro is scary, explained Jean-Yves Camus, an expert on the extreme right at the Fondation Jean Jaures think tank in Paris, in an interview with FRANCE 24. And the example of Brexit adds to this: the British know what they want to get out of, but they have no idea where theyre going.

So maybe the populists havent changed their minds, but they have certainly changed their discourse  from wanting to leave the EU to wanting to overhaul it from the inside, Camus continued.

Populists lack a deep and sustained vision

Nevertheless, observers doubt that Europes nationalists can agree on precisely how they want to transform the EU. Populists often lack a deep and sustained shared vision, they agree far more on what they oppose than what they want to achieve, Jackson pointed out.

National-level populist right-wing parties are notorious for infighting and frequently splitting at some point in their early stages; if Salvini brings groups with too different agendas and ideologies into his alliance, then it risks becoming dysfunctional, added Sanna Salo, a professor of sociology specialising in European populism at Stockholm University, in an interview with FRANCE 24.

Indeed, there are substantial divisions between European nationalists  especially over fiscal and foreign policies.

In Germany, Scandinavia and the Low Countries, hard-right parties focused on a small, efficient EU budget, said Susi Dennison, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. By contrast, nationalist parties in countries that have benefitted from EU cohesion funds, like Italy and Central and Eastern European states, would be quite concerned by this idea  and that could be a real source of tension among the populists in the next European parliament, she told FRANCE 24.

Thats while Le Pens and Salvinis desire for closer relations with Vladimir Putins Russia is anathema to some Eastern European nationalists  such as Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the Law and Justice party and Polands de facto leader  whose countries have historically experienced fraught relations with Moscow.

Mainstream parties still thinking in traditional terms

But, regardless of whether they can coalesce into a coherent entity in Strasbourg, populist nationalist parties look set to aggrandise their influence, Tsagkroni postulated: They will win strong support in the upcoming elections, and they will be playing a significant role in the discussion concerning the internal change of Europe. We shouldnt forget that it is these parties that brought into the agenda issues like immigration and security, which have been at the centre of public debate more than a decade now.

Indeed, the European Council on Foreign Relations predicts that ENF will enjoy hefty gains in the EU legislature on May 26, from 37 to 86 seats  amid the aforementioned 35 percent of the vote for anti-European parties of all stripes.

Mainstream parties could only respond effectively to such an outcome if they make a significant change of their own, Dennison argued: They are perfectly capable of blocking a populist agenda, but at present they are still thinking in traditional party political terms. They need to be thinking about how they can expose divisions among the populists.
French authorities should have more access to Facebooks algorithms to audit its policies on hate speech, a report concluded. The French report was published hours before Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg and President Macron met Friday. It comes after Facebook has been heavily criticised by politicians and the public for its failure to more rapidly remove footage of the March shooting attack in Christchurch, New Zealand from its network. Fifty people were killed in the assault, with the shocking footage of it circulating online for days.French president Emmanuel Macron, who met Facebook founder and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday, commissioned the report. He wants France to take a leading role in tech regulation, seeking to strike a balance between what he perceives as the United States' laissez-faire stance and China's iron grip on the Internet.The Facebook chief said after the meeting with Macron that he was "encouraged" and "optimistic" about the regulatory framework being suggested by France for the social media giant and other online platforms."I am hopeful that it can become a model" that can be used "across the EU", Zuckerberg said.Report recommends independent regulatorThe 33-page report, co-written by a former head of public affairs for Google France, recommends increasing oversight over the world's largest social media network and allowing an independent regulator to police the efforts of large tech companies to deal with hate speech.The report calls for laws allowing the government to investigate and fine social networks that don't take responsibility for the content that makes them money.The report comes after Facebook allowed a team of French regulators to spend six months inside the company monitoring its policies. This represents a "half-time" assessment from their time at the American giant which started in January."The inadequacy and lack of credibility in the self-regulatory approach adopted by the largest platforms justify public intervention to make them more responsible," the report said.Companies like Facebook cannot simply declare themselves to be transparent, it added, noting that checking the integrity of the algorithms they use was a particularly complex task.French lawmaker Laetitia Avia told FRANCE 24, the government has been working mostly on the repression and prevention of hate speech.The bill proposes [] that the French broadcast regulator, the CSA, could evolve and also do digital regulation, she explained.There is a big problem about the hegemony of such big companies that rule all the digital area today, said Avia, a member of Macrons La Republique En Marche (LREM) party.Because what users really need here is protection, she added. And I think they [Edit: Facebook] have the money and the people they need [...] this fight against hatred a priority.Zuckerberg slammed by one of Facebook foundersThis week, Chris Hughes, one of the founders of Facebook with Zuckerberg while they were at Harvard, wrote in a long opinion piece in the New York Times that he believed the company was too powerful and needed to be broken up. He added that Zuckerberg has turned Facebook into an innovation-suffocating monopoly and lamented the company's "slow response to Russian agents, violent rhetoric and fake news."France's parliament, where Macron's ruling party has a comfortable majority, is debating legislation that would give the new regulator the power to fine tech companies up to 4% of their global revenue if they don't do enough to remove hateful content from their network."Our goal is to move ... towards proper regulation," a source close to the Finance Ministry said.Facebook's decision to allow the team of French regulators inside the company was the first time the wary company had opened its doors in such a way.The regulators did not have access to confidential corporate information, the finance ministry official said. The French task-force has also been holding meetings with Facebook in the United States.Internet regulationZuckerberg's visit comes notably amid concern about hate speech and disinformation around this month's European Parliament elections.Next week, the leaders of France and New Zealand will meet tech leaders in Paris for a summit seeking to ban acts of violent extremism and terrorism from being shown online.Facebook has faced challenges over privacy and security lapses and accusations of endangering democracy.'A new model for content regulation'Responding to the report, Facebook's vice president for policy, Richard Allan, echoed Zuckerberg's positive response, saying, The report sets out a path towards a new model for content regulation that has the potential to be both effective and workable.""It would allow platforms to develop innovative solutions to keep their users safe while being clearly accountable to a regulator for how well they do this."(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP, REUTERS)

French authorities should have more access to Facebooks algorithms to audit its policies on hate speech, a report concluded. The French report was published hours before Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg and President Macron met Friday.

It comes after Facebook has been heavily criticised by politicians and the public for its failure to more rapidly remove footage of the March shooting attack in Christchurch, New Zealand from its network. Fifty people were killed in the assault, with the shocking footage of it circulating online for days.

French president Emmanuel Macron, who met Facebook founder and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday, commissioned the report. He wants France to take a leading role in tech regulation, seeking to strike a balance between what he perceives as the United States' laissez-faire stance and China's iron grip on the Internet.

The Facebook chief said after the meeting with Macron that he was "encouraged" and "optimistic" about the regulatory framework being suggested by France for the social media giant and other online platforms.

"I am hopeful that it can become a model" that can be used "across the EU", Zuckerberg said.

Report recommends independent regulator

The 33-page report, co-written by a former head of public affairs for Google France, recommends increasing oversight over the world's largest social media network and allowing an independent regulator to police the efforts of large tech companies to deal with hate speech.

The report calls for laws allowing the government to investigate and fine social networks that don't take responsibility for the content that makes them money.

The report comes after Facebook allowed a team of French regulators to spend six months inside the company monitoring its policies. This represents a "half-time" assessment from their time at the American giant which started in January.

"The inadequacy and lack of credibility in the self-regulatory approach adopted by the largest platforms justify public intervention to make them more responsible," the report said.

Story continues

Companies like Facebook cannot simply declare themselves to be transparent, it added, noting that checking the integrity of the algorithms they use was a particularly complex task.

French lawmaker Laetitia Avia told FRANCE 24, the government has been working mostly on the repression and prevention of hate speech.

The bill proposes [] that the French broadcast regulator, the CSA, could evolve and also do digital regulation, she explained.

There is a big problem about the hegemony of such big companies that rule all the digital area today, said Avia, a member of Macrons La Republique En Marche (LREM) party.

Because what users really need here is protection, she added. And I think they [Edit: Facebook] have the money and the people they need [...] this fight against hatred a priority.

Zuckerberg slammed by one of Facebook founders

This week, Chris Hughes, one of the founders of Facebook with Zuckerberg while they were at Harvard, wrote in a long opinion piece in the New York Times that he believed the company was too powerful and needed to be broken up. He added that Zuckerberg has turned Facebook into an innovation-suffocating monopoly and lamented the company's "slow response to Russian agents, violent rhetoric and fake news."

France's parliament, where Macron's ruling party has a comfortable majority, is debating legislation that would give the new regulator the power to fine tech companies up to 4% of their global revenue if they don't do enough to remove hateful content from their network.

"Our goal is to move ... towards proper regulation," a source close to the Finance Ministry said.

Facebook's decision to allow the team of French regulators inside the company was the first time the wary company had opened its doors in such a way.

The regulators did not have access to confidential corporate information, the finance ministry official said. The French task-force has also been holding meetings with Facebook in the United States.

Internet regulation

Zuckerberg's visit comes notably amid concern about hate speech and disinformation around this month's European Parliament elections.

Next week, the leaders of France and New Zealand will meet tech leaders in Paris for a summit seeking to ban acts of violent extremism and terrorism from being shown online.

Facebook has faced challenges over privacy and security lapses and accusations of endangering democracy.

'A new model for content regulation'

Responding to the report, Facebook's vice president for policy, Richard Allan, echoed Zuckerberg's positive response, saying, The report sets out a path towards a new model for content regulation that has the potential to be both effective and workable."

"It would allow platforms to develop innovative solutions to keep their users safe while being clearly accountable to a regulator for how well they do this."

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP, REUTERS)
French forces have freed two French hostages as well as an American and a South Korean during a military raid in northern Burkina Faso which left two soldiers and four hostage takers dead, the French presidency said on Friday.Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, both music teachers from the Paris region, disappeared in the Pendjari National Park in Benin on 1 May. They are expected to return to France over the weekend.Picque's father, Jean-Claude Picque, said on Friday: "We are relieved at the good news. We'll be in Paris to welcome them home."A statement from the presidency added: "President Emmanuel Macron wants to congratulate the French armed forces for the liberation of the hostages."He bows with emotion and solemnity before the sacrifice of our two soldiers who gave their lives to save those of our citizens."In a separate statement, the Defence Minister, Florence Parly, thanked authorities in Benin, Burkina Faso and the United States for their help with the operation.France has 4,500 troops deployed in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad in a mission codenamed Barkhane to help local forces try to flush out jihadist groups.Burkina Faso has suffered from frequent attacks attributed to several jihadist groups, including the Ansarul Islam group, the Group to Support Islam and Muslims and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.

French forces have freed two French hostages as well as an American and a South Korean during a military raid in northern Burkina Faso which left two soldiers and four hostage takers dead, the French presidency said on Friday.

Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, both music teachers from the Paris region, disappeared in the Pendjari National Park in Benin on 1 May. They are expected to return to France over the weekend.

Picque's father, Jean-Claude Picque, said on Friday: "We are relieved at the good news. We'll be in Paris to welcome them home."

A statement from the presidency added: "President Emmanuel Macron wants to congratulate the French armed forces for the liberation of the hostages.

"He bows with emotion and solemnity before the sacrifice of our two soldiers who gave their lives to save those of our citizens."

In a separate statement, the Defence Minister, Florence Parly, thanked authorities in Benin, Burkina Faso and the United States for their help with the operation.

France has 4,500 troops deployed in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad in a mission codenamed Barkhane to help local forces try to flush out jihadist groups.

Burkina Faso has suffered from frequent attacks attributed to several jihadist groups, including the Ansarul Islam group, the Group to Support Islam and Muslims and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.


A Montenegro court has sentenced 13 people, including two men believed to be Russian spies, after they were convicted of plotting a coup in 2016.

Chief judge Suzana Mugosa said the two Russians, identified as Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov , were convicted of "attempted terrorism" and "creating a criminal organisation."

The two were tried in absentia.

Shishmakov received a 15-year prison term while Popov got 12 years.

Two leading ethnic Serb opposition politicians, Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, were sentenced to five years each.

The verdict said the group planned to take over parliament on election day on 16 October 2016, assassinate then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and install a pro-Russia, anti-NATO leadership.

Montenegro became independent in 2006 and joined NATO in 2017 as the Western military alliances 29th member, despite strong opposition from Moscow.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement in the coup attempt.

Montenegro is politically split. Much of the population is in favour of closer ties with Europe but a sizeable proportion would rather stay close to Moscow.

Montenegro's police thwarted the coup attempt after receiving tips from Western spy organisations, authorities said.

The Russian pair, said to be members of the Russian military secret service agency GRU , coordinated the attempted coup from neighbouring Serbia, the verdict said.

They were allowed by Serbia's pro-Russia authorities to leave for Moscow despite reports that they operated with sophisticated spy equipment.

The judge said that the Russians provided at least 200,000 (roughly 170,000) for the purchase of rifles and guns.

The two tried to recruit "as many people as possible to come to the protest" and try to "change the electoral will" and "prevent Montenegro from joining NATO".

The judge said the two ethnic Serb politicians had made several trips to Moscow on the eve of the election where they were believed to get instructions from the GRU operatives.

Story continues

The coup attempt went largely unnoticed at the time - partly because of the US presidential elections - but has attracted increased interest across Europe as further details have come to light.

The trial of alleged coup attempt participants became the largest in Montenegrin history.

It is also believed to be the first time serving GRU officers have been charged with terrorism offences and criminal activity in a European country.
Win Chips, Win a Seat: Max Silver on the New EPT Satellite Format

May 10 2019 Martin Harris

There is a new satellite tournament format that has started to gain some momentum of late, one that was featured at the European Poker Tour Prague series last December and is being used again at the 2019 PokerStars and Monte-CarloCasino EPT.

Satellite tournaments provide players a chance to enter another tournament for less than the event's buy-in. For example, many of those currently playing in the EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event were able to win their entries for less than the 5,300 buy-in, including some who won their way in via these new satellites.

To give an example, one type of these new satellites is described as a "Win your seat at 100,000 chips" event. In this one, players buy in for 600 and begin with a starting stack of 10,000. Once a player accumulates 100,000 chips, that player wins a seat into the Main Event and his or her 100,000 chips are taken out of play.

If the player has more than 100,000 chips after winning the hand that put the player over the threshold (a likely occurrence), the remaining chips are shared equally among the players at the table who were dealt into the hand the player won.

Looking at some of the results of these "Win your seat at..." satellites shows they proved popular in Monaco earlier this week.

One offered last Sunday drew 250 entries from which 25 players won seats, then another on Monday drew 286 entries from which 29 players won seats. (These events also allow a single re-entry.) There were a couple of "Win your seat at 50,000 chips" satellites into the Main with 1,200 buy-ins that attracted decent turnouts as well.

Strategy for satellite tournaments in which multiple seats are up for grabs obviously differs greatly from regular tournament strategy, creating some interesting decisions.

Indeed, sometimes when near the bubble of such a satellite, you might find it needful to fold a hand as strong as pocket kings (or even pocket aces)  something Carlos Welch talked about with David Lappin and Dara O'Kearney not long ago for a strategy segment on The Chip Race. See "Satellite Strategy: A Time to Fold Pocket Kings?"

In this new satellite format being used at EPT stops, however, the "bubble" works a bit differently, only bursting when the last player needed to hit the desired chip target reaches the goal.

While in Monaco, PokerNews' Sasha Salinger spoke with poker pro Max Silver about the new format and the strategies involved.

Silver makes a few good points when discussing the format, including noting how by eliminating the big stacks from play, you don't encounter the circumstance that happens in regular satellites where chip leaders continue to be involved to affect the fortunes of others.

Silver talks as well about how cautious players need to be with medium-size stacks in this format, and how short stacks can't simply try to "fold into the money" because of the imperative to accumulate enough chips to earn a seat. Take a look:

The Stars Group owns a majority shareholding in iBus Media.
Even before Paul Greene came to When Calls the Heart as Carson Shepherd, the Canadian actor had amassed a roster of impressive roles on his acting resume. He made his major film debut in the 2010 Sofia Coppola film, Somewhere. He had memorable roles in NCIS and numerous Canadian series prior to his many Hallmark movie favorites like A Perfect Match and Christmas in Angel Falls.

When Paul Greene joined When Calls the Heart in 2017, his character was truly an unknown quantity. Dr. Shepherd was so disheartened by a consuming failure with a past patient that he didn't want anyone in Hope Valley to even know he was a doctor.

He took a job at the town cafe. It wasn't until he and his nurse, Faith Carter (Andrea Brooks), successfully performed a very demanding and delicate brain surgery that he regained his confidence. He then became the trusted physician of the community.

Dr. Shepherd is embracing another aspect of life with his character in Season 6 of When Calls the Heart-- playing a man completely in love. Paul Greene dropped in on Home & Family, posted May 8, to discuss the delights and dilemmas of his characters workplace romance. He also played the show off with music from his new album, Freedom for Your Soul.

Fathers and lovers

Carson Shepherd made his love for Faith Carter abundantly clear in the May 6 episode, Surprise on When Calls the Heart, kissing his nurse passionately in the middle of the street.

The unspoken declaration happened after the two had unexpectedly camped overnight, and Faith shared that she and her father had become estranged after her decision to become a nurse. Her mother had contracted typhoid fever from a patient, and the sting of being called a fool still lingered within her.

Paul Greene admitted that Carson was not the most sophisticated man when it came to romance, but he did say that helping Faith to heal the hurts with her father is just the kind of move he would make in the same situation.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

It's the only way our relationship [on-screen] even has a chance.

The star spoke about the thrill of being able to create our characters on the massive Hallmark Channel hit drama, and related how his closeness with his own family gave more impetus in this on-screen situation.

Greene lost his father to ALS but remains devoted to his mother, who frequently visits the When Calls the Heart set.

He described always making a point of being completely in tune during conversations that they share, never making them just a rundown of automatic niceties. He calls her every day.

Fans were treated to a preview clip of Dr. Shepherd trying to make a phone call to Faiths father.

Let the music play

Music is another passion for Paul Greene. The accomplished actor plays piano, guitar, bass, drums, and harmonica, along with singing.

Unfortunately, there wasn't time to showcase a full musical set for Paul Greene, but he did get to play out the show with his new music.

He drew inspiration from his father in making Freedom for Your Soul,  which he described as country-gospel Americana. The tracks also include his fathers favorite instrument, the pedal steel, prominently throughout the album. Sales proceeds from the album will benefit ALS and autism charities.

Like Paul Greene and Dr. Carson Shepherd, the music embraces life and hope, and that spirit thrives on When Calls the Heart.
ASEAN has emerged as the fourth biggest importer of Vietnamese tra fish (pangasius) after the US, China and the EU, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Pangasius exports to ASEAN countries rose 41.5% to US$202.6 million last year, in which exports to Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines increased 48.8%, 20.7%, and 32.1%, respectively.

In the first quarter this year, pangasius exports to ASEAN picked up 18% compared to the same period last year to US$55.17 million.

ASEAN has been the potential market for Vietnamese pangasius over the past years thanks to the blocs trade in goods agreement (ATIGA) signed in 2009 and took effect since May 17, 2010, said the VASEP.

Four countries namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam removed 90% of tariff lines in 2015 and 97% in 2018.

Meanwhile, other six member countries totally removed 1,706 tariff lines against against Vietnamese products in 2010.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said Viet Nams pangasius output may reach 1.51 million tons with projected export values of around US$2.4 billion. VGP
A pending project on national digital transition aims for the digital industry to contribute 25 percent of Vietnams GDP by 2025 and for the country to be placed fourth among ASEAN member states in terms of national digital ranking.

Anh:

The project, designed by the Ministry of Information and Communications, is opened for public feedback before being submitted to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

It consists of three phases, implemented between 2019 and 2030. The first phase (2019  2020) will focus on digitisation in socio-economic areas to boost productivity, create new development sources, build relevant infrastructure and legal framework and provide guidance for enterprises on digital transition.

The second phase (2021  2025) aims to turn digitisation into a part of the national competitiveness. During the period, digital transition will take place across sectors, particularly in updating business models to apply digital platforms and ecosystems and in forming value chains.

The third phase (2026  2030) targets a comprehensive digital-based society and economy, with new digital industries formed. Significant support will be funneled into technological fields like artificial intelligence (AI), Big Data, and Internet of Things.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said Vietnam will announce its national digital transition strategy this year.

Affordable smartphones and mobile data plans have driven recent growth of internet usage in Vietnam. The country has about 64 million internet users (approximately 67 percent of the population), placing it among the top 20 countries with the highest internet penetration.

Meanwhile, more and more businesses have applied digital technology to production, business activities and management, which is reflected in the rapidly increasing rate of new technologies such as cloud computing, AI and automation.

A survey of about 5,000 businesses in Vietnam conducted by the Vietnam E-Commerce Association revealed that 43 percent of enterprises used websites, 32 percent used social networks and 15 percent used mobile applications to sell their products in 2018.-VNA
The credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has revised Vietnams Outlook from stable to positive and affirmed Vietnams Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at BB, the Vietnams Ministry of Finance said.

The Ministry of Finance said that the upgrade of Vietnams Outlook demonstrated Fitchs recognition of the achievements and efforts made by the Vietnamese Government in improving the quality and efficiency of economic management.

According to Fitch, the Government of Vietnam has continued their commitment to curb and reduce debts, with government debt decreasing to 50.5% of GDP in 2018 from a peak of 53% in 2016. The agency also expects that the ratio will further reduce to 46% by 2020.

The countrys public debt (general government debt including guarantees) also fell to around 58% of GDP by the end of 2018 after being close to the ceiling at 65% in 2016, Fitch said.

Fitch stated that the debt reduction has been attributed to the decline in outstanding government guarantees, stable receipts from equitisation of state-owned enterprises, high nominal GDP growth and lower fiscal deficits.

The rating agency expects that Vietnams GDP growth will stand at around 6.7% in 2019, still within the National Assemblys target of between 6.6-6.8%.

Despite impacts from US-China trade tensions and slowing global growth, Vietnam will remain among the fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region and in the global BB rating category, Fitch said.

The agency also expects that Vietnam will remain an attractive destination for foreign investors thanks to its low cost advantage.

Nhan Dan
Private investors are financially capable and willing to make investments in aviation infrastructure, but still cannot get the go-ahead from the government.

FLC Group, which owns Bamboo Airways, and Vietjet Air both have expressed their willingness to develop aviation infrastructure projects. However, as Do Duc Tu from the Ministry of Planning and Investments (MPI) Urban Area and Infrastructure Department confirmed, they are still not allowed to do this because of the current management mechanism.

Infrastructure items are state assets which the state has temporarily assigned to ACV (the Airports Corporation of Vietnam) to manage. As ACV has to spend big money every year on maintenance and upgrading, it needs to be given favorable conditions.

However, Tu affirmed that in principle the State encourages investments from all economic sectors in infrastructure.

Sun Group, a private corporation, for example, was allowed to develop an airport in the central region which is one of the most modern airports in Vietnam.

To said private investors have an important role in aviation infrastructure development.

Dang Tat Thang, deputy chair of Bamboo Airways, said sustainable development can only be obtained based on infrastructure development.

Infrastructure items are state assets which the state has temporarily assigned to ACV (the Airports Corporation of Vietnam) to manage. As ACV has to spend big money every year on maintenance and upgrading, it needs to be given favorable conditions.



If FLC is allowed to develop T3 Terminal, Thang affirmed that the group would need one or 1.5 years to fulfill. However, it is necessary to settle problems first.

It is ACV which develops airports, we can develop all the infrastructure items inside the airports, he said.

Pham Vu Nguyen Tung from Vietjet Air, once again affirming the airlines willingness to develop Dien Bien Airport in Dien Bien province, said private investors want to get involved in the process of programming airport development.

Under the current laws, the capital for programming must be from the State. Meanwhile, the State doesnt have much money to hire qualified experts. Vietnam needs to have sources of money for planning for sustainable development.

Vo Tri Thanh, former deputy head of CIEM (Central Institute of Economic Management), commented that Vietnams aviation industrys positive aspect is that it is competitive.

Deputy head of CAAV (Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam) Pham Van Hao said the picture of Vietnams aviation market is now beautiful thanks to the presence of private investors, such as Bamboo Airways and Sun Group, the developer of Van Don Airport.

There are four airlines in Vietnam. About 50 percent of Vietnamese can access air travel. According to IATA (The International Air Transport Association), Vietnam will become the fifth fastest-growing aviation market in terms of international passengers and cargo to be transported.

RELATED NEWS

Vietnam seeks new capital sources for infrastructure development

Key infrastructure projects rescued as new capital sources are approved

Mai Lan
Vietnam has been persistent with its plan to develop an automobile industry of its own. However, the localization ratio remains at 10-15 percent, after years of development.

The updated report about Vietnams automobile industry released by VietinBank Securities (CTS) showed that Vietnam is one of four countries which have relatively developed automobile manufacturing and assembling activities in the region.

However, Vietnam has the lowest localization ratio, 10-15 percent, much lower than the 70 percent of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, which have larger markets than Vietnam.

Vietnamese auto enterprises mostly import car parts from regional countries, China and the car-brand holding countries for domestic assembling.

While Thailand has 710 first-class and 1,700 second-class vendors, Vietnam only has 33 and 200, respectively. There is no well-known vendor.

In fact, it is impossible to develop a value chain with domestic enterprises only. In Thailand, for instance, foreign first-class vendors account for 58 percent which include big names such as Bosch, Magna, Denso, Toyota Soshoku and Toyota Gosei.

Car parts are mostly made of iron and steel, while Vietnam still cannot be self-sufficient in steel supply for production. The parts with strength and heat resistance requirements such as gear box and engine must be made of special materials such as aluminum alloy and iron which is 3-5 times stronger than structural steel.

Car parts are mostly made of iron and steel, while Vietnam still cannot be self-sufficient in steel supply for production. The parts with strength and heat resistance requirements such as gear box and engine must be made of special materials such as aluminum alloy and iron which is 3-5 times stronger than structural steel.

According to Toyota Vietnam, the low locally made content ratio increases automobile production costs in Vietnam by 10 percent more than in other regional countries.

Meanwhile, according to BMI, the production cost of Ford Fiesta in Vietnam is 20 percent higher.

Decree 116 which took effect in early 2018 is considered a technical barrier to protect the domestic automobile industry.

Under the decree, all consignments of cars imported to Vietnam must undergo safety and emission examination. Previously, only the first consignment of every model was examined.

Vietnam has only one agency in charge which takes a long time to examine car imports.

A source said the use of technical barriers to protect domestic production has encountered reactions from other countries. CTS believes that Vietnam will have to think of other solutions to bring advantages to the domestic industry.

The Ministry of Industry and Trades report showed the rapid development of the domestic automobile industry.

In 2018, Vietnam produced 250,000 cars, satisfying 70 percent of demand. There are 40 enterprises involved in the production and assembling process, but most of them are small and medium sized.

RELATED NEWS

The highlights of the automobile market in 2018

Small car sales boom in Vietnam

Thanh Lich
Vietnams aviation industry has been growing in a robust manner over the past few years with the growth rate at a two-digit level for five consecutive years.

Goods handled at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi

The domestic market has the participation of five aviation firms including Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar Pacific, Bamboo Airways and Vasco, which is assessed to see the fastest growth rate in the world.

Positive changes in both "quantity" and "quality"

The number of aircraft belonging to Vietnamese airlines was 60 units with the average age of 8.8 years in 2008.

The number has now tripled with the average age of aircraft reduced to 5.8 years. The air routes of Vietnamese airlines have also soared drastically over the past 10 years, from 25 domestic routes and 54 international routes to nearly 60 domestic routes and 130 international routes.

The two-digit growth rate is forecast to be maintained until 2020 and gradually decline after 2020.

Previously, international flights mainly travelled through Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat and Da Nang airports, but now they are connected with many other airports including Cam Ranh, Lien Khuong, Phu Quoc, Cat Bi, Can Tho, and others creating a steady development in both "quality" and "quantity".

However, the hot development of the aviation sector in the past few years reveals both positive sides and certain corollaries. The strong growth is a wide opportunity to boost air transportation, but the airport infrastructure has yet to keep up with the growth speed of transport in addition to the shortage of human resources.

According to economic expert, Dr. Vo Tri Thanh, the development of Vietnams aviation is attributed to high economic growth and higher income of the people over recent years.

Vietnam's GDP has grown impressively from 5.5 to 7.5% per year during the past 10 years, while the airline industry has expanded by 2 to 2.5 times, in accordance with the evaluation and forecast of major organisations in the world.

Vietnam has large room to develop its aviation sector as its current transport capacity reaches only 50 million arrivals per year, much lower than the calculation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Vietnam has an average of 1.9 aircraft per one million people, while Thailand has 4.7 aircraft and Malaysia has 9.5 aircraft per one million people.

In Thailand, there were up to 30 airlines in operation at a time while the number was 27 - 28 in Indonesia.

The aviation industry must strictly adhere to domestic and international regulations, with the top priority given to aviation safety, which not only determines the existence of an airline but also the prestige of its country.

The Vietnamese aviation market has seen the participation of some private businesses such as Vietjet and Bamboo Airways.

Standing Vice President of Bamboo Airways Dang Tat Thang said that the competition is not only between airlines but also the competition between the State sector and private sector.

In the context of trade liberalisation, the State should only play the role of guiding and outlining policies in addition to creating a fair competition environment between the public and private sectors.

Thang noted that competition among airlines also brings great benefits to customers while firms compete for mutual development.

The establishment of Vietjet and Bamboo Airways has opened up opportunities for a large number of people to have a chance to fly with affordable prices, Thang said.

Synchronous investment in airport infrastructure

The State has carried out policies to mobilise social resources in developing aviation infrastructure and several private investors have invested in this area, with Van Don airport in Quang Ninh province being a successful model of attracting private investment.

According to Vice Chairwoman of Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee Vu Thi Thu Thuy, when Van Don airport was put into operation, the province had mechanisms to support investors and tourists, so it attracted a large number passengers in a short time.

Quy Nhon city in Binh Dinh province only welcomed one to two million international visitors in the past few years.

After the FLC Group poured investment in resorts and opening new air routes, Quy Nhon has become a popular tourist destination. Vice Chairman of Binh Dinh provincial People's Committee Nguyen Phi Long said that the State had to provide subsidies to Vietnam Airlines to operate flights at the Phu Cat airport in Quy Nhon a few years ago, but the airport currently handles 20 flights per day and welcomed more than 300,000 international visitors in 2018.

Quy Nhon also welcomed more than one million visitors in the first quarter of this year, contributing to increasing the income for local people.

Chairman of the Board of Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) Lai Xuan Thanh said that ACV is managing 22 airports nationwide, including 21 airports in operation.

However, the pressure on infrastructure only focuses on the two largest airports of Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai, while the remaining airports only reach 20% - 30% of their capacity.

To address congestion at Tan Son Nhat airport, many people think of building a new terminal T3, but if the infrastructure is not invested synchronously, the new terminal area may become another congestion point.

Therefore, to completely solve the congestion at Tan Son Nhat airport, in addition to a T3 terminal, it requires synchronous investment in taxiways, aprons and runways, Thanh said.

The mobilisation of social resources in airport development must ensure the harmonisation of the interests of both investors and society.

If an airport is divided into many items to call for investment, it will affect ACV's business and investment plans.

The northern province of Dien Bien has proposed to expand the Dien Bien airport with a total investment capital of nearly VND 5,500 billion (US$236.5 million), including VND3,770 billion sourced from the State budget to invest in the fly zone and VND1,700 billion in form of public-private partnership (PPP ) to invest in the terminal.

Thus, the State has to bear the majority of the capital to build the fly zone which is difficult to recover capital.

The aviation industry has the principle of "an airport, an operator". Therefore, if only commercial items call for private investment, it will affect the stable development of the entire airport.

Not all airports bring about direct benefits as there are airports that only boost socio-economic development for the locality but not for earning profits for itself, requiring the management and regulation from the State.

Nhan Dan
After a tough 12 months, with Vietnamese pharmaceutical giants continuing to report poor business performance in the first quarter of 2019, new solutions are being sought to hold firm amid increasingly mounting competition from international rivals.

Foreign ownership limit changes and adjustments to corporate income tax are some of the factors in profit drops by the major drugmakers

On April 29, the annual shareholders meeting of Vietnams third-largest domestic drugmaker Domesco (DMC) took place in a heated atmosphere with a series of questions for leaders, focusing on the strategy to maintain the companys market share.

The queries were raised as DMC garnered lower-than-expected results in the first three months of the year, following poor business performance in 2018.

According to the first-quarter financial statement, DMC made net revenue of VND309.68 billion ($13.46 million), up 5.9 per cent on-year. Despite the slight rise, it reported a 4.05 per cent on-year fall in after-tax profit, reaching nearly VND50 billion ($2.17 million).

Leaders blamed the tepid profit partly on stiffening competition in the pharmaceutical market, rising input materials prices, and challenges in tenders.

DMCs biggest shareholder is now Abbott Laboratories with 51.7 per cent, followed by State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC).

This first quarter was also difficult for other Vietnamese pharmaceutical giants including the countrys top two publicly-traded drugmakers, Hau Giang Pharmaceutical JSC (DHG), and Traphaco (TRA).

DHG made net revenue of VND767.19 billion ($33.35 million) and an after-tax profit of VND135.17 billion ($5.88 million) between January and March, down 15.55 per cent and 20.94 per cent on-year, respectively. The companys acting general director Doan Dinh Duy Khuong blamed the fall in revenue for DHGs halt in distribution of its MSD and Eugica pharmaceuticals last year, before lifting the foreign ownership limit (FOL) to 100 per cent in July.

Under the current rules, if a Vietnamese pharma companys foreign partners hold a 51 per cent stake, this could cause it to be classified as a foreign-invested enterprise, depriving them of the profitable right to distribute medicines of other brands.

The profit drop is due to the application of corporate income tax in 2019 of 5 per cent at the DHG plant branch in the southern province of Hau Giang, instead of zero, as in 2018, Khuong said.

Last week DHG witnessed a major change in business governance when it announced Japanese pharmaceutical group Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings had spent over VND2.47 trillion ($107.4 million) acquiring 20.6 million DHG shares, thus increasing its stake in the Vietnamese drugmaker to 50.78 per cent. The move, though paving the way for Taisho to boost its footprint in the lucrative local market, will heat up competition in the Vietnamese pharmaceutical sector.

At TRA, though the official result was not announced, the situation is said to be similar. At present, SCIC, Magbi Fund Ltd., and Super Delta Pte., Ltd. are TRAs largest shareholders. with respective stakes of 35.67, 24.99, and 15.12 per cent.

Looking back 2018, it was a tough year for DHG, DMC and TRA when they made lack-lustre profit and revenue. Compared with 2017, both TRA and DMC saw double-digit growth.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, deputy chairman of TRAs Board of Directors, said, 2018 saw fierce competition in the pharmaceutical market. At that time, drugmakers were waiting for the Ministry of Healths (MoH) circular on drug tenders. We are venturing further into the ethical and prescription drugs (ETC) channel, but the MoH is yet to issue the circular despite a number of revisions. The ETC channel still makes up 65 per cent of the market share.

NEW SOLUTIONS

The three dugmakers have announced upcoming steps to stand firm, at a time when more multinational corporations (MNCs) are boosting their presence in Vietnam.

DMC is to complete all necessary procedures for the franchising project of Abbott products. As planned, franchised products will contribute to DMCs revenue by next year. To keep its market share and achieve a growth target of 6 per cent in 2019 and 7 per cent in 2020, the third-biggest drugmaker will not invest in upgrading the existing factories to PIC/S and EU standards, but instead aims to focus on exports and tenders of key products while signing franchising deals with American and Canadian companies.

Similarly, TRA is planning to look at developing the ETC channel, seeking partners and production of franchised products, expanding the distribution network, diversifying products, and boosting sci-tech application in production. Importantly, TRA has kicked off a technology transfer project with South Korean partner Daewoong for its strategic products, at the factory located in the northern province of Hung Yen.

This year TRA has set targets of making consolidated revenue of VND2.16 trillion ($93.9 million), and consolidated after-tax profit of VND205 billion ($8.9 million), up 15 per cent and 30 per cent on-year, respectively.

Like TRA and DMC, DHG also targets the ETC segment and exports in its long-term development. In mid-April, DHG announced two assembly lines meeting PIC/S-GMP and JAPAN-GMP standards. This is expected to help the company leapfrog its way into the ETC arena and in exports.

Boasting a wide network of 28,000 distribution agents at home, DHG is also expanding its export network to 14 countries, including Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Indonesia. Last year, the companys export turnover grew 25 per cent from 2017 to VND62 billion ($2.7 million).

Furthermore, DHG will boost technology transfer and co-operation with Taisho in upgrading its beta-lactam factory to increase access to the ETC channel and exports to Russia and Moldova. In 2019, DHG aims to obtain consolidated net revenue of VND3.94 trillion ($171.3 million) and consolidated pre-tax profit of VND754 billion ($32.8 million), up 1.6 per cent and 3 per cent on-year, respectively.

CHALLENGES FROM FOREIGN RIVALS

The targets of the drugmakers will face challenges as domestic players and MNCs are strengthening their presence in the country to cash in on growth potential of drug spending.

A recent move from Taisho is obvious evidence, with the Japanese group beginning investment in DHG in 2016 and continuing to increase stakes in the Vietnamese company.

Magbi Fund has also showed ambitions that TRA could make a 20 per cent ratio of its revenuew from new products in the next few years.

Vietnam is a developing country; thus drug spending will definitely increase. Magbi Fund has a wide network of shareholders who have a strong interest in the local market, said Lee Choong Hwan, representative of Magbi Fund. We commit to make a long-term investment in Vietnam. We now have 3,000 staff in the country and will continue to invest more there.

In addition to Taisho and Magbi Fund, MNCs who are members of EuroChams Pharma Group are targeting to join public-private partnership projects in the healthcare sector, including Novartis and GSK.

Elsewhere, US-headquartered MSD Group and B.Braun aim to expand local production to reap the incentives from the countrys policies from domestically-produced pharmaceuticals, and to benefit from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the upcoming EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.

In this trend domestic rivals such as Vingroup, Mobile World, FPT Retail, Digiworld, and Nguyen Kim are also increasingly joining the race. FPT Retail, in particular, has announced an increase in the number of Long Chau drugstores to 70 in 2019, before expanding the network nationwide and aiming to make up around 30 per cent of the market share of the over-the-counter channel in the next three to four years.

According to the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, Vietnam is named among the emerging markets in pharmaceuticals, and is continuing to be a key driver of growth in the global pharma market. VIR
Hanoi officials visit Ireland, United Kingdom

A delegation from Hanoi led by Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Chairwoman of the Peoples Council Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc is paying a working visit to Ireland and the United Kingdom from May 2-12.

Vice Secretary of Hanoi's Party Committee and Chairwoman of the Peoples Council Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc (L) is received by Dublin's Lord Mayor Nial Ring (Source: hanoimoi.com.vn)

During its stay in Irelands Dublin from May 2-4, the delegation had working sessions with representatives from local educational institutions, visited Trinity College Dublin and made a tour to learn from the citys experience in cultural heritage management.

Working with the citys Lord Mayor Nial Ring, Ngoc said since Vietnam and Ireland set up diplomatic ties in 1996, Hanoi has always wanted to develop its friendship and cooperation with Dublin.

She told the host that Hanoi is building towards a green and smart city, working to develop a modern agriculture and step up new-style rural area building and paying attention to conserving and promoting heritage values.

She asked Dublin to step up cooperation in hi-tech agriculture and training with Hanoi.

With its potential and strengths, Hanoi will be an attractive investment destination for foreign cities, including Dublin, she affirmed.

Agreeing with the guests proposals, Ring said he will assign officials to make plans to intensify collaboration with Hanoi in tourism, agricultural and technology.

While in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Hanoi delegation attended a working session with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council.

Ngoc stated that Hanoi hopes to soon cooperate with Edinburgh in tourism, culture, training and science and technology.-VNA
Chairman of the HCMC Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong and Swedish Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree wished to deepen bilateral relations between the two nations, especially in environmental issues.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong and Swedish Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree

The desire was discussed at the meeting between the city leader and the Swedish princess yesterday afternoon.

According to Chairman Phong, Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City respect relationship with the partner, which was one of the first countries establishing diplomatic ties with Vietnam in 1969.

In parallel, Sweden always supports Vietnam in the struggle period for independence as well as current construction and development of the country.

In 2019, the two countries are scheduling many activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment via the concert performed by Vietnamese and Swedish artists at the Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City.

Economic cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Sweden has remained stable. Last year, two-way trade turnover reached US$ 170 million.

Currently, Sweden invests 32 projects in the city with a total capital of nearly US$ 300 million, ranking the 14th among 106 countries and territories investing in the city. Many famous Swedish companies and corporations have presented in the city such as H&M, IKEA, etc.

Accordingly, the Swedish princess who always supports the United Nations development programs and is very interested in the issue of clean water and sustainable development.

Regarding clean water supply, Sai Gon and Dong Nai rivers are two main water sources of the city. However, the rivers have suffered pollution risks due to salt water influx and wastes from industrial parks and residential areas while water treatment technology has been outdated.

For the treatment of plastic wastes, Ho Chi Minh City currently faces difficulties meanwhile Sweden has a lot of experience in the field of waste treatment.

Currently, the city is calling on construction investment of seven wastewater treatment plants.

As this reasons, the city leader suggested the princess to introduce Swedish companies to work with the local authorities to seek cooperation and investment opportunities.

Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree expressed her pleasure at this visit as Vietnam and Sweden celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations (1969-2019).

The largest trade delegation of Sweden accompaning the princess during the trip draws an opportunity for the two countries to expand business cooperation and foster multifaceted fields between Sweden and Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular. SGGP

Huyen Huong
Vietnam and India will together make effort to achieve a two-way trade value of 15 billion USD in the coming time as their leaders have agreed to accelerate economics, trade, and investment cooperation.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (R) shakes hands with Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh held talks in Hanoi on May 10 with her guest, Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu and both reached that agreement.

Welcoming the guests first visit to Vietnam, Thinh stated Vietnam places importance to the time-honoured friendship with India and hailed the dynamic growth of the bilateral ties across the board, especially after the countries established strategic partnership in 2007 and upgraded the ties to comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said the two countries worked closely to implement projects to preserve the world cultural heritage My Son in Vietnams central province of Quang Nam and assist the Cham ethnic people in the southern province of Ninh Thuan.

The leaders agreed to continue maintaining the exchange of visits at all levels and deploying efficiently signed cooperation documents.

They said defence-security cooperation is continuously efficient and practical, hailing the organization of the first maritime security dialogue in March this year and the visits of Indian naval and coast guard ships to Vietnam since early this year.

Towards the trade value of 15 billion USD, they suggested the early building of detailed plans to carry out signed trade deals and unblock current hindrances and barriers.

They pointed to the need to step up investment promotion activities, especially in information technology, energy, renewable energy, infrastructure, hi-tech agriculture, innovation, and oil and gas production, reaching consensus on the early launch of direct air routes linking the two countries big cities.

They sought to speed up cooperation in training, and science-technology while showing their support for locality-to-locality partnership and youth exchange programmes.

Discussing regional and global issues of shared concern, they asserted that the two countries will continue working closely and supporting each other at regional and global multilateral forums, especially at the United Nations, as well as their run for a non-permanent member seat at the United Nations Security Council, for Vietnam in the 2020-2021 tenure and for India in the 2021-2022 tenure.

Thinh said Vietnam supports Indias Act East policy and welcomes its stance on the East Sea in the past time.

She suggested that India continue backing the maintenance of order in the East Sea by abiding by international law, respecting sovereignty, sovereign right, and territorial integrity, and ensuring navigation and overflight freedom, security and safety; and the settlement of disputes in the sea by peaceful means in conformity with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS).

The Indian leader spoke of Vietnams effort and contributions to the globes religious activities in general and that of Buddhism in particular, expressing his hope that this years Vesak celebration in the country will be successful.

He will attend the celebration of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 during his official visit to Vietnam from May 9-12.-VNA
The Vietnamese government would considers establishing special tech zones to pilot incentive policies for tech companies in the future.

Making Vietnamese products instead of assembling would help Vietnam escape the middle-income trap, according to Nguyen Manh Hung, minister of Information and Communications.



Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung.

For the first time, Vietnam holds a national tech forum to discuss the countrys future prospects with the slogan Make in Vietnam, Hung said at the national forum on developing Vietnam technology companies held on May 9.

Make in Vietnam means all processes from creation, design and production take place right in Vietnam, Hung added.

According to Hung, technologies would be instrumental for Vietnam to improve labor productivity. Make in Vietnam not only presents the country with direction towards prosperity, but also long-term peace through its contribution to the development of the defense industry.

Referring to a Chinese tech startup being the first private company manufacturing recycled missiles, Hung believed that young Vietnamese engineers could also do the same.

To develop a strong community of technology companies, Vietnam would need to create a market for it, Hung said. As the government is the largest spender in a country, a focus on buying tech products would play a big part in creating technology companies, he added.

Moreover, the national digital transformation process is expected to create a big market for local tech firms. In 2019, Vietnam would make public a national strategy for digital transformation, namely Digital Vietnam, aiming towards a digital economy and society.

Hung revealed the government would consider establishing special tech zones to pilot incentive policies for tech companies in the future, while calling on major corporations in Vietnam to invest in technology and become large scale tech firms.

A number of countries have succeeded thanks to strong foundation of large tech corporations. The government, therefore, could create conditions for the establishment of major tech giants.

In the long term, Vietnam would need a tech development fund with the contributor being the people and managed by the people, he proposed. Hanoitimes



Hai Yen
The movement of saying no to disposable plastic products, especially plastic cups and straws, has forced plastic manufacturers to change production strategies.

The EU Parliaments ban on the use of disposable plastic products will take effect in 2021 in all member countries.

In South Korea, disposable plastic bags have been eliminated from some groceries since April 1. In the US, New York will follow California to prohibit disposable plastic bags. Multinational groups have also responded to the movement.

In Vietnam, Saigon Co-op, the largest retail chain, has decided to stop selling plastic straws at its 600 supermarkets from May. Some restaurants and tea shops in Hanoi and HCMC do not use disposable straws and cups.

Many Vietnams enterprises can exploit the green consumption trend to develop their business. Biodegradable bags and bamboo-made straws are being exported and used domestically.

Nicolas Audier, chair of Eurocham, said the ban by the EU Parliament should be seen as an opportunity for Vietnams enterprises to approach the fast growing market which is willing to spend more on environmentally-friendly products.

He noted that many Vietnams enterprises can exploit the green consumption trend to develop their business. Biodegradable bags and bamboo-made straws are being exported and used domestically.

The market of environmentally-friendly products is thriving. If Vietnam can increase the production capacity of these products, they will get big benefits.

Meanwhile, Ho Duc Lam, chair of the Vietnam Plastics Association, warned that many enterprises will have to shut down if they cannot draw up new business solutions. Not only the EU, but other countries are also going to impose strict regulations on plastic products.

From 2021, all the plastic exports to Europe must be recyclable products. So, Vietnams enterprises have three years to prepare for new production strategies, Lam said.

The EU mostly consumes Chinese products. As such, the ban, in short term, wont have big impacts on Vietnamese enterprises.

However, he noted that there is a movement of shifting production from China to Vietnam, and the new EU decision is likely to have big impact on the domestic plastic industry in the next three years.

Realizing the growing green trend, Nguyen Le Trung, CEO of An Phat Plastics & Green Environment, began R&D for environmentally-friendly products, such as microbial bags and degradable cups, spoons and forks.

An Phats microbial bags are made entirely of corn starch, and biodegrade in the natural environment within six months to one year. It intends to export knives, spoons, forks and straws of this kind to Europe, about 100 million products per year.

Hung Hau Food has also begun developing starch-made straws. Its products are now available at Saigon Co-op.

RELATED NEWS

VN commits to reduce ocean plastic waste

Plastic waste in oceans killing marine life in coastal waters in VN

Nam Chi
The process of digital transformation has reduced time, cost and improved efficiency in interactions among local authority, citizens, and enterprises.

Hanoi considers smart technology solutions the major solution to enhance state governance capability and help the city adress current issues, according to Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee.



Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.

Curently, Hanoi is using technologies for better linkage between local agencies, while the process of digital transformation has reduced time, cost and improved efficiency in interactions among local authority, citizens, and enterprises, Chung said at the national forum on developing Vietnam technology companies held on May 9.

Chung added Hanoi aims for greater access to digital services for its citizens and realize the potential of technologies through various ways, including the utilization of digital services, e-document, and encouraging the use of digital technologies in citizens.

Hanoi is now home to 3,530 technology companies which generate revenue of VND244.26 trillion (US$10.44 billion) in 2018, indicating the capitals effort in attracting major technology companies for the goal of building a smart city.

Hanoi would continue the reform effort to become the first city with open policy for the development of the business community, he stressed.

Technologies pave the way for success

Overview of the forum.

Lu Thanh Long, CEO of accounting software developer MISA, said over 400,000 micro companies and 5 million business households in Vietnam do not use accounting software. Long said a software called Startbooks would help small and micro enterprises compile tax and financial reports with a fee of nearly US$100 per month.

Local technology companies are capable of solving the countrys specific issues that foreign companies are not able to, Long stated, adding they could master and integrated the latest technologies such as Blockchain, AI, machine learning, among others into their products.

Chairman of CMC Group Nguyen Trung Chinh said enterprises must use technologies to connect with digital economy.

According to Chinh, the challenge for enterprises in the Fourth Industrial Revolution would be productivity, speed, connectivity and capability of providing services anywhere and anytime.

Among these characteristics, connectivity is a major factor in the digital era, while technologies have made it possible for countries such as South Korea to make a huge leap in development, Chinh continued.

Chinh requested the government to outline a strategy and support technology companies in improving their product and service quality, in turn propelling Vietnams economy to a new height.

Pham Hai Van, CEO of Haravan  North Branch, said putting business operations online would be the right direction.

An online platform would replace 100 brick-and-motar shops with much lower expenses, he stated.

Meanwhile, Tran Thanh Hai, CEO of local ride-hailing firm BE, pointed to the challenges that tech startups in Vietnam are facing, including strict business conditions and the fact that some foreign companies are not complying with local policies represents an act of unfair competition to Vietnamese firms.

In the Industry 4.0 era, the most important asset would be information, which requires local enterprises to develop their own tech ecosystem, Hai added.

For Vietnamese enterprises to reach regional level, a strong base is needed, including the support from the government, he concluded. Hanoitimes

Hai Yen
It is essential that technology be regarded as the crucial factor that could take Vietnam out of the middle-income trap and turn it into a developed country, stated Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a technology forum in Hanoi today, May 9.

A mobile phone is introduced to the PM and Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung (R, 2)

The inaugural national forum on developing Vietnams technology companies kicked off earlier today. Themed Aspiration, vision and strategy for a prosperous Vietnam and with the action motto of Make in Vietnam, the forum acts as a catalyst for the development of a community of Vietnamese technological companies.

The forum brought together some 1,000 delegates representing the Government, ministries, agencies and localities, along with hundreds of locals, foreign experts and businesspeople involved in the technology sector, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

By 2045, Vietnam aims to be a prosperous industrial nation where half the population is categorized as middle class. To achieve this, according to the Government leader, the country has to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which refers to science and technology innovation and includes technological firms.

Phuc said that to escape from the middle-income trap, technological firms need to master technology and management skills, have the capacity to invent new technologies, take the lead in designs and manufacture high-quality products.

Also, these firms need to take a leading role in the socioeconomic development of the country, according to the Government leader.

He said that economies built on natural resources and low-cost labor no longer have a long-term advantage. Therefore, digital, creative and sharing economies are growing trends, while innovation is a critical factor for businesses and the national economy.

He cited statistics in indicating that ecommerce has so far attracted some US$3.5 billion to the Vietnamese economy, equivalent to 1.7% of the countrys gross domestic product. The revenue will amount to US$42 billion by 2030 if the country boosts the digital economy to raise productivity and lower costs.

He added that nearly 50,000 local firms currently operate in the information and communications technology sector, earning combined revenue of some US$100 billion. Thus, the next target is to raise the number of firms to 100,000.

Rather than assembling and outsourcing goods, these firms need to manufacture their made-in-Vietnam products and then export them, said the PM.

The potential for the development of Vietnams technological firms is enormous As a market of nearly 100 million people, technology will permeate all aspects of life and create a smart nation, he said.

According to the leader, the Government has already adopted sound policies, though they need further improvements, while enhancing the business environment and national competitiveness to assist these firms.

He revealed that the Government will soon lay out a strategy for the nations digital transformation later this year to create a market for technological firms.

During his opening speech, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said that the establishment of a market for technological firms is the most important issue.

If the Government purchases more technological solutions, this will contribute significantly, especially in the early stages, to establishing a generation of technological firms, he explained.

He pointed out that digital transformation will occur quickly in multiple fields across the country. The Government, businesses and other social stakeholders will thus create a wide market for technological firms.

He also called on overseas Vietnamese to return to the country and contribute to its development.

It is high time that many of the Vietnamese people abroad return to or connect with Vietnam to build up its technological enterprises. We will create (favorable) conditions for global talents to converge here and will allow them to test new technologies and business models, he stated.

Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, Hung told the news website VnExpress that startups and small and large tech firms are all vital to the development of the industry.

Startups focus on new solutions that are unique and practical, while small tech firms use existing technologies to address local issues, such as shrimp or vegetable farming.

Large firms, such as tech giant FPT, online gaming firm VNG, real estate conglomerate Vingroup and telecom giant Viettel, are experienced and have the financial clout needed to develop technology that can help Vietnam compete in the global market, he said. SGT
Vietnamese security forces are fighting day and night to stop the flow of drugs into the country, said panellists during an online conference host by the Vietnam Government Portal on Wednesday.

Vietnam at high risk of becoming drug smuggling hub

Minister: Transnational drug rings busted over past six months

Vietnam is struggling to combat the movement of drugs from the Golden Triangle, an area where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet and one of the worlds largest drug-producing regions. VNA/VNS Photo

Vietnam is struggling to combat the movement of drugs from the Golden Triangle, an area where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet and one of the worlds largest drug-producing regions.

Since the beginning of the year, Vietnamese law enforcement officers have seized more than three tonnes of methamphetamine, one tonne of heroin and millions of methamphetamine pills. This is an unprecedented amount and it has attracted the publics attention, with many linking it to the rampant drug abuse within the country, especially among young people.

International anti-drug organisations claimed that 250 tonnes of drugs originate from the Golden Triangle each year, said Colonel Do Ngoc Canh, deputy chief of the anti-drug and crime department under the High Command of Border Defence.

He said drug traffickers traditionally moved their contraband through northern border provinces such as Son La and Hoa Binh. They often employed locals from both sides of the border and protected their convoys with armed bodyguards, who were frequently willing to open fire on law enforcement forces to avoid arrest.

However, as Vietnamese and Lao security forces intensified their co-operation and efforts to combat drug traffickers on this route over the last 10 years, traffickers have started setting up routes through the central highlands region and some provinces in the south and south-central parts of the country.

As the criminals move their drugs, a relatively small amount is likely to be sold within Vietnam along their route. The rest is smuggled into other countries, said Colonel Vu Van Hau, deputy chief of drug crime investigation department under the Ministry of Public Security.

As a neighbouring country, Vietnam naturally became a frequent route for drugs from the Golden Triangle. The countrys long land borders and its vast waters make it ideal for drug traffickers to move their products, he said.

Hau said that in most cases, the ringleaders were foreigners. They often run their operations under the guise of legitimate businesses. Large quantities of drugs have been found among products being exported to other countries. In one notable recent case, 276kg of methamphetamine hidden in a plastic container were discovered in the Philippines. The container was shipped from Cat Lai Port in HCM City.

As for made-in-Vietnam drugs, he said Vietnamese law enforcement can say with some degree of confidence there is no large-scale domestic drug production at this time.

Drugs, however, have become a large social issue in recent years with the number of both drug-related crimes and addicts on the rise. Last year, law enforcement handled 24,500 drug-related criminal cases and arrested more than 30,000 involved people. Recent statistics show there are more than 250,000 drug addicts on record, with the off-the-record figure expected to be much higher.

VNS
Is it difficult to start a business in the education sector in Vietnam?

In 2010, returning to Vietnam after finishing a masters degree in France, Dang Minh Tuan thought of setting up a model of teaching science subjects in English, which wasnt available in Vietnam at that moment.

Dang Minh Tuan, the author of UberMath

Tuan had different posts in the education system, from a teacher to deputy director of FPT general school system and strategic advisor to Ngoi Sao and Olympia Schools.

In 2016, when GotIt!, the education platform on Apple Store and Google Play came to Vietnam to recruit specialists, he joined as a recruiter. There were 10,000 candidates, but only 2 percent of them were recruited because of insufficient English skills.

UberMath designed lesson plans for teaching math and science subjects in English on its own based on the current curriculum set by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) with additional critical and practical math topics.

Tuan was determined to implement the project on teaching science in English.

In 2017, Tuan left the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, the best known school in Hanoi, to fully dedicate himself to the project implementation.

Tan had problems starting UberMath, including HR management, financial planning, and model orientation.

HR management was the most difficult problem for me, he said, adding that developing the teaching staff with good knowledge from the first days was a big challenge for UberMath.

UberMath designed lesson plans for teaching math and science subjects in English on its own based on the current curriculum set by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) with additional critical and practical math topics.

Parents can register for UberMath lessons on the website or through smartphone apps.

After considering the curriculum in developed countries such as the UK, US and Singapore, Tuan found that while the countries aim to help improve students thinking, Vietnam aims to teach students skills.

Tuan believes that Vietnamese students need to learn critical math skills in English, without translation, because this helps them get used to thinking in English.

Once a teacher, Tuan understands the problems Vietnamese teachers meet. Newly graduated teachers lack knowledge and experience and cannot expect re-training, but have to train through different ways.

Tuan also dreams of developing an institute for teacher training. The teachers, after finishing the institute, will have good knowledge and skills to teach science subjects in English.

Tuan has successfully defended his project before the Hanoi Education Department. UberMath will become a subordinate subject at schools in Hanoi.

Tuan obtained bachelors degree from Paris University XI, masters degree from Lyon I University and spent internship at the European Atomic Energy Center.

RELATED NEWS

Vietnam education sector struggles to adapt to 4.0 era: expert

Young man leaves Google to return to help education

Kim Chi
The Ministry of Transport has announced new domestic airfares, effective from July 1, with economy class tickets priced from VND1.6 million to VND3.75 million per trip.

Air passengers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Domestic airfares for economy class will be based on travel distance. As such, for a distance of less than 500 km, air tickets for destinations that require socioeconomic development will be priced at VND1.6 million per leg, while those for other routes will amount to VND1.7 million.

Air passengers traveling more than 500 km to less than 850 km will be charged VND2.2 million per leg. Meanwhile, for distances from 850 km to less than 1,000 km, the price will be VND2.79 million per leg.

Regarding flights covering 1,000 km to less than 1,280 km, each air ticket will be offered at VND3.2 million per leg. For flights of over 1,280 km, passengers will be charged VND3.75 million per trip.

The airfare will exclude value-added tax and other service fees, including passenger security and luggage safety. Fees for other additional services will be regulated, based on each carriers capacity to offer services and the market demand.

In addition, the ministry has asked local carriers to specify the airfare for each route group and offer regular fare reductions to residents; soldiers residing in remote, border areas; and on islands.

The carriers are required to report their specific prices to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) as well as publish these fares in line with prevailing regulations.

For new air routes whose distances have yet to be included in the new fare range, the carrier has to propose the fare to CAAV and wait for it to be added to the fare range before submitting the report on its overall airfare.

Commenting on the new airfare, one local carriers representative said that the new fares are still lower than aviation ceiling prices. In addition, local airlines regularly launch special offers and promotions to attract passengers. Accordingly, the introduction of new prices will not affect passengers, said the representative. SGT

Le Anh
Leaving the airport near the central coastal city of Quy Nhon, we embarked by car on National Highway 1D southward to Cu Mong Pass in Phu Yen Province, a central coastal area famed for its seductively sandy beaches and peaceful fishing villages.

Nom beach eco-tourism site in Phu Yen

A forgotten island in Phu Yen

Explore Phu Yen in 24 hours

The idyllic beach of Hoa Loi, also known as Bai Cho in Hoa Loi Village, Xuan Canh Commune, a beautiful new destination.  VNS Photos Minh Phi

It was early morning and the highway was all but deserted. The surrounding countryside was a sparkling lush green and we could feel the freshness of the ocean air.

Before reaching the Cu Mong Lagoon in the province's Song Cau Town, instead of eating breakfast at the roadside restaurants famous for local specialties (green bean and pork porridge, boiled liver, and organ meats served with banh hoi or rice noodle cakes, herbs and sweet-and-sour fish sauce), we stopped to take photos on the Cu Mong Pass, a gateway to the central coastal region.

From here, the entire area, including a long sandy beach coastline, beach hideaways and fishing villages below the Cu Mong Pass, can be explored by visitors.

The winding 6km village road was small enough for a car leading to Hoa Lan Resort, which is located in Hoa Loi Village in Xuan Canh Commune (a one-hour drive from the Phu Cat Airport) offered a glimpse of the areas natural beauty and local traditions.

The surrounding landscape of rice fields, sandy hills and farms raising lobsters, snails and green mussels, all created a vivid picture of the areas rural lifestyle.

Before arriving at Hoa Lan, we had to pass the Xuan Canh Bridge which crosses over the Cu Mong Lagoon, famed for its lobster-rearing farms and its splendid landscape.

Here, tourists can stay with villagers in a simple homestay or relax at Hoa Lan Resorts bungalows.

At the idyllic beach of Hoa Loi Village, also known as Bai Cho in Xuan Canh Commune, the resort offers six bungalows that respect the environment and the preservation of fauna and flora.

Instead of noisy and energy-intensive air conditioning, we wanted to build a traditional Vietnamese habitat, providing all the necessary comfort for your well-being with some modern amenities such as a fan and a refrigerator, said Pierre Relave, the resorts manager.

To ensure your peace and privacy, the cabins are spaced at least 10 metres apart, giving you a real private space. Also, we chose not to install a television. But dont worry, free wifi access throughout the site will ensure you remain connected if you wish.

Vietnam is the perfect destination for those seeking a comfortable and relaxing holiday, he added. This country of ancient civilisation and its people are extremely kind and they will charm you. The culture, traditions, cuisine and lifestyle here will enchant you.

The resort offers an all-organised stay that ensures you are taken care of from your landing in Vietnam in Hanoi or HCM City to your return flight.

Overlooking the ocean, the resort is fronted by a beautiful sandy beach, surrounded by small sandy hills, small cliffs and a residential area. The small village road leading to the resorts entrance offers guests a splendid view of the entire area, including the Cu Mong Lagoon and green fields.

A bungalow at Hoa Lan Resort with maximum comfort while respecting the environment and the preservation of fauna and flora.

The resorts six bungalows are built in a Vietnamese country style cottage with a secluded beachfront, giving the place a true hideaway sensation.

All of the bungalows were designed to ensure that visitors enjoy the ultimate beachfront lifestyle with a tropical ambience of well-being, where the daily stress of modern living can be forgotten, Pierre said.

The main small building of the resort, which overlooks the ocean, has a small restaurant and bar where guests can eat a meal together like a big family.

The restaurant offers a wide selection of Vietnamese and European dishes.

We have chosen to focus on the local economy. You can taste the seafood brought in the morning by fishermen from the village, Relave said. Favouring the local economy, we are working with fishermen, ranchers and growers of the region. We restrict imports to a minimum of products not found on site.

With Song Cau Town famous for its seafood, especially lobsters, flower crabs and snails, freshly caught grilled lobster, fish and steamed snails are specialties of the restaurants in the area.

Taking advantage of all the resort is able to offer, in the early morning we warmed up by walking along the beach before swimming in the peaceful sea while a few others took to the beach after watching the sun rise.

Exploring the hideaways surroundings is an alternative for those who are more physically active. In the late afternoon, travel lovers can walk in the village to view shrimp farms around the Cu Mong Lagoon, which can offer interesting insights into the local culture.

In the afternoon, you can choose to watch the sun set behind the ocean. By late afternoon, tourists can take a boat tour arranged by Hoa Lan Resort, departing from the beach to view the sea, rocks and shrimp farms around the Cu Mong Lagoon.

Youll see a stunning blue sea with a few local residents netting fish in the ocean.

Later in the day before dinner, we took a car to visit a small roadside restaurant in Hoa Phu Village near the Binh Phu Bridge in Xuan Canh Commune, about a 10-minute drive from the resort, an area famous for its seafood, particularly snails and flower crabs.

While waiting for our order of perfume and jump snails, we walked down to the aquaculture floating cages where fish, snails and crabs were being raised and stored.

We were back to our table when the food was ready to serve.

The snails, which cost only two-thirds of the price of similar dishes in HCM City, were the freshest I had ever eaten.

After a hard, long day of touring, we were a bit tired. But before retiring to bed a little early, we had a very special dinner with other guests at the resort, just as if we were members of a family though we had never met before.

My Duyen

VNS
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) will organize a roadshow to promote tourism in two big cities of Russia, Moscow and Vladivostok, from May 21 to 28, local media reported.

Russian tourists in Vietnam.

The event aims to roll out the 2019 national tourism promotion program and attract more visitors from Russia to Vietnam. Accordingly, the VNAT will introduce policies, destinations and tourism products of Vietnam to Russian visitors.

The roadshow is expected to draw more than 300 travel companies from Vietnam and Russia to join meetings to intensify cooperation opportunities as well as measures to draw more Russian tourists to Vietnam and vice versa.

Russia is considered a potential source market of Vietnam, generating 80% of 1.35 million air passengers between the two countries in 2017. In 2018, 600,000 Russian people visited Vietnam, ranking sixth among all countries in terms of tourist arrivals.

In the first four months of 2019, Vietnam welcomed more than 273,000 Russian visitors, a 4.5% increase from the same period last year. According to the VNAT, the number of Russian tourist arrivals in Vietnam grows by 30% annually on average, with the total number of arrivals expected to reach 1 million by 2020.

Earlier, the VNAT, National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and several local tour and hotel operators took part in the 2019 Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition (MITT) in Russian capital city from March 12 to 14.

The Vietnamese space at the MITT featured promotion publications, images and maps on Vietnams island and sea tourism in Russian and English, and drew a large turnout of visitors. Hanoitimes

Mai Nguyen
3.5 tonnes of pine tree bark was seized.  Photo tuoitre.vn

GIA LAI  Forest rangers in Gia Lai Province announced on Thursday they had arrested a trader for buying 3.5 tonnes of pine tree bark.

38-year-old Pham Minh Ngoc was caught on Wednesday while transporting the tree bark to a house at 36 Ung Van Khiem Street, Pleiku City, Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper reported.

Ngoc admitted she had bought the bark in ak oa District to ship to northern provinces.

It was resold to Chinese traders at VN8,000 ( 34 US cents) per kilogramme.

The case is being investigated further.

According to the department, the trade of pine tree bark has emerged recently. It is said to be sold to China or used to plant orchids.

At the end of April, Ia Grai District Peoples Committee reported to provincial authorities about the destruction of a protected in Ia Der Commune.

Some 600 pine trees planted in 1978 had their bark removed, and 80 of them had died.

Phan Trung Tuong, deputy head of Ia Grai District, said the bark might be used for orchid plantations.  VNS
EVANSDALE  Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 4031 Lafayette Road, will host a Mothers Day brunch, starting at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Amanda Gilbert of KWWL is the guest speaker.

All women are welcome. For reservations, call 233-1452. There be a freewill donation taken.

Burial ground services planned

WATERLOO  The German Burial Ground of Bennington Township, also known as the Pioneer Cemetery, established in 1864, will have a Memorial Day service at 10 a.m. May 25.

The site is located on Gresham Road, 1.25 miles east of U.S. Highway 63. The Cedar Falls Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3896 will host the ceremony, which will include a color guard and taps.

Guest speaker will be Tony Thompson, Black Hawk County sheriff.

Attendees are welcome to the restored Bennington No. 4 School on the corner of Bennington and Sage roads for refreshments afterward.

Biscotti Brass set to perform

CEDAR FALLS  St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2812 Willow Lane, will host Biscotti Brass at the Sunday worship service, beginning at 10:45 a.m.

Biscotti Brass is made up of University of Northern Iowa musicians.

All are welcome.

Waterloo church honors its pastor

WATERLOO  St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, 2024 Clearview St., will celebrate the second anniversary of its pastor and first lady, the Rev. Brian and Ingrid Dale.

Three appreciation services are planned.

The Rev. Marshaundus Robinson will speak at 7 p.m. today.

At 11 a.m. Sunday, Deacon Dennis Moore will speak, and at 4 p.m. Sunday the speaker will be the Rev. Marvin Jenkins, Eastern District state moderator.

Other area churches and choirs also are on the programs.

Everyone is welcome.

Southern Baptist sets family event

WATERLOO  The Children Ministry of Southern Baptist Church will kick off the annual Family Weekend from May 17-19.

Theme is Reverencing God.

Starting at 6 p.m. May 17, its church family night. Faces of Grace, the childrens choir, will perform at 5 p.m. May 18.

Fellowship meals will follow both nights events.

The celebration wraps up at the 11 a.m. service on May 19, with choirs and a talk from the Rev. Ted Keys.

The church is at 522 Anthony St.

Blood drive set in Gladbrook

GLADBROOK  The United Methodist Church, 715 Lincoln St., will host a blood drive from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday.

For an appointment, go to lifeservebloodcenter.org or call (800) 287-4903.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
CEDAR RAPIDS  A Missouri farmer has pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with an investigation into an Ossian company accused of selling non-organic grain as organic.

John Burton, 52, entered a plea of guilt to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Friday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

Sentencing will be at a later date, and Burton remains free until then.

Court records allege Burton grew non-organic crops on his own land and farmed for another person who had land that was certified organic.

Burton is accused of selling grain to another person knowing it would be marketed by an Ossian, Iowa, company as organic, even though it was grown using pesticides and nitrogen, records state.

He is also accused of applying unapproved substances to a co-conspirator's certified organic fields, court records allege.

Four others have pleaded in connection with the investigation stemming from Jericho Solutions, an Iowa grain brokerage.

In December 2018, Randy Constant, 61, a Chillicothe, Mo., farmer who co-owned the business, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Also pleading were farmers Tom Brennan, 70, James Brennan, 40, and Michael Potter, 41, all from Overton, Neb.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
CEDAR RAPIDS  Iowas senators are growing frustrated with the lack of progress on U.S.-China trade negotiations, but theyre sticking by President Donald Trumps hard line approach to protecting American interests.

Yeah, were all frustrated with this, Sen. Joni Ernst said ahead of the trade talks that resumed Thursday despite the presidents threatened increase in tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods.

But were not going to sign a deal when (the Chinese) are walking back on some of the key components of the trade deal, which is the theft of intellectual property, the forced technology transfers. We cant allow them to do that.

Sen. Chuck Grassley was optimistic about 90 percent of a deal had been reached until reading reports suggesting the Chinese were backing away from what had been agreed in the previous round of negotiations.

If the Chinese arent negotiating in good faith, you either stop negotiating or do what you can to get their attention, he said. So I happen to sympathize with the presidents waning patience with the Chinese.

Ernst acknowledged the retaliatory tariffs imposed by China have hurt Iowa industries and farmers, but defended U.S. tariffs because China is a bad actor.

We need to stand up against China, Ernst told reporters earlier this week. The Chinese cannot continue to do this to us.

Farmers she has spoken with are frustrated that the tariffs have made selling their crops and livestock harder and, generally, driven prices down. They tell her they can hang on, but if they dont see progress, theyre not going to be as friendly toward the administration, Ernst said.

Trump carried Iowa in 2016 with much of his strength coming from rural counties.

She believes farmers understand that Trumps use of tariffs has brought the Chinese to the bargaining table.

Farmers want a good deal. They dont want us signing off on a deal that doesnt do any good and actually harm us, Ernst said.

For his part, if Grassley is losing his patience with the president, its because of how long it is taking to remove tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Mexico and Canada that Trump imposed to apply pressure during trade negotiations with those nations.

It would be a real victory for farmers, manufacturing and services if it gets through, Grassley said during his weekly news conference earlier this week. It would be a good deal for Canada and Mexico, too. For the auto industry in the United States its a big, big deal.

If we could get this passed, the president would have a victory. I dont understand of the unwillingness of him to move ahead when hes got a victory in grasp, Grassley said, not for the first time.

As U.S.-China negotiations resumed Thursday in Washington, D.C., Grassley held out hope for a comprehensive trade deal this weekend, but I am less optimistic now than I have been.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
DES MOINES  Public health officials in Iowa are turning their attention away from the flu and toward disease-transmitting ticks and mosquitoes.

They are also keeping a watchful eye out for measles.

State Medical Director Dr. Caitlin Pedati said the influenza season is winding down and should be over by months end, but not before claiming 79 lives, including one child.

I do expect to see a drop off in the coming weeks, she noted.

Last year, 272 Iowans died due to influenza, so thankfully this was a less-severe flu season, Pedati told members of the state Board of Health on Wednesday.

The flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses.

With the onset of spring weather and more outdoor activities, she said, the focus shifts to West Nile virus. In 2018 Iowa saw the second-highest number of cases since the mosquito-borne virus was identified in the state in 2002.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported at least 73 cases of West Nile virus are under investigation  the most since 147 cases in 2003.

Most people infected with West Nile do not develop symptoms, she said, but about one in five people will develop a fever along with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains and rash.

Experts recommend using insect repellent with DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 and avoiding outdoor activities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, shoes and socks outdoors whenever possible and eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs.

While measles cases have reached 764 nationwide, Pedati said Iowas count for the very contagious virus stands at two  both in the same Northeast Iowa household. The first case involved an unvaccinated individual who recently returned from Israel, where 4,000 measles cases have been documented in 2018-19.

The second person was a household contact of the first person with the infection.

Those marked the first cases of measles in Iowa since 2011.

Health officials said there was no current threat to the general public.

Pedati said the cases serve as a reminder for all Iowans to ensure their vaccinations are up to date because the MMR vaccine prevents diseases and save lives.

Its so critically important to maintain the use of a good preventive tool and thats the MMR vaccine, she said, noting one dose is highly effective in up to 94 percent of vaccinations and that number climbs to 97 percent with two doses.

We want everybody to be protected, and we want people to understand that the reason is because there are places in the world where this is ongoing, and the potential to import it into vulnerable populations is exactly what weve seen in places like New York, Michigan and California, Pedati said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

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.
PADSTOW, Cornwall  The May Day celebrations in Padstow in Cornwall were marked by tragedy this year when a young mother died, possibly as a result of an accident involving the traditional figure of the Padstow Obby Oss (hobby horse).

Having collapsed in a lane in the port, 34 year old Laura Smallwood was found unresponsive. She was airlifted to Plymouth Hospital but died from neck injuries on the morning of Saturday 4th May, after attending the Padstow May festivities. There have been suggestions that she may have been assaulted by another woman earlier in the evening, but the authorities are also looking at the possibility that her injuries were caused by an interaction with the Oss.

The Padstow May celebrations are famous throughout Britain and are prized by the nations Pagan community as theyre seen as a continuation of folklore practices. According to local historian, 83-year-old John Buckingham, the May Day celebration is Christmas and birthdays and everything rolled into one for most people. He adds that There are young people in the town who cant wait to carry the Oss, its a rite of passage. Cool or not, I do not know, but its cool if youre a young Padstownian.

The festivities, which attract up to 4,000 people, begin on May Eve at midnight, when townsfolk gather outside the Golden Lion pub in Padstow and sing the Night Song. Two groups are involved; one featuring the Old Oss and one with the Blue Ribbon Oss (it was the latter which was possibly involved in Mrs Smallwoods death).

The oss consists of a wooden horses head and a large round structure over which a cape is hung (the Blue Ribbon Oss is actually made from a table top). Young women are encouraged to duck under the oss (some folklorists hold that there is an obvious sexual subtext to this). The horses are accompanied by Teasers, who try to catch young women as they pass through the town on a 12 hour circuit, initiated by the Morningor Day Song. The two horses meet at a maypole whereupon the horses return to their stables. They are said to die, and be resurrected on the following May Eve.

Whether the Obby Oss ceremony is genuinely ancient is debatable. There are extensive mentions of May Day festivities in the 16th century but the first mention of the Padstow celebrations comes in the early 19th, and its possibly no older than the 18th century.

However, there have been suggestions that such events originally come from Beltane celebrations (and certainly, many newer rites such as the Glastonbury Dragons Parade are recent and are explicitly Beltane-related). English historian Ronald Hutton says that when he visited Padstow in 1985, locals described the event as coming from an ancient fertility rite, but ironically they probably got this belief from early 20th century historians influenced by James Frazers work The Golden Bough.

Certainly, the Blue Ribbon Oss is of recent origins, devised by the Temperance Movement in the late 19th century to try to discourage the excessive drinking which accompanied the event (theres no evidence that this has succeeded). After the First World War it was known as the Peace Oss.

The Padstow event is not the only one that involves an oss: Minehead also has a similar celebration involving two boat-shaped costumes and in Chepstow on the Welsh Borders, the Mari Lwyd celebration in January, a Wassail-based event, has been steadily growing in popularity.

After last weeks incident, the Blue Ribbon Oss has been examined by police and returned. The Health and Safety Executive has also been informed.

An employee of a restaurant close to where Smallwood was found said that the festivities can often attract rowdy and aggressive behavior. Rose Barker is quoted as saying that, There was a lot of pushing and shoving. A lot of people had too much to drink and one man passed out in the middle of the street near the harbour. I got shoved as I was walking to work.

It isnt clear yet whether Smallwood inadvertently suffered a glancing blow from the Oss, of whether she may have been caught up in a scuffle.

As investigations continue, tributes to Smallwood and to the town have been pouring in, with over 100 messages of support left on the Cornwall Live Facebook page. Padstow is said to be shocked and heartbroken by the death and some residents have been fearing for the events future.

A resident who wished to remain anonymous told Cornwall Live, People get minor injuries every year. I saw a woman with a gashed arm this year. But for something like this to happen is truly shocking. I was speaking to someone who said theyve seen this coming for years.

And another resident is quoted as saying Ive always worried someone might get seriously hurt by an oss. They are very heavy and people get so close.

One of the Padstow shop owners also commented, It will be a real shame if this has a serious effect in the future, especially knowing what Health and Safety did to carnivals. This is very sad for the lady involved and very sad for the Obby Oss and Padstow.

There has been a suggestion, however, that next years oss could be made from cardboard, which is obviously much lighter. It is perhaps too soon to decide the future of the event, however, given that it is as yet unclear as to the exact cause of death.

To have a death at this kind of event is unusual, but injuries are not infrequently reported at folk events: its reported that in the Haxey Hood in Lincolnshire, a kind of mass rugby game dating back to the 14th century in which up to 300 people take part, people are occasionally hurt.

The Shipwrights Inn, owned by the St Austell Brewery chain, has issued condolences from Padstow to Smallwoods family. The police have asked that any witnesses contact them as soon as possible.
past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)
Louise Perry in Quillette:

Nusrat Jahan Rafi was a young woman who attended a madrassa in the rural town of Feni in Bangladesh. In late March of this year, she attended the local police station to report a crime. Nusrat alleged that the headmaster at her madrassa had called her into his office several days before and sexually assaulted her. After the assault, Nusrat told her family what had happened and decided to make a report to the police, no doubt trusting that they would treat her with some decency. The officer who took her statement did no such thing. He videotaped it on his camera phone and can be heard on the footage telling her that the assault was not a big deal. The headmaster was arrested, but someone within the police leaked the fact that Nusrat had made allegations against him and the footage of her statement ended up on social media. She was soon receiving threats from students at the madrassa as well as other people in the community. Influential local politicians expressed their support for the headmaster and crowds gathered in the streets of Feni demanding his release. Defiant, Nusrat insisted on going into the madrassa to sit her exams, but while there she was tricked into going up onto the roof of the building with a fellow female student. She was then set upon by a group of people who tried to persuade her to withdraw her allegations. When she refused, they doused her with kerosene and set her alight. Some of the men arrested have since told police that the attack had been planned and ordered by the headmaster from prison. Nusrat survived long enough to describe what had happened, but died in hospital on 10th April. She was 19.

More here.
Mohammed Hanif in The Guardian:

You can find the news about Pakistans war on women buried deep inside the metro pages of Urdu newspapers. I stumbled upon it a few years ago. I noticed that I could pick up my newspaper and almost every day find news about a murdered woman. I thought maybe its a coincidence, maybe Karachi is a huge city, these things happen. But it went on and on. It became so routine that I could pick up the paper, open the exact same pages, just like you can bet that youll find a crossword or letters to the editor, and it was always there.

Names changed, localities changed, the relationship between the murdered and her murderer changed and of course there were minor variations on how she was killed and where the body was found, but it was always there: single column, one and a half inches. Often the woman wasnt even named: she was someones sister or mother of four, or the girl who ran away with her lover or the girl who refused to marry a suitor. Sometimes the news made it to the front page of the metro section but for that the murder had to be particularly gruesome, or the killer had killed himself after killing the woman, or the victim was very young, or the murderer killed the children along with the mother. That last one usually ends up on the front page if its a slow news day.

More here.
After leading Roncalli girls to title, Larson honored as coach of the year

sports
Head down to Las Cruces for a fiery fun time with many of your favorite New Mexico breweries during Blazin Brewfest.

The event on Friday, May 17, will feature 18 breweries from around the state: Bosque Brewing, Canteen Brewhouse, Cloudcroft Brewery, High Desert Brewing Co., Icebox Brewing Co., La Cumbre Brewing Co., Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery, Lost Hiker Brewing Co., Marble Brewery, Pecan Grill & Brewery, Picacho Peak Brewing Co., Red Door Brewing Co., Santa Fe Brewing Co., Sierra Blanca Brewing Co., Spotted Dog Brewery, Steel Bender Brewyard, Tractor Brewing Co., and Truth or Consequences Brewing Co. A number of food trucks will have a variety of savory selections for purchase.

Eighteen breweries is really exciting, said Leah Black, executive director of the New Mexico Brewers Guild. Its so great too, because the southern part of the state is growing, beer-wise. I dont think people realize there are so many great breweries coming out of the southern part of New Mexico, and this will be a great way to showcase that. And its not just southern breweries; Santa Fe (Brewing Co.) is going to be there, and we have people from all over Albuquerque, and Moriarty, we have Sierra Blanca (Brewing Co.) coming, so its going to be really cool.

Ticketholders will receive a pint glass upon entry to use for unlimited sampling or to purchase a pint of their favorite pours. Attendees also will be able to dance to the sounds of Albuquerques DJ Demonic. He will be stepping up last years set by adding more lights and speakers to this years show to make it an even bigger experience for the beer lovers who attend.

Last year he was the DJ, and people loved him, and hes really fun because he reads the crowd really well, and he also takes requests, Black said. Like, people can come out and request songs, which is so fun at a beer festival to hear what you want to hear. Thats really awesome.

Blazin Brewfest is taking place in the main plaza off Main Street. Part of the street will be shut to accommodate the beer festival.

They are blocking it off, Black said. Its just in that main plaza. Theyve done some cool renovations there in the last couple years, so its going to be a big ole street party.

Black is strongly encouraging people to buy their tickets in advance. The event sells out every year. Last year, many who tried to buy tickets at the gate were turned away. Tickets can be purchased at holdmyticket.com or at High Desert Brewing Co., Spotted Dog Brewery or Bosque Brewing Taproom in Las Cruces.
SANTA FE  A Santa Fe woman pleaded guilty to five charges of child abuse but is not taking responsibility for the November 2016 death of her 18-month-old son as part of a last-minute plea deal between prosecutors and her defense attorneys.

The case of Miranda Rabago, 29, gained international attention in 2017 when the Journal reported that after Rabago was arrested, investigators found photos of the boy on her cellphone that showed fake tattoos on his face and the words thug life written across his stomach.

There were others photos in which the boy, Ares Baroz, who was known as AB, appeared to be asleep or unconscious on the floor.

Rabago was originally charged by a grand jury with two counts of abuse of a child, including a count of abuse resulting in death. The boy had a skull fracture and other injuries.

But prosecutors say she is no longer suspected of being responsible for the injuries that resulted in ABs death. Shes now accused of knowing he was hurt and not tending to him.

Prosecuting attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis told district Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer in court Thursday that the parties had agreed to a stipulated amended indictment to which Rabago would plead guilty to five counts of child abuse  one count for each documented injury the boy sustained. Rabago, who had been on house arrest, was taken into custody after the hearing.

Carmack-Altweis referred questions about who is suspected of rendering the injuries that lead to the boys death to a spokesman for the District Attorneys Office.

The Grand Jury did not find probable cause that she intentionally hurt AB, spokesman James Hallinan said. The trial theory was negligently permitted and her complacency in failing to protect. At arrest, police thought she killed the baby because defendant said she was the only one home. That is not how evidence played out. It would be inappropriate to comment any further.

Carmack-Altweis said that under the agreement Rabago faces a maximum prison sentence 15 years. She said the two sides agreed that Rabago would serve a minimum of six years in prison and nine years of probation. District Attorney Marco Serna said his office will be seeking the maximum 15 years behind bars. Under the original charges, Rabago would have faced up to 21 years in prison.

Sentencing will take place this summer. Judge Marlowe Sommer said Rabago would first undergo a 60-day diagnostic evaluation.

According to police reports, Rabago took her young child to the hospital in Santa Fe on the evening of Nov. 21, 2016, after he became unresponsive. The boy was transferred to the University of New Mexico Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The boy was found to have a skull fracture and had black brain from prior shaking. He also had several broken bones.
There is nothing patriotic about holding toddlers at gunpoint. Its hard to believe that this even needs to be said. But thats exactly what an armed group of vigilantes calling themselves the United Constitutional Patriots  has been doing along the southern border of New Mexico for the past several months. This group, which until recently was squatting on a remote parcel of railroad-owned land near Sunland Park, filming themselves detaining groups of migrants, mostly families with young children, and holding them until Border Patrol arrived on the scene.

The self-shot footage is disturbing. The UCP members are clad in military-style camouflage, wear masks concealing their identities, and many are armed with AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles with high-capacity magazines. The families are huddled together in the darkness, ordered to sit or kneel in the desert sand under implied threat of violence. In one of the clips  a UCP vigilante trains his flashlight on a pair of migrant men sleeping on the ground and muses, The only problem is if we shoot on the hill it will be an international crisis.  It would save some time though, wouldnt it?

This kind of vigilantism is not only a disgusting display of xenophobia, its a tragedy waiting to happen. Its easy to see how quickly the situation could devolve into a bloodbath. Should one of these untrained and heavily armed extremists perceive a threat  maybe in the darkness they mistake a cellphone in a migrants hand for a gun  and open fire into the densely packed crowd, how many innocent lives might be lost?

One of the most disturbing aspects of UCPs illegal detention of migrants on the border is that they appear to have been operating with the full knowledge and tacit approval of U.S. Border Patrol. Indeed, every indication appears to show that U.S. Border Patrol agents actively coordinated with the groups illegal activities.

Though the FBI recently arrested the groups leader, Larry Mitchell Hopkins, on unrelated firearms charges after the ACLU of New Mexico wrote a letter demanding investigation of the groups activities, little else appears to have been done aside from local police evicting the group from railroad property. Ample video evidence exists depicting UCP members unlawfully detaining families at gunpoint and impersonating federal law enforcement officers by self-identifying to groups of migrants as policia or U.S. Border Patrol. Yet, U.S. Border Patrol has so far responded with little more than a shrug, and the U.S. Attorneys Office has provided little indication it intends to take action beyond Hopkins arrest.

We cannot tolerate this kind of lawless thuggery in our state. Just as we would never stand for a private citizen pulling over another driver at gunpoint for speeding, we cannot allow armed bands of civilians to enforce our federal immigration laws. Indeed, vigilantism is responsible for some of the darkest and most evil deeds in our history. One need to look no further than the KKK lynch mobs, the torching of Chinese neighborhoods in LA, and Native American massacres to understand where tolerance of vigilantism leads.

While we do not contest the right of groups like UCP to conduct legal activities on public lands, the unauthorized detention of migrants cannot continue. The ACLU of New Mexico joins Sens. (Tom) Udall and (Martin) Heinrich in demanding authorities take this threat seriously and investigate potential illegal activities committed by UCP in order to prevent this kind of dangerous and lawless behavior from continuing on our border. The enforcement of federal immigration law belongs solely in the hands of trained law enforcement professionals  not armed vigilantes.
The Middle Rio Grande Valley has enjoyed moisture over the last few weeks. However, although it appears that rain, water and hopefully snow will be in abundance, the fact of the matter is we remain in a critical drought. The issues facing us in New Mexico did not happen overnight, and the solutions for creating a better environment are before us if we take common sense steps on our water issues.

As the N.M. state representative for District 11, I represent constituents of Bernalillo County. As we continue to experience drought conditions in New Mexico and the Southwest, I am committed to working with my counterparts to foster water solutions that will positively impact our economies and communities.

As a member of the New Mexico House Appropriations, Taxation and Revenue and Rules and Business committees, I understand the importance of long-term strategies and conservation efforts that are needed to ensure that our beautiful state and communities thrive. In the summer of 2018, Middle Rio Grande municipalities and entities agreed to water releases to maintain healthy rivers:

 Belen released 97 million gallons of water.

 Bernalillo and Los Lunas collectively agreed to release 65 million gallons.

 The Club at Las Campanas released 97 million gallons from the Jicarilla Apache Nation to save critical areas along the Rio Grande;

 Audubon New Mexico initiated the release of 324 million gallons of water into a 34-mile drying stretch of the Middle Rio Grande, augmenting vital streamflow needed to sustain century old cottonwoods, wetlands, birds and wildlife in stretches of the river that are experiencing severe drying due to drought conditions.

This was a great collaborative short-term effort; however, a diversified and long-term strategy needs to be developed.

Albuquerque, Santa Fe and the Middle Rio Grande are blessed to be directly connected to the two great river systems of the Southwest: the Rio Grande and the Colorado River. When water is in the headlines, I pay attention as the Supreme Court will decide if New Mexico farmers near the Rio Grande can pump groundwater to irrigate or if we have to send the water downstream for Texas. Colorado and New Mexico snow packs were below 50% of normal last year, and long-term projections are signaling continued droughts in the Southwest which will affect water levels in the San Juan and Chama  in already drought-stressed Rio Grande and Colorado River systems.

New Mexicans are not isolated in the challenges we face with water shortages. In the Southwest, our water resources are determined by a complex set of agreements, water sharing and laws. We must collaborate on water while doing all we can here at home to make every drop count. This is especially true in the middle Rio Grande corridor, since we depend on water for our businesses, our farms and our livelihoods.

New Mexico is truly blessed to be home to a diverse community with our tribal nations and acequia systems that have existed for hundreds of years through water-sharing and conservation in times of drought and water shortages. We can learn from this communal approach to water management, and we must work together to build a secure water future.

I am committed to working with my counterparts in New Mexico, tribal and acequia communities and our neighbors in the Southwest to enact policies that ensure a healthy balance between building a strong economy and serving our community needs for generations to come.
WASHINGTON  At a time when America is facing a potential military confrontation with Iran, an escalating trade war with China and a showdown with North Korea, youd think President Donald Trump would want a permanent secretary of defense to oversee Pentagon plans.

But Patrick Shanahan is still cooling his heels as acting secretary, awaiting a formal nomination that was expected nearly two weeks ago, after Shanahan was cleared in a conflict-of-interest probe. The nomination sits and waits, and some prominent Trump supporters who back Shanahan are beginning to voice concerns.

Newt Gingrich, former House speaker and a Trump confidant, told me Tuesday he thinks Shanahan would be a very good defense secretary and added: I hope the president will nominate Shanahan as quickly as possible. It will strengthen Shanahans hand in reforming the Pentagon bureaucracy.

Jack Keane, a Trump adviser and retired Army general who could probably have had the Pentagon job himself if hed wanted it, says hes also mystified by the delay. Asked if Shanahan should be nominated, Keane said, I definitely think so, because it would boost his standing in dealing with allies and potential adversaries.

Keane explained: In my discussions with (Shanahan), Im convinced he understands the issues and is seized with the urgency to reform the department.

Gingrich offered a similar assessment of Shanahan as a potential change agent: Shanahan has a clear vision of the technology investments needed to maintain superiority over the Chinese military and the management experience with big systems to turn that vision into reality.

So why, at a time when Shanahan is gaining GOP support after a somewhat tepid initial reaction, is the president waiting? As with so many aspects of Trumps behavior, its a mystery. Maybe he thinks the optics arent right, given that Shanahan was a former top executive at Boeing, a company thats now mired in controversy over the 737 Max. Perhaps he wants a bigger name that will add luster to his administration.

Or maybe, as Trump has shown in his treatment of former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen and former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, the president just likes to keep people dangling in limbo, to the point of personal humiliation.

Whatever the reason, the White Houses reluctance to designate a permanent successor to Mattis is threatening to become a Trump moment, adding to speculation about uncertain presidential decision-making at a time when he has big national security problems accumulating in a wobbly stack that includes Iran, China and North Korea  not to mention Russia, Venezuela, Turkey and Syria.

Shanahans priorities, should he be nominated and confirmed, seem clear. The former Boeing production engineer wants to consolidate and modernize a Pentagon bureaucracy thats notoriously stove-piped and resistant to change. In setting his tentative agenda, he has worked closely with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the widely respected chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The approach Dunford and Shanahan have discussed would seek to better coordinate the geographical nodes, known as combatant commands, that now dominate resources and planning. Rather than segmenting the world through these regional commands, the aim would be to focus more top-level attention on China and Russia, the global strategic priorities. Shanahan wants senior leaders to devote at least 10% of their time collectively to China and 10% to Russia.

Dunford described the global planning effort in an interview April 25. Without explicitly endorsing Shanahan, he said his management experience would be a plus in reforming past practices at the Pentagon. The only way you can drive a cultural change in the Pentagon is if the secretary of defense makes it a priority. Shanahan came in without any baggage about how we used to do things.  As a business executive, hes interested in outcomes.

Shanahan faced considerable skepticism when he was named acting secretary last December. Critics worried he lacked Mattis military experience and personal stature  and a willingness to push back against Trump, when necessary. Those questions persist, but Shanahan has won some converts among those, like Gingrich and Keane, who favor modernizing the Pentagons hide-bound systems and its preservation of legacy weapons.

Shanahans boosters argue he is a tough manager whos willing to knock heads and understands the technologies  from space systems to artificial intelligence to cloud computing  that will be central to any Pentagon transformation.

But after more than four months with a vacancy at the top of the Pentagon, the biggest argument in Shanahans favor is simply that America needs a defense secretary  now.

Twitter: @IgnatiusPost.  2019, Washington Post Writers Group.
Its clear the persistent and historically large backlog of cases gumming up the works in the New Mexico Court of Appeals has myriad complex and long-standing causes.

But if you are among the hundreds of New Mexicans with an appeal before the court, you dont care about the reason for the delay  you just want the courts learned opinion. Yesterday.

On one level we can all sympathize that it is difficult for an organization to perform at top productivity when:

 Theres been nonstop turnover, with 21 judges on the 10-judge panel in just the past four years.

 Five appellate judges had to mount political campaigns last year and so were assigned just one new case a month from September through November.

 Those five all left the court after the 2018 election: one won a seat on the Supreme Court, and the others lost their reelection bids. All their caseloads, including 32 opinions considered overdue, went to new judges who essentially started from scratch.

 Several judges retired between December 2015 and February 2018, and in their last months on the bench took no new cases so they could complete their remaining opinions.

But again, all that pales if your case is among the 108 awaiting an opinion or 286 ready to be submitted for a written opinion. You just want the court to hurry up and do its job. And the New Mexico Supreme Court and Legislature have now issued a series of nudges in that direction.

In December and again in April, the high court noted each of the 10 Court of Appeals judges needs to write at least four opinions a month to reduce the backlog. Only Judge Linda Vanzi has been hitting/exceeding that workload regularly. Both orders include language that all Court of Appeals judges shall devote as much time as is necessary to meet the case processing deadlines and requirements in this order, which shall include working evenings, weekends and holidays.

To help with the backlog, last year lawmakers increased funding to increase the number of law clerks for each judge, and they added a bit of insurance that productivity would increase. The Legislative Finance Committee will start issuing Appeals Court report cards starting in July.

The bottom line is these are important cases that impact the public. The functionality of our judicial system relies on a solid appeals system that offers parties the opportunity to ensure justice is done. Regardless of how the backlog arose, the court is on notice it needs to buckle down and reduce it. That July report card is just weeks away.

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.
The head of one of New Mexicos most powerful statewide offices is raising concerns about the lack of an environmental review as the U.S. government prepares to replace fencing along the Mexican border in two counties.

State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard delivered her comments to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials Wednesday as Democratic members of New Mexicos congressional delegation pushed for a public comment period on the plan to be extended.

Erecting taller barriers along the border is one of the hot-button issues fueling the contentious debate over how the United States should boost border security and overhaul its troubled immigration system.

Congress for years has struggled to pass any comprehensive reform.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in April issued waivers to environmental laws to clear the way for border wall work in New Mexico and Arizona.

California and environmental groups tried to block similar work near San Diego and Calexico, but a federal appeals court ruled in February that the Trump administration did not exceed its powers by waiving environmental rules to speed construction.

As part of President Donald Trumps plan, the government is preparing to replace existing waist-high vehicle barriers with metal bollards along 31 miles of the border in Luna County. Another 15 miles of taller fencing is planned in Dona Ana County.

Garcia Richard, a Democrat, said her agency hasnt received any inquiries from federal officials regarding rights of way permits or easements that would be required for accessing state trust lands adjacent to proposed construction areas.

Saying the Trump administration is obsessed with the idea of a border wall, Garcia Richard suggested that gathering public comment was only symbolic and that little information has been released about how the construction will proceed.

We cannot know the exact impact that this proposal would have on state trust land, she wrote. This border project does not come close to meeting even the lowest bar for sustainable land management.

The State Land Office said that some of the areas where the work is planned are about 60 feet from state trust land, and that extensive digging, trenching and truck traffic are likely. Officials are concerned about air quality as well as damage to surrounding soil and vegetation.

The agency also contends that although Customs and Border Protection has agreed to be responsible for environmental planning around the project, theres no publicly available documentation that federal officials have engaged in environmental planning.
DENVER  Colorados governor says he has received support from President Donald Trump for a state plan to lower prescription costs by importing drugs from Canada.

The Colorado Sun reports that Democratic Gov. Jared Polis spoke with Trump by phone Wednesday and received the presidents backing for a drug importation bill.

Trumps support may remove uncertainty about a plan state lawmakers hope can cut prices by as much as 50% for certain drugs in the program, which will ultimately require federal approval.

The state continues to put together details including a list of eligible drugs.

A Democratic lawmaker who sponsored the bill says gaining Trumps backing is half the battle.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has criticized the idea that importing drugs from Canada can lower prices in America.

___

Information from: The Colorado Sun, http://coloradosun.com
BEIRUT  After eight months of relative calm, Syrias northwestern province of Idlib is once again a theater for bloody military operations: heavy bombardment, airstrikes and waves of civilian displacement as Syrian government troops, backed by Russia, push their way into the rebel-held enclave in a widening offensive.

The violence of the past week threatens to completely unravel a crumbling cease-fire agreement reached between Turkey and Russia at the Black Sea resort of Sochi in September last year, which averted a potentially devastating assault by the Syrian government to retake the province.

There are no good options when it comes to Idlib, an analysis by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group concluded in March, explaining why the province has oscillated between stagnation and bursts of bloodshed for years.

The area is among the last in the war-shattered country outside President Bashar Assads control  and the last area still held by rebels. Confident in the support from Russia, Assad has pledged to recover the province and every other inch of Syrian territory lost during the war.

Heres a look at the rebellious region, and the fighting taking place:

WHY IS IDLIB IMPORTANT?

For Assad, Idlib stands in the way of final victory against the armed opposition. After eight years of war, he has largely quashed the popular revolt that erupted against his familys decades-long rule in 2011, which was inspired by the Arab Spring protests that swept the region that year.

On the Syria conflict map, Idlib province in the countrys northwestern corner bordering Turkey forms a green-colored, rebel-controlled region surrounded mostly by a sea of red, code for Syrian government control. Recapturing it would constitute a definitive defeat for opposition forces that once controlled half the country and threatened Assads seat of power in Damascus.

Russia and Iran, key international allies of Assad, want him to complete the victory. But while recapturing Idlib or even just regaining control of key highways around it has major economic benefits, a protracted, bloody battle will be costly in terms of soldiers lives, rekindling criticism over deaths just as his government may be starting to come in from the cold.

And the area is not just important for Assad. Idlib sits across the border from Turkey, which has long extended political and logistical support to the rebels fighting to topple Assad. Turkey also maintains about a dozen military observation posts around Idlib and has carried out patrols around the area.

Turkey, which already hosts 3 million Syrian refugees, fears a spillover of refugees across the border into its territories in case of an all-out assault.

___

WHY IS THERE FIGHTING AGAIN NOW?

The truce reached in September by Turkey and Russia has been fraying, with violations taking place on an almost daily basis in recent weeks. Parts of the agreement have yet to be implemented, including the withdrawal of al-Qaida-linked militants from the front lines, which Turkey was supposed to facilitate.

Two major highways that cut through rebel-held areas were also supposed to be reopened before the end of 2018 but remain closed.

A large government military buildup and advances on key villages in nearby areas suggests an assault is already underway.

But the current government offensive is likely to be limited in scope for now, aimed at regaining government control over the strategic M4 and M5 highways to open the way between the Mediterranean city of Latakia, a government stronghold which houses a huge Russian air base, Hama further to the north and the city of Aleppo.

Fighting currently is concentrated in towns and villages in northern Hama and parts of southern Idlib, where the government has captured several villages.

Russia and the Syrian army say they are responding to stepped-up attacks by al-Qaida linked militants on government-held areas. One such attack in April in Aleppo province killed 22 soldiers and pro-government gunmen. The rebels say Russia and the government are using military pressure after failed negotiations to secure access to the highway and protect the coastal area, where Russia has its air and naval base.

___

WHOS IN IDLIB?

Idlib is the oppositions last refuge. Its prewar population of 1.5 million has swelled to around 3 million after it was designated a de-escalation zone under an agreement between Turkey, Russia and Iran in May 2017. Tens of thousands of Syrians trapped in other parts of the country were evacuated there under various cease-fire agreements.

Now they have nowhere left to turn, after other opposition pockets have collapsed, and Turkey is building a wall along its borders, sealing them to new refugees.

It is estimated that there are tens of thousands of rebel fighters and jihadis in Idlib, the most dominant of these groups being Hayat Tahrir al-Sham  the latest iteration of al-Qaidas former affiliate known as Jabhat al-Nusra. Other factions have coalesced under the umbrella of the National Front for Liberation, and include Islamists, army defectors and some of the early armed opposition formations. Earlier this year, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized control of most of the enclave after clashing with other rebel groups.

In 2017, the U.S. envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State, Brett McGurk, described Idlib as the largest al-Qaida safe haven since 9/11.

___

THE BLOODIEST CHAPTER YET?

A full-blown military offensive to recapture Idlib is expected to bring some of the most brutal and bloody fighting to date in Syrias civil war, which has killed close to half a million people and displaced millions of others.

The mix of cornered, hard-core militants who will likely fight till the end with hundreds of thousands of trapped civilians is potentially disastrous, aid organizations warn.

As bad as Idlibs status quo is, all military solutions would be worse, the International Crisis Group report said. There is no obvious way to neutralize Idlibs jihadis without a terrible human toll.

The head of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, warned Thursday that an all-out conflict in Idlib could generate an unimaginable human rights and humanitarian catastrophe.

According to the U.N., airstrikes and shelling caused at least 80 civilian fatalities an over 300 injuries over a period of 10 days, starting April 28, while over 150,000 were displaced within the enclave to safer areas.

It also said shelling, airstrikes and active fighting in and around some 50 villages caused destruction of at least 10 schools. At least 12 health facilities were hit by airstrikes. The World Food Program suspended food distribution to 47,500 people inside Idlib due to the insecurity.

The U.N. and aid workers warn that up to 800,000 people are in danger of renewed displacement.

With Turkey closing its borders to new refugees, it is unclear where civilians would go.
PARIS  France welcomed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Paris on Friday with the threat of sweeping new regulations against his social media behemoth  and Zuckerberg himself called that proposal a good thing.

With his company under fire on multiple fronts, Zuckerberg came to France to show that Facebook is working hard to limit violent extremism and hate speech shared online.

But a group of French regulators and experts who spent weeks inside Facebook facilities in Paris, Dublin and Barcelona as part of a pilot cooperation project say the company still isnt working hard enough on that front and governments need to step in.

Zuckerbergs visit came amid concerns about hate speech and disinformation around this months May 23-26 European Parliament elections, which are taking place in all of the European Unions 28 nations.

Just before Zuckerberg met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, the 10 officials released a report calling for laws allowing the French government to investigate and fine social networks that dont take responsibility for the content that makes them money.

The regulators recommended legally requiring a duty of care for big social networks, meaning they should moderate hate speech published on their platforms. The regulators say any new law should respect freedom of expression, but did not explain how Facebook should balance those responsibilities in practice.

To an average user, the problem seems intractable. Mass shootings are being live-streamed and online mobs are spreading rumors that lead to deadly violence. Facebook is even inadvertently creating celebratory videos using extremist content and auto-generating business pages for the likes of Islamic State militants and al-Qaida.

The French government wants the legislation to serve as a model for a Europe-wide management of social networks  and Zuckerberg does, too.

We can make progress on enforcing the rules, but at some level the question of what speech should be acceptable and what is harmful needs to be defined by regulation, by thoughtful governments that have a robust democratic process, Zuckerberg told reporters after meeting with Macron at the Elysee presidential palace.

The ideas about better regulation stemmed from a pilot project between Facebook and France, and Zuckerberg said hes encouraged and optimistic about the result.

He said Frances proposals are preferable to the mass control in authoritarian countries.

Other Facebook executives also praised the French ideas as better for companies like Facebook than tougher legislation in countries like Germany and Australia. Germany introduced a law in 2017 requiring social media companies to censor extremist content such as hate speech or face big fines while Australia passed legislation in April that could result in social media executives being imprisoned if they dont quickly remove violent content.

The French proposals still lacked crucial details and need to go through a legislative process.

Its going to be hard for us, there are going to be things in there we disagree with, thats natural, Zuckerberg said. But in order for people to trust the internet overall and over time, there needs to be the right regulation put in place.

The French officials praised Facebook for hiring more people and using artificial intelligence to track down and crack down on dangerous content. But they said Facebook didnt provide the French officials enough information about its algorithms to judge whether they were working, and that a lack of transparency  justifies an intervention of public authorities.

The regulators acknowledged that their research didnt address violent content shared on private chat groups or encrypted apps, or on groups like 4chan or 8chan, where criminals, extremists and those concerned about privacy are increasingly turning to communicate.

Facebook said Zuckerberg was in France as part of meetings around Europe to discuss future regulation of the internet.

Next week, the leaders of France and New Zealand will meet tech leaders in Paris for a summit seeking to ban acts of violent extremism and terrorism from being shown online.

Facebook has faced multiple challenges over privacy and security lapses and accusations of endangering democracy  and it came under criticism this week from its own co-founder, Chris Hughes.

Hughes said in a New York Times opinion piece that its time to break up Facebook. He says Zuckerberg has turned the social media giant into an innovation-suffocating monopoly and lamented the companys slow response to Russian agents, violent rhetoric and fake news.

___

Kelvin Chan in London contributed.
TRENTON, N.J.  A New Jersey man who defrauded Medicare by using the promise of ice cream to lure senior citizens into genetic testing was sentenced Friday to more than four years in prison.

Seth Rehfuss had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Judge Ann Thompson also ordered Rehfuss to pay restitution of about $435,000 and forfeit more than $66,000.

Prosecutors alleged the 44-year-old Somerset resident and others used a nonprofit, The Good Samaritans of America, to gain access to senior housing complexes where they would persuade residents to submit to genetic tests.

Rehfuss would advertise he was serving free ice cream to lure residents to the presentations, according to a criminal complaint. The seniors were told the tests would help them guard against heart attacks, cancer and other illnesses.

Rehfuss and his co-conspirators paid health care providers to authorize the tests even though the providers hadnt examined the patients. Prosecutors alleged they found the providers by placing ads on Craigslist.

The group allegedly defrauded Medicare out of $430,000 and made more than $100,000 in commissions from laboratories.

Forty-seven-year-old Sheila Kahl, of Ocean County, New Jersey, and 39-year-old Kenneth Johnson of Lorton, Virginia, also have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced this month.

According to the U.S. attorneys office, the group had planned to expand the scheme to other states.
Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

Former New Mexico Corrections Secretary Gregg Marcantel sat in an Albuquerque courtroom Friday as the man who was instrumental in the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico prison gang conspiracy to kill him in late 2015 was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for the crime.

Christopher Garcia, 43, was among the first of the key defendants in the foiled murder plot to be sentenced as part of the massive FBI-led prosecution of more than 100 SNM members and associates on charges of engaging in violent crime in aid of racketeering and other crimes.

Marcantel, seated in the audience, made no public statement before sentencing.

Good luck. You stay safe, U.S. District Judge James O. Browning said to Garcia, who pleaded guilty in 2018 to supplying a prospective SNM hit man with the firearm in November 2015 to be used in the mission to kill Marcantel.

Court records show that Garcia also admitted directing another SNM member to give the Marcantel hit man, Mandel Parker, a lethal dose of heroin after the murder and leave the murder weapon with Parkers body. Parker, whom Garcia didnt trust, was sentenced earlier this week to three years in prison for racketeering conspiracy.

Garcia, an SNM member described as a career offender, was on the streets of Albuquerque at the time the hit was planned by incarcerated SNM leaders.

Browning said he hoped Garcia would receive some needed education and training and care to try to help him with some of the problems hes had in life, including heroin use.

The judge said he also hoped that if Garcia lives into his senior years, he will be able to successfully move back into society once released from federal prison.

The FBI learned of the planned hit on Marcantel and another top New Mexico corrections official in early 2015, foiled the murder plot, and spent months with other law enforcement agencies investigating the criminal activity of the prison gang, which formed in 1980. SNM relies on members outside prison walls to help with narcotics trafficking and other crimes, as well as to recruit and influence non-gang members.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Atonement, helped solve at least seven cold-case murders, including the 2012 slaying of Adrian Burns, who was shot, bound and set on fire outside his girlfriends car in Valencia County.

On Friday, one of the two defendants convicted in the Burns murder, Andrew Smiley Gallegos, was sentenced to mandatory life in prison after his attorney asked for a 15-year sentence.

After Garcias sentencing, Marcantel in a Journal interview expressed gratitude to the federal government who put in some very hard work to not only make sure SNM was held accountable, but to reduce SNMs influence to nothing in the prison system.

This mitigates not only the influence of SNM but remarkably impacts the safety and security of our families and neighborhoods in New Mexico.

Marcantel, who resigned as corrections secretary in 2016, added, Its important that we understand that what happens in our prisons matters for our neighborhoods just as what happens in our neighborhoods impacts our prisons.
PHOENIX  A Tucson woman accused of supplying the powerful fentanyl pills that caused three people to overdose at a Halloween party last year, including a 19-year-old man who died, has been indicted on federal charges, the DEA said Friday.

Jocelyn Lopez-Sanchez, 22, was indicted on May 1 by a federal grand jury and turned herself in to U.S. officials on Wednesday, said Doug Coleman, Drug Enforcement Administration Phoenix division special agent in charge.

Coleman said her indictment is part of a push by the DEA to prosecute street dealers whose distribution of drugs results in death.

Michael John Martinez Areinoff of the Federal Public Defenders Office in Tucson, who has been assigned the case, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The man who died was Aaron Francisco Chavez, who swallowed at least one of the sky blue pills smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico that were distributed at a Halloween party in Tucson last year. Nicknamed Mexican oxy, the bills are part of a profitable new business for the Sinaloa cartel that has made the synthetic opioid responsible for the most fatal overdoses in the U.S.

Officials say the death of Chavez and many others illustrate how Arizona and other states bordering Mexico have become a hot spot in the nations fentanyl crisis. Fentanyl deaths tripled in Arizona from 2015 through 2017.

The DEA did not identify Chavez, but his identity is known through earlier reporting by The Associated Press on the crisis involving fentanyl pills that are designed to look like prescription medicine. At the time of his death, Tucson police investigators said they believed that people at the party thought they were taking oxycodone, a much less powerful opioid.

Lopez-Sanchez was initially arrested on state charges in connection with the Nov. 1 overdoses.

The federal charge of supplying drugs resulting in the death of an individual carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life behind bars. Lopez-Sanchez also faces two counts related to the alleged importation of fentanyl from Mexico.

Stamped with M on one side and 30 on the other to make them look like legitimate oxycodone, the pills started showing up in Arizona in recent years as the Sinaloa cartels newest drug product.

The fentanyl that killed Chavez was among 1,000 pills sneaked through the border crossing last year in Nogales, Arizona, by a woman who was paid $200 to tote them and gave two to Chavez at the party, according to court documents. Its unknown if he took one or both.

___

Follow Anita Snow: https://twitter.com/asnowreports
PARKER, Ariz.  U.S. immigration officials say a man from India died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Arizona.

ICE officials say 21-year-old Simratpal Singh was found unresponsive and not breathing at the La Paz County Jail near the California border last week.

Singh was airlifted to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was order to determine the cause of death.

Officials say Singh was transferred into ICE custody after he posted bond on charges of assault and sexual assault.

The La Paz County Sheriffs Office has asked the Mohave County Sheriff Department to conduct an investigation.

The agency says five people have died in its custody since last October.

A Mexican man who was showing flu symptom died in ICE custody in Arizona early last month.
SANTA FE, N.M.  Billionaire Richard Branson is moving Virgin Galactics winged passenger rocket and more than 100 employees from California to a remote commercial launch and landing facility in southern New Mexico, bringing his space-tourism dream a step closer to reality.

Branson said Friday at a news conference that Virgin Galactics development and testing program has advanced enough to make the move to the custom-tailored hangar and runway at the taxpayer-financed Spaceport America facility near the town of Truth or Consequences.

Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides said a small number of flight tests are pending. He declined to set a specific deadline for the first commercial flight.

An interior cabin for the companys space rocket is being tested, and pilots and engineers are among the employees relocating from California to New Mexico. The move to New Mexico puts the company in the home stretch, Whitesides said.

The manufacturing of the space vehicles by a sister enterprise, The Spaceship Company, will remain based in the community of Mojave, California.

Taxpayers invested over $200 million in Spaceport America after Branson and then-Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, pitched the plan for the facility, with Virgin Galactic as the anchor tenant.

Virgin Galactics spaceship development has taken far longer than expected and had a major setback when the companys first experimental craft broke apart during a 2014 test flight, killing the co-pilot.

Branson thanked New Mexico politicians and residents for their patience over the past decade. He said he believes space tourism  once aloft  is likely to bring about profound change.

Our future success as a species rests on the planetary perspective, Branson said. The perspective that we know comes sharply into focus when that planet is viewed from the black sky of space.

Branson described a vision of hotels in space and a network of spaceports allowing supersonic, transcontinental travel anywhere on earth within a few hours. He indicated, however, that building financial viability comes first.

We need the financial impetus to be able to do all that, he said. If the space program is successful as I think  then the sky is the limit.

In February, a new version of Virgin Galactics winged craft SpaceShipTwo soared at three times the speed of sound to an altitude of nearly 56 miles (99 kilometers) in a test flight over Southern California, as a crew member soaked in the experience.

On Friday, that crew member, Beth Moses, recounted her voyage into weightlessness and the visual spectacle of pitch-black space and the earth below.

Everything is silent and still and you can unstrap and float about the cabin, she said. Pictures do not do the view from space justice.  I will be able to see it forever.

The companys current spaceship doesnt launch from the ground. It is carried under a special plane to an altitude of about 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) before detaching and igniting its rocket engine.

Release is like freefall at an amusement park, except it keeps going, Moses said. And then the rocket motor lights. Before you know it, youre supersonic.

The craft coasts to the top of its climb before gradually descending to earth, stabilized by feathering technology in which twin tails rotate upward to increase drag on the way to a runway landing.

Branson previously has said he would like to make his first suborbital flight this year as one of the ventures first passengers on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20. But he made no mention of timelines on Friday.

Pressed on the timeframe, Whitesides said he anticipates the first commercial flight within a year.

Three people with future space-flight reservations were in the audience.

Theyve been patient too, Branson said. Space is hard.

Hundreds of potential customers have committed as much as $250,000 up front for rides in Virgins six-passenger rocket, which is about the size of an executive jet.

Space tourism has not been a complete novelty since millionaire U.S. engineer Dennis Tito in 2001 paid $20 million to join a Russian space mission to the International Space Station. Bransons goal has been to democratize space by opening travel up to more and more people.

The endeavor began in 2004 when Branson announced the founding of Virgin Galactic in the heady days after the flights of SpaceShipOne, the first privately financed manned spacecraft that made three flights into space.

Space sector analyst Adam Jonas, a managing director of equity research at Morgan Stanley, said Bransons venture could have an outsized impact in the age of social media on how the public visualizes space as a domain for scientific and commercial exploration.

You bring them back to earth and they explain what they saw  thats a story, put through the velocity of social media, people want to hear, he said. Sometimes you need some distance to gain a perspective, seeing the earth from space, seeing how thin that layer of atmosphere is that protects us.

Bransons plans have gradually advanced amid a broader surge in private investment in space technology with cost-saving innovations in reusable rockets and microsatellite technology.

Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos announced Thursday that his space company Blue Origin will send a robotic spaceship to the moon with aspirations for another ship that could bring people there along the same timeframe as NASAs proposed 2024 return. Bezos has provided no details about launch dates.
GRASS VALLEY, Calif.- A bizarre conspiracy involving former FBI Director James Comey caused officials at a Grass Valley school to cancel its upcoming fundraiser.

The tweet in question, posted by Comey on April 27, is part of a popular Twitter game with the hashtag #FiveJobsIveHad.

An alt-right conspiracy group called Q-Anon isolated random letters in the tweet and put them together, spelling the acronym G.V.C.S.F.

They claimed that those letters referenced the Grass Valley Charter School Foundation, the group that oversees the school.

The group also circled the letters "Five" and the letters "J" "I" and the word"Had," claiming that they added up to the phrase Five Jihad.

Q-Anon then arrived at the conclusion that a terrorist attack would happen at the Charter Schools Blue Marble Jubilee fundraiser, happening this Saturday.

The group innundated the school with emails warning of the attack.

Foundation President Wendy Willoughby said that the threats were horrible:

It was everything from Comey and his people were going to come and kidnap our children to there was going to be a mass shooting.

Out of an abundance of caution, organizers canceled the event.

The jubilee normally raises $25,000 for the school.

Law enforcement said that no credible threat was made.
CALIFORNIA - Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed a $213.5 billion state government spending plan with efforts to boost spending on homelessness, wildfire prevention and K-12 education.

The revised plan is up $4.5 billion from his first spending plan released in January.

Newsom's new plan includes a $21.5 billion surplus that is unchanged from January but remains the largest surplus in at least 20 years.

The proposal now goes to state lawmakers, who must pass a budget by June 15 or lose pay.

Newsom also added $40 million to deal with wildfires and natural disasters.

See a full breakdown of the proposed spending below.
BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - On Thursday morning, Action News Now saw the suspect in the murder case of Greta Putnam break down sobbing in the Butte County courtroom.

42-year-old Brian Scott Madding in Oroville was arrested by local police on May 2 while sleeping on the grass in front of an Ampla Health.

Investigators said the evidence pointed to Madding as the murder suspect. Greta Putnam was found on November 8th, her family said, stabbed to death inside of her Oroville mobile home. Investigators described the murder as 'brutal' and 'disturbing'.

Action News Now spoke to Putnam's grandson, Donnie Rhodes shortly after Madding made his court appearance. Rhodes said he was still processing his feelings.

"It's kind of hard to explain. Bittersweet...now we have a face to look at, now we have this other set of emotions."

At Thursday's hearing, the defense requested more time before issuing a plea.

Madding is expected to be back in court for arraignment on June 6. Meanwhile, his defense team will be reviewing the evidence.

For more of our continuing coverage on the case of Greta Putnam, click here.
OROVILLE, Calif. - The man charged in the murder of an Oroville grandmother appeared before a judge in court Thursday morning.

Brian Madding was emotional and cried in the courtroom.

He's accused of killing 86-year-old Greta Putnam in her home at the Cottonwood Estates Mobile Home Park.

Her body was found the morning of Nov. 8.

Madding was arrested last week, but his attorney did not enter a plea on Thursday, saying he needed more time to review the evidence.

The case was continued to June 6.
Chico mayor calls special council meeting to discuss housing bill

Chico Mayor Randall Stone has called a special city council meeting on a controversial bill for Camp Fire survivors. That meeting will be held at the Chico City Council chambers at 3 p.m. on Friday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes revised state budget

Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing a new $213 billion state budget. It contains grants to help address homelessness and wildfire recovery. State lawmakers will now review the numbers. They have until June 15 to pass the budget.

Authorities investigating suspected threat list at Chico Junior High School

An investigation is underway after a suspected threatening list surfaced at Chico Junior High School. School officials said they have notified both police and the school district. The school's principal said two students created the list to scare their friends and did not realize the list would be taken this seriously.

Conspiracy theory shuts down Grass Valley Charter School fundraiser

A bizarre conspiracy theory forced the cancellation of a fundraiser for a Grass Valley Charter School. The school received emails from a conspiracy group called QAnon that claimed a tweet from former FBI Director James Comey contained a terrorist threat against the school. Organizers canceled the event out of an abundance of caution.

U.S. raises tariffs on Chinese goods

The U.S. has raised tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. The taxes on imports into the U.S. rose dramatically today from 10-25%. China is expected to retaliate with tariffs of its own on U.S. products.

North Korea fires off short-range missiles

For the second time in less than a week, North Korea fired off short-range missiles. They are the first launched by the communist nation in more than a year and may be due to growing frustration over negotiations with the U.S. However, officials said they do not represent a new threat.
Three well-known food personalities, on a mission to collect exotic ingredients for a super-lavish feast, are all set for a fun road trip. Join British superstar Gordon Ramsay, Italian celebrity chef Gino D'A campo and French Maitre d'hotel Fred Sirieix as they take a road trip to their cherished homelands in Godron, Gino & Freds Road Trip premiering on FYI TV18 on Saturday 11th May, 10 PM.

The trio of restaurateurs pack up their camper van and head off on a European adventure, driving around southern Italy, before moving on to France and Scotland. Viewers will see them on a supposed mission, which is to collect ingredients for a friends celebratory meal, but one suspects its all just a ploy for the three to lark around.

With three big egos and one small van  you can expect lots of laughter and sharp banter. Each of them has a special occasion to prepare for as, over three weeks, they travel across Europe to cook for the other two. The group will compete to find the best ingredients from some of the most stunning locations, in order to prep the meals.

Kicking off in Italy as Ramsay and Sirieix join forces to help DAcampo put on a sumptuous feast for a unique wedding blessing on the beach, followed by France where they help deliver the first oyster festival. The Scottish leg of the journey will see them taking part in some highland fun and games.

But will this be a case of too many cooks? Find out as the series premieres this Saturday 11th May, 10 PM.

This is a food tour like never before, so this May get set to relish the chefs journey with Gordon, Gino & Freds Road Trip!

Tune-in to FYI TV18 for season 1 of Gordon, Gino & Freds Road Trip every Saturday at 10 PM
GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd., one of the prominent FMCG brands in Southern India has selected OMD Mudramax as their media agency-on-record (AOR).

Under this mandate, the agency will be responsible for the brands media strategy, planning, buying and execution for the Tamil Nadu market. The account will be led by Thulasi Krishnan, Senior Partner  Client Lead, OMD Mudramax and will be managed out of the agencys Bengaluru office.

Since its inception almost three decades back, GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd., has shown exceptional growth. From having humble beginnings as a ghee manufacturer, the brand has expanded to include ice cream, spices, instant mixes, packaged sweets & snacks in its product portfolio and has created a worldwide sales and distribution network. Their product- GRB Ghee is the brands front-runners and consumer preferred products.

The brands belief in delivering only high-quality products to the consumers has been the foundation of GRB's market success.

Quoting on the association, B. Dhanraj, Executive Director, GRB Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd., said, Being one of our key markets, Tamil Nadu is extremely important for us. What excited us was OMD Mudramaxs focused understanding of our consumers and the market in which we function. Their strategy on how different mediums can be leveraged effectively, to enhance our reach amongst our target consumers is on-point. We are confident the OMD Mudramax will be able to support us with our business objectives for this market.

Thulasi Krishnan mentioned GRB operates in a complex hyper active market with multiple competitors. This makes our work challenging and at the same time more interesting. We are truly excited to be given an opportunity to become a part of their growth story. We will deliver our best, as always.
Election time is the most critical time in the life of a democracy. In this significant happening, as India's pioneer in auto-clean chimneys Kutchina joins the election conversation with a powerful film. From introducing India's first auto-clean chimneys to developing a wide range of small appliances and RO water purifiers, the brand has now forayed into providing integrated and world-class kitchen solutions. It also deals in designer modular kitchens.

Thus as a brand with significant presence in the market, Kutchina now sends out a strong message to the Indian voters. Urging viewers to vote, it shows how cleaning the nation and cleaning a chimney are both easy, needful and can be done with just the press of a button. Conceptualised by Orcomm Advertising, the film takes viewers into a Kutchina kitchen where the protagonist shows how cleaning up the nation is as simple as pressing the auto-clean button.

Namit Bajoria, Director, Kutchina shares As a brand, Kutchinas best-in-class offerings have made it a household name over the past years. Thus at Kutchina, we consider it to be our foremost duty to motivate the citizens of this country to vote and participate in bringing a positive change. Our film urges and inspires viewers to use the incredible power that they have in their hands. Just go and press the button."

Kavita Sharma, CEO, Orcomm Advertising said, "Voting is not only our right; it is also our duty. In this film we have integrated this with Kutchina as a brand. The message is clear and clean - right to vote is our auto-clean button for our country. To clean our country, there is no easier way than casting our vote."

Client -Kutchina

Agency -Orcomm Advertising

Creative Head -Amit Koserwal

Director -Divyansh Ganjoo

DOP-Keyur Dakete

Producer -Mahima Sharma

Production house -Basta Films
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.
This general elections 2019, Radio City, Indias leading radio network, initiated MatKar, a voting awareness campaign in the national capital. Led by Radio City Delhis RJ Aadi and RJ Manav, the three-week long drive that kick-started on 22nd April 2019, urges Delhiites to cast their vote on 12th May 2019. The campaign reaches the kona kona of Delhi city with a catchy slogan, #MatKar - Kyunki tera matdan badlega Hindustan. Spanning across on-air, on-ground and digital, MatKar initiative has been supported by eminent personalities like Mr. Ranbir Singh, the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Satnam Singh, Special Chief Electoral Officer, first voter of the country Shri Shyam Sharan Negi, stand-up comedians like Gaurav Kapoor, Hasya Kavi Ashok Chakradhar, Arun Gemini amongst others.

As part of the MatKar campaign, Radio Citys RJ Aadi-Manav encourage Delhiites to exercise their right to vote and fulfill their responsibility. With the aim of increasing voter turnout and bringing about a positive change, the radio jockeys with Mr. Ranbir Singh, the Chief Electoral Officer and Mr. Satnam Singh, Special Chief Electoral Officer, educate Delhiites about the importance of voting. Invoking the spirit of national pride, Radio City team visited Kalpa and spoke to the 102-year old Shri Shyam Sharan Negi, the first voter of independent India, who has never missed an opportunity to cast his vote since 1951, to motivate Delhiites to follow in the footsteps of Negi.

Commenting on this campaign, Kartik Kalla, Chief Creative Officer, Radio City, said The previous general elections in Delhi witnessed a 67 percent voter turnout, suggesting we still have substantial ground to cover to take this figure close to an ideal statistic. Radio City has always believed in the power of radio and with this initiative, we believe radio will play a crucial role of being an influencer for the masses and a catalyst for change. We are confident the MatKar campaign will reinforce peoples belief in the importance of voting and help us increase the voter turnout.

To culminate the voting awareness campaign MatKar, Radio City Delhi, has organized a Harley Davidson Motorcycle rally from India Gate to Central Park on Friday, 10th May 2019, 5:00pm onwards, the rally will be flagged off by Mr. Kartik Kalla, Chief Creative Officer, Mr. Satnam Singh, Special Chief Electoral Officer Delhi, Mr. Charanjeet Singh, CEO, Delhi, Sveep and Radio Citys RJ Aadi and Manav. As a part of the event, the team would be giving a demo of the EVM and the latest VVPAT process, thereby informing the voters on the voting process.

Radio City has also created a special MatKar anthem to encourage Delhiites to exercise their constitutional right. Extending the campaign digitally, Radio City has created engaging videos on Radio Citys social media handles with prominent stand-up comedians like Gaurav Kapoor, Hasya Kavi Ashok Chakradhar, Arun Gemini and music bands like Astitva and Jashn amongst others, who in their own funny, quirky style urge the Dilliwale to vote.
Growing up on a coral island off Colombia's coast, Ivan Valencia became nature lover. Today Valencia is a freelance photographer based mainly in Bogota. He shoots for Bloomberg, The Associated Press and National Geographic, among other publications, but, notes The New York Times, he spends his free time documenting wildlife rescued from traffickers. Colombias rich wildlife has made it irresistible to illegal animal traffickers: The trade of protected animals is the country's third largest illegal industry after drugs and human smuggling.
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.
When Blake Davis jumped on a bus from Aiken to New York City with just $500 and a suitcase, more than one person thought he'd be back to his small Southern hometown before long.

"My mother did not believe me at all," Davis said. "She said, 'You'll be back in two weeks.' Well, two weeks turned into five years."

Davis, a licensed cosmetologist who graduated from Aiken High School in 2005, knew the odds were stacked against him. But he also knew he had to "take fear out of the equation" and get a bigger platform that New York City could provide if he wanted to be successful in the hair and beauty industry.

"I just take every opportunity that I can to elevate my career, and I would say it's the best decision that I've made," Davis said. " All the lights and the action in New York City, it definitely draws you in. It makes you want to be a better person in whatever career field that you're in."

His faith and hard work certainly paid off. Davis went on to become the wig project coordinator of Saturday Night Live. He was worked with many A-List celebrities, such as Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Tracy Morgan and Matthew McConaughey. Once, he was called onstage to rehearse with Adele, who liked his "positive vibe" while he was on set.

Blake Davis 005.jpg In this composite image, Blake Davis is seen building a wig.

He is currently building a wig for Jennifer Hudson, which he brought with him during his recent trip to Aiken.

"The wig world has definitely become popular to the everyday woman  and not even the everyday woman, just the everyday person, period, because men wear wigs," Davis said. "Some celebrities wear wig pieces that you would not even believe, especially men. I was very taken aback on how many men in Hollywood wear wigs and hair pieces."

The "wig world," as Davis calls it, which includes everything from custom-made wigs to hair extensions, has become an extremely lucrative business. It is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide.

Davis himself is a wig builder, which is different from a wig maker.

"Wig building goes into a much higher level, a more intricate level, a much more detailed skill set that takes years of training," Davis said. He has been wig-building since 2015, and learned from Emmy-award winning hair stylists.

To build a wig, Davis said a mold must first be taken of the client's head. This is done by wrapping the head in plastic wrap and using permanent markers to trace the hairline, which is cross-referenced with various measurements taken of the scalp.

The mold is then transferred to a canvas block, and the wig is hand-sewn on a lace cap using a ventilating needle to custom to fit the client's head.

Davis said it takes about 68 hours of labor to make one cap.

The four components of wig building are length of hair, texture, density and color. These components generally determine the price of the wig (blondes tend to be more expensive.) One of the custom full-lace cap wigs Davis makes generally run from $3,200 to $3,600.

Davis' dreams go beyond making hairpieces and wigs for celebrities. He wants to use his talents to help people suffering from medical issues.

"I truly believe that doing hair is a form of art, and I wanted to take it a little higher," Davis said. "I've always been very, very interested in nonsurgical hair replacement for people who are suffering with alopecia, the effects of radiation, chemotherapy, female-pattern baldness, male-pattern baldness I've always wanted to help people in that aspect. I believe that when you look good, you feel good."

While his talent certainly played a role in getting him this far  Davis had to cram a four-year education in wig building in less than a year  he also credits his upbringing, attitude and family, who he said ardently supported him, even if they were a little uncertain of his success at the beginning.

"I can definitely say, that being from the South, being raised with manners having that Southern charm and hospitality, people will gravitate towards you and they will help you," Davis said. "It's been a journey, I'm not going to always say that it's been easy. I'm very grateful where I am now and where I'm going to grow in my career."

Davis said the way you carry yourself also matters.

"I've learned that everybody is on a different path, and we need to take those little moments and use them as building blocks and life lessons," Davis said. "I just think if you believe in yourself and you have the confidence and the faith in yourself, then you can do it. It's not so much what other people think about you, it's what you instill in yourself."

Davis' upcoming project is being the hair, makeup and wig supervisor for a Broadway production of the "Secret Life of Bees." He will continue his work with the production while they are on tour.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  The Gaza Strip should begin receiving fuel imports and consumer goods again May 12 under terms of a cease-fire agreement reached May 6 between Israel and the Palestinian factions under the auspices of Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the decision May 7, just two days after Israel closed the Gaza Strip's border crossings and prevented fuel imports because of a deadly, three-day military escalation between Palestinian factions and Israel that began May 3.

The reopening will wait until May 12 due to Israeli holidays.

When Israel began preventing fuel deliveries May 5, it affected vital sectors of the Gaza Strip, mainly electricity. Citizens, who had only been receiving eight hours of electric power a day to begin with, found their supply cut to six.

The Gaza Strip has only one power plant, which has three production units. Only two of the units are operating now because of the fuel shortage, even with the fuel Gaza is buying from Egypt in a pinch. A plant official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the two operating units combined produce 50 megawatts of electricity. To operate three units would take 450,000 liters of fuel per day, which would produce 85-90 megawatts.

The power plant also is fed by a 20-megawatt power line from Egypt and a 75-megawatt line from Israel. All told, the plant is now providing only 145 megawatts daily for the Gaza Strip, which actually needs 500 megawatts.

The official said that if the current deficit in electricity continues, hospitals and sewage facilities will face real problems.

Ramzi Ahl, director general of water and sanitation in the Gaza municipality, told Al-Monitor that sewage treatment plants have already had to pump large quantities of wastewater into the sea without treatment. That amount will double, he warned, if fuel supplies aren't fully restored soon.

The Gaza Strip has been plagued by a severe electricity shortage since 2006, when Israel bombed the plant. Yet there's been no increase in the amount of electricity supplied from the Egyptian and Israeli lines, and the situation has continued to worsen as demand has risen with an increasing population density.

Israel had agreed in late September to supply 450,000 liters of fuel per day to operate the power plant after it reached an agreement with Nikolay Mladenov, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. Qatar financed the purchase. Until then, Gazans had been allotted only four hours of electricity daily; the agreement increased that allotment to eight hours.

Mahmoud al-Shawa, chairman of Gaza's Petroleum and Gas Station Owners Association, told Al-Monitor that on May 7, Israel allowed in 300,000 liters of fuel for private gas stations in the Gaza Strip, but the stations need 1.2 million liters every day. Some stations have had to close. The cooking gas shortage also is worsening, he said.

Raed Fattouh, head of the Presidential Committee for the Coordination of Goods at the Crossing and Borders Authority, told Al-Monitor the closure affects all types of fuel.

The Gaza Strip relies mainly on fuel imports. The 1994 Paris Economic Protocol restricts the Palestinian Authority's (PA) purchase of fuel from other countries unless it meets Israeli standards. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, reached an agreement with Egypt in June 2017 to buy fuel to supplement that supplied by Israel.
(L-R): H.E Calvin Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, display signed copies of the agreement governing the second phase of the Banana Revitalisation Project.

The governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and St Vincent and the Grenadines, last Monday, entered into a new phase of an agreement which will govern the further implementation of the Banana Revitalisation Project.





Among the projects objectives is to increase the unit output of the banana plantations receiving assistance to 25 tons per hectare, through the upgrade of farmers cultivation management capability and the capabilities of the extension officers within the Ministry of Agriculture.





Value of the agreement is US$4,185,001.





H.E Calvin Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) commented that the initial agreement was signed in December 2018.





"To me, it (the project) is quite similar to Taiwans development in agriculture, H.E Ho said.





According to the ambassador, in his country during the earlier years, there was more focus on industry.

However, bananas and products derived from the crop were a major product of the country  similarly the banana industry, he said, was once the main income earner for SVG.





The industry here had been hit with some difficult times, changes in trade arrangements and diseases which have had an adverse effect on the economy, He. Ho said, adding, "I am glad that today we can go further to sign the implementation agreement so that work can be carried out further.





The Banana Revitalisation Project, the Ambassador said, had become one of the important projects of his embassy.





Minister of Agriculture, Saboto Caesar explained that, while the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) was created to assist the recovery efforts in agriculture, particularly bananas, with the aim of putting banana producing nations in the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific back in the position they were in before the emergence of the trade wars.





But the funding from this could not address the needs of the rural communities.





"And here is where we have to thank the People and Government of Taiwan for coming in to add where the BAM left us, Caesar said.





He said that the story of what happened to the local banana industry was well known: loss of trade preference, loss of 96% of the nations crops during the passage of Hurricane Tomas and the scourge of diseases like Black Sigatoka.





And while the industry was fighting the vagaries of the trade wars, WINFA, Fairtrade and WINFAM created a space for a small farmer in the region to move away from conventional productions to a niche.





Caesar admitted that the rural economies were still at a stage of recovery, but banana production will continue; however it would have to be for local consumption as for now, until they can explore the possibilities of extra-regional markets.
ALEPPO, Syria  Violent battles broke out May 6 between Syrian government forces and their allies and the Syrian armed opposition south of Idlib. The regimes forces tried to advance into opposition-held areas with the support of Russian aircraft, artillery and rockets that hit opposition areas.

Government troops took control of the village of Janabera and the strategic hill known as Tel Osman. The opposition factions counterattacked in a bid to regain their positions.

Fighting between the two sides continued through May 7 in the Hama countryside, where Hayat Tahrir al-Sham announced that it had taken back Tel Osman and killed more than 30 regime soldiers.

On May 8, the government's forces were able to retake control of Tel Osman and continued marching toward the town of Kafarnabuda, which they also took control of after fierce battles with the opposition factions.

The fighting continues to rage on; the regime was advancing May 9 toward al-Habit town near Kafarnabuda, while escalating strikes on opposition-held areas in Idlib and in the Hama countryside.

We were able to confront the regime forces, causing great losses in their ranks. The battles in the Hama countryside are ongoing and we already sent more military reinforcement to the fronts to deal with any attack. We also fired rockets on the regime locations and camps in the area, National Liberation Front spokesman Capt. Naji Abu Hudeifa told Al-Monitor.

The regime and its allies, Russian and Iran, are responsible for the brutal bombardment of areas in the south of Idlib province and for the death of dozens of innocent civilians, as well as the displacement of tens of thousands of people from their homes. We will not stand idly by and we will resist these brutal attacks, he added.

On May 7, Russian aircraft carried out dozens of airstrikes in Idlib and the Hama countryside, killing several civilians, including women and children.

These field developments took place almost two weeks after the regime escalated its shelling south of Idlib and in the Hama countryside, killing many civilians and causing tens of thousands to flee to the camps north of Idlib near the Syrian-Turkish border. Some are still sleeping in the open under trees and living in dire humanitarian conditions.

According to a May 6 report by the Humanitarian Response Coordinator, a charity in northern Syria, the number of displaced reached 103,539 people, which constitute 16,619 families, who fled the areas within a week as a result of the bombing by the Syrian regime and Russia.

Col. Mostafa Bakkour, the commander of Jaysh al-Izza, a faction affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA), told Al-Monitor, The intensified bombardment on the part of the Syrian regime and Russia has caused the destruction of a large number of hospitals, causing them to stop operating. The Free Health Directorate in Idlib province announced May 6 an emergency state in all hospitals in the province after four hospitals were destroyed.

Due to the heavy shelling, Friday prayers were canceled in several mosques in the Idlib countryside, Bakkour said.

The regime began intensifying its air and artillery campaign in opposition-held areas April 26, one day after the conclusion of the 12th round of the Astana peace talks that took place in Nursultan, the newly renamed capital of Kazakhstan, between Russia, Turkey and Iran, the three guarantor states. Idlib was one of the most important issues on the agenda.

It seems that the regime decided to escalate attacks after the end of talks due to a disagreement between the different guarantor states during the peace talks. This would certainly be reflected on the ground. Russia wants to make gains by force, Bakkour said.

As the fighting flared up, more military forces and weapons were mobilized on the fronts from both sides. The Syrian opposition has been carrying out attacks against regime sites, killing several soldiers. The FSA-affiliated National Liberation Front intensified its bombardment of locations occupied by the Syrian regime and Russian forces in the Hama countryside. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham also fired Grad surface-to-surface missiles targeting the Khmeimim air base, which is operated by Russia, near Latakia.

Some opposition factions, such as Jaysh al-Izza and the National Liberation Front, believe that the intensified strikes on the buffer zone aim to vacate the area and drive people out as a prelude to government forces taking control of the area. Other factions believe that the military escalation is the result of the disputes between Ankara and Moscow.

Yahya Mayo, a media activist, told Al-Monitor that the final communique of the 12th round emphasized the need to implement agreements for coordinated Russian-Turkish patrols in the demilitarized zone starting at the beginning of May.

The Syrian opposition still did not approve of this.

Jaysh al-Izza closed some roads April 29 in the countryside of Hama in protest of the agreement. Several local councils in Idlib and some other councils in the western Aleppo countryside also expressed their rejection of Russian patrols, which prompted the shelling escalation, Mayo said.

Mustafa Abu Hudeifa, a National Liberation Front spokesman, told Al-Monitor that his group refuses to see any Russian soldier in the demilitarized area, [we] only [accept] Turkish troops, which in fact started conducting patrols on March 8."

Mustafa Sejari, director of the politburo for the FSA-affiliated al-Moaatsem Brigade, told Al-Monitor, Idlib has turned into a battlefield for political intrigue. The Russian aggression on the area is the result of disagreements. Russians want to take advantage of the international and Arab position rejecting the Turkish presence in Syria in a bid to pressure Ankara into participating in the ridiculous political play according to the Russian vision, seeking to reproduce the Syrian regime in Syria.

This is the main reason for the heavy shelling and the violent battles between the opposition and the regime. This is likely to drag on in the future if Russia does not get what it wants, Sejari said.
Amid rising US pressure, Iran and Russia appear to be gearing toward forging closer military and defense ties. Last week, the commander of the regular Iranian navy announced plans for an Iranian-Russian joint military exercise in the Persian Gulf. Particularly given the recent speculations about differences arising between Tehran and Moscow in Syria, the announcement by Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi seemed to serve as a signal that bilateral ties are vital and unbreakable.

It is not the first time Russia and Iran are to conduct such exercises. The Caspian Sea was the stage of similar war games in 2015 and 2017. Of note, Russia has been holding such maneuvers with China and Pakistan as well. But what makes the new Iran-Russia exercise stand out is the timing and the latest developments preceding it.

Among those developments are the Artemis Trident 19 exercise jointly conducted by the United States, Britain and France in the Persian Gulf; the US decision to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization; Washington's push to entirely halt Iranian oil exports and Irans threats that it may shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz as a reciprocal measure; US efforts to boost its military presence in the Persian Gulf region, including Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where it has deployed F-35 fighter jets; and Saudi steps toward forging what has been referred to as an Arab NATO.

These developments have taken place in a context in which after adopting all forms of political and economic measures intensified by a widespread media war  and as part of its so-called maximum pressure policy  the United States is now pushing confrontation with Iran into a new level by militarily threatening Tehran or at least eliciting harsh responses from the latter. Meanwhile, the administration of President Hassan Rouhani has put an end to its policy of "strategic patience" by, for now, abandoning some of its voluntary commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has in turn brought up the prospects of an Iranian withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as an option.

After Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA last May, Iran seems to have further lost its faith in negotiating with the United States. In a recently released comprehensive vision called the "Second Step of the Revolution," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei once again dismissed the idea of any talks with Washington. Moreover, Qasem Soleimani, the powerful commander of the Quds Force  the foreign operations branch of the IRGC  has also described talks with the United States under the current circumstances as "sheer surrender."

To put this stance into practice, Iran is expected to take more steps looking ahead. In this vein, Khamenei has already called on Iranians to "make appropriate and proportionate arrangements against the enemy's military postures." His remarks touched upon resisting economic, political and intelligence campaigns against Iran rather than necessarily a military confrontation. Yet a call for military preparedness could still be read between the lines. Iran has been focusing on ensuring such preparedness in recent years, most visibly in the form of its controversial missile program.

What Iran chiefly lacks under the present circumstances is a foreign partner for conventional arms deals as well as military and security cooperation in an extremely tense and unstable region. Given Iran and Russias common views on regional security and their shared anti-American approach, Tehran has thus sought to expand its defense ties with Moscow to fill this gap and meet certain long-term goals. These goals include finding a place on Russias side in Moscows rivalry with Washington, promoting an aggressive defense strategy and collaborating on regional security. Importantly, Iran has also sought to make use of Russian military know-how.

The Persian Gulf is a theater where Russia can flex its muscles in a region where the United States has long been the lone foreign superpower. In this vein, the joint Iranian-Russian exercises could eventually serve as another card in Russia's political bargaining with Washington. It is important to note that under the current circumstances such drills may not provide immediate or even medium-term strategic benefits for Iran. Tehran is aware of this, and thus its main aim with the exercises is to entice a Russian willingness to establish broader defense ties.

Due to arms trade restrictions imposed on Iran by the United States and European countries following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Russia has been the leading arms supplier of the Islamic Republic. Under a deal signed in 1989, Moscow agreed to deliver $5.1 billion in weapons to Tehran, including S-200VE air defense systems, MiG-29 and Su-24 fighter jets as well as Mi-17 helicopters. However, seven years later, the deal was in tatters after the signing of the US-Russia Gore-Chernomyrdin arrangement. Normal Russian military ties with Iran were only resumed after this partnership was terminated. As such, in the 2000s, Iran imported even more Su-25 aircraft and purchased the Tor-M1 air defense systems to protect its vital government, military and nuclear sites against attack. One of the most notable deals between the two sides was for the Russian S-300 missile defense system, which was delivered to Iran in 2016.

With the current external pressure on Iran only mounting, Moscow remains the sole ally that Tehran can count on for arms supplies and military partnership. Although such cooperation is facing hurdles under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the two are making efforts to bypass the existing limitations. Perhaps more importantly, Russian military cooperation with Iran could jump with the lifting of the UN arms embargo in 2020 under Resolution 2231, which endorses the nuclear deal. Indeed, Dmitry Shugayev, the director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, has stressed that Iran-Russia military relations could further expand after 2020, and has also expressed Russia's interest in cooperating with Iran on the stationing of a defense shield on the coasts of the Persian Gulf.

A post-2020 expansion in Iranian-Russian military cooperation would be a natural follow-on of a bilateral agreement in 2015 between the two sides to expand military ties, characterized by closer and more concrete cooperation. Indeed, it was within the framework of the 2015 agreement that Russia delivered its long-awaited S-300 defense systems. The accord also paved the way for Irans hosting of Russian aircraft at its western Nojeh air base and agreement to allow Russian fighter jets, bombers and missiles to use Iranian airspace for operations in Syria, where the two countries have found a lot in common to work on together.

To counter US pressure with greater strength, Iran is feeling the urge to deepen its military ties with Russia post-2020 by requesting further conventional arms, including Su-30 and Su-35 fighter jets, Yakovlev Yak-130 light fighters, Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters, T-90 tanks and the Bastion mobile coastal defense missile system. But beyond mere weapons imports, Iran wants military ties with Russia to also encompass long-term cooperation aligned with the Islamic Republics regional and geopolitical strategies. However, it is noteworthy that both sides are pursuing the potential expansion of defense ties with caution: Iran has no intention of serving as a bargaining chip in the hands of Russia in its rivalry with the United States. Similarly, Moscow is by no means interested in unnecessarily entering a battlefield in which Iran is facing off the United States and its regional allies at a level unseen in recent history.
A leader of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) reacted aggressively May 9 to this week's visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Baghdad, which was not announced beforehand.

Americans are in a trouble now, especially considering that US troops' bases are known in Iraq and the region and can be targeted easily, a senior PMU commander, Moeen al-Kadhimi, said at a press conference two days after Pompeo's visit. He said, Pompeo's statements indicate the great fear Americans are witnessing today. Kadhimi said the targeting of US troops inside and outside of Iraq is always an option if the United States encroaches on Iraqi sovereignty.

On May 8, Nouri al-Maliki, a former prime minister and the head of the State of Law Coalition, said, Iraq should distance itself from any regional or international conflict and its sovereignty must be respected. In his meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David M. Satterfield, Maliki added, Iraq should not be a departure point for any attack against others.

Maliki, who is closed to Iran, was clearly referring to the recent US activities in Iraq against Iran. US President Donald Trump said early this year that US troops in Iraq are to monitor and maintain pressure on neighboring Iran. The US Embassy in Iraq criticized Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on its Facebook account. And last but not least, Pompeo's visit to Baghdad was a clear signal to Iran.

The message that weve sent to the Iranians, I hope, puts us in a position where we can deter and the Iranians will think twice about attacking American interests, Pompeo said in his visit to Iraq, adding that US intelligence was very specific about attacks that were imminent.

Pompeo's visit to Iraq was also in conjunction with sending the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber task force to the region because of a credible threat by Iranian regime forces, as US national security adviser John Bolton said two days before Pompeo's visit.

A source close to Iraq's prime minister told Al-Monitor that the Iraqi government is afraid that Iran will use proxies under the cover of the Islamic State to attack US troops in Iraq.

A member of parliament from the State of Law, Ali al-Ghanimi, said May 8, Pompeo's statements are nonsense excuses in order to smooth the way for the use of Iraqi territory against Iran.

Pompeo, in his remarks to the traveling press, quoted Iraq's president and prime minister regarding the protection of Americans in their country, saying, They both provided assurances that they understood that was their responsibility. However, no such assurance was mentioned in either leader's statements about the meeting with Pompeo. They only spoke generally about the strategic partnership with the United States and the importance of Iraq's role in the region.

Even if such assurances were provided by the Iraqi president and prime minister, the question is how could they stop the pro-Iranian PMU factions that often act independently from the Iraqi government.

The abovementioned Kadhimi statement is only one example of a PMU stance at odds with the Iraqi government.

A former deputy prime minister, Baha al-Araji, said Pompeo's visit was a warning to the Iraqi government to take a clear position on the US-Iranian conflict and to not try to act impartially.

The United States has more than 5,000 troops in Iraq. A great number of them are located at the Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province in western Iraq, dozens of kilometers from a PMU base in Anbar. Reuters reported in August that Iran had moved missiles to Iraq as a warning to enemies. If there is any further escalation between the United States and Iran, the potential targeting of US troops by pro-Iranian militias is a serious threat.

A source close to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the Iraqi government is afraid that Iran will use proxies under the cover of the Islamic State to attack US troops in Iraq. In this way, Iran would not be held accountable for the attack; however, in such a situation, Iraq still would pay the price.

The source added that Abdul Mahdi held a special meeting after the Pompeo visit with the presence of the head of the intelligence service, the foreign minister and other officials to discuss Pompeo's visit to Baghdad. The meeting lasted all night.

During the meeting, Abdul Mahdi said Pompeo had warned him that the United States would target some pro-Iranian militias within the PMU if any attack takes place against US troops in Iraq.

Abdul Mahdi has received assurances from the PMU that it will not target US troops in Iraq, but this will not stop other groups affiliated with Iran from targeting US interests in the country.

All this makes it appear that if the conflict between the United States and Iran reaches the point of war, Iran would bring the conflict into Iraq and use it as a battleground against the United States.
Gideon Saar's sharp criticism of Israel's cease-fire with Hamas and Islamic Jihad was in fact a public announcement that he is running to chair the Likud and is not waiting for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wrap up his term. The cease-fire, in the circumstances it was reached, brought Israel no achievements, Saar tweeted May 5. The time spans between the violent attacks on Israel and its citizens are getting shorter, and the terrorist organizations in Gaza are growing stronger between them. The war was not prevented but postponed.

Saars criticism was in effect aimed directly at Netanyahu, who has become the only decision-maker on foreign and security affairs in Israel. Even when Netanyahu calls the Security Cabinet, any decision made reflects his will.

Netanyahu quickly responded to Saar through sources in the Likud, who accused Saar of having joined forces with the left: Since 2015, when he attacked the Likud and the prime minister incessantly, Gideon Saar has had one goal: to take down the prime minister and chairman of the Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu. The excuses change, the goal doesnt. Gideon Saar doesnt give even a moment of credit to the prime minister and immediately joins the attacks from the left by [the Blue and White's] Benny Gantz and Tzivka Hauzer, who defected to the left and is at Saars command and continues to coordinate with him.

Hauzer had served as Cabinet secretary in Netanyahus second government (2009-2013). In the April elections, he held the 14th slot on the Blue and White list and during the campaign leveled sharp criticism at Netanyahu and his public conduct. Saar rejected Netanyahus claim, tweeting, Ridiculous on the level of the plot of the century, referring to an earlier run-in with Netanyahu.

The current Saar-Netanyahu conflict recalls the previous rounds between them. Just last October Netanyahu accused Saar of plotting a coup with President Reuven Rivlin, whereby Rivlin would charge Saar, rather than Netanyahu, with forming the government in the event that Likud won the 2019 election. Saar denied the allegation and accused Netanyahu of crossing red lines and conducting a field trial against him. Netanyahu reprised the accusation during the Likud primaries in February to harm Saars chances of getting a spot high on the Likuds Knesset list. Saar claimed that the prime minister and his family were persecuting him and threatening Likud activists and Knesset members who dared attend his events.

Netanyahus campaign ultimately failed, with Saar emerging from the primary fourth on the party list. A degree of peace was later achieved when the two met tete-a-tete, and the Likud celebrated a historic reconciliation. Loyal as ever, Saar distributed a photo of himself shaking hands with Netanyahu and captioned Together towards Likud victory. Later, after US President Donald Trumps announcement recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, Saar gave all the credit to Netanyahu and the Likud government.

When it recently became clear that Netanyahu had no intention of giving Saar a ministerial role befitting a senior Likud member, Saar's gloves came off. According to a senior Likud source, Saars criticism of the cease-fire with Hamas was meant to inform Netanyahu that he now has internal opposition in the party, unlike during his last term. Also according to the source, Saar, who had previously declared that he would run to lead the Likud only after Netanyahu steps aside, is now prepared to run directly against the prime minister. Saar is not alone.

During the election campaign, criticism of Netanyahu was heard from those considered closest to him. In a recording of an internal Likud debate, Knesset member David Bitan was heard expressing anger about the numerous spots Netanyahu had promised to people on Likud's list. After the election, Bitan said he was disappointed in Netanyahu on many issues. Another Netanyahu loyalist, Culture Minister Miri Regev, received a talking to by Netanyahu after she said that she had voted for Saar in the primaries and after she indirectly complained that she had not been invited to be in a photograph of senior Likud leaders.

Saar has several loyal supporters among Likud Knesset members, most of them on the more liberal side of the movement. They include Michal Shir and Sharren Haskel and others who do not wish to be publicly identified with Saar.

There is an air of tense anticipation among senior Likud members concerning roles in the next government. It seems that senior portfolios, like defense, finance and education, will be given to other parties, which would exacerbate the current discontent in the Likud. It is possible that some of the disappointed would join the Saar camp.

The differences in the Likud also have to do with Netanyahus autocratic style and his refusal to share important decisions on foreign and security policy with senior leadership. Ideological issues  including delays in construction in the West Bank, the evacuation of the West Bank Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar and especially Netanyahus moderate response to Hamas  could drive internal opposition against him.

In a few months, Netanyahu is expected to face indictment for bribery and breach of trust, pending a hearing. That will present the big test for Saar and his associates. The initiative by Netanyahu supporters to amend existing law on immunity to benefit Netanyahu is distasteful to many in the Likud, but they will vote against amendment only if they know that they have sufficient backing and a strong enough bloc advocating such a position. If indeed a bill is brought before the Knesset, Saar must decide whether he will lead the camp against it, protesting the attempt to save Netanyahu from criminal prosecution through a maneuver unlikely to survive review by the High Court, or whether he will fall in line with the coalition and rejoin the struggle against Netanyahu on another stage.

Netanyahu is aware of all of this and will try to isolate Saar and his camp by granting ministerial jobs to Saar rivals. Thus, for example, he promised the Foreign Ministry to Yisrael Katz. Meanwhile, Saar is gathering supporters around himself. He is careful not to attack Netanyahu on personal affairs, for which the prime minister has backing among the Likud, and thus confines his criticism to ideological issues in an attempt to outflank Netanyahu from the right.

The Likud of the last Knesset, aside from perhaps Benny Begin, acted like a herd of yes-men, willing to do almost anything their leader asked. The current Likud will be different, if only for the fact that there is now a leader for the internal opposition.

Correction: May 13, 2019. An earlier version of this article mistakenly identified MK Keren Barak as a Sa'ar loyalist.
The most recent round of violence between Israel and the Gaza Strip on May 4 and 5 was more violent and deadlier than the ones before. For the first time in a long while, Israels military skipped directly to measures it usually reserves for more advanced stages of such fighting, killing Hamas targets and demolishing the organizations command centers located in residential apartment buildings in Gaza. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad seem to have had the same idea of an advanced fighting stage. According to Arab media reports, the two groups tried to breach the defenses of Israels anti-missile Iron Dome batteries with heavy barrages designed to overwhelm the systems interceptor rockets and improve the prospects of penetration. Iron Domes success rate is still high, an Israeli security source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, but when you let loose many missiles at once, naturally the numbers of non-intercepted missiles grow accordingly. It is still the same 8% [of non-intercepted missiles], but when 10 missiles penetrate the defenses, the effect is different than when two do.

For Israel, this resulted in a grim toll: four civilian deaths and searing, incontrovertible proof that it cannot defend itself hermetically against a hail of rockets, anti-tank missiles and artillery shells, a further indication that the addiction to Iron Dome has some unhealthy aspects, as well.

Factors that accelerated the escalation were at play this time on both the Israeli and Gaza side. On the Israeli side, there is a new, energetic army chief, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, who appears to have had enough of the periodic rounds of fighting with Gaza occurring at shorter and shorter intervals. On the other side, the Islamic Jihad is becoming increasingly independent, shaking off all restraints, ruining Hamas plans and spoiling its parties. Members of the Israeli governments security Cabinet say intelligence reports point to two possible motivations for this Islamist groups decision. One is that the group is carrying out orders from Tehran, which is in desperate need of a violent clash between Israel and the Palestinians. The other, a security source said on condition of anonymity, is that the Islamic Jihad is simply a gang of irresponsible, childish and violent people, as its leaders were described in one intelligence report (reported here May 3).

Either way, everyone in Israel understands that the relatively short round that ended through Egyptian-Qatari mediation was only a teaser. Former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, who stepped down in November over what he described as Israeli inactivity vis-a-vis Gaza and because his demand for broad military action in the Strip was rejected, is warming up on the sidelines. Leaks by associates of the hawkish right-wing politician indicate that he has reached an understanding regarding Gaza with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to appoint Liberman anew as defense minister in the fifth government Netanyahu is cobbling together. This cannot be good news for Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. Liberman is also counting on Kochavi; before Liberman quit as defense minister, he tagged Kochavi to become chief of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) despite Netanyahus preference for another candidate, Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir. Kochavi has already delivered a first installment. In the latest round with Gaza, Kochavi ordered the air force to bomb joint Hamas and Islamic Jihad command centers, some located in apartment buildings, and provided a sample of Israels capabilities in carrying out targeted eliminations of its enemies when it fired an airborne missile at a vehicle carrying Hamad Hudri, who served as Irans paymaster in Gaza before he was killed.

The IDF denies that Kochavi is changing the policy adopted by his predecessor Gadi Eizenkot, who worked hard to prevent escalations that could lead to yet another pointless war with Gaza. Military officials say the reason for the apparent shift is far simpler. The attacks against Hamas and Islamic Jihad infrastructure have played themselves out and are no longer effective. There are no more valuable targets for Israel to strike and with which to exact a heavy price from the terror organizations. The IDF escalated its response to the attacks from Gaza in this past round because it had no other choice.

There remains the question of the goal. No one in Israel is fooling themselves into thinking that even with its stepped-up measures, Israel had restored its deterrence vis-a-vis Gaza and that calm would return to the Strip and its surroundings. Senior Israeli military officials were quoted last week warning that unless significant measures are adopted to alleviate the humanitarian and economic crisis in Gaza, renewed violence is only a matter of time. Israels security Cabinet, which has long served as a rubber stamp for Netanyahus one-man rule, was quick to hit back at the unnamed officers. No winners emerged from this clash, either. It, too, probably foreshadows things to come.

The one bright spot is Qatar. The oil and gas principality has been engaged in a complex love-hate relationship with Israel in recent years. On the one hand, Qatar is closely aligned with various terrorist groups, funding militias and stirring up incitement through its very own Al Jazeera network. On the other hand, it has served as a significant moderating factor using its financial resources to ease tensions. At the end of the flare-up, Qatar announced it would give the Palestinians nearly half a billion dollars in aid. This is supposed to throw Hamas a lifeline. The money is not destined only for Gaza, on the contrary: Most of it [$300 million] will go to Palestinian President head Mahmoud Abbas, whose fiefdom is also experiencing rapid economic deterioration (as reported here in the past).

According to senior Israeli sources, unlike previous times, this time the Qataris are willing to accept close and significant monitoring of the funds reaching Gaza, including Israeli oversight. This increases the prospects of funds reaching needy individuals and alleviating the deep crisis in the enclave  rather than being diverted to the terrorist organizations operating there. This is not enough, Israeli military sources say, but for the time being, it will have to do.

All eyes are now on the drama playing out between Tehran and Washington  including Iran's announcement this week over uranium enrichment  which also involves Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and many others. Netanyahu is far more invested in this front; the southern one interests him a lot less. He views the obstruction of Irans nuclear capability as a historic task of biblical dimensions, regarding the terrorist groups in Gaza as nothing more than annoying background noise of limited threat potential.

However, others think differently. Newly sworn-in Blue and White Knesset member Zvi Hauzer, formerly Netanyahus Cabinet secretary (2009-13), is waging a campaign to demilitarize Gaza. Hauzer believes that those who dismiss Hamas will get Hezbollah instead. After all, that is exactly what happened to Israel in Lebanon. Just as the international community, along with a real military threat, forced Assad to give up his chemical weapons, the same should be done with Gaza, he told Al-Monitor. Hamas and Jihad have to understand that they are risking their hold on power and their lives if they continue firing rockets at Israel. Once they realize this, we will see a convoy of thousands of rockets and missiles transported from the Strip southward toward Egypt. Until then, the violence will continue.
Two days after another cease-fire was reached between Israel and Hamas, Qatar made the surprising announcement May 7 that it would be providing a generous aid package of $480 million to the Palestinians. According to the official announcement by the Qatari Foreign Ministry, the money will not be limited to salaries and special projects in the Gaza Strip. It will also include a grant of $300 million for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank. This is the first time that Qatar is reaching out to the PA, or more precisely, getting a foot in the West Bank. It is also the first time that it has received a thank you from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for its help.

To date, Qatari aid was provided exclusively to Gaza in order to pay salaries to the Hamas bureaucracy and support needy families. This infuriated Israelis, who were sharply critical of what they considered paying protection money to Hamas. But the Qataris were also bothered by Gazas reliance on Qatari money. They thought that they had just climbed into bed with a very sick patient. In the end, however, national interests won the day.

The aid package that was recently announced was not something dreamed up in Doha alone; it had partners in the White House and Israel. The Israeli defense establishment  with the support of the political establishment, i.e., Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  made it known to the Qataris that the emirate only stands to benefit from this in the end. It was intended as a package deal, where everyone  Qatar, Israel, Hamas and the PA  would benefit.

As far as Israel was concerned, this was a sharp turn for the wealthy and influential emirate. Until just a year ago, Israel thought of Qatar as a troublemaker, supporting the Muslim Brotherhood; providing sanctuary to Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the spiritual father of the modern-day Muslim Brotherhood; assisting jihadist groups operating in Syria; and supporting numerous terrorist organizations, including Hamas.

In 2017, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs published a document describing Qatar as the principal supporter of radical Islamist terrorist organizations, with enormous influence on them.

All this was true until the situation in Qatar changed. The emirate came under intense pressure as a result of sanctions imposed on it by the Sunni Arab states, particularly Egypt and Saudi Arabia, so it began taking steps to change its image.

Abbas also considered Qatar to be a hostile partner of his nemeses in Gaza. He even claimed that the emirates generous aid to Hamas perpetuated the division between Gaza and the West Bank. In March 2018, Abbas decided to impose sanctions on Hamas and stop the flow of money to the Gaza Strip. But shortly after the dramatic announcement, he discovered that the Qataris were delighted to fill in the hole this would have caused in the Hamas budget. The Qatari reaction drove Abbas crazy, as this took the sting out of the sanctions he imposed.

Israel thus enabled Qatar to transfer millions of dollars to Gaza. At the same time, Israel decided to deduct stipends paid to Palestinian prisoners in Israel from the Palestinian tax revenues collected by the Israeli authorities. Abbas was surprised by how the Israelis held the gates to Gaza open to Qatar with one hand, while they strangled his own PA with the other. His decision to refuse to accept the tax money that rightfully belonged to the PA brought the West Bank to the verge of bankruptcy. Now, the angels of Gaza (Qatar) are willing to help the PA that he heads as well. A Palestinian official who spoke with Haaretz claimed that an aid package so big that its political implications would include preventing the PA from collapsing could not have happened without a green light from the White House. At the very least, the White House would have had to turn a blind eye to it. He was not wrong either.

Al-Monitor has learned from an Israeli defense official that with Israel being concerned about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, it views the Qataris positively, and even sees them as saviors. The relationship that has developed with Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi proves that Israel has made a 180-degree turn in its position and attitude toward the wealthy emirate. As always, it is a matter of interests. Since it is currently under sanctions from the Sunni Arab states, Qatar has been trying to build a firm bridge to the White House and President Donald Trump. The way it chose to achieve this began with a public relations campaign targeting the Jewish community in the United States and worked its way up to the establishment of a positive and useful relationship with Israel. Emadi promised to help the Gaza Strip and engaged in shuttle diplomacy between the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv and the Hamas offices in Gaza, carrying suitcases stuffed with cash for Hamas in his own vehicle. Now, with the agreement of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar is willing to extricate Israel from the mess it got itself into with the PA, while saving Abbas and his government, even though Abbas has a long-standing reputation for bad-mouthing the emir and his country.

Abbas has now no choice but to accept the money. Even the Saudis, his PAs biggest donors, havent increased their aid to Gaza. It was not out of love for the emir but because he really had no choice that Abbas was willing to forgive all the Qataris past sins and take his slice of the enormous aid pie.

As far as Israel is concerned, this was a huge success. Not only did it find a rescue line to keep the PA from collapse, the Netanyahu government also had a convenient answer for anyone claiming that Israel is just paying protection money to Hamas: The Qataris are helping the Palestinians no matter who they are, regardless of whether they are from Gaza or the West Bank. And they are doing it for critical humanitarian reasons.

The Qatari invasion of the West Bank through its generous aid money was the subject of intense discussion among Israels decision-makers and its defense establishment. Some of the questions raised included: To what degree will Qatari involvement impact the region? How should Israel deal with the fact that this tiny but fabulously wealthy emirate still supports Muslim groups and organizations described in Israel as being outside the bounds of moderate Sunni Islam? In other words, is this a case of honest Qatari pragmatism, or is it all part of a game so that Qatar can get a foothold in Gaza and the West Bank before it shows its true face? Opinions on all these matters are divided.

Despite its phenomenal wealth, Qatar is now in crisis. It is trying to extract itself from the corner that Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Sunni states pushed it into, in the belief that Qatar instigated instability in the region. Aid to the Gaza Strip helped Qatar thaw its icy relationship with Egypt. Now it hopes that it can be granted clemency by the Saudis as well. That's the Qatari interest in a nutshell. For now, it certainly blends nicely with Israels interests.

The general impression in Israel is that Qatar will act as a philanthropist and serve as a kind of emergency financial team for the Middle East. It will not try to establish itself in the West Bank territories. Rather, it looks like all it really wants is to buy stature, regardless of whether it is Gaza or Abbas, and to have the Israelis help them as only they can  in Washington, Cairo and Riyadh. That seems to be the entire story.
During an interview with the Lebanese paper LOrient-Le Jour on Feb. 22, new Minister of Interior Raya al-Hassan stated that reforming Lebanons overcrowded and abuse-ridden prison system is high on her agenda.

Indeed, some projects have been implemented by my predecessors, but much remains to be done, Hassan said.

Since then, Hassan appears to have made progress on this front. On March 28, she and Maj. Gen. Imad Osman, the director general of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), announced a $2.5 million program funded by the US State Departments Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

The program will train officers of the ISF to implement prison management plans, inmate classification practices and prisoner rehabilitation strategies according to internationally recognized standards, and comes on the heels of past assistance that the United States has given the ISF, which totals nearly $200 million.

On April 30, Hassan told Al-Arabiya that construction of a new prison in Lebanons north would soon begin, which would help relieve strains on other detention facilities.

Hassans efforts may be steps in the right direction, but according to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and former inmates, Hassans latest push does not go far enough and fails to tackle the inadequate resources, patterns of abuse, pre-trial detention and economic effects of detainment that plague the countrys criminal justice system. As the failures of Lebanese prisons have continued to pile up, calls for prisoner amnesty from inmates, activists and politicians alike have steadily been gaining steam.

Father Najib Baaklini is the president of the Association Justice et Misericorde (AJEM), a Lebanese NGO that supports inmates and former prisoners, and advocates for the abolition of torture and the death penalty in Lebanon. He argues that reforms and training are only part of the solution.

We hear about the wishes for reforms, he told Al-Monitor. These kinds of reforms are very good, but for us the first thing we need is funding.

The largest prison in Lebanon is Roumieh Central Prison, which suffers from immense overcrowding  while it was initially designed to house 1,050 inmates, today it holds nearly 4,000.

One former prisoner who spent three months in Roumieh and asked to remain anonymous told Al-Monitor that because of a lack of beds, many prisoners have to sleep on pieces of cardboard or carton paper, and described a variety of issues that plagued prisoners daily lives.

This former prisoner, who was released in January after being found innocent of all charges, was one of scores of prisoners in Roumieh who are being detained for months or even years without trial. An ISF source told Asharq al-Awsat that as of November 2018, only 1,026 inmates in the prison had been convicted.

The construction of new prisons  like the one that Hassan mentioned on April 30  is mentioned in the Lebanese Cabinets ministerial statement approved Feb. 6, and the ISFs own five-year plan lists the expansion and improvement of existing detention centers as one of its goals. While such expansion will help to alleviate these conditions, Baaklini maintained that increased funding is still needed to advance prisoner rehabilitation and to reduce recidivism, calling for the private administration of prisons by specialists.

Maj. Gen. Osman, who spoke to Al-Monitor, agreed more funding was needed, and was open to the idea of private organizations playing a larger role in Lebanons prisons on top of the advisory role they currently have.

The ongoing lack of funding is evident in the services that NGOs, like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), provide for detainees. ICRC spokeswoman Rona al-Halabi told Al-Monitor that the organization regularly provides hygiene items, blankets, clothes and mattresses to the most vulnerable detainees, and has helped with the rehabilitation of various prison facilities in Lebanon.

Hoda Kara, the director of Dar al-Amal, which works in womens prisons, told Al-Monitor that the group is conducting annual training sessions with prison guards on working with female inmates. Yet Kara said that the current rates of input from her group and others are not nearly enough to cover all the inadequacies of the prison system.

The former prisoner Al-Monitor spoke with confirmed many of the problems that the newly announced ISF training program would seek to tackle. The guards are not well trained, he said. There is a problem in Lebanese prisons that they mix people. The detainee who is sentenced to life imprisonment is with one [who has been given] a one-year sentence.

Other inmates stated that the insufficient number of guards contributes to collaboration and corruption between them and prison gangs that engage in drug smuggling and sexual abuse.

Although efforts at reform have taken place over the years, the pace of change remains slow. Osman said it would take three or four years before the new training program could be implemented. In addition, both Hassans reform push and efforts in the past have mainly been focused on the central prison system, and have largely ignored police stations and military detention facilities where many detainees are held for months for questioning, to elicit confessions, or due to inefficiencies in the justice system, before being transferred to official prisons.

Lebanon has passed several laws to combat torture, but it wasnt until March 9 of this year that it finally named the members of an anti-torture body it established in 2016.

Osman argued that there was no torture in Lebanon, and that many claims of abuse are fabricated or exaggerated. Yet in April 2017, the United Nations Committee Against Torture reported that more than 60% of detainees were tortured during the arrest process for crimes against national security. One inmate Al-Monitor spoke with claimed he had experienced physical and psychological torture while in pre-trial military detention.

Farah, another inmate who spoke with Al-Monitor, has been detained on 12 separate occasions, the majority of which took place after he had already finished serving his sentence in 2011, allegedly based on claims of drug use years ago. He has had to serve additional time on top of his past sentence and has paid thousands of dollars in fines as well.

Farahs case and those of other former inmates points to broader issues around the presumption of guilt for certain crimes within Lebanons justice system, and how the effects of a guilty verdict can impact prospects for employment or home ownership. Farah is currently living in a shelter in Rabieh run by AJEM for former inmates, as a result of his past incarceration. It is the only such shelter of its kind in Lebanon.

Claims of corruption in the system and the lengths of pre-trial detentions have led activists to call for general amnesty for certain segments of the prison population, and on Feb. 21, a hunger strike in Qibbeh Prison in Tripoli in northern Lebanon led to a riot demanding such measures. The passage of a general amnesty law was included in the Cabinets most recent ministerial statement, and Hassan reiterated April 30 her own support for a partial amnesty law.

Despite the apparent inadequacy of Lebanons reforms so far, several bright spots have appeared. In June 2018, a state prosecutor ordered authorities to give certain drug offenders the option to receive treatment instead of detention, and Hassan has begun implementing assistance measures for former inmates like Farah who are struggling to pay off their fines.

Osman said that he is in favor of proposals to mandate that a lawyer be present during detainee investigations.

But unless broad, structural reforms to the administration of prisons and military detention centers are passed in conjunction with changes to the criminal justice process itself, Hassans reforms so far will likely only have a moderate impact on Lebanons penal system.
Days after the Donald Trump administration touted the deployment of an aircraft carrier group and a suite of radar-busting bombers to the Middle East as a warning to Iran, the Pentagons new top commander in the region used his first public appearance on Wednesday to pin the country as the region's greatest long-term threat to the United States.

US Central Command said today that the USS Abraham Lincoln had arrived in the Middle East along with four bombers.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, the newly tapped US Central Command chief who pushed to speed up the carrier group's deployment, said the move sends a clear and unmistakable message at a conference of the hawkish Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington. Iran should not confuse our deliberate approach with an unwillingness to act.

But the back-and-forth over the carrier deployment  which was routinely announced by the US Navy in April before national security adviser John Bolton put it in the public spotlight with a statement on Sunday  demonstrates the challenge McKenzie will face in his new job.

The four-star Marine commander, who served as CENTCOMs top strategist and then Marine chief in the region in the early days of the US-led fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, will likely have to contend with growing tensions with Iran without legal authorities from Congress or clear guidance from the president on the military front.

Ultimately this is Trumps decision, and he has not weighed in directly on this issue, said Andrew Miller, a former Barack Obama administration official. It just may be that this is sort of a Venn diagram where coming from two different perspectives, CENTCOM and Bolton have agreed on the same deployment.

CNN reported on Tuesday that US intelligence on Iranian ship movements of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles had prompted the decision to respond with the carrier deployment. During the Trump administration, the United States has not consistently kept an aircraft carrier in the region.

Sending a group of B-52 bombers to the region is designed to stop the Iranians from contemplating an attack on US forces or allies in the region, former US officials told Al-Monitor, as the administration has escalated its so-called maximum pressure campaign on Iran.

At the end of the day, its really designed to make sure that the Iranians dont do anything foolish on an asymmetric basis. Theres a lot of things that they can do based on the nature of their forces where its not a direct affront to the US, said John Miller, a US Navy vice admiral who led American vessels in the Middle East before retiring in 2015. The moves that weve made militarily are designed to say, dont do that, because then were prepared to respond along with our friends and allies in the Gulf.

But a US response from the air would require the permission of Qatar, which has been blockaded by several Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia since June 2017 over its relationship with Tehran and the Muslim Brotherhood. The countrys Al-Udeid air base is the only US runway in the region long enough to allow the bombers to take off.

Some members of Congress insist that the Trump administration would need permission to go after Iran militarily. Let me make one thing clear: The Trump administration has no legal authority to start a war against Iran without the consent of Congress, said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who has pushed back against past legal justifications for military action from both the Trump and the Obama administrations.

The Pentagon has recently emphasized its ability to switch the flow of forces into the Middle East on and off as it has removed more permanent assets in the region. Last month, the Defense Department rapidly shifted a high-tech air defense battery to Israel in an effort to offset Irans scud and ballistic missile strength. This is really a good example of dynamic force employment, said Becca Wasser, a researcher at the RAND Corporation.

But even as his administration has stepped up the pressure on Iran with renewed sanctions targeting its metals industry, Trump himself indicated a willingness to cut a deal with the Iranian regime on Thursday. I'd like them to call me, he said.

Even with the week of intelligence warnings permeating the headlines, experts say that if the Iranians do hit the United States, its likely to come as a surprise.

Its likely to be something asymmetric thats hard for us to discern and pin on the Iranians right from the get-go, said Miller, the former naval commander. Thats the way they tend to operate. Itll likely be a response that will surprise us in a way that weve not quite thought through or were not able to see through right now.

On Thursday, Trump moved a step closer to filling the Pentagons top job, announcing that the White House intends to nominate Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan for the permanent post.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  As the dust began to settle May 6 from a major military escalation between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani promised $480 million in grants and loans to Palestinians.

The financial support was coupled with UN, Egyptian and Qatari diplomatic efforts to halt the brief but bitter exchange. The battle broke out May 3 and subsided May 6, leaving 31 Palestinians dead and 130 residential units in Gaza destroyed. Four Israelis were killed, and dozens were injured by rockets fired into southern Israel.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a May 6 statement, The State of Qatar has allocated $300 million in grants and loans to support the health and education budget of the Palestinian Authority [PA], and $180 million to provide urgent humanitarian relief support for the UN programs in Palestine and support electricity services to ensure access to the various sectors of the Palestinian people, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, and to meet the summer season in which electricity is increasingly needed.

Qatars promise came a few days after UN Middle East Envoy Nikolay Mladinovs visit May 2 to Doha and after May 5 phone deliberations between Hamas politburo head Ismail Haniyeh and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. On May 7, the latter met with Palestinian Minister of Finance Shukri Bechara and Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of the Fatah Central Committee in Doha.

The cease-fire agreement reached May 6 between Israel and Palestinian factions. including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, stipulates the parties must implement understandings signed between the two sides in October. Under those terms, Israel must allow Qatar to deliver $30 million per month to the Gaza Strip and must open the border crossings. In exchange, Palestinian factions are to stop launching incendiary balloons toward southern Israel and keep protesters away from the border area.

An official on the Qatari Reconstruction Committee told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Qatari Ambassador Mohammed al-Emadi is expected to arrive to the Palestinian territories at the end of this week [the week of May 5] or early next week at most," to deliver $30 million previously promised. Emadi was scheduled to visit Gaza at the end of April to offer the funds to Gazans, but Israel refused to allow [it], thus pushing Emadi to reschedule repeatedly.

Hamas-led Palestinian factions had agreed on truce conditions with Israel in October but the parties didn't begin implementing them until March 31, following a wave of military escalations that involved missiles aimed at Tel Aviv on March 14 and March 25. In response, Israel hit dozens of targets in the Gaza Strip.

According to Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem, Qatari and Egyptian mediators, as well as Mladinov, told Hamas that Israel has reiterated its commitment to the conditions. Qassem told Al-Monitor that Qatari officials are making huge efforts to cement the truce by pressuring Israel to follow through. To begin with, he said, Israel should allow funds to enter the Gaza Strip to execute projects such as increasing the hours during which electricity is available, reducing unemployment and establishing an industrial zone in eastern Gaza.

He underlined that the Palestinian factions are closely watching Israels commitment to the truce provisions and warned that they will not allow any stalling.

On April 27, Palestinian factions had given Israel until the end of last week to implement the truce understandings, and informed mediators they would return to their aggressive ways if Israel refused to cooperate, which is what happened. There are fears it may happen again.

Talal Okal, a political analyst and Al-Ayam newspaper columnist, told Al-Monitor that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feels comfortable after having won in the recent elections, and he can now rest on his laurels  or he might choose to renege on some provisions of the truce agreement.

Okal expects escalation between the two sides, especially if Hamas feels Netanyahu is taking the truce terms lightly.

Mustafa al-Sawaf, a political analyst and former editor-in-chief of the local Felesteen newspaper, told Al-Monitor he also expects another military escalation unless progress is made soon.

The PA has always criticized Qatar for pumping money into the Gaza Strip and establishing projects. However, after Qatar said it would allocate part of the funds to the PA, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said May 7 he appreciates the support.

In April, Qatari officials and economic delegations flooded to the Gaza Strip to launch new relief projects and inaugurated the Hamad Hospital for Prosthetics. A project to rehabilitate 43 schools of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) was also completed.

From 2012 until February, Qatar gave $700 million in aid to the Gaza Strip, including an October grant worth $150 million. That money paid the salaries of Hamas government employees, purchased fuel for the power station in Gaza, provided financial aid to 94,000 poor Palestinian families and funded temporary employment projects through UNRWA.
Russian President Vladimir Putin convened a briefing session with the Russian Security Council May 9 over the escalating situation in the Middle East. Amid the US military buildup around Iran, the countrys Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif paid a visit to Moscow shortly after Tehran announced its decision to withdraw from some of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This trip inspired some deja vu as one year ago, Zarif traveled to the negotiating member countries to receive assurances of their commitment.

Over the course of the year, Iran has been cautiously warning its partners, now four of the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, that if Tehran is not able to benefit from the deal, it will consider withdrawing as well. Over the course of the year things have only changed for the worse in Iran, with the population suffering psychologically and economically in the growing hopelessness of the diplomatic impasse. This time, disenchanted with the inability of the EU to provide suitable mechanisms to bypass the American sanctions, Moscow is possibly seen as one of a few available parties left to work with.

In 2018, Russian-Iranian trade amounted to $1.7 billion, and Moscow itself is studying Tehrans experience of sustaining under sanctions. Hence the parties have no illusion that Russia can render significant economic assistance. What Zarif came asking for was political support of two kinds  to show by the visit that Moscow and Tehran stand as a united front against the American pressure and to see if Lavrov can deliver a stronger message to his European colleagues.

We see Russia as an influential player in the situation around the JCPOA, the Iranian minister stressed.

We are going to persuade our European partners.  They suggested a financial mechanism, but it is much less effective than was planned. It is important for Iran to be able to export oil, it is an absolutely legal demand stipulated by the JCPOA, said Lavrov, adding that where JCPOA is concerned, "some colleagues" try to divert the conversation away from their inability to comply with the agreement, and Russia is trying to bring them back to the matter.

During their press conference Lavrov and Zarif kept returning to the main narrative of the legal framework that is being unlawfully breached by the United States. The reference to legal, internationally agreed upon commitments provides Irans move with a legitimate explanation: Based on Provision 26 of JCPOA, it has the right to do so.

Lavrov touched upon how the US efforts to eliminate Iranian influence in the world, including Syria, essentially acknowledges its significance and might as a regional actor. This position was also stated in the Russian Ministry's special memo issued a day before the ministerial meeting.

Opting for a single approach of imposing ones position onto everyone and everything is counterproductive, Lavrov said in response to a question from the floor.

Among the other examples given of close cooperation based on understanding and mutual vision despite the US efforts to undermine it were counterterrorism, Russian-Iranian cooperation on construction of the Bushehr power plant, the Astana format as a sole ground for meaningful resolution of the Syrian issue, as Zarif put it, and the Afghani reconciliation process.

Both foreign ministers gave well-coordinated, mutually reinforcing statements in a show of commitment to maintaining a united front against the United States.

In Russia, the media and expert response to the Iranian announcement on the JCPOA showed a keen interest to the topic. It can be credited to the professional swagger with which Lavrov has been responding to the developments and the US decision to dispatch an air carrier and bombers to the Persian Gulf, an act believed to multiply the chances of the situation escalating into a military flare-up. In these circumstances, Moscow says it hears regional calls to once again fulfill its diplomatic role in the Middle East.

By and large, Russian experts share an understanding that Iran was forced to undertake its recent step as a way to remedy a situation where Tehran keeps abiding by the agreement  as confirmed by multiple IAEA reports  but receives nothing in exchange. After all, reciprocal measures form one of the principles of the nuclear deal. At the same time, there is little optimism about the prospect of Europe being able to create a mechanism to work with Irans oil and banking sectors.

Andrey Kortunov, director of the Russian International Affairs Council, suggests that a long-term solution to the whole problem requires the international community to find a suitable place for Iran in the regional security architecture, for it to stop being a spoiler and become a stakeholder. Kortunov acknowledges it will take a while and requires trust-building measures, extended contacts between military forces and agreements on foreign military presence in Syria, all of which is now paralyzed by the current US commitment to the stick and lack of carrots when it comes to Iran.

Alexey Arbatov, head of the Center for International Security at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized that out of multiple limitations set by the JCPOA, Iran is still committed to the most important ones. However, the two it has stepped back from (the limits on its stockpiles of enriched uranium and heavy water) are still important. Nonproliferation experts like Arbatov argue that with the stockpile reduced from the pre-JCPOA 20 tons to a post-JCPOA 100 kilograms and the reduced number of centrifuges and capacity of the Fordow nuclear facility, the prospect of Iran making a nuclear bomb remains quite remote.

The second phase announced by President [Hassan] Rouhani implies an increase in the enrichment levels (above the 3.67% stipulated by JCPOA) and scrapping the plans to reconstruct the Arak nuclear facility, and is going to be more serious, argues Andrey Baklitsky of the Moscow-based PIR-Center. He says that keeping up with international inspections will be crucially important so the parties can avoid escalation into a full-fledged conflict.

Moscow definitely would not like to see military escalation in the Iranian-American standoff, even though Russian experts assess its chances as rather low. In the past, Russia invested in the negotiation process for the JCPOA and now insists that Irans presence at the table is crucial on a number of issues with regard to the Middle East and Central Asia. Perhaps Moscow's own strained relationship with Washington prompted it to give an especially warm welcome to Irans foreign minister and support him in his peoples grievances this week. This does not mean, however, that anyone has any illusions about the situation improving in Iran after Lavrov speaks to his European colleagues, as he just promised his Iranian counterpart.
Could we see Sir Richard Branson hanging out from a cockpit window in a LIAT aircraft?

A meeting of principal Shareholder Governments and the Board of Directors of LIAT held in Antigua last week Tuesday, April 30, arrived at nothing concrete as far as a possible way forward for the cash-constrained airline.





Suffice it to say, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, in his capacity as Chairman of the Shareholder Governments, told the media at the conclusion of the meeting, that those in attendance agreed to give further consideration to a proposal advanced by Antigua and Barbuda, with respect to the airlines future.





That proposal, Dr. Gonsalves said, was made orally and that it was expected that it would be put in writing within a week. He was hopeful this would be discussed by the shareholders before the end of May.





Now it appears that, while Dr. Gonsalves refrained, for whatever reason(s), from giving details about the Antiguan proposal, the Antigua and Barbuda government itself is speaking loudly about what could well have been contained therein.





In comes Sir Richard Branson.





Foremost in the proposal appears to be an indication that Sir Richard Branson, an English business magnate, investor, author, philanthropist and founder of the Virgin Group, which controls more than 400 companies, including Virgin Airline  has shown an interest in LIAT.





This was first made public on Friday 3rd May by Lionel Hurst, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, in a post-cabinet media briefing.





Hurst disclosed further that discussions held with Sir Richard, discussions that media personnel concluded were held between the Antiguan government and the English man, centred around ways of taking the airline out of its current financially starved situation, and setting it on a path to becoming a genuine profit-making enterprise.





This, according to Hurst, included the need to enlarge the fleet and expanding the service with the purchase/lease of several aircraft jets that could handle, for example, routes between Fort Lauderdale and Jamaica, Haiti and Antigua and Barbuda.





Towards this end, it appeared that Sir Richard was prepared to invest several million dollars.





Antigua backs Branson





What is certain, Hurst cautioned, is that Sir Richard Branson  whose net worth was put at US%5.1 billion in April 2018 (Source: Wikipedia, )  is "not going to plow his resources into a smaller LIAT that would not be able to achieve a profitable status.





In a subsequent interview with WINN FM radio in St. Kitts and Nevis, Hurst all but confirmed that the Gaston Browne administration of Antigua and Barbuda preferred the Branson involvement in LIAT than what was floated by the Barbados government.





From what has been gathered, Barbados had tabled the idea of selling two of the aircraft ((LIAT) which they claim would be theirs, and using the cash to start up another carrier that would be based primarily in the southern part of the Caribbean.





"The whole idea is to enlarge LIAT rather than collapse LIAT or making it a smaller entity. I believe the idea that Barbados had in mind, which we reject, was a plan that would result in LIAT either being downsized or completely collapsed, Hurst told the radio station.





Antigua and Barbados

In another development, since the April 30 meeting in Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda has also put on the table, i.e. at the April 30 meeting, its intention to purchase the shares that Barbados currently holds in LIAT.





That offer apparently followed on a statement Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley is purported to have made, inter alia, that she had no more money to invest in LIAT, and that she would sell her shares if an investor was found.





The Antigua and Barbados Minister of Aviation and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, has confirmed that the Antigua and Barbuda offer to purchase the shares of LIAT owned by Barbados, was among several issues raised by Antigua and Barbudas representatives at the April 30, 2019 meeting.





However, since the Barbados representative at the Meeting was not the Prime Minister of that country, it was agreed that this development would be conveyed to the PM Mottley and a response would shortly be forthcoming.





The Barbados Nation, reporting on this development, said that when contacted, Prime Minister Mia Mottley disclosed that her Government was still awaiting a firm proposal from the Antiguan government.





She added, as per the Nations report, "Barbados is not in the practice of shouting across the Caribbean waters; that is not our style. When there is a substantive proposal, we will consult our stakeholders and share it with the people of Barbados.





Should Barbados agree to sell to Antigua and Barbuda, the latter would become the largest single shareholder in LIAT, with some 62% of the shares.




Trump: Were not looking to hurt Iran

US President Donald Trump said he is open to dialogue with Iran about a new nuclear agreement, signaling that the art of the deal is in play.

If Iranian President Hassan Rouhani seeks a diplomatic track, this is it. Trumps offer of a direct diplomatic channel is likely genuine and certainly par for the course in how his administration deals with adversaries, such as North Korea.

Trump's suggestion that they [Iran] should call, and if they do, were open to talk to them, may have knocked back even some of his own advisers. His remarks Thursday capped off a week in which he sent a battleship and bomber group to the Gulf in response to what the White House termed troubling and escalatory indications and warnings from Iran; US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to fly to Baghdad to meet with Iraqi officials to say that the United States would protect its people if threatened by Iran in Iraq or anywhere else (see below); and the administration announced sanctions on Iranian steel, aluminum and copper exports.

Trumps seemingly off-the-cuff comments come amid reports of his dissatisfaction with national security adviser John Bolton over US policy toward Venezuela, and disagreements with Bolton and others in his administration over North Korea.

Asked Thursday if he was satisfied with Bolton, Trump replied, John is very good and I actually temper John, which is pretty amazing, isnt it?... I get very good advice from John.

Trumps offer could be a diplomatic lifeline to Iran, which announced that it would step back from commitments to adhere to limits in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action dealing with low enriched uranium and heavy water, as we report here. Irans economy is in dire straits as a result of US sanctions, with oil exports well below 1 million barrels per day, and no sign that a European workaround will save the day, as Tehran had originally hoped.

Trump put more than just a phone call on the table. He said, We hope we dont have to do anything with regard to the use of military force, adding, We can make a deal, a fair deal.  We just dont want them to have nuclear weapons. Not too much to ask. And we would help put them back into great shape. Theyre in bad shape right now. I look forward to the day where we can actually help Iran. Were not looking to hurt Iran. I want them to be strong and great and have a great economy.  We have no secrets. And they can be very, very strong, financially. They have great potential.

Irans ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, rejected Trumps offer to talk, asking, What is the guarantee that he will not renege again on the future talks between Iran and the United States?"

There is of course no guarantee, and Iranian officials may be understandably flummoxed by the mixed messages from Washington. But this is how it works under Trump. The offer of dialogue is simply that, and not a signal that the maximum pressure policy is being revisited. But it is a potential offramp, even if a risky one, for both Washington and Tehran. Trump has now put the burden on Tehran to open a diplomatic channel. The hedge, from our perspective, should be on talks. Absent diplomacy, momentum is otherwise on the side of escalation.

Iraqi leaders huddle all night after Pompeo visit

Intelligence from Mossad that Hezbollah had set up camp on Kish Island may have contributed to the Trump administrations heightened concerns about Iranian threats to US personnel and assets in the region, Ben Caspit reports.

The possibility of Iran blocking the straits or obstructing the movement of oil tankers in the region was already a concern, and the presence of Hezbollah on Kish Island has only intensified it, adds Caspit. CNN reported that Iran was likely moving short-range missiles onto boats in the Gulf. The US Maritime Agency issued an advisory the next day warning of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and interests.

The intelligence warnings from Iraq, however, conveyed even greater urgency. Pompeos one stop in the region was Baghdad, where he discussed with Iraqi officials very specific threats we had about Iranian activity that was taking place that put at substantial risk our facilities, our men and women who are serving in Iraq. And I wanted to make very clear to them that they needed to be kept secure, and the Iraqi leadership was great, and have done that.

A source close to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the Iraqi government is afraid that Iran will use proxies under the cover of the Islamic State to attack US troops in Iraq, writes Ali Mamouri. In this way, Iran would not be held accountable for the attack; however, in such a situation, Iraq still would pay the price.

The source added that Abdul Mahdi held a special meeting after the Pompeo visit with the presence of the head of the intelligence service, the foreign minister and other officials to discuss Pompeo's visit to Baghdad, continues Mamouri. The meeting lasted all night.  Abdul Mahdi said Pompeo had warned him that the United States would target some pro-Iranian militias within the PMU if any attack takes place against US troops in Iraq. Abdul Mahdi has received assurances from the PMU that it will not target US troops in Iraq, but this will not stop other groups affiliated with Iran from targeting US interests in the country.

Laura Rozen further suggests that the heightened Iranian activity in Iraq may in part be in reaction to US support for Iranian opposition groups.

The United States may also be perceived by Iran to be taking a series of actions, such as covert support to anti-Iran groups in Iraq, that some Iranian group or Iranian-inspired group may see as provocative and generated chatter of a potential response, she writes.

Last week we reported on the Washington lobbying activities of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, an armed group with communist origins exiled in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
US President Donald Trump's threat to brand the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization could pound the final nail into the coffin of Turkeys desire to form a Muslim Brotherhood belt from Middle East to North Africa.

It could also herald a new problem for Ankara: what to do about thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members who have taken refuge in the country in years past.

Trump's announcement that he is considering a terrorist label for the Sunni Islamist organization came after his April 9 meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The issue adds strain to already beleaguered US-Turkey ties and is pressuring Ankara to make a decision about its Muslim Brotherhood policy.

Turkey has aimed since 2011 to have Muslim Brotherhood regimes replace the dictators deposed in the Arab Spring uprisings. Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) signed on to several adventurist foreign policy projects that first lost in Egypt, following the coup that overthrew the countrys Muslim Brotherhood-linked president, Mohammed Morsi.

Then Turkey suffered similar blows in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Tunisia. The latest addition to the list of deposed autocrats is President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan.

If the Muslim Brotherhood is declared a terror organization, Turkey would be much affected. The extent of the problems Turkey would face depends on the scope of the bill the Trump administration might draft. The critical question is, will only the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood be added to the blacklist, or all the organizations affiliated with it?

Although the organizations generic name in Egypt and Syria is the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement operates under different labels in other foreign countries: al-Nahda in Tunisia, Islamic Action Front in Jordan, Hamas in Palestine, Iraqi Islamic Party in Iraq, Social Action for Peace in Algeria and National Islamic Front in Sudan. The movement is known as Reform in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen and Somalia.

In many countries, political extensions of the Muslim Brotherhood are either partners of the rulers or represented in the parliaments. Even in Egypt under President Hosni Mubarak, despite all the efforts to root out the movement, the Brotherhood was engaged in politics through independently elected lawmakers and representatives in several other chambers and labor unions.

Thus, applying the terrorist brand to such an expansive movement with extensive influence over political and social life in many countries would not only unsettle Turkey, but have global ramifications. One should keep in mind that then-US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had warned in 2017 that such a move would totally upend US foreign relations.

Turkeys partnership with the Brotherhood began decades ago. During the Cold War, several books written by Egyptian and Syrian Muslim Brotherhood members were translated into Turkish in the 1960s to fight communism. In the 1970s, Turkeys spy agency had cooperated with the CIA and Mossad to use Muslim Brotherhood ideology against the Baathist regimes in the region. There was even speculation that some members of the movement had secretly received military training in Turkey against then-Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. After his notorious 1982 massacre in Hama to end a Sunni uprising, some movement members took refuge in Turkey and established a solid relationship with Turkeys political Islamists, which were AKPs predecessors.

However, unlike its predecessors, the AKP translated these contacts and relations into a soft power mechanism for foreign policy, shaking to its core Turkeys traditional strategy of maintaining distance from such Islamist movements.

When the Muslim Brotherhood came to power in Tunisia and Egypt at the outset of the Arab Spring, the AKP began scheming to bring the movement to power in Syria and Libya as well. The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, recognized by more than 100 counties as legal representatives of the Syrian opposition, has been the most important element of the Syrian National Council and Syrian National Coalition of Opposition and Revolutionaries. These efforts caused no discord with the United States or Turkey's other Western allies  not until the Islamic State gained strength in Syria. However, the Gulf bloc led by Saudi Arabia sees the Brotherhood as an existential threat to its monarchy.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE held Turkey and Qatar responsible for the Muslim Brotherhood's emergence as the leading power in Syria. Saudi Arabia and the UAE financed the coup in Egypt. Turkey, in response, welcomed thousands of fleeing Brotherhood members.

Although exact figures are not available, some 5,000 Muslim Brotherhood members are estimated to have gone to Turkey. These people engaged in counterpropaganda efforts against Egypt and Gulf states, establishing four TV channels in Turkey. When Qatar, under pressure from its neighbors, expelled seven of the movement's leaders in 2014, Turkey again opened its doors.

One should also keep in mind that US ties with the Muslim Brotherhood also date back decades. It's no longer a secret that the Muslim Brotherhood had promised to fully comply with international agreements that Cairo is a party to even before Egypt's strongman Mubarak stepped down in 2011. Yet, Trumps foreign policy indicates a major divergence from Washingtons traditional stances. Supporting the Saudi-Egypt axis against Iran is an important aspect of this new strategy.

So what can Turkey do if the United States condemns the Muslim Brotherhood? Can Turkey continue to be the "hope of the entire Islamic world, as Brotherhood spokesman Youssef Neda once said? No doubt Turkey will raise loud objections, but it will become much more difficult for Ankara to use the movement as a means of soft power. The Turkish government could opt to be pragmatic on the matter, which has already inflicted many losses to the country's foreign policy.

As it is, Turkey has already lost a significant amount of its clout over the Middle Eastern and North African peoples because of its support of the Muslim Brotherhood. It has offended various groups, including the Iraqi people by providing refuge to that country's Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated former Vice President Tariq Al-Hashimi, Fatah by openly favoring Hamas in the intra-Palestinian conflict, secular segments of Tunisia by providing unconditional support to al-Nahda, those Libyans who support Gen. Khalifa Hifter by backing Islamist forces in Tripoli and the Sudanese who wanted to see Bashirs demise.
After the Turkish election boards decision to nullify the results of Istanbul's municipal elections, Turkey is stepping into new territory. We can expect further oppression of dissent and even violence to set a climate that will ensure victory for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans ruling party in a do-over vote.

While not unexpected, the ruling of the Supreme Election Council (YSK) for a rerun election in Istanbul touched nerves. It is unsettling for not only the Istanbul electorate but all Turks as well as the international community, which has been watching Turkey closely.

The March 31 elections that ended of the Justice and Development Partys more than two decades in control of countrys main commercial hub will be repeated on June 23, thanks to the YSK's seven members who voted in favor of a rerun. Four who opposed it as a violation of the rule of law.

The ruling came more than a month after Erdogan and his ultranationalist ally, Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahceli, asked for rerun.

Turkeys opposition saw two silver linings in the decision: First, the YSKs decision was the latest nail in the coffin of Turkish democracy and the AKP can no longer claim democratic legitimacy. Second, if there is a man who can navigate these choppy waters, it is Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbuls elected mayor who run on the ticket of an alliance led by the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP).

The general sentiment among the opposition voters is that Imamoglu will win again by an even bigger margin, with voters outraged that the countrys judiciary yielded to the increasingly autocratic president.

Although many opponents called for a boycott of the redo, the CHP ruled out the idea after a meeting convened immediately after the announcement of the electoral nullification. The main opposition party's decision is clear: There will be no boycott and it will participate in the rerun despite its anger at the YSKs decision. CHP head Kemal Kilicdaroglu asked for the resignation of the council members, describing the decision as black stain on the countrys democratic history.

The YSK has inadvertently enhanced the standing of a political figure who can defeat and replace Erdogan. Imamoglu displayed a very calm, self-controlled and optimistic outlook in his address to the media immediately after the announcement. He is no more the mayor of Istanbul, but his charm offensive is exceeding the city's limits. He is most formidable candidate yet to take on Erdogan, who was once presumed invincible. Now that image has been shattered.

Yet the YSKs decision revealed another fact: Erdogan will not leave his office peacefully and elections may not suffice for a change of guard in Turkey.

Never before has a losing candidate in Istanbul refused to recognize the outcome of an election. But Erdogans ascent to the power began in Istanbul and he cannot afford to lose it. For that reason, the public worries he will do everything in his power to win even if it means foul play. Many believe cheating would be easier than ever, considering the YSK's disgraceful lack of independence.

The five months between the June 6 general elections and the Nov. 1 general elections in 2015 showed what he is capable of. In the June 6 vote, Erdogans AKP lost its parliamentary majority. Yet instead of conceding, Erdogan insisted on a rerun. The country was pushed into a political crisis with severe violence, including terror attacks. On Nov. 1, Erdogan power was restored.

A similar trajectory can be expected before June 23. Erdogans machinations could include an escalation of violence regarding the Kurdish issue to break the electoral alliance between the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, the CHP and the Good Party. With Erdogan in overwhelming control of the media, such provocations and violence could feed an urge for stability among the Istanbul electorate and he could ride these fears again to victory.

The divide-and-conquer tactics could pay off even as they destroy the social fabric of Turkish society.

Turkey will remain caught in a cycle of violence, oppression and violation of fundamental freedoms in the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, given the impact of the economic crisis and the Istanbul public's outrage over the electoral injustice done to it, there is a chance that Erdogan will be again and much more strongly defeated in the rerun. If so, his credibility and power as the president will suffer damage much worse than it took after March 31.
Alabama struggled scoring with runners on, so Skyler Wallace found a solution.

The freshman destroyed an eight-inning pitch deep to right center for a walk-off 2-1 win over Georgia. It pushes the Crimson Tide into the semifinals at 6 p.m. CT Friday against the winner of the Kentucky-Ole Miss game at 10 a.m. Auburn and Florida will play in the other semifinal.

Alabama (51-6) went 1-for-17 (.059 average) with runners on base to strand 13 in the first seven innings. Three times it left the bases loaded before the No. 9 batter stepped to the plate as the first hitter in the eighth. Facing a 3-2 count, the freshman left no doubt barreling the sixth pitch she saw.

Freshman Montana Fouts threw 127 pitches in a complete-game win for the Tide. She allowed four hits, struck out nine and walked three to improve to 15-3.

Georgia scored first in the fourth with an Alysen Febrey double to score Alyssa DiCarlo.

Alabama tied it in the bottom of the inning when Wallace drew a bases loaded walk to score Claire Jenkins.

Tide batters went 5-for-8 leading off innings including Wallaces homer. It just couldnt get things going in clutch moments until the final swing as Alabama went 0-for-5 with the bases loaded.

Georgia fell to 40-17 with the extra-inning loss.

Weather forced the final quarterfinal to be played Friday morning with the winner meeting the Tide in the evening.
A 24/7 on-water assistance service is now available on Logan Martin Lake.

Chad Gilliland and his wife Danah, owners of TowBoatUS Lake Martin, have now added a second location, TowBoatUS Logan Martin Lake. He has a background in law enforcement and worked previously as a fishing guide and salvage diver.

BoatUS functions similar to an auto club, offering on-water towing memberships for freshwater boaters for $85 per year. The service provides towing, battery jumps or pulls off shoals, among other services. It is one of 300 TowBoatUS locations. The service operates a 21-foot Boston Whaler kept at Woods Surfside Marina in Cropwell.

Gilliland said an area boater approached them about offering their services after hearing about their Lake Martin operation.

With Logan Martin Lake being part of the Coosa River dam system, there are a lot of stump fields and shallows that you cant always anticipate, Gilliland said. No matter how many years youve been boating and no matter how new your boat might be, at the end of the day there are always things that can happen not according to plan. Thats why were here."

Boaters can reach TowBoatUS Logan Martin Lake by hailing TowBoatUS on VHF channel 16, by calling the company directly at (256) 307-1313, by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869, or via smartphone using the BoatUS App.
Regions Birmingham Real Estate Banking office announced it has financed a multi-family construction project outside downtown Tampa.

The $54 million Tapestry Town Center in Brandon, Fla. is Arlington Properties latest development, consisting of 287 units with a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments.

The property is located at the mouth of the Selmon Expressway, with access to Interstate 75 and downtown Tampa, and within walking distance of the Westfield Brandon Mall.

Birminghams Arlington Properties, Inc. specializes in the development, construction, management, and operating of multifamily properties.

Regions Real Estate Banking is a team of four business groups  Real Estate Corporate Banking, Income Property Finance, Homebuilder Finance and Regions Affordable Housing.
A Florida Sheriff confirmed Thursday that a man who was accused of torturing a two-year-old girl by burning her and shocking her with a dog collar committed suicide by trying to hang himself.

Andrew Bennett Ross Celauis, 37, was pronounced dead Tuesday after being rushed to hospital from the Escambia County Jail May 1. He had attempted to hang himself, according to county Sheriff David Morgan.

The suspect was on life support during his stay in hospital, but family members made the decision to turn it off Tuesday.

Celauis was arrested April 9 after physicians at a local hospital noticed burn marks on his girlfriends daughter who lived in the same property as him, according to Sheriff Morgan who spoke at press conference May 1, just hours before the suspect committed suicide.

Celauis was moved to solitary confinement not long before the announcement was made. The Sheriff said that the implements he used to hang himself were available in the cell, but did not specifically say what the suspect used. A full investigation is being carried out into the death.

Sheriff Morgan said that the investigation into the systemic torture of the child would continue. A series of storage devices and cell phones were found at the suspects Pensacola home and law enforcement believe more evidence may be on the devices.

The mother of the child, who was arrested for neglect, believed the marks were ringworm.

She has since bonded out of jail and claims not to know anything about the abuse, according to the Sheriff.

After executing seven warrants at the suspects property in Pensacola, police found surveillance tapes in the house that law enforcement say shows some of the abuse being perpetrated.

In one shocking video the child is seen wearing a dog shock collar. Sheriff Morgan said the collar was activated and the girl screamed in pain.

Another video allegedly showed the suspect throwing bottles of water at the child who was sleeping at the time. Law enforcement then say the suspect is also seen firing an air soft gun at the child and burning her with an open flame.

Sheriff Morgan described the incidents as harassment and torture.

Its indescribable, the things nightmares are made of, he added. No child should ever be subjected to this.

He also said that there is a belief the girl may have experienced sexual abuse, although he said those accusations had not been confirmed. He said investigators were working out how to access the cloud, an online storage space that is often connected to computers and smartphones.

Chief Deputy Chip Simmons said that he hadnt seen anything like it in his 30 years of being in law enforcement.

A second man was also arrested for allegedly destroying cell phones belonging to Celauis, according to law enforcement at the press conference. Sheriff deputies recorded Celauis asking Eric Everett Furnans, 36, to destroy cell phones belonging to him.

Escambia County Jail logs show that Furnans was charged with various drug offenses but has not yet been charged with destroying evidence. He was set a $60,000 and remains in prison.

Celauis was granted a combined bond of just over $2.5 million and at the time of his death was ineligible to meet the bond because of parole violations, according to jail logs. He was acquitted in 2006 in a case that involved the murder of a two-year-old child.

Both men were expected to appear for a court hearing May 23.
Theres no denying it: blue jeans, bourbon and barbecue are cornerstones of American (and if you want to get specific, Southern) culture. On May 18, Joy King of Dining Out With Comedienne Joy and the Bham Eat, Drink, Ride Food Tour will bring all three together for her Blue Jean Bourbon Ball, a night of whiskey drinking, barbecue, and music-- all for charity.

The charity event is for Kings 2019 Woman of the Year campaign, a fundraising event to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. From the spirits to the limited edition spirits finds, here are three things you wont want to miss.

The spirits:

Four spirits will be queen (no, not king. Comedienne Joy is the QUEEN of Clean) at the Blue Jean Bourbon Ball: Coopers Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey, and Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur.

Ticket holders will be able to imbibe the spirits neat, mixed with Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale, or indulge in a choice of cocktails, including the Alabama Bramble, a combination of bourbon, ginger ale, muddled blackberries, simple syrup, and lemon juice.

Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur (Credit: Rivulet)

The silent auction, featuring limited edition whiskey treasures

Next Saturday, whiskey enthusiasts will have the chance to bid on some spirits treasures.

This Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel head is ready for auction at Joy King's Blue Jean Bourbon Ball. (Credit: Joy King)

From Woodford Reserve, Comedienne Joy is auctioning off a bourbon barrel head, as well two limited edition Kentucky Derby Bottles designed by Keith Anderson, the first African-American artist to have his paintings featured on a Woodford Reserve bottle.

Woodford Reserve's 145th Kentucky Derby limited edition bottle (Credit: Woodford Reserve)

Also in the lineup, a bottle of Jack Daniels Sinatra Select Tennessee Whiskey. Legend has it, Sinatra was first introduced to Jack Daniels whiskey in 1947 when it was still a small brand. In 1955, he brought a glass onstage with him and proclaimed the spirit to be the nectar of the gods.

Swamp Monster BBQ

Swamp Monster BBQ has shuttered its brick and mortar restaurant in Hoover, but the food truck is still active and rolling around the Birmingham area. Attendees at the Blue Jean Bourbon ball will get to pair their bourbon with the ribs, pulled pork, and signature smoked wings.

Details:

Comedienne Joys Blue Jean Bourbon Ball is Saturday, May 18 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the UAB Spring Hill Suites (2024 4th Ave South). Tickets are $55. For tickets and more information, visit the Facebook event or www.diningoutwithcomediennejoy.com
A recently formed violent crimes task force has brought federal charges against 29 people in north Alabama while taking dozens of guns and drugs off the street, authorities announced today.

The charges against the people range from possession of a pipe bomb to possession of machine guns and drug trafficking. The cases involve criminal activity in Huntsville and nearby areas, including the following counties: Madison, Morgan, Jackson and DeKalb.

Along with U.S. Attorney Jay Town, federal and local lawmen announced the charges during a press conference at the Madison County sheriffs office in Huntsville this afternoon. The announcement comes months after Towns office announced the formation of the Huntsville Public Safety Task Force, which is aimed and taking violent criminals off the streets.

Joint Press Conference with @ATFHQ and other state and local law enforcement partners announcing the arrest of 29 defendants in North Alabama. https://t.co/S0LzDnqwi6 pic.twitter.com/ReU5TJE4Gl  USA Jay E. Town (@USAttyTown) May 9, 2019

We want this message to get out to everybody in north Alabama: If you want to perform violent criminal activities, there is a combined effort thats looking for you, said Huntsville police Chief Mark McMurray. Were not going to allow it.

At least 45 guns, including pistols and machine guns were seized, said Marcus Watson, a special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Of the 29 people arrested, most have prior felony convictions, according to federal authorities. The group has more than 60 prior felony convictions and 358 prior arrests, Watson said.

The task force identifies habitual violent offenders, Town said, and determines whether federal or state prosecution will be most likely to land the suspect in prison.

Theyve re-arrested the same guy two, three, four times and we dont have him behind bars yet, Town said. Well, lets arrest him one more time and well send him to the federal penitentiary.

There are certain sanctions at the state level that the federal level absolutely blows away, Town added.

For example, a felon in possession of a firearm, at the state level, often gets a probation sentence, he said.

Even if they do get prison time, theyre going to be paroled in a relatively short period of time, Town said. At the federal level if you get even just two or three years, youre going to do at least 85 percent of that time and youre not going to do it across the river, youre not going to do it just an hour away with cellphones and everything thats in our prisons right now. Youre going to do it in a federal prison out of state.

Those indicted include:

Roger Johnson: Indicted on six federal charges, including possession of a pipe bomb and transporting or receiving explosive materials in interstate commerce. He was arrested after a pipe bomb detonated near a Jackson County sheriffs deputy and Johnsons mother in relation to a civil dispute. No injuries were reported.

Daniel Steele: Indicted on two charges of receiving, transferring or possessing machine guns. Agents said they seized multiple unregistered machine guns, including a a Colt bolt-fed .50-caliber; smoke grenades and more. Steele had no prior criminal history and was not on anyones radar, Towns office said.

Barry Williams, Melvin Rolin, Marcus Kyle and Britney Black: All four are members of the Froggy Drug Trafficking Organization, federal authorities said. In an interview with ATF, Rolin stated he was responsible for distributing at least 200 kilograms of methamphetamine in North Alabama within a two-year period, as the head of the DTO, Towns office said.

Victor Ortiz-Castillo: Charged with possession of a firearm while living in the U.S. illegally. He was involved in a shooting at a residence in Huntsville, Town said.

Rex Tidmore: Indicted on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Hes accused of having an underground marijuana-growing operation.

The task force incorporates principles of Project Safe Neighborhoodswhich is the Department of Justices violent crime reduction strategy. PSN provides funding to local and state agencies to assist them with departmental or agency operational needs, according to the DOJ.

Authorities said the recent indictments are just the beginning of the task forces work.

Its definitely not the end of it, said Madison County Sheriff Kevin Turner.
This is an opinion cartoon.

Alabamas extreme abortion ban bill sends a dystopian Mothers Day message to women: Happy Incubators Day.

Rep. Terri Collins and our predominantly ol white guy Republican lawmakers are having hissy-fits over whether to include or exclude rape and incest victims in this countrys most extreme abortion ban bill. Rest assured, Alabamas version of a dystopian society will be more of a dystupidian society.

Complete coverage of Alabamas abortion ban bill

What does it mean? Here are some tight insights from AL.com columnist Kyle Whitmire:

"It means that when some poor young girl, inevitably, has to have her dirty uncles baby, the Alabama lawmakers who vote for this thing dont want their names attached to it.

It means all the talk about personal responsibility is just talk.

It means owning choices is something for women in Alabama (even when they never had a choice) but not for Alabama lawmakers.

It means theyre scared.

It means they are cowards.

It means they are hypocrites.

If youre going to do this, lawmakers, dont hide. Dont cheat. And dont lie.

Take responsibility for it.

If youre going to bring this bill into the world, let everybody know who the father was."

More Kyle Whitmire:

"This isnt only about a womans right to choose. Its about how we treat women when they never had a choice. Its about whether we treat women as people, or as incubators.

They (Alabama lawmakers) dont care.

But even as incubators, Alabama doesnt treat mothers well. Already in Alabama, Medicaid pays for half of births, but Alabama lawmakers refuse to expand the program. Instead, every session, lawmakers treat mothers like parasites on the system.

They dont care.

When pro-choice advocates showed up at the Alabama State House two weeks ago dressed in those red robes from The Handmaids Tale, I bristled, and I wondered who were they hoping to persuade. Was some lawmaker, on the fence, suddenly going to switch sides because of somebodys cosplay?

They dont care.

But if you, like me, thought for a moment those women in the red cloaks were overstating things, you were wrong. There is no centrist ground to claim anymore, no safe place to play On this Hand/And on the Other. No appeal to reason will persuade these lawmakers.

You may call them anti-abortion. Theyve earned that label. But dont dare call them pro-life, because as theyve shown time again 

They dont care."

Check out more cartoons by JD Crowe
The site of exploratory drilling for the geothermal project at Bamboo Range, at La Soufriere (volcano).

Exploratory drilling activities for the geothermal power project at La Soufriere, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, kicked off last Monday afternoon with a formal launch.





The ceremony was held at Bamboo Range, located at the foothills of the La Soufriere volcano at 3 pm.

Persons connected with the project said that everything was set for commencement of drilling this week.





A number of persons addressed the ceremony including Deputy British High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Mr Craig Fulton.





Fulton told the gathering that geothermal energy "represents a unique opportunity for future growth and development.





It is for this reason that the UK government has given financial support to the exploratory stage - drilling  which experts say is the most expensive component of the project.





The Deputy High Commissioner also took the opportunity to remind Vincentians that his government had committed itself to support the new port in Kingstown.





Monica La Bennett, VicePresident (Operations) of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), proffered that the project had the potential to put SVG on a sustainable path, leading to reduced energy cost for both citizens and government.





She informed that CDB has mobilized approximately $27 Million USD in grant and contingency recoverable grant funding to support the drilling stage.





In addition, CDB had supported the position of liaison officer to work with the communities.





"Since 2014, the bank has taken on a part to energy efficiency; we are working with various agencies to bring about energy efficiency in the region, La Bennett stated.





Montgomery Daniel, Parliamentary Representative for the North Windward constituency in which the project is located, spoke of the project bringing jobs and cheaper energy to all Vincentians.





He referenced that 40 years ago, La Soufriere erupted and caused devastation, but today, "40 years later, we have returned to its foothills to create history.





For his part, Daniel was "happy to be part of a government that is going about out its work efficaciously bringing much relief to Vincentians in the area of energy.





The Geothermal Development Project being undertaken here is, as it stands currently, a joint effort involving Reykjavik Geothermal (RG) of Iceland and the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Originally, a third party, Emera Caribbean Inc. was involved, but has since sold it shares in the executing company - the St. Vincent Geothermal Company Ltd. - to RG.





The plan is to build a 10 MW geothermal plant at the foot of La Soufriere.
Alabama state superintendent Eric Mackey got his first interim report card from state school board members since being appointed a year ago. His grade? A 3.67 on a 5-point scale.

Depending on which state school board members evaluation you read, though, Alabama state superintendent Eric Mackey is either doing a great job or a terrible one.

Responses in 53 areas across six categories were totaled by category and provided to AL.com in response to an information request. Mackeys average score out of a possible five points in each of the categories is as follows:

Goals - 3.42

Personal qualities - 4.41

Performance and key job responsibilities - 3.32

Relations with the public - 3.48

Reflective assessment, individual - 3.81

Reflective assessment, board as a whole - 3.35

When AL.com calculated composite scores across the categories by board member, though, it became clearer as to which board members are pleased with Mackeys performance and which ones believe he has room for improvement.

The evaluations, linked below, reveal the range of composite scores board members gave Mackey---from a low of 1.00 to a high of 4.61. Composite scores, in descending order, are as follows:

Gov. Ivey gave Mackey the highest marks, a 4.6, in the reflective assessment, individual category which reflects Iveys evaluation of her interactions with Mackey on board business.

Ivey gave him the lowest marks in the goals and performance and key job responsibilities categories, averaging 3.37 and 3.38 respectively.

After a year in office, Ivey wrote in the comment section of the evaluation, the Supt. has yet to deliver a strategic plan---hence have no way to set goals at this time.

Ivey wrote multiple comments about Mackeys interaction with state lawmakers and the legislative process, suggesting he spend more time building relationships w/key leaders in the Legislature, and recommending he works with others at the state department "to develop a mastery of the Legislative process.

Jackie Zeigler, who has served on the board since 2017, mentioned the need for Mackey to work on his relationships with lawmakers in her written comments on the evaluation, too. Ineffective representation of education system and/or SBOE [state board of education] in serious legislative matters, Zeigler wrote in a column labeled weaknesses.

In a column labeled strengths, Zeigler said Mackey is accessible, is an active listener, and provides answers/input/feedback on inquities via phone, texts, emails.

Stephanie Bell and Ella Bell were clearly unhappy with Mackeys communication skills. Both gave Mackey the lowest possible score of 1 on item eight in the goals category---"to provide effective and consistent communication with the Alabama State Board of Educatrion'---with Ella Bell adding a handwritten hardly ever to the rating.

Ella Bell gave Mackey straight 1s for all items she rated. Some items were marked unsure, while all items related to Mackeys personal qualities were left unrated.

Stephanie Bell, the longest-serving board member having first been elected in 1994, in a list of 17 comments included at the end of her evaluation of Mackey, pointed out concerns about department hires, the lack of attention to local school districts, and leaving board members out of discussions with lawmakers.

I continue to hear reports that he is working against the SBOE [state board of education], Stephanie Bell wrote in one comment. Self promotion versus advocacy, she wrote in another. The superintendent clearly shows favoritism, reads another. In yet another comment, she writes, I continue to hear complaints about Dr. Mackey from legislators.

Tracie West, who took office in January, had a different tone in her written comments. In my short time on the board, West wrote, I have found Dr. Mackey to be very responsive and helpful.

Dr. Mackey is extremely professional and has the respect of his leaders in the field," West wrote. He has the difficult task of rebuilding trust with the legislature while serving a board that often gets off track in working together.

Mackeys current contract calls for an evaluation in December, but last month he asked for the early evaluation as he completed his first year on the job. In accordance with his contract, Mackey will receive a 3 percent raise, effective May 14, increasing his salary from $245,000 to $252,350.

All board members except Wayne Reynolds, R-Athens, completed an evaluation. Reynolds and Tracie West, R-Auburn, joined the school board in January after being elected in 2018.

The evaluation results were given to Mackey on Thursday during the state board of educations regular meeting---the same day Ivey delivered a letter to board members saying she supports a bill calling for a Constitutional amendment to change state school board positions from eight elected members to nine members of a commission appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.

That bill also converts the state superintendent position to the Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Secretary would be appointed by the nine-member commission and subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Mackey is the third person to hold Alabamas state superintendents position since 2016, when Tommy Bice retired after serving in the position since 2012. Philip Cleveland served as interim superintendent for a few months in 2016 until Michael Sentance was hired in August 2016. Sentance served in the position until September 2017.

Former state superintendent Ed Richardson came out of retirement to serve as interim from September 2017 until Mackey was hired in April 2018.

Mackeys evaluation was not discussed during Thursdays board meeting. Mackey will receive an annual evaluation as specified in his contract in December.
When Air Force Second Lt. Walter B. Stones plane crashed in Nazi-occupied France in World War II, the Alabama natives family had no hope for a proper burial.

Stone, a pilot in the 350th Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, VIII U.S. Fighter Command, was killed on Oct. 22, 1943 when his plane crashed in northern France during a bomber escort mission, according to the Department of Defense. A search and recovery operation for Stone was not made at the time because the crash site in northern France was occupied by the Nazis.

But about 76 years later, the 24-year-old pilots remains will be buried Saturday in Andalusia  about a year after Stones remains were identified.

In 1990, a French excavation group began an excavation of the site in a forest near La Wattine, France, where Stone was believed to have crashed. Excavators found plane wreckage that matched the lieutenants aircraft, prompting an investigation.

A recovery team with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency  which aims to missing prisoners of war or military members declared missing in action  excavated a site based on information from a local resident, where the team found remains and an ID tag for Stone.

More remains were found when the site excavation was completed in 2018. DPAA scientists used circumstantial and material evidence to identify Stones remains.

Stone is among the names listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium.

A rosette has been placed next to his name to mark that he has been accounted for.
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals today denied Huntsville police officer William Ben Darbys request for immunity from prosecution on a murder charge.

Darby asked the court to order Madison County Circuit Judge Donna Pate to grant immunity in his case. Pate, after hearing testimony at a hearing last month, declined to grant immunity. If granted immunity, Darbys murder charge would be dismissed.

Darby asked the appellate court to determine whether Pate committed clear abuse of discretion.

Darby is indicted in the killing of 49-year-old Jeffrey Parker, who was armed and suicidal when police went to his west Huntsville home on April 3, 2018. Darby argues that he acted in self-defense, making him immune from prosecution.

The appeals court judges ruled unanimously in denying Darbys request  whats known as a petition for writ of mandamus. The ruling was based on a technicality  that Darbys attorney Robert Tuten didnt include with the petition a transcript of the immunity hearing that happened in Pates courtroom. In the petition, Tuten wrote that the appellate court could get a copy of the transcript from Pates court reporter.

It is not this Courts responsibility to request additional materials to determine whether a petitioner is entitled to mandamus relief, the appellate judges wrote in their order today. Based on the materials before us, Darby has not demonstrated that he has a clear legal right to the requested relief.

Its unclear what will happen next in the case. Pate halted the trial and other matters pending the outcome of Darbys appellate options.

Darby remains on desk duty at the Huntsville police department. The city council has voted to spend up to $125,000 of taxpayer money on his defense.

Darby testified at the immunity hearing that he was acting in defense of himself and other officers when he killed Parker. Parker called police that day, saying he was armed and wanted to kill himself. Body camera video shows Parker sitting on a couch in his living room and pointing a gun to his own head.

Darby testified that he killed Parker with a shotgun because he saw Parker move his gun. Two other police officers  Genisha Pegues and Justin Beckles  testified they didnt see Parkers gun move.

Pegues and Beckles were the first cops on the scene that day. Once he got to the scene, Darbys body camera video shows, he grabbed a shotgun from his patrol car and sprinted to Parkers home. Body camera video appears to show Beckles standing at the front door of the home, with Pegues inside talking to Parker.

Darby was outside the home, standing behind Beckles, the video shows. From outside, Darby testified, he couldnt see Parker, who was sitting inside the front room.

When Darby first walked up to the home, he shouted at Pegues to Point your f---ing gun at him, video footage revealed.

Within about 20 seconds, Darby pushed past Beckles and Pegues, and entered the front room of the home. Darby himself told Parker multiple times to drop the gun and within 11 seconds of entering the home, Darby shot him in the face.

Darby told the judge that he fatally shot Parker after Parker shrugged his shoulders, causing the gun to move slightly.

Body camera footage of the shooting is dark and didnt appear to clearly show whether Parker moved the gun.

To be granted immunity, Darby would need to show his actions were more than likely justified  that more than 50 percent of the evidence favors his immunity claim.

(Darby) provided the Court with ample evidence demonstrating that self defense was reasonable under the circumstances, Tuten wrote to the appellate court. Judging the Petitioners actions from the standpoint of a reasonable police officer, the Petitioner met his burden of proof and proved he is entitled to immunity as a matter of law by a preponderance of the evidence.

Pate has issued a gag order that prevents Darby, his attorney and prosecutors from commenting publicly on the case.
National Weather Service survey teams were out in the field on Friday looking at damage from Thursdays severe weather.

The weather service in Huntsville has confirmed three tornadoes as of Friday evening -- two EF1s and one EF0.

No injuries have been reported from the tornadoes.

The first EF1 touched down in about six miles northeast of Albertville in Marshall County at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the weather service.

It was on the ground for only 2 minutes and had a path length of 0.48 miles and a max width of 25 yards. Damage along the path was caused by the tornado and also from straight line winds.

The tornado caused minor damage to two homes and also damaged several sheds and barns along its track.

The second EF1 tornado touched down in DeKalb County and also had maximum winds of 95 mph, according to the weather service.

It touched down at 1:55 p.m. about three miles south-southeast of Fyffe and was on the ground for two minutes. It covered 0.57 miles in that time and was 25 yards wide at its peak.

The tornado caused minor damage to a mobile home but caused significant damage to a barn and two poultry houses, the weather service said.

The EF0 tornado tracked along the Alabama-Tennessee state line and had top winds of 80 mph:

Our survey team has confirmed that an EF-0 tornado crossed the AL/TN state border yesterday within the line of severe storms. Snapping and uprooting several large trees, the tornado had a max wind speed of 80 mph. More information can be found here: https://t.co/Im3xFoRkwx pic.twitter.com/K7UVYhyCD2  NWS Huntsville (@NWSHuntsville) May 10, 2019

The weather service in Birmingham had also planned to send a team to Etowah County near Reece City to look at storm damage there.
Gov. Kay Ivey said today she would not decide whether to sign a bill that would ban abortion in Alabama until she sees the final version.

Ivey was asked today about HB 314, which would make it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion.

Well see how far it gets and what it is when it gets passed, Ivey said. The abortion issue is a serious issue and I hope its fully debated.

Ivey spoke to reporters today after presenting awards to 34 men and women serving in the military at the annual Governors Outstanding Service Member Awards Luncheon at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery.

Lawmakers changed the abortion bill twice this week, once with no debate.

On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee amended it to add an exception allowing abortions when pregnancies are the result of rape or incest.

On Thursday, the Senate abruptly stripped the amendment without a recorded vote, a move that brought strong objections from Senate Democrats.

The Senate could restore the amendment when it begins discussing the bill again Tuesday.

Ivey was asked if she would consider signing an abortion ban without the rape and incest exception.

Ill make that decision when I see the final bill, the governor said.

The bill includes an exception allowing abortions for pregnancies that pose a serious health risk to the woman.

Sponsors of the bill say the intent is to cause a federal lawsuit that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court and result in a review of the Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision.

Ivey said she would consider signing into law a bill to allow medical marijuana in Alabama, depending on the details.

The Senate passed a medical marijuana bill on Thursday. It would still have to pass the House to reach Iveys desk.

Im still trying to get the details, but if its tightly controlled and limited to just those illnesses as verified by medical professionals, itd be worth considering, Ivey said.

The bills sponsor, Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, said Alabama would be the 34th state to approve medical marijuana. Melson said his bill includes safeguards that he believes would minimize abuse. The Senate passed the bill 17-6 on Thursday.
This is an opinion column.

Imagine.

Imagine you know the man who killed your sister. You know him because hes the father of their children. She was holding one of them, in fact, when he fired the fatal shots.

Imagine you often see him in your neighborhood. You see him because he bonded out. He bonded out because he was charged with murder (minimum bond: $14,000) rather than capital murder (minimum bond: $50,000). He was charged with murder because he was not committing another crime while killing her. In other words, if you kill someone while trying to steal their wallet, the charge is capital murder; if you kill them just because you dont like them, or youre jealous or just because, its murder.

Imagine that.

Imagine the man trying to apologize to you when your paths cross at the neighborhood gas station or convenience store. Man, I didnt mean to kill her. It just went too far.

Imagine that.

Imagine you know, too, that the man who killed your sister wont likely be tried for at least two years. Hell just be walking around the neighborhood because of the dockets of the eight circuit judges that serve Jefferson County are as clogged as a hair-filled drain. In 2018, the District Attorneys office issued 8,064 felony warrants, according to DA Danny Carr. Do that math.

Imagine you cant sleep.

Imagine your mother and father are wracked with painthe gut-piercing kind only a parent whos lost a child can feel. Imagine youre now caring for your motherless nieces and nephews.

Theyre the only reason you havent, to ease your daily rage, killed the man who killed your sister, the man you see walking around like hes Teflon. You havent killed him because if you do then you wont be there to take care of the kids.

Someone asks if youre undergoing counseling for your grief. You say: Nah, Im just holding on.

Residents of Birminghams most crime-ravaged neighborhoods dont have to imagine. Maybe not all of them, but likely close. Because they know someone close to their heart who was killed, or someone related to them, or perhaps theyve been shot themselves.

And due to the dearth of counseling services accessible to those who need it most, too many of them are, well, just holding on.

Or not.

In many ways, were two disparate cities in one: One racked by poverty, hopeless and their heinous effects, the other all but oblivious to their neighbors tense and tenuous daily existence.

The daily average stress level in our communities is a six or seven, says Onoyemi Williams, a Smithfield mother who works in health care and oversees the Peacemaker pastors who walk the West End streets each Monday to share love and ease tensions. In most neighborhoods its maybe two or three.

Were used to being under duress. But when it comes to grief support, its not in our communities, even though we shoulder 98% of the fatalities. 

Smithfield resident Onoyemi Williams of Faith in Action

Nearly everyoneno matter in which Birmingham they residewants poverty, hopelessness and, of course, crime to subside. To disappear. The shootings especially. Yet they wontno matter the myriad strategies, tactics, and tools in the toolbox (to borrow one of the mayors favorite phrases) that have been deployed as part of the citys effort to attack crimeif we dont help those left behind to do better than holding on.

Too many are bearing the weight of grief, a weight that can lead to behavioral issues in young people that can cause problems at schools or ignite a downward spiral (Imagine a son of the woman killed becomes a heroin addict; it happened)even a revenge-fueled death.

More than half of the shootings in Jefferson County can be attributed to retribution, according to Carr.

Retribution that might be avoided if grief counseling services were more accessible to residents in the citys poor, most crime-ravaged neighborhoods.

How do you deal with everyday life if youre carrying that weight? Williams says. If you can get grief counseling, maybe you can get to a place where youre thinking a bit more levelwhere you wont pull the trigger.

Over the last six years, the number of gunshot wounds treated at the University of Alabama, Birmingham Trauma Center doubled to 700 last year, according to the center.

The tally of victims is so high three Air Force Special Operations Surgical Teams (SOST)tasked with stabilizing injured soldiers, often in remote battlefields, so they can be transported to a hospitaltrain at the hospital.

And theres this: The center keeps two trauma surgeons on call on nights and weekends, rather than just one, again due to the spike in gunshot victims.

Trauma-trained counselors are available for students at Birmingham City Schools, but only when related to on-campus incidents, according to Amy L. Neloms, executive director of student support services at Birmingham City Schools.

The system, however, is embarking upon training  on Youth Mental Health First Aid, which teaches our educators signs and symptoms of things to look for as a means of being proactive and understanding the needs of our scholars, Neloms adds.

Williams wants to see mental health and grief practitioners open office hours in communities where theyre needed most. She is working with Dr. Nadia Richardson, founder of No More Martyrs, a non-profit that raises mental health awareness and treatment options for African-American women, to do so.

We hear regularly now that violence is a public health issue. Part of treating it, says Richardson, is just having accessible counseling somewhere in the communitypeople who are culturally responsive and trained to understand violence, structural inequality, and health disparities.

Dr. Nadia Richardson of No More Martyrs and Dr Crystal Mullen-Johnson with Strive Counseling

In at least one Birmingham neighborhood, that is indeed happening. Through a partnership with UAB Mental Health Resource Center, the Housing Authority Birmingham Division addresses mental health and PTSD symptoms at the Campus of Hope in the Gate City community. Assistance is also provided at other public housing sites when certain crimes occur or when we identified that or staff, as well as residents, need it, says Adrian M. Peterson-Fields, PHM, HABDs senior vice president/COO.

Faith in Action is also introducing a Victim Response Team into these communities. Packets have been created containing information about resources available for victims families, including a hotline number for grief support. Team members will also help families complete the nine-page application for state-provided resources, which could include emergency funds for burial costs, up to $600 a week for loss of income and possible help relocating from an unsafe home.

If the person who cut your grass is killed, funds could be used to pay someone to cut grass, Williams says.

As you might imagine, its not enough. And it wont be until residents in every neighborhood get the counseling they need to do better than holding on.

A voice for whats right and wrong in Birmingham, Alabama, Roys column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Reach him at rjohnson@al.com and follow him at twitter.com/roysj
The major connector to the nations second-largest research park is getting a $47 million facelift in a project where the cost will be split evenly between the state of Alabama and the city of Huntsville.

The city council on Thursday night approved a $23.4 million contract with Reed Contracting Services to widen a two-mile stretch of Research Park Boulevard as well as make interchange improvements at Old Madison Pike and University Drive.

The project is a part of Restore Our Roads  a $250 million investment by the city of Huntsville to get matching state funds for an array of road improvements across the Rocket City.

Research Park Boulevard connects Cummings Research Park to I-565 and the roadway also feeds into the busiest entrance to Redstone Arsenal.

The roadway, also known as Alabama Highway 255, is two lanes both northbound and southbound.

"There are about 60,000 vehicles per day on (Research Park Boulevard)," said Kathy Martin, director of the city's engineering department. "I think anybody that uses that road knows that they sit and wait for a long period of time. For that kind of volume, two lanes are just not sufficient."

The widening  adding one lane in each direction -- will begin just south of Old Madison Pike and stretch north to University Drive. The project also includes a new exit from Research Park Boulevard into MidCity  the mixed-use development at the site of the former Madison Square Mall  as well as a new bridge on Old Madison Pike crossing Research Park Boulevard and a new Bradford Drive northbound ramp.

Martin said the widening will build the new lanes in what's now the grassy median. The expectation is that the improved roadway will be able to handle up to 75,000 motorists per day, Martin said.

Construction on the widening won't begin until August and on the Old Madison Pike bridge in January 2020. The entire project is expected to be completed by late 2021.

Martin said Research Park Boulevard will have all lanes open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. during construction as contractors place concrete barriers on the inside shoulders to protect workers building the new lanes in the median.

The new Old Madison Pike bridge is described by the city as "decorative" and will have 10-foot multi-use lanes for pedestrians and bicyclists in each direction

The new exit ramp from Research Park Boulevard to MidCity will route traffic near the site of the proposed city-funded amphitheater. Martin said the exit ramp is expected to relieve congestion at the University Drive interchange.
One person was injured and another is in custody following a shooting Thursday night in Huntsvilles Providence neighborhood, police said.

The shooting occurred near the AMC movie theater and Publix on Old Monrovia Road Northwest in Huntsville, Lt. Michael Johnson told AL.com.

The seriousness of the injuries of the person shot were not immediately clear.

Johnson said a police investigator was still interviewing people at the scene as of 8:35 p.m.
A trucker who was injured after falling asleep behind the wheel on I-59 in Alabama after getting little rest was awarded $80 million by a Texas jury.

Lauro Lozanos negligence lawsuit against his employer claimed his boss made him fudge his log book to make it look like he rested for the federally required 34 hours, according to Hidalgo County court records. In actuality, Lozano had just finished a long route when his boss asked him to begin another shipment from Texas to Maryland in May 2015.

Along the way, Lozano became tired on I-59 and fell asleep when he struck another tractor-trailer. Lozano sustained severe debilitating injuries, according to the suit, including a traumatic brain injury, crushed pelvis, crushed left foot and broken ribs.

Plaintiffs extensive injuries suffered as the result of the collision caused him to incur significant medical expenses and loss of income, the suit stated.

The jury awarded Lozano $5 million in compensatory damages and $75 million in exemplary damages. The three defendants in the case JNM Express, Omega Freight Logistics and Anca Transport  are on the hook for $25 million apiece, although the three companies are owned by the same person.
A man and a woman are behind bars in east Alabama, accused in the sexual extortion and abuse of a 15-year-old girl.

Valley police on Friday announced the arrests of Heather Ragan Turner, 36, of Auburn, and Timothy Zen Hendrix, 27, of Newsite.

Maj. Mike Reynolds said the investigation began in March when authorities were notified of a sexual assault reported to have taken place in Valley in 2018. The victim told investigators she was living in Valley with Turner, who she said would continually video and photograph her while she was in the shower.

After one of the incidents, she told them, a man  later identified as Hendrix  showed up at the house and sexually assaulted her in front of Turner. After the assault, Reynolds said, Turner told the teen girl she would beat her if she told anyone.

When interviewed by detectives, Turner admitted that she had photographed the victim and had sent the images to Hendrix. She confirmed that Hendrix was the man who had come to the house and sexually assaulted the young girl.

On April 29, Turner was arrested in Auburn and charged with sexual extortion, which is a Class B felony. On May 9, Hendrix was arrested in Newsite on charges of first-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual assault.

Both are being held in the Chambers County Jail pending bond hearings. A preliminary hearing is set for June 6.
(L-R): Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, PM of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Brian Jardim, CEO Rainforest Seafoods, following the signing of the Agreement, Wednesday 10th April, at the Argyle International Airport.

There is nothing sinister nor irregular about the agreement the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has entered into with Rainforest Seafoods St. Vincent Ltd., herein referred to as Rainforest.





Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves may well have used those words as he sought to explain, if not defend, the agreement referred.





He did so while speaking on WE FM last Sunday, seemingly in response to those persons whose application to use the Calliaqua Fisheries Facility was refused, and who had found it fit to make disparaging comments about the agreement.





Not unlike the past





From what could be gathered, the Rainforest will make an investment of some EC$10m, inclusive of constructing a facility at Calliaqua, on land for which they will pay a monthly rental of EC6,500.00 for the next 25 years.





Dr. Gonsalves, in addressing the substance of the agreement, made it clear that the concessions given to Rainforest Seafoods St. Vincent Ltd. are not different from what is accorded hoteliers, manufacturers and investors generally, who wish to do or are already doing business here.





In fact, without saying it, this policy of granting concessions to investors is a throwback to the period of Industrialisation by Invitation when, with the assistance of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), many small Caribbean states, known then as the Lesser Developed Countries (LDCs), constructed factory shells and invited extra-regional light manufacturing concerns to set up business in their states. St. Vincent and the Grenadines was no exception, and to entice investors, offered concessions  duty free entry of raw material, equipment, etc. -and tax holidays ranging from ten to 25 years.





Unfortunately, the policy went belly up, as many of the companies that had set up shop in the LDCs, closed their operations at the end of their tax holiday, and relocated to countries like Costa Rica which were offering even more attractive concessions.





Many of the LDCs were left holding a bag of debt to the CDB.





Concessions granted





According to a Cabinet Memorandum dated 14th November 2018, Rainforest, whose parent company is headquartered in Jamaica, with interests in the Bahamas and Belize, and proclaimed as the Caribbeans largest processor and supplier of premium quality seafood, has been granted a tax-free period of 15 years, meaning it shall pay no taxes or withholdings of any kind on its income, profits and capital gain, for that period.





It shall also enjoy waiver of customs duty, VAT or other taxes on purchase and/or import of construction materials for the facility.





In addition, the Company has been granted duty free and VAT waiver on purchase and/or import of equipment, boats, trucks to include - 2 freezer trucks; 3 pickups; 3 freezer forklifts; 2 outdoor forklifts 3 electrical pallet jacks; 2 reefer containers; 2 boats; boat engine; 1 tractor head; and 2 chassis.





The boats are, according to the Agreement, "to be used for transporting product and fishermens supplies between St. Vincent and the islands of the Grenadines only.





They are not to be used for fishing, Dr. Gonsalves assured, adding that all fish and seafood to be used in the Rainforest plant are to be purchased from local fisherfolk.





Other concessions granted to Rainforest Seafoods St. Vincent Ltd. are: duty free VAT Waiver on purchase and/or import of consumables raw materials, including packaging material (non-Styrofoam); and no taxes on fish and other seafood intended for export.





As obtains in arrangements like these, the investor  Rainforest in this case, on application to and approval by Government, will be allowed to bring in and employ non-nationals where suitably trained and skilled nationals are not available.





The agreement also allows for an application of an extension of the tax-free holiday and all other concessions after the initial fifteen years allowed on the agreement.





From whence they came





Jamaica Seafood comes to St. Vincent and the Grenadines during what the Jamaica Gleaner said is a ban on that countrys conch industry.





The ban took effect from March 1, 2019 and will last until January 31, 2020, but Jamaicans have been speculating that because the situation is so bad, as per the over-fishing of conch, that the one-year ban may not be enough to replenish supplies to service the annual US$600 million industry for that country.





Meanwhile, in concluding his remarks on radio last Sunday, Dr. Gonsalves appealed to the youth of this country to get involved in fisheries. It was, he hinted, a high income-earning endeavour.
The man convicted in the 2017 shooting death of a Birmingham mother who was killed outside of her apartment while talking with a friend has been sentenced to prison.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Clyde Jones ordered a life sentence for 27-year-old Quandarius Frazier in the slaying of Stephanie Nikki Loyde, 33. Frazier also was given a 25-year sentence on an attempted murder charge. The sentences are to run consecutively.

Frazier was convicted in March in the killing of Loyde and the wounding of Luther Ikner.

Loyde was shot about at 9:30 p.m. that Sunday at Sunrise Pointe apartments off of Oporto-Madrid Boulevard. Her teen daughter, Destiny, was just inside a nearby apartment unit.

Officers responded to the complex on a report of someone possibly shot multiple times.

They arrived to find Loyde and Ikner both suffering from gunshot wounds. Ikner, shot in the face at the bottom of a stairwell, was taken to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Loyde was found in a nearby grassy area with a gunshot wound to the body. She was pronounced dead on the scene less than a half hour later.

Witnesses that night said Loyde and Ikner were at their cars talking when Frazier approached them and said, "There you are. I got you. " There was an exchange of words and at least two shots rang out.

Trial testimony indicated that Frazier and Ikner were acquaintances. There had been a previous incident between Frazier, a woman and Ikner. Stephanie was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, said Priscilla Levins, Loydes mother.

The lead prosecutor on the case was Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Riggs Walker. Frazier was defended by attorneys Brett Gray and Erica Gray. The judge assigned the Jefferson County Public Defenders Office to handle any appeals on Fraziers behalf.

Loyde worked as a certified nursing assistant until she had to go on disability for her rheumatoid arthritis. Destiny has previously said she was a devoted mother, who took her to school every day, went on every field trip and threw her great birthday parties at school with pizza and cake and bubbles. They often got their nails done together, and Loyde even took Destiny to a spa.

"I loved my mama so much,'' Destiny said shortly after her mother's death. "She did so much stuff for me. When she got some money, she'd go to Red Box to get me a movie. I loved her so much. I'm the only child she got, and I miss her so much. I pray for her, and I wish she was here."

Levins has previously said her granddaughter is still in counseling over her mothers death but is doing well.

Its not a great day because Quandarius Frazer has three boys and they have to go on without their father for a while but a least they can visit him. We cant visit Stephanie, Levins said on the day Frazier was convicted. Both families are losing people they loved, but Im happy my granddaughter doesnt have to worry about it anymore.
I lay in bed the other night, thinking about the latest school shooting and how to give a voice to the children who must be wondering why the adults in their lives havent done anything to contain and lessen the frequency of these shootings. Here is what I came up with, what I believe young people would like to say to the rest of us:

***

We, the generation of Americans under 21, do not intend to insult you or hurt your feelings, but we would like to ask you some questions.

Do you love us? Do you believe, as weve heard you say, that we are the future -- and not just the future of our nation, but of the whole world? Do you think, as you often insist, that nothing is more important than our safety?

Were guessing youll answer, Of course.

Then why dont you show it? Why dont you do something about the school shootings that take place on a regular basis across our country?

If you loved us, you would not be able to bear the TV footage of us running from our school buildings, sobbing and gasping. You could not stand to see reporters interviewing parents whove just learned that their children have been wounded or killed.

You would want to vomit when people called students and teachers heroes for daring to attack a gunman and paying with their lives. Because your conscience knows the truth: that although those kids and teachers were very brave indeed, they should not have had to be so courageous. You should have intervened long before now.

Hero is a beautiful word, and the speeches and flowers that go with it are lovely, too, but those kids and teachers are dead and all the stirring tributes in the world wont bring them back. They were slain as their classmates and pupils fled or dove behind tables or hid in closets.

If you love us as passionately as you say you do, then why are you willing to let this keep happening? How many tragedies will it take for you to turn off the television and vow to do something about it?

If you ask us, the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, should have been the tipping point. You remember Sandy Hook: A 20-year-old guy named Adam Lanza killed 20 little kids and six adults at the school and also killed his mother at her home.

When we say little kids, we mean children who were 6 and 7 years old, with silly smiles and missing teeth and tousled hair, and with parents, siblings and grandparents who loved them. Their deaths -- and the deaths of their principal and five other educators -- should have moved Americans to say, No more, and mean it.

You didnt do that, however, nor did you do much more than utter platitudes in 2018 when a gunman killed 17 students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. You twisted your hands again and said, yet again, that somebody ought to do something.

Stoneman Douglas students tried, and did effect some changes in Floridas state laws. But kids can only do so much. We are youngsters, for Gods sake. We dont know what needs to be done, much less how to do it. We dont know if the solution lies in more gun control, less gun control, cops on all campuses, metal detectors at entrances to every school building in the country, smaller school populations, armed teachers, improved access to psychiatric care or some combination of all of these things.

Right now, it seems like nearly every time we turn on the TV, were hearing about another school shooting. The reports are similar: details of what happened, number of kids and teachers killed or wounded, information about the shooter, interviews with weeping kids and parents and the declaration that one or more students or teachers acted heroically.

If we are repeating ourselves, we apologize, but: You are the grownups. You require us to go to school. You pay the taxes that support these schools. You elect the politicians who make the laws and set the policies.

And you say you love us.

If thats the truth, then its time to do more than wring your hands. Its time to act -- to figure out whats wrong with our society, our schools and our approach to protecting children.

Were counting on you to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Frances Coleman is a freelance writer living in Baldwin County. Email her at fcoleman1953@gmail.com and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/prfrances.
President Nicolas Maduro (center) during military exercises of cadets of the Bolivarian Military University at a training center in El Pao, Cojedes state, Venezuela, May 4, 2019. (Photo Credit: HO/AFP Photo/Venezuelan Presidency)

A plot for some of President Nicolas Maduros top aides to defect last week to the opposition side appeared from all indications to have come apart in the 11th hour.



As one observer put it, the plot fell apart possibly due, in part, to distrust between some of President Maduros aides and U.S. officials, among other things.

The Associated Press reported on Saturday that secret talks between the top aides and opposition leaders  including long-detained but recently-freed Leopoldo Lopez - culminated in a roughly 15-point document which guaranteed Maduro loyalists like General Ivan Hernandez, Defense Minister Vladamir Padrino Lopez and Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno not just a place in the planned, post-Maduro interim government, but a promise that they wont be prosecuted.

All three officials have to date remained publicly loyal to Maduro. A fourth top aide, who heads Venezuelas intelligence agency, General Manuel Figuera, did break rank and has since disappeared, according to The Associated Press (AP).

Leopoldo Lopez, a high-profiled opposition leader, who only last week was released from house arrest (since 2017), told the AP that he had been secretly speaking with top Maduro loyalists about defecting to the oppositions side for weeks.

But a former U.S. official, who spoke to the AP, suggested that distrust between Trump administration officials and Maduros inner circle has contributed to top Maduro aides reluctance to make the leap, and abandon President Maduro.

This distrust and reluctance, according to the former official, could have been predicated on U.S. administration officials decision in 2017 to reject a request from Hernandez, the military general, for a U.S. visa for himself and his wife to accompany their son to Boston for a vital brain surgery for the boy, and a lengthy convalescence of months.

But one opposition leader was reported by The Washington Post as saying that Maduros top aides had indicated commitments to defect, but apparently backed out at the last minute.

"We moved forward out of trust that the top ranks [of Maduros government] would make announcements against Maduro, Freddy Superlano, a leading opposition lawmaker, told the newspaper. "Maduro was going to respond by leaving.

Then, suddenly, plans changed.

Rumours of opposition leader Juan Guaidos imminent arrest pushed the plan forward by a day, and last Tuesday, Guaido appeared outside a military airbase in Caracas  just miles away from the presidential palace known as Milaflores  and called for mass military defections.

But hours later, according to a variety of sources, opposition leaders realized something had gone terribly wrong.

Maduro, flanked by his Defence Minister Lopez, appeared on television and denounced the plot as a "coup.

Recognizing that the plan had fallen apart, Leopoldo Lopez hustled to a Spanish diplomatic residence in Caracas to seek sanctuary, where he is likely to remain, given that on Thursday, a Venezuelan court issued a warrant for his arrest.

And as it stands, President Nicolas Maduro remains intact, with what seems to be overwhelming backing from the military.
A filmmaker reflects on his life in activism, from growing up in exile to documenting the #FeesMustFall student movement.

I spent the first 23 years of my life in exile.

My family was forced to leave South Africa in 1963 when I was six months old; my father was a leading figure in South Africas liberation movement and following the arrest of Nelson Mandela he was ordered to flee the country by his comrades. We were forced to resettle in the UK.

Growing up in England, I had no memory of my home country, having left so young. But I remember it being engrained in me that we were not English, we were South African; and that in a few years time we would be going home. But those few years were continually extended.

Not being able to return home was a matter of great pain to my parents and older siblings. I grew up in a house with lots of depression, tears and sadness brought on by exile.

But it did not stop my father from continuing his work from afar.

Our home became the centre of a political movement.

In the early 1970s, we often had black student radicals pass through. By 1976, when I was 13 years old, my father was a leading member of the Pan Africanist Congress, which helped build the school student movement that erupted in Soweto that year.

Our house was busy, noisy and full of argument and debate. At times, there was very real anger and anguish, and emotions were particularly heightened when we received news of assassinations from home.

Students protest for better education before police fire tear gas and bullets into crowds, leading to the Soweto Uprising in 1976 [File: Bongani Mnguni/City Press/Gallo Images/Getty Images]

My fathers political affiliations, of course, had a profound impact on my own political views. I was close to him and he was a big role model for me. His expectation was that I would join the liberation movement at the age of 16.

I did commit myself while still a school student, which meant fighting from where I was in the UK. I found myself  at the age of 16  becoming the full-time chairperson of the National Union of School Students. I was in many ways English and realised resistance took on many forms. We were campaigning for a free and equal South Africa and supporting other causes, but our fight focused on everyday issues such as corporal punishment, school uniforms and the right to organise.

Return to South Africa

Sometime later and two years into my university education in London, South Africa was on fire again and I was occupying banks and supermarkets as part of the local anti-apartheid campaign.

By 1990, the white regime was forced to make reforms that allowed exiles like ourselves to return home legally. I was in Zimbabwe at the time, where I had enrolled to finish my studies because I wanted to be closer to home.

My father and I were among the first to go back.

Returning home was extremely exhilarating. I remember arriving in Cape Town and crying about how beautiful my country and town of birth was. We arrived two days before Nelson Mandela was released and I went into town to hear him address the crowds.

It was moving but very chaotic and violent. Fighting broke out between the police and township youth during his speech. I arrived home drenched in the blood of people that I had carried to ambulances.

The frenzy was counteracted by the very heartening response we received; everywhere we went announcements were made that we have returning exiles in our midst, and we were applauded and lighters were ignited. It was quite overwhelming.

Nelson Mandela, walking with his wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, was released in 1990 after serving 27 years in prison [File: AP Photo]

Following the defeat of white supremacist rule in 1994, I felt that I could now continue my postgraduate studies and enrolled at Wits University, the story universe of the documentary Everything Must Fall.

Wits was and remains an elite university.

Back then black students were a minority and white liberal universities were still in denial about their racially exclusive culture. I often felt suffocated by the whiteness of the space, in this instance its Englishness, that had both shaped me since childhood and revolted me.

It could be summed up as we might be a former colonial outpost but we can and are at times competing with the best. That meant a big emphasis on research, often to the detriment of teaching time, sorely needed for many of the black students who had not had a decent high school education to prepare them for university.

It was the typical postcolonial thing, keeping standards up at all costs.

I vividly recall one instance; I was representing the postgraduate student body in the newly established Transformation Council when I heartily objected to a professor who labelled affirmative action a racist policy. The chairperson demanded I apologise or leave the meeting. I left and never returned to the council.

Free, quality, decolonised education for all

I was politically active at Wits and was part of a militant socialist student society on campus. Little did we know that, 20 years later, we would see a powerful resurgence of student protests, one that at times would take aim at the failures of my generation to secure a truly democratic South Africa.

In 2015, students at the University of Cape Town called for the removal of a Cecil Rhodes statue and the end of institutional racism in the university. It was a movement borne from the same sense of alienation and frustration that I had felt so keenly as a student.

The protest sparked a wildfire that could not be easily quelled. Its slogans of black power and demands for the Africanisation of the university echoed the politics of the 1970s that I heard and embraced at home as a child.

Students at the University of Cape Town call for the dismantling of a statue of British imperialist Cecil Rhodes in 2015 [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]

At Wits, the Student Representative Council, an elected student body, decided to flex their muscles and quickly blocked all entrances to the institution, effectively shutting the place down.

They had become deeply frustrated when their demand to block a rise in tuition fees was summarily dismissed by the university. Within the space of a few days, tens of thousands of students from universities across the country had joined the protest movement calling for no rise in tuition fees.

The student mobilisation was massive  far bigger and noisier then we had been able to achieve in my days as a student activist.

During the occupation, a new form of organisation developed. It was a flat structure, where everybody led through the development of task teams for food, health, education, and shelter. At times it looked like a human beehive.

The entrenched culture of putting ones own political affiliations and agendas first was also set aside. Their almost continuous assembly became the heart of all debates and decision-making. New young black female voices also came to the fore.

I pitched up at the university a week after protests started to film the developments. I was promptly told by the student media task team that I and my camera team were not welcome inside the occupation. For any filming to take place I would need permission from the media committee.

Rather taken aback, I retorted: But dont you know who I am? I am the maker of Miners Shot Down.

They replied: We dont care who you are, dont come here with your ego.

It was a wakeup call. The students were now in charge, and by then they were not simply demanding an end to rising tuition fees; they were demanding free, quality, decolonised education for all.

They were also pressing for the end of outsourcing support staff. About fifteen years back, Wits had cut costs by ending contracts for existing support staff, cleaners, kitchen, maintenance and ground staff and instead relying on outside private contractors who had to work without benefits such as medical aid and housing allowance.

In 2015, students protest outsourcing employees at Wits University, a cost-cutting policy in which support staff hired through contracting companies were paid less and received fewer benefits [Al Jazeera]

Unfinished business: A new generation of activists

The student rebellion had reminded me of the unfinished business of transitioning to a democracy.

Twenty years ago, black students at Wits were still a minority, something that forced us to tread carefully but also bred a conservatism that was born of the fact that we were being groomed to enter a system whose racial exclusivity in many ways remained intact.

This generation did not have much time for the likes of my generation of anti-apartheid activists who behaved like they knew what was best for the young.

The students felt the elders were not listening to them or, at best, were indifferent to their experience and pain. The context of fear and insecurity of ones own future is prevalent. Unemployment figures officially stand at 28 percent nationally and 55 percent for those between 15 and 24 years of age, the highest figure in the world for a middle-income economy like ours.

I was witnessing a rigorous re-examination of the entire foundations that underlay the new South Africa. I was at once suspicious and enthralled and this tension led me to commit to the film project if they resolved to fight on.

Students, perhaps more so than other groups, can be fickle; they are on their way up. My initial mistrust of their resolve and commitment to social change quickly melted away as they pressed home their demands regardless of personal consequence and won an astonishing victory that ended outsourcing.

While at times they showed unbridled self-importance, a moral righteousness which I could understand, the tendency to essentialise race I found reprehensible and a step backwards.

But it was clear to all that a new generation with a steely resolve to challenge the status quo had emerged, an inheritance that my own peers had failed to change, a point they would continually painfully remind us of.

They made me feel complicit in our highly unequal society and in some ways they are right.

Student leaders Shaeera Khalla, Nompandulo Mkhatshwa, Vuyani Pambo and Mcebo Dlamini and other protesters call for more fair and accessible education in 2015 [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]

I realised that it was now their turn to take the agenda forward as it was only they who had the militancy and energy to do so. They reminded me of my own youth and a sense of invincibility that comes at that age. I was envious of them but I considered myself as their kin as did many of my peers.

This informed the motivation and design of the film, to make a piece that, while capturing the highs and lows of their struggle, allowed us to reflect on the wider conversation and debate that they placed in very powerful terms onto the table, a cross-generational dialogue.

The film has found resonance around the world as others encounter the same problem: turning public goods and services into business operations is not working for society, particularly for the young.

In 2018, activists won a hugely significant reform: free education for the poor, and the equivalent of billions of US dollars injected into education.

They are continuing to agitate for more and those activists that have left university are to be found in all areas of civil society, reinvigorating our struggle to control our destiny and making me proud to be South African again.

The world needs to watch this space. They inspired us by turning what we have been told is impossible into the possible. They have embodied the 1968 slogan the reverberated around the world in the wake of an insurgent student movement: All power to the imagination.
There is a grim realisation among Chinas leaders that a full blown trade war with the US is now about to become a reality.

Beijing, China  They have been dismantling the old US Embassy in Beijing. Its diplomats moved to a vast complex on the other side of the city years ago.

But this week  of all weeks  Chinese workmen finally began tearing down the old building. It is happening brick by brick and seems like a fitting metaphor for the state of Sino-US ties.

Whatever the outcome of the 11th round of trade talks in Washington, the relationship is bad and its going to stay bad for a long time.

The dispute is a symptom of wider friction between the worlds two leading economies: Taiwan, the South China Sea, Huawei, Iran  honestly, the list is endless.

Its a new Cold War with trade at its core.

Only this week, the United States barred China Mobile  the countrys largest mobile provider  over espionage concerns  the same reason it gave for blocking Huawei, another Chinese telecommunications giant.

Chinese investment

More staggering, perhaps, is the steep drop in Chinese investment to the US  down more than 90 percent since the tariff war began more than 10 months ago.

Its been hard to gauge the impact of it all on Chinese consumers. In Beijings busy Dahuangzhuang market this week, most shoppers shrugged their shoulders when asked how the dispute was affecting them.

But what has changed for some is the way they think about the US.





It is the Americans usual practice to bully others. The hegemonist countries always do this, said one man.

Another was more forthright: The government is being very weak now. But I think it is a deliberate strategy that we make concessions for future economic development. When we get strong enough, though, America should not even think about bombing us.

The bombing hes referring to happened 20 years ago this week when US missiles struck Chinas embassy in Belgrade during NATOs bombardment of the former Yugoslavia.

Three Chinese journalists were killed. NATO called it an accident. China called it an act of war  and still does.

This is a year filled with political and emotionally charged anniversaries in China.

The most important one falls on October 1  when it will be 70 years since the founding of the Peoples Republic. So this is a year when President Xi Jinping has to appear strong, especially over trade.

Critical year

For President Xi, the trade war is just one more concern in a critical year, says analyst Dan Wang of the Economist Intelligence Unit.

The economic expectation is that the economy is going to be very weak. There are financial risks arising and the housing market is not particularly strong either. So what we are looking at is fragile economy and a very difficult situation from the outside, he said.

This could be why China suddenly appeared to harden its negotiating stance in the days leading up to the latest round of talks.

Analysts say President Xi felt his negotiators, led by Vice Premier Liu He, had simply conceded too much in the previous rounds.

He reportedly said: I will be responsible for the consequences.

Since these talks began, the exact details of what has been discussed have never been officially divulged.

So we dont know for sure where there has actually been progress. Media reports have been largely based on speculation and unsourced officials with knowledge of the discussions.

Hopes and fears

There could be a surprise breakthrough on Friday, but the likelihood is that these talks will drag on.

If the negotiations continue, then that could just be enough to stabilise Chinas jittery stock markets, which this week suffered their worst falls in more than three years. If not, it could turn ugly again for investors.

This, remember, was supposed to be the week when champagne corks popped as US and Chinese officials signed their elusive trade deal.

But on Sunday night, President Donald Trump detonated an art-of-the-deal hand grenade, just as he did over North Korea in Hanoi in February.

He tweeted the talks were, in fact, going too slowly, vowing to more than double tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods.

By Friday morning, there was a grim realisation among Chinas leaders that a full-blown trade war with the US was now about to become a reality.
In a poor community, practice known as nyumba mboke allows same-sex arranged marriage but surrogates are being abused.

Migori County, Kenya: In a southwestern Kenyan village near the border with Tanzania, Grace Boke, a 19-year-old mother of three girls, lives with her wife  a woman who was unable to bear her own children.

They were married under nyumba mboke, a practice which allows for woman-to-woman unions, despite the fact that gay marriage is criminalised in Kenya.

But there is little love or romance in this marriage.

Boke is among hundreds of Kenyan surrogates who mostly live in poverty with their partners, who are desperate to have their own children.

The teenager, who speaks in Swahili and her local dialect, dropped out of school and married Pauline Gati after conceiving her first child out of wedlock.

She holds her nine-month-old daughter in their small mud house in Kibunto village, Kuria District. The baby has a skin infection and cries when nursing.

My father forced me to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) when I was very young, in class two, and immediately after that, I was involved with a man who made me pregnant and disappeared. My parents were very poor and decided to give me away for four cows to a woman with no children. She is now my partner, Boke told Al Jazeera.

FGM, child marriage and woman-to-woman marriages are common in Kuria.

My father later sold the cows and went for a drinking spree and never gave my mother any money from that. He later died, said Boke.

When I was welcomed in this home I was told that there was no farm to get any form of food, all she wanted was me to help her get children. This really made me worried but she insisted that we will struggle through thick and thin to get food for children.

Boke and Gati struggle to feed the three children, who are all younger than five.

Gati said same-sex arranged marriage is culturally accepted so women who are unable to have children, or those who have not yet had a son, can fulfil societal expectations.

My husband died and left me with no children after we had lived together for many years, she said. I was facing a lot of stigma from the community and was advised to get a young woman to help me get children.

I do not have a farm because I ran away from where I used to stay. Here, a good Samaritan donated this small piece of land where we have this small two bedroom house. I then decided to marry Boke and gave out four cows. The children  will now be mine. I will have someone to take care of me when I grow old.

Gati and Boke do day-labour jobs in farms to get by and say they and the children are used to sleeping hungry.

[Boke] has no source of income, said Gati. She is supposed to rely on me entirely because the men who make her pregnant have no responsibility for these children. The men she meets are supposed to make her pregnant and walk free; we do not follow them  because we fear they may kill us or the babies.

Grace Boke, 19, with one of her three daughters [Mary Mwendwa/Al Jazeera]

At Gwikonge village, also in Kuria, 48-year-old Gatatina Sinda lives with her eight children in a crumbling mud house.

One by one, the children come home for lunch. A seven-year-old complains that she is bored by eating sweet potatoes every day.

I have no other food, said Sinda. My life is difficult because I was married here to an elderly woman who had no children and wanted me to get her children. She died, leaving me behind with these eight children. I struggle a lot to feed and educate them.

I do not know where I will go with my children when this house falls. This nyumba mboke has brought me and my children a lot of misery.

Melisa Nyabware, 41, is a mother of five and has HIV. Her father, an alcoholic, took her out of school to marry her to another woman.

My father messed up my life just because of five cows. I am so bitter with him only that he is now dead. I could have taken him to court, she told Al Jazeera.

It is very difficult to have children then you have no one taking care of them. My partner was elderly when she took me in and later died. She was unable to provide support to me and my children. I have been living like a beggar.

Gatitina Sinda is a surrogate mother of eight children [Mary Mwendwa/Al Jazeera]

But Goceso, a local support group for women which offers some financial support, has given her some hope, she said.

Susan Maroa, Gocesos chairperson, told Al Jazeera the group is unable to support all the victims of arranged marriages but we try our best to help them.

This is a big problem here because children born have no proper family support and they end up languishing in poverty.

Sammy Chacha, a chief in Kehancha, confirmed that nyumba mboke marriages have wreaked havoc on the community.

This culture is deep-rooted among this community and therefore the young women and children born out of these arrangements suffer a lot. Parents  get carried away when they are offered few cows to give away their daughters, he said.

Nyumba mboke unions are not constitutionally supported and therefore violate the rights of women and children, he explained.

As local administration in this region, we discourage this practice but people do it behind our backs. We only get to hear about it when conflicts arise, he said, adding that he is aware of at least 400 women being affected.

Local officials offer workshops and hold meetings to educate parents and advocate for adoption for families that want children.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infertility affects 15 percent of reproductive-aged couples worldwide.

WHO demographic studies from 2004 have shown that in sub-Saharan Africa, more than 30 percent of women aged 25 to 49 suffer from secondary infertility, the failure to conceive after an initial first pregnancy.

Susan Maroa trains women on the dangers of nyumba mboke [Mary Mwendwa/Al Jazeera]

According to Koigi Kamau, an associate professor in obstetrics and gynaecology, there are several causes of infertility among women in Kenya and other developing nations.

Tubal blockage as a result of STI Infections, fibroids and post-abortion complications are some of the reasons behind infertility in women  Hormonal related [factors] also affect men.

We now have technologies like IVF that can help infertile women have children, but they are very expensive for many local people to afford.

Koigi advises couples to seek help as soon as they realise that they cannot conceive.

This helps in dealing with the problem at early stages and gives higher chances to conceiving.

But in many cases, the determination to have more children is difficult to overcome, even with workshops and efforts to educate, and keeps the practice of nyumba mboke alive.

Back in Kibunto village, despite being unable to afford the three daughters they already have, Gati now wants a son.

[Boke] has to give me a baby boy among the girls; I cannot have only girls in this community, she said. I will lose respect.
The US military has stepped up its campaign of air raids in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office.

The US military has killed 13 ISIL fighters in Somalias semi-autonomous Puntland region in an air attack, it said, days after another raid killed three.

The US military has stepped up its campaign of air raids in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office, saying it has killed more than 800 fighters in two years.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) has gathered recruits in Puntland, although experts say the scale of its force is unclear and it remains a small player compared with the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group that once controlled much of Somalia.

190209130248319

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said late on Thursday that the latest raid on Wednesday targeted an ISIL-Somalia camp in the Golis Mountains.

At this time, it is assessed the air strike on May 8 killed 13 terrorists, it said.

In April, AFRICOM had said it killed Abdulhakim Dhuqub, identifying him as ISILs deputy leader in Somalia.

Last month, AFRICOM also said it has resumed air raids against the al-Shabab group in Somalia after a brief pause that followed a critical report condemning the shroud of secrecy around civilian deaths caused by the US military.

The aerial bombardment was believed to be the first since Amnesty International said in a March 18 report that 14 civilians had been killed and seven wounded in the course of five air raids between April 2017 and December 2018, all attributed to the US military.

Initially, AFRICOM denied its operations had resulted in any civilian deaths, but later acknowledged that a woman and a child had been killed in an April 2018 raid.

Somalia has been mired in a civil war and armed rebellion since 1991 when clan warlords overthrew a dictator and then turned on each other.

Al-Shabab was pushed out of the capital Mogadishu in 2011, but retains a strong presence in parts of southern and central Somalia and has often clashed with the ISIL.
The 894 children, including 106 girls, had been in the ranks of the government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force.

Almost 900 children held by a pro-government force fighting the Boko Haram armed group in northeastern Nigeria have been freed, according to the United Nations.

The 894 children, including 106 girls, had been in the ranks of the government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a local group which supports regular soldiers battling Boko Haram.

At a ceremony in the northeastern town of Maiduguri, they were released on Friday as part of the CJTFs commitment to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children, the UN childrens agency (UNICEF) said.

Children of north-east Nigeria have borne the brunt of this conflict, said Mohamed Fall, UNICEF chief in Nigeria.

They have been used by armed groups in combatant and non-combatant roles and witnessed death, killing and violence.

The CJTF is a group formed in 2013 to protect communities from attack, but it has also recruited hundreds of children.

In 2017, it signed a promise to stop recruiting child soldiers and release the ones they hold.

Right direction

The children freed on Friday bring the total released since then to 1,727 children, UNICEF said. It was not clear how many children remain in the CJTFs ranks, but the UN welcomed the news on Friday.

Any commitment for children that is matched with action is a step in the right direction for the protection of childrens rights, and must be recognised and encouraged, Fall said.

The freed children will be enrolled in a reintegration programme with education and training to help them return to civilian life.

Boko Harams decade-long uprising to establish a strict interpretation of Islamic law in Nigerias northeast has spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The armed group has also recruited thousands of children to fight in their ranks.

We will continue until there is no child left in the ranks of all armed groups in Nigeria, Fall said, noting that children have been abducted, maimed, raped and killed.
The proposed sale would double the number of AH-64E Apache attack helicopters the Gulf country currently has.

The US State Department has cleared a potential $3bn sale of 24 Apache attack helicopters and related equipment to Qatar, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The proposed sale, which would double the number of AH-64E Apache attack helicopters the Gulf country currently has, would also offer additional parts such as engines, night vision sensors, missiles and guns.

The DSCA said in a statement on Thursday that the helicopters would be used for close air support, armed reconnaissance, and anti-tank warfare missions and would also provide a long-term defensive and offensive capability to the Qatar peninsula.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political and economic progress in the Middle East, the agency said.

The sale of the helicopters has yet to be complete and must be reviewed by Congress before being finalised.

Defence contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corp, General Electric Co and Raytheon Co would participate in the project if a deal was eventually reached, the DSCA said.

In March, Qatar received the first batch of helicopters from its first purchase of the AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.
President Tsai Ing-Wen calls on national security agencies to increase efforts to counter China amid rising tension.

President Tsai Ing-Wen says she has asked Taiwans national security agencies to do more to counter China amid signs that the mainland has stepped up efforts to infiltrate and gain influence on the island.

Tsai, speaking to reporters on Friday after a national security meeting, said Chinas operations to influence opinion included attempts to interfere with elections and conduct fake news campaigns.

She did not go into detail on specific incidents.

Tsai said Taiwan would deter any military aggression in the Taiwan Strait, after China last month staged military drills involving warships, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft around the island.

Defence capabilities would be improved with updated military equipment, she said. Taiwan recently launched a programme to build submarines locally.

The Chinese Communist Party continues to demonstrate provocative actions in the Taiwan Strait, destroying the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Tsai said.





Fears grow

Taiwan scrambled jets to monitor the Chinese drills in April, which a senior official from the United States at the time described as coercion and a threat to regional stability.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island, which has developed into a vibrant democracy in recent years, under its control.

The government in Beijing fears Tsai is pushing for the islands formal independence and has steadily stepped up political and military pressure.

Tsai has said she wants to maintain the status quo with China but will defend Taiwans security and democracy.

The US House of Representatives this week unanimously backed legislation supporting Taiwan as members of Congress push for a sharper approach to relations with Beijing.
The US hikes tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods from 10 percent up to 25 percent, heightening tensions with China.

A US tariff increase on hundreds of billions of dollars of goods imported from China has taken effect after US and Chinese trade negotiators failed to reach an 11th-hour breakthrough  but agreed to continue their discussions to end their trade war.

US President Donald Trump met Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin following the first day of the crucial talks with the Chinese delegation and the sides agreed to continue discussions tomorrow morning, the White House said in a statement late on Thursday.

However, the announcement did not affect US plans to more than double the tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese imports to 25 percent  dashing hopes that Trump might decide to hold off at the last minute as the negotiations continued.

Beijing had threatened to retaliate if Washington went ahead with the tariff hikes at 12:01am Eastern time (04:01 GMT) on Friday in the United States, adding to the heated rhetoric from both sides that was shaking stock markets around the world.

After the new tariffs took effect, Chinas commerce ministry said it deeply regrets the move and promised to take necessary countermeasures. It did not specify what those might be. But it sounded hopeful that the two sides could reach a compromise.

The eleventh round of China-US high-level economic and trade consultations is underway and we hope the US and the Chinese side can meet each other halfway, the commerce ministrys statement said.









Since last year, the two economic powerhouses have exchanged tariffs on more than $360bn in two-way trade, gutting US agricultural exports to China and weighing on both countries manufacturing sectors.

Lighthizer and Mnuchin met the Chinese delegation for about 90 minutes on Thursday evening. The White House statement said they also had a working dinner with Vice Premier Liu He who is leading the Chinese delegation.

The two countries are sparring over US allegations that China steals technology and pressures US companies into handing over trade secrets, part of an aggressive campaign to turn Chinese companies into world leaders in robotics, electric cars and other advanced industries.

Despite optimism from officials in recent weeks that the talks were moving towards a deal, tensions reignited this week after Trump angrily accused China of trying to back pedal on issues already agreed to in the negotiations.

They took many, many parts of that deal and they renegotiated. You cant do that, Trump said on Thursday.

But he held out hopes of salvaging a trade deal, even with the sudden flare-up in hostilities.

Its possible to do it, Trump said of the trade deal on Thursday. I did get last night a very beautiful letter from President Xi.

However, he also said he would be equally satisfied to simply keep tariffs in place. And he has renewed his threat to extend the tough tariffs to all products the US imports from China.





The US administration bought a little extra time for talks to work: according to a filing on Wednesday in the Federal Register, the tariff hike will not hit goods that have already left Chinese ports before Fridays deadline.

So the tariffs will not start taking effect until those shipments complete the three- to four-week voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

This creates an unofficial window, potentially lasting a couple of weeks, in which negotiations can continue and generates a soft deadline to reach a deal, Goldman Sachs said in a report on Thursday.

The International Monetary Fund has repeatedly warned that the trade battle between the worlds top economies was a threat to global growth, and called for a rapid resolution.
Riyad al-Maliki slams USs Middle East peace negotiators conditions for surrender in the name of peace plan.

The United States is crafting a surrender document, not a peace plan, and the Palestinians will not accept it regardless of how much money is offered, Palestines foreign minister said addressing a United Nations meeting.

Riyad al-Maliki was on Thursday expressing the Palestinian stance on the proposed plan by the Trump administration to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This is not a peace plan but rather conditions for surrender, al-Maliki said as the USs Middle East peace negotiator, Jason Greenblatt, listened on. And there is no amount of money that can make it acceptable.

Some ask us, what if they surprise you; we tell them we would have been more hopeful had they not been deaf to our appeals, blind to Israeli violations and mute, at best, on the fundamentals of peace, when not actively undermining them, he added.

This is not a peace plan but rather conditions for surrender. Riyad al-Maliki, the Palestinian foreign minister

Palestinian officials have ruled out a role for the US in peace talks after the Trump administration unilaterally recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital, upending long-established understandings that underpin negotiations to end the conflict and establish a Palestinian state side-by-side with Israel.

When the US, prior to announcing its plan, recognises Jerusalem as the so-called capital of Israel and claims they are entitled to take such a sovereign decision that is in blatant violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions and pretend it has no implications on peace, it is not possible to have faith in such efforts, Maliki said.

Surprising and unfair

Greenblatt said it was surprising and unfair that Indonesia, Kuwait and South Africa organised the council meeting and condemned Israels behaviour when it was not even invited to speak at this session.

He added that it was inspiring to see Israel celebrate the 71st anniversary of its independence on Thursday, calling it a small brave country that grew to a thriving, diverse economically vibrant democracy, the only one in the Middle East.

He called the councils obsessive focus on Israeli settlements a farce, saying settlements arent keeping Israel and the Palestinians from negotiating peace, and said the UNSC should instead condemn Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for recently firing hundreds of rockets into Israel from Gaza.

Speaking from the UN headquarters in New York, Al Jazeeras diplomatic correspondent James Bays said that the US envoy to the Middle East remained tightlipped about the forthcoming peace plan.

As he left the meeting, Greenblatt was taking no questions from reporters, he said. He would give no more detail about the timing of the release of the peace plan other than to say it would come soon.

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trumps son-in-law and special adviser, has said the peace plan he has led will be released sometime in June after the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Two-state solution

Last week, Kushner revealed new contours of the upcoming US peace plan, indicating that it will pull back from long-standing mentions of a two-state solution with the Palestinians and accept Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Greenblatt told the UNSC the vision for peace that we will soon put forward will be realistic and implementable and lay out the core issues of the conflict in enough detail that everyone will be able to imagine what peace could look like.

Al-Maliki, however, said Greenblatts speech clearly marked his pro-Israel bias.

Its very clear that his thinking, his mind, is well set to be exclusively anti-Palestinian, anti-peace and anti-logic, and anti-international law, he said.

The Palestinian foreign minister pointed out there are over 600,000 Israeli settlers currently living in the occupied West Bank, insisting Israel is intent on annexing the areas where they live, but maintained the Palestinian Authority is committed to brokering a two-state solution through dialogue.

Despite this ongoing injustice, we remain committed to peace and the rule of international law. Why? Because it is the only way forward.
Leader of the Opposition has questioned the enormity of the concessions granted to Rainforest Seafood St. Vincent Ltd.

It needs to be determined whether or not the concessions given to the Jamaican Company- Rainforest Seafoods are justifiable, and what makes this project different from one that already exists in the country.





This was Leader of the Opposition, Dr Godwin Fridays contention as he weighed in on the issue of the concessions that were given to the company, in the name of Rainforest Seafoods St. Vincent Ltd.





In April, government and the owners of the Rainforest Seafoods signed an agreement governing the setting up of a seafood processing and packaging plant at Calliaqua, with the total investment estimated at EC$10 million.





The facility is expected to purchase lobster, conch and other marine species for export, and is purported to be able to generate EC$2million each year.





Among the concessions agreed to by the government are that no taxes or withholding of any kind will be levied on the Rainforest Seafoods income, profits and capital gains for 15 years  this period begins when the company has indicated to the government that it was in fact ready to open for commercial business.





Customs duties, Value Added Tax, or duties will not be imposed on any of the building materials and such during the construction phase of the project, and the company receives duty-free concessions on the importation of a number of vehicles, including freezer trucks, forks etc.





But while speaking on the May 6 edition of the New Democratic Party (NDP) sponsored radio programme New Times, Friday referred to the concessions as "generous.





He added that there was a similar company now operating in Bequia, the Bequia Seafood Company Ltd, and he wanted to find out what sort of concessional arrangements the government had agreed to with that establishment.





The Opposition Leader proffered that concessions were used by governments to attract certain types of investment in specialized areas.





"Not every type of investment you will give concessions to, he said.





According to Friday, it was important to look at the concessions in order to determine if they are reasonable enough to achieve the goals set out for the project.





"Rainforest Seafood is getting some very generous concessions, but [we] will have to look at it carefully to weigh out the cost and benefit, the Leader of the Opposition said.





He said that he was of the opinion that government ought to lookout for the local investors "first and foremost.





Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves was reported as having said during a radio programme last weekend, that similar concessions had been agreed to for local manufacturers and hoteliers.
Beaches in Mexico are becoming overwhelmed by foul-smelling sargassum, a seaweed-like alga that experts have said could be the new normal.

The algae has been piling up in huge volumes at some of the most famous resorts, including Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum  not only ruining the beaches, but also turning the turquoise waters brown.

Prior to 2014, the region had very little sargassum, but in recent years, the problem has exploded. The sudden increase is thought to be due to a combination of climate change, pollution from fertilisers and ocean currents carrying the algal mats to the Caribbean.

We are having the problem in the northern coast of Quintana Roo, where it is more noticeable because its where most people live, and where most activities are happening, said Gonzalo Merediz director of the Sian Kaan conservation charity, but we are having the problem in the entire coast of Quintana Roo, as it is happening also in Central America and many islands of the Caribbean.

Sargassum is a brown alga that forms large floating mats. It usually blooms in the Sargasso Sea, a vast body of water in the north Atlantic, and is a critical habitat for many marine species such as mahi-mahi, tuna, eels and sea turtles.

Sargassum has always washed up along tropical shores in small amounts, but it becomes a problem when it occurs in large amounts.

Severe inundations, known as harmful algae blooms, can wipe out fish populations, harm tourism and cause coastal dead zones. As it decays and sinks to the bottom, it can also smother the coral for which the Caribbean is known, and accumulations on beaches can make it harder for sea turtles to nest.

Tourist season

Although tourist arrivals at the Cancun airport were up 3.3 percent in March compared with March last year, many fear the increase will not last because tourists come to Mexicos Caribbean coast for the sun, sand, snorkelling and turquoise waters.

Gustav, visiting from Calgary, Canada, was just one of the tourists who was not impressed with the algae. You cant really swim here, you cant really spend any time in the water, he said. It looks dirty, and it is something that I wouldnt even risk my own health for.

Scientists have set up sargassum tracking systems that detect the amount of algae heading for shores in the Caribbean, but its hard to predict when or where it will land.

Gonzalo Merediz said that even removing the sargassum from the beaches is not straightforward. Shovelling the sargassum is a Herculean task that raises other concerns, such as where to dump it.

When the seaweed is extracted from the ocean, and dumped anywhere in the land, specifically here, where we have this limestone that is very permeable, the nutrients of these seaweeds goes into the underground and can affect also the aquifer. So, we have to be very careful about where we put this material that is extracted.

The Americas is not the only part of the world to be inundated with the stinky sargassum. The coast of West Africa has also seen a huge increase in recent years, with Sierra Leone complaining of a particularly severe influx a few years ago.
UN refugee agency says 65 refugees and migrants drowned after vessel went down in the Mediterranean Sea.

A boat carrying scores of refugees and migrants has capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Tunisia, killing at least 65 people, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

UNHCR said in a statement on Friday that 16 survivors were pulled from the water after the vessel sank in one of the worst incidents on the Mediterranean in months.

This is a tragic and terrible reminder of the risks still faced by those who attempt to cross the Mediterranean, said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCRs special envoy for the Mediterranean.

Only four bodies have been recovered so far and search operations were ongoing, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a Twitter post.

Update: IOM Tunisia reports just 4 bodies have been recovered so far in the ongoing #SAR operations. The boat is thought to have left from Zuwara, #Libya, according to the Tunisian Ministry of Defense.  Missing Migrants Project (@MissingMigrants) May 10, 2019

According to reports by Tunisias state-run TAP news agency, the boat carrying as many as 70 refugees and migrants sank 40 nautical miles off the coast of Sfax, some 270km south of the capital, Tunis.

Fishing boats rescued the survivors, TAP reported.

IOM, which described the incident as another tragedy in the Mediterranean, said the vessel took to the sea from neighbouring Libya, where renewed warfare between rival factions has gripped the capital, Tripoli, in recent weeks.

An IOM official told The Associated Press news agency those on board included Bangladeshi and Moroccan nationals, among others.

Deadliest sea crossing

Libyas western coast is the main departure point for refugees and migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea.

The number of people attempting the journey has dropped due to an Italian-led effort to disrupt smuggling networks and support the Libyan coastguard with funds, ships and training, in return for carrying out interceptions and rescues.

UNHCRs Cochetel said action needed to be taken across the region in order to strengthen the capacity of search and rescue operations.

If we dont act now, were almost certain to see more tragic events in the coming weeks and months, he added.

The Mediterranean Sea is the worlds deadliest sea crossing, according to UNHCR, with one in 14 people dying on the route from Libya to Europe last year.

A UN report published in January said six refugees and migrants died every day in 2018 while attempting to cross the Mediterranean.
Paris, France  Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg joined French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Friday to discuss the French governments plans to take a more active role in policing harmful content posted on the worlds third-most visited website.

While Macron has been seeking more strict state control over social networks across the European Union, Facebook and French authorities have piloted a system of co-regulation.

Preliminary findings of the trial system, released before Fridays meeting, suggested French officials did not trust Facebook to regulate itself alone, and recommend the government continue to work with the network to remove dangerous material.

The inadequacy and lack of credibility in the self-regulatory approach adopted by the largest platforms justify public intervention to make them more responsible, the report said.





In January, French officials were taken behind closed doors at Facebook to see how the sites team of content moderators tackled harmful material such as hate speech and fake news.

Zuckerberg left Fridays meeting upbeat.

Im encouraged and optimistic about the regulatory framework that will be put in place, Zuckerberg told reporters at Facebooks Paris headquarters. Its going to be hard for us, and theres going to be things in there that we disagree with. Thats natural.

But in order for people to trust the internet overall and over time, there needs to be the right regulation put in place, he said. And I think the best way for that to get put in place is by governments like this one that are being thoughtful and diligent about how to do this.

An outspoken critic of the social media giant, Macron has encouraged other European governments to take on a similar role.

The meeting between Macron and Zuckerberg comes as Facebook comes under mounting pressure from international regulators to do more to fight the spread of harmful content.

In March, a gunman who killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, used Facebook to livestream his rampage.

Facebook did not stop the stream and it took a day to remove more than 1.5 million copies of the video from its website. Nearly two months later, some videos are still being found on the site.

The initial delay prompted New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to ask companies to respond to the Christchurch Call, aimed at stopping violent content online. Ardern and Macron will co-chair a summit in Paris next week, where they will meet tech giants to discuss how they can do more to fight such content from spreading across different platforms.

Facebook executives are eager to avoid further regulation, and publicly welcomed the latest recommendations suggested by the French, which stopped short of mandating full state regulation of the network.

This report from the French government reflects a deep and sophisticated understanding of the challenges in maintaining a free, open and safe internet, Richard Allan, Facebooks vice president for policy solutions, said in a statement emailed to Al Jazeera.

The report sets out a path towards a new model for content regulation that has the potential to be both effective and workable. It would allow platforms to develop innovative solutions to keep their users safe while being clearly accountable to a regulator for how well they do this.

Concern from free speech groups

While many have applauded Macrons involved role in tackling internet hate speech, free speech activists say they are concerned about the methods being used to determine what constitutes hate speech.

The general lack of transparency about how speech is being regulated has always been a concern for us, Ellery Biddle, the advocacy director of Global Voices, told Al Jazeera. Just because a government is suddenly involved doesnt mean were any less concerned.

I Ellery

have agreed to do together in the future and I want that to be visible to the French public and the global public]

Biddle and others are calling for governments and tech giants to be more open about the details of their partnerships.

I want to know precisely what the French government and [Facebook] have agreed to do together in the future and I want that to be visible to the French public and the global public, said Biddle.

Frances parliament is also considering a law that would require companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Google to remove any content deemed hateful within 24 hours of notification. Failing to do so could result in a fine of up to four percent of a companys global turnover.

There is no official international definition of hate speech, however, making it difficult to ensure unified practices when it comes to monitoring content.

What one person might call hate speech might just be something offensive, said Gabrielle Guillemin, a senior legal officer with free speech advocacy group Article 19.

Guillemin also noted that freedom of expression is not mentioned a single time in the proposed law, adding to concern that the legislation fails to take free speech into account.

Its time to break up Facebook

Activist concern over government involvement aside, critics largely agree: Facebooks power has become too great.

In an op-ed published in The New York Times this week, Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes urged the US government to break up the company, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp.

The government must hold Mark accountable, he wrote. For too long, lawmakers have marvelled at Facebooks explosive growth and overlooked their responsibility to ensure that Americans are protected and markets are competitive.

Even more concerning, wrote Hughes, was Zuckerbergs individual power within the company.

He sets the rules for how to distinguish violent and incendiary speech from the merely offensive, and he can choose to shut down a competitor by acquiring, blocking or copying it.

Facebook, however, rejected Hughes comments.

Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability, said former deputy British Prime Minister Nick Clegg, now Facebooks vice president for global affairs and communication, in a statement.

But you dont enforce accountability by calling for the breakup of a successful American company.
How does impeachment work? Which US presidents have been impeached? A guide to US impeachment process.

Amid controversy over a summer phone call between US President Donald Trump and the new leader of Ukraine, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered a formal impeachment inquiry of the US president in September.

No one is above the law, she said as she announced the House was moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry of Trump.

Pelosi, a Democrat, had earlier resisted calls to begin impeachment proceedings, urging restraint as House committees aggressively investigated Trump, a Republican, through subpoenas of witnesses and documents.

But following allegations that Trump pressured the leader of Ukraine to investigate the family of former Vice President Joe Biden, who is vying for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, pressure from inside the Democratic caucus for an impeachment inquiry mounted.

The House held hours of hearings with dozens of witnesses and produced hundreds of pages of reports.

On Wednesday, the House voted to impeach Trump on two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

As Trump becomes only the third US president in history to be impeached, here is what you need to know about the process:

1. What is impeachment in the US political system?

The founders of the United States included impeachment in the US Constitution as an option for removal of presidents by Congress.

190509180227461

Impeachment, a concept in English common law, was one of the more hotly debated points during the constitutional convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. Delegates agreed that presidents could be removed if found guilty by Congress of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

The sole authority under the Constitution to bring articles of impeachment is vested in the House of Representatives where proceedings can begin in the Judiciary Committee. If the House approves articles of impeachment, or impeaches a president, he or she would then be subject to trial in the US Senate.

2. On what grounds can a president be impeached? How does impeachment work?

Under the Constitution, the president, vice president and all civil officers of the United States can be removed from office for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

To begin impeachment proceedings, a House member can introduce an impeachment resolution, or the entire House can vote to initiate an investigation into whether there are grounds for impeachment. The House Judiciary Committee or a special committee will then investigate. The panel votes on whether to bring a vote to the full House.

Impeachment in the 435-member House must be approved with a simple majority.

If the House votes to impeach, the matter moves to the Senate, where a trial is held.

3. What are articles of impeachment?

Articles of impeachment are formal charges. In the case of Trump, the House considered two articles of impeachment: Abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Democrats accuse Trump of pressuring Ukraine to open an investigation the presidents political rival and former vice president, Joe Biden, who is also a frontrunner in the 2020 Democratic presidential race. They also charge that the president obstructed their investigation by refusing to comply with subpoenas and directing members of his administration to do the same.

The impeachment inquiry, launched in September following a whistle-blower complaint, was centred on a July 25 phone call during which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to open an investigation into Biden and his son, Hunter, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company. There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by the Bidens.

Trump also wanted Zelenskyy to investigate a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US presidential election.

At the time of the call, the Trump administration was withholding nearly $400m in Congress-approved military assistance from Ukraine.

Citing testimony by current and former US officials, Democrats also accuse Trump of leveraging a White House meeting that Zelenskyy wanted in exchange for the investigations.

4. What does Trump say?

Earlier in the inquiry, Trump asserted that a formal impeachment inquiry by House Democrats would be positive for me.

He said the country is doing the best its ever done and that Democrats are going to lose next years elections if they pursue impeachment.

But since then, Trump has lashed out at Democrats, calling the inquiry witch-hunt garbage.

Trump maintains that he did nothing wrong, and that the call between him and the Ukrainian leader was perfect.

Trump on Tuesday sent a sharply-worded letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House, expressing his strongest and most powerful protest against impeachment. He said he was innocent of all the charges, and if Democrats proceeded they would be declaring open war on American democracy.

I have no doubt the American people will hold you and the Democrats fully responsible in the upcoming 2020 election, Trump said. They will not soon forgive your perversion of justice and abuse of power.

190425185711995

3. Now that Trump is impeached, when will the Senate hold a trial?

A two-thirds majority vote is required in the 100-member Senate to convict and remove a president from office.

The Senate is made up of 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with the Democrats. At least 20 Republicans would have to vote with all Democrats and the two independents to remove the president.

A trial in the Republican-controlled Senate is expected in January. No date has been set, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this week that a trial would be the Senates first order of business.

Senate Democrats proposed a trial plan that would see proceedings begin on January 6. Presentations by House managers, who would effectively work as prosecutors, would begin on January 9 under this plan. Its unlikely that Senate Republicans would agree to the Democrats exact proposal.

McConnell will likely announce details of a Senate trial after the House vote this week.

During the trial, the chief justice of the US Supreme Court presides over the trial.

4. Who would become president if Trump was impeached and removed? What would happen to Trump?

An unlikely Senate conviction that removed Trump from office would automatically elevate Vice President Mike Pence to become president, completing Trumps term, which ends on January 20, 2021.

190509180227461

Criminal charges cannot be brought against a sitting president, however, the Constitution does allow for separate criminal charges once a president is removed.

5. Which presidents have been impeached?

Other than Trump, only two other US presidents have ever been successfully impeached and in neither instance was the president removed from office. Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 in the tumultuous aftermath of the American Civil War; and Bill Clinton in 1998 for issues including his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Both times, the House approved formal charges and impeached the president, only to have the Senate fail to convict and remove him.

The House Judiciary Committee in 1974 voted to recommend impeachment accusing another president, Richard Nixon, of planning to obstruct an investigation in the Watergate scandal. Before the full House could vote on impeachment, Nixon became the only US president ever to resign.
Top Iran official dismisses Donald Trumps offer for talks as USs B-52 bombers reach Middle East in message to Iran.

Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has rejected negotiations with the United States and denied the likelihood of a US attack, a day after US President Donald Trump urged talks while saying he could not rule out a military confrontation.

No talks will be held with the Americans and the Americans will not dare take military action against us, Yadollah Javani, the IRGCs deputy head for political affairs, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Friday.

Our nation  sees America as unreliable.

The dismissal came amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Trump, who pulled the US out of a landmark deal curbing Irans nuclear programme, has tightened sanctions on Tehran, eliminating waivers that had allowed some countries to buy Iranian oil, with the goal of reducing the countrys crude exports to zero.

The US also designated the IRGC a terrorist organisation in April.

Last week, Washington deployed bombers and warships to the Middle East, citing credible threats from Iran. It did not offer evidence for the claim and Tehran dismissed the move as psychological warfare.

The B-52 bombers arrived at a US airbase in Qatar on Thursday night, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, while the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln passed through Egypts Suez Canal on Thursday.

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group transits the Suez Canal on May 9 [US Navy handout via AFP]

At the same time, Trump urged Irans leadership to sit down with him to discuss giving up Tehrans nuclear programme. What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me, he told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

When asked about the risk of a US military confrontation with Iran, Trump said: I guess you could say that always, right? I dont want to say no, but hopefully, that wont happen. We have one of the most powerful ships in the world that is loaded up and we dont want to do anything.

190508204815694

Down with the USA

A day before Trumps offer for talks, Irans President Hassan Rouhani said his country will resume some nuclear enrichment that had been halted under the 2015 accord.

Iran remains in compliance with the agreement but Rouhani threatened on Wednesday to do more if the remaining signatories to the pact  the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China  did not shield it from US sanctions.

Thousands of Iranians took part in state-sponsored marches on Friday to voice support for the governments move to scale back curbs on its nuclear programme.

State television showed thousands marching after Friday prayers in Tehran and said similar marches were held across the country.

America should know, sanctions have no effect! chanted the demonstrators, many of whom carried signs reading Down with USA.

They burned US flags and some threw fake punches at a protester wearing a Trump costume mask.





Majid Takht Ravanchi, Irans ambassador to the United Nations, said Washingtons unilateral exit had eroded Tehrans trust.

All of a sudden he decided to leave the negotiating table.  What is the guarantee that he will not renege again? Takht Ravanchi said in a US television interview on Thursday.

He dismissed US allegations of an Iranian threat as fake intelligence and said they were being produced by the same people who in the run-up to the US invasion of Iraq did the same.

Meanwhile, the European Union has urged Iran to respect the nuclear deal, saying the bloc aims to continue trading with the country despite US sanctions.

The Europeans insist the pact is an important pillar of regional and global security but have struggled to preserve the accord.
Iran doesnt believe in Trumps claim that sanctions are designed to get Iranian leaders to start a dialogue with him.

US President Donald Trump says new sanctions on Iran are meant to encourage a dialogue on a potential new nuclear deal.

But Irans leaders continue to reject that idea and insist there will be no talks between the two sides.

Anti-US protests were held in the capital after Friday prayers.

Al Jazeeras Zein Basravi reports from Tehran.
The USs attempts to pressure Iran, by criticising Iraqi Shia militias backed by Iran, has deepened tensions between Washington and Baghdad.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came to Iraq on an unscheduled visit on Tuesday because of what he said were specific threats to Americans in the country.

The statement was directed towards what the US calls Irans proxy forces, around 60,000 Iraqi fighters with pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq known as Popular Mobilisation Forces or Hashd al-Shaabi.

The US and Iran are both important strategic partners for Iraq.

But those relationships also mean the country is now coming under increasing diplomatic pressure from both Washington and Tehran.

Al Jazeeras Charles Stratford reports from Baghdad.
ISIL claims responsibility after suicide bomber detonates explosives in the market of a Shia area in eastern Baghdad.

A suicide attack has killed at least four civilians and wounded six others in a Shia area of Iraqs eastern Baghdad, according to security sources and witnesses.

A suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt late on Thursday in a market in Sadr City, a suburb of Baghdad, the sources said.

Shortly after the blast, Iraqi police blocked all roads leading to the site and only allowed access to ambulances to transfer those injured to nearby hospitals.

190505060106648

Al Jazeeras Rob Matheson, reporting from Baghdad, said the news of the attack came as a shock in the city not least because it came just a few days into the holy month of Ramadan.

The Sadr City was named after a prominent Muslim scholar Mohamed Sadeq al-Sadr following the fall of Saddam Hussein and its become the centre for the Sadrist movement which is now developing into a political party led by the prominent Shia scholar Muqtada al-Sadr, the son of Mohamed Sadeq al-Sadr, he said.

He also said the attack came just weeks after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, vowed to revenge for the territory lost by the armed group over the years.

ISIL claims responsibility

ISIL said it was behind the attack and claimed eight people were killed and 10 others wounded.

Its fighters have carried out several attacks across Iraq after government forces  supported by the US-led coalition and tribal paramilitary groups  regained control of large parts of the country that were seized by the group in 2014.

Iraq declared victory over the armed group in 2017, three years after it took over vast swaths of the country. Its fighters have since adapted their tactics to focus on rebel-style attacks.

The blast is the first since the security situation seemingly improved in Baghdad, leading to dozens of security barriers, cement blocks and checkpoints surrounding markets and government buildings being removed.

During the holy month of Ramadan, people often stay up late and go to restaurants for suhoor, a pre-dawn meal, before they fast from sunrise to sunset.
The RSF 2019 Press Freedom Index, is said to highlight the downward spiral in free expression happening around the world.

The World Press Freedom Index Report of 2019, released on April 8, said journalism in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) was not as respected as in countries like Jamaica.



In fact, the Paris-based media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders  known internationally as Reporters Sans Frontieres or RSF - which prepared the report, named Jamaica as the Caribbean country with the highest respect for freedom of information, listing that Caribbean country at 8th position among 180 countries examined worldwide.

Suriname at number 20 and Trinidad and Tobago at number 39, were the next best placed Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries on the 2019 index.

The OECS, which was listed as one block, was ranked at number 50.

The RSF said it conducted investigations in 13 Caribbean countries. Barbados was not among those Caribbean nations listed.

RSF said that journalism is not "a prestige profession in member countries of the OECS.

"They receive little training and often abandon media work because it is so badly paid, an issue that particularly affects female journalists in the region, the report stated.

The RSF report went on to say that many media outlets were under the direct influence of politicians, especially during elections.

"In some of the islands, political parties even own or have major shares in media companies, compromising journalistic independence, RFS pointed out.

Extract on SVG

According to RSF, "democratic governments from several countries in the Organisation of East Caribbean States have adopted Trumps favourite phrase when criticising the work of journalists.

"Given that criminal defamation still remains on the books in many Caribbean countries, the spread of Trumps anti-media rhetoric could have very serious consequences for the local press, it said.

It said the Cybercrime Bill St Vincent and the Grenadines adopted in 2016, a vaguely worded law expected to chill freedom of the press and expression online, is likely to be exported to other countries in the OECS.

"Like many of its neighbours, St Vincent and the Grenadines still criminalises defamation, and this legislation has extended this offence to include online content.

Norway tops the World Press Freedom Index with Turkmenistan occupying the bottom position at number 180.

The United States is listed at number 48, three places lower than that which it occupied in the last report.

(Source: TIME, Mail and Guardian)

It said that the authorities in the sub-region are also monitoring social networks more and more closely, which encouraged a degree of self-censorship.In fact, the move is said to have downgraded the USA from a "satisfactory place to work freely, to a "problematic one for journalists.
Gazas fishing union confirmed the lifting of the ban, saying the fishing zone now extends to 12 nautical miles.

Israel lifted a ban on Friday on Palestinian fishing boats operating off the Gaza Strip, ending a measure imposed during a deadly flare-up of violence earlier this month.

The fishing union in the Gaza Strip confirmed the lifting of the ban, saying the new limits imposed by Israel were 12 nautical miles in the southern half of Gaza and six nautical miles in the north.

Zakaria Bakr, an official with the fishing union, said a number of boats began fishing on Friday, the first in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The measure is seen as a first step in implementing a fragile truce meant to avert a new conflict between Israel and Palestinian armed factions.

Palestinian fishermen unload their catch at the Gaza City seaport [File: Mohammed Salem/Reuters]

Friday, the Gaza Strip fishing zone is expected to reopen at a range of up to 12 nautical miles, COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for the Palestinian territories, said.

Application of the measure is conditioned on the Gaza Strip fishermen respecting the agreements.

Four Israelis and 25 Palestinians, including two pregnant women and three children, were killed in the two-day flare-up as Israeli air raids pounded the besieged enclave and rockets were fired from Gaza.

COGAT closed the fishing zone and border crossings for both people and goods between Israel and Gaza in response to the rocket fire.

Under the Oslo Accords signed in 1993, Israel is obligated to permit fishing up to 20 nautical miles, but this has never been implemented.

In practice, Israel only allowed fishing up to 12 nautical miles until 2006, when the fishing zone was reduced to six and later to three.

A tentative truce was reached on Monday with Palestinian officials saying Israel had agreed to ease its crippling decade-long blockade of the impoverished enclave in exchange for calm.

Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for Hamas  the group that governs the Strip  said Egyptian mediators, along with officials from Qatar and the United Nations, helped reach the ceasefire deal.

Israel did not publicly confirm the deal.

A Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he considered the reopening of the fishing area the first step the (Israeli) occupation must take as part of the implementation of the understandings.

An Egyptian security delegation arrived in Gaza late on Thursday to monitor implementation of the Cairo-brokered truce, he said.

COGATs statement late on Thursday did not mention any reopening of the border crossings between Gaza and Israel.





Israel maintains a heavy naval presence, restricting any traffic in and out of the enclave as well as the distance Gazas fishermen can travel to fish, severely affecting the livelihoods of some 4,000 fishermen and at least 1,500 more people involved in the fishing industry.

Around two million Palestinians live in Gaza, the economy of which has suffered years of Israeli and Egyptian blockades as well as recent foreign aid cuts and sanctions by the Palestinian Authority, a rival of Hamas that governs the occupied West Bank.
Chelsea Manning, a former US military intelligence analyst who was being detained for refusing to testify before a grand jury, has been released and immediately summoned to appear before a new grand jury, according to her lawyers.

Manning was released on Thursday after the term expired for the previous grand jury in Virginia that was seeking her testimony in connection with what is believed to be the governments long-running investigation into anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.

She was simultaneously subpoenaed to appear before a different grand jury on May 16, meaning she could be found in contempt again for refusing to testify and returned to jail, her lawyers said in a statement.

Manning had appeared before the grand jury in early March but declined to answer questions.

She was jailed for 62 days for contempt of court. A US appeals court denied her request to be released on bail and upheld the lower courts decision to hold her in civil contempt for refusing to testify.

Chelsea will continue to refuse to answer questions, and will use every available legal defense to prove to District Judge (Anthony) Trenga that she has just cause for her refusal to give testimony, the statement said.

It is unclear exactly why federal prosecutors want Manning to testify, although her representatives say the questions she was asked concern the release of information she disclosed to the public in 2010 through WikiLeaks.





Manning was convicted by a court-martial in 2013 of espionage and other offences for leaking more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to WikiLeaks while she was an intelligence analyst in Iraq.

She served nearly seven years in prison before former US President Barack Obama, in his last days in office, commuted the final 28 years of Mannings 35-year sentence. She was released in May 2017.

Earlier this week, Mannings lawyers filed court papers arguing that she should not be jailed for civil contempt because she has proven that she will stick to her principles and will not testify, no matter how long she is jailed.

Federal law only allows a recalcitrant witness to be jailed on civil contempt if there is a chance that the incarceration will coerce the witness into testifying. If a judge were to determine that incarcerating Manning were punitive rather than coercive, Manning would not be jailed.

At this point, given the sacrifices she has already made, her strong principles, her strong and growing support community, and the disgrace attendant to her capitulation, it is inconceivable that Chelsea Manning will ever change her mind about her refusal to cooperate with the grand jury, her lawyers wrote.

Manning filed an eight-page statement with the court on Monday, outlining her resolve. She wrote that cooperation with this grand jury is simply not an option. Doing so would mean throwing away all of my principles, accomplishments, sacrifices, and erase decades of my reputation  an obvious impossibility, she wrote.

She also said she was suffering disproportionately in jail because of physical problems related to inadequate follow-up care to gender-reassignment surgery.

After nearly seven years of giving Assange refuge in its embassy in London, Ecuador on April 11 ended its protection and he was arrested by British police.

The United States is seeking his extradition to face charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. Assange plans to fight the US extradition request.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that Maso Notarianni had been on board the Mare Jonio during the rescue operation, when he had been on board the Alex.

Rome, Italy  The Italian rescue ship Mare Jonio was 64km off the Libyan coast on Thursday evening when its crew sighted a raft in distress. The five-metre rubber dinghy was crammed with 30 people, and its engine was broken.

It was so small that [navy] radar probably could not detect it, said Maso Notarianni, a rescuer on board the Mare Jonios sister ship, Alex. The first thing those on board told us was: We come from hell.

The Mare Jonio, operated by the Italian charity Mediterranea, immediately alerted the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, but were told to contact the Libyan coastguard instead.

But returning the refugees and migrants back to a country at war, where human rights are not respected, was simply inconceivable, said Notarianni.

The Mare Jonio headed for Italy, reaching the island of Lampedusa on Friday morning. Among those it rescued were two pregnant women and five children, including a one-year-old infant.

As the ship neared Lampedusa, two Italian maritime police boats came up alongside it. The police jumped onboard, carried out routine inspections and escorted the boat into the islands harbour.





As the refugees and migrants disembarked, Matteo Salvini, Italys interior minister, tweeted: This is their last voyage  Blocked and seized. Bye bye. The ANSA news agency meanwhile said the Mare Jonios crew was being investigated for promoting illegal migration.

The Mare Jonio remains docked in Lampedusa, but Mediterranea said it has not received a formal notification regarding the vessels confiscation or the launching of a criminal investigation.

We are not promoting any illegal immigration. We are simply saving asylum seekers in the middle of the sea, said Notarianni.

Temporary seizure

The Italian-flagged Mare Jonio was briefly impounded last month, too, when it docked in Lampedusa with 49 refugees and migrants it rescued off the coast of Libya. Notarianni dismissed the new threat from Salvini saying: A formal investigation could imply a temporary seizure, but its just a standard procedure.

Salvini, who has accused rescue groups of being accomplices to human traffickers, refuses to let refugee rescue ships dock in Italy, the main entry point for many of those making the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing from northern Africa to Europe.

Since taking office last June, he has been at the centre of several international standoffs over the docking of rescue ships, only backing off when other European Union member states to take in those rescued at sea.

Last month, his ministry issued a directive barring ships that are not Italian and do not coordinate with authorities in Rome from using its ports.

While Salvinis hardline position has seen a stark drop in new refugee and migrant arrivals to Italy, it has also caused an increase in deaths at sea, according to rights groups.

Meanwhile, boats that do pick up refugees in distress are increasingly returning them to war-torn Libya, where the United Nations says they face trafficking, kidnap, torture and rape.

On Friday, at least 65 people drowned off the coast of Tunisia when their boat sank, according to the UN.

If we want to avoid such tragedies, we need to coordinate all the rescue operations, stop criminalising NGO vessels and open a humanitarian corridor from Libya, Luca Maria Negro, president of the Italian Federation of Evangelical Churches, said in a statement.

Mediterranea said its rescue operation was lawful and was not afraid to prove it.

Judith Sunderland, associate Europe director of Human Rights Watch, agreed.

Over the past year, there have been many investigations  efforts by the government of Italy, and those of other countries including Spain and Malta to prosecute NGO workers, she said. But no evidence of wrongdoing has been found by rescue organisations.
Jerrod Nadler says Mueller wont appear before his panel next week, despite the hope that hed testify on May 15.

US Special Counsel Robert Mueller will not testify before Congress next week, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said on Friday.

Nadler told reporters that he hopes not to have to subpoena Mueller to appear before members of Congress, but that he would do so if necessary. He declined to characterise ongoing negotiations between his committee, Mueller and the Justice Department.

Were talking to the Department of Justice. Were talking to Mueller. Hopefully, he will come in. It wont be next week, the New York Democrat said. He will come at some point. If necessary, we will subpoena him and he will come.

The House Judiciary Committee has never set a date for Mueller to testify, but members have spoken tentatively about May 15.

Nadler reiterated plans to hold former White House Counsel Don McGahn in contempt if he does not appear before the committee to testify on May 21 under an existing subpoena.

He knows that if he doesnt testify on the 21st without a court order, which he wont get, hell be subject to a contempt citation, the chairman said.

190509180227461

The White House earlier this week had directed McGahn not to comply with an earlier summons.

House Democrats are seeking Muellers testimony as part of a number of investigations launched in the wake of his report released on April 30. The Mueller probe, which lasted more than two years, was examining allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and potential obstruction by President Donald Trump and his campaign.

Muellers team of prosecutors detailed extensive contacts between Trumps campaign and Moscow but concluded there was insufficient evidence to show a criminal conspiracy between Russia and the campaign. They also outlined several instances in which the president tried to impede the special counsels investigation, but avoided a conclusion on whether or not Trump obstructed justice.

US Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein subsequently concluded Trump did not break the law.

Nadlers comments on Friday come two days after the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Barr in contempt for failing to produce the full, unredacted Mueller report. The next step is a full House vote.
Two miners, two security personnel and a driver were among the dead after attackers stormed a coal mine in Harnai.

Islamabad, Pakistan  At least five people have been killed in a gun and bomb attack on a coal mine in southwestern Pakistan, officials say, the latest in an uptick of violence by ethnic Baloch separatists.

Two miners, two security personnel and a driver were among the dead after armed attackers stormed a coal mine on Thursday in Harnai district, about 70km east of the provincial capital of Quetta, deputy commissioner Azeem Dummar said.

First unidentified armed men opened fire on two labourers working in [the coal mine], killing both on the spot, Dummar said.

As the security forces responded to the attack, a vehicle belonging to the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) that was rushing to the scene was hit by a landmine explosion about a kilometre away from the coal mine, said Dummar. One FC soldier was wounded in the attack, he said.

Hours later, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group based in Balochistan province, claimed responsibility for the attack.

We want to make it clear to the local spies and death squad groups of Pakistan army that they will not be forgiven for their crimes, said Jeehand Baloch, a BLA spokesperson, in an emailed statement.

Baloch independence

The BLA and other armed groups have been fighting Pakistani security forces for more than a decade, demanding independence for the ethnic Baloch areas of Balochistan province, which they claim has been neglected by the Pakistani state and exploited for its mineral resources.





Balochistan, located in southwestern Pakistan, is the countrys largest but least populated province, with rich deposits of natural gas, coal, metals and minerals.

Rights groups allege that Pakistani security forces have abducted hundreds of pro-freedom Baloch political activists and fighters in their fight to quell the rebellion.

The province is also the site of a major port, which is the culmination of the $60bn China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major infrastructure and transportation investment by China in the South Asian nation.

The CPEC trade corridor will terminate at the Gwadar seaport, giving goods from southwestern China access to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan.

Pakistan army along with several other companies is plundering Baloch national wealth, said BLA spokesperson Baloch. Balochistan is a war-torn region and we will not allow any investments until the independence of Balochistan.

The attack on Thursday was the latest violence targeting security forces this year, as attacks by the BLA and its allies have ramped up.

Last month, Baloch separatist gunmen stopped a bus in southern Balochistan and killed 14 passengers.

The Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an alliance of the BLA, Baloch Liberation Front and Baloch Republican Guard, claimed responsibility for that attack.

Follow Asad Hashim on Twitter: @AsadHashim

Additional reporting by Saadullah Akhtar in Quetta
Neo-fascists protest against a Roma family being given social housing, with one even threatening to rape a woman.

Rome, Italy  Hundreds of Italian neo-fascists have taken to the streets of a suburb in Rome to protest against the arrival of a Roma family in the neighbourhood.

Tensions ran high as anti-fascist groups also gathered in the area on Wednesday, with the police separating the two factions to avoid clashes.

Some local residents applauded the arrival of left-wing groups, while others joined the neo-fascist protesters, launching violent, racist threats against the family.

190305102917175

People were heard screaming You all have to burn and We dont want you here.

The protests started on May 6 when it was announced that a council house in the suburb of Casal Bruciato had been assigned to a Roma family.

The family of 14 members  40-year-old Imir Omerovic, his wife Senada and their 12 children, the youngest of whom is three years old  was transferred to Casal Bruciato from La Barbuta, a local Roma camp that is being evacuated.

CasaPound, a neo-fascist organisation, mobilised the protests.

Weve been here with the citizens of Casal Bruciato because Roma families are being favoured while Italians are being left behind, Mauro Antonini, a CasaPound representative, told Al Jazeera.

On Tuesday, Senada Omerovic was verbally attacked while entering the apartment with her youngest child. She had to be protected by the police, and in a video published by La Repubblica, a man can be heard shouting: Whore, Ill rape you.

We are staying, this is our house, Imir Omerovic told journalists. Today the children didnt go to school because they were too afraid to go out. We have sent some of the children to my cousins because they were so scared.

The mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, visited the family on Wednesday, but had to be escorted by police as protesters pushed and shoved to get to her, screaming Youre disgusting, and Youre not our mayor.

Anti-fascist groups mounted a counter-protest in Casal Bruciato and were separated from far-right demonstrators by the police [Christian Minelli/NurPhoto/Getty Images]

Among the anti-fascist protesters was Paolo Barros, a Rome city councillor from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement.

These people are Italian citizens and they have the right to housing. We cannot have first- and second-class Italians based on ethnicity, he told Al Jazeera.

180726185144037

Some Italian politicians are manipulating peoples anxieties to create propaganda. They are using the poorest of people for their own objectives. But we want to show that Rome does not accept this. Rome is a multicultural, open city.

The attack is one in a string of similar events in recent months. On April 2, far-right protesters set fire to cars and bins in the suburb of Torre Maura when authorities announced that 70 Roma people would be transferred to a local reception centre.

A few days later, in Casal Bruciato, a Roma family was forced to leave their social housing after receiving threats from local residents and far-right groups.

According to human rights organisations, the number of hate crimes has tripled from 2017 to 2018, when the right-wing League party entered the government in coalition with the Five Star Movement.

In July last year, far-right interior minister Matteo Salvini sparked outrage by calling for a census of Roma people, saying he would turn his words into action and expel all non-Italian Roma from the country.
Saudi vessel that was due to load arms sets sail without them amid protests over use of French-made weapons in Yemen.

A Saudi vessel that was due to load weapons at a northern French port has set sail without them and headed towards Spain on Friday, a day after a rights group tried to block the cargo on humanitarian grounds.

The Christian Action for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) sought to block the loading of weapons onto the ship through a legal filing on Thursday, arguing the cargo contravened an international arms treaty.

A French judge threw out their complaint but the Bahri-Yanbu moved off the coast of Le Havre shortly after.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the change of plan.

The boat has left and without its cargo, Laurence Greig, a lawyer representing ACAT told Reuters news agency.

It is extremely embarrassing for the executive because we thought that we could stop this only with a legal recourse. But while we got a very terse decision against us, pressure from individuals and NGOs led to a positive result.

The legal move by ACAT came weeks after an online investigative site published leaked French military intelligence that showed weapons sold to the kingdom, including tanks and laser-guided missile systems, were being used against civilians in Yemens war.

190329054702780

Saudi Arabia leads the pro-government military coalition in the four-year civil war that has devastated Yemen, killed tens of thousands and left much of the population on the brink of famine.

France is one of Saudi Arabias main arms suppliers, delivering some $1.5bn of weapons to Riyadh in 2017.

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron defended the arms sales, describing Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as allies in the fight against terrorism and saying Paris had received guarantees they would not be used against civilians.

Not enough

However, Aymeric Elluin, advocacy officer at Amnesty International France, dismissed Macrons assurances.

Its not enough to say I have guarantees, we need to be shown them. And at the same time, we would like to be told clearly how Saudi Arabia is fighting against terror in Yemen, Elluin told Al Jazeera.

At least 100 demonstrators protested near La Havre on Thursday in a bid to prevent the Saudi ship from docking at the port.

If we French citizens do not act, if we dont try to stop arms sales, we will end up as accessories to this business. We do not want this. We dont want to be in this situation, said Jean-Paul Lecoq, member of Frances National Assembly.

Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

181124115831124

Al Jazeeras Paul Brennan, citing tracking websites, said the Bahri-Yanbu, which had been anchored 30km from the French port since Wednesday evening, set sail just before 10:00 GMT on Friday.

But the question now: Has the shipment been cancelled or is French government going simply send it via another route?

Brennan said France is one of many European countries facing pressure from activists not to arm Saudi Arabia.

In countries like Britain and France, arms deliveries to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi  regarded as close allies  are seen as critically important for keeping military influence and also preserving potentially thousands of jobs.

There are three Scandinavian countries who have suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia specifically because of the Saudi-led coalitions prosecution of the war in Yemen and the rising number of civilian casualties, Brennan said.

Germany has also extended a moratorium that it has imposed on selling any weapons to Saudi Arabia.

Other countries have taken a far more lenient view. Britain and Spain are continuing to supply weapons to Saudi Arabia, he added.
With the popular drink, an iftar staple, in short supply during the holy month of Ramadan, Pakistan says it can help.

New Delhi, India  Shaista Begum is fasting and its quite hot outside her home in New Delhis historical Chandni Chowk area. But the heat doesnt deter her from making yet another attempt to find Rooh Afza, a popular rose-flavoured beverage, at a neighbourhood store.

The store still doesnt have it. Determined, the 45-year-old mother of three children walked to an outlet of Hamdard, the company that makes the iconic drink, and is happy to find a bottle.

190505051542870

I went to at least 10 shops in the area, which always used to have Rooh Afza. Strangely, everyone said it was not available in the market, which is why I walked in this heat and got it from this Hamdard store, Shaista told Al Jazeera.

Since the holy month of Ramadan began this week, millions of Muslims in India have been greeted with a rude shock: a shortage of Rooh Afza, a staple in iftar (breaking of the fast at sunset), especially during the summers.

Rooh Afza is a must for iftar, said Shaista. It has been a tradition for decades to have the drink mixed with water or milk. Everyone loves breaking their fast with it.

Jameela Khatoon, 35, had come to Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque in Old Delhi, along with her family members to have her iftar there. Upon seeing Rooh Afza being sold outside the grand mosque, she immediately bought four bottles.

For the last four days, I went to at least 20 shops in our locality, but had to return empty-handed. Due to the unavailability, we were having lemon water during iftar, she said.

These bottles are enough for the month of Ramadan, she said with a smile, holding the coveted glass bottles, which cost nearly $3 each, tightly in her hand.

Shortage in the market

Several distributors and wholesale dealers confirmed to Al Jazeera that there was a shortage of Rooh Afza in the Indian market.

Aijaz Ahmad, a dealer in Old Delhi, said, There is an over 50 percent decline in the supply of Rooh Afza while demand is at its peak.

Mohammad Siddiqui, another dealer in Muslim-dominated Okhla area, said he sent back at least 20 customers every day in the past week.

Families around Old Delhis Jama Masjid love breaking their fast in the historic mosque [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]





Its disheartening to see customers looking for their favourite drink in the holy month of Ramadan, he said. More than my business loss, it is the sadness on the customers face that worries me.

Its not just New Delhi. Ammar Yasir, a distributor in West Bengal states Asansol city, told Al Jazeera over the telephone, I must have told no to over 250 people in the last couple of days.

190507060903218

Some people complained of the black marketing of the popular beverage.

Mohammad Abdullah, a roadside vendor in Old Delhi, makes his living by selling the beverage outside Jama Masjid. A glass of water mixed with Rooh Afza sells at Rs 10 (20 cents).

Ramadan is the peak season for our business. But due to supply constraints, we have to buy Rooh Afza from the black market at a higher price.

Abdullah said some of his customers even offer to pay double the price for a Rooh Afza bottle. That is how bad the situation is in the market.

110-year-old drink

Hamdard Laboratories India, the company behind the household brand, is a 100-year-old manufacturer of Unani medicines (Perso-Arabic traditional medicines) and herbal FMCG products.

In 1906, Hakeem Abdul Majeed established a small clinic in Old Delhi to produce Unani medicines and named his venture Hamdard (empathy in Urdu).

180515134738977

Next year, he developed Rooh Afza, a herbal mix to help Delhis masses not only stay cool during the summers, but also help them counter heat strokes and prevent water loss.

A few decades later, Majeed turned his medicinal concoction into a drink, which became an instant hit.

After Indias independence and the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Majeed and his two sons stayed back while the rest of the family moved to Pakistan.

Majeeds younger son Hakeem Mohammed Said established Hamdard Pakistan in Karachi and began producing Rooh Afza and other brands there.

According to media reports, the drop in the production is being blamed on the rift between the Hamdard family over control of the company with a $100m turnover.

Hakeem Abdul Majeed established a small clinic in 1906 to produce Unani medicines and named his venture Hamdard [Bilal Kuchay/Al Jazeera]

At least two Hamdard officials told Al Jazeera about the shortage of Rooh Afza, but remained tight-lipped about the reasons for the shortfall.

In a statement released on Thursday, Hamdard Laboratories India said it is facing a shortage of key ingredients required to make Rooh Afza.

With Ramadan and peak summer season coinciding, there has been an unprecedented demand in the market. Hamdard was facing supply constraints of certain herbal ingredients which were not available due to a temporary shortage, said the statement, adding that it is trying for a full-capacity production and distribution of the beverage.

Saleem Khan, who sells the drink in Old Delhi to feed his family of seven, told Al Jazeera that business has gone down.

I used to do a business of at least 100 bottles every day, but now it is down to just 35 to 40 bottles. I hope the company takes necessary measures so that the supply is maintained and our daily income is not hit.

Pakistan offers help

As reports of a crisis of Rooh Afza in the Indian market began circulating, Usama Qureshi, who quit as Hamdard Pakistan CEO last week, tweeted that his company would be happy to help, if Indian authorities allow.

We can supply Rooh Afza and Rooh Afza Go [a new carbonated version of the drink] to India during this Ramzan. We can easily send trucks through Wagah border if permitted by Indian government, he tweeted in response to a story in the Indian press on the shortage.

Qureshi said Hamdard Pakistan exports to more than 36 countries, netting more than $7m in revenue.

He added that the company did not export to India because of trade restrictions in the wake of recent tensions between the two South Asian neighbours.

Rooh Afza is a staple during the breaking of the fast in the month of Ramadan [Nasir Kachroo/Al Jazeera]

Right now it is extremely difficult because India has imposed a 200 percent duty on Pakistani products. No products can be viable at that duty level, he said.

India froze relations with Pakistan in the wake of a suicide attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in February that brought the nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of war.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said the country would be willing to allow the export of Rooh Afza from Pakistan to meet the demand in India.

If the supply of Rooh Afza from Pakistan quenches their thirst, then we will certainly want to do so, Faisal said in response to a question.

With additional reporting by Asad Hashim in Islamabad. He tweets @AsadHashim
The three activists were allegedly sent back to Thailand, but Thai deputy prime minister denies they are in custody.

Three Thai activists facing charges of insulting the monarchy have disappeared after reportedly being arrested in Vietnam, months after two exiled critics of the military and monarchy were found dead, rights groups have said.

Chucheep Chiwasut, who broadcasts political commentary to Thailand from exile, and fellow activists Siam Theerawut and Kritsana Thapthai were reportedly turned over to Thai authorities by Vietnam on May 8, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement.

Vietnams alleged secret forced return to Thailand of three prominent activists should set off alarm bells in the international community, Brad Adams, HRWs Asia director, said.

Amnesty International said Chucheep had long faced charges of lese majeste, or insulting the monarchy. Siam and Kritsana were also under police investigation for lese majeste, the rights group added.

Article 112 of Thailands criminal code says anyone who insults the king, queen, heir or regent faces a punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

The Thai Alliance for Human Rights (TAHR), which is based in the United States, reported in a YouTube video that Chucheep, also known as Uncle Sanam Luang, had been sent back to Thailand.

Uncle Sanam Luang and two others were apprehended  a month ago. But they were just transferred to Thailand on May 8 from Vietnam, TAHRs Piangdin Rakthai said in the video.

Prawit Wongsuwan, Thailands deputy prime minister, denied the three activists were in Thai custody.

Vietnam has not coordinated transfers. We have not received any request. If there is, it would be through the foreign ministry and police, Prawit told reporters.

Concrete-stuffed bodies

Human rights groups have accused the ruling military of using the lese majeste law as a way to silence critics.





HRWs Adams urged the Thai government to disclose the whereabouts of the activists and allow their family and lawyers to see them.

Only by publicly affirming that these three activists are in detention and in contact with their relatives and legal counsel will the authorities put to rest the fear that these men have been forcibly disappeared, he said in a statement.

In January, the concrete-stuffed bodies of two exiled critics of the military and the royal family  Chatcharn Buppawan, 56, and Kraidej Luelert, 46  were discovered along the Mekong River border with Laos.

The military said at the time it had no information about the bodies.

Activist Surachai Danwattananusorn, 78, who operated an online radio station critical of the military government and monarchy from Laos, disappeared in December. His whereabouts are not known. Chucheep and his two colleagues moved from Laos to Vietnam after Surachai disappeared, HRW said.

We are worried about the situation, TAHRs Piangdin said in his video.

There have been disappearances and deaths of political activists who are against the military government and criticise the monarchy.
Chinas economy is less reliant on exports than it once was, and could boost trade with other countries, experts say.

The United States has thrown what it hopes will be the punch that forces its main economic rival, China, to change its trade practices. On Friday, US President Donald Trump more than doubled import tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods.

But like a seasoned boxer, China is now in a position to withstand such a beating, and has a range of options to hit back, analysts say. It can use its enormous population and other export markets as alternatives to US demand to cushion the impact of the new levies.

Shortly after Trump raised import tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent, Chinas Ministry of Commerce promised to take necessary countermeasures, without giving details.

Trump has also threatened to impose additional tariffs on another $325bn of Chinese goods, covering almost everything China exports to the US.

The additional tariffs kicked in while a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He was in Washington, DC for an 11th round of negotiations.

Stock markets fell sharply in the days after Trump promised in a May 5 tweet to raise tariff rates in the latest round of the nearly two-year-long trade war, despite the markets regaining some ground on Friday. But analysts say the long-term economic impact on Chinas economy is difficult to quantify and may be less severe than the market reaction would suggest.

The overall impact of the 25 percent tariffs on Chinas economy will be limited, said Chong Terence Tai-Leung, an associate professor of economics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Chinas [economic] growth is slowing down anyway, whether there is a trade war or not. The countrys economy is also shifting to a service industry. Trade will play a less significant role in the future, he told Al Jazeera.

China is still producing a lot, and it can just look for other markets to take its goods. If it cannot sell to the US, it can turn to Europe and other countries, or even its domestic market, he said.

Since last year, the two economic powerhouses have hit each other with tariffs on more than $360bn in two-way trade, gutting US agricultural exports to China and weighing on both countries manufacturing sectors.

The two countries are sparring over US allegations that China steals technology and pressures US companies into handing over trade secrets, part of an aggressive campaign to turn Chinese companies into world leaders in robotics, electric cars and other advanced industries.

Despite optimism from officials in recent weeks that the talks were moving towards a deal, tensions reignited this week after Trump administration officials accused China of trying to backpedal on issues already agreed to in the negotiations.

Short-term pain, long-term gain?

Some analysts say the dispute could force China to make reforms that will eventually strengthen its economy.

In the short term, the tariff hike may be a shock to Chinas foreign trade and some industries, said Yang Chen, managing partner at Chinese law firm Jincheng Tongda & Neal and a specialist in international trade issues. But Yang told Al Jazeera that in the long run, the tariffs may prompt Beijing to reform areas like business regulations, labour and technology, the so-called supply side of its economy.

Trade frictions between China and [the] US, the two biggest economies in the world, are inevitable and will always exist, Yang said.

Trump is using the threat of tariffs to push China into a deal. But tariffs may carry a lot less weight than they once did and, conversely, may hurt US consumers, according to analysts.

But some sectors in China are likely to feel the impact of US tariffs more than others.

US tariffs could hurt Chinese small and medium-sized firms the most, analysts say [FILE: Reuters]

The brunt of any negative impact is likely to be felt by small and medium-sized enterprises that export to the US or that make goods for export, analysts say.

These types of firms account for about 70 percent of all jobs in the country, says Andrew Collier, managing director of Orient Capital Research, an independent macroeconomic research firm.

The Chinese economy may also be hurt if tariffs drive manufacturers out of China towards South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia or Vietnam.

At the same time, said Collier, trade is a small part of Chinese [gross domestic product] because it has a very large domestic market.

Still, [Chinese President] Xi Jinping is clearly very interested in having a deal. There is enough business with the US to justify continued talks, Collier told Al Jazeera.

Even if the tariffs become a permanent fixture of the trade relationship  an unlikely prospect, according to observers  they are not likely to bring the Chinese economy crashing down.

The Chinese University of Hong Kongs Chong estimates that China would lose about $300bn- a small fraction of its $13 trillion economy  if it had no trade with the US. In this highly unlikely scenario, Chinas GDP growth could drop to between 3.5 and 4 percent.

With that said, it is impossible to see no trade between the two countries, Chong said.

The 1.3 billion people in China would only need to spend $200 per year [per person] for some $300bn of goods to be sold at home instead, said Chong. Chinas domestic market could digest the supply.

Tariffs may backfire

The US tariffs are more likely to backfire than significantly hurt China, some analysts say.

The Americans will bear the extra costs, as it is not easy for the US to find a substitute for Chinese goods. After all, China still produces a lot, said Chong. Chinas economy has been little affected by the trade war. In the first quarter, there was still a trade surplus and GDP growth was 6.4 percent.

Analysts say that China could retaliate in a number of ways.

In 2018, the US imported almost five times more goods from China than it exported to it in US-dollar terms.

That gives China little room to slap additional tariffs on US goods.

But it could make it harder for US firms to invest in China, block mergers and acquisitions or strictly enforce safety regulations on incoming goods.

Nonetheless, Chinese leaders will be wary of letting the economy slow down too much.

Veasna Kong of Moodys Analytics said in an April note that weak demand at home and abroad sent industrial production growth to a 17-year low in January and February. Retail sales have been falling slowly for the past decade and so has growth in fixed-asset investment.

Kong pointed out that from Beijings perspective, economic growth became uncomfortably weak through 2018, and with the trade dispute with the US threatening to undermine Chinas growth prospects further, Beijing has stepped up its efforts to stimulate growth.

Even if the economy is not crippled by US tariffs, that does not mean China is happy with them. After Trumps tweet on Sunday, Chinas Ministry of Commerce noted that escalating trade frictions are not in the interests of either country or the world.
Taiwans Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung makes a case for his countrys acceptance into the WHO fold.

Editors Note: The following is an abridged version of an interview with Taiwans Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung.





Taiwans expertise in disease control and universal health coverage can help strengthen global medical development, and the nation is willing and able to share its experiences at the 72nd World Health Assembly May 20-28 in Geneva, according to Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung.





In an interview with Taiwan Today March 20, Chen said facilitating Taiwans meaningful participation in the assemblythe decision-making body of the World Health Organizationwill advance the WHOs top priority of achieving universal health coverage.





"Once a recipient of foreign aid, Taiwan is giving back to the world by providing help where it is needed most, Chen said. Through its outreach, "the nation is making indispensable contributions to the global health network.





Chen cited the Taiwan International Healthcare Training Center as a prime example of these efforts. Founded in 2002 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, it offers foreign professionals training in clinical medicine, acupuncture, traditional medicine and health care management, with about 1,500 health professionals from 65 countries and territories completing courses by the end of last year.





In 2018, a total of 336 medical professionals underwent training in Taiwan through the One Country, One Center initiative, which was expanded earlier this year to include Brunei and Myanmar.





"These educational programs are tailored for the specific needs of partner hospitals to ensure they achieve real improvements in health care delivery, Chen said.





According to the minister, meaningful participation in the WHO will allow Taiwan to contribute its wealth of experience in building resilient health systems and providing international medical assistance. It would also eliminate a gap in the global disease prevention network, he said.





"Taiwan has long achieved the WHO goal of universal health coverage, Chen said. "Since the establishment of the National Health Insurance (NHI), no one in Taiwan faces bankruptcy due to medical bills.





The system offers access to a comprehensive range of services spanning Western and traditional Chinese medicine as well as dental care. It helped raise average life expectancy to 80.4 years in 2017 from 74.5 in the year of its launch in 1995.





To ensure fairness, NHI premiums are set as a proportion of an individuals income.





This year, the government has allocated NT$6.54 billion (US$211.4 million) to roll out the drug to all hepatitis C patients in Taiwan. The governments aim is to eradicate the disease locally by 2025, five years ahead of the WHO target for eliminating viral hepatitis worldwide.





"Taiwan is seeking professional, pragmatic and constructive participation in the WHA, as well as technical meetings and activities of the WHO, so it can share this knowledge and give back to the world, Chen said.
Uber Technologies Incs shares made a disappointing market debut on Friday, marking a rocky start for the most anticipated initial public offering of the year as other high-profile startups such as Slack and WeWork look to go public.

The fall in shares undermined Ubers strategy of pricing its oversubscribed IPO conservatively at $45 a share to avoid a repeat of rival Lyft Incs stock market struggles following a strong debut in March.

The companys shares opened at $42 and fell as much as nine percent to a low of $41.06 in early trading before recovering most of their losses to trade down 2.5 percent at $43.92 by 18:05 GMT. Lyft was down four percent, well below its IPO price.

Ubers IPO comes against the backdrop of an increase in trade tensions between the United States and China that has weighed on financial markets and increased investor scepticism about its ability to turn profitable soon enough.

Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who was on the NYSE trading floor to mark the debut, tried to calm investors by pointing to the companys growth prospects and expansion plans.

My reaction [to the share price] is if we build and build well, shareholders will be rewarded. Were certainly not measuring our success over a day, it really is over the years, Khosrowshahi said.

Landmark moment

The IPO was a landmark moment for the decade-old company, which was started after its founders struggled to find a cab on a snowy night and has grown into the worlds largest ride-hailing company, making more than 10 billion trips.

190508120954420

Khosrowshahi was accompanied by a team of Uber officials at the NYSE to celebrate the start of the companys life as a listed entity. Cofounder and former CEO Travis Kalanick, who resigned in 2017 under pressure from investors, was also seen on the trading floor.

The companys road to IPO was marred by several hurdles including increased regulations in several countries and fights with its drivers over wages. On Wednesday, Uber drivers in several major cities worldwide turned off their apps for several hours to demand better working conditions and rates.

Uber has said that it has the potential to grow not just in the cab-hailing business, but also as a superapp to provide a variety of logistics services, such as grocery and food delivery, organising freight transportation, and even financial services, much like Grab, its Southeast Asian counterpart.

But market experts have struggled to find value in a company that has consistently posted losses and warned that it may never actually be profitable.

The business is unprofitable, new entrants can enter the market, there is potential regulatory risk, and it is very price sensitive. What is there to like about this opportunity? Robert Johnson, professor of finance at Heider College of Business, Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska said.

Ubers debut and its coming days of trading will be closely watched by other prominent startups looking to tap into public money, including flexible office space firm WeWork and workplace messaging app-owner Slack Technologies Inc. Both companies have confidentially filed for IPOs.

As a private company, Uber has raised more than $15bn from investors to drive its growth and expansion into food delivery and freight hauling, with little regard for turning a profit. Uber reported a loss of $3.03bn in 2018 from operations.

180816043840335

We are willing to give quite a bit of rope and leeway on current profitability if you can show how youre going to get there, said Jordan Stuart, a portfolio manager at Federated Kaufmann who often purchases companies shares during an IPO.

As a public company, Uber will have to deal with quarterly earnings reports and demands from shareholders to plot a path to profitability.

The company weathered controversies including the unearthing of a culture of sexism and bullying at Uber and a US Department of Justice investigation, which culminated in the resignation of Kalanick. Uber eventually hired Khosrowshahi to lead the company.
Frequent assaults on health workers, treatment centres threaten efforts to contain the deadly virus, WHO says.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned it may not be possible to contain the Democratic Republic of the Congos latest Ebola outbreak to two affected provinces in the countrys east if violent attacks on health workers and treatment centres continue.

In a statement on Friday, WHO said it was unlikely the virus would remain successfully contained in North Kivu and Ituri  which combined, border Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan  unless the targeting of response activities ended.

The current outbreak is the second-worst in recorded history and has killed 1,105 people so far, with efforts to end the nine-month-old epidemic complicated by a volatile security situation and widespread community distrust.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general, said he was profoundly worried by the outbreaks recent trends.

The increased transmission rates raise the risk of Ebola spreading in DRC and to surrounding countries, Ghebreyesus said in a tweet.

The tragedy is that we have the technical means to stop Ebola, but until all parties halt attacks on the response, it will be very difficult to end this outbreak, he added.

Earlier this week, fighters from the armed Mai-Mai rebel group attacked a treatment centre in Butembo, a town at the epicentre of the crisis.

The assault followed a violent attack on a burial team on May 3 after they interred an Ebola victim in the town of Katwa, east of Butembo, WHO said, adding it was forced to halt response activities in Butembo and surrounding areas for five days due to the insecurity.

190503133152074

The ongoing violent attacks sow fear, perpetuate mistrust, and further compound the multitude of challenges already faced by front-line healthcare workers, the WHO said in its statement.

Deepening security crisis

Eastern DRC has experienced decades of violence, with scores of armed groups operating throughout the region, which has historically been neglected by the central government in Kinshasa.

In addition to armed groups active in the area, the health workers have faced widespread community distrust over the Ebola outbreak, with segments of the local population believing it was fabricated for the financial gain of business-owning local elites or to further destabilise the area.

The security challenges are twofold: armed groups that have been present in the region for decades, and community hostility, which has now morphed from targeting facilities to targeting response workers, said Whitney Elmer, DRC director for US-based NGO Mercy Corps, in a statement.

The impact of the rise in violence is clear; security incidents affect response activities. The virus does not take a break  after every interruption in activities, there is an increase in Ebola infections, Elmer added.

More than 100 attacks on Ebola treatment centres and health workers have been recorded since the beginning of the year, according to the WHO.





In April, heavily armed assailants raided a hospital in Butembo and killed Richard Mouzoko, a Cameroonian WHO doctor working on the Ebola response.

The assault came after unidentified attackers in February torched two Doctors Without Borders (known by its French initials MSF) treatment facilities in North Kivu, prompting the organisation to suspend operations in the area.

190309193641595

It warned soon after that a climate of deepening community mistrust was taking a grip amid various political, social and economic grievances and an allegedly overly militarised response by authorities to the outbreak.

Unprecedented challenge

David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, cautioned on Friday that, amid the violence, the outbreak now posed an unprecedented challenge for the DRC and the international community, warning the increasingly volatile atmosphere was making progress against the disease impossible.

The situation is far more dangerous than the statistic of 1,000 deaths, itself the second-largest in history, suggests, and the suspension of key services threatens to create a lethal inflection point in the trajectory of the disease, Miliband said in a statement after meeting health workers in the regional capital, Goma.

This Ebola outbreak, happening in an area of active conflict with widespread poverty & deep political divisions, is an unprecedented challenge for the DRC, and for world. The situation is far more dangerous than the statistic of 1000 deaths, itself the 2nd largest in history.  David Miliband (@DMiliband) May 10, 2019

In a bid to contain the virus, health workers have inoculated more than 111,000 people to date as part of a government-backed vaccination programme. The vaccine is experimental, but is estimated to be 97.5 percent effective.

But recorded cases have continued to surge amid the rising insecurity, culminating in a record 126 confirmed cases reported over a seven-day stretch ending April 28, prompting the WHO to warn of a scenario of continued intense transmission.

The worlds worst epidemic of Ebola, a haemorrhagic fever, killed about 11,300 people in West Africa as it raced through Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia from 2013 to 2016.

Additional reporting by David Child: @DavidChild90
At least 30 Palestinians were injured, including four children and a paramedic during the 58th Friday of mass protests.

Israeli fire has killed a Palestinian in Gaza during demonstrations by the Israeli fence Gaza officials said, despite a ceasefire agreement reached on Monday that ended days of fighting.

Abdullah Abd al-Aal, 24, was shot in the stomach on Friday near the Israeli fence east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Gazas health ministry said, in the first protests there since a deadly flare-up last week.

The ministry said that a total of 30 Palestinians were injured in the protests on Friday, including four children and one field paramedic, who was moderately wounded by an Israeli gunshot to the head.

The Gaza Health Ministry said that since the start of the weekly Great March of Return protests last year, the Israeli army has killed more than 275 demonstrators and wounded 17,000 others, who were officially referred to hospitals.

The protests that began on March 30, 2018, demand that Palestinian refugees have the right to return to their homes from which they were expelled during the founding of Israel and for a complete lifting of the 12-year Israeli blockade of Gaza.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said approximately 6,000 people took part in Fridays demonstrations.

A key test

She cited a number of explosions identified in the Gaza Strip, as well as a number of attempts to approach the fence dividing the besieged coastal area from Israeli territory.

This weeks demonstrations were seen as a key test for a fragile truce agreed between Gaza and Israel mediated by Egypt and the United Nations.





Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza fired hundreds of rockets at Israel beginning on Saturday, after Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in two separate incidents on May 3.

From Saturday, Israeli artillery-shelling was directed at 200 civilian landmarks inside the strip and Israeli warplanes carried out about 150 raids according to the government media office in Gaza.

Over three days, 25 Palestinians were killed along with four Israelis.

The truce agreement was announced by Palestinian factions early on Monday.

Protest organisers are calling for a massive march on May 15 to mark the 71st anniversary of what Palestinians call the Nakba, or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were forced from their homes in 1948 that led to the establishment of Israel.
Parliament resolution, which also bans denying the genocide, comes as the justice minister is sacked for doing so.
Peace will be a little late this year, a little late arriving in the Gaza Strip, the 139-square-mile Palestinian area ruled by Hamas that borders the State of Israel on the east and north for 32 miles. Since in 2007 it replaced Fatah as the ruling power in the Strip, Hamas has used the area to launch increasingly powerful rocket attacks against Israel, even after Israel in 2005 ended its blockade, though it has varied its tactics and intensity of warfare, depending on political considerations.

"How many meals could you buy with the money it cost to launch all those 700 missiles against Israel?" asked a Lebanese journalist on May 6, 2019 of Palestinian leaders in the Gaza Strip. He received no answer. By coincidence, the real answer is to be found this month in the streets of London in the notices put up at bus stops, all with the real Palestinian position: "Israel's killing children again. Enjoy your weekend." The same messages were then circulated on British social networks.

Friction in Gaza does not stop. Hamas persists in a policy of armed resistance, provoking Israeli retaliation in short battles, often ending after one day, and initiating actions and explosive devices that have led to three wars. Once again, fighting occurred on May 35, 2019 between Israel and Palestinians. It ended with a ceasefire on May 6, seen by the Palestinians as a "big achievement" and as having "deterred Israel," but it is not evident what the deterrent was from.

Truth is a commodity in short supply among Hamas. One simple falsehood was not revealed until May 7, when Hamas finally admitted the truth: that a malfunction of one of its own rockets killed a baby and mother in Gaza, not Israel, which, at first, had been falsely blamed.

It was not an Olympian thunderbolt launched by Zeus, but the wounding by Palestinian snipers of two Israeli soldiers that began the two-day hostilities. Israel responded with air strikes to the over 700 missiles launched in the two days. Israel used its Iron Dome anti-missile system to destroy many, but not all, of the missiles and also used jets, drones, tanks, artillery, and attack helicopters. Casualties were 29: 25 Palestinians in Gaza and four Israeli civilians. On May 5, 2019, a ceasefire was declared, the details of which have still to be worked out.

Israel is in a dilemma, realizing there is an enemy, a foe, even worse than Hamas in Gaza. What is menacing is the increasing role of Palestinian Islamic jihad, I.J., the Iranian-financed group that varies in relationship with its rival Hamas in collaboration or conflict. More extreme than Hamas, not only has I.J. denounced the Israeli blockage of Gaza and claimed some Israeli territory, but it is prepared to continue to fire more rockets, rockets that would reach the port of Ashdod and Dimona, Israel's nuclear reactor. On May 7, I.J. deliberately fired a rocket to derail efforts by Hamas to maintain the ceasefire agreement, but it missed its target and fell into the Mediterranean.

I.J. is said to have more of the 10,000 rockets in Gaza than does Hamas. I.J. has 6,000 fighters and 12,000 activists. Friction between I.J. and Hamas is common. I.J. is also closer than is Hamas to Iran, to which Ziad Nakhalah, I.J. leader since September 2018, is a frequent visitor. Nakhalah, who lives in Damascus and Lebanon, claims that just before the last round of fighting on May 6, I.J. was prepared to launch rockets toward Tel Aviv and has promised that weekly protests along the border between Gaza and Israel will continue.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, was formed in 1981, with the key objectives of eliminating the State of Israel and establishing an Islamic Palestinian state with its borders, the pre-1948 Mandatory Palestine under the British Mandate. Its active force is the Al-Quds Brigade, said to be 8,000 strong, active in the West Bank (Hebron and Jenin) as well as in Gaza. It masterminded several bombings and suicide bombings. Its first major strike in Israel on July 6, 1989 was an attack on the Egged bus 405, travelling the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, which killed 16 and injured 27. It has continued with attacks on Jewish settlements, car bombs, suicide bombings, and the stoning to death of two 14-year-old Israeli boys abducted from a West Bank settlement in May 2001.

Yet it is possible and more likely that the attacks were launched because they were close to Israel Independence Day, and to Israel as host to Eurovision song contest, May 1418, with 41 countries slated to compete, which is expected to attract thousands of visitors to Tel Aviv as well as a large TV audience. Israel has hosted Eurovision twice before, in 1979 and 1999, but no major boycott was attempted then. Since the launching of the BDS campaign by Palestinians in 2005, urging individuals, corporations, and governments to divest from Israel to boycott Israeli business, academic, and cultural events, the attitude has changed, and boycott is urged.

On the day before the ceasefire, Israel uncovered a Palestinian-led movement, a network of bots and fake Twitter accounts calling for boycott of Eurovision. Twitter has stated it had suspended a small group of accounts, presumably anti-Israeli, for violating its rules.

The usual suspects, including Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, and Roger Waters, responded to the decision that Israel would be the host of 2019 Eurovision. In a letter to The Guardian on September 7, 2018, these self-appointed righteous pillars of morality called for boycott of the event; they believed "there should be no business with the state that is denying Palestinians their basic rights," referring to freedom, justice, equal rights. They were answered in a similar letter to The Guardian of April 29, 2019 by a number of celebrities including Stephen Fry, Sharon Osborne, Marina Abramovic, and Scooter Braun: "We believe the critical boycott movement is an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis who are seeking to advance peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition. While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer."

Neither is the launching of 700 missiles the answer.
Wyoming: the least populated state, where cattle and pronghorn outnumber people. Where two bigoted cowboys murdered Matthew Shepard in 1998 because they hated homosexuals. Except that Shepard, involved in the meth trade, was murdered by his bisexual lover and another man (hardly cowboys) who were part of the local drug culture. The media proliferated its lie so effectively that Shepard is still portrayed as a martyr. His remains are now interred in the National Cathedral in Washington. The lie persists.

On February 1, Wyoming state Senator Lynn Hutchings (R-Cheyenne) received a note asking her to leave Senate chambers to meet outside with a group of high school students from a Cheyenne high school Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club. The students intended to lobby her for HB230, a bill under consideration at the time that would expand existing protection in Wyoming employment law for age, sex, religion, and race to include two new categories, gender identity and sexual orientation.

Hutchings was not aware of the reason for the meeting. When they brought up HB 230, she observed that the bill hadnt advanced from the House. She hadnt studied it. She asked whats the bill about? One boy said LGBTQ+ and put his index finger in the air, a gesture meaning anything goes. She asked for the students definition of sexual orientation. One replied any sex other than heterosexual sex. She responded with four rhetorical questions to illustrate the elastic meaning of sexual orientation. If I wished to engage in sexual relations, she asked, with every male in the Senate chamber, is that a sexual orientation? A female student replied that would be inappropriate. The senator asked what about sex with every woman? Or with their children if parents brought them to the chamber? The same female student said pedophilia is against the law!

What about with their dogs? The same girl said pedophilia and bestiality are illegal! Hutchings asked, But what if those behaviors were my sexual orientation?

Worthy questions, deserving answers in any constituent discussion or legislative debate these days. California sex ed curriculum now teaches about pederasty as accepted in other cultures. A TED lecturer urges us to be mature about pedophilia, and stop with the hate. The campaign to normalize pedophilia is on.

Hutchings realized the conversation would take more time than she had. She exchanged friendly fist-bumps, and returned to the Senate.

On a 5-4 vote, the bill advanced from committee. But failed three days later in the general session of the House.

The same day, after two Republican cosponsors, Dan Zwonitzer and Tyler Lindholm, were laughably unable under questioning to define the term sexual orientation, the bill advanced on a 5-4 vote from committee. It failed three days later in the general session of the House.

THE TARGET:

Senator Hutchings served a term in the Wyoming House, in 2013-2014. An Air Force Veteran and devout Christian, she also happens to be black and Republican. In 2013, she spoke against a marriage equality bill, arguing that the same-sex marriage debate is not equivalent to the civil rights struggle for black Americans. Her speech drew outraged assaults from by the Cheyenne newspaper and a local pastor-columnist allied with Wyoming Equality (WE). The Huffington Post and other outlets blared their anger. She was inundated with repulsive emails and telephone messages, including threats. The experience was so jarring that she read some of the threats and insults into the legislative record.

This abuse earned no coverage in the Wyoming press. Instead, the story was about her bigotry and intolerance. She understands bigotry at a personal level. Her critics are the intolerant bigots.

THE SPOKE IN THE NETWORK

Wyoming Equality (WE) was founded in 1987 under another name. Its website features the headline Were Queer. And Weve Always Been Here. Its signature event, the Rendezvous, is a camping trip for gay and lesbian Wyomingites in the pristine Medicine Bow range near Laramie, advertised as Wyomings Premiere LGBT Pride Event. Campers can enjoy Drag Queen Bingo. One of the sponsors is Pervert Peak, whose provenance we could not determine.

In 2016, WE began sponsoring GSA clubs in Wyoming schools. Cheyenne Central High Schools GSA club sent the group to lobby Senator Hutchings.

Sara Burlingame is Executive Director of WE. For years, she aggressively lobbied for discrimination protections in law for people with non-normal sexual proclivities. In 2017, several legislators reported her for harassment inside the capitol. One filed a restraining order against her. Not content as an outsider, she ran for the Wyoming House in 2018 and was elected. A review of her campaign materials did not find prominent mention of her association with WE.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

WE and its state media allies saw opportunity again in February and used their network to create a false controversy. They would make an example of Hutchings, make her feel public disdain, then watch her melt in the glare of negative publicity.

On February 6, WE filed a complaint with Senate leadership against Senator Hutchings, charging she compared homosexuality to bestiality and pedophilia.

With six days to devise their story, and help from the adults who failed in their duty to chaperone, WE ridiculously claimed that the tender-eared students were so traumatized by the encounter that they removed themselves to provide a supportive space for one another. The adult chaperones, of course, did not halt the conversation or say anything at the time. And the group soon returned to lobby other legislators. The melted snowflakes recovered fast!

Ironically, WEs complaint cites the stunningly high suicide rate of youth involved in the vivid sexual behaviors the students and WE lobby to protect. Yet we are to accept the ruse that GSA club members are too delicate to confront questions about real-life consequences of the law they want passed.

Rather than consider Hutchings hard questions, the GSA delegation complained. Worse, WE never offered its own legal definitions of these behaviors. They simply want protection against their notion of discrimination. Failing their goal, why not fabricate a story to smear a senator their lobby had previously targeted?

Predictably, the media network went into action. In fake news style, the media maulers never reported any side to the story other than the students claim. The Wyoming Democratic Party demanded Hutchings resignation or expulsion from the Senate.

She received dozens of vicious emails and voice messages, some timed in the middle of the night to disrupt her sleep. Examples: I hope this ruins you. you homophobic cyou fing n cgo back to Africa. take your fing religion and shove it The media failed to report any of this.

There was also another unreported side. Senate leaders issued a calm statement. Hutchings received hundreds of supportive calls and emails. On Cheyennes KGAB talk radio, callers asked questions that fake news never asked. What were students doing at the legislature in the middle of the school day? Did their parents sign for travel permission? How is lobbying on this graphic topic a legitimate educational matter? Why did school administration permit it?

As of today, WE is still complaining and asking others to submit complaints. Senator Hutchings has not resigned and will not. Nor has she apologized for asking the questions which legislators, WE and the GSA students and advisors could not answer. She was supposed to crumble. She did not.

Colleagues and friends now call her Senator Braveheart.

The Wyoming Senate leadership seems to understand that freedom of speech in their own legislature is at stake. So far, they have not cracked.

When our own legislators are intimidated into silence, we descend into mob tyranny. This wont happen in Wyoming. Not yet.

Bravo, Senator Braveheart. If only there were more of you.

Dan Brophy is a Wyoming resident and has donated to Senator Hutchings campaigns.
Imagine a day when newspapers publish articles regarding only the benefits of late-term abortions, socialism, and open borders. Where history books vilify Republican conservatives for fighting to defend slavery, inciting segregation, and founding the KKK. Cable news shows report crimes committed only by conservatives or capitalists, and social media allow only leftist ideas to be communicated over their platforms.

Well, if the Left continues its scorched-earth policy against free speech, in no time at all, the United States will have no resemblance to what the Founding Fathers envisioned. So many examples exist to fully detail the poverty, violence, and atrocities that quickly emerge when free speech is taken away that it raises the question of why so many younger Americans are indifferent to the loss of such an important right.

In a chapter titled "The Mass Media in the Service of Soviet Communism and Post-Communist Russia," written by Lee Edwards as part of Paul Hollander's book Political Violence, Lenin is reported to have said, "A newspaper is not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator, it is also a collective organizer." In other words, today's mainstream media would fit quite well into Lenin's view of what a newspaper is meant to be. However, the communication landscape is now rapidly changing, and a noticeable shift by leftists to control the new social media powerhouse has emerged.

As of March 31, 2019, there are over 2.38 billion monthly active Facebook users (MAU) worldwide, with Twitter reporting 326 million global MAU for the third quarter of 2018 and YouTube claiming 1.3 billion users. All three companies are solidly left-leaning and quickly heading to the far left. If social media had been around during Lenin's time, there is no doubt that he would have focused his efforts to propagandize that powerful platform as well.

According to a piece in the June 2017 publication Social Media Insider, "social media's real killer app is spreading propaganda, disinformation, and fake news, according to a new study from the University of Oxford's Computational Propaganda Research Project." Also mentioned, "[i]n Russia, the researchers discovered the conversation on Twitter is carefully managed by automated accounts: in fact, 45% of all Twitter activity in Russia is produced by bots." It is not only Russia, but also China that controls every aspect of the lives of its people with the super-life-directing app called "WeChat" developed by the Chinese tech company Tencent. With over one billion registered accounts, the app collects and shares with the Chinese government every conceivable bit of data about its users.

In the beginning, social media in the United States were seen as the new oasis of free thought and speech, but after making a hard left turn, they are quickly painting conservative viewpoints into a corner. The handful of leftist cyberspace dictators are forcing users to think and say only what has been deemed appropriate. When Facebook states that it is protecting its users by preventing certain kinds of speech, in reality, what the company is doing is tilling the soil for future propaganda and control.

A 2018 Investor's Business Daily editorial stated that GovPredict, a Silicon Valley political data research firm, found that over the last 14 years, employees of Alphabet (the parent of Google) "gave 90% of their political donations, or $15.5 million, to Democrats. Republicans took in a mere $1.6 million." The editorial added that another study found that since 2006, Amazon employees gave 90% of their political donations to Democratic political action committees. "So claims that the social media giants are politically neutral is a joke," the editorial concluded.

Donations are one thing; actively eliminating free speech and different points of view is another. Conservative radio talk show host Michael Savage became an early example of how the Left systematically eliminates conservatives one by one by first selecting an individual and then separating him from the herd to be attacked. On May 5, 2009, Savage was banned from the U.K. and added to a list containing terrorists and racist leaders from around the world. The reason given is that comments made by Savage fostered hatred, although no specific examples were given.

A short time ago, Facebook took it upon itself to ban Louis Farrakhan and Alex Jones, saying they violated its rule against "dangerous individuals." The San Francisco AP stated that Facebook "also removed right-wing personalities Paul Nehlen, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson and Laura Loomer, along with Jones' site, Infowars." It added that the ban extended to fan pages and other related accounts. Also, recently, conservative writer David Horowitz was banned from Twitter without explanation.

Apart from criticism from President Trump and a few conservative cable TV hosts, objections have quickly died down. Right-leaning users who have survived the initial purges might consider themselves lucky and feel relatively secure as long as they do not cross the leftist line, but that is more wishful thinking than fact. As with all cases of tyranny, the list of who is guilty of saying whatever is considered inappropriate at the time continually expands until a moment arrives when only particular kinds of thoughts and words are allowed.

With their freedoms in jeopardy, will young conservatives take to the streets like their counterparts and protest the unfair treatment by social media? According to an August 2018 Gallup Poll, a little over a third of Americans, 36%, say they have "ever felt the urge to organize or participate in a public demonstration about something," but of that figure, 60% were liberal, and only 21% were conservative. The bottom line is that a majority of conservatives do not protest or even get involved when it comes to politics.

For the most part, conservatives have acknowledged that mainstream media have been overtaken and controlled by the Left. However, they may not be aware that they are perilously close to losing their ability to communicate their opinions via social media. With the mainstream media overwhelmingly rigged against conservatives, there is little chance for them to publicly mount any objections and publicize countermeasures via the traditional media methods. It is going to require a bold move way outside the box to have conservative views back in the public square.

What we are seeing is more than just an assault on free speech; it is the laying down of the groundwork needed for changing the consciousness of America by brainwashing its youth. Case in point: According to a September 2017 Forbes article, a Brookings Institution poll found that 40% of college students don't believe that the First Amendment protects hate speech, 50% said the proper way to deal with upsetting speech is to shut it down, and 19% said physical violence is an acceptable way of shutting it down.

Social media are slowly and methodically chiseling away at what they see as offensive conservative views by outlawing conservative expression in a hypocritical call for decency. The First Amendment does not have to be abolished in order for all Americans to lose the remaining Bill of Rights. All it takes is the inability of a society to communicate openly with one another. Social media can either help this nation counter the lopsided propaganda of the mainstream media or help turn the American people into a suppressed collection of like-minded robots.
Shanka Edwards is a Vincentian student at Trinity Medical Sciences University (TMSU) located at Ratho Mill.





On Tuesday, 23rd April, she was among the thirty-eight medical students who participated in Trinitys Spring 2019 Fifth Term Ceremony, an activity that heralded the future physicians into the next phase of their journey.

As far as journeys go, Shanka, who hails from Mt. Pleasant, Marriaqua, began hers in 2015 when she joined the pre-medical programme in the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at Trinity. This opportunity came on the heels of her being named a 2014 Island Scholar, following her success in Pure Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science and Communication Studies at the SVG Community College.





But, medicine was not her primary career choice. It was after some exposure in the field, and the recognition of the need for certain specialties here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines that she shifted her focus.





She described pre-med as "hard but with the enriching environment afforded by small class size, one-on-one interactions with faculty among others, helped to carve a serious commitment into her already established passion.





From pre-med, Shanka joined the Class of 2021 who received their White Coats, marking their official entrance into the medical field in September of 2016.





This is usually an emotional time for any medical student, and for Shanka, it was no different. She reminisced by saying, "Getting my White Coat I think, put it into perspective: this is really happening, the journey is really now beginning and from now on, its all on me to push through and make it happen. It was a really a great feeling!





Words such as tour, trek, sail and expedition are all used synonymously with journey. Shanka could easily say that hers was neither a tour, nor did she sail through anything. She has come out on the other side from five terms with the Faculty of Medical Sciences rewarded, not only with academic success but also with an ardent resolve that hard work brings success, and determination fuels passion.





When questioned about advice she would give to anyone pursuing their passion, she said, "I would say, once its something that you know youre passionate about and are willing to work towards, no matter how difficult the journey may be or long, then go for it because when youre doing something that youre passionate about, the how would be overcome by your why.





Now, along with her classmates, Shanka will move on to Baltimore, Maryland in the United States where she will commence her pre-graduation journey into the clinical phase. As far as Shanka is concerned, she is expecting changes. "I expect a change of pace of everything really, from the culture to the people I would encounter. Im also looking forward to coming into contact with and experiencing interesting cases; although each case in itself is always a learning experience. Im also eager to see and experience the difference if any, between the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, our local clinics and those in Baltimore.
The Department of Defense has a suicide problem. Thank Presidents Clinton and Obama

Prior to 1993, the Department of Defense (DOD) used to screen recruits, officer candidates, and service academy entrants for mental, personality, and suicide behavior disorders. Now they dont.

The Department of Defense uses the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as its source reference for psychiatric diagnoses and metal disorders. Most Americans have little knowledge of, the DSM, its contents, and its implications. The DSM is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and offers a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders. It is used, or relied upon, by clinicians, researchers, psychiatric drug regulation agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, the legal system, and policy makers. In the United States the DSM serves as a universal authority for psychiatric diagnoses.

The January 30, 2018 edition of the Marine Corps Times announced: The Corps suicide rate is at a 10-year high.

The Marines also continue to review data involving suicides that are used to address policy, guidance and suicide prevention analysis, according to Manpower and Reserve Affairs. The Corps has a slew of training initiatives and outreach programs regarding suicide and suicide prevention.

Every Service in DOD has suicide prevention programs, yet all of the Services are experiencing significantly higher-than-normal suicide rates. What really happened to these suicidal men and women who somehow escaped the torpedo net of training initiatives and outreach programs?

The APAs DSM had always been a part of the DODs personnel procurement system. When men and women had enlistment physicals, they were evaluated by a physician for obvious physical defects and to also see if they had an apparent mental or personality disorder. Any potential recruit screened with mental, personality, and suicide (and a range of other) behavior disorders were considered unfit for service. Then President Clinton signed the Dont Ask, Dont Tell law.

DODs policy that screened for personality disorders and mental illnesses during the pre-enlistment physical was terminated as a function of the Dont Ask, Dont Tell law. The law removed all screening for DSM categories of homosexuality, sexual and personality disorders and mental illnesses.

First published in 1968, DSM-II, listed Personality Disorders and Certain other Non-psychotic Mental Disorders. In this section, homosexuality was listed as a mental disorder. There is much documented history that under pressure from sexual activists and gay-rights groups, the APA compromised, removing homosexuality from the DSM but replacing it with the kinder and gentler descriptor: sexual orientation disturbance for people in conflict with their sexual orientation.

In 1987 homosexuality was struck from the DSM by a majority vote of the APA members. When President Clinton was elected, sexual activists lobbied the new president for better standing in the military. Dont Ask, Dont Tell was the DOD policy from 1993 to 2011, when it was repealed by Congress.

In 2012, transvestitism and transgenderism were also eliminated from the DSM-5 (fifth edition), gender identity disorder was replaced and further redefined, and softened the transvestitism and transgenderism disorders into gender dysphoria. The change in terminology removed all implication and designation that transvestitism and transgenderism were mental illnesses. Dysphoria is defined as the distress a person experiences as a result of the sex and gender they were assigned at birth.

There was a problem that no one wanted to talk about for those people clinically diagnosed with sexual and gender identity disorders. For decades, transvestites and transgenders experienced one of the highest overall suicide rates for people with mental illnesses. According to Suicide.org, 90% of all suicides are the result of untreated mental disorders. Over 60% (and possibly up to 90% as shown at Case Western) of transgender people have comorbid psychiatric disorders, which often go wholly untreated. Transgender people report attempting suicide at a staggering rate -- above 40%. Some studies at Suicide.org have it as high as over fifty percent, regardless of whether the transgender opted for sexual reassignment surgery or not.

It was DOD policy to screen for homosexuality up until 1993. President Clinton removed the recruit screening process for homosexuality as well as for personality disorders and mental illnesses when he signed Dont Ask, Dont Tell .

With transvestitism and transgenderism finally voted out of the DSM in June 2015, LGBT rights groups had one urgent agenda item for President Barack Obama: End the ban on transgender people serving in the military. It wasnt that transvestites and transgenders had been straining red rope barriers, lining up at recruiting stations to serve in the military in a rush of abject patriotism; no, acceptance into the military allowed transgenders free government-paid sexual reassignment surgery.

Literature on the topic was clear; the foremost concern in the minds of transgenders wasnt patriotism or employment but how they were going to pay for sexual reassignment surgery. Overnight, open transgenders as well as closet transgenders lined up for enlistment. DOD announced they would foot the bill for hormone therapy and reassignment surgery. Activists considered their work a success. Few knew the group with the highest rate of suicide had just been admitted to the military and DOD was going to foot all of their bills in order to make them whole.

DOD started hiring people with sexual identity and personality disorders, and mental illnesses and the Services suicide rates started to rise dramatically. When you no longer disqualify people with sexual and personality disorders and mental illnesses, the category of people with a built-in stratospherically-high suicide rate, is anyone really surprised the Services suicide rates are off the chart?

Civil servant applicants have an administrative screening process, a questionnaire that screens for indicators of personality disorders and mental illnesses. Prior to 1993 overt homosexuals were also barred from the intelligence community for blackmail risks. The intelligence community administered polygraphs to people needing a clearance to work in that environment. They generally dont hire people with overt personality disorders or mental illnesses because they are generally unstable and untrustworthy, and these behaviors are exposed during polygraphs. When we read about some person (e.g, then-Bradley, now Chesla Manning) who was caught trying to traffic classified documents, and when they are arrested, is it just coincidence that they suddenly identify as transgender or claim to have an undiagnosed personality disorder?

I would recommend the DOD consider the controversial DSM-5 be suspended in its entirety and reinstitute the APAs previous version, DSM-4. Reinstitute the recruit screening programs that detected and removed people with personality or gender identity disorders and other mental illnesses at the source.

Removing those who exhibit the traits of having personality disorders or mental illnesses or those who are predisposed to kill themselves over confusion of their sexual identity, DOD might find their suicide problem substantially reduced.
Observing the events of the past two years, the past month since the release of the Mueller report, and the last few days of contempt charges, it is impossible to miss the defining characteristics of the most repugnant Democrats driving the impeach Trump campaign.

Pelosi, Swalwell, Schiff, Blumenthal, Nadler, Cohen, Waters, Harris, Booker, et al. are of a piece. Each of them seems to possess an almost identical and wholesale lack of any character at all. Each of them is vicious to the core. Each of them is either wholly unaware of his own hypocrisy, as in falsely accusing Attorney General William Barr of contempt, when those who were in Congress at the time were hysterical when Attorney General Eric Holder was found to be in contempt of Congress. Or they assume the American people are ignorant and unable to discern the deviousness of their plan to destroy Trump.

Holder actually was in contempt of Congress for authentic scandals involving deaths of Americans, such as Operation Fast and Furious. Barr is not. Unlike Holder, Barr is the smartest lawyer in the room. He knows, as does any sentient legal scholar, that to give the House Judiciary Committee what they are asking for  names of intelligence assets, legally protected grand jury testimony  would be breaking the law. The Democrats with their handmaidens in the media are manufacturing a "constitutional crisis" simply to hound the president and prolong the collusion hoax as long as possible.

Curiously, Trump does not seem to be at all concerned. Hmmm. Could it be that the president sees this throng of sociopaths for exactly who they are: unscrupulous to the shallow depth of their soulless beings? These people are about one thing alone: their own political power. To that end, they have no knowledge or grasp of right and wrong. Like the malignant narcissists they are, they are unable to consider the damage they do, to the country and to people, both groups and individuals.

Likewise, the criminals who invented and perpetrated the Russia collusion hoax are equally unable to see themselves as they are: corrupt and treasonous. Like the Democrats in Congress, and their counterparts in the media, this coterie of thugs felt absolutely justified in breaking countless laws and abrogating the Constitution to prevent Trump from taking office. One of Dennis Prager's most oft repeated quotes is that "those who do not confront evil resent those who do."

Trump has done an immense amount of good throughout his life. He builds things, he has employed hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, and he decided that the U.S. needed some fixing after the damage done by Obama. So he ran for the office of president. The Left, even those among the Left who knew him and liked him, hated him from that moment on with the "white hot passion of a thousand suns" (Cheers). They apparently decided then and there that he would never be president. Like the schemers in the old film Seven Days in May, their arrogance exceeded their intelligence. Their contempt for the president and his supporters is the very definition of bigoted intolerance. They hate Trump because he is not one of them; he is a better man, a better father, a better president, and they know it.

There is another quote of Prager's that is appropriate here: "If we continue to teach about tolerance and intolerance instead of good and evil, we will end up with tolerance of evil." For the past fifty years, the imposition of multiculturalism and all that it has entailed, two generations have been taught that tolerance of all things must supersede all other values. Ergo, we've arrived at a place in which the bulk of one of our two political parties has, if inadvertently, embraced evil in the name of tolerance  radical Islam, all variations of sexual orientation including pedophilia, the absolutist notion that all minorities are victims, all women are victims. We must now accept the trope that all white men are bad, a blight on civilized society. How destructive is this to our country? It is devastating, and they do it purposefully, these Democrats. They have become the embodiment of Cloward-Piven and Saul Alinsky. They want to destroy what the founders created, the greatest, freest nation on the planet. At least it used to be.

Our left has done such terrible damage over the years. They have destroyed academia, especially our once great universities. Few of them today permit free speech or freedom from the forced acceptance of all things politically correct. They no longer value critical thinking, so they do not teach it. They indoctrinate. Students who deviate from the new rules that seem to have leapt off the pages of Orwell's 1984 will be harassed, punished. They have terrorized the young with their frightening exhortations of man-caused global warming hysteria. They are working hard to obliterate the absolute truth of gender. Science and biology be damned. It is into this moment in time that Trump was miraculously elected to the absolute horror of the Democrats. Their behavior since that day has been monstrous. They've lost their minds and have behaved badly from that day forward. Now they are just pathetic, an embarrassment to this country. These Democrats, the ones who so virulently attack and lie about Trump, are worse than ethically challenged; they are congenitally predisposed to be hateful. The lot of them should be so ashamed of themselves, but they're not. They are birds of feather and a loathsome bird it is.
Did James Comey just reveal more than he meant to?

A recent town hallstyle meeting with CNN's Anderson Cooper, taking questions from college students, had Comey telling the youngster it was "totally normal" for the FBI to spy on presidential campaigns.

According to a report in the Daily Caller, Comey responded to a student inquiring about the validity of sending investigative agents to then-candidate Donald Trump's campaign this way:

Yeah, I'm not going to comment on a particular investigative step, because that's for the bureau to do, and I'm not in the government any longer, but the FBI doesn't spy to begin with. The FBI investigates. And you got to remember where we were in the end of July 2016," Comey answered. "We knew the Russians were engaged in a massive effort to attack our democracy, and then we learn from an allied ambassador that one of President Trump-elect  candidate Trump's advisers had been talking to a Russian representative long before that about dirt they had on Hillary Clinton that the Russians wanted to make available.

And in response to a bit of probing from Anderson Cooper about the extremism of putting a spy into a presidential campaign, Comey added this (emphasis mine):

No, it's a reasonable  that was the guy, Papadopoulos, who was the subject of the information we got from the Australians that he had talked to the Russians," Comey added. "I don't remember talking about that particular step with my team. I knew they were trying to see if they could check it out. That's a totally normal step. See if you can get somebody close to the person and see if they'll confirm what we heard from the Australians.

One wonders what the heck went on over there with a Comey answer like that. The FBI couldn't assume that someone such as Papadopoulos, an American with pro-American views they should have known about, and who had ambitions of joining the Trump team, might not jump to cooperate with the FBI on bagging a Russian spy if asked? Any right-winger would; lefties are the ones who like to defend anti-American socialist dictators and mullahs. The Republicans like to wrap themselves in the flag. Why didn't they go to the most normal route for finding out what they needed to find out and ask him directly?

Maybe it's because there was something else going on: the problem seems to be that Papadopoulos was fed the information he disclosed to Australian ambassador to the U.K. Alexander Downer by what's apparently another U.S. agent, Josef Mifsud, who Rep. Devin Nunes says has ties to the State Department. Topping it off, Papadopoulos said he believed that Downer was an American "asset" as well, sent to make contact with Papadopoulos after Mifsud fed Papadopoulos the information. That's quite a conveyor belt. We have American spy one, Mifsud, handing info over to Papadopoulos the Trump man, and the latter passing through what he got from Mifsud to American spy two, Alexander Downer. All to Get Trump.

First question: Can't these people get any real Russian agents to do their skullduggery for them? Do they have any? Seems they don't have such assets, which is not a good thing for Putin to know, but here we have Comey letting the cat out of the bag on that with his effort to justify bureau campaign meddling, as well as the highly questionable American spyTrump operativeAmerican spy dynamic to take down Trump.

And Comey calls this 'totally normal'? If it's totally normal, how many other presidential campaigns was he doing this on? There actually was a report, which came and went, suggesting that the FBI also had a spy in the Ted Cruz campaign. How many others did they try this on?

Everyone knows that you don't spy on presidential campaigns, at least not if you are professional. The fact that ordinary G-Men were not involved in this, but FBI political operatives at the top, suggests some fast and loose activity from the elites.

Now the word is out: the FBI spies on campaigns, and Comey tells us it's all justified.
The late John Walvoord, a well known author and theologian of the Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, once wrote about the church, "liberalism always leads to apostasy." Sadly, the same can be said of its effect on our constitutional republic. The apostasy here is the illusion that the liberal Democrats still follow the rule of law and are informed by the constitution; that we can trust the government and our institutions. The DoJ, the FBI, the IRS, and other government entities have been used in the past decade to punish political foes and protect friendlies. Perhaps, narrowly, we have just escaped a quiet, rolling coup d'etat against our freely elected president by their imbedded and spiteful aristocracy. We now know that Lady Justice with her blind, even-handedness was pushed aside by the FBI to protect president Obama by way of not recommending that the DoJ indict Hillary Clinton and others in her ham-fisted email kerfuffle.

The Democrats, nationally, are now known as the party of denying anatomical imperatives, infanticide, wealth taxes, Medicare for all, victim-pandering; the amazingly stupid New Green Deal; unlimited and unskilled dependent immigrants; and slander, character assassination, and lies. It's the party of emotional appeals and impossibly dishonest promises to the baser inclinations of human nature, inclined to taking, not giving. The New Pantheism of the Democratic Party sees its gods in power and control, wealth, and consumer-oriented sexual freedom apart from responsibility. Note the "sex and pornography" education bill that passed the Minnesota House last month as part of the Minnesota House Education Omnibus Bill, HF2400.

This might all traceable to the three-decade span of the 1950s through the 1970s, arguably one of a national, philosophical, one hundred eightydegree turn, claiming that a God is dead worldview now supersedes any Judeo-Christian adherence or even just the approbation of those values. In the context of modern, atheistic, sociobiological terms, Chuck Colsen has written concerning the secular elites, "[T]he rich and corrupt are in power because they've proven (to) themselves the fittest in the struggle of survival." Unlike the Republicans who so often are guilty of quiet acquiescence, aggressive smugness always emanates from the Democrats; they act as though they are morally entitled to their high perches even as, for example, they try to destroy Judge Kavanaugh on national TV. What a switch from John F. Kennedy's "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" in his January 1961 inaugural address.

Since the '60s and onward, wherever the Democrats and their policies govern, one sees low economic growth, high unemployment, increased welfare, high crime; broken down, filthy inner cities; poor public education; and financial insolvency. Their socialist-Marxist approach has always failed the underclasses, yet, as the pit bull of politics, they answer any opposing idea with push-back and further recriminations. Their way is not in concession; they will not let go, as is now the case in the Great Russian Collusion Caper. It's all they have, though it might be the ball of their yarns best left unraveled.

President Trump has truly shown the Democratic Party, its leadership, and the conjoined media with their fine clothes removed, though this was apparent already during the Obama presidency. He has temporarily frustrated their ruination of America, and though he wins again 2020, they will only temporarily be cowed. It will take a reformation of and a hearkening back to the values of yesteryear to really MAGA.
The investigation by Robert Mueller produced a 400-plus-page report that, as we all expected, produced fresh indignation from congressional Democrats. So much indignation has happened that it's impossible to cover it all in this column.

Repeat after me: Donald Trump is the president.

First, the DNC propaganda bureaus hilariously pretending to be "news organizations," such as CNN and the New York Times, badly damaged their own credibility for two years by screeching that "the walls are closing in" on the Trump presidency. There was no collusion. There was no obstruction.

Previously, these same propaganda bureaus pretended that a Covington high school student was a racist because he stood there and smiled at a Native American activist. Just days earlier, they pretended Jussie Smollett was attacked by two white guys wearing MAGA hats, before we all saw Smollett's check to the Nigerian brothers who actually staged the fake attack.

It just gets more hilarious by the minute.

Second, those who are now screeching that William Barr lied about the report in his April 24 summary have conveniently forgotten that Rod Rosenstein (who appointed Mueller, supervised him throughout the process, and was handpicked by Barack Obama) assisted Barr in reviewing the report, drafting the summary, and reaching the conclusion that there was no obstruction.

Rosenstein has also made public statements defending Barr, stating that Barr is an honorable public servant. In last Wednesday's issue of Time magazine, where the year's 100 most influential people were recognized, Rosenstein said Barr "knows the history, he understands the issues, he respects the employees, and he will defend the principles[.] ... With Bill Barr at the helm, the rule of law is secure."

Nowadays, the Left can't even say Rosenstein's name.

Third, there's still talk of impeachment among the left-wing fringe of Democrats in Congress. Nancy Pelosi has been around long enough to remember 1998, when Republicans impeached Bill Clinton, armed with ironclad proof of a felony. Democrats in the Senate unanimously blocked Clinton's removal from office.

Only very rarely has a president's party gained seats in Congress in a midterm election, and 1998 was one of those times. Perhaps socialist revolutionaries like Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were too young to remember and were too busy planning their next protest to attend history class.

I remember. Nancy also remembers.

Fourth, the full Mueller report is available for members of Congress to review. Only three have bothered, and they're all Republicans. The Democrats want it released to the public instead so that a half-million left-wing university students with nothing better to do can pick over the grand jury evidence, which is barred from release by certain rules written by the Democrats in the 1990s.

This just gets better and better. If they want to see the report, they can go to the Department of Justice and read it. But they won't.
In early May, the United Nations put out another dire report saying humans will cause one million species to go extinct. Here's what they were up to:

According to the new Report, entitled Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), more than one million species of plants and animals are at risk of extinction (Figure 3A)  many of which are predicted to be pushed into extinction within just a few decades  thanks to decades of rampant poisoning, looting, vandalism and wholesale destruction of the planet's forests, oceans, soils, watersheds, and air.

As with most stories on climate change caused by humans, most of the news media are just feeding these predictions to the public without any questions.

Faunalytics, a group that helps save endangered animals, has only 3,000 animals on its endangered species list, so there's reason to ask questions. Start with this: where does the one million number come from?

The public has repeatedly been told that humans are causing thousands of animals to go extinct each year, yet a study by National Autonomous University of Mexico in 2015 found only 477 identified species that have gone extinct since 1900, or around four per year.

In 2015, Yale University estimated that there are three trillion trees on Earth. Previous estimates were 400 billion, yet we are told that humans are killing trees rapidly.

For decades, the public has been told that the oceans are dying, too, yet the best estimate for number of fishes in the seas is 3.5 trillion.

There have been many predictions of snowless winters, and we get record snows.

The public has repeatedly been told the bald-faced lie that humans are making droughts longer and more severe. Scientific evidence shows they were much longer and more severe throughout history, which is why we have deserts.

1895  Geologists Think the World May Be Frozen Up Again  New York Times, February 1895

In November 1922, there was an article in the Washington Post by the Associated Press that gave warnings exactly as they do today that the Earth is warming, that the ice caps will soon be gone, and coastal cities will disappear. There were also these:

1959  "Arctic Findings in Particular Support Theory of Rising Global Temperatures"  New York Times

 "Arctic Findings in Particular Support Theory of Rising Global Temperatures"  1969 "get a good grip on your long johns, cold weather haters  the worst may be yet to comethere's no relief in sight"  Washington Post

In 1970, we had the first Earth Day, which predicted that billions of people would soon be dead because of the lack of food and that we would be in a disastrous ice age.

In June of 1989, a U.N. official said, "governments have a 10-year window of opportunity to solve the greenhouse effect before it goes beyond human control."

The purpose of all these dire predictions is clearly to transfer freedom, power, and money from the people to the government. The U.N., especially, would love to weaken the U.S. economically and by journalists just repeating what they are told, on climate change caused by humans, they are playing into their hands.

After decades of indoctrination, with major participation by most journalists, we get economy-destroying proposals like the Green New Deal. As the saying goes, garbage in, garbage out.

Isn't it time for journalists to do their job by doing some investigation and telling the public the truth instead of just repeating what they are told when previous predictions have been completely wrong?

I would challenge any journalist to come up with a list of Democrat proposals that seek to help the private sector and help the poor, the middle class, and minorities to move up the economic ladder. I can't think of any. Every policy I see seeks to make the government richer and more powerful and makes more people dependent on government. Why would journalists support policies that move the U.S. toward socialism when capitalism is the system throughout history that has always worked best to lift people up?
Immigration reform is like quicksand: an issue so dense, so enveloping, that many proposed solutions actually deepen the problem. A prime example is the proposal to make brand new courts for immigration cases: so-called "Article I" courts created by Congress.

Both the American Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association  two special-interest groups for lawyers  embrace this idea. The court's proponents suggest taxpayers pay for lawyers to represent illegal aliens free of charge. They also claim that taxpayers should hire more immigration judges, while expecting each judge to work fewer cases.

Even apart from their potential cost, independent Article I immigration courts are a terrible idea. Such courts would strip law enforcement authority away from the U.S. Department of Justice, which presently handles immigration cases. The goal is to "level the playing field" for illegal aliens, undermining law enforcement officials' ability to police the border. Naturally, the proposal enjoys support among those opposed to the deportation and removal of illegal aliens.

Article I courts might also kill immigration reforms that would make the process fairer, faster, and simpler. For example, President Trump has suggested hiring more immigration judges and dispatching them to the border to process cases. An Article I court, existing separately from the Department of Justice and not under the president's authority, could simply reject the idea. Also, Attorney General William Barr recently closed a catch-and-release loophole by overruling an immigration judge. Under an Article I court, that judge's ruling would stand, and that loophole would have stayed in place. Likewise, former attorney general Jeff Sessions stopped a longstanding trick of immigration judges: granting "stealth amnesty" by indefinitely closing unresolved cases. Independent Article I courts could have gone on handing out stealth amnesty just as before.

Worst of all, Article I immigration courts would upend the Constitution's checks and balances and injure our democracy. That's because immigration policy and enforcement are reserved to the democratic process, not to politically unaccountable judges.

The Supreme Court has affirmed this principle for centuries. "For reasons long recognized as valid, the responsibility for regulating the relationship between the United States and our alien visitors has been committed to the political branches of the Federal Government" (Mathews v. Diaz [1976]). "To deny or qualify the Government's power of deportation ... should not be initiated by judicial decision. Reform in this field must be entrusted to the branches of the Government in control of our international relations and treaty-making powers" (Harisiades v. Shaughnessy [1952]).

In other words, immigration policy is a job for Congress and the president. "The power to exclude or to expel aliens ... is vested in the political departments of the government, and is to be regulated by treaty or by act of Congress, and to be executed by the executive authority" (Fong Yue Ting v. United States [1893]). If Congress wants to change immigration policy or enforcement, then it must legislate  not pass the buck to unelected Article I judges.

Article I immigration courts would also obliterate the distinction between U.S. citizens and illegal aliens. Entry into the United States is not a right guaranteed to everyone in the world. It is a privilege extended by the U.S. government on a case-by-case basis. Under our current system, access to immigration judges at the U.S. Department of Justice extends generous consideration to immigration applicants  even those who have entered illegally  while still protecting Americans' sovereign right to determine, by voting in elections, who may enter their country.

The only readily available way to solve the immigration crisis is to enforce the immigration laws that have already been implemented through the democratic process  not to invent a brand-new court system. Repel unlawful border crossings and reduce the incentives for illegal entry in the first place. Build a wall. Mandate E-Verify. Make largely bogus asylum claimants wait in Mexico for their hearings.

In other words, instead of thrashing around for some new gimmick, pull out of the quicksand by grabbing the lifeline already within reach.

Lew J. Olowski is staff counsel at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of illegal immigration.
It seems like Lenovo is planning to partner up with Ferrari in order to release a Ferrari-branded smartphone. The partnership hasnt been officially confirmed just yet, but the Vice President of Lenovo Group, Chang Cheng, did share an image of a device with a Ferrari logo via his official Weibo (Chinese social network) account.

Those of you with a keen eye will notice that this is the Lenovo Z6 Pro were looking at here, the companys flagship which was announced quite recently. If we put two and two together, well come to a conclusion that a special edition Lenovo Z6 Pro handset is coming, and it will bear Ferraris colors and branding.

It seems like the overall design of the phone will not change, but the back side of the phone will be red-colored, various shades of red, it seems. Both Lenovos and Ferraris branding will be included on the back. Lenovos branding is located in the lower-left portion of the display, while Ferraris branding sits in the upper portion of the phones back, and it is centered.

Advertisement

You will notice four cameras here, along with some additional sensors. Considering that the Lenovo Z6 Pro got announced last month, we know exactly what to expect here. Youre looking at 48, 16, 8, and 2-megapixel cameras here, plus a ToF (Time-of-Flight) camera. A single 32-megapixel unit will be located on the front side of this phone.

The device will feature a 6.39-inch fullHD+ AMOLED display, presuming that Lenovo doesnt change some specs here, of course. The phone will be fueled by the Snapdragon 855 64-bit octa-core processor, and it will ship with Android 9 Pie, with ZUI 11 skin on top of it.

A 4,000mAh battery will be included inside of this phone, and it will support 27W fast charging. Dolby Atmos support will be on board, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, while the phone will include two SIM card slots.

Advertisement

The regular Lenovo Z6 Pro comes in 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB RAM variants, and its safe to assume that this special edition model will not be available in all those options. The Ferrari Edition of the Lenovo Z6 Pro will probably ship with 12GB RAM, and that will be the only option that Lenovo will offer. Were only guessing here, just to be clear.

Presuming that Lenovo is teasing this phone via Weibo, its safe to say that it will launch in China first, and it remains to be seen if it will reach any other markets. Ferrari is a well-known brand around the world, so Lenovo will probably want to push this phone to other markets.

The Lenovo Z6 Pros international availability has not yet been announced by the company either, so were waiting on that info as well. In any case, weve already seen several smartphones that carried famous luxury car brandings, like the OnePlus 6T, for example, as it was released in a McLaren edition. It seems like Ferrari wants to get on board as well, though were basing all of this on a teaser, even though its an official one. Lenovo will probably opt to announce this phone soon, so stay tuned for that.
Although rich communications services (RCS) are quickly spreading, the new Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will not support the protocol on T-Mobile based on a recently spotted confirmation from customer service reps on Twitter. The original Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL wont be taking advantage of the enhancements RCS enhancements on the network, despite that each does have support on Verizons network.

Placing the blame

T-Mobile appears to be putting the blame back on Google for the lack of support. Responding to customers asking about RCS, representatives have said that the devices wont support RCS messaging and later that the gadgets dont support its network-level authentication specifically.

Advertisement

Thats not entirely unfair since Google is responsible for ensuring that the protocol is supported for T-Mobile but the carrier is not entirely without blame either. While it was the first US carrier to push out the Universal Profile in question, only select Samsung Galaxy flagships and the OnePlus 6T are supported.

The shortcoming may have something to the fact that T-Mobiles support seems to be solely at the network level rather than the carrier itself ensuring support at the app or device level. T-Mobiles approach to RCS seems to be subtly different from that of other carriers, regardless of whether thats a viable way to incorporate the protocol.

Google, in the meantime, has been one of the primary pushers behind widespread RCS support to replace standard text-messaging protocols. It followed just behind Verizon adding support for its carrier service Google Fi in early 2019 and T-Mobile is among the carrier networks providing the background for that. So it isnt immediately clear why support isnt in place with its latest mid-range smartphones on T-Mobile specifically.

Advertisement

T-Mobiles phrasing here could mean that support will be added later on via a firmware update to Googles Pixel devices on its network but it seems that will require better communication between the OEM and provider if thats going to happen.

Why should you care?

RCS first made an appearance back in 2012, despite that its only becoming more important on smartphones now but its age does not mean it wont have an enormous impact on mobile interactions once its available everywhere. The protocol expands on a number of communication aspects that ordinarily just out of reach for current text messaging standards.

Advertisement

Some of the biggest changes possible include sharing of larger file sizes  up to 100MB in some cases  and the ability to see when participants in a messaging session are present and typing or have read the message. Wi-Fi-based communications become a possibility too, eliminating reliance on a stable mobile connection in some cases where that simply isnt available. Common problems with group messaging can be resolved and enhanced link sharing, phonebook polling, and in-call media transmission are further possibilities introduced early on with RCS.

Though not an exhaustive list by any means, RCS summarily brings features of text messaging in line with or similar to what is already readily available via instant messaging platforms such as Whatsapp and Messenger, among others. That means it could easily be the most revolutionary advancement for standard communications over smartphone networks, if and when carriers and OEMs finally get around to ensuring it works universally.
According to a new report that surfaced on MySmartPrice website, Redmi is planning to announce not one, but two flagship smartphones before the end of this month. Those two phones will first hit China, as that is the companys homeland, and the place where Redmi opted to host the press conference.

For those of you who are out of the loop, Redmi is Xiaomis sub-brand, after the company separated from Xiaomi earlier this year. Redmis flagship has been mentioned in many rumors and leaks, while the companys CEO did confirm that it is coming. We were expecting a single flagship, though, not two separate phones.

The source claims that this information comes from a trusted source, and it says that the two phones will arrive in three color variants, Red, Blue, and Carbon Fiber. The two phones will also be similar in the memory department as well, as the source claims they will offer four configurations in total.

Advertisement

The two phones will ship in two 6GB RAM and two 8GB RAM variants. The 6GB RAM options will include 64GB and 128GB of storage, while the 8GB RAM models will ship with 128GB and 256GB of storage. That is all the detail that the source was able to confirm thus far, but plenty of info surfaced prior to this report.

Redmi pretty much confirmed that its flagship(s) will be fueled by the Snapdragon 855, and that it will ship with extremely thin bezels. The company actually released a teaser not long ago, basically confirming that the phone will include a pop-up selfie camera. It is actually possible that both of these phones, that are said to be coming, will include such a camera.

Redmis General Manager, Lu Weibing, did also confirm that the phone will include an in-display fingerprint scanner, and it is possible that both devices that were mentioned by the source will ship with such a fingerprint scanner. The two phones are expected to be made out of metal and glass, while the back side will be curved on both phones, probably.

Advertisement

The companys flagship is rumored to include three cameras on the back, and considering were looking at two models now, were not sure if both of them will ship with such setup, as they have to differ in some way. Android 9 Pie will come pre-installed on Redmis upcoming flagships, while Xiaomis MIUI 10 skin will be applied on top of it.

The phone was shown in a hands-on video last month, and a leaked claimed that the phone will be called the Redmi X. Redmis CEO kind of denied that information, after which the Redmi K20 moniker surfaced. Truth be said, the Redmi K20 name doesnt really seem like something the company would use for its flagship, but considering how many odd naming choices weve seen in the last couple of years, it is possible.

Redmi is expected to unveil its new flagship smartphones on May 13, and as already mentioned, those devices are expected to launch in China. This is kind of perfect timing for Redmi, as OnePlus is launching its phones a day later.
By Trend





The Azerbaijani and Georgian deputy foreign ministers will meet next week, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov told reporters in Baku, Trend reports on May 10.

He added that the consultations will be held during the meeting.

"The agenda and the date of the meeting of the commission [of the Azerbaijani-Georgian commission on delimitation and demarcation of borders] will be determined within these discussions," Khalafov said.
Posted on: May 10, 2019 5:28 PM

Go forth into the world in peace were the words of the choirs anthem at St Johns Cathedral in Hong Kong on Sunday 5 May. It was sung to celebrate the conclusion of the 17th meeting of the triennial Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-17). More than 110 delegates and guests from around the world have gathered in Hong Kong this past week to shape the international work of the Anglican Communion for the coming years.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was the celebrant of the Eucharist and the Archbishop and Primate of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui  the Anglican Church in Hong Kong, Dr Paul Kwong, preached. Archbishop Paul is also the elected Chair of the Consultative Council.

Archbishop Paul based his sermon on the Gospel reading of the day from John 21: 1-19. On the theme of hospitality, he said: Bring some of the fish that you have just caught, said Jesus. Come and have breakfast. Of all the things to do on a quiet morning, what could be more natural? What could be more hospitable than someone cooking breakfast for their friends?

He stated that hospitality was central to the conversations during ACC-17, and he affirmed how important the simple actions of giving and receiving, of taking care of one another, of loving one another, are in our Christian lives together.

He thanked all of the members of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui who had met and cared for those involved in ACC-17.

He also spoke about what it is to be a practical Christian. In challenging the congregation to love each other even when they disagree. In referencing ACC-17, he said: we have had our arguments, our disagreements, our disappointments, just as much as we have had our genuine achievements. But I believe very strongly that our arguments and disagreements and disappointments have all taken place within the Body of Christ: that, however passionately we feel about the rightness of our cause and our beliefs, we return to listen to the Word, to share the Peace, to break bread, to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and to be sent out into the world to do His will.

After an invitation to follow Christ, he concluded the sermon saying: And as I say thank you to each and every delegate to ACC-17, and as I bid you travel safely back to your homes, reflecting upon these powerful Bible readings and this extraordinary Mass of Christ, I ask you only to remember Christs words to Peter, on behalf of the Communion and on behalf of the faithful Christians who have hosted you here in Hong Kong. Let us follow Christ, wherever He may take us. Amen.

Members of the Standing Committee read the lessons and lead the intercessions. The music included Ernest Yangs Fount of love, our Saviour God, Great are thy mercies to the Chinese folk song Song of the Hoe. The sung parts of the Eucharist were to a setting by Victor Chan.

The theme of the ACC-17 meeting was Equipping Gods People: going deeper in intentional discipleship. The work in the past week had included daily Bible studies, reports, presentations, resolutions, and briefings on a wide variety of ministries. There were also opportunities to visits local parishes and see their social ministry work.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, prays for three departing Anglican Communion Office Directors: Adrian Butcher, Dr John Gibaut, and the Revd Canon Terrie Robinson

Photo: St Johns Cathedral

During the closing Eucharist, after a time of prayer Archbishop Justin commissioned the ACC-17 members, the Standing Committee and the Staff of the Anglican Consultative Council to work together to advance Gods mission worldwide.

He prayed particularly for three departing members of the Anglican Consultative Councils staff: Director for Unity, Faith and Order, Dr John Gibaut; Director for Women in Church and Society, Canon Terrie Robinson; and Director for Communications, Adrian Butcher.

He also prayed for the Anglican Communions Secretary General, Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon.

The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, is prayed for by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, during the closing Eucharist of ACC-17 in Hong Kong.

Photo: Old Dog / St Johns Cathedral

Before the ACC-17 meeting concluded, the host provinces for the next two Anglican Consultative Council meetings were announced. West Africa will host ACC-18 in 2022; and ACC-19 will be hosted by the Church of Ireland in 2025.
Posted on: May 10, 2019 2:56 PM

It is an inconvenient truth that the overwhelming majority of persecuted religious believers are Christians, an interim report on the UK governments response to the persecution of Christians says. The report, by the Bishop of Truro, former CMS Executive Leader Philip Mounstephen, was commissioned by the British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The interim report details the scale of persecution and says that 80 per cent of people facing religious persecution around the world are Christians. Bishop Philip is now preparing his final report which will look at the UK governments response to the persecution.

In his report, Bishop Philip stresses the need to protect the religious rights of all people, regardless of their faith. Persecution on grounds of religious faith is a global phenomenon that is growing in scale and intensity, he said. Reports including that of the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief suggest that religious persecution is on the rise, and it is an ever-growing threat to societies around the world.

Though it is impossible to know the exact numbers of people persecuted for their faith, based on reports from different NGOs, it is estimated that one third of the worlds population suffers from religious persecution in some form, with Christians being the most persecuted group.

This despite the fact that freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental right of every person. This includes the freedom to change or reject ones own belief system.

In a statement published at the launch of the interim report, Bishop Philip said: I have to say that although I am personally experienced in the life of the global Church having visited it South America, in the Middle East, in Africa, in Asia and in many other places as well, I am nonetheless deeply shocked by the scale, the scope and the severity of this phenomenon.

Whilst I make no claim for the work we have done to be comprehensive I very much hope that it will set us up well to analyse the way that the Foreign Office has responded to this phenomenon and indeed could respond to this phenomenon in the future.

I will be making some clear recommendations to the Foreign Secretary which I hope very much he will be able to put into practice so that Britain can use its significant influence and diplomatic muscle to address an issue which I believe is one of gross injustice that we face in the world today.

The interim report provides examples of persecution from around the world, as well as details of restrictions Christians face when attempting to follow their faith.

Violent persecution exists in many forms, the report says. Firstly there is mass violence which regularly expresses itself through the bombing of churches, as has been the case in countries such as Egypt, Pakistan and Indonesia, whereby the perpetrators raise levels of fear amongst the Christian community and attempt to suppress the communitys appetite to practice its right to public expression of freedom of religion and belief.

State militaries attacking minority communities which practice a different faith to the countrys majority also constitutes a violent threat to Christian communities such as the Kachin and Chin people of Myanmar and the Christians of the Nuba mountains of Sudan. The torture of Christians is widespread in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Eritrean prisons, and beatings in police custody are widely reported in India.

Extrajudicial killings and the enforced and involuntary disappearance of Christians are also widespread. These violent manifestations of persecution can be perpetrated by the state as has been reported by international jurists in the case of the murders taking place within DPRK prisons and as was allegedly seen in the kidnapping of Pastor Raymond Koh in Malaysia. These acts are also perpetrated by non-state actors such as Muslim extremists who systematically target and kidnap Christian girls in Pakistan and in the recent murder of Pastor Leider Molina in Colombia by a guerrilla/paramilitary group.

In a Region by Region Analysis, the report also indicates lower level of restrictions on the rights of Christians to manifest their faith, including in Latin America, where laws designed to protect the rights of indigenous groups are being misused to prevent churches opening.

The report cited a 1998 decision by the constitutional court of Columbia which upheld the right of traditional authorities to enforce participation in traditional religious beliefs on indigenous reserves. This has since been used as precedent in lower courts and by indigenous authorities seeking to prohibit churches on indigenous reserves, the report says. As part of a legitimate attempt to try and preserve indigenous traditions, indigenous groups do at times take the illegitimate (yet legal) step of closing down churches so as to try and encourage converts to return to traditional beliefs and practices and in the process forcibly displace those who refuse to do so.

Examples of converts from indigenous communities being refused access to utilities and services, as well as female converts being ostracised by the wider community and losing custody of children so as to avoid the children converting to Christianity, have been reported by Open Doors.

It is vital that indigenous and rural traditions are protected, but this should not come at the expense of individuals within indigenous communities who decide to convert to another religion.

Bishop Philip concludes his report by saying that his conclusions and recommendations may be uncomfortable to hear. He said: The challenge for ministers and FCO civil servants will be to turn these into workable solutions that can be implemented.

The challenge for the rest of our community will be to partner with some of the finest diplomats in the world to ensure that the freedoms that Britain was at the forefront of creating become a reality for both Christians, and people of all faiths and none, around the world today.

Responding to the report, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt described it as a truly sobering read.

Thanking the Bishop and his team, he said: The interim report comes just after the appalling attacks at Easter on churches across Sri Lanka, the devastating attack on two mosques in Christchurch, and most recently the San Diego synagogue shooting.

There is nothing more medieval than to hate someone on the basis of their faith. That it is on the rise should shock us all.

I look forward to seeing the Bishops final report in the summer, and identifying further specific steps the FCO can take to do more to address the fate of persecuted Christians around the world.
Posted on: May 10, 2019 3:00 PM

Religious communities must stand united in solidarity and show extremists that they will never succeed in dividing them, the Chief Imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland, Shaykh Dr Umar al-Qadri, Chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, said in a visit to Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin last month. Dr al-Qadri made his remarks in an address to the congregation before the Cathedral Eucharist on Sunday 28 April, one week after the Easter Day massacre in Sri Lanka which left 257 people dead. His visit mirrored one made to the Islamic Centre of Ireland in March, following the terror attacks at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

In his address, the imam expressed solidarity with Christians in Ireland and worldwide, and said that, as Muslims, they strongly condemned the cowardly attacks against peaceful worshippers and stood in solidarity with the victims of these attacks and their Christian brothers and sisters everywhere.

An attack on any place of worship is an attack on all places of worship, he said. An attack on any faith community is an attack on all faith communities. These attacks were not only attacks on Christians but these attacks were attacks on all of us.

In addition to the 15 March attack on mosques in New Zealand, in which 50 people died, he also spoke about the Passover attack on 27 April at a synagogue in California, in which one worshipper was killed, and the attack six months earlier at a synagogue in Pittsburgh in which 11 people were killed.

The terrorists behind the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka claimed to have acted in the name of Islam, he said. How dare they claim to have acted in the name of Islam. These terrorists trampled upon the fundamental teachings of Islam. These terrorists are guilty of committing the biggest blasphemy.

The monsters behind the attacks on innocent human beings are not real Muslims. They do not represent Islam. In fact these monsters do not represent any faith or any community. They only represent extremism and terrorism. The same applies to those extremists that kill worshippers in the mosque and in the synagogue. They do not represent any faith nor any community. They only represent extremism and terrorism. These two evils are enemies of all humanity. Those behind the attacks are enemies of humanity.
Posted on: May 10, 2019 5:21 PM

A debate in which opposing deeply held views on the issue of human sexuality were firmly but politely expressed threatened to sound a chord of disunity on the final full day of the seventeenth meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Hong Kong on Saturday (4 May). But a prayerful discussion during a break in proceedings, and a subsequent apology from the Archbishop of Canterbury over invitations to the Lambeth Conference, produced a compromise resolution and hugs from two bishops who had early spoken in opposition to each other.

The debate was sparked by a draft resolution proposed by the Bishop of Oklahoma, Ed Konieczny, a member of the US-based Episcopal Church. The resolution sought to re-commit the Anglican Communion to the listening process called for in resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, on human sexuality. But its wording proved to be controversial. Some members described it as ambiguous and one said it would provide fodder to GAFCON and cause a red signal in some provinces.

The Primate of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, Ezekiel Kondo, spoke about the impact of the resolution in his home country. What happens here has effect there, he said. If we pass this, and we are taking it to my country, tomorrow the Church would be closed.

Bishop Ed gave an emotional response to attempts to alter the wording, saying that his heart was broken. He was concerned at the message that would be sent if the Council rejected his draft resolution. We respect you at a distance but you are not welcome, he said was the message that people would receive.

The meeting paused for prayer before round-table discussions. The meeting broke for an early extended tea-break, during which the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, together with Bishop Ed, the Bishop of Nairobi, Joel Waweru, and others, gathered to discuss the resolution.

Some 45 minutes after the proceedings were suspended, the ACCs Vice-Chair, Maggie Swinson, announced that the meeting was going into an informal session. Archbishop Justin then took to the stage to deliver an emotional speech, which he translated into French and asked ACC members to translate into Spanish and Swahili.

In it, he apologised for the distress caused by his invitations to the Lambeth Conference  both to those opposed to his invitation to bishops in same-sex relationships; and to those opposed by his non-invitation to same-sex spouses.

He requested an indicative show of hands to test support for an amended motion which, in part, expressed our concern around invitations to the Lambeth conference, he explained. That concern comes in two directions. The first is that certain people were invited and the second is that certain people were not invited. And different people are very deeply concerned by both. And that is my fault and my responsibility. . .

Where I handled it badly, which I am sure I did, for one group or another, I want to apologise to you because I have not helped the Communion. . . I ask your forgiveness where I made mistakes.

He said that the amended motion would call on him, as one of the Instruments of Communion in the Anglican Communion, with responsibility as a focus for unity, to initiate a listening process . . . with supportive and independent facilitation in order to hear the concerns and voices of people especially those who have felt themselves marginalised with regard to sexuality.

The amended motion also called on the Archbishop to look at all issues of discrimination across the Anglican Communion and make recommendations to the Standing Committee and to report back to ACC18.

He told the members of the ACC: I give you my word, I promise you, I will make sure this happens neutrally and independently.

The indicative show of hands showed universal support for the amended motion. Once the meeting resumed in formal session, it passed with 83 votes in favour and none against. There were three abstentions.

The amendment was formally moved by the Bishop of Nairobi, Joel Waweru, from the Anglican Church of Kenya. It was accepted by Bishop Ed, who told the meeting: out of respect and love and affection for our archbishop and out of love and affection for our member churches, and especially for my brothers in the global south, and for the unity of the church, he was willing to accept this amendment from my brother, Joel.

After the result was announced, Bishop Joel and the Bishop of Bujumbura, Eraste Bigirimana, from the Anglican Church of Burundi, approach Bishop Ed and the three embraced. As they did so, Council members began an impromptu rendition of the Taize chant Bless the Lord, my soul after one member began singing it solo.

The amended resolution, as passed by the ACC reads:

The Anglican Consultative Council
Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS) said it has signed a MoU with Al Etihad Credit Bureau, (AECB) to promote financial literacy in the UAE.



The MoU mandates the two parties to launch joint financial education initiatives with the aim of fostering responsible money management habits among consumers in the UAE, remarked Jamal Al Jassmi, the general manager of EIBFS, after sealing the agreement with Marwan Lutfi, the chief executive of AECB at the EIBFS Dubai campus.



The duo has also been tasked with co-hosting trainings and thought leadership events to familiarise the finance professionals with the latest developments in the banking industry, stated Al Jassmi.



"In a world of growing economic complexities, we firmly believe that financial literacy is a core life skill and the key to a well-informed and financially sound society. As such, it is also the subject of an important ongoing conversation in the UAE," noted the top official.



Al Jassmi said: "In line with our commitment to helping bridge the knowledge gap for a more secure financial future, and long-term growth and prosperity, we recognize the crucial need to expand and enhance personal finance education in our country."



"As part of this priority, we are pleased to partner with AECB to provide citizens and residents of the UAE with the necessary knowledge to make prudent financial decisions," he added.



Lutfi said the Bureau was proud to join forces with EIBFS for improving the financial well-being of the UAE population  a core area of focus for AECB.



"The collaboration aligns with our wider objectives of promoting financial knowledge and boosting financial inclusion in the country," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Steady light rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 49F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
A surprising upset during elections for the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce. The slate backed by the Catalan National Assembly and the Cercle Catala de Negocis has managed to win the election with an absolute majority. The representatives of this candidature, the most well-known of which is businessman Joan Canadell, have won 32 of the 40 seats at stake. The other three candidates, theoretically favourites to win, only managed to win 9 between the three of them. The second candidate to obtain the most seats was Enric Crous (who won four), followed by Carles Tusquets (with three). Finally, the 50a50 slate, which seeks to promote the participation of women in business institutions, obtained one seat. The last candidate, Ramon Masia, was unable to get a single representative.

The results have yet to be confirmed, since there are 955 ballots which have been set aside due to possible irregularities. The electronic voting system will now be examined to see if they are in fact suspect, or whether they ought to be included. The definitive results wont be released until next Monday.

The results mean that there is no doubt that those in favour of independence will control the most important Chamber of Commerce in Catalonia. 40 out of a total of 60 seats on the institutions board were being voted on in these elections. The remaining twenty were directly awarded to the large corporations which made the biggest contributions to the institution (who are allocated 14) and to the employers organisations Foment and Pimec (which share 6). There was a possibility that these twenty seats would end up changing the outcome of the election, but after having secured 31 seats including that belonging to Bonpreu, who announced its support for both the ANC and Crous, the pro-independence candidates look certain to control the institution. One of its most well-known members is actor Joel Joan, who won a seat through his production company Arriska SL.

Speaking to ARA, Joan Canadell, the businessman who headed the ANC and CCNs candidacy, declared that "the Chamber has made a 180-degree turn" and that it will stop "looking towards the oligarchy and the big Madrid corporations". Canadells slate mobilized the ANCs volunteers, who managed to convince enough companies and self-employed voters to support the pro-independence candidates, leading them to obtain an outright majority. According to Canadell, "The ANC volunteers have done a great job of explaining our position to business people who were eligible to vote".

Speaking of the future, Canadell went on to say: "We have to find a way to ensure that the Chamber of Commerce is not an organisation unsympathetic towards the business community". He added that, "Now a new time begins, one in which well try to understand the organisations problems and those facing entrepreneurs. We want to connect with the business community".

Commenting on the victory, Elisenda Paluzie [president of the ANC] declared: "We detected certain weaknesses in October 2017 and not being represented in the Chamber of Commerce was a hindrance". She added: "We found there werent enough business people to contradict the fear-mongering about independence. On the contrary, we saw that they were applying pressure". "The chamber will defend SMEs, the self-employed and Catalonias business sector. We will help Catalan companies as a whole and we will put the Chamber at their service without questioning the decisions made democratically by the people of Catalonia", she concluded.

The biggest losers in the election were Carles Tusquets (considered the continuity candidate after many years with Miquel Valls as the president of the Chamber), Enric Crous (who allied himself with the employers organisation Pimec during his election campaign) and Ramon Masia (who had been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for many years).

Voter turnout in the Barcelona Chamber of Commerces elections was higher than ever, with a participation that has more than doubled compared with previous elections. More than 17,000 companies and self-employed individuals voted, many more than the approximately 7,000 who participated in the most recent election. Nonetheless, the turnout represents just 4% of those who were eligible to vote, a fraction of the total.

Yesterday, when voters were able to vote in person, the turnout was higher than usual. Nevertheless, one of the factors which explains the increase in the turnout is the fact that electronic voting has been allowed for the first time. Voters were able to vote electronically between Thursday last week and nine oclock this Tuesday morning. Face-to-face voting, on the other hand, took place this Wednesday.
Help India!

By Shams ur Rehman Alavi

In the last few weeks of April and May 2019, there were deadly terror attacks by Maoists in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra on security personnel.

Support TwoCircles



First, in Chhattisgarh, a BJP MLA was among those killed when his convoy was targeted in the Bastar region. Then, 16 persons including 15 commandos and a driver, were killed in the IED blast in Maharashtra.

There were many other attacks as well but these two attacks killed the security personnel of India an yet the media who usually highlights the killings of the commandos underplayed these killings as a result not much response was evoked from the common public either.

Unlike the killings of the security personnel in February in Pulwama ( Jammu and Kashmir) which evoked sharp response from the media and prompted nationwide anger.

In the case of Kashmir, TV channels just didnt let the incident go and kept showing the visuals for days and nights, until there was such outrage that across India, people took out rallies. In almost every city and town, youngsters came out on streets.

This also led to attacks on Kashmiris. What was the fault of Kashmiris living in other cities or hostels or students, traders in Meerut or Lucknow? But when the Maoists set off blasts in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, TV channels didnt have much time.

No questions are asked as to how so much explosive reaches these forests. Or, how Naxalites continue to get the weapons. Just a few days later one or two persons may be killed in an encounter and the claim of killing conspirators are accepted in the press.

These incidents were not given focus though Pulwama had seen nonstop coverage. In the case of Naxal attacks, there was no report about identity of killers and there were no discussions. The focus remained on Lok Sabha elections.

Neither reporters talked about last rites of martyrs or cared about the compensation or how bodies reached the homes. This is strange. In case of Maoist terror, there is no seriousness and unfortunately for TV channels -newspapers it is just another attack.

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi, is a journalist and blogs at: www.anindianmuslim.com and tweets at @indscribe https://twitter.com/indscribe
For its defenders, much of the appeal of The Bell Curve resided in the deliberate challenge it posed to post-1960s racial liberalism. Advocates cheered how Herrnstein and Murray disobeyed cultural conventions and used what they said were empirical verities to debunk liberal orthodoxies.  Boston Review
The actor will essay the role of Prabhat Kapoor, who heads the four-member team carrying out the operation.

Arjun Kapoor, who is back in action, seems to have got really busy with his upcoming films, as his dates are jam-packed. The Ishaqzaade actor is so caught up at work that he is currently juggling between two of his films Indias Most Wanted and Panipat.

As the promotions of his upcoming release Indias Most Wanted is going on, the shooting for his period drama Panipat is also happening simultaneously.

A source close to the actor reveals that Arjun is shooting for Panipat in ND Studios, which is in the outskirts of Mumbai. Paanipat has an ensemble cast and he has given his dates for that film. At the same time, he is also trying his best to take out time for the promotions of Indias Most Wanted. He doesnt want to lose out on the promotions either as this film is very close to his heart.

Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Indias Most Wanted tells the story of an undercover operation to capture a deadly terrorist referred to as India's Osama (bin Laden) without the use of any weapons.

The actor will essay the role of Prabhat Kapoor, who heads the four-member team carrying out the operation.

As far as Panipat is concerned, its a period drama mounted on a huge scale and is being directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.
Nirmala denied knowledge of a claim by Admiral Ramdas (Retd.) that in 1987 no warship was used by Rajiv Gandhis family.

New Delhi: A full-blown controversy broke out on Thursday over Prime Minister Narendra Modis allegation that Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat as a personal taxi with former Navy Chief Admiral L. Ramdas (Retd.) rejecting it and the charge becoming fodder for a political slugfest between the Congress and the BJP.

The Congress alleged that Mr Modi is a serial liar who has made Indian Air Force (IAF) jets his own taxi and party president Rahul Gandhi dared the Prime Minister to also talk about Rafael jet deal and unemployment while mentioning issues related to his father.

The BJP hit back with defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman saying in Bhopal that she respects Rajiv Gandhi as a martyr but they have a right to question the former Prime Ministers decisions.

What happened on INS Viraat is known to everyone and it is in the public domain. The clear misuse of the Army, Navy and Air Force by the Congress is well known but now theyre (Congress) shedding crocodile tears asking whether Prime Minister Modi is misusing the name of the military, Ms Sitharaman said.

She denied knowledge of a claim by Admiral Ramdas (Retd.) that in 1987 no warship was used by Rajiv Gandhis family.

Joining his party colleague in attacking the Gandhis, finance minister Arun Jaitley tweeted, The kaamdars use Indias naval assets to strike at terror. The Naamdars use them for personal vacations with family and in-laws.

Mr Modi often uses the word naamdar to refer to the members of the Gandhi family, and kaamdar for people who work hard for the nation.

A day after Mr Modi fired yet another salvo targeting his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi said, If you talk about my father also do talk about Rafael and unemployment.

The Congress president said, Explain what have you done on the Rafale issue. You should also explain to the people your unkept promise of two crore jobs for the youth.

Did you give farmers the right price for their produce? Did you put `15 lakh into bank accounts? Rahul Gandhi said, claiming that the BJP government had not fulfilled its election promises.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also attacked Mr Modi. She said in Uttar Pradeshs Pratapgargh that she has never seen a more coward and weak Prime Minister than him.

Insey bada kayar, insey kamjor Pradhan Mantri main jeevan me nahi dekha, (I havent seen a more coward and weaker PM than him in my life), she said.

The Congress described the Prime Minister as a serial liar and accused him of making IAF jets his own taxi.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha (Retd.) has clarified that Rajiv Gandhi was on an official visit on INS Viraat and not on a vacation.

But facts dont matter to Modi. He doesnt have anything to talk about his own achievements.Rahul Gandhi has been challenging him for the last six months now to debate on the Rafale deal, demonetisation, unemployment, but Modi does not have the courage to speak, he said at a press conference in Delhi.

While addressing an election rally in Delhi on Wednesday, Mr Modi had cited an old media report to allege that Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat to go on a holiday with his friends and in-laws as if it was his personal taxi.

Contradicting Mr Modi, Wajahat Habibullah, who was the then administrator of Lakshwadeep, said the late Prime Minister and his wife had come to attend a meeting of the Island Development Authority in Kavaratti which lasted for two days and after the official work got over, they left for Bangaram island to join the family and other guests.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi waved documents to establish the state governments claim at his election meeting in Sagar in the state on Thursday.

Bhopal: A political row has erupted in Madhya Pradesh over a claim by the Kamal Nath government about the writing off of a crop loan of kin of former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi waved documents to establish the state governments claim at his election meeting in Sagar in the state on Thursday.

He asked Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, who was flanked by him, to send copies of documents to Mr Chouhan to call his alleged bluff.

Minutes after Mr Gandhi flaunted the documents at his election meeting, Mr Chouhans brother Rohit Singh, the purported beneficiary of the farm loan waiver scheme, lodged a complaint with the local divisional commissioner disowning the purported application submitted to the government seeking to write off his crop outstanding.

I have never applied for a farm loan waiver. In fact, I am not eligible for the scheme since I am an income tax payee. My signature on the application seeking to waive loans has been forged. It is a political conspiracy to defame the former chief minister Mr Chouhan, Mr Singh told reporters late on Thursday evening.
Prashant Bhushan then said he would file an election petition before the competent court.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition filed by sacked BSF Jawan Tej Bahadur challenging the rejection of his nomination papers by the returning officer of Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency from where the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta after hearing counsel Prashant Bhushan for the petitioner and senior counsel Rakesh Diwedi for the commission in a brief order said, We dont find any merit to entertain this petition. Dismissed. Mr Bhushan then said he would file an election petition before the competent court.

In a writ petition Mr Bahadur urged the court to set aside the order passed by the returning officer on May 1 and to allow him to contest the polls scheduled for May 19. He submitted that he filed his nomination papers on April 29 and he was asked to produce a certificate that he had not been dismissed from service either for corruption or disloyalty to the nation.

The Returning officer rejected the nomination on the ground that he was dismissed from the government service on April 19, 2017 and five years period from the date of such dismissal has not elapsed, in terms of section 9 of the Representation of the People Act 1951. The Returning Officer also observed the nomination paper is neither accompanied by certificate issued in the prescribed manner by the Election Commission to the effect that he has not been dismissed for corruption or disloyalty to the state.

The Petitioner said he had submitted a reply to the notice dated 29.04.2019 stating that he was dismissed on 19.04.2017 due to indiscipline, which is not covered under Section 9 of the R. P. Act and therefore, certificate by the Election Commission under section 33 (3) of the Act of 1951 was not required. Rejection of nomination under Section 36 of the Act of 1951 is not only erroneous, arbitrary and malafide but also showed the failure of the Commission in not invoking the constitutional powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to remedy the present situation, for ensuring free and fair election including equal participation, rather acted unmindful to Rule of Law.

In view of the abject failure of the Election Commission in exercising its constitutional power to ensure free and fair election and also total arbitrariness and malafide of the Returning Officer in disqualifying the Petitioner from contesting the Lok Sabha election, he has been constrained to approach this Court for relief, the petition said.
The returning officer of Amethi had set aside these allegations while accepting Rahul Gandhis nomination papers.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed at the admission stage a writ petition filed by two activists for a direction to the Election Commission to debar the Congress President Rahul Gandhi from contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Amethi and Wayanad constituencies till his citizenship issue is decided.

A Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna told counsel for the two petitioners Some company in some form has mentioned Rahul Gandhi as a British citizen, so does he become a British citizen? He (Rahul Gandhi) is not aspiring to be Prime Minister. But if 123 crore people say le he be the PM would you mind.

The petitioners, Shri Jai Bhagwan Goyal and Shri Chander Prakash Tyagi challenged the Indian Citizenship of Rahul Gandhi and said they apprehended that Rahul Gandhi might become the Prime Minister despite his dual citizenship.

When the CJI asked the petitioners counsel who are you, the counsel said his client was a public spirited person and a social worker, who is also in politics. The CJI remarked, You are in the politics of social work.

Justice Gupta asked the counsel why have you chosen 2019 to come to court with the apprehension about Mr Gandhis citizenship status. When counsel said the documents surfaced only in 2015, justice Gupta said still you waited till 2019 to approach the court. The bench then dismissed the petition.

The activists alleged that Rahul Gandhi has acquired British citizenship, which, according to them, is evident from documents filed by Backops Ltd before the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales.

They submitted that the Representation of the People Act provides for disqualification for registration of a person in an electoral roll who is not a citizen of India. Since it is apparent from the documents of the Registrar of Companies of England and Wales, he cannot be a voter in electoral rolls.

They said the Election Commission has a responsibility to ensure that a non-citizen is not registered as a voter in the electoral rolls nor allowed to vote in the elections. The Commission has miserably failed in upholding the law by permitting Rahul Gandhi to file his nominations.

Further they said that Rahul Gandhi has concealed the factum of the British nationality and by concealment of this fact he has been successful in getting elected as a Member of Parliament in the year 2009 and 2014.

The activists have sought a declaration from the court that the Congress President is not competent to contest elections, as he is not a citizen of India and to direct the commission to probe the alleged acquisition of British Citizenship by Rahul Gandhi and debar him his contesting the polls and to remove his name from the electoral rolls.

The returning officer of Amethi had set aside these allegations while accepting Rahul Gandhis nomination papers. On a complaint filed by the Bharathiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, Subramanian Swamy, the Home Ministry has also sought response from the Congress President in two weeks.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading.
Centre had earlier rejected recommendation to elevate Justices Bose and Justice Bopanna.

Once the four names are approved and appointed, the Supreme Court will have its full strength of 31 judges after a long time. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Rejecting the stand of the Centre, the Supreme Court Collegium has reiterated its proposal to recommended the Chief Justice of Jharkhand high court Aniruddha Bose (who hails from Kolkata) and the Chief Justice of Gauhati high court A.S. Bopanna (who hails from Karnataka) as judges of the apex court.

The collegium has also recommended Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Judge, Bombay high court (who hails from Mumbai) and Justice Surya Kant, chief justice, Himachal Pradesh high court (who hails from Punjab) for elevation to the apex court.

Once the four names are approved and appointed, the Supreme Court will have its full strength of 31 judges after a long time.

This Resolution stated, the Collegium resolves to reiterate the afore-mentioned recommendation dated 12th April, 2019, especially since nothing adverse regarding competence, conduct or integrity of Justices Aniruddha Bose, and A.S. Bopanna, has been pointed out.

Justice Bose stands at number 12 in the combined seniority list of all-India high court judges, while Justice Bopanna stands at number 36.

On April 12, both judges were recommended by the Collegium for elevation to the Supreme Court after considering factors such as merit, seniority, as well as regional representation on the Supreme Court Bench.

However, the Centre had rejected the recommendation to elevate Justices Bose and Bopanna, stating that it would go against the principle of regional representation.

The parent high courts of the two judges  the high courts of Calcutta and Karnataka  are already adequately represented in the Supreme Court, the Centre reportedly said.

In response, the Collegium has opined in Wednesdays Resolution though inter-se seniority amongst Judges in their high courts and their combined seniority on all-India basis should be given due weightage, merit should be the predominant consideration. The Collegium accordingly kept in mind these parameters while recommending the above two names.

While recommending the names of Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai and Mr. Justice Surya Kant, the Collegium has taken into consideration combined seniority on all-India basis of Chief Justices and senior puisne Judges of High Courts, apart from their competence, conduct and integrity. The Collegium has also kept in mind the desirability of giving due representation on the Bench of the Supreme Court, as far as possible, to all the High Courts as well as to all sections of the society including those belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories, women and minorities. We are also conscious of the fact that some High Courts have remained unrepresented in the Supreme Court, the resolution added.
Help India!

TCN News

A division bench of Honble supreme court of India comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Indira Banerjee has ordered the enquiry regarding the suspension of Dr. Kafeel Khan to be concluded on time and also directed the government of Uttar Pradesh under Yogi Adityanath rule to pay all subsistence allowances to Dr. Kafeel Khan pending his suspension.

Support TwoCircles



Dr Kafeel Khan, lecturer paediatrician of Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medial College hospital was suspended from duty and later arrested for the death of 33 children who had died due to lack of oxygen supply. But he was later released on bail but was framed under different allegations and along with him his brother was also made a scape goat and an attempt was also made on his brothers life.

Dr Kafeel Khan suffered not just due to character assassination but was also kept in the Gorakhpur jail under charges of attempt to culpable homicide and criminal breach of trust by a public servant.

Dr. Khan, who headed the encephalitis ward in the hospital actually saved the children by purchasing oxygen from other sources. And the parents of the children vouch for that.

However after much tribulations and campaigns to save him, the SC bench today delivered a verdict in favour of Dr. Khan who, in his tweet has said that it is a good news during roza in the month of Ramadan, while thanking the lawyers who represented him.

He has also named the 2 doctors who are responsible for the lack in supply of liquid oxygen not just in the paediatric ward but also other wards.

SC orders UP government to pay dues to Dr Khan SC orders UP government to honour the Allahabad HC order which had on 7th March 2019 asked UP govt to conclude departmental inquiry against Dr Khan within 90 days https://t.co/A3FwSYA0kQ  Dr kafeel khan (@drkafeelkhan) May 10, 2019
The girl was allegedly threatened for falling in love with a lower caste boy, police said.

On May 6, Priyanka Shete wrote a letter to NCW seeking registration of an FIR against her uncle and cousins. (Photo: ANI)

Mumbai: An FIR has been registered after a 19-year-old girl from Pune sought National Commission for Women's help to deal with her family, who have been 'threatening to kill her' for falling in love with a lower caste boy, police said.

On May 6, Priyanka Shete wrote a letter to NCW seeking registration of an FIR against her uncle and cousins. Following this, an FIR was registered on Thursday against three people at Pune's Talegaon Dabhade police station.

"In the FIR, the 19-year-old Priyanka Shete has mentioned that her family has been threatening to kill her as she wants to get married to a person who belongs to lower caste. We have registered an FIR against three persons of her family and further investigation is underway," police said.

The FIR has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 344 (wrongful confinement), 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication).

Earlier on May 3, Shete also filed a plea in the Bombay High Court through her counsel Nitin Satpute, seeking protection.

A petition filed in the court said she is a second-year student of LL.B., who fell in love with her classmate Viraj Awghade. However, her parents allegedly started harassing and torturing her and also threatened to kill her boyfriend.

Therefore, she attempted suicide by consuming a heavy dose of medicine on February 26, 2019.
INS Viraat was commissioned into the Navy in 1987. After nearly 30 years of service, it was decommissioned in 2016.

New Delhi: Vice-Admiral Vinod Pasricha (retd), who was commanding INS Viraat, when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had visited the Indian Navy aircraft carrier, said on Thursday that Gandhi was on an official visit in 1987 and not on a holiday.

He said that no foreign nationals or his in-laws had accompanied Mr Gandhi during his time on Viraat.

Mr Pasricha said that only Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were with the former Prime Minister. Mr Gandhi had come for an official visit to the Lakshadweep Islands for two days and we took him to the island and brought him back, Mr Pasricha told this newspaper over the phone. There was a meeting of the Islands Development Authority, which was held alternately in Lakshadweep and the Andamans, he said.

The ship was used to ferry the Gandhis as the air field was not ready.

There was Gandhi family three of them, and two or three IAS officers who were going to Lakshadweep for the meeting, said Mr Pasricha. He denied that the Gandhi family were partying on the Viraat.

They spent nights on-board and on, one of the two nights, we gave them the dinner so that they could meet all the officers, he added.

Former Navy chief Admiral (retd) L. Ramdas also supported Mr Pasricha version and said that as Flag officer Comma-nding in Chief, Southern Naval Command, based in Cochin, he had also boarded INS Viraat.

Prime Minister and Mrs Gandhi were embar-ked on board INS Viraat off Trivandrum enroute Lakshadweep. The Prime Minister was at Trivandr-um as chief guest for the National Games prize distribution. He was going to Lakshadweep on official duty, to Chair a meeting of IDA (Islands Devel-opment Authority), he said in a statement.

INS Viraat was commissioned into the Navy in 1987. After nearly 30 years of service, it was decommissioned in 2016.

Ramdas said that he was drawing his statement on written responses from Pasricha, Admiral Arun Prakash  commanding INS Vindhyagiri, which was accompahying INS Viraat, and Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh  commanding officer of INS Ganga. He said that there were no foreigners with the Gandhis.

Ramdas said that they visit some of the Islands on short trips by helicopter to meet local officials, as also the people there. PM is authorised to travel along with his spouse by service aircraft on official duties. From what I know only Rajiv and Sonia went ashore by helicopter and Rahul never accompanied them, he said.

No ships were specially diverted for the personal use of the Gandhi family. Only one small helicopter was left at Kavratti to meet any emergency medical requirements of the PM and his wife, added Ramdas.
Sources claim that Kavita Singh is banking on BJP and JD(U)s coreRajputs and OBCs voters.

Hina Shahab, Rashtriya Janta Dal Lok Sabha candidate from Siwan and wife of convicted leader Mohammed Shahabuddin, with party leader Tejashwi Yadav during an election campaign rally in Siwan on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

Patna: After a tough contest in five phases, it appears that NDA and grand alliance are locked in a neck to neck contest in the sixth phase in Bihar.

Siwan has become a hot seat for both NDA and grand alliance as wives of two dreaded gangsters turned politician  Hina Shahab and Kavita Singh are locked in a fierce battle.

Hina Shahab, who has been fielded by RJD, is the wife of four-time MP and criminal turned politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, while the JD(U) has given the ticket to Kavita Singh, a sitting MLA, and wife of another dreaded gangster Ajay Singh who too enjoys political influence in the entire constituency. Shahabuddin is currently lodged in Tihar jail.

After Shahabuddin was convicted and barred from contesting elections in 2007 RJD chief Lalu Yadav chose Hina Shahab but she lost to Om Prakash Yadav of the BJP in 2009 and 2014.

This time the seat went to chief minister Nitish Kumars party JD(U) under the seat-sharing arrangement in the NDA.

Sources claim that Kavita Singh is banking on BJP and JD(U)s coreRajputs and OBCs voters. However, political analysts dont rule out the possibility of division in the OBC votes.

In the last two Lok Sabha elections (2009 and 2014) sharp division in votes had helped the NDA win. However, in this election, the caste equations have changed after RLSP Chief Upendra Kushwaha, Mahadalit leader and HAM Chief Jitan Ram Manjhi and Vikasheel Insan Party (VIP) of Mukesh Sahani who is also known as the son of Mallah joined RJD led grand alliance.

According to political analysts, if the RJDs traditional Muslim and Yadavs voter base gains support from the Kushwahas, EBCs and Dalits, it can create trouble for the JD(U) candidate Kavita Singh.

However, political analysts claimed that the voters, unlike previous two Lok Sabha elections, have been silent this time as they have to choose between wives of two Bahubalis (dons) who are contesting against each other. They also pointed out that the CPI-ML nominee Amarnath Yadav is also in the race, making Siwan a triangular contest.

I dont see any challenge. I have left everything to the people who know how much my husband did for Siwan, RJD nominee and Mohammad Shahabuddins wife Hina Shahab said.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading.
The Georgian cargo plane was on a scheduled flight from Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi.

New Delhi: Two Indian Air Force planes intercepted one Delhi-bound An-12 aircraft belonging to Georgia coming via Karachi after it deviated from its scheduled flight path and entered Indian air space through an unscheduled point in North Gujarat on Friday.

The Georgian cargo plane was on a scheduled flight from Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi. However, it took a wrong route and entered Indian air space through Gujarat sector which is closed at present due to current tension between India and Pakistan.

According to airport officials, the movement of the An-12 was detected at 3.15 pm by IAF Air Defence system which is on a high alert due to current Indo-Pak tension. IAFs two Sukhoi-30 intercepted the Georgian plane and forced it land in Jaipur airfied. The pilots and the crew are being questioned.

An unknown aircraft entered Indian Air Space in North Gujarat Sector at 15.15 hrs with its IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) on. The aircraft did not follow the authorized Air Traffic Services (ATS) route and was not responding to Radio calls from Indian controlling agencies. Since ATS routes in the area were closed due to the current geopolitical situation, and the aircraft entered Indian Air Space from an unscheduled point, the Air Defence interceptor on operational readiness was scrambled. On visual contact, the aircraft was identified as Georgian An-12 flying at twenty seven thousand feet.

The aircraft neither responded on international distress frequency nor to visual signals during interception. However, when challenged, the aircraft responded and informed that it was a non scheduled An-12 aircraft that had got airborne from Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi. The aircraft was shadowed and forced to land at Jaipur for necessary investigation, the IAF said in a statement.
This is also expected to be the last major foreign policy engagement of the Modi government in its current tenure.

New Delhi: In the wake of Pakistans reported assertion on Thursday that external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi may in all likelihood interact with each other during the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial meeting at Kyrgyzstan on May 21 and 22 despite there being no formal bilateral meeting planned, Government sources in New Delhi on Friday made it clear that no separate bilateral meeting or deliberations between the two leaders had been planned or would take place. However, there remains the possibility of Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi exchanging pleasantries with each other. The two-day SCO meeting will take place just ahead of the crucial election counting day on May 23 in India. This is also expected to be the last major foreign policy engagement of the Modi government in its current tenure.

No bilateral meeting has been planned, Government sources in New Delhi said. The SCO is an eight-member Central Asian Grouping that comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. India and Pakistan became SCO members in 2017.

News agency reports from Islamabad had cited the Pakistani foreign ministry on Thursday as saying that Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi may interact among themselves and with other ministers of the SCO member-nations during the multilateral ministerial meeting although no formal bilateral meeting between the two had been planned.

In October last year at the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting at Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi had stood in the same photo-frame for a group photograph in what had then been described by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) as an SCO family photo.
'We advise all leaders to be careful and sensitive', the party added in its statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Friday in an election rally in Haryana used the comment to slam the Congress party and called it egregious display of arrogance by the Congress. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: After finding it in trouble, following the comment of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by its tall leader Sam Pitroda, Congress on Friday distanced itself from the remark

''Any opinion made by any individual is not the opinion of Congress'', a statement released by the party read.

''We advise all leaders to be careful and sensitive. Justice has to be done for 1984 as well as the 2002 riots," the party added in its statement.

Congress party issues statement over Sam Pitroda's remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. States, '...We continue to support the quest for justice for 1984 riot victims. Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of Congress party' pic.twitter.com/Yd1rxfYCYe  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

On Thursday, Sam Pitroda, the overseas Congress chief said told news agency ANI, "I don't think so, this is also another lie, and what about 1984? Ab kya hai 1984 ka? Aapne

kya kiya 5 saal mein, uski baat kariye. 1984 mein hua to hua. Aapne kya kiya? (You speak about what you have done in five years. It happened in 1984, so what? What have you done)".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Friday in an election rally in Haryana used the comment to slam the Congress party and called it egregious display of arrogance by the Congress.

"Congress, which ruled for a long time, has been insensitive and that is reflected by the three words spoken yesterday...these words have not been spoken just like that, these words are character and mentality and intentions of the Congress. And which were these words, these were 'hua to hua'," PM Modi said.

Read: 'Hua so hua': PM tears into Congress's Pitroda remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots

The BJP also asked the police to file an FIR against Sam Pitroda.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading.
She said language used by BJP showed it has realised 'definite loss in polls' and is 'frustrated'.

The BJP, she asserted, is not coming to power again and Modi's dream of becoming the PM again will not be fulfilled. (Photo: File)

Lucknow: BSP supremo Mayawati Friday termed as "laughable" and "immature" Prime minister

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the language used by the BJP showed it has realised "definite loss in polls" and is "frustrated" and making baseless and absurd allegations.

The BJP, she asserted, is not coming to power again and Modi's dream of becoming the PM again will not be fulfilled.

In a tweet, Mayawati said the allegation that "our alliance is casteist is not only laughable but immature also. Narendra Modi, who is not backward by birth has not faced pain of casteism. Such a remark for the alliance should have been avoided, as it is not correct".

"Modi indulged in casteism by describing himself 'zabardasti ka pichhda' (backward). Had he been backward by birth, the RSS would not have let him become the PM. What RSS has done to leaders like Kalyan Singh is known to all," she said.

Instead of levelling allegations against the alliance, Mayawati said, "Modi should have looked at Gujarat where, I have come to know, Dalits cannot lead an honourable life. A Dalit man was not allowed to ride a horse during his wedding. "Atrocities are committed on Dalits in Gujarat," she charged.

At a recent rally in Uttar Pradesh, Modi had accused the BJP and SP of indulging in caste politics.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading.
BJP candidate not only refused to sign in the seizure list but also forced police to delete the video which they were making.

Kolkata: Two days before facing the Lok Sabha election, BJP candidate from Ghatal in West Midnapore, Bharati Ghosh landed in fresh trouble after she was named in an FIR on non-bailable charges by the police following the recovery of Rs 1.13 lakhs in cash from her car, which led to her detention of nearly four hours late on Thursday night.

Sections 353 (assault/use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 186 (obstruction to public servant in discharge of his public duty), 143 (member of an unlawful assembly), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code have been slapped in the case at the Pingla police station on Bharati Gosh and her three aides.

Section 353 is a non-bailable offence. At around 11 pm, a static surveillance team comprising of cops intercepted Ms Ghoshs car at Mangalbar in Pingla following a complaint by the local Trinamul Congress workers who alleged that she was carrying huge amount of cash for distribution to the voters. While searching her car the cops recovered Rs 1,13,895.

However, the BJP candidate not only refused to sign in the seizure list in front of the cops but also allegedly forced them to delete the video they were making. She was detained by the police for four hours during which she was questionned by them before she was allowed to leave at around 2.45 am. On Friday morning, the office of chief electoral officer (West Bengal) sought a report from district magistrate (West Midnapore) on the entire incident and apprised the EC.

Ms Ghosh, however, claimed that the money was not illegal. I raised election fund and used it legally and its is not a crime. I have all the papers to prove that I have withdrawn the money from bank. Why was the money, that belongs to me is seized? Am I not entitled to carry any money? she asked.

Ms Bharati alleged, The seizure implies that I can not carry a penny even with me while going out. They seized each and every note from my bag. How can they do it? Where is the EC? I have been complaining to the EC on various issues for the past 15 days. But there has been no action. I have lost my faith in that agency.
Human right activists are demanding a special law against honour killings in Maharashtra.

Mumbai: Amitabh Gupta, principal secretary of the home department, told The Asian Age that the state government would take the strictest action against culprits in honour killings. However, the state felt that as of now, it did not need a separate law to deal with such cases as the existing provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) are sufficient to deal with these cases, he said. Mr Gupta said that the director generals (DG) office was monitoring these incidents closely.

He said, There are very few incidents but it is a very bad thing to happen. The government is very strict about it and the government will take the strictest possible action within whatever legal means is available.

Asked whether the home department had issued any instructions to the Pune commissioner and Ahmednagar SP in light of the latest incidents of honour killings in Pune and Ahmednagar, Mr Gupta said that the DG office was looking into these matters.

Asked about the need for a separate law to be brought, Mr Gupta said that presently, the existing provisions were sufficient enough and that they would take the strictest possible action under IPC provisions. As human rights activists had been demanding that a separate law be enacted for honour killings by the state, he said that they had not received any such demands so far.

Activists demand law against honour killings

Human right activists are demanding a special law against honour killings in Maharashtra.

An advocate, Vikas Shinde, has written a letter to the Maharashtra State Womens Council (MSWC), National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) and the governor of Maharashtra. He also demanded fast-track courts for such cases.

Mr Shinde said, Honour killing incidents are increasing in the state, especially in rural areas. We should take some steps atleast. Present laws are not helping stop honour killing.

Mr Shinde is also is a part of Punes Right to Love organisation.

MLC Neelam Gorhe also demanded a law to prevent such incidents. She wrote a letter to the chief minister in this regard.

We need to involve all ministries and human right wing of police as a mechanism authority, Ms Gorhe said.

Activists have stated that present laws arent sufficient to counter the menace. Rama Sarode, a human rights activist, said such hateful incidents must be prevented by a new law while another activist, Varsha Vidya Vilas, said, It is a girls right to choose her partner. With the help of a solid law we need to spread awareness among the people to stop this hate.

Another activist Varsha Kale said awareness is important in rural areas. The present law applies after people die, she also pointed out.

Former chairperson of the State Women's Commission Vijaya Rahate, however, said that existing laws must be given teeth. We need to strengthen the present laws through which we can give immediate relief to the victims.
Lebanon, the smallest of the countries, accepted more refugees in proportion to its local population.

The tragedy of the ongoing Palestinian dispossession has been played out in full view of the world ever since the creation of Israel. In two big waves, 1948 and 1967, the Palestinians were driven out of their land, with large segments becoming refugees in neighbouring countries. The dream the diaspora had of returning to their ancestral land began to fade as Israel expanded its oppressive sway over Palestinian territory, grabbing more land through wars and then through building illegal settlements on Arab lands, which is an ongoing exercise.

The total number of Palestinian refugees registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) stands at 5.3 million. Jordan hosts more than 2m refugees, and has operated a largely Palestine-friendly policy in terms of giving passports and citizenship rights to Palestinians, except for those from the Gaza Strip. Syria has been hosting another 526,000 refugees, who enjoy all rights of the local population, except citizenship. The UNRWA runs camps in Gaza and the West Bank. Egypt and Iraq also host thousands of refugees.

Lebanon, the smallest of the countries, accepted more refugees in proportion to its local population. It is here that the plight of the Palestinian refugees is the worst in the region. With no access to citizenship since 1948, the bulk of Palestinians have been destined to lead a squalid existence in refugee camps  the most (in)famous ones being Sabra and Shatila which were the site of a horrific massacre of Palestinians at the hands of Phalange militia with Israeli connivance during the civil war.

With the first generation of refugees slowly dwindling, the second generation finds itself limited to the circumscribed life of the camps with no promising future prospects. Palestinians refugees do not have the same rights as other foreigners.

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are barred from entering over 20 professions and cannot buy property. They cannot even make changes to the makeshift structure of the camps. One report by the American University of Beirut found that only 36 per cent of the Palestinian population was employed and only 6pc of Palestinian youth were participating in university training schemes.

Though the total number of refugees registered with UNWRA in Lebanon is somewhere in the region of 500,000, the actual figure is reckoned to be less  between 200,000 and 300,000, according to various estimates, while there are between 3,000 and 5,000 Palestinians refugees who are believed to have no identification papers. This group is wholly dependent upon the charity of local NGOs. There are also around 30,000 Palestine refugees from Syria who have fled the civil war there.

A Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee has identified increasing migration trends among Palestinians from refugee camps in Lebanon. Palestinians are so depressed by their living conditions in the camps that they are desperate to migrate to Ethiopia, and even go as far afield as Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay. In recent years, the plight of the Palestinians has been worsened by the withdrawal of funding to UNWRA by President Donald Trumps administration. This has placed an enormous burden on the already scarce social services operated by UNWRA. The funding cuts have seen essential services such as health and education being drastically hit. The funding shortfall currently being met by the Gulf nations and other countries may not last forever. This may be a factor in forcing Palestinian refugees to seek a better life elsewhere.

The flight of the Palestinian population from the miserable camps, where the dream of return is still entrenched, may reduce the count of refugees with implications for the right-to-return debate. With a declining refugee population, the issue of the return of displaced Palestinians may fade. The UN resolution upholds the right of return of Palestinian refugees which has been at the heart of the Arab-Israeli talks. As more and more Palestinians flee the life of camps for the West, the dream of return may dim as the Palestinian diaspora in Europe and the West is less likely to press its claims of right of return. Still, the tragedy of Palestine continues to be enacted in the camps in neighbouring countries where many generations are trapped in a dead-end life. The politics driving the larger cause of the Palestinians adds to the destitution of the refugees triggered by funding cuts as well as the withholding of citizenship and human rights for the refugees.

By arrangement with Dawn
Help India!

By Imran Inamdar , TwoCircles.net

Solapur:

Support TwoCircles



The entire state of Maharashtra is facing drought like situation this summer. The condition in rural areas is the worst where people face hardships for water and they have to walk 5 km to get one pot/bucket of drinking water .

In an attempt to serve humanity the local unit of Jamiyat-E-Ulema Hind has started supplying free water to more than hundred villages of 6 Talukas in Solapur District through water tankers regularly.

Unit head Moulana Ibrahim told Twocircles.net Not just our Dist. the entire state is facing severe water crisis this summer season. Water is necessary for every living being, thousands of our countrymen and women are suffering and struggling hard for water. In such circumstances it is our duty to help them at our level best.

Moulana said, We are running this project under the guidance of our state unit, We have planned to cover the entire Dist. and provide drinking water to people in the rural area.

He further said they are buying water from local bodies and other sources and all the members of Jamiyat e ulema hind in all the taluka units are taking part in this activity and extending their services.

Activist of Jamiyat, Hasib Nadaf informed We are sending 3 to 4 tankers to each taluka every day. Till date we have provided more than hundred water tankers to remote areas and will continue this supply till 10th of June ,he added.
Muslims are shuttling between caste parties and anyone, even the devil, if he can help to keep the BJP out.

My cousin Jimmy, with minimum stakes in the system, has set himself up as the familys Cassandra, constantly predicting disasters. Sometimes when pessimism possesses all of us, we turn to him for confirmation. After senior RSS leader Ram Madhav hinted at a coalition situation for the BJP, the eager beavers among us concluded that the BJP was plummeting. For confirmation we turned to the Oracle, Jimmy. He closed his eyes tightly, like he had travelled into an imaginary distance. He then opened his eyes slowly and, with a wave of the hand, declared: Yeh aisey naheen to waisey aayenge. (If they dont come back to power this way, they will come that way.) The system, if not the people, will bring them back, said he. Should we defer to him?

He did not torment us for long. We soon began to receive calls from our BJP contacts  the party is doing badly here, not too well there and so on.

If the nightmare does end for the Leftists, liberals, dalits and Muslims, many will be justified in heaving a sigh of relief. The experience will be like the post-Emergency relief. In fact, to quote Mamata Banerjee, this is maachh, maachh, maachh, worse than the Emergency.

Nasty ingredients like hatred, revenge, forced ghar wapsi, lynching were not part of the impulse which had led to the Emergency. In fact, Indira Gandhi was being buffeted by East-West ideological currents, externally and internally. Remember the 1970s were going badly for the West. Against that global backdrop, Indira Gandhi had split the Congress, then clasped the Soviet hand tightly for the liberation of Bangladesh.

Sripad Amit Dange, CPI leader, Mohan Kumaramanglam, a Communist-inclined Union minister, and P.N. Haksar, her Left-leaning principal secretary  these were among her closest advisers. The global Right and its Indian sympathisers clustered around Jayaprakash Narayans Bihar movement in 1974. Senior RSS leader Nanaji Deshmukh was the master strategist for this movement.

What Indira Gandhi called the jute press was stacked against her. Concerted pressure was beginning to unnerve her when the Allahabad high court judgment, unseating her from Parliament, caused her to impose the Emergency. For this she was routed in 1977. But Indira Gandhi appeared to have been chastened into Hinduism once she returned to power in 1980. Operation Bluestar was launched in this mood, which eventually led to her assassination, followed by the anti-Sikh pogrom of 1984.

When Rajiv Gandhi won the 1984 election with 414 seats in a House of 543, the party extracted two conclusions from the outcome. First, it was a sympathy wave because of Mrs Gandhis murder. Second, it was also Hindu consolidation against Sikh minority communalism. The Congress leadership began to strategise on the basis that Hindu sentiment had to be respected. Opening of the temple locks, permitting the brick-laying ceremony for the Ram temple, promising Ram Rajya if the Congress won the 1989 elections and so on  were all dictated by this thinking. So, Rahul Gandhis current temple-hopping has antecedents.

The BJP, smarting under the fact that it had been reduced to just two seats in Parliament in 1984, began to worry more when it saw the Congress stealing its Hindu platform. By way of damage control, the party elected Lal Krishna Advani as its president in 1986. After the 1989 elections, Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh implemented the Mandal Commission report reserving government jobs for Other Backward Castes (OBCs). This aggravated the intra-Hindu caste conflict. The Hindu caste pyramid was in a state of high agitation when Mr Advani undertook his rathyatra to Ayodhya to highlight the urgency of the Ram temple being built. This was to neutralise the effects of Mandal. The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue evolved as a Hindu-Muslim conflict, no doubt, but its purpose was far more complex.

Hindu consolidation, with Muslims as the other, would, over a period of time, mobilise Hindus on the lower rungs of the caste hierarchy against the Muslim other. Instead of weakening the Hindu structure by falling prey to caste politics, the lower castes were being accorded a place of honour as Hindu foot soldiers, a powerful infantry of the Hindutva brigade. Communalism, in other words, was to be a strategy to stabilise the caste pyramid.

Vigorous social engineering towards this end was launched by an energetic RSS functionary, K.N. Govindacharya, in the 1990s. This is what the Congress has set itself up against without any social engineering. They both have a Muslim policy, equally harmful to the community, but ones approach is quite distinct from the others. The BJP is on a no-holds-barred anti-Muslim mobilisation spree. The Congress, scared to lose Hindu votes, simply keeps Muslims out of the frame. Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike describes it best.

Thinking on its feet mostly, the Congress imagines that it is reinventing itself as an upper caste party, which once had under its canopy Muslims and dalits as well. The dalits, of course, now have their own caste parties. Muslims are shuttling between caste parties and anyone, even the devil, if he can help to keep the BJP out.

It is instructive for the Congress to realise that Indira Gandhis Emergency was an aberration in a settled world order. It embarrassed Mrs Gandhi herself, which is why she had called for elections. Narendra Modis excesses are in a world order up to its waist in fascism.

Will he fit into this order? Unlikely, because he has to grapple with Indias infinite variety. Geert Wilders can dream of a future in fascism for tiny Netherlands. But Mr Modi has to dream unrealistically of imposing uniformity on a multilingual, multi-regional, multi-religious subcontinent, not yet a classical nation state.

That is why the dream of the Indian middle class that India is about to become a two-party system, both parties representing upper castes, will remain just that  a dream. India will survive and thrive in its strong federal framework. Jimmy, in this model, must be allowed the freedom to ring his alarm bells. Who knows, he may cry wolf one day after really having seen one.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Britain it needed to change its attitude towards China and Huawei.

The spokesman added that the government had been clear it would not countenance high risk vendors in those parts of the UKs 5G network that perform critical security functions.

Britain has a strong relationship with China but has expressed concerns about its significant and widespread cyber intrusion, a spokesman for the prime minister said on Thursday after the United States warned London it should rethink its approach.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Britain it needed to change its attitude towards China and Huawei, casting the worlds second-largest economy as a threat to the West similar to that once posed by the Soviet Union.

We have a strong relationship with China in many areas but there are several areas where we have expressed our concerns about Chinas behaviour and that includes significant and widespread cyber intrusions against the UK and our allies, a spokesman for Theresa May told reporters.

Ahead of an announcement on whether to allow Huawei a role in building the national 5G network, he said if any national security concerns arose, the risks would be assessed by the government.

The spokesman added that the government had been clear it would not countenance high-risk vendors in those parts of the UKs 5G network that perform critical security functions.
The UKs Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has been informed of the case and is investigating. A spokesperson from the watchdog said, Now that we are aware, we will look at all relevant information before deciding on any next steps.

Barry became part of CMS after the three-way merger of his former firm, Olswang, with CMS Cameron McKenna and Nabarro. He is reportedly one of the highest-earning partners from Olswang.

He is not the first former Olswang partner to be ousted from the firm, however, as CMS dismissed last year former Singapore managing partner Andrew Stott and referred the case to the SRA.

As is the case with Barry, the reason for Stotts removal, which the firm said then was recommended by senior partners and confirmed by its 20-partner board, was not disclosed.
Hannah Payne was driving her own car earlier this week, when she noticed another car hitting a parked vehicle and driving off. She engaged in a short pursuit and followed the car in a parking lot, where she pulled over in front of it, so as to block the driver from fleeing.Inside the car was 62-year-old Kenneth Herring. Payne called the police but didnt wait inside her vehicle for the cops to arrive. Instead, she took out her gun and went over to Herring, with whom she later got into some sort of argument. She then shot and killed the man on the spot.In court the other day, Payne teared up hearing she would be held without bond, facing a possible murder without malice charge, WSB-TV2 informs. A video report is also available at the bottom of the page.Meanwhile, Paynes attorney is trying to make it sound as if she only acted this way out of the goodness of her heart. Payne is licensed to carry a gun, he insists.It just seems like an unfortunate situation of a good Samaritan trying to stop a person on a hit-and-run, attorney Matt Tucker explains. Contrary to the police report, Tucker claims that Herring also hit Paynes car before fleeing.However, police and the victims family believe that Payne isnt telling the whole truth. Eyewitnesses also heard her fighting with Herring right before she shot him, so her claim that her gun discharged accidentally doesnt hold water.Herrings estranged wife says Payne deserves to go to jail for murder, arguing that she should have never left her car. Shes right about that: in all 911 calls, police urge people to stay put until officers arrive on the scene.
Beckham showed up at the Bromley Magistrates Court outside of London the other day to plead guilty to the charge of using his cellphone while at the wheel, stemming from a November 2018 incident, the BBC reports. The guilty admission translated into 6 penalty points on his license but because he had another 6 from previous offenses, he got a 6-month driving ban.Looking like a model in a charcoal gray suit, Beckham told the court he only pleaded guilty because he had no memory of the incident he was accused of. Police were called by an eyewitness, who snapped a photo of the star looking down while in his Bentley in slow-moving traffic. The conclusion was that he was holding his phone on his lap and using it while driving.Beckhams attorney stressed that the star loves driving because it de-stresses him, so the driving ban will not go by unnoticed. This one is for those of us thinking he can very well afford a driver, so its not like he will be too bad off.[Beckham has] no recollection of the day in question or this particular incident, the attorney said. There is no excuse for what took place but his view is as he cannot remember. He takes his children to school each day when he can and he picks them up when he can, and actually to deprive them of that is something that he will acknowledge.The judge acknowledged the fact that traffic was slow when Beckham broke the law, but stressed that he would no be receiving any leniency because of it.
The incident actually happened at the end of April, but the video has just been released by the Norwich City School District . It shows Samantha Call, who has been working with the NCSD for 6 years, during her shift and casually saving a boys life when he nearly ran into oncoming traffic.The footage is also available at the bottom of the page. Call opens the door to the bus and the boy seems in a rush to get off, but she grabs him by his hoodie at the last minute, as a car speeds past the bus. That was a good grab, a female passenger is heard saying several times, after the boy gets off  safely, this time.Quick-thinking, fast-acting #Norwich bus driver Samantha Call prevented an almost-certain tragedy from occurring, the NCSD writes. Click the #video to watch the six-year NCSD driver stop a student just short of disaster, grabbing the boy from behind as a car whizzes by the open school bus doors.The incident has been reported to the police but theyre yet to find the driver who ignored all signs and almost ran over the student. As the female passenger also says on the video, whoever was driving that car had no intention of stopping or slowing down.Because of her quick reaction, Call is now being hailed a hero. The NCSD says they also showed the footage to the boys parents and they were overwhelmed with emotion when they saw how close they came to losing him.Samantha did an outstanding job, NCSD Transportation Supervisor William Loomis also says. All of our drivers undergo continuous training so they're prepared to handle situations like this. We hope this video helps everyone to realize the dangers of passing a stopped school bus.
True to the belief that every vote counts, one of Europes largest employers, Volkswagen, send a clear signal to the people on its payroll on this subject on Friday, when a huge 12 x 27 meters banner appeared on the Wolfsburg plant.Posted up there by the carmaker itself, the banner reads Volkswagen votes for Europe and it is supposed to be a rally call for all Europeans to go out and vote.The banner is backed by an appeal drawn up by the carmakers top brass and representatives of the Group Works Council in 16 European languages, and meant for the company's employees.The statement reads as follows:Everyone who wants to have their say on the future development of the European Union should exercise their right to vote. Europe concerns each and every one of us. This is why we, the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Group and the Group Works Council, jointly call upon all of you to take part in the election. Exercise your right to vote and help shape the future of Europe.Volkswagen says it will keep the banner high up on its building until the day European elections are held in Germany, which is on May 26. In the EU member states, elections for the parliament start on May 23 and end on May 26.Volkswagen employees close to half a million people in Europe, representing nearly 75 percent of its entire global workforce. The carmaker has 69 facilities on the continent belonging to 12 of the brands it owns.
For its mid-term dreams and until its own Orion capsule is ready, NASA is planning to use spacecraft developed by its private partners. This year, the two that were scheduled to launch humans into orbit were SpaceX and Boeing.

Boeings Starliner was supposed to fly uncrewed for the first time in April, followed a few short months later by a flight with astronauts onboard. Now that the first test has been pushed all the way to August for unknown reasons, its unlikely a crewed mission will happen this year.As for SpaceX, Elon Musks company successfully completed a flight test in early March, reaching the International Space Station and safely coming back down again. Unfortunately, the Crew Dragon later exploded while conducting an escape thruster test.Earlier this week, during a hearing of the House Science Committee, NASA associate administrator for human exploration Bill Gerstenmaier admitted that a SpaceX parachute test that took place in April yielded unsatisfactory results.The test was not satisfactory, he was quoted as saying by Space News . We did not get the results we wanted, but we learned some information thats going to affect, potentially, future parachute designs.As repeatedly stated, failures during testing are a good thing. Tests are conducted just to see how various systems and components work, or rather fail, so that human lives are not lost during the actual mission.The fact at times the tests result in failure should not put an end to the dreams of sustained space exploration. But these failures might put an end to the hopes of having astronauts launched from U.S. soil this year.
SUV

HP

Rumor has it that the Urus and Q8 were designed in proximity, which explains why this is the least understated Germanof all time, with a grille that's plastered with trim and flared arches. But Audi never gave us any cool engines, not even a normal V8 like you find in the BMW X5 50i.That changes when the new chapter of the RS revolution starts, which is probably in the last few months of the year. It's then that we learn how the 4.0-liter V8 matches up to the latest 48V electrical system. We wouldn't be surprised if some of the technologies available here are superior to the Urus.Not the power, though. Audi is likely to leave just enough playroom for the Lamborghini sister car. Our guess is that the standard RS Q8 will make the same 605as the old competition models, with a power pack adding a few horses later on. For the record, the Urus is currently maxed out at 650 HP.However, the conversation shouldn't be limited to those two, as BMW will show the X5 M with the Competition pack already available, which likely means around 620 HP from a slightly bigger 4.4-liter. Meanwhile, Affalterbach is working on the next GLE 63.Of course, the Audi model will be slightly heavier, but at least it won't have any obvious disadvantages in the gearbox and chassis department. The Ingolstadt warrior can be seen lapping the Nurburgring in the video below, its adaptive anti-roll bars obviously engagedfor stiffness.
Belonging to Japanese rail operator JR East, the train will enter testing stages at the beginning of this weekend, but before that happens, the company presented the train at one of its locations in the Miyagi Prefecture.According to Japanese publication Nikkei , the train is expected to reach speeds of up to 360 kph (224 mph), 40 kph more (25 mph) than the current record holder, the E5.Testing of the train will take place on the Tohoku line between the cities of Sendai and Aomori. Twice a week the machine will be put through its paces as part of a program that runs well into 2021, when the first testing stage is expected to conclude. It is not until 2030 that the train is expected to enter service.The train presented by JR East measures 250 meters in length (820 feet) and it comprises ten cars. Of its total length, 22 meters are reserved for the nose (72 feet), the longest such feature ever designed for a shinkansen.Although perceived as such, this feature of the Japanese bullet trains is not actually a nose, but more of a beak, as it was inspired by birds. One of its main uses is to make trains both more aerodynamic and quieter.Initially designed to link remote parts of Japan with the capital, the network of shinkansen rail tracks now cover well over 2,800 km (1,700 miles), also linking remote cities with each other.This network of extremely fast trains is also one of the most reliable in the world, as they are literally never late. In 1997, for instance, the Japanese rail operator broke all records and registered a delay for the entire fleet of trains of just 18 seconds.On a yearly basis, total delays usually do not exceed one minute and when that happens the company apologizes publicly.
The problem has been determined as something that stemmed from a fault with the fuel system, specifically the fuel pump.

According to some reports on social media by customers who purchased their vehicles this year. The basic description of the problem is that their Xpander had a tendency to stall while being driven. One report was more specific: their Xpander stalled at 60 km/h while being driven on the highway.

It seems there's an issue with the Mitsubishi's very popular small multi-purpose vehicle, the Xpander.

We reached out to a senior executive of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC), which imports the Xpander units from the brand's manufacturing hub in Indonesia, regarding the problem. And it seems they were already all over it, and send us this statement:

"We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our customers by the recent technical issue being encountered in our Xpander model. We have started receiving service complaints regarding the fuel pump issue sometime in April. We are currently looking into the cause of the issue and have expedited the arrival of [replacements for the] affected parts this month for distribution. For concerns regarding this issue, please visit any of our authorized dealers nationwide"

So if you're an Xpander owner that is experiencing problems with the fuel system of your vehicle, Mitsubishi is working on a solution for you.

The striking commonality (based on testimonials by Xpander customers) is that the fuel pump issue has been found in Xpander units that were released this year. That is highly unusual as a model has a tendency to have some bugs and issues on the first vehicles that come through the assembly line, and subsequent units that were produced later on are typically better than the initial batches of vehicles.

The Xpander is produced in Indonesia; a regional hub for multi-purpose vehicles. The Xpander quickly garnering rave reviews and prompting Mitsubishi to maximize production at the factory in Bekasi. Is it a problem with regards to the fuel pump supplier?
Palmdale, CA (93550)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to occasional showers during the afternoon. High 53F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Windy. Periods of rain this evening. Then some breaks in the clouds overnight. Low 37F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told Axios' Mike Allen Friday that Rudy Giuliani's trip to Ukraine to ask Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate opponents of President Trump is an example of the "ethical standards of the country being dumbed down to where anything goes as long as you stay above that bar of criminality."

I give Giuliani credit for consistency. He said just a few weeks that there's nothing wrong with seeking help from a foreign power. ... The fact that he would be so open about it, boastful almost, doing it with the knowledge and support of the president  it takes your breath away. I continue to think I'll cease to be shocked. And then I'm shocked again.

Imagine in an ordinary world, the lawyer of the president going to a foreign power and trying to encourage them to investigate the family of a political opponent. He said some people might think it's improper. Arguably everyone thinks it's improper. But that's not stopping them.

The backdrop: The New York Times reported Thursday that Giuliani is planning to travel to Kiev in the coming days to urge Zelensky to pursue 2 inquiries  one into the origins of the Mueller investigation and one into former Vice President Joe Biden's alleged intervention in Ukrainian politics on behalf of his son.

Giuliani told the Times' Ken Vogel:

Were not meddling in an election, were meddling in an investigation, which we have a right to do. Theres nothing illegal about it. Somebody could say its improper. And this isnt foreign policy  Im asking them to do an investigation that theyre doing already and that other people are telling them to stop. And Im going to give them reasons why they shouldnt stop it because that information will be very, very helpful to my client, and may turn out to be helpful to my government.

Go deeper: Ukrainian official casts doubt on Biden conflict scandal promoted by Giuliani
A pair of new polls underscore the Green New Deal's fast rise to political prominence and hint at how it could factor into the 2020 elections.

Why it matters: The separate surveys unveiled yesterday provide a fresh look at opinion ahead of a high-profile moment for the sweeping lefty climate and jobs plan.

On Monday Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will headline a Washington, D.C. rally organized by the youth-led Sunrise Movement.

Sunrise will "announce a nationwide campaign to make the 2020 election a referendum on the Green New Deal," an advisory states.

By the numbers: A Yale and George Mason University survey shows that political views of the Green New Deal have splintered along partisan lines as its name recognition has increased.

58% of registered voters had heard either "a little" or "a lot" about the Green New Deal in their survey conducted last month, up from 17% in December.

Check out the chart above: GOP voters have turned sharply against the proposal while Democratic support remains robust.

The growing GOP opposition comes after months of attacks from Republican lawmakers and conservative movement figures.

The intrigue: "[S]upport for the Green New Deal is lower among Republicans who watch Fox News more frequently than it is among Republicans who watch it less often," the report notes.

The April survey showed support for the Green New Deal at just 22% among Republicans who watch Fox more than once per week, compared to 56% among those who watch the network once per week or less.

Now let's turn to a Monmouth University poll of Democratic New Hampshire primary voters released yesterday.

28% of likely voters said it's "very important" that the Democratic Party nominate someone who supports the Green New Deal, while another 36% called it "somewhat" important.

More intrigue: Among voters who list it as "very important," 29% back Joe Biden (the clear frontrunner in the poll by a wide margin) and 27% back Bernie Sanders.

Among voters who list it as "very important," 29% back Joe Biden (the clear frontrunner in the poll by a wide margin) and 27% back Bernie Sanders. That's interesting because Sanders backs the Green New Deal while Biden has not weighed in as far as I can tell. Biden is also aggressively courting labor votes and the national AFL-CIO has not gotten behind the Green New Deal.

Go deeper: What Biden and Beto just told us about the 2020 climate fight
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a trip to Russia next week, the State Department announced Friday.

Details: Pompeo is set to speak with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on May 14 in Sochi to discuss "bilateral and multilateral challenges" between the U.S. and Russia. It will be Pompeo's first trip to Russia during his tenure heading the State Department.

Go deeper: U.S. objections to climate change language throw wrench in Arctic diplomacy
1 big thing: Battling the next power disaster

After decades of neglect, U.S. infrastructure is cracking, sagging, and exploding  and pressure on old systems is growing as cities swell and the climate changes.

Kaveh reports: Now, utility companies, fearful of setting off more disasters like California's deadly wildfires, are hungrily buying up AI systems that can tell them which equipment is the next to rupture or go up in flames.

California's three largest utility companies caused more than 2,000 fires in an approximately 3-year span, the L.A. Times reported in January. And gas-line explosions have killed hundreds and injured nearly a thousand people in the past 2 decades.

utility companies caused more than 2,000 fires in an approximately 3-year span, the L.A. Times reported in January. And gas-line explosions have killed hundreds and injured nearly a thousand people in the past 2 decades. The ordinarily conservative utilities are throwing everything they can into reducing these risks, says Otto Lynch, an adviser to the Infrastructure Report Card, a study of U.S. infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers. "You do not want to be the person responsible for taking down New York City."

What's happening: A spate of new startups selling AI systems to predict oncoming equipment problems have found utilities eager customers.

A company called Via uses data from power company equipment inspections, smart meters, and environmental factors to figure out if transformers are at risk of disaster.

uses data from power company equipment inspections, smart meters, and environmental factors to figure out if transformers are at risk of disaster. Urbint looks at previous gas problems, plus satellite imagery, soil and weather data, and planned digs near gas lines to map danger zones.

looks at previous gas problems, plus satellite imagery, soil and weather data, and planned digs near gas lines to map danger zones. Petasense supplies Silicon Valley Power in Santa Clara, California, with sensors that can detect malfunctions in power-generating equipment from minute changes in their vibration.

The big picture: A confluence of 21st century shifts is endangering critical infrastructure.

Extreme weather is increasingly frequent, with high winds bringing power outages, and soggy soil causing pipe corrosion and leaks.

is increasingly frequent, with high winds bringing power outages, and soggy soil causing pipe corrosion and leaks. Fast-growing cities mean old infrastructure suddenly has to serve far more people than it was designed to  and the construction booms rattle underground systems out of place.

mean old infrastructure suddenly has to serve far more people than it was designed to  and the construction booms rattle underground systems out of place. Electric cars and home solar panels are putting tremendous stress on transformers that weren't built for the load.

Meanwhile, utility companies that need more employees to deal with this new reality are instead in danger of losing a quarter of their workforce to retirement in the next 5 years  along with their decades of accumulated knowledge.

Without a drastic intervention, the U.S. is set for a lot more California-scale disasters  or, where conditions are not as tinderbox-like, for massive outages, says Lynch. His infrastructure report card gave the energy sector a D+ in its most recent issue.

For a company the size of California's PG&E, with many thousands of transformers scattered through an enormous area, "there literally aren't enough people to physically inspect equipment enough," says Via cofounder Colin Gounden.

They want to know: "How do I figure out what the highest risk factor are?"

The penalty for neglect is stark. The PG&E tower that likely started the lethal Camp Fire last year was 99 years old  nearly a quarter-century past its "useful life."

But, but, but: Fancy analytics alone won't solve the energy sector's looming crisis. The American Society of Civil Engineers said in 2017 that the energy sector needs $177 billion in extra funding to get through the coming decade.
Venture Capital Deals

 Unity Technologies, a San Francisco-based video gaming company is raising up to $125 million in Series E funding according to a Delaware stock authorization filing. Its valuation could reach $5.96 billion. http://axios.link/qSTc

 GoBear, a Singapore-based banking and insurance startup, has raised $80 million in funding from Walvis Participaties and Aegon N.V. http://axios.link/Otak

 Pulmonx Corporation, a Redwood City, Calif.-based provider of diagnostic and therapeutic pulmonary device technologies, has raised $65 million in new funding led by Ally Bridge Group, with RTW Investments, ArrowMark Partners and Driehaus Capital Management and others also participating. www.pulmonx.com

 Coalition, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity insurance company, has raised $40 million in funding led by Ribbit Capital, with Greenoaks Capital and Hillhouse Capital also participating. http://axios.link/15wi

 OneDegree, a Hong Kong-based insurance technology company has added $4.5 million to its Series A round, bringing it to a total of $30 million. BitRock Capital led the investments, with Cyberport Macro Fund, Cathay Venture and others also participating. http://axios.link/GyAz

 Twentyeight-Seven Therapeutics, a Watertown, Mass.-based biotech company focused on the modulation of RNA to treat cancer and other diseases, raised $15 million in new funding led by Sofinnova Partners, with Osage University Partner also participating. www.twentyeight-seven.com

 Podimetrics, a Somerville, Ma.-based company developing a smart mat for foot ulcers, has raised $13.4 million in Series B funding from Rock Health, Norwich Ventures, and Scientific Health Development. www.podimetrics.com

 Phyn, a Los Angeles-based maker of water management technology, is getting $12 million in additional investment from its parent companies Belkin International and Uponor. www.phyn.com

 Grain, a Singapore-based food delivery startup, has raised $10 million in Series B funding led by by Singha Ventures, with Genesis Alternative Ventures, Sass Corp, K2 Global, FoodXervices and Majuven, Openspace Ventures, Raging Bull and Cento Ventures also participating. http://axios.link/NHql

 Rocean, a New York-based connected water countertop device, has raised more than $6 million in funding led by Blue, with John Legend, Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani, and others also participating. www.rocean.com

 Daye, a London-based startup developing tampons with CBD to tackle dysmenorrhea, has raised $5.5 million in funding from Khosla Ventures, Index Ventures and Kindred Capital, according to TechCrunch. http://axios.link/JI4F

 Understory, a Madison, Wi.-based weather network and analytics company, has raised $5.25 million in Series B funding led by True Ventures, with 4490 Ventures and Revolutions Rise of the Rest Seed Fund also participating. www.understoryweather.com

 LunaPBC, a San Diego-based company operating a genomic and health data platform, has raised $4.6 million in new funding from ARCH Venture Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, F-Prime Capital, Illumina Ventures, and Osage University Partners. www.lunadna.com

 Printify, a Latvia-based startup working on on-demand printing business, has raised $3 million in funding from Bling Capital. http://axios.link/kPjs

 Clean.io, a McClean, Va.-based startup working on blocking malicious advertising, has raised $2.5 million in seed funding from Real Ventures. http://axios.link/dWKd

 Intello, a New York-based software management platform, has raised $2.5 million in seed funding led by Resolute Ventures, with Harrison Metal, Magnetico Ventures, and individual angel investors also participating. http://axios.link/OuQc

 Humanpredictions, a Chicago-based recruiting company for engineers, has raised about $1 million in new funding led by Network Ventures, with Hyde Park Angels, SaaS Ventures, and M25 also participating. www.humanpredictions.io

 Theta Labs, a Cupertino, Calif.-based developer of the decentralized streaming video protocol Theta Network, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding led by Samsung NEXT and Blockchain, with Uphonest Capital, Wei Fund, Igen Fusion Capital, and other private investors also participating. www.thetatoken.org
1 big thing: Front-row seat to great power rivalry

The Trump administration says Nepal is central to its strategy in the Indo-Pacific, but the small South Asian country is already home to a battle for influence between its giant neighbors: China and India.

Why it matters: Nepal is a signatory to Beijings Belt and Road initiative, and the government sees a railway deal with China as a game changer for the country, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali tells Axios.

The U.S. is also flexing its muscles, though, while India is desperate to keep Nepal in its sphere of influence. Gyawali says investment from the big powers is welcome, but Nepal wont take sides in their great power contest.

India remains Nepals largest trading partner and maintains close cultural and economic ties.

However, relations deteriorated rapidly following an unofficial border blockade in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015.

Nepal has a longstanding military relationship with India, and has conducted joint exercises with Delhi, the U.S. and U.K. In 2017, however, Nepal conducted its first joint exercises with China.

China offers Nepal an attractive alternative to Indian domination. It's Nepal's largest source of foreign direct investment and has rapidly spread its tentacles in South Asia. China is now the largest trading partner of Bangladesh, Maldives and Pakistan.

A protocol signed at the recent Belt and Road summit in Beijing, which Nepals president attended, allows Nepal to access 7 Chinese ports, ending dependence on India for third-country trade.

Even more significant is a railway project which would connect China to Kathmandu, and eventually to Nepal's border with India. The multi-billion dollar project would pass through some of the worlds most difficult mountainous topography.

China's Belt and Road investments could boost Nepals trade by 35% to 45%, according to one estimate.

The U.S. also granted Nepal $500 million for infrastructure development, in 2017.

Meanwhile, U.S. diplomats have cautioned Nepal that Chinese investment could lead to unsustainable debts  sparking a public rebuke from Beijing.

The attention from the U.S. provides an opportunity for Kathmandu to look beyond Delhi and Beijing. However, it also puts the impoverished Himalayan nation in the awkward situation of having to strike a balance with rival powers.

The big picture: Nepal has geographical limitations. It cant antagonize India and it cant abandon China, says Sridhar Khatri, former executive director of the South Asia Center for Policy Studies.

When you have two strong and growing economic powers as neighbors, even leakages can benefit. Soon, India-China annual trade will hit the $100 billion target. There is a massive opportunity for Nepal.

But, but, but: Khatri says the India-China rivalry, and the greater U.S. attention, has made for a complicated quadrangle relationship for a country which lacks a clear foreign policy and where policies can be whimsical and personality driven.

What to watch: The benefits of the planned infrastructure projects are far off, and many Nepalis are skeptical theyll ever match whats being promised. Meanwhile, theres some bemusement that great powers seem to be putting so much emphasis on Nepal.
The new age of automation will push thousands of people out of work across advanced economies, but only a few countries are well-cushioned against the hit, according to a new report.

By the numbers: 1 of 8 American workers and 1 of 7 Europeans is highly vulnerable to automation and require retraining, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The U.S. is well positioned in terms of the opportunity for workers to obtain new skills and retrain.

But, compared with other advanced economies, Americans are currently only somewhat prepared for a time when digital skills will be paramount.

To thrive in the new economy, workers must be immersed in the technologies around them, from using email and smartphones to learning something about coding, the report says. It is urgent for countries to focus on building the skills of workers whose jobs are at high risk of automation.
By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade

Azerbaijans Food Safety Agency helps ensure the regulatory framework of food safety and carry out risk analysis, hygiene certification, as well as provide a quality certificate for food products exported to foreign countries, ensure state control over the protection of the rights of consumers of food products.

Goshgar Tahmazli, chairman of the Food Safety Agency, has told reporters that foodstuffs have standards of storage, transportation and sales regime, sanitary and hygienic and sanitary standards and all enterprises for the production of foodstuff must comply with these standards and rules.

In the next seven years, business structures should be supported in educational work so that they can create a food safety system in the country in accordance with international standards, he said.

Agrochemical preparations used in crop production, the use of plant protection products, feed and feed additives used in poultry and livestock farms, and veterinary drugs are very important because the use of feed and feed additives affects the safety of the product. Therefore, Agency is ready to provide the necessary support to entrepreneurs, Tahmazli said.

Speaking of the food safety in Azerbaijan, it is important to note that 21 laboratories were created in the country to conduct analysis in the field of food safety. All of them were established within the framework of the "State program for ensuring food safety in Azerbaijan for 2019-2025. The decree approving the program was signed by President Ilham Aliyev on April 29.

The State Program is designed to provide the countrys population with safe and qualitative food products, increase the transparency and efficiency of the food safety system and bring it in line with international requirements.

Moreover, it is noteworthy that on May 1, Azerbaijans Food Safety Agency started online registration of business entities working in the nutrition sector. The registration does not require visiting the Agencys departments; it is only necessary to log in the official website to register.

In the future, the Agency will ensure introduction of innovative solutions for rapid development of cooperation with entrepreneurs. There are also plans to automate import and export processes and conduct online information exchange in real time with the State Customs Committee. This will minimize contacts between citizens and officials, thus preventing waste of time of the entrepreneurs and further simplifying export and import processes.

--

Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Capitalization of Azerbaijans banking sector amounted to 4.31 billion manats in March 2019, which is 11.46 percent more compared to the same period of 2018, Trend reports referring to the Financial Market Supervisory Authority of Azerbaijan (FIMSA).

The total assets of banks at the end of March 2019 compared to March 2018 increased by 6.94 percent and reached 29.85 billion manats.

In late March, 2019, the volume of cash at the disposal of banks amounted to almost 1.34 billion manats, correspondent accounts with the Central Bank had 1.598 billion manats, and funds on nostro accounts (correspondent accounts with other banks) amounted to almost 2.562 billion manats. The banks' investments in securities reached 4.318 billion manats (an increase of almost 1.9 times compared to March 2018).

Banks increased lending by 17.04 percent, and in March 2019, the aggregate loan portfolio of banks amounted to 11.23 billion manats. Reserves worth 1.483 billion manats were created for these loans.

The total liabilities of the country's banking sector increased by 6.2 percent to 25.533 billion manats. The largest share of liabilities fell to deposits - by 72.7 percent, or 18.572 billion manats (an increase of 11.1 percent). The volume of deposits of individuals amounted to 7.58 billion manats, legal entities - 9.14 billion manats.

The liabilities of banks to the Central Bank decreased by 33.6 percent to 331.1 million manats.

The net profit of the banking sector at the end of March 2019 amounted to 123.9 million manats, while in March 2018, losses of banks amounted to 55.9 million manats. Profit was formed from interest incomes at 483.2 million manats (including 342.9 million manats of interest income from loans) and non-interest - 145.2 million manats. The interest expenses of banks amounted to 140.7 million manats, including the payment of interest on deposits - 93.1 million manats, non-interest expenses - 248.9 million manats.

As a result, operating profit amounted to 179.1 million manats. During the reported period, the banks also allocated 63.1 million manats to cover potential losses on assets and paid 15.5 million manats as a tax on profits.

There are 30 banks in Azerbaijan, including 2 state-owned ones.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Abdul Kerimkhanov

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger confirmed OSCE intention to continue to support the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry said at a briefing on May 8.

The Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, spearheads the OSCE's efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Zakharova noted that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger discussed Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement at their meeting in Moscow.

She noted that during the talks, Lavrov informed Greminger about the meeting of the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov with Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, which earlier took place in Moscow.

Zakharova added that at the meeting, the parties reached an agreement on taking measures in the humanitarian sphere.

She also noted that the parties discussed the possibility of practical steps to establish contacts between Armenian and Azerbaijani population, on the organization of mutual visits, in which press representatives can take part.

The spokesperson highlighted that the parties also expressed interest in further stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone, in particular during agricultural work.

In turn, Greminger noted that the OSCE will continue to provide assistance to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are still underway within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

Despite Baku's best efforts, peace in the occupied lands remains a mirage in the distance as Armenia refuses to comply with international law.

---

Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Abdul Kerimkhanov

The Armenian leadership, as in previous years, has committed another provocation in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.

Visit of the Armenian political leadership to the city of Shusha, an ancient city of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenian armed forces on May 8, 1992 demonstrates that the behavior of the current Armenian high circles does not differ from Sargsyan team's policy.

In this regard, the question arises: is there any sense, in general, to expect decisive steps from Armenia in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? How long will torpedoing of real negotiations from Armenia remain unpunished?

The latest statements by Armenian officials are strongly contrary to the calls for preparing the population for peace, reflected in the joint statements made during the last meetings, spokesperson for Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said on May 9.

"Armenian political leaderships visit to the city of Shusha, which is under their military occupation, statements made in this context, as well as voiced by Yerevan, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the words "Karabakhs freedom protection form the basis of our commitments on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement" is a very wrong message for the negotiations to resolve the conflict," she stressed.

Abdullayeva noted that all responsibility in connection with further possible development of events lies with the Armenian leadership.

She recalled that all international organizations and the international community recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the recognized state borders.

The sooner the Armenian leadership realizes this reality and stops deceiving its population, the sooner peace, stability and sustainable development will be ensured in the region, Abdullayeva concluded.

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.

Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as an integral part of Azerbaijan demanding the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all occupation forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, according to the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, family members, as well as relatives and loved ones of national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev have visited the Alley of Honors to pay tribute to the world-renowned statesman as May 10 marks the 96th anniversary of his birth, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service.

President Aliyev laid a wreath at the national leader`s grave.

The state anthem of Azerbaijan was played.

President Aliyev and family members then put flowers at the grave of the national leader`s wife, outstanding ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva, as well as the graves of prominent statesman Aziz Aliyev and renowned physician, scientist Tamerlan Aliyev.

Among those in attendance at the commemorative ceremony were Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov, Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov, head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, ministers, committee chairs, company heads and MPs.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

The 96th birthday anniversary of the architect and founder of the modern independent state of Azerbaijan, outstanding statesman, and national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev is marked on May 10, Trend reports.

On the birthday anniversary of the national leader, the countrys public representatives, people coming to Baku from various parts of Azerbaijan and the guests put wreaths and flowers at Heydar Aliyevs grave in the Alley of Honor and pay tribute to the cherished memory of the great leader.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Italys Saipem company continues to operate in Azerbaijan through Saipem Contracting Netherlands B.V., the company told Trend.

Saipem is in the process of completing its activities through the Saipem Asia SDN BHD branch in Azerbaijan, which is no longer involved in any business activities in the country. Saipem is currently operating in the country and continues its activities as an Azerbaijani branch of Saipem Contracting Netherlands B.V. Saipem has been the most important contractor in the most significant oil and gas projects implemented to date in the country, said the company.

Saipem is a leading company in engineering, drilling and construction of major projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors. It is One-Company organized in five business divisions (Offshore E&C, Onshore E&C, Offshore Drilling, Onshore Drilling and XSight, dedicated to conceptual design). Saipem is a global solution provider with distinctive skills and competences and high-tech assets, which it uses to identify solutions aimed at satisfying customer requirements. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, it is present in over 60 countries worldwide and has 32 thousand employees of 120 different nationalities.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Against the background of deteriorating indicators in the Armenian economy, Prime Minister Pashinyan has given a long press conference which has turned into a show.

Pashinyan was obliged to report on what he had done and what he had not during the year of his power, and to try to explain to Armenians why their life has not become better.

Having come to power, Pashinyan promised a lot to the Armenians. In fact, he fulfilled only one promise - he put in jail his political opponents. The promises to raise wages and pensions, create new jobs, eliminate unemployment and poverty, ensure "great repatriation", revive the industry, save Sevan lake, attract billions of dollars in Armenia, and so on, turned out empty words.

Nothing new has happened, turining Pashinyans press conference essentially into excuses and explanations why he failed the year.

Pashinyan promised a lot of investment immediately after the coup. When this did not happen, he postponed his deadline for after the parliamentary elections. However, investments not only did not grow but even decreased.

He explained the decline in investment due to the fact that a number of mining companies, in particular, Lydian Armenia, which operates the Amulsari gold mine, suspended their activities. At the same time, Pashinyan stated that the time had come to abandon the extractive industry as the basis of the Armenian economy.

Earlier, due to interference in its activities, Lydian stopped investing in Armenia. The situation created around this British-American-Canadian company, made other major foreign investors think about whether to invest in Armenia. It became clear that the country does not give guarantees to foreign investors and anyone can lose money here due to the governments failure.

Thus, all hopes on the foreign investments remained only on the diaspora, which Pashinyan himself acknowledged.

Another serious and decisive promise for the country was to return all runaway citizens to Armenia, as well as to organize the great repatriation. Previously Pashinyan estimated that immediately after the velvet revolution, compatriots will rush to return to their homeland, trying to settle once and for all in free Armenia.

However, the countrys population continues to fall in number. As of April 1, 2019, the population decreased by another 7,800 people, although the prime minister promised that in the next 20 years the population of Armenia will double.

When, against the background of an unconditional drop in the one-year governments rating and poorly tangible changes for the better for the general population, Pashinyan cites achievements such as increasing government incomes or subsidizing them at the expense of the state budget, then people do not have a sense of pride in these imaginary achievements, but, on the contrary, severe irritation and discomfort.

New authorities, as the previous ones, do not contribute to the emergence of jobs in high-tech companies. If the state will continue to refuse support for high-tech industries, after 10 years Armenia will not have even a chance that something own will appear in this area.

Pashinyan said at the press conference how many washing machines were donated to the army, how many video surveillance systems were installed at the border, how many conscripts were replaced by contract servicemen. Meanwhile, suicides continue in the Armenian army, hazing blossoms, there is no military discipline.

The main issue that Pashinyan did not resolve, which would automatically solve much of what he promised, is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Over the past year, it has not progressed at all; on the contrary, the process has become even more confused.

To do this, he should overcome the nationalist sentiments and the tough position of a certain part of the Armenian public. Pashinyan at least should understand that the fulfillment of all the promises given to Armenians depends on peace with the neighbors.

---

Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

One of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Developments operational objectives in Kazakhstan is the ongoing support to micro, small and medium sized enterprises, which need to play stronger role in the national economy, EBRD told Trend in an interview.

Recently Trend reported that EBRD arranged a loan of $50 million for the countrys largest micro-finance organization, KMF.

EBRD states that KMF will use the funds to increase its customer base and provide loans to clients across Kazakhstan. Up to $10 million will be contributed by the EBRD while the remaining $40 million will be syndicated to microfinance investment funds via Hedged Loan Participation (HLP).

The bank noted that it will use HLP, a syndication product allowing the Bank to sell U.S. dollar participation in a local currency-denominated loan, to provide KMF with local currency financing that will protect KMF, its clients and the participating investment funds from currency risk.

"Also under the new loan KMF will continue benefit from the EU-funded Regional Small Business Program for Central Asia managed by the EBRD. It will receive access to know-how in MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) finance as well as training on a variety of topics relevant for financial institutions providing services to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises".

The EBRD is supporting development of competitive, resilient and green Kazakhstan through investment in infrastructure, including in the regions, energy, with focus on renewable energy projects, the development of the financial and small business sectors, and the stimulation of entrepreneurship.

The EBRD had another strong year in Kazakhstan in 2018, committing $541 million to the country in 26 transactions.

Investments were made in a wide range of private and public sector projects and the Bank supported Kazakhstans drive to secure its position as a regional renewable energy leader by channeling funds to a number of projects.

Answering Trends question on Kazakh attractiveness for foreign investments, EBRD underlined that Kazakhstan has achieved notable success in creating attractive investment environment.

"Just using one indicator, the country is currently at #28 in the "Doing Business" rating, ahead of the likes of Russia, Turkey and Belarus from our region of operations. The debate is increasingly shifting from questions about investment climate to questions about investment opportunities, and how they can be enhanced through for example increasing connectivity within Central Asia as well as with Europe, Asia and Africa".

EBRD notes that they see interest to invest in Kazakhstan from international investors from Europe and China, for example. The renewables sector seems to attract a lot of attention from international developers.

The latest EBRD Regional Economic Prospects states that real GDP growth in Kazakhstan accelerated to 4.1 percent both in 2017 and in 2018.

The economy grew strongly due to the increased oil production and favorable oil prices; oil output expanded by 10.5 percent in 2017 and by 6.6 percent in 2018.

Moreover, EBRD stressed that banking sector imbalances in Kazakhstan crystalized as the National Bank withdrew licenses of three smaller banks and provided liquidity support to the second largest bank in September 2018. These steps taken are part of regulatory approach of the National Bank, which will help facilitate strengthening of the banking sector in the country.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Iran's Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani has called on for daily monitoring of the market, to confront high prices of consumer goods.

"Consumers and Producers Protection Organization should create structure for the highly consumed 100 basic items and monitor the market prices, as well as control productions from their production to distribution," he said, Trend reports citing Tasnim News Agency.

Rahmani requested the organization to review the reason for price hike of items such as canned tuna, rice, pasta and etc.

Following the rise of consumer prices of food items, tuna cans have become rare in chain stores, while the prices of some brands jumped more than 60 percent.

Rahmani went on to say that wholesale should be better controlled, better - through a monitoring structure.

"The atmosphere indicates that psychological war is moving faster than economic war, and those who created this tension, have affected the market as well," he noted.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

The President of Uzbekistan signed the law on ratification of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which aims to reduce the use and complete elimination of these substances.

The Convention was earlier ratified by the national parliament, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan.

Ratification of the convention will require Uzbekistan to provide information on available hazardous chemicals, ban or restrict usage of POPs, and dispose them by environmentally friendly methods.

Convention was adopted in the city of Stockholm on May 23, 2001. To date, 182 states are parties to the convention.

Ratification of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (Stockholm, May 22, 2001) is one of the conditions of the European Union for Uzbekistan to obtain additional tariff preferences for the supply of domestic goods to the European market within the framework of the General System of Preferences "GSP +".

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Turkey will purchase the US Patriot missile defense system, but at the same time, it will not refuse from Russian S-400,Trend reports citing Turkish media.

Reportedly, Turkey will officially express its intention to buy Patriot missile defense system in June.

Currently, Ankara and Washington are in talks on the price and conditions of the supply.

Earlier, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that in March the US proposed Turkey more beneficial conditions for buying Patriot than before. He noted that Ankara is considering those proposals of Washington.

On April 29, it was reported that Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems will be delivered to Turkey in two cargoes.

The first cargo of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems will be delivered in June this year, and the second one in July, according to the report. It is expected that in November 2019, the first F-35 fighters will be delivered to Turkey.

As was announced earlier, Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems may be installed in the south and west of Turkey.

Initial reports of negotiations between Russia and Turkey on the supply of S-400 surfaced in November 2016. The signing of a contract was confirmed by the Russian side on September 12, 2017. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the S-400 air defense systems would be deployed from October 2019. The supply of the S-400 air defense systems to Ankara cost $2.5 billion, head of the Rostec state corporation Sergey Chemezov said in December 2017. Turkey is the first country, a NATO member to receive the S-400 air defense systems from Russia.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

A contract for the construction and commissioning of the railroad of the Araz Free Trade and Industrial Zone was signed in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran, Safar Shasafand, deputy director for economy and investment at Araz Free Trade and Industrial Zone, told journalists, Trend reports referring to IRNA.

According to Shasafand, the contract is worth 700 million euros. Under the contract awarded to an Iranian-European Consortium, a 204-kilometer railway to be constructed for the Araz Free Zone Organization in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran.

"The construction of the railroad will take five years. As expected, the railroad will be managed by a private sector investor for 25 years. After that, the railroad will be handed over to the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways," he said.

Shasafand added that it will likely be possible to transit 1.53 million tons of cargo during the first year and 10.76 million tons in 20 years.

"During its first year of commissioning, the railroad will be able to carry 101,000 passengers, and this figure will increase to 209,409 passengers in 20 years," he said.

This railroad will help connect Iran to CIS countries again through Azerbaijan. Thus, Iran will reestablish its railway and trade relations with various countries and be a gateway to foreign markets.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Japanese refiners are tapping more oil from the Middle East after the United States ended all waivers from sanctions on Iran starting from this month. As Reuters writes in the article Japan refiners tap more oil from Middle East to replace Iran supply, Fuji Oil Co bought 1.5 million barrels of Oman crude, Banoco Arab Medium from Bahrain, and Upper Zakum, an Abu Dhabi grade, to load in June in a spot tender held last month, according to trade sources.

Alternative supplies to Iranian oil for Japan are likely to come mainly from the Middle East given the existing supply chains, Takayuki Uematsu, senior executive officer at Cosmo Energy Holdings Co Ltd, told an earnings news conference on Thursday.

Alternative imports are not expected to come from the United States - now the worlds largest producer - as the U.S. crude is lighter than Iranian crude, Uematsu added.

Iranian oil accounted for about five percent of Cosmos total procurement, and Japans third-largest refiner feels confident it will be able to secure enough supply from other sources, he said.

Fuji Oil Co President Atsuo Shibota said he also does not see any problems in securing oil supplies from sources other than Iran but he expects it may raise costs by as much as 100 million yen ($911,000) a month for the company. Fuji plans to secure alternative crude supplies through term contracts and by tapping the spot market, he said. We are in a situation where we can buy crude from the free market, so we dont expect supply disruption even without Iranian oil, Shibota told an earnings press conference, declining to say what suppliers Fuji would tap.

Takahiko Yamamoto, a Fuji Oil director, told Reuters after the press conference that the refiner had already secured most of its supplies for June, mainly through the spot market. Fuji Oil said Iranian oil accounted for about 20 percent of the companys supplies in the financial year through March, down from around 30 percent the previous year.

The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in November after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six world powers last year, although it allowed Tehrans biggest buyers to continuing buying some crude oil via waivers for another six months. The sanctions have more than halved Iranian oil exports to 1 million barrels per day (bpd) or less. Washington, though, aiming to cut Irans sales to zero, said in April all sanctions waivers for those importing Iranian oil would end at the beginning of May.

Iran says its oil exports will not drop to zero, although its officials are bracing for a drop in shipments.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno has provided the following dates of service for Monsignor Craig Harrison:

Timeline of accusations

1998: A man reported alleged abuse by Monsignor Craig Harrison to the Firebaugh Police Department. The man said the abuse occurred at St. Joseph Church in Firebaugh, where Harrison served as pastor from July 1, 1992 to June 30, 1999.

2002: The same accuser who reported abuse to Firebaugh police in 1998 came forward again to report it to the The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno. The diocese investigated, found it to be unsubstantiated and took no action.

Also that year, the Bakersfield Police Department received an anonymous allegation of inappropriate contact by Harrison involving a group of teen juveniles but determined the claims to be unfounded. No one named in the 2002 letter could corroborate any of the allegations at the time, BPD said. The case was closed in May.

April 12, 2019: A man contacted the diocese and reported that he was inappropriately touched by Harrison on three separate occasions while he was an altar boy at St. Joseph Church in Firebaugh. The victim, now an adult, was 16 or 17 years old at the time. However, a date when the incident happened was not given.

April 25, 2019: The diocese announced the April 12 allegation publicly and placed Harrison on paid administrative leave.

Later that day, another man contacted the diocese alleging "inappropriate behavior" when he was a minor at St. Patrick's Church in Merced in 1988.

May 8, 2019: A man who grew up in Bakersfield and attended St. Francis Church reported to police that was sexually abused as a minor by Harrison seven to nine times over a four-year period starting in 1989. The man's report to police was confirmed by his attorney, Joseph George of Sacramento. Bakersfield Police spokesman Nathan McCauley said he could not confirm if the department received such a report.

McCauley said: "In order to ensure a thorough and reliable inquiry with the best potential for resolution in the criminal justice system, the Bakersfield Police Department will only release information in active criminal investigations when necessary to further the investigation, when an arrest is made, or in the interest of public safety."
North Korea fired two short-range missiles Thursday, South Korea said, an act of defiance that marks the countrys second test launch of weapons in less than a week. Fortune in the article North Korea Launches Two Short-Range Missiles, South Korea Says, writes that North Korea launched a short-range missile from the countrys northwest Kusong region at 4:29 p.m. and then another short-range missile at 4:49 p.m., South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Both missiles flew east over the Korean Peninsula, with the first one traveling 420 kilometers (260 miles) and falling into the sea, the joint chiefs said. The second flew 270 kilometers and fell on land.

The tests follow increasingly impatient demands for sanctions concessions from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the wake of his failed February nuclear summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. Adding to the diplomatic pressure was the presence of the U.S.s top nuclear envoy, Stephen Biegun, who was in Seoul meeting with South Korean officials Thursday.

The launches come six days after Kim supervised a military exercise in which he fired off several projectiles, including what non-proliferation experts believed was a short-range ballistic missile. While South Korean officials had played down the earlier tests, saying they were not a provocation, President Moon Jae-in was more critical to Thursdays launches.

Id like to warn that if such tests continue, it could hurt dialogue, Moon said in a live interview with broadcaster KBS TV on Thursday, the eve of his second anniversary in office. North Korea appears to have significant frustration that the Hanoi summit ended without a deal. It is protesting to the United States and South Korea.

The return to missile testing after a lull of 17 months challenges Trumps decision to continue talks with Kim, since the U.S. president has often cited the lack of such provocations as evidence his approach was working. Although the weapons tested stopped short of breaching Kims pledge to refrain from launching longer-range missiles that could threaten U.S. territory, they violate United Nations resolutions banning North Korea from firing off ballistic missiles of any kind.

North Korea, which had been complaining about U.S. and South Korean joint military drills, called Saturdays test a reasonable strike drill for its combat readiness, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. U.S. and South Korean officials appeared determined not to let the first transgression scuttle talks, with Moons office saying that he and Trump agreed in a telephone call that the approach was effective.

Still, non-proliferation experts said the strategy risked encouraging Kim to conduct more tests. The latest incident bolstered those concerns.

Since the U.S. response was low-key, North Korea appears to think that this level of test would not cause problems and it can continue the tests, said Jina Kim, a research fellow at Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.

The Kusong area has been a focal point of discussions around North Koreas armaments for the past two years. In February 2017, North Korea launched a Polaris-2 missile from a testing ground in Kusong, according to the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Later that year  about a week after Moon became president  the regime fired off a Hwasong-12 from a second facility in the area. Both missiles have ranges that could strike Japan.

Then, just before Kims first summit with Trump last June, analysis of satellite imagery by the website 38 North showed that Kim was razing facilities in the area used to test missile ejections. Trump said after meeting Kim it was a big thing to have missile facilitates destroyed.

Cheong Seong-Chang, vice president for research planning at the Sejong Institute, said the tests were likely intended to appease domestic constituencies, such as military hawks, not satisfied with nuclear talks. North Korea is likely to continue testing short-range missiles, Cheong said.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High near 55F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 43F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Uzbek-Azerbaijani ministerial consultations on the inventory and improvement of the legal framework of bilateral relations were held at the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan on 6-7 May 2019, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The delegation of Azerbaijan was headed by Deputy Head of the International Law and Treaties Department of the Foreign Ministry Rizvan Nabiyev.

Representatives of the foreign ministries of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan discussed the current state of the existing legal framework and projects of bilateral documents in various fields

The parties also exchanged views and experiences on the participation of the two countries in international law-making activities, Trend reported.
Today marks the 96th birthday anniversary of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, who served as the President of the Republic in 1993-2003.

Heydar Aliyev was born on 10 May 1923 in Nakhichevan. He graduated from the Nakhchivan Pedagogical College and started to study at the architectural department of the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute (now the State Oil Academy of Azerbaijan), but the incipient war impeded the completion of his education.

Since 1941, Heydar Aliyev headed a department at the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of Nakhchivan, and in 1944, was sent to work at state security bodies. He received special education in the cities of Leningrad and Moscow.

In 1957 he graduated from the History Department of the Azerbaijan State University. Having worked for twenty five years at state security bodies, Heydar Aliyev worked as a deputy chairman of the State Security Committee under the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR since 1964, and from 1967, held the office of chairman of the committee, and rose to the rank of a major general.

Elected as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan at the Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan in July 1969, Heydar Aliyev became the head of the republic.

Elected as a candidate to the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union's Communist Party in 1976, and a member of the Political Bureau in 1982, Heydar Aliyev was appointed the first deputy chairman of the USSR's Council of Ministers. While on this position, Heydar Aliyev headed the most significant areas of the USSR's economic, social and cultural lives.

For 20 years, Heydar Aliyev was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR, and for five years, worked as a first deputy chairman of the USSR's Council of Ministers.

In October 1987, Heydar Aliyev resigned from his post, as a sign of protest against the policy pursued by Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and personally the Secretary General Michael Gorbachev.

In connection with the tragedy committed on January 20, 1990 in Baku by the Soviet troops, Heydar Aliyev, appearing the next day at the Representative Office of Azerbaijan in Moscow with a statement, demanded that the organizers and executors of the crime committed against the people of Azerbaijan be punished. As a sign of protest against the hypocritical policy of the USSR leadership towards the critical conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, in July 1991, he left the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Since July 1990, Heydar Aliyev lived in Baku, then in Nakhchivan. He was elected to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, he also held the post of the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan, the Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the chairman of the Yeni Azerbaijan Party.

On 24 July 1993 Heydar Aliyev became the acting President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and on October 3, 1993, he was elected the President of the Republic.

On October 11, 1998, Heydar Aliyev was re-elected president for the second term. In 2003, he refused to participate in the next presidential elections due to health problems. He died on December 12, 2003 at the Cleveland Clinic in the US. On December 15 Aliyev was buried at the Alley of Honor in Baku.

The book titled 'Dialogue of cultures and challenges of the modern era', published with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Russia, was presented at Biblio-Blobus in Moscow on May 6. The book was prepared on the basis of joint conferences at the Baku Forum dedicated to the memory of Heydar Aliyev.
Hancock Whitney made its move into Southeast Texas by emblazoning the company name on one of the most visible buildings in downtown Beaumont, but their plans for the region go well beyond Edison Plaza.

Before the Mississippi-based banking group fully took over business from its acquisition of Capital One Wealth and Asset Management, the stretch of territory between its few branches in Houston and its base in southwestern Louisiana was an untapped market.

With its impending acquisition of MidSouth Bancorp of Lafayette, Hancock Whitney will have a big step toward a larger footprint with three branches in Beaumont, along with their regional wealth management team.

Weve been looking at the Beaumont community for a long time, and with the acquisition of Capital One, it really helped us get our foot in the door, said Stephen David, senior vice president and regional retail manager with Hancock Whitney.

David said the recent acquisitions propelled the company into several new Texas territories. Along with Beaumont, the banking group was able to expand in Houston, branch out to Dallas and also has plans to expand into Conroe and College Station.

Hancock Whitney celebrated the opening of its first Beaumont financial center Thursday on the ground floor of Edison Plaza, which will serve consumer and commercial customers alike, but it is also setting itself up as a wealth management resource.

We were excited to come here, because Texas has so much opportunity, David said. Beaumont, being the great port city that it is, is going to keep growing and add value to the market.

David said he and some of the team used to pass by Beaumont on the way to Houston from Lake Charles, and started to take a serious interest when they learned more about the business and industry in the city. When the Capital One acquisition came through and the opportunity for naming rights on the building came up, he said, the company jumped at the opportunity.

The use of more technology and even online-based companies in wealth management have led to lower fees for customers, but they also nudged more companies out of the industry. That also means companies will look to service and convenience to create long-term relationships with customers.

John D. Lennox, vice president and Lake Charles/Houston sales leader with Hancock Whitney, said the company is trying to take that approach to Beaumont, welcoming people looking to invest in their retirement alongside larger accounts.

Were willing to talk with anybody, and hopefully we can help those small investments grow into larger accounts one day, Lennox said.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jdickjournalism
Representatives of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Pakistan planted trees on the occasion of the 96th birthday anniversary of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission informed.

The diplomatic staff laid flowers at the bust of national leader Heydar Aliyev in the embassy building, honoring his memory. After a minute of silence in memory of the great leader, a memorable event was started. The participants spoke about life and activity of national leader Heydar Aliyev and his exceptional service to the Azerbaijani people, Trend reports.
G20 Agriculture Ministers will discuss new challenges facing the industry at the meeting in Niigata on May 11-12, Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Takamori Yoshikawa said.

According to the Japanese minister, he also plans to hold separate meetings with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts to discuss the issue of lifting the partial food embargo, which imposed on Japan by these countries after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

The G20 summit will be held June 28-29 in Osaka. This will be the first such forum in Japan.
A local strip club can no longer sell alcohol due to allegations of human trafficking, according to state officials.

Blush Show Club and Restaurant, 2525 N.E. Loop 410, was the subject of a joint investigation that found the club had allowed a 16-year-old to work as a dancer at the club, according to a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission order canceling the club's liquor license.

Authorities allege Eric Taylor, who they accuse of being her pimp, forced the girl to work at the club. Taylor was arrested in September after he was caught having sex with the victim outside of another strip club, the MGM Cabaret, which has since been closed.

RELATED: Prostitution operation at San Antonio strip club leads to unrelated child sex crime arrest

Taylor's arrest and the closure of the two strip clubs are the result of a months-long investigation that initiated after a shooting at the MGM Cabaret in August. Sheriff Javier Salazar said undercover deputies began investigating the club and discovered concerning evidence.

"This turned into something much darker and a little more in depth than what we had expected," Salazar said.

Deputies responded to 80 incidents at MGM between 2017 and the shooting in 2018, the sheriff said, and soon after the investigation began, deputies caught Taylor having sex with the victim outside the club.

The 16-year-old then told authorities that Taylor had cooked up fake documents that landed her jobs at strip clubs. Detectives said Taylor forced the girl into sex and made as much as $1,000 a day off her. He is also accused of pimping out 10 other women, some of whom are runaways and juveniles.

The investigation into Taylor's alleged crimes and MGM's various code violations then bloomed into a state-wide, multi-agency investigation into several suspects and strip clubs that may have been involved, Salazar said. Blush Show Club and Restaurant's license cancellation is a direct result of the investigation's fallout.

Bentley Nettles, executive director of the TABC, said the club's canceled liquor license represents a message to clubs engaging in similar behavior.

"You're not welcome here," he said. "We're going to find you, and we're going to put you out of business."

Salazar said its likely that Taylor could face additional charges in connection to the investigation and that other suspects could be charged. Nettles said other clubs in cities across Texas are now under investigation.

"This is not the finish line here," Salazar said. "This case is very much ongoing."

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com |

cdowns@mysa.com | @calebjdowns
Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise, Photo Editor

As principal of Homer Drive Elementary School in Beaumont, Belinda George cant have a lot of spare time on her hands. Thats a demanding job, one of those positions that requires your response to this question or that problem from sunrise to sunset  and often afterward. But George is showing why we all need leaders like her to go above and beyond their basic duties to do even more for their communities. Were also fortunate that a company like Wells Fargo noticed what she was doing and responded with their own generosity.

George deservedly got a lot of local attention  and national, too, for that matter  with her innovative bedtime stories every Tuesday night via iPhone video. She streams stories to her students  and anyone else who cares to watch  to emphasize the importance of good reading skills. Her Facebook Live videos are being watched by students across the country.
We keep looking for good news when it comes to vaccinations, but its hard to find. The number of measles cases and Texas parents seeking exemptions from vaccine requirements keeps growing. On top of everything, we now have a state representative referring to vaccines as sorcery.

Thats right, Texans. In a hostile tweet to vaccine advocate Dr. Peter Hotez, state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, said the drive to boost vaccinations has caused Texas children to be placed in harms way for the financial gain of special and outside interest groups. He claimed that, Parental rights mean more to us than your self-enriching science.  (Yes, thats science in quotation marks.) He also said directly that vaccines were dangerous.

If that werent bad enough, Stickland said in a followup tweet that Hotez should make the case for your sorcery to consumers on your own dime.  Quit using the heavy hand of government to make your business profitable through mandates and immunity. Its disgusting.

If anything is disgusting, its this kind of anti-scientific ranting from a state representative. We trust that Sticklands constituents are embarrassed by these remarks and will vote accordingly if Stickland runs again.

Comments like that contribute to the mistaken belief that vaccines cause autism or create other risks for children. In reality, they protect kids from deadly diseases that used to exact a heavy toll on our most vulnerable people.

Again, were going in the wrong direction with these preventable illnesses. The number of Texans who exempt their children from vaccination for nonmedical reasons increased another 14 percent during the 2018-2019 school year. That wasnt much of a surprise, because that trend has been going on for 15 years. Not surprisingly, the number of measles cases nationwide is also the highest since 1994. Texas is one of 23 states caught in this dismal spiral.

The Legislature could help by making it harder for parents to opt out of vaccine programs in public schools, as many other state have done. But lawmakers are reluctant to support anything that looks like a government mandate, even for something as basic as medical protection. The current session of the Legislature will end in two weeks, and lawmakers arent scheduled to meet again until 2021. Gov. Greg Abbott could call them back for a special session to handle an issue like this, but thats highly unlikely.

If state officials wont act, Texas parents can. Get your children vaccinated, so they have the best chance of reaching adulthood and being able to vote for their state representatives and senators. This effort needs all the support it can get.
A total of 53 irregular migrants were detained in Turkey's western Canakkale province.

Security personnel spotted groups of migrants who were attempting to illegally cross into Greece. The detainees will be deported.

Among the detainees were citizens of Iran, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
During the first quarter of 2019, 52 new ASCs were opened, received approval or broke ground.

January

The New York Public Health and Health Planning Council awarded OrthoNY, Albany ENT & Allergy Services PC and St. Peter's Hospital preliminary approval for their $11.5 million surgery center development. All locations are based in Albany, N.Y.

A group of Buffalo, N.Y.-neurosurgeons received preliminary approval for their $7.8 million surgery center from the Public Health and Health Planning Council's establishment committee.

The joint venture Champaign (Ill.) Surgery Center opened Feb. 4, replacing the older Champaign SurgiCenter.

Greenville, S.C.-based Jervey Eye Group opened a new facility for advanced intraocular surgery and eye care services.

Charleston-based Medical University of South Carolina plans to open an ASC in a former mall.

Akron, Ohio-based The Orthopaedic Surgery Center is constructing a bigger, $7 million facility in Boardman, Ohio.

San Antonio-based Mission Trail Baptist Hospital opened a surgery center to accommodate an increase in surgeries.

Beaver, Pa.-based Heritage Valley Health System's medical neighborhood facility in Center Township, Pa., will feature a surgery center.

Melrose, Mass.-based Melrose-Wakefield Healthcare received state approval to build a $16 million ASC at Medford, Mass.-based Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Orthopedic Associates of Hartford (Conn.) opened a $30 million facility in Rocky Hill, Conn.

Quincy (Ill.) Medical Group is developing a surgery center in the Quincy Mall.

Pardee UNC Health Care's planned $16 million ASC is part of the nonprofit hospital's strategy for adapting to healthcare consumerism.

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based HonorHealth began construction on its Sonoran HonorHealth Medical Center with an ASC as part of a campus expansion.

Nueces Clinic and Surgery Center will anchor a planned two-story development in Plano, Texas. The building will feature an ASC with four operating rooms, office space and a diagnostic area.

Kingsport, Tenn.-based Holston Medical Group is reopening an outpatient surgery center in January in Bristol, Tenn., after the facility shut its doors in August 2018.

The Denison Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans for a maxillofacial and oral surgery center near Denison, Texas-based Texoma Medical Center.

Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center is developing a 260,000-square-foot outpatient center in Katy, Texas.

Fairmont, W.Va.-based Valley Health System and East Mountain Health Physicians partnered to build a 40,000-square-foot ambulatory care center in Martinsburg, W.Va.

February

Chicago-based River North Surgery Center is seeking state permission to establish an ASC.

UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center and Steamboat Orthopaedic & Spine Institute, both based in Steamboat Springs, Colo., are collaborating on an orthopedic ASC project.

Raleigh, N.C.-based Compass Surgical Partners opened Skyway Surgery Center in St. Petersburg, Fla., in partnership with a group of independent neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and pain management specialists.

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Source Healthcare plans to open an ASC, according to Founder Tim Davis, MD.

York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health is opening an outpatient surgery center in Hanover, Pa., March 4.

After suing for independence from Atrium Health in 2018, Tryon Medical Partners has opened a $2.8 million gastroenterology ASC in Charlotte, N.C.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners opened an ASC in Tampa, Fla.

Flagstaff (Ariz.) Bone & Joint is expanding its footprint with The Flagstaff Bone & Joint Ambulatory Surgical Center and medical office building.

An outpatient pavilion featuring an ASC is coming to Doylestown (Pa.) Health's campus.

Glendale-based Ascension Wisconsin held a ceremonial groundbreaking on its $42 million medical center with an ASC.

Construction on Granite Falls, N.C.-based Prime Surgical Suites is nearing completion, according to orthopedic spine surgeon Matthew Hannibal, MD. It is expected to open in late 2019.

Conway (S.C.) Medical Center bought about 8.8 acres in Socastee, S.C., for a medical office complex. CMC leaders applied for a certificate of need to house an ASC on the second floor of a three-story building under development.

Orlando (Fla.) Health's South Lake Hospital Center for Specialty Surgery in Clermont, Fla., is taking shape. The 28,696-square-foot outpatient surgery center will offer orthopedic, podiatry and pain management procedures.

New Orleans-based LCMC Health opened Ridgelake Health Center in Metairie, La., as part of a $400 million expansion involving two surgery centers.

The Hasting Planning Commission approved Hastings, Mich.-based Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital's $12 million surgical center proposal.

Canton, Ohio-based Omni Orthopaedics plans to build a surgery center in 2019 in Jackson Township, Ohio.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center's planned development in Murfreesboro, Tenn., is expected to cost $51.5 million. VUMC is building a 37,500-square-foot pediatric clinic and ASC. Within 10 years, VUMC wants to expand the building to 100,000 square feet.

Doctors United Surgery Center opened a facility in Pasadena, Texas.

Casto Southeast Realty Services is developing a $24 million medical office building complex anchoring a 50-acre, mixed-use commercial project in Lakewood, Fla. The three-story building will have a 13,000-square-foot surgery and imaging center.

Columbus-based The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is seeking approval to expand its ambulatory care network by building a large outpatient care center in Dublin, Ohio.

Madison, Miss.-based Capital Ortho's new Flowood, Miss.-based campus houses the Specialty Surgical Center.

Medical City Frisco (Texas) broke ground on a 150,000-square-foot, $37 million medical office building and ASC project Feb. 27.

March

Dallas-based North Central Surgical Center's ASC portion opened in March.

Kadlec Surgery Center is coming to Richland, Wash.

Wheeling (W.Va.) Hospital will open an ASC in Bridgeport, W.Va. to accommodate the healthcare needs of Bellaire, W.Va., and Bridgeport, W.Va., residents.

Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson, Mich., developed plans for a new outpatient surgery center in Grass Lake, Mich. The health system purchased 40 acres of land in Grass Lake to build an outpatient surgery center. The new facility will be a "hub" for same-day surgical procedures.

Schenectady, N.Y.-based Ellis Medical Center received approval to add an ASC to its existing building.

New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health is building a facility that will house an ASC.

Raleigh, N.C.-based Compass Surgical Partners formed Tampa, Fla.-based Legacy Surgery Center in partnership with a group of physicians.

Albany Medical Center, Saratoga Hospital and Capital Region North are teaming up to build an outpatient surgery center primarily devoted to joint surgeries in Albany, N.Y.

Worcester, Mass.-based management services organization Reliant Medical Group plans to develop a joint venture ASC in Natick, Mass.

Centennial, Colo.-based Centura Health acquired 57.81 acres in Colorado Springs, Colo., for $30 million. Centura Health plans to build several facilities on the land. The health system plans to expand its Colorado Springs presence with a 50-bed acute care hospital and an ASC.

Colchester, Vt.-based Green Mountain Surgery Center lead investor Amy Cooper held a ribbon-cutting for the state's first ASC March 22.

Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Medical Center opened The Grobowsky Surgical Center in Temple, Texas.
Providence-based Ortho Rhode Island began developing a medical office building and surgery center in Warwick, R.I., NEREJ reports.

What you should know:

1. Ortho Rhode Island broke ground on the development April 25.

2. The combined development will be 100,000 square feet.

3. Ortho Rhode Island will employ 275 people on the campus.

4. The Carpionato Group is developing the site and is also redeveloping a nearby hotel, which Ortho Rhode Island patients will be able to utilize.
Zuckerberg San Francisco General said it anticipates losing $1.9 million to $2.2 million in revenue annually as a result of changing its billing practices, according to the San Francisco Business Times.

The hospital  which is San Francisco's largest public hospital and houses the citys only level 1 trauma center  is updating its billing practices after its balance billing policy made headlines.

Balance billing occurs when a patient receives services from an out-of-network provider and is billed for the difference between what the patient's insurer pays and what the provider determines the care is worth.

Under new policies, balance billing will be discontinued at the hospital. Zuckerberg also will no longer bill privately insured patients receiving out-of-network care at the hospital more than they would pay at an in-network hospital for the same care.

The changes will cover more than privately insured patients. The hospital said it will set income-based, maximum out-of-pocket costs for patients at all income levels, regardless of insurance status, and will make its patient financial assistance programs more accessible and easier to qualify for.

"It came to our attention that some of our billing practices were not really consistent with the values that we have as an organization, which is a community resource," Susan Ehrlich, MD, CEO of Zuckerberg hospital, told the Times. "What we're focusing on now is making sure that individuals don't get big bills."

But the billing and other policy changes are projected to result in a loss of $1.9 million to $2.2 million in annual revenue for the hospital.

A Vox report in January revealed the hospital was out of network with all private health plans, which had the potential of leaving patients with massive bills.

Now the hospital is looking to forge deals with private insurers for select departments, such as gynecology and obstetrics, said Dr. Ehrlich, who acknowledged the complexities of contracting with those insurers.

Usually, private insurers offer the promise of lots of patients in exchange for discounts on payments to the hospital, she told the Times. But Zuckerberg, which treats mostly Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured patients, lacks the capacity to handle the large volume of patients private insurers want.

More articles on healthcare finance:

RCM tip of the day: Train teams to show compassion, empathy

Quorum selects R1 RCM to provide revenue cycle services at 26 hospitals

10 hospitals seeking RCM talent
Parents whose children have been diagnosed with cancer are more likely to search Google for answers to logistical issues, such as hospital and pharmacy information, as well as best methods to support their child, according to research published in Pediatric Blood and Cancer.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researchers analyzed Google search histories from 21 parents of children of pediatric cancer patients at CHOP during the summer of 2017. The parents agreed to share their searches from the time of the study enrollment during their child's cancer treatment through six months before the child's initial diagnosis. Members of the research team who did not know the patients' identities organized the searches into categories.

Researchers found that parents' Google use peaked at around one month after their child's cancer diagnosis, and an estimated 1,900 of 11,000, or 18 percent, of health-related searches were cancer specific. Of the cancer-specific searches, more than half were for cancer support, including cancer charities queries and inspirational quotes.

Of the overall health-related searches, which were not cancer-specific, 31 percent were for symptoms, medical information and disease and 29 percent were for information on hospital, care sites and pharmacy.

Study leader Charles Phillips, MD, CHOP pediatric oncologist, concluded that providers and administrators should remember how important parents' day-to-day logistical concerns are, including traffic, parking directions and finding pharmacies that carry their child's prescription medicines, according to a news release.

Study authors concluded that next steps should include organizing larger studies that analyze a broader variety of cancers or wider range of online information sources.
Becker's Hospital Review reported the following hospital-union events after April 26.

1. Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente agreed to keep its Northern California landscaping operations in-house.

2. Unionized hospital workers at Toledo, Ohio-based Mercy Health  St. Vincent Medical Center walked off the job May 6.

3. University of California service and patient care technical workers plan to strike May 16 to protest job outsourcing by the school.

4. A federal labor board ruled that Commerce Township, Mich.-based Huron Valley-Sinai Hospitalviolated U.S. labor law by preventing emergency room nurses from combining their lunch and other rest breaks.

5. More than 10,000 New York City nurses at three health systems ratified a four-year agreement.

6. Stanford (Calif.) Health Care and Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., reached agreements with their registered nurses, averting a strike.

7. Astria Regional Medical Center in Yakima, Wash., and Astria Toppenish (Wash.) Hospital, reached new contracts with two unions representing hundreds of employees.

8. One hundred nurses at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., part of Southfield, Mich.-based Beaumont Health, began efforts to unionize.
From a legal fight between Mayo Clinic and the IRS to a Texas health system's False Claims Act settlement, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.

1. Is Mayo Clinic primarily a school or a medical center? Federal judges will decide

In July, federal judges will consider dueling motions for summary judgment in a lawsuit Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic filed against the IRS more than two years ago.

2. Florida physician charged with manslaughter after patient dies of overdose

Federal agents arrested Marta Elena Farinas, DO, on manslaughter, drug dealing and drug trafficking charges on May 7, more than a year after one of her patients died of an accidental overdose.

3. Acadia Healthcare inks $17M deal to settle billing fraud allegations

Franklin, Tenn.-based Acadia Healthcare entered into a $17 million settlement to resolve allegations its drug treatment centers in West Virginia submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement to the state's Medicaid program.

4. Trump's religious freedom rule for healthcare workers challenged

The city of San Francisco filed a lawsuit May 2 against the Trump administration over a final rule that eases healthcare workers' ability to refuse to provide care contradicting their religious or moral beliefs.

5. Planned Parenthood sues Arizona over telemedicine abortion ban

Planned Parenthood of Arizona is suing the state over its abortion prevention laws, including those that prohibit telemedicine abortions.

6. Ex-nurse manager accused of defrauding Mayo Clinic

A former nurse manager for three clinics owned by Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic was charged with felony theft by swindle May 2 for allegedly making nearly $71,000 in false mileage reimbursement claims.

7. Texas health system settles false billing case

Decatur Hospital Authority, which is doing business as Wise Health System in Decatur, Texas, agreed to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act.

8. Mount Sinai faces lawsuit over age, sex discrimination in its global health institute

Eight current and former employees of New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System's global health institute filed a federal lawsuit April 26 against the health system and several officials for alleged sex and age discrimination that led to the demotion or resignation of women in senior leadership.

9. Employee admits defrauding Humana, pleads guilty to federal charges

A former Humana employee pleaded guilty in federal court May 6 to making personal purchases with Amazon gift cards intended for the insurer's wellness program.

10. DOJ throws support to Oscar in Florida Blue legal fight

An Oscar Health lawsuit alleging Florida Blue's broker policy is anticompetitive shouldn't be dismissed based on the McCarran-Ferguson Act, according to the Department of Justice.

11. Former California hospital employee gets 6 years in prison for stealing medical supplies

A former employee of Riverside (Calif.) Community Hospital was sentenced May 6 to six years in state prison for stealing millions of dollars' worth of medical supplies from the hospital and reselling them.

More articles on legal and regulatory issues:

Federal agencies launch investigation into secret recordings at California hospital

DOJ issues checklist for False Claims Act targets seeking cooperation credit

Ex-CEO of Florida hospital chain will pay $3.5M to end false billing case
CMS and HHS' Office of Civil Rights are investigating Sharp Grossmont Hospital over a surveillance program the hospital used that involved placing motion-activated cameras in operating rooms.

A spokesperson for San Diego-based Sharp HealthCare confirmed the federal investigations, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. In an email to the paper, the spokesperson said that inspectors from the California Department of Public Health visited Sharp Grossmont Hospital last month to investigate on behalf of CMS, and the La Mesa-based hospital is in the process of responding to an investigative request from HHS' Office of Civil Rights.

The federal agencies launched their investigations as the hospital faces nearly a dozen lawsuits over a controversial surveillance program it used several years ago.

Sharp HealthCare officials said cameras were installed on anesthesia carts used in the operating rooms at Sharp Grossmont Hospital's Women's Health Center in 2012 as part of an investigation into whether an employee was stealing drugs. In a public statement issued April 4, Sharp HealthCare President and CEO Chris Howard said the cameras were used from July 2012 to June 2013. Patients who underwent surgeries during that time were recorded without consent.

"Although the cameras were intended to record only individuals in front of the anesthesia carts, others, including patients and medical personnel in the operating rooms, were at times visible to the cameras and recorded without sound," Mr. Howard said.

In his public statement, Mr. Howard apologized and said steps have been taken to ensure a similar situation doesn't occur in the future.

"We sincerely apologize that our efforts may have caused any distress to the women who were recorded, their families, and others we serve," he said. "We can assure you this surveillance method is no longer in use, and we have made changes in our protocols to ensure this situation is not repeated."

More articles on legal and regulatory issues:

Florida physician charged with manslaughter after patient dies of overdose

Employee admits defrauding Humana, pleads guilty to federal charges

DOJ issues checklist for False Claims Act targets seeking cooperation credit
A former employee of Riverside (Calif.) Community Hospital was sentenced May 6 to six years in state prison for stealing millions of dollars' worth of medical supplies from the hospital and reselling them, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Oscar Orlando Bernal, a former surgical assistant at Riverside Community Hospital, was sentenced after pleading guilty in April to seven counts of grand theft. Prosecutors charged him with the crimes in February after an extensive police investigation.

The investigation began in May 2018 when Riverside Community Hospital administrators contacted police about missing surgical supplies at the hospital. Administrators said an audit revealed $2.9 million worth of surgical staples that had been ordered over a three-year period could not be found at the hospital.

Through the investigation, police identified Mr. Bernal as a suspect in the theft of the supplies. Police searched his home in January and seized dozens of surgical staple reloads, according to NBC Los Angeles.

In addition to the prison term, Mr. Bernal was also ordered to pay $5 million in restitution.

More articles on legal and regulatory issues:

Employee admits defrauding Humana, pleads guilty to federal charges

DOJ issues checklist for False Claims Act targets seeking cooperation credit

Trump's religious freedom rule for healthcare workers challenged
New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals on May 10 unveiled the public health system's first comprehensive nurse recruitment campaign, Nurses4NYC.

The campaign aims to help fill nurse positions and expand access to community-based primary care in New York City, according to a news release.

NYC Health + Hospitals officials said the campaign uses the tag line "Heal the City. Build a Career" to attract nurses committed to the health system's mission.

It will include posters and video testimonials from NYC Health + Hospital nurses, and will be supported by social media advertising, according to the release. The system also will participate in nursing job fairs.

The campaign announcement comes during National Nurses Week and as NYC Health + Hospitals expands care management and ambulatory care.

Areas with the most need for nurses are emergency room/trauma, ambulatory care, home care and correctional health services/behavioral health.

Applicants may email their resumes to nurses4nyc@nychhc.org.

More articles on workforce:

69% of healthcare leaders hire for workplace culture fit, poll finds

Hospitals add 8,300 jobs in April

Arizona hospital under construction seeks nurses, other healthcare workers
The Immortal Regiment processions were held in more than 500 cities in 115 countries all over the world, head of the Immortal Regiment's executive board Artyom Khutorskoy said.

The processions have been held since May 4 to May 12. The first marches were held in Toronto and New York, they were attended by 5 thousand and 2 thousand people respectively. Then the columns of the Immortal Regiment marched through five cities in Argentina, 11 cities in France, 10 cities in the United States and more than 50 cities in Bulgaria.

The organization also said that 20 thousand people took part in the procession in Riga for the first time. People in Ashdod, Israel also took to the streets of the city.

More than 10 thousand people took part in the patriotic action in Serbia, 25 thousand - in Kazakhstan, 60 thousand - in Moldova and more than 3 thousand - in Berlin. This year, actions were held for the first time in Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hong Kong, Alaska, Sweden's Gothenburg, Cyprus Nicosia, Georgia's Batumi and Gori, the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

In addition, the movement's executive board recalled that last year the processions were held in more than 80 countries around the world.
Boardman, Ohio-based Southwoods Health opened a Pain & Spine Center and is hosting an open house May 19, The Business Journal reports.

What you should know:

1. The Boardman-based center is 40,000 square feet.

2. Physicians will treat an array of spine conditions including neck and back pain, herniated discs, compression fractures, and neuropathy, among others.

3. At the open house, the public can go on guided tours and meet with physicians.

Southwoods Health CEO Ed Muransky said: "We created this facility to meet the needs of those affected by pain right here at home. After talking with our patients, their families and local primary care physicians, we recognized the need to bring these services together at one site."
In the search for alternative modes of pain management, scientists from Saint Louis University studied how neuropathic pain occurs and how it can be turned off in a laboratory, reports Medical Xpress.

Five takeaways:

1. Chronic neuropathic pain can result from numerous injuries and conditions including spinal cord injury, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

2. Medical experts estimate that neuropathic pain affects 15 million to 30 million people in the U.S. and the treatment for these people costs over $600 billion.

3. Reacting to nerve injuries, the body generates a molecule called sphingosine-1-phosphate in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord which can trigger the receptor protein sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor subtype 1 on specialized nervous system support cells called astrocytes, resulting in neuroinflammation.

4. The study found that activation and not inhibition of S1PR1 drives neuropathic pain and turning S1PR1 off is needed to inhibit its growth while also reversing neuropathic pain once established.

5. The results have opened the door to develop new pain management medications without the risks and side-effects of opioids.

Daniela Salvemini, PhD, professor of pharmacology and director of The Henry And Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience at Saint Louis University told Medical Xpress, "our results establish S1PR1 as a good target for developing new therapies, creating a new class of non-narcotic pain-killers."
Belfast Harbour has announced a 15m plan to redevelop the port's Victoria Terminal 2 (VT2), which services cross-water traffic between the city and Liverpool.

The terminal is being upgraded to handle the next generation of modern RoRo (roll-on, roll-off) ferry vessels. The terminal currently handles more than 200,000 freight units annually between Belfast and Liverpool.

Co Down firm Graham has been awarded the contract, which is expected to sustain around 100 jobs in the construction phase through to the installation of new ramp infrastructure.

That infrastructure will accommodate the berthing of Stena Line's new E-Flexer ships.

The vessels, set to arrive from China in 2020, have an increased freight capacity of 40%.

Belfast Harbour said that the 15m plan represented the latest instalment of its long-term investment strategy in port infrastructure.

It follows a 1.5m investment that increased VT2's land-side capacity, improving its entrance and accessibility in preparation for the arrival of the new vessels early next year.

Belfast Harbour port director Michael Robinson said: "The upgrade of the VT2 ferry terminal represents another significant investment by Belfast Harbour in Northern Ireland's transport infrastructure and will provide best-in-class facilities for Northern Ireland's importers and exporters.

"The project includes the design and construction of a two-tier ramp that will make it faster to load and discharge traffic, improve customers' experience and enhance connectivity to one of Northern Ireland's key markets.

"By supporting the introduction of larger vessels, the investment also future-proofs Belfast Harbour's ferry facilities and strengthens our long-term partnership with Stena Line."

The work is expected to start next month and finish early next year.

Stephen Hand, pre-construction director at Graham, said: "This major project will include new berthing infrastructure and the installation of a new double deck linkspan that will allow vehicles to drive simultaneously onto the ferry. The berthing facilities at VT2 need to be upgraded to accommodate bigger vessels.

"This project will create new berthing infrastructure and enable efficient vehicle access to ships."
Danske Bank has confirmed it will continue to sponsor Northern Ireland's largest technology and digital event, Digital DNA, for another two years.

Taking place in Belfast's St George's Market on June 18 and 19, Digital DNA brings together experts and delegates from different industries and sectors to explore the potential of digital technology in their organisations, share knowledge and overcome challenges. More than 3,000 delegates from the global tech community are expected to attend next month's event in Belfast.

Danske Bank became the event's exclusive financial services partner last year in an initial one-year deal.
Queen's University Belfast's Centre for Secure Information Technologies has hosted the ninth Annual World Cyber Security Summit.

The event brought businesses, researchers and industry leaders from around the world to QUB's Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology.

The summit, which took place yesterday and on Wednesday, heard that the cyber security industry in Northern Ireland was on course to generate salaries worth more than 70m each year.

The sector also employs almost 1,700 people.
Co Down construction firm Graham has won a 46m contract to build two new train stations and upgrade a third as part of the delay-hit London Crossrail scheme.

Europe's biggest infrastructure project was due to open in December 2018 but has been hit by setbacks and spiralling costs, pushing the date back to 2020 or even 2021.

Originally expected to cost 14.8bn, Crossrail has cost 17.6bn to date.

The completed project, known as the Elizabeth Line, will eventually span a 60-mile distance - much of it underground - connecting Reading in the west with Shenfield in Essex via the centre of London.

Hillsborough-based Graham will build two of the 41 stations that the line will eventually service. The projects are in West Ealing and at the Acton Main Line station.

The Northern Ireland firm has also signed a contract to significantly remodel Ealing Broadway station.

All three schemes are located on the Great Western Main Line section of the project, falling under the Crossrail West Enhanced Stations Phase 2 programme.

Graham has been tasked with maintaining full service during the 18-month programme.

The Co Down company said the work for Network Rail would start immediately, with completion scheduled for late 2020.

Transport for London will run the new line.

Graham's rail director Jonny Kerr said: "We are delighted to have been appointed to this nationally important infrastructure project, which will help transform rail transport in London and the south-east.

"Our selection is recognition of the collaborative relationship which we have developed with Network Rail.

"It also demonstrates our reputation for delivering excellence in the rail sector, having recently completed a number of schemes, including Bellenden and Westdown Bridges.

"Currently, we are completing transformative projects, such as the Scarborough Train Care Facility and Portrush Train.

"We are proud that our work on the Great Western Main Line will help to provide a step-change in public transport for the people of Ealing."

Graham will be building new stations at West Ealing and at the Acton Main Line hub.

The work includes interior fit-out, telecommunications, step-free access between platforms and street level and the provision of windows within the ticket office.

The Ealing Broadway scheme involves the construction of a new curved canopy, new glass structures, a new entrance and a ticket hall with capacity for 17 standard ticket gates and one wide gate.

It will also feature platform extensions to accommodate the new Elizabeth Line trains, four new lifts, improved staircases and new toilet facilities.

Network Rail project director Dave Crockett said: "With the enabling works already complete, the award of contracts for Ealing Broadway, West Ealing and the Acton Main Line stations will allow Network Rail and its new contractors to deliver these important station upgrades that are so eagerly awaited by local communities in west London."

Graham is the latest Co Down firm to be recruited into the Crossrail fold.

Dromore-based Environmental Fabrications has won a series of contracts linked to the major infrastructure scheme.

The firm, which employs around 50 people, has provided 300 tonnes of steel to Crossrail.

The company has also fitted gantry cranes, along with the additional structural support steel, jetties, access platforms and handrails to sites in east London and Kent to help transport concrete segments that will be used to line the new rail tunnels underneath London.

Environmental Fabrications set up a new workshop factory in Haverill, Suffolk, on the back of the work.

Meanwhile the knock-on impact of the Crossrail delays were highlighted this week when it emerged that 479 train drivers had been on the payroll for two years at a cost of 25m a year, despite most services not yet being open.
A Belfast businesswoman whose young son is mixed raced has hit out at racist attacks on the new royal baby.

Orla McKeating said yesterday she was "shocked to the core" by reports that proud parents Meghan and Harry, who unveiled son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to the world on Wednesday, had been attacked by racist trolls online.

Orla's six-year-old son Elliott recently suffered racist abuse.

Yesterday BBC radio broadcaster Danny Baker was sacked after being accused of posting a racist tweet about baby Archie.

Read More

Orla (36), who runs a coffee shop in south Belfast, said she knows how it feels to be the victim of racism and urged teachers and parents to have a conversation with children about the problem.

"The birth of the new royal baby has brought up racism and in 2019 it should not be an issue, but unfortunately it is," she said.

"We have so many different cultures now living in Northern Ireland and it is something we should welcome.

"The world is not white, Catholic or Protestant. We share it with everyone and that should be an easy concept to accept. We should respect each other."

Single parent Orla met her son's father, who is from the Congo, while living in Belgium, where she spent 10 years.

The couple split up and Orla returned home to Belfast to have her son in 2012.

"Elliott's father is Congolese and when Elliott was born he was very dark," she said.

"People used to just stare at me and stare at him and it was so obvious. I don't think that most people meant to be that indiscreet."

"Now that Elliott is a bit older, he is experiencing racism among other children. One child recently said he couldn't play because his skin was black and another of his peers told him that he was adopted and I got him in an orphan shop.

"It makes me really afraid for him and I think it is a conversation that needs to be had by parents and teachers with children.

"From the age of two, children have an understanding and we should be talking to them.

"It really upsets me and it makes me more determined to make Elliott aware and to become a more resilient person.

"I don't want him to think that is the norm and it certainly motivates me to try and bring about change and progress. I am confident it will happen."

Orla urged people on Facebook to have conversations to help change perceptions and insisted she believes Harry and Meghan will help bring about that change.

"It is really chilling and scary that people are attacking a new royal baby and it just shows that there is a lot still to be done to tackle racism," she said.

"I think that it's great there is more ethnicity in the royal family and I think it is a great reflection on Harry as a person.

"It will be a long road, but we all need to work together to address the problem."
The economy of Northern Ireland is predicted to shrink by 3.3% or 1.7bn over the next decade if the UK leaves under a Customs Union arrangement (stock photo)

Leaving the EU but staying in the Customs Union will cost everyone in Northern Ireland more than 900 a year compared to remaining, according to a report by an economic think tank.

The economy of Northern Ireland is predicted to shrink by 3.3% or 1.7bn over the next decade if the UK leaves under a Customs Union arrangement.

That works out as a loss of 906 for everyone living in Northern Ireland, based on the current population size, according to an independent study by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR).

The report warns that - while inflicting half the damage of a no-deal Brexit - a Customs Union arrangement would not be pain-free.

The overall UK economy would shrink about 3% or 80bn per year, NIESR analysis shows, and even after savings from contributions to the EU budget, the Government would have 13bn a year less to spend on public services. Across the UK, people would be an average of 800 a year worse off.

Filling the shortfall would mean public service cuts, higher borrowing or tax rises equivalent to 2.5p on the basic rate of income tax, the think tank said.

Speaking at the report launch, People's Vote campaigner and Conservative MP Sam Gyimah said a Labour-Tory "stitch-up" would not quash support for Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party.

He said: "I fear that even if the Government and Labour can agree a Customs Union deal, it will do nothing to break the spell that Nigel Farage has currently cast on British politics.

"The report shows that, far from solving this deeply vexed question... a deal that results in people being poorer and having less control is hardly a solution."

Mr Gyimah, who quit his post as universities minister over Theresa May's handling of Brexit, appealed for a "clear-eyed, fact-driven and sober" review of Brexit, instead of the "fire and fury" of Mr Farage's rallies "selling people unicorns".

The East Surrey MP noted Mr Farage had "stopped making the argument for Brexit" by refusing to set out any policies in his European election manifesto.

"He never tells us about why Brexit makes sense any more, he never tells us about the great opportunities that Brexit will deliver any more," he said. "The only argument he has standing is that there was a vote and we cannot go back on that vote, but nobody is saying go back on that vote, we are saying... give the people a final say."
The family of two west Belfast sisters who died weeks apart have said they feel "destroyed" by the loss and have made an emotional plea for greater access to addiction and mental health services.

The funeral of mother of five Geraldine McKay (28) will take place today after she was found dead in her Suffolk Road home on May 4.

This comes just weeks after the funeral of her sister Bridget McKay (30), who has four children and was found dead in her flat in the New Lodge area on April 11.

Both suffered drug-related deaths, robbing nine children of their mothers.

The family previously suffered tragedy with the death of their mother Catherine.

Yesterday their sister Sinead McKay (18) and her father Edward's partner Clare Rea spoke to the Belfast Telegraph from the family home.

"They were very caring and kind, over-protective of all of us," said Sinead.

Clare added: "They were the loveliest, happiest girls going and they just got into this bad habit.

"It can happen to any child at any time.

"We don't know the facts about how it started with them, but once it got a hold of them it wouldn't let go.

"We tried so many times to help them and they begged for help from everywhere.

"Their father and I had Bridget at one hospital. They wanted to sign her in to the psychiatric ward, but she didn't live in the right area.

"It's stupid things like this that need to be dealt with."

On another occasion they said Bridget had threatened to kill herself but was told that as she was not at rock bottom she should come back in six months.

Geraldine had also started to struggle when she suffered from post-natal depression following the birth of her first child.

Sinead agreed that too many people battling addictions and mental health issues found the process of getting treatment too difficult. "They want help, they want signed in, but they're turned away too often," she said.

"There's usually a six-month wait. It shouldn't be like that - it should be straight away.

"It can change a family and it destroys a family. You don't see the same person anymore."

Breaking into tears, Clare urged people using drugs to think about the hurt caused to loved ones.

"Once they start, their family can see them deteriorating in front of their eyes," she said.

"And no matter what the family try to do, once the drugs get a hold of them it's just too hard. Don't take them - you have to fight and say no.

"We wouldn't wish this on anybody. We just hope to God someone will see this and catch themselves on and tell all these drug dealers to p*** off."

Both said the wider family would now be rallying around to support the sisters' nine children. "They loved them with all their hearts, there's no denying that," said Clare.

With Geraldine's funeral taking place today, Clare said the family were still overwhelmed at losing Bridget.

"I think everyone's still in shock because no one has come to terms with the first sister's death," she said. "It's just tragic and it needs to stop.

"The Government needs to get something into gear to get the kids off this s*** before it gets too far.

"It's not fair on Sinead or their children, and no man should have to bury his children. It's against the law of nature and it shouldn't happen. All we want is for someone to listen.

"They were two beautiful wee girls and it's such a waste of life."

The funeral mass for Geraldine McKay takes place today at 1pm in St Michael The Archangel Church followed by a service at Roselawn Crematorium at 3pm.

Donations in lieu of flowers have been requested for Addiction NI.
Head of the Talent and Success Foundation Elena Shmeleva and Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev told Russian President Vladimir Putin about their plans for the integrated development of the Sirius educational center.

The Sirius center is planned to be transformed into an educational campus, Shmeleva said. For his part, Putin noted that there are more than 30 hectares that can be provided in the framework of the Sirius center development, TASS reports.
Robert Cunningham (centre) with his solicitor Kevin Winters (left) and Paul O'Connor from the Pat Finucane Centre (right). Credit: Press Eye

The family of a Co Donegal teenager murdered by loyalists 46 years ago has commenced High Court action over suspected security force collusion surrounding his killing.

Henry Cunningham, 16, was shot dead in August 1973 when UVF gunmen ambushed a van he was travelling home in.

His brothers, Robert and Herbert, were also among workmen of mixed religion in the vehicle attacked on the M2 motorway near Randalstown, Co Antrim.

They are suing the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after it emerged that a weapon used in the killing had been stolen from an army base.

As the case came before the High Court in Belfast for the first time, Robert Cunningham travelled from his home in Carndonagh to attend the hearing.

An emotional Mr Cunningham insisted the family want answers to the circumstances which led to his brother's killing.

"There was never a proper inquest and we feel that we have been let down by our own (the Irish) government," The 66-year-old said outside court.

"What really annoys me is that the authorities north and south would let my mother and father go to their graves without an investigation, nobody did anything."

No one has ever been prosecuted for his brother's murder.

Weeks after the teenager died an inquest was held, returning an open verdict.

In 2008, an Historical Enquiries Team (HET) report said that one of the guns used had been stolen from a UDR base in Lurgan, Co Armagh.

Backed by lobby group The Pat Finucane Centre, the Cunninghams are suing the MoD for alleged misfeasance in public office and negligence.

They claim the defendant was aware that guns under its control were being lost or stolen but failed to take any action.

Papers lodged in the case further allege the MoD knew or suspected that UDR personnel were involved in taking the weapons that could be used by loyalist terror groups.

The case was adjourned amid attempts to secure further discovery of relevant documents.

Outside court Mr Cunningham's solicitor, Kevin Winters, said: "Without documents families alleging State collusion can't begin to get any form of justice for their loved ones.

"Today is the first step for the Cunningham family to get discovery of MoD material that will hopefully provide answers to the killing of their brother nearly half a century ago."

Paul O'Connor from the Pat Finucane Centre added: "This family is taking a challenge to the massive failure of the Ministry of Defence's duty of care to keep their weapons safe."
A former US senator who guided talks leading to the Belfast Agreement has said current political leaders are capable of resolving their differences.

George Mitchell, 85, was speaking ahead of travelling to Northern Ireland next week to receive an award for his contribution to the peace process.

Read More

The Maine politician spent five years in Northern Ireland in the 1990s helping political leaders to reach the Belfast Agreement.

Expand Close Senator George Mitchell, chairman of the All Party Talks with General John De Chastelain and Harri Horkeri in the 1990s (Brian Little/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Senator George Mitchell, chairman of the All Party Talks with General John De Chastelain and Harri Horkeri in the 1990s (Brian Little/PA)

Twenty years on, he said the job ahead of politicians now is less challenging than it was then.

Northern Ireland has been without devolved government for over two years.

The last DUP/Sinn Fein-led power-sharing coalition imploded in January 2017 when the late Martin McGuinness quit as Sinn Fein deputy first minister amid a row about a botched green energy scheme.

Expand Close A view of parliament buildings at Stormont in Belfast where devolved government has not sat for over two years. (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A view of parliament buildings at Stormont in Belfast where devolved government has not sat for over two years. (Brian Lawless/PA)

The fallout over the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was soon overtaken by disputes over the Irish language, the regions ban on same-sex marriage and the toxic legacy of the Troubles.

Six previous talks initiatives to restore devolution have failed to find consensus.

Political talks resumed last week in a fresh bid to restore power sharing.

They were convened shortly after a priest urged political leaders to act as he conducted the funeral of journalist Lyra McKee who was killed by dissident republicans in Londonderry.

Mr Mitchell urged political leaders to reach agreement.

My hope is that the current political leaders in Northern Ireland will be able to summon the same degree of courage and vision that their predecessors summoned 21 years ago when they did enter into the Good Friday Agreement and at least get past this set of problems, move to the future, particularly in restoring self government to Northern Ireland, the way that I think the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland want, he said.

I think they are struggling in a complex social and political environment facing many of the same issues that are in the US, the UK, many of the European countries, and it isnt easy to be a political leader, particularly in a democratic society these days.

Mr Mitchell emphasised that politicians have an obligation to those who elected them.

I think they certainly ought to be capable of resolution now.Senator George Mitchell

So I am somewhat sympathetic to the problems they have, but I also think that nobody forced anyone to run for public office, and those who hold positions expend a lot of effort and money to get there, and once they are there they have some obligation to the people who elected them and the people who they serve to try and deal with the issues, he said.

I have to say that while I understand that these are hard issues, if you mention them against the complexity, difficulty and the prior violence of those who were dealing with issues in 1988, I think they certainly ought to be capable of resolution now, and in a way that moves society forward.

And I think the political parties that are able to do that will benefit from it, I think the people of Ireland want to govern themselves, I dont think they want a permanent situation of an inactive Assembly.

Mr Mitchell will receive an honorary award for leadership and peace building in Northern Ireland from CO3, the leadership organisation for the third sector, next week.

Nora Smith, chief executive of CO3, said they want to honour Mr Mitchell and also take inspiration from him.

With no government in place and all the uncertainty and division that Brexit is causing, we need strong leaders to bring us together more than ever, she said.

When we look back at what Senator Mitchell played such a leading part in achieving, his extraordinary ability to bring people together seems even more remarkable.

We owe him a great debt of gratitude and we need leaders like that today.
Residents in Craigavon have been left shocked after a man and woman escaped a gun attack.

Shots were fired at a property in the Parkmore area of Craigavon around 1.45am yesterday.

A bullet hole could be seen in a window of the house while a car parked outside was also hit twice.

A man and a woman were inside at the time but were not injured.

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley condemned it as "an irresponsible act" with "complete disregard" for life.

"It beggars belief that so shortly after the death of Lyra McKee, caused by the careless firing of rounds in a crowd, we have someone firing shots towards a house and a car in a residential area," he said.

"I would say very clearly to those responsible that regardless which banner they claim to act under, what cause they claim or who they were targeting there is no justification for this action.

"The people of Craigavon do not want guns on the streets.

"I would appeal to anyone with information on the shooting to contact the PSNI, before someone loses their life."

SDLP councillor Thomas Larkham called it a reckless and unjustified attack.

"Parkmore is a relatively quiet area and people are rightly concerned by this," he said.

"I can't say if it's linked but there has been quite a number of other attacks in the central Craigavon area."

This includes an incident in March when a pipe bomb was pushed through the letter box of a house in the Burnside area while a 65-year-old woman was inside.

"It's a very worrying trend," said Mr Larkham.

"We will be seeking an urgent meeting with police to see what can be done.

"A bullet can go anywhere, it's fortunate no one was injured in this attack. We could have been waking up to a very different scenario."

He added: "The good people of the Craigavon area are shocked and deeply concerned this has happened in their community. Those responsible must be taken off our streets and I would appeal to anyone with any information to contact the PSNI."

Appealing for information, Chief Inspector Jon Burrows said: "Did you see any suspicious persons or vehicles in the vicinity of Parkmore in the early hours of this morning? Do you have any information that could assist detectives with their enquiries? If so, please contact detectives at Lurgan on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 64, May 9, 2019.

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime."
Vigils were held for Ian Ogle after his murder.

A man is to appear in court on Friday charged with the murder of Ian Ogle.

Mr Ogle, 45, died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times by up to five men shortly after praying with a pastor near his Cluan Place home in east Belfast on January 27.

Police have linked the killing to a long-running feud between the victim's family and others in the area.

Three men have now been charged with murder.

A 40-year-old will appear in court on Friday. As is usual procedure the charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).

The man is also being reported to the PPS for attempted intimidation.
Ian Ogle died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times in the back near his home

A 40-year-old man was remanded in custody today accused of murdering Belfast community worker Ian Ogle.

Mark Sewell appeared before the city's Magistrates Court after being charged by detectives investigating the killing.

Mr Ogle, 45, was beaten and stabbed 11 times by up to five men shortly after praying with a pastor near his Cluan Place home in east Belfast on January 27.

Police have linked the killing to a long-running feud between the victim's family and others in the area.

Sewell, of Aigburth Park in Belfast, is the third man to be charged with the murder.

Expand Close Ian Ogle died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times in the back near his home / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Ian Ogle died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times in the back near his home

Friends and relatives of the victim, including his widow Vera and children, packed the public gallery for the accused's appearance.

Flanked by prison guards, he was led into the dock in handcuffs.

Asked if he understood the murder charge against him, Sewell replied: "Yes."

A detective sergeant involved in the investigation said he could connect Sewell to the alleged offence.

With no questions put to the detective during the brief hearing, defence solicitor Andrew Russell confirmed his client was not seeking bail at this stage.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay remanded Russell in custody to appear again by video link next week.

Meanwhile, police said the accused is also to be reported to the Public Prosecution Service for alleged attempted intimidation.
Controversial plans for a peace and reconciliation centre at the former Maze prison site have been dropped, according to UUP European election candidate Danny Kennedy.

In the past, unionists have expressed concerns that development plans could lead to a "shrine to terrorism" at the site of the IRA hunger strikes.

Mr Kennedy said senior officials from the Maze/Long Kesh Development Corporation broke the news at a briefing to the UUP on Wednesday.

"While the news that the Development Corporation has removed the so-called Peace Building and Conflict Reconciliation Centre from their plans is welcome, it is an outrage that the corporation has been left without political direction for nearly six long years," he said.

"It is time to take the handcuffs off the Development Corporation and allow them to push ahead with what should be the single most important economic initiative we have."

The Maze/Long Kesh Development Corporation did not respond to comment requests last night.

However, the Executive Office, the Stormont body responsible, insisted no decisions had been taken about any proposed changes to the plan.

But former UUP leader Mike Nesbitt MLA, who was also present at the top-level briefing, was adamant that the plan was now off the table.

"I was told explicitly that the board had unanimously decided to park the plan for the Peace Building centre - that it was no longer part of the development strategy," the MLA said.

"It may not be agreed at Executive Office level, but it is not part of the Maze Long/Kesh Development Corporation's revised plans for the site."

Earlier this week, The Irish News reported Sinn Fein were granted access to the Maze site last summer after deputy leader Michelle O'Neill expressed concerns that the former prison hospital wing, where the hunger strikers died, had deteriorated.

In 2013, then First Minister Peter Robinson angered Sinn Fein by vetoing the centre, and 18m in EU peace funding earmarked for the project had to be redistributed.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the DUP had always supported development of the Maze site as a shared space.

"The behaviour of republicans however meant there could be no consensus and the development of a peace centre would actually be a source of division," he said.

"One of the reasons we need an Executive is to take forward development of a site which has the potential for thousands of jobs and [to] significantly boost the Northern Ireland economy."

Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said: "A huge opportunity was lost when the DUP bowed to pressure from other unionist parties not to develop the site.

"Now, just two days into a talks process, Danny Kennedy and the UUP seemed interested only in welcoming a decision to renege on yet what was another agreement and a Programme for Government commitment.

"The regeneration of the Long Kesh site retains huge potential to create jobs and boost the economy. The buildings which remain on the Long Kesh site are listed and will be part of the development of the rest of the site."
Solicitors for the defendants said they had been told in January that all forensic reports would be ready by March and added the delay was concerning (stock photo)

A District Judge has raised questions over whether the Forensic Science Service sees murders in Belfast as a higher priority than those in Londonderry.

Barney McElholm made his criticism yesterday in Londonderry Magistrates' Court during a video link appearance by three men charged with the murder of 52-year-old Edward Meenan.

Mr Meenan died of multiple stab wounds in the city following an incident in Creggan Street on November 25 last year.

The accused are Ryan Walters (20), from Crawford Square; Sean Rodgers (31), from the Little Diamond; and Derek Creswell (27), of no fixed abode.

All three have been in custody in Maghaberry Prison since their arrests last November.

Updating the court on the case, a solicitor for the Public Prosecution Service said that a port-mortem report was available, a report on knives and sewer rods would be available in four weeks and other reports in relation to footwear and fingerprints would not be available for at least another two months.

Solicitors for the defendants said they had been told in January that all forensic reports would be ready by March and added the delay was concerning.

The judge said the criminal justice system was abdicating its responsibility for this type of case. Mr McElholm added that once reports went to the Forensic Science Service, there was not a lot the courts could do.

He said that while the delay could be an issue caused by a lack of resources, he was unsure and claimed that until the courts were given some control over the service, there was nothing he could do.

Mr McElholm said until the courts had the power to "drag people down here and ask them how they decide their priorities", the delays could continue.

"I don't know how they set priorities," he added. "Does a murder in Belfast take priority over a murder in Derry?

"Surely a murder case should be a priority. How they decide these things is a complete mystery. The only thing we can say is they are taking far too long."

The case against two of the defendants, Walters and Creswell, was adjourned until June 6.

The case against Rodgers was adjourned until May 20 for a contested bail application.
The projected rise in cancer cases represents one of the biggest challenges facing Northern Ireland's health service, Chief Nursing Officer Charlotte McArdle warned yesterday.

Professor McArdle has been appointed chair of the Department of Health steering group tasked with developing a new 10-year cancer strategy for Northern Ireland.

She is to bring forward her cancer strategy by June 2020.

Speaking ahead of a meeting at Stormont today to discuss the way forward on the strategy, Professor McArdle said: "The projections for the future make stark reading.

"In the period 2009-2013, there were 4,347 male and 4,175 female cases of cancer diagnosed each year here.

"By 2026, this figure is expected to rise by 43% for men and by 40% for women, reaching approximately 6,200 and 6,000 cases per year respectively.

"The anticipated growth in the incidence of cancer is directly attributable to the fact that people are living longer.

"It is imperative that we act now to meet the challenge.

"A fully comprehensive new strategy for the period 2020 to 2030 will help us direct our skilled workforce and resources most effectively.

"It is very clear we will need to identify new ways of working.

"The development of a new strategy is very much part of the transformation agenda for health and social care."

Department of Health Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly announced in March that a new cancer strategy is to be commissioned.

Mr Pengelly said yesterday: "The department's appointment of the Chief Nursing Officer as chair of the steering group underlines the priority we are attaching to this work.

"In keeping with the principles of co-production, today's meeting is a first step in engaging with a wide range of people on the new strategy.

"This is a genuine partnership approach which seeks to bring people together to find shared solutions and the best outcomes for patients and their families.

"We have made great strides in tackling cancer over the last decade and I wish to see that progress continue.

"There is much more we need to do and a new strategy will help us to do that.

"It is intended that the strategy will be completed by June 2020."

Roisin Foster, chief executive of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, said: "We are very pleased to be involved in discussions about the new cancer strategy.

"I believe it is vitally important for everyone involved, from patients and their carers, charities and other health professionals, to give their views on how to improve services and ensure the best outcome for patients.

"Undoubtedly there is a lot of work to be done but this new strategy is urgently needed.

"Research by the Cancer Registry NI indicates that the incidence of cancer will be over 60% by 2035, so we need to plan now on how to deal with this situation.

"We need our MLAs to carry forward and implement the necessary changes and we'd very much like to see them back at Stormont," the charity chief said.

News of the cancer strategy plan comes just a day after Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride called for people to make their voices heard over changes to breast cancer services. He said making no change "was not a realistic or responsible option" and that spreading resources too thinly could make services vulnerable to collapse.

Dr McBride said services needed to be strengthened for the future.
A tireless Tyrone fundraiser has been honoured by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Claire O'Hanlon, who chairs Muscular Dystrophy UK's Northern Ireland council, has raised money for different Duchenne charities since her son Luke was diagnosed with the muscle-wasting condition aged just 13 months in 2012.

Through their Coalisland family fund, Leap for Luke, Claire has organised an enormous number of volunteering and fundraising events.

After receiving her MBE, she said: "I feel very humbled to have received the award when I know that there are so many others who work tirelessly for the Duchenne community.

"This award isn't for me but for my whole family and everyone who has supported us on this journey.

"I hope that it will strengthen my position as an advocate for the Duchenne community."
A peace anthem sung for the first time at a rally in Londonderry for murdered journalist Lyra McKee has reached number one on the iTunes World Music Charts.

Former X Factor star Conor McGinty recorded Moving On (No Going Back) as part of the Pathway to Peace Initiative spearheaded by Presbyterian minister Rev David Latimer. The song, inspired by hundreds of peace messages written by school children from the nine counties of Ulster, was recorded by Conor shortly before Ms McKee was shot dead by the New IRA in Derry on April 19.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr McGinty said: "Rev Latimer approached me quite a while back about the idea of a peace anthem as part of his Pathways to Peace initiative and I was only too happy to be part of this. He sent me the messages written by all the school children and the one recurring theme was the desire of the young people to move on and that there would be no going back to the dark days.

"For a long time I, along with my music producer Eamon Karran, worked on putting something together but it was never quite right. So I sent a song I had written called Love Emerges to Ben Kelly from The Voice UK and he re-worked it and came back with Moving On (No Going Back). I knew right away it was perfect and David Latimer agreed so we recorded it in Dublin about six weeks ago.

"A week before the murder of Lyra we got it back and last week at the Sing for Peace event, which was organised by Dr Nicola Herron, we were asked to launch it at the rally."
The United States administration doesn't want war with Iran, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, but he warned Tehran of a "swift and decisive" US response to any attack.

Iran "has engaged in an escalating series of threatening actions and statements in recent weeks. The response of the United States and our partners and allies has been clear: We do not seek war," Pompeo said in a statement.

He noted that "Irans forty years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities, and taking American hostages" is a constant reminder that the U.S. must defend ourselves.

But the Secretary of State stressed that Iran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against U.S. interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive response, CNN reported.
Police have issued a missing persons alert for a child who has not been seen in three days.

Patrick Connors from Warrenpoint was last seen in Newry on May 7.

On Friday evening police said they were concerned for his wellbeing.

"We believe he is with extended family but need to confirm this. We are appealing for anyone who knows of his whereabouts to call us on 101," said a police sergeant on Twitter.
A west Belfast man who denies being Britain's former top spy inside the IRA is potentially facing more than 30 lawsuits, the High Court heard yesterday.

Writs have been issued against Freddie Scappaticci (72) in 24 separate cases, with legal action also threatened by a further seven individuals over alleged kidnappings and interrogations.

The litigation was revealed as police sought to protect material produced by a major probe into the notorious agent codenamed Stakeknife.

Bedfordshire Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, who is heading the Operation Kenova investigation, believes he has uncovered evidence of criminal wrongdoing by both IRA and security force members. A judge was told he now intends to submit a report for consideration on potential prosecutions either by the end of the year or early in 2020.

Scappaticci left Northern Ireland in 2003 after he was widely named in the media as Stakeknife, a British agent linked to dozens of murders. Before quitting his home, he vehemently denied being the spy while in charge of the IRA's internal security team, the so-called 'nutting squad'.

He is being sued, along with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the PSNI, by Newry woman Margaret Keeley. She alleges that she was wrongfully arrested and held at Castlereagh police station in 1994 following an IRA attempt to murder a senior detective in east Belfast.

Mrs Keeley was released without charge but claims she was then taken to a flat in the New Lodge area of Belfast and questioned by an IRA team. Scappaticci was one of the men involved, according to her account.

In court yesterday, counsel for the MoD revealed the current total number of lawsuits against the alleged spy. Tony McGleenan QC said: "There are 31 claims. Some have taken the form of correspondence [but] 24 writ actions have been issued. All of these name the second defendant [Scappaticci]."

Mr Justice Horner was told applications for closed material proceedings - so-called 'secret court hearings' - are being considered for some of the cases due to issues of national security.

Adjourning proceedings, Mr Justice Horner acknowledged potential delays.
The funeral of former Alliance Party deputy leader Seamus Close has taken place in Lisburn, five years to the day since he enjoyed his proudest moment in the same church.

Mr Close (71), who served as an MLA in Lagan Valley for nine years, died on Tuesday.

He had been diagnosed just six weeks ago with a rare form of liver cancer which failed to respond to treatment.

Parish priest, the Very Reverend Dermot McCaughan, told mourners at St Patrick's Church that the highlight of Mr Close's life had been in the very place his remains now lay, five years ago almost to the hour, when he had walked his daughter Natasha up the aisle.

"That was a great memory of his life," Fr McCaughan said.

"Grief is the memory created by love. Seamus had wonderful recollections of his family time and years spent together.

"One thing his family can draw some comfort from today is that Seamus was spared the anguish and pain of their passing. He never experienced a day without the love and presence of his family.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Family and friends at the funeral of Seamus Close in Lisburn yesterday Family and friends at the funeral of Seamus Close in Lisburn yesterday Seamus Close Alasdair McDonnell David Ford Alban Maginness Naomi Long / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Family and friends at the funeral of Seamus Close in Lisburn yesterday

"Six weeks ago, when he was diagnosed, he reflected calmly and poignantly on the cross he was about to carry at a time when he still had so much to live for.

"While it was anguish for his family, he told them to 'keep their chins up'.

"Seamus was a man of courage and integrity and we salute him for his inspiration, strength and grace. He resigned himself to God's will."

Mr Close (below) began his political career in his early 30s and was first elected to Lisburn Borough Council back in 1983 and in 1993-94 served as the borough's first non-unionist mayor.

He also served as an Assembly member for Lagan Valley from 1998 until 2007.

Over three decades he held a number of roles in Alliance, including party chair between 1981 and 1982 and deputy leader from 1991 until 2001 when he resigned, citing differences with the leadership of Sean Neeson.

He retired from politics in 2006, having contested 20 elections over a 33-year period.

After his retirement he became a regular contributor to a range of political programmes on the broadcast media.

Among those attending his funeral yesterday were Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and former leader David Ford.

Mr Close is survived by his wife Deirdre, children Christopher, Brian, Stephen and Natasha.

In a statement, the Close family said: "It is hard not to feel cheated or robbed of the hopes and dreams we had planned for the years ahead as a family, however it gives us great comfort to hear all the kind words from others who knew Seamus as a man of the people, who prided himself on his integrity and honesty.

"Most people will remember Seamus as a formidable, passionate politician, who connected with people from all walks of life to help bridge political divides and build a better, more peaceful future for Northern Ireland.

"To us, however, Seamus was the greatest family man you can imagine.

"He was a doting grandfather to Thomas, Rory and little Emily, and provided his four children and wife Deirdre, with a lifetime of happy, loving memories that will continue to live on in our hearts.

"Seamus' greatest achievement in life was his family first, and his political career second.

"We couldn't have asked for a more loving, caring husband and father. For that we will always be grateful.

"In true Seamus Close spirit, he fought his illness with the same dignity, courage and determination he had during the peace talks 20 years ago, right until the very end.

"In his final moments he was surrounded by us, his family, where he used the last bit of strength he had left to whisper: I love you."

His funeral took place from his home on Moira Road, Lisburn and following Requiem Mass in St Patrick's Lisburn, his remains were buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery.
A 40-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a Belfast community worker.

Ian Ogle, 45, died in January after he was attacked while standing praying with a pastor on a street near his home in Cluan Place in the east of the city.

On Friday morning, Mark Sewell, 40, of Aigburth Park, Belfast, became the third person to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court charged with his murder.

Members of the Ogle family, including Mr Ogles partner, son and daughter, watched on from the public gallery as Mr Sewell appeared in the dock handcuffed and wearing a grey jumper.

He indicated he understood the single charge of murder when it was put to him.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detective constable told the court he believes he can connect the accused with the charge.

District Judge Liam McStay heard that if a bail application is to be made, then police will be notified.

Mr Sewell will next appear in court by video link on May 15.

The murder sparked outrage among the community and thousands attended a vigil in his honour as well as his funeral.

Tributes remain at the spot where he was killed, including a Justice for Ian Ogle banner.
One of the world's top ghostbusters - who helped a Catholic family in Belfast rid their home of a chain-smoking, hardline Ulster Unionist spectre - has died.

Self-styled clairvoyant Lorraine Warren and her demonologist husband Ed were once billed as America's leading exorcists and their work inspired horror films such as Amityville Horror and The Conjuring.

But one of the most bizarre cases the couple investigated was in 2004 and involved the Fitzpatrick family who were convinced they were being haunted by a bigot from the past.

Law student Nathan Fitzpatrick has previously explained why he believed the strange smells and scary noises in the Victorian property in north Belfast were caused by Richard Dawson Bates.

"Bates was a chain-smoker," he said.

"And we've all smelt tobacco smoke in this house, but none of us smoke."

After partition in 1921, Bates became minister of home affairs and controlled the RUC and B Specials.

He made no secret of his hatred and suspicion of Catholics.

According to author Chris Ryder he was "an uncompromising bigot" who distrusted all Catholics and said they needed to be "neutralised in every conceivable way".

Nathan and his twin brother believe Bates began stirring up trouble after they brought a ouija board home as part of a film studies project.

"One time I was walking out of the TV room carrying a pint full of water and the glass exploded in my hand," Carl recalled.

The family called in the "religious demonologist" and "ghost hunter" who quickly replaced the ouija board with a crucifix.

But 10 years ago the paranormal activity returned with a vengeance, luring Warren back to the city - without Ed who passed away in 2006 - to host a special "supernatural evening" at the house.

She was all too aware of the challenge she faced if it was indeed Bates who was responsible.

"I'm a Roman Catholic as well, so I hope he won't hold that against me," Warren said at the time.

The 92-year-old died peacefully in her sleep before being reunited with Ed in Stepney Village Cemetery in Monroe, Connecticut - an 18th century graveyard reputed to be haunted.
An American man arrested in Co Antrim over a drugs-related murder in Florida is resisting extradition amid fears he could spend the rest of his life in jail if convicted, the High Court has heard.

Jonah Horne, 24, is being sought in connection with the fatal shooting of Jacob Walsh three years ago.

In March a judge in Belfast ruled that he should be discharged from custody.

United States authorities are now appealing that decision in a further attempt to secure the extradition of Mr Horne over his alleged role in the murder.

Mr Walsh, 25, was shot outside apartments at North Military Trail, Boca Raton on June 7, 2016.

His killing was associated with an apparent drug deal, according to reports at the time.

A previous court heard claims that Horne's DNA, video and witness evidence links him to the murder, with the victim's blood said to have been found on a vehicle connected to the wanted man.

He was detained under a provisional warrant at a house on Drumard Drive, Lisburn in March 2017.

Since then, however, he has been fighting attempts to have him returned to the US.

Horne's lawyers have denied that he is a fugitive who fled following the fatal shooting.

Instead, they contended, he fell in love with a woman from Northern Ireland and travelled to be with her.

Central to his case is uncertainty surrounding any assurance from the Governor of Florida that he would serve no more than 40 years in prison if ultimately found guilty.

Lord Justice Deeny, hearing the appeal with Madam Justice McBride, cited a US Embassy note which referred to the possibility of a life sentence being imposed.

Counsel for Horne, David McDowell QC, argued that correspondence should be interpreted as his client facing the possibility of never being released.

Tony McGleenan QC, representing the American authorities, acknowledged a potential "ambiguity" in how one document had been worded.

Seeking an adjournment to clarify the issue, he said: "I'm not in a position to examine what that means; there's an obvious tension."

Following submissions the judges agreed to postpone the appeal to next month.

Horne was remanded back into custody until that further hearing.
A US woman who was raped by a teenager while hiking in a Belfast forest has welcomed a proposal to ban members of the public from rape trials, saying they should not be a "spectacle".

Winnie Li, who was assaulted in Colin Glen Forest Park in 2008, was speaking after Sir John Gillen published his review of how Northern Ireland's justice system deals with serious sexual offences.

The Gillen Review began last May, following the trial of former Ulster and Ireland rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding, who were acquitted of rape.

The former judge's report endorses about 250 changes, with 16 described as key. Most can be implemented without legislation; but some could be held up due to Stormont's suspension.

Among the recommendations is banning the public from attending rape trials in order to protect the complainant. The families of those involved would still be allowed to attend, along with members of the Press, to act as the eyes and ears of the public.

The review also considered the effect of social media.

"Jurors are hearing and reading matters that they should not be and the idea of protecting the anonymity of the complainant disappears," he said.

"The chances of the jury hearing completely prejudicial material is also something we have to address. Even if it's only two or three jurors hear this, that is enough to pollute the stream of justice, so I've made a huge number of recommendations about that."

Ms Li says banning public access to rape trials can significantly lessen the stress on both the alleged victim and perpetrator, and their families.

She said: "I am glad someone has finally taken the time to speak to victims and specialist organisations and realise that our insight and experiences can help create a fairer, more empathetic criminal justice system.

"Often the experiences of victims are pitied by the public and promptly forgotten.

"This report represents a chance for our perspectives to be taken seriously, to lead to positive change.

"If I had known the public was banned from attending the scheduled trial against my rapist, it would have made the lead-up to that more tolerable for me, at a time when I was very vulnerable, emotionally and psychologically.

"These trials should not be a public spectacle; they can be gruelling and intense ordeals for victims."

Former SDLP councillor Mairia Cahill, who claims she was sexually abused as a 16-year-old by an IRA member, said victims are "at the heart" of the Gillen review.

Having contributed to the report, Ms Cahill said: "Sir John Gillen has done extensive work by not just listening to victims of sexual violence but also hearing them.

"Part of his report refers to almost universal support for restricting access to the public from rape trials which is important for victims in terms of reducing stress and to stop them feeling as though they're objects on display.

"However, some legislative changes are going to be held up by the lack of an Executive, which is a shameful indictment of society when they are badly needed here."

Caroline Counihan from the Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) said there could be no justice unless survivors can be confident to proceed within the justice system knowing they will be treated with dignity, respect and sensitivity.

"If the recommendations within the Gillen Report are implemented they should go a long way towards that aim," she added.

SDLP policing and justice spokesperson Dolores Kelly said it was important that the recommendations are accepted in full, "as any cherry picking will undermine the report and what is trying to be achieved".

Sinn Fein victims' spokesperson Linda Dillon said: "Victims have been let down by the system for too long, and I'm hopeful that this report will be the first stage in ensuring that victims are supported and that justice is no longer impeded for victims."

Alliance councillor Kate Nicholl said: "Victims of rape and sexual assault deserve their dignity protected and justice served, and I am hopeful these recommendations will help do that."

A special group has now been set up by the Department of Justice to oversee the implementation of the Gillen Review.
New Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt has said it is a "personal priority" for her to ensure that service personnel are not unfairly pursued in relation to allegations of historical misbehaviour.

Ms Mordaunt's promise came after Conservative MP Johnny Mercer told Theresa May he would no longer support the Government in the Commons unless the prosecution of ex-servicemen and women ends.

A former British soldier is currently facing murder charges over the killing of two people on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, former Army officer Mr Mercer said he found the repeated investigations into allegations, some dating back decades, "personally offensive".

He said he was not prepared to vote for Government legislation, except on Brexit, until there were "clear and concrete steps" to end the "abhorrent process".

"As you know, the historical prosecution of our servicemen and women is a matter that is personally offensive to me. Many are my friends, and I am from their tribe," he wrote.

"These repeated investigations with no new evidence, the macabre spectacle of elderly veterans being dragged back to Northern Ireland to face those who seek to re-fight that conflict through other means, without any protection from the government who sent them almost 50 years ago, is too much.

"I will not be voting for any of the Government's legislative actions outside of Brexit until legislation is brought forward to protect veterans from being repeatedly prosecuted for historical allegations."

In a statement released shortly afterwards, Ms Mordaunt said: "This has dragged on for far too long and it is time for action. We owe it to those who take the greatest risk in the service of their nation.

"We will always hold our Armed Forces and the chain of command to account, but I want to ensure our service personnel are not going to be victims of unfounded allegations, as we saw in the case of IHAT (Iraq Historical Allegations Team) or pursued unfairly for events that took place decades ago. This is a personal priority for me."

Mr Mercer has campaigned against the pursuit of legacy cases from conflicts in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq since he entered Parliament in 2015.

DUP East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said Mr Mercer's move was "another sign of the frustration amongst MPs that elderly veterans who served in Northern Ireland are being hauled through police interviews with little or no support".

"Everyone should be equal under the law and equally subject to the law - we do not favour amnesties for anyone," he said.

"The on-the-run letters were an utter corruption of justice, as was the decision to throw open the prison doors and release people convicted of heinous crimes.

"Soldiers who were previously investigated should not be reinvestigated unless there is new evidence. The MoD should also ensure these mostly pensioners receive a defence fund so they can be properly represented.

"We have consistently raised this matter with the Government. Whilst they seem ready to progress a mechanism to help soldiers who served overseas, similar positive proposals have not been advanced for veterans who served here. Any mechanism which does not cater for soldiers who served in Northern Ireland is doomed to failure."

Mr Mercer's intervention will be seen in Westminster as further evidence of the Prime Minister's crumbling authority.

Responding to his letter, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We owe a debt of gratitude to the heroism and bravery of our Armed Forces.

"The issue of prosecutions of veterans is one we take extremely seriously and the Prime Minister is fully aware of the strength of feeling on this, both in Parliament and among the public.

"In relation to Northern Ireland prosecutions, we have been clear the system to investigate the past needs to change to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles and to ensure members of our Armed Forces are not disproportionately affected.

"This is why we have consulted widely. There are a very large number of responses to that consultation and we will be responding to those in due course."
A woman who learned her husband had been seriously injured in a loyalist bomb attack while she was in hospital can pursue a potentially landmark claim for damages, the High Court has ruled.

A judge dismissed an application to strike out 62-year-old Eileen O'Halloran's bid to secure compensation for the nervous shock she suffered at discovering her husband Martin was wounded by the blast in north Belfast in April 1975.

Lawyers for the PSNI and Ministry of Defence had argued that she did not meet the legal test for psychiatric injuries as a 'secondary victim' because she was neither at the scene nor witnessed the bombing.

But Master McCorry held that at this stage her claim remains arguable.

Mrs O'Halloran's legal representatives predicted the verdict could have wider implications for hundreds of others who weren't physically at the scene of terrorist atrocities during the Troubles.

Anurag Deb of KRW Law said: "This is a tragic case where our client was already suffering from the profound loss of her child when news of her husband's serious and life-threatening injuries caused her serious psychiatric injury.

"We say that the restrictions which the law has placed on secondary victims to claim for psychiatric injury in negligence claims should not apply to claims where an intentional harm was caused, as in this case."

Mrs O'Halloran is suing police and MoD over alleged state collusion with the bombers.

Her husband was injured in the bomb attack as he waited for a bus on the corner of Oldpark Road and Ballynure Street, close to the Hole in the Wall bar.

The court heard he identified one of the bombers who lit the fuse as Trevor King, a notorious UVF commander who was subsequently murdered by the INLA in 1994.

At the time of the explosion Mrs O'Halloran was a patient in the Mater Hospital in north Belfast, recovering from the loss of their child.

She has stated she overheard that a man identified as her husband had been badly wounded in the attack.

The news left her traumatised and caused a psychiatric injury, according to her case.

However, the defendants have denied her contention that they are responsible due to the alleged involvement of state agents in either the planning or implementation of the attack.

They also argued that she was not a primary victim and has no case for any psychiatric injury.

She did not suffer physical injury, was not directly involved in the bombing, and did not directly witness the attack or its immediate aftermath, it was claimed.

Ruling on the application to strike out the action, Master McCorry identified weaknesses in the plaintiff's case.

But he concluded: "The question is whether or not it is arguable, and with the reservations I have expressed I am compelled to conclude that at this stage it is arguable."
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed with permanent members of Russias Security Council the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) yesterday in the wake of Tehrans decision to suspend some of its commitments under the document, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"In the substantive part of the meeting, the situation around the JCPOA on Iran was discussed," the Kremlin spokesman said.

"The meeting also touched upon the escalation of tension in the Middle East," TASS cited him as saying.

The meetings participants also "exchanged their opinions on some essential issues of the internal Russian agenda," Peskov added.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood in front of his election bus in Belfast as he launches his bid to take one of the three Northern Irish seats in the European Parliament elections of 23rd of May. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

An anti-Brexit election battle bus highlighting the millions of euros transferred from Europe to Northern Ireland to support peace has been launched.

Nationalist SDLP leader Colum Eastwood is running in this months European Parliament poll.

He chose the Irish border near Londonderry to unveil a newly-liveried bus debunking the claims of Brexiteers before the referendum.

Expand Close SDLP leader Colum Eastwood in front of his election bus in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp SDLP leader Colum Eastwood in front of his election bus in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Eastwood said: People here believe in open borders, they believe in an open economy, they believe in open societies and they are totally against the message the DUP are sending.

They are trying to misrepresent us in a kind of a pro-Brexit position.

Well we dont accept that and I think this is the opportunity for people in Northern Ireland to send the most positive, anti-Brexit, pro-European candidate to the European Parliament to stop people misrepresenting what we stand for because we are a pro-European people and we intend to stay that way.

We found Boris big red bus and weve made a few changes. 



Yeoooooooo! https://t.co/luN4hEmqZM pic.twitter.com/f8p2c8x0v1  Martin McAuley  (@MartinMcAuley) May 8, 2019

The message painted on the bus characterised the May 23 election as a Peoples Vote in an echo of the second referendum demand of some Remainers.

It said the EU sent 500 million euros a year to Northern Ireland in peace process funding and other initiatives.

The slogan on the vehicle urged voters to take back control of their futures in another re-appropriation of Brexiteer arguments.

Mr Eastwood said he intended to send a message that people in Northern Ireland would not be dragged out of the EU against their will.

The Foyle Assembly member said it was a positive message about the blocs benefits for peace and the economy.

Weve found the big Red Bus!



Painted it proudly in our Pro EU colours, corrected the lies and printed the truth!



Europe sends us 500M a year!



Send Eastwood to Europe! #Jointhefightback pic.twitter.com/bJuuyO5KY5  Daniel McCrossan MLA  (@McCrossanMLA) May 8, 2019

Sinn Fein and the DUP are projected to take two of the three seats in Northern Ireland.

Mr Eastwood faces a three-way battle for the third place with the Ulster Unionists Danny Kennedy and the leader of the resurgent Alliance Party, Naomi Long.

Her centralist partys council representation grew dramatically in this months vote.

Mr Eastwood is also campaigning for unionist and nationalist votes.

He urged unionists to give him their number one vote to signal that they were not prepared to be dragged out of Europe against their wishes.

The DUP dont represent every unionist in Northern Ireland.

The DUP is pro-Brexit and frustrated Prime Minister Theresa Mays attempts to secure a withdrawal deal.

It fears the border backstop insurance policy keeping Northern Ireland trade regulations aligned with the Republic of Ireland could threaten the integrity of the UK.

Mr Eastwood said Northern Ireland should send two Remain voices to the European Parliament.

This is our peoples vote. This is our chance to send a clear, unambiguous, pro-European, anti-Brexit message to London and Europe.

That is what we can do on the 23rd of May.

I think we will do it and I look forward to the campaign.
Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said there has been "more than some movement" made in the talks aimed at restoring powersharing at Stormont.

Earlier this week, Mr Coveney, along with Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, met with the leaders of the five main parties to set out the framework for the talks.

It is understood the tone of the preliminary meeting was more positive than the last gathering of party leaders at the end of last year.

Read More

Six previous talks initiatives to restore devolution have failed to find consensus.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday, the Tanaiste said progress in the talks has already been made.

"Theres been more than some movement and when positive things happen, its important to recognise them," he said.

"We started a formal talks process and on Wednesday, we had whats called a British-Irish intergovernmental conference here in London. Yesterday and again today, we are seeing work streams, that all of the parties in Northern Ireland are part of.

Mr Coveney said the killing of journalist Lyra McKee last month showed "what happens in a vacuum where politics isnt working", and that needs to be corrected.

There is an acceptance amongst all political parties in Northern Ireland  nationalist and unionists and neither  that they have an obligation to try and make this process work, he added.

The British and Irish governments will work closely together to try and do some of the heavy lifting with the political parties that can change this within weeks, not months.

Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government for more than two years, when the then-Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness resigned over the DUP's handling of the botched RHI scheme.

Since then, several other issues have become sticking points in negotiations, most notably the implementation of an Irish language act and legislation on same-sex marriage.

A framework has been introduced for the latest round of talks, with five working groups set up to focus on the detail of the key issues at the heart of the impasse.

Agenda-setting and stock-taking meetings between the five leaders and two governments are also scheduled to be held at least once a week.
Kildare schoolgirl Ana Kriegel died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck and suffered a "very horrific death", a trial heard.

Retired State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy told the trial of two 14-year-old boys accused of murder that Ana was found dead in a derelict building a few days after she was reported missing.

She was naked and there was evidence she had been violently assaulted in the building where she was found.

The post-mortem showed Ana had suffered severe and extensive injuries, which were mostly confined to the head and neck.

Prof Cassidy also said that there was evidence of penetration or attempted penetration of the vagina. She identified more than 50 areas of injury on Ana's head and body.

In cross-examination, Prof Cassidy agreed with Boy B's lawyer that Ana had suffered a "very horrific death".

The two youths, aged 13 at the time, have pleaded not guilty before the Central Criminal Court to the murder of Ana Kriegel (14) at Glenwood House in Lucan, Co Dublin on May 14, 2018. Boy A has also denied a charge of aggravated sexual assault.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott told the jury that an application had been made to excuse the accused from attending during Prof Cassidy's testimony, and he had agreed to that application.

Prof Cassidy gave evidence that she was told Ana had been last seen at 5.30pm on May 14, 2018. A search had taken place in a local park between May 14 and May 17, and her body was located at 1pm that day.

Prof Cassidy said that she attended the derelict building where Ana's body was found.

The teenager was lying on her back and her arm was grasping a ligature on her neck. In cross-examination, Prof Cassidy agreed with Patrick Gageby SC, for Boy A, that there was no pathological evidence of ligature strangulation.

The jury also heard from a guidance counsellor who said Boy B emphasised to her "around 10 times" he was not the last person to see Ana on the day she disappeared.

The trial continues.
A woman who was raised in an orphanage has told of her joy after she was finally reunited with her 103-year-old mother.

Eileen Mackin (82) grew up in Dublin and knew nothing about the birth mum who gave her up for adoption during her childhood. She never gave up hope of meeting her though and desperately searched over many decades.

Eileen raised her plight on RTE's Liveline show last year, and a genealogist helped, but she believed there was little chance she was still alive.

Now after spending decades looking for her biological mum, she was stunned to learn that not only was her mother Elizabeth living in Scotland, but she will celebrate her 104th birthday tomorrow.

Despite having no formal invitation to visit her mother, Eileen travelled to Scotland last month with some family members.

"I knocked on the door and a gentleman opened the door and I told him I was from Ireland and had found out my mum was here and could we come in to see her and he said, 'Certainly.'

"We came in and honestly, I haven't got over the acceptance that I got because I was thinking, 'This is terrible, what am I going to do?' But they accepted me and I had a great chat with my mother.

"I know she's my mum and I said it to her. 'You know I'm your daughter' and she looked up at me and took my hand, we had a great chat. There was such a bond between the two of us, it was fantastic."
Anthony Smith, 72, was sentenced to three years and nine months at Cardiff Crown Court (South Wales Police/PA)

A businessman has been jailed for defrauding the European Union and the Welsh Government out of 4.7m by misusing cash meant to help process fish feed.

Anthony Smith, 72, promised to create up to 120 jobs with taxpayers money but only employed 11 people after saying he would make Wales a world leader in the aquaculture industry.

Cardiff Crown Court previously heard the businessman robbed the local community out of investment by claiming grants for his three firms Dragon Research, Dragon Feeds and Dragon Baits.

The grant was approved in 2006 to help develop a plant to process ragworm for bait and ponds in which to rear them in Port Talbot and Pendine, Carmarthenshire.

But Smith failed to carry out his obligations and used the money incorrectly, including purchasing machinery that was not part of his original application.

A forensic review of his financial accounts showed he had deliberately structured the business in order to hide the flow of illegitimate funds.

Smiths previous business ventures included breeding worms for anglers which won environmental awards, and he was reportedly praised by the Prince of Wales, with the worms also used as feed for trout served by some of Britains most high-profile chefs including Gordon Ramsay at Claridges.

He promised to make Wales a world leader in the aquaculture industry, but instead he abused the system and robbed the local community of investmentJanet Potter, CPS

On Friday, Smith, from Port Talbot, was sentenced to three years and nine months at Cardiff Crown Court after previously pleaded guilty to three counts of fraudulent trading.

He was also ordered to pay 75,000 in compensation to the Welsh Government.

Colin Mair, 68, who ran one firm with Smith, was sentenced to 21 months, suspended to 18 month and told to pay 15,000 towards prosecution costs after admitting one count of fraudulent trading.

Keith Peters, 72, a retired chartered accountant, was jailed for 15 months after admitting two counts of false accounting.

Janet Potter, for the CPS, said: Anthony Smith defrauded the taxpayer of millions of pounds by wildly overstating how much money had been spent, and lied about the purchase of equipment.

He did this all under the guise of being environmentally-friendly and boosting the local economy.

He promised to make Wales a world leader in the aquaculture industry, but instead he abused the system and robbed the local community of investment.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Bellamy of South Wales Police Economic Crime Unit said: Todays sentencing marks the end of an eight year investigation by South Wales Police into the fraudulent activities of a number of grant-funded companies.

The overwhelming amount of evidence gathered during this painstaking investigation has resulted in Anthony Smith, Colin Mair and Keith Peters being sentenced for their role in a fraud worth more than 5 million to the public purse.
Instagram is cracking down on misinformation about vaccinations being spread across the photo sharing app by blocking hashtags that draw out verifiably false posts about the controversial subject.

Inaccurate and misleading anti-vaccination messages on social media are thought to be one of the reasons why vaccination rates have dropped in recent years, with an estimated 169 million children around the world missing out on the first dose of the measles vaccine between 2010 and 2017, according to recent numbers from charity Unicef.

The Facebook-owned platform already blocks obvious hashtag terms used to spread false information, such as #vaccinescauseautism, #vaccinescauseaids and #vaccinesarepoison, but its policy is now being extended to address vaccine hashtags that seem innocent on the surface.

Expand Close (Nick Ansell/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp (Nick Ansell/PA)

For example, a hashtag like #vaccines1234 does not contain anything alarming in its wording, but if it is found to be used in a number of posts to promote verifiably false vaccine misinformation it will be added to the block list.

When a hashtag is blocked, users are presented with no results when searching it on the social network.

However, Instagrams approach continues to only targets misinformation about vaccines and not anti-vax opinions, which it says is not something it would take action on.

Instagram did not specify a limit on the number of times a hashtag is being abused before blocking it, stating that it will block hashtags whereby the content surfaced on the hashtag page contains a certain amount of verifiably false vaccine misinformation.

Expand Close Children not given first measles vaccine 2010-17, according to Unicef (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Children not given first measles vaccine 2010-17, according to Unicef (PA Graphics)

The move comes after Facebook said it was exploring additional measures to address anti-vaccination posts in February, following concerns raised about the controversial subject appearing in groups and pages across Facebook.

At the time, the company admitted that the task is challenging as it grapples with striking a balance between freedom to express opinion and the safety of its users, but said it was committed to tackling the problem.

Last month, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he wouldnt rule out anything when asked whether unvaccinated children should be banned from schools.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has also described vaccine refusal as a growing public health timebomb.
College lecturers will again strike next week as the pay row continues (PA)

College lecturers are to go ahead with two days of strike action next week after talks broke down.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) had previously suspended planned industrial action to allow negotiations about pay to take place.

EIS said some progress had been made with Colleges Scotland, but no agreement could be reached.

An offer of further talks to take place on Monday was rejected by employers, the union said.

EIS FELA members will be on strike Wednesday and Thursday next week. Find information about the strike on our website: https://t.co/ffOysrCe59  EISFela (@EISFela) May 10, 2019

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: We remain in dispute with employers on the matter of a cost of living pay rise covering the past two years and the year ahead.

Some additional movement from the employers could deliver an offer that we could put to our members.

The EIS offered further talks early next week in the hope of progressing discussions, and is extremely disappointed that Colleges Scotland has declined this offer.

With no improved offer likely to be forthcoming, next weeks two-day strike action will now go ahead.

The ongoing action short of strike, including a boycott of inputting assessment results into college systems, remains in place.

Lecturers are demanding what they say is a fair cost of living increase, in line with public sector pay policy.

Strikes have been fixed for Wednesday and Thursday next week.

There have already been four days of such industrial action as a result of the failed negotiations.

Lecturers in Scotland are by far the best paid in the UKHeather Stevenson, Colleges Scotland Employers' Association

The Colleges Scotland Employers Association (CSEA) said it has put forward 10 offers trying to reach agreement in the 2017-20 pay dispute.

Heather Stevenson, CSEA interim director of employment services, said: Its extremely frustrating that the EIS-FELA has decided to resume their strikes and continue to attack students by withholding assessment results, but colleges are mitigating the impact of their action and we are confident their attempts to cause maximum disruption will not succeed.

Lecturers in Scotland are by far the best paid in the UK, and the pay harmonisation rises from 2017 to 2020, combined with the improved pay offer on the table from colleges, equate to a national average increase of well over 5,000  or more than 12%.

Lecturers have also had significant improvements in terms and conditions over the same 2017-20 pay period, including an enviable 62 days holiday per year and a reduction in class contact time to 23 hours per week.

We believe this significantly improved offer should be taken to their members to decide and will continue engaging with the EIS-FELA to end their industrial action.
British Transport Police have appealed for information as they bid to find the man (PA)

Police are hunting a man who said he wanted to set black people on fire while he was travelling on a train.

The man was among a larger group which boarded a service travelling between Glasgow Queen Street and Carluke at 9.20pm on March 31.

He made a number of racially offensive comments about black people, at one point saying he wanted to set them on fire.

A man said he wanted to set black people "on fire" on a train between #Glasgow Queen Street and #Carluke.



We're appealing for witnesses and have released a description of a man we want to speak with in connection. Text us on 61016 if you can help.https://t.co/pwZ5o8hywg pic.twitter.com/SAnRIG4Egw  BTP Scotland (@BTPScotland) May 10, 2019

A number of passengers moved to different carriages as a result of the language.

British Transport Police describe the suspect as a white man, with short brown hair and thick stubble.

He was wearing a polo top with a purple collar and a black jumper with Balmain Paris on the front in white letters.
Police officers in a taped off area near Seven Kings Mosque (Tony Diver/PA)

Armed police were scrambled to an east London mosque after a masked gunman entered the building during Ramadan prayers before discharging a firearm outside.

Worshippers at the Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford were part-way through evening prayers late on Thursday when the sound of a gunshot rang out.

A man, said to have had his face covered, was reported to have entered the mosque on High Road, but was made to leave before firing the gun.

Scotland Yard said early investigations suggested that a blank firing handgun had been discharged.

Detectives said the incident in the mosque may have stemmed from an earlier incident in a nearby street.

Police were only called at 10.45pm, when the man entered the mosque.

No injuries or damage to the building were reported and detectives were not treating the incident as terrorism-related, the force said.

Worshipper Ibraheem Hussain, 19, described hearing the gunshot around half an hour after prayers began.

It sounded like a firework or maybe something heavy had been dropped

He told the Press Association: Theres three sections of the mosque and at taraweeh (evening prayers) during this time of Ramadan the mosque is packed out.

We were upstairs in the classrooms and about 30 minutes into the night prayer a large noise went off.

I just continued my prayer, it sounded like a firework or maybe something heavy had been dropped, so no-one really thought anything of it.

After we finished we were leaving the shoe area and someone said it was a gunshot, someone had come into the mosque and he had a firearm on him.

The managers had seen him, he was masked and acting suspicious and the firearm was let off.

Police remain on High Road in Seven Kings following a firearm discharge. At this early stage, it is thought that the weapon was a blank firing handgun. There were no injuries or damage caused. The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 9, 2019

The incident comes amid heightened concerns over security at places of worship around the world following recent attacks in New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the US.

Mr Hussain, an apprentice data analyst at one of the Big Four city firms, said the incident left him concerned over the safety of worshippers during Ramadan.

The main thing that was in my mind was that (due to the layout of the mosque) it could have gone very wrong, he said.

The suspect ran from the scene when stopped by brothers standing guard at the mosque

(Christchurch) comes to mind, its crazy to think this would happen in London, especially after everything that has happened.

Another thing that is quite worrying is that the guy was on foot, so he could be in the surrounding area still.

A lot of people  loads and loads of Muslims  were in that area in traditional garments so they could be targets, although we dont know what the aim was.

A diverse range of male worshippers use the mosque, including men of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian and North African heritage, he said.

Following the incident the mosques imam urged people not to speculate over the gunmans motives.

There was a firearm incident outside Seven Kings Mosque tonight during Ramadan night prayers, Mufti Suhail said.

The suspect ran from the scene when stopped by brothers standing guard at the mosque.

A shot was fired which fortunately did not hit anyone.

I am aware of the reports of a man with a firearm at Seven Kings Mosque during prayers tonight and am relieved that no one appears to have been hurt or injured. Thank you to @MPSRedbridge for a swift response. I will in touch with Police in the morning re: mosque security.  Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) May 9, 2019

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick about the incident and was relieved to hear no one had been injured.

Everyone should be free to practice their faith free from danger and fear. An increased police presence remains on the scene, he said.

Ilford North MP Wes Streeting said he would be contacting the police about the incident.

I am aware of the reports of a man with a firearm at Seven Kings Mosque during prayers tonight and am relieved that no one appears to have been hurt or injured. Thank you to @MPSRedbridge for a swift response, he tweeted.

Scotland Yard said the investigation was being led by detectives from the East Area Command Unit, although the Trident gang squad had been notified.

Police were called at 10.45pm on Thursday, 9 May to reports that a man, believed to be in possession of a firearm, had entered a mosque on High Road in Seven Kings, the force said.

Expand Close Worshippers arriving for Friday Prayers at Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford (Tony Diver/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Worshippers arriving for Friday Prayers at Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford (Tony Diver/PA)

The man was ushered outside of the building by those inside. A gunshot was then heard.

Officers, including firearms officers, attended. There were no reported injuries or damage to the building.

At this early stage, ballistic evidence recovered from the scene suggests that the weapon was a blank firing handgun.

Officers will continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community.

Last month nearly 260 people died in the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, which included a suicide bombing on a church.

In March a mass shooting by a far-right terrorist at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, left 50 people dead.

One woman was killed when a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California in April.

In June 2017 one man was killed and nine other people were injured when far-right extremist Darren Osborne drove a van at worshippers near Finsbury Park mosque in north London.
Worshippers arriving for Friday prayers at Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford (Tony Diver/PA)

The main entrance of an east London mosque remains closed as police investigate an incident during which a blank-firing gun was apparently discharged outside.

A side door of the Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford has been reopened for worshippers to use but an officer at the scene said it was unlikely the mosque would reopen fully until Friday night or Saturday morning.

A masked man is reported to have entered the mosque on High Road, but was made to leave before firing the gun.

Scotland Yard said no-one was hurt and early investigations suggested a blank-firing handgun had been discharged.

Detectives said the incident may have stemmed from something that happened nearby earlier and was not being treated as terrorism related.

Armed police were scrambled to the mosque amid reports that a masked gunman had entered the building during Ramadan prayers.

Sadiq Kothia, a local councillor who was in the congregation on Thursday night, said: I was praying inside there. Very few people saw what happened.

It happened so fast and so quickly, so at this moment in time its important the community is reassured and feels safe. Its the first Friday of Ramadan, so it will be busy.

Worshipper Ibraheem Hussain, 19, described hearing the gunshot around half an hour after prayers began.

He said: We were upstairs in the classrooms and about 30 minutes into the night prayer a large noise went off.

I just continued my prayer, it sounded like a firework or maybe something heavy had been dropped, so no-one really thought anything of it.

Expand Close Police officers near Seven Kings Mosque (Tony Diver/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Police officers near Seven Kings Mosque (Tony Diver/PA)

After we finished, we were leaving the shoe area and someone said it was a gunshot, someone had come into the mosque and he had a firearm on him.

The managers had seen him, he was masked and acting suspicious and the firearm was let off.

The incident comes amid heightened concerns over security at places of worship around the world following recent attacks in New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the US.

Mr Hussain, an apprentice data analyst at one of the Big Four City firms, said the incident left him concerned over the safety of worshippers during Ramadan.

(Christchurch) comes to mind, its crazy to think this would happen in London, especially after everything that has happened.

Following the incident, the mosques imam urged people not to speculate over the gunmans motives.

There was a firearm incident outside Seven Kings Mosque tonight during Ramadan night prayers, Mufti Suhail said.

The suspect ran from the scene when stopped by brothers standing guard at the mosque.

Police remain on High Road in Seven Kings following a firearm discharge. At this early stage, it is thought that the weapon was a blank firing handgun. There were no injuries or damage caused. The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 9, 2019

Scotland Yard said the investigation was being led by detectives from the East Area Command Unit, although the Trident gang squad had been notified.

It added: At this early stage, ballistic evidence recovered from the scene suggests that the weapon was a blank-firing handgun.

Officers will continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community.
The Immortal regiment action devoted to the 74th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War was held on May 9 in Yerevan. The march was led by Armenian President Armen Sarkissian.

Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, National Assembly deputy speaker Alen Simonyan and numerous other residents of the capital city also participated in the event, News.am reported.

Many marchers were holding banners with the photos of their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers who had fought in the Great Patriotic War.
Officers were called at around 10.45pm on Thursday (Nick Ansell/PA)

Armed police were deployed to a mosque in east London after a gunshot rang out during Ramadan prayers.

A blank firing handgun is believed to have been shot during an incident outside Seven Kings Mosque on High Road, Ilford, late on Thursday night.

No injuries or damage were caused and the incident is not being treated as terrorism-related, Scotland Yard said.

Police remain on High Road in Seven Kings following a firearm discharge. At this early stage, it is thought that the weapon was a blank firing handgun. There were no injuries or damage caused. The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 9, 2019

A worshipper who was at the mosque tweeted that he heard the shot being fired but thought it was a firework or something.

Police were called at 10.45pm on Thursday, 9 May to reports that a man, believed to be in possession of a firearm, had entered a mosque on High Road in Seven Kings, the force said.

The man was ushered outside of the building by those inside. A gunshot was then heard.

Officers, including firearms officers, attended. There were no reported injuries or damage to the building.

At this early stage, ballistic evidence recovered from the scene suggests that the weapon was a blank firing handgun.

Officers remained in the area overnight to provide reassurance to the local community.

The incident comes amid heightened concerns over security at places of worship around the world.

A mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, in march left 50 people dead, while a woman was killed when a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California in April.

Scotland Yard said: Officers will continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community.

The Trident and Area Crime Command has been informed and the investigation is being led by detectives from the East Area Command Unit.

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Borough officers via 101 quoting reference 8585/9May.
Swedish prosecutors are to announce next week whether they will reopen an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Deputy director of public prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson will hold a press conference in Stockholm on Monday.

Prosecutors dropped the investigation in 2017 as they could not proceed while he was in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Assange also faced investigation for a second sex-related allegation, which was dropped in 2015 because time had run out.

He denied both allegations.

After he was taken from the embassy last month, a lawyer for one of the women asked for the investigation to resume.
Beijing has vowed to retaliate after US President Donald Trumps latest tariff hike on Chinese goods came into effect  escalating a battle over Chinas technology ambitions and other trade strains.

The Trump administration raised duties on 200 billion US dollars (155 billion) of Chinese imports from 10% to 25%.

Chinas Commerce Ministry said would take necessary countermeasures but gave no details.

The increase went ahead after American and Chinese negotiators began more talks in Washington aimed at ending a dispute that has disrupted billions of dollars in trade and shaken global financial markets.

Expand Close United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, left, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (Jon Elswick/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, left, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (Jon Elswick/AP)

American officials accuse Beijing of backtracking on commitments made in earlier rounds of negotiations.

The talks were due to resume on Friday after wrapping up with no word on progress.

China deeply regrets that it will have to take necessary countermeasures, said a Commerce Ministry statement.

Shares in Asia were mixed on Friday amid renewed investor jitters about the possible impact of the trade battle on global economic growth.

The latest increase extends 25% US duties to a total of 250 billion US dollars (192 billion) of Chinese imports.

President Trump said on Sunday he might extend penalties to all Chinese goods shipped to the United States.

Beijing retaliated for previous tariff hikes by raising duties on 110 billion US dollars (85 billion) of American imports.

But regulators are running out of US goods for penalties due to the lopsided trade balance.

Expand Close Chinese Vice Premier Liu (Balce Ceneta/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Chinese Vice Premier Liu (Balce Ceneta/AP)

Chinese officials have targeted operations of American companies in China by slowing customs clearance for their goods and stepping up regulatory scrutiny that can hamper operations.

The higher US import taxes do not apply to Chinese goods shipped before Friday.

By sea, shipments across the Pacific take about three weeks, which gives negotiators a few more days to reach a settlement before importers may have to pay the increased charges.

The negotiators met Thursday evening. Then, after briefing President Trump on the negotiations, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin dined with the leader of the Chinese delegation, Vice Premier Liu He.

Mr Liu, speaking to Chinese state TV on his arrival in Washington, said he came with sincerity.

He appealed to Washington to avoid more tariff hikes, saying they are not a solution and would harm the world.

We should not hurt innocent people, Mr Liu told CCTV.

At the White House, President Trump said he received a beautiful letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping and would probably speak to him by phone.

The two countries are sparring over US allegations that China steals technology and pressures American companies into handing over trade secrets, part of an aggressive campaign to turn Chinese companies into world leaders in robotics, electric cars and other advanced industries.
France has welcomed Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg with a threat of sweeping new regulation.

With Facebook under fire on multiple fronts, Mr Zuckerberg is in Paris to show that his social media giant is working hard to limit violent extremism and hate speech shared online.

But a group of French regulators and experts who spent weeks inside Facebook facilities in Paris, Dublin and Barcelona said the company is not working hard enough.

Just before Mr Zuckerberg met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, the 10 officials released a report calling for laws allowing the government to investigate and fine social networks that do not take responsibility for the content that makes them money.

The French government wants the legislation to serve as a model for Europe-wide management of social networks. Several countries have introduced similar legislation, some tougher than what France is proposing.

To an average user, it seems like the problem is intractable. Mass shootings are live-streamed, and online mobs are spreading rumours that lead to deadly violence.

Expand Close Facebook has faced challenges over privacy and security lapses and accusations of endangering democracy (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Facebook has faced challenges over privacy and security lapses and accusations of endangering democracy (AP)

The company says it is working on solutions, and the French regulators praised Facebook for hiring more people and using artificial intelligence to track and crack down on dangerous content.

But they said Facebook did not provide the French officials enough information about its algorithms to judge whether they were working, and that a lack of transparency justifies an intervention of public authorities.

The regulators recommended legally requiring a duty of care for big social networks, meaning they should moderate hate speech published on their platforms. They insist that any law should respect freedom of expression, but did not explain how Facebook should balance those responsibilities in practice.

The regulators acknowledged that their research did not address violent content shared on private chat groups or encrypted apps.

Facebook said Mr Zuckerberg is in France as part of meetings around Europe to discuss future regulation of the internet. Facebook agreed to embed the French regulators as an effort to jointly develop proposals to fight online hate content.

Mr Zuckerbergs visit comes notably amid concern about hate speech and disinformation around this months European Parliament elections.

Next week, the leaders of France and New Zealand will meet tech leaders in Paris for a summit seeking to ban acts of violent extremism and terrorism from being shown online.

Facebook has faced challenges over privacy and security lapses and accusations of endangering democracy  and it came under criticism this week from its own co-founder.

Chris Hughes said in a New York Times opinion piece on Thursday that it is time to break up Facebook. He said Mr Zuckerberg has turned Facebook into an innovation-suffocating monopoly and lamented the companys slow response to Russian agents, violent rhetoric and fake news.

Mr Zuckerberg said this year that global regulators should take a more active role in governing the internet, but has been vague on what kind of regulation he favours.
Actor Amy Poehler has challenged Hollywood to take on its ageism problem.

Poehler is directing and starring in Netflix comedy Wine Country, which sees a group of long-time friends go on a wine-tasting trip in California to celebrate a 50th birthday.

The film - also starring Maya Rudolph (46), Rachel Dratch (53) and Tina Fey (48) - has been praised for celebrating middle-aged women, a group Hollywood has often been accused of neglecting.

Parks and Recreation star Poehler (48) said ageism was "systemic" in the industry but suggested one change could help tackle the problem.

She told the Press Association: "Here's a simple fix. If you're a director, a male director, or a male actor and you have a spouse in your movie, make them the same age as you. I think that's an easy fix. That's my challenge to them. If you're 50, have your wife be 50. See how that feels."

She said while Hollywood was changing, women were still "discarded" after a certain age.

Poehler first found fame as a cast member on US comedy show Saturday Night Live, through which she met Wine Country co-stars Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell and Emily Spivey.

They are all friends in real life and the film was inspired by a real trip they all took to the Napa Valley.

Wine Country is available on Netflix from today.
The Belfast Telegraph has teamed up with Barnett Developments to offer the prize of a life-time; one year RENT FREE in a brand new two bedroom smart apartment at Belfasts most desirable new address, Portland 88.

Whether you're saving for a house deposit, want to relocate to Belfast, or simply fancy moving to a more luxurious home, we have the ultimate prize up for grabs!

Part of a 19 million development, this amazing prize is worth in excess of 15,000 and includes a Chain Reactions bicycle worth over 700!

Plus we also have two runner-up prizes of 1,000 to give away!

Welcome to Portland 88!

They are Northern Irelands smartest homes - the first of their kind in Ireland  harnessing cutting-edge smart technology, allowing owners to streamline their lives. Located a mere stones throw from the City Centre, Portland 88 features 88 smart turnkey apartments which are kitted out with the latest cutting-edge Smart Home Intelligence System.

Guil Nascimento of Barnett Developments explains: We are so delighted to launch this one-of-a kind partnership with the Belfast Telegraph. To date our purchasers have been a mix of young professionals, couples who work in the city, people relocating to Belfast for work - all with one common interest; to live in a prime location, with the absolute latest in all modern living facilities from smart technology to appliances. The demand has been exceptional.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp

We encourage anyone who is interested in living at Portland 88 rent-free for a year to enter this competition. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

You can find out more about Portland 88 by visiting Propertynews.com or by contacting either Colliers New Homes or Simon Brien Residential.

Could this be your home for a year?

To enter simply visit the link below, fill in your details and answer a simple question. When the competition closes on 22nd July 2019, three finalists will be chosen and invited to our live final on Sunday 28 July 2019 where the winner and runners up will be decided.

So what are you waiting for?

Enter this exclusive competition today for your chance to win! www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/win

Full terms & conditions apply and can be found at www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/win
Does the election of Alison Bennington, the DUP's first openly gay councillor, mean that the party is finally getting over its bizarre hang-ups over homosexuality?

Fulminating about the supposed evils of being gay was once the party's calling card, going right back to the days of 'Save Ulster from Sodomy'.

Being aggressively anti-gay assumed a vast symbolic importance: like opposition to abortion, it became an integral part of the DUP's purity myth.

Read More

Even then, it was not entirely clear why the idea of men being attracted to other men, or women liking other women - though they never seemed quite so bothered about the ladies snuggling up - got the DUPers in quite such a puce-faced tizzy.

I mean, what did any of this have to do with preserving the Union?

In more recent years, the party's weird compulsion to promote itself as 100% heterosexual has manifested itself less in offensive language.

Fortunately, it's been a while since anyone has felt compelled to gulder the word 'abomination', at least in public. None of its representatives, since Iris Robinson, have called up radio shows to suggest that gay people seek the services of a "very lovely psychiatrist" to turn them straight.

Instead, trenchant opposition to same-sex marriage has provided a convenient hook for the party to hang its favourite obsession.

But now we have Ms Bennington proudly taking her seat on the benches of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. It's a facer, for sure.

Some people have quite reasonably asked why a lesbian would want to join, let alone represent, a party which has such a grotesque history of anti-gay action and rhetoric.

Yet it's hard to disagree with Bennington's assertion that her private life, including her sexual orientation, should be irrelevant to her ability to be an effective, hard-working councillor and representative of the people who elected her.

Who any councillor - gay or straight - goes to bed with at night is their own business, nobody else's, no?

But there have always been certain DUP stalwarts - perhaps nostalgic for the old days of saving Ulster from you-know-what, and all the manly swaggering and macho posturing that entailed - who seem to feel honour-bound to stick their prudish noses into these very private, personal matters and to express their pious outrage.

First out of the blocks, to nobody's surprise, was Jim Wells, who didn't even wait until Ms Bennington was elected before he began complaining that the Rev Ian Paisley would be "aghast" at the decision to run her as a DUP candidate.

Then it emerged that Ballymoney councillor John Finlay had taken it upon himself to write to party officers to complain about her selection, claiming that Rev Paisley "must be turning in his grave".

The image of a dead person turning in their grave is pretty macabre, when you think about it. The idea is that the deceased is so apoplectically outraged by events occurring in the world that they have left that they briefly resurrect themselves, zombie-like, in order to flounce about in frustration, presumably before expiring again.

It is glaringly obvious that Wells and Finlay have no complaint to make about Ms Bennington's ability or otherwise to do the job of a councillor; possibly they don't even know her.

Their opposition to her appointment lies solely in her sexual orientation. She's gay, so she can't be in our club: that seems to be the unspoken mantra.

This is outrageous and entirely indefensible. A more blatant example of anti-gay prejudice is hard to imagine.

By contrast, party leader Arlene Foster welcomed Ms Bennington's victory and previously spoke warmly about how "we value and cherish people from every background" in the DUP.

So my question is this: why are Wells and Finlay still representing the party? Why have they not been immediately relieved of their duties following these unjustifiable attacks on their fellow party representative?

In making the decision to champion Ms Bennington, as an openly gay candidate, Foster and her senior colleagues knew they were taking a radical step away from the party's history.

Perhaps they surmised that a gay woman would cause fewer ructions among the party faithful, and receive a softer landing, than would be the case with a gay man.

Nonetheless, it's a decisive move in the right direction.

It is Foster's particular responsibility to defend Ms Bennington from bigotry, from both within the party and without, if she genuinely values and cherishes her contribution.

The Paisley days are dead and gone. However much the Reverend may spin in his grave, he is not coming back.

Now the DUP must decide if it is moving towards a more enlightened future, or remaining stuck with one foot in the benighted past.
The persecution of Christians in parts of the world is at near genocide levels, according to a report ordered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The British government commissioned Bishop of Truro Philip Mounstephen to lead a review of persecution of Christians and to recommend how the U.K. Foreign Office should respond to it.

The crisis was made apparent recently by the Sri Lanka attacks on Easter, when Islamic extremists targeted three churches and three hotels in Colombo in a series of bombings. The attacks killed 253 people and injured hundreds more.

Evidence shows not only the geographic spread of anti-Christian persecution, but also its increasing severity, the report states. In some regions, the level and nature of persecution is arguably coming close to meeting the international definition of genocide, according to that adopted by the UN.

The review found that eradicating Christians and other minorities through violence was the explicit objective of extremist groups in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, northeast Nigeria and the Philippines.

These groups are not only murdering Christians for their faith but also whitewashing all evidence of their existence by destroying churches and removing religious symbols such as crosses. Clergy are also being targeted for kidnapping and killing.

Arrest, detention and imprisonment are common in Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. For example in the course of six days before Christmas 2018, 114 Christians were arrested in Iran with court cases left pending as a form of intimidation. Though most cases in Iran involve converts, indigenous Christians such as Pastor Victor, an Assyrian Christian, with his wife, Shamiram Issavi, have also been targeted and imprisoned.

Hunt described the report as truly sobering. Hunt, an Anglican, has made the issue of Christian persecution one of the major themes of his foreign secretaryship, something he felt that has not been addressed correctly in the last few decades. He continued saying personally, I think it is partly because of political correctness that we have avoided confronting this issue.

The inconvenient truth, the report finds, is that the overwhelming majority (80%) of persecuted religious believers are Christians.

The report shows that a century ago Christians comprised 20% of the population in the Middle East and north Africa, but since then the proportion has fallen to less than 4%, or roughly 15 million people.
The Bible tells us Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). Its important to have faith in God even when youre dealing with the storms of life, but this can be especially difficult when you cant see a way. There are many situations that we face in life that can propel us toward God or away from Him. One great way to deal with these challenges is to turn to prayer.

Prayer is a powerful tool for communicating with our Heavenly Father. It is an opportunity to become one with the Creator and Giver of all things. Prayer helps us to find strength for today and hope for our future. We should actively pray and trust in its power to change our circumstances for good. Your faith life directly correlates to the quality of your prayer life. Prayer has the power to change not only the people and things around you. Prayer also has the power to change you from the inside out. When youre in need of strength, remember that God is the number one healer and can guide you in endless ways. If your heart and life are centered on God, His Word and His Holy Spirit, you can rest assured that He will direct your path.

The Serenity Prayer offers valuable lessons and wisdom on dealing with lifes toughest circumstances. The Serenity Prayer is the common name for the prayer written by American theologian Reinhold. The best known form of the prayer reads God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. The Serenity Prayer has given people from all different walks of life the courage to deal with some of lifes toughest situations. It is a great prayer for Christians to use to encourage them, especially when the chips are down. Here are five ways the Serenity Prayer can bring you through any storm.

Accept the Things You Cannot Change

When it comes to dealing with lifes circumstances, know that there are certain things outside your control, so dont focus on changing every little thing. Instead, identify, celebrate and embrace what you can learn from the situation.

Having the Courage to Change the Things You Can

The only thing you can change in life is you. Have the courage to acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses. Take an honest look at yourself and acknowledge that youre not perfect and work on what you can. This is the first step on the journey of change within.

Having the Wisdom to Know the Difference

We are called to this Earth for a specific purpose, with a specific purpose, even when we dont always know what that purpose is. Learn to accept that you cant change certain life circumstances, so accept who you are as a beautiful contribution to this world.

Living and Enjoying One Day at a Time

Instead of dwelling on the what ifs and the negatives of a given situation, focus on the power you have within yourself to define your own happiness; living one day at a time and enjoying one moment at a time. When you let go of the little things, you can see life in an entirely new way.

Accept Hardships as a Pathway to Peace

God isnt always trying to teach us something new in our trials and hardships. Sometimes, God wants to unlearn certain habits, patterns and behaviors that hold us back from being our happiest. When you can accept hardships as pathways to peace, not looking at circumstances as forms of defeat but as opportunities for growth and strength, our lives can then be transformed.

God has taught and continues to teach many things through lifes storms. He is teaching us how to live out of His strength by walking after His Spirit. Through faith, you will find your identity in Christ, which will calm the pounding waves that make you feel fearful, desperate or worthless. Jesus accepts us for who we are in Him rather than how we perform. This truth will calm your soul in the midst of life's storms.

When you surrender your life to God especially when youre dealing with lifes storms, you are following His lead without knowing where Hes sending you. Youre waiting on Gods timing without knowing when it will come. Youre expecting a miracle without knowing what God will provide. Youre also trusting Gods purpose without understanding the circumstances. You know youre surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda and control a situation. This is when youre truly letting go and letting God handle everything. You dont have to always be in charge. Instead of trying harder, you trust more.

Are you facing a giant storm in your life? Do your circumstances seem overwhelming? Do you fear the future? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, remember that God is bigger than your circumstances. He is greater than any circumstance you are facing in this very moment. None of the storms you will go through in life will be enjoyable. They can cause much pain. Yet, even in our regrets, God comforts us with His faithfulness. Whatever battle you are in, you stand victorious when you trust in God.
A four-year-old boy from Yekaterinburg became the 1 millionth passenger of the main air harbor of Crimea - Simferopol international Airport, the press service of the air hub reports.

This year, the jubilee passenger became a four-year-old Mikhail Nosov, who, together with his family, was returning from Crimea to Yekaterinburg on the Ural Airlines flight. Mikhail was on vacation with his parents, brother, grandmother and grandfather, RIA Novosti reports.
Rohingya children walk along a road at the Balukhali refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, Nov.16, 2018.

A Bangladeshi official and political observers on Friday criticized a statement by the Chinese ambassador, who suggested this week that the Rohingya refugee crisis could be solved through economic development in neighboring Myanmars Rakhine state.

Linking the plight of Rohingya Muslims to trade and infrastructure investments in the sub-region would be tantamount to disregarding the human rights issues that led to a massive exodus of refugees from Myanmar, the official and analysts told BenarNews.

Development alone could not resolve the Rohingya crisis, Mohammad Abul Kalam, Bangladeshs refugee relief and repatriation commissioner, told BenarNews on Friday.

The political will of Myanmars government is most crucial, he said. Unless the rights of the Rohingya people in Rakhine are not ensured, the crisis will not be over.

BenarNews asked Kalam and others in Bangladesh for their views on a remark made by Chinese Ambassador Zhang Zuo on the Rohingya during a news briefing the envoy gave in Dhaka on Wednesday about Beijings massive One Belt, One Road (OBOR) infrastructure initiative.

The real solution of the problem lies in development, Zuo said, referring to the 740,000 Rohingya refugees who fled their homes and crossed into Bangladesh at the height of a Myanmar military crackdown in 2017. We hope that after the violence is stopped and the people are repatriated, the Rakhine state could be further developed.

We also hope that in the process of implementing the BCIM economic corridor, we could come up with a very good solution to the Rohingya problem, the ambassador added.

BCIM is an acronym for the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Forum for Regional Cooperation, a sub-regional organization also known as the BCIM Economic Corridor. It was conceptualized in the early 1990s to improve trade between the four Asian nations.

Without elaborating, Zuo said repatriation was only part of the overall solution proposed by China.

As proposed, the BCIM Economic Corridor would connect Kunming, the capital and largest city of Yunnan province in southwest China, with Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. The connection would run through the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka and Mandalay, the second-largest city of Myanmar.

The Chinese ambassador tried to convey the message that the proposed BCIM corridor will cross via Rakhine state. So, resolving the Rohingya crisis was a precondition to implementing the BCIM corridor, Retired Maj. Gen. A.N.M. Muniruzzaman, president of the nonprofit think-tank Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies, told Benar.

Muniruzzaman, who attended the Chinese envoys briefing, claimed China appeared to be looking at the Rohingya crisis through the lens of Beijings national interest.

China has been constructing a deep seaport in Rakhine state. They are building up an energy terminal there, he said. [But] development is not the only strategy to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

In November, Myanmar signed a renegotiated deal with Chinas state-run CITIC Group to develop a multibillion-dollar deep sea port in Kyauk Pyu in Rakhine State, on the Bay of Bengal. The agreement came as Myanmar moved closer to Beijing.

Chinese envoy to Bangladesh Zhang Zuo (center) answers questions during a news conference in Dhaka, May 8, 2019. [Jesmin Papri/BenarNews]

Analysts and academics expressed agreement, alleging the Chinese diplomat made it appear that Beijing was looking at the Rohingya refugees from an economic perspective.

In the pretext of development, China has been overlooking the human aspect of the Rohingya crisis, Delwar Hossain, a professor of international relations at Dhaka University, told BenarNews.

U.N. human rights investigators have accused Myanmars military of committing ethnic cleansing against the minority group during the brutal crackdown taken in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

Beijing had proposed to mediate between Bangladesh and Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya refugee exodus, which peaked between August and September 2017. Negotiations for the Rohingya repatriation have stalled.

In March this year, Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told a U.N. Security Council meeting that the refugee crisis had gone from bad to worse.

Dhaka, he said, would no longer be able to take in refugees from Myanmar.

Mahmida Khatun, executive director of the private think-tank Center for Policy Dialogue, also questioned the Chinese envoys comments.

China says it wants development of Bangladesh and Myanmar, she said, but they keep silent on Rohingya repatriation.

Khatun said Myanmar must first guarantee the security and safety, fundamental rights, freedom of movement, education and job opportunities in the place where the refugees would be returned.

Many residents of Buddhist-majority Myanmar regard Rohingyas as Bengalis, implying that the minorities entered illegally from Bangladesh, even though they have lived in Myanmar for generations. Most of them have been denied citizenship and prevented from traveling outside Rakhine state.

The Myanmar government should commit to ensure social development, in addition to economic development, in Rakhine state, she said.
Sih Sugiarti (in black hijab) talks about her late husband, Lilik Suswanto, with visitors to her home in Indonesias Sleman regency, May 10, 2019.

Lilik Suswanto felt dizzy and wanted to rest.

The 59-year-old had worked non-stop for two days last month as head of a polling place in Indonesias Sleman Regency, his widow recalled.

Lilik succumbed in a hospital on April 23, one of more than 500 poll officials and police who died of exhaustion or illnesses associated with working long hours in the days before, during and after Indonesias general election on April 17, according to authorities.

Before being taken to the hospital, he experienced vertigo and vomiting. He just wanted to lie down, Liliks wife, Sih Sugiarti, told BenarNews. He had a history of high blood pressure.

His doctor told Lilik he had a blocked artery, said Sih, a 55-year-old mother of three.

Indonesia, a young democracy and the most populous nation in Southeast Asia, had never staged an election on this scale  presidential, legislative, provincial-level and other polls held at the same time on a single day. The vote was the biggest single-day exercise in democracy held in the history of the world, observers said.

But the unprecedented number of deaths of poll workers and others during a peaceful vote has led to calls to stop holding the elections all together at once across the sprawling archipelago.

The General Election Commission (KPU) said 440 polling station officials had died. And according to the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), another 92 monitors along with 22 police officers died while helping to oversee and safeguard the polls.

The causes of death for 18 people have been determined and included heart attack, stroke, liver disease, respiratory failure and brain infection, Health Minister Nila Moeloek announced on Wednesday.

In addition, at least another 4,300 election workers had to be treated at hospitals, the KPU said.

Medical investigations

An election monitoring team from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) will investigate the deaths next week, commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said.

The team will announce its findings before the official vote count is released on May 22, he said.

We want to obtain valid data directly from the relevant sources so conclusions are not just based on rumors, Beka told reporters.

Djazuli Ambari, chairman of the Indonesian Red Crescent Society, called for a check of medical histories.

Medical and forensic audits can contain chronological reports on clinical care of the patients. Complete information obtained from the audit can be a basis for consideration in making regulations for next elections, Djazuli said in a statement to BenarNews.

Ani Hasibuan, a neurologist, said she had conducted independent research and was convinced that exhaustion was not the main cause of the deaths, because younger people were among those who died.

Physiologically, fatigue rarely causes death, unless a person has an underlying disease. I want it to be investigated. Its not enough for KPU officials to say they died of exhaustion, she told the detik.com news website.

Millions cast ballots

The 550-plus officials and policemen who died on or around Election Day were among some 7 million workers deployed at more than 800,000 polling sites scattered nationwide.

Almost 81 percent of 192 million eligible Indonesians voted on April 17, electing a president, 575 members of the House of Representatives, 136 members of the Regional Representative Council and almost 20,000 members of local legislatures in 548 provinces, districts and municipalities, officials said.

In the presidential race, incumbent Joko Jokowi Widodo is poised for a second and final five-year term. He has a 10-point lead over challenger Prabowo Subianto, with about 70 percent of the votes counted, according to unofficial projections of results by independent polling groups.

On Friday, hundreds of Prabowo supporters marched in front of the election supervisory agency office in Jakarta to protest what they called voter fraud. Protestors staged a similar, smaller rally in front of the General Election Commission Office on Thursday.

Participants at Fridays rally included conservative Muslim groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front and Eggi Sudjana, a politician questioned by police over a speech he made last month, in which he stated that a Prabowo loss would be a sign of fraud.

Jakarta police deployed 10,000 personnel including a mobile brigade to maintain security.

Legislative action

Meanwhile, the deaths of poll workers like Lilik Suswanto have brought about a debate and calls for a review of laws mandating simultaneous elections at various levels.

The hundreds who died in connection with this years vote eclipsed around 150 deaths of poll workers during the 2014 presidential election, which was held apart from legislative elections.

Legislator Rambe Kamarul Zaman said lawmakers agreed to discuss the issue on May 23.

I agree that there needs to be a change in the rules and mechanism for elections. We expect to come up with many ideas during the discussion, the Golkar Party lawmaker told BenarNews.

Rambe and fellow legislator Ahmad Baidlowi said issues to be considered would include the use of electronic voting machines and a review of the recruitment process for election workers.

We will evaluate all aspects, of course, but finger-pointing is not helpful. We must see to it that future elections will be better, he told BenarNews.

The number of deaths over the course of more than two weeks did not exceed the average mortality rate for Indonesia, given that there were more than 7 million election workers, Jesse Grayman, a health sector researcher, wrote on Asia Media Center, a website based in New Zealand.

In fact, its much less, as it should be since average mortality rates capture the elderly and sick in the general population who would be dying no matter what, and presumably are not working as election workers, he said.

Another popular comparison is with the reported deaths of Indonesians who undertake the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, a whole order of magnitude higher with anywhere from 200 to 500 deaths out of around 200,000 Indonesian pilgrims every year, he said.

Back in Sleman, Liliks widow said she would not sue over her husbands death but hoped the government would keep its promise to provide condolence money of 36 million rupiah (U.S. $2,500).

Hopefully the compensation will be given soon, Sih said.
This collage of mugshots released by police shows suspected militants Cairoden Abolkhair (left), Tagoranao Dimaro Sarip Jr (center), and Norodin Manalinding after they were arrested in Manila, May 10, 2019.

Police arrested three suspected Filipino militants from a group associated with Islamic State during separate raids in the Manila area Friday, authorities said.

The suspects were members of Dawlah Islamiyah Ranao, a militant organization from the south with links to Muslim extremists who occupied the southern city of Marawi two years ago, said Lt. Col. Arnold Thomas Ibay, head of the polices Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the Philippine capital.

They are still under investigation but based on our initial information, they are support personnel for the ISIS based here, said Ibay, using another acronym for the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

Assorted firearms and rebel paraphernalia, including a black Islamic State flag were seized during operations in the Manila suburbs of Paranaque city and Rizal, police said. But it was not clear if the suspects were planning an attack in the capital, just days ahead of nationwide midterm polls scheduled for Monday.

The suspects were identified as Cairoden Abolkhair, Tagoranao Dimaro Sarip Jr, and Norodin Manalinding.

Their arrest shall give justice to the victims of their atrocities, ensure public safety and security and send a message to other members at-large that this government does not tolerate impunity, Ibay said.

The Philippine military had reported that about two dozen pro-Islamic State groups were actively recruiting members in the southern Philippines, despite the October 2017 killing of Abu Sayyaf commander Isnilon Hapilon, when his group was defeated at the end of a five-month battle with government forces in Marawi. He also led IS militants in the Philippines.

And there have been warnings that IS was planning attacks in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, following a twin bombing that killed 23 people at a church in the southern town of Jolo in January.

Jeoffrey Maitem contributed to this report from Cotabato City.
Philippine troops at Camp Aguinaldo in suburban Quezon city stand at attention during a send-off ceremony for the May 13 midterm elections, May 7, 2019.

A town mayor suspected of involvement in the killing of a Philippine congressman last Christmas Eve in the eastern province of Albay surrendered to a local judge on Friday, police said.

Carlwyn Baldo, mayor of Daraga town in eastern Albay province, reported to Legazpi City Regional Trial Court (RTC) after it issued a warrant for his arrest. He faces charges tied to the killing of Rep. Rodel Batocabe who was gunned down along with his police escort while delivering gifts to elderly people.

Daraga police chief Rodelon Betita said Baldo, who is facing double murder and multiple attempted murder charges, was accompanied to court by his family and lawyer while six other suspects have been arrested and are in custody. Police filed charges against the seven suspects on Jan. 3.

Justin Batocabe, eldest son of the 52-year-old slain lawmaker, thanked authorities.

We are very happy and grateful to the police, prosecutors and the RTC for their hard work in putting Mr. Baldo behind bars, he said.

Baldos aide, identified by police as Christopher Cabrera, was arrested last year and told police that the mayor put up a 5 million peso fund (about U.S. $95,000) for the lawmakers assassination, according to police. The alleged plan involved former soldiers and paramilitary personnel employed by Baldo, who had denied the allegation.

While police did not comment on a political connection to the killing, Baldos surrender occurred just days before the May 13 general election when Filipinos will elect 12 senators, the entire 297-member House of Representatives and thousands of other local officials.

Political exercises in the Philippines normally are marred by violence, with the police last week saying that they were looking at 37 gun-for-hire groups scattered across the archipelago. These groups are separate from rebel and militant groups operating in the south.

Troops deployed

The military has deployed more than 40,000 troops nationwide to assist about 160,000 national police force members guarding polling precincts, including critical areas in the south where warring political warlords are a concern, according to officials.

So far, more than 20 election-related incidents have occurred, resulting in 10 deaths and 11 people injured.

On Thursday, unidentified assailants believed to be political rivals attacked and killed village councilor Feliciano Tobias, 58, in the northern province of Abra. His body was found slumped on a road near his motorcycle with multiple gunshot wounds.

The Commission on Elections placed Abra along with Mindanao, Jones town in Isabela province, and Lope de Vega town in Northern Samar province under category red, meaning more violence could occur as election day approaches.
A Turkish soldier was killed and another injured today n a PKK terror attack in eastern Turkey, according to security sources.

The PKK terrorists used improvised explosive to carry out the attack early morning in Igdir province. The attack in Dilucu area also wounded another soldier.

A counter-terrorist operation is ongoing in the region, Anadolu Agency reported.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (65) changes his mind.



The Turkish military was originally supposed to receive the first delivery of Russian S-400 missile defense systems this summer  against the will of US President Donald Trump (72).



The lira crisis has obviously caused Erdogan to change his mind, however. As BILD has learned from diplomatic circles in Ankara, the missile deal between Moscow and Ankara will apparently no longer take place.





Background: The relationship between Turkey and the US is tense in any case. Washington has also threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey because of the S-400 missile defense issue.



In return, the administration of US President Trump has, for the time being, stopped the delivery of material for F-35 fighter jets to Ankara because of its dissatisfaction with the planned installation of the controversial Russian missile defense system.



But it is not only the US that is concerned about the deal between Erdogan and the Russians. There has also been criticism from Germany: We want Turkey to stay firmly grounded in the Western alliance, and we are therefore very concerned about the purchase of the S-400, said Martin Erdmann, the German ambassador to Ankara, at the Istanbul Security Conference. Ibrahim Kalin, the Turkish Presidential Press secretary, was present during the statement.

Lesen Sie auch Turkei bruskiert USA stoppen Kampfjet-Lieferungen an Erdogan Der Streit um den Kauf eines russischen Luftabwehrsystems ist eskaliert. Die USA haben die Lieferung von Kampfjets an die USA gestoppt.

Wegen Kritik Erdogan geht auf Firmenbosse los Nachste Attacke von Erdogan. Der turkische Prasident geht jetzt plotzlich auf Unternehmer los, stot Drohungen aus.





The thorny fact is that Turkey would be the first NATO member state to rely on Russian technology. The Russian missile defense system counts as being incompatible with NATOs systems, however.



But now the deal with the Russians seems to be off.



A high-ranking diplomat from Ankara told BILD: The economic crisis in Turkey is increasing due to Erdogans aggressive foreign policy. There wont be a S-400 delivery in July, as the Turkish President has announced, because the purchase would lead to sanctions from Washington  and with the current crisis with the lira, this would be an economic downfall for Turkey.



This means that Erdogan has pushed his luck too far. The bad economic situation has thwarted his plans. He must now once again move closer to US President Trump and the other NATO partners.

Prior to the scheduled election in Istanbul, this development could weaken the results of Erdogans party.

Auch Interessant



Turkish lira still tumbling

At the same time, the decline of the Turkish lira on Thursday has raised the central banks concerns. The monetary regulator is suspending its weekly repo auctions in order to tighten its monetary policy and support the lira.



The Turkish currency has recently slumped considerably and marked an eight-month low of 6.24 liras against the dollar. This was caused by the repetition of the mayoral election in Istanbul. Investors are concerned that the country will face weeks of uncertainty until the election on June 23. Suspending the repo auctions is a way for central banks to support the currency. However, this is only an emergency measure, said Tim Ash, strategist for emerging countries at BlueBay Asset Management. The real problem is the economic policys lack of credibility.



The Turkish central bank already supported the currency one week ago, prior to the local elections. Since then, the lira has lost more than ten percent in value.






Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, my take on the first leg of the Trump-O'Reilly History Tour.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The European Patent Office (EPO) announces that cancer researcher Patrizia Paterlini-Brechot has been nominated as one of three finalists for the European Inventor Award 2019 in the category "Research" for developing a blood filtering technology for the early detection of cancer.



Her invention makes it possible for doctors to detect cancer cells in a blood sample long before a tumour can be found with standard imaging techniques. Importantly, her test can detect these cells before the patient develops metastases - the spread of cancer from the primary tumour to other organs of the body  which is the reason why 90% of patients lose their fight against the disease.

"We know that with cancer treatment effective detection is a key," said EPO President Antonio Campinos, announcing the European Inventor Award 2019 finalists. "Early diagnostic methods such as Patrizia Paterlini-Brechot's invention are opening up a new front in the battle against this disease by helping doctors to detect the presence of a tumour in its very early stages," he said. "Her story demonstrates how patents can play an important part in driving research that saves and improves lives."

The winners of the 2019 edition of the EPO's annual innovation prize will be announced at a ceremony in Vienna on 20 June.

Inspired by helping patients

There were an estimated 18.1 million new cancer diagnoses worldwide in 2018 and 9.6 million people died of the disease last year. Some cancers are especially difficult to diagnose: lung cancer, for example, is detected at an early stage in only 15% of cases. Finding an effective, non-invasive way to diagnose cancers accurately and early on has the potential to save millions of lives each year. This is also what has motivated the Italian-French researcher throughout her career.

Paterlini-Brechot studied medicine at the University of Modena, where she specialised in haematology and oncology. After working as a cancer specialist in Bologna, she felt that the most concrete way of helping patients in the long term would be to focus on biomedical research. In 1988 she moved to Paris to train in molecular biology, completing her PhD in 1993 at University of Paris XI on the fundamental bases of oncogenesis. Today Paterlini-Brechot is Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology/Oncology at Paris Descartes University, a practitioner in the Paris public hospital system, team research leader at French public research organisation INSERM, and scientific advisor to a company she also founded.

Early on in her career, she lost a cancer patient with an advanced stage of cancer within days of first seeing him. The feeling that she could do nothing to help him shocked her so much that she decided to devote her life to reducing the mortality rate of cancer and to improving patients' lives, something that she explains in her 2017 book Tuer le cancer (Killing Cancer). When asked about this the inventor says: "Often people think that cancer hits a person suddenly and spreads very quickly, but this is not true. What we've learned over the past decades is that the process of forming metastasis is very slow and can go on for years."

Saving lives through early detection

Paterlini-Brechot decided to take advantage of this "weakness" to fight the disease. She concentrated her research on the possibility of detecting circulating tumour cells (CTCs). These cells, which are shed from the primary tumour and travel through the body in the blood, can be present several years before metastases develop. Since the 1990s they have been a focus of research due to their role in spreading cancer.

Finding CTCs in a patient's blood is a clear sign that tumours are present and that the person is at risk of developing metastasis. The earlier they are detected, the faster and more effectively a patient can be treated. But a number of challenges had to be overcome. For one, CTCs are extremely rare; and they are also incredibly variable. Using her knowledge of oncology and haematology, Paterlini-Brechot came up with the idea of vertically filtering the blood to isolate CTCs, which is possible due to their larger size compared to other cells. "We phoned all the blood banks at the time to ask if they had a method for vertically filtering blood," she says. "But nobody could help us; they said it was impossible. The problem is that blood clots very quickly and it contains a huge amount of cells. Just 10 milliliters of blood contains on average 100 million white blood cells and 50 billion red ones. The sheer amount clogs every sieve and every filter."

But Paterlini-Brechot and her team did not give up: they tested more than 700 different ways of filtering blood samples before finally coming up with the right parameters to make it possible to filter and isolate CTCs reliably. She first published work on her new process and device, called ISET (Isolation by Size of Tumour cells) in 2000, and began filing applications for the first of several European patents.

Filter innovation for better diagnoses

With Paterlini-Brechot's method blood is first drawn, diluted and then inserted into a small plastic cartridge containing a wafer-thin polycarbonate filter, which works like a coffee filter. The cartridge is inserted into a small table-top machine, which performs the filtration by generating a gentle vacuum that forces the blood sample through the filter.

Smaller blood cells pass through the pores of the filter and, if there are tumour cells in the blood, then these are retained due to their larger size. This process can be completed in about 15 minutes. It is so sensitive that it can detect a single CTC in a 10-millilitre blood sample, or roughly one in about 50 billion blood cells. Cancer specialists can then study cells captured by the filter under a microscope to verify that they are cancer cells, and perform further analysis.

Patients can receive further tests to determine the correct course and timing of therapy, long before metastases occur. In one clinical trial for lung cancer, ISET detected CTCs in patients one to four years before cancerous lung nodules would become visible on CT scans. The test could, therefore, enable doctors to target patients at risk of lung cancer (for example, smokers), in order to make very early interventions if needed.

Furthermore, given that anti-cancer medication targets tumour cells, isolating CTCs in this way can help medical specialists assess whether the treatment is working: anti-cancer drugs that are effective would make CTCs disappear. Another advantage of this method is that the technology can be used to detect virtually all types of solid cancers and even some forms of leukaemia.

Pioneering predictive cancer care

In order to make use of the invention, Paterlini-Brechot founded Rarecells Diagnostics in 2009. The Paris-based company is a spin-off of Paris Descartes University, INSERM and Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris, and now holds the exclusive licence to her ISET patents and distributes and develops the tests. The licensing agreement ensures that royalties go back into the public institutions that own the patents. This is an important motivation for Paterlini-Brechot who believes that research should be for the benefit of the public.

It is also the reason that patent management is such a big priority for her and her team: "It's clear to me that the only way to use research to improve peoples' lives is to bring research products to the market, and patents are essential in this process," the inventor says.

The global CTC diagnostics market was estimated at EUR 8.2 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow to EUR 24.9 billion by 2023. Paterlini-Brechot is a pioneer in this expanding market. Her ISET test has been available to patients in France since February 2017  at a cost of just under EUR 500  as it is currently not covered by health insurance. More clinical trials are needed to establish cancer-specific guidelines for the medical community, a process that requires a great deal of funding. Nonetheless the technology has already been validated by more than 70 independent scientific studies on over 2 000 patients with different types of cancer, and on some 600 individuals without cancer.

Paterlini-Brechot's next challenge is to identify in which part of the body the cancer originates, as this would facilitate screening, so work continues. Her vision for the future is for ISET to become routine and incorporated into normal check-ups, ensuring that her invention and its benefits are accessible to all.

"Ultimately I think it was good that I went into research," the inventor says. "That way I can help many people at the same time  I can improve and lengthen their lives. If I'd remained a doctor, I'd only have been able to help one patient after the other  rather than all of them at once."
Dr. Victor Rosenthal, a distinguished expert on nosocomial infections, discussed the facts of health-economies in HAI prevention

With the steep rise in Hospital acquired infections (HAI) in the country, BD-India, a leading medical technology company organised 'Heal-o-nomics. The program is conceptualized to apprehend the challenge of preventing HAIs with the aim to achieve better health outcomes at optimised cost. Sharing his expertise on the issues related to HAIs, the President of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC), Dr. Victor D. Rosenthal, presented findings on the epidemiology and prevention of BSI, to the Hospital Infection Control Committee (HICC) of prominent health institutes in Delhi and Bangalore.

Hospital-Acquired Infections, also known as a nosocomial infection, are acquired from healthcare facilities through hospital staff, patients, contaminated equipment and linen, among other factors. According to the World Health Organisation, at any given time over 1.4 million people across the globe suffer from hospital-acquired infection (HAI). HAIs account for 2 million cases and about 80,000 deaths a year.

Dr. Victor Rosenthal, President, of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium said, Over the years, we have seen an increase in HAIs among patients. The infections are caused due to the lack of compliance with infection control guidelines, such as hand hygiene, use of outdated technology, misuse or excessive use of antibiotics and more. These infections are further leading to morbidity, mortality and increased financial burden among patients. Therefore, there is an essential need to bring down the incidence of HAIs by implementing proper guidelines and preventing the infection with bacterial resistance rather than treating it with antibiotics. Through initiatives like Heal-o-nomics, our aim is to educate the healthcare institutes to follow guidelines which may help in better treatment and care.

He added, Catheter-Related Blood Stream Infections (CRBSIs) are associated with extra length of stay, morbidity, mortality, and cost. The adverse impact of CRBSIs has been observed in both, patients with central and peripheral vascular catheters. Hospitals use ten times more peripheral vascular catheters than central vascular catheters, the total number of Blood Stream Infections in patients with peripheral vascular catheters is five times more than the patients with central vascular catheters. To resolve this issue, we need to opt for improvements in behavioural change, and select the right technologies based on clinical outcomes, and cost effectiveness, rather than just their costs.

A study conducted by Dr Victor Rosenthal published in 2015 by INICC evaluated the rates of device associated infections across 40 Indian hospitals compared to several other countries. The studies were conducted on patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The findings specified that 7.92 central line-associated bloodstream infections occurred per 1,000 central line-days, 10.6 catheter-associated urinary tract infections per 1,000 urinary catheter-days and a ventilator-associated pneumonia rate of 10.4 per 1,000 mechanical ventilator-days.

Dr Navin Kumar, Consultant and Head, Clinical Microbiology and infection control, Manipal Hospitals, Delhi stated HAIs take a considerable toll on patients and hospital resources. These infections can change a persons disease profile from a mild health problem to a life-threatening condition. It is essential for every healthcare setting to follow correct strategies which help improve patient safety. One of the key reasons of most infections in ICU is Central-venous-catheter-Related Blood Stream Infections (CRBSIs), resulting in morbidity, extra length of stay and hospital costs. Therefore, it is essential to provide proper training to healthcare workers and abide by strict guidelines for sterilization and disinfection. We thank Dr. Rosenthal for sharing the latest findings on this subject and providing us with a perspective towards curbing this situation.

Elaborating on the initiative, Dr. Naresh Shetty, President, MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, Bangalore stated, Dialogues like Heal-o-nomics help in countering infections and improving patient outcomes in healthcare facilities like ours. While contacting patients it is essential that healthcare workers follow proper hygiene and sanitation. Factors like unclean hands, floors and sheets along with medical instruments such as catheters, respiratory machines, and other hospital tools increase the burden of HAI. Hence, robust monitoring and surveillance are required to reduce the chances of contracting HAI for both the medical staff and the patients.

A successful strategy for addressing HAIs is to implement strong safety standards along with a robust hygiene strategy. It is crucial that proper guidelines and newer techniques are brought into practice for better supervision and disease management.
#OneShow2019: Put people at the centre, appreciate creativity and innovate

Ann Nurock interviews Marcel Marcondes, CMO of Anheuser-Busch InBev US after his talk at the One Club Creative Summit in New York to find out more about the pillars making Anheuser-Busch relevant in 2019.

Marcel Marcondes, CMO of Anheuser-Busch InBev US

Nurock: Hi Marcel, great talk. Please tell me about the pillars that are making Anheuser-Busch so relevant right now. Nurock: Hi Marcel, great talk. Please tell me about the pillars that are making Anheuser-Busch so relevant right now.

Nurock: I loved your Budweiser Jackie Robinson campaign. Please tell us more about that. Nurock: I loved your Budweiser Jackie Robinson campaign. Please tell us more about that.

Nurock: Thank you so much, it has been great talking to you. Nurock: Thank you so much, it has been great talking to you.

Ann Nurock's articles About Ann Nurock A former CEO of Grey South Africa and President/CEO of Grey Canada, Ann Nurock is now the Africa Partner of Relationship Audits and Management, a global consultancy specialising in the measurement, risk mitigation and optimisation of B2B relationships. Contact details:

A former CEO of Grey South Africa and President/CEO of Grey Canada, Ann Nurock is now the Africa Partner of Relationship Audits and Management, a global consultancy specialising in the measurement, risk mitigation and optimisation of B2B relationships. Contact details: moc.stiduapihsnoitaler@kcorun.nna | Twitter @Annnurock



Don't miss BizTrends2022 - 7 keynote speakers forecast trends shaping business in our region! Register now!

Thanks for the opportunity to speak to you. I guess the most important are first to make sure we put people at the centre of everything we do. The only way to be meaningful and relevant to people is by understanding them deeply first, which is easier said than done. Theres a lot of things changing internally, including moving from traditional consumer groups as research to having a fixed online panel with more than 6,000 consumers that we interact with on a daily basis.The second thing was to start appreciating creativity and to make sure that the entire corporate market appreciates creativity again because in the world as it is today, people do not pay attention to anything. Attention is the new currency and therefore, either you break the clutter by really being creative or there is no way you can really start a conversation with your consumers.The third pillar is actually on innovation because we need to always be up to speed in terms of consumer needs and how to focus on the problems and solve them. By deeply understanding what they are looking for, we can better address our solutions.So, those were three of the most important pillars that we have been working with lately.I was so proud of that. Jackie Robinson was the first Afro-American player of the NBL, so he really made a difference and had an impact in history. And this is the year where he would have turned 100 years old, so we really celebrated his anniversary by playing a beautiful tribute with Budweiser.The brand was perceived to be of a lower quality compared to craft beers. Consumers thought it was made by machines or robots as opposed to craft beers, which were perceived to be made by hand. This is crazy, but we realised that Budweiser lacked the human element. Thats when we decided that we had to humanise the brand and celebrate people.So, Budweiser here is all about celebrating ordinary people doing extraordinary things and Jackie Robinson definitely left an extraordinary legacy to this entire country, so it was worth celebrating. Then we did a partnership with Spike Lee  we did some beautiful content, special edition packs for Budweiser and we donated funds from the sale of that packaging to help build the Jackie Robinson Museum, so we can really perpetuate his legacy.Thank you so much. Thanks for the opportunity and also, if possible, I wanted to give a shout out to our team in South Africa in Africa. Ricardo Moreira, the president of our operations in Africa, is a big friend of mine and somebody I really admire  he is a mentor for me. Andrea Quaye, head of marketing for the African region is amazing. She is a great friend as well. I am pretty sure that the team in Africa is doing an amazing job as well. You all can expect amazing things coming from Anheuser-Busch for sure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he dont want to call Russia an enemy, he wants to get along with it, according to the White House press service.

"Germany pays to Russia billions of dollars a month for the pipeline, and yet were supposed to be defending Germany from Russia. So Germany is giving the so-called enemy  I dont call it an enemy; I want to get along with Russia and I want to get along with China, because Im smart. Stupid people dont want to get along," the U.S. leader stressed.

At the same time, he noted that the Mueller Report "hurt the U.S. in its relationships with a lot of countries."
Turkey's European Union membership will play a crucial role in increasing the bloc's political prowess, according to a joint declaration at the end of a meeting on May 9 held to discuss reforms for the country's stalled EU process.

The sixth meeting of the Reform Action Group was chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

"The time has come for the EU countries to leave aside domestic politics and populism, and to revert to its 69-year-old founding philosophy, and to realize that Turkey's membership in the union would be one of the most meaningful and useful contributions," the declaration read.

Referring to the upcoming European Parliament elections, the declaration said: "We hope that the increasing ideological excesses will not dominate the new European Parliament and that the new formation in the EU institutions will have a more balanced and objective stance," Anadolu Agency reported.
By The Associated Press May. 10, 2019 | 06:00 AM | WASHINGTON

Democrats call it a "constitutional crisis." But is it?

Stunned by the extent of the White House's blanket refusal to comply with oversight by Congress, the Democrats warn that the Trump administration is shattering historic norms and testing the nation's system of checks and balances in new and alarming ways.

It's not just the House's fight with the Justice Department over the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report . The standoff involves President Donald Trump's unwillingness to engage with dozens of Capitol Hill probes of his tax returns , potential business conflicts and the running of the administration  from security clearances for his family to actions he's taken on his own on immigration.

It's a confrontation that's only expected to deepen now that Mueller's work is finished and the investigation focus shifts to Capitol Hill.

Trump derides the probes as "presidential harassment." Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell tries to declare it all "case closed." But Democrats warn that without the legislative branch staying on the case, keeping watch, any executive becomes more like a "monarchy"  or "tyranny"  that doesn't have to answer to the representatives of all Americans.

"Will the administration violate the Constitution and not abide by the requests of Congress in its legitimate oversight responsibilities?" asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday.

"Every day they are advertising their obstruction of justice," she said. "We're not talking about isolated situations. We're talking about a cumulative effect of obstruction the administration is engaged in, and the president has warned that he is not going to honor any subpoenas from Congress."

Struggles between the executive and legislative branches are nothing new. The House voted to hold George W. Bush administration officials in contempt over an investigation into the firing of U.S. attorneys. Barack Obama's attorney general, Eric Holder, was found in contempt over an undercover gun-running operation.

But those were specific cases. The difference, say historians and legal scholars, is that Trump has announced he will essentially ignore all oversight requests from Congress.

Congressional experts say a big risk is setting a precedent that goes way beyond Trump. What happens, for example, if an administration stonewalls Congress on information it wants for an investigation of air or water quality rules  or anything else? Can the White House just say no?

"We have a big problem," said Julian E. Zelizer, a Princeton University professor who studies history and public affairs.

Trump's new stance, at the end of the Mueller investigation, comes as the president faces a divided Congress for the first time. Democrats talked of being a check on him when they took control of the House in January, upsetting the calm he enjoyed during two years of friendlier relations with Republicans in charge of both chambers.

Zelizer said with Trump "aggressively flexing power to shut down oversight capacity of another branch," it's "unclear who and how this is resolved, especially with Senate Republicans standing by their man."

Asked if this is a constitutional crisis, Zelizer said, "I think we are looking at one."

Jack Balkin, a Yale Law School expert on the Constitution, won't go that far, but he said the Democrats are describing a real problem.

"There is a breakdown in constitutional norms that keep the republic going," Balkin said. "In an ordinary world, you just have negotiations over subpoenas. It happens all the time. Congress and the president work it out."

After talks broke down this week between the House Judiciary Committee and the Justice Department over the panel's subpoena for the full Mueller report, the committee voted to recommend that Attorney General William Barr be held in contempt of Congress.

Lawmakers want to see a less fully redacted version of the publicly released 448-page document on Russian interference in the 2016 election. They say they need to know what's in the hundreds of fully or partly blacked-out pages that were publicly released to better understand how to protect elections from future interference. Barr says he tried to accommodate the request as much as he could before asking Trump to invoke executive privilege to enable him to block it.

While there's no direct oversight written in the Constitution, the House historical website says it's implied in Article 1 that gives Congress "all legislative powers," with investigations intended as a way to seek necessary information for that purpose.

Underscoring that, the Supreme Court ruled nearly 100 years ago that "the power of inquiry -- with process to enforce it -- is an essential and appropriate auxiliary to the legislative function."

Saikrishna Prakash, an expert on presidential power at the University of Virginia, said he doubts that Trump will carry out a total refusal to participate in congressional oversight.

"If you want to have an oversight hearing on EPA and a clean water rule, they're probably going to send someone," Prakash said. "The president doesn't care about that. He cares about the Russia investigation and obstruction, and he cares about an investigation into his personal finances."

The president's advisers say part of Trump's strategy is to slow-walk his legal battles with Congress in court, seeing an advantage for the 2020 campaign. His public arguments are more political than legal: He portrays the Democrats as "unhinged."

Democrats, though, believe the public is on their side in pursuing oversight of Trump.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said the White House is "stonewalling the American public from all information and this cannot be. We cannot have a government where all the information is in the executive branch."

He said, "It's an attack on the essence of our democracy and we must oppose this."
The recommended redesign for the Braecrest Drive corridor features a new roundabout at 18th Street and restricted turning at First Street.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Those attending Thursday's City of Brandon open house examine the proposed changes to the Braecrest Drive Corridor at Grand Valley Church. (Drew May/The Brandon Sun)

The recommended redesign for the Braecrest Drive corridor features a new roundabout at 18th Street and restricted turning at First Street.

Officials representing the City of Brandon and WSP Canada Group were at Grand Valley Church on Thursday to show the culmination of the Braecrest Drive corridor functional design study, which displayed the various recommendations for the east-to-west road atop the North Hill.

In the short term, the proposal is to extend Quail Ridge Drive to Mockingbird Drive, which links up to the service road parallel to 18th Street. City of Brandon traffic and transportation planner Sam van Huizen said that change will divert some traffic.

"In order to alleviate some of the volumes we have right now that were seeing, this intersection will provide the alternative."

Extending Quail Ridge Drive buys the city time to work on the long-term plan, which is to build a roundabout at the intersection of Braecrest Drive and 18th Street. He said the province wasnt onboard with adding traffic lights to the intersection because of maintenance concerns and issues with trucks stopping on the hill.

This addition will help cyclists and pedestrians use the crossing more effectively and connect the neighbourhoods on either side of 18th Street.

The intersection with First Street is not proposed to see as dramatic changes, but traffic headed east on Braecrest will not be able to turn left anymore.

"We still have significant volumes there that could create a problem, so were limiting the left turn," van Huizen said.

Instead, cars will have to turn left onto White Swan Street, then right onto Centre Avenue, where there are traffic lights at First Street.

The area where both Knowlton Drive and Bluebird Street both meet Braecrest will be rebuilt to make it one intersection connected with a roundabout, rather than two T-shaped intersections.

Braecrest Drive itself will see quality-of-life improvements as well. The proposed plan is to build sidewalks and multi-use trails on various parts of the road and add crosswalks.

A roundabout will also be built at the intersection of Braecrest Drive and Daly Crescent.

Overall, the goal is to address issues with traffic volumes and speed in the area. The suggestions are also meant to quell concerns over the lack of signals at either end of the road.

While the design likely wont change too much, the city will still be accepting feedback on the functional plan for the next two weeks, van Huizen said. At this point, the planners are looking for "reaction," which can be submitted online through a survey.

Area residents Robyn Little and Conrad Stott said their biggest concern is with pedestrians crossing at the intersection of 18th Street and Outback Drive. While they live on Outback Drive, Little said they like to walk on the paths in the neighbourhood Braecrest Drive runs through.

The lights at Outback Drive dont change for pedestrians, which makes it hard to cross on foot, but that problems wont be remedied by the proposed changes.

"We still dont have a way to cross 18th Street from Outback as a pedestrian," Little said.

She added that she was told the city can only build a pedestrian crossing if there is a sidewalk or path that meets the road, but there isnt one at Outback Drive.

The next step with the Braecrest Drive corridor redesign is to submit the plan to city council for approval and for consideration into the capital budget, van Huizen said.

"There may be some headaches when it comes to construction or some change to a road being in a back yard that wasnt necessarily there previously, but were trying to accommodate and be sensitive to those issues as much as we can, all while figuring out what the best option is for the city of Brandon as a whole."

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
OTTAWA - Lynn Beyak cast herself as a defender of free speech and a victim of political correctness moments before senators voted summarily Thursday to suspend her without pay from the Senate for refusing to delete derogatory letters about Indigenous people from her website.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A picture of Senator Lynn Beyak accompanies other Senators official portraits on a display outside the Senate on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. Senators have voted to suspend Lynn Beyak without pay from the Senate for refusing to delete racist letters about Indigenous Peoples from her website.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Lynn Beyak cast herself as a defender of free speech and a victim of political correctness moments before senators voted summarily Thursday to suspend her without pay from the Senate for refusing to delete derogatory letters about Indigenous people from her website.

The suspension applies only to the remainder of the current session of Parliament; she'll be able to resume sitting as a senator when a new session begins following the Oct. 21 federal election.

However, if Beyak continues to refuse to comply with remedial measures recommended by the Senate's ethics committee, the upper chamber could consider further action against her in the future.

In a report last month, the committee recommended that Beyak be suspended, that she complete, at her own expense, "educational programs related to racism" towards Indigenous people; apologize in writing to the Senate; and delete the offending letters from her website. It also recommended the Senate administration remove the offending letters if Beyak doesn't do so herself.

In a speech just prior to the vote on the committee's report, an emotional Beyak pleaded for just one of her fellow senators to ask that the matter be adjourned until next week to give her colleagues time to consider it more carefully. No one stepped up and a voice vote to adopt the report was taken immediately without further debate. Conservative Sen. Don Plett asked that the vote be "on division," meaning some senators were opposed but would not insist on standing up one by one for a recorded vote.

Beyak, appointed to the Senate in 2013 by former prime minister Stephen Harper, was kicked out of the Conservative caucus last year over her refusal to remove the letters from her website.

In her speech, Beyak doubled down on her contention that there was nothing racist in the letters. She said her only sin is refusing to censor the free expression of Canadians and she called the proposed penalty "totalitarian" and unworthy of a free country like Canada.

"This is a critical day. Either senators are free to speak without fear of reprisal or we are not," she told the Senate.

"The only conduct or action that is condemned is my refusal to censor Canadians and shut down debate about sensitive issues on which Canadians have expressed various opinions."

The letters were posted in response to a 2018 speech in which Beyak argued that Indian residential schools did a lot of good for Indigenous children, although many suffered physical and sexual abuse and thousands died of disease and malnutrition.

The Senate's ethics officer, Pierre Legault, concluded in March that five of the letters contained racist content, suggesting that Indigenous people are lazy, chronic whiners who are milking the residential-schools issue to get government handouts. Beyak refused to accept Legault's order that she delete the letters and apologize to the Senate, which prompted the upper house's ethics committee and finally the Senate as a whole to subsequently take up the matter.

In her speech Thursday, Beyak cited a letter of support she received last week from a retired Manitoba judge who wrote that her "crime was refusing to go along with the politically correct version of the prevailing orthodoxy pertaining to Indigenous issues."

But Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett tweeted that the issue "was never about political correctness  it's about racism that hurts people."

In a post on Twitter, Bennett thanked the Senate for "denouncing racism and for moving to take down the hateful letters" on Beyak's website.
The death of a teenager at a post-prom party held at an Airbnb rental property north of Toronto should be raising questions around safety and civic responsibility in an evolving industry, lawyers and police said Thursday as arrests were announced in the case.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The death of a teenager at a post-prom party held at an Airbnb rental property north of Toronto should be raising questions around safety and civic responsibility in an evolving industry, lawyers and police said Thursday as arrests were announced in the case.

York Regional Police said two teens are now charged with first-degree murder, and a third faces a related charge, but hundreds of potential witnesses fled the scene without helping the victim or providing information to authorities afterwards.

Jahdea Paterson, 18, is shown in a handout photo from the York Regional Police Twitter page. Police say two teens have been charged with murder in a fatal shooting at a prom after-party north of Toronto last week, while a third faces a related charge. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Twitter-York Regional Police-@YRP MANDATORY CREDIT

Some of that reticence may stem from the fact that questions around legal liability in short-term rentals are murky at best, with everyone from insurance companies to courts still navigating a new economic reality created by companies like Airbnb, observers said.

Bill Dick, a British Columbia-based personal injury lawyer who has led seminars on the risks associated with graduation and prom parties, said the shooting death of 18-year-old Rizwaan Abookbabar Wadee marks the worst-case scenario many industry watchers have been bracing for.

"This is the 'what if,'" Dick said. "This is the tragedy. Someone who wants to involve themselves in the sharing economy can end up in this kind of a nightmare scenario."

Wadee, of Vaughan, Ont., died in the early morning hours of May 3 while attending an unsanctioned post-prom party, said York police Const. Andy Pattenden. The teen was allegedly shot to death at a large home in Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ont., that Pattenden said had been rented through Airbnb.

Airbnb called the incident a "senseless tragedy" and said safety was its priority.

"There is no place on Airbnb for such an abhorrent act, which violates everything our Canadian community stands for," it said in a statement, noting that it was ready to work with local police.

Pattenden said that while as many as 400 people were attending the party at one point, police arrived to find only Wadee's body lying in an upstairs bedroom of a completely empty house.

"They just booked it out of there," Pattenden said. "And the 911 call came a pretty significant amount of time after the shooting had taken place. We're unclear if anyone even tried to deliver first aid to this victim ... It's disturbing."

Party-goers' reluctance to help has also extended to the investigation, Pattenden said, adding police had received only one video and a handful of still photos taken at the time of the shooting. Pattenden said he's confident more footage exists and appealed to witnesses to share the material they either captured themselves or received from friends in the days since Wadee's death.

Jahdea Paterson, 18, of Toronto and a 17-year-old boy who can't be identified are charged with first-degree murder, while a 16-year-old boy is charged with being an accessory.

Paterson surrendered to police overnight after a Canada-wide warrant was issued for his arrest, police said. The other two accused, who also face firearm charges, were arrested shortly after the shooting.

Pattenden said the force has become familiar with large parties held at Airbnb rentals, adding some homes are even stripped of furniture and left largely vacant specifically for that purpose.

He said last week's party began as an unofficial post-prom celebration for students at Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham, Ont., but the crowd grew as attendees shared details of the event on social media.

Neither the suspects nor the victim were students at Bill Crothers, Pattenden said. A statement from the York Region District School Board confirmed that Wadee attended Maple High School in Vaughan.

"Our thoughts are with the students family and friends, and with all of those who are affected by this loss and act of violence," the board's director of education Louise Sirisko said in a statement, adding that some parents may be concerned about safety.

"While after-prom parties are not school-sanctioned events, we know that end-of-year festivities are occurring and that students and their families are making decisions in their best interest. It's important for families to have open conversations about these events and supports that are available."

Dick stressed a similar message, noting questions around liability are still very much evolving in the context of Airbnb rentals.

He said that while there is little to no case law involving injuries sustained on properties rented through Airbnb or similar organizations, the courts have made it clear that property owners do owe a "duty of care" to any minors who come to harm on their grounds.

"Airbnb is supposed to do the vetting, which does insulate the home-owners to some extent in the sense that if they don't know there are minors on the property they can't be responsible," Dick said. "But the real issue is how much vetting does Airbnb do?"

Pattenden said Airbnb has largely replaced the function formerly filled exclusively by hotels, saying the fatal shooting should be prompting conversations about everything from personal responsibility to safety concerns around unsupervised parties, regardless of where they take place.
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Five people were taken to hospital with minor injuries and a fuel truck driver was charged after a truck hit a plane on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International Airport early Friday morning.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Air Canada Jazz offices at the airport in Halifax on Friday, June 18, 2010. A spokesperson for Jazz Aviation says five people were taken to hospital after a fuel truck collided with a plane on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson airport this morning. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Five people were taken to hospital with minor injuries and a fuel truck driver was charged after a truck hit a plane on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International Airport early Friday morning.

Authorities say the Air Canada Jazz flight with 51 people on board had left for Sudbury, Ont., but turned around because of bad weather and was taxiing back to the gate when it was struck at 1:36 a.m.

A spokeswoman for Peel Regional Police said the truck hit the plane three times, and the truck driver is now facing a charge of dangerous driving.

A spokeswoman for Jazz Aviation, which operated the flight under an agreement with Air Canada, said three crew members and two passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries, but have all now since been released.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said it was deploying a team of investigators to the scene.

Menzies Aviation, the company that operates the fuel truck involved in the crash, said it has also begun an investigation to determine what happened.

A spokeswoman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Pearson, said the incident had no impact on operations.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia, dear veterans,

Soldiers and seamen, sergeants and master sergeants, warrant officers and chief warrant officers, officers, generals and admirals,

Congratulations on Victory Day, the day of our pride and grief, our boundless gratitude to the defenders of the Fatherland who crushed Nazism.

They are all on the pedestal of the tremendous Victory. It is for this Victory that they fought and laboured, passed that self-sacrificing road of horrendous ordeals, stood up as an unbending stronghold in the fire of the battles, gave everything they could and through suffering they garnered Victory!

With every new year we come to a deeper realisation of the moral power of that unparalleled feat and the eternal value of the military triumph of our people.

It was the people who defended and saved our Motherland, became the hope and a tower of strength for the humankind, the main liberator of European nations.

Our countrys history counts a number of heroic deeds yet the victory over Nazism stands out as retribution to the Nazis for all their crimes, for thinking of themselves as a superior race and starting the terrible war.

This insolent force subjugated many nations, and impunity veiled the Nazis eyes. They thought they would also be able to conquer the Soviet Union within several weeks  the thousand-year-old historic Russia. They failed.

Yes, after the enemys treacherous attack on our territory we suffered defeats, retreats and heavy losses but it did not break Russias spirit.

As early as July 1941, over 5 million soldiers joined the army ranks, tens of thousands of volunteers became militiamen.

Under fierce fire, hundreds of large factories were evacuated to the east, and in incredibly short time manufacturing was resumed in the Urals, in the Volga region and Siberia.

Everything for the Victory became the slogan of the home front. This is what marked the opening of our second front  the heroic labour front. Its powerful arsenal worked seamlessly.

The victory was forged by the whole nation. The garrison of the Brest tower was the first to take the sudden treacherous brunt of the invaders. The defenders of the fortress fought to the last soldier, they left writing on the citadels walls which still make us gasp for air. They sound like an oath and a testament to us: I am dying but I do not surrender.

The feats of Russian soldiers today are telling us that this charge has not been forgotten. This oath has been adopted by the current generation of defenders of the Fatherland and is the main guarantee of absolute reliability and invincibility of Russian weapons.

That is exactly what the people thought and how they acted during the Great Patriotic War, as they were fighting for their Motherland in the decisive battles for Moscow and in Stalingrad, at the Kursk Bulge and on the Dnieper River.

The victory was secured with the courage of the defenders of ancient Russian capitals of Kiev and Veliky Novgorod, the fearless defenders of Smolensk, Odessa, Sevastopol, and the infinite fortitude of the inhabitants of the besieged Leningrad.

At each bridgehead and at each military line, feats of tremendous spiritual power were accomplished, often by very young people. More than half of the Heroes of the Soviet Union were under 25.

Many went to the front straight from school and forever remained there, on the front line, never knowing the happiness of love, family, or children.

As soldiers of their country, they did not spare their lives for the sake of its freedom, peaceful future, and each of us. We will never forget their courage and self-sacrifice, and the great price paid for Victory.

We bow our heads in respect before the memory of the sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, fellow soldiers, families and friends. We grieve for the veterans who are no longer with us.

Let us hold a minute of silence.

(A minute of silence.)

Friends,

The memory of the Great Patriotic War and the truth about it is part of our conscience and our responsibility.

Today, we see how a number of countries are deliberately distorting war events, and how those who, forgetting honour and human dignity, served the Nazis, are now being glorified, and how shamelessly they lie to their children and betray their ancestors.

Our sacred duty is to protect the real heroes. We bow to all veterans from the generation of victors. You live in different countries, but the feat that you accomplished together cannot be divided. We will always honour all of you and glorify Victory, which has always been and remains one for all of us.

Comrades,

The lessons of the past war are still relevant. We have done and will continue to do our best to ensure high combat capability of our Armed Forces, the defence potential of the most modern level, and we will continue to reinforce the prestige of military service and the standing of soldiers and officers, the defenders of the Fatherland.

At the same time, Russia is open to cooperation with everyone who is willing to resist terrorism, neo-Nazism and extremism. Collective resistance to bearers of deadly ideas has become crucial again.

We call on all the countries to become fully aware of our shared responsibility for creating an effective and equal for all security system.

Our nation is well aware of what war is. It brought grief and innumerable suffering to each family. We have not forgotten anything. We remember everything and hold sacred the valour of the soldiers of Victory. Our military parades, the thunder of fireworks and the Immortal Regiment march serve the purpose of honouring them.

Victory Day always brings together and unites all generations, and opens peoples hearts. Today, we are not hiding our emotions, and these sincere feelings are uniting Russia.

We are proud of our unity, and we are glad to have our children and grandchildren with us here, so that we can pass on to them the sacred memory of the heroic accomplishments of our fathers and grandfathers and be confident that their feats and their victories will live forever.

Glory to the victorious nation!

Happy holiday to you!

Happy Victory Day!

Hooray!
QUEBEC - Hearings into Quebec's secularism bill veered off track Thursday when a former senator drew a connection between the Muslim head scarf, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Quebec Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness Simon Jolin-Barrette picks up documents on the first day of a legislature committee studying a bill on secularism, Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at the legislature in Quebec City. Hearings into Quebec's secularism bill veered off track Thursday when a former senator drew a connection between the Muslim head scarf, female genital mutilation and forced marriage. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

QUEBEC - Hearings into Quebec's secularism bill veered off track Thursday when a former senator drew a connection between the Muslim head scarf, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Quebec Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette quickly denounced the comments by Celine Hervieux-Payette. "Arguments must be presented in a manner that is respectful and moderate," he said.

Hervieux-Payette, who served 21 years as a Liberal senator before retiring in 2016, appeared before the legislature committee studying Bill 21 on behalf of a group of pro-secularism lawyers. She invoked Somali-born author Ayaan Hirsi Ali, whom she said believes that the hijab hides "circumcision and forced marriage at ages 14 or 15."

The former senator was called to order by committee chairman Andre Bachand as she told Liberal MP Helene David that families in Quebec send their children to other countries to be mutilated. "Here it's illegal, doctors do not have the right to do it, but it's also done by neighbours," she said.

After the hearing, Hervieux-Payette seemed undaunted by Bachand's appeal for caution. "When a wife is no longer needed, she is put in the fire and it's over," she told reporters. "I'm just saying that religions do not always have just a good side, and in this case, when one has a symbol and wants to keep it, it's because there is something else behind it, and I would like us to talk about it."

The controversial bill would prohibit public servants in positions of authority, including teachers, from wearing religious symbols. Critics have said it would have a disproportionate impact on Muslim women who wear the hijab.

Earlier this week, another supporter of the bill, Djemila Benhabib, told the hearings that any woman who refuses to take off her hijab to work in the public service is a "fundamentalist." That prompted Premier Francois Legault to appeal for people to be "careful with labels."

Amid the divisive debate, Quebec solidaire co-spokesperson Manon Masse delivered a plea for respect of minority rights. She drew a parallel between homophobia and prejudices against teachers who wear religious symbols.

Masse said that when she worked at a summer camp in the 1980s, she was forbidden from talking about her sexual orientation for fear parents would remove their children from the camp.

"At the time, a large part of the population was convinced that we, gays and lesbians, could not teach or care for children, because we would contaminate them with our differences," she said during question period Thursday in the national assembly.

Similarly today, she said, people's perceptions are fuelling the drive to prohibit teachers from wearing religious symbols. She said there is no evidence that teachers are proselytizing in schools.
MONTREAL - Some of Canada's business and political elite paid tribute to former prime minister Brian Mulroney Thursday night and raised money for the foundation of Universite de Montreal's hospital centre.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Prime Mininster Brian Mulroney, left, talks with Stephen and Claudine Bronfman during an event in his honour in Montreal on Thursday, May 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL - Some of Canada's business and political elite paid tribute to former prime minister Brian Mulroney Thursday night and raised money for the foundation of Universite de Montreal's hospital centre.

The 18th prime minister was the guest of honour for the hospital fundraiser at the city's Ritz-Carlton hotel. Guests included financier and Liberal party fundraiser Stephen Bronfman, Cirque du Soleil Chairman Mitch Garber and Bombardier President Alain Bellemare.

Michael Sabia, president of Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, said Mulroney made significant structural changes to Canada's economy, particularly with his negotiation of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.

"We all take the trade agreement for granted right now but in that day it was a major change in Canadian economic policy and an important one," Sabia said in an interview.

Mulroney, he said, continues to serve as an example of the importance of government policy and the "impact it can have in the growth trajectory of the country."

Sabia also saluted Mulroney for his stance against South Africa's apartheid government in the 1990s.

But a decade ago, the country's elite weren't as eager to fete the former Canadian leader.

In 2010, Mulroney's image was tarnished after Justice Jeffrey Oliphant found the ex-PM had an "inappropriate" relationship with German-Canadian businessman Karlheinz Schreiber.

Mulroney had admitted receiving $225,000 in cash-stuffed envelopes from Schreiber during surreptitious exchanges in hotel rooms in the early 1990s  and keeping it secret for years. But he insisted it was for legal consulting work, not for lobbying government as Schreiber claimed.

Former Quebec premier Jean Charest, who served in Mulroney's cabinet, said Thursday night's attendees showed up to honour Mulroney for what he represented and contributed to this country.

"He was one of the most  if not the most  significant prime minister of our modern times," Charest said.

Mulroney wasn't interested in speaking about his past during the event.

He was asked how he felt being celebrated by politicians and business leaders when a decade prior he was in what was described as political purgatory following the Schreiber affair.

"Oh for God's sake!" he said to The Canadian Press, and left to join his esteemed guests.
OTTAWA - American officials will need to certify the fighter jet Canada buys at the end of a multibillion-dollar procurement that's started and stopped and started again for more than a decade, ensuring that it's fit to plug into the U.S.'s highest-security intelligence systems.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (959 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

German Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets participate in NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission operate in Lithuanian airspace during an air force exercise on April 25, 2017. Canada's top military procurement official says the U.S. will have to ultimately sign off on whatever fighter jet this country purchases, but that he is not concerned about political interference. Patrick Finn, the Defence Department's assistant deputy minister of materiel, says the U.S. will need to certify whatever fighter jet Canada to ensure it meets American security standards. That is because whatever aircraft replaces Canada's aging CF-18s will need to be able to tap into the U.S.'s most secure intelligence network to help protect North America through Norad. Industry sources have quietly worried that could provide a pretext for the U.S. to block Canada from purchasing either the Eurofighter Typhoon or the Saab Gripen, both of which are made by European companies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Mindaugas Kulbis

OTTAWA - American officials will need to certify the fighter jet Canada buys at the end of a multibillion-dollar procurement that's started and stopped and started again for more than a decade, ensuring that it's fit to plug into the U.S.'s highest-security intelligence systems.

But, says the Department of National Defence's top procurement official, they will not get to decide which plane replaces Canadian military's aging CF-18s.

"Ultimately when we select, when we are into the detailed design, at some point, yes, the U.S. will have a role to play in ultimate certification," Patrick Finn, the Defence Department's assistant deputy minister of materiel, told The Canadian Press.

"But the Americans won't be sitting with us with the evaluation and doing that type of work. It will be us."

Some industry sources are nonetheless worried the U.S. could use the certification requirement to block Canada from choosing a non-American plane, particularly given the Trump administration's approach to trade.

The federal government this week laid out the latest iteration of its plan for the $19-billion competition to replace Canada's CF-18s with 88 new fighters, which is expected to officially launch in July.

While much of the presentation delivered to fighter-jet makers focused on a loosening of industrial-benefit rules (that is, how much the winning bidder will be expected to spend on work and production in Canada), the government also revealed that companies will be asked to show how they plan to meet certain security requirements.

Specifically, companies will have until September to explain how they plan to ensure their aircraft can comply with the standards required for handling top-secret intelligence from two security networks in which Canada takes part, called "Five Eyes" and "Two Eyes."

The "Five Eyes" network comprises Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. "Two Eyes" is just Canada and the U.S. and is essential for co-operating in the defence of North America.

Meeting those requirements will pose different challenges for the four plane models that are expected to square off to replace the CF-18s, with the U.S.-made Lockheed Martin F-35 and Boeing Super Hornet already fully compliant.

The other two expected competitors, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen, will face a tougher time. The Typhoon, which is used by the British military, already meets Five-Eyes requirements, but neither it nor the Swedish-made Gripen meets the Two-Eyes standard.

A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Ottawa emphasized the importance of technological connections between U.S. and Canadian forces on Friday.

"We look forward to hearing more about Canada's plans for replacing its current CF-18 aircraft fleet with next-generation aircraft to meet Canada's ongoing military commitments over the coming decades," Joseph Crook said by email. "We continue to believe in the importance of NATO and NORAD interoperability as a crucial component of Canada's acquisition of defence assets."

Crook said the U.S. hopes its plane manufacturers will get to compete in a fair process.

Finn acknowledged in an interview Friday that both European contenders will have some work to do.

He revealed for the first time that U.S. certification will be required before new aircraft can plug into the two security networks, but he said that will be years away and have no bearing on which plane replaces the CF-18s. He said the Canadian military has in the past bought non-U.S. equipment that needed to be modified to meet American security requirements, such as radios and sensors for ships and drones.

However, industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because of a federal gag order on those involved in the fighter project, say there are fears the U.S. could use the security requirements to block Canada from buying a non-American plane.

Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute said those concerns are completely justified given the Trump administration's penchant for using whatever means necessary to get foreign countries to buy U.S. products.

"Ultimately, those aircraft have to plug into American systems, so the American government is going to have play some kind of role," he said of whatever new fighter jet Canada buys.

"And the concern the Europeans have is whether or not that effectively gives the Americans a veto over us buying their aircraft."

While unable to rule out the risk entirely, Finn said officials in Washington have consistently said they are open to Canada buying a non-U.S. plane as long as it can meet the security requirements.

"The consistent answer we've gotten back is: 'As long as you meet the criteria, over to you. And we are not going to tell you that a third-party cannot bid. We are telling you obviously it will have to meet our standards and the approach.' "

 Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter.
AMHERST, N.S. - Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor has announced up to $5 million in funding for a Nova Scotia program that promotes physical activity and healthy eating for students.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AMHERST, N.S. - Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor has announced up to $5 million in funding for a Nova Scotia program that promotes physical activity and healthy eating for students.

The money for UpLift was announced today by the minister at an elementary school in Amherst, N.S.

The program is aimed at students from primary to Grade 9.

Led by Dalhousie University, the program is expected to reach up to 90,000 students at 360 schools across the province over the next five years.

A key component of UpLift is support for students to become examples of change among their peers.

Petitpas Taylor says programs such as UpLift encourage students to make healthier choices, which she says will have a lasting impact on lowering their risk of developing chronic diseases.
MONCTON, N.B. - Three organizations that focus on palliative care will receive $4.5 million in funding from Ottawa.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylor responds to a question during Question Period in the House of Commons Tuesday, December 11, 2018 in Ottawa. Three organizations that focus on palliative care will receive $4.5 million in funding from Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

MONCTON, N.B. - Three organizations that focus on palliative care will receive $4.5 million in funding from Ottawa.

Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor announced the funding for three projects today at a conference hosted by the New Brunswick Hospice and Palliative Care Association in Moncton.

The Canadian Virtual Hospice is getting $2 million over three years to expand existing virtual services providing information about palliative care and grief support for underserved communities, including families caring for a dying child, francophones, and LGBTQ2 communities.

Another $1.9-million over three years is going to the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association to help with public education, community workshops and a renewed strategy to promote advance care planning.

The Canadian Home Care Association is getting $600,000 over two years to help improve delivery of palliative care in homes.

The money is from a federal program that aims to strengthen palliative care across the country by improving access to care at home and in the community.

"The Government of Canada understands the vital role that palliative and end-of-life care plays in our health care system," Petitpas Taylor said in a statement.

"This funding means better support for individual Canadians, their families, and caregivers at one of the most difficult times of their lives."

Shelly Cory, executive director of Canadian Virtual Hospice, welcomed the funding and the commitment to address national gaps in service.

"Canadian Virtual Hospice will translate this investment into even more bilingual, trusted, and free online services for all Canadians living with advanced illness, caregivers, and other family members and struggling with grief," Cory said.
OTTAWA - The RCMP is defending its investigation of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, which has come under sustained fire since the politically charged case against the military's former second-in-command collapsed earlier this week.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/5/2019 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Vice Admiral Mark Norman reacts during a press conference in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The charges against Norman were dropped. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - The RCMP is defending its investigation of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, which has come under sustained fire since the politically charged case against the military's former second-in-command collapsed earlier this week.

Much of that criticism has centred on why the Mounties did not interview members of Stephen Harper's former Conservative government during their two-year investigation into allegations Norman leaked cabinet secrets.

That was despite accusations Norman provided confidential information about a $700-million shipbuilding contract to a Quebec shipyard, its lobbyists or the media on 12 occasions starting in September 2014  when the Tories were in power.

Former ministers Jason Kenney, Erin O'Toole and Peter MacKay, as well as some former Conservative government staff members, revealed this week that they spoke to Norman's lawyers but said the RCMP never approached them.

It's believed the information they provided Norman's team helped get the case dropped on Wednesday. As she stayed the charge, Crown prosecutor Barbara Mercier told the judge that her decision was informed by fresh information that she had received from the defence.

The RCMP wouldn't comment on specifics of its investigation on Friday because a second criminal case is still before the courts, involving a different public servant also accused of leaking details on the shipbuilding deal.

But in a statement, the Mounties said they respected the Crown's decision to drop the case before defending officers for having "conducted a thorough, independent and highly professional investigation."

Norman's lawyer, Marie Henein, had previously questioned why members of the Harper government had not been questioned, a point she reiterated on Wednesday after the Crown agreed to drop its breach-of-trust case against her client.

"One of the things we said in court is that during the course of the investigation, although the (allegations) covered a significant part of the Harper-government time period, there were no witnesses interviewed from that time period," she said.

Neither Henein nor the Crown have said specifically what the pivotal new information was, though Henein did reveal that her office had been conducting its own investigation for several months that included interviews with former Conservative ministers and staff.

Some have questioned whether Norman, who has said the two-year legal ordeal weighed heavily on him and his family, would ever have been charged if the RCMP or the public-prosecution service had reached out to the Conservatives.

"Why weren't those questions asked of our cabinet members by the RCMP and by the (director of public prosecutions)?" O'Toole said during a news conference on Parliament Hill on Thursday. "The Crown should have that information before making their case."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who Henein and the Conservatives have accused of trying to interfere in Norman's case, asserted on Friday that "the processes in this case have unfolded in a proper manner, completely independent of government.

"I think Canadians understand that judicial processes, police investigations and court proceedings are all entirely independent of the government of the day and certainly of the Prime Minister's Office."

Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter.
Around 10,000 Ulster Bank customers are paying one of the highest mortgage rates in the eurozone, at 4.3%, despite opportunities to move to a lower band, the lender has said.

Ulster Bank management, including chief executive Jane Howard, told the Oireachtas finance committee that of its 16.1bn mortgage loans book, trackers account for 59%, or 9.4bn, total variable rate products total 17%, or 2.8bn, and fixed rate products account for 24%, or 3.9bn.

Asked by Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath how many customers of the 17% variable band are still paying 4.3%, Ms Howard said it is around 10%.

Some people choose a variable rate for a very good reason. We make sure we write to those customers on an annual basis and bring to their attention that we do have other rates on offer, she said.

Chief financial officer Paul Stanley said the number is around 10,000, and that despite writing to tell them of better options, many customers have not responded for one reason or another.

Irish mortgage rates are much higher than eurozone counterparts, according to Central Bank figures.

It said last month that average rates in the Republic are 3.02%, compared to an average of 1.76% in the eurozone.

Ms Howard also confirmed a further sale of soured loans is being planned by Ulster Bank.

The rate of non-performing loans is now 10.3% compared to 17% in late 2018, she said.

There was not a specific target ordered by the ECB when it came to reducing non-performing loans but it considers in excess of 5% high, said Ms Howard.

Getting down to the eurozone average of 3% to 3.4% is likely next year rather than this year, she said.

Ulster Bank was blasted by Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty for its loan sales.

He accused the lender of outsourcing dirty work to vulture funds rather than dealing with customers in difficulties.

Mr Doherty said Ulster Bank was giving the impression that some customers are scammers because they couldnt pay what the lender wanted, rather than coming to a resolution.

Ms Howard refuted the charge and said the bank didnt judge anyone, but that while it did not want to sell any loans, it was compelled to where customers did not engage.

Four out of five customers had come to an agreement to keep them in their home when they engaged, said Ms Howard, adding that Ulster Bank is in an almost impossible situation and does exhaust all options.

Separately, Permanent TSB said it has had a good start to the year.

In a trading update, the mortgage lender said it had 300m in new lending in the first three months, up 25% from a year earlier, and had boosted its shares of the new mortgage lending to over 15%.

However, its net interest margin  an important measure of profitability for banks  rose only slightly, to 1.79%.

Owen Callan, a senior analyst at Investec Ireland, said the bank would likely sell more loans or securitise more loans in the market to reduce its high level of non-performing loans.

About 10% of its gross loanbook were deemed as non-performing at the end of last year.
An architect and an engineer agreed a scheme to move shares in a firm worth US$8m (7.1m) as the architect got into financial trouble and later filed for bankruptcy, the High Court heard.

As a result of a dispute over that scheme, the court dismissed most of a case brought by Dublin architect, Jeremiah Ryan, acting as a trustee of the shares in his Abu Dhabi firm Horan Keogan Ryan Middle East (HKRME) and by the firm itself. The case was also brought by Patrick Stafford as another trustee of the trust involved, the Ryan Family Trust (RFT).

The case was against Winthrop Engineering firm founder Barry English.

Mr Justice Denis McDonald said he did not find credible the evidence of either Mr Ryan, who was also principal of the architects firm HKR Dublin, or of Mr English.

He made his comments in a judgment rejecting a case by Mr Ryan and HKRME and Mr Stafford seeking the return of the US$8m which Mr Ryan said were held in a caretaker arrangement by Mr English for the trust he set up for his children, the RFT.

Mr English said there was no such caretaker arrangement. He claimed he agreed to buy the shares at a time when Mr Ryan was facing bankruptcy and to sell them back to him after he exited bankruptcy "at market value".

The sum agreed between the two men for the company was just 100,000 but after Mr Ryan entered his UK bankruptcy, some US$8m was transferred from HKRME to a Guernsey bank account.

That account was held by a British Virgin Islands-registered firm called Sunvit which was controlled by another trust established for the benefit of Mr English's family.

HKRME was primarily established in the hope of winning a large project, the Abu DhabiPlaza, in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and won that contract in 2010 for fees of US$41m.

Mr Justice McDonald said the claim by Mr Ryan and Mr Stafford as trustees of the RFT must be dismissed as he was satisfied that trust did not have any beneficial interest in the shares of HKRME.

He found the true nature of the agreement between Mr Ryan and Mr English was that Mr English would act as caretaker of the shares on Mr Ryan's behalf, but not as caretaker on behalf of the family trust.

As Mr Ryan had made no personal claim in the proceedings, this finding was of no benefit to Mr Ryan, he said.

HKRME could also not succeed on the basis of the two men's agreement. However, HKRME was entitled to succeed against Mr English in relation to a claim by it for unjust enrichment.

However, this was only in relation to the extent of HKRME's claim concerning unpaid and lawful liabilities of which the court has yet to hear any evidence. A hearing to decide the nature and extent of such liabilities will be held later.

On conclusion of that hearing, the court will order Mr English to pay HKRME the amount found to be due in unpaid liabilities, he said.

He also dismissed HKRME's claim for damages for unpaid fees for the Kazakhstan project and for the loss of a chance to secure a follow-on contract.

Earlier, Mr Justice McDonald found Mr Ryan lied to a board meeting of HKR Dublin in March 2011 when he told fellow directors HKRME's shares were held in trust for HKR Dublin.

He said Mr Ryan "consciously and deliberately told lies" to representatives of the trustee handling his bankruptcy in the UK about the sale of HKRME. Mr Ryan told the representatives Mr English "purchased the business in Abu Dhabi... with a full valuation and good luck to him".

He also had serious concerns about the evidence of Mr English. It was clear very substantial payments were to be paid the Sunvit, Guernsey, company "in return for fictitious introductions by Mr English to sources of work for HKRME. It was simply an arrangement whereby extremely large sums could be extracted from HKRME and transferred offshore.

The judge said:

The fact that Mr English agreed to be party to such bogus arrangements raises a very serious issue in relation to his probity.

Mr English was also involved in the "sham termination" of Mr Ryan's involvement in HKRME. He generated a fictitious invoice to create a paper trail on the sale of the shares and also backdated the agreement to acquire the shares.
SuperValu owner Musgrave is eyeing the potential roll-out of a standalone coffee shop chain as part of its expansion plans.

Expansion could also see the group grow its Donnybrook Fair store network as well as ongoing store openings across its established SuperValu and Centra brands. In total, it is looking at adding around 1.5 million sq ft of extra store space in the next six years.

Musgrave is due to trial its existing Frank and Honest coffee brand - which currently acts as an in-house coffee shop in some SuperValu branches - as a standalone high street shop in Dunboyne, Co Meath before deciding whether a larger roll-out is warranted. It is also looking at a number of other trial sites.

The group has already tasted success with its chain of Chipmongers standalone fast food outlets.

Outgoing chief executive Chris Martin said Musgrave's recent acquisitions - Donnybrook Fair and foodservice business La Rousse Foods - have performed well and said "we continue to explore further acquisition opportunities".

Mr Martin, Musgrave CEO since 2005, is set to step down in the coming months with an internal and external search for his successor underway. He is expected to seek a number of non-executive board roles with companies in Ireland and the UK.

Musgrave CEO Chris Martin

Musgrave said it grew group turnover by almost 4% to 3.9bn last year, with pre-tax profits rising 5.6% to 84.5m. Its net asset value increased by nearly 80m to 410m and the group ended 2018 in a 16m net cash position. SuperValu grew sales last year by 1.5% to 2.9bn, with Centra growing 4% to 1.9bn.

Mr Martin said it is "too early" to say if Musgrave will expand the Donnybrook Fair business outside of Dublin.

"We'll look at possible store openings and online, but it will be very selective and it's not currently on the agenda. But, the reality is the brand won't stand still. But, it will be developed appropriately in the right places," he said.

Outside of Ireland, Mr Martin said there is room to grow the group's Dialsur cash and carry and Dialprix retail businesses in the Valencia/Murcia region of Spain, which are currently generating revenues of around 185m. Musgrave is also looking, in the longer term, to export its own label products and take brands, such as Frank and Honest, overseas by hooking up with local partners in certain markets including the Middle East.

Online will also play a large part in Musgrave's future growth, with the company predicting the internet will cater for 8% of Irish grocery sales by 2025 compared to around 1.5% currently.
MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. More than ten million people have taken part in the Immortal Regiment marches across Russia, Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Irina Volk told TASS on Thursday.

More than ten million people have participated in the event across the country, she said.In 2018, the Immortal Regiment marches brought together the same number of ten million people.

The Immortal Regiment march is an annual event held throughout Russia and in other countries on May 9. The event is dedicated to victory in the Great Patriotic War (as WWII is called in Russia) that claimed lives of about 28 million Soviet people, both soldiers and civilians. During the march, people carry portraits of their relatives who fought or died during the war.

The idea was born in the Russian Siberian city of Tyumen in 2007 when the march was called the Victors Parade. In 2012, another Siberian city of Tomsk picked up the torch renaming the rally as Immortal Regiment. The next year, about 120 cities joined in. A year later, people carried portraits of their relatives, who fought during WWII, in 500 cities in seven countries. Since 2015, the Immortal Regiment march has officially become a nationwide event.
A union representing 3,000 senior civil servants and managers is calling for an early review of the current public pay agreement.

The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants says that under the current agreement, which runs until 2021, they will likely have to wait over 13 years for a pay increase.
Marriage proposals from men seeking good wives; butter, milk and potatoes as part payment of wages - such are the anecdotes that populate the pages of a new social history documenting the colourful history of the country's first nurses' trade union.

Launching his book, a Century of Service: A History of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation 1919-2019, author Mark Loughrey outlines how appalling working conditions prompted a group of 20 nurses and midwives to gather in South Anne St, Dublin, in 1919, where they agreed to formally establish the Irish Nurses' Union.

At the time, men working in the Ford Car Factory in Cork were earning 239 a year, while nurses at the Dublin Union Hospital earned a maximum of 65 per annum.

Mr Loughrey, a research nurse at University College Cork, writes how these nurses "received an allowance if 3/4lb of butter, and one stone of potatoes per week, as well as a 1/2 pint of milk per day" to supplement their salary. A UK colleague remarked at the time that "a society for the prevention of cruelty to nurses was badly needed".

Mr Loughrey, who was addressing the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) centenary annual conference in Co Meath, said some sections of the population regarded the new trade union as a type of marriage bureau.

While writing the book, Mr Loughrey "heard stories of men who wrote to the trade union looking for wives".

For instance a 38-year-old man of 'fair appearance, sound and healthy' once wrote to the Irish Women Workers' Union, the Irish Nurses Organisation's former parent, looking for "an introduction from among your members to any country girl...who would fancy a farmer husband".

"The only qualification I would ask for is that the lady should be able to milk a cow as we are all dairy farmers here in Co Limerick," the suitor said.

The book also documents how the War of Independence disrupted the postal system, making organisation of meetings difficult. In 1925, the membership was just 795 members. Membership of the INMO today is over 40,000.

The founders of the trade union also feature, including Maria Mortished, its first general secretary, who lived out her later years in Hollywood with her actor brother Barry Fitzgerald. She married Ronald Mortished, first chair of the Irish Labour Court.

There are references to the nurses' protests of the late 1970s when nurses and midwives marched on the Dail and were admitted to the restaurant and gallery "where they put their case to TDs while the INO's leaders negotiated over tea and cake with Minister for Health , Charles Haughey".

There is a poignant reference to the treatment of critically ill Mary Madden, wife of PJ Madden, former INO general secretary, during the nurses' strike of 1999, when then INO president Anne Cody tended to Mary during the strike in between picket line duties, as Mrs Madden had been refused home hospice care.

Mr Loughrey's book evolved from a PhD thesis on the History of the INMO 2011-2015.

"I worked on it in between shifts in the intensive care unit at Mercy University Hospital," Mr Loughrey said.

The book is available through publishers Irish Academic Press www.iap.ie
Community Employment supervisors have suspended five days of strike action which was due to begin on Monday.

It follows an agreement with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to enter into talks aimed at resolving a long-running pension dispute.
The declaration that there is a climate emergency must lead to Government action campaigners and opposition politicians have said.

Ireland became the second country in the world to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency after a Fianna Fail amendment to the Oireachtas report on Climate Change was accepted in the Dail without a vote on Thursday night.

While Green Party leader Eamon Ryan welcomed the "historic moment" he said the declaration will be "useless" unless it is followed up with Government action.

"What this reflects is the public appetite for change," said Mr Ryan, who hit out at the Government's "atrocious" record to date on tackling climate change.

He said the vote was a clear signal that we now have to stop issuing oil and gas licences and that radical changes need to be made to the National Development Plan especially around transport.

"The National Development Plan only brings us a third of where we need to go so we need to close the gap. The Government now need to follow up the words with actions," said Mr Ryan.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) said the declaration must now act as "a wake-up call following a decade of climate inaction by successive Governments".

IFA environment chairman Thomas Cooney said the first national climate road map out to 2030 was published in 2009 but the key actions that would deliver the greatest climate impact were not acted upon adequately.

He said: "Farm scale and community-based renewable supports were not put in place, to support the displacement of fossil fuels. Adequate supports for retro-fitting homes and buildings with appropriate insulation and lighting were not introduced and the development of forestry on unenclosed lands was hindered.

"Instead we have lost a decade to acrimony and finger-wagging including trying to make farmers the fall guys for decades of climate inaction in this country."

But Minister for Climate Action Richard Bruton said fossil fuels are still "essential" and would continue to be used despite the cross-party climate emergency declaration.

Fossil fuels are an essential part of the transition [to decarbonisation]. We are not in a position now to talk about ceasing fossil fuel exploration, he said.

Mr Bruton added that there is "no silver bullet" when it comes to climate action and said policy actions from Government alone would not solve the problem.

"The challenge of climate disruption requires urgent but sustained action in Government of course, but also in every home, on farms, in every enterprise, in our travel patterns in our buildings, in our power system and that's the sort of change we have to get buy-in from the community to achieve," Mr Bruton told RTE's Sean O'Rourke programme.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said a new complex for homeless people in Dublin is an example of how his department can take action against climate change.

Focus Ireland has renovated a previous homeless hostel into a 31 unit development for more than 70 individuals and families.

Mr Murphy said: "We are also looking at things like zero energy buildings, those new regulations come into force this year and next for residential homes but also commercial homes.

"We are looking at things like passive houses, retrofitting existing housing stock and all of those things are going to be addressed in the climate action plan coming from Minister Bruton and we have been working very closely with him on that," said Mr Murphy.
Lawyers for the two truck drivers accused of murder at a Fermoy filling station told the jury the two men should be found not guilty and argued that a key witness was an unreconstructed liar.

Tomasz Wasowicz, 45, and Marcin Skrzypezyk, 31, are on trial charged with the murder of Ludovit Pasztor, 40, on February 21, 2017 at the Amber filling station at Carrrignagroghera, Fermoy. Wasowicz also faces the additional charge of being in possession of a weapon, namely a stun-gun, at the same date and place.

Marcin Skrzypezyk

Prosecution senior counsel Siobhan Lankford said in her closing speech the heart of the case was what happened after the two defendants got out of the truck when the deceased and his friend Mariusz Osail arrived at the scene carrying iron poles.

She said the state relied heavily on the evidence of Liam Byrnes, a truck driver who was on a rest break at Amber Filling Station that night.

It was dark but he was able to see two men with bars in their hands hitting two other men who were on the ground. One had shorts on. After seeing that, those two men got into Macroom Haulage trucks. You may hear (from the defence speeches) that the other pole was not produced to Dr Bolster (pathologist) but you have to approach it in a commonsense manner. A pole was lying beside the deceased. In a murder case often there is no murder weapon (produced in evidence).

Mr Pasztor and Mr Osail, with the level of alcohol consumed, were they capable of doing any damage to anyone? Certainly they had bars, but their level of inebriation must have been quite significant. They had at least 24 cans of beer consumed  24 plus something else when they came back the second time. You have to take a view of that. Was it reasonable or necessary to defend himself?

Tim OLeary senior counsel for Wasowicz said of the prosecution case : What a load of rubbish you are being asked to eat because they built this case on the basis that this is the weapon and now we realise, jaypurs, we never told the pathologist about the second pole. Dr Bolster was shocked. She did not know about the second bar.

My client said, check the bars, my fingerprints would be on them. He could not have known there would have been no evidence of fingerprints or DNA.

He said they opened the case with emphasis on evidence to come from the deceaseds friend, Mariusz Osail, but that by their closing speech they had jettisoned him.

Mr OLeary said the deceased and Mr Osail were idiots to have gone down to the filling station that night with iron bars.

It is just as likely that Mr Osail struck his friend.

Tomasz Wasowicz

Tom Creed SC for Marcin Skrzypezyk said to the jury: If you think that Mr Skrzypezyk probably killed Mr Pasztor you must find him not guilty because the civil standard of proof has no place in this court. You have to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt You have to be as sure as you ever were of anything.

Two people come to two others sitting in their truck minding their own business having a chat almost like they were sitting at home having a chat. People come banging on the door with iron bars and call them out. An attack happened and in the ensuing melee one of the assailants got struck and died.

You are entitled to protect yourself and you are entitled to protect someone else. In here we call it self-defence. They (two men armed with iron bars) tore into Tomasz like animals. He (Skrzypezyk) picked up a bar from one attacker or on the ground and struck a couple of blows, he thought, on the shoulder.

That leaves open the possibility that he was using reasonable force to protect his friend."

Mr Creed said the evidence of Mr Osail arriving with the deceased carrying iron bars begged the question why the Director of Public Prosecutions had not brought a case against Mr Osail whom he called an unreconstructed liar.

Ms Justice Carmel Stewart will give her closing address to the jury of eight men and four women on Monday.
A Meath priest has urged parishioners to be mindful of their belongings after thefts from two people during Mass last weekend, which have been described as 'a new low' by a Garda Sergeant.

Fr Declan Hurley, Parish Administrator has said he is 'upset' and 'deeply saddened' at the thefts during 6pm Mass at St Mary's Church in Navan last Saturday night.

It's understood that a handbag was taken when a lady left her seat to go for Holy Communion, while a pick-pocket took a phone from a man during the Mass which always receives a large congregation.

In a statement, Fr Hurley said: "I am upset and deeply annoyed that Mass in St Mary's Church - a time when parishioners gather as a community around the table of the Lord - should become an occasion for theft.

Thankfully our security camera system allowed the members of An Garda Siochana to identify the suspect immediately.

"I thank the gardai for their swift response to this incident and for their kindness to the victims involved

"I take this opportunity to ask parishioners to be mindful of their personal belongings and to draw the attention of the Church stewards to any suspicious activity."

Meath Crime Prevention Officer Sgt Dean Kerins also urged Mass-goers to be vigilant with their belongings.

"This is definitely a new low for me. I'm sure there has been thefts from churches before but this is the first time that I've ever heard of it happening while people went to receive Holy Communion

"Unfortunately nowhere is safe anymore and I would again remind people to be vigilant with their belongings at Mass and if they do leave them in a seat while going for Communion, maybe ask someone you know to keep an eye on them until you return."

Gardai have confirmed they are investigating.
It was "fair and reasonable" to publish an article stating officers of the Criminal Assets Bureau called to solicitor Gerald Keans Dublin office as part of the bureau's probe into the Kinahan crime gang, journalist Michael OToole has told a High Court jury.

Mr OToole, Crime Correspondent of the Irish Daily Star, said Mr Kean is "not just a celebrity but a public figure".

There was huge public interest in the activities of the Kinahan gang and the efforts of gardai and CAB to combat the gang, he said.

He considered the Hutch-Kinahan feud, which has lead to about 18 killings, the biggest threat to the State, going "to the heart of democracy in Ireland and was aware of Dubliner Sean McGoverns links to that gang prior to the Regency Hotel shooting of February 2016 in which Mr McGovern was wounded, he said.

Mr OToole said he is an award-winning journalist and author and was satisfied the article written by him on March 10, 2016 and published on March 11, 2016 in the Star fairly and accurately represented what happened when CAB called to Mr Kean's office on March 10, 2016.

It stated CAB went to Mr Kean's office with a search warrant and took away paperwork concerning the purchase of a house at Kildare Road, Crumlin, by Mr McGovern.

Mr O'Toole said he did not name other professionals whose offices were visited by CAB that day as part of the same probe because he did not know their identities and still does not know who they are.

The article stated CAB had called to Mr Kean's office because that was fair and accurate and a "polite and nice" way to say what happened and also stated Mr Kean co-operated with the CAB officers,

It further stated Mr Kean was caught up in the search operation and gave a global picture of Mr Kean, including reference to his charity work and to his having been convicted for drink driving in 2009, he said.

Journalism is not necessarily about writing things people like but to explain to people what is happening and he was satisfied the article gave a full and grounded explanation of the entire issue.

I stand over it, I would do it again, he told Eoin McCullough SC, for the newspaper.

He was giving evidence in the continuing action by Mr Kean alleging defamation in the article, headlined Kean caught up in CAB probe. Mr Kean claims it wrongly meant he was linked to gangland crime and has damaged him personally and professionally.

Independent Star Ltd denies defamation and has pleaded fair and reasonable publication in the public interest on a matter of public benefit.

Gerald Kean pictured at the Four Courts today. Photo: Collins Courts.

Beginning his cross-examination, Paul OHiggins SC, put to Mr OToole the ultimate source of confidential information given to him about the CAB visit to Mr Keans office must have been the gardai.

Counsel said it is a criminal offence for a garda or those working with them under contract to give any information leading to identification of any person who has given confidential information to a garda.

Mr OToole said he could not disclose the source of his information but it was not a garda, anyone in CAB or anyone engaged under contract or any arrangement with the gardai. He was satisfied the information provided by the source was accurate.

He was grateful to and respected and admired people who give him information and considered Ireland to be an "overly secretive" country.

He agreed he had written all of the story on March 10, 2016, except a paragraph outlining Mr Keans response when contacted by Keith Falkiner, another journalist with the Star, about the CAB visit.

He agreed the Star had not contacted Mr Kean until after 8pm that day and said that was because he was fearful, if Mr Kean was contacted earlier, the story might end up in another newspaper.

Earlier, Mr Falkiner said, when he had asked Mr Kean whether he was aware of a number of raids by CAB that day on a number of premises, including Mr Keans, Mr Kean responded there was no raid on my office, absolutely not, no f*cking way and hung up and had not responded to further calls and texts from the newspaper, he said.

A line was subsequently inserted into Mr OTooles article which stated Mr Kean, speaking to the Star, denied any knowledge of the incident. Mr Falkiner said he regarded that as a fair account of his discussion with Mr Kean.

Under cross-examination by Jim OCallaghan SC, he disagreed the Star deliberately misrepresented what Mr Kean had said on the phone to Mr Falkiner.

The case continues on Tuesday.
A Dublin fruit and veg wholesaler convicted of sexually assaulting three boys and a young woman in the late 1980s and early 1990s has been sentenced to 13 years in prison, with the final year suspended.

Joseph McGrane (59) had denied all charges against him but was found guilty by a jury after a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in March of this year.

He was convicted of 11 counts of indecent assault and seven counts of sexual assault carried out at various locations including his home, on dates between 1985 and 1993.

The court heard that McGrane, of Burnell Green, Coolock, Dublin, ran a retail and wholesale business and that all four victims had worked for him at different stages.

In her ruling today, Judge Elma Sheahan commended the eloquent and powerful victim impact statements made by the complainants, whom she said were still trying, so many years later, to work through the damage caused to themselves and their families.

Judge Sheahan said McGrane had abused his position of power and authority as an employer and a trusted adult and had also used alcohol in a premeditated way to take advantage of each victim.

She said three innocent young boys and an innocent young woman with their whole lives ahead of them had been preyed upon in the most egregious manner, and that the effects of the abuse had been devastating, with long-term consequences.

The judge said McGranes high level of moral culpability, aggravated by the seriousness and the intensity of the abuse, meant consecutive sentencing was appropriate in this case, even though it was the exception rather than the norm.

Judge Sheahan set headline sentences of eight and six years for the first two victims and four years each for the other complainants.

She said although it was difficult to identify any substantial mitigating factors, the case was of some antiquity and no complaint had been made against McGrane since 1993.

The judge also cited as mitigation McGranes long work history as a productive member of society, his employment provision, his support of his family and the fact that he was now on the Sex Offenders Register.

McGrane has no other convictions. He was aged between 25 and 33 when he committed the offences. The male victims were aged between 13 and 14 when the abuse began, and between 15 and 18 when it ended.

The young woman was aged 23 when she was sexually assaulted by McGrane.

Sergeant Kevin Lynch told Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting, that one victim told gardai that McGrane had asked him to go babysitting with him when he was 14.

This victim said when the children were asleep, he noticed a large bottle of Smirnoff on the table. McGrane gave him a pint of Coke that had a funny taste.

McGrane then called the boy into the bathroom and kept asking him to get into the bath with him until he finally undressed and did so. McGrane then sexually assaulted him and continued to do so for the next two years.

This man submitted a victim impact report which he asked the court to read in private.

Another complainant said he started going to McGranes house about the age of 13 or 14 and sometimes there was vodka present and he would stay over. He said McGrane would jump into bed beside him, take off his clothes slowly and sexually assault him. He said the abuse lasted two to three years.

In a victim impact report read out on his behalf, this man said he has attended counselling at Pieta House and One In Four to try and cope with the effects of the abuse on his life. He had suffered serious bouts of depression and self-doubt and came close to the loss of his job which he loves. The man said the abuse caused the break-up of his marriage after he was a demon and verbally abusive.

The third complainant said he was approached by a garda about statements made by the first two victims, who had been his childhood friends.

This man said he had been working part-time for the accused when he was aged 13 or 14 and had gone on holidays with the two other boys to a mobile home down the country. He said he got very drunk and sick and McGrane sexually assaulted him in a caravan over a few hours.

He said:

The room was spinning, it happened in slow motion.

This man submitted a victim impact report which was also read by the court in private.

The fourth victim, a woman, was aged 21 or 22 and was working with McGrane when they went out socializing at a work party. She had had too much to drink and McGrane said he would take her home.

She told gardai that McGrane took her instead to his house, saying he didnt want her mother to see her in that state. The woman fell asleep and awoke to find him sexually assaulting her.

This woman, now aged 49, read out her own victim impact statement in which she said her life completely changed after she was abused. She said she had been happy in life and loved socialising, but that after this offence it was like her life was replaced by another life, that I hated.

She said she felt confused and terrified and had had a very restricted social life and serious trust issues ever since. She removed herself from her friends and drank to forget as a way of coping.

Paul Greene SC, defending, described his client as a good employer from a highly-regarded family. He cited several character references describing the accused as decent, hardworking and trustworthy, while other references spoke of his involvement in local community activities and fundraising.

The sentence was backdated to March 22 last, when McGrane went into custody.
A man who sold a stolen car on DoneDeal and later stole a different car that had been advertised on the classified ads site is to be sentenced later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Noel Ryan (42) of Charleville Mall, Dublin pleaded guilty on the date of his scheduled trial to handling a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser and deception at Woodies car park in Lucan on June 27, 2016.

He further admitted the unauthorized taking of a Ford Fiesta at Northside Shopping Centre on March 24, 2017.

Garda Seamus Wallace from the Garda Stolen Car Unit told Monika Leech BL, prosecuting, that he was contacted by the first victim who had spotted an ad on DoneDeal for a Toyota Land Cruiser.

The man told gardai he rang the number and the person who answered by the name of Paul said he wanted 12,500 for the car but that if he got cash he would take 12,000.

They arranged to meet at Woodies car park in Lucan and the buyer arrived with his brother, followed 15 minutes later by the landcruiser driven by Ryan.

The complainant went for a test drive and noticed a few marks on the car, so a price of 11,600 was agreed. The man handed over the cash and Ryan left very quickly, without saying goodbye.

The victim said he posted the cars log book, signed by a Paul Hayden, to the VRT department in Shannon, who informed him that it was a false document.

It emerged that the car had been recently stolen from a home in Drogheda.

In a victim impact statement, the complainant said he had received the 11,600 from an accident claim after his mother had been killed in a road crash. He said it was very upsetting that this money had gone into criminal hands and had caused a huge financial strain on his family.

The man said he had lost a total of 12,400 and had not got a penny back.

Nine months later, the second complainant advertised his Ford Fiesta for sale on DoneDeal and arranged to meet a caller at Northside Shopping Centre.

Ryan arrived at the meeting, checked the mileage and asked to go for a test drive. The complainant was determined not to let the man go on his own and was just about to open the passenger door and sit in beside him when Ryan took off. The complainant had left his drivers license in the car.

Ryan had been on bail at the time of these offences.

Later that week, Ryan was arrested on a different matter and was found in possession of the complainants driving license, having superimposed his own photo on it.

Ryan has 16 previous convictions, two of which were for Circuit Court offences, including aggravated burglary and robbery.

Garda Wallace agreed with counsel for Ryan that the accused had been well-known to gardai because of his crack cocaine addiction, but that he had a 13-year period of not offending.

Counsel for Ryan said that his client had a history of drug addiction but had managed to desist from drugs and crime between 2000 and 2014, during which time he worked in construction and supported his family.

The court heard Ryan lost his job during the recession and relapsed into drug use, leading to the break-up of his relationship with the mother of his three children.

Counsel for Ryan said he was currently making a determined effort while in custody on other matters to return to drug-free, crime-free life.

Judge John OConnor said drug addiction was not a mitigating factor and was of little comfort to the victims in the case.

He adjourned the matter for sentencing on June 21, pending the preparation of a probation report.
















Poetry is not dead. And its not just for stuffy intellectuals either. Poetry that children and people of all ages can read and enjoy is alive and well, thanks to Michael A. Lees new book of humorous poems titled Not Gonna Write Poems. This is a fun-to-read poetry book written by a physician turned poet, who is also a husband and father; so his rib-tickling poems address the lighter side of family issues like homework, sleepovers, the Boogey Monster, dads snoring, hiccups, and more.

My purpose in writing this book is to make poetry enjoyable for all, explains Michael,I want children and their families to smile and laugh a lot when reading my book. Its whimsical style makes it great to read out loud.

It was the late poet Shel Silverstein who inspired Michael to start writing poetry that everyone could relate to and appreciate. My family and I have always loved the poems/drawings of the famous poet/author Shel Silverstein, says Michael.We often read his poems to our daughter before putting her to bed. So thats how my poetry book began.

But this isnt where the influence from Shel Silverstein ends  because Michael (along with his daughter), also drew the illustrations for the book. My poetry book has many funny drawings, done by myself and my 10-year-old daughter, proudly adds Michael, that add to the humorous nature of the poems.

Not Gonna Write Poems is a poetry book that is also in keeping with the spirit of National Poetry Month, celebrated every April throughout the schools and communities of the United States. National Poetry Month, which has grown to become the largest literary celebration in the world, was created by the Academy Of Poets in 1996. This is a month-long celebration which includes Poem In Your Pocket Day, poem sharing, open mic poetry readings, and creative writing workshops.

And this is what Lees Not Gonna Write Poems is all about  sharing the love of contemporary, relevant poetry and artwork that is not only relatable to the whole family but also enjoyable to read out loud. And to share poetry with one another and appreciate how poetry touches our lives is the focus of National Poetry Month. In fact, Not Gonna Write Poems may encourage your children to write poetry and draw pictures of their own!

This is because reading and writing poems and drawing sketches is much more within the reach of the people who want to express themselves  rather than the effort required to write a whole novel or paint a picture. And modern technology, like computer software and the internet, makes it even easier to create and share poetry and art. Even modern poets agree with this theory that poetry is experiencing a resurgence thanks to the internet.

Rosemarie Dombroski, the inaugural poet laureate of Phoenix, explains the current interest in poetry this way: From Instagram to Twitter, slam poetry to poetry zines, poetry has risen from obscurity, and its making substantial contributions to the current of social activism within the art community and the community at large.

The shorter length of poetry verses absolutely lends itself to the formats of Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Combine a short verse with a photo or simple artwork and you have a meme, the modern version of what Shel Silverstein accomplished using mechanical means.

And as Michael A. Lee has proven, your poetry can be about anything - and it doesnt have to be somber, grim, or murkily written. In this excerpt from Not Gonna Write Poems Michael Lee writes poetry about something as simple as snoring, appropriately titled Ode to My Snore.

Theres a sound so loud

Coming out from my mouth, for which Im not proud.

It only happens when Im deep in slumber.

Why this foul noise emanates from me, I can only wonder.

Blowing like a trumpet,

It would disturb your tea with crumpets.

It returns every night

And puts my wifes rest in plight.

To further understand why Michael Lees poetry is so appealing to its audience, it is important to look at a few of the poetic elements he incorporates into his poems for his readers to enjoy:

The stanzas of Lees poetry are mainly four lines each, making them quatrains. These quatrains make it easy for these poems to be read to children out loud because they contain a complete thought, allowing for a pause where everyone can enjoy a good chuckle.

The form or style of Lees poetry is generally descriptive, meaning he talks about the world around him. This is a world that his readers, including children, can identify with and laugh about. The real twist, however, is that when Lee writes an ode - it is about Dads snoring  when odes are generally written about a serious subject and in an elevated style.

The rhyming of Lees poetry is obvious and purposeful. While much of modern poetry does not necessarily rhyme, this is a book to be read aloud to children, so the rhyming adds to the quirkiness of the poetry, which makes it fun to read.

Although poet Michael Lee rhymes many of his verses, he writes his poetry with an irregular meter. This is as opposed to writing with both an even meter and rhyming verses, which would have made the poems sing-song and monotonous  much like nursery rhymes for very young children. However, the irregular meter, combined with the rhyming, is what makes Lees poems so pleasurable to read for children who are old enough to start appreciating modern poetry.

Which makes Not Gonna Write Poems a great way to introduce poetry and art to your children, even if you have never had an appreciation for poetry yourself. This is because Not Gonna Write Poems is written by a parent with his child, so it is tailor-made for the family who wants to explore this literary genre without the intensity and obscurity of traditional or even experimental poetry that scares most people away from this type of literary work.

Quite the opposite, Not Gonna Write Poems is a book of poetry that is all about seeing the humor of life around you. In this case, modern family life. And most importantly, if you are a parent who wants to introduce your child to poetry, Not Gonna Write Poems is the perfect place to start.

You can find out more about Dr. Michael A. Lee's book of poetry entitled NOT GONNA WRITE POEMS on his website page, Mikeleethepoet.com.
The High Court has ordered people trespassing on a former car showroom building opposite the Met Office in Glasnevin, Dublin, to leave.

Sanderly Holdings sought the orders against "persons unknown trespassing on the lands and buildings" at the Glasnevin Hill property, formerly used by the Glasnevin Motor Group.

Sanderly has applied for permission to build a mixed used residential/retail development at the property.

The court heard a number of people appear to be living in some of the buildings and have put locks on doors and a gate.

Today, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds granted the orders after expressing concern about health, safety and insurance issues. These created an urgency which could only be met by granting the orders, she said. She put a stay on the orders until 5pm today to give the occupants a chance to leave.

Sanderly director, Bryan Lawlor, in an affidavit, said he learned of the trespass on April 30 last.

Man said 'he was now the owner of the site'

He went to the property where he told a man with a North American accent he was a director of the company and he was trespassing. The man remained inside the locked gate.

The man replied it had been vacant for some time "that he had therefore taken it over and he was now the owner of the site".

Mr Lawlor asked him to identify himself but he refused. The man was clean and well dressed, he said.

Mr Lawlor also saw a woman and three other individuals, including two on the roof. They were dressed in black and a black flag was flying from the building.

He rang the gardai and they told him officers would call but there followed two occasions when Mr Lawlor was unable to meet gardai when they did attend.

Mr Lawlor was also informed that lights were on in the building which has given rise to concerns about where the electricity was being sourced.

Ms Justice Reynolds ordered the notices be placed on the building and under the door. She said the case could come back next week.
The United States is seeking to extradite a young Irish man accused of being part of a hacking group known as The Community involved in alleged financial fraud and identity theft.

The US authorities allege that nine members of the group conducted seven attacks resulting in the theft of crypto, or digital, currencies worth more than $2.4m (2.1m).

A man aged 20 from Dublin, was arrested and brought before the High Court on Thursday on foot of an extradition warrant. During a brief appearance, he indicated he understood the charges. He was remanded in custody until May 22.

The US Attorney General for the Eastern State of Michigan said that their investigation had the assistance of Irish law enforcement authorities.

These included the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the Criminal Assets Bureau, with the Garda Extradition Unit involved in the extradition request.

The GDOCB and CAB conducted searches under Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Act 2008.

On Thursday, the US Attorney unsealed an indictment against nine people. It claimed the individuals, with an average age of 22, were connected to a hacking group known to its members as 'The Community'.

The nine accused were charged on 15 counts with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and identity.

In addition, three of them, former employees of mobile phone providers, were charged with wire fraud in relation to the alleged conspiracy.

It is alleged the group exploited security weaknesses of mobile phones to gain control of people's online accounts.

The Irishman was the only foreigner named in the indictment, the remaining eight having US addresses, located across eight different states, from California to New York.

The ages of the group ranged from 19 to 28.

Details of the indictment were revealed by US Attorney Matthew Schneider, along with acting special agent in charge Angie Salazar of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Detroit.

The Attorney General's Office said that, according to the indictment, the defendants are members of The Community and are alleged to have participated in thefts of victims' identities in order to steal cryptocurrency via a method known as 'SIM Hijacking'.

It said cryptocurrencies, also known as virtual currencies or digital currencies, were online media of exchange, the most famous of these currencies is Bitcoin.

The indictment explains that SIM Hijacking or SIM Swapping is an identity theft technique that exploits a common cyber-security weakness  mobile phone numbers.

It alleges that this tactic enabled The Community to gain control of victims mobile phone number, resulting in the victims phone calls and short message service (SMS) messages being routed to devices controlled by The Community.

It claims that SIM Hijacking was often facilitated by bribing an employee of a mobile phone provider.

Other times, the indictment states that SIM Hijacking was accomplished by a member of The Community contacting a mobile phone providers customer service posing as the victim  and requesting that the victims phone number be swapped to a SIM card (and thus a mobile device) controlled by The Community.

The indictment alleges that, once The Community had control of a victims phone number, the phone number was leveraged as a gateway to gain control of online accounts such as a victims email, cloud storage, and cryptocurrency exchange accounts.

The members of The Community charged in the indictment endeavored to gain control of victims cryptocurrency wallets or online cryptocurrency exchange accounts and steal victims funds. It is alleged in the indictment that the defendants executed seven attacks that resulted in the theft of cryptocurrency valued at approximately $2,416,352.

Mobile phones today are not only a means of communication but also a means of identification, stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.

The allegations against these defendants are the result of a complex cryptocurrency and identity theft investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations, which spanned two continents, said Salazar.

If convicted on the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, each defendant faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charges of wire fraud each carry a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The Attorney General's Office stressed that the defendants, in this case, are presumed innocent. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely charges and it is the governments burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Update: As many as 70 migrants have drowned after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, according to a UN migration official and Tunisia's state news agency.

At least 16 other people have been rescued.

An official with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Tunisia said the smuggling boat was coming from Libya when it sent a distress signal in international waters off the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax.

The official said between 60 and 70 people drowned.

State news agency TAP said 70 people drowned as the boat sank and that fishing boats rescued 16 people.

The IOM official said the migrants are now being questioned and cared for by Tunisian authorities.

She said the migrants included people from Bangladesh and Morocco, among other nationalities.

At least 70 migrants dead after boat sinks off Tunisia https://t.co/83IVIV9w1k  Nigerian Diary (@NigerianDiary) May 10, 2019

The IOM said it was the deadliest migrant boat sinking since an incident in January when 117 were reported missing and presumed dead.

It comes as overall migrant arrivals to Europe are decreasing.

So far this year, 17,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea, about 30% fewer than the 24,000 arriving during the same period last year, according to the IOM.

It said 443 people have reportedly died on dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossings so far this year, compared to 620 deaths for the same period in 2018.

Libya's navy said it had rescued 213 Europe-bound African and Arab migrants off the Mediterranean coast this week. It said they were handed over to Libyan police after having received humanitarian and medical aid.

- Additional reporting by Press Association

Migrants being rescued in a previous incident

Dozens feared dead after boat sinks in Mediterranean - reports

Dozens of migrants are feared to be dead after their boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea, according to reports.

It is understood that at least 50 people are believed to have died after the boat went down off the coast of Tunisia.

The bodies of four people who drowned have been recovered so far, a spokesman for the country's defence ministry told AFP news agency.

The boat, which capsized off the coast of Kerkennah, is thought to have left from Zuwara, #Libya, according to the Tunisian Ministry of Defense.

It is understood there are 16 survivors of the accident.

Another tragedy in the #Mediterranean: @UNmigration's office in Tunisia reports that at least 50 people have died off the coast of Kerkennah after a boat from #Libya capsized. There are only 16 survivors.#MissingMigrants  Missing Migrants Project (@MissingMigrants) May 10, 2019

This latest tragedy comes after a recent UN report revealed an average of six migrants died crossing the Mediterranean every day last year.

More as we get it...
Burger giant McDonald's will soon start paying out tens of millions of dollars in higher wages to its employees after it finally agreed to pay weekend penalty rates to its young workforce.

Maccas, one of Australias biggest employers, also faces a claim for back pay that, if successful, could be worth more than $200 million to its predominantly young and low-paid employees.

McDonald's worker Xzavier Kelly is leading a case to get more than $200m back pay from McDonald's for lost penalty rates. Credit:Joe Armao

The multinational has been paying a majority of its workers less than the fast food award - the wages safety net - under a controversial deal it struck with the socially conservative shop assistants union in 2013.

Since then it has avoided paying Saturday and Sunday penalty rates in return for a small increase in the ordinary hourly rate. Young workers are currently paid as little as $8.64 an hour at McDonalds, even if they work on Saturdays and Sundays.
Sydney artist Tony Costa had been studying law for more than two years when he went to his mother, standing at the kitchen sink of the family home in Strathfield, undecided if he should continue with law.

"I said, 'What do you think I should do? I'm torn.' And without turning she said, 'Follow your heart.' But I thought she said, 'Follow your art.' "

Costa's heart had resided in painting since the age of 13 and that decision to quit legal studies and enrol at Julian Ashton Art School took him on Friday to the Art Gallery of NSW, where he was named winner of Australia's most recognisable portrait prize for a meditative portrait of artist Lindy Lee.

"It was the best advice I was ever given," he said, paying tribute to his late mother who did not live to see the win, a moment Costa described as nothing less than a "miracle".
Eight, or ba in Chinese, is a lucky number because it rhymes with fa, meaning wealth or fortune. Its also the sum of the numbers on the label of a new wonder drug, SMB1412, developed by Vietnamese refugee turned brilliant medical researcher, David Tran. He has named his creation Eight in the hope of an auspicious outcome. Eight is also the number of the human guinea pigs on whom the drug is about to be trialled, before David unexpectedly steps in to test the drug on himself  with catastrophic results. So much for lucky numbers.

Eight Lives bounces off a real drug trial in Britain. Credit:

Davids story begins with a newspaper article from 1979 reporting on his arrival with his mother, Mai, in a refugee camp in Hong Kong. Emaciated and ulcer-ravaged, they have successfully evaded Thai pirates and survived a storm at sea after setting off from South Vietnam in a small boat. Although David will grow up in affluent Melbourne, attend a good school, university and become a gun researcher, this is the past that he will never escape.

Five different voices tell us about David, who is already dead when the book begins. Theres his half sister Ly, whom he has established in a successful nail parlour. Theres Rosa, his employee, an Italian migrant struggling to prove herself in the world of medical research. Rosa blames herself for his death, as does his girlfriend, the ethereal Abigail, who worries that her objection to any form of animal testing may be the reason David decided to trial the drug on himself. His old school friend, Miles, also feels guilty, since he is the doctor assisting David with his unprecedented trial, but is called away to attend an emergency, returning too late to prevent his colleagues untimely demise.

And theres Foxy, a.k.a Harry Renard, fixer and spin doctor to the rich, summoned by the father of Davids dodgy business partner, Charlie Cunningham, to massage the facts of Davids death into a more palatable story that will rescue the Cunningham family name and fortunes. Foxys got a low opinion of Charlie and his get-rich quick schemes, describing him as the quintessential third generation f--- up, but Foxy is a public relations gun for hire and very good at his job, usually.

In her authors note, former medical researcher Susan Hurley explains how Eight Lives has its origins in the real trial of a similar wonder drug in London that almost killed eight men. Riffing on this premise, Hurley turns immunology and monoclonal antibodies into a thrilling business (beware the cytokine storm) while offering some astute commentary on what it means to be a migrant in Australia. This is a clever, sobering book.
Troy Bramston's new biography of Robert Menzies. Credit: Bramston had access to some material not available to previous biographers, to wit, Menzies correspondence with his sister, Belle Green, and interviews he gave to Frances McNicoll in 1972 and 1973. Inexplicably, Menzies commissioned McNicoll to write his biography and gave her exclusive access to his papers. McNicoll was a journalist but she had no experience at all of book length writing and after 10 years she had only managed to produce some notes and one draft chapter. She did, however, conduct eight interviews and Bramston claims that these interviews show Menzies as he has never been seen before and will amaze and astonish readers. But much of this has been aired before, namely by Gerard Henderson in Menzies Child. We already knew that Menzies took a dim view of the Liberal Party and its leaders after his departure, that Holt was a massive disappointment, Gorton out of his depth and that he despaired of McMahon and Snedden. We also knew that after he retired he grew close to B A Santamaria, voted for the DLP in 1972 and likely also 1969 and 1974. The one insight I gained from the new material is the deep effect that not serving in World War I had on him. With his two elder brothers already enlisted, and his only sister having eloped, the family asked Menzies to stay at home. Not being a returned man was a considerable political handicap for Menzies in the interwar decades.

Robert Menzies with his wife Pattie. Credit:AAP When he first became prime minister in 1939 after Joseph Lyons died in office, the leader of the Country Party, Earle Page, launched an outrageous attack on him in Parliament. He accused him of cowardice for not enlisting, as well as of disloyalty to Lyons. Menzies told McNicoll that it was because he had not served in the war that he went into politics  to serve his nation in a different way  and that this was also the reason he spent so much time in Britain during the blitz in World War II. He felt he needed to prove he could face danger. This is illuminating, helping to explain not just why Menzies chose politics, but why he stayed in Parliament after the humiliation of his first stint as prime minister. Bramston claims that this was not one reason but the reason he went into politics. Surely ambition, pleasure even, also played a role. The book begins chronologically, taking the reader from Menzies childhood in the small Wimmera town of Jeparit to the start of his second prime ministership in 1939. The period after this, however, is dealt with patchily, mainly in thematically focused chapters. This is fine for those with a working knowledge of mid-20th century Australian politics, but those without may find the going hard. For example, the defection of Vladimir and Evodkia Petrov is briefly mentioned when discussing Menzies 1954 election victory, but who the Petrovs were and the details of the incident are not explained until pages later. Similarly we learn that Menzies had dinner with Jock Pagan just before he announced his retirement and may have flagged his intentions to him. But who was Jock Pagan, and why would Menzies be confiding in him? We are not told. Bramston is a working journalist and he writes about Menzies as he would write about contemporary people and events in a world shared by the reader. But Menzies second prime ministership is now a long time ago and most readers will need more historical context than Bramston gives them.

As a journalist he also places a great deal of store on interviews as evidence. He has interviewed various people who knew Menzies, including his daughter Heather Henderson, and some, such as John Howard, who didnt. For the most part these interviews produce memories that are long-rehearsed, as memories often are, or bland assessments of the great mans character and achievements. Missing is a vivid sense of the intellectual vigour of the man in his prime, conveyed through his own words and actions. Bramston makes no use of the diaries Menzies kept of his first trip abroad in which his excitement at seeing the buildings and landscapes he has long imagined spills from the page. Yes, Allan Martin made much use of them, but most of Bramstons readers wont have read Martin, so why not use them to bring Menzies to life for readers for whom he is little more than a name from their grandparents time? Instead, Bramston devotes a whole chapter to Menzies verse, which is competent, run-of-the mill stuff from a time when writing verse for family and friends was a commonly practised domestic art. The book is subtitled The art of politics after an essay Menzies wrote in 1948, just before his return to power. Bramston concludes the book with a summary of the lessons Menzies practice of this art hold for todays leaders. These are: his deep understanding of Australias institutions of government; his philosophically based political conviction; his skill in managing the party and its relationship with its coalition partner; his astute political judgment; and his understanding that politics is mostly about persuasion.
This pattern hasn't always been the case. According to McAllister, women used to vote heavily in favour of conservative parties: they were more religious, they were less likely to be in paid work and less likely to go to university, each of which tilted them to the right politically. In 1967, more men voted for Labor than women by a margin of 9 percentage points but that difference reduced steadily over the following decades, and by 1990 the gap was just two percentage points. It jumped up again in the 1990s because women did not like former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, McAllister says. The gender difference disappeared during the Howard years. Then, in 2010, for the first time ever in Australian politics, more women voted for Labor than men because of Julia Gillard - by a whopping seven percentage points.

The difference returned to zero in 2013, but then the trend resumed in 2016, with women backing Labor more than men by five percentage points in 2016 - when Bill Shorten lost to Malcolm Turnbull. There have been long-term social changes associated with the trending shift. Many of the factors that made women more conservative - religion, not working, not being as educated - have all but disappeared. There has been a rise in the divorce rate, with women more likely to head one-parent families. That pushes them towards centre-left parties that promote policies on health, education, childcare and other welfare measures. "Men are more likely to be driven by economic expectations, national debt, border security, things like that. Women are more likely to be in favour of environmentalism, climate change, soft social issues," says McAllister. Loading In terms of policies on offer in 2019, the Labor Party has made a concerted effort to cater to female voters. In the aftermath of the last federal election, the chair of the party's caucus committee on women, MP Sharon Claydon, travelled around the country asking hundreds of women what mattered to them. One of the direct results of this was Labor's sexual health policy, which features plans to make access to contraception and abortions easier and cheaper.

During the campaign, Labor surprised even the childcare sector itself with the size of its funding pledge for early childhood education. This includes a $10 billion plan to lift the pay of childcare workers - who are 96 per cent female - as well as an extra $4 billion to reduce childcare fees. As part of the plan, more than 370,000 families are estimated to be eligible for free childcare. Labor also has plans to add an extra year of free preschool to make it available to both three and four-year olds and pay superannuation to recipients of the government's paid parental leave scheme. It is also pledging $660 million to reduce violence against women. For its part, the Coalition announced $328 million to address domestic violence in the April budget. The "women" page on the Liberal Party website says its childcare changes (introduced in July 2018) have saved "typical" families $1300 a year. Other policies featured ahead of the election include breast cancer nurses, support for endometriosis and the GST being removed from tampons last year. The Coalition, which released a Women's Economic Security statement last year, is also pledging to make the government's PPL scheme more flexible. The Liberals want to let women take the leave in blocks and to change the work test to allow more women to access the scheme. There are no details about the number of women who would be helped by the change and as of the fourth week, the policy has barely featured in the Liberals' campaign. The Coalition has battled perceptions it has a "woman problem" for much of its time in government. Tony Abbott infamously appointed just one woman (Julie Bishop) to his first cabinet in 2013. While the number of women in the Coalition's cabinet ranks has risen to a record seven under Scott Morrison, there are big concerns about the low numbers of women overall. Just 23 per cent of the Liberal Party's federal MPs are women, compared to 46 per cent for Labor.

These low numbers also come amid claims of of bullying within the Party (via former Liberal MP Julia Banks), while other women have been being passed over for leadership (Bishop) or ousted by local branch members (Jane Prentice). The fact that the Coalition is holding its campaign launch on Mother's Day has also provoked mutterings that the party is not in tune with women. This week, it was reported senior Liberals are worried they have not been able to win back female voters who have been alienated from the party. Sky News' Laura Jayes reported internal research was showing the Coalition has a "lingering perception issue with women". Labor has a number of prominent senior women, including Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek, and Senator Penny Wong. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen While not aware of the research, one prominent Liberal said they were coming across female voters who felt let down by what had happened in the Liberal Party. They said it was obvious Labor had plenty of senior women (Tanya Plibersek, Penny Wong and Kristina Keneally are all featuring prominently in the campaign) but there was no equivalent in the Liberals. Not only is Bishop retiring, so too is Jobs Minister Kelly O'Dwyer, while Environment Minister Melissa Price has had a notably low profile during the campaign, despite climate change and the environment being a key theme.

"Seriously, [voters] are struggling to name anyone," a Liberal MP says. "I think we've got a real problem with women." The MP said they thought centrist women are now wondering who to vote for. "It's wide open for Labor to pick it up and [those women] are not necessarily Labor voters." Illustration: Dionne Gain Credit: Other senior Liberals, while acknowledging the party has a lot of work to do to boost its female representation, said they did not think gender was having an obvious impact on the campaign so far. It was also noted that Liberals are running women in must-win seats such as Macquarie, Lindsay and Reid in Sydney and Dobell on the NSW Central Coast. So, if the party was to win the election, it would be due to these female candidates, who in turn, would boost the numbers of Liberal women in Canberra. But how much attention are voters really paying to the campaign?

Earlier this month, Ipsos conducted focus groups with undecided voters for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Gender issues were not raised in either the Sydney or Melbourne groups. When the Sydney group was specifically asked if they could name a policy directed at women, none of the participants - male or female - could name one. This was despite the fact that Labor had announced about $14 billion for childcare fees and childcare workers' wages just two days before. Ipsos director Jessica Elgood said men and women in the group were equally unenthused by both Morrison and Shorten. "There was a lack of love for either leader." Loading Essential Media's most recent polling, over the past fortnight, has not found any major differences between men and women on party preference or Morrison/Shorten preference. But it has found that overall, women are less engaged in the election and less likely to have firm views about it. According to about 2000 voters, 52 per cent of women have been paying little or no attention to news, advertising and updates about the federal election, compared to 41 per cent of men. In terms of the ballot box, 15 per cent of women said they don't know who they will vote for, compared to 8 per cent of men. Meanwhile, 35 per cent of women said they don't know who they prefer as prime minister, compared to 21 per cent of men.
Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says it is far too early to put a figure on any Queensland government contribution to a future $114 billion project to connect Melbourne and Brisbane with a high-speed rail link.

The Federal Opposition on Friday revealed a Shorten Labor government would set aside $1 billion to buy land to protect a land corridor for the future project.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomes Federal Labor commitment to buy land to protect a fast train corridor. Credit:AAP

One step at a time, Ms Palaszczuk said on Friday morning in Brisbane, when asked if her government would contribute.

Lets have a look at their plans at the moment.
Labor is asking Australian voters to endorse a hugely ambitious tax agenda that could be cut to shreds in the next Parliament even if Bill Shorten becomes prime minister.

Labor depends on highly contested policies to raise $160.5 billion in revenue over a decade  and it needs an unpredictable Senate to back the lot.

A central message from shadow treasurer Chris Bowen is that these changes do not affect mainstream voters. Credit:AAP

Just as the Coalition struggled with "zombie savings" that it proposed but could not legislate over the past six years, a Shorten government risks having "zombie taxes" on its books.

Labor needs changes to superannuation, negative gearing, capital gains tax, accountant deductions, multinational taxation, dividend imputation and family trusts. Another policy imposes a 2 per cent levy on earnings over $180,000.
A Labor government would increase foreign aid by $1.6 billion over the next four years in a bid to put Australia back on track to reaching a global target to help the world's poor.

Labor revealed the spending in its list of policy commitments after years of dispute over the cuts to foreign aid that began when the Coalition took office in 2013.

Chris Bowen has announced a Labor government will increase foreign aid by $1.2 billion, after he and foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong have been promising an increase. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The spending plan sparked a political dispute with the Coalition over the full cost of Labor's commitment, in its policy platform, to increase aid over time to 0.5 per cent of gross national income, the ambition set for developed countries by the United Nations.

The Labor election costing does not deliver on the long-term ambition and nor does it restore all of the Coalition's cuts over the past six years.
Send us a picture or Instagram one of Good Weekend in your life, using the hashtag #goodweekendmag. We will choose one each week to publish here.

Thank you, Ralph and Kathy Kelly [April 27]. It is so important that families like mine, who have experienced the loss of a son and a brother to crime, know of the stories of other people. And to hear aspects of your own experiences echoed in the tragedies and huge community contributions that can be common to those who have experienced such griefs.

Sharon A. Brewster, Fairfield, Vic

Kings Cross had been out of control for years, its so-called "vibrant nightlife" underpinned by a voracious alcohol culture that put ordinary people  residents, visitors, tourists, police  in regular danger from the aggression it engendered. The lockout laws have saved many other potential victims of violence. The Kellys can be proud of their legacy: a safer and more civilised society.

Patrick McGrath, Potts Point, NSW

I read Jane Cadzow's beautifully written piece on our family's 10th "Andyversary", when we celebrate the life of a son and brother who was diagnosed with a terminal illness at four, and died at 22. Like Kathy, I struggle, even now 15 years later, when telling people how many kids I have. But I hold out hope for Kathy that bereavement does get easier. You never have the life you had before, but for me and my family, there came a time when the burden shifted and now we can look back with happiness and forward with hope. May Kathy, Ralph and Madeleine Kelly come to that day even sooner as they spread kindness in memory of their beautiful sons.
Physical assaults against journalists should be taken more seriously and be dealt with under a specific new law, a new report on press freedom in Australia says.

The Alliance for Journalists' Freedom's white paper, released on Friday, says any physical assault against a journalist should be automatically upgraded to an aggravated offence.

News Corp photographer Dylan Robinson had his shirt torn at a Fraser Anning press conference last month. Credit:AAP

The paper cites a recent survey by Australia's peak media union that found 90 per cent of respondents believe press freedom in Australia has deteriorated in the past decade.

The paper calls for a law, similar to a bill introduced in the US in February last year, to be introduced in Australia to better protect journalists against physical harm in the course of reporting.
Sydney's The Daily Telegraph has waged a "campaign" against the Federal Court to attack actor Geoffrey Rush's defamation win against the newspaper, his barrister has told the court.

In a tense hearing on Friday, Mr Rush's barrister, Sue Chrysanthou, sought an injunction restraining the newspaper from re-publishing the allegations at the centre of the court case.

Geoffrey Rush and his wife Jane Menelaus leave the Federal Court in Sydney after his defamation win. Credit:James Brickwood

Lawyers for Nationwide News, publisher of the Telegraph, have asked presiding judge Michael Wigney to recuse himself from hearing that application on the grounds of apprehended bias.

The newpaper agreed in the interim to a temporary injunction restraining it from publishing allegations relating to the Sydney Theatre Company's 2015-16 production of King Lear, which were are the centre of the court battle. The parties will return to court on May 20 for further argument.
A man has been charged in Queensland after allegedly firing at a police car in Ipswich and had a stand off with police for about one hour.

Police said officers responded to reports of a weapon being fired on Parker Street at Goodna, about 20 kilometres south-west of Brisbane, just before 8pm on Friday when shots were allegedly fired at a police vehicle, causing damaging a door.

A man allegedly fired at a police car in Ipswich. Credit:Queensland Police Service

The area was cordoned off while more police officers were called to the scene.

After 9pm, police claim the man armed with a rifle surrendered to specialist officers and was taken into custody without incident.
Queensland horse trainer Ben Currie has been banned from racing for four years after an investigation into text messages where he allegedly said he intended to use an illegal electric shock device.

The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission found the Toowoomba-based trainer guilty last Friday of "engaging in an improper action".

Ben Currie, one of Queensland's top racing trainers, was found guilty of two breaches. (File image) Credit:Facebook

The breaches relate to the horses Massive Attack in 2015 and Said Written in 2016, when Mr Currie was their trainer.

Stewards allegedly found text messages where Mr Currie discussed his intention to use an illegal jigger, an electric shock device, which was capable of affecting the two horses' performance.
Brisbanes high-end property developers are not just constructing giant apartment blocks and moving on  they are staying put, managing everything from lawn mowing to lock-outs.

As the property market in Brisbane slows from the early 2000s investor boom, the citys apartment developments are moving away from mass construction in a bid to lure back an increasingly selective purchaser.

High-end property developments such as Aria property group's Lexington in Woolloongabba are becoming the focus for developers. Credit:

Several of Brisbanes biggest high-end developers have stopped handing away the management rights on their completed buildings, instead choosing to keep full control, despite the cost.

The Brisbane markets shift away from cookie-cutter development to a more boutique offering was discussed at a residential property summit hosted by The Urban Developer, held at the Calile Hotel in Fortitude Valley on Friday.
Find a table inside the pub and take care driving home - the rain is coming back for knock-off time.

The worst of the storms that have lashed parts of Melbourne have weakened and moved north, but another band is making its way to the city from the Mornington Peninsula and should arrive around 4.30pm.

Pedestrians bust out the brollies as heavy rain hits Melbourne on Friday afternoon. Credit:Eddie Jim

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Keris Arndt said the approaching system was weaker than the last and would dump only a few millimetres across the city and suburbs, but it was enough to "dampen the commute and Friday pub time".

After this next burst, Melbourne is expected to mostly fine throughout the evening and tomorrow.
The two sons of a prominent Middle Eastern crime figure are suspected of the drive-by shooting at the Love Machine nightclub that killed two people and injured four others.

Sources have told The Age that the duo allegedly launched the brazen attack that also endangered the lives of dozens of other bystanders in revenge for one of the suspects being ejected from the club at a previous event.

Aaron Khalid Osmani and Richard Arow died as a result of the Love Machine shooting.

More than a half dozen bullets were fired from a high-powered assault rifle at the front of the Prahran club in the early hours of April 14, killing two and wounding four others.

Security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani, 37, died at the scene and Richard Arow, 28, passed away from his injuries days later. Three others were struck by bullets and another was injured trying to avoid the attack.
Washington: A Bel Air mansion where more than 1000 guns were discovered by police belonged to the former mistress of an heir to the Getty oil fortune.

The arsenal was found in a $US7 million ($9.9 million) home owned by Cynthia Beck, who had a long affair, and three children, with Gordon Getty.

Investigators from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the police inspecting a large cache of weapons seized at a home in the affluent Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles. Credit:AP

Mr Getty, 85, son of the late oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, was once the richest man in America and is currently worth an estimated $US2 billion.

In a 4am raid, police found assault weapons, Browning machine guns, rifles, and Civil War era pistols. They arrested Girard Damien Saenz, 57, who was at the mansion, and is listed in public records as a general building contractor.
Washington: Donald Trump jnr's political allies launched an all-out war against the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee, turning several Republican senators on Thursday against the panel's chairman amid news that he had subpoenaed testimony from the president's son.

The broadsides included tweets targeting the Republican chairman, Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, calls from people close to the president to at least one vulnerable Republican senator, and a Breitbart story aimed at senators including the majority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, according to multiple people involved in the effort.

Even President Donald Trump got involved, telling reporters he was "pretty surprised" his son "a very good person" would be subpoenaed after Burr had said publicly he had found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The main target of the pressure campaign appeared to be Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, a close ally of Burr's who is facing a conservative primary challenger next year. Some of Trump's allies said they anticipated that the president would tweet support for Tillis' primary opponent if the senator did not speak out.
Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

Hes heading back to school!

The leader of Brooklyns biggest small-business booster has accepted a high-ranking post at City University of New York, and will be bidding bon voyage to Kings County commerce come June 28.

Hector Batista, who became the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerces first Hispanic president and chief executive officer when he started in October, will have served only seven months as the head of the boroughs chief business advocacy group upon his departure.

But theres no hard feelings over the CEOs lightening-fast exit, according to Chamber Chairwoman Ana Oliveira, who applauded Batistas brief, but effective leadership, and said members can look forward to the announcement of new programs in the coming weeks.

While brief, Hectors tenure leaves us even stronger as an organization than we were when he arrived just a few months ago, Oliveira said.

The business honcho will be leaving to serve as chief operating officer at one of the countrys largest public university systems, which has 24 campuses across the city, including Downtown Brooklyn and Crown Heights, and last year boasted an enrollment of more than 274,000 students across all schools.

As president, Batista headed each of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerces three arms, including its non-for-profit economic development wing, the Brooklyn Alliance, and Brooklyn Alliance Capital, which funneled federal grants to Brooklyn mom and pops in the form of small-business loans, among other things.

Batista signed up to lead Brooklyn Chamber following an eight-year stint as the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, a non-for-profit mentorship program serving kids in all five boroughs, where he could also boast as serving as the first Hispanic man to hold the title.

Prior to that, Batista served Brooklyn at the Borough Presidents office as director of real estate for the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, director of economic development and director of development and finance for nine years, before leaving Kings County for city-wide appointment by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

He replaced Andrew Hoan as president, who served in the post since 2016.

The Chamber plans on appointing an interim president in the coming days, according to a spokesman, who could not say whether a new president would be appointed before Batista steps down.
Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

Kings County legal eagles celebrated the First Amendment at the annual Law Day celebration at the Supreme Court on May 8.

In his keynote address, Nicholas Allard  the former Dean of Brooklyn Law School  spoke of the need to educate people on law and government.

The event was great, and really important, said Allard. Civic education is the obligation of everyone in the legal profession, and is essential for civic democracy. I hope that legal educators, and lawyers, and judges continue to educate the public about how our system works, however imperfect it may be.

Judging: Judge Matthew DEmic watches the festivities at the Kings County Supreme Court Law Day Ceremony on May 8. Photo by Caroline Ourso

Allard began his lecture with a quote from Founding Father Thomas Paine about the turbulent 1700s.

I chose that quote because we are in this revolutionary moment, and people are talking about how anxious they are about our future, which is exactly what that quote was about, he said. But, that quote wasnt just a theoretical, passive quote. It was a call to action, to use your rights to defend freedom.

Various speakers lectured audience members of the importance of defending the freedom of speech and the press, according to Allard.

Counseling: Zachary W. Carter, of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, speaks during the Kings County Supreme Court Law Day Ceremony on May 8. Photo by Caroline Ourso

Our administrative Judge Lawrence Marks identified several specific examples where the legal system was deficient, and the press revealed that deficiency, he said. Even though the news was tough and unflattering, it prodded the bar to improve our legal system.

The First Amendment served as a particularly relevant topic today, said Allard, given the misinformation and criticisms from certain elected leaders.

I always feel that Law Day is incredibly important, and sadly, I feel that this years topic is not just important, but extremely timely.
A crash in Australian thermal coal prices is raising fresh questions about the viability of a controversial $4 billion coal mine just a week ahead of a national election in which climate change is a key issue. Final approval of the Carmichael coal mine in Queensland, owned by India's Adani Enterprises, should come in "a matter of weeks, not months" following nearly a decade on the drawing board, the company's mining chief executive, Lucas Dow, told Reuters last month. But a 40 per cent slump in benchmark Australian thermal coal prices since mid-2018 to a two-year ...
It will be the second coming for Etihad Airways in its attempt to control Jet if the grounded airline is handed over by the banks to the Abu Dhabi-based carrier. But this time around, the West Asian airline will be in the drivers seat and does not have to contend with promoter Naresh Goyal with whom it had a tumultuous relationship.

Goyal has now been ousted from the board with no role in Jet. In 2013, Etihad bailed Goyal out when he sank into a financial mess by taking a 24 per cent stake in Jet for $397 million. But Goyal, despite numerous attempts by Etihad to get ...
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
The sense of urgency is palpable as one enters the office of Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi in Bhubaneswar. Behind the L-shaped mahogany desk, Sethi is a man on a mission.

It has been a week since Cyclone Fani battered Odisha with wind speeds of 200 km per hour but his phones havent stopped ringing. It has been very hectic for the last many days, says Sethi. As he briefs the officials about the preparations, people keep walking into his chamber with updates on relief operations. In between the many calls and messages he receives on his landline and ...
French authorities should have more access to Facebooks algorithms and greater scope to audit the social media companys internal policies against hate speech, a report commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron has concluded. It comes after Facebook has been heavily criticised by politicians and the public for its failure to more rapidly remove footage of the March shooting attack in Christchurch, New Zealand from its network. Fifty people were killed in the assault, with footage of it circulating online for days. The French president, who will meet Facebook founder ...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he was in no hurry to sign a trade deal with China as Washington imposed a new set of tariffs on Chinese goods and negotiators began a second day of last-ditch talks to try to salvage an agreement. The United States early on Friday increased its tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10%, rattling financial markets already worried the 10-month trade war between the world's two largest economies could spiral out of control. The move, which is expected to lead to Chinese retaliation, went into effect just hours before U.S. ...
Dollar index is trading near 97.30 and is looking strong; thanks to escalate in trade war tension. The US President has threatened to hike tariffs from 10 per cent to 25 per cent on Chinese goods from Friday if US-China trade deal does not happen. This has put the market in risk-mode and all the risky assets, be it commodity and equity, saw sell off.

Safe haven buying was seen as the greenback got stronger and gold saw some buying. Indian rupee has also depreciated on back of weak Indian equity market and foreign institutional investors (FIIs) outflow. We expect Indian rupee to test ...
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to release new limits for its voluntary retention route (VRR) in a week or two, according to people in the know. Instead of a tranche, the central bank may allow the limits to be allocated on tap this time.

The banking regulator may also consider extending the period for initial investment from one to three months. As of now, FPIs have to invest 25 per cent of the committed portfolio size (CPS) within one month and the remaining in the next two months. The timeframe for investment can be especially onerous for funds wanting to invest in ...
Two youth drowned while attempting to save their companion at Birmah Nallah in Udhampur district on Thursday afternoon, police said.

"In a bid to save their companion, two youth died due to drowning on Thursday afternoon at Birmah Nallah in Udhampur. The other boy is in a safe condition," Udhampur Deputy Superintendent of Police Rohit Chadgal told ANI.

Soon after learning about the incident, locals raised alarm and tried to save the three. While one was saved, two lost their lives in the incident, police said.

The deceased were identified as Rohit Kumar and Suraj Kumar, both residents of Adarsh Colony in Udhampur.

The bodies were handed over to the deceased's family after conducting post-mortem at Udhampur District Hospital.

An FIR has been registered in the case and further investigation is underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CERIZ, a French accessory brand for women, has roped in Bollywood's heartthrob, Sara Ali Khan as their brand ambassador.

After a successful start to a brand-new innings in Bollywood, the 20-something-year-old rising starlet will be seen sporting the stylish collection of handbags by CERIZ.

The beautiful actress recently did a photo-shoot for the brand for its Spring-Summer collection. CERIZ, a French-inspired high-fashion brand focusing on handbags and footwear, represents a modern woman, who is bold and glamorous, free-spirited yet rooted.

Women can choose from a range of chic handbags to sling, clutches, backpacks, laptop bags and footwear that range from high heels to casual and athleisure.

"I am very excited to endorse 'CERIZ'. As a girl, I've always believed in simplicity, and I'm cautious of ensuring that the brands I endorse are in line with my personality. Therefore, with a tag line like 'effortlessly glamorous', a brand like CERIZ is a perfect fit for me. I truly believe it takes very little to be 'fashionable' and the more authentic and truer to yourself you are, the more you stand out. CERIZ always has a myriad of trendy and stylish yet original and simple bags that complement any outfit!," commented Sara Ali Khan, Brand Ambassador, CERIZ.

CERIZ is present across more than 200 doors at Central, Shoppers Stop, Rocia, Inc5, Shoetree, Pantaloons, Brand Factory and other leading retail outlets in cities like Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, and many others!

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amidst a controversy over the procedure adopted for the in-house inquiry into the sexual harassment allegations against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Attorney General of India K K Venugopal had written to senior apex court judges seeking nomination of external members in the panel to ensure a transparent and fair probe.

However, on Friday he rubbished media reports suggesting differences between him and the Central government and that it had forced him to write to the judges that his views were personal and not that of the Central government.

Venugopal told ANI that that he had written a letter to some senior judges of the Supreme Court in 'personal capacity'. "But I had sent a letter in personal capacity before the appointment of the present Committee", he added.

He also said that other than this part the "statements of media report are inaccurate".

On April 22, Venugopal has written a letter to the some of the senior-most judges including the Chief Justice of India stating that an external member should be included in the committee to examine sexual harassment charges against the CJI.

He asserted that he had sent the copy of the letter to four other senior most judges of the Supreme Court before the in-house panel was constituted.

The top court had constituted a three-member Committee consisting of Justices Bobde, NV Ramana and Indra Banerjee after a former woman court staffer who had worked in the home office of the CJI had complained to the judges of the Supreme Court that Justice Gogoi had made sexual advances to her.

Later, Justice Ramana recused from being a part of the committee after the complainant sought his recusal saying he was close the CJI. Justice Indu Malhotra replaced Ramana.

However, the constitution of the committee came under criticism with a number of jurists and lawyer including women advocates saying the probe panel was not in accordance with the Visakha guidelines propounded by the apex court on the basis of which parliament had also passed a law.

While the SC has an in-house procedure for dealing with complaints, it has no precedent nor a provision for dealing with a complaint of sexual harassment against the CJI.

On May 6, the three-judge in-house Committee of the Supreme Court gave a clean chit to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi in the sexual harassment complaint allegation levelled against him by a former court staffer who said she was not just highly disappointed and dejected but felt "gross injustice" has been done to her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of Algerians on Friday took to the streets here on the first Friday of Ramadan, pressing their demands for democratic reforms and ousting of key officials from former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika's regime.

The demonstrations, which are being held for the 12th week in a row, comes even after 82-year-old Bouteflika stepped down last month following popular uprisings against the ailing leader, Anadolu News Agency reported.

Protesters, who are fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan month, are demanding the immediate departure of interim President Abdelkader Bensalah and Prime Minister Noureddine Badawi, who were all part of Bouteflika's regime.

Bensalah, who was confirmed as Algeria's interim president by the Parliament last month, has promised to hold presidential elections within 90 days.

Despite Bensalah's assurance and his appointment as per the Algerian Constitution, agitators have been demanding his removal as the 76-year-old former Upper House speaker has close links with Bouteflika, besides being a seasoned establishment insider.

On April 2, Bouteflika resigned as Algeria's president before his mandate was to end on April 28, after remaining in power for about 20 years.

This came after a press statement issued by Bouteflika's office had said that the president will take steps to ensure "state institutions continue to function during the transition period", adding, his "resignation would occur before April 28, 2019".

The statement further noted that Bouteflika would "take important measures to ensure the continuity of the functioning of the state institutions during the period of transition."

Algeria has been witnessing protests since February against Bouteflika following his announcement that he was keen on contesting for a fifth term. However, he later gave in to the protesters' demands and abandoned his re-election bid, while delaying the presidential polls.

Protests, however, did not subside over Bouteflika's continued hold of power, after which the 82-year-old ailing leader tendered his resignation.

Bouteflika rarely made public appearances since suffering a stroke in 2013.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister of State for Tourism, KJ Alphons, on Friday, wrote a letter to Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, to take appropriate action against Professor Neeraj Hatekar of the Department of Economics of the University of Mumbai for his proven plagiarism.

Alphons has requested in the letter that strictest possible action should be taken against the professor and also stated that had the plagiarism been found in any other country the concerned person would be dismissed from service and criminal action would have been taken against him.

The letter has also been sent to Chancellor, University of Mumbai, the Governor of Maharashtra, the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development and Chairman, University Grants Commission.

An inquiry committee was set up by the University of Mumbai to investigate into the accusation that Hatekar had plagiarised. The committee headed by Dr RK Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor, Lingaya's University, Faridabad had Professor S Indrakant, RBI Chair Professor, Council for Social Development and Principal Murlidhar S Kurhade, Principal, DTSS College of Commerce, Mumbai and Adhoc Dean, the University of Mumbai as members.

The committee had submitted its report on January 1, 2018, stating, " The committee is of the view that Dr Neeraj Hatekar has plagiarized in his PhD thesis from the MPhil dissertation of Ms Rajini Mathur" and went on to mention 25 instances of plagiarism.

No action has been taken even after the report was submitted to the Vice-Chancellor over a year ago. Alphons has requested for directions to be issued to the University of Mumbai to take proper and immediate action.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One person sustained bullet injuries while several others were hurt in the clashes which broke out between two groups in Halaikandi town on Friday.

Certain groups were trying to incite communal violence, said the district administration. Widespread violence and arson also prompted authorities to impose a curfew for a few hours to bring the situation under control.

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has been imposed until further order in the town as violent mob hurled stoned, vandalized shops and set several cars and bikes on fire.

The police had to resort to firing blanks to disperse the crowd and bring the situation in control. Several fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames.

Additional forces were reportedly rushed to the town as the situation remained tense.

Assam forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya appealed for peace and harmony and assured action against the violence perpetrators.

The two groups reportedly got into a brawl over a week-old issue on the parking of two-wheelers outside a mosque.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a major embarrassment for authorities, Australia's brand new $50 note has a hidden blunder, an unfortunate typo, where the word "responsibility" has been misspelt for a whopping 46 million times!

The A$50 note, which has anti-counterfeiting features, was printed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and entered into general circulation last year. The central bank has spelled "responsibility" as "responsibilty" on millions of the new yellow notes.

Confirming the typo, RBA said that the error would be rectified in the next print run later this year, CNN reported.

Around 400 million notes of $50 were printed and 46 million of them are in circulation. The total value of the notes in circulation is around $2.3 billion.

The mistake was spotted by a person who posted a photograph of the $50 note on social media, encircling the "responsibilty" word.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stirring a hornet's nest, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of solely concentrating on BJP's marketing strategies while pressing that promises made by them 'remain hollow'.

Addressing an election rally here in support of Congress candidate Rajkishore Singh, she fired a fresh salvo at PM Modi and said: "promises are hollow. Over the last five years, PM Modi was seen going to every place across the world, but was not once seen amid the farmers of his own country, who actually needed his assistance."

Continuing his tirade against the PM, Gandhi accused him of only talking about Pakistan in the name of nationalism. "For him, nationalism is all about speaking on the work he has done to counter Pakistan. Speaking on the employment and farmers issues are not nationalism for him. You boast about your 56-inch chest, but where is your heart?" she asked.

Amidst chants of "chowkidar chor hai", she asserted that job creation for youths, farmers' progress and safety of women are among the key challenges India is facing today.

"I can say this with confidence that the income of the farmers, which he promised to double, has come down. Farmers are going into debts. Over 12,000 farmers committed suicide this year alone. They marched barefooted to Delhi and asked for five minutes of his time but he refused," she said.

Talking about demonization and how it resulted in the loss of more than 50,000 jobs, she said: "50,000 youth lost their jobs due to demonetization. He linked nationalism to demonetization and made you stand in the line throughout the day. Did anyone of his minister stand in the queue? When Rahul Gandhi stood in line with you, they made fun of him. Their love for the country is apparently hollow."

Uttar Pradesh saw polling in the five phases of the Lok Sabha elections and will continue to see voting in the rest of the phases scheduled on May 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 19-year-old accused in last month's shooting at a synagogue in southern California was on Thursday charged with more than 100 federal hate crimes and civil rights violations.

"The Department of Justice today charged a California man with federal hate crimes, including the murder of one person and the attempted murder of 53 others, for his actions during the April 27 shooting at the Chabad of Poway Synagogue in California", the United States Department of Justice said in a statement cited by Sputnik.

According to the affidavit, the shooter, identified as John T. Earnest, opened fire inside the synagogue during a religious service, killing 60-year-old Lori Gilbert Kaye and injuring three others, including the rabbi and 8-year-old girl, before fleeing and being chased by members of the congregation, the Justice Department said.

The assailant after opening fire fled the scene in his car but was later detained by law enforcement officers who discovered an AR-15 automatic rifle and magazines of ammunition in his car, the statement read.

US Attorney for the Southern District of California, Robert Brewer said prosecutors on Thursday filed a new criminal complaint against Earnest, who is also suspected of arson at a mosque in nearby Escondido in late March.

"Our actions today are inspired by our desire to achieve justice for all of the victims and their families," CNN quoted Brewer as saying.

The new criminal complaint charges Earnest with 109 new counts, including 54 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death and bodily injury and involving the attempt to kill, Brewer said.

"That's one count for every person in the synagogue on April 27, including 12 children," Brewer said, adding that each of the counts is "death penalty-eligible."

Earnest was prosecuted in San Diego County Superior Court last week on charges that included one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder in connection to last month's deadly shooting at the Poway synagogue. However, his public defender entered a not-guilty plea on Earnest's behalf and denied those allegations, CNN reported.

He is expected to appear in federal court next week.

As part of the federal case, prosecutors also cited an open-letter posted online just before the shooting took place by Earnest consisting of anti-Semitic and white nationalist sentiments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hong Kong: Frank Chan to visit Beijing

Secretary for Transport & Housing Frank Chan will travel to Beijing on May 15.

Mr Chan will attend the 2019 China Civil Aviation Development Forum on May 16 and 17 and deliver a speech.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China is hosting the forum for senior aeronautical officials, leaders of international aviation organisations and industrial experts from around the world.

They will discuss the trend of smart aviation and exchange ideas on other developments in global civil aviation.

Mr Chan will also visit Beijing Daxing International Airport, which is still under construction, on May 18.

Under Secretary for Transport & Housing Raymond So will be Acting Secretary during Mr Chans absence.

This story has been published on: 2019-05-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Share Article



KC-10s from JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., refuel a B-52 that deployed earlier this week as part of a Bomber Task Force for US Central Command. Air Force photo.

Two more B-52s deployed to US Central Command on Thursday, bringing the bomber task force in the Middle East to a total of four aircraft from Barksdale AFB, La.

The Stratofortresses touched down Thursday evening local time.

The bombers were deployed to CENTCOM along with the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group this week in response to what Pentagon officials said was very, very credible intelligence that Iran was preparing to attack US forces or interests in the region.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told lawmakers on May 8 that US officials received the intelligence on Friday and decided over the weekend to deploy the additional forces as a message to Iran that the US would respond to any attack with force.

CENTCOM boss USMC Gen. Kenneth McKenzie emphasized that the US is not seeking a fight, but if a fight is to be had,  it wont be a fair fight.

The first deployment of the B-52s from Barksdales 20th Bomb Squadron was supported by two KC-10s from JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

KC-10s from JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., refuel a B-52 that deployed earlier this week as part of a Bomber Task Force for US Central Command. Video by A1C Shay Stuart/USAF

The tankers offloaded about 180,000 pounds of fuel to help the bombers cross the ocean en route to the Middle East.

Photographs posted by Air Forces Central Command show the bombers touching down at Al Udeid AB, Qatar.
CBI is unlikely to oppose the plea of Indrani Mukerjea to turn an approver in the INX media case against accused Karthi Chidambaram, agency sources indicated on Friday.

Last year, Mukerjea, the former head of INX media, gave her confessional statement in a Delhi court in connection with the INX Media case and later sent an informal letter willing to turn an approver in the matter.

The matter is slated to be heard on May 23.

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and son Karti are accused in the INX Media case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI are probing how Karti managed to obtain clearance to the tune of Rs 305 crore from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) in 2007 when his father was the finance minister.The ED had registered a PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) case based on FIR by the CBI and alleged that irregularities took place in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister.Both the investigating agencies are also probing how Chidambaram's son Karti managed to obtain the FIPB clearance.Karti Chidambaram was arrested on February 28, 2018. He was later granted bail.The ED probe so far showed that for the FIPB approval, INX Media directors Peter and Indrani Mukerjea met P Chidambaram so that there was no delay in their application.The ED has attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti Chidambaram and a firm in connection with the case. It has also attached properties belonging to the Mukerjea duo in connection with the same case.

Indrani has been lodged at Mumbai's Byculla jail since her arrest in 2015 for her alleged involvement in her daughter Sheena Bora's murder case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Delhi government on a PIL challenging its decision for the installation of CCTV cameras in government schools.

The petitioner in its plea to the judicature has stated that installation of 1.5 lakh cameras in all the classrooms and live streaming of footage will have psychological pressure on children. Besides, he also cited privacy issues.

A bench comprised of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna sought Delhi government's response within a span of six weeks.

Moreover, the bench also refused to pass interim order on stay of the government's decision.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that while China provides its people 50,000 jobs in 24 hours, the Indian government had snatched jobs from 24,000 youth.

"India needs employment. The country is suffering because of unemployment. China government gives 50,000 jobs in 24 hours while Indian government snatches jobs from 24,000 youth at the same time. Narendra Modi said Make in India, Start up India but the employment is at an all-time high in 45 years," Rahul said at an election rally here.

Elaborating his poll promise about entrepreneurs not needing permission to run business for the first three years, the Congress president said: "I want to tell youth, especially those in Chandigarh, we have to compete with China. Not only Made in India, we have to print 'Made in Chandigarh' on cellphones. Startup India is a failure."

"Today, if an entrepreneur wants to start his business, he has to seek permission from the government. When we come to power if someone wants to start his business, compete with China and give employment to Indians then he will not need any permission from the government for the first three years," he said.

Campaigning for party candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal here, the Congress leader said, "It is said that Chandigarh is a planned city. It will become the international centre. People of Haryana and Punjab want to see an international airport in Chandigarh. Permission has been sought. Narendra Modi did not want to give an airport to this city."

Bansal won three times in a row from Chandigarh but in 2014 BJP's Kirron Kher had wrested the constituency from him.

Chandigarh will go to polls on May 19 in the last phase of the election. 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.)
Slamming Congress for its leader Sam Pitroda's 'So what? remark on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said it has exposed the real mindset of the party.

He added that Congress always "takes for granted" the people of the country.

"Can Punjab ever forget the 1984 anti-Sikh riots," Modi asked a public gathering here.

"Congress has one more stain on it which can never be cleaned. Can Punjab ever forget 1984? Who is responsible for what happened then? For three decades injustice was meted out to my Sikh brothers and sisters, and now Congress says 'hua to hua.'" he said.

Continuing his attack on the Congress, the Prime Minister said, "Look at the arrogance by Congress, after 1984 those who killed Sikhs were sent to jails. I am getting them convicted. It was a massive genocide and they say 'hua toh hua'. But this 'chowkidar' will ensure justice. This chowkidar will not spare the murderers of Sikhs."

The Prime Minister was reacting to a comment by Pitroda, who on Thursday responding to a question had said, "It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 hua toh hua). What have you done? (Ab kya hai '84 ka? Aapne kya kiya 5 saal mein, uski baat kariye. '84 mein hua to hua. Aapne kya kiya?)."

Modi also accused the Congress of not making enough efforts at the time of Independence to ensure that Kartarpur Sahib is a part of India.

"Our Kartarpur Sahib was snatched from us. Due to this historic mistake by Congress, Pakistan got an opportunity to play with our emotions. When we looked for the solution, 'darbari netas' of Congress started praising Pakistan. This is the by Congress," he said.

Claiming that the Congress has been looting the country for long, Modi said, "This chowkidar is trying to correct the wrongdoings by Congress."

"For 70 years, the Congress has done nothing to stop water that was flowing into Pakistan.

Punjab, where 13 parliamentary seats are at stake, will go to polls in the seventh phase on May 19. The counting will take place on May 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll in Wednesday's suicide blast near the Data Darbar shrine here rose to 12 after a 19-year-old succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

25 other people are still being treated for their injuries in the aftermath of the blast, according to Geo News.

Authorities believe that the elite forces were a target of the attack.

Furthermore, Shabaz Gill, the spokesperson for Punjab's Chief Minister, said that the suicide bomber was a 15-year-old boy who blew up near the forces' van stationed outside the shrine.

Amongst the deceased, at least five were police officials. Pakistan's President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack which took place on Wednesday morning. It rattled the Muslim community as it comes during the holy month of Ramzan.

The 11th-century shrine was previously targeted in 2010, during which 40 people lost their lives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The door for North Korea's return to negotiations remains open, said the US special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, during a courtesy call on South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha here on Friday.

His comments come despite North Korea carrying out two rounds of projectiles launches, within the span of a week. This has cast a shadow on negotiations aimed at breaking the impasse in denuclearisation, according to Yonhap News Agency.

"While assessing (the current point) as a very crucial juncture to continue communication and cooperation between the South and the United States, Representative Biegun said that the door for North Korea's return to negotiations remains open," South Korea's Foreign Ministry quoted Biegun as saying.

Seoul is undertaking efforts to provide food aid to the reclusive nation in a bid to give fresh impetus to denuclearisation talks, which came to a standstill following the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit in Vietnam.

The South Korean Foreign Minister expressed concerns regarding Pyongyang's Thursday launches, adding that they are not "helpful at all" for efforts to improve inter-Korean ties and reduce military tension.

"(Kang) stressed that it is important to have serious dialogue among the South, North and U.S. for the complete denuclearisation (of the peninsula) and the establishment of lasting peace," the ministry stated.

Apart from this Biegun held a string of meetings with South Korean officials here on Friday, including a joint working group with his South Korean counterpart Lee Do-hoon.

The initial plan to let the press cover Biegun's opening remarks was cancelled in the wake of the projectiles launches. The Special Representative also called off a press availability after the working group session, reflecting the underlying tensions as representatives from the two countries sit down for talks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Election Commission (EC) issued a fresh notice to Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday over his "objectionable comments" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi which, it said, prima facie violated the Model Code of Conduct.

Sidhu has been given 24 hours time to respond to the notice.

"The Commission, after considering the available material and extant provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and instructions in the matter, has decided to provide an opportunity to Shri Navjot Singh Sidhu, the star campaigner, Indian Congress to submit his explanation, if any, in the matter within 24 hours of receipt of this notice failing which the Commission shall take a decision without further reference to him," the EC said in the notice.

The poll body had received a complaint from the BJP alleging that the Congress leader made disparaging remarks about PM Modi at a rally in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on April 29.

The notice said, "A complaint dated April 30 was received in the commission from Shri Neeraj, member, Election Commission Committee, Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging that Shri Navjot Singh Sidhu, has made the objectionable statement against Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at a public meeting on April 29 at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh."

The Congress leader had accused Prime Minister Modi of "benefitting businessman Anil Ambani and making money in the Rafale jet deal" and "doing on the corpses of martyrs". He had also termed Modi as the "biggest traitor" of the country.

The Congress leader was barred from campaigning for 72 hours last month for allegedly warning Muslims in Bihar not to let their votes split and defeat the BJP by voting against it unitedly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Terming withdrawal of the case by PepsiCo as a big win for the farmers of the country, the affected farmers have demanded a 'token' compensation for alleged defamation and damages meted out to them.

The development comes days after PepsiCo filed a suit against four farmers in the state claiming that they used its patented seeds to grow potatoes without prior permission.

Sharing details of update in the case, farmers' lawyer Anand Yagnik said, "PepsiCo has unconditionally withdrawn cases against farmers of Aravali and Sabarkatha. Today farmers have won over the multinational company and it means a lot."

He also said that PepsiCo must apologise to the farmers and provide compensation to them.

"They symbolically want Rs 1 as compensation for defamation and damages meted out to them. They have expressed an opinion to counter-litigate against PepsiCo."

Yagnik also raised concerns over a reported meeting between government representatives and PepsiCo, saying, "We are very much concerned and aggrieved by a closed-door meeting between the Gujarat government and PepsiCo. Government has not spoken to farmers who are being harassed and litigated by PepsiCo. Therefore we want the government of Gujarat to hold no further talk with PepsiCo without taking farmers into confidence."

One of the farmers Bipin Patel said, "This is a win for all the farmers of the country. PepsiCo since April 11 has tormented us through fake cases, however, they have withdrawn the case before next date of hearing on June 12."

Farmer activist Kapil Shah said, "This case will serve as an example for other farmers spread throughout the country."

In April this year, the American multinational company had filed a suit against four farmers of the state claiming that they have used its patented seeds to grow potatoes without prior permission.

Later the same month, it had said that it will make an out-of-court settlement with the farmers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Georgian heavy cargo plane Antonov AN-12 which entered the Indian air space by an unauthorised route from Pakistan, was released following security clearance as it was not a serious violation, Rajasthan Police said on Friday.

Jaipur Additional Commissioner of Police, Laxman Gaur, said that the plane was forced by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to land at Jaipur airport due to security reasons.

"It was a minor route violation, plane was made to land in Jaipur due to security concerns. It was not a serious violation, it is been released," Gaur told reporters.

Its crew was questioned by the authorities concerned on the ground, senior government sources told ANI.

The aircraft carrying spares entered the air space into North Gujarat Sector at 3:15 pm. At the time of being intercepted, the plane was flying at 27,000 feet, an official statement said.

There was a high alert on the air space in both India and Pakistan after the Balakot aerial strikes by the Indian Air Force in March.

Not flying on the authorized Air Traffic Services (ATS) route, the Georgian aircraft was forced to land at Jaipur air base at 4:55 pm after it failed to respond to radio calls from Indian controlling agencies.

The AN-12 entered the Indian air space around 70 km north of an important air base in the Rann of Kutch from the air space which is closed for civilian air traffic, government sources said.

When challenged, the aircraft responded and informed that it was a non-scheduled An-12 aircraft that was airborne from Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi.

Sources said as soon as the air force bases detected the aircraft on their radars, they activated two air defence fighters SU-30MKI there.

"The Georgian aircraft was earlier not responding but started descending 60 km near Jaipur and landed," they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi asked Sam Pitroda to apologise for his "happened, so what" remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

"I think what Sam Pitroda Ji said is completely out of line and he should apologise for it. I think 1984 was a needless tragedy that caused tremendous pain," Rahul said in a Facebook post on Friday asserting that "justice has to be done" and the people responsible for 1984 tragedy have to be punished.

"The people who were responsible for the 1984 tragedy have to be punished. The Former PM, Manmohan Singh Ji has apologised. My mother, Sonia Gandhi Ji has apologised. We all have made our position very clear - that 1984 was a terrible tragedy and should never have happened," he further said.

Terming Pitroda's comments as "completely out of line", the Gandhi scion said, "What Mr. Sam Pitroda has said is absolutely and completely out of line and is not appreciated. I will be communicating this to him directly. He must apologise for his comment."

On Thursday, BJP, citing the Nanavati Commission report, had said that "instructions to kill" came directly from then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's office.

In response to this, Pitroda, while rubbishing the allegations, had said, "I don't think so, this is also another lie, and what about 1984? You speak about what you have done in five years. It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 hua toh hua). What have you done? (Ab kya hai '84 ka? Aapne kya kiya 5 saal mein, uski baat kariye. '84 mein hua to hua. Aapne kya kiya?)"

Under attack over his remarks "happened, so what" on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday apologised for that saying they were blown out of proportion because his Hindi is not good.

"The statement I made was completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi is not good, what I meant was 'jo hua vo bura hua,' (what happened was bad), I could not translate 'bura' (bad) in my mind," Pitroda, a confidant of Congress President Rahul Gandhi said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The aircraft, identified as Antonov-12 and carrying spares entered the air space into North Gujarat Sector at 3:15 pm. At the time of being intercepted, the plane was flying at 27,000 feet an official statement said.

There has been a high alert on the air space in both India and Pakistan after the Balakot aerial strikes by the Indian Air Force in March.

Not flying on the authorized Air Traffic Services (ATS) route, the aircraft was forced to land at Jaipur air base at 4:55 pm after it failed to respond to radio calls from Indian controlling agencies.

The AN-12 entered the Indian air space around 70 kms north of an important air base in the Rann of Kutch from the air space, which is closed for civilian air traffic, government sources said.

When challenged, the aircraft responded and informed that it was a non-scheduled An-12 aircraft that was airborne from Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi.

Sources said as soon as the air force bases detected the aircraft on their radars, they activated two air defence fighters SU-30MKI there.

"The Georgian aircraft was earlier not responding but started descending 60 kms near Jaipur and landed," they said.

Its crew is being questioned by the authorities concerned on the ground, senior government sources told ANI.

The heavy cargo plane was being leased by a Ukrainian engine manufacturer 'MotorSich', according to sources.

The IAF will send its team from nearby bases to check the cargo contents of the aircraft.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India will hold a ministerial meeting of the Trade Organisation (WTO) starting May 13 in New Delhi, government sources said on Friday.

The two-day meeting comes at a time when the multilateral rule-based-trading system is facing grave challenges. The move is aimed at providing an opportunity to the ministers to discuss various issues and the way forward.

Ministers and representatives from sixteen developing countries, including China, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey, and six least developed countries will participate in the meeting to share common concerns on various issues affecting the WTO.

In the recent past, there have been increasing unilateral measures and counter-measures by members, deadlock in key areas of negotiations, and impasse in the Appellate Body, which threaten the very existence of Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the WTO and impacts the position of the organisation as an effective multilateral organisation. The current situation has given rise to demands from various quarters to reform the WTO.

The deliberations will aim at getting a direction on how to constructively engage on various issues in the WTO, both institutional and negotiating, in the run-up to the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Kazakhstan in June 2020.

Ministers from Bangladesh, CAR and South Africa have confirmed their participation. Vice Ministers, senior officials and ambassadors will be representing other countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday lauded the contribution made by the Indian community worldwide, saying that the diaspora should contribute to the agenda of development in India.

"India was moving fast to transform itself into a modern 21st-century inclusive economy. 3D's -- Democracy, Demand and Demographic Dividend was scripting India's story and the Indian diaspora is the fourth D. You should contribute and join in the development agenda back home," Naidu told a gathering of the Indian community here.

He reiterated that India will become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2030, adding that the government took steps to make the country one of the most favourable investment destinations in the

"An ambitious and transformative vision was making India one of the most favourite investment destinations in the India has become the fastest growing large economy in the We will be a USD 5 trillion economy by 2030," Naidu said.

Heaping praises on Vietnam's progress in the agricultural sector, the Vice President said that India has been a privileged development partner to contribute to the South-East Asian country's agricultural revolution and food security.

"Agricultural growth has been a key driver in the remarkable progress achieved by Vietnam. India was privileged as a development partner to have contributed to Vietnam's agricultural revolution and food security," Naidu said.

"Partnership between India and Vietnam has stood the test of time. More than 2,000 years ago, Indian monks and traders brought with them a message of peace and compassion of Lord Buddha to Vietnam. Successive generations of leaders have built upon this trust and goodwill," he added.

Earlier in the day, Naidu arrived in Vietnam for a four-day official visit.

In Hanoi, he was received by Chu Van Yem, Vice Chairman of Vietnam's Presidential Office, Pham Sanh Chau, the Ambassador of Vietnam to India, P. Harish, the Ambassador of Vietnam to India and others.

During his visit, Naidu will hold meetings with his Vietnamese counterpart Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairperson of National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

The Vice President is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration at Tam Chuc Pagoda in Vietnam's Ha Nam Province on May 12.

Naidu will also meet Vietnamese beneficiaries of the Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp organised under the 'India for Humanity' initiative launched to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
IPS officer Chhaya Sharma, who led the investigation team of the infamous Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, has been awarded the 2019 McCain Institute Award for Courage and Leadership on Friday.

"A resolute guardian of human rights, Chhaya has led teams in detection and investigation of sensitive criminal cases and protection of human rights during her career spanning over 19 years. Sharma's policing has consistently reflected victim-centric approach through her numerous investigations of serious crimes, particularly against women and children," said McCain Institute in a statement.

During her career, Chhaya has led teams in detection and investigation of sensitive criminal cases and protection of human rights. However, solving Nirbhaya's case is considered as the biggest milestone of her career.

"As the head of the special investigation team, she closely supervised all aspects of the investigation of the Nirbhaya case by actively taking charge of the situation - making quick decisions, giving directions, assimilating information and guiding with succinct inputs - all the while coordinating efforts of various teams. During the six gruelling days of the manhunt across five Indian States, Sharma stood as a shield for her team of officers and men, insulating them from mounting media and civil society pressures, which led to the quick apprehension of the perpetrators of that ghastly crime," it said.

"As the lead investigator, Sharma kept the focus on meticulous documentation and collection of scientific evidence. The charge-sheet in this case, filed in a record 18 day, withstood various stages of judicial scrutiny all the way up to the Supreme Court and resulted in a conviction with maximum punishment," it added.

She has also played a critical role in drafting Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines to Combat Trafficking of Persons in India in 2017.

The award is given to those who show courage on behalf of human rights, humanitarian compassion, justice, freedom, and human dignity. Some of the famous awardees are-Malala Yousafzai (2015) and Dikembe Mutombo (2016).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bollywood newbie Ishan Khatter-starrer 'Beyond The Clouds' will release in China on May 24.

Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the release date of Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi's directorial along with a poster of the film.

"Zee Studios International to release Majid Majidi's #BeyondTheClouds in #China on 24 May 2019... Poster for local audience," he tweeted.

The poster features Ishan Khatter and female lead Malavika Mohanan.

The film dwells on the nuances and intricacies of human relationships and revolves around a pair of brother and sister who, in a bid to help each other, ends up in jail. Surrounded by despair, they find a new meaning of life from 'beyond the clouds'.

Legendary musician A R Rahman gave the music while the film is produced by Zee Studios along with Shareen Mantri Kedia and Kishor Arora.

The film had already been premiered at the British Film Institue London Film Festival.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West may soon be blessed with a fourth child as their surrogate is reportedly going into labour.

A source previously told E! News that the surrogate is "due in May" and it seems like the time is almost here!

For the unversed, in early January news broke that Kim and Kanye were expecting their fourth child, a boy, via surrogacy.

On Thursday, Kim's sister Kourtney Kardashian spilled the beans about the arrival of her nephew while filming the 'Ellen DeGeneres Show', which is set to air on this Saturday.

Kim's mother Kris Jenner was a guest on the popular talk show and was surprised when Ellen DeGeneres had all of her grandchildren and eldest daughter come out to join her.

However, when Ellen shared that Kim was supposed to be there, Kourtney explained that her beloved sister had to rush to the hospital.

"My mom doesn't even know this but Kim's surrogate went into labour. So, she's at the hospital," Kourtney revealed.

Kris, who was taken aback by the news, said, "No! What are we doing here?! C'mon Ellen."

Kris' grandkids, who appeared on the show were Penelope Disick, Mason Disick, Reign Disick, North West, Saint West, and Chicago West. Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, and Rob Kardashian's children did not appear on the show.

The happy news comes days after rumours were abuzz that Kim and Kanye's surrogate had already delivered their son.

However, Kim recently took to social media and put all the speculations to rest.

"Wait just saw news our baby boy came but that's not true. It's Met Monday, I'm in NYC. I would be at the hospital lol," she tweeted on May 6.

While celebrating the impending arrival of her fourth child last week, Kim's famous friends and family gathered at her home for a "CBD & Meditation"-themed baby shower.

During the celebration, each person in attendance was given a navy blue Yeezy slides and everyone took part in a sound bath. In addition, baby blue-coloured decorations were placed all around the home as well as a Name Game board was also there, where many suggested unique names for the baby.

Explaining how she decided on the baby shower theme, Kim admitted she was "freaking out" because "the baby is coming in, like, two weeks."

"I thought what better way to celebrate than to have a little CBD," Kim told her guests.

Kim's wellness and CBD-themed baby shower was attended by fellow celebrity friends including Chrissy Teigen, Paris Hilton, Larsa Pippen, Jen Atkin, Nicole Williams, Sara Foster, Natalie Halcro, and Olivia Pierson.

The couple is already proud parents to North, Saint, and Chicago. This will be the power couple's second boy and the second time they have used a surrogate. They earlier used a surrogate with Chicago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhiites can expect some relief from searing temperatures that touched 43 degrees Celsius on Friday with light rains, dust storm or thunderstorm likely in the coming week according to weather predictions.

The air quality in the city, which continued to remain in the "very poor" category, is also expected to improve from Saturday.

Dust blowing in the north-west region of the country is primarily responsible for pollution in the capital. Particulate matter PM 10, mainly dust, is responsible for the majority of pollution in the country.

The temperature in Delhi is expected to fall from Saturday owing to the possibility of light rains, dust storm or thunderstorm along with partly cloudy to the generally cloudy sky in the coming week according to the IMD's prediction for the coming week.

Isolated to scattered rainfall and thunderstorm activity is very likely to occur over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh during many days of the week.

Private forecaster Skymet said that relief from ongoing hot weather is expected as as Western Disturbance is approaching Jammu and Kashmir. Its induced cyclonic circulation is over Central Pakistan and adjoining West Rajasthan.

The air in the capital is also likely to improve owing to rains and winds which will carry away the dust.

Cloudy skies are likely to persist in Delhi on the day of polling for the Lok Sabha elections on May 12 in the sixth phase.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Barcelona's striker Luis Suarez will be out of action for at least 4 to 6 weeks after going through an arthroscopic knee surgery on a medial meniscus, FC Barcelona revealed on Thursday.

Barcelona also stated that the Uruguayan striker had undergone injury and this marks his end to the domestic season.

The striker will now miss the three remaining fixtures this season, the league games against Getafe and Eibar and the Copa del Rey final against Valencia on 25 May in Seville.

This injury has also put him in doubt for the upcoming Copa America.

"Luis Suarez has a medial meniscus injury in his right knee and has been operated on by Dr.Cugat, undergoing arthroscopic surgery under the supervision of the Club's medical staff. The Uruguayan will be out for around four to six weeks," FC Barcelona said in an official statement.

Suarez did not represent his country in the last edition of Copa America, in which the team was eliminated by Venezuela in the group stages.

The 32-year-old striker has shown great form for Barcelona this season as he has scored 25 goals (21 in the league, 3 in the Copa del Rey and 1 in the Champions League).

Suarez also scored a hat-trick in the El Clasico clash against Real Madrid earlier this season.

FC Barcelona was knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-finals stage as they were stunned by Liverpool FC 4-0 in the second leg semi-final.

Barca had won the first leg semi-final 3-0 against Liverpool but after suffering loss in the second leg, Barca lost the semi-final bout on 4-3 aggregate.

Copa America starts on June 15 and Uruguay will take on Ecuador in their first match of the tournament on June 17.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Attacking Congress party's poll promise NYAY, BSP chief Mayawati on Friday said the financial assistance will not uplift the poor and the problem can only be solved by providing them employment.

"In these elections, the Congress party is luring people with its promises. They have promised Rs 6,000 monthly to poor. But I say it will not help in their upliftment. If we form the government at the Centre then our government will give permanent employment to poor in government and non-government sectors instead of giving them Rs 6,000. This complex problem can only be solved by providing employment," Mayawati said while addressing an election rally here.

NYAY has been at the centre of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's campaign. The scheme promises to provide Rs 72,000 per year to those whose income is below Rs 12,000 monthly if Congress voted to power.

The BSP supremo alleged that dalits, tribals and people belonging to other backward castes could not avail the reservation benefits during the Congress rule.

"After independence, Congress was in power at the Centre and most of the states for a long time. They are out of power because of their wrong policies and modus operandi. During its rule, they have done nothing for poor and unemployment problem," she said.

"Dr Ambedkar under the constitution has given rights and reservation provision for weaker sections of the society, dalits, tribals and people belonging to other backward castes. These people could not get the benefits during Congress rule," Mayawati said.

The BSP chief also attacked the BJP over false promises, demonetisation, GST and employment. Mayawati said if dalits want to avail reservation benefits then they have to hold 'master key' of the government.

"When Ambedkar became the law minister, he told Jawahar Lal Nehru that his people are not getting reservation benefits. Ambedkar also pressurised the Congress government but they refused to accept their request. Thus, he resigned from his post and told people that if they want to avail benefits then they have to hold the master key of the government at the Centre and states as well," she said.

Delhi, where seven parliamentary seats are at stake will go to polls on May 12. 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.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dismissed the possibility of formation of a government led by regional political parties at the Centre saying BJP and NDA would get more than its present numbers and form a strong government with full majority.

The Congress would go down from its present strength of 44 because people are not ready to vote for that party, he told ANI here in the midst of his whirlwind campaign in Haryana.

Asked about the moves by the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to form a government on the expectation that BJP will not get a majority, Modi said, "People are saying that BJP will get more seats than it has now. The allies in the NDA will get more seats than now. We will get a strong government with full majority. We are getting more seats in areas where we don't have enough seats now. We are getting seats from all corners of India."

The Prime Minister said the Congress has been indulging in a campaign of lies for which there is no need for a proof. The people have understood this and will consign that party to a number below 44, which it won in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he added.

Sensing defeat, the Opposition has already started hurling abuses at him, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Election Commission in the proportion of "one-third, one-third, one-third," the Prime Minister said.

"After assessing the first three phases when the ground under their feet started slipping, the Opposition started abusing me. Then they started apportioning the blame one-third to me, one-third to the EVMs and one-third to the Election Commision because they realised that people are not going to give them the mandate," Modi said.

Like the one who doesn't play well and loses the match starts blaming the umpire, they are now blaming the umpire, he said.

The Prime Minister asserted that he has been with the people for the last five years and has not locked himself in the PMO. "There is a criticism that I have been in a campaign mode for the last five years. I have been in the midst of the people. If my predecessors did not do this, go and ask them why they didn't do it."

Asked about the criticism that he was harping on nationalism to divert attention from people's issues, Modi shot back saying he first raised issues like Provision of Houses for Poor, Electricity for all, Ayushman Bharat scheme for health for poor and expected Congress to challenge him saying, "I am lying."

Since they could not challenge me, they started abusing me with lies for which there is no need for proof and people have understood this.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Friday dismissed allegations that he was indulging in money laundering and asked why the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was "lying" that he had no sources of income when he was involved in various businesses.

"Why is ED lying? When everyone - including all the government agencies - know that I have multiple businesses and revenue streams and my earnings have always reflected in the tax returns I've filed, why is ED lying about it?," said Naik in a statement issued in his defence.

Naik asked, "whether the pressure so huge" that the ED had to lie to achieve the goal set out by their political bosses?

"For once, can they start showing some spine and be truthful in treating my case?" Naik added.

".....I am a full-time preacher and part-time businessman, just as Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was. I don't charge for my lectures nor do I earn from Peace TV. So I do need another revenue stream to survive, which I have. Implying that I could survive outside India without earning anything is not just illogical, it's childish," said Naik in a statement issued in his defence.

Naik claimed that "ED's allegation that he had no earnings and yet moved Rs 49 crores to India is a lie".

"I have filed my tax returns dutifully every year till 2016 and the ED has access to all my tax papers. The papers clearly show that I have multiple businesses and revenue streams. I am an NRI since 2010, living and earning outside India for nine years now.

" I earn over a crore a month, and I send money back to India as and when required. I sent it from my Dubai account to my India account, and every penny is then accounted for in my tax returns, the papers for which are with the Indian agencies," read his statement.

"Between 2010 and 2016 - in the six-year period - I must have sent 49 crores to India. How is sending 65 lakhs per month a problem? For a country that receives more than Rs 6,000 crores every month from UAE based Indians, how is my Rs 65 lakhs a problem?" he asked.

"By law, I am not supposed to explain my overseas job or business to anyone in India, till the time I'm using legitimate channels and account for every penny I send to India. So it is totally puzzling when the ED says I have not been earning anything. How on earth can they even think that? From where does ED get these ideas? Of course, I earn. I have had multiple businesses - legitimate businesses - including real estate...." read his statement.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a prosecution complaint against Zakir Naik and others on money laundering charges.

A total amount of Rs 193.06 crore has been identified as "proceeds of crime." The ED had registered a money laundering case against Naik and others on December 22, 2016.

The directorate has also attached properties of Naik worth Rs 50.46 crore. The ED had in March arrested Zakir Naik's trusted aide Abdul Kadir Najmudin Sathak for allegedly "actively assisting" him in money laundering.

According to the agency, the money laundering was conducted via "dubious" origins from UAE to facilitate production and broadcasting incriminating videos for spreading communal hatred and radicalisation of a particular community.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hours after Washington doubled tariff on 200 billion dollars worth of Chinese goods, US President Donald Trump said that there is "absolutely no rush" to reach a trade deal with China.

Trump also declared that the process of imposing tariffs on the rest of China's imports has begun.

China has vowed that it will retaliate.

In a series of tweets on Friday, the US President wrote, "Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner - there is absolutely no need to rush - as Tariffs are NOW being paid to the United States by China of 25% on 250 Billion Dollars worth of goods & products. These massive payments go directly to the Treasury of the U.S...."

"....The process has begun to place additional Tariffs at 25% on the remaining 325 Billion Dollars. The U.S. only sells China approximately 100 Billion Dollars of goods & products, a very big imbalance. With the over 100 Billion Dollars in Tariffs that we take in, we will buy," Trump went on to say.

[{9349ba82-c5c0-4328-bd7c-c11d0a5c7af0:intradmin/tweet_1_bHBJqCN.JPG}]

[{e2323e72-8758-4b95-836a-b266a5d09b34:intradmin/tweet_2_0v9EMmY.JPG}]

Subsequent tweets suggested that the revenue from tariffs would be used to buy agricultural products from American farmers.

"With the over 100 Billion Dollars in Tariffs that we take in, we will buy ....agricultural products from our Great Farmers, in larger amounts than China ever did, and ship it to poor & starving countries in the form of humanitarian assistance. In the meantime, we will continue to negotiate with China in the hopes that they do not again try to redo deal!"

"Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our Country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind. Also, much easier & quicker to do. Our Farmers will do better, faster, and starving nations can now be helped. Waivers on some products will be granted, or go to new source!"

[{f0c38ae9-de17-496e-8117-7707000a55e3:intradmin/tweet_3_psc3QM9.JPG}]

[{07004af5-7ad9-42a5-ac37-1ddad89dee31:intradmin/Tweet_4_j5eVbqV.JPG}]

Minutes after posting them, Trump deleted the original series of tweets. However, they were reposted shortly after with minor changes.

The final tweet read, "Tariffs will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker. Just sit back and watch! In the meantime, China should not renegotiate deals with the U.S. at the last minute. This is not the Obama Administration, or the Administration of Sleepy Joe, who let China get away with "murder!"

[{a6e364e7-4df5-4712-8f48-007178a8ebe2:intradmin/tweet_5_hnkHXDF.JPG}]

Friday's decision by the Trump administration to proceed with the tariff increase came after a pivotal round of trade talks in Washington on Thursday night failed to produce an agreement to forestall the higher levies, according to The New York Times.

Beijing has vowed to retaliate "China expresses deep regret over the development and will have to take necessary counter-measures," the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. "We hope the United States will meet us halfway, and work with us to resolve existing issues through cooperation and consultation."

The United States and China were nearing a trade deal that would lift tariffs, open the Chinese market to American companies and strengthen China's intellectual property protections.

But discussions fell apart last weekend when China called for substantial changes to the negotiating text that both countries had been using as a blueprint for a sweeping trade pact.

Trump, angered by what he viewed as an act of defiance, responded on Sunday by threatening to raise existing tariffs to 25 per cent and impose new ones on an additional 325 billion dollars worth of products.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The North Korean media on Friday lashed out at the United States Forces Korea (USFK), a sub-unified command of US Indo-Pacific Command, over its recent military training involving an advanced missile defence system.

The development came a day after the communist country fired long-range missiles into the East Sea.

Referring to last month's Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system training as a "military provocation," Korean Central Broadcasting Station, a state-controlled radio station for the North's domestic audience, urged the United States to stop all "hostile acts", Yonhap news agency reported.

The remarks were made a day after North Korea conducted long-range missile drills under the supervision of leader Kim Jong-un. It was the country's second launch of projectiles since the firing of short-range projectiles off its east coast on Saturday, which Pyongyang had referred to as a "routine" and "self-defensive" drill.

"The US should clearly know that it can't earn anything with strength, let alone surprise us," North Korea's state media said.

North Korea has been criticising South Korea and the US over their joint military trainings, with the foreign ministry spokesperson saying that South Korean military has "no qualification to vilify" the North over its recent exercises.

The nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang hit an impasse after the Hanoi summit in February between US President Donald Trump and Kim collapsed without a deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arvind Kejriwal on Monday cleared the air over post-poll alliance possibilities of Aam Aadmi Party and said they will support anyone who promises full-statehood to Delhi, except Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. He also refuted BJP's allegation of calling the derogatory pamphlets against party leader Atishi as "AAP propaganda" and said he was happy that BJP did not accuse me of getting Mahatma Gandhi assassinated.

"Everyone believes that no one is getting a full mandate. We will support whoever will be forming the government at the Centre except for Modi ji and Amit Shah, on the promise that Delhi will be given statehood," the Delhi Chief Minister told ANI.

Siding with party colleague Atishi over the pamphlet row, Kejriwal said he cannot understand why "BJP can't tolerate achievements made by women". Atishi, the party's East Delhi, has accused her Lok Sabha election opponent Gautam Gambhir of distributing derogatory pamphlets against her.

"BJP accuses me of staging an attack on myself. BJP alleges that we made this pamphlet. I am happy that they do not accuse me of getting Gandhi ji assassinated. I did not expect this from Gautam Gambhir... Her (Atishi's) work has been great in the field of education which is being discussed worldwide. I don't understand why BJP can't tolerate achievements made by women" the AAP leader retorted.

He said BJP's IT cell uses the same language as the pamphlet and it shows the party's mentality.

"They have to fight an election and they should take Atishi as a human being. It is not a good thing to insult her or do her character assassination. This is the mentality of BJP, even today BJP leaders are saying the same things that were written in the pamphlet. There whole IT cell is using the same language which is in the pamphlet", the former bureaucrat said.

Kejriwal said the party will be sending a defamation notice to Gautam Gambhuir over the issue and will take all possible legal actions.

On Gambhir's challenge to him for either proving the charge or resigning from the post, he said, "They do such things. First, they do such things and then ask to prove it. We have to see who was being benefited by this pamphlet; Congress is not even in the fight. In criminal law, the beneficiary is treated as a suspect."

He once again blamed BJP for the assault on him during a road show on May 4, "I am chief minister of the capital, Prime Minister did not condemn it at all. So somewhere there was involvement of BJP and it was from the Prime Minister level. Today when the accused is saying that he is not related to AAP, Modi ji and Rajnath should apologise to the nation."

He also raised questions over Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's alleged endorsement of BJP and said, "Why is Imran Khan asking for making Modi jo Prime Minister again? To benefit Modi he organised Pulwama attacks, two months before elections. Something is no right in this.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Under attack over his remarks "happened, so what" on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday apologised for that saying they were blown out of proportion because his Hindi is not good.

His apology came after BJP leaders, Sikh groups and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Pitroada. The prime minister even said it should not be taken as views of an individual but of the Congress party which was arrogant on the issue from the beginning. Congress also distanced itself from his remarks.

"The statement I made was completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi is not good, what I meant was 'jo hua vo bura hua,' (what happened was bad), I could not translate 'bura' (bad) in my mind," Pitroda, a confidant of Congress President Rahul Gandhi said.

"What I meant was move on. We have other issues to discuss as to what BJP government did and what it delivered. I feel sorry that my remark was misrepresented, I apologise. This has been blown out of proportion," he told reporters.

Earlier in the day, BJP activists staged a protest outside the residence of the Congress chief in the capital against Pitroda's remark.

On Thursday, BJP, citing the Nanavati Commission report, had said "instructions to kill" came directly from then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's office.

In response to this, Pitroda, while rubbishing the allegations, yesterday said, "I don't think so, this is also another lie, and what about 1984? You speak about what you have done in five years. It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 hua toh hua). What have you done? (Ab kya hai '84 ka? Aapne kya kiya 5 saal mein, uski baat kariye. '84 mein hua to hua.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi renewed his attack on Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy over the latter's comment on soldiers that "only people who cannot make a livelihood, join Army".

"Congress made a person Chief Minister whose father was the Prime Minister. A few days ago, he said that only those who die of hunger, join the Army," PM Modi said at a rally here on Friday.

He said, "You tell me - do mothers of Himachal Pradesh send their sons to Army because they cannot feed their sons? Is it not an insult to the mothers and brave men of Himachal?"

While addressing a public rally in Madduru on April 11, Kumaraswamy had said, "Those who safeguard the borders are not children of rich people. They are children from poor families who cannot afford two square meals. However, here is a Prime Minister who politicises their ultimate sacrifice."

A video clip of Kumaraswamy's remark was later tweeted from the official handle of Karnataka BJP.

The Chief Minister, however, denied having made any such comment and accused the BJP of distorting the original video.

"BJP is up to their old tricks again. They posted another edited video with false interpretation to malign me. I had said that not all who join defence forces are rich. The PM should not play with the lives of jawans to get votes. I never said that jawans are in the army just for livelihood," he had tweeted.

The same video clip was referred by Prime Minister Modi at a rally on April 12.

PM Modi had said: "You (Kumaraswamy) can't escape saying your statement was misinterpreted. You said what was there in your heart. It is such an insult to the armed forces of the country."

PM Modi at his rally in Mandi alleged that Congress does not take pride in brave acts carried out by the armed forces personnel. "Entire country is proud of India's prowess but Congress cannot digest it. They do not trust our brave sons," he said.

Modi accused the grand old party of abusing him for allowing the armed forces to conduct cross border operations.

He said: "In 2016, when brave sons of India carried out a surgical strike, Congress namdar started abusing me, instead of Pakistan. After (Balakot) air strike, Congress namdar and his courtiers are engaged in abusing Modi."

"Do not forget that Congress and its 'mahamilavati' (highly adulterated) allies publicly called the Army chief a 'gali ka gunda'. They call IAF chief a 'liar'," Modi added.

He also raised the 1984 Sikh riots issue to attack the Congress.

Modi said: "What Congress thinks about Sikh riots, it has expressed on TV yesterday. Congress said "Sikh danga hua to hua, Sikhon ka katl-e-aam hua to hua". This level of arrogance and insensitivity!"

Senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Thursday had said, "It happened in 1984, so what? (1984 hua toh hua)."

All four Lok Sabha seats of Himachal Pradesh will go to polls in the last phase of seven-phase elections on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday tore into Congress leader Digvijaya Singh calling him a "cunning" and "inferior" person who had no respect for "another's wife" and somebody "who is half his age".

She attacked Singh for marrying journalist Amrita Rai who she said was of "his daughter's age".

"I was told that he referred to me as his daughter, I consider it the most dangerous joke in the world. There could be no bigger joke than that. A person who does not respect another's wife, and somebody who is half his age...I don't want to take names. The smart ones can understand themselves. Those who can't are fools. So when he is involved with a woman who is of his daughter's age...how can I be a daughter? " said Pragya, who is contesting on a BJP ticket from Bhopal against the Congress veteran.

"Such a cunning and inferior man cannot be like my father. He cannot be my father," she added.

Pragya, who is known for making volatile statements, was banned by the Election Commission for campaigning for three days earlier this month.

BJP's decision to field Pragya in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections have raised several eyebrows as she is among the seven accused facing a trial in Malegaon blast case.

Six people were killed and a dozen others were injured after a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon on September 29, 2008.

She was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast.

Thakur has been cleared of charges under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but remains an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prince Harry opened up about missing his late mother Princess Diana days after welcoming his son.

While speaking in the Netherlands on Thursday, his first formal engagement since his wife Meghan Markle gave birth to their first child earlier this week, the Duke of Sussex spoke about his late mother, reported E! News.

Diana passed away in a car crash in Paris in 1997 at the age of 36.

The Duke of Sussex jetted off to the Hague, Netherlands to attend a presentation for the 2020 Invictus Games, which will be held in the city. Harry is a royal patron of the annual international Paralympic-style event for wounded, ill veterans, military servicemen and women.

Former soldier and would-be competitor Dennis van der Stroon met Harry and told the press that they spoke about family and 'losing a mother'.

"He said missing a mother is like missing some kind of security, how you need that as a son and it falls away when you lose your mother," van der Stroon revealed.

The former soldier also said that Harry "talked about how having a small child was his new focus and new goal" and that Harry also "said he was just amazed by the miracles in the world, and how his child has made a lot of people happy."

"He also told me he's really happy that his son is so far very quiet" he added.

For the event, the Duke of Sussex wore a jacket embroidered with the words "Invictus Family Daddy" and "I am Daddy" highlighted in yellow. He also received gifts for his newborn, including an Invictus Games onesie from Princess Margriet of the Netherlands.

Harry's friend JJ Chalmers, a former Royal Marine and Invictus Games medalist, said Harry described fatherhood as "amazing" but "hard work," adding, "He said that [Archie] slept for the first 24 hours like all babies do...and then he woke up."

"I see the guy with a buzzing smile on his face still. Like any father he lights up even more when he speaks about his son and how proud he is of his wife and what she's doing right now in his absence," Chalmers said.

During a photo-call on Wednesday, Meghan and Harry introduced their newborn to the world. The royal couple later announced that they have named their son: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

The two introduced their child inside St George's Hall at Windsor Castle, where they celebrated their wedding reception just a year ago.

"It's magic, it's pretty amazing. I have the two best guys in the world so I'm really happy," Meghan said during the photo-call.

Meghan gave birth to her and Harry's first child, on May 6.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to Puducherry lawmaker K Lakshminarayanan on an appeal filed by the Union Territory's Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi against Madras High Court's order which curtailed her authority to act independently of the elected government.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna heard the plea by Kiran Bedi, who moved the top court challenging High Court's order.

In April, acting on the petition filed by Congress' Lakshminarayanan, the High Court ruled that the LG doesn't have rights to interfere in the daily affairs of the elected government and pressed that incessant interference from her would amount to "running a parallel government".

In his petition, the lawmaker had sought quashing of two clarifications issued by the Union Home Ministry regarding powers of the LG.

Bedi, in her defence, contended that the governance in the Union Territory came to a standstill following the order limiting her powers.

On May 3, the former top cop wrote an open letter to the residents of Puducherry and detailed several initiatives started by her for providing "better administration".

"I took all possible measures of financial prudence to save Puducherry from falling in a debt trap and that the administration observes financial discipline in managing its over Rs. 7500 crore budget for its 14 lakh population by strictly following General Financial Rules as approved by President Of India," Bedi wrote.

She opined that these practices if sustained will favour the prosperity of the Union Territory.

"It does not matter who does and how much? Key is that we do and the needs are met. Ideally, all work together to give people holistic good administration. People have to be served. Their needs cannot wait," she added.

Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy have been locking horns at several occasions since the former top-cop took the post, with the Congressman even staging a sit-in outside Raj Niwas in protest of the LG's decisions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he received a "beautiful letter" from his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, adding that he would speak to him amid trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

"We were getting very close to a deal and then they started renegotiating the deal. It was their idea to come back. He just wrote me a beautiful letter. I just received it. I'll probably speak to him by phone," Trump was quoted by USAToday as saying while speaking to reporters at the White House.

Meanwhile, officials from China and the US are participating in the 11th round of high-level economic and trade consultations in a bid to chalk out a deal to stop the trade war between the two countries.

Despite the negotiations, Trump, at times, has threatened to increase tariffs on Chinese products. But, he has backed down his warning amid signs of progress towards finalising a new trade agreement.

However, Trump on Wednesday had alleged that China "broke the deal," escalating the threat of slapping a new round of tariffs on Beijing.

"You see the tariffs we're doing? Because they broke the deal! The (Chinese) Vice Premier (Liu He) is flying in tomorrow, good man, but they broke the deal. They can't do that...If we don't make the deal, nothing wrong with taking in over 100 billion a year. We never did that before," Trump had said during a rally.

In response, China threatened to take "necessary countermeasures" if the US increases tariffs on Chinese goods worth USD 200 billion from 10 per cent to 25 per cent from May 10, according to an official statement.

"China deeply regrets this, and will be forced to take necessary countermeasures if the US side puts the tariff measures into effect," Chinese state media quoted an official statement as saying. They further said that escalating trade frictions are against the interests of "the two peoples as well as people of the "

Both the US and China are trying to negotiate a way out of the trade dispute which is ongoing since last year.

Trump met Xi on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina in December, where both the leaders agreed to hold talks and work towards a trade deal to end the tensions between the two nations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reliance Brands has signed a definitive agreement with Hong Kong-listed C Banner International Holdings to acquire 100 per cent shares of Hamleys Global Holdings, the owner of Hamleys brand.

Hamleys has over 250 years of history of being the oldest and largest toy shop with 167 stores across 18 countries. In India, Reliance is the master franchise for Hamleys and currently operates 88 stores across 29 cities.

"The worldwide acquisition of iconic Hamleys brand and places Reliance into the frontline of global retail," said Darshan Mehta, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance Brands, a subsidiary of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries.

Mehta said Reliance Brands has built a significant and profitable in toy retailing over the past few years under the Hamleys brand.

The 250-year-old English toy retailer pioneered the concept of experiential retailing, decades before the concept of creating unique experiences in brick and mortar retailing became the new global norm. "Personally, it is a long-cherished dream come true," said Mehta in a statement issued late evening on Thursday.

Hamleys flagship Regent Street London store is set over seven floors with more than 50,000 toys on sale. It attracts over 50 lakh visitors each year.

Reliance Industries is a 120 billion dollar (about Rs 8.4 lakh crore) market cap conglomerate with the world's biggest single-location crude oil refinery at Jamnagar in Gujarat. It plans to gradually leverage its Jio telecom venture and get into fast-expanding e-commerce besides consumer-facing retails stores.

Reliance Brands currently operates more than 420 stores and 350 shop-in-shops in the country.

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its verdict on petitions seeking review of the December 14 Rafale case judgment which refused to order a court-monitored probe into the deal for procuring 36 fighter jets from France.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also reserved its order on a contempt petition against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for "wrongly" attributing his "chowkidar chor hai" remark, a political jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to the apex court's April 10 order in connection with the Rafale case review petitions.

Gandhi had on May 8 tendered an unconditional apology to the court for his remark and sought closure of the contempt proceedings against him. The petition against the Congress chief was filed by BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi.

In the Rafale case, advocate Prashant Bhushan, one of the petitioners, argued that the December 14 judgment did not take note of the plea seeking an investigation in the matter and registration of a First Information Report (FIR).

He claimed that there was no precedent of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) redacting pricing details from its report regarding the deal.

"Not even in one case in the past, pricing details have been redacted. It was unprecedented that pricing details were redacted," he contended before the bench also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph.

Bhushan also questioned as to why the standard anti-corruption clauses relating to the deal were allegedly deleted by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

"Eight standard clauses, including all standard anti-corruption clauses, were dropped from the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) post-August 24, 2016 in the Rafale deal and the same was not informed to the court," he said.

"A lot of crucial information was suppressed from this court and the impugned judgment was obtained on the basis of fraud played upon the court by the government," the lawyer said.

In his arguments, Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal, representing the government, said, "There is no question of any corruption. The court has already decided that in the Rafale case verdict (on December 14 last year)."

On the pricing of the fighter jets, he said, "The issue was covered under Article 10 of the Inter-Governmental Agreement and was not supposed to be discussed in public domain."

Venugopal contended that the court did not want the pricing to be disclosed but had only asked for the procedure adopted in the deal. "We produced the procedure. And even if there are errors in it, that will not be a ground for review. The entire judgement cannot be set aside," he said.

"The lives of pilots were at risk. The 126 MMRCA process was not working. So a conscious decision was taken by the government to go ahead with the procurement of the 36 Rafale aircraft," the Attorney General submitted.

The bench then questioned Venugopal on the initial dissent expressed by three experts. "These officers later agreed to all the clauses and the decision was taken unanimously. It was then placed before the CCS," he replied.

The review petitions were filed by Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, Prashant Bhushan and others.

In the December 14 judgement, the Supreme Court had said that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Slamming Congressman Sam Pitroda for his recent remark on the 1984 Sikh genocide, BJP's Prakash Javadekar demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for the comments.

"Enough is enough! Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have to apologise to the nation for what Pitroda has said," the Union Minister said.

Indian Overseas Congress chief, Pitroda, in response to the BJP's claim that instructions to "kill" Sikhs during 1984 riots had come from late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, said, "It (riots) happened in 1984, so what?"

The statement sparked a controversy with the BJP hitting out at him, while Pitroda retorted by saying that the saffron party "twisted his words and distorted facts".

"Today he said that Rahul and Rajiv Gandhi will never target any community. How he will explain the justification of genocide by Rajiv Gandhi when he said when 'big tree falls, earth trembles'? Is this not supporting genocide?" asked Javadekar.

The BJP leader said Pitroda "shocked" the nation with his views on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "'Hua to hua, kya hua?' Pitroda asked," Javadekar repeated the Congress leaders statement to the media.

"Today, in his explanation, he said an even more dangerous thing, he said he acknowledges the pain of Sikh community but today that is not relevant. Who are you to decide what is relevant and what is not relevant? Is their pain not relevant when the Sikhs are yet to get justice?" Javadekar questioned.

"Tomorrow you will say partition is not relevant, ethnic cleansing of pundits is not relevant, Shah Bano is not relevant. All these historical things are important because they connote the policies and practices of Congress government," he rakes up other issues.

With the raging controversy, Pitroda, in a series of tweets, said BJP is bringing these issues to fore as they cannot talk about their performance in last five years.

"Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will never target a group of people based on creed. BJP is talking about these issues and attacking Congress leaders with lies because they cannot talk about their performance and have no vision to take India forward to inclusively growth and prosperity for all with focus on jobs, kids and more jobs," Sam Pitroda wrote on the micro-blogging website.

On Thursday, BJP, citing the Nanavati Commission report, said "instructions to kill" came directly from the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's office.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruling party, is set to win the country's parliamentary elections but with a diminished majority, the country's election commission said on Friday.

According to unofficial results released by the commission, the ANC has a strong lead with just over 57 per cent of the votes. So far, 90 per cent of the votes have been counted, CNN reported.

However, the ANC's voter support has never fallen below 60 per cent, since the end of apartheid in 1994, the commission said.

The fall in vote share comes as the ruling party has its task cut out to take steps in strengthening South Africa's stagnated economy, besides improving its image, which took a hit after corruption allegations involving former president Jacob Zuma and others surfaced.

In the 2009 and 2014 elections, the ANC won 66 per cent and 62 per cent of voter support respectively.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is way behind the electoral race, garnering just under 21 per cent of total vote share.

The decline in ANC's vote share was predicted owing to several reasons. In the 2016 local elections, the party had faced a steep decline in support, and it lost some key cities to opposition parties.

The ruling party also faces widespread apathy among voters born after apartheid, known as the born-free generation.

The turnout for this year's general elections too witnessed a drop, with around 65 per cent of the people exercising their franchise, reflecting a general voter apathy towards political parties and their promises.

Ramaphosa, who assumed power last year, has promised to crack down on corruption prevalent in the ANC.

In the 2014 general elections, the ANC had emerged victorious in 249 seats, down from 264 that it won in the 2009 polls.

South Africa has a parliamentary system of government. The country's National Assembly comprises 400 members.

The final results is expected to be announced on Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the center on a plea seeking framing of guidelines by the government to regulate online media streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and others.

The plea was heard by a bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna and was filed against Delhi High Court's decision of dismissing a similar petition last February.

Currently, online media streaming platforms do not have to take any approvals from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India.

The High Court bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice VK Rao dismissed the petition after Broadcasting Ministry informed that online platforms are not required to obtain any licenses from them.

The petition in Delhi High Court was filed by NGO Justice for Rights Foundation, stating that series like "Sacred Games", "Game of Thrones" and "Spartacus" on online platforms contain "vulgar, profane, sexually explicit, pornographic, morally unethical and virulent" content which often "depict women in objectifying manner".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Smriti Irani took a veiled jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi and its general secretary Priyanka Gandhi saying that they are people who wear "janeu" once in five years and come for "Ganga-darshan" only during elections.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi served nation and hypocrites, mahamilawati people and corrupt Congress didn't give him anything else except insults. They are people who wear a 'janeu' once in 5 yrs, who go on foreign tours for 5 yrs and come for 'darshan' of Ganga at the time of elections," she said without naming anyone while addressing an election rally here on Friday.

The Union Minister also criticised Priyanka for choosing not to contest from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat.

"They go to Ayodhya but don't bow their heads before Ram Lalla as they remember their vote bank. They're people who ask in Amethi if they should contest from Varanasi but when it is time to draw swords in the battlefield, they leave not only Varanasi and Amethi but go to Wayanad," said Smriti Irani.

It was widely speculated that Congress might field Priyanka Gandhi from Varanasi. Priyanka had also expressed her desire to contest from Varanasi.

However, Congress party chose to field Ajay Rai from Varanasi.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is contesting from two Lok Sabha seats-- Amethi and Wayanad.

Varanasi will go to polls in the last phase on May 7. 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.)
The US on Thursday said that it seized a North Korean cargo vessel for violating international sanctions, including those slapped by Washington.

The ship, identified as 'Wise Honest, is a 17,061-ton, single-hull bulk carrier ship registered in North Korea, according to a statement by the Justice Department.

The vessel was used to illicitly ship coal from North Korea and to deliver heavy machinery to the isolated communist nation.

"Payments for maintenance, equipment, and improvements of the Wise Honest were made in US dollars through unwitting US banks. This conduct violates longstanding US law and United Nations Security Council resolutions," the statement said.

"This sanctions-busting ship is now out of service. North Korea and the companies that help it evade US and UN sanctions should know that we will use all tools at our disposal -- including a civil forfeiture action such as this one or criminal charges -- to enforce the sanctions enacted by the US and the global community, said Assistant Attorney General Demers.

US Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said, "Today's civil action is the first-ever seizure of a North Korean cargo vessel for violating international sanctions Our Office uncovered North Korea's scheme to export tons of high-grade coal to foreign buyers by concealing the origin of their ship, the Wise Honest."

"This scheme not only allowed North Korea to evade sanctions, but the Wise Honest was also used to import heavy machinery to North Korea, helping expand the country's capabilities and continuing the cycle of sanctions evasion," he added.

The vessel, which was originally seized by Indonesian maritime officials in April last year, has been "taken into custody". A US judge had issued a warrant authorising the ship's seizure in July of that year.

Earlier in the day, Trump said that "nobody was happy" on North Korea's latest launch of projectiles within this week and they are looking at the matter "very seriously."

"We're looking at it very seriously right now. They were smaller missiles. Short-range missiles," The Hill quoted Trump as saying at a press conference in the White House.

North Korea on Thursday fired fresh unidentified projectiles in the eastern direction from the Sino-ri area, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). It came five days after the secretive communist country had fired multiple short-range projectiles into the East Sea from Wonsan.

"Nobody's happy about it, but we're taking a good look. The relationship continues, but we'll see what happens. I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. I don't think they're ready to negotiate," Trump said in an apparent downplaying of achieving a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea.

Trump also hoped that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would not "blow" an opportunity of making North Korea economically strong in exchange for dismantling its nuclear weapons programme.

"North Korea has tremendous potential economically and I don't think he's going to blow that," he said.

North Korea's projectiles launches are largely being seen as the country's displeasure at the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit in Vietnam in February.

The meeting ended abruptly without any joint statement issued as the two sides reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanctions waivers.

While North Korea has asked for relief in sanctions in exchange for the steps it has taken towards denuclearisation, the US has remained cemented in its resolve to only grant sanction waivers once Pyongyang has completely shut down its nuclear weapons programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US on Thursday warned of giving a "swift and decisive" response to Iran's "threatening actions", amid mounting tensions between the two countries.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in an escalating series of threatening actions and statements in recent weeks. The response of the United States and our partners and allies has been clear: We do not seek war," US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in a statement.

"But Iran's forty years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities, and taking American hostages is a constant reminder that we must defend ourselves," he added.

Pompeo further said, "The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against US interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive US response. Our restraint to this point should not be mistaken by Iran for a lack of resolve."

Pompeo accused Iran of indulging in "violence," which he said, has been the regime's "default option".

"To date, the regime's default option has been violence and we appeal to those in Tehran who see a path to a prosperous future through de-escalation to modify the regime's behaviour. As President Trump stated yesterday, he 'looks forward to someday meeting with leaders of Iran in order to work out an agreement and, very importantly, taking steps to give Iran the future it deserves'," he further said.

Earlier in the day, Trump said that the US is "open to talks" with Iran, urging Tehran to "call him" and make a "fair deal" with Washington.

Ties between the US and Iran soured after Washington pulled out from the 2015 nuclear deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) last year.

Following this, the US slapped a multitude of sanctions on Iran, citing the latter's support to state-sponsored terrorism and conflicts.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration imposed fresh sanctions on Iran targetting its steel and mining industries, amid rising tensions between the two nations.

The sanctions were slapped on Iran's steel, aluminium, iron, and copper sectors and the move came after Tehran announced its partial withdrawal from the nuclear deal.

The partial withdrawal would mean that Iran would stop exporting enriched uranium stocks as against what was stipulated by the 2015 agreement.

Tehran warned that the remaining signatories -- the UK, France, Germany, China, and Russia -- had 60 days before it would resume high-level enrichment of uranium.

Meanwhile, the US has said it would continue to "impose maximum pressure" against Iran till the regime gives up its "destabilising ambitions" of expanding its nuclear programme.

Washington also recently announced that no fresh sanction waivers will be issued for Iranian oil imports to eight countries, including India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dismissing the probability of negotiations, a senior official of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Friday said that the United States "will not dare military action" against Iran.

"Negotiations with Americans will not take place, and Americans will not dare to take military action against us," Brigadier General Yadollah Javani, the Lieutenant Commander of the IRGC for Political Affairs, told Tasnim News Agency.

This comes as diplomatic tensions between the US and Iran are at an all-time high, especially after US exited the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on the nation in 2018.

In fact, the US recently designated the IRGC as a "foreign terrorist organisation," inviting strong countermeasures from Iran who designated the US as a "state sponsor of terrorism," labelling the US Central Command (CENTCOM) as a "terror group" in response.

Furthermore, sending a strong message to Iran, the US' National Security Adviser, John Bolton on Sunday announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber task force to the US Central Command region.

Confirming this, the US military posted pictures of its B-52 Stratofortress nuclear-capable strategic bombers landing at the Al Udeid US Air Base in Qatar during the wee hours on Friday.

"Trump had thought that with the new sanctions and pressures imposed on the Islamic Republic by the US after its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran would face a kind of internal turmoil and would eventually negotiate with the US, but in practice it did not happen," the Iranian military official said.

"The Americans are in a state of turmoil and anger, and because of their desperation, they have done whatever they can to break the Iranian nation's 40-year-old resistance," he added.

While on the one hand, US President Donald Trump has alleged that Iran is "threatening" them. On the other, he added that the United States was not "looking to hurt" Iran.

"What I'd like to see with Iran, I'd like to see them call me...I look forward to the day where we can actually help Iran. We're not looking to hurt Iran," the US leader said on Thursday.

Despite USA's exit from the Iran nuclear deal, European powers have indicated their intent in keeping the deal intact, especially after Iran issued a two-month ultimatum to the remaining nations while announcing a partial exit from the pact.

"We strongly urge Iran to continue to implement its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in full as it has done until now and to refrain from any escalatory steps," said a joint statement issued by the European Union (EU) and the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Britain.

In response, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif asked the EU to uphold its obligations under the JCPOA.

"EU statement today is why JCPOA is where it is: the US has bullied Europe - and rest of - for a year and EU can only express "regret". Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, the EU should uphold obligations - including the normalisation of economic ties," he tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Thursday (local time) called Venezuelan National Assembly's Vice President's detainment as an illegal act, calling for his immediate release.

The top National Assembly leader, Edgar Zambrano, is one of the seven leaders whose parliamentary immunity was revoked following the opposition's failed attempt at ousting elected Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on April 30.

"The arbitrary arrest yesterday evening of Edgar Zambrano, First Vice President of Venezuela's National Assembly, is an unacceptable and illegal act that is yet another reflection of the repression of the former Maduro regime," Pompeo said in a statement.

"This is an attack on the independence of the nation's democratically elected legislative branch and is part of the Maduro regime's continued attempts to crush dissent and free debate in Venezuela," he added.

This comes as Venezuela facing a political crisis, which saw National Assembly President Juan Guaido declaring himself as the President of the nation -- a move which was immediately backed by the United States.

However, the South American nation's elected President, Nicolas Maduro, refused to step down from his post, leading to an escalation of tensions within the country. The USA and over 50 other countries currently recognise Guaido as the legitimate interim President of the Latin American nation.

Maduro has time and again enforced the military's support for his rule, slamming external, especially US interference in the nation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Oozing with grit and confidence, R Prajapati did not let visual impairment deter him from making his parents proud. Braving all odds, he scored a remarkable 82 per cent in CBSE Class XII board examinations despite staying away from home in Delhi.

Prajapati was compelled to move out of station as local schools couldn't provide facilities for a student like him who is visually impaired by birth. Determined, he insisted his parents make other arrangements.

"There were no facilities for me in our village school and hence I insisted in front of my parents that they should send me outside for studying and find a suitable school for me," R Prajapati said.

His father feels Prajapati has not only made him proud but has also brought laurels to Balrampur and Chhattisgarh. "We are very poor and sustain our livelihood by doing labour, we have no land. I am very proud that my son did so well. I will do whatever I can to make him study further," the content father said beaming with joy.

Prajapati also wishes to continue his studies, "I secured 82 per cent and I am feeling very happy. I will continue to study further," the meritorious student added.

"I first went to Haridwar from where I completed my class X and thereafter I turn towards Delhi and took admission in a government school to do my class XII," he continued the story.

Prajapati's feat has moved district authorities, who are now willing to provide him with necessary means to further his academic aspirations.

"We will strive to give whatever we can so that he may continue with his studies and gets all facilities and guidance he needs," said Sanjeev Kumar Jha, District Collector, Balrampur.

CBSE declared the result of Class XII board examinations on May 2. After breaching the 90 per cent pass percentage for the first time last year, the Delhi Government schools further improved its performance by 3.6 percentage points this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"What Congress could not do in 55 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did in 5 years," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday.

"You must have seen this about Modiji...what Congress could not do in 55 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did in 5 years. Be it pensions for senior citizens and widows, loan waivers, home to poor, electricity connection and gas connections to the poor and a lot more," Adityanath told a rally here.

Launching an attack on the opposition, he said that all those people who do not like the growing reputation of India are against Modi.

"The opposition has gone to such an extent that they ask why are you chanting 'Jai Shree Ram'. Some say Lord Ram had no existence. Remarks of (Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party--Lohia leader) Shivpal Yadav are also disturbing," Adityanath said.

The SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh will be in existence only till May 23 when the counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections will be held, he claimed.

"After the results, 'Bua' (BSP supremo Mayawati) and 'Babuya' (SP chief Akhilesh Yadav) will start fighting and accusing each other," the Chief Minister said.

As soon as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state, the first thing it did was to waive loans of farmers, he said, adding, "All the hospitals, schools, colleges, roads and highways which are being built depict the development agenda of the government."

"We created an anti-Romeo squad for the protection of our sisters and mothers. Secondly, we freed illegally acquired land which is now being used to built hospitals, schools, polytechnics etc. Surplus land is also being used for rehabilitation of the poor," the BJP leader said.

Under the alliance in UP, SP had fielded candidates on 37 seats, BSP on 38 and RLD on three. The combine has not put up nominees for two seats -- Raebareli and Amethi. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi are contesting from Raebareli and Amethi respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former US soldier and whistleblower Chelsea Manning was freed from jail on Thursday after spending about two months in judicial custody for refusing to testify about her disclosure of military and diplomatic secrets to WikiLeaks in 2010.

CNN cited a statement issued by her legal team saying that she could return to jail soon as her lawyers indicated that she would again refuse to testify in response to a separate subpoena.

Manning, who had earlier served nearly seven years in prison for the massive leak, objected to the questioning in a court appearance in March that was apparently part of a continued effort by federal prosecutors investigating WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The whistleblower was subsequently held in contempt, and a federal appeals court rejected her argument for release -- that her rights were violated by the subpoena proceedings and the federal prosecutors purportedly seeking to entrap her -- in April.

Manning was released from the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday after 62 days because the jury that had demanded her testimony was no longer sitting, her legal team said.

The second subpoena would have her appear before a different grand jury next week, "but for (the) same questions," according to a tweet posted on Manning's Twitter account on Thursday night.

"Unfortunately, even prior to her release, Chelsea was served with another subpoena. This means she is expected to appear before a different grand jury, on Thursday, May 16, 2019, just one week from her release today," the statement read.

"It is, therefore, conceivable that she will once again be held in contempt of court, and be returned to the custody of the Alexandria Detention Center, possibly as soon as next Thursday, May 16," it added.

Manning had formally asked the court to release her earlier this month, saying "nothing will convince me to testify," according to documents filed in the Eastern District of Virginia court. Representatives for Manning had previously said she was kept in her cell for 22 hours a day, arguing that such solitary confinement threatened her health and amounted to "torture", CNN reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The minimum days of guaranteed employment under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) will be increased to 150 days from 100, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Friday.

"We have thought of ways to solve the problem of unemployment in the country. We have decided to increase the minimum number of days from 100 to 150 under MNREGA. You will also get your wages on time, just like it was under Congress rule till 2014," Vadra said at an election rally here.

She praised the NYAY scheme and termed it a 'game changer' in the country. She said unlike BJP's jumla of "15 lakhs in every person's bank account," the scheme by Congress would give hope to Indians from poor class.

"People who were cheated by the 15 lakh in every person's bank account 'jumla' of the Modi government in 2014 are losing hope. The NYAY scheme is meant to keep the hope of escaping the net of poverty. To enable you to dream," Vadra said.

She also said that over five crore job opportunities got destroyed during PM Modi's rule with demonetization taking the biggest toll. She promised the Congress would not only fill up the government jobs lying vacant but also ensure that entrepreneurs get a positive atmosphere to work.

"Congress will create 10 lakh jobs at the village level. Due to demonetization and other policies of the BJP, over five crore jobs were reduced with over 50 lakhs due to demonetization alone. The 24 lakh government jobs lying vacant will be filled up by Congress before March 2020. Entrepreneurs will be able to start their business without any hassles. They will also get benefits in the form of tax cuts for employing more people," Vadra said.

Uttar Pradesh saw polling in the five phases of the Lok Sabha elections and will continue to see voting in the rest of the phases scheduled on May 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.)
BSP supremo Mayawati on Friday questioned if RSS would have allowed Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister if he belonged to the backward community and lashed out at him for "laughable and immature" allegations of casteism against the SP-BSP alliance.

The former Uttar Prades chief minister, not for the first time, negated Modi's statement about his caste and said the country knows that Modi "is not OBC by birth".

"When Modi is left with nothing against the SP-BSP alliance, he alleges us of being casteist, it is laughable and immature. How can those who suffered from casteism be casteist? He is not an OBC by birth, the whole country knows. He has not dealt with the caste discriminations. He should not say such things about our alliance," Mayawati said.

The BSP leader accused Modi of "using casteism as a tool to fulfill is political aspirations".

"Would RSS ever allow Narendra Modi to become PM if he belonged to backward class by birth? The country knows what RSS did to Kalyan Singh," Mayawati questioned while adding that BJP's loss is "definite" in the Lok Sabha elections.

"The kind of language they are using against opposition parties in rallies shows that their loss is definite. That's why they are leveling baseless allegations. The whole country knows that BJP is not going to come to power again. Narendra Modi's dream of becoming Prime Minister again will not be fulfilled," she said.

While addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh' Azamgarh on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi, in a veiled attack on SP and BSP, said, "The people who have indulged in vote-bank and casteist had put India under duress. These people had given an opportunity to Pakistan to get away with a lot of misdeeds with regards to our country. After 2014, the terrorist attacks stopped and how were the terrorists limited to some parts of Jammu and Kashmir."

Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party and Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party formed a pre-poll alliance in the state, leaving Gandhi bastions Amethi and Raebareli for the Congress.

The BSP supremo, who has been a fierce critique of Congress this election, recently made an appeal to people to vote for Congress in Amethi and Raebareli.

Voting in Uttar Pradesh is scheduled across all the seven phases, with results on May 23. The state sends 80 lawmakers to the parliament, the highest for a state in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Terming the Congress and the Samajwadi Party as "supporters of terrorists", UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused the previous SP government in UP of withdrawing cases against terrorists.

"The first task, the Akhilesh-led SP government undertook, was taking back all the cases against terrorists. Cases were withdrawn against terrorists who attacked the Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya and Sankatmochna temple in Kaashi," Yogi Adityanath said while addressing a rally here on Friday.

Adityanath was seeking votes for the BJP candidate from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency and Bhojpuri film star, Ravi Kishan.

Taking on the Congress party over its manifesto promise of repealing the sedition law, UP Chief Minister said, "The Congress says that their government will repeal the sedition law. In other words, their government will support terrorists and Naxals."

Yogi also urged voters to teach a lesson to the Congress, SP, and BSP for "playing with the security."

Commending PM Modi for striking terrorist camps inside Pakistan, Adityanath said, "Pulwama attack happened and the next day, Modiji trampled on the head of Pakistan and destroyed all terrorist camps."

"In contrast, Congress government remained silent when Pakistan chopped the head of one of our soldiers. Today when Modi starts speaking in Delhi, Pakistan PM gets worried in Islamabad," he added.

Gorakhpur will go to polls in the last phase of the general elections on May 19.

Five of the seven phases of the general election in the country have been concluded while two remaining phases are scheduled on May 12 and 19.

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.)
GAIL (India) announced that the company completed awards for all major contracts worth Rs. 10,500 crore for pipe supply and laying for the integrated 3,400 km. long project. GAIL has placed an order worth Rs. 475 crore for steel line pipes of approx. 280 km. to provide pipeline connectivity from Durgapur to Haldia including spur line to Kolkata in West Bengal. Till date, the company has committed over Rs. 12,500 crore for the project. The pipeline has already reached Barauni and GAIL is ready for supplying gas to refinery and upcoming fertilizer plant. It also supplies natural gs for Patna City Gas Distribution network (CGD).

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
Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could fall 16 points at the opening bell. Larsen & Toubro and State Bank of India will declare January-March 2019 quarterly earnings today, 10 May 2019.

Overseas, Asian stocks edged higher on Friday as investors looked to whether negotiators from USA-China can clinch a deal to avert the hike.

Wall Street's main indexes fell on Thursday ahead of critical trade negotiations between the United States and China, though they pared losses significantly after US President Donald Trump said reaching a deal this week was possible.

Top US and Chinese trade negotiators concluded the first of two days of talks on Thursday to rescue a trade deal that is close to collapsing as Washington prepares to go ahead with plans to hike tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of goods imported from China.

Back home,key equity benchmarks declined for seventh straight trading session, dragged by index heavyweight Reliance Industries. Negative global stocks weighed on the sentiment amid concerns that the US and China would struggle to reach an agreement. The Sensex fell 230.22 points or 0.61% to settle at 37,558.91, its lowest closing level since 12 March 2019. The Nifty 50 index fell 57.65 points or 0.51% to settle at 11,301.80, its lowest closing level since 12 March 2019.

The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 655.36 crore yesterday, 9 May 2019, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 677.91 crore yesterday, 9 May 2019, as per provisional data.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested two Chinese nationals at the Islamabad airport on Friday as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged fake marriages and human trafficking operations by Chinese gangs.

According to the Express News, FIA's immigration officials also took into custody three Pakistani women who were accompanying the two Chinese men.

Officials said the two Chinese men and two of the Pakistani women were found to be married, while the third woman said she was also married to a Chinese man who was not travelling with her at the moment.

The suspects were due to leave for China when they were stopped by FIA officials, the Express Tribune reported.

The FIA said the Chinese nationals were involved in organ trafficking.

The arrests are the latest in a series of operations against Chinese nationals accused of trafficking Pakistani women to China, the report said.

Earlier this week, the FIA arrested 15 Chinese nationals and a woman from Rawalpindi accused of trafficking Pakistani girls to China. The gang was led by a Chinese national Song Chuaoyang, who was also detained.

The Chinese Embassy, however, denied reports that Pakistan women were being forced into prostitution or used for sale of human organs.

"According to investigations by the Ministry of Public Security of China, there is no forced prostitution or sale of human organs for those Pakistani women who stay in China after marriage with Chinese," the Embassy said in a statement.

"If any organisation or individual commits a crime in Pakistan under the guise of cross-border marriage, Beijing will support Islamabad in cracking down on such activities in accordance with Pakistani law," it added.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the election campaign in Rohtak reaches in its final stage the people of this parliamentary constituency, which has been represented for long by both former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender, feel that votes in this election will be divided on the lines of the 2016 Jat agitation.

Deepender Hooda, who is re-contesting from Rohtak for the fourth consecutive time, has won the Lok Sabha election from here since 2004 after his father Bhupinder Singh Hooda was made the Chief Minister of the state.

Deepender Hooda is pitted against the BJP candidate and Congress turncoat Arvind Sharma, who joined the party ahead of the elections.

People in Rohtak says that the campaigning for the elections this time is primarilry focused on Jats and non-Jats and the 35 other 'biradaris' (castes), who account for over 30 per cent of the 16 lakh voters in the district.

The BJP has raked up the issue of decisive governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi as against the lack of a prime ministerial candidate among the Congress and other opposition parties.

Jagdish Malik, a resident of DLF colony here told IANS that "the talks of Jat and non-Jats has gained momentum after the Jat agitation in February 2016."

Birendra Kumar, a resident of Jhajjar road, said: "We cannot forget the February 2016 Jat agitation when we saw many people armed with guns and knives coming on vehicles and going around damaging property and robbing shops."

When asked whethere any development work has been carried out in the district, he said: "Deepender and his father have done a lot of work in Rohtak. And that is visible, but the people are annoyed with the parties due to the Jat agitation."

While people here deny any anti-incumbency wave against Deepender Hooda, they do blame him and his father for not doing enough to prevent the mayhem during the Jat agitation.

While campaigning in his constituency, Deepender Hooda has talked mostly about rebuilding in the district the social coalition of different caste groups, which was disrupted after the mayhem of 2016.

On the other hand, the BJP has blamed the Congress for instigating the Jats to destabilise the Manohar Lal Khattar government in the state through the Jat agitation.

The Congress has ruled Rohtak for decades and is considered a fort of the Hooda family. The Hooda's have nurtured the constituency during the Congress' 10-year rule in the state, until 2014. But the party now faces its stiffest challenge of saving its fort.

Congress Genral Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also held a road show in the town on Tuesday in support of Deepender Hooda.

Kapil Gulati, a resident of HUDA complex in Rohtak said: "The local issues of the town are also important...issues like water scarcity and the law and order situation."

Gulati said: "Nowadays, chain snatching has become rampant in the town and the female members of the house do not go out in the market when it's dark."

Asked who is his favourite candidate in the elections, he said: "No doubt Deepender is our favorite as he is a local boy and he is avialble whenever it's required...while no one knows from where Arvind Sharma has came from."

Kishan Lal, a resident of Gandhi camp in Rohtak said: "Deepender has represented Rohtak thrice. This is the fourth time he is contesting from Rohtak. But this time it shall be Jat and non-Jat vote."

"Now, people look at Modi for his bold decision to attack Pakistan after the Pulwama suicide bombing. And this factor has changed the mind of many people here and, thus, I feel that it will have its affect in this election," he added.

Even during the 2014 Modi wave, when the BJP swept the entire north, Deepender Hooda however, managed to retained his seat.

Voting in Rohtak is scheduled for the sixth phase on May 12. Counting of votes is on May 23.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)

--IANS

aks/bc

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National passenger carrier's low cost international subsidiary Air India Express has been recommended not to pair pilots and co-pilots with a significant age difference.

The advice was made to the airline in a probe report of a 2017 incident when an aircraft's landing gear got stuck in an open rainwater drain after landing at the Kochi airport.

The aircraft had landed in heavy rain and low visibility conditions.

"Both PIC (pilot in command) and co-pilot were operating first time together. The PIC was based in Delhi and co-pilot at Cochin by the Air India Express. There was a gap of over 30 years and difference of 13,000 hours in cockpit crew and the coordination was lacking from PIC side," the report said.

According to the report, the co-pilot, who was 30 years younger to the aircraft's commander had brought the low visibility conditions to his notice.

"After landing, co-pilot requested PIC who was at controls, to go slow as runway markings were not visible and call for 'Follow Me' jeep. However, there was no response rom PIC. PIC applied throttle three times for aircraft to come out of the drain, but aircraft remained stuck in the drain. The co-pilot requested PIC not to apply the throttle," the report said.

The report recommended that Air India Express would ensure proper crew pairing taking into consideration age factor, experience and that it may issue a circular about proper crew coordination.

--IANS

rv/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday differed with the opinion of his party colleague Ram Madhav that the BJP could fall short of numbers in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and asserted that it will get more than 300 seats.

In an interview to IANS here, Gadkari maintained that he was not in the race for the Prime Ministership and that Narendra Modi will again assume the top post.

He expressed confidence that the BJP would get clear majority on the basis of the "good performance" of the Modi government over the last five years.

"I am not with the opinion of Ram Madhav. My feeling is we will get a good majority," Gadkari, the former BJP President said, when asked whether he agreed with the party General Secretary's view that the party could fall short of numbers.

Madhav had said in an interview earlier this week that "if we get 271 seats on our own, we will be very happy", implying that he was not expecting the BJP to get the majority figure of 272 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Answering a question on this, Gadkari asserted: "The BJP will get more seats than whatever we had in the past. The NDA will get more. Definitely, we will get a majority and Modi ji will be our next Prime Minister."

Asked what was the number of seats he expected for the BJP as last time it got 282 seats, he said: "It is more than 300."

About a number of poll predictions which suggest that the BJP may not be able to muster a majority, Gadkari was dismissive about these and said people are "very much satisfied" with the performance of the BJP government in the last five years when compared to 50 years of the Congress rule.

"I am very much confident that people will vote for us," he said.

The senior BJP leader, particularly, pinned hopes on the young generation when his attention was drawn to the fact that performance is not the only criteria on which people vote as there are other factors like caste and religion.

"Voters think in different ways. Young generation does not belong to any caste, creed, sex or religion. They are very much committed to development and committed to development of 'New India' of the 21st Century. And their expectation is high from Modi ji and his government.

"So, the young generation is definitely going to vote for BJP and I am confident that young generation is increasing in every election and that is the reason people are voting for development," he said.

But he agreed that there are "undercurrents on the basis of caste, creed, sex and religion and communal also".

In this context, he added that "some of the parties, who name themselves as secular are caste parties. And considering the caste equation, they plan their That is the reality".

Asked to comment on a talk that he could be the PM candidate if the BJP falls short, creating a need for NDA to attract more parties into its fold, Gadkari said: "I have no such agenda... Only Modi ji will become the Prime Minister."

He insisted that demonetization and GST did not have any adverse impact on the BJP's prospects

"GST is one of the important economic reforms after Independence. Now people are happy with it. In the starting, there were some teething troubles but every day, we are taking positive decisions and resolving issues. Now people are by and large satisfied with GST," he said.

He also reminded that all the political parties had supported the GST, which was rolled out in 2017.

On demonetization, the senior Minister said: "My feeling is that the economy has been converted from No. 2 to No. 1. People are paying taxes. They are registering their companies. That is one of the reasons (for checking) black money."

Gadkari termed it "a great victory for our government" that "now no one wants to deposit money in foreign banks, Swiss or somewhere. This is really a great achievement that we stopping money from going out of the country".

It was pointed out to him that demonetization has not stopped terrorism as promised by the Prime Minister when he announced the sudden decision on November 8, 2016.

"It will take some time. Everywhere there are some immediate actions, some mid-term actions and some long-term actions. This is a long-term action. It will take some time for us to get results from that," Gadkari replied.

(Ajay Kaul can be contacted at ajay.k@ians.in)

--IANS

akk/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP-ruled Haryana will go to the polls on all its 10 seats on May 12, the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha election, in a do-or-die battle for Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his predecessor and 'marginalised' Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The BJP, the Congress and Om Prakash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are the three main parties in the fray.

This time the state is witnessing an exciting contest just ahead of the Assembly elections.

Ex-Chief Minister Chautala's grandsons -- Arjun and the estranged Dushyant and Digvijay -- are making their debut plunge into electoral

Arjun and Digvijay Chautala are trying their luck from Kurukshetra and Sonipat seats respectively as candidates of the INLD and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), a breakaway INLD faction.

Hisar is going to witness a triangular clash of dynasts from where Dushyant Chautala, who leads the JJP, is struggling to retain his seat. He is pitted against debutants Bhavya Bishnoi of the Congress and BJP's bureaucrat-turned-politician Brijendra Singh.

While Bhavya, the youngest in the fray, is the grandson of late three-time Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, Brijendra Singh is the son of Congress turncoat and Steel Minister Birender Singh.

In a high-stakes battle, the Hoodas -- father and son -- are in the fray as Congress candidates.

The Congress has been on a steady downhill journey since its rout in the state in 2014.

Former Chief Minister Hooda is trying his luck from Sonipat, while son Deepender is in the fray from his home turf Rohtak hoping for a fourth straight victory.

Hooda junior was the only Congress candidate among 10 in the state who managed to win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP had then polled 34.8 per cent of votes, winning seven seats, while the INLD secured two seats.

The Khattar government, banking high on its pro-incumbency and the Modi factor, is confident of a remarkable win after winning an Assembly bypoll in Jind in January where Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala finished third after JJP's Digvijay Chautala.

It was the first time the BJP won the Jind seat.

Political experts told IANS that it may be a double whammy for the BJP this time.

First, the BJP government is facing anti-incumbency at the fag end of its tenure. Secondly, the Jat quota remains a major issue in the election where caste equation has played a determining role in each poll.

The Jats, a land-owning class comprising 30 per cent of the state's population, blame the BJP government for not defending their demand for 10 per cent quota in jobs strongly in the Supreme Court that set aside that provision.

They are believed to be favouring the Congress and the INLD more than the BJP, which is banking on a large OBC community, particularly the Sainis.

"Infighting in the INLD and the Congress camps may somehow help the BJP overcome its loss mainly due to farm distress and lack of jobs," a political observer told IANS.

This fallout will definitely dent the INLD more, the main opposition party in the state which had polled 24.4 per cent votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The impact could be seen largely in Jat-dominated seats of Rohtak, Sonipat, Bhiwani and Hisar, said the observer.

The stakes are high for Bhupinder Hooda in these elections as he is trying to prove that he is still a mass leader and could lead the Congress in the forthcoming Assembly polls.

Hooda was marginalised after the party's humiliating defeat in the October 2014 Assembly polls held under his helm.

In the patriarchal state of Haryana, the 'Deras' also wield considerable influence.

They are led by self-styled godmen Rampal and Gurmeet Ram Rahim, both behind bars, and they have mass followers.

According to a recent survey conducted by the Association of Democratic Reforms, better employment opportunities (44.61 per cent), agricultural loan availability (40.36 per cent) and higher price realisation for farm products (33.80 per cent) are the top three voter priorities in the state.

The other big names in the poll fray are Kumari Selja, who is fighting on the Congress ticket from Ambala, a reserved seat.

BJP's Rao Inderjit Singh is contesting from Gurugram, while former Congress state minister Ajay Yadav is pitted against him.

With assets of Rs 102 crore, INLD's Virender Rana is the richest candidate in the state and is in the fray from Gurugram.

Union minister Krishan Pal Gujjar, who won the Faridabad seat in 2014 with a huge 4.7 lakh margin, is vying to retain the seat. He is facing a challenge from former Congress MP Avtar Singh Bhadana and AAP state chief Navin Jaihind.

The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party have formed an alliance.

Eleven women (4.9 per cent) of a total of 223 candidates are in the fray among 1.80 crore registered voters, including 83,40,173 women.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS

vg/kr/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Absconding NRI tele-evangelist Zakir Naik on Friday slammed the Enforcement Director (ED) for alleging that though he had no earnings, he had transferred Rs 46 crore to his Indian bank accounts in a six-year period.

In a detailed statement, Naik said: "Why is the ED lying? When everyone - including all the government agencies - know that I have multiple businesses and revenue streams and my earnings have always reflected in the tax returns I have filed, why is the ED lying about it?"

He wondered "whether the pressure" is so huge that they (ED) had to resort to lies to achieve the goal set out by "their political bosses".

Naik's rejoinder came two days after the ED filed a charge sheet before the Special PMLA Court of Judge M.S. Azmi, accusing him of money-laundering.

According to the ED charge sheet, Naik, an Islamic preacher, keeps travelling around the world with no "known sources" of income and yet he managed to transfer Rs 49.20 crore to his Indian bank accounts and that the total proceeds of the "crime" were around Rs 193 crore.

In response, Naik said he has filed all his tax returns dutifully every year till 2016 and the ED had access to his tax documents which clearly show his revenue streams through multiple businesses.

He pointed out that he is an NRI since 2010, and living and earning outside India for nine years.

"I earn over a crore (rupees) a month, and I send money back to India as and when required. I sent it from my Dubai account to my India account and every penny is then accounted for in my tax returns," Naik contended.

The controversial tele-evangelist - who reportedly lives in Malaysia currently - admitted that between 2010-2016, he may have sent Rs 49 crore, or Rs 65 lakh per month for charities.

"For a country that receives more than Rs 6,000 crore every month from UAE-based Indians, how is my Rs 65 lakh a problem," he asked.

Naik dared the ED to prove that a single rupee of the Rs 49 crore sent by him was used for any purpose other than the declared charitable purpose.

Claiming that by law, he was not required to explain his overseas job or business to anybody in India as long as he utilized legitimate channels and accounted for every penny he remitted to the county, he said it was "puzzling" from where the ED got the idea that he was not earning anything though he was a part-time businessman with multiple, legitimate businesses besides being a full-time preacher.

"I don't charge for my lectures, nor do I earn from the Peace TV, so I do need another revenue stream to survive, which I have... (The premise) I can survive outside India without earning anything is not just illogical, its childish," he said.

--IANS

qn/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian government made information requests for 422 Twitter accounts in the July-December 2018 period while law enforcement agencies in the country asked the micro-blogging platform to remove 667 accounts for violating the law of the land -- a massive jump from 237 accounts in the previous reporting period.

The government had made information requests for 355 Twitter accounts in the previous January-June 2018 period.

According to Twitter's 14th biannual Transparency Report released late Thursday, the company provided some information to the Indian government in 18 per cent of cases.

In the case of 667 account removal requests, Twitter complied with 2 per cent of the them.

There were 49 emergency disclosure requests from the Indian government and Twitter produced information in 10 per cent of the cases.

The Indian government asked Twitter to preserve information for 100 accounts and Twitter specified 30 such accounts.

"Upon receipt of a valid preservation request, we will temporarily preserve, but not disclose, a snapshot of the relevant account information for 90 days pending issuance and service of valid legal process," said Twitter.

The company this time received government information requests from 86 different countries.

The US now comprises only 30 per cent of global government information requests and 35 per cent of all global accounts specified in the same category.

The second highest volume of information requests were submitted by Japan (24 per cent of global information requests, comprising 20 per cent of global accounts specified).

Requests from the United Kingdom (13 per cent), India (6 per cent), Germany (6 per cent), and France (5 per cent) together account for 30 per cent of all global information requests, and 29 per cent of all global accounts specified.

"We received roughly 8 per cent fewer global legal requests to remove content, impacting approximately 2 per cent fewer accounts, compared to the previous reporting period. However, there was an 84 per cent increase year-over-year between 2017 and 2018," said Vijaya Gadde, Legal, Policy and Trust & Safety Lead at Twitter.

--IANS

na/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP President Amit Shah is to hold a roadshow here on Saturday, a day ahead of the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls, a party leader said on Friday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief's May 11 roadshow assumes significance as two of the party's big names are contesting from Pataliputra and Patna Sahib constituencies in Patna.

BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said Shah would hold the roadshow in Patna Sahib to seek support for Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

The party has fielded another Union Minister, Ram Kirpal Yadav, from Pataliputra. The contest in both seats -- which will vote on May 19 -- is seen as a prestige battle for the party.

Congress leaders on Friday said party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is expected to hold a roadshow in the Bihar capital next week.

Gandhi will appeal to the people to support her party candidate Shatrughan Sinha, who switched over to the Congress from the BJP, and is contesting from the Patna Sahib.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's elder daughter Misa Bharti is the party candidate from Pataliputra. She had contested unsuccessfully last time.

To date, Priyanka Gandhi has not visited Bihar to campaign in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

--IANS

ik/pgh/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ongoing Lok Sabha election in Bihar is unique in the sense that no previous election whether of the assembly or a general election can be taken as reference while analysing electoral prospects of the parties in the state. Let's get into the details and try to see why it is so.

To understand the current political scenario and why the historic electoral results may not be relevant for these elections in Bihar we need to go back a little - to 2013 - and analyse the of Bihar from then onwards. The Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which has been at the core of in Bihar in the last 23 years, has gone through several twists and turns in the last six years.

After leading a formidable alliance with the BJP for 17 years, it severed ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in June 2013, protesting against the decision of the BJP to declare Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. It needs to be noted that Modi was brought in by the BJP in order to rally Hindu nationalistic sentiment. Nitish Kumar was worried of losing his Muslim support base in Bihar and decided to part ways with the BJP. In a damage limitation exercise, the BJP got the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the newly formed Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) of Upendra Kushwaha into the NDA fold. In the 2014 polls, against the backdrop of the Modi wave and due to the strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the incumbent UPA government, the BJP-led alliance got unprecedented success, winning 31 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

The results were overwhelming for the BJP and its allies and shocking for Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad who considered themselves to be bigger political forces than the BJP in Bihar. After coming to power at the national level, the BJP continued to convincingly win most Assembly elections held in 2014 and 2015 - Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand. Worried, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad joined hands to contest the 2015 Bihar Assembly election along with the Congress party. By this time, Jitan Ram Manjhi had quit the JD-U, formed his own party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and joined the NDA.

During the election campaign, Modi had tried to make it a Modi vs others contest. And here he had failed to understand the political dynamics of Bihar. His personal attacks on Nitish Kumar backfired for the NDA and the alliance got the complete of the Muslims, majority of the OBCs and EBCs. This gave a glimpse of the Lalu Prasad era in Bihar. The Mahagathbandhan swept the state and won 3/4th of the seats. One significant outcome of this election, was the revival of the Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar. But the JD-U-RJD alliance didn't last even two years for reasons well known to everyone and in 2017 Nitish Kumar finally returned to the NDA fold.

Before the 2019 general election, with so many parties in the NDA, and each having its own demands for seats to contest, it was not possible to keep everyone happy. To add to this, it was well known that Nitish Kumar was not on good terms with Kushwaha and Manjhi. Such a scenario made the RLSP, HAM and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) of Mukesh Sahni wary of their future in the NDA.

Meanwhile, in the absence of Lalu Prasad and under tremendous pressure to prove himself, Tejashwi Yadav was eager to welcome any party which wanted to quit the NDA and join the Bihar Mahagathbandhan. Eventually, the RLSP, HAM and VIP quit the NDA and joined the Mahagathbandhan.

So, there is now a bipolar contest in Bihar - the NDA comprising the BJP, JD(U) and hte LJP on the one side and the Mahagathbhandhan of RJD, the Congress party, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), VIP and HAM. Let's try to understand the current political dynamics in the state in the context of the ongoing general election 2019.

To start with, let's try to find out what impact the new entrants from the NDA to the Mahagathbandhan may bring in this election. The RLSP had won all three seats had contested in 2014 but the credit for the victory had largely gone to the Modi wave. A year later, in the 2015 assembly election, the RLSP, and HAM could win only two of the 23 seats and one out of 21 seats it contested respectively. It has been four years since, and both parties - as also VIP - have increased in strength. However, the 2019 election is the first election which will measure the strength of these newly formed regional parties.

Any gain for these parties is a direct loss to the NDA but more to the JD-U, as in the last two decades Nitish Kumar had successfully connected a large section of the OBCs and EBCs with the JD-U. Hence, neither the 2014 general election nor the 2015 assembly election can be taken as reference points to predict the impact these parties may bring to this election - in terms of improving the chances of the Mahagathbandhan and causing damage to the NDA.

For the RJD, the biggest challenge in this election has been the absence of Lalu Prasad. It is contesting an election for the first time in his absence. There has been clear impact of his absence being felt, there is lot of dissidence in the RJD's first family, the party and the Mahagathbandhan. At many places, officially or unofficially, Mahagathbandhan leaders are contesting against the alliance's official candidate. Another big concern for Tejashwi Yadav has been the fact that he has not been able to maintain the legacy of Lalu Prasad as the only leader of the Yadavs in Bihar.

As for Nitish Kumar, the biggest is that the Muslims seem to be unhappy with him for returning to the NDA. There is a general feeling in the community that under the Narendra Modi regime, intolerance has increased in the country. And so, at least in this election, the Muslims in Bihar seem to have made up their mind to not vote for any candidate who will help the BJP return to power in Delhi.

There is another worry - the possibility of losing a sizable chunk of the OBC and EBC support to the Mahagathbandhan through caste-based smaller parties like the RLSP, the VIP and the HAM. Hence, the JD-U in 2019 may not have the same strength as in the previous elections.

For the BJP and the LJP, the core support base among the upper castes and the Paswans respectively has stayed almost firm. In recent years, both the BJP and the LJP have tried to broaden their support base, but to what extent they have been successful in doing so, and how much the recent alignments in the two fronts will impact such possibilities is getting tested afresh in this election. Many schemes launched by the union government have benefited people in rural areas. These are schemes like Ujjawala, the toilet scheme, rural housing scheme, rural electrification and rural road connectivity.

After discussing all this we can say that in the 2019 general election, the political situation in Bihar is very different from that in 2014, the 2015 Assembly election or any other election held earlier. If in 2014, there was a triangular contest, in 2015 there was an entirely different scenario where there was a consolidation of the majority of the OBCs, EBCs and Muslims in favour of the JD-U-RJD-Congress alliance. If we go further back in history, during the 17 years of the JD(U)-BJP rule, the NDA had strong backing of the upper castes, Kurmi, Kushwaha, and a larger section of EBC, SC castes and a section of the Muslims. Earlier to that, during the Lalu Prasad era, the RJD had support of almost all the OBCs, EBCs and SCs along with Muslims. Hence, for the 2019 general election none of the previous elections can be taken as reference.

In an election with such diverse possibilities and with so many facts and claims to be tested afresh; any precise prediction of results may just go wrong. But a minute study of the ground reality reveals a few facts, and based on these facts it looks like there is a close contest in quite a few Lok Sabha constituencies. Tejashwi Yadav has, overtime, been able to contain the dissidence within the family, party and the Mahagathbandhan. He has also been able to keep the Yadavs with him in a majority of the constituencies by successfully creating a sympathy for Lalu Prasad among the Yadavs and a feeling that the Yadavs need to stay together. The RLSP and VIP seem to have been able to mobilise voters on caste lines in many constituencies.

It can be stated that the 2019 general election in Bihar will not be as easy for the NDA as it was in 2014. The NDA and the Mahagathbandhan may be anywhere between 28-22 seats and 12-18 seats respectively. There can be some surprising results as well. In some seats which are being counted as safe for the NDA, there is actually a close contest.

The results on May 23 will not only give the actual numbers, but will as well indicate which way the of Bihar is heading for.

(Rahul Vatsa is a researcher)

--IANS

vatsa/am/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It's been a year since actor Angad Bedi and Neha Dhupia got married. Angad took to social media on his anniversary on Friday to thank his wife and actress Neha for accepting him with all the imperfections.

Angad tweeted a video from their intimate wedding last year and captioned it: "Happy anniversary my gorgeous loved one. Neha Dhupia, thank you for accepting me with all my imperfections. I'll get there."

The "Tumhari Sulu" actress replied to Angad, saying: "You are perfect my love... even more so 'cause you have tolerated me for a year and have promised a lifetime."

The two are currently enjoying their anniversary in Mauritius.

Neha posted the same video and called it the "most special throwback" of her life.

The couple got married last year in an Anand Karaj ceremony attended by close family and friends in a Gurudwara in south Delhi.

Angad and Neha welcomed their first born, a daughter, last November.

--IANS

dc/nn/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who next will be seen in 'Good News', has said that audience can expect a fun ride from her upcoming romantic-comedy film as it features actors such as Akshay Kumar, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani apart from her.

Kareena Kapoor Khan was interacting with the media at the third edition of Radio4Child Award 2019, as a celebrity advocate of UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Fund) on Friday in Mumbai.

Talking about her upcoming project, Kareena said, "Good News is releasing in December. I think it's very good film and cast of the film is also very exciting because apart from me, there is Diljit Dosanjh, Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani in the film. I feel there are four amazing actors so, audience can expect a fun ride for sure."

When asked Kareena whether Salman Khan starrer 'Dabangg 3' which is releasing on December 20 can hamper box-office collection of 'Good News' which is releasing on 27th December at the end of this year, she said, "I think our film (Good News) is releasing one week after release of 'Dabangg 3' and also, you can't make comparison between 'Dabangg 3' and 'Good News' because both are very different kind of films. I feel our film's audience is very different from audience of 'Dabangg 3'."

'Good News' is directed by Raj Mehta and produced by Dharma Production.

--IANS

iv/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Friday accused BJP's Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha candidate Nilanjan Roy of sexually abusing a minor girl and urged the police to arrest him.

The sate BJP leadership is yet to respond in the matter.

According to the child rights body, Roy was allegedly involved in molesting a 17-year-old girl in South 24 Parganas district's Falta in West Bengal last month.

"He was allegedly involved in molesting a 17-year-old girl on April 26. The girl and her father have lodged a police complaint in the Falta police station following the incident. The girl has also undergone medical test, but police has so far been inactive in the case," WBCPCR Chairperson Ananya Chakraborty said.

We have received the information about the incident today and have asked the police to immediately arrest the accused as per the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. We have also urged the Election Commission to take necessary steps against the candidate as per EC norms within 24 hours," she added.

Roy is pitted against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress' sitting MP Abhishek Banerjee in South 24 Parganas district's Diamond Harbour.

--IANS

mgr/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are contesting 435 and 420 seats in this Lok Sabha elections, respectively, and they are in a direct fight with each other in 373 seats, according to PRS India, an NGO.

The independent research institute also said that as many as 8,039 candidates are in the fray for 542 parliamentary constituencies, i.e., 14.8 candidates per constituency on an average.

The states with more than 30 Lok Sabh seats are Uttar Pradesh (80), Maharashtra (48), West Bengal (42), Bihar (40) and Tamil Nadu (39). These states together have 249 seats, which is 46 per cent of the Lok Sabha, PRS India said.

Among all the states, Telangana has the highest average number of candidates per seat with the Nizamabad constituency having the highest in the country at 185 candidates. Excluding Nizamabad, the state's average number of contestants per seat is 16.1, PRS India said.

After Nizamabad, the second highest number of candidate representation is seen in Belgaum, Karnataka, it said.

The five constituencies that have the highest candidate representation are from the southern states of Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The NGO said that seven national parties together have fielded 2.69 candidates per constituency.

Among the five largest states, West Bengal, where five national parties are in the fray, has the highest representation of candidates from these parties at 4.6 per seat.

The recognised state parties together have fielded 1.53 candidates per constituency, the PRS India said.

It also said that Delhi and Haryana have a high number of candidates contesting from parties that have not been recognised as either national or state outfits.

--IANS

spk/arm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP and Congress on Friday traded charges over criminal cases, including rape of a minor girl, filed against the latter's candidate for the May 19 Panaji Assembly bypoll.

While the BJP alleged that electing Atanasio Monserrate, who has been charge sheeted for raping a minor girl last year, would render the state capital unsafe for women, the Congress in response claimed that Monserrate had been appointed as a chairperson of a government authority by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar even after being accused of rape.

"The Congress candidate has been charge sheeted for raping a minor girl. The people of Panaji do not want a person accused of rape as an MLA. The state capital will be unsafe for women," state BJP Vice President Kunda Chodankar told a press conference.

Monserrate was charge sheeted last year under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 506 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act after being accused of the crime in 2016. He has also been booked in cases related to assault, leading a mob to attack the Panaji town police station, among others.

In his political career, Monserrate has also jumped multiple parties. Apart from quitting and joining the Congress on at least two occasions, he has also served as a cabinet minister in the Parrikar-headed, BJP-led coalition government in 2002. He also joined Goa Forward, a BJP ally, two years back and was rewarded by Parrikar with the chairmanship of the Greater Panaji Public Development Authority in February last year.

Responding to the BJP charges, state Congress president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of doublespeak.

"Monserrate's credentials have been endorsed by late Parrikar, who appointed him the head of the government authority much after the rape case was filed against our candidate. So is it a case, that if a person facing such a case supports the BJP, it is acceptable and when he joins the Congress, he becomes an evil?" he asked.

--IANS

maya/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after the Congress leader Sam Pitorda stirred a controversy with his remark on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the BJP on Friday sought to make it a issue ahead of the May 12 polls to the city's seven seats.

"Those who say it happened so what? Can they give reply on this? What about the Sikh families who are still living with the unbearable memories of those riots. Did Sonia (Gandhi), Rahul (Gandhi) or Priyanka (Gandhi) ever apologise to the nation for the sponsored riots against Sikhs. The country is demanding answers," the BJP said in a tweet attaching a video of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the riot victims.

The video starts with the remark of Rajiv Gandhi that "when a big tree falls, then the earth shakes", which was seen as attempt to justify the riots. The video also shows the riot victims recalling the horror of 1984.

The video shared by the BJP also features Congress leaders like Jagdish Tytler, Kamal Nath and H.K.L. Bhagat, who were alleged to have led the mobs. Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in a riot case, was also shown.

Pitroda, while speaking to media on Thursday, stirred a controversy when he said, "It happened in 1984, so what?" in response to a question over the BJP's claim citing the Nanavati Commission report that the instructions for the violence came from the Prime Minister's Office.

The anti-Sikh riots broke out here , and elsewhere in India, after then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards on October 31, 1984. They claimed over 3,000 lives in the capital.

--IANS

aks/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The demand for a through probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the role of bankers in the Rs 450 crore loan sanctioned in the name of farmers, which was credited, instead, to Thiru Arooran Sugars Ltd, has been raised here by a major bank union official and a senior politician.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) Founder S. Ramadoss in a statement on Friday also demanded nationalisation the company in question.

"There should be a CBI probe and the two sugar companies should be nationalised," Ramadoss said.

"Sanctioning loan in the name of the farmers and crediting the amount to the company's account could not have happened without the involvement of top officials of the bank. There should be a CBI probe into this," All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam told IANS on Friday.

According to Ramadoss, officials of the company, which has sugar mills in Thanjavur and Cuddalore districts, obtained signatures of farmers on some forms on the false pretext that these were needed for settling their cane arrears, and secured loans from nationalised and private banks to the tune of about Rs 450 crore.

The loan amount was credited to the company account and the issue came to light when the farmers received notices from the banks for loan repayment.

Meanwhile, the state police has arrested the Thiru Arooran Sugars Chairman R.V. Tyagarajan.

The farmers, who had supplied sugarcane to the company, said they had not been paid for their supplies for a long time.

--IANS

vj/bc

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former US military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning has been released from prison after spending two months behind bars for refusing to testify before a grand jury, her lawyers said.

"Today marked the expiration of the term of the grand jury, and so, after 62 days of confinement, Chelsea was released from the Alexandria Detention Center earlier today," Manning's legal team said in a statement on Thursday night.

Manning, who spent seven years in prison for disclosing confidential state information to WikiLeaks, could be returned to jail as she has been summoned to testify again and has already announced her refusal to do so.

"Unfortunately, even prior to her release, Chelsea was served with another subpoena. This means she is expected to appear before a different grand jury, on Thursday, May 16, 2019, just one week from her release today," her lawyers said.

"It is therefore conceivable that she will once again be held in contempt of court, and be returned to the custody of the Alexandria Detention Centre, possibly as soon as next Thursday, May 16," the statement added.

"Chelsea will continue to refuse to answer questions, and will use every available legal defense to prove to District Judge Trenga that she has just cause for her refusal to give testimony," said the legal team.

In March, Manning refused to answer questions at a hearing in front of a grand jury at the Eastern District Court of Virginia, saying she had already presented her testimony during her trial in 2013. She was charged with contempt.

Although the nature of the questions which the prosecutors intend to ask Manning is not known, the former soldier and her lawyers have said that they will not testify about WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange.

Assange was arrested in London on April 11 at the Ecuadorian embassy soon after Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno ended his seven-year diplomatic asylum.

Manning was arrested in Iraq in 2010 for disclosing to WikiLeaks more than 700,000 classified documents about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, along with State Department cables.

In 2013, she was sentenced to 35 years in prison, but her sentence was commuted in 2017 by then-President Barack Obama.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Clashes broke out between stone-pelting protesters and security forces on Friday in the old city areas of Srinagar and in Sopore town in Jammu and Kashmir.

Immediately after the Friday congregational prayers ended at the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta in Srinagar, masked youths pelted stones at security forces who responded by firing tear smoke shells.

Clashes continued for over two hours during which six youths sustained injuries.

Street fighting also broke out in Model Town in Sopore town after news about the death of a local militant spread.

Youths engaged security forces in pitched clashes as the latter used tear smoke shells to disperse the mob.

A militant from Model Town, Ishfaq Ahmed Sofi alias Umar, was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Amshipora village of Shopian district.

Police said the militant had been active since 2015 and was involved in a number of attacks on the security forces.

He was affiliated with the Harkatul Mujahideen (HuM) outfit, the police said.

--IANS

sq/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court judgement upholding the state's Reservation Act, 2018 to give promotions to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes.

"Our government is committed to protecting the interests of the SC/ST employees within the framework of the Constitution," tweeted Kumaraswamy.

Earlier in the day, a division bench of the apex court comprising Justices U.U. Lalit and D.Y. Chandrachud upheld the validity of the reservation, on which the southern state has passed the law in 2018, granting promotions to SC and ST employees in the state government.

"The state government's intention for inclusiveness has been reinstated by the judgement," said Kumaraswamy on the occasion.

The previous Congress government had passed a law in 2018 to fill the gaps observed in the 2017 legislation, which identified inadequate representation and the effect on overall administrative efficiency.

The ruling was on a batch of petitions filed by the general category employees against reservation in promotions for their reserved counterparts working in the state government.

The state government had amended the law after the top court had on February 9, 2017 quashed athe Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the basis of Reservation (to the posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act, 2017 in the interests of the SC/ST employees.

Following a presidential assent to the Act and gazette notification on June 23, 2018, the state government had promoted about 8,000 SC/ST employees who were demoted after the apex court struck down the previous amendment to the Act on the grounds that it was based on insufficient cadre wise data and lack of assessment of their efficiency in the administration.

--IANS

fb/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The aggregate assets declared by four Trinamool Congress MPs who are re-contesting in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, have soared by over 103 per cent to about Rs 40.59 crore from their combined assets of Rs 19.91 crore shown last time, a report said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Bishnupur constituency's outgoing MP and now the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) nominee from the same seat, Saumitra Khan, who was expelled by the Trinamool for anti-party activities, has declared a whopping 623 per cent rise in assets during the last five years.

He declared assets worth over Rs 86.57 lakh in his affidavit, submitted as a part of his nomination papers, as against assets of Rs 11.97 lakh declared in 2014.

Among Trinamool MPs who are seeking re-election this time, the party's Ghatal candidate and Bengali film star Deepak Adhikari's assets have increased by over 108 per cent to Rs 31.73 crore from properties earlier worth Rs 15.24 crore. The ruling party's veteran leader and Kanthi MP Sisir Adhikari has shown assets worth Rs 3.39 crore, up by 74 per cent from Rs 1.95 crore assets declared in 2014.

Prepared by the West Bengal Election Watch, the report also said the Trinamool's Purulia MP Mriganko Mahato's assets have risen 91 per cent to Rs 1.7 crore in the last five years and Trinamool Tamluk MP Dibyendu Adhikari who had won a by-election in 2016, has declared assets of Rs 3.77 crore, up by 105 per cent from Rs 1.84 crore in the last three years.

The by-poll to the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat was necessitated after Trinamool MP Suvendu Adhikari, elder brother of Dibyendu, won the West Bengal Assembly election from Nandigram and became a state Minister.

The value of the properties of candidates, analysed in the report, include collective assets of the respective candidate, spouse and dependent.

The other BJP candidate contesting from Bankura, Subhas Sarkar who had also re-contested from the seat in 2014, declared assets worth over Rs 1.98 crore, an increase of 40 per cent.

The Congress nominee from Purulia, Nepal Mahatao, who had contested from the same seat five years ago, has declared assets worth Rs 53.3 lakh, up by 107 per cent from Rs 25.68 lakh.

The Communist Party of India's Tamluk candidate Sk. Ibrahim Ali's assets, however, declined by 61.55 per cent to Rs 4.12 lakh, as compared to Rs 10.73 lakh declared in 2014.

--IANS

bdc/ksk/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress on Thursday distanced itself from party leader Sam Pitordas "hua to hua" remarks in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, saying that it was not the party's opinion and all leaders should be careful and sensitive in their remarks.

In a statement, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala also raised the issue of the 2002 Gujarat riots when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Chief Minister and said the party continues to support the quest for justice and punishment for those responsible for all the riots.

"Indian National Congress and its leadership have striven to ensure justice for 1984 riot victims. We continue to support the quest for justice and stern punishment for those found guilty of 1984 riots as also the subsequent acts of violence including the 2002 Gujarat riots.

"Any opinion or remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of the Congress party. We advise all leaders to be careful and sensitive," he said.

Surjewala alleged that riots were "vote-garnering exercise" in every election for the BJP which did not work for "ensuring justice and closure" and people "should see through this Machiavellian game of deception, distraction and distortion by Narendra Modi".

Surjewala said Congress believes that justice should be done to 1984 riots victims as also to 2002 Gujarat riots victims.

"We abhor violence of any kind, against any person or a group of people based on their caste, colour, region or religion. This is the essence of India," he said.

Referring to Sadhvi Pragya who has been fielded by the BJP from Bhopal, Surjewala said that unlike the BJP, which has decided to field a candidate charged with terror crimes and is being lauded by none less than Modi himself, Congress has "shown the moral and political courage to punish people and leaders accused of violence/role in 1984".

"This is the yardstick of self-imposed accountability and sense of justice to people followed by the Congress unlike the BJP," he said

Pitroda had, on Thursday, made a controversial remark about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots saying, "84 mein hua to hua (it happened in 1984, so what)".

--IANS

ps/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dhanush, who made his acting debut with 2002 Tamil film "Thulluvatho Ilamai", on Friday took to Twitter to thank his fans via an emotional post on the occasion of completing 17 years in Tamil filmdom.

"My dearest friends. 'Thulluvatho Ilamai' on May 10, 2002, the day that would change my life forever. Has it really been 17 years? It feels like yesterday that you opened your hearts to the clueless young boy who didn't even know if he had it in him to become an actor, let alone a star. Looking back at this roller coaster of a career, I'm filled with deepest sense of gratitude for your faith in me," Dhanush wrote.

He said: "There have been good times and bad, hits and flops, successes and failures, you have stood by me. Thank you so much. I'm not a perfect person but your conditional faith drives me to push myself harder and be the best version of myself."

"Seeing the poster designs and videos wishing me on my 17 years has filled me with lot of encouragement and positivity. Let's always spread love, only love, and create a world where most of us dare to dream."

Dhanush is currently shooting for the final schedule of Vetrimaaran's Tamil revenge drama "Asuran", in which he plays father and son. "Asuran" is based on Tamil novel Vekkai by Poomani.

Dhanush also has "Vada Chennai 2" and a yet-untitled project with director Durai Senthil Kumar. Interestingly, he again plays dual roles in Durai's film which also stars Sneha. Dhanush also has a yet-untitled fantasy comedy with director Ramkumar.

--IANS

hp/nn/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United Nations on Friday appointed Indian actress-producer Dia Mirza as an advocate of Sustainable Development Goals alongside internationally popular individuals like actor Forest Whitaker, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

Dia has always been vocal about her concern and duty towards the and has created immense awareness and inspired others to take up an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Appointed as UN Goodwill Ambassador for the in 2017, Dia has taken her role seriously, campaigning and spreading the word wherever she can.

"I am deeply honoured and consider it a privilege to be appointed the UN Secretary General's Advocate of Sustainable Development Goals. I will strive to convey the importance of achieving sustainable development through all mediums and platforms I have access to," Dia said in a statement.

"While every single sustainable development goal is critical, none of the rest will be achievable if we collectively do not recognise the interconnectedness between people and

"Our health and well-being are connected to the environment and when we harm the environment, we actually harm ourselves."

As an advocate for the environment, her efforts will be focused on environmental protection, human and child rights.

"This opportunity will enable me to build partnerships and work alongside great global influencers and I truly hope to be a part of much needed change," she said.

--IANS

nn/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 65 migrants are thought to have died after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean off the coast of Tunisia.

There were 16 survivors, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

Survivors say the boat left Zuwara in Libya on Thursday and ran into trouble during strong waves, the BBC reported on Saturday.

About 164 people died on the route between Libya and Europe in the first four months of 2019, the UNHCR said.

The incident is thought to be one of the deadliest shipwrecks involving migrants since the start of the year.

The survivors were brought to the coast by the Tunisian Navy and are awaiting permission to disembark. One person has been transferred to hospital for medical treatment, the UNHCR said.

The navy dispatched a ship as soon as it heard about the incident and came across a fishing boat picking up survivors, a statement from the Tunisian defence ministry said.

A Maltese helicopter was also mobilised, reports said.

The passengers are understood to have been from sub-Saharan Africa.

"This is a tragic and terrible reminder of the risks still faced by those who attempt to cross the Mediterranean," the UNHCR's Vincent Cochetel said in a statement.

Thousands of migrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean to Europe every year and Libya is a key departure point.

Those who make the journey often travel in poorly maintained and overcrowded ships, and many have died.

But since mid-2017, the number of migrant journeys across the route has declined dramatically.

In the first three months of 2019, some 15,900 refugees and migrants arrived in Europe via the three Mediterranean routes - a 17 per cent decrease on the same period in 2018.

The decline is largely because Italy has engaged Libyan forces to stop migrants from setting off or to return them to Libya if found at sea - a policy condemned by human rights organisations.

--IANS

rs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Steel on Friday said that the proposed joint venture with Thyssenkrupp will not go ahead as the "European Commission (EC) does not intend to clear the venture".

A report to this effect led to the Tata Steel scrips falling the most on the bourses -- closing over 6 per cent lower at Rs 487 per share on the BSE.

"Based on the feedback received from the Commission, it is increasingly clear that the Commission is not intending to clear the proposed joint venture as it expects substantial remedies in the form of sale of assets of the proposed venture," Tata Steel said in a regulatory filing.

It said that both the entities were in intense engagement with all regulatory authorities and in particular the Commission to seek clearance, and based on the statement of objections published by the Commission, a comprehensive package of remedies was offered covering all the areas of concern highlighted by the EC.

However, the "feedback from the Commission based on the market test it has undertaken suggests that it is unlikely to clear the proposal in spite of the significant remedies offered".

Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp had signed a definitive agreement on June 30 last year combining the steel businesses in Europe to create a 50:50 pan European joint venture company focusing on customer centricity, technology and sustainability.

--IANS

ravi/sn/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A village in France is offering a 2,000 euros ($2,246) prize to help decipher a 230-year-old inscription found on a rock on a remote beach.

Until now no one has been able to make out the meaning of the 20 lines of writing, discovered on a metre-high slab in a cove accessible only at low tide near the Brittany village of Plougastel, the BBC reported on Friday.

Among the normal French letters some are reversed or upside-down. There are also some Scandinavian-style letters.

Two years are visible - 1786 and 1787 - dating the inscription to a few years before the French Revolution.

There is also the image of a ship with sails and rudder, and a sacred heart - a heart surmounted by a cross.

But the writing has defied all attempts at interpretation by local academics. Some think it may be in old Breton or Basque, and that the person who wrote it may only have been semi-literate.

The letters may relate to the sounds of words as he or she heard them.

"We've asked historians and archaeologists from around here, but no-one has been able to work out the story behind the rock," the BBC quoted Dominique Cap, Mayor of Plougastel, as saying.

"So we thought maybe out there in the world there are people who've got the kind of expert knowledge that we need. Rather than stay in ignorance, we said let's launch a competition."

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Google on Friday honoured English haematologist Lucy Wills whose research on anaemia in pregnant women in Mumbai in 1928 led to the discovery of folic acid that helps prevent birth defects in babies.

She conducted seminal work in India in the late 1920s and early 1930s on macrocytic anaemia during pregnancy.

Her observations during the research on pregnant textile workers in Mumbai led to the discovery of a nutritional factor in yeast which both prevents and cures this disorder.

The extract, later identified as folic acid, improved the health of the monkeys during the research which was named the "Wills Factor".

Macrocytic anaemia is characterised by enlarged red blood cells and is a life-threatening condition.

Wills' discovery changed the preventive prenatal care for women globally.

Folic acid is a form of folate -- a B-vitamin found naturally in dark green vegetables and citrus fruits.

Born near Birmingham, England, in 1888, "Wills attended three schools that benefited from a more progressive approach to education, the first being Cheltenham College for Young Ladies, a British boarding school training female students in science and mathematics", reports CNET.

In 1915, she enrolled at the London School of Medicine for Women and became a legally qualified medical practitioner in 1920, earning bachelor degrees in medicine and science.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that all women of child-bearing age take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.

For many years it was the "Wills Factor" until folic acid was named in 1941 when it was isolated from spinach.

Honoured by Google with a Doodle on her 131st birth anniversary, Wills died in April 1964.

--IANS

na/mag/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A retired cop known as an overbearing officer in his service life, but hounded by the state's law enforcement agencies, is now striving to shoot down a Bengali matinee idol's colourful Lok Sabha re-election bid in Ghatal, triggering a thrilling and dramatic contest that is making headlines all over.

Former IPS Bharati Ghosh -- once a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and now a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Ghatal -- is leading an aggressive, no-holds-barred election campaign against leading Bengali film hero and Trinamool Congress nominee Deepak (Dev) Adhikari.

Harvard-educated and former UN peacekeeper Ghosh has emerged as a "big factor" in the Lok Sabha constituency, which was initially considered to be "one of the safest" for the state's ruling Trinamool Congress.

Ghosh, who once publicly described Banerjee as the "Mother of Junglemahal" (large tracts of forest land covering several districts where the Maoists were earlier active), had played a pivotal role in the crackdown on the red rebels in the region after the Trinamool came to power in the state in 2011.

Their relationship, however, started souring when the BJP's vote share jumped in the by-polls to the Sabang Assembly Constituency in 2017.

Ghosh, then West Midnapore district police super, took retirement after Banerjee shunted her off to an insignificant post. Later, the state government slapped corruption and extortion cases against her, and she has even been grilled by West Bengal CID multiple times during the ongoing poll campaign.

But the BJP candidate seems unperturbed.

"Nothing would be able to stop me," she says.

Accusing the Trinamool government of destroying democracy in the state and also within the constituency and snatching democratic rights of the people, Ghosh says the law and order has collapsed.

"People of Ghatal are facing brunt of loot, extortion and intimidation. There was no development in the last five years. Poor are living in misery. People need to bribe ruling party's agent to avail welfare schemes," she says, adding Trinamool workers have been "intimidating and threatening people who oppose their hooliganism and are keeping themselves ready for looting vote on the day of polling".

In meeting after meeting, Ghosh has been referring to Adhikari's low attendance in Parliament, and even mocking him for his "inadequate" knowledge of English.

Adhikari admits that he has learnt "much of and parliamentary proceedings" in his maiden term, but assures voters they would get a "new Deva if he is re-elected".

Speaking about his achievements, Adhikari says he raised the issue of Ghatal Master Plan -- aimed at stopping recurring floods in the region -- and got the funds sanctioned, though the amount is yet to be released.

"I always want people to remember me as an actor who carried out a lot of development in Ghatal. I believe one must prove oneself by virtue of his work.

"I stand by the people of my constituency. I utilised whatever resources I received," he says.

Ghosh has been courting controversies throughout her poll campaign by threatening police officers, and even warning Trinamool workers that they would be "beaten up like dogs" if they create disturbances. The latest was the seizure of over Rs 1 lakh from her possession.

But political analysts felt there could be a "game plan" behind her threat to beat Trinamool workers "like dogs". The attempt was to boost the BJP workers' moral at Keshpur, which is one of the Assembly segments in the constituency, where either "votes are organised" by the ruling party or "voters voted in the past for the dominant political outfit".

In 2014, out of 1.94 lakh votes polled in Keshpur, Trinamool's Suvendu Adhikari secured over 1.4 lakh. The same was the story in 2009 when Communist Party of India (CPI) veteran Gurudas Dasgupta got a gigantic share of votes from this segment.

The Ghatal seat came into being with the delimitation of constituencies in West Bengal in 2008, as Panskura Lok Sabha constituency ceased to exist. However, Ghatal constituency had existed earlier from 1951 to 1977.

Panskura was a CPI bastion over decades as the party's veteran Geeta Mukherjee won seven times since 1980. After her demise, the Trinamool-BJP alliance candidate Bikram Sarkar pulled off a win in a by-election in 2000, but CPI's Dasgupta won it back in 2004.

In 2014, Adhikari defeated CPI's Santosh Rana by over 2.6 lakh votes, securing about 50.15 per cent of the popular mandate. Then Congress candidate Manas Ranjan Bhunia came third and BJP's Md Alam stood fourth managing to get only seven per cent of the votes.

Political observers felt Ghosh's daredevil approach would pull the BJP's vote share up, but around 15 per cent Muslim votes are likely to consolidate in Trinamool's favour.

The Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency comprises seven Assembly segments -- Panskura Paschim (West), Sabang, Pingla, Debra, Daspur, Ghatal and Keshpur -- and has over 17.97 lakh voters.

In the 2016 Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress had bagged six seats, while one went to the Congress. But the winning candidate Manas Bhunia later crossed over to Trinamool and was elected to the Rajya Sabha. In the by-polls in 2017, his wife Gitarani Bhunia won the seat as Trinamool candidate.

In the 2018 rural body polls, the Trinamool captured the zilla parishad seats (top tier of the three-rung panchayat system in Bengal) though the saffron party made strides in gram panchayats (the lowst rung).

Ghatal goes to the hustings on May 12 in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls. The vote count is on May 23.

(Bappaditya Chatterjee can be reached at bappaditya.c@ians.in)

--IANS

bdc/ssp/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Friday rushed to a North Gujarat village after reports of boycott of the Dalits by higher castes objecting to a youth of the community riding a horse in a marriage procession.

The Dalit community of Lhor village in Mehsana district, which is also the home district of the Deputy Chief Minister, was facing a boycott after a bridegroom rode a horse during his wedding procession.

According to the Dalits in the village, they were denied milk and other necessary grocery items from the market under the influence of the boycott. Even the autorickshaw drivers were not ready to give them ride out of fear.

"The wedding procession was taken out on Tuesday when the upper caste members objected to the boy riding a horse and asked the community to keep their aspirations in check," a police officer said. The village head (sarpanch) Vinuji Thakor, who along with a few other village elders ordered the villagers to socially boycott the Dalit community, has been arrested, the police said.

"I came to know about the incident on Thursday night and decided to visit the village the next day," informed Patel.

The Deputy Chief Minister said: "I talked with the villagers and the community heads for about one and a half hour and the Dalit community have demanded assured protection with respect to the incident to which they have my assurance."

Meanwhile, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Ishwarbhai Parmar had ordered an inquiry into the incident on Thursday.

--IANS

mm/desai/rs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Armed police were scrambled to an east London mosque after a "masked" gunman entered the building during Ramzan prayers before shooting a firearm outside.

Worshippers at the Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford were part-way through evening prayers late on Thursday when the sound of a gunshot rang out, the Evening Standard newspaper reported.

Scotland Yard said that early investigations suggested that a "blank firing handgun" had been discharged. No injuries or damage to the building were reported. They were not treating the incident as "terrorism-related".

The man, said to have had his face covered, was reported to have entered the mosque but was chased out by people inside before he fired the gun at 10.45 p.m. (local time). No arrests were made.

In a statement shared by a Muslim Council spokesman on Twitter, the mosque's imam Mufti Suhail said the suspect's motives had not been established.

He asked that people "avoid speculating and circulating unconfirmed information".

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was "relieved nobody was injured in the incident".

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the government in Tehran will not hold negotiations with the US after it imposed new sanctions on Tehran, targeting revenue from its exports of industrial metals, officials said on Friday.

IRGC's deputy head of political affairs, Yadollah Javani, said that US President Donald Trump believed that after imposing the new sanctions, Iran would face a state of internal disarray and would eventually seek negotiations.

Javani warned the US against taking any military measures against the Islamic Republic, Tasnim news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif urged Europe to stand up to the pressure the US had put it under in order to salvage the nuclear deal brokered four years ago.

Zarif called on the European Union to fulfil its obligations to normalize economic relations with his country and said it was to blame for reaching this situation.

"The US has bullied Europe - and rest of world - for a year and EU can only express 'regret'," Zarif tweeted.

He referred to the EU Thursday statement in which it called on Iran to continue to comply with its commitments set out in the nuclear deal signed and lamented the US sanctions against Tehran.

"Instead of demanding that Iran unilaterally abide by a multilateral accord, the EU should uphold obligations - including the normalization of economic ties," Zarif added.

European countries have taken a series of measures to counter US sanctions, including a special payment channel, but they have proved largely unsuccessful.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country was reducing its own commitments under the agreement and would no longer respect limits on its reserves of low-enriched uranium - currently limited to 300 kg - and heavy water, another chemical compound used in nuclear facilities.

In addition, Rouhani issued a 60-day moratorium for the rest of the signatories of the pact to fulfil Iran's demands and save the country's banking system and oil trade from international sanctions.

Hours after Rouhani's announcement, Trump imposed sanctions on Iran's iron, steel, aluminium and copper sectors and said those industries account for 10 per cent of Iranian exports.

Washington abandoned the nuclear agreement despite the support of the co-signatories and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) proving Iran's commitment to the deal in 14 reports.

The nuclear deal limits Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for lifting international sanctions but has been weakened after Washington's exit.

--IANS

soni/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taiwan on Friday made a strong pitch for India's inclusion in the UN Security Council (UNSC), saying it needs to be reconstituted as the veto power is with very few countries which is disproportionate to the membership of the United Nations.

Taiwan Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC) Representative, Ambassador Chung-Kwang Tien said India should play a key role in the UNSC and that it was "unfair" that the country was not a permanent member of the powerful world body.

"The UN has 200 countries as members but only 5 countries have veto power. It is too small and too little to represent the whole members," he told reporters here.

The veto power-holding countries are the US, UK, Russia, France and China.

"The UNSC must be reconstructed and India must play a very very important role in it. This is unfair that India is not there," Chung-Kwang Tien said.

The Representative of Taiwan, over which China lays claim of territorial right, underscored the need for curtailing China's expansionist designs.

"China has gone too far... It has issues with India too -- border issue, trade imbalance issue and issue related to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," he said.

Referring to the efforts India had to make to ensure China ended blocking of a proposal at the UNSC to list Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, he said: "How many years have you have been fighting for."

To a question about India making efforts to build friendly relations with China, he said: "You need to have good relations with your neighbours but please, have parallel relations with others. You make friends not at the cost of other friends."

He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Taiwan when he was a BJP General Secretary and said he knows the situation.

"Relationship with Taiwan is a win-win situation (for India)," he said and spoke about the benefits that the relationship can have.

He said India and Taiwan have signed a Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement.

"Taiwan is using soft power to build ties with countries... Economic ties are important along with diplomatic ties," he said.

To a question, he said: "Whether we will bow to China? That is not going to happen."

--IANS

akk/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UAE-based Etihad Airways has sent in a binding bid for Jet Airways though its details have not been disclosed before the official deadline of 6 p.m. ended on Friday.

Etihad currently has 24 per cent stake in the temporarily grounded Jet Airways.

On its part, the UAE-based airline said that its bid was subject to certain conditions.

"Etihad Airways today confirmed its interest to re-invest in a minority stake in India's Jet Airways, subject to conditions," the airline said in a statement.

"Etihad re-emphasises that it cannot be expected to be the sole investor, and that, amongst other requirements, additional suitable investors would need to provide the majority of Jet Airways' required recapitalisation," the statement added.

Lenders of Jet Airways led by the state-run State Bank of India (SBI) are currently in the process of selling the airline to recover their dues of over Rs 8,400 crore.

Private equity firm TPG Capital, Indigo Partners, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and Etihad Airways were in the race to buy a stake in the grounded Jet Airways.

Last month, Jet was forced to announce temporary suspension of all flight services as it was unable to maintain even bare minimum operations.

Before temporarily suspending all its flight services, Jet had already folded up most of its operations due to grounding of around 90 per cent of its fleet by lessors, as its consortium of lenders refused to extend loans to the cash-strapped airline.

--IANS

rv-nk/sn/arm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the official bidding deadline for Jet Airways nears, its lenders are said to be preparing a contingency plan to allow ceratin parties, including a group of airline employees who have shown interest in taking over the airline, a chance to present their case.

According to banking industry sources, the step will not come into force until the passing of the official deadline of 6.00 p.m. on May 10.

"We have made it very clear since the start that May 10 is the deadline for the four selected entities to send in their binding bids," a senior official told IANS.

"Till the end of that deadline, no new option will be applied or any other entity allowed to bid. However, if no binding bids are received, then the unsolicited bids might be scrutinised."

Lenders of the airline led by state-run State Bank of India (SBI) are currently in the process of selling the airline to recover their dues of over Rs 8,400 crore.

Private equity firm TPG Capital, Indigo Partners, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and Etihad Airways are in the race to buy a stake in the now grounded Jet Airways.

Another source told IANS that a travel and tour operators association has approached lenders with an offer to invest Rs 250 crore in the airline.

Besides the association, a section of Jet's employees and numerous domestic and international entrepreneurs have evinced interest in investing in the grounded airline.

"We can not stop unsolicited bids being sent. But these people should understand the bare basics of the airline business and that this type of a venture requires enormous financial resources," the official said.

Earlier this week, the pilots' union of Jet Airways approached the Supreme Court to direct the consortium of lenders to release funds required to restart operations.

Last month, Jet was forced to announce a temporary suspension of all flight services as it was unable to maintain even bare minimum operations.

Prior to temporarily suspending all flight services, Jet had already folded up most of its operations owing to the grounding of around 90 per cent of its fleet by lessors, as the consortium of lenders refused to extend loans to the airline.

(Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in)

--IANS

rv/bc

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of Mother's Day on May 12, actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, a mother to a boy, pledged to save the life of every newborn by creating awareness on child healthcare and immunisation here on Friday.

The actress was present at the third edition of Radio4Child Award 2019, an initiative by Unicef.

Kareena, an Unicef Celebrity Advocate, said: "This Mother's Day, I want to make a pledge to keep all the children alive. Every child, wherever, in whatever condition they are born, they should stay alive and that is where the Unicef #EveryChildAlive campaign comes in."

"It is great to see how so many radio jockeys across the nation worked tirelessly to educate, engage and spread the message of our campaign, to make people understand the importance of children's health, immunisation; especially to young mothers.

"Apart from being a film actor, I also wear the hat of a radio jockey and I am very proud of it I know what power we have to reach out to people. Every single voice of a radio jockey reaches people and resonates with masses. That is why I am so happy to be part of Radio4child Award 2019."

The event was attended by Pradeep Haldar, Deputy Commissioner, Immunisation, Health Ministry, Chief of Health Unicef India - Dr. Gagan Gupta as well as several radio jockeys who were honoured for their creative messages on the radio for routine immunisation and against child sexual abuse.

Kareena said: "When I delivered Taimur (her son)... in the initial days, I had a conversation with my doctor on how I could protect him from some of the diseases and that is when he gave me an immunisation list.

"I have been, since then following; but that was the time my heart went out to so many mothers across the nation who possibly do not even know about all the vaccination that are needed for the children. That is why the cause (immunisation) is so close to my heart."

The award show also coincided with Unicef celebrating 70 years in India.

--IANS

aru/nn/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a face-to-face question-answer session with her in one of his preferred television channels and said that she was ready to answer any question posed by him.

Taking a dig at Modi, Banerjee said the Prime Minister might require a teleprompter to answer her questions.

"I have even asked him to sit with me for a question-answer session. Why are you (Modi) scared? It's ok if you answer by seeing a teleprompter. (Unlike you) I do not require a teleprompter while talking," Banerjee said at an election rally in Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas district.

"If you do not like any specific channel, that's ok. Call one of your own channels. Let us sit face-to-face. You can ask me whatever questions you want and I will ask you whatever questions I have. Let's have direct answers," she said.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi had earlier challenged Modi to a question-answer session with him besides mocking the Prime Minister for reading out his speeches from teleprompters during his public meetings.

Hailing Trinamool Congress MPs as "dedicated to people", Banerjee said it was only her party that was able to "trouble" Modi in the last five years.

"Only our party has performed in the Parliament in the last five years. If someone could trouble Narendra Modi, it is Trinamool Congress. Our MPs are dedicated (to the people)," she said.

--IANS

mgr/arm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The historic former Nara Prison, the oldest in Japan and declared a cultural asset, is set to reopen in 2021 as a luxury hotel in a project seeking to change the area's image of an express tourist destination.

The complex, situated in Nara city in Honshu island - the largest in the Japanese archipelago - was constructed between 1901 and 1908 and officially opened in 1909.

The Romanesque red-brick construction is the only prison that remains intact of the five built by the Meiji government (1868-1912) with the aim of modernizing the country's correctional facilities.

The government gave great importance to the prison and displayed a model of it at the British-Japanese Exhibition in London in 1910 to show the modernization of the country, which had remained virtually isolated for over two centuries.

The prison, which has an area of some 106,000 square metres, was extended in later years up to its current size. It was used as a juvenile prison from 1946 until its closure in 2017, when the authorities began to look for operators to reinvent the complex.

Nara will be the first prison in Japan to be converted into a hotel, something popularized in western countries, Efe news reported, citing Catherine Peng of Hoshino Resorts - the hotel chain that will operate the complex.

The project was assigned to them in January this year and much detail remains to be decided, although the concept is that of a luxury hotel, which will allow for the recovery of renovation costs and the generation of revenue.

According to the project's original estimations by the Justice Ministry, renovation costs could exceed 15 billion yen (around $136.6 million).

An early draft of the renovation plan showed that the hotel will have a few dozen rooms, the storage areas and rooms used by the guards will serve as common areas.

Hoshino Resorts said that although converting a prison with more than 100 years of history into a hotel could be a challenge in preserving its heritage value, they also see it as an opportunity "to improve Nara's tourism".

Nara, which served as the capital of Japan in the eighth century, is known for its deer that roam its streets and parks, attracting tourists who make just a day trip to see the animals and attractions like the bronze Buddha at Todaiji temple and Kasuga Taisha shrine.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Parents, please take note. Teenagers who experience cyber bullying are more likely to suffer from poor sleep and depression, warns a study.

In one of the few studies to explore the connection between cyber victimisation and sleep quality, the research team from University at Buffalo examined the relationship between online bullying and depression among over 800 adolescents.

"Cyber victimisation on the Internet and social media is a unique form of peer victimisation and an emerging mental health concern among teenagers who are digital natives," said Misol Kwon, a PhD student from University at Buffalo.

Nearly 15 percent of US high school students report being bullied electronically, said Kwon.

At severe levels, depression may lead to disrupted school performance, harmed relationships or even suicide.

According to the US Office of Adolescent Health, nearly one third of teenagers have experienced symptoms of depression, which, in addition to changes in sleep pattern, include persistent irritability, anger and social withdrawal.

"Understanding these associations supports the need to provide sleep hygiene education and risk prevention and interventions to mistreated kids who show signs and symptoms of depression," Kwon added.

The study was scheduled to be presented at "SLEEP 2019" conference in Texas from June 8-12.

--IANS

bu/na

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The body of a Peruvian climber who was found dead earlier this week on Mount Makalu, the world's fifth-highest mountain, was on Friday airlifted to Kathmandu for his last rites in the Nepali capital.

Mingma Sherpa, the Managing Director of Seven Summit Treks - the agency that organized Richard Hidalgo's expedition - told Efe news that the body of the 52-year-old climber would be handed over to the Peruvian consulate after an autopsy at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

Hidalgo was climbing the 8,481-metre high Mount Makalu - located to the southeast of Mount Everest with the shape of a four-sided pyramid - as part of a mission to summit the 14 highest mountains in the world without supplementary oxygen by 2021 to mark the bicentennial of Peru's independence, according to the expedition's organizer.

The consul at the Peruvian consulate in Kathmandu, Sumit Kumar Agarwal, said that the body would be cremated at Pashupati Aryaghat in Kathmandu following the traditional Hindu ritual. The hospital is expected to hand over the climber's remains on Saturday morning.

"A representative from Peru will arrive in Nepal tomorrow (Saturday) with an official letter to cremate his body as per the Hindu ritual," Agarwal said.

He, however, did not confirm the scheduled date for Hidalgo's last rites.

Hidalgo was found dead in his tent at an altitude of 6,600 metres by high-altitude Sherpa guides who went to check after he did not wake up on Wednesday. Due to a lack of funds, the expedition's organizer was unable to airlift the body of the accomplished climber.

The Peruvian consulate in Kathmandu and Hidalgo's friends, however, requested the organizer to bring the body back from the mountain. Mingma Sherpa said the cost to bring the body to Kathmandu stood at $22,000.

According to the Department of Tourism, 842 climbers have been cleared to climb different mountains, including Mount Everest, in Nepal this spring.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar scored a self-goal in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections by calling Modi "chaiwalllah", party leader Sam Pitroda appears to have done the same with his controversial remarks concerning the 1984 anti-Sikh riots ahead of crucial polling for Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

The BJP seized on Pitroda's "1984 hua to hua" (it just happened) remarks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the attack.

Addressing an election meeting at Rohtak in Haryana, Modi slammed the Congress for its arrogance.

"One of the top Congress leaders said the 1984 riots just happened ('Hua to Hua'). These three words sum up the arrogance of the Congress. The leader is close to the Gandhi family, a good friend of (the late) Rajiv Gandhi and a 'guru' (mentor) of Rahul Gandhi," Modi said without naming Pitroda.

He said while hundreds of Sikhs were burnt to death, "the Congress is saying 'Hua to Hua'."

"Thousands of Sikhs were killed outside their homes but today the Congress is saying 'Hua toh Hua'. Sikhs were targeted in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and other states. The rioters were led by the Congress. This sin was committed by every small Congress leader, but today the Congress is saying, 'Hua toh hua'," Modi said.

Pitroda is Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Department and a close aide of Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

BJP also sought an apology from UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over Pitroda's remarks.

"We demand that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi must apologise for the worst comments made by Sam Pitroda which has hurt the people of the country," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told the media.

After a controversy erupted over his remarks, Pitroda accused Bharatiya Janata Party of twisting and distorting his comments to divide the people and hide its failures.

"I acknowledged the pain of my Sikh brothers and sisters during difficult times in 1984 and deeply feel for the atrocities that happened. But these are things from past that are not really relevant to this election which is all about what Modi government did for the last five years. Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will never target a group of people based on their creed," he said in a series of tweets.

Reacting to his clarification, Javadekar said that Pitroda's explanation was even more dangerous as he acknowledged the pain of the Sikh community while saying it was not relevant today.

SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the "anti-Sikh mentality" was clearly visible in Pitroda's remark.

BJP chief Amit Shah also slammed Pitroda's remarks.

Though Pitroda subsequently apologised and said his remarks had been blown out of proportion, the damage had apparently been done.

Pitroda had given some anxious moments to Congress last month also when he had said "burden of party's ambitious Nyay - Nyuntam Aay Yojana - will have to partially borne by the middle class. "Taxes may go up a little bit. But I don't think that it is a major issue. Let's not worry about that," he had said.

The BJP immediately pounced on Pitroda's remarks and the Congress later clarified that the middle class will not be taxed while implementing Nyay which promises to provide Rs 72,000 annually to the poorest 20 per cent households.

Ahead of 2014 election, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had taken "chaiwala" jibe at Modi, saying he sold tea in his childhood. Modi was then BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

Aiyar had said that Modi can sell tea but can never become prime minister.

BJP had capitalised on Aiyar's remark to boost Modi's growing popularity by organising 'chai pe charcha' in different parts of the country.

Last month, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who moved to Congress from BJP, had created a controversy saying that Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah was part of Congress family. He later clarified that it was a slip of the tongue and that he actually wanted to say Maulana Azad.

--IANS

ps/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than Rs 1 lakh has been seized from BJP candidate for West Bengal's Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency and former lPS officer Bharati Ghosh and an FIR lodged against her and those accompanying her for threatening public servants, police said on Friday.

"Bharati Ghosh was travelling in her car on Thursday night when we seized Rs 1,13,895 from her bag. The amount has been sent to the treasury," a police officer said.

Sharing the details of the FIR, a senior police officer of West Midnapore district said: "An FIR has been registered because they had obstructed a public servant from performing his duty. It has nothing to do with the cash seizure as the steps regarding that will be taken by the Election Commission".

According to him, based on prior information the Static Surveillance Team (SST) team had put up a Naka checking and told the occupants they want to search the car in which the candidate was sitting. They refused and escaped for almost 2.5 km and was intercepted again near Pingla police station.

As per the Election Commission's mandate, there are videographers in the SST. They also snatched the camera from the person recording it and deleted the video, he said.

"After a lot of resistance, the candidate had to yield and the SST team recovered Rs 1.13 lakh. The officers were threatened and abused in the name of religion," the officer said.

He revealed that the officer happened to be a Muslim man and was told not to touch Ghosh's bag.

Ghosh said she was not carrying the money illegally. She also said that the total money did not belong to her.

"It cannot be a crime when I am lawfully using my election fund after withdrawing it from the bank. How can they seize the money that belongs to me? They were not letting others sign the seizure list and forcing me to sign," she said.

Regarding this the officer said, "A person can carry any amount of money in India. But during elections if a candidate carries more than Rs 50,000 he/she has to furnish proper documents, which Ghosh failed to do".

"If she provides the bank documents she will get back the money".

A local Trinamool Congress leader said that they had prior information that in different areas voters had been promised a sum of Rs 500-1,000.

"The required steps have been taken and a specific case has been filed by the police. We have sent the factual report to the Election Commission and necessary action will be taken," said P. Mohan Gandhi, District Electoral officer.

Reacting to the incident, BJP state President Dilip Ghosh said: "If the police have seized the money, there will be a case. The law will take its course".

In the Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency which votes on May 12, Ghosh is pitted against against Trinamool's celebrity candidate Deepak Adhikary alias Dev.

--IANS

bnd/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It was a moment that neither of them had looked forward to and, expectedly, one of them looked away when the moment came.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi was holding a roadshow in Sultanpur on Thursday evening for Congress candidate Sanjay Sinh when the convoy of BJP candidate Maneka Gandhi that was coming from the opposite direction got caught in the traffic jam.

While Maneka Gandhi chose to look away from her estranged niece, Priyanka Gandhi waved out - onlookers say that she waved to the crowds while Congress sources say that she waved out to her aunt.

Within minutes, the police cleared the road block and Maneka Gandhi's convoy moved on.

Later, when asked, Maneka Gandhi refused to comment on Priyanka Gandhi's presence in her constituency.

Priyanka Gandhi, however, told reporters that she was campaigning in favour of her party candidate and not against anyone.

The Gandhis have avoided campaigning against Maneka Gandhi and her son Varun Gandhi.

In 2014, when Varun Gandhi was contesting from Sultanpur, Priyanka Gandhi had only held a workers' meeting in Sultanpur, a video of which later went viral.

--IANS

amita/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police on Friday used tear smoke shells to disperse protesters blocking the Srinagar-Baramulla highway against the alleged rape of a 3-year-old girl in Bandipora district.

The police used smoke shells to disperse protesters at the Srinagar-Baramulla highway in Pattan town.

The protesters were demanding exemplary punishment on fast-track basis to the accused who allegedly raped the minor in Sumbal area of Bandipora district.

The police said the accused, Tahir Ahmad Mir of Trehgam village in Sumbal area, has already been arrested.

"An FIR, number 81/2019, under sections 363/342/376 RPC has been registered in this connection at Sumbal Police Station," said a police officer.

--IANS

sq/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tech giant Google on Friday said the company is looking forward to working with India's anti-trust regulator the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on issues related to the Android mobile operating system.

Reacting to a Reuters story that the CCI has ordered a probe into Google for alleged abuse of its popular Android OS to block rivals, the company said it is ready to allay any such fears.

"Android has enabled millions of Indians to connect to the Internet by making mobile devices more affordable," a Google spokesperson said in a statement shared with IANS.

"We look forward to working with the Competition Commission of India to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less," the spokesperson added.

Google last year filed an appeal with the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against a judgment by the fair trade regulator that fined the tech giant Rs 136.86 crore in February for abuse of its dominance and biased search practices in India.

The CCI verdict in February came in response to complaints filed by Matrimony.com and Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS), a consumer organisation, in 2012.

The competition watchdog said the penalty was being imposed on Google for "infringing anti-trust conduct".

The CCI said it imposed the fine after taking into account Google's revenue from its India operations only.

The European Union's antitrust regulators in March fined Google 1.49 billion euros ($1.7 billion) for abusing its dominance in the online search market by blocking rivals.

"Google has abused its market dominance by imposing a number of restrictive clauses in contracts with third-party websites which prevented Google's rivals from placing their search adverts on these websites," the European Commission (EC) had said in a statement.

--IANS

na/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Businessman Robert Vadra on Friday made a flying visit to Mumbai and offered prayers at the famous Mumbadevi Temple here.

As soon as Vadra arrived at the temple, a group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers started shouting, "Modi, Modi, Modi", "Modi Zindabad", "Bharat Mata Ki Jai." Some even tried to heckle him, but the police prevented any untoward incident.

The husband of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and the brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Vadra was accorded tight police security and was escorted both inside and outside the temple during his short visit.

"I have come here only to seek the blessings of the Goddess. I don't want any in the temple," Vadra told the waiting mediapersons near the temple.

Incidentally, in a Facebook post earlier on Friday, Vadra lamented that " was at an all-time low."

" at an all-time low. Desperate measures are visible. Hitting out at an assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to mislead the people of India," the post read.

"We the family will strive for his vision and the people of India will fight for his dignity and respect. It's only time for a respectful change in our country," it added.

--IANS

qn/arm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey has said that it was possible that the Russians have leverage over US President Donald Trump, the media reported.

When asked by CNN on Thursday if he thought that the Russians had leverage over President Trump, Comey first said that he "did not know the answer to that question", but when asked if it was possible, the former FBI chief said "yes".

Comey was speaking at a public forum two years after Trump had fired him, citing his handling of the probe into former presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.

The former FBI Director's comments come amid a looming constitutional battle between Trump and congressional Democrats over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The report found that no member of the Trump campaign had criminally conspired with the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election.

However, Mueller did detail multiple contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russians, and the Special Counsel wrote that the campaign did expect to benefit from Russia's actions surrounding the 2016 presidential election.

But no campaign officials took criminal steps to help.

Comey has been a frequent critic of the President, and said at a previous interview: "I don't believe (Trump) is morally fit to be President of the United States."

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice on the Madras High Court order that curbed the powers of Puducherry Lieutenant-Governor, Kiran Bedi, by not allowing her to meddle in day-to-day administrative affairs.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Bedi, informed the apex court that the Centre was willing to challenge the High Court's decision and sought an urgent listing of the matter.

Mehta, who was appearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said: "The governance has come to a standstill."

The Centre on Wednesday had sought an urgent hearing regarding the Madras High Court's decision.

The High Court in April held that the interference of the Lt Governor was equivalent to running a "parallel government".

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday struck down the Union Home Ministry's clarification order giving Bedi administrative power.

Deciding on the case filed by Puducherry Congress legislator K. Lakshminarayanan against Bedi, the High Court said the Lt. Governor had no power to interfere in the day-to-day activities of the government.

--IANS

ss/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to respond on a plea seeking guidelines on the regulation of uncertified and sexually explicit content being streamed on global online platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna issued notice after hearing the petitioner. Earlier, the plea was dismissed by the Delhi High Court on February 8. The petitioner had moved the apex court challenging the High Court order.

The petitioner, Justice for Rights Foundation through its advocate H.S. Hora stated that online streaming platforms do not have a licence to function, and the same argument was accepted by the ministries concerned in their response on the plea in the High Court.

According to the petitioner, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had said that for these streaming platforms, it is not mandatory to get a licence from the ministry. Later, the High Court dismissed the petition.

The plea said: "The said online platforms are displaying unlicensed, unregulated, uncertified content and collecting subscription amounts from Indian consumers whereas the content telecast on the online platforms is illegal to the extent that certain movies are banned under the provisions of the Indian Cinematograph Act."

Arguing in the High Court, the petitioner contended that series like "Sacred Games", "Game of Thrones" and "Spartacus", broadcast on platforms such as Netflix, contain sexually explicit content and depict women in objectionable manner.

The petitioner argues that the online content has not even passed by the Central Board for Film Certification.

Unlike the apex court, the High Court did not issue notice on the NGO's petition but had only sought the government's response.

The NGO, in its petition in the High Court, had claimed that online media streaming platforms, including Hotstar, show content which is not regulated and also not even certified for broadcast in public.

--IANS

ss/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to regularise nearly four lakh contractual teachers in Bihar while setting aside the Patna High Court order that had ruled that contractual teachers in government schools were entitled to salary at par with regular permanent teachers working in various government schools in Bihar.

A bench of Justices Abhay Manohar Sapre and Uday Umesh Lalit allowed Bihar government's plea challenging Patna High Court's order dated October 31, 2017 on equal pay for equal work to thousands of school teachers hired on contract in the state.

The court said that it the decision of the state government to maintain different identities of these two cadres-- government and contractual teachers -- was not found objectionable and further there could be inter se distinctions between these two cadres.

The court observed that there has been no violation of the rights of the contractual teachers nor has there been any discrimination against them.

"We do not find that the efforts on part of the state government could be labelled as unfair or discriminatory. Consequently, the submissions as to how the funds could and ought to be generated and what would be the burden on the state government and the Central government, do not arise for consideration," the court said.

The court noted that the pay structure given to the niyojit (contractual) teachers was definitely lower than what was given to government teachers but the number of government teachers was considerably lower than the number of 'niyojit' teachers.

The court noted that currently there are just about 66,000 government teachers in the state as against nearly 4 lakh 'niyojit' teachers.

There is scope for further appointment of about 1 lakh teachers which could mean that as against 5 lakh teachers the number of State Teachers would progressively be going down.

Appreciating the Bihar government for making great strides in the last decade, the court said the government has achieved the objectives of having schools in every neighbourhood.

--IANS

ak/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Delhi government on a plea challenging a plan to install CCTV cameras in schools in the national capital citing an adverse impact on the privacy of students, especially girls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked the Delhi government why it should not immediately stay the plan to install 1.46 lakh CCTVs in classrooms and labs of government schools.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Amber Tickoo, a 20-year-old law student at the National Law University, Delhi.

Advocates Jai Dehadrai and Srishti Kumar, representing Tickoo, told the court that the decision on installation of CCTV cameras in schools will adversely impact the privacy of students, especially girls, and female teachers.

The decision on CCTV installation was taken in an emergency meeting on September 11, 2017 by the Minister of purportedly on the grounds of incidents of child abuse in Delhi schools.

The government had made it mandatory for public-aided schools to follow the decision.

"There is a clear violation of the right to privacy of the students including young girls as also the teachers by subjecting them to constant surveillance," the petitioner said.

The advocates added that there was a hugely disconcerting effect that constant surveillance has on teachers and students.

The petitioner requested the court to set aside the Delhi government's decision on installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in government schools and providing online access to parents of the CCTV footage.

The petitioner's counsel said the decision was taken without undertaking any research and study into the ramifications of such a move.

The provision of data security as also the psychological impact of the installation on young children was not considered, they said.

Further, no consent of the parents or the teachers was considered before taking the decision, the plea said.

On December 11 2017, it was decided to provide online access to parents to see their child's classroom.

The petitioner said every action that a student undertakes will be oriented towards projecting a certain image to parents and the larger community which has access to the footage.

"Surveillance on teachers and children will have a chilling effect on the speech and expression of the individuals inside the classroom," the plea said.

The petitioner said the nature of learning itself is such that people allow themselves to experiment with their own personality and the pedagogy invites all participants into a transformational relationship with themselves, others and the curriculum.

Therefore, CCTVs will have a chilling effect on the growth and development of children, the petitioner said.

--IANS

ak/kr/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Georgian An-12 cargo aircraft was forced by IAF jets to land at Jaipur airport on Friday after it created alarm by entering Indian air space from an unscheduled point in north Gujarat, official sources said.

The aircraft, belonging to Ukrainian company MotorSich, was heading for Delhi from Karachi when it deviated from its scheduled flight path and did not respond to radio from Indian controllers and security agencies.

Since air routes in the area were closed due to the geopolitical situation between India and Pakistan, the aircraft's entry from an unscheduled point led to the Indian Air Force scrambling its air defence interceptors and they approached towards the unknown aircraft for investigation.

On visual contact, the aircraft was identified as Georgian An-12 flying at 27,000 feet, but it neither responded on the international distress frequency nor to visual signals. However, when challenged, the aircraft responded and informed that it was a non-scheduled flight that left Tbilisi (Georgia) for Delhi via Karachi.

However, it was escorted to Jaipur by the Indian Air Force and after it landed, its two pilots were being questioned by security agencies.

--IANS

arc

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
by Shafique Khokhar

The people arrested include a Chinese woman, who headed the syndicate, a Protestant clergymen and four others, all Christian. Young women were enticed to marry Chinese men on the promise of a better life, but ended up as prostitutes or forced to work. The Chinese woman paid for the fake marriage, but some money also went to the parents of would-be Pakistan brides.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews)  Six people accused of organising marriages between Pakistani Christian women and Chinese men have been arrested, and are waiting trial. After travelling China with their husbands, the brides ended up sold into prostitution in China.

The accused are Ms Candis, a Chinese national who headed the group, Rev Zahid, a Protestant clergyman, and four other people  Kashif, Qaisar, Janu and Parkash Masih  all Christian.

The arrests follow a complaint by Mushtaq Masih, whose daughter was taken to a restaurant in Faisalabad to marry a young Chinese man on the promise of a better life in China.

At the eatery, police found Rev Zahid had a fake marriage certificate. After they were questioned, the six were arrested on charges of human trafficking, fraud and forgery, and are currently in prison awaiting trial.

These arrests are the first on record, but the Catholic Church has complained for a long time about the problem of fake marriages between Pakistani women and Chinese men.

The police found that Ms Candis, the head of the group, worked together with Anas Butt (picture 2), a very influential Muslim figure, the son of a retired police officer. From Lahore, the two would get in touch with poor Christian women and girls in order to entice them to marry young Chinese men.

All the marriage expenses were borne by Candis, who also paid a substantial sum to would-be brides parents, telling them that their daughters would enjoy a prosperous married life.

Unlike the six, Anas Butt has not been arrested, and remains a powerful figure. Mehak Bibi, a Christian woman who married a Chinese man a few months ago, managed to escape from Lahore and return to Faisalabad to her family, and now refuses to go to China with her husband. Anas is making threatening phone calls to her and her family, telling them that they would suffer dire consequences if she did to return to her Chinese husband.

According to the police, 20 illegal marriages have taken place in Faisalabad so far; 18 are young women are Christian, two are Muslim.

Meanwhile, some media outlets have reported stories of poor young women and girls tricked by promises of a better life and ending up in China to be sold and forced into prostitution.

Shahid Anwar, diocesan coordinator for Justice and Peace in Faisalabad, told AsiaNews that the number of fake marriages between Chinese and Christian girls has gotten out of hand. Criminal gangs exploit poor Christian families and blind them with promises of money, then use the girls in the sex industry, forced labour and other humiliating situations.

Given the situation, "The Pakistani government and the Chinese consulate should take decisive action against this human trafficking, verifying visas and marriage certificates. For their part, civil society groups should raise awareness about human trafficking, especially involving children and religious minorities, who are the easiest victims."

Yasir Talib, a human rights activist, blames first and foremost Pastor Zahid (picture 3). "It is shameful that this man and his cronies play with their faith and accept to register fake marriages for money.

Talib and his partners work to raise awareness about the problem among Christian families. "We tell them that they must not be stupid, he said, falling into the hands of groups who tempt them to marry off their daughters to young Chinese men.

"The Chinese husbands even go through a church marriage, just to deceive. After marriage, they sell the daughters for huge sums of money. For them it is trade, but the lives and faith of these families are affected forever."
US President Donald Trump has said that former Secretary of State John Kerry should be prosecuted for discussing the 2015 nuclear deal with Iranian officials after leaving office.

Talking to reporters after an event on healthcare at the White House on Thursday, Trump accused Kerry of telling Iranian officials not to speak with members of the Trump administration, the Washington Post reported.

As (former) President Barack Obama's Secretary of State, Kerry helped craft the landmark nuclear deal, which Trump scrapped.

"I'd like to see - with Iran, I'd like to see them call me... You know, John Kerry speaks to them a lot. John Kerry tells them not to call. That's a violation of the Logan Act. And frankly, he should be prosecuted on that," Trump said.

Logan Act prohibits private citizens from negotiating on behalf of the US government without authorization.

"But my people don't want to do anything that's - only the Democrats do that kind of stuff, you know? If it were the opposite way, they'd prosecute him under the Logan Act," the President added.

Thursday appeared to be the first time when the President publicly acknowledged that he asked members of his administration to examine whether they could prosecute Kerry.

Kerry's spokesman Matt Summers disputed the President's accusations and urged him to "focus on solving foreign-policy problems for America instead of attacking his predecessors for theatre".

In a radio interview in September, Kerry had said he met Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif "three or four times" since leaving office and that their discussions included the Iran nuclear deal.

Kerry also defended the meetings in an interview that month on Fox News Channel, stating that "every Secretary of State, former Secretary of State, continues to meet foreign leaders".

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has downplayed the prospect of achieving a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea hours after Pyongyang launched its second suspected missile launch in less than a week.

"I don't think they're ready to negotiate," CNN quoted Trump as saying from the White House on Thursday.

"We're looking at it very seriously right now," the President said of the latest North Korean launch. "Nobody's happy about it."

Earlier on Thursday, North Korea launched two suspected "short-range missiles", the South Korean military confirmed.

The latest provocation comes after North Korea tested several new weapons systems late last week. They were the first confirmed launches of their kind since 2017.

Despite the setbacks, Trump said on Thursday that "the relationship continues".

Just prior to the President's remarks, the US Justice Department announced that it had seized a North Korean cargo ship, alleging sanctions violations by the country.

The ship, the M/V Wise Honest, was "used to illicitly ship coal from North Korea and to deliver heavy machinery to (North Korea)", the Department said, alleging that "payments for maintenance, equipment, and improvements of the Wise Honest were made in US dollars through unwitting US banks".

"This conduct violates longstanding US law and United Nations Security Council resolutions," it added.

Thursday's developments are the latest sign of deterioration in the fragile negotiations between the US and North Korea following the failed summit between Trump and Pyongyang's Kim Jong-un in February.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Twitter suspended 166,513 accounts for promoting terrorism in the July-December 2018 period, saying there's a steady decrease in terrorist groups trying to use the platform owing to its "zero-tolerance policy enforcement".

According to Vijaya Gadde, Legal, Policy and Trust and Safety Lead at Twitter, there is a reduction of 19 per cent terror-related tweets from the previous reporting period (January-June 2018).

"Of those suspensions, 91 per cent consisted of accounts flagged by internal, purpose-built technological tools," she said in a blog post late Thursday.

Twitter said that in the majority of cases, it took action at the account setup stage -- before the account even Tweets.

"We have received government information requests from 86 countries. The US now comprises only 30 per cent of global government information requests and 35 per cent of all global accounts specified in the same category," informed Gadde.

The second highest volume of information requests were submitted by Japan (24 per cent of global information requests).

Requests from the UK (13 per cent), India (6 per cent), Germany (6 per cent) and France (5 per cent) together account for 30 percent of all global information requests, and 29 per cent of all global accounts specified.

"We received roughly 8 per cent fewer global legal requests to remove content, impacting approximately 2 per cent fewer accounts, compared to the previous reporting period," said Gadde.

Twitter received legal requests specifying 27,283 accounts from 48 countries, including Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia and Slovenia for the first time.

"Nearly 74 per cent of the total global volume of legal requests to remove content originated from only two countries: Russia and Turkey," said the company.

During the reporting period, Twitter suspended a total of 456,989 unique accounts for violations related to child sexual exploitation, which is down 6 per cent from the previous reporting period.

Of those unique accounts suspended, 96 per cent were surfaced by a combination of technology solutions, including PhotoDNA and internal proprietary tools.

"Proactive challenges of accounts for spammy behaviour and platform manipulation have decreased by 17 per cent in the second half of 2018 versus the first half -- totalling 194 million challenges in the second half of 2018," said Gadde.

Approximately 75 per cent were subsequently automatically removed after failing Twitter's account challenge process.

--IANS

na/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN on Friday criticized the Myanmar government for detaining dozens of people in restive Rakhine over their suspected links with rebels in the western state.

"We are deeply concerned about possibly 40 to 50 ethnic Rakhine boys and men who reportedly remain detained since April 30 in a school ... where six detainees were killed on May 2 by the Myanmar Army," said a statement from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

On April 30, the Myanmar Army had detained 275 suspects in Kyauk Tan village, who were accused of collaborating with rebels of the Arakan Army, an ethno-nationalist rebel group of the Rakhine minority.

The group has been fighting against the Myanmar government, seeking autonomy for the region and has intensified clashes with the armed forces in western parts of the country since December, Efe news reported.

The mass detention came two weeks after the Arakan Army attacked two bases of the Myanmar military.

The Army later surrounded the village and forced all males above 15 to report to local schools, where they were allegedly mistreated and detained, before being released in groups. But 50 of them were held back, the report said.

On May 2, the Myanmar Army reported that soldiers in the area opened fire on the detainees, killing six and injuring eight, when they allegedly tried to seize their guns. But other sources have questioned this account.

"They (other sources) say that the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) opened fire indiscriminately after one of the detainees tried to escape. The Army says it has launched an investigation into the incident. After the shooting, the bodies of the six men were reportedly laid out in full view of the village which, as of yesterday, remained surrounded by the military and was said to be running out of food," the UN statement said.

The Arakan Army, one of the many armed rebel groups in Myanmar, was founded in 2009 by a handful of nationalist students of the Rakhine ethnicity - a minority which follows Buddhism and is primarily settled in the Rakhine province - with an estimated current strength of 7,000 guerrillas.

More than 33,000 people have been displaced during the last four months in clashes between the Arakan Army and the military, according to the UN.

This displacement comes as an addition to that of at least 128,000 displaced members of the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority.

Rohingyas are denied citizenship by Myanmar and have been forced to live in refugee camps since 2012 after a wave of sectarian violence between the Rakhine and Rohingya communities.

--IANS

soni/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday decided to hold its 2020 high-level conference early June in Portugal's Lisbon to support the sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.

The UNGA "decides to convene the high-level 2020 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development in Lisbon, from June 2 to 6, 2020," according to a resolution adopted by the 80th plenary meeting of the UNGA 73rd session.

The UNGA also decided that the conference shall "involve all relevant stakeholders," bringing together governments, the UN system, intergovernmental organizations and all other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken toward, the implementation of Goal 14, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The UNGA "decides that the overarching theme of the conference shall be "scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions."

--IANS

rs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the trend of India and the US intensifying naval links to protect maritime freedom in the Indo-Pacific region, the US Navy chief will visit India next week, four days after the Indian Navy ships concluded exercises with the US and its allies in the South China Sea.

During his visit scheduled from May 12 to 14, Admiral John Richardson will meet Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba and other senior Navy, military,and national security officials, the US Navy announced on Thursday.

India and the US share the vital interest of keeping the Indo-Pacific region open for trade for security while China is flexing its military muscles on the oceans.

"The strategic environment is becoming more complex and the nature of our shared challenges requires frequent discussion of our views of the maritime domain and how best our two navies can operate in line with our respective objectives," Richardson said in the US Navy statement.

"The visit aims to further strengthenthe strategic partnership between the two navies by emphasising the importance of information sharing and exchange."

Recent weeks have seen a flurry of naval activity and other nations that share its interests in the region.

On Wednesday, the destroyer INS Kolkata and tanker INS Shakti concluded a week of exercises with the navies of the US, Japan and the Philippines in the international waters off the South China sea, according to the US Navy.

Both the Philippines and Japan are involved in disputes with China in the region.

Separately, India has held bilateral naval exercises with Japan and the US in recent weeks.

India and the US had also held a joint submarine-hunting exercise in the Indian Ocean on April 15.

The Indian Navy and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force, as its navy is officially known, conducted a joint anti-submarine exercise off the coast of Goa on April 24.

In the South China Sea this week, ships from the four countries "conducted formation exercises, communication drills, passenger transfers and held a leadership exchange aboard (Japan's) JS Izumo", the US Navy 7th Fleet said.

The other ships in the exercise were the USS William P. Lawrence; Japan's helicopter-carrier JS Izumo and destroyer JS Murasame, and Philippine Navy patrol ship BRP Andres Bonifacio.

The US Navy statement quoted Japan's Rear Admiral Hiroshi Egawa as saying the exercise "served as a way to enhance peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region".

US Navy Commander Andrew J. Klug said: "Professional engagements with our allies, partners and friends in the region are opportunities to build upon our existing, strong relationships, as well as learn from each other."

The US and India started holding a naval exercise call Malabar since 1992 and Japan became its permanent member in the annual exercises starting in 2015. The latest Malabar exercise was held last June in the Philippine Sea.

India also holds naval exercises with another country in the region, Australia. They held their third biennial exercise AUSINDEX off the Visakhapatnam coast.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

--IANS

al/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US on Friday has more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, in a sharp escalation of their damaging trade war, the Chinese government has confirmed.

"The US has raised the tariff on $200 billion of Chinese exports to the US from 10 per cent to 25 per cent," China's Commerce Ministry said on its website.

"It is hoped that the US and the Chinese side will work together... to resolve existing problems through cooperation and consultation."

Meanwhile, a Chinese delegation who is currently in Washington for the 11th round of high-level economic and trade consultations with American officials, said that Beijing "deeply regrets" that the US has increased the additional tariffs, Xinhua news agency reported.

China will have to take necessary countermeasures, the delegation, led by Vice Premier Liu He, said.

With this round of talks still ongoing, Beijing hopes that the US can meet China halfway, and that the two sides will make joint efforts to resolve existing problems through cooperation and consultation, it added.

Chinese stock markets were little changed after the tariffs came into force, with the Hang Seng index trading up 0.6 per cent and the Shanghai Composite 1.5 per cent higher.

The tariffs come after US President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to raise tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods.

The American and Chinese negotiators met on Thursday evening but failed to produce an agreement to forestall the higher levies and to end a tit-for-tat trade war.

However, the White House said talks would continue on Friday, said The New York Times.

"This evening, Ambassador (Robert E.) Lightizer and Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin met with President Trump to discuss the ongoing trade negotiations with China. The Ambassador and Secretary then had a working dinner with Vice Premier Liu He, and agreed to continue discussions," it added.

The 10 per cent duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese products - including fish, handbags, clothing and footwear - were due to rise at the start of the year, but it was delayed as negotiations advanced since agreeing on a truce last December.

Before the trade talks began on Thursday evening, Trump earlier in the day said that he had received a "beautiful letter" from Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and that they would probably speak by phone.

Both sides have already imposed tariffs on billions of dollars worth of one another's goods, the BBC reported.

Last year, the US slapped duties on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods and China levelled duties on $110 billion of US products.

--IANS

ksk

(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.)
US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods will increase on Friday after a pivotal round of trade talks between Washington and Beijing failed to produce an agreement to forestall the higher levies and to end a tit-for-tat trade war.

The meeting between on Thursday evening comes after President Donald Trump had announced in a tweet on Sunday promising to raise tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods. The president has also threatened to extend tariffs to all $540 billion in annual Chinese imports.

The White House said talks would continue on Friday between top Trump administration officials and Chinese negotiators, said The New York Times.

"This evening, Ambassador (Robert E.) Lightizer and Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin met with President Trump to discuss the ongoing trade negotiations with China. The Ambassador and Secretary then had a working dinner with Vice Premier Liu He, and agreed to continue discussions," the White House said in a statement.

Lighthizer, the chief US trade negotiator, began the talks shortly after 5 p.m. on Thursday with China's Liu to continue negotiations aimed at a comprehensive deal, The Washington Post reported.

Those talks had been proceeding smoothly, with US officials predicting a final accord could be agreed to as soon as this week.

But Chinese officials balked at specifying in the agreement which laws would be amended to address US concerns over forced technology transfer and intellectual property protection.

Earlier on Thursday, President Donald Trump vacillated between threatening China and suggesting a deal could still happen.

Trump said that he had received a "beautiful letter" from President Xi Jinping of China and would probably speak to him by phone, but said he was more than happy to keep hitting Beijing with tariffs.

"I have no idea what's going to happen," he said.

"They'll see what they can do, but our alternative is, is an excellent one," Trump added, noting that American tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese products were bringing "billions" in to the US government.

Liu, speaking upon his arrival in Washington D.C. on Thursday morning, said: "Much to our regret, we had some problems during our negotiation... China believes that raising tariffs is not a solution to the problems."

China, which has already placed tariffs on nearly all of America's exports, including agriculture products, has vowed to retaliate "in kind" and threatened to respond with additional "countermeasures" if the 25 per cent rate kicks in.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh ranks at the top when it comes to violation of the model code of conduct in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Of the total 507 instances of violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) reported across the country, 139 cases have been reported from Uttar Pradesh alone.

The maximum violations - 28 - took place in Ferozabad where the BJP alone was responsible for a record 13 such violations, Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi party (Lohia) violated the model code seven times and the SP-BSP alliance six times.

Rampur ranked second with 24 violations with SP candidate Mohd Azam Khan's 'khaki underwear' remark hitting national headlines.

BJP candidate in Rampur Jaya Prada also violated the model code five times but did not find a mention in the media.

These include delivering an inflammatory speech, inaugurating a road, distributing money, sweets and toffees and using a BJP flag on her car which was not permitted.

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also violated the model code twice in Rampur - once referring to his SP opponent Azam Khan as "Mogambo and khalnayak".

Uttar Pradesh Minister Baldev Singh Aulakh also delivered an inflammatory speech against Mohd Azam Khan in Rampur and was booked.

The BJP's Badaun candidate, Sanghmitra Maurya, violated the model code thrice while campaigning in Sambhal where she asked her supporters to cast fake votes.

Her father and Uttar Pradesh Minister Swami Prasad Maurya also violated the model code in Sambhal by describing BSP President Mayawati as corrupt. Before he shifted to the BJP before the 2017 Assembly elections, he was Mayawati's closest aide.

The Election Commission's website shows the status of 101 of the 139 Uttar Pradesh 'initial scrutiny'.

The sole case has been decided is the one that relates to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's speech in Ghaziabad on March 31, 2019 in which he called the armed forces as "Modiji ke sena".

He was asked by the Election C not to repeat such statements.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral officer L. Venkateshwarlu said that there were no pending cases of code violations in UP.

--IANS

amita/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attempt to link Rajiv Gandhi with the anti-Sikh 1984 riots, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday drew a comparison with the Godhra massacre, which took place under Modi was Gujarat Chief Minister.

It was wrong of Modi to connect Rajiv Gandhi with the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, Amarinder Singh told reporters here

"What if someone starts linking Modi with Godhra?" he asked, adding that it did not behove the Prime Minister to stoop to such levels to win an election.

Expressing himself in total disagreement with Congress leader Sam Pitroda's controversial remarks "if the 1984 riots happened, they happened, so what", the Chief Minister said if Pitroda had actually said this, it was shocking.

"The 1984 riots were a big tragedy and justice had yet not been meted out to the victims. If some individual leaders were allegedly involved in the riots, they should be punished as per law," he said.

He said since the riots had happened, he had been saying that he had heard accusations about the involvement of Sajjan Kumar, H.K.L. Bhagat, Dharam Das Shastri, Lalit Maken and Arjun Das, and, till date, he stands by his statement.

However, he asserted the involvement of some individuals linked to the Congress did not mean Modi could try to implicate Rajiv Gandhi or the Congress party in the riots.

By the same yardstick, Modi should also have been implicated in the Godhra attack, he added, asking the Prime Minister to refrain from undermining the prestige of his position with such "crude and baseless statements".

Modi should not forget that names of several BJP and RSS leaders had figured in the FIRs in the 1984 riots,the Chief Minister said, calling for action, as per the law, against all those found responsible for the mayhem unleashed on innocent Sikhs.

He said Modi was unnecessarily dragging Rajiv Gandhi's name to court controversies and divert attention, with his lies, from the real issues.

The Prime Minister had not uttered a single word on the work done by his government in the past five years, he pointed out, adding that Modi and his BJP had been totally exposed and were now grabbing at straws in their desperation to get back into the elections.

Responding to a question on the Balakot airstrikes, the Chief Minister said while all Punjabis appreciated the role of the defence forces, nobody in the state, which shares over 500 km of the international border with Pakistan, wants war.

Reiterating his happiness at the decision to open the Kartarpur Corridor, Amarinder Singh once again advised caution against the ISI and its intentions.

The fact that Pakistan army General Javed Bajwa had told visiting Congress leader Navjot Sidhu about the opening of the corridor even before Imran Khan was sworn in as their Prime Minister clearly showed it was an ISI gameplan, he warned.

Both India and Punjab would have to be careful in handling the situation, he said, but reiterated that he would go to Kartarpur with the first 'jatha' to fulfil his long-cherished desire to visit the historic gurdwara where Sikhism founder, Guru Nanak, spent his last years.

--IANS

vg/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A large number of women activists and lawyers were on Friday detained and taken to the Mandir Marg police station while they protested against the clean chit given to Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in a sexual harassment probe.

The protesters, who started their protest from Mandi House in the heart of the city, wanted to march to the Supreme Court.

A protester, Anjali Bhardwaj, said: "Police did not lets us march to Supreme Court against the supreme injustice in the case of sexual harassment against CJI. We condemn the hearing in which a CJI-led over bench made remarks against the woman complainant. Are judges above the law?"

A former Supreme Court employee has accused Justice Gogoi of sexually assaulting her. An in-hour court panel had cleared the CJI of the charges.

--IANS

sp/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Twelve years after the anti-land acquisition movement changed the political landscape of West Bengal when the three-decade-long Left rule ended and the TMC came to power, many locals in the cradle of change, Nandigram, feel "disenchanted and forgotten" and are yearning for another change.

Nandigram in East Midnapore district along with Singur in Hoogly district, were considered to be two pillars which laid the foundation of the TMC government led by Mamata Banerjee in 2011.

But now, many people here not only feel disenchanted but also betrayed as they count on the losses of the violent anti-land acquisition.

Nandigram falls under Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency and will go to polls on May 12.

The bloody agitation over land acquisition for a 14,000-acre chemical hub project by Indonesia's Salim Group which started in January 2007 led to the death of 14 people in police firing in March during the then Left Front government's rule. Riding on anti-land acquisition protests, the TMC dislodged the 34-year-old Left Front government from Bengal in 2011.

But eight years down the line, social disparity, development and fortune for a "selected few" have not only angered the locals but also forced some to think of an alternative.

"What did we get out of the anti-land acquisition movement? We were used as pawns in TMC's political fight. We still live in abject poverty. Had there been an industry, we would have got jobs," says Haripada Mondal, a sharecropper who was part of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) when it was formed in 2007 to protest against the land acquisition.

The BUPC was backed by the Trinamool Congress. After the TMC came to power most of BUPC's leaders joined the party.

Mondal represents more than 80 per cent of farmers of Nandigram who are marginal and engaged in subsistence agriculture and earn Rs 200 daily. They live in abject poverty, with most of their children venturing out of the state in search of jobs in Gujarat, Mumbai, and Odisha.

But the picture is different for the rest of the 20 per cent of farmers' large landholding, who have doubled their income in the last few years by engaging in shrimp farming. Co-incidentally, most of these farmers are active supporters of the TMC in the area.

The farmers with large landholding have converted their agricultural land in water bodies and have started shrimp farming since 2012 leading to huge profits.

"Most of them who now roam around in SUV cars and have made three-storey buildings, earlier used to had a tough time in getting two square meals a day. Where from did they get so much money? We feel betrayed," says a farmer, pointing at the house of a local TMC leader.

Although there has been development in the area such as readily available drinking water, 100 per cent electrification, bridges, metalled roads, hospitals and schools, but the alleged corruption by some TMC leaders seems to have angered the masses.

"Almost all the local TMC leaders are now leading a lavish lifestyle. Where from are they getting so much money? Our living standards have not changed much. To avail government benefits we have to bribe local TMC leaders. Did we fight against CPI(M) for this day," says Rezaul, a local shop owner of nearby Khejuri block, which too saw action during the heydays of the movement.

The local TMC leadership dubbed the anger of masses as nothing but a result of "false propaganda by the BJP and the CPI (M) in the area".

This anger against the local TMC leadership in the last few years may come as a positive for BJP in the East Midnapore district, which has two Lok Sabha seats Tamluk and Kanthi.

"It is a baseless allegation against TMC. We have worked tirelessly for the development of the area. We will defeat this propaganda and win with a much higher margin," says Dibyendu Adhikari, TMC candidate from the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat.

The BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha polls secured 6 per cent votes in Tamluk but in 2016 during a bypoll in this seat, the saffron party secured nearly 16 per cent votes.

In nearby Kanthi South assembly constituency bypoll, the BJP increased its vote share by leaps and bounds from 8 per cent in 2016 to 31 per cent in 2017. In last year's panchayat polls too, the BJP made some nominal gains in the face of complete whitewash by the TMC in the polls.

Local TMC MLA and state minister Suvedu Adhikari, one of the main architects of the Nandigram movement, says the party has nothing to worry as its vote share is intact.

"It is CPI (M) which is losing its votes to BJP. If CPI (M) can't hold on to its support base, then it is not our fault," Adhikari, who is also a former MP from this seat (2009-2014), told PTI.

According to the BJP leadership, in order to stall its growth, the TMC had allowed the CPI(M) to reopen its party offices in Nandigram after a gap of 12 years. The allegation has been denied by both the TMC and the CPI(M).

"It's an open secret that TMC is helping CPI(M) in the area to cut into anti-TMC votes. But it will not help TMC rather it would do more damage as people would get to see their true colours -- joining hands with CPI(M), the architects of Nandigram carnage," says BJP state president Dilip Ghosh.

The local CPI(M) leadership, however, dubbed the reopening of its party office in the area a result of its regaining its ground in the district, once an impregnable Left bastion.

The Congress has fielded expelled CPI (M) leader Lakshman Seth, a three-time MP from this seat, who had recently joined the party after a short tenure in BJP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed the plea of a convict, who was awarded life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, seeking interim suspension of his sentence on medical grounds.

A division bench headed by Justice Siddharth Mridul took note of the medical report provided by the jail authorities regarding the health condition of convict Naresh Sehrawat and refused to grant him the relief.

It noted that as per the medical report, the condition of the convict was stable and he was being treated by authorities in jail hospital.

The convict had claimed that his liver was 90 per cent damaged and sought interim suspension of the sentence.

The court had earlier asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the state, represented through advocate Kamna Vohra, to respond to the plea. The SIT was also asked to verify the documents given by Sehrawat in support of his medical condition.

A trial court had awarded life term to Sherawat in a case related to the killing of two men in New Delhi during the 1984 riots -- the first convictions in the cases reopened by the SIT.

It had also awarded capital punishment to co-convict Yashpal Singh in the case.

The appeals of both the convicts, against their conviction and sentence by the trial court as well as the death reference of Yashpal, are pending in the high court.

The court had earlier issued notice to Yashpal on the reference to confirm his death sentence.

The Delhi Police had closed the case in 1994 for want of evidence, but it was reopened by the SIT.

The SIT is investigating nearly 60 cases related to the riots, while it has filed "untraced report" in 52 cases.

While this was the first death penalty after the SIT was formed, one Kishori was earlier given the death penalty by a trial court in as many as seven anti-Sikh riots cases.

However, the Delhi High Court confirmed death penalty only in three cases, which were later commuted to life term by the apex court.

As per the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the death penalty cannot be executed unless confirmed by the high court.

The court had spared convict Sherawat the gallows on medical grounds.

It had convicted Yashpal and Sherawat for killing Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh in Mahipalpur area of South Delhi on November 1, 1984 during the riots that had taken place after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at her residence by two Sikh bodyguards a day before.

The case was lodged on a complaint by victim Hardev's brother Santokh Singh.

The trial court had held both the accused guilty for the offences of murder, attempt to murder, dacoity and voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means under the IPC.

A mob of about 500 persons, led by the two convicts, had encircled the house of the victims and had killed them. It was just one of the incidents in Delhi alone witnessed during the riots that saw around 3,000 people being killed.

Of the 650 cases registered in connection with the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, 267 were closed as untraced by the Delhi Police. Of these 267 cases, five were later taken up by the CBI. The SIT also scrutinised records of 18 cancelled cases.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three labourers died of suffocation while cleaning the sewage treatment plant (STP) of a housing complex here shortly after midnight Friday, civic officials said.

A total of eight labourers were involved in the STP cleaning operation in the complex in Kapurbawdi when they got stuck inside the plant, said Santosh Kadam, chief of the Regional Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).

Five of them were rescued by fire brigade personnel, while the remaining three choked to death at around 12.30 am, he said.

Kadam said the deceased were identified as Amit Puhal, 20, Aman Badal, 21 and Ajay Bumbak, 24.

The rescued workers were admitted to a government hospital for treatment, he said.

The Kapurbawdi police have registered a case of accidental death and sent the bodies for a postmortem, civic officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thirty-five people, including 25 women, were detained Friday for trying to carry out a protest march at Mandi House against the enquiry procedure adopted in the sexual harassment complaint against CJI Ranjan Gogoi, a senior police officer said.

Heavy police force was deployed in the area in view of the protest which was organised by several women organisations. They were taken to the Mandir Marg police station, the officer said.

On Wednesday, 17 women were detained while they were protesting in Connaught Place.

Gogoi on Monday got a clean chit from the apex court's In-House Inquiry Committee which "has found no substance" in the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by a former woman employee of the Supreme Court.

Raising objection to the clean chit given to Gogoi, several protesters, mainly women, holding banners were protesting at Gate No 7 of the Connaught place metro station.

They were asked to protest at Jantar Mantar but they continued to protest at Connaught place. Seventeen women were detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station. However, they were released later, police had said.

That came a day after 55 protesters, mostly women lawyers and activists, were detained outside the Supreme Court here.

Activist Annie Raja said the complete negation and violation of legal procedure and existing rules of law is unacceptable.

"It will set a precedent that will have a very dangerous impact in the coming year," she added.

The three-member committee, which completed its task in 14 days, proceeded ex-parte as the woman had opted out of the inquiry on April 30 after participating for three days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four persons were arrested on Friday from different places in the country for allegedly trafficking drugs, police said.

Bijaya Mahato, 25, was arrested with 4 kg of hemp from Parsa village council of Sarlahi district.

Police have recovered hemp hidden in his bag when he riding a bicycle near Nepal-India border in Sarlahi district, they said.

In the second incident, a 32-year-old man, Salikram was arrested from Birgunj Municipality of Parsa district with 20 ampules of diazepam, 20 ampules of Phenargan, and 20 ampules of Nurphin, police said.

He was nabbed while travelling on foot towards Nepal from India carrying the narcotic drugs.

In the third incident, Sanokanchha Yonjan, 33 and Paran Sahani, 34, along with 100 kg of hemp and a compressor machine used in hemp processing, were arrested, a p[olice official said.

The police have initiated probe into the cases, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top commander in Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard said Friday that Tehran will not talk with the United States, an Iranian agency reported a day after President Donald Trump said he'd like Iranian leaders to "call me."



The semi-official Tasnim agency quoted Gen Yadollah Javani as saying that "there will be no negotiations with America." The Iranian commander also claimed the US would not dare take military action against Iran but did not elaborate.

The verbal exchange comes as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration sent the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber squadron to the region in response to unspecified threats by Iran against American interests.

And on Wednesday, Iran threatened to renew some nuclear enrichment that had been halted under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers a year after Trump pulled America from the accord, saying it does nothing to stop Iran from developing missiles or destabilising the Middle East.

But in a softer approach, Trump told reporters on Thursday at the White House: "What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me." Shortly after Trump spoke, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a written statement that reinforced Trump's tone.

After repeating the administration's complaints about Iran, including what he called "40 years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities and taking American hostages," Pompeo appealed to "those in Tehran who see a path to a prosperous future" through modifying their government's behaviour.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday gave European leaders a 60-day deadline to find a way to shield Iran from U.S. sanctions targeting its economy and oil industry. Otherwise, he said Tehran would begin to enrich uranium at levels closer to weapons-grade levels.

The following day, the European Union urged Iran to respect the international agreement curbing the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions, and added that the bloc aims to continue trading with the country despite US sanctions.

The Europeans insist the pact is an important pillar of regional and global security but have struggled to preserve the increasingly unravelling accord.

Iran's National Security Council spokesman Keyvan Khosravi was quoted Friday as saying that Iran stands firm to withdraw from the deal unless a beneficial agreement can be reached with the EU.

Thousands of Iranians rallied after Friday prayers in support of Iran's ultimatum, many chanting traditional anti-US slogans of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."



The Trump administration has not offered specific details of the threat allegedly presented by Iran that prompted the US to dispatch the aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Mideast.

The B-52 bombers arrived at an American air base in Qatar, the US Air Force acknowledged Friday. Images released by the US Air Force's Central Command show B-52H Stratofortress bombers arriving at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Thursday night.

Others landed at an undisclosed location Wednesday in "southwest Asia," the Air Force said. The US military in the past has described its presence at both the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates and Al Udeid as "southwest Asia." The Air Force identified the aircraft as coming from the 20th Bomb Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

The USS Abraham Lincoln passed through the Suez Canal on Thursday on its way to the Persian Gulf.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Nagpur district court on Friday acquitted all persons accused of torching a police post and vehicles here during the protests following the murder of a Dalit family.

On September 29, 2006, four members of the Bhotmange family were murdered in Khairlanji village in Bhandara district of Maharashtra, leading to massive protests across the state.

On November 6 that year, several persons, taking part in a protest against the Khairlanji incident, torched a police post and vehicles in Indora in north Nagpur.

Several of them were later booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code by the Jaripatka police station.

The counsel for the accused, Lubesh Meshram and public prosecutor Ravindra Bhoyar told PTI that all were acquitted due to lack of circumstantial evidences and witnesses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National SC/ST Commission Vice Chairman L Murgan on Friday recommended that an FIR be registered against police officers whose alleged negligence led to delay in action in the Alwar gang rape case.

Murgan along with Commission secretary Pritam Singh, Rajasthan Chief Secretary D B Gupta and DGP Kapil Garg held a meeting in Alwar to review the progress in the case, which has triggered wide-spread outrage in Rajasthan.

"I have asked that negligent police officers should be booked under section 4 of SC/ST Act, charge sheet should be filed within 15 days and the case should be monitored on a daily basis. The family has demanded government job. I have asked the district magistrate to see how it can be provided, Murgan told reporters in Alwar after the meeting.

The victim's husband had claimed that he had approached the police on April 26 after the incident, but an FIR was filed on May 2. He had alleged that the police did not take action saying that they were busy with elections.

On Tuesday night, the Rajasthan government removed Alwar Superintendent of Police Rajiv Pachar and suspended SHO of the Thanagazi police station Sardar Singh while four policemen were taken off active duty.

Murgan said that a compensation of Rs 4,12,500 has been paid to the woman victim apart from Rs 50,000 provided by the women and child development department.

The victim's family submitted a memorandum for speedy trial, compensation and government job. The Commission has also asked the state government to check how the victim's husband can be provided compensation under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he added.

Meanwhile, protests continued in parts of the state including in Makrana of Nagaur district and Kota where people demanded strict action against the accused.

Police have arrested all six accused -- Indra Raj Gurjar, Mahesh Gurjar, Ashok Gurjar, Hansraj Gurjar, Chhote Lal Gurjar and Mukesh Gurjar -- on charges of gang rape and filming the crime.

On April 26, the victim was riding pillion on a motorcycle with her husband when the accused, who were on two bikes, accosted them at Thanagazi-Alwar bypass and took them to an isolated place off. They allegedly beat up the husband and raped her in front of him, threatening them of dire consequences.

Mukesh Gurjar allegedly filmed the incident in his mobile phone. The victims went to the police when the accused demanded money for not circulating the video on social media, but the FIR was lodged only on May 2.

With the Congress government in the state facing flak over the incident, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the culprits of the heinous crime will not be spared and speedy trial will be ensured.

He said that the state government will make arrangements that an FIR can be filed at the Superintendent of Police (SP) office itself if the SHO concerned does not file the first information report and investigate complaints.

We are going to take an important decision that if an SHO doesn't file FIR then there will be a provision that FIR can be filed at SP office and it will be monitored why the FIR was not filed at the police station concerned and action will be taken.

"Steps will be taken so that crime rate reduces in the state, Gehlot told reporters in Jaipur.

He said that a committee has been constituted to investigate the matter and lapses that occurred.

Action will be taken based on the inquiry report against the officers, the chief minister said.

Gehlot also said that the state government will appoint a Circle Officer (CO) rank official to look into the case of crime against women in the state for effective monitoring and speedy investigation.

Rajasthan Chief Secretary D.B Gupta said that action will be taken after committees constituted to investigate the matter submit their reports.

Jaipur Divisional Commissioner and DIG vigilance have been asked to probe the matter separately. They have been asked to submit report in 10 days. Further action will be taken after the report, Gupta said.

Three rape incidents have been reported from parts of Alwar district in the last fortnight.

On Tuesday, a 40-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped inside the Community Health Centre (CHC) by an ambulance driver and a compounder at Kathumar. The district police received the complaint about the gangrape on Thursday.

As per the FIR, on Tuesday night, ambulance driver Ram Niwas Gujjar locked the door of the delivery room from inside, gagged the victim with a piece of cloth before he and compounder Girja Prasad allegedly raped her.

On Tuesday, a 20-year-old woman had lodged a complaint that she was allegedly kidnapped, drugged and gang raped by three men in Alwar's Thana Gazi police station area. She was held captive at different places for four days, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As his "so what" remarks on anti-Sikh riots kicked up a storm, senior leader on Friday accused the of "distorting the truth" and said things of the past are not relevant in this election.

"I have noticed how is again twisting three words from my interview to distort facts, divide us and hide their failures. Sad that they have nothing positive to offer,"said Pitroda.

"I acknowledged the pain of my Sikh brothers and sisters during difficult times in 1984 and deeply feel for the atrocities that happened," he said.

"But these are things from the past that are not really relevant to this election which is all about what did the Modi government do for the last five years. Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will never target a group of people based on creed," he added.

Pitroda, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Overseas head had on Thursday reportedly stated, "So what, it happened" about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

He said the is talking about these issues and attacking leaders with "lies" because they cannot talk about their performance and have no vision to take India forward with inclusive growth and prosperity for all, with a focus on jobs, kids and more jobs.

"Truth is being distorted, lies are being amplified through social media. People are systematically being intimidated. However, truth will always prevail and lies will be exposed. It is just a matter of time. Have patience," he said.

"For all those who would be voting on May 12th and 19th I want to remind that the phones and computers you use is because PM Rajiv Gandhi in mid 1980s provided political will, policies, leadership, wisdom and needed funding to build foundation & platform to connect india," he said.

"Rajiv Gandhi took many bold initiatives to plant seeds for technology missions on water, literacy, immunization, cooking oil, milk production,and telecom. Today we have eradicated polio and we are the largest producer of milk. He introduced Panchayati Raj and many novel schemes," he added.

Pitroda also said that Rajiv Gandhi believed in promoting and investing in Science and Technology and he regularly spent quality time with scientific advisory council to the PM and scientists. "He initiated India's super computer work at C-DAC and established TIFAC," he stated.

In reply to a tweet, he said, "You accused Nehru, people realized the truth. You accused Indira, people realized the truth. Now accusing Rajiv as none is left and people already know the truth, that 'Feku' cannot be true."
The BJP on Friday demanded that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi apologise to the Sikh community "with folded hands" for 1984 riots, immediately sack Sam Pitroda and accept that the Congress "got people massacred for selfish reasons".

Addressing a press conference where Nirpreet Kaur, a witness to the attacks, was present, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the language used by Pitroda is comparable only to the "insensitive, inhuman" remark made by Rajiv Gandhi who in the aftermath of the "genocide" said that "when a big tree falls, the earth shakes."



Patra was referring Pitroda's remark "hua to hua" (what has happened has happened) in reference to the anti-Sikh riots. Pitroda is the chief of Indian Overseas Congress.

"If someone should apologise for this it is the former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the present president Rahul Gandhi who should come in front of the Sikh community with folded hands and remove Sam Pitroda from the party. They should also accept that the Congress got people massacred for its selfish gains," said Patra at a press conference here.

The riots were a pre-planned attack on the community, Patra alleged, adding that Congress workers took out the names of Sikh residents from ration cards, school registration forms and other documents and their their houses were marked with 'S' thus facilitating the "pogrom" that took place later.

"'Hua to hua' is not just a sentence, this is shamelessness, it is insensitive, inhuman. Thousands of people were massacred on the streets of Delhi and when questions are raised on the issue, then Sam Pitroda's reaction is 1984 - 'hua to hua'," said Patra.

He said that the community had been denied justice for 34 years and in 2015 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi constituted an SIT, one of the accused was sentenced to the death while the other was given a life sentence.

BJP national secretary R P Singh said that he holds Rajiv Gandhi responsible for the attacks and said that the what happened in 1984 was a "politically well thought out".

"This was the strategy of projecting Sikhs as anti-nationals and to get majority votes," he said.

Kaur, who was merely 16 years old when the riots took place, said that no one from the Congress' first family apologised for the suffering of her community.

"Neither the father ever apologised, nor did the son. Not even the mother. Manmohan Singh, whose wife lost one of her brothers who was burnt to death, apologised. So they got someone who actually suffered the attacks to apologise on their behalf," she alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eminent scientist A S Kiran Kumar suggested a relook at the system beyond school level, and laying emphasis on process of learning rather than content to prepare students to deal with rapid changes.

The former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation said upto the school level, it's fine to have certain common and fundamental things, like it's being currently done.

"One of the things that's happening (beyond school level) ...trying to make it common...every body has to go through same kind of thing. Probably, what may be needed is some mechanism where different category of people with different aptitude and skill get into different modes", he said.

"Beyond schooling, probably the whole mechanism needs to be changed", Kiran Kumar told PTI on Friday.

He said as the world is changing at such a rapid pace, the task of getting students acquire skills needed not only for their survival but also for their progress, has become tough and there are no easy solutions.

Society needs to respect teachers, said Kiran Kumar, who was conferred France's highest civilian award -- Chevalier of Order of the Legion Honour -- for his contribution to India-France space cooperation last week.

"One of the things that has happened over a period of time is: our respect for teachers in the society has gone down. That also reduces actually capable people taking up (teaching) positions and continuing", Kiran Kumar regretted.

He also said that along with improving teaching quality, maximum emphasis should be at the primary school level because that is the real moulding period of kids and foundation is laid.

It is at this stage that value systems are imparted to students preparing them for future life, according to him.

Beyond school level, students can develop their capabilities to a great extent and "come up" if there are resources and good facilities.

Kiran Kumar said because of globalisation, demands of the job market are changing continuously and keeping pace with it is a difficult task.

In the process of education, he stressed, one needs to actually emphasis on the process of learning rather than content of learning.

"If we are able to teach students how to learn things and then if that's done, then if we provide facilities and infrastructure, they should be able to learn what is required for the tasks", Kiran Kumar said.

Beyond school level, students should be taught to make them capable to deal with changes and the process of acquiring skills.

"We need to train our students during the course of their system to understand that things are not going to be static; things are going to change all the time.

You cannot train them for one particular activity alone, they should be actually capable of dealing with those changes and that capability is what we have to make them learn during education", he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A gang of about half a dozen dacoits armed with swords allegedly looted Rs 7 lakh cash from the famous Vajreshwari temple in Bhiwandi taluka of the district early on Friday, police said.

The incident took place around 3 am, police said.

"The gang of dacoits wearing masks and armed with swords came to the temple and tied the hands and legs of the only security guard posted there. After entering the temple premises, they broke open the five cash boxes and decamped with the booty," Deputy Superintendent of Police of Ganeshpuri division, D M Godbole, said.

While five of the dacoits looted the cash, the sixth one stood guard outside the temple, he said.

The cash was donated by the devotees, mostly during the recently-concluded Navratri fair, he added.

After the dacoits left the place in their vehicles, the temple guard went to the temple trustees residing nearby and told them about the incident, Godbole said.

After being alerted, Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Patil of Thane district rural rushed to the spot along with the team and checked the CCTV footage.

The CCTV footage showed five dacoits moving towards the temple and leaving it, police said.

The investigators are trying to identify the accused, and a dog squad was pressed into service.

Talking to reporters outside the temple, Patil said a search has been launched to nab the accused.

The temple, located in Vajreshwari town, which is around 75 kms away from Mumbai, is dedicated to goddess Vajreshwari.

Godbole said the gold and silver ornaments adorning the deity have been spared by the dacoits.

An offence under IPC section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) was registered against the accused, senior inspector Parshuram Londhe said.

To protest against the incident, the residents of the town observed a spontaneous 'bandh' (shutdown) on Friday and the temple was also shut for visitors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australia's opposition party on Friday promised to deliver bigger budget surpluses than the government if it wins elections next week, while the ruling coalition warned the policies would harm the economy.

Center-left Labor Party lawmakers Chris Bowen and Jim Chalmers outlined a policy to reduce tax breaks for landlords and some shareholders which they argue would save 154 billion Australian dollars ($108 million) over the next decade.

"We can deliver these bigger budget surpluses and the bigger investments of health and education," said Bowen, who would become treasurer in a Labor government.

The conservative government, which is seeking a third three-year term at elections on May 18, has condemned the policy as a high-taxing plan that would further depress the weak housing market that is weighing down economic growth.

"We are facing some downside risks in the economy after droughts, floods, which is why this is the worst possible time for Labor's high-taxing, reckless agenda," Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said.

The government in May forecast a AU$7.1 billion surplus next fiscal year. Labor forecast a bigger AU$7.4 billion surplus in the same year under its policies, with surpluses growing AU$57.9 billion larger in the following three years than the government had predicted.

But Prime Minister Scott Morrison said previous Labor governments had promised surpluses that had never materialized.

"There's always something very fishy when it comes to Labor's claims about how to manage money and I think that's what we're seeing here again today," Morrison said.

Opinion polls suggest Labor will win the election.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The panel of mediators is "optimistic" about an amicable solution to the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute at Ayodhya, the Supreme Court said Friday while extending till August 15 the time for completion of the process.

A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said it received a report from former apex court judge Justice F M I Kalifulla, who is the chairman of the panel, in which the committee has sought extension till August 15 to complete the mediation proceedings.

"If the mediators are optimistic about the result and are seeking time till August 15, what is the harm in granting time? This issue has been pending for years and years. Why should we not grant time," the bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, told the counsel appearing for the parties concerned.

"They (panel) have submitted to the court to consider extension of time, which we are inclined," the bench said at the outset.

The apex court had on March 8 referred the matter to the panel of mediators for exploring possibility of an amicable settlement and appointed Justice (retd) Kalifulla, spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate and renowned mediator Sriram Panchu as members of the mediation committee.

During the brief hearing on Friday, the counsel appearing for both the Hindu and Muslim parties expressed confidence over the ongoing mediation proceedings and said they are fully cooperating with the process.

When one of the lawyers raised the issue of translated copies of several documents in vernacular languages, the bench said they have received a report on May 7 from the chairman of the panel and "the member of the committee have not expressed any such difficulty".

"We have perused and considered the report of May 7 of Justice F M I Kalifulla indicating the progress made in the mediation proceeding. Chairman of the mediation committee has sought extension of time till August 15 to enable the committee to find an amicable solution. We are inclined to grant time till August 15," the bench said, adding that the panel would submit its report to the court after that.

One of the advocates appearing in the matter said the apex court had earlier given eight weeks time to the panel of mediators to complete the proceedings and now nine weeks have gone by.

"We had given eight weeks and the report has come. We are not inclined to tell you what is there in the report of the committee," the bench said.

One of the counsel told the bench that there are around 13,990 pages of documents in several vernacular languages and said some wrong translations have been made which would be a problem.

The counsel also read out the contents of a translated copy of the statement of a witness in the case and said that wrong translation has been made.

"Objections, if any, on the translation may be placed on the record by written note by June 30," the bench said, adding, "Nobody will come in the way of mediation".

In its March 8 order, the top court had asked the panel of mediators to hold in-camera proceedings and complete them within eight weeks.

The Constitution bench had said that it does not find any "legal impediment" to make a reference to mediation for a possible settlement of the dispute.

The top court had fixed the seat for mediation process in Faizabad of Uttar Pradesh, around 7 km from Ayodhya, and said adequate arrangements including the venue of the mediation, place of stay of the mediators, their security, travel should be forthwith arranged by state government so that proceedings could commence immediately.

The bench was told earlier by Hindu bodies, except for Nirmohi Akhara, and the Uttar Pradesh government that they oppose the court's suggestion for mediation. The Muslim bodies had supported the proposal.

Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On December 6, 1992, the Babri Masjid, constructed at the disputed site in the 16th century by Shia Muslim Mir Baqi, was demolished.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bar Association of India (BAI) has condoled the demise of noted jurist and law professor N R Madhava Menon.

Menon, 84, died at a hospital in Kerala on May 7.

"Professor Menon was a living legend during his lifetime and has now become a permanent shining and guiding star for all of us who are engaged in promoting and strengthening Indian legal education," BAI President Lalit Bhasin said in a statement.

Menon, the father of modern legal education, completed 60 years as a law teacher in 2019 and was a moving factor in setting up centres in the field of legal education, including National Law School of India University in Bengaluru.

Bhasin said Menon was invited to become a member of the Board of Advisors at BAI.

"One can say with daring certainty that no one equal the contribution made by Professor Menon single handedly to promote legal education in India. A fitting tribute was given to the contribution made by him when Fali Nariman, way back in 1996 observed that jurists like him should be elevated directly to the Supreme Court of India," he said.

The BAI requested Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to have a full court reference to recognise Menon's contribution to the field of legal education.

It also requested President Ram Nath Kovind to posthumously award Padma Vibhushan, second-highest civilian award of India, to him.

"We request bar associations and law schools/universities all over the country to incorporate Madhava Menon Memorial Lectures on subjects such as legal education, improving the standards of legal profession and the system administration of justice in India," the statement read.

He was also the founder of National University of Juridical Sciences in West Bengal and the founding director of National Judicial Academy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education, which recently came under flak for alleged goof-up in declaring the exam results,Friday announced the schedule of admissions for the first phase, into the two-year Intermediate for 2019-20 academic year.

As per the schedule, issue of application forms and commencement of admissions in the first phase would start from May 21 and classes would commence from June 1, an official release said.

Admissions in the first phase should be completed by July 1, it said.

The schedule for the second phase of admissions would be communicated in due course, it added.

The intermediate examination results were announced on April 18.

The alleged errors led to protests by students, their parents, students organisations and opposition parties.

Some students and their parents claimed they got poor marks though they are meritorious and scored good marks in the first year examination.

Errors, including in bubbling of OMR sheets by examiners and not displaying practical marks in the memos of some geography students, came to the fore.

Meanwhile, the Opposition congress said it would stage a protest here with other parties Saturday on the issue.

State Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy asked party workers from Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy districts to participate in the dharna, Congress sources said.

Congress alleged that about 25 students have committed suicide, upset over the results.

The demands of the opposition parties include paying compensation to the families of those who committed suicides, sacking minister G Jagadeesh Reddy.

The CPI said in a release that police shifted the leaders of AISF ad AIYF, who were on fast at its office on the Intermediate , to the state-run Gandhi hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bishop Franco Mulakkal,



accused of raping and sexually assaulting a nun in Kerala, Friday appeared before a magistrate court in Pala.

The Pala Judicial First Class Magistrate Court (JFMC), which issued summons to the accused last week directing him to appear before it on May 10, accepted his plea seeking further extension of bail.

The accused was handed over a copy of the charge sheet and other related documents filed against him by the Special Investigation Team of the Kerala police which investigated the case.

The court posted the matter for June 7 for further consideration.

Mulakkal offered prayers at a church in Bharananganam near Pala before appearing in court.

Last month, the special investigation team had filed the charge sheet against Bishop Mulakkal, seven months after he was arrested over allegations of raping and sexually assaulting the nun.

Mulakkal was former Bishop of Jalandhar diocese and a senior member of the Roman Catholic clergy in India.

The nun, who belongs to Missionaries of Jesus congregation under Jalandhar diocese, had accused the 55-year old clergyman of repeatedly raping and having unnatural sex with her between 2014 and 2016.

He allegedly committed the offence when he was the Bishop of the Jalandhar diocese.

He has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 376C (sexual intercourse by person in authority), Section 377 (unnatural sex) and 506(1) (criminal threat).

In her complaint to police in June last, the nun had alleged that Mulakkal raped her at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and later sexually exploited her on several occasions.

She said she had to approach police as church authorities did not act on her repeated complaints against the clergyman.

Mulakkal, however, has claimed that he was "absolutely innocent" and "falsely implicated" with an "ulterior motive and vexatious intention."



Ahead of his interrogation and arrest, the Vatican had relieved him "temporarily" of all pastoral responsibilities as the bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese.

Mulakkal was arrested in September last amid mounting public outrage over allegations of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting the nun.

He was released from a sub-jail in Pala on October 16 after the Kerala High Court granted him bail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Activists of the BJP and Raj Thackeray-led MNS clashed here over the issue of mango stalls set up by hawkers on footpaths, police said Friday.

Police arrested two persons and resorted to cane charge to bring the situation under control after the clash in the Naupada locality late Thursday night, they said.

Hawkers associated with the MNS had set up mango stalls on footpaths in the locality which was opposed by BJP workers on the ground they were blocking movement of pedestrians.

Personnel from the anti-encroachment department of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) arrived at the scene to remove the stalls, but faced stiff resistance from MNS activists.

The issue triggered a clash between local BJP and MNS workers, prompting the police to wield canes to disperse them, they said.

During the altercation, BJP and MNS workers raised slogans against each other's leaders.

The police have registered an offence under the Bombay Police Act and arrested two persons, they said.

The situation in the area is peaceful, the police added.

The incident comes in the backdrop of MNS chief Raj Thackeray holding several rallies during the Lok Sabha elections in the state and attacking the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bombay High Court has quashed an FIR in a case of rape here after the victim submitted that she and the accused were now married and were residing together "happily".

In an order passed last month, a bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre quashed the FIR registered by the woman last year against the man on charges of rape and cheating under Sections 376 and 420 of the IPC, respectively, at a police station in Mumbai.

However, last month, the couple approached the court, saying they had been in a consensual relationship at the time of the alleged incident of rape and that the woman had registered the FIR after the man refused to marry her.

They told the court that they had subsequently been counselled by their "family members and well wishers" into resolving the dispute "amicably".

In January this year, the two got married. The victim submitted in the court that she and the accused were residing together "happily".

Therefore, the man sought that the FIR against him be quashed now and the woman told the court that she consented to the same.

Cases of rape are non-compoundable under the law and therefore, FIRs in such cases cannot be quashed merely because the victim and the alleged offender subsequently consent to a compromise.

The Supreme Court (SC) has repeatedly prescribed guidelines for appellate courts over using their powers under Section 482 of the CrPC to quash such cases.

The SC has observed on previous occasions that the offence of rape is an offence against society, and is not a matter to be left for the parties concerned to compromise and settle.

Therefore, the appellate courts must use their discretionary powers with much care while deciding such cases, and ensure the victim hasn't been coerced into consenting, the apex court has said.

In the present case, the bench noted that it seemed evident that the two had been in a consensual relationship at the time of the alleged incident of rape.

Besides, continuing the prosecution against the man would go against the welfare of the woman since they were now married, the high court said.

"So far as the instant case is concerned, we have gone through charge sheet. Evidently, the petitioner (the man) and respondent no.2 (the victim woman) were adults at the time of incident in question," it said.

"The physical relationship between the parties was consensual and the FIR came to be filed when the petitioner refused to marry respondent no. 2," the court said.

"They have got married on 19th January 2019, under the provisions of Special Marriage Act, 1954. They placed on record a certificate of marriage. They state that they are married and residing together as husband and wife," it noted.

In the prevailing circumstances, the bench said, no purpose will be served in continuing with the prosecution of the accused.

"Looking from the angle of welfare of respondent no. 2, who is now married to the petitioner, it would be just and proper to end the prosecution against the petitioner," it said while quashing the FIR.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior Congress leader in Haryana Kuldeep Bishnoi Friday said by bringing former premier Rajiv Gandhi into the picture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have shown how "frustrated" they are.

Modi at a rally in Uttar Pradesh last Saturday targeted Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Your father (Rajiv Gandhi) was termed Mr Clean by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'bhrashtachari' no 1 (corrupt number 1)."



Besides, in a sensational charge, the prime minister Wednesday accused the Gandhi family of using warship INS Viraat as its "personal taxi" when Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister.

Reacting to the comments, Bishnoi, a three-time MLA whose Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) was a BJP ally in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the state, told PTI here: "It is very unfortunate the way Mr Modi has spoken about Rajiv ji. It shows his frustration and shows how frustrated the BJP is. They know that people are going to vote them out for their non-performance".

"The BJP promised moon to the people five years ago, but failed to keep its various promises including on giving 2 crore jobs to youth, promises made to farmers and other sections," he said.

In the last assembly polls, the HJC fought separately and was reduced to just two seatsKuldeep Bishnoi won from his father's traditional Adampur seat of Hisar while his wife Renuka Bishnoi won from Hansi.

The HJC later merged with the Congress.

Bishnoi, whose son Bhavya is the Congress candidate from Hisar Lok Sabha seat, claimed that people have made up their mind to bring a Congress-led government to power at the Centre.

"At the national level, see what is the state of economy today, value of the rupee has gone down, prices are soaring, farmers in thousands have committed suicide, unemployment is at its highest peak in over four decades, demonetisation dealt a blow to economy and the way they rolled GST broke the backbone of traders," he alleged.

In this scenario, Bishnoi said, people are "fed up with the BJP and want a Congress-led government to return to power".

"They should be fighting election on (real) issues rather than in any individual's name. The prime minister should be telling people the fate of the promises made five years ago rather than going on attacking somebody who is not in this world or attacking a particular family," he said.

On Hisar, Bishnoi, son of former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, hit out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government for "betraying people" of the parliamentary constituency.

"Hisar got no big project, they undertook no development here and neglected it... People want to once again see return of Chaudhary Bhajan Lal's era and they are fully backing Bhavya (his son) this time," he claimed.

The Hisar parliamentary seat will see a contest between sitting MP Dushyant Chautala, BJP's Brijendra Singh and Bhavya Bishnoi of the Congress.

Brijendra Singh is son of Union minister Birendra Singh.

Haryana, with 10 Lok Sabha seats, goes to polls in the sixth phase on May 12.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chhattisgarh government has ordered a probe into the appointment in the state's Public Health Engineering (PHE) department of the wife of a former principal secretary to ex-chief minister Raman Singh.

An investigation has been ordered against Yasmin Singh, then Director of Publicity and Capacity Building under Communication and Capacity Development Unit (CCDU) of PHE, based on a complaint by state Congress spokesperson Vikas Tiwari, an official said Friday.

Singh is the wife of Aman Singh, who was principal secretary to former CM Raman Singh.

As per an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on Friday, Principal Secretary of Skill Development, Technical Education and Employment Department Renu G Pillay has been assigned to probe the complaint against Yasmin Singh.

A duration of three months has been fixed for the probe, it said.

As per the complaint by Tiwari, Yasmin Singh was employed as director in the CCDU in November, 2005 on a contractual basis, despite not being eligible, due to her husband's "influence".

As per Yasmin Singh' social media profile, she is a renowned Kathak dancer.

During appointment, Singh's honorarium was Rs 35,000 per month but it was "silently" hiked to Rs 1 lakh per month, the complaint states, adding that she worked on a contractual basis for 14 years.

Despite working for 14 years till December 10, 2018, the Panchayat and Rural Development department and PHE have no records of her work, leaves, permission for performing dances and others, the complaint added.

Aman Singh, formerly an IRS officer, had joined the Raman Singh government during its first tenure (2003-2008) on contractual appointment.

The Singh couple had resigned from their respective services after the change in government in the state following last year's Assembly election.

In a statement, Yasmin Singh has refuted the charges, terming it "false, baseless and motivated.

"I have come to know that government of Chhattisgarh has instituted some kind of a departmental enquiry against me. I am yet to officially receive a notice from the state government, but reports indicate that a member of the Congress has complained that I was wrongly appointed in the state government as a favour to my husband and that I received undue benefits from the government, Singh said.

"I want to categorically and unequivocally state that all such allegations are false, baseless and motivated. The state government has all the records which show that I was appointed as per norms, after following an open, transparent and due process and with the approval of the competent authority. My pay was also fixed with the approval of the Finance Department, she said.

"If the state government had any concerns with respect to my appointment, it should have asked the appropriate authorities who were responsible for appointing me," she said.

"It seems those at the helm of affairs in the state government are only interested in targeting members of the erstwhile administration, and their families, for political vendetta," she alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Competition Commission Friday dismissed complaint against Oriental Insurance Company over alleged abuse of dominant position.

The complaint was filed by Anil Rathi, partner of Bahadurgarh-based Laxmi Polymers, who had taken fire insurance policy from Oriental Insurance for the firm.

Owing to storage of volatile material and use of high tension wires at the premises, a "Standard Fire and Special Perils Policy" was availed for the firm to cover the risk in case of any adversity, the complainant said.

As per the complainant, on the intervening night of 20/21 December 2016, a fire broke out on the premises of the firm and pursuant to the loss occurred on account of fire, an insurance claim was lodged with Oriental Insurance.

However, the insurance company rejected the claim on the ground that the firm was in breach of certain conditions mentioned in the policy.

Besides, while rejecting the insurance claim, no objection certificate given by the fire department of Bahadurgarh was completely ignored, the complainant alleged.

Moreover, the complainant alleged that the survey report done by the insurance company to assess the loss was also not shared with him.

The manner in which the insurance claim was rejected shows that Oriental Insurance abused its dominant position under Section 4 of the Competiton Act, the complainant alleged.

For the case, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) considered "market for provision of fire insurance services in India," as relevant one.

The fair-trade regulator said that with 25 general insurers offering fire insurance policies, the market for non-life insurance is competitive.

Considering that Oriental Insurance enjoyed only 8.6 per cent market share during 2017-18, the company cannot be said to be in a dominant position, the CCI noted.

Since the company is not dominant in the relevant market, "the Commission does not propose to examine the allegations against it of having abused such position".

Accordingly, the matter is disposed of as there is no contravention of Section 4 of the Competition Act, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese prosecutors have indicted former Interpol president Meng Hongwei on charges of accepting bribes.

The announcement Friday from the prosecutor's office in the northeastern city of Tianjin gave few details.

Meng was formally arrested last month after being expelled from public office and the ruling Communist Party.

Meng was elected president of the international police organisation in 2016, but his four-year term was cut short when he vanished after travelling to China from France in October.

Interpol was not informed and was forced to make a formal request to China for information about Meng's whereabouts.

There are suspicions he had fallen out of political favor with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Meng's wife has accused Chinese authorities of lying and questioned whether her husband was still alive.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A spate of arrests of Chinese nationals allegedly involved in fake marriages with Pakistani women and reports of human trafficking and organ trade have forced China to send a "task force" to Islamabad to quickly deal with the issues that could "undermine" the bilateral all-weather ties.

Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday arrested three more Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in fake marriages and human trafficking from the Islamabad airport, Dawn newspaper reported.

The FIA's immigration cell also took into custody three local women who were accompanying the Chinese men. The three couples were intercepted as they were about to leave for China, it said.

On Thursday, the FIA announced that it had taken 11 Chinese nationals into custody for a probe into a transnational gang allegedly involved in prostitution and illegal organ trade.

In Islamabad, the Chinese embassy said it has noted media reports and that the Pakistan has taken measures in accordance with its domestic laws and regulations.

"Relevant cases are now under investigation," the mission said in a press release, adding that the Ministry of Public Security of China has sent a "task force to Pakistan to carry out law enforcement cooperation with the Pakistani side".

An FIA press release detailed how the agency had come to know about the the suspected ring, which involves large sums of money changing hands for the contracting of fake marriages between vulnerable Pakistani women and Chinese men. The women are later allegedly trafficked into prostitution in China.

Nazir Ahmad, the father of one of the victims, registered a complaint with the FIA and told them that how some agents contacted him and lured him into marrying his daughter to a Chinese, the Express Tribune reported.

The agents assured Nazir, for a brief period, he would be accompanying his daughter abroad where she would also be allowed to work.

After marrying 'Musa', the girl travelled to Islamabad and left for China. After some time, the girl called her father to reveal that the family had been duped, the report said.

According to Nazir's daughter, her husband who had not converted to Islam was forcing her into prostitution.

When Nazir contacted the agents, he was told to contact their boss Wei Linping in Islamabad. When Nazir contacted Wei, he was told that the agents had received Rs2 million and he would have to pay the amount to get his daughter back.

Nazir was warned that the girl would be forced into prostitution or illegal organ transplantation if he did not pay the amount, the Express Tribune report said.

After the Pakistani High Commission intervened, the victim was recovered. In her appearance before the FIA, she revealed that the den of this gang was located in Johar Town in Lahore, Punjab province.

The Chinese embassy statement said Beijing will further strengthen cooperation with the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan, effectively combat crime, so as to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the two peoples, and jointly safeguard China-Pakistan friendly relations.

"It is worth noting that several media reports have fabricated facts and spread rumours. According to investigations by the Ministry of Public Security of China, there is no forced prostitution or sale of human organs for those Pakistani women who stay in China after marriage with Chinese," the statement said.

"We hope that the media reports should seek truth from facts, be objective and fair. We hope the people of China and Pakistan do not believe the rumours.

"We will never allow a few criminals to undermine China-Pakistan friendship and hurt the friendly feelings between two peoples," the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Predicting a "clear mandate" for anti-BJP parties, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu says all opposition leaders are better than Narendra Modi but a decision on who will be prime minister will be a consensus one taken after the groups sit together following the results.

The bitterness among people about the Modi government will help the anti-BJP parties come to power in the Lok Sabha elections, the Andhra Pradesh chief minister told PTI in an interview.

Discussing probable candidates for the prime minister's post, Naidu said, "Everybody is strong. All leaders in the opposition are very strong. They are better than Narendra Modi. But for the selection of the PM, we (opposition leaders) have to sit together and decide who is the best candidate... We will have to reach a consensus on this."



Asked whether Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will be a contender, he said, "That we have not discussed so far. We will sit together after the results of the elections are out and then will discuss this."



Naidu ruled himself out of the prime ministerial race, saying he is very clear that he is a facilitator and a coordinator.

"Like me there are some other leaders who are coordinating," he said.

In his view, Election 2019 will not throw up a fractured mandate.

"All the opposition parties will have a clear mandate. And the trend has been showing... The BJP has lost all the by-elections. There is bitterness among the people that will help the opposition parties," he said.

The TDP chief, however, did not want to predict the margin.

"I do not want to say the numbers but it is very clear that the Narendra Modi government will exit on May 23," he said.

Asked about the trend of the first five phase of elections, he said the mood was anti-BJP and pro-opposition throughout the country because people want a change from the non-performing Modi government.

The BJP, Naidu said, has nothing to communicate and is trying to abuse, attack and victimise its rivals.

The Congress and other opposition parties are working together, he asserted.

Naidu met Banerjee Thursday evening on future plans of the grand alliance, sources in the party said. He met Congress president on Wednesday.

Asked on plans for a meeting of opposition parties on May 21, two days before counting day, for a post-poll alliance, he said, "We are discussing with everybody. Even Rahul, Mamata ji, Sharad Pawar. Everybody is taking the lead. We will meet again at an appropriate time convenient to everybody and then decide the PM candidate."



The meeting could be held even after the results on May 23.

Naidu was critical of the prime minister for his remarks on the late Rajiv Gandhi.

"You may differ with us on some policies but why personal attacks? Also, Rajiv Gandhi passed away 25 years ago. Why are you bringing him up now. Where's the dignity? As a PM, one should be magnanimous."



Asserting that he hadn't seen such low-level in India, Naidu accused the prime minister of "lopsided thinking".

He alleged that Modi played games by extending Odisha help in the aftermath of Cyclone Fani.

"Modi is an opportunist. During the elections in Odisha, he attacked (Chief Minister) Naveen Patnaik. Now, because of the natural calamity and because he thinks he is losing, he is announcing monetary help to win over Patnaik."



Naidu also asked why such large numbers of central forces were deployed in West Bengal for the elections. He also found substance in Banerjee's allegations that the Election Commission (EC) was working at the behest of the BJP.

"They are bringing all the central forces only to West Bengal. Is there any necessity for that? In Andhra Pradesh, there was only one or two home guards in each booth. That is how they conducted the elections there. So, the EC has to be impartial, they have to maintain their credibility," he said.

"By doing all these things, knowing or unknowingly... ultimately you will lose your credibility... it is quite obvious they (the EC) are working for the BJP," he alleged.

Naidu, who was on a two-day visit to West Bengal to participate in a campaign rallies of the Trinamool Congress, also expressed high hopes about the performance of Banerjee's party.

"The frequent visits of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to West Bengal will hardly give them any result. Mamata ji stood strong against the atrocities of Modi regime and proved a challenge to these anti-constitutional forces. The BJP couldn't challenge Didi and her strength. That's the reason they are resorting to their never ending communal to divide the people of Bengal," Naidu said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Members of two communities clashed on Thursday when a religious procession was passing by a mosque in Chhan town of Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district, leaving eight persons injured, following which three suspects have been arrested, police said.

A group of people objected to loud music being played by those taking out the procession as it neared the mosque which resulted in a brawl on Thursday, they said.

People from both the sides pelted stones at each other in which eight people, including a sub-inspector, sustained injuries, Superintendent of Police, Swai Madhopur Sameer Kumar Singh, said Friday.

Police used cane charge and fired two rubber bullets to disperse the mob, he said.

The officer said that additional police force has been deployed in the town and the situation is completely under control.

A case has been registered against five people from both sides and three were arrested, he added.

Sawai Madhopur is about 150 km from Rajasthan capital Jaipur.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has started a probe against Google for alleged anti-competitive practices with respect to its popular Android platform for mobile phones, an official said Friday.

The fair trade watchdog has been looking into the matter for sometime, especially after a European Commission ruling last year.

The official said the regulator has started investigation into alleged abuse of Android platform and the issues are similar to those dealt with by the European Commission.

A majority of smartphones in India are powered by the Android platform. Other mobile platforms include iOS (Apple), among others.

The CCI starts probe into a matter only when there is prima-facie evidence of violation of competition rules.

"Android has enabled millions of Indians to connect to the internet by making mobile devices more affordable. We look forward to working with the Competition Commission of India to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

In July 2018, the European Commission slapped a fine of 4.34 billion euros on Google for imposing illegal restrictions on Android device manufacturers and mobile network operators to cement its dominant position in general internet search.

The ruling was challenged by Google.

Last year, the CCI imposed a penalty of Rs 136 crore on Google for unfair business practices in Indian market for online search. This ruling was also challenged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
JJP founder and MP Dushyant Chautala took a dig at Congress and BJP candidates in Haryana, saying they were "politically insignificant" and their deposit would be fortified if they sought votes in their name.

Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala's Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), that was founded in December last year after a feud broke out in the Chautala clan, is fighting the Lok Sabha elections in an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Haryana.

"Last time also the contest was with Modiji this time also it is with him, people hardly know anything about BJP candidate, same is case with Congress candidate, both are politically insignificant," Chautala, great grandson of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, told PTI in an interview.

Confident of his victory, he said if he can win the 2014 general election despite the 'Modi wave' then "why not this time". "I have done a lot of development work for the constituency," he said.

The Hisar parliamentary seat will see a contest between Chautala, BJP's Brijendra Singh and Bhavya Bishnoi of the Congress.

Brijendra Singh is son of Union minister Birendra Singh and Bishnoi is grandson of former state chief minister Bhajan Lal.

"People hardly know Brijendra Singh, besides that he is son of Birendra Singh and same is case with most of the BJP candidates in the state. They would lose their deposit if they seek votes in their own name or even in Khattar's name," Chautala said.

The JJP founder accused the Congress party of "legalising the corruption in the state" and minting money by dubious land dealings.

During the 10 years of Congress regime from 2004 to 2014 in Haryana, the state witnessed a new culture of commission agents and corruption became integral part of the system, he said.

Describing Congress nominee Bhavya Bishnoi as merely "a flag bearer of his family name", Chautala said he has no vision and has nothing else to offer to the constituency.

When asked about the JJP-AAP alliance in the state, Chautala said it is alliance between two parties which have same vision for the country.

"What Arvindji has done in Delhi especially in the field of school education and electricity, that is exemplary for others," he said.

He said that the alliance will continue for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana in next few months.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress distanced itself on Friday from the "so what" remarks of Sam Pitroda about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and asked the leaders of the party to be careful and sensitive in future.

Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party abhorred violence of any kind against any person or group of people on the basis of caste, creed, colour, region or religion, adding that riots and violence had no place in the Indian society.

Stating that the Congress had strived to ensure justice for the 1984 riot victims, he said the party continued to support the quest for justice and stern punishment for those found guilty in the anti-Sikh riots, as also the subsequent acts of violence, including the 2002 riots in Gujarat.

"Violence and riots are unacceptable and unpardonable in our society...

"Any opinion or remark made by any individual to the contrary, including Sam Pitroda, is not the opinion of the Congress party. We advise all leaders to be careful and sensitive," Surjewala said in a statement.

He added that unlike the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had fielded a candidate charged with terror crimes and who was being lauded as the saffron party's face by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, the Congress had shown the moral and political courage to punish the leaders accused of violence or involvement in the 1984 riots.

The Congress leader was apparently referring to the BJP's candidate from Bhopal in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Pragya Singh Thakur, who is an accused in the Malegaon blast case.

"This is the yardstick of self-imposed accountability and sense of justice to people followed by the Congress party, unlike the BJP...for the BJP, riots are vote-garnering exercise in every election, instead of ensuring justice and closure. People should see through this Machiavellian game of deception, distraction and distortion by Narendra Modi," Surjewala said.

The prime minister led a fresh BJP offensive on the Congress over Pitroda's remarks on the 1984 riots, saying it showed the "character and arrogance" of the opposition party.

As Pitroda's remarks kicked up a storm, the Congress leader accused the BJP of twisting his three words in Hindi to "distort facts, divide us (Congress) and hide their failures", and said things of the past were not relevant in the ongoing polls.

Replying to a reporter's question on the 1984 riots in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala, Pitroda, a close aide of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and the head of the Overseas Congress, on Thursday said, "Hua to hua (so what, it happened)."



The BJP demanded that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi apologise to the nation while ally Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur said the comment was "disgraceful" and reflected the mindset of the Gandhis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday criticised the Congress for its historic blunder that let Kartarpur Sahib, the final resting place of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak go to Pakistan during Partition.

Addressing his first rally in Punjab for the Lok Sabha polls, Modi tore into the opposition party over its leader Sam Pitroda's remark on the 1984 ant-Sikh riots.

A day earlier, Pitroda had said hua to hua (roughly translated as it happened, so what?) when questioned by a reporter on the riots following the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Apart from the riots, Modi touched upon Kartarpur Sahib, an emotive issue among the Sikhs in Punjab as the state goes to the polls in the last phase on May 19.

At the time of Partition, barely a few kilometres away, our Kartarpur Sahib was snatched from us, he said.

And because of the historic blunder by the Congress, Pakistan has got an opportunity to play with our sentiments, he said.

What is shameful is that when we came up with a solution for the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, Congress 'darbaris' (courtiers) started praising Pakistan. This Congress politics has promoted Pakistan and Pakistan-sponsored terror, he claimed.

Modi was apparently referring to the controversy over Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu's praise for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the setting up of a corridor which would allow Indian pilgrims to visit the shrine across the border.

Modi held the Congress of guilty of another sin, referring to sharing of river water between the two countries.

Punjab and other areas are in need of our rightful share of water which is flowing to Pakistan, he said, apparently referring to the unutilised water from India's share under the Indus Waters Treaty.

For 70 years, our farmers have been deprived of the rightful share of water, and previous Congress governments did nothing about it, he added.

For 70 years, the Congress failed to stop the flow of water to Pakistan. They were aware that farmers of Punjab and Haryana needed the water.

But they felt stopping the water from flowing into Pakistan will upset their vote bank, he alleged.

I will not let a single drop of water which is our rightful share flow to Pakistan. I will ensure that the water reaches the fields of the farmers of Punjab, he said.

Modi described the BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal alliance in Punjab as a union of hearts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress on Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over India's industrial production contracting by 0.1 per cent in March, saying diversion, distraction and distortion are the only tools left at his disposal.

The Congress's attack came after India's industrial production contracted by 0.1 per cent in March, the lowest in 21 months, mainly due to manufacturing sector slow down, official data showed Friday.

IIP's previous low was recorded in June 2017, when output shrank by 0.3 per cent.

"Index of Industrial Production (IIP) plunges to Negative territory at -- 0.1% (decrease). FM Sh Jaitley is busy writing Blogs, Modi ji doesn't speak a word on 'Make In India' now!" Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.

"Diversion, Distraction & Distortion is the only tool left at Modi ji's disposal!" he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accusing him of ruling the country by dividing it and used the Time magazine cover headline that says "India's Divider in Chief", followed by a secondary one that reads "Modi the Reformer".

Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the way the party had removed the British from the country, it would do the same with Modi.

"Modiji's definition - divide and rule. The Congress first freed the country of the British and will now remove Modi too," Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi, along with the cover of the Time magazine that also carried a picture of Modi.

The TIME magazine has featured Modi on the cover of its international edition with a controversial headline and a secondary one that reads "Modi the Reformer" as the country enters the final phase of the mammoth general election.

The American magazine's May 20 international editions -- Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia and South Pacific -- feature the Modi cover story with the main headline, "India's Divider in Chief", while the US edition has a cover story on Democrat Elizabeth Warren who is running for the White House in 2020.

The article titled "India's Divider in Chief" is written by Aatish Taseer, son of Indian journalist Tavleen Singh and late Pakistani politician and businessman Salmaan Taseer.

The article also said the opposition Congress party had little to offer other than the dynastic principle.

The article titled "Modi the Reformer" is written by Ian Bremmer, president and founder of the Eurasia Group, a global political risk research and consulting firm.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani Friday accused the Congress of indulging in petty and appealed to the electorate to shun the 'milawati' (adulterated) SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing an election meeting here, the BJP leader also took a swipe at Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, saying he would soon land in jail.

"Those indulging in petty politics, Rahul Gandhi and Robert Vadra, are upset over the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Robert Vadra has reached the courts and in time to come he will also reach the jail," Irani said.

The BJP leader who was here to campaign for party candidate from Salempur seat , Ravindra Kushwaha, asked the electorate to shun the of 'milawat', referring to the grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh- the term often used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Those who were opposed to each other are today together and are enacting a political drama... the lady leader has forgotten her humiliation," she said.

"They have never been together on the issue of bringing the Opposition together nor on the issue of development but through 'milawat' in they are imagining of gaining some publicity on May 23," she added.

Irani, who is contesting from Amethi Lok Sabha seat presently held by Rahul Gandhi, also attacked him saying, "Those paying a visit to the people once in five years will be off to Italy."



The Union minister, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Amethi, also criticised Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi for allegedly "making children abuse the prime minister".

Irani was referring to a video of Priyanka Gandhi in which she is seen standing alongwith children who were raising slogans against Modi.

Polling for the Salempur seat is slated for May 19 in the seventh and last phase of the ongoing general elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CPI Friday demanded that the Telangana government initiate a high-level judicial probe in the alleged goof-up in the intermediate results that led 25 students to commit suicide in the state.

CPI National Secretary K Narayana said the state government should ban the Globarina Technology company that was roped in by the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) for evaluation of intermediate answer papers.

He not only sought suspension of the state education minister but also requested the government to pay ex-gratia amount of Rs 1 crore to each of the bereaved families of the student who died after declaration of intermediate results.

"As many as 25 students have committed suicide. A student who obtained 99 per cent was shown as having secured zero and even those who obtained 33 per cent were shown as having secured zero. These lapses by Globarina has led to students' suicide," Narayana told reporters here.

Demanding a high-level enquiry into the matter, the CPI leader claimed the party had informed the state governor way back in 2015 that Globarina was a "bogus" company and thereafter the agreement with JNTUH was cancelled.

"However, it is most unfortunate that Telangana government entered into an agreement with the same company for valuation of intermediate answer sheets. It is quite evident that there are connection between politicians and corporate companies," he alleged.

A high-level commission should be constituted with sitting judge of the High Court immediately to probe into the matter, he added.

"They have to handover the completed results CD to the Intermediate Board. The corrected answer sheets should be made public. Due to the haphazard and callous behaviour of the Intermediate Board and Globarina, precious lives of student were ruined," he said.

Usually after completion of inter exams, qualified lecturers undertake valuation of answer sheets. The valuation job has been outsourced to a private company in the absence of enough permanent lecturers in the state, he added.

Amid the uproar over the suicides, the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) Sunday said it has carried out an analysis of the scripts of students who had allegedly committed suicide and found that none of the cases was linked to error in publication of the exam results.

The board said there was no truth in reports that suicides were due to error in the publication of results.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fearing a backlash from a section of villagers, a Dalit groom Friday took out his wedding procession under police protection in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, said an official.

The groom's family members, residents of Sitvada under Prantij taluka, had decided to seek police protection after some non-Dalit residents objected to their plan to take out the procession through the village, said village leader Ranjitsinh Rathod.

According to the police, protection was provided to the Dalit groom's wedding procession and the event passed off peacefully.

"Scheduled Caste members of Sitvada had apprehension that something wrong would happen if they take out the procession through the village.

"That is why they called us to provide protection. The wedding procession passed peacefully under police deployment in the village," said police inspector of Prantij, K S Brahmbhatt.

According to Rathod, some villagers had earlier asked the Dalit family not to take out the wedding procession.

"Some of the villagers had objected to the Dalit family's plan of taking out the wedding procession. The matter was resolved amicably during a meeting last night.

"However, the family called the police today as they might be having some apprehension (about backlash)," said Rathod, the husband of village sarpanch Ramaba Rathod.

The development came just a day after a village in Mehsana district announced boycott of Dalits after a groom from the SC community decided to ride a horse on the occasion of his wedding.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After a social boycott call in a village in Mehsana in Gujarat following a Dalit groom's act of riding a horse in his wedding procession, the state's deputy chief minister Nitin Patel Friday visited the area and held talks to get the issue resolved.

Some people of Lhor village in Kadi taluka were allegedly unhappy with the groom Manu Parmar's move, on Tuesday, of riding a horse, police had said.

Village sarpanch Vinuji Thakor had then issued a diktat asking villagers to boycott Dalit community members, police had said.

Thakor had even imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 on anyone violating the diktat, with Dalits claiming that shopkeepers had stopped selling even milk and essential items to them following the incident.

Thakor, along with four others, was later arrested under relevant sections of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

However, members of the Schedule Caste (SC) community in the village Friday said the boycott was still in place despite Patel's visit and assurance.

"Nothing changed after Nitin Patel's visit today. He talked about arriving at a compromise formula and held meetings with various communities, including Dalits. However, the boycott call has not been lifted even after his visit. We are still denied food and other items by shopkeepers," said Manu Parmar, whose son Mehul Parmar's wedding procession had led to the boycott.

Deputy CM Patel, who hails from Kadi town, first met Dalits at Lhor village and then held another round of talks with members of other caste groups.

Blaming "outsiders" for the incident, Patel said, "All the communities have agreed to arrive at a compromise formula and establish peace and harmony in the village. All the five accused, including the sarpanch, have been arrested. The issue will be resolved soon if outsiders don't interfere in this matter or incite people."



"I have assured that the government will take action if someone harasses Dalits. Just like any other citizen, Dalits have all the right to celebrate their social functions and festivals," he said.

"I have urged all the communities to live in peace. Unfortunately, some outsiders and people having political connections are vitiating the atmosphere," Patel alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll in the suicide attack targeting one of Pakistan's oldest and most revered Sufi shrines in Lahore rose to 12 on Friday as a police commando succumbed to his injures.

Ten people, including five police personnel, were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Data Darbar shrine, the largest Sufi shrine in South Asia on Wednesday morning as the country marks the fasting month of Ramzan.

Elite force personnel Saddam Hussain succumbed to his injuries at the Mayo Hospital on Friday. Other three critically injured cops are battling for their lives at the Intensive Care Unit of Mayo Hospital, Lahore police spokesman Syed Mubashir said on Friday.

A CCTV footage showed a teenage boy wearing black shalwar kameez and a suicide vest coming closer to the vehicle of elite force beforing blowing himself up.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz said it was a suicide attack as the target was the vehicle of the elite force that was stationed outside the shrine of Sufi saint Ali Hajvari commonly known as Data Darbar.

"Police was the target. 100 per cent," he said.

Mubashir said the police have arrested four suspects with the help of CCTV cameras in the city.

The rickshaw used to transport the suicide bomber to the shrine has been identified, he added.

The CCTV footage shows the rickshaw driver approached the bomber as the latter emerged from Garhi Shahu area, some seven kilometres from the shrine.

Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack which came on the second day of Muslim holy month of Ramazan and has directed the Punjab government to provide all assistance to the injured and families of victims.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has ordered an inquiry into the attack.

The shrine is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year. In 2010, the heavily-guarded shrine was targeted in a suicide attack that killed more than 40 people.

Police also confirmed that Hizbul Ahrar had claimed responsibility for sending the teenage suicide bomber to the shrine.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab has examined the records of three terror groups, including the Ghazi Force and Jamaatul Ahrar.

Hizbul Ahrar is a splinter group of Jamaatul Ahrar headed by Muqarram Shah from Afghanistan. It separated from Jamaatul Ahrar due to internal rifts.

It started operating separately to target primarily the law enforcement agencies in various parts of Pakistan, the police said, adding the CTD is also following other leads, like the possibility of the involvement of Islamic State terror group.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The officers and staff union of grounded carrier Friday sought Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' intervention in resolving the crisis being faced by over 22,000 employees of the company, who have not been paid since March.

"Fadnavis has assured full support to workout a solution with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and civil aviation ministry after the last round of polling is completed and model code of conduct is withdrawn," president of the All India Officers and Staff Association and NCP law maker Kiran Pawaskar said in a statement.

Earlier, he led a delegation of committee members to the CM's residence along with Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde and apprised Fadnavis of the hardships faced by the airline's 22,000 employees.



" has ceased operations temporarily and this has affected the employment of over 22000 employees and the future of their families who are solely dependent on the emoluments arising of this employment," Pawaskar said.

"This scenario entrusts a special duty on our CM for being the guardian of Maharashtra," he said.

Fadnavis assured Pawaskar of the government's full cooperation to ensure justice is done to all employees of Jet Airways, the association said in the statement.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Singh Bagga on Friday lodged a police complaint seeking registration of a case against Congress leader Sam Pitroda for allegedly hurting sentiments of Sikh community with his remarks on 1984 riots.

Pitroda, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Overseas Congress' head, had on Thursday reportedly said "hua to hua" (so what, it happened) about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Bagga said he has also filed a complaint against the Congress leaders with National Commission for Minorities seeking action for his comment.

"I have filed a complaint at Parliament Street police station and also lodged protest over Pitroda's comment at the National Commission for Minorities, seeking action against him for hurting sentiments of Sikhs who were victims in 1984 riots," he said.

As his remark on anti-Sikh riots kicked up a storm, Pitroda on Friday accused the BJP of "distorting the truth" and said things of the past are not relevant in this election.

"I have noticed how BJP is again twisting three words from my interview to distort facts, divide us and hide their failures. Sad that they have nothing positive to offer," he said.

Bagga in his complaint alleged Pitroda's statement was made "solely" for the purpose of "insulting and outraging religious feelings" of Sikh community,



"promote disharmony, enmity, hatred and ill-will" between different religious groups, and "provoke" breach of peace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 50-year-old constable of the Delhi Police has been missing for the past three days, an official said Friday.

On Tuesday, Dharamvir Sharma, a resident of New Ashok Nagar, had an argument with his wife during a function following which he left his home at around 11.30 pm, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Jasmeet Singh said.

When Sharma, a constable of the 2nd battalion, did not return home till next morning, his family members lodged a complaint.

A case has been registered in the matter, Singh said, adding that police are analysing the CCTV footage of nearby areas.

Sharma's car was found abounded near a drain in New Ashok Nagar, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A special court here has granted bail to an elderly doctor from suburban Bandra, accused of molesting his neighbour's 14-year-old daughter.

Special POCSO judge S J Gharat recently granted bail to the 63-year-old doctor, Kumar Ram Kanuga, in connection with the incident that took place nearly a month ago.

According to the prosecution, the victim had gone to the house of the accused, who has been practising medicine for the last 35 years, to collect the keys to her residence, which her mother had kept with him.

When she went to his house, the accused molested her and also passed lewd remarks at her, the prosecution told the court.

After the girl returned home, she told her mother about her ordeal. Her mother raised the issue with the housing society and also lodged a complaint at the Khar police station and the accused was subsequently arrested.

The defence, however, argued in the court that Kanuga was falsely implicated in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Sri Lankan government on Friday said the trustees of all the mosques in the country should not engage in or allow any gathering to promote or propagate hatred and also directed them to send the audio recordings of the sermons to authorities.

The government's move came after security forces recovered swords and other weapons from mosques during search operations following the April 21 bomb blasts in which over 250 people, including 44 foreigners 10 of whom were Indians, were killed and 500 others injured.

All trustees of Mosques should not engage in or permit any gathering to promote or propagate hatred or extremism in any form, doing so will result in the Board of Trustees being held fully responsible under may laws including the Penal Code, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Muslim Religious Affairs.

"In view of the prevailing situation in the country, the Trustees are directed hereby to send audio records all sermons of Jumma (Friday) or otherwise on their Masjids and to forward them to the ministry," said the statement signed by Muslim Religious Affairs Minister M H A Haleem.

Muslim theologists and civil society organizations have warned radicalisation of Muslims with support from mosques in some places, particularly in the island nation's eastern province.

Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21.

The ISIS terror group claimed the attacks, but the government blamed the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) for the bombings. The victims included over 40 foreigners, 10 of whom were Indians.

Mohamed Cassim Zahran, the mastermind of the blasts and NTJ leader, was running his own mosque in the eastern Kathankudi region, police said, adding that his extreme religious sermons had attracted followers.

Two weeks ago, Zahran's family members committed suicide by triggering a blast at a safe house in Sainthamuruthu area of Kathankudi following a gun-battle with the security forces.

Police on Friday recovered a stockpile of explosives, belonging to the suicide gang, hidden on the beach at Kathankudi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A dramatic transformation of the global economic model will be necessary if the world truly wants to tackle the problem of climate change, a top UN envoy said Friday.

"We need bold actions," insisted Luis Alfonso de Alba, who was appointed late last year to prepare an ambitious climate summit in New York in September.

In an interview with AFP in Geneva Friday, he stressed that climate change should not be merely considered an environmental problem.

"We are talking about a transformation of the economic model that is going to be needed to achieve the results we need," he said.

The September 23 summit at the United Nations is billed as the first major stocktaking gathering of world leaders on climate change since the Paris agreement was reached in 2015.

The event follows a string of reports containing dire predictions about the future of the planet as carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise, pushing targets set out under the Paris accord further out of reach.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he wants the summit to be "action oriented", and he has asked countries to present "concrete, realistic plans" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade and to net zero by 2050.

De Alba said he was working to identify ambitious projects to showcase at the September meeting, as well as new models of cooperation and coordination between countries, organisations and public and private players.

"It is evident that private financing will be indispensable to move from the billions to the trillions that are going to be needed," he said.

Fighting climate change he said, "is an issue that requires a transformation of the way we consume, the way we produce." "This is not a process in which we can aim at a gradual increase of the ambitions. We need some drastic changes."



Despite the huge challenges, de Alba said that he was "optimistic", pointing to the enthusiasm and commitment he was witnessing from governments and non-governmental groups alike.

He acknowledged though that not everyone was equally engaged in the process, including the host-country of the summit.

President Donald Trump's 2017 decision to pull the United States out of the Paris accord has cast a cloud over global efforts to rein in climate change.

But de Alba said the federal government in Washington was continuing to "work on a number of areas that are important to fight climate change," and that he hoped the US would participate in the September summit.

The UN climate envoy also hailed the work done by youth activists like Swedish teen Greta Thunberg, and said young people would have an important part to play at the meeting.

"We want them to be part of the solution, and not only take note of their very obviously... justified anger because of lack of action," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Empire" showrunner Brett Mahoney said the sixth season of the hit show will be a "reset".

Last week, the critically-acclaimed musical drama was renewed for another installment but embattled actor Jussie Smollett is less likely to return.

Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon in the Fox show, was written out of the last two episodes of season five after he was accused by Chicago Police of orchestrating a staged assault against himself earlier this year.

The 36-year-old was initially charged with 16 felony counts related to filing a false police report. The charges were later dropped, though the city of Chicago is seeking reimbursement from the actor to cover over USD 130,000 in investigatory fees, which he has refused to cover.

Mahoney said he and the team of writers are yet to decide the course of sixth season post Smollett's exit.

"I haven't convened with the writers yet - we haven't started breaking what season six will be - but it will require an adjustment in terms of him not being there in the first episodes," he told Variety.

"Season six will have to be somewhat of a reset, and we're going to find some exciting, bombastic way in. And we may discover that it takes more than just blood to be a Lyon, and we might see some other characters step up and step into the fold," Mahoney added.

In its renewal order, while the network did not mention Smollett, there are "no plans" to bring his character back currently.

By the fifth season, Smollett's arc as Jamal appeared to have reached a full circle after the character exchanged vows with his longtime beau, journalist Kai (Toby Onwumere), in front of close family and friends.

Mahoney said there was "definitely stuff I wanted to do with Jamal" that he had to express a different way.

But it opened up the focus a little bit more on Andre Lyon's storyline, he said. Andre is suffering from cancer and has now decided to fight for his life.

"We have such a terrific ensemble that when first you're told you have to take one chess piece out, it's 'What the hell am I going to do?' But then it opens up space and room to tell the other important stories that you want to tell. So there are pluses and minuses," Mahoney said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders to Jet Airways Friday said it has received bids from Etihad Airways and from a few unsolicited parties to acquire stake in the grounded airline.

The consortium of 26 lenders, which now owns 51 percent in the airline, had invited expressions of interest between April 8 and 12 and had received four preliminary bids. The lenders are offering 31.2-75 per cent stake in the company on a fully diluted basis.

Friday was the last day to submit the financial bids from the qualified bidders.

SBI Caps, which has been mandated for the sale, in a statement said, "sealed bid from Etihad Airways has been received and the same will be submitted to lenders for examination."



It has also received a few unsolicited offers, which the lenders may deliberate on subsequently, the statement said, adding the banks are likely to evaluate bids next week.

Jet Airways ceased operations temporarily on April 17 due to acute financial distress.

Earlier in the day, SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar said two unsolicited bids had been received while one more bid was expected.

"SBI has made disproportionate efforts to keep Jet Airways flying," Kumar told reporters.

The Gulf carrier, which acquired 24 percent stake in Jet in 2013 also evinced its interest to "re-invest" in a minority stake in the carrier.

"Etihad re-emphasises that it cannot be expected to be the sole investor, and that, amongst other requirements, additional suitable investors would need to provide the majority of Jet' required recapitalisation," Etihad said in the statement.

The Gulf airline said it has been working 'consistently' with key stakeholders over the past 15 months to help find a solution which would ensure Jet's return as a viable and competitive airline.

Private equity firms IndiGo Partners and TPG, Etihad Airways and the sovereign fund NIIF were shortlisted on April 12 after the first round of bids.

The airline owes more than Rs 8,000 crore to the consortium of lenders.

Jet founder Naresh Goyal, who was forced to step down from the airline on March 25 as part of a deal with lenders, had earlier partnered with Future Trend Capital to submit a bid for investing in the airline. But later was forced to withdraw the offer of threats from to walk away.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
German steel giant ThyssenKrupp said Friday that it expects the European Commission to block its proposed joint venture with Indian steel conglomerate Tata Steel due to "continuing concerns".

Tata Steel and ThyssenKrupp had signed definitive agreements in June 2018 to combine their steel businesses in Europe to create a 50-50 pan European joint venture company which would be the continent's second-largest steel company after Lakshmi Mittal's ArcelorMittal.

The Commission opened an "in-depth" investigation into the proposed merger in October last year amid concerns that the proposed deal between the two steel majors may reduce competition in the supply of various high-end steels.

Following an agreed extension last month for further negotiations, ThyssenKrupp confirmed that it had submitted a "substantial" offer to the European Commission the executive arm of the 28-member economic bloc.

However, the German major said that after a latest conversation it now seemed like the planned joint venture of their European steel activities will not go ahead.

Tata Steel, in a statement in Mumbai, also said that based on the feedback received from the Commission, "it is increasingly clear that the Commission is not intending to clear the proposed joint venture as it expects substantial remedies in the form of sale of assets of the proposed venture".

The proposed JV firm called ThyssenKrupp Tata Steel, which had been under discussions since September 2017, was to have a total workforce of 48,000 employees spread across 34 sites, producing about 21 million tons of steel a year with revenues of around 15 billion euros.

The German steel giant said that the EU took the improvements of the submitted covenants proposed by ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel as an opportunity to conduct another market test.

"The new market survey did not resolve the Commission's concerns, although the partners had offered significant further concessions. From the point of the view of ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel, further commitments or improvements would adversely affect the intended synergies of the merger to such an extent that the economic logic of the joint venture would no longer be valid. Consequently, the partners assume that the European Commission will not approve the joint venture," ThyssenKrupp said in a statement.

With the expected unsuccessful outcome of the steel joint venture, the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp AG has reassessed the strategic options for the company and will propose to the Supervisory Board to not go ahead with the planned separation into two independent companies, it said.

"The economic downturn and its effects on business development and the current capital market environment have led to the separation not being able to be realised as planned," the company said.

Instead, Thyssenkrupp said it would fundamentally realign itself to significantly improve its operating performance. This will include a value based more flexible portfolio approach with greater freedom for the development of all businesses, a leaner holding structure and a stronger performance orientation.

"At the same time, the company will sustainably strengthen its capital base in order to gain the necessary financial leeway for necessary restructuring and business development," ThyssenKrupp said.

As part of this new strategy, the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp AG will also propose an IPO of Elevator Technology to the Supervisory Board.

The Tata-ThyssenKrupp transaction was notified to the European Commission in September 2018 and had 90 working days to take a decision, a period which ended last month before a formal extension was agreed.

Under EU rules, the Commission has a duty to assess mergers and acquisitions involving companies with a turnover above certain thresholds and to prevent concentrations that would significantly impede effective competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it.

Tata Steel said both parties have been in intense engagement with all regulatory authorities and in particular the Commission to seek clearance.

"Based on the Statement of Objections published by the Commission, a comprehensive package of remedies was offered covering all the areas of concern highlighted by the Commission.

The remedies offered were developed considering the overall industrial strategy for the proposed joint venture, the integrated and complex nature of the supply chain to service customers and the need to build a sustainable business which would be able to endure the structural challenges faced by the European steel industry.

However, the feedback from the Commission based on the market test it has undertaken suggests that it is unlikely to clear the proposal in spite of the significant remedies offered.

While the proposed joint venture was an important strategic initiative for Tata Steel to create a sustainable portfolio in Europe that would have also helped to



de-consolidate the European Business and de-leverage its Balance Sheet, Tata Steel remains committed to the above strategy and would explore all options to achieve similar outcomes in the future.

Soon after the announcement of its failed merger with Tata Steel, Thyssenkrupp chief executive Guido Kerkhoff said the company will cut 6,000 jobs worldwide, including 4,000 in Germany.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The EU's top agriculture official Friday urged Japan to open up its market for beef from the whole bloc, saying Europe expected "reciprocity" for importing Japan's famous Wagyu and Kobe beef.

Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan told reporters that "only a small number of countries" in the EU had gained access to the Japanese market for beef products despite BSE -- commonly called mad cow disease -- having been eliminated since 2005.

"We are intensively working to convince Japan that we have reached the necessary levels of technical and operational criteria to be granted access for the entirety of the European Union as a single entity," Hogan said on a visit to Japan.

The fact the EU allows access for Wagyu and Kobe beef is "an indication of our goodwill" in this area, noted the commissioner.

"The EU expects to see reciprocity once the criteria are fulfilled and we believe there is... full compliance with what is demanded of us from the Japanese side," he stressed.

From 1996, Japan banned beef imports from Britain, citing fears of BSE infection, and it extended the ban to ban all EU-produced beef products in 2000.

But as governments began to control the disease, Japan has selectively reopened to Austria, Britain, Denmark, France, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.

However, the 19 other nations in the 28-member bloc, including major economies such as Germany and Spain, remain affected by the ban.

Turning to US trade policy, Hogan said the recently implemented free-trade deal between Japan and the EU was the "envy of the world" and could serve as a template for a potential EU-US accord.

The commissioner said President Donald Trump "probably regrets" pulling out of the enormous Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal at the beginning of his presidency.

And he said he hoped the US and China could strike a deal to bring down tariffs and ease their trade war, stressing: "The politics of cooperation rather than confrontation is always better in the medium and the long term when it comes to trade."



On Britain' exit from the European Union, Hogan said officials in Brussels had watched events in the British parliament "sometimes with disbelief", as Prime Minister Theresa May repeatedly failed to secure backing for her Brexit deal.

"We in the EU are waiting patiently for the UK Parliament to make its decision and unfortunately we cannot make progress until that happens," said Hogan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two Pakistani soldiers were among five people killed in a attack by suspected militants in the coal mining area of troubled Balochistan province, officials said on Friday.

The incident happened in Balochistan's Harnai area on Thursday night when armed men stormed a coal mine and indiscriminately opened fired, killing two miners, Deputy Commissioner Azeem Dummar said.

Dummar said after receiving information about the attack, personnel of the Frontier Corps rushed to the area but their vehicle was hit by a landmine explosion, killing two soldiers and the driver. Another soldier was wounded in the explosion, he said.

The Baluch Liberation Army (BLA), an outlawed armed separatist group based in the province, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We want to make it clear to the local spies and death squad groups of Pakistan Army that they will not be forgiven for their crimes," Jeehand Baloch, a BLA spokesperson, said in a email statement.

The separatist groups regularly target workers from other provinces and security forces and installations in the province.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Once upon a time they were friends, but now two former IAS officers are pitted against each other in an electoral battle from Fatehgarh Sahib (reserve) constituency in Punjab.

These days the ex-colleagues are trading barbs over their respective contribution to Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Darbara Singh Guru claims that Congress nominee Amar Singh, who served in Madhya Pradesh, has come from "outside", whereas he himself served in Punjab.

Singh questions Guru for his contribution towards Punjab, asking whether he framed any scheme for the state when he served as a bureaucrat.

Guru was the principal secretary to former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Amar Singh was the principal secretary to former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh.

Guru and Singh knew each other very well. Whenever Guru visited Bhopal for any official assignment, he would have meals at Amar Singh's residence.

"Being in service, we knew each other. Now our parties are different," said Singh.

Guru said, "I have spent my entire life serving the people of Punjab. I have been principal secretary to the chief minister and I know the functioning here (in Punjab) very well and how to get work done."



He said his experience would help him address the issues concerning the people in his constituency.

"Amar Singh was a Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer and he served there throughout his career. He has come from outside. Only after his retirement, did he come to Punjab," said Guru.

Meanwhile, Amar Singh said he served for 10 years at the Centre and contributed to the formulation of the National Food Security scheme and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREGA).

"I contributed towards NREGA and National Food Security scheme. He (Guru) was in Punjab his whole life, but ask him, has he contributed towards framing any scheme for Punjab," said Amar Singh.

"Since my retirement in 2013, I have been living in Punjab. I am the son of a labourer and I have been here for quite some time," he said, responding to Guru's charge of that he had come from outside.

"He (Guru) was the principal secretary to CM for five years, while I was the principal secretary to CM for 10 years," said Amar Singh.

He said that people do not vote for individuals, rather they vote for parties. "Who is ready to vote for the Akali Dal this time which has been facing the people's ire over its handling of desecration incidents," said Singh.

Amar Singh, who was born in Ludhiana's Boparai Kalan village, said that during his stint at the Centre he was aware about the issues in Punjab.

Both ex-bureaucrats have fought assembly polls earlier. While Guru contested and lost from Bhadaur (Barnala) and Bassi Pathana (Fatehgarh Sahib) assembly seats, Amar Singh unsuccessfully fought from the Raikot seat.

For Guru, national security is one of the main issues during the Lok Sabha polls and he is seeking votes for the development of this constituency.

Congress nominee Amar Singh wants to put Fatehgarh Sahib on international tourist map and boost iron and steel industry of Mandi Gobindgarh.

The AAP and the Punjab Democratic Alliance have fielded Harbans Kaur Dullo and Manwinder Singh Giaspura from Fatehgarh Sahib for the polls.

In 2014, Harinder Singh Khalsa had won from Fatehgarh Sahib seat on AAP ticket, but later, he was suspended. Khalsa joined the BJP last month.

Fatehgarh Sahib has nine assembly segmentsBassi Pathana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amloh, Khanna, Samrala, Sahnewal, Payal, Raikot and Amargarh and out of these, seven assembly seats are held by Congress MLAs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(ANSA) - Vatican City, May 10 - Pope Francis may visit South Sudan this year, the pope told a nun who invited him to the African country on Friday.

"I was going to go to South Sudan last year, with the archbishop of Canterbury, but it was not possible," Francis said.

"But we promised to go there together, the Anglican archbishop and I, and perhaps (we will) this year.

"Perhaps, it is not definite, when I go to Mozambique Madagascar e Mauritius, there will be time to visit there too.

"When it say time, I don't mean clock time, but mature time to go there.

"I want to go: I bear the South Sudan in my heart".


The head of a political-religious group advocating the secession of a southwestern part of DR Congo was arrested two days after appearing in public following a spectacular jailbreak, police said Friday.

Ne Muanda Nsemi, the head of the Bundu dia Kongo or "Kingdom of the Kongo" movement, "returned overnight to Malaka prison under police escort," police spokesman Colonel Pierrot-Rombaut Mwanamputu told AFP, referring to Kinshasa's central prison.

The movement, concentrated in the southwest, seeks the restoration of the former Congolese kingdom inside pre-colonial boundaries, which would comprise parts of Angola, Congo and Gabon.

Ne Muanda Nsemi escaped from Makala in May 2017 during a brazen pre-dawn raid in which more than 4,000 prisoners managed to escape.

He was on the run but made a public appearance this week on television.

The spiritual leader was accused by the government of former president Joseph Kabila of staging deadly attacks on state institutions between the end of 2016 and early 2017.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State-owned gas utility GAIL India Friday said it has completed awards for all major contracts for the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga natural gas pipeline project that transverse from Jagdishpur to Haldia and Bokaro (Jharkhand) and Dhamra in Odisha.

In a statement, GAIL said it has placed a Rs 475 crore order for steel pipes of about 280-kilometers to provide pipeline connectivity from Durgapur to Haldia, including spur lines to Kolkata in West Bengal.

This completes contracting for the 3,400-km Jagdishpur (Uttar Pradesh) -Haldia (West Bengal) & Bokaro - Dhamra Natural Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL).

"Till date, the company has committed over Rs 12,500 crore for the project," GAIL said.

The pipeline has already reached Barauni in Bihar and GAIL is ready for supplying gas to a refinery and upcoming fertiliser plant. The pipeline also supplies natural gas for Patna city gas distribution network (CGD).

"This is a major milestone towards providing green fuel to the eastern part of the country," it said, adding the work for balance portion is going on in full swing and is scheduled to be completed by December 2021 in a phased manner.

The construction work of Dobhi-Durgapur Pipeline section is likely to be completed by December 2019 for supplying gas to Matix Fertilizers, Durgapur, West Bengal.

The PSU is currently executing around 5,500 km of pipeline costing Rs 25,000 crore to provide gas supply largely to areas of eastern and southern parts of the country.

Another 1,400 km pipeline involving capex of Rs 7,000 crore is under evaluation which is targeted to be completed by 2023.

These pipeline projects by GAIL will be part of the National Gas Grid, providing Natural Gas to areas hitherto untouched by the green fuel.

GAIL Chairman and Managing Director B C Tripathi said the company is committed towards creating the National Gas Grid to provide natural gas connectivity throughout the country.

"GAIL will soon raise loan for the upcoming huge capex programme for laying natural gas-related infrastructure," he said.

GAIL, he said, had exceeded its capex target of Rs 6,400 crore for 2018-19 fiscal.

"Major contracts for integrated JHBDPL have been awarded which will contribute to the economic development of the country and provide employment opportunities in the pipeline project and city gas distribution networks in the country," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A police case has been registered against 64 people, including some government officials, for landinggovernment jobs allegedly on the basis of fake marksheets of the Industrial Training and Employment Department (ITED).

The case was registered under various sections of the IPC pertaining to creating bogus documents, cheating and collusion, based on a complaint by ITED joint director B L Chandrashekara.

In his complaint, the joint director said various departments had sent the marksheets and pass certificates to the ITED to verify their authenticity.

Accordingly, the department formed a committee to look into the issue and a report.

It stated that while many of them had undertaken training at the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI), some others allegedly created fake marks card to show they'd passed the exam.

Those who'd forged the marks card had allegedly colluded with some staff at the ITIs.

While the ITED director refused to speak on the issue, sources in the department Friday said those who landed jobs were presently serving in various government departments including Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board, electricity supply companies, public works department and some other departments.

Police said no arrests have been made so far since the matter was at the investigation-level.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a major goof up in a civic-run hospital in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the corpse of a Muslim woman was handed over to the kin of a Dalit woman who was stabbed to death in Bavla town on May 8.

The issue came to light Friday morning after relatives of the Muslim woman, identified as Nasrin Banu, arrived at Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run V S Hospital and realised she had been the subject of morgue mix-up.

According to hospital authorities, a staff at the hospital's morgue handed over Banu's corpse thinking it was that of Mittal Jadhav when the latter's kin arrived on Thursday.

Mittal Jadhav (19) was stabbed multiple times on Wednesday in Bavla town by one Ketan Vaghela and two others.

For Banu's family, it was too late to set things right as Jadhav's family had carried out funerary rituals and buried the body on Friday morning.

In Gujarat, Dalits usually opt for burial, and not cremation, if the deceased is an unmarried woman.

After the swap came to light, Banu's body was exhumed in the presence of officials and sent back to V S Hospital, said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Baldevsinh Vaghela.

V S Hospital Superintendent Manish Patel blamed the morgue attendant as well Jadhav's family for the episode.

"Both the bodies, which came to the hospital on Thursday afternoon, were kept side by side in the cold storage room. Relatives of both the deceased women told us they will collect the bodies later. Mittal's family members came in the night and took Nasrin Banu's corpse by mistake," said Patel.

"The cold storage room staff took Mittal's kin for the identification of the body before handing it over. Despite that, something like this has happened. It seems the staff as well as Mittal's kin are at fault for failing to identify the corpse correctly," Patel said.

He said the police was informed and the body was exhumed in Bavla town in the presence of the Sub Divisional Magistrate.

Deputy Superintendent Vaghela said Mittal's kin had reached V S Hospital to claim her body.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Scotland Yard has launched an investigation after a gunshot was fired outside a mosque in east London during Ramadan prayers on Thursday evening.

The Metropolitan Police said the firearm discharge at Seven Kings Masjid in Ilford is believed to be related to a previous altercation and is not being treated as an Islamophobic hate crime or terror-related incident.

The Met Police's firearms officers attended the scene and confirmed there were no reported injuries or damage to the building.

At this early stage, ballistic evidence recovered from the scene suggests that the weapon was a blank firing handgun. Officers from Trident Specialist Crime investigate. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue, a Met Police statement said.

It said that the incident may have stemmed from an earlier altercation in the street.

Initial enquiries indicated that the incident may have stemmed from an earlier altercation in the street close to the mosque. Officers continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community, the statement noted.

Officers were called to the mosque at 22.45 local time to reports that a man, believed to be in possession of a firearm, had entered a mosque on High Road in Seven Kings, east London.

The man was ushered outside of the building by those inside and a gunshot was then heard later.

I am in close contact with the Met Police Commissioner about this incident at Seven Kings Mosque, and relieved to hear that nobody was injured, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a Twitter statement.

Everyone should be free to practice their faith free from danger and fear. An increased police presence remains on the scene, he said.

The incident comes as the Met Police have issued statements to reassure Britain's Muslim communities to coincide with Ramadan and encouraged them to attend their local mosques without fear.

In the wake of terrorist attacks at a mosque in New Zealand in March and at a church in Sri Lanka last month, the Metropolitan Police said it had reinforced safety measures at all places of worship across the British capital.

Commander Mark McEwan, the Met Police's lead for Inclusion and Engagement, said: Ramadan is a very special time of the year for our Muslim community living and visiting London; a city known for its multiculturalism and acceptance of different faiths and religions.

For most people in the Muslim community it is the most significant event of the year and one of reflection and humility.

Anyone attending a place of worship, irrespective of their faith, should feel safe to do so.

McEwan also advised members of the Muslim community to report if they are victims of Islamophobic hate crime and help the force tackle the problem.

The Met is committed to tackling hate crime in all its forms, including Islamophobia. By taking robust action against perpetrators and working in partnership with external agencies, we can provide support and guidance to victims, protect communities from those who commit such offences and prevent re-victimisation,"he said.

During Ramadan if you are a victim of hate crime or feel persecuted please contact the police as soon as possible, he added.

Since the recent terrorist attacks around the world, officers from the Met Police Protective Security Operations Command said they have visited a number of faith venues and attended faith events in London to provide community leaders and those running establishments with protective security advice.

Officers provided staff with advice including what to do if they find a suspicious package, how to make the buildings more secure, how to identify suspicious behaviour and what to do in the event of a terrorist incident.

Terrorists want to create division and a culture of fear, they want to stop people from continuing life as normal. If you are going to a place of worship, be it a mosque, church, synagogue or anywhere else, my advice is to be alert but not alarmed,"said Chief Superintendent Dawn Morris, head of the Met Police Protective Security Operations Command, which leads on counter-terrorism security for London.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man, who had landed in Mumbai dreaming to make it big in the film industry, ended up becoming a hardened chain-snatcher, from whom the police have recovered ornaments worth around Rs 13 lakh, an official said on Friday.

The accused, Md Saif Azgar Ali (32), was arrested from Thane railway station a couple of days back for the chain- snatching incidents on the Mumbai-Panvel route, the senior police official said.

"During his interrogation, it came to light the Ali was a hardened chain-snatcher. He has been stealing 'mangalsutra' worn by women traveling in trains on the Konkan Railway route. After stealing the chains, he would hand them over to a man in Panvel," he said.

He has 16 cases registered against him at multiple police stations along the Konkan Railway route.

"We recovered gold ornamnets worth Rs 12.92 lakh from his possession," the official added.

"The accused is a native of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. He had landed in Mumbai some years back to become a model and a film star. But as he could not succeed, he went into depression due to financial constraints. Later, he turned to chain snatching as a means of livelihood," the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A militant belonging to the Harkatul Mujahideen (HuM) was killed Friday in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said.

Acting on a credible input about the presence of militants, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation at Ramnagri in Herpora area of the district, a police spokesman said.

"During the operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party. It was retaliated leading to a brief exchange of fire," the spokesman said.

He said one militant was killed who was identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi alias Umar, a resident of Model Town-B in Sopore area of Baramulla district.

"According to police records, Ishfaq had a long history of terror crime records and was initially affiliated with proscribed terror outfit HuM. He and other terrorist associates were involved in a series of terror crimes, including grenade attacks on CRPF bunker at Safa Kadal, Soura and Police Station Khanyar," the spokesman said.

Ishfaq, who was arrested earlier and released on bail, had joined the terror ranks again in 2018, he said, adding that incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, was seized from the scene of encounter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court has allowed a man lodged in jail, facing prosecution in a murder case, to take the Manipur Civil Service examination.

The court said that as the exam is scheduled on May 12, the accused be taken to Imphal by economy flight on Saturday and brought back to Delhi on May 13.

"Accordingly, Superintendent Jail is directed to have the petitioner taken to Imphal by economy flight. The cost of the ticket of the petitioner shall be borne by him. However the cost of travel, boarding and lodging of the officers accompanying the petitioner shall be borne by the prison Department of the Delhi Government," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said.

Benzi Takhellambam sought interim bail on the ground that he has to take the Manipur Civil Service (Combined) Competitive Preliminary Exams 2019 which are scheduled to be held on May 12 between 10 AM to 12 PM and 2 PM to 4 PM. The examination centre is a school in Imphal-West, Manipur.

The prosecutor had said there was sufficient material to show his involvement in the murder case and there was an apprehension that he may abscond if granted interim bail.

However, the prosecutor had submitted that he may be permitted to take the examination in police custody.

The court said that on reaching Imphal, the man be taken to a police station closer to the examination centre and lodged in the lock-up there.

It also directed the Superintendent of Police, Imphal-West to ensure that boarding and lodging is provided to the police personnel accompanying the accused, either in the police station where the lock-up is situated or in close by Police Lines.

The police personnel be allowed to sit at a place in the examination centre from where they can see the accused.

The court made it clear that this order has been passed keeping in view of the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and it shall not be treated as a precedent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kerala High Court Friday refused to interfere in a petition seeking to allow a 54-year-old celebrity jumbo to take part in the state's famous Thrissur Pooram festival next week, saying the authorities concerned should take a decision on the matter.

When the plea came up for consideration, Justice Anu Sivaraman said a decision on allowing the tusker named 'Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran', India's tallest captive elephant, to participate in an important ritual related to the Pooram festival has to be taken by the authorities concerned.

In their plea, owners of the elephant said they are concerned as district authorities may not permit it to participate in the ritual.

With the court refusing to interfere with the matter, an expert committee has to take a call on the issue. It will be chaired by Thrissur district collector and comprising experts, including divisional forest officer and veterinary doctors,



Following the high court decision, the Kerala government sought the legal opinion from Additional Advocate General Renjith Thampan on the matter who in turn advised the government that the tuskar can be permitted for participating only in Pooram festival with certain restrictions.

The Additional Advocate General (AAG) told the government that people should be kept away from the jumbo during its parade and steps should be taken to avoid any sort of danger to the people.

Authorities concerned should also ensure that the elephant would not be provoked.

If any untoward incident occurs, the elephant owners should take its responsibility.

The Kerala captive elephants (management and maintenance) rules, 2003 should be followed while parading the tusker.

Authorities should also ensure that the elephant is insured, the AAG said.

The administration has already banned parading of Ramachandran in any festival, after arriving at a conclusion that it has run amok and killed people and elephants.

Besides, the elephant is also partially blind.

In recent years, the main event of Thrissur Pooram festivities begins with Ramachandran symbolically pushing open the southern entrance gate of the ancient Vadakkumnathan temple in Thrissur city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The high voltage campaign for the eight Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, which includes Bhopal constituency where senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh is locked in a battle with BJP nominee and Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur, came to an end on Friday evening.

Polling for the eight seats- Bhopal, Morena, Bhind (SC), Gwalior, Guna, Sagar, Vidisha and Rajgarh will be held on Sunday from 7 am to 6 pm.

This will be the third phase of polling in Madhya Pradesh, with the first and second phases having been held on April 29 and May 6. The last phase will be held on May 19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were among the leaders who addressed public meetings for these seats.

While seven of these seats were won by the BJP in 2014, the Guna constituency was won by the Congress.

Guna, one of the high-profile seats in this phase, would seal the fate of AICC general secretary and Congress candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Union minister and BJP nominee Narendra Singh Tomar is in the fray from Morena.

In the last leg of electioneering for these seats, PM Modi had addressed two public meetings respectively at Sagar and another in Gwalior, whereas Rahul Gandhi had also campaigned in Gwalior, Bhind and Morena parliamentary seats.

Amit Shah had campaigned for the party candidates in Bhopal and Rajgarh.

Besides them, BSP Supremo Mayawati also addressed a public rally in Morena.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel, Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh and Smiriti Irani also addressed rallies in state ahead of the third phase of polling.

Total 136 candidates are in the fray for the eight Lok Sabha seats.

There are 25 candidates in the fray in Morena, 18 each in Bhind and Gwalior, 11 in Guna, 10 in Sagar, 13 in Vidisha, 30 in Bhopal and 11 in Rajgarh, an official of the Election Commission said.

Total 18,141 polling booths have been set up for more than 1.44 crore electorate, including 32,909 service voters, across these eight seats, the official added.

Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

In the 2014 national elections, the BJP had won 27 of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. However, the Congress had later won the Ratlam seat in a by-election, taking its tally to three in the state.

The Congress, which wrested power from the BJP in Madhya Pradesh last year, after a gap of 15 years, is optimistic of putting up a good show in this election.

But the BJP leaders are equally upbeat, claiming a wave in favour of Narendra Modi and expecting to repeat of their spectacular performance of 2014.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mare Ionio enters Italian waters with 30 migrants onboard Mediterranea Saving Humans asks for safe port

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 10 - The Mare Ionio, the ship run by the Mediterranea Saving Humans organization that on Thursday rescued 30 migrants on a dinghy in distress some 40 nautical miles off Libya, entered Italian waters on Friday. Once past the 12-nautical-mile mark south of Lampedusa, the ship was reached by two Financial Police (GDF) motorboats for a ''police check''.



''We are asking for a safe port,'' the NGO wrote on its Twitter account, ''to disembark men, pregnant women, and children.'' On Thursday, an Italian navy had rescued another 36 migrants onboard a boat that was sinking off Libya.



After Interior Minister Matteo Salvini refused to open Italian ports to them, in the evening the prime minister's office announced that ''the 36 migrants (including two women and eight children without life vests, Ed.) who had been onboard a boat that was sinking have all been transferred onto the Stromboli unit. The Stromboli ship is now travelling to the Augusta military port, where the migrants will be disemabarked''. (ANSAmed).




The US House on Friday approved USD 19.1 billion in disaster relief to help hard-hit communities like Puerto Rico, but President Donald Trump opposes the package which faces party bickering over funding.

On the eve of the vote in the Democratic-controlled chamber, Trump urged Republicans to reject the "BAD DEMOCRAT Disaster Supplemental Bill" and continue negotiating on the emergency package aimed at providing recovery assistance to Americans affected by storms, wildfires and floods.

But in a rebuke of Trump, 34 Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the measure, which cleared the House of Representatives 257-150.

At a Florida rally on Thursday, Trump wrongly said Puerto Rico, a US territory, had already received USD 91 billion in disaster aid in the wake of deadly 2017 hurricanes that devastated the island.

Puerto Rico has been promised about half that amount and spent just USD 11 billion, according to a Washington Post fact check.

House Appropriations Committee chair Nita Lowey said Americans "can't afford to wait any longer" for the relief, which would fund activities like infrastructure development, rural community assistance, and disaster damage mitigation in Puerto Rico and states like California, Florida, North and South Carolina, and Iowa.

"The president's personal contempt for Puerto Rico must no longer be allowed to stand in the way of critical disaster relief," she said.

After the vote Trump expressed optimism about a deal.

"We will now work out a bipartisan solution that gets relief for our great States and Farmers," he tweeted.

The measure heads to the Republican-controlled Senate, where lawmakers have struggled to break the logjam.

The chamber is grappling with whether to add to the disaster package Trump's latest request of USD 4.5 billion in emergency border security funding amid what the White House is calling an increasingly "dire" immigration crisis along the southern border.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
/ -- IDeA Worldwide, India's oldest existing interior and fashion design college celebrates its 28th anniversary this month. Mentored by Thomas Abraham, among India's leading design personalities IDeA runs acclaimed degree programs in design affiliated to Bangalore University, (the alma mater of Sir CV Raman, M. Visvesvaraya and CNR Rao among others). These courses offer dual certificates from the American Institute of Architects and the Las Vegas Fashion Council, besides giving students a rare opportunity to work under Thomas Abraham himself- helping produce his international design collections in furniture, interiors and fashion.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/885065/IDeA_Worldwide_Logo.jpg)



As designer to the National Sub-Contest Finale of Femina Miss India 2018, Thomas Abraham (an alumni of IIT Kharagpur) is known as a trailblazing innovator, creating one of the most scintillating and romantic collections showcased in recent years.

IDeA Worldwide gives its students the unique opportunity to meet and interact with the who's who of the industry and their practical-oriented training makes them among the most avant garde design schools in the world. Recent visiting faculty have included the world famous Julian Roberts from London Fashion Week and the Royal College of Art, London, ace photographer Waseem Khan and the Dutch building designer, Rene Jannsen.

IDeA is also now associated with fashion icon and textile designer Prasad Bidappa who has guided some of India's most glamorous people step into the design, film and glamour world as confident professionals.

IDeA's three-and-a-half-year degree program includes a 6-month paid internship, where students work in some of the country's leading architectural, interior and fashion houses. As of this year, IDeA is also introducing a four-year degree program in Animation and Multimedia Design, affiliated to Bangalore University.

Admissions for all courses are currently open. They may be contacted on +91-9008808000 or at idea-worldwide.com



About IDeA Worldwide:IDeA Worldwide is India's oldest existing design institution having been established in the year 1990 by Thomas Abraham (one of India's leading design personalities) that he started right after graduating from IIT Kharagpur. IDeA Worldwide runs acclaimed interior and fashion degree colleges affiliated to Bangalore University, besides giving certifications from the American Institute of Architects and the Las Vegas Fashion council. Students get a rare opportunity to work under the direct mentorship of Thomas Abraham including working on his international design collections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Independent candidate from Sonipat Lok Sabha seat Satish Raj Deshwal escaped unhurt after unidentified masked assailants fired shots at him at his office here, police said Friday.

The incident took place at around 5 am Thursday when two attackers fired shots through the window of the room in which Deshwal was sleeping, they said.

The assailants had used a ladder to reach the room located on the first floor, city police station in-charge Sandeep said.

He said a team led by him has been constituted to probe the incident and no arrest has so far been made in this connection.

On getting information about the incident, a police team rushed to the spot and recovered some cartridges from there, he said.

Deshwal is in the poll fray as an Independent and he has set up his office at Barota village in Sonipat. He stayed at a room in the office after poll campaigning Wednesday night when the incident occurred hours later.

CCTV cameras installed in his office have recorded the two attackers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and the UK on Friday resolved to step up cooperation in the key areas of maritime security, counter-terrorism and climate change as the two countries held their foreign office consultations to review the entire range of bilateral relations.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale represented the Indian side, while the UK side was headed by Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK government.

?The consultations provided an opportunity to review the entire range of bilateral relations, including political, economic, commercial, scientific, regional and international cooperation, including in the Commonwealth, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

They expressed satisfaction on the level of political exchanges and decided to further intensify them in the coming months.

Both sides agreed to increase their collaboration in the fields of Indo-Pacific, disaster resilience, climate change and development in third countries, amongst other areas.

The instrument of ratification of the UK joining the International Solar Alliance was formally handed over during the consultations.

Over the past year, the two countries have identified specific areas to work together as a force for good, for example on a global coalition on climate resilience, disaster relief and development, the British High Commission said in a statement.

Bilateral trade has grown by 14 per cent, and visas for Indian students have increased by 35 per cent, it said.

"The UK-India relationship is focused on the future: whether it be through the technology partnership, security collaboration or economic ties, our bilateral cooperation is designed to build shared prosperity and tackle future challenges. It has been 12 months of impressive progress since the Commonwealth Summit," Simon said.

He said over the next decade, the UK and India will be ever more central players in global debates on security, development and protecting the planet.

"I'm delighted that, together, we are tackling these issues head on as partners -- reinforcing our two prime ministers' desire to act as a joint 'Force for Good' in the world," he said.

The FCO consultations also covered bilateral cooperation on cyber and maritime security, counter-terrorism, and other regional challenges, the British High Commission said.

Simon and Gokhale also reconfirmed the commitment made by their respective prime ministers to encourage closer business, cultural and intellectual cooperation, so that millions more are able to learn, travel, trade, create and thrive together.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Vietnam Friday underlined the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu held wide-ranging talks with his Vietnamese counterpart to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The two countries reaffirmed their stand a day after the Indian Navy participated with the navies of the US, the Philippines and Japan in their first joint naval exercise in the disputed South China Sea, where China is flexing its muscles.

Naidu, who is in Vietnam on a four-day official visit, said the two countries have a strong bilateral relationship based on mutual trust, understanding, convergence of views on regional and international issues.

"I am very happy to be visiting Vietnam, a civilisational friend and trusted partner, a strategic pillar of India's Act East Policy and our key interlocutor in ASEAN," Naidu said after holding talks with his Vietnamese Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh.

Naidu and his Vietnamese counterpart reiterated the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"We hope that the concerned countries are able to reach consensus on a Code of Conduct in South China Sea.

"We are both fully committed to an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture based on freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded economic activities and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the international law," Naidu said.

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The US has conducted a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises in the disputed South China Sea, triggering protests from Beijing over what it says is infringement of sovereignty.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, while Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan are also claimants.

Vice President Naidu, in his statement, said the exchange of high-level visits from both the sides is a clear indication of the commitment of India and Vietnam to further strengthen the 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'.

The talks between the two leaders were "extensive and productive", the MEA said.

"Our discussions covered the whole range of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. We have agreed to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation in defence and security, peaceful uses of atomic energy and outer space, science and technology, oil and gas, renewable energy, infrastructure development, agriculture and innovation-based sectors," Naidu said.

The bilateral defence and security cooperation is robust and India and Vietnam are committed to further strengthen it, he said.

"Our bilateral trade stood at nearly USD 14 billion last year having nearly doubled from USD 7.8 billion three years ago. I am confident that we will achieve our bilateral trade target of USD 15 billion by 2020.

He extended his wishes to the people of Vietnam for the auspicious day of Vesak which will be celebrated on Sunday.

"I bring warm greetings from the land of Buddha to the friendly people of Vietnam," Naidu said.

"Buddhism has been a strong bond uniting our two peoples and nations. Indians came to the shores of this beautiful country two millennia ago with the message of Lord Buddha, of peace and compassion. The remains of the Champa civilization attest to the exchanges of people, goods, ideas and philosophies," Naidu, who will deliver the keynote address at the 16th UN Day of Vesak Celebrations in Ha Nam province, said.

Naidu said he looked forward to direct air connectivity between India and Vietnam and to the Indian carrier Indigo starting direct flights between the two countries later this year. This step would go a long way in boosting bilateral trade and tourism exchanges," the Vice President said.

Naidu also invited his Vietnamese counterpart to visit India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Vietnam on Friday reiterated the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart on a range of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Naidu, who is in the Southeast Asian country for a four-day official visit, said the two countries have a strong bilateral relationship based on mutual trust, understanding, convergence of views on regional and international issues.

"I am very happy to be visiting Vietnam, a civilisational friend and trusted partner, a strategic pillar of India's Act East Policy and our key interlocutor in ASEAN," Naidu said.

Vice President Naidu and his Vietnamese counterpart Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh reiterated the importance of building a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"We hope that the concerned countries are able to reach consensus on a Code of Conduct in South China Sea.

"We are both fully committed to an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture based on freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded economic activities and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the international law," Naidu said.

His statement came a day after the Indian Navy participated with the navies of the US, the Philippines and Japan in their first joint naval exercise in the disputed South China Sea, where China is flexing its muscle.

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The US has conducted a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises in the disputed South China Sea, triggering protests from Beijing over what it says is infringement of sovereignty.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, while Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan are also claimants.

Vice President Naidu, in his statement, said the exchange of high-level visits from both the sides is a clear indication of the commitment of India and Vietnam to further strengthen the 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'.

"Buddhism has been a strong bond uniting our two peoples and nations. Indians came to the shores of this beautiful country two millennia ago with the message of Lord Buddha, of peace and compassion. The remains of the Champa civilization attest to the exchanges of people, goods, ideas and philosophies," Naidu, who will deliver the keynote address at the 16th UN Day of Vesak Celebrations in Ha Nam province, said.

He extended his wishes to the people of Vietnam for the auspicious day of Vesak which will be celebrated on Sunday.

"I bring warm greetings from the land of Buddha to the friendly people of Vietnam," he said.

The talks between the two leaders were "extensive and productive", the MEA said.

"Our discussions covered the whole range of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. We have agreed to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation in defence and security, peaceful uses of atomic energy and outer space, science and technology, oil and gas, renewable energy, infrastructure development, agriculture and innovation-based sectors," Naidu said.

The bilateral defence and security cooperation is robust and India and Vietnam are committed to further strengthen it, he said.

"Our bilateral trade stood at nearly USD 14 billion last year having nearly doubled from USD 7.8 billion three years ago. I am confident that we will achieve our bilateral trade target of USD 15 billion by 2020.

"I look forward to direct air connectivity between our two countries and to the Indian civil aviation carrier Indigo starting direct flights between India and Vietnam later this year. This step would go a long way in boosting bilateral trade and tourism exchanges," the Vice President said.

Vice President Naidu invited his Vietnamese counterpart to visit India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian travelling to the UK on a tourist visa has been jailed for 12 months for carrying out a "prolonged" sexual assault on a young woman during a long-haul flight from Mumbai to Manchester earlier this year.

Hardeep Singh, 36, will be deported back to India at the end of his sentence.

Singh, who pinned the woman passenger down on her seat during the flight, was sentenced to 12 months in jail at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester on Thursday.

"From the outset of the flight, Singh's behaviour was despicable. After checking the woman was unaccompanied, he began to invade her personal space, pestering her and making unwanted physical contact, despite the passenger making it clear she did not want to engage him in conversation," said Detective Constable Catherine Evans of Greater Manchester Police's Airport Team.

"Waiting until the woman and surrounding passengers were asleep, Singh subjected the woman to a prolonged sexual assault, forcibly restraining her when she tried to move away. Numbed with fear, it was only after she summoned the strength to overpower him that she was able to run away and raise the alarm," she said.

The court heard that on February 23, the woman in her 20s was aboard the flight from Mumbai and Singh was in the seat to one side of her, the officer said.

He was visiting Britain on a six-month tourist visa. Upon boarding the aircraft in Mumbai, Singh tried to engage the woman in conversation. She tried to be polite but began to feel uncomfortable and could not understand him as he did not speak English clearly, she said.

While attempting to engage her in conversation during the course of the flight, Singh asked her whether the woman sat on the other side of her was her mother and while she was watching a film removed her headphones and tried to talk to her again, the court was told.

When she got up to use the facilities, Singh refused to move aside so she could get to the aisle comfortably, forcing her to squeeze past him. After the lights on the aircraft were turned down, due to the time of the flight, the woman and the other passengers around her went to sleep under their blankets, the officer said.

The woman woke to find Singh sexually assaulting her. She tried to push him away but he persisted, forcing his hands underneath her clothing and underwear, rubbing his hands on her body, as well as trying to kiss her, the court hearing was told.

Everyone else around her on the aircraft was asleep. She repeatedly told him to stop and tried to remove his hands. She attempted to move away but Singh hooked her legs off the ground so she couldn't get up. She felt isolated and vulnerable as everyone else was asleep and she couldn't see any cabin crew around to help, the officer said.

The assault lasted for around 15 minutes before she was able to struggle free and move to the back of the plane where she reported Singh to a member of the cabin crew, the court was told.

He was moved away from the woman for the remainder of the flight and cabin crew contacted local Manchester police, whose officers were waiting at the Manchester Airport when the plane landed. Singh was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and initially denied the offences.

"We're pleased with today's (Thursday's) sentence and hope the woman can move forward knowing that he's behind bars. We hope the courage of this woman and this positive court result encourages other victims to come forward and report incidents of sexual assault to police," the Detective Constable added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 85,000-strong Indian Jews community in Israel is a vital link between the two nations that has seen rapid growth in relations over the years across a broad spectrum of areas, a senior Indian diplomat has said.

Speaking at the launch of a book titled "The Synagogues of India," whose first copy of limited edition was presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel in 2017, Counsellor at the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv Muanpuii Saiawi said the future vision of cooperation between the two knowledge economies is of a strong hi-tech partnership.

"The 85,000 strong Indian Jewish community here form a vital and important link between India and Israel. Both nations have excellent relations with over 25 years of full diplomatic relations. Relations have seen rapid growth across a broad spectrum of areas and the future vision of cooperation is of a strong hi-tech partnership as befits two knowledge economies," Saiawi said at the gathering that was attended by hundreds of Indian Jews.

The book describes about the richness of Jewish diasporic architecture.

"The more than 45 Synagogues included in my book reveal the richness of Jewish diasporic architecture and more importantly they are a testimony to India's noble tradition of diversity, inclusiveness and tolerance," Prof Jay Waronker, author of the book, told the gathering.

"Architecture can serve as a measuring device, as an interpreter, of a given people from a certain time and at a particular location, including at India's synagogues. In the process, these buildings become places where histories are written, life stories are generated, and memories are triggered," the author added.

The book is being seen as an attempt to fill a gap in existing research, literature, and discussion on the Synagogues in India which have not received much attention so far.

"That these Indian synagogues and the five distinct communities of Jews who realised them--the Bene Israel, the Cochini, the Baghdadi, the Bene Ephraim, and the B'nei Menashe-- have co-existed alongside a cornucopia of other religious and secular buildings and their users for so long makes their story even more compelling", Waronker, a practicing architect in Atlanta, said.

The Chairman of Indian Jewish Heritage Centre, Avner Isaac, and a researcher at the IJHC, Pinhas Yosef, also highlighted the lack of anti-semitism in India where "Jews felt at home".

An announcement was also made by Saiawi regarding the opening of the Indian Cultural Centre in Tel Aviv soon, whose announcement was made by PM Modi during his visit to Israel.

Pinhas also distributed the first issue of "Indian Jewish Link", a newsletter highlighting the events and achievements of the Indian Jewish community, during the event following an emotional speech emphasising on how the community preserved its identity and culture in India during its thousands of years of presence there.

Marian Scheuer Sofaer, the editor of the book, who was the director for the Chendamangalam Synagogue exhibition in Kerala that opened in 2006 and also provided assistance to the team which restored the near by Parur Synagogue, not just spoke highly of India's rich culture of diversity, tolerance and co-existence that lacked anti-semitism, but also noted that a lot of Synagogues were protected and preserved by Muslims for generations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian-origin schoolboy with a rare form of dairy allergy who died in the UK when his classmate flung a piece of cheese at him was not killed intentionally, an inquest into the death concluded here on Friday.

Karanbir Singh Cheema, known as Karan, was 13 years old when he died after having a severe reaction to the cheese coming in contact with his skin at his school in west London in June 2017.

Senior Coroner Mary Hassall said the classmate who threw the cheese taken from a friend's sandwich was "simply not thinking".

"It was a childish and thoughtless act but was not calculated to cause serious harm. His fatal reaction to an allergen that was not ingested but was only ever in contact with his skin was extraordinarily rare," Hassall said at St Pancras Coroner's Court in London.

"Karanbir's school did not have an effective system for educating its pupils in the dangers of allergies," she noted.

The asthmatic Karan was discovered "gasping for air" by paramedics at his school in Greenford on the fateful day.

He had allergies to wheat, gluten, egg, milk and tree nuts and his condition quickly worsened when he came in contact with cheese. He began scratching vigorously at his skin, the inquest heard.

"He pulled his shirt off, screamed and flung himself around the room in panic. He could not breathe," the coroner noted, as she recorded a "narrative" verdict in the case.

Karan died after 11 days in intensive care following the incident in which one boy threw some cheese at Karan, passed from a sandwich by a third boy. Both the schoolboys, also aged 13, gave evidence to the inquest hearing from behind the screen.

During three days of evidence last week, the court heard that although Karan was a "pretty typical patient" at allergy clinics, his death from anaphylactic shock brought about by skin contact was very rare and unprecedented.

"If it was skin contact alone that caused, in this case, fatal anaphylaxis, I believe that would be unprecedented," said consultant paediatrician Adam Fox in his expert witness statement.

The coroner called the school's healthcare provision for Karan "inadequate" and said a contributing factor in his death was the fact that his allergy action plan was not included in the school's care plan or medical box.

After a delay, he was administered with an EpiPen, which contained adrenaline that was a year out of date.

"It is not possible to say whether the use of adrenaline that was in date or the administration of a second EpiPen would have changed the outcome, but they would have given Karanbir a better chance of survival," Hassell said.

She called for schools in England to better educate pupils to the dangers of allergies and to better implement care plans for children with allergies.

"Karan's death has left us with a hole that will never be filled. The sorrow and sadness of losing Karan is so palpable and fresh it seems we will never be able to overcome it," said father Amarjeet Cheema, an administrator.

"He was a very, very bright young boy. He was so bright he could have been anything he wanted," said his accountant mother Rina Cheema.

A lawyer for the family said they were considering taking action against the school in light of concerns "about the part the school played in Karan's death".

Karan's death had prompted the Scotland Yard to launch a probe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, will appear before a Delhi court on May 23 where she has moved a plea to turn approver in the INX Media case.

Indrani Mukerjea is currently lodged in the Byculla jail here and facing trial in a CBI court for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena.

The CBI on Friday moved an application before Judge J C Jagadale requesting him to issue suitable directions to jail authorities for her production in a Delhi court on May 23.

The judge said Indrani Mukerjea is required to be present before the court in Delhi as a production warrant is issued against her.

He then directed the Byculla jail superintendent to transfer her custody to CBI officers.

Besides her and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, the name of the latter's son Karti has also cropped up in the Rs 305 crore case relating to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2007 for receipt of funds by INX Media.

The CBI had registered an FIR in the case on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the media group for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as Union finance minister.

Thereafter, the Enforcement Directorate lodged a money laundering case against the company's founders Peter Mukerjea, his wife Indrani Mukerjea, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indrani Mukerjea's daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Book for Palestine students hails Abbas as 'exemplary' Text citing prime minister to strengthen Palestinian identity

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MAY 10 - The Palestinian Education Ministry has printed a book for Palestinian students titled "Our President Is Our Exemplary Figure", which brings together excerpts from books written by Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and citations from his public speeches.



Education Minister Marwan Awartani told Palestinian WAFA news agency that the initiative is part of a project called "We Study for Palestine" and that it aims to strengthen Palestinian students' sense of national identity.



Awartani said the book will be distributed in "all the schools of our Palestinian homeland", presumably not only in the West Bank but also in the Gaza Strip.(ANSAmed).




Nearly half of the vulture population in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights have died of apparent poisoning, Israel's Nature and Parks Authority Friday, in a new blow to an already decimated breed.

Eight out of around 20 griffon vultures left in the area were found dead on Friday, the organisation's director Shaul Goldstein told AFP, in what he described as "a mortal blow to the birds of prey population".

The Israeli parks authority said the deaths constituted "a serious matter", and vowed to find "those responsible for this poisoning and bring them to justice".

A fox and two jackals were also found dead and two other vultures sick were taken to a wildlife clinic for treatment.

Goldstein declined to say if the poisoning was deliberate.

The vulture population on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights has declined significantly over the past two decades, with their number dropping from 130 in 1998 to around 20 before the latest deaths.

In 2016, UN peacekeepers helped return a vulture which had been captured across the border in Lebanon on suspicion of spying for the Jewish state.

Israel seized around 1,200 square kilometres of the Golan from Syria in a 1967 and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

About 18,000 Syrians belonging to the Druze community -- most of whom refuse Israeli citizenship -- remain in the occupied Golan, alongside some 20,000 Israeli settlers in 33 communities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reigning champions Jatragachi Pranabananda High School defeated South Point in the junior boys section to storm into the final of the 47th All India Invitation School Regatta at the Lake Club Friday.

The team of Rejayan Karim, Gautam Bairagi, Afridi Ali and Rezaul Mollah will take on their opponents Tollygunge Adarsha Hindi High School in the final Saturday.

The Tollygunge Adarsha's Binay Kumar Rauth, Pawan Kumar, Ganesh Singh and Suraj Mondal beat Kalidhan Institution in the other semifinal.

New Town-based Jatragachi Pranabananda are the only team this year to make a successive final.

"It is the result of the hard work we put in during regular practice session. We are indeed grateful to Lake Club for providing us the opportunities," Jatragachi captain Rejayan Karim said.

Hailing from daily wage labourer's families, the Jatragachi boys also do part time jobs to help their parents.

"We have not even heard about many of the noted schools of the country participating here. But they congratulate us and treat us like friends," another team member Gautam Bairagi said.

The title clash in the junior girls section will be between Ashoke Hall and Modern High A.

Ashoke Hall pipped La Martiniere for Girls, while Modern High A outclassed Mahadevi Birla High School.

Favourites South Point defeated St Xavier's without much fuss to set up a title clash with Khalsa High B, who out-rowed Future Hope in the other race of senior boys category.

In the senior girls, Sushila Birla High School got the better of Modern High A and they will take on G D Birla High School in the final.

G D Birla overcame the challenge from Ballygunge Siksha Sadan in the other semi-final.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shares of Jet Airways rose by nearly 3 per cent Friday after SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar said the lenders have received two "unsolicited" bids for the company and "one" more is expected by the end of the day, keeping the hopes for the revival of the grounded carrier alive.

The scrip went up by 2.85 per cent to close at Rs 151.80 on the BSE. During the day, it gained 6.91 per cent to Rs 157.80.

In terms of traded volume, 21.26 lakh shares were traded on the exchange during the day.

The consortium of 26 lenders, led by State Bank of India, which now owns 51 per cent in the airline, had invited expressions of interest (EoIs) between April 8 and 12 and had received four preliminary bids.

"Two unsolicited bidders have submitted EoI for Jet and we are expecting one more bid by the end of the day," Kumar told reporters at the earnings conference in Mumbai.

Jet Airways stopped operations on April 17 due to acute financial distress.

The BSE had sought clarification from Jet Airways Thursday with respect to that regional director report finds instances of siphoning of funds.

In a clarification to the BSE, Jet Airways Friday said, "Please note that the Regional Director, Western Region, Ministry of Corporate Affairs had, in September 2018, conducted an inspection and sought certain details and documents.

"Further details/documents were sought in April, 2019. The company had provided the required details/documents and no further communication has been received by the company in this matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover Friday reported 13.3 per cent decline in total retail sales at 39,185 units in April.

Sales of Land Rover during the month stood at 27,723 units, down 13.1 per cent year-on-year, the company said in a statement.

Jaguar sales were at 11,462 units, down 13.7 per cent, it added.

Retail sales were up again in the UK (12.1 per cent) and in North America (9.6 per cent), but were offset by lower sales in China (down 45.7 per cent) and in overseas markets (down 22.3 per cent) with retails in Europe also down by 5.5 per cent, it added.

"Although this was a tough month for us due to continuing pressures in China, we are delighted to see good growth in the UK and the US. Once again we strongly outperformed the UK market and the US marked its best ever April sales," Jaguar Land Rover Chief Commercial Officer Felix Brautigam said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Judges are not "fearful saints" and cannot be intimidated or insulted and they have to be "fearless preachers" to preserve the independence of judiciary which is necessary for the survival of democracy, the Supreme Court said Friday.

The apex court said this in its judgement upholding the conviction of an advocate for criminal contempt of court for misbehaving and attempting to assault a chief judicial magistrate in Allahabad in 2012.

"The judiciary is one of the main pillars of democracy and is essential to peaceful and orderly development of society. The judge has to deliver justice in a fearless and impartial manner. He cannot be intimidated in any manner or insulted by hurling abuses," a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said.

"Judges are not fearful saints. They have to be fearless preachers so as to preserve the independence of the judiciary which is absolutely necessary for survival of democracy," the bench, also comprising Justice Navin Sinha, said.

The bench said that an advocate is duty bound to act as per the higher status conferred upon him as an officer of the court and he plays a vital role in preservation of the society and justice delivery system.

"An advocate has no business to threaten a judge or hurl abuses for judicial order which he has passed. In case of complaint of the judge, it was open to the advocate to approach concerned higher authorities but there is no licence to any member of the Bar to indulge in such undignified conduct to lower down the dignity of the court.

"Such attempts deserve to be nipped at the earliest as there is no room to such attack by a member of noble profession," it said.

The bench said the role of a lawyer is indispensable in justice delivery system and he has to follow the professional ethics and maintain high standards.

It said a lawyer has to assist the court, defend the interest of his client and give due regard to his opponent and also to his counsel.

"What may be proper to others in the society, may be improper for him to do as he belongs to an intellectual class of the society and as a member of the noble profession, the expectations from him are accordingly higher. Advocates are held in high esteem in the society," it said.

The bench said the dignity of court is in fact dignity of the system and the act committed by the lawyer in this case was not only improper but required "gross condemnation".

It said the advocate's act amounted to criminal contempt of court and the Allahabad High Court has noted that the lawyer concerned did not apologise and has maligned and scandalised the subordinate court.

The high court had imposed on the advocate simple imprisonment for six months with fine of Rs 2,000 and in default to pay fine to undergo jail for 15 days.

Considering the nature of misconduct committed by the lawyer, the apex court upheld his conviction for criminal contempt and modified the sentence.

It said the sentence of imprisonment for six months shall remain suspended for further period of three years subject to his maintaining good and proper conduct with a condition that he shall not enter the premises of the district court Allahabad for a further period of three years in addition to what he has undergone already.

The period shall commence from July 1, 2019 and end June 30, 2022, the bench said, adding in case of non-violation of these conditions, the sentence after three years shall be remitted.

The bench said sentence of imprisonment may be activated by this court in case it is found that there is breach of any condition made by the advocate during the period of three years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jyothy Laboratories Ltd Friday announced its succession plan with M R Jyothy, daughter of company's chairman and managing director M P Ramachandran, slated to take over as its managing director from April 1 next year.

"Her appointment comes with effect from April 1, 2020. M P Ramachandran continues to serve as the chairman emeritus of the company," the company said.

Jyothy, who is with the company for the last 14 years, was chief marketing officer and whole-time director of Jyothy Laboratories in her last held position.

Commenting on the development, Ramachandran said: "I am very happy that the next generation is ready to take charge... I am very confident that my daughter M R Jyothy as managing director will deliver results to all the stakeholders of the company."



Jyothy has expertise in marketing and brand communication and was instrumental in integrating brands like Henko, Pril and Margo and has successfully handled the post acquisition operations of Henkel India, a company state said.

On being given a new role, Jyothi said, "My top priorities will be to further strengthen the power brands with enhanced focused towards innovation and continuous research and development."



Jyothy Laboratories is present in segments like fabric care, dishwash, household insecticide and personal care.

The Mumbai-based company, which had reported a revenue of Rs 1,768.88 crore in 2018-19, sells products under brands such as Ujala, Maxo, Exo, Henko, Pril, Margo, Neem, Chek and Mr White.

Meanwhile, Jyothy Laboratories also unveiled its new logo on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP's Chandigarh candidate Kirron Kher Friday hit out at her Congress rival Pawan Kumar Bansal for allegedly spreading "rumours" that no one turns up for her rallies and dared him to prove if he can pull a bigger crowd than her.

"Come to any place alone in the city and I will also reach there without accompanying anyone. Then we will see who attracts the crowd," she said.

"Rumours are being spread that nobody comes in my rally shame on you (Bansal). Is the Congress fighting elections on its own or a PR company is helping the party," Kher asked.

Kher, 66, claimed that she had got many development works done for people of Chandigarh in the last five years.

"Bansal sahib you had been non-existent here and remained in Delhi. We know you can hire big PR companies but elections are fought on the basis of work done. Remember that BJP and Kirron Kher will win elections with a huge margin on May 23," she said.

Kher is pitted against Bansal and AAP's Harmohan Dhawan from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat.

She had won the seat in 2014 by defeating Bansal with a margin of 69,642 votes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kristin Scott Thomas has joined Ben Whealtely's crew for the adaptation of "Rebecca", based on Daphne Du Maurier classic gothic tale.

The Oscar-nominated actor will portray the antagonist opposite Lily James and Armie Hammer in the film, the streaming giant said in a statement.

The Du Maurie's 1983 novel revolves around a newly wed young woman, who has to deal with the demons of her husband's dark past and struggles against the lingering presence of his dead first wife, an elusive, 'Rebecca', as she finds herself in his imposing family estate set on the English coast.

The screenplay has been written by Jane Goldman, whose previous credits include films such as "Kingsman" series and "X-Men" franchise.

The project will be produced by Working Title's Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan, Nira Park. It is set to start shooting in this summer in the UK and France.

"Rebecca" was previously adapted for the screen by celebrated filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock back in 1940, featuring Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine in the lead.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Sri Lankan court has ordered a DNA test before May 15 to verify the death of Mohamed Cassim Zahran, the ring leader of the local Islamist extremist group NTJ which the government blamed carried out the devastating Easter Sunday bombings killing over 250 people.

Zahran, the mastermind behind the Easter blasts, led the attack on the Shangri-La hotel and was accompanied by a second bomber identified as Ilham Ahmed Ibrahim. He was killed inside the hotel where he blew himself up.

The Colombo Fort Magistrate also ordered the Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) verification of Ibrahim, the second bomber.

Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, killing more than 250 people and injuring 500 others.

The ISIS terror group claimed the attacks, but the government blamed the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) for the bombings. The victims included over 40 foreigners, 10 of whom were Indians.

The court gave the order under which Zahran's sister Madaniya would be subjected to a DNA verification, the police said.

She is currently in custody at the eastern town of Batticaloa prison.

The test will be performed before May 15, according to the magisterial order.

Zahran was one of the two suicide bombers at the Shangri La Hotel where 36 people including 12 foreigners died.

The hotel's CCTV footage showed two bombers with heavy back packs arriving at the hotel's restaurant on the third floor.

The court has also ordered Government Analyst's reports on seven vehicles believed to have been used by the ISIS linked group to carry out the deadly attacks which killed 258 and injured nearly 500.

The booking at the Shangri La hotel for the two bombers was done by Insaf Ibrahim, the brother of Ilham. Insaf himself was the suicide bomber at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel.

The police said that at least three police officers have been questioned on the arrest and the subsequent release on bail of at least nine employees of Ibrahim.

They worked in the copper factory owned by Insaf.

The police said that an investigation was launched to ascertain if any mistakes were committed by the police in filing charges against them, leading to the magistrate to grant bail to the employees.

For suspects held under the tough Prevention of Terrorism Act, no bail is given.

The government invoked counter-terrorism regulations under the state of emergency, enabling the law enforcement to carry out investigations into the suicide bombings and the Jihadist group's activities including its ISIS connections.

Over 100 people are already in custody in connection with the bombings.

The NTJ, which has been banned by the government, has no history of large-scale attacks. The group came to prominence last year when it was blamed for damaging Buddhist statues.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Anti-knife crime protesters smeared themselves with fake blood outside YouTube's London offices in protest at the Google company's alleged promotion of graphic content.

Britain has very tough gun laws and shootings across the country are relatively rare.

But knife crime has been a problem for much of the past decade -- particularly in poorer neighbourhoods of big cities such as London where gang violence remains a concern.

Activists have appealed to social media platforms, expressing concern at the amount of crime-related content.

YouTube "is a contributing factor," Elaine Donnellon, lead organiser for the Operation Shutdown campaign group, told AFP at a rally with around 20 other women. "They have blood on their hands."



Official statistics show 285 people were stabbed to death across England and Wales between April 2017 and March 2018.

The figure is the highest for a 12-month period since such records began being compiled in 1946.

Campaigners said they had unsuccessfully tried getting YouTube to take down music and other videos taunting and mocking people who had their relatives and children murdered.

"We flag video all the time and we're very lucky if they get taken down," said group member Sarah Hutchings, who lost her cousin to knife crime. YouTube says its UK policy is to block videos in which people brandish weapons in a threatening manner.

A spokesman for the internet giant said it was working with the London police and mayor's office "to take action on gang-related content that infringe our community guidelines or break the law".

"Along with others in the UK, we share the deep concern about this issue and do not want our platform used to incite violence," the YouTube spokesman said.

Operation Shutdown members said they were particularly concerned about drill music -- a British hiphop style that often glamourises knife crime and gang life. Some welfare campaigners call this focus misguided.

They point to broader problems that affect big cities with a large divide between richer white-upper class neighbourhoods and multiracial working-class ones.

But campaigner Lucy Martindale said YouTube has helped spread drill music to the masses in the past decade with the emergence of the now-ubiquitous mobile phones.

"When I was growing up we did not have YouTube," said 29-year-old Martindale, who said more than 10 of her family and friends had been murdered.

"There was drill music but not to the extent (there) is today. So it definitely helped the increase of violence," the protester said.

"By using YouTube and the internet, anyone can access it. All you need is a phone.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Death toll rises to 550 in Libya including 128 kids, AMSI Doctors warn of possible epidemics, lack of vaccines

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 10 - The death toll in Libya from the latest fighting has risen to 550 including 128 children and 140 women, the head of the AMSI association representing foreign doctors working in Italy said Friday.



AMSI chief Foad Aodi is in contact with Libyan doctors working in the conflict zone. The doctors told him that there are over 3,200 injured and that three mass graves had been found. Over 65,000 have been displaced, most of whom women and children. Aodi said that the doctors warned that there was a lack of mandatory vaccines for children, leading to a ''strong risk of epidemics''. Libyan doctors say that some 1,600 adolescents have been recruited for the fighting and that 250 minors are missing.



(ANSAmed).




A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing a person in Dwarka's Uttam Nagar last year, police said Friday.

The accused was identified as Sumit, a resident of Uttam Nagar, they said, adding that he was planning to flee to Kuwait on Monday.

One country-made pistol, two live cartridges and one scooter were recovered from his possession, police said.

"On the intervening night of November 7-8, police received information regarding gunshot injury to two men, at Hastal Road in Uttam Nagar, who were shifted to DDU hospital," Anto Alphonse, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka), said.

One of the injured persons, Javed, told police that Koshar Khan and Sumit fired at him and his friend Azaad after an argument.

Azaad sustained four bullet injuries and later succumbed during treatment, he said.

Khan was arrested after the incident while Sumit was absconding since then.

During investigation, police got a tip-off on Wednesday that Sumit would come near Matiala Road Corner, Main Najafgarh Road. Police laid a trap and arrested Sumit at around 9 pm, when he came there on a scooter, the DCP said.

Sumit, during interrogation, disclosed that he, along with his friend Koshar Khan, threatened the locals and used to extort money from them, he said.

On November 7, Sumit and Khan had a quarrel with Azad over extorting a local. The situation got tensed and Koshar Khan shot at Azad and Javed, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Haryana Director General of Police Manoj Yadava on Friday said "massive security arrangements" have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha polls in the state on May 12.

Polling for the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase on Sunday.

"We have taken all measures and made massive security arrangements to ensure peaceful and incident-free conduct of the elections," Yadava said here.

He said he recently visited different districts of the state to review the poll preparedness.

"A total of around 67,000 security personnel, including those drawn from the central forces, have been mobilised for the election duty.

"All the Range IGs, commissioners of police and district SPs have been instructed to leave no stone unturned for maintaining law and order at their respective places of postings," the DGP said.

He said in addition to the Central Armed Police Forces, 33,340 state police personnel, 11,750 home guard volunteers, 8,063 Special Police Officers and 5,788 police trainees will be on poll duty to ensure tight vigil and security across the state.

Besides, senior police officers, including six IGPs, one DIG and 12 SPs, along with additional forces have been deputed in different districts to deal with any law and order situation, Yadava said in a statement issued here.

Vigil has been intensified by the flying squads and static surveillance teams to prevent violation of the model code of conduct, especially distribution of cash, liquor or gifts, he said.

The DGP said police teams were conducting close monitoring of sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling locations.

He added that special provisions have been made at such places across the state.

The Haryana Police said it is keeping a close eye on anti-social elements who might try to disrupt the electoral process.

Adequate police personnel will be on duty in each of the total 19,425 booths in the state, it said.

Check-posts have been installed along the bordering states to keep an eye on the movement of vehicles and other elements that can breach the model code of conduct, the police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court Friday asked chief secretaries of four states and administrators of two Union Territories to provide in four weeks the data of people who have recovered from mental illness and are fit to go home, but languishing in hospitals.

The top court said the data should be provided to the Centre to enable it to prepare a roadmap for setting up rehabilitation homes for such people.

A bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta has asked the chief secretaries of Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland and Telangana to furnish all the relevant details to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for formulation of a proper roadmap.

It also asked administrators of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to furnish the details in four weeks to the Centre.

Petitioner advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal informed the court that there was non-compliance of its last order and some states have not provided the necessary data to the Centre.

The Counsel appearing for the Centre also submitted that four states and two Union Territories have not yet submitted the requisite details.

The bench said that if the chief secretaries and administrators fail to comply with the direction to furnish the data in four weeks then it may be constrained to ask them to appear in person before it.

The apex court had on February 25 directed chief secretaries of all the states and Union Territories to hold a meeting in four weeks with the Union health secretary to chalk out a roadmap for setting up rehabilitation homes for people who have recovered from mental illness and were fit to go home but are languishing in hospitals.

It had directed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to appoint a nodal officer to conduct the meeting.

It had said that the data provided by the states must include a roadmap regarding setting up of rehabilitation homes and based on it the Union ministry will prepare a report to be submitted in the apex court.

Bansal in his plea has said that around 10,000 people, who are fit to be discharged, are forced to live in different mental hospitals and institutes due to social stigma.

On October 3 last year, the apex court had sought reports from all the states and Union Territories on the status of setting up rehabilitation homes for people with mental illness.

Bansal had earlier said that except for few, many states and UTs have not complied with the order of July 10, 2017, in which they were asked to implement the guidelines prepared by the Centre within one year period.

States and UTs which have filed their response include Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Punjab, Nagaland, West Bengal, Telangana, Tripura, Delhi, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The apex court had taken on record the guidelines for the state governments for setting up rehabilitation homes for persons living with mental illness framed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

The apex court had asked the Union ministry to circulate the guidelines to all the state governments and UTs with a direction to implement them within one year.

It had also directed the state governments to comply with the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Earlier, the apex court had favoured framing of a uniform national policy to deal with those suffering from mental illness and their release from hospitals after being cured.

It had said that the issue concerned figured in the concurrent list of the Constitution and hence the Centre also has the authority to frame norms.

The PIL filed by Bansal has raised the issue of release of about 300 people from various mental hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, alleging they were still languishing there despite being cured of their ailments and most of them belonged to poorer sections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It's 11 am and about a dozen people sitting at a tea shop in Ferozepur Namak village are discussing politics over hot cuppas.

"First it was demonetisation and now cow vigilantes are after our community," said a visibly angry Ali Mohammad.

"Don't ask anyone here anything about the People are very angry," the 70-year-old warned.

"He calls himself a 'chowkidaar' (watchman), so should he not do his job properly. Here 70 per cent people own cows and buffaloes, their lives are being ruined," Ali said, alluding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's self-designated status.

Others sitting at the shop said Muslims fear what would happen if returns to power.

According to the official website of (earlier called Mewat), the district has a population of 10,89,406 people, of which 8,62,647 (79 per cent) are Meo Muslims.

In the district which has repeatedly made headlines for mob lynchings and cow vigilantism over the last few years, enthusiasm for Lok Sabha polls appears low.

The route from to passes through nine villages, but only a few houses in one of these, Ghasera, have put up flags.

Nowhere else posters or banners of political parties can be seen, even though the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, the and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) hold sway in some of these places.

Though no incidents of cow vigilantism were reported from Ghasera, Muslims here are also wary.

Admitting that he is scared of bringing a cow from outside the village, a local, Nambardar Deen Mohammad, said people are disappointed with the BJP-led state government over inaction in lynching cases and incidents of harassment of Muslims by cow vigilantes.

"There is resentment regarding this in the whole community, this will definitely have an impact on the poll outcome," he said.

"People here want to teach the BJP a lesson in this general election," he added.

In 2017, a dairy farmer from Nuh's Jaisinghpur village, Pehlu Khan, was beaten to death allegedly by cow vigilantes in the neighbouring Alwar district.

In July last year, Rakbar Khan, a dairy farmer from Nuh's Kolgaon village, died after he was allegedly thrashed brutally by a mob in Alwar on suspicion of cow smuggling.

According to the website of district, dairy farming is the main source of livelihood for locals.

A dairy can have up to 500 cows and milk from Nuh is supplied to and

Locals claimed earlier they would go to Nagaur in Rajasthan to buy a cow of a good breed that would provide more milk. However, now they cannot step out of their villages with their cows.

"This area is being defamed as 'mini Pakistan'. Meo people are not traitors, they are a hard working lot. Meo Muslims have a tradition of gifting cows in a daughter's wedding and it continues till date. And today these people are being called cow killers, this is extremely unfortunate," said Yunus Alvi, a local journalist from Malab village.

Asked if this will have an impact in the elections on May 12, he said, "Of course, 90 per cent of the voters here have been traditional supporters."



Dharambir, a painter working at the house of Malab sarpanch, said, "We have harmonious relations with each other, we are only upset with the politicians. We even eat out of the same plate at weddings but the politicians are trying to divide us."



"The politicians should work to improve education, roads, and water supply here," Fakhruddin, a labourer, said.

Ali is also impressed with Congress Rahul Gandhi's minimum income guarantee scheme, under which 20 per cent poorest families in the country will get Rs 72,000 annually if the party comes to power after the general election.

Asked how hopeful he was about the Congress fulfilling its promise, the septuagenarian said, "Did they not keep their word in and "



In the run-up to last year's assembly elections in the two states, the Congress had promised to waive loans of farmers if it came to power.

However, BJP district Surendra Deswal said mob lynching is a non-issue in Nuh.

"This is not an issue here and there is no unhappiness among voters. Only those doing wrong things are scared. Law is same for all," he said.

He exuded confidence that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar-led state government's development work will ensure that the BJP candidate retains the seat with threefold votes.

"The Khattar government has worked a lot for village development, irrigation and health etc. The BJP candidate is in the electoral contest on the basis of this work," he said.

Nuh district comes under Lok Sabha seat.

BJP's sitting MP and Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh faces competition from Congress stalwart Captain Ajay Yadav, a six-time MLA and former state minister.

Also in the fray are Mehmood Khan of the Jannayak Janata Party-Aam Aadmi Party combine and INLD's Virendra Rana.
Prime Minister Friday slammed the for its leader Sam Pitroda's reported remark on the anti-Sikh riots, saying it showed the "character and mentality" of the party.

The remarks reflect the "arrogance" of the Congress, he said addressing a poll rally on the last day of campaigning for the sixth phase here.

said, "Congress, which ruled for a maximum period, has been insensitive and that is reflected by the three words spoken yesterday...these words have not been spoken just like that, these words are character and mentality and intentions of the

And which were these words, these were 'hua to hua', said referring to Pitroda's remarks made on Thursday on of 84.

Hua to hua, repeated Modi and told the gathering that they must be wondering what the Prime Minister was saying.

We can very well understand arrogance of those who run the in these three wordshua to Hua, said Modi.

"Yesterday, one of the tallest leaders of the Congress speaking in a loud voice on 1984 said '84 ka danga hua to hua'. Do you know who this leader is, he is very close to the Gandhi family...this leader was very good friend of and Guru of Congress 'naamdar' (dynast) president, he said.

Asked about the 1984 riots, Pitroda had reportedly said: "84 mein hua to hua.
BSP supremo Mayawati targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, alleging that his "chowkidari" was making the rich wealthier and protecting industrialists, while asserting that his "theatrics and rhetoric" would not yield any result in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a rally at the Ramleela Maidan in GTB Enclave of northeast Delhi in support of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates fielded in the national capital, she said even under the previous Congress governments, no development work was carried out for the minorities, Dalits and backward castes and there was a status quo under the BJP regime.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister arrived at the venue almost two-and-a-half hours late to chants of "Jai Bhim" and "BSP zindabad". A Bhojpuri song -- "Behen Kumari Mayawati ne PM banawange -- was played before her arrival as also after she ended her address.

"The BJP will be voted out of power because of its RSS ideology, capitalist, communal, casteist policies and style of functioning.

"Their 'natakbazi' (theatrics) and 'jumlebazi' rhetoric will not work. This chowkidari (guarding) is their new tactic which will not be able to save them," Mayawati said at the rally.

Pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised "achhe din" (good days) and "countless things" to the weak, poor, middle-class and hard-working people, she said, "But he is using his 'chowkidari' to make big industrialists richer and protect them at every stage."



The BSP supremo trained her guns at Modi over the issues of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation, claiming that these steps were implemented without proper planning.

"That is why poverty and unemployment have gone up. Small traders and businessmen are still bearing the brunt (of demonetisation, GST). The economy of the country has also been affected. Corruption has also gone up under the current government and even defence deals are not transparent," she alleged.

Attacking the BJP over using nationalism as a poll plank, Mayawati said the borders of the country were still not secure as terror attacks were taking place every other day and several jawans were killed.

The BSP chief also accused Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah of trying every tactic to ensure that the pre-poll tie-up between her party, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) did not do well in the Lok Sabha polls.

"Modi and Shah have tried every trick in the book to stop the BSP-SP-RLD alliance from winning. They even used the government machinery to trouble the alliance but there is a wave of change in Uttar Pradesh which is in our favour," she said, adding that the "achhe din" promise of the BJP had remained unfulfilled, just like in the case of the Congress.

Mayawati said her party had never had a manifesto since they "believe in speaking less and working more".

Hitting out at the Congress's proposed Nyay scheme, she said the promise of Rs 6,000 per month to the poor would not alleviate poverty.

"If we get a chance to form the government, we will give jobs in the government and non-government sectors to very poor families," the BSP chief said.

She asserted that while the Congress was in a bad shape in Uttar Pradesh, the condition of the BJP was much "worse".

Mayawati urged the crowd "not to fall" for the big promises made by the Congress and the BJP, saying Delhi had a large number of people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, who had migrated here for employment, and that they outnumbered the Delhiites.

"You have to ensure that the wave of change, which is there in other states, especially in Uttar Pradesh, is here also," she said.

Mayawati also talked about how Kanshi Ram had founded the BSP following BR Ambedkar's ideology, adding that the party workers lost the way somewhere down the line, leading to the BJP, Congress and later, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) coming to power riding on the Anna Hazare movement.

The BSP has fielded Sanjay Gehlot from East Delhi, Rajvir Singh from Northeast Delhi, Sita Sharan from West Delhi, Shahid Ali from Chandni Chowk and Siddhant Gautam from South Delhi.

Polling for all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital will be held on Sunday and the results will be announced on May 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shanghai led gains across most Asian and European markets Friday at the end of a torrid week for equities, with investors keeping a nervous eye on China-US trade talks after Washington more than doubled tariffs on USD 200 billion of imports.

Equities started the day on a high as dealers took heart from positive comments from Donald Trump on the prospects for a deal but the region turned negative as the threatened levies kicked in and China vowed to hit back, saying it "deeply" regretted the US move.

However, Shanghai and Hong Kong bounced back on hopes the economic superpowers will be able to reach a deal to avert a trade war that most observers warn could shatter global growth and batter markets.

The tariffs came in after the first day of high-stakes negotiations in Washington between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

After a week in which trading floors have been a sea of red, regional equities were given a lift by Trump saying he had received a "beautiful letter" from China's Xi Jinping and that it was "possible" to get a deal.

Shanghai, which lost more than seven per cent from Monday to Thursday, ended up 3.1 per cent, while Hong Kong piled on one per cent in the afternoon.

Sydney and Singapore each added 0.3 per cent, while Seoul was up a similar amount as investors brushed off that North Korea had tested a long-range weapon, which is likely to raise tensions after the breakdown of denuclearisation talks with the United States. Mumbai added 0.2 per cent.

But Tokyo finished down 0.3 per cent, while Wellington, Manila, Taipei, Jakarta and Bangkok also fell.

In early trade London rose 0.6 per cent, Paris gained 0.9 per cent and Frankfurt advanced more than one per cent.

"Given the deadline has now passed there is the possibility that tariffs could still be avoided given that US officials allowed for goods currently in transit to be exempt from the new tariff increases,"said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK.

"Which means there is a potential window, albeit a limited one, for an agreement to be hammered out."



But a lot of uncertainty remains.

"Markets will be in a holding pattern as we await the outcome of the meeting,"said Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at ANZ Bank.

"If there is a breakdown and the tariffs go up, then we will see a risk-off tone in markets."



OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley said the fact that tariffs were to rise midway through the talks gave "precious little time to come up with something that satisfies both sides".

Although markets are up, "the peace is fragile, and it won't take much today to panic investors into heading for the exit door en masse," he added.

Halley also warned that while Trump praised Xi's letter it was hard "to see how either of these two presidents will ever manage to really share the toys and play nicely on the global stage".

In worrying sign, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times -- which is published by the Communist Party's People's Daily -- cited a source familiar with the talks as saying there is "zero" chance of a deal before Friday.

"If it is that bad, the real suspense is whether the two sides will continue negotiations after Friday," Hu said.

The slightly improved sentiment, and bargain-buying, provided support to higher-yielding, riskier currencies -- though the yuan continues to wallow around four-month lows.

On oil markets both main contracts edged up, though Halley warned that failure of the trade talks "would be the straw that breaks the camel's back" and send the commodity tumbling, despite US-Iran tensions and Venezuela's political crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel Friday accused the BJP of terming the Congress as a party of "minorities" and said his party respected all religions.

Baghel was in the city to campaign for senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh who is pitted against the BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur, a Malegaon blast accused currently out on bail, and other party candidates.

"The Congress believes in respecting all religions and the party candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat (Digvijaya Singh) for long has been regularly visiting temples. He had even performed the Narmada Yatra by foot," Baghel said.

"It is the BJP which has termed the Congress as a party of minorities," Baghel told reporters here.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, the Chhattisgarh CM said the ruling party was no longer the one it was under former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and veteran leader LK Advani.

He claimed demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) had adversely affected people and the benefit from this public discontent would go to the Congress in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

Referring to the entry of Bollywood stars into the BJP, he remarked, "Now in the BJP, actors are in the front and its leaders behind."



He also targeted the BJP for raising the issue of nationalism during the elections.

"During polls, parties seek votes in the name of work done by it in the last five years, but BJP is seeking it in the name of the Army," he alleged, adding that this had forced armed forces officials to ask the ruling party not to seek votes in the name of military operations.

Speaking about the Naxalism menace in his state, Baghel said his government would talk to the ultras only after they give up their weapons and express faith in the country's Constitution.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sitting on a cot next to a shoe stand in a Valmiki temple, Munna Lal discusses his campaign with a handful of supporters, but he is unlike other candidates whose faces are splashed on newspapers or TV channels.

Neither do loudspeakers blare his political slogans in Chandni Chowk, from where he is contesting as an independent, nor are there garlands around his neck.

In fact, his only semblance to a political leader is the starch-white kurta-pyjama he wears, an attire that is widely seen as trademark of netas in India. But then he is not a cut from the same cloth, he claims.

"This is the first time I am standing for any election. My aim here is to raise the pressing issues of Valmiki community.

"It is a shame that we continue to remain oppressed even after 70 years of Independence. I stood for this election to give a message that Valmiki community can fight its own fight and that parties can no more exploit us for their political gains," Lal told PTI.

Delhi Democratic Alliance (DDA), a coalition of activists, trade union leaders, and a few civil society groups working for the downtrodden, have fielded Lal and four other candidates for elections in Delhi, in an "act of defiance" against existing parties.

"We actually fielded candidates for all the seven seats. But for some reason, applications of two of our candidates were cancelled," said Lal.

Valmikis belong to the SC community and spread across Delhi, from Mongolpuri to Sultanpuri and Trilokpuri to Tughlaqabad.

10th-pass Lal, who earlier worked as a waiter, is presently unemployed. Accusing the ruling government of the growing unemployment in the state, he said if he wins the election, his first priority will be to provide jobs and abolish the concept of "contractual jobs" from the region for good.

"There are no jobs. I am myself unemployed, so I can empathise with the people like no other.

"Politicians in India during election time promise the moon to innocent people, but as soon they come to power they forget everything and are busy filling their own pockets. Employment generation is at the top in our manifesto," he added.

The 37-year-old is contesting against the likes of Congress' Jai Prakash Agarwal, Aam Aadmi Party's Pankaj Gupta and BJP's Harsh Vardhan in the high-profile constituency of Chandni Chowk.

Terming this election a mere "attendance", Lal said for the DDA this won't be a one-off election as they plan to form a party with the same name and contest the Delhi assembly elections next year.

That said, he also claimed the response from people so far has been more than what he expected and there are good chances of him giving a good fight to the opposing candidates.

"Even if 50 percent of people who showed excitement on my filing nomination vote for me, have this from me, I will be giving them a really good fight," he added.

Contesting Lok Sabha elections is a big task even for the veterans in the field, then how is Lal managing to fund his poll battle with little or no money at his disposal?



"I had made an appeal to the people of our community and they have come out and funded whatever little they could, be it through cash or Paytm. The amount is not much. But, yes, we are able to scrape through somehow.

"Also, we are not doing big rallies, ours is basically a door-to-door campaign of 10-15 people. No cars, only some two-wheelers. No pomp and show like other parties ... just the bare minimum," he said.

Delhi votes on May 12 in the fifth round of the seven-phase polling. The votes will be counted on May 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a "long-range strike" drill, the state news agency reported Friday, a day after said the weapons fired were short-range missiles.

"At the command post, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned about a plan of the strike drill of various long-range strike means and gave an order of start of the drill," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Thursday's launch was the North's second weapons test in less than a week, amid tensions with the US over their fitful drive to reach an agreement under which would give up its nuclear weapons.

The North fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles from Kusong in North Pyongan province, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday.

The new KCNA statement did not say what kind of weapon was fired. It avoided using the words missile, rocket or projectile.

"The successful drill of deployment and strike designed to inspect the ability of rapid reaction of the defense units... fully showed the might of the units which were fully prepared to proficiently carry out any operation and combat," KCNA said.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

On 9 May, Russia marks the defeat of Nazism, one day after the rest of the world. On this day, people remember the sacrifice of so many soldiers, and above all the glory of the country, bulwark for the whole of humanity. Stalin is still more popular than Putin today. Out of 68 heads of state invited for the occasion, only 20 showed up.

Moscow (AsiaNews)  In Russia, today is Victory Day, the day when Nazism was defeated. For Russians, the anniversary, in addition to marking the end of the Second World War, is a day heavy with significance.

Over the past 70 years, especially in the past decade, the event has undergone changes and re-evaluations. Once movingly commemorated to remember the sacrifices made to Mother Russia and humanity, with veterans at the centre of the attention (75,660 are still alive), the event is now centred on the triumph of Stalinist USSR, whose mantle of power reflects upon today's Russia.

In his speech, Putin praised the "eternal value of the military triumph of our people. It was the people who defended and saved our Motherland, became the hope and a tower of strength for the humankind, the main liberator of European nations. [. . .] With every new year we come to a deeper realisation of the moral power of that unparalleled feat.

He went on to say that the disposition of the heroes of that time is reflected today by the soldiers of contemporary Russia, whilst the idols of fascism and Nazism are raising in some countries.

Russia has the necessary power to defend everyone, as shown by the powerful weapons paraded on Red Square. For most Russians, as polls indicate, the 1945 Victory is "the greatest event in world history". Patriarch Kirill, on the eve of the celebration, laid a wreath of flowers on the monument to the Unknown Soldier, on the walls of the Kremlin.

In the past, the memory united Russians with their allies in the war against Hitler's folly, but today a breach has grown between them, as evinced by the absence of many guests of honour at the tribune on top of Lenin's mausoleum. Out of 68 invited heads of state, only 20 showed up, mostly the few supporters of Russias current isolationist course. Alongside Putin sat Chinese president Xi Jinping as well as Kazakhstans "eternal leader" Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The 9 May parade has now become a propaganda tool to promote Russias new greatness, with special emphasis on the importance of the state in the history of war and victory. In its extreme form, this translates into the increasingly popular slogan that "Stalin won the war". Thus, in the name of a higher patriotic ideal, the memorial slate of the bloody Georgian dictator is wiped clean.

In the 1960s, Khrushchevs condemnation of Stalin's crimes at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1957 had led ordinary Soviet citizens to view the Victory as the replacement of one totalitarian regime by another, as masterfully expressed in Aleksandr Solzhenitsyns 1968 novel In the First Circle. Among Soviets of that time, Stalinism had no right to the glory of Victory, and the May festival was limited to the regime flexing its muscles, based on Cold War blinkers.

What remained closely associated with 1945 was the memory of the victims and the sacrifices of the soldiers, best exemplified by the moving quietness of the commemorations and the rancour for a regime that had won by sending to the slaughter ten times the number of soldiers as the vanquished did.

Since the mid-2000s  in particular since the conflict with Ukraine in 2014  humane feelings of compassion have been increasingly replaced by revenge, so that the old victory becomes the starting point to envisage new perspectives of greatness. This is helped by the fact that the celebration is held on a different day than the rest of the world, the latter being 8 May, the day when the Soviets remembered their entry into Berlin.

Russia thus celebrates "its" victory, one that is different from that of the other victors (for Ukraines outgoing president, Petro Poroshenko, the Kremlin has privatised the victory). At the same time, ordinary Russians are re-evaluating the figure of Stalin, beloved in todays Russia even more than Putin himself. The net effect is that what is celebrated today is Russias moral greatness rather than the victory of freedom and democracy over Nazi totalitarianism, a greatness the world needs in lieu of Europes exhausted and powerless democracy.

This, at least, is the sense of the triumphal song that five great military choirs performed, at the close of todays parade, an anthem to the homeland, the great country, which was echoed in St Petersburg by Mikhail Glinkas historic 19th century anthem, glorifying the Russian tsar, Russias first official anthem, which some would like to see reintroduced today.
POMPEI (NAPLES) - The 'Vanity: Stories of Jewels from the Cyclades to Pompeii' exhibition opens on Friday.

The show is scheduled to run from 10 May to 5 August 2019 at the Great Palaestra of the excavations of Pompeii.

It revolves around jewelry found in the Hercolaneum excavations, Pompeii, the primitive village of Longola, and other archaeological sites in the Campania region, juxtaposed with invaluable female ornamentation found on Greece's Cyclades islands: Delos, Santorini, Paros, Thera, and Despotikos.

About 300 pieces of inestimable value have been arranged for public viewing, with figures as shadows of women wearing these jewels (images similar to those seen in the Domus Pompeii frescoes) follow the visitor from the walls and floors but are seen only at a distance and disappear when approached due to an optical effect of the pixels they are made of. ''The exhibition cost a million euros,'' said acting superintendency director Alfonsina Russo, ''and it will be open until August 5. Then the Cyclades gold will go to China and I hope to take the Pompeii ones to the Colosseum.'' Massimo Osanna curated the show when he was general director of the archaeological site, alongside Demetrios Athanasoulis, Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades. ''The inspiration for this exhibition came when in Mykonos I visited a show in the Cyclades gold, from which you could see the links between the two cultures, through the trade that occurred in the Mediterranean Sea, between the Cyclades and the mid-Tyrrhenian Sea, which led to an exchange of experiences, tastes and cultures,'' Osanna said.

''These were cities that suffered the same sort of catastrophe, sharing the fate of volcanic eruptions such as Pompeii and Santorini, which gave us invaluable clues to reconstruct even the social relations in such a long-ago era,'' Osanna added. Athanasoulis said that the success of the show on Mykonos was decisive in having '''transferred ancient objects to the contemporary era, how they might be worn today, creating a 'trap' for the public, which sees them as personal objects and in this way understands their historic value.''
The NDA would form the government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha on its own without requiring the support of parties like TRS, BJP president in Telangana K Laxman said on Friday.

"Such an occasion will not be there," he said in an informal interaction with reporters when asked about the possibility of BJP having to take the support of TRS post-Lok Sabha polls if it fell short of numbers.

"100 per cent NDA will come to power. Modi will be the Prime Minister," he said.

TRS had supported the NDA on issues like demonetisation and election to the offices of President and Vice-President, but even then BJP did not show any let-up in its fight against the TRS government, he said.

"Doors are being closed" on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu who sought to make put together a coalition of opposition parties, Laxman claimed.

He cited DMK leader M K Stalin not meeting Rao as an example.

Claiming that the Congress was fast losing its strength in Telangana, he said BJP would be the principal opposition to the TRS.

The Congress was pushed to third place in seven-eight Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana in the recent Lok Sabha elections, he claimed.

BJP would improve its votes and seats in Telangana in the Lok Sabha polls, he said.

BJP had managed to win only one seat out of total 119 in the Assembly polls held in December last. It had an MP from Telangana in the outgoing Lok Sabha.

He said he would suggest to the party MLA (Raja Singh from Goshamahal) to move a privilege motion against police for their alleged high-handed behaviour towards him during a recent clash between two communities at Amberpet in the city.

The BJP had represented to state Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali and DGP Mahender Reddy on the issue.

Slamming the TRS government for the alleged goof-up in declaring Intermediate exam results that led to widespread protests by students, their parents, students' organisations and political parties, Laxman alleged there has been no response from the government to the protests.

Laxman had started an indefinite fast on Intermediate results fiasco but called it off after five days following a request made by BJP president Amit Shah.

The state BJP proposed to go to Delhi to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue, but postponed it in view of ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Rao is on a pilgrimage when students are suffering due to the alleged goof-up in declaring Intermediate results, Laxman alleged.

He was referring to Rao visiting temples in Tamil Nadu.

Replying to a query about possibility of regional parties coming up in Telangana, he said splinter groups may emerge.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal Friday proposed a new media bill aimed at imposing a hefty fine of up to Rs 1 million on media outlets found guilty of damaging anyone's reputation, raising alarm among journalists who say the government seeks to punish the press in the name of regulation.

Registered on Thursday, the new Media Council bill aims to replace the existing Press Council Act and will have more authority to issue hefty fines and give the government more say in the hiring and firing of the council members.

Dilip Thapa Magar, the vice president of Federation of Nepali Journalists, said increasing the government's role in council member recommendation process could jeopardise the free press.

"Newsroom critical of the government might end up in trouble more frequently if political appointees increase in the new council being envisioned with greater authority to take stern actions," said Magar.

Earlier, the council could ask for clarification, apology, blacklist certain press organisations, direct to the court for compensation, but now the bill aims to give the council authority to issue monetary punishment ranging from Rs 25,000 and up to one million.

The provisions in the proposed bill will also give the council greater power to write to the concerned authority to take action against media organisations if they violate press ethics as defined by the government.

It also proposes punishment for violating the code of conduct which includes suspension of press pass of media persons and downgrading of the classification of print media outlets.

A senior member of Press Council Nepal said the government brought the bill without consulting stakeholders.

The bill's proposal to impose heavy fine on mediapersons for violating laws is wrong, as it could lead to closure of media outlets, particularly those that were not financially sound, said the press council staff.

Treasurer of the Federation of Nepali Journalists Rajesh Mishra said the bill's provisions were aimed at punishing the press in the name of regulation which the journalists' umbrella body would never accept.

"This bill intends to form a government-controlled Nepal Media Council which will be dangerous for the press freedom," he said.

Mishra said the stakeholders in democratic countries were trying to promote self-regulation in the media sector and the same should be the norm in Nepal.

He said the bill's provisions were in contravention of national and international norms and also the Constitution of Nepal.

Professor of Journalism at Tribhuvan University P Kharel said the bill's proposal to impose heavy fine on media professionals could curtail press freedom.

The drafting of the bill started last year and had generated controversy when the government quietly moved the bill to the parliament on Wednesday, bypassing a critical consultation phase with stakeholders and the public.

The consultation phase, which has been in practice for a long time, is considered a critical element of the democratic exercise of lawmaking.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Friday arrested a 48-year-old man from Tamil Nadu's Trichy city in connection with the Ramalingam murder case.

Mohammed Faruk was arrested a day after the NIA officials conducted a search operation at his residence in Illangakurichy village in Tiruchirappalli district during which they seized some digital evidence, officials said.

He was summoned for questioning by the officials on Thursday.

The evidence collected from the residence and his questioning revealed the extent of involvement of Faruk in the case, the officials said.

Ramalingam was attacked by a gang on February 5. The accused used sickles and tried to chop off his hands, grievously injuring him in the process.

His son's efforts to protect him from the attackers were in vain. He was pronounced dead at a government hospital on February 6.

Faruk and other accused had hatched a criminal conspiracy for committing a terrorist act pursuant to which they chopped off the hands of Ramalingam, the officials said.

The Tamil Nadu Police has arrested 10 accused in the case. Six others are still absconding.

Faruk will be produced before the Special NIA Court, Poonamllee in Chennai, on Saturday.

Ramalingam, 42, was murdered when he was on his way to home at Muslim Street in Thirubuvanam. He was murdered the same day he confronted a few men who attempted to convert people to Islam.

Ramalingam removed the skullcap worn by one of the men in the gang and put ash on his forehead.

Initially, a case was registered at Thiruvidaimarudur police station in Thanjavur district on February 6. Later, the case was taken over by the NIA.

On May 2, the NIA conducted searches at 20 places in Kumbakonam, Trichy and Karaikkal and seized incriminating materials, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court Friday sought reply from the Delhi government on a petition filed by Vikas Yadav, who is undergoing 25-year jail term for killing business executive Nitish Katara in 2002, seeking parole for four weeks.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna issued notice on the plea after Vikas Yadav's counsel said that his client is in jail for the last 17 years.

On October 3, 2016, the apex court had awarded 25-year jail term without any benefit of remission to Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav for their role in the sensational kidnapping and killing of Katara. Another co-convict Sukhdev Pehalwan was also handed down 20-year jail term in the case.

The Delhi High Court, while upholding the life imprisonment awarded to Vikas and Vishal Yadav by the trial court, had earlier specified the jail term and had awarded 30-year sentence, without any remission, to both of them. It had awarded 25-year jail term to third convict Pehalwan.

The apex court, however, had modified the award of 30-year jail term, saying that the 25-year imprisonment for the offence of murder and five-year jail term for causing destruction of evidence, would run concurrently and not consecutively.

It had also scaled down the jail term of 25 years to 20 years to be awarded to third co-convict Pehalwan in the case by holding that imprisonment for separate offences would not run consecutively but concurrently.

The court had already dismissed the appeals against their convictions in the case for kidnapping Katara from a marriage party on the intervening night of February 16 and 17, 2002 before killing him for his alleged affair with Bharti Yadav, sister of Vikas Yadav, because they belonged to different castes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has not seen such an "unsuccessful" PM in independent India.

The TDP President, who has intensified efforts for a possible post-poll alliance among like-minded opposition parties to stop the BJP juggernaut, targeted Modi on issues such as demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax.

In a series of tweets Thursday, Naidu said, "People have lost confidence in the banking system. ATMs have been made scarecrows.

Demonetisation has become a big scandal.They (the government) were unsuccessful in implementation of GST. Rupee slid badly. I have not seen such an unsuccessful PM in the last 72 years of independent India."



Naidu also referred to documents reportedly going missing from the office of the Defence Ministry.

"In anytime in Indian history, has documents related to national security been lost from Ministry of Defence?" Naidu said in a tweet.

Naidu has been strident in his criticism of the BJP-led NDA after he walked out of the alliance last year on the AP Special Category Status issue.

"...also during his (Modi) regime, rift between constitutional bodies has spurted as never before," Naidu said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An 81-year-old Irish woman has been reunited with her centinarian mother for the first time after searching for her for over 60 years, according to a media report on Friday.

Eileen Macken grew up in a Bethany Home orphanage in Dublin and had never met her birth mother.

She started searching when she was 19 and last year contacted Ireland's RTE's Liveline to appeal for help to find her mother.

Earlier this year a genealogist called to say he had tracked her down in Scotland.

"Once I heard that, nothing would stop me trying to get to see her," Eileen said.

She travelled to Scotland last month and finally met her mum, Elizabeth, who will be 104 on Saturday, the BBC reported.

"I went over to see her and she's the most beautiful lady, lovely family, they gave me a great welcome," she told RTE's Liveline programme.

"We came in and, honestly I haven't got over the acceptance that I got.

"They accepted me and I had a great chat with my mother."



Eileen said Elizabeth was reading the newspaper when she saw her.

"I said we were from Ireland and she said 'I was born in Ireland'.

"I said: 'You know I'm your daughter' and she just looked up at me and she took my hand.

"I think it's nearly gone past her, but there was such a bond between the two of us. It was fantastic."



Eileen, a mother of three, also discovered she has two half brothers.

She said she did not think she would "ever come down out of the cloud" after meeting her mother.

She said she was always adamant that she should find her mum and never gave up the search.

The meeting had made her happier than she could have imagined, she said.

"We had three days of wonderful happiness that I've never ever had before.

"I don't think I've done any work in the house [since she came back], I'm that happy. I'm going around singing.

"You've no idea what it's done to me, I'm just so happy," Eileen said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A CBI court here sentenced a state-owned insurance company official to four years rigorous imprisonment for misappropriation of funds.

CBI Special Judge Imtiaz Ali also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on Debabrata Ray, who was working as an administrative officer in the insurer's Hojai branch.

The CBI's anti-corruption Branch, Guwahati, had registered a criminal case against Ray in April 2015 following allegations of preparing false and fabricated vouchers, and misappropriating funds to the tune of over Rs 3.30 lakh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A personal assistant posted at a special court here and his relative, who is the alleged middleman in the case, were arrested here Friday for taking a bribe of Rs 80,000, a Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) official said.

Search was conducted at the residence of the accused personal assistant, Arjun Lal Jat, from where documents related to a commercial land valuing Rs 1.5 crore-2 crore, 10 residential plots, 8 bigha agricultural land, two domestic gas agency and a construction company were recovered, ACB Additional SP Alok Chandra Sharma said.

He said the ACB had received a tip-off that Jat was involved in corrupt practices through a middleman, identified as advocate Vijay Kumar Sharma, who is on the run.

Mobile phones of Jat and Sharma were put on surveillance and it surfaced that they fixed a deal of Rs 1 lakh for settling a court case.

Jat had roped in his relative Pradeep Kumar Sharma to take the initial amount of Rs 80,000 in VKIA area here from where he was arrested, the officer said.

Both the accused were arrested under the sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and further investigation is on, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In 1994, BJP's Manohar Parrikar, who went on to become Goa chief minister and the country's Defence minister, won his maiden assembly election from Panaji seat, wresting it from the Congress, which the latter could never win in the last 25 years.

But this time, Parrikar's absence has brightened the hopes of the opposition party.

The May 19 by-election to the Panaji seat, necessitated after Parrikar's death in March, is turning out to be a battle of prestige for the Congress and the BJP, as the parties are leaving no stone unturned to come out on top.

The BJP has fielded former MLA Siddharth Kunkolienkar, who had earlier represented the constituency in the absence of Parrikar in 2015 and 2017, during the latter's stint as the defence minister in the Modi government.

The Congress has given ticket to former state minister Atanasio Monserratte.

All these years, the BJP had managed to hold grip over the Panaji seat and Parrikar's charisma was one of the major factors. After his death, there was a talk that the BJP was considering fielding Parrikar's elder son Utpal from the seat. However, the party finally chose Kunkolienkar.

State minister Mauvin Godinho had Thursday said the BJP's top brass might have denied the ticket to Utpal to avoid the charge that the party was promoting "family raj" (dynastic politics).

In the 2017 Goa assembly election, Kunkolienkar had defeated Monserratte, who was in the fray as an independent candidate supported by Congress.

Talking to PTI, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar said that had the BJP fielded Utpal Parrikar, the Congress would have faced some difficulty.

"With Utpal in the contest, the fight would have been difficult for us. Not that we would have lost the election, but difficulty level would have been certainly high. Now, its an easy run for us," he said.

After the by-election to three other assembly seats in Goa- Shiroda, Mandrem and Mapusa- and two Lok Sabha seats in the state held on April 23, the Amit Shah-led party is putting all its strength in Panaji constituency with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other leaders camping here round-the-clock.

The chief minister is seen mingling with the morning crowd at Mirmar beach several times, a gesture that might help the party to win.

The issues of infrastructure development, removing off shore casinos from the Mandovi river, providing uninterrupted water supply are dominating the campaign.

While the Congress is targeting Kunkolienkar over the alleged corruption in the 'Smart City' project funded by the Centre, the BJP is raising the issue of criminal cases, including rape, registered against Monserratte.

In May 2016, Monserratte had been booked for allegedly raping a girl. He is also facing a case of leading a mob that stoned Panaji police station in 2010.

In a veiled reference to the cases registered against Monserratte, Sawant said, "It's a fight between a person with character and someone characterless."



He said the BJP has a strong presence in the constituency and the party will comfortably win the seat.

"People will vote for the BJP as a mark of respect for Parrikar and his vision for development, which we are taking forward," he added.

Talking to PTI, Monserratte accused the BJP of raising false issues.

"I was framed in both the cases. I know who framed me. And I will expose them in the due course of time. Both the cases are before the court and I have full faith in the judiciary," said the former minister, who held town and country planning portfolio in Manohar Parrikar-led cabinet between 2002-2005.

He was also the minister in the Pratapsinh Rane-led and Digambar Kamat-led governments.

BJP leaders claim that they are confident of retaining the seat, which has 22,000-plus voters and of whom 15,000 had turned up for voting in the last assembly election.

"We have our target fixed. We want to poll 10,000 votes and that will give us a winning margin. We are confident of getting it," Kunkolienkar said.

He said that Parrikar's charisma and the developmental works undertaken by the BJP-led government in the state would propel the party towards victory.

Apart from the two major parties, former chief of the Goa unit of RSS, Subhash Velingkar, is also in the fray on Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) ticket.

GSM is a political outfit mentored by Velingkar when he fell out from BJP.

Velingkar, a former aide of Parrikar, could be a major factor for the polls as he has been active in the constituency for over three decades and was part of Parrikar's team to chart out election strategies.

Velingkar is likely to eat into BJP's votes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the battle for the last two phases of Lok Sabha polls intensifies in Uttar Pradesh, the focus once again seems to be shifting to the Nishad community with the BJP and the Congress trying to woo the boatmen.

The boatmen community is spread evenly across the state and constitutes nearly 13 per cent of the electorate.

Some of the major sub-castes of boatmen community are Nishad, Bind, Mallah, Kewat, Kashyap, Dhuria, Raikwar, Dheemar, Batham, Manjhi and Saini, said UP Backward Class Finance and Development Corporation chairperson Baburam Nishad.

"As far as Lok Sabha seats are concerned, the community can swing the poll fortune in around 20 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, he added.

Parties have been referring to the community in their campaign speeches.

BJP President Amit Shah had made a categorial reference to the work being done by the BJP-led state government for the community.

Prior to this Prime Minister Narendra Modi had eulogized the boatmen community during his visit to Kumbh in Prayagraj. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took the boat route to test the political water of the state, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

On Thursday, Shah promised to build an 80-feet tall statue of Nishadraj in Shringverpur in Allahabad district.

Addressing a series of rallies in Balrampur, Siddharthanagar, Sant Kabirnagar and Sultanpur on Thursday, Shah said, "The place where the Kewat (boatman) had washed the feet of Lord Ram, the government of Yogi Adityanath will construct a 80-feet-tall statue of Nishadraj.

"A grand memorial for Nishadraj worth Rs 34 crore will be built at Shringverpur, Shah added.

According to folklore, it was at Shringverpur -- 45 km from Allahabad on Lucknow Road -- that Lord Rama crossed the River Ganga on his way to exile along with Sita and Lakshman.

Shringverpur is mentioned as the capital of the famous kingdom of Nishadraj or the 'King of Fishermen'. The excerpt 'Sita, Ram and his brother came to Shringverpur' can be found in the epic Ramayan.

It is said boatmen refused to let the trio cross the river following which Nishadraj visited the site to resolve the issue. He offered to give them way only if Lord Rama let him wash his feet.

The permission was granted and it is mentioned that Nishadraj washed Lord Rama's feet with the water of Ganga and drank it to show his reverence towards him.

The place where Nishadraj washed the lord's feet has been marked by a platform and has been named 'Ramchura'.

Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the Swachh Kumbh, Swachh Aabhaar programme in Allahabad on February 24, had described himself as the boatmen's 'pradhan sevak'.

Boatmen play an important role during Kumbh. There is a strong relationship between Prayagraj and boatmen. They are dedicated soldiers of Maa Ganga. Without them, the Ramayana of Lord Rama is incomplete, the prime minister had said.

Lord Rama, by whose benevolence everyone's boat sails through, his boat was ferried by our naavik friends. I share a deep relationship with you...You call yourself 'Gangaputra', I have come on the call of Maa Ganga to serve you, he had said.

Earlier in March, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra began her 'Ganga Yatra' on boat, while seeking to navigate the Congress towards regaining its lost political moorings in UP and reached out to voters urging them to bring a government that works for them.

River Ganga is a symbol of truth and equality. It is also a symbol of our Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb (culture). It does not differentiate among people. Gangaji is the lifeline of Uttar Pradesh and with her support I will reach you, she had said in an open letter on March 17.

Baburam Nishad said, "Some of the Lok Sabha seats, where the boatmen and fishermen community could swing the polls are Firozabad, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Kairana, Machhlishahr and Jaunpur".

In Ghazipur, Phulpur, Sitapur, Jalaun, Fatehpur, Unnao, Gorakhpur, Ballia and Deoria the Nishad community has a significant presence as well, he added.

The importance, which the saffron party accords to the Nishad community, can be gauged from the fact that it fielded Praveen Kumar Nishad from Sant Kabir Nagar by dropping its sitting MP Sharad Mani Tripathi.

Nishad had won the Gorakhpur seat in a bypoll as the SP candidate and he was supported by the BSP, under the grand alliance between the two parties.

The Gorakhpur seat had fallen vacant after BJP MP Yogi Adityanath was elected as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Praveen is son of Sanjay Nishad who heads the NISHAD (Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal) party.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israel to reopen Gaza 12-mile fishing area Crossings also open after ceasefire on Sunday

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MAY 10 - On Friday, Israel will be reopening a 12 nautical mile fishing zone off the coast of the Gaza Strip, after it was closed amid heavy fighting over the past week. The announcement was made by COGAT, the Defense Ministry body that liaises with the Palestinians, in a statement late Thursday. It noted that the move was ''part of the civilian policy for prevention of deterioration in humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and is consistent with the policy of distinguishing between terrorists and the general population''. The pedestrian border crossing of Erez and the commercial one of Kerem Shalom have also been reopened. Both moves were part of the ceasefire agreement reached on Sunday between the parties in indirect talks that made use of UN and Egyptian mediation. (ANSAmed).




Food and beverages giant PepsiCo India on Friday withdrew the two lawsuits it had filed against nine Gujarat farmers for allegedly growing a variety



of potato on which it claimed exclusive rights.

Anand Yagnik, the lawyer for the farmers, said there was no pending litigation after these withdrawals.

A week earlier, PepsiCo had withdrawn its case at Deesa Commercial Court against two farmers hailing from Banaskantha district in the state.

Now, the two remaining cases against nine farmers, comprising four of Sabarkantha and five from Arvalli, have been withdrawn by the MNC, Yagnik said at a press conference here.

In all, 11 farmers of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Arvalli districts were sued by PepsiCo in three different courts in Gujarat for alleged infringement of rights over the particular variety of potato.

The multinational giant had sought damages ranging from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore from these farmers.

While four farmers of Sabarkantha were sued in a Commercial Court in Ahmedabad, five farmers of Arvalli were sued in Modasa Commercial Court of that district.

"Advocates appearing for PepsiCo on Friday informed both the courts today that the company wants to withdraw the cases unconditionally. PepsiCo's pleas have been approved by both the courts today. With this, all the three suits against farmers stand withdrawn and no case is pending now," Yagnik said.

The US-based firm had filed the suits against potato farmers for allegedly growing FC-5 variety of potato for which the company had claimed to have obtained Plant Variety Protection (PVP) rights.

However, activists had claimed the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority Act, 2011 exempts farmers from PVP rights.

In its statement after the withdrawal of cases Friday, PepsiCo said it was "compelled to take the judicial recourse" to protect its registered variety in order to "safeguard the larger interest of farmers".

"PepsiCo India's submission in the court today is in sync with its publicly stated position... To safeguard the larger interest of farmers, PepsiCo India was compelled to take judicial recourse to protect its registered variety," it said.

"PepsiCo from the very start had also offered an amicable settlement to farmers. After discussions with the government, the company has agreed to withdraw cases against farmers. We are relying on the said discussions to find a long term and an amicable resolution of all issues around seed protection" the statement added.

Though all three cases have been withdrawn by the MNC, Yagnik said farmers who were sued by PepsiCo now want an apology from the company for the harassment and bringing disrepute to them.

"Farmers want an apology from PepsiCo. If the company does not tender an apology, we will send it a legal notice and will file a legal suit against the firm demanding a token compensation of Rs 1," Yagnik said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi hit out at Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday for his comments on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying he had rubbed salt into the wounds of the victims of the tragedy.

Describing the Congress as a "caucus of mentally bankrupt intellectuals", Naqvi alleged that the opposition party, through its "criminal silence" on Pitroda's remarks, was once again trying to justify the brutal killings of Sikhs in 1984.

Pitroda, whom the minority affairs minister described as Congress president Rahul Gandhi's "guru" (teacher), had rubbed salt into the wounds of the victims of the brutal anti-Sikh riots of 1984, he said.

Hitting out at Congress leaders for calling Narendra Modi a "weak PM", Naqvi said the prime minister had kicked out middlemen from the corridors of power in Delhi, exposed and isolated Pakistan's "factory of terrorism", and succeeded in getting Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar declared as a global terrorist.

Modi had demolished the evil designs of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State, he told reporters.

The Indian security forces had eliminated terrorists through the surgical strikes and the Balakot airstrike, Naqvi said.

The entire world was acknowledging the development works carried out by Modi and the strong leadership of the prime minister, he said, adding that the Congress could not weaken his dignity and commitment by abusing him.

The "feudal family" of the Congress was in the habit of running a "family government or a remote-controlled government", Naqvi said, in an apparent reference to the Gandhi family.

"So, they are unable to digest a strong and effective government and a leader like Modi. Forming or running a weak and 'jugaad ki sarkaar' is in the Congress's DNA," he alleged.

Asked about the 1984 riots, Pitroda had reportedly said: "'84 mein hua to hua.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday led a fresh BJP offensive on the Congress over its leader Sam Pitroda's "so what" remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying it showed the "character and arrogance" of the opposition party.

As his remarks kicked up a storm, Pitroda accused the BJP of twisting the three words in Hindi on the riots to "distort facts, divide us(Congress) and hide their failures" and said things of the past are not relevant in this election.

Pitroda, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Overseas Congress' head, on Thursday said, 'hua to hua' (So what, it happened) about the anti-Sikh riots. He made this remark in response to a question on the riots by a newsman in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.

The BJP demanded that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi apologise to the nation while ally Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife and union minister Harsimrat Kaur said the comments were "disgraceful" and reflected the mindset of the Gandhis.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said it is a matter of disgrace that the party had no remorse over the Sikh killings and wondered if Rahul Gandhi would "oust his Guru" for the remarks.

Latching on to Pitroda's remarks, Modi kept up his attack on the Congress while addressing a poll rally in Rohtak in Haryana.

How Congress ran this country for 70 years, how their mind works, how they are filled with arrogance, they themselves yesterday summed this up in three words



Congress, which ruled for maximum period, has been so much insensitive and that is reflected by the three words spoken yesterday. These words have not been spoken just like that, these words are character and mentality and intentions of the Congress.

And which were these words, these were 'hua to hua', said Modi referring to Pitroda's remarks.

'Hua to hua,' Modi repeated a number of times during the course of his speech.

We can very well understand arrogance of Congress and those who run it in these three words--hua to hua, said Modi.

Yesterday, one of the tallest leaders of the Congress speaking in a loud voice on 1984 said '84 ka danga hua to hua'. Do you know who this leader is, he is very close to the Gandhi family, he keeps meeting them on daily basis and is their biggest confidant. This leader was very good friend of (late) Rajiv Gandhi and he is Guru of Congress 'naamdar' (dynast) president, he said.

For them, they have no value for life, for them a human being is not a human being, said Modi.

Pitroda said the BJP is attacking Congress leaders with "lies" because they cannot talk about their performance and have no vision to take India forward to inclusively growth and prosperity for all with focus on jobs, kids and more jobs.

He took to Twitter to explain his position over the remarks.

"I have noticed how BJP is again twisting three words from my interview to distort facts, divide us and hide their failures. Sad that they have nothing positive to offer.

"I acknowledged the pain of my Sikh brothers and sisters during difficult times in 1984 and deeply feel for the atrocities that happened.

"But these are things from the past that are not really relevant to this election which is all about what did Modi government do for the last five years. Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will never target a group of people based on creed," he said.

"Truth is being distorted, lies are being amplified through social media and targeted. People are systematically being intimidated. However, truth will always prevail and lies will be exposed. It is just a matter of time. Have patience."



Union minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said the statement by Pitroda was"irresponsible".

"Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi must apologise for Sam Pitroda's irresponsible statement," he told reporters.

Javadekar said Rahul Gandhi's guide and Rajiv Gandhi's colleague Pitroda had made "a very condemnable" remark in public discourse.

"Today, he has made an even a more dangerous statement. He says that I can acknowledge the pain of Sikh community, but it is not relevant today," he said.

Another union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Pitroda had rubbed salt into the wounds of the victims of the tragedy.

Sukhbir Badal asked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh whether he would continue to remain with the Congress after the "disgraceful comments.

"Pitroda has been very close to the Gandhis since Rajiv Gandhi days and is still the principal advisor to Rahul Gandhi. His remarks reveal the mindset of the Gandhis...,"he said.

In another tweet, Harsimrat said, Gandhi family's blue-eyed boy and Rajiv crony Sam Pitroda has admitted his boss orchestrated the 1984 Sikh genocide with his statement justifying the anti-human act by saying so what it happened.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra at a press conference in Delhi in the presence of Nirpreet Kaur, a witness to the riots, said the language used by Pitroda is comparable only to the "insensitive, inhuman" remark made by Rajiv Gandhi who in the aftermath of the "genocide" said that "when a big tree falls, the earth shakes."



Activists of the BJP and Akali Dal staged a protest in Amritsar against Pitroda's remarks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged on Friday that while farmers were suffering, Rs 5.5 lakh crore of big industrialists were waived by the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's friends had registered profits of Rs 10,000 crore in the last five years.

Addressing an election meeting here, she also hit out at Modi, saying that he talked about Pakistan and other "absurd" issues, but never about the problems of the people.

The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh termed the current Bharatiya Janata Party-led government "arrogant", alleging that it spreads anger, hatred and negativity.

She alleged that when farmers of a number of states, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra, went to Delhi to stage a protest, the prime minister did not come out of his bungalow for even five minutes to hear their grievances.

"Now they are highlighting the 'Kisan Samman Yojana' and promising Rs 6,000 per year. When the Congress asked the government to waive farm loans, it was said that there was no money in the economy.

"If you did not have money, how were Rs 5.5 lakh crore of big industrialists waived? Where does the insurance money of farmers go? While you (farmers) were suffering, the companies of the prime minister's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in the last five years," the Congress leader alleged.

Claiming that the Congress governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh had waived farm loans, she said, "When the intention is good, loan waiver starts in three days, but when the intention is bad, the arrogant leader talks big and leaves."



Stating that there were false propaganda and negativity in politics, Priyanka Gandhi said the people of the country should never underestimate their power.

"We are here because of you (people). You must acknowledge your power. Do not make spreading filth and negativity a habit and make a change. Democracy has given you the power," she said.

"Whenever he (Modi) comes before you, he never talks about your problems. He talks of the past, Pakistan and other absurd issues. He did a world tour...visited Pakistan, ate biryani there, visited Japan and played the drums, went to the US, Europe and other countries, but never to a single village in his parliamentary constituency to know about the real problems of the people," the Congress leader claimed.

On the stray cattle menace in Uttar Pradesh, she said the government had made enclosures for animals after seeing the anger of farmers during elections.

"But there is no arrangement for fodder and water there. Because of their policies, 12,000 farmers have committed suicide in the last five years," Priyanka Gandhi added.

Pointing out that the BJP's 2014 poll promise of giving Rs 15 lakh to every citizen was not honoured, she alleged that demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) had ruined traders.

Highlighting the Congress's manifesto for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Priyanka Gandhi said her party would make all sections of the society stand on their own, the poor would be given Rs 72,000 per year and 24 lakh vacant government jobs would be filled by March, 2020.

Claiming that five crore jobs were lost due to the faulty policies of the BJP, she promised that if voted to power, the Congress would give a 33-per cent reservation to women in Parliament so that their voice could be heard.

Later, addressing an election meeting at Khalilabad in Sant Kabir Nagar, Priyanka Gandhi said Kabir's principle of non-violence and truth was adopted by Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress, while alleging that the BJP government was indulging in the of "hate and communalism".

"Five years ago, development, which was not supposedly done in 70 years, was promised, but what happened? Not a single promise was fulfilled," she said, adding that those who looted the nation were in foreign countries now.

The Congress leader claimed that during demonetisation, the entire country was made to stand in queues barring the rich people and BJP members.

"Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had also stood in the queue and the BJP had mocked at him," she said, while urging people to ensure that the saffron party did not come back to power at the Centre.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Friday alleged that while farmers were suffering, Rs 5,50,000 crore of big industrialists were waived by the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in last five years.

Addressing an election meeting here, she also hit out at Modi, claiming that he talks about Pakistan and other "absurd" issues, but never about the problems of the people.

The Congress general secretary termed the present BJP government 'ahankari' (egotistical), alleging that it spreads anger, hatred and negativity.

She alleged that when farmers of a number of states, including MP, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, went to Delhi for protests, the prime minister did not came out of his bungalow for five minutes to hear their grievances.

"Now they are highlighting 'Kisan samman yojna' and promising Rs 6,000 per year. When Congress asked the government to waive loans of farmers, it was said that there is no money in the economy.

"If you do not have money, how was Rs 550 thousand crore of big industrialists waived. Where does the insurance money of farmers go? While you (farmers) were suffering, companies of PM's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in past five years," Priyanka Gandhi alleged.

Claiming that the Congress government had waived loans in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, she said, "When intentions are good loan waiver starts in three days, but when they are bad 'ahankari' leader talks big from dias and leaves."



She said there was false propaganda and negativity in but people should never forget their power.

"We are here because of you (people). You all should not forgot your power. Don't make (spreading) dirtiness and negativity in your habit and make a change. Democracy has given you power," Priyanka Gandhi said



"When he (PM) comes before you he never talks about your problems. He talks of the past, Pakistan and other absurd issues. He did a world tour...visited Pakistan ate 'biryani' there, visited Japan and played 'dhol', went to the US, Europe and other countries, but never to a single village in his parliamentary constituency to know about the real problems of the people," Priyanka Gandhi claimed.

On the stray cattle menace, she said the government made enclosures for stray animals after seeing the anger of farmers during elections.

"But there is no arrangement for fodder and water there. Due to their policies 12,000 farmers have committed suicide due to loans in past five years," Priyanka Gandhi said.

She claimed that the BJP government's promise of giving Rs 15 lakh to every citizen was not met and GST and demonetisation ruined traders.

Highlighting her party's manifesto, the Congress leader said that her party will make all sections of the society will stand on their own and the poor will be given Rs 72,000 per year and the 24 lakh vacant government jobs will be filled by March 2020.

She said that due to the faulty policies of the BJP, there was a loss of five crore jobs and promised that her government would give 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament so that their voice can be heard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra on Friday said the country's was at an all-time low and desperate measures were visible as Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a personal attack on former PM Rajiv Gandhi, accusing him of using a Naval warship for a holiday.

" at an all time low ...Desperate measures are visible. Hitting out at an assassinated Prime minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi, to mislead the people of India. A person who cannot defend himself...

"We the family will strive for his vision and the people of India will. Fight for his dignity and respect. It's only time, for a respectful change in our country," he wrote on Twitter and Facebook.

Vadra is married to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the daughter of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

A controversy broke out on Thursday over Modi's allegation that Rajiv Gandhi had used INS Viraat as a "personal taxi" for a holiday, a charge rejected by the Congress as well as former Navy chief Admiral (retd) L Ramdas and a former commanding officer of the aircraft carrier.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Konark Sun Temple, which suffered minor damages when cyclonic storm Fani hit the coast of Odisha, will be opened to the public within the next three days, the culture ministry said on Friday.

A team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials led by Director General, Usha Sharma visited the temple and observed that there is no structural damage to the monument, the ministry said in a statement.

"The team has informed that there is some dislocation in the scaffolding provided for chemical cleaning at upper level which is being set right. More than 200 trees have been damaged which are being cleared. The electric and illumination system including internet access has been affected, restoration of which will take some time," it said.

"The monument will be opened to public in the next two to three days. The chemical cleaning and consolidation of eastern face will be completed on priority. The monument will be restored back to normal within a fortnight," it added.

The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century heritage monument at Konark about 35 km northeast from Puri on the coastline of Odisha.

The team is currently assessing the damage to the Sri Jagannath Puri Temple.

"The state government had sought help from the ASI to assess the damage caused to these world heritage monuments. The team will also suggest restoration exercise needed for the monuments and the surrounding areas," the ministry said.

Fani's effect on Puri has been specially devastating and it is only by May 12 that all trains originating from the temple town will be operational due to the massive damage to the railway infrastructure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A High Level Committee (HLC) set up by the Meghalaya government Friday gave one month's time to the residents of Punjabi Lane here to prove that they had settled in the area legally.

Punjabi Lane is inhabited by people from Punjab, who were brought to Shillong around 200 years ago by the British to work as cleaners and sweepers. An incident of assault in the area in May last year had resulted in group clashes following which it was put under curfew for over a month.

"We have decided in a meeting to give one month's time to the settlers to submit their documents to prove legality of their stay. They will submit the papers to the chief executive officer of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB)," said Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who is the head of the HLC.

The SMB was instructed to create an inventory of properties following a survey in the area and public notices will be issued to all the settlers in this regard, he said.

The settlers had refused to cooperate with the authorities during the survey conducted last year and "this is the second and the last opportunity to be given to them," the deputy chief minister said.

Of the hundreds of people at Punjabi Lane, only 184 employees of the SMB and government departments and their families have been identified as legal settlers, official sources said adding that there was a demand from various quarters to relocate the Punjabis from the area.

The local Punjabi community in December last year had urged Governor Tathagata Roy to disband the HLC for allegedly issuing orders with an intent to displace them.

On May 29, 2018, clashes erupted when a bus driver and his friend were attacked at the Punjabi Lane area and they received injuries. As rumours of the assaulted victims dying in hospital spread on social media, people attacked the settlers following which the entire area was put under curfew for over a month.

Following this, a delegation of the Punjab government visited the city and interacted with the settlers. The delegation members also met Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.

However, the Meghalaya administration expressed unhappiness after the Punjab government sanctioned Rs 60 lakh as compensation to the community members who were affected by the violence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court Friday posed searching questions to the Centre on its deal with France to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets on issues like the "waiver of sovereign guarantee" and the absence of technology transfer clause in the IGA pact.

The top court reserved its verdict on pleas, including the one filed by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan, seeking review of its December 14 judgement which gave clean chit to the Centre's Rafale deal to procure jets from the French firm, Dassault.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi referred to a judgement in the Lalita Kumari case which said that an FIR is must when information revealed commission of cognizable offence. "The question is whether you are obliged to follow the Lalita Kumari judgment or not."



Attorney General K K Venugopal told the bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, that "there has to be a prima facie case, otherwise they (agencies) cannot proceed. The information must disclose commission of cognizable offence".

Justice Joseph referred to the earlier deal and asked the Centre as to why the inter-governmental agreement (IGA) on Rafale with the French administration does not have the clause of transfer of technology.

"The court cannot decide such technical aspects," the law officer said.

On the court's question of waiver of sovereign guarantee by France in the IGA and its replacement with a letter of comfort, Venugopal said it was not an "unprecedented practice" and referred to such agreements with Russia and the US where there was such a waiver.

"It is a question of national security. No other court in the world will examine a defence deal on these kinds of arguments", he said.

The bench was hearing three review petitions filed by the trio, a lawyer Vineet Dhandha and AAP lawmaker Sanjay Singh.

The apex court had said in the December verdict that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets and dismissed the petitions seeking an investigation into alleged irregularities in the Rs 58,000 crore deal.

At the outset, Bhushan submitted that the judgement did not deal with the prayer seeking probe into the deal and decided the petition on the premise that it was seeking cancellation of IGA.

He said the Centre misled the court by referring to non-existent CAG report in November, 2018 hearing when it is on record that the report came later in February this year.

"How did the government anticipate even before the CAG report came that the pricing details of Rafale will be redacted. In a report submitted in November 2018, how did they know that the CAG report in February next year would redact pricing details," the lawyer asked.

Bhushan alleged suppression of material facts from the court by the Centre and said that as many eight critical clauses of the standard defence procurement procedure were dropped in the deal in the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security in September 2016.

One of the clauses dealt with the aspect that the government can cancel the deal if the information of any involvement of middleman comes to the light, he said.

"This is shocking that the government concealed this piece of information from the court. Doing away with the anti-Corruption clauses and concealment of this fact from the court is by itself a sufficient ground to order a criminal investigation," he said.

He referred to the articles and said that three experts of Indian Negotiation Team (INT) had also raised the the objections to the inflated pricing of the aircrafts.

"The bench-mark price was firm and fixed. It was 5 billion Euros. But the final price for Rafale jets shot up to 55.6 per cent above the bench-mark price and would continue to increase with time," he alleged.

Referring to reports, he alleged that besides the seven member INT, which was negotiating the deal, "parallel negotiations" were undertaken by the PMO and this weaken the negotiating powers of the INT.

"Even the NSA was playing some role although he was not to be involved," he said.

"Anil Ambani was involved in this deal right from the beginning" and he even produced a film for the wife of a French leader, he said, alleging "quid pro quo" which required criminal investigation.

Shourie also addressed the bench on a separate plea seeking perjury prosecution of unknown government officials for misleading it during the hearing of the pleas.

Venugopal vehemently opposed the submissions and sought dismissals of the review petitions saying that the basic grounds of these pleas were the same as in the main case.

"The Supreme Court has already decided the challenge to the Rafale deal. I would still say that the petitioners are seeking review of the judgment on the basis of secret stolen documents," he said.

He then referred to a clause 10 of the IGA between France and India and said that it mandated maintaining the secrecy of the deal.

Venugopal then referred to the CAG report and said that it has been found that the government got the jets at 2.86 per cent lower price.

The government is under obligation to put defence material under cover, he said, adding that "when the security of the country is involved, you do not view it as a contract to build a highway or a dam".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre strongly defended before the Supreme Court on Friday its deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, saying they were not for "ornamentation" but essential for national security.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi reserved verdict on the pleas, including the one filed by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan, seeking review of its December 14 judgement which gave clean chit to the deal.

Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, referred to the fact that Air Force in 2001-02 had raised the issue of acquiring 156 combat aircrafts.

"The period from 2007 to 2015 was a great setback as combat aircraft are very essential for the country," the top law officer said, adding that "this is not for the purpose of the ornamentation. This is very essential for security".

Dealing with the scope of judicial review in cases relating to defence procurement, he said, "No court in the world will go into what is to be purchased in a defence deal".

Vehemently opposing the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, he sought dismissal of the review petitions saying that the basic grounds of these pleas were the same as in the main case.

"The Supreme Court has already decided the challenge to the Rafale deal. I would still say that the petitioners are seeking review of the judgment on the basis of secret stolen documents," he said.

He then referred to a clause 10 of the IGA between France and India and said that it mandated maintaining the secrecy of the deal.

"So far as the price is concerned, it is covered Article 10 of the inter-government agreement (IGA). Pricing under Article 10 was not supposed to be discussed in public domain", he said.

The Centre, however, shared the pricing details and the defence acquisition procedures with the court, he said.

He also referred to the CAG report and said that it has been found that the government got the jets at 2.86 per cent lower price.

The government is under obligation to put defence material under cover, he said, adding, "When the security of the country is involved, you do not view it as a contract to build a highway or a dam".

On the issue of registration of the FIR as mandated by the apex court judgement in the Lalita Kumari case, the law officer said, "There has to be a prima facie case, otherwise they (agencies) cannot proceed. The information must disclose commission of cognizable offence."



On the court's question of waiver of sovereign guarantee in IGA and its replacement with a letter of comfort, Venugopal said it was not an "unprecedented practice" and referred to such agreements with Russia and US where there was waiver of sovereign guarantee.

"It is a question of national security. No other court in the world will examine a defence deal on these kinds of arguments", he said.

He said that the word 'fraud' is being bandied about and the entire docs in the Rafale case was never asked for by court.

A mistake in interpretation cannot be the basis of review of an entire judgment. The government is under obligation to put defence material under cover, he said.

The bench asked the Centre as to why there was no condition in the IGA that the jets would be made at HAL as mentioned in the earlier deal.

Venugopal said that it could not materialised on grounds like more man power required by HAL in producing those jets here.

"The lives of the pilots were at risk. The 126 MMRCA process was not working...so a conscious decision was taken by the head of the government to go ahead with the procurement of the 36 Rafale jets," he said.

On the issue of dissent note by the three members of the Indian Negotiating teal on the issue of pricing and alleged parallel negotiation by the PMO, he said later the three dissenting INT members agreed.

The concerns raised by the three members were referred to Defence Acquisition Committee and said that these issues cannot be decided by the court.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan submitted that the judgement did not deal with the prayer seeking probe into the deal and decided the petition on the premise that it was seeking cancellation of IGA.

He said that Centre misled the court by referring to non-existent CAG report in November, 2018 hearing when it is on record that the report came later in February this year.

"How did the government anticipate even before the CAG report came that the pricing details of Rafale will be redacted. In a report submitted in November 2018, how did they know that the CAG report in February next year would redact pricing details," the lawyer asked.

Shourie also advanced arguments on his plea seeking perjury prosecution of some government officials for misleading the court during earlier hearing.

The government alleged that the petitioners are seeking more documents to start a "fishing and roving enquiry", he said adding that these papers are, in fact, in public domain.

"Our intention is that the documents be seen by the court," he said.

"There is something called the Arms Trade Treaty of which France is a signatory and India is not because we found the treaty discriminatory. The treaty gives immunity to signatories, but a sovereign guarantee overrides this treaty and would protect India's interests," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BEIRUT - About 25,000 families, totaling 150,000 people, have been forced to flee northwest Syria due to an offensive by the Russian military and Syrian government, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). MSF manages a series of mobile clinics in the area and provides humanitarian assistance at camps for displaced persons.



In a statement on Friday, it confirmed what had already been reported by the United Nations in recent days regarding 150,000 civilians fleeing the area hit by airstrikes and involved in the ground offensive by Damascus.



MSF cited accounts by patients treated in its mobile clinics who said they had walked for days before arriving at the aid area.



The organisation said the majority of the displaced people "took shelter in informal camps, where they are living in overcrowded conditions without essential services".
Congress President Friday told the Supreme Court that he has already tendered unconditional apology for "wrongly attributing" to it the "chowkidar chor hai" remarks and the criminal contempt proceedings against him should be closed.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi reserved the verdict on the criminal contempt plea filed against him by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Gandhi, told the bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, that the Congress President has already tendered unconditional apology and has expressed regret over the wrongful attribution to the apex court.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Lekhi, told the bench that the apology tendered by Gandhi should be rejected and action must be taken against him as per the law.

Rohatgi also argued that the court should ask Gandhi to make an apology to the public for his remarks.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi urged the Supreme Court on Friday to close the criminal contempt proceedings against him for wrongly attributing to it his "chowkidar chor hai" remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has already tendered an unconditional apology for that.

However, the counsel appearing for petitioner and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that apology tendered by Gandhi should be rejected and action be taken against him under the law.

The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, reserved its verdict on the plea filed against Gandhi by Lekhi who alleged that he attributed his personal remarks to the top court and tried to create prejudice.

Gandhi had made the remarks on April 10, the day the apex court had dismissed the Centre's preliminary objections over the admissibility of certain documents for supporting the review petitions against the December 14 last year verdict in the Rafale fighter jets deal case.

The apex court on April 15 had given a categorical clarification that in its Rafale verdict there was no occasion for it to make a mention of the contemptuous observation that "chowkidar Narendra Modi chor hain" as has been attributed to it by Gandhi.

During the arguments on Friday, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Gandhi, said that the Congress chief had expressed "regret" for wrongfully attributing the remarks to the court in his very first affidavit filed in the court and later, he also tendered an unconditional apology for this.

"My (Gandhi) regret and acceptance of wrongful attribution is there in my first affidavit also," Singhvi told the bench, adding, "according to me, it (contempt proceedings) should be closed".

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Lekhi, told the court that Gandhi has tendered an unconditional apology to the court after he was "cornered" by the apex court for filing two affidavits earlier.

"The affidavit (tendering unconditional apology) has been filed after being cornered by the court. It is completely belated affidavit," he said.

He further said, "My second submission is that the court should reject this apology and take action as per law whether its imprisonment or censure".

Gandhi has led the public astray by wrongly attributing the 'chowkidar chor hai' remarks to the top court and he should apologise to the people for this as citizens of the country have the highest faith and regard for the top court, Rohatgi said.

"The court should ask him (Gandhi) to make apology to the public that he had led them astray by telling that the Supreme Court has said 'chowkidar chor hai'," he said.

However, Singhvi countered Rohatgi's submissions and said, "his submission is not meant for this court but for outside the court".

Singhvi referred to the earlier two affidavits filed by Gandhi and said the Congress chief has himself quoted the portions which were wrongly attributed to the apex court.

"In paragraph 10 (of the affidavit), I (Gandhi) say I meant no disrespect (to the court). In paragraph 12, I have expressed regret. Regret is same as remorse or apology," he said.

In his affidavit filed on May 8, Gandhi had tendered an unconditional apology in the apex court for the remarks.

He had said that he holds the apex court in the "highest esteem and respect" and that he has never sought to do anything which interferes with the process of administration of justice.

Gandhi, who had earlier filed an affidavit following the formal notice issued to him by the court on Lekhi's petition, had written the word "regret" in bracket.

The apex court had rebuked Gandhi for not admitting his mistake and had given him another opportunity to file a better affidavit relating to his remark.

Gandhi, in his explanation filed earlier in the court, had said that his statement was made in the "heat of political campaigning" and there was not the "slightest intention to insinuate" anything regarding the Supreme Court proceedings in any manner.

He had said that his April 10 statement was made in purely political context to counter the "misinformation campaign" being led by senior BJP functionaries as well as the government that the apex court verdict on December 14 last year was a "clean chit" to the Centre regarding all the aspects of the Rafale deal.

He had also said that his statement was made during a "political campaign without a readable copy of the Supreme Court order" being available on its website and he had neither seen nor read the order.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Relief and restoration work in cyclone-ravaged coastal Odisha has gained pace, and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday said government offices in the five severely affected districts will remain open during the weekend.

The state government has been able to ensure supply of drinking water in



most parts of the 14 districts, including Puri and Khurda, affected in cyclone 'Fani', officials said.

However, power supply is still to be restored as 1.56 lakh electric poles were either uprooted or severely damaged in the cyclone. Of them, 30,000 electric poles were damaged in Bhubaneswar.

While about 50 per cent of Bhubaneswar residents have been provided power connection, entire Puri district continues to remain in darkness.

The state government claimed that it would be able to fully restore power in Bhubaneswar by May 12 while a part of Puri town may get electricity by the same time.

Lack of electricity is adding to the misery of the people who have to bear the mid-summer heat.

"We have engaged skilled manpower both in Puri and Khurda districts for speedy restoration of power. However, the process is taking time due to the massive devastation caused to the power infrastructure," said Odisha Energy Secretary Hemant Sharma.

Exactly a week ago, the 'extremely severe' cyclone Fani made its landfall near Puri affecting more than 1.5 crore people in 14 districts and destroying all power infrastructure and telecommunication.

A situation report released Friday by the special relief commissioner's office said at least 41 people were killed in the calamity and 5.08 lakh houses were damaged.

Casualty to over 34.56 lakh livestock casualty has also been reported from the 14 cyclone-ravaged districts.

An order issued by the chief minister's office said all government offices in cyclone-hit districts of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara will remain open on Saturday and Sunday despite being holidays.

"The aim is to augment the ongoing relief and restoration work," it said.

An inter-ministerial team is being sent by the Centre to assess the situation in view of the huge damage caused by the mid-summer cyclone that struck with a wind speed of 200 kmph and battered the state's coastal region.

The team is mandated to submit a field report to the Home Ministry, the officials said.

The central team will be led by the additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Vivek Bharadwaj. It will arrive in Bhubaneswar on the evening of May 12 and hold a meeting with senior officials, said Special Relief Commissioner B P Sethi.

The central team will pay a three-day visit to the cyclone-hit districts from May 13 for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage.

Before returning to Delhi, the team will hold a meeting with state government officials on May 15, the officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an aerial survey of Puri and Khurda districts on May 6 and the Centre had thereafter released Rs 1,000 crore as interim assistance to carry out relief and rescue operation.

Meanwhile, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who took stock of the situation, said of the 234 filling stations in Puri, Khurda and Cuttack districts, 232 have become operational and two others will start working from Saturday.

He said the department has made provision for two mobile tankers to distribute petrol and diesel to consumers in Puri town.

"We have been able to bring 100 per cent normalcy in the supply of diesel and petrol within a weeks time," Pradhan said, adding that there is enough stock of kerosene, petrol and diesel in the cyclone-hit areas.

An East Coast Railways (ECoR) official said services of Memu trains between Puri-Talcher and Puri-Angul resumed on Friday.

Only four trains from Puri remain cancelled and the others are now running as per the schedule.

"There will be total normalcy in train services from May 12," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia and Japan's top diplomats said Friday there was a way to go before their countries could resolve a World War II-era dispute over a chain of islands, following a meeting in Moscow.

Ahead of talks, Russia's Sergei Lavrov said "significant differences" remained between Moscow and Tokyo's positions, despite several previous rounds of negotiations.

"The task is not easy, it's clear it will only be solved by long, painstaking and creative work," Lavrov told journalists following his meeting with Japanese counterpart Taro Kono.

The territorial dispute centres on four islands, between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean, seized by the Soviet army in the last days of World War II.

The string of volcanic islands are called the Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan.

"Solving a problem that remains unresolved more than 70 years on from the end of the war is not easy," Kono said at a joint press conference, in remarks translated into Russian.

"It cannot be said that as a result of today's talks we were able to overcome these differences."



Tokyo has refused to recognise Moscow's sovereignty over the islands, preventing the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending hostilities.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin have made resolving the dispute a priority -- meeting 25 times since 2013 in an effort to build cooperation.

But both face domestic opposition to any compromise and at a meeting in Moscow in January fell short of reaching an agreement.

A further meeting between the foreign and defence ministers of the countries will take place at the end of May in Tokyo, Lavrov said Friday.

Moscow has said negotiations should be based on a 1956 Soviet-Japanese declaration which calls for the signing of a peace accord before the possible handover of two of the smaller islands to Japan.

But giving away even uninhabited islands would be poorly received in Russia, where World War II is hugely symbolic and post-war territorial gains are seen as non-negotiable.

Moscow in recent months has taken further steps to consolidate its hold on the islands, which are home to some 20,000 people.

In December Russia said it built four new military barracks in the Kurils, prompting an angry response from Tokyo.

In February it said it had laid fibre-optic cables to provide homes and businesses there with high-speed internet access.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons has written to HRD minister Prakash Javadekar demanding action against Professor Neeraj Hatekar of the department of economics, Mumbai University over plagiarism charges against him.

A probe committee of the University had last month found that Hatekar had copied substantial parts of his PhD thesis from his wife' Rajni Mathur's MPhil desertation.

The University has sent the report to its Institutional Academic Integrity Panel for further action, officials said.

A section of academicians had also written to the University Grants Commission last month demanding action against Hatekar.

In a letter posted on social media after the enquiry panel found him guilty, Hatekar had said, "The university did not follow a set procedure in setting up the committee. Neither the documents presented by me to support my case were considered by the panel. This is all a set up to affect my promotion opportunities in a negative way."



When contacted by PTI on Friday, Hatekar chose not to comment and said that his social media post represented his position on the issue.

In the letter to the Human Resource Development minister, Alphons has said that in any other university in any other country, the concerned person would have been "dismissed from service and criminal action initiated against him".

Copies of the letter have been sent to the Chancellor, University of Mumbai, Governor of Maharashtra, Secretary, Department of and Chairman, University Grants Commission.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine a plea filed by a 20-year-old law student challenging the Delhi government's decision to install CCTV cameras in classrooms and live stream the feed to parents on the grounds that it violates right to privacy.

The top court asked the Delhi government to reply as to why its 2017 decision should not be stayed.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Sanjiv Khanna issued notice to Delhi government and sought its response.

"Issue notice on the writ petition, as also on the prayer for interim relief, returnable within six weeks," the bench said.

Advocate Jai Dehadrai, appearing for the petitioner, said that live-streaming of CCTV feeds will be done to random people which will be a breach of privacy.

Dehadrai assisted by advocate Srishti Kumar said that there were adolescent children in schools and it will be breach of their privacy if the CCTV feed was live streamed.

The plea filed by Amber Tickoo, a third year law student at National Law University, sought setting aside of the Delhi government's decision of September 11, 2017 for installing CCTV cameras in class room and life streaming the CCTV feeds to the parents of children.

It contended that these decisions of government were in direct contravention to the verdict of the apex court which has unequivocally upheld that Right to Privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

"The said installation of CCTV cameras and providing live feed of the same to anyone with a user id and password jeopardizes the safety and security of young girls as also the female teachers and shall directly give rise to the incidents of stalking and voyeurism," it said.

The plea said that no steps were taken for protection of the data that is required to be stored in the CCTV recordings.

"This data is prone to being hacked and poses a serious threat to the privacy and security of the children as well as the teachers. Furthermore, there are financial irregularities in the process of procurement of the said CCTV cameras...," it alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices on a plea filed by the Centre challenging the verdict of the Madras High Court which held that Puducherry Lieutenant Governor (LG) Kiran Bedi "cannot interfere" in the day-to-day affairs of the elected government of the Union Territory.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna sought replies from Congress MLA K Laksminarayanan, on whose plea the high court had passed the verdict on April 30, and others on the Centre's appeal.

Besides this, the bench also issued notice on a separate petition filed by the administrator (LG) of Puducherry against the high court's verdict.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that the high court verdict should be stayed as governance has come to a standstill because of the order.

"Please stay the order. For nine days after the April 30 order (of high court), a havoc is created there," Mehta told the bench.

On April 30, the high court had allowed a plea filed by Laksminarayanan and set aside the two communications issued in January and June 2017 by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs "elevating" the powers of the administrator.

Referring to the Supreme Court judgement on the tussle between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal, the high court had said that restrictions imposed on Government of Delhi are not applicable to the Government of Puducherry.

"The administrator cannot interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the government. The decision taken by the Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister is binding on the Secretaries and other officials," the high court had said.

Laksminarayanan had claimed in his plea before the high court that the administrator was interfering in the day-to-day administration of the territorial government, its policies and programmes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court Friday issued notice to the son-in-law of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on a plea challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him by the high court in a case relating to alleged irregularities while he was posted as superintendent of a government hospital.

A bench of justices Ashok Bhushan and K M Joseph sought reply from Dr Punit Gupta on the state's appeal in the case related to alleged financial irregularities committed by him while he was posted as superintendent of DKS Government Hospital at Raipur.

An FIR has been lodged against Gupta on a complaint by the incumbent superintendent of the hospital alleging that during the former's tenure, he had misused his office and position for committing various irregularities in purchase of machines, allotment of tenders and making appointments.

The appeal filed by the state in the apex court said that Gupta has not been under custody after the registration of FIR and had directly approached the Chhattisgarh High Court for anticipatory bail, which was allowed by the court.

The plea said that bail was granted by the high court ignoring the fact that investigation against Gupta was at a very crucial stage of collection of documents and evidences which would unearth the alleged financial irregularities committed by him.

"The high court failed to appreciate that the respondent (Gupta) has extended no cooperation in the investigation and has been untraceable even after several notices were issued to him seeking his presence. It was not appropriate for the high court to allow the bail application," the state said in its plea.

It further said that Gupta had allegedly misused his office and committed financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 50 crore by fabricating and forging audit reports, appointing persons against established rules and procedures for his personal gain and he had also tampered with evidence and influenced possible witnesses to hide his deeds.

"Various witnesses have recorded statements before the Investigating Officer clearly implicating the accused in devising a mechanism to fraudulantly obtain a facility to the tune of Rs 64 Crores from Punjab National Bank, Katora Talab Branh, Raipur wherein forged audit reports were submitted," the plea claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court Friday referred to a larger bench the issue of whether a lower court has the power to summon additional accused even after having decided a criminal case against the others involved.

A bench of Justices N V Ramana and Mohan M Shantanagoudar framed three questions of law on the scope and ambit of section 319 (power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence) of CrPC and referred the matter to the registry to place it before the Chief Justice of India for constituting a larger bench to adjudicate these issues.

The three issued framed by the bench include, whether the trial court has the power under section 319 of CrPC for summoning additional accused when trial with respect to other co-accused has ended and the verdict of conviction rendered on the same date before pronouncing the summoning order.

In its verdict, the court said the larger bench would also decide "whether the trial court has the power under section 319 of the CrPC for summoning additional accused when the trial in respect of certain other absconding accused (whose presence is subsequently secured) is ongoing/ pending, having been bifurcated from the main trial?"



It would also decide what are the guidelines that the competent court must follow while exercising power under section 319 CrPC.

The apex court's verdict came while dealing with a plea filed by former AAP leader and the then Leader of Opposition of Punjab Sukhpal Singh Khaira challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict which had dismissed his plea to quash summons in a 2015 trans-border drug smuggling case.

A court in Fazilka, Punjab had issued summons to Khaira to appear before it in the case. The Supreme Court had in December 2017, stayed the trial court's proceedings.

The apex court, while referring the matter to a larger bench, said it was of the view that power under section 319 CrPC being extraordinary in nature, the trial courts should be cautious while summoning accused to avoid complexities and to ensure fair trial.

"We must remind ourselves that, timely disposal of the matters furthers the interest of justice," it added.

The bench also said it needs to be determined whether the trial is said to be fully concluded even if the bifurcated trial in respect of the absconded accused is still pending consideration.

In Khaira's matter, while the trial was going on against 10 accused in the narcotics case, the prosecution had filed an application for summoning five additional accused, including him.

On October 31, 2017, the sessions court first pronounced its verdict convicting the nine accused put on trial and on the same day, it also allowed the prosecution application for summoning additional accused in the case.

Khaira had challenged the summoning order before the high court which dismissed the plea after which he approached the Supreme Court.

His counsel argued in the apex court that the power under section 319(1) CrPC can be exercised at any time after filing of the charge sheet and before the pronouncement of the judgement.

He submitted that in this case, the summoning order passed after the order of conviction is in clear breach of the principles laid down in a previous verdict by the apex court.

The counsel contended that the moment the trial is concluded and the matter reserved for judgement, then the stage for exercising power under Section 319 CrPC, ends and the court becomes 'functus officio' (of no further official authority or legal effect).

The counsel for Punjab submitted that the application for summoning additional accused was filed and heard during the pendency of the trial, and the order was thereafter reserved.

In the drugs case, others who were issued summons were Khaira's personal security officer (PSO) Joga Singh, personal assistant Manish, Charanjit Kaur, a resident of Bath village (Jalandhar), and Major Singh Bajwa of Bajwa Kalan village (Jalandhar).

The Fazilka court had on October 31, 2017, sentenced nine persons to imprisonment in the trans-border heroin smuggling racket which had surfaced in 2015.

Those convicted were arrested by the police on March 9, 2015, along with 2 kgs of heroin, 24 gold biscuits, a country-made pistol, two Pakistani SIM cards and a SUV vehicle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court Friday agreed to hear on May 13 a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission to advance the poll timing to 5.30 am from 7 am for the remaining phase of the Lok Sabha polls due to heatwave conditions and the ongoing holy month of Ramzan.

The plea was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna which said it would be heard by a vacation bench on May 13.

On May 2, the top court had asked the poll panel to pass "necessary orders" on a representation seeking advancing of the voting timing from 7 am for the remaining phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

The Election Commission (EC) on May 5 had rejected the representation in this regard.

Following the poll panel's decision, advocate Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha has approached the apex court seeking a direction to the EC to advance the voting timing to 5.30 am or 6 am instead of the notified 7 am in view of the heat condition and onset of Ramzan.

He said, in the plea, that poll panel has turned down his representation as being "administratively not feasible".

"The reasoning given by the respondent (EC) in its order dated May 5 is ex-facie self contradictory as the respondent claims it has already taken acute hot weather conditions and festivals into account in fixing the poll timing but still has passed orders fixing the same standard polling hours that are issued in every election at any time in any part of the country," the plea said.

The petitioner has also sought quashing of the EC's May 5 order.

Polling for the sixth and seventh phases of the ongoing general elections will be held on May 12 and May 19, respectively.

The petitioner had earlier told the top court that during Ramzan, Muslims keep fast and do not consume food or water from one-and-a-half hours before dawn till dusk every day.

The plea had said that the Indian Meteorological Department has issued warnings indicating severe heatwave conditions over the next few days, with temperatures rising up to five degrees Celsius than normal in poll bound areas of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

The petitioner had said that the harsh weather conditions would make it difficult for Muslims to go out and vote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NGO ship to dock in Lampedusa after migrant rescue Two pregnant women, five minors among 30 people saved in Med

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 10 - The Mare Jonio will dock at the Italian island of Lampedusa after rescuing 30 migrants in the Mediterranean, the NGO that runs the search-and-rescue ship, Mediterranea Saving Humans, said via Twitter on Friday. The NGO said five minors, including a one-year-old child, and two pregnant women were among the people rescued on Thursday some 40 miles from Libyan coast.



It posted a video of the Mare Jonio being escorted by a finance police vessel on Friday. On Thursday Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini had reaffirmed his policy of closing Italy's ports to NGO-run migrant-rescue ships. (ANSAmed).




The Supreme Court Friday upheld Karnataka government's 2018 law which provided for reservation in promotion and seniority to SC and ST employees, saying that establishing them as participants in governance was "intrinsic to an equal citizenship".

A bench of Justices U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud said that providing the reservation would not affect the efficiency of administration, was "not at odds with the principle of meritocracy" and "cannot be treated as the acquisition of creamy layer status".

The court said it cannot be construed that promotees from SC and ST categories are not efficient or that efficiency would be reduced by appointing them as this was a "stereotypical assumption".

"This is stereotypical because it masks deep rooted social prejudice. The benchmark for efficiency of administration is not some disembodied, abstract ideal measured by the performance of a qualified open category candidate.

"Efficiency of administration in the affairs of the Union or of a State must be defined in an inclusive sense, where diverse segments of society find representation as a true aspiration of governance by and for the people," the bench said.

If the benchmark of efficiency was grounded in exclusion, "it will produce a pattern of governance which is skewed against the marginalised", it said.

The bench further said: "If this benchmark of efficiency is grounded in equal access, our outcomes will reflect the commitment of the Constitution to produce a just social order. Otherwise, our past will haunt the inability of our society to move away from being deeply unequal to one which is founded on liberty and fraternity.

"Establishing the position of the SCs and STs as worthy participants in affairs of governance is intrinsic to an equal citizenship".

The apex court's verdict came on a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (to the Posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act 2018.

The petitioners had contended that providing the reservations would affect the efficiency of administration, was at odds with the principle of meritocracy and would lead to creation of a creamy layer status.

Disagreeing with the petitioners, the bench in its 135-page judgement said: "Merit must not be limited to narrow and inflexible criteria such as one's rank in a standardised exam, but rather must flow from the actions a society seeks to reward, including the promotion of equality in society and diversity in public administration."



The petitioners had also contended that the 2018 law was enacted by the state government in a hurry to overrule the apex court's 2017 decision holding the earlier Reservation Act of 2002 as invalid.

They had also claimed that the state government had not cured the deficiencies based on which the earlier Act was held to be invalid.

The Reservation Act of 2002 was invalidated by the apex court in 2017 on the ground that the law was enacted without collecting quantifiable data.

The petitions had also challenged the findings of the Ratna Prabha Committee set up by the state government to collect data and submit a report on the backwardness and inadequacy of representation of SCs and STs in the State Civil Services and the impact of reservation on overall administrative efficiency in Karnataka.

The committee's findings were challenged on several grounds, including that only 31 out of 62 government departments were examined and no data was collected for public sector undertakings, boards and corporations.

On the basis of the committee's report, the state government had enacted the Reservation Act of 2018.

Rejecting the petitioner's contention, the apex court said where a law had been invalidated by the decision of a constitutional court, the legislature can amend the law retrospectively or enact a law which removes the cause for invalidation.

"Curative legislation is constitutionally permissible. It is not an encroachment on judicial power. In the present case, state legislature of Karnataka, by enacting the Reservation Act 2018, has not nullified the judicial decision in B K Pavitra I (decision of 2017), but taken care to remedy the underlying cause which led to a declaration of invalidity in the first place. Such a law is valid because it removes the basis of the decision," the bench said.

It further said that after the decision in B K Pavitra I (of 2017), "the Ratna Prabha Committee was correctly appointed to carry out the required exercise."



"Once that exercise has been carried out, the Court must be circumspect in exercising the power of judicial review to re-evaluate the factual material on record," it added.

"For the above reasons, we have come to the conclusion that the challenge to the constitutional validity of the Reservation Act 2018 is lacking in substance. ...We therefore find no merit in the batch of writ petitions as the constitutional validity of the Reservation Act 2018 has been upheld," the court said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Scott Wolf has been tapped to replace Freddie Prinze in CW's upcoming "Nancy Drew" reboot.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Wolf will play Nancy's father, Carson Drew, in the show.

Carson is described as a dynamic attorney who has become estranged from Nancy following the recent death of his wife but his attempts to reconnect with his daughter run aground when Nancy's murder investigation reveals unsettling secrets from his past.

Noga Landau, Melinda Hsu Taylor, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage are serving as writers and executive producers on the project.

Larry Teng is directing the show, which is set in the summer after Nancy's high school graduation, with the 18-year-old suppose to leave her hometown for college.

The "Nancy Drew" pilot hails from CBS Television Studios and Fake Empire.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Republicans lashed out Thursday at fellow GOP Sen. Richard Burr for his committee's subpoena of President Donald Trump's son, a move that suggested the Russia investigation is not "case closed," as some in the party insist.

Trump said he was "very surprised" at the move.

The revolt by some against the Senate intelligence committee chairman comes after The Associated Press and other outlets reported it had called in Donald Trump Jr. to answer questions about his 2017 testimony as part of its probe into Russian election interference.

The issue of re-calling Trump's son laid bare the conflict inside the president's party over whether probes involving Russian election meddling are still merited.

It's the first known subpoena of a member of Trump's immediate family and a new sign that the Senate panel is continuing with its own two-year-long investigation, even after the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's call from the Senate floor on Tuesday to move on.

"This case is closed. The Mueller Report cleared @DonaldJTrumpJr and he's already spent 27 hours testifying before Congress," tweeted Burr's fellow North Carolina Republican senator, Thom Tillis, one of several GOP senators who criticized Burr.

"It's time to move on & start focusing on issues that matter to Americans." A source familiar with the committee's deliberations said the subpoena went out "weeks ago" and all committee members were aware of it.

The person, who requested anonymity to discuss the internal negotiations, said members had been regularly briefed on communications with Trump Jr.

Burr wouldn't comment on the subpoena or the backlash Thursday. But at a Republican policy lunch, he walked through the timeline of events that led to the committee's decision, according to a person familiar with his comments who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

McConnell then stood up and defended him, saying he trusts Burr, according to the person.

The subpoena appeared to catch the president and many of his allies by surprise. Trump said as much, adding that "my son is a very good person." Trump Jr., the president said, had already testified for a "massive" amount of time.

Chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Thursday he was not given a heads-up. But Trump's advisers had not yet decided if he would publicly attack Burr, according to two Republicans close to the White House not authorized to speak publicly about private discussions.

The subpoena highlights a delicate bind facing Burr, a third-term senator who is not expected to run for re-election when his term is up in 2022. He has been adamant that the panel's Russia probe be bipartisan and fair and has worked closely with the panel's top Democrat, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner.

The blowback against him inside the Senate was especially fierce from Republicans up for re-election in 2020, including Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who said he understands the younger Trump's "frustration." "I think we have an important job to do to try to keep the intelligence committee out of politics," he added. Cornyn, who is on the intelligence panel, later said he has confidence in Burr.

Other Republicans joined in. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul tweeted that Burr "didn't get the memo" that the Mueller case was closed. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted: "There's no need for another subpoena for @DonaldJTrumpJr. It's time to move on & focus on issues Americans care about." Criticism also came from the top Republican in the House.

"Endless investigations by either party won't change the fact that there was NO collusion. It's time to move on. It's time to focus on ISSUES, not investigations," tweeted House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

But Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican member of the panel, said he thinks the criticism of Burr is "a fundamental misunderstanding of what the Senate intelligence committee is about," which is congressional oversight and not prosecution.

The suggestion that Burr is failing to properly lead the committee is the first real sign of any dissention among its members, who have worked together quietly since the panel's Russia investigation began in early 2017. Burr and Warner have often won praise from the panel's members, and also from McConnell, throughout the probe.

As the subpoena drew criticism from GOP ranks, Republicans scrambled Thursday to develop a more cohesive response.

McConnell said in his Tuesday speech that it was "case closed" on the Mueller probe, but his office noted that he didn't go so far as to say the intelligence panel's work was done. McConnell's speech noted the importance of the committee's "upcoming report." Mueller did not find evidence that Trump conspired with the Russians to meddle in the 2016 campaign, but did not make a recommendation on whether he obstructed justice.

Burr's committee had renewed interest in talking to Trump Jr. after Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified earlier this year. Cohen told a House committee in February that he had briefed Trump Jr. approximately 10 times about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow before the presidential election. Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee in a separate interview in 2017 he was only "peripherally aware" of the proposal.

The panel is also interested in talking to him about other topics, including a campaign meeting in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer. Burr was named in Mueller's report as having possibly shared information with the White House after a confidential FBI briefing in 2017. But the senator has since denied that he brought that information to the White House. He says he was talking about his own committee's investigation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a setback to nearly four lakh contractual teachers in Bihar, the Supreme Court Friday refused to regularise their services and set aside the Patna High Court ruling that they were eligible to get equal pay for equal work.

A bench of Justices Abhay Manohar Sapre and U U Lalit allowed the plea of the Bihar government challenging the October 31, 2017 high court order and declined to treat contractual teachers at par with regular educators.

The top court said the Bihar government was justified in having two different streams or cadres for teachers and there has been no violation of the rights of 'Niyojit' (contractual) teachers nor has there been any discrimination against them.

It, however, raised concern over the emoluments made available to Niyojit teachers at the initial stage and suggested that the state may consider raising the scales of such teachers at least to the level suggested by the three-member committee.

"If a pay structure is normally to be evolved keeping in mind factors such as 'method of recruitment' and 'employer's capacity to pay' and if the limitations or qualifications to the applicability of the doctrine of 'equal pay for equal work' admit inter alia the distinction on the ground of process of recruitment, the stand taken on behalf of state government is not unreasonable or irrational," the bench said.

"The advances made by the state on these fronts are quite evident. All this was possible through rational use of resources. How best to use or utilise the resources and what emphasis be given to which factors are all policy matters and in our considered view the state had not faltered on any count.

"The attempt in making over the process of selection to Panchayati Raj Institutions and letting the cadre of state teachers to be a dying or vanishing cadre were part of the same mechanics of achieving the spread of These issues were all part of an integrated policy and if by process of judicial intervention any directions are issued to make available same salaries and emoluments to 'Niyojit' teachers, it could create tremendous imbalance and cause great strain on budgetary resources," the bench said.

It said the budgetary constraints or financial implications can never be a ground if there is violation of fundamental rights of a citizen.

"Similarly, while construing the provisions of the RTE Act and the rules framed thereunder, that interpretation ought to be accepted which would make the right available under Article 21A a reality. As the text of the Article shows the provision is essentially child-centric.

"There cannot be two views as regards the point that Free and Compulsory ought to be quality However, such premise cannot lead to the further conclusion that in order to have quality education, Niyojit teachers ought to be paid emoluments at the same level as are applicable to the state teachers," the top court said.

The apex court said it does not find that the efforts on part of the state government could be labelled as "unfair or discriminatory".

"Consequently, the submissions as to how the funds could and ought to be generated and what would be the burden on the state government and the Central government, do not arise for consideration," it said.

If these are the benefits or rewards which the society stands to gain and achieve, the state ought to be given appropriate free play, the court said.

"Considering the large number of Niyojit teachers as against the government teachers, the steps taken by the state as evident from various tabular charts presented by it are in the right direction. At this juncture, any directions as have been passed by the High Court, may break even tempo which the State has consistently been able to achieve.

"At the same time, the submission that at the initial stage the Niyojit teachers are given such emoluments which are lesser than peons and clerks in the same school is a matter which requires attention. It is true that after having put in two years of service, the emoluments made available to Niyojit teachers show some improvements but the disparity at the initial stage is more than evident," the court said.

It said that the state may certainly be entitled to devise a pay structure for Niyojit teachers and the courts may not interfere in policy matters but, if there is an imbalance of the nature as presented before this court, the matter raises concern.

"The teachers must be entitled to decent emoluments. In the chart referred..., after two years of service with proposed enhancement as per recommendations of the three-member committee, the scales payable to Niyojit teachers would show some increase as against those in respect of peons and clerks.

"The state may consider raising the scales of Niyojit teachers at least to the level suggested by the committee, without insisting on any test or examination advised by the committee. Those who clear such test or examination, may be given even better scales. This is only a suggestion which may be considered by the State," the bench said.

The contractual teachers in Bihar were appointed on fixed salary under the 2006 rules called the 'Niyojit Shikshak Niyukti Niyamawali'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shubhankar Sharma found a late birdie to shoot an even par 72 as he, Gaganjeet Bhullar and SSP Chawrasia literally ran into rough weather on the opening day of the British Masters, here.

On a cold day, Sharma holed a late birdie on 17th but then missed a birdie putt on 18th. Still he gave himself a chance to get into weekend action. Bhullar did the same with three birdies and three bogeys though Chawrasia shot 76 on Thursday.

"I gave away some soft shots, though I did not hit bad. It was cold, but the weather during Pro-Am was colder. That last putt, if it had fallen, would have been nice, but I think I can pull back some tomorrow," said Sharma, who is making debut at the British Masters.

Sharma opened with five pars followed by a birdie before dropping two shots in three holes on seventh and ninth to turn in one-over. He had one bogey and two birdies on back nine.

Bhullar had three birdies on second, third and seventh, but bogeys on first, eighth, 12th and 13th pegged him to one-over before a birdie on 15th helped him return to even.

Chawrasia, playing in the first group of a cold, windy and wet day, wore three layers and had an umbrella open for 16 holes. His sole birdie was on the second, the 11th of the course, and he gave away five bogeys in the next seven. He parred his second nine but ended at 76.

Matthew Jordan, the 23-year-old invitee of England, shot a stunning bogey-free 63 to open up a two-shot lead over Marcus Kinhult and Matt Wallace.

Tournament host, Tommy Fleetwood, who won the pre-event Hero Challenge, also got off to a fine start with a 68, but was still five behind young Jordan, who is a member of nearby Links course, Royal Hoylake. Fleetwood was one of the 10 players Tied-10th at 68.

Jordan, who had his first Top-10 finish as a pro two weeks ago in Turkey in the Challenge, has played well at Links courses like the Lytham and St Andrews, where he has amateur wins. Jordan started birdie-birdie and had five in first eight and then there were more on 10th, 11th, 13th and 15th, at which point he was nine-under with three to go. Just as a 60 appeared on the horizon birdies dried up.

Fleetwood having a busy week played and won the Hero Challenge and then launched his Academy. Next week he is also due to play the PGA at Bethpage as he searches for his maiden Major. On Thursday, he had an eagle on second, his 11th He had three other birdies and one bogey on sixth.

Between Jordan and Fleetwood there was a bunch of players. Swede Kinhult, another good Links-playing youngster, shot 65 as did Wallace in the evening wave.

Four players including the battle-scarred 46-year-old veteran Lee Westwood were at six-under each. The other thee were Richie Ramsay, Thomas Detry and Robert Karlsson. Jack Singh Brar and Sean Crocker shot 67 each.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Microphones will fall silent and high-octane poll campaigning will end on Friday evening in the national capital as the 48-hour silence period kicks in from 6 pm ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

All seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi will vote on May 12 as part of the sixth phase of the polls.

"The campaigning will end this evening as the 48-hour silence period will kick in at 6 pm today which would stay till 6 pm on Sunday," Delhi CEO Ranbir Singh told reporters.

As many as 523 polling locations have been identified till date as critical, he said.

"Special paramilitary forces will be deployed there, besides webcasting and CCTV facilities. Micro-observers would also be there. We have made all arrangements for smooth polling," he said.

No campaigning shall be allowed beyond the 6 pm limit, including on social media, Singh said.

"All print ads need to be pre-certified for any publication in newspapers," he added.

As many as 164 candidates are in fray in the polls, which are largely been seen as a three-way contest among the BJP, Congress and AAP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: With the launch of two more cars in two years, Skoda Auto is targeting to sell one lakh vehicles per year in India from 2025, a top company official said here Friday.

The company is scheduled to launch it new Karooq brand in the middle of the next year and another vehicle in 2021, which are 95 per cent localised -- as good as Made in India -- under India 2.0 project, Skoda Auto India Pvt Ltd director (sales, service and marketing) Zac Hollis told reporters.

Stating that the company has sold 17,244 vehicles across India, with South contributing 48 per cent in 2018, he said he expected sales to grow and touch 18,000 vehicles this year.

Though there was a slump in the sales in the first four months due to the elections, the sales were expected to pick up and reach top-level in the second half of the year, he said.

Hollis was here to open the company's largest workshop in India and also outside China - SGA Cars India - for which the company is investing Rs 8,000 crore which also includes the cost for developing the design.

Asked about plans to introduce e-car in India, the official said once the country was ready with proper infrastructure, Skoda would foray into that market.

He ruled out opening a manufacturing plant in South, despite contributing nearly 50 per cent of the sales, but there were plans to double the dealer network across 50 new cities, including the South over the next three years.

The company has yet to decide on stopping manufacturing of diesel cars, he said.

SGA Cars dealer principal S Arputharaj said there was good growth in the sales in the last three years and the company was giving a six-year warranty for the cars.

The workshop facility boasts of nearly 50,000 sq ft premium service area, equipped with 50 bays and a capacity to serve 20,000 SKODA vehicles per annum, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US and South Korean militaries evaluated the two projectiles North Korea flew Thursday as short-range missiles, a South Korean military official said Friday, a day after the North's second launch in five days raised jitters about an unravelling detente between the Koreas and the future of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang.

The weapons flew 420 kilometers (260 miles) and 270 kilometers (167 miles), respectively, on an apogee of 45 to 50 kilometers (28 to 31 miles), according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Ministry.

The launches were seen as Pyongyang's brushback pitch toward Washington over deadlocked nuclear negotiations as they continue to struggle with mismatched demands in sanctions relief and disarmament.

North Korea's state-run Korean Central Agency said Friday that leader Kim Jong Un helped guide the weapons tests on Thursday and learned about "various long-range strike means," but the statement from the propaganda services didn't specify the type of missiles fired.

Pyongyang's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper published photos that showed Kim, equipped with binoculars and smiling widely, observing the firing of rocket artillery and what appeared to be a short-range ballistic missile fired from a launch vehicle.

Experts say the missile was identical to the one the North launched on Saturday, which appeared to be a solid-fuel missile modeled after Russia's Iskander short-range ballistic missile system. The Rodong Sinmun photos showed the North used a tracked launch vehicle on Thursday, unlike Saturday when it used a wheeled vehicle.

Some analysts say that the new missile would be potentially capable of delivering warheads and striking targets within the entire Korean Peninsula, considering the range and capabilities of the Iskander and North Korea's recent advancements in missile technology.

The South Korean military official said the South Korean and U.S. militaries are jointly analyzing more details from the launch, including whether the missiles fired on Thursday were the same weapons the North tested on Saturday. He didn't want to be named, citing office rules.

What was launched Thursday is a crucial detail, as North Korea is banned by the United Nations from testing ballistic missiles. A major missile test could result in more sanctions, and the North's so far unsuccessful push for large-scale sanctions relief is at the heart of the current diplomatic impasse with Washington.

South Korea's military initially said Thursday that at least one projectile was launched from the Sino-ri area of North Pyongan province, an area known to have one of North Korea's oldest missile bases where a brigade operates mid-range Rodong missiles. It later said there were two launches from the nearby town of Kusong, where North Korea conducted its first successful flight tests of its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile and Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, both in 2017.

Kusong is also home to missile test facilities that were critical to the development of North Korea's solid-fuel Pukguksong-2, which was successfully flight-tested for the first time in February 2017, in the North's first missile test after President Donald Trump took office.

The latest launches came as U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun visited South Korea, and hours after the North described its firing of rocket artillery and an apparent short-range ballistic missile on Saturday as a regular and defensive military exercise. North Korea also ridiculed South Korea for criticizing those launches.

Trump told reporters the weapons were smaller, short-range missiles, but: "Nobody's happy about it." He has met with Kim at two summits but said Thursday at the White House: "I don't think they're ready to negotiate."



South Korean President Moon Jae-in urged North Korea to refrain from actions that could impede diplomacy. In an interview with the KBS television network, Moon also said Seoul will explore various options to help revive the talks, including providing food aid to the North and pushing for his fourth summit with Kim.

Moon's office earlier said the North Korean launches were "very concerning" and detrimental to efforts to improve inter-Korean ties and ease military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Some analysts have said that if North Korea resumes testing the kind of longer-range banned ballistic weapons that it fired in unusually large numbers in 2017 when many feared a U.S.-North Korea standoff could end in war it may signal that North Korea is turning away from diplomacy.

The tensions in 2017 were followed by a surprising diplomatic outreach by North Korea in 2018, when Kim attended summits with the South Korean and Chinese presidents and with Trump. But North Korea has not received what it wants most from its summitry: relief from punitive sanctions imposed over its nuclear and missile programs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP on Friday demanded that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi apologise to the nation over their leader Sam Pitroda's reported remarks about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Union minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said Pitroda has made a very "irresponsible" statement about the riots.

"Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi must apologise for Sam Pitroda's irresponsible statement that the '1984 Sikh genocide happened, so what'," he told reporters.

Javadekar said that Rahul Gandhi's guide and Rajiv Gandhi's colleague Pitroda had made "a very condemnable" remark in public discourse.

"He said the 1984 genocide where 3,000 Sikhs were killed..'Hua to hua. Hua to kya hua. It happens, so what.

"Today, he has made an even a more dangerous statement. He says that I can acknowledge the pain of Sikh community, but it is not relevant today," he said.

He also claimed that Pitroda said Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi would never target a group of people. "Then how he can explain Rajiv's justification of 1984 Sikh genocide by saying 'when a big tree falls, Earth tremors'. If this is not a justification then what it is," he asked.

Javadekar said the issue is relevant today because it is an unresolved saga of atrocities. "And if atrocities against Sikhs and their genocide is not relevant, then tomorrow Pitroda will say partition of the country is also not relevant, ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits is also not relevant."



"He will say the communal politics by Rajiv Gandhi on Shah Bano issue is also not relevant," the Union minister claimed, adding that it was relevant, because these issues were being faced by the nation.

Javadekar said that these issues were relevant but the Congress would become irrelevant.

"Today, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has also said that for the Sikh genocide, Arjun Singh, HKL Bhagat, Lalit Maken and Sajjan Kumar and one minister were all responsible," Javadekar claimed.

"And, here is Sam Pitroda who says that Rajiv and Rahul never target any group, and their associates do, their colleagues do, their followers do. Are they not responsible? Therefore, we demand that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi must apologise for the comments by Pitroda which have hurt the people of the country," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A student activist who was imprisoned for sharing a BBC article about Thailand's king on Facebook was released Friday under a royal pardon.

Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, also known as Pai Dao Din, was sentenced in August 2017 to 2 years in prison after pleading guilty on charges of insulting the monarchy. He had been due to complete his sentence on June 19.

He was arrested in December 2016 for sharing a profile by the BBC's Thai-language service of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The profile included mentions of the king's past personal life that are not openly discussed in Thailand.

A crowd of family and friends greeted Jatupat as he was released from the prison in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen. Friends sang songs and clapped along as they posed for photos with him.

Five members of Thailand's royalist Yellow Shirt movement who led a takeover of the prime minister's office in 2008 were also released Friday under the same amnesty, which was announced April 21 to mark Vajiralongkorn's formal coronation on May 4.

Jatupat's arrest was the first under Thailand's strict lese majeste law, which prohibits criticism of the monarchy, after Vajiralongkorn succeeded his late father. Critics of the law, which carries a punishment of up to 15 years' imprisonment per incident, say it is used to silence political dissidents.

Jatupat was initially given a five-year sentence, but because he pleaded guilty it was halved, a standard procedure in Thai courts. He had been denied bail 12 times and decided to plead guilty as a practical measure to get out of prison sooner, his father said after his sentencing.

Jatupat, now 28, had been a member of Dao Din, a small student organization that has protested against Thailand's military government, which took power after the army staged a coup in 2014.

He was put under close watch by Thai authorities after November 2014, when he and several other Dao Din members used a three-fingered salute, a resistance gesture borrowed from "The Hunger Games" movies, during a speech by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, chief of the military junta. He was also among about a dozen students arrested in June 2015 for participating in anti-government protests.

Prosecutions under the lese majeste law became more frequent under the junta, but appear to have trailed off in the past couple of years.

Thailand held a general election in March, but no single party won enough seats to form a government on its own. Critics say the military held the polls under rules made to favour its allies, and Prayuth is generally expected to become prime minister again by early June, after the new parliament convenes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ship Stromboli reaches Augusta with 36 people aboard Rescued yesterday by Italian Navy off coast of Libya

(ANSAmed) - AUGUSTA (SYRACUSE), MAY 10 - The Italian Navy ship Stromboli arrived at the Sicilian port of Augusta on Friday with 36 migrants aboard who were rescued yesterday 75 km off the coast of Libya.



The migrants were rescued by the ship Cigala Fulgosi and then transferred to the Stromboli.



The Stromboli docked at the NATO pier in the Melilli area, where the migrants began identification procedures; they are expected to be transferred to the migrant hotspot in Messina.



Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte said the migrants will then be distributed to various EU countries.(ANSAmed).




Luis Suarez will be out for four to six weeks after undergoing surgery on a knee injury, Barcelona announced on Friday.

Suarez will miss the Copa del Rey final against Valencia on May 25 and also faces a fight to be fit for the Copa America in Brazil next month.

Uruguay's first game is against Ecuador on June 16, just over five weeks after Suarez had the operation on Thursday.

"Suarez was subjected last night to an arthroscopy on the right knee due to an internal meniscal injury," read a club statement released on Friday.

"His approximate time out will be between four and six weeks."



Suarez has a better chance of playing in Uruguay's second and third group games, against Japan on June 20, and defending champions Chile on June 24.

But his absence from the cup final in Seville is a major blow to Barcelona, who can secure their second domestic double in as many years by beating Valencia.

Suarez will also miss Barca's final two La Liga games at home to Getafe on Sunday and away to Eibar the following weekend.

The striker played the full 90 minutes of Tuesday's shock 4-0 defeat to Liverpool, which ended the club's hopes of reaching the Champions League final.

Suarez has scored 21 goals in La Liga this season, fewer only than Lionel Messi, and 27 in all competitions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Tata Steel Group Friday said the proposed merger of its European operations with German's Thyssenkrupp has almost fallen through as they are not in a position to rework the remedy packages to assuage the concerns of the European Commission.

Tata Steel Europe and Thyssenkrupp had signed definitive agreements on June 30, 2018 to create a 50:50 pan- joint venture that would have created a steel behemoth and help salvage the struggling Tata Steel Europe, which was created after the Tatas bought out the loss-making English alloy major Corus in 2007 for USD 13.1 billion.

The JV was expected to combine the European steel businesses of the Tatas with the German firm to create Thyssenkrupp Tata Steel. The new company would have workforce of 48,000 across 34 sites and produce about 21 million tonne steel with a revenue of around 15 billion euros.

ThyssenKrupp in April had submitted a comprehensive package of solutions to the EC to get its nod for the merger.

"The Commission today discussed our proposed JV. But based on the feedback received from the Commission, it is increasingly clear that they are not intending to clear the proposal as they expect substantial remedies in the form of sale of assets of the proposed JV," Tata Steel said.

Addressing the media over a concall, Tata Steel managing director TV Narendran said, "while we are disappointed that the JV has not happened, things have also improved in the last three-four years, and we will continue to pursue other options."



Stressing that its European operations have improved over the years, he said, "we have taken some difficult calls and in many different ways we are in a better place than we were three four years ago when we started the JV discussion."



The steel major said the Commission had talked about their concerns relating to the automotive, packaged and electrical steels, based on the numbers and submissions of the combined entity.

The Commission opened an "in-depth" investigation into the proposed merger last October amid concerns that the deal may reduce competition in high-end steel segment.

Following an agreed extension last month for further negotiations, Thyssenkrupp had submitted a "substantial" offer to the Commission, which is the executive arm of the 28-member economic and political bloc.

The biggest stumbling block in talks to the merger was largely resolved last May, when Tata said it had agreed the main terms of a deal with the British regulator to cut benefits for its 15 billion pound (USD 19.40 billion) British pension scheme.

"We worked on a remedy package, which in our belief, was pretty comprehensive and covered all the three areas, one of them being electrical steel which is anyway struggling across the continent and thereafter it was more focused on the scale of the remedy and the Commission is looking at increasing that scale of those remedies which beyond a point start affecting the merger logic and synergies," Tata Steel group chief financial officer Koushik Chatterjee said.

He further said they tried to enhance it and make it more specific to address the concerns of the Commission. But, "beyond a point it just doesn't work for us and that's where we are now and the competition rule demands a certain market test and obviously the customers wanted was more competition. "That is their assessment, that is their judgement based on which we received the feedback for which we felt it was unlikely to be approved."



Chatterjee also noted that the steel business across Europe has gone through significant challenges post the global financial crisis. "The European market is a high cost market. It was a strategic move to create a consolidated pan-European business and I think the synergies would have flown from there. And the value of synergies are also important to run it sustainably and that's why we were looking at it," he said.

While the proposed JV was an important strategic initiative for it to create a sustainable portfolio in Europe that would have also helped de-consolidate European operations and de-leverage its balance sheet, Chatterjee said.

Thyssenkrupp in a separate statement said the EC took the improvements of the submitted covenants proposed by them as an opportunity to conduct another market test.

"The new market survey did not resolve the EC'sconcerns, although we had offered more significant concessions. From our point of the view further commitments or improvements would adversely affect the intended synergies of the merger to such an extent that the economic logic of the joint venture would no longer be valid. Consequently, we assume that the Commission will not approve the JV," it said.

Chatterjee further said it would still pursue to get strategic play as far as Europe is concerned and all options would be explored. The debt deleveraging was not dependent on the JV but on internal planning, Chatterjee said.

"The debt deleveraging plan on the gross debt has been very significantly done in the last six to eight months post the peak debt levels, and after Bhushan Steel acquisition.

"Going forward we are going to focus on more deleveraging. Compared to a USD 1-billion target, we done much more, in fact double that in the last six months at the gross level and we will focus on internal generation and also look at more asset sales," he said.

Narendran said even at a gross debt level of Rs 1 lakh crore against a Rs 30,000 operating profit, the company is well within the 3.5x which is where it wanted to be and now we are obviously trying to see if we can go below 3. The current long term debt on European business is 2.2 billion euros.

Currently, around two-thirds of Tata Steel's business is in India. With the commissioning of the 5 million tone phase 2 of the Kalinganagar plant in the next 30 months with value added product mix, its share of business along with its profitability will increase further, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the backdrop of the intermediate examination results triggering a major row, the school department in Telangana is taking various precautions to ensure announcement of SSC exam results is a smooth affair.

The results of SSC (secondary school certificate) public examinations held in March this year would be released on May 13, an official press release here said Friday.

The department is taking precautions, including thorough check of the results and counselling for students and parents, a senior official told PTI.

For example, if a student scores a zero, then it is thoroughly checked, he said.

In another measure, pre-results and post-results counselling has been introduced, he said.

The pre-result counselling, already completed in 70-80 per cent of government schools, focuses on informing the students and parents about various alternatives like supplementary examination in the event of poor performance, he said.

Earlier, the results used to be announced hall ticket-wise, but now the results would be released school-wise also.

The headmaster concerned can see who'd passed and who'd failed and he can contact the students and parents for post-result counselling.

A mobile app would be made available to the students for posting their grievances, if any, the official added.

It may recalled that the alleged bungling in declaration of intermediate exam results on April 18 had led to protests by students, parents, students organisations and political parties.

Some students and their parents had claimed even the meritorious pupils had got poor marks.

Errors, including in bungling of OMR sheets by examiners and not displaying practical marks have come to the fore after the announcement of the intermediate results.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader and party candidate from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari Friday condemned his colleague Sam Pitroda for his reported comments pertaining to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Pitroda, a close aide of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Overseas Congress' head, on Thursday said, 'hua to hua' (So what, it happened) about the anti-Sikh riots.

He made this remark in response to a question on the riots by a newsman in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.

Tewari said such statements deserve to be condemned unequivocally and have no place in Congress culture.

"...1984 riots were not only condemnable but also a blot on humanity and no sane person can be dismissive of this," said Tewari who is pitted against SAD's Prem Singh Chandumajra.

"No matter how much time it takes, the guilty have to be punished and they must be punished," he added.

Tewari pointed out that several anti-Sikh riots culprits were jailed for life during the Congress regime.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Thai anti-junta activist who spent more than two years behind bars for insulting the country's monarchy by sharing an unflattering BBC article about the king walked free Friday on a royal pardon.

Jatupat "Pai Dao Din" Boonpatararaksa, 27, was greeted by hundreds of jubilant family and friends after leaving the Khon Kaen provincial prison.

"I'm not angry with anyone, I only love democracy and freedom," he said in a video broadcast on Facebook, adding he would continue with his activism.

The pardon comes days after King Maha Vajiralongkorn was crowned over the weekend in Thailand's first coronation in 69 years.

The country has some of the harshest royal insult -- known as lese-majeste -- laws in the world and each count carries a maximum prison term of 15 years.

The law, or article 112, makes scrutiny of the wealthy and powerful royal family all but impossible inside the kingdom -- including by the media who have to heavily self-censor.

Jatupat was found guilty after sharing a profile of King Maha Vajiralongkorn written by the BBC's Thai-language service in London.

The profile contained details of 66-year-old Vajiralongkorn's personal life that are well known inside the kingdom but rarely printed by the Thai press.

It was shared more than 2,000 times but Jatupat was the only person prosecuted.

Another pro-democracy activist who shared the article fled the country after facing similar charges.

Jatupat expressed gratitude to Vajiralongkorn for the pardon.

"It's the mercy of the king and I am grateful." The activist was the first to be detained after Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne following the death of his beloved father Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016.

Lese-majeste convictions shot up under the arch-royalist junta that seized power in a 2014 coup, but analysts say the trend has reversed under Vajiralongkorn.

Those charged with lese majeste in Thailand are almost always convicted, often behind closed doors.

Jatupat had originally been sentenced to five years but the sentence was halved after he pleaded guilty.

His lawyer said the sentence would have ended on June 19.

About 30,000 to 50,000 prisoners are expected to be released under royal pardons and many will have sentences reduced, according to the corrections department.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three Tajikistan nationals have been arrested by the customs officials for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valuing Rs 49 lakh at Delhi airport, according to a statement issued Friday.

The accused were intercepted after their arrival from Dushanbe (Tajikistan) via Dubai on Wednesday, it said.

A detailed personal and baggage search of the three male passengers resulted in the recovery of three gold chains, seven gold bars, one gold coin and other items made of the yellow metal collectively weighing 2.04 kg, the statement issued by the customs department said.

The gold, assessed to be of Rs 49.35 lakh, was seized and the trio were arrested, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp will cut 6,000 jobs worldwide, including 4,000 in Germany, chief executive Guido Kerkhoff said Friday, in the wake of its failed merger with Indian steel giant Tata.

Speaking after the shelving of the Tata merger was announced Friday, Kerkhoff said Thyssenkrupp's "new group-wide performance programme" also "includes the reduction of 6,000 jobs" with 4,000 to be cut in Germany and the rest abroad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The TIME magazine has featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the cover of its international edition with a controversial headline and a secondary one that reads "Modi the Reformer" as the country enters the final phase of the mammoth general election.

The American magazine's May 20, 2019 international editions - the Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia and South Pacific - feature the Modi cover story with the main headline "India's Divider in Chief" while the US edition has a cover story on Democrat Elizabeth Warren who is running for the White House in 2020.

The article "India's Divider in Chief" is written by Aatish Taseer, son of Indian journalist Tavleen Singh and late Pakistani politician and businessman Salmaan Taseer.

It also said the opposition Congress party has little to offer other than the dynastic principle.

The article "Modi the Reformer" is authored by Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group, a global political risk research and consulting firm.

The cover depicts a portrait of 68-year-old Modi.

The articles inside the magazine have the titles "Can the World's Largest Democracy Endure Another Five Years of a Modi Government?", written by Taseer and "Modi Is India's Best Hope for Economic Reform", by Bremmer.

Taseer's article notes that "If in 2014 he (Modi) was able to exploit differences in order to create a climate of hope, in 2019 he is asking people to stave off their desperation by living for their differences alone.

"Then he was a messiah, ushering in a future too bright to behold, one part Hindu renaissance, one part South Korea's economic programme. Now he is merely a politician who has failed to deliver, seeking re-election. Whatever else might be said about the election, hope is off the menu," he says.

In 2014, Modi converted cultural anger into economic promise. He spoke of jobs and development. Taking a swipe at the socialist state, he famously said, 'Government has no business being in business'. That election, though it is hard to believe now, was an election of hope, the article says.

"Not only has Modi's economic miracle failed to materialize, he has also helped create an atmosphere of poisonous religious nationalism in India," Taseer writes.

Far from his promise of development for all, he has achieved a state in which Indians are increasingly obsessed with their differences, according to the article.

On Congress -- India's oldest party -- he said it has no more political imagination than to send Priyanka Gandhi - Rahul Gandhi's sister - to join her brother's side. It would be equivalent to America's Democratic Party fielding Hillary Clinton again in 2020, with the added enticement of her daughter Chelsea as Vice President.

"Modi is lucky to be blessed with so weak an opposition - a ragtag coalition of parties, led by the Congress, with no agenda other than to defeat him. Even so, doubts assail him, for he must know he has not delivered on the promise of 2014. It is why he has resorted to looking for enemies within," he wrote.

On the other hand, Bremmer's article notes that while Modi's economic record is mixed, "India still needs change, and Modi remains the person most likely to deliver. He has improved relations with China, the US and Japan, but it's his domestic development agenda that has done the most to improve the lives and prospects of hundreds of millions of people".

Outlining the achievements of the Modi-led government, Bremmer talks about the Goods and Services Tax enacted in 2017, the "unprecedented amounts" of money directed towards the country's new infrastructure, expansion of the Aadhaar biometric identification system that began under the previous Congressled government.

"Modi has the instinct to dominate and the thin skin of other strongmen, but he also has a genuine track record in providing the kind of reform that developing India urgently needs," Bremmer writes.

Modi also benefits from a lack of a credible alternative. The opposition Congress party's election platform centers on a programme that would provide direct cash payments to 50 million poor families. But a promise is not a plan, the BJP controls enough states to block a Congress government's projects and Modi has already delivered for many people, according to the article.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal's ruling TMC has put together an army of former Maoists and those who fought the ultras to counter the BJP, which has emerged as its main challenger, in Jangalmahal.

A former Maoist stronghold, Jangalmahal comprises Jhargram, Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia districts.

Some of the cadres were members of dreaded Maoist-backed People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), while some were part of village resistance groups, like Jan Jagaran Manch, which fought the ultras during 2010-12, when killing was the order of the day in Jangalmahal.

West Midnapore district president of Trinamool Congress (TMC), Ajit Maity, who is one of the main architects of the force, said the force is the need of the hour as the fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is both political and ideological.

"To fight a cadre-based party like the BJP, whose ideology is driven by religion, you also need cadre-based regimentation. And these former Maoists, PCAPA members have a very good understanding of the ground reality and are aware of the techniques to reach out to masses to spread and counter ideological messages," Maity told PTI.

"They have unmatched organisational skills. So we thought of bringing them together to create an unmatched force for establishing mass contact," he said.

The over 200-strong force has fanned out across West Midnapore and Jhargram to counter the BJP, he added.

TMC Binpur block president Shyamal Mahato, a former key operative of the PCAPA in Lalgarh and Midnapore, admits that people are upset with the local leadership.

"The main enemy of the TMC in West Midnapore are the BJP and the RSS. In the last few years, due to the vacuum created in the opposition space, the BJP has made its way into the district and is trying to misguide the tribals. We will not let that happen," he said.

"It's true that a section of masses is angry with the local leadership but everybody is not corrupt. The BJP is trying to divide the masses and is misleading them with false promises. Some of the former CPI(M) cadres and those who were thrown out of the TMC are helping them. We are keeping a close watch," he said.

Signs of the TMC's eroding support base first came to the fore with the results of last year's panchayat elections.

In a jolt to the ruling party, the BJP -- once considered a backbencher in West Bengal politics, wrested 19 gram panchayats and several panchayat samitis in West Midnapore.

In the neighbouring Jhargram, the TMC lost 28 of 79 gram panchayats.

The BJP's performance sent shockwaves in the rank and file of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC. She even sacked one of her ministers from the district and overhauled the local party organisation.

Nishit Mahato, one of the founders of Jan Jagaran Manch, is part of the TMC's core team in Jangalmahal.

He took charge as Jamboni block president in June last.

"Our party lost Jamboni to the BJP in last year's panchayat polls. My job is to retrieve it. And I can assure you that from this block and the nearby two blocks, the TMC will get a lead of more than 70,000 votes in the Lok Sabha polls," he said.

"I am specifically working among the tribals in my area. The BJP-RSS have made inroads due to some mistakes committed by our party leaders. But we have rectified them," he added.

A former member of a resistance group from Goaltore, Bimal Hansda, is running a network of informers in his block and those nearby.

TMC cadres and a section of civic volunteers are part of his network in the area and they are keeping a close eye on activities of BJP workers.

The members of this network have been tasked with going door-to-door to understand the factors which led to the BJP's rise.

"During Maoist insurgency, we used to work the same way. The only difference now is that the opponent has changed and it is far less dangerous," Hansda said.

"Once we get information about BJP workers visiting a house, we also send our workers to find out what the people are saying. We also try to engage them with our promises and the work we have done in the last eight years," he said.

However, BJP state president and the party's Midnapore seat candidate Dilip Ghosh said the TMC's efforts would go in vain as the people have already decided to oust it.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) said this proves its claim that the TMC and the PCAPA are two sides of the same coin.

"It might surprise you, but it is doesn't surprise us as those who are in the TMC in the morning are in the PCAPA at night. We had seen it during the Maoist insurgency," CPI(M) Central Committee member Sujan Chakraborty said.

Midnapore and Jhargram will go to polls on May 12.

(*Some names have been changed to protect identities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi



will not be part of a planned meeting of opposition parties on May 21 to chalk out a post-poll alliance, a key party leader indicated Friday.

Karimnagar MP B Vinod Kumar, a confidant of TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the party can't be part of any meeting with TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu met Congress President Rahul Gandhi two days ago and and more or less agreed to call a meeting of Opposition parties on May 21, sources had said.

Speaking to PTI here, Kumar said: "We can't be part of any meeting with Chandrababu Naidu. That's very clear".

The TRS position does not come as a surprise as Naidu and KCR, as the Telangana Chief Minister is referred to by many, don't see eye-to-eye.

Taking on the TRS, the TDP headed by Naidu had fought last year's Assembly elections in Telangana in alliance with the Congress.

Campaigning at the time saw KCR launching an all-out attack on Naidu, and war of words between the leaders of the two Telugu States.

Naidu is a key interlocutor of the opposition, including the Congress, trying to forge a united front against the BJP.

Kumar described this role of Naidu's as "self-proclaimed".

KCR has been pushing the idea of a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties since last year.

Asked if the TDP is not going to be part of this front, Kumar said: "In Andhra Pradesh, he (Naidu) is not going to win Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. After May 23rd, his role will be minimal."



Kumar, who was deputy floor leader of TRS in Lok Sabha, indicated that KCR's proposed meeting with DMK chief M K Stalin, as part of the latter's outreach to opposition parties, is still on.

He said the meeting was scheduled for May 13 but there were media reports that Stalin would not be available on that day.

"But they (DMK) have not informed us that we are not going to meet on May 13th. Within a day or two depending on his election campaigning...because he is moving around the whole State, so whether the time suits us...if possible we may meet a day earlier or a day after," Kumar said.

The DMK indicated earlier this week that Stalin may not meet KCR on May 13 as he was 'busy' with his campaign schedule for the May 19 by-polls to four constituencies Tamil Nadu.

On reports in a section of the media speculating about the TRS softening its stand vis-a-vis the Congress, Kumar declined comment on "presumptions and assumptions" which he said would continue till election results are declared.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ANSAmed - Today's events in the Mediterranean

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 10 - These are the main events scheduled for today in the Euro-Mediterranean area:: PARIS - EU, G7 ministerial meeting dedicated to gender equality, with Commissioner Vera Jourova.



VICENZA - Convention 'Europe-Mediterranean: Refugees, Migrants, and Security' as part of the festival 'Mare Nostrum? The Difficult Border of Europe: Challenges and Opportunities' (until 16/5).



PATRAS - Concerts, shows, seminars with Greek and Italian artists as part of the project 'Cultural Lighthouses of the Mediterranean' sponsored by the Italian Culture Ministry (until 12/5).



LESBOS - Visit by the apostolic papal charities chief, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, to show Pope Francis's solidarity with refugees in camps on the Greek island. GENOA - Porto Antico - The 9th edition of Slow Fish, an international event dedicated to the fishery world and sustainable marine ecosystems, continues (until 12/5).



VICENZA - The 11th edition of the International Security Forum starts continues (to May 16).



VENICE - Correr Museum - 'Sabra Beauty Everywhere', exhibition by Chiara Dynys with works created in Beirut between 2010 and 2013 (until 24/11).



ROME - Spanish Literature Festival organised by the Istituto Cervantes in various locations in the city (until 13/5).



(ANSAmed).




A trade war between the world's two largest economies escalated on Friday after the US more than doubled tariffs on USD 200 billion worth of Chinese products and Beijing vowed to retaliate.

The Trump administration's move comes as high-level officials from both sides are attempting to salvage a trade deal in Washington.

The higher tariffs will be applied to relevant US-bound goods exported from China on or after Friday, according to a notice from the US Federal Register.

Tariffs are taxes paid by importers on foreign goods, so the 25 per cent tariff will be paid by American companies who bring Chinese goods into the country.

The US imposed a 10 per cent tariff on USD 200 billion worth of Chinese products - including fish, handbags, clothing and footwear - last year.

The US raised tariffs on USD 200 billion worth of Chinese imports from 10 per cent to 25 per cent on Friday, China's Ministry of Commerce said in Beijing.

"China expresses deep regret over the development and will have to take necessary countermeasures," the ministry said in a statement.

"We hope the United States will meet us halfway, and work with us to resolve existing issues through cooperation and consultation," the statement said.

A Chinese delegation led by Beijing's top trade negotiator Vice Premier Liu He arrived in Washington on Thursday for the latest round of trade talks.

Under the current circumstances, Liu said he "hopes to engage in rational and candid exchanges with the US side," he was quoted as saying by China's state-run Xinhua agency.

Liu said that China believes raising tariffs is not a solution to the problems and is harmful to China, to the United States and to the whole world.

Talks between the two sides will resume in Washington on Friday, hours after the tariffs took effect.

Reactions in Asia markets to the US move were mixed.

Having started the day in positive territory, Japan's Nikkei Index fell nearly 1 per cent in afternoon trading. The Shanghai Composite Index rose more than 2 per cent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up around 1 per cent.

Even though President Trump has downplayed the impact of tariffs on the US economy, the rise is likely to affect some American companies and consumers as firms may pass on some of the cost, analysts said.

Deborah Elms, executive director at the Asian Trade Centre, said: "It's going to be a big shock to the economy.

"Those are all US companies who are suddenly facing a 25% increase in cost, and then you have to remember that the Chinese are going to retaliate."



Trump's surprise move to increase tariffs startled US businesses. Importers received just five days' notice about the sudden rise in penalties, CNN reported.

"The tariff increase inflicts significant harm on US industry, farmers and consumers," said Jacob Parker, vice president of the US-China Business Council, a trade group that represents American companies' interests in China.

"It will decrease the competitiveness of American companies, reduce the efficiency of their global supply chains, and reverberate through the US economy. Pure and simple, this is a tax on the American consumer," he said.

The American Apparel and Footwear Association estimated that a 25 per cent tariff on apparel imports would increase costs for a family of four by USD 500 a year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump branded his chief Democratic rival "SleepyCreepy" Joe Biden on Friday, framing the 2020 nominations race as a battle between the former vice president and "Crazy Bernie" Sanders.

The Republican president took to his favourite public platform, Twitter, to announce the stinging new epithet for Biden, who enjoys a strong lead in Democratic polls, and reprise his favorite sobriquet for Sanders, the liberal US senator who for months has been number two in the running.

"Looks to me like it's going to be SleepyCreepy Joe over Crazy Bernie," Trump tweeted.

"Everyone else is fading fast!" he added, referring to the crowded field of 21 candidates, including seven US senators, four current and former congressmen and two governors.

Biden and Sanders are ruling the race, although it is still nine months before the first votes are cast in the state-by-state nominations process.

Biden is grappling with his reputation as an especially tactile politician.

He has been criticised recently for invading personal space or otherwise making women feel uncomfortable over the years, but he insisted he never intentionally engaged in inappropriate behaviour.

Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct at least 20 women since the 1980s and denies any wrongdoing, said two weeks ago he would refrain from directly attacking Biden by using the handle "that rhymes with" sleepy.

"I've known him for a while and he's a pretty sleepy guy," Trump told Fox News, adding that Biden is "not going to be able to deal with President Xi" Jinping of China, who he described as smart and energetic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkish police on Friday fired tear gas and detained 17 students who defied a ban on a university gay pride march in Ankara, human rights group Amnesty International said.

The annual event in its ninth year hosted by the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) LGBTI group was banned by the rectorate on Monday.

Amnesty said on Twitter 17 people were detained, citing a group of students speaking in a university conference hall after the police intervention.

They were detained after police officers would "not allow students to read their statement and used tear gas" to disperse them, the group added.

In one video shared by the ODTU LGBT+ group on Twitter, officers can be seen using heavy-handed force against a protester.

An Ankara court ended a ban, in force since November 2017, on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) events earlier this year.

The Ankara governor issued the ban initially citing concerns over public order and fears such events would "provoke reactions" in society.

But Human Rights Watch last month said the court ruled the ban was "unlawful and restricted rights and freedoms in unconditional, vague, and disproportionate ways".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UK police has launched a murder investigation after an Indian-origin man was found stabbed in a supermarket car park near London.

The 24-year-old is yet to be named officially but has been identified locally as Mohammed Nadeemuddin from Hyderabad.

Thames Valley Police said he was rushed to the hospital from the car park of Tesco supermarket in Wellington Street in Slough, on the western suburbs of London, but died from his stab wounds on Wednesday.

The victim's next of kin have now been made aware and are being supported by specially trained officers, Detective Superintendent Ian Hunter, Head of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said.

I understand that this would have caused concern in the community, but I would like to offer some reassurance to the public that we do not believe this incident to be a random attack, and that the people involved in the incident are believed to be known to one another, he said.

The police said its officers were still in the early stages of the investigation and are working hard to establish the full circumstances and establish witnesses.

We are still continuing in our attempts to locate and bring the offender or offenders to justice. There will be a continued police presence in the area conducting reassurance patrols," Hunter said.

He appealed for anyone with information relating to the incident to come forward and speak to police.

The police also urged the public not to share images of the incident on social media, but instead to report these to the police.

The scene watch which was in place at the scene of the attack has also now been lifted, and the covered car park at Tesco has been reopened.

According to media reports from India, the victim's India-based family members are looking into travelling to the UK and have sought the help of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UK's Charity Commission Friday opened a statutory inquiry into the Hindu Community Society over alleged economic irregularities and failure to file its financial accounts.

The independent charities watchdog said the Society's stated aim was to benefit the Tamil community in Coventry in central England, particularly by advancing the Hindu religion.

"The Commission has serious regulatory concerns regarding the management and governance of the charity. Despite being previously included in a class inquiry in 2017 for failing to file its financial accounts, the charity's trustees have failed for the sixth consecutive year to submit the charity's annual financial information on time," Charity Commission said.

"Additional concerns arose around the potential loss of 500,000 pounds of charity funds spent on a leased property, from which the trustees were subsequently evicted. The Commission also has concerns about potential private benefit arising from payments made to trustees for employment within the charity," it said in a statement.

The inquiry had been opened back in June 2017 to examine serious concerns of potential misconduct and mismanagement at the charity, but the Commission was unable to proceed as Hindu Community Society was facing a separate tax-related investigation by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

As the tax investigation has now closed, the Commission said it will now proceed with its investigation.

The inquiry will examine the extent to which the trustees are complying with their legal duties to administer, govern and manage the charity, in particular their compliance with legal obligations to prepare and file the charity's annual financial information.

It will also examine the extent to which the trustees have complied with previously issued regulatory guidance.

It will explore if a properly appointed board of trustees is exercising proper and adequate oversight of the charity's affairs, in particular whether the trustees have avoided or adequately managed potential conflicts of interest and whether there has been any direct or indirect benefit.

The Commission will also probe the trustees' decision making regarding the expenditure on property leased by the charity.

After it has concluded the inquiry, it will publish a report detailing what issues it looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what were the outcomes.

The watchdog has a remit to regulate charity trustees' compliance with the UK's charity law framework and breach of duties can lead to appropriate legal action.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"The and were getting very close to a deal but began renegotiations," President has said even as the world's two largest economies seem nowhere near an agreement to end their bruising

The Trump administration on Friday increased on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10 per cent to 25 per cent despite threatening to retaliate.

Trump on Thursday told reporters that such a move is necessary to hold to previous commitments.

The and China are locked in a since Trump imposed heavy on imported steel and aluminium items from China in March last year, a move that sparked fears of a global In response, China imposed tit-for-tat on billions of dollars worth of American imports.

The President said: "We were getting very close to a deal, then they started to renegotiate the deal. We can't have that".

Later in the day, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He held meetings with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

"We cannot have that. So, our country can take in $20 billion a year in tariffs, paid for mostly by China, by the way not by us. A lot of people try and steer it in a different direction. It's really paid - largely by China. And businesses will pour back into our country. So instead of making the product, it'll be old fashion way, the way we used to do it. We made our own product," Trump said, defending his decision.

Trump appeared to be fine with the situation wherein the US does not enter into a trade deal with China.

"Things are going along pretty well there. But a large group delegation headed by one of the most respected men and highest officials of China will be coming in today. They start at 5 o'clock. And they'll see what they can do.

"But our alternative is an excellent one. It's an alternative I've spoken about for years. We'll take in well over $100 billion a year. We never took in 10 cents from China. I think it will be a very strong day, we'll see. It was their idea to come back," he said in response to a question.

At the same time, the President said, it is possible that the US and China will enter into a trade deal.

"Once the tariffs went on, they upped the meeting. It was supposed to take place originally on Thursday. Then about five weeks ago they said, 'How about Friday? How about next week? I said, What's this all about? And I said That's okay, let's -- don't worry about it. Let's take in $100 billion a year. And we put the tariffs on, we made the statement and then they upped the meeting," Trump said, referring to the conversation his administration is having with China.

Trump said last night he received a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"I have no idea what's going to happen. I did get last night a very beautiful letter from President Xi. Let's work together. Let's see if we can get something done. But they renegotiated the deal. I mean they took -- whether it's intellectual property theft, they took many, many parts of that deal and they renegotiated. You can't do that," he said.

Trump reiterated that the US is having trade imbalance with China, which he will not let happen any longer.

"I'm different than a lot of people. I happen to think that tariffs for our country are very powerful. We're the piggybank that everybody steals from including China. We've been paying China $500 billion a year for many, many years. China rebuilt their country because of us.

"They couldn't have done what they're doing. They're building a ship every three weeks. They're building aircraft like you've never seen. Fighter jets. I respect it. I don't blame them. I blame our past leadership for allowing this to happen," the President said.

Trump said what he is doing now with China should've happened many years ago.

"Not just (Barack) Obama; but long before him. I always say -- you know, if you look, NAFTA is one of the first deals ever made -- trade deal. But the worst trade deal ever made is the WTO, because China was flat-lining for many, many decades. It was flat, right here. The WTO came along. We allowed China into the WTO and they became a rocket ship.

"We are not going to be taken advantage of anymore. We're not going to pay China $500 billion a year. So we put very heavy tariffs on China, as of Friday, and we put them on, also, eight months ago," Trump added.

"This evening, Ambassador Lightizer and (Treasury) Secretary (Steven) Mnuchin met with President Trump to discuss the ongoing trade negotiations with China. The ambassador and secretary then had a working dinner with Vice Premier Liu He, and agreed to continue discussions tomorrow morning (Friday) at USTR", Judd Deere, a White House spokesman remarked.

China is the world's second largest after the US.

Trump is demanding China to reduce the $375 billion trade deficit. He also called for verifiable measures for protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), technology transfer and more access to American goods in the Chinese markets.
US Navy chief Admiral John Richardson will be in India for a three-day visit beginning Sunday to meet his Indian counterpart and other senior officials to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two navies, amidst China flexing its muscle in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

The visit from May 12 to 14 will be Richardson's second visit to India as the Chief of Naval Operations.

His visit comes amid Indian Navy participating with the navies of the US, the Philippines and Japan in their first joint naval exercise in the disputed South China Sea, where China is flexing its muscle.

The US Navy said in a statement that the visit "aims to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two navies by emphasising the importance of information sharing and exchange".

"I am looking forward to this trip," said Richardson.

"The strategic environment is becoming more complex and the nature of our shared challenges requires frequent discussion of our views of the maritime domain and how best our two navies can operate in line with our respective objectives," he said.

During his three-day visit, the US Navy chief will meet Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba and other senior Navy, military, and national security officials of India, the statement added.

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The US has conducted a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises in the disputed South China Sea, triggering protests from Beijing over what it says is infringement of sovereignty.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, while Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan are also claimants.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fresh sanctions by the US against Iran's steel and mining sectors are expected to impact Indian manufacturers in the Persian Gulf nation, TPCI said Friday.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced tougher-than-ever sanctions against Iran's steel and mining sectors, hours after Tehran said it would suspend some curbs under a denuclearisation deal rejected by Washington.

The restriction may impact those Indian manufacturers who are into steel, billets and bars for export purposes, in Iran, Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) Chairman Mohit Singla said in a statement.

"This fresh restriction will not impact India immediately as the import of metals and other mining products from Iran are not much. However, it will surely deter India's potential investor sentiment in Chabahar port and also impact the Indian manufacturers in Iran who are into steel, billets and bars for export purposes," he added.

India imports iron and steel, machinery, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors, boilers, and electrical machinery from Iran.

Total trade between India and Iran stood at USD 13.7 billion in 2017-18.

On Wednesday, Trump imposed fresh sanctions on Iran's iron, steel, aluminum and copper sectors, a move aimed at stopping Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and intercontinental ballistic missiles and to counter its "malign influence" in the Middle East.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US forces in Africa launched an airstrike against the Islamic State group in Somalia, killing 13 suspected militants, a military statement said Thursday.

The strike was carried out in the Golis Mountains in northern Somalia, where three IS militants were killed in April.

"At this time, it is assessed the airstrike on May 8 killed thirteen terrorists. Currently, we assess no civilians were injured or killed as a result of this airstrike," said a statement from the US Africa Command, or Africom.

The Islamic State has a relatively small presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab.

But IS has been particularly active in the northern Puntland region, establishing training camps and depots for weapons coming mainly from nearby Yemen.

The Shebab, by far the largest radical Islamist group in Somalia, officially integrated into Al-Qaeda in 2012.

But a small number of its members -- around 200 -- defected to the IS.

That group, based in semi-autonomous Puntland, is led by Abdulqadir Mumin, who in August 2016 was placed by the US State Department on a list of international terrorists.

IS in Somalia has been the target of previous airstrikes. Africa Command said an April 14 strike in Somalia killed IS's second in command there, Abdulhakim Dhuqub, who was in charge of the group's attack planning and daily operations.

As of late 2018, Africom put the number of IS fighters in Somalia at between 75 and 250 -- compared to the estimated 3,000 to 7,000 Shebab members.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US government has come up with a first of its kind strategy to prevent, detect and respond to threats from infectious diseases occurring naturally or accidentally, in an effort to help improve the world's ability to stop and contain deadly outbreaks before they spread between countries.

The Global Health Security Strategy, unveiled on Thursday, defines the actions the administration will take by adopting a whole-of-government approach to health security and leveraging the strengths of different federal departments, agencies and funding streams, the White House said.

Our National Security Strategy specifically identifies combatting biological threats and pandemics as a cornerstone of national security. Biological threats, like infectious disease outbreaks, are a national security priority for the United States government, a senior administration official told reporters after the strategy was released by the White House.

The strategy outlines a coordinated US approach that focuses on three interrelated goals: strengthen partner country global health security capacities, increase international support for global health security and a homeland prepared and resilient against global health threats, the official said.

The White House said that the US is working with international partners to help improve the world's ability to stop and contain infectious disease outbreaks before they spread between countries.

Under the new Strategy, the country will work to ensure that every partner country has a plan to achieve self-reliance in the critical area of health security.

Supporting the Global Health Security Agenda as a mechanism to accelerate progress addressing infectious disease threats, the white House said that under this new strategy, the US will assist international partners to help improve their performance in priority areas.

Nations, international organizations and the private sector established the Global Health Security Agenda, laying out specific targets to reduce infectious disease threats, it said.

Using this process, the United States will assist our international partners to help improve their performance in priority areas. We will encourage countries to strengthen their technical capacities and will support select partner countries in areas such as emergency preparedness and disease surveillance, the White House said.

Asserting that America is creating a safer world by utilizing collective global action to combat global health security threats, the White House said under this Strategy, the US will use bilateral, regional, and multilateral engagements to encourage countries to make health security a national priority.

The United States will coordinate with partner governments, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to promote sustainable financing to build health security capacity," it said.

The United States will push for a transparent and accountable framework to encourage donors and countries to fulfil their financial commitments to global health security, it said.

Under the new strategy, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) will increase its ability to monitor threats globally from headquarters and provide rapid response through deployment of staff across the agency. CDC has developed the Global Emergency Alert and Response Service to do that.

We monitor between, on average, 35 to 45 outbreaks a day through event-based surveillance, and support emergency deployments to respond to these outbreaks or public health events, such as natural disasters or displaced populations due to conflict or strife, the official said.

CDC has rostered over 500 deployers that have provided nearly 17,000 person days of support for response activities. This includes staff who have been deployed to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), surrounding countries and WHO headquarters to assist with the response to Ebola outbreak in DRC now, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BELGRADE - Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj has asked for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini to be excluded from the EU-mediated dialogue process between Belgrade and Pristina, according to Serbian news agency FoNet, citing media in Pristina.



In recent months Haradinaj has been extremely critical of Mogherini, who he accuses of backing the idea of possible border modifications and territory exchanges for a solution to the Kosovo question - an idea that the prime minister rejects.



Haradinaj and President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci maintain that Brussels' mediating action is inadequate.



They are pushing for direct involvement of the United States in the negotiation process on Kosovo.


Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha Friday claimed the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was set to dismiss Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister at the time, after the 2002 post-Godhra riots, but withheld the decision as Home Minister L K Advani had threatened to resign from the Cabinet on the issue.

Speaking at a meet-the-press programme here, the former Union finance minister also dismissed as a non-issue the controversy over the alleged misuse of INS Viraat by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

"After the communal riots in Gujarat, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had decided that then state chief minister Narendra Modi should resign.

"While going to the national executive committee meeting in Goa in 2002, Atal ji had made up his mind that the Gujarat government would be dismissed if Modi ji refused to resign," he claimed.

"There was a meeting within the party. According to my information, Advani ji had opposed this (dismissing the Modi government) and he told Atal ji that if Modi ji is dismissed then he (Advani) would resign from the government. So, he (Vajpayee) withheld the decision and Modi ji continued," Sinha said.

In reply to a query on Modi's allegation that Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat as a "personal taxi", Sinha said these are non-issues and that former naval officers had already issued clarifications on it.

"It is not as per the dignity of a prime minister to speak lies like this," Sinha said, adding the Lok Sabha polls were being fought on the Modi government's performance and not on the country's history.

Sinha, a member of the Vajpayee cabinet, hit out at Modi for raising the issue of Pakistan in the general elections.

"It is unfortunate that the issue of Pakistan is being raised in the elections. He hyphenated our country with Pakistan.

"Are we a country of Pakistan's category? There is no talk about China, which must be feeling happy with the Pakistan rhetoric," claimed the former foreign minister.

"This is being done because China's mention doesn't generate a reaction like that of Pakistan does," he added.

Accusing the Modi government of playing "mischief" with statistics, Sinha said GDP data during the previous UPA government was higher than during the current NDA government.

"The next government will get a broken economy," the bureaucrat-turned-politician said.

Sinha blamed Modi for lowering the language of the political discourse.

"It is expected from a PM to use dignified language but this is not happening," Sinha alleged.

He said the elections to the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat would determine the future course of country, and whether it wanted to go for social harmony or social divide.

Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh is pitted against the BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur, a 2008 Malegaon blast accused, in the Bhopal seat which will vote on May 12.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The arrest of a top opposition leader in Venezuela unleashed fears of a wider crackdown on Thursday, even as members of the opposition issued renewed calls for weekend protests in a months long campaign to oust President Nicols Maduro.

The Wednesday arrest of Edgar Zambrano, the vice president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly in Venezuela, was the latest move in a protracted, increasingly murky struggle between two camps vying for support of the military, which has seen some defections but whose loyalty to Maduro has preserved his grip on power.

Maduro's chief adversary, opposition leader Juan Guaid, portrayed the arrest and targeting of members of the assembly as acts of desperation by a government whose leaders don't know who to trust.

The US-backed opposition leader also announced new nationwide protests on Saturday, following clashes between police and protesters last week that left six people dead.

"They won't get us out of the streets," said Guaid, whose public appearance in Caracas reflected his belief that Maduro does not have the confidence to arrest him.

Maduro has appeared to let Guaid wage a campaign against him following US warnings that there would be severe repercussions if he took action against his foe.

The United States says Russia-backed Maduro was elected illegitimately and that Guaid should lead Venezuelans to free elections after years of turmoil. Maduro describes Guaid as a collaborator in a US-engineered coup plot.

Now, the government is chipping away at the National Assembly, the key Venezuelan institution demanding Maduro's resignation.

Diosdado Cabello, a leading political ally of Maduro, suggested Thursday that the government is being methodical in its battle with the opposition.

"We're not in a rush," Cabello said.

Venezuela's top court has announced investigations of Zambrano and nine other congress members for alleged roles in supporting Guaid's failed appeal for a military uprising on April 30, as others have come under increasing pressure.

"This is clearly fallout from the uprising last week. It amounts to a reassertion of hardliners within the Maduro government," said David Smilde, a senior fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America, a non-governmental group.

He suggested that factionalism within the embattled government was on display, with Maikel Moreno, head of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, among those who were "trying to demonstrate their loyalty to the regime."



Moreno had been identified by the U.S. as a conspirator in Guaid's failed scheme.

Smilde also said hardliners within the intelligence service, whose former chief broke ranks with Maduro, are "showing they are still on board."



European and Latin American countries that support Venezuela's opposition condemned the arrest of Zambrano, saying his parliamentary immunity was illegally lifted.

Some 29 National Assembly members, or 25% of parliamentarians who oppose the government, have been persecuted by the pro-Maduro supreme court, according to Guaid.

Some members of the opposition-led congress have sought refuge in diplomatic missions, echoing moves made by 1970s-era dissidents scrambling for protection under the flags of other countries during the previous era of Latin American dictatorships.

Richard Blanco, an opposition congressman, on Thursday told VPItv, a local media outlet, that he had gone to the Argentine embassy. Another, Mariela Magallanes, is staying at the home of the Italian ambassador. On Thursday afternoon, legislator Americo De Grazia indicated on Twitter that Italian diplomats were also hosting him.

Opposition activist Leopoldo Lpez entered the home of the Spanish ambassador after he joined Guaid in the failed attempt to topple Maduro.

Lpez was detained for anti-government protests in 2014 and had been under house arrest for two years before he was freed.

On Thursday, Miguel Rodrguez Torres, a former spy chief who became a government critic, was also transferred by military police to a maximum-security cell at a Caracas military base, his political movement said. Rodrguez Torres was arrested a year ago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There is a "very strong" wave in favour of the AAP in Delhi, similar to the 2015 Assembly elections when it won 67 out of 70 seats, party supremo and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday.

Polling for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will be held in the sixth phase of the general elections on Sunday.

The AAP national convenor, in an interview to PTI on a wide range of topics, said Delhiites are "extremely happy" with his party's works in the national capital especially in the fields of education, health, water, electricity, road and sewage.

He claimed that Hindus will not vote for the Congress, and the grand old party is now focusing on Muslim votes and this is borne out in its senior leadership, including Priyanka Gandhi, holding rallies in areas of Delhi that are dominated by the community.

"Till one month ago, I felt that there would be a very strong fight. But now I am feeling the atmosphere is similar to that of the 2015 Assembly elections when the AAP had a landslide victory," Kejriwal said.

In the 2015 Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party had won 67 out of the 70 seats, handing a humiliating defeat to BJP and Congress. The saffron party won three seats while the Congress drew blank.

Kejriwal said the voice against the Centre's "wrong" policies could be raised only when Delhi MPs are from a different party than that at power in the Centre.

People of Delhi would benefit more by electing AAP candidates as they can raise issues faced by city residents in parliament more effectively than the national parties like the BJP and Congress, he said.

The chief minister claimed there is a "very strong" anti-incumbency against the BJP in Delhi as its MPs did nothing for the people of national capital.

The BJP had won all the Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in the 2014 general elections.

Giving individual examples, Kejriwal said there is a lot of "negativity" against incumbent BJP MP from New Delhi Meenakshi Lekhi, who, he claimed, has done nothing for constituency.

"She insulted the people of her constituency so people want to defeat her," he said.

About Delhi BJP chief and its North-East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, Kejriwal said, "He has done nothing except dancing and singing in the last four years."



The works of Pravesh Sahib Singh Verma, who is an MP from West Delhi, is also being questioned by the people of his constituency, he claimed, adding the in South Delhi are "tired of the hooliganism" of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri.

The AAP national convener claimed that BJP candidate from North-West Delhi seat Hansraj Hans would lose comprehensively.

Appealing to the people to vote for ending the "obstructions created by the BJP-led central government", Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not delivering any of the promises made by him in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

"Modiji cannot say I built schools, hospitals, brought down electricity tariff, ensured drinking water supply. He failed in every sector. He has not delivered anything," he alleged.

On his party's main poll plank of full statehood to Delhi, Kejriwal said once the demand is realised, it would help in fast-tracking development works in the national capital.

If Delhi gets full statehood, the city government would have been able to deliver thousand times more than what it has done till now, he claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An opposition lawmaker charged with treason for supporting last month's failed uprising in Venezuela announced in a video Friday that he had fled to neighbouring Colombia.

"I am out of the country, in Colombia, sheltered from a regime that is willing to imprison deputies," said Luis Florido, one of 10 lawmakers charged with treason for supporting a failed April 30 uprising against President Nicolas Maduro's regime.

"Before leaving, I consulted with many friends, all of them told me: 'Luis, don't let yourself get caught, don't give a trophy to the regime that has kept you hungry for so long," Florido said in the video posted on Twitter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hollywood star Halle Berry has revealed she was just a "token" during her early days in the film industry as there were hardly any parts written for women of colour.

The 52-year-old actor, who started her career with ABC television series "Living Dolls", went on to become the first and the only woman of African-American descent to have won the Academy Award for Best Actress ('Monster's Ball').

Berry said that her journey from being a struggling woman of colour to one of the most popular Hollywood stars makes her believe that things are changing for better.

"I was just the token when I first started. I was on a lovely television show ('Living Dolls') where I would start the scenes, 'Hello, everybody,' and I would end them, 'Come on, let's go.' That was my part. At the time, I was happy to be there.

"At the time I thought, as odd as it sounds coming out of my mouth right now, I was kind of happy to be there because women of colour weren't really working. To be sitting here now, realising that I was able to create this opportunity for myself, lets me know for sure it's a new day," Berry told Variety and iHeart's new film podcast "The Big Ticket".

The actor will be seen next in the third installment of action franchise "John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum" as Sophia, a mysterious woman from John Wick's (Keanu Reeves) past who he asks for help when a bounty is placed on his head.

Berry will also be doing some more action in the upcoming drama "Bruised". The film, which marks her directorial debut, will feature her as a MMA fighter.

"I read the script, and I loved it. It was written at the time for a 22-year-old white woman which, obviously, can't be me. But I was able to convince producers why it should be me and why it would be more relevant in the times in which we're living if it were me. I talked about all the elements of the filmmaking, what I saw in my head, and they bought it. They thought, 'Wow. Makes sense'," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam Friday said the government will continue to urge Governor Banwarilal Purohit to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The government was for the release of all the convicts, he said and recalled that as early as in 2014, when late J Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister, a decision was taken to release the seven convicts and the Centre was apprised of it.

The Supreme Court has now dismissed a plea against the release of the seven convicts and the Governor could take a decision to release them, he said.

"We will continue to urge Governor Banwarilal Purohit, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, to release the Rajiv case convicts," he told reporters here.

Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said the government was confident Purohit would take a good decision at the appropriate time.

He said already pressure was exerted on Raj Bhavan over the matter and added, "we will continue to do that...we cannot however, force the Governor (to take a decision on their release)."



On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea against the release of the seven convicts.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said, "All aspects were covered in the earlier constitution bench verdict in the case and therefore nothing survives in the case".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Attacking the BJP for its promise of installing 80-feet tall statue of Nishadraj in Shringverpur in Allahabad, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Friday said he would rather prefer making schools, hospitals, roads for better future of people.

"They will install Rs 34 crore statue. Give its contract to any Sangh (RSS) member. Import material from China. Impose ticket for watching it. And by lying in this way, they will make rich more rich. We will make schools, hospitals, roads for better future of people," Akhilesh said in a tweet.

He was reacting to BJP president Amit Shah's promise Thursday to build an 80-feet tall statue of Nishadraj in Shringverpur in Allahabad district.

Addressing a series of rallies in Balrampur, Siddharthanagar, Sant Kabirnagar and Sultanpur Shah had said, "The place where the Kewat (boatman) had washed the feet of Lord Ram, the government of Yogi Adityanath will construct a 80-feet-tall statue of Nishadraj. A grand memorial for Nishadraj worth Rs 34 crore will be built at Shringverpur."



According to folklore, it was at Shringverpur -- 45 km from Allahabad on Lucknow Road -- that Lord Rama crossed the River Ganga on his way to exile along with Sita and Lakshman.

Shringverpur is mentioned as the capital of the famous kingdom of Nishadraj or the 'King of Fishermen'. The excerpt 'Sita, Ram and his brother came to Shringverpur' can be found in the epic Ramayan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Friday said the longevity of the Congress-JDS coalition government in the State would depend on the stand taken by about 20 "disgruntled" Congress legislators after the Lok Sabha poll results.

He forecast political changes in the state favouring the BJP, saying its tally in the assembly would increase.

The former Chief Minister hit out at the state government for its drought management and called it "brain dead", as he cited "charged" atmosphere within the coalition as the reason for Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy heading to a resort.

"State government is brain dead in a way. At a time when people are suffering from drought and are migrating, when there is scarcity of drinking water, Kumaraswamy (Chief Minister) and his father (JDS patriarch H D Deve Gowda) are going to a resort.

It shows about charged environment in Congress-JD(S) coalition," Yeddyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters at Hubballi, he said, "...it is clear that nothing is right between the Congress and JD(S).

Also he (CM) has come to know about negative results for the JD(S) in Lok Sabha polls and "both his father (Gowda from Tumkur) and son (Nikhil from Mandya) will see defeat."



Stating that he has nothing against the Chief Minister going to a resort for rest, Yeddyurappa said, however, the timing reflects that he was unhappy over the political situation and dissidence within the Congress.

Kumaraswamy, who had recently returned from a resort in Udupi where he underwent treatment and made temple visits, is scheduled to camp at a resort in Kodagu district until Sunday.

Yeddyurappa also indicated that the outcome of the Lok Sabha and assembly bypoll results will make it difficult for the coalition government to continue.

Expressing confidence about winning Kundgol and Chincholi assembly segments in the bypolls, he said, "Winning this election is important to us, as we currently have 104 MLAs, and win in these two seats will take our tally to 106."



He also claimed the support of three independent and smaller party legislators, which would take the tally to 109.

Also, pointing out that over 20 Congress MLAs are not happy with the government and were not ready to accept Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister anymore, Yeddyurappa claimed they may take any decision any time.

"Let's wait and see," he added.

The Karnataka assembly has 224 members, in which BJP has 104 MLAs, Congress-77, JD(S)-37, BSP (1), independent (1) (both currently supporting the ruling alliance), one KPJP, and one Speaker.

Two seats Chincholi and Kundgol are vacant for which bypolls will be held on May 19.

Kumaraswamy not going for campaigning in Kundgol and Chincholi has also raised speculation in political circles that things are not right between the alliance partners.

There are already discussions within political circles that any adverse results for the coalition in the Lok Sabha polls, which they fought in alliance, will have its implications for the government.

The Chief Minister and JD(S) leaders are also reportedly upset over few Congress legislators, including Ministers, clamouring for Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah becoming the chief minister once again.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Friday said he was "encouraged" and "optimistic" about the regulatory framework being suggested by France for the social media giant and other online platforms, after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

"I am hopeful that it can become a model" that can be used "across the EU", Zuckerberg said.

The meeting follows the drawing up of a report by experts and top French civil servants proposing that each member state of the European Union set up its own regulatory authority to police social networks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's antitrust watchdog has ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc's unit Google for alleged abuse of its popular Android mobile operating system to block rivals, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) last year started looking into the complaint, which is similar to the one Google faced in Europe that resulted in a 4.34 billion euro ($5 billion) fine on the company, Reuters reported in February. In mid-April, the CCI decided there was merit in the accusations made in the complaint and ordered its investigation unit to ...
Mare Ionio seized by GDF, 'attempt to stop us' Salvini should find new target, says Lampedusa doctor

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 10 - Mediterranea has said that the seizure of its Mare Ionio ship with 30 migrants onboard by the Italian Financial Police (GDF) was ''an attempt to stop us''. It underscored that it had not received any notification of the seizure and that ''no irregularities'' had been found by the GDF onboard.



The NGO noted on Twitter that ''the interior ministry announces the seizure through the media before telling us. The seizure is an attempt to stop us, but the important thing for us is that people have been saved. The only crime is letting people die at sea or in Libya.'' ''Last trip for the ship of social centers Mare Ionio: stopped and seized. Bye Bye,'' Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini wrote on Twitter about the seizure of the ship run by the Mediterranea Saving Humans organization on Lampedusa.



The interior minister then posted a photo of the ship and Luca Casarini, former head of social centers in the northeastern part of the country and now an activist at the head of Mediterranea missions, entitling it ''seized''. ''Salvini should find a new target. His propaganda doesn't work anymore,'' said Pietro Bartolo, the Lampedusa doctor who has saved the lives of hundreds of migrants over the past few years and who is now an independent candidate in the European elections on the Pd-Siamo list.



''Soon the disembarking will begin and of course our facilities is ready to receive and assist the 30 migrants onboard,'' Bartolo said. ''Mediterranean did well not to speak to Libya, as the interior ministry had suggested yesterday evening, and instead head for Lampedusa.'' He added that ''we have all seen the face of the invader this time too. She is only a year old and is alive thanks to the presence of NGOs in the Mediterranean.(ANSAmed).




Benchmark indices ended Friday's volatile session in the red, thus recording fall for the eighth straight day and third consecutive week, as investors remained cautious ahead of the US-China trade negotiation outcome.

The benchmark S&P ended the day 96 points, or 0.26 per cent, lower at 37,463, with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HCL Tech, Tata Steel, IndusInd Bank and Infosys contributing the most to the indice's fall. Twenty-one of the 30 constituents of BSE ended the session with losses.

The broader index Nifty50 gave up the crucial 11,300 mark and slipped 23 points, or 0.20 per cent, at 11,279. About 1,187 shares advanced, 1,270 shares declined, and 162 shares were unchanged.

On a weekly basis, Sensex and post biggest weekly loss since October 2018, falling over 3 per cent each.

Among sectoral indices, both IT and Metal dipped more than 1 per cent. However, gained 2.5 per cent, the highest among the gainers.

The broader indices fared better than their benchmark peers with the S&P BSE MidCap index ending 34 points, or 0.24 per cent, higher at 14,390, while the S&P BSE SmallCap index was ruling at 14,106, up 29 points or 0.21 per cent.

BUZZING STOCKS

HCL Technologies slipped over 4 per cent to Rs 1,08.05 on the BSE after the company announced a 100 basis point (bps) cut in the estimated operating margin (OM) for FY20 as against FY19.



State Bank of India (SBI) shares rose nearly 3 per cent to Rs 308.05, bouncing back from day's low of Rs 292 in intra-day trade on the BSE, after the bank reported improvement in assets quality in last quarter of financial year 2018-19 (Q4FY19)
The last quarter of the financial year 2018-19 (FY19) hasn't been a particularly happy one for most consumer companies. The country's largest FMCG company, Hindustan Unilever, has seen a 7 per cent volume growth as opposed to the strong double digit growth it had registered in the past few quarters, Dabur India recorded a 4 per cent volume growth, while Godrej Consumer recorded a mere 1 per cent growth. Britannia Industries also reported a dip in volume growth for the second consecutive quarter. After witnessing a robust quarter-on-quarter growth post the rollout of goods and services tax (GST), the slowdown has come as a surprise to most consumer companies. "The slowdown has happened in the last four-five months which is surprising," says Sunil Kataria, Business Head (India and Saarc), Godrej Consumer.

The reasons being cited for the slowdown are varied: an all-time high unemployment rate, liquidity crunch in rural markets and much more. In FY19, the government had allocated Rs 61,084 crore for MNREGA, which guarantees 100 days of unskilled labour employment per family. It has yet to pay Rs 8,500 crore of wages. In the Interim Budget this year, the government had announced that it would pay Rs 6,000 a year in three instalments to around 120 million farmers, but the farmers are yet to get even the first instalment of the promised sum. All these factors coupled with uncertainties around the general elections, the Rabi season not being too good and many companies increasing prices to offset the commodity price increase, has dampened the consumption appetite of especially rural consumers, who contribute around 50 per cent to the GDP and over 40 per cent of FMCG consumption. Pre-monsoon showers this year has been lower by 27 per cent, which has further added to the depressed mood. "Consumption for us grew 1-1.5 times in favour of rural, but now it is almost similar to urban growth rates. People are just not buying," says Ulhas Kamath, Joint Managing Director, Jyothy Laboratories.

ALSO READ: BT Buzz: Pepsi chickens out, should farmers rejoice?

Though companies hope the formation of a stable government at the Centre may lead to revival of consumption, they also fear that a bad monsoon could make things worse. "Whenever the prediction is 'near normal' it is invariably a deficient monsoon," says Kamath of Jyothy. Anuj Sethi, Senior Director, Crisil, expects the consumption growth rate to moderate by 200 basis points in 2019-2020. "If the monsoons are not satisfactory, the growth rates we have predicted will reduce by a few more points."

However, this isn't the first time there has been a consumption slowdown and consumer companies seem to be getting ready to brace the challenge. The failure of monsoon between 2013 and 2015 had led to a massive consumption slowdown and rural folks had even cut down their intake of tea. Instead of buying a half-kilo pack of detergent, they would buy loose powder to suit their weekly needs from the market. Sales of consumer durables in rural markets had come to a standstill and consumers opted for local substitutes, which came at almost half the price. But, that was the pre-GST era and the market had a host of local brands. The GST has led to the death of several of these local brands, which were unable to take the pressure of taxation.

The GST benefitted the large consumer brands immensely which showed in their robust financial performance in the past few quarters. Most FMCG companies increased their direct distribution in rural markets.

To beat the slowdown, most FMCG companies plan to increase their direct penetration further. "We have aligned our inventory so that we don't lose sales, but at the same time we are investing on improving our direct reach. From 46,000 villages that we currently service, the plan is to reach out to 56,000 villages," says Lalit Malik, CFO, Dabur India. A lot of Dabur's reduced volume growth was also due to the extended winter this year.

Former Dabur COO (currently Venture Partner, Fireside Ventures), Kannan Sitaram, says that apart from strengthening their direct distribution, a lot depends on how well the companies deal with the wholesale channel. "In most part of rural India, there are one-two kirana stores that will have one-two brands in each category. When the retailer comes to the wholesaler to buy, the challenge is how to get them to buy your products."

ALSO READ: BT Buzz: Sluggish economy slows down auto sales to near eight-year low

Sitaram says that the oft-used method of giving discounts to wholesalers doesn't necessarily work today. "Companies need to give extra rewards to both the wholesaler and retailer. If they are selling shampoo sachets, they could put in lucky dip coupons in a pack of 12 sachets, which the retailer and wholesaler can encash from the company. Companies have to come up with innovative ideas to woo the wholesaler and retailer," adds Sitaram. Almost all FMCG companies have started offering longer credit cycles to the wholesale community.

Be it Dabur, Jyothy Laboratories or Godrej Consumer, all of them are pushing sale of their smaller packs. "We have started producing more Rs 10 packs of Henko," points out Kamath of Jyothy Lab. Sethi of Crisil says that companies should not just sell lower SKUs of their mass brands, but should also focus on smaller SKUs of their premium brands in rural markets. "Consumers won't hesitate to buy a premium detergent sachet for special occasion washes. They will also buy Rs 5 almond oil sachet if there is an occasion in the family. Therefore, companies should focus on smaller SKUs of both mass and premium brands."

Marketing gurus have always preached that brands should advertise more during slowdown, so that when the economy revives they are on the top of consumers' minds. Sethi of Crisil agrees too."If brands are spending 7-12 per cent of their revenues on advertising, they may want to control their ad spends to limit dip in margins, but they can at the most reduce it by a couple of percentage points."

Business wisdom also says that companies should invest more on product development and Kataria of Godrej Consumer says they are doing exactly that. "We are staying the course, but we will be watchful," he says. "Increased focus on product development will support volume growth by at least 1-2 per cent," agrees Sethi of Crisil.

ALSO READ: BT Buzz: India in a fix amidst US-Iran cross-fire over crude oil import, weighs limited options

While Dabur India is not being too aggressive with its new product launches, it has rolled out all its innovations for the summer, be it in juices or shampoo, and the focus is more on lower unit packs. "Q1FY20 is seeing signs of revival, but it's not back with a bang. It all depends on the monsoon," points out Malik of Dabur.

The Indian consumption story is hugely dependent on monsoons and consumer companies are keeping their fingers crossed for not just for a normal monsoon but also the formation of a stable government that will help reduce unemployment and ensure that the rural masses have more money in their hands to spend.
Etihad Airways expressed its interest to buy stake in Jet Airways under the bidding process run by the airline's lenders on Friday. The State Bank of India-led consortium of 26 lenders also received two non-binding bids for purchasing stake in the embattled airline.

"Etihad Airways today confirmed its interest to re-invest in a minority stake in India's Jet Airways, subject to conditions. India is one of the fastest-growing air transport markets in the world, and a significant economic partner of the UAE. Etihad has been working consistently with key stakeholders in India over the past 15 months to help find a solution which would ensure Jet's return as a viable and competitive Indian airline, and continues to do so," an Etihad spokesperson said.

However, Etihad reiterated that it cannot be expected to be the sole investor in Jet. "Amongst other requirements, additional suitable investors would need to provide the majority of Jet Airways' required recapitalisation," the spokesperson added.

ALSO READ: CAIT flags high airfares post Jet shutdown, seeks price control

Details of the bidders who presented unsolicited bids could not be ascertained yet.

Jet Airways had grounded operations on April 17 after the lenders refused to infuse Rs 400 crore requested by the airline to pay vendors and service providers in order to continue services. Even before that, the lenders had taken control of the company's board after founder Naresh Goyal and his wife had exited the company.

The lenders had initiated a bidding process to sell stake in the debt-laden airline to recover some of the debt. The banks are offering 31.2-75 per cent stake in Jet Airways on a fully diluted basis. The proceeds of the stake sale are expected to help realise at least a portion of the Rs 8,000-crore dent the airline owes to its lenders.

ALSO READ: Jet Airways faces fresh trouble, SFIO to probe if promoters siphoned off funds

The consortium of lenders had invited expressions of interest (EoIs) between April 8 and 12 for stake sale for the bidding process. Four bidders were picked from the recieved applications - Etihad Airlines, state-owned NIIF, and private equity firms IndiGo Partners and TPG.

There had been reports though, that the bidders have lost interest in the airline after its aircraft and slots at airports in Delhi and Mumbai were handed over to competitors. However, the SBI Chairman has expressed hope that the airline will not go to insolvency.

"NCLT is the last option. It is the option when no option is left," Kumar told India Today.

Meanwhile, shares of Jet Airways rose by nearly 3 per cent on Friday after over hopes of revival for the grounded carrier. The scrip went up by 2.85 per cent to close at Rs 151.80 on the BSE. During the day, it gained 6.91 per cent to Rs 157.80.
Indian steel conglomerate Tata Steel and German steelmaker Thyssenkrupp on Friday said they expect the European antitrust regulators to block their proposed joint venture due to "continuing concerns".

Tata Steel and ThyssenKrupp had signed definitive agreements in June 2018 to combine their steel businesses in Europe to create a 50-50 pan European joint venture company which would be the continent's second-largest steel company after Lakshmi Mittal's ArcelorMittal.

The European Commission opened an "in-depth" investigation into the proposed merger in October last year amid concerns that the proposed deal between the two steel majors may reduce competition in the supply of various high-end steels.

Following an agreed extension last month for further negotiations, ThyssenKrupp confirmed that it had submitted a "substantial" offer to the European Commission - the executive arm of the 28-member economic bloc.

However, the German major said that after a latest conversation it now seemed like the planned joint venture of their European steel activities will not go ahead.

ALSO READ: What is delaying Tata Steel, Thyssenkrupp joint venture in Europe?

Tata Steel, in a statement in Mumbai, said that based on the feedback received from the Commission, "it is increasingly clear that the Commission is not intending to clear the proposed joint venture as it expects substantial remedies in the form of sale of assets of the proposed venture".

The proposed JV firm called ThyssenKrupp Tata Steel, which had been under discussions since September 2017, was to have a total workforce of 48,000 employees spread across 34 sites, producing about 21 million tons of steel a year with revenues of around 15 billion euros.

The German steel giant said that the EU took the improvements of the submitted covenants proposed by ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel as an opportunity to conduct another market test.

"The European Commission took the improvements of the submitted covenants proposed by ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel as an opportunity to conduct another market test. The new market survey did not resolve the Commission's concerns, although the partners had offered significant further concessions," ThyssenKrupp said in a statement.

"From the point of the view of ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel, further commitments or improvements would adversely affect the intended synergies of the merger to such an extent that the economic logic of the joint venture would no longer be valid. Consequently, the partners assume that the European Commission will not approve the joint venture," the statement said.

ALSO READ: Tata Steel output reaches record high after Bhushan Steel purchase

Under the EU rules, the Commission has a duty to assess mergers and acquisitions involving companies with a turnover above certain thresholds and to prevent concentrations that would significantly impede effective competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it.

Tata Steel termed the proposed JV as an important strategic initiative for the company to create a sustainable portfolio in Europe, and now it being thrown off-track, it said it would explore all options to achieve similar outcomes in the future.

"Our strategy is to be the leading and most sustainable flat steel company in Europe with a strong focus on delivering value, especially for our customers, our employees and our shareholders. This strategy will continue to guide us and I'm confident we will chart a strong path forward for all our stakeholders," said Hans Fischer, CEO of Tata Steel's European operations.

"The India business is well positioned to continue to enhance its earnings and cash flow performance levels from that achieved in 2018-19 with extensive market reach, strong brands, differentiated products, enhanced asset base post Kalinganagar expansion and a strong talent pipeline," a company statement said.

"While pursuing the end state strategy for the European business in the near term, Tata Steel will also continue to focus on its performance management to enhance its earnings and cash flows to build a sustainable and self-sustaining future for the business.

ALSO READ: Tata Steel to double women employees on its shopfloor to 10% by 2025

"Tata Steel has also undertaken significant de-leveraging in the last six months and would continue to pursue the same through internal cash generation and asset sales," the company said.

Meanwhile, Steel workers' unions in the UK, where Tata Steel has the country's largest steelworks at Port Talbot in Wales, asked the Indian company not to take any "kneejerk" decisions.

Roy Rickhuss, General Secretary of the steelworkers' trade union community, said: "It's important that there are no kneejerk reactions by Tata Steel in response to this development. Now is the time for calm heads and a clear focus on the future of Tata Steel Europe.

"It's vital that the business is kept intact and the right steps are taken to safeguard jobs and continue investment to ensure a sustainable future. Sadly, this may mean yet another period of uncertainty for steelworkers and their families," he added.

Thyssenkrupp also said it would fundamentally realign itself to significantly improve its operating performance.

"At the same time, the company will sustainably strengthen its capital base in order to gain the necessary financial leeway for necessary restructuring and business development," the Essen-based company said.

ALSO READ: TCS reclaims most valued firm status; pushes Reliance Industries to second rank
Refuting charges that the GDP numbers put out by the government may be over-estimated due to 'shell' companies which are untraceable, the government has said that the extent of overestimation of GDP in all likelihood is marginal.

Clarifying the problem pointed out by the Technical Report of Services Sector Enterprises in India by the NSSO, a release from the government said that media has misinterpreted the out-of-survey enterprises (as classified for the purposes of surveying the services sector) to be enterprises that do not exist in the economy report.

The release clarified that the survey has used sample of 35,456 enterprises taken from the database of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). Out of these 38.7 per cent were out-of-survey units. Of the 38.7 per cent out-of-survey enterprises in the NSSO report, out-of-coverage enterprises comprise 21.4 per cent. Simply put, the out-of-coverage enterprises are those enterprises that are not engaged in activities intended for inclusion in the service sector survey.

Of the remaining 17.3 per cent out-of-survey enterprises, 0.9 per cent are those establishments that are not considered in the MCA database for GDP estimation and the rest 16.4 percent are either closed or non-traceable enterprises. Therefore, it says that the extent of over-estimation due to untraceable enterprises is marginal.

It further says that the share of paid up capital of non-reporting companies used for GVA calculation is just about 12-15 per cent from 2012-13 to 2016-17. To neutralise the impact of unresponsive companies, the GVA estimate for responsive enterprises was blown up by a factor of only 1.13-1.17 to estimate the GVA of the entire private corporate sector.

The release further clarifies that even when there is a small over- or under-estimation, the blowing up affects the level of GDP and not the year-to-year annual growth rates materially.

The clarification comes after media reported that the NSSO has found many holes in MCA-21 data used for GDP calculation, hinting that it probably overestimates the GDP.

Also read: Leaving out shell companies would seriously underestimate GDP: Former Chief Statistician

Also read: Incredulous data: Economists create own benchmarks to measure Indian economy
India's fiscal deficit was at Rs 8.51 lakh crore in February-end touching 4.52 per cent of GDP, a senior Finance Ministry source told a news agency. "The receipts are sufficient to cover only 61 per cent of expenditure. As a percentage to GDP, fiscal deficit is 4.52 per cent and revenue deficit is 3.45 per cent," says the Finance Ministry note, IANS reported.

The figures mean fiscal deficit has crossed 134 per cent of the government's budget estimate. Last year, the deficit stood at 120 per cent, during the same period.

The central government had revised its fiscal deficit target to 3.4 per cent for FY19 from the earlier 3.3 per cent.

In FY19, the total expenditure was Rs 21.9 lakh crore or 89 per cent of the budget estimate.

Total expenditure comprised revenue expenditure of Rs 19.15 lakh crore, at 89 per cent of budget estimate, and capital expenditure of Rs 2.73 lakh crore at 87 per cent of budget estimate.

Further, at the end of February, the total receipts stood at Rs 13.37 lakh crore, or at 73 per cent of the budget estimate.

Gross tax collection had touched Rs 16.92 lakh crore or 75 per cent of the budget estimate against 81 per cent in the same period of the previous fiscal.

The net tax revenue to the Centre was of the order of Rs 10.93 lakh crore, or 74 per cent of BE, after deducting devolution to States (Rs 5.96 lakh crore) and collections under national calamity and contingency duty (NCCD) to be transferred to the National Disaster Response Fund or NDRF ( Rs 1,520 crore).

Total receipts include Net Tax Revenue to Centre (Rs 10.93 lakh crore), Non Tax Revenue (Rs 1.71 lakh crore) and Other Receipts (Rs 71,662 crore), the figures showed.

(With agency inputs)

Also read: Government meets fiscal deficit target of 3.4% for FY19

Also read: Government close to meeting fiscal deficit target of 3.4%: Garg
An RTI response showed that the State Bank of India (SBI) issued electoral bonds to the tune of Rs 3,622 crore in March and April this year. SBI, the biggest lender in India, is the only bank authorised to issue and encash electoral bonds.

In its response to an RTI filed by Pune-based Vihar Durve, SBI disclosed that electoral bonds worth over Rs 2,256 crore were issued in the month of April, which was up by 65.21 per cent from March month issue, at Rs 1,365.69 crore.

As per the filing, Mumbai saw the maximum value of electoral bonds issued in April, at Rs 694 crore, followed by Rs 417.31 crore in Kolkata, Rs 408.62 crore in New Delhi and Rs 338.07 crore in Hyderabad, among other cities.

ALSO READ: Electoral bonds: Govt curtails sale period from 10 days to 5 days in May

Electoral bonds was launched on March 1 last year by the Modi government as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties. The bonds may be purchased by a person who is a citizen of India "or incorporated or established in India," the government had said in a statement last year.

The bonds' sale opens in SBI branches when the Finance Ministry issues a notification of their sale for a given period and remains valid for 15 days for encashment by an eligible political party, only through an account with the authorised bank.

Only the political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and which secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, shall be eligible to receive the bonds.

ALSO READ: RBI warns finance panel, says income support schemes, farm loan waivers may lead to fiscal slippages for states
Lok Sabha Election 2019 Live Updates: On the last day of campaigning for the 6th phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Congress party at a public rally in Rohtak. He slammed Sam Pitroda for saying whatever happened in 1984 happened and questioned the BJP government's performance in the past five years. He also said that Indian economy is the fastest growing economy in the world. In another rally in Mandi, PM Modi said that Congress abused him after the 2016 surgical strike and they abused him again after the airstrike earlier this year.

Political parties and leaders are trying to pull all the stops to woo voters as major candidates will hold roadshows in Delhi. BSP Chief Mayawati is scheduled to address a public meeting at Ramlila Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address rallies in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi and Hoshiarpur in Punjab, while Congress President Rahul Gandhi will also canvass for his party in Himachal and Punjab- in Una and Chandigarh. His sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign in Uttar Pradesh (UP).

Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2019: Poll dates, full schedule, voting FAQs, election results, constituencies' details

Follow the Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE updates on the BusinessToday.In blog here:

7:05pm: Rahul Gandhi reduces Congress to a double digit party: Arun Jaitley

"Congress is reduced to a double digit party by Rahul Gandhi but congressmen are hoping against hope to break the double digit barrier. Mayawati is fully determined to throw her hat in the ring. Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu believe that they are opposition's 'Sutradhars'," Jaitley has tweeted.

6:50pm: Sam Pitroda, Congress on his remarks on '84 riots: What I meant was move on. We have other issues to discuss as to what BJP govt did and what it delivered. I feel sorry that my remark was misrepresented, I apologise. This has been blown out of proportion.

Sam Pitroda, Congress on his remarks on '84 riots: The statement I made was completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi isn't good, what I meant was 'jo hua vo bura hua,' I couldn't translate 'bura' in my mind. pic.twitter.com/ZATArjpC79 - ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

6:40pm: PM Modi takes a jibe on Congress leader Sam Pitroda's insensitive comment 'Hua to Hua' over 1984 Sikh Riots.

6:30pm: Not only Made in India, we've to print Made in Chandigarh behind cellphones: Rahul Gandh

R Gandhi in Chandigarh: Narendra Modi said Made in India, Startup India & unemployment is now at all-time high in 45 yrs. I want to tell youth, especially those in Chandigarh, we've to compete with China. Not only Made in India, we've to print Made in Chandigarh behind cellphones pic.twitter.com/7s2Twa1aRF - ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

6:10pm: "Congress has one more stain on it which can never be cleaned. Can Punjab ever forget 1984? Who is responsible for what happened then? For three decades injustice was meted out to my Sikh brothers and sisters, and now Congress has said 'hua to hua," PM Modi said at a rally in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, as per ANI report.

5.50pm: Congress party issues statement over Sam Pitroda's remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Congress party issues statement over Sam Pitroda's remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. States, '...We continue to support the quest for justice for 1984 riot victims. Any opinion remark made by any individual to the contrary including Sam Pitroda is not the opinion of Congress party' pic.twitter.com/Yd1rxfYCYe - ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

5.20pm: "I have said it already, I don't accept that statement. It's duty of the successive governments to find out how it happened, who all were responsible, it must be found, doesn't matter how many years have passed," said Punjab CM Amarindar Singh on Sam Pitroda's comment on 1984 Sikh riots.

5.09pm: "Under the pressure of Congress, Modi ji is doing kabaddi-kabaddi, which he won't be able to continue for long. In the game of kabaddi, the player is out of the game when he takes a breath," said Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Una.

5.01pm: In a reply to an RTI filed, the SBI said that electoral bonds issued in the month of March was more than Rs 1,365 crore, which had risen to more than Rs 2,256 crore in the month of April. Out of cities mentioned in the RTI, Mumbai Main saw the highest number of electoral bonds issued at more than Rs 694 crore.

4.55pm: "When I asked Modi about Rafale in the parliament, he could not give me a reply. He could not look India in its eyes. Today India wants to know whose chowkidari did the PM do," said Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Una.

4.50pm: Chief Electoral Office of the state has sent a report to the Election Commission of India regarding the money seized from BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Ghatal, Bharati Ghosh's car earlier today.

4.49pm: "Congress did not provide our soldiers with bullet-proof jackets for so many years. They do not care about our soldiers. After our government was formed, we fulfilled this promise too," said PM Modi in Mandi.

4.44pm: Supreme Court reserves the order on the contempt petition filed by BJP MP Meenakashi Lekhi, against Rahul Gandhi for attributing his 'Chowkidar chor hai' comment to Supreme Court: ANI.

4.40pm: "You should know about the kind of politics Congress party and these 'mahamilawati' people indulge in. They say that there should be talks with separatists, Sedition law should be scrapped, special powers to soldiers should be scrapped," said PM Modi in Mandi.

4.30pm: "Insulting the Army is a habit of the Congress. Whether it is the country's security or the Army's dignity, your chowkidar (watchman) is always alert," said PM Modi in Mandi.

4.20pm: "You saw in 2016 that when our brave soldiers performed the surgical strikes, Congress abused me instead of Pakistan. Even this year after the air strikes, Congress abused me instead of Pakistan," said PM Modi in Mandi.

4.10pm: "After Pulwama, entire Himachal Pradesh was angry. You all wanted to punish the terrorists. Your chowkidar (watchman) heard your voice and paid heed to your concerns and gave full freedom to the soldiers to cross the border and destroy the terrorists," said PM Modi in Mandi.

4.00pm: "It is with your blessings that India has developed in every sphere in the last 5 years," said PM Modi in Mandi.

3.55pm: "The truth and the voice of the people has trapped Modi. Now he cannot even give speeches. He cannot even talk about unemployment, farmers, the youth, women because he hasn't done anything," said Rahul Gandhi in Una.

3:50pm: Commodore Ajay Chitnis (retd.) said that in 1987 he had drafted and planned the trip of then PM Rajiv Gandhi while he was posted at the naval headquarters in Delhi. He also said that there are some factual inaccuracies mentioned by PM Modi. He corrected Mr Modi saying the trip happened in the month of December in the year 1987 when PM Rajiv Gandhi took passage on board INS Virat along with Mrs Sonia Gandhi from Thiruvananthapuram to Lakashdweep islands.

Commodore Ajay Chitnis (retd.) who resides in Pune said the PM Rajiv Gandhi was in Thiruvananthapuram attending the closing ceremony of the National Games and from there he was to go to Lakshadweep to chair the Islands Development Authority Meeting. Both of them arrived onboard INS Viraat by helicopter and the next day they were disembarked at the islands from INS Virat. There were no other friend and family on board.

3.46pm: "This is the mentality of BJP, even today BJP leaders are saying the same things that were written in the pamphlet. They have filed defamation case against us after defaming us. We are sending defamation notice to Gautam Gambhir today. We will not leave this matter," said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

3.40pm: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, "Atishi is a highly educated and an accomplished woman. Her work has been great in the field of education which is being discussed worldwide. I don't understand why BJP can't tolerate achievements made by women."

3.30pm: "Only Narendra Modi can keep the country safe," said Amit Shah in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana.

3.20pm: "For 55 years Rahul Gandhi's family ruled the country but could not do anything to eradicate poverty. On the other hand, the Modi government is working to provide free treatment to the poor up to Rs 5 lakh through the Ayushman Bharat scheme," said Amit Shah in Charkhi Dadri in Haryana.

3.18pm: "We will support whoever will be forming the govt at the Centre except Modi ji and Amit Shah, on the promise that Delhi will be given statehood," said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

3.00pm: Visuals from Jaya Bachchan and Dimple Yadav's roadshow in Prayagraj.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders Jaya Bachchan and Dimple Yadav hold a roadshow in Prayagraj. #LokSabhaEelctions2019 pic.twitter.com/DJ805FinpZ - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 10, 2019

2.37pm: "Don't take names of individuals, any threat to nation, be it by people or system, whether it's on land, sky or in space, BJP is bound to protect India and Indians," tells PM Modi to ANI when asked if Hafiz Saeed and Dawood Ibrahim will face the same consequences like Masood Azhar.

2.33pm: On May 12, Delhi Metro will start operations two hours before its regular timing. Instead of 6am, the train services will begin at 4am.

2.30pm: "Congress can't fight elections on issues of development so they manufacture a lie for which no facts are needed, but BJP is answerable to people and we keep all issues in front of public," PM Modi tells ANI.

2.18pm: "Congress' arrogance got them 44 seats and now people of India will ensure that they slip even further," said PM Modi in an interview to ANI.

2.10pm: PM Modi on KCR/Chandrababu Naidu meeting Opposition leaders: "For first three phases they were all abusing Modi, now since then when they sensed which way wind was blowing they started abusing EVMs. Like in cricket the batsman who gets out sometimes abuses the umpire, they are abusing EC."

2.00pm: "Modi started the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative from Haryana. The sex ratio used to be 871 women for every 1,000 men. Now it has improved to 922 women for every 1,000 men," said Amit Shah in Hisar.

1.55pm: "Before Haryana would have Chautala-Hooda governments turn by turn. When Chautala would come, there would be rampant hooliganism and when Hooda would come there would be rampant corruption. Manohar Lal ji's government has made Haryana free of hooliganism and corruption," said Amit Shah in Hisar.

1.45pm: "Why would anyone holiday on an aircraft carrier? It's not a cruise ship!" said Rahul Gandhi. Read full story here.

1.35pm: BJP protests outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence against Congress leader Sam Pitroda's remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Delhi: BJP protests outside Congress President Rahul Gandhi's residence against Congress leader Sam Pitroda's remarks on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. pic.twitter.com/SIF7pD1Dcb - ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

1.25pm: "When Samjhauta blast happened, Congress helped Pakistani terrorists flee and framed the innocent ones. They started screaming that Hindus are terrorists," said PM Modi in Rohtak.

1.17pm: "Every Sikh was made a target in Haryana, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and other states. This was done by every small and big leader of the Congress party and they now say 'what happened happened'," said PM Modi in Rohtak.

1.15pm: PM Modi said in Rohtak, "One of the most prominent Congress leader said 'what happened happened' in referrence to the 1984 Sikh riots. This leader is the confidante of the Gandhi family, Rajiv Gandhi's friend and Rahul Gandhi's guru."

1.10pm: PM Modi said in Rohtak, "Whatever Indian achieved in the last five years it was because of your vote."

1.08pm: "The fastest train in the country, Vande Bharat, the mobile in your hands are now all manufactured in India. Now along with water, land and air, India can do surgical strike in the space as well," said PM Modi in Rohtak.

1.07pm: At a rally in Rohtak, PM Modi said, "Today Indian economy is the fastest-growing. In 2014, India was in the 11th spot and is now on the 6th spot. It will soon be on the 5th spot."

1.01pm: Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) conducts route march in East Midnapore ahead of Phase 6.

West Bengal: Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) conducts route march in East Midnapore ahead of 6th phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 on May 12 pic.twitter.com/NJEMlIReG9 - ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2019

12.55pm: AAP East Delhi candidate Atishi says, "If BJP and Gautam Gambhir can do this with an empowered woman then how will he ensure security to rest of the women? We have filed a complaint with Delhi Commission of Women, we will soon file a complaint with the Election Commission and Delhi Police."

12.50pm: One section of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) containing 8 personnel will be deployed at each booth in Naxal-prone Jhargram in Phase 6 of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on May 12.

12.45pm: Election Commission issues notice to Congress leader and state minister Omkar Singh Markam for meeting government officers in presence of Collector on April 20, thus violating Model Code of Conduct. He has been asked to respond within 24 hours.

12.31pm: AAP East Delhi candidate Atishi says that the "sickening pamphlet" has only strengthened her resolve to fight injustice.

Have been overwhelmed by the support and solidarity that has come forward from all over the country! I came into politics to fight against injustice; and this sickening pamphlet has only strengthened my resolve! #_ - Atishi (@AtishiAAP) May 10, 2019

12.30pm: Former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa: "More than 20 Congress MLAs are not happy with the present government, they might take any decision at any time. Let us wait and see."

12.15pm: West Bengal Election Commission has sought a report from the District Magistrate regarding in BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh's case. Ghosh was detained till 2am after Rs 1.13 lakh was seized from her vehicle.

12.09pm: BJP says, "Metro extended to 10 cities from just Delhi."

We don't just promise, we deliver. Promise: To build quality integrated public transport system, and create an eco-friendly environment. Delivery: Metro extended to 10 cities from just Delhi. Waterways are operational on several sections of major rivers. #JitegaModiJitegaBharat pic.twitter.com/SbqxVOnxMR - BJP (@BJP4India) May 10, 2019

12.00pm: Lakshadweep Congress says, "Shri Rajiv Gandhi ji did not visit Lakshadweep in 1987 for a vacation but for an official trip."

Shri Rajiv Gandhi ji did not visit Lakshadweep in 1987 for a vacation but for an official trip where he met people of Lakshadweep & tried to understand their issues. This picture is from that visit where he is interacting with Islanders & Late P M Sayeed. #SabseBadaJhootaModi pic.twitter.com/w6MUHmn6t5 - Lakshadweep Congress (@INCLakshadweep) May 9, 2019

11.45am: Ex IPS officer and BJP candidate from Ghatal, Bharati Ghosh, was detained by police for 4 hours till 2am today, after Rs 1.13 lakh was seized from her vehicle. Ghosh said there were 4 people inside the vehicle and she was only carrying Rs 50,000 of her own as allowed by EC: ANI.

11.40am: SC today decided to hear on May 13 a petition filed by lawyer, Nizamuddin Pasha, challenging ECI's decision refusing to reschedule voting commencement time from 7 am to 5 am for the next two phases of voting to ease difficulty for Muslims in voting during the holy month of Ramzan: ANI.

11.36am: The bid for Delhi continues. Congress says that it increased the average income of a Delhiite six fold.

Due to rapid infrastructural growth, consistent job creation & sound economic policies from the @SheilaDikshit led Congress govt, the average income of a Delhiite increased 6 times from 1997 to 2012 Vote for Congress- bring back jobs, bring back growth.#DilliKeDilMeinCongress pic.twitter.com/rb7bm5OubO - Congress (@INCIndia) May 10, 2019

11.30am: BJP also tries its hand in sloganeering.

"Dilli ke dil mein hain desh prem, Dilli ke dil mein hain Modi."

(Patriotism is in the heart of Delhi, Modi is in the heart of Delhi)

11.23am: Congress dabs in some poetry:

"Dilli ko roshan kiya,

Jivan mein hum laye ujala.

Dilli bhi ab yaad kar rahi,

Woh shashan Congress wala."

(We lit Delhi up, we brought light to the lives. Even Delhi is now remembering Congress' rule.)

11.17am: Mayawati slams PM Modi and says, "PM's accusation that 'mahagathbandhan' is casteist, is absurd. How can those who suffered from casteism be casteist? Entire country knows he isn't an OBC by birth, he hasn't suffered from the atrocities of casteism. So he shouldn't say such lies about 'mahagathbandhan'."

11.15am: Election facts: Both BJP and Congress perform dismally when it comes to number of women candidates.

11:10am: Election facts: Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of women candidates.

11.08am: Election facts: More women are contesting elections now. In 1999, 6.1% of the candidates were women, which has risen to 8.9% in 2019.

11.01am: Congress takes the exchange of words forward.

Just let us know the dates of PM's press conference, we'll do a special screening. https://t.co/zbzULx6LGd - Congress (@INCIndia) May 9, 2019

10.58am: Not to be outdone, BJP hits back.

Dear Rahul Gandhi, Speaking of interviews, we found this one photo from your India Today interview. When do you plan to release the video from that memorable interview? Oh wait - you're nervous and want to hide something from that interview, right? https://t.co/cR32va27uE pic.twitter.com/Ho21LNuzHu - BJP (@BJP4India) May 9, 2019

10.56am: Rahul Gandhi takes a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dear Mr Modi, Your recent statements, interviews & videos are giving India the distinct feeling that you're cracking under presssure. You are, however, certainly right to be nervous about the results. - Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 9, 2019

10.50am: Arun Jaitley continued his attack on the Congress party.

Will the Congress President oust his 'Guru', who rubbishes the genocide of India's most patriotic community in 1984? - Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 10, 2019

10.40am: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley slams Sam Pitroda's comment on the Sikh riots. "Sam Pitroda's 'Hua to Hua' reaction to the 1984 Sikh killings is reflective of the lack of remorse on the part of Congress Party with respect to the 1984 genocide," he tweeted. Pitroda had said that there is no point harping on something that occured in the past and questioned why the BJP is silent about its work in the last five years.

10.30am: Arun Jaitley slams Congress; says they have no remorse over the 1984 Sikh riots.

It is a matter of disgrace that the Congress Party has no remorse over the Sikh killings of 1984. - Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 10, 2019

10.25 am: We are being defamed by BJP: Delhi Deputy CM and AAP leader Manish Sisodia.

"We are being defamed and they (BJP) are saying they will file defamation against us? We are going to send defamation notice to them today," said Delhi Deputy CM and Aam Aadmi Party leader, Manish Sisodia on 'derogatory' remarks pamphlet against AAP's Atishi.

Delhi Deputy CM and Aam Aadmi Party leader, Manish Sisodia on 'derogatory' remarks pamphlet against AAP's Atishi: We are being defamed and they (BJP) are saying they will file defamation against us? We are going to send defamation notice to them today. pic.twitter.com/eZN0oNNBc6 - ANI (@ANI) 10 May 2019

10.00 am: Bigwigs in fray as 8 seats in MP go to polls on Sunday.

After 13 of the 29 Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh voted in the previous two phases, quite a few bigwigs are in the fray as eight more seats get ready to vote in the sixth phase of polling on May 12.

Among the constituencies going to the polls on Sunday is Bhopal, which has grabbed a lot of attention after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded the controversial Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, against veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.

The other bigwigs in the fray include former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia of the Congress from Guna and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar of the BJP from Morena.

The five other seats set to vote on Sunday are Vidisha, Bhind, Gwalior, Sagar and Rajgarh. Barring Guna which was won by Scindia, all the other seats went to the BJP in 2014.

(-IANS)

9.45 am: BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir to file defamation case against Kejriwal, Sisodia, Atishi.

"I condemn what has happened. I am from a family where I have been taught to respect women. I didn't know CM Arvind Kejriwal would stoop so low. I have filed a defamation case," said BJP candidate from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir.

BJP East Delhi candidate, Gautam Gambhir on AAP candidate Atishi: I condemn what has happened. I am from a family where I have been taught to respect women. I didn't know CM Arvind Kejriwal would stoop so low. I have filed a defamation case. pic.twitter.com/Dgrov90Pql - ANI (@ANI) 10 May 2019

9.15 am: Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will hold four public meetings in Siddharthnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Bhadohi today.

9.00 am: BJP President Amit Shah will address two public meetings in Haryana - Hisar and Charkhi Dadri today.

8.45 am: Congress President Rahul Gandhi will hold two public meetings in Himachal Pradesh's Una and Chandigarh today.

8.30 am: PM Modi's election schedule today:

Public meeting in Rohtak, Haryana.

Public meeting in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

Public meeting in Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
Amid the raging controversy over former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi using Indian Naval warship INS Viraat to vacation in the Lakshadweep, his son Rahul Gandhi continues to defend the family's actions. The Congress President told the Hindustan Times that while he did visit the aircraft carrier with his father, it was not a holiday, but an official trip. "Why would anyone holiday on an aircraft carrier? It's not a cruise ship!" he told the daily.

Gandhi also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "obsessed" with his family. "I don't think about my father, grandmother or great-grandfather as much as Mr Modi does. He thinks that that's the place where he's going to find his escape. Best of luck to him!'' he added in the interview.

On Wednesday, Modi had accused the Gandhi family of using INS Viraat as its "personal taxi" for a holiday back in 1987 while speaking at a rally in Delhi. "Ever imagined that a premier warship of the Indian armed forces could be used as a taxi for a personal holiday? One dynasty did it," Modi had said, launching a fresh attack on the late Congress leader days after throwing the "Bhrashtachari no 1" barb.

"Rahul Gandhi says the armed forces are no one's personal forces. But the Gandhis used INS Viraat as their personal taxi when Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister was on a 10-day holiday. The ship was on duty but was diverted to pick up the Gandhis," Modi had said at the rally. He further claimed that the Indian Navy was made to host the Gandhi family and Rajiv Gandhi's in-laws, while a helicopter was also deployed in their service.

The Congress was quick to hit back, calling Modi a "serial liar" who has made Indian Air Force jets his "own taxi". The party spokesperson Pawan Khera also pointed out that retired Indian Navy Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha had clarified that Rajiv Gandhi had been on an official visit on INS Viraat, not on a vacation. "But facts don't matter to Modi. He doesn't have anything to talk about his own achievements. Rahul Gandhi has been challenging him for the last six months now to debate on the Rafale deal, demonetisation, unemployment, but Modi does not have the courage to speak," Khera said at a press conference.

The Congress President, too, picked up Modi's allegations at an election rally in Haryana on Thursday. "If you have to talk about Rajiv Gandhi and about me, do so definitely," Gandhi said, adding, "But first explain what you have done on the Rafale issue. You should also explain to the people your unkept promise of 2 crore jobs for the youth." He also put the spotlight on Modi's other electoral promises such as giving farmers the right price for their produce and putting Rs 15 lakh into bank accounts.

Gandhi also told the daily that he thinks about India much more than the PM does, challenging Modi's image of working 24x7. "I will bet you, whatever you want, that as far as thinking about India is concerned, I'm spending at least 10 times the amount of time that Mr Narendra Modi is spending," said Gandhi, adding that the best test of this would be a debate between him and the prime minister.

Also read: Lok Sabha Election 2019 Live Updates: SC to take up Rafale deal review petition, contempt plea against Rahul Gandhi today

Also read: Modi lists out abuses hurled at him, says Cong did not even spare his mother
Banks have traditionally been the most preferred sector for fund managers. Equity mutual funds having the highest ever holdings of Rs 2.6 lakh crore in banking stocks as of March 2019 affirm their love for the sector. As per the latest data available from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), overall deployment of equity funds in bank stocks grew around 52 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in the month compared to 29.1 per cent y-o-y in the previous month. With this, equity mutual funds' exposure to banking stocks climbed to an all-time high of 23.8 per cent in March compared to 22.87 per cent in the previous month.

The rally in banking stocks in 2019 led to an increased exposure of this space by mutual funds. The BSE Bankex outperformed the benchmark Sensex by around five percentage points in the last quarter of fiscal 2018/19. The Bankex index grew 11.5 per cent compared to a single digit growth of 6.7 per cent in the 30-scrip index, over the same period. "Mutual funds selectively added to their banking exposure in the 2018 correction. They took exposure to stocks that were seeing a gradual turnaround in their performance and were available at low valuations, especially those in the corporate banking space. The swift rally in banking space, thanks to heightened buying by FPIs, ensured a sharp rally and swelling of bank exposure for MFs," says Vidya Bala, head of mutual fund research, FundsIndia.

ALSO READ: Allahabad Bank FY19 loss widens to Rs 8,457.38 crore on higher NPA provisions

After banks, finance and software were the next preferred sectors with a share of 9.42 per cent and 8.63 per cent and their assets under management (AUM) stood at Rs 1.03 lakh crore and Rs 94,703 crore at the end of March 2019.

The momentum took the AUMs of equity funds to never seen levels of 10.97 lakh crore in the month. It registered a five-month high y-o-y growth of 23.8 per cent. March witnessed a sharp increase in AUMs of equity funds by around 14 percentage points, from 10.23 per cent in February. Average increase in AUMs over the past six months was 13.28 per cent. The benchmark Sensex witnessed a three -year high monthly returns of 7.8 per cent in March 2019. This momentum was, however, short-lived with a skimpy return of 0.93 per cent in the following month.

The current phase provides an opportunity for funds to invest in this space with quality stocks. "Banks (YES Bank is an example) are now more willing to write off large chunks and clean up the table. FY20 will see more banks clearing their baggage and will begin to focus on growth. While there could be near-term shocks (ICICI Bank's Q4 results for example) we think, the current phase would provide an opportunity for funds to invest in quality banking stocks," adds Bala.

Business and assets that NBFCs lost in the present liquidity crisis could move to select banks contributing to their growth in the current fiscal.

ALSO READ: Canara Bank reports net profit of Rs 347.02 crore in FY19; provision coverage ratio improves
Reliance Industries' Rs 620 crore buyout of British-origin Hamleys gives it access to the Hamleys' network of 167 stores in as many as 18 countries. In fact, this acquisition is the Indian retailer's first move to fight Amazon and Walmart on the global turf. The last year has seen the bankruptcy of the world's biggest toy retailer, Toys R Us, which is known to have clearly lost out to Amazon and Walmart. Amazon, by virtue of being an online retailer, was able to offer far more stock keeping units (SKUs) and variety to the consumers than Toys R Us could, while Walmart clearly superseded the retailer by bagging all the important merchandising deals. The consumers didn't feel the need to visit a Toys R Us store, as they found it all in Walmart. They preferred shopping under one roof for both groceries as well as toys.

Back in India, one needs to wait and watch if Reliance Retail through its Hamleys acquisition will affect the Walmart and Amazon in the same way they affected Toys R Us globally. While Hamleys in India clearly plays at the premium end, it will be interesting to see how Reliance will take the Hamleys brand to the nook and corner of the country through its e-commerce platform. One of the reasons Amazon had a clear advantage over Toys R Us was its ability to offer far more SKUs than the latter and Reliance Retail is already looking at making inroads into the farthest corners of India where e-commerce doesn't reach through its network for Jio stores.

Availability of good quality toys is a huge issue in the Indian market as the Rs 4,500 crore toys market is virtually stagnant. Over 80 per cent of branded toys in the country are imported and hence are expensive and therefore the price sensitive Indian consumers often resort to cheap Chinese-made toys. To add to that, mobile games have taken a fair share of attention of kids away from physical toys. This has resulted in the closure of many mom and pop toy stores, while organised retailers have cut down space for toys as the footfalls have dipped by close to 60 per cent. The only serious toy retailers in India are Hamleys (Reliance had the licence to retail Hamleys in India) and Crossword.

Will Reliance Retail be able to grow the stagnant Indian toy market through the acquisition of Hamleys? The sprawling Hamleys stores in the big cities indeed do their bit of making toy shopping magical. Whether Reliance can recreate the same magic across the country is something that one will eagerly wait to unfold. Its biggest task would be to offer quality toys at affordable prices.

Also read: Mukesh Ambani buys world's oldest toy shop Hamleys: 7 facts you probably don't know

Also read: Liberty on a firm footing; targets turnover of Rs 1,000 crore by 2022
10 May 2019, 3:58 PM

McDonald's vs Vikram Bakshi finally over! American fast food giant buys out estranged partner's stake

McDonald's announced it has reached an out-of-court settlement with its estranged partner in India, Vikram Bakshi. The US-based fast food major has bought out the stake of Bakshi in Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd (CPRL) that operated chain of McDonald's restaurants in north and east India. The company, however, did not disclose financial details of the settlement. With the completion of the deal with Bakshi, CPRL is now wholly owned by McDonald's India Pvt Ltd (MIPL) and its affiliate (McDonald's Global Markets LLC, "MGM").

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes says it is time to break up the company

Facebook Inc co-founder and former Mark Zuckerberg roommate Chris Hughes has called for the break up of the social network in an opinion piece in the New York Times. "We are a nation with a tradition of reining in monopolies, no matter how well intentioned the leaders of these companies may be. Mark's power is unprecedented and un-American," Hughes wrote here on Thursday. He said that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has allowed a relentless focus on growth to crush competitors and "sacrifice security and civility for clicks."

Reliance Industries arm acquires British toymaker Hamleys for undisclosed sum

Reliance Brands Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, said Thursday it will acquire Hamleys Global Holdings Limited, the owner of British toy brand Hamleys, for an undisclosed amount. Hamleys, owned by Hong Kong-listed C Banner International Holdings, has 167 stores across 18 countries. In India, Reliance has the master franchise for Hamleys and presently operates 88 stores across 29 cities.

RBI withdraws circular asking banks to declare exposure to IL&FS

Following an NCLAT order, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has withdrawn its circular asking banks and financial institutions to declare details of their exposure and provisions related to the crisis-hit IL&FS. Last week, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had allowed banks to declare their defaulting accounts of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) and its group companies as non-performing assets.

Food services industry to play critical role in India's growth, says Niti CEO Amitabh Kant

The food services and restaurant industry will play a critical role in pushing India's economic growth, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said Thursday.Kant also pointed out that the restaurant industry is the third largest after retail and insurance in the services sector. Kant also said there will be a huge food revolution in India and it will be driven by Indian entrepreneurs and chefs.

Amazon's Bezos unveils lunar lander project 'Blue Moon'

Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world and head of space company Blue Origin, announced Thursday his intent to participate in the new race to the Moon with a high-tech lander to carry vehicles and equipment. "This is Blue Moon," the 55-year-old said at a carefully choreographed presentation in Washington, as curtains lifted to show a model of a huge vessel. It will weigh more than three metric tons empty, 15 fully fueled, and be capable of carrying 3.6 tons to the lunar surface -- or 6.5 in a variant model.

Jet Airways faces fresh trouble, SFIO to probe if promoters siphoned off funds

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has asked Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to initiate a probe into Jet Airways and its subsidiaries over suspicions that the promoters of the company siphoned off funds, reports said. Weighed down by a debt burden of Rs 8,400 crore, the airline had to suspend operations in mid-April after it ran out of funds to stay afloat.
Ireland is set to host its first Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit this June, in line with the Phase 1 launch of an investment project of 400 million to Irelands midlands region.

Over one hundred high level Chinese business leaders, CEOs and investors will be arriving in to Ireland to discuss partnerships, trade deals and opportunities between Ireland and China. Industries covered will include finance, healthcare, agriculture, science & technology, cultural & creative, education and more.

The event will be co-chaired by Mr Long Yongtu, Chinas Former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the SEES Committee who are overseeing the investment project.

Guest speakers will include the incoming Chinese Ambassador, His Excellency He Xiang Dong, Mr Wanchun Zheng, President of China Minsheng Banking Corp and many other high level executives from China and Ireland.

The Sino-European Entrepreneurs Summit is an annual gathering of business and political leaders from China and Europe. The purpose of the SEES programme is to help Chinese business leaders and their European counterparts build personal relationships and share industry insights with one another while working towards establishing investment, trade and technology partnerships. Celebrating its 10th successful year, this is Irelands first time to host the event.

The 3-day event is open to business leaders and government officials across Ireland who are interested in building long-term working relationships with Chinese investors and CEOs and discuss the upcoming opportunities in Phase 1 of the 400 million investment project in the midlands. Irish food and beverage samples and technology demonstrations will also be exhibited at the event.

From Thursday 13 June to Saturday 15 June, delegates are invited to a pre-summit dinner in Dublin followed by the full-day summit with evening reception and dinner in Killashee House, Co. Kildare.

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan TD, yesterday announced an investment of 230 million in six SFI Research Centres as part of Project Ireland 2040.

The 230 million investment made by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation through Science Foundation Ireland, will directly benefit approximately 850 researchers employed by the centres, while also supporting the Governments Future Jobs Ireland initiative.

The investment is buoyed by industry support with 170 industry partners committing to investing over 230 million in cash and in-kind contributions over the next six years.

The 170 industry collaborators include both multinational companies and SMEs based in Ireland and international. They include companies such as AuriGen Medical, Raydiant Oximetry Inc., DePuy Ireland, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Intel, Nokia Bell Labs, DuPont, Nutricia, Danone, Janssen, Abbvie, Cremo, Alimentary Health, DSM, Kerry, Pepsico, Tate & Lyle, Integra LifeSciences, ESB, Gas Networks Ireland, Brookfield Renewables, DP Energy, and OceanEnergy.

Under the new funding model, these six SFI Research Centres are successfully scaling up to secure 66% of the funding from other sources, so only 34% of their funding over the six years will now come from Science Foundation Ireland.

The SFI Research Centres network involves strong collaborative partnerships between research bodies in Ireland, including Trinity College Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University College Cork, Teagasc, Cork Institute of Technology, University College Dublin, National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), NUI Galway, Dublin City University, Tyndall National Institute, Maynooth University, University of Limerick, Technological University Dublin, ESRI, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Athlone Institute of Technology, Limerick Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo, Institute of Technology Tralee, and Waterford Institute of Technology.

Commenting on the announcement, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys said, "This investment by my Department in the six SFI Research Centres is part of the Governments strategy to prepare now for tomorrows world, through plans like Future Jobs Ireland and Project Ireland 2040. The work that has been done to date has positioned Ireland as a world leader in research, further strengthening our global credibility across a number of different sectors. The economic impact of this research is clear, not only through direct and in-direct employment levels, but also through increased foreign direct investment. Our Research Centres not only act as magnets to attract and retain investment; they also encourage companies, both Irish and foreign-owned, to develop their R&D activities here. This will continue to benefit Ireland and the world for years to come."

Director General Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, Professor Mark Ferguson added, "In only a very short period the SFI Research Centres have made incredible progress, in terms of increased academic and industrial collaboration, training PhD students for industry, winning competitive funding from the EU, producing excellent scientific results and public engagement. We look forward to continued support from the Government and industry as we move forward, increasing our ability to positively impact both society and the economy through excellent scientific research."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Archive Dec 2021 (113) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (155) Aug 2021 (184) Jul 2021 (170) Jun 2021 (168) May 2021 (168) Apr 2021 (169) Mar 2021 (179) Feb 2021 (153) Jan 2021 (161) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (152) Oct 2020 (160) Sep 2020 (158) Aug 2020 (169) Jul 2020 (173) Jun 2020 (169) May 2020 (165) Apr 2020 (164) Mar 2020 (144) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (118) Dec 2019 (113) Nov 2019 (105) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (122) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (125) Jun 2019 (116) May 2019 (124) Apr 2019 (117) Mar 2019 (123) Feb 2019 (108) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (125) Nov 2018 (122) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (114) Aug 2018 (127) Jul 2018 (124) Jun 2018 (114) May 2018 (130) Apr 2018 (123) Mar 2018 (128) Feb 2018 (114) Jan 2018 (126) Dec 2017 (123) Nov 2017 (121) Oct 2017 (121) Sep 2017 (116) Aug 2017 (119) Jul 2017 (108) Jun 2017 (116) May 2017 (110) Apr 2017 (111) Mar 2017 (119) Feb 2017 (109) Jan 2017 (108) Dec 2016 (113) Nov 2016 (116) Oct 2016 (118) Sep 2016 (120) Aug 2016 (112) Jul 2016 (111) Jun 2016 (125) May 2016 (111) Apr 2016 (112) Mar 2016 (121) Feb 2016 (114) Jan 2016 (114) Dec 2015 (119) Nov 2015 (117) Oct 2015 (125) Sep 2015 (124) Aug 2015 (103) Jul 2015 (125) Jun 2015 (131) May 2015 (123) Apr 2015 (129) Mar 2015 (133) Feb 2015 (125) Jan 2015 (135) Dec 2014 (134) Nov 2014 (129) Oct 2014 (144) Sep 2014 (127) Aug 2014 (130) Jul 2014 (143) Jun 2014 (131) May 2014 (137) Apr 2014 (139) Mar 2014 (134) Feb 2014 (128) Jan 2014 (141) Dec 2013 (140) Nov 2013 (136) Oct 2013 (145) Sep 2013 (146) Aug 2013 (147) Jul 2013 (151) Jun 2013 (141) May 2013 (150) Apr 2013 (149) Mar 2013 (151) Feb 2013 (133) Jan 2013 (160) Dec 2012 (154) Nov 2012 (157) Oct 2012 (165) Sep 2012 (145) Aug 2012 (161) Jul 2012 (170) Jun 2012 (162) May 2012 (169) Apr 2012 (162) Mar 2012 (162) Feb 2012 (156) Jan 2012 (169) Dec 2011 (157) Nov 2011 (178) Oct 2011 (182) Sep 2011 (170) Aug 2011 (178) Jul 2011 (174) Jun 2011 (157) May 2011 (158) Apr 2011 (164) Mar 2011 (172) Feb 2011 (162) Jan 2011 (177) Dec 2010 (171) Nov 2010 (169) Oct 2010 (182) Sep 2010 (179) Aug 2010 (184) Jul 2010 (190) Jun 2010 (189) May 2010 (198) Apr 2010 (185) Mar 2010 (210) Feb 2010 (195) Jan 2010 (212) Dec 2009 (225) Nov 2009 (209) Oct 2009 (215) Sep 2009 (202) Aug 2009 (230) Jul 2009 (269) Jun 2009 (252) May 2009 (241) Apr 2009 (256) Mar 2009 (254) Feb 2009 (255) Jan 2009 (214) Dec 2008 (204) Nov 2008 (252) Oct 2008 (268) Sep 2008 (304) Aug 2008 (210) Jul 2008 (251) Jun 2008 (206) May 2008 (203) Apr 2008 (202) Mar 2008 (204) Feb 2008 (195) Jan 2008 (212) Dec 2007 (179) Nov 2007 (189) Oct 2007 (179) Sep 2007 (176) Aug 2007 (209) Jul 2007 (155) Jun 2007 (135) May 2007 (106) Apr 2007 (120) Mar 2007 (138) Feb 2007 (77) Jan 2007 (70) Dec 2006 (63) Nov 2006 (70) Oct 2006 (67) Sep 2006 (70) Aug 2006 (61) Jul 2006 (56) Jun 2006 (44) May 2006 (60) Apr 2006 (53) Mar 2006 (45) Feb 2006 (38) Jan 2006 (42) Dec 2005 (46) Nov 2005 (54) Oct 2005 (60) Sep 2005 (46) Aug 2005 (86) Jul 2005 (43) Jun 2005 (47) May 2005 (52) Apr 2005 (39) Mar 2005 (29) Feb 2005 (26) Jan 2005 (12)
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chongqing Changan Automobile Co.,Ltd (Changan Automobile) sold 121,245 vehicles in April, posting a steep year-on-year drop of 35% and month-on-month decline up to 38.3%, the automaker said on May 10.

For the first four months, sales of the Chongqing-based automaker slumped 32.5% from a year earlier to 570,056 units.

The downturn also reflected on most subsidiaries. Especially, two major joint venturesChangan Ford and Changan Mazdasaw their sales in April tumbled 60.9% and 47% respectively.

Changan Ford has been experiencing negative growth for a long while. To revive the sales performance in China, Ford launched in early April the Ford China 2.0 strategy to roll out over 30 new Ford- and Lincoln-branded models in the worlds largest auto market over the next three years, including more than 10 NEV models.

According to local media outlets, Changan Ford plans to release four new models in the second half of the year, including the Focus Active compact crossover, the all-new Edge mid-sized SUV, the all-new Taurus mid-sized sedan and the Escape compact SUV. Of that, the Focus Active is expected to hit the market as early as August. The roll-out of new products is a part of efforts for the joint venture to rescue sales.

Changan Automobile announced earlier this month that its operating income in the first quarter of the year slumped 20% over the previous year to RMB16.008 billion.

Meanwhile, the quarterly net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company reached RMB2.096 billion, a year-on-year nosedive of 250.62%. The net profit excluding non-recurring gains and losses sharply plunged 341% from the year-ago period to RMB2.161 billion.


Modified On May 10, 2019 01:45 PM By Sonny for Toyota Rush

Could it form the base for the new MPV that Toyota and Suzuki are developing together? Or has Toyota decided to finally launch it?

A trailer truck full of Toyota Rush (not sold in India) was spotted in West Bengal.

The Rush is bigger than Creta and Ertiga, but smaller than the BR-V.

Could be a base for developing a new C-segment MPV as part of its partnership with Suzuki?

May launch in India in the meantime as a rival to the BR-V and Marazzo.

Toyota Rush likely to be priced over Rs 10 lakh if launched.

Currently, Toyota doesnt have a compact SUV like the Hyundai Creta or an MPV smaller than the Innova Crysta in the Indian market. However, there is one model in its international portfolio that fits in between - the Rush. Toyota has, in the past, denied bringing the Rush to India. But there have been reports lately that suggest that the carmaker has finally given a nod to the SUV. It has now been spotted for the first time on Indian soil, albeit on a transport trailer.

This compact SUV is a 7-seater and it is longer than the Hyundai Creta but shorter than the Honda BR-V. Its second-gen form was first unveiled in Indonesia in 2017 and is sold in various markets with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. Its still based on a ladder-frame unlike its aforementioned rivals, which are monocoque offerings. There is no official word yet of Toyota planning to launch the Rush in India. However, it may be here to serve a dual purpose.

Dimensions Toyota Rush Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Mahindra Marazzo Honda BR-V Length 4435mm 4395mm 4585mm 4456mm Width 1695mm 1735mm 1866mm 1735mm Height 1705mm 1690mm 1774mm 1666mm Wheelbase 2685mm 2740mm 2760mm 2662mm

As part of Toyotas partnership with Suzuki for model sharing and development, the two have decided to introduce a C-segment MPV , something that could sit between the Ertiga and the Innova Crysta and rival the Mahindra Marazzo. It was also announced that this new MPV would be sold as a Toyota model first and then by Suzuki. However, the timeline for its arrival was not disclosed.

We suspect the Rushs ladder-frame type chassis could form the basis of this new MPV. The Marazzo also rides on a ladder-frame platform and so does the Innova Crysta. So Toyota or Maruti wont really have a tough time pricing this MPV competitively against its sole rival in India due to platform constraints.

By the time the MPV is developed, Toyota might even introduce the Rush in the Indian market with the same 1.5-litre petrol engine as the Yaris compact sedan. As far as the diesel engine is concerned, it remains to be seen if the 1.4-litre diesel engine that does duty on the Corolla Altis is suitable for the Rush in India. If it is, Toyota will have the option to offer it in the Rush too.

If launched in India, expect the Toyota Rush to be priced over the Rs 10 lakh mark. The Rush would rival the likes of the Honda BR-V and the Mahindra Marazzo but the Honda is expected to leave the market by the end of 2019.

Img Source
Photo: CTV News

UPDATE: 4:35 p.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard says dozens of passengers have been rescued from a B.C. whale-watching boat off the coast of Washington state.

The coast guard says the vessel operators reported on Thursday that they had purposely grounded the boat on Smith Island after taking on water for an unknown reason.

Spokeswoman Amanda Norcross says the coast guard, several other agencies and Good Samaritans responded to help the boat with 45 people on board.

She says initially 30 passengers were placed on a Coast Guard vessel, 11 others were transferred to a Canadian tour company vessel, and other boats were sent to help the remaining passengers.

Norcross says passengers are being taken back to Victoria and four crew members stayed behind on the Eagle Wing Tours vessel to help with the salvage operation.

The tour operator did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 The Canadian Press

ORIGINAL: 1:55 p.m.

A Victoria-based whale-watching vessel in distress has been rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Eagle Wing Tours boat, 4 Ever Wild began to take on water off the coast of Washington State after striking a rock near Smith Island.

CTV News is reporting there have been no serious injuries and the boat has beached on Smith Island to stop it from sinking.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria is aware of the incident and is assisting as well.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Twitter/ahjayy

UPDATE: 12:30 p.m.

The BC Coroners Service confirms a child who died Thursday after being left in a hot car in Burnaby was a boy.

Police say no arrests have been made.

RCMP Chief Supt. Deanne Burleigh says investigators are interviewing witnesses and can't release further information at this time.

UPDATE: 11:45 a.m.

RCMP say a toddler has died after being left in a vehicle in Burnaby during a spring heat wave.

Mounties say at 5:45 p.m. Thursday officers responded to a report of an unconscious 16-month-old who was in a car at Kingsway Avenue and Inman Street.

RCMP say the toddler was transported to hospital and declared dead.

Police say initial information provided to officers was that the child had been left unaccompanied in the car for a number of hours.

They say the infant's father was located at the scene and both parents are co-operating in this investigation, and no arrests have been made.

Chief Supt. Deanne Burleigh, officer-in-charge at Burnaby RCMP, says investigators are still interviewing witnesses and are not at a point where any further information can be released.

 The Canadian Press

ORIGINAL: 11:35 a.m.

A child has died after being left in a hot car in Burnaby.

RCMP confirm a 16-month-old child died Thursday as temperatures soared across the region, CTV News reports.

The child was rushed to hospital after being found inside a vehicle on Inman Avenue, but could not be saved.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
California Department of Education

News Release

California Department of Education

News Release

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Appoints Co-Chair for Closing the Achievement Gap Initiative

SACRAMENTOState Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that he has appointed Manufou Liaiga-Anoai as Co-Chair of his statewide Closing the Achievement Gap Initiative. She will partner with Co-Chair Ryan Smith to lead work aligning with the initiatives goals, which include addressing ways to close the achievement gap and improving educational outcomes for all California public education students.

Manufou is a strong public servant and advocate for women, children, and all students, said Thurmond. I know that she will bring a unique voice and strong leadership to the Closing the Achievement Gap Initiative, which is one of the top priorities of my office.

Thurmond launched his Closing the Achievement Gap initiative with a forum in February focusing on schools throughout the state that have shown success in closing the gap for African Americans and other students of color. He followed that up with a second forum in April to address recruitment and retention of teachers of color. Appointing Liaiga-Anoai and Smith as Co-Chairs of the initiative is the next step in assuring that these efforts continue with the highest priority and level of expertise.

Liaiga-Anoai is currently the Health and Nutrition Services Manager for the Institute for Human and Social Development, which administers Head Start and Early Head Start, early childhood education sites throughout San Mateo County. She is the first Samoan Pacific Islander to serve on the Jefferson Elementary School District Board in Daly City, and she also serves on the San Mateo County Commission on the Status of Women.

A dedicated social justice advocate, Liaiga-Anoai continues to be involved in a variety of movements and causes locally and globally. She founded Pacific Islander Community Partnership, a Bay Area non-profit that engages Pacific Islanders in advocacy, education, and empowerment. She created Camp Unity, a free Pacific Islander summer enrichment program to provide a quality summer option for low-income families in the San Francisco Bay Area, which has served more than 3,000 youth to date. This all-volunteer camp has been recognized by President Obama's White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

Her global outreach includes partnerships with One Global Family Foundation to assist in eradicating domestic and child abuse in the Pacific Islands, and raising readers through collaborations with Books for the Barrios. Through these initiatives, children in the South Pacific have received assistance through in-kind donations of books, school supplies, new clothes, toiletries, and non-perishable foods.

# # # #

Tony Thurmond  State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Last Reviewed: Friday, March 5, 2021
Vicat can expect higher returns in USA and Brazil

10 May 2019

This week Vicat announced its 1Q19 results with a positive turnover increase of 4.7 per cent to EUR600m. It is a good opportunity to take a closer look at this multinational and the strength of cement demand in some of the countries where it is operating.



In France, where the company's headquarters are located, the market has been one of the key supports in Vicat's 8.1 per cent rise in turnover to EUR225m. The company cited favourable macroeconomic and industry conditions supported by high levels of infrastructure, industry and commercial segments, offsetting the contraction in the residential segment. Looking ahead Vicat said the fall in building permits was likely to be offset by very healthy trends in the public works, commercial and industry sectors, with prices heading upwards.



While cement sales for the group rose by 5.1 per cent in France, there was less growth in Switzerland, where operational sales rose by 1.2 per cent. The Swiss market has seen growth of CEMII cements but OPC Type1 sales have been falling. The Italian sales grew by 73 per cent after the reallocation of Vicat Prompt cement sales.



The company's second-largest market is the Americas, which consists of the USA and Brazil. In the USA sales of cement dropped by 6.2 per cent. Vicat pointed towards a contraction of demand in California after record rain activity, although selling prices rose and the decline in demand was more moderate in the southeast. Cement sales in USA for the group totalled EUR91m which was -3.7 per cent down on 1Q18. I Brazil, the company has recently invested heavily in acquiring Ciplan. Therefore, cement sales rose to EUR19.3m with volumes close to 350,000t. Prices importantly have started to rise compared to 2018.



The Asian region for Vicat is made up of India and Kazakhstan. Both are growing markets, but they are faced with significant challenges. In India the competition remains very strong and cement volumes were down more than 14 per cent at close to 1.5Mt in 1Q19. Vicat prioritised selling prices over volumes and saw price increases. The Kazakh market was positive for the cement producer with volumes up 11 per cent and 218,000t delivered in the 1Q19 along with higher selling prices. The company describes Kazakhstan's domestic cement markets as being 'dynamic' at the beginning of the year. The Gezhouba Group's Shieli plant was commissioned in December 2018, while Steppe Cement sold some 266,393t of cement in 1Q19 and a new plant was announced in Aktobe in February 2019 and in Kerbulak.



However, the toughest environments for the company remain the Mediterranean markets of Egypt and Turkey although some news was received in case of the former. In Turkey operational cement sales dropped by -27.1 per cent with exchange rates down by -44.2 per cent. Cement volumes contracted by 41 per cent in the quarter as Vicat noted a slowdown in construction and industrial activity. The Egyptian sector picked up in 1Q19 as military operations had affected northern Sinai in 1Q18 forcing the factory to close for two months a year ago.



The smaller African markets of Senegal, Mali and Mauritania reported a nearly six per cent drop in cement volumes. Prices in Mali and Mauritania fell but firmed up in Senegal. Vicat's subsidiary Sococim suffered from operational interruptions in 1Q19 causing a temporary fall in sales from its Rufisque facility. Sococim could now see competition from an import recovy in the next few months with concerns over cement shortages being highlighted in the local press. Cement prices in the country were reported at ZOF60,000t (US$103/t) in 1Q19.



Outlook

In 2019 Vicat expects strong variations in growth, with forecast energy prices to show a further increase before becoming more favourable in the 2H19. The company will continue its policy to hedge its energy requirements and its strategy of fossil fuel substitution. In this context, Vicat predicts a marked improvement in profitability.

Published under
LafargeHolcim signs agreement to sell Philippine operations

10 May 2019

LafargeHolcim has signed an agreement with San Miguel Corp for the sale of its 85.7 per cent share in Holcim Philippines for an enterprise value of US$2.15bn. The deal is expected to close in the 4Q19 and is subject to regulatory approval, according to a press release.



The proceeds of this transaction will allow the company to improve its debt ratio by approximately 0.3 times. Following the divestment of its operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, it has exited the southeast Asian market at a total enterprise value of US$4.9bn.



"With the divestment of our activities in the Philippines, we are completing our exit from the increasingly hyper competitive arena in southeast Asia. While this decision is based on our strategic portfolio review, we have reached very attractive valuations allowing us to achieve a new level of financial strength. We will have over performed our target ratio of Net Debt to Recurring EBITDA of 2 times or less by the end of 2019. We have delivered on the promised strengthening of our balance sheet and we are on track to accelerate the execution of our Strategy 2022  'Building for Growth'", said Jan Jenisch, CEO.

Published under
Bolivia cement imports down 30% in 2018

ICR Newsroom By 10 May 2019

Cement imports into Bolivia fell by 29.6 per cent YoY in 2018 and continue to decline, according to the Bolivian Institute for Exterior Commerce (IBCE).



"In 2017 Bolivia imported 268,404t of cement for a value of US$28.6m dollars, while in 2018 it was reduced to 189,013t for a value of US$20.1m," said the IBCE.



In January-February 2019 the country imported 17,423t of cement with a value of US$1.9m.



Imported cement is sourced from several countries, including Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Germany and Spain.

Published under
Adelaide Brighton issues profit warning for 2019

10 May 2019

Australia's Adelaide Brighton has warned that profits for 2019 could be 10-15 per cent lower than the AUD190.1m (US$133m) recorded in 2018, due to weaker demand in residential construction and high competition from imports.



The company attributed the profit warning to "further softening of demand for construction materials in the residential market, increased competition from cement imports, increased competitive pressures in Queensland and higher costs of key raw materials compared to the prior year".



The announcement comes a day ahead of its annual general meeting, where Raymond Barro is set to become the chairman of the company while Zlatko Todorcevski steps down to a deputy chairman role.



Commenting on the warning, Nick Miller, CEO, has noted how the companys balance sheet remains strong. "While market conditions are expected to impact current year earnings, our balance sheet is strong and provides us with flexibility to pursue new opportunities that arise in challenging market conditions."

Published under
TGPS teachers are given the opportunity to nominate students to be considered for various scholarships. This year Lisa Wilkes, chair of the Math Department, and Tracie Marlin Durham 80, chair of the Science Department, recommended two students for scholarships at separate New York institutions.

Every year since 1933, Bausch + Lomb honors outstanding high school science students with the Bausch + Lomb Honorary Science Award. Winners of the award are automatically considered for the Bausch + Lomb Science Scholarship at the University of Rochester (New York). Only high school juniors who have completed three years of science are eligible to apply. The selection criteria are high achievement and rigor in science studies, high PSAT math scores, and positive contributions to their school and within the larger community. This award, presented to Leightta Sherrill, qualifies her to be a candidate for a scholarship worth at least $10,000 a year for a total of $40,000 over four years to the university.

For more than 100 years, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York), in conjunction with high schools around the world, has awarded the Rensselaer Medal to promising secondary school students who have distinguished themselves in math and science. Students must exhibit the following characteristics: excel in advanced mathematics and science, demonstrate potential for success in a science- or technology-related field, demonstrate consistent achievement in testing performance, and adhere to rigorous academic standards. Awarded to GPS junior Astra Burke, the official Rensselaer Medallion will be presented to her during Honors Convocation in the fall of her first year at Rensselaer if she applies, is accepted, and enrolls, awarding her with a minimum of $25,000 per year in merit scholarship, leading to at least $100,000 during her time at the school.
County School Board member Kathy Lennon said Thursday that "elderly people are not going to be affected if there is a tax increase."

Trustee Bill Hullander disagreed.

He said, "There may be a program in Georgia where the elderly are exempt from the school tax, but here in Hamilton County, Tennessee, the elderly get their full tax bills just like everybody else."

The trustee said there are just 3,500 households in the county on a senior tax relief program, and even their costs would rise if the property tax rate goes up.

Trustee Hullander said in order to qualify for the program, total household income has to be less than $29,300 (counting all those in the household with incomes).

He said the state program provides about $175 toward tax relief per qualifying household. The County Commission in 2017 agreed to chip in half of the state payment for a total of around $265 of relief.

The School Board on Thursday voted 7-2 to approve a budget from Supt. Bryan Johnson that requires a 34-cent property tax increase.

County Mayor Jim Coppinger has been discussing with commission members a 15-cent increase for county general government for an overall hike of 49 cents.

Officials said 49 cents would equate to $240 per year on a $200,000 house.
For more than 100 years, local Scouts have decorated or placed flags on the graves of veterans interred at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. This year, more than 2,000 Scouts, Scout families, and Scout leaders will come together on Saturday, May 25 to place a U.S. flag on the grave of each of the more than 50,000 veterans who served our country.The Cherokee Area Council, BSA will welcome guest speaker Bud Alley, native of Greenville South Carolina who graduated from Furman University with a BS degree and a commission in the Army as a second lieutenant in the Infantry in 1964.In 1965 he was part of the newly formed First Cavalry Division (Airmobile) as it was formed and sent to Vietnam. Mr. Alley, as part of the famed Seventh Cavalry, participated in the battles of the Ia Drang Valley in November 1965, and four more significant large operations. He was decorated with the Combat Infantrymans Badge, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and others for his service. Returning home and leaving the Army, Mr. Alley entered the packaging industry, serving in many capacities with various companies around the South. He retired in 2006 and went back to graduate school at MTSU where he graduated with an MA in public history in 2011. He is currently serving as the volunteer coordinator for the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center as it prepares to open in Aquarium Plaza in February 2020. He and his wife Caroline have been married 53 years and have two children, Meg and Mike, five grandchildren and two dogs.The ceremony will begin at 8 a.m. at the Armed Forces Pavilion. The Choo Choo Chorus will open the ceremony with the National Anthem. The ceremony will conclude with a 21-gun salute delivered by the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council Color Guard. The Command Post Museum will also provide an educational display.After the ceremony, more than 2,000 Scouts, Scout leaders, and Scout family members from the greater Chattanooga area will split into groups and begin placing flags on each grave.This event is one of the highlights of the year for our local Scouting community, said Scott Fosse, the Scout executive for the Boy Scouts Cherokee Area Council. Through the years, we have had several generations of Scouts place flags in this annual event, including Scouts who have placed flags for one of their own family members."One of the basic tenets of Scouting is to instill in youth a duty to serve their country. This annual service project encourages Scouts to learn about the importance of service to others and the sacrifices made by veterans to secure the freedoms millions of Americans enjoy today," officials said.
Ray Bassett describes himself as a storyteller for storytellers.



On Tuesday, he brings a daily talk show to listeners of WUTC-FM 88.1, Chattanoogas National Public Radio station. Scenic Roots will air at 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.



Mr. Bassett recently joined the staff of WUTC, based at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, bringing more than 20 years of experience as a producer and editor in New York Cityincluding with famed broadcaster Charles Osgood on The Osgood File.



Mr.

Bassett also brought the idea of launching a program that didnt exist anywhere else in the citys broadcast market: long-form conversations with the people, events and issues that matter to the region.On Scenic Roots, Mr. Bassett plans to go behind and beyond headlines and bring voices from across the spectrum to conversations that matter in the heart of Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley, he says.Most of all, serious or lighthearted, they want to give the Chattanooga radio audience great stories.I am fascinated by what Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley uniquely offer, Mr. Bassett says.
Alex Sandoval, associate lecturer in special education, was awarded the 2019 Janet Rahamut Award. This award recognizes the faculty member that exhibits the most heart for students evidenced by frequent interaction and positive involvement with them outside the classroom.

The award is named in memory of Dr. Janet Rahamut, an English professor whose tragic death in 2000 shocked the campus and left a tremendous void in the collective heart of the Lee family. The award was created to honor Dr. Rahamuts dedication to her students, in and out of the classroom.

As a former student, and now a member of the faculty, I always heard of Dr. Rahamuts legacy of service, and I am honored and truly humbled to receive this recognition, said Mr. Sandoval.

Mr. Sandoval joined Lees faculty in 2010 where he currently serves as an associate lecturer of special education in the Helen DeVos College of Education. Prior to Lee, he had several years of experience in the Georgia public school system, where he worked as a special education teacher and autism consultant.

He received his masters degree from the University of Missouri and his bachelors degree from Lee University.

As a member of the Lee University family, I am fortunate to engage on a daily basis with co-workers and students who model and live a life of service, Mr. Sandoval said.

A student committee led by the Student Leadership Council chairperson and sponsored by Dr. Mike Hayes, vice president of student development, chooses the recipient of the Rahamut Award. Mr. Sandoval was presented the award during a chapel service in April.
Twenty Lee University students attended the annual Undergraduate Math Conference at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Fourteen of the attending students presented their research at the conference.

Students attended the conference with Lees associate professors of mathematics Dr. Debra Gladden, Dr. Richard Moy, Dr. Jason Schmurr, and Dr. Laura Singletary.

Mentoring these students through research has been such a rewarding experience, said Dr. Gladden. Their creativity, hard work, and presentation were impressive and we are so proud of them.

Students who presented include KyAnna Arthurton, Abby Baucom, Amy Carpenter, Blayne Carroll Jr, Nicolette Gordon, Emily Horner, John Iluno, Ethan Large, Madison Mabe, Connor ORyan, Rebekah Petrosky, Moises Ponce, Kinlee Pruitt, and Chase Toomey.

The students were divided into two separate groups. Students from the Applied and Industrial math class worked on an electrochemistry problem in order to determine when a lithium ion battery will explode, while students from the Introduction to Research class focused on proof and argumentation in a college math course for teachers.

Presentations included topics such as The Role of Proof Schemes in Preparing Future Educators, Modeling Impedance Change in a Simulated Lithium Ion Battery, and Visualizing the Conceptions Within Proof.

For the full list of conference presentations, visit https://www.math.utk.edu/info/undergraduate-math-conference/schedule/.




In the fall of 1972, I arrived at Baylor School as an unsure seventh-grader trying to find my way in an all-boys school where the 11th and 12thgraders seemed like they were already mostly grown young men.

Unbeknownst to me, a 30-year-old woman named Rosemary H.

Knower was beginning her career as a teacher there that same year and likely also felt as if she was entering an environment different from what she had experienced previously.

But she quickly found her place there, even though she apparently came to this former military day and boarding school with a more open view of the world than many of the faculty and most of the students and their families.

The reason for her fast acceptance was that she possessed that greatest of teaching gifts  the somewhat elusive, but timeless, skill of knowing how to make the students enjoy and participate in the learning process.

1978 Baylor classmate Bill Dedman, who has won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative journalism and later co-wrote a bestselling biography, Empty Mansions, was one student who was touched by her teaching gifts.

Rosemary Knower was the most engaging teacher we had in the lower grades at Baylor School in Chattanooga in the early 1970s, among many fine teachers, he said. Teaching the humanities and drama, Mrs. Knower was an early proponent of injecting the arts in our education, whether that meant listening to Renaissance music or Simon & Garfunkel, or watching Shakespeare or silent movies.

Her gift was in making the performing arts seem doable.

As I learned of her death on March 27 at the age of 76 after she suffered a stroke in Pennsylvania, I must admit I had not thought about her a lot over the years. She had left Baylor before I did, and, unknown to me over the years, had gone on to become an accomplished actress on stage and even in a few films, primarily in her later home of Baltimore. She had also continued teaching and doing some freelance writing.

An obituary on her in the Baltimore Sun  which discusses a memorial service planned for June -- is full of praises for her acting talent in various stage productions in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., areas. It also has equally praising plaudits for her real-life role as a successful teacher.

This, of course, does not surprise me, as I too realized I had been touched by her energy. Ironically, one aspect of her life not mentioned in the otherwise detailed and thorough obituary by Jacques Kelly are her three years at Baylor.

The death notice said that she had been born to an Army officer and traveled the world, living for a period in Paris. She later attended the University of South Carolina and met her husband, Henry DuBarry Knower, at a theater in Columbia, S.C.

He came to Chattanooga to serve as an associate theater professor at UT-Chattanooga, and became accomplished in the dramatic realm himself, particularly as a playwright. While here, the Knowers lived at 1438 Wood Nymph Trail on Lookout Mountain.

Herb Barks Jr., the president/headmaster of Baylor School at the time, recalled after hearing of her death that her name had been passed along as a potential Baylor teacher by the late Bruce High, the Baylor librarian.

Mr. High was also involved in adult education and fine arts groups around Chattanooga, and they must have crossed paths somehow.

Dr. Barks recalled that she was a little different from many of the other teachers and came to Baylor at a time when it was not easy to get women teachers, and that those who did come had to be both tough minded and interesting as educators. She managed to succeed in both areas and left her mark in a very positive way, he added.

She challenged the other teachers and the school in a good way, he recalled. Every once in a while, you find a teacher who has a gift for opening up kids to the things they had never thought about.

The 1973 yearbook also lists as women teachers that year Madame Mireille Scheni, the French teacher who was considered the first fulltime female teacher at Baylor; typing teacher Doniphan Lewis, the wife of faculty member Stan Lewis and another early pioneer; Spanish teacher Mrs. Lee Shaw; German teacher Tena Boehm; and math teacher J.V. Armstrong, who later married UTC and South Carolina football coach Joe Morrison.

Also holding professional, student-focused positions on staff that year were library workers Betty Flo Worsham, Julia Cushman and Alice Little, and nurse Velma Hignight.

David Harris, who had been the valedictorian at Baylor in 1966, was just getting started on his long career as a history instructor back at his alma mater when Ms. Knower arrived, and he also recalls her favorably.

Rosemary was a great person and teacher, he said. She did a great job as one of the first women at Baylor.

And she also became involved in the full aspects of school life, Mr. Harris remembered. He recalled that one veteran and popular male teacher, who was never politically correct, would kid her about her feminine figure, comments that would probably be considered harassment today.

But she knew how to defend herself in a proper way and knew how to kid him back, Mr. Harris recalled.

Rosemary gave every bit as good as she got in those exchanges, he said.

On a more personal note, Mr. Harris remembers going through a divorce at that time in the early 1970s, when it was still considered somewhat taboo and frowned upon, but he has not forgotten how caring she was to him during that tough time.

I am sorry to hear she is gone, he said with sincerity.





I had her for a drama class in eighth grade in 1973-74, and I have still not forgotten her unusual classroom in the lower floor of Lupton Annex that was shaped like a theater in that it had different levels. Perhaps it was originally built or later revamped for music or drama rehearsal or performance space.

Just as unusual was the classroom style of perhaps getting to participate in skits and other activities.

Mr. Dedman said he recalled a talent show she put on, jokingly saying she made the best of the poor raw material she had. She also taught him how to play The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss on a glass harp, which, of course, was simply a collection of glasses filled with water to certain levels.

And I think she enlightened us to the world some, too. Apparently following closely the Vietnam War that was winding down by that time, she somehow referenced the unfortunate Kent State University shooting of anti-war protesters on May 4, 1970, in class one time, I recall.

Of course, it was a different experience having a woman who was then in her early 30s, and we obviously immature 13 and 14 year olds might have snickered about that once or twice as well.

But she no doubt taught us to think about the more important and lasting aspects of life, too, such as discovering the joy of learning and stepping out of ones comfort level. After her death became known, several other Baylor students commented on social media about her positive impact.

Dr. Barks said that she was also one of the teachers who laid some important groundwork and initially pushed Baylor toward eventually going coed 10 years after she left.

She had also taught English and social studies at Baylor and also did activities regarding film and theater, and took drama to the elementary schools.

In 1975, she moved up to the Baltimore area as her now-late husband began teaching at the then all-female Goucher College there. In many ways, most of her acclaimed work and many of the lives she touched positively occurred after Baylor, even though it seems like she left quite a mark in Chattanooga.

She went on to teach at two other private schools there, Garrison Forest and Park schools, and had a number of leading stage roles at Maryland area theaters.

Mrs. Knower  who had two sons and a stepdaughter  also appeared in about 10 films, including playing the often-troubled Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln, in Gods and Generals.

She was also commissioned to write a play about the womens suffrage movement on one occasion. But she unfortunately did not live quite long enough for next years planned centennial celebration of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and women gaining the right to vote.

But she will likely get a vote of approval from many Baylor alumni and others for inspiring students to get excited about learning.

Although she was at Baylor only a short time, students still remember her as one of their most influential teachers, Mr. Dedman said.

Jcshearer2@comcast.net
Actors Angelina Jolie and Richard Madden may be joining the Marvel Universe. The two actors are in talks to join the cast of The Eternals, Marvels next superhero film. This could mean even bigger success for the two already successful actors. Marvel is known to make big bucks on their movies and The Eternals would likely be another in the long line of the blockbuster hit, record-breaking films the Marvel Universe already has.



What we know about The Eternals



There arent many details available about The Eternals but we do know Madden, Game of Thrones alum and star of Bodyguard, is in talks to join the cast along with Jolie, who recently starred in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.



(L-R): Angelina Jolie and Richard Madden | Michael Loccisano/Getty Images; Theo Wargo/WireImage

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jolie signed on to the project in March 2019. As for Madden, hes reportedly considering the film, according to The Wrap. Marvel hasnt released the names of cast members yet likely because the film is in the development stages.



What is The Eternals about?



But whats a comic book without an evil villain? The evil villain in the Eternals is a group known as Deviants. They too were created by the Celestials through genetic experiments. Naturally, good (the Eternals) and evil (the Deviants) must fight, which is where the comic book and film come into play.



Who is directing The Eternals?



Chloe Zhao will be directing The Eternals. Zhao directed The Rider and Songs My Brothers Taught Me.



Actor Brady Jandreau (L) and director Chloe Zhao attend a special screening of The Rider at the Writers Guild Theater on April 11, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California. | Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

The Eternals is based on the comic book of the same name Jack Kirby created in 1976, according to Variety. The story takes places millions of years in the past when beings called, Celestials, performed genetic experiments, creating super-powered beings known as the Eternals.

Matthew and Ryan Firpo wrote the script and Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, is producing the film. The Firpo brothers wrote the script, Ruin, about an ex-Nazi captain who goes after his former SS squad to make up for his sins, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Ruin caught the attention of actress Gal Gadot which gave the script traction in the movie industry.



What character will Madden play?



Madden, if he does join the cast, will play Ikaris, an Eternal.



What character will Jolie play?



According to Jolies IMDb page, shell be playing the role of Sersi in The Eternals. Sersi is also an Eternal like Ikaris, according to the characters Marvel profile, and is at least 5,000 years old.

Marvel's #TheEternals Adds Angelina Jolie in Lead Role https://t.co/uEBKT1HAsY pic.twitter.com/d7uv5lgxgr  Comic Book Resources (@CBR) March 27, 2019 Comic Book Resources | Twitter

In modern times, she uses her superpowers to entertain guests at her New York City home when she hosts parties. Her guests have no idea about her real identity and believe her powers are simply party tricks.



Although Jolies IMDb page says shell be playing Sersi, nothing is official. She may also play Sui-San.



Who else will star in The Eternals?



While the details surrounding the film arent available yet, another big name is attached to the project. Kumail Nanjiani of HBOs Silicon Valley and The Big Sick is said to be part of the cast although nothing has been confirmed.



What character will Nanjiani play?



As for Nanjiana, his role in the film has yet to be released.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just welcomed a new little boy. The royal couple had been excited to have children since before they were even married, and the public couldnt wait to see their little one for the first time. But while Meghan has apparently taken some time off for her new son, Harry was back to work just a day after the couple introduced Archie to the world. Why didnt the prince take paternity leave?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their son, Archie Harrison. | Dominic Lipinski  WPA Pool/Getty Images

Meghan has been on maternity leave since late March

The last public appearance Meghan made before her babys arrival occurred when she and Harry visited the New Zealand High Commission in England after the tragic shooting that occurred in New Zealand in March. Since then, Meghan has flown under the radar, getting plenty of rest and some time away from the public eye while she awaited the babys arrival. Harry, on the other hand, continued working and making appearances without his wife, though he probably wished he could be spending time by her side. Now that Archie has arrived, Meghan is taking some time off with the baby, but Harry was quick to get back to work.

There were rumors Harry would take two weeks off, but he didnt

Just before the couple welcomed their baby, sources close to the family claimed that Harry would take two weeks of paternity leave. Harry did come walking out with Archie when he and Meghan introduced the baby for the first time, leading many people to believe the couple was making a statement about their equal parenting roles in Archies life. Two weeks of paternity leave didnt sound far-fetched for the prince, since the royal family is known to almost never stop working. Business Insider reported that a friend of Harrys said he wanted to take paternity leave because he felt it was the modern dad thing to do, but it looks like Harry never followed through with that. He was already back on the grind on Thursday, May 9, when he flew to the Netherlands to attend the Invictus Games.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxPsSy6BNnh/ Prince Harry was back to work just a day after introducing his son to the world.

The royals essentially work for the people, so Harry likely felt he couldnt abandon his duties

Harry might not have taken paternity leave because he felt his cause was too important to take time off. The royals represent the queen, but they essentially work to serve the people. They dedicate their lives to charity work and supporting causes around the world. They learn about the different ways of life in different areas and spend time helping with their patronages. Its possible Harry felt he didnt want to stop working for those causes, despite welcoming a new baby boy. With Doria Ragland there to help Meghan care for the baby, they may have agreed that Harry should continue to make appearances.

Retirement and parental leave just work differently in the royal family

The royals live very different lives from normal people. Maternity and paternity leave dont work the same way for royals as they do for commoners. Retirement doesnt work the same way, either. Queen Elizabeth is 93 and still hasnt left the throne; the royals typically work until they absolutely no longer can. Since Harry was capable of attending the Invictus Games, it made sense for him to go; he doesnt work the regular nine-to-five job that so many of us do, so he probably has more time to spend with the baby than we realize.

Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!
Now that Meghan Markle is a mom herself, shes becoming even closer with her own mother. Raising a family can have that impact on a person; suddenly family relationships become even more important.

With mothers day right around the corner, weve been a little curious about Meghan Markles mom: Doria Ragland. Since baby Archie has made his appearance, it is clear that Meghans mom will have a bigger role in her life, and maybe appearing more regularly in the royal scene.

Who is Meghan Markles mom?

Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland | OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images

Meghans parents divorced when she was a young girl, so although her father remained a part of her life, she was raised by her mother, Doria Ragland. Doria has spent a career in social work, teaching Meghan the importance of giving back and being socially aware.

Doria, who has also spent time in her career as a yoga instructor, was the only member of Meghans family who attended the royal wedding. Since Meghans marriage to Harry, Doria has been a steadfast supporter of the couple. Shes made several trips to the U.K. and sources close to the royal family say they are currently looking for a home for Ragland in the U.K. so she can spend more time close to her new grandchild, Archie.

Why does Doria Ragland stay clear of the press?

While Meghans father hasnt been shy to talk to the press or attract attention to himself, we dont often hear from Doria because she always has Meghans best interest at heart. In fact, Doria has been very good about keeping herself out of the limelight and out of the press.

This might be why Doria has been consistently invited to attend royal events, included in holidays, and is currently spending time with the new parents. This past year, the queen even invited Doria to spend Christmas with the royal family, an invitation that is rarely extended to outsiders and has reportedly never been extended to the Middletons.

Meghans mother has obviously been fully embraced by the royal family, in stark contrast to the way her father has been received. This is clearly because of the way in which her father behaves. (He has had exclusive interviews with the press, even when Meghan has asked him not to).

What are the royal expectations?

Doria has been included in so many royal events now, shes becoming an expert in knowing how the royal family expects her act. We suspect this is why Meghan is much closer to her mom than her father these days. In fact, Doria is currently staying with the new parents, in their home in Windsor, to help care for the new royal baby and the recuperating new momma.

Doria Raglands relationship with the royals before the babys arrival

Doria has been in London for some time now, helping Meghan and Harry prepare their home and their lives for the arrival of their first born son. Meghan has been so happy to have her mothers help during this time. As a newlywed couple, Meghan and Harry have overcome their share of changes in their lives, but nothing trumps the way a new baby will change the status quo. A new baby can be both exciting and stressful, which is why Meghan has been grateful to have her mother close by her side.

Aside from the overwhelming support received by worldwide fans on the Duke and Dutchess Instagram account, baby Archie will be surrounded by loved ones in his first few days of life.

Doria Ragland as a grandmother

Doria will be helping Meghan with baby Archie in his first few weeks of life. She has been reported to be over the moon about Archies arrival, as most new grandmothers are.

We expect to see more of Doria in the future as she makes her place amongst our favorite royal family members.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently moved from their starter home, Nottingham Cottage, in favor of a much larger home located in Windsor, England.

Their new home, Frogmore Cottage, underwent a massive renovation, with the addition of a lavish nursery for royal baby Archie, as well as a yoga room and a custom kitchen. Fit for royalty, the home boasts ten bedrooms and an ample amount of space, and there is no doubt it will be perfect for visitors. In fact, fans fully expect Meghans mother, Doria Ragland, to visit whenever possible.

Chances are, Meghan and Harrys many friends will spend time with them at their new home, and maybe even Prince William and Kate Middleton will spend a night or two there when they are in Windsor.

Since the couple has so much room at their new digs for company, we have to wonder if Meghans father will ever get to visit Frogmore Cottage.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Why are Meghan and her father estranged?

Up until a few days before Meghan and Harrys wedding, Meghan and her father, Thomas Markle Sr., appeared to get along just fine. They kept in touch by telephone and seemed genuinely happy that his daughter had found the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Even Harry had spoken on the phone to his future father-in-law and was likely excited about meeting him.

Thomas currently lives in Mexico and had made plans to travel to England to be with Meghan on her special day. After an incident in which he was caught staging paparazzi photographs, then suffering from some health issues, Thomas canceled his trip, and he and Meghan have been estranged ever since.

Does Meghan Markle want to reconcile?

While Meghan has not made any public statements or specifically said that she wanted to reconcile with her father, there is always a chance that she does. She wrote him a letter regarding her feelings, and it ended up being leaked to the media.

Although Thomas made a statement after the birth of Meghan and Harrys new baby, it does not appear that he has reached out to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at this time.

Who has visited Meghan and Harrys new home?

So far, Meghan and Harry have had a few visitors! Kate Middleton and Prince William came to see the Duchess of Sussex, who was still pregnant at the time, on Easter Sunday, after she was unable to attend church services with the rest of the family.

In addition, Meghans mother is spending time at Frogmore Cottage to visit with her daughter, son-in-law, and new grandson. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip also popped into Meghan and Harrys new home after the birth of baby Archie.

What would happen if Thomas visited?

Only Meghan and Harry know for sure. While it would be wonderful to see Thomas have the chance to see his daughter, the decision is up to her, and she hasnt shared her feelings about it.

Now that the new baby has arrived, fans are waiting to see what will happen.

Will Meghan Markles father ever get to visit her new home?

That remains to be seen. While their relationship is damaged, it is certainly not beyond repair. Hopefully, Meghan and Harry can come to a decision regarding how to handle the situation with her father, and the resolution will be the best choice for everyone involved.

One of the best things would be that Archie will have the opportunity to grow up knowing his maternal grandfather, and it will just be one more person in his life to love him. Fans can rest assured that Meghan will do what is right for her and her family.
Two metal parts joined using the new, sustainably produced adhesive. Behind them: three pots containing the ingredients of the adhesive  the liquid hardener (yellow), the paste hardener (white) and the lignin organic solvent (black).

There is an increasing demand for green products, but for them to be genuinely sustainable, manufacturers must also use adhesives and paints that are made of bio-based feedstocks. Advanced materials developed in Fraunhofer labs point the way forward.

Demand for organic products is booming. Factory farms and fields drenched in chemi-cal cocktails hold little appeal for the many consumers who prefer to see free-ranging animals in verdant pastures, eat untreated fruit and vegetables and wear clothes made of organically grown, pesticide-free cotton. It is not enough, however, merely to re-place plastic with natural materials such as wood or cork. For products to be genuinely sustainable, manufacturers must also use adhesives and paints that are made of bio-based raw materials.

Most legacy adhesives are made of petroleum-based thermosetting epoxy resins. These are synthetic resins that hold their shape once they have been heated. Monomers are the building blocks of epoxy resins. A curing agent or hardener causes the individual molecules to bind, creating a solid plastic that will not melt. Additives serve to fine-tune the properties to suit the given application. For example, pigments can be added to color the resin, and other additives are used for flameproofing or to make the plastic easier to process.

Vegetable oil epoxides with natural additives

Yet it is also possible to produce epoxy resins from environmentally friendly materials. One new approach is showing promise  vegetable oil epoxides, an organic version of conventional epoxy resins. They are sourced from vegetable oils containing a high pro-portion of unsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids are epoxidized; that is, linked with a trivalent compound consisting of two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Combin-ing these vegetable oil epoxides with hardeners produces remarkably resilient plastics. And with that, sustainable adhesives, coatings and even foam resins are looking to be viable options. But the chemical composition of raw materials extracted from the seeds of oleaginous plants may vary greatly. And that variance is a problem for manufactur-ers.

Eco-friendly adhesives with ideal properties

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS set out to tackle this problem by probing the properties of newly developed bio-genic resins. This is a penetrating analysis: We are investigating these resins from the micro to the macro level, says Andreas Krombholz, group leader at IMWS. The first step is to determine how variations in the composition of the feedstock affects the res-ins. Once the IMWS team has solved that puzzle, they can start enhancing and adapt-ing the resins to the given processing methods.

Fraunhofer scientists are also using vegetable oil epoxides to develop novel adhesives. All formulations for these adhesives from the Fraunhofer labs are solvent-free. The re-searchers are digging deeper to learn which fillers and additives can be used to deliver specific properties. High electrical conductivity, for example, comes in handy. If an ad-hesive layer is conductive, it can be heated from the inside out by applying an electrical voltage, thereby quickly and selectively curing it. Or an additive such as modified thyme oil could endow the adhesive with antibacterial properties.

Conversion from epoxidation to enzyme treatment

The use of vegetable oil epoxides increases the organic content of these adhesives to 86 percent, because the materials contain a high percentage of vegetable oil and the hardening agent is based on organic substances rather than petroleum derivatives. By comparison: to qualify as a sustainable material, at least 35 percent of its ingredients must be sourced from renewable sources. Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, we switched from epoxidation to a novel enzyme-based process. This means we can process vegetable oils without using petrochemicals. The treatment with enzymes takes place at 40 degrees Celsius rather than 100 degrees Celsius as in the past, so we are also conserving energy, adds Krombholz. The benefits do not end there. Industrial users in Europe had sourced the linseed oil for vegetable oil epoxides from Canada, which is not exactly eco-friendly considering the distance it has to travel. Fraunhofer scientists adapted the process to use an essential oil derived from the Moldavian dragonhead plant, grown organically in Germany, rather than imported linseed oil. This reduces the carbon footprint even fur-ther. On top of that, the researchers found an environmentally sound replacement for the previously highly toxic hardener.
The European Patent Office (EPO) announces that Japanese chemist and engineer Akira Yoshino has been nominated for the European Inventor Award 2019 as one of three finalists in the category "Non-EPO countries" for his invention and refinement of the lithium-ion battery, which now powers billions of devices around the globe.

Yoshino has pioneered industrial research and development to identify the materials and features that now make lithium-ion batteries work safely. He continues this work today as an advisor and honorary fellow at the Asahi Kasei Corporation, the company where he developed his technology and which has commercialised it worldwide.

"Akira Yoshino created the foundation of today's lithium-ion technology and industry," said EPO President Antonio Campinos about Yoshino's nomination as a finalist for the European Inventor Award 2019. "He put a new type of rechargeable battery at our disposal, and this has had a significant impact on the society in which we live by connecting people through the mobile devices it powers."

The winners of the 2019 edition of the EPO's annual innovation prize will be announced at a ceremony in Vienna on 20 June.

From disposable to rechargeable

Batteries are a necessity of modern life, allowing us to use a wide variety of portable electronic devices. The most widespread today is the lithium-ion battery. Prior to its invention, all electronics ran on mains electricity or batteries that released the energy stored in their chemical bonds through irreversible reactions. As a result, users had to discard batteries when the energy contained in their materials ran out. This posed a problem for manufacturers developing portable electronic products, such as video cameras, notebook computers, and mobile phones, during the 1980s. These new products needed a small, lightweight, rechargeable battery with a sufficient storage capacity. However, the conventional rechargeable batteries being developed at the time, such as lead-acid batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries, were too heavy and bulky for use in handheld applications.

Scientist Akira Yoshino's work would eventually help to bring a solution to this problem. After completing a Master's degree in petrochemistry at Kyoto University in 1972, Yoshino joined the research division of Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei Corporation where he today continues to serve as an advisor and honorary fellow. His early research focused on electrically conductive polymers  particularly polyacetylene  which had the potential to be used as an anode material in batteries. While lightweight metallic lithium could not be used due to the danger of explosion, Yoshino became convinced through his work that a new approach using a safer material was possible.

His research led him to develop a new type of battery with a polyacetylene anode and a lithium cobalt oxide cathode. Both materials had newly discovered properties: polyacetylene had been demonstrated as conductive in 1977 by Japanese chemist Hideki Shirakawa, while lithium cobalt oxide had been discovered as stable in air by US physicist John Goodenough in 1979. Using these materials meant that Yoshino's battery was more stable than the other rechargeable batteries in development at the time, which were often highly flammable. Yoshino also introduced a thin polyethylene-based porous membrane to act as a separator between materials. This membrane served a safety function: When it melted it halted the operation of overheating batteries before they caught fire. This chemical equivalent of a safety fuse is still currently used to lessen the risk of lithium-ion batteries catching fire. Advances in safety continue today and have been key in allowing manufacturers to bring lithium-ion batteries out of the laboratory and into consumer products.

The first lithium-ion battery was produced in 1983. In the same year the Asahi Kasei Corporation filed the original Japanese patent application for Yoshino's rechargeable lithium-ion battery, beginning its road to commercialisation. Yoshino continued working, bringing new improvements to his technology; notably in 1985 by replacing the material used for one electrode in his batteries with a more efficient carbon-containing substitute so that the battery could sustain many charging and discharging cycles. He boosted the battery's performance by introducing an aluminium and copper foil connector and an organic solvent electrolyte to increasing its voltage  from 1.5 to over 4 volts  and giving it a higher storage capacity. Further patents have helped to protect these solutions, and today Yoshino is named as inventor on 56 Japanese patents and 6 European patents. These many improvements have helped the lithium-ion battery transcend other battery technology and develop into a commercial success.

Supercharged global market

Yoshino's invention has helped unlock a mass market in portable electronic devices, ranging from camcorders to laptop computers. His rechargeable batteries are used in nearly five billion mobile phones worldwide today. His inventions have also enabled the emergence of electric vehicles; the application of lithium-ion batteries to the electric vehicle is advancing at a rapid rate.

For the Asahi Kasei Corporation, where Yoshino has worked since the 1970s, his original invention and subsequent improvements continue to be highly significant. "The idea of licensing our patents has enabled a lot of companies to produce the lithium-ion batteries. The market can grow much faster as a result  and for customers, it's a relief. It's a much easier way of introducing new technologies," says Yoshino. The company licensed Yoshino's basic patent for lithium-ion batteries to other battery manufacturers including Sony, who introduced the technology into the market in 1991. Although the basic patents have expired, Yoshino's continued advances have allowed Asahi Kasei to maintain its market presence, retaining 17% of the global market share for lithium-ion battery separators up to 2016. Based in Tokyo, the company has nearly 35 000 employees and an annual turnover of EUR 15.6 billion. Yoshino's work continues today with the inventor recently developing new measures to improve safety standards and increase battery efficiency.

With the worldwide market for lithium-ion batteries estimated at EUR 26.5 billion in 2017 and projected to reach over EUR 80 billion by the year 2025, Yoshino's pioneering work over the last 30 years continues to drive new developments and influence its future direction.

For Yoshino himself, his invention is linked inextricably linked to its ever-increasing applications and he enjoys using the technology he developed in his everyday life - in his laptop, mobile phone, electric razor, and power tools. "You must conduct research with the needs of the market in mind," he said, "and those needs do not become apparent unless you seek them out."
Rome opens up exorcism course to all major Christian faiths to fight rising demonic forces 10 May, 2019 by Leonardo Blair , |

For the first time in 14 years, the Roman Catholic Church has opened up its annual exorcism class in Rome to all major Christian faiths in a bid to stem the rising tide of demonic forces around the world.

"The idea is to help each other, to establish best practices if you will," Father Pedro Barrajon, 61, one of the organizers of the 14th edition of the "Course on Exorcism and Prayer of Liberation," taking place at the Pontifical University of Regina Apostolorum, told the Telegraph. "This is the first time that different denominations have come together to compare their experiences on exorcisms."

The one week course which is taught in Italian at a cost of approximately $450 is being held May 6- 11.

It is described as the first course in the world that proposes careful academic and interdisciplinary research of exorcisms.

"Expelling the devil goes back to the earliest origins of the Christian Church," Barrajon said. "The Catholic rite is very structured, whereas some of the other churches are more creative, they don't use a precise format."

More than 241 people, both lay and religious, from more than 40 countries signed up for the course this year, Crux Now reported.

"I'm here to understand the Catholic perspective. We are fighting the same enemy in the name of the Lord, even if there are some parts of the Anglican Church that have lost belief in Satan," course participant Benjamin McEntire, a Protestant priest from Alaska, said.

They all agree that growing secularization has led to a proliferation of satanic groups, especially among young people through social media.

"Many young people display a certain attraction and interest toward themes tied to esotericism, magic, the occult, Satanism, witchcraft, vampirism and contact with a presumed supernatural world," Italian Professor Giuseppe Ferrari, founder and secretary of the "Social and Religious Research and Information Group," said during his introductory speech at the event.

"Some end up accepting as spiritual leaders these characters who, while proposing a flawed liberty and false freedom, only aim at taking hold of their existence," he explained.

While critics of the course have argued that the study of exorcism has no place in modern society, organizers of the event have emphasized a multidisciplinary approach to exorcism that tackles psychology, medicine, law, sociology and criminology in order to help students better understand the changing dynamics and reality of Satanism.

"This view [that exorcisms has no place in modern society] not only displays ignorance and a restricted view of reality, but underlines the conditioning by ideologies that tag as superstition everything that eludes their preconstructed schemes," Ferrari said of critics.

Read more from, "Rome opens up exorcism course to all major Christian faiths to fight rising demonic forces" on The Christian Post.
Germanys top intelligence agency recently released a report analyzing the rise of antisemitism by Islamist extremists in the country.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Germanys Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, also known as the BfV, released a 40-page comprehensive report called Antisemitism in Islamism detailing the rise on anti-Semitism in radical Muslim immigrants in Germany.

The report was careful to discern the difference between Islam the religion and Islamism the extremist political group which aims at the partial or complete abolition of the liberal democratic constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Jerusalem Post reports.

BfV Spokeswoman Angela Pley said the report is meant to serve as an educational tool for authorities, teachers and social workers who often work with immigrants and refugees.

According to CBN News, the report notes that Islamist extremist anti-Semitism "already represent[s] a considerable challenge for peaceful and tolerant coexistence in Germany."

Pley sees this report as a step in the right direction for the Jewish people of Germany.

She said, We are an early warning system. Recommendations on what can be done must come from society and the political establishment.

The report cites several key examples of anti-Semitic acts that were committed by Islamists over the past several years. One example includes an incident where two Arab men approached a woman in Berlin and commented on her necklace which displayed a Jewish symbol. Reportedly the men yelled at the woman You f***ing Jews! You are the scum of the Earth.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the report focuses on anti-Semitism in Islamism and concludes that Islamist anti-Semitism is spreading in Germany.

A 2018 study from the PEW research center pointed out another group who is becoming increasingly anti-Semitic.

According to the Pew Research Center, while the number of Muslims living in Germany has risen between 2010 and 2016 from 3.3 million people to 5 million people, the majority of anti-Semitic crimes reported have been done at the hands of right-wing extremists.

The Jerusalem Post reports that a 2018 report showed that of the 755 reported anti-Semitic crimes, 670 were attributed by right-wing extremists and 25 to foreigners.

Nonetheless, the German government released the report as a preventative measure hoping to warn that the radicalization and incitement to anti-Semitic hate form the breeding ground for violent escalations.

Photo courtesy: Christian Wiediger/Unsplash
Major pro-life activists gathered together outside of a Philadelphia abortion clinic Friday morning after videos went viral of Pennsylvania state representative Brian Sims harassing pro-life teenagers and women praying outside of a Planned Parenthood.

CBN News reports that the rally  which was put together by pro-life activists Abby Johnson, Graham Allen, Lila Rose and Matt Walsh  welcomed hundreds of protesters to the sidewalk of the Planned Parenthood seen in the videos.

Lila Rose  the founder and CEO of pro-life organization Live Action  opened the rally by calling for the protection of human lives and the resignation of Representative Sims.

She said, We are here because we love life. Because we believe in the dignity and the right to live for every human being. Because we love and we respect every human life. And because the pro-life community will not back down to any harassment or bullying or hate.

She continued, We will not back down. We will stand up, and we will stand up with love and we will stand up because we know that we believe in the beauty and dignity of every life.

Rose went on to call for Sims' resignation noting that the behavior he demonstrated in the videos was unacceptable for anyone, let alone someone in an elected position.

She said, As everybody here now knows, in just the last two weeks, outside of this very Planned Parenthood facility, an elected representative for the state house in Pennsylvania, Representative Brian Sims, filmed himself harassing and berating, making sexist and racist comments against an elderly woman, against a mother and her two daughters and their friend, and a young man.

Rose also noted that Sims filmed himself offering a bounty of $100 to any of his followers who could identify the three teen girls who were praying outside of the Planned Parenthood.

We are calling on state representative Brian Sims and all those who dare to harass and violate the first amendment rights of all the constituents here in Philadelphia to step down, Rose declared.

This is behavior that is unbecoming for a state representative, Rose added as the crowd began to chant Resign now!

As Christian Headlines previously reported, Sims has been under fire for the last several days after he posted a video harassing an elderly woman who was silently praying outside of a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood.

An eight-minute video posted by Sims to his Twitter account shows the representative shouting at and following an elderly woman with a camera as she attempts to turn away from him.

The woman, seemingly Catholic, was holding rosary beads and praying in front of the abortion clinic.

In the video, Sims says to the audience before confronting her, She is an old white lady. He then followers her and says, ...How many children have you clothed today? Im sorry, I missed your answer, how many children have you clothed today?

The woman tried to keep her back to the camera, but Sims aggressively tracked her ensuring viewers would see her face.

How many children have you put shoes on their feet today? he prodded. Have you fed any children today or have you just stood out in front of a Planned Parenthood shaming people for doing something they have a constitutional right to do? Sims said to the woman.

WATCH: Pennsylvania State Representative @BrianSimsPA harasses an elderly woman who is peacefully advocating for the lives of preborn human beings and women who are considering abortion.



This is shameful. https://t.co/Xb9pkFZSXC May 5, 2019

A second video surfaced of Sims engaging in similar antics with three teenage girls, a woman and a young man. In the subsequent video, Sims made racist and religiously discriminatory remarks towards teens and their mother before looking at his camera and offering a $100 bounty to anyone who could identify the teen girls.

1) MSM silent as @BrianSimsPA harasses women & threatens to dox them

2) Feminists silent as WHITE MAN bullies young girls

3) Creepy for politician to judge sincerity of citizen's religious beliefs

4) He's wrong about science... abortion kills a human babypic.twitter.com/iFgytII8QU  Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) May 7, 2019

The videos sparked outrage within both the pro-life and pro-choice communities as many people simply saw his behavior as aggressive and inappropriate.

Sims later issued an apology video, which many saw as a thinly veiled attempt to change the tide of the conversation away from his behavior.

I will fiercely protect a womans right to make the best choices for her health & her body, unimpeded. I also know that two wrongs dont make a right, especially on the front lines of a civil rights battle. I can do better, and I will do better, for the women of Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/jURL1UX9qE  Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) May 7, 2019

Photo courtesy: Live Action
Montanas Democratic governor vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have protected babies who survive abortion, saying it interferes with deeply personal medical decisions.

Gov. Steve Bullock became the second governor this year to veto such a bill, following his counterpart in North Carolina. Wisconsins governor is pledging to veto a similar bill in his state. All three are Democrats.

The bill, SB 354, passed the state Senate 32-18 and the state House 54-43. It was titled the Montana Born-Alive Infant Protection Act.

A health care provider performing an abortion shall take all medically appropriate and reasonable steps to preserve the life and health of a born-alive infant who is viable, the bill says.

The abortion facility also must call 9-1-1 for an emergency transfer of the infant to a hospital that shall provide medically appropriate and reasonable care and treatment to the infant, according to the bills text.

State Sen. Albert Olszewski, a Republican and the bills sponsor, said the bill would have prevented legal infanticide.

There is a national debate attempting to legitimize the intentional killing of a baby born alive if the medical provider and the parents deem or decide that it is necessary or should happen, he told the Billings Gazette.

A group of pro-choice groups  including Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, ACLU of Montana and NARAL Pro-Choice Montana  signed a letter calling the bill another attempt to shut down health centers, put abortion out of reach in Montana, and criminalize women and doctors.

Babies who survived abortions, the bills text says, have been left to die. The bill, supporters said, would not have impacted the legality of abortion.

It is not an infringement on a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy for this state to assert its interest in protecting an infant whose live birth occurred as the result of an abortion, the bill says. Without proper legal protection, newly born infants who have survived abortions have been denied appropriate lifesaving or life-sustaining medical care and treatment and have been left to die.

Woman Who Survived Moms Abortion Tells Democratic Senators: I Do Exist

Wisconsin Governor Says He Will Veto Bill Banning Infanticide

'Kill Them Now or Kill Them Later,' Alabama Democrat Says of Abortion

Trump Blasts Abortion: All Children Made in the Holy Image of God

'The Infant Would Be Kept Comfortable': Is Virginia's Governor Pro-Infanticide?

NY Legalizes Abortion up to Moment of Birth, Defines Person as Someone Who Has Been Born

Democrat Admits: Her Bill Would Allow Abortion during Labor

Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.

Photo courtesy: National Parks Services/Public Domain
Israel celebrated its 71styear as a modern state on Thursday. They celebrated with parades, military flyovers, and an annual torch-lighting ceremony.

This years jubilation was set against a dark backdrop as communities near the border with Gaza are still reeling from a violent weekend that left four dead. The Israeli Air Force, which puts on a show in which jets, transport places, and helicopters fly over the country doing acrobatics and stunts, paid homage to the communities who are recovering from the violence. Wednesday had been a Memorial Day dedicated to victims of Palestinian terror and fallen Israeli soldiers.

Israel was reestablished as a modern state in 1948. In the wake of the violence against Jews during World War 2, the United Nations passed Resolution 181, which divided Britains Palestine mandate into Jewish and Arab states. The new Israeli government organized on May 14, 1948 and President Harry Truman recognized the new government amidst much opposition from high-ranking officials of his administration.

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein honored the Israeli people for their perseverance at the opening ceremonies on Mount Herzl. He said, Against all odds we returned to our homeland. He continued, Continue to believe in yourself, continue going forward against all odds. You will one day stand here and light a torch for the glory of Israel.

President Reuven Rivlin hosted a ceremony honoring the Israel Defense forces and told a group of 120, You, who are not afraid of challenges, who are ready for the unexpected, who pull harder and stronger than anyone, you are Israels hope and spirit that beats within us, that leads us.

Celebrations were planned across the country, with Israelis attending concerts, beaches, BBQs, and nature parks.

Scott Slayton writes at One Degree to Another.

Photo courtesy: Adam Jang/Unsplash
Now that Asia Bibi has finally left Pakistan and been reunited with her family in Canada, her prison cell has a new resident: yet another Christian woman condemned to death over blasphemy charges.

Bibis lawyer, Saif-ul Malook, told CT he will now take up the case of Shagufta Kausar, a 45-year-old mother of four, and her husband.

Christians are Pakistans largest religious minority after Hindus, comprising about 1.6 percent of the Muslim nations population of 210 million. However, the highest number of blasphemy charges are filed against Christians because of their poor status, their origins in the downtrodden untouchable caste, and their association with the West. [CTs Quick to Listen podcast explains more.]

Bibi was accused in June 2009 of speaking blasphemous words against Muhammad, a crime punishable with death in Pakistan, and was convicted in November 2010. The Supreme Court of Pakistan finally acquitted Bibi in October 2018 over contradictions ...

1
Three months after firing founding pastor James MacDonald, Harvest Bible Chapel has pulled the video and radio broadcasts of his popular Walk in the Word teaching ministry and announced that it will not move forward with plans for digital distributions of his sermons.

We understand the disappointment this may cause to you as someone who has been fed through this teaching and has graciously supported this broadcast ministry, Harvest wrote to Walk in the Word supporters in a mass email sent Thursday evening and obtained by CT. But in the midst of this, we are trusting the Lord with every step.

The church said it would take down the Walk in the Word website until further notice. While the siteJamesMacDonald.comremains up, the sections containing MacDonalds video and radio recordings are no longer accessible and generate a website under maintenance page.

After 21 years as a radio ministry, Harvest decided ...

1
For five years I pastored a city church across the street from a seminary with a pluralistic constituency. It had town folk, professors, administrators, blue-collar, and white-collar city folks. It was a heterogeneous kind of place.

In my time there, we had only one bad deacons meeting. Usually the deacons fellowship was sweet and harmonious. But on this occasion, stress levels were high. It didnt help that they called their deacons meeting on Sunday afternoon at 3, right in the middle of the Dallas Cowboys broadcast. The stage was set for a psychological disaster.

I was going to propose that we move the diaconate from a business model mostly concerned with profits and losses to more of a ministry model. (What a strange thing to expect! I was naive enough to think deacon meant servant.) One of the deacons attacked me as I had never been attacked before in my four previous student pastorates. It was out of the blue, a personal, vicious, ...

You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe to Christianity Today magazine. Subscribers have full digital access to CT Pastors articles.

1
After 40 years, 'megachurch' pastor slams Christianity and quits, deacon claims he had affair

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Dave Gass, a former pastor who most recently led Grace Family Fellowship in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, has renounced his Christian faith as a system rife with abuse that caused him mental and emotional breaks.

A representative from his former church, however, has accused him of being an unrepentant adulterer.

Gass reportedly first made his announcement in a series of now protected tweets but not before they were copied and shared across multiple social media platforms.

After 40 years of being a devout follower, 20 of those being an evangelical pastor, I am walking away from faith. Even though this has been a massive bomb drop in my life, it has been decades in the making, he began in the thread before moving on to compare Scripture to Greek mythology.

When I was in 8th grade and I was reading Greek mythology, it dawned on me how much of the supernatural interactions between the deity of the bible and mankind sounded like ancient mythology. That seed of doubt never went away, he said.

He explained how he was raised in a hyper-fundamentalist Christian home where Christianity didnt work. The promises were empty. The answers were lies.

Even so, he grew up to be a devout Christian who rarely missed church or failed to study Scripture.

I was fully devoted to studying the scriptures. I think I missed maybe 12 Sundays in 40 years. I had completely memorized 18 books of the bible and was reading through the bible for the 24th time when I walked away, he wrote.

None of it, however, helped his marriage.

As an adult my marriage was a sham and a constant source of pain for me. I did everything I was supposed to - marriage workshops, counseling, bible reading together, date nights every week, marriage books - but my marriage never became what I was promised it would be, he said.

He went on to discuss how miserable his life eventually became as his expectations, including experiencing the supernatural failed to match up with the reality he was experiencing.

An inescapable reality that I came to was that the people who benefited the most from organized religion were the fringe attenders who didnt take it too seriously. The people who were devout were the most miserable, but just kept trying harder, he said.

 The entire system is rife with abuse. And not just from the top down, sure there are abusive church leaders, but church leaders are abused by their congregants as well. Church people are just sh*tty to each other, he continued. I spent my entire life serving, loving, and trying to help people in my congregations. And the lies, betrayal, and slander I have received at the hands of church people left wounds that may never heal.

He said he struggled so much with his church experience it began to affect his mental and ultimately physical health.

This massive cognitive dissonance - my beliefs not matching with reality - created a separation between my head and my heart. I was gas lighting myself to stay in the faith. Eventually I could not maintain the facade anymore, I started to have mental and emotional breaks. My internal stress started to show in physical symptoms. Being a pastor - a professional Christian - was killing me, Gass revealed.

To save himself, he said, he chose to walk away from the church.

Eventually I pulled the lever and dropped the bomb. Career, marriage, family, social standing, network, reputation, all gone in an instant. And honestly I didnt intend to fully walk away, but the way the church turned on me forced me to leave permanently, he said.

He apologized to his former followers and said he still loves those who choose to dismiss him as an apostate.

For those of you who want to yell at me, thats fine. I know that many will call me an apostate, say I was never really saved, that I was a wolf in sheeps clothing, and that a hotter hell awaits me. And to you I say I love you. My heart is tender toward you, he said.

To those who have been in my congregations or under my teaching/preaching I sincerely apologize. I thought I was right. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I could fake it until I made it. I was wrong. Im sorry. I love you, he added.

Justin Thuttle, a deacon at Grace Family Fellowship Church, claimed on Twitter that Gass was not entirely forthcoming about his faith journey and branded him an unrepentant sinner.

Yes, he was my pastor when he walked away. He actually just slept with a married women (sic) in the church and got caught. He never repented and they still live together, he wrote in a tweet last Thursday.

Last year all the information came to light. The affair happened for almost a year before it was uncovered. So the whole, I did everything right in my marriage part was kinda funny until I saw how many people liked his story, he said.

The Christian Post reached out to the church for further comment Tuesday and a representative who asked to speak anonymously said Thuttle's response is accurate.

"Justins input is accurate. I would only add that, to our knowledge, none of the churches where Gass was on staff were megachurches. And after he resigned, he cut off all communications with anyone from Grace Family Fellowship," the representative said.
James MacDonald to get no severance, money from tithes, church says; Naples church hires new pastor

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago said no tithes or severance will go to James MacDonald, its longtime pastor who was ousted in February, nor will any of its affiliated entities benefit him financially.

An update from the HBC elders was posted to the church website on April 30 to explain that a meeting occurred earlier that month to start a biblical reconciliation process and "make efforts to address complex legal issues and lingering disagreements still open since [MacDonald's] termination.

The megachurch saidFriday: We want to assure you that none of your tithes and offerings have gone to James since his termination, and he did not receive severance because his termination was with cause."

In recent weeks, questions have mounted as to whether or not the longtime pastor would receive any income from other sources linked with the church such as Walk in the Word, MacDonald's teaching ministry that is heard on radio broadcasts nationwide.

To be clear, none of Harvest Bible Chapels or Walk in the Words donations or assets have gone to James, and we will not be giving him anything in the future, the church said Friday.

The church signed a separation agreement with MacDonald on April 12 that was contingent on their mortgage lenders approval. The mortgage lender stated Friday that they "do not consent to the release of any assets including cash, physical property, and/or intellectual property." As a result of that decision, the separation agreement is null and void.

MacDonald was fired in February after local radio host Mancow Muller played audio on the air of MacDonald making profane comments on a hot mic, amid controversy about MacDonald's and the church's use of finances and other factors. The church is reportedly deeply in debt and monthly donations have dropped significantly.

The most recent statement follows months of controversy that engulfed the church after journalist and former Moody radio host published an investigative report in World magazine called "Hard Times at Harvest."

Prior to publication, the church sued her and two other bloggers, along with their wives, who had been writing critically of MacDonald and the church for several years, a lawsuit the church ultimately dropped after a judge denied it two motions earlier this year.

Last week, the outgoing elder board issued a public apology to those they sued for filing the lawsuit they now consider an ungodly move.

"While at the time we thought we were acting in the best interests of the church, we now realize this lawsuit, while lawful, was a sinful violation of 1 Corinthians 6 and biblically should not have been pursued," the apology read.

"This action put you through undue stress, took significant time, energy and resources, and left you to defend your reputations. We are sorry; please forgive us."

A new elder board is now in place and is vowing to press ahead amid ongoing challenges.

"[W]e know the Lord is able to lead Harvest Bible Chapel through our gifts and through our weaknesses, the church said.

We ask for your grace and understanding as we dig into the challenges alongside our pastors and staff as we chart a new path forward.

Harvest Bible Chapel was founded in 1988 in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and has several locations across the Chicago region and one in Naples, Florida.

The Naples location announced Sunday that it had hired Jeff Donaldson, a close friend of MacDonald's, as its new lead pastor. Donaldson is a former pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel's Elgin location and a former member of the HBC executive leadership team.

Donaldson will be formally installed on June 9.
Child sex trafficking victims, ex-drug addicts find healing in Duck Dynasty star's jewelry line

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Driven by her belief that God is a God of grace, forgiveness, and redemption, Missy Robertson is giving hurting and broken women a second chance at life through her new jewelry line.

The former Duck Dynasty star told The Christian Post she created Laminin by Missy Robertson back in 2016 to provide jobs for women in the West Monroe, Louisiana, area coming out of the sex industry, addiction, and poverty, among other life issues.

When women come to apply for a job, they dont fear checking that box that says have you ever been convicted of a felony? That doesnt scare us, and it doesnt stop us from hiring you, Robertson told CP. I strongly believe in second chances, and Laminin is about second chances.

But that wasnt always the goal.

Robertson, a mother of three, admitted that when he first conceived of Laminin  not without the help of her mother-in-law, Miss Kay, she said  it was with the intention of helping women like herself.

I pictured women who had married early and didnt have a college degree but were working and at the same time trying to be involved in their children's lives, she said. But Gods will is different from ours, and it takes a while to see it.

The women who applied were nothing like me, she continued. Theyd had tumultuous backgrounds and many of them were basically the result of being on drugs, whether their choice or their parents choice. Many of them were trying to stay out of trouble and had lost everything they had because they had been in prison.

Robertson recounted the story of Brandy, a former Laminin staff member who has overcome a life of drugs, crime, and unimaginable abuses. She shared how Brandy was born with drugs in her system and at the age of 9, was sold by her own mother into prostitution.

Her own mother took her to men at truck stops to fuel her drug habit, Robertson said. She would be tied to a bed and given drugs so that these men could do what they wanted to her.

Addicted to drugs and desperate to make ends meet, Brandy ended up prostituting herself and eventually ended up in prison on a slew of charges. While in prison, Brandy found Christ and decided to turn her life around.

While working with Robertson at Laminin, Brandy went on to finish school and earned her degree in counseling. Now married, she has a daughter of her own and works to help save other women from the life that nearly destroyed her.

I would just say one word, and thats God, Robertson said. Its truly amazing how He works.

The former A&E star shared another story of a Laminin employee who was previously involved in the mafia: One day, she was put into a vehicle, blindfolded, Robertson said. They took her to this area where a man was tied to a tree. They said, This man was caught talking, and heres what happens to people who talk. They shot him, right in front of her.

These things happened right in my hometown, she continued. This is a huge problem, and what were trying to do is provide them a safe environment to come to and give them the skill to create something thats useful and beautiful. It gives them purpose and value.

This month, the Laminin website was re-launched. Each piece of jewelry available is handcrafted and consists of natural stones and beads with mixed metals, deer horns, Druzy stones, leather, rosary beads, and more. Robertson emphasized that Laminin is a business  not a charity.

Thats something I feel strongly about, Robertson said. If this was a charity, these women would have their hands out. Theyve learned how to manipulate the world around them to get what they can to survive. If this business grows and thrives, its because of their commitment to it. Every time I walk in with another success story, whether its a new account or business, they get so excited and thrilled because they feel that what theyve done is valuable.

She explained that Laminin is a molecular protein that holds everything in our bodies together. If seen through a microscope, laminin is in the exact shape of the cross. The organizations mission verse Colossians 1:17: He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

This year alone, weve had three women come to Christ at Laminin, Robertson shared. God has His hand all over this ministry. When women come to work for Laminin, not only do they get a second chance at life, they learn about the greatest gift there is  and thats a relationship with the Lord.

Yes, its a business, but its a ministry, too, she added. What greater way to grow the kingdom of God.


American churchgoers good at relationships but bad at discipling, poll finds

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Most American churchgoers have no problem developing relationships at church but they are less likely to use their time to help fellow Christians grow in their faith, a new LifeWay Research poll suggests.

This week, LifeWay Released released data from its 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study, a project that seeks to identify traits of Christian discipleship. Over 2,500 Protestant churchgoers participated in an online survey completed between January 14 and January 29.

Respondents were asked whether or not they agree with the statement: I have developed significant relationships with people at my church.

A total of 78 percent of respondents said that they strongly or somewhat agree with that statement while only 8 percent said they strongly or somewhat disagree and 14 percent said they neither agree nor disagree.

Although over three-quarters of churchgoers surveyed agree that they have developed significant relationships at church, only 47 percent of respondents strongly agree or somewhat agree that they intentionally spend time with other believers in order to help them grow in their faith.

Thirty-four percent of respondents said they neither agree nor disagree that they have spent their time to help other believers grow spiritually while 19 percent said they strongly or somewhat disagree with the statement.

There is a different element to relationships at church that the majority of churchgoers havent prioritized, LifeWay Research Executive Director Scott McConnell said in a statement. One of the ways a believer shows they have love for God is by investing in other believers. The relationship isnt just about mutual interests; it is about proactively being interested in the faith of others.

LifeWay Research found that black Protestants (24 percent) and evangelical Protestants (21 percent) are more likely than mainline Protestants (12 percent) to strongly agree that they intentionally spend time with other Christians to help them grow spiritually.

When broken down by ethnicity, Hispanics (32 percent) are most likely to strongly agree that they spend intentional time to help build up the faith of fellow Christians. By comparison, only 22 percent of African-Americans, 17 percent of whites and 17 percent people of other ethnicities said the same.

In an American culture in which significant relationships are hard to form, most churchgoers have had at least some success at making friends at church. But the majority arent as confident as they could be about the significance of those relationships, McConnell added.

The survey also found that a strong minority of churchgoers in the U.S. do not attend typical small groups or classes that their churches offer throughout the week, such as Bible study, young adult groups or adult Bible fellowships.

Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they dont usually attend small groups at all during a typical month, while 22 percent of respondents said they attend small group sessions or classes four times in a typical month.

Twenty-eight percent of churchgoers said they attend small group classes or sessions anywhere between one to three times in a typical month, while 13 percent of respondents said they attend small group sessions five times or more in a typical month.

The data shows that mainline Protestants (48 percent) are more likely to say they dont attend church small groups at all in a typical month than black Protestants (36 percent) and evangelical Protestants (35 percent).

For much of church history, small groups or classes have been one of the most effective ways churches offer for attendees to connect with others, study the Bible and serve together, McConnell explained. This avenue of seeking God together is both relational and devotional.

LifeWay Research is a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.



The release of the 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study comes after LifeWay Research found earlier this year that over half of Protestant churchgoers failed to share to engage in evangelism in the last 6 months.

The task of making disciples of all nations has not been fully embraced in the American church  especially by the majority culture, McConnell said in a statement at the time.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his bride attended the "royal ploughing ceremony". The ritual dates back to the 13th century and marks the annual start of the rice growing season. The latest celebrations show a monarchy stuck in rituals from another era.

Bangkok (AsiaNews)  Court astrologers have forecast a bountiful harvest for Thailand after a pair of sacred white oxen munched on grass and rice and slurped up water in an annual ritual watched by the newly crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Seated next to Queen Suthida, the monarch yesterday saw the "royal ploughing ceremony" (pictured), symbolising the nation's fortunes.

According to observers, this is just one of the public events showing a royal court stuck in rituals from another era, a great contrast with the image of a country that has become the most advanced in Southeast Asia.

Yesterdays ceremony at the Sanam Luang (Royal turf), in the heart of Bangkok, dates back to the 13th century. Every year, it marks the start of the rice growing season.

Led by Hindu Brahmin priests, two white oxen walked the field to the sound of blaring trumpets. Women, dressed in traditional clothes and carrying trays of jasmine flowers, followed the animals.

Royal soothsayers base their forecast on the foods the animals eat after ploughing. Following the tradition, the crowd rushed onto the field after the king left to pick up the auspicious rice grains scattered during the ritual.

The real ploughing will follow a few days after coronation (4-6 May), which saw members of the Thai royal family and high-ranking aristocrats prostrate themselves before the king, inching their way on their knees towards him, then lying at his feet in complete submission.

In Thailand, "the king, queen, princes and regents" are protected by very strict lese-majeste laws. Anyone showing disrespect for the royal house can face up to 15 years in prison.

Article 112 of Thailand's criminal code makes it virtually impossible for anyone to express negative views about the sovereigns inside the country, media included.

The image of the monarch, seen as the incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, was re-sacralised in the 1950s, after the kings were marginalised for decades in the wake of the first military coup in 1932 that ended a century and a half of absolute monarchy.

In a recent article, French daily Le Monde compared the visual treatment of the Thai royals with those of Japan on the occasion of the abdication of Japanese emperor Akihito and the subsequent enthronement of his son Naruhito.

According to journalists Bruno Philip and Philippe Pons, the two Asian monarchies "are evolving in opposite ways: the imperial court in Tokyo is trying to be in harmony with its times," whilst the royal court in Bangkok has remained stuck in anachronistic traditions. Thailand, they write, is a kingdom looking for a balance that it has not found yet.
Colorado school shooter criticized Christians 'who hate gays,' Trump

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

One of the two suspects in the STEM school shooting in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, was known to make social media posts criticizing Christians who hate gays and President Donald Trump.

Devon Erickson, 18, was arrested by authorities soon after he and another student, 16-year-old Maya McKinney who identifies as a transgender male, allegedly shot up the STEM school, resulting in one death and several injuries.

In his now-deleted Facebook account, Erickson once posted about his dislike for these Christians who hate gays.

You know what I hate? All these Christians who hate gays, yet in the bible, it says in Deuteronomy 17:12-13, if someone doesnt do what their priest tells them to do, they are supposed to die. It has plenty of crazy stuff like that. But all they get out of it is ewwwwww gays, posted Erickson, as reported by the Washington Examiner.

Erickson also once shared a video in 2016 of late-night host Seth Meyers criticizing President Trump and also in 2015 shared an Occupy Democrats post praising then President Barack Obama, noted the Examiner.

Erickson appeared in court on Wednesday with long hair that was partially dyed purple. He did not reveal a motive to the judge but only gave short responses to questions.

McKinney, who prefers to go by the name Alec, also appeared in court earlier this week.

Lawyers for McKinney asked the judge to refer to the teenager with masculine pronouns, according to the New York Post.

An unnamed friend of the two suspects took to social media and stated that she did not believe the political views of either individual led them to perform the shooting.

'Devon did not do what he did because he's a liberal, or to make a statement, stated the friend, as reported by the UK Daily Mail. He did it due to internal struggles. They're both struggling with mental health issues and this is a time for awareness.

Alec did not do this because he's trans, but had people supported him in the way that he needed and deserved, he would not have struggled so much that he got pushed over the edge.

Both Erickson and McKinney are due in court again on Friday for a hearing.
Museum of the Bible to unveil world's longest illustrated Bible on National Mall

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., has announced its plan to unfold a facsimile of what is believed to the worlds longest illustrated Bible along the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The Museum of the Bible said it will be the first to completely unveil the Wiedmann Bible in the U.S. on June 1.

The Wiedmann Bible, completed in 2000, features a continuous illustrative narrative of the Old and New Testament in 3,333 images throughout 19 leporellos (accordion-style books).

It was created by German artist Willy Wiedmann, known for his gallery in Stuttgart, over the span of 16 years. Unfolded, the work of art is believed to be nearly one mile long.

June's complete unveiling will require at least 1,000 volunteers, the museum estimates.

Museum of the Bible is honored to be part of this historic event, Museum of the Bible CEO Ken McKenzie said in a statement. The Wiedmann Bible exhibit is one of the most popular at the museum, and yet, you cant truly understand the artifacts uniqueness until you see just how long it is. I encourage everyone who is able to literally reach out their hands and join me in making history on June 1.

Wiedmann, who died in 2013, did not have the opportunity to publish his work, according to the Wiedmann Bible website. Instead, Wiedmann stored his illustrations in the attic of his gallery.

His son, Martin Wiedmann, found four aluminum boxes that contained the leporellos when he reopened his fathers gallery.

Since then, the Wiedmann Bible is on its way to fulfill its mission: sharing the Bible with everyone through images, thus giving them a new way to access as well as an understanding of it, the website explains.

The original Wiedmann Bible was presented for the first time in public in the German town of Stuttgart in 2015.

The Museum of the Bible become the first entity in the U.S. to display the Wiedmann Bible when it opened up an exhibit last October. The exhibit is scheduled to run through September 2019.

A mobile app has also been launched to give users access to his fathers Bible across the globe. For the price of $4.99, the app can be downloaded to give users an interactive visual narrative of the Wiedmann Bible.

Since February 2018, the Wiedmann Bible has also been available in book form.

King's College London launched last November the Visual Commentary on Scripture website, a $2 million project designed to allow people to visually comprehend the Bible through classic and contemporary works of art. With ongoing contributions, the project aims to eventually cover every book in the Christian Bible.

Having opened in November 2017, the museum has featured a number of different temporary exhibits.

In April, the Museum of the Bible announced that it will launch a year-long exhibition that will examine the often contentious relationship between science and the Bible over the course of history thanks to millions of dollars in grants received from the John Templeton Foundation.

The exhibit looks to provide insight into six of the worlds most pressing questions: How did it all begin? What keeps the universe running? Are we different from animals? What are we made of? Where are we going? Are we alone? The exhibit also looks to refute myths that have emerged in the science-faith discussion debate.

The new exhibit will open in the summer of 2020.
Pa. legislator regrets harassing pro-life women and girls at abortion clinic

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A Pennsylvania legislator expressed regret for his mistreatment of an elderly pro-life activist and two pro-life girls who were peacefully demonstrating outside an abortion clinic.

Democratic Representative Brian Sims posted a video to his Twitter account on Tuesday responding to the outrage over his behavior.

Rep. Sims began the video speaking well of the Planned Parenthood clinic where the incident took place and criticized the pro-life protesters who regularly demonstrate outside of the clinic, claiming they engage in slurs, attacks, and even racism.

I know that two wrongs dont make a right. I can do better, and I will do better, for the women of Pennsylvania, stated Sims, whose video statement got over 1.7 million views by Thursday afternoon.

Last week, Sims garnered controversy for his posting to social media a video of himself harassing an elderly woman who was praying outside of a Planned Parenthood facility in Philadelphia.

They prey on young women, they use white privilege, & shame. Theyre racist, classist, bigots who NEED & DESERVE our righteous opposition. Push back, please, he tweeted on May 2.

In April, Sims also confronted and filmed a woman and her two teenage daughters praying outside of the clinic, offering $100 to anyone who could identify them.

Ashley Garecht, the mother of the teenagers, told Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson in an interview earlier this week that she was concerned for my girls.

I was genuinely trying to enter into just a dialogue with him to try to bring the situation, calm it down a little bit and say to him on film we are really here just praying for these women and babies, said Garecht, as reported by Fox News.

I never come to a clinic looking for a fight  It's always just with peaceful, prayerful intent. Yes, I was concerned that he said multiple times that he wanted the identities of my daughters.

Sims video addressing the response to his past actions was bashed by many, including the Daily Signal, which labeled it a non-apology and noted that Sims provided no evidence of the alleged racism and harassment from pro-life demonstrators.

Sims didnt apologize to the pro-lifers he accosted in the video he posted on Tuesday. Instead, he expressed regret for his tactics, claimed the Daily Signal.

Beth Baumann of Townhall.com labeled the Sims apology video pathetic and commended social media responses criticizing Sims for not even having the ability to say, I'm sorry.

After conservatives pounced on Sims for his disgusting tactics, he took to Periscope, yet again, but this time to semi-kind-of apologize, added Baumann.

Except he didn't really offer an apology at all. All he did was make an excuse for his behavior and say he didn't mean to embarrass Planned Parenthood.

For their part, the pro-life group Live Action has called on Sims to resign from office, launching an online petition drive.

We demand Rep. Sims resign from the Pennsylvania legislature for his unacceptable and disgusting conduct. His discrimination, harassment, and bullying of pro-lifers make him not fit for public office, stated Live Action.

Live Action is also organizing "Pro-Life Rally Against Bullying" event at the Philadelphia Planned Parenthood facility on Friday, which more than 240 people have already RSVP'ed to on Facebook.
Planned Parenthood accused of creating shell company to deceive residents about new clinic

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Black Christian leaders are accusing the nations largest abortion provider of using false pretenses to open a full-service abortion clinic in a neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina under the radar of concerned community members.

In a news release shared with The Christian Post Thursday, the Douglass Leadership Institute and partners in the Charlotte Mecklenburg minority clergy community voiced concern with Planned Parenthoods plans to expand and relocate a clinic to the citys historic Cherry Hill neighborhood.

No doubt aware that Charlotte residents would oppose Planned Parenthood targeting its communities and killing its children, the abortion behemoth inserted itself into the city quietly and deceptively, DLI Chairman Rev. Dean Nelson Nelson explained in a statement.

It was reported earlier this month that Planned Parenthood South Atlantic is moving its Charlotte Health Center from Albemarle Road to a location in the historic Cherry Hill neighborhood, about a mile east of St. Patrick Cathedral. Although Charlotte already has other Planned Parenthood affiliates, those clinics only offer abortion referrals.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the new facility in Cherry Hill will open next month and give Planned Parenthood the ability to conduct abortions in Charlotte for the first time in decades.

DLI, a D.C.-based national education and public policy nonprofit dedicated to pro-life advocacy, free market principles, and limited government, asserts that Planned Parenthood deceptively infiltrated the Charlotte community under false pretenses.

Planned Parenthoods plans were discovered by residents who did some digging into a contract filed with the state government under the name Secure Source, LLC, according to DLI.

Listed as the companys CFO is Planned Parenthood executive Nancy Martin Long. The DLI release states that it wasnt until much later that Planned Parenthood confirmed plans for a new clinic to media.

This deceptive and murky behavior is exactly what the nation has come to expect from the corrupt organization, explained Nelson, who is also the national outreach director for the Human Coalition, a pro-life nonprofit that operates women's care clinics throughout the United States.

Charlotte deserves better. People of goodwill will not stand by and allow Planned Parenthood to brazenly normalize aborting children and exploiting women. We urge the ministerial community and community leaders that support children and families to oppose Planned Parenthoods expansion and to help inform women know that there is support available from community organizations and pregnancy support clinics like Human Coalition.

CP reached out to Planned Parenthood South Atlantic for comment on claims that Secure Source, LLC was created to deceive community members about plans to open up the abortion clinic in Charlotte. A response is pending.

Leslie Monet, who oversees the Family Life Campaign for the Church of God in Christ, one of the largest African-American-majority denominations in the United States, called upon the black community to oppose what she called an assault on our children and families.

The expansion of the center is a part of a devastating strategy that Planned Parenthood is deploying, placing mega abortion facilities in urban communities that are within walking distance of minority neighborhoods throughout the country, she said in a statement. It is part of their operational strategy to place these abortion mills in our communities, and we will not tacitly accept being targeted in this manner.

Nelson and other conservative African-American leaders have long been critical about the abortion industry as the number of abortions in the African-American community is disproportionately high. Although African-Americans make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population, black women comprise over 30 percent of the 1 million abortions conducted in the U.S. every year.

In Mecklenburg County, that number is even higher, about 53.7 percent of the 3,890 abortions are for black women, according to DLI.

Conservative black Christian leaders have often spoken out about the eugenic roots of Planned Parenthood, arguing that the organizations founder advocated for "black eugenics" and sought to "eliminate black births."

In January, DLI called on the Department of Health and Human Services to abolish its Office of Population Affairs, claiming that the office is funding contraceptive programs responsible for a genocide in their communities.

DLI in conjunction with the Georgia-based Restoration Project and the National Black Pro-Life Coalition released a report arguing that programs funded by the OPA are more concerned about population control than the side effects and diseases associated with forms of birth control given to them at womens clinics.
Student govt at Texas Christian college votes to ban Chick-fil-A over LGBT record

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The student government of Trinity University, a private liberal arts college in Texas affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, has voted unanimously to ban food from fast-food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A for their record on LGBT issues.

Chick-fil-A does not have a restaurant on the campus, but its food is made available on a rotating basis, typically once every two weeks, along with food from other restaurant chains at the Commons Food Court, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

In a resolution adopted May 1, the student government association of the college cited Chick-fil-As donations to the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Paul Anderson Youth Home, as well as its score of zero on the Washington-based Human Rights Campaigns 2015 Corporate Equality Index for failing to protect their LGBT+ employees from discrimination in the workplace.

Chick-fil-a donated 1.8 million dollars to anti-LGBT+ organizations in 2017, such as the Paul Anderson Youth Home, the Salvation Army, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, according to their most recent available tax return, the resolution said.

The sentiment displayed at the Speaking of Chick-Fil-A forum demonstrated that students disapprove of having Chick-fil-a on campus in Revolve, and would advocate for a comparable substitute that doesn't conflict with Trinitys values. The negative consequences of having Chick-fil-a on campus outweigh the desires of those who are in favor of keeping it on campus, it noted.

Ty Tinker, student government president, told the San Antonio Express-News that the association decided to take up the issue after a lot of proactive folks, including PRIDE (Trinitys student LGBT group), came to student government and university administrators.

The student government resolutions are nonbinding, Tinker said, noting that they are a way to make recommendations to school administrators.

Discussions about the presence of Chick-fil-A at Trinity have been ongoing since the city council for San Antonio voted 6-4 to remove Chick-fil-A from a project at their airport.

Isaiah Mitchell, president of the Trinity chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas who gathered with other students at an off-campus event to protest the targeting of Chick-fil-A by the student government, argued that Chick-fil-A does not harm the LGBT community.

The Salvation Army, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, these other organizations that Chick-fil-A supports, do not actually cause harm to the LGBT community, he said, noting that lobbying against the political goals of the LGBTQ left does not equate to actually harming.

Manfred Wendt, a 2018 Trinity alum, told Campus Reform, "As an alumni of Trinity University and the Executive Director for YCT [Young Conservatives of Texas], I find the whole situation absurd. Political stunts pulled by the San Antonio City Council should not affect Trinity University's students. The Chick-fil-A situation is a perfect example of progressive slacktivism.

"If having Chick-fil-a on campus was actually an issue, they should have started protesting in August. I hope that the board of trustees does the wise thing and chooses to ignore the SGA resolution as its unlikely anyone will care once students return to classes in the fall and the ban Chick-fil-a fad will go back into hibernation," Wendt added.

Chick-fil-A was added to Trinitys food court rotation less than a year ago by Aramark, which has a five-year contract as the universitys food service vendor, San Antonio Express News reported.

In a statement to the publication, Trinitys vice president for Strategic Communications, Tess Coody-Anders, said Aramark is taking the recommendation into consideration as part of a normal process this summer in which revolving food service vendors are evaluated for the next school year. The university does not contract directly with Chick-fil-A, but it has the final decision.
'Tolkien' director on honoring life, legacy of famed 'Lord of the Rings' author (interview)

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Warning: spoilers ahead

As a child growing up in Finland, filmmaker Dome Karukoski felt an unusually strong kinship with fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien.

I was first exposed to The Hobbit and Lord of Rings when I was 12 or 13, and those books were life-changing for me, Karukoski told The Christian Post. I was an outsider who was bullied. I craved friends. When I read those books, it was like the characters became friends of mine.

Like Tolkien, I grew up without a father, and we were incredibly poor, he said. We didnt even have running water, so the theme of poverty and Tolkiens experience with hardship really resonated with me.

Karukoskis respect and appreciation for the legendary Lord of the Rings author are evident in his new film Tolkien, starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins. The first-ever film about Tolkien, the biopic respectfully explores the formative years of the writers life, from his years at Oxford to his time in the trenches of the First World War.

Through a series of flashbacks, the film reveals how Tolkiens conception of Middle-earth and its various inhabitants stem from his own deep friendships, marriage to Edith Bratt, and horrifying experiences as a soldier.

Often, the storybooks and newspapers tell us of the C.S. Lewis/Tolkien era, but little attention is given to his earlier life and friendships, Karukoski said. But I think those years were so instrumental to his writing. The poverty aspect, in particular, I think will surprise some. I always thought of him as a privileged white man but really, he had to fight his way to the light. Thats one of the main reasons we narrowed his timeline.

The film opens in the English village of Sarehole, where a young Tolkien develops a love for fantasy from his widowed mother, Mabel (Laura Donnelly). Unfortunately, Mabel soon dies, leaving Tolkien and his brother orphaned and placed in the care of Father Francis Morgan (Colm Meaney).

A true academic who created over a dozen languages, Tolkien soon becomes a top student at the distinguished King Edward's School in Birmingham. There, he meets three classmates  Christopher Wiseman (Ty Tennant), Robert Gilson (Albie Marber) and Geoffrey Smith (Adam Bregman)  who will become his closest friends. The friends, who dub themselves The Tea Club, vow to change the world through the power of art.

Around the same time, Tolkien meets the bright and attractive pianist Edith Bratt (Collins).

After getting into Oxford, the Great War is announced. Tolkien and his friends find themselves in the trenches for the Battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest conflicts in British military history.

Karukoski admitted that some artistic license was necessary for several scenes, specifically those that took place during the war. It was important, he said, to show how Tolkiens hellish experience in WWI influenced Mordor, demonstrated through his hallucinations of bloody knights, smoke billows and fire-breathing dragons.

Tolkien was profoundly very pacifist in his work, and I think in 2019, just looking at how horrifying the idea is that war is still an option, and its not, he said. Its always innocent souls destroyed, like in this film. These were just innocent souls who wanted to change the world through art and music, and destruction comes through war. This is to show how horrifying it is.

Despite overwhelming obstacles, Tolkien and Edith wed and eventually have several children together. Tolkien would later reveal his wife was the inspiration for his fictional characters Luthien Tinuviel and Arwen Evenstar.

Another scene, in which Tolkien and Edith meet just before the young author ships out during World War I, was also a poetic choice, the director added.

Life is often boring, so what you have to do is dramatize and flush out the motion, he explained. If we wrote out the events as they actually happened, it would have been a twenty-minute scene. Youd feel like you were watching a Wikipedia page. So we wrote it out in six minutes, and that better portrays the emotional experience and feelings they had. This film is very true to the emotional arch of the characters.

Although Tolkiens Christianity heavily influenced his writing, Karukoski acknowledged Tolkien does not place the authors faith front and center.

Religion is one of the most difficult elements to visualize in the film because its so eternal, he said. So instead we have scenes where he attends communion and helps Father Francis to show that he was a man of faith. There are also layered scenes, where he looks up to the heavens for an answer as if asking God for help. There's another scene where a figure is on a cross. Many people wont notice those hints because theyre so eternal.

Lord of the Rings is a profoundly Catholic work, he added, but there are always expectations. Some want more religion, some want less. We just tried to be as true to his faith as possible.

Tolkien's family members have publicly distanced themselves from the film, issuing a statement outlining their lack of involvement with the feature.

Karukoski told CP hes optimistic that one day the family will see his film, adding their reaction wasnt hostile.

It was more like, this isnt our film, he said. I hope one day we can watch the film together, and I can explain why certain poetic choices were made. Tolkien is a labor of love that was done with respect.

And while Tolkien, who died in 1973 at the age of 81, wasnt fond of biopics, Karukoski said he believes the legendary author would appreciate the care given to his story.

He always said he didnt want people to focus on him; rather, he wanted people to focus on his books, the director said. But I believe this film will help people find his books. I think Tolkien was a very kind and understanding man who would say, Thank you for making this film, and then come back with constructive criticism.

Id love to sit on a cloud and smoke a pipe with him, he added with a laugh. I would ask him, What did you think of the movie? Do you think your story is interesting? Would you have created additional turning points?

Tolkiens story, Karukoski contended, is evidence that one can change the world through art  and that books have undeniable healing power.

Like his books, I hope Tolkien has that healing power, he said. I hope viewers are inspired to spread love and understanding to one another. I hope theyre inspired to call a friend and share life with them.

Tolkien is rated PG-13 for some sequences of war violence. The film opens May 10.
Trump urged to condemn China's religious freedom abuses in trade talks

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Trump administration was strongly urged by a congressionally-mandated commission to bring up the continued persecution of Christians and other religious minorities with Chinas top trade negotiator during this weeks trade talks in Washington.

The bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which includes three evangelical leaders whove engaged informally with the Trump White House, called for administration officials to discuss China's systemic persecution of Christians, Uighur Muslims and others minorities with Vice Premier Liu He during his visit.

Liu's visit comes as the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that as many as 3 million Uighur Muslims have been sent to detention camps in the Xinjiang province of China, while countless Christians, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners and other religious adherents continue to face arrest, imprisonment and the closing of their houses of worship.

The communist Chinese governments brutal campaign to sinicize all religions is one of the worst abuses of religious freedom taking place today, USCIRF Commissioner Gary Bauer, a veteran social conservative activist, said in a statement.

During these talks about our trade relationship with China, religious persecution and human rights more broadly must be on the table.

The Trump administration believed that it was nearing a trade deal with China that would have opened up the Chinese market to U.S. companies. But after days of negotiation between Liu, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, no deal was reached.

Additionally, the U.S. increased tariffs on up to $200 billion of Chinese goods by 15 percent as China was accused of backtracking on months of negotiations when it submitted drastic edits to a draft trade agreement. Chinese officials blamed the U.S. for the deal not being reached and vowed to counter the U.S. tariffs.

USCIRF and other religious freedom advocates have long called for the U.S. government to include religious freedom concerns as part of the U.S. ongoing trade discussions with China and other countries called out for religious freedom violations.

At an event on Capitol Hill last week, Bauer said that trade negotiations with China should be more than just about tariffs and jobs but should also ensuring that the Chinese people are allowed to worship the way that they see fit.

This is about the right of every man and woman, whether Muslim or Buddhist or Christian or Falun Gong, to worship as he or she sees fit, Bauer argued in a statement Friday. At a time when the lives and freedoms of millions of Chinese people are under attack by their own government, we must put religious freedom and human rights on the agenda, too.

China has been labeled as a country of particular concern by the U.S. State Department for the past 20 years, a designation given to countries with some of the most severe violations of religious freedom.

In its 2019 annual report, USCIRF called for the Trump administration to use targeted sanctions against Chinese officials who either perpetrated or tolerated religious freedom violations.

USCIRF suggested the administration sanction the Communist Party Secretary of Xinjiang, Chen Quanguo. Quanguo is said to have been responsible for violations committed against Buddhists in Tibet, who are reportedly subject to intrusive surveillance and political indoctrination.

USCIRF, a commission established by the International Religious Freedom Act to make recommendations to the executive branch and Congress, called for the U.S. to preserve the cultural and linguistic heritage of the religious groups in China as well as coordinate a response to Chinas religious freedom violations with world allies.

If we were going to rank the Tier 1 countries [of concern], China would be in a category all by itself [with] the level of persecution, Bauer said at the rollout of the USCIRF annual report. They are an equal opportunity persecutor.

In March, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback spoke in Hong Kong and contended that the Chinese government is at war with faith.

The Chinese Communist Party must hear the cry of its people for religious freedom, Brownback said.

Friday afternoon, Vice President Mike Pence met with USCIRF and responded in a tweet that the Trump administration would defend religious freedom.

"Great mtg with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today w/ @AmbJohnBolton. Thank you to the Commission for its efforts to highlight the plight of the Rohingya & the Uighur Muslims. @POTUS & our Admin will ALWAYS stand up for religious freedom," he wrote.
Georgia bans abortion after heartbeat is detected, recognizes fetus as natural person

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp angered abortion supporters Tuesday when he signed a bill into law that bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat has been detected and recognizes fetuses as natural persons.

"Georgia is a state that values life," Kemp said as he signed HB 481, also known as The Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act, into law. "We protect the innocent, we champion the vulnerable, we stand up and speak for those that are unable to speak for themselves."

Republican State Rep. Ed Setzler, who also spoke at the bill signing, called the legislation a "common sense issue," saying that a preschooler would recognize a fetus as a baby.

The Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act is a bill that recognizes something that many have known for years. It recognizes that science tells us that children in the womb are living distinct human beings that are worthy of full legal protection. It recognizes what law tells us. We follow the dictates of solid law in the foundations that even our United States Supreme Court has said that if any recognizes the personhood of a child in utero that life gets full protection of our federal Constitution and thats what the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act does today, he said.

And finally, common sense tells us, if you look at a child in the womb, with a beating heart, with a distinct blood type and you ask a preschooler, a small child, what are you looking at, they would look and say thats a baby. When you recognize what science, law and common sense tells us today, that those in utero in Georgia, with a human heartbeat, with a full circulatory system, and all the components of humanity should get full protections of our laws. Its on that foundation that we stand today.

The move also drew support from pro-life supporters such as Live Action founder and President Lila Rose.

This is a huge win for life. Georgia is the fourth state this year to pass a heartbeat bill, joining Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio. This law acknowledges the scientific fact that the pro-abortion movement tries desperately to ignore: This is a unique, individual human life in the womb, not a clump of cells; and just three weeks after fertilization, the childs little heart is already beating. Its time for society and our laws to acknowledge that there are two human beings in a pregnancy - a baby and his or her mother - and both deserve protection, Rose said in a statement to The Christian Post.

Popular Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., lashed out at the legislation on Tuesday, calling it a backdoor ban on abortion.

6 weeks pregnant = 2 weeks late on your period. Most of the men writing these bills dont know the first thing about a womans body outside of the things they want from it. Its relatively common for a woman to have a late period + not be pregnant. So this is a backdoor ban, she wrote on Twitter.

For context, this kicks in within days of a typical at-home test working. If you were sexually assaulted (stress delays cycle), took a morning-after pill (throws off cycle), or have an irregular cycle, youd have no idea. There are a TON of ways this law ignores basic biology, she added.

In a direct response to Ocasio-Cortez, Rose said: I dont think you understand how these bills work. They ban abortion after the babys heartbeat can be heard by ultrasound, which is around 6 wks. Also, a lot of women support these life-saving laws, myself included. You should join us. Glad some of the men are on board, too.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights have promised to challenge the legislation long before it goes into effect in January 2020. Abortion advocates believe the legislation violates the landmark 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision which protects a woman's right to an abortion up until when the fetus is viable, which typically happens between 24 and 25 weeks.

"This law is bafflingly unconstitutional," Elisabeth Smith, chief counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights told CBS News. "Bans like this have always been blocked by courts. We will be suing Georgia to make sure this law has the same fate."
Jerry Falwell Jr. denies report he got Trump's 'fixer' to bury embarrassing 'racy' photos

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. denied reports that President Donald Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen intervened in 2015 after someone obtained personal photographs the Falwells did not want to go public.

There are no compromising or embarrassing photos of me, Falwell told conservative pundit Todd Starnes on his radio show Wednesday.

According to a recording of a phone conversation between Cohen and actor Tom Arnold that was reviewed by Reuters and The Washington Post, Cohen told Arnold that the Falwells had a bunch of photographs they wanted to keep from becoming public.

The photographs in question, he said, are ones that are usually kept between husband and wife.

A source close to Cohen told Reuters that Falwell reached out to Cohen regarding the matter in 2015, just a few months before Falwell issued his endorsement for Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

According to the source close to the matter, the person who obtained the photos had demanded money and Cohen flew to Florida to meet with the attorney of the person who possessed the photographs.

Cohen was said to have told the attorney that his client is committing a crime and threatened to call law enforcement. The matter was reportedly resolved soon thereafter and the photographs were said to have been destroyed.

"I was going to pay him and I was going to get the negatives and do an agreement where they turn over all technology that has the photographs or anything like that, any copies," Cohen told Arnold on the call, according to The Washington Post.

"And it never happened. The guy just either deleted them on his own or what have you."

The conversation between Arnold, a known Trump critic, and Cohen took place on March 25 and was recorded without Cohens knowledge.

I actually have one of the photos. Its terrible, Cohen was quoted as saying in the recording, adding that he keeps the picture on his phone.

However, Falwell stated that the report is not accurate.

While we have a long-standing friendship with Michael Cohen, we never engaged or paid Cohen to represent us in any legal or other professional capacity, and Cohen did not ever resolve any legal matter on our behalf, Falwell told Starnes.

According to The Washington Post, a lawyer for the Falwells also denied there being any personal racy photographs of Falwell and that the Falwells have never engaged Cohen in a professional capacity.

Cohen served as Trumps fixer for over 10 years and is serving a three-year prison sentence for federal campaign violations, tax evasion, bank fraud, and perjury.

The conversation with Arnold was first reported by The Wall Street Journal on April 24, which pointed to the fact that Cohen denied committing some of the crimes to which he pled guilty because prosecutors began targeting his wife.

As the son of Liberty University founder Jerry Falwell Sr., Falwell was one of the first well-known evangelical leaders to put their support behind Trump during the Republican primary election right before the Iowa caucuses.

At the time, many social conservatives were supportive of fellow candidates like Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, and Mike Huckabee. Cruz even launched his presidential campaign at Falwells Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Cohen helped to persuade Falwell to issue his endorsement of Trump just before the Iowa caucuses.

There is no evidence to suggest that Cohens alleged assistance in the matter over the photographs had influenced Falwells support for Trump. Even today, Falwell remains one of Trumps most vocal supporters, regularly issuing questionable comments on social media.

Earlier this week, Falwell tweeted, perhaps jokingly, that Trump should have two years added to his presidential term as reparations for the investigation into the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

In January, news came out that Cohen had paid John Gauger, LUs chief information officer and vice president of analytics, to rig online polls in favor of Trump ahead of the 2016 election. In response, LU praised Gauger's "success" as an "independent entrepreneur."

When Cohen first pled guilty last August, Falwell quoted scripture and blamed Jeff Sessions, who was attorney general at the time.

"'By their fruits, ye shall know them' Today, we saw the fruits of @jeffsessions but it is too little too late! The AG sewed the wind but he will reap the whirlwind in November!" tweeted Falwell, quoting Matthew 7:20.

Although it is not known who obtained the photos mentioned in Cohens claims, historian Daniel Silliman of Valparaiso University recalled of litany of stories involving Cohen, the Falwells, and a Miami business venture that ultimately led to a lawsuit.

Are all these things connected? The pool boy, the property deals, the lawsuit, the alleged racy photos, the shady deals with Michael Cohen? Silliman asked. Maybe. There are enough dots you can start to see a shape, even if you cant for-sure say what that shape is.
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue issued a message addressed to Muslims on the occasion of Ramadan, noting that We Muslims and Christians are called to open ourselves to others, knowing and recognizing them as brothers and sisters. In this way, we can tear down walls raised out of fear and ignorance and seek together to build bridges of friendship that are fundamental for the good of all humanity.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue issued a message addressed to Muslims on the occasion of Ramadan, which began last Sunday (5 May), and for the Eid al-Fitr, which ends the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Titled Christians and Muslims: Promoting Universal Fraternity Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters, the message is signed by Secretary of the Dicastery, Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ.

The culture of dialogue between Christians and Muslims, it says, must go on and "promote every persons right to life, to physical integrity, and to fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of conscience, of thought, of expression and of religion.

The month of Ramadan with its dedication to fasting, prayer and almsgiving, is also a month for strengthening the spiritual bonds we share in Muslim-Christian friendship. I am pleased, therefore, to take this opportunity to wish you a peaceful and fruitful celebration of Ramadan.

Our religions invite us to remain rooted in the values of peace; to defend the values of mutual understanding, human fraternity and harmonious coexistence; to re-establish wisdom, justice and love (cf. Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019).

We Muslims and Christians are called to open ourselves to others, knowing and recognizing them as brothers and sisters. In this way, we can tear down walls raised out of fear and ignorance and seek together to build bridges of friendship that are fundamental for the good of all humanity. We thus cultivate in our families and in our political, civil and religious institutions, a new way of life where violence is rejected, and the human person respected.

We are encouraged, therefore, to continue advancing the culture of dialogue as a means of cooperation and as a method of growing in knowledge of one another. In this context, I recall that Pope Francis, during his visit to Cairo, highlighted three fundamental guidelines for pursuing dialogue and knowledge among people of different religions: the duty of identity, the courage of otherness and the sincerity of intentions (Address to the participants in the International Conference for Peace, Al-Azhar Conference Center, Cairo, 28 April 2017).

In order to respect diversity, dialogue must seek to promote every persons right to life, to physical integrity, and to fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of conscience, of thought, of expression and of religion. This includes the freedom to live according to ones beliefs in both the private and public spheres. In this way, Christians and Muslims  as brothers and sisters  can work together for the common good.

It is my wish that the gesture and message of fraternity will find an echo in the hearts of all those holding positions of authority in the areas of social and civil life of the whole human family, and may lead all of us to put into practice not merely an attitude of tolerance but true and peaceful living together.
Pastor fatally shot himself as wife, daughters burned in house, fire officials say

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A prominent Texas pastor, who was found dead along with his wife and teenage daughter after a suspicious fire broke out in their home, shot himself in the head as his family burned, the Dallas County Medical Examiner has ruled.

The Feb. 28 death of Pastor Eugene Keahey, who led Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Sandbranch, was recently ruled a suicide by gunshot wound by the medical examiners office.

The deaths of his two teenage daughters, Camryn Keahey, 15, and her sister Darryn Keahey, 17, were also ruled homicides resulting from thermal burns and smoke inhalation. Darryn Keahey, who had initially survived the fire which investigators believe was intentionally set, succumbed to her injuries on April 1.

The cause of death for the pastors wife, DeAnna Wilson-Keahey, is still being investigated.

The late pastor, who was a father of four, shared the destroyed home with his wife, two daughters and extended family. An older son and daughter were not in the home at the time of the fire.

While Pastor Keahey had been well-known and beloved by locals as a community activist, investigators had been concerned about cryptic messages he shared on social media prior to the fire that suggested he may have been dealing with some kind of struggle.

About three weeks before the blaze, the pastor changed his Facebook cover photo to a picture with the words, "We all have secrets."

Then shortly before the fire was reported, at 3:57 a.m. on Feb. 28, he wrote "this difficult time in my life" and ended with the phrase, "Good Night Y'all."

It was also reported that Keahey and his wife, who once taught elementary school, were going through financial difficulties prior to their deaths. The home in which they were found dead was sold at a foreclosure auction in February.

Church member Ivory Hall told CBSDFW that he was struggling to cope with the pastors death because he had known him for years.

Whenever we needed him, he was here. Hed come around and sit around the patio with us here. He was that kind of a guy, Hall said.

A day or two before the house fire, he recalled how the pastor had worked to make sure he had enough water.

In 2016, Keahey had lobbied to get safe drinking water to the impoverished Sandbranch community and Hall at the time begged for information on exactly what happened to such a caring minister.

Hed walk the streets with people showing them about the community, said Hall. I just hope they find out exactly what happened. That is what I am waiting on.
Unspeakable grief: 5 things to know about the Colorado school shooting

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

One student was killed and eight others were injured Tuesday when a shooting occurred at a Colorado school that serves grades kindergarten through 12th grade.

The mass shooting took place at STEM School Highlands Ranch, which is located in Douglas County and has more than 1,800 students.

Police arrested two suspects, 18-year-old Devon Erickson and an unnamed juvenile, both of whom were students at the school.

According to KKTV News, 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, a student who was days away from graduating, was the lone fatality. Three of the injured remain hospitalized.

Officers responded within two minutes of the school's emergency call. They "immediately engaged the suspects" and apprehended them. No gunfire was exchanged, said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock.

Erickson is scheduled to make a court appearance on Wednesday afternoon. A court appearance has not been scheduled yet for the female suspect, reported the Associated Press.

In a statement posted to social media, the STEM School explained that it will be closed for the rest of the week in response to the tragedy.

It is with unspeakable grief and shocking disbelief that we share this message with our school community. It is important during this difficult time that our community comes together and that we take care of one another, stated the school.

Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by todays tragedy, and we are heartened by the bravery of our students, staff, parents and first responders.

Here are five things to know about the shooting:

1. Heroic students tackled gunman

Nui Giasolli, a student who witnessed the shooting, told the Today show that several of her male classmates tackled Erickson.

Kendrick lunged at him and he shot Kendrick, giving all of us enough time to get underneath our desks, to get ourselves safe and to run across the room to escape, Giasolli recalled.

She said three other classmates  Brendan Bialy, Jackson Gregory and Lucas Albertoni  then brought down the gunman.

They were very heroic. I cant thank them enough, she said.

Bialys father, Brad, confirmed to NBC News that Bialy had helped tackle and disarm the suspect.

2. The other suspect is a juvenile female

Sheriff Spurlock did not name the second suspect but said the suspect is a juvenile female.

Authorities initially thought both suspects were male.

We originally thought that we had a juvenile male in custody but through our interviews yesterday late afternoon determined that we have a juvenile female that is in custody right now who is the other suspect, Spurlock said Wednesday at a press conference.

You have to understand that this individual is a  small, young person and the identity wasnt definitive, obvious to us when they were taken into custody.

1

2

Next
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Christians across the nation just celebrated April as Second Chance Month. I joined a prayer walk in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and listened to men and women who once battled a cycle of addiction, incarceration, and brokenness.

Many work hard to make good on their second chance. Yet, because of their criminal record, obstacles remain to housing, education, employment, and other necessities for a full, productive life.

Visits to an evangelical outreach in prisons are staples in American Christian culture. In a Barna poll commissioned by Prison Fellowship, 35% of practicing Christians strongly agreed and 52% agreed their values make caring for prisoners important.

In the same poll, 51% of practicing Christians strongly agreed with the basic idea of giving persons who have completed their just punishment a second chance to become productive members of society.

However, many practicing Christians struggled with this notion:

With only a few exceptions related to their specific crime (for example, not allowing someone convicted of embezzling money to work at a bank), once a person has paid their debt for a crime, they should not face further restrictions on their life.

Thirty-two percent of practicing Christians strongly agreed and 41% agreeda majority, but still a significant drop from the support of the general concept of second chances.

As we share the Good News of Jesus Christ with people behind bars and their children, Prison Fellowship seeks to bring biblical values to bear in the halls of Congress and state legislatures. We call for proportional punishment, constructive prison culture, and second chances.

Beyond widespread social stigma, people with records face some 44,000 documented restrictions barring their access to education, jobs, housing, voting, and moreeven after they have paid their debt to society. These restrictions often lack a connection to legitimate public safety concerns.

For example, some jurisdictions prevent someone convicted of felonies from becoming licensed barbers. This is especially ironic because some of these same states have in-prison programs for barber training.

The faith that calls us to bring the Gospels message of a second chance to men and women behind bars also calls us to ensure a meaningful second chance at life is available to them when they are released from the prison.

We believe removing barriers to second chances is a tangible expression of Gods message of redemption. Its a matter of justice as well as a pathway to reduced recidivism and increased public safety. If returning citizens successfully rejoin the community, then they are not committing new crimes or going back to prison.

Were excited the movement to create a culture of second chances is gaining momentum. The president and more than 23 states issued Second Chance Month proclamations. More and more employers are pointing to the benefits of hiring returning citizens, too.

We hope youll join Prison Fellowship and 300-plus Second Chance Month partners in continuing to shine a spotlight on the basic, God-given dignity of returning citizens and the need to supportnot hindertheir second chance.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The year 2019 is the ten-year anniversary of a statement that drew the line for Christians on three central issues: life, marriage, and religious liberty. There were many prophetic lines in the Manhattan Declaration, which was co-authored by Chuck Colson, Dr. Timothy George of Beeson Divinity School, and Dr. Robert George of Princeton University, but none were more important than the last line: that we will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but under no circumstances could we render to Caesar what belongs to God. Half-a-million Christians signed on.

In the ten years since those words were written, Caesar (in other words, the state) has claimed more and more of what belongs to God, especially in the areas of life, marriage, and religious liberty.

Just think of New York lawmakers high-fiving each other after they ensured unrestricted abortion up to the point of birth, or the governor of Virginia advocating infanticide. Or consider that doctor-assisted suicide is now legal in seven states and the District of Columbia. And what about marriage? Recall the White House lit up in rainbow colors after the Obergefell decision mandated same-sex marriage on all fifty states.

And think of all the stories weve now heard of believers forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood, or adoption agencies forced to choose between their existence and their convictions. Or business owners like Jack Phillips and Barronelle Stutzman having to go to court to fend off Caesars demands.

Still, lets be clear. Far more important than what Caesar demands is what Christians are willing to concede. Just this week, a new Barna survey revealed that the number of Protestant pastors who are very concerned about religious freedom has dropped significantly in just three yearsfrom 55 percent to only 34 percent.

This is why Christians must decide where they stand, not based on the pressure of the cultural moment, but on the rock-solid, unchanging truth revealed to us in the Story of Scripture. We cannot render to Caesar what belongs to God.

I dont think I can say it any better than Dr. Robert George did in his entry to our BreakPoint.org symposium about the Manhattan Declaration: In the gospels, our Lord says . . .be not afraid. As we stand boldly for life, marriage, and religious liberty, let us heed His admonition. It is not for us to know when or even precisely how the victories will be won. Our task and duty is simply to be faithful and obedientto bear witness and do what is right . . . When things look bleak, we must not give up hope, for to yield to despair is to fail to trust in Jesus.

To that I say Amen. If youve signed the Manhattan Declaration, I urge you to read it again. Consider again what we must do to honor God in this culture. If youve not read it or signed it, I urge you to consider doing so.

You can find a link to the full text of the Manhattan Declaration, as well as to our online symposium, featuring Dr. Georges comments along with those of 15 other thought leaders, at BreakPoint.org.

And finally, I was pleased to work with the brilliant Dr. David Dockery on a new book, which is now available, that reflects on Christian conviction. Its called Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty: What Belongs to God, and What Belongs to Caesar. An absolutely stunning group contributed to the book, including Dr. George, Joni Eareckson Tada, Randy Alcorn, Ryan Anderson, Frederica Mathewes-Green, Michael Farris, Kristen Waggoner, Mary Eberstadt and more. Its available at BreakPoint.org with your next donation to BreakPoint and the Colson Center.

This is worth repeating: We will ungrudgingly render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but we can never render to Caesar what belongs to God.

Resources

Read the Manhattan Declaration

The Manhattan Declaration  Ten Years Later: A BreakPoint Symposium

Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty: A FREE webinar with John Stonestreet

Four-Year Study Reveals Unexpected Views of Religious Liberty, Barna

Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty: What Belongs to God, What Belongs to Caesar, John Stonestreet and David Dockery, editors, 2019

Originally posted at Breakpoint.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Billy Graham passed away in early 2018 nearly one hundred years after he was born. That day, Americaand the world, reallylost one of the greatest evangelists of all time. He undoubtedly communicated the gospel message to more people face-to-face than anyone in human history. Three hundred million people heard him share the simple gospel message live, and countless millions more watched and listened through television, radio broadcasts, and online videos. I am among those who got to hear Billy Graham preach the gospel live. As a boy, I attended his 1996 Minneapolis Crusade. I remember DC Talk rocking out the Metrodome and then hearing Billy Graham share the gospel. I remember being astonished as thousands of people from all over the stadium made their way down to the front of the stage, with tears running down their cheeks, to make a decision of faith in Jesus Christ.

We lost a living legend. In a biography written in the 1960s, the author called a prominent Christian preacher the Billy Graham of South Africa. People have been using variations of that phrase for nearly sixty years! Phrases like that point to the way God used Billy Graham, who maintained his humility, integrity, and focus on the gospel. Billy Grahams message was Christ is the only answer to the deepest needs of the human heart.

While sharing my thoughts online after his death, I was invited as a guest to reminisce about Billy Grahams legacy with BBC World News Service alongside several other guests throughout the day. The first several questions were about what it was like to hear Billy Graham live and to discuss how expansive his impact was. The final question mentioned a controversial statement Billy had made many years ago and asked us to respond. They said, People say Billy Graham was intolerant. What do you think? I was caught off guard. But I expressed my belief that anyone can throw out opinions online nowadays without knowing someone. For everyone who knew Billy Graham or was acquainted with him, he was incredibly loving and gracious.

A few weeks later, as I was reading Billy Grahams autobiography Just as I Am, I realized how many times the press around the world had asked him similar questions. Before Billy Grahams first London crusade, he faced a flurry of angry media criticism and questions. Ironically, all the negative media attention gave the crusade much more press and public interest than it ever would have had without the criticism. Years later, when Billy Graham was back in England, the press had become friendlier after seeing the ways God had used him positively in the region. During that visit, he had the opportunity to meet C. S. Lewis, who wasnt yet widely known in America for The Chronicles of Narnia or Mere Christianity. Billys wife, Ruth, had been reading The Chronicles of Narnia prior to the trip. C. S. Lewis greeted Billy Graham as they spent some time together, and said, You have many critics Billy Graham, but no one who has actually met you has a single bad thing to say about you.

In our world, it is easier than ever to make divisive, critical, and blanket statements about others. We think we can say whatever we want without spiritual consequences. But the Bible calls us to a different way of speaking and living.

Why would anyone think Billy Graham was intolerant? In part, it is because Billy Graham would preach the Bible, preach against sin, and call people to Christ as the only answer to lasting peace and joy in the human heart. People think he was intolerant in part because he believed what the Bible has to say about human sinfulness.

Society is changing these days. The New Yorker recently posted an article about Chick-fil-As Creepy Infiltration of New York City. The article says, The brands arrival here feels like an infiltration, in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism. Seriously? The people touting tolerance in our culture have become surprisingly intolerant about Christians. If the New Yorker article had been about a restaurant with owners from any other religious group, it would never have been allowed to be published, not even by the National Enquirer. People are okay with intolerance toward people they think are intolerant. Jesus taught, You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved (Matthew 10:22). And This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).

Truth is not always popular. Sometimes the truth gets you in trouble. But God calls us to walk in both His love and His truth, no matter the consequences.

In a day when people feel like they can believe whatever they want, and no one is allowed to tell them otherwise, we need truth plus love more than ever.

Taken from Truth Plus Love by Matt Brown. Copyright  2019 by Matt Brown. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.TruthPlusLoveBook.com

Matt Brown is an evangelist, author, and founder of Think Eternity, a ministry dedicated to amplifying the gospel every day to millions through devotionals, videos, live events, and more. Matt and his wife Michelle and their two sons live in Minnesota. You can follow Matt on social media at @evangelistmatt and at thinke.org
Asia Bibi, Colorado shooting, heartbeat

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know:

Asia Bibi arrives safely in Canada after blasphemy acquittal

Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian who was on death row for eight years after being accused of blasphemy, was finally able to leave Pakistan.

Her lawyer said this week that she arrived safely in Canada, where her daughters were relocated earlier.

Bibi was acquitted by Pakistans Supreme Court last October but was forced to live in hiding due to death threats from Islamic extremists who wanted her hanged.

Colorado school shooting leaves 1 dead, 8 injured

Two suspects were arrested after a shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado on Tuesday left one student dead and eight injured.

The suspects, who are students at the school, have been identified as Devon Erickson, 18, and Maya McKinney, 16, who identifies as a transgender male.

Kendrick Castillo, 18, died when he rushed one shooter and was shot. He has been hailed a hero for helping save lives.

Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the shooting.

Another heartbeat bill signed into law

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill Tuesday that bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.

"Georgia is a state that values life.  Kemp

Just last month, Ohio enacted a similar law.

A heartbeat can be found as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

Calif. approves controversial sex ed guidelines

Despite protests, Californias Department of Education voted to approve guidelines for sex education that opponents have called too explicit.

The new guidance encourages public school teachers to discuss transgender identity with elementary school students and masturbation with middle school students. Among the newly approved books, one features explicit descriptions of anal sex, bondage and other erotic activities.

Pray for

Family of Pastor Keloh Elijah, who was killed in Cameroon

New releases

Film:

Tolkien (May 10)

Albums:

United by Newsboys (May 10)

Who? by Titus Showers (May 10)

Books:

Ripple Effects: Discover the Miraculous Motivating Power of a Womans Influence by Pam Tebow (May 7)

Not Forsaken: Finding Freedom as Sons & Daughters of a Perfect Father by Louie Giglio (May 7)
Asia Bibi leaves Pakistan to be reunited with daughters in Canada: reports

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Reports have indicated that Pakistani Christian mother Asia Bibi (Aasiya Noreen), who spent years on death row, left Pakistan and arrived in Canada.

A British diplomat told the London-based British Pakistani Christian Association on Wednesday morning that Bibi safely left Pakistan after months of delay following the acquittal of her blasphemy charge by Pakistans Supreme Court last year.

Her lawyer, Saif ul Malook, told the BBC that she already arrived in Canada.

She and her husband, Ashiq Masih, have been living the last few months in protective custody and under fear of death threats from Islamic extremists who have also called for the deaths of the justices that issued her acquittal.

Bibi and her husband have been waiting to leave for Canada, where her daughters have relocated.

Asia Bibi on her way to Canada to be reunited with her daughters! Such great news! Nadine Maenza, a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, tweeted, citing The Daily Mail report. Praying for her health and reunion with her family.

BPCA Chairman Wilson Chowdhry, whose organization provides humanitarian assistance to persecuted Christians in Pakistan, explained that he had been in communication with Ashiq Masih daily up until Monday.

"Ashiq has always remained hopeful of an imminent release from Pakistan and we have both been shocked at how long it has taken, Chowdhry said in a statement. "Asia Bibi and Ashiq have remained resolute in their faith and have prayed daily for their release and today God has answered their prayers. BPCA [is] grateful that we have been able to be a part of this family's journey to freedom and will continue to pray for them and assist them where we can.

Chowdhry told The Christian Post in a text message that American diplomats have been behind the scenes from the outset.

An unnamed source told The Daily Mail that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was incredibly helpful in securing Bibis release from Pakistan.

The Pakistan armys objection was that if they let her go, and she went public rubbishing Pakistan, it would be bad for all of them, the source told The Daily Mail.

Bibi, a farm laborer in the Punjab province, was sentenced to death in 2010 after she was accused by Muslim women of insulting Islams prophet Muhammad.

Insulting Islams holy prophet is a crime punishable by death under Pakistans penal code section 295-C.

After years of delay, Bibis appeal was finally heard by the Pakistan Supreme Court, which acquitted Bibi of the charge last October.

Bibis acquittal was met with outrage from thousands of Islamic radicals, who took to the streets to protest after encouragement from groups like the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan. TLP lobbied to delay Bibis release from Pakistan pending a legal review.

TLPs challenge to Bibis acquittal was rejected by the Supreme Court in January.

Muslim-majority Pakistan ranks as the fifth worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors 2019 World Watch List.

The nations blasphemy laws have been widely criticized by the international community since it is often used by Muslims to take advantage of religious minorities.

These provisions inherently violate international standards of freedom of religion or belief, protecting beliefs over individuals, the 2019 annual report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reads. Accusers are not required to present proper evidence that blasphemy occurred, which leads to abuse, including societal harassment or violence.

Other blasphemy law victims include two Christian brothers sentenced to death in December 2018. Qaisar and Amoon Ayub were accused of posting disrespectful material toward Islam on their website. The brothers were arrested in 2014.

In addition to Bibi, an 82-year-old Ahmadiyya Muslim prisoner of conscience in Pakistan, Abdul Shakoor, was released in March after three years in prison for blasphemy.

A Pakistani court reduced Shakoors eight-year sentence. He was convicted of the crime of selling his commentary on Ahmadiyya religious beliefs in his bookstore.

Ahmadis are a minority sect of Islam that promotes peace and tolerance. Ahmadis face much persecution in a Pakistan that is 97 percent Sunni Muslim.

[W]e have seen in the cases of Asia Bibi and Abdul Shakoor, an inclination by some on Pakistans high courts to overturn lower court rulings that were clearly bigoted restrictions of religious freedom, largely influenced by the bullying and threats of extremists in Pakistani society, USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore wrote in the 2019 USCIRF report.

When one reads these legal opinions, its apparent that judges are wisely utilizing both religious and legal arguments.

Despite some improvements at the national level, Pakistan is still recognized as a country of particular concern for international religious freedom violations by the U.S. State Department. Pakistan was once again recommended for the CPC designation in the 2019 USCIRF report.

According to BPCA, there are at least 14 blasphemy victims still in jail in Pakistan.
'Pastors' in Pakistan helping Chinese men target poor girls for marriage

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Hundreds of Christian girls in Pakistan have been trafficked to China as part of a massive operation in which pastors are paid to target impoverished communities to find brides for Chinese men.

A disturbing new report from the Associated Press found that in Pakistan, where Christians make up just 2.6 percent of the population, sex traffickers offer desperately poor parents thousands of dollars to give girls in marriage to Chinese men.

The brokers are assisted by Christian pastors paid to preach to their congregations with promises of wealth in exchange for their daughters, notes the report. After surrendering their daughters, parents receive $3,500 to $5,000 dollars and are told that their new sons-in-law are wealthy Christian converts.

Pastor Munch Morris, who leads an evangelical church in Gujranwala, a city north of Lahore, told the AP that he knows a group of local pastors who work with a private Chinese marriage broker.

Among them, he said, is a fellow pastor at his church who tells his flock, "God is happy because these Chinese boys convert to Christianity. They are helping the poor Christian girls."

Rizwan Rashid, a parishioner at the city's Roman Catholic St. John's Church, said that two weeks earlier, a car pulled up to him outside the church gates. Two Pakistani men and a Chinese woman inside asked him if he knew of any girls who want to marry a Chinese man.

"They told me her life would be great," he said. They were willing to pay him to help, but he said he refused because the church's priest often warns his congregation against such marriages.

The Associated Press interviewed more than a dozen Christian Pakistani women who either fled before exchanging vows with their would-be Chinese husbands or returned to Pakistan shortly after marrying. All had similar accounts of a process involving traffickers and various clergy members.

Once the brides arrive in China, they are vulnerable to abuse, many of them forced to live in rural, isolated towns. With no way to communicate, they are reliant on a translation app even for a glass of water.

Since October, an estimated 750 to 1,000 girls have been married off, some as young as 13 years old.

Muqadas Ashraf, who was 16 when her parents married her off to a Chinese man last year, returned to Pakistan less than five months later, pregnant and seeking a divorce.

"It is all fraud and cheating. All the promises they make are fake," she said.



In April, Human Rights Watch called on China and Pakistan to take action to end bride trafficking, pointing to "increasing evidence that Pakistani women and girls are at risk of sexual slavery in China."

The cases in Pakistan highlight what the organization called a disturbingly similar pattern of underprivileged women being trafficked to China for marriages from at least five other Asian countries, including Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam.

Responding to the report, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan issued a statement acknowledging some unlawful matchmaking centers made illegal profits from brokering cross-national marriages and claimed China is cooperating with Pakistani law enforcement agencies to crack down on illegal matchmaking centers.

On Monday, Pakistani authorities arrested 12 suspected members of a prostitution ring taking young Pakistani women to China, including eight Chinese nationals and four Pakistanis, according to the South China Morning Post.

But in a press release last year, the human rights group Women's Rights Without Frontierswarned that sex slavery of girls in China is a problem that will go on for decades due to the severe gender imbalance the country's one-child policy brought about.

"Now, China has an estimated 30-40 million 'bare branches'  men who will never find wives and will be unable to reproduce and carry on the family line. This alarming gender imbalance is the driving force behind sexual slavery in China," the group warned.

"This will be true for decades to come. Even if China were to eliminate all coercive birth limitations now, even if cultural son preference were magically to disappear and gender ratios at birth were to normalize going forward, the effects of these changes would not be felt for decades," it added.

The group blamed China's continued population control measures for the "hundreds of millions Chinese women" who have been "forcibly aborted," adding that "tens of millions of girls have been selectively aborted, and women from within China and throughout the world are being sucked into sexual slavery."

"China's One Child Policy has caused more violence against women and girls than any other official policy on earth and any other policy in human history. This is the true war against women," it stated.
UK tax researcher fired from think tank for tweeting that 'men cannot change into women'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

For saying that males who identify as trans are not women, an internationally renowned tax expert was fired and is contesting her termination in court after being accused of "offensive and exclusionary" language.

The Sunday Times reported that Maya Forstater, who was until recently a senior researcher at the London office of the Centre for Global Development, a think tank, is believed to be the first person in England to lose her job over such a statement.

I support transgender peoples human rights and I believe that trans people are vulnerable, but no one group should overrule others. I lost my job for speaking up about womens rights, in a careful way and in a tone of ordinary discussion and disagreement. I worked for a think tank and I thought you ought to be able to think and talk about things. I found out I was wrong about that, she said.

Index on Censorship, a campaigning publishing organization for freedom of expression, is supporting Forstater.

The organization's Jodie Ginsberg said that from what she had read, Forstater had done nothing wrong "other than express an opinion that many feminists share  that there should be a public and open debate about the distinction between sex and gender.

In England, the debate about transgender issues has in the last year been spirited particularly as the government considers revising what is called the Gender Recognition Act to allow persons to self-identify their gender regardless of biology and without having to provide medical documentation that they have undergone a surgical procedure.

Forstater's offense was that she stated on her personal Twitter account that it was true that men cannot change into women. She also referred to convicted rapist Karen White  a biological male formerly known as Stephen Wood who was transferred to a women's prison where he then sexually assaulted female inmates  as a "man."

"When men wear make-up, heels, dresses they don't become women," Forstater said.

A CGD manager informed Forstater in an email that she "stated that a mans internal feeling that he is a woman has no basis in material reality. A lot of people would find that offensive and exclusionary.

CGD told the Sunday Times that employees are expected to obey its conduct policy, declining to discuss staffing matters.

Forstater has long campaigned against gender stereotypes. In 2012, she co-founded the Let Toys Be Toys drive to stop toy manufacturers from producing stereotypical boys and girls items.

Forstater said of her firing: It has been quite painful and quite emotional. I am the breadwinner in my family."

It is just wrong that drawing attention to real problems should be described as fear- mongering, and it is dangerous for democracy if people are afraid to speak. Our institutions must protect all vulnerable groups, including women and girls, and the only way to do this is to talk openly and clearly.

A crowdfunding page has been launched to raise funds for legal representation and as of Tuesday has raised nearly $75,000.

"I lost my job for speaking out on women's rights and gender self ID on social media. My case is a test case to show that people should not be discriminated against for having gender critical views," the tax researcher explains on the page.

"I know many people fear consequences at work if they publicly state an opinion on this issue, even in a personal capacity on their own social media, like I did. Others have been banned by social media platforms and or suspended from political parties and membership organizations. This should not happen in a democracy."

In November, feminist journalist Meghan Murphy was permanently banned from Twitter for saying, among other things, that "men aren't women." She also referred to Jonathan Yaniv  who occasionally goes by "Jessica" and filed 16 human rights complaints against waxing studios, claiming they discriminated against him based on his male genitalia  as "him."

Twitter booted her from the platform for "misgendering." Murphy has since filed a lawsuit of her own against the social media giant.
How much evidence is there for King David?

Did the biblical King David really exist? Some people doubt this, and their doubt was fed this month. That's because some scholars tried to rock the scholarly world with their conclusions after studying an old object afresh. That object is the so-called Mesha Stele, an inscribed stone from the ninth century BC.

The Mesha Stele records a victory of the Moabite King Mesha over the Israelites; it is the Moabite version of the story in 2 Kings 3. The Stele was discovered in 1868 and contains one of the longest inscriptions from the Ancient East. However, it was soon broken into pieces, and some bits have since gone missing, which obviously makes the text rather difficult to read. It is now one of the treasurers of the Louvre in Paris.

Every reading of the Stele is helped by an early copy, called a squeeze, which was made of the stone before it was broken. The Mesha Stele became even more interesting in 1994, when a scholar suggested that it contains a reference to King David. This scholar is the leading epigrapher Andre Lemaire. Most other scholars accepted his reading of the text, despite the fact that it is partly based on a reconstruction of the broken stone.

However, this month three scholars, Israel Finkelstein, Nadav Na'aman and Thomas Romer, studied new high-resolution pictures of the Mesha Stele and of the squeeze. Rather than the letters d-w-d, so the name David, they think that they see a letter b followed by two letters that cannot be read. (In Hebrew the vowels are not written.) The three scholars propose that the illegible name was Balak rather than David.

That's a bit odd in itself, for the historical King Balak belongs to the time of Israel in the wilderness, see Numbers 22-24. That was in the thirteenth or fifteenth century BC. For this reason Balak is unlikely to appear on an inscription from the ninth century.

What (other) references to King David do we have outside the Bible? Basically there is an inscription found in Tel Dan in the far north of Israel in 1993, which mentions the House of David. This inscription is incomplete, but the words 'House of David' are clearly legible and not in doubt. Since 1993 the name David has also been discovered on an inscription in Karnak in Egypt. The Mesha Stele was its third occurrence. Note that before 1993 there was no extra-biblical evidence for David, yet most people still believe what the Bible says about him. By 2000 we suddenly had three references, a number which may now have gone down to two.

Some comments on this news are in place. First of all, Professor Finkelstein is known for his attempts to deny the historicity of King David. He rigorously dates anything that relates to the time of David and Solomon to a century later. This inclination hardly makes him an impartial scholar.

Secondly, reading ancient documents, and especially damaged ones, is an art; this art is called epigraphy. None of the three scholars behind this new reading is an acknowledged epigrapher. Andre Lemaire is, on the other hand.

Thirdly, the new reading might be correct. The Mesha Stele may indeed contain the name Balak rather than David. That would be hard evidence that this King Balak, mentioned in Numbers 22-24, was a historical person  something many have doubted for lack of extra-biblical evidence. You win some, you lose some: now Balak might be accepted as historical.

And for David we still have enough evidence left, if indeed believers need any. The reading of the Tel Dan Stele which mentions David is not in doubt.

Pieter J. Lalleman teaches the Bible at Spurgeon's College, London. He is the author of In the Power of the Resurrection
by Melani Manel Perera

Card Ranjith led the function in the church of, one of those targeted in the attacks. "We do not hate you - the prelate said - but you will answer for your actions before God". Some survivors speak to AsiaNews: "We can't forget the sound of bombs and the cries of those who were dying".

Colombo (AsiaNews) - After a lengthy absence for security reasons, Card. Malcolm Ranjith last night celebrated a public Mass. The prelate led the function in suffrage of the souls of the victims of the Easter attacks in the St. Sebastian church, one of those affected by violence a few weeks ago. There were hundreds of faithful present, including many survivors.

During the homily, the Archbishop of Colombo said: "We do not hate those who caused this disaster. But they must know that sooner or later they will have to answer for their own gestures before God, who will ask you for an account of what you have done to these people ".

The auxiliary of Colombo, Msgr. J.D. Anthony, and the parish priest of St. Sebastian Fr. Srilal Fonseka concelebrated together with the cardinal. Many other priests were present from neighboring parishes.

Many survivors of the attacks were among the faithful present: "We would never have thought - they tell AsiaNews - of participating in a Mass like this. We did not expect to see a funeral Mass in our village. Among us today there are widows, children without parents, people who have lost everything. And then there are houses that have suddenly emptied: whole families destroyed .

The hardest thing, the present continue, "it's forgetting the noise. The roar of bombs and the screams of those who were dying, those screams full of pain ... They are also visual memories too difficult to forget".

Katuwapitiya, where the church of San Sebastiano stands, "has become a special place - the cardinal continued - a place that today can boast more than 100 holy martyrs. Even if the Vatican has not yet recognized their sanctity, we know that they were here to celebrate God and listen to His word, receive communion and thank the Lord for His blessings. So they gave their lives for God. And today they are before the Lord as the saints of Katuwapitiya ".

(photo by Fr. Sunil De Silva)
5 minutes with... Therese sur une banquette by Balthus

Deputy Chairman of Impressionist and Modern Art Conor Jordan contemplates a work by Balthus from The Dorothy and Richard Sherwood Collection, which set a new world record price for the artist on 13 May

Balthasar Klossowski de Rola (1908-2001), or Balthus as he is better known, was a French-Polish painter whose dream-like portraits  mostly of women and girls he knew  can be found in major collections around the world, including the Met, MoMA and the Tate. Contemplating one such portrait, Therese sur une banquette (1939), Christies Impressionist and Modern Art specialist Conor Jordan says that he is struck by not only its dramatic poise, a combination of classical balance and dynamism, but also the harmony of the colour  the unusual smoky, raspberry colour of her sweater with the warm earth colours all around her. Therese Blanchard lived with her family just a few streets from Balthuss studio in Paris. The artist had first met her in 1936, and would subsequently paint her on 10 occasions.

Balthus (1908-2001), Therese sur une banquette, 1939. 28 x 36 in (72.7 x 91.9 cm). Sold for $19,002,500 on 13 May 2019 at Christies in New York  2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

In many ways I think this work has a choreography, continues the specialist. The pose is delicate, but the fact that you have these angles and this sense of incipient movement gives that air of ambiguity that you often find in Balthuss paintings. It wasnt long after this painting was finished that Picasso  then a living god on the French art scene  acquired a Balthus for himself from the same, famed Therese series, he continues. Picasso, who owned the artists 1937 work Les Enfants  Hubert et Therese Blanchard, which he ultimately donated to the Louvre, praised Balthus as the one contemporary artist who wasnt trying to copy him.

Sign up today Christie's Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe
The Canadian arm of Houston pipeline operator Kinder Morgan will remain a stand-alone public company on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

In a statement issued late Thursday afternoon, Kinder Morgan Canada Limited's board of directors announced it will remain an independent publicly traded company following the $4.5 billion sale of the Trans Mountain Pipeline system and the Trans Mountain Expansion.

Traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the stock ticker symbol KML, Kinder Morgan Canada continues to own and operate various pipelines and storage terminals in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

Politics: Trump administration denies Kinder Morgan steel tariff waiver

Designed to move crude oil from the tar sands region of Alberta across the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Coast, the Trans Mountain Pipeline system received approval in November 2016 to undergo a major expansion but faced stiff opposition from various municipalities in British Columbia, Native American groups and environmentalists.

An economic development arm of the Canadian government bought the pipeline system and the expansion project in a $4.5 billion cash deal that closed in August 2018.

Following the sale of its largest asset, Kinder Morgan Canada's board was tasked with deciding if the company would continuing to operate as a standalone enterprise, be sold off or merge with another company.

"After a multi-month process that involved rigorous analysis of a variety of potential alternatives, the KML board has determined that the current best course of action for the company and its shareholders is for KML to remain a stand-alone public entity," the company said in a statement.

Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox

Houston pipeline operator Kinder Morgan owns a 70 percent stake in Kinder Morgan Canada. The remaining 30 percent is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Houston, Kinder Morgan has more than 11,000 employees across the United States. The company reported making a $556 million profit on $3.4 billion of revenue during the first quarter.
San Antonio pipeline and storage terminal operator NuStar Energy is exiting the Caribbean market after entering into a $250 million deal to sell the company's St. Eustatius terminal.

In a statement released early Friday morning, NuStar reported entered into a stock purchase agreement to sell the Dutch Caribbean terminal to Connecticut private equity firm Prostar Capital.

The deal is expected to close during the second quarter. NuStar plans to use the proceeds to grow its presence in the Permian Basin of West Texas and invest in other projects in North America.

"It has become increasingly clear in recent months that the facility requires a new business model to ensure its long-term success and that NuStar's best path forward is to sell the terminal to a buyer that is well-positioned to take advantage of the changing global crude oil trade flow patterns," NuStar CEO Brad Barron said.

Midstream Moves: NuStar buys Navigator Energy to enter Permian Basin

NuStar's decision to sell the St. Eustatius terminal comes less than seven months after the company exited the European market in a $270 million deal to sell its British and Dutch assets to Inter Terminals Ltd.

The St. Eustatius terminal was heavily damaged during the 2017 hurricane season and was a long-time storage depot for crude oil from Venezuela.

With Trump administration sanctions levied against the South American nation, NuStar reported in March that the St. Eustatius terminal would no longer accept crude oil from Venezuela's state-run energy company Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA.

The St. Eustatius terminal has 60 storage tanks that can storage up to 14.4 billion barrels of crude oil and refined products.

"We are excited to be acquiring a high-quality terminal facility with many key strategic advantages, including a location at the crossroads of global and regional oil trade, long-term customer relationships with major global oil traders, a strong local operations team, and a highly flexible infrastructure that allows for capacity expansion as growth opportunities arise," Prostar Capital Senior Managing Director Steve Bickerton said in a statement.

Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox

Launched as a spinoff of San Antonio refining company Valero Energy Corp. in 2001, NuStar owns and operates 9,800 miles of pipeline and 75 terminal and storage facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

NuStar closed the first quarter with a $277.9 million loss and a loss per share of $2.91 on nearly $486.5 million of revenue.

The first quarter figures were mixed compared to the $126.1 million profit and earnings per share of $1.15 on $475.9 million of revenue during the first quarter of 2018.

NuStar attributed the year-over-year drop to $328 million of non-cash impairment charges related to operations at the St. Eustatius terminal.
Occidental Petroleum Corp., owner of one of the most high-profile corporate jets in recent history, is ready to sell Anadarko Petroleum Corp.s planes in a bid to show it is serious about cost cuts.

At a time when activists are digging deeper in search of shareholder returns, the corporate jet has become a symbol of excess among some oil producers. In Occidentals case, it also allowed investors to track key moves in its fight for Anadarko.

To be clear, Occidental is not selling its own plane, which became notorious as executives flew to Paris, the Hague and Omaha, Nebraska in what became a very visible effort to line up backing for its acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum Corp. Occidental said this week that Anadarkos four planes would be on the companys hit list when the takeover closes.

WE HAVE A WINNER: Oxy's $38b wins Anadarko as Chevron walks away

Investors may have been impressed by the promise of cost cuts. Warren Buffett, who kicked $10 billion into the deal, has some other advice.

"If you use a company plane, its a big way of running a billboard that Im in town for something," Buffett said in a May 3 interview with CNBC. "I should point out anybody out there who wants to do business with us that if they take a NetJets plane nobody will be able to track them."

Occidental has said it sees about $2 billion in annual cost cuts once it closes the Anadarko deal. The companys chief financial officer, Cedric Burgher, was quick to point out the company could cut back on Anadarkos four planes in a May 6 conference call.

We dont think we need all of those, and we can reduce that along with obviously people in duplicate offices and real estate, Burgher said.

Representatives for Occidental and Anadarko declined to comment.

RATING: Moody's likely to downgrade Oxy if it wins Anadarko

Most major explorers reduced their capital budgets after oil prices fell at the end of 2018, and shareholders took a hard stand against unfettered growth.

For U.S shale producers, reining in growth may not be enough to win back investors upset with an industry that for years burned through cash. Now, everything from executive pay, to corporate jets and country club memberships are newly under fire as activists go a level deeper in demanding more returns for shareholders.

Earlier this year, wildcatter Floyd Wilson was kicked out as chief executive officer of Halcon Resources after hedge fund Fir Tree launched a campaign against the struggling producers spending habits, calling out Wilson for flying private even after the company emerged from bankruptcy.

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Metropolitan Furniture will close after 73 years in business, the latest casualty of a hyper-competitive furniture market.

The Houston retailer, founded by the Abramson family in 1946, announced Thursday it will begin liquidation sales Friday at its flagship store, 7400 North Freeway. Mark Bannon, director of furniture solutions for Tiger Capital Group, which is conducting the closeout sale, said the Abramson family decided to shutter the store in response to growing competition from online furniture retailers and national chain stores.

"This is the end of an era for a landmark name in Houston furniture retailing," Bannon said in a statement. "The business survived ... several recessions and hurricanes, but disruption in the industry continues to take its toll on local furniture retailers. This sale represents a final thank-you and goodbye from Metropolitan Furniture to generations of loyal customers."

Independent, family-owned furniture retailers have been squeezed by the rise of online retailers such as Amazon and Wayfair as well as the proliferation of national chains, such as Ashley's Furniture and Ikea. Several regional furniture outlets, such as Star and Exclusive Furniture, have expanded in Houston, and Colorado-based American Furniture Warehouse is entering the local market. General home goods retailers, such as At Home and Home Depot also have encroached on the turf of traditional furniture retailers.

RELATED: American Furniture Warehouse buys sites for initial Texas stores

Earlier this year, Blum's Furniture & Co. announced plans to close its store at 5729 Westheimer after more than 60 years in business. The retailer was founded in 1958 by Ann and Morris Blum.

Brothers Harry, Sammy and Hymie Abramson founded Metropolitan Furniture shortly after World War II, when they leased a 500-square-foot space within the Metropolitan Grocery store. The business soon outgrew the space and moved to a larger store at 8713 Jensen Drive, where it remained until 1982.

The Abramson family opened its flagship store on North Freeway in 1978, and subsequently opened additional stores at 6902 Southwest Freeway in 1982 and at 12161 Katy Freeway in 1990. The latter stores closed several years ago.

Metropolitan Furniture will offer liquidation discounts of between 30 percent and 70 percent, starting Friday. The retailer, which sells a wide range of furniture from $399 sofas to $9,000 dining room sets, will remain open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays during the liquidation sale.
Atlanta-based Cortland has acquired the 374-unit Tradewinds at Willowbrook apartments as part of its continued expansion in the Houston market.

The northwest Houston complex, acquired from Olympus Property, will be rebranded under the Cortland name and marketed with a similar neighboring property.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Houston-area apartment properties sold for an average of $108,640 per unit in 2018, according to estimates by commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap.

We are planning to completely redo the kitchens and baths as well as update the clubhouse and share amenities with the Lighthouse at Willowbrook, which we bought last year, said Ted Collie, Cortlands executive vice president of investments.

Built in 2007 at 12331 North Gessner Road, near Beltway 8 and Texas 249, Tradewinds at Willowbrook has larger floorplans that were popular among builders a decade ago, Collie said. The average unit contains 920 square feet, with the two bedroom units averaging around 1,200 square feet. The property has patios and balconies, a fitness center, and a resort-style pool with outdoor kitchen.

The complex is 92.5 percent occupied, which compares with a rate of 90 percent for the Houston market, according to ApartmentData.com.

Cortland expects to increase rents, which average about $1,025 a month, by about $200 over the next 24 months as improvements are completed. The company plans to renovate all of the units, with the work being done as leases expire. Tenants will have the option to move to other units, so renovations, including replacing cabinets, can be made while vacant.

Monthly rents in the Houston market are projected to grow 3 percent this year to $1,136, with strong job growth and a limited number of new units contributing to gains.

The purchase represents Cortlands strategy of investing in larger complexes, and sometimes pairing them with nearby properties, to increase operational efficiencies.

In October, Cortland acquired the 324-unit Luxe Shadow Creek Ranch in Pearland. The recently built complex, purchased from Davis Development, is across the street from its Avion Shadow Creek Ranch.

The larger unit count is something we find attractive when were looking at opportunities, Collie said.

Deals are in the works to buy apartments on the east side of Houston and the Clear Lake area, with a targeted closing date of September. Both complexes are in markets where theres not a lot of new supply, Collie said.

The latest acquisitions have pushed Cortlands local portfolio to 21 properties totaling 6,363 units. The company has been rebranding the properties with the Cortland name as part of a strategy to offer a consistent experience and encourage residents to stay with the company when their station in life changes. Cortland offers a variety of rental rates, a 48-hour service guaranty and facilitates moves between apartments, waiving a number of fees if a renter breaks a lease to move to a different Cortland property.

We like Houston long-term, which is why we invest in deals on a 10-year horizon, Collie said.

katherine.feser@chron.com

twitter.com/kfeser
Real estate startups changing the way homes are bought and sold rely on technology to make the process more efficient. But while some of them hire tech workers in San Francisco, they often operate out of Texas and other Sunbelt states.

Entera, which makes it easy for investors to buy in bulk, is based in Houston. Door, which charges a flat fee to list a home, operates out of Dallas. And Jovio, which charges a third of the traditional listing fee, calls Austin home. Giant hedge funds specializing in buying single-family homes to turn into rentals are also often based in the region; Invitation Homes, which owned more than 80,000 homes across the country at the end of 2018, is based in Dallas.

Martin Kay, the co-founder of Entera, discussed why real estate companies look outside of Silicon Valley.

Houstons an awesome market because the knowledge level of real estate is very high here, he said. So we can find people who have a ton of experience in transaction, in negotiation.

The reason for that, according to Kay, can be seen all around.

Theres so much new construction, he said. In other places, because you dont tear it down and build something else, the knowledge you have on the lot is from 50 years ago.

Growth feeds growth

A.J. Mistretta, director of content and creative at the Greater Houston Partnership, pointed out that construction in Sunbelt cities is driven in part by job growth. Seven out of the 10 metro areas with the highest job growth in fiscal year 2018 were located in the region, with Houston leading the way at 3.9 percent.

That growth means more people buying homes and in many cases more people needing office space to fill those new jobs, he said. It makes sense that tech-based real estate startups would pop up near the centers of activity.

Corporate taxes also tend to be lower in Sunbelt states than in California, where they can reach nearly 9 percent.

The Houston area sees more residential construction and Houstonians move more frequently than their counterparts in Silicon Valley, which means real estate professionals have more transactions from which to draw.

That could be especially important when trying to craft an algorithm that can predict repair costs, optimal offers and capitalization rates.

There are a lot of smart people in Houston who have worked on thousands of projects, so we can actually work with them to think about how do we build a construction model that works? That is accurate? Kay said. Because we can find people who have done this before.

rebecca.schuetz@chron.com

twitter.com/raschuetz
The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777

By Rick Atkinson

Holt. 776 pp. $40

---

High drama, soaring hopes, crushing failures, hubris, miscalculation, impossible circumstances and nausea-inducing human misery defined the first two years of fighting - for both sides - in the American war for independence. Generations of historians have tackled the problem of telling, and explaining, this tale and its outcome. Many, perhaps most, have focused on why the fighting started at all. Others have explored the meaning and consequences of its successful redefining of political sovereignty. Yet others have probed ever deeper into the course and nature of the fighting itself. These different historical objectives in part reflect the interests of individual historians, but they also reflect the distinction that must be acknowledged between the "war of independence" and the "American Revolution." In this first volume of a revolution trilogy, Rick Atkinson turns his attention to the former - to the war.

Atkinson, a former Washington Post reporter and editor and the author of a remarkably successful trilogy on the Anglo-American campaigns in Western Europe during World War II, wastes no time reminding us of his considerable narrative talents. The opening pages of the prologue drip with detail, from the timing of the sunrise, to rumors retailed by contemporaneous newspapers and finally to extensive personal description of the characters, in this case George III and his inimitable chin and nose. Atkinson is not unique in this attention to detail, but to it he adds his well-developed sense of geography and how it shapes every story, not least the story of a military campaign. His experience with other military histories helps him in conveying the immensity of the challenges, the complexity of campaign space and the remarkable perseverance of many of his characters. Like many historians before him, as he immersed himself in the papers of these men (something he clearly did, and yes, they were mostly men), he found pages and pages of accounts, of lists, of requests, and the tally of supplies received was always shorter than what was requested.

Any historian working in these records can be overwhelmed by the material realities and requirements of a campaign. Unlike many, however, Atkinson regularly returns to these challenges and makes them a part of his drama. It is no small feat to track, and then to convey, how many knee buckles (among so many other things) the French smuggled into American ports to help equip the struggling cause. Atkinson is also keenly alive to the British side of the story, and he adeptly shifts the reader from an American to a British perspective, without being overly focused on a single representative figure like George Washington or Lord George Germain (the British secretary of state for America). Finally, his knowledge of military affairs shines in his reading of the sources; at one point he observes critically of British preparations for operations off the North Carolina coast that "Germain's orders to the expedition leaders on December 7 included five paragraphs beginning with 'If.' "

If I have spent most of my space here on describing Atkinson's style of narration, and less on the content of the book, that is because the narrative is the point. "The British Are Coming" tells the story of the war, and does so at great and glorious leisure, over 564 pages of text. This pace allows Atkinson to devote pages and pages to the retrieval of the cannon from Fort Ticonderoga, including no fewer than seven direct quotes about the difficulties of the route over just two pages. Even the most military-focused of narratives has often glossed this story in a sentence or two. It also allows him to relate episodes often not mentioned at all - episodes that perhaps have deserved more attention. The British burning of Falmouth and Norfolk early in the war (each gets a full chapter) arguably convinced many wavering Americans of the evils of British rule. Atkinson also cleverly blends in the international aspect of the war, complete with a digression into the privateering side of things, in a unique and captivating chapter on Benjamin Franklin's mission to Paris.

What "The British Are Coming" lacks is an argument and a revolution. In one sense this is intentional and acceptable. Atkinson has chosen to tell the story of the war, not the political, ideological and ultimately constitutional shifts that preceded and followed it. Indeed, the 31-page prologue devotes only two pages to all the developments between the 1765 Stamp Act and the 1773 Tea Act. He could perhaps be forgiven, since those years still occupy a large chunk of the average textbook's coverage of the American Revolution. But even "just" telling the story of the war demands more on why people kept fighting it. At one point Atkinson characterizes Washington's defeated army retreating from New York: "Stubborn, resolved, perhaps even undaunted, they somehow kept faith with their cause, with one another, and with those generations yet unborn." The evidence for this still-burning "flame" (as he calls it) is not at all clear.

Ultimately, choosing what to narrate is itself an argument. Despite the leisure of his narrative, and despite pages on the cannon of Ticonderoga, and even despite three pages on the still-mythic story of the execution and last words of Nathan Hale, we here find only one paragraph on the campaign against the Cherokees in 1776. This matters. And lest one is tempted to cry out against political correctness, this matters in ways beyond the tragic fate of the Cherokees. If recent histories of the war have taught us anything, it is that the rebelling motivations of the colonists were fragile and multi-causal, and not least among them was their fear of Indians. North and South Carolinians in particular were somewhat removed from the political fire of their New England brethren, and what brought many of them on board was the threat to slavery and the threat of Indians. Atkinson is aware of the problem of slavery, and he has two more volumes planned in which he can deal with it. In general, however, he homogenizes the rebelling Americans, missing not least the differences between the coastal and backcountry populations. In his hands we see mostly Britons and rebels on the stage, with occasional appearances by loyalists. But in reality, politics and motivations were much more local and much more variable.

For sheer dramatic intensity, however, swinging from the American catastrophes at Quebec and Fort Washington to the resounding and surprising successes at Trenton and Princeton, all told in a way equally deeply informed about British planning and responses, there are few better places to turn.

---

Lee is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the author of "Waging War: Conflict, Culture and Innovation in World History" and "Barbarians and Brothers: Anglo-American Warfare, 1500-1865."
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- By the end of April this year, there were a total of 109 licenses that have been issued to companies across China for their autonomous driving road tests, according to a summary done by AutoInfo, a Chinese automotive information website.

So far, 16 cities have got their enterprises received the licenses, among which Beijing owns the mostup to 59 pieces. The runner-up Chongqing, issuing 12 licenses in total, has attracted a number of applicants with its abundant geomorphic resources. Jiangsu Province released a total of 7 licenses2 pieces for Wuxi, 3 pieces for Changzhou and 2 pieces for Suzhou.

Part of cities inclined to dispatch more licenses to commercial vehicles (CVs), such as Changsha, Pingtan, Jinan, Changzhou, Baoding and Xiangyang. Some testing areas are specifically chosen for CV makers and technology developers to conduct tests. Up until now, a total of 17 CV-used licenses have been issued to enterprises. Although the percentage is still quite small, autonomous driving R&D over CVs is gaining increasingly more and stronger supports in infrastructures and policies.

From the time being, 35 companies in total were given the licenses. Baidu possessed nearly 50% of total pieces with its footprints scattering in 5 cities including Beijing (45 pieces), Pingtan (3 pieces), Chongqing (1 piece), Changsha (1 piece) and Tianjin (1 piece).

Technology companies also present a great zeal in road testing self-driving vehicles. Pony.ai, a Guangzhou-based autonomous driving startup, has received 5 licenses, closely following Baidu in terms of license numbers.


Prisons risk becoming holy war academies. Cells meant for 20 people hold up to 50. Petty criminals are jailed with extremist recruiters. For Mgr Warhuni, long-term projects are need to uproot jihadi ideology.

Baghdad (AsiaNews)  Radicalisation in Iraqs prisons is a problem. To avoid it, rehabilitation, re-integration and long-term de-radicalisation should be undertaken, this according to Mgr Shlemon Audish Warduni, auxiliary bishop of Baghdad and right-hand man of the Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako.

This is nothing new, he told AsiaNews. "It is up to the authorities to conscientiously guarantee and protect prisoners rights, even if they have committed terrible crimes. The worst thing to do is to abandon them to themselves."

Thousands of Iraqis and foreigners are on trial in Iraq, accused of belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group. Given the conditions in Iraqi prisons, several analysts and experts warn that those facilities could become Jihadi academies and provide recruits for extremist groups.

Many leading figures, like IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, spent time in prison. The self-style caliph, who recently released a video message, was an inmate at Camp Bucca (pictured), a sprawling detention facility set up by the US in a desert area in southern Iraq, where he "came of age" as a jihadi leader.

"For many members of such groups, prison was one of multiple 'stages' of jihad," said Hisham al-Hashemi, an expert in Iraqi jihadi movements.

Inside, they ran their own religious studies courses and even planned attacks on civilians or ordered assassinations of security forces from within the prison walls.

"The cells become the equivalent of academies -- even if there's just one prisoner with extremist thoughts, he can recruit the rest," Hashemi told the media.

At present, Iraqi authorities have begun to try another 900 Iraqis recently repatriated from neighbouring Syria and has offered to try foreigners stuck in legal limbo there, as well.

At this critical juncture, advocacy groups accuse security forces of using circumstantial evidence to detain people on terrorism charges, extracting confessions under torture and keeping suspects in overcrowded cells with no access to lawyers.

Cells built to hold around 20 detainees are often packed with 50. What is more, those arrested for petty crimes are often held with hardened jihadists, which facilitates recruitment and brainwashing.

For Mgr Warduni, "rehabilitation is fundamental for nation-rebuilding. This should apply to everyone, based on principles and criteria of respect for the sentence and protection of the individual.

For this reason, the authorities should act conscientiously towards people who committed terrible acts, but still have the right to live like human beings.

Christian values and principles can provide valid lessons. "It is necessary to educate, he warns, not only adults, but above all children, the new generations" who represent the future of the country.

Of course, it is still unclear whether the government has the power to do all this; however, despite the difficulties, everyone has to work on rebuilding the countrys social, political, legal and institutional fabric.
Cause One Productions Inc. and Cause One Manitoba Inc.

CBS has renewed six drama series for the 2019-20 fall season, although one comes with some complications. "Murphy Brown," "SEAL Team," "S.W.A.T.," "MacGyver," "Hawaii Five-0" and "Bull" have all been renewed ahead of next week's Upfronts presentations.

While it was good news for these six series, the "Bull" renewal comes with some complications. CBS has ordered another season of the legal drama, but the series production company, Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television, has severed ties with the series following a sexual harassment controversy.

In December, it was revealed that CBS paid cast member Eliza Dukshu $9.5 million over allegations that "Bull" star Michael Weatherly had sexually harassed her and forced her to leave the series.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: 'Big Bang Theory' cast shares secrets, sorrow as finale draws near

As for other CBS shows, "Madam Secretary" has been renewed for a sixth season. The political drama stars Tea Leoni as the Secretary of State, and recently topped USA Today's "Save Our Show" poll.

"SEAL Team" has been renewed for its third season. The series follows the professional and personal lives of an elite Navy SEAL team, and stars David Boreanaz.

"S.W.A.T." returns for a third season on CBS. The series was inspired by a classic 1970s series of the same name and a 2003 film. "S.W.A.T." stars Shemar Moore as the head of a tactical law enforcement unit in Los Angeles.

The reboot of "MacGyver" will be returning for a fourth season. The series stars Lucas Till and originally George Eads, but Eads left the series this season. Levy Tran has been brought into the series as a regular cast member to replace Eads.

Finally, "Hawaii Five-0" has been renewed for a 10th season on CBS. The reboot of the classic 1960s series stars Alex O'Laughlin and Scott Caan.

CBS also renewed news magazines "60 Minutes" and "48 Hours."

OUTDOOR CONCERT: 'Game of Thrones' Live Concert Experience coming to The Woodlands

Thursday's renewals join the previously renewed series "Young Sheldon," "Mom," "Criminal Minds," "Blue Bloods," "NCIS," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "NCIS: New Orleans," "FBI," "God Friended Me," "The Neighborhood" and "Magnum P.I."

Check out the gallery above for all the other series that have been renewed and canceled and those still waiting to hear their fates.

Therese Odell writes about television at FoolishWatcher.com.

NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Find fun things to do and see around Houston in our weekly Preview newsletter. Subscribe here.
Courtesy of the artist

Fortune Feimster

Show featuring stand-up comedian and writer Emily Fortune Feimster, best known for her appearances on Chelsea Lately, The Mindy Project for Hulu and Champions for NBC.

When: 7:30 and 9:48 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Houston Improv Comedy Club, 7620 Interstate 10 W., Suite 455

Details: $25-$45; improvhouston.com

ART REVIEW ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: August Muth's holographs are looking sharp

Art on Wheels

Participants will view public art in Buffalo Bayou Park while on a bike tour led by BBP guide Andrew Groocock.

When: 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Water Works, 105 Sabine

Details: $10; buffalobayou.org/event/art-on-wheels/2019-05-11

Houston Taco & Margs Crawl

Tequila-inspired bar crawl on Washington Avenue. Participating venues include Clutch Bar & Restaurant, Kung Fu Saloon, Concrete Cowboy, Handlebar, Lincoln Bar, Daisy Dukes and The Standard.

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: Clutch Bar Houston, 5334 Washington

Details: $22.99; showclix.com/event/houston-tacos-margs-crawl

OUTDOOR CONCERT: 'Game of Thrones' Live Concert Experience coming to The Woodlands

Houston Whiskey Festival

Festival will offer a plethora of different fine spirits, including whiskey, bourbon and scotch. There will also be live music, light bites, whiskey seminars, a cigar lounge and socializing.

When: 6-10 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Ballroom at Bayou Place, 500 Texas

Details: $45$125; houstonwhiskeyfestival.com

Simon & Garfunkel Live in Central Park

Award-winning recording artists Lee Lessack and Johnny Rodgers re-create a magical night in 1981 when more than 500,000 music fans gathered in Central Park to witness the now legendary reunion of folk duo Simon & Garfunkel.

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive

Details: milleroutdoortheatre.com

Mary Kay Andrews

New York Times best-selling author will sign and discuss Sunset Beach.

When: 6:30 p.m. Monday

Where: Murder By The Book, 2342 Bissonnet

Details: murderbooks.com

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Houston Symphony attempts to stage a thriller with 'Bluebeard's Castle'

Blanket Bingo

Outdoor Bingo game benefiting Market Square Park and Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Admission includes one bingo packet (approximately nine games).

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: 301 Milam

Details: marketsquarepark.com

NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Find fun things to do and see around Houston in our weekly Preview newsletter. Subscribe here.
Andrea Rodriguez put her family first for almost 20 years. One day a neighbor convinced her to attend a Harris County Department of Education GED class. From there, a teacher encouraged her to enter a free certified nursing assistant (CNA) program.

Nervous doesnt even begin to describe the beginning days for Rodriguez, a ninth-grade dropout with Spanish as her first language.

I wanted to quit, but then I was always telling my girls to never give up, she said. So I put everything into Gods hands and carried on.

She passed one of the five GED tests and felt a bit more confident; then she aced another and another.

HCDE Adult Education Manager May OBrien visited Rodriguezs class as she was studying to pass the remaining two tests and told her about the CNA program.

She said, theres a difference if you want it or wish for it, the mother of three girls said. I knew I didnt want to waste my time. I wanted it.

Once she passed her high school equivalency exams, Rodriguez was able to join the CNA program, a free, six-week training program offered in collaboration between HCDE Adult Education, the Texas Workforce Commission and Pioneer Nursing School. Upon completion, students take the CNA certification test.

The hybrid program mixes CNA training with content-enriched adult education classes. Students switch classes every-other week. One week they learn patient care and safety procedures and eventually train in clinicals with patients with teacher Dele Jokodola. The next week students gain experience with vocabulary and cultural competencies from their HCDE adult Education teacher Lavenia Cole.

All the while, the adult students prepare to take the CNA certification test. Upon completion, salary benefits range from $12-$15 an hour, depending on the employer. Students may work in nursing homes, hospitals, rehab centers or home-care settings.

Student Estella Tchilendou is one of many students from Africa who are enrolled in a 20-student class. Her first language is French, and she is from Cameroon. She holds a masters degree in finance and had a 14-year career in business before moving to the United States in 2015.

In our English class, we practice language, and I am learning vocabulary for the health care industry while improving my listening and speaking skills, she said. I am learning how to take care of my patients and must learn bedside manner, which includes being friendly and confident.

Adult Education teacher Cole says health care industry careers are in high demand as boomers get older, and the sky is the limit in terms of opportunity.

You can build on your CNA, she said. There are other certifications you can add on like phlebotomy and CPR training.

Cole works with students on reading comprehension strategies like finding the key words, as well as testing strategies. She has even devised an ethical bingo game to broach subjects such as religious and cultural differences in the workplace.

She was so patient, said Rodriguez about her teacher. The one thing I know for sure now is that its never too late to learn.

HCDE Adult Education is the largest, no-cost adult education program in Texas, with a variety of health care and construction career training options in Harris and Liberty counties. Students may also take English as a second language classes and high school equivalency degree classes simultaneously in a traditional classroom setting or online. For more information, go to www.hcde-texas.org/adult-education.
Oil fell for the third straight week as investors weighed the potential damage to global growth after an inconclusive end to the latest U.S.-China trade talks.

Futures in New York were little-changed for the day but finished the week off by 0.5 percent. The world's two biggest economies wrapped up high-level talks in Washington without a deal, but they avoided a complete breakdown in negotiations despite U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese exports.

With Trump saying he saw no need to rush a deal, investors face "a number of questions in terms of the economic outlook and therefore in terms of oil and demand,'' Harry Tchilinguirian, head commodity markets strategist at BNP Paribas in London, said by telephone. ''As you have an escalation of tension, you also have an element of uncertainty which leads to people taking off risks.''

EARLIER: Oil dips as U.S.-China trade worries outweigh supply disruptions

Despite a week of trade brinksmanship, signs of tighter global supplies have kept prices from an all-out collapse. Tensions continued to rise this week between the U.S. and Iran, with Washington dispatching an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East, and the U.S. threatened more sanctions against fellow OPEC member Venezuela amid political strife there.

In Norway, Equinor ASA said its Oseberg Field Center has been shut since Wednesday afternoon, affecting fields with about 6 percent of the nation's output.

July Brent crude jumped to a $1-a-barrel premium to the August contract on Friday -- a situation known as backwardation -- suggesting supply fears remain a dominant force.

OXY WINS: Chevron bows out of $40 billion battle for Anadarko

West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery fell 4 cents to $61.66 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at the close of trading. Brent for July settlement rose 23 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $70.62 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

Also on the supply side, contaminated Russian shipments and leaks in a key Nigerian pipeline have amplified the restrictions on Iran and Venezuela's exports. It remains uncertain to what extent Saudi Arabia will increase its production to fill the gap. Brent's three-month oil time-spread is reflecting the shortages, with the widest backwardation in almost five years.

"Prices are finding fundamental support from the tightening supply, as also indicated by the pronounced state of backwardation in the Brent forward curve," Commerzbank AG analysts including Carsten Fritsch wrote in a report.

--With assistance from James Thornhill, Saket Sundria and Caleb Mutua.

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Andrew Mitcham was elected the new mayor of Jersey Village, and as the successor to Justin Ray he said he wants to keep the recent goals of Jersey Village moving forward.

Mitcham was elected mayor on May 4 after running unopposed. Along with Mitcham, council members Bobby Warren and Greg Holden were reelected to their position on council alongside new council member Drew Wasson. Wasson was appointed by city council on May 6 to fill in Mitchams previous role as a council member since 2015 and a role on the comprehensive planning council in 2016.

Mitcham said he intends to continue plans for Jersey Village that have been progressing, including the recently announced Village Center breaking ground this summer. He said plans include more flood mitigation and construction in the near future.

The 43-acre Village Center will be a mixed-use development including multi-family housing, a new city hall, retail, restaurants, an amphitheater. Mitcham said the project will take about three years to complete.

With Village Center were looking at announcing our main tenants in the development starting in June or July, he said. Well start getting letters of intent and will be able to announce those exciting tenants coming up pretty soon. Its about a 36-month construction project. Its raw land so we have to clear it, put in streets, some pedestrian improvements and build it.

Mitcham also said the city plans to move forward on flood mitigation and has designs for the project. Jersey Village is also raising home elevations to combat flooding, with the first round of 18 homes occurring in July, he said.

Design should be finished here in May or June and then well wait for the green light to put those out to bid from FEMA, Mitcham said. With flood mitigation, Im expecting to have this project bid and those contracts awarded by the end of the summer. A lot of that is dependent on federal grant funding. We do have to wait on FEMA to review those plans.

As for Wasson, Mitcham said he and other council members appointed him as a member to keep the vision consistent across the board.

The council selected Drew Wasson because wanted to keep a person on council who had the same vision that I have, he said, I feel like its still a collaborative council. We dont agree 100% on everything but we have a good team that discusses the facts, looks at the facts and tries to come up with the best outcome for the city.

As a resident of Jersey Village since third grade and a Cy-Fair ISD graduate, Mitcham said he wants to make the city a place his children will want to start their families

Its an honor to represent my hometown as mayor and Im going to my very best to make everyone proud, he said. We want to preserve what makes Jersey Village the great place that it already is, but we have to look down the road and realize that communities our age hit a point where they have to adapt and compete with newer communities.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
State legislators have been modifying and studying bills affecting school finance across the state of Texas, perhaps most notably a $5,000 salary increase for librarians and teachers and property tax reform. As of the week of May 6, with the bill passed out of the House and the Senate, school districts awaited the decision of Governor Greg Abbott.

House Bill 3, a revised bill including aspects from previously introduced bills, proposes to raise teacher and librarian salaries by $5,000, and fund full-day preschool programs for school districts. Several representatives from school districts in the northwest Houston area have expressed the benefits and disadvantages of the potential passing of the bill.

Stuart Snow, chief financial officer for Cy-Fair ISD, said the salary increase for teachers and librarians would not apply to administrative staff and non-teachers. Snow said the salary increase, which uses $3.6 billion of state funds, would cause salary schedules to be compressed and would cost school districts more money in the long run.

When its a state mandated increase youre dependent upon the sustainability of that funding over a long period of time, he said. It doesnt give the district any discretion on how thats to be funded or how thats to be spent. Its going to be across the board, $5,000 (for) every full-time teacher and librarian regardless of any other consideration. It doesnt provide any funding for any other staff.

The increase may also discourage teachers from aspiring to administrative positions due to the possibility of being promoted to a lower paying admin position, Snow said. Snow said this would increase salary for CFISD teachers by 9% if passed.

The bill is eliminating specific allotments, additional money for schools based on requirements, while adding and making changes others Snow said. A new dyslexia allotment would provide additional funding for districts aiding dyslexic students and both allotments for high schools and gifted and talented programs will be eliminated, Snow said.

Other changes HB 3 proposes include an additional allotment for career technical education extended to middle school, an early reading allotment for children from kindergarten to 3rd grade, an increased basic allotment for all schools and full-day preschool programs, Snow said.

The cost of education index, which adjusts funding based on region for items such as teacher salary, would also be removed due to basic allotment increasing. Snow said. He said the CEI has provided CFISD with $64 million in revenue yearly.

Currently we are funded on an average daily attendance basis at a certain amount of $5,140 (per student). Snow said. The increase in the basic allotment that were going to see in our funding is not $890 per student (with the CEI), but $306 per student. The impact of that additional funding is not as great as what you might think and whats being promoted and advertised.

Overall, HB 3 may still undergo iterations. Snow said the community should stay attentive and know there is more behind the basic details of the bill as it moves through the process.

In a statement, Senator Brandon Creighton said that while he withheld his support of HB3 May 6 due to a lack of detail regarding costs and data projects on impacts to school districts, he has historically supported education-related proposals to reign in high-stakes testing, to provide school districts more flexibility, and this session, co-authored a bill to give Texas educators a $5,000.00 raise. 

I believe in the merits of HB 3, and congratulate Senator Taylor and Representative Huberty on their legislation that reforms the states school finance system, Creighton stated. Before the session ends, I will have another chance to vote on the final bill, and I look forward to supporting it once I have a clear understanding of the impacts on school districts in Senate District 4, and the true cost of the legislation, which will have implications for all Texas taxpayers.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
The Azuma Group is switching things up, appointing a new executive chef for its Izakaya restaurant in Midtown and shifting a familiar face to run the kitchen at its prestigious Kata Robata.

Jean-Philippe Gaston, the former executive chef at Izakaya, is returning to the Kata kitchen to oversee its culinary operations, working alongside chef/owner Manabu Horiuchi, considered one of the city's finest chefs. Cyrus Caclini, who worked under Horiuchi at Kata for five years, is Izakaya's new executive chef. Caclini, a native of the Philippines, spent a year as sous chef under Kiran Verma at Kiran's before Azuma tapped him to run Izakaya, his first time in an executive chef role.
A Friendswood mansion was consumed in a fiery blaze during torrential rains that hit the Greater Houston area Thursday night.

Officials with the Friendswood Fire Marshall's Office were unsure how the fire started or whether it was weather related.

Heavy smoke was first reported in the home at 1700 West Parkwood around 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The $2.6 million home, once known as the White House Ranch, was a former event center for the city, according to media reports and a Yelp listing.

WEATHER WATCH: Rain winding down in Houston area, but more storms possible tonight

"The guys made an aggressive attack, but they could not get ahead of fire. They went defensive and pulled out. It's such a tough fire because we could not put our ladder trucks up because of the lightning," Battalion Chief Mark Faber told ABC 13.

Residents evacuated from the home and no injuries were reported, officials said. An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message


Lifetime of Clicks Photography studio announces that it is purchasing one of the Katy areas oldest photography studios, the 30-year-old Country Park Portraits.

Lifetime of Clicks owner/photographer Kelly Richman and Country Park Portraits owner/photographer Sam Schultze recently agreed to the deal.

Families looking to capture those special moments will be thrilled to work with Kelly, whos sharp eye and creativity adds to her caring, compassionate approach and attention to detail, said Schultze.

Richman said, My family cant wait to meet the Country Park clients and other community members who are familiar with the dedication to quality Sam brings to his work. At Lifetime of Clicks, we treat our clients like family too. And, we are committed to delivering nothing less than superb photography projects for our family of clients and friends.

With the deal, Richman and Schultze will collaborate on the transition until June, when Richman will own and operate both studios. Schultze is moving on to an unforeseen opportunity that he couldnt let pass.

I have known Sam for 10 years and have watched his business become the leader in creating portraits of families, business leaders, politicians and other leaders in the Katy area, Richman said. I cant wait to meet these fine families and show them how I can help create and capture timeless memories.

Richman is looking forward to introducing herself to the businesses and individuals attending the Katy Chamber B2B Expo on May 16 at the Wyndham Hotel Houston West-Energy Corridor.
by Sumon Corraya

The intimidation stems from a complaint he made against the politician. According to the priest, Abul Kalam Azad is involved in his brother Ovidios death. Fr Samson Marandy wrote to the prime minister, the Home Affair minister and other officials asking for justice.

Dinajpur (AsiaNews)  Fr Samson Marandy (pictured), 64, is a parish priest in Mariampur. Because of repeated death threats from a former MP, Abul Kalam Azad, he has been forced to perform his pastoral work escorted by members of his congregation.

The clergyman himself spoke to AsiaNews about his predicament, explaining that the intimidation is due to a complaint he filed with the authorities against the politician on 8 April. Fr Samson believes Azad is involved in the death of his brother Ovidio.

"My brother worked in the Land Department. Five years ago, we learnt of his death in a car accident. Later, we filed a complaint, which the police did not take into consideration. At the time, Abul Kalam Azad was the local MP and prevented a proper investigation from being carried out."

The parish priest, an ethnic Santal, fears for his security because over the past month people connected to Azad have threatened to kill him.

"I want justice for my younger brother, Fr Samson said. When he was still alive, Ovidio told his wife that the MP wanted to involve him in some illegal work. As a Christian, my brother refused. Abul Kalam Azad pressured him. I am convinced he is behind Ovidios killing."

"Azad's threats are an obstacle to my pastoral activity. In the past I used to visit every Catholic village. Now, for the lack of security, I bring at least three people with me.

Founded by PIME missionaries in 1930, the parish of Mariampur serves 80 Catholic settlements with 7,250 members.

Fr Samson plans to file a new complaint against Abul Kalam Azad for the threats received.

"I wrote a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina regarding the issue and asked her to provide me with security. I sent one to the Home Affairs Minister, to the Bangladesh police chief and to some other government officials, to obtain guarantees [for myself] and justice for my beloved brother. I did receive their acknowledgement of reception."

Recently, Mariampurs parish priest met with the Archbishop of Dhaka, Card Patrick DRozario. The prelate assured him that he will get involved in his case. Human rights activists also demand protection for Fr Samson and justice for his brother Ovidio.

For said Nirmol Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association, "It is very unfortunate for an enlightened country that those asking for justice must face death threats. I urge the government to guarantee Fr Samsons security. He works for all the faithful and is our religious leader.
Katy residents werent the only ones out Friday morning inspecting the high waters and flooding around the city.

Katy Police were called out to U.S. Highway 90 near the Katy Veterinary Clinic where a five-foot alligator was found swimming in a puddle created by Thursday nights thunderstorm.

David Brown, animal control supervisor with the city of Katy, said the alligator was found on the 27000 block of U.S. Highway 90 and when he arrived, animal control officers and police were loading it onto a truck for transport.

The alligator had probably come from Cane Island Creek, which is nearby, Brown said.

Photos posted by KPD on Facebook showed the gator walking across railroad tracks and update with the gator in an enclosure.

WEATHER WATCH: More heavy rain expected to hit Houston after overnight flooding

The suspect is in custody! a caption read. Thanks to KPDs Humane Division!

The alligator was caught, relocated and released to an unpopulated area outside the city limits by game wardens with the Texas Parks & Wildlife, Brown said.

Animal control officers are often called on out on alligator calls during the humid, breeding seasons in April, Brown said.

While not uncommon to the area, alligators can become a nuisance if they go onto peoples properties. If you see an alligator, do not approach it, Brown said.

Definitely call animal control and we will remove it, he added.

michelle.iracheta@chron.com
The Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office is honoring the lives of fallen law enforcement officers this month during National Police Week.

A display featuring photos of fallen officers, names and a description is currently available for viewing to the public at the Sheriffs Office at 1840 Williams Way in Richmond, Texas through Friday, May 17, said Maj. Chad Norvell.

We are honoring those who have fallen in the line-of-duty while serving Fort Bend County, Norvell said. It is important for their families to know their loved one is remembered.

The exterior of the building will be illuminated with blue lights all week, Norvell added.

The display is an important reminder for officers to know they arent invincible and sometimes bad things happen, Norvell said.

STORM COVERAGE: Where overnight storms dumped the most rain in Houston

They must stay alert and not became lackadaisical, he said. These fallen officers made a decision to wear a uniform and gun to work every day. Their willingness to serve their community put them in a position to lose their life at work. That is a choice and a risk most do not expose themselves to.

On Tuesday, a Fort Bend County Peace Officer Memorial Service commemorating the lives of the fallen was nearly washed out when roughly six to 12 inches of rain fell in parts of the county.

The sheriffs office did not cancel the event, however, but instead chose to Facebook Live it for viewers who could not attend due to the worse than predicated storm that made many streets impassable.

Many families were here before the storm hit so we elected to continue with the ceremony and livestream it for those that could not attend, Norvell said.

National Police Week goes through May 18.

michelle.iracheta@chron.com
Longtime KTRK-Channel 13 anchor and news reporter Dave Ward came to Houston in 1962, and 57 years later he says he still deeply loves the city.

As I have said on the air two or three times, to me, Houston is the greatest city in the greatest state in the greatest nation in the world, which to me makes Houston the greatest city in the world. It really does, Ward said, adding that he owes a lot of gratitude to the people of southeast Texas that tuned in for his programs and kept him working all those years.

Ward celebrated his 80th birthday on March 6 and has written his memoir, Good Evening, Friends: A Broadcaster Shares His Life. It details the decades he reported for Eyewitness News and the full life he has lived.

Ward learned the value of hard work early on. His first job was pumping gas and changing oil in Cisco, Texas. Then, he worked at a glove factory where his job was turning newly sewn gloves right side out. He said it was tough work, and there were quotas every day. So when he started in radio, he said he preferred the news business instead.

I could work inside where it was air-conditioned, and I could do my work sitting down. That sounded very appealing, that was very appealing to me. And I got my first job in radio as a disc jockey in 1958, and that led to a full-time career in broadcasting.

As Ward arrived in Houston in 1962 ready to work at the radio station KNUZ, the city looked a lot differently than it does today. He said cattle were grazing where The Galleria now stands, and the Humble Oil Building downtown with its 44 stories was then said to be the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Now, much taller skyscrapers seem to eclipse the building. Ward said he regrets that the old Shamrock Hotel was torn down and felt it was destroying a landmark. He was there reporting as they built the Astrodome and as the Texas Medical Center grew.

The most heart-wrenching story Ward said he ever reported on was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. He said a lot of Houstonians dont know that Kennedy had spoken in Houston the night before. Ward was there reporting as he said the president stumbled over his words, made a joke about it and the crowd laughed.

Wards maternal grandfather was a Dallas streetcar motorman, so he inherited that love of trains.

I grew up on those streetcars, and I really loved them, he said. I think thats where I got my real love and passion for steel wheels on steel rail. I love passenger trains to this day. Hes actually planning to take a passenger train soon from Houston to Los Angeles and then on to Portland, Oregon, where he will fly home.

Asked about a remaining bucket list or goals, Ward said he just wants to continue to be available for his wife Laura and their four children and three grandchildren. He did point out that hes still on the air at KTRK for his area history segments called Dave Wards Houston.

In 1966, Ward made the leap from radio to TV, taking a job as a reporter at KTRK. His father, Henry Ward, questioned the decision, but Ward tried to assure him.

Henry said to his son, David, youve got a nine-year career in radio, very successful. You dont know anything about this TV.

Ward replied, Well Dad, trust me. I feel good on this. I think it will work.

And it did, Ward said.

To get a copy of the new memoir, visit https://davewardshouston.com.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
Kentuckys Democratic attorney general just launched an investigation to determine if middlemen in the prescription drug supply chain are ripping off the states Medicaid program. Hes onto something.

These middlemen, known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), administer drug plans for Medicaid, Medicare Part D, and private insurers. In theory, PBMs keep drug spending under control by negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for rebates and bulk discounts.

In practice, PBMs cause patients and insurers to overpay for drugs.

Medicaid was created to provide health insurance for low-income elderly, pregnant, and disabled Americans. Today, Medicaid is a nearly $600 billion operation that covers more than 70 million Americans.

Medicaid is jointly funded and regulated by state and federal governments. The federal government covers a percentage of program expenditures that varies by state. State governments pick up the remainder.

Medicaids costs are spinning out of control. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services predicts that Medicaid expenditures will rise almost 6 percent every year through 2026.

A number of factors, including drug costs, drive Medicaid spending. To rein in these costs, states often contract with managed care organizations, which provide coverage to Medicaid enrollees in return for a lump sum payment from the state.

These managed care organizations then hire pharmacy benefit managers to administer their drug benefits. PBMs extract significant discounts from pharmaceutical companies. In 2017, rebates from drug manufacturers totaled more than $150 billion.

These savings are rarely shared with patients at the pharmacy. Most of the rebates are passed back to insurers, who use the savings to lower premiums. PBMs keep the rest.

PBMs also engage in a practice called spread pricing. Spread pricing agreements allow PBMs to acquire cheap generic drugs and sell them at a much higher price.

Consider what happened in Ohio last year. PBMs secured a popular depression medication from manufacturers for roughly $0.18 per pill, then charged Ohios Medicaid program $1.54 per dose.

This example isnt isolated. State Medicaid programs pay PBMs between $109 and $300 for every pill of imatinib mesylate, the generic form of the cancer medication Gleevec. But the drug only costs pharmacies $84 per pill.

An analysis conducted by Bloomberg found that Medicaid programs in 31 states paid drastically different prices for 90 of the most popular generic drugs. Some states got good deals; others faced markups that were triple what the pharmacy paid.

President Trump recently released a proposal that would force PBMs to share rebates with patients at the pharmacy. This would make it difficult for PBMs to continue overcharging state Medicaid programs.

The presidents proposal is a good idea. It would help keep a lid on drug costs  and trim Medicaids bloated budget.

Sally C. Pipes is president, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy at the Pacific Research Institute. Her latest book is The False Promise of Single-Payer Health Care (Encounter). Follow her on Twitter @sallypipes.
The yearly high school commencement ritual is around the corner for Deer Park and La Porte seniors, bringing a mix of excitement, nerves and anticipation.

This month, students from Deer Park High School, La Porte High School and the Academy of Viola DeWalt High School will walk across the stage to receive diplomas.

Deer Park High School

Nearly 950 Deer Park High seniors will participate in a ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, May 24 at the Clyde Abshier Stadium, 710 W. San Augustine St. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and all guests are asked to enter through the regular ticket gates on the home or visitor side of the stadium. Since parking is limited, school officials request that parents and graduation attendees arrive early or carpool to the event.

For those who cant attend the graduation ceremony in person, the event will be live-streamed in the Deer Park High School Performing Arts Center  which will open at 6 p.m.  and on the districts website at www.dpisd.org/graduation. Additional information about graduation can also be found there.

The schools valedictorian is Jeremy Yarbrough, a National AP Scholar, president of the schools National Honor Society and a member of the Science National Honor Society. Following graduation, he will head to the University of Houston to attend the Honors College, where he will study toward a degree in mechanical engineering.

Salutatorian Darrien Kramer is president of the schools Science National Honor Society and a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to his studies, hes spent hundreds of hours volunteering in church and Boy Scout activities and events. An Eagle Scout, Kramer has plans to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., where he plans to major in computer science and aerospace engineering and serve as a cyber warfare engineer officer in the U.S. Navy.

La Porte High School

Seniors at La Porte High School will celebrate their graduation at 7 p.m. Friday, May 24 at Bulldog Stadium, located at East Fairmont Parkway at Texas Street. Additionally, graduating students from the Academy of Viola DeWalt High School will celebrate commencement activities at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 23 at the Sonja Angelo Theater at La Porte High School, 301 E. Fairmont Parkway.

La Porte High Schools valedictorian, Waleed Chatta, will graduate with both a high school diploma and an associates degree from San Jacinto College. While in high school he was president of the Interact Club and a member of the academic decathlon team and National Honor Society. Following his graduation, he will head to Baylor University where he will major in pre-medicine.

Salutatorian Emma Staes is vice president of the school's National Honor Society and was active in school musicals throughout her four years at La Porte High School. She has plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin and major in civil engineering.
In the aftermath of not one, but two separate school shootings in the country in less than a week, Katy Independent School District officials on Thursday were dealing with their own gun threat.

District police said in a statement that they had identified and arrested a suspect accused of making terroristic threats aimed at two Katy ISD schools. The threat had begun to spread through social media on Wednesday.

The suspect, identified only as a juvenile and a Katy ISD student, is accused of posting photos featuring a student holding a handgun, a semi-automatic gun laying on the floor and a direct threat made toward Paetow High School and Stockdick Junior High, district officials said in a letter to parents Thursday morning.

The juvenile in the photo is not the suspect who made the threats and was completely unaware that the images had been posted, Paetow HS Principal Mindy Dickerson said. The images that were circulated date back to 2017, police said.

RELATED: Suspect arrested after terroristic threat reported at two Katy ISD schools

Officials said they had increased police officer presence Thursday at both schools and that the suspect - who had been charged with exhibition of a firearm and online impersonation - will be disciplined to the fullest extent allowable by law and the Katy ISD Discipline Management Plan and Student Code of Conduct.

"Student safety and security is a primary responsibility of our staff and schools," said Ken Gregorski, Superintendent of Katy ISD. "Our Board and administration are continually assessing safety needs and taking responsive measures to ensure our campuses are equipped with updated security systems, and that staff and students have access to the tools and resources needed to avert potential threats. We also know that maximizing our partnerships with our students, parents, law enforcement, and the community at large, and creating that open line of communication with our campuses is key to protecting our most precious assets  our children."

The incident comes at a time when gun violence and mass shootings in the country - particularly in schools - have created major political polarization and have sent thousands of children to their early graves since 1999.

An estimated 3 million American children are exposed to shootings every year, according to Everytown For Gun Safety Fund, an independent, nonprofit organization that researches gun violence in the United States. The number does not include college students.

Last week, a 22-year-old suspect opened fire at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus, killing two people and injuring another four. And on Tuesday in Highland Ranch, Colo., two students opened fire inside a charter school in a suburb outside of Denver, not far from Columbine High School. A student who had tried to fight off the attackers died. Eight others were injured.

Katy ISD administration became aware of the threats to the schools Wednesday evening and notified district police, who immediately began an investigation that went on through the night, the district said.

RELATED: Katy ISD seeks $7 million for school security

Following a statement by Katy ISD police early Thursday, parents on social media were quick to send messages of thanks to officers for taking timely action.

During a scary situation like this, it was good to know that you and the schools were on top of the matter immediately to keep everyone safe, and communicated what you could to the public as soon as you were able, one person said.

Dickerson commended the police response, as well.

Our Katy ISD Police Department has received an overwhelming amount of support via their Facebook page for being swift to gather pertinent information and make a quick arrest overnight, she said. However, since this incident is still an active investigation, disseminating certain information to our community is still limited, in order to not jeopardize the integrity of this investigation.

The schools will have extra officers on patrol, not just on campus but in our residential areas, to ensure students and families feel safe before, during and after school, Dickerson said.

RELATED: Katy ISD boosts campus security

It is still unclear what the relationship was between the suspect and the student in the photos.

Katy ISD has spent millions on upgrading security systems and safety improvements throughout the district.

From retrofitting security cameras to installing security fencing to integrating police record management software so that it is compatible with Harris County and other agencies.

Last month, district officials asked the board of trustees to allocate $7 million from the 2017 school bond fund to provide more protection for students and staff.

Earlier this year, the district finished its fencing and gates project, which was estimated at $721,406 and was part of the bond voters approved in 2017. The project included adding six-foot security fencing around elementary schools identified by the district.

The 2017 bond included more than $16 million in security improvements, many of which will be finalized later this year and next.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

michelle.iracheta@chron.com
Google Maps

A possible gas leak was reported Thursday afternoon at Cinco Ranch Junior High, forcing the district to reroute transportation.

Katy ISD said in a statement to parents that the leak may have been caused by renovation work taking place in the school complex.
Mason Holdens initial pursuit of a free car has turned into a 13-year-long quest to do something not many have done before.

When Holden made it to the end of his fourth-grade school year with perfect attendance, he decided to keep the streak going in pursuit of being entered into a raffle to win a free car from Gullo Ford in Conroe  if he made it to the end of his senior year with perfect attendance, that is.

When I got an award for it in fourth grade, I thought that was pretty cool and wanted to see where I could go. Year after year, I didnt miss school, Holden said.

Now, as a senior at Oak Ridge High School, Holdens preparing to graduate.

A+ STUDENT: Willis High Senior to graduate with lifelong perfect attendance

In addition to his participation in the schools swim and dive team, Holden will be able to add a special distinction to his resume when he walks across the stage and receives his diploma  perfect attendance. In all 13 years of schooling, from kindergarten to 12th grade, Holden hasnt missed one day of school.

At first people are shocked when they hear about it. But the people who are close to me know Ive been doing this, Holden said. Im pretty excited that Im the only kid (at Oak Ridge) that has perfect attendance.

When he first started school as a kindergartener, the thought that hed attend every single day of school for his whole career never crossed his mind, Holden said.

There were close calls throughout the years, though. On the day before winter break of Holdens junior year, he wasnt feeling well. With stomach pains and a headache, Holden took some medicine and headed to school to take one final.

I was sick all the next week, but I was on break then. I went to the doctors office and they said I had the flu, Holden said.

Otherwise, when hed get sick, his mother would take him to the doctor immediately to get the right medicine to allow him to stay in school. Holdens mother, Kelly Corliss, is an assistant principal at Kaufman Elementary within Conroe ISD.

NEW REPORT: Several Houston-area districts top list of best school districts in Texas for 2019

Corliss said another close call was when Holdens grandfather was on hospice care right before the end of the school year.

His grandpa came home on hospice on May 5. We through (Holden) would have to miss school then, but grandpa held on until June 8, after school was out, Corliss said.

Though Corliss said shes surprised that Holden pulled off the feat, she knew all along that he could do it.

Hes very driven and wants to do something others havent done. Hes exceeded our expectations, Corliss said. Originally he started off to win (a car), but now its internal and hes driven. It says a lot about his character, that hell put for the effort to be where hes supposed to be.

Holdens principal at Oak Ridge, Tommy Johnson, said that this has only happened once in his more than 15 years of principalship.

Its very unique that this happens. It takes a lot of commitment, and its so impressive to me because its so rare, Johnson said.

Johnson wasnt too surprised that Holden was the one to achieve a perfect record, though.

Knowing (Holden) and his family, they realize how important education is. It shows his work ethic, and I think he can do anything he sets his mind to, Johnson said.

Though Gullo Ford no longer gives out free cars to seniors with perfect attendance, Holden plans to attend Texas State University to study civil engineering this fall.

(In college) I plan on trying to keep up the same attendance. Im interested in my career plan, which has a lot to do with math, and thats going to take me being there, Holden said.

jane.stueckemann@chron.com
Courtesy photo

Members of the Clements FFA chapter traveled to Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, May 3, to compete in the state Floriculture Career Development Event.

Clements FFA placed 2nd in the Floriculture contest. Team members included: Catherine Scott, Isabella Golemi, Emma Lee and Haley Knecht. Lee placed 1st in individual.
Zubeyde Fusun Ustel must serve a sentence of one year and three months in prison. Together with another 2,000 academics and thinkers she signed a petition entitled "We will not be party to this crime". In the past she studied in Italian Catholic universities. Before entering prison she declared: "Peace will win in the end".

Istanbul (AsiaNews) - Sentenced to one year and three months in prison, for having signed an appeal for peace and dialogue with the Kurdish minority (including armed militias), long targeted by the leadership of Ankara and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In these days prison doors have opened for the Turkish Professor and intellectual Zubeyde Fusun Ustel, who studied both in French and Italian Catholic universities, with tenure at the University of Galatasaray, in Istanbul.

A sentence that confirms the campaign of repression against dissidents, critical voices or simple free thinkers.

Local sources report that the judges of the 3rd Panel Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice imposed 15 months in prison in Zubeyde Fusun Ustel, for having signed - together with 2 thousand others - a petition entitled "We will not be party to this crime". A campaign that denounces the violations of human rights in the cities of Cizre and Silopi, in the region of Eastern Anatolia and that could lead, after this verdict, other signatories may end up in jail like her.

Activists and human rights groups including Civil Rights Defenders are launching an appeal for her release, stressing that the call for respect for civil liberties and peace cannot be considered a crime by the state. In a note delivered to colleagues before the sentence, the professor emphasized that " As an academic, as an intellectual, and as a citizen, I joined my colleagues to call for lasting and fair peace in my country. I will go to prison for demanding peace. I am confident that, despite everything, peace will win in the end".

Promoted in 2016, the campaign calls on the Turkish government to grant free access to national and international observers in areas with a Kurdish majority. In mid-July that year the power of President Erdogan faltered for a night, in the context of a failed coup . Since then the Turkish government has pursued a witch hunt against hundreds of thousands of people. According to the latest estimates there are over 77 thousand people in prison awaiting trial, while arrests continue. The authorities have also suspended or fired 150,000 public officials or members of the army, among whom there are also senior officers.

Plainclothes security agents have pushed defenseless citizens into mini-vans in broad daylight, or gone after people who left Turkey long ago seeking a new life. All of them linked by the same thing, namely a real or presumed affiliation with Turkish Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who now lives in exile in Pennsylvania (United States).

Zubeyde Fusun Ustel, a leading exponent of various civil society organizations, was handed over on 8 May to the guards of the women's prison in Eskisehir, a city in northwestern Turkey, accompanied by her lawyer. In the same prison there are other intellectuals and activists, among whom personalities like her who have spent their life in appeals for freedom and rights. Under the penal code on crimes related to "terrorism", she must serve at least three quarters of the sentence (11 months) and the remaining period on probation.
SAFE 2 SAVE and State Farm announced the winning high schools of the Fort Bend ISD competition, which promoted undistracted safe driving.

State Farm awarded over $7,000 to the participating high schools which competed to earn the most points for not touching their phones while driving. SAFE 2 SAVE is a free mobile app that rewards users points for undistracted driving that can be redeemed at local businesses for free items and discounts.

Schools and organizations can compete to see who can earn the most points by driving the safest. The Fort Bend ISD competition ran from April 1-30 and had six high schools participate.

SAFE 2 SAVE has really helped me to not text while driving, said Steven Shiels, FBISD Director of Counseling and Postsecondary Readiness. Im racking up the points and there are great places to redeem for free food and other stuff!

State Farm sponsored the competition generously awarding $7,400 to the winning schools.

State Farms number one focus is customer safety and we thought April was a great time for the competition, said Gina Wilken, State Farm Public Affairs Specialist. Teaming up with SAFE 2 SAVE is one more way we can get the message out about the dangers of distracted driving and try to start to turn the corner on this trend.

The results of the Fort Bend ISD Competition:

1st Place School  Austin High School, $2,000 award

2nd Place School  Dulles High School, 1,375 award

3rd Place School  Kempner High School, $1,250 award

In addition, Austin High School parents and teachers will be awarded lunch for having the largest staff and parent participation.

Within each school, the top two adults and students are also awarded a $75 and $50 gift card. State Farm and SAFE 2 SAVE will soon hold a ceremony for the top three placing high schools to congratulate and award them their prize.

Engaging schools in safe driving competitions is a fun and motivating way to really change behavior in the students, faculty, and parents, said Meagan Kamra, SAFE 2 SAVE Competitions Lead. We are beyond grateful for State Farm caring about making their community safer and making the competition awards possible.

SAFE 2 SAVE school competitions are no cost to the school or ISD. To learn more about SAFE 2 SAVE competitions and how to start one at your school, contact Meagan Kamra at competitions@safe2save.org.

Memorial Hermann Life Flight is the title sponsor for SAFE 2 SAVE in the Greater Houston area. Currently, Houston is the most distracted city in the nation and MH cares deeply about injury prevention. This is seen as a proactive approach effectively driving change, creating conversation about the epidemic of distracted driving and truly rewarding good behavior.

About State Farm: The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its nearly 19,000 agents and approximately 58,000 employees serve approximately 83 million policies and accounts  approximately 81 million auto, fire, life, health and commercial policies and approximately 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 36 on the 2018 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

About SAFE 2 SAVE: SAFE 2 SAVE is a free, rewards-based incentive app which works to end distracted driving. Users are rewarded with points for not using their phone while driving. Points can then be redeemed for free items + discounts at popular restaurant chains, local eateries, retail stores and more. S2S is available in the App Store + Google Play Store. To learn more please visit our website https://safe2save.org. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/safe2save/ or follow us on twitter @Safe2Save.
More than 50 contestants ranging from babies in strawberry-themed outfits to young women in red formals will compete May 16 in eight categories of the 2019 Pasadena Strawberry Festival beauty competition.

Among the fans following the event will be past winners and the festivals next executive director, Murline Staley, who competed for Miss Pasadena Strawberry when she was a 16-year-old at Sam Rayburn High School.

For the first time this decade, the night of pageantry will coincide with the annual festival at the Pasadena Fair Grounds, director Marc Anthony Glover said.

The pageant was off site for 10 or 12 years; so we are thrilled to be back inside the heart of the festival, he said.

Last years winner, Alexandria Hale of Friendswood agreed.

I definitely think it will be more fun for the contestants, said Hale, 22, who was crowned two months before the 2018 festival.

Want to go? What: 2019 Pasadena Strawberry Festival beauty competition Where: Pasadena Fair Grounds, 7603 Red Bluff Road/7902 Fairmont Parkway When: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 16 Admission: $12 (includes a one-day entry to the May 17-19 Pasadena Strawberry Festival) Information: 281-991-9500; strawberryfest.org See More Collapse

When Staley competed in 1980, placing as a runner-up, she wore a white dress that her mother, Margo Clark, sewed and adorned with images of berries.

I had an umbrella to go with it, said Staley, who will come in after the retirement of Bert Munson, who has been involved with the festival for 29 years.

The 1980 Miss Pasadena Strawberry crown was awarded to Marsha Ralls of Pasadena, who continued competing in pageants, winning the title of Miss Houston USA and placing 11th in the 1987 Miss USA Pageant.

As a member of the court of Miss Pasadena Strawberry, Staley rode in parades and represented the festival at various events.

She said that the pageant, which was directed for more than 30 years by the late DJuana Oxford, molded me.

I started volunteering after I was in the pageant. Its unbelievable how we have grown this little bitty festival into such a huge family friendly fundraiser.

For four years, Staley was in charge of the giant strawberry shortcake presented at the festival.

It is bigger than most peoples houses, said Staley, explaining that sales from each slice support the festivals scholarship fund.

After years of service, Staley was voted onto the festival board of directors as the sixth vice president. She moved up to the ladder, including two years as president.

Staley, whose husband, Dan, died March 12, said she once entered their daughter, Margo, in a baby category of the festivals beauty competition.

Of course, I fixed her a little umbrella, too, Murline Staley said.

Contestants in this years baby, toddler, little and petite age divisions will be judged with each wearing an outfit of choice in a strawberry theme, Glover said.

Full-length red gowns are required for contestants in the young, junior, teen and miss age divisions.

In recent years pageants, the girls wore every color of the rainbow, but this year we are bringing the pageant back to its roots, Glover said.

Hale said she looks forward to crowning the winner of the age 18-24 division as Miss Pasadena Strawberry 2019.

I know that she will gain an understanding, as I did, of all the amazing things the festival does for the community, said the daughter of Preston Hale and Sherri Hale, both of Friendswood.

Alexandria Hale, who graduated from Friendswood High School in December 2014, plans to graduate this August with a bachelors degree in maritime administration from Texas A&M University-Galveston.

She said she was encouraged to enter Miss Pasadena Strawberry by her grandmother, Linda Hale Pyle, who worked for the festival, but has since moved from Pasadena to Zavala.
As he celebrates his May 4 re-election to Alvin City Council, 20-year-old Joel Castro is reflecting on the huge learning curve he experienced during his first 15 months in office.

Being in office gives you a whole new perspective, said the Alvin Community College student, who was first elected at age 18 during a March 2018 runoff election to fill the unexpired term of an at-large council member who moved out of town. For me, I was suddenly not dealing with other teenagers anymore  youre dealing with a totally separate generation  so you have to learn how to effectively communicate so that you can reach a common ground.

In this months re-election bid, Castro gained 86.39 percent of the vote with a total of 546 ballots compared with 86 for opponent Jacob L. Myers.

I was so happy with the outcome, Castro said. I am so grateful for the overwhelming support of this city and look forward to being able to continue to work for our residents. That percentage is huge  its huge in Alvin  and Im so happy to have the community behind me.

RELATED: College student, 18, elected to Alvin City Council seat in runoff election

There was a huge learning curve and to be honest, it was a little intimidating during that first council run, said Castro, became one of the youngest elected officials in Texas in the 2017 runoff when he defeated John Burkey with 55 percent of the vote.

Castro said that in both his campaigns, he used a grassroots approach that included knocking on doors, going to every event you could think of, social media and trying to talk with every single citizen of Alvin.

I treated this last campaign like I had five opponents, he said.

Castro said he is proud of some council accomplishments made during his time in office.

MORE ELECTION COVERAGE: Alvin ISD trustees win re-election handily

Im happy we were able to maintain the tax rate, he said. We were also able to hire a new city manager, build a new city park, work to improve senior transportation options for our residents, bringing controlled economic development to Alvin, having In God We Trust put on our emergency vehicles and allowing our residents who were affected by the government shutdown to pay bills late without penalty.

He hopes to help the city, which was listed with a population of 24,236 in the 2010 Census, achieve more goals during his first full three-year term.

I want to continue on that path weve laid out to make sure Alvin is the best place to grow your business and your family, he said. Were continuously working with (the Texas Department of Transportation) to improve traffic conditions; were looking at ways to improve drainage and infrastructure. We are implementing measures that incentivize beautification projects throughout our city.

Alvin has a lot to look forward to and Im glad that I get to be a part of it.
Justice O'Callaghan held that rights associated with packaging get-up or trade dress are rights to protect the goodwill by a passing off action or an action for misleading or deceptive conduct under section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law. Referencing High Court decisions relating to the nature of goodwill and packaging get-up, his Honour confirmed that there is no separate property in such get-up and that the rights associated with it are rights to protect goodwill, Addisons said in a statement.

In this case, the peanut butter products had been manufactured for many years by the Australian company Kraft Foods Limited, which was subsequently renamed Mondelez Australia (Foods) Limited, as part of what became the Mondelez Grocery business that was purchased by Bega Cheese. Bega Cheese became the owner of the goodwill of that business in 2017 and also acquired the rights in respect of the peanut butter packaging get-up, he said.

Kraft Heinz contended that it acquired the rights to the peanut butter trade dress when the global Kraft company split in 2012. The demerger allocated various businesses around the world between Mondelez and Kraft Heinz, it said.

As a result of the deal, Kraft Heinz became the owner of the registered Kraft trademark and subsequently licensed the use of the trademark to Mondelez, including for the Australia and New Zealand business. Kraft Heinz said that the peanut butter packaging was licensed with the Kraft trademark.

The Federal Court did not agree, saying that the ownership of the trade dress for the products in question remained with Mondelez as part of the goodwill of the Australian business in which it had been in use for many years. Mondelez therefore had the ability to transfer the goodwill, including the rights to the trade dress, in the 2017 acquisition by Bega.
Inclement weather prompted school districts in northwest Harris County to close campuses for Friday, May 10.

Those districts include Cy-Fair ISD, Klein ISD, Tomball ISD and Spring ISD.

Cy-Fair ISD

Cy-Fair ISD announced all campuses are closed Friday because of power outages, staffing concerns and high water on side streets.

For more information, visit https://www.cfisd.net/en/.

Klein ISD

Klein ISD closed its campuses Friday due to power outages and side street conditions from heavy rainfall, which may be unsafe for commutes.

Klein officials offer updates and explanations at https://kleinisd.net/weather.

When bad weather is predicted, the district has personnel designated to drive sectors of the district during the early morning hours to determine if the major roads are passable, states the webpage.

The district usually determines school closures by 5:30 a.m. on the day of the potential closure. The protocol for disseminating weather-related campus closures is through the https://kleinisd.net homepage and weather update page, then the district's Facebook and Twitter accounts, followed by automatic messages to families via call, text and apps and email.

The district asks families to have their current contact information in the Skyward Family Access system to get automatic alerts. Additionally, the district urges parents to seek updates online instead of calling the district and campus offices because there will not be staff available to answer calls during late night or early morning hours.

Tomball ISD

Tomball ISD announced closures for its campuses and offices Friday, though said the decision is precautionary and anticipates district operations to proceed as normal by Monday, May 13.

Tomball ISD officials have been monitoring the weather forecast throughout the night. Due to power outages, side street flooding and staffing concerns, officials have determined it is in the best interest to close schools Friday. As always, the safety and well-being of our students, families and staff is most important at this time, states the district website.

For more information, visit https://www.tomballisd.net/.

Spring ISD

An alert on the Spring ISD homepage states, All Spring ISD schools/offices closed today (Friday, 5/10) due to inclement weather.

For more information, visit https://www.springisd.org/.
Ally Horner knows about pain.

After suffering an injury in January, she refused to take prescription pain medication.

I broke my leg. I broke it really bad. I dont take any opiates because I take CBD, she said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, clinical studies have indicated patients may benefit from using cannabidiol, also called CBD, to manage arthritis, mood disorders, pain management and other disorders.

As a co-owner of Your CBD Store at 4027 FM 2920 Road in Spring, Horner wanted to focus on its medicinal potential for people suffering from anxiety, arthritis, persistent pain and post-traumatic stress.

After opening in April, the store offers gummy bears, coffee, tea, honey and topical creams, which Horner hopes provide an alternative to prescription pills. Treats for both cats and dogs are also sold for pets with pain or mood disorders.

CBD BATH BOMBS AND DOG TREATS? Houston area shops that specialize in CBD

Horner said she the first she stepped into a CBD store, it appeared to emphasize smoking over health.

The first time I walked into a hemp shop, it was grungy. I want my grandma to be comfortable coming in here. Not a lot of CBD shops that are around older people feel comfortable going into, so thats what were gearing it toward, she said.

In recent months, more CBD shops have opened in the Houston area, including Ojas CBD Oil in Spring.

While CBD is derived from marijuana and hemp, it does not include the THC compound, which is the active ingredient that produces a high when smoked or ingested.

None of our products have THC in them. We are health without the high, Horner said.

SPRING: The Smoking Pot Coffee Shop will bring edibles, art and good vibes to northwest Houston

As government agencies continue to battle overdoses from prescription pain medication, Horner said she hopes her store is able to provide an alternative for patients.

While CBD products are currently not regulated, the Texas Legislature is considering house bill 1325, which would require manufacturers to include QR codes on labels.

All the products sold at Your CBD Store include QR codes on the labels that link to laboratory results so that customers know how much CBD is in the purchased product. Horner said customers can also consult with a chemist to help them determine the amount that may best fit their circumstance.

We just kind of direct them in the right place in terms of what might relieve any ailment that theyre dealing with, she said.

Your CBD Store is set to open a new location on May 19 at 17036 West Little York Road in Houston.

mayra.cruz@chron.com
Ariadne Martinez Villanueva, a senior at Fort Bend ISDs Hightower High School, and Axel Guevara, a graduate of Cypress Falls High School in Cypress Fairbanks ISD in Houston, were recently honored as recipients for this years Thoreau Dream Scholarship.

Villanueva, who has worked part time for a wedding planner while in high school, wants to study hospitality administration with plans of becoming an event coordinator.

Guevara hopes to study architecture.

In the ninth grade, a teacher told Guevara to find a quote he believed and write an essay on it.

The quote I chose was, Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you have imagined, by Henry David Thoreau. Guevara wrote in his application. What an amazing coincidence. I am hoping this scholarship will help me to be able to go confidently in the direction of my dreams.

Since it was founded 16 years ago by the Thoreau Campus of First Unitarian Universalist Church in Richmond, the scholarship program assisted 52 college-bound students over the years.

Our goal when we started this scholarship was to help lift entire families out of poverty and into the middle class, Scholarship chairman Valerie Tolman said. These kids come from families and neighborhoods where hardly anyone even considers college as an option. We think that education past high school is a path to a better life. We hope sending some of the students to college will have a ripple effect, causing other kids to see college as a possibility for them too.

Funded completely by donations, the Thoreau Dream Scholarship pays for two years of community college and 2 years at university or alternatively, provides funds for a technical education and certification if that is what the student chooses.
Coulson Tough Race for Awareness donates new therapy horse

In a conclusion to the Coulson Tough Race for Awareness last month, the $35,000 that was raised enabled Inspiration Ranch to purchase a new horse for therapy work.

Aptly named Titan after the schools mascot, the horse visited the students as school principal Shawn Creswell presented the organizations president and CEO, MG Tindall, with a check in a day of celebration.

Area students receive National Merit Scholarships

Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation honors academically talented U.S. High School students based on their preliminary SAT scores.

In The Woodlands, five students have each received a $2,500 scholarship from the corporation.

Jill Bohnet, who may go into petroleum engineering; and Christopher Calizzi, who may go into chemical engineering; and Zhi Mei He, who may go into medicine, were selected students from The Woodlands College Park High School.

Neha Deshmukh, who may go into finance, was a selected from The Woodlands High School.

Madeline Smith, who may go into environmental science, was selected from The John Cooper School.

John Cooper students recognized

At a May luncheon of the Rotary Club of The Woodlands, eight students from The John Cooper School were recognized as Students of the Year. Students were selected based on their leadership both in the school and community, as well as their qualities of fairness, honesty and integrity.

In 12th grade, Kate Fisher and Christopher McDonald were recognized. In 11th grade, Zoe Tait and Nicolas Alvarez were honored. In 10th grade, Katherine Staebel and Kyle Dove were selected. In ninth grade, Noelle Harris and Omar Fayaz were recognized.

Lone Star College students honored at United Nations conference

At this years National Model United Nations conference in New York, Lone Star College students took home several awards.

Lone Star College-Montgomery received the Outstanding Delegation award for the fifth year in a row, given to a group that can represent the position of their assigned country, participate in committee discussions and follow all rules for diplomatic exchange.

LSC-CyFair, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University Park all received a Distinguished Delegation award, while LSC-Kingwood was awarded an Honorable Mention Delegation.

More than 5,000 delegations from six continents came together at the conference to learn about how the United Nations works and build their skills of diplomacy and compromise. The theme for this years conference was Building a Climate for Peace.

jane.stueckemann@chron.com
The Woodlands Township board is guaranteed to have at least one new person on it in 2020 after long-time board member and current vice chairman of the directors John McMullan announced he will not seek re-election in November.

McMullan, first elected in 2013, sent a brief email to The Villager with news of his decision to not seek re-election in November. His announcement means at least one new person will join the board in 2020 depending on what fellow incumbents Ann Snyder and Carol Stromatt decide to do in regard to their positions on the board.

Im not seeking re-election in 2019, McMullan wrote in an email. It has been an honor to represent and get to know the residents of The Woodlands. However, because of my current work and family demands, Im not confident I can continue to dedicate the time to The Woodlands Township that our residents deserve, so its best that I not seek re-election.

The Woodlands elects members to the townships Board of Directors every two years. McMullan was re-elected in 2017 along with fellow incumbent director Snyder. Stromatt defeated incumbent Laura K. Fillault to earn her first term on the board in 2017. Neither Stromatt nor Snyder have made any public statements about their efforts to seek another term or not. The opening period for filing for a township seat usually begins in late July and remains open until late August.

Fellow township board member John Anthony Brown posted a brief statement on Facebook about McMullans decision, saying in his post that McMullan would be sorely missed.

McMullans announcement comes several months after a frequent visitor to township meetings  Walter Buster Boyd  told dozens of attendees during a public comment session that he suspected McMullan would not seek another term in 2019. At the time, McMullan brushed off the statement, saying he had not pondered the issue and would make his intentions publically known closer to the 2019 election.

As one of the more outspoken board members over the past two years, McMullan has been extremely active and engaged on a wide variety of issues, asking for reports and analysis of issues such as the rising rates of suicide and attempted suicide in the township, requesting analyses of bus data and ridership numbers for The Woodlands Express, and also vigorously debating  and objecting to the need for giving out tax abatements to large corporations in the township.

In an email, McMullan said he felt he governed in an inclusive manner on a range of issues.

In a challenging political environment, I governed in an inclusive and fiscally restrained manner and made prudent investments in public safety. Residents today pay less in taxes  both tax rate and actual dollars  to The Woodlands Township than they did when I joined the board, and we were still able to secure new funding for our fire department and for the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, making all of us safer, he wrote. While I have not yet succeeded in changing the townships misguided corporate tax abatement policy, I believe my focus on it made residents more aware of the issue.

As for the next steps, McMullan said he will continue to put in the required effort and attention to the board as they navigate the ongoing incorporation task force studies, but as for the future, he has ruled out for now any bid for a higher elected office.
STUART, Iowa - Andrew Yang knows that most Americans have absolutely no idea who he is. Even before he makes his expected debut on the presidential debate stage next month, he has a good guess what viewers will be thinking when the camera shifts to him.

"'Who the hell is that guy?' " said Yang, 44, speaking between stops during a recent campaign swing through Iowa.

He's not wrong. A Taiwanese American entrepreneur, lawyer and philanthropist from New York who launched his long-shot bid for the presidency more than a year ago, Yang is barely a blip in most national polls, where his support ranks between 1 percent and 3 percent.

But Yang has become something of a below-the-radar phenomenon in the crowded field of candidates vying for the Democratic presidential nomination. Some candidates far better known than him have been struggling to catch fire on social media and are playing to smaller audiences; Yang has been packing in some of the largest crowds in the race - an estimated 3,000 in San Francisco; 2,000 in Los Angeles; and 2,500 in Seattle, where he paused the rally to point out a pair of bald eagles soaring overhead.

"It's a sign!" Yang declared, as supporters broke into a chant of "USA! USA! USA!"

While Democratic voters are so far largely embracing conventional politicians, the ability of an outsider like Yang to generate buzz shows how the unsettled political climate that paved the way for Donald Trump's stunning 2016 rise is reverberating in the 2020 contest. Some of the more prominent Democratic candidates have tried to answer voter unease over the economy and the state of the country by staking out positions far more liberal than those held by the party four years ago - but Yang is selling himself as a total disrupter.

He has laid out nearly 80 policy proposals on his website, including his call for the NCAA to pay college athletes, and free marriage counseling for all. At the center of Yang's campaign is what he calls the "Freedom Dividend," a form of universal basic income which would give $1,000 each month to every American between age 18 and 64. It has generated enough attention that voters have forced better-known candidates such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, to take a position. (They both opposed it.)

Yang's unconventional campaign has raised roughly $2 million and, more importantly, surpassed the threshold of 65,000 individual donors required to gain entry to the first primary debates scheduled for June and July.

That a political unknown like Yang has gained traction is a testament to his savvy use of modern media platforms that have been pure oxygen to a nontraditional candidate like him. Generally ignored by mainstream sites, Yang went big on social media and turned to podcasts such as "Freakonomics" (episode title: "Why is This Man Running for President?") to get attention.

A two-hour podcast interview in February with Joe Rogan, a stand-up comedian, television host and mixed martial arts commentator, that put Yang on the map. Rogan boasts an audience of millions - particularly young men - and has a devoted following on Twitter and Reddit, where some fans have half-jokingly referred to his show as "Oprah for Dudes."

After the Rogan podcast, Yang's Twitter followers jumped eightfold - going from roughly 34,000 to 287,000 in a little over a month. Online fans started creating thousands of memes and videos on Facebook, Instagram and other social media, spreading his campaign further.

Yang hasn't yet assembled a traditional political infrastructure. His staff, mostly people in their 20s and early 30s who are new to politics, numbers fewer than a dozen. But his online army of support has elevated his profile immeasurably.

Recently, Yang has mused about deploying a hologram of himself on the campaign trail, allowing him to beam himself in multiple early-primary states at once. "Imagine that!" he said.

In substance and in style, Yang presents himself as a candidate relentlessly of the future. He warns the United States is on the brink of a major job apocalypse, spurred by the increasing use of robots and artificial intelligence in the workplace that ultimately will eliminate the need for human employees.

"What we did to the manufacturing workers we are now going to do to the retail workers, the call center workers, the fast-food workers, the truck drivers, and on and on through the economy," Yang declared at a rally in Chicago last month. "This is a crisis."

Yang has particularly fixated on the plight of truckers. Speaking at a recent rural issues forum in Stuart, a tiny town in western Iowa, a state where the trucking industry employs an estimated 98,000 drivers, Yang pointed to an incident in February when scores of truck drivers snarled traffic on Indianapolis-area highways in protest of mandated electronic monitoring devices that track their hours.

"What are the truck drivers going to do when the robot trucks come and start driving themselves?" Yang asked.

A murmur went through the audience of about 200 people. An older man in jeans and a trucker cap shook his head at the thought. "Chaos," the man said.

This is where Yang's "Freedom Dividend" comes in. The $12,000 given annually to every U.S. adult up to age 64 would be funded in part by a 10 percent "value added tax" on technology companies such as Amazon, Google and Facebook, which he estimates would generate roughly $800 billion a year. (Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos, owns The Washington Post.)

"You could call this the tech check," Yang said. He has dismissed critics who say the money, paid out regardless of an individual's income or employment status, would encourage people not to work. He argues that the added financial security will spur people to create businesses or go back to school, or take risks they might not otherwise take. "This isn't about people being lazy," he said.

He has also pitched the concept, for which he has not stipulated an overall cost, as a pro-business, pro-economic development idea that could potentially revive dying small towns.

"Some of [that money] would float up to Amazon. You'd buy an extra toaster or something, but most of it would stay right here because you would be investing in car repairs you had put off, and then tutoring for your kids, the occasional night out, trips to the hardware store," Yang said in Iowa.

To prove his point, Yang decided to use his own money to give $1,000 a month to two people for a year - someone in New Hampshire, the other in Iowa, the first voting states. In late December, Yang began sending a monthly check to the Fassi family in Goffstown, N.H.

In 2017, just as his daughter Janelle was beginning her freshman year at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, Charles Fassi was laid off from his job as a manager at small chemical services company. Fassi, 49, said he felt suicidal, wondering how he could support his family.

While Fassi is now back at work, the family still struggled financially. Janelle Fassi met Yang at a Young Democrats of New Hampshire event and submitted an application for her family to be a test case for the monthly payments. After interviewing the family, Yang presented the first $1,000 check on New Year's Eve. Charles Fassi said the money has been mainly used to help pay for Janelle's tuition, but Fassi said he and his wife are thinking of starting their own business.

"One thing I like about Andrew is that throughout all of this, he's never asked us to vote for him. He's never asked us to do anything for his campaign. He's never tried to tell us what we can tell the media or anybody about this," Fassi said. "When he came to our house, he said he was just trying to start a conversation. It wasn't about him becoming president."

That was enough to land Yang in the "top tier" of 2020 candidates that Fassi is considering voting for, though he is wary of the idea that people might think Yang is trying to buy his support. "I want to see how far he can go," Fassi said, adding that he wasn't comfortable backing a "fringe candidate." He added that he likes Sen. Elizabeth Warren of neighboring Massachusetts, and soon he and his family will house a staffer working for another Democratic candidate, Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California. "I was like, 'Why not? I like Kamala Harris,' " he said.

Yang has yet to pick the Iowa recipient - his campaign is taking applications - but after the Des Moines Register questioned the legality of his spending, Yang's campaign told the paper he would amend his Federal Election Commission report to list the $4,000 in checks he had written so far as gifts.

A native of Schenectady, New York, Yang is the son of Taiwanese immigrants who came to America in the 1960s. Yang recalled that he and his older brother were two of the only Asian American students at the local public school and were picked on. Later, as a student at Phillips Exeter Academy, the prestigious boarding school in New Hampshire, he was a self-described nerd and goth kid.

He studied political science and economics at Brown University before graduating from Columbia Law School. After briefly working at a big law firm, Yang joined a test-prep start-up, which was later sold and earned him "some number in the millions" that gave him enough to quit his job and launch his White House bid.

The fact that Yang is unabashedly noting his Asian ancestry makes it all the more strange that his candidacy has found fans on the alt-right, many of whom have reframed his pitch on universal basic income as a quest to save white America. White nationalist Richard Spencer has tweeted approvingly of Yang, describing him as "the most grounded presidential candidate of my lifetime."

Yang has repeatedly disavowed the support, even as his campaign has found it difficult to eradicate the racist memes spread by some of his fringe backers in chat rooms where Yang's campaign has tried to mobilize supporters. "I honestly don't get it," Yang said. "I don't look like a white nationalist, so I am sort of surprised that anyone who's in that camp would be like, 'Ooh, that's my candidate.' "

Indeed, Yang's crowds are notable for their diversity. Darrin Lowery, a 51-year-old social worker from Chicago, turned out after hearing Yang make his pitch to black voters on "The Breakfast Club" radio show. His warning about the dangers of automation had hit home with Lowery.

"The Kmart is closed, the Sears is closed. All these different businesses are closing, and I wonder what these people who don't have advanced degrees are going to do?" said Lowery, who is black. "I do think he's a long shot, but the more people hear him, I wonder."

Angie Shindelar, a 53-year-old math teacher from Greenfield, Iowa, came to hear Yang speak in Stuart at the behest of her children. "Everything feels like it's about bashing Trump or reacting to Trump instead offering some vision looking forward," Shindelar said. "He's the first person I've really heard that is looking forward and has vision in a way that can maybe overcome some of that division."

Andy Stern, a former president of the Service Employees International Union who is friendly with Yang, cautioned that Yang needs "a breakout moment."

"I don't think people are looking at Andrew yet and say he's someone who can win," said Stern, who, like Yang, is an evangelist for a universal basic income.

Yang believes his moment could be the debates, and he's already thinking of how much time he'll have to make an impression.

"I've done the math, and I'll have approximately 12 minutes of airtime . . . 10 to 12 minutes to introduce myself to the American people," Yang said, probably exaggerating the time any candidate onstage is likely to have. "They are going to say 'Who's that person standing next to Joe Biden?' And hundreds of thousands of people going to go Google 'Andrew Yang' or 'Asian presidential candidate' or whatever. . . . And then they'll say, 'Oh, that's Andrew Yang.' "
Pinsent Masons has unveiled a new management structure in Australia, trusting three partners to continue the firms growth in the country.

Matthew Croagh has been named head of Australia as well as head of Melbourne. Adrienne Parker has been appointed head of Perth. Sadie Andrew has been tasked to lead Sydney.

Croagh and Parker made the move to Pinsent Masons in 2017 from Norton Rose Fulbright along with two other partners. Croagh joined the Melbourne office and Parker opened the firms Perth office. Andrew has been a long-time Pinsent Masons partner.
Justice Paul Brereton said in the judgment that two other investigations had concluded with no action taken. He said that there is significant element of vexation in pursuing Mr Wily, who retired from practice in 2017.

While we fully support ASICs important role in preserving the integrity of our corporate sector through rigorous monitoring and, where appropriate, through investigation and prosecution, we were perplexed that this particular action was commenced, Banton said.

Had this decision gone the other way it would have sent shockwaves through the accounting profession and caused more than a few registered liquidators to think twice about taking appointments in the liquidation of companies without assets, she said.

Banton, who heads the restructuring and insolvency team at Squire Patton Boggs, said that while the firms team achieved an emphatic vindication for their client, it should be kept in mind that all external administrators will face more frequent and more intense surveillance by the regulator, which may result in court action.

As highlighted by His Honour in this case, ASICs own investigative, inquiry and examination powers are extensive and may be triggered by the regulator without court sanctioning. Further, any investigations or legal action taken by ASIC may not only arise from external administrator reporting obligations owed to ASIC (amongst others) but also, from complaints made by stakeholders. So while the regulator ultimately failed in its case against Mr Wily, it may be buoyed by the courts judgment and reference to ASICs extensive powers and how they may be exercised independent of the court, she said.
A Fort Worth man convicted of killing his pregnant girlfriend and her 7-year-old son more than 10 years ago now has an execution date scheduled for October.

Stephen Barbee, who has maintained his innocence for years and argued that his confession to police was coerced, is now slated to die on Oct. 2, according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel.

The now-52-year-old was sent to death row in 2006, after a Tarrant County jury found him guilty of the murder of Lisa Underwood and her son Jayden. The slain woman's friends only realized she was missing when she didn't show up for her baby shower.

The day of the slayings, a sheriff's deputy stopped Barbee walking along a service road in a wooded area, but the man fled after giving a fake name. Later, authorities found Underwood's car in a creek nearby, and decided they wanted to talk to Barbee as a person of interest.

When officers first brought him in for questioning, Barbee said he hadn't seen Underwood for months. But when he went to the bathroom, police said that he copped to everything while alone with one detective in an unrecorded conversation.

In that confession, prosecutors said, Barbee admitted to starting a fight with his girlfriend before holding her face down in the carpet until she stopped breathing and then holding his hand over Jayden's mouth until he did as well.

The North Texas man said he was afraid that Underwood was going to tell his wife about their liaison, according to court records. After his admission, Barbee took police to the shallow graves where he buried the slain bagel store owner and her son.

A Tarrant County jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to death in February 2006.

Early in his appeals, Barbee's attorneys argued that his trial team's work wasn't up to par, that police withheld a videotape of their full interrogation and that his trial lawyers abandoned their client.

READ MORE: In Houston death penalty cases, many judges carry a rubber stamp, lawyers find

But the judge overseeing the case at that point apparently disagreed, rubberstamping the state's claims "without so much as changing a comma," current attorney Richard Ellis wrote in a later appeal. He also called into question the confession used to convict Barbee, arguing that it was coerced and pointing out that police never even wrote down parts of it.

His client, Ellis wrote, later recanted that confession and has since maintained his innocence. But during a whirlwind 2.5-day-trial, the defense team didn't do enough to show that or to investigate information that pointed to another suspect, he said. His latest appeals focused on the claim that his trial attorneys conceded Barbee's guilt even though he didn't agree to that.

But the courts weren't persuaded by those claims, and this year a Tarrant County judge greenlit Barbee's execution date. The Lone Star State has already executed three men this year, and - including Barbee - four more are on the calendar.
The mother of missing 4-year-old Maleah Davis is blaming her common-law husband for the girls disappearance, alleging he might have retaliated after a fight and accusing him of past abuse.

Community activist Quanell X dropped the accusations on Friday, speaking on behalf of Maleahs mother Brittany Bowens. He said Bowens has seen a surveillance video that apparently shows the girls stepfather walking out of his apartment with bleach, a laundry container and a black bag she believes contained the girls body.

Theres a lot that hasnt come out, thats for sure, he said Friday. Its just a sad story.

Houston Police Department officials declined to comment on what evidence they might have, or corroborate whether Bowens was meeting with HPD officers Friday to discuss the video, which a neighbor apparently caught from their home.

Were not confirming anything at this point, police spokesman Victor Senties said.

WHAT WE KNOW: Everything we know about the disappearance of 4-year-old Maleah Davis

Stepfather Darion Vence hasnt been found since he reported Maleahs disappearance, police said Thursday. They were actively searching for him but didnt know if he was missing. Theyve said they dont consider him a suspect or person of interest in the case.

He told police that he pulled over to check a flat tire around 9 p.m. last Friday while driving to Bush Intercontinental Airport to pick up Bowens. He said he was with Maleah and his 1-year-old son when three men approached him and knocked him unconscious, near Interstate 69 and Greens Road. He said he blacked out until 6 p.m. Saturday.

When he awoke, he was in Sugar Land with the boy, but Maleah was gone, he said. He sought medical attention four hours later and reported the girl missing and the Nissan Altima he was driving stolen.

That car was found in a Missouri City parking lot Thursday morning, police said.

In the video, Vence was seen the morning after Bowens went to Massachusetts for her fathers funeral carrying two bottles of bleach, a large laundry container and a black bag stuffed inside, Quanell X said.

Bowens believes that Maleahs disappearance was triggered by a confrontation she had with Vence the day before her trip, Quanell X said. She asked Vence about nude photos he allegedly sent to another person, and he snapped.

He took it out on Maleah, possibly because of indications that he physically and sexually abused the girl, who has special needs, Quanell X said. She described severe bruising on the little girls leg on at least one occasion, as well as suspicions she had been molested.

It was out of fear and out of being threatened by Mr. Darion that she covered up physical abuse of Maleah that the stepfather was doing, the activist said. For some reason, she was unwilling to tell everything she knew about him. And I think the mother has a twisted love for the man.

Court documents show that the girls grandmother, Brenda Bowens, tried having Maleah and her two siblings placed in her home  rather than in foster care  during a Child Protective Services investigation that began last August.

MISSOURI CITY: Car involved in missing 4-year-old Maleah Davis case has been found

Maleah was taken into state custody after suffering an unexplained head injury, which was reported as an allegation of physical abuse and neglectful supervision.

Brittany Bowens told her mother that Maleah had fallen from a tall chair to a marble table but was fine. During a second hospital visit after the fall, she had a procedure that required half of her skull to be removed.

She had also been hospitalized on July 10, 2018, after vomiting with small amounts of blood, according to court records.

Police and Texas EquuSearch continue searching for Maleah.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com

Twitter.com/sam_kett
More than 230 people were arrested for drunken driving in San Antonio during this year's Fiesta celebration, according to city officials.

The total number of arrested drivers, 233, continues a downward trajectory despite this year's extended series of Fiesta events, which spanned three weekends instead of the usual two.
The Texas Senate this week voted to make it harder for communities to get rid of Confederate statues and other monuments, but will this become law? Plus, the tax plan that Gov. Greg Abbott guaranteed just last week would pass is now dead.

Go behind the headlines for a look at what's really going on at the Texas Capitol and in Washington with the state's #1 political podcast: The Texas Take. Join the conversation featuring Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, Texas Public Radio Capitol reporter Ryan Poppe, and Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace.
A.O. PRIMARIA MEA este in cautare de o companie IT sau de un intreprinzator individual pentru crearea si dezvoltarea unei pagini web a organizatiei
Yesterday, Maria Ressa, the editor of Rappler, an independent news website in the Philippines, was patched, via video, into the Columbia Journalism School. She was speaking from her home country, where it was the middle of the night. Ressa described, to assembled guests, how Rappler has been gearing up to cover critical elections in the Philippines, which will take place early next week. In the days that follow, Ressa will face arraignment in a Philippines court. In recent months, she has twice been arrested by the government of Rodrigo Duterte, an authoritarian leader who has waged a sustained campaign of harassment and disinformation against independent-minded journalists, in general, and Ressa, in particular.

Her arrests, and broader treatment by her government, are a clear example of the security threats against journalists emanating from malicious state actors around the worldactors who have only been emboldened by the Trump administrations aggressive anti-press rhetoric. As the founder of a web-native publication in a developing media environment, however, Ressas experience of the disinformation war goes far beyond physical impediments to her freedom. Welcome to my Alice in Wonderland world, Ressa said, with a broad smile.

ICYMI: White House revokes press passes for dozens of journalists

Ressa was speaking as part of a symposium to mark the opening of new centers, at Columbia University and the Poynter Institute, focused on journalism ethics and security, and ethics and leadership, respectively. The centers, funded by and named for Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, sponsored the event, alongside CJR, Poynter, and the Tow Center for Digital Journalism. (Newmark also serves on CJRs Board of Overseers.) A range of journalists, representing the worlds of media, tech, security, and research, discussed the intensifying disinformation war on good journalism, how reporters and editors might respond to it, and the ethical challenges those responses might pose.

On one panel, Ressa; Emily Bell, of the Tow Center; and Zeynep Tufekci, a techno-sociologist who writes for The New York Times and Wired, discussed the overwhelming effect of junk information on our public sphere, and the role of social media platforms in disseminating it. Tufekci argued that, in the 21st century, a surfeit of information, rather than its absence, poses the biggest problem. When I was growing up in Turkey, the way censorship occurred was there was one TV channel and they wouldnt show you stuff. That was it, she said. Currently, in my conceptualization, the way censorship occurs is by information glut. Its not that the relevant information isnt out there. But it is buried in so much information of suspect credibility that it doesnt mean anything. Tufekci cited the frenzied reporting, during the 2016 election, on WikiLeakss dump of hacked Democratic Party emailsmuch of which lacked crucial contextas a malign example of the trend. I dont think traditional journalism has caught up on this, she said.

Other parts of the symposium were dedicated to gaming out ethical dilemmas that news outlets increasingly face. David Folkenflik, a media reporter at NPR, mocked up an imagined scenario whereby a reporter is handed an audio clip appearing to show a presidential candidate disparaging the state of Florida. Noah Shachtman, editor of The Daily Beast, said the example was similar to a real story hed run recentlyin that case, hed approached experts who were able to verify the voice on the recording. The difference with the imagined story, he said, was a lack of context, without which, he said, he wouldnt publish. Phil Corbett, standards editor at the Times, reframed the debate: Its not just a question of publish/dont publish, its a question of how do you write the story and how do you play the story? As the debate continued, the storys sticking points multiplied. Clearly, in a real-time, competitive news environment, the ethical quandaries are harder still to address. Mathew Ingram, a technology writer at CJR, invoked the WikiLeaks emails coverage again. It doesnt have to be a made-up example, he said. It exists.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Going forward, the centers at Columbia and Poynter will work to figure out how journalists and their outlets should respond to the dizzying information climate we face. The clock is ticking. Information is power. Thats what this time period has proven to us, Ressa said. This is global in scope. Its about power.

Below, more on the disinformation war:

Mapping the battleground: You can watch the entire symposium at this link, where youll also find three stories CJR published ahead of the event. In one of them, Bell writes that Every part of the news process is affected in some way by the externalities of a digital environment, from the funding models and reporting processes to hiring practices and diversity of participation. But journalisms editorial codes and training are lagging behind reality.

You can watch the entire symposium at this link, where youll also find three stories CJR published ahead of the event. In one of them, Bell writes that Every part of the news process is affected in some way by the externalities of a digital environment, from the funding models and reporting processes to hiring practices and diversity of participation. But journalisms editorial codes and training are lagging behind reality. The fascist next door: Following a deadly shooting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte last month, Sam Thielman asks how the media should cover hate. The options span the spectrum, from simply ignoring [hate groups], even when they commit terrible crimes, to characterizing them as contemptible bigots whose influence extends only to small groups of credulous people, Thielman writes. On the one hand, perhaps they should be characterized as neighborly types, whose desire for ethnic cleansing lies below a veneer of politeness, or, on the other, straight-up crazed psychopaths.

Following a deadly shooting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte last month, Sam Thielman asks how the media should cover hate. The options span the spectrum, from simply ignoring [hate groups], even when they commit terrible crimes, to characterizing them as contemptible bigots whose influence extends only to small groups of credulous people, Thielman writes. On the one hand, perhaps they should be characterized as neighborly types, whose desire for ethnic cleansing lies below a veneer of politeness, or, on the other, straight-up crazed psychopaths. Giving up on Facebook? Ingram, in the third of the special pieces, assesses the ethical case that media companies and individual journalists ought to sever all ties with Facebook. Given that Facebook has not only helped hollow out newsrooms across the country but arguably lowered the overall quality of civic discussion, repeatedly flouted laws around privacy in ways that have served the needs of foreign actors like the Russian government, and played a key role in fomenting violence in countries like Myanmar and India, its worth asking: Is it enough to be skeptical?

Ingram, in the third of the special pieces, assesses the ethical case that media companies and individual journalists ought to sever all ties with Facebook. Given that Facebook has not only helped hollow out newsrooms across the country but arguably lowered the overall quality of civic discussion, repeatedly flouted laws around privacy in ways that have served the needs of foreign actors like the Russian government, and played a key role in fomenting violence in countries like Myanmar and India, its worth asking: Is it enough to be skeptical? The example that ties everything together: On Wednesday, Singapore approved a sweeping new law against fake news that will grant the government significant discretion over what constitutes a falsehood, impose lengthy potential jail terms for users found to be spreading them online, and compel web publishers to post corrections. The law, the BBCs Tessa Wong writes, targets social media platforms, news websites, and even private, encrypted chat services like WhatsApp, though its unclear how the government will police the latter type of forum.



Other notable stories:

Invoking the Espionage Act, the US government charged Daniel Hale, a former National Security Agency analyst, with passing secret files to a news outletan escalation of the Trump administrations war on leaks. The outlet was not named, but the files in question appear to match a cache published in 2015 by The Intercept, detailing the US militarys deadly use of drones. As Vanity Fairs Joe Pompeo notes, Hale would be the third personafter Reality Winner and Terry J. Alburyto be prosecuted for allegedly giving documents to The Intercept; one national-security reporter told Pompeo that its practice of publishing classified files in their entirety makes it easier for prosecutors to identify sources. Glenn Greenwald, co-founder of The Intercept, hit a different note. Blaming news outlets rather than the DoJs free press attacks is demented, he tweeted.

Chelsea Manning, who was detained in March for refusing to testify to a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks, is out of jail. But her freedom may not last long. Mannings release came after the grand jurys term expired on Thursday. Her legal team has already been served another subpoena, Gizmodos Dell Cameron reports. Manning has vowed not to answer any questions and, therefore, could be returned to custody as early as next week.

Chris Hughes, who helped Mark Zuckerberg found Facebook in 2004, has called the company a monopoly that should be broken up. In a 6,000-word op-ed for the Times, Hughes writes that Zuckerberg has unprecedented and un-American power that extends far beyond that of anyone else in the private sector or in government. Hughes adds: Facebooks board works more like an advisory committee than an overseer, because Mark controls around 60 percent of voting shares. Mark alone can decide how to configure Facebooks algorithms to determine what people see in their News Feeds, what privacy settings they can use and even which messages get delivered.

For CJR, Jared Holt went to a press conference hosted by Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl, right-wing activists whose half-baked smear campaigns have turned them into internet celebrities. Burkman and Wohl are often subject to internet ridicule at the hands of their detractors; the ease of ridiculing them sometimes brings them more attention than anything else, Holt writes. The wise-cracks and laughs after the absurd and comical press conference, however, were tempered with reminders of the real-world consequences of Wohl and Burkmans stunts.

During the first four months of the year, four Democratic presidential hopefulsJoe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harrisaccounted for more than half of all candidate mentions in traditional news media, according to an analysis commissioned by Politico. By contrast, Beto ORourke and Pete Buttigieg, despite their splashy reputations, do not appear to have benefited from an inordinate amount of coverage, with neither candidate topping 5 percent of media mentions.

And Robert Pear, a long-serving Times reporter on healthcare and other topics, died earlier this week, at the age of 69. Pear went about his reporting meticulously and, to the wider public, inconspicuously. Appearances as a talking head reporter on cable news were not for him, the Times writes in its obituary. Yet his reportingexacting, authoritative and closely read, particularly in Washingtonspoke volumes.

ICYMI: Should the media quit Facebook?

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
In the last week of April, nearly 23 percent of all traffic to news sites tracked by web analytics firm Parse.ly came from search engines. Google alone accounts for nearly half of external referral traffictraffic, that is, that comes from platforms, apps, and other outside sources to news sites. Together with the fact that Facebook referral traffic is on the wane, this means that Googles search algorithm is now perhaps the most powerful mediator of online attention to news.

But for all the influence Google has in directing attention, we know painfully little about how its algorithm selects and curates news. Which sites does it direct traffic toward? And how does Googles news curation impact the diversity of information found?

ICYMI: A reporter asked for 20 years of lottery winner data. After analyzing the records, he noticed something unusual.

To find out, the Computational Journalism Lab at Northwestern, including Daniel Trielli and I, undertook an audit study of the Top Stories box on Google search. Top Stories often shows up in the prime real-estate at the top of search results, presenting a carousel of news articles relevant to the query.

To audit Top Stories, we scraped Google results for more than 200 queries related to news events in November, 2017. We selected the queries to test by looking at Google Trends every day and manually choosing terms related to hard news events. These included names of people in the news such as colin kaepernick, breaking news events such as earthquake, and issue-specific queries such as tax reform or healthcare gov. We set up our scraper to minimize the potential for result personalization (the process by which Google tailors its search results to an account or IP address based on past use), and ran each query once per minute for a full 24 hours.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

In total, we collected 6,302 unique links to news articles shown in the Top Stories box. For each of those links we count an article impression each time one of those links appears.

The data shows that just 20 news sources account for more than half of article impressions. The top 20 percent of sources (136 of 678) accounted for 86 percent of article impressions. And the top three accounted for 23 percent: CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. These statistics underscore the degree of concentration of attention to a relatively narrow slice of news sources.

Of course, the concentration of sources also varies depending on the query. On average there were 19 sources per query, but 30 percent of queries had 10 or fewer sources. And sometimes, even if there were more sources, most of the impressions could go to just a handful. For instance, the query rex tillerson had 38 sources, but just two of those sourcesthe Times and CNNwere responsible for 75 percent of the article impressions.

Prior research has shown that search engines can affect users attitudes, shape opinions, alter perceptions and reinforce stereotypes, as well as affect how voters come to be informed during elections. As such, media diversity is an important aspect to the way that Googleor any news aggregatorcurates sources and perspectives.

To get at this issue in our audit, we looked at the diversity of sources surfaced in Google Top Stories in terms of their ideological lean. More specifically, we used ratings data published in an earlier study which identifies the ideological alignment of the top 500 most-shared news sites on Facebook. The ratings dont measure the slant of the media outlet per se, but rather reflect the self-reported political affiliation of Facebook users sharing content from those sources. The criteria were published in the peer-reviewed journal Science in June, 2015 by Eytan Bakshy, Solomon Messing, and Lada Adamic from Facebooks Core Data Science team.

Organizations that can generate fresh copy may be more apt to have that material selected by the curation algorithm.

Our data shows that 62.4 percent of article impressions were from sources rated by that research as left-leaning, whereas 11.3 percent were from sources rated as right-leaning. 26.3 percent of impressions were from news sources that didnt have ratings. But even if that last set of unknown impressions happened to be right-leaning, the trend would still be clear: A higher proportion of left-leaning sources appear in Top Stories. (Again, this means news sources shared on Facebook more often by people with a left-leaning political affiliation.)

Is there simply more news produced on the left? It appears so. We confirmed this by searching the GDELT database of news articles for the same queries we used to audit Google. In GDELT there were 2.2 times as many articles from left-leaning sources as right-leaning sources. But in Google Top Stories that ratio was 3.2, indicating that the curation algorithm was slightly magnifying the left-leaning skew in comparison to the GDELT baseline.

Another aspect of Googles news curation is the timeliness of articles selected. Just how quickly does Google churn through news content? Since the Top Stories box provides the approximate age of each article (e.g. 2 hours ago), we were able to tabulate the recency of articles. What we found is that 83.5 percent of articles were less than 24 hours old and 13.1 percent were less than an hour old. What this means is that organizations that can generate fresh copy may be more apt to have that material selected by the curation algorithm.

In the last part of our analysis, we looked at how much traffic an appearance in Top Stories actually generates. To do this, we combined our scraped data with referral data provided by Chartbeat. Across queries, there is a lot of variation in the number of people searching who could therefore be referred. As an example, in our data, Matt Lauer generated 3,961 referrals for each article impression we observed, far more than the average. But a majority of search terms (58 percent) averaged less than 100 referrals per impression.

ICYMI: I wrote a story that became a legend. Then I discovered it wasnt true.

In order to account for the variability between terms, we built a statistical model that predicts an articles referrals from Google based on how many impressions it has in the Top Stories Box or in organic search results. The model predicts that an article receiving 60 impressions in the middle position of Top Stories over the course of an hour (we measure one impression each minute) would lead to a 15.5 percent lift in referrals. Thats a boost of almost 1/6 more referrals for an article. And thats if its visible for just an hour.

Impressions generated organically by Googles search algorithm, rather than in the Top Stories box, accounted for slightly fewer referrals. Sixty organic impressions in an hour would boost referrals by 9.4 percent. Keep in mind, though, that an article could be visible in Top Stories or in organic results for many different queries. Our model offers a lower bound on what the actual boost may be.

Based on the proportion of impressions in our data, and using our predictive model, a very rough estimate would be that CNN received a 24 percent increase in referral traffic from Google from its articles placements in Top Stories. NPR, on the other hand, perhaps got an increase of about 3.7 percent.

As much as our results help better describe Googles curation of news, what our study decidedly cannot say is why some sources dominate on Google. Perhaps some outlets have cracked the SEO code for Top Stories. Or there may be a number of other factors taken into account by Googles algorithm that end up prioritizing certain outlets over others. We just dont know unless Google is more transparent with the editorial design and goals of news curation in the Top Stories box.

What we do know is that Googles algorithmic curation of news in search converts to real and substantial amounts of user attention and traffic. News source concentration on Google implies an unequal capture of attention and its benefits, including any advertising or potential subscription revenue that might result. If they are serious about supporting digital-first newsrooms, algorithmic news curators, including Google and others, might be more explicit in articulating the inherent design tradeoffs between the relevance desirable for individuals, the diversity desirable for society or democracy, and the fair competition desirable for news organizations.

ICYMI: Reporter says TV boss passed on Sandra Bland video, didnt think it was newsworthy

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Nicholas Diakopoulos is an assistant professor at the Northwestern University School of Communication, the author of the book Automating the News: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Media, and a regular contributor to CJR.
A late-night debate in a sparsely attended city council chamber in Colorado on Tuesday opened a new front in the national conversation about how to sustain local news.

Voters in Longmontwho previously approved a publicly owned fiber-optic broadband network, and now have some of the fastest internet speeds in the nationcould be asked to consider new taxes to fund a library district, a special governmental subdivision that would operate a community library. Roughly a dozen residents are pushing to explore the library district to include some form of community news component.

A thing like a modern library can fund news, says W. Vito Montone, who moved to Longmont from California two years ago and is helping organize the project. Its just a function that belongs in modern information.

ICYMI: Journalism is a public service. Why dont we fund it like one?

What a tax-funded, library-governed local news operation would actually look like in practice is so far unclearits early and the group is still hammering out ideas. Some proponents have talked about the possibilities of a newsroom, a print publication, and doing audio and video production. On his personal blog, Longmont resident Scott Converse, who runs the local nonprofit site Longmont Observer, recently suggested the community write editorial independence into the library tax district bylawsto ensure the newsroom focuses on the needs of the community and not any special interests. Newspapers, he wrote, are on that same continuum of knowledge sharing and learning that libraries have been brilliant at for centuries.

The prospect has animated local government in Longmont, a rapidly growing former agricultural city with an artsy downtown, a burgeoning tech-startup scene, and a population of nearly 100,000. Mayor Brian Bagley, an attorney who has lived in the city for a decade, is pushing all involved to figure out whether a taxpayer-supported library district that runs a newsroom can do so without politics influencing coverage. I am highly skeptical, he tells CJR.

Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project

The Longmont library, which is currently run by the city, lacks resources and hasnt kept up with the citys growth, according to its director. Many on the city council agreed it needs an update whether or not that update involves a local news component. If voters do use a ballot measure to spin it off and give it one, Bagley wants to be sure the city could resolve any concerns regarding government-controlled media.

If were going to go to the people and ask them to support local news, we need to just also be thinking about how to be just as thoughtful about the way we set up governance and policies and firewalls to ensure that freedom of the press is protected. But I think its a conversation worth having.

Longmonts seven council members didnt outright dismiss the idea, but instead debated about whether local news should be publicly financed. NPR gets some public support, one noted. We live in a post-truth world today, said another, Tim Waters, who nonetheless added, Clearly if theres one place to go to find balance in information its in a library, and We owe it to generations coming up to be able to make the distinctions between propaganda and fake news and the truth.

Waters, who mentioned a recent trip to China, said hed seen what the worst example of government-funded media looks like. But he cited federal government support of scientific breakthroughs as an encouraging example of how publicly financed institutions can set up ways to ward off political influence. Council member Aren Rodriguez said his support was contingent on effective compartmentalization of any news outlet. Council member Bonnie Finley said, I personally dont think we want it to have it be our news source. I think the fourth estate is best left to the fourth estate.

Councilwoman Marcia Martin said she would be deeply grieved if the possibility of a future news agency for Longmont gets kicked out because the city thinks it would need to control it or because we think its too hard.

The citys manager will now launch a feasibility study alongside the advocacy group, which will bring in experts and engage the broader community. If the City of Longmont establishes a special taxing library district with a news component, its council members would appoint a board overseeing it with a two-thirds vote and they could remove people for cause, a sticking point for some.

Longmonts local newspaper, The Times-Call, has slimmed down over the years. It recently closed its newsroom; remaining editorial staffers work from its sister paper in Boulder, about 15 miles away. Both newspapers are owned by Media News Group, a company controlled by Alden Global Capital, the New York hedge fund that also owns The Denver Post and is nationally known for gutting newsrooms.

Whats left of our local newspapers are under attack by monied interests determined to squeeze out the last few cents of profit possible, Converse wrote in his blog. The independently owned Boulder Weekly has newspaper boxes around town, a public access TV channel offers limited local programming, and Longmont Observer runs on a shoestring budget, with volunteers.

Longmont resident and former journalist Melissa Davis suggests the current state of local news might make the publicly funded library-district model a viable one.

Yes, local journalism has come to this, Davis, a vice president at the Gates Family Foundation, says. If were going to go to the people and ask them to support local news, we need to just also be thinking about how to be just as thoughtful about the way we set up governance and policies and firewalls to ensure that freedom of the press is protected. But I think its a conversation worth having. (The Gates Family Foundation funds an initiative called The Colorado Media Project, dedicated to researching ways to strengthen the states media ecosystem. Davis stressed that her comments are from her vantage point as a local resident and private citizen.)

This is an interesting twist on that idea of audience ownership that always sounds like a good idea but its never really taken off, says Nate Schneider, who teaches media studies and researches cooperative business models and employee ownership in media at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I think the idea of building on a really tried and true model of library districts is a really interesting innovation that combines, I think, a hunger that people have now for community accountable media with an established public mechanism.

The library-district idea takes some inspiration from the community information district, a local news model proposed by the New Jersey-based Community Information Cooperative. Simon Galperin, who runs CIC and who outlined the model in a story for CJR, says his organization is trying to lean into the inevitable hard conversations around public funding and accountability. Thats what I think theyre doing in Longmont, he says, and I think thats what is really commendable.

RECENTLY: Mapping the battleground for the next information war

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Corey Hutchins is CJRs correspondent based in Colorado, where he teaches journalism at Colorado College. A former alt-weekly reporter in South Carolina, he was twice named journalist of the year in the weekly division by the SC Press Association. Hutchins writes about politics and media for the Colorado Independent and worked on the State Integrity Investigation at the Center for Public Integrity; he has contributed to Slate, The Nation, the Washington Post, and others. Follow him on Twitter @coreyhutchins or email him at [email protected] .
Ten years ago, climate journalist Brian Kahn watched coverage of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. At the time, the momentum seemed unstoppable. There were negotiations over a global framework for tackling climate change. Climate scientists conclusions in reports leading up to the meeting were stark and urgent. He felt the dam would break, and climate change would be everywhere: in political debate, in bars, at PTA meetings, certainly on the news.

Now he cant imagine what he was thinking.

Coverage by climate journalists has never spurred a comprehensive social response, nor has it reshaped journalism itself. We now better recognize the difficulties of communicating climate change, but it still gets scant attention and resources in newsrooms. Many outlets still insist on false balance, in which fringe views are presented on a par with the more established scientific consensus.

The timeframe in which science happens and the timeframe in which news happens are just fundamentally mismatched, Susan Matthews, Slates science editor, says. That problem is just so much larger when it comes to climate change.

THE MEDIA TODAY: Covering climate change, now

Climate change is an economic story and a public health story; global warming shapes supply chains, water resources, tech infrastructure, community development and loss, and on and on. Yet climate coverage has historically been relegated to the science and environmental beats, outside the realm of hard news.

Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project

Theres a feeling still amongst a certain generation of editor that being an environmental journalist is a bit campaigner-y, Leo Hickman, editor of Carbon Brief, a publication focused on explaining climate science and policy says. And thats reinforced the ghettoization of climate change as a subsection of environmental journalism. (Disclosure: I previously worked for Carbon Brief.)

Its both an environmental issue and an everything issue. Its whats going to happen to mountain goats, but at the end of the day were also talking about the most pressing economic story of our time.

That perception of climate coverage has only started to shift. Science and environmental journalists have looked for new angles on climate change in order to demonstrate its impacts in ways that appeal to new audiences. Kahn, now a senior reporter for Gizmodos Earther and a lecturer in the Climate and Society program at Columbia Universitys Earth Institute, covers classic climate science stories such as new research and threats to beloved species, but also looks at the implications of US cities climate policies, climate discussions in the presidential race, and the ways inequality dramatically exacerbates the impacts of extreme weather.

Climate change is a strange kind of dual issueits both an environmental issue and an everything issue, Kahn says. Its whats going to happen to mountain goats, but at the end of the day were also talking about the most pressing economic story of our time.

Journalists outside the science and environment beats are slowly beginning to pick up on climate stories. In 2017, the Carbon Disclosure Project released a report attributing more than 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions to just 100 companies. Sara Law, CDP North Americas Vice President of Global Initiatives, says journalists picked up the news as a business story. More and more journalists are understanding that the corporate world has a major role to play, Law says.

Still, research shows the overall volume of climate coverage remains thin, and mainstream coverage is episodic. Last year, an analysis of news coverage following two key climate reports in CJR showed a lack of sustained attention from US news media; big spikes in reporting fell away almost immediately. And a study by Media Matters for America showed that coverage of climate change on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Foxprimary sources of news for most peoplefell by 45 percent between 2017 and 2018.

James Painter, a research associate at Oxford Universitys Environmental Change Institute, says other parts of the world also fail to cover climate change as much as he would hope. It is worrying that in some parts of the world, like Russia and parts of eastern Europe, and in parts of the global south, the amount of coverage remains relatively low, he says. Television is key, as it remains the most trusted and used source in many countries.

Environmental journalists identify a few popular impediments to climate-change coverage. Last year, more than 500 members of the Society of Environmental Journalists completed a survey by George Masons Center for Climate Change Communication. Of those respondents, two-thirds identified insufficient time for field reporting as an obstacle, and more than half identified a lack of time or space at their new outlet. Forty-one percent said insufficient training in climate science hampered their reporting, and one-in-four respondents said they lacked support from management.

Climate Matters in the Newsrooma new collaborative program run by the grant-funded Climate Communication nonprofit, George Mason Universitys Center for Climate Change Communication, and Climate Centralhosts in-person training sessions to help local newsrooms work through obstacles such as those flagged in the SEJ survey. Its not always about creating another story, Susan Hassol, Climate Communications director, says. It may be about incorporating climate change into a piece youre already doing. So people are reading and hearing stories they are interested in, and they can see how climate change relates to those topics, even though they may not necessarily be seeking out a climate change story.

Climate-change coverage can seem repetitive. Journalists too often fit new events into existing narrativessomething Andrew Revkin, who has covered climate change for ProPublica and The New York Times, terms narrative capture. Stories that link extreme weather and climate change can overlook other relevant factors; Revkin mentions the California wildfires, and notes the role that development played in contributing to damage and loss.

You have to have a systems approach to thinking, Well, what actually happened here? Revkin says. But when you do that, it misses the narrative that everything thats burning or flooding is global warming.

Since Elizabeth Kolberts influential New Yorker feature, The Siege of Miami, national outlets regularly cover the citys vulnerability to rising seas and the hubris of its building boom. But they pay less attention to the climate-related policies the city is putting in place, including a resilience strategy that includes a commitment to address affordable housing. These narratives tend to miss resilience effortswhich are just getting started and are not always well-run, but still, theyre happening, Kate Stein, a climate reporter based in Miami, says.

Homogeneous newsrooms are particularly vulnerable to narrative capture. Imagine how much more informative the media landscape would be if newsrooms stopped simply hiring in their own image, Leah Cowan, a writer for gal-dem, a British magazine written by women and non-binary people of color, says. So often, analysis of critical issues such as climate change are rooted in a particular ethnocentric and Eurocentric perspective.

Cowan cites the UKs role in the global climate crisis, which stems from a history of extractive colonialism and continues through entities such as UK-traded fossil-fuel companies operating across Africa, as an example. Rather than thinking about how empire and its legacies continue to drive the climate crisis, Cowan says, the media tend to focus on individual actions to combat environmental degradation, such as high-profile campaigns to reduce single-use plastic straws in the UK which are harmful to turtles, while ignoring or misreporting efforts by minority-led groups such as Black Lives Matter to call attention to the ways privilege protects some people from climate changes effects. As companies continue to make money out of the spotlight in regions vulnerable to climate impacts and political unrest, the UKwhich does not count offshore emissions in its carbon emissions totalsholds itself up as an international climate leader.

People just dont think its normal to talk about climate change, and thats not just true of journalists. Its true across society.

Science, the bedrock of climate journalism, also suffers from structural biases. Science can be just as extractive as any other kind of industry, Brentin Mock, a staff writer at CityLab, says. For example, Hawaiis thin air is particularly conducive to both stargazing and measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. But Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, volcanoes which house NASA- and NOAA-constructed research facilities, are sacred areas for native Hawaiians, who have objected to the sites expansion since their creation in the 1960s. Should optimal conditions for observation take priority over thousands of years of cultural connection? How might scientists work with traditional ecological knowledge while showing it appropriate respect? More journalists might ask such questions of scientists. And, as journalism scholar Dr. Candis Callison wrote earlier this year, learning from and hiring indigenous journalists could help their efforts.

Discussions about climate-change journalism often overlook newsrooms visual vocabularies for talking about it. A quick image search on Google for climate change reveals a dismal selection of lone polar bears, melting ice, and anonymous smoke. But humans need to see themselves in the climate change story in order understand the human connection to its causes, consequences, and potential solutions, Dr. Adam Corner, Research Director at Climate Outreach and an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Psychology, Cardiff University, argues. Climate Visuals, an image repository co-founded by Corner, provides hundreds of pictures for use, with explanations based on research about why certain images might connect with audiences.

Theres no shortage of amazing climate and energy photography out there, but it doesnt get the mainstream bandwidth, he says. A more diverse, human-focused visual language that joins the dots between climate impacts, our health and wellbeing, and the human impact of low-carbon technologies would revolutionize the visual meaning of climate change.

Collaborations such as such as Mother Jones Climate Desk and The Invading Sea, a joint effort from four Florida news outlets, have opened up new avenues for reporting as cash-strapped news organizations search for ways to share expertise. By pooling efforts, outlets can complement each others strengths: specialty outlets such as Inside Climate News have time and space to do deep dives into data, science, and policy; Earth Journalism Network offers a global platform to climate reporting from around the world; national newspapers such as the Times can invest in specialized climate desks and have an unmatched ability to set the agenda for discussion; many local outlets enjoy high levels of trust from their audiences.

Climate change is not yet what sociologists call a social fact. Silence is still the norm, even among people who say they accept that climate change is happening. People just dont think its normal to talk about climate change, and thats not just true of journalists, Dr. Alice Bell, a writer and co-director at 10:10 Climate Action, says. Its true across society. Journalism too often reflects and reinforces this problem of silence, abetting years of lackluster policy debate and ever-rising emissions. But journalists should not underestimate their role in helping to change that landscape, no matter their beat.

Its really hard to say that this is something you should care about as much as affordable housing, as much as national security, Alex Harris, the Miami Heralds climate change reporter, says. But it affects each and every one of those things. So if youre doing a service to your beatno matter what you write about, nationally or locallyif you are including this context, it makes you smarter.

THE KICKER: Covering the Green New Deal

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Rosalind Donald is a journalist and communications PhD candidate at Columbia Journalism School, where she studies community understanding of climate change in Miami. Before beginning the PhD program in 2014, she was deputy editor of Carbon Brief, a UK-based climate change fact-checking website.
HARRISBURG, Pa.  Three Mile Island, site of the United States worst nuclear power accident, will begin a planned shutdown starting June 1 now that it is clear that it will not get a financial rescue from Pennsylvania, its owner said Wednesday.

Exelon Corp.s statement comes two years after the Chicago-based energy giant threatened to close the money-losing plant without what critics have called a bailout.

The fight over Three Mile Island and Pennsylvanias four other nuclear power plants invigorated a debate over the zero carbon emissions characteristics of nuclear power in the age of global warming and in one of the nations largest fossil fuel-producing states.

Three Mile Islands Unit 1 is licensed to operate through 2034, and shutting it down will cut its life short by 15 years. Power from the plant along the Susquehanna River is expected to be replaced by electricity from coal and natural gas-fired power plants that run below capacity in a saturated market.

It will go offline by Sept. 30, Exelon said.

In a statement, Kathleen Barron, an Exelon senior vice president, said the company doesnt see a path forward for policy changes before the June 1 fuel purchasing deadline for TMI.

A roughly $500 million package for Three Mile Island and Pennsylvanias four other nuclear power plants has stalled without a vote in the Legislature, and Wednesday was the state Senates last scheduled session day of May.

The rescue package split the leadership of the state Legislatures Republican majorities, and Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, never threw his support behind it.

Wolfs office on Wednesday said he was disappointed at the news, and said it is still essential to maintain and expand Pennsylvanias carbon-free energy footprint.

I remain hopeful that a consensus on a path forward can be reached in the coming weeks, Wolf said.

Exelon and some of the bills backers said they will continue working to win passage of financial aid for the other nuclear power plants, including one Exelon owns and another it splits with New Jersey-based PSEG.

Nuclear power plants around the U.S. have been struggling in recent years to compete with generating stations that burn plentiful and cheap natural gas to produce electricity.

Exelon has won rescues in New Jersey, New York and Illinois, and had allies in organized labor. Next door, in Ohio, lawmakers are embroiled in a debate over rescuing two FirstEnergy Corp. nuclear power plants.

But in Pennsylvania, the nuclear power rescue bill drew opposition from the states considerable natural gas industry, not to mention industrial users and consumer advocates.

Three Mile Island faced particularly difficult economics because 1979s terrifying partial meltdown left it with just one reactor.

Decommissioning Unit 1, dismantling its buildings and removing spent fuel could take six decades and cost more than $1 billion, Exelon estimates.

The destroyed Unit 2 is sealed and its twin cooling towers remain standing. Its core was shipped years ago to the U.S. Department of Energys Idaho National Laboratory. What is left inside the containment building remains highly radioactive and encased in concrete.

Work to dismantle Unit 2 is scheduled to begin in 2041 and be completed in 2053, its owner, FirstEnergy, said.

Without a policy to make carbon-emitting energy sources more expensive, nuclear power plant owners argue that nuclear power should get paid a premium, much like solar and wind power does in Pennsylvania.

But critics contended that ratepayers had already paid to build the nuclear power plants, and questioned whether a hobbled Three Mile Island is worth saving. At least three nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania are viewed as profitable for the foreseeable future, while FirstEnergy is threatening to close its Beaver Valley nuclear power plant in western Pennsylvania in 2021.

Exelon, meanwhile, drew accusations of greed.

Exelon reported $2 billion in profits last year and critics said a bailout meant investing in outdated, inefficient and expensive power plants while benefiting shareholders of a profitable company on the backs of Pennsylvania ratepayers.

The company said it will offer jobs elsewhere in Exelon to Three Mile Islands roughly 675 employees willing to relocate.

The 1979 accident at Three Mile Islands Unit 2 became a landmark event in the life cycle of nuclear power in the United States, badly undermining public support for the energy source. No nuclear plant that was proposed after the accident has been successfully completed and put into operation in the United States.

Equipment failure and operator errors led to a partial core meltdown of Unit 2, leading to several days of fear and prompting an estimated 144,000 people to flee their homes amid conflicting or ill-informed information from utility and government officials.

Scientists worried at one point that a hydrogen bubble forming inside the reactor would explode with catastrophic consequences.

Experts have come to no firm conclusion about the health effects or the amount of radiation released, though government scientists have said the maximum individual dosage was not enough to cause health problems.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
An instinct for self-preservation has carriers dipping their toes into the smart home technology space, but no U.S. insurer has taken a full plunge so far.

The industry hasnt settled on how it should get devices such as water-leak detectors and upgraded fire-prevention sensors into their customers homes. Carriers have only just begun to collect the data thats needed to show how effective smart home technology can be for loss control.

They at least conceptually realize that these devices have significant potential to mitigate risks and reduce claims, said Brad Russell an analyst for Parks Associates, a market research firm based in Dallas that focuses on the internet of things.

But without hard data, what amount of premium discount is that worth?

Its kind of a chicken or egg conundrum for the insurance industry, Russell said. They have to put these devices in 100,000 homes to quantity the savings.

Russell said he is aware of only one carrier that offers an insurance product fully coupled with smart-home technology: Neos, a startup carrier that launched in the United Kingdom in 2016.

Neos sends its customers an array of sensors designed to reduce risks from fires, water damage and break-ins that are installed by the policyholder. Alerts go to a 24-hour response center that can dispatch contractors if needed. The price is included in the policy premium.

In the United States, by contrast, insurers have launched a variety of pilot products. For example:

On Tuesday, Farmers Protective Mutual Insurance Co. announced a partnership with Roost, a home telematics provider based in Sunnyvale, California. Policyholders will be offered sensors to detect water leaks connected to home wi-fi systems.

In February, Berkshire Hathaways Guard Insurance Cos. announced that it has teamed up with Triple+ to offer its policyholders water-leak detection sensors at discounted prices. The equipment will shut off the main water supply if it detects flooding, the companies said.

Last October, Travelers announced that it had teamed up with Amazon to offer policyholders in participating states discounts on smart home kits, including security cameras and water-leak detectors.

Russell said the enormous popularity of video doorbells should be a signal to insurers that their involvement cant be limited to offering discounts on products. According to Parks Associates research, 25% of U.S. households with broadband internet access plan to install a video doorbell in 2019. Whats more, 40% of U.S. households with broadband would switch insurance carriers in order to obtain smart home products, the company said in a white paper.

Smart home technology also offers insurers an opportunity to differentiate themselves from competitors, Russell said. Consumers often view insurance like a commodity; that is, theres not much difference among providers other than the cost. By offering a superior level of service, insurers can gain market share, he said, which means carriers that dont will steadily lose customers.

It doesnt hurt that market research has shown consumers trust insurance companies more than any other type of service provider, Russell said.

Its part of the model that the insurance company is there to protect, he said. Its in the very nature of the customer relationship.

Russell said the true value of smart home technology, as far as insurers are concerned, is data collection. The question is, how to best obtain access to that data?

For American Family Insurance, the answer is a partnership with Neos, the U.K. property insurer that has gone full bore into smart home technology. American Family has formed a partnership with Neos to offer smart home technology to policyholders.

Andy Kearns, state product director for American Family, said the contract allows his company to essentially borrow Neos business model for U.S. customers. Kearns said American Family will offer its policyholders access to the same array of smart home products that Neos provides to its customers.

The carrier is starting with a pilot project for customers in Arizona and Washington that will be rolled out in August.Kearns said the pricing structure has not yet been worked out.

Kearns said American Family picked Arizona and Washington for its pilot because both have adopted rules that specifically encourage the use of smart home technology. He said insurance regulations can be an obstacle because carriers are generally prohibited from offering rebates that are not disclosed in rate filings.

American Family has been dabbling in smart home projects for awhile. In 2015, it announced apartnership with Nest to offer policy discounts to customers in Minnesota who installed the Nest smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Also in 2015, American Family teamed up with Ring to offer policyholders $30 discounts on video doorbells.

Kearns said the purpose of all of the partnerships is to collect information on what customers want, while at the same time gathering data on how smart technology devices impact insurers losses. He said if American Family is going to offer discounts for smart home technology, it needs to first work with regulators to provide data that can withstand actuarial rigor.

A white paper written by American Family in conjunction with the Internet of Things Insurance Observatory outlines the carriers reasoning for investing in smart home technology. Citing Insurance Information Institute data, the paper says damage caused by water and freezing is the second-most common cause of loss for property insurers, with 2.05 claims for 100 policy years, behind only wind and hail damage in claim frequency. The average water and freezing damage claim costs $10,234.

For customers who have not experienced water loss, water damage prevention is not top of mind, the white paper states. However, customers are highly receptive to avoiding such loss after a recent incident.

Crawford & Co., the Atlanta-based third-party administrator, is offering another route to get smart home technology to policyholders.

In April, Crawford & Co. launched a subscription service for insurance carriers that links policyholders to water-leak detection sensors. Michael Beverly, property product manager for the company said customers install the devices on their own. Once they are hooked up, they are connected to both the homeowners smart phone and a 24-hour call center. If any leak is detected, the water-detection device will shut off the flow of water and sent an alert. Crawford & Co. will dispatch a contractor who will be on site within an hour, he said.

We are all about servicing, Beverly said. A lot of the carriers are getting the the alert level. The rapid alert is great, but you still have to have some quick intervention.
Boeing Co.s 737 Max is about to join the list of brands trying to come back from ignominy.

Analysts are digging into decades-old safety scares for clues to the future of the jetliner  and Boeings finances. Theres the Chevrolet Corvair rollovers that launched Ralph Nader as a consumer advocate in the 1960s, gas-tank explosions that sank Ford Motor Co.s Pinto in the 1970s, and the Tylenol poisonings of 1982 that spurred tamper-proof packaging.

But theres little precedent for the tangle of safety, regulatory and financial issues buffeting a workhorse jet thats vital to sustaining the surge in global air travel. After two crashes of the aircraft model in five months and a grounding thats nearing the two-month mark, some nervous passengers are vowing to avoid the Max. Boeing has added to the mess by not fully explaining the apparent flaws in the best-selling jet in company history.

Longtime Boeing watcher Nick Cunningham said hes starting to wonder if this has become too serious and too protracted for the Max to escape unscathed. The accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. Naders own grand niece was among the victims.

The longer the crisis drags on, the greater the risk that the cumulative effect will have acted to permanently lock it into peoples memories, said Cunningham, founding partner at Agency Partners.

Confidence Shaken

Boeing is finalizing an update to software linked to both crashes, which it will submit to the Federal Aviation Administration in a crucial step toward getting the plane back in the air. A May 23 summit of global regulators may lay out a path towards certifying fixes and removing the grounding, Morgan Stanley analyst Rajeev Lalwani said in a note Thursday.

Rebuilding consumer confidence is an urgent priority, as the Chicago-based company works with airlines to prepare resuming flights of the 737 model over the next few months. Boeing must also win over pilots, flight attendants and fractious regulators.

Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg and commercial-airplane chief Kevin McAllister have been hosting regular conference calls with airline executives. And the company has invited Max operators and lessors to a half-dozen sessions around the world to discuss the specifics of the software changes, along with the logistics of taking planes out of storage.

Its a multifaceted approach to taking the steps necessary to preserve the fleet, return it to service safely and restore any lost confidence that pilots, regulators and the traveling public have had in the Max, Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has even weighed in with advice on how to rehabilitate the largest U.S. export, suggesting that Boeing re-brand its marquee single-aisle jet. No product has suffered like this one, he said in an April 15 tweet.

Theres been no discussion of a name change, Johndroe said, including dropping Max and referring to the jet family by product numbers such as 737-8.

Jetliner Recovery

Commercial jetliner programs have recovered time and again from horrific accidents. The trend started at the dawn of the jet age with de Havilland Comets that blew apart due to a window-design flaw. A redesigned version was never a hot seller, but flew for the U.K. military until 2011. Bargain-hunting consumers in the Internet age quickly forgot their aversion to Boeings 787 Dreamliner after battery fires grounded it in 2013.

Brazils Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA is assuming the crisis will have faded by December. The company is already touting new, nonstop service from Sao Paulo to Lima starting Dec. 12 on a modern Boeing 737 Max 8, although an older model can be substituted if necessary.

The consumer has a very short attention span, said George Ferguson, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. He pointed to United Continental Holdings Inc.s rebound from social-media furor after one of its passengers was dragged off a plane.

But Boeing is struggling against deep damage to its reputation as a safety-conscious designer of aircraft. Cunningham pointed to General Motors Co.s Chevy Corvair and the Ford Pinto as cautionary tales.

Obviously GM and Ford survived the issues, but the Corvair and Pinto brands didnt, he said. The cases are still remembered 40 or 50 years later.

Those scandals helped spawn safety regulations that transformed the auto industry. Boeings travails could spur a similar review of airplane certification and oversight amid criminal and Congressional investigations.

The Tylenol poisonings are remembered today in part because Johnson & Johnsons reaction became a case study in effective crisis management  a feat that has so far eluded Boeing.

Wrong Calculation

The planemaker worsened its own plight by waiting months to explain publicly how a software subsystem known as MCAS repeatedly shoved the nose of the doomed jets down, eventually overwhelming pilots. With the company facing $1 billion or more in potential liability from lawsuits, executives have been careful not to admit their approach was flawed.

They made the wrong calculation, said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with Teal Group, in weighing short-term liability costs versus the risk of long-term brand damage. Just explain what went wrong with the subsystem, and explain everything about it. Make this as transparent as possible.

Compounding its dilemma, Boeing revealed a separate problem with a cockpit warning light in late April. The company followed that up this week with an admission that it had known about the problem but waited about a year to tell airlines or the Federal Aviation Administration.

We have a number of areas where we know we need to improve, and transparency is one of them, said Johndroe, the Boeing spokesman.

Passenger Fears

The lack of full disclosure has fanned a narrative that the Max itself is badly flawed because of its larger engines. Aboulafia, who forecasts aircraft markets, says his estimate of Max sales is predicated on this getting better in the long run. If they make this worse by making it a publicly reviled product, all bets are off.

At stake is not just the manufacturers image, but the vitality of the jet that accounts for about one-third of Boeings profit and has added 4,625 unfilled orders to the companys backlog. If demand fades because of jittery consumers, airlines could postpone deliveries or force Boeing into a pattern of deeper discounts that erode its profit and cash, Aboulafia said.

Investors are counting on the furor dying down as global regulators sign off on the new software Boeing is finalizing. But 44% of travelers in North America and Europe say they would wait a year or more to fly the Max, according to a survey of 1,756 fliers by Barclays Plc.

I dont know, said David Strauss, a Barclays analyst, who downgraded Boeing after the study. It feels different to me this time.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.
NEW YORK (Reuters)  A united front among members of the billionaire Sackler family behind painkiller OxyContin is showing signs of strain from litigation over who bears responsibility for the deadly U.S. opioid epidemic.

At least twice in recent months, eight members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP have been at odds over how to respond to allegations implicating them in deceptive marketing of prescription painkillers that led to widespread fatal overdoses, said people familiar with the matter.

The family members have split into two groups that their advisers dub the A side and B side, the people said.

One point of contention centers on how aggressively former Purdue President Richard Sackler should disavow emails he had written years earlier that maligned opioid addicts, a debate that came to a head in anticipation of a critical segment on HBOs news satire Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Another disagreement surfaced over legal defense tactics, with a lawyer for one faction initially counseling against Purdue settling an Oklahoma case in favor of a bankruptcy filing that would halt lawsuits.

The family dynamics will likely influence how the Sacklers resolve roughly 2,000 lawsuits by cities, counties and states alleging Purdue pushed prescription painkillers on unsuspecting doctors and patients while concealing their addiction and overdose risks.

The Sacklers, longtime philanthropists worth an estimated $13 billion, are attempting to reach a settlement covering all the litigation and will need to agree among themselves how much to pay. U.S. communities are seeking billions of dollars in damages to address harm from opioids, and settlement discussions will help determine how much money they get.

The lawsuits, which in recent months have targeted the Sacklers in addition to Purdue, claim the family and company contributed to a public health crisis that claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 people between 1999 and 2017, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Family members declined to be interviewed by Reuters about their internal debates.

In any family or business grappling with important choices, it is normal for a range of opinions to be discussed and options presented, the two Sackler contingents said in a joint statement. This internal discussion is necessary for reaching the right decisions in a collaborative way, and in no way signifies a split within our family, the statement said.

The reality is that we are united in both our deep desire to help address todays crisis of drug addiction and in our knowledge that we did not cause this complex public health crisis. We all hope to resolve the many lawsuits through a fair global resolution that steers settlement funds to affected communities, the familys statement added.

This account of some of their deliberations is based on court records and interviews with several people close to the familys discussions. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the conversations.

Purdue declined to address the Sacklers private talks. It has noted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labels for the companys opioids that carried warnings about risk and abuse associated with treating pain. Purdue and the Sacklers have denied allegations in lawsuits that they contributed to the opioid crisis, and have pointed to heroin and fentanyl as more significant culprits than prescription painkillers.

A Side vs B Side

According to court records and people familiar with the matter, the two Sackler factions each comprise relatives of the late Mortimer and Raymond Sackler, two of three brothers, all doctors, who purchased a Purdue predecessor in 1952.

In a June 2018 lawsuit, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey named the eight Sacklers making up the two factions, targeting their role serving on Purdues board.

In January, she disclosed details of emails and other internal records that alleged the Sacklers masterminded aggressive opioid sales despite knowledge of their harmful effects.

The Sacklers together countered in court papers that they were typical, passive board members who approved routine management requests rather than micromanaging the marketing of OxyContin. Still, the allegations eventually prompted various renowned museums in New York and London to shun donations from the family.

In March, a critical family debate ensued about how to resolve a separate, longstanding lawsuit against Purdue brought by Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter.

There were two options for averting a trial slated for late May. One was settling the lawsuit. The other was putting Purdue into bankruptcy court, which would halt the Oklahoma case and other litigation.

David Bernick, a lawyer from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP representing the B side, initially counseled against settling the Oklahoma lawsuit, people familiar with the matter said. He was concerned thousands of other plaintiffs would seize upon a financial figure in any agreement and demand costly settlements themselves, they said.

The better option, he felt, would be for Purdue to seek bankruptcy protection and negotiate with Hunter and other litigants under the supervision of a judge in Chapter 11 proceedings.

Advisers on Mortimers A side of the family argued for settling, confident that the agreements structure would combat expectations from other plaintiffs for similar financial sums.

Ultimately, both sides of the family united to contribute $75 million toward settling the Oklahoma case, which helped finance a national addiction treatment center.

The family released a statement cautioning that the agreement, which totaled $270 million with contributions from Purdue, was not a financial model for future settlement discussions. Bernick declined to comment on the settlement discussions.

A subsequent family dispute was harder to resolve. It involved whether Richard Sackler should apologize more forcefully for disparaging opioid addicts in his emails.

On March 28, two days after the Oklahoma settlement, allegations that the Sacklers and Purdue were responsible for fatal overdoses resurfaced in an updated lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

In one email message with an undisclosed party nearly 20 years ago cited in the lawsuit, Richard said, We have to hammer on the abusers in every way possible. They are the culprits and the problem. They are reckless criminals. In another email exchange, he said opioid addicts are criminals, and they engage in it with full, criminal intent. Why should they be entitled to our sympathies?

The messages stoked tensions among other family members who felt they were less involved in details of Purdues operations than Richard, and that the publicity around the emails was unfairly tarnishing them, according to people familiar with the matter.

A spokeswoman for New Yorks attorney general told Reuters that family members should take responsibility for their destructive actions.

On April 11, the two Sackler contingents and their lawyers gathered in a Debevoise & Plimpton LLP conference room on the 35th floor of a Manhattan office tower to hash out their next moves. Richard dialed into the crisis-management session by phone.

By the end of the meeting, the two sides agreed on taking proactive measures in response to allegations against them, which included seeking media interviews.

But on April 12, just one day later, conflict erupted again as the family wrangled over how to respond to a request from HBOs Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. A producer for the show had sought comment from the family and the company ahead of a segment critical of Richards conduct.

Mortimers A side of the family wanted Richard to provide a statement that would strongly repudiate his previous comments assailing addicts and call the messages stupid.

Up to that point, he had most recently apologized in a statement for insensitive language in moments of frustration regarding the email questioning whether addicts deserved sympathy.

Richards son, David, rejected the proposal, in part over concerns that Olivers satirical show was an improper forum for the stronger expression of regret, a person familiar with the matter said.

In the end, the show featured actor Michael Keaton reading from Richards reckless criminals email and other famous actors mocking the former Purdue executive.

However, Oliver also used material supplied by the family and Purdue. He said during the April 14 broadcast that Purdue and the Sacklers insisted the family did not cause the opioid crisis and that they vigorously denied claims in recent lawsuits. He also stated their view that Richards statements criticizing addicts had been taken out of context.
We see the frequent headlines: A plaintiff is awarded millions of dollars in damages for a physical or emotional injury purportedly sustained at the hands of a small business or large corporation.

While many applaud an injured plaintiff for holding wrongdoers accountable, it is clear the frequency of outrageous jury verdicts is on the rise, and something needs to be done.

The American civil justice system was established on the foundation of justice for all, not just injured plaintiffs. Our laws are meant to establish an equal playing field to determine whether and how to compensate someone who suffers a loss. When an individual or company are held liable for an injury, the award should be fair and reasonable for everyone.

But the new reality is that justice has been hijacked by creative plaintiffs lawyers throughout the country. To be direct, plaintiffs lawyers are better at jury trials than defense lawyers and their clients. The plaintiffs bar has studied human psychology and implemented new strategies with juries over the last 10+ years, and freely shares these advances among themselves. The defense bar has not evolved and shares almost no strategy with each other. It is time for change.

How Runaway Jury Verdicts Happen

The number one emotional motivator of a nuclear jury verdict is anger, not sympathy. Because of this, plaintiffs attorneys employ a number of tactics to incite juror anger at the corporate defendant. Unfortunately, the typical defense approach of deny, deny, deny does nothing to combat this strategy.

One approach plaintiffs counsel uses to leverage anger is the Reptile Theory, which involves tapping into the primitive part of jurors brains and evoking a fight or flight mentality. In effect, the Reptile Theory is designed to shift the jurys focus from the law  or standard of care  to absolute safety at all cost and total absence of danger. As of May 2019, plaintiffs attorneys have attributed over $8 billion in verdicts and settlements to the Reptile Theory, which appeals to deep-seated survival instincts.

Another method in which plaintiffs attorneys convince a jury to award astronomical verdicts: They simply ask for them. The best plaintiffs attorneys know asking for a large verdict from the beginning of trial can result in a significant award. Most jurors never walk into a courtroom thinking anything is worth $20+ million. But after plaintiffs counsel discusses astronomical numbers in voir dire and then repeats these figures for weeks through trial and in closing argument, the amount does not seem outrageous to jurors when deliberation begins.

Plaintiffs attorneys are also getting more creative with their arguments and how they frame requests of the jury for high damage awards. The largest component of any runaway jury verdict is noneconomic damages  the human loss element. Arguments used by the plaintiffs bar to support multi-million-dollar pain and suffering awards have become more emotional and, frankly, more outlandish. But they work!

It is clear the traditional defense methods are no longer working to avoid runaway jury verdicts. Here are some other ideas.

Defuse Juror Anger

As Aristotle suggested, human emotions affect human judgment. Emotions have a substantial impact on decision making, often sidelining the ability to make rational and cognitive judgments. This is especially true during high-stakes products liability or personal injury litigation, when a jury must decide how much to award a catastrophically injured plaintiff or a deceased victims loved ones.

To defuse juror anger, the defense must first determine what about the case could anger a jury. This often has nothing to do with the accident itself or the product in question, but rather the defendants actions, which plaintiffs counsel will argue shows they do not care about plaintiff, the community, or the jury itself. To combat this, it is imperative to show compassion for plaintiff and highlight the ways in which the defendant acts as a force for good in the community.

Then, at trial, the defense must (1) accept responsibility, not necessarily liability, for something in the case, (2) personalize the corporate defendant, and (3) address the most difficult parts of the case with the jury. Doing so can dramatically reduce juror anger and effectively neutralize the Reptile Theory and other plaintiffs tactics.

Accept Responsibility

The defense must accept responsibility in every single case. No exceptions. The degree and manner of responsibility accepted depends on each individual case, but the strategy must be applied in some variation.

Accepting responsibility will position the defense as the most reasonable party in the room. It will disarm plaintiffs attorney and allow the defense to blame parties who are really at fault: those who misused their product, did not read the warnings, or did not follow instructions. By accepting responsibility, the defense may shift the jurys focus to truly culpable parties.

In practice, defense attorneys, insured clients, and insurance professionals often find it difficult to embrace the strategy of accepting responsibility while also vigorously defending a case and asking the jury to award a defense verdict. In many cases, the defense has strong evidence it complied with the standard of care. Counsel must fight the kneejerk, typical defense reaction to deny having any responsibility! Remember, it is time for the defense to evolve and respond to the new psychological tactics of the plaintiffs bar. The defense must accept responsibility for somethingin every single case.

Examples of accepting responsibility, without accepting liability, include:

Accept responsibility for having a safe product that underwent rigorous testing and complies with all applicable industry standards;

Accept responsibility for maintaining a safe premises;

Accept responsibility for defendants response to alleged harassment in compliance with its own employee handbook; or

Accept responsibility for providing sound professional advice.

As in life outside of the courtroom, taking responsibility is the first step toward disarming anger and alleviating heated feelings.

Personalize the Corporate Defendant

Learning to personalize  or humanize  the corporate client is essential to defusing juror anger and minimizing the likelihood of a runaway jury verdict. This is especially critical when it comes to damages, as jurors will impose higher awards against defendants they view as faceless brand names with big bank accounts. The defense can, of course, request the jury be instructed that a corporation is entitled to the same fair and impartial treatment as a human being  but it is unwise to rely on that instruction alone.

To turn a business or brand into a relatable entity with whom a jury can connect, the defense must begin by telling their story  the employees and officers, the companys values and visions, and how such businesses care about their communities  and weaving that story throughout the entire trial.

A jury that can identify with the defendant is much less likely to satiate its anger and bias with astronomical damages than a jury that has only been provided enough information to simply view the case as an example of the little guy versus Corporate America.

Acknowledge Emotion, Address Difficult Facts

Proactively addressing the jurys emotions is key to managing their reactions. In voir dire, counsel should ask jurors how the case makes them feel. Specifically, the defense should discuss the details of the case, and ask the jury how they feel about potentially determining the value of a life or injury. This is also the time to ask whether any juror feels that just because the defendant may have injured someone, or acted negligently, or terminated an employee, the plaintiff should be awarded whatever amount they are demanding.

If the case is particularly trying, defense should also acknowledge their own emotions. It is important to remind the jury that defense counsel  whom plaintiffs attorneys often try to paint as the bad men in dark suits  are human, too. When discussing an extreme injury or loss of life, it is more than okay to acknowledge the emotional burden the defense and their client carries as a result, regardless of liability. Doing so further instills the defense cares and has compassion for the plaintiff, and helps defuse a jurys anger toward the defendant.

Conclusion

As the number of exorbitant jury verdicts continues to mount, it has become increasingly important for defense counsel to be strategic and proactive. Most significantly  regardless of who the plaintiff is, or how contentious trial becomes  defense counsel must always proceed with respect and compassion. The defense must decisively and strategically accept responsibility for something, personalize the corporate defendant, and acknowledge difficult aspects of the case in order to defuse anger and minimize their clients exposure.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  The chairwoman of a board that decides whether civilian complaints against Cleveland police officers have merit complained that the police chief often does not follow the boards recommendations for discipline.

Roslyn Quarto, who heads the Civilian Police Review Board, made her concerns known Wednesday through a statement read at the Cleveland City Councils Safety Committee. The police review boards Vice Chair Stephanie Scalise read the statement that expressed frustration over how often Chief Calvin Williams deviated from the boards recommendations in 2018.

In several instances, her statement said, the chief imposed lesser or no discipline.

A report released by the Office of Professional Standards, which investigates citizen complaints against officers, showed the board recommended allegations be sustained in 61 complaints in 2018.

Of those, the chief held disciplinary hearings and imposed discipline or reinstruction in 30 cases, the report stated. An additional 23 complaints were still pending chiefs hearings at the end of 2018.

Of the 61 complaints, the chief held hearings for three cases and did not impose discipline, the report said. He handed down discipline in two cases without hearings, while not holding a hearing or imposing discipline in a third case. Safety Director Michael McGrath held hearings in two cases, imposing discipline in one and not in the other as he considered them in connection with other disciplinary matters before him, according to the report.

The chief also went against the boards recommendations and dismissed allegations in three instances, with the safety director upholding the chiefs decision in one instance. In a fourth instance, an officer retired before the chief heard the case, according to the report.

Williams also deviated from the type of discipline or remediation the board recommended in eight cases.

Quartos statement touched on a variety of topics regarding the boards operations.

The statement said Williams imposed different or no discipline often without well-reasoned findings.

(You can read the full prepared statement here or at the bottom of this story).

This is frustrating because the board does not sustain allegations in many cases it considers, Quartos statement said.

Quarto said the board would historically only ask the safety director to review what it viewed as "the most egregious departures from its recommendations, but it has recently committed to appealing every instance where they feel their recommendations were appropriate and ignored by the chief.

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said the chief declined comment.

The report said the chief and safety director agreed on the boards disciplinary recommendations nearly 66 percent of the time.

The Safety Committee meeting was for council members to hear about the Office of Professional Standards and the Civilian Police Review Board. The office was placed under a microscope in recent years as a monitor tracking the citys progress under a consent decree with the Justice Department.

The Justice Department highlighted the problems within OPS in a 2014 report on unconstitutional policing in the city, noting they were part of a larger problem of officers not being held accountable for wrongdoing. The citys 2015 consent decree included mandatory reforms for the office.

Head monitor Matthew Barge had expressed frustration with OPS' problems, many of which were found after the consent decree was signed.

The city has since hired a new office director and other staff members, and conducted more training for its investigators. It also hired an outside firm to address a backlog of cases that dogged the office for years.

The monitor indicated he has seen improvements as of late, and wrote in a report in March that OPS investigators have been able to keep its ongoing caseload to an average of 75 open cases at a time.

OPS 2018 report said the office received 227 complaints in 2018.

Of those complaints, 79 were heard by the police review board, while 90 remain open. The office dismissed or closed 58 of them, the report stated.

The board heard 221 cases involving 619 allegations last year, many of which were for lack of service and unprofessional behavior. The complaints stretched back to 2014. Of those, the board recommended 110 of the allegations be sustained.

Quartos statement also said the board has received training on a variety of topics in the past two years. She also said the board and the chief seem to have different ideas of what constitutes a lack of service to the public.

She said the board has repeatedly requested Williams to attend public meetings each quarter to discuss concerns, but that the board has only met with the chief once since Quarto joined the board two years ago.

The board continues to believe that a regularly scheduled meeting with the Chief, either in our (sic) outside of our hearings, would go a long way in improving the relationship between the board and the CPD, and also in rebuilding public confidence in the CPD, Quartos statement said.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Thursdays crime and courts comments section.
MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Charleys Philly Steaks is a restaurant chain with more than 600 locations in 47 states, often found in mall food courts.

The chains game plan, however, is changing, as it is opening more stores in retail shopping strips, and expanding its menu to include boneless chicken wings.

The Columbus-based Charleys is opening its newest restaurant Monday at 1278 S.O.M. Center Road in Mayfield Heights, across from Eastgate shopping center.

Its a new branding concept, said Charleys Marketing Coordinator Jillian Waldorff. The goal is to move into strip centers and expand the wing concept. We now have 10 different, chef-inspired flavors of wings.

Wing flavors range from Angry Ghost and Nashville Hot, to milder options like Zesty Lemon-Lime Rub and Sweet Teriyaki.

In addition to Philly cheesesteak steak sandwiches and wings, Charleys menu includes favorites such as loaded gourmet fries, jalapeno pepper fries and real fruit lemonades. The variety of cheesesteak sandwiches includes those with pepperoni, bacon and jalapeno. Charleys deli menu features the Italian Deluxe, Ultimate Club, Turkey Cheddarmelt and Veggie Delight. The cheesestaek sandwiches are all made with 100-percent USDA Choice Steak.

Also offered are four 100-percent white meat chicken sandwiches -- the Chicken Philly, Chicken California, Chicken Buffalo and Chicken Teriyaki.

The Mayfield Heights store will be the first in the Cleveland area with expanded menu offerings.

Charleys was established in 1986 on the campus of The Ohio State University, where it is still headquartered. It was formerly known as Charleys Steakery and Charleys Grilled Subs. It currently offers wings in only five states. Charleys bills itself as The number one cheesesteak in the world.

We have some exciting things planned for our (Mayfield Heights) opening, Waldorff said. We open to the public at 11 a.m. (May 13) with the first 25 customers getting free food.

Waldorff said that there will also be an opportunity for customers to win free food for an entire year. Details will be available on opening day.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., as customers wait in line to enter, they will be entertained by a magician doing close-up magic. The festive atmosphere will also include a tent, balloons, a costumed cow character, and a remote radio broadcast by WMMS 100.7s Chocolate Charlie.

The restaurant will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
HINCKLEY TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Child endangering, David Drive: Police responded to a call at 8:20 p.m. April 28 about a 2-year-old child left unsupervised and playing in the roadway.

Police located the childs father, who told them he had fallen asleep and was not aware that the child had gotten out of the house. Reports noted that there was also an 8-year-old child at the home.

Reports did not indicate if any charges were issued against the father, but police did leave the children in the fathers custody. There was no further information at the time of the report.

Drunken driver, Ridge Road: A driver was pulled over at 2:58 a.m. April 28 after an officer saw her cross the double yellow line several times. The driver admitted to drinking earlier in the evening and was arrested after failing a blood-alcohol breath test. She was released to a cab at 5:13 a.m.

Read more news from the Brunswick Sun here.
BRUNSWICK HILLS TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Receiving stolen property, Pearl Road: A 9-mm handgun was found inside a car at 8:49 a.m. April 30 when the driver was pulled over for expired tags.

The driver admitted during the stop that there might be a gun in the car and told the officer where it was located under the drivers seat. The handgun was loaded with eight rounds.

The gun was later found to have been reported stolen out of Euclid. The man was found to have a warrant for his arrest out of the state of Maryland, and a small amount of marijuana was found inside the car.

Theft, Grafton Road: A resident reported his Smith and Wesson .38 Special handgun stolen at 6:34 p.m. April 30. The man said he may have misplaced the gun, but wanted to fill out a report in the event that it had been stolen. Police had no further information at the time of the report.

Read more news from the Brunswick Sun here.
BENTLEYVILLE, Ohio -- Driving under suspension (2 counts), warrants; Chagrin River Road: A Solon woman, 22, faces at least two counts of driving on a suspended license for non-compliance with Ohios insurance law after police stopped her first on the afternoon of April 28.

She was given a court date of May 3.

Then, around 9 p.m. May 9, she was driving once again on River Road with no proof of insurance, as well as a warrant out of Macedonia, where police declined to pick her up.

On both occasions, her car was turned over to a valid driver.

Speeding, driving under suspension, warrants; Solon Road: A Cleveland man, 29, was stopped at 1:30 a.m. May 4 driving 49 mph in a 35 mph zone and found to have a license suspension through Cleveland Municipal Court.

A passenger was also found to have an active warrant and was turned over to Rocky River police.

Driving under suspension, Solon Road: An Oakwood woman, 36, was stopped around 8 p.m. May 3 after a registration check showed a suspension through Sandusky Court.

She said she had never even been to Sandusky, but then recalled getting an earlier citation somewhere in that area and never responding to it. Her car was moved by a valid driver.

Speeding, South Franklin Street: A Chagrin Falls man, 21, was stopped on the night of April 28 for going 50 mph in a 35 mph zone, complicated by the fact that it was his third moving violation in the past 12 months.

Driving under suspension, warrants; Miles Road: A Bedford Heights woman, 25, was stopped on the night of April 27 on an insurance non-compliance suspension.

Police also found two active warrants, although they were outside of the respective departments' pickup radius. She did not own the car, which was towed.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.

For more Chagrin Solon Sun news, click here.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Bedford man who admitted to strangling his wife in 2017 received a life sentence this week.

Monte Woodley, 47, will have his first shot at parole in 25 years.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Dick Ambrose sentenced Woodley Thursday, more than four months after he pleaded guilty to an aggravated murder charge in the death of Lavora Allen in her Garfield Heights home.

Ambrose is the same judge who in 2013 sentenced a pair of brothers whose gunfight resulted in a stray bullet striking and killing Allens 20-year-old son. That case was prosecuted by Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Kevin Filiatraut, who was also the lead prosecutor in Woodleys case.

The amount of grief this family has endured is unfathomable, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael OMalley told cleveland.com Friday.

Allen and Woodley married in January 2017, less than a year after they met through mutual friends. The marriage was rocky. The couple called it off in April, after Woodley was laid off and Allen, who worked from home, vowed to stop paying for Woodleys rental car.

Woodley came over to Allens house on Orme Road on April 30, 2017 and the two fought. Allen told her family and friends later that day that he had said something unforgivable" to her, prosecutors said. She never elaborated on the comment, prosecutors said.

The next day, Allen worked from home while her daughter was at school, prosecutors said. She got a call about 12:30 p.m. from an adult son, and was supposed to pick her daughter up from school at 1:45 p.m, prosecutors said.

Allen never showed up to the school. Her daughter walked home, noticed the back door was cracked open and that her moms cellphone and car were gone. She didnt think it anything of it, and took a nap, prosecutors said.

She called Allens phone when she awoke, and got no answer. She then called Woodley, who said he didnt know where Allen was, prosecutors said.

She summoned her relatives to the house and, after several hours passed with no sign of Allen, they called police. Detectives showed up and were interviewing family members in the home when the daughter opened the door to the basement and discovered her mothers body at the base of the stairs, prosecutors said.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office determined Allen was strangled.

Investigators pulled surveillance video from a neighbors home that showed her Nissan Versa pulling away from the home about 1:10 p.m, prosecutors said.

Police later tracked it down on East 140th Street in Cleveland.

They interviewed Woodley the day after her body was discovered. He told detectives that he had been working out at Stafford Park the entire day before. Detectives grew suspicious of his alibi because the park has no adult exercise equipment, prosecutors said.

The case broke open when Woodleys DNA was found under Allens fingernails, on her neck and on a strap of her camisole, prosecutors said.

Investigators also pulled data from cellphone towers that showed Woodleys phone pinged off towers close to the neighborhood where Allens car was found at 2:30 p.m. prosecutors said.

The death was the latest tragedy to hit Allens family.

The shooting that claimed her sons life came in July 2013. Two brothers, Jonathan and Carvin Catron, got into an argument over a cigarette lighter that escalated into each pulling guns and shooting, The Plain Dealer reported.

Allen was a witness in that case. She testified said that she was on her way home to her apartment on Columbia Avenue and saw the Catron brothers, who lived next door to her family, arguing and holding guns, Filiatraut said.

Her son, James Swindler III, heard the commotion and walked outside to see what was going on. The brothers opened fire, and a stray bullet struck him while he was on the porch.

After jurors convicted the brothers, Allen spoke at their sentencing.

"My son didnt have a chance to live his life,'' she said, according to The Plain Dealer. "All of our lives have been destroyed because of this, not just mine.''

To comment on this story, please visit Fridays crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND Ohio  An erratic driver crashed into two Cleveland police cruisers before an officer shot at the car Thursday morning on the citys East Side, police said.

Police shot at the car after it rammed the cruisers just after 5 a.m. on East 99th Street at St. Clair Avenue, police said.

A Cleveland police spokeswoman did not say if the man driving the car was struck by gunfire. She said he was taken to a hospital to be treated for an ankle injury.

Police did not say where or when the incident began. The car struck several other vehicles before it crashed into the two police cruisers, police said.

The matter remains under investigation, police said.

Update 9:29 p.m. A Cleveland police spokeswoman clarified late Thursday that the officers were following the car, but did not have their lights and sirens active and were not engaged in a pursuit.

To comment on this story, visit Thursdays crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An unidentified man dressed as a construction worker shot at an armored car driver during an attempted robbery Thursday outside a Family Dollar in Cleveland, authorities said.

An image pulled from a surveillance camera shows a man who investigators are seeking in connection with the incident, which happened just before 11 a.m. on East 143rd Street at Kinsman Road, the Cleveland Division of the FBI said in a news release.

The GardaWorld driver was stopped outside the store when the man came up to him and tried to rob him. The man fired a gunshot during the incident, but no one was harmed, the news release says.

Anyone with information about the attempted robbery is being asked to call the FBI, the Cleveland police departments Fourth District or Cuyahoga County Crime Stoppers.

Tipsters may remain anonymous, and reward money is available for anyone with information leading to an arrest and successful prosecution, the news release says.

To comment on this story, visit Thursdays crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Three siblings are accused of attacking a man with a gun, knife and pole at an apartment building in Clevelands Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, court records say.

Ryan M. L. Serrano, 23; Emelly Serrano, 21; and Gabriel Ortiz-Serrano, 18, are charged with felonious assault in the Tuesday attack at the Magnolia on Detroit apartment building on Detroit Avenue at West 80th Street, according to court records.

Ryan Serrano and Emelly Serrano are being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on $50,000 bonds. Ortiz-Serrano is not in custody, but a warrant was issued Thursday for his arrest.

The 22-year-old man suffered a broken nose, several bruises and loose teeth in the attack, according to a police report. He also needed five stitches for a cut on his lip.

The man is identified in police reports as the boyfriend of the three siblings sister. The attack happened about 5 p.m. after Emelly Serrano went to the apartment to look at a TV the man was selling, and to pick up a set up keys that belonged to her sister.

The man refused to give Emelly Serrano the keys and told her to leave. He went into a bedroom before she called her brothers and asked them to help her get the TV.

Emelly Serrano let her brothers into the apartment, and all three siblings went into the bedroom to confront the man. Ryan Serrano grabbed the mans neck from behind, and all three siblings started punching him in the face and body, police reports say.

The siblings used a pole to beat the man, and Ortiz-Serrano was wearing brass knuckles, police reports say.

The three siblings then dragged the man out of the apartment and into a hallway. Surveillance video from the apartment building showed Ryan Serrano dragging the man as Emelly Serrano recorded the attack with her cellphone, police reports say.

The three siblings dropped the man in the hallway, and the two brothers left the apartment building. Both brothers and the man all had blood on them, the surveillance video showed.

Cleveland police officers arrived and found Emelly Serrano at the apartment building. She claimed one of her brothers argued with the man in the apartment, and that the man pulled out a knife before her brother punched him, police reports say.

Investigators learned the brother Emelly Serrano claimed to be involved in the attack is currently in prison. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records show the brother was convicted last year of breaking and entering, and is serving an 18-month prison sentence at the Marion Correction Institution.

Investigators seized Emelly Serranos cellphone when they arrested her at the apartment building. Details of Ryan Serranos arrest were not immediately available.

They each waived their rights to preliminary hearings when they appeared Friday in Cleveland Municipal Court. Their cases were bound over to a Cuyahoga County grand jury.

To comment on this story, visit Fridays crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Anyone looking to be transported back to the start of the millennium, which (lets face it) may not be that bad of a thing, is in luck.

The sweet sounds of late 1990s/early 2000s boy-band BBMak will invade House of Blues on Sunday night. And even if you dont recognize the name BBMak, youll recognize the songs.

[Purchase Tickets to BBMaks Cleveland show]

The group of British friends  Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Stephen McNally  peaked with their top 20 hit Back Here" in 1999, becoming mainstays on MTVs Total Request Live and opening for the likes of Britney Spears and NSYNC.

It was a big time for pop music and music videos, recalls Burns. TRL was massive. It was a crazy, very exciting time to be around, really.

BBMak released two albums and charted three more songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. But Burns and his bandmates called it quits to pursue solo endeavors in 2003, vanishing from the American consciousnessuntil now.

The same nostalgia trip thats seen acts like 98 Degrees, O-Town, Ryan Cabrera and Dream return to touring struck BBMak a year ago. The band uploaded a new performance of Back Here to social media, which went viral and prompted a full blown reunion tour that began with shows in their native Liverpool.

Wed had offers over the years with people asking us to get back together to do a tour, says Burns. But the timing and everything was something that felt natural. I posted something online and after a couple of days it had millions of views. It was exciting.

The elation wasnt just limited to the UK. BBMak also set up a series of intimate shows in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The groups ability to remain relevant in the U.S. is no doubt owed to the popularity of singles like Ghost of You and Me, Out of My Heart (Into Your Head), and, of course, Back Here.

BBMak was so popular at one point, the video for Still On Your Side reached No. 1 on TRLs daily chart, ahead of major releases from Backstreet Boys (The Call) and NSYNC (This I Promise You).

Still, BBMaks latest tour isnt just a nostalgia trip. Burns, who has built a solid electronic music career in the UK, says BBMak has already finished a new album thats due in August.

We decided, Lets write some songs, says Burns. We just got together and the first day we had four songs outlined. One of them being the first single.

The band released the track Bullet Train earlier this month. And while much of that new material will be featured on BBMaks current tour, Burns admits there was a learning curve when it came to the songs that made the band famous.

Yeah, we hadnt not sung these songs for like15 years, he says with a laugh. Were 15 years older. Your voice changes over the years. We maybe changed a couple things or swapped a couple harmonies over. Ultimately we got in the room together and it came together fast with muscle memory.
Google theater chains for screening dates and times.

B Ask Dr. Ruth

Unrated. 10 minutes.

A documentary by Ryan White that profile the 90-year old author, therapist and media personality.  Washington Post

A Amazing Grace

G. 87 minutes.

In early 1972, Aretha Franklin recorded Amazing Grace, a collection of gospel classics performed over two nights at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Due to the gifts of digital technology, Amazing Grace can now be seen in all its aesthetic, spiritual and historical glory.  Washington Post

A Avengers: Endgame

PG-13; for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and some language. 181 minutes.

Last years superhero extravaganza Avengers: Infinity War ended on a super-sized cliffhanger. Most of the Avengers were apparently dead, turned into ash and scattered o the winds by supper-baddie Thanos universe-destroying Infinity Stones. Its safe to assume that at least some of the folks we saw disintegrate will find a way to come back to life.  Julie E. Washington, The Plain Dealer

NA Breakthrough

PG; for thematic content including peril. 116 minutes.

When her 14-year-old son (Marcel Ruiz) drowns in a lake, a faithful mother (Chrissy Metz) prays for him to come back from the brink of death and be healed. With Topher Brace, Josh Lucas and Dennis Haysbert.  IMDb

A Captain Marvel

PG-13; for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language. 132 minutes.

Any fears that Marvels first female-driven movie would not be deliver are dispelled in the first few minutes of Captain Marvel, as Brie Larson proves to be a match for any male superhero. Without qualification, Captain Marvel is a brilliant, blazing success and the perfect lead-in to the Avengers: Endgame movie opening April 26. With Samuel L. Jackson, Annette Bening and Jude Law.  Michael Sangiacomo

NA The Curse of La Llorona

R; for violence and terror. 93 minutes.

Ignoring the eerie warning of a troubled mother suspected of child endangerment, a social worker and her own small kids are soon drawn into a frightening supernatural realm. Their only hope to survive La Llorona's deadly wrath may be a disillusioned priest.  IMDb

A Dumbo

PG; for peril/action, some thematic elements, and brief mild language. 130 minutes.

Dumbo is a Tim Burton movie, but it is the least overtly Tim Burton Movie in years. Instead of the over-the-top quirkiness that has come to dominate his movies, Burton allows this (bitter)sweet, inspiring story of outsiders under the big top to shine on its own merits. Set in 1919, the action focuses on the low-rent Medici Brothers Circus, traveling the back road of America. With Colin Farrell, Danny Devito, Eva Green and Michael Keaton.  Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer

D The Intruder

PG-13; for violence, terror, some sexuality, strong language and mature thematic elements. 102 minutes.

Michael Ealy and Meagan Good star as a young couple who moved into their dream home in Napa Valley wine country after chancing upon a seller: the mysterious clingy  retiree and widower played by Dennis Quaid.  Washington Post

B- Little

PG-13; for adult humor and suggested sexuality. 109 minutes.

Marsal Martin, the 14-year-old star of ABCs Black-ish, came up with the idea of a grown woman transformed back into the kid version of herself. The concept gives her the starring role. With Issa Rae and Regina Hall.  Newsday

A Long Shot

R; for strong sexual content, language throughout and some drug use. 125 minutes.

A raunchy romantic comedy starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen. Back when they were teenagers, Fred (Rogen) had a huge crush on his neighbor Charlotte (Theron). Now Fred is an opinionated, uncouth investigative journalist, and Charlotte is secretary of state and is planning a presidential bid when they bump into each other for the first time in years at a fancy Washington party.  Julie E. Washington, The Plain Dealer

B Shazam!

PG-13; for intense sequences of action, language, and suggestive material. 132 minutes.

Superhero Shazam first appeared in comic books nearly 80 years ago. DC Comics and Warner Bros. Shamza! is the first big-budget modern blockbuster for the character, and the filmmakers have stayed true to its essence  combining his childlike 1940s gee-wiz enthusiasm with a postmodern sense of irreverence, creating a film that is delightfully playful and sharply self-aware. With Zachary Levi and Jack Dylan Grazer.  Tribune News Service

C UglyDolls

PG; for thematic elements and brief action. 88 minutes.

Directed by animation vet Kelly Asbury, as soon as UglyDolls opens with a song by a cheerful hero describing their happy utopian community and wondering about the big world out there, you know youre in for an utterly predicable ride. The thin story is padded out with numerous pop songs and the voice cast is made up almost entirely by musical superstars (Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monae, Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas and Pitbull).  Tribune News Service
I am a 42-year resident of Lakewood -- a homeowner and a taxpayer. I had the chance to go to the City Council meeting for the first time ever. I was there because as a wife, mother and grandmother, I feel that City Council no longer represents the greater good of its residents.

Council President Sam OLeary and Councilwoman Meghan George brought it upon themselves to seek to create a new ordinance, as well as negate another ordinance. Both OLeary and George made a resolution to oppose and condemn Ohio Senate Bill 23, also known as the heartbeat abortion law.

They imposed on those present their views that this bill is very troubling state legislation that has an immediate and direct effect on residents of our community.

The City of Lakewood is obligated to follow all state mandates and laws, just as the citizens are required to do.

Secondly, council members wanted to also negate what they called an outdated ordinance. It was stated that the establishment of the Health Department over medical facilities no longer existed with the loss of our hospital and the Health Department closing. But what they did not tell you is that part of this ordinance includes the prohibition of abortion clinics in Lakewood.

OLeary and George, you would dare insult the intelligence of your voting body by having a secret agenda? Even Mayor Michael Summers was taken aback that on May 3 he was apprised of this action that was taking place. He stated that it needed to be carefully considered due to the complexity of state law and different opposing opinions. He said it was not to be taken lightly and that he would veto any such ordinance.

I have to ask the question, Whose pockets are getting lined here? NARAL had representatives, and was I surprised to learn that they are a pro-abortion lobbyist. So the hidden agenda here is what? In my opinion, it is to build an abortion clinic in Lakewood with the support of NARAL.

You would dare solicit a change in the banning of such ungodly practices as killing a child in its mothers womb? I am no longer proud to say that I am a citizen of Lakewood. Thank you, Mayor Summers, for taking a stand!

Jean Smith,

Lakewood
CLEVELAND, Ohio  The 36-year-old man who hanged himself in the Cuyahoga County Jail Friday was a military combat veteran who served overseas and was arrested on a drug possession charge, according to three sources with knowledge of the incident.

The inmate, whose name has not been released pending the notification of his family.

Eight people died in Cuyahoga County in 2018, four as a result of suicide by hanging. The death marks the first in the jail this year.

The inmate was arrested by Maple Heights police on Wednesday, booked into the jail and moved Friday morning to a cluster of cells specifically for veterans, about four hours before his death, Cuyahoga County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said.

Madigan said she did not know the circumstances surrounding the inmates death.

The U.S. Marshals Service in November found possible civil rights violations and inhumane conditions at the jail, including medical and mental health access for inmates. The FBI is also investigating possible civil-rights violations in the facility.

Cleveland Municipal Judge Michael Nelson has called for the jail to operate under a consent decree, an agreement that would enjoin the county in a mandatory reform agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice with the oversight of a federal judge.

A civil lawsuit filed in December on behalf of inmates also calls for a similar consent decree.

Attempted suicides have tripled at the jail in three years. In 2016, 23 inmates made attempts on their own lives. That number rose to 69 in 2018 as jail conditions and staffing diminished and crowded conditions put inmates on edge.

The issue of crowded jail pods came to light during a push for countywide jail regionalization which included a plan aimed getting more money in county coiffeurs while also cutting costs within the jail.

State inspectors routinely warned the county that crowded jail conditions were a problem, as the jail housed inmates using a method known as red-zoning, which required inmates to live in mostly lockdown conditions.

Cleveland and eight suburbs agreed to pay the county $99 per day, per inmate, even as the county was aware of its crowding problems.

That regionalization plan was placed on hold, but Cleveland and the eight suburbs continue to house their inmates in the downtown facility.

Brenden Kiekisz was the last inmate to take his own life. He died Dec. 31, three days after guards found him in his cell. A federal grand jury has subpoenaed records from the county related to his death. Kiekisz was jailed on a probation violation stemming from a 2016 heroin and fentanyl possession.

MetroHealth officials, who at the time oversaw some of the medical operations at the jail, pleaded with top Cuyahoga County and jail officials, including Executive Armond Budish, for several changes to be made to jail protocol following the first seven deaths, aimed in part at curbing suicides.

The pleas for change came about a month before Kiekisz died, but went ignored, according to emails obtained by cleveland.com. The changes were made hours after Kiekisz was found hanging in his cell.
AKRON, Ohio  A 19-year-old female was wounded in the leg after she was shot while riding in a vehicle, police say.

The teen was sitting in the front seat of a car being driven by a relative Wednesday afternoon near the intersection of Russell and Manning avenues, which is just north of Interstate 76 and Summit Lake.

According to police, a light-green or blue SUV sped past the car and a single shot was fired, hitting the teen.

A bullet hole was found in the passenger door of the vehicle, police say. The driver and another passenger in the car were not hurt.

The driver took the teen to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center for treatment.

Anyone with information can contact Akron detectives at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip, or the Summit County Crimestoppers Inc. at 330-434-COPS. Individuals also can also text TIPSCO with tips to 274637 (Crimes). Callers can remain anonymous.

To comment on this story, visit Thursdays crime and courts comments page.
ST. LOUIS, Missouri  The proposed merger was considered a dramatic, but necessary change if the St. Louis region was to reverse its steadily declining fortunes.

The plan was to combine the City of St. Louis with St. Louis County and convert 88 smaller cities, towns and villages into municipal districts, largely dissolving a fragmented political landscape that many blamed for the regions economic woes.

Proponents envisioned a Metro St. Louis government that would greatly enhance the regions potential for job growth and save taxpayers up to $1 billion a year by eliminating redundant services. More than 50 municipal police departments would have been merged into one.

But nearly two weeks ago, three months into the campaign, organizers pulled the plug on their merger hopes in the face of growing opposition, which included mistrustful African-American leaders and those who objected to the statewide vote that would have been required.

Today, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer launch Cleveland 2030, A Way Forward, a series that looks at St. Louiss merger attempt with an eye toward informing leaders in Greater Cleveland of both the benefits and pitfalls should they pursue something similar.

Cleveland 2030 is part of Cleveland Connects, a series of civic dialogues sponsored by PNC Bank since 2012.

Like the Cleveland area, Greater St. Louis lags behind its peers in the ability to create a robust, sustainable economy, and both regions suffer from racial inequality, population loss and generational poverty.

Unlike Cleveland, the St. Louis region had made several failed attempts at consolidation since 1876, when an act of the Missouri legislature separated the city from county, a decision known as the Great Divorce.

This latest effort was spearheaded by Better Together, a nonprofit that formed in 2013 at the urging of civic leaders to consider the possible benefits of a merger. Since then, Better Together produced several reports on economic and social conditions in the Balkanized region.

The group also consulted other relevant studies, including, Forward Through Ferguson, a report produced in the wake of the riots that followed the 2014 shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American, by a white Ferguson police officer. The task force also consulted a report chronicling the regions health disparities between poor and affluent areas.

In analyzing the data, Better Together researchers concluded that:

 Competition between the many municipalities for sales-tax revenue needlessly drives up the value of incentives paid to developers.

 Cities and towns have their own business-licensing requirements that make it costly and time-consuming for contractors who do business in multiple municipalities.

 Some cities rely too much on fees collected by their municipal courts to fund their budgets.

 The quality of policing varies greatly among the 55 separate departments that serve the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and the 88 municipalities.

 Fragmentation prevents the region from forming a collective vision and speaking with one voice when trying to recruit businesses to the area.

 Life expectancies can vary greatly from one zip code to another.

 The area spends $213.16 per person to administer government, compared to $126.73 in Louisville, a city considered to be a peer.

Better Together then formed a task force with the support of local leaders, including St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, to recommend a path forward. The task force looked at Indianapolis, Louisville and Nashville, three cities that have merged city and county governments, to come up with the best model for St. Louis.

What emerged was a plan to combine the city and county into one jurisdiction with a population of 1.3 million people, making it one of the 10 largest cities by population in the nation.

After a two-year transition period, voters in the new Metro St. Louis would have elected a mayor and 33-member council. The 88 municipalities in the county would become semiautonomous municipal districts. The districts would have kept their elected offices and continued to provide services such as fire protection, trash collection and park maintenance. Public schools also would have remained under the control of voters in their communities. But Metro St. Louis would have taken charge of policing and economic development.

The municipal districts would have continued to collect property taxes, utility taxes and fees to fund their limited services, but most of the sales taxes they now receive would have been used by the new Metro St. Louis government to provide for police, economic development and other services.

The 55 police departments that serve the region would have been merged into one Metro St. Louis unit. The plan also called for consolidating the nearly 80 municipal courts into one, thus eliminating the ability of cities to use their municipal courts as cash cows.

Better Together claimed the merger would have eliminated costly redundancies in the 88 municipal districts, while delivering services with greater efficiency. By some estimates, the savings would have reached $1 billion a year by 2032.

But the changes probably would have forced some of the municipalities to dissolve against their will and become part of the larger city, said Pat Kelly, executive director of the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis.

For those reasons, and others, the Municipal League opposed the merger. Kelly claimed Better Together was simply doing the bidding of one of its supporters, Rex Sinquefield, a polarizing, mega-rich conservative, who supported the initiative because it would eliminate the one percent earnings tax in the city.

Better Together Executive Director Nancy Rice acknowledged that Sinquefield wanted to eliminate the earnings tax, but said that is not why the merger movement got started.

Rice said an early and adamant advocate for merger was George Herbert Bert Walker III, the former chairman of the Stifel Nicolaus investment house and first cousin to former U.S. President George H. W. Bush.

So, he talked me into doing this, Rice said from her 17th floor office in Richmond Heights, a retail-heavy city in the center of St. Louis County. She said Walker infused the effort with $100,000.

Altogether, roughly $4 million in contributions rolled in to support Better Together, she said. The money allowed Better Together to do the research necessary to make a data-driven case for consolidation.

Rice also defended the decision to eliminate the earnings tax, which is paid only by those who work or live in the city of St. Louis. Keeping it would have been a deal killer, she said.

You think Im going to go out to St. Louis County and say, hey, lets get together, lets merge the city and county and you guys can start paying the earnings tax? No.

While the research performed by Better Together showed that the benefits of merger were considerable, the campaign ran into trouble -- something civic leaders in Cleveland might learn from, should merger discussions in Cuyahoga County ever rise to a similar level.

African-American leaders in St. Louis opposed the merger because they feared that it would dilute black political influence. That was despite efforts by Better Together to address those concerns and its claims that any loss of representation would have been outweighed by the influx of resources into disadvantaged communities.

Also tainting the campaign was the indictment of St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, who was to become the first mayor of Metro St. Louis post-merger, on federal corruption charges. He resigned after being indicted and later pleaded guilty to the charges.

Perhaps most significantly, the merger would have required a statewide vote to amend the Missouri Constitution. Even those who saw merit in the merger couldnt accept the fact that it hinged on the votes of disinterested outsiders.

Lewis Reed, the president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, said he would not support a merger proposal that was subject to a statewide vote. But he was intrigued by some of the benefits of a merger.

An African American, Reed said he focused less on the dilution of black political power and more on how a merged government could have created economic empowerment.

A proposal worthy of his support, he said, would have needed to contain assurances that savings from consolidation would be used to create jobs and uplift communities that have been left behind.

Its in everybodys best interests that that happens, he said, because if we have a stronger, more engaged workforce, thats going to drop crime.

One prominent African-American who supported the proposal was Dr. Will Ross, associate dean for diversity and professor of medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Ross was not just a supporter. He also served on the task force that drew up the proposed unification plan using three years of research from Better Together. And he contended that African Americans stood to benefit from a merger.

As a doctor, Ross had been outspoken about health disparities between minorities in the city and more affluent white populations elsewhere in the region.

Those and other long-ignored disparities could have been better addressed under a metro government, Ross told cleveland.com, because the region would no longer have been carved up into affluent and poor communities.

You would no longer say, well, thats their problem, Ross said.
Rotunda Rumblings

Kumbaya budget: The Ohio House on Thursday gave final clearance to a $69 billion state budget plan. As cleveland.coms Jeremy Pelzer explains, the massive bill got unusual bipartisan support: more Republicans than Democrats voted against the GOP-authored legislation.

Yost goes to Washington: Federal judges took less than 16 hours after the last briefs to say no on Thursday to Attorney General Dave Yosts request to stay their ruling that the Ohios gerrymandered congressional district map is illegal. Yost is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, Ohio remains under order to enact a new, and legal, map by June 14 or risk the court doing so. The judges want to move forward so that the voters in Ohio can avoid another election with unconstitutionally drawn districts, report cleveland.coms Eric Heisig and Rich Exner.

Game on: From lottery tickets to Keno and finally casinos, Ohio now appears heading down the path to expand gambling once again -- this time by offering wagering on pro and college sports. Exner answers the key questions about pending legislation and legal concerns.

Vote for the voting sticker: Secretary of State Frank LaRose unveiled the three finalists for the redesign of Ohios I Voted sticker. Voting is now open to the public until May 17 to crown a new design.

LaRose on tour: LaRose, a Republican, is among 19 secretaries of state from around the country on a nonpartisan voting rights history tour this weekend in Alabama, his office announced. The group will visit Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma. Among their destinations: the Rosa Parks Memorial Center, the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the National Voting Rights Museum.

Free offer: If you havent signed up yet for Project Text, heres your chance to do it for free. For the month of May, youll get behind the scenes insights and observations via text messages from the reporting team that produces Capitol Letter. No obligation and no credit card needed. After that, you can decide whether to subscribe for $3.99 a month. You can sign up for the free trial here. And if youre interested in other exclusive texts on subjects like the Browns, Buckeyes and even beer, theres more info here.

Remembering: A Holocaust survivor and a decorated World War II veteran shared their stories Thursday during the Annual Governors Holocaust Commemoration in the Statehouse Rotunda. After surviving two concentration camps, Dr. Felix Garfunkel eventually immigrated to the United States. Donald Jakeway talked about his role in liberating a Jewish family of five who had been hiding in an attic for 25 months in Hollands Den Heuvel Woods.

Tariff tiff: Imposing new tariffs on China as President Donald Trump has suggested would hurt U.S. businesses and keep companies like Ohios Cleveland Whiskey from exporting their products to other countries and hiring more workers, business groups fighting the tariffs told reportersincluding cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton Thursday. Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, a former U.S. Trade Representative, says he hopes upcoming negotiations between China and the United States will stave off the tariffs, but he believes Trump is right.

Popularity contest: Ohios senators are both above water in approval ratings, according to FiveThirtyEights new metric Popularity Above Replacement Senator, which takes into account the partisan lean of the state. Republican Sen. Rob Portman claimed a plus-3 approval rating while Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown boasted a plus-24, good for sixth in the nation.

Talking with Mayor Pete: Cleveland.com columnist Brent Larkin sat down with South Bend Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who has seen a recent surge in popularity among voters. Larkin observed that Buttigieg is thoughtful and smart, probably the most intellectually gifted candidate in the race. But, Larkin writes, the young mayor doesnt try to overwhelm you with his brilliance.

Meeting of the minds: The Ohio Republican Party executive committee is meeting at 10 a.m. today. The agenda is fairly short, with the main items being possible endorsements for Ohio Supreme Court Justices Judi French and Sharon Kennedy and making the Ohio primarys winner-take-all delegate selection plan, which was changed in 2016, permanent.

Ground control to Sen. Glenn: The late astronaut and longtime Democratic Sen. John Glenns boyhood home in New Concord will be added to the National Register of Historic Places. Per the Columbus Dispatchs Sheridan Hendrix, the home  now a museum  will be dedicated in an official ceremony May 19.

His bad: Cincinnati Democrat Aftab Pureval said he took responsibility for the attempted infiltration into Republican Rep. Steve Chabots campaign by one of Purevals volunteers, per the Cincinnati Enquirers Jessie Balmert. Pureval also reached an agreement with Grass Roots for the Steve Chabot for Congress Campaign to drop a complaint to the Ohio Elections Commission against the volunteer, John Dohrenwend of Milford.

Buckeye Brain Tease

Question: Portland, Ohio is a community in Meigs County. But its not Ohios only Portland. What was the first city with that name?

Email your response to capitolletter@cleveland.com. The first correct respondent will be mentioned in next weeks newsletter.

Thanks for responding to last weeks trivia question: Name three musicians/acts who were inducted in Clevelands Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Answer: Bon Jovi, Dire Straits, Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Cars and The Moody Blues.

Capitol Letter reader Lorna Hill of Massillon was the first to send in the correct answer, picking Bon Jovi, The Cars and Dire Straits.

On the Move

The Republican National Committee announced several new hires and transfers for its Trump Victory team:

- Clayton Henson will serve as Ohio Valley director, overseeing operations in Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, West Virginia and Illinois. Henson served as a regional political director in the White House and as the RNCs coalitions director in Ohio in 2016. He worked for then-Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husteds office and as deputy campaign manager for Husted in 2014.

- Steve Buckingham will be the RNCs state director in Ohio. He most recently worked as state director for North Dakota for the 2018 cycle.

- Mandi Merritt is getting bumped up to regional communications director covering the Ohio Valley. Most recently, she served as Ohio communications director in 2018. Prior to that, she was the press secretary for Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.

Birthdays

Friday, 5/10 - Rep. Jim Butler; Micah Derry, director of Americans for Prosperity Ohio chapter; Ben James, Ohio House State and Local Government Committee clerk/legislative aide for Rep. Scott Wiggam

Saturday, 5/11 - Craig Fleck, Ohio House deputy administrative officer; Faith Oltman, Ohio Senate Democrats communications director

Sunday, 5/12 - Nick Muccio, Ohio House Democrats policy director

Straight From The Source

Taking the politics out of drawing district lines is like taking the tomato out of tomato soup.

-Mark Weaver, Ohio Republican strategist, as quoted by Howard Wilkinson, WVXU senior political analyst, in a column about last weeks ruling by a federal court that Ohios congressional map was illegally gerrymandered.

Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to at least temporarily block a lower court ruling that ordered action within the next few weeks to replace Ohios congressional district map.

A three-judge federal panel hearing the Ohio case in Cincinnati unanimously ruled May 3 that Ohios congressional map was drawn so dramatically to favor the Republican Party that it predetermined election results and violated the U.S. Constitution.

The judges ordered the state to enact a new map by June 14, or risk the court doing so, to allow preparations to begin for the 2020 election. The same judges, two appointed by Democratic presidents and one by a Republican, on Thursday rejected the states request to stay the ruling.

Yost, in his filing with the Supreme Court, argued that the outcome of two other gerrymandering cases - one from Maryland and one from North Carolina - will ultimately impact the Ohio decision. The Supreme Court heard arguments in those cases in March and is expected to rule by the end of June.

Drawing new districts before knowing this Courts action (in other cases) ... will effectively freeze campaigns, disrupt fund-raising, and confuse voters, Yost argued. Some candidates who would otherwise run for Congress may opt out because of the confusion.

"Voters may ultimately fail to participate not understanding which plan is in place. If this final judgment is ultimately vacated (as every other similar judgment in cases like this one has been in the past several years), then the damage cannot be undone.

The primary is in March. The state in court filings said any new map needs to be in place by Sept. 20.

A similar appeal from Michigan also has been made to the U.S. Supreme Court. A three-judge panel there has ordered drawing of new lines for several congressional and Statehouse districts.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 1986 ruled that partisan gerrymandering could violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, but left ambiguous the standard by which courts might rule on such claims.

The current Ohio congressional map, created under secrecy and full Republican control in 2011, has resulted in districts making little geographic sense, stretching more than 100 miles, and predictable results with 12 reliably Republican districts created by packing Democrats into four solidly blue districts.

Eric Heisig, federal courts reporter for cleveland.com, contributed to this story.

Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. Find gerrymandering-related stories at this link at on cleveland.com.
Last week, three federal judges -- two appointed by Democratic presidents and one by a Republican -- unanimously ruled in a blistering opinion that, in 2011, Republicans illegally created an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander of Ohio congressional districts to deprive voters of their rights. The court prohibited use of Ohios current congressional map for the 2020 presidential election and ordered the state to enact a new plan by June 14.

A week after the ruling, the GOP-run Ohio legislature has taken no visible action to move ahead to create a constitutional redistricting plan.

The three judges who made the ruling also refused to stay its order while an appeal is made to the U.S. Supreme Court, accusing Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost of trying to retry the case. Yosts appeal to the high court argues that, with Supreme Court rulings anticipated soon in two other states gerrymandering lawsuits, those decisions could impact Ohios case.

Hearing the case in Ohio are 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Karen Nelson Moore, an appointee of Bill Clinton whose chambers are in Cleveland, and two U.S. District judges for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati: Judges Timothy S. Black, an appointee of Barack Obama; and Michael H. Watson, an appointee of George W. Bush.

Their 301-page opinion singled out for criticism the squiggly redistricting of Hamilton County, the Franklin County sinkhole, the Snake on the Lake in Cleveland, and the Summit County split that gave a Republican in District 16 the chance to oust a Democratic incumbent.

If the state cant meet the June 14 deadline, or if the state produces another unconstitutional version, the three-judge panel said they likely would either appoint a special master to assist the court in drawing up a new plan or adopt the plan offered during the trial by redistricting expert William Cooper.

Last year, Ohio voters - by a 3-to-1 margin - voted for a new redistricting procedure that will take effect after the 2020 Census.

So what does our editorial board roundtable make of this situation?

Ted Diadiun, editorial board member:

Everyone knows whats up here. Three federal judges  including two appointed by Democrats  are trying to put the fix in to produce more Democrats in Congress. The last thing we should do is follow Pennsylvanias lead, where the Democrat-dominated Supreme Court rammed home a last-minute redistricting plan in 2018 that snatched away three GOP seats. Ohio voted to overhaul the states redistricting last year. That process should prevail.

Thomas Suddes, editorial writer:

Cartographically, procedurally, the GOP-run General Assembly could indeed meet a June 14 deadline -- if it wished to. But it almost certainly doesnt. Advantage: lawyers and unelected federal judges.

Eric Foster, editorial board member:

To classify partisan gerrymandering as a political question outside the purview of the courts is to argue against the foundation of representative democracy. Voters are supposed to choose their representatives -- not the other way around. When representatives have locked voters into partisan districts, its cruel and nonsensical to tell them to go vote in order to fix the problem. This case is why we have a separation of powers.

Mary Cay Doherty, editorial board member:

The lawsuit should not have been filed or heard. Ohioans had already passed a constitutional amendment to correct the redistricting process. However, now that the District Court has declared our congressional map unconstitutional, Republicans must act. Elected officials uphold the Constitution and model fairness and honesty for their constituents. This is where the rubber meets the road. Hunker down. Sharpen the pencils. Redraw the map.

Lisa Garvin, editorial board member:

Ohios congressional district map is a crazy quilt of partisan gerrymandering, connecting like-minded voters by the thinnest of geographic threads. Can it be fixed by June 14? Probably not, but we need a new map for 2020. Im more concerned by how the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on this and similar appeals from two other states. If it finds gerrymandering to be constitutional, then Katy, bar the door.

Victor Ruiz, editorial board member:

This is one of many examples of voter suppression efforts by the Republican Party in this state. Those efforts have paid off in terms of holding onto their power, but, unfortunately, the citizens have lost, as seen in stagnant population, declining economic opportunities, low educational attainment, poor infrastructure, etc. A better balance of power will yield better outcomes for all Ohio citizens.

Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, cleveland.com:

A federal court has officially determined something many Ohioans already knew -- Ohios congressional map is unconstitutionally deficient and should not be used for another federal election. Ohio legislators who have sworn to uphold the law must redo the map forthwith.

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.

* 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 board roundtable to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five-star recruit Julian Fleming of Southern Columbia (Penn.) High School announced his top five schools on Friday and that hell will make his decision on May 31.

He orignally announced a top six of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State in February. Hes since eliminated Oregon from consideration.

If the Buckeyes land Fleming, they will have successfully added a five-star wide receiver  hes rated sixth overall  in back-to-back recruiting classes. As of right now OSU has two wide receivers  Gee Scott Jr. and Jaxon Smith-Njigba  committed in its 2020 class.

Hes already taken an official visit to Alabama an is expected to take one to Georgia on the same day as his commitment announcement. He and four-star commit Lejond Cavazos took an unofficial visit to Columbus in March.

Heres how Ohio States 2020 recruiting stands.

Get Buckeyes Insider texts in your phone from Doug Lesmerises: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning OSU football reporter, just like you would with your friends. Theres a free trial for the month of May. Sign up now for OSU insight in your phone every day.
CNBC's Jim Cramer said Thursday that his colleague is warning that danger could be on the horizon for the stock market. The "Mad Money" host took a look at chart analysis as interpreted by technician Carolyn Boroden, Cramer's coworker at RealMoney.com who also runs FibonacciQueen.com, to understand what could come of this volatile market. The major U.S. averages were taken for a ride this week as investors attempted to gauge whether the United States would raise existing tariffs on imports from China on Friday. Because of this uncertainty, the best way to get an empirical reading of the market is through studying chart action, Cramer said. The high-to-high cycles, as explained by Boroden, in the weekly chart of the S&P 500 is cause for concern, the host said. Highs on the index have ranged between 31 weeks and 36 weeks, and the most recent peak was recorded last Friday, he said. Prior to that, the last major high was set in September, which preceded the stock sell-off in October. Markets tend to repeat themselves, and because stocks sold off this week after a big run, Boroden thinks there could be cause for concern. "In fact, she's looked at a series of previous high-to-high cycles, and what she's noticed is that there's a whole confluence of them coming due this month," Cramer said. "That's why she's throwing up a caution flag, because Boroden thinks we might finally get a deep downside correction  even deeper than what we've already experienced during hell week." Get more insight here

Winners in the rubble

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Brendan McDermid | Reuters

Wall Street has almost made it through a "hell week" of stock selling and investors can begin to pick through the rubble, Cramer said. U.S.-China trade turmoil and Uber's looming IPO laid out a tough week for the markets, and now the last trading day of the week is here. "The great thing about today's list of winners is that if they can survive hell week, they can survive just about anything," he said. Find out what stocks Cramer said are winners here

Trump's Panama City doctrine

President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. Joshua Roberts | Reuters

President Donald Trump has the upper hand in trade talks with China despite false claims that he made at a Wednesday rally with supporters in Florida, Cramer said. He refuted Trump's suggestion that the United States should welcome tariffs on imports from China because the Chinese pay for them. "The whole theory feels more than a little Orwellian to me, because strictly speaking it's just not true. Americans pay these tariffs," the host said. "But if you haven't noticed, we've been living in a post-truth world for a long time now." At the Panama City, Florida rally, Trump said that China "broke the deal" and that the world's two largest economies have been in negotiations over for months. Cramer said Trump is taking a hard-nose approach because he's convinced that America can afford to end business ties with China, and his strategy could ultimately work. Cramer breaks down Trump's "Panama City doctrine" here

Etsy earnings

Josh Silverman Anjali Sundaram | CNBC

Shares of Etsy tanked more than 10% on Thursday after posting a slight revenue miss in its quarterly earnings report. CEO Josh Silverman shrugged off the decline, telling CNBC's Jim Cramer that the mixed first quarter results were better than he had projected in March. "Q1 started out a little rocky as we said and then ended really strong," he said in a one-on-one with the "Mad Money" host. "We raised guidance, so we feel really good about the start that we're off to." Read more here

Bausch Health

Joseph Papa, CEO, Bausch Health Scott Mlyn | CNBC

Days after the company raised its 2019 outlook, Bausch Health CEO Joe Papa sat down with Cramer to talk about the unique position that the pharmaceutical company is in. As President Trump makes moves to address drug pricing, 60% of Bausch's medicines are not exposed to brand prescription issues, Papa said. The company's reach includes more than 100 countries, he added. Furthermore, its business is diversified in medical devices, contact lenses, and surgical products, he said. "A large part of it is not being regulated by U.S. branded pricing," Papa said. "It gives people, we think, a very important place to look at health care, but not be concerned about the U.S. branded prescription pricing situation." Watch the full interview here

Cramer's lightning round: Zebra Technologies is a fast grower we champion
Tech companies may have reshaped society over the past several decades, but their company cultures aren't always as revolutionary as the products they make.

Wellness guru Deepak Chopra is part of a movement to change the way we think about company culture. Chopra is a co-founder and board member of JUST Capital, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating consumers about how companies align with their values on worker health, business practices and ethical conduct.

Chopra co-founded the organization in 2013 with a group that includes Paul Tudor Jones, Rinaldo Brutoco, Arianna Huffington and Paul Scialla.

JUST Capital releases rankings of America's best companies every year based on polling across the entire U.S. Tech giants Microsoft and Intel topped the 2018 rankings. Both companies performed above the industry's average in worker compensation, retirement benefits, engagement with the consumer and community, and environmental impact.

Chopra says the best companies in America all share a single commonality: They treat their employees well. "If your employees are happy, turns out your customers will be happy," Chopra tells CNBC Make It. "If your customers are happy, your investors will be happy, and the company will be successful."

It may still be considered one of the most popular companies among job seekers, but Tesla scored in the bottom 10% of all companies in 2018, ranking 850th overall in worker well-being.

"It will take them some time to realize that creativity and innovation are not the only keys to success," Chopra says. "The key to success, ultimately, is the happiness of your employees."

To Chopra and JUST Capital, a successful company is one that manages to innovate without forgetting its obligations to society and the broader environment. Employees that share the same vision as management for the company tend to produce better outcomes, which contributes to the company's long-term health and success.

"When the employees have a shared vision where they complement each other's strengths, and where they are emotionally bonded, that's the ingredient to success," says Chopra.

Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!

Don't miss:
Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc., takes a selfie with a customer and her iPhone as he visits the Apple Store in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 27, 2018.

Cook warned in January that a weakening economy in China would hit Apple financially. The company lowered its 2019 revenue forecast accordingly to $84 billion. Apple blamed a variety of factors for the lowered guidance but especially focused on slowing revenue "primarily in Greater China," saying getting overseas customers to upgrade to newer iPhones was "not as strong" as Apple expected.

"China obviously remains very important to Apple and will likely be a drag to overall growth" this year, UBS added.

Apple's stock fell 6.9% over the last five days, in its worst week of trading in 2019. The stock's drop began when President Donald Trump declared he would increased tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25%. As that hike went into place overnight, analysts at UBS and Morgan Stanley pointed to Apple's revenue from China as a continued risk facing the tech giant, especially regarding iPhone sales.

Apple shares have slid steadily amid tumultuous U.S. trade negotiations with China , as investors fear CEO Tim Cook's warning earlier this year about iPhone sales in China may yet come true.

In response, Apple's stock fell sharply in January. But in the months since, Apple's stock roared back. At the beginning of May, Apple was up nearly 35% for the year. When Apple reported strong first quarter earnings at the end of April, Cook pointed to an uptick in the company's China prospects as a main driver. The CEO also told CNBC that part of the company's strength in China was due to progress made by Trump's administration in trade negotiations.

"I believe that the trade relationship  I don't mean the tariff, I mean the tone  is much better today than it was in the November-December time frame. That affects consumer confidence in a positive way," Cook said on April 30.

But that improved tone dissipated over the past week and with it some of Apple's stock gain.

"China still accounts for high-teens percent of revenue and profit" for Apple, UBS said.

Sales in China made up 16.6% of Apple's revenue in the first half of 2019, which is down from 20% in the same period last year.

"Apple has one of the most significant exposures to Chinese exports to the US" among technology companies, Morgan Stanley said in a note.

But despite Apple's reliance on Chinese labor and manufacturing, the increased tariffs are unlikely to cause Apple to begin a large scale move out of the country.

So far for Apple, the impact from tariffs placed on roughly $250B of goods exported from China to the US to-date ... has been minimal, so an increase in the tariff rate ... likely would still be minimal," Morgan Stanley said.

WATCH: Buffett says he's in favor of Apple repurchasing shares
A smoggy day in California city of Fresno, located in the vast San Joaquin Valley and one of the country's most fertile farming regions.

LOS ANGELES  California's Central Valley continues to grow in population even though it suffers some of the highest unemployment in the state. The state's new Democratic governor is pushing economic development in the agriculturally dominated region, but a newly issued report from a think tank isn't very encouraging.

"Most economic indicators have not moved in a positive direction during the past 40 years and some have worsened in comparing the Valley to state averages," wrote Stephen Levy, director of the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy in Palo Alto.

For decades, the San Joaquin Valley has been seen as overlooked by state leaders and hidden in the shadow of California's higher-profile regions, such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Politically, the Central Valley has Republican strongholds and loyalists to President Donald Trump, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Devin Nunes.

"There's been a strong sense that we don't get very much attention from Sacramento," said Thomas Holyoke, a professor of political science at California State University-Fresno. "Probably, some of that is political in that California government the last couple of decades at least has been largely controlled by the Democratic Party and the preponderance of Democrats are along the coast."

But times may be changing in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom in his first state of the state address talked about "unlocking the enormous potential of the Valley."

Newsom also has spoken to mayors in the region about economic development and his strategy on the state's high-speed rail project, including a section in the Central Valley under construction. Still, plans to connect the system to Southern California and the Bay Area face many obstacles, including rising costs.

Newsom's Central Valley efforts are being led by Lenny Mendonca, chief economic and business advisor to the governor, and new chair of the California's High-Speed Rail Authority. Mendonca grew up in the Central Valley, and last year during a commencement speech remarked, "The two cities in the United States with the largest portion of their population living in extreme poverty are in the Central Valley. That is not OK."

Water also has been a big issue for the Central Valley, particularly given its agricultural needs and history of droughts. But some believe the state's water policy and focus on the environment has been done at the expense of the Valley's economy.

The Central Valley is sometimes called the "breadbasket" of the U.S., producing over one-quarter of the nation's food, including vegetables, fruits, tree nuts and dairy products. It is also the hub of the state's oil and gas production.

However, the lack of faster-growing industries doesn't bode well for the Central Valley.

"The Valley's structure of industries does not favor fast growing, high wage sectors, which is one reason for the poor performance," said Levy in the economic report released last week.

According to the think tank's report, unemployment and poverty rates in the Central Valley "have persistently performed poorly compared to state averages." He said the gap has largely stayed the same in recent decades, even following the state's recovery from the Great Recession.

Levy said another reason for the lagging performance has to do with educational attainment levels not keeping up with other areas of the state.

California's statewide unemployment rate in March stood at 4.3%, but in several counties in the Central Valley there are double-digit percentage rates.

But while the Valley's unemployment rates have been persistently higher than the state average, the region has outpaced major cities such as LA, San Francisco and San Diego in terms of population growth, according to Census estimates from 2018.

"I see almost no effort in the state to persuade employers to expand in the Central Valley," said Joel Kotkin, a fellow in urban futures at Chapman University in California. He also said with the state's high cost of electricity and regulatory environment companies are more likely to leave California rather than relocate to the Central Valley.

One thing that the Central Valley has going for it is lower housing costs, especially compared with coastal areas or high-technology hubs such as Silicon Valley.

For example, the median home value in two large cities in the Central Valley  Fresno and Bakersfield  is under $250,000 compared with nearly $690,000 in LA County and well over $1 million in the Bay Area, according to Zillow. And in the inland city of Stockton, about 90 minutes from Silicon Valley, the median home price is just over $300,000.

"If you're willing to commute a good bit, some counties in the Central Valley are closest to the hottest job market probably in the United States but certainly in California," said Levy in an interview.
The Trump administration a year ago began sending American businesses a clear-cut message to get out of China, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Friday.

Despite another round of tariff increases Friday and a new episode in tense U.S.-China trade relations, many companies heard the message loud and clear.

"Nearly everyone in the business community saw this coming. They've talked about it endlessly, and they've made a lot of the necessary adjustments," the "Mad Money" host said. "You know who's been caught off guard? The pundits, and that's why the market could ultimately rally on what you would've expected ... to be a really ugly day."

Dollar General and Dollar Tree are two "Made in China" plays that should be under lots of pressure from higher duties on Chinese imports, particularly because they can't raise their prices to offset the costs, Cramer said.

Instead, Dollar General, which had a disappointing quarter, is about $5 per share off its all-time highs and up nearly 13% this year. Dollar Tree is up more than 15% this year and down $7 per share from its all-time highs, he pointed out. Dollar Tree CEO Gary Philbin explained to Cramer in a March interview that the company realized it needs to expand its sourcing beyond just China. The company is prepared to get its merchandise elsewhere, Cramer said.

"As long as the stocks of Dollar Tree and Dollar General  heavily exposed to China  are hanging in there, don't you think it's pretty hard to knock down the stocks of Walmart or Target?," he said. "They just aren't as vulnerable as you might think, even as they certainly have real exposure."

Cramer also mentioned that Five Below, Emerson and United Technologies are all still performing well, despite the headwinds that management must mitigate in China. Procter & Gamble, Estee Lauder, Starbucks and Nike have also performed well, he continued.

Companies being crushed by the trade war include Apple, Boeing and Caterpillar, the host said. Still, Apple is up 25% in 2019, Boeing is up about 10%  even with the 737 Max controversy over its head  and Caterpillar is up more than 3%.

"These stocks  all they're telling me is that our companies are far more ready for Trump's tariff increase and the trade war than most people think, as our portfolio managers," Cramer said.
WASHINGTON  As lawmakers work to approve the Pentagon's colossal multibillion-dollar budget request, a new report shows that defense dollars have a varied impact across the country.

Analysis from the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that in fiscal year 2017  the most recent year for which data is available  the U.S. government spent a total of $483 billion in defense dollars across the country. On a state-by-state basis, per capita defense spending ranged from $488 in Michigan to $6,275 in Virginia. The District of Columbia was the highest, $9,033.

"The U.S. government spends defense dollars in every state through purchases of military equipment, wages for service members and civilians, pension payments, health care services, and grants to states," the authors of the report wrote. "But the size and mix of those investments vary substantially across the states, so changes in defense spending will affect them differently, and the impacts will depend on which programs and operations are increased or cut."

The following chart shows the distribution of federal defense dollars from fiscal year 2017 in the top 10 and bottom 10 states. Michigan was the lowest in dollar terms, but the lowest as a share of gross state product was New York.

In its fiscal 2020 budget request, the Defense Department is asking Congress for $718 billion, an increase of $33 billion or about 5% over what Congress enacted in year prior.

The budget is composed of a $544.5 billion base budget, $9.2 billion for emergency border funding and $164 billion for overseas contingency operations funding, aka the war budget.

Congress has until Oct. 1 to approve the budget or negotiate a new funding deal with the White House.
President Elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks during a press conference at Palacio Nacional on August 20, 2018 in Mexico City, Mexico. Obrador met with President Pena Nieto to discuss the transition between them.

Mexico has drafted plans to decriminalize all currently illegal drugs after admitting that the current "war on drugs" is endangering public safety.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sketched out the country's radical change of plan in his administration's National Development Plan for 2019-2024, released last week.

Under a new approach, drugs would not become legal, but arrests would be replaced by enforcing medical treatments including detoxification programs and attempts to break addictions.

"The only real possibility of reducing the levels of drug consumption is to lift the ban on those that are currently illegal," Obrador's policy statement read, "and redirect the resources currently destined to combat their transfer and apply them in programs massive, but personalizedof reinsertion and detoxification."

In 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderon deployed more than 6,500 Mexican soldiers to battle drug traffickers in what is seen as the beginning of the country's modern "war on drugs."

A 2018 report from the Congressional Research Service has estimated that since that year, 150,000 people have died because of organized gang killings.

Obrador's statement has described Mexico's current prohibitionist strategy as unsustainable and a danger to everyday Mexicans.

"Public safety strategies applied by previous administrations have been catastrophic: far from resolving or mitigating the catastrophe has sharpened it."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has estimated that as much as $29 billion in cash flows across the border to Mexican drug gangs each year.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia, next week, according to the State Department.

Pompeo will meet with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday to discuss "the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges," the department said in a press release. Pompeo is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Monday with a diplomatic team.

The two countries are facing tension on a number of fronts around the world, including in Venezuela, Iran and North Korea.

News of the trip comes one week after a lengthy phone call between President Donald Trump and Putin, the first such high-level conversation since special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election was released to the public.

Trump said after the call that the two discussed the "Russian Hoax" in addition to a variety of other issues. But Trump said they did not talk about Russian interference in future U.S. elections.

The meeting also follows the abrupt cancellation this week of a meeting between Pompeo and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. The State Department cited "pressing issues" at the time.

Pompeo met with Lavrov earlier this month. The two held talks in Finland on May 6, which Russian media said made the phone call between Trump and Putin possible.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a welcome ceremony as he arrives at the railway station in the Russian far-eastern city of Vladivostok on April 24, 2019.

The leader of North Korea ordered its military to boost its strike capability as he directed another missile firing, state media said on Friday, as tensions grew over tests that appeared to show preparations for a new advanced missile system.

The call for "full combat posture" by Kim Jong Un came while the United States announced it had seized a large cargo ship for carrying an illegal shipment of coal.

The increased tensions come amid a gridlock in dialogue after the second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed over U.S. demands for Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament and Kim's demands for relief from punishing sanctions.

"(Kim) stressed the need to further increase the capability of the defense units in the forefront area and on the western front to carry out combat tasks and keep full combat posture to cope with any emergency," KCNA news agency reported.

He noted "genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty," KCNA said, adding he "set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability."

The test of two short-range missiles on Thursday and the firing of a series of projectiles on Saturday were the first missile launches by the North since November 2017 when the North shot an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Later, Kim declared the building of its nuclear force was complete and went on to hold three summit meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and two with Trump.

Both Trump and Moon said the latest missile tests were not helpful but suggested they would not scupper dialogue.

"I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they're ready to negotiate," Trump told reporters.

"They were smaller missiles, they were short-range missiles," he said. "Nobody's happy about it but we're taking a good look and we'll see."

South Korea's Moon said late on Thursday the tests were likely a reaction to the failed second summit with Trump in Hanoi in February also he thought North Korea remained hopeful of continuing negotiations.
Netflix shares are battling a surprise underdog in the fight for streaming stock supremacy: Roku.

The streaming player company has rocketed 173% higher this year, running circles around Netflix's 32% gain and Disney's 20% advance.

"The stock has moved above its all-time 2018 highs. That's positive," Matt Maley, equity strategist at Miller Tabak, said Thursday on CNBC's "Trading Nation."

Roku shares hit a new high Friday, continuing their climb after reporting a better-than-expected first quarter earlier in the week. The company topped top- and bottom-line estimates for the three months to March, and increased its full-year guidance.

However, after only just breaking out above its October highs, it could struggle to continue its move higher, Maley said.

"You really want to see it be a more meaningful breakout before you can say the stock is going to be a lot higher and the reason why I think it probably won't do that right now is the stock has had this huge move and it's getting quite overbought," he said.

The stock's relative strength index, a measure of momentum, spiked above 81 this week, its highest level since March. A reading above 70 typically points to overbought conditions.

"If you like the stock on a fundamental basis, that's great but I think you'll get a better opportunity to buy it at lower levels over the next couple of weeks rather than chase it way up here," said Maley.

Mark Tepper, president of Strategic Wealth Partners, said increased competition in the streaming space from Disney among others will continue to benefit Roku.

"As more and more competition enters the streaming wars, that's actually good for an aggregator like Roku. So what you have here is you have a company that was basically all hardware that's now transitioning to ads and subscriptions which gets a higher multiple," Tepper said during the same "Trading Nation" segment.

He added that the stock can break out even higher in coming years if it delivers in two areas  the first, increasing its average revenue per user, and the second, if the company can generate top-line growth of 30% or more.

"As long as that happens, that would lead to some multiple expansion as well as growth, not quite to Netflix levels, but a reasonable expansion along with that growth takes this up to $100," said Tepper.

A move to $100 marks more than 20% upside from current levels. It would also deliver a record high.
The Patriot missile system, manufactured by Raytheon , is combat-tested against aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles. The system is currently deployed in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The USS Arlington and a Patriot battery will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a U.S. Air Force bomber task force, which were deployed earlier in the week to the region in response to "heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations."

WASHINGTON  The Pentagon approved the deployment of a Patriot missile defense battery and a Navy ship to the Middle East amid increasing tensions between the United States and Iran.

The additional U.S. forces to the Middle East is the Trump administration's latest effort to pressure Tehran over its support for weapons proliferation and extremist groups in the Middle East.

"The Department of Defense continues to closely monitor the activities of the Iranian regime, their military and proxies. Due to operational security, we will not discuss timelines or location of forces. The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but we are postured and ready to defend U.S. forces and interests in the region," the Pentagon wrote in a statement Friday announcing the deployment.

On Wednesday, Trump ordered new sanctions placed on Iranian metals, Tehran's largest non-petroleum-related sources of export revenue. The U.S. also took aim at Iranian oil by effectively ordering countries worldwide to stop buying Tehran's oil or face sanctions of their own.

Additionally, the U.S. designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group. Iran responded with threats to close the Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, where about a third of the world's oil export vessels pass. The U.S. then announced it was expediting the deployment of a carrier strike group equipped with bomber aircraft to the region.

Tehran announced it was relaxing some restrictions on its nuclear program but would not violate a 2015 accord with Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany and the United States. Iran had agreed to the 2015 limits on its disputed nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. A year ago Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, calling it a "horrible, one-sided" deal.
The latest escalation in a tariff fight between the U.S. and China has made it "very difficult" for the two economic giants to reach a trade deal that'll let President Donald Trump claim victory, experts said. The U.S. just after midnight ET on Friday increased tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25% from 10%. China responded immediately, saying it would take countermeasures against the U.S. The latest hike in levies came after Trump turned up the rhetorical heat against China starting Sunday and accused Beijing of reneging on parts of a developing agreement. Representatives from both countries are meeting in Washington this week to discuss trade. After the latest developments, however, a resolution in the coming weeks is "very difficult" to imagine, said Steve Okun, a trade expert and senior advisor at consultancy McLarty Associates. "For the U.S. to win, for Trump to declare victory, he has to show that there's a substantial change to what (China) does when it comes to intellectual property, when it comes to cyber theft, when it comes to forced technology transfers," Okun told CNBC's "Street Signs" just minutes before the latest tariff hike. "Now, some of what, maybe much of what, the U.S. wants is in China's interests. But politically, it's very difficult for President Xi (Jinping) to be seen as giving into what the U.S. is demanding of him," he added.

I think the potential for a deal has gone down significantly, and the potential that talks might break down even further has risen. Nick Marro analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit

Okun is hardly the only expert predicting a deterioration in the relationship between the U.S. and China, which are the two largest economies in the world. Nick Marro, an analyst at consultancy the Economist Intelligence Unit, said Friday's tariff escalation would undo much of the "goodwill" and "positive momentum" built up in previous meetings between the two countries. The U.S. and China had been negotiating for a trade deal over the last few months. Investors and analysts were hopeful that both sides would resolve their conflict by reaching some kind of deal. Even the White House was boosting hopes just a week ago that there might be an announcement for an agreement this week. "I think the potential for a deal has gone down significantly, and the potential that talks might break down even further has risen," Marro told CNBC's "Capital Connection" on Friday after the U.S. increased tariffs. "The fact that the tariff escalation was acted upon is going to do a lot to erase a lot of the goodwill and the positive momentum that we saw built up over the first quarter and it's going to be very difficult for both sides to really come back from that," he added.

What's next

The best case scenario is for both sides to continue talking, analysts said, but the escalation in trade conflict this week has also increased the probability that the U.S. and China may never reach a deal. Stefan Legge, an economics researcher and lecturer at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, predicted that the trade war will drag on as long as both economies can handle the pressure.
President Donald Trump waves during joint statements with China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, November 9, 2017.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC that there are currently no China trade talks scheduled in the future. "Nothing planned as of now," he said, adding that the talks held this week were "constructive."

Markets responded to the statement by jumping to session highs after a roller coaster week that was marked by sharp swings, largely in response to news of progress, followed by setbacks, in the trade talks.

President Donald Trump on Friday issued a statement about the high-level trade talks this week with a Chinese delegation, saying the stiff tariffs his administration imposed Friday "may or may not be removed" while trade talks continue.

The statement came as talks ended early Friday afternoon, after Liu He, the top Chinese trade negotiator, left the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, in Washington after two days of negotiations.

Both U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Mnuchin were seen entering the White House after the talks ended.

The world's two largest economies engaged in negotiations on Thursday and Friday as they tried to salvage a trade deal that appeared to be within their grasp only a week ago.

The U.S. increased tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25% from 10% on Friday following what it called China's decision to back out of key commitments to a developing agreement. China has promised to retaliate against the tariffs, but it is unclear what action Beijing would take.

CNBC's Eamon Javers contributed reporting to this story.
On the lower end, if the 25% tariffs that went into effect Friday are permanent and China retaliates, the U.S. economy could lose $62 billion in economic output by next year, according to Oxford Economics. That total translates to an equivalent loss of $490 per American household.

It all depends on how extreme the White House gets with protectionist policies. But Oxford Economics laid out various scenarios that, at the high end, could cost U.S. households as much as $800.

In a more extreme example, the firm considered the administration imposing 25% tariffs on all imports from China  not just the current $200 billion. Should China retaliate, Oxford Economics estimates that the U.S. economy would be about $100 billion smaller by 2020. That would translate to an $800 cost per household.

"While negotiations are ongoing, and the possibility of a deal remains significant, a further escalation of trade tensions would have dire consequences for both protagonists and the rest of the world," Gregory Daco, Oxford Economics chief U.S. economist, said in a note to clients Friday.

Stocks extended a week-long sell-off Friday after President Donald Trump said there's "absolutely no need to rush" on a trade agreement. He also said tariffs will make the United States "much stronger." Major averages fell near their lows of the day after Chinese Vice Premier Liu He left the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said China trade talks are done for week but were "constructive."

The job market could also take a hit thanks to trade turmoil. The current tariff rise could result in 200,000 fewer jobs, with growth falling below 2% in early 2020, according to Oxford Economics. The more extreme scenario with tariffs on all imports, and Chinese retaliation, would lead to 360,000 fewer jobs being created.

In a CNBC interview Friday morning, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said while the average American might not care about the Dow's triple-digit losses, they do pay attention to the job market.

"They're not thinking about the stock market every day," Scott told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday. "Look at this job market  that's what people are thinking about."

Low unemployment and a strong economy have been a strong point for the Trump administration heading into a 2020 election. In April, the unemployment rate hit its lowest level in 50 years. In the first quarter, gross domestic product increased 3.2%, far exceeding analysts' expectations. Productivity during the quarter saw its biggest gain in five years.

"The average person says: Do I have a job, and are my wages going up? That's what they care about," Scott said. "We'd all like the stock market to go up every day, but reality is, for the typical American, they want a good job."

 CNBC's Yun Li contributed reporting.
President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he departs for travel to Indianapolis, Indiana from the White House in Washington, U.S., April 26, 2019.

Stock futures tumbled early Friday after President Donald Trump unleashed a string of tweets suggesting the U.S.-China trade war will not be resolved soon. The early morning gyrations illustrate the market-moving power of the president's Twitter feed.

They're also a reminder of how presidential tweets can throw automated algorithmic trading programs for a loop.

In the tweet storm, Trump argued that tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods are bolstering U.S. fortunes and laid out a scheme to purchase goods from American farmers and distribute them to poor nations. But one line seemed to catch the market's attention.

"Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner - there is absolutely no need to rush," Trump tweeted at 6:53 a.m. ET.

At about 6:54 a.m ET, S&P 500 futures dropped sharply.

Futures slid further, and then stabilized after Trump briefly deleted and then reposted four of the five tweets. The missing tweet  the one in which Trump said there's "absolutely no need to rush" to reach a trade deal with China  eventually popped back up around 7:45 a.m. ET.

That particular tweet is concerning because Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the remaining $325 billion worth of Chinese goods not yet subject to U.S. import taxes. Overnight, the Trump administration hiked tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports from 10% to 25%, and the odds of reaching a deal by Friday now look slim.

Stock futures eventually fell nearly 1% before clawing back some ground. Traders on Twitter complained about the volatility caused in the early morning by Trump's tweets and retweets.

Tweet

Tweet
It would turn out to be a billion-dollar tweet.

On Jan 5, 2010, Ryan Graves sent a tweet to Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick suggesting himself as a potential hire for what was then a new start-up.

heres a tip. email me :) graves.ryan[at]gmail.com

Graves, who was at the time working as a leader in a management training program in information technology at General Electric, got hired.

On March 1, 2010, he became the first employee at Uber thanks to that tweet.

"I was hitting Craigslist, Twitter, and other channels looking for the right candidate," Kalanick wrote in a 2010 blog post about Uber's early days. "What resulted was the Awesomest job post and response I've ever seen."

Now of course, Uber is a multibillion-dollar company. It was valued at more than $75 billion based on it's $45 a share IPO on Thursday, and shares were hovering between about $42 and $44 when it started trading on the New York Stock Exchange Friday. The stock closed below $42 per share with a market cap of $69.7 billion.

Because of his equity in the company, Graves, 35, is a very rich man, worth more than $1 billion, according to Forbes.

Graves tweet of IPO

Kalanick (worth over $5 billion, according to Forbes) has said that Graves, "hit the ground running," at Uber after he was hired. "From the day he got going, we spent about 15-20 hours a week working together going over product, driver on-boarding, pricing model, the whole nine. He learned the startup game fast and worked his a-- off to build the Uber team and make the San Francisco launch and subsequent growth a huge success," Kalanick wrote in the 2010 blog post.

Graves' tenure at Uber included an almost year-long stint as the CEO and an almost seven-year run as the senior vice president of global operations.

Of course, Graves' time at Uber was not without controversy, and he announced his resignation from Uber in August 2017, two months after Kalanick was forced to resign when investigations into Uber's culture revealed sexual harassment and discrimination.
U.S. President Donald Trump's new sanctions on Iran and deployment of a carrier strike group to the Middle East are "deliberately provocative," Jarrett Blanc from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said Thursday. Not only do these sanctions target Iran's export revenue, they also affect a "very large employment sector of the Iranian economy," said Blanc, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank. This will be "understood as an effort to destabilize the middle class," he added. Trump on Wednesday slapped fresh sanctions on Iranian industrial metals  the country's second-largest source of export revenue after petroleum  and threatened further action unless Tehran "fundamentally" changes its behavior. That came hours after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced Tehran's intention to violate two provisions of the 2015 nuclear agreement  also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. On Sunday, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton announced that the Trump administration would deploy a carrier group and bombers to the Middle East in response to "troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" from Iran. Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia," Blanc said the Trump administration  or at least some elements of it  wants to provoke Iran into violating the 2015 nuclear accord and spark a crisis. That would "box in a future Democratic president" and "make it harder to return to the deal and to diplomacy," he added.

Tehran's ultimatum

On Wednesday, Rouhani also gave other members of the JCPOA  Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and China  an ultimatum. He threatened that Iran will restart part of its halted nuclear program if they did not resume oil trade within 60 days. Europe responded on Thursday saying said it "rejects any ultimatums" from Iran, but remains "fully committed to the preservation and full implementation of the JCPOA."

President Donald J. Trump signs a National Security Presidential Memorandum as he announces the withdrawal of the United States from the Iran nuclear deal during a "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" event in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Tuesday, May 08, 2018 in Washington, DC. Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images

Political risk consultancy Eurasia Group's analyst Henry Rome said in a note on Wednesday that while Rouhani's decision to "openly chip away at its nuclear commitments" does not immediately bring it closer to a nuclear weapon, it "marks the beginning of a new and concerning dynamic between the U.S. and Iran that is ripe for miscalculation." The escalation came on the anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal and ratchets up already tense Washington-Tehran relations. Trump's administration has taken unprecedented steps in what the president calls a "maximum pressure campaign" on Iran. One example is when Washington designated the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) as a terrorist organization in April.

There's very few levers that can be pulled if Iran is under complete sanctions. Roland Vogt assistant professor of European Studies at the University of Hong Kong

According to Blanc, the current administration "seems enamored with the idea that economic pressure can lead to regime change." Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "made careers calling for regime change," he added. "Economic pressure can be very, very effective when you're trying to get a change in policy that is not core to a country's national security interests, not core to a regime's sense of its own survival," Blanc said. He added, however, that a reshuffle in the Iranian regime is more likely than a complete change. There may be "a little bit of the realignment between the semi-democratic, semi-elected government, the kind of military industrial complex represented by the IRGC and the clerical establishment." But the result of that is "very unlikely" to be in the interest of the U.S. or its allies, he said.

'Unpredictable' Iran
Plans by Washington to hike tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods could cut China's growth by 0.3 percentage points but the strengthening economy has become more resilient to external shocks, a Chinese central bank advisor said on Friday.

The comments by Ma Jun were published by the Finance News, a paper run by the central bank, on Friday as U.S. and Chinese officials undertake last-minute talks in Washington to avert an escalation of a trade war that threatens to derail the global economy.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin started two days of talks late Thursday afternoon in Washington after a major setback when a rift opened between the two countries over a draft trade agreement.

Ma said that China would impose corresponding countermeasures should U.S. President Donald Trump move ahead with plans to increase duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods, to 25% from 10%.

"The negative impact of this scenario on China's gross domestic production would be around 0.3 percentage points, this is within a controllable range," he said.

The Chinese stock market was also unlikely to see the same heavy sell-off it experienced last year after the trade war began, he said, adding that investors had previously been prone to overreacting due to an inability to judge the real impact of trade frictions and jitters over slowing economic growth.

"China's real economy performance has improved significantly in recent months...China's current macroeconomic and policy environment should help the market improve its resilience to new external shocks," he said.

He also said that the Chinese central bank had sufficient monetary policy tools to cope with current internal and external uncertainties, and would look to fine-tune policy according to changes in the country's economic situation.
BY THE NUMBERS

Dow futures were slightly higher this morning after President Donald Trump made good on his threat to raise tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods. Stocks remain on pace for their largest weekly declines of 2019. The Dow sits exactly 1,000 points below last August's all-time closing high. (CNBC)



* Here's why global stocks aren't sinking despite the US tariff hike (CNBC) Uber (UBER) priced its initial public offering at $45 per share, toward the low end of the expected range. Nonetheless, the ride-sharing service's IPO will raise $8 billion, making it the largest U.S. IPO since Facebook went public in 2012. The company makes its public debut on the NYSE today. (CNBC) Marriott (MAR), Tribune Media (TRCO), Viacom (VIAB), and Weatherford International (WFT) are among the handful of companies reporting quarterly earnings this morning. There are no companies of note scheduled to release numbers after today's closing bell. (CNBC) Fed Governor Lael Brainard, New York Fed President John Williams, and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic all have public appearances today. Bostic is not a voting member of the FOMC for 2019. Separately, the government is out with April Consumer Price Index figures at 8:30 a.m. ET. (CNBC)

IN THE NEWS TODAY

STOCKS TO WATCH

Booking Holdings (BKNG) earned an adjusted $11.17 per share for its latest quarter, 10 cents below consensus forecasts. Revenue also missed estimates, but the parent of Priceline and other travel services said it should see revenue growth this quarter. Dropbox (DBX) beat estimates by four cents with adjusted quarterly profit of 10 cents per share, and the file storage company also saw revenue come in ahead of expectations. Dropbox signed up more paying users during the quarter, and also posted an increase in revenue per user. Wynn Resorts (WYNN) reported adjusted quarterly earnings of $1.61 per share, a penny ahead of consensus, with the casino operator's revenue very slightly below estimates amid a drop in Macau casino action. Zillow Group (ZG) lost 33 cents per share for the first quarter, smaller than the 35 cent loss that Wall Street analysts had been expecting. The real estate website operator's revenue beat forecasts, increasing 51 percent compared to a year ago, and it also saw an increase in unique monthly users. Symantec (SYMC) shares are under pressure after the cybersecurity software company's chief executive officer unexpectedly resigned, and it issued a profit warning for the current quarter. Director Richard Hill, who will fill the CEO slot on an interim basis, said former CEO Greg Clark had issues with an ill parent. Yelp (YELP) earned two cents per share for the first quarter, compared to consensus estimates of one cent, and the consumer review website operator also had higher-than-expected revenue. However, Yelp gave weaker-than-expected revenue guidance for the current quarter and said unique visitors to its desktop and mobile sites had declined during the first quarter. Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) filed to spin off its Asian business in a Hong Kong-based initial public offering. Sources who spoke to Reuters say the deal could be worth at least $5 billion. TiVo (TIVO) will split itself into two separate companies, one for its product division, the other for intellectual property licensing. The maker of set top boxes and digital video recorders has been exploring options for its businesses for more than a year. Viacom (VIAB) agreed to slash its fees for distribution in its recent deal with AT&T's DirecTV unit, according to people familiar with those negotiations who spoke to the Wall Street Journal. News Corp. (NWSA) reported adjusted quarterly profit of four cents per share, compared to forecasts of a breakeven quarter, though the media company's revenue did fall below estimates. The bottom line was helped by an increase in digital subscriptions for the Wall Street Journal and New York Post publisher, as well as expansion at its digital real estate businesses. GoPro (GPRO) reported an adjusted quarterly loss of seven cents per share, two cents smaller-than-expected, and the high definition camera maker's revenue beat estimates. GoPro also raised its full-year revenue forecast amid high demand for its new line of action cameras.

WATERCOOLER
Kyle Walsh | CNBC

It was May 2018, and PillPack CEO TJ Parker was in Seattle to meet with a small contingent from Amazon. Suitors had been swarming around his online pharmacy, which was taking on CVS and Walgreens and growing rapidly in the process. Walmart was deep in talks with the Boston-based start-up, and pharmaceutical maker Novartis was also hovering. But bankers from Frank Quattrone's Qatalyst Partners suggested that Parker and co-founder and product chief Elliot Cohen fly across country for a meeting with one particular Amazon executive: Nader Kabbani. A 14-year company veteran and guest concert pianist with the Seattle Symphony who'd recently been named Amazon's vice president of consumables, Kabbani shared Parker's concern about the pharmacy industry and the dominant players' inability or unwillingness to put the consumer first. Eventually, Parker and Kabbani were the only ones doing the talking, as all the other participants faded into the background. And from there it didn't take long for Parker to decide that the bidding had ended. He was selling the company to Amazon. On June 28, Amazon announced that it was buying PillPack for an undisclosed sum (later revealed as $753 million), snapping up a company that delivers most of the medications consumers can get from their local drugstore packaged in convenient white packets so people will remember to take them, along with automatic refills and 24/7 customer support. Shares of CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid tumbled on concern that Amazon was further encroaching on their territory after already taking a huge chunk of the market for toiletries and household goods. In the press release, Jeff Wilke, the head of Amazon's worldwide consumer business, said the companies would work together to help consumers "save time, simplify their lives and feel healthier." What Wilke didn't say was that Parker, the son of a New Hampshire pharmacist, had plans to surpass $1 billion in revenue by 2020, or that PillPack would soon be negotiating with large insurers to get its service into the hands of many more people while aggressively building out its technology to serve them. Almost 11 months later and about $100 million richer, Parker's title is still PillPack CEO, and the only noticeable differences to the outside eye are that his website now says "an amazon company" under the logo and Amazon has a new landing page introducing Prime members to the service. Inside the company, Parker, a 33-year-old pharmacist turned internet entrepreneur, is the face of Amazon's audacious plan to bust into a prescription drug market that to date has represented perhaps the largest and most glaring gap in its retail empire. CNBC spoke to a dozen people close to the founders, including investors, friends and PillPack employees for this story, most of whom asked not to be named because of confidentiality agreements. PillPack declined to make Parker or Cohen available for an interview, and neither have spoken publicly since the deal was finalized. Amazon declined to comment and Kabbani didn't respond to a request for comment.

Here's a glimpse of what Amazon is now attacking: Spending on U.S. prescription medications is approaching $500 billion a year and growing up to 7% annually, according to IQVIA, a provider of health data. Roughly 60% of American adults have at least one chronic illness, such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes, and 40% have two or more, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The retail drug market for prescriptions has been dominated by large pharmacy chains, including CVS and Walgreens, and independent pharmacies, which all count on a few middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to negotiate prices, as well as a handful of large drug distributors. Other than Wilke's statement on the day of the deal, Amazon hasn't uttered a peep about what it plans to do with PillPack. What we know is that Amazon acquired an 800-plus person workforce and a high-growth, very low-margin business that, like a traditional retailer, uses the majority of its revenue to pay for inventory. We also know that Amazon has not only been continuously adding household products to its marketplace, but has also been establishing its own brands for things like batteries, toilet paper, light bulbs and towels. As delivery times come down to one day for Prime members, what's the point of ever driving to your neighborhood pharmacy?

Source: PIllPack

PillPack has spent years going through the hard work of getting licenses to ship to every state except Hawaii, and built a system that automatically manages refills and works with insurers on behalf of customers. It sorts pills and provides dispensers to make everything as easy as possible for users. Fred Destin, an early PillPack investor, describes it as a "complicated and expensive" space with a potentially "big prize." In other words, it's the type of business that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos loves  huge dollars, antiquated technology and so many regulatory barriers that the "smart money" is staying far away. Bezos also knows something about the industry, having taken a board seat at Drugstore.com in the 1990s after Amazon invested in the company. (Walgreens acquired the online drugstore in 2011 for $429 million and shut it down five years later.) It won't be an easy market for Amazon to win. PillPack needs relationships with PBMs like Express Scripts and Caremark, which is owned by CVS, to reach the masses of consumers who get their medicines through insurers. Those businesses were worried about Amazon even before it acquired PillPack, because it's really the only company that could conceivably break up their control if it were to jump into the distribution market and pressure drug manufacturers to lower prices. PillPack also was a concern because it had the potential to take substantial market share from the incumbents. "Amazon bought the one company in the space that all the PBMs and other pharmacy businesses were threatened by," said Yumin Choi, a health-tech investor at Bain Capital Ventures. "The challenge is now they put a stake in the ground and the flag has been planted." Amazon has to contend with the added problems that come with a disparate ecosystem of physicians, insurance companies and medical records providers, all with their own silos and disconnected systems. Amazon and PillPack may be able to create a better experience for consumers when it comes to delivering medicines, but playing a role in fixing the other inefficiencies may be out of their purview. "There's a lot that's not under their control," said Eric Percher, an equity analyst covering the pharmacy supply chain at Nephron Research. It's not clear if Amazon can change the way "that the patient interacts with the pharmacy supply chain and the payor," he said.

Not the 'experience that people deserve'

Parker, who has sandy blonde hair, an unkempt beard and thick-rimmed glasses, doesn't come across as a hard-charging executive scheming to take down the industry superpowers. Zen Chu, a PillPack investor and adviser who teaches health-care innovation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, joked that he looks more like a member of a Grateful Dead cover band, but with "exceptional clarity of vision." The pharmacy business is in Parker's blood. Growing up, his dad owned a pharmacy in Concord, New Hampshire, where the younger Parker personally checked labels on pill bottles and delivered medicines to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. He went to pharmacy school at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston and, while there, would periodically go to events at nearby MIT to look for students exploring innovative work in health technology. That's where he met Cohen, who was attending business school after studying computer science at the University of California at Berkeley. At MIT, Cohen co-founded a program called Hacking Medicine for students interested in medical entrepreneurship. Cohen wasn't sold on the idea behind PillPack until he went home and saw his dad, who had undergone quadruple bypass heart surgery while in high school, struggling to manage multiple medications. He texted Parker to say he was in, and the pair spent a weekend putting together a prototype, which won the 2012 Hacking Medicine hackathon and landed them checks from MIT's Chu and his wife and fellow investor Katie Rae. In 2014, the year PillPack started serving customers, Parker's dad joined as one of the company's first pharmacists in the office in Manchester, New Hampshire, located 20 minutes from Concord. The founders would drive to the local IKEA to get furniture for the pharmacy. At internal meetings, Parker talked about the opportunities to modernize the pharmacy experience and to develop an aspirational brand, like what Warby Parker created in the stodgy eyeglasses market, rather than constantly reminding people that they're sick.

PillPack co-founders TJ Parker and Elliot Cohen.

"TJ used to talk at all-hands about the local CVS, where you'd see aisles stacked with three-liter bottles of Coke with fluorescent lights and grey carpeting," said AJ Resnick, a director of analytics at Pillpack from 2015 to 2016. In his mind, that "wasn't the experience that people deserve." Growth was slow for the first couple years because PillPack had to file for licenses in every state and needed to open physical retail stores in certain states to stay in-network with the PBMs. It also had an advertising problem, because ad teams at Google and Facebook mistakenly labeled PillPack as a drug manufacturer, which required it to include all sorts of safety issues that weren't relevant. Fortunately for Parker, he'd taken a small check from Kevin Colleran of Slow Ventures, an early member of Facebook's ad sales team. Colleran connected Parker to the right people at Facebook to clear up the matter and get PillPack off what the investor called "the naughty list." "Once they got on Facebook, it helped escalate their growth more than other platforms," said Colleran, who also became close friends with Parker. Then consumers caught on. By the time of last year's acquisition, the business was on track to generate $299 million in annual revenue, with plans to more than double in 2019 to $635 million before reaching $1.2 billion in 2020, according to a pitch deck viewed by CNBC. Those are big numbers for a company founded just five years earlier, and proved there was plenty of demand for what PillPack was offering. But PillPack was burning through $6 million a month at its peak because of the low profit margins and escalating costs of expansion. Some of the high expenses were tied to the development of a back-end software system called PharmacyOS, which the company was designing to automate the process of prescription renewals, billing insurance, getting authorizations from providers and sending out notifications. David Frankel, an early PillPack backer, calls it the "spaghetti connectivity" of the pharmacy world.

Parker knew in 2016 that Amazon was interested in the space through conversations with executives at the company, according to people with knowledge of the talks. Amazon was also dabbling around the edges of the market and would soon start hiring business leaders focused on pharmacy and selling things like at-home DNA tests and over-the-counter medicines. Having already raised $115 million, including a $60 million round in mid-2016, PillPack needed more capital to keep the business afloat. Parker was gearing up to raise more cash had the deal with Amazon or another bidder not materialized. By early 2018, it was becoming clear that Amazon could be an ally or a competitor. Parker chose the former option. For Amazon, which recorded over $230 billion in sales last year, PillPack doesn't move the needle at its current size. The value for Amazon is in the promise of plugging the delivery network into the giant e-commerce machine, especially when considering that the average PillPack user in 2018 was worth $5,000 in revenue, through insurance payments and patient co-pays, according to the slide presentation. That's far more than the average Prime member, who spends about $1,300 a year on Amazon after the $119 annual subscription, according to a 2017 study. Also, most of PillPack's users are in their 50s and 60s and they're loyal customers, giving Amazon an older demographic to target with other product promotions. You could imagine signing in to order your blood-thinning medication and seeing a recommendation for shaving cream, toilet paper or nail polish, all things you'd been buying at the store.

Much more than commerce

Amazon is already using that tactic in reverse, promoting the PillPack service to a targeted group of Prime subscribers. But Amazon can provide a whole lot more to PillPack than access to 100 million-plus Prime users. One effort underway involves large insurers, who could offer the mail-order service as a perk to their members, and in return provide the company with potentially millions of new customers. According to a confidential document viewed by CNBC, Blue Cross Blue Shield, a federation of 36 health insurance plans that cover more than 100 million Americans, has reached out to PillPack about providing the service to members. While no deal has materialized, the document says Blue Cross would provide home delivery and other benefits as well as discounts on over-the-counter drugs and possibly a branded medication dispenser. A Blue Cross spokesperson declined to comment. Amazon can also add the muscle PillPack needs to stand up to the PBMs, which effectively determine whether a pharmacy is able to get customers. Large employers, insurers and Medicare and Medicaid rely on PBMs to administer prescription coverage, and PBMs have not looked kindly on start-ups delivering medications to the home because many offer their own lucrative mail-order services. In 2016, Express Scripts, the largest PBM, threatened to remove PillPack from its network, claiming the company was misrepresenting itself as a retail pharmacy instead of a mail-delivery pharmacy. The move would have cut PillPack off from about a third of its customers virtually overnight. "There were many, many attempts to crush this company," said Jim Messina, a former White House deputy chief of staff under Barack Obama who was hired by PillPack to navigate the challenges presented by PBMs. Messina, who joined PillPack's board in November 2017 along with former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, laid out an aggressive campaign that involved setting up the website fixpharmacy.com to rally support from existing customers in an effort to reach key policymakers in Washington. Parker set up a war room at the office, where top staffers put in 16-hour days on the #fixpharmacy crusade. In just over a week, the marketing team, led by former IDEO executive Colin Raney, published multiple videos featuring customers talking about their dependence on the service. tweet TJ will "go to war and fight for his company and try to do things differently," Messina said. However, Express Scripts did have a case. The company had given PillPack a contract to sell as a retail pharmacy, and not by mail. PillPack had some physical locations but it was shipping medications to patients from those pharmacies. Express Scripts eventually agreed to give a mail-order contract to PillPack (which is still in effect), but not before Parker fessed up to an "administrative error" that resulted in the company briefly shipping to states where it wasn't properly licensed. Brian Henry, a spokesman for Express Scripts, told Forbes at the time that, "there are standards and regulations and industry practices you have to follow." He declined to provide further comment to CNBC. Parker's history with Express Scripts and unwillingness to back down from a fight was one of the qualities that most attracted Amazon to PillPack, according to people familiar with the matter. "He thought that the only way to make a change is to shine a light on the dark spots, and he had the information on where those dark spots were," said Zachariah Reitano, CEO of men's health start-up Roman, which counts Parker as an investor. "He did it in a way where it benefited the patient, and not just for the benefit of his company."

Staffing up quickly

PillPack is just a piece of Amazon's expansive plan to uproot the $3 trillion U.S. health-care industry. The company is also working with J.P. Morgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway on a joint venture called Haven aiming to improve care and bring down the costs. It has plans to open its own health clinics for employees, and there's a secretive group called Grand Challenge working on telemedicine and applying machine learning to cancer research, among other futuristic projects. Then there's Amazon Web Services and the Alexa voice division, which have various efforts underway to pull together medical records and mine data. But for all the indigestion Amazon has created in the pharmaceutical and health-care industries, the company doesn't appear to have any grand plan yet to take on the market. Cohen spoke at a recent investment bank event and told those in the crowd that there's no single person in Seattle who owns the health efforts, according to a person who was in attendance.

PillPack packet Source: PillPack

The immediate objective for PillPack is to keep growing and hiring. The company didn't insist on retaining its brand permanently as part of the acquisition, according to a person familiar with the transaction, so it could eventually be renamed to something like Amazon Pharmacy. Amazon is staffing up the business to serve tens of thousands more customers and adding the necessary pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Amazon has about 50 PillPack job openings listed on its careers site, primarily in Boston and Somerville. Some of the most recent listings are for a packing and shipping specialist and visual designer, and more than half the positions are in software development, including for a "team lead," tasked with "establishing mechanisms and best practices for a growing team." PillPack has bolstered ad spending on TV stations (including CNBC and MSNBC) that reach an older audience, as well as across digital networks like Facebook. It's also forging ahead with plans already in place in Phoenix to build out a 175,000-square-foot pharmacy operation, which is about the size of a Walmart Supercenter, to serve as a retail pharmacy and distribution center. The facility has been adding state licenses that will allow PillPack to better serve customers in the western U.S. When the acquisition was disclosed in June, some analysts speculated that Amazon wanted PillPack because it had pharmacy licenses in almost every state. The consulting firm Kantar said PillPack's 49 licenses make it "incredibly asset-rich." In Arizona, PillPack has been lobbying local officials to allow pharmacy technicians, the people who assist pharmacists, to transfer medications from other pharmacies into PillPack. A handful of employees and a PillPack lawyer showed up at an Arizona State Board of Pharmacy meeting in December to request an exemption from a law that requires pharmacists to handle transfers that come in by phone. PillPack's representatives said the company already uses technicians for those tasks in New Hampshire (one of the 13 states that allow it) and has a rigorous training program and oversight in place to ensure patient safety. The PillPack crew didn't talk about cost savings or the need to rapidly scale, but you could hear the Amazon influence in their argument. For PillPack to function like an Amazon business, it has to get the most of both technology and lower-cost employees. The company was granted a six-month exemption, after which it has to produce a report on findings and error rates.

Moving 'beyond their core'

Since the acquisition last June, Parker has relocated to Park City, Utah, near the company's sales and business development office. On most Tuesdays, he flies to Seattle, where he recently bought a house, and stays until Thursday. He continues to work closely with Kabbani, who has facilitated introductions between PillPack's team and top Amazon executives in areas like AWS and Haven, people familiar with the matter said. Though Parker and Cohen report to Kabbani, the founders are very much the ones leading the charge. Kabbani is a respected manager who has risen through the ranks at Amazon, helping build the Kindle self-publishing platform and then leading a variety of last-mile delivery projects, including Flex, the on-demand delivery hiring service. But he doesn't have much experience in health care or drug supply chain, a fact he made clear to the PillPack team during the acquisition talks, according to people familiar with the discussions. Kabbani's logistics expertise is likely to play into PillPack's effort to expand its on-the-ground presence. The company has physical pharmacies in five states  New Hampshire, New York, Texas, Florida and Arizona  which it needs to legally ship to all the various states and so it can deliver quickly, without having to send packages across the country.

PillPack is going to be a much bigger player in pharmacy. Stephen Buck CEO of Courage Health

Cohen's focus has largely been on PharmacyOS, which PillPack launched in 2017 as a "brand new operating system that we built from the ground up," replacing lots of old, off-the-shelf technology. According to an internal presentation PillPack executives created before the Amazon deal, the company was pitching PharmacyOS as its next big growth driver, and two people familiar with the matter said it was one of the main pieces that interested Amazon. PillPack has been trying to get the technology in the hands of pharmaceutical makers, doctors and insurance companies to automate and streamline their processes as well, so it's not just used internally. "Such a move would mean they're expanding far beyond their core solution to the tens of millions of people who take generic medicines," said Stephen Buck, a former vice president at drug distributor McKesson, after CNBC described the document. Buck, who's now CEO of health-tech start-up Courage Health, said it suggests that "PillPack is going to be a much bigger player in pharmacy."

PIllPack CEO TJ Parker with investor Fred Destin at Destin's surprise birthday party
Hi! I am an Assistant City Editor for the education beat, which means I help with breaking news and all things K-12 or higher education. Any tips or story ideas can be sent to me at hlht46@mail.missouri.edu or in the newsroom at 882-5720.

Follow this search 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 Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
MU ROTC held its annual Pass in Review on Friday at Francis Quadrangle. The military tradition began as a way for a new commander to inspect the troops. MU Provost Latha Ramchand acted as reviewing official and was the guest speaker for the event. Afterward, a ribbon-cutting was held for the MU Veterans Center in Memorial Union, which had been undergoing an expansion. Vietnam veteran Gary Turner spoke before the cutting, highlighting the common experiences soldier share on the battlefield and the high suicide rates of veterans.

From left, the Missouri Military Academy, MU Army ROTC, MU ROTC Color Guard and MU Marine, Navy and Air Force ROTC platoons stand at attention Lt. Col. Gary Kerr speaks to members of the Missouri Military Academy Air Force ROTC cadets Lindsay Wright, left, and Daniel Calandro are recognized Lt. Col. Gary Kerr addresses attendees of the 2019 Pass in Review Capt. Patrick Hughes awaits for the annual Pass in Review to begin From right, MU ROTC Color Guard, MU Navy and Marines ROTC and MU Air Force ROTC march toward Traditions Plaza Vietnam Army veteran Gary Turner stands next to a plaque bearing his name
Microsoft will continue to include Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) and the original Edge with Windows 10, according to a company program manager.

In a video recorded for this week's Microsoft Build conference, Fred Pullen, a principal program manager on the Edge team, filled in some of the blanks about the "IE mode" to be inserted inside the under-construction Edge based on Chromium. (Chromium is the open-source project whose technologies already power Google Chrome and other browsers.)

Details of how enterprises will manage "full-Chromium" Edge and its IE mode have been scant thus far. When Microsoft announced IE mode earlier this week, it said only that it would share "more details on deploying and managing Microsoft Edge later this year."

How Edge and IE11 work together now

Pullen spent the first quarter of his time walking viewers through the convoluted history of IE and how Microsoft supported backwards compatibility with older versions using various "modes" that emulated, for instance, IE6 within IE8 or IE9 and IE10 within IE11. He then explained how the current Edge worked with IE11 and its multiple modes to produce what he called a "two-browser experience."

"Our guidance for years has been as you upgrade your web applications to modern standards, you can ((alleviate)) yourself of the dependency on Internet Explorer," said Pullen. "When we introduced Windows 10, our suggestion to customers was to standardize on Microsoft Edge using EdgeHTML as your modern browser and fall back to IE11 as needed just for backward compatibility."

That "fall back to IE11" would be automated by IT. They would create an Enterprise Mode Site List of URLs to apps and sites that required some of those IE compatibility modes, or IE-associated technologies, such as ActiveX, which Edge didn't support. IT could also instruct every intranet site to open in IE11.

When a worker tried to access a site on the list in Edge, IE11 opened instead, loading the whitelisted site; thus the two browser experience Pullen described.

But there were problems with what Microsoft did, Pullen acknowledged. "This is a jarring experience. It's two different browsers," he said. "Even if you're using the Enterprise Mode Site Lists to automatically pop up the appropriate browser at the appropriate time, it's still two different browsers and it's a confusing user experience."

More than one IE11 in Windows 10?

According to Pullen, Windows 10 - and presumably Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 as well, since those older OSes are slated to get full-Chromium Edge, too - will still include the stand-alone IE11 browser when Edge and its IE mode reach the Stable channel.

"What we're adding in Internet Explorer mode is just a couple of policies," Pulled said. "We have one policy in Microsoft Edge that decides what the default IE integration level is. So you can decide to keep the two-browser experience. You can decide to run IE11 as an application just as you can today with Microsoft Edge."

Elsewhere in his presentation, Pullen seemed to preemptively knock down any talk that IE11 - as a separate application - would vanish. "I also want to reassure you that Internet Explorer is not going away," Pullen said near the end of his video. "Internet Explorer is considered a component of the Operating System and follows the life-cycle of the Operating System on which it's installed. So in Windows Server 2019 for example, Internet Explorer 11 is supported until 2029 (emphasis added)."

His phrasing was almost word-for-word from Microsoft's documentation on IE's support lifecycle, which states: "Internet Explorer is a component of the Windows operating system and follows the Lifecycle Policy for the product on which it is installed."

Even so, Pullen's pledge was far from ironclad. His "support," for example, could easily - and legitimately - hinge on the inside-Edge IE mode, not the stand-alone application. It's all about what he meant by that word.

Pullen hinted that IE11 (the application) would remain as part of Windows for some time to come even, though Microsoft's long-term goal is to purge it from the OS. "We want to make sure that we start to restrict when and where and how Internet Explorer 11 is instantiated," he said.

Computerworld has assumed that Microsoft would want to get rid of IE11 (the application) as soon as possible. Pullen made that stance difficult to defend.

More than one Edge in Windows 10?

Windows 10, at least, will also sport more than one Edge browser, Pullen contended.

"We do have to add a policy deciding which version of Microsoft Edge you would prefer Internet Explorer to bounce back to," Pullen said, referring to the back-and-forth between the two browsers. "In other words, if I've chosen to launch Internet Explorer 11, and [I'm] using that switch to IE11 app mode, I need to know which version of Microsoft Edge to switch back to.

"It could be that in your environment, you're happy with Microsoft Edge on EdgeHTML, and you want to be able to fully test Microsoft Edge on Chromium before deploying, that's fine," Pullen continued.

Participants in Microsoft's Edge Insider program - the preview program for the full-Chromium Edge - may run multiple versions of the browser on a device, whether two or more of the previews or one or more preview and the original Edge. (The latter is what Pullen talked about when he mentioned "EdgeHTML," the name of that version's Microsoft-made rendering engine.)

It was unclear whether multiple Edges would be available and supported once the full-Chromium version is finalized. Pullen implied that at some point users would no longer see two when he referred to returning to EdgeHTML-based Edge while still testing the full-Chromium Edge.

A bit later in the video Pullen doubled down, again limiting Chromium Edge to a preview phase. "You need to decide, 'Is it okay if we choose the Beta version of Microsoft Edge on Chromium, or do I fall back to Microsoft Edge using EdgeHTML if the Beta version is not available?'" Pullen posed.

But what's the end game?

Two IE11s, two Edges. Is Microsoft really going to let its browsers multiply like rabbits?

In the short term, yes. But the long game is to wean users off IE entirely. "We want to give you the tools that you need to be able to limit how and when and where your users get to Internet Explorer, and Internet Explorer Mode is an important step in that journey," Pullen said.

"Obviously, as you upgrade your web applications to modern standards, you can continue to limit more and more and more where Internet Explorer is running," he added.

The trouble with that message is it's one Microsoft has been transmitting since Windows 10's mid-2015 launch and the early 2016 reduction in browser support that triggered massive desertions from IE's user base.

Pullen acknowledged as much. "There's still a need for Internet Explorer even though our guidance for years has been ... ((to alleviate)) yourself of the dependency on Internet Explorer," he said.
Indian youth in Singapore charged for defaulting on national service obligations

An Indian youth who is a permanent resident in Singapore is facing trial in a Court for defaulting on his compulsory national service obligations for more than five years and remaining outside Singapore without a valid exit permit.

25-year old Thirumal Pavithran has been charged in the Court with four counts of leaving Singapore without a valid permit before he eventually returned and started his full-time National Service (NS) in May 2017.

Notably, National Service is compulsory for male Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) who are above 18 years of age.

25-year old Thirumal Pavithran has been charged in the Court for defaulting on his compulsory national service obligations for more than five years and remaining outside Singapore without a valid exit permit. Photo courtesy: Wikimedia

It was alleged that Thirumal has defaulted on his NS obligations for a total duration of five years, seven months and 16 days.

According to the charge sheets, Thirumal first left Singapore on November 1, 2010, for a period of 10 months and 27 days. He returned on September 28, 2011, but left Singapore again on October 5 that year, this time for a year and 11 days. He came back to the country on October 16, 2012.

On October 24, 2012, Thirumal left Singapore for three years, one month and 29 days. He came back on December 22, 2015, before going overseas eight days later, on December 30, 2015.

He came back to Singapore on July 8, 2016, and enlisted into full-time NS on May 13, 2017. He will finish his full-time service on Sunday, MINDEF confirmed.

For such kind of offences, the Attorney-General's Chambers pressed for a custodial sentence of 10 to 12 weeks' imprisonment.

The Ministry of Defence takes a firm stand against those who commit offences under the Enlistment Act, said Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

It has reminded all male Singapore citizens and PRs that they have a duty to serve NS.

If we allow Singapore Citizens or PRs who are overseas to evade NS or to choose when they want to serve NS, we are not being fair to the vast majority of our national servicemen who serve their country dutifully, and the institution of NS will be undermined, it said.

The case will come back to court on May 23. If found guilty, Thirumal will be liable to a maximum fine of SGD10,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both, for each charge.
May warned against yet another round of indicative votes

T

Prime Minister to unveil shock new vote plan  Daily Express

Brexit delayed by a month as elections scupper hopes of Labour pact  The Sun

heresa May has been warned that she could end up with an Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Brexit deal that no-one wants if she presses ahead with plans to give MPs a new round of so-called indicative votes. The Prime Minister is preparing to hold the votes in the next fortnight if Brexit talks with Labour collapse, and wants to find a mechanism that would force Parliament to choose a way forward, rather than risking another stalemate. One of the methods under consideration is to make MPs rank the alternative Brexit outcomes in order of preference, so that second and third preference votes are counted if no one option gets a majority.  Daily Telegraph

More:

Prime Ministers Euro leaflet shames MPs who blocked her deal  The Times

May frozen out of decision over Junckers successor  Daily Telegraph

I miss her, he says  The Guardian

Customs union could cost Brits 800 each, Remainers admit  The Sun

Comment:

Eurocrats remind us why we voted for Brexit  Iain Martin, The Times

>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Corbyn  Its actually quite difficult, negotiating with a disintegrating Government

whilst Fox and Harper sympathise with Tories who want to vote for the Brexit Party

Liam Fox has said he sympathises with Tories who are considering voting for Nigel Farages Brexit Party in the Euro elections. He insisted he would be campaigning for Conservative candidates the election is about more than one issue. But he said voters were right to feel frustrated for having to take part in the European Parliament elections three years after voting for Brexit Former Tory chief whip Mark Harper also sympathised with Tory voters wooed by Mr Farage. In an interview with the House magazine he said: I can completely understand why people who have voted for us regularly might not vote for us.  The Sun

Tory MPs backing Farage?  The Sun

Grieve faces fresh deselection bid  Daily Express

Comment:

Heckling May was the only way to get her to listen to grassroots anger  Stuart Davies, Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday: Richard Kelly in Comment: Brexit has exposed the age-old clash between liberalism and democracy

Sam Gyimah: To beat Farage, we must embrace the political rally

Tories can only survive as the party of no deal  Fraser Nelson, Daily Telegraph

A lot of the media coverage of these events talks about why mainstream politicians should be terrified of what this new approach is tapping into. There is no reason to panic. We need to break the spell Nigel Farage has cast over politics in the UK. We should embrace the politics of the rally and play Farage at his own game. To cut through to the public at this time of flux, its no longer sufficient for MPs to deliver the pre-prepared soundbite in an interview, brief out speeches and post the odd video on social media. This new phenomenon is based on the understanding that politics is a dialogue, not a monologue, with a live and dynamic audience.  Times Red Box

>Yesterday: Garvan Walshes column: A lesson from Spain. If a conservative party moves to the right, it fails.

Leadership 1) Mordaunt says addressing treatment of Ulster veterans is a personal priority

Penny Mordaunt has said that addressing legacy killings in Northern Ireland is a personal priority for her, amid a growing row within the Conservative Party over the treatment of veterans. The new Defence Secretary has promised to resolve the controversy surrounding the prosecution of former service personnel, warning the issue has dragged on for far too long. Her pledge to deal with the issue came hours after Johnny Mercer, a prominent Tory MP, announced he was effectively going on strike until Theresa May ended the abhorrent process of pursuing veterans over allegations that in some cases date back several decades.  Daily Telegraph

Hint at amnesty from leadership hopeful  The Guardian

Government lawyers beg Hague judges to agree ten-year limit  The Sun

Editorial:

Ministers must stop throwing veterans to the wolves  The Sun

>Today: ToryDiary: Next Tory Leader. The women factor.

Leadership 2) McVey is running

Gauke signals he might run to stop populist Johnson  Daily Mail

Brexiteer Esther McVey today became the latest Tory to announce a run for No10. The ex-Cabinet minister revealed she will put her name forward to replace Theresa May as party leader and PM. And she vowed to reopen talks on Brexit to remove the hated Irish backstop from the existing deal. Ms McVey joins a crowded field of at least 15 candidates vying to become Prime Minister after Mrs May quits The former Work and Pensions Secretary praised Mrs May as dutiful but insisted its now time for the PM to stand down Ms McVey quit the Cabinet last year in protest at the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Mrs May.  The Sun

Comment:

He may be too late to stop the next leader going for no deal  Asa Bennett, Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday:

Leadership 3) Hammond wants contest concluded as quickly as possible

Philip Hammond said the forthcoming Tory leadership contest must be concluded as quickly as possible once Theresa May has resigned as pressure continued to grow on the Prime Minister to quit. Numerous leadership rivals have already started jostling for position in the battle to take over from Mrs May with Esther McVey, the former work and pensions secretary, the latest figure to formally announce her candidacy. Mrs May is yet to set a date for her departure despite increasing anger among Tory Eurosceptic MPs but Mr Hammond said that when the time comes her successor should be put in place swiftly.  Daily Telegraph

Tories at odds over how long to let May remain Prime Minister  FT

Farage wants her in post to drive Brexit Party recruitment  The Sun

Comment:

This pageant is out of touch with reality  Leo McKinstry, Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday: Profiles: The unusual Rory Stewart, self-declared contender for the Tory leadership

Rudd softens benefit sanctions

Anger as Government pays out 2.3 billion to welfare cheats  The Sun

The maximum financial sanctions for benefit claimants have been cut to six months, in the latest softening of the UKs benefits regime by Amber Rudd. In a speech on Thursday that is widely seen as an effort to raise her political profile ahead of the expected Conservative party leadership contest, the Work and Pensions secretary explicitly linked the shift to her values as a centrist one nation Tory. I feel very strongly about making sure that the policies of this department are fair, compassionate and that they work for everybody, she said. Staff in jobcentres and other officials working for the Department for Work and Pensions currently have the right to reduce or halt access to benefits for up to three years if claimants fail to fulfil various conditions, such as demonstrating that they are seeking work.  FT

More:

Work & Pensions Secretary unimpressed by parade of Tory wives  The Times

Rudd clashes with Farage on Question Time  Daily Express

>Yesterday: MPs Etc.: Better access, opportunities and protections. Rudds employment speech. Full text.

May reshuffles junior ministers

Andrew Murrison has been promoted to the role of Foreign Office minister after Alistair Burt quit the government in March over Brexit. Mr Burt suggested earlier this week that he would like the role back, given it had been left vacant since he stepped down in March As part of a small reshuffle on Thursday, Robert Buckland moved from the role of solicitor general to a minister of state at the ministry of justice. He was replaced by Lucy Frazer, formally the under secretary of state at the ministry of justice. Paul Maynard, a Government whip, has replaced Ms Frazer.  FT

Gauke may overturn Graylings probation reforms

Brokenshire hits out at property firms over tower block cladding  The Guardian

Remain alliance for Peterborough by-election collapses in rancour

David Gauke, the justice secretary, is preparing to renationalise probation after a partial privatisation by Chris Grayling that a watchdog branded irredeemably flawed. Under the proposals the supervision of tens of thousands of offenders will be taken over by the state-run probation service. Private sector companies will provide treatment programmes and other help to criminals. In 2014 Mr Grayling created 21 private sector firms to supervise medium and low-risk offenders, with the state run National Probation Service managing those deemed a high risk.  The Times

A plan by Remain campaigners to unite behind a single candidate in the Peterborough by-election has collapsed in chaos and bitter recriminations. The Liberal Democrats, Greens and the new Change UK group of breakaway MPs planned to unite behind an independent pro-EU candidate to replace the disgraced Fiona Onasanya. Their hopes ended in farce when the candidate pulled out at the 11th hour. It was understood to be Femi Oluwole, a law graduate and member of the Our Future, Our Choice group. The spat left Change UK without a candidate, although the Lib Dems and Greens were each able to field one.  The Times

Lib Dems mocked for profane slogan  The Sun

as Cable insists theyre being under-estimated  The Guardian

Brexit tears apart major parties support ahead of poll  FT

Labour:

Second referendum would heal country, says Corbyn  The Times

as he targets migrant-baiters at campaign launch  FT

Corbyn snubs Remainers by respecting result  The Sun

Comment:

Labour leader was a slave to his script  Henry Deedes, Daily Mail

Avoiding Brexit wont spare Labour from a kicking  Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph

Change UK must up its game  Penny Andrews, Times Red Box

My fellow Remainers should be scared of the Brexit Party  Ralph Leonard, Daily Telegraph

Lib Dems crude slogan may just work  Stefan Stern, The Guardian

>Today: Stewart Jackson in Comment: In Peterborough, one Tory candidate once floored an opponent. The coming contest may be no less exciting.

>Yesterday:

SNP refuses to exclude teachers and police officers from controversial parking charge

Nationalists close attainment gap by levelling down  Daily Telegraph

Teachers and police officers will not have a national exemption from a controversial workplace parking tax agreed by the SNP and Greens, under plans lodged in the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Greens tabled amendments to a Transport Bill, agreed with the Scottish Government, that will allow councils to introduce the new levy. They included a national exemption for hospitals and NHS properties and, following complaints from doctors and charities, specified this should include GP practices and hospices. Blue badge holders will also not have to pay the charge but pleas by teachers and other groups that they should be extended the same privilege fell on deaf ears.  Daily Telegraph

Comment:

Measured return shows Davidson is no one-trick pony  Alan Cochrane, Daily Telegraph

Jones loses bid to introduce new evidence at inquest into ex-ministers suicide

The former Welsh first minister, Carwyn Jones, has lost a high court attempt to have text messages relating to the behaviour of a minister he sacked heard at his inquest. Jones argued that the texts could shed light on why Carl Sargeant took his own life four days after being dismissed as a Welsh government minister following allegations of inappropriate conduct towards women. The texts, between two prominent north Wales Labour councillors, allegedly suggest that Sargeant had done something that could have led to a prison sentence. But the high court in Cardiff ruled that the coroner hearing Sargeants inquest, John Gittins, had been right to exclude the text messages.  The Guardian

News in Brief:
Last month, we highlighted how Theresa May was struggling to plug gaps in her Government, with several ministerial posts and a raft of PPS positions going unfilled.

Soon after that she embarked on a round of appointments, and yesterday evening the Prime Minister rounded this off with a small number of further appointments.

First, Luzy Frazer (QC) has been moved from the Ministry of Justice to be made Solicitor General, replacing Robert Buckland who takes the opposite journey. As our editor pointed out this morning, Frazer is now well-positioned to take over from Geoffrey Cox as Attorney General at some point in the future.

Meanwhile Dr Andew Murrison is taking up ministerial posts at the Foreign Office and Department for International Development, putting an end to speculation that Alistair Burt might return to the role.

He is part of what is an important constituency for the Prime Minister: pro-Brexit Conservative MPs who are not, as far as we know, aligned with the European Research Group. As a former minister he will also be able to swiftly get to grips with the role, which is all the more important given the potentially short lifespan of this ministry.

Both of these therefore seem to be sensible, well-judged appointments  from someone who once aspired to make Karen Bradle Home Secretary. Mays lack of room for manoeuvre continues to serve the country well.
Stewart Jackson: In Peterborough, one Tory candidate once floored an opponent. The coming contest may be no less exciting.

Stewart Jackson was MP for Peterborough from 20015-2017, is a former President of Peterborough Conservative Association and is a Peterborough resident.

So the battle for Peterborough has begun, with the Parliamentary by-election fixed for Thursday 6th June: D Day. It will be an historic event  the first Parliamentary election triggered by a recall petition arising from the Recall of MPs Act 2015, following the conviction of Fiona Onasanya for perverting the course of justice, the second Labour MP to fall foul of a law court in the last 20 years.

Soon, Conservative MPs and other party activists will be implored to travel to the city to help out our candidate, Paul Bristow  who, as it happens, is a proper dedicated Brexiteer, having been a borough organiser for Vote Leave in London in 2016. Paul is a local, however, having been brought up in nearby Whittlesey, and is a former Chairman of Peterborough YCs. He has pledged to campaign on our 2017 manifesto, not the Prime Ministers substandard Withdrawal Agreement deal.

As the MP for the city seat for twelve years between 2005 and 2017, I suppose I am as good a guide as anyone to the constituency, local issues and the campaign ahead.

Perversely, having secured the second best vote share increase of any defeated Conservative MP and polling almost 47 per cent of the vote, plus recording the highest Tory vote since 1992, I did none the less lose! This was partly a function of my or our own (slight) complacency, but mainly a consequence of the antipathy of the significant BME population, and of previous blue collar UKIP voters returning in high numbers to their ancestral Labour home, having been promised that the party would honour the referendum resultand of course, of the lamentable Conservative national campaign.

However, Peterborough is still a viable prospect for a Conservative gain  or indeed a strong Brexit Party challenge or even a Labour hold. Brexit will dominate the hustings, since the city voted 61 per cent to Leave. Its no longer the Middle England bellweather seat it once was during the 1960s and 1970s, when it was a much more divided Town v Country constituency, holding the record in 1966 for the smallest Commons majority for Sir Harmar Nicholls  three votes after seven recounts!

Twice since it has gone with a party that didnt form the government (in 2005 and in 2017). Casual observers will have assumed from last weeks local election results that the Conservative Party fared badly  but it wasnt so. Although we lost overall control of the city council, the losses were in North West Cambridgeshire. In Peterborough, we actually outpolled Labour in the cumulative popular vote and swopped one council gain for one loss. The seat is almost wholly urban with just one rural ward east of the city centre.

Historically, Labour have underperformed in the city, and only in one year (1997) have they achieved more than 50 per cent of the vote. Their council group as little as ten years ago was down to low single figures.

The constituency is made up of twelve wards (two thirds of the Peterborough City Council area) on the north bank of the River Nene, at the heart of which is the medieval magnificence of Peterborough Cathedral. Every January, the Spanish Ambassador travels to the city to lay a pomegranate wreath on the tomb of both an English and Spanish Queen  Katherine of Aragon. Its a regional hub with good train and road links and so theres no excuse not to pay a visit.

Peterborough doesnt look much like a Tory seat. It has a few pleasant suburbs and some rural hinterland, but the four or five wards in central Peterborough are a tough landscape for Conservatives. It is much poorer, less healthy and more unskilled than most Conservative constituencies, and has a big black and minority ethnic population  mainly Pakistani diaspora as well as several thousand Eastern European economic migrants exercising their free movement rights.

Indeed, it has fewer White British residents than Huddersfield, Leicester West, Derby South and Dewsbury  all solid or safe Labour seats. Employment is in warehousing, retail, logistics and food processing and packaging. It was one of only two urban areas (the other being Swindon) which never achieved the aspiration of establishing its own bespoke university, although Peterborough now has a satellite campus of Anglia Ruskin University.

That said, we have low unemployment and falling welfare dependency. The city centre has been rejuvenated in recent years and we have some of the finest open spaces of any British city, a legacy of Harold Wilsons New Towns policy and Peterborough Development Corporation. Peterborough is home to Thomas Cook, Perkins Engines and the Meerkat (i.e. BGL Insurance) was born in the city.

Big local issues, as in other urban areas, are housing and education. Peterboroughs primary school results are terrible, and have been for many years. This is a problem that has proven intractable, not least because of the proliferation of academies which have yet to drive major improvements, but nevertheless blur the lines of accountability and make strategic coordination by the City Council extremely challenging.

In addition, mass EU migration and other demographic challenges have a big impact: seven in ten primary school children in the constituency dont speak English as their first language, and that is a tough nut to crack for even the most inspiring educational leaders. Crime and in particular drugs-related offences and county lines are ever present as policing issues.

Undoubtedly, the by-election will be the scene of one of the most exciting electoral contests since the war. Were used to rough and tumble, having been electing MPs to the Commons since 1542. In 1906, one candidate for that years general election had their carriage set alight by opponents and, in 1970, Harmar Nichols knocked out a trades union shop steward at a lively outdoor hustings at an engineering plant.

It just may be as exciting in the run-up to polling day this year too.
I voted for UKIP once. Twice actually, now I come to think of it.

It had a mission. Indeed, it was more of a campaign than a political party. Its purpose was to persuade the government to whole a referendum on EU membership. It was fantastically successful. Without UKIP and, in particular, without Nigel Farage the vote would never have happened.

But since Farages departure from UKIPs leadership, the party has changed. Brexit has become a side issue for them. Taking Islam to task has now become its main mission under a leader, Gerard Batten, who has taken the party in a totally different direction.

Fairly or not, UKIP is now seen as a party which tolerates Islamophobia. When Batten appointed Tommy Robinson as an official adviser, it triggered Farage, along with many others, to quit the party he was instrumental in forming.

But the straw that has broken the back for many others is the selection of Carl Benjamin, also known as Sargon of Akkad (no, really) as the partys number two candidate in the South West. He has styled himself as an edgy social media comedy act who specialises in causing gratuitous offence.

Jess Phillips has been one of his main targets. Having said on Twitter he wouldnt even rape her, he has since added that under pressure I might cave if he had a few beers. Gerard Batten and other UKIP luminaries have defended his conduct, saying that he was just being humorous. My sides are literally splitting.

Alongside a police investigation into his comments, there is now a Change.org petition, supported by Jess Phillips, calling for Benjamin to be banned as a candidate, and to change the law to ensure that people like him are not allowed to stand in future elections.

This is ridiculous. It is a fundamental democratic right for an individual, no matter how distasteful, to put themselves up for election, and I would defend anyones right to do that. What I do not defend, though, is UKIPs decision to double down and stand by him. It is up to political parties who they endorse as their candidates, and the voters will judge them on that. I hope a damning verdict is issued when it comes to voting on 23 May.

Having said all that, let me for once say something nice about UKIP. Shock horror. Their slogan for the European Elections is Tell them Again. Its inspired. Almost as good as Take Back Control.

         

Its all getting very messy. The 1922 Committee demands a timetable from Theresa May for her departure. She seems reluctant to give it. Then Graham Brady goes on TV to sort of tell us that she has given him a timetable  but that he cant divulge it.

Shes now meeting the Executive of the 1922 Committee next week. No doubt she will just rehearse her bear with me mantra and explain shes still best placed to deliver Brexit.

I have no doubt she genuinely believes it herself. What else can she do? But given the worse than expected council election results, I fully expect these to be surpassed by a most dreadful night for the Conservatives on Sunday May 26th, when the European election votes are counted.

I think the Tories are unlikely to get more than 15 per cent of the vote, and the share may well be lower than 10 ten per cent. Could any Prime Minister survive that? I fear we are about to find out.

         

Bollocks to Brexit. Thats the title of the Liberal Democrat EU Election manifesto. This from the party that constantly bangs on about grown-up politics.

OK, theyll get some coverage on social media for it, but it wont get a mention on broadcast media before the 9pm watershed, because bollocks is a banned word. I get around it sometimes by using the word grollocks. Everyone knows what I mean, but no one can pull me up for it.

At least the LibDems have a consistent position. They normally cover a number of positions, so they can appeal to voters in different parts of the country but, on this issue, theyve ceded that ground to Labour  which has become the party of Remain in the south and the party of Brexit in the North. Voters are starting to see through this ridiculous position, though.
60%

Website air-moldova.it uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery and Boostrap. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 290263 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 50988 bytes (49.79 kb uncompressed) and 9756 bytes (9.53 kb compressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-10-25, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
Congratulations, bravoavia.com.ua got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Bravoavia.com.ua scored 100 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 3 Sep 2019, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the bravoavia homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the bravoavia homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the bravoavia homepage on Twitter + the total number of bravoavia followers (if bravoavia has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the bravoavia homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the bravoavia homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if bravoavia has a Facebook fan page).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Browser not supported DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS browser, please,



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER nginx/1.11.2 OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Type of server and offered services. The language of bravoavia.com.ua as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0)

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for bravoavia.com.ua by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
100%

Website ekav.info uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 51239 bytes (50.04 kb uncompressed) and 9847 bytes (9.62 kb compressed).

This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-11-24, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
Congratulations, plus.google.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Plus.google.com scored 83 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 4/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 4 Sep 2019, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the plus.google homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if plus.google has a Facebook fan page). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the plus.google homepage on Twitter + the total number of plus.google followers (if plus.google has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the plus.google homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the plus.google homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the plus.google homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Browser not supported - Google+ DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS browser, not supported, supported, google,



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER ESF OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. The language of plus.google.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for plus.google.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Have you ever asked God a question, only to receive an answer you didn't expect? As we read this amazing encounter in the book of Joshua, we see that God tends to answer our questions with what we need to hear instead of what we expect to hear.

Facing the Unfamiliar

In Joshua 5, something new is about to unfold in the lives of God's people. After the desert wanderings with Moses, they are walking into a new moment. The nation of Israel, now led by Joshua, is finally ready to enter the Promised Land. The covenant promise is now being fulfilled.

There is both excitement and nervousness among the people, as it is clear that the new promise also means a new kind of conflict. Although the land has been promised to Israel, it does not mean that there will not be opposition. The battle lines are being drawn, and nations are lining up for Israel or against them. Taking the Promised Land will not be easy, and it will require fighting.

It is in this tense moment that Joshua has a fascinating encounter with an angelic being:

"When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand." -Joshua 5:13

In this moment of high emotions, Joshua runs across a man with a sword. Who wouldn't be a little unnerved by this? There is generally no reason to draw a sword unless you are planning to use it. Yet this man is in the middle of Joshua's camp, sword drawn, so there is something unusual going on here.

Whose Side are You On?  The Wrong Question

Joshua wants to know if this man is an enemy or a friend, so he asks him,

"And Joshua went to him and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries? -Joshua 5:13

As God's people, I feel like we are asking that same wrong question on a regular basis.

Democrat or Republican?

Christian or Atheist?

Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?

Traditional or Modern?

Calvinist or Arminian?

Egalitarian or Complementarian?

For Us or Against Us?

Sometimes we wrap it in theology, sometime in politics, but the heart of the question remains the same - are you like me or are you different? We ask the question of one another, and we even ask it of God. It honestly seems like the obvious question for Joshua to ask - ' hey you there with the sword, whose side are you on? Yet, it was the wrong question.

The Answer We Dont Expect

Joshua asked, Are you for us or for our adversaries?, and he was expecting an "us or them" answer. Joshua plans to fight this guy or embrace him as a friend. It is an either/or scenario. Or is it?

"And he said, No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come. -Joshua 5:14

Did you get that? He doesn't answer "for you" or "for them". He answers...."No." The answer doesn't fit the question. It's like asking someone if they are hot or cold, and they say 'no'. His answer suggests that Joshua asked the wrong question, and there is another conversation that needs to be had.

What Do You Have to Tell Me?  The Correct Question

"And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, What does my lord say to his servant? -Joshua 5:14

Now we're talking. This is the question Joshua needed to ask, and the question we need to be asking. We walk around with our hand on our sword looking for enemies and friends. We keep a running list of the folks who are 'for' and 'against'. When we operate like this, we miss that the conversation in front of us demanding our attention is not with today's trending controversy.

The conversation that awaits us each morning is with the Lord. What does my Lord say to His servant? How could our lives and interactions change if this was the question that started our day? If this is the question we asked throughout the day?

Standing On Holy Ground

"And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, 'Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did so." -Joshua 5:15

The correct question changes the entire focus of the conversation. The shift has gone from 'for us or against us' to 'God, you are Holy! What do you have to say to me today?'

Before you go to to social media, go to God! Before you speak, kneel on holy ground! We learn daily that the more we saturate ourselves with 'stuff' the less effective, content, and joyful we become. We are always looking for an enemy and always in fight mode, and it is draining us down to nothing. Yet the battle belongs to the Lord, and we find peace and joy and purpose in life when we first go to him, kneel on holy ground and ask, "what do you have to say to me today, Lord?" As Joshua discovered, this is the right question to ask daily.

Jason Soroski is a homeschool dad and author of A Journey to Bethlehem: Inspiring Thoughts for Christmas and Hope for the New Year. He serves as worship pastor at Calvary Longmont in Colorado and spends his weekends exploring the Rocky Mountains with his family. Connect on Twitter, Instagram, or at JasonSoroski.net.

Photo credit: GettyImages/
Royal Caribbean Internationals Spectrum of the Seas has arrived in Asia, with her first call at Mumbai on May 19 as part of a 14-night sailing from Dubai to Singapore.

Next up is a call to Cochin on May 11.

The 16-deck, 168,666-ton ship is the largest ever to call in India.

To celebrate the maiden call, plaque exchanges were conducted between Spectrum of the Seas Captain Charles Teige and tourism ministry and port officials namely Honourable Minister Jaykumar Rawal, Tourism Minister of Maharashtra, Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman of Mumbai Port and Keki Master, Senior Vice President of JM Baxi.

Commenting on the arrival of Spectrum of the Seas to Mumbai Port, Varun Chadha, CEO, Tirun said, We are very excited that Spectrum of the Seas will be calling on India. She will be the largest and most innovative yet to touch Indian shores, and give some of our guests a sampler of the Royal Caribbean experience. Her deployment in Singapore in May and then in Shanghai June onwards will give Indians access to the best of cruising while visiting exciting destinations in Thailand, Malaysia and Japan.
BRIDGEPORT  A Hearst Connecticut Media reporter was briefly taken into custody Thursday night as police cracked down on a demonstration on the second anniversary of an officer-involved shooting that killed a 15-year-old city youth.

Reporter Tara ONeill was observing from the sidewalk on Fairfield Avenue as a line of police officers ordered everyone off the street. ONeill, who identified herself as a journalist, was handcuffed and taken in the back of a police cruiser to headquarters. After being detained for about 30 minutes, she was released without being charged.

The fact that a local journalist was arrested for doing her job and reporting on the actions of police and protesters is extremely troubling, and the public deserves a full explanation of how it happened and what steps will be taken to make sure that the freedom of the press and the publics right to know is not infringed upon like this in the future, Matt DeRienzo, vice president of news and digital content for Hearst Connecticut Media, said after ONeills arrest.

Tara ONeill is a dedicated reporter who is well-known to Bridgeport police and police leadership. Theres no chance this was a case of mistaken identity. They arrested a reporter while she was doing her job.

Mayor Joe Ganim called the protest a very difficult situation. Ganim told DeRienzo he didnt want to interfere or tell Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez what to do, but he said he urged the chief to consider that ONeill was not part of the protest and would be violating her job if she was doing anything other than covering the story.

ONeill had filed a story just before 8 p.m. on the protest, which had proceeded peacefully. Two years ago, 15-year-old Jayson Negron was shot and killed by Bridgeport Police Officer James Boulay.

After finishing her story, ONeill heard a police report of a 10-32 (officer needs help), calling all available officers to the scene of a disturbance on Fairfield Avenue where the protest was being held. She went back to the scene, where many of the same people had remained.

There were a ton of cops in the Walgreens parking lot, near the spot where Negron had been shot, and about 35 protesters in the middle of the street, singing and chanting, and everything was fine, ONeill said.

One of the protesters threw a candle or a glass or a vase in the direction of the cops who had lined the street, she said. It shattered in the street and the cops told them they had five minutes to clear out.

After that time elapsed, in a line formation they started walking down the street and telling people to get off the street .... they just started arresting people who werent complying, which apparently included me, because I was on the sidewalk.

ONeill said she told an officer who approached her, This is a public sidewalk and Im the press. He said OK, and cuffed me.

Many of the protesters were arrested; the exact number could not be determined Thursday night.

We were out there tonight in Bridgeport demanding justice and answers (for) Jayson, the Justice for Jayson organization said in a statement late Thursday night. Police acted without provocation and aggressively moved in on our memorial and arrested a lot of friends and family of Jayson.

Negron was shot while driving a stolen Subaru Forester on May 9, 2017. He died and a passenger in the car was wounded. Police said Boulay, who was hanging onto the door of the vehicle, opened fire when Negron backed up, endangering the officer.

A state police investigation culminated in a report by Waterbury State Attorney Maureen Platt that cleared Boulay of any criminal wrongdoing and said he was justified in firing his weapon. Members of Negrons family and others have not accepted the investigations findings, and have contended that his death was not justified.

Editors note: This story has been updated, correcting the time when reporter Tara ONeill filed her story on Thursday.
Newtown Police Department

NEWTOWN  A Derby man was charged with assault following an on-the-job dispute in Sandy Hook last week.

William C. Conroy-Delarosa, 20, was arrested last Thursday after Newtown police responded to Curtis Packaging Corporation on Berkshire Road around 6 a.m. for a reported assault.
WILTON  The Wilton High School Field House became the new home to one animal for a few nights.

School officials successfully freed a wild turkey Wednesday afternoon after several failed attempts. According to School Facilities Director Christopher Burney, the turkey had been in the rafters of the field house for two nights.

Initially school officials resorted to various tactics to lure the bird from its spot. However, Burney said both Wilton animal control and police couldnt get the bird to move. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also failed after reportedly using lettuce and watermelon to try to attract the bird.

After the unsuccessful attempts the custodians decided to call Bats Be Gone, a wildlife control company.

It took them a couple hours, but they were able to catch it using a light net, Burney said.

Once the turkey was safely captured it was released to the woods behind the school where it quickly ran off.

It mustve been hungry, Burney said. It hadnt eaten in two days.

The birds stay wasnt without consequence. Gym classes had to be rescheduled or moved outside due to the lurking bird. In addition to this, the birds droppings were found. While most of the gym has been sanitized some droppings remained in the rafters. Burney said custodians are working to finish the cleanup, but the droppings are in a tough area to reach.

We may have to wait for a lift to get up high, he said.

Now, the administration is looking to see if they can identify the students responsible by using security camera tapes. Two unidentified students were captured on video outside the school guiding the bird into the building, Burney said. If identified, their punishment could deter others from doing a similar act, he added.

If we can identify them were going to send them a bill for the cleanup and overtime, Burney said.

dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com
BRIDGEPORT  The 11 people arrested after a demonstration on the second anniversary of police fatally shooting a 15-year-old boy have been released, after each posted a $5,000 bond.

Meanwhile, police used prepared statements Friday to give their account of what happened Thursday night, including the detention of a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter, who was was handcuffed and taken to police department in a squad car after shooting video of the scene from the sidewalk on Fairfield Avenue.

In the video, journalist Tara ONeill is heard identifying herself as a news reporter before she was taken into custody. She was later released without any charges.

Those who were charged  with inciting a riot, interfering with police and second-degree breach of peace  have arraignments scheduled in Superior Court in two weeks.

All 11 of us are home safe. Thank yall. I love yall. We love yall. I dont got much words but power to the people, Kerry Ellington, one of those arrested, posted on Facebook. The system protects the local police collective bargaining agreement, the police union contracts, and the system values it over black and brown lives The system needs to be held accountable on a local, statewide and federal level. On all levels. State sanctioned violence must end. Its not okay.

Jayson Negron was shot by Bridgeport Police Officer James Boulay on May 9, 2017, after a brief pursuit in a stolen vehicle, according to a report by Waterbury States Attorney Maureen Platt.

She said Negron had turned the wrong way down a one-way street and put the vehicle in reverse as Boulay approached and pulled open the drivers side door. Platt said the door hit Boulay and he fired his gun into the vehicle, fatally shooting Negron and wounding his passenger.

Boulay was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by Platt.

Police Chief Armando Perez did not immediately return calls for comment on Friday. Police released a summary of the incident report.

At approximately 8:10 p.m. the remaining protesters at Walgreens became increasingly agitated and threw a bottle at officers on scene, the report said. Officers stayed in position and looked for recognizable Bridgeport community members who could assist in a dialogue. No one was visible. Another glass object was thrown at an officer, and the crowd remained agitated and yelling obscenities at the police officers.

For public safety purposes, BPD informed the unruly protesters that they had five minutes to disperse due to the unruly assembly, the report continued. The crowd did not comply and continued to be unruly and grew louder. Officers moved in fairly quickly to maintain safety and detained 12 individuals. All of the individuals detained we arrested because they did not comply or disperse.

While at BPD headquarters, an arresting officer was advised that one of the detainees was a member of the press. The reporter, wearing plain street clothes and no clearly visible identifying markers other than an ID name badge, was released without a summons, as she was not part of the organizers, the summary continued.

Arrested were Ellington, of New Haven; Thomas Bostian, of New Haven Britney Brevard, of New Haven; Jenna Fu, of Bridgeport; Kiana McDavid, of Hartford; Sam Morbidelli, of New Haven; Kacey Perkins, of Fairfield; Sarah Pimenta, of Milford; Brenna Regan, of Fairfield; Maria Sandoval, of New Haven, and Michael Merli, of Bridgeport.

The Connecticut Daily Newspapers Association condemned ONeills detention.

The CDNA and its member papers across the state place its full support in Tara ONeill and CDNA Member, Hearst Connecticut Media, said Chris VanDeHoef, the organizations executive director. Arresting a reporter who is covering a public protest, on a public sidewalk, shows a blatant disregard for the First Amendment. The city of Bridgeport Police Department needs to evaluate how it trains its officers on interacting with a working reporter while on duty. Arresting a working reporter for covering police actions has a chilling effect on the First Amendment. We praise Ms. ONeill and her dogged reporting and hope the City of Bridgeport works harder to appreciate our nations First Amendment Rights.

Bruno Matarazzo, president of the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, issued the following statement:

The fact that Bridgeport police found it appropriate to arrest a reporter is disturbing. Tara ONeill was reporting on Thursdays protest to write a news story. She was not a participant, and identified herself as a reporter when an officer handcuffed her. The fact that someone can be arrested in Bridgeport for the lawful exercise of a First Amendment right is chilling.
BRIDGEPORT  As the citys police department faced new allegations Friday of overreaction, local lawmakers questioned whether previously promised reforms were just rhetoric.

Were reassured by the city attorneys and ... by Chief (Armando) Perez that de-escalation training is happening and moving forward wonderfully, City Councilman Kyle Langan said. But we consistently see the pattern continues.

Langan drove downtown to police headquarters Thursday evening to join protestors outside following the arrests of 11 people at a demonstration commemorating the 2017 shooting death of Jayson Negron, 15, who was killed by a rookie cop.

None of the mourners last night had weapons, Langan said. The only people with weapons were the police who came out in force. Whos escalating that situation?

State Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, who is running against fellow Democrat Mayor Joe Ganim, was in the crowd outside of police headquarters.

Im disappointed in how the police handled it, Moore said, adding she tried to phone Perez around 11 p.m. and Ganim around midnight, hoping one or both might speak with the protestors.

The mayor was unresponsive and so was Chief Perez, Moore said. Im disappointed and pretty much disgusted with both of them. It was a missed opportunity to fix some stuff. It would have been an opportunity to heal.

There have been precious few such opportunities, with the police department and Perez buffeted by controversies that further damage relations with the community.

Last month, for example, Officer Christina Arroyo was suspended 90 days for repeatedly punching a teenager in the head during a minor traffic accident in 2017.

Even as Thursday nights events were unfolding, in Perezs third-floor office, members of the appointed Police Commission were continuing closed-door disciplinary hearings resulting from an Internal Affairs probe that found 17 officers violated various department policies when breaking up a 2017 party.

Commission Chairman Daniel Roach did not want to comment Friday on the response to the Negron protest in case it comes before that board. But Roach said, It is concerning.

To others, as well.

I think certainly these (officers) have a very tough job to do. But the department right now is under a lot of stress and, rightly, a lot of scrutiny based on a series of incidents over the last several years, state Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, a co-chairman of the legislatures Judiciary Committee. With respect to last night and maybe some of the other incidents weve seen ... I wonder how much thought is going into how to de-escalate tension and how to defuse some of the public sentiment or concern that is out there right now.

Perezs critics have argued he is not fit to be chief. Ganim added fuel to that perception late last month when he announced the hiring of a $25,000 consultant  former Philadelphia Police Commissioner and ex-Washington, D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey  to help make improvements to the department.

Asked whether Perezs management  Ganim first made him to acting chief three years ago  is to blame for the issues surrounding Bridgeports Finest, Stafstrom said, I tend to think its bigger than him. ... But there certainly is a pattern of these incidents over the last several years.

In 2013, for example, the department under Chief Joseph Gaudett and Mayor Bill Finch faced similar questions about training when a video of a 2011 arrest at Beardsley Park surfaced showing officers kicking and stomping on a suspect who had been subdued with a stun gun.

Stafstrom took issue with the arrest Thursday night of a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter who was covering the Negron event. That journalist, Tara ONeill, was released without being charged.

I dont think a police department should arrest somebody who identifies themselves as a journalist, Stafstrom said. There are any number of ways in which that situation could have been handled without putting her in cuffs.

State Rep. Charlie Stallworth, D-Bridgeport, helped, with Perez and other allies, elect Ganim in 2015. But this year Stallworth launched his own campaign for mayor.

Stallworth said the police departments response to Thursday nights protest displayed a deep lack of insensitivity.

We need a police department thats part of our community, not one out arresting people for protesting for right, Stallworth said.

Perezs supporters, Ganim included, have said his long career with the department, which began in 1983, and the resultant deep connections to the community make him an ideal chief.

But Stallworth argued Bridgeport police still do not do enough to bring the officers together with the people they are supposed to serve and protect.

Until we have a real true sense of community policing  not just on paper, not just conversation, but a real, true sense in which police and community are working in conjunction  were going to have these things (happen), Stallworth said.

The chief and the mayor need to sit down with some of those people (at the Negron event), Moore said. It shouldnt be a shouting match. Sit down and talk about what happened. This is an open wound.
HAMDEN  Town residents said 66 percent to 11 percent that an April 16 shooting incident involving a Hamden police officer was not justified, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released Wednesday, but approve 62 percent to 29 percent of the job Hamden police are doing.

The shooting happened around 4:20 a.m. April 16, when Officer Devin Eaton and Yale University police Officer Terrance Pollock opened fire on a vehicle stopped near Dixwell Avenue and Argyle Street in New Haven. According to Connecticut State Police, Hamden police were investigating a report of an armed robbery at the Gas and Go station on Arch Street in that town. Elliot Spector, a lawyer for Eaton, said his client thought the driver of the Honda, Paul Witherspoon, had a gun in his hand as he got out of the car, so Eaton opened fire.

Spector said Eaton had the license plate number of the vehicle, so he was sure that the vehicle he saw on Argyle Street was the one suspected to have been involved in the reported robbery.

But Eaton was unaware that Pollock had followed him to the scene, Spector said. When Eaton heard additional gunfire, Spector said, he believed Witherspoon was shooting at him and he took off running down the block.

The shooting injured passenger Stephanie Washington, 22. Her boyfriend, Witherspoon, 21, was driving the vehicle and was uninjured. Washingtons injuries were non-life-threatening.

Residents said the shooting was not justified, according to 88 percent of black residents, 60 percent of white residents and 68 percent of Hispanic residents;

The Quinnipiac poll also found pronounced racial differences in attitudes about Hamden police.

Overall approval of Hamden police is 50 percent to 43 percent among black residents, 67 percent to 26 percent among white residents and 66 percent to 24 percent among Hispanic residents.The strongest support for police is that 79 percent of Hamden residents said they can trust local police to do what is right. That includes 85 percent among white residents, 67 percent among black residents and 78 percent among Hispanic residents.

Eighty-five percent of Hamden residents said local police should make greater efforts to build relationships with communities of color. That included 82 percent of white residents, 94 percent of black residents and 85 percent of Hispanic residents.

This survey suggests that Hamdenites regard the incident as an aberration, rather than indicative of how the Hamden Police Department operates, Quinnipiac University School of Law professor William Dunlap said in a release.

These differences among racial groups seem to be typical of attitudes reported in other cities in the wake of police shootings around the country, Dunlap said.

Fifty-two percent of residents also said they would like to see more walking or biking police patrols in their neighborhood. Support for more walking or biking police patrols was 49 percent for white residents, 63 percent among black residents and 63 percent among Hispanic residents.

There was a striking racial division as 66 percent of black Hamden residents said they personally worry about being the victim of police violence, compared to 12 percent of white residents and 39 percent of Hispanic residents.

Police mistreatment of people of color is a serious problem in Hamden, 31 percent of residents said. In contrast, 72 percent of Hamden residents said police mistreatment of people of color is a serious problem in the U.S.

Forty-sevent percent of residents said local police do not have enough training to know when they need to fire their weapon.

And 93 percent of residents support the use of body cameras activated automatically by a specific action, such as when an officer opens a police car door or by the sound of gunfire.

The overwhelming public support for body cams that activate automatically will probably not be lost on the Police Department and the Legislative Council, Dunlap added. And there seems to be some public concern about levels of firearms training, as well.

Seventy percent of Hamden residents say said officers involved in the April 16 shooting should be disciplined, including 64 percent of white residents, 91 percent of black residents and 74 percent of Hispanic residents.

But only 38 percent of Hamden residents said the officers should be fired, including 30 percent of white residents, 66 percent of black residents and 44 percent of Hispanic residents. There are similar results on whether the officers should face criminal charges: 36 percent of all residents, including 28 percent of white residents, 64 percent of black residents and 38 percent of Hispanic residents, said they should face charges.
Bloomberg | Getty Images

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, my software company was devastated. Although our office is in a relatively undamaged part of San Juan, we were soon overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the disaster. Some of our team members had nowhere to stay, so they slept in our offices. Others could not make it to work over impassable roads and had to quit their jobs. Meanwhile, with 95% of our clients located in Puerto Rico and most of the island without power, our work for them came to a standstill. I wasnt sure my company, founded in 2003, was going to make it.

What saved us was something I never would have predicted but has been top of mind for me as we mark Small Business Week: a series of free entrepreneurship courses I took in the U.S. Small Business Administrations Emerging Leaders Program a few years before. One part of the training that stuck with me was how to expand outside of Puerto Rico. I learned how to get certified as a minority-owned business, so we could go after federal government projects.
A misguided assumption women sometimes have about mentors is that they should support you at every turn. I get it: We all want to "dwell where we excel, "and many of us are nurturing by nature. But as a result, we may end up with that great potential we have being held back by the societal distinctions made between men and women.

Related: 3 Common Blind Spots That Will Delay Your Success

In response, I say, figure out where youre weakest and then find a safe way to work through your weaknesses.

Some questions to ask yourself here are: How comfortable are you presenting to a team of male counterparts? Can you be persuasive? An you effective negotiator?

To improve yourself, put yourself into an uncomfortable position, i.e. find a contrarian audience. If public speaking makes you nervous, go out and speak to a tough crowd -- thats the way to strengthen your weakness.

If you want to rise to your full potential, seek out challenges that will help you grow. Here are some ideas for how you can triumph over discomfort:

1. Speak the language.

When I was hired by the advertising agency Ogilvy to grow an interactive digital team, I had to fit into a strong pre-existing culture and act as a change agent. It was a real challenge. At the agency, creatives were the kingpins, and one well-respected creative director took to saying, I used to understand what we did here until McClennan arrived.

In short, I was viewed as a threat, but his words were also a signal that I wasnt connecting with people -- I wasnt speaking their language. I needed to find ways to connect the dots.

So, I stopped using the term UX (short for "user experience," which was a totally foreign concept in the early 2000s). Instead, I used an in-house term, moments of truth, to speak to all the touchpoints in the user journey.

I got so good at translating, from tech to advertising, that I started leading workshops so other tech folks could become similarly multilingual.

Another woman who has switched up her language -- to great success -- is Michelle Obama. When her husband was first running for president, her offhand remarks about him were sometimes misconstrued as a lack of belief in his abilities, as author Rebecca Traister as described in Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger.

Clearly, the former First Lady's insights paid off; she is now Americas most admired woman, according to a national poll, and her autobiography is on track to become the best-selling memoir of all time .

2. Bond with your board.

When I was CEO of Daily Makeover, a beauty brand, not only was my board all male, its members were also very chummy with one another; and I realized that sometimes I was outside the conversation.

So, I started setting up individual dates suited to those men's interests: coffee with this one, cigars with another, and so on. Trying to find the time after startup hours to meet and bond was no simple task, and it wasnt as if we all liked one another, but I didnt let that get in the way of my mission. Building those relationships helped me become a better CEO, and if I hadnt charted a path into my male board members' territory, I would have remained where I started -- on the outside.

3. Know your worth -- and know whats possible.

Recently, a former employee got in touch for support around negotiating a pay raise at a startup, and that brought us to a larger conversation about how many roles she had taken on and whether she wanted to stick it out or move to a larger corporation.

Like many women, she was feeling undervalued, underpaid and overworked, which is when it seems "easy" to call it quits without considering all the options. Together, we went through a process where she wrote down what she loved about her company, what she hated and all the roles she had taken on.

Related: 3 Ways Women Can Close the Confidence Gap

In the end, she decided to stay after negotiating a slight pay raise, more equity and the handover of one of her roles (which she disliked) to someone else. Ultimately, she realized she was passionate about the business and wanted to stick around.

One place that this kind of re-examination of roles has gotten a lot attention is Hollywood. There, where the pay difference between male and female co-stars has been making headlines. Think about last year's revelation that actress Michelle Williams had made less than $1,000 per diem to reshoot parts of All the Money in the World while costar Mark Walberg made $1.5 million. This scenario is hardly new; the Williams/Walberg gap was simply more widely publicized.

That publicity had an impact: On Equal Pay Day on Capitol Hill this past April, Williams shared the news that in her latest role, her earnings were equal to those of her male co-star's.

4. Get to the point

Of course, women arent the only ones who suffer from communication challenges, and on that note, I happily mentor whoever seeks me out. This includes men.

A few years back, I stepped in to support the founder of a startup that was essentially a precursor to Slack. Although this man was passionate, coming up with a clear, succinct message was not his strong point, so I helped him articulate a vision that would matter to his client. Then I flew with him to Chicago to close the deal that was his immediate goal.

Conversely, there are plenty of women out there who are strong communicators (despite beliefs to the contrary). If you want to see a pro in action, go no further than Emma Walmsley, CEO of GlaxoSmithKline. She is known for her directness and reportedly begins her meetings by saying, What are we here for?

Walmsleys candid style of leadership has helped to revitalize her business, leading to a flurry of partnerships, mergers and internal reorganization.

5. Get a second opinion.

What I have seen throughout my career is that people are unable to be objective with themselves, or maybe simply unwilling. (As long as the blind spot is there, you dont have to take action.)

Related: 6 Techniques You Can Use to Boost Your Career Self-Confidence

But everyone has a blind spot; no one is alone in this. We have to keep looking for it -- in order to cultivate humility and succeed in business at the same time. And if you really cant find your own blind spot, ask your colleagues and friends. Trust me, theyll know!

Related:

#7 Tips For Women-Entrepreneurs in India: How to Balance Work and Personal Life in Today's Reality?

Want to Rise in the Workplace? Focus on Where You're the Most Uncomfortable.

5 Challenges You May Face Being a Woman Entrepreneur



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
About half of all covered workers like me in the United States are now enrolled in high-deductible health plans. Among those who get their insurance on a state health care exchange, 87 percent have these plans, which in Connecticut means the minimal deductible is $1,300 per individual or $2,600 per family before insurance even kicks in. Certainly, there is a logic behind high-deductible plans: they discourage medical care by requiring the insured patient to cover more of his or her medical expenses in exchange for lower premiums.

There is an alarming downside to these plans. People go without care. Others may seek care, but struggle to cover the costs theyve committed to pay  leaving their health care provider saddled with an unpaid debt.

These patients avoid important follow-up visits and delay potentially life-saving treatments in fear of incurring large costs owed to the medical providers that were previously paid by the health insurance companies. Their health and their relationship with their physician erodes. When insured patients are thousands of dollars in debt to their physician, they may be reluctant to seek treatment, until they are left with no other choice and turn to the emergency department at a local hospital. (By oath and by law, emergency physicians will treat any patient regardless of ability to pay.)

Studies show that even patients who need emergency care for a critical health issue will go without if they are in a high-deductible health insurance plan. This ultimately harms patients and burdens the health care system with patients seeking medical care after their condition has deteriorated.

This is why physicians across the state are advocating for insurers to serve as a single point of contact for medical billing and payments.

Take, for example, the concept of co-insurance  a variable cost related to the percentage of the cost of care associated with a physician visit. Co-insurance payments owed by the patient can only be calculated after the patient is seen or has had a procedure. They are among the surprise bills that become the responsibility of the patient. The fee cannot be estimated before consenting to the treatment. And to make matters worse, the health care insurance company requires physicians, hospitals and other providers to collect these fees from the patients they insure.

The solution is a simple one: Insurers should directly pay any coinsurance, copay or deductible for care to the health care providers and take the patient out of the insurance reimbursement equation. Health care insurance companies have the ability to collect payments from the patient. This ensures patients have a single point of contact for medical billing and payment.

There is currently a bill before the Connecticut Legislature that would change the system of high-deductible insurance policies that forces many patients to make health care decisions on cost rather than need. We urge state legislators and the people of Connecticut to support this bill.

I advocate for expanded patient protection that truly takes the patient out of the middle of billing issues that should be between insurance companies and health care providers. This includes:

Health care insurance companies ensure patients have a single point of contact for medical billing and payment, and will no longer receive or have to reconcile multiple, confusing bills and explanations of benefits;

Insurers should directly pay any coinsurance or copay deductible for care directly to the medical provider; and

Helping policyholders become better educated to understand the limits of their health insurance coverage and all potential out-of-pocket costs.

Next year, the portion of health care expenses that patients would be required to pay out of pocket could go as high as $14,000 per family. As Connecticuts Health care Advocate Ted Doolittle has pointed out, Thats a lot like having no insurance.

Its time for change. Its time for insurers to take back responsibility for health insurance payments.

Dr. B. Bryan Jordan is president of the Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians
Some social media genius at JPMorgan Chase sent out a tweet last week that created backlash for the big bank and a get off my lawn moment for this Baby Boomer.

In this case, the lawn is where the millennials and before them, Gen Xers, in my life and career grew up under my watchful, anxious eyes as a parent and as a colleague and mentor (but only when asked) in the past few decades.

The tweet was a lame attempt to poke at millennials spending habits and went like this: You: why is my balance so low. Bank account: make coffee at home. Bank account: eat the food thats already in the fridge. Bank account: you dont need a cab, its only three blocks. You: I guess well never know. Bank account: seriously?
Prosecutors in Germany say they have dropped their investigation into Hartmut Hopp, who worked as a doctor in a notorious commune in southern Chile.



Hopp was the right-hand man of Paul Schafer, a former Nazi soldier who founded Colonia Dignidad in 1961.



A court in Chile found Hopp guilty of complicity in child sex abuse committed by Schafer but the doctor fled to Germany before he could be jailed.



German prosecutors say the evidence was not enough to uphold the ruling.



Hopp's lawyer said that his client was "disgusted by the cruelties committed in Colonia Dignidad" but that he had never suspected that they were taking place.

What was Colonia Dignidad?

Colonia Dignidad was a commune set up by Paul Schafer in the remote Maule area about 350km (220 miles) south of the Chilean capital, Santiago.



Schafer ran the commune as a secretive cult with members living as virtual slaves and prevented from leaving by armed guards with dogs.



At its height, 300 Germans and Chileans were living in the 137 sq km (53 sq mile) compound surrounded by wire fencing and overlooked by a watchtower with searchlights.



Children were forced to live separately from their parents and dozens were sexually abused by Schafer.

Who was Paul Schafer?

A former officer in the Wehrmacht, the German army during World War Two, Schafer became a lay preacher in post-war Germany where he worked with at-risk children. He left Germany in 1961 after allegations of sexually abusing children were levelled against him.



He moved to southern Chile with a group of his followers and established Colonia Dignidad as a highly authoritarian agricultural commune with himself as the leader.



To the outside world, Schafer portrayed the colony as a harmonious group dedicated to farm work and providing free healthcare and education to the surrounding villagers.



But reports of abuse, torture and abductions began to emerge as early as 1966 when one of the commune's young members managed to flee to Germany.



The young man told police how he had been taken to Chile by Schafer and his group, forced to work long hours building the commune and had to endure savage beatings and sexual abuse as well as being drugged after his first two failed escape attempts.

What happened at Colonia Dignidad?

It was not just members of Schafer's sect who suffered abuse at the colony.



Under the military rule of Gen Augusto Pinochet, Colonia Dignidad became a clandestine detention centre. About 300 opponents of the regime were interrogated and tortured in its underground tunnels both by members of the Chilean secret police and Schafer's associates.



At least 100 people are thought to have been murdered at Colonia Dignidad. One of those believed to have been killed at the site is US academic Boris Weisfeiler, who went hiking in Chile in 1984.

What was Hartmut Hopp accused of?

Hopp, who is 74, ran the clinic within Colinia Dignidad. Hopp, who had moved to Chile with Schafer in 1961, was one of the very few members of the colony who was allowed to leave the compound to go abroad and study.



In the 1980s he became the right-hand man of Paul Schafer, acting as a spokesman for the colony. He was convicted by a Chilean court of complicity in the rapes and sexual abuse committed by Schafer.



He fled Chile for Germany before the sentencing. A German court upheld the Chilean ruling in 2017 and sentenced Hopp to five years in prison but the ruling was overturned by a higher court in September 2018.



The court said at the time that it had found no concrete evidence that Hopp had actively aided and abetted the abuses committed by Schafer.



However an investigation by German prosecutors continued. That investigation has now been dropped with prosecutors saying that "after exhausting all promising investigative leads, it was not possible to substantiate a sufficient suspicion under any legal aspect necessary for an indictment".

What happened to Schafer?

Schafer fled Chile in 1997 while facing a number of lawsuits over the sexual abuse of children at Colonia Dignidad. He was arrested in Argentina in 2005 and sent to jail in Chile to serve a 20-year sentence.



He died in prison aged 88 in 2010.



Colonia Dignidad changed its name to Villa Baviera in 1991 and has become a tourist resort with a German-themed restaurant and hotel. More than 100 people, many of them former members of Colonia Dignidad live at the site with many saying it is the only home they have ever known.
A lawsuit from a Kalispell woman alleges that a Butte psychiatrist's improper drug treatment has left her with an incurable physical ailment.



The psychiatrist, Dr. Bennett Braun, has settled multiple lawsuits for millions after former patients said he convinced them in therapy that they had engaged in cannibalism, child abuse, satanic rituals and even consumed meat loaf made of human flesh.



Braun, 78, never admitted wrongdoing when he was sued 11 times for claims such as that he put women into an Illinois psychiatric hospital, put them on high dosages of drugs not always tested on animals and hypnotized them a couple of decades ago. Braun faced some disciplinary action in Illinois as a result, but was back in good standing by the time he relocated to Montana.



Ciara Rehbein, 33, went to Braun on referral for anxiety and post-concussive syndrome starting in 2014 after a bad motorcycle accident on Front Street.



But Braun diagnosed her with a more extensive  and serious  list of conditions: bipolar 2 disorder, acute stress disorder, panic disorder with agoraphobia, traumatic brain injury (post-concussive syndrome) and alcoholism in remission.



Braun  the only psychiatrist in Butte, according to the Department of Labor and Industry  prescribed her an antipsychotic medication called Geodon, which is known to cause serious and permanent movement disorders.



After a while, Rehbein says, she began to experience uncontrollable facial movements. She says she told Braun.



I tried to talk to him about that, Rehbein said during an interview late last year. He said, Thats just a little dyskinesia.



Dyskinesia refers to tardive dyskinesia, a disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary and purposeless movements and caused by prolonged use of neuroleptic drugs like Geodon, according to WebMD.com.



In response to her issues with Geodon, Rehbein says Braun told her, Well try something else.



That "something else" was Seroquel, according to the complaint. And Seroquel is another drug that has been identified as a potential cause of tardive dyskinesia, according to WebMD.com. Seroquel is also a neuroleptic drug.



In time, Rehbein says the facial movements got worse. Eventually, tension in her neck kept her from being able to turn her head down. After nearly a year of taking those drugs under Braun's care, Rehbein also had trouble walking and controlling her tongue and torso, according to court documents filed as part of a lawsuit she is pursuing against Braun.



By the time she went to a neurologist, Rehbein says she had no reflexes.



He (her neurologist) was shocked I could stand there with the Seroquel I was being prescribed and Geodon way over what I shouldve been taking, she said.



And now Rehbein says she faces a lifetime of Botox injections in her neck and shoulders to make her muscles behave normally.



According to her current doctor, Rehbeins condition is irreversible.



Now, Rehbein is suing Braun in Butte District Court for negligence, lack of informed consent and failure to warn. She is seeking punitive damages from Braun. The suit also accuses the Montana Board of Medical Examiners of negligence for licensing Braun.



Braun and his attorney, Mark Thieszen, declined to comment or be interviewed for this story, citing the pending litigation.

Medical Board lawsuit

According to the complaint, Braun participated in Medicaid, which means taxpayer dollars helped to pay for his services. The complaint says 74% of Brauns patients received subsidies for treatment in Butte.



The complaint also says that Braun overprescribed medications to his patients. Braun prescribed 29% of his patients controlled substances with a high potential for abuse in 2013 compared to an average of 9% for the norm, according to court documents. The same year Braun prescribed 27% of his patients mildly addictive substances in 2013. But 2% was the norm that year, the court record states.



Rehbein and the Department of Labor and Industry, which oversees the Montana Board of Medical Examiners, faced off in District Judge Kurt Kruegers courtroom last month. Rehbeins argument is that the state knew or should have known about Brauns past before licensing him in Montana.



Quinlan O'Connor, special assistant attorney general, argued before Krueger that the board's licensing process is irrelevant because the board has immunity from legal action. The state has judicial precedent for that argument on its side. The state is seeking to be dismissed from Rehbeins suit.



But Justin Stalpes, Rehbeins attorney with Beck, Amsden and Stalpes in Bozeman, contended during last month's hearing that the states licensure gives a stamp of approval to a doctor in the mind of patients. Further, if a hospital credentials a bad doctor, a patient who has been harmed by that doctor can sue the hospital.



If the state licenses a bad doctor and the patient is harmed, the patient should, likewise, be able to sue the state, Stalpes argued.



Its not just the stamp of approval that matters, says Stalpes.



Because Braun accepted Medicaid, and the majority of his patients are on subsidized care, the states taxpayers are funding a doctor who allegedly harmed a patient.



Before Rehbein can go to jury trial, Krueger must make a decision on that aspect of the case. So for now, Rehbein waits.

No malpractice insurance

Rehbeins lawsuit will not be an easy one. And her odds of success are complicated by the fact that Braun lacks medical malpractice insurance as a result of his issues in Illinois.



Montana is one of 32 states that allow doctors to go without malpractice insurance, according to Deirdre Gilbert, national director of the National Medical Malpractice Advocacy Association in Texas.



One of the biggest barriers they (the patients) face is not a lot of attorneys will accept these cases, Gilbert said.



She said there is no federal law requiring doctors to have medical malpractice insurance and that its not something most patients would think to ask about when visiting a physician.



Gilbert says the lack of medical malpractice hurts patients because if they are harmed, they have no legal remedy.



Without medical malpractice insurance, a negligent doctor can potentially dodge a patients suit even despite potentially catastrophic medical bills, irreversible injury or lost wages due to botched medical care.



Its catch me if you can, Gilbert said.

Prescription questions

Its not clear why the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration obtained a search warrant to search Brauns office in the summer of 2017, but the agency found Braun practicing outside the scope of his license, according to Stacy Zinn, DEA agent for Montana.



Zinn didnt provide many details about the search, but she did say Braun subsequently surrendered his narcotics license in a deal with the DEA and that the agency did not pursue criminal charges against him.



While its not clear how Braun ended up on the DEAs radar, Rehbein says that there were occasions when Braun gave her drugs directly out of his office instead of sending her to a pharmacist with a prescription.



On her first visit to Braun, she says he gave her opioids out of his cupboard  and that he gave her large amounts of highly addictive opiods.



He would say, Try this and see how this works for you, she said.



He would also ask Rehbein to bring prescription medications to him that she didnt finish, she says. Anthony Jackson, her lawyer also with Beck, Amsden and Stalpes, alleges that Braun recycled the used prescriptions to other patients.



Erin Loranger, public information officer for the Department of Labor and Industry, which oversees the Montana Medical Board of Examiners, said she cannot comment on whether the board is investigating Braun due to the DEAs actions.



The fact that the board may be investigating any licensee is confidential unless the investigation results in a disciplinary case, she said in writing.



Whether other patients have filed complaints against Braun with the board is also confidential, Loranger said.

Braun denies wrongdoing

Although Braun would not be interviewed, his position is set out in court records.



He denies wrongdoing and claims he complied with the appropriate standard of care in treating Rehbein, according to the defendants answer to the complaint for damages. Braun says his patient failed to follow his medical advice and didnt inform him of her illegal drug use and visits with other physicians.



He says an unrelated medical condition, the motorcycle accident and her undisclosed use of methamphetamine are the cause of Rehbeins disease. Rehbein admits she used methamphetamine in the past and that she relapsed while under Brauns care.

Rehbeins path

Rehbein had an idyllic life once.



At 18, she found herself married to her high school sweetheart with a brand new baby, living on her grandfathers ranch in Arlee, north of Missoula.



But tragedy struck when her baby died of sudden infant death syndrome when the child was about a year old.



The grief was too much for Rehbeins young marriage, and it was too much for her. Divorced, her infant buried and only 19, Rehbein self-medicated the pain.



I got lost for a while, she says.



In 2008, Rehbein was arrested for writing bad checks and possession of dangerous drugs in Kalispell. In the intervening years shed become hooked on methamphetamine.



The court sent Rehbein to Buttes Womens Transition Center, which tries to help convicts transition back into society. After she got out in 2012, Rehbein remained in the Mining City and tried to forge a new life.



She got a job and started taking business classes at Montana Tech. She found a new relationship and got a dog. She joined Alcoholics Anonymous. The day of her motorcycle accident, she was coming back from an Alcoholics Anonymous Fathers Day barbeque.



I was in a pretty good place, she says.



But the crash was a setback. The driver was badly injured. Rehbein, who was riding on the back of the motorcycle, lost part of her middle finger. The very visible injury left her feeling self-conscious. She became consumed with anger and self-blame. She needed help.



She talked to a doctor who referred her to Braun. She says that on her first visit, she told Braun about her previous methamphetamine use and that he handed her opioids out his cupboard anyway, despite her troubles with addiction.



She also came away  after 45 minutes and a cursory evaluation  with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, she says.



And after that initial 45-minute therapy visit, she says Braun usually spent only 10 minutes with her.



At one point during the year-long treatment, Rehbein slipped back to using methamphetamine one night. She says she was overly sedated and that the many negative side effects  from wetting the bed to falling asleep with food in her mouth  from all the drugs Braun had put her on, plus the increasing movement problems, were taking a toll on her relationship with her new life partner.



I was sad, alone, she said.



She says she told Braun about her relapse. She says it scared her and soon after she got rid of even the opiods Braun had her on.



He didnt talk to me very much, she said of Braun during her year of therapy. He told me to be quiet a lot. If I was emotional, he would tell me to button up.

Whats next

Rehbein has regained at least some control over her life.



Although she faces a lifetime of living with tardive dyskinesia, she has found happiness. She and her life partner worked things out and now the pair have a new baby.



But, Rehbein says, she still cant work. She says she has trouble leaving the house. She still struggles with anxiety and says she has both memory problems and concentration issues.



She blames the high dosages of drugs Braun put her on while she was still healing from her motorcycle accident for her ongoing issues.



I wish I could get back to how I was, she says.



But she realizes that is wishful thinking.



I dont care so much about him finally hearing me anymore, she says. But I want people to know who and what he is. I hope this never happens to anybody else.
WLAC Team: Junhee Lee, David Cortez, Brandi Williams, Edwin Gamez, Jose Valencia

The West Los Angeles College Aviation Maintenance team again won top awards at the Annual Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) presented by Snap-On Tools and the Aerospace Maintenance Council. The five-student team placed 2nd overall out of 29 school teams and took 1st place in five events. In the last four years, West has earned three top team placements.

The contest, held in Atlanta, Georgia in April, brings together teams of students and licensed professionals in the Air Force, Coast Guard, Army, Marines, Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, general aviation, domestic and international airlines. West team members Jose Valencia (Team Leader), David Cortez, Edwin Gamez, Junhee Lee and Brandi Williams faced off against their former team member Yolanda Gong who took top honors last year and was hired by American Airlines then placed on their Chix Fix team.

West took 1st prize in the following events: FedEx Turbine Engine PDU Removal and Installation; Cable Rigging, sponsored by Boeing; Boroscope Inspection; Boeing Fiber Optics Light Loss Test; and the written exam based on the first aircraft mechanic, Charles Taylor. These wins earned the college over $5,000 in gifts and awards including a Tensitron ACX-1 tension meter valued at $1,400 which will allow future students to train with the newest technology available. Student Brandi Williams also received the Phobe Omlie Scholarship.

"Our team demonstrated outstanding professionalism and camaraderie during the competition," said Rudy Triviso, WLAC Aviation Tech Instructor. "The events and judges are sponsored by professional airlines, aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, and other schools. Thus participants are given the unique opportunity of networking as well as demonstrating their talent and skills to potential employers and recruiters overseeing the events."

The Aviation Tech program will hold an information session during the college Open House on Saturday, May 18 at 10:00am. For more information and to RSVP, visit http://www.WLAC.edu/Open-House .

West Los Angeles College is located at 9000 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230. The college is a ACCJCaccredited community college providing fulltime, parttime and online paths to university transfer and career preparation.
STORY LINK GBP to ZAR Exchange Rate Sheds Last Weeks Gains as South Africas Ruling ANC has Election Win in Sights

GBP Exchange Rates Slump as Brexit Hopes Replaced with Uncertainty Once More

Some businesses brought activity forward early this year in preparation for leaving the EU, so higher stocks and earlier orders have artificially bumped up the growth numbers.



In the second quarter many firms will be keen to run down their Brexit caches, which will drag on economic growth.

ZAR Exchange Rates Firm on Hopes for South African Political Stability

As the ANC win is digested, markets will swiftly shift their focus to the subsequent actions of the ruling party, including the announcement of cabinet ... as well as policies relating to expropriation of land without compensation,

GBP/ZAR Exchange Rate Forecast: Political Developments and Job Reports in Focus

Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues:

Despite fresh global trade fears hitting market demand for risk-correlated currencies like the South African Rand, the British Pound to South African Rand (GBP/ZAR) exchange rate has still seen significant losses over the past week and has shed essentially all the gains seen a week earlier. This has been due to Rand investors hoping for stability following the latest South African general election.After opening this week at the level of 18.89, GBP/ZAR briefly surged to a fresh one month high of 19.07 on Monday before spending the rest of the week tumbling. GBP/ZAR ultimately saw significant losses that mirrored the gains seen the previous week, and at the time of writing was trending near the level of 18.49.This was lower than last weeks opening levels of 18.56.While most of the weeks losses were due to the Pounds broad weakness on fresh doubts of a soft Brexit deal, the South African Rand avoided market risk-aversion throughout the week and was able to capitalise on the Pounds selloff to push GBP/ZAR lower.The Pound saw a surge in demand at the beginning of May, as investors reacted bullishly to a positive tone from UK officials regarding cross-party Brexit negotiations.However, while hopes that a soft Brexit solution could be reached briefly caused a Sterling surge, the Pound quickly unravelled those gains once doubt set in again.This week, officials have become more negative on talks again, instead increasingly prioritising the EU elections coming up in a few weeks.The new populist Brexit Party has been surging in EU election polls, causing concern among the ruling Conservative Party, as well as among analysts, that Britain is in for more political uncertainty.As hopes for a Brexit solution any time soon fade and investors begin to expect months of uncertainty for Britains economic outlook, the latest UK data has done little to make the Pound more appealing.UK growth data met forecasts today, and while industrial and manufacturing production beat expectations analysts said it was likely due to Brexit preparation.According to Tej Parikh, Senior Economist at the Institute of Directors:Hopes that political stability in South Africa would improve going forward supported the South African Rand over the past week, and helped it to recover its recent losses versus Sterling despite the fresh market trade uncertainty.As was widely expected, South Africas ruling African National Congress (ANC) looks set to comfortably win South Africas 2019 election as vote counting draws on today.However, as was also expected, a far smaller chunk of the population voted for ANC than in past elections, keeping investors anxious about the long-term health of the party.For now, investors are relieved that the partys win means the pro-business and anti-corruption angle taken by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will continue.Analysts note though, that markets will also be watching how the government proceeds. According to Bianca Botes, Corporate Treasury Manager at Botes Perengrine Treasury Solutions:Overall though, the news was enough to keep the South African Rand bullish, despite other risk and trade-correlated currencies being hit by fresh US-China trade tensions in recent sessions.Next week is looking similar for the Pound and South African Rand, as typically influential UK and South African job market data will be published, but both currencies are more likely to be moved by potential political developments.For the Pound, the biggest focus for investors will be UK political uncertainty, as well as the possibility of any surprise Brexit developments.The UK government is planning a fourth meaningful Parliament vote on its Brexit plan, which has been blocked by Parliament three times already. This vote may not take place until later in the month, potentially putting it closer to the upcoming EU elections.With the EU elections drawing nearer, headlines will increasingly focus on how these may unfold and how they may impact UK politics.If investors remain concerned about the ruling Conservative Party shedding support, the Pound could be hit by fresh political uncertainty and fall further.The South African Rand, on the other hand, will be influenced by continued developments regarding the new African National Congress (ANC) government, and other news following the election.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Pound Rand Forecasts
Our own Bruce Siwy and Eric Kieta talk about their true-crime cases in Return To View: The Roundtable
Crude Oil Talking Points:

- Crude Oil prices have spent this week with narrowing price action after a gap-down was followed by a fast run to a key support zone on the chart. The $60 level has helped to hold the lows, for now, but can sellers continue to push in order to create a deeper retracement?

- As risk aversion themes have re-emerged this week, the big question is whether buyers can remain on the bid for the longer-term setup in Oil. Prices have moved up by as much as 50% from the Q4 lows, making for an overbought scenario as of a couple of weeks ago.

- DailyFX Forecasts are published on a variety of currencies such as Gold, the US Dollar or the Euroand are available from the DailyFX Trading Guides page. If youre looking to improve your trading approach, check out Traits of Successful Traders. And if youre looking for an introductory primer to the Forex market, check out our New to FX Guide.

Do you want to see how retail traders are currently trading the US Dollar? Check out our IG Client Sentiment Indicator.

Crude Oil Congestion After Pullback From Bullish Trend

The bullish trend in Oil prices has started to pull back, and this comes after a 2019 theme of strength that saw Oil prices rally by more than 50% from the Q4 lows. Crude Oil pushed up to a fresh six-month-high just a few weeks ago, with buyers rushing to the bid after the US ended Irans waiver on Crude Oil exports.

Ahead of that announcement, Oil prices were already looking overbought, as discussed in the technical forecast for that week. But the weekend announcement brought a quick rally of strength that lasted for the first couple trading days of that week, at which point the pullback got back in order. At this point, each of the support zones mentioned in that article, around 62.84-63.11, 61.58-61.87 and 60.00-60.32 have come into play, helping to cauterize short-term supports as Oil prices have continued to pull back.

US Oil Four-Hour Price Chart

Chart prepared by James Stanley

Crude Oil prices have spent most of May digesting, and the past week has brought both lower-highs and higher lows as price action has continued to narrow. This presents a compelling backdrop for volatility expansion as a number of key markets around the world are under more intense focus after this weeks re-emergence of risk aversion. The big question is whether sellers can continue to push after the early-week support test at the key support zone around the $60 handle on the chart. Prices gapped-lower to start this week and made a fast move down into that area, at which point buyers came back in droves to push prices back up to 62.84, which is the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the 1998-2008 major move in Oil.

Each of these prices, particularly given recent displays of support/resistance, can be key for forward-looking strategy in Crude Oil.

Crude Oil Two-Hour Price Chart

Chart prepared by James Stanley

Oil Price Strategy as Crude Congests

At this point, traders should be careful of assigning near-term directional biases to Crude Oil given the continuation of both lower-highs and higher-lows. This element of digestion, particularly after a big move, much less after a retracement from a big move, can bring a plethora of possible scenarios.

Instead, traders may want to look to anticipate reaction. A re-test of support around the $60 handle can re-open the door for topside swing strategies, looking for prices to move back towards the 61.58-61.87 level on the charts. Conversely, a topside push up to re-test resistance from 62.84-63.11 could open the door for short-side swings, but if bulls prod a break above that level, which marks this weeks high, then short-side strategies will no longer offer much attraction; and instead, traders may have a scenario of bullish continuation to work with.

Follow-thru resistance can be sought out at 63.71, and if bulls are able to test that level, the door could re-open for higher-low support in the 62.84-63.11 area on the chart, similar to what happened in the latter-portion of April before sellers pushed prices lower.

Crude Oil Hourly Price Chart

Chart prepared by James Stanley

To read more:

Are you looking for longer-term analysis on the U.S. Dollar? Our DailyFX Forecasts have a section for each major currency, and we also offer a plethora of resources on Gold or USD-pairs such as EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, AUD/USD. Traders can also stay up with near-term positioning via our IG Client Sentiment Indicator.

Forex Trading Resources

DailyFX offers an abundance of tools, indicators and resources to help traders. For those looking for trading ideas, our IG Client Sentiment shows the positioning of retail traders with actual live trades and positions. Our trading guides bring our DailyFX Quarterly Forecasts and our Top Trading Opportunities; and our real-time news feed has intra-day interactions from the DailyFX team. And if youre looking for real-time analysis, our DailyFX Webinars offer numerous sessions each week in which you can see how and why were looking at what were looking at.

If youre looking for educational information, our New to FX guide is there to help new(er) traders while our Traits of Successful Traders research is built to help sharpen the skill set by focusing on risk and trade management.

--- Written by James Stanley, Strategist for DailyFX.com

Contact and follow James on Twitter: @JStanleyFX
President Trump this week surprised trade officials here and in China as he vowed, in a tweet, to boost tariffs to 25 percent on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese imports.

The move has alarmed American business groups, but is viewed by others as a negotiating tactic and still others as a welcome get tough approach.

For instance, Fox News host Lou Dobbs saw it as a rebuke of globalists and elitists, who he believes are driving the U.S. into economic decline.

But nationalistic tropes ignore reality.

Trade isnt the cause of the despair, but a key reason for our sustained growth and unparalleled wealth. More than 11 million jobs  many in the blue-collar heartland  are dependent on exports.

Those jobs are just one example of international trades wide-ranging benefits. The growing economy makes it easier to ignore the ill effects of the administrations policy, but they are inflating prices on many goods and limiting choices for consumers.

Putting government, rather than individuals, in charge of economic decisions is never a sound idea.

Recent research from economists with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and elsewhere found that the full incidence of the tariff falls on domestic consumers, with a reduction in U.S. real income of $1.4 billion per month by the end of 2018. Other countries retaliate with tariffs of their own, which harms their economies and negates any benefits to U.S. firms.

There are anecdotal stories of farmers and manufacturers who are losing business and laying off workers.

Companies that are negotiating deals in China do so based on existing rules, but then are blindsided when the president abruptly changes course.

That breeds uncertainty, which is why the stock market usually falls at signs of a trade war  and gains when were nearing a deal.

Tariffs are tax increases, albeit large ones that allow federal bean-counters to dictate winners and losers.

What would Republicans, who mostly back the presidents tariff plans despite some internal dissension, think if a Democratic president could unilaterally impose tax hikes on businesses?

The presidents backers send mixed messages about the end game. Some claim tariffs are a means to rebuild old-line domestic industries and stand up to potentially hostile nations. Others say the president wants freer trade and is issuing threats as leverage to cure a trade imbalance.

Its hard to hit a moving target, but its wise to keep in mind the history of freer trade, which benefits the rich and poor alike.

Tariffs protect politically powerful industries, but never for long. When the feds shield, say, steel companies, it raises prices for auto makers and others that rely on steel products and encourages them to seek alternatives. It creates complacency among the government-protected industries, who no longer have to innovate to fend off competition. They end up in worse shape down the road.

Trade also promotes peace. Countries are less apt to fight wars when their economies are interdependent.

Its legitimate for U.S. officials to pressure China over intellectual property-rights violations  but not to imperil our complex system of trading.

To do so threatens the long-term health of the economy, imposes stiff taxes on American consumers and quashes their freedom to buy and sell the products that they choose.

 Orange County Register, MediaNews Group
After years of being dismissed as an old fogey, locked in the past, pathetically wedded to tradition and hostile to many of the social developments of the 21st century, I cant tell you what a joy it is to discover that Im suddenly cool, modern and ahead of the trend.

Reader, I have a son called Archie. Whats more, he was christened 32 years before Harry and Meghan chose that magnificent name for their first-born son.

The difference is that their unusual choice has been widely hailed as proof that they are a wonderfully up-to-date couple, imbued with the common touch and unafraid to break with the past.

Apart from Archie, our four include a George and a Harry (christened Henry, like the new royal dad). In fact, we very nearly had a William, too, since we had planned to call our first-born Thomas George William Utley

Lets just say that when Mrs U and I broke the news that we were thinking of calling our second son Archie, our families were much less enthusiastic.

All right, I ought to admit that the name on our sons birth certificate is Archibald  though weve never addressed him by all three syllables, except once or twice in his early childhood to signal our displeasure when he misbehaved.

The Sussexes have apparently dispensed with the -bald, perhaps because long names are too much effort for the Twitter generation. But lets face it, all Archies are really Archibalds  just as all Toms are really Thomases.

My late father professed, somewhat unconvincingly, to be delighted by our choice.

He suggested that when the boy grew up, he ought to stand for election to a council somewhere in the north of England (his side of the family hailed from Yorkshire and Lancashire), because he felt that the title Alderman Sir Archibald Utley had a fine ring to it.

Archie Harrison was introduced to the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Meghan's mother Doria by his proud parents on Wednesday. Lets just say that when Mrs U and I broke the news that we were thinking of calling our second son Archie, our families were much less enthusiastic

He said it called to mind the satirist Peter Simples Alderman Jabez Foodbotham, the 25-stone, iron-watch-chained, crag-visaged, grim-booted Lord Mayor of Bradford, and perpetual chairman of the Bradford City Tramways and Fine Arts Committee.

My mother, less diplomatically, simply winced when we told her we liked the name.

But its the verdict of my wifes mother I remember best. She almost burst into tears when Mrs U told her that Archibald was top of our list, saying: You cant call him that! It would be cruel! Its a dreadful name! Hell be bullied all the way through school!

Ive often wondered why my revered mother-in-law  still very much with us at 96  took so strongly against it.

I can only imagine that because she was born and brought up in Scotland, where Archies are much thicker on the ground than in England, she may have come across one or two bad apples by that name.

Theres nothing like meeting someone you dislike to put you off a name for life. But whatever the explanation, it was my mother-in-laws passionate opposition that made up my wifes mind.

Put it down to her own Scottish blood and the stubbornness that goes with it. She was not going to be dictated to, even by her beloved mother. She dug in her heels and insisted on Archie, whether the old lady liked it or not.

Better to die single, he thought, than run the risk of saddling his beloved with blind children. So he went back to his old college  Corpus Christi, Cambridge  to consult the most distinguished physician he knew [File photo]

As it happens, I was the one who suggested the name  partly because Ive always liked the sound of it, but mostly because Ive liked all the (few) Archies Ive met.

In particular, I much admired an Archie who died at a great age shortly before our second sons birth  an Archie who, in a curious and touching way, was responsible for my existence on this Earth.

The year was 1951, and my blind father had fallen in love with Brigid Morrah, the daughter of a journalist colleague with whom he shared an office at the Times.

Only one thing held him back from proposing to her  his fear that he might pass on his disability to any sons or daughters they might have if she consented to marry him.

Better to die single, he thought, than run the risk of saddling his beloved with blind children.

So he went back to his old college  Corpus Christi, Cambridge  to consult the most distinguished physician he knew.

This was Archibald Clark-Kennedy (Archie to all his friends), Dean of the London Hospital Medical College, author of numerous groundbreaking books on medicine and for a great many years director of medical studies at Corpus, where he had been a fellow since 1919.

Archie put my fathers mind at rest.

He told him that infantile glaucoma  the condition that caused his blindness in one eye at birth, and in the other when he was nine  was genetic, not hereditary. (I used to think the two words meant much the same, but apparently they dont.

Unlike hereditary diseases, genetic disorders are not necessarily passed on from one generation to the next). Go ahead and propose to Brigid, he said. My father did as he was advised, and my mother accepted him.

They married that same year and had four children, of whom I am the second. Im happy to report that my siblings and I can all see perfectly well.

Born in 1893, Archie Clark-Kennedy was still around at Corpus during my time at the college  a tall and imposing figure, noted for his eccentricity and the originality of his mind, who still walked the Pennine Way every year in his late 70s.

He celebrated his 80th birthday by climbing 3,054 feet to the peak of Skiddaw in the Lake District.

As an undergraduate, I was in awe of him, and Ive long regretted that I never got round to thanking him for his part in bringing my parents together.

It was only after he died in 1985, at the age of 92, that I began to think that if we were to have another son, we could do a lot worse than calling him Archie. He was such a great man, after all, with such a nice name.

As for why Harry and Meghan have made the same choice, I dont pretend to know. All I will say is that the name is not exactly modern, since it goes back at least as far as the tenth century AD.

Born in 1893, Archie Clark-Kennedy was still around at Corpus during my time at the college. He celebrated his 80th birthday by climbing 3,054 feet to the peak of Skiddaw in the Lake District [File photo]

Nor can it really be said to display the common touch, since its a name proudly borne throughout history by  among a great many other toffs  Dukes of Argyll, Angus and Douglas and Earls of Rosebery and Moray.

But then the Windsors seem to have a way of copying the Utleys choices of names.

Apart from Archie, our four include a George and a Harry (christened Henry, like the new royal dad).

In fact, we very nearly had a William, too, since we had planned to call our first-born Thomas George William Utley.

That was until the very last minute, when we realised in the nick of time what his initials would be. Since I was never much of a fan of the Transport and General Workers Union (now merged into Unite), we dropped the W.

Indeed, only our third sons name, John (we call him Johnny), has yet to be claimed by one of the younger Windsors, leaving us just one short of a royal flush. But this has set me thinking.

Did you read this weeks news that a grandmother has scooped 18,000 after betting against odds of 150-1 that Baby Sussex would be called Archie  for no better reason than that he was born on her grandson Archies birthday?

The way the Windsors are matching the Utleys, name for name, my tenner says the next royal baby will definitely be called Johnny.

As for Harry and Meghan, the proud new parents, I have comforting news for them. Despite my mother-in-laws fears, our own Archie says he has always really liked his name.

And that, after all, is what matters most.
A mother has revealed how she adopted a daughter after struggling with being an empty nester when her two sons left home.

Louisa, 49, of Birmingham, found herself rattling around the house when her eldest son Luke, now 31, left for university and her youngest Reiss, now 26, moved in with his girlfriend.

Realising she had the energy, time and love needed to give a child a 'forever' home, Louisa registered with Barnardo's.

In August 2016 - following months of paperwork, interviews and health and safety checks - she was 'matched' with a six-year-old girl named Polly (whose name has been changed), who had been taken into care after suffering chronic neglect.

Louisa was immediately 'smitten' with Polly's 'cheeky' smile. Two months later she brought her daughter back home.

Speaking to Femail, the proud mother-of-three recalled the joys of sharing their first milestones over the last two years - and admitted it feels like she's 'always had' Polly.

'It's been a life-changing experience,' Louisa said. 'Polly is an absolute dream, a gem, and the centre of my universe.'

Louisa Palmer*, 49, of Birmingham, adopted daughter Polly after struggling with being an empty nester when her sons left home. Pictured, mother and daughter in the park

It was December 2014 when Louisa, who had been a single mother for most of her life, decided she wanted to adopt.

With the support of Barnardo's, Louisa attended courses and support groups, receiving training about the difficulties adopted children might have.

'There was a really good support network and I could speak to other adopters at different stages of their journey, which was a great help,' Louisa continued.

'After some 10 months I had to appear before a panel but Barnardo's put me at ease and told me what to expect, so I was really well-prepared. I was approved to adopt.'

It was 10 months later, while Louisa was on holiday in Wales, that she received the phone call telling her there was a 'match'.

Louisa found herself rattling around the house when her eldest son Luke, now 31, left for university and her youngest Reiss, now 26, moved in with his girlfriend. Pictured, proud mother Louisa with sons Reiss and Luke at Reiss's graduation in July 2014

'Everything seems to click into place,' Louisa recalled. 'I was sent a photograph of her and was instantly smitten. When I sent the photo to my family they said she looked just like my eldest son when he was younger. She had a cheeky smile and looked like lots of fun.'

Louisa and Polly eventually met a few months later, in October 2016.

Louisa continued: 'On the first day it was arranged that I would go and visit her for about an hour at the foster carer's house.

'I arrived at the house and knocked at the door. My daughter opened the door with a huge grin on her face. I said to her, "I know who you are, you're Polly!" She replied "and you're my Mummy!" She took my hand and led me into the room.'

Louisa was immediately 'smitten' with Polly's 'cheeky' smile after seeing a photo in August 2016. Two months later she brought her daughter home. Pictured, Louisa with Polly

Ahead of the meeting, Louisa had sent Polly a book filled with pictures of her new brothers, nieces, her pet dog Bobby - and her new bedroom.

'We sat together on the sofa looking at the book,' Louisa continued. 'It was obvious she had spent a lot of time studying it and had apparently been showing everyone her "new family".'

Over the coming days Louisa and Polly spent more time together, heading out to local attractions as they got to know each other. After a few days Polly and her foster carer visited Louisa's house for the afternoon, bringing with them some of Polly's toys to leave in her new bedroom.

A week after the first meeting, Polly moved in.

Louisa continued: 'She waved goodbye to her foster carers and had a beaming smile on her face. We chatted during the long journey to our new home. I felt I needed to fill the silences so chatted to her about her likes and dislikes.

Louisa found it 'surprisingly natural' to hear Polly call her 'Mummy' and soon started to enjoy their first milestones together. Pictured, Louisa with her sons at Luke's graduation in July 2013

Proud mother-of-three Louisa recalled the joys of sharing their first milestones over the last two years - and admitted it feels like she's 'always had' Polly, pictured together left and right

Sweet Polly gave Louisa these Mother's Day gifts on their first Mother's Day together

'When we reached home I gave her the key to the front door and said, "Welcome to your forever home". She stretched up onto her tiptoes and put the key in the lock.'

'She went straight up to her new bedroom to explore. A couple of hours later she was bouncing around and laughing on her new trampoline with her cousins.'

Louisa found it 'surprisingly natural' to hear Polly call her 'Mummy' and soon started to enjoy their first milestones together.

When we reached home I gave her the key to the front door and said, 'Welcome to your forever home'. She stretched up onto her tiptoes and put the key in the lock Louisa

'At our first parents evening she thanked me for coming, saying: "Thank you for coming, Mummy, my birth parents never came to parents evening",' Louisa recalled. 'I promised to her there and then that I would always come to every parents evening from now on.

'Another morning I came downstairs and she was already in her school uniform and had made a packed lunch for me. It was such a nice surprise and I asked why she'd done it. She said, "To thank you for adopting me". I said, "You never need to thank me. I should be thanking you".'

Polly had been born into a large family and had suffered from chronic neglect, but she struggles with the feeling that she hadn't done enough to 'protect' her younger siblings.

Louisa continued: 'Polly occasionally comes down after going to bed upset as she feels she should have protected her younger siblings, despite me telling her she was only five years old herself and it wasn't her job to protect them.

Polly had been born into a large family and had suffered from chronic neglect, but she struggles with the feeling that she hadn't done enough to 'protect' her younger siblings. Pictured, Polly and Louisa hold hands in the park

'She gets upset and says she misses her siblings. She was with them for the first six years of her life so has got a bond with them. I am hopeful in the future they will all be able to meet up once they are all settled in their own new adoptive homes.'

While there have been 'bumps along the way', the 'pros definitely outweigh the cons'.

Louisa added: 'Two years on from the adoption, I feel like I've always had her. She's enriched my life, and she's enriched the lives of my own sons too, who idolise her - and she loves having two big brothers!

'We now also have a phrase which we both race to say to each other, when she wakes up in the morning or before she goes to bed: "I love you, I love you most ... said it first!"

*Louisa's surname and Polly's first name have been changed.

Barnardo's, the leading children's charity, is calling for more adopters to come forward and welcome a child into their lives. Whether you are single, an LGBT couple, someone with grownup children or have just always wanted to start a family, they want to hear from you. Visit www.barnardos.org.uk/adoption to find out more.
Louis Theroux reveals the reality of new mothers who are coping with severe anxieties and psychotic episodes postpartum in his new documentary Mothers on the Edge.

Louis meets four women in the UK, including Lisa, who has baby Isabella, and suffered from a series of post psychotic episodes when she stopped breastfeeding and left her baby for just one weekend.

He also meets Catherine, the anxious new mother failed to connect with six-month-old Jake after losing a baby previously at 17 weeks and had attempted to end her life.

The documentary maker spends time in two specialist psychiatric units in the UK, which treat mothers experiencing serious mental illness whilst allowing them to live alongside their babies.

In there he also meets mothers Barbara and Marie - who have all been through traumatic experiences and been bought into the wards with their newborns.

Louis Theroux spends time in two specialist psychiatric units, which treat mothers experiencing serious mental illness whilst allowing them to live alongside their babies.

Louis meets Catherine and and Jake on the show - she was admitted after having a history of eating disorder and self harm. When Jake was born she had feelings of anxiety and depression

25-year old Marie is grappling with anxieties after being sexually assaulted and revealing that her birth, which lasted 36 hours bought back horrible flashbacks of her assault and led to self harm thoughts.

He also meets Barbara from Spain with her newborn Julia and husband Geordie. Barbara was suffering from delusional thinking and high risk behaviour.

She was bought in by police after being found at a South London train station but has no history of mental illness.

While 25-year old Marie is dealing with anxieties after being sexually assaulted and revealed that her birth, which lasted 36 hours, bought back horrible flashbacks of her assault and led to self harm.

Lead psychologist, at the Bethlem hospital's Mother and baby unit, Dr Trudi Seneviratne explains to Louis why new mothers may have severe anxieties: 'You could have an awful delivery, you could not sleep on the run up to it - then not for several days after it is a high risk period where it can lead to suicide.'

Lead psychologist, at the Bethlem hospital's Mother and baby unit, Dr Trudi Seneviratne explains to Louis why new mothers may have severe anxieties. Pictured - Louis, Catherine and Jake

Louis meets Barbara from Spain with her newborn Julia and husband Geordie. Barbara was suffering from delusional thinking and high risk behaviour.

Louis holding Jack - who he spends time with on the BBC 2 documentary which airs on

When people say they dont feel anything for their baby it is real  these things are on a spectrum,' she continues.

'The business of having a baby is supposed to be happy time so because of that people put on all kinds of masks to hide what is really going on.'

Lisa, who suffered from psychotic episodes when she stopped breastfeeding explained to Louis how they came on.

Straight after I had Isabella I felt like I was nailing it  I took out all the kids together and thought  "Ive got this".

Louis spoke to Catherine (pictured with baby Jake) about why she had tried to harm herself as a new mother

Barbara kisses her little girl Julia- she stars in Louis Theroux's new documentary about mothers

She explains that she was breastfeeding her and went away on a weekend hen do to Marbella.

'When I came home from the hen do I couldn't cope - I had to phone my husband to tell him to come home early - I stayed in bed for two weeks.

'Doctors say it was because I dramatically stopped breastfeeding and the drop in hormones triggered the psychosis.'

Talking about her symptoms she said: 'I was overwhelmed, I didnt want to be near the kids  it was like a total breakdown, I couldnt speak - I didnt wash for days.

'I was having dinner with my husband Andy and I said "I think the house is about to be invaded by clowns, killer clowns, it was graphic what I could see.'

Catherine says that she felt as though she didn't bond with her little boy Jake and wasn't sure if she loved him

Louis also speaks to Marie more in depth about why she's having anxieties. She talks about the traumatic birth. 'I was in labour for 36 hours and had to have forceps, I wanted a cesearean - but that didn't workout.'

'A few years ago I was sexually assaulted and when youre having a baby there are obviously a lot of people around that area and it gave me awful flashbacks.

Joining her and her partner in a therapy session he explains that he was supposed to pick her up the night she was assaulted so he blames it on himself.

WHAT IS POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS (PP)? Postpartum Psychosis (PP) affects one in every 1,000 new mothers. It most commonly occurs during the first few weeks after having a baby. The four main symptoms associated with a psychotic episode are: hallucinations

delusions

confused and disturbed thoughts

lack of insight and self-awareness Symptoms of postnatal psychosis can also include: a high mood (mania)  for example, talking and thinking too much or too quickly or a low mood  for example, depression, lack of energy, loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. Postnatal psychosis is more likely to affect women who already have a mental health condition, such as bipolar Source: NHS England Advertisement

If I had been three minutes faster I could have caught him  I was supposed to pick her up from the station. So it is my fault.

Marie had ended up in A&E several times telling nurses she was going to kill herself - before she was sectioned in the hospital.

Catherine, who lost a baby, has a history of eating disorders and self harm. When Jake was born she had feelings of anxiety and depression related to her lost pregnancy. She also tried to commit suicide.

'We got pregnant with Jake quite soon after but the anxiety I felt in my pregnancy was so high  it was a shock to have a healthy living baby,' she said.

This has meant she's struggled to bond with Jake and when Louis asks her if she enjoys cuddling him, she admits: 'In all honesty I dont and that makes me so sad  think that why I took an overdose cos I feel like he deserves better and someone else should love him.'

While Louis is filming the show it also comes to light that during some unsupervised leave she goes missing.

The police are called after they become concerned about her, but she is found at 4am the next day in a hotel - drunk and having taken an overdose.

Talking to Louis about the incident she says: After a drink I thought this is my opportunity  to kill myself.

Thankfully she then had second thoughts, Once youve done it you think oh c**p  is this it and start to get scared and then afterwards when it doesnt work you think youve failed again.'

She carries on: 'I can see where I want to be, at home, but there is a weird mental block stopping me getting to that point.'

Louis Theroux: Mothers on the Edge is on BBC 2 on Sunday night at 9pm
A little boy with autism from New Hampshire was so moved by the music at a classical concert this weekend that he uttered an enthusiastic 'wow' as one song came to an end  and his word of wonder could be heard all over the auditorium.

On Sunday, The Handel & Haydn Society played at Boston's Symphony Hall, and their performance of Mozart's Masonic Funeral in particular seemed to touch nine-year-old Ronan Mattin.

Ronan was so impressed that the little boy let out a loud and excited 'wow' in the silence immediately following the musical number, causing the entire concert hall to erupt in laughter.

Scroll down for video

Wow! When the Handel & Haydn Society played at Boston's Symphony Hall, their performance of Mozart's Masonic Funeral in particular seemed to touch nine-year-old Ronan Mattin

Pure wonder! Ronan called out 'wow' into the otherwise silent auditorium during the silence after the song, making concertgoers laugh

A recording was taken at the concert, which captures audio from the moment. As the song finishes, there is a brief silence in the Symphony Hall.

In that moment, a child's impressed voice can be heard saying 'wow'  which was loud enough for many other concertgoers to hear.

Quickly, the concert hall erupts in laughter, in a rare comedic moment in a classical music concert.

But the charm didn't wear off. The Handel & Haydn Society was so taken with the funny surprise that they launched a search for the 'Wow Child' with the help of the audio captured by WCRB-FM.

The child turned out to be Ronan, as WGBH-FM reported Thursday. He attended the concert with his grandfather Stephen.

Ronan's grandmother had seen a TV report that said the society was looking for the child.

Stephen said Ronan is on the autism spectrum and expresses himself differently from how other people do. He said his grandson is a huge music fan.

'I had told several people because I thought it was a funny story,' he said. 'About how he was expressing his admiration for the performance and put everybody in stitches.'

He also noted that Ronan is rarely so expressive, making this a particularly meaningful moment.

'I can count on one hand the number of times that [he's] spontaneously ever come out with some expression of how he's feeling,' he said.

Handel & Haydn President David Snead said he is setting up a Skype meeting with Ronan and Harry Christophers, the society's artistic director who was conducting the night of the performance.

The society will invite Ronan and his family back to the venue in October, when the 2019-2020 season opens, for another Mozart performance conducted by Christophers.

Snead called Sunday's experience one of the most wonderful moments he's ever had in a concert hall.

And Ronan's grandfather is happy to see how well Ronan's happy outburst had been received.

'You know, everybody's different. Everybody has different ways of expressing themselves. I think people in general, society's becoming more tolerant or understanding of the differences between people,' he said.
Several well-known brands of peanut butter have been put to the test by Australian experts - and the cheapest option from Aldi has won.

Consumer advocacy group Choice Australia pitted nine of the most popular brands against each other and asked 365 people to do a blind tasting.

The results saw Aldi's Bramwells Peanut Butter Smooth ($2.39) come out on top in the categories of taste and price, although it did have the highest amount of sugar overall (13g per 100g).

Consumer advocacy group Choice Australia pitted nine of the most popular brands against each other and asked 365 people to do a blind tasting

'Bramwells Smooth Peanut Butter from Aldi is made of 90 per cent peanuts and produced in Argentina,' Choice said.

In second place was Kraft Peanut Butter ($5.98) with 84 per cent in the taste stakes.

'Kraft is made up of 86 per cent peanuts and is created in Australia from less than 10 per cent Australian ingredients. With 635mg sodium per 100g, it's the saltiest product in the taste test,' they said.

'Bramwells Smooth Peanut Butter from Aldi is made of 90 per cent peanuts and produced in Argentina,' Choice said

Kraft (left) came in second place and Bega (right) and Sanitarium came third

Which are Australia's favourite peanut butters? 1. Aldi's Bramwells Peanut Butter Smooth 2. Kraft Peanut Butter Smooth 3. Bega Peanut Butter Smooth 4. Sanitarium Peanut Butter Smooth 5. Woolworths Peanut Butter Smooth 6. Coles Peanut Butter Smooth 7. Mayver's Peanut Butter Smooth 8. Mother Earth Natural Peanut Butter Smooth 9. Pic's Peanut Butter Smooth Advertisement

There was a tie for third with a taste rating of 76 per cent with Bega ($2.85) and Sanitarium ($4.80) only differing in price.

Sanitarium has five per cent more peanuts in it than Bega does but the latter has more salt.

The fourth place was taken out by Woolworths' home brand ($3.50), which won points for being cheap (80c per 100g) and having less sodium than many of the other competitors.

Coles, Mayver's, Mother Earth Natural and Pic's were the last to be added to the leader board with taste ratings ranging from 70 to 53 per cent.

Most peanut butters contain vegetable oil and peanuts, with some even adding preservatives and sugar to enhance the flavour.
Nigella Lawson has joined a heated Aperol Spritz debate on Twitter - with many debating whether they like the Italian cocktail.

The English TV chef, 59, was replying to a New York Times article which claimed that the drink 'isn't actually good'.

Comparing it to a luminous soft drink she said: 'I agree with @NYTimes. Why would anyone have a Tizer-like Aperol Spritz when you could have a Campari Soda or even an Americano?'

But many disagreed with Nigella and also the original NY times article, which went on to describe the drink as a 'sugary aperitif, paired with low-quality prosecco, soda water and an outsized orange slice.'

One fan of the drink on Twitter joked: 'I'll give up the espresso martini but you can pry the aperol spritz from my cold, dead hands'.

The internet is debating whether Aperol Spritz is a good cocktail and Nigella Lawson has even joined the argumnet

Nigella compared it to a luminous soft drink and said: 'I agree with @NYTimes. Why would anyone have a Tizer-like Aperol Spritz when you could have a Campari Soda or even an Americano?'

But many disagreed with Nigella and also the original NY times article, which went on to describe the drink as a 'sugary aperitif, paired with low-quality prosecco, soda water and an outsized orange slice.'

Nigella's tweet just fuelled the already heated debate, with one saying: 'Imagine a world where you had never tasted an aperol spritz, or even heard of one. someone gives you a tall frosty glass. what do you assume it tastes like?'

Other fans said they felt offended by the original article, with one joking: 'Stop shaming the aperol spritz internet.'

The drink which is made by adding the aperol liquor to prosecco and soda, over ice, has increased in popularity over the last few years.

Others went on to agree with the New York Times article, who had also compared the drink to a 'childrens vitamin', saying, 'its wrong, and its a hangover biding its time.'

The beverage report Aperol facts A sister drink of the more famous Campari, Aperol has a similar  but milder  zesty orange taste.

Its recipe is a closely guarded secret, with herbs and roots including gentian, rhubarb and dandelion leaves.

First made in 1919, its alcohol content is around 11 per cent, less than half that of Campari and similar to a sauvignon blanc. Tizer facts Originally called Pickups Appetizer, it was launched in 1924 by Fred and Tom Pickup in Manchester.

Like Aperol, its recipe is known to only a few people. It is made from black carrot, safflower, sugar, citric acid and carbonated water. Calories Aperol spritz 125 per 100ml

Tizer 28 per 100ml. Advertisement

The original New York Times article claimed that the drink 'isn't actually good' and went on to describe why

Many people joined the debate with some joking they felt 'attacked' by the original article

One admitted: 'I couldn't agree more, but this drink is all the rage in Vienna right now.'

Another also said: 'My wifes a big fan of aperol spritz and look, I go along with it because Ill drink anything if someones offering to make it for me. But would I choose aperol spritz otherwise? Nah.'

Another Twitter joked: 'Aperol spritz is basically the same as berocca and vodka

Others felt so strongly about the drink that they created gifs and pictures, one mocked up a picture, captioning it 'Aperol spritz hive assemble' while the picture of two men in an arm wrestle said: 'Anyone else willing to band together to defend the honour of the delicious aperol spritz?'
Princess Beatrice looked elegant in a black dress and white shirt with statement sleeves as she presented an award for a children's book last night.

The royal, 30, has been a patron of Oscar's Book Prize since 2017 and was at the event in Mayfair, London, to award this year's winner Ed Vere for his story.

How To Be A Lion tells the story of a poem-writing lion who doesn't want to conform to stereotype and his brave duck friend.

The prize was founded in 2014 in memory of three-year-old Oscar Ashton who died unexpectedly from an undetected heart condition in 2012.

Princess Beatrice presented the Oscar's Book Prize to winner Ed Vere, pictured together, last night. The writer and illustrator won for his children's story How To Be A Lion

The royal looked happy and relaxed as she spoke with guests at the event at the May Fair Hotel

Keeping her outfit simple, the princess wore a fitted white shirt with long sleeves which puffed out at the elbows.

Beatrice finished her look with delicate gold bracelets and wore her hair down for the engagement.

She appeared relaxed at the event and was seen laughing as she read from a card and spoke to guests at the May Fair Hotel.

The princess has written about her struggles with dyslexia as a child, and how the support of her parents and the magic of stories helped her fall in love with reading.

Beatrice, 30, wore an elegant dress and shirt with puffed sleeves to the event. She is pictured talking to writer Lauren Child and James Ashton, who set up the prize in memory of his son

Laureate Lauren Child, pictured left with the winner Ed Vere and Princess Beatrice, helped judge this year's entries for the prize

She told the Evening Standard that her parents would record themselves reading her favourite stories so she could fall asleep to the sound of her voices when they were travelling.

And she revealed how children's stories inspired her as she struggled with her reading, saying: 'I was lucky my mother, with her great imagination, took the time to work on these with me.

'By the time I read Harry Potter aged 11, I tore through the pages'.

Writer Ed Vere received a 5,000 award for his book How To Be A Lion, after children from Eveline Day Nursery in Wimbledon helped decide on the winner.

Viveka Alverstrand and James Ashton, pictured, set up Oscar's Book Prize after their three-year-old son died unexpectedly from an undetected heart condition in 2012

Princess Beatrice, pictured with the prize's winner, has been a patron of the event since 2017 and has spoken about her own struggle with dyslexia in the past

This was the nursery that book-loving Oscar Ashton, who the prize is dedicated too, attended before he died in 2012.

Children's Laureate and author behind the Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean series, Lauren Child also helped judge the entries for the prize.

She said: 'Ed Vere understands how to pace a story, tell it beautifully, make an important point about being true to yourself and loyal to your friends.'

The jury said How To Be A Lion 'does not preach nor resort to sentimentality but yet a very clear point is made about how it is possible to deal with those who wish to bully and intimidate'.

Ed Vere, pictured with Princess Beatrice, beat 117 other entries from publishers around the UK

Lauren was joined on the judging panel by campaigner for women and childrens health Sarah Brown, and Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, UK director of books at Amazon.

Oscars parents Viveka Alvestrand and James Ashton were also judges on the panel.

Originally there were 117 entries from publishers around the UK and from this a long list of 15 books was created.

Stories about the power of self-belief, childrens mental health and even an infant criminal mastermind are represented on the shortlist of five books.
A student has revealed she refuses to date becase she doesn't want to be branded a catfish due to the amount of make-up she wears to conceal her cystic acne.

Abigail Collins, 19, from Glasgow, spends up to two hours every morning applying concealer and foundation to cover her blemished skin, which she has battled with since the age of 10.

But after years of covering it up, she said going to university has helped give her the confidence to leave the house without make-up - but she still steers clear of men.

'I've struggled to get into relationships as I was so self-conscious about my skin and how it looked, especially to someone romantically, so I tried, and still do, to avoid this,' she explained.

Abigail Collins, 19, from Glasgow, has revealed she refuses to date becase she doesn't want to be branded a catfish due to the amount of make-up she wears to conceal her cystic acne

Abigail often spends two hours every day applying concealer and foundation to cover her blemished skin

'I don't date purely because I don't want anyone to think I'm a catfish or that I'm not being honest about the way I look. It's so difficult to understand and see how another person interprets you.'

The sales advisor and criminology student began noticing breakouts on her face as she reached puberty. They became more frequent, and by 2014 Abigail was dealing with severe cystic acne.

'About five years ago it really peaked, and my skin was the worst it's ever been,' she explained.

'I had constant breakouts and a new spot every day, leaving me with bad scarring now.'

Abigail was often late for school as she'd spend up to two hours doing her make-up, doing her best to cover it up.

After years of covering up her acne, Abigail claims going to university has helped give her the confidence to leave the house without make-up

She admitted to feeling like the 'elephant in the room' as no one else she knew had a medical condition, and she struggled to make friends as her self-confidence hit rock bottom.

'Growing up it was very difficult to accept my skin and do normal teenage things,' she said.

'I felt like I had to wear make-up every day for school and I was often late because I had to make sure everything was covered, so it would take me one or two hours to get ready.

'In school I felt as if nobody wanted to associate themselves with me because of the way I looked, which meant I had very few friends and a poor social life at this point in my life.

Abigail found she had less time to spend doing her make-up as a student, but as she got into her second year she started to feel that no one really cared about how she looked

'I tried to avoid school sometimes as I felt ugly and like the elephant in the room, which took its toll on me socially as I struggled to make friends since I wasn't always there. Even now I struggle to make friends as I'm self-conscious over the way they see me.'

Abigail told how she endured years of cruel taunts, negative comments and frequent staring due to the severity of her skin condition.

'I was bullied for years about my skin and the way I looked,' she admitted.

'My friends sometimes had negative things to say and would use my skin against me, which has left me with major trust issues when it comes to meeting new people.

Abigail told how she endured years of cruel taunts, negative comments and frequent staring due to the severity of her skin condition

Pictured with a friend, Abigail admitted she tried to avoid school sometimes as she felt ugly and like the 'elephant in the room'

'I have a few close friends from school who support me unconditionally and help me in any way they can, but I still often feel alone as I don't know anybody first hand who has similar experiences to me or who looks like me. This made my self-acceptance difficult.'

Abigail also avoided dating because she didn't want people to think she was hiding her true appearance.

The student tried a few acne remedies, but nothing really helped to heal her skin, so she continued to cover it with make-up regularly.

Abigail currently uses a gel called Treclin, which is a form of Accutane, to help with her acne.

Abigail said she avoided dating because she didn't want people to think she was hiding her true appearance

She found the prospect of moving to the University of West of Scotland incredibly nervewracking and initially she skipped lectures because she was too scared to leave the house.

'I was scared I would get a bad reaction from people I would be living with,' she admitted.

Abigail found she had less time to spend doing her make-up, but as she got into her second year she started to feel that no one really cared about how she looked.

Gradually she began leaving the house au naturel - and now it's rare for her to wear any products at all to uni as she prefers to save it for going out.

The student said she now only really wears make-up if she's going out somewhere nice with friends or family

She explained: 'I realised that none of the people around me noticed my skin to a great extent. Also, being a student doesn't leave you with a huge amount of time to get ready in the mornings either, so I made myself skip make-up some mornings and then it became more frequent.

'Now, it's rare I wear any to university. If I'm going out somewhere nice with friends or family, then I will wear make-up, but if it's just to do something casual like going to the supermarket, then I will skip it.'

Abigail began sharing her journey on Instagram and connected with other acne sufferers going through the same thing.

After years of feeling ugly and unworthy due to her blemished skin, Abigail is now keen to show others that acne doesn't define them and that they aren't alone, as she once believed.

'Going out bare-faced doesn't bother me too much anymore,' she said.

'For the most part, I can decide if I want to go somewhere and just go without having to do my make-up and cover my back with my hair.

Abigail began sharing her journey on Instagram and connected with other acne sufferers going through the same thing

'Instagram has helped me so much as I've seen so many other people who look like me and made me feel less alone. It's nice to be able to chat to people about how I'm feeling or how our skin is doing that day, which is something you can't discuss with most people.

'I hope to show others that acne doesn't define you and that you're never as alone as you feel. There are always people out there who can relate and understand what you are going through and can support you.'

To see more, visit www.instagram.com/abis_acne.
Advertisement

It's been an exciting week for the Queen with the arrival of her eighth great-grandchild coinciding with one of her favourite events of the year, the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

And the monarch certainly looked in great spirits today as she entertained the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, alongside her son Prince Andrew.

The two royal families enjoy a warm relationship, and King Hamad is a regular fixture at the event, where Saturday's King Cup is named after him.

He shares a passion for all things equestrian with the Queen, and gave her two prized Arabian horses from his stables as a present in 2013, with her returning the favour with the gift of one of her own horses in 2017.

The annual show is just a short distance from Windsor Castle and the monarch drove herself to the event in her black Range Rover.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of York and the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, carefully watched the endurance phase at the Royal Windsor Horse Show this afternoon

Prince Andrew and the King of Bahrain, pictured together, were spotted enjoying themselves during the horse show today

The Queen, the King of Bahrain and the Duke of York shared a laugh while watching the endurance phase of the trials today. The two royal families enjoy a warm relationship and Saturday's King Cup is named after Hamad

Queen Elizabeth, pictured with the King of Bahrain, changed into a dark coat with pearl buttons for the afternoon's events

In the driving seat! The Queen drove herself in her Land Rover as she arrived at one of her favourite events of the year, the Royal Windsor Horse Show

The monarch wisely brought along a pair of patterned gloves to keep warm on the chilly spring afternoon (left). The Queen could not hold back her smiles as she enjoyed the third day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show today

The Countess of Wessex is pictured arriving at the Royal Windsor Horse show. Last year, the event fell exactly a week before the royal residence hosted the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The Kelaghayi and the Karabakh Horses of Azerbaijan are pictured performing at the show, with one performer holding onto the horse as it gallops. The five-day event, held in Berkshire, is now in its 76th year and attracts well-heeled visitors from all over the world

The Kelaghayi and the Karabakh Horses of Azerbaijan perform at the pageant. The show is one of the Queen's favourite events of the year

A man breathes fire during the the Karabakh Horses of Azerbaijan performance. The annual show is just a short distance from Windsor Castle

The show sees competitors taking part in a range of events from show jumping to dressage, including the Kelaghayi and the Karabakh Horses of Azerbaijan, above, forming a human pyramid on horseback

The Dubai Mounted Police Activity are pictured above riding in formation at the show. The Queen is believed to have attended the event every single year since it began as a wartime fundraising event back in 1943

Drummers from the Dubai Mounted Police Activity are pictured performing at the show. The event is the only occasion on which members of the public are able to enjoy the palace grounds

Her husband Prince Philip, 97, gave up his driving licence earlier this year after overturning his Land Rover in a collision with another car near the Sandringham estate.

Bahrain and Britain's royal families get along well and have spent time together in the past. At the end of March the Duke of York, Sarah Ferguson and their eldest daughter Beatrice went to the Grand Prix in Bahrain.

The family were put up by the Crown Prince of Bahrain at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, where suites start at 900 a night, from Friday. They also spent an all-expenses-paid VIP day at the race.

Also in attendance at the Royal Windsor Horse Show today was Princess Anne, who looked smart in a grey skirt suit, teamed with a turquoise silk shirt and a gold horse brooch.

The Queen wore a sensible khaki jacket again today and paired it with black boots, perfect for the muddy conditions after yesterday's rain.

Today the Queen wore a white floral scarf on her head which had a delicate pink pattern on it and complimented her pink lipstick.

Jessica Springsteen, an American show jumping champion rider and daughter of rock legend Bruce Springsteen, was one of the competitors at the esteemed event, showing off her skills on her horse Fleur De L'Aube.

Yesterday Lady Louise Windsor stole the show as she competed at Horse Show.

Lady Louise, 15, is an accomplished equestrian and took part in the Private Driving Singles carriage drive, watched by her proud mother, Sophie.

Jessica Springsteen, daughter of rock legend Bruce Springsteen, was one of the competitors at the esteemed event in Windsor

Jessica is an American show jumping champion rider who has represented the United States in international competition. She competed at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on her horse Fleur De L'Aube

Princess Anne, left, was looking smart for the occasion in a grey two-piece skirt suit, teamed with a turquoise shirt and sunglasses, left, while her mother the Queen, right, wore a long khaki coat and welly boots

Queen Elizabeth, 93, pictured, drove herself to the trials and arrived in her black Range Rover

Princess Anne, who is a lifelong equestrian fan and horsewoman, joined her mother at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, which is one of the favourite events of the year in the royals' calendar

Her majesty wore a khaki coat and pair of wellies to the event and took some gloves with her

Queen Elizabeth, pictured, was seen driving herself to the popular event today

Queen Elizabeth, pictured in her wing mirror, has been seen at the horse trials every day since they began earlier this week

The Queen laughed and smiled with others at the trials today. The Queen is believed to have attended every single year since it began as a wartime fundraising event back in 1943

The Queen looked intently at something in the programme as the day kicked off this morning

The teenager is an avid rider who was taught at a young age, and has inherited a love of carriage driving from her grandfather, Prince Philip.

In May 2017, she was responsible for leading the carriages of the Champagne Laurent-Perrier Meet of the British Driving Society at the Windsor Horse Show.

The Duke of Edinburgh himself, 97, made his way to the show in a two-horse carriage, accompanied by two aides.

On Wednesday the Queen wrapped up warm and brightened up an otherwise rainy day with her beaming smiles.

Jessica started riding when she was just five years old, after she moved to a New Jersey horse farm with her parents Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa

Jessica Springsteen, the second of three children of the rocker and his longtime wife, was pictured shortly after the races in a crisp white shirt and jeans with a black blazer and riding boots

Queen Elizabeth II is presented with her rosette for Bybeck Nightingale, after it won the Fells class 111 Horse and Hound Mountain and Moorlands In Hand during the show today

Her majesty, pictured today, appeared to be in her element while inspecting the dozens of horses at the trials

The Queen was certainly pleased with her winning horse, pictured, at the Royal show and made its rider laugh as well

Queen Elizabeth watched the horses from her own stand at the Royal Windsor Horse Show

The Queen laughed and smiled as she held her gloves and watched the event from her own stand this morning in Windsor

Princess Anne was also in attendance, and was picture-perfect for the event by pinning a gold equestrian brooch to her silk shirt (left). Her majesty tied a white and pink floral scarf around her head to keep off the chill today which complemented her lipstick

Mind the mud, ma'am! The Queen expertly navigated some muddy terrain behind the wheel of her Range Rover

She wore her khaki jacket to keep off the chill and a blue silk scarf which poked out from underneath the hood.

Last year, the event fell exactly a week before the royal residence hosted the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The five-day event, held in Berkshire, is now in its 76th year and attracts well-heeled visitors from all over the world.

It sees competitors taking part in a range of events from show jumping to dressage, along with displays from The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery and DAKS Pony Club - and is the only occasion on which members of the public are able to enjoy the palace grounds.

Queen Elizabeth smiled as she got out of the driving seat at the horse trials this morning

Her majesty, pictured left and right while watching the trials this morning, appeared to be having a wonderful time at the event, which is said to be one of her favourite in the equestrian calendar

Queen Elizabeth was prepared for any weather on day three of the equestrian event with her long coat, wellies and scarf on

The Queen is believed to have attended every single year since it began as a wartime fundraising event back in 1943.

The event is intrinsically linked with the royal family; both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh competed at it during their younger years, with Prince Philip entering the Carriage Driving at Royal Windsor Horse Show for 30 years, winning it just once in 1982.

In more recent years, the Queen has watched many of her own horses take part in the showing class competitions.
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall took on separate duties this morning as they started their fourth day of their tour in Germany.

Prince Charles, 70, visited an organic farm near Munich, meeting beekeepers and collecting more gifts for his new grandson Archie.

Camilla, 71, was also in Munich where she met young women at the IMMA shelter. The purpose of the IMMA initiative is to better the situation of girls and young women.

The Prince of Wales looked delighted to be there as he joked with locals and farmers, while Camilla looked deep in conversations with the women.

Camilla, 71, was also in Munich were she met young women at the IMMA shelter. The purpose of the IMMA initiative is to better the situation of girls and young women

Prince Charles, 70, visited an organic farm near Munich, meeting beekeepers and collecting more gifts for his new grandson Archie

The Duchess wore a baby blue suit dress, with a flared skirt, for the occasion and matched it with a pretty brooch.

The women showed her around their facilities, giving her gifts of food to take away. She also made sure to meet the women individually as she shook their hands and found herself in conversations with them.

Charles morning was a little more hands on as he met beekeeper Alen Bacic who keeps bees in a hive at the organic farm Herrmansdorfer Landwerkstaetten in the village Gloon.

He looked interested as he inspected their hives and then went on to hold chickens and meet locals who gave him baby presents.

The Duchess wore a baby blue suit dress, with a flared skirt, for the occasion and matched it with a pretty brooch

Prince of Wales, visits the organic farm Herrmannsdorfer Landwerkstaetten in Glonn and holds a chicken

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall stands next to staff members Gundula Brunner (R) and Sabine Wieninger during her visit to the IMMA shelter for young women on May 10, 2019 in Munich, Germany.

Duchess of Cornwall meets with women during her visit to the IMMA shelter for young women

Prince Charles, 70, visited an organic farm near Munich collecting more gifts for his new grandson Archie

He looked interested as he inspected their hives and then went on to hold chickens and meet locals who gave him baby presents

Charles wore a grey pinstriped suit for the visit to the farm, with a red patterned tie - and learned more about the organic farm, which was established to preserve traditional agriculture and crafts

Charles wore a grey pinstriped suit for the visit to the farm, with a red patterned tie - and learned more about the organic farm, which was established to preserve traditional agriculture and crafts.

Later on the Duchess joined Charles as they waved to crowds that had come to meet them and they enjoyed the good weather.

The couple were offered cheese and bread to try and Charles even tried out the local beer.

Later on the Duchess joined Charles as they waved to crowds that had come to meet them and they enjoyed the good weather.

The couple were offered cheese and bread to try and Charles even tried out the local beer.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall taste regional products as they visit the organic farm

Christina Mendi (right) presents the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall with steins decorated with their faces

Christina Mendi (right) poses with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall as she giftes then with steins decorated with their faces

Later on the couple laughed as they were presented with steins decorated with their faces by a local Christina Mendi.

This is the fourth day of their four day tour of the country. Yesterday the couple met participants of a women's refugees project at the International Rescue Committee's base at the Impact Hub in Berlin.

Arriving in Berlin on Tuesday Charles and Camilla Angela Merkel the German chancellor and German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Prince Charles takes a sip of beer as he enjoys himself at the Organic farm with wife Camilla today

The royal couple seemed to enjoy walking round the farm outside Munich - seeing what it had to offer

The royal couple were given decorated steins with the the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall's faces on them

Prince Charles has as pint of beer as he visited the farm today and enjoyed local produce

Charles and Camilla ended their afternoon engagements on Tuesday with a visit to the Brandenburg Gate, where hundreds gathered to pass on their congratulations.

The couple have yet to meet Harry and Meghan's son Archie - who was unveiled to the public on Wednesday - but have been met with messages of congratulations and knitted gifts to bring back to the little boy.

Yesterday it was revealed that once Prince Charles becomes king then Harry and Meghan's new baby will become a prince.
A teenager with a facial birthmark has revealed how she's proud of her face and never feels the need to cover it, despite receiving constant abuse from strangers.

Student, Eleanor Hardie, 19, from Ascot, Berkshire, was born with a port wine stain birthmark on her face, but thanks to her parents teaching her to love it and not let it hold her back, she never considered it an issue.

It wasn't until Eleanor was eight that she first started to question what her birthmark was as she noticed people staring at her.

Growing up at primary school, her peers would ask her about her birthmark but would often move on once Eleanor explained.

However, one girl called her 'ugly', people have laughed at her on the train and on holiday in Croatia, a driver shouted to her: 'What the f*** is on your face?'.

Eleanor has learned to brush off the comments and never conceals it with make-up as she loves her birthmark and is proud of it.

Student, Eleanor Hardie, 19, from Ascot, Berkshire, was born with a port wine stain birthmark on her face, but has never tried to hide it - despite getting abuse from strangers

Rather than trying to hide her birthmark, Eleanor wears it with pride and has even become a subject for her friends' art projects. Pictured: With her birthmark covered in glitter

Thanks to her stunning birthmark, Eleanor has been the willing subject for her friend's art project showcasing different aspects of beauty.

Eleanor said: 'When I first started to notice it, I mainly just wanted to know why I had it and why it was me that had it and no one else, because I'd met very few people with one, especially on their face.

'My parents always taught me to love and accept it and just to never let it hold me back.

'I have been having laser treatment since I was a baby and so obviously I didn't understand when I was really young what it was.

Eleanor as a baby, the three dots on her birthmark are from having the laser treatment tested on her face before starting it (left). Right: Eleanor when she was four, just after having a laser treatment. She remembers wondering why other people didn't have the same birthmark, but never felt upset about it

Eleanor was called 'ugly' because of her port wine stain by one girl and has been shouted at when walking down the street on holiday in Croatia

The teenager hopes to be able to inspire other people with birthmarks to love theirs too

'But when I did, they always said it was my decision and if I wanted to stop I could, and they never wanted to push anything on me.

'Having treatment helped seeing other people with birthmarks because when I went to hospital, I saw other children with them.

'At the Birthmark Support Group, which is a charity running family days where lots of people with birthmarks would go, it would be quite a fun day out and it really helped with confidence knowing it wasn't just me.'

From the ages of six months to 16-years-old, Eleanor underwent 24 laser surgeries under general anaesthetic to prevent her birthmark from getting darker or any bigger.

Eleanor, pictured with her mother, credits her parents for her positive attitude towards her birthmark. She said her parents taught her to never let her birthmark hold me back

Eleanor has learnt to brush off the negative comments and defiantly never covers up with make-up. By sharing her story Eleanor hopes to encourage others to embrace their marks

'Laser treatment is meant to make the birthmark paler and reduce it from growing and getting darker.

'I had 24 treatments and because it's fairly large and goes over my eye they had to do them with general anaesthetic, which I had between the age of six months to about 16 and then I stopped because of GCSEs and A-levels.

'Growing up with a birthmark wasn't that different to anyone else. When I was at primary school kids would ask me what it was but I never really had any issues with it, they would usually just ask what it was and move on.

'Apart from one time when a girl in the year below said I was ugly with my birthmark and that was sort of the start of me realising that people would be mean and rude about it. Also, because I was young, I never really noticed people staring or making comments when I was out.

Eleanor, pictured as a child, said that she was too young to notice when people were staring. When she was younger a girl at school told Eleanor she was 'ugly', which was the start of her realising that some people were going to be 'mean and rude' about her face

'At secondary school I had no issues with it, and I think because it was an all girls school there wasn't that pressure of boys or anything and so it was a really good way for me to develop my confidence.

'It's mainly when I'm out and in town or something that it's more of an issue, for instance I was walking down the street with my friend on holiday and someone shouted out of their car at me, 'What the f*** is on your face?'

'The main issue is actually adults who are ignorant and rude and it was rarely that children actually make comments because usually it's just out of curiosity and intrigue if children ask or stare at me and if I explain then they just move on and accept it.'

WHAT IS A PORT WINE STAIN? A port wine stain is a birthmark caused by the overdevelopment of blood vessels underneath the skin. The change in the blood vessels is caused by a genetic mutation which occurs before a child is born, and will remain for the rest of a person's life  though the severity of them differs between people. Port wine stains begin as a flat red or purple mark and, over time, can become more raised, bulkier and darker in colour. They can occur anywhere on the body but 65 per cent of them appear on a person's head or neck. Around three in every 1,000 babies has a port wine stain and they are more common in girls than in boys, though the reason for this is not known. Treatment usually involves laser treatment to remove some of the dark colour from the mark, or camouflaging the discolouring using a special type of make-up. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement

Eleanor went on to talk about how she deals with negative remarks she has received and how she felt when her friend asked her to be the star of her art project.

'Obviously it's not nice to receive nasty comments about my birthmark and sometimes it can really affect me like one time I was on the train and saw two girls laughing and pointing at me and I could hear them talking about me and making horrible comments,' she said.

'However because I've grown up with this and always noticed people staring I've developed almost a thicker skin and can brush it off quite easily because people can be horrible but if you let it affect you then they're the ones who are winning and it's way easier for self-confidence if you just move on.

Eleanor, pictured now, said children sometimes ask about her birth mark but it is usually just out of curiosity and intrigue and she will explain what it is to them

When her friend asked if Eleanor, pictured, would be a model in an art project the student was 'flattered' to be included and help show other areas of beauty

'They're obviously someone who isn't worth your time if they're going to be rude.

'When my friend asked if she could take photos of me I was really flattered because she was basing a large amount of her A-Level around different areas of beauty and the people who aren't usually shown in the media and so it was getting more awareness out there.

'It was really nice because she did all my makeup and then presented the whole project really well.'

Not everyone living with a birthmark shares Eleanor's self-confidence, but she hopes that through sharing her story birthmarks will become normalised in society and will encourage others to be proud of theirs.

Eleanor, pictured in a drawing, said adults can sometimes be 'ignorant and rude' but she wants to help others learn more about birthmarks and how common they are

Eleanor, pictured now, has had 24 laser surgeries under general anaesthetic to prevent her birthmark from getting darker or any bigger but she stopped this at 16

'I think for someone who isn't quite as confident then they should know that there's no reason to be because actually it is fairly normal and if one in three babies are born with a birthmark then there's a lot of people out there with one,' said Eleanor.

'Also, if it's because people have been rude and nasty in the past then it's a lot easier for you to try and move on and be the bigger person because the people who are rude are not worth your time.

'If more people are confident and show off their birthmark then the more normalised it will become and the more acceptable it will be in the media and mainstream society.

'I guess the message I want to convey is one of trying to get people to accept their birthmark as much as they can and to try and get people with facial differences in the media more so that it can be normalised, so soon we can be able to see people with birthmark and facial differences in the media more because currently there are very few, perhaps almost none.'

For more information see www.instagram.com/eleanor_hardie
The cellist who played at last year's royal wedding has revealed how life has changed since his performance and congratulated the 'lovely couple' on the birth of their son.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 20, played three songs at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle last May.

Millions of people across the world watched his stunning performance and since the performance Sheku, from Nottingham, has appeared on TV several times.

In an interview with HELLO! the musician revealed how he's now recognised on the street and people ask him to perform at their weddings, and it all started with a person phone call from Meghan last year.

Sheku said: 'An American voice came on the line saying, "Hi, I'm Meghan Markle. Would you like to play at my wedding? I've been a fan of yours for a while but I didn't know you were British".'

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has revealed how his life has changed since he played at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding last year. The musician is pictured with his siblings. Left to right is Mariatu, Jeneba, Isata , Sheku , Braimah , Konya and Aminata

Since then, he's had 'strangers come up to me in the street and ask if I can play at their wedding'.

Speaking about the occasion last year the cellist, who plays a 500,000 Amati cello, said he 'enjoyed every minute of it.'

He said: 'I enjoyed every moment of it. The atmosphere was buzzing and I felt lucky to play in such a beautiful building.'

Sheku, who is one of seven musically talented siblings, also passed on his congratulations to the couple who last week welcomed their first baby.

Sheku, pictured during his performance in in St George's Chapel last May, played three songs at the service which was watched by millions of people around the world

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, pictured on their wedding day, met with Sheku before their big day discuss the music for the ceremony

Baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born at 5.26am on Monday and introduced to the world in a photocall on Wednesday.

Sheku said: 'I'm delighted for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

'They are such a lovely couple and this is a wonderful event to coincide with the anniversary of their beautiful wedding.'

Baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, pictured, was born on Monday morning and introduced to the world in a photocall with his parents on Wednesday

Sheku, pictured, said he enjoyed 'every moment' of the royal wedding and has been stopped by strangers in the street since his famous performance

The cellist, pictured on Lorraine last May, said the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan's baby Archie was 'a wonderful event to coincide with the anniversary of their beautiful wedding'

During the ceremony Sheku played Maria Theresia von Paradiss Sicilienne, Gabriel Faures Apres un reve and Franz Schuberts Ave Maria.

In an interview with the Evening Standard Magazine, Sheku previously revealed that he'd never been to a wedding before and talked to the royal couple before their nuptials.

Sheku said: 'I'd never actually been to a wedding before. It was pretty cool. Kind of like I'd imagine a wedding to be. I actually really enjoyed it.'

In the run up to the wedding he met Meghan and Harry in St George's Chapel to discuss the music they wanted for the big day.

He said that Meghan had her own ideas about songs and they both very passionate about what would be played.

Sheku continued: 'They were really friendly. It was great to talk to them and see how much they cared about what I played.'

Sheku, pictured aged six, is the third eldest and all of his siblings can play instruments. His eldest sister studied at the Royal Academy on a scholarship funded by Sir Elton John

In May 2016 Sheku became the first black winner of the BBC's Young Musician contest

In May 2016 Sheku became the first black winner in the history of the BBC's Young Musician contest.

He also reached the 2015 semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent in a classical music ensemble with four of his siblings.

He has performed at No 10 Downing Street, been the subject of a BBC Four documentary and performed at the BAFTAs twice.

Sheku was brought up, the third eldest of seven siblings. His parents Stuart and Kadiatu both played instruments but didn't have a musical calling.

His big sister Isata, the eldest, studied at the Royal Academy on a scholarship funded by Sir Elton John (after she played for him at a concert in America) and was a Young Musician piano finalist in 2014.

Brother Braimah also took part in the 2014 Young Musician contest as part of a string quintet.

Read the full article in HELLO! magazine out now.
Best-selling author Danielle Steel has scored a whole new legion of fans after she opened up about her intense writing process that includes her beloved typewriter and 20-hour work days  despite giving up caffeine 25 years ago.

The 71-year-old, who has penned 179 books and releases seven new titles a year, shared her daily routine with Glamour while promoting her new novel, Blessing in Disguise.

The profile quickly went viral, with people taking to Twitter to share their favorite quotes and facts about the prolific author, who typically dons a cashmere nightgown and snacks on bittersweet chocolate bars while writing in her luxurious homes in San Francisco and Paris.

Say what? Danielle Steel, 71, has opened up about her writing process, revealing she spends 20 to 22 hours a day at her desk writing. She's pictured in 2017

Best-selling author: Steel has penned 179 books over the past four decades and releases seven new titles a year. She is pictured in 1995 (left) and 1996 (right)

Then there is her desk: a one-of-a-kind, custom-made creation that is shaped like three of her best-sellers  Star, Heartbeat, and Daddy  and sits inside her office in her San Francisco mansion.

Steel is worth an estimated $350 million, and while she can easily pack it in and spend the rest of time living a life of leisure, she has made it clear in her latest interview that she will be churning out novels until she drops dead because she simply loves writing.

Next up: The author is currently promoting her new novel, Blessing in Disguise

'When I was first starting out, I had the same agent as Agatha Christie,' Steel told Glamour. 'I was about 19 years old and she was in her nineties. I met her once, and I remember she said, "I want to die face-first in my typewriter." And I feel that way. I mean, I want to go on forever, just writing.'

The author is so close with her 1946 Olympia standard typewriter that she has nicknamed it 'Olly.' She bought it for $20 at the beginning of her career and hasn't been able to write on anything else since.

'Olly's a big, heavy machine and it's older than I am,' she explained. 'It has a very smooth flow to it and I can't write on anything else.

'I have anywhere between 12 to 15 of them that I've bought over the years, but they're not good enough to work on. I keep them for parts in case there's ever a problem, because this is a very endangered species!

But the true secret to Steel's success? Not sleeping. The author admitted that she works 20 to 22 hours a day, and sometimes when a deadline is looming, she will sit at her desk for a full 24 hours.

Mansion: Steel typically dons a cashmere nightgown and snacks on bittersweet chocolate bars while writing in her luxurious home in San Francisco (pictured)

Glamorous: When she's not in San Francisco, Steel (pictured at Chanel's Paris Fashion Week show in 2016) also writes at her home in Paris. She is worth an estimated $350 million

'I don't get to bed until I'm so tired I could sleep on the floor. If I have four hours, it's really a good night for me,' she said.

Steel's morning routine starts with her heading to her home office at 8:00 a.m. in a cashmere nightgown. For breakfast, she has one piece of toast and an iced decaf coffee. Miniature bittersweet chocolate bars are what she snacks on throughout the day.

To combat writer's block, she just keeps working, preferring to have to correct pages that didn't hit the mark rather than be left with nothing to work with.

Start of it all: Steel was just 26 years old when her first boo, Going Home, came out in 1973

She admittedly can't read other books when she is working on her own, and because she juggles writing five or six novels at a time, she is almost never able to dive into someone else's work.

If she has a spare moment, she likes to watch shows on Netflix, The Bodyguard with Richard Madden being her new favorite.

Steel also takes off one full week in the summer when she travels to the South of France. While on vacation, she spends time with her grandchildren and reads all the books she wasn't able to enjoy during the year.

Twitter users were amazed by her discipline, including Glamour editor Samantha Leach, who interviewed the author for the profile.

'I used to use "you have the same amount of hours in the day as Beyonce," as my inspiration to work harder. Then I profiled Danielle Steel for @glamourmag and every single word out of her mouth was a masterclass in productivity,' she tweeted.

'Danielle Steel has written 179 books, has nine children, and doesn't drink coffee. My jaw is on the floor,' writer Hannah Orenstein commented.

And Quincy Larson noted: 'There's productive. And then there's Danielle Steel productive.'

Throwback: Steel, who grew up in France, said she has always been someone who burns the candle at both ends and plans on writing until she dies

Dedication: The author (pictured with her ex-husband John Traina) admitted that two of her five ex-husbands didn't like the fact that she worked. She wrote when her children were asleep

Steel, who grew up in France, said she has always been someone who burns the candle at both ends. She wrote her first novel at 19, but it took some time for her to get published. She was 26 when her first book, Going Home, came out in 1973, and it's been smooth sailing ever since.

Interestingly enough, she never set out to be a best-selling author. The mother of nine (Steel has seven children and two stepchildren) admitted that two of her five ex-husbands didn't like the fact that she worked, so she wrote when her kids were asleep.

Although Steel didn't discuss her marriages, the profile inspired some new fans to look into her colorful romances.

The writer married her first husband, French banker Claude-Eric Lazard, when she was just 18 years old. Together, they welcomed a daughter, Beatrix.

She wed her second spouse, Danny Zugelder, in prison in 1975 when he was serving time for robbery and sexual assault.

Mother of nine: Steel (pictured with two of her daughters in the '80s) has seven children and two stepchildren

Quality time: Steel is pictured with her daughters Samantha and Vanessa in 2015 (left). She attended the Chanel Haute Couture show with her son Max in 2018 (right)

Loving it: The profile on Steel quickly went viral, with people taking to Twitter to share their favorite quotes and facts about the prolific author

Showstopper: People were amazed by the desk in her San Francisco offic, which is a custom-made creation that is shaped like three of her best-sellers  Star, Heartbeat, and Daddy

Can't get over it: Twitter users were amazed by her discipline, including Glamour editor Samantha Leach, who interviewed the author for the profile

Steel married her third husband, William Toth, the day after her divorce from Zugelder was finalized; she was nearly nine months pregnant with their son, Nick.

In 1981, the same year she divorced Toth, she wed shipping executive John Traina, who adopted Nick and gave him his surname.

Over the course of their 17-year marriage, they had five more children: Samantha, Victoria, Vanessa, Maximilian, and Zara. In 1997, her son Nick committed suicide and she wrote about his life and death in her nonfiction book His Bright Light.

'Writing that book about his life was like bringing him back to life. It was like he was alive again,' she told Refinery29 in November. 'It was wonderful. But the book did not have a happy ending.

'I once wrote one about the Titanic [No Greater Love, 1996] and my husband at the time said, "I get a feeling something happens to the boat." So, it was a given that something would happen to the boat in the book I wrote about my son. Life is complicated.'

A year later, she married her fifth husband, Silicon Valley financier Thomas James Perkins, but they divorced just four years later in 2002.

For many fans, Steel's life is just as interesting as her books.

'I could talk about Danielle Steel all day,' Rachel Syme tweeted. 'For example, she was once married to a bank robber!!!!! She has nine kids and 5 husbands!!!! She lives in a mansion! A full mansion.'

'Danielle Steel doesn't drink coffee and writes 7 books a year,' another person commented. 'This interview every writer must read and weep. A powerful portrayal of a mega-successful writer.'

And Tom Lasseter wrote: 'Not something I expected to say this morning. But yall, Danielle Steel is a BOSS.'
Queen Maxima of The Netherlands is known for her colourful wardrobe, and today she pulled out all the stops with her family as they celebrated at the April Fair in Seville.

The mother-of-three and her husband King Willem-Alexander were joined by their three daughters Alexia, Catharina Amalia, and Ariane for the event, which takes place from 4 to 11 May.

Maxima opted for a purple and pink look with her blonde hair pulled back and bold flowers in her hair.

She also wore a variety of sparkling jewelry, including drop earrings, to add even more colour to her look.

Princesses Alexia, 13, Catharina Amalia, 15, and Ariane, 12, also embraced the dress code and were seen with shawls and ruffled outfits like their mother.

Queen Maxima, King Willem Alexander and their daughters Alexia, Catharina Amalia, and Ariane dressed to impress while enjoying a trip to the April Fair in Seville, Spain, today. Left to right: Princesses Catharina Amalia, 15, Alexia, 13, Queen Maxima, King Willem Alexander and Ariane, 12,

Maxima, 47, wore a frilly purple dress with a bold pink scarf and matching flowers in her hair

The girls all wore flowers in their hair and also carried fans while at the event today.

Heir apparent Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, 15, was striking in a yellow dress with dramatic ruffles on the sleeves and a pink fringed shawl boasting a floral patter draped around her shoulders.

Princess Alexia, 13, was a vision in green and blue and carried a red polka dot fan.

And their younger sister, Princess Ariane, 12, wore a ref polka dot dress with green ruffles, and colourful flowers in her hair.

The Netherlands royal family, pictured, looked stunning in their flamenco outfits and all the young Princesses carried fans for the trip

King Willem Alexander opted for a less vibrant look and wore a beige suit to visit the casetas. Each year more than 1000 casetas' or tents installed in the fairground area of the Spanish city

Their father was the most soberly-dressed family member in a tan suit, teamed with a gold tie.

April Fair is a week of celebrations in Seville which involves lots of dancing, drinking, eating and socialising.

It was created in 1847 as a cattle fair, and over time the festive atmosphere that had grown took over and it became a permanent fixture in Seville's social calendar.

For a week more than a thousand 'casetas' or tents installed in the fairground area become the second home of the city's inhabitants.

Queen Maxima, pictured with Princess Ariane, 12, accessorised her outfit with dangly earrings

The royals, pictured, also enjoyed a carriage ride while at the event that generally begins two weeks after the Semana Santa or Holy Week in Seville

The fair generally begins two weeks after the Semana Santa or Holy Week. This year the dates run from Saturday 4 May to Saturday 11 May.

It's been a busy week for Maxima who yesterday wore a bright two-piece suit for a visit to Make-A-Wish in Hilversum, The Netherlands

The engagement was to mark their 30th anniversary of the charity - which fulfills wishes for ill children aged between 3 and 18.

Queen Maxima, pictured, appeared to be in good spirits as she took part in the festivities
Love Island star Jamie Jewitt's older brother has recalled the harrowing moment a gang of knife-wielding drug addicts stormed his family home and threatened his screaming wife and toddler - before slashing a blade down his face.

Luke Jewitt, 33, from Braintree, Essex, was deeply embedded in a cocaine gang and is currently serving 10 years in prison for his involvement in a drugs bust worth 5.2million.

He told how while embroiled with the criminal ring, close friends of his were 'executed' by a gunshot to the head.

He put his involvement, which he now deeply regrets, down to 'money and greed'.

Now Jewitt's dramatic criminal past has been made into a new gritty British film called The Corrupted, starring Timothy Spall, Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville and The Hunger Games' Sam Claflin.

Luke Jewitt, 33, from Braintree, Essex, was deeply embedded in the cocaine trade and is currently serving 10 years in prison for his involvement in a drugs bust worth 5.2million

Luke Jewitt is the brother of Love Island hunk and former Calvin Klein model Jamie Jewitt, who was a runner-up on the show with girlfriend Camilla Thurlow

The script was penned by one of Jewitt's close childhood friends Nick Moorcroft, a former young offender who managed to turn his life around to become a respected screen writer.

Speaking on a day release from prison, Jewitt recounted the frightening day dealers turned up at his door and ran a knife down his face.

The ex-boxer told The Sun: 'Luckily I managed to get out of the way and kick forward to be able to close the door on them. But my wife and son (now 10) were upstairs.

'They were people I was connected to. It comes down to money and greed.'

The elder brother of the Love Island hunk was sentenced in July 2016 as one of 11 members of a gang, after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Detectives seized 600,000 worth of cocaine imported from Malaga, Spain, in a taxi, leading to the arrest of multiple members of the group.

Jailed: Luke (right) - the elder brother of Jamie (left) - was sentenced in July 2016 as one of 11 members of a gang after drugs were imported from Malaga, Spain

Jewitt was already suspicious he was being tailed by undercover police officers and had found bugs in his car. Months later his home was ram-raided by cops at 5am.

At the time, Detective sergeant Daren Guess from ERSOU said: 'This was a sophisticated drugs importation and distribution network which had the potential to flood the eastern region with cocaine and cannabis.'

Speaking about his experience as part of the gang, Jewitt said: 'I've had some of my close friends shot dead, just executed. It's a dangerous playing field.'

Former builder Jewitt admitted he was lured into a life of crime after some vital construction deals fell through.

Former Calvin Klein model Jamie and bomb disposal expert Camilla Thurlow are one of the few remaining Love Island couples who are still going strong

He said many of the guys involved in the drugs ring were childhood friends of his, meaning the murky lifestyle 'fell into his lap'.

Repentent Jewitt claims prison has made him realise that taking a 'short cut' to try to make something of himself was wrong - and he's since become a Samaritan and studied philosophy.

He revealed he has persuaded fellow inmates not to take their own lives - though he wasn't able to save everybody, revealing he's encountered some people 'hanging dead' in their cell.

Much like the BBC hit Line of Duty, the new film based on Jewitt's life features a plot laced with corrupt police officers and government officials.

Much like the BBC hit Line of Duty, The Corrupted features a plot laced with corrupt police officers and government officials

But many of the dodgy deals and backhanders cited in the film aren't fiction; instead they're based on the eye-witness accounts provided by Jewitt, who claims he saw corruption 'on all levels'.

Jewitt was visited by Sam Claflin in prison, who described the experience as 'eye-opening' - though Jewitt played down the glamour of meeting a Hollywood movie star.

'Afterwards he went off to film and I went back to my cell,' he said bluntly.

Repentent Jewitt, left, pictured with his two brothers (Jamie, centre) claims prison has made him realise that taking a 'short cut' to try and make something of himself was wrong - and he's since become a Samaritan and studied philosophy

Jewitt was visited by Sam Claflin, pictured left, in prison, who described the experience as 'eye-opening' - though Jewitt played down the glamour of meeting a Hollywood movie star

Former Calvin Klein model Jamie and bomb disposal expert Camilla Thurlow are one of the few remaining Love Island couples who are still going strong.

Jewitt revealed he was able to watch Love Island from prison and is 'very proud' of his brother, especially for his recent campaigns championing mental health awareness.

'I've got nothing but love and respect for him,' he told The Sun. 'We've always been very close.'

The Corrupted is out in cinemas today (May 10).
Brimming with seasonal fruits, shaved cold meats, gourmet cheese and a mix of quality crackers, grazing platters have become a glamorous feature of entertaining.

But celebrity chef Manu Feildel has revealed the three ingredients to make the perfect cheese platter - and it should never include quince paste or grapes.

'Traditionally, it's cheese, butter and bread - and that's it,' the My Kitchen Rules judge told Daily Mail Australia at the launch of LOR Barista in Sydney.

'For French people, we don't have quince, jam, dried fruits, raisins or all kinds of [fresh] fruits like grapes. I don't understand fruits and cheese together.

'We just have cheese, butter and crispy bread - baguette for sure. That's the way I love it.'

Manu Feildel (pictured) has revealed the three ingredients that make a perfect cheese platter

Brimming with seasonal fruits, shaved cold meats, gourmet cheese and a mix of quality crackers, grazing platters have become a glamorous feature of entertaining (stock image)

Poll What makes the perfect cheese platter? Simplicity: Bread, butter and cheese Complexity: Cheese, dried fruits, crackers and quince paste What makes the perfect cheese platter? Simplicity: Bread, butter and cheese 29 votes

Complexity: Cheese, dried fruits, crackers and quince paste 64 votes Now share your opinion





For the types of cheese to include on the board, the French chef said: 'I love the triple creams, the oozing kind of cheese, blue Roquefort, goats cheese, all of them.

'I love all cheese. The smellier they are, the better they are.'

Grazing platters have been taking the internet by storm in recent years, with tens of thousands of people sharing their colourful eye-popping spreads all over Instagram.

When it comes to putting it together, foodies are adding all sorts of cheeses, before filling the spaces with fresh and dried fruits, chocolates, nuts, chutney and dips.

Many people usually opt for fresh grapes and strawberries, blueberries, figs and pomegranates cut in half, dried apricots and apples, olives, pickles and pretzels.

The My Kitchen Rules judge said cheese boards should only include cheese, butter and bread

On Wednesday, Manu hosted an event in Sydney to promote the launch of LOR Barista, the first portioned espresso system to offer a double shot coffee espresso

On Wednesday, Manu hosted an event in Sydney to promote the launch of LOR Barista, the first portioned espresso system to offer a double shot coffee espresso.

'I'm very honoured to represent L'or coffee because it's French to start with, it's a brand I've known since I was a kid and it's now in Australia,' he told Daily Mail.

'I don't drink a lot of coffee like most Australians do, but I love drinking strong coffees. So I start in the morning with a double shot, and that keeps me going for a couple of hours. I'd do double shot lattes and then a black espresso after lunch.'

The brand is bringing an innovative, cafe-style experience to the convenience of the home, promising a high quality espresso to coffee lovers around the world.

LOR Barista is now available in Australia with prices starting from $159 for the machine and $11 for a 10-pack capsules.
A mother has credited a mobile app for saving her life after she was diagnosed with cancer when it warned her about a suspicious mole on her leg.

Seonaid Sichel, from Crewe in Cheshire, discovered she had melanoma after trying an app which checks moles for potentially dangerous changes.

She said the app, which she first read about on MailOnline, 'probably saved my life' after she had a lump of skin sliced off the back of her knee to remove the growth.

Seonaid Sichel discovered she had a cancerous mole on the back of her knee after she used the SkinVision mobile app which she had read about on MailOnline

Mrs Sichel said she first became aware of what she thought was a freckle in 2016, but she didn't go to a doctor for another two years.

After growing up pale-skinned in South Africa and using tanning beds as an adult, the GP surgery receptionist said she is 'ashamed' it took her so long to become sun-conscious.

But once the freckle on the back of her leg started spreading outwards she knew she had to do something.

'I have had that freckle my entire life, but it started spreading outwards,' she said.

'I was concerned so started looking online and found a MailOnline article about the app SkinVision.

'I got a high-risk rating straight away but it was some time before I worried about it again.

'Last year, I was on holiday with the whole family and one of the girls pointed it out and asked if I had got it checked.

'I remembered about the app and did another check. Again it came back as high- risk and the very next day I received an email urging me to go to a dermatologist, it was this email that spurred me into action.'

SkinVision is an app based on artificial intelligence which uses a phone's camera to take photos of a mole or blemish and analyse whether it poses a cancer risk.

The app checks the dimensions and shapes of moles to spot signs it might be more likely to be cancerous, then classes it as either low, medium or high risk.

SkinVision told Mrs Sechel the mole on the back of her leg was 'high risk' and urged her to make an appointment with her doctor, which she did  she was later told it was cancer

Healthy moles are fairly symmetrical in shape and have a smooth, consistent edge, whereas a melanoma is more likely to have a jagged, irregular outline.

And non-cancerous moles are usually one colour whereas a melanoma is made up of multiple shades.

If the user gets a high-risk rating they are automatically sent advice from a dermatologist within the next 48 hours.

The app's developers claim it successfully identified more than 200 skin cancers, 63 of which were melanomas  which kill around 2,000 Britons per year  in 2018.

Mrs Sechel (pictured with her family) said her daughters asked her about the mole on her leg while she was on holiday, which reminded her to get it checked out. She admits that after growing up in South Africa she wasn't very careful in the sun

After Mrs Sichel received her high-risk rating in August, she booked a GP appointment and saw her doctor in September, and was referred to a dermatologist.

'The dermatologist immediately knew when he looked at it with a dermascope,' she said.

'I was there on the Friday and the following Tuesday it was removed. Two weeks later I got the results, it was an invasive superficial malignant melanoma 1A.

'I think without SkinVision I would have left it for a year or two, and by that stage it would have been too late. I think it probably saved my life.'

After Mrs Sichel had the cancer removed she had to go back to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, a major cancer treatment centre.

There, she had a 1cm patch of skin removed in the area around where the melanoma had been, to make sure all the disease had been treated.

Mrs Sichel, who has three adult daughters and a younger son, has since had no further problems.

Mrs Sechel needed a 1cm patch of skin removed where the mole had been to make sure the cancerous cells had all been removed

Mrs Sechel said: 'I think without SkinVision I would have left it for a year or two, and by that stage it would have been too late. I think it probably saved my life'

Melanomas are most commonly caused by UV damage to the skin, according to the NHS  this can come from sunlight or from tanning beds.

Mrs Sichel admits that, growing up, she was oblivious to the dangers of the sun and may have put her health at risk.

She added: 'We lived at the beach and spent every single day in the sun. I am naturally pale and freckly and I was always trying to keep up a tan.

'We hadn't even heard of suncream. We would go out and use a mix of brown vinegar and baby oil to get a tan, I remember as a child not being able to sleep on my back regularly because of sunburn.

'I am ashamed to say that I have used sunbeds, as have my girls.

Mrs Sechel said she read a story on MailOnline about the app SkinVision and then decided to give it a try, a process which ended up with her being diagnosed and treated for the cancer

'I used them until a few years ago when I heard that their use is as dangerous as smoking is! I don't smoke so how can I, in all good consciousness, use sunbeds?'

And she says she has since recommended the app to her friends and colleagues, and even knows of another person who was diagnosed with cancer through it.

'I told a colleague who tried it on a friend,' Mrs Sichel added.

'That person got an immediate high-risk, they went to their GP, then a specialist who diagnosed two basal cell carcinomas. The app actually saves lives.

'Its 3.99 vs your life. I would definitely recommend people use it.'
A Louisiana prisoner has been implanted with an unapproved 'pellet' to treat addiction.

The inmate is soon to be released from a Louisiana Department of Corrections (DOC) facility and is the first of 10 patients that California-based BioCorRx intends to place the implant in.

DOC doctors are surgically implanting devices that release naltrexone - an approved addiction medication - over the course of months.

Health official sand ethicists are looking at the program with skepticism, arguing that instead of experimenting on this vulnerable population, US prisons should simply provide better access to already-existing addiction treatments.

Inmates in the Louisiana Department of Corrections's prisons are being surgically implanted with an unproven 'pellet' to treat drug addiction, raising ethical and safety questions (file)

Over half of the prisoners incarcerated in the US have a substance misuse disorder, according to the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights.

The standard addiction treatment in jails and prisons in the US is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which can be helpful in addiction treatment - but is far and away most effective when given in conjunction with medication.

But, even if they had been in recovery programs that included medically-assisted therapy (MAT) prior to their arrests, prisoners are not usually given access to drugs like buprenorphine or naltrexone.

BioCorRx wants to change that - but their prisoner program is skipping some safety and efficacy steps.

The company is developing two 'sustained release' versions of naltrexone.

Naltrexone itself is already FDA approved to treat both alcohol and drug addiction.

But BioCorRx's implant is a biodegradable pellet full of the addiction treatment, to be released over the course of three or four months, according to Houma Today, which has to be surgically implanted into a person's abdomen.

The implant is not only unapproved, it's still in its preclinical phase, according to the company's website.

In 2018, one of its delivery systems was green-lighted to go through an accelerated approval process.

But preclinical testing is the stage before something is tested in humans - let alone prisoners, who live in high-risk environments in communities notorious for ignoring health complaints.

'I'm not against trying to improve drug treatment for prisoners - it's a high-risk group and it's important to come up with better methods to keep them clean,' says New York University bioethicist Dr Arthur Caplan.

'But why the company doesn't set this up as a research project, I don't understand.'

BioCorRx's justification for the prisoner program is two-fold: it's completely voluntary and comes at no cost to the federal prison system.

In a press release about the program, it argues that it costs an average of $100 a day to keep a person in prison.

BioCorRx president and director Brady Granier said in a statement that 'this type of therapy has been used successfully for decades in many modern countries and I am tremendously grateful for the opportunity to finally implement the program in Louisiana.'

But it has not been tested, much less approved, in the US.

Since the majority of inmates are jailed for drug crimes - and many are drug addicted - BioCorRx imagines its automatic delivery system and paired CBT program as an alternative program to incarceration in the future.

But despite reinforced walls, 24 hour watches and barbed wires, prisoners still obtain drugs smuggled in from the outside.

And, coupled with drugs or alcohol, naltrexone can lead to overdoses.

While access to naltrexone could certainly be live-saving to some inmates, the program only offers the drug if it comes in an experimental, surgical form, raising serious ethical questions.

'Overall, it would be great to have more options in the battle against addiction, particularly in this often-neglected prison population, but this is not the way to proceed,' Dr Caplan says.

BioCorRx had not responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment at the time of publication.

The surgery on the first patient to implant the pellet was reportedly a success, but how well they tolerate the drug dispensing mechanism remains to be seen.

Another nine implantations are planned.
British people are breathing in the equivalent of one cigarette a day because of air pollution, a leading doctor has warned.

The Government is now being begged by two royal medical colleges to do more to tackle the public health crisis, which is shortening thousands of people's lives.

The Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said politicians are not taking air pollution seriously enough.

Ministers are doing the bare minimum on curbing traffic fumes, they argued, distracted instead by less concerning problems such as wood stoves.

The Government are being begged by the medical experts to do more about air quality because of the sheer impact on public health. Pictured, London during rush hour

Children's health in particular is in a state of emergency, experts say, with youngsters in the UK suffering more breathing problems than any in Europe.

But everyone from unborn babies to elderly people is being affected by the scourge, as fumes from cars and factories are pumped into the atmosphere.

Air pollution is likely to blame for around 8.8million deaths worldwide, and is linked to the shortening of 40,000 lives a year in the UK  doctors are now demanding immediate action is taken.

Professor Stephen Holgate, the Royal College of Physicians' special adviser on air quality, said the Government are not acting on damning evidence.

He told The Times: 'In the United Kingdom [air pollution exposure] is equivalent to every single person smoking one cigarette a day.

'Of course since it's affecting three to five per cent of the population in a much greater way, it would be equivalent to smoking many more cigarettes in those areas.'

Dirty air, Professor Holgate said, speeds up the ageing of peoples skin, brain, pancreas and eyes, raising the risk of disease.

And Public Health England has warned there's strong evidence to suggest pollution can lead to heart or lung disease, stroke or cancer  and it makes asthma worse.

SO WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO TACKLE AIR POLLUTION? In January 2019, Environment Secretary Michael Gove launched a new strategy to clean up the UK's air. The Clean Air Strategy aims to cut the costs of air pollution to society and the NHS by 1.7billion every year by 2020, rising to 5.3billion every year from 2030. The main aim is to reduce peoples exposure to particulate matter (PM), identified as one of the most damaging pollutant by the World Health Oganization, as well as other dangerous pollutants, including NO2, NOx. Strategies include ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040. Mr Gove said the UK was going far further than every other country in the EU to tackle emissions from cars. The sale of pollutant fuels, such as wood burning stoves and fuel for open fires such as coal, will also be prohibited by 2022. Farmers will be required to reduce their fertiliser use and equipment that contributes to emissions. Mr Gove said: 'The evidence is clear: while air quality has improved significantly in recent years, air pollution continues to shorten lives, harm our children and reduce quality of life.' Critics of the strategy said there needs to be clearer framework, details and deadlines. Campaigners believe deadlines are too far away, and Greenpeace said the end of petrol and diesel cars should be within the next decade. The UK is currently in breach of European safety levels for nitrogen dioxide and has been threatened by the European Commision over its longstanding failures. But after Brexit, the UK will no longer be subject to EU legislation on air pollution. Advertisement

Doctors are seeing more and more children with breathing problems and making a clear link to air pollution where they live, according to experts.

Professor Jonathan Grigg, of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health told The Times the impact on children is a 'public health emergency'.

Progress is beginning on measures to cut down on how much pollution children are exposed to.

NHS watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in March advocated fining people who leave their cars running outside schools.

Public Health England has suggested congestion charges in cities, though it is down to local councils to put these in place themselves.

And other measures include encouraging people to drive hybrids or electric cars, and gradually phasing out new petrol and diesel vehicles.

Research by The Times found that in the most polluted postcode in Britain the air was equivalent to someone smoking 23 cigarettes per month.

While, on average, postcodes across the UK have a below global average level of air pollution, those in London were significantly higher.

Experts said the Government's attitude must be shifted away from the idea that pollution is too difficult to handle.

They accused politicians of avoiding the real problem of traffic fumes by focusing on 'distractions' like encouraging people not to burn damp wood in their stoves.

This comment referred to a plan announced by Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, to restrict sales of wet wood and phase out coal for use in people's homes.

Pressure must also be put on the public to make change, with a clear message that it would improve their quality of life, rather than make it harder, Professor Holgate said.

Campaigners at Greenpeace have challenged the government to phase out diesel and petrol fuelled cars by 2030, saying the current aim of 2040 is too far away.

The UK is currently in breach of European safety levels for nitrogen dioxide, which is primarily generated by vehicle traffic, released when fuels such as petrol are burned.

These NO2 particles can penetrate the airways and cause damaging inflammation inside the body.

The Government has pledged to improve air quality nationwide to World Health Organization standards by 2025.

It has acknowledged air pollution is one of the biggest threats to public health in the UK, behind only cancer, obesity and heart disease.

Although it insists its goals are ambitious, critics said the plans were short on detail and didn't measure up to EU targets.
A newlywed nurse who lost her mother to cancer is now battling the cruel disease herself aged just 26.

Julia Cullen, from Hartlepool, County Durham, was dealt the blow just weeks after getting married when she came home tired from her honeymoon.

Working 60 hours a week in the intensive care unit at the North Tees Hospital, she thought her exhaustion was nothing to be worried about.

But soon, just walking up the stairs would leave her heart thumping - despite being in good shape because of her regular CrossFit exercise.

A GP appointment suddenly landed Mrs Cullen in hospital, where she was given the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Still grieving the loss of her mother to cancer in 2016, the news came as a huge shock to the family.

Julia Cullen, 26, of Hartlepool, was dealt the devastating news that she had cancer three years after losing her mother to the same disease

Mrs Cullen thought her tiredness was simply down to having a good honeymoon with her new husband Peter Cullen

Mrs Cullen, who in September 2018 married Peter Cullen, whose age and occupation is unknown, said: 'It is hard to take that it has happened in our first year of marriage.'

When the couple returned from their honeymoon, Mrs Cullen put her feelings of tiredness and low energy down to enjoying herself too much.

She was also working long hours as a nurse, so when she regularly needed to sit down during her shifts, she considered it a temporary glitch in her health.

She said: 'I thought, "I'll just give it a few more weeks". But then I just started getting worse and was really struggling with my exercises at CrossFit.

WHAT IS ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA? Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a type of blood cancer that starts from young white blood cells in the bone marrow. There are around 810 new cases in the UK every year. In the US, ALL affects approximately 1.7 adults per 100,000. Anyone can develop ALL, however, it mainly affects younger people. Many ALL symptoms are vague and flu-like, such as: General weakness

Fatigue

Fever

Frequent infections

Bruising or bleeding easily, including nosebleeds, heavy periods and blood in the urine or faeces

Unexplained weight loss

Bone or joint pain

Breathlessness

Swollen lymph nodes

Feeling full

Paler skin than normal Risks for developing ALL include exposure to radiation, smoking, being overweight and having a weak immune system. Research suggests being breastfed and exposed to childhood infections may reduce a person's risk. The main ALL treatment is chemotherapy. Patients may also have radiotherapy, steroids or bone marrow transplants. Source: Cancer Research UK Advertisement

'Then it got to the point when, even just climbing the stairs, my heartbeat would be through the roof.

'It was then I thought, "That's definitely not normal".'

Still assuming the fatigue was nothing serious, Mrs Cullen decided to book an appointment with her GP on January 18 this year to get her bloods taken.

Alarms bells began to ring when she was called into hospital later that same day.

'I was due to work the night shift so when they rang me I was having a nap,' she said.

'When they said I had to go through to the hospital I just felt shell-shocked and dazed.

'My husband works away and he wasn't here but my sister went through with me.

'I think I started to realise when I saw the nurse's face on the ward.

'I only thought I was staying overnight but she said, "I think you'll be staying on".'

Mrs Cullen knew for certain it was bad news when doctors dropped the bombshell about her low white blood cell count.

She said: 'Having worked on a haematology ward before I knew what was wrong with me before the words came out of his mouth.

'My sister held my hand as she knew too. And we both started crying.'

Mrs Cullen was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - a blood cancer that progresses rapidly and aggressively.

With around 650 people diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK, the cancer is very rare. There are about 5,930 new cases in the US each year.

Half of all cases diagnosed are in adults and half in children, and it is the most common type of childhood leukaemia.

Mrs Cullen's mother Cath, 61, who was also a nurse, had fought bowel cancer with liver metastasis before sadly losing her battle in May 2016. Pictured, the two together

Mrs Cullen had an operation to retrieve some eggs before she started treatment in the hope that she and her husband, pictured on their wedding day, can have a family one day

It's caused by a genetic change in the stem cells that causes immature white blood cells to be released into the bloodstream before they are fully developed. These are called blast cells.

As the number of blast cells increases, the number of red blood cells and platelet cells decreases, causing symptoms of anaemia, such as tiredness, breathlessness and an increased risk of excessive bleeding.

Around 70 per cent of patients will survive their leukaemia for five years or more after they are diagnosed, with younger people having a better chance than older people, according to Cancer Research UK.

Mrs Cullen and her family were still grieving after losing their mother, Cath, to cancer a few years earlier.

The 61-year-old, also a nurse, had fought bowel cancer with liver metastasis before sadly losing her battle in May 2016.

But following their wedding, Mr and Mrs Cullen have tried to remain positive and look forward to their future and their lives together as a couple.

Mrs Cullen is now having chemotherapy up to four times a week, either through a Hickman line, which is a tube through the skin into a vein, in tablet form or injected into her spine.

Knowing she would lose her blonde locks, she let Mr Cullen shave them off beforehand.

In August, if there is still evidence of the cancer, she may then need a stem cell transplant.

A stem cell and bone marrow transplant is an option when a patient isn't responding to treatment, and involves destroying any unhealthy blood cells and replacing them with stem cells removed from the blood or bone marrow. It allows doctors to use higher doses of chemotherapy.

Many of the treatments used to treat acute leukaemia can cause infertility, and those who've received high doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in preparation for stem cell and bone marrow transplants are particularly at risk.

Therefore, prior to treatment starting in February, Mrs Cullen had an operation to retrieve her eggs so they may still be able to start a family in the future.

The young nurse says she is staying positive and strong with the support of her family.

She said: 'I've always tried to stay positive about what's happening to me.

'I've learned that you can't control what's going to happen to you in life but you can control your attitude towards it.

'It's so important not to sweat the little things in life and realise how wonderful ordinary life is.

'People get angry because of traffic jams, someone parking wonky or because they've gained 4lbs at slimming club.

'They let these things impact their life when really these things are nothing.'
Mothers have been told by a medical body there is no known health benefits from eating their placenta.

The trend has gained popularity recently, as Kim Kardashian and other A-list celebs admitting to consuming the organ.

Advocates claim it can boost iron levels, improve milk supply and eradicate the risk of post-natal depression.

But the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada strongly disagrees, and even said it could be harmful.

SOGC reviewed the evidence amid a growing trend to eat the placenta either raw, cooked, or in the form of a pill.

Mothers have been warned by a medical body to stop eating their placenta who say there are no known health benefits. Kim Kardashian (pictured in May) said she consumed her placenta in pill form to beat baby blues after reading about the benefits online

Hilary Duff (pictured in April) is one of the most recent celebrities to speak about her placenta eating habits. Advocates claim it can boost iron levels, improve milk supply

They published their warning - based on any studies that meet its standards - in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada.

In it, they wrote: 'Despite the growing trend... there is no documented evidence of benefit for improved iron stores, mood, or lactation.

Dr Jocelynn Cook, chief scientific officer of SOGC, added that currently, 'there is no strong evidence' to suggest eating the placenta has benefits.

Placentophagy is the practice of eating the organ. It forms during pregnancy to give oxygen and nutrients to the baby through the umbilical cord.

Mothers are normally allowed to take their placenta home if their intentions are made clear beforehand, but the guidelines may vary from hospital to hospital.

Advice is given on how to transport and store it at home hygienically - in a freezer without any other food - to reduce the possibility of it become infected with bacteria.

Various online sites describe how to cook and eat the placenta at home after thawing, while encapsulation companies have different protocols for collecting the placenta.

Placenta encapsulation preparations normally involve grinding the placenta down in its raw state or after being steamed and dehydrated. The cost is around 250.

The origins of the trend are unclear - especially among humans. Mammals have been known to do it but there are only theories as to why.

Scientists have long suspected that it may be because the animals are protecting their young from predators who smell blood.

Widely promoted claims to eat placenta are that it raises iron levels, micronutrients and hormones, boosts well-being and mood, and improves lactation.

Coleen Rooney (pictured in August 2017) went one step further and had her placenta made into a face cream in February 2018

WHAT OTHER CELEBRITIES HAVE EATEN THEIR PLACENTA? Katherine Heigl The former Grey's Anatomy actress took placenta pills after having her son Joshua. She learned about the possibility of freeze-drying her placenta when a new mother across the hall from her at the hospital did it. Heigl decided to get placenta pills of her own made once she had her son. Kourtney Kardashian The reality star freeze-dried her placenta after having her youngest son Reign. She even posted an Instagram photo with the placenta pills in it to broadcast that she chose to take them. Her caption said: 'Yummy...PLACENTA pills! No joke...I will be sad when my placenta pills run out. They are life changing! #benefits #lookitup.' Supposedly Kim Kardashian was going to do the same after her son Saint was born but there has been no confirmation if she did. Tia and Tamara Mowry On their reality show, the twins drank Tia's placenta that was mixed with brandy in 2013. Viewers watched as they poured the mixture into glasses before drinking it together. Right after they drank it Tia said: 'Oh my God, I see residue.' But she admitted later that it didn't taste bad. It was indeed a sister, sister moment for the duo. Gabby Hoffman The Girls star had her placenta chopped up into 20 pieces and frozen. Every morning she would then grab a piece and toss it into her breakfast smoothie. The smoothie included her placenta, fruits and milk. She said it helped give her a much needed boost in the morning. Advertisement

The SOGC reviewed four scientific studies and found the results, even if positive, were too weak in support for these claims.

SOGC said that in a study of the nutritional composition of placenta, there was hardly any detection of iron or minerals.

One study that evaluated the amount of hormones in the placenta could potentially reach a level of physiological impact if ingested.

However, once the placenta is handled, dehydrated and packaged into a pill, it is unclear is the hormones are biologically present anymore.

And poor handling of placentas and improper sterilization could lead to serious health implications for the mother and baby.

The report added: 'Although other harm has yet to be documented... there is potential for transmission of bacterial, viral, or fungal pathogens to both mother and baby or close contacts.'

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed concerns about placental encapsulation in 2017 when a woman transferred a killer virus to her baby.

Group B streptococcus, a bacterial infection commonly found in the vagina, was present in the woman's placenta.

The infection - which kills one baby a week in the UK - was transferred to the baby through breast milk when the mother took placental capsules.

Hilary Duff is one of the most recent celebrities to speak about her placenta eating habits on a podcast, the Dr. Berlin Informed Pregnancy, in November.

Duff said a smoothie with the powdered placenta as the star ingredient was the best she had ever had - and she planned to create ice cubes out of placenta, too.

She may have taken advice to Kim Kardashian, who has boasted of her good mood using placentophagy after more than pregnancy.

Speaking on her app in December 2015, E! reports that Kardashian said: 'I really didn't want the baby blues and thought I can't go wrong with taking a pill made of my own hormonesmade by me, for me.

'I had great results and felt so energized and didn't have any signs of depression! Every time I take a pill, I feel a surge of energy and feel really healthy and good.'

Coleen Rooney went one step further and had her placenta made into a face cream in February 2018.

She initially wrote on Twitter in January 2016: 'Looking forward to starting my capsules.'
Millions of pounds of taxpayers' money is being funneled into the maintenance of a deserted hospital in Liverpool - despite it being empty.

More than 3million (around $3,906,900) went into the day-to-day maintenance of the unused Royal Hospital between July and December last year.

And a further 523,000 ($681,100) was spent in January alone, bringing the total over the past six months' to the equivalent of 163 nurses' salaries.

Freedom of Information figures also reveal more than 100,000 ($130,200) is spent each month on electricity to light the empty 23-ward hospital.

The state-of-the-art building is intended to replace the existing Royal Liverpool Hospital, which flooded three times last year, forcing doctors to treat patients while wearing wellies.

But construction was put on hold after the record-breaking collapse of the development giant Carillion. It is not expected to be completed until the end of next year.

Pictured is the exterior of a building at the Carillion construction project at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital in Liverpool on January 16 last year. Carillion collapsed in February in what is said to be the largest ever trading liquidation in UK history, temporarily halting the project

The construction site (pictured January 16 last year) is not expected to complete until the end of 2020. More than 3million went into the day-to-day maintenance of the unused building between July and December last year, including paying for the lights to be permanently on

Dan Carden, MP for Liverpool Walton, said: 'People will be angry to learn about this. To think that money is being poured down the drain like this is an absolute travesty.'

The part-built hospital has people employed to run its 4,000 taps to prevent the build-up of bacteria. And its lights must be kept on at all times due to incomplete electrical works.

Construction began in 2014 and was due to complete in March 2017, with the existing Royal Hospital then being demolished. However, the building work has been hit by a series of delays.

Liverpool Echo reported cracks were discovered in the new build's concrete beams, as well as a large amount of asbestos around the construction site, before Carillion collapsed in February last year.

Carillion fought off Horizon to win the construction project before being forced into, what is said to have been, the largest ever trading liquidation in UK history.

The Royal Hospital's construction was initially expected to cost 335million ($436,150,040).

However, the collapse of Carillion is thought to have added an extra 100million ($130,194,040) to the bill.

The 646-bed hospital was originally funded under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI); where companies provide money for new hospitals and then charge annual fees.

But that was later scrapped, with public money being be used to finish the hospital, which is around 90 per cent complete.

'The hospital should never have been PFI and a large portion of the blame for this situation lies with Carillion,' Mr Carden said.

'We should be having an investigation into Carillion and how they were able to get away with it, and why ministers weren't taking action when they should have been.'

The existing Royal Hospital and its start-of-the-art replacement are yards apart in Liverpool

The part-built hospital (pictured on January 16 last year) has people employed to run its 4,000 taps to prevent the build-up of bacteria. A local MP called this an 'absolute travesty'

The Royal Hospital's construction (pictured January 16 2018) was expected to cost 335million. However, the collapse of Carillion is thought to have added an extra 100million

THE SETBACKS BEHIND LIVERPOOL'S NEW ROYAL HOSPITAL'S COMPLETION December 2016 Cracks in the concrete beams halted construction March 2017 Large amounts of asbestos found around the construction site pushed the estimated handover date to Summer 2018 July 2017 Carillion's value plummets after 845million write-down of construction contracts November 2017 Carillion debts revealed to hit 925million January 2018 Carillion collapses and is placed into compulsory liquidation, with liabilities totalling 7billion October 2018 Laing ORourke is appointed the new management contractor Advertisement

In a statement, a spokesperson for hospital trust said: 'There are a number of different costs associated with maintaining the new Royal Liverpool Hospital.

'[These include] site security and on-going maintenance to ensure the future safety of the water system.

'While these costs are significant, funding is in place to cover them.

'The past 18 months has been a very challenging time for us and we remain extremely disappointed we have not yet moved into our new hospital.

The statement added: '[The Construction company] Laing O'Rourke is finalising the proposed solutions regarding the external cladding on the building.

'Once this is concluded, we will be able to update people on when the new Royal will be completed.'

Laing O'Rourke took the project on in November and plans to complete the hospital by the end of next year.

The state-of-the-art building is intended to replace the existing Royal Liverpool Hospital (pictured), which has long been deemed unsuitable for patients

BBC's Hospital documentary revealed the Royal Liverpool Hospital has flooded 10 times last year, causing delays to patient care and forcing staff to wear wellies (pictured)

Staff at the existing hospital have reported how its lifts have been out of order for over a year

To make matters worse, the existing 40-year-old Royal Liverpool Hospital, which is just yards away from the new site, has long been deemed unsuitable for patients.

A flooding incident last year was followed the very next day by an electrical fault, which resulted in medical equipment malfunctioning.

Staff also reported lifts have been out of order for more than a year, uneven floors are being held down with tape, and 'bits of concrete fall off the roof and onto the car park'.

A trust spokesperson is quoted as saying last August 'the current building does not provide the high-quality environment that we want' but is a 'safe environment'.

The Royal Hospital has been controversial since its opening in 1978 when it failed to comply with existing fire regulations. A 1999 report then questioned whether the building was fit to provide healthcare.

A Strategic Outline Case deemed a new building was preferable to revamping the old one in 2004.
After finding a lump in her breast in January 2018, Alexandria Whitaker did what we're all told to do: go to your doctor.

But that simple step somehow became complicated.

Then-24-year-old Alexandria, of Orlando, Florida, was brushed off.

It can't be anything sinister, her doctor said, because you're 24.

For that reason, the doctor explained, there was no point addressing her concerns.

While most of us are usually inclined to accept a doctor's verdict, trust in the medical profession has fallen dramatically in recent years, and Alexandria found herself to be among the skeptics.

She pushed for a scan, which revealed a mass, prompting a biopsy, which revealed stage 1 triple positive breast cancer - in other words, driven by all three of her breast hormones - in February 2018.

Alexandria Whitaker, now 25, of Orlando, Florida, was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in February 2018. At first, her doctor said it wasn't worth checking out because she was 24 (pictured, left, before her diagnosed) with no family history of breast cancer. After she pushed her doctors to take her concerns over her lump seriously, a mammogram revealed cancer

In July, she decided to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction - a straightforward decision for Alexandria once she completed chemotherapy, keen to cut out any risk that her cancer could reoccur, and desperate not to endure chemo again

'I was devastated and scared. I immediately burst into tears and called my mum, dad and fiance, then my closest friends. I wanted them to know as soon as I did, and I'm so blessed to have an incredibly strong and fiercely loyal support team with me,' Alexandria said. Pictured: Alexandria with Timmy, her fiance

'I wasn't even looking for a lump when I found it,' Alexandria said.

She was getting ready to go out with her friends, and she put on an adhesive bra.

It was while smoothing it on that she felt the lump, very clearly, and knew that it wasn't normal for her body.

'I didn't think too much of it that night,' Alexandria, a PR, said, 'I was ready to have a good night, but thankfully I remembered it the next morning.'

One of her best friends, who is a doctor, felt it, and agreed it felt solid, but neither were too concerned. Alexandria was so young - breast cancer is most common in women over 55 - and she had no family history. But they agreed that she should get it checked out.

Her doctor's abrupt dismissal took her aback.

'It made me feel pretty upset. I knew that this wasn't something normal for my body and the doctor was dismissing me based on feeling alone. I'm no medical professional, but you can't know what's going on inside someone's body without doing some sort of test. Physical touch isn't going to tell you much,' Alexandria said.

She pushed for testing, not sure what kind of tests she would need but certain she needed something more than a hunch.

Her first screening was an ultrasound, and going in she was told they wouldn't be doing a mammogram after.

That changed when the technician saw a clear mass on the screen.

The mammogram showed a shadow, and the technician ordered a biopsy, which Alexandria describes as 'one of the most painful procedures of this whole experience'. 'They didn't numb me and there was a long needle inserted into my breast. My whole right breast was bruised for weeks after,' she said.

That physical pain was followed by an emotional blow, delivered over the phone while she was in the car at 80 miles an hour.

She was moving house, and her doctor called.

Naturally intrigued, Alexandria picked up. Due to HIPAA laws, which protect patient privacy, doctors rarely ever deliver sensitive information over the phone. But this case was an exception.

'I still think it's insane that's how she told me,' Alexandria said. 'I was devastated and scared. I immediately burst into tears and called my mum, dad and fiance, then my closest friends. I wanted them to know as soon as I did, and I'm so blessed to have an incredibly strong and fiercely loyal support team with me.'

As soon as she was diagnosed, Alexandria immediately started meeting with new doctors and surgeons to begin treatment

There are various types of tumors that grow in the breast, depending on which hormones are fueling it.

Each type can be more likely in certain age groups or demographics, they might be more aggressive, and each type is treated differently, with different hormonal treatment.

The most elusive is triple negative breast cancer, which is very aggressive, rarely responds to chemotherapy, and does not appear to be linked to any hormones, meaning standard hormone treatment will not work.

A growing swell of research has revealed that triple positive breast cancer is another subset, though we are still lacking large-scale studies to understand this type. Triple positive is a tumor that grows in response to all three breast hormones - estrogen, progesterone, and HER-2.

By deduction, experts believe around 10 percent of tumors may be triple positive, since 20-25 percent are HER-2-positive, 70 percent are estrogen-receptor-positive, and most of those are also progesterone-positive, according to Lynne Eldridge, MD, author of Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time.

Though it sounds like the antithesis of triple negative in its make-up, it is hardly a lighter ordeal.

Triple positive tumors tend to be more aggressive and occur in younger people, and patients require a triple-whammy treatment plan, which is grueling.

As soon as she was diagnosed, Alexandria immediately started meeting with new doctors and surgeons to begin treatment.

'I was so young and healthy before, so my doctors and I were all on the same page about being as aggressive as possible with my treatment,' she said.

In March 2018, Alexandria began chemotherapy and simultaneously started her medically-induced menopause to preserve her fertility.

Alexandria did five rounds of chemotherapy, and received four hormonal treatments (Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin and Perjeta) for a year.

Just two weeks after her first session, Alexandria started losing her hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, she became weak, nauseous and suffered memory issues.

In July, she decided to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction - a straightforward decision for Alexandria once she completed chemotherapy, keen to cut out any risk that her cancer could reoccur, and desperate not to endure chemo again.

Just two weeks after her first session, Alexandria started losing her hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, she became weak, nauseous and suffered memory issues

Despite the journey, Alexandria has learned to love her body more than she ever did before her diagnosis because it has fought so much to get her where she is today

'Treatment affected me physically of course, like losing my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, feeling weak, nausea and exhaustion, but there were also emotional aspects that linger and can't be seen.

'I started losing my hair about two weeks after my first infusion, which was really surprising. It still makes me sad because I was one of those girls who loved their hair and losing it felt like losing part of my identity.'

In March this year, she had her final chemo infusion.

Now, she is still on Letrozole, a daily pill to regulate her hormone levels.

Despite the journey, Alexandria has learned to love her body more than she ever did before her diagnosis because it has fought so much to get her where she is today.

'A lot of the time when I think back on the past year it feels like a bad dream. I'm so grateful for family and friends who were with me and I'm grateful for doctors who are relentless in their pursuit of giving me the best treatments possible.

'Instagram, YouTube and my blog have enabled me to help other people. It gives me purpose, a reason to keep going on dark days and to find the silver linings in this whole experience.

'For other cancer warriors, I hope I can be a resource, a friend and a source of inspiration. For everyone else who hears my story, I hope I can inspire them to live their lives fully and to take control of their health.'
A father-of-three who has been left totally paralysed after developing locked-in syndrome has learnt to spell out words using his eyes.

Darren Leith has been 'buried alive' ever since he suddenly suffered a brain-stem stroke on April 28 2017.

The 50-year-old is able to think, see and feel but cannot eat, talk or move any muscles aside from his eyes.

Since his stroke, Mr Leith has been cared for at a neuro-rehabilitation centre in Southport, 100 miles away from his family home in Barrow, Cumbria.

The former painter and decorator has learnt to spell out words by pointing to letters on a board with his eyes. And during a recent visit from his children, he asked them to 'take me home'.

In order for him to fit back into family life, his family are fundraising 20,000 (around 26,050) so they can adapt their home to fit his needs.

Darren Leith has been left totally paralysed after suffering a brain-stem stroke in April 2017. Pictured in London with his now 23-year-old daughter Shannon in 2012, he developed locked-in syndrome and has learnt to spell out words using his eyes, the only muscles he can use

The 50-year-old can think, see and feel but cannot eat, talk or move most of his muscles

Mr Leith spelt out 'take me home' on his board (pictured) during a visit from his two daughters

Speaking of her father's ordeal, his 23-year-old daughter Shannon Leith said: 'The last time I went to see him with my sister he said "take me home you two".

'I know he will be better off at home. It's not fair to not have him there for two years.

'He is so depressed and wants to be at home. It would be a dream for us. The last two years have been a living nightmare.

'To have him taken away from us was the worst thing. We just want our dad back.'

Mr Leith, who is also father to Kristen Leith, 24, and 11-year-old Connor, was a keen kayaker and 'lovely dad' before the ordeal, with the parenting roles now being reversed so his children look after him.

'All we want is for him to be happy,' Miss Leith said. 'The most important thing for us is to make sure his life can be a little bit better.

'I know he misses home and I know how much he hates being away from his family.

'When we go to visit him he smiles and is happy. But he does cry a lot when he's alone.'

Mr Leith is pictured on the left celebrating his 50th birthday at Cleveland House, where he has been for nearly two years, with his daughters Shannon (left) and Kristen. Shannon (pictured right with her father) says he is 'so depressed and wants to be at home'

Mr Leith is pictured with his family during a happier time at Kirsten's graduation in July 2016

Mr Leith, who had been slurring his words, collapsed by his bedside after getting up on an 'average' Friday morning in April 2017.

He had been to his GP complaining of a headache two days earlier but was reportedly told it was just a migraine and sent home.

Mr Leith's partner Kelly Freshwater, 43, called 999 and he was rushed to Furness General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness.

Once he arrived, Mr Leith was placed into an induced coma while doctors tried to get to the bottom of why he collapsed. However, all medics could be sure of at the time was he had not suffered a heart attack or another type of stroke.

Mr Leith was woken from the coma on April 31 and found himself unable to move.

A neurologist was called in to assess Mr Leith, then 48, with the medic confirming he had suffered a stroke of the brain stem and was locked-in his own body. The stroke was reportedly not picked on in scans due to it being at the very base of his brain.

His daughter Shannon claims the specialist told her family only one per cent of people who have a stroke develop locked-in syndrome.

'He told us he was completely paralysed but can 100 per cent understand everything we say,' Miss Leith said.

'I was in complete denial. It was just awful to be told that. We were told it is incurable and dad will be like this forever.

'I struggled to cope to begin with. It was absolutely horrible. I laid in bed and just tried to imagine what it would be like for him. It must be a living nightmare. It's like being buried alive.

'I hang on to hope he will get better one day. I have been a mess since it all happened.'

Mr Leith is pictured left being visited by his 11-year-old son Connor. Mr Leith (pictured right on his birthday) is 'happy' when he has visitors but 'cries a lot' when he is alone

Mr Leith (pictured in 2016) was a keen kayaker and very active before the ordeal

He is pictured before his stem stroke with his partner Kelly Freshwater, 43

Mr Leith spent the first eight months in hospital before being moved to Cleveland House in December 2017; a two hour drive away from his family.

He receives one-to-one physiotherapy at the centre. He fought hard to regain his muscle strength, and can now wriggle some of his fingers and lift his head from his pillow.

Mr Leith is also learning how to write on a white board and stand using a tilt table, with specialists being optimistic his muscles may one day remember how to move again.

'He's trying to get stronger and stronger all the time and he is making progress,' Miss Leith said.

'But he does best when he's with us. He gets strength from spending time with his family. If he is with us all the time, we can spend much longer trying to help him.

'We can give him the encouragement he needs.'

The family hope to adapt their home to fit in a stair lift, mobility equipment and specialist bathroom supplies.

Miss Leith claims his loved ones are also working overtime to save up as much cash as they can. Donate here.
To anyone that can stomach six cups of coffee a day, new research suggests that's not a good idea.

A study by the University of South Australia found drinking more than six cups a day increased the risk of heart disease by 22 percent.

The findings, likely, won't have much of an impact on most of us in the US - the average American drinks 1.6 cups a day (compared to eight in Finland, the coffee capital of the world, according to the International Coffee Organization).

But the research digs into a debate about the threshold before caffeine becomes dangerous, after a spate of deaths linked to extremely high caffeine intake, and research that suggested six cups could be protective for your heart.

The research by the University of South Australia confronts a debate about the threshold before caffeine becomes dangerous after a spate of caffeine-related deaths

The study, based on UK Biobank data of 347,077 participants aged between 37 and 73 years old, was a bid to understand if some of us are more resilient to coffee's effects than others.

The researchers focused on the caffeine-metabolizing gene CYP1A2, which is believed to help better process caffeine.

And they identified which coffee consumption habits increased or lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease.

They found that even those with the CYP1A2 gene, which helped them metabolize coffee four times quicker than others, saw downsides after their sixth cup of coffee.

Given that few of us exceed three or four, the findings shouldn't be earth-shattering.

'At the doses most people drink it probably wont have much of an effect, probably because most people auto-titrate,' Chris Labos, MD, a cardiologist at McGill University's Office of Science and Society who was not involved in the research, told DailyMail.com.

'Anyone very sensitive to caffeine - i.e. who gets palpitations from it - will self-curtail their consumption in order to feel better. So the people who drink a lot of coffee are probably immune to it.'

It's a question Dr Labos has addressed before, in an op-ed for the Montreal Gazette in 2014, in which he broke down various studies on the risks of caffeine after the FDA issued a warning about caffeine consumption.

He found that coffee could increase your heart attack risk by 50 percent - if you consume 2 million cups.

'Just stay under the 2 million mark,' he wrote.

According to the American Heart Association, there are pros and cons to coffee. It helps to release fatty acids from fatty tissue, which can be used for energy, and it stimulates the nervous system, but its impact on the kidneys can increase thirst, and its acidity can cause acid reflux.

But ultimately, most of us are in the black.

'Overall the evidence, which is observational, and not from randomized trials, seems to suggest that it has a net protective effect,' Dr Labos said.

For those concerned about their heart health, they should turn their attention to the extras they pump into their coffee cup, rather than the java itself.

'One big caveat is that, with all the cream and sugar and flavorings that people add to coffee, it contains a lot of calories that people dont need and will probably make things [like heart health] worse.'
An article on April 10 about council bosses' pay included information previously published by the Taxpayers' Alliance which said that Lambeth council had paid packages of at least 100,000 to 28 senior members of staff. Lambeth council has asked us to clarify that the Taxpayers' Alliance figures have since been updated, and that it in fact paid packages of at least 100,000 to 15 members of staff.

To report an inaccuracy, please email corrections@dailymail.co.uk. To make a formal complaint go to www.dailymail.co.uk/readerseditor.

You can also write to Readers Editor, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or contact IPSO directly at ipso.co.uk
HISTORY

She-Merchants, Buccaneers And Gentlewomen: British Women in India

by Katie Hickman (Virago 20, 400 pp)

A superb spectacle was seen across Northern India in 1838: exotic figures riding elephants and horses, followed by some 12,000 soldiers and servants. They travelled around India and the whole tour took a leisurely 18 months.

At the head of the column, holding a gold umbrella, rode not some Mughal prince, but one George Eden  an old Etonian who was now Lord Auckland, the Governor-General. For this was British India now, and the British wanted India to know it.

Yet the reason we know all about the journey in such rich detail is because George Eden's mischievous sister, Emily, rode with him on an elephant, and wrote some of the most brilliant, funny and sometimes plain bitchy letters about the British in India. (She was great fan of Jane Austen). In one letter, she described sardonically how some of the visiting rajas at a British ball think the ladies who dance 'are utterly good for nothing, but seem rather pleased to see so much vice'.

A superb spectacle was seen across Northern India in 1838: exotic figures riding elephants and horses, followed by some 12,000 soldiers and servants. They travelled around India and the whole tour took a leisurely 18 months

It is upon rich sources such as these that Katie Hickman has drawn to give us this colourful, witty and elegantly written new perspective on British India through the eyes of some of the women who were there.

The she-merchants of the title were those enterprising women who, like the men, went out to India to work hard and make their fortune. Many set up as milliners and dressmakers, boarding-house proprietors, nurses and plant collectors.

By the end of the 18th century, more than 16 per cent of East India stock was owned by female shareholders, with full rights to attend shareholder meetings and vote.

There was one figure known as Poll Puff who, during the 1760s, was a common sight on the streets of Calcutta, selling the 'exquisitely light apple puffs for which she was famous', a business she kept up 'for upwards of 30 years'.

Eventually, when she was too old to earn her living, her regular English customers clubbed together and set up a fund to keep her in her old age.

Other female newcomers from England found it more difficult to settle in and prosper. One wrote of the servants she saw in Ceylon: 'They wear nothing at all about them but a little piece of rag about their waist, which to us at first appeared very shocking.'

Another tutted: 'The almost stark-nakedness of the lower classes is disgusting.' But the English ladies could, in their turn, meet with disapproval from wealthy Indians for not displaying enough jewellery and fine clothing.

In contrast to the vivid greens, scarlets, yellows and golds of the Indian style, the plain, dressed-down look of the English women suggested to the Indians merely that 'their husbands and fathers held them in low esteem'.

Some British women were less conventional, even smoking spiced hookah pipes.

She-Merchants, Buccaneers And Gentlewomen: British Women in India by Katie Hickman (Virago 20, 400 pp)

One redoubtable traveller, Fanny Parkes, who was never happier than when she was 'vagabondising about India' like some 21st-century backpacker in the 1830s, noted: 'The conduct that shocked them was our dining with men not our relations, and that, too, with uncovered faces.' She added that 'a lady going out on horseback is monstrous'.

Indian ladies would never go out to pay a social visit without at least two or three of their own slaves in tow.

The British men could be pretty adventurous, too, of course. The sub-continent was Britain's 'Wild East', says Hickman, where ambitious young men, often fleeing bankruptcy, went out to make their fortunes.

They took to India with alacrity, often exchanging their clothing for a looser-fitting Indian style and even turning vegetarian.

Many took several Indian mistresses, or 'bibis': wills made by East India Company men show that no fewer than one in three left money either to some companion or their illegitimate offspring.

Later on, though, notes Hickman regretfully, bossier types came out 'not to revel in the Orient but to improve it'.

In 1857 the Indian Mutiny showed the British that not all in India were happy with their presence  though many Indian regiments stayed loyal to the British, as mutineers rampaged through the streets yelling 'Allah-i-Allah, Mare Feringhee!' (By the will of God, let us kill the foreigners!). They slaughtered white men, women and children in horrific mob violence.

75,000 The number of flowers needed to make a pound of saffron Advertisement

Hickman spares us no details of the mutiny, nor the ferocious reaction of the British. It was a tragic episode which showed up the profound differences between the two peoples, with much mistrust and misunderstanding on both sides.

Hickman gives us a wealth of entertaining details of domestic life: in 18th-century Calcutta, one English household dined on 'a soup, a roast fowl, curry and rice, a mutton pie, a fore-quarter of lamb, a rice pudding, good cheese, fresh churned butter, fine bread and excellent Madeira'. After that, unsurprisingly, came siesta.

Alcohol consumption was consistently high. One Charlotte Hickey, a beautiful prostitute from London whom a wealthy lawyer adopted as his live-in wife, treated her fever at sea by pouring 'a glass of red wine down her throat every ten minutes' until she'd got through a bottle and a half. 'Not surprisingly she soon passed out into a profound sleep. The next morning, however, her fever had broken.'

A useful tip for next time one is stricken with a quartan fever, somewhere off the steamy Coromandel coast. . .
Energy suppliers will soon be offered the chance to access smart meter data in a move that will alarm some households, This is Money can reveal.

According to an industry insider, some energy companies are looking to take automatic meter readings up to every 30 minutes through the Data Access and Privacy Framework, removing the need for consumers to submit their own readings.

Our source, who wished to be kept anonymous, said the move raised serious questions over individuals' right to privacy - even though households will have to give their express permission before their data is shared.

The hope is that the new technology will be used to create better access to cheaper deals and even personalised tariffs, but some critics worry about firms being able to us data to monitor households' behaviour and that granting permission will open the door to all third parties accessing data.

Smart meter customers could soon be handing over more data to energy companies in GB

Currently, smart meters rely on mobile phone signal to transmit energy usage data to your provider, prompting concern that households' data is not securely enough protected.

In a bid to address this, the government commissioned the Data and Communications Company last year to build a smart meter communications infrastructure, which went live in November 2016.

It has been developed in close coordination with industry security experts, the National Cyber Security Centre and government and will aim to securely send and receive information from smart meters to energy suppliers, energy network operators and energy service companies.

The hope is that it will provide customers with better security protecting their data than they have currently. It should also mean that those who aren't eligible for a smart meter at the moment - due to patchy mobile signal - can get access to one.

However, it will also mean that all energy usage data for every household with a second generation smart meter will be available to third parties, as long as the customers' permission has been granted.

A spokesman from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: 'We take data security very seriously, and households have control over who accesses their smart meter data.

'Ultimately, consumers could benefit greatly from this data revolutionhelping them unlock cheaper tariffs, access new deals and create personalised energy recommendations that could help them save on their energy bills.'

The new plans are set to be in place by 2020, tying in with the government's target of every small business and household being offered a smart meter by next year.

The DCC is expected to make sure all the meters are running smoothly once they are installed.

Who will be affected?

At present, if someone has a first generation smart meter, they cannot switch supplier and keep using the same meter as it will go dumb.

It is hoped the as yet unfinished roll out of the second generation devices and the launch of the new network will change this, enabling customers to switch provider more easily and faster without the need to have a new meter each time.

If all goes to plan, first generation smart meters should be connected to the new national infrastructure in the first half of 2019.

However, as the roll out of smart meters keeps being delayed, it could well be that the connection of meters will see a delay as well.

Customers will have to give their permission for their smart data to be accessed by companies

What will happen to my data?

One of the ideas behind this network is to provide energy use data that supports innovation in the energy sector.

These could include services that allow households which conserve energy to benefit from lower prices for example, or services that tell you when to do certain household chores to save money.

Suppliers could eventually use this data to tailor pricing deals to customers based on their energy usage.

It's hoped that this could start to break the stranglehold the Big Six energy suppliers currently have on the energy market.

However, there is likely to be some backlash, with individuals increasingly concerned about how companies are using their data and at what point it becomes an invasion of their privacy - particularly as GDPR regulation brought in last year has put personal data breaches into the spotlight.

Energy suppliers have started signing up to be Users - giving them access to smart meter data

Energy suppliers will only be able to access energy consumption data that is more detailed than daily - every 30 minutes for example - if they have obtained the customers explicit consent to do so.

All third parties will be required to get consent to access your smart metering consumption data.

It means that suppliers will be able to make inferences from the data they can receive. For example, if they see there is constant energy usage in the evening, they will know it is probably down to you using your boiler.

Suppliers would also be able to infer, for example, if there is high usage at 7:15pm, this is likely to be the time you get home from work.

It is not thought that companies will get usage data broken down by a device for some time but eventually, companies could find out when and how often you put a kettle on, for example.

While this is conjecture and no factual evidence can be determined from the data collected it could become a problem in the future and a legitimate cause for privacy concerns.

Who can access my data?

Your supplier will automatically be able to access your energy usage data and they'll use it to calculate your bills.

The new network will mean that third party companies, once registered to the DCC and approved, will have access to smart meter data.

Who will use my data? For companies to access any information to begin with, they will have to apply to be registered as a 'user' and the only way of communicating with a DCC smart meter device is to become a user. Certain types of energy industry participants, including domestic energy suppliers and network operators are obliged to become users. Other companies must also become a user if they wish to communicate with a DCC smart metering device, for example, to get a history of a customer's consumption or details of their current tariff. Using this network should mean suppliers avoid the complexity and duplicated costs of installing their own networks.

Crucially, customers MUST consent to having their data used by third party providers  it is set to be an opt-in scheme.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has sought to reassure households worried about the new framework.

A spokesman said: 'Smart meters are helping people track how much they are spending on gas and electricity so they can save money.

'They are part of an essential upgrade to our national infrastructure that will help the country transition to a cleaner and more efficient energy system.

'Households have control over who can access their detailed energy consumption data and for what purposes as energy suppliers are subject to a strict data access framework.'

Will my data be safe?

Energy suppliers are subject to GDPR data protection legislation, breaches of which could lead to fines of up to 20million or 4 per cent annual turnover  whichever is higher.

The DCC is claiming that this data collection could actually improve things for customers, allowing for more suitable and tailored pricing of tariffs for customers based on how and when they use energy.

The DCC website says: 'With improved insight into consumption patterns provided by online smart meter reporting, new saving opportunities can be identified and pursued.

'In addition, the smart meter could be used as a platform to launch new smart energy services and product offerings.'

Devices: Smart meters are supposed to help customers understand their energy billing better

Should I give permission for my data to be used?

After customers have given permission, in the first instance, it is likely the data will be used to make switching supplier smoother. Currently the system for doing so is plagued with difficulties.

The new data handover would also mean that customers will no longer have to submit meter readings; providers can simply pull the information from the DCC's database and bill the consumer accordingly.

Your data could also be used to tailor and recommend specific deals specific to you.

For those who find it a pain to submit meter readings or are having trouble switching supplier and therefore spending more money than necessary, this will come as welcome news.

However, many others will be concerned about whether the offers tailored for them are genuinely the best ones for them.

Robert Cheesewright, director of corporate affairs at Smart Energy GB, said: 'The only data contained in a smart meter is your energy information. How this data is used is strictly regulated.

'You control your data and energy suppliers cannot use it for marketing purposes without your express consent.

'Getting a smart meter is a vital step we can all take in upgrading our national network, making better use of cheaper renewable energy and tackling the causes of climate change.'

There is a list of suppliers that are already in the process of becoming a user and This is Money has asked the DCC to provide this information.
Investors have been keen to pile their money into Hargreaves Lansdown's newest fund with the group revealing it raised a record-breaking 298million in just under a month.

The HL Select Global Growth Shares fund, which launched last Friday, overshadowed fundraising for forerunners the HL Select UK Income Shares and HL Select UK Growth Shares funds, which raised 251million and 168million respectively.

The firm claimed the popularity of its latest launch showed 'the confidence people have in the Hargreaves Lansdown fund management team and the Select range's style' as well as the 'exceptional level of communication' they receive about how their money is working for them.

Hargreaves Lansdown, which is headquartered in Bristol, launched its first 'Select' fund in 2016. There are now three products in the range, responsible for around 800million of assets

Steve Clayton, head of equity research and co-manager of the fund range, said: 'We launched the HL Select fund range back in 2016 because we saw a demand for funds that offered much more communication to their investors about how their moneys being invested.

'The success of the HL Select Global Growth Shares fund shows that appetite remains undiminished. Weve built a great investment team to support the HL Select Global Growth Shares fund and were delighted with this hugely positive response from clients.'

The firm will confirm the fund's final portfolio later this month.

Patrick Connolly, chartered financial planner at IFA Chase de Vere, added: 'This fund launch is another example of the marketing power of Hargreaves Lansdown.

'We have seen time and again that if they promote an investment fund then their clients will buy it, whether thats with funds launched by Neil Woodford, the Chinese investment trust launched by Anthony Bolton at Fidelity or their own range of investment funds.'

What does the HL Select Global Growth Shares fund invest in?

Hargreaves Lansdown says the HL Select Global Growth Shares fund is made up of the 'best investment opportunities for the long term' from the world's major stock markets and will typically consist of 30 to 40 stocks.

Meet the manager Steve Clayton is head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown. He joined in 2014 after seven years at Mirabaud Securities as an analyst, then partner, and two years as head of UK equities at LVAM. He has managed the HL Select range with Charlie Huggins since it launched in December 2016 with the Select UK Growth Shares fund. Since then, the duo have returned a cumulative performance of 26 per cent, according to FE Analytics.

It sits in the Investment Association's Global sector and will be measured against the FTSE All-World index, though it will remain benchmark-agnostic when it comes to portfolio construction.

Shares are chosen and managed by the fund's managers Clayton and Charlie Huggins and the HL Select investment team, who aim to achieve long-term capital growth through a combination of capital gains and income.

Although no income goals have been set, the investment team expects the fund to pay a dividend.

The fund will have an ongoing charge of 0.6 per cent which, according to the firm, is cheaper than 88 per cent of the IA Global sector and 86 per cent of all active equity funds.

Because the fund is only accessible through Hargreaves Lansdown, a platform fee of up to 0.45 per cent will also apply.

Investors will receive a detailed explanation of the investment case for all of the funds holdings as well as monthly updates on performance and the team's latest thoughts on its positions and the market.

Should you invest?

The HL Select range now manages around 800million, as its Select UK Growth Shares fund, which launched in 2016, has a total assets under management of 295million, while the HL Select UK Income Shares fund, which launched just a year later, runs 190million.

The UK Growth fund has returned 8.6 per cent over the past 12 months, while the UK income fund was up 6.75 per cent during the same period, according to FE Analytics.

This compares to a gain of just 0.22 per cent and a loss of 0.24 per cent for the respective Investment Association sectors in which the funds sit.

Meanwhile, the FTSE All-Share, which both funds are benchmarked against, has returned only 1.33 per cent over the past year.

Unlike its HL Select peers, the Global Growth Shares fund will invest in names across the globe instead of being confined to the UK.

According the latest fund flow figures from the IA, investors pulled 365million from the UK All Companies sector in March, making the running total outflow from the sector since March 2017 a whopping 6.9billion.

Over the past two years, it has made an average of just 6.3 per cent while the global sector has returned 12 per cent.

Connolly said: 'This Select fund raised more money than the previous two, which could be because it is global as opposed to UK and many investors have been nervous about investing in the UK.

'It is adopting a sensible long-term approach by investing in good quality businesses. However, as the fund has a concentrated portfolio, its success or failure is likely to be determined by the stock picking skills of the fund manager and we wouldnt recommend a fund where the manager has such a short track record.'

Costs and potential growth for 5,000 if the fund returns 5% for five years Investment 5,000.00 HL management charge

Investment charges

Net initial charge including HL saving of 3%

Net ongoing charge

Incidental charges

Transaction costs

Total charges over five years

Average annual charge

Illustrative five year value

Illustrative five year value with no charges applied 123.88

178.78

0.00

165.00

0.00

13.78

302.66

1.10 per cent

6,040.62

6,381.41 Source: Hargreaves Lansdown

Mike Barrett, consulting director at investment analysis firm The Lang Cat, also has reservations, stating investors should keep a watchful eye on performance.

He said: 'The best way to think of these in-house funds is by comparing them to a supermarket's own label products.

'Generally these prove to be perfectly adequate, and in some cases are better than the big established brands you might be used to.

'Occasionally there are a few stinkers, so its important that investors who have supported this new fund keep an eye on the performance it generates to ensure it is meeting their objectives.'

Bill Vasilieff, chief executive officer of Novia Financial, said he is concerned about the potential conflict of interest posed by an in-house fund.

He said: 'Hargreaves Lansdown had this whole proposition when it was set up about being an independent source of funds in the investment market. In this case they are not independent so there is a conflict of interest.'

Vasilieff pointed investors to other global equity funds with similar strategies instead, including Lindsell Train Global Equity and Fundsmith Equity, both of which have outstanding track records.

Over five years, the 7.5billion Lindsell Train Global Equity fund has returned 170 per cent, making it the second best performer in the 36-strong sector, behind only the Morgan Stanley Global Opportunity fund.

It was included in the Hargreaves Lansdown Wealth 50 list of the firm's favoured funds for this year.

Controversially, the 17billion Fundsmith Equity fund run by star manager Terry Smith, was not included in the Wealth 50, despite returning 165 per cent during the same period.

Chase de Vere recommends the 1.5billion Rathbone Global Opportunities fund which invests predominantly in the US and Europe.

Connolly said: 'This fund has been managed by James Thomson since 2003 and in that time has established a strong track record.

'The manager adopts a flexible approach as he searches for under-the-radar and out-of-favour growth companies.'

It has returned 120 per cent since 2014.

>> Analysis: Lindsell Train Global Equity versus Fundsmith Equity
Investors who lost money when London Capital & Finance went bust in January could be handed a lifeline by the UK's financial protection scheme, if it finds the investment firm gave regulated financial advice.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme previously said the 11,600 people who put 237million into LCF would not be eligible for compensation because the firm's mini-bonds were unregulated and not FSCS protected.

However in a statement released today it said it was now exploring 'possible grounds for compensation', but said its investigation would likely take some time.

Mini-bonds are not regulated products and therefore those who invest in them are not entitled to compensation. However, the FSCS is now investigating whether LCF gave advice to consumers - which could mean those who put money into LCF could be reimbursed

It said that after analysing the investment firm's business practices, investment materials and calls with investors, it is now investigating whether financial advice or arranging was given, which is regulated and could give grounds for compensation.

If LCF investors were entitled to compensation, they could be reimbursed up to 85,000. This is because despite the firm going into administration in January, the FSCS has yet to declare it 'in default'.

If it were to do so, then new investment protection rules introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority that came into force on April 1 would apply. Investments are now protected up to the value of 85,000 in cases such as mis-selling, when wrong advice is given, or maladministration.

Investors are not covered if investments decline in value or the company they bought into goes bust, however.

Under the FSCS savings protection scheme, people are covered if a bank or building society collapses.

The FSCS added it was also seeking a better understanding of 'the nature of the relationship between LCF and Surge Financial Ltd', the firm that earned almost 60million in commission by referring customers to LCF.

Those who put money into LCF were told they were lending money to small businesses in return for returns of as high as 8 per cent.

Instead, administrators investigating the collapsed investment firm found the money was lent to just 12 companies in transactions described as 'highly suspicious'.

Administrators Smith & Williamson have traced LCF funds to a number of small companies that were unlikely to pay them back.

LCF's administrators have also called on four men connected to the company; Andy Thomson, Simon Hume-Kendall, Elten Barker and Spencer Golding, to pay back what they received in order to help bondholders get their money back.

The Serious Fraud Office is also in the middle of carrying out a criminal investigation into LCF, with four men previously being arrested in connection with the firm's collapse.

The FSCS said it was working with the administrators as well as the Financial Conduct Authority, which has been criticised after it was revealed it first knew about the risks mini-bonds posed to casual investors four years ago. The FCA recently announced an independent investigation into its own handling of the LCF scandal.

A spokesperson for the FSCS said: 'It is clear that LCF investors were badly let down so to help we want to be as transparent as possible over our process.

'By registering with us they will get regular updates on our investigation and this will be the best way for them to hear whether we believe there are grounds for compensation.

'This is a highly intricate case though, so we expect our investigation may take some time. We appreciate investors' need for certainty so we can assure them that we are treating the case with the utmost urgency.'

It urged LCF investors to register for updates at: https://www.fscs.org.uk/failed-firms/lcf/
How can you profit from investing in loss-makers? It sounds bonkers, but can actually be highly lucrative. Just ask investors in Amazon, Twitter or Ocado.

Taxi hailing app Uber was the latest loss-making firm to motor on to the New York Stock Exchange yesterday, completing one of the most highly anticipated US floats in recent years.

While its shares stalled from the $45 offer price, falling 1.2 per cent or $0.75 to $44.25 a few hours into trading, this still gave it a market value of about 62billion, putting it squarely among America's listed giants.

But despite the enormous price tag, Uber has never made a profit.

Why would anyone plough money into a company that has never been out of the red?

'When you look back to how some of Uber's peers began, it wasn't immediately obvious how they would deliver profitability,' says John Moore, senior investment manager at Brewin Dolphin.

'Yet the likes of Amazon and Twitter have found a way to do it, the latter getting there in the end after a particularly tough start.'

Rewards have been stellar for investors who took a punt on those loss-making companies.

An investment in Amazon as it floated in 1997  when it made a loss of 23.8million  would have seen a return of more than 10,000 per cent today.

In the first quarter of this year alone, it made 2.8billion  as much profit as in its first 14 years on the stock market combined.

Perhaps it is these successes which have fuelled investors' appetite for loss-making companies.

In recent months alone, Uber-rival Lyft, mood-board app Pinterest and vegan specialist Beyond Meat have all drawn in money despite having never ended a year in the black.

It might seem crazy, but making a loss isn't always a bad thing.

Neil Goddin, manager of the Kames Global Equity fund, explains that profit may not necessarily be the right way to measure a company's potential, especially if it is losing money because it is rapidly scaling up or developing.

'Arguably this type of company is using the stock market in the exact way it was meant to be used  as a source of cash to help build businesses,' he says.

'The real question is whether we believe loss-making firms will be successful in building a lead that will keep competitors at bay longer than other investors believe possible, like Netflix has.'

Disruptive firms such as Uber, which are shaking up an industry, may have to put in a lot of money to reach a size where they can make an impact.

Adrian Lowcock, head of personal investing at Willis Owen, says: 'The types of companies which are listing at the moment need investors who can see their future potential and the profits that come from that, rather than focusing on the costs they are incurring as they build up the business.'

Although savers might be keen to get their money into the next big tech firm as soon as possible, it may be worth waiting a short time after the initial listing.

Lowcock says: 'Share prices can be volatile following the launch as investors get excited by the chance to invest in a company for the first time, but this usually settles down after a while.'

He also advises savers to look at factors such as how fast the company is burning through cash, when it expects to become profitable and what threats it may face from rivals or regulation.

Most of these high-growth, high-promise companies are listed on US stock exchanges, although there are some in Britain, such as Ocado.

Investors wanting to muscle in on the action can buy US shares directly through a platform such as Hargreaves Lansdown, though this often comes with extra fees.

Popular Shares - British Land British Land is one of the UK's biggest commercial property landlords, with a portfolio of about 13billion worth of shopping centres and office blocks. The sector has been through the mill lately, with Brexit undermining confidence and the High Street being ravaged by the rise of digital shopping. British Land does have exposure to some struggling retail tenants, such as Debenhams and M&S, but it's also got more stable renters  Tesco, Facebook and the Government. What's more, British Land has targeted investment at higher-end, destination shopping centres, which are better insulated from the vagaries of High Street retail. British Land shares trade at around a 30 per cent discount to the value of the underlying property portfolio. That's allowed it to generate shareholder value by selling properties and using the proceeds to buy back shares on the cheap. While developments in Westminster may yet throw a curve ball at the share price, with a yield of over 5 per cent British Land looks worthy of consideration for those willing to peer beyond the Brexit fog.

Alternatively they can buy into a fund which tracks the US stock market, or one which focuses on the tech sector like the Allianz Technology Trust.

But the growing willingness to put huge sums of money behind a business idea that hasn't yet been fully proven has left some experts uneasy, while some parallels are being drawn with the dotcom bubble of the late 90s.

Goddin, however, says that 'to say we are in a 1999-style blowout is maybe a stretch'.

And attaching high value to loss-making companies needn't sound alarms. Back in 1929, business machinery company IBM  now the computer giant  was one of the most expensive stocks on the US market while making a loss.

'Like then, investors are increasingly interested in future profitability,' says Moore.

The million-dollar question  perhaps literally  is whether loss-making disruptors will be raking in the cash in five years or more.

Investors who can spot a good idea will be laughing, but with more trying to get a piece of the pie, pushing valuations higher, there is an ever-growing threat that unlucky savers could be burned.
The brewer behind Becks, Budweiser and Corona is planning to spin off its Asian business in a blockbuster float.

AB Inbev, which previously bought British drinks group SAB Miller for 79billion, will list the division in Hong Kong in a deal which could reportedly be worth at least 3.8billion.

The move comes as the worlds biggest brewer is trying to reduce its 78.7billion debt mountain.

AB Inbev, which previously bought British drinks group SAB Miller for 79billion, is planning to spin off its Asian business in a blockbuster float.

AB Inbev said the float of Budweiser Brewing Company APAC  with its acronym standing for Asia-Pacific  would involve a minority stake and that it would continue to maintain a large holding in the listed firm.

It expects to complete the deal over the summer.

Analysts at Jefferies have said that the business, which includes 50 beer brands, could be valued at between 30.7billion and 38.4billion.

Asia is the biggest region in the world for beer consumption, accounting for 37 per cent.

It is also one of the fastest-growing markets.

The region produced 18 per cent of AB Inbevs sales by volume and revenue of 6.5billion, according to documents filed by the company.

Its float would be Hong Kongs biggest in nearly a year. The previous largest was China Tower Corps 5.8billion float in August.

The brewer made the announcement alongside its first quarter results, which showed revenue growth of 5.9 per cent, or 9.62billion.
What is it?

The Biotech Growth Trust, managed by Orbimed, invests in the biotechnology industry.

Orbimed is a healthcare investment specialist managing more than 9bn of savers' money.

What does the manager invest in?

The portfolio features firms such as Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which funds research into new types of medicines, Neurocrine, which treats patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's, and cancer-focused Celgene.

What do the experts like?

Ben Yearsley, of Shore Financial Planning, notes that US regulators are becoming increasingly accommodating to the biotech sector. Last year, 59 new drugs were approved  the most ever.

China is also beginning to spend more and more on biotechnology and, with such a large population, it could give the industry a massive boost.

Any downsides?

It's relatively high risk as not all the research will come good.

There has been some volatility in biotech markets this year, as US elections are coming round and both parties are campaigning to reduce drug prices, Yearsley says.
Miner Ferrexpo is the third FTSE 350 firm to only have male directors

Ferrexpo has been urged to appoint a woman to its board after resignations prompted by a charity scandal made it the third FTSE 350 firm to only have male directors.

The iron ore miner's sole female non-executive director, Mary Reilly, 66, left in late April on the same day Deloitte said it was resigning as Ferrexpo's auditor.

Deloitte quit over a review into allegations of possible misuse of funds given to a Ukraine-based charity called Blooming Land, which carried out Ferrexpo's community work.

Reilly's exit triggered calls for the miner to appoint female members to the board.

Fiona Hathorn, managing director of Women On Boards UK, said: 'Many studies have shown that women can take a risk and their returns relative to risk are higher because of their more wary and judicious natures.'
Uber shares stalled last night as it made its 63billion stock market debut.

The US taxi app company had priced its shares at $45 each for the float, but as trading began they tumbled to $42.

The tech group was up against a backdrop of rising trade tensions between the US and China and a poor performance from its smaller rival Lyft.

Since its float in March, Lyft's shares have plunged by more than 20 per cent.

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, another early investor, was thought to have an Uber stake worth 15m

Despite Uber's initial drop, its debut on the New York Stock Exchange  trading with the ticker 'UBER'  still marked a major milestone after years of turmoil at the company.

The firm's smartphone app, which lets users hail taxis for low prices, has changed the way millions of people around the world travel.

It has also expanded into carpooling, food delivery, freight, electric bikes and scooters, self-driving cars and even flying taxis.

Its arrival on the stock market has been the most eagerly anticipated tech float since Facebook went public in 2012, and was set to be a major pay-day for early investors, including celebrities rumoured to include Beyonce, Jay-Z and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Travis Kalanick, Uber's former boss and co-founder, had a stake worth 4.1billion at its debut while disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, another early investor, was thought to have a stake worth 15million.

As the stock exchange's opening bell rang, Uber boss Dara Khosrowshahi and other senior staff stood on a balcony above the trading floor clapping and cheering.

Austin Geidt, who started as an intern at Uber in its early days, was given the honour of ringing the bell.

Uber boss Dara Khosrowshahi, left, and the firm's head of strategy for the business's advanced technologies group Austin Geidt, right, at the Stock Exchange

She is head of strategy for the business's advanced technologies group, the arm that is developing driverless vehicles.

Ahead of trading, Khosrowshahi had sought to play down any potential drop and stressed the company's long-term potential.

The 49-year-old, who was brought in from Expedia in 2017 to repair Uber's battered reputation, has promised investors a 'once in a generation' opportunity.

He stands to make more than 77million from performance-linked bonuses if Uber reaches a 92billion market valuation and sustains it for at least 90 days.

Yesterday Khosrowshahi said: 'Today is only one day. I want this day to go great, but it's about what we build in the next three to five years.'

Also present were Kalanick and fellow Uber founder Garrett Camp, but the pair were not invited to the podium by Khosrowshahi for the bell ringing.

Kalanick stepped down as chief executive in 2017 after presiding over a series of scandals that left the company reeling, including revelations about unsavoury behaviour, complaints about rampant internal sexual harassment, claims that it stole self-driving car technology from a rival and a cover-up of a computer break-in that saw personal information about its passengers stolen.

Uber also had a difficult relationship with drivers who claimed they worked long hours but were not paid enough.

Khosrowshahi was parachuted in months after Kalanick's departure to clean up the mess  a goal that analysts say he has achieved to a certain extent.

Despite warning that the company may never make a profit in its float prospectus, Khosrowshahi said that he expected 2019 to be Uber's peak year for losses.

He added: 'I'm here to build a big company.'
A Liberal candidate who ran a halal shop in a Muslim-majority Sydney suburb was fined $880 for repeatedly breaching the food standards code.

The Bangladesh Palace store in Lakemba was slapped with an $880 fine by Canterbury-Bankstown Council in July 2018.

At the time local councillor Mohammad Zaman was also the secretary of Sydney Food Pty Ltd, the company which owns the store.

A Liberal candidate who ran a halal shop in a Muslim-majority Sydney suburb was fined $880 for repeatedly breaching food standard laws (pictured is Mohammad Zaman, right, with state Labor frontbenchers Tania Mihailuk, left, and Jihad Dib, centre, the first Muslim lower house MP in the New South Wales Parliament)

He is now the Liberal Party's candidate for Watson, and is campaigning on his small business credentials.

Mr Zaman's grocery business was penalised for selling packaged and labelled food in breach of the food standards code.

The breach, issued by the council, was made despite 'previous warnings', the New South Wales Food Authority said.

Mr Zaman said he took steps 'to resolve the complicated issue of imported labels'.

'I was a director of the parent company that owns a multicultural produce store in Lakemba,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.

'I understand at the time there were some labelling issues related to some of the thousand imported products stocked in the store.'

In 2017, Mr Zaman (left) was one of three Muslim councillors elected to the Roselands ward, along with Labor's Nadia Saleh (second right) and her running mate Mohammad Huda

In 2017, Mr Zaman was one of three Muslim councillors elected to the Roselands ward, along with Labor's Nadia Saleh and her running mate Mohammad Huda.

At the May 18 federal election, the 40-year-old Bangladeshi-born small businessman is running against senior Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke in the ultra-safe Labor seat of Watson, which takes in the Lakemba Mosque.

Australia has just three Muslim federal MPs and should Mr Zaman be elected, he would be the first Islamic representative of the Liberal Party in Canberra, alongside Labor's Ed Husic and Anne Aly and Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi.

'I have been a candidate twice now,' he said.

'Ultimately my religion is my faith and very personal to me.

His Bangladesh Palace store on Railway Parade on the main street of a suburb where 59 per cent of residents were Muslim in the 2016 Census. It is located next door to Banoful, a Bangladeshi restaurant, and is two doors down from the Al Rahmania Halal Butchery

Australia has just three Muslim federal MPs and should Mr Zaman be elected, he would be the first Islamic representative of the Liberal Party in Canberra, alongside Labor's Ed Husic and Anne Aly and Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi (he is pictured with Special Minister of State Alex Hawke, a key backer of Prime Minister Scott Morrison)

'First and foremost I am an Australian and work for Australians irrespective of race or gender.

'People from all races, faiths and creeds work together to support the Liberal Party and this great country.'

In Liberal Party campaign material, Mr Zaman touts his business credentials.

'As a small business owner, Mohammad knows that investment in business means more growth and more jobs for businesses and families,' it said.

'Mohammad is actively involved in our local community through his work in local associations and as a member of the Australia Bangladesh Business Council.'

His Bangladesh Palace store on Railway Parade in Lakemba is in a suburb where 59 per cent of residents were Muslim in the 2016 Census.

It is located next door to Banoful, a Bangladeshi restaurant, and is two doors down from the Al Rahmania Halal Butchery.

At the May 18 election, the 40-year-old Bangladeshi-born small businessman is running against senior Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke in the ultra-safe Labor seat of Watson, which takes in the Lakemba Mosque (pictured in March following the Christchurch massacre)
Tony Abbott was once the most popular politician in Australia but now he can't even win the kids over.

The former prime minister was rejected by a primary school student after he offered him a handshake.

Footage shows Mr Abbott greeting students as they walked through the gates of Manly Village Public School in Sydney's northern beaches on Thursday afternoon.

The Warringah MP offers one student a handshake but he simply stares back and walks away.

'Not too many fans of handshakes, but plenty of high fives,' Tony Abbott wrote on social media after a visit to Manly Village Public School

The embarrassing moment was not forgotten by Mr Abbott as he posted about the school visit on his social media.

'Not too many fans of handshakes, but plenty of high fives to go around at Manly Village Public School this afternoon,' he wrote on online.

'Great to be able to meet with parents as they wait to pick up their students and make sure every voter understands that only the Liberal Party can deliver for our community and our future.'

Many users commented on the cringeworthy greeting.

'Good to know kids are still practising strange [sic] danger. They wouldn't be old enough to remember who he is,' one wrote.

'They look like public school kids. Abbott just takes funding away from them so why would they shake his hand?' another wrote.

The Warringah MP greeted primary school students outside the gates of the school

The former prime minister offers one student a handshake (left) but he simply stares at Mr Abbott and walks away (right)

Mr Abbott is in the fight of his life and spending more than $700,000 in a desperate bid to stop a world champion skier from snatching his blue-ribbon Liberal electorate at the upcoming federal election.

Winter Olympian Zali Steggall stands a good chance of winning the former Prime Minister's affluent seat of Warringah, on Sydney's lower north shore and northern beaches.

Mr Abbott kept his seat at the 2016 election, his primary vote was dramatically slashed to just 51.6 per cent after he suffered a 9.2 per cent swing against him on first preferences.

Activists dumped a hollowed-out book filled with excrement outside Mr Abbott's Sydney electorate office on Tuesday, which police are investigating.

Police also appealed for information after posters of Mr Abbott face were posted around Sydney with the words 'c**t' and 'Pell' written on his forehead.
Advertisement

This fascinating time-lapse video made with hundreds of satellite images shows China's new 9 billion mega airport taking shape over a period of three and a half years on the outskirts of its capital city.

Beijing Daxing International Airport, whose terminal building is designed by late British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, is in its last stage of construction.

It will become one of the world's busiest and largest hubs when it opens late this year.

With a total of seven runways in plan, the airport occupies a piece of land four-fifth the size of Manhattan and is expected to handle 100 million passenger a year in the long run.

With an expected passenger volume of 100 million a year in the long run, Beijing Daxing International Airport will be one of the world's busiest airport. The airport's six-wing terminal building is designed by late British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid

Carriers including Air China and China Eastern Airlines are sending their aircraft to the airport for test flights from next week. The 9 billion airport, which will have seven runways, is scheduled to complete on June 30 and open on September 30

The new facility will double the size of Beijing Capital Airport, the city's current main airport and the largest airport in China

The airport has gone through a two-month assessment to check the quality of the runways and air-control facilities.

Major Chinese carriers including Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines are sending their flagship aircraft to the airport for test flights from next Monday, according to Daxing authorities.

The airport is scheduled to complete on June 30 and open on September 30.

The video, comprising two parts, captures the construction of the entire airport and its six-wing terminal between September 2015 and February 2019.

One part of the time-lapse video uses images to show the construction of the airport's terminal building (above). The airport, situated in the Daxing district of Beijing, is in its last stage of construction and expected to open its doors on September 30

Another part shows the construction of the entire airport, including the runways. Four runways will be complete when the first passengers check in at the airport in autumn and a total of seven have been planned at the sprawling new landmark

Daxing, a chess piece for China's civil aviation, is built with 1.6 million cubic metres of concrete and 52,000 tonnes of steel

The video was made by Kamil Onoszko, a spatial planner from Poland.

'I am passionate about satellite images and the changes that we are able to capture from the satellite level. This construction is amazing because it shows what a great job mankind can do,' Onoszko told MailOnline.

He added: 'The changes in the landscape were made very quickly in a very grand way. The airport architecture is simply beautiful and it can be seen even from the satellite ceiling.'

The satellite images, shot from an orbit 786 kilometres (488 miles) above the ground, were taken from the database of 'Copernicus', the EU's Earth Observation and Monitoring Programme.

The programme collects and analyses data from seven fully operational satellites, which monitor the surface of the whole globe, according to a spokesperson at Copernicus.

One of its satellites, Sentinel-2, passes over any point of the Earth every five days with a resolution of 10m.

'It can, therefore, be used to make time-lapses that look quite nice,' the spokesperson told MailOnline.

'Airport construction gives a good opportunity to make time-lapses as they are massive in terms of infrastructure and surface. Daxing being the world's largest, it was a "target of choice".'

Facial-recognition devices will reportedly be used during the security and immigration screenings at the cutting-edge airport

An interior view of one terminal of Beijing Daxing International Airport under construction in Beijing on April 26. China aspires to become an aviation powerhouse on the global stage, and the new Beijing airport is a key chess piece

Beijing Daxing International Airport will dwarf all Chinese airports in terms of its capacity. According to Xinhua , it is due to process 72 million passengers, two million tonnes of cargo, as well as 620,000 takeoffs and landings a year by 2025

With an expected passenger volume of 100 million a year in the long run, Beijing Daxing International Airport will be one of the world's busiest airports, rubbing shoulders with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States.

It is also set to be one of the world's largest airfields, occupying 47 square kilometres (18 square miles), which is the equivalent to 33 Hype Parks or four-fifth of Manhattan.

The brand new facility will double the size of Beijing Capital Airport, the city's current main airport and the largest airport in China.

Four runways will be complete when the first passengers check in at the airport in autumn and a total of seven have been planned to handle China's growing number of air travellers.

The gigantic airport is made up of 1.6 million cubic metres of concrete and 52,000 tonnes of steel.

In the long run, the air transport hub will boast an annual capacity of 100 million passengers, four million tonnes of cargo as well as 880,000 takeoffs and landings. China Eastern Airlines Corp and China Southern Airlines Co, will relocate there

The construction of Beijing Daxing International Airport comes as the country is witnessing a fast growth in its civil aviation industry. China is expected to overtake the United States as the world's largest aviation market in the mid-2020s

The airport has gone through a two-month assessment to check the quality of the airport's runways and air-control facilities

China aspires to become an aviation powerhouse on the global stage, and the new Beijing airport is a key chess piece - after the country unveiled its home-made C919 passenger plane to take on Boeing and Airbus.

Beijing Daxing International Airport will dwarf all Chinese airports in terms of its capacity.

According to Xinhua, it is due to process 72 million passengers, two million tonnes of cargo, as well as 620,000 takeoffs and landings per year by 2025.

While in the long run, the transport hub will boast an annual capacity of 100 million passengers, four million tonnes of cargo as well as 880,000 takeoffs and landings.

The airport will also be equipped with cutting-edge technologies. Facial-recognition devices will reportedly be used during the security and immigration screenings.

Two of China's three major airlines, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, will relocate to the airport upon its completion and they will account for roughly four-fifths of the new airport's total traffic.
Break times in school have been slashed by an hour over two decades, helping fuel the ongoing problem of child obesity.

A new study by the UCL Institute of Education has found the time dedicated by schools to breaks has significantly reduced since 1995, meaning children have less opportunity to exercise.

The researchers were not able to pinpoint one single reason, but said it may be that schools were restricting breaks because of bad behaviour in the playground or in an effort to cram in more lessons.

Break times in school have been slashed by an hour over two decades, helping fuel the ongoing problem of child obesity

The study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, compared data from more than 1,000 primary and secondary schools in 2017 to data collected in 2006 and 1995.

It showed that children aged five to seven-years-old now have on average 45 minutes less break time per week than children of the same age in 1995.

Meanwhile, pupils aged 11 to 16 have 65 minutes less.

The researchers also found that outside school, children are half as likely to meet up with friends in person, with 31 per cent now reporting that they seldom do so, compared to 15 per cent in 2006.

Lead author, Dr Ed Baines said: Despite the length of the school day remaining much the same, break times are being squeezed even further with potential serious implications for childrens well-being and development.

Not only are break times an opportunity for children to get physical exercise - an issue of particular concern given the rise in obesity, but they provide valuable time to make friends and to develop important social skills - experiences that are not necessarily learned or taught in formal lessons.

A new study by the UCL Institute of Education has found the time dedicated by schools to breaks has significantly reduced since 1995, meaning children have less opportunity to exercise

The researchers found that there has been an almost virtual elimination of afternoon breaks.

In 1995, 13 per cent of secondary schools reported an afternoon break period, while now only one per cent of secondary schools report having one.

Lunch breaks have also been cut down, with a quarter of secondary schools now reporting lunchtimes of 35 minutes or less.

The report did not mention an overall cause but said: There are clearly difficulties that can arise at break time and an enduring problem recognised by both school staff and pupils is poor behaviour among some pupils.

It is therefore understandable if one solution involves limiting the contexts within which poor behaviour occurs most frequently or seeking to control it by increasing supervision.
Jose Evis Quintana's mugshot on April 17 2017 when he was arrested and deported to Mexico from Castle Rock, Colorado

The father of one of the alleged STEM School Highlands Ranch shooters in Colorado is a serial felon and illegal immigrant from Mexico, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Jose Evis Quintana, the father of alleged 16-year-old killer Alec McKinney was once jailed for 15 months for domestic violence against Alec's mother and 'menacing with a weapon'.

McKinney has been charged alongside his friend Devon Erickson of killing one student and injuring eight others at the school close to Denver, Colorado.

Records show Quintana, 33, who was also deported twice, had a string of arrests in Colorado dating from 2008 to 2017.

Court papers show that despite Quintana terrorizing Alec's mother Morgan Lynn McKinney, 32, he managed to convince her to marry him in 2009, a year before he was first deported.

Quintana, 33, who admitted to having a history of drink and drug problems, was sent back to his native Mexico on December 9, 2010.

Alec had posted a message on social media about missing his father, just 11 days before the Tuesday May 7 shooting allegedly committed by McKinney and 18-year-old Erickson.

Alec McKinney (above) wrote about missing his father just 11 days before allegedly shooting eight students and killing another at STEM School Highlands Ranch on May 7

Transgender McKinney, who was born a girl called Mya, had turned 16 on April 14 and wrote on twitter on April 26: 'My mom talking to me about how she hates the new alec. Mom: I miss my Alec can you find him for me. Me: I miss my dad can you find him for me.'

Records at Douglas County District Court in Castle Rock, Colorado show Quintana had been jailed for 15 months in August 2009 for 'menacing with a weapon' and domestic violence against hairstylist Morgan.

Morgan McKinney (above) was terrorized by husband Jose Evis Quintana

Quintana and Morgan had Alec, born Mya Elizabeth, on April 14, 2003.

In January 2007 the couple had a son and in July 2008 they had a daughter.

But just two months later, on August 22, 2008, 5ft 10ins tall Quintana was charged with attempting to kidnap, 'menacing with a weapon', and failing to stop for police.

He was jailed on February 3, 2009, pending his trial, when he failed to see a court official.

Court papers said Quintana 'wishes to stay in custody since he has a problem with drugs and alcohol'.

The court agreed and also allowed Quintana to have supervised visits with Alec and his siblings in jail, on condition Morgan was not present.

On July 29, 2009, with Quintana in jail pending his trial, Morgan successfully gained permanent custody of their three children.

On September 2009, Quintana was sentenced to 15 months in prison when all the charges against him, apart from 'menacing' Morgan with a weapon, were dropped. He was also ordered to undergo domestic violence counseling.

Alec McKinney posted missing his father on April 26, just 11 days before allegedly shooting students at STEM High School Highlands Ranch near Denver, Colorado

Alec McKinney and his friend Devon Erickson are accused of injuring eight students and killing another on May 7 at STEM High School

Jose Evis Quintana appears in mugshots provided by Douglas County Sheriff's office in Castle Rock, Colorado. The above left is undated but the above right was in August 15, 2009 when he was arrested for breaking a protection order, a domestic violence offence and sent to jail

Jose Evis Quintana appears in undated mugshots provided by Douglas County Sheriff's office in Castle Rock, Colorado

Jose Evis Quintana appears in mugshots. The above left, from Douglas County Sheriff's office in Castle Rock, Colorado is undated but the above right, from Colorado Department of Corrections was taken on November 16, 2010 while he served his 15 month sentence for menacing with a weapon. He was deported to Mexico on December 9, 2010

Despite the sentence and the crimes Quintana committed against her, Morgan married Quintana in Castle Rock on November 28, 2009.

Qintana was then deported and sent back to Mexico on December 9, 2010.

In divorce papers filed by Morgan on November 19, 2014, Morgan described how Quintana 'has been traveling illegally between Colorado and Mexico' since the deportation.

Morgan was never able to serve her husband with papers but the court granted her a divorce on May 11, 2015.

On December 27, 2016, police in Castle Rock learned a warrant had been issued against Quintana in New Mexico for domestic violence.

They found him at a house in Castle Rock and arrested him for being a fugitive from justice. He was jailed pending his extradition to New Mexico.

Alleged school shooter Alec McKinney (right) with mother Morgan McKinney (left) in 2018

Quintana never made it to New Mexico. On April 21, 2017, he was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported.

On July 4, 2017, Alec posted on his twitter account 'And I wonder why my dad left'.

Alec may have been the victim of bullying at the school. On January 25, 2019, he posted on twitter: 'F**K stem kids i swear to f*****g god.'

It has been revealed five months before the shooting, a district official urged the school's executive director Penelope Eucker to investigate allegations made by a mother who was concerned that student bullying could lead to the next 'Columbine'.

The December 19 letter said the anonymous parent had raised 'concerns about student violence due to a high-pressure environment'.

It added that the mother had told Douglas County School Board of Education Director Wendy Vogel by telephone that 'many students are suicidal and violent in school. Several students have reported sexual assault and nothing is being done.'

On July 4, 2017, Alec McKinney wrote about his father leaving. Jose Evis Quintana had been deported by ICE agents on April 21 2017

Alec McKinney, who was transgender, complained about students at STEM High School Highlands Ranch

The letter referenced an alleged bomb threat and 'an extremely high drug culture at STEM.

The parent had said she was worried about a repeat of what happened at Columbine High School, where 12 students and one teacher were killed, about five miles northwest of the STEM school.

Alleged school shooter Alec McKinney and Devon Erickson will appear in court on May 15

JOSE EVIS QUINTANA'S CRIMINAL HISTORY August 22, 2008 - Arrested by Douglas County Sheriff's in Castle Rock, Colorado for kidnapping, menacing with a weapon, evading police in a car, and driving without a valid license. He is released on bail December 15, 2008 - Arrested for breaking bail conditions and held in custody January 26, 2009 - Released on bail February 2, 2009 - Arrested for failing to speak to court staff. He is jailed again May 4, 2009 - He is released from prison with a protection order July 10, 2009 - Arrested for breaking the protection order, a domestic violence offence, he is sent back to jail September 11, 2009 - All charges bar menacing with a weapon are dropped and after pleading guilty he serves 15 months in prison December 9, 2010 - He is deported to Mexico December 27, 2016 - Douglas County Sheriff's Department are alerted he is wanted as a fugitive for a domestic violence crime in New Mexico. They arrest him in Castle Rock April 21, 2017 - Fighting extradition to New Mexico, ICE agents deport him to Mexico Advertisement

It had been the 25th anniversary for the Columbine massacre on April 20 this year.

The school hired a lawyer and told parents on February 1 it was looking at taking legal action against the unnamed mother who had made the accusations.

In an interview with CNN, the mother, who still wanted to remain anonymous pending legal action, said: 'When you don't listen to parents' concerns, when you don't support teachers' concerns, when you don't give teachers the kind of training that they need or the support that they need.

'Those are the elements that we need for the perfect storm, for something like a Columbine, or some kind of imminent threat to our children's safety in the school, whether it be a bomb or an active shooter, or a suicide.'

It is unclear what may have spurred Erickson, a keen drama student, to allegedly kill his classmates.

Friends told DailyMail.com he had recently split up from a girlfriend.

He was a keen fan of the television zombie show The Walking Dead. In 2014 he told friends he had applied for a role on the series and said his idol was actor Chandler Riggs, who plays Carl Grimes.

Just hours before Tuesday's attack Erickson and McKinney allegedly broke into the gun cabinet at Erickson's parents home.

At 150pm local time, they entered the middle school portion of the K-12 academy and began shooting.

Alleged school shooter Alec McKinney (left), then six, when he identified as daughter Mya, with mother Morgan McKinney (left) in April 2009

Students managed to overpower them but not before the pair had shot eight and killed Kendrick Castillo, an 18-year-old student who had attempted to stop them.

Erickson and McKinney are due in Douglas County District Court in Castle Rock on Wednesday May 15.
A huge fire in Upstate New York engulfed the set of a new HBO show in the early hours of Thursday morning, authorities have revealed.

The unfathomable blaze completely destroyed 613 Automotive Group in Ellenville and also damaged a number of surrounding homes, displacing three families.

Nobody was injured in the inferno, however Ellenville Police Chief Phillip Mattracion revealed that cable network HBO may be left feeling the burn.

Mattracion said the broadcaster had been using the car dealership as a set for its upcoming mini-series I Know This Much Is True, starring Mark Ruffalo, Juliette Lewis and Rosie ODonnell, since Tuesday.

Investigators remain at the scene attempting to identify the cause of the fire.

The blaze completely destroyed 613 Automotive Group in Ellenville on Thursday

HBO had been using the car dealership as a set for its upcoming mini-series I Know This Much Is True and had been filming at the location since Tuesday

Nobody was hurt and investigators are working to determine the fire's cause (613 Automotive Group on Main Street, pictured before the fire)

The Ellenville fire department was summoned to the scene at 1am yesterday morning after a security guard at the dealership spotted smoke emanating from the property.

However, by the time fire crews arrived, the blaze had intensified and quickly ravished much of the 10,650 square foot plot, which featured a showroom, repair garage and storage for auto parts.

Mattracion noted that the severity of the fire was beyond reason, and was so big that it was just unfathomable.

He later remarked that in his 20-year career he has only seen one or two fires that come close to the scale intensity to the one on Thursday morning.

HBO has not yet commented on how the fire will affect the production schedule of I Know This Much Is True, slated for release in 2020.

However, officials confirmed that several of HBOs production trucks and trailers were destroyed in the fire.

The Ellenville fire department was summoned to the scene at 1am yesterday morning after a security guard at the dealership spotted smoke emanating from the property

By the time fire crews arrived, the blaze had intensified and quickly ravished much of the 10,650 square foot plot

Authorities said the severity of the fire was beyond reason, and was so big that it was just unfathomable'

Several antique cars on site were also badly damaged, though its not clear if they were owned by the dealership or placed on set as part of the production.

HBO had appealed to local residents to bring the vintage cars to the set, prior to Thursdays fire.

General Manager at 613 Automotive Group Chris Busby  which has been in operation in the town since the 1970s - said to the Poughkeepsie Journal that the business was now at a total loss,

There's nothing left, Busby said. It's a huge loss for us and HBO. They are just as heartbroken over this as we are.

HBO had been using the car dealership as a set for its upcoming mini-series I Know This Much Is True, starring Mark Ruffalo, Juliette Lewis and Rosie ODonnell, since Tuesday

'One sad part here is that HBO productions was filming at this location, and Ellenville was finally going Hollywood, said Mattracion to the Times-Herald Record, of the villages efforts to work with HBO. Its also tragic to see the destruction of a building thats been in Ellenville so long.

The local fire departments here really did a yeomans job in attempting to save the structure, Mattracion added. They fought the fire gallantly and bravely, but the fire had spread so rapidly there was just no chance in saving it.

Avengers star Mark Ruffalo who lives in the area, is an executive producer on I Know This Much Is True and stars as twin brothers in the upcoming series.

Melissa Leo, Juliette Lewis and Rosie O'Donnell are also scheduled to appear in the drama, which is based on a novel by Wally Lamb.
Uber, making its stock market debut in one of the largest technology share offerings on Friday, has become a disruptive force in local transportation and generated its share of controversies.

The notion for app-based rides came about in Paris in December 2008 when founders Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp could not find a taxi and hatched the idea of summoning a ride with the push of a button.

Since then the company has faced sexual harassment lawsuits from employees, protests from its drivers and regulation from the cities it operates within, and still arrived at a valuation of $82.4 billion ahead of trading.

After a steady decrease in early trading that hit a low of $41.06, Uber's share price rebounded slightly to end the day at $41.57, a loss of 7.62 percent for its first day on the market and wiping $6.3billion off its market value.

Uber now says it wants to be the 'Amazon of transportation,' evoking the model of the e-commerce firm which took many years to achieve consistent profitability and now dominates several sectors.

Uber, set to make its stock market debut in one of the largest technology share offerings on Friday, has become a disruptive force in local transportation from its humble beginnings in Paris in 2008. Kalanick is pictured before the Opening Bell at the NYSE on Friday

The application launched UberCab in July 2010, later shortening the name to Uber, with the first ride the following year in San Francisco.

By 2014, Uber was present in 100 cities and began its 'Uber Pool,' allowing customers to share rides.

Today, Uber has operations in 700 cities in 65 countries, having booked more than 10 billion rides.

Kalanick was the chief executive until mid-2017 when he was forced out amid a series of scandals on workplace harassment, cutthroat business practices and other ethical lapses, which hurt the image of the company as it was preparing to go public.

Eleven years ago, founders Travis Kalanick (left) and Garrett Camp (right) could not find a taxi and brainstormed the app. The launched in 2010 and the first ride was booked in 2011

Uber now says it wants to be the 'Amazon of transportation,' evoking the model of the e-commerce firm which took many years to achieve consistent profitability and now dominates several sectors. Current Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (pictured) who came from the travel website Expedia has sought to clean up Uber's image, settling lawsuits including one accusing the company of stealing secrets on autonomous driving technology from former Google car unit Waymo

Taking over, Dara Khosrowshahi from the travel website Expedia sought to clean up Uber's image, settling lawsuits including one accusing the company of stealing secrets on autonomous driving technology from former Google car unit Waymo.

Uber has faced protests in multiple countries by taxi drivers who claim its unregulated business model represents unfair competition.

Some regulators have limited or banned Uber as well. It has been banned in Bulgaria, Hungary and Denmark and earlier this year pulled out of the Catalonia region of Spain in the face of government restrictions.

Uber stopped some services in Paris in 2016 in the face of violent protests and is operating on a provisional license in London amid legal challenges.

In the United States, Uber has faced litigation and protests in New York and challenges from drivers seeking to be classified as employees with benefits instead of independent contractors.

This week thousands of drivers turned off their apps in many cities, seeking improved revenue sharing and other changes.

The company suspended its self-driving car project in early 2018 when an autonomous vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona.

With its public offering on Friday, Uber intends to sell 180 million shares at $45 a share, which is on the lower end of its stated range of $4 to $50 per share.

Its' competitor, Lyft, went public in March, opening slightly higher than expected at $72 per share before quickly dropping to the low $60 range.

Lyft closed at $51.09 at the end of trading on Friday.

While Uber has become a large company, its path to profitability remains uncertain.

Its losses continue to pile up. Despite taking in some $11 billion in revenue last year, the company self-reported a net loss of $1.8 billion.

But Uber sees a future beyond simple ridesharing. It wants to be an all-encompassing solution for transportation with autonomous cars, electric bikes and scooters to solve the 'last mile' problem and help move consumers away from car ownership.

It also operates the Uber Eats food delivery service and Uber Freight, and is even looking at 'flying taxis.'

Uber has a massive valuation but still faces a difficult path to profitability, taking in some $11 billion in revenue last year
May 24 Pulpito Drag Derby Part of 2019 Vallarta Pride

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - This year's Vallarta Pride Festival will once again feature the Pulpito Drag Derby, one of the most unique block parties in the world!

Otherwise known as "Puerto Vallarta's Annual Running Of The Drag Queens," the Drag Derby offers four hours of fun and fabulousness that's part drag fashion show, part kick-ass competition, part community fundraiser - and 100% entertaining!





Set to take place on Calle Pulpito on Friday, May 24 from 4-8 pm, this year's event promises spectators a wild time as Drag Queens in feathers and heels race against the clock and each other, while competing in crazy challenges to win great prizes and the coveted 'Ruby Tacon' trophy.

After several years of being organized by the Amapas Neighborhood Association, 2019 will mark a "changing of the guard," and SETAC, Vallarta's LGBT Community Wellness Center, is taking over the reins of the event, and they plan to make it bigger, better and more fabulous than ever!

NEW DRAG DERBY FEATURES:

 Food Court - We are inviting local restaurants to provide street food booths along Olas Altas street, just past the main stage on the corner of Pulpito, for the entire length of the event.

 Men's Swimwear Fashion Show - Before the main drag show gets going, we plan to delight the crowd with a fashion show featuring local men's swimwear designers.

 New Challenges for the Drag Contestants - We have arranged for several new contests, taking advantage of the presence of male models! These include, among others, an arm-wrestling challenge against the models, a "dunk the model" booth, and a toilet toss! Each of the challenges will once again be sponsored by a local business.

 Closed-Circuit Video - Designed to address one of the loudest attendee complaints from previous years, this year's event will feature several cameras capturing all the action from the stage and the various challenges, and display it live on a large LCD screen behind the main stage.

 More Coverage - We also plan to raise the media profile and community impact of the Pulpito Drag Derby significantly.





As you can imagine, a shindig like this comes with a hefty price tag, so we are currently looking for sponsors to help cover the costs. Once the expenses have been covered, event proceeds will be used to support SETAC's ongoing efforts to reduce HIV and other STDs in Puerto Vallarta and the greater Banderas Bay region.

All of the contestants have already been sponsored, but there are still opportunities to sponsor the 2019 running of the Pulpito Drag Derby! To gratefully thank all of our sponsors, we have developed a comprehensive media plan that provides local businesses with significant exposure, before, during, and after the event. If you are interested in being a sponsor, click HERE for all of the details. For more information, or to make a donation, call Ed Thomas at 322-102-3383.

Everyone is invited to come out to the south side of Vallarta on Friday, May 24 to watch the drag queens as they "Lip-Sync For Their Lives" and attempt to complete other fun and outrageous challenges in their battle for the Drag Derby Queen title. It might be a knock-down, drag-out competition, but it's all for a good cause!

Calle Pulpito will be closed to traffic between Olas Altas and Amapas from 4-8 pm, so neighbors and visitors can fill the street, bet on the Derby winner, and buy food and drinks, while the Drag Queens take to the sidewalks - we wouldn't want anyone to break a heel on those cobblestones!

The event schedule and other details can be found on the Facebook at 'Pulpito Drag Derby.' We hope to see you there!

Located at Aldanaca 178 4A & 4B, in the Colonia Versalles of neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta, SETAC is a non-profit community and wellness center whose mission is to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in the greater Banderas Bay region through education, detection and prevention. Free counseling, testing, treatments and referrals for HIV and other sexual transmitted illness are just some of the free services SETAC provides to the entire population, without prejudice or discrimination. For more information, follow SETAC on Facebook, visit the website, call (322) 224-1974 or email contacto(at)setac.com.mx.
Ride-share app Uber is set to make its Wall Street debut when markets open on Friday morning, in what is widely regarded as one of biggest and most anticipated IPOs in recent memory.

The world's leading ride-hailing service set the stage for its long-awaited arrival on the stock market by pricing its initial public offering at $45 per share Thursday.

The price is at the lower end of its targeted range of $44 to $50 per share. This may have been driven by the escalating doubts about Uber's ability to make money since its main rival, Lyft, went public six weeks ago and continues to see its stock drop.

Even at the tamped-down price, Uber now has a market value of $82 billion - significantly more than century-old automakers General Motors and Ford Motor.

Ride-share app Uber is set to make its Wall Street debut when markets open on Friday morning, with shares priced at just $45

Even at the tamped-down price, Uber now has a market value of $82 billion - significantly more than century-old automakers General Motors and Ford Motor

The company is offering 180 million shares of its common stock, which is projected to raise around $8.1 billion by market close Friday, with an additional 27 million shares available for underwriters.

Considered to be the pioneer of smart-phone cab hailing and one of Silicone Valleys greatest success stories, Uber has accumulated huge losses throughout its 10 year existence with a wealth of controversy to match.

In 2018 the companys revenue reached $11.3 billion, with losses of $1.8 billion were reported. According to its IPO filing Uber has never actually turned a profit.

Despite exploring a number of new revenue streams  from food delivery to scooter rental  personal mobility remains Ubers core business model.

Recently the company has become embroiled in a pricing war with Lyft, with both of the hailing apps trying to attract and retain customers with low prices, while paying drivers enough to remain under their employ too.

Uber has accumulated huge losses throughout its 10 year existence with a wealth of controversy to match

60,000 Uber drivers protested against their salary and unstable employment contracts this week

The pricing war has led to thousands of Lyft and Uber drivers striking this week, who claim theyre given low wages and limited job protections as most are considered independent contractors.

Uber has now reached settlements with some of drivers who said they should have been classified as employees instead of independent contractors.

The settlement agreement was announced Thursday, on the eve of Uber's IPO debut.

Uber said it reached agreements with the majority of the 60,000 drivers who were involved the claims. It anticipates spending $146 million to $170 million to pay the settlements and attorney fees, and said it set aside $132 million for that purpose in December.

Lyft faces similar challenges, and said it paid $1.95 million to settle a 2018 California case alleging the company misclassified drivers as independent contractors.
Police are searching for a middle-aged man over the alleged indecent assault of two women waiting in a queue in Chinatown in central Sydney.

The women, aged 30 and 25, told police they were assaulted as they stood in line inside Paddy's Markets on Hay Street, Haymarket.

The attack allegedly occurred about 5.20pm on Sunday, 31 March.

Police have released images and video of the man who they believe can help them with their inquiries.

Police described the man as being of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance with short dark hair and brown eyes, about 40 to 50 years old, of average build.

Officers would like to speak to anyone who saw the alleged incidents, or who has any information that may help their inquiries.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are searching for this man over two alleged sexual assaults in Sydney's Chinatown in March. Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.=
A violent front yard brawl between two large black bears in New Jersey was captured on video over the weekend.

Corey Bale of Frankford Township, New Jersey, recorded the close animal encounter of the fur kind before posting his clip on his Facebook page on Friday.

Bale's video, which has been viewed more than 425,000 times, show's two massive black bears battling it out on his front lawn in rural Sussex County.

The animals stood on their hind legs snarling as they wrestled and bit one another.

Scroll down for video

Corey Bale of Frankford Township, New Jersey, posted video Friday of two large black bears fighting on his front lawn

Bale's video shows the two furry mammals biting and wrestling with each other outside his home in Sussex County, New Jersey

The animals try to wrestle each other to the ground during the melee, which has been viewed more than 425,000 times on Facebook

Neither predator was willing to give in as they tried to throw their opponent to the ground.

'Look at the size of 'em,' Bale said to his friend as they both watched the fight in amazement.

The bears eventually got a little too close for comfort for Bale and his pal, who both retreated back into the house before the video cuts off.

'F*ck that, I'm going in,' Bale said in the video as the bears moved closer to the porch where he was filming.

Neither predator is willing to give an inch during the melee, which reportedly lasted more than a minute

Eventually Bale and his male colleague flee back into their home where its safe to avoid getting caught up in the fracas

Black bears are not typically aggressive towards humans, but occasional attacks have been known to occur

Black bear mating season begins in late May and lasts through August, peaking in June and July

Black bears can grow to be roughly three feet tall while standing on all fours and typically stand between five and seven feet tall while standing upright on their hind legs, according to the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Department.

Male black bears weigh an average of more than 400 pounds, but large bears can weigh up to 600 pounds.

Black bear mating season typically begins in late May and ends in early August.

Black bears can grow to be roughly three feet tall while standing on all fours and typically stand between five and seven feet tall while standing upright on their hind legs. The animals also can weigh up to 600 pounds

The omnivorous mammals are not usually aggressive towards people, but attacks do occasionally occur.

Encounters between humans and black bears typically happen when the animals associate people with food. They are known to rummage through garbage in search of a meal.

Other close encounters occur when humans get between female bears and their cubs.
Government workers who help families battle ice addiction have revealed the dangerous and squalid conditions endured by children raised in homes and communities afflicted by the drug.

Family and Community Services managers fronted a special New South Wales inquiry into the drug ice in Sydney on Thursday.

St Marys FACS manager Azure Green said most families where her service intervenes are affected by ice.

Children in households reported to FACS often witness more than just a chaotic and unreliable parenting situation when the drug is involved (stock image)

'They struggle with the addiction,' she said, referring to parents battling methamphetamine in Sydney's west.

'In our area, we work with families who are in poverty and they seem to be able to afford this drug and access it. It seems very available.'

Children in households reported to FACS often witness more than just a chaotic and unreliable parenting situation when the drug is involved, Ms Green said.

They are routinely victims or witnesses to domestic violence and sexual abuse.

'What we see is that parents are unavailable to protect their children,' the protection worker told the commission.

'There are often a lot of different people coming in and out of the home using drugs.'

Mothers have been choked 'to the point of brain damage', raped and beaten - in the same home as their children - by abusive partners exhibiting the aggression associated with the drug.

Ice is increasing the amount and severity of family violence of men toward women, Ms Green said.

Multiple families in housing commission flats or neighbourhoods can be addicted, leaving groups of children unattended as their parents take drugs together.

School attendance can be disrupted for weeks at a time and Ms Green said she's seen many kids go without medical treatment for conditions like type 1 diabetes or vision and speech impairments.

St Marys FACS manager Azure Green said most families where her service intervenes are affected by ice (stock image)

The home itself is not a place of safety either.

'We see smashed and broken windows, doors that don't lock, bathrooms where the bath is not in a state where a child could be bathed in it,' she said, adding unsafe items are often left out.

'At times it's syringes, at times it's ice pipes or bags of the drug, or nails, knives, also household hazardous implements that aren't put away.'

Ms Green said caseworkers who stick with addicts through lapses and re-lapses are often key to families getting back on track.

'It can be hard, time after time after time of needing to be there and believing the parent can make that change.'
Australia's dream of a high speed rail network from Melbourne to Brisbane could be one step closer to reality if Labor wins the federal election on May 18.

Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese announced the Labor Party would commit $1billion towards purchasing crucial land for the railway.

The network would link Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane - with a 1750-kilometre corridor already proposed for the bullet train, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

In a statement Mr Albanese said the plan would overturn 'six years of inaction' from the Coalition Government regarding high speed rail.

Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development Anthony Albanese (pictured) announced the ALP would commit $1billion towards purchasing land for the rail corridor

Mr Albanese said the project would 'revolutionise interstate travel' and be the best way to link together cities along the east of Australia.

A trip from Melbourne to Brisbane would take just three hours using the railway.

The shadow minister joined ABC Radio on Friday morning to explain the plan in further detail.

He said the pledge of $1billion to start was designed to help 'advance the project'.

'The first thing that has to be done is ensure preservation of the corridor, we know this project stacks up, we did a two stage study when we were last in government that showed an economic return to it,' Mr Albanese said.

'A lot of the work has been done, that will obviously need to be refined and when youre doing construction of a project of this scale you cant do it purely academically.'

Mr Albanese said the project would not be competed under one government because it would require long term vision and commitment.

'I am very confident it has community support,' he said.

The trains would be expected to reach speeds of up to 350km/h between the major cities and would have a positive economic impact on smaller communities along the route

The rail line going north from Sydney would stop at the central coast, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Grafton and Lismore before heading into the Tweed Heads and Gold Coast regions before finally stopping in Brisbane.

The trains would be expected to reach speeds of up to 350km/h between the major cities and would have a positive economic impact on smaller communities along the route.

'It would bring these communities closer to capital cities, allowing for increased commuting while also strengthening the case for regional business investment,' he said.

The $1billion dollar pledge is a step toward the $114 billion estimated cost of the entire project.

For the plan of purchasing private land for the rail corridor to work state governments would also need to get involved.

Labor would also employ high speed rail experts from overseas to help create the rail network.

The dream of high speed rail closing travel distances between Australian cities and regional centres has been the focus of a number of past proposals from foreign companies.

The dream of high speed rail closing travel distances between Australian cities and regional centres has been the focus of a number of past proposals from foreign companies including a hyperloop

US based company Hyperloop Transportation Technologies submitted a hyperloop plan in October 2018 in response to a government inquiry into automation and land-based mass transit.

The proposal was for an ultra high speed hyperloop system between Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane, reaching speeds of 1,1223 km/h, The Herald Sun reported.

'A Hyperloop serving Australias Eastern seaboard and connecting Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane addresses a population of over 10 million people,' the submission read.

According to the submission, the tube would be optimised to transport freight and better connection for regional towns.

The proposal was ultimately dismissed by the federal government as it had no 'business case'.

The proposal was for an ultra high speed hyperloop system between Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane, reaching speeds of 1,1223 km/h

Meanwhile in April it was revealed Virgin Hyperloop One wanted to establish hyperlink routes across the world by 2030.

Their hyperloops would use emerging technology to reach travel speeds of up to 1200km/h, slashing travelling time across Australian cities.

While no plans have been set in stone, a spokeswoman for the company told Daily Mail Australia: 'The government have shown interest'.

Hyperloop is a system that involves tubular pods gliding at airline speeds through low-pressure tubes that have had the air removed to create a vacuum.

The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes, and uses an electromagnetic propulsion system to accelerate levitating pods through a vacuum tube.

Ryan Kelly, a spokesman for Virgin Hyperloop One, told the Newcastle Herald that the company was open to building a network in Australia if it had the support of the federal government.

'We haven't had a major new form of transport in 100 years,' Mr Kelly said.

'We're due for one, especially one that is ultra-fast, on-demand, direct to destination, emission-free, energy efficient, quiet, safe and reliable.'
A 15-year-old girl who vanished from a picturesque holiday town 20 years ago after becoming friends with a bike may have been pregnant at the time.

Kathleen Harris was only 15 and still at school when she disappeared from the coastal town of Huskisson, southeast of Nowra in New South Wales, on May 31, 1999.

Her whereabouts have remained a mystery for two decades, but a new revelation suggests the teenager may have been pregnant when she disappeared.

Kathleen Harris (pictured) was only 15 and still at school when she disappeared from the coastal town of Huskisson, southeast of Nowra in New South Wales, on May 31, 1999

'She actually told me she was pregnant,' friend Shauna Jeanie told ABC News.

Ms Jeanie and Ms Harris' other childhood friend, Patricia Hollis, believe their friend was acting out of character and showing signs she could have been pregnant.

Ms Jeanie said she wants police to investigate their her theory, as does Ms Hollis, who said she was under the impression Ms Harris was pregnant at the time.

'We used to drink a lot, even though we were 15, but that last week or so, she was just feeling sick all the time and not wanting to drink,' Ms Hollis said.

At the time of her disappearance, Ms Harris had moved away from her father's home, while her mother and sister lived overseas.

She had also befriended Clinton Hanlon, a member of the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Club, and was reportedly living at his property, near the clubhouse.

It was speculated Ms Harris and Mr Hanlon had been involved in a sexual relationship, which Mr Hanlon has denied, saying they were just 'good friends'.

But according to Ms Jeanie, Ms Harris also had a boyfriend closer to her own age prior to her becoming friends with Mr Hanlon - although she left him.

Medical records submitted to the 1993 inquest also suggest Ms Harris told Nowra Sexual Health Clinic she had a number of sexual partners in the lead up to her disappearance.

Deputy State Coroner Derek Lee believed Mr Hanlon's assertion he wasn't having a sexual relationship with Ms Harris and was concerned for her welfare.

Ms Harris vanished from Huskisson (pictured) 20 years ago after becoming friends with a bike

'I am unable to find, on balance, that the relationship was anything more than that described by Mr Hanlon,' Coroner Lee said at the time.

Police are treating her disappearance as suspicious and have not ruled out Kathleen may have been murdered.

'Detectives from the Shoalhaven Local Area Command continue to investigate Kathleen's disappearance under Strike Force Jerrett and hope the reward may encourage someone to come forward,' a NSW Police statement said.

'Kathleen's disappearance was completely out of character,' Shoalhaven Local Area Commander, Superintendent Joe Cassar, said.

'Her personal belongings, including her purse and keys, were located in her home, and family and friends have not heard from her since she went missing.'

A $100,000 reward, first offered in 2012, remains in place - but whether or not progress is made, Ms Harris' friends have called for a memorial seat to be erected.

Ms Jeanie and Ms Hollis said installing a seat will not only give them somewhere to visit to mourn their friend, but also provide a place for Ms Harris to return to one day.
Radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands has defended rugby star Israel Folau for saying gay people will go to hell.

Folau, 30, was found guilty of a high-level breach of his $4million contract with Rugby Australia after he shared an Instagram post to his 354,000 followers in April saying 'hell awaits' those who are 'living in sin' unless they 'repent'.

He had made similar comments in 2018 and was warned to stop by Rugby Australia.

Sandilands dismissed concerns over Folau's beliefs, saying the Wallabies fullback should be free to express his opinions.

'Yeah I like gay people, [I've] got no issue, I don't like making gay people feel bad, but, who am I to tell him what his thoughts should be?' Sandilands said on his KIIS radio show on Friday.

Radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands has defended rugby star Israel Folau for saying gay people will go to hell

Folau (pictured with wife Maria), 30, was found guilty of a high-level breach of his $4million contract with Rugby Australia after he shared an Instagram post to his 354,000 followers

'He should be able to say what he wants - sure it might hurt someone's feelings, but if that's his belief...'

Co-host Jackie O challenged Sandilands on the issue, saying Folau's social media post 'caused people hurt'.

'Is it really necessary to put it out there, with the amount of followers he has?' Jackie O said.

Sandliands and Jackie O have been outspoken supporters of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival. They appeared on a float during the 2019 festival and hosted a live broadcast from the event.

Former NRL star Beau Ryan, who was also on Friday morning's show, said he was 'super torn' about Folau's controversial views.

'I love freedom of speech... everyone gets a platform, rugby league players, AFL, rugby union, they've got a bigger platform because kids look up to these guys,' Ryan said.

'When people are hurt I don't like it... I've got gay friends, gay family and they mean a lot to me, and I can't support that. At the same time, I like freedom of speech.

'He can have his own opinion and his own religious beliefs... but he doesn't need to post it.'

Sandilands agreed with Ryan, saying Folau didn't need to 'squeeze [his beliefs] down other people's throats'.

Ryan said children could be negatively influenced by Folau's post.

'Think about a young rugby player who looks up to Israel Folau now, who is maybe struggling with coming out, might be gay, how do they feel?'

Meanwhile, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said he supports RA's approach to dealing with Folau.

Qantas are one of Rugby Australia's major sponsors, and Mr Joyce - who is gay - said he was 'quite happy' with moves to terminate Folau's contract.

RA asked Folau to take down the post as it would be seen as remorseful and allow the breach to be downgraded to a mid or low-level but he refused

'We don't sponsor something to get involved in controversy. That's not part of the deal,' Mr Joyce told the Australian Financial Review.

'We expect our partners to take the appropriate action. It's their issue, they have to deal with it.

'It's not an issue for Qantas, it's an issue for every potential sponsor for Rugby Australia, ever. They have to manage it.. and shame on you if it happens a second time. That's the way we approach it in the aviation industry, and we expect these organisations to be the same.'

Folau was found guilty of a 'high-level' breach of his contract with Rugby Australia during a three-day hearing, meaning the agreement could be terminated.

RA asked Folau to take down the post as it would be seen as remorseful and allow the breach to be downgraded to a mid or low-level but he refused, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Folau had also rejected a $1million payout offer from RA.

He will become the first Australian athlete dismissed for expressing fundamental religious beliefs if he's sacked by Rugby Australia.

Folau has played 73 tests for the Wallabies and is Super Rugby's all-time leading try-scorer.

He signed with Rugby Australia after playing in the NRL and AFL earlier in his career.

Folau told radio host Alan Jones that he was 'at peace' and his 'head is held high' despite the controversy.
Another plane came to assist and the pilot was able to land after coming to

A student pilot lost consciousness for 40 minutes while flying over controlled airspace as air traffic controllers scrambled to make contact.

The solo aviator in training was flying from Port Augusta to Adelaide's Parafield Airport on March 9, when they put the plane on autopilot before passing out.

The Diamond DA40 plane travelled for 40 minutes and made an unauthorised entry in to Adelaide Airport's controlled airspace at 11am, according to a report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

The solo pilot in training was 40 minutes in to a flight from Port Augusta to Adelaide's Parafield Airport on March 9, when they put the plane in to autopilot before passing out

'The pilot began to feel a headache in his forehead and engaged the autopilot,' the ATSB said.

'Prior to the flight he had suffered from a restless night of sleep and was recovering from a mild cold.'

'During the flight from Parafield to Port Augusta, the pilot only consumed a bottle of Gatorade, some water and a chocolate bar during the stopover in Port Augusta.'

The transport authority does not specifically state if the pilot fell asleep or they suffered from a medical issue but states that they 'infringed' Adelaide Airport's airspace during the flight.

By the time the pilot awoke they were flying over the water and were joined by a DA42 light aircraft in the area that had offered their assistance to air traffic control to locate the plane.

The assisting plane and Air Traffic Control then guided the student down to Parafield airport.
Shian Mengini, 18, was charged with making a false police report on Thursday in Upland, Pennsylvania, after prosecutors say she lied about being sexually assaulted by a woman she met online because she was bored and mad at her police officer husband

A Pennsylvania teenager has been accused of fabricating claims that she was sexually assaulted by a woman because she was mad at her cop husband.

Shian Mengini, 18, was charged with making a false report by the Delaware County District Attorney's office on Thursday.

Prosecutors say Mengini went to the police station in Upland where her husband Stephen Mengini was an officer on April 20 and claimed that she had been sexually assaulted at her home by a woman she'd met online.

She was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, where she was interviewed by county detectives after Upland police recused themselves from the investigation due to her husband's standing in the department.

Mengini claimed that the woman she met online, who has not been named, came to her home and began kissing her, at which point she locked herself in the bathroom and told the woman she was married.

'Mengini said when she unlocked the bathroom door, the woman entered the bathroom and undressed Mengini, touching her in a sexual way, thereafter following her into the bedroom,' according to the District Attorney's office.

At some point during the alleged assault Mengini ran out of the house and fled to the police station to report it.

Mengini claimed the assault occurred at her home on the 400 block of Jupiter Lane (above)

Five days later Stephen Mengini contacted county detectives and said his wife was receiving threatening messages from the other woman's husband.

When interviewed by investigators, Mengini allegedly confessed to sending those threats to herself from fake phone numbers.

She also allegedly admitted that the previously reported sexual encounter was consensual and said she made the assault story up because she was mad at her husband and had nothing else to do because she didn't have any friends nearby.

Stephen Mengini, 28, resigned from the police department that same day without explanation.

Mengini was arraigned on Wednesday and released after posting $15,000 bail. She will return for a preliminary hearing on May 16.

'In Delaware County, we take any report of assault seriously,' District Attorney Katayoun Copeland said in a statement.

'The fact that Shian Mengini fabricated this serious allegation because she was angry with her husband and bored is both criminal and inexcusable.'
A writer for a prominent surfing magazine has admitted writing an article while high on LSD - because his boss asked him late at night.

Stab Magazine published the article by Rory Parker on Wednesday as news broke about Red Bull's upcoming big wave surfing competition Cape Fear in Tasmania.

'I'm just a simple minded drug user tapping a keyboard because his boss is busy playing a TV star somewhere in the South Pacific, or wherever the f*** he is right now,' Mr Parker wrote.

Stab Magazine's Rory Parker (pictured) revealed in the piece he was high on LSD at the time

When Mr Parker got a message from his boss Stab's Editor-in-Chief Ashton Goggans (pictured) at about 10pm begging for someone to write the article, he was hesitant to volunteer

Cape Fear, the world's most dangerous invite-only competition where surfers take on waves over four metres, was last held in 2016.

Organisers surprised surfing fans this week by announcing that the competition looked likely to return in only a few days and would feature surfing star Mick Fanning.

When Mr Parker got a message from his boss Stab's Editor-in-Chief Ashton Goggans at about 10pm begging for someone to write the article, he was hesitant to volunteer.

'I'm in the middle of filming at Uluwatu with Mason and Rozal, is anyone near a (computer) that can post something?' the boss' text read.

'I'm here but I'm not supposed to post. But I'll do it. Tell me go, Chief,' he responded.

Mr Parker penned the piece informing readers of the upcoming event - but it was far from a standard article.

'Ever get a late night (10pm-ish on Kauai) message from your boss and get stuck between "I'm a team player," and "I'm way too f****d up right now and I want to help but this is kind of your fault for trusting me with this responsibility and, besides, do you know what f******g time it is?'' the article read.

Cape Fear, the world's most dangerous invite-only competition where surfers take on waves over four metres, was last held in 2016

Cape fear will be held on Monday, May 13 at Tasmania's infamous slab at Shipstern Bluff

Carnage is expected at the event as surfers tackle massive waves over 4 metres in the isolated Shipstern Bluff in tasmania

In the profanity-riddled piece Mr Parker revealed he had taken 'a couple large doses of LSD'.

Despite its bizarre format, the piece has garnered mostly positive reviews from readers.

'You're a mad man Rory and I f*****g love it,' one person wrote.

'Jesus Rory, all came out pretty well considering how you were moving! Impressive,' another comment read.

A spokesman for the magazine told Daily Mail Australia was written in jest.

'We, as a collective, like to rip each other occasionally in our stories. It's a no hard feelings thing. Keeps it fun,' he said.

Cape fear will be held on Monday, May 13 at Tasmania's infamous slab at Shipstern Bluff.

It was previously held at Sydney's Cape Solander.

Shipstern's is in one of the most remote parts of Tasmania. Competitors and videographers will have to endure a 32km boat ride, or a two-hour hike, to reach it.
Xem them

(Construction) - On December 3, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Construction held a conference to appraise the General Plan for Construction Project of Cao Bang Border Gate Economic Zone to 2040.

...

Tin bai cuoi cung

Khong con du lieu e load
Universities could lose up to 7 million each a year if fees go up for EU students after Brexit, it is claimed.

Analysis by Times Higher Education (THE) suggests the number of students will fall if they have to pay more to attend.

It would mean a loss of fee income high enough to push four institutions into deficit and worsen shortfalls at many others, THE said.

However, it also said that, if institutions kept the fall in student numbers well below 40 per cent, then they would actually benefit because of the higher fees.

Universities could lose up to 7 million each a year if fees go up for EU students after Brexit, it is claimed (file photo)

The analysis comes after it emerged that the government may scrap the home fee status of EU citizens studying at universities in England from 2021-22.

This would likely mean such students being charged the same as those from outside the EU and losing access to public loans.

Currently, they pay the same 9,250 a year fees as home students, but under the changes this could rise by 6,000.

EU students access to taxpayer-funded student loans has been controversial as it is difficult to chase those in arrears once they move home, meaning the system relies on their honesty and goodwill.
Former FBI Director James Comey has said he believes Donald Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice when he leaves the White House based on the findings of the Mueller report.

Comey sat down with Anderson Cooper at a CNN town hall in Washington, DC, on Thursday night, exactly two years to the day after he was fired by the president.

The former FBI head made it clear that there is no love lost between him and President Trump, whom he described as a 'chronic liar' who on more than one occasion displayed a 'corrupt intent to interfere' with the Russia investigation, which he helped launch.

His comments come after Attorney General Bill Barr testified in front of a Senate committee saying he believed 'spying' was carried out by the FBI on the Trump campaign.

Barr also said he would examine why the bureau launched investigations into two 2016 presidential campaigns and if any laws were broken by conducting these probes.

During Comey's CNN interview he said it 'sure looked like' there was enough evidence in Robert Mueller's report to charge Trump with obstruction of justice.

Former FBI Director James Comey shared his personal conclusions from the Mueller report at a CNN town hall on Thursday. Comey, who was fired by President Donald Trump two years ago to the day, made it clear there is no love lost between him and his old boss

"The President is not above the law." Former FBI Director James Comey says the idea that the President can't ever obstruct justice because he is head of the executive branch is just "crazy and a recipe for lawlessness." #ComeyTownHall https://t.co/AOufTrHdMz pic.twitter.com/6gDDnKNmnd  CNN (@CNN) May 10, 2019

Donald Trump launched a Twitter attack on James Comey after the former FBI director indicated that he thinks the president obstructed justice in the Russia investigation

THE QUESTIONS COMEY COULD FACE ON HIS FBI LEADERSHIP When the FBI applied for a warrant to eavesdrop on Trump campaign aide Carter Page did it tell the court the full story? The first court action of the Russia probe was to get a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant on Page. But the information provided to the court was based in part on the Steele dossier, the series of lurid claims of what the Russians were privately saying about Trump which was drawn up by a former British spy. But it was commissioned by an opposition research firm ultimately funded by Hillary Clinton's campaign. So were judges told the politically-motivated background of the 'evidence' they were given? Why did the FBI use the Steele dossier when it could not fully verify its contents? The Steele dossier was part of the reason for the FBI opening a counter-intelligence investigation into members of the Trump campaign. But Comey has acknowledged that it was not verified in full, in particular the salacious claim that the Russians had a tape of prostitutes paid by Trump urinating on a Moscow hotel bed once slept in by Obama. Did the FBI carry out or request any other surveillance or entrapment on the Trump campaign? George Papadopoulos, another Trump campaign aide, was targeted by an undercover investigator working for the FBI at a bar in London. Calls have been made for the Justice Department to look into the actions of the FBI and Comey as director over the probes into the Trump and Clinton campaigns and if there was use of unauthorized surveillance. Did you leak that you had told Trump about the existence of the Steele dossier? The Steele dossier was published in full by Buzzfeed in January 2017, after Comey had told Trump about its existence in a one-on-one discussion in Trump Tower, which followed a briefing for the president-elect by intelligence leaders. The first story to emerge was a CNN report that Trump had been told about a dossier of salacious claims. Shortly afterwards, Buzzfeed published the dossier, saying that it was being discussed at the highest level of government and it was right for Americans to know what was in it. But what is unknown is who leaked the fact of Trump being briefed. Did you know the FBI lovers Peter Strzok and Lisa Page were biased against Trump? Comey has consistently denied being aware of their bias. If he was aware and failed to stop it, it would be perceived as evidence that he was also anti-Trump. Advertisement

The president responded by branding Comey a 'disgrace' and calling him the 'worst director in history', in a tweet posted just an hour after the broadcast.

Trump wrote: 'James Comey is a disgrace to the FBI & will go down as the worst Director in its long and once proud history.

'He brought the FBI down, almost all Republicans & Democrats thought he should be FIRED, but the FBI will regain greatness because of the great men & women who work there!'

Comey has faced questions over the FBI's investigations into both the Clinton and Trump presidential campaigns.

In particular, he faced claims his announcement of the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server was politically motivated and done at a crucial moment when Trump was lagging behind his rival in the polls.

When he was fired in May 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said Comey's comments during his press conference about the Clinton investigation were inappropriate, 'derogatory and unfair'.

He added it was 'a textbook example of what federal prosecutors and agents are taught not to do'.

The former FBI director also faced questions over whether there was enough justification to launch the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 Trump campaign and if guidelines were broken.

Use of unauthorized surveillance during the investigation has also been questioned by Comey's critics.

Comey said during his interview with Cooper that he wasn't surprised by any of the information laid out in Robert Mueller's report as he praised the special counsel for his handling of the entire process.

Cooper went on to mention comments Trump had made about Comey hours earlier.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, the president said that Mueller is, 'in love with James Comey. He likes James Comey. They were very good friends, supposedly best friends. Maybe not, but supposedly best friends. You look at the picture file and you see hundreds of pictures of him and Comey'.

The CNN host asked: 'Is Mueller in love with you?'

'I respect him,' Comey said before laughing as he added: 'I don't think we have that kind of relationship. He's certainly not obsessed with me in the way some others seem to be.'

Cooper kicked the discussion off by asking Comey about what it was like to learn that he'd been removed from his post from a CNN report rather than from his former boss.

The FBI head said that when he first saw the words 'Comey resigns' flash across the TV screen while he was in a meeting, he thought it was 'probably a prank'.

That banner was quickly amended to say: 'Comey fired.'

The town hall hosted by Anderson Cooper came two years to the day after Comey was fired as FBI director by President Donald Trump

"You cannot have a President who's a chronic liar," says fmr. FBI Dir. James Comey.



The President can't be "someone who lies constantly," he says. "I thought Republicans agreed with that. It's one of the reasons I'm no longer a Republican." #ComeyTownHall https://t.co/VTSLGm1Jq6 pic.twitter.com/ak5rfDmJZX  CNN (@CNN) May 10, 2019

'I was numb because I didn't expect to be fired,' Comey said at the town hall. 'It never entered my mind. I knew by that point the president didn't like me, but I thought that's okay because that will keep a separation.

'It still feels a little bit numbing, frankly, like it happened yesterday and a lifetime ago.'

Comey said he finished up the meeting before calling his wife and then his assistant, who confirmed that a termination letter from Trump had been delivered to the FBI in Pennsylvania.

Later on in the interview Comey addressed White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders' remarks about his firing.

The day after Comey was axed, Sanders told the press that 'countless' members of the FBI had expressed a loss of confidence in their leader.

The Mueller report revealed that Sanders later acknowledged that the comment was a 'slip of the tongue' and 'in the heat of the moment'.

Comey said Thursday: 'I wasn't shocked, I knew it was a lie when it was first said at the time. And it was I guess gratifying to see the special counsel have her admit that it was.'

The conversation then shifted to the findings of the Mueller report, which Comey said did not surprise him.

'There were a lot of facts in the Mueller report that I didn't know, but I knew it would be high quality work if we got a chance as a country to read it,' Comey said.

'And what he describes about Russia's intervention in our election didn't surprise me at all. It confirmed what I knew from when I was at the bureau. And what he laid out about the president's efforts to obstruct justice was broader in scope than I personally knew, but given what I had seen, it didn't surprise me, honestly.'

TRUMP CLAIMS MUELLER WAS 'IN LOVE' WITH COMEY President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed Robert Mueller was 'in love' with former FBI Director James Comey but noted he'd leave it up to Attorney General Bill Barr whether the special counsel should testify before Congress as Democrats are threatening a subpoena. 'Bob Mueller's no friend of mine,' the president told reporters at the White House on Thursday. 'We had somebody that is in love with James Comey,' he charged of Mueller. 'They were very good friends, supposedly best friends, maybe not, supposedly best friends,' he added. 'You look at the picture file and you see hundreds of pictures of him and Comey.' Mueller and Comey had overlapping careers at the Justice Department. Comey was deputy attorney general during the George W. Bush administration when Mueller served as FBI director. Comey responded to Trump's remarks about his relationship with Mueller during Thursday's town hall, jokingly saying: 'I don't think we have that kind of relationship.' He added: 'He's certainly not obsessed with me in the way some others seem to be.' Advertisement

He said that he felt the parts he was featured in were accurate before Cooper probed whether he felt that the report vindicated him 'because some of the things that President Trump said you were lying about, Mueller backed you up and said that they weren't lies'.

Comey replied: 'I knew I was telling the truth the whole time. I basically told that same story under oath in front of the senate at a time when the president was hinting that there were tapes of our conversations together. So I knew I was telling the truth. I think the country knew I was telling the truth, and Mueller simply confirmed that.'

Cooper then asked if Comey accepted the president's repeated claims that the Mueller report found no collusion, to which he responded: 'Well, that's actually not what the report says.

'Mueller says first of all, as you know, Anderson, collusion is not a term that lawyers use or should use. He found there was not sufficient evidence to charge a conspiracy between Americans and the Russian effort. That strikes me as a reasonable conclusion, and I accept it.'

Shifting to the origins of the investigation, which is currently being probed by the inspector general and attorney general, Cooper asked Comey: 'Are you confident you did everything by the book, and that the FBI, the people around you did everything by the book?'

Comey replied: 'Yes. No doubt in my mind. But that doesn't mean I'm against review of it. That's totally fine.'

He added that if anything inappropriate is found, the FBI 'should be transparent about it'.

'I'm a big believer in the truth. If the truth was there was something concerning, then let's hear it. I don't know of anything like that,' Comey said.

An audience member took the microphone to bring the conversation back to Trump, asking Comey to define the line between exerting executive power and obstructing justice.

'Well, hard to say in the abstract except maybe this: that the president is not above the law, and I don't accept the notion that because the president is the head of the executive branch, he can't ever obstruct justice in connection with the executive branch activities,' Comey said. 'That's just are crazy and a recipe for lawlessness.'

He continued: 'The question is: Did the president act in a way that manifested a corrupt intent, not the discharge of his constitutional duties, but a corrupt intent to interfere with an ongoing proceeding or to intimidate or tamper with a witness. That's a factual question.

'There is a whole lot of facts laid out in Bob Mueller's report that raise serious questions about whether there is a chargeable case for obstruction and witness tampering against this president.'

Pressed to answer his own question about whether Trump displayed corrupt intent to interfere, Comey said: 'It sure looks like he did in connection with a couple of episodes, the direction to Don McGahn to get the special counsel fired is to my mind a flaming example.'

He went on to express complete agreement with a group of roughly 800 former federal prosecutors who have signed a statement asserting that Mueller's findings would have produced obstruction charges against President Trump if he weren't president.

Asked directly about whether Trump should be charged when he is out of office based on the Muller report findings, Comey waffled and stated: I think the justice department will have to take a serious look at that. Whether it's a wise thing to do to a former president, I don't know. That's a harder question, a much bigger question than the facts of the case.'

Cooper pressed: 'But you think the evidence is there to prosecute?'

'Sure looks like it's there with respect to at least a couple of those episodes of obstruction,' Comey replied.
She kept the world guessing for weeks over what she and Prince Harry would call their first born, and stunned royal watchers when the pair eventually revealed the baby's name was Archie.

Fans and experts alike praised the couple for shunning more 'traditional' monikers in favour of Archie, which means 'brave', and is often used as a shortened form of Archibold.

Now friends of the Duchess of Sussex have claimed the former actress took inspiration for the little boy's first name from a beloved family pet.

A former close friend of Meghan revealed that the ex-Suits actress and her mother Doria Ragland, 62, had shared a cat named Archie, himself named after the Archie comic the Duchess had once collected as a child.

The Duchess of Sussex is believed to have taken inspiration for her newborn son's name from a beloved family pet, pictured with the former actress in old home movie footage

'Doria rescued Archie and he became an important part of the household. Meghan loved playing with him and she was always talking about him to her friends,' a friend told The Sun.

'It's no surprise she named her new baby Archie. She loved that cat.'

Meghan, 37, is believed to have told friends the cat ended becoming fat after he was constant fed grapes, and the pet is believed to have died while the former actress was away at college at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Meghan and Harry welcomed Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on Monday and introduced him to the world at a photocall in Windsor Castle, on Wednesday.

Before meeting with the Queen - the first member of the royal family to see the child since his birth on Monday - the new parents shared sweet details about their new addition.

Meghan and Harry welcomed Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on Monday and introduced him to the world at a photocall in Windsor Castle, on Wednesday. At the photo call the Duchess said of her newborn: 'He has the sweetest temperament, he's really calm'

Harry cheekily replied: 'I don't know who he gets that from,' before sharing a knowing smirk with his wife during the photocall

Meghan said: 'He has the sweetest temperament, he's really calm.'

To which a cheeky Harry replied: 'I don't know who he gets that from,' before sharing a knowing smirk with his wife.

Archie is the seventh in line to the throne behind his older cousins Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince Louis, one.

Ahead of the newborn royal is his grandfather Prince Charles, followed by his uncle Prince William and his father Prince Harry.

The newest arrival to the royal family has been named as Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor

Harry and Meghan (above left and right) with their new bundle of joy following the official press conference

Archie is the shortened version of Archibald, a traditionally Scottish name which is said to mean 'true, bold and brave'.

Unlike many senior royals, Archie only has one middle name - Harrison - which is of Aboriginal origin and, in a fitting tribute to the baby's father, means 'son of Henry' or 'son of Harry'.

Many in Britain had expected a more traditional royal name, as bookies favoured James, Arthur, and Edward, with Archie sitting at around 100/1.

The baby shares his moniker with one of Princess Diana's ancestors, Archibald Campbell, who was the 9th Earl of Argyll, from Scotland.

Two famous Archies in the form of Scottish football hero Archie Gemmill (left) and Archie Leach, the real name of Cary Grant

Famous Archies include red-haired cartoon character Archie Andrews (pictured left) from the Archie comics franchise in America, as well as jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp (pictured right)

Archie Mitchell (pictured left) was a villain in the BBC soap EastEnders and Lawrenece Olivier (pictured right) played Archie Rice in The Entertainer

Famous Archies include red-haired cartoon character Archie Andrews from the Archie comics franchise in America.

He is part of the Archie gang, along with a host of characters - including Moose Mason, Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones - who have been on American news stands for years.

Archie Andrews is known as America's typical teenager and he and his friends have been updated for a modern audience with Riverdale, a Netflix American teenage drama series.

Archie Mitchell was a villain in the BBC soap EastEnders, Lawrenece Olivier played Archie Rice in The Entertainer, and another famous Archie is jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp, as well as NFL quarterback Archie Manning.

Other famous Archies include Scottish footballing hero Archie Gemmill, ventriloquist dummy Archie Andrews and Archie Leach, the real name of the Hollywood star Cary Grant.
Samantha Jones, 31, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter under a plea deal that includes three years' probation and 100 hours of community service

A Pennsylvania mother whose 11-week-old son died when he drank her breast milk laced with a lethal cocktail of drugs has avoided jail.

Samantha Jones, 31, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter under a plea deal that includes three years' probation and 100 hours of community service.

She told police she'd been too tired to make the baby a bottle when he awoke crying at 3am in April last year and instead breastfed him, an affidavit said.

Painkiller addict Jones told police that she had been prescribed methadone because of an addiction to painkillers, that she had taken it during her pregnancy, and that she was taking it at the time of the baby's death, the affidavit at the time of her son's death said.

Following her sentencing Jones said: 'I never wanted this to happen. I loved my little boy more than anything. I loved him, and I have to live with this every day.'

Defense attorney Louis R. Busico said Jones was 'strangled with grief and tortured by loss', The Bucks County Courier reports.

Her baby, named R.J., died from a combination of methadone, amphetamine and methamphetamine, the Bucks County District Attorney's office said.

Prosecutor Kristin McElroy said: 'Certainly her conduct was grossly negligent. She had resources, there were bottles in the house, and there were other adults in the house.'

Jones told police that she had been prescribed methadone because of an addiction to painkillers, that she had taken it during her pregnancy, and that she was taking it at the time of the babys death, the affidavit said

The affidavit stated that Jones said she primarily had been breastfeeding the baby, but switched to formula a few days before the babys death, saying he wasnt getting enough milk

A few hours after his feed, the baby was pale and had bloody mucus coming from his nose, she told police.

Jones' mother began CPR at the instruction of a dispatcher after they called 911, the affidavit said.

Police arrived at the home in New Britain, about 35 miles north of Philadelphia, to find the baby in cardiac arrest. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died.

The affidavit stated that Jones said she primarily had been breastfeeding the baby, but switched to formula a few days before the baby's death, saying the infant wasn't getting enough milk.

Other parents have faced charges over drug-laced breastmilk in recent years.

In 2016, two former Arizona TV news reporters were sentenced to a year of probation and suspended 30-day jail terms after cocaine was found in their baby's system.

And in 2012, a California woman whose infant son died after ingesting methamphetamine-laced breast milk was sentenced to six years in prison.
An Australian mum is in embroiled in a legal battle with furniture giant IKEA over her home-based business.

Kylie Hughes started Stylkea  a business that sells stick-on panels to transform IKEA furniture  from her Queensland home in 2017.

As the business began to flourish, she decided to apply for an official business name and trademark registration but was met with opposition from IKEA.

Kylie Hughes started Stylkea  a business that sells stick-on panels to transform IKEA furniture  from her Queensland home in 2017

Stylkea began when Ms Hughes and her husband were gifted a baby grand piano. The couple had just finished renovating their home and could not afford to buy a side table that matched

A cease and desist letter from the company's lawyer arrived asking her to change the business name so it did not include 'Kea'.

Ikea even offered her $105 in compensation for changing the name.

However, the mother-of-one, who has a background in business, had done her research before committing to the name and refused to back down.

'I've done my due diligence, I've done my research,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'I'm not the first 'kea' company, there are many others. I find it kind of curious why they have decided to focus on mine.'

Other companies around the globe that feature 'Kea' includes Mykea, which was founded in the Netherlands in 2010, and sells adhesive wraps to suit IKEA furniture.

There is also Plykea, which was founded in the United Kingdom in 2016, and makes doors and fronts to suit IKEA kitchens.

A cease and desist letter from the IKEA's lawyer arrived asking her to change the business name so it did not include 'Kea'

IKEA is a Swedish-founded multinational group that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture

Ms Hughes chose the name for her 'side-hustle' because it described what the business did - combining style with IKEA furniture.

'I was looking for a clever way to describe what we do.

'The business name is inspired by and took precedent from established businesses.'

When she refused to change the name and withdraw her trademark application, more letters followed.

'I declined the offer and replied that my highest hope remained that we could coexist,' she said.

Her trademark was approved on February 2018 but IKEA opposed it.

Ms Hughes then went to battle, representing herself as legal fees were too expensive.

'If I were to pay a professional lawyer and lose, I'd be staring down the double-barrel expenses of legal fees plus the cost of relaunching the business with a new name and website.'

Ms Hughes is now awaiting a response from IP Australia, which could take up to 18 months.

Instead of forking out thousands, Ms Hughes decided to get crafty with some IKEA furniture and created a stunning black and gold piece that fit perfectly in her home

Impressed by the cheap transformation, friends then encouraged her to start a business

'No matter what happen, I'm still a raving Ikea fan,' she said.

A spokesman for Inter IKEA Systems B.V said the company does not comment on any ongoing cases.

'In general, as the worldwide franchisor and owner of the IKEA Concept, it is very important for us to protect the intellectual property rights associated with the IKEA Brand.

'We feel a great responsibility towards our customers and want to ensure that they can always trust the IKEA Brand and know what is really connected to it  and what is not.'

Stylkea began when Ms Hughes and her husband were gifted a baby grand piano.

The couple had just finished renovating their home and could not afford to buy a side table that matched.

Instead of forking out thousands, Ms Hughes decided to get crafty with some IKEA furniture and created a stunning black and gold piece that fit perfectly in their home.

Impressed by the cheap transformation, friends then encouraged her to start a business.

The business, which is still run from home, turns over about $5,000 a month.

'It's not enough to quit my day job. But it's only young, it's only new. It's a great business in that we design and manufacture in Australia.

'I think there's a lot of promise,' Ms Hughes said.

Ms Hughes and her husband run the business from their home. The company turnover is about $5,000 a month
A mosque was on lockdown and armed police were deployed after a gunshot rang out during Ramadan prayers last night.

Metropolitan Police confirmed there was a firearm discharge at the Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford, east London.

According to onlookers, a gunman entered the religious building before being chased out and shooting what is thought to be a blank firing handgun once.

Footage on social media shows a mosque is on lockdown after a shot was fired during Ramadan prayers

Police at the cordon outside the moasque, after a gunman was reported to have opened fire

Officers at the scene outside the Seven Kings mosque in east London, after shot was fired

The Metropolitan Police confirmed there was a firearm discharge at the Seven Kings Mosque (pictured) in Ilford, East London

A large police presence was deployed at around 10.45pm on Thursday and will remain at the scene overnight.

No injuries or damage were caused and the incident is not being treated as terrorism-related, Scotland Yard said.

Several social media users said the alleged armed man had his face covered upon entering the mosque.

Worshipper Abdul Ahad wrote on Facebook: A man with fully covered face entered the masjid during taraweeh prayers. Alhamdulillah no one injured or hurt, but one shot was fired and unfortunately he ran away.

A large police presence was deployed at around 10.45pm and will remain at the scene overnight

Several social media users said the alleged armed man had his face covered upon entering the mosque

Another said: Was just informed that a man wearing balaclavas entered Seven Kings Mosque in London with a gun and fired a shot.'

One worshipper wrote on Twitter that he was in the mosque at the time the shot was fired, adding: During Taraweeh a guy entered the mosque with a gun.

Whilst praying I heard the sound of a loud bang. He was chased out by management, but ran away and still not found by the police.

Another worshipper tweeted that he heard the shot being fired but thought it was a firework or something.

One worshipper wrote on Twitter that he was in the mosque at the time the shot was fired, adding: During Taraweeh a guy entered the mosque with a gun'

Metropolitan Police said: 'At this early stage, it is thought that the weapon was a blank firing handgun.'

Metropolitan Police said: 'At this early stage, it is thought that the weapon was a blank firing handgun.

'There were no injuries or damage caused. The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.'

They added: 'Officers will continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community.

'Anyone with information is asked to contact officers via 101 quoting ref: 8585/09May'

The incident took place place during prayers for the month-long religious celebration of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn until sunset.

The Met police on Twitter said that a 'large police presence will remain in the area overnight'

MP for Ilford North, Wes Streeting, took to Twitter following the incident and said: 'Thank you to @MPSRedbridge for a swift response. I will in touch with Police in the morning re: mosque security.'

MP for Ilford North, Wes Streeting, took to Twitter following the incident and said: 'I am aware of the reports of a man with a firearm at Seven Kings Mosque during prayers tonight and am relieved that no one appears to have been hurt or injured.

'Thank you to @MPSRedbridge for a swift response. I will in touch with Police in the morning re: mosque security.'

In an earlier statement, Scotland Yard said: Police were called at 10.45pm to reports that a man, believed to be in possession of a firearm, had entered a mosque on High Road in Seven Kings.

The man was ushered outside of the building by those inside. A gunshot was then heard.

Officers, including firearms officers, attended. There were no reported injuries. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.'

A large police presence remains at the scene. The Trident and Area Crime Command will be informed.

The incident comes amid heightened concerns over security at places of worship around the world.

A mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, in march left 50 people dead, while a woman was killed when a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California in April.
An Aboriginal activist who assaulted police four times in one year has been charged with assaulting an ambulance officer.

Leilani Clarke was described by a magistrate just six months ago as a 'wonderful' young person with a bright future.

At that time Clarke had pleaded guilty to spitting on police officers three times in less than 12 months.

She also has a history of calling police and paramedics 'white dogs'.

The 21-year-old walked free from Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court in November without a conviction for assaulting police.

Aboriginal activist Leilani Opal Clarke who assaulted police four times in one year has been charged with assaulting an ambulance officer

At that time a magistrate told her: 'Let's not see you back in here.'

Clarke described media reports of her criminal history as 'colonial propaganda' after that case.

'I don't even call myself Australian,' she told KISS FM's Kyle and Jackie O.

Clarke has now been charged with the common assault of a female ambulance officer.

The offence allegedly occurred between 3am and 4.10am at Annandale in Sydney's inner-west on February 13.

Clarke, from Bankstown, has pleaded not guilty and the matter was mentioned briefly in Downing Centre Local Court on Friday.

The court heard there would be five witnesses for the prosecution and one for the defence in what was expected to be a three-hour hearing.

In November magistrate Erin Kennedy put Clarke on a good behaviour bond in the same court after she spat on a policeman.

Clarke was described by a magistrate just six months ago as a 'wonderful' young person with a bright future

Clarke also has a history of calling police and paramedics 'white dogs'

Clarke described media reports of her criminal history as 'colonial propaganda' after that case. she told a radio station she doesn't even identify as Australian

Ms Kennedy said assaulting police was an 'extremely serious offence' but accepted Clarke had mental health issues and had possibly been self-medicating with illegal drugs.

'The worst thing we see happening to wonderful people like you who have a great future ahead of them is if you don't get the proper treatment and you start taking something to self-medicate and we lose you,' Ms Kennedy said.

Clarke, who has studied environmental science at Sunshine Coast University, spent much of last year in and out of courts after repeatedly assaulting police.

She is a member of the Butchulla indigenous community on Queensland's Fraser Coast and has previously aspired to organising a festival of her culture.

Clarke claims to suffer from self-diagnosed 'transgenerational trauma' passed down through the indigenous part of her DNA.

Two days before she last spat on a policeman she had kneed another officer in the testicles.

'The accused has a previous charge for assaulting police and resisting arrest,' a statement of facts warned.

'At the time of the offence the accused was on bail for similar offences for assaulting police and resisting arrest.'

Clarke is pictured outside the Downing Centre Local Court last year when she escaped jail after assaulting police

Clarke claims to suffer from self-diagnosed 'transgenerational trauma' passed down through the indigenous part of her DNA

Police encountered Clarke when they attended reports of a domestic disturbance at Forest Lodge in the city's inner-west about 1.40am on June 28.

They found Clarke outside a terrace on the footpath in an agitated state and noted she had enlarged pupils.

'Police were at the time of a firm belief that the accused was affected by an illicit substance which may have sent her into a drug-induced mental health episode,' the statement of facts aid.

An ambulance arrived and when officers told Clarke she would be taken to hospital involuntarily under the Mental Health Act she became more aggressive.

'The accused attempted to walk away from police and ambulance officers and started screaming, requesting to speak to an Aboriginal Liaison Officer,' the statement of facts said.

As she was being secured to a stretcher Clarke spat on the shoulder of a policeman.

Two days earlier Clarke had kneed another officer in the testicles and spat at police when she was caught stealing a $7 chicken curry from a 7-Eleven store at Marrickville.

Clarke, who has studied environmental science at Sunshine Coast University, spent much of last year in and out of courts after repeatedly assaulting police

Police at that scene described Clarke's behaviour as highly erratic and unpredictable. She called them 'white dogs'.

In April last year Clarke pleaded guilty in Queensland's Hervey Bay Magistrates Court to assaulting and obstructing police, drug possession and being a public nuisance.

In March she assaulted a paramedic and screamed 'F*** you, white dogs' after being found asleep outside a shop in Annandale about 4am.

While being restrained in an ambulance she spat on a police officer's forearm.

And in January last year Clarke attacked police and security guards in a Hervey Bay nightclub while dunk, later telling a female officer 'F*** off you s**t'.

Clarke told the court in November she had recently completed a hospitality course, having deferred her university studies.

'That all seems amazing but you've got to stay on top of your mental health,' Ms Kennedy said.

'Do not self-medicate. You need suport. Just make sure you say no, you won't take illicit substances.'

Ms Kennedy put Clarke on a 10-month good behaviour bond without recording a conviction.

Leilani's latest matter was adjourned until July 29.
He was a predatory paedophile bishop who for decades enjoyed the patronage and protection of the Establishment.

Sadistic Peter Ball is suspected of preying on more than 100 boys and young men in a 20-year reign of abuse.

He made his young victims roll in the snow naked or stand in freezing showers before beating them with sticks and whips until they bled.

The Prince of Wales also revealed in evidence read out to an inquiry today Ball told him he had quit his job over an 'indiscretion'. Pictured: Prince Charles and Ball in 1992

But when he finally faced investigation for abusing a teenage novice monk, a string of leading clerics, MPs, judges and public school headmasters wrote to prosecutors protesting his innocence and describing him as a saint.

The Church of England also knew of a string of other allegations against Ball, but instead of alerting the police colluded and concealed the evidence. After being let off with a caution for gross indecency in 1993, for years he enjoyed the continued support of the great and the good.

This included his highest-ranked friend Prince Charles, who told the disgraced bishop he had been the victim of monstrous wrongs.

Peter Ball was a well-known figure in the church at the time of his 1992 arrest, for eschewing ecclesiastical robes, dressing as a monk, and sleeping on the floor

Born in 1932, Ball went to Lancing College public school in West Sussex and Cambridge University before establishing a monastery in Gloucestershire with his twin brother Michael.

He was made Bishop of Lewes in 1977 and Bishop of Gloucester from 1992, where his diocese covered Charless country home Highgrove, and the prince was among the guests at his enthronement.

By now, the shameless social climber was one of the churchs best known characters, refusing to wear the ceremonial purple of a bishop in favour of simple, monastic robes, sleeping on the floor and taking vows of celibacy.

But eight months after the enthronement, Ball was arrested for horrifically abusing 16-year-old trainee monk Neil Todd. He had forced the vulnerable teenager to perform sex acts as they lay naked in bed together, take ice-cold, early-morning showers while reading the Bible and stand side by side naked reciting psalms in front of a figure of Christ.

As news of the investigation spread, Lambeth Palace received seven letters containing potentially disturbing information about him, including one from a man who told how, when he was 15, he had been asked by Ball to perform a sex act.

In another, a man said Ball had asked to share a bedroom with his 17-year-old son.

Lord Carey was briefed about the claims and replied personally to two of the tip-off letters. But only one, which was of least concern, was passed to the police.

Two Archbishops of Canterbury, Tory MPs  including David Camerons godfather  a senior judge and public school headmasters were also among the Establishment figures who rallied to protect Ball during the investigation.

In letters to police chiefs and the director of public prosecutions they complained that the allegations had caused the bishop excruciating pain and claimed it was literally inconceivable that he could have committed the offences.

Identical twin brothers Michael Ball (L) and Peter Ball (R) were Bishops of Jarrow and Lewes respectively in the early 1990s

The correspondence remained secret for years until the Crown Prosecution Service finally released 12 of them after a freedom of information request from journalists.

They revealed how a few weeks after his arrest Tim Renton, now a peer, wrote to the then director of public prosecutions Barbara Mills to say it was the bishop who had suffered terribly.

Lord Carey, then Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote to the Gloucestershire chief constable in February 1993 describing the excruciating pain and spiritual torment which these allegations have inevitably brought upon a man in his exposed position.

James Woodhouse, the former headmaster of Rugby School, told police in 1993 that Balls intention towards all people, young or old, is wholly that of Christian concern and compassion.

Balls lawyers also claimed to police that they had a letter of support from the Royal Family, but the CPS said it had not seen the correspondence. After the widespread support, Ball escaped with a caution in 1993 for a single act of gross indecency against Mr Todd.

Lord Carey declared him basically innocent and invited him to stay three times and paid for a holiday for him. He also gave the disgraced Bishop 12,500 of Church cash and, just three years after his caution, agreed that Ball should be permitted to preach at a public schools and conduct confirmations.

And the following year, he told bishops that they could allow Ball to carry out some religious services, but asked them to inform Lambeth Palace when he did because of concerns of possible Press interest.

The Churchs failures continued under Rowan Williams, who succeeded Lord Carey as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ball took delight at his continued role in the Church, but his most cherished friend was Charles, who continued to correspond with him even after his caution.

Charles told Ball he had been the victim of monstrous wrongs and that he was desperate to help him, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse heard. The heir to the throne also told the bishop that he felt desperately strongly about his treatment and said: I wish I could do more. And he suggested that perceptions surrounding the allegations were based on lies, invention, speculation and sensation.

According to his statement to the abuse inquiry last year, the Prince remained close friends with Ball for more than 20 years because he did not realise that the clergyman had admitted sexual abusing a teenager,

He accepted he kept in contact with Ball and even gave him small gifts of money after the police caution in 1993. In his written statement to the inquiry the heir to the throne said he had been deceived by Ball, who claimed he was being persecuted by someone with a grudge.

Charles said: I was certainly not aware at the time of the significance or impact of the caution.

Ball also went on to live in a specially acquired rented cottage on the Prince of Waless Duchy of Cornwall estate.

Clarence House has said it was the private estate which funds the heir to the throne, and not Charles himself that had purchased the lodge that Ball rented. Ball revelled in his self-declared status as confidant of the Prince of Wales and frequently made reference in his letters to his attending royal functions and to meeting members of the Royal Family. In 2006 Ball was invited to read the homily at the funeral of the father of Camilla Parker Bowles. He continued as a Church of England priest until 2010.

But justice was slowly catching up with him. Police reopened their investigation in 2012 after new allegations, and this time a flood of Balls victims came forward. Three years later Balls crimes were finally laid bare at the Old Bailey which heard shocking details of his reign of abuse.

He admitted abusing 18 teenagers and young men who had sought spiritual guidance from him between 1977 and 1992. Ball was jailed for 32 months.

But it was too late for his first known victim, Mr Todd, who was so tormented that he took his own life aged 38 in 2012.

Ball, meanwhile, was released in February 2017 after serving half his sentence, and lives a free man back in Aller, Somerset.
Safety advocates say more people will die unless the Brisbane City Council slaps an immediate ban on electric scooters (pictured)

Safety advocates say more people will die unless the Brisbane City Council slaps an immediate ban on electric scooters.

The Pedestrian Council of Australia said the death of a rider, who suffered traumatic head injuries after falling from a Lime hire scooter, shows how dangerous they are.

The group's chief Harold Scruby said riders on footpaths are ducking and weaving among pedestrians at 25km/h, and the risks cannot be safely managed.

'A man has now died. What more evidence do you need that these things have got to be banned,' he told the ABC.

'France is just banning all scooters on all footpaths, only last week. From September in LA, where they invented the things, you cannot ride a scooter on a footpath.'

The 50-year-old rider died in hospital after crashing down a set of stairs at Brisbane's South Bank on Wednesday.

Despite wearing a helmet he suffered traumatic head injuries and went to cardiac arrest as a result of those injuries. Paramedics revived him but he died in hospital the next day.

The city council, which is currently in the middle of a tender process that could see a second scooter company licensed to operate in Brisbane, is waiting on the results of a investigation into the death.

'The information that we receive from that investigation will help us, going forward, to make a decision on e-scooters,' Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

'Obviously anything that comes out of this investigation is something we'll take very seriously.'

Lime insists its scooters are safe, despite the ambulance service revealing 80 people wound up in hospital over a two-month period as a result of scooter incidents. Of those, 12 needed surgery.

Brisbane man Dylan Pires (pictured) suffered horrific facial injuries after the hire Lime scooter he was riding suddenly locked up

Company spokesman Mitchell Price said a scooter malfunction had been ruled out as a factor in the man's death.

He attacked Mr Scruby for his 'insensitive and inappropriate' comments about scooter safety, saying the focus should be on caring for the dead man's family.

'Lime scooters are safe,' Mr Price said.

'It is far too early for us to be changing anything, to be commenting on this accident that has happened.'

Mr Scruby said anyone who tried to take a walk through Brisbane would beg to differ with scooter riders - often without helmets and doubling other people - risking people's safety.

The Pedestrian Council of Australia said the death of a rider, who suffered traumatic head injuries after falling from a Lime hire scooter, shows how dangerous they are

He wants Lime scooters off the streets but is open to the idea of a 10km/h speed limit, something backed by Vision Australia amid concerns for the vision impaired.

Last month Brisbane man Dylan Pires suffered horrific facial injuries after the hire Lime scooter he was riding suddenly locked up.

He had been riding to a supermarket during his work break when he was sent flying over the scooter's handlebars and hit the pavement.

Mr Pires, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, woke up in hospital suffering a broken nose, broken cheek, fractured sinus and stitches to his forehead.

Jordan Madigan (pictured), 26, had his heel ripped open after the Lime scooter he was using to ride to work seized up and threw him off

He also needed to have pins inserted in his cheeks as a result of the incident.

At the time a spokesperson for Lime said it had not been confirmed the incident was caused because the scooter wheels locked.

In February, Jordan Madigan, 26, had his heel ripped open after the Lime scooter he was using to ride to work seized up and threw him off.

The scooter threw him off so suddenly that it whipped around and struck his foot - which was enclosed in sneakers - so hard that it tore the skin right off.

Mr Madigan was forced to get stitches after the ordeal and needed antibiotics and crutches for a few days.
Donald Trump Jr has been spotted in New York after it was revealed he is the subject of a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee, a panel led by Republicans.

The president's eldest son was seen arriving home in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon.

Two Secret Service vehicles accompanied Trump Jr and a lead agent followed closely behind as he walked into his apartment.

The subpoena has been an unexpected escalation of tensions between Congress and the First Family.

Donald Trump Jr has been spotted in New York after it was revealed he is the subject of a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee, a panel led by Republicans

The president's eldest son was seen arriving home in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon

A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to DailyMail.com on Wednesday afternoon that the subpoena was received 'a few weeks ago.' The source wouldn't provide other details.

The Axios news website first reported the committee's demand, and suggested it is related to the ill-fated Trump Tower Moscow, a 2015-2016 real estate venture helmed by President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen.

The Washington Post quoted a person familiar with the subpoena saying it 'exasperated' Trump Jr.

Cohen reported to federal prison on Monday to serve a three-year sentence for fraud and for lying to Congress in November about how long into the 2016 presidential campaign the project survived.

Trump Jr testified about the proposed skyscraper in a closed 2017 Senate Judiciary Committee session. A transcript released later shows that he claimed to have been only 'peripherally aware of it' and knew 'very little' about its progress.

Democratic Sen Richard Blumenthal declared on Thursday that Trump Jr should go to jail if he doesn't comply with the subpoena.

Two Secret Service vehicles accompanied Trump Jr as he arrived at his apartment

A lead agent followed closely behind Trump Jr as he walked into his apartment on Thursday

'The subpoena should be enforced,' he said, according to The Hill. 'If he refuses to obey it, he should be locked up.'

'There are no privileges for Donald Trump Jr. The son of the president doesn't have any of those privileges.'

Blumenthal said Trump Jr gave a 'number of responses' during his testimony that 'are challengeable based on the truth'.

'I was in the room and my clear impress was that his answers were deliberately misleading and false,' Blumenthal added.

'He said he was only peripherally aware of the negotiations in Moscow for Trump Tower when apparently he was briefed extensively.'

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found that Trump Jr had 'served as the primary negotiator on behalf of the Trump Organization' when it was discussing building a development in Moscow with the Crocus Group in 2013 and 2014.

Trump looked downcast as he made his way back home. The subpoena has been an unexpected escalation of tensions between Congress and the First Family

It states that Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, also discussed the project with Trump Jr in 2015.

Republican chairman Richard Burr and ranking Democrat Mark Warner of Virginia are known as bipartisan operators.

They have run their own Russia-related investigation in parallel with Mueller's probe.

Burr's move is being viewed in Washington as a contrast to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's call for all of Washington to stand down and treat Trump-Russia scandals as things of the past.

A second source, one close to Trump Jr, told DailyMail.com shortly after the news broke: 'Don is a private citizen, who has already been cleared by Mueller after a two-year investigation. He has done 8-9 hours of testimony in front of Senate Intel already and 27 hours of testimony in front of various committees in total.'

The subpoena is related to the ill-fated Trump Tower Moscow, a 2015-2016 real estate venture helmed by President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen, which Trump Jr testified about back in December (pictured)

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican, signed off on the subpoena

'When he originally agreed to testify in front of the Senate Intel Committee in 2017, there was an agreement between Don and the Committee that he would only have to come in and testify a single time as long as he was willing to stay for as long as theyd like, which Don did,' the insider added.

'Don continues to cooperate by producing documents and is willing to answer written questions, but no lawyer would ever agree to allow their client to participate in what is an obvious PR stunt from a so-called "Republican" Senator too cowardly to stand up to his boss Mark Warner and the rest of the resistance Democrats on the committee.'

Axios speculated that the subpoena is an indication that Trump Jr 'declined a request to appear' for more testimony.

Cohen told the House Oversight Committee in February that he briefed the president's eldest son and Ivanka Trump at least 10 times about Trump Tower Moscow.

An architect's drawing of Trump Tower Moscow first published by Buzzfeed shows a glass obelisk 100 stories high, branded with Donald Trump's logo

The proposed Trump Tower Moscow would have been the tallest building in Europe

He told the Senate panel in November that the project had been discarded by the time the future president was competing in the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, saying later that he lied to be consistent with Trump's 'political messaging'.

In reality, conversations continued about the tower concept through the fall of 2016, when Trump was already the GOP presidential nominee.

In a January Fox News interview, Trump Jr said the concept and its partial execution were all Cohen's doing, painting the disgraced lawyer as a self-promoter who wanted to deliver a finished product that he could take credit for.

'We don't know anything about it. Ultimately, it was Michael Cohen essentially trying to get a deal done,' he said at the time.

Trump Jr's inner circle has spent the first half of the week fending off requests from Republican donors and former White House official Steve Bannon for him to run for Senate in Wyoming.

Sen Mike Enzi will retire at the end of 2020. The president's son has no interest in running, his advisers said.

Ivanka Trump (2nd left), Eric Trump (2nd right) and Trump Jr (right) are pictured in an undated photo during a trip to Moscow

The plans for Trump Tower Moscow included an architect's drawing of a glass obelisk 100 stories high that would have been the tallest building in Europe and branded multiple times with Trump's logo.

The drawing shows a fuller version of the project than Trump's team indicated. Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney, claimed in January that the project hadn't gone beyond a letter of intent and 'no plans were ever made'.

But architectural plans and business documents obtained by Buzzfeed showed an architect's drawing of a gleaming glass tower along the Moscow River topped by a diamondlike shape emblazoned on multiple sides with the Trump logo.

The plans were attached to the developer's proposal and did not come from the Trump Organization, a source told DailyMail.com in January.

'The building design you sent over is very interesting,' Russian real estate developer Andrey Rozov wrote to Cohen in September 2015, according to Buzzfeed, 'and will be an architectural and luxury triumph. I believe the tallest building in Europe should be in Moscow, and I am prepared to build it.'

Cohen was spearheading the project for the Trump Organization. He was in contact with Russian businessman interested in working on the project, which was looking to bring in profits of $300 million or more.

A final letter of intent signed by Trump on October 28, 2015, noted Trump Tower Moscow would have 'approximately 250 first class, luxury residential condominiums,' 15 floors of 150 hotel rooms, a luxury spa by Ivanka Trump and fitness center, and a commercial area for businesses to rent.

A letter of intent in commercial real estate does not represent a commitment to erect a building. Developers commonly seek them from prospective building managers in order to secure financing for projects.

Trump Tower Moscow never came to fruition, but it was one focal point in the Mueller probe of Russia's role in the 2016 election.

Giuliani told NBC's 'Meet the Press' that it 'had petered out quite a bit. They sent a letter of intent in. They didn't even know where to send it, they knew so little about it. They finally got it straightened out and then they abandoned the project.'

And he told The New Yorker on Monday: 'No plans were ever made. There were no drafts. Nothing in the file.'

The plans, Buzzfeed reported, included detailed financial arrangements: the Trump Organization would get a $4million up-front payment. It would also receive a cut of all the condo sales and a cut for the commercial and office spaces along with 3 percent of sales on food and beverages, spa and fitness center use, and conference fees.

The plan was to build Trump Tower Moscow along the Moscow River

In November, Buzzfeed reported the Trump Organization at one time planned to give Russian President Vladimir Putin a penthouse worth $50million in the tower.

Felix Sater, a real estate developer and former mobster turned FBI informant who advised the Trump Organization on the deal, said the idea was a marketing ploy.

'In Russia, the oligarchs would bend over backwards to live in the same building as Vladimir Putin,' Sater said.

'My idea was to give a $50million penthouse to Putin and charge $250million more for the rest of the units. All the oligarchs would line up to live in the same building as Putin.'

Trump insisted repeatedly throughout the presidential campaign that he had no business dealings in Russia.

House Democrats could call Ivanka Trump to testify about her involvement in a Trump Moscow tower project that extended well into 2016, as prosecutors revealed

Separately, House Democrats are eyeing Ivanka Trump as a potential witness in their expanded Russia probe and could demand testimony from the president's daughter.

Unlike Trump Jr, Ivanka is a White House official  making it more likely the president would try to intervene.

Ivanka told ABC News this year that she knew 'literally almost nothing' about the Moscow project, following a report that she and Trump Jr were involved as far back as 2013.

Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump visited Moscow in 2015 and reportedly scoped out potential building locations. Leaked emails obtained by Buzzfeed revealed Sater touting his own sway in helping Ivanka during her Moscow visit.
A close ally of Jeremy Corbyn has denied lying about comments he made on Zionism after being caught out on camera.

Labour justice spokesman Richard Burgon attempted to defend the farcical moment he denied saying it was the enemy of peace - before footage emerged of him saying exactly that.

Asked about the episode on BBCs Newsnight last night, he said: Those are not my views I didnt lie.

But interviewer Emma Barnett said to him: Not only did you say I didnt say that - you said that repeatedly - you also said I dont believe that.

Why on earth should we believe anything you say when you outright lied?

Labour justice spokesman Richard Burgon, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, has denied lying about comments he made on Zionism after being caught out on camera

The embarrassing interview will do little to help calm Labours crisis on anti-Semitism which has dogged the party since Mr Corbyn became leader.

It is a further embarrassment to the Labour MP after The Mail last month revealed he declared on oath he did not believe Zionism was the enemy of peace  three months before a video emerged proving he did.

He was only forced to concede he had done so after video footage came to light of him saying those very words.

Last year, Burgon denied making the comment after it was exposed by the Mail in 2016.

And it emerged last month he had denied he believed Zionism was the enemy of peace in court, saying: Its not my view.

And interviewer Emma Barnett took him to task on the issue last night.

Ms Barnett, who is Jewish and has faced anti-Semitic abuse, took the frontbencher to taksk on his denial that he had made the comments.

The Labour MP denied making the remark in a BBC interview last year, but he later admitted doing so after footage emerged of him saying exactly that.

The Labour Friends of Israel group accused him of seemingly misleading the public.

Mr Burgon said he would not use the simplistic language again.

The shadow justice secretary was asked about the comments in a BBC interview in March 2018, following newspaper reports in 2016 that he had made them.

Zionism refers to the movement to create, and protect, a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel.

When asked on the BBCs Daily Politics show whether he had said Zionism was the enemy of peace, he replied: No and its not my view.

I didnt make those comments, I asked when I was meant to have made those comments. No one could tell me and its not my view. he said at the time.

So if its not my view, I wouldnt have made those comments, he added.

The embarrassing interview will do little to help calm Labours crisis on anti-Semitism which has dogged the party since Mr Corbyn became leader

However a video showed Mr Burgon saying: The enemy of the Palestinian people is not the Jewish people. The enemy of the Palestinian people are Zionists, and Zionism is the enemy of peace and the enemy of the Palestinian people.

In a statement, Mr Burgon said he did not recall making the remark when asked about the 2016 newspaper reports, and had asked for details of the quote.

I received no reply, so I believed it was inaccurate to have claimed that I had used that phrase. It is now clear that I did and I regret doing so, he said.

As I have subsequently said on numerous occasions when asked about this, I do not agree with that phrase, he added.

The terminology has different meanings to different people and the simplistic language used does not reflect how I now think about this complex issue and I would not use it again today.

The footage was from 2014 - before Mr Burgon was elected as MP for Leeds East at the 2015 general election.

Mr Burgon said he had been criticising the aggressive expansionist policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the video, Mr Burgon also called for MPs who are members of Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) to resign from the group in support of the Palestinian people.

At the time, LFI Director Jennifer Gerber said: For nearly two years, Richard Burgon has deployed half-denials and weasel words to escape responsibility for his appalling suggestion that Zionism is the enemy of peace.

Now that weve all seen exactly what he said, its time for Mr Burgon to apologise both for this slur on the Jewish peoples right to self-determination and for seemingly misleading the public about it.

Somebody who aspires to be one of the countrys leading legal figures simply cannot behave in this fashion.
A woman has warned fellow pet owners about the dangers of advertising on Gumtree after a nightmare experience in which her cat was lost by its foster carer.

Brisbane woman Rosie Rezaie, 24, advertised on the popular website looking for a temporary foster carer for her one-year-old cat Jet.

But the temporary arrangement turned into a nightmare when Jet disappeared after the foster carer gave her cat away, and then tried to give her another cat instead.

The experience has led to Ms Rezaie encouraging other Gumtree users to carefully check out the credentials of anyone offering petsitting or foster care online.

Brisbane woman, Rosie Rezaie (pictured) is warning other pet owners to carefully vet any anybody offering petsitting or foster caring services on Gumtree, after her cat Jet (pictured) was lost by a foster carer she found on the popular site

The ordeal for Ms Rezaie began after a woman responded to her ad saying she was wanting to adopt a cat.

'She then asked what 'fostering' meant, and I explained it to her,' Ms Rezaie told the Courier Mail.

'I should have known then that something was off. I told her, "It means I only give it to you for a short time, but I will look after all expenses until I get it back".'

After the woman told her she now understood what fostering involved, Ms Rezaie went to her house around noon on Saturday to meet her.

When she arrived the woman already had another cat with her.

A worried Ms Rezaie asked if that cat got along with other cats, and the woman assured her it did, to trust her, and that everything would be fine.

Ms Rezaie felt that something was wrong with the situation but went ahead and left Jet with the foster carer before driving home.

That night she was messaged by the woman to say the cats weren't getting along, so Ms Rezaie said she'd come and get her cat the next day.

But later that night the woman messaged again Ms Rezaie saying she'd given her cat to another man.

Ms Rezaie was able to get the man's name and address, but was warned off approaching him by the woman.

Rosie Rezaie's Jet (pictured) was lost by a foster carer found on Gumtree. When Ms Rosie asked where Jet was, the foster carer said she had given him to another man, who would not give him back

'She warned me, said that if I went to get the cat back the man was crazy and would do something to my cat, because he loved it so much,' she said.

The next day Ms Rezaie visited the man at his Brisbane address, who told her he'd never had the cat and that the woman was lying and had lost the cat.

An angry and upset Ms Rezaie returned to the petsitter's house and confronted her about her lost cat.

'All the neighbours had come to see what was going on. [The woman] was there, and she had another cat. She threw it at me and said "Your cat's gone, take this one instead",' Ms Rezaie said.

The shocked neighbours called the police and took the new cat with them.

After a fitful few days in which she drove around searching for Jet and put up posters offering a reward for her return, she received a phone call saying her one-year-old cat had been found.

Jet had shown up in a family's backyard and had been spotted by the kids who lived there.

They had Ms Rezaie's contacts from a community Facebook page and messaged her to let her know the good news.

Ms Rezaie said she will keep Jet close to home now.

Spokesperson for Gumtree said 'For added piece of mind when looking for services on Gumtree, it can be beneficial to ask candidates to show their personal identification and provide professional references before you proceed.

'We also encourage anyone who thinks they have come across anything suspicious or concerning to report it to us using the report ad function. Animal welfare is also a huge priority for Gumtree and that is why we work in collaboration with the Government, law enforcements and animal welfare organisations, such as the RSPCA'.
Penny Mordaunt last night dramatically pledged to end the witch-hunt into troops who put their lives on the line in Northern Ireland.

The new Defence Secretary said the various historical inquiries into the elderly veterans had dragged on for far too long.

Miss Mordaunt, who was promoted to the job last week after Gavin Williamson was fired, said it was time for action. She added that it was her priority to make sure British troops were not the victims of unfounded allegations.

Secretary of State for Defence Penny Mordaunt (pictured with British Army General Sir Nick Carter) has said the various historical inquiries into the elderly veterans had dragged on for far too long

She intervened in the row after the Mail revealed yesteday that Tory MP Johnny Mercer was withdrawing his support for the Prime Minister over her alleged failure to protect UK veterans.

Defence minister Tobias Ellwood also broke ranks to throw his support behind Mr Mercer, saying the hounding of troops was absolutely ridiculous.

Miss Mordaunt said last night: This has dragged on for far too long and it is time for action. We owe it to those who take the greatest risk in the service of their nation.

Miss Mordaunt replaces Gavin Williamson, after he was sacked following the Huawei leak from a cabinet security meeting. He denies any allegation of wrongdoing

We will always hold our Armed Forces and the chain of command to account but I want to ensure our service personnel are not going to be victims of unfounded allegations, as we saw in the case of IHAT (Iraq Historic Allegations Team), or pursued unfairly for events that took place decades ago. This is a personal priority for me.

Mr Mercer has told Theresa May to end the abhorrent process of elderly veterans being dragged back to Northern Ireland to face prosecution.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the former Army captain said he would stop voting in support of the Government unless it was on the issue of Brexit.

Over the past three years there have been repeated failed promises by Mrs May and successive defence secretaries to put an end to the witch-hunt. Their pledges came after a Daily Mail campaign exposed how troops were being relentlessly hounded over their actions on the battlefield.

But despite their promises, dozens of troops continue to be investigated over their actions in Iraq and now hundreds of Northern Ireland veterans face probes into the Troubles. Mr Ellwood told LBC Radio: I served in Northern Ireland. The idea that 30, 40 years later somebody then knocks on your door to say, sorry, can I ask you about what happened all those years ago, is absolutely ridiculous.

He said the Government should make sure no troops can be prosecuted ten years after the event unless there was fresh evidence by seeking agreement from The Hague. Government sources said there had been no such talks with The Hague with regards to the Northern Ireland issue.

Tory MP Johnny Mercer has said he will be withdrawing his support for the Prime Minister over her alleged failure to protect UK veterans

Defence minister Tobias Ellwood also broke ranks to throw his support behind Mr Mercer, saying the hounding of troops was absolutely ridiculous

Tory MP Mark Francois, a former Armed Forces minister, said: I entirely understand (Mr Mercers) frustration at the complete lack of action by the Prime Minister in allowing military personnel to be legally witch-hunted on her watch.

The alleged members of the IRA were given letters of comfort by Tony Blair whilst we allow the persecution of our veterans instead. This is clearly iniquitous and has to change.

Lance-Corporal Brian Wood, who won the Military Cross in Iraq in 2004 but was subsequently hounded over his actions, said: Well done, Johnny Mercer  one of the few people in government who actually care about the Armed Forces community.

Years of pledges ... but still no action David Cameron, Jan 2016: It is clear that there is now an industry trying to profit from spurious claims lodged against our brave servicemen and women who fought in Iraq. This is unacceptable and no way to treat the people who risk their lives to keep our country safe. Theresa May, Sept 2016: We need to ensure that when the men and women of our Armed Forces go out on our behalf, willing to sacrifice themselves for our safety, that they have our full confidence and backing in doing that  and thats what we will give them. Sir Michael Fallon, Dec 2016: We are not going to allow the Northern Ireland process to develop into another IHAT. I intend to make very sure that if this process accelerates in Northern Ireland I will be working with the Northern Ireland Secretary to ensure it is properly balanced. Gavin Williamson, Dec 2018: The thing that I just know in my heart and soul that is fundamentally so incredibly wrong is the fact that we continue to have so many ex-servicemen who continue to be in a situation where they are facing persecution. It is the thing I have constantly thought we need to find a solution for. We think we are very close to finding a solution and making sure former and serving personnel will not go through the strain, the worry and the trauma of fearing a knock on their door. Advertisement

A former British serviceman facing trial for a killing in Northern Ireland in 1974 also welcomed Mr Mercers stance.

Former Regimental Corporal Major Dennis Hutchings is one of six former servicemen facing trials over killings during the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.

Mr Hutchings, 78, said: This should not be allowed to go on.

Tory MP Andrew Murrison, an Iraq War veteran, said: Ministers are sincere in wanting to prevent witch hunts whilst ensuring the men and women of the most highly respected military in the world are not placed above or apart from the law they are sworn to uphold.

Mr Mercer told the BBC the Government had singularly failed to act for four years and I am simply not prepared to put up with it any more.

There is nothing loyal about watching the car go over the cliff and not doing anything about it.

The whole process is a total mess. Its ruining lives and the only people that could have stopped it some time ago is the Government and they have chosen not to do so.

Communities Secretary and former Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said he was very saddened by Mr Mercers announcement and acknowledged that the system isnt working well in Northern Ireland.

He said the Government had been consulting on changing the existing system.

Responding to Mr Mercers letter, Mrs Mays official spokesman said yesterday: The issue of prosecutions of veterans is one we take extremely seriously and the PM is fully aware of the strength of feeling on this, both in Parliament and among the public.

In relation to Northern Ireland prosecutions, we have been clear the system to investigate the past needs to change to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles and to ensure members of our Armed Forces are not disproportionately affected.
A syndicate accused of scamming $4 million in government childcare subsidies allegedly staged a fake graduation ceremony to help sell the con.

Red Roses Family Day Care went to extraordinary lengths to make what police claim was an elaborate ruse appear legitimate.

The organisation purported to look after dozens of children in homes across Sydney, but allegedly not a single one was actually in its care.

A syndicate accused of scamming $4 million in government childcare subsidies allegedly staged a fake graduation ceremony to help sell the con

Rewards were so lucrative that director Alee Farmann, 49, allegedly pocketed $60,000 a month and drove a brand new Range Rover.

Videos posted to Facebook and YouTube show children being paraded across a stage and presented with a certificate and mortarboard hat by an imam.

Dozens of parents and other children watch on from the audience as names are called and supposed Year 6 students make their way to the front.

Several adults were given 'educator awards' and at one point, the woman announcing the awards admitted she did not know an educator 'very well'.

An elaborate fake childcare scheme allegedly scammed $4 million in government childcare subsidies in just eight months with director Alee Farmann, 49, pocketing $60,000 a month

Farmann was charged with knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group - in the form of his alleged Red Roses Day Care scam, which pocketed government subsidies

A smiling Harmann was filmed introducing himself and giving a brief speech, while shaking hands with several 'educators'.

Purple balloons with Red Roses' branding on them decorated the hall at Bill Lovelee Youth Centre in Chester Hill, Sydney.

The ceremony was livestreamed on Facebook on December 16 and posted to YouTube in a 26-minute video, plus a three-minute highlight reel.

Police said more than 150 parents claimed to government rebates - each one having between three and seven children.

It was not clear if the parents in the graduation audience were in on the alleged scam or were themselves duped by the syndicate.

Videos posted to Facebook and YouTube show children being paraded across a stage and presented with a certificate and mortarboard hat by an imam

A smiling Harmann was filmed introducing himself and giving a brief speech, while shaking hands with several 'educators'

The graduation ceremony was just one of numerous measures used to make the daycare appear above board to the outside world.

'We saw a level of sophistication or coordination in this that we don't see in outlaw motorcycle gangs,' NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said.

'It created time sheets, it had photographs of children that were not in care. It had mock-up areas, it had an administrative structure and rostering - like anything else in a legitimate business.

'However, the whole thing was a fraud.'

Members of the scheme pretended to look after each others' children and claimed the rebate of up to $146 a week per child, police allege.

The ceremony was livestreamed on Facebook on December 16 and posted to YouTube in a 26-minute video, plus a three-minute highlight reel

Dozens of parents and other children watch on from the audience as names are called and supposed Year 6 students make their way to the front

Red Roses' website is littered with grammar errors and the though the company's 'services' appear aimed at Sydney's Arabic community, the site only uses stock photos of white and Aboriginal children.

The logo of the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority features prominently on the website to enhance the company's authenticity.

This was despite the childcare regulator slapping it with its lowest rating - 'significant improvement required' across almost all its criteria.

The website also included a 153-page policy guide spelling out food-handling procedures for children with allergies and a ban on non-immunised children.

There were also safety policies for sandpits, first aid kits, and working with children checks - mostly copied from ACECQA handbooks.

Farmann's brand new Range Rover was seized along with large volumes of documentation, including business records, and two electronic control devices

The whole alleged plot came crashing down on Wednesday when police arrested 18 people in 23 raids from southwest Sydney to Wollongong

Assistant Commissioner Smith said the company designed processes to evade authorities and 'defeat' physical and phone auditing by the NSW Education Department, which regulates the scheme in the state.

He said if one site was audited, the rest of the syndicate would find out by the end of the day and get ready to comply with any subsequent audit.

The whole alleged plot came crashing down on Wednesday when police arrested 18 people in 23 raids from southwest Sydney to Wollongong.

All but one of the three men aged 24, 40 and 49, and 15 women aged 21 to 44, were charged - three with directing and 14 with participating in a criminal group.

They included alleged ringleader Farmann, and Zina Mohammad, 44.

One of the women allegedly had $35,000 cash in her handbag when she was arrested at her home in South Granville.

The cash and Range Rover were seized along with large volumes of documentation, including business records, and two electronic control devices.

The syndicate is accused of going to extraordinary lengths to conceal the operation that put bikie gangs to shame

The more than 150 members pretended to look after each others' children and claimed the up to $146 a week per child rebate, police allege

The properties included one house that only had electricity for six days in February and never housed any children.

More than 150 parents laid claims to rebate from the federal government - each one having between three and seven children - who could be next on police hit lists.

'There are legitimate children's names and entities they just weren't being cared for. The whole thing was a structured business,' Assistant Commissioner Smith said.

'What we've taken out yesterday were the (alleged) professional facilitators behind this syndicate and we won't rule out further interviews and we won't rule out further significant arrests.'

Police discovered a number of 'vulnerabilities' during their investigation and are working with state and federal education departments to address them.

Investigators believe there are many similar operations in NSW, and 29 people have been charged and 21 convicted in recent years.
A cross-dresser who planned to have sex with a dog with a convicted murderer and child rapist he met online has escaped a jail term.

Canberra man Mark Zonneveld, 48, was given a two-year suspended jail sentence and two year good behaviour bond by the ACT Supreme Court, ABC News reported.

The court heard that Zonneveld met convicted killer Jeffrey David Lee on an internet dating website before the two started messaging about bestiality.

The court heard Mark Zonneveld met convicted killer Jeffrey David Lee (pictured) on an internet dating site before the two started talking about committing bestiality and cross-dressing

Justice Michael Elkaim said the correspondence between the men outlined plans to 'carry out sexual activity with a dog'.

Zonneveld's lawyer argued his client did not intend on carrying out the act but instead was just playing into a sexual fantasy through dialogue.

Lee is already serving a 15 year sentence for killing his stepfather in 2015, as well as raping a 16-year-old girl and bestiality in 2012.

Justice Elkaim said the two men had reached the 'depth of depravity' in their correspondence with one another.

He also rejected the claims that Zonneveld had no interest in bestiality but he did acknowledge the differences between his case and that of Lee.

'I note the important distinction with Mr Lee whose offences included a number of acts of actual bestiality,' he said.

'The horror and detail of the actions contemplated by the conspiracy make this an offence of at least medium objective seriousness.'

Justice Elkaim did accept that the 'greater likelihood' was that Lee would have been the one to perform the bestiality, having already been convicted for past bestiality crimes.
Millions of people missed out on cancer screening last year thanks to a system that is losing its grip, a damning report reveals today.

Screening programmes for bowel, breast and cervical cancers were branded unfit for purpose, with evidence that 3.7million eligible Britons were not given routine checks.

A report by MPs found all three programmes are consistently failing to meet targets for how many people should undergo potentially life-saving checks.

Sam Ransom put off her smear test for eight months because she was unable to get a GP appointment at evenings or weekends  then found she had a fast-growing tumour

They laid the blame on a reliance on a hopeless IT system, staffing shortages which make it difficult to get a GP appointment or test results, and a lack of management supervision.

8-month wait for scan that found aggressive tumour Sam Ransom put off her smear test for eight months because she was unable to get a GP appointment at evenings or weekends  then found she had a fast-growing tumour. When the PA finally had a cervical screening, it found the tumour  and showed she was four months pregnant. She made the agonising decision to have an abortion because she was given only a 20 per cent chance of survival if she delayed treatment until after the birth. Miss Ransom, 34, of Lordswood, Kent, had part of her cervix removed and was left infertile. She said: I put it off due to work commitments and doctors only being open at certain times during the day. Advertisement

Health campaigners said the appalling findings revealed that lives were being lost as a result of inaction. They warned more people will die without urgent investment and change.

The report also revealed 1.25million women waited too long for smear test results last year, with unacceptable delays causing stress and anxiety.

Across England, fewer than three in five women received their results for cervical screening within the recommended two weeks last year, with more than 700,000 kept waiting for longer than three weeks.

MPs on the public accounts committee said that woefully inadequate IT used for screening programmes had been unfit for purpose since 2011.

The current cervical screening programme relies on 360 different IT systems, some of which are 30 years old. Public Health England also admitted the system used for bowel and breast screening was hopeless. Officials have failed to introduce systems to track all those eligible for tests, and have presided over a postcode lottery in screening, MPs said.

Meanwhile, blunders that meant hundreds of thousands were not invited for breast or cervical screening were not detected.

Meg Hillier, chairman of the public accounts committee, said: Millions are not being screened for serious illnesses like bowel, breast and cervical cancer. Our inquiry has exposed a health service that is losing its grip on health screening programmes.

Cervical screening attendance is at its worst level in 21 years and just 71 per cent of the eligible population are up-to-date on their tests. Figures show more than 1.2million women failed to attend cervical screening in 2017-18.

Around 3,200 British women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and 1,000 die. Experts say another 2,000 would die every year without screening.

The bowel cancer programme failed to reach its target of screening 60 per cent of the population, with 1.8million of those eligible missing out on the checks.

Meanwhile, breast screening rates for women aged 50 to 70 are at their lowest since records began in 2003. Data suggests nearly 700,000 eligible women did not attend their latest mammogram.

The committee said they were particularly concerned by catastrophic failures in the computer system. An IT error meant 122,000 women were not sent invites for routine mammograms between 2009 and 2018. Dozens are believed to have died as a result.

Robert Music, chief executive of Jos Cervical Cancer Trust, said: We implore NHS England, the Department of Health and Public Health England to ensure the necessary investment is available, alongside a willingness to adopt change and innovate.

If not, we will reach a tipping point and preventable deaths will be the consequence.

Sara Hiom, director of early diagnosis at Cancer Research UK, described the findings as extremely worrying. She said: Lives are potentially being lost as a consequence of inaction.

NHS England has commissioned Professor Sir Mike Richards to carry out a review of screening services, with results expected in the summer.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: We are pushing ahead with important changes to help detect as many cancers as early as possible.

n Cancer treatment waiting times are at their worst since NHS targets were introduced a decade ago, figures reveal.

In the past year, more than one in five patients had to wait two months or longer to start treatment after a doctors referral.
Bill Shorten's big-spending election promises will be offset by a $154billion tax grab over the next decade as Labor moves to assure voters it can properly manage the economy.

With eight days to go until the election, Labor has released its full costings showing how it would pay for its $120billion spending spree on everything from subsidised childcare and free dental visits to multi-billion renewable energy, university and hospital investments.

Then there is another vote on becoming a republic, more ABC funding, a billion-dollar boost in foreign aid, another $100million for refugees and money for gay equality.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen promised a Labor government would deliver bigger Budget surpluses and more generous income tax cuts than the Coalition by cracking down on negative gearing for landlords and tax refunds for share-owning retirees.

Scroll down for video

Labor is planning to raise taxes by $154billion over the next decade to fund its lavish election promises (pictured is Opposition Leader Bill Shorten with his wife Chloe in Brisbane)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison argued that Australian could not afford a big-spending Labor government, moments after the Opposition's costings were released.

'There's always something fishy about Labor's claims to be able to manage money,' he told reporters in Rockhampton on Friday.

Labor's health, childcare, education and climate change policies add up to more than $120billion over the next decade, as it also vows to slash Australia's carbon emissions by 45 per cent within 11 years.

Should it win the May 18 election, Labor is vowing to spend $55million on a national vote for a republic by 2022, even though the proposal was resoundingly rejected at a referendum in November 1999.

The centre-left party is also promising a $1.2billion boost in foreign aid spending over four years, as Labor dedicates another $96million for asylum seekers under a plan to boost the annual refugee intake to 27,000 within six years.

It is also promising to spend $76million on legal aid lawyers for criminal defendants and another $6million promoting 'LGBTIQ equality'.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen promised a Labor government would deliver bigger and faster surpluses than the Coalition by cracking down on negative gearing for landlords and tax refunds for rich retirees

Mr Shorten, the man favoured to win the election in eight days, is running on a platform of giving free dental care to pensioners, boosting childcare rebates, helping another 200,000 Australians go to university and recruiting 23,000 more teachers

To pay for those promises, Mr Bowen and the Opposition's finance spokesman Jim Chalmers have released Labor's costing, showing they can find budget savings of $154billion over the next decade

Labor is also vowing to undo an $84million funding freeze to the ABC, imposed by Mr Morrison in 2018 when he was treasurer.

Where will the money come from? * $58.2 billion over 10 years from cracking down on franking credits, or tax refunds, for retirees * $32.5 billion raised from ending negative gearing tax concessions on existing properties * $29.8 billion from changing superannuation concessions * $26.9 billion from changes to family trusts * $6.9 billion from cracking down on multinational tax avoidance * $6.3 billion from the budget repair levy on high income earners * Labor will also reverse the coalition's $285 billion long term income tax cuts, but has built in an assumption of future tax cuts at some point Advertisement

Then there's another $50million over three years to install electric car charge stations, as Labor pushes to boost Australia's green vehicle fleet to 50 per cent by 2030, up from 0.2 per cent now.

To pay for its election commitments, Mr Bowen and the Opposition's finance spokesman Jim Chalmers have released Labor's costing, showing they can find budget savings of $154billion over the next decade.

They are also vowing to deliver bigger budget surpluses than the Coalition over the next four years, while putting extra money into health and education, along with income tax cuts for low-paid workers.

'Today we're confirming bigger budget surpluses each and every year under a Shorten Labor government,' Mr Bowen told reporters at Parliament House in Canberra on Friday.

'We can deliver these bigger budget surpluses and the bigger investments in health and education while also assuming tax relief going forward.'

Labor, however, hasn't delivered a Budget surplus since 1989, back when Bob Hawke was prime minister.

Should it win the May 18 election, Labor is vowing to spend $55million on a national vote for a republic by 2022, even though the proposal was rejected at a referendum in 1999 (pictured is Mr Shorten with Prince Harry, his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and wife Chloe)

Labor is also vowing to undo an $84million funding freeze to the ABC, imposed by Mr Morrison in 2018 when he was treasurer (Mr Shorten is pictured with Labor senator Kristina Keneally, Labor's Bonner candidate Jo Briskey and senior frontbencher Penny Wong)

Like Mr Hawke during the mid-1980s, Labor is vowing to scrap negative gearing from January 2020 for future purchases of existing properties.

How Labor is proposing to spend more money * $16.2 billion for extra school funding * $15.9 billion to make child care cheaper for more than one million families * $15.2 billion in tax concessions to encourage businesses to take on older and younger workers, and invest in equipment * $10 billion to better fund TAFEs and universities * $9.9 billion top up childcare workers' wages over a decade * $2.4 billion to give pensioners free dental work * $9.2 billion to build 250,000 new affordable rental homes * $8.6 billion to make preschool available to three-year-olds * $4.4 billion so Medicare can better cover cancer costs Advertisement

It is also promising to halve the capital gains tax discount from 50 per cent to 25 per cent for those who sell their real estate.

Labor's costings estimated its negative gearing and capital gains tax changes would save taxpayers $32.5billion over 10 years.

It also forecast another $58.2billion in saving from reforming the dividend imputation system so share-owning retirees, who don't pay income tax, can no longer claim franking credits or tax refunds when companies have already paid tax.

The money would fund a $10 billion plan to uncap student places, giving an extra 200,000 Australians the chance to go obtain a degree.

Labor is promising to spend $14billion on schools over the next decade to fund 13,000 teachers and 23,000 teacher assistants.

On top of that, it is also vowing to spend $2.8 billion on more hospital beds in a bid to reduce elective surgery waiting times and another $2.3billion on out-of-pocket cancer treatment.

Australia's three million pensioners are also being promised free dental check ups every two years, worth up to $1,000, under a $2.4billion plan.

Liberal campaign spokesman Simon Birmingham, a South Australian senator, said Labor had failed to prove how it could deliver a budget surplus.

Labor is also vowing to spend $2.8 billion on more hospital beds in a bid to reduce elective surgery waiting times and another $2.3billion on out-of-pocket cancer treatment (pictured is Mr Shorten with Cairns hospital patient Dan Irby)

'Many Australians today are going to hear the Labor Party claiming that Labor will deliver bigger surpluses and they will see pigs flying through the sky,' he told Nine's Today on Friday.

What will YOUR taxes pay for under Labor? * $1.18 billion increase for overseas aid over four years * $530 million to "restore fairness" to the skilled visa system * $4.28 billion on infrastructure in the next four years * $200 million on a plan to get more solar batteries into homes * $96million on increasing Australia's humanitarian intake (SOURCE: Labor costings document) Advertisement

Labor costings promised a return to surplus in 2019/20, as well as a surplus of one per cent of GDP by 2022/23 'four years earlier than the government is forecasting'.

Labor's budget bottom line incorporates a technical working assumption that tax receipts do not rise above 24.3 per cent of gross domestic product over the next decade.

The Opposition is also vowing to boost the wages of childcare workers, which it estimated would cost taxpayers $9.9billion over the next decade.

It is understood the pay top-up will be limited to qualified staff in commonwealth-funded centres, excluding those in local and state government-backed complexes.

Mr Shorten told reporters in Cairns on Friday, ahead of the release of Labor's costings, it was important to deliver a pay rise to the 'first people to whom we entrust the kids outside of the family unit'.

Labor is also vowing to deliver bigger budget surpluses than the Coalition over the next four years, while putting extra money into health and education and along with some income tax cuts (pictured are Mr Bowen and Mr Chalmers in Canberra on Friday morning)

'We've come up with an envelope of funding to improve wages,' Mr Shorten said.

That isn't the only spending on childcare, with Labor setting aside $4billion on a plan to help 887,000 families reduce their childcare costs.

Labor's plan to return to the black 2019/20 - Surplus of $7.448 billion (compared to $7.051 in the Pre-Election Fiscal Outlook) 2020/21 - Surplus of $13.182 billion ($11.003 billion in PEFO) 2021/22 - Surplus of $19.761 billion ($17.792 billion in PEFO) 2022/23 - Surplus of $21.788 billion ($9.165 billion in PEFO) Surpluses over the forward estimates - $57.9 billion ($40.8 billion under coalition) (Source: Labor costings document) Advertisement

Under existing arrangements, parents can claim half of their out-of-pocket childcare expenses, up to $7,613 per child every year.

But under Labor, all families on a household income of $174,000 will be entitled to receive an extra $2,100 rebate every year for each child.

Labor is also vowing to give more generous income tax cuts to low-income workers, at a cost of $1billion over three years.

Those earning $25,000 to $40,000 annual relief of $350, compared with the Coalition's $255.

Those earning $40,000 a year would receive $549 worth of tax cuts under Labor compared with $480 under the Coalition.

Those earning more than $48,000 a year would get the same promised tax cuts, regardless of who wins the election.

This means Labor's costly income tax cuts would be of no benefit to those earning an average full-time salary of $83,500 a year or even someone on a median wage of $55,423.
A man taking his dogs for a swim in a popular bathing spot has found a series of fossilised footprints that are millions of years old.

Michael Johnston was in the Kyeburn River in Maniototo, New Zealand, when he found the fossilised footprints of a moa.

The moa is an extinct large flightless bird that existed before the ice age and greatly resembled the emu.

The moa's footprints measure at about 30 centimetres long and 30 centimetres wide.

The footprints are from a moa and measure at about 30 centimetres long and 30 centimetres wide.

Mr Johnston was able to clearly see the footprints after a flood last year exposed them.

'I knocked off early and brought the dogs down because it's a pretty good spot and not too many people around here,' Mr Johnston told Stuff.

'We were looking under the water and came across the odd-looking footprints and we looked a bit more and found more.

'I thought that they would be quite a common thing that we found.'

He took photos of the footprints and sent them to the Otago Museum and an excavations site was immediately established because the footprints may not survive a second flood.

Extraction plans have been delayed after heavy rain raised the river level but once the footprints are removed, they will be dried, made stable and put on display at the Otago Museum.

Michael Johnston was in the Kyeburn River in Maniototo, New Zealand when he found the fossilised footprints of a moa

Dr Mike Dickison, a moa expert, said the find was amazing considering the circumstances surrounding their discovery.

'I'm amazed at the luck of finding them  catching it in this very brief window between being exposed and being scoured out, and then that somebody happened to be fossicking around and went for a swim and noticed them,' Dr Dickison told news.com.au.

'If any one of those things hadn't happened, we would never have known they were there, and it makes you wonder how many other moa prints are buried or destroyed, or no one knows they're there.'

Dr Dickison believes the footprints could be of a previously unknown species of moa that was medium-sized and lived millions of years ago.
Grinning, shaking hands and kissing guests on both cheeks, day care company founder Alee Farmann appeared the picture of success at a 'graduation ceremony'.

The western Sydney businessman had reason to smile.

He was allegedly raking in $60,000 a month as director of Red Roses Day Care company, drove a Range Rover and purchased a flash $1.5 million townhouse last year.

But New South Wales Police allege the 49-year-old Iraqi refugee's success was built on a series of lies - big ones.

Police claim the entire child care operation was fake. Apparently, so were the pupils and a graduation ceremony on December where he shook hands with parents.

Alee Farmann was charged with knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group - in the form of his alleged Red Roses Day Care scam, which pocketed government subsidies

The day care business held a graduation and awards ceremony last December. But the whole business was allegedly fake

Farmann had reason to smile: He purchased this $1.5 million townhouse just last year

His home included a well-lit, ultra-modern kitchen with an island and elaborate exhaust fan

The scam allegedly defrauded taxpayers of more than $4 million.

Rather than care for children, police claim up to 150 people used the business to claim the rebate of up to $146 a week per child.

During the supposed 'graduation' ceremony last December, Year 6 students were handed mortarboard hats and several adults were given 'educator awards'.

At one point, the woman announcing the awards admitted she did not know an educator 'very well'.

A smiling Mr Harmann is filmed introducing himself and giving a brief speech, while shaking hands with several 'educators'.

But within the months, the whole alleged plot came crashing down.

On Wednesday, police arrested 18 people in 23 raids from southwest Sydney to Wollongong.

All but one of the three men aged 24, 40 and 49, and 15 women aged 21 to 44, were charged - three with directing and 14 with participating in a criminal group.

Handcuffed: Farmann is taken away by police after being arrested at his home on Wednesday

Police seized a new Range Rover during their raids earlier this week

Those arrested included alleged ringleader Farmann, who was led from his townhouse to a waiting car, and Zina Mohammad, 44.

One of the women charged allegedly had $35,000 cash in her handbag when she was arrested at her home in South Granville.

Police seized cash and a new Range Rover, along with large volumes of documentation, including business records, and two electronic control devices.

The properties allegedly involved in the scam included one house that only had electricity for six days in February and never housed any children.

Farmann's alleged syndicate is accused of going to extraordinary lengths to conceal the operation that put bikie gangs to shame.

The syndicate is accused of going to extraordinary lengths to conceal the operation that put bikie gangs to shame

The more than 150 members pretended to look after each others' children and claimed the up to $146 a week per child rebate, police allege

'We saw a level of sophistication or coordination in this that we don't see in outlaw motorcycle gangs,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said.

'It created time sheets, it had photographs of children that were not in care.

'It had mock-up areas, it had an administrative structure and rostering - like anything else in a legitimate business.

'However, the whole thing was a fraud.'

Assistant Commissioner Smith said the company designed processes to evade authorities and 'defeat' physical and phone auditing by the NSW Education Department, which regulates the scheme in the state.

He said if one site was audited, the rest of the syndicate would find out by the end of the day and get ready to comply with any subsequent audit.

Police discovered a number of 'vulnerabilities' during their investigation and are working with state and federal education departments to address them.

All but one of the three men aged 24, 40 and 49, and 15 women aged 21 to 44, who were arrested were charged - three with directing and 14 with participating in a criminal group

The 150 parents who laid claims to rebates from the federal government could be next on police hit lists.

'There are legitimate children's names and entities they just weren't being cared for. The whole thing was a structured business,' Assistant Commissioner Smith said.

'What we've taken out yesterday were the (alleged) professional facilitators behind this syndicate and we won't rule out further interviews and we won't rule out further significant arrests.'

Investigators believe there are many similar operations in NSW, and 29 people have been charged and 21 convicted in recent years.

As for Farmann and was granted bail with strict conditions, including a ban on contacting any of his alleged associates.

He is also banned from providing child care services or engaged in 'any employment under government benefits or care schemes', including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or aged care operations.
Chelsea Manning has been released from prison after 62 days for refusing to testify to a grand jury about WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange.

Manning was released from the William G Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia on Thursday.

The government whistleblower was being held in contempt of court, but was released following the expiration of the term of the Eastern District of Virginia Grand Jury that demanded her testimony.

Chelsea Manning has been released from prison after 62 days for refusing to testify to a grand jury about WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange

The government whistleblower was being held in contempt of court, but was released following the expiration of the term of the Eastern District of Virginia Grand Jury

'Today marked the expiration of the term of the grand jury, and so, after 62 days of confinement, Chelsea was released earlier today,' Manning's legal team said in a statement.

Manning's team also revealed that she has since been served with another subpoena.

'This means she is expected to appear before a different grand jury, on Thursday, May 16, 2019, just one week from her release today.'

'It is therefore conceivable that she will once again be held in contempt of court, and be returned to the custody of the Alexandria Detention Center, possibly as soon as next Thursday, May 16.'

Manning's legal team said she will 'continue to refuse to answer questions'.

'[She] will use every available legal defense to prove to District Judge Trenga that she has just cause for her refusal to give testimony,' they added.

Manning had been behind bars since March 8 after she refused to give evidence against Assange before a grand jury.

She appealed the decision, saying she did not believe in the secrecy of the sealed case.

Manning had been behind bars since March (pictured) after she refused to give evidence against Assange before a grand jury

Manning was released two days after she filed a legal motion stating that she will never testify, saying it thus made no sense to keep her in jail for refusing to do so.

MANNING'S NINE-YEAR SAGA January 2010: Manning uploads Afghanistan and Iraq documents to WikiLeaks April 2010: WikiLeaks publishes a video of Iraqi civilians being killed by US soldiers that was taken in 2007 May 2010: Manning is arrested in Baghdad August 2010: Swedish prosecutors issue a warrant for Assange's arrest on rape and molestation charges December 2010: Assange is arrested in London but makes bail June 2012: Assange seeks asylum at Ecuadorian embassy after UK Supreme Court rules he should be extradited to Sweden August 2013: Manning is jailed for 35 years for possessing unauthorized reading material and other Espionage offenses. She says she wants to be known from now on as Chelsea and is transgender August 2015: Swedish prosecutors drop their investigation into sexual assault case January 2017: Obama commutes Manning's sentence and she is freed November 2018: Prosecutors in Virginia reveal Assange is under indictment but the case is sealed March 8, 2019: Manning is arrested for refusing to testify before a grand jury against Julian Assange but the case is sealed April 2019: Assange is arrested on the old, Swedish rape case warrant in London after Ecuador drops his asylum even though the case was dropped. May 2019: Manning is released from jail following the expiration of the term of the Eastern District of Virginia Grand Jury that demanded her testimony Advertisement

The former Army intelligence analyst argued that she has proven she'll stick to her principles.

'At this point, given the sacrifices she has already made, her strong principles, her strong and growing support community, and the disgrace attendant to her capitulation, it is inconceivable that Chelsea Manning will ever change her mind about her refusal to cooperate with the grand jury,' her legal team wrote.

Federal law only allows a recalcitrant witness to be jailed on civil contempt if there's a chance that the incarceration will coerce the witness into testifying.

Manning filed an eight-page statement with the legal motion, outlining her intransigence.

'I can - without any hesitation - state that nothing that will convince me to testify before this or any other grand jury for that matter,' she wrote.

'This experience so far only proves my long held belief that grand juries are simply outdated tools used by the federal government to harass and disrupt political opponents and activists in fishing expeditions.'

Manning also said she is suffering physical problems related with inadequate follow-up care to gender-reassignment surgery.

The government whistleblower served seven years in a military prison for leaking a trove of documents to Wikileaks before her 35-year sentence was commuted by then-President Barack Obama.

Since Manning was jailed for contempt, prosecutors in Alexandria have unsealed criminal charges against Assange and requested his extradition.

Assange, who was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy earlier this month after hiding from US authorities and Swedish police for seven years, is accused of conspiracy to access classified information from the Defense Department in the US.

Protesters with placards gather during a rally in Sydney demand Manning's freedom in May

For seven years, he was protected from prosecution by the asylum given to him by Ecuador.

It was brought to an end this month after a spate of rule breaches and bad behavior, Ecuadorian officials said.

In the newly unsealed arrest affidavit for his US case, prosecutors allege that he helped Manning break into a Defense Department computer network to steal classified information in 2010.

Assange was taken back to a London prison last week to start an 11-month sentence for skipping bail as he awaits a hearing on possible extradition to the US to face Wikileaks charges.
Former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning was released from a northern Virginia jail Thursday after a two-month stay for refusing to testify to a grand jury.

Manning spent 62 days at the Alexandria Detention Center on civil contempt charges after she refused to answer questions to a federal grand jury investigating WikiLeaks.

Her lawyers fear her freedom may be short-lived, though. She was released only because the grand jury's term expired.

Before she left the jail, she received another subpoena demanding her testimony on May 16 to a new grand jury.

Former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning was released from a northern Virginia jail Thursday after a two-month stay for refusing to testify to a grand jury (pictured earlier this month)

Her lawyers say she will again refuse to answer questions and could again face another term of incarceration.

'Unfortunately, even prior to her release, Chelsea was served with another subpoena. This means she is expected to appear before a different grand jury, on Thursday, May 16,' Sparrow Project quoted Manning's legal team as saying.

'It is therefore conceivable that she will once again be held in contempt of court,' and returned to the Alexandria Detention Center possibly as soon as May 16, the legal team said.

'Chelsea will continue to refuse to answer questions.'

Manning was released Thursday from the Alexandria jail after 62 days on civil contempt charges after she refused to answer questions to a federal grand jury (file photo)

Manning has previously said she had 'ethical' objections to the grand jury system and had answered all questions about her involvement with WikiLeaks years ago.

Manning was ordered to testify earlier this year for an investigation examining actions by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2010, according to her own description, inadvertent court revelations and media reports.

At the time Manning, a transgender woman then known as Bradley Manning, was a military intelligence analyst.

Manning served seven years in a military prison after leaking more than 700,000 classified documents to WikiLeaks. The documents exposed cover-ups of possible war crimes and revealed internal US communications about other countries.

Sentenced in 2013 to 35 years in prison, she was released in May 2017 after the commutation of her sentence by president Barack Obama.

Manning had been behind bars since March 8 after she refused to give evidence against Julian Assange, pictured, before a grand jury

Earlier this week, Manning's lawyers filed court papers arguing that she should not be jailed for civil contempt because she has proven that she will stick to her principles and won't testify no matter how long she's jailed.

Federal law only allows a recalcitrant witness to be jailed on civil contempt if there's a chance that the incarceration will coerce the witness into testifying.

The former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning was jailed for two months for refusing to testify to a grand jury (file image)

If a judge were to determine that incarcerating Manning were punitive rather than coercive, Manning would not be jailed.

'At this point, given the sacrifices she has already made, her strong principles, her strong and growing support community, and the disgrace attendant to her capitulation, it is inconceivable that Chelsea Manning will ever change her mind about her refusal to cooperate with the grand jury,' her lawyers wrote.

Manning filed an eight-page statement with the court on Monday, outlining her resolve.

She wrote that 'cooperation with this grand jury is simply not an option. Doing so would mean throwing away all of my principles, accomplishments, sacrifices, and erase decades of my reputation - an obvious impossibility,' she wrote.

She also said she was suffering disproportionately in jail because of physical problems related with inadequate follow-up care to gender-reassignment surgery.
A transgender woman has been put in isolation while police and corrections investigate allegations she sexually assaulted another prisoner.

The inmate was transferred to Christchurch Women's Prison in November 2017 after serving four months in a men's prison due to her gender at birth.

The allegations came to light after several inmates made complaints of sexual assault inside the prison.

A former prisoner has accused a transgender inmate of sexual assault, bullying and drug distribution inside the Christchurch Women's Prison

A recently released prisoner who made allegations against the transgender woman said the authorities were not doing enough to keep inmates safe.

'There's some really vulnerable women in there, I think it's wrong. [She] is anatomically a male, but has the choice where [she] goes,' she told Stuff.

Prisoners in New Zealand can apply to be transferred to a prison of their identified sex if they do not have previous convictions for serious sexual crimes against a person of their selected gender.

The prisoner accused of sexual assault was eligible for a transfer as her convictions consist of driving offences, violence and robbery.

The accused is one of six transgender prisoners at New Zealand's Christchurch Women's Prison, Arohata Prison and Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility.

Transgender individuals make up 30 to 40 people out of around 10,000 people in the prison system.

One of those accusing the inmate spent several weeks inside the facility after breaching bail, in which time she made several complaints.

The former inmate who raised the allegations, who is facing theft and retail fraud allegations, said the transgender inmate also distributed methadone and other drugs inside the prison and was a bully to others.

'She's distributing those to other inmates in a somewhat very clever fashion by swallowing a tampon and attaching the cotton to her tooth, drinking the methadone, which swells up the tampon, and then when she's returned to the wing she removes the swollen tampon, squeezes it out and sells it to other inmates,' she said.

The accused transgender person is currently being kept in isolation while the investigation in to the 'very serious allegations' is underway

Prison Director Deborah Alleyne said they were investigating the 'very serious allegations' and had referred the allegation of sexual assault to New Zealand Police.

'Safety is our top priority. The prisoner who is the subject of the allegations currently has no contact with any other prisoners while the investigation takes place,' Ms Alleyne said.

'The person who has raised the allegations spent three and a half weeks in custody on remand during April.

'On each occasion that she raised concerns while in prison, these were acted on by staff.

'This included moving the prisoner to another unit, and informing her that a full investigation would take place.'
Bill Shorten has moved to ditch the Queen with Labor planning to hold a vote on Australia becoming a republic if it wins the election.

The Labor party revealed it has put aside $55million for a public vote in 2021-22 as part of its costings ahead of the election on May 18.

The vote would be part of two-step process to oust the monarch as Australia's head of state, by first gauging the level of support with a national plebiscite.

It would then likely be followed by a referendum on what type of model of republic Australia would adopt.

The prospect of a new vote comes more than 20 years after Australians convincingly rejected a referendum to formally split ties with the United Kingdom and go it alone as a republic.

Bill Shorten is planning to hold a vote on Australia becoming a republic if he wins the election. Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe are pictured meeting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in October 2018

If the vote scheduled in three years followed the question at the last referendum, it would ask the Australian public if they would like to replace the Queen with a president.

The news comes just days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born.

Bill Shorten's party first pledged to hold a plebiscite on ditching the Royal Family back in November but the costings commitment of $55 million for a 'national vote on a republic', released on Friday, shows it is firmly part of Labor's first-term agenda.

Mr and Mrs Shorten are pictured meeting the Duke of Cambridge at Parliament House in Canberra in 2014

The party's spokesman Matt Thistlethwaite previously told the Sydney Morning Herald that the question would be: 'Do you support an Australian republic with an Australian head of state?'

'We're not saying it's the most important issue but we are saying that if we are elected at the next election, it's one of the issues that Labor will attempt to deal with during our first term,' he said.

'One of the reasons it's not the focus of people's attention at the moment is because we haven't had that national leadership.'

The last referendum on Australia becoming a republic took place in 1999, with almost 55 per cent of voters deciding to stay as a constitutional monarchy.

However that referendum did not have the support of the Prime Minister of the day, John Howard, who strongly campaigned against it.

Poll Should Australia become a republic? YES NO Should Australia become a republic? YES 252 votes

NO 407 votes Now share your opinion





The alternative would have seen the Queen and Governor-General replaced with a president, however it is not clear exactly what Labor's plan is should they win the election.

Both Labor and the Liberals have previously voiced support for holding a public vote on the matter after Prince Charles ascends to the throne.

The push for a republic could have more success this time around, with an Essential poll taken last November showing 52.4 per cent of Australians were keen to get rid of the monarchy from the constitution.

However, the popularity of the royals is also at a high in Australia with renewed interest in the younger members of the family - especially since the recent marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the birth this week of their first baby.

Previous Labor leaders Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard were both supporters of Australia becoming a republic, but did not make it part of their plans.

Paul Keating, in 1993, was the last Labor leader to make the question of whether to become a republic part of their policies ahead of an election.

The most recent plebiscite in Australia - on whether to allow same-sex marriage - cost the taxpayer $80.5million.

Although it was successful, just eight of 44 referendums held since federation have passed.
Sri Lankan police have banned a British newlywed from returning home after his wife died from dehydration on their honeymoon.

Khilan Chandaria, 33, and his partner Usheila Patel, 31, were married in Brent, north London on April 19, before jetting off on their honeymoon on April 23.

The pair had been staying at the five-star Amari hotel in the coastal city of Galle and were rushed to hospital after Mr Chandaria noticed a 'smell' in the room.

His wife was later pronounced dead and a devastated Mr Chandaria cannot leave until more tests are performed - despite not being charged or arrested.

Khilan Chandaria and Usheila Patel (left during their wedding celebrations) were on their honeymoon when they both became ill. A postmortem stated that Usheila had died from food poisoning

The couple (pictured above on holiday) had purchased a sandwich and chips at Heathrow Airport, which they later consumed at the Amari hotel

Today Mr Chandaria's mother said he was still in Sri Lanka and claimed that her husband was also out there alongside her son.

Speaking from her home in north London today she said: 'My son is too ill, he is unwell'.

It comes as Mr Chandaria spoke of his treatment in Sri Lanka.

He told The Sun: 'The authorities are not treating me as a culprit but aren't treating me like a victim either. I don't want to leave without her.

Mr Chandaria (pictured above) said he noticed a 'smell' in their room before the couple both fell sick

'I still talk to Usheila at night when I look at the stars. She was supposed to be with me for the rest of our lives.'

Mrs Patel's parents said: 'Two healthy newlyweds left for their honeymoon and days later our beautiful daughter has left us. From cloud nine to a living hell. Just want to see our beloved daughter one last time.'

This morning, neighbours of Usheila and her family said they believed the family may have gone to Sri Lanka.

One neighbour said: 'I've only just found out yesterday.

'I don't know what happened. It's a bit sensitive isn't it - she was a lovely girl'.

The couple married in Brent, North London, on April 19, before travelling to Sri Lanka for a two-week, 6,600 trip.

The couple married in Brent, North London, on April 14, before travelling to Sri Lanka for a two-week, 6,600 trip. Mr Chandaria (left) and Usheila (right)

Whilst at Heathrow Airport the pair purchased vodka and Sprite.

After arriving at the 100-a-night Amari hotel, Mr Chandaria said he had noticed a 'smell' in their room.

A cleaner attended and after the maintenance team left, the couple shared a sandwich and chips.

The pair both felt sick shortly after, with Mr Chandaria saying he and his wife were 'feverish and vomiting blood'.

His wife (pictured) was later pronounced dead and a devastated Mr Chandaria cannot leave until more tests are performed - despite not being charged or arrested

Mr Chandaria and Usheila were married in Brent on April 14 before jetting off to Sri Lanka on their honeymoon

The couple phoned for help at around 3am and three staff came with a wheelchair before the newly weds were rushed to Co-operative Hospital, according to Mr Chandaria.

His massage therapist wife was then transported to the city's Karapitiya hospital.

Phone shop manger Mr Chandaria said a post-mortem showed his wife had died from dehydration and vomiting.

While previous reviews of the Amari mention food poisoning, a spokesperson for the hotel told the Sun that it was recognised for its food safety last month.

A board from the wedding ceremony which details how the couple met and how their relationship progressed

Mr Chandaria (pictured above) has said he doesn't want to leave Sri Lanka without Usheila

Russell Cool confirmed the couple dined inside and added that other items they 'obtained from outside and consumed' have been given to investigators.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Sri Lanka and are in contact with the Sri Lankan authorities.'

The couple met on dating app Tinder before going on a date to the Finchley Lido cinema to watch London has fallen, which was released in 2016.

They started dating officially in March that year and two years later Mr Chandaria asked Usheila to be his wife, they were married on April 19.
Jay-Z, Ashton Kutcher and Gwyneth Paltrow are among the A-list stars likely to get a good windfall out of Friday's Uber IPO after the ride sharing app was valued at a staggering $82billion.

The world's leading ride-hailing service set the stage for its long-awaited arrival on the stock market by pricing its initial public offering at $45 per share Thursday.

Though pricing is down significantly from lofty expectations that Uber would go public with a market cap over $100billion, it would still rank among the largest IPOs in history - and Uber's biggest shareholders stand to take home billions.

And that could result in a significant financial boost for some celebs who invested in the tech giant early doors.

Actor Kutcher invested $500,000 in Uber, Forbes reports, helping to make the company a success story.

He told the magazine in 2016: 'You're not even actually taking on the taxi companiesyou're taking on the notion of owning a car. That's crazy. And that's why it has the velocity and potential that it has.'

Jay-Z was an early investor in the smart-phone cab hailing app while Beyonce was reportedly paid $6 million in restricted stock units for a concert for employees in 2015

Ashton Kutcher invested $500,000 in Uber, helping to make the company a success story

Considered to be the pioneer of smart-phone cab hailing and one of Silicone Valley's greatest success stories, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jay-Z were also early investors.

And while her husband has confirmed his investment in 2011, Beyonce was reportedly later paid $6 million in restricted stock units for a concert for employees.

Olivia Munn also confirmed to Forbes that she had invested in the app. In January this year she admitted: 'I wish Id invested more in Uber, but its hard to know when something will be successful.'

Actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Jared Leto and Edward Norton are all also said to have money tied to the company.

And drug cheat cyclist Lance Armstrong has even credited his shares with 'saving his family' after his admission that he used banned substances throughout his career.

He and Kutcher invested in billionaire and Chris Sacca's Lowercase Capital fund. Sacca was a friend of Uber cofounder Travis Kalanick and an early investor.

Armstrong is said to have invested $100,000 via Sacca and said his return was 'too good to be true'. Estimates say it made him about $20 million.

Olivia Munn admitted: 'I wish Id invested more in Uber, but its hard to know when something will be successful' while Lance Armstrong has even credited his shares with 'saving his family'

Considered to be the pioneer of smart-phone cab hailing and one of Silicone Valley's greatest success stories, Gwyneth Paltrow was also an early investor

But the biggest individual winner will be investment fund manager Matt Cohler, whose firm Benchmark holds 11 per cent of Uber's stock, putting it in line for a windfall of $6.75 billion.

Uber co-founders Travis Kalanick and Garret Camp will also net billions each when the bell rings at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.

Kalanick's stock would be worth $5.3billion, while Camp's shares will be worth $3.7billion.

Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, an Uber board member, owns shares that will be worth about $1million.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Shark Tank investor Chris Sacca also made large investments Uber early on and look set to make millions.

Actors Leonardo DiCaprio, right, Jared Leto, left, and Edward Norton are all also said to have money tied to the company

Uber drivers will also be offered bonuses with which to buy shares, with rewards capping out at $40,000 for those who have made more than 40,000 trips.

In 2018 the companys revenue reached $11.3 billion, with losses of $1.8 billion reported. According to its IPO filing Uber has never actually turned a profit.

Recently the company has become embroiled in a pricing war with Lyft, with both of the hailing apps trying to attract and retain customers with low prices, while paying drivers enough to remain under their employ too.

The pricing war has led to thousands of Lyft and Uber drivers striking this week, who claim theyre given low wages and limited job protections as most are considered independent contractors.

Uber has now reached settlements with some of drivers who said they should have been classified as employees instead of independent contractors.

The settlement agreement was announced Thursday, on the eve of Uber's IPO debut.
Victoria's voluntary assisted dying laws come into effect next month, allowing terminally ill patients the right to request a lethal drug to end their lives.



There will, however, be exemptions for sufferers of conditions such as motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis who have a life expectancy of one year.

Those applying must be determined by multiple doctors to be suffering intolerable pain and be of sound mind.

Victoria's voluntary assisted dying laws come into effect next month (Stock pic)

Then, they will be given a lethal drug within 10 days of asking to die, which they administer themselves. If they are not capable, a doctor can help them.

State Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, pushed the law forward after the death of his father in 2016. He said people should have the right to 'choose to be in control of the last part of their journey.'

'For too long, we have denied, to too many, the compassion, the control, the power that should be theirs in those final moments of their life,' he said.

State Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews says people have the right to choose voluntary assisted dying (Stock pic)

REQUIREMENTS FOR VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING Patient must be 18 years old or above Possess decision making capacity; and Have been diagnosed with a disease, illness or medical condition that is incurable and expected to cause death within weeks or months (not exceeding 6 months Advertisement

Associate professor Peter Hunter, member of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation Taskforce, says this is a huge and important step forward for Australia as it impacts the well-being of a person at the end of life.

However, Dr James Downar from the University of Ottawa suggests not everyone will be satisfied with this newly enacted law, and there are people who may not be happy with this for person, moral and religious reasons.

Based on statistics from Oregan in the United States, which implemented euthanasia laws in 1997, the Government is expecting that approximately 150 people will access assisted dying each year.

Meanwhile, other Australian jurisdictions are continuing to explore legislative changes on how they can follow Victoria's lead in introducing some form of assisted dying.
The man accused of killing Gambino crime boss Francesco Cali outside of his Staten Island home allegedly said he knew his own life was in danger the second he pulled the trigger, a court heard on Thursday.

Prosecutors say Anthony Comello, 24, frantically typed out a text message, reading Im on the run, and My family is marked, moments after reportedly administering the tenth and final shot into Calis back.

He was indicted for Calis murder in the second-degree in April, and he appeared in court yesterday requesting to be released from jail on a $1 million bond.

Attempting to better his clients standing, Comellos attorney, Robert Gottlieb insisted that upon his prospective release, Comello would be placed into the care of his parents.

Anthony Comello, 24, frantically typed out a text message, reading Im on the run, and My family is marked, moments after reportedly killing Frank Cali (pictured Thursday)

He was indicted for Calis murder in the second-degree in April, and he appeared in court yesterday requesting to be released from jail on a $1 million bail

The parents are good responsible people, Gottlieb said, speaking of Comellos retired construction worker father, and his mother who worked for Bloomberg for three decades.

The family had to guarantee and also support that bond by putting up their life savings and more.

Judge William Garnett however said that despite the defendant having more than 40 family members living in Staten Island, the threat of what law enforcement call a potential retaliation from the mob means his parents would likely be unable  or unwilling - to supervise him upon his release, for their own safety.

The family ties in my judgement are now non-existent since the shooting, Garnett ruled.

In response, Gottlieb unveiled a plan for Comellos bail terms, where he would wear a GPS tracking device, call the local police precinct daily and have a member of his family watching him 24 hours a day.

But prosecutors say the once close-knit Comello family have been torn apart since Calis execution, and volunteers to supervise the 24-year-old will be in short supply.

They said family relations were already fraught prior to Camellos arrest.

Comello allegedly drove to Cali's Staten Island home on March 13 and backed his pickup truck into the mobster's Cadillac Escalade (above) and shot him 10 times

He allegedly pulled out a pistol and shot Cali 10 times before fleeing the scene. Authorities said they found Comello's fingerprints on the license plate.

Comellos attorney, Robert Gottlieb insisted upon his prospective release, the 24-year-old would be placed into the care of his parents

Unemployed for some time, in the months leading up to Calis death Camello had become an active member of the far-right conspiracy group QAnon, who believes its laws are the only laws and the country should adopt them.

Prior to this homicide, your honor, the defendants family wanted him out of their home, said Assistant District Attorney Carrie Low, according to Staten Island Live. They were encouraging him to get an apartment of his own.

Now, Low says, the familys home has been listed for sale as each member of Comello household are hiding in other separate locations through fear of Gambino retribution.

Low also pointed out that none of the defendants 40 family members has ever shown up to one of his court hearings.

The District Attorneys Office remains locked in a bid to establish premeditation in Comellos case, in order to increase his charge from second-degree murder to first.

Prosecutors say surveillance footage of the execution-style killing shows Comello casing the house and at one point walking right up to the porch.

Prosecutors say the once close-knit Comello family have been torn apart since Calis execution, and volunteers to supervise the 24-year-old will be in short supply

Its also said to show Comello backing his pickup truck into Calis SUV in an attempt to lure him from the home, before shooting him ten times.

The defendant, after committing these actions, the very next day, at his home is observed removing a [piece of Calis truck] off the back of his vehicle and hiding it in his garage, Low claimed.

Gottlieb hinted that his clients ties to QAnon were directly linked to Calis murder but he failed to elaborate further.

The DA has now mentioned right-wing conspiracy websites, which is at the heart and soul of this case, he said.

Speculation has previously suggested that Camello carried out the killing because Cali told his niece to stop dating the accused. However, following Gottliebs admission, that theory seems less likely.

Gottlieb has also submitted a request for a psychiatric evaluation of his client, following unusual behavior exhibited by Comello is his last court appearance.

Gottlieb has also submitted a request for a psychiatric evaluation of his client, following unusual behavior exhibited by Comello is his last court appearance

Comello had scribbled 'MAGA Forever', a reference to Donald Trump's 'Make America Great Again' slogan, on his hand as well as 'United We Stand MAGA' and 'Patriots In Charge', seeming to confirm his alleged links to QAnon

For his first court appearance on March 18, Comello had scribbled 'MAGA Forever', a reference to Donald Trump's 'Make America Great Again' slogan, on his hand.

He also had scrawled 'United We Stand MAGA' and 'Patriots In Charge', seeming to confirm his alleged links to QAnon - a discredited far-right conspiracy theory alleging a secret plot by so-called 'deep state' operatives against Trump and his supporters.

During the preliminary hearing Gottlieb said Comello's family attributes his behavior changes to 'hate spewed throughout the internet'.

'His family and friends recognized and picked up significant changes in him over the past few months,' Gottlieb told the New York Post.

'Something clearly went wrong. It's not just an attorney saying that, the people who know him - who love him - will be the source of that information.'

'Something dramatically happened to him that certainly seems to have been affected by the hate that is spewed throughout the internet.'

Comello allegedly drove to Cali's Staten Island home on March 13 and backed his pickup truck into the mobster's Cadillac Escalade, knocking off the license plate.

Surveillance footage captured Comello ringing Cali's doorbell. The two walked outside and Comello picked up the license plate to give it to Cali.

He then allegedly pulled out a pistol and shot Cali 10 times before fleeing the scene. Authorities said they found Comello's fingerprints on the license plate.
A Queensland bricklayer who told Brisbane Domestic Airport staff there was a bomb on board a plane has walked from court without a conviction.

Codey Robert Colin Dodgson approached a food outlet worker on the night of October 25, 2018 after making his way through security.

The 28-year-old, with the phrase 'if you go I go' tattooed on his face, told the staffer there 'was a bomb on the plane'.

Codey Robert Colin Dodgson (pictured) told Brisbane Domestic Airport staff there was a bomb on board a plane

Dodgson approached the gate where a Jetstar flight bound for Melbourne had just finished boarding and repeated the sentence to an airline host.

He made the claim a third time to a Qantas staffer who was farewelling customers who had arrived from Perth.

Dodgson was then approached by security and later arrested by Australian Federal Police.

Dodgson appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to a single count of making a threat to conduct unlawful interference with aviation.

Prosecutor Katie Shea said the bricklayer told police he took a taxi from the Brisbane CBD to warn people about the bomb threat.

But he couldn't tell them how he knew about it or who had told him for fear he would be killed.

Dodgson (pictured) approached a food outlet worker, an airline host and Qantas staffer claiming their was a bomb on the Melbourne bound flight

When asked if he was aware his claims had caused fear among staff, he said his intention had been to help people.

Ms Shea said the delays to the Qantas and Jetstar flights had cost the parent company $100,000.

It was accepted Dodgson had schizophrenia and was delusional at the time of the incident, but was unable to claim a mental health defence because he had taken drugs in the days prior.

A conviction was not recorded against the 28-year-old and instead he received a two-year good behaviour bond.
Australian actor Yael Stone has been revealed as the mystery 'Witness X' who a Sydney newspaper publisher tried but failed to have testify in the Geoffrey Rush defamation case.

The Daily Telegraph's publisher and journalist Jonathon Moran in October 2018 lost a mid-trial bid to amend their defence to Rush's defamation claim based on the evidence of Stone who starred in the United States TV series Orange is the New Black.

Justice Michael Wigney said the proposed amendment raised new allegations concerning Rush's conduct and would delay proceedings causing him 'manifest and palpable' prejudice.

The mystery 'Witness X' who a newspaper tried to have testify in Geoffrey Rush (right) defamation case has been revealed as Yael Stone (left)

Australian actress Stone (left) starred as Lorna in Orange is the New Black

The Federal Court judge at the time prohibited Stone being named but on Friday that order was revoked with the consent of all parties.

Rush went on to win the defamation case with Justice Wigney in April finding Nationwide News and Moran defamed the Oscar winner in articles that made him out to be a pervert and sexual predator.

The judge said they were reckless regarding the truth when they reported Rush had been accused of inappropriate behaviour towards a co-star - later revealed to be Eryn Jean Norvill - during a Sydney Theatre Company production of King Lear.

The judge found Norvill was at times 'prone to exaggeration and embellishment' and he wasn't persuaded she was entirely credible as a witness.

Stone in December 2018 told the New York Times and ABC TV that Rush behaved inappropriately toward her years earlier during the stage production Diary of A Madman.

She alleged Rush danced naked in front of her in a dressing room 'in a playful, clownish manner' and used a small mirror to spy on her in the shower.

Stone in December 2018 told the New York Times and ABC TV that Rush behaved inappropriately toward her years earlier during the stage production Diary of A Madman

Stone spoke to ABC's 7.30 and alleged Rush's text messages 'became more sexual in nature'

Stone alleged he sent text messages that 'became more sexual in nature but always encased in this very highfalutin intellectual language' to which, she said, she 'enthusiastically and willingly' responded.

'I'm embarrassed by the ways I participated,' Stone told the Times.

Rush at the time said the allegations were 'incorrect and in some instance have been taken completely out of context'.

'However, clearly Yael has been upset on occasion by the spirited enthusiasm I generally bring to my work,' he said in a statement.

Rush at the time said the allegations were 'incorrect and in some instance have been taken completely out of context'

'I sincerely and deeply regret if I have caused her any distress.'

News broke on Monday that the Daily Telegraph and Moran are appealing Justice Wigney's decision on the basis his conduct 'gave rise to an apprehension of bias'.

The newspaper says Justice Wigney was wrong to disallow the evidence of co-star Colin Moody and Witness X.

Rush's barrister Sue Chrysanthou on Friday sought an injunction against the publisher arguing its reporting over the past week amounted to a campaign 'attacking the vindication my client achieved a month ago'.
A South Carolina man has been arrested for illegally making 'moonshine' at his rural residence.

William Allen Kimmy was charged with possession of a distillery on Wednesday.

Florence County Sheriff deputies paid a visit three days ago to Kimmy's home in the 5900 block of Pygatt Road in the outskirts of Florence, South Carolina after receiving complaints from local residents.

The deputies found two 55 gallon drums of peach mash sitting outside Kimmy's house along with a pair of specialized copper cooling apparatuses and other distillery-related paraphernalia used to make 'hooch,' aka 'moonshine.'

Authorities visited the home of William Allen Kimmy in the rural outskirts of Florence, South Carolina Wednesday after receiving complaints from locals about Kimmy making moonshine there

Florence County Sheriff deputies say they found two 55 gallon drums of peach mash outside Kimmy's home

Deputies also found specialized copper cooling apparatuses and distillery-related paraphernalia at Kimmy's home in the 5900 block of Pygatt Road in Effingham, South Carolina two days ago

'Under South Carolina law, it is unlawful for a person to manufacture, sell, give or have in his possession a distillery, or any integral part thereof if used for the purpose of manufacturing alcoholic liquors,' Florence County Sheriff Major Michael M. Nunn said in a related press release.

'A first offense violation of this code section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $600.00 or imprisonment for six months,' he added.

Illegal homemade distilleries were common in the US before the end of the prohibition era.

Counties across the rural Appalachian mountain region in the nation's southeast experienced a resurgence in moonshine making after the Great Recession of 2008, according to CNN.

The Florence County Sheriff's office said liquor from from illegal distilleries that use materials like these are known to cause 'lead-salts poisoning, which can lead to blindness and death'

Local governments legalized and commoditized moonshine manufacturing as a way to reinvigorate their local economy.

Tennessee opened the region's first legal moonshine maker, Gatlinburg, Tennessee's Ole Smoky Distillery, in 2010.

South Carolina followed suit with its own legal hooch maker in 2011.

In his release, Nunn noted that drinking liquor from illegal stills is known to cause serious illnesses, including lead-salts poisoning which can lead to blindness and death.
Facebook is fighting back after co-founder Chris Hughes called for federal regulators to break up the company.

Hughes made headlines on Thursday as he claimed that CEO Mark Zuckerberg was too powerful and that the company had become an effective monopoly.

Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs and communications, swiftly released a statement denouncing Hughes' 6,000-word New York Times op-ed.

'Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability. But you don't enforce accountability by calling for the breakup of a successful American company,' Clegg, who is also a former British Deputy Prime Minister, said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

'Accountability of tech companies can only be achieved through the painstaking introduction of new rules for the internet,' he added.

Facebook is fighting back after co-founder Chris Hughes called for federal regulators to break up the company

Hughes (left) is seen with Zuckerberg in Palo Alto in the early days of Facebook. The pair were college roommates at Harvard and collaborated on the creation of Facebook

'That is exactly what Mark Zuckerberg has called for. Indeed, he is meeting government leaders this week to further that work.'

Hughes, who was Zuckerberg's Harvard roommate, said the CEO's power was 'unprecedented and un-American'.

'It is time to break up Facebook,' he declared in the searing op-ed.

Hughes, 35, helped build Facebook from the beginning, and was a key creator in products like the social network's News Feed. He left the company in 2007 to join Barack Obama's first presidential campaign, and says he liquidated his Facebook stock in 2012.

Now, Hughes says he has watched with horror as the company he helped create has grown into a behemoth through the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, threatening to crush free speech and stifle competitive innovation.

Zuckerberg testified before Congress last year. Hughes says that federal regulators need to intervene immediately and force Facebook to break up into separate companies

According to Hughes, the most dire threat at Facebook is Zuckerberg's 'unilateral control over speech.'

'There is no precedent for his ability to monitor, organize and even censor the conversations of two billion people,' he continued.

'Mark's influence is staggering, far beyond that of anyone else in the private sector or in government,' Hughes wrote.

Hughes said that Zuckerberg has virtually unlimited control over algorithms that determine what each of billions of Facebook users sees in their News Feed, what privacy settings they can use, and even which messages they receive on the platform.

'He sets the rules for how to distinguish violent and incendiary speech from the merely offensive, and he can choose to shut down a competitor by acquiring, blocking or copying it,' Hughes wrote.

Zuckerberg speaks at the F8 conference last month. Hughes writes that the most dire threat at Facebook is Zuckerberg's 'unilateral control over speech'

In addition to publishing the op-ed, Hughes sat for a television interview that will air on NBC Nightly News on Thursday.

'The reason I am speaking out is because I think Facebook has become too big, too powerful,' he explained in a preview clip of the interview.

Hughes added of Zuckerberg: 'He is extremely powerful because he has no boss, because there has been no regulatory agency from the federal government.'

In his op-ed, Hughes calls on the federal government to wield the monopoly-busting powers granted by the Sherman Antitrust Act and subsequent laws, which led to the break up of Standard Oil in 1911 and AT&T in 1982.

Regulators have been hesitant to scrutinize Facebook's overwhelming market share, however, because existing antitrust regulations are aimed at keeping prices low for consumers.

Since Facebook is free for users, and instead makes money by mining personal data to sell targeted ads, the traditional impetus for federal intervention has been lacking.

Harvard roommates Zuckerberg (left) and Hughes are seen in 2004 at Harvard's Eliot House. Facebook was created in February 2004, three months prior to this photograph

WHAT HAS MARK ZUCKERBERG SAID ABOUT HOW THE INTERNET COULD BE REGULATED? Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg set out in March 2019 how he believes the social network and the internet should be regulated. The firm's founder and chief executive said there is a need for governments and regulators to have 'a more active role'. Mr Zuckerberg said he believes new regulation is needed in four areas  harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability. In an op-ed published online in the Washington Post and on his own Facebook page, Mr Zuckerberg said: 'Every day we make decisions about what speech is harmful, what constitutes political advertising, and how to prevent sophisticated cyberattacks. 'These are important for keeping our community safe. But if we were starting from scratch, we wouldn't ask companies to make these judgements alone. 'I believe we need a more active role for governments and regulators. 'By updating the rules for the internet, we can preserve what's best about it  the freedom for people to express themselves and for entrepreneurs to build new things  while also protecting society from broader harms.' 'From what I've learned, I believe we need new regulation in four areas: harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability.' Mr Zuckerberg said legislation is important for 'protecting elections' and said it should be 'updated', adding that Facebook has already made 'significant changes around political ads'. Advertisement

Hughes argues that Facebook's dominance is a real threat to consumers, however, due to the company's ability to stifle competition and innovation.

He says that Facebook should have never been allowed to purchase competing platforms Instagram and WhatsApp, which combined give the company command over 80 percent of global social media revenue, according to Hughes' estimate.

Hughes believes that nothing short of forcing Facebook to split up and sell off Instagram and WhatsApp would be effective at reining the company in.

'Facebook isn't afraid of a few more rules,' he wrote. 'It's afraid of an antitrust case and of the kind of accountability that real government oversight would bring.'

Others join call to break up Facebook

Hughes joins US lawmakers who have also urged anti-trust action to break up big tech companies as well as federal privacy regulation.

Facebook has been under scrutiny from regulators around the world over its data sharing practices and misinformation spread on its networks.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate, in March vowed to break up Facebook, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google if elected president, to promote competition in the tech sector.

'Today's big tech companies have too much power-over our economy, our society, & our democracy. They've bulldozed competition, used our private info for profit, hurt small businesses & stifled innovation. It's time to #BreakUpBigTech,' Warren said on Twitter on Thursday.

President Donald Trump has also called for the creation of 'more, and fairer' social media companies in response to discrimination he alleges he has faced as a Republican from Twitter.

Rep Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said in a statement that he agreed that in retrospect US regulators 'should not have approved Facebook's acquisition of Instagram & WhatsApp in 2012'.

He said that 'the way forward is to heavily scrutinize future mergers and to ensure no company has anti-competitive platform privileges'.

Latest in a line of scandals

In one of a number of security and privacy scandals to hit the company, Facebook is accused of inappropriately sharing information belonging to 87 million users with the now-defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

The company has been in advanced talks with the US Federal Trade Commission to settle a year-old investigation and said last month it expected to spend between $3billion and $5billion on a penalty.

On Monday, Republican and Democratic senators criticized reported plans for the settlement, calling on the FTC to impose harsher penalties and more restrictions on Facebook's business practices.

Zuckerberg touts new privacy initiatives last month following a string of embarassments

Hughes said he last met with Zuckerberg in the summer of 2017, several months before the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke.

'Mark is a good, kind person. But I'm angry that his focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks,' Hughes said.

'And I'm worried that Mark has surrounded himself with a team that reinforces his beliefs instead of challenging them.'

Hughes co-founded Facebook in 2004 at Harvard with the company's Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz.

He quit Facebook in 2007 and later said in a LinkedIn post that he made half a billion dollars for his three years of work.

'It's been 15 years since I co-founded Facebook at Harvard, and I haven't worked at the company in a decade. But I feel a sense of anger and responsibility,' said Hughes.
Donald Trump launched a fiery attack on James Comey after the former FBI director indicated that he thinks the president obstructed justice in the Russia investigation.

'James Comey is a disgrace to the FBI & will go down as the worst Director in its long and once proud history,' Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday night.

'He brought the FBI down, almost all Republicans & Democrats thought he should be FIRED, but the FBI will regain greatness because of the great men & women who work there!'

The tweet came just one hour after Comey discussed the report from special counsel Robert Mueller at a CNN town hall moderated by Anderson Cooper.

The former FBI head made it clear that there is no love lost between him and Trump, who fired him two years ago to the day.

Comey described the president as a 'chronic liar' who on more than one occasion displayed a 'corrupt intent to interfere' with the Russia investigation, which he helped launch.

Donald Trump launched a Twitter attack on James Comey after the former FBI director indicated that he thinks the president obstructed justice in the Russia investigation

Former FBI Director James Comey shared his personal conclusions from the Mueller report at a CNN town hall on Thursday. Comey, who was fired by President Donald Trump two years ago to the day, made it clear there is no love lost between him and his old boss

When asked whether he thought that obstruction charges should be brought against Trump when he leaves the White House, Comey said: 'I think the justice department will have to take a serious look at that.

'Whether it's a wise thing to do to a former president, I don't know. That's a harder question, a much bigger question than the facts of the case.'

Cooper pressed: 'But you think the evidence is there to prosecute?'

'Sure looks like it's there with respect to at least a couple of those episodes of obstruction,' Comey replied.

He continued: 'There is a whole lot of facts laid out in Bob Mueller's report that raise serious questions about whether there is a chargeable case for obstruction and witness tampering against this president.'

On the findings of the Mueller report, Comey told Cooper he was not surprised by the outcome.

He said: 'There were a lot of facts in the Mueller report that I didn't know, but I knew it would be high quality work if we got a chance as a country to read it,' Comey said.

'And what he describes about Russia's intervention in our election didn't surprise me at all. It confirmed what I knew from when I was at the bureau.

'And what he laid out about the president's efforts to obstruct justice was broader in scope than I personally knew, but given what I had seen, it didn't surprise me, honestly.'

He said that he felt the parts he was featured in were accurate before Cooper probed whether he felt that the report vindicated him 'because some of the things that President Trump said you were lying about, Mueller backed you up and said that they weren't lies'.

Comey replied: 'I knew I was telling the truth the whole time. I basically told that same story under oath in front of the senate at a time when the president was hinting that there were tapes of our conversations together. So I knew I was telling the truth. I think the country knew I was telling the truth, and Mueller simply confirmed that.'

Trump went after both Comey and Mueller earlier in the day when he told reporters at the white house that the special counsel is 'in love with James Comey. He likes James Comey. They were very good friends, supposedly best friends. Maybe not, but supposedly best friends.

'You look at the picture file and you see hundreds of pictures of him and Comey.'
A tradesman has been hailed as a hero for standing guard outside a mosque to guard the entrance during traditional Friday prayers.

The man, named Matt, regularly stands outside the Darra mosque in Oxley, Brisbane while worshippers pray inside.

Mojib Ullah shared a photo of himself next to Matt, who was wearing a high-visibility vest, and thanked him for his help.

'Aftermath of New Zealand attacks, many kind-hearted, beautiful Australians visited the masjids (mosques) across Australia and offered condolences, support and love,' Mr Ullah posted to Facebook on Thursday.

A tradesman has been hailed as a hero for standing guard outside a mosque to guard the entrance during traditional Friday prayers

'Since then this non-Muslim brother comes to Darra Masjid on Friday Juma (prayers) and guards the praying Muslims to ensure their safety.

'During Ramadan he comes every night while Muslims perform Tarawih (the night prayer). Please keep him in your prayers!'

Mr Ullah's friends shared their support for Matt's selfless actions.

'Some heroes don't wear capes; they were hi-vis vests! How great to see this picture of two amazing people,' one person said.

'A great person doing great service to our community,' another said.

'A true and real man of peace and love,' another of Mr Ullah's friends said.

The mosque was the scene of an ugly confrontation between fundamentalist Christian pastor, New Zealander Logan Robertson, and Islamic leader Ali Kadri in July, 2018.

'Aftermath of New Zealand attacks, many kind-hearted, beautiful Australians visited the masjids (mosques) across Australia and offered condolences, support and love,' Mr Ullah posted to Facebook

Mr Robertson was later deported back to New Zealand.

On March 15, a far-right terrorist gumman allegedly entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand and opened fire on worshippers using military-style semi-automatic weapons during Friday prayers.

The accused killer, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, was charged with 50 counts of murder after the alleged attacks at the Linwood and Al Noor mosques, which were live-streamed on Facebook.

The massacre was the deadliest shooting to have ever occurred in New Zealand, resulting in 51 deaths.

Heavily-armed police officers guarded the entrances to both the Al Noor and Linwood mosques during prayer sessions in the weeks after the shootings.
Tourists have been left disgusted by foul smelling seaweed that has washed up on Mexican beaches and turned water brown.

Holidaymakers looking for sun and pristine sand in popular destinations such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum have been greeted instead by mounds of sargassum - a seaweed-like algae.

It has piled up on beaches and turned turquoise waters brown, with experts warning it may be the new normal.

Sargassum seaweed covers the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, on Wednesday. Experts say the presence of sargassum seaweed is the new normal and residents and tourists are going to have get used to it

Sargassum seaweed floats off the beach in Playa del Carmen. While concepts about what to do with collected sargassum are springing up - some propose using it as an aggregate additive for bricks - but its usefulness as a fertiliser or animal feed is limited by the chemicals it contains, such as salt, iodine and arsenic

Mexico's Riviera Maya Caribbean coast provides half the country's tourism revenues and very little sargassum reached it prior to 2014.

But a possible combination of climate change, pollution from fertilisers and ocean flows and currents carrying the algae mats to the Caribbean has caused the problem to explode.

It may not have the global impact of melting of polar ice, but the vast mats of sargassum filling the Caribbean could be one of the more visible climate-change events because of the sheer number of people who visit the region's popular tourist beaches, some officials say.

A spokesman from the government of Mexico's resort-studded coastal state of Quintana Roo said: 'This is one of the biggest challenges that climate change has caused for the world.

'This challenge requires a joint, multinational effort and a global commitment.'

Tourists walk through sargassum seaweed to their boat in Playa del Carmen. Mexicans fear that tourists may flee the stinking mounds that pile up on beaches and turn the once-turquoise water brown, threatening a coast that provides fully half of Mexico's tourism revenues

Sargassum seaweed fills the shore where fishermen push their boat to sea in Playa del Carmen on Wednesday. As the new normal, it may mark the highest-profile climate-change even yet, outpacing the bleaching of Australia's Great Barrier Reef or melting polar ice, just because so many more people visit the Mayan Riviera

While tourist arrivals at Cancun airport were up 3.3 per cent in March over the same month last year, many fear this will not last long with the sargassum spoiling white beaches and leaving a rotten egg smell as it decomposes.

As it decays and sinks to the bottom of the sea, it can also smother the coral the Caribbean is known for - and accumulations on beaches can make it harder for sea turtles to nest.

Jef Gardner, a frequent visitor to Playa del Carmen from Knoxville, Tennessee, said: 'In my humble opinion it's a disaster that will eventually cripple the tourism, the businesses and, sad to say, destroy the local economy.

'This is a Caribbean problem on the east coast that goes from Cancun all the way past Ambergris Caye in Belize.'

The sargassum mats appear even worse along parts of Mexico's coast than they did last year.

A worker pauses from removing sargassum seaweed from the shore of Playa del Carmen on Wednesday. The problem affects almost all the islands and mainland beaches in the Caribbean

Sargassum seaweed covers the beach in Playa del Carmen. Local hotel owners and tourism industry workers, which is just about everybody, to some extent, in Quintana Roo, are feeling angry and abandoned by the federal government

And the problem affects almost all the islands and mainland beaches in the Caribbean to an extent.

The US Gulf coast got hit in 2014 and the east coast of Florida is getting sargassum this year.

The algae flooding into the Caribbean is coming from an unexpected source - the tropical Atlantic waters beyond the mouth of the Amazon River.

Chuanmin Hu, a professor of oceanography at South Florida University's College of Marine Science, said the sargassum mats appear to be the result of increased nutrient flows and ocean water upwelling that brings nutrients up from the bottom.

Prevailing ocean currents carry the algae into the Caribbean, where it can grow further.

He says the cycle is not likely to stop anytime soon.

'Because of global climate change we may have increased upwelling, increased air deposition, or increased nutrient source from rivers, so all three may have increased the recent large amounts of sargassum,' said Hu.

While he said additional research is needed before definitively linking it all to human activity, he pointed to evidence of 'increased use of fertiliser and increased deforestation' as possible culprits, at least as far as the Amazon is concerned.

Warming ocean waters are likely to play only a minor role since the area - the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean - has always been pretty warm.

Workers remove sargassum seaweed from the beach in Playa del Carmen on Wednesday. Shoveling or bulldozing up sargassum once it washes up on shore is a herculean task, as it returns hours later

Soldiers walk the beach covered with sargassum seaweed in Playa del Carmen. The US Gulf coast got hit in 2014 and the east coast of Florida is getting sargassum this year, but apparently from a different source

A man walk between the sargassum towards his boat in Playa del Carmen. The huge sargassum mats appear even worse along some parts of the coast than they were last year

A woman walks on the beach where a bulldozer removes sargassum seaweed in Playa del Carmen. Tourists go to Mexico's Caribbean coast for the sun, white sand, snorkelling and turquoise water of the ocean. While there are a lot of other things to do on the coast, sparkling fresh-water sinkhole lakes known as cenotes, Mayan ruins, and jungle, the beach remains the prize attraction

Meanwhile, business owners in Mexico's glitzy beach resorts are desperate for solutions.

'What you have to do is stop it before it even reaches the beaches,' said Adrian Lopez, the president of Quintana Roo's employers' federation.

Contention lines of floating plastic booms can be anchored offshore to catch the incoming mats of algae, but as Lopez notes, some resorts have very shallow coral reefs located right offshore so the booms would be less of a solution.

And Hu warns that such a solution would be expensive.

The tons of sargassum building up behind the booms has to be gathered up, put aboard boats and taken away in what would amount to hundreds of trips every day.

Scientists have set up sargassum tracking systems that detect the amount of algae heading for shores in the Caribbean, but it's hard to predict when or where it will land.

Extracting it at sea risks the species that use the floating mats as cover for their young.

But shovelling or bulldozing up sargassum once it washes up on shore is also a herculean task that can put at risk sea turtles' nesting sites.

'You can clean up a beach, get it clean, imagine starting at 6 a.m. and by 11 a.m. you don't have any algae, and by 7 p.m. when the sun sets, it's full again,' said Lopez.

This all makes people nostalgic for the days before 2014 when sargassum 'was very little, very manageable, not a problem, not a risk, just barely a line' in the sand.

Now, some novel ideas for what to do with collected sargassum are springing up, such as using it as an additive for making bricks.

Sargassum seaweed covers the beach in Playa del Carmen on Wednesday. Strangely, for the moment, even after what looks to be the start of another bad sargassum year, local officials say there has yet to be any noticeable drop-off in tourism bookings

A couple sleeps on the sand on the beach where sargassum seaweed is present in Playa del Carmen at sunrise Wednesday. Tourists arrivals at the Cancun airport were actually up 3.3 per cent in March over the same month last year. But nobody thinks that can last for long with the sargassum

But its usefulness as a fertiliser or animal feed is limited by the chemicals it contains, such as salt, iodine and arsenic.

Tourists come to Mexico's Caribbean coast for the sun, sand, snorkeling and turquoise waters.

While there are other things to do on the coast, including visiting sinkhole lakes known as cenotes, Mayan ruins and the jungle, the beach remains the prize attraction.

Local hotel owners and tourism industry workers - which make up most of the people in Quintana Roo - are feeling abandoned by the federal government, which is planning a tourist train to connect the coast with Mayan ruin sites inland.

'With Sargassum, there is No Mayan Train,' said a slogan launched by local businesses.
The B-52 bombers ordered by the White House to deploy to the Persian Gulf to counter unspecified threats from Iran are beginning to arrive at a major American air base in Qatar.

Images released by the U.S. Air Force show B-52H Stratofortress bombers arriving at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Thursday. Others landed at an undisclosed location Wednesday.

The Air Force identified the aircraft as coming from the 20th Bomb Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

On Sunday, the White House announced it would send the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and the bombers to counter Tehran.

On Wednesday, Iran announced it would begin backing away from its nuclear deal with world powers, a year after President Donald Trump pulled America from the accord.

The Defense Department sent several nuclear-capable B-52s to the region following 'recent and clear indications that Iranian and Iranian proxy forces were making preparations to possibly attack US forces'.

A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron is seen through night vision coming in for a landing at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar Thursday

The B-52 bombers ordered by the White House to deploy to the Persian Gulf to counter unspecified threats from Iran are beginning to arrive at a major American air base in Qatar

'The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force are considered a prudent step in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against US forces and our interests,' said acting Pentagon spokesman Charles Summers in a statement.

'We emphasize the White House statement that we do not seek war with the Iranian regime, but we will defend US personnel, our allies and our interests in the region.'

The deployment was first announced late Sunday by John Bolton, President Donald Trump's national security advisor, who said the move was 'a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force.'

The US move comes in response to intelligence about a threat orchestrated by Iran, officials said, but details of the threat have not been disclosed.

Navy Captain Bill Urban, the spokesman for the US military's Central Command, which spans the Middle east, said the threat could be land-based or maritime.

He said the Lincoln strike group was already scheduled to head to the region on long-planned deployment but that its arrival in the Gulf has been accelerated due to the threat.

Images released by the U.S. Air Force show B-52H Stratofortress bombers arriving at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Thursday. Others landed at an undisclosed location Wednesday

The White House announced it would send the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and the bombers to counter Tehran on Sunday

That led to the cancellation of a planned port visit by the Lincoln to Split, Croatia.

The multinational carrier group, including several ships, multiple types of aircraft, and 6,000 personnel, will be deployed 'where it will best be able to protect US forces and interests in the region and to deter any aggression'.

The deployment comes a year after Trump pulled the United States out of a multinational accord under which Tehran drastically scaled back its sensitive nuclear work.

Since then, the Trump administration has ramped up menacing rhetoric against Iran while tightening economic sanctions on the country.
A teenager who allegedly knocked over an elderly woman, 81, and broke her hip during an alleged shopping centre rampage has been charged over a series of 'distraction-style' robberies.

The 15-year-old was arrested at an address in Mount Druitt, western Sydney, and charged with a raft of offences including two counts of robbery in company, and one of recklessly cause grievous bodily harm.

Another teen, 14, was arrested at an address in Guildford, following a New South Wales Police investigation into a series of alleged robberies in the city's south-west during April and May.

This teenage boy (pictured) was also arrested in relation to the robberies in Sydney's south-west

This teenager (pictured) was arrested yesterday in relation to a series of robberies in Sydney's south-west

NSW Police prepare to execute a search warrant (pictured) at one of two addresses in Sydney's south-west. Two teenage boys were subsequently arrested following yesterday's searches

The arrests are related to a series of robberies during April and May in Sydney's south-west. In one incident, an 81-year-old woman (pictured) was knocked down as youths stormed out of a mall in Casula following a robbery

One of the incidents was captured on video and showed a teenage boy knocking down an elderly woman as he and a gang of youths stormed out of a Casula shopping mall.

The boys had been looking at mobile phones and watches in a store before being asked to leave.

After ignoring the request the teenagers eventually left but not before one of the group allegedly stole a watch.

Another allegedly attempted to take a mobile phone but dropped it as he exited.

An 81-year-old women that was knocked over as the boys ran from the mall had to be taken to hospital for treatment to a fractured pelvis.

This piece of clothing (pictured) was one of the items found after search warrants were issued at two addresses in Sydney's south-west yesterday in relation to a series of robberies over the last two months

The alleged mall rampage was one of three distraction style robberies in Sydney's south west allegedly involving the 15-year-old.

He was also allegedly involved in two further incidences, one involving the robbery of a man outside Auburn Railway Station in April, another the theft of three laptops from a Merrylands store this month.

The 15-year-old was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Children's Court yesterday, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court next week.
A Melbourne man accused of trafficking ice has had his court-imposed curfew relaxed to allow him to attend family functions long into the night.

Jimmey Barkho, 28, is on bail charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine after police allegedly found 200g of white crystal and $8920 cash in a Louis Vuitton bag during raids in Sydenham last June.

As well as a $300,000 surety provided by his father using the family home, Barkho's bail also requires he report to police five times a week and that he be home by 10pm each day.

Jimmey Barkho, 28, is on bail after police allegedly found 200g of white crystal and $8920 cash in a Louis Vuitton bag during raids in Sydenham last June (stock image pictured)

Melbourne Magistrates Court was told on Friday that while Barkho's father is in an official mourning period after the death of a relative, it has fallen to his children to attend family functions.

The functions include two events in Melbourne and a wedding in Sydney.

Barkho's younger sister Dianne Barkho said at many functions and weddings the family have had to come up with an excuse for him to leave so he meets the curfew, or that they all have to leave together.

She told the court it was embarrassing.

'We don't want to be getting up and leaving early,' she said.

Barkho asked the court for permission to stay out until 1am.

Police opposed the application.

Detective Senior Constable Jake Ferguson said the curfew was in place because Barkho was alleged to have been found in possession of a 'large quantity of drugs' in the early hours.

Jimmey Barkho was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine (stock image pictured)

'I believe the accused's social calendar isn't interfered with by these curfew hours,' he added.

Barkho's lawyer Rob Melasecca said the only reason the offending allegedly occurred in the early hours was because that was the time of the police raid.

At an earlier bail hearing it was alleged Barkho was arrested while trying to flee a Sydenham home on June 13.

As well as drugs and cash, alleged to be proceeds of crime, police said they found Barkho's phone, wallet, passport and keys in the bag which he had previously been pictured wearing.

He denies the bag is his and claimed his belongings had been put in someone else's bag.

Magistrate Lance Martin said social convenience wasn't a ground for changing bail conditions.

But given his father's 40-day mourning period, and the requirement that Barkho attend functions in his father's place, the request went beyond social convenience.

He approved the extension and ordered Barkho be allowed out until 1am for the three events, but only while in the company of both his sister and older brother Joseph.
A Tennessee judge posted racist and anti-Semitic articles and memes to his private Facebook page, including one that said Jews should get the f**k over the Holocaust.

Colleagues of Justice Jim Lammey, 61, from Shelby County Criminal Court have now rallied to publicly reprimand the shamed judge, following a Wednesday hearing.

Lammey came under fire after posting a link to an article written by the notorious Holocaust denier David Cole that also referred to Muslim immigrants as foreign mud.

He was also found to have shared other anti-immigration articles, memes and a number of conspiracy theories.

The posts were discovered after Lammey accidentally switched his Facebook profile from private to public.

Colleagues of Justice Jim Lammey, 61, from Shelby County Criminal Court have now rallied to publicly reprimand the shamed judge, following a Wednesday hearing

Lammey came under fire after posting a link to an article written by the notorious Holocaust denier David Cole that also referred to Muslim immigrants as foreign mud', among a serious of other questionable posts (as above)

Despite his social media posts, Lammey, insists that he isnt racist or anti-Semitic and maintains that he has a right to freedom of speech.

He also says that nothing he shared on Facebook would prevent him from presiding over criminal cases impartially and fairly.

I dont see where sharing articles about (Islamic law) or third time deported people coming in and committing crimes would prejudice my ability to be fair and impartial in any case, Lammey told Commercial Appeal.

I certainly dont agree with that, being a Holocaust denier. My best friend  whos deceased now  was Jewish and I wouldnt do that, he continued.

A coalition, including members form the American Muslim Advisory Council and the Jewish Federation, have now called for the judge to be punished.

The request was filed to the Shelby County Commissions Law Enforcement, Corrections and Courts Committee on Wednesday.

He was also found to have shared other anti-immigration articles, memes and a number of conspiracy theories

Despite his social media habits, Lammey insists that he isnt racist or anti-Semitic and maintains that he has a right to freedom of speech

In their letter to the board, the coalition wrote: Judge Lammeys April 5 post was only one example of his habit of sharing articles, conspiracy theories, and jokes online that carry a dark message of hatred, the letter reads.

The content he spreads often targets Muslim and Latin American immigrants, which is troubling because of Judge Lammeys elected position overseeing criminal trials as a representative of the State of Tennessee.

We respectfully call on the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Board of Judicial Conduct to publicly censure Judge Lammey and to explore bringing the anti-bias and Holocaust education resources of our respective organizations to the judges, clerks, and staff of our state judicial system.

Chaired by Tami Sawyer, the committees leader seemed to agree with the coalitions views, tweeting last week that Its time for [Lammey] to hang up his robe.

Many of the judges Facebook posts were shared from far-right websites such as Breitbart.com.

Often the posts portrayed immigrants as abusers of welfare, voting fraudsters or a general threat to prosperity in America, Fox 13 reported.

On February 3, Lammey posted a meme with a mug shot of a tough-looking Hispanic man and false statistics blaming illegals for rising crime rates.

In an interview with WMC Action News 5, Lammey once more insisted he did not hold racially prejudice views.

Someone asked me are you a racist, Im like no, Im not a racist, Lammey said. Its an embarrassing question to have to answer.

Lammey says that nothing he shared on Facebook would prevent him from presiding over criminal cases impartially and fairly

Many of the judges Facebook posts were shared from far-right websites and groups

He further added that he wasnt anti-immigrant, either. I dont have anything against anyone, he stated.

Over the weekend his son James Lammey came to his on Facebook, claiming hes never heard his dad ever air racist views.

The medias desperation for a story often times tarnishes or even ruins the reputation of good people, his son wrote.

The Shelby County Commission committee held a hearing on Wednesday ahead of the vote on whether to publicly censure Lammey in regard to the racially insensitive posts.

Several members of the coalition said, contrary to Lammeys claims, his online behavior and potential views do seriously compromise his ability to act impartially as a criminal judge.

Jim Lammey can say and think and post whatever he wishes, Rabbi Kate Bauman told the board. But a line of professional responsibility has been crossed.

The posts and articles posted by Lammey, that he saw fit to circulate disgust me; as a Jew, as a descendant of refuges, as a religious leader, and as a human being.

The county commission will allow Lammey to present his side of the argument on Monday afternoon.

Following his statement the commission will vote whether or not to censure him.
Devon Erickson, 18, (left) and Alec McKinney (right) allegedly broke into Erickson's parents' locked gun cabinet and stole three guns before shooting up their high school

The two teen suspects in the Denver high school shooting broke into one of their parents' locked gun cabinet and stole three weapons, investigators believe.

Devon Erickson, 18, and Alec McKinney, a juvenile, allegedly opened fire on their classmates at STEM School Highlands Ranch on Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities said at the time that the two suspects had two handguns and a rifle, the latter of which was not used in the shooting.

It is believed that the two teens stole the weapons from Erickson's home on Tuesday morning, just hours before killing one of their classmates and injuring eight others.

Police believe that Erickson's parents legally purchased the guns. You must be 21 years or older to purchase handguns in Colorado.

Erickson and McKinney also allegedly spray-painted 'F**k society' and '666' on a car belonging to one of their parents and then tried to set it on fire before the shooting, according to KMGH.

Authorities are now investigating whether the suspects were trying to make the scene look as if they had been bullied at school.

High-ranking sources claimed that the shooters were motivated not just by bullying, but by revenge and anger toward the school.

Friends of McKinney revealed more details of the teen on social media, fighting back against authorities' decision to identify him as a woman and revealing that he was struggling with mental health issues.

Authorities described McKinney as a female juvenile named Maya after initially identifying the second gunman as a boy based on appearances.

Erickson McKinney, a juvenile, allegedly opened fire on their classmates at STEM School Highlands Ranch on Tuesday afternoon

Erickson was charged as an adult on Wednesday with first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo. He also faces dozens of attempted murder charges

But friends of McKinney have confirmed that the teen identifies as a male, is in the process of transitioning, and prefers to be called 'Alec'.

'Nothing that Alec and Devon did can be condoned, and they can't be defended. Their actions were terrible. But Alec is not a girl,' one friend wrote on her Instagram story.

'He at least deserves that respect. And I am so deeply sorry to anyone affected by their actions. Things like this can be prevented and they aren't. This is not okay.'

That same friend later took to McKinney's Instagram page and revealed both he and Erickson had been troubled.

'Devon did not do what he did because he's a liberal, or to make a statement,' she wrote. 'He did it due to internal struggles. They're both struggling with mental health issues and this is a time for awareness.'

'Alec did not do this because he's trans, but had people supported him in the way that he needed and deserved, he would not have struggled so much that he got pushed over the edge.'

Friends of McKinney shared more details of the teen on social media, revealing that he was struggling with mental health issues. He is pictured here at prom last month

One friend took to her Instagram story to confirm that McKinney identified as a man as she spoke out about the shooting

'They did a horrible thing, but please, please recognize that mental health awareness is important. Supporting LGBT youth is important. They didn't get the help they needed, and they NEEDED it.'

The friend said she knew both McKinney and Erickson personally and said they didn't shoot their classmates 'out of hatred toward others'.

'It was hate in themselves,' she continued. 'And they needed support and they didn't get it and that could have a lot to do with how this ended up. The way that they felt is not an excuse for what they did. But I firmly believe that if they had gotten the help that they desperately needed, their state would not have progressed this far.'

Another friend called McKinney a 'loving and selfless individual' who 'wanted nothing but the best for others'.

'Unfortunately from the lack of help he was given or that he accepted, he reached his breaking point,' they added.

'The Alec I knew was a genuinely loving person who couldn't have loved his friends any more than he did. No one would have guessed in a million years he was capable of doing this, but he did.'

McKinney and Erickson are seen here at prom together just a month before the shooting

That same friend who posted about McKinney on her story later took to McKinney's Instagram page and revealed both he and Erickson had been troubled

The friend said she knew both McKinney and Erickson personally and said they didn't shoot their classmates 'out of hatred toward others'

The friend said she believed the shooting would never have happened if both teens 'had gotten the help that they desperately needed'

'Anyone can do the unthinkable when pushed too far. I am by no means trying to condone his actions, I'm trying to get the point across that this could happen to anyone and that we all need to make sure we help or friends/family personally.'

Erickson was charged as an adult on Wednesday with first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo, who was just three days away from graduating high school.

Kendrick Castillo, 18, died on Tuesday afternoon while trying to take down one of the shooters

He also faces dozens of attempted murder counts and was ordered held without bond at Douglas County Jail.

Classmates said Castillo was among a group of three students who tried to take down one of the shooters by tackling them when they stormed the classroom.

Witnesses said two gunmen stormed two classrooms and opened fire with handguns that were concealed in a guitar case.

Authorities have not yet released a motive for the shooting, which occurred just miles from the scene of the deadly 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

They were arrested within minutes after administrators reported the gunfire.

Sheriff Spurlock said officers engaged the suspects and there was a struggle to bring them down but neither suspect was injured in the confrontation.

Investigators are reportedly looking into whether an armed security guard may have mistakenly fired on sheriff's deputies and wounded a student amid the chaos of the shooting.

Erickson and McKinney also allegedly spray-painted 'F**k society' and '666' on a car belonging to one of their parents and then tried to set it on fire before the shooting

A law enforcement official told ABC News that the probe is specifically focusing on whether the school security officer was responsible for gunshots directed at responding Douglas County Sheriff's deputies and/or whether they shot and wounded a student during the incident.

The source stressed the fact that the investigation is ongoing and said detectives will be speaking with the guard directly about the series of events.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock credited the officer with restraining one of the suspects until deputies arrived.

The guard, whose name has not been released, is employed by BOSS High Level Protection.

The Colorado-based security firm's chief executive officer Grant Whitus told ABC News on Thursday that the guard was interviewed by law enforcement for about an hour after the shooting and was released.

Whitus said BOSS security guards are armed with 9mm handguns and follow the same rules of engagement as law enforcement officers, meaning that they may only discharge their weapons in the event of an imminent threat of life.
India's richest man Mukesh Ambani has bought the iconic British toy store Hamleys for 67million.

Ambani's Reliance Brands business secured a deal to buy the world's oldest toy retailer from Chinese fashion conglomerate C Banner International.

The move brings to an end Hamleys' four-year spell under the Hong-Kong based firm, which bought it for 100million.

Hamleys, which was founded in 1760, has 167 stores across 18 countries. Reliance already operates 88 Hamleys stores across 29 Indian cities.

Ambani, a teetotal vegetarian, is worth 38billion ($50 billion) according to Forbes. He initially made his fortune in oil refining and petro-chemicals before branching out into everything from telecoms to cable networks and tech firms.

India's richest man Mukesh Ambani (pictured with his wife) has purchased the iconic British toy store Hamleys for 67million

He adds the chain to his retail empire which includes Bottega Veneta, Jimmy Choo, and Armani

Who is India's richest man Mukesh Ambani and how did he make his fortune? Mukesh Ambani inherited the makings of his wealth from his father, who was the son of a Gujarati village school teacher Mukesh Ambani is a teetotal vegetarian who his wife describes as quiet, modest and shy. He enjoys visiting wildlife parks and once said he tries to watch three Bollywood films a week. The billionaire inherited the makings of his wealth from his father Dhirubhai, who was the son of a Gujarati village school teacher. Said to have moved to Mumbai with just a few rupees in his pocket, according to the Times of India, his father went on to build a global-scale petroleum company in 40 years. Mukesh was one of two sons, Anil being the other. He trained as a chemical engineer in Mumbai, and went to Stanford University, US, before working for his father. The businessman then inherited his section of the business after his father died of a stroke in 2002. Originally the brother's tried to run it together but, following feuding, their mother stepped in and split it into two parts. Mukesh walked away with the petroleum, oil, gas and textiles arms while his brother got the telecommunications, asset management, entertainment and power generation parts. But this didn't stop the entrepreneur from entering these markets. In 2013 he signed a deal with New Delhi-based Bharti Airtel to build India's 4G network and launched his own smartphone brand, LYF, which became the third most popular in the country. Other business ventures include working with fashion labels such as Jimmy Choo, Paul Smith and Emporio Armani. At present he is locked in a vicious feud with Amazon and Walmart for dominance of the growing online Indian market. Advertisement

In recent years, he has massively expanded his retail portfolio and carved deals for his business to work with key fashion labels including Canali, Burberry, Armani, Bottega Veneta, Just Cavalli and Jimmy Choo.

Ambani has said he hopes the consumer business wing of his empire will contribute as much to his conglomerate's earnings as the core energy business by the end of 2028.

He is currently engaged in fierce competition with Amazon and Walmart in an ongoing race to dominate India's retail market.

The purchase of the much-loved Hamleys will help bolster that fight.

Best known for its enormous flagship store in London - itself a tourist attraction that receives five million visitors a year - Hamleys has been expanding internationally since the mid-2000s.

Reliance already had a franchise agreement for India, running 88 stores in 29 cities, but the purchase now brings him a total of 167 stores in 18 countries.

But while the brand is well-known, Hamleys has struggled. The 68 million ($88 million) price tag is almost half what C.Banner paid previous owner, France's Groupe Ludendo, in 2015.

In 2017, Hamleys closed a number of loss-making stores in the UK and Ireland, as it started a restructuring programme after posting a 9.2 million pre-tax loss during the year, citing concerns over Brexit.

The acquisition comes after a sale process for the retailer which reportedly also drew interest from Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley, and toy retail chains The Entertainer and Smyths.

The deal will make Hamleys Reliance's first overseas retail brand, expanding its current portfolio which is primarily focused in Indian supermarkets.

President and chief executive of Reliance Brands, Darshan Mehta, said: 'This 250-year-old English retailer pioneered the concept of experiential retailing, decades before the concept of creating unique experiences in brick and mortar retailing became the new global norm.

'The worldwide acquisition of the iconic Hamleys brand and business, places Reliance into the frontline of global retail.'

Multi-industry magnate Mukesh made headlines in 2010 when his 768million ($1billion) residence Antilia was unveiled in Mumbai.

The 27-storey abode measures 400,000 square foot, has three helicopter pads, underground parking for 160 cars, and requires some 600 staff to run.

Hamleys first opened its doors in 1760, after Cornishman William Hamley founded the now world famous toy shop in the heart of London.

It quickly made a name for itself selling everything from tin soldiers, to toy cars to rag dolls attracting families, nobility and even royalty.

Multi-industry magnate Mukesh made headlines in 2010 when his 768million ($1billion) residence Antilia was unveiled in Mumbai (pictured). The 27-storey abode has three helicopter pads, underground parking for 160 cars, and requires some 600 staff to run

Hamleys had previously been owned by Hong Kong-listed company C.Banner International Holdings. (Pictured) A Jimmy Choo store which is owned by Ambani

Emporio Armani has also been added to the billionaire's company Reliance Brands

Children gaze into a 1927 Hamleys shop window display in London. The shop was started by a Cornishman more than 250 years ago when he opened the first store in the heart of London
A crazed ex-boyfriend has been given a three year suspended sentence after he killed five of his ex-girlfriend's cats in 'cruel and grotesque' ways and sat on another to crush it.

The man pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court to six counts of serious animal cruelty after his ex-girlfriend turn him in to police after he killed the final cat in her Rockhampton home in 2017.

The ex-girlfriend told police that the man had killed four of her cats in various ways over a period of time, The Courier Mail reported.

A crazed ex-boyfriend has been given a three-year suspended sentence after he killed five of his ex-girlfriend's cats in 'cruel and grotesque' ways and sat on another (stock image)

The final straw came when he contacted her requesting to clean the blood off of one of her cats and said it had been in a fight with another.

After telling him no, she arrived home with her brother they found the man sitting down with one of her two cats dead on the ground, he told her 'I'm f***ed up'.

When questioned, the man told the two he didn't know where the second cat was before they heard a noise from underneath him, the man was then struck multiple times until he moved to reveal a kitten with serious injuries.

A court heard that the man suffered from an unfortunate upbringing growing up in foster care where he suffered abuse and he had co-operated with police without re-offending in the 18 month period.

He was sentenced to a three years in prison but it was suspending for five years with three years on probation.

In addition the man was banned from owning domestic animals.
A successful lawyer who earns nearly $180,000 a year says he still needs to work a second job to get by.

Samuel Li, 32, is a husband and father-of-two living in Sydney with a mortgage.

But Mr Li says his six-figure salary is not enough to live up to the city's cost of living and has started his own media company, where he says he earns more.

Samuel Li (left with wife and daughter) is a successful Sydney lawyer earning more than $180,000 but says he still needs a second job

The 32-year-old last year began a media start-up called New Impressions, which offers content, marketing and social media services.

Despite earning an above average salary, Mr Li claims claims his case is not rare and he is just one of many wealthy Sydneysiders with a second job.

'With big mortgages in Sydney, having an extra source of income is a big help and it allows me to have freedom to not be so worried about my billable hours as a lawyer,' he told news.com.au.

Sydney remains as the most expensive city to buy a home, with the average Aussie paying more than half of their salary on a mortgage, according to a 2018 report by the Housing Industry Association.

'I think it's just about having a better sense of security, because I'm not so reliant on any one source of income,' Mr Li said.

Mr Li's side gig matches his salary as a lawyer but can see him earning more if he hosts big events and sponsorships.

Apart from financial stability, Mr Li says his second job offers flexibility and a plan B to fall back on.

Mr Li's side gig matches his salary as a lawyer but can see him earning more if he hosts big events and sponsorships

The father-of-two says he is already training his five-year-old son to follow in his footsteps.

'I'm trying to make my son make money now,' he joked.

'A little lemonade stand - I said, ''Son, just sit here and smile at everybody''.'
The mother of a young tradesman who was crushed to death by scaffolding has revealed how she reacted when she found out her son was trapped.

Patrizia and Rob Cassaniti lost their 18-year-old son Christopher after nine storeys of scaffolding fell on top of him at a construction site in Macquarie Park, in Sydney's north-west last month.

Mrs Cassaniti arrived on the site within minutes of the disaster after rushing from her coffee truck down the road.

In a moving television interview due to air on Sunday night, she reveals how she screamed in horror when she found out her beloved son was in danger.

Patrizia Cassaniti (pictured) has shared her pain after her apprentice son was crushed to death in a construction site accident

'I was in total denial. I just screamed and I said, 'No. It's not possible, he's too young,' Mrs Cassaniti told 60 minutes.

'I said, "He's 18. He's got a strong heart. Go back out there and do whatever you can".'

Mrs Cassaniti said losing a child is one of the worst things that can happen in life.

Christopher was found in the rubble just before 3pm. Construction workers tried to rescue him but managed to only save his 39-year-old colleague.

An investigation is under way to determine the exact cause of his death as his parents are calling for industrial manslaughter charges against operators.

Christopher Cassaniti (pictured with his mother) was killed after after nine storeys of scaffolding fell on top of him at Macquarie Park

The couple are calling for tough new work safety laws, which they hope to name after their son.

If implemented, these new laws could send employers who are considered negligent to jail for 20 years.

Current laws in Queensland and the ACT penalise employers who are proven to have breached their duty.

However similar laws do not exist in NSW or Victoria.

'Everyone has the right to return home from work, we need to change the culture of the industry,' Mr Cassaniti told 7News.

Mr and Mrs Cassaniti will be meeting with state and federal politicians in a hope to implement changes.

Christopher's mother also led a Union Day March in Sydney recently, asking for changes to the workplace to be made.

Christopher's parents are calling for industrial manslaughter charges to be introduced (pictured with his parents on his 18th birthday)

At the time of the collapse tradesmen frantically tried to save two colleagues trapped under a mountain of collapsed scaffolding.

Piercing screams echoed around the site as tradesmen in hard hats and high-vis jackets rushed to free the men.

Footage of the frenzied scene shows workers forming a human chain to remove the rubble as fast as possible.

Frantic tradesmen desperately tried to save their colleagues for 20 minutes until the wailing stopped and they were ordered to move away.
An evil pervert known as the Tinder rapist has been sentenced to 14 years and nine months in jail over three shocking rapes on women he met online.

New Zealander Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland, 44, lured women into his evil web under the guise of being an athlete, a snowboarder and an all-round nice guy.

The wicked rapist winked at the boyfriend of one victim as County Court of Victoria Judge Paul Higham delivered his sentence.

kiwi_glenn, aka Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland, lured women into his web on Tinder

He will need to serve 11 years before becoming eligible for parole.

The sentence caused Hartland's victims and their supporters to break into a round of applause.

Hartland raped three women in their homes between 2014 and 2016 after they told him they no longer wanted to see him and indecently assaulted the fourth woman by ripping off her underwear after he followed her into a toilet cubicle at a Melbourne pub when she told him she wanted to go home.

Judge Higham was forced to call the court to order, telling the courtroom it was 'not a circus'.

'This is not a public spectacle nor do we do public hangings,' he said. 'it is not a circus.'

On Tinder, Hartland appeared to be quite the catch. Mature, successful, and he would argue good looking.

On one profile he called himself Dylan - a 6'2, 41-year old who owned a snowboarding company.

One of Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland's many Tinder profiles

On another he called himself Hendrick - a bookworm who described himself as a 'sapiosexual'.

'But let's be frank, looks count too!', he advertised.

He also used names such as Kiwi Glenn and most recently Glenn Potter.

In one profile under the user name Glenn, Hartland actually listed his full name.

'But you can call me Dylan,' he wrote.

It would be a name his lawyer would later try to have removed from the court record.

In one profile picture he appears wearing a suit his victims later dubbed 'the rape suit'

In reality, Hartland was a monster who pleaded guilty to raping three women and sexually assaulting another he met on Tinder before changing his mind last October.

The cruel rapist dragged out the proceedings for months before eventually accepting his guilty plea.

He also admitted harassing one of the women with text messages and distributing intimate images of her without her consent, and of breaching court orders.

But it was all too late for one victim, who sadly took her life.

The attacks occurred in South Yarra, Elwood, St Kilda and Prahran.

After one 2014 rape, the court heard Hartland told the woman: 'You can call that the Monica Lewinsky dress.'

The following year, a woman escaped from the cubicle of a pub but Hartland took her underwear and shoved it under his friends face.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland in yet another Tinder profile

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland wearing what victim's claim is his 'rape suit'

Justice had been a long time coming for Hartland's victims, who had repeatedly opposed him being released on bail while he progressed through the justice system.

The rapist taunted his victims while free in the community and at one stage was locked back up for stalking one of them.

However after spending two months in jail he was released again.

Hartland continued to protest his innocence, despite admitting his guilt in open court.

'I pleaded guilty because I had no choice,' he wrote in an email.

In an earlier Facebook post, Hartland claimed he wouldn't hide from justice.

'As for me, All I will say is that if i was guilty of rape I wouldn't try and hide it. I would say I was sorry and take my punishment,' he wrote.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland as Hendrick - the rapist snowboarder.

The many faces of Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland

One of his victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described Hartland as a 'shape shifter,'.

'One minute hes a lawyer, the next hes a pro snowboarder.'

His arrest was among the first to come from Victoria Polices Family Violence Taskforce.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland hams it up as kiwi-glenn

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland protests his innocence on Facebook before pleading guilty

Judge Higham described Hartland's rapes as 'grave offending indeed'.

He described Hartland as being self-obsessed, with a 'bleak misogyny' that was driven by a personality disorder, which saw him use Tinder to lure women into his clutches.

'Such an online world provides a fertile landscape in which predators can roam. Once your victims fell into your orbit, they were made hostage to your dysfunctional personality,' Judge Higham said.

'Their only purpose was to serve your self-aggrandizing and manipulative emotional and sexual needs. If, at any time, they expressed a wish to end the relationship you resorted to anger or you threatened self-harm or suicide.'

Hartland showed no emotion as he was taken off to jail to begin his sentence.

The judge's full sentencing remarks can be viewed here.
Coles has split opinion online after the supermarket giant posted a promotional video of a new vegan sausage roll.

Coles shared the video on its Facebook page on Tuesday, along with the caption: 'Its paaaaaarty time for vegans with Patties NEW delicious Vegan Friendly Rolls at Coles!'

The video shows three people, who each have different food preferences, eating the chickpea, spinach and caramelised onions rolls at a party.

Scroll down for video

Coles has split opinion online after the supermarket giant posted a promotional video of a new vegan sausage roll

A man called 'Egg Free Ernie' is first shown taking a bite out of a roll, before 'Meat Free Molly' joins in, only to be followed by another man called 'Dairy Free Dazza'.

The video concludes by showing several hands reaching for one of the rolls, while an overlaying message states: 'Say hello to the vegan crowd pleaser.'

The video has since garnered plenty of comments on Facebook, but not everyone is happy about the vegan roll, with some saying it doesn't appeal to all customers.

'Who are you kidding? The mere fact its vegan suggests you cannot be calling it a vegan sausage roll. It's homous and spinach and onion in pastry,' one person wrote.

'Why have vegan rolls but no gluten free sausage rolls, i think patties need to have gluten free products,' another person said.

A third person added: 'The only party that I would happily miss to stay home and clean out the gutters.'

A man called 'Egg Free Ernie' (left) is first shown taking a bite out of a roll, before 'Meat Free Molly' (centre) joins in, only to be followed by another man called 'Dairy Free Dazza' (right)

The video concludes by showing several hands reaching for one of the rolls, while an overlaying message states: 'Say hello to the vegan crowd pleaser'

Despite the backlash, plenty of people praised the supermarket giant for stocking a more inclusive product in its stores.

'Oh yay!! Even more to choose from!! Coles have the BEST vegetarian and vegan ranges! I love all the Quorn products you have as well!' one person wrote.

'These were AWESOME! Loved by vegans, Vego and Omni friends alike,' another person said.

A third person added: 'Omggggg! Game changer for morning teas right?'

Daily Mail Australia reached out to Coles but it declined to comment.
Three missiles North Korea tested over the last week have 'Russian technology fingerprints all over them', military experts have warned.

Dictator Kim Jong Un supervised the launch of the weapons on Saturday and Thursday - and they are said to have striking similarities to the Russian-designed Iskander.

The missiles were short-range, so do not mean Kim has decided to end his self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range missiles that could reach the US mainland.

It comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries. Yesterday, it emerged that Trump's administration had control of a large North Korean cargo ship seized by Indonesia for carrying an illegal shipment of coal.

Scroll for video

North Korea has launched three missiles over the last week, with two reportedly fired yesterday (pictured). Military experts have claimed they have 'Russian technology fingerprints all over them' due to them resembling a Russian-designed Iskander

Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, looks on while overseeing the strike drill of military units at an undisclosed location in North Korea yesterday

A photo provided by the North Korean government shows the launch of a missile in the east coast of North Korea on Saturday

The missile launches suggest Kim is expanding the battle readiness of his missile forces which could have a major impact on the safety of American allies and US forces in the region.

The Iskander is a short-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile that has been in the Russian arsenal for more than a decade.

Marcus Schiller, a leading expert on North Korean missiles who is based in Germany, said: 'There are Russian technology fingerprints all over it.'

He added that the missiles may not have been bought directly from Russia but may have been delivered from another country while North Korea made parts such as the outer shell and frame.

The move ended a pause in ballistic missile launches that began in late 2017 and has alarmed North Korea's neighbours.

Two projectiles were launched from a base in North Korea's north-west and aimed toward the east yesterday, Seoul defence officials said.

Experts said there was 'no doubt' the objects, which are said to have flown around 260 miles and 167 miles respectively, were missiles.

Researchers in Washington believe that these satellite images, showing railcars at North Korea's nuclear research site in Yongbyon, could be a sign that bomb fuel is being prepared

It came after the North launched rocket artillery and an apparent short-range ballistic missile into the ocean on Saturday.

The Iskander is designed to fly at a flattened-out altitude of around 25 miles and to make in-flight guidance adjustments.

This exploits weaknesses in current US and South Korean missile defences, namely Patriot missile batteries and the THAAD anti-missile defense system.

The weapon is also quicker to launch - making it harder to destroy on the ground due to its solid fuel engine - and more accurate because of its advanced guidance system.

Despite claims by senior members of the Trump administration the missiles are not a threat to the US, in a battle scenario they would likely be used to attack targets well behind the front-lines, such as US military bases in South Korea.

There are roughly 28,000 US troops stationed in South Korea and tens of thousands more family members and civilian Department of Defence employees.

President Donald Trump responded to the launch yesterday by saying the US was 'looking very seriously' at it.

He said while North Korea wants to negotiate with the US, he does not think it is ready to do so.

The test came just hours after US President Donald Trump, (left), said he still has faith in de-nuclearisation negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (right)

'We're looking at it very seriously right now. They were smaller missiles, they were short-range missiles,' Trump told reporters at the White House.

'Nobody's happy about it but we're taking a good look and we'll see.

'The relationship continues ... I know they want to negotiate, they're talking about negotiating. But I don't think they're ready to negotiate,' Trump said.

Yesterday's projectile was fired eastwards and appeared to originate from Sino-ri in North Pyongan province.

South Korea is still analysing whether it was a single or multiple projectiles.

The decades-old Sino-ri operational missile base, 45 miles north-west of Pyongyang, is one of North Korea's longest-running missile facilities.

It houses a regiment-sized unit equipped with Nodong-1 medium-range ballistic missiles, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Anything fired from it in an easterly direction would have to cross the Korean peninsula before reaching the sea.

Yesterday, the US Justice Department announced the seizure of the North Korean ship Wise Honest.

North Korea's state media said that leader Kim Jong Un had overseen a rocket and tactical guided weapons test. Pictured is a satellite image taken just after one of the missiles was launched on Saturday

Seized: The Wise Honest was taken into US hands in Indonesia, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced, alleging it had been used to sanctions-bust by exporting high-grade coal and importing heavy machinery

The ship was detained by Indonesia last month with two dozen crew members on board.

It is the first time the US has seized a North Korean cargo vessel over sanctions violations.

US officials say payments for maintenance and equipment for the ship were made unwittingly in American dollars through US banks.

The 17,061-ton Wise Honest is one of the North's largest cargo ships and it was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018.

But it is now in the possession of the US, with an official saying the announcement only yesterday had no connection with the North's missile activities.

The increased tensions have caused a gridlock in dialogue after the second summit between Kim and US President Trump collapsed over US demands for Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament and Kim's demands for relief from sanctions.

'(Kim) stressed the need to further increase the capability of the defence units in the forefront area and on the western front to carry out combat tasks and keep full combat posture to cope with any emergency,' KCNA news agency reported.

He noted 'genuine peace and security of the country are guaranteed only by the strong physical force capable of defending its sovereignty,' KCNA said, adding he 'set forth important tasks for further increasing the strike ability.'

On Sunday, North Korean state media showed Kim observing live-fire drills of long-range multiple rocket launchers.

They also showed what appeared to be a new short-range ballistic missile fired from a launch vehicle.

Pyongyang said criticism from South Korea about that launch was a 'cock-and-bull story' and claimed it was a regular defensive exercise.

A separate statement by a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman described the launches as a 'routine and self-defensive military drill'.

A day earlier, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said they detected the North firing multiple projectiles towards the sea from near the eastern town of Wonsan.

The launches are believed to have marked North Korea's first ballistic missile test in more than 500 days.

The North Korean statements hinted that Saturday's weapons launches were a response to joint military drills conducted by the US and South Korea in March and April.

The North also criticised the test of a US Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile from a US Air Force base in California last week.

The country first displayed a mock-up of an Iskander-like missile at a military parade in 2018. This week's launches mark its first known flight tests.

US demands release of political prisoners in North Korea The US called on North Korea on Thursday to dismantle camps estimated to be holding tens of thousands of political prisoners, while Pyongyang hit back at Washington's sanctions. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met twice in the last year, with Washington seeking curbs on Pyongyang's nuclear programme and North Korea pursuing sanctions relief - but the rapprochement appears to be in limbo. 'The human rights situation in North Korea is deplorable and has no parallel in the modern world,' senior U.S. diplomat Mark Cassayre told the United Nations Human Rights Council during a five-year review of North Korea's record. UN rights investigators have estimated between 80,000 to 120,000 people are in political detention camps in North Korea where torture and other violations are taking place that they say may amount to crimes against humanity. As well as urging those camps to be closed and their inmates released, charge d'affaires Cassayre exhorted authorities to allow aid workers unrestricted movement and access to people in need, and to tolerate possession of religious texts. North Korea, which also came under criticism from Britain and Canada at Thursday's meeting, denies the existence of political prisoners and says it is the victim of propaganda. By Reuters Advertisement

Michael Elleman, director of the Nonproliferation and Nuclear Policy Program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said further analysis of the missiles' performance will provide clues as to whether it was produced by Russia.

He said: 'If its flight path and accuracy were marginal or inconsistent with known Iskander trajectories and performance, then I think some form of local development with external technical assistance is more likely.

'The key here is that one cannot make a new system without undertaking certain development steps. I have seen no evidence of such activity.'

Initial reports suggested at least one of the tests did involve an Iskander-like trajectory.

The Iskander missile system has been part of the Russian arsenal since 2006. The Iskander-M version used by the Russian military is more than 7m in length, can weigh more than 4,000kg and has a range of about 250 to 310miles.

Russia first tested it in combat in 2008, against Georgia.

The Iskander missiles have long been a source of tension in Europe and were cited by President Trump as a key reason behind his decision to break with the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in February.

The treaty bans production, testing and deployment of land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 310 to 3,410miles.

Such missiles only take a few minutes to reach their targets, leaving no time for decision-makers and raising the likelihood of a global nuclear conflict over a false launch warning.

Moscow claims the Iskander-M's range is just below the operational limit and should not be considered a treaty violation.

Russia has always seen the Iskander missile as a potential export.

To avoid running afoul of international non-proliferation restrictions, Russia produces a less-formidable version that has a reduced range and is designed to carry a smaller payload for sales abroad.

It has sold that missile - called Iskander-E - to Algeria and Armenia and has reportedly discussed exports to Iran, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which tracks the global arms trade, said Russia has used the Iskander missile in Syria.

He claimed Syria has expressed interest in buying its own Iskanders, but Russia has declined.

Mr Wezeman stressed Russia cannot legally sell Iskanders of any variety to North Korea.

A United Nations embargo in place since 2006, when the North started nuclear testing, bans supplying the North with major arms, including ground-to-ground missiles, and UN sanctions prohibit the transfer of ballistic missiles and related technology.

If North Korea is producing an Iskander clone, it would not be the first country to do so.

Happier times: North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un meets US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Pyongyang last year. Kim's regime has demanded that Pompeo is replaced as envoy

South Korea has what many believe is its own Iskander-inspired missile - the Hyunmoo-2.

China also has a similar missile, called the DF-12 or M20 that was also built with exports in mind.

One of its buyers, Qatar, put them on display at a parade in 2017.

North Korea last conducted a major missile test in November 2017 when it flight-tested an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The weapons demonstrated potential capability to reach deep into the US mainland.

Since then, Kim has said the North would not test nuclear devices or ICBMs but diplomacy has stalled in recent weeks.

In bitter exchanges the North has taken relentless aim at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Pyongyang launched an extraordinary attack on Pompeo last month, questioning 'whether he is indeed unable to understand words properly'.

The North demanded he stand down from nuclear talks to be replaced by someone who is more 'careful and mature in communicating'.

Last year he was condemned by the North for his 'gangster-like' insistence that the North move towards unilateral disarmament.

Satellite images which emerged from the North's nuclear site in Yongbyon last month also sparked fears that Pyongyang was preparing bomb fuel.

A U.S. think tank said the pictures showed movement at the site which could indicate the reprocessing of radioactive material.

Satellite imagery from April 12 showed five specialised railcars near its Uranium Enrichment Facility and Radiochemistry Laboratory, the report said.

Sanctions against the North over its nuclear and missiles programmes remain in place.

Experts have estimated the size of North Korea's nuclear arsenal at anywhere between 20 and 60 warheads.
A glamorous make-up artist who dug her teeth into a woman's face during a pub brawl has escaped jail.

Chelsea Hall, 28, got in a fight with another woman the Northies hotel in Cronulla, south of Sydney, at 11.30pm last September.

The pair pushed each other and pulled each other's hair before Hall viciously bit her opponent's cheek, giving her a 3cm wound.

Chelsea Hall (pictured), 28, was involved in a fight with another woman at Northies, a hotel in Cronulla, south of Sydney, at 11.30pm

The pair pushed each other and pulled each other's hair before Hall viciously bit her opponent's cheek

Hall pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm at Sutherland Local Court, but walked free with no jail-time, according to the St George Shire Standard.

Magistrate Peter Budgen said the victim sustained a 3cm laceration, calling it a 'horrendous wound' which could leave her with permanent scarring.

The 28-year-old make-up artist was sentenced to an eight-month jail sentence, which she is going to serve in the community.

'This court doesn't see assaults by way of biting very often,' Mr Bugden said before the court.

Legal Aid solicitor Nicholas Breen defended Hall by saying she felt 'bullied' by the victim, which lead to her pushing her.

'Admittedly this is a matter where her judgment was clouded by the amount of alcohol she had,' Mr Breen said.

At the time of the assault, Hall told police she was scared as the victim had grabbed her by the throat, which lead her to bite the woman.

'She was overpowered by the victim, she felt threatened, and she made a very poor choice to assault the victim,' Mr Breen said.

The fight, where Hall bit the victim's cheek, occurred at Northies Hotel in Cronulla (pictured)

Legal Aid solicitor Nicholas Breen defended Hall by saying she felt 'bullied' by the victim, which lead to her pushing her

Hall presents herself as a loving and hard nosed mother of one on her social media pages.

'I'm an artist, a mum, a sister and a f***ing great friend,' she wrote online.

'I hate giving up, I'm really honest but I'll always have your back.'

After her court appearance the makeup artist, eyelash technician and childcare worker, posted an image of Cronulla Beach with the caption, 'No matter how bad it gets, there is still good to be found in every day.'

She has no criminal history and has been ordered to live at her Woonona home.

She is also banned from the hotel at Cronulla where the incident played out.
Advertisement

Pictures from a destroyed Florida Panhandle town have revealed the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael, still evident seven months after the category five struck.

The damage caused by the powerful hurricane in October last year is most obvious in Mexico Beach - where the coastline is dotted with the ruins of homes and businesses, clumps of concrete wedged in the sand and 'for sale' signs on many plots.

The pictures also reveal that some people are still living in trailers supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), mostly located on the slabs where houses once stood before being destroyed.

On one ruined home, a sign draped over the shattered facade reads: 'FEMA, please help make Mexico Beach great again'.

Seven months after the category five hurricane made landfall near the small community, the town is still littered with heavily damaged and destroyed homes and businesses

The remains of homes that were heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael remain near the beach in Mexico Beach, Florida

By some estimates, the property loss and damage alone totaled $5 billion. Estimated losses, including spending, loss of gross product and personal income were placed as high as $53 billion.

The storm killed 57 people in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.

During the category five storm late last year winds reached up to 160 mph (260 km/h), more force than Hurricane Katrina had when it hit Louisiana in 2005.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), $1.1 billion has been spent on Hurricane Michael-related response and recovery efforts in the state

It was the first category five to actually make landfall in the U.S. since Andrew in 1992.

'It got worse than everybody expected. Nobody, none of us saw this coming. None of us thought we would see something like this,' a woman told local media in Mexico Beach that day.

According to Vice News, 'a great many' of the 20,000 people displaced by the storm are still living in campers, condemned homes, or in other people's yards across the southern states.

Wilanne Daniels, Jackson County Administrator, told NBC: 'We have, you know, an estimated $91,000,000 in damage to our buildings and county properties and very little of that has been fixed yet.'

The serene and popular Mexico Beach before it was ravaged by Hurricane Michael late last year

Damage from Hurricane Michael is seen in Mexico Beach on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 as search-and-rescue teams fanned out across the Florida Panhandle to reach trapped people

Panama City, Florida, the day after Hurricane Michael landed in the Florida Panhandle, on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018

Homes damaged by Hurricane Michael sit along the beach. Trump addressed the Panama City Beach crowd in a re-election effort

Mexico Beach Mayor Al Cathey said this week that 'we have no gas station, we have no bank, we have no grocery store', yet, he added, spirits are still 'high'.

He also said that sewage services won't be available in the town for another month.

The Florida legislature is expected to vote on a new state budget which would include $1.6 billion for recovery efforts.

A pile of debris sits along the road near the remains of a home that was destroyed by the devastating hurricane last year

Jack Sebastian lives with his wife in a trailer supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after their house was destroyed by Hurricane Michael

The fresh pictures come after Trump addressed a crowd of thousands on Wednesday at an outdoor amphitheater in Panama City Beach, just down the coast, promising $448 million more in disaster aid as he kicked his 2020 efforts into high gear.

'You're getting your money one way or another,' Trump promised supporters, holding up a chart showing federal emergency aid to Florida, Texas and the island territory, 'And we're not going to let anybody hold it up.'

'We've already given you billions and billions of dollars and there's a lot more coming,' Trump said.

'You're getting your money one way or another,' Trump promised supporters in Panama City Beach, holding up a chart showing federal emergency aid to Florida, Texas and the island territory

Brienne Brown, who traveled from Pennsylvania for a retreat with a group of artists, paints devastation left behind by Hurricane Michael

Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, on October 10, 2018 and decimated the town and nearby Tyndall Air Force Base.

Trump was greeted by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and local elected officials as he arrived at Tyndall Air Force Base this week.

Almost every building appeared damaged in some way, including a collapsed hangar. Fighter jets were also completely flipped onto their backs and the site nearly had to be closed.

Foundations remain of many homes destroyed by the devastating hurricane, the sites are pictured on May 09, 2019

Concrete from broken building foundations destroyed by Hurricane Michael is cleared from along the beach

The White House said almost all 700 structures on the base were damaged, roughly one-third were destroyed, and 11,000 base personnel were evacuated. The White House blamed 'Democrat obstruction' for a stoppage in recovery work, with about 120 projects being deferred.

The Panhandle has received about $1.1 billion in federal disaster aid through mid-April, but disagreements in Washington have left many still struggling to recover from the storm.

The name Michael was officially retired as a hurricane name in March.

Trump surveyed recovery efforts and lingering damage from last year's storm, and he announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development would be granting $448 million to the state for hurricane response. Mexico Beach pictured

Workers repair the El Governor Motel that was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Michael in October last year

A boat carried by Hurricane Michael rests along a tree line near a canal on May 09, 2019 in Mexico Beach, Florida

Workers rebuild a home destroyed by Hurricane Michael on May 09, 2019 in Mexico Beach, Florida

Concrete from broken building foundations destroyed by Hurricane Michael sit along the beach as a reveler walks by

A tree rests on the roof of a home that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael
One of Russia's most outspoken independent journalists has died in a mysterious incident on his motorbike - soon after a savage attack on the authorities over Sunday's fatal Sukhoi SuperJet inferno in Moscow.

Sergey Dorenko, 59, editor in chief of Govorit Moskva radio station, was shown in a CCTV video lurching to the left in front of oncoming traffic on a busy city street.

He fell from his new Triumph motorbike but was not hit by another vehicle.

Sergey Dorenko, 59, was seen on CCTV swerving in front of oncoming traffic on a busy Russian street

Dorenko died after falling from his Triumph motorbike on Thursday evening shortly before 7pm

He was pronounced dead at the spot with reports in the official media rapidly stating he had suffered 'major heart failure' and died of 'natural causes' - even before any autopsy was conducted.

Dorenko was known for his laser-like criticisms of the Russian authorities over a succession of disasters in which he believed the causes of deaths were being covered-up.

Most recently he raised awkward questions over Sunday's passenger jet tragedy in Moscow in which 41 perished.

Russian state media reported that Dorenko died of 'natural causes' and crashed his motorbike due to a heart problem

Dorenko often criticized the Russian government - most recently over the passenger jet tragedy in Moscow which killed 41 people on Sunday

Earlier he was fired in 2000 as a top presenter on Russia's main state-run channel after blunt criticism of Vladimir Putin for 'lies' over the Kursk submarine tragedy in which all 118 crew were killed.

The prominent journalist was among the first to reveal on Sunday that there had been fatalities on the blazing SuperJet plane after an emergency landing in Moscow - when initial reports claimed everyone had successfully evacuated the burning aircraft.

Later he blasted the authorities for not grounding the plane in characteristically forthright language.

Sergey Dorenko (pictured) was well-known for his criticisms of President Vladimir Putin's government

The site of a road accident involving Russian journalist Sergei Dorenko. Dorenko died after falling from a Triumph motorcycle

In particular, he attacked an effort to blame the crew for a disaster that many suspect is the fault of technical problems with the Sukhoi plane.

He stated: 'I see a lot of fuss around the burned plane. And I think this fuss is shady. The time has come to sort it out. We need a reasonable evaluation of what happened at Sheremetyevo airport.

'We need sharp facts, solid links between the reasons and consequences, truth about an accident or a systematic mistake. Am I right?

'But so far we see only emotions, hysteria and an attempt to push somebody's head into the toilet bowl.

'For example, it is very strange that a representative of the company Sukhoi Civil Aircraft joined the investigative commission (into the air disaster).

Sergey Dorenko on his new Triumph motorbike, which he was riding at the time of the fatal accident on Thursday

'It means the participation of interested parties in the investigation. It is a ruined investigation from the very beginning.'

He asked the authorities: 'Do you think we are idiots? Stop gambling, damn it. We are talking about the trust in our aviation.

'Sukhoi and Aeroflot - stop covering your arses, you will ruin the system and crash down with it.'

'Let's try to play in an honest way?'

Father-of-five Sergey Dorenko with one of his daughters

He also scathingly attacked Putin's government and regulators for not grounding the SuperJet.

In a succession of angry posts, he asked: 'Do you not care about people? You f*** the people.

He accused the authorities of letting the plane fly when they knew it had problems.

'The plane is very bad, it was known from the very beginning,' he said.

He also backed a call that Russian officials should be made to fly only in SuperJets if they were so confident of its airworthiness.

In 2000, he was famously fired from Channel One television in Russia after directly criticising Putin in blunt comments on the Kursk submarine tragedy when 118 sailors died in the sunk nuclear-powered vessel.

He told viewers: 'The story with the Kursk submarine is not over. The main conclusion is that (those in) power do not respect us this is why they lie.

'And the main thing  power treats us in such a way only because we allow it to do so.'

Suspecting he would be axed, he finished his report: 'All the best to you.'

Last year Dorenko was blunt in his analysis when Russia's prosecutor-general Saak Karapetyan was killed in a mystery helicopter crash.

Dorenko is pictured on holiday with his third wife Yulia, with whom he had two young daughters

The law chief has been linked to Moscow's alleged offers of 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump's election campaign.

There were also extraordinary claims that he was a channel of leaks to British, US and Swiss secret services.

Dorenko reported: 'We have the official version that the pilot mistakenly touched the trees and the helicopter fell to the ground.

'But in fact I suppose that the pilot was good and did not touch any trees.

'He did not take off at all. He was shot with two bullets in the back before this.'

Dorenko did not work for state TV after his Kursk firing - but became editor-in-chief of the Govorit Moskva radio station.

Sergey Dorenko on his appearance for Russian state TV in 2000, before he was fired for criticizing Putin

Dorenko was known for his laser-like criticisms of the Russian authorities over a succession of disasters

In 2007 when he released an interview that he had conducted in April 1998 with FSB officer Aleksander Litvinenko and other FSB officers in which they confessed that they had been ordered to kill, kidnap, or blackmail prominent politicians and businesspeople.

Litvinenko died in London in 2006 of acute radiation poisoning after his tea was spiked.

A British criminal investigation found he was poisoned with polonium 210 by Andrei Lugovoy, now a Russian MP.

Lugovoy and the Russian government denied any role in the dissident's death.

The Russian state media reported that Dorenko had died of 'natural causes' after falling off his motorbike due to a heart problem.

Yet this was state before any postmortem.

A driver who witnessed Dorenko's accident said he fell off before the motorbike even came to a halt, saying he was unconscious, and did not say a word

A source told Interfax news agency: 'His heart stopped and he could not control his bike anymore.

'The injuries that he got when falling from his motorbike were not serious.'

Yet RIA Novosti reported: 'When somebody dies in the street, paramedics automatically put it as "major heart failure".

'In the case of Dorenko it is a preliminary reason. The true cause will be known only after autopsy. It is not possible to learn the reason for death within one minute.'

A driver who witnessed the accident said: 'I was driving my car at Zemlyanoy Val towards Taganskaya Square. The motorbike was driving towards me.

'Suddenly it skidded, going to the side, hit the fence, but the motorcyclist fell off even before and rolled along the pavement.

'I stopped and helped to drag him to the side of the road.'

Dorenko's wife Yulia and their two daughters. Dorenko also had three children from previous relationships

The witness added that motorcyclist was unconscious, and did not say a word.

'His eyes were open, there were no visible traumas on his body.'

Dorenko was married to Yulia and the couple had two young daughters. He had three older children by two ex-wives.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, a close Putin ally, expressed his condolences to the family.

'Sergey Dorenko has died. A talented journalist, an anxious and not indifferent person,' he said.

'Sergey loved our city. He died just the way he lived  negotiating a narrow curve. To be honest  it is such a pity.'
An Australian Federal Police officer and his twin brother have been arrested after allegedly being caught with hundreds of child abuse videos.

Police allegedly found 462 exploitation videos stored on hard drives at the men's home in Forde, Canberra on Thursday.

Most of the videos showed children aged 12 to 14, but some victims were younger, according to the ABC.

Police also allegedly found hidden cameras in three rooms the men had rented to female tenants.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer and his brother allegedly had 462 child abuse videos of girls aged younger than 12 to 14 (stock image)

The police officer has been suspended from duty.

Police were tipped off by two women who claimed they were shown sickening material by the men on separate occasions.

One of the women made adult films with the AFP officer after responding to a modelling advertisement of Craigslist in November 2016, police allege.

She told police the man allegedly showed her pictures of children on his computer.

He allegedly confided in her that he would persuade young girls to take off their clothes and touch themselves.

The woman claimed she was shown pictures of a girl showing her genitals who was potentially as young as three, according to police.

The officer's electrician brother allegedly told another woman his 'secret' after meeting on WeChat and going on several dates together.

He allegedly told her he should not judge him before he showed her 50 abuse pictures of children from 10 to 17.

The officer's brother allegedly told a woman he was dating he had a 'secret' and showed her 50 abuse pictures of children from 10 to 17 (stock image)

The twins appeared in ACT Magistrates Court both charged with possessing child exploitation material on Friday.

The officer was on duty when he was arrested at the Majura Police Complex before police raided his home.

'All AFP members are expected to behave at all times in a manner that upholds the organisation's core values, reputation and integrity,' an ACT Police spokesman said.

The officer did not make a plea or apply for bail in the ACT Magistrates Court.

His brother, a FIFO worker who goes between Canberra and Adelaide, was refused bail and said he would be pleading not guilty.

The men will re-appear at later dates.
A convicted child rapist made a chilling promise to 'rape the first woman he sees' after his release from police custody in Arkansas, a sheriff warned.

John West, 38, was jailed for the rape of a four-year-old girl who lived at his home in Hempstead County in July 1996.

He was arrested last month for disorderly conduct and transported to a hospital in Little Rock for an evaluation, Hope Police said.

John West, 38, was jailed for the rape of a four-year-old girl who lived at his home in Hempstead County in July 1996

Courtesy of KTAL

Sheriff James Singleton then warned the public to 'take caution' around West after he told hospital staff 'he will rape the first woman he sees' after his release on May 6.

A statement from the Hempstead County Sheriff's Office said: 'He is telling the hospital personnel that he will not stay on his medication, when he walks out of the hospital.

'He is also telling the hospital staff that he will rape the first woman he sees so he can come back to [Arkansas Department of Corrections].'

It is believed West suffers from 'mental illness' and is stable when on medication - but he has told staff he will not take it.

Sheriff James Singleton warned the public to 'take caution' around West after he told hospital staff 'he will rape the first woman he sees' after his release on Monday (Pictured, Hempstead County Sheriff's Office)

West, who is said to be homeless, also reported that he 'has previously had command hallucinations that told him to rape a woman'.

Sheriff Singleton said: 'West reported that he has previously had command hallucinations that told him to rape a woman.'

West was arrested just hours after his release on Monday, May 6 after deputies responded to an alert and was transported to the Hempstead County Detention Center.

A statement said: 'On Monday at approximately 7:00pm, Hempstead County Deputies arrested John Mark West the subject of an Alert earlier in the day.

'He was transported to the Hempstead County Detention Center where he is being held on the original charge brought by Hope Police last week.'
Louis Farrakhan has insisted he does 'not hate the Jewish people' and only seeks to 'separate the good Jews from the Satanic Jews' in a sermon at a Catholic church.

The Nation of Islam leader, 85, was invited to speak at the Saint Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago on May 9 - one week after he was barred from Facebook for violating their ban on 'dangerous individuals.'

In the speech, he claimed he had not said 'one word of hate' while asserting 'I am not a misogynist. I'm not a homophobe,' the New York Post reported.

The Nation of Islam leader, 85, was invited to speak at the Saint Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago on May 9 (Pictured at the sermon)

The controversial minister, who recently referred to Jews as 'termites', went on to insist he does not 'not hate Jewish people' and only seeks to separate 'good Jews' from the 'Satanic'.

He said: 'I'm here to separate the good Jews from the Satanic Jews. I have not said one word of hate.

'I do not hate Jewish people. Not one that is with me has ever committed a crime against the Jewish people, black people, white people. As long as you don't attack us, we won't bother you.'

Farrakhan was invited to speak at the church by Reverend Michael Pfleger, who was criticized by the Illinois Holocaust Museum for 'giving hatred a platform'.

In the speech, he claimed he had not said 'one word of hate' while asserting 'I am not a misogynist. I'm not a homophobe' (Pictured with Michael Pfleger during the speech)

'The enemy is so hateful of me,' Farrakhan said. 'Do not be angry with me if I stand on God's word.'

The Nation of Islam said the controversial minister's speech was a response to the 'public outrage over the unprecedented and unwarranted lifetime ban' he received from Facebook.

But the Archdiocese of Chicago distanced itself from Pfleger's decision to invite Farrakhan to the church, claiming the Reverend did not consult with Cardinal Blase Cupich or other diocese officials before extending the invitation.

'There is no place in American life for discriminatory rhetoric of any kind,' the archdiocese said in a statement.

'At a time when hate crimes are on the rise, when religious believers are murdered in their places of worship, we cannot countenance any speech that dehumanizes persons on the basis of ethnicity, religious belief, economic status or country of origin.'

Pfleger defended his invitation and claimed he was responding to the Facebook ban as a defender of free speech.

Farrakhan was invited to speak at the church by Reverend Michael Pfleger, who was criticized by the Illinois Holocaust Museum for 'giving hatred a platform'

The Nation of Islam said the controversial minister's speech was a response to the 'public outrage over the unprecedented and unwarranted lifetime ban' he received from Facebook

The controversial reverend was previously asked to take a leave of absence from Saint Sabina church in 2012 after he mocked then-Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in a speech.

He said Clinton saw Obama as 'a black man stealing my show' when she entered the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, the Archdiocese of Baltimore said.

'She wasnt the only one crying,' he added. 'There was a whole lot of white people crying.'

Farrakhan has been labeled an extremist by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center for allegedly making anti-Semitic, anti-white and anti-gay comments.

Facebook said it has always banned people or groups that proclaim a violent or hateful mission or are engaged in acts of hate or violence, regardless of political ideology.
Advertisement

Americans have slammed a British village's 'sickening' plan to burn a replica of The Mayflower ship.

The Great Torrington Cavaliers host a charity bonfire in the Devon village every five years where they burn replicas of well-known sights.

But the event has come under fire after announcing it next plans to burn the ship that first brought the pilgrims from Plymouth to Cape Cod, America, in 1620.

The Great Torrington Cavaliers host a charity bonfire in the Devon village every five years where they burn replicas of well-known sights. This year they will burn a life size replica of The Mayflower ship

The group is currently in the process of building a life size replica of The Mayflower ship, ahead of a bonfire in 2020 to mark the 50th year of the Cavalier bonfires and 400 years since the first pilgrims landed in America

Previous sights to be burnt include Trumpton in 2015, Pudding Lane in 2000 and HMS Victory in 2005 - but the group have never received criticism before.

After images of their plans were shared online Americans commenting on the post branded the event 'disturbing and incredibly odd'.

The group is currently in the process of building a life size replica of The Mayflower ship, ahead of a bonfire in 2020 to mark the 50th year of the Cavalier bonfires and 400 years since the first pilgrims landed in America.

 Slide me  In 2000 a bonfire organised by the Torrington Cavaliers saw Pudding Lane - where the 1666 Great Fire of London began - in flames

One comment on the post said: 'It's the most important ship in American history. The Mayflower is not an abomination. I would never want to see it set on fire.'

Another said: 'Sorry, Americans just don't do the bonfire thing. To us this is almost sickening to think about!

'Setting anything on fire which even resembles the Mayflower, which my family came over on, is disturbing.

'We just don't set things like this on fire for any reason. Clash of cultures here!'

 Slide me  In 2005 the HMS Victory was next to go up in flames. The event was attended by over 20,000 spectators who help raise more than 70,000 for charity. A total of 25 per cent was donated to The Chestnut Appeal, 25 per cent to The North Devon Hospice and the rest donated to local charities and organisations who applied for funding

Another person commented: 'Not something I could stand and watch. Even though it's for charity.'

Someone else posted: 'How many trees went to make that? Smoking up the sky with global warming?

'Is this the only way to gain funds? It really doesn't seem wise.'

Others left comments such as 'Why on earth would you burn that?' and 'Set on fire? Oh my Lord!'.

 Slide me  In 1996 Torrington Church was burnt. Nick Hallam, secretary for the Torrington Cavaliers group said they had never received criticism for any of the former bonfires

Nick Hallam, secretary for the Torrington Cavaliers group, said he could understand why Americans might be 'a little sensitive' about it.

But he went on: 'We have certainly not gone out to upset anyone with this.

'Clearly these Americans don't know who we are or what we do and the tradition behind our bonfires, not to mention the money it raises for charity.

Nick Hallam, secretary for the Torrington Cavaliers group, said he could understand why Americans might be 'a little sensitive' about it, but that the aim of the bonfire was to raise money for local charities and no one else have ever felt any offence

'Over the years we have done many other themes such as HMS Victory and Pudding Lane from the Great Fire of London, and we haven't offended anyone else yet.

'In fact I don't think we've ever had any complaints like that.

'It's just our way of commemorating certain events - and 2020 happened to be the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower.'

Following the original design as closely as possible the ship will be built with the help of sponsors offering free labour and equipment.
Dr Noah Carl (pictured above) previously linked Brexit to the decline in British pubs

A Cambridge don who was sacked after being accused of publishing 'racist pseudoscience' says he lost his fellowship for questioning 'left-wing sacred values'.

Social scientist Noah Carl was let go from a fellowship at St Edmund's College last week, on the grounds that he allegedly collaborated with people who hold 'extremist views'.

His writings discussed genetics and IQ, as well as linking artistic tastes and opinions on Brexit to the decline of the humble British pub.

It was his writings linking IQ and genetics however, that prompted 586 academics to sign a letter to the prestigious institution, accusing him of 'racist pseudoscience'.

At a talk yesterday in Oxford he defended his stance and classed himself as a 'victim' after stating that studies he had uncovered from the 1960s and 2015 had a number of adverse effects on campus.

Setting out evidence on over-representation of left-wing views in British academia he said: 'Four studies found that in 1960 about a third of academics supported Conservatives and 45 per cent Labour. By 2015, 11 per cent supported the Conservatives and about 70 per cent Labour.

Dr Carl (pictured above) had been speaking in Oxford yesterday at an event discussing free speech

'There is denial and mischaracterisation of research believed to threaten certain left-wing sacred values.

How Dr Noah Carl, 28, has been criticised for 'racist' views - but is a big free speech backer Dr Noah Gilpin Carl was born in 1990 in Cambridge and was a research fellow at St Edumund's College in the city. He has a BA in human sciences, an MSc in sociology and a DPhil in sociology from Oxford. For his doctorate, he looked at how cognitive ability and socio-political beliefs can be related. He also focuses on social identity and immigration. But he has faced criticism for his views on how opposition to immigration can be based on 'rational beliefs'. Critics say his work has been used by far-Right outlets to aid xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric. His research has been backed by various far right US media groups, including Info Wars, which is headed by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. However, Dr Carl is a passionate free speech advocate and has previously stated that 'stifling of debate around taboo topics can itself do active harm'. He also writes for The UK in a Changing Europe, a Brexit research website funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. In pictures on his Facebook profile, Dr Carl is seen practising yoga in stone circles with his nephew. Advertisement

'I would argue I've been a victim of that myself, and many other people in controversial fields such as IQ research and other fields where some content appears to threaten left-wing values.'

Prior to his talk on free speech in Oxford yesterday, he posted a blog defending his work, where he said that exploring a possible link between genes and intelligence was 'a perfectly defensible scientific position'.

He said: 'It may turn out that genes make zero contribution, or it may turn out that they make a contribution greater than zero. Deciding in advance that they make zero contribution is not science. It is proof by assertion.'

Mr Carl had been one of several speakers at the event who had been threatened with 'no platforming', lost jobs, or had invitations revoked due to views on issues ranging from free speech, race and gender, The Times reported.

In 2016 Among he wrote a paper in which he claimed that 'the higher the percentage of Muslims in the population, the greater the share of citizens susceptible to Islamist radicalisation'.

The event had been organised by 64-year-old Nigel Biggar, the regius professor or moral and pastoral theology at Oxford.

He highlighted he wanted to generate a 'counter spiral' to the dominance of 'cultural left extremism' which he said had been determining views across the campus.

It comes one month after Cambridge rescinded its offer of a visiting fellowship to the so-called 'professor against political correctness' Jordan Peterson, after he was pictured next to a man wearing a t-shirt which had 'I'm a proud Islamophobe', printed on it.

In February, a meeting had been held by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, group at Cambridge to 'oppose the promotion of eugenics and pseudo-science' at the university.

What has Noah Carl written about Brexit, immigration and Muslims in recent years?

'It cannot simply be taken for granted that, when in doubt, stifling debate around taboo topics is the ethical thing to do. (This study) makes three main claims: first, that equating particular scientific statements with racism effectively holds our morals hostage to the facts; second, that the 'blank slate' view of human nature also has pernicious moral implications; and third, that there are clear examples of where stifling debate has done material harm to both individuals and societal institutions.'

Evolutionary Psychological Science, December 2018

'Examining the relationship between the presence of Muslims and the incidence of Islamist terrorism is now a lively area of scholarly research... Of course, it goes without saying that only a small minority of Muslims are terrorists, and not all terrorist are Muslims.'

Medium, September 2018

'Remain voters overestimate the importance that Leave voters attach to both regaining control over EU immigration and teaching British politicians a lesson. 52 per cent of Remain voters rank 'Leavers wanted the UK to regain control over EU immigration' first, whereas only 39 per cent of Leave voters rank 'to regain control over EU immigration' first. And 12 per cent of Remain voters rank 'Leavers wanted to teach British politicians a lesson' first, whereas only 3 per cent of Leave voters rank 'to teach British politicians a lesson' first.'

London School of Economics blog, May 2018

'Britain's vote to leave the EU is decidedly not without precedent. The country has left the mainland of Europe on precisely three prior occasions, each time carefully weighing up the costs and benefits before doing so. In the Brexit of spring 1940, Britain politely declined to participate in a German-led effort toward European political union. In King Henry's Brexit of 1534, the country sought to regain competitiveness by unshackling itself from the yoke of papal regulation. And in the original Brexit of 10,0006,500 BC, the country prudently chose to increase border security, while at the same time putting its long-suffering fishermen back to work.'

Medium, March 2018

'The magnitude of inward migratory flows increased during the 20th century, and did so dramatically from the 1990s onwards. Between 1900 and 1950, the foreign-born fraction of the population rose, but never exceeded 5%. By the early 1990s, it was well above 5%. In 2011, it was around 13%. And today, it is probably above 15%. Thus, contemporary levels of immigration into Britain are historically unprecedented. Britain had arguably assumed its nationhood by at least the late 19th century. At this point in time, the make up of the British population was largely as it had been more than 1000 years earlier. There is therefore little justification for saying that Britain is an 'immigrant nation'.'

Medium, March 2017

'The present study shows that, in the UK, net opposition to immigrants of different nationalities correlates strongly with the log of immigrant arrests rates and with the log of their arrest rates for violent crime. This is particularly noteworthy given that Britons reportedly think that an immigrant's criminal history should be one of the most important characteristics when considering whether he or she should be allowed into the country.'

Open Quantitative Sociology & Political Science, November 2016

'It seems plausible that the higher the percentage of Muslims in the population, the greater the share of citizens susceptible to Islamist radicalisation, and therefore the larger the fraction of the population that the security services should need to monitor. For example, ISIS has been actively attempting to radicalise young Muslims living in Western countries by disseminating Jihadist propaganda through social media. Regarding the latter, it stands to reason that Islamist terrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda and ISIS might selectively target countries that have intervened militarily in Muslim countries particularly those in the Middle East, where the most sacred Islamic holy sites are located.'

Open Quantitative Sociology & Political Science, June 2016

'The fact that the correlation between verbal intelligence and economically liberal beliefs persists after controlling for characteristics like race, education and income suggests it cannot simply be attributed to selfishness on the parts of people with higher verbal intelligence. In particular, it contradicts the hypothesis that such people only have economically liberal beliefs because they believe they have personally benefitted from economically liberal policies. On the other hand, if conditional on current income, verbal intelligence is correlated with a tendency to believe one's future income will be higher under economically liberal policies, the correlation between verbal intelligence and economically liberal beliefs could be explained by selfishness, at least in part.'

Intelligence, March 2014
A high-profile Remain campaigner has been blasted on Twitter after criticising a teenage Tory who said she was planning to back the Brexit Party.

Law graduate Femi Oluwole attacked Emily Hewertson, 19, after she appeared on Question Time last night to voice her fury at the Conservatives over the failure to get Britain out the EU in March.

But the Darlington-born second referendum campaigner was attacked by other Twitter users after sarcastically describing the young Brexiteer as totally representative of young women and appearing to criticise the BBC for letting her speak.

Those who leaped to her defence included other young people who also said they planned to vote for Nigel Farages new party.

And she herself hit back, saying: 'Am I not allowed to have opinion (sic) to other women, no?'

Emily Hewertson was attacked by Femi Oluwole on Twitter after her appearance on Question Time last night in which she said she was backing the Brexit Party

Law graduate Femi Oluwole is a Darlington-born second referendum campaigner

Teenage Tory Miss Hewertson blasted her party over Brexit live on television last night and admitted she would be voting for Nigel Farage's new outfit at the European elections, saying the Conservatives 'let us down'.

She was applauded by the BBC Question Time audience in her home town of Northampton after saying that 'the only things that should be left in Europe are Liverpool and Tottenham'.

With Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on the panel she ripped into her party over its failure to get Britain out of the EU in March.

The teenager, from Northampton, was responding to the ex-Tory MP Anna Soubry, now of Change UK, who wants a second referendum.

The 19-year-old said she had joined the Conservatives as a 16-year-old

Nigel Farage looked please after the teenager's impassioned comments from the audience

Miss Hewertson said: 'To be honest I can't believe we're still having this debate.

'At this point in time I think the only things that should be left in Europe are Liverpool and Tottenham.

'Anna, if you would like another referendum why can't we use the EU election as another referendum? And when the Brexit Party do well - and I hope they do and that's coming from a Conservative Party member.

'I have been a member of the Conservative Party since I was 16, I'm now 19, I've canvassed for them.

'But the party has let us down and I will be voting for the Brexit Party during the European elections and that seems to me a democratic way of having a 'second referendum' - which would be undemocratic.'

France 'will not accept repeated Brexit delays' France will not tolerate repeated extensions of the Brexit deadline, a French presidential adviser said on Friday, expressing hope that European elections in Britain would jolt its political parties into reaching a deal on leaving the EU. France pushed hard for a short extension of Brexit negotiations last month, contrary to Germany's wish to grant a longer period, arguing that pressure should be kept on London. In the end a six-month delay was agreed by European leaders. 'We must not get sucked into repeated extensions, that's for sure,' the adviser said. 'Our message is clear: a solution must have been found by October 31.' The French adviser did not close the door on a further extension beyond Oct. 31, but made clear France would continue to argue against delaying talks repeatedly. 'Maybe European elections (in Britain) will serve as a shock to reach a transpartisan deal,' the adviser said. Advertisement

It is not legally possible to use the May 23 vote as another referendum but the result will be closely analysed as a marker of public opinion.

Mr Farage looked visibly pleased at her intervention.

His new party is expected to gain several MEPs at the May 23 election - mainly at the expense of the Tories.

Later in the programme he referenced her and said: 'The lady at the back earlier on who said she was a Conservative party member and said she is going to vote for the Brexit Party.

'I'm sorry to say when you get home you might have received a phone call from the Tory Party, you might not be a member anymore but never mind.'

Theresa May's party is in open rebellion at the fact that they are having to take part in the election at all.

Local members are reportedly refusing to canvass, the party has not launched its campaign and there is currently no manifesto, with less than two weeks to go.

After a local election humiliation last week some Conservative officials believe the party could win less than 10 per cent of the vote to finish below the Brexit Party, party, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and even Change UK, the Financial Times has reported.

And the fledgling outfit has soared away in European election polling ahead of the May 23 vote - in which it is expected to do very well mainly as the expense of the Tories

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party has managed to go from zero to the potential third party in UK politics in just a few short weeks, with 15 per cent of voters saying they would back it at a general election - ahead of the Lib Dems

Emily Hewertson, 19, was applauded by the BBC Question Time audience in her home town of Northampton after saying: 'At this point in time I think the only things that should be left in Europe are Liverpool and Tottenham'

In a discussion of a second referendum the 19-year-old Tory said: 'To be honest I can't believe we're still having this debate'

Many Tories are expected to follow Miss Hewertson's example and vote for the Brexit Party

Some Conservative officials believe the party could win less than 10 per cent of the vote after losing more than 1,3000 seats in local elections last week

Tory leaflets 'target Brexit Spartans' Tory leaflets printed for the European elections contain a link to a website that names-and-shames party MPs who defied Theresa May to vote down her Brexit deal. The promotional material contains a link to www.backthebrexitdeal.com, which allows people to find out if their local MP backed Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement, the Times reported. It reveals the results of each of the three times she has tried and failed to get it through the Commons. Those who voted against the deal include 34 hardcore Brexiteer 'Spartans' and pro-Remain Tories who have refused to compromise to help the Prime Minister. Advertisement

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd responded to her, saying that Mrs May's Brexit deal was the only way to get Britain out of the EU.

The minister asked: 'What is your answer to my point that whatever sort of Brexit you want, we have to get a majority of MPs to vote for it in the House of Commons?

'We have a House of Commons, we have Members of Parliament, 34 Conservatives voted against it, so we are not able to deliver on it.

'Whatever you may ... think is the best Brexit, it has to get through Parliament, that's our law, that is legislation. If we can't get it through we can't deliver it.

'This is the only one we have a change of getting through.'

Miss Hewertson tried to respond, saying 'Article 50...' before Question Time host Fiona Bruce moved on to another person in the audience so she was unable to offer a come back.

On Wednesday a former minister warn that the Tories face a disaster of 1997 proportions unless the party gets its act together fast.

Robert Halfon, a former party deputy chairman, lashed out after what he said had been a local elections 'sh*t-show' .

He warned that Nigel Farage's Brexit Party were a 'tsunami in terms of political disruption' and if had taken part the Toroies might have lost twice as many.

The former skills minister also blasted the Prime Minister's decision to sack Gavin Williamson as defence secretary the day before the vote, branding it 'incomprehensible' in an article for Conservative Home.

The Harlow MP said that failing to leave the EU on March 29 had done the party 'untold damage' and unleashed 'a tidal wave of anger'.

He said: 'Our failure to deliver Brexit, broken promises to properly address burning social injustices, our continued Party disunity and a lack of strong leadership brought about this disaster.'

Mr Farage spent more than an hour on a Lincoln walkabout today with other Brexit Party candidates, including Annunziata Rees-Mogg, the sister of the high-profile Tory Brexiteer, Jacob Rees-Mogg

Mr Farage suggested that there should be an 'autumn General Election' if Brexit was not sorted by then

he former Ukip leader was tempted to try vaping at an e-cigarette store

Campaigning in Lincoln today Mr Farage suggested a good show by his party at the Euro election would leave many Labour and Tory MPs fearful for their Commons seats.

Mr Farage spent more than an hour on his city centre walkabout with other Brexit Party candidates, including Annunziata Rees-Mogg, the sister of the high-profile Tory Brexiteer, Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Asked what a Brexit Party victory would mean, he said: 'It puts a No Deal Brexit back on the table.

'Parliament has taken it off the table. Our voters say 'put it back on the table' and, if we win, we will demand representation, with the Government, at the next stage of negotiations.

'We have deadline now of October 31 and we want to make sure, our voters want to make sure, that, actually, No Deal is being seriously thought-about.'

He added: 'If Brexit's not been delivered, lets have an Autumn general election.'

And he said that a victory later this month would give his fledgling party a major boost for a forthcoming national poll.

He said: 'There'll be huge number of Labour and Tories MPs fearful as to whether they can hold on to their seats. That might just concentrate their minds.'
A young driver claims a DJ haggled her down to less than half her asking price on her Audi by spinning a 'sob story' - only to advertise it for three times the price an hour later.

Sarah Hutchinson, 24, from Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, in Scotland, listed her Audi TT Quattro 3.2 for sale online for 2,500 two weeks ago and was contacted by Mark McCallum, who offered to buy the car.

Despite informing the nightclub DJ that she needed the cash to buy a more practical car and pay off some debt, Mr McCallum bombarded her with messages pointing out issues with the vehicle.

Sarah Hutchinson, 24, from Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, in Scotland, claims a DJ haggled her down to less than half her asking price on her Audi by spinning a 'sob story' - only to advertise it for three times the price an hour later

Case worker Ms Hutchinson says Mr McCallum, from Glasgow, Lanarkshire, 'spun' a story that he only wanted a 'wee runner' and that he needed the car for weekends for use with his daughter

She listed her Audi TT Quattro 3.2 (pictured) for sale online for 2,500 two weeks ago and was contacted by Mark McCallum, who offered to buy the car

Case worker Ms Hutchinson says Mr McCallum, from Glasgow, Lanarkshire, 'spun' a story that he only wanted a 'wee runner' and that he needed the car for weekends for use with his daughter.

He even told her he would have to 'save up' for the repairs and that his dad would have to buy him a spare key for it.

Ms Hutchinson claims Mr McCallum, who appears to have sold numerous cars on Facebook in recent months, made her so worried that she wouldn't be able to flog the vehicle that she agreed to slash the price to a mere 1,100.

Mr McCallum told Ms Hutchinson to 'be real' and bemoaned the car's age, miles to the gallon, lack of service history, number of owners and mileage

However she was devastated to spot Mr McCallum appearing to list the car for sale online just an hour later - for a whopping 3,850.

When contacted for comment, Mark originally claimed the advert was a prank by his pal.

But he subsequently said that he would be selling the car after doing repairs on it and was entitled to sell it for as much as he wished.

When contacted for comment, Mark originally claimed the advert was a prank by his pal. But he subsequently said that he would be selling the car after doing repairs on it and was entitled to sell it for as much as he wished

Ms Hutchinson said: 'If anyone else is approached by this guy, I'd advise them to be very wary.

'He spun a sob story and didn't make it clear. I [would have] had no issue with what he was going to do with it afterwards - it's the fact he was so untruthful.

'He said 'I need a car for the weekend - I've got a daughter, we've moved house, we really need a car'.

'I think part of it was that I'm a young girl. The fact is he was condescending, when I'd already done my research and checked it.

'But when you're dealing with things that are more geared towards men, you start to question yourself.'

After deciding to buy a new car for her short commute, Ms Hutchinson listed her Audi for sale for 2,500 because a bodywork expert reportedly said her bodywork would only need 400 to touch up.

Mr McCallum got in touch with her and offered 1,800 at first, but Ms Hutchinson showed him a screenshot of an online estimate of more than 3,400.

Telling her to 'be real', he bemoaned the car's age, miles to the gallon, lack of service history, number of owners and mileage.

Despite pointing out the 'bumps and scrapes' in the original listing, Mr McCullum acted surprised when Ms Hutchinson mentioned them in their exchange.

Despite informing the nightclub DJ that she needed the cash to buy a more practical car and pay off some debt, Mr McCallum bombarded her with messages pointing out issues with the vehicle

Ms Hutchinson told Mr McCallum that the car had been valued at around 3500

The pair continued to disagree about the value of the car before Mr McCallum started to point out problems with the car

He claimed that giving Ms Hutchinson 1200 and then spending 1600 to repair it would still be 'way more than it is worth'

Mr McCallum claimed he would have to 'save up' to be able to afford the repairs and that his dad would have to buy the car a spare key for him

When Mr McCallum appeared surprised that there was only one key, Ms Hutchinson said 'this is ridiculous, you can't keep going back and forward with it'

He claimed that the car would be 'heavy' on tax and insurance in a bid to get her to lower the price

Mr McCallum claimed he was just 'being honest' as he continued to point out what he claimed was wrong with the car

He claimed that 1800 would be 'good money', even though Ms Hutchinson was hoping for 2,500

During their exchange, he even tried to trade other vehicles which he was selling with her, which she turned down

Mr McCallum offered Ms Hutchinson a Ford Fiesta as he was trying to buy her Audi

Ms Hutchinson eventually agreed to sell the car to Mr McCallum for 1,100 because she said she 'felt sorry' for him

After coming to see the car, he claimed there were a long list of issues and calculated that it would cost 1,600 to fix them.

During their exchange, he even tried to trade other vehicles which he was selling with her, which she turned down.

Ms Hutchinson repeatedly tried to walk away from the sale but was bombarded with further issues by Mr McCallum, until she claims she became worried the car would never sell.

Ms Hutchinson felt sorry for Mr McCallum and was desperate to buy her new pink Nissan Micra

Mr McCallum claimed he would have to 'save up' to be able to afford the repairs and that his dad would have to buy the car a spare key for him.

Ms Hutchinson felt sorry for him and was desperate to buy her new pink Nissan Micra convertible and so settled on just 1,100.

But when Ms Hutchinson and her mum went on Mr McCallum's Facebook page to see if he was showing off his new purchase, they were devastated to see it listed for sale for 3,850.

Ms Hutchinson said: 'Me and my mum thought we'd have a look to see if he was showing it off.

'We were dead shocked and thought 'that's just an hour after we sold him that'.

'He'd put up the photos of the car in my driveway and he'd put the car was 'immaculate' and he was selling it for 3,850.

'If you know your facts and how much your car's worth, don't let anybody tell you differently and [convince] you [to] believe them because you're not as confident,' Ms Hutchinson said

'My mum was in contact with him saying 'look, I know you've ripped my daughter off,' she added.

However she claims Mr McCallum complained that the car was 'gubbed' and that they had ripped him off.

Mr McCallum said: 'I bought the car in good faith and do not need to explain myself.

'If I bought a car through Facebook for 1,100 spent 1,500 on repairs and sold it on, that's my business.

'If I choose to sell it for 1,000,000, the owner cannot have any comeback.

'She was desperate to sell as she knew the amount it would cost to fix and if I can do this and take on the responsibility then there's nothing wrong with that.

'They have looked at an advert and decided they are not happy, it's my personal Facebook, it's not for public viewing.

'Ms Hutchinson being in debt is not my responsibility. I also have bills to pay and am a single parent.

'I paid good money for the car in the condition the car was in. I am being made out to be some kind of bad guy which is not the case at all.

'From my point of view having to spend money repairing the vehicle as no one would consider paying the 2,500 market value unless it was in excellent condition with a new mot, service and the body work repaired.

Ms Hutchinson added: 'Everybody is going to haggle, but it seems that every tiny thing he picked out was detriment to the price. Above: Ms Hutchinson in her new pink Nissan Micra

'No one would consider buying a car at market value in that condition. She just has the hump because she has seen an advert that she did not like.'

While he appears to have listed numerous cars for sale on Facebook over the last year, Mr McCallum claims he does not have a side business and just 'helps friends' when they ask him to go to car auctions.

Ms Hutchinson added: 'Everybody is going to haggle, but it seems that every tiny thing he picked out was detriment to the price.

'If you know your facts and how much your car's worth, don't let anybody tell you differently and [convince] you [to] believe them because you're not as confident.

'I don't know why I didn't tell him to forget it. I was scared I wouldn't get anyone to buy the car because of what he was saying.

'The car that I was selling was a really good car,' she added.
Transgender people in China are driven to buy black market drugs and even attempt surgery on themselves due to widespread discrimination, according to a new report.

In China, trans people are classified as having a mental illness and gender-affirming surgeries require the consent of families, creating a major barrier in accessing safe treatment, according to human rights group Amnesty International in a report published today.

The prevalence of stigma, an 'alarming' lack of knowledge in the public health system and other restrictive eligibility requirements have driven young transgender men and women to seek unregulated and unsafe alternatives, researchers found.

A participant applies rainbow coloured facepaint before a 5.17 km run to mark the International Day Against Homophobia in a park in Beijing in May, 2018. Transgender people in China are forced to buy black market drugs and even attempt surgery on themselves due to widespread discrimination, according to human rights group Amnesty International.

'China is failing transgender people,' said Doriane Lau, China Researcher at Amnesty International.

'Discriminatory laws and policies have left many people feeling they have no choice but to risk their lives by performing extremely dangerous surgery on themselves and to seek unsafe hormone drugs on the black market,' Lau said.

Transgender people are 'invisible' in China, Amnesty said. They face entrenched discrimination at home, school, work and in the healthcare system.

There are no anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBTI communities in China.

The government has not released official statistics of the number of trans people in the country, or how many seek treatment.

Ran, one of the gender non-binary trans people interviewed by Amnesty, uses they/them pronouns. Above they are in a T-shirt that reads 'I am a transgender person, can you hug me?'

People take part in the LGBT parade in Hong Kong on November 6, 2015. Transgender people are 'invisible' in China, Amnesty said. They face entrenched discrimination at home, school, work and in the healthcare system

However, in 2017 a report stated that more than 1,000 people in the country had undergone gender-affirming surgery and 400,000 people were planning to do so.

Under China's Sex Reassignment Procedural Management Standards 2017, 'transsexual' people face a strict criteria before undergoing gender-affirming surgery.

In addition to familial consent, they must be older than 20, unmarried and have undergone psychological therapy for a year prior. They also have to demonstrate they've been wanting the surgery for five years 'with no history of hesitation.'

Two of the 15 trans people interviewed by Amnesty recalled their trauma after attempting surgery on themselves as a last resort.

Huiming, a transgender woman in her 30s, told researchers that she bought hormone drugs via the online black market while she was still in university.

Xiaomi, a self-described transgender, posing for a portrait in Shanghai in June, 2018. In China, trans people are classified as having a mental illness and gender-affirming surgeries require the consent of families, according to Amnesty

Accessing gender-affirming treatments at a hospital was not an option as she feared her family would reject her when she asked for their consent.

In 2016, she took the decision to attempt surgery on herself to get rid of her male genitals.

However, her attempt went wrong and and she was rushed to hospital. She asked the doctor to lie to her parents and say she had an accident.

'I thought I was an abnormal person. How could I explain this to my family? I was both happy and scared. I was scared because I was bleeding so badly, I could die right there.

'I feared I would still die a man, since I only did part of my surgery,' she said.

Huiming eventually travelled to Thailand for a gender-affirming surgery. Before the treatment, she came out as trans to her mother, who has now accepted her.

Other trans people told Amnesty of how they had little choice but to resort to buying hormone medication on social media chat groups, online shops and overseas surrogate shoppers.

Under China's Sex Reassignment Procedural Management Standards 2017, 'transsexual' people face a strict criteria before undergoing gender-affirming surgery (file photo)

Without knowing whether the drugs were genuine, or if they might cause harmful side effects, many experienced different levels of mood swings, with some even plunging into depression, with no medical supervision or access to a doctor to address these conditions.

Shanshan, a 21-year-old transgender female from Beijing, said she stared using hormones because she 'hated her male sex characteristics'.

'I couldn't tell if the drugs were authentic. I think there isn't anything lethal in these drugs  but what better options do I have?' she said.

According to Amnesty, Peking University Third hospital is the only multi-disciplinary clinic in China that specialises in a range of gender-affirming treatments. It only opened in September 2018.

'The authorities and medical profession must stop classifying transgender people as having a mental illness. The highly-restrictive requirements for accessing gender-affirming surgeries and lack of health-related information needs to change so people can access the health care they need,' Lau said.

In March, the Chinese government accepted recommendations by the UN human rights council to legislate to ban discrimination against LGBTI people.
Britain's richest hedge fund managers have increased their joint wealth to an eye-watering 18bn over the past year.

Michael Platt of Belgravia-based BlueCrest Capital remains top of the pile with 3.7bn after his wealth ballooned by more than 700m in the last 12 months.

The Preston-born 51-year-old, who began to dabble in stocks as a teenager when his grandmother bought him 500 worth of shares, widened the gap over his rival hedgies who all, except two, swelled their wealth.

But the list lays bare a distinct lack of women occupying the most well-paid industry jobs at a time when gender equality in the City is under increased scrutiny.

Only two women feature on the list and these imbalances have come under fire from gender campaign groups such as the Women's Equality Party which told MailOnline that today's revelations are 'disappointing but unsurprising'.

Michael Platt, BlueCrest Capital Management - 3.7bn

A City chief executive who first started trading in the stock market when he was just a teenager has been named as Britain's richest hedge fund manager.

Michael Platt co-founded BlueCrest Capital Management in 2000 following almost a decade at banking giant JP Morgan.

Although he is a British citizen, and so is eligible for the list, he moved to Geneva in 2010 before relocating again to tax haven Jersey in 2014.

Michael Platt, 51, the founder of BlueCrest Capital, raked in 700m last year swelling his total bank balance to 3.7bn

The billionaire reportedly has an enormous private art collection that features inside a secret showroom in the crypt of a dilapidated church in Marylebone.

Skulls, crucified monkeys and stuffed sparrow heads are also among the taxidermy sculptures which are showcased in the studio.

Robert Miller and Princess Marie-Chantal, Search Investment Group - 2.2bn

Second-placed Robert Miller, the CEO of Search Investment Group, is also the co-founder of the DFS retail chain.

The American-born hedgie owns the staggering 36,000-acre Gunnerside shooting estate in Yorkshire.

And he is the father of Princess Marie-Chantal who is the wife of Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece and heir to the Greek throne.

Princess Marie-Chantal, who along with father Robert Miller manages a 2bn hedge fund, has improved her bank balance by 200m

Second-placed Robert Miller, the CEO of Search Investment Group, is also the co-founder of the DFS retail chain

The American-born hedgie owns the staggering 36,000-acre Gunnerside shooting estate in Yorkshire

After a brief spell in Hong Kong, Marie-Chantal was schooled at the exclusive Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland where annual fees stretch above 100,000.

She reportedly began studying for a history of art degree in New York before dropping out following the Crown Prince's proposal to her on a skiing holiday in Switzerland.

Sir Michael Hintze, CQS - 1.5bn

A noted philanthropist, third-placed Sir Michael Hintze has given away about 75million in the past decade to arts, educational and veteran's causes, mostly through his Hintze Family Foundation.

But in 2011 it also emerged that the soldier-turned-banker bankrolled former Defence Secretary Liam Fox to the tune of 10,000 and made a series of personal donations to senior cabinet ministers, including then Prime Minister David Cameron.

Sir Michael Hintze, of CQS, has a total wealth of 1.5bn and last year saw increases of 120m

Other payments to senior Tories when in Opposition include 37,500 to Mr Osborne, 25,000 to Higher Education Secretary David Willetts and 1,200 to current Prime Minister Mrs May.

In 2011, the Daily Mail reported that at the Belgravia headquarters of his CQS, one employee is tasked solely with opening the flood of letters which arrive daily, asking the celebrated philanthropist for money.

Sir Chris Hohn, TCI Fund Holdings - 1.2bn

Sir Chris, from Addleston, Surrey, is the son of a Jamaican-born car mechanic and has risen to lead one of the City's largest hedge funds.

He came under public scrutiny last year when he took a a 20 per cent pay cut from 215 million after profits at The Childrens Investment Fund surged 30 per cent to 278 million.

Sir Chris Hohn, who manages TCI Fund Holdings, has a total wealth of 1.2bn and last year saw increases of 200m

But the 52-year-old, who has reportedly given away more than 1bn to charity, is one of Britains most prolific philanthropists and was rewarded for his generosity when he was knighted four years ago

In 2017, he was at the centre of a boardroom battle at the London Stock Exchange in after spearheading a revolt against chairman Donald Brydon when chief executive Xavier Rolet was ousted.

Alan Howard, Bevan Howard - 1.02bn

Alan Howard, who accrued more than 30million in the past 12 months, boasts a large art collection and a 22million penthouse in Trump Tower.

In 2010, he made headlines after paying 25,000 for the singer Pixie Lott and boy band JLS to perform at his 13-year-old son Daniels bar mitzvah celebrations in 2010.

And in 2015, he forked out $14million for a swanky apartment in Miami, Florida.

Alan Howard (left), boss of Brevan Howard, is worth 1.04bn with last year's wealth increases totalling 30m and David Harding (right) of Winton Capital added 30m to his bank to give him 1.02bn

But he has been lauded for setting up the Alan Howard Charitable Foundation which aims to promote Holocaust education and other Jewish and Israeli causes.

Ranked in 6th place, billionaire David Harding grabbed headlines earlier this year when he made the single largest ever donation to a British university when he gave 100m to the University of Cambridge, where he studied physics.

Yet among the generosity, many do not shy away from splashing their cash on exclusive properties and luxury goods.

Sir Paul Marshall, who is the father of Mumford & Sons lead guitarist Winston Marshall, recently bought an Inner Hebridean island for 1.7m to which he arrived in a helicopter before putting on a champagne reception.

The staggering increase in wealth has been put down to fluctuations in global markets which allows their stocks to rocket in a short space of time.

Robert Watts, the Compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List, said: 'Hedgies have the potential to gain and lose wealth much faster than almost anyone else on The Sunday Times Rich List.

Sunday Times Hedge Fund Manager Rich List 2019 Hedge fund manager

Company Wealth 2019 increase/decrease Michael Platt BlueCrest Capital 3.7bn Up 700m Robert Miller and Princess Marie-Chantel Search Investment Group 2.2bn Up 200m Sir Michael Hintze CQS 1.5bn Up 120m Sir Chris Hohn TCI Fund Holdings 1.2bn Up 200m Alan Howard Brevan Howard 1.04bn Up 30m David Harding Winton Capital 1.02bn Up 20m Crispin Odey and Nichola Pease Odey Asset Management 775m Up 25m Chris Rokos Brevan Howard/Rokos Capital Management 775m No change Ross Turner Pelham Capital 626m Up 326m John Armitage Egerton Capital 600m Up 60m Sir Paul Marshall Marshall Wace 590m Up 70m Ian Wace Marshall Wace 590m Up 70m William Bollinger Egerton Capital 510m Up 60m Nicolai Tangen AKO Capital 500m Up 200m Andrew Law Caxton Associates 485m Up 10m Yan Huo Capula Investment Management 470m Down 5m Martin Hughes Toscafund Asset Management 460m Up 40m Jeremy Hosking Marathon Asset Management 375m Up 20m Jonathan Hiscock GSA Capital 350m Up 25m Sir Paul Ruddock Lansdowne Partners 305m Up 5m

'Because they personally invest heavily in their own funds they can feel the financial pain more if their operation struggles.

'But this has definitely been a better year for the hedgies on the Rich List - many who have enjoyed substantial winnings from a volatile stock market and turbulent geo-political climate.'

Harini Iyengar, spokesperson for the Women's Equality Party said: 'The Sunday Times' richest hedge fund manager list is disappointing but not surprising, as it illustrates the limited opportunities of women from everyday backgrounds at all levels in this country.

'Not only are there merely two women in the top 20 but that pair of women share their spots with men.'

Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said: 'It's not surprising that there are so few women in the Sunday Times rich list.

'The pay gap widens as we move up the income scale and the vast majority of wealth and assets are owned by men.

'Redistributing from high earners to low earners would also redistribute from men to women.'
Ireland's parliament has become the second after Britain's to declare a climate emergency, a decision hailed by Swedish teenage environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg as 'great news'.

An amendment to a parliamentary report declaring a 'climate emergency' and calling on parliament 'to examine how (the Irish government) can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss' was accepted without a vote late Thursday.

Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who moved the amendment, called the decision 'historic'.

Thunberg, the 16-year-old activist who has spearheaded protests across Europe and is becoming one of the most passionate voices of the green movement, urged more nations to follow suit.

Greta Thunberg, the teenage activist from Sweden who addressed MPs in London last month, tweeted 'Who is next?' after Ireland declared a climate emergency

Greta Thunberg has become a global leader of the green movement and has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize

'Great news from Ireland!! Who is next?' Thunberg tweeted.

Britain's parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, passing the largely symbolic motion on May 1.

The step followed 11 days of street protests in London by the Extinction Rebellion environmental campaign group.

Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg receives applause after addressing politicians, media and guests within the Houses of Parliament on April 23 in London. Her visit coincided with the 'Extinction Rebellion' protests across the capital

Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan (pictured) tabled the motion to declare a 'climate emergency' and called the move 'historic'

During the Easter campaign of street protests, occupations and roadblocks more than 1,130 people were arrested.

A small group of activists targeted Jeremy Corbyn's home by using a bike lock on a fence and then gluing themselves together.

Extinction Rebellion's ultimate goal is to slash global greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025 and to end biodiversity loss, steps that have won the backing of left-leaning politicians across the world.

The British government is currently eyeing a 2050 target date, which it says can be achieved without causing substantial economic damage and at a relatively low cost.
The microscopic remains of political prisoners executed by the Nazis will be buried in Berlin more than 70 years after the Second World War.

The 300 tissue samples, which are a hundredth of a millimetre thin and around one by one centimetre large, were uncovered by the descendants of the late Hermann Stieve, an anatomist who worked on the bodies of Third Reich opponents.

Professor Andreas Winkelmann, who had been tasked to determine the origin of the samples, said: 'Such small tissue samples are usually not deemed worthy of burial.

Professor Andreas Winkelmann (pictured standing next to a poster from 1926 detailing the human body as an 'Industry Palace', in his office in Neuruppin, Germany, on April 30) has been tasked with finding the origin of 300 microscopic tissue samples from Nazi victims

'But this is a special story, because they came from people who were actively denied graves so that their relatives would not know where they are buried.'

A ceremony will be held on Monday with descendants of the Nazi victims expected to attend, before the remains are finally laid to rest at the Dorotheenstadt cemetery in central Berlin.

The samples were found by relatives of the late Hermann Stieve (pictured), an anatomist who worked on the bodies of Third Reich opponents

The site had been picked as there are many graves and memorials for the victims of Nazism there, said Johannes Tuchel, director of the German Resistance Memorial Centre, which is organising the special event along with Berlin's university hospital Charite.

Tuchel said a decision was made to bury the specimens as they are 'the last remains of people who were victims of the Nazi unjust justice system'.

'They were denied a grave at that time, and so today, a burial is a matter of course.'

A plaque will also be put up to explain the find.

More than 2,800 people held at Berlin-Ploetzensee prison were put to the guillotine or hanged between 1933 and 1945 - and most were then sent for dissection at the Berlin Institute of Anatomy.

Most of the 300 specimens found in Stieve's estate stemmed from women, said the plaque, which would not list the names of individual victims at the request of relatives.

Prof Winkelmann, who had done extensive research into Stieve and his controversial experiments, said it was unclear how many individuals' remains were included in the batch of specimens.

Some 20 specimens came with names, others only numbers.

Prof Winkelmann (pictured) said: 'Such small tissue samples are usually not deemed worthy of burial. But this is a special story, because they came from people who were actively denied graves so that their relatives would not know where they are buried'

The clues have however helped draw a firm link with the Ploetzensee victims.

Crucially for the history books, the specimens each set on two by seven centimetre glass plates provided rare concrete proof that prisoners' bodies were sent for dissection.

Stieve was the director from 1935 to 1952 of the Berlin Institute of Anatomy, where he carried out his controversial research on the female reproductive system.

Some of his scientific insights derived from histological probes on the genital organs of executed women.

Among those executed at Ploetzensee were 42 resistance fighters from the Berlin group Red Orchestra.

Stieve is believed to have dissected at least 13 of 18 female Red Orchestra fighters executed.

He has done extensive research into the late Hermann Stieve, an anatomist who worked on the bodies of Third Reich opponents. His descendants found the tissues. Prof Winkelmann said it was unclear how many individuals' remains were included in the batch of specimens. A ceremony will be held on Monday where the remains will finally be laid to rest at the Dorotheenstadt cemetery in central Berlin

He was never charged with a crime and continued his career after the war like many other scientists who collaborated with the Nazis.

Only the highest-ranking physicians under the Third Reich were prosecuted at Nuremberg in the so-called Doctors' trial for grotesque human experimentation and mass murder under the 'euthanasia' programme.

Prof Winkelmann said it was particularly 'objectionable' that while Stieve did not directly experiment on live victims, he was examining the physical impact of fear experienced by the women sitting on death row.

'That's of course very cold-hearted and turned these people into mere objects,' said Prof Winkelmann.

'The Nazi justice system found that interesting for them, not because they wanted to back Stieve's research, but because it was a way to humiliate the victims once again,' Prof Winkelmann said.

'First, by sending them to anatomy - something that not everyone wants... and it was also a way to deny the victims a grave.'

Adolf Hitler's regime sought to dump the remains in unmarked mass graves because it did not want sites where relatives could mourn the victims, and from where political demonstrations could ensue.

While Monday's burial may finally provide a form of closure to relatives of victims, Prof Winkelmann said 'there are still open questions that haven't been answered about Hermann Stieve and how he went about his research'.

'I don't want to close this chapter, because the future generations need to be informed about what happened there and why we think it was wrong. All that is relevant for the future.'
A baby in China has been saved after her teenage mother abandoned her in a stinky ditch with her umbilical cord and placenta still attached.

The newborn child was found this week covered with flies and fly eggs as she was left to die in the rubbish-laden channel, said doctors in Jiangyou city.

She was also said to have a small bleeding hole on her head with her skull visible. The cause of the wound remains unknown.

The baby was found in a stinky trench in Jiangyou by a sanitation worker on Wednesday (left). The worker and another passerby called the police, who rushed to save the tiny girl (right)

The tiny girl, deserted hours after she was born, was in critical condition upon discovery. She had a weak pulse and her skin had turned blue when a cleaner spotted her.

The sanitation worker discovered the baby in the town of Hanzeng Wednesday afternoon.

The worker and another passerby called the police, who rushed to the scene to remove the baby from the trench.

Doctors from a nearby hospital were called to the scene by police to provide first aid to the child. She was then taken to a larger hospital in the city.

The girl weighed 2.1 kilograms (4lb 10oz) and had been born for less than 24 hours, according to a statement from Jiangyou People's Hospital which is treating the child.

Dr Liu Haixia, a paediatrician, said the baby's pulse was extremely weak and her whole body felt cold when she was sent to the hospital.

Dr Liu said the hole on the baby's head was small - about 0.3 centimetres wide - but blood kept coming out. In addition, her face, ear canals, nostrils and hair was full of fly eggs.

The baby's condition has stablised and she is receiving further treatment in intensive care unit

The newborn was taken to the Jiangyou People's Hospital for emergency treatment. Dr Doctors said the baby's pulse was extremely weak and her whole body felt cold when she arrived

The hospital formed a team of six doctors to give the baby emergency treatment which lasted into the wee hours of Thursday.

Jiangyou police have detained two people in relation to the incident: the baby's 17-year-old mother Li and Li's 46-year-old mother Zhang.

Li and Zhang have admitted to the abandonment, according to a police statement. Further investigation is under way.

The baby's condition has stablised, according to the hospital.

She is receiving further treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

According to latest statistics, around 100,000 babies are abandoned in China every year - an equivalent to more than 270 a day.

Under the Chinese criminal law, any parents who desert their children can be imprisoned for up to five years.

However in reality few of them are given punishment by the police due to a lack of law enforcement.
Denmark has ranked as one of the least feminist countries in the western world following a global poll of 23 countries.

The Scandinavian nation, which is deemed by people as a leading force in equal rights, has surprised many after it was revealed that a mere one in six Danes believed themselves to be a feminist.

The study of more than 25,000 people also showed that a third of Danes also believed that wolf-whistling at women was acceptable.

A global study shows that Denmark ranks as one of the least feminist countries in the western world

The project, conducted by the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project in partnership with The Guardian, also found the country fell behind Italy and Spain, countries believed to be lagging behind Denmark in terms of gender equality, when it came to identifying as a feminist.

It also found that only two in five people within the country supported the #MeToo movement.

Accountant and Danish citizen Helene Frost Hansen, 37, told The Guardian: 'Its a difficult question. What is a modern feminist? I dont want to be equal in all senses.'

Ms Hansen also stated that she did not believe all forms of wolf-whistling were unacceptable.

She added: 'I dont mind it so long as its done in a nice way. I see it as a compliment, actually.

'A lot of Danish women say that they would like men to to be more like in southern Europe and tell you how nice you look'.

The study conducted by the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project in partnership with The Guardian looked at the data from more than 25,000 people

The results come three years after the country's equality minister Karen Ellemann said she did not consider herself a feminist

The startling results produced by the international study marks a dramatic contrast to Denmark's neighbour Sweden where 46 per cent of its citizens called themselves feminists.

The study's results come three years after the country's equality minister and member of the party Venstre, Karen Ellemann, stated that she did not call herself a feminist.

Professor of Communication Studies at Roskilde University Rikke Andreassen told The Guardian the reason low-level sexual harassment is deemed acceptable in Denmark is due to society believing it is well meant.

The annual YouGov study, which was analysed by journalists at The Guardian, aimed to look at populist attitudes in the realm of politics , democracy, food, travel and technology.

This is not the first time the country's stance on female equality has fallen under scrutiny.

In 2014, a study conducted by the Fundamental Rights Agency, found that 47 per cent of Danish women had suffered violence since the age of 15.

The poll, which analysed the data from 42,000 women across 28 EU member states found that Denmark, Finland and Sweden, the three countries seen by many as a leading force in gender equality, actually ranked the highest in terms of violence against women in the developed world.
Australia is suffering a shortage of measles vaccines, it emerged on Friday.

Supplier GlaxoSmithKline has told the Federal Government there was a shortage of supply because stocks were being sent to other countries in greater need.

Experts have said the shortage is 'concerning' because more than 100 Australians have been infected already this year - making it the second worst year for measles reports since 1997.

'Australia is at the end of a very long supply chain, so stocks may have been diverted to areas of greatest need,' Dr Richard Kidd from the Australian Medical Association of Queensland told the ABC.

Australia is undergoing a shortage of measles vaccines following a large outbreak in 2019

GSK is the primary supplier of measles vaccines Priorix Tetra and Priorix.

The vaccines have now been listed on the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) critical shortages list.

The shortage is expected to drag on until October.

Doctors across the country have been unable to restock their vaccines and have been forced to ration the scarce supply.

SmartClinics medical centre in Brisbane's CBD only has 16 vials left.

Dr Kidd says about half of the adult population may not have been vaccinated.

The health department has been urging Australians to check if they have been immunised or not, especially those born between 1966 and 1994.

Free vaccines are available for people born during or after 1996 and who haven't already had two injections.

'Obviously everyone gets concerned about young children, but older children and adults who get measles can get very, very sick and some people die,' Mr Kidd said.

'Other people are left with lifetime disabilities, so it is a problem for everyone.'

Supplier GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) told the Federal Government there was a shortage supply to the country because stocks were being sent to other countries in need

But Professor Paul Kelly from the Federal Department of Australia said alternative vaccines were available.

'Alternative MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella vaccines) remain available and consumers may wish to discuss alternatives with their doctors,' he said.

Queensland Health confirmed there were no shortages of MMR stocks.
A 14-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and a passion for travelling has refused to let his condition stop him from seeing the world, as he and his family have already visited 30 countries.

Cooper Smith, from Melbourne, suffered complications during his birth, causing him to suffer from brain damage, affecting his mobility and speech.

Cooper now has Dystonic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy and needs a wheelchair to travel around, but the condition has no hindrance on his intellectual ability.

Australian Cooper Smith (pictured with his family in Tallinn, Estonia) suffered complications during his birth, causing him to suffer from brain damage, affecting his mobility and speech

The 14-year-old has refused to let his condition stop him from seeing the world, as he and his family have already visited 30 countries, and around Australia (pictured above on Victoria's Coast)

The family have found themselves on every side of the world, visiting places such as Inida, Mongolia, Sweden, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Cooper's mother, Bronwyn Leeks, credits the family's success in travel to a positive outlook and lots of planning.

'I would never say any trip is impossible as we are pretty set on never saying never,' the 43-year-old said.

'Of course Cooper's wheelchair makes it difficult but honestly it's what we know and what we do so it's just part of the travel.'

While Ms Leeks admits some days are tough, she says the family chooses to 'do things a little differently' and challenge themselves in order to get rewarding results.

'All disabilities are so very different so one person will not have the exact same needs as another,' she explained.

Cooper is an avid foodie and loves to try new foods, especially on his travels (pictured with his dad, Andrew)

The family are all heading to Myanmar on their next globetrotting adventure later this year

'Cooper is in a position where he can walk a little himself and self-transfer so that makes things a lot easier as far as getting on a plane.'

While travelling around a destination is easy for Cooper and his family, they have found that getting there is the hardest part.

'The airline industry needs a lot more training on helping support everyone to access a flight I think, especially the bathrooms,' Ms Leeks said.

'Some people say "I don't know how you do it" to which we reply "why wouldn't we?"'

Cooper now has Dystonic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy and needs a wheelchair to travel around, but the condition has no hindrance on his intellectual ability

The Melbourne-based family have found themselves on every side of the world, visiting places such as Inida, Mongolia, Sweden, New Zealand and Sri Lanka

'Cooper is our child and like his siblings deserves to explore the world. He's a foodie and loves being on holiday, especially in Europe.'

The family wasn't always addicted to travel and it was actually Cooper's condition that ignited their globetrotting.

When Cooper was just 18 months old, the family travelled to Singapore for treatment, and from there the family decided to keep seeing more of the world.

'I think it is essential to step outside your comfort zone. I believe very strongly in showing the kids difference in all forms and challenging ourselves,' Ms Leeks said.

When Cooper was just 18 months old, the family travelled to Singapore for treatment, and from there the family decided to keep seeing more of the world

Cooper's favourite trip so far was taking in Europe, where he visited the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and many more countries on his grand tour

Being both an avid foodie and traveller, Cooper combines his two loves by running a foodie Instagram. He's even modelled for major Australian retailer, Kmart.

Cooper and his family are proof that it's worth taking a jump and going on a grand adventure, no matter how intimidating it can be.

'You can only plan so much so why not just take the chance. It doesn't have to be overseas either it can be an hour down the road as long as you are doing something different,' Ms Leeks said.

In a recent trip to Asia, the family explored seven countries and say they learnt a lot about themselves and how they work together while exploring.

'We stayed in a Mongolian Ger, walked the Great Wall of China, enjoyed night markets in Taiwan, visited flower fields in Japan, and saw orangutans in Borneo,' Cooper's mother said.

Cooper's mother, Bronwyn Leeks, credits the family's success in travel to a positive outlook and lots of planning

Being both an avid foodie and traveller, Cooper combines his two loves by running a foodie Instagram

'I love taking photos of the kids engaging in new surroundings. I like showing people that even though we travel a little differently we have heaps of passion to explore.'

'It's not so much the destination but more the people you will meet, the new experiences, the food, the culture and you'll no doubt learn more about yourself than you would staying at home.'

Despite looking amazing in the photographs, the journey doesn't come without a few speedbumps.

While in China, the family almost lost Cooper's sister, Pepper, 10, when the doors shut behind her on a train, as the rest of her family stood on the platform.

'The doors shut and off she went! No doubt the longest 10 minutes of my life,' Ms Leeks said.

Despite looking amazing in the photographs, the journey doesn't come without a few speedbumps
Advertisement

Incredible images from the end of the First World War show how African-American soldiers stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their white comrades before returning triumphantly home.

However, despite bearing the brunt of some of the hardest fighting of the war, they faced widespread racism when they came back to America.

The remarkable shots, which were taken in around 1918, show rapturous crowds welcoming the all-black Harlem Hellfighters home.

The unit arrived in France to provide support to the 16th Division on the Western Front after the US joined the Great War in April 1917.

Recruited largely out of New York, the legendary, all-black unit spent more time in combat, 191 days, than any other American regiment in the war.

It earned a reputation from its German opponents as fearsome fighters, and was nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters because the regiment 'never lost a man through capture, lost a trench or a foot of ground to the enemy.'

The entire regiment received the Croix de Guerre medal for their 'acts of heroism' in France after it became the first American regiment to cross into Germany over the Rhine.

But despite their courage, sacrifice and dedication to their country, African-American soldiers returned home to face segregation from their fellow countrymen until the Civil Rights Act was signed in 1964, supposedly ending decades of discrimination.

Members of the all-black 379th United States Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters, wave as they return home to New York from the trenches after 191 days of combat in Europe. The decorated regiment was one of the first to arrive in France to provide support to their allies' army on the Western Front after the US joined the Great War in April 1917

Hundreds of soldiers from the 369th United States Infantry regiment perch on a ship and salute as they return home to America after fighting in the trenches in Europe in the First World War. The unit earned a reputation from the Germans as fearsome opponents, and was nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters because the regiment 'never lost a man through capture, lost a trench or a foot of ground to the enemy'

Four soldiers from the famous 369th Infantry, the Harlem Hellfighters, join a parade in uniform in New York City after returning from the Great War in Euope. The entire regiment received the Croix de Guerre medal for their 'acts of heroism' in France after it became the first American regiment to cross into Germany over the Rhine

Proud friends and families of the Harlem Hellfighters wait to watch the all-black infantry unit parade past in New York City. Within months the country joining the Great War in April 1917, over 700,000 black men had enlisted in the US Army

A group of American prisoners in a German prison camp listen attentively as an African-American fighter speaks to a German officer. Despite their courage, sacrifice and dedication to their country, African-American soldiers returned home to still face segregation from their fellow countrymen until the Civil Rights Act was signed in 1964

Dozens of Harlem Hellfighters parade on Fifth Avenue In New York City in full uniform and holding their rifles after returning home from the Great War in Europe. African-American recruits were told they would not be eligible to serve with the Marines when American joined the war effort in 1917. There were also very limited roles available for black men in the Navy

Salvation Army volunteers hand out sweets to returned African American soldiers. In the First World War, African American soldiers were able to rise to the ranks of officer and captains - but only after segregated camps were established

American soldiers getting their bowls of chocolate and bread rolls in the American Red Cross canteen at Toulouse. The canteen in France provided meals for those in service in and around the city. It was directed by Miss Matilda Spence and men who volunteered to help her prepare the food

An officer entertains his comrades in the American Red Cross recreation hut in Orleans, France. During the early years of World War 1, the American Red Cross struggled to send aid, support and supplies to troops as America had not yet joined the allies in their efforts. But as soon as the US declared war in April 1917, those in the country rushed to lend a hand

An American Red Cross Home Service official gives comfort and reassurance to American soldiers who are anxious about the welfare of their families at home. The chapter-based Home Service provided communication between troops and their families, financial aid, and information and guidance regarding such things as government assistance programs and military regulations
The pro-vice chancellor of Cambridge University has claimed that black students aren't applying for places at the prestigious institution due to a lack of 'specialist Afro-Caribbean hairdressers in the city'.

Professor Graham Virgo cited the 'unexpected' research findings during an event at King's College, Cambridge, and stated that this was one of the barriers from stopping black students applying.

It comes as the founder of a programme to assist black student applying to Oxford or Cambridge, Naomi Kellman, said it's a problem that 'comes up frequently'.

Speaking at an event, Prof Virgo, who is also a QC and expert in criminal law said: 'We have been doing some quite detailed research, particularly with black students, particularly in London, looking at obstacles to applying to Cambridge and thinking about Cambridge. And number three on the list was hairdressers.

Black students are said not to be applying for places at Cambridge (above) due to a lack of hairdressers in the area

He added that the revelation sent a 'really important' message to the university.

The research surveyed some Cambridge undergraduates and sixth form students and was carried out ahead of a new campaign launch to encourage more black students to apply for university, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Prof Virgo said researchers had asked prospective students what the obstacles were in applying to Cambridge.

'The real message was about hairdressers.

'It's unexpected but we need to look at applying to Cambridge from their eyes. For those students this is their concern. Really being able to engage with these perceptions enables us to say 'how are we going to respond to that?'

Other concerns included whether or not students would fit in and if they would have enough money.

The comments were made at a panel discussion on Wednesday evening.

It comes as universities face more pressure from regulators to admit more students from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds.

Figures from last year showed that six of Cambridge's colleges had admitted fewer than ten black British students in five years.

At the time the university said that it could not change diversity on its own, and called upon ethnic minorities to apply.

Experts said if you are from a majority group - you assumed you will be catered for (stock image of woman getting her hair cut)

Naomi Kellman, founder of Target Oxbridge, a programme to assist black students with Oxford and Cambridge applications, said if you are from a majority group you assume you will be catered for.

'Anywhere in the country can manage your hair.

'But if you have afro hair, the expertise is needed. Things that are really basic and simple become quite a big challenge.'

Other concerns include what the night life and food will be like.

Cambridge has a handful of hairdressers including several claiming to specialist in 'Afro and European hair care'.

Dr Tony Sewell, CEO of Generating Genius, shunned the research and said a lack of hairdressers was not the reason black students were not applying.

Dr Sewell who runs the charity which encourages those from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue STEM subjects said: 'It may be another lame excuse - kids need to get more resilient and get with it.

'As a minority, you will have to be confronting a situation where you are the only one. You have to face that and learn how to adapt to that. That's the key issue.'

A spokesperson for Cambridge University said: ''Academic considerations are the main reason potential students tend to apply to Cambridge but, of course, everyday issues are also important when picking a university.

'It's important that we do what we can to dispel misperceptions that can act as a barrier to applications from people from under-represented groups.'
Brussels Eurocrat Guy Verhofstadt insisted he was not responsible for foreign interference in the European elections as he campaigned for the Liberal Democrats today.

The European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator and former Belgian prime minister, a vocal critic of Brexit, joined leader Sir Vince Cable in London saying the party offered an 'alternative to nationalism'.

He said he was 'a Lib Dem and and backing the party because it opposed Brexit, predicting a Remain surge in the May 23 elections.

Mr Verhofstadt said: 'I think it's important to show that the European liberals and democrats support Vince Cable.

'Support the Lib Dems in this difficult fight in Britain, in these European elections.

'Secondly, we want to show by coming here a message to the continent to say never repeat Brexit again.

'I'm a Lib Dem. It's natural that people are looking to the Lib Dems when it comes to European elections.

Mr Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator and former Belgian prime minister, said: 'What I think is there will be a huge support for Remain'

Sir Vince and Mr Verhofstadt canvassing in Camden, north London, at the home of Marc Vlessing (centre)

'We want to be the alternative for nationalism and popularism.

'What I think is there will be a huge support for Remain.

'I'm not here as a Brexit negotiator, I'm here as the leader of the liberals and democrats for Europe.'

Asked if his presence could be seen as foreign interference, Mr Verhofstadt said: 'This is Europe. Europe, it's all Europe.'

Sir Vince said his party was standing up 'to the ugly populism that is now happening' as it campaigned ahead of the May 23 Euro poll.

'We are fighting nationalism, he said.

'We are patriotic people in our different countries, but we are fighting nationalism.'

The Remainer party has chosen the blunt title of B*llocks to Brexit for its European manifesto, with an alternative of Stop Brexit for voters with more refined sensibilities.

Sir Vince with campaign leaflets featuring its blunt 'B*llocks to Brexit' slogan - a popular Remainer taunt

At the manifesto launch in London's Shoreditch last night, Sir Vince joked one prospective voter had fainted in shock, while a radio interviewer said he was risking his Ofcom licence for broadcasting indecencies.

Following last week's local elections, the Lib Dems are looking to capitalise on their success by hammering home their anti-Brexit stance and commitment to tackling climate change.

Sir Vince, who turned 76 on Thursday, was greeted with a rousing round of Happy Birthday as he took to the podium.

He told supporters: 'We've had our joke. This is the real story. We mustn't lose sight of that very clear, simple, unambiguous, honest message  that's what's driving our campaign.'
Shocked police inadvertently found almost $1million hidden in a rental car after they pulled a driver over for a random traffic stop.

Officers in Broken Hill, in the far west of New South Wales, ordered a 52-year-old man in a rented ute to pull over at 3.30am on Friday.

The man looked nervous so police decided to search the car.

New South Wales police have inadvertently uncovered almost $1million (pictured) stashed in the fuel tank of a car

The officers found what they believe is an ice pipe so continued the search.

Their suspicions were raised yet again when they spotted a fuel storage tank on the traytop of the Toyota Landriver which has a capacity of 400 litres but was only three quarters full.

Police seized the ute and the fuel tank was taken to a local machinery dealer who drained the fuel allegedly revealing a false bottom in the tank.

A steel box was found inside the tank allegedly containing $947,000 cash that was sealed in cryovac bags.

Suspicions were raised when police spotted a fuel storage tank on the traytop of the Toyota Landriver (pictured) which a capacity of 400 litres but was only three quarters full

The driver was taken to Broken Hill Police Station was charged with deal in proceeds of crime and goods in custody.

Specially trained police officers patrol the Barrier Highway because of the large number of criminals who use the route to transport drugs between states.

The route is so renowned for drugs it's been dubbed as 'the ice highway'.

A NSW police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia officers were still investigating the source of the money.

The spokesperson was unable to confirm if the money was drug related.

The man was refused bail and will appear in Broken Hill Bail Court on Saturday.
Human rights lawyers say convicted criminals should not be sent back to Jamaica after at least five men deported from Britain were murdered when they returned.

The men, who have convictions for violence and drug related offences, have been killed on the Caribbean island over the past year.

The Home Office has been accused of 'breaching human rights' over the deportations, because their lives 'may be in danger.'

Legal experts say the government is flouting strict rules which bans deportations to countries with a high level of violent crime.

Jamaica currently has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Last year there were 1,287 murders in the country, about 47 per 100,000 population. In the UK there were contrast, there were 726 homicides in the UK  12 per million of the population.

Owen Clarke (left) a convicted drug dealer and Alphonso Harriott, right, who was murdered in March

The Guardian reports that they have 'verified' the deaths of five men and have been told of other returnees who also fear for their lives.

Naga Kandiah, a public law solicitor at MTC & Co which deals with many Jamaican deportation cases said the government's human rights obligations were not dependent on past behaviour.

He told The Guardian: 'The Home Office's own guidance recognises the high level of crime there due to organised gangs.

'Nobody is saying that these men had not committed crimes, but it is a clear breach of human rights legislation to send them back to a country where their life could be in serious danger.'

Jamaica currently has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Pictured: Armed police on the streets in Kingston, the country's capital

Gracie Bradley, the policy and campaigns manager at the human rights organisation Liberty, told the newspaper: 'It is incredibly disturbing that the government continues to pursue deportations at the expense of its human rights obligations.

'These worrying incidents further highlight why the practice of deportation post-conviction is a discriminatory form of double punishment that should be scrapped.'

A spokeswoman for the End Deportations campaign group told The Guardian: 'These deportations must be stopped immediately before more lives are lost.'

The claims could increase pressure on the government to justify why they resumed deportation flights to Jamaica in February.

They were suspended at the height of the Windrush scandal, when thousands who had arrived in the UK from the Caribbean as part of the 'Windrush generation' were told they were here illegally, despite having lived and worked here for decades.

The men identified by the Guardian include Owen Clarke, 62, who was shot and killed by armed men on 23 February.

He had been convicted of dealing drugs in Britain and was said to be the leader of the British Link-Up Crew, a dancehall events business in the UK and Jamaica, which was allegedly a front for drug smuggling.

Dewayne Robinson, 37, known as Little Wicked, was murdered on 4 March 2018 and Alphonso Harriott, 56, reportedly part of the same crew as Clarke, was murdered on 29 March.

Paul Mitchell, 50, was fatally stabbed on 31 December and Hugh Bennett, 48, a shopkeeper, was stabbed to death on 31 December.

The Home Office said in a report last year that Jamaica constabulary force is 'underpaid, poorly trained, understaffed and lacking in resources'.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We only return those with no legal right to remain in the UK, including foreign national offenders. Individuals are only returned to their country of origin when the Home Office and courts deem it is safe to do so.

'Should the Home Office receive any specific allegations that a returnee has experienced ill-treatment on return to their country of origin, these would be investigated in partnership with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.'
A Brazilian man accused of stabbing his wife to death is to be removed from the US by ICE officials when criminal charges against him end.

Ilton Rodrigues, who was living illegally in Stoughton, Massachusetts is accused of stabbing his wife to death in front of their children, 17 and seven.

He is in hospital in Boston because after the alleged attack he attempted to take his own life, being found by officials with a knife still lodged in his chest.

Rodrigues was was ordered held without bail as he was arraigned from his hospital bed for the killing of 43-year-old Telma Bras.

Ilton Rodrigues, who was living illegally in Stoughton, Massachusetts is accused of stabbing his wife to death

The alleged incident took place on Friday in the couple's Stoughton home. Police say neither the couple's 17-year-old daughter nor their seven-year-old son were hurt, but were present.

Rodrigues, 48, is still in the Boston Medical Center intensive care unit, from where he pleaded not guilty to Bras's murder.

Judge Daniel J. O'Malley ordered he be held without bail and he is due back in court June 11 for a probable cause indictment hearing.

Immigration officials said the suspect is Brazilian and that they have lodged an immigration detainer with the Norfolk County House of Corrections.

'ICE will seek his removal pending the outcome of the criminal charges,' said John Mohan, spokesman for the Boston office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Rodrigues's sister in law called police after she received a call that Rodrigues left his brother a voicemail saying he was going to kill his wife, then himself, prosecutors said.

Rodrigues was was ordered held without bail as he was arraigned from his hospital bed for the killing of 43-year-old Telma Bras (pictured)

It was then that police went to the property, finding Bras dead in a pool of blood beside the injured Rodrigues at 11:40pm.

Stoughton police Chief Donna McNamara said it's difficult to imagine what the children 'had to go through.'

She said police were notified after the eldest sibling told a relative of a disturbance between her parents - something police said they were never previously called to the address for previously.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey told the Herald on Saturday that the children were there, adding that the death 'is the most tragic of results', especially for the children.

The killing, for which the motive is still unclear, is being investigated by Stoughton police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Norfolk DAs Office and other troopers.
A missing woman who has not been seen for three days after setting out to climb one of the tallest mountains in Australia has sparked a desperate search effort.

Perth woman Lorjie Tonguia Bautista, 38, was last seen by herself when she left to climb Bluff Knoll in WA's Stirling Ranges at 4am on Tuesday.

There are 'grave concerns' for her as police and the State Emergency Service (SES) scour the wilderness that experienced freezing temperatures on Friday.

Perth woman Lorjie Tonguia Bautista (pictured), 38, was last seen by herself when she left to climb Bluff Knoll in WA's Stirling Ranges at 4am on Tuesday

There are 'grave concerns' for her as police (pictured) and the State Emergency Service (SES) scour the wilderness that experienced freezing temperatures on Friday

Ms Bautista told her family she was going to climb Bluff Knoll during her time off work.

She checked out of Stirling Range Retreat where she was staying early on Tuesday.

A retreat employee found her unattended Subaru hatchback at the Bluff Knoll car park after Ms Bautista's concerned husband called them.

A police helicopter using thermal imaging, civilian aircraft, dozens of police officers and SES volunteers and a tracker dog are scouring the cold wilderness for her.

Great Southern Police Senior Inspector Alex Ryan said they 'have grave concerns for her welfare'.

'Overnight temperatures are pretty low so we're concerned about that in relation to her welfare,' he said to The West Australian.

'But the terrain is particularly difficult. It's precipitous and very hard to search.'

They have also set up 'defined search areas' from the top of the mountain to the bottom that are being combed on foot.

Ms Bautista (pictured) told her family she was going to climb Bluff Knoll during her time off work. Her concerned husband called the retreat to investigate

'Our search at Bluff Knoll is continuing. The following photo shows the terrain being searched,' WA Police captioned the photo on Facebook

Bluff Knoll is one of the few places with regular snowfall in Western Australia.

A temperature of -0.5C was recorded at the Stirling South weather station at the base of the mountain at 6am on Friday.

The peak of the mountain would have been much colder because of the higher altitude and wind-chill factor.

It is the highest peak of the Stirling Ranges in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

At 1,099 metres tall, it is the 13th tallest peak in all of Australia.

Ms Bautista checked out of Stirling Range Retreat (pictured) where she was staying early on Tuesday. A retreat employee found her unattended car

Bluff Knoll is one of the few places with regular snowfall in Western Australia. A temperature of -0.5C was recorded at the Stirling South weather station at 6am on Friday

Ms Bautista has a slim build, is 157cm tall and has olive skin with black hair.

She was last seen wearing a grey jumper, black jacket, blue jeans and red and black runners.

Anyone with information of her whereabouts should contact police on 131 444.
William Cornick, then 15, stabbed his teacher Ann Maguire to death during a Spanish lesson at his school in Leeds in 2014

A schoolboy who murdered his Spanish teacher told a psychologist he 'couldn't gave a s***' about her death when he was questioned after the killing.

William Cornick shocked the nation when he stabbed his teacher Ann Maguire to death at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds during a Spanish class in April 2014.

A new documentary examining the case has uncovered details of a psychiatric assessment of the then-15-year-old, which was carried out after the murder.

It shows the teen had no concerns about the devastation the crime caused Mrs Maguire's family and, if anything, he was proud of his actions.

Dr John Kent, who carried out the assessment, said: 'In general he made some very derogatory comments saying things like "I couldn't give a s***".

'But one comment that was very notable, he said "I know the victim's family will be upset but I don't care. In my eyes, everything I've done is fine and dandy".'

The programme, Britain's Deadliest Kids which is set to air on Quest Red tomorrow night, also looks at the warning signs of Cornick's murderous plans.

Cornick showed no remorse for Mrs Maguire's family (pictured, right, after her death)

Dr Kent added: 'In December 2013, Will Cornick posted to a friend that he had thought of brutally killing Mrs Maguire and that he would then say he heard voices in order to get eventually what he described as "comfy walls".

'In fact, he later did assert that he was hearing voices.

'I thought that he was probably using those expressions as a way of trying to manage the court process.'

In 2014, Cornick was ordered to serve a minimum of 20 years for murdering Mrs Maguire, 61, and warned him he might never be released because he is so dangerous.

It emerged after the killing that Cornick had planned the murder for as long as three years.

In one Facebook message he told a friend the teacher 'deserved more than death, more than pain'.

Dr John Kent (left), who carried out Cornick's assessment after the attack, said Cornick didn't appear to care about the impact of his crime. Psychologist Keri Nixon said Cornick didn't fit the usual profile of child killers

Just two months before the killing, he said Mrs Maguire must die because she had banned him from a bowling trip.

Dr Keri Nixon, a consultant forensic psychologist who appeared in the new documentary, said Cornick didn't fit the profile of most child killers.

Speaking to MailOnline ahead of the show's broadcast, she said: 'As a forensic psychologist, I can honestly say that the majority of murderers or violent offenders that I've worked with, whether that's young people or adults, have got that history of dysfunctional and chaotic lifestyles.

'There were some dark sides of his personality, but it's easy for us to unpick that with hindsight.'

Dr Nixon suggested that, had Cornick come from a dysfunctional family and had previous convictions, people may have taken his threats to kill his teacher more seriously.

'I think people thought his disturbing behaviour was just him being a bit bizarre, a bit dark,' she said.

Dr Nixon added: 'There was evidence of personality disorder and psychopathic traits, although you can't diagnose somebody at that age because he's far too young. But some of his behaviour was evidencing of that.

'People talked about him being a loner, a bit odd, but didn't consider him a genuine threat because he didn't have those risk factors, so I think there's a bit of confirmation bias going on.'

She said 'bystander apathy' also came into play, with people presuming someone else would raise concern about the violent threats he was making.

'Nobody takes on the responsibility for reporting it themselves because they assume somebody else is doing it,' she explained.

'I think also, we'd be quite surprised and troubled if we could hear a lot of the conversations that go on between adolescents, especially on social media. I think a lot of adolescents make some quite throwaway comments and threats, but they don't take each other seriously.'

Britains Deadliest Kids premieres at 10pm on Saturday 11 May on Quest Red.
Remarkable images of a sea eagle clutching a lamb in its talons in Scotland have prompted fears the giant birds will attack pets when they are introduced to the Isle of Wight later this year.

The amazing moment was captured on the Isle of Mull last month by amateur photographer Douglas Currie, 74, from Loanhead, Midlothian, while on holiday with his wife.

But after the photos emerged, the chief executive of the National Sheep Association said they 'proved' that the plan to release 60 of the birds on the Isle of Wight this summer was 'madness'.

Remarkable images show a sea eagle carrying off a lamb it is believed to have seized from a nearby field

The amazing scenes were captured on the Isle of Mull last month by amateur photographer Douglas Currie, 74, from Loanhead, MIdlothian, who was on holiday there with his wife

'This photograph proves our point,' Phil Stocker told the Telegraph.

'I would think there is also a danger to people's pets - cats and dogs and so on. It really is ridiculous,' he added.

Mr Currie and his wife saw the bird when they visited Duart Castle, near the coast of the Isle of Mull.

The couple spotted the sea eagle carrying what they initially thought was a huge fish.

But as it flew closer to Mr Currie, he realised that it was actually carrying a lifeless lamb.

The images make plain the massive wing span of the bird as it glides through the air clutching the lamb in its talons.

Mr Currie said: 'We saw this big shape through the sky and my wife thought it was a fish.

After they visited Duart Castle, near the coast of the island, the couple spotted the sea eagle carrying what the couple initially thought was a huge fish

As it flew closer to Mr Currie, he realised that the bird was actually carrying a lifeless lamb. The images make plain the massive wing span of the bird as it glides through the air clutching the lamb in its talons

'We then realised it was a lamb and I rattled off a load of shots.

'The bird was struggling. It's the most extraordinary sight I've had so far.'

Mr Currie said the authorities have been in touch regarding his pictures, which will reignite the row about the reintroduction of sea eagles.

He said: 'Farmers and the RSPB on Mull have been in touch. They are trying to divert the eagles away from lambs and trying to get them to take fish instead.

'Golden eagles take lambs all the time but nobody seems to bother until the sea eagles swoop in.

'Their nest is about the size of a double bed and two chicks were in it so they will be feeding well.'

Farmers have vented their fury at the presence of the sea eagles, re-introduced in Scotland in the 1970s.

The images make plain the massive wing span of the bird as it glides through the air clutching the lamb in its talons

Mr Currie said: 'We saw this big shape through the sky and my wife thought it was a fish. We then realised it was a lamb and I rattled off a load of shots'

There are an estimated 130 breeding pairs of the giant raptors in the west of Scotland but the population is predicted to soar to 700 pairs by 2040.

A crofter on Skye told the Farmers Guardian about his concerns for animals such as lambs.

Alastair Culbertson said: 'We can lamb in parks near the house to protect young lambs but as soon as they are turned out on the open hill they and their mother become targets.'

Mr Currie, pictured, said the bird was 'struggling' to fly away with the lamb. 'It was the most extraordinary sight I've had so far,' he added

An RSPB spokesman responded by saying: 'A plan for resolving local concerns in some areas about sea eagle interactions with livestock has been developed by the Scottish Natural Heritage and we are committed to working along with other partners to implement this programme.'

Despite the ability of sea eagles to prey on lambs, Natural England announced earlier this year that 60 of the birds would be released over a five-year period on the Isle of Wight this summer.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is concerned that there will be no compensation or protection for farmers whose stock has been killed, injured or taken by the birds.

Mr Stocker said at the time: 'These birds are a top-of-the-food-chain predator whose behaviour will adapt relating to food needs and availability.

'With wingspans reaching 6ft, we will see them taking livestock and other domestic animals.

'We will have consciously taken a decision that contradicts our interests in improving animal welfare and avoiding suffering.'

Mr Currie had visited Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland

But a Natural England spokesman said: 'We have carefully examined the potential risk of lamb predation.

'There is no evidence of this becoming a problem where the eagles live alongside lowland sheep farming in Europe.

'However, we will ensure that the applicant puts in place clear routes to identify and manage any unexpected issues that might arise.
A daredevil trainspotting duo who risked their lives by setting up tripods inches from rail tracks to get the perfect snap of the iconic Flying Scotsman are at the centre of a police hunt today.

An image of an elderly man and a woman as they wait to photograph the 96-year-old train near Elford, Staffordshire, has been released by British Transport Police.

Police are warning those who try to get close to the famous locomotive they could face a 1000 fine or a jail sentence.

An image of an elderly man and a woman as they wait to photograph the Flying Scotsman near Elford, Staffordshire, has been released by British Transport Police

The trainspotters were seen on Sunday, May 5, with tripods next to a line where passenger trains travel up to 125mph.

And train drivers took to Twitter after the picture was released to share their own experience of dealing with trainspotters.

One described driving a train past where the Flying Scotsman was expected as 'probably the most stressful experience I have ever had to endure in nearly ten years on the railway.'

The Flying Scotsman is hauled by fellow steam locomotive Mayflower as they leave Metheringham station in Lincolnshire on their journey from London to York

Another added: 'I have no doubt that it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed in the pursuit of photographing the Flying Scotsman.

'If a person trespassed at Heathrow and stood next to a runway to take pictures, the airport would be closed, the planes diverted and they would be arrested.

'If a person set up their tripod on a motorway, traffic would stop and the person would be arrested.'

Hundreds of trainspotters were left frustrated when a view of the famous Flying Scotsman steam train was blocked by a regular train pulling into a station at the same time

Some eight passenger trains were at a standstill when the Flying Scotsman, which is touring the UK, passed through the midlands on Sunday.

A total of 56 train services were disrupted by trainspotters trespassing on the railway - causing more than 16 hours worth of delays.

Chief Inspector Gareth Davies from British Transport Police said: 'It is extremely disappointing that a small minority of rail enthusiasts put their lives in grave danger in an attempt to take photos of the Flying Scotsman.

The Flying Scotsman steam train crosses the Forth Bridge on its way from Edinburgh to Inverness

'Quite frankly, they should know better and we are today sending a strong message that this will not be tolerated.

'We're making a number of urgent enquiries to identify those who trespassed on the tracks, I would therefore ask anyone with information to get in touch.

'The railway is an extremely hazardous environment, trespassing could result in serious injury or even death.

'In order to prevent further incidents, we're stepping up our patrols when the Flying Scotsman is out on the rail network - those caught trespassing or obstructing trains can expect to be prosecuted.'

The Flying Scotsman loco steams past Durham Cathedral yesterday on its way to Edinburgh as part of the Highlands & Islands Explorer trip

There are more than 250 incidents of people 'messing about on the railway' every week, according to figures released this week by the British Transport Police.

This includes people taking short cuts, capturing photos and even 'train surfing'.

And children under the age of 18 are responsible for a third of all cases.

But it remains unlikely that famous trains would ever be banned from the tracks in order to deter trespassing trainspotters.

A BTP spokesman said: 'A small minority of illegal railway trespassers should not spoil the fun for the vast majority who safely view and enjoy heritage railway locomotives.

The Flying Scotsman locomotive crosses Holes Bay in Poole after completing its operating run on the South Coast

'Where offences do occur, British Transport Police will work closely with Network Rail and Train Operating Companies to identify perpetrators and ensure they are brought before the courts and handed appropriate sentences.'

Anyone who recognises the man and woman with tripods is asked to contact BTP by sending a text to 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40.

If anyone witnesses a trespass incident, they are advised to call the police immediately on 999.
Alexander Philo-Steele, 35, who lived with his mother in a flat in Earls Court, West London, targeted three children aged between six and seven from 2003 to 2018

A paedophile who called himself 'The Peter Pan Nanny' sexually abused three children but could have dozens of other victims.

Alexander Philo-Steele, 35, who lived with his mother in a flat in Earls Court, West London, targeted three children aged between six and seven from 2003 to 2018.

During his trial he claimed to have looked after 100 children but refused to name the families, sparking concern some victims may not have come forward.

He was found guilty by unanimous verdicts of a series of sustained sexual attacks on children following a seven week trial.

Using the website www.governorandnanny.com he marketed himself as Peter Pan Nanny, after his boyhood obsession with the book.

He hid his previous arrests and charges for indecent assault of a six and a seven-year old boy in 2003 and 2016, a jury at Kingston Crown Court heard.

In 2003 Philo-Steele befriended a six-year-old boy at friends birthday party before taking him back to his flat where he sexually abused him.

The matter was discontinued by the CPS in 2003 - due to insufficient evidence - but re-opened in 2018, in the wake of further complaints made by other children.

When he was on bail in 2017 for further allegations of child abuse he befriended a single mother of four to abuse her sons aged six and seven.

A sentencing date is yet to be fixed but the judge has asked for a psychiatric report.

And sentencing is expected to take place in July.

He hid his previous arrests and charges for indecent assault of a six and a seven-year old boy in 2003 and 2016, a jury at Kingston Crown Court heard

Philo-Steele, of Earls Court, West London, was convicted unanimously of seven counts of sexual assault on a child under 13, and of two assaults by penetration of a child under 13.

He is also facing jail for one attempted indecent assault and a count of indecent assault.

He was cleared of making of a single indecent image.

Detective Constable Rachel Davison, who investigated the case, said: Philo-Steele showed no remorse throughout this trial and in fact blamed the parents and authorities for influencing the children.

I want to pay particular tribute to the childrens mothers who provided evidence at court and demonstrated great courage throughout the proceedings.

Their evidence has ensured that this man will no longer be able to work with and harm children.

I am also grateful to the jury for their careful consideration of this case; they have clearly seen through Philo-Steeles lies and instead heard the voice of all those children abused by him.

We hope this case encourages anyone else who may have been a victim of Philo-Steele to come forward and speak to us.
Police are 'extremely keen' to speak to a man following a series of sex attacks in north-west London.

Three women were separately approached from behind and sexually assaulted in Brent on the evening of March 6, Scotland Yard said.

They were walking alone in the Neasden/Dollis Hill area between 7.30pm and 10.45pm, and a fourth incident was reported in the same location around 1am on March 24.

Detectives want to speak to this man in connection with a string of sexual assaults on women in the Neasden/Dollis Hill area of north west London. He is described as being 25-35 and of Asian or Mediterranean appearance

Detectives are keeping an 'open mind' as to whether the incidents are linked.

The Metropolitan Police have released a photograph of a man they wish to speak to, believed to be 25-35 years old.

He is of Asian or Mediterranean appearance, of medium build and was wearing a dark bomber jacket, dark trousers and a black hat at the time of the attacks.

Detective sergeant Steve Sussex, who has been leading the investigation, said: 'While we are keeping an open mind as to whether these assaults are linked, we are extremely keen to speak to the man identified in these images.

'We would encourage women to be vigilant when walking home in the evenings and where possible to stick to well-lit areas.

'We are working tirelessly to catch the perpetrator/s of these attacks and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us.'

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A man in south-east China has been arrested for stabbing a 10-year-old boy to death after the child argued with his daughter at school.

The father, identified as 41-year-old Wang, was arrested at the scene after the incident at Shangrao City No. 5 Primary School in Jiangxi province today, police said.

Armed with a fruit knife, the man went to the school looking for the boy shortly after 9am local time. After being stabbed, the student was rushed to hospital, where he died from his injuries.

The father, identified by 41-year-old Wang, was arrested at the scene after the incident at Shangrao City No. 5 Primary School (pictured) in Jiangxi province today, police said

Teachers at the school immediately called police after the boy was injured and the man did not leave the campus, according to reports.

'Following preliminary investigations, suspect Wang is a parent at the school. Due to a dispute between his child and the victim, Liu, Wang stabbed Liu with a knife,' the Xinzhou district police said in a statement on Weibo.

Wang has been detained by police and the incident is under investigation, it added.

A staff at the Shangrao People's Hospital told The Paper that the boy was not breathing when paramedics arrived at the school.

A staff at the Shangrao People's Hospital told The Paper that the boy was not breathing when paramedics arrived at the school. Shangrao city is pictured above

A similar incident occurred in September when a 36-year-old man in Ruian, Zhejiang province stabbed his daughter's classmate, a 10-year-old boy (above), to death at school

The boy was stabbed with a fruit knife by his classmate's father, the staff member said.

A spokesperson for the Shangrao Education Bureau told reporters that a special team has been set up to investigate the matter.

A similar incident occurred in September when a 36-year-old man in Ruian, Zhejiang province stabbed his daughter's classmate to death at school.

The 10-year-old boy, surnamed Ye, had hit his daughter in the eye two days earlier in class, prompting the father to seek revenge.
This is the heartbreaking moment a trainer is unable to contain his grief at the sight of his recently deceased elephant companion.

The footage, captured in Kerala, India, shows the trainer of Cherpulassery Parthan, one of the most admired elephants in the region, refuse to leave the animal's side during a ceremony for the dead animal.

The 44-year-old mammal, known by locals as 'the prince of elephants', had been used throughout the state for Indian temple processions.

The trainer is unable to contain his grief as he desperately clings on to this elephant companion in Kerala, India

During the video, the unnamed trainer, also known as a mahout, wails uncontrollably as he clings onto the elephant's head.

A man standing beside the inconsolable trainer tries to pull him away from his beloved elephant as the trainer presses his head against the animal.

The grieving man continues to hold onto the dead elephant as more locals gather around and try to pull him away.

As the ceremony continues and flower petals are thrown onto the dead elephant, the man continues to wail and refuses to leave his animal's side.

According to local reports, Cherpulassery Parthan died after treatment for an illness.

A man stood beside the trainer tries to pull him away from the dead animal as spectators watch on

More men gather around the grieving trainer and try to pull him away from Cherpulassery Parthan

It is unclear how long the mahout and the elephant had spent together.

Mahouts, who are often seen throughout southern and southeastern Asia, usually enter the profession as boys and are assigned an elephant early in its life.

Both keeper and elephant are believed to keep a deep and lifelong bond with one another.

As well as being an iconic creature among tourists and an integral part of Keralas culture, elephants remain a holy animal in India and are often depicted as being the embodiment of the Hindu god Ganesh.

In 1986, elephants were also classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
A US woman was among four hostages rescued in Burkina Faso, West Africa on Friday as France revealed two soldiers were killed in the mission to free them.

The two soldiers died in a military operation to rescue the woman, a South Korean woman and two Frenchmen in the